Community Matters

June 6, 2025 Hour One: Tim Richards re: Appeal of 151' Cell Tower in Bonny Doon; Hour Two: Jami Wallace re: Similarities in Agency Actions in East Palestine, OH and Moss Landing Vistra Battery Fire

 

Hour One: Guest Tim Richards discusses his rural Community's hard work to push back on having a 151' tall cell phone tower built in their backyard.  

Scheduled as Item #10 on the June 10 Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisor agenda, the Community of Bonny Doon will push back on the appeal before the Board that was launched by CTI.  The Planning Commission sided with the Community and denied the application in February, 2025 that would allow CTI to remove a 70.6' tall wireless communication tower and replace it with a 151.1' tower and nine antennas at 186 Summit Road.  Now, the Board will consider the matter de novo.

 

How can you support this Community ?

 

Here is the link to the Board meeting agenda: https://santacruzcountyca.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=828

 

 

Hour Two: Guest Jami Wallace, resident of East Palestine, Ohio, discusses what happened in her Community in 2023 when a train derailed, producing a  toxic plume of smoke that sickened many.   Public safety agencies responsible for protecting the area failed to take action.  Jami spoke at a recent "Never Again Moss Landing" event at the Prunedale Grange, comparing the pattern of inaction with that of local, state and federal officials involved in the January 16, 2025 Vistra Battery Fire in Moss Landing. 

 

What can people do?  

 

What should Santa Cruz County residents do in the face of the Board of Supervisors set to approve three lithium battery energy storage systems (BESS) here, with the 90 Minto Road one in Watsonville quietly zooming through permitting process?

 

https://whyy.org/segments/two-years-after-east-palestine-train-derailment-health-risks/

 

https://neveragainmosslanding.org/

 

https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fgroups%2F519407474020832%2F

May 30, 2025 Interviews Hour 1: Sally Arnold with Friends of Rail & Trail; Hour 2: Brian Roeder with Never Again Moss Landing

Hour One: Sally Arnold describes Friends of Rail & Trail, recent opening of new trail serving the Westside, actions yet to come. https://www.railandtrail.org/

Hour Two: Brian Roeder describes Never Again Moss Landing results of Scientist Panel discussion held in Moss Landing, and the June 2 "Bigger Than Moss Landing" event with national science experts Dr. Beatrice Golamb and Scott Smith, as well as East Palestine, Ohio resident Jami Wallace. https://neveragainmosslanding.org/

May 23, 2025 Hour One: Never Again Moss Landing BESS and Santa Cruz County BESS Politics; Hour Two: Barry Branin re: Morro Bay BESS and Activism

Hour One: Never Again Moss Landing Event with Scientists on May 24 and discussion about three proposed BESS sites for Santa Cruz County..keeping pressure on elected officials to listen to the people!

Hour Two: Barry Branin, Protect El Estero Bay and the Morro Bay City Council's two-year moratorium on new BESS ...not all San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors are listening.  Can Santa Cruz County residents fight the conversion of taking ag land out of production?  Listen for good advice.

May 16, 2025 Hour One: What did the Santa Cruz City Coucil Approve re: Downtown Expansion Plan? Hour 2: Stop Lithium BESS in Santa Cruz County; Life After Moving Out of California

Hour One: Gillian Greensite, Frank Barron & Keresha Durham discuss what the Santa Cruz City Council approved May 13 relating to the City's Downtown Expansion Plan for South of Laurel.  How tall could the future buildings be around the new Arena? Three city blocks slated for demolition, but how much affordable housing will there actually be?

Hour Two: Diane Dutton-Jones discusses the well-attended "Stop Lithium BESS in Santa Cruz" public meeting held May 12 in Watsonville to inform the people living near proposed 90 Minto Road BESS project, already in permitting process.  Why isn't the Public allowed at the table to negotiate the County's new BESS Ordinance?  Who IS writing those regulations???

AND  Kris Kirby checks in about life after  pulling up roots in California and moving far away.  Any regrets?  What is her advice to those contemplating such a move?

