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Category: Politics

  • How much housing is being built in Davis?

    The answers might surprise you.

    Sterling-project-under-construction
    Sterling project, 2100 5th St, under construction (611 beds)

     By Roberta Millstein

    Recently on NextDoor and elsewhere, Davisites have been disagreeing about whether Davis is building enough housing or whether it needs more.  The discussions have become particularly relevant in light of two potentially large projects: the University Commons project (264 residential units / 894 beds) and the so-called Aggie Research Campus (ARC), which proposes 850 units as part of the larger proposal for a massive 200 acre business park outside of Mace Curve.

    But to answer the question of whether we have enough housing or not, Davisites need to know how much is in the pipeline.  I suspect that most Davisites don’t know the answer to that question, even if they’ve been paying attention.  This article is the result of my attempt to figure out the answer. 

    If you just want the answers I calculated, here they are: the housing that is now in the pipeline will accommodate more than 10,000 additional people in the City and more than 20,000 additional people in the City and UC Davis combined.  The details of those answers are below.

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  • Article 4 of 4: Sierra Club Yolano Group Questionnaire for Yolo County District 4 Supervisor

    Three-for-supervisor
    by Alan Pryor, Chair – Sierra Club Yolano Group

    Introduction

    This article is the 4th and final in a 4-part series on questions presented by the Sierra Club Yolano Group to candidates in the Yolo County District 4 Supervisor race on the March 2020 ballot and the candidates' responses. This article covers questions and responses in the areas of Transportation Management, Environmental-Social Justice, Other Environmental-Related Issues, and Community Support. The order of the candidate responses are changed with each article. 

    See article 1 of 4 here, which gives a "Table of Contents" for all four articles, an introduction explaining the article series, announces that the Yolano Group is not making an endorsement in this race, and covers questions and responses in the areas of Reductions in Carbon-Based Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions. 

    See article 2 of 4 here, which covers questions and responses in the areas of Solid Waste Management, Water Management and Conservation, and Toxics in the Environment.

    See article 3 of 4 here, which covers questions and responses in the areas of Land Use and Development.

    Part 6 – Questions Related to Transportation Management

    Issue 6-1 – Transportation-Related GHG Emissions

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  • Yolo People Power endorses Linda Deos

    YoloPeoplePowerYolo People Power endorses Linda Deos for 4th District Yolo County Supervisor.

    Ms. Deos is making criminal justice reform one of her top priorities. We appreciate her collaborative approach to problem-solving that includes listening to many voices. She pro-actively engages community members in thinking creatively about how to locally address climate change, affordable housing, quality and accessible childcare, economic development and community safety. We see her showing up to community meetings, rallies and protests; as well as city council and county board meetings. We appreciate her willingness to support and engage with many diverse members of our community.

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  • Article 3 of 4: Sierra Club Yolano Group Questionnaire for Yolo County District 4 Supervisor

    Three-for-supervisor
    by Alan Pryor, Chair – Sierra Club Yolano Group

    Introduction

    This article is the 3rd in a 4-part series on questions presented by the Sierra Club Yolano Group to candidates in the Yolo County District 4 Supervisor race on the March 2020 ballot and the candidates' responses. This article covers questions and responses in the areas of Land Use and Development. The order of the candidate responses are changed with each article. 

    See article 1 of 4 here, which gives a "Table of Contents" for all four articles, an introduction explaining the article series, announces that the Yolano Group is not making an endorsement in this race, and covers questions and responses in the areas of Reductions in Carbon-Based Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions. 

    See article 2 of 4 here, which covers questions and responses in the areas of Solid Waste Management, Water Management and Conservation, and Toxics in the Environment.

     ____________________________________________________________________

    Issue 5-1 – Agricultural Land Preservation

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  • Aritcle 2 of 4: Sierra Club Yolano Group Questionnaire for Yolo County District 4 Supervisor

    Solid waste management, water management and conservation, and toxics in the environment

    See article 1 of 4 here, which gives a "table of contents" for all four articles, announces that the Yolano Group is not making an endorsement in this race, and covers Reductions in Carbon-Based Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions.  The order of the candidate responses are changed with each article. 

