I support smart economic development, rural and open space conservation, and community advocacy in Inyo and Mono Counties. Here you'll find news, links, and opinions.
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Support The Eastern Sierra Advocate by Buying and Sharing My Gifts & Products At My E-Stores!
I, the owner of The Eastern Sierra Advocate, also have an e-store and all revenue from it not only benefits me personally, but also goes to maintaining and eventually expanding this blog, as well as to benefiting the many conservation-oriented and charitable-based groups I support and am active in. Below are examples of my Eastern Sierra-oriented gifts. All photos featured on these products are my own and I reserve all rights to them. You can also customize your own gifts and feature your own photos!
Please support this blog, my other work, and partner with me in my conservation and charitable-based activism by purchasing one or more of my gifts and products. You can also assist me by sharing this post and blog, and links to it and to my e-stores!
Thank you.
Here are some examples:
Hammil Valley & White Mtns. during storm T-shirt by Californiascapes
View more Hammil valley T-Shirts
Sierra Nevada Coffee-mug Classic White Coffee Mug by Californiascapes
Create one-of-a-kind personalized cups from zazzle.com.
Mother's Day quote/Eastern Sierra pic coffee mug by GoldenStateGifts
Get the best in mug printing from Zazzle.
Mother's Day Quote/Eastern Sierra pic gift box Premium Keepsake Box by GoldenStateGifts
Shop for other jewelry box designs.
Palisade Crest/Sierra Nevada mountains with fog Wood Wall Art by GoldenStateGifts
Browse Palisade crest pic Wood Wall Art online at Zazzle.com
Please support this blog, my other work, and partner with me in my conservation and charitable-based activism by purchasing one or more of my gifts and products. You can also assist me by sharing this post and blog, and links to it and to my e-stores!
Thank you.
Here are some examples:
Hammil Valley & White Mtns. during storm T-shirt by Californiascapes
View more Hammil valley T-Shirts
Sierra Nevada Coffee-mug Classic White Coffee Mug by Californiascapes
Create one-of-a-kind personalized cups from zazzle.com.
Mother's Day quote/Eastern Sierra pic coffee mug by GoldenStateGifts
Get the best in mug printing from Zazzle.
Mother's Day Quote/Eastern Sierra pic gift box Premium Keepsake Box by GoldenStateGifts
Shop for other jewelry box designs.
Palisade Crest/Sierra Nevada mountains with fog Wood Wall Art by GoldenStateGifts
Browse Palisade crest pic Wood Wall Art online at Zazzle.com
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Bishop Plans to Approve New Housing Development Does Not Include Affordable Housing & Faces Opposition
In an earlier post that is still visible below, The Eastern Sierra Advocate had discussed the exclusion of young people in addressing Bishop's housing needs as well as the lack of affordable housing for them. Since then, it has come to our attention that the Economic Development section of the City of Bishop General Plan does include a housing element that investigates ways to address those needs, the housing needs of younger families and workers, particularly as it concerns low income and workforce housing, and ways to address affordable homes for first time buyers. See here: City of Bishop General Plan: Chapter Two: Economic Development.
Now, according to a recent Sierra Wave article, Bishop is attempting to develop new housing by conducting a series of public hearings on an Initial Study and Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration on the Kingston Subdivision tentative tract map. The development would consist of 15 houses on 2.75 acres and be characterized as “medium density” on the former site of the Bishop Nursery near the corners of Rome Drive and Home Street. However, these are proposed as "single-family dwellings" and the plan so far does not include an affordable housing element or discussion. Of course, this is just the first phase of the development, an initial environmental impact study, so hopefully affordable housing will be addressed in future reports, plans, and within the discussions at public hearings.
In its first such hearing, many objections from area residents were heard, including traffic issues on Home Street, noise, variances on road requirements, the density of the housing, and loss of quality of life for existing neighbors. The South Fork Bishop Creek also passes by the area on its south and locals are concerned about the impact the development would have on the creek and its riparian habitat.
We here at The Eastern Sierra Advocate are sad that the Bishop Nursery could soon be gone, but also know there is a lack of housing in the City of Bishop, as in the Eastern Sierra in general. We advocate developments that protects the environment and current wild habitat, that does not negatively impact the view shed, and that satisfies the concerns of current local residents. But we also hope that it will include, in the very least, a discussion on affordable and workforce housing. We encourage any reader of this post that lives in Bishop, California to take an active part in the hearings or send in your comments by mail or e-mail to the Bishop City Council, and within them, please address the issue of affordable housing. Feel free to leave your thoughts here and on our Facebook page as well. Thank you.
_________________________
In an earlier post that is still visible below, The Eastern Sierra Advocate had discussed the exclusion of young people in addressing Bishop's housing needs as well as the lack of affordable housing for them. Since then, it has come to our attention that the Economic Development section of the City of Bishop General Plan does include a housing element that investigates ways to address those needs, the housing needs of younger families and workers, particularly as it concerns low income and workforce housing, and ways to address affordable homes for first time buyers. See here: City of Bishop General Plan: Chapter Two: Economic Development.
Now, according to a recent Sierra Wave article, Bishop is attempting to develop new housing by conducting a series of public hearings on an Initial Study and Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration on the Kingston Subdivision tentative tract map. The development would consist of 15 houses on 2.75 acres and be characterized as “medium density” on the former site of the Bishop Nursery near the corners of Rome Drive and Home Street. However, these are proposed as "single-family dwellings" and the plan so far does not include an affordable housing element or discussion. Of course, this is just the first phase of the development, an initial environmental impact study, so hopefully affordable housing will be addressed in future reports, plans, and within the discussions at public hearings.
