The Los Angeles City Council voted 12-2 to support a sweeping new mobility plan that would focus on increasing bicycle and pedestrian safety and reducing car usage by reshaping streets with medians, widened sidewalks, and over 300 miles of dedicated bike and bus lanes, at the expense of car lanes. The plan, dubbed " Mobility Plan 2035 ," (PDF) seeks to cut the fatality rate from traffic collisions to zero within 20 years, partly by keeping cars within speed limits by creating road diets, where vehicular lanes are shrunk and things like medians and sidewalks are widened. Opponents have argued that the plan would worsen traffic throughout the city and worsen emergency response times.  OPR Releases Draft CEQA Guidelines Update The Governor's Office of Planning and Research has released its Preliminary Discussion Draft of its updates to the guidelines for implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act. Notably, the draft proposes efficiency improvements including streamlined environmental checklists and enhanced exemptions for things like mixed-use projects near transit, substantive improvements to include energy impacts analysis and water supply impacts, and technical improvements including clarifying using projected future conditions as an environmental baseline. Notably, the draft does not include changes to transportation analysis including the "level of service" metric as required by SB 743 and will release that proposal separately. OPR is seeking comments on the draft until October 12, 2015. Bay Area Counties Collaborate on Proposed Transportation Funding Tax Measure A transportation advocacy group is asking residents of five Bay Area counties to approve a half-cent sales tax to raise $500 million a year for transportation improvements, marking the first time multiple counties have taken a coordinated regional approach to asking voters to improve highways and transit systems. Carl Guardino, president of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group leading the charge, said that having all five counties of Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, San Francisco and Contra Costa vote in the November 2016 ballot cycle would facilitate regional improvements across counties. In order to be approved as a "special tax," however, the measures would face the difficult task of being approved by two-thirds of voters in each county. "The spending will be primarily focused on state highway system and picking up the ball the state has dropped," Steve Heminger, executive director of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, told Reuters .  S.D. Airport, Coastal Commission Reach Odd Agreement Over Parking Lot In order to build a new $80 million parking structure at San Diego International Airport, officials there must paradoxically encourage the public not to use it in a compromise with the California Coastal Commission. The move comes as the Coastal Commission had asked the airport authority why the proposed three-story, 3,000 space garage was necessary when the airport authority said in 2009 that it wouldn't build the parking garage in order to encourage passengers to use public transit, rideshare and private parking lots away from the coast. Airport Spokesman Jon Heller said in a statement, "Our passengers' reaction to limited parking over the past six years strongly indicates that limiting parking does not increase transit use at San Diego International Airport and additional parking facilities are, in fact, needed." Parking is one of the airport's three top moneymakers, and brought in nearly $39 million in 2014. The Coastal Commission approved the garage on the condition that the airport increase its efforts to encourage the use of alternative transportation.  Solano County General Plan Update to Emphasize Flood Protection The Solano County Board of Supervisors will update a chapter in the Public Health and Safety portion of the county's General Plan to include comprehensive flood protection measures in line with floodplain mapping prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Water Resources. County staff reported to The Reporter that the update identifies rivers, creeks, streams, flood corridors, riparian habitat, and land that may accommodate floodwater for purposes of groundwater recharge and stormwater management. The updated mapping is consistent with requirements established by the Central Valley Flood Protection Board for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Drainage District. The update will also include updated fire hazard maps including state responsibility areas and an Implementation Program for the update. Grand Jury Faults Kings Co. Supes for Rail Lawsuit A grand jury criticized the Kings County Board of Supervisors for filing lawsuits against the state high-speed rail project, saying that supervisors should not have used public funding for litigation involving privately owned land that the state is seeking. In a 167-page report titled "The Train Has Already Left the Station," the jury questioned the expenditure of $150,000 in public funds on the battle, asserting that the rail line would not take any county-owned land except where it crosses public roads. County Supervisor Doug Verboon said the county elected to fight the project when the state in 2011 refused to provide a detailed plan for taking property, choosing to put the line through the middle of farm fields rather than along existing highways. The county is involved in two lawsuits: one saiys that the state will fail to comply with a 2008 bond act requiring the system to operate without subsidies, while the other asserts that the project failed to comply with California's Environmental Quality Act. San Jose Considers Moratorium on Mobile Home Park Closures San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and four City Council members have proposed a moratorium on closures of mobile home parks in the area as the sizzling real estate market there has made land beneath the parks triple in value and make developers eager to build market-rate housing there. The proposal came about after the announced closure of Winchester Ranch Mobile Home Community, which threatens to displace more than 100 mostly-elderly residents. Hoping to beef up protection for low-income residents, the City Council has requested a revision to a never-used 1986 ordinance outlining the process for closing mobile park homes. In the meantime, however, anyone can apply to close a park unless the city adopts the moratorium. State Wins Federal Grant for Habitat Protection California will receive nearly $16 million of a $37.2 million federal grant to 20 states