The Land Use Report

Friday, February 5, 2016 / 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Russell Brutsche You can confront climate change right in your own home town! The Progressive Christian Forum (and I believe other sponsors) are hosting a conference on the “Moral Dimensions of Climate Change.” Doors open tonight, Friday, at 6:00 o’clock at the Peace United Church, located at 900 High Street in Santa Cruz. The conference continues tomorrow, Saturday, from 9:00 in the morning till 2:00 in the afternoon. You are definitely invited, and please don’t doubt that one way to confront global warming is by changing our approach to land use. As you might suspect, I have put links to lots more information about the conference on the KUSP website, which hosts a Land Use Report blog that gives listeners a written transcript of my Land Use Reports, and almost always provides resources for further investigation and study. The conference tonight and tomorrow is going to include singing, and art, and poetry, and music, as well as wonderful speeches, and opportunities for some hands-on organizing. Global warming, and the climate change that is accompanying it, do pose a moral challenge, and we need to think about how we organize and change our ways of doing things, including how we use the land, if we have hopes that human civilization will survive. I hope to see you at the conference. Tonight and tomorrow!! More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Information on the Climate Change Conference More Information

Sunday, February 7, 2016 / 7:30 a.m. Water Supply Project.org Head’s up! Cal-Am has just issued a status report. If you live, or work, or own a business on the Monterey Peninsula, you’ve got to care about what the California American Water Company, or Cal-Am, is doing to meet current and future water supply needs. As I like to point out, Cal-Am is not under the direct control of the public. It’s a private business, and its interest in water is first and foremost in how to sell it at a profit. The public interest in the Peninsula’s water supply is protected by the involvement of local officials, and most notably by the California Public Utilities Commission, or PUC, and in some cases by litigation, or threatened litigation against the company by various local interests. As of January 31st, Cal-Am has issued a kind of status report on litigation-related activities, indicating that the company and various local groups that have either sued, or might potentially sue the company have come to a tentative agreement. You can get a link to that report at kusp.org/landuse. When you read it, you will find that Cal-Am has agreed to take actions that are intended to help the water-challenged community of Castroville, and to prevent any further degradation of the Salinas River groundwater basin. No final decisions, yet, but this is a positive status report. More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Cal-Am January 31, 2016 Report

Thursday, October 29, 2015 wikipedia.org Friends of Locally Owned Water, or Felton FLOW, is holding a “Future of the San Lorenzo Symposium” tonight, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The Symposium will take place at the County’s Highlands Park, located at 8500 Highway 9, in Ben Lomond. Since the San Lorenzo River is the main source of water for the majority of residents in northern Santa Cruz County, this sounds like a meeting that you might want to attend, even if you don’t live in Felton. Felton FLOW is the group that led the charge for public acquisition of the formerly private water system in Felton, then owned by the California American Water Company. Cal-Am didn’t particularly want to sell its system to the public, but the residents of Felton, and Cal-Am customers, thought the public, not a big corporation, should be in charge of their water supply. From everything I’ve heard, the former Cal?Am customers are happy to have put their water supply under public control. Folks from the Monterey Peninsula, where Cal-Am controls everyone’s water destiny, are also invited to the meeting tonight. Felton FLOW has also given local water customers a heads up on an upcoming public hearing to consider a drought surcharge. This would only affect customers of the San Lorenzo Valley Water District. If you’d be affected, you might want to mark your calendar for November 19th, at 7:00 p.m. More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Felton Flow Website Contact Felton Flow By Email Press Release On Proposed SLVWD Drought Surcharge

