Podcast: |
Friday, June 27, 2014
King County.gov
This morning, let me introduce you to a land use policy strategy intended to be used as a tool to protect open space and natural lands, insulating such lands from the impacts associated with what is euphemistically called “development.” “Development,” of course, means the transformation of natural lands to some human use, and usually includes grading, the construction of roads, pipelines, and either residential or commercial structures of one kind or another.
Environmental groups tend to oppose development projects, because of their inevitably negative impacts on the natural environment. However, our local communities are growing and responding to the need to provide new homes, new jobs, and new recreational opportunities. How these “development” needs are reconciled with our desire to protect the natural environment is a large part of what land use policy is all about.
The Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club has published a brief article on “Transfer of Development Rights.” I have a link in today’s transcript. It’s an article worth reading. And worth reading critically! The idea is to redirect development away from the most sensitive environmental areas by putting those off limits, and increasing development in more appropriate locations. Check out the article at kusp.org/landuse. I’ll have more to say about this concept in a subsequent Land Use Report.
More Information:
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.