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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 September 16, 2002 to September 20, 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.
Monday,
September 16th Decisions Due On Monterey County GPU
Tomorrow is D-Day for the Monterey County General
Plan Update. The County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to complete
its marathon set of public hearings, focusing on property owner
requests to expand development throughout Monterey County. When
the public hearing is closed, the Board can then make some decisions.
Unless the Board delays, they will start making those decisions
tomorrow.
Will
the Board continue to support policies that direct new growth into
existing urban areas, thus protecting agricultural and open space
lands? Or, to the contrary, will the Board say, yes
to some of the hundreds of requests it has received to allow individual
property owners to develop rural and agricultural lands with new
subdivisions and shopping centers? If youve got a stake in
the answer (and virtually every resident of Monterey County does
have a stake in that) note the meeting time and place. The Board
of Supervisors will begin making decisions sometime after 1:30 tomorrow
afternoon, Tuesday, at the County Courthouse in Salinas. The public
hearing starts in the morning, and continues at 1:30 p.m., so if
you either want to testify or observe, tomorrows the day.
As
usual, there is information available through the KUSP website.
Check the Land Use Report link at the bottom of the main page at
www.kusp.org.
For
KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
The LandWatch Website www.landwatch.org
LandWatch Comments - http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/countyplan/082802board.html
County General Plan Website - http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/gpu/
Hearing Schedule - http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/gpu/calendar/revised_propownrequest.pdf
Board Of Supervisors Agenda - http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/suagenda/Agenda.htm
Tuesday,
September 17th Final Action On The Salinas GPU
I told you yesterday that today, Tuesday, is a kind of D-Day
decision point for the Monterey County General Plan. Thats
true. What I didnt tell you (because there wasnt enough
time) is that today is a D-Day decision point for the
City of Salinas General Plan, as well.
Thats
right! Land use policy fanaticsand might I suggest just ordinary
folkshave a couple of critically important meetings to choose
from. If youre a split personality type, you can choose to
attend them both. The Monterey County Board of Supervisors will
be meeting at the County Courthouse, and decisions start sometime
after 1:30 p.m. The Salinas City Council is meeting two blocks away,
at the City Hall Rotunda. Decisions start sometime after 4:00 p.m.
Youll be graded on attendance!
Seriously,
the residents of Salinas have a big stake in what their City Council
decides to do about the Draft Salinas General Plan. This Draft General
Plan proposes the conversion and development of about 4,000 acres
of open space and agricultural land. There have been lots of comments,
pro and con, and the decisions made by the City Council will fundamentally
determine the character and shape of Salinas. There is no hidden
agenda here. I urge listeners to attend, testify, and observe
your City Council in action. You can get more information at the
KUSP website.
For
KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
The LandWatch Website www.landwatch.org
Community Plan for Salinas - http://www.landwatch.org/pages/issuesactions/salinasgp/081602salinasplan.html
City of Salinas General Plan - http://www.ci.salinas.ca.us/CommDev/GenPlan/GPDraft.html
Agenda for City Hearings - http://www.ci.salinas.ca.us/CCouncil/CCminutes/CCmin/CCag.html
Wednesday,
September 18th From Big Sur to Salinas
I like to keep listeners up to date on important meetings that
relate to land use policy. The land use policy decisions we make
in our communities have a profound effect on our economy, environment,
and social equity. Coming up this Friday are a couple of meetings
that may be of interest.
First,
the Big Sur Multi-Agency Advisory Council is meeting at 10:00 oclock
on Friday morning at the Julia Pfeiffer State Park in Big Sur. This
periodic meeting brings together local, state, and federal agencies
to discuss a whole range of issues that relate to the Big Sur Coast.
Congress Member Sam Farr and County Supervisor David Potter jointly
chair the meetings. To find out how to get further details check
the KUSP website.
I
would be at the Big Sur meeting on Friday if I werent already
committed to be at another meeting. On Friday, from 10:00 to 2:30,
at the Salinas Community Center, the Latino Issues Forum and LandWatch
Monterey County are jointly hosting a meeting called Latinos
in Monterey County Better Planning for Better Communities.
