A deal between the cities of Los Angeles and Ontario ends a  dispute over the decline of LA/Ontario International Airport. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Ontario Mayor pro tem Alan Wapner announced the signing of a Settlement Agreement Term Sheet which will lead to the transfer of ownership of ONT to the Ontario International Airport Authority subject to approvals. The City of Ontario will pay Los Angeles World Airports $190 million over 10 years and will assume all debts of the struggling airport. ONT has been drawing only around 4.5 million annual passengers as compared to its capacity of 10 million. In a joint statement issued at a news conference at ONT, Garcetti and Wapner said the Settlement Term Sheet adheres to the premise that Los Angeles and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) will be reimbursed to the extent needed to make them whole regarding investments they have made in ONT, while providing job protection to the airport's current employees. Along form settlement agreement consistent with the initial term sheet will be prepared within 60-days.  A formal approval process is expected to begin in October 2015, with the entire process, including FAA approval, expected to be completed within one year. Ontario has long claimed that local control will enable it to promote more flights and make the airport a greater economic force in the Inland Empire.  Alameda County Explores Sale of Stadium Complex Public officials in Alameda County have expressed interest in selling to the City of Oakland their stake of the Coliseum complex, which houses three professional sports teams and is estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Citing a yearly loss of money along with confusing negotiations to keep the three teams in the East Bay, County Supervisor Nate Miley said that it has been too difficult to negotiate a deal with the city, the county, three sports teams, and other entities. "So let's just get out of this and let the city negotiate whatever deals it wants," Miley told S.F. Gate . "Because, frankly, Oakland is going to benefit much more from this than the county." One major issue going forward will be how the city and county work out the $11 million of yearly debt that they have carried since the Coliseum was overhauled in the mid-1990s to lure back the Raiders from Los Angeles. Fresno Sales Tax Could Fund HSR Facility; Bakersfield Explores New Route The Fresno County Council of Governments informally  gave  the green light for $750,000 from a Measure C transportation sales tax to buy a site that could be used as an industrial maintenance facility for the high-speed rail, producing 1,500 jobs for the region. The move comes as Fresno sees potential competition from Kern County, which also had been working on proposals to build a maintenance facility. The Fresno COG years ago approved $25 million in money from Measure C for the rail authority on the condition that it selected the Fresno site over any other competing sites.  In Bakersfield the HSRA has  presented  an alternative, shorter alignment that would affect fewer properties and cost taxpayers less money than the original proposal. The city agreed to drop its lawsuit against the California High-Speed Rail Authority in exchange for an agreement to coordinate with city officials on a new route besides the older, hybrid route that would impact 526 structures, including 231 residences. However, Shafter City Manager Scott Hurlbert said he is concerned the alternative alignment would hurt the city's bid for a maintenance facility that would serve the rail project and give the region 1,500 jobs. San Diego Bikeshare Posts Disappointing Numbers San Diego community leaders are raising concerns about the city's new bike-share program as an underwhelming number of people have used the service and as community leaders complain that the owners have cherry-picked bike stations to raking in tourist dollars rather than to create a viable commuter network. Critics say DecoBike, the company that operates the program, has felt pressure to generate revenue because, unlike virtually all of the other 800 cities across the globe with bike-sharing networks, San Diego chose not to subsidize its program. "The city and DecoBike haven't really been that public with where they intend to place the bike stations, what the process is and what the timeline is," Gretchen Newsom, president of the Ocean Beach Town Council, told the L.A. Times . Decobike, the company that operates the program, nevertheless said that revenue so far has been on par with industry standards, and that momentum will continue to build as the company increases the number of stations from the current 85 to a planned 180. Tensions Rise on Monterey Planning Commission Planning commissioners in Monterey made pleas to stay on the city's Council-appointed commission following an email from Mayor Clyde Roberson hinting that two of the members should step down from their posts after their terms end. Roberson and Vice Mayor Alan Haffa sent emails to two commissioners, David Stocker in his ninth term, and Paul Davis in his seventh term, telling them that they felt "eight consecutive years on the Planning Commission is a good number," according to the Monterey Herald . Believing this email to be a call to step down, Davis said that he would like to continue on in the role, citing long-term planning projects in the works. Other commissioners who have been on the Planning Commission for as long as Davis and Stocker did not receive similar emails from the mayor, though the council could replace any of them at its discretion. Court Rules in Favor of Desalination Plant  A Superior Court judge ruled against conservation group San Diego Coastkeeper in a suit in which Coastkeeper said that the San Diego County Water Authority's climate action plan and supplemental environmental report did not focus enough on conservation or sufficiently account for environmental impacts. Specifically, the group targeted the development of the Carlsbad Desalination Plant, set to open in November and currently being developed by Poseidon Water, a private company. Judge Gregory Pollack ruled that "substantial evidence exists to support (the agency's) actions" on each of the issues in dispute, including a proposed desalination plant on Camp Pendleton. Apple to Push into San Jose Apple, Inc bought a 40-acre parcel of land in North San Jose, shelling out $138.2 million in cash to Connecticut-based Five Mile Capital Partners for land that it could develop into an office and research campus that could fit up to 15,000-workers, according to public records. The move is just one of Apple's major land-grabs in recent years, as it leased 318,000 square feet of space in Santa Clara along with a 290,000-square-foot building adjacent to the new 40-acre parcel, and as it constructs a new headquarters in Cupertino. "It's mind-boggling what Apple is doing," Terry Bell, a senior vice president with Colliers International, told the Contra Costa Times . "Nothing surprises me any more with Apple's growth. It's tough to get your arms around the scope of Apple's appetite to expand." Disney Land Purchases May Herald Expansion of Resort Walt Disney Co. stirred up speculation of an expansion as it recently bought three large parcels of land totaling about 14.7 acres near its Anaheim resort. Records show that the Walt Disney Co. bought the Carousel Inn and Suites in March, and last year the company purchased two large office buildings, all in Anaheim with a total value of about $60 million. The move comes as Disney officials committed to the city of Anaheim that they will invest at least $1 billion in the park by 2024 under an agreement that ensures the city will not impose an entertainment tax on the resort for the next 30 years. Following the acquisition, speculation stirred that Disney was planning to free up land on the properties for a future park expansion involving Disney's Star Wars or Marvel superhero characters, to which Disney bought rights in 2009 and in 2012, respectively.

The Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Board of Directors unanimously adopted the 2016 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy for the six-county Sacramento region and certified the associated EIR. The MTP/SCS is a 20-year plan for transportation improvements in the region based on projections for growth in population, housing and jobs. The plan invests $35 billion into transportation by 2036 to accommodate projected growth of 811,000 new people, 439,000 new jobs and 285,000 new homes. The 2016 MTP/SCS is also grounded in a study of the best use of shrinking transportation funding, air quality improvement, and developing a multimodal (transit, walk, bike, car) system that gives people more options for transportation to different destinations. Investments include $18.4billion for road maintenance, rehab, and capital improvements; $10.6 billion for transit, including vastly increased bus service; and $2.4 billion for bike and pedestrian improvements. "Implementing the 2016 MTP/SCS will result in more transportation choices, reduced time in traffic, more housing choices, reductions to the amount of farmland converted for urban uses, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from cars," said SACOG Executive Director Mike McKeever in a statement.  Obama Creates 1.8 Million Acres of National  Monuments Acting on a proposal originally set forth by Senator Dianne Feinstein, President Obama announced the designation of three new national monuments in the Mojave and Colorado deserts and national forest land. These nearly 1.8 million acres have experienced decades of heavy mining, cattle ranching and off-roading yet maintained their distinct natural beauty. The largest of the three, the Mojave Trails National Monument, spans 1.6 million acres between Barstow and Needles. The Sand to Snow monument includes part of the San Bernardino Mountains, while the Castle Mountains Monument is in a remote corner near the Nevada border. Collectively, the areas are home to many animals, including 250 types of birds, and other unique natural architecture such as volcanic spires and 1,700 petroglyphs. David Lamfrom, director of California desert and wildlife programs for the National Parks Conservation Association told the LA Times that he hopes the next step can be "reintroducing species of a bygone era, starting with pronghorn antelope." The new monuments are meant to expand the conservation efforts begun in 1994 with the creation of Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve.  L.A. Ballot Initiative Seeks to Promote Affordable Housing A coalition of labor and affordable housing advocates launched Build Better LA, an initiative to ensure that affordable housing and good jobs are part of sustainable development in the City of Los Angeles. The initiative is seen as an alternative to the proposed Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, which, among other provisions, calls for a moratorium on all development that does not conform to current zoning laws and community plans. Build Better LA includes a local hire provision that ensures a living wage, and if a project has residential units, it requires developers to provide a percentage to low-income residents. The initiative seeks to increase the number of affordable housing units and job opportunities. "Build Better LA is an initiative that aligns the city's land use policies and funding to build more housing, require local hiring, and create jobs close to major transit areas," said Rusty Hicks, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and convener of Build Better LA. "Through this initiative, we'll be able to close the gap on Angelenos getting priced out of their homes and facing poverty."  High Speed Rail to Head Northward; Lawsuit Commences; Costs Rise Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny heard opening arguments a lawsuit claiming that California High Speed Rail is violating requirements of Proposition 1A, which citizens approved in 2008. Playoffs claim that track alignment in the Bay Area, length of the trip, costs are all violations. They are asking the judge to issue an injunction to stop the state and rail authority from spending additional funds. Meanwhile, the authority has decided to build the 250-mile Central Valley section of the train from Kern County line northward to San Jose, instead of southward and ending in Burbank. The northern route will allow the authority to hold down costs and construct faster, as they are already two years behind schedule. Cost estimates say the entire project has been reduced by $4 billion, to $64 billion for the entire 500-mile project. This segment will be in operation by 2025, earlier than planned which will hopefully attract additional private investors. Consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff, have announced the projected cost of the Central Valley segment have increased 5 percent or $260 million. The project is facing "several negative trends including problems acquiring land, relocating underground utilities and reaching agreements with freight railroads that have nearby tracks" the consultants write in the report. Victorville Terminates Agreement for Rail Station The City of Victorville City Council recently voted to terminate its development agreement with high-speed rail operator XpressWest, which plans to build a line to Las Vegas. The vote was prompted largely by the 2011 dissolutions of redevelopment agencies and lack of new funding to support the city's share of the project. The city is hoping to have a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with the company for future development of the Xpress West Project that it still hopes to be a part of. Councilman Ryan McEachron told Victorville Daily Press, "There just needs to be acknowledgement of (state law making the agreement moot) and we still would love to work with XpressWest and the developers out there, assuming they can secure the financing and build the train. This would, in no way, discourage them from moving in that direction." The multi-billion project received backing from Chinese investors. (See prior CP&DR coverage .)  Sacramento Considers Tax Increase for Levee Repair The City of Sacramento plans to ask citizens to pay an average $42 more in property taxes to improve city's levees and double the size of the Sacramento Weir to divert more floodwaters into Yolo Bypass. New requirements in 2007 from the state make all urban areas achieve 200-year flood protection by 2025, which increases the levee cost to an estimated $1.6 billion. The increase of $42 would ask property owners to pay $99 per year for federal and state funds. If the funding does not come through, FEMA could issue a warning that would force a moratorium on building across the city.  President of the Sacramento Taxpayers Association, Katy Grimes, told Sacramento Bee: "We typically oppose these things unless there's a really, really good reason. I think it's going to take a lot of convincing, to be honest." Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA)'s board of directors will hold a public hearing and a final decision will be reached April 1.  Santa Monica Releases Downtown Plan Amid an ongoing battle over development, Santa Monica released its long-awaited Downtown Community Plan. The plan stipulates that only 15 percent of the city's downtown will be redeveloped in the next twenty years, and it will mostly maintain the current mix of residential, commercial, and retail uses. The document "retains most of the area's existing features, including Downtown's mix of historic and modern architecture, its restaurants and entertainment. But� most residents live, work and play within their community and �use their cars' infrequently." The plan stresses the importance of a variety of transportation methods, including cycling and walking. The plan is the latest evolution of the city's Land Use and Circulation Element, which has drawn opposition for its attempt to upzone many of the city's commercial corridors.

