LandWatch State of Monterey County Report 1998 Kurt Hunter Response to the State of Monterey County Report Kurt Hunter 12 Clay Street Salinas, CA 93901 (408) 784-1998 1) LandWatch must be commended for their comprehensive work on land use issues in Monterey County. This document demonstrates clearly the need for comprehensive and integrated planning and planning documents. I concur with your findings. 2) I agree with the recommendation that there should be no general plan amendments until a new General Plan is adopted. Moratoria on new subdivisions of 25 units or greater that are not already vested is something that sounds good on its surface. I have problems with moratoria because they are absolute and difficult to remove once in place. For example, given our shortage of affordable housing, what if a developer proposed an affordable housing development of greater than 25 units? Some flexibility need to be included for such an occurrence, however rare. I agree with the finding that Monterey County, Carmel, Greenfield, Sand City, and Monterey need to update their General Plans. The County's Planning and Building Inspection Department should provide an annual report on the status of the General Plan and its implementation. I will push for more staffing for future planning and General Plan revision. I agree with LandWatch's areas of future study. 3) My vision for growth of Monterey County is to preserve the productive agricultural lands, maintain the pristine hillsides, and retain the wide open spaces that California once was. I would like to confine growth in residential and commercial development within the confines of the existing urban footprints and the thousands of currently approved lots of record. This will encourage any new development to occur within the cities that already have infrastructure. European cities have done this for centuries. Fees from these new developments should help pay for the improvements to our dilapidated infrastructure, schools, parks, and libraries without infringing on agricultural land. We should insure that General Plans utilize redevelopment programs and zoning incentives to encourage city-centered development without urban sprawl. Affordable housing needs to be a priority in any new development. It should first improve the jobs/housing balance so workers do not commute long distances from their homes to work. Ideally, affordable housing should have the existing infrastructure in place, and be near available transportation and emergency services. Kurt Hunter [Back to State of Monterey County Responses]
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