from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support conservation planning and acquisition of vital habitat for endangered species. Awarded through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund and funded in part by the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the grants will benefit species ranging from the California gnatcatcher and the Karner blue butterfly, and it will enable states to work with private landowners, conservation groups and other government agencies to initiate conservation planning efforts and acquire or protect habitat for the conservation of threatened and endangered species. Electronic Billboard Stokes Dispute Between O.C. Cities The cities of Fountain Valley and Costa Mesa are fighting over a 79-foot-tall Clear Channel electronic billboard that would be a financial boon to Fountain Valley -- producing minimum $150,000 a year -- but a potential visual menace to residents of Costa Mesa, who argue that the sign will illuminate their homes at night. Matt Mogensen, Fountain Valley's interim planning and building director, said that the billboard would produce an ongoing revenue stream and allow the city to advertise its events four weeks annually on the dual 672-square-foot screens. However, Costa Mesa Development Services Director Gary Armstrong wrote a letter to Fountain Valley, urging Fountain Valley to consider alternative locations for the billboard, to lower its height to 31 feet, and to restrict hours of operation from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The sign would sit on the border of the two cities, and Fountain Valley city staff recommended its Planning Commission to approve the billboard despite Costa Mesa's pleas. Sacramento Considers Regulations on Short-Term Rentals Sacramento could join a growing list of cities across California seeking to regulate the growing online short-term rental market through websites like Airbnb. An ordinance set to go to the city's Planning and Design Commission would limit the number of days a property owner could rent out a home or room before needing to apply for a $2,600-minimum conditional use permit, and it would require renters to pay the current hotel occupancy tax of 12 percent the price of a nightly stay. Airbnb representatives have asked city officials to extend the proposed cap on service to beyond 30 nights, Joy Patterson, the principal planner with the city, told the Sacramento Business Journal. $50 Million Fund Dedicated to Housing in L.A. Los Angeles will expand its New Generation Fund, a public-private partnership between the city and financial institutions, bringing in $50 million to create, preserve and retrofit affordable housing in the city. The New Generation Fund offers pre-development and acquisition funding, using $10 million in City investment to leverage $50 million in private capital. "Early stage funding is critical in the development of affordable housing, especially in a high-cost city like Los Angeles with great market pressures," said Jeff Schaffer, VP and Southern California market leader, Enterprise. Developments Contribute to Sacramento Revitalization Two developments in Sacramento's urban core are sending signals of the revitalization of the central city as city leaders attempt to meet Mayor Kevin Johnson's "In Downtown" housing initiative goal of adding 10,000 housing units there over the next decade. The Sacramento City Council approved plans to open a new Whole Foods in midtown, also adding 141 apartments in a new six-story building. Additionally, the Sacramento City Unified School District voted unanimously to reopen Washington Elementary School in fall 2016, three years after it was closed due to falling enrollment. "This summer, we've seen a vision become a reality," Johnson told the Sacramento Bee . "With the two votes (Thursday), which will bring a supermarket, over 100 housing units and will reopen a school, we are transforming our downtown into a destination for people to live, work and play."

The Pismo Beach City Council voted to impose a moratorium on all new development in anticipation of a drastic drop in water supply next year. The moratorium, which is the city's first since 1988 and believed to be the first in the state in the current drought cycle,  immediately halts all building permit applications for vacant parcels and requires redevelopment or building changes at existing properties to consume less than or equal to the amount of water currently used. The city did not meet its 24 percent water conservation target set by the state for the months of September and October. State officials have announced that it expects to deliver only 10 percent of the water it allocates to California cities as reservoirs are still well below capacity, contributing to the decision to enact the moratorium. If the city's anticipated water supply falls below two triggers -- 1,130 acre-feet and 850 acre-feet -- two more building restriction tiers will go into effect: one prohibiting any new building permits, and another requiring new commercial use and redevelopment of existing buildings to show that water demand would be at least 30 percent less than the year before the tier was triggered. Fresno to Miss Deadline for 45,000-Home Expansion The city of Fresno's plans to expand development into an area called the Southeast Growth Area have languished, as it appears that the city will miss agreed-upon deadlines with the county to build on the land within 20 years. A decade ago, the county approved an expansion of the city of Fresno by 14 miles to the south and east to build a projected 45,000 homes accommodating 110,000 residents, along with the already-built $23.5 million Clovis Unified elementary school. Now, with none of the area built out and the state calling for more infill development and less sprawl, some members of the Local Agency Formation Commission -- which approves future boundaries for cities -- are calling for a reduction of the size of the growth area. SGC Releases RFP for Technical Assistance Pilot for AHSC The Strategic Growth Council has released a request for proposals to provide direct technical assistance to disadvantaged communities interested in applying for the 2015-16 Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program. This Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit competitive proposals from experienced and qualified contractors who will be engaged to provide technical assistance and specific services to eligible participants through a contract(s) with the SGC for the 2015-16 AHSC program funding round. Selected contractors for the SGC Technical Assistance Pilot will provide