Friday, October 30, 2015 walkingmountains.org If you and your significant other, or your friend, or anybody ever schedule a “movie night,” or even if you venture out solo, from time to time, to see a good film, let me give you a suggestion. On Wednesday, November 4th, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., there will be a special screening of the award-winning film “Sand Wars,” followed by a panel discussion of local experts to explore the issues surrounding the pretty much unknown practice of sand mining, its impact on the environment, and its consequences both locally and globally. On the local side, the evening will include presentations by Dr. Gary Griggs, a Distinguished Professor of Earth Sciences and the Director of the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of California at Santa Cruz, Dr. Jason Scorse, Associate Professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, and Dr. Ed Thornton, Emeritus Professor at the Naval Postgraduate School. Here’s the schedule: 6:00 p.m. a Reception; 6:30 p.m. the Film; 8:00 p.m. the Panel Discussion. The “Sand Wars” film and discussion will be presented at the Irvine Auditorium, McCone Building at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, located at 460 Pierce Street. You can find out more at kusp.org/landuse. The Monterey Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation is one of the sponsors. More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Sand Wars – Green Planet Films Trailer – Sand Wars Let’s Talk About Sand – TED Talk Surfrider Foundation – Monterey Chapter

Monday, October 19, 2015 Wikipedia.org Both the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and the Monterey County Board of Supervisors are meeting tomorrow. I have links to their agendas at kusp.org/landuse. You are cordially invited to take a peek! County governments are involved in everything from public safety to health care, and they are truly “in charge” of land use for all areas in the county outside of existing cities. Tomorrow, the Santa Cruz County Board is set to accept and file a 2015 Traffic and Engineering Report. If you drive around Santa Cruz County, you might want to take a look. That report specifies every street where radar enforcement of speed limits is permitted. That’s one among several important land use-related items. The Monterey County Board of Supervisors is also taking up an item with road-related implications. At 10:30 tomorrow morning, the Board will consider whether or not to establish a “no parking” zone on the north side of Coast Road, adjacent to Highway One in Big Sur. That may or may not be a good idea, and if you care, you can certainly be heard from on the item, before the Board takes action. I thought it was interesting, however, that the Board Report did not mention the need to conform to the requirements of the Coastal Act. Anything that impacts public access to the coast will generally require a coastal permit, and parking restrictions can have that effect. More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Santa Cruz County 2015 Traffic And Engineering Report October 20, 2015 Agenda, Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Monterey County Board of Supervisors Agenda Website

Tuesday, October 20, 2015 asmdc.org Yesterday, I mentioned coastal access, in connection with a proposal to ban automobile parking on portions of the Coast Road, adjacent to Highway One, near the Bixby Bridge in Big Sur. Here is another item on coastal access. This morning, Assembly Member Mark Stone will co-host a public hearing on how to increase coastal accessibility for underserved communities. There are kids in communities like Salinas and Soledad who have never even seen the Pacific Ocean. That’s even more true for a community like Compton, which is right next door to Lynwood, which is where this morning’s hearing will be held. The idea, obviously, is to hold a hearing about coastal access for underserved communities right in the middle of some underserved communities. The purpose of the hearing is to allow members of the public to provide feedback on the accessibility of California’s beaches and coastlines. Stone chairs an Assembly Select Committee dedicated to expanding coastal access for communities that don’t, currently, really get to experience the wonders of the California coast. I hope lots of people in the Monterey Bay Region would like to make sure that everyone, including lower income people, and young people of color, have an opportunity to access the coast. If you care, but you’re not in Lynwood this morning, you can tune in to a live broadcast. I have a link at kusp.org/landuse. More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Coastal Access Website / Live Stream Stone Appointed Chair of Select Committee Monterey County Board of Supervisors Agenda Website

Monday, October 12, 2015 ECUA.FL.GOV The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors generally meets on Tuesdays. Not, however, when Monday is a holiday. There is no Board meeting tomorrow. The reason behind this rule is that the Board wants to make sure that members of the public, and Board members themselves, can ask questions of county staff about items on the agenda. The agenda comes out late in the week, usually on Thursday, and it might well take a day or so to read it. Thus, Board members and members of the public can use Monday to ask questions, in advance of the Tuesday meeting. It’s a pretty good rule, aimed at maximizing the effectiveness of public participation, and helping Board members to be in charge of the bureaucracy, rather than the opposite. Not all public agencies, however, follow this rule. The Monterey County Board of Supervisors, for instance, is meeting tomorrow, as is the Santa Cruz City Council. You can get links to their agenda materials at kusp.org/landuse. Let me highlight some important items on tomorrow’s agenda of the Santa Cruz City Council. Afternoon Agenda Item #10 is an ordinance to speed permits for residential rooftop solar systems. Item #11 is about planning for the possibility of an El Niño storm event. Item #13 addresses short term rentals of Accessory Dwelling Units. At 7:00 p.m., the Council will hold a study session on its Parks Master Plan. More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Monterey County Board of Supervisors Agenda Website Council Agenda, City of Santa Cruz, October 13, 2015

