by Michael
D. DeLapa, Chair, LandWatch
Can the
urban sprawl of San Jose or Los Angeles happen
here? The increase in traffic. The rise in crime.
The overcrowding of our schools. The air pollution.
The relentless annexation of precious agricultural
lands for low density urban uses?
Well, consider this: in the next
22 years, Monterey County is projected to grow more
than 40%, adding more than 160,000 people to
today's 340,000. Where will these people go? And
what kind of communities await them? And
us?
Like it or not, Monterey County
is destined to grow. That growth will come from
current residents, as their families expand, and
from others who seek to live in one of the most
beautiful places in the world.
The question is how, and where,
and with what degree of planning will growth take
place? Will it be well thought out and for the good
of the community, or strictly for the personal gain
of developers and at the expense of our already
over-burdened infrastructure and quality of life?
Do we get smart and learn from our neighbors to the
north and south or do we let their harmful patterns
of growth metastasize here?
Unfortunately, if recent history
is any indication, many of our elected officials -
who should be the stewards of Monterey County's
future - have a hard time planning beyond the next
election cycle. Our county supervisors face
relentless pressure from developers from Los
Angeles and other places whose interest is to
maximize profits and minimize costs. They are
approving large piecemeal developments and
conversions of farmland to tract homes and
industrial uses, while simultaneously not investing
in roads, water supply systems, schools, parks and
other amenities that together create communities.
So who represents the public in this
process?
That's where LandWatch comes in.
LandWatch Monterey County seeks to balance demands
for growth with the need to preserve our County's
quality of life. By encouraging greater public
participation in planning, we aim to:
- Prevent urban
sprawl
- Promote development patters
that minimize impacts on traffic, water, and air
quality.
- Educate the community on
growth trends, land use issues, and
planning.
- Preserve precious farmlands,
forests, and open space.
- Encourage a range of
affordable housing.
Again and again, the public
learns about destructive development projects too
far into the planning and approval process to stop
or modify them. The public needs to be heard at the
beginning of the planning process - not the end.
Monterey County Land Watch will provide that early
warning with a professional staff to analyze
development proposals and communicate their impact,
good or bad, on our daily lives.
How will
LandWatch achieve its goals?
- Shape a common vision.
LandWatch will spearhead efforts to coordinate
the enthusiasm and effort of various citizens
and groups to establish enforceable, countywide
land use coals based on our common
vision.
- Communicate and Educate.
County residents need a comprehensive source of
information. LandWatch will monitor and
publicize critical land use proceedings and,
when necessary, organize citizens to ensure good
land use planning.
- Seek Common Ground.
LandWatch will balance sensible growth and land
preservation, working to find common ground
between private property rights and land as a
community resource. MCLW is committed to working
with its supporters, sharing your ideas,
listening to the ideas of others, and assisting
our elected officials in making difficult
choices.
The quality of life we enjoy
today will be preserved or compromised, depending
on citizen involvement. It is only through better
research, monitoring, policy advocacy and citizen
action that the environmental health and economic
rigor of Monterey County will be
maintained.
Finally, consider this. On any
one day, our five board of supervisors can choose
the future of our county. They can approve or deny
Rancho Chualar II. They can approve transfer
highway funds to build the Prunedale bypass instead
of the Hatton Canyon freeway. They approve or deny
Rancho San Carlos, Bishop Ranch, Monterra Ranch,
Harden Ranch, Williams Ranch, Miravales, Vista
Soledad, or Pebble Beach expansion. On any one day,
they can make Monterey County a better or a worse
place for all of us to live. Land Watch will watch
them as it watches out for all of our
futures.
Please make a tax deductible
contribution and join LandWatch before the year
ends. Our address is P.O. Box 908, Monterey, CA
93942. Membership is only $50 per family. For
further information, please call
375-3752. |