The San Francisco Planning Commission voted to allow developers to build taller buildings in exchange for including extra affordable housing only on 215 identified "soft sites" or on properties with less than five percent of parcel covered such as gas stations and parking lots. The density bonus plan, proposed by Mayor Ed Lee, would allow an extra two stories or 25 feet in exchange for 30 percent of the building being below-market-rate housing. Buildings that are 100 percent affordable can build an additional three floors. This will hopefully add an additional 16,000 housing units in the next twenty years. Supervisor Katy Tang told  SF Gate ,  "This is a much better piece of legislation" than earlier drafts or the state bonus law, she said. "This represents San Francisco values." Davis Citizens May Vote on 'Innovation Districts' The City of Davis is planning " innovation districts " designed to promote the city's economy and encourage the city's college students to remain after graduation. David Mayor Dan Wolk aid the city suffers from "intellectual and economic leakage". Two proposed projects, Nishi Gateway and Mace Ranch Innovation Park, are under discussion.  The 47-acre Nishi proposal would create 325,000 square feet of space for local startups and 650 higher-density residential units. The City Council recently approved a ballot measure asking citizens to vote on Nishi Gateway in June; city ordinance requires a vote on projects that would replace agricultural land. Mace Ranch would be 200-plus acres and is undergoing environmental review before potentially going on the November ballot. Before Nishi Gateway can be built two traffic projects must be completed: realigning freeway ramps and a new road to campus from the proposed site. In 2005 and 2009 Davis residence rejected two new residential projects. APA Seeks 'Greatest Places in California' The American Planning Association accepting for nominations for Greatest Places in California. These places are "memorable to the community and individuals and creates a strong sense of place". Places include vistas, corridors, centers, preserves, and others. These places must have multi-modal transportation, sustainable design, safe environment, visually interesting, and contribute to a resident's day-to-day quality of living. These places should be unique or special and potentially help preserve the natural environment. The website is currently accepting submissions. San Jose Passes Mobile Home Protections The City Council of San Jose voted unanimously to preserve the city's remaining mobile home parks, which have been targeted for redevelopment. The vote comes after a decision last August, to impose a moratorium on mobile home park closures while the 1986 ordinance to regulate mobile home park closures was updated. The new ordinance includes three major provisions: First , the City Council is the only decision-making body on any park closures or conversions; second, the city must ensure that displaced residents receive proper relocation money; third, the city is extending the moratorium on conversions or zoning changes for six month. San Jose has some of the state's most expensive housing as well as the state's highest population of mobile home residents, with nearly 35,000 in 59 parks across the city.  Groups Promote Fracking Ban in Monterey County Environmental groups are promoting a ballot measure to ban fracking and new oil drilling in Monterey County. Similar bans are in place in Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Mendocino counties. Supporters of the measure say it is to reduce risk of groundwater pollution and have until early May to collect 7,391 signatures. Those against say the proponents want to end California oil production, which will require importing foreign oil. There have been numerous proposals: Sierra Club wants to ban fracking in Santa Clara County, Santa Barbara County voters rejected a ban in 2014, and Monterey County supervisors voted 3-2 against a ban last year. Monterey County is the fourth largest oil-producing county with nearly 1,200 wells, supporting 1,941 jobs and generating $138 million in state and local taxes.  Santa Monica Looks to Vision Zero Joining the global Vision Zero movement, The City of Santa Monica aims to have zero pedestrian injuries and fatalities through an ambitious 265-page plan that was unanimously approved by city council. The plan discusses the concept of "8 to 80" in which streets are made safer for the very young and elderly and therefore safest for everyone. There was community outreach, survey with 600 participants and forums. The planners looked at where large pedestrians were, location of assisted living facilities and where wide sidewalks and lower speed limits are located. (See prior CP&DR coverage .) Fresno Approves Stadium-Adjacent Redevelopment The Fresno City Council approved a new downtown redevelopment project designed to complement the Fresno Grizziles minor league baseball stadium, Chuckchansi Park. The $15 million South Stadium Project development was approved, 6-0. The city has agreed to donate the land, which is currently occupied by the Fulton Mall. The mall has been slated for closure. The mall land will only be transferred once the developers Mehmet Noyan and Terance Frazier have secured full funding  Gold Line Light Rail Extends to Azusa LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority celebrated the opening of the Gold Line Extension Project last March 5. The 11.5 mile light-rail line will connect Pasadena to Azusa going through Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte/City of Hope, Irwindale, and Azusa Pacific University/Citrus College; it extends the first phase of the Gold Line, which runs from downtown Los Angeles to Pasadena. The extension includes six new stations with intermodal park and ride facilities: 1,500 parking spaces, connections to local bus lines and bicycle parking. The extension was funded through Measure R sales tax.  New Website to Aid Historic Preservation in Eureka The Eureka Historical Preservation Commission received a state grant to build a website that comes online in May. Planners are asking for photographs or other information about the architecturally or historically significant buildings in the area. The website will be a user-friendly map with these buildings and information. Eureka is known for its many Victorian buildings from the late 1800s. Assistant Planner Robert Jensen hopes this will provide a push for property owners to restore historic buildings.