Tuesday, October 13, 2015 NJConservation.org Listeners may remember my mention of a book called Step Into Nature. I mentioned this book on the Land Use Report back in June. It’s by Monterey County poet and author Patrice Vecchione, and each chapter of the book contains items for inspiration and inquiry, plus suggestions, activities, and resources. “Stepping into Nature,” as I said then, is great advice. I’ll second the motion! If you’d like to follow up, you might want to track down today’s Land Use Report transcript, at kusp.org/landuse, where I have a link to a recent article in the Monterey Herald, authored by Patrice Vecchione, and documenting her own recent “Step Into Nature” experience on the former Fort Ord. Vecchione took a walk specifically to examine the site of the proposed Monterey Downs project, and you might want to follow her footsteps. If you do, I’m pleased to report that a member of the Carmel Valley Association will be leading an excursion to the site on Saturday, October 17th. The hike is going to take two hours, and the leaders of the hike will meet participants at 1:00 p.m. at the corner of 8th and Gigling. There is more information in today’s transcript. Getting personally involved in the major land use project decisions that will affect our region is always a good idea. So, “Step Into Nature” before you get to one of those important indoor meetings! More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog June 22, 2015 Edition Of The Land Use Report Monterey Herald Article By Patrice Vecchione Reserve a spot on the October 17th hike: Email to kecline@sbcglobal.net Telephone: 831-899-7934

Monday, September 21, 2015 MCRFD.org These Land Use Reports are prerecorded, and as of the time I am recording today’s Report, the so-called “Valley Fire,” in Lake County, has burned 74,500 acres and is 48% contained. The “Butte Fire,” located east of Jackson, California, has burned 70,760 acres and is 65% contained. If you’d like to get some more information on these, or other wildfires, I have a link to the CalFire website, providing incident information, at kusp.org/landuse. While the fires I just mentioned are not directly affecting our Monterey Bay Region, they remind us, or should remind us, of our own vulnerability to the kind of horrific wildfires that have been raging throughout the state this year. Fire protection is a major issue for the residents of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, and today, the Monterey County Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCO, is addressing a related issue during the LAFCO meeting scheduled for this afternoon at 4:00 o’clock. A public hearing, continued from the Commission’s June 2015 meeting, will address fire protection in South Monterey County, and a proposed 123 square mile annexation to the South Monterey County Fire Protection District. Check today’s transcript if you are interested! More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Monterey County LAFCO Website LAFCO Agenda Packet, September 21 2015 Meeting CalFire Current Fire Information

Tuesday, September 22, 2015 Localwiki.org Lots of listeners visit downtown Santa Cruz. This Thursday, September 24th, the City of Santa Cruz Downtown Commission is holding its regular meeting at 8:30 a.m. in the City Council Chambers. Of course, all members of the public are definitely invited to be there. I have a link to the agenda at kusp.org/landuse. The Commission is going to be discussing turning one of the City’s unpaid parking lots, the one located at the intersection of Front and Cathcart Streets, into a “paid parking” facility. Some downtown visitors or shoppers may care about that. Most interesting to me, however, is an informational item, listed as Agenda Item #5 on the Thursday agenda. The brief memo that has been provided to Commission members indicates that City Councilmember Richelle Noroyan will be sponsoring a Pacific Avenue One?Way Traffic Project that will be presented to the City Council by the City’s Public Works and Economic Development Departments during the September 29, 2015 City Council meeting. The proposal is to convert a one-block segment between Walnut Avenue and Lincoln Street to the opposite direction, and to convert a three-block segment between Church Street and Cathcart Street to a continuous one-way southbound direction. If approved by the Council, the proposed construction date is after the first of the year in 2016. More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Downtown Commission Agenda – September 24, 2015 Staff Report To Downtown Commission

