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LandWatch provides
a brief Land Use Report on KUSP Radio. Tune in every weekday at 6:33 or 8:49 am.
KUSP is at 88.9 FM in General Coverage, 105.9 FM in Big Sur Valley, 91.3 FM in
Palo Colorado Canyon, and 91.7 FM in San Ardo. Archives of past transcripts are
available here.
Week of August 5-9, 2002
The following Land Use Reports have been presented on KUSP Radio by Gary Patton, Executive Director of LandWatch Monterey County. The opinions expressed by Mr. Patton are not necessarily those of KUSP Radio, nor of any of its sponsors.
Protecting
the Arroyo Seco River (Monday, August 5th)
The Arroyo Seco River, a tributary of the Salinas River, winds ten
miles through a dramatic, deep canyon. Its journey takes it over
waterfalls and through stunning steep walled gorges. In more gentle
terrain, lush riparian habitat lines its banks. This striking river
contains endangered steelhead trout, and the endangered red-legged
frog. It’s truly a treasure worth saving.
There
are, however, problems in this paradise. On the lower portions of
the river, a sand mining plant has caused significant damage, and
Monterey County has permitted an asphalt batch plant to locate right
in the middle of the river. Concerned citizens have been working
to curtail or eliminate the sand mine and its associated uses. They’ve
formed the Arroyo Seco River Alliance, and they’re meeting
tomorrow tonight, Tuesday August 6th. The meeting begins at 7:00
p.m., at Miller’s Lodge, on Arroyo Seco Road. It’s a trip
to get there, but you’re invited.
Congress
Member Sam Farr and Senator Barbara Boxer are carrying legislation
that would increase protection for the wilderness areas surrounding
the Arroyo Seco. The Ventana Wilderness Alliance and The Nature
Conservancy are both working to preserve and protect this spectacular
environment. To make a comment or suggestion, and for more information,
go to the bottom of the main page, at www.kusp.org.
For
KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
Contact For Arroyo Seco River Alliance – Peter Garin, petergarin@pacbell.net
Ventana Wilderness Alliance - http://www.ventanawild.org
The Nature Conservancy - http://www.tnccalifornia.org/index.asp
Arroyo Seco River (Headwaters) - http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/html/
headwaters/2001_Spring/page01.html
Wilderness Expansion - http://www.ventanawild.org/projects/wildex/arroyose.html
Monrey
County General Plan Amendment (Tuesday, August 6th)
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors is on vacation until August
27th. That doesn’t mean, though, that nothing is happening
where land use policy is concerned. In fact, Monterey County is
right in the middle of what can certainly be called an intensive
and fast-paced process, headed in the direction of a comprehensive
amendment of the Monterey County General Plan. Between now and August
27th, the local Land Use Advisory Committees, and the Monterey County
Planning Commission, are going to be reviewing over two hundred
property owner requests to change current land use designations
to allow for increased development. If you’re interested, mark
down August 27th and August 29th on your calendars. On those days,
the Monterey County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider
final action on these property owner requests.
Among
other things, intensive developments are proposed along River Road,
and in the Toro Area. Large-scale expansion of the little community
of Castroville is also being suggested. The owners of artichoke
fields would start putting up subdivisions, if requests like these
were approved.
Many
people, including business leaders specifically, have criticized
the Monterey County Board for “rushing to judgment” on
a new General Plan. The Board’s current schedule is to finish
by the end of this calendar year, but a lot will depend on what
the public says about the next draft. Your comments are definitely
in order!
For
KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
Monterey County General Plan - http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/gpu/
Citizens
Advisory Committee for the Pajaro Redevelopment Area Meeting
(Wednesday, August 7th)
Are you looking for a meeting to attend? I think I have a lead for
you. On Thursday evening, that’s tomorrow, August 8th, at 6:00
p.m., the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Pajaro Redevelopment
Area is scheduled to meet at 29-A Bishop Street, in Pajaro. The
topic is future land use planning for the Pajaro area. This is a
meeting that may well be of interest to Santa Cruz County residents,
as well as to residents of Pajaro, located in Monterey County, right
across the river from the City of Watsonville.
Listeners
may remember that the Calpine Energy Company is proposing to construct
a new energy plant in Pajaro. That’s an important topic for
discussion. Flooding problems, and what can be done about them,
is also likely to be on the agenda. Santa Cruz County and Monterey
County are having a dispute about what approach to take towards
flooding problems.
A
proposal to put a CALTRAIN station in Pajaro may also be a focus
of discussion tomorrow night. The Transportation Agency of Monterey
County thinks that extending CALTRAIN service to Salinas, through
Pajaro, could provide a positive benefit. The Santa Cruz County
Transportation Commission, at last report, has been less sure about
that. It’s possible that CALTRAIN service might turn Watsonville
and Pajaro into a kind of “commuter suburb” for the Silicon
Valley.
The
issues are important. Should be a good meeting. Tomorrow night in
Pajaro.
For
KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
Monterey County Redevelopment Agency - http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/housing/
Salinas
General Plan Up for "First Check" (Thursday, August
8th)
Where land use policy is concerned, there is no document more important
than the General Plan. Each city and county in California is legally
required to have a local General Plan, to spell out the policies
that will guide future growth and development.
On
August 14th, that’s next Wednesday, the Salinas Planning Commission
is scheduled to take its "first crack"at the draft of
a new General Plan for the City of Salinas. The debate and discussion
that is sure to take place about the Salinas General Plan is well
worth noting. Monterey County and Salinas residents may want to
get involved.
The
City’s draft plan proposes the conversion of about 4,000 acres
of agricultural land during the next twenty years. Most of the land
designated for housing is proposed to be developed at low-density
residential standards. This means that most of the housing will
not be affordable to local residents, and will serve the “market
demand” coming out of the Silicon Valley.
How
best to meet the needs of the local community, when confronting
the very significant pressures that come from the Silicon Valley,
is really the “big question” for Salinas, as it adopts
a new General Plan It’s the same big question that confronts
virtually every community located in Monterey and Santa Cruz County.
It’s not just an environmental question, either. The future
of the local economy, and social equity concerns, will be directly
impacted by the choices our local communities make.
For
KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
Salinas Draft General Plan - http://www.ci.salinas.ca.us/CommDev/
GenPlan/GPDraft.html
LandWatch Comments - http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/
salinasgp/073102salinascom.html
Monterey
County Development Moratorium Ends Today (Friday, August 9th)
Today, August 9th, the current “moratorium” on development
in North Monterey County is ending. About eighteen months ago, the
Monterey County Board of Supervisors decided to suspend new development
in North Monterey County, because of the lack of sustainable water
supplies. New development applications were simply not accepted.
Applications that were “in the pipeline” could proceed,
and a number of them did, and were approved.
North
Monterey County is suffering from what many believe is a 200% overdraft
of the groundwater aquifers serving the area. Current residents
have been seeing the water levels drop in the wells serving them,
and some have actually had their wells go dry. A “moratorium”
is an official suspension of new development approvals, and this
seemed like a reasonable approach to the Board of Supervisors when
the moratorium was imposed, although the imposition of this moratorium
was very controversial. While most local residents were strongly
in favor, those wanting to develop their properties were not.
The
thing about a “moratorium,” legally, is that it is temporary.
Time has run out for the North County moratorium, and this may mean
a whole host of new development applications. The draft Monterey
County General Plan Update, not yet adopted, would impose strong,
permanent protections for North County residents. For those who
care about the long-term health of the aquifers, such a permanent
policy can’t come too soon.
For
KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
Archives
of past transcripts are available here
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