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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.
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| Past
Reports
The following Land Use Reports have been presented on KUSP by Gary Patton, General Counsel 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.
An article in an online newspaper in San Luis Obispo County, reporting on an upcoming Supervisorial election, had this headline: “Patterson vs. Arnold: Growth dominates 5th District supervisor race.” Since I frequently mention the importance of land use decisions, I’m happy to see that the topic is getting some attention in election campaigns. If the uses we make of the land resources in our community are of critical importance to our future, then how a candidate will handle land use issues, once elected, ought to be one of the major things that the voters think about as they decide who will represent them on the Board of Supervisors. In San Luis Obispo County, it’s clear that Mr. Patterson favors active governmental efforts to control and manage growth. Ms. Arnold has the opposite view, as indicated by her strong support for Proposition 98, which would pretty much eliminate any growth management or environmental protection measures that a local government might want to enact. In Monterey County, the race for the 4th District seat on the Board of Supervisors is also focused on growth and land use issues, with appointed incumbent Ila Mettee-McCutcheon having a strong pro-development history on the Marina City Council, and challenger Jane Parker having been an active advocate for a County General Plan that includes strong “smart growth” policies. On land use issues, this is an election that will really make a difference! For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information Tuesday, May 27, 2008 – Medical Clinic Decision in Watsonville Tonight, the Watsonville City Council will consider community health policy, in the context of its land use regulatory powers. Generally speaking, a person who wants to expand an existing building must get local government approval. And in deciding whether to grant such approval, the local government must follow its own rules. These rules are usually part of the local zoning code. What happens if someone proposes a project that might have a significant impact on the community, but the zoning code doesn’t have any rules for that situation? In that case, state law permits local elected officials to declare a limited-term moratorium, to give the government time to draft new rules to address the issues that it might have overlooked. That’s what’s happening at the Watsonville City Council tonight. Sutter Health would like to expand its existing medical offices, and no local rule says they can’t. However, members of the local medical community have raised issues not covered in the City’s zoning code. These issues focus on whether Sutter ought to be more open to accepting publicly insured and indigent patients. The concern is that the expansion of Sutter’s offices might reduce the number of privately insured patients at Watsonville Community Hospital, thus causing a financial crisis for the Hospital, and a public health problem for lower income persons. Land use regulation can affect public health policy. There’s more on the KUSP website. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information Wednesday, May 28, 2008 – An Environmental Health Forum I’d like to give you a “heads up” on a community forum to be held this coming Saturday, May 31st, at the Monterey Beach Resort, 2600 Sand Dunes Drive in Monterey. The forum is sponsored by the Fort Ord Environmental Justice Network, and will begin at 8:30 in the morning. More information on the forum is found on the KUSP website. Topics to be addressed include environmental justice, pesticide spraying, greenhouse gas emissions, and many more. Both Cal-EPA and the United States Environmental Protection Agency will have representatives at the forum. Speakers include Bradley Angel, of Greenaction, and Dr. Peter deFur of Environmental Stewardship Concepts. Dr. deFur is Chair of the Board of the Science and Environmental Health Network, and President of the Association for Science in the Public Interest. He has recently completed a term on the National Research Council Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology. Bradley Angel is an inspiring community organizer, who has helped communities around California beat back proposals that would expose community residents to environmental and toxic dangers. Air quality and water quality regulations directly relate to land use policy, and as in every other area, informed public participation can make a critical difference. We don’t tend to think of environmental “health” when we think about the environment. This forum will provide convincing evidence we ought to! For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information Thursday, May 29, 2008 – AB 1709: Energy System Financing The City of Berkeley has a well-deserved reputation for its innovative approach to land use and community problems. Many communities don’t place much value on “community” action, tending to the view that individual action, not community action, is really what’s most important. Berkeley fosters lots of individual action, no doubt, but it also has a long tradition of local government action on behalf of the community. Whether it’s traffic diverters in the streets or community anti-war activities, Berkeley makes it a tradition to use city powers to achieve community goals. Most recently, Berkeley has addressed global warming by using its governmental powers to help individual residents install sustainable energy systems on their private homes. The sun does shine on Berkeley, and photovoltaic systems can collect that solar power and transform it directly into electricity, reducing our dependence on fossil fuel. The problem is, it costs a lot to purchase and install such a system. Therefore, the City of Berkeley decided that it would help finance the upfront costs for local residents, who could then pay the City back over time. Most of them can actually lower their costs! This creative idea has now been incorporated into a piece of state legislation, AB 1709. If you’d like to read up on this, please find the transcript of today’s Land Use Report on the KUSP website. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information Friday, May 30, 2008 – Big Sur Hikes and Outings Last Friday, I suggested that listeners check out some of the outdoor activities sponsored by the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County. Today, I’d like to make a similar suggestion, and invite listeners to review some of the hikes and outings sponsored by the Big Sur Land Trust. The Big Sur Land Trust is now actively working to protect natural resource lands in large portions of Monterey County, and not just on the Big Sur Coast. If you join up as a member, one of the benefits is an extremely nice list of outings. Tomorrow, for instance, members can explore the Palo Corona Ranch, and on Saturday, June 14th, the Marks Ranch. The Big Sur Land Trust sponsors some of its outings as what it calls “community days,” which means that these outings are open to everyone. Saturday, June 7th is one of those “community days,” and you can make a reservation to hike on the Mitteldorf Preserve, one of the treasures of the California coast. A strenuous and a more relaxed hike will both be available. Land trusts approach land conservation not through the regulatory process, but by raising money and then entering into conservation transactions with private landowners. These nonprofit organizations play a vital role in efforts to protect the natural environment. Central Coast residents are particularly fortunate in having a number of dedicated and effective land trusts at work in our region. You can get a partial list in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report on the KUSP website. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information
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