The San Diego City Council is expected to approve Southeastern San Diego's first comprehensive set of zoning changes since 1987 with the goal of encouraging more development near mass transit.  Community leaders often complain that the area's lack of high-paying jobs discourages developers from building quality retail and housing projects, even though much of southeastern San Diego is less than 10 minutes from downtown. The changes aim to spur development by rezoning 6,740 acres in the area, where there is more vacant and under utilized land than anywhere else in the city. City officials have decided to split the area into two parts - Southeastern San Diego west of Interstate 805 and Encanto east of the freeway - and to adopt separate community plans for each. The number of multifamily housing units would triple from 4,000 to 12,000 in Encanto and increase 37 percent in Southeastern San Diego, from 9,400 to 12,900, while then umber of single family homes would stay about the same.  The new housing is restricted to targeted areas along trolley lines and in high-potential commercial spots such as Euclid Avenue, Market Street, Imperial Avenue and Commercial Street. Bay Area Group Threatens to -Sue the Suburbs' The San Francisco Bay Area Renters Foundation, a pro-development group, says that it will fulfill its promise to " sue the suburbs ," saying it will file a lawsuit next week against the city of Lafayette, saying that it is failing to construct its fair share of housing. At issue in Lafayette is a development approved by the City Council containing 44 single-family homes, a steep reduction in density from the originally proposed 315 units of middle-income housing that garnered protests. With the Bay Area permitting just about half of the housing it needed from 2007 to 2014, and permitting only about 28 percent of low to moderate income units, the renters' group is using Lafayette as a starting point for its plans to sue other Bay Area suburbs. The suit would finds its base on the state's 1982 Housing Accountability Act, which prohibits cities from blocking higher density affordable housing without a specific findings that it threatens health and safety in an unfixable way. SCAG Releases Draft EIR for Sustainable Communities Strategy The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) has prepared a Draft Program Environmental Impact Report for its proposed 2016-2040 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy. The Draft PEIR is available for a 60-day public review and comment period from Dec. 4-Feb. 1. Two public workshops, each providing the same information, will take place at SCAG's Los Angeles office. The Draft PEIR is available for review on SCAG's website at:  http://scagrtpscs.net/Pages/Draft2016PEIR.aspx . S.F. Supervisors Support EIR for Warriors Arena  The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to support the Environmental Impact Report for the  Golden State Warriors ' 18,500-seat, $1 billion Mission Bay arena project. Rejecting an appeal from opposition group Mission Bay Alliance saying that the project would have unmitigable impacts on traffic and the UCSF Hospital at Mission Bay, the supervisors found that plans for beefed-up public transit traffic control officers could handle the thousands of basketball fans flooding the neighborhood for games. They also voted 9-1 -- with Supervisor John Avalos voting against -- to establish a Mission Bay transportation fund dedicated to paying for $55 million in transit infrastructure, including four new light-rail vehicles, upgraded Muni power, new signals and signage and an expanded T-Third line platform next to the arena and UCSF. However, Warriors officials fully expect that the project will face its final battle in court, as the Mission Bay Alliance has said that it will file a lawsuit to block the arena. LAO Report: Real Estate Taxes Lag Home Price Increases California's median  home prices  have increased by about 10 percent a year since bottoming out in 2011, but property taxes are likely to increase by only 1.5 percent next year, according to reports from two state agencies. The Legislative Analyst's Office first reported that median housing prices have increased by 45 percent in four years, reaching about $450,000 in September 2015. Topping the increases, San Francisco has seen a 15 percent increase to $1.1 million in the past year, and Santa Clara has seen a 13 percent increase to $926,000. However, with home prices and rents climbing far faster than incomes, the LAO study said those increases "could suggest that the housing market is somewhat overheated." The Board of Equalization said in a separate report that the 10 percent-per-year increases will not reflect next year's property tax bills because inflation has remained remarkably low, and the board's property tax overseer, Dean Kinnee, dispatched a letter to county assessors Friday, instructing them to raise taxable values by 1.525 percent in accordance with Proposition 13, the 1978 property tax limit. San Jose May Allow Tent City for Homeless The San Jose City Council is deliberating the creation of a tent city to quickly house a small portion of the roughly 4,000 homeless people in the city for the winter. Following the lead of Santa Clara County, which allocated $200,000 to a nonprofit to run a tent city, the San Jose Council voted 9-1 to ask staff to analyze the price tag and feasibility of a legal encampment and find potential locations. The staff report lists 11 public 2-acre sites for a potential tent cluster, ranging from Monterey Highway and Bernal Road near a freeway offramp to a vacant facility near the Hillview Library. Mayor Sam Liccardo has objected to the tent cities, saying that sanctioned encampments have not worked in other cities and finding a site will take too long to address the immediate needs of the homeless. Klamath River Dam Removal in Jeopardy After stalling for several years in Congress, a settlement between the state, environmentalists, tribes, and farmers to remove four dams along the Klamath River in both Oregon and California may fizzle out, causing a relicensing process to begin. The river basin has long been the site of intense political fights over the sharing of scarce water between farms and fish, and the compromise to remove the dams would restore the river for imperiled salmon and steelhead, and give farmers greater certainty about irrigation water. However, fearing it would set a precedent for dam removal, House Republicans have blocked the removal proposal for years. If there's no legislation by the end of the year, when the agreements expire, several parties indicated they might abandon the settlement. "It's not the end," Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), whose congressional district includes