Community GPU Forums• California Native Plant Society,

Monterey Bay Chapter

• Carmel Valley Association

• Citizens for Responsible Growth

• Coalition to Protect Housing, Farmlands, Air & Water

• Concerned Citizens of River Road

• Friends, Artists and Neighbors of Elkhorn Slough

• Highway 68 Coalition

• LandWatch Monterey County

• League of Woman Voters of the Monterey Peninsula

• Líderes Comunitarios de Salinas

• Monterey Pine Forest Watch

• North County Citizens Oversight Coalition

• Planning and Conservation League Foundation

• Prunedale Neighbors Group

• Prunedale Preservation Alliance

• Ranch San Juan Opposition Coalition

• Save Our Shores

• Sierra Club, Ventana Chapter

What is the Product We Are Shooting for?

Achieve good planning for Monterey County; Comply with State Law requirements; Make use of the time and investment

expended on the GPU; Be fully consistent with the 12 Guiding

Objectives; and

A Fully-integrated, legally sufficient General Plan Update for Monterey County that will:

Include positive suggestions made in these community forums.

What is a General Plan?

Provides a vision for the County’s future for the next 20 years.

The blueprint for all future growth and development. All zoning, ordinances, and planning decisions must

be consistent with the General Plan.

“The General Plan is the Constitution for all future developments within a city or county”

Mandatory Elements

Land Use Housing Infrastructure Open Space Conservation Noise Safety

Elements of a General Plan

Optional Elements

Administration/ Enforcement

Infrastructure, including provisions relating to circulation, water, wastewater, waste management facilities and other public services

Focus of Forum #Four

Noise Element

Basis for Community GPU

Existing 1982 General Plan

Existing 2003 Certified Housing Element

The 12 Guiding Objectives Adopted by the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors to frame the General Plan Update

The Draft GPU 3 document, including Coastal and Inland Areas Elements and Background Reports

Contributions from the “Community GPU” forum

12 Guiding Objectives: A Shared Vision

1. Preserve the unique character of Monterey County2. Identify land appropriate for development3. Preserve a distinction between rural and urban areas4. Strongly encourage new affordable housing for people who live and work

in Monterey County5. Promote high quality, walkable communities and reduce the need for

automobiles6. Promote, preserve and support agriculture7. Minimize development of commercially viable agricultural land8. Provide adequate infrastructure for existing and new development9. Provide long-term protection of identified resource-rich and habitat areas10.Protect the visual integrity of the County11.Seek to provide an adequate and sustainable water supply12.Provide clear land use values and policies

Forum #1 Summary Over 100 people participated in the forum at the Prunedale Grange Input from participants indicated support for using the 12 Guiding

Objectives as the basis for this Community GPU Forum discussions focused on the type of policies in each Element

needed to ensure the 12 Guiding Objectives are implemented, including:

1. Direct new development to existing communities where infrastructure and services can be provided;

2. Limit new development outside of community development areas;

3. Encourage infill and in particular, development that will meet the needs of Monterey County residents and workers;

4. Create strong, clear policies that cannot be circumvented;

5. Require accountability for how the Board of Supervisors implements the General Plan.

Comments and responses can be found at www.8of10Monterey.com

Forum #2 Summary Over 200 people participated in the forum in Carmel Valley. Discussions focused on the Land Use and Housing Elements. Key input included support for a GPU that contains strong policies:

1. To direct growth to the cities, their sphere of influence, the Community Areas of Fort Ord, Pajaro, Castroville and Boronda, and downtown Chualar.

2. To limit new subdivisions outside of these designated growth areas for purposes consistent with conserving agricultural and other resource lands and open space.

3. To provide housing first and foremost that is affordable to Monterey County residents and workers.

4. To develop creative and enforceable policies, including incentives, to protect and enhance the quality of life in existing communities.

Comments and responses can be found at www.8of10Monterey.com

Forum # 3 Summary Over 100 people participated in the forum in Salinas.

Discussions focused on the Conservation Element, including agriculture, the Open Space and Safety Elements.

Key input included support for a GPU that contains:

1. Strong protections for agriculture in Monterey County;

2. Adequate open space and recreational areas for residents of Monterey County; and

3. Policies directing new development away from hazards.

Comments and responses at www.8of10monterey.com

Applicable Guiding Objectives:

Infrastructure Element #5 Promote high quality, walkable communities

and reduce the need for automobiles.

#8 Provide adequate infrastructure for existing and new development.

#11 Seek to provide an adequate and sustainable water supply.

What You Said AboutInfrastructure

Require all essential public services to be in place prior to new development.

New development should pay its own way.

Sustainable water supplies should be an absolute.

Establish and enforce specific standards for adequate public services and infrastructure.

Summary of Proposed Infrastructure Policies for

Discussion Direct new urban development to cities and Community Areas

where adequate infrastructure can be provided. New development shall mitigate any infrastructure impacts caused

by the project and “pay its own way.” Ensure all essential public services and infrastructure to support

new development meet service level standards. Require proof of an adequate, long-term and sustainable water

supply for new development. Approve new waste management facilities only when specific

conditions and findings can be met.

Noise Element

Identifies and maps noise problems in the County.

Basis for determining land use patterns to minimize exposure to excessive noise.

Contains specific policies relating to noise.

Applicable Guiding Objectives:

Noise Element

#2 Identify land appropriate for development.

#5 Promote high quality communities.

What You Said About Noise

The General Plan should direct new development away from noise generating uses.

Avoid new development that requires noise mitigation.

Use trees and landscaping to buffer noise.

Prohibit sound walls.

Summary of Proposed Noise Policies for

Discussion Require new development to meet acceptable

noise exposure levels.

New road projects shall meet noise standards.

Prohibit the use of sound walls for noise control.

Community GPU

“Where we go from here and whether the things that are done through planning or under the guise of planning will be any good and make our future cities, our communities, and our rural areas better places is largely up to our citizens.”

Herbert H. Smith, Citizen’s Guide to Planning