In April, 2003, Monterey County released the second General Plan Update (GPU-2) for review. Although it was intended to address the flaws found in the original document, we wonder if this new draft is an improvement over the previous plan.

Rural Centers: The bulk of the County defined areas— was specifically determined by a lack of water and/or traffic. In the first version, the AIAMB Board was concerned that areas where people live are defined by their lack of resources. The GPU-2 will institute a system to put requirements on private property including an “Infrastructure and Financing Study” as a prerequisite to the creation of new lots. GPU-2 suggests “these studies are to be carried out by the County, based on funding availability and local community support. Construction of the needed infrastructure improvements is to be funded from a combination of sources.”

May we expect to see solutions to the severe housing and infrastructure problems the County is facing under current conditions? With an overriding need for affordable, workforce and farm worker housing, this new policy makes viable solutions more encumbered by the process and less likely to happen. The new policy sounds workable, but in reality, will the implementation lead to opposite results and moratoriums?

Resource protection: While highly valued in the General Plan, there seems to be an underlying, basic belief that housing for people is an impact and not a resource. The essence of the General Plan should recognize the benefits that can result from the built environment, including a stable employment base, thriving economy, and positive values for all sectors of the community.

12 Guiding Objectives: The Draft says that the “Plan focuses on creating healthy, balanced communities that can better accommodate the housing needs of County residents…” If only this were true. In reality, the details provide no feasible mechanism to achieve these lofty words. The bottom line is that most of the County will be in a de facto moratorium. There are no realistic, timely methods to resolve existing problems, and the draft plan exacerbates future problems by not taking them seriously. There are no provisions to balance competing interests.

The County Board of Supervisors has acknowledged that the revised GPU-2 plan is seriously flawed. The Board has formed a Citizens Committee with diverse interests to promote a free exchange of ideas, and help to formulate an improved plan consistent with values which were established early on. This method has proven to be successful in other areas and worked well in Monterey County twenty years ago with the development of the previous General Plan!

There continue to be a variety of public sessions discussing the General Plan. Those interested in finding more General Plan infomation, including a schedule of meetings, should visit the Monterey County General Plan website.