the lower Klamath, told the LA Times . "If anything it may be the beginning of a new and potentially more productive push to get these dams out by way of the process and the Clean Water Act authority the state of California has." Relicensing of the dams would go through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which licenses hydropower projects for 30 to 50 years. Groups Present Restoration Plan for Carrizo Plain Two environmental groups have teamed up on a plan to restore nearly 8,000 acres of degraded wildlife habitat in the Carrizo Plain area of southeastern San Luis Obispo County as a result of several lawsuits requiring two solar companies to conserve the land as environmental mitigation. The two environmental groups, Carrizo Plain Conservancy and the Sequoia Riverlands Trust, plan to replant the land, which has been converted to grassland through centuries of farming and grazing, with 15 percent brush cover. That land serves as habitat for pronghorn antelope, San Joaquin kit foxes, giant kangaroo rats, blunt-nosed leopard lizards and birds. The sprawling 550-megawatt Topaz Solar Farm was required to conserve 5,400 acres under a settlement worth several million dollars, and the nearby 250-megawatt California Valley Solar Ranch was required to conserve 2,500 acres. Lompoc Purchases Site for Transit Center The Lompoc City Council approved an initiative to purchase $550,000 worth of land, marking the first step in the city's attempts to build a $13 million Old Town Transit Center . Funding for the center will partially come from the voter-approved Prop. 1B, which has already provided $2.3 million of an anticipated $3.1 million for the project. It will also rely on a yearly $1 million redirected from funds for streets and roads. The new facility will include 15,446 square feet in fleet maintenance bay space and 5,900 square feet in transit maintenance bay space, along with updated parking facilities. California Cities Among -Best Performing' Six California cities landed in the Top 25 spots of the Milken Institute's annual " Best-Performing Cities " index, with San Jose and San Francisco securing the first and second spots, respectively, on the list. "San Jose's tech boom continues unabated," says Ross DeVol, Milken Institute chief research officer and one of the report's authors. "Its economy has the densest concentration of high-tech manufacturing in the nation." The index finds that technology continues to power America's most dynamic cities, with diversified economies showing resiliency amid the plunge in oil prices. High Speed Rail Loses Key Supporter; Deal for Fresno Maintenance Facility Stalls The state high speed rail project hit another speed bump as Democratic Assemblywoman Patty Lopez (D-San Fernando) withdrew her support for the project, saying that five other Democrats in the Legislature are also reviewing their positions. Support for the project amongst Democrats had previously been nearly unanimous, but Lopez told the LA Times that the project would damage her low-income, mostly Latino community, which has been hurt historically by the construction of three freeways, garbage dumps and other decisions by political power brokers in the state. In other high speed rail news, Fresno's plans to win the bid for a heavy maintenance facility have hit a hitch as the financial plan to build the 700-acre facility changed. Developer Tim Jones had offered to front $750,00 for the facility if Fresno County was chosen for the project. His funds would be supplemented by $25 million in Measure C funds. The Fresno County Transportation Authority had agreed to reimburse Jones. Jones, however, recently proposed new terms, putting the deal in jeopardy. Court Gives Powers to S.F. Rent Board A state appeals court ruled that the San Francisco Rent Board can apply its own safeguards to protect tenants against eviction in lieu of contrasting state laws. The case arises as various landlords in the city seek to evict tenants to raise rents on the next occupants. The landlord in this case, John Britton, relied on a 2000 state law that allows landlords to change the terms of month-to-month leases with 30 days' notice, announcing new rules for tenants and saying those who couldn't comply would have to leave. San Francisco's Rent Board, which enforces the city's 1979 rent control law, passed regulations in 2012 that restrict landlords' authority to enforce new lease terms by evicting tenants or forcing them to move out. Ruling in favor of the rent board, Justice Maria Rivera said in a 3-0 decision that under the Supreme Court rulings from 1976 onward, "a municipality has the authority to limit the substantive grounds for eviction."

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) has approved a new two-year business plan. It includes an agreement to add more than $1 billion in costs to connect the City of Merced to the initial operating segment and to invest $2 billion to improve existing rail services in Southern California. While it will not change the alignment, the plan calls for construction of an additional line that will connect to Merced and eventually further to Sacramento. This statement was released in a 22-page revision of the draft 2016 business plan that had received significant criticism. The new document did not name new sources of funding but examined potential private or federal funding. While HSRA is attempting to address complaints, residents of San Jose, farmers in Central Valley, officials in Bakersfield and Southern California are frustrated and pessimistic. According to the 2008 bond, the deadline for presenting the final to the legislature was May 1. San Diego Stadium Plan Submits Signatures The group backing the Citizens Plan initiative, one of two competing potential ballot measures to promote a new NFL football stadium in San Diego, has submitted 100,845 signatures to raise a hotel tax to pay for tourism promotion and a convention center. The hotel tax would be raised from 12.5 to 15.5 percent and hotel owners could deduct up to two percent from the patrons for tourism marketing. The Chargers are pushing their own proposal, which would raise hotel tax to 16.5 percent, which would pay for the $1.8 billion stadium and convention center. With the hotel tax funds, the Citizens Plan wants to renovate Qualcomm Stadium into a tourist and higher education facility in Mission Valley and protect and preserve the river park.