California Rural Legal Assistance, the Center For Community Advocacy,
and CHISPA are co-sponsors. Housing policy is going to be front
and center on the agenda. Salinas Mayor Anna Caballero and experts
from around the State will be there.
I
can promise you that this is going to be an exciting event. Contact
LandWatch, or
check the KUSP website if youd
like to attend.
For
KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
The LandWatch Website www.landwatch.org
Conference Announcement - http://www.landwatch.org/pages/landwatchnews02/061502confs.html
Latino Issues Forum - http://www.lif.org/
CRLA - http://www.crla.org/
CHISPA - http://www.chispahousing.org/
For Information on the Big Sur Meeting Contact David Potter - (831)
647-7755; Email: district5@co.monterey.ca.us
Thursday,
September 19th City of Santa Cruz Housing Element
Every city and county must have an internally consistent and
comprehensive General Plan, to guide its future growth and development.
State law requires each jurisdiction to address land use, circulation,
open space, noise, safety, housing, and conservation. For the most
part, other than saying that you have to address the topics just
noted, the state doesnt impose any substantive requirements.
There
is an exception, however. The Housing Element of a local General
Plan must conform to extremely detailed requirements spelled out
in state law. The State Department of Housing and Community Development
is actually given the right to review and either approve or veto
the Housing Element of every city and county in California. Housing
Element issues are almost always contentious, and because the process
requires an allocation of fair share of housing between
various communities in each region of the state, inter-jurisdictional
disagreements are frequent. Currently, Santa Cruz County jurisdictions
are fighting with Monterey County jurisdictions about how much housing
should be required from each of the cities and counties around the
Monterey Bay.
If
youd like to find out more about the Housing Element process,
and specifically about the City of Santa Cruz Housing Element, you
should plan to attend tonights meeting of the Santa Cruz City
Planning Commission, at 7:00 oclock, at the Santa Cruz City
Hall. A full report is scheduled. It should be informative.
For
KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
The LandWatch Website www.landwatch.org
State HCD - http://www.hcd.ca.gov/
City of Santa Cruz Housing Study - http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/pl/hcd/ExecSum.pdf
Santa Cruz City Planning Commission Agenda -
http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/pl/cpc/agenda.pdf
State Law on Web - http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html
Housing Element Requirements See Government Code Section
65580 ff.
Friday,
September 20th City of San Luis Obispo Bike Trail
Bicyclists in San Luis Obispo should get out their calendars.
Next week, the Planning Commission of the City of San Luis Obispo
will consider a major new bike trail proposal. The hearing is scheduled
for Wednesday, September 25th, at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be
held in the City Council Chambers, located at 990 Palm Street in
San Luis Obispo. You can get more information through the KUSP website.
Just go to the Land Use Report link at the bottom of the main page
at www.kusp.org. I hope youll send me your comments, complaints,
and suggestions as well. Ive got an email pipeline direct
from that website.
The
proposed bike trail is a major project in the world of bike trail
construction. The Bob Jones City-to-Sea Trail, if approved, will
consist of a separated, recreational bikeway more than three miles
long. The bikeway will go parallel to San Luis Obispo Creek between
Madonna Road and Los Osos Valley Road, and parallel to Prefumo Creek
between Madonna Road and Calle Joaquin. This is a project that has
been in the planning stages for years, and that has required significant
environmental review. There are some significant questions to be
addressed. This Planning Commission meeting is the last step before
the City Council takes action, so if youre a bicyclist in
San Luis Obispo, this might be the meeting for you.
For
KUSP, this is Gary Patton.
More
Information:
The LandWatch Website www.landwatch.org
City of San Luis Obispo Planning Commission -
http://www.ci.san-luis-obispo.ca.us/advisorybodies.asp
Past City Actions - http://www.ci.san-luis-obispo.ca.us/_vti_script/search.asp0.idq
(type in Bob Jones)
Archives
of past transcripts are available here
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