Action Alert, February 8, 2009
Santa Barbara County Action Network
INFORMATION & ACTION ALERT
Greetings, SB CAN members and friends! Please take a few moments to review the upcoming events and news. Here they are in brief:
1. SB CAN Membership Meeting & "Supes Party", March 4, Santa Barbara
2. SB CAN & SB CORE North County Awards Dinner, April 19, Santa Maria
3. Public Hearings and Opportunities for Advocacy
· Goleta Planning Commission- Haskell's Landing Development, February 9, Goleta
· Board of Supervisors- Lompoc Wind farm appeal, February 10, Santa Maria
· Board of Supervisors- Housing Element, February 24, Santa Maria
· San Marcos Foothills Preserve Management Meeting, February 25, Santa Barbara
4. Community Events:
· Film Screening: "The Future of the Gaviota Coast," Surfrider Foundation
February 11, Santa Barbara
· Public Forum on Annexation, Santa Maria League of Women Voters
February 12, Santa Maria
5. SB CAN Column: "It's time to get on the bus, Gus"
Here's more detail:
1. SAVE THE DATE: March 4, SB CAN Annual Membership Meeting & "Supes Party"
WHAT: Annual Membership Meeting & "Supes Party"
WHEN: Wednesday evening, March 4
WHERE: Home of former Supervisor Susan Rose, Hope Ranch, Santa Barbara
SB CAN members are cordially invited to attend our annual membership meeting. This year former Supervisor Susan Rose will be hosting our meeting at her home in Hope Ranch, where we will have a conversation with special guest, newly elected Supervisor Doreen Farr. Please join us for this "Supes Party," where an array of hearty soups, salads, and breads will be served. Members will also have the opportunity to vote on this year's slate of candidates for the Board of Directors.
RSVP's are required. Please call Olivia at 805-563-0463 for more information about the time and location.
2. SAVE THE DATE: April 19, Annual North County Awards Dinner
WHAT: SB CAN & SB CORE Annual North County Awards Dinner
WHEN: Sunday, April 19, 5 - 8 PM
WHERE: Santa Maria Terrace (formerly Maria Atria del Sol) 1405 E. Main Street, Santa Maria
Help us honor North County Community Heroes!
Each year the Santa Barbara County Action Network and Santa Barbara Council on Research and Education honor community heroes working or living in the northern part of our county who have made significant contributions to the community in the following areas:
Social Justice Award - For promoting fairness, tolerance, equality, respect and compassion for all people in our community.
Environmental Protection and Sustainability Award - For valuing, protecting, and preserving our natural resources and environment.
Giving Back to the Community Award - For giving back selflessly to the community through volunteer activities and community projects.
Working Families Award - For helping to improve the quality of life for working families: helping obtain affordable healthcare, housing, transportation, educational and job opportunities; or helping to improve wages, benefits, working conditions, and worker rights.
"Looking Forward" Award - For strong leadership and vision in community building, civic engagement, and improving the quality of life in our community.
The recipients of this year's awards will be announced soon-stay tuned!
3. Hearings and Opportunities for Advocacy
Goleta Planning Commission, Haskell's Landing Development
WHAT: Goleta Planning Commission Hearing
WHEN: Monday, February 9, 6 PM
WHERE: Goleta City Hall, 130 Cremona Drive
The Haskell's landing proposal for 102 residential units will come before the Goleta Planning Commission on Monday. The developer is asking for Special Favors to make the project fly. Concerns about the project have been raised for the following reasons:
· Environment: It is contrary to Goleta's General Plan's requirement for a 100' setback from creeks. The project includes only a 50 foot setback. Runoff from the project threatens Devereux Slough. The project does not sufficiently protect the site's unusual native grasslands, coastal sage habitat or feeding grounds for rare birds of prey.
· Housing: It is contrary to Goleta's General Plan which requires that a project should have 30% of its units be affordable. This project has only 20% of its units affordable.
· Community Benefit: The project would provide little or no community benefit
o It includes only about 25% of the funding needed for a new fire station. The so-called "open space" is designed to be available to residents but not really inviting to the general public.
o Most of the housing would not be affordable for 95% of Goleta residents, so the effect would be to promote population growth, putting even more stress on scarce resources, roads, water, etc.
This is virtually the same project that was rejected earlier, Chadmar's Sandpiper project.
Comments about the project can be emailed to the Planning Commissioners, no later than noon, Monday, February 9 as follows:
Brent Daniels- bdaniels@cityofgoleta.org
Doris Kavanagh- dkavanagh@cityofgoleta.org
Julie Kessler Solomon- jsolomon@cityofgoleta.org
Bill Shelor- bshelor@cityofgoleta.org
Jonny Wallis- jwallis@cityofgoleta.org
For a copy of the Planning Commission Agenda and Staff Report, click on
http://www.cityofgoleta.org/
Lompoc Wind Farm Appeals
WHAT: Board of Supervisors Hearing
WHEN: Tuesday, February 24, 9 AM
WHERE: Betteravia Government Center, 511 E. Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria
[Or attend by remote video at the Santa Barbara County Administration Building -105 E. Anapamu, 4th floor hearing room]
Two appeals have been filed against the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission's approval of the Wind Energy project near Lompoc, the first of its kind in Santa Barbara County. The proposed wind farm is on nearly 3,000 acres leased from seven ranching families who will continue ranching when the farm is in place. Wind turbines will be on only 1% of the site and will generate up to 97.5 megawatts of electricity - enough energy to supply 50,000 Santa Barbara County homes.