direct grant writing, analytical, and project management support to applicants to ultimately achieve successful AHSC applications for projects benefiting disadvantaged communities that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The RFP can be found by looking for Bid #RFP SGC 15100 - AHSC Technical Assistance Pilot on the  Bid Sync website. Federal Transportation Bill Includes $26 Billion for California California will receive $26 billion in federal funds for a variety of transportation projects as Congress agreed on a long-term transportation bill to raise federal spending on highways by 5 percent and transit by 8 percent in its first year. The bill, pushed through by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-California) and James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), comes just in time to avoid the expiration of the Highway Trust Fund. It lacks a sustainable funding source, all but ensuring that the funding deficit for repairs will be even worse when the bill expires in five years. Instead of securing a sustainable funding source by raising the 18.4 cents a gallon federal gasoline tax, which both parties have shunned, Congressional negotiators scoured the budget for obscure alternatives, raiding the Federal Reserve's cushion against bank losses to revoking the passports of citizens behind on their taxes by $50,000 or more in an effort to get them to pay up.  Newport Beach Bans Marijuana Dispensaries The Newport Beach City Council voted to ban marijuana dispensaries and delivery services in the city in response to the state's Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act, effective Jan. 1, which will create California's first statewide rules for growers and retailers. The state act forces cities either to take immediate action to enact rules or bans for medical marijuana, or to allow the state to become the sole authority for licensing and regulation. Newport Beach's municipal code previously did not address medical marijuana, but dispensaries have not been allowed to operate in the city, according to City Manager Dave Kiff. However, online searches found that several services say they deliver marijuana to people in the city. Riverside County Considers Steep Development Fees in Eastvale, Jurupa Valley A new proposal from a Riverside County water district would charge developers more than $5,000 per residential unit to pay the cost of water for homes being built in Eastvale and Jurupa Valley. The proposal from Jurupa Community Services District would first tack on a new $3,557 per-unit water resource fee charged to developers. "The goal of this new fee is to fairly apportion the cost of water supplies and sewer service between existing customers and new development," general manager Todd Corbin told the Press-Enterprise. "If we didn't do this, it's clear that existing customers would be subsidizing the cost of new development." The district is also proposing to hike  existing fees developers pay to connect their projects to water and sewer systems. All in all, the costs to builders would rise from $13,170 to $18,983, an estimated 44 percent increase. The Eastvale City Council adopted a resolution formally declaring its opposition to the increases.  San Francisco Mayor Looks to Another Housing Ballot Measure With San Francisco voters overwhelmingly approving pro-housing ballot measures in November, Mayor Ed Lee is convening a group of developers and affordable-housing advocates with the hopes of crafting a ballot measure for next year's ballot to increase the percentage of below-market units included in new projects. The city currently requires 12 percent affordable housing under 2012's Prop. C, which dropped the requirement from 15 percent. With development booming in the city, Lee said that the goal will be to offer developers benefits, such as raised height limits, higher densities, or fast-tracked approvals, to offset increased affordable housing requirements. While some projects in the city have agreed to go as high as 40 percent below-market-rate units, developers warn that increasing the requirements could halt the smaller projects that make up the bulk of the city's housing production. Los Angeles Housing Authority Loses Section 8 Suit A federal appeals court ruled that the Los Angeles Housing Authority's 2004 reduction in rent subsidies for about 20,000 poor people violated their right to due process. The court's ruling hinged on notifications of the cuts sent by the Housing Authority to Section 8 beneficiaries. Judge Stephen R. Reinhardt said the law requires the Housing Authority to give recipients a year's notice of possible cuts, and the notification fliers were so confusing and inadequate that the authority violated the recipients' rights to due process. The flier "uses the term �payment standards' six times without ever defining or explaining the term's meaning," Reinhardt said in the ruling. "A short and simple explanation, such as �this means that the Housing Authority has reduced the maximum amount it will contribute towards recipients' rent,' would have provided at least a small measure of clarity." The lawsuit came in a class action brought by the Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness.  Santa Ana Loosens Limitations on Accessory Dwelling Units Santa Ana is updating city code to make it easier to build accessory dwelling units, or " granny flats ". Current regulations limit second units to 750 square feet or one-third the size of the lot's main house, with at least one parking space per bedroom. Thpse rules don't necessarily match up with the realities of how people live in the city, Hassan Haghani, executive director of the Santa Ana Planning and Building Agency, told KPCC. He imagines "good-sized" granny flats that could house a small family with a bathroom and full kitchen. "We have an awful lot of square footage of unused space in Orange County in the form of single-family homes," he said. A neighborhood not interested in packing in more families could request to be excluded from the ordinance under rules currently being written by City Council staffers. S.F. to Create City Department Dedicated to Homelessness San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee announced the creation of a city department that will group all of San Francisco's homeless services under one roof to streamline coordination and reduce clogs in the system. The new department, which may have as many as 30 employees, will inherit homelessness tasks currently performed by other city agencies, mainly the Department of Public Health and the Human Services Agency, and will oversee street outreach counseling teams, homeless housing services and mental health programs aimed at indigents. It comes as Lee plans to lay out his goal of spending at least $1 billion over the next four years to help 8,000 people out of homelessness.  "I'm not going to...say I am ending homelessness," the mayor said. "But I will use that phrase to say that everybody who works on this problem has the goal to end homelessness for a single person, a veteran, a child, a family member. I want a department that is dedicated to that outcome every day."  Olympic Valley Withdraws Application to Incorporate Efforts to incorporate the Squaw Valley area of Placer County � also know as Olympic Valley -- have officially come to a halt, with organizers withdrawing their application from the county's Local Agency Formation Commission. Inocorporate Olympic Valley, the group heading the bid, said that it would withdraw because LAFCO's stance has been staunchly negative on the financial viability of incorporation. An analysis from the State Controller's Office agreed with 18 of the 31 concerns of the group and found that the proposed city would net $15 million in revenues over its first 10 years. The effort was largely launched to gain greater say over development proposals in the Squaw Valley area, including one 200-unit housing development for resort employees. San Diego Council Member Proposes Alternative Infrastructure Plan  San Diego City Councilman Mark Kersey unveiled an infrastructure financing plan for the next 30 years to secure $4 to $5 billion for neighborhood infrastructure needs without raising taxes. The plan would dedicate future sales tax growth for the next 30 years and savings from voter-approved pension reform for the next 30 years, and it would preserve half of all new major general fund growth for the next 10 years to finance ongoing infrastructure needs. Kersey, the chairman of the Council's Infrastructure Committee, said that the full council will take up the proposal next year so it can be ready for the primary election ballot, where it would need a simple majority of voters to go into effect. "I think if we look at the past history, city leaders have shown an unwillingness to invest in needed (infrastructure)," Kersey told the Pomerado News. "With a voters mandate, infrastructure will be a top city priority."

Marking a major expansion of Los Angeles’ rail network, Phase II of the Exposition Light Rail Line, from Culver City to Santa Monica, officially opened Friday, May 20. The extension realizes a long-sought goal of connecting downtown Los Angeles to the beach; the two combined phrases make the trip in 46 minutes. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and other backers hope that the line will attract commuters who would otherwise travel on the heavily congested Interstate 10. It is also hoped that by reaching into the region’s affluent Westside the line will attract discretionary riders. Metro estimates that 64,000 riders will use the line daily by 2030. Built at a cost of $1.5 billion, Expo Line Phase II is one of several rail projects underway in Metro’s current construction plan. the design of the line has drawn criticism for having too many at-grade street crossings – 29 – and for not having signal priority in the City of Los Angeles. With the opening of Expo Phase II, Metro now operates over 100 miles of subway and light rail lines. (See prior CP&DR coverage  here  and here .) Report Describes Loss of Natural Lands in Western U.S. A new report called The Disappearing West , published by Truckee-based non-profit research group Conservation Science Partners, charts the transformation of the west’s natural lands by new subdivisions, roads, oil and gas production, agricultural operations, and other human developments. Between 2001 and 2011 nearly 4,321 square miles were developed in the 11 western states, with California losing the most natural land. They calculated every 2.5 minutes the West loses an area of natural land the size of a football field, that equates to a loss of over 430 square miles annually. Among California counties, San Bernardino lost the most land – 60,000 acres – followed by Riverside, Kern, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties. The report also found that only 12 percent of western land is protected as parkland or other type of preserve; California has the highest percentage of protected land in the West, at 24 percent. Completion of First Segment of High Speed Rail Pushed Back to 2022 The first segment of California High Speed Rail originally scheduled for completion in 2018 will not be done until 2022 according to revised contract with the federal government. The contract confirms that federal funds may be still used for the project even thought it is behind schedule. The delay has provided fuel for opponents of the project. Supporters say the delay reflects more ambitious plans and an improved vision, and they blame farmers and not-in-my-back-yarders for holding up construction with lawsuits and other protests. The Obama administration has given CHRSA an extension for the use of federal funds. The authority has 15 months to spend $2.5 billion from the federal government, but many feel the funds will still be spent after the deadline. Meanwhile, CHSRA has promised up to $500,000 each for cities including La Mirada, Norwalk and Santa Fe Springs to fund economic and environmental impact studies for the network’s eventual extension into Orange County. Friant Study Area Put in ‘Limbo’ by Fresno County Supervisors Fresno County supervisors voted , 5-0, to keep the Friant Corridor Study Area, a 5,364-acre section of land along the San Joaquin River between Fresno and the town of Friant, in limbo or “set aside.” While some groups are interested in developing the land, others, primarily environmental groups, say there is inadequate water available for development. A more complete study will now have to be done to include potential water supply sources. Twice the Fresno County Planning Commission has rejected the Friant Corridor Study. Developers Quad Knopf are interested in six “opportunity sites,” which include six percent of the study area. They are interested in expanding Lost Lake Recreation Area, kayak and canoe rentals, recreational fields, restaurants and convenience stores. Quad Knopf is not interested in residential development and thus did not complete an exhaustive comprehensive study including water supply. American Planning Association Launches Planning Assistance Program California Chapter of American Planning Association has launched a program that would offer planning assistance to financially constrained cities