The Land Use Report

Friday, November 9, 2012           As I mentioned on Tuesday, the voters of Santa Cruz County adopted some basic growth management principles in 1978, including the following principle relating to the preservation of agricultural land: It shall be the policy of Santa Cruz County that prime agricultural lands and lands which are economically productive when used for agriculture shall be preserved for agricultural use. If agricultural land is located in “the county,” in other words, outside of a city limit, efforts to turn that agricultural land into a big box store, or a subdivision, or anything else, will just not be allowed. The Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau, incidentally, which wasn’t completely keen on this policy back in 1978, now largely appreciates the idea that our official county policy says that the agricultural industry gets precedence in terms of land use. That is really what this policy means. If agricultural lands move inside a city boundary, the County’s policy no longer has any effect. Watsonville Council Member Daniel Dodge is actively trying to get Watsonville voters to abandon the City’s current urban limit line (another way to protect agricultural land), in order to turn prime agricultural land along Highway One into a big box store. You can get a link to more information at kusp.org/landuse. More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Text of Measure J The Story of Measure J Santa Cruz Sentinel Article on Farmland Annexation Proposal

Thursday, November 8, 2012 I am often in the position of telling you about meetings on the very day that they are taking place. Better late than never, but I do recognize that giving listeners a bit more “lead time” might result in more listeners actually being able to attend the meetings I talk about. Today, I want to announce a meeting that will take place on Thursday, November 15th. On that day, Engineers for Water Alternatives will hold a forum on the following topic:  “Can Water Market Incentives Unlock A Race To Conserve?” This is quite a timely question. The City of Santa Cruz and the Soquel Creek Water District are spending lots of money to design and evaluate a proposed desalination plant. “Conservation” might be a viable alternative. If there were a way to “unlock a race to conserve” that might be something that City water customers, and Soquel Creek water customers, would like to pursue. The forum next week will feature James Workman, who helps water agencies create a water market among their own water customers. Ron Duncan, Conservation Manager at the Soquel Creek Water District, and Sue Holt, an Economics instructor at Cabrillo College, are also on the program. Please mark your calendar. The forum will be held next Thursday at the Mid‑County Senior Center, 829 Bay Avenue, in Capitola. It starts at 7:00 p.m., and admission is free. More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Information on the November 15th Forum

Wednesday, November 7, 2012 The Santa Cruz County Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCO, will meet at 9:30 this morning. Today was the day that LAFCO was scheduled to address controversial applications by the City of Santa Cruz, and by the University of California at Santa Cruz, which ask LAFCO to approve an extension of City water service to the UCSC North Campus. The UCSC North Campus area is outside the area where the City currently provides water. Whenever a water agency wants to provide service outside its established water service area LAFCO has the responsibility of deciding whether or not this should be permitted. LAFCO policies say that water service should be extended only if LAFCO can find that there is an “adequate, reliable, and sustainable” water supply. The law firm with which I am associated represents the Community Water Coalition, which takes the position that the City does not, at the current time, have an “adequate, reliable, and sustainable” water supply, and that allowing the University to take more City water, to facilitate the University’s plan to construct over 3,000,000 square feet of new buildings, in what is now a natural reserve area, would put current water users, and the natural environment, in jeopardy. If you want to get involved, mark your calendar for the next LAFCO meeting, on December 5th. That’s when the Commission is now scheduled to address this issue. More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog LAFCO Website November 7, 2012 Agenda LAFCO Policies (Water Policies Highlighted)  

Tuesday, November 6, 2012 In 1997, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors decided that it would be a good idea to build an “airplane museum” on prime farmland along Highway 101, close to the City of Greenfield. This proposal was essentially for a “theme park” type of tourist development, including an airstrip, a hotel, and some retail uses, located outside any developed area, but in a place that would obviously be very visible to anyone driving by on the highway. In Santa Cruz County, such a development on prime farmland never would have been possible. That is because the voters of Santa Cruz County adopted some basic growth management principles in 1978, including the following principle relating to the preservation of agricultural land: It shall be the policy of Santa Cruz County that prime agricultural lands and lands which are economically productive when used for agriculture shall be preserved for agricultural use. The so-called “Yanks Air Museum” was never actually constructed, and I thought that it had died a quiet death. It turns out that this isn’t true, and that the “airplane museum” idea is still chugging ahead. Item #21, on today’s Board agenda, proposes an official approval of the conversion of Williamson Act agricultural land to facilitate the “air museum” project. If you care, you should let the Board know your thoughts. More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Monterey County Board of Supervisors’ Agendas Text of Measure J The Story of Measure J

