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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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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 Monday, September 29, 2008 – The AEP The Association of Environmental Professionals (or AEP) is a non-profit organization of professionals working to improve their skills as environmental practitioners and natural resource managers. Last Wednesday evening, I was privileged to speak to the Monterey Bay Chapter of the AEP during a dinner meeting at Michael’s On Main, in Soquel. I made a heartfelt pitch for environmental professionals to play a leadership role in our struggle to meet the crisis of global warming. California has taken a leadership position in the United States, and has made a commitment to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020. In other words, we are going to have to reverse current trends. At the same time, however, our state is continuing to grow, and that means that we are actually increasing greenhouse gas emissions each day. We can, if we determine to do so, simply say “no new emissions” as new projects proceed! In other words, we can establish a “zero emission standard” for all new development. That can be done, and if you take the global warming threat as seriously as I do, you know it must be done. Environmental professionals can help us achieve this objective: no new greenhouse gas emissions as new development occurs. They will be a lot more successful in doing that if there is broad public acceptance of this goal. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information AEP is dedicated to the enhancement, maintenance, and protection of the natural and human environment. It’s a statewide organization, but with a number of regional chapters, including a Monterey Bay Chapter, covering the counties of Santa Cruz and Monterey. For more information, use the links below: AEP Website - http://www.califaep.org/
The Grower-Shipper Association of Central California represents some of the most economically successful agricultural businesses in the state. Through its associated foundation, the Grower-Shippers are helping to sponsor an event on Friday, October 3rd, which you might want to attend. The event is entitled “A Greater Vision: The Future of Sustainable Stewardship,” and it will be held in the University Center Ballroom at the California State University at Monterey Bay. The program runs from 9:00 a.m. till noon. You can get more information by tracking down the written transcript for today’s Land Use Report at www.kusp.org. Speakers and their topics include:
A panel discussion will be moderated by Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue, Chairman of the Grower Shipper Association. A $15 donation is requested. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information Grower-Shipper Association of Central California - http://www.growershipper.com/ Reservations for the program and the tour may be made by calling the CSUMB special events line at 831-582-4001 and leaving a message. Wednesday, October 1, 2008 – LAFCO Wraps Up You may remember me talking about a LAFCO meeting held on the evening of September 22nd. About 400 people attended this very important public hearing, which focused on the future of fire protection in Bonny Doon (and in other rural portions of Santa Cruz County not currently served by an independent fire district). Bonny Doon is currently part of County Service Area 48, which provides fire protection in all such rural areas. A County Service Area, or CSA, is actually a governmental mechanism to collect money and provide services using that money, and where an independent fire protection district is not in place, CSA 48 steps up, charging property owners and then spending the money to purchase fire protection services from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, now usually called “CAL FIRE.” Bonny Doon residents petitioned to set up their own fire protection district, which would then take Bonny Doon out of CSA 48. That was the rub. Creation of a new independent district would take money out of the common CSA pot, to spend only in Bonny Doon, and that could damage fire protection elsewhere. LAFCO’s final decision on the Bonny Doon petition is scheduled for a meeting to be held today, at 9:30 a.m., at the Santa Cruz County Governmental Center. It looks like there will be no independent Bonny Doon Fire Protection District, at least not for a while. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information Santa Cruz County LAFCO - http://www.santacruzlafco.org/ Thursday, October 2, 2008 – Inclusionary Requirements in Santa Cruz The Planning Commission of the City of Santa Cruz is meeting tonight, and will consider zoning ordinance amendments that would modify the City’s Affordable Housing Program, and proposed changes to the City’s Affordable Housing Guidelines that govern how Homeowner Association dues are used in the calculations that ultimately determine sales prices. The City of Santa Cruz, like the City of Salinas, and the Counties of Santa Cruz and Monterey (and this is definitely not a complete list), has what is known as an “inclusionary housing” ordinance. The first such ordinance in the Central Coast Region was adopted in Santa Cruz County, after the passage of Measure J, in June 1978. Measure J required that such an ordinance be enacted. The idea of “inclusionary housing” is quite simple: as new residential development proceeds, a certain percentage of the new residential units are price restricted, to be sold to persons with average or below average incomes. Almost always, inclusionary housing ordinances have some kind of resale restriction, so that a person buying a home at an “inclusionary” low price can’t immediately turn around and sell it on the open market, and make a windfall profit. The idea is simple; the details are complex, and virtually every community has different standards. If you want to learn the details of the program in the City of Santa Cruz, think about taking in tonight’s Planning Commission meeting. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information City of Santa Cruz Website - http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/ Friday, October 3, 2008 – AdaptiveARC It appears that the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors will be considering a controversial “waste to energy” project at its meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, October 7th. I have placed links to a couple of news articles discussing the project in the transcript for today’s Land Use Report. Just click on the Land Use Report icon on the KUSP website. The so-called “AdaptiveARC” process is a new and largely untested process, which its proponents claim is NOT a trash incinerator. Incinerating trash is a technology that not only contributes to global warming; it fills the air with one of the most dangerous and toxic chemicals we know, dioxin. The test facility, if permitted by the Board of Supervisors, would be located at the County’s Buena Vista Landfill, in South County. Air pollution and other impacts would thus be concentrated on South County residents, including those who live in nearby farmworker housing. The City of Watsonville, and South County Supervisor Tony Campos do not seem enthralled with the idea. It is enthralling, however, to think that some “new technology” might really exist that can convert all our waste into pure energy (more energy than it takes to run the process, allegedly) with the only physical byproduct being a useable road building material. It does sound too good to be true. If you’re interested, check out the Board meeting next Tuesday. For KUSP, this is Gary Patton. More Information Register-Pajaronian Article - http://www.register-pajaronian.com/V2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=5495&page=72
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