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Bike Week: May 13-21 P Volume 45, Number 2, 2006 www.ventana.sierraclub.org M AGAZINE OF THE V ENTANA C HAPTER OF THE S IERRA C LUB Who says you can’t go grocery shopping on a bike? Corinne Hyland brings home the groceries despite being 8 1/2 months pregnant. As a health educator for the County of Santa Cruz, Corinne practices what she preaches. About three weeks after these photos were taken, Corinne gave birth to a 7 pound 15 ounce baby girl, Evan Marie. APRIL, MAY, JUNE OUTINGS Tim Hyland Bike Week: May 13-21 p. 6 Explore, enjoy and protect the planet hile it is the intent of The Ventana to print articles that reflect the position Wof the Ventana Chapter, ideas CHAPTER CHAIR expressed in The Ventana are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the Monterey County voters may Yes on Community General Plan 3. The initiative increases the position of the Sierra Club. Articles, graphics Initiative amount of below-market-rate housing and photographs are copyrighted by the face land use issues The Community General Plan Initia- required in all new subdivisions from authors and artists and may be reprinted only wo critical land use measures may tive amends the County’s 1982 General 20% to 30%. with their permission. be on the June 6 ballot in DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSIONS Plan in four common-sense ways. 4. The initiative requires a vote of Monterey County. We urge all All materials for publication must be received by T 1. The initiative focuses develop- the people in order to change these basic Ventana Chapter Sierra Club members the deadlines listed below. No exceptions. ment and community investment in five land use policies. to vote NO on Measure C, the second SUBMISSIONS FORMAT existing communities: Fort Ord, Pajaro, The Community General Plan Initia- referendum to stop Rancho San Juan and Please limit articles to 800 words; letters to Castroville, Boronda, and Chualar. Each tive is endorsed by Sierra Club, the to vote YES on the Community General 300. All submissions may be edited for clarity of these communities has existing infra- League of Women Voters of the Salinas and length. Email to [email protected]. Plan Initiative. As we go to press, it is structure which can be augmented, has Valley and of the Monterey Peninsula, Mail hard copy to editor, address below. not yet certain if these issues will be on existing redevelopment plans, and has the Salinas Valley LULAC #2995, and PHOTOS the ballot. Photos submitted to The Ventana must meet expressed desire for some growth. many others. To learn more visit www. the following requirements: No laser copies or No on Rancho San Juan 2. The initiative requires adequate montereyplan.org or call 647-1058. inkjet outputs. Electronic photos should be no Rancho San Juan, proposed for 2,500 roads and a permanent water supply —Julie Engell smaller than 1200 x 1100 pixels or 300 dpi. acres between Salinas and Prunedale, was before or concurrent with new develop- Cover photos must be 3000 x 2000 pixels. Film This column was written by Julie Engell photos, slides or negatives are fine. Please call first approved by the Monterey County ment. a member of the Chapter Ex-Com. the editor if you have any questions. Board of Supervisors in December 2004. WHERE TO SEND SUBMISSIONS Because both traffic and water problems Send submissions to: Debbie Bulger, Editor were not addressed, four lawsuits were 1603 King Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 filed against the county. e-mail: [email protected] In November 2005 nearly 76% of F ROM THE E DITOR CHANGE OF ADDRESS Monterey County voters rejected Do not call editor! Send address changes to: Rancho San Juan. However, one day Why I support habitat preservation and restoration in the [email protected]. before voters went to the polls, the POSTAL NOTICE Arana Gulch Greenbelt Supervisors approved a so-called down- The Ventana (015057) is published 6 times a sized version of Rancho San Juan, year, (Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec.) paid by he City of Santa Cruz has released paving a bikeway through the Greenbelt subscription included in membership fee, by Butterfly Village. Within a month of for public comment a Master Plan would cause significant and non-mitiga- The Ventana Chapter of the Sierra Club, 1001 hijacking the election, Supervisors began Tand Draft EIR for the eastside ble damage to the tarplant. Center St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Periodical re-expanding Rancho San Juan. Greenbelt property known as Arana Bicyclists dealing with traffic on postage paid Santa Cruz, California, and at Opponents of the project then quali- Gulch. When I first moved to Santa Soquel Avenue might wish that a