Monday, November 5, 2012 If you live in the City of Santa Cruz, I think you might be interested in two meetings being held this afternoon and evening. At 4:00 o’clock this afternoon, the City’s Parks and Recreation Commission will meet in the City Council Chambers. Proposed revisions to the City’s Heritage Tree Ordinance will be a major topic. Those who treasure large, old trees (and who think they should be preserved) might want to be there. I would give the same advice to those who think that property owners should be able to cut down a tree on their property with minimum regulation, no matter how large it is. How to strike a balance is really the main focus of the City’s Ordinance. If you care, you should weigh in. If you either love or hate blue gum eucalyptus trees, you should also attend this meeting. Their fate in the City of Santa Cruz hangs in the balance this afternoon. The proposal is significantly to reduce the current level of protection they enjoy. The City Water Commission is also meeting today, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will also be held in the City Council Chambers. One topic of discussion is whether or not the City should use ratepayer money to pay for a public relations campaign to tell voters why the City’s proposed desalination project is needed. There are some other interesting items on the agenda, too. You can get more information, including a link to the full agenda packet, at kusp.org/landuse. More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Information on the City Parks and Recreation Commission Information on the City Water Commission Water Commission Agenda Packet

Friday, November 2, 2012 The elections this year will have a big impact on land use. Land use decisions, remember, are made mostly at the local level. If you care about the future of Fort Ord, or about water policy in Monterey County, you should care about who gets elected to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. In both the Fifth Supervisorial District (covering the Peninsula and Big Sur) and in the First Supervisorial District (centered in Salinas), long time incumbents are facing tough challenges. The choices made by the voters in these races will have a huge impact on the future land use policies of Monterey County. Elections in Seaside and Marina are going to be pretty important, too. In Santa Cruz County, what the voters decide in the Fifth Supervisorial District will definitely impact Santa Cruz County land use policy. The Fifth District includes the San Lorenzo Valley, and a part of Scotts Valley, and a part of Santa Cruz. It’s an open seat. The choice is between a local, “born in the San Lorenzo Valley” candidate and someone who was elected multiple times to the State Legislature. Make no mistake; the choice will make a difference! I have links to more information in today’s Land Use Report Blog, found at kusp.org/landuse. Sometimes, elections aren’t that important where land use policy is concerned. This election will be important, so get ready to vote! More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Monterey County Board of Supervisors Fifth District – Supervisor Dave Potter Fifth District – Challenger Marc Del Piero First District – Supervisor Fernando Armenta First District – Challenger Tony Barrera Seaside Mayor’s Race Mayor Felix Bachofner Challenger Ralph Rubio Marina Mayor’s Race Mayor Bruce Delgado Challenger Steve Emerson Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Fifth District - Eric Hammer Fifth District - Bruce McPherson  

Thursday, November 1, 2012 If you would like some information about the proposed Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network you might want to direct your steps to the Watsonville Civic Center this morning. The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission will be meeting in Watsonville this morning, starting at 9:00 o’clock, and one of the items on their agenda will be a presentation about this exciting new trail proposal. Alternatively, check out today’s Land Use Report Blog, which you can find at kusp.org/landuse. I have provided a link to the Draft Master Plan, which you can either download or read online. Comments are definitely in order. The Commission wants written comments to be submitted by December 21st. Thereafter, the Commission will be considering possible changes, based on the comments received. The purpose of the Master Plan is to establish an alignment and a set of design standards for what will be a “network” of trails, all based on the Coastal Rail Trail spine, but including associated spur trails. Planning for the Trail Network is being done within the context of existing physical constraints of the railroad, potential rail service, coastal access requirements, and highway and public street rights-of-way. The Draft Master Plan identifies planning issues associated with the trail’s construction, and presents possible solutions for its design, implementation, and long-term operation and maintenance. More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog November 1, 2012 Transportation Commission Agenda Draft Plan - Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network For more information contact Cory Caletti, Senior Transportation Planner: Email – info@sccrtc.org Telephone – 831-460-3200

