Application for Consideration of Appointment to the Coastal Advisory Committee (CAC)
Thank you for your interest in being appointed to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District's Coastal Advisory Committee. The CAC's job will be to review, discuss, and recommend revisions to specified District policies related to the San Mateo County coastal area under consideration for annexation by the District, and will include the responsibility of gathering input from a wide range of community and special interest groups on the Coastside. The District policies to be reviewed include those concerning eminent domain, land acquisition, and agricultural land use.
Please answer the following questions, which will help the existing members of the CAC to select representatives for the three "at large" seats available. The intent of appointing such individuals is to ensure that there is adequate representation for Coastside interests which are otherwise un-represented, or under-represented, on the CAC. "At large" members must live within the area under consideration for annexation. Please limit your answers to the space provided. Please write legibly. This form must be returned to the District office, 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos, CA 94022-1404 (fax: 650-691-0485) by 5:00 p.m., Friday, February 12, 1999.
1) Briefly describe your reasons for wanting to participate on the CAC.
I believe in public participation in governance. Since moving to the coast in 1991 I have spent considerable time developing a working knowledge of land-use planning agencies, planning and zoning regulations, and the processes which are available to the public to participate in land-use practices. I have actively participated in local government on the coastside as a member of the Montara Sanitary District board and President of the Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside board. These special districts deal with extremely contentious issues, and it is a challenge to maintain public process that respects individual rights while promoting and protecting the public interest. I think I have developed a skill at doing so, and believe this would be useful to the Coastal Advisory Committee.
I believe in proactive support for land use policy and planning. That is why I am affiliated with Sierra Club, a moderate environmental organization that works within the system to promote environmental awareness and public benefit. That's why I was a leader in the 1996 initiative campaign that resulted in passage of Measure T, the Devil's Slide Tunnel Initiative. Again, Devil's Slide was a contentious, emotional issue that was resolved in a manner that satisfied a broad range of constituencies--environmental, safety, transportation, community, labor--groups that never believed that there was a solution on common ground.
Heartfelt controversy and urgent need for constructive common ground . That is the charge of this Committee, and that is the process which I would like to participate in.
2) Please describe your personal or professional interest in and knowledge of Coastside land use and land conservation issues, and what expertise or experience you will bring to the CAC.
Regarding the first part of this question, please see above. In terms of additional expertise or experience, I presently work as a management consultant, and have a good working knowledge of organizations and how they operate.
3) What is the Coastside interest which you feel is un-represented or under-represented on the CAC, and what are your qualifications to represent those interests?
The appointments made to date reflect MSROD's intention to give the agricultural community strong representation on the committee. The three members of the MSROD board and Audrey Rust of the Peninsula Open Space Trust provide a professional, experienced base of individuals who understand land conservation agencies. What is lacking, in my opinion, is representation from the community of environmental organizations and individuals who actively worked in the last election for expansion of the district. Bear in mind that a majority of the voters in the election voted in favor of expansion--they should be adequately represented. I would also like to see additional representation from the public living in the south coast area. Regarding my qualifications, as a member of the Sierra Club Loma Prieta chapter Executive Committee I am qualified to represent environmental organizations, and I participated as an individual in the election.
4) Do you own property in the coastal area under consideration for annexation? If so, please briefly describe its location, size, and use. (It is important for the CAC to be aware of any potential conflicts of interest that may arise that might be relevant to its deliberations.)
Yes, my residence in Montara, on 2 acres in the Rural Residential area, and is adjacent to Ocean View Farms. Originally a house on a five-acre plant nursery, the house was built in 1954 and has been extensively remodeled.
5) What clubs, organizations, or interest groups do you belong to or are you affiliated with?
I am the Board President of the Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM), the joint powers authority which provides sewer treatment for the Montara Sanitary District (MSD), Granada Sanitary District (GSD), and City of Half Moon Bay. I also serve on the MSD board of directors. Presently SAM is completing a $21 million treatment plant expansion, doubling treatment capacity in anticipation of the capacity requirements needed to support full buildout under applicable land use plans.
I am a participant on the San Mateo County Environmental Health Advisory Committee, a group chaired by Supervisor Rich Gordon. This ad-hoc committee is participating in a review of SMC Environmental Health Department policies and procedures, septic and well ordinances, and related land-use policies.
I am active with the Loma Prieta chapter of the Sierra Club, presently serving as vice-chair of the Executive Committee (ExCom) and Chair of the Club's Devil's Slide Task Force. The ExCom establishes policies governing the operation of the local chapter, and provides management oversight of staff and volunteer operations. The Devil's Slide Task Force was a principal participant in Measure T, the 1996 Tunnel Initiative in San Mateo County. I continue to work on the Devil's Slide issue, attending the monthly status meetings with representatives of CalTrans, the Federal Highway Administration, San Mateo County, and various politicians and community groups.
6) Please provide a brief description of your desired outcome of the work of the CAC.
My work on contentious issues involving public policy and land use is that there is generally more common ground than the initial rhetoric would lead one to believe. I would like the CAC to articulate that common ground and examine the specifics of the proposed expansion from that perspective, rather than from the perspective of polarized participants lobbying for a narrow band of constituents.
Educating the participants on the applicable legal and technical issues is an important part of replacing fear with understanding, and moving towards consensus. By definition, attracting a diverse group of participants means that they do not share the same backgrounds, which accentuates the need for professional staff support.
Finally, establishing shared vision has value, and education promotes understanding and trust, but the group must then move to the pragmatic task of specific recommendations. I would expect that committee deliberations would yield a fully developed set of recommendations for consideration by the MSROD board.
Chris Thollaug
PO Box 371018
Montara, CA 94037
(650) 728-7107 voice 728-1323 fax
2/9/99 - Chris@Montara.com