paved additional mailing offices. fied a second referendum, Measure C, Postmaster: Send address changes to Sierra Cruz in 1988, the property was full of bikeway could be built through Arana Club, The Ventana, P. O. Box 604, Santa Cruz, for the June 2006 ballot. Ventana cows. At the time I was unaware of Gulch without damage to the environ- CA 95061-0604. Chapter of Sierra Club urges you to vote another resident of that coastal prairie ment, but they are wishing, not looking NO on C. remnant: the Santa Cruz Tarplant at the facts. The botanists say that the Editor: Debbie Bulger, [email protected] The “downsized” project contains (Arana Gulch variety). The tarplant’s environmental damage would be signifi- (no change of address calls, please!) 1,147 houses, and a golf course/resort. It flower is not showy. You might walk cant. Production: will generate 13,000 additional car trips right by it without taking notice. But it I will be embarrassed if our city Debbie Bulger, Vivian Larkins, on already gridlocked roads and will has one very important distinction. It decides to ignore the science. I will be Dale Nutley increase water consumption in an area of grows nowhere else in the world. It is horrified if this city of mine, a city Writers: Julie Engell, Debbie Bulger, severe water overdraft. officially listed as “threatened” by the which has solar panels on its city hall, Bill Magavern To learn more about Rancho San Juan Federal Government and as “endan- applies for a permit to “take” (kill) an Photographers: call Julie Engell, 633-8709 or visit gered” by the State of California. endangered species. I will be more than Linda Smith, Richard Stover, www.stopranchosanjuan.org. When I walk on the other Greenbelt disappointed in our City Council mem- Tim Hyland, James McGrew, properties owned by the City, I expect bers. Jean Brocklebank, Greg Meyer, Kevin Collins Recycle unneeded items; to have an experience in which Nature is But there is another choice. A bike- Proofreaders: paramount. I do not expect or want way on the railroad right-of-way would Richard Stover, Wolfgang Rosenberg, snag $ for Sierra Club paved paths through the Pogonip. I provide a traffic-free east-west bike route Charles Koester, Jim Danaher, o you have furniture, sports recoil in horror at the thought of paving without harming endangered species. Eloise Graham, Vivian Larkins equipment, or other items you a path through the glorious goldfields That is why I and the Sierra Club whole- Distribution: no longer want or need around Keith Wood, Jerry Houser D that blanket parts of the Moore Creek heartedly support purchase and con- Debbie Bulger the house? I had a Nordic Track I was Uplands. Why, then, would the City struction of the rail trail: A bikeway that Advertising Sales: no longer using. I placed an ad in The consider installing a series of paved paths would go for miles in a car-free environ- Debbie Bulger Ventana, asked the purchaser to make on the smallest of its Greenbelt lands? ment, not just the quarter mile crossing Late Night Food Delivery & Software: the check out to “Sierra Club,” and was The lure of a bicycle connection Arana Gulch. Richard Stover Chapter website: able to help the Club and clean out my through Arana Gulch has many people I hope you will contact the Santa http://ventana.sierraclub.org garage at the same time. Such a deal! discounting the environmental damage Cruz City Council and urge them to act Free classified ads that paving such a connection would cre- on the science not on wishful thinking. The Ventana is offering free ate. As a frequent bicyclist, I understand Let them know that we may have a legal that lure. Bicycling is a non-polluting and, most certainly, a moral imperative 2006 classified ads, on a space avail- VENTANA PUBLICATION SCHEDULE: able basis, for items worth $25 or more form of transportation that the Sierra not only to preserve the tarplant, but Club encourages. We need more bike- also to restore it by implementing a Issue Deadline Mailing Date when the owner agrees to have the pur- #3 May 15 May 31 chaser make the check out to “Sierra ways and bike lanes in this community. sound tarplant management plan. #4 Jul. 17 Aug. 2 Club.” It’s easy. It recycles. Best of all it I am a member of People Power, the We need more bikeways in Santa #5 Sep. 25 Oct. 11 bicycle advocacy group; I am also a Cruz, but we should not eradicate #6 Nov. 27 Dec. 13 helps the Club fund conservation and advocacy. member of the California Native Plant endangered species in order to get them. Society. I cherish biodiversity, not only —Debbie Bulger Articles received after deadline may For more information call 457-1036. —Debbie Bulger for itself, but for its importance to not be published.
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