Wednesday, September 23, 2015 Localwiki.org The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency, or PVWMA, is charged with finding a solution to the groundwater overdraft conditions that exist in North Monterey County, and in South Santa Cruz County. It is hard to imagine a more important responsibility. Among other things, the future of agriculture in Santa Cruz County will be profoundly affected by the success, or not, of the PVWMA. The Agency has a plan for how to accomplish the task! If you’d like to read up on that plan, I have a link in today’s Land Use Report blog. There is also a link to the agenda of today’s Board of Directors meeting. That meeting will take place at 5:30 this afternoon in the Watsonville City Council Chambers. On this afternoon’s agenda is a discussion of plans to transform College Lake into a facility that will help recharge the groundwater basin that serves both South Santa Cruz County and North Monterey County. As I have said, solving the problem is critically important, but I imagine that there are going to be some objections to the College Lake proposal, since significant changes are almost always controversial! In this case, the idea is to increase the storage capacity of College Lake, by inundating some adjacent agricultural lands. Check today’s transcript if you would like to read up on this proposal, which is the largest single component of the Agency’s overall plan for basin recovery. More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog PVWMA Website PVWMA Board of Directors’ Agenda Basin Management Plan

Monday, September 14, 2015 LocalWiki.org The City of Santa Cruz is contemplating a very significant set of changes to its zoning designations, focusing on Mission Street, Ocean Street, Water Street, and Soquel Avenue. These streets handle large volumes of traffic, including bicycle traffic, and it seems that traffic (and traffic congestion) have been increasing. I use the Water Street corridor, for instance, to get from my home to the downtown, and I now find that this is not a simple, five-minute trip by car, as it used to be. State law requires the City to make sure that its General Plan and zoning designations are consistent, and the latest version of the City’s General Plan suggests that the City should not only accept but accelerate the commitment of its major transportation corridors to high-volumes of traffic. One way to accomplish that is by increasing heights and densities along those key corridors. A workshop series underway is intended to let members of the public know what is likely to be proposed, and to give their input. Multi?story buildings, right on the street, containing higher-density residential uses, mixed with commercial uses, are being suggested for these corridors. If you want to be involved, there is a workshop tomorrow, Tuesday, September 15th, focusing on the Ocean and Water Street corridors. The workshop runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Branciforte Small Schools facility, located at the corner of Water and Branciforte. More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog City of Santa Cruz Corridor Planning Website

Tuesday, September 15, 2015 SummitPost.org Usually, these Land Use Reports focus on our human-created environment. Today, let me give listeners a heads up on an upcoming meeting that is definitely focused on the World of Nature. On Thursday, September 17th, the Ventana Chapter of the Sierra Club and the Ventana Wilderness Alliance are jointly sponsoring a “Wilderness Protection Summit.” The Summit will take place at the Live Oak Grange, located at 1900 17th Avenue in Santa Cruz. The Summit will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Central Coast Region is blessed with nearly 300,000 acres of public lands. Unfortunately, the agency entrusted with the protection and management of most of these lands, the US Forest Service, is chronically under-funded and under-staffed. That’s why organizations like the Sierra Club and the Ventana Wilderness Alliance are meeting the challenge with outreach programs and advocacy efforts to protect the wilderness character and biodiversity of this amazing region. On Thursday, you will learn how you can get involved to help protect the wilderness lands that make the Monterey Bay Region such a wonderful place to live. Find out more at kusp.org/landuse. You can also click through to my personal “Two Worlds” blog, which provides a daily reflection on how our human-created world is related to the World of Nature, upon which all life ultimately depends. More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Ventana Wilderness Alliance Website Sierra Club, Ventana Chapter Website Sierra Club, Santa Cruz Regional Group Website