throughout California and Baja California. The Community Planning Assistance Team (CPAT) helps educate the community, engages and empowers the municipalities. Participants may qualify for AICP credit and team members help with short-term and future planning. The evaluations for pro-bono assistance consider community need, potential positive impact and community readiness in terms of local leadership and community support. The community then reimburses team members for transportation, food, overnight accommodations and facilities and materials to undertake the project. The program is based on a similar programs in Illinois, Washington, and New Jersey. Study Shows Shortage of Funding for Bay Area Transportation Projects Transportation research firm Trip has released a study indicating that the Bay Area’s transportation projects are severely underfunded. Of the 20 most critical projects, only three have full funding, 11 have partial funding, and six won’t get any funds until 2020. Trip ranked the top 20 projects green, yellow or red depending on their funding. Projects receiving yellow ranking is seismic retrofitting of the Golden Gate Bridge, MTC’s planned express lane and BART extension to downtown San Jose to name a few. Red, or projects with severe underfunding, are the Caltrain extension, BART improvements, Interstate 680 interchanges and Highway 152 realignment and widening. They also looked at projects in Sacramento, San Diego and Los Angeles. Innovative Developer Tapped to Revitalize Downtown Garden Grove The Garden Grove city council unanimously approved a project intended to transform the downtown of the suburban Orange County city into a walkable business-friendly area. Little American Business (LAB) Holdings, owned by Shaheen Sadeghi , are the developers behind the widely acclaimed Anaheim Packing House and Costa Mesa’s The Lab. LAB is purchasing 17 parcels, including 12 single-family homes, downtown and plans to convert each into an art gallery, brewery, yoga, or coffee shop. The plans call for preservation of buildings’ historic elements. Some in Garden Grove say that the city has not sought enough public input into the project and have expressed concerns about displacement. Oakland Adopts Impact Fees on New Market-Rate Units Oakland is adopting impact fees on new market-rate housing units to provide funds for transportation, infrastructure and affordable housing. The City Council approved the fees, 7-1, which mirror those in neighboring cities Emeryville and Berkeley. The city is divided into three geographic zones with different fees for the different areas. The lowest fees starting in September is $750 per market-rate unit is in the area east of 23rd Avenue (including Coliseum City) and the highest is $7,000 in downtown, uptown and Lake Merritt. The fees are designed in part to encourage developers that include affordable housing in their projects, as they would be exempt. However, many residents worry that the fees are too low and not phased in quickly enough to push for change. (See coverage of rent control this month.) Los Angeles County Seeks Tax for Homeless Services The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to pursue a “millionaires tax” that would pay for housing and services for the homeless. Additionally, the supervisors will look at the $1 billion per year the county spends on homeless single adults on things like emergency medical care, mental health treatment, cash assistance and incarceration. Both propositions would need two-thirds approval from voters, and the millionaire’s tax would need a change in state law because the county does not have the authority to increase income taxes. Meanwhile, The city and county of Los Angeles passed plans to approve $150 million in funding to reduce homelessness. The state is considering a $2 billion in bonds to build 10,0000 to 14,000 units for mentally ill homeless people statewide.  Unlike the millionaire’s tax, the proposal to look into spending on homeless services was unanimously approved. Updates & Quick Hits The Concord City Council voted unanimously to approve Lennar Urban to develop the Concord Naval Weapons Station despite accusations about an unfair bidding process and objections from residents. Orange County Transportation Authority will be cutting bus routes with low-ridership starting June 12 but majority of reductions take place in October. For June, route 172 and 173 between Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach will be eliminated, and Route 178 on Saturdays from Huntington Beach to Irvine. The 91/Perris Valley Line (91/PV), which will extend Metrolink service on the 91 Line, will begin operations June 6. It is the first extension of Metrolink since the Antelope Valley Line was built in 1994. The extension will extend 24 miles from the Riverside to South Perris and add four new stations. The extension cost $248 million and will serve approximately 4,000 riders a week. UCLA Professor of Regional and International Development in the Department of Urban Planning Michael Storper received the Royal Medal from the Royal Geographical Society for his “leadership in human and economic geography.” His research focuses on urban economies, with a focus on California. Airbnb estimates it brought in $920 million into the Los Angeles economy last year. The national Hotel and Lodging Association says does not account for the loss in affordable housing and stable communities. The city is working on whether to tax guests or adopting rules and regulating hosts. Enough signatures have been collected to place an affordable housing measure, Build Better L.A. , on the November citywide ballot. The measure would compel real estate developers to provide affordable housing for larger projects that seek exemptions from city planning and zoning rules. Two Chargers fan groups are asking  San Diego visitors to boycott three hotel chains that are they say are opposed the proposed stadium-convention complex in downtown San Diego . The groups say they are following the money and want transparency for campaigns and projects. (See prior CP&DR coverage .) What was an ongoing debate in San Diego has finally been put to rest. The city’s Climate Action Plan is enforceable to the extent required by CEQA, according to City Attorney Jan Goldsmith. The 3,000-unit Parkmerced development in San Francisco is encouraging residents to take public transportation or ride-hailing services by offering $100-a-month credit. It is assumed to be the largest such developer-sponsored program in the state, and supporters are hailing it as a model for incentivizing the use of alternative transportation modes.