May 9, 2025 Interview with Frank Barron and Keresha Durham re: Santa Cruz City Downtown Explansion Plan Souht of Laurel Area

Both hours devoted to discussing this massive and monumental project to convert 29 acres in Downtown Santa Cruz, South of Laurel.  The Santa Cruz City Council will consider this project May 13, making decisions that could forever change the character of Santa Cruz with buildings as high as 16-24 feet tall in an area prone to liquefaction and flooding.  Frank Barron and Keresha Durham point out that the EIR was rushed and inadequate, urging people to show up at the Council meeting to request Alternative #1 with Option B only.

1st Hour: Ross Gibson re: Redman-Hirahara Farmstead Importance of Preservation; 2nd Hour: Brian Roeder re: Never Again Moss Landing & Nina Audino re: Stop Lithium BESS in Santa Cruz County

1st Hour: Ross Gibson discusses County Historic Resources Commission's unnecessary quick action to de-list Redman-Hirahara Farmstead from the National Historic Registry and why preservation is critical of this iconic 1897 Victorian designed by William Weeks and highlighting the action Watsonville residents took to help the Hirahara Family keep their property upon returning from WWII imprisonment.

https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2025/04/06/guard-dogs-seeking-landmark-demolition-ross-eric-gibson-local-history/

 

2nd Hour:  Brian Roeder discusses "Never Again Moss Landing" grassroots work to gather information and mobilize thousands of people harmed by the January 16, 2025 Vistra Battery Energy Storage System(BESS) fire in Moss Landing.  State and local help has been lacking, but the people are working to gather information to document their plight., and encourage people to keep pressure on elected representatives. https://neveragainmosslanding.org/

Nina Audino is working with others in Santa Cruz County to stop lithium BESS facilities planned at three locations.  One is already in permit process at 90 Minto Road in Watsonville, near dense subdivisions, the County's Fairgrounds evacuation site, and College Lake water source. The group meets 1st & 3rd Saturdays, 12:30-2pm, at Aptos Library https://www.facebook.com/groups/519407474020832/

April 25, 2025 Interview 1) Karell Reader re: Redman/Hirahara Farmstead Preservation, 2) John Hall & Lira Filippini re: Our Downtown, Our Future and the downtown parking garage/library, farmer mkt mkt

1st Hour: Karell Reader describes the rich history of the Redman/Hirahara Farmstead, how residents rallied to help the Hirahara family and other Japanese-American citizens keep their land after imprisoned in WWII, The Foundation's attempt to preserve it, and now the County's drive to delist it from the National Historic Registry to enable demolition...unless a wealthy group can pool money to again save it to create a meaningful Pajaro Valley "Gateway" for future generations. Speak up at County Board of Supervisor meeting next month regarding de-listing this treasure, designed by local famous architect William Weeks. https://pajaronian.com/redman-hirahara-house-facing-final-chapter/

2nd Hour: John Hall and Lira Filippini, organizers of Our Downtown, Our Future,  discuss the Santa Cruz City plan for Lot 4 to relocate the Farmers Market and cut down heritage trees to make room for an 8-story parking garage, library and affordable housing.  Measure S library bond funding has run out, leaving insufficient money to finish the new library but would have been adequate to renovate the existing library...and save the heritage trees for the urban forest needed for cooling and bird habitat.  Speak up at City Council meetings!  

https://www.ourdowntownourfuture.org/

April 18, 2025 Renee Flemming & Santa Cruz County Law Library; Coty Sifuentes-Winters & MidPen Eucalyptus Removals at Sierra Azul Preserve

First Hour: Santa Cruz County Law Librarian Ms. Renee Flemming describes what help and information are available to navigate various legal issues with or without an attorney, and how the Library was established in 1896 by a County Ordinance, and is funded and managed today.

Second Hour: Mr. Coty Sifuentes-Winters, Vegetation Ecologist and Project Manager for MidPeninsula Regional Open Space District describes the 2.5 acre project near Lexington Reservoir in the Sierra Azul Preserve to remove eucalyptus trees for fire hazard reduction and native habitat restoration. What was the CEQA process and who were the agencies that partnered with MidPen to fund and support the work?