Vol. 22 No. 09 Sep 2007

The fight over fair-share allocations of needed housing within the Southern California Association of Governments region is on. At least two cities have filed lawsuits and numerous others are reportedly considering their legal and political options. » read more | add to cart

California’s greenhouse gas reduction bill – AB 32 – has received worldwide recognition as cutting-edge policy on global warming, not least because Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has chewed up a lot of carbon flying around the world promoting it. Back in Sacramento, however, the hard part is just beginning: Deciding how to actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state. » read more | add to cart

The City of Stockton intends to take back control of its water, eleven redevelopment agencies fail to correct major audit violations, a federal court judge throws out approved initiative that prohibits the dumping of out-of-county sewage sludge, and The owners of the 216-acre Wavecrest development site in Half Moon Bay agree to sell to POST. » read more | add to cart

San Marcos is suffering from a syndrome. (We’re talking metaphors here, gentlemen; no need to call the process server.) The name of the ailment that afflicts this attractive, upscale suburb north of San Diego could be called Nowhere in Particular Syndrome. The symptoms include the lack of a center, coupled with a sense that one could be nearly anywhere in America—anywhere, in fact, that suffers from the same anonymity. » read more | add to cart

With the politicking already under way, another confusing campaign over eminent domain restrictions is likely to confront voters next year. » read more | add to cart

Stanislaus County supervisors and developers have beaten farmland preservation advocates to the punch. Supervisors adopted a developer-written growth plan for the unincorporated community of Salida six months before voters are scheduled to decide on a slow growth/farmland protection initiative that actually was written first. » read more | add to cart

The Coastal Commission’s denial of an application for after-the-fact approval of a caretaker’s mobile home, a storage shed and other facilities at the site of an antenna farm in the Santa Monica Mountains has been upheld by an appellate court. However, the court ruled that the commission could not prevent the property owner from erecting gates and “to trespassing” signs. » read more | add to cart

The City of Dinuba’s redevelopment agency is entitled to tax increment that Tulare County erroneously distributed to itself and nine other local government entities, according to a unanimous state Supreme Court ruling. » read more | add to cart

An eminent domain action’s impact on the future development of the remaining private property — which needs rezoning for development — may be considered by a jury that is determining the fair market value of the taking, the state Supreme Court has ruled. » read more | add to cart

A lawsuit contending that a Eureka Redevelopment Agency deal for a waterfront development violated conflict of interest laws has been thrown out. The First District Court of Appeal upheld a trial court judge, who ruled the lawsuit was filed after the statute of limitations had expired. » read more | add to cart