Vol. 17 No. 12 Dec 2002
27th Annual* *Land Use Law & Planning Conference Attendees, contact the Circulation Manager to access your special discount! 805-652-0695 or email sklipp@cp-dr.com!
In Brief
1 December 2002 - 1:00amMake sure to read CP&DR's monthly installments of In Brief, an exclusive selection of updates and fresh ideas on land use planning in California.
Land Shortage Forces Joint-Use Schools Planning In Los Angeles
1 December 2002 - 1:00amThe Los Angeles Unified School District has embarked on a huge land-purchase effort as part of a massive school construction program. But because the cost of real estate in the region is so high — and available land is scarce — the district and other agencies are beginning to emphasize joint use.
Fresno Seeks Touch Of Paradise To Cure Ill Downtown
1 December 2002 - 1:00amIs it appropriate for designers to create objects that have no use beyond giving pleasure? In 1972, a French interviewer asked a similar question to the designer Charles Eames in the film "Design Q&A." His answer: "Who is to say pleasure is not useful?"
Voters Show Pro-Growth Sentiment: But November Local Ballot Measure Results Are Mixed Overall–Again
1 December 2002 - 1:00amIn an election with the typical mix of results, the pro-growth side won 19 of 32 easily classifiable local land use ballot measures on November 5. However, in votes regarding large, well-defined projects, the slow-growth side prevailed most often.
San Marcos Feels The Good And The Bad Of Rapid Growth
1 December 2002 - 1:00amBy any measure, a great deal has happened in San Marcos lately, and the city is feeling both the benefits and pressures of the growth and change. A city of 58,000 in northern San Diego County, San Marcos is the scene of a new 3,400-unit housing development, aggressive redevelopment by the city, extensive construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing units, and a growing California State University campus.
Sea Wall Qualifies For Emergency Exemption Despite Process Delays
1 December 2002 - 1:00amAn exemption to the California Environmental Quality Act for construction of a sea wall below two houses has been upheld by the Fourth District Court of Appeal. The court ruled that the potential collapse of a bluff could threaten public safety and qualified for an emergency exemption under CEQA.
Segmentation, Lack of Review Sink L.A. Port Expansion Project
1 December 2002 - 1:00amA state appellate court has halted a project at the Port of Los Angeles because the city never studied the development’s environmental impacts. The court rejected the city’s arguments that the project was covered by a 1997 environmental impact report and a 2000 subsequent EIR because the project had not been contemplated in 1997, and there was no evidence the 2000 study considered the project.
Parking Rules Are Exempt From Environmental Study, Court Rules
1 December 2002 - 1:00amA city resolution restricting parking on certain residential streets to residents with parking permits was categorically exempt from environmental review, the Second District Court of Appeal has ruled.
Major CEQA Guideline Revisions Remain Invalid
1 December 2002 - 1:00amA superior court’s decision that invalidated several changes the state made to the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines in 1998 has been upheld almost entirely by a state appellate court.
State’s Longest-Running Project Battle Continues To Rage
1 December 2002 - 1:00amLater this month, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors will meet to consider an appeal of the approval of Tentative Tract Map No. TT-5206 and certification of the accompanying Supplemental Environmental Impact Report. At first glance, this tract map approval might seem routine. It is the first of four tract maps that the developer anticipates bringing forward, allowing the developer to build 628 homes, a golf course, and other facilities on 846 acres of unincorporated land. It's a follow-on to a gener