In its first such hearing, many objections from area residents were heard, including traffic issues on Home Street, noise, variances on road requirements, the density of the housing, and loss of quality of life for existing neighbors. The South Fork Bishop Creek also passes by the area on its south and locals are concerned about the impact the development would have on the creek and its riparian habitat.
We here at The Eastern Sierra Advocate are sad that the Bishop Nursery could soon be gone, but also know there is a lack of housing in the City of Bishop, as in the Eastern Sierra in general. We advocate developments that protects the environment and current wild habitat, that does not negatively impact the view shed, and that satisfies the concerns of current local residents. But we also hope that it will include, in the very least, a discussion on affordable and workforce housing. We encourage any reader of this post that lives in Bishop, California to take an active part in the hearings or send in your comments by mail or e-mail to the Bishop City Council, and within them, please address the issue of affordable housing. Feel free to leave your thoughts here and on our Facebook page as well. Thank you.
_________________________
By Deb Murphy
Lack of housing in Bishop was cited as a challenge in the City’s Economic Development Plan, but 15 houses on the 2.75 acre parcel of what has been the Bishop Nursery may not be what potential neighbors think is a solution.
The Bishop City Council held its first Public Hearing on a Negative Declaration (no negative environmental impact) for the Kingston Subdivision tentative tract map and heard eight residents of Rome Drive and Home Street outline a list of negative impacts. Both City Planning Director Gary Schley and Chief Administrative Officer Jim Tatum told the speakers the public comment would be extended 30 days, to Aug. 15 and that Monday night’s hearing was just the beginning of the process. “This is not an attempt to circumvent public input,” Tatum said. More here...
The Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration is available on the City Planning Department’s webpage (http://www.cityofbishop.com/departments/planning/environmental-documents/)
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
We Are Looking For Submissions & Contributors
We Are Looking For Submissions & Contributors
The Eastern Sierra Advocate is looking for contributors! The Eastern Sierra Advocate is a one-stop resource helping those connect to and network with others working and fighting to preserve and advance the economic health and unique lifestyle of Inyo and Mono Counties, California. We provide links for and to connect conservation activists and for potential business owners looking to relocate or open a business in the Eastern Sierra, for Eastern Sierra job seekers, and links to visitor information for tourists, tourism being the biggest contributor of our economy. We also report on issues, events, people, and opinions concerning economic development and conservation in the Eastern Sierra, like our Op-Ed on the old Kmart property and story on the Cottonwood Plaza project, as examples. Please search this site to get a better idea of what we are looking for.
Please send an inquiry by leaving a comment on this blog or by leaving a comment or message on our Facebook page, by e-mailing Chris Forte at easternsierrapartnership@mail.com, or by mailing one to The Eastern Sierra Advocate Attn: Chris Forte 4045 Wabash Ave. San Diego, CA 92104.
We look forward to hearing from and working with you!
Monday, June 2, 2014
Housing Needs in Bishop: Include the Young, Too
Housing Needs in Bishop: Include the Young, Too:
The successive generations to current residents are pushed out of the area by a number of factors, lack of housing, affordable and otherwise, is one. We should include them in our discussions on the subject.
Bishop, CA-This video by IMACA was made in 2012 and some housing has been added since then, but not enough. Therefore, this message is still relevant. In the video, however, IMACA says that Bishop's population is "growing." The 2010 US Census said it did increase, but only by a whopping 304 people since 2000! One of the questions we should be asking is: how is it increasing? By birthrates to current residents? Or by people from outside the area? People shouldn't move anywhere on a whim, except to be closer to friends or family that can help you if needed, for a job, or if you have housing available for you already. Hopefully, IMACA and the city of Bishop are discussing the seniors and disabled that are natives to the area. Certainly, I am no xenophobe, I'd welcome anyone to the area who want to move there, provided this doesn't overdevelop it with suburban sprawl and turn it into another Lancaster: we don't want TOO MANY people, but they should still move there for responsible reasons, and that goes for relocating to any community. I was raised half my life in Bishop, have family and friends there, and want to move back, but I know that my prospect for a job there is close to nil. The only way I would move back is if I was offered a job and then relocated for it.
The problem I see with this video is that it doesn't address the community most at need of housing: young people, the next generation of native/current residents. Any community would want their successive generations to stay within it and contribute positively to it, unfortunately there are no actual careers in Bishop, except for government, as most of the economy is tourist-based and thus low-income, put that together with the lack of housing, affordable or otherwise, a good community college, but that is only two-years and offers very little in academics, and what you have are the young people who do want to stay (many get jaded by a life in a small town and want to leave it to go to the "big city"), are forced to leave it. This takes much needed potential tax-payers away from the area putting the burdens more and more on the few wealthy or seniors that are left to pick up the tab for city and other government services.
The people of Bishop need to address the lack of affordable housing and access to housing for young people. Property owners in the region have all the power and many do discriminate. I was told flat out by one that they do not rent to people under 25. Mind you, we were not talking a bout a senior home! Discrimination, even based on age, for the most part, is illegal, but property owners in Bishop can do pretty much whatever they want. Also, most property owners ask for a first and last months rent AND a deposit. It is not unusual to have to spend $1,000 just to rent a place that is only $400 a month. Not too many people in Bishop, young, senior, or otherwise, have $1,000 just lying around. So what the city and IMACA needs to discuss is 1.) creating more affordable housing, perhaps trough tax incentives and other incentives for developers and property owners, and by more land exchanges with the City of LA, 2.) access to that housing for the low-income, especially young people just starting out, perhaps through low-interest loans or grants, and 3.) how renters are treated by property owners, and combat any illegal actions, including housing discrimination. Those are the issues that should have been pointed out in this or some other video, along with the seniors and disabled. What are your thoughts?
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Main Street, Bishop, CA
Looking south down Main Street in Bishop, CA on Christmas Eve.