|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listen to the reports each weekday at 6:49 am & 8:49 am To
suggest a topic for a future land use report, or to convey a comment,
please use this link.
|
| Past
Reports
The following Land Use Reports have been presented on KUSP by Gary Patton, Executive Director of The Planning and Conservation League. The opinions expressed by Mr. Patton are not necessarily those of KUSP You can contact Gary Patton at PCL by emailing him at: gapatton@pcl.org.
Monday, March 12, 2007 – A Monterey County Pot Pourri
Just in case you’re not registered to vote, May 21st is the deadline to register, if you’d like to vote on those land use ballot measures! For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information Tuesday, March 13, 2007 – Blue Circle The “Blue Circle” was organized in 1996 by the Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District (sometimes called the RCD), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, as a way for local agencies, units of government, special interest groups, and concerned citizens to meet in a social setting and exchange views on natural resource issues affecting residents living in the County’s watersheds. The “Blue Circle” was designed to humanize (and make fun) the process of creating and/or enhancing working relationships and communications. The “Blue Circle” goes out of its way to say that it’s not “political,” and that it takes no positions on local issues, and it’s not a form of regional government. It doesn’t have an agenda (hidden or otherwise), except maybe this: Plain and simple, the “Blue Circle” is “people having fun with watersheds.” If you’re up for that kind of a good time, I bet you’d be welcome at the meeting this evening. It’s being held at Michael’s On Main Restaurant, located at 2591Main Street in Soquel. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information Wednesday, March 14, 2007 – The Coastal Commission Is Meeting Here! The Coastal Commission has jurisdiction over land use and planning issues affecting the California Coastal Zone, so they are a state agency, with statewide responsibilities. The Commission meets in every part of the Coastal Zone, and only holds a meeting in our region about once a year. If you have the time to attend their meeting, even if only to observe, I think you’ll find it very worthwhile. I’ve had lots of experience with both state level and local agencies that deal with land use matters, and the premier, best of the lot, bar none, is the California Coastal Commission. What I’m talking about here is this agency’s professionalism and consistency in carrying out its statewide mandate to protect the coast. I don’t always agree with every decision, but the procedures and policies the Commission uses, and the way they conduct their meetings, show how a public agency can take seriously the important public policy issues around land use that so profoundly affect not only our environment, but our economy, and our ability to achieve our social equity goals. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information Thursday, March 15, 2007 – The Santa Cruz City Planning Commission Tonight, at 7:00 o’clock, the Santa Cruz City Planning Commission will be meeting at City Hall, to take up an agenda that includes review of a significant development proposal on Seabright Avenue. The plan is to demolish two existing single-family dwellings, and to build six condominium units to replace them. The properties involved are at 627 and 629 Seabright. Removing a heritage tree is also part of the proposal. This kind of project is often controversial, since it both carries out what are sometimes called “smart growth” goals, but with the concomitant effect of changing the neighborhood. Don’t hesitate to use the KUSP email link to send me your questions, comments, and suggestions. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information Friday, March 16, 2007 – The Ventana Wilderness Just Got Bigger Well, it’s true. The Wilderness Land Trust (with financial help from the Big Sur Land Trust) has just purchased a 160-acre tract of land located near Tassajara Hot Springs. The land will be turned over to the U.S. Forest Service, to be managed as part of its existing federal holdings. Converting land from private ownership to public ownership can be controversial. In Big Sur, it definitely is controversial. Private property owners there sometimes feel like an endangered species, but those who are interested in protecting our wilderness areas from future private development, generally see efforts like the one I just reported as positive. We should be debating how best to provide long term, enduring protection for the wilderness areas that sustain our souls, and that make possible the continued existence of the natural environments that we have so often obliterated, as we have sought to exploit the land for various kinds of economic purposes. As this recent development shows, the land trust movement is playing a key role in the debate! For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information |