South Los Angeles and a section of San Diego south of downtown have been designated federal Promise Zones . Instituted in response to the recession of the late 2000s and administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the designation enables the country’s neediest neighborhoods to receive competitive federal grants to tackle poverty-related issues. This is the third round of designations; there are now 13 urban Promise Zones nationwide. Promise Zones are usually evaluated on number of empty foreclosed homes. After multiple unsuccessful applications, South L.A. won the designation in part because of high rates of multiple families living in a single apartment and one of the worst homelessness rates in the country; in San Diego’s Promise Zone, the youth unemployment rate of 40 percent was cited as a reason for the designation. Los Angeles is the only city to have two designations within its boundaries, with another area designated in 2014. Since the first designation, Los Angeles has secured nearly 30 grant awards in more than $100 million for education, workforce development, healthy food access and economic opportunity.  Initiative Would Significantly Revise Ventura County Open-Space Policy A proposed initiative in Ventura would weaken the existing open-space laws that were approved in 1995 and 2002. The Save Our Agricultural Resources (SOAR) and Hillsides Voter Participation Area ordinances were put in place by voters in order to give them a say in whether farmland could be converted into other land uses. Now, SOAR staff is updating its plan to include unincorporated county and assorted city measures. Opponents to the staff initiative have collected 30,000 signatures to place a new initiative, Sustain VC, on the ballot. The Sustain VC initiative would require voter approval to develop farmland and open space in unincorporated county, as well as designate up to 225 acres for food processing plants and rezone farm parcels. UC Berkeley Releases Tool for Analyzing Housing Supply Statewide The Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley released a new Housing Development Dashboard , an interactive platform to allow stakeholders to easily understand and interact with land use measures and market conditions for housing production. The Dashboard was designed in response to the state’s housing affordability crisis with an eye towards evaluating the supply of housing statewide. The Dashboard is designed to simulate a variety of housing strategies and outcomes: Will a higher level of inclusionary housing stall production? How much more housing would get built if we streamlined the approval process? The Dashboard was built on multiple data sets and default assumptions about economic factors that influence housing production. Next the researchers assessed how various policies change the cost of development. Currently the system has a Development Calculator and Policy Gauge, although the latter is only developed for four Bay Area cities. Senate Approves Reconstitution of SCAQMD Board The state Senate approved a bill to add three state-appointed environmental justice members to the South Coast Air Quality Management District board. SCAQMD has come under fire for becoming more business friendly after the transition to the panel’s Republican majority, according to Senate Leader Kevin DeLeón (D-LA). This was evidenced by the SCAQMD vote, which fell along party lines, 7 Republicans opposed and five Democrats and one independent in favor. This bill would expand the board from 13 to 16 members, with the three new representatives appointed by the governor, Senate Rules Committee, and the Assembly speaker. Currently there are 10 locally chosen members and three state appointees. SCAQMD is in charge of improving air quality for 17 million residents, with an area that currently has the worst smog in the nation. Survey Gauges Los Angeles Voters’ Attitudes towards Transportation Options In anticipation of a major transportation measure on the November ballot, Los Angeles-based transportation advocacy group Investing in Place released  results of a survey of L.A. County voters and their priorities related to transportation funds. The survey found strong voter approval for using tax revenue from the potential L.A. County Transportation tax to fund alternatives to driving, and especially for investing in projects that improve walkability throughout the county. There is strong support for spending funds on freeways, rail transit and bus service, more voters are interested in methods that are alternatives to driving. For instance 83 percent of voters said they would be in favor of using funds to make it easier and safer for children to walk or bike to school. Additionally it is estimated that 19 percent of all trips in L.A. County are walking or biking, while those methods of transportation represent 39 percent of those killed in traffic collisions. Making alternatives to driving safer and improving sidewalks must be priorities for Los Angeles County. Feds Approve Redevelopment of L.A.’s Jordan Downs The City of Los Angeles has received federal approval to demolish and transform the 49-acre Jordan Downs, a public housing project in Watts that has been plagued with problems for generations. This revitalization will happen in multiple phases. The first phase, beginning this year, includes a public-private effort led by HACLA to rebuild 250 units of new affordable housing, 120,000 square feet of retail, nearly two acres of park space and an expansive community center. In later phases, there were will be additional public amenities and total 1,410 units of housing (both affordable rental and ownership). Updates & Quick Hits The San Francisco Planning Commission voted, 4-3, to reject a ban on chain stores on Polk Street after a proposed Whole Foods caused an uproar among residents. Planning commissioners said zoning should be amended to