(See prior CP&DR coverage .) Federal Government Questions Use of Funds for Water Tunnels The Interior Department inspector general has begun an investigation looking into funding irregularities for the proposed water tunnel project known as California Water Fix. The $15 billion plan received complaints from Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a nonprofit that accused the project of taking $60 million federal money that was intended for fish and wildlife conservation. If the inspector general finds that the funds were misallocated, the state would be required to pay the money back, which could harm the tunnel project. Interactive Website Illuminates Transportation Data in Southern California UCLA's Lewis Center, in collaboration with the Southern California Association of Governments, released Revision , a new web application to better understand Southern California's transportation options. Metrics that the site can display include accessibility, livability, employment, health, commutes and will focus on growth near public transportation. By generating customized maps, users can see differences between neighborhoods, trends over time, Area Report, and Property Reports. Revision's area reports will compare over 10,000 census blocks in Southern California to countywide data or to one another. The website and visuals are available for Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. ULI Enters Debate over Future of Planning in Los Angeles The Urban Land Institutes's Los Angeles Chapter has released a Planning and Development Principles Statement for Los Angeles to advocate for a community vision, instead of the project-by-project negotiations that has been currently happening. Acknowledging that the city's 1995 General Plan Framework is outdated and that the city has "neglected" its Community Plans, the statement comes out in part as a response to the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, a proposed ballot measure that could constrain the city's ability to plan. The eight principles to help guide the way forward are 1) allowing all unique communities to thrive equally, 2) make great plans, 3) stick to the plans once they're made, 4) allow growth but keep neighborhood character, 5) provide adequate infrastructure, 6) commit to budget so all community plans can be reviewed and updated regularly, 7) EIRs should be reliable and trusted, and lastly 8) engagement from everyone. (See prior CP&DR coverage .) L.A. County Considers Tax for New Parks Los Angeles County is considering an initiative to use a parcel tax of 3-to-5 cents per developed square foot, to build parks. In some cities in the county, like Malibu, there are 13 acres of park for each 1,000 residents. El Monte and South El Monte have around one acre per 1,000 residents. A report by the county showed 51 percent of residents live more than half a mile from the nearest park, and in some areas the parks are in unsafe locations or rundown. Funds that could be generate by the proposed tax range from $191 million to $309 million. Funds would not be equally divided among the five supervisorial districts, instead funding would be distributed based on need. Four Finalists Chosen to Redesign L.A.'s Pershing Square Nonprofit Pershing Square Renew has selected four finalists for redesigning Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles. The square, last redesigned in the early 1990s, has long been reviled as unattractive and unwelcoming. Agence Ter and Team's design includes a "smart" canopy, variety of themed gardens, and a main lawn that will show film screenings. James Corner Field Operations with Frederick Fisher & Partners include playgrounds, restaurants, hammock grove, and dog run to name a few amenities. These are the same designers of Santa Monica's Tongva Park and Manhattan's High Line. SWA I Morphosis's goal is to create a park that is active in the day and nighttime with many activities and a solar-powered hydroponic urban farming tower. wHY with Civitas, has a vine-covered shade structure, misting devices and uses alternatives and sustainable water filtration for the entire park. the public is able to vote and give comments. Funding for the project, which may cost in the tens of millions of dollars, has yet to be secured. $1.3 Billion Housing Measure Introduced Amid growing concerns for the state's housing supply, a group of Assembly Democrats has proposed legislation that would allocate $1.3 billion to help metropolitan areas increase housing supply. The bill would include local grants and tax credits to support construction of multi-family rental units, homes for farmworkers, supportive services for homeless and lower-cost housing statewide. Gov. Brown's 2016-17 budget proposal contained around $776 million for housing and transit from the cap-and-trade fund from carbon emission permits. Republicans, such as Marc Steinorth (R-Rancho Cucamonga) argue that instead of asking for more taxes, legislators should "encourage cities--even suburban ones--to focus on increasing housing supply, rather than tie their hands with out-of-date regulations." Beverly Hills Takes Lead on Autonomous Vehicles Beverly Hills City Council voted unanimously to look into providing autonomous public transportation to shuttle residents from one location to another. Mayor John Mirisch hopes this small city of 5.7 miles can be a leader in adopting this new and innovative technology. While driverless cars are able to navigate in controlled-areas such as freeways and parking garages, city driving can become too chaotic. The city also plans to install fiber-optic cable to provide high-speed access throughout the city, which in the future, would allow the autonomous vehicles to communicate with one another. APA Awards Go to L.A., San Jose Projects in Los Angeles and San Jose received two of six National Planning Achievement Awards at the recent American Planning Association conference. People Street, a project of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, transforms underused areas of city streets into plazas or small parks. The program provides a guidelines and a "kit of parts" with preapproved design elements, to allow community members to spearhead projects in their neighborhoods. The San Jose project is a Water Pollution Control Plant that treats wastewater for over 1.4 million residents. The plant's plan has three goals: strengthen region's economy, restore sensitive bay habitats and provide new opportunities for recreation, and protect against sea level rise.  Lung Association Rates California's Air The American Lung Association's State of the Air 2016 report found two California cities ranked top of the list for most polluted cities in the nation. Bakersfield tops the list with most airborne particles and LA leads in harmful ozone pollution. Eighty percent of Californians, roughly 32 million people, live in counties with unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution during some time in the year. Cities in California have made progress, businesses have spent $40 billion since 1992 to cut air pollution and have reduced pollutants by 80 percent since 1980 levels.