    Three-for-supervisor
    By Alan Pryor, Chair – Sierra Club Yolano Group

    Part 2 – Questions Relating to Solid Waste Management

    Issue 2-1 – Reusable, Recyclable, &  Compostable In-Restaurant and Take-Out Food & Drink Containers & Tableware

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  • Sierra Club Yolano Group Questionnaire for Yolo County District 4 Supervisor

    November 2020 Election– 1st of 4 Articles

    Three-for-supervisor
    by Alan Pryor, Chair – Sierra Club Yolano Group

    Introduction

    In the ballot for March 2020, three candidates are vying for the office of Yolo County District 4 Supervisor – Jim Provenza, Linda Deos, and David Abramson. This District represents the southern and more eastern portions of the City of Davis and rural residents of Yolo County in the area extending south of Davis to the Solano County line and east of Davis to the Yolo Bypass. 

    The Sierra Club Yolano Group prepares questionnaires for candidates in local races we deem to be seriously contested and/or where there are clear differences between the candidates. We ask questions on a wide range of environmentally-related issues of importance to the electorate and/or our local Sierra Club members and the candidates provide written responses to allow them to directly express their views and opinions in their own words. All candidates provided responses to all of of our questions in this questionnaire.

    The Sierra Club Yolano Group Takes “No Endorsement Position” in the 2020 Yolo County District 4 Supervisor Race

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  • A Case for Bernie Sanders

    The times have finally caught up with his vision

    IMG_2372

    Picture taken by R. Millstein at Bernie's rally at UC Davis in 2016

    By Roberta Millstein

    With the California primaries upon us in less than two months, it’s time to turn our attention to the presidential primaries, which will be held on March 3, 2020.  Since we have an earlier primary than in past years, California can make a big difference in who will stand for election in November.  Check your voter registration status here and make sure that you are registered for the party whose primary you want to vote in.  (Yes, you can register “No Party Preference”[1] and that will let you vote in some parties’ primaries, but most agree that it is more trouble than it is worth.  You can always change your party to something else later).

    As important, of course, is the decision about who to vote for.  Here is how I came to support Bernie Sanders. Perhaps you will find my reasoning persuasive.

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  • Supervisor Election Forum

    SupesThe Davis Post Carbon Association hosted a climate change discussion of all 3 candidates for Yolo County Supervisor 4th District. Supervisor Jim Provenza, and challengers Linda Deos and David Abramson joined in a visionary and wide ranging discussion of what Yolo County can do to address climate change. The discussion was held on 1/10/2020.

    This video was provided to the Davisite by The Davis Post Carbon Association.

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  • Wiener’s housing deregulation bill is back!

    It's an unfunded mandate for an unproven assumption about affordable housing

    48hillsyimbywiener

    Sen. Scott Wiener, shown here with Yimby leader Laura Foote Clark, says he thinks people who fear displacement from market-rate housing are “quacks.” Photo credit: 48hills

    By Tim Redmond

    State Sen. Scott Wiener will hold a press conference and rally in Oakland Tuesday/7 to announce that he’s re-introducing a new version of his housing deregulation bill, SB 50. It will need to get through committee and off the Senate floor this month.

    Yes, SB 50 is back– with some amendments, and the current opposition of the San Francisco Board of Supes (which means the city’s official position on the bill is Oppose).

    The East Bay Times calls it a Zoning Reform Bill, but it’s much more than that. It’s a measure that, in essence, would force California cities to rely even more on the private sector to address the housing crisis.

    It does not offer a penny of state money for affordable housing. It doesn’t do anything to mandate that cities limit office development until they have adequate housing for the workforce. It starts and ends with the assumption – unproven and by some accounts just wrong– that greater density will lead to lower housing prices.

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  • Bats Ignored in Environmental Review for Mace Business Park

    2019-12-23_17-43-09Will new ARC SEIR do better?

    This letter was sent to Assistant City Manager Ash Feeney on December 23, 2019.

    Dear Mr. Feeney,

    I am writing to draw your attention to a significant omission in the Mace Ranch Innovation Center Project Final Environmental Impact Report dated January 2016. At no place in the FEIR is there any consideration for Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis), or for Hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus).

    Just over 2 miles from the MRIC/ARC site is “One of the largest seasonal Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) colonies in California. An estimated 250,000 individuals strong.” (https://baynature.org/2013/07/25/yolo-bats/). This colony roosts under the Yolo Causeway bridge and has been well documented in the Davis Enterprise and the Sacramento Bee (https://www.davisenterprise.com/community/see-bats-at-the-causeway/, https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article31141712.html).

    I have personally observed bats flying over the MRIC/ARC site during summer months, but there is no mention of bats in the FEIR, or any of the underlying documentation.

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