CP&DR News Briefs May 5, 2026: Modesto Growth; New State Parks; L.A. Climate Plan; and More

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Modesto to Expand Sphere of Influence by Over 12,000 Acres

Modesto will move forward with the most aggressive growth option for its 2050 general plan, expanding the city’s sphere of influence by about 12,240 acres. City officials argue that growth is needed to increase revenue as Modesto’s general fund lags behind neighboring cities, $153.3 million in 2022 vs. $311 million in Bakersfield and $255.8 million in Stockton. Residents of Wood Colony and leaders in Salida fear the expansion could lead to annexation of historic agricultural land and parts of neighboring areas. Critics also question whether such large-scale growth is necessary given California’s slow population growth and demographic trends. The City Council approved the expansion on a 5-1 vote.

State Park System to Establish Three New Parks in Central Valley

California is aiming to establish three new state parks in the Central Valley in what would be the largest state expansion of the park system in decades. The three parks would include Feather River Park in Yuba County, San Joaquin River Parkway near Fresno, and Dust Bowl Camp in Bakersfield, bringing the total number of state parks to 283, the highest of any state. The initiative aims to provide recreation and preserve history in communities that have historically had limited access to parks. The expansion is part of the broader “State Parks Forward” initiative, which seeks to grow the state’s 1.6-million-acre system and add 30,000 acres by 2030. Officials say the effort supports the state’s goal of conserving 30% of its land and coastal waters by the end of the decade, and the plan will now move into a public engagement and approval process before final decisions are made.

Los Angeles Mayor Proposes New Climate Action Plan

The City of Los Angeles is considering a new Climate Action Plan outlining how Los Angeles will reduce emissions and adapt to climate change, including doubling local solar power by 2030, transitioning city buses away from fossil fuels, and cutting greenhouse gas emissions at major hubs like the Port of Los Angeles and Los Angeles International Airport. The plan sets goals for water use, addressing risks from extreme heat, and expanding green spaces and includes 14 objectives and over 50 actions, “designed to deliver concrete, measurable climate outcomes.” Key goals include reaching 100% renewable energy by 2035, fully electrifying city buses by 2028, and installing 120,000 EV chargers by 2030. The city also plans to boost sustainable aviation fuel use, ban new oil and gas drilling, and phase out existing extraction. Water initiatives include recycling projects and increasing local water reliance to 70% by 2035 while cutting per-person usage.

CP&DR Coverage: New Laws Lead to Flurry of High-Rise Proposals

A recent confluence of new laws and economic conditions has resulted in high-rises being proposed, approved, and built in some unusual places. With the gradual resurgence of downtown areas after the pandemic, developers have looked to create towers in relatively low-rise areas -- as many as 24 in Beverly Hills, a half-dozen in Santa Monica, a 23-story tower near Pacific Beach in San Diego, a 22-story tower in San Francisco's Outer Sunset, and notably, a 25-story, 800-unit tower in SF's Marina District. With the overwhelming demand for new housing, some of these projects may come to fruition if they can survive the backlash.

Quick Hits & Updates

The Trump administration will pay $885 million to two energy companies, including Golden State Wind, to abandon offshore wind leases, such as a planned project off Morro Bay in California. In exchange, the company has committed to invest up to $765 million in a U.S. based liquefied natural gas facility. Officials say the agreements are part of a broader effort to move away from offshore wind, which the administration argues is heavily subsidized and unreliable.

California is joining the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s largest environmental network, bringing together governments and organizations to advance solutions that protect ecosystems, wildlife, and communities. California is one of the first subnational governments to join the organization’s effort to expand tribal stewardship, scale nature-based solutions, build climate resilience, and protect marine ecosystems.

Redwood City civic leaders have submitted thousands of signatures to qualify a November ballot measure that would impose stricter rent control and new landlord fees to fund a tenant protection program. The “Fair and Affordable Housing Ordinance”, which would apply to all buildings constructed before 1995, would cap annual rent increases at 5% or 60% of inflation, require relocation payments for certain evictions, and fund tenant protections through per-unit fees on landlords.

The Campbell City Council has moved to close a loophole in California’s Starter Homes Revitalization Act that had allowed developers to replace occupied single-family homes with multifamily projects. The council voted to require that new single-family homes be built when existing homes are demolished, and now residents are considering legal action against 108 already-approved units. The law previously defined “vacant” as lots without usable structures but does not clearly say when the property must become vacant, a gray area that critics argue has allowed developers to buy and demolish existing homes to qualify for higher-density projects.

A Los Angles couple has filed a federal lawsuit against the city, claiming the historic designation of Marilyn Monroe’s final residence is an unconstitutional taking of private property. Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank, who purchased the property for $8.35 million in 2023, argue the city reversed previously approved demolition permits under public pressure and later declared the home a historic-cultural monument, effectively preventing them from using or redeveloping it. They claim the decision violates the Fifth Amendment by turning their property into a public attraction without compensation.

A proposed $700 million solar project in near Soda Mountain Solar in the Mojave Desert has received state approval after nearly two decades of delays and environmental opposition. The California Energy Commission voted unanimously to clear the 2,670-acre project, citing its role in helping California reach 100% clean electricity by 2045 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project still requires  approval from the federal Bureau of Land Management before construction can begin.

A new report from Circulate finds California Density Bonus Law was used to approve over 140,000 affordable homes between 2021 and 2024, and it was used 10 times more than every other housing streamlining law combined in 2024. In the same year, Bonus Law was approved for use in 47% of all homes in multifamily projects and 78% of homes in completely affordable projects. Bonus Law contains incentives for builders who include permanently affordable homes in new projects, giving developers permission to build up to twice the number of units that zoning would allow if they provide enough affordable units.

New campaign finance disclosures reveal that Cloverdale Councilmember Todd Lands, who is set to weigh in on the largest land-use action in the city’s history, received major contributions from individuals tied to powerful real estate interests. His position on the Sonoma County Airport Land Use Commission means he will be asked to weigh in on the Revised Esmeralda Specific Plan, planned to be built adjacent to the Cloverdale Municipal Airport. The development includes 605 housing units and 177 acres of open space along the Russian River. While no specific builders have been chosen yet, the plan would create the zoning and regulatory framework for major future development.

Research from UCLA’s Institute of Transportation Studies analyzes California’s definition of transit stops, and how adjusting the definition of where the stops themselves begin and end could create more opportunity to take advantage of housing bonuses. Currently municipalities count only the precise area of the station, but researchers argue that considering the surrounding land could make over 1.3 million additional acres eligible for bonuses. No city or agency currently uses this broader definition, but state law doesn’t explicitly prohibit it.