The California Department of Fish and Game expressed a desire for stricter conditions concerning bird and bat mortality in an appeal letter submitted to the county. Some residents who live near the proposed project have also voiced concerns about the visual and noise effects resulting from the nearby wind farm.
SB CAN supports the Lompoc Wind Energy Project, which will bring an important source of clean, renewable energy into our county, while helping to sustain and preserve agricultural lands by providing income from land leases to struggling farmers and ranchers.
Nevertheless, since this is the first wind energy project in our county it is important that the project meet high environmental standards, as it will set the precedent for future wind energy projects.
Please join us in supporting this important project while calling for increased monitoring to fully evaluate the project's impact on bird and bat mortality levels. An extended period of monitoring will set a higher environmental standard for future wind energy projects in Santa Barbara County.
Together, we can act now and take a significant step in moving Santa Barbara County toward a renewable energy future. If you can't attend the hearing, contact your supervisors at:
Supervisor Salud Carbajal: (805) 568-2186, SupervisorCarbajal@sbcbos1.org
Supervisor Janet Wolf, Vice Chair: (805) 568-2191, jwolf@sbcbos2.org
Supervisor Doreen Farr: (805) 568-2192, dfarr@countyofsb.org
Supervisor Joni Gray: (805) 737-7700, jgray@co.santa-
Supervisor Joseph Centeno, Chair: (805) 346-8400, jcenteno@co.santa-
Housing Element Update: Affordable Housing Focused Rezone Hearing
WHAT: Board of Supervisors Hearing
WHEN: Tuesday, February 24, 9 AM
WHERE: Betteravia Government Center, 511 E. Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria
[Or attend by remote video at the Santa Barbara County Administration Building -105 E. Anapamu, 4th floor hearing room]
The Board of Supervisors will be reconsidering the decision made on January 23 to refuse to approve the rezones needed to accommodate affordable housing to satisfy the State's Housing Mandate.
While SB CAN sympathizes with the board's principled stand in defying the State, and we agree that there are serious flaws in the Housing Mandate that should be remedied, we do not believe that this is the way to accomplish that. Failure to meet the State's Mandate could result in huge penalties for the County, including a law suit, and the State would have the authority to rezone sites without public input.
BACKGROUND:
State law requires that each County conduct a Regional Housing Needs Assessment every five years to ensure that enough land is zoned for for housing for all income levels. The County largely mismanaged its obligation to rezone for high-density housing during the 2003-2008 process by not balancing the real needs of the community. The County went from trying to put all the affordable housing rezones in the semi-rural Orcutt area, to putting all of them in Isla Vista, a tiny densely-populated community that serves a large university-hardly what you'd call "fair-share" housing that would meet the real needs of low-income families across the county. The State ended up certifying most of the rezones in Isla Vista, but required the County to rezone sites to accommodate an additional 370 units.
SB CAN supported the Planning Commission's and County staff's recommendation to rezone portions of Orcutt Key Sites 3 and 16 to meet the Housing Element requirement for an additional 370 high-density multiunit residences. Key Site 16, located at gateway of Old Town Orcutt, is within a short walking distance of basic urban services needed by residents of high-density, low-income housing. In addition, multi-story units would be compatible in an area that already includes multi-story buildings. Rezoning this site for high-density multi-family units would create a more vibrant, compact Old Town, helping to support current and future businesses.
On the other hand, Key Site 30 (an option favored by some groups) is located under a no-build flight-path for the airport. Placing high-density housing at the end of a no-build flight zone would be irresponsible. In light of recent airplane crashes in Lompoc, San Diego, and the Hudson River, and the fact that aircraft have been forced to make emergency landings near KS 30 in the recent past, the Board should err on the side of caution when approving high-density development within or at the end of flight paths.
While none of the 3 sites under consideration is perfect, the hard decision about which sites to rezone must be made to satisfy the 2003-2008 Housing Element. Once this is done, then we need to work with others in a concerted effort to correct the flaws in the Housing Mandate, or to find a more equitable way to provide for the housing needs of low- and middle-income families.
Join us on February 24 to urge the Supervisors to keep in mind the principles of sustainability when planning for affordable housing by building in urban areas near basic needs and services, and preserving open space and recreational areas.
WHAT: San Marcos Foothills Preserve Management Meeting
WHERE: South County Park Operations Center, 4568 Calle Real, Building E, Santa Barbara
WHEN: Wednesday, February 25 at 3:30 PM
The County is hosting a meeting regarding the management of the 200-acre San Marcos Foothills Preserve, which was donated by the Trust for Public Land to Santa Barbara County in 2007 to preserve and restore the area's amazing natural resources and biodiversity.
