Assembly Bill 551 passed the Legislature and was signed into law by the Governor in 2013. It became effective in January of this year. The bill opens up some exciting new opportunities for city and county governments.

The Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones Act provides both cities and counties with an ability to establish zones within their jurisdictions that can be used for small-scale urban farms. If property owners voluntarily agree to restrict vacant, unimproved, or otherwise blighted parcels for use as small-scale urban farms, the property owners receive what is expected to be a reduced property tax assessment.

Under this legislation, cities and counties may authorize a wide variety of agricultural uses, including the planting of crops, the operation of farm stands, and the raising of livestock. The local government can also adopt rules and regulations limiting the type of agricultural uses allowed. Limiting these zones to "organic" agriculture, for instance, would be possible. A county can establish an urban agriculture incentive zone by following its usual procedures. A city must receive approval from the appropriate county board of supervisors.

There are many places in our region where this approach to urban land use could enhance local "food security" and improve our urban environment. You can find out more below.

More Information

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Text of AB 551, As Chaptered
• I was alerted to this new law by a bulletin from the Richards | Watson | Gershon law firm

Neither the Monterey County Board of Supervisors nor the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors is meeting today. Whenever Monday is a holiday, the Boards tend not to meet on the immediately following Tuesday. Regular Board meetings are on Tuesdays, and agendas for a Tuesday Board meeting are usually released late Thursday, or on Friday of the week before. Since these agendas always include many different items, Board members, county staff, and members of the public typically use Mondays to ask questions, and to investigate the proposals to be considered on Tuesday. When that isn’t possible, because of a Monday holiday, the Board simply skips the Tuesday meeting; at least, that’s the normal practice.

The City Council of the City of Santa Cruz is holding a meeting today, and it’s a "special meeting." I have placed a link to the agenda below. The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. at the Santa Cruz City Hall, and the agenda doesn’t really tell us very much. There is only one item on the Council Agenda, labeled "Advisory Body Interviews."

While the agenda doesn’t specifically say so, I am betting that these interviews will focus on applicants for the City’s new "Water Supply Advisory Committee," which is going to try to figure out how to deal with the City’s long-term water supply issues. If that’s it, these series of interviews could be interesting!

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Santa Cruz City Council Agenda – January 21, 2014
• Information on City Water Supply Advisory Committee

Water and wastewater are related subjects. In fact, as California faces drought conditions everywhere, I think it’s likely that the recapture and reuse of wastewater may become an important topic of discussion for both local and state government. I bet that the Water Supply Advisory Committee that the City of Santa Cruz is in the process of appointing will want to look at local options for this kind of recapture and reuse of waters that are now not only wasted, as far as municipal, and agricultural, and industrial use is concerned, but that actually act as contaminants in our marine environment.

Today, I thought I would alert you to some upcoming meetings and events, relating to water and wastewater issues, that you might want to put on your calendar. This is definitely an advance notice so you can plan ahead. I often don’t find out about interesting meetings until just before they are going to take place, so KUSP listeners usually can’t plan ahead, based on what they hear on the Land Use Report. This time, I am giving you more notice!

The City of Santa Cruz is providing tours of its Graham Hill Water Treatment Plant. The next tours will be on February 20th and March 20th. They are free, but reservations are required.

On March 11th, the City Council is going to hold a public hearing on proposed wastewater rate increases. That will be at 7:00 p.m. at the Santa Cruz City Hall. There is more information below.

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Information on proposed wastewater rate increase
• Submit comments on wastewater rate increase by March 10th to citycouncil@cityofsantacruz.com
• To make a reservation for a tour of the Graham Hill Water Treatment Plan, you should contact Eileen Cross at ecross@cityofsantacruz.com or call 831-676-7090.

On last Thursday’s Land Use Report, I mentioned the problems caused by saltwater intrusion, and said that this kind of contamination of vital fresh water supplies <quote> "may soon happen with respect to the aquifers relied upon by Soquel Creek."

Let me restate myself. Both the General Manager of the Soquel Creek Water District and one of the members of the Board of Directors of the District promptly got in touch with me, after last Thursday’s Land Use Report. They told me that this problem of saltwater intrusion is not "prospective," as they thought I had implied. It’s real, and it’s happening right now in the aquifers relied upon by the District to serve the District’s 38,000 customers in Santa Cruz County, from Capitola to La Selva Beach.

The District is definitely working on what to do about this, and is considering everything from desalination to significant rate increases. It certainly was not my intention to suggest that there really isn’t a problem yet. Quite the opposite! So, if anyone did get the wrong impression, please take heed of this correction. Saltwater intrusion is extremely serious, and must be stopped (and that means prompt action in the Pajaro Valley, and with respect to the aquifers relied upon by the Soquel Creek Water District).

And let me reiterate: solving this problem will probably require that an appropriate regulation of private wells be factored into the solution.

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Land Use Report – Private Wells And The Drought
• Soquel Creek Water District Website

As regular listeners will undoubtedly remember from earlier Land Use Reports, Santa Cruz County has been doing a lot of work to make it possible to use the existing rail line extending through Santa Cruz County, from Davenport to Watsonville, and to begin to construct a coastal trail that will ultimately link Santa Cruz County with Monterey County to the south. I have placed a few links to more information below.

Today, I thought I would give you a heads up on an event that you might want to consider attending. It is a "Valentine Luncheon" hosted by the League of Women Voters of Santa Cruz County, and it is scheduled for Sunday, February 9th. The event will take place at the Hilton Hotel located at 6001 La Madrona Drive in Scotts Valley, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. This is not a free event, but some listeners might like to attend. There will be two presenters from the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, Executive Director George Dondero and Project Manager Cory Caletti. They will outline "Rail and Trail Plans for Santa Cruz County," and this will certainly be an opportunity for interested persons to learn more about what is happening right now, and what is going to happen, as plans progress.

Members of the public are definitely invited to this luncheon event!

More Information:

• Land Use Links
• Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog
• Santa Cruz League of Women Voters Website
• Event Flyer, February 9, 2014 League Event
• Transportation Commission Website
• Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network
• Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line