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 Tomorrow night, at 6:00 p.m. (that’s Thursday, November 1st), a public workshop will be held in the San Benito County Board of Supervisors’ Chambers, located at 481 Fourth Street in Hollister. The purpose of the workshop is to discuss a proposed oil and gas drilling ordinance for San Benito County. The ordinance is aimed at providing some rules to govern any “fracking” operations that may be proposed in San Benito County. “Fracking” is short for “hydraulic fracturing,” a new technique of oil and gas recovery that is spreading rapidly, and without much effective regulation. The draft ordinance that will be discussed tomorrow night was presented to the San Benito County Board of Supervisors on October 16th. Getting feedback from the public, at the workshop tomorrow, is the next step towards adoption. After the workshop, a committee will seek to hammer out the final details of the ordinance, for subsequent Board consideration and approval. The committee will consist of representatives from the county, the oil industry, and Aromas Cares About Our Environment, or ACE, a community group that has been pushing this issue. The state of California currently has no regulations directly dealing with “fracking,” so the proposed San Benito County ordinance could end up being a model. A link to more information, including the ordinance draft, can be found at kusp.org/landuse. I hope interested KUSP listeners will be able to attend tomorrow night. More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog San Benito County Board of Supervisors Agenda – October 16, 2012 Aromas Cares For Our Environment (ACE) Website ACE “Fracking” Information Page Proposed Ordinance

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 This morning, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors will consider a new “Public Safety Facility” on the corner of Chanticleer Avenue and Soquel Avenue. Buildings currently on the site would be reconfigured to provide new office space for the Santa Cruz County Sheriff, including administrative workspace, evidence and property storage, a forensic medical facility, a crime lab, and a multi-purpose meeting room. This is an important item. The agenda item I found most fascinating, however, is a report back to the Board on Aptos land use planning and development. On August 7th, the Board told the Planning Director to provide the Board with 

Monday, October 29, 2012 There are multiple proposals to deal with the water supply problems on the Monterey Peninsula, and the Carmel Valley Association has just published a brief overview. You can find a link at kusp.org/land use. Projects being considered include the People's Desal Project, the Deep Water Desal Project, alternative well locations within the boundary of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, and a desalination project proposed by CalAm. Because the California Public Utilities Commission is going to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS, on the CalAm project, all of these various alternatives should now be studied on an equal footing. Both the California Environmental Quality Act (the state law), and the National Environmental Policy Act (the federal law) do require that a reasonable range of alternatives be compared with respect to their environmental impacts. I am sure you will hear from me in the future, with an exhortation that you get personally involved in the environmental review process. Neither federal nor state law requires that the upcoming environmental review include a financial analysis that makes an “equal footing” comparison between all the various projects, in terms of their financial impacts. The Carmel Valley Association wants to make sure that such a financial comparison is actually carried out, and are suggesting that this is something that the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District should do. More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Carmel Valley Association Water Update Carmel Valley Association Water Policy

Friday, October 26, 2012 Many different groups in our Central Coast Region are dedicated to the protection and defense of the Natural World that ultimately sustains all life – including our own. Our human powers are great, and we depend upon them greatly, and so it is easy to forget that no matter how great our powers, we are ultimately creatures here on an Earth that we did not create ourselves. Ultimately, we must learn to live within the limits of the Natural World. Many land use policy debates (debates about water policy come to mind) are really discussions about how we propose to confront (or perhaps attempt to defy) the limits of the natural resources that are essential for all life. The “desal” debate going on around the Monterey Bay is a great example. Do we live within the limits of the fresh water resources that Nature has provided, or do we seek to “manufacture” fresh water to support growth and development? Last night, the Ventana Wilderness Alliance, one of the local groups that attempts to keep us focused on the Natural World, held a benefit in downtown Santa Cruz. Another such group is the Elkhorn Slough Foundation, and they will hold their 30th Anniversary celebration on November 2nd, at the Monterey Aquarium. I encourage KUSP listeners to find out about the upcoming celebration, and to think about attending a splendid evening in celebration of the Natural World that sustains our lives. More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Elkhorn Slough Foundation Website Information on the Elkhorn Slough Foundation’s 30th Anniversary Event  

Thursday, October 25, 2012 As I have mentioned before, the Ventana Wilderness Alliance is hosting a “Wild & Scenic” Film Festival tonight. You may still be able to get a ticket. There is more information in today’s Land Use Report Blog, found at kusp.org/landuse. For over a decade, the Ventana Wilderness Alliance has led grassroots efforts to protect the wilderness qualities of the Ventana Region, along the Big Sur Coast. VWA volunteers also contribute thousands of hours each year maintaining public trails in the Ventana back country. If you check the Ventana Wilderness Website, you can find out about the “Ventana Trails Forever campaign,” and read the endorsement of Robert Redford. By the way, I can’t promise that Robert Redford will be at tonight’s Film Festival, even though Robert Redford and film festivals do go together, and even though it’s absolutely true that Robert Redford is personally urging your support for the conservation work done by the Ventana Wilderness Alliance. The Land Use Report often focuses on what I sometimes call the “human world,” the world we create ourselves. Land use decisions have a big impact on exactly what we do create. We build our world, however, within a world of Nature that we did not create, and upon which we ultimately depend. Think about getting involved in efforts, like those of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance, that help protect and defend that Natural World. More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Ventana Wilderness Alliance Website Ventana Trails Forever Campaign Tickets To The Film Festival  