The San Francisco Planning Commission approved unanimously a fifteen-month period of controls on new developments in the Mission District. These new controls will require developers to provide information on how the projects will affect the neighborhoods economic diversity. Developers excused from the new regulations are those with 25 or more units or at least one-third of apartments reserved for low-income residents. Housing projects with more than 75 units must provide additional projections of the affect to the residents, businesses and community. The neighborhood activists pushed for a full moratorium on new developments to keep the affordability in the Mission. Coastal Commissioners to Consider Ouster of Lester Members of the California Coastal Commission are considering ousting the commission's highest ranking staff member, Executive Director Charles Lester. His future will be an agenda item on the commission's February meeting, according to a recent notice. Capitol Weekly reports that pro-development forces are seeking Lester's ouster, while he generally has support from environmental advocates. The same report indicates that commissioners who support Lester's ouster are appointees of Gov. Jerry Brown. LAFCO Sues City of Gilroy The City of Gilroy is facing an unusual lawsuit by the Santa Clara County Local Agency Formation Commission for illegally annexing 721 acres of farmland to build a new 4000-unit development. LAFCO says Gilroy violated CEQA and did not consider water and other impacts, and is not developing land within its city boundaries. The city council is currently divided on the development of the project. Mayor Perry Woodward hopes the city and LAFCO will come to a compromise. "We've been saying all along that this will take 10 to 15 years," Woodward told the Gilroy Dispatch. "This isn't a short-range project. We will have a discussion with LAFCO and if we can find a middle ground, then we will move forward." L.A. City Council Formalizes Oversight of Olympic Bid Finances The LA 2024 Committee, the group that is backing Los Angeles' Olympic bid, has signed off on a memorandum of understanding that gives the Los Angeles City Council oversight over the bid's financial projections. Los Angeles City Council must sign off on the bid because of the possibility for financial risk to the city. The International Olympic Committee typically requires host cities to pledge financial guarantees. President of the Council Herb Wesson told LA Times, "We don't believe anything this big should occur without us being equal partners." The agreement enables the council to hire an accounting firm or other expert to examine revenue and cost projections. The major expenditure in Los Angeles hosting the Olympics is constructing the village, housing 17,000 athletes, coaches, and other support staff. Coastal Commission Advances Controversial Sea Wall Fee City of Solano Beach is discussing how best to protect the environment and recreational uses of a beach while still protecting homeowners on beach cliffs at risk of erosion. The California Coastal Commission has asked citizens living on the coast to pay a mitigation fee to for the amenity of a sandy beach, which is protected by the sea wall permits. The fee will then be issued statewide. The Solano Beach proposal is a fee of $870 per linear foot of sea wall and will increase up to $1,311 in 2026. Most sea walls in the city are 50 feet long, and homeowners have expressed concerns that the fees are too steep as by building these walls they are protecting beachgoers from collapse and landslides. According to a report in the L.A. Times, environmental groups feel it is "pointless to build sea walls because eventually the ocean will destroy them and the bluffs will collapse." S.F. Lawmakers Propose Competing Housing Measures Following the passage of several measures related to affordable housing in November, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Supervisor Jane Kim have each proposed to put competing measures to promote affordable housing on the June ballot. Kim's measure would increase the minimum percentage of below-market-rate units in a development to at least 25%. Lee's proposal leaves that percentage up to the city controller and Planning Department. Supervisor Scott Wiener has also proposed an initiative in which conditional use permits would be excused for developments that are 100 percent affordable housing. The deadline for measures on the ballot passed last week; however, initiatives can be negotiated or pulled out. Burbank Enters into Contract to Plan High Speed Rail Hub The City of Burbank has entered into an agreement with the California High-Speed Rail Authority to spend $1.2 million to plan for a transportation hub adjacent to Bob Hope Airport. The rail authority announced it would provide $800,000 while City of Burbank will contribute $400,000, mostly from a Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority grant. The project will take almost two years but will involve community outreach and designs. Other cities in California have reached similar agreements with the rail authority: Merced, Fresno, Bakersfield, Gilroy and Palmdale. Borrego Springs Faces Dwindling Water Supply Results from a six-year groundwater study completed by the U.S. Geological Survey suggest that the inland San Diego County community of Borrego Springs may be in peril. Its only source of water, groundwater, is being depleted four times faster than it is replenished. The town of 3,500 people includes golf courses, and farms uses, which collectively use 20,000 acre-feet. Only 5,600 acre-feet sinks into the aquifers from rainfall and other sources. The study also showed that citrus farms (43%), palm tree farms and ornamental shrubbery nurseries use 70% of the water, while 20% goes to recreational reasons such as the golf courses, and 10% to residential. The town has constructed a group called Borrego Water Coalition to discuss and plan for its future. Sacramento Imposes Restrictions on Short-Term Rentals The Sacramento City Council unanimously approved two ordinances to regulate the use of short-term rental services such as Airbnb. Airbnb hosts must now obtain a business operations permit, and pay the transient occupancy tax of 12% of the room charge. The hosts must now notify neighbors within 200 feet that a permit has been issued, keep a register of all guests, have a six guest limit, rent less than 90 days annually if not primary residence, and host no weddings, fundraisers or other events. The ordinance is the strictest yet imposed among major California cities. Shirey to Step Down as Sacramento City Manager Sacramento City Manager John Shirey has announced he is leaving his position November 2016. He has served in Sacramento since 2011 and is credited with much of the revitalization of downtown Sacramento and Golden 1 Center. While Councilman Jay Schenirer says Shirey's greatest accomplishment was getting Sacramento on solid financial footing, in 2014 the city had a surplus for the first time in seven years. Shirey joined the city after a tenure as executive director of the California Redevelopment Association, which disbanded following the dissolution of redevelopment in 2011.

