Local leaders should enact strong BESS rules
Leaders of the County of Santa Cruz and City of Watsonville have a great responsibility to protect the health and safety of the Watsonville Community and all first responders by drafting and codifying a strong battery energy storage system (BESS) Ordinance that prohibits use of flammable lithium battery technology. They should follow the example of the City of Vacaville’s leadership that codified a BESS Ordinance this year, prohibiting such risky flammable technology for large projects.
However, now that New Leaf Energy is applying for a permit with the California Energy Commission (CEC) for the Seahawk BESS Project at 90 Minto Road in Watsonville, County leaders claim there is no plan to formally adopt the Draft BESS Ordinance due to lack of funding for environmental review. The County had relied on developer New Leaf Energy to cover that expense.
The City of Vacaville found no need to conduct environmental review of their protective BESS Ordinance. According to Senior Planner Albert Enault, the draft ordinance is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), since there is no possibility that the addition of regulations for BESS Facilities will have a significant effect on the environment. Proposed future BESS facilities, Enaiult says, will be reviewed in compliance with the provisions of CEQA at the time of application to determine appropriate environmental review.
The CEC will require a full project environmental impact report (EIR) at the developer’s expense. The CEC is required to rely on local jurisdictions’ ordinances in effect as well as comments from local staff and the public. If our County and City leaders fail to codify strong rules protecting our Community, agricultural and environmental concerns, they will be neglecting an opportunity and obligation to be at the table with the CEC.
Becky Steinbruner
Aptos
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PVUSD benefit cap a reasonable ask
For those who are wondering about the $36,000 cap that the PVUSD wishes to impose on health care benefits for its employees, it is very simple. The district offers six different plans which employees can choose from. Two of them are extremely expensive, costing over $3,000 a month and with inflation will probably go up every year. Currently the employees pay nothing for their insurance. The district’s proposal is to impose an annual cap of $36,000 that the district pays for an insurance policy that includes employee dependents. Four of the plans do not reach that figure, but two of them do. The district is proposing that any cost of the plan over that amount be paid by the employee. If the employee does not wish to do that, they can use one of the other four plans and pay nothing for their insurance.
This is not complicated. In some ways the unions are correct that this is a takeaway, but only for those who have the most expensive plans, the ones that are out of reach for most of us in the Pajaro Valley. $36,000 is a lot of money for health insurance and the district is willing to pay that amount. Without a cap, the district will have to pay more for insurance and cut programs or personnel, to pay the increases, or possibly face bankruptcy as costs rise faster than revenue.
Gil Stein
Aptos
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USPS should review gun rules
I appreciate the Postal Service’s effort to review its firearm regulations in light of the Second Amendment. However, the proposed rule falls short and requires significant revision.
Like the detailed comments submitted by Gun Owners of America, I am concerned that USPS is not conducting a meaningful constitutional analysis. Instead, the agency largely defers to a single Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel opinion and discourages public comment on the central question: which firearms should be mailable. This approach undermines the rulemaking process and basic standards of reasoned decision-making.
Substantively, the rule arbitrarily permits some firearms while banning others without clear justification. National Firearms Act items such as short-barreled rifles and suppressors remain nonmailable, despite being lawfully owned by millions of Americans and, in some cases, protected by the Second Amendment. The rule also fails to address the outdated ban on mailing ammunition. Ammunition is essential to the right to keep and bear arms, is stable and safely shipped by private carriers daily, and should not be treated more restrictively than far more hazardous materials like lithium batteries.
Additionally, requiring customers to open packages and demonstrate that firearms are unloaded inside a post office raises serious practical and safety concerns.
While this proposal is a step forward, it does not fully align with constitutional protections or provide a consistent framework. I urge USPS to perform its own thorough analysis and adopt policies that respect the rights of law-abiding citizens.
