Action Alert November 10, 2008
Santa Barbara County Action Network Greetings SB CAN members and friends! Please take a few moments to review the upcoming events and news. And please forward to your friends and others who are interested in creating sustainable communities through sound planning that integrates housing, open space and transportation-our HOT principles. News in brief: 1. HERE COMES THE SUN! Election Results 2. SB CAN & SBCORE Fall Harvest Picnic - Thank you and Slideshow 3. Naples Coalition Outreach Meeting - Tuesday, Nov. 11, Santa Barbara 4. Update on Coastal Commission Appeal of the Naples Development Project 5. Other Community Events Learn How to be an Advocate for Green, Sustainable, Communities, Workshop, Nov. 15, Ventura Now the details 1. HERE COMES THE SUN! Election Results Dancing in the street and tears of joy marked the culmination of a truly historic and amazing election on November 4th. SB CAN celebrates the historic election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. In significant measure, this was an unprecedented grass roots effort, the kind we at SB CAN believe in .Many thanks to all the volunteers who worked so hard, locally and nationally, to help make this happen. On the local front, this election also brought outstanding results. SB CAN's entire slate of endorsed candidates and ballot measures were winners. All four of the candidates we endorsed for city council races won their seats as the top vote-getters: Margaret Connell andEd Easton in Goleta (decisively changing the makeup of that council), Cecilia Martner in Lompoc, and Mike Cordero in Santa Maria. The election of Doreen Farr as 3rd District Supervisor was especially important, guaranteeing a complete change of direction in our county on progressive issues. Reform candidates Lauren Hanson and Bill Rosen won seats on Goleta's Water Board. Our progressive legislatorsPedro Nava and Lois Capps retained their seats by wide margins. And while we are carefully looking for the final numbers to come in for the hotly contested 19th District State Senate race, we remain confident that Hannah-Beth Jackson will retain her lead and win the day. The passage of Measure A, which will ensure continued and increased funding for alternative transportation, was especially gratifying to those of us who have been working on this issue for so many years. And the passage of Measure E, the urban-limit boundary measure in Buellton, set an excellent precedent for other cities, demonstrating that citizens can demand a proactive voice in determining the growth of their communities! So much to be thankful for. So much to hope for as we reap the benefits of this amazing election in the coming weeks and years. To ensure a progressive future for Santa Barbara County, we will need to remain ever watchful and fully engaged in the political process to support our newly elected and re-elected candidates, 2. SB CAN & SBCORE Fall Harvest Picnic Many thank to all of our sponsors, donors, honorees, volunteers, and guests, for helping to make our Harvest Picnic & Fundraiser such a wonderful success. For those of you who missed the event, or those who would like to taste again some of sights and sounds of day, click on the link below for a slideshow of the picnic, donated by photographerJayFarbman. This slideshow will also be available on our website at www.sbcan.org http://www.jayfarbman.com/ 3. Naples Coalition Outreach Meeting WHAT: Naples Coalition Outreach Meeting WHEN: Tuesday, November 11th at 7 pm WHERE: Woodglenn Hall, Corner of Alamar and Foothill, Santa Barbara As a member of the Naples Coalition, SB CAN invites you to meet with us to learn more about the issues and become involved in the preservation of the Gaviota coastline. After four years of struggle, the "Firestone Board" has delivered the worst solution to the "Naples problem," voting 3-2 on October 21 to APPROVE the development at Naples. This decision came after a full day of overwhelming public testimony opposing the Naples development, a classic example of misuse of open space. Despite this miscarriage of justice, we can move forward with confidence that things can only get better. The wind has been at the developers back throughout the Supervisor's approval process;but the wind has shifted, and the developers now faces a headwind of monumental proportions. The battle to reduce the size of the Naples project is far from over (see below) Great PUBLIC PARTICIPATION and GOOD MEDIA COVERAGE have helped to raise awareness of these issues that face the Gaviota Coast! We recognize and thank you for your active participation in attending meetings, sending emails to officials, sending donations and volunteering your time for Naples. Your continued participation is essential to our success!!! RESOURCES www.SaveNaples.org our website that provides current information on Naples and some beautiful visual images. www.GaviotaAction.org a comprehensive resource on all Gaviota Coast issues CONTACT Janet Koed, 689-7453, for information about the Naples Coalition. 4. Update on Coastal Commission Appeal of the Naples Development Project On October 31st, ten days after the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors approved a 71 unit residential development project at Naples, the Coastal Commission rejected the County's Notice of Final Local Action on the Project, citing numerous deficiencies. Filing the Notice of Final Local Action starts the 10-day period for appealing coastal development to the Commission, a process that will now be delayed pending the County's submittal of a revised Notice. The Commission's notice was greeted with praise by project opponents - the Surfrider Foundation, Environmental Defense Center and Naples Coalition - who have vowed to appeal the County's decision to the Coastal Commission. 5. Other Community Events Learn How to be an Advocate for Green, Sustainable, Communities WHAT: All day CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) workshop. WHEN: Saturday, November 15 from 9am to 4pm WHERE: Bell Arts Factory, 432 N. Ventura Ave, Ventura HOW: Register at www.vcool.org or contact Rachel Morris: rachel@vccool.org or (805)648-1267 Here's your chance to " Learn How to be an Advocate for Green, Sustainable, Communities" VCCool co-sponsors an all day CEQA workshop to put citizens at the planning table. Would you like to see more gardens, smart growth, and real change in how we build? Do you wish there were more walk, bike, and bus - friendly communities? Don't waste time on wishful thinking! Learn the how, who, when, and what of citizen advocacy for cool cities! Learn from the pros how to use the California Environmental Quality Act to make a real difference in how we live. The California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB-32) is a great idea, but we've got a disconnect between state policy and what actually happens at the city and county levels. That's why VCCool is inviting the Planning and Conservation League to teach their CEQA Workshop with special focus on new global warming policy. Learn to be a powerful voice for change. Register and attend the Ventura CEQA/AB-32 Workshop (Please register before November 12 to assure your materials at the workshop.) VCCool would like to thank our nine co-sponsors: Ventura Citizens for Hillside Preservation, Community EnvironmentalCouncil , CPR, Sustainability Council of Ventura County, Midtown Ventura Community Council, C4 Green Building Council, Ventura County Civic Alliance, Surfrider Foundation - Ventura, Bell Arts Factory
Date:
10 Nov 2008 - 6:33pm