permit some retail establishments in while imposing restrictions on developments opposed by residents. Documents filed this week by state and federal officials assert that the proposed $17 billion Delta tunnels will not divert Northern California’s water to Southern California. Public hearings will begin end of July, with the first set dedicated to water rights and the second round on tunnels’ impact on the environment. California Coastal Commission Chairman Steve Kinsey will recuse himself from voting on the proposed Newport Banning Ranch project because of previously undisclosed private meetings with developers. Notices of ex-parte meetings must be filed within a week of the meeting; Kinsey failed to report two separate meetings last year. The Los Angeles City Council voted , 12-0, to provide $198.5 million in subsidies and loans to Related Cos. to build a mixed use development consisting of two towers across from Walt Disney Concert Hall.  The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission approved , 5-0, a farm-labor housing camp west of Orcutt. The Curletti Farm Employee Housing Project included 30 bunkhouses, common buildings for cooking, dining and laundry for Betteravia Farms which grows produce on 9,000 acres. Developers John Leung and Jean Lang, who had been developing a $1 billion, 65-acre El Monte Transit Village, are facing three counts of bank fraud and seven counts of making false statements to a federally insured institution. The city of El Monte is suing the two for forging signatures to obtain loans and lines of credit and both were arrested in 2009 for forgery, embezzlement, grand theft, burglary and fraud but charges were filed last week. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted , 10-0, to approve legislation that would require short-term rentals to post listings only if the resident is registered with the city, or face daily fines up to $1,000.

In a possible blow to High Speed Rail and climate-change programs like the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities grant program, the most recent cap-and-trade auction fell short of expectations. Only 2 percent of carbon credits were purchased -- 785,000 of the 43 million offered, all sold at the floor price of $12.73. The Department of Finance had anticipated revenues of $2.4 billion for the fiscal year. Three previous auctions met expectations, resulting in a total of $1.8 billion for the year. The rail authority was expecting $150 million and received $2.5 million from the $10 million that was generated last week. Some analysts suggest that emitters of carbon dioxide have cut back on emissions more than anticipated. Other reasons for the low turnout are because there is less need for credits, litigation may overturn the entire system and volatility by speculators in a secondary trading market. There is a $500 million reserve set up for volatility that could help close the gap, which will be decided on by Gov. Jerry Brown and the legislature. Riverside to Reconsider Governance of March Air Base Riverside County supervisors are sponsoring a measure to ask the Board of Supervisors to restructure the March Joint Powers Authority, which in 1993 was tasked with overseeing the transition from military to civilian use. The former March Air Force Base is significantly smaller now and does not need the annual $600,000 subsidy. The remaining land would be parceled equally among the three cities: Riverside, Moreno Valley and Perris. The JPA will still exist but its role would be as airport authority, overseeing civilian use of the March base and promoting base’s importance in case of downsizing or elimination by Congress. Disbanding the JPA has been considered before and failed, but the supervisors are more hopeful because the vision and most land has been developed. Sacramento May Shut Underperforming Light Rail Segment Sacramento Regional Transit is considering closing the Green Line to North Natomas and Sacramento International Airport indefinitely, after costing $44 million and operating for four years. This line averages only 440 boardings a day and costs $330,000 annually. Transit officials had hoped housing developments in the areas the Green Line served would come online more quickly. Another option, instead of closing a line, would be having every few Gold Line trains make the entire Green Line loop . Final decisions will be made in June, and the cuts would take place January 2017. RT has suffered from low ridership, increased costs, and less state and federal transportation funding. Fares were increased by 10 percent, making tickets the most expensive in the state. Lawsuit Filed by Critic of Inglewood Football Stadium Barbara Ohno, a former accountant for the city of Inglewood, is filing a lawsuit against Mayor James Butts and other officials because she claims to have been let go for “whistle-blowing” on alleged financial and accounting irregularities during the city’s pursuit of an NFL team. She says the city “engaged in faulty financial and accounting practices, fraudulent regulatory reporting, and reclassification of costs to depict a favorable, but false, financial picture.” City representatives say Ohno was a probationary employee released before completing her probationary period and that the city was never required to present financial data to the NFL. Los Angles May Subsidize Grand Avenue Project The City of Los Angeles may offer a financial aid package of $198.5 million over 25 years to Related Cos. to support the completion of the long-awaited Grand Avenue Project. Related put $50 million into constructing Grand Park and opened Emerson, a luxury apartment building nearby, two years later. Now, a pair of hotel and residential towers are planned across from Walt Disney Concert Hall but the funds are short. The proposed funds would help Related finish constructing a four-star hotel, 429 residential units, restaurants and stores on Grand Avenue. Related would be able to keep half of the taxes generated for the city. This subsidy package represents half of the funding gap, which an analyst says is so high because of the decision to hire Frank Gehry as the architect.  