Since being opened to the public, the preserve has seen significantly increased usage. Concerns have been raised about the impact of off-leash dog walkers on birds and wildlife. According to reports, coyotes are scarcely seen and burrowing owls did not show up this winter. Birds and wildlife may mistake dogs for predators and be scared away, expending their limited energy avoiding dogs instead of feeding. To accommodate people with dogs, an enclosed area for off-leash dogs at the very bottom of the property has been proposed as an example of balanced management. Other management issues that need attention include: plastic pellet gun shooting; falconry; remote-control plane flying; and location and use of trails.
Please help seek a balanced management approach that respects the needs both of wildlife and people.
4. Community Events
WHAT: Surfrider Foundation film screening: "THE FUTURE OF THE GAVIOTA COAST"
WHERE: SB Library Faulkner Gallery
WHEN: Wednesday, February 11, 7 PM
Join us for the showing of an important documentary film about the unique qualities of the Gaviota coastline,-stretching from Coal Oil Point in Goleta to Point Arguello in Vandenburg Air Force Base,- and the challenges this area faces in the future.
http://www.surfrider.org/
WHAT: Public Forum on Annexation
WHEN: Thursday, February 12, 7- 9 PM
WHERE: Betteravia Government Center, 511 E. Lakeside Parkway
The Santa Maria League of Women Voters invites you to a public forum on annexation. The panelists will be Mary Everett, Clerk of the Commission, Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) and Brian R. Smith, Advance Planner, City of Santa Maria. The first hour will be a presentation by the panelists followed by an hour for the panelists to answer questions submitted from the public.
5. SB CAN Column: "It's time to get on the bus, Gus"
Every second and fourth Friday, SB CAN writes for the Looking Forward column in the Santa Maria Times. All of our columns are posted on our website www.sbcan.org under the "SB CAN Editorials." Our columns can also be found in the Lompoc Record and Noozhawk.com.
It's Time to Get on the Bus, Gus
By Deborah Brasket, SB CAN Executive Director
Recently, the Santa Maria Community Coalition sponsored a Ride the Bus Day to encourage those who do not normally use our public bus system to try it out.
Participants discovered that while the Santa Maria Area Transit (SMAT) ran a smooth operation with friendly drivers, the routes often did not meet their needs, and the long wait between buses - as much as an hour in the Orcutt area - made transit an inefficient use of their time.
The fact is, SMAT simply doesn't have enough buses and routes to make using the bus system attractive to those who have other means of travel. A poll conducted on a local Web site confirms this.
When asked, "What is the biggest reason why you don't use public transportation," 52 percent replied inconvenient routes, 44 percent said it takes too long, and only 4 percent said now that gas is affordable, they'd rather use their own vehicles to get around.
The poll results imply that if the routes were more convenient and the wait between stops shorter, more drivers would use the bus system.
With global climate change and diminishing oil supply, no one should be forced to depend upon private vehicle use, and everyone should be given incentives to choose transit over private vehicle use. Many people, moreover, don't have the option to use private vehicles.
Whether because of disabilities, age or lack of financial means, they are dependent upon transit to get to work or school, to visit the doctor or to go shopping.
Unfortunately, public funding for transportation still strongly favors and subsidizes private vehicle use over transit. Each year, $75 billion in public funding is spent on highways and streets.
One expert's report concludes: "Government subsidies for highways and parking alone amount to between 8 and 10 percent of our gross national product, the equivalent of a fuel tax of approximately $3.50 per gallon. Including indirect costs such as pollution cleanup and emergency medical treatment, the figure could run as high as $9 per gallon.
"The cost of these subsidies - approximately $5,000 per car per year - is charged directly to the American citizen in the form of increased prices for products or, more often, as income, property, and sales taxes. This means that the hidden costs of driving are paid by everyone, not just drivers, but also those too old or too poor to drive a car.
"And these people suffer doubly, as the very transit systems they count on for mobility cut back on services, unable to compete with the heavily subsidized highways."
Yet, transit provides the best bang for the public buck. In the Chicago area, mass transit saves drivers 22 hours of sitting in rush-hour traffic each year, resulting in a productivity benefit worth $1.6 billion a year to those drivers alone.
A national study reports that "every $1 spent on transit yields $3.40 in direct local economic output." Other studies show that funding spent on transit creates twice as many new jobs as spending on highways.
Clearly, funding for transit deserves a much higher priority in the county than it has received, particularly in the North County - which lacks an independent transit agency like South Coast's MTD, and where transportation planners and political leaders have shown a strong bias against transit.
The Santa Barbara County Associated Governments (SBCAG) will be taking up the issue of funding for transit again next month. Every dollar designated for transit should be spent on transit and not diverted as it often is into roads and streets.
We need to create a transit system in every city and across the county that is competitive with private vehicle use. It's the right thing to do - for ourselves, our children and future generations.
Olivia Uribe
Santa Barbara County Action Network
Associate Director
www.sbcan.org
w: 805.879.1768
c: 805.563.0463
Date:
8 Feb 2009 - 7:04pm