Podcast: |
Friday, January 3, 2014
LandWatch.org
LandWatch Monterey County is a kind of “watchdog” organization. It stimulates public participation in important land use issues affecting the future of Monterey County. That includes, of course, both policy issues and project decisions.
Typically, LandWatch will work with any local community groups that are already involved in any specific land use issue. Most recently, LandWatch has partnered with the Highway 68 Coalition to focus public attention on a proposed subdivision in San Benancio Canyon.
This is a very significant land use proposal, and I am going to provide a few facts in this edition of the Land Use Report. I don’t have the time, however, really to outline all that is involved, and I encourage you to follow up by looking at the links provided in today’s transcript. The Monterey County Planning Commission is going to consider the proposed subdivision on Wednesday, January 8th, in a meeting in the County Supervisors’ Chambers in Salinas, beginning at 9:00 o’clock in the morning.
The proposed subdivision is in San Benancio Canyon, called Harper Canyon, with a proposed entrance approximately one mile from Highway 68, up San Benancio Road. The land proposed for subdivision is currently a cattle ranch, and the Highway 68 Coalition believes that there is no water source for the proposed new development, and that what water exists is contaminated with arsenic. Traffic and viewshed concerns are also important. I hope you will follow up!
More Information:
(NOTE: As of December 30th, it appears that the hearing will begin at 1:30 on Wednesday)
Former Santa Cruz County Supervisor Gary Patton talks about land use, and land use decisions, with an emphasis on public participation and how the land use process works.