Michael Lelieur
Santa Cruz
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Setting the record straight on affordable housing
The recent candidate forum hosted by The Lookout left me concerned about inaccurate claims regarding affordable housing in our community.
At a time when the national political conversation often devolves into alternative facts, fake news and disinformation, one would hope our local dialogue would rise above that. We should especially expect a high standard of accuracy from candidate Tony Nuñez, who cites a background in journalism as a professional accomplishment.
Yet at the forum, Mr. Nuñez claimed that only 19 affordable housing units have been delivered to the community during Fourth District Supervisor Felipe Hernandez’s tenure. That is plainly erroneous and misleading. Across Santa Cruz County—and especially in Watsonville—hundreds of affordable housing units have been completed or are in the pipeline. These projects reflect years of coordinated work among local jurisdictions, private developers, nonprofit organizations, and community advocates.
To cite just a few examples, recent additions to the Fourth District’s affordable housing inventory include Tabasa Gardens (54 units), the combined Marin Street projects (70 units), Sparrow Terrace (74 units), Cienega Heights (80 units), and Hillcrest Residences (29 units)—for a total of 307 affordable housing units. Other contributions to the housing supply may be less prominent or not part of a single named complex, but they nonetheless represent meaningful additions to the city’s affordable housing stock.
The City of Watsonville has also taken significant steps forward by adopting a local preference
ordinance to help ensure that affordable housing benefits local residents. Under Supervisor Felipe
Hernandez’s leadership, similar efforts are underway to expand that approach countywide.
Leadership matters—and so does experience. Supervisor Hernandez has produced real results, not only in housing, but also in flood protection through the Pajaro River Levee Project and in expanding parks and open space with the Valle del Pájaro County Park. These are tangible investments that improve the quality of life in our community.
We deserve leaders who understand the complexities of county government and can deliver solutions while resisting mere soundbites. I respectfully encourage voters to support Felipe Hernandez for Supervisor.
Peter Radin
City of Watsonville Planning Commissioner
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Should our County Commission be Controlled by Silicone Valley Tech Millionaires?
South County wants and needs strong Local Representation. Who will stand up for Watsonville and the South County? Felipe Hernandez has delivered results. He has brought investments into our community, benefits South County voters and families need.
Flood protection, healthcare, better and safer Roadways, better transportation and Parks and Recreation. He supports the Rail corridor and a county wide Light Rail system, an initiative some 75% of Watsonville voters supported.
I personally spoke with Tony Nuñez and voiced my concerns for light rail and improved transportation for workers and families across the county. He waved off and dismissed my concerns! The rest of the county he told me, is not his concern.
Jobs in Watsonville would eliminate the need for workers to travel he said. A wonderful “Pipe Dream” I said. Where is the Financial Investment needed to complete your dreams coming from? Who exactly will be financing these new Watsonville businesses?
He had NO ANSWER.
Mr. Nuñez’ vision for South County ignores our reality. It is composed of wishes and dreams and ice-cream castles in the sky.
I then asked directly if he, like other county commissioners, was taking Silicon Valley computer money from people like “Computer-Tech-Millionaire” Colligan. He would NOT answer and quickly changed the subject.
Wealthy political interest has consumed our national politics. Do we want “Pay-to-Play” politics in Santa Cruz County? Do we want Wealthy Tech-Bros dictating how and what we can do and say? Where we can go and when?
Mr. Nuñez seems tied to these wealthy special interests. Special interests who have no concerns about what is best for the people of Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley.
Watsonville and Pajaro Valley’s working families need experienced representation. Not Silicone Valley Tech-Millionaire special interest control and their representative’s Pipe-Dreams.
Felipe Hernandez has delivered results. He has secured millions of dollars in investments for South County. Funding for the Pajaro River Levee Project. Funding for critical road and infrastructure. Funding for parks and youth spaces as well as and stronger access to county services through the South County Government Center.
There is only one logical choice. Felipe Hernandez.
Don Redmon
Watsonville
