(Below is a letter we sent to the San Jose General Plan Task Force. -Brian) January 15, 2010 Envision San Jose Task Force Re: Economic Strategy discussion reinforces need to choose an appropriate jobs-to-employed-residents ratio Dear Envision San Jose Task Force members; I appreciate the opportunity I had yesterday to talk with Kim Walesh at the City to understand the difference between jobs capacity and actual jobs under the various land use scenarios. As I understand it, the City anticipates based on past history that all housing that it plans for under any land use scenario it adopts, will in...
County Supervisors’ meetings finally on the internet
The first meeting is here, and by clicking on Item 21 you can see me noting the loss of another 15 acres of open space in Santa Clara County, and what we all might be able to do about it through a concept called Transferable Development Rights. -Brian
Comments on San Jose General Plan Task Force, Jan. 11 2010
This discussion today emphasizes the importance of choosing a jobs to employed residents ratio that San Jose actually wants to achieve. There’s no question that from an environmental perspective, a 1:1 ratio is the best one. Any higher ratio requires unplanned housing to be built elsewhere and for those workers to commute into the city, most likely from sprawling bedroom communities in Central Valley. Last year when I raised this issue in several one-on-one discussions, the reply was that the City would be most likely to underachieve on job development, so it’s better to set a higher jobs ratio than...
Lennie wins the Cox Conserves Hero’s Award!
(Below is a wonderful email we got to send out last week to folks signed up on our Action Alert list. -Brian) Dear Friends! We are so very delighted to announce CGF Advocate Lennie Roberts was awarded the Cox Conserves Hero’s Award today!!! CGF is honored to have Lennie’s support, dedication, perseverance and generosity working on behalf of the open space, farmlands and natural resources of San MateoCounty. All of us and the Bay Area itself would be a poorer place without her. Without your support Lennie would not have been given this award. Thank you for your vote and...
"Extinct" native plant rediscovered in San Francisco
While extinction is forever, rediscovery can be the one reprieve: A San Francisco native plant thought extinct by botanists has been discovered near the Golden Gate Bridge. The last, wild Franciscan Manzanita was believed to have perished in the 1940s when the city cemeteries where it grew were moved south to allow for neighborhood expansion. But when construction crews recently cleared eucalyptus trees in the city’s Presidio area, it exposed the only specimen known to exist in the wild. While it appears that cultured varieties of the plant have been kept alive in nurseries, it’s even better to have non-domesticated,...
Watch out for "farmwashing"
There’s an interesting article in the Washington Post about restaurants that claim to be serving environmentally-protective, locally-grown food but aren’t: ….with business models built on sustainable food, the hype can get ahead of the execution. Even when intentions are good, there are questions about whether it is possible for a high-volume restaurant to practice everything it preaches — if it also wants to turn a profit and serve customers what they want. Small family farms don’t have the quantity or consistency of huge national suppliers. They usually can’t compete on price, even at the height of the growing season. And...
Action Alert: Midcoast LCP Update
Dear Friends, The update of the Local Coastal Program (LCP) for the San Mateo Midcoast, which guides local implementation of the Coastal Act, is nearly completed at long last! After two delays requested by San Mateo County, the California Coastal Commission will consider whether to certify the LCP as consistent with the Coastal Act on Thursday, December 10, at their meeting in San Francisco. This is an important time to speak up for protections for open space, protecting coastal resources, and maintaining the community character of the Midcoast communities of Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada, Miramar, and Princeton. Why this...
Action Alert: Vote for Lennie!
Dear Friends, As you know, Lennie Roberts has been nominated as a Cox Conserves Hero by Cox Enterprises, (the parent company of Channel 2), and The Trust for Public Land! What’s HappeningFive finalists have been nominated for the 2009 Cox Conserves Hero Award. With her work as a Conservation Hero beginning at age 12, Lennie Roberts is a model for grassroots action and a leader extraordinaire for the protection of our open spaces. They ask that the public vote online once for their favorite Everyday Hero. We hope that you will vote to honor her legacy of environmental protection. Click...
Meeting the Distric 1 Supervisor Candidates
CGF has helped sponsor the South Valley Environmental Collaborative, a group that helps coordinate environmental activities in South Santa Clara County. Last Thursday we held an introduction to four of the five announced candidates for supervisor for District 1 of Santa Clara County, a district that covers over two-thirds of the county. (The fifth candidate couldn’t make it.) A few pictures are below. Early next year, we hope to hold a large public forum on environmental issues. -Brian
Why County Parkland Shouldn’t Be Considered Mitigation for County Road Impacts
Below is a video running through CGF’s PowerPoint on the mistake that Santa Clara County is making by balancing the impacts of the County roads and airports with parkland acquired by through the Parks Charter Fund. A letter we wrote is here, and I’m happy to send the PowerPoint file to anyone who wants it. -Brian (Well, that didn’t work. Will try again later.)