City Council will vote on the proposal next week and construction on the towers will begin next year. Los Angeles Sponsors Competition for Innovative Urban Solutions Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced the first Mayor’s Cup, with a $25,000 prize, for innovative solutions for promoting entrepreneurship, preserving affordable housing, supporting small businesses, and beautifying vacant and blighted spaces. The program is soliciting proposals from student entrepreneurs and local academics to incentivize creativity. Submissions must solve one of eight challenges posed by the program.  Finalists will pitch ideas to panel of business and government leaders; grand prize winners will work with City Hall for eight weeks to bring their proposals to life. Applications are due Oct. 15 and finalists will be announced early November. San Francisco Competes for  ‘ Smart City’ Grant San Francisco is one of seven cities pitching a transportation vision to U.S. Department of Transportation for a $50 million “Smart City” grant. The San Francisco plan includes Mayor Ed Lee, SF Municipal Transportation Agency, UC Berkeley, Google, Uber and Lyft. The plan includes autonomous buses, shared bikes, Uber and Lyft vehicles and parking structures converted into green space or affordable housing. The entire system would be available using a single smartphone app. More than 40 companies have pledged a combined $99 million should they receive the federal grant. This new system would improve safety, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and allow people to travel anywhere in the city in twenty minutes or less. The project will be implemented in three-year phases over the next decade. Quick Hits & Updates Madera County is creating a Department of Water and Natural Resources to streamline services for residents, ensure groundwater management, and deal with supply, quality and storage. Julia Berry, former executive director of Madera County Farm Bureau, is the new director of the department.A judge approved the Metropolitan Water District’s purchase of 20,000 acres in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. San Joaquin and Contra Costa counties asked the Superior Court to block the purchase arguing about the potential harm to the delta.In one of the largest commercial deals in recent memory in San Francisco, the Planning Commission approved two mixed-use towers totaling 2.3 million square feet in the Transbay district in South of Market. One tower is 850 feet with residence and offices and the other is 605 with residences and a hotel. City officials say the project supports walkability, increased public transit and restores historic buildings on site.KaBOOM! announced its 2016 Playful Cities USA that make it easy for kids to get “balanced and active play in their neighborhoods.” Out of the 257 communities that were recognized, 30 are in California. San Francisco and Kerman have been recognized as honorees ten times.The ongoing lawsuit on Bakersfield’s Centennial Corridor project must return to court earlier than expected because demolition contractors began dismantling vacant structures. The group suing, Concerned Citizens About Centennial Corridor, is asking for a preliminary injunction against further work on the project before the June 3 court date.The Del Rey Oaks city council unanimously approved a would-be ballot initiative clearing the way for  the development of a 54-acre RV park in the city. It is believed to be the first time the “Tuolumne tactic,” which enables a council to pre-empt a popular vote without CEQA review, has been used on a project that small.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined on April 25 to take a case from Connecticut that would have overturned the 1985 case Williamson County Regional Planning Comm'n v. Hamilton Bank of Johnson City , 473 U. S. 172, a pre-First English case in which the court ruled that property owners seeking to a regulatory taking case in federal court have to first ensure that all administrative remedies at the local or state level are exhausted and then seek compensation through whatever mechanism is provided by the state.

Last week’s U.S. Supreme Court wetlands ruling could have wide-ranging implications for landowners in California and elsewhere seeking federal wetlands permits – giving them a quicker way to get into court to challenge federal agencies’ judgment about what is a wetland and what isn’t.

As California’s housing affordability crisis has gone from bad to perilous since the end of the recession, the solution has generally relied on a combination of Regional Housing Needs Assessments and wishful thinking about market forces.

Almost in spite of itself, Los Angeles has emerged as a city focused on transit. The big question now is whether L.A. can move from being a city focused on transit to a transit-oriented city.

California is often considered to be two different states – north and south. But when it comes to planning and urban development patterns, the state is more properly divided east and west, or possibly inland and coastal. The real estate boom of earlier this decade only exacerbated the differences between coastal cities and inland suburbs.

California's Supreme Court broke the Newhall Land & Farming Company's long winning streak November 30 in a victory for environmental and community groups over the Newhall Ranch megadevelopment.

The City of Berkeley’s approval of density bonuses for a mixed-use project has been upheld by the First District Court of Appeal, which rejected a project opponent’s contention that the city had wrongly applied the state density bonus law.