Wednesday, September 16, 2015 EcoFarm.org I have been presenting these weekday Land Use Reports for about the last fifteen years. Every year, I think, I have announced the annual EcoFarm Conference, held in January at the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove. EcoFarm will hold its 36th Annual Conference this coming January, from January 20th through January 23rd, 2016. The theme of the conference next year is “Regenerating Our Lands And Water.” This is always a really huge event, and I am truly giving you an “early warning.” Conference registration opens on October 28th, and if you are interested in attending the EcoFarm Conference, I suggest that you make a note of that date, so you don’t miss out on your opportunity to secure a place at EcoFarm. In today’s Land Use Report blog, I have links to various videos that document past EcoFarm events. Would you like to know how to can/ferment/jar/freeze/dry, or otherwise preserve chilies? EcoFarm has your back. The EcoFarm video library also has a compelling video on how soil management can help combat climate change. As you can see, there is a wide range of compelling information available in the EcoFarm video library. Regenerating our land and water resources is an imperative of our time. Mark your calendars! More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog EcoFarm Website Conference Announcement EcoFarm Video Library

Frog Habitat And GIS Training Thursday, September 17, 2015 CBD.org I am quite a fan of the Elkhorn Slough Foundation, which invites you to explore Elkhorn Slough, and to get involved in various educational and stewardship activities. The Foundation works closely with the The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, a federal agency. Most of the activities sponsored by the Elkhorn Slough Foundation are aimed at members of the public in general. That most definitely includes activities for both young and old. However, the Foundation also has a Coastal Training Program, aimed at environmental professionals. This program is definitely not a program for just anyone, and, in fact, the Coastal Training Program costs money. But for listeners who are environmental professionals, let me provide an alert about a couple of upcoming educational trainings sponsored by the Foundation’s Coastal Training Program. On October 22nd, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the Foundation is presenting a program on “Managing Habitats for the California Red-legged Frog.” On November 6th and 7th, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day, the Foundation is presenting a program called “Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS).” I encourage members of the public in general, and those who might be interested in these two professional trainings, to check out kusp.org/landuse, where there are links to a lot more information. More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Elkhorn Slough Foundation Website Coastal Training Program Website Registration Information For Upcoming Workshops

Friday, September 18, 2015 Wikipedia.org On Tuesday I mentioned the US Forest Service. Yesterday, I mentioned the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve. Both of these are federal agencies, not highly visible to most of us, but with incredible responsibilities over key environmental resources. Today, let me mention another federal agency with a hugely important environmental assignment; this is an agency that I bet listeners may think about quite frequently. I mean the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Again, this federal agency has oversight responsibilities for natural resources that are critically important to our Central Coast Region. I don’t talk about the Sanctuary much here on the Land Use Report because the focus of these weekday program is on land use, and the Sanctuary’s basic assignment is to take care of marine resources. I felt I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t alert listeners to the Sanctuary’s pending review of its management plan. There will be a meeting on this topic on September 23rd, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Louden Nelson Community Center in Santa Cruz. This is a “scoping meeting” for the Environmental Impact Statement that will accompany the management plan revision. My comment is that the health of our marine environment depends on good land use practices. If you want to make a comment, visit kusp.org/landuse to find out how you can do that! More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Website Sanctuary Regulations Website The meeting schedule and instructions on how to make comments are available through the Sanctuary Regulations Website.

Friday, September 4, 2015 Canine Sports Center.org A week ago last Wednesday, the Monterey County Planning Commission considered a Canine Sports Center project, to be located in Carmel Valley. I advertised the hearing here on the Land Use Report, and was naturally quite interested in what action the Planning Commission took on this very controversial project. The Carmel Valley Association put out a bulletin with their comments. Since the CVA was opposed to the Canine Sports Center, and since the project was unanimously approved, the CVA wasn’t very happy. It characterized the 5 ½-hour hearing as consisting of  “very little substantive discussion,” and specifically said that “commissioners dismissed well researched and clearly presented arguments regarding the significant negative impacts the project would have on traffic, noise, and water.” Reading between the lines, it looks likely that the CVA will appeal the project approval to the Board of Supervisors. I will of course keep you posted. The Carmel Pine Cone also published a report. I have provided links to both the Pine Cone and the CVA reports at kusp.org/landuse, along with links to other information. The Pine Cone gave a kind of blow by blow report of the hearing, making clear that the Quail Lodge owners were just as opposed as the CVA. Those groups aren’t always on the same side, and the Pine Cone article expressed “surprise” at how things went. More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Carmel Pine Cone Article CVA Commentary Monterey Herald Article On Dog Park Hearing County Planning Information on Canine Sports Center Supplemental Agenda, for August 26th Planning Commission Meeting Agenda Packet, August 26th Planning Commission Meeting Planning Commission Staff Report

