You should probably like acronyms if you want to get involved with land use issues. Acronyms like RTC, CEQA, and EIR should trip right off your tongue. But how about DOGGR? That’s D-O-G-G-R? What does that stand for?

DOGGR stands for “Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources.” It’s a division of the California Department of Conservation, which is part of the California State Resources Agency. John Laird, a former Assembly Member and former Santa Cruz City Council Member and Mayor, is the ultimate overseer of DOGGR, whose activities may have an important impact here on the Central Coast. To let John Laird off the hook just a bit, the ultimate decision making authority over the issues handled by DOGGR is actually California State Governor Jerry Brown, who is Laird’s boss.

Why talk about DOGGR today? Here’s why. DOGGR is responsible for developing a set of state regulations to govern “fracking,” or hydraulic fracturing, the newest technique to produce oil and gas. These rules will probably have a major impact in our region, and a workshop on these rules is being held tomorrow, Tuesday, April 30th, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Monterey. Full information, including the agenda, is available below. I encourage you to participate!

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• California Resources Agency
• Department of Conservation
• Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources
• Agenda For April 30, 2013 Workshop in Monterey
• Discussion Draft Regulations
• Narrative Description of Proposed Regulations
• DOGGR “Frequently Asked Questions” Publication
• DOGGR Fracking Information Page
• April 15, 3013 Land Use Report on Fracking
• Make a comment – comments@conservation.ca.gov

Prior to recording these Land Use Reports, which I usually do on Saturday mornings, I scan the agendas of the local government agencies in our region, to see what sort of important land use related items may be coming up for discussion. Naturally, I look at the agendas of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, since the decisions of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors have such a significant impact on the Central Coast.

Today, the Board is holding a special, joint meeting with the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority Board of Directors. That meeting will start at 4:00 p.m., and will be held in the Board Chambers at 168 West Alisal Street, in Salinas. Of course, members of the public are invited. It might be a pretty interesting meeting, too.

The Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority handles garbage disposal for the County and for Salinas Valley cities. That, of course, has a profound impact on land use. Most recently, the Solid Waste Authority has wanted to “convert” solid waste, turning it into energy, and that has profound environmental justice impacts, as well as impacts on air quality and land use.

Today, the two agencies are going to discuss the County’s statement that it wants to withdraw its participation from the joint effort, in order to reduce the price of waste disposal to County residents and county businesses. There is lots of information below.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Monterey County Board of Supervisors Agendas
• Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority Website
• County Staff Report on County’s Intention to Withdraw
• SVSWA Staff Report on County’s Intention to Withdraw

Few issues are more important to the Central Coast than water supply and water quality. And of course, water quality is directly related to water supply. Having a good supply of water doesn’t really mean much if the quality of the available water has been degraded, so that it can no longer be used for human benefit. Poor protection for water quality leads immediately to water supply problems. Farmers in the Pajaro Valley definitely understand this connection. The water quality degradation associated with saltwater intrusion is placing long-term water supplies in the Pajaro Valley at risk.

Water quality degradation associated with land use also impacts our marine resources. I think that is one major reasons that students at the Moss Landing Marine Labs have been working on water quality in Elkhorn Slough. Make no mistake, land use related impacts can cause water quality degradation in the Slough, and that does affect our Marine Sanctuary. This region is blessed with a host of academic institutions focused on preserving and protecting our natural environment, and thus supporting the human activities that are directly dependent on our natural environment. The Moss Landing Marine Laboratories id one of the finest. Tomorrow, students at the Marine Labs are going to make a presentation on water quality, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Check today’s transcript if you are interested.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Website
• Friends of Moss Landing Marine Labs Website
• Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Website
• Elkhorn Slough Foundation Website

The presentation on Thursday, May 2, 2013 will be made by students at MLML, who have been working with the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve on water quality issues in Elkhorn Slough. This is a “working” event, not really a public presentation, but interested persons can probably receive permission to attend. If you would like to listen to the presentation, contact Rikke Kvist Preisler – rikke@elkhornslough.org

The Santa Cruz City Planning Commission is meeting tonight, Thursday, May 2nd. The meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers, located at 809 Center Street in downtown Santa Cruz, and the meeting begins at 7:00 o’clock.

The Santa Cruz City Planning Commission has seven members, all appointed by the City Council, and while their decisions are not “final,” in the sense that what they decide will always be the last word on land use, it would be a great mistake to ignore their existence, and to bypass their proceedings. If you happen to care about a policy or a permit that is being discussed, don’t miss the meeting! Those concerned about specific development applications, or about specific policies, often focus on the City Council, since the Council, usually, does have the last word. By and large, that is not a good strategy. If you care, you should be there at all stages, including specifically at the Planning Commission.

I have placed a link to the agenda of tonight’s Planning Commission meeting in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report, found at kusp.org/landuse. The Commission will consider a special use permit for a proposed medical marijuana dispensary that would be located on River Street. The Commission will also confront some very important policy issues, including parking requirements for mixed-use developments. City residents who care about land use should think about attending!

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• May 2, 2013 Agenda – Santa Cruz City Planning Commission

The Carmel Valley Association has officially endorsed an initiative measure that would provide open space protection to certain lands on the former Fort Ord. If qualified for the ballot, and then enacted by the voters, the initiative would stop development on 540 acres, and designate specific parcels for open space and recreational uses. The initiative would preserve rare coast live oak habitat and the connectivity of the trail system that leads from the beach to the National Monument. It would also ban horse racing and fee-for-entry spectator arenas. Again, these things would happen only if the initiative is qualified for the ballot (something like 16,000 valid signatures are needed), and if the voters thereafter enact the measure. In its statement supporting the initiative, the Carmel Valley Association said that these issues were of such critical importance that they should be placed before the voters of Monterey County. 

Not everyone likes this proposed initiative. In fact, the Monterey County Veterans Council has now filed a “Counter Petition” that would declare developable the very areas that the “Open Space Petition” would protect. It appears that the “Counter Petition” is intended to support the controversial Monterey Downs project (just as the “Open Space Petition” would frustrate that development). Get more information on both initiatives below.

More Information:

• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Fort Ord Access Alliance Website
• Text of Open Space Initiative
• Carmel Valley Association Website
• Contact the Open Space Initiative organizers at fortordaccess@gmail.com
• Monterey County Herald Article on Veterans “Counter Petition”
• Text of the “Counter Petition”