Wednesday, October 24, 2012 The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District has issued an invitation. Here’s how it reads: To Stakeholders in the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay, and Southern Monterey Bay (Monterey Peninsula) IRWM (Integrated Regional Water Management) Region: On behalf of the Regional Water Management Group, MPWMD would like to invite your involvement in the second public stakeholder meeting for the 2013 IRWM Plan Update process on Wednesday, Oct 24, 2012 from 1:30 PM until 3:30 PM at the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District Office….   The key topics of discussion for the meeting will include the following: Reviewing Results of Stakeholder Meeting # 1 Discussion of Resource Management Strategies for the Region Introduction of the Project Solicitation and Review Process for the 2013 Plan I have placed links to materials about this meeting in the transcript of today’s Land Use Report. You can find that in the Land Use Report Blog at kusp.org/landuse. One of the nice things about this meeting is that the District is offering an opportunity for interested persons to use the Internet to attend the meeting through remote access. Remember, this meeting will be held this afternoon. If you are a Monterey Peninsula resident, you are a stakeholder, and you are invited! More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Agenda For October 24th Stakeholder Meeting Materials on Integrated Regional Water Management Webex Meeting Link  

Tuesday, October 23, 2012 Friends of Locally Owned Water (also known as Felton FLOW) is sponsoring a series of election-related discussions on key water policy issues in the San Lorenzo Valley. Today, Margaret Bruce and Randall Brown, candidates for election to the Board of Directors of the San Lorenzo Valley Water District, are holding what Felton FLOW is calling “Water Talks @ Watering Holes." These events are intended to focus community attention on the Valley's water supply, water systems, and watershed management. How the San Lorenzo Valley Water District should relate to the Lompico Water District is probably a topic that will be up for discussion. In addition, a proposed emergency water tie-in program, and progress on the District’s new “campus” in Boulder Creek, are likely topics for today’s “Watering Holes” talks. There are two meetings scheduled for today: This morning, Bruce and Brown will be at Jenna Sue’s, in Boulder Creek, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. They will be at Joe’s Bar in Boulder Creek from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. this evening. Similar “Watering Hole” events will take place this coming Thursday, October 25th. On Thursday, the candidates will be at Coffee 9, in Ben Lomond, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and at Henfling’s Tavern in Ben Lomond from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. I have links to more information at kusp.org/landuse More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog San Lorenzo Valley Water District Lompico County Water District Joe’s Bar Jenna Sue's Cafe Coffee 9 Henfling’s Tavern Felton FLOW Website Contact Felton Flow By Email at info@feltonflow.org    

Monday, October 22, 2012           “MPRWA” stands for “Monterey Peninsula Regional Water Authority.” The Authority will hold a special meeting at 7:00 o’clock tonight, in the Monterey City Council Chambers. Three significant items are on the agenda: First, the Authority will discuss how to respond to a Notice of Preparation for an Environmental Impact Report (or EIR) for the proposed CalAm Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project (a desalination project). Scoping meetings on that EIR are scheduled to begin on Wednesday. Second, the Authority will appoint a Chair of its Technical Advisory Committee. Third, the Authority will discuss whether to ask the Attorney General for an Opinion on whether Monterey County can legally become a member of the Authority. Let me also alert you to a meeting of the Monterey County Local Agency Formation Commission, to be held this afternoon at 4:00 o’clock. LAFCO will consider a Notice of Preparation of an EIR for the Proposed Specific Plan, General Plan Amendment, Zoning Amendment, Planning Area and Sphere of Influence Amendment, Prezoning, Annexation, and Tentative Subdivision Map approval for the proposed Monterey Downs development. That’s an important and significant project, and will need LAFCO approval to proceed. Links to more information can be found at kusp.org/landuse. More Information: Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Agenda For Special Meeting of the MPRWA Agenda For LAFCO Meeting – October 22, 2012