CP&DR

Fast-Growing Coachella Valley Cities Support Unusual Plans

Aug 6, 2007

Housing, Local Watch, Paul Shigley, Riverside County, Vol. 22 No. 08 Aug 2007

Two cities known for providing a large chunk of the Coachella Valley's affordable housing may soon see some more upscale and very different development.

Regional Planning Bill Advances

Aug 1, 2007

California, Legislation, Paul Shigley, Vol. 22 No. 08 Aug 2007

A bill tying all local transportation projects to a regional "preferred growth scenario" that reduces automobile travel is quickly becoming the most important land use proposal of recent years in Sacramento.

Court OKs Spending Of Building Permit Fees On Planning

Jul 24, 2007

General plans, Legal Digest, Paul Shigley, San Francisco, Vol. 22 No. 08 Aug 2007

San Francisco's practice of using building permit fees to fund long-range planning has been upheld by the First District Court of Appeal. The court rejected arguments that the fee plan violated Proposition 13 and the city charter. Instead, the court ruled that long-range planning is sufficiently related to the regulation of building construction to justify the spending.

Riverside County Fights Fire With Zoning

Jul 16, 2007

Paul Shigley, Riverside County, Vol. 22 No. 07 Jul 2007, Zoning

Riverside County is moving toward adopting restrictive zoning and even acquiring private property in high fire hazard areas.

Global Warming Becomes CEQA Issue

Jul 2, 2007

California, California Environmental Quality Act, Legislation, Paul Shigley, Vol. 22 No. 07 Jul 2007

Like a blast of hot air from the Santa Ana winds of fall, the push to address global warming in environmental impact reports has come on suddenly and with surprising intensity.

Election Moves Monterey County To Verge Of Policy Paralysis

Jun 29, 2007

Legislation, Local Watch, Monterey County, Paul Shigley, Vol. 22 No. 07 Jul 2007

Land use politics in Monterey County reached a new level of chaos in early June, when voters cast ballots on four land use measures but apparently resolved nothing. Voters provided conflicting direction on a general plan update adopted by the county, rejected a slow-growth general plan initiative, and overturned county approval of an 1,100-unit housing development.

Sunnyvale, Mountain View Provide Different Downtown Stories

Jun 27, 2007

Downtown planning, Paul Shigley, Redevelopment Watch, Santa Clara County, Vol. 22 No. 07 Jul 2007

This is a story of two downtowns — one that has become a model core for a large suburb, and one where the walls that stalled progress have finally come down. This is also the story of the long-term consequences, sometimes unintended, of land use decisions.

CEQA Exemption Is 'Common Sense,' Says High Court

Jun 22, 2007

California Environmental Quality Act, Legal Digest, Paul Shigley, Solano County, Vol. 22 No. 07 Jul 2007

The California Supreme Court has ruled that an airport land use compatibility plan qualifies for a "common sense" exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act.

Perhaps more importantly, the court opened the door for the first time to the idea that displacement of development — often an arguable consequence of a plan that favors one type of development over another — might be an issue that should be analyzed under CEQA.

Eminent Domain Reform Is Quiet, But Alive

Jun 19, 2007

California, Featured Articles, Legislation, Paul Shigley

Little appears to have happened since local government organizations and their supporters rolled out an eminent domain reform package that they said would protect homeowners and small businesses from government abuse. The May 21 announcement from the California Redevelopment Association and the League of California Cities got extensive press coverage, and the proposed legislation won plaudits from several newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times. A number of business and environmental groups said they would support the measures.

Cal Supremes Bolster Local Zoning Authority

Jun 12, 2007

Kings County, Legal Digest, Paul Shigley, Vol. 22 No. 07 Jul 2007, Zoning

A unanimous California Supreme Court has upheld a local zoning ordinance that regulates who may sell furniture. The decision appears to bolster local zoning decisions that have come under attack from developers and retailers, especially those promoting big-box stores.