Thursday, September 3, 2015 LandWatch.org The proposed Monterey Downs development is a truly large-scale project that some, I think, might call grandiose. I do have links to information about the project at kusp.org/landuse, so you can review that information and then come to your own conclusion about the project. If you are interested in learning more, here is a real deal for you. LandWatch Monterey County has announced some guided hikes, to show the public the proposed Monterey Downs development site. Participants will be able to see the size of the one mile race track, the 6,500-seat arena, the grandstands proposed, and all the area that will be developed into homes and commercial areas if the Monterey Downs project is approved. Those who take the hike will also get to see the coastal oak trees covering the land, many of which would be cut down to carry out the project. Hikes are being offered from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, September 5th and 6th. That’s this weekend. The hikes are two hours long on gently rolling hills with a tree-studded landscape. You will get to see beautiful views, and will be able to review maps of the land now and with the proposed Monterey Downs project. Hikers should bring water and a hat and wear comfortable walking shoes. Check the Land Use Report blog for instructions on how you can make a reservation for this very informative excursion. More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog LandWatch Monterey County Website Monterey Downs Development Proposal Monterey Downs EIR And Other Information Make A reservation for the hike by contacting Kay and Bill Weigle: Telephone: 831-899-7934 Email: kecline@sbcglobal.net

Wednesday, September 2, 2015 UC Davis The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency, or PVWMA, is charged with stopping groundwater overdraft in the Pajaro Valley, and the future of our local agricultural economy really depends on its success. In today’s Land Use Report blog, I’ve put in a link to the PVWMA website, and to the agenda of a “Special Meeting” that the PVWMA Board of Directors is holding today, at 12:00 noon. As I hope you know, the Boards of Directors of all local agencies are subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act, and must provide an advance agenda notice to the public whenever they hold a meeting. Time, place, and the topics to be discussed all must be disclosed. The idea is that the public has a right to keep an eye on what its elected officials are doing. A “Special Meeting” is a meeting that is not part of the agency’s regular meeting schedule, and as I indicated, the PVWMA Board will be holding such a special meeting today. So, what’s so “special” today that Board members are meeting at noontime in their own offices, located at 36 Brennan Street in Watsonville? The business at hand is for Board Members to receive iPad training. You can go to the meeting and maybe get some free training yourself, if you’d like! The next “regular” meeting of the Board is scheduled for September 23rd. Bring your iPad to that meeting and take some notes! More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog PVWMA Website Agenda For September 2, 2015 Special Meeting

Tuesday, September 1, 2015 Newsworks.org The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors meets today, and I thought I’d highlight Agenda Item #38 on the Board’s Consent Agenda. Here’s how the Consent Agenda works: with one motion, taken right at the start of the meeting, the Board makes decisions on multiple items, and these items are not all insignificant or unimportant. Today, the Consent Agenda consists of thirty-nine items, some directing expenditures of several hundreds of thousands of dollars. Agenda Item #38 schedules a public hearing on a fairly controversial development in Live Oak. The Board is probably going to set Tuesday, September 29th, at 1:30 p.m., as the time to make a decision on a 20-unit residential subdivision proposed at 1000 Rodriguez Street, at the corner of Jose Avenue. If you care about this proposed development, you should plan to attend the hearing. Originally, the developer, City Ventures, wanted to build more units, and there is an argument, of course, that developments within designated urban areas should be “dense” developments, to help prevent future urban sprawl. To me, one of the issues of most significance is that the developer will not produce ANY affordable units. That’s because the Board changed its policies within the last year to allow developers the right to pay fees instead. Significant neighborhood impacts; no affordable units. You decide! More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog September 1, 2015 Agenda of the Board of Supervisors Agenda Item #38 – Scheduling The Item August 12, 2015 County Planning Commission Agenda Planning Commission Packet of Materials on Proposed Development