With a controversial measure that would force the City of Los Angeles to update its 35 community plans headed for the March ballot, Mayor Eric Garcetti is calling for the update of all of the city's community plans. He intends to include funding in his upcoming budget to support this effort.  And in a motion introduced by several councilmembers  the City Council instructed the Planning Department to report on overhauling the Community Plan program. They also called for recommendations on ways to increase oversight of the environmental review process, and upgrade outdated technology.  City leaders also called for a new Citywide General Plan, which has not been fully updated in more than 20 years. "We have a responsibility to plan for prosperity and growth in ways that reflect the energy of this great City and protect the character of our neighborhoods," said Mayor Eric Garcetti. "I want Angelenos to have a sense of ownership over the development of their communities and these reforms help us get there." Garcetti pledged to nearly triple the planning department's community plan staff, to better ensure all plans are updated in no more than 10 years. The mayor's budget will include $1.5 million in new funding for the Community Planning program and General Plan program, as part of his upcoming 2016-17 budget. He also laid out a plan for ongoing funding for the program to ensure updates are completed within 36 months. (See prior CP&DR  coverage .) Rail Authority Releases Route Alternatives in S. California The California High Speed Rail Authority released four reports, each describing a proposed alternative for the bullet train segment from Bakersfield to Anaheim. The segment is nearly 164 miles and the most technically complex, environmentally sensitive, and expensive part of the project, with 24 miles of tunnels as deep as 2,000 feet below the Tehachapi and San Gabriel mountains. One of the proposed routes would use surface tracks instead of an elevated platform into Union Station and using Metrolink's rails from Burbank to LA. The different routes will displace various numbers  of homes, ranging from 918 to 87. The Bakersfield to Palmdale section still has eight alternatives, after years of study, although the authority is trying to identify routes with less severe grades. The reports constitute supplemental alternatives analyses, to be followed by draft environmental impact reports for the four routes by the end of next year. Los Angeles Considers Approaches to Bootleg Apartments, �Granny Flats' A Los Angeles city council committee has backed an ordinance that would legalize unapproved "bootlegged" apartments, so long as they are deemed safe. Hundred of apartments have been closed every year because of inspections, which prompted an alliance of landlords and tenants pushing for an amnesty program. The new law now requires landlords to guarantee affordable units for more than 55 years if they want to legalize bootlegged apartments. These apartments are frequently built by adding walls to a bedroom or other space and are not permitted because of a lack of parking or other city codes. Legalizing these apartments is frequently a costly and long process, which causes many landlords to hide in the shadows and wait until they get cited to begin the process of legalization. Meanwhile, a recent court decision has complicated the city's efforts to approve backyard "granny flats." Some 379 granny flats are in compliance with a relatively lenient state law but, according to a recent lawsuit, are out of compliance with city code. The city is currently reviewing the different options before making a decision.  Long Beach, San Jose Win Knight Cities Challenge Two California cities, San Jose and Long Beach, are among nationwide winners of the 2016 Knight Cities Challenge, open to cities with Knight-Ridder newspapers. Nearly 4,500 cities applied and 37 winners are chosen to receive a grant for attracting talented residents, expanding economic opportunity, and creating a culture of civic engagement. Long Beach won $153,00 for installing pop-up voting stations in historically low turnout areas to encourage voting and celebrate democracy. The second project receive $300,000 and was an outdoor office that would encourage citizens to work in the park. Two projects in San Jose received a total of $200,000; one creates a night market with local crafts, food and entertainment and the other is for community events celebrating Mexican culture. Natural Resources Agency Grant Programs Open for Comment The California Natural Resources Agency opened two grant programs for public comment: California Urban Rivers Grant Program and Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation (EEM) Program. For the Urban Rivers, a project must either promote groundwater recharge, reduce energy consumption, treat runoff using natural processes, create or restore native habitat or be related to climate change. The EEM Program offers grants to local, state or federal government agencies or non-profits that organize projects related to mitigating environmental impacts caused by new or modified public transportation. The Museum Grant Program and River Parkways grant programs are closed and awards will be released in July. Program to Protect Residents from Freeway Pollution Initiated in Los Angeles The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to approve land-use restrictions for some of the most polluted neighborhoods and adopt citywide requirements for higher-rated air filters in new developments near freeways. The ordinance is an acknowledgment of environmental justice related to air pollution and the health hazards that low-income populations suffer as a result of pollution. The program, Clean Up Green Up, will start with a pilot program in three predominantly Latino districts: Boyle Heights, Wilmington in the harbor, and Pacoima and Sun Valley in eastern San Fernando Valley. Businesses in these "green zones" will be required to adhere to more stringent development standards such as setbacks, landscaping requirements and buffers. The pilot program began with more than 1,000 businesses across the three areas. Many of these areas have commercial areas of oil operations, auto dismantlers, port-related trucking, junkyards, factories and freeways. San Francisco Considers $5 Billion Price Tag for New Sea Wall San Francisco Port Commission released a report  (pdf) estimating that it will cost $5 billion to protect the wharf against sea level rise and major earthquakes. The current seawall, stretching from Fisherman's Wharf to Mission Creek, sits on top of 100 year-old landfill made up of young bay mud and marine clay, a rock pyramid and a bulkhead wall. There is a 72 percent chance a large earthquake will happen in the next 30 years, with a high probability of causing major damage to the wall and the areas behind it. Potential solutions are retrofitting the current wall and wharf, improving the liquefiable fill land-side of the seawall or jet grouting, which means pouring concrete into hoses in the ground. The Commission is proposing a combination of all three and recommends that the work be completed within ten years.  Lennar Urban Wins Bid to Redevelop Base in Concord Lennar Urban has won the bid, on a unanimous city council vote, to redevelop Concord's formal naval weapons station into a mixed use community. Further negotiations with the city will determine the exact terms of the deal. Lennar Urban was the only developer left after Catellus Development Corp dropped out for improper lobbying. An investigation showed Lennar gave $17,000 to former Mayor Tim Grayson's campaign for state Assembly and Concord officials decided, behind closed doors, to suppress a city staff report that recommended Catellus. Citizens are worried because of the dishonest and untrustworthy way it ran in the bid process, that the $6 billion project will not go as planned. The city council is looking into pushing a higher-than-average percent of affordable homes. The 2,200-acre development includes housing, parks, shops and community centers; Lennar's plan includes 500 acres of affordable housing.  Arcadia Attempts to Curb 'Mansionization' Activists in Arcadia hoping to stop " mansionization " or the construction of large homes in place of the old, smaller, ranch-style homes have failed in their efforts to place a measure on the November ballot. While the activists collected over 3,000 signatures, the effort encountered problems with the timeline of collections and incomplete forms. The activists must now decide to take the matter to court over the incomplete signatures. The City Council is trying to take matters into their own hands. They voted, 3-2, to create a plan that would determine maximum floor-area ratios to limit the square footage of a home based on the lot size. The Los Angeles suburb has famously undergone a transformation in recent years as new residents, many from Asia, have replaced small homes with mansions.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee introduced a five-pronged plan to build and rehabilitate 10,000 affordable housing units in the city by 2020. Significantly, construction will begin in November to allow nonprofit developers to take over federally funded public housing projects in exchange for upgrading them, hopefully repairing 1,400 units by 2017 and another 2,060 by 2018. In the wake of the removal of 5,470 apartments from protected status through evictions from 2004 to 2014, Lee's plan looks to pass legislation to give the city first right to buy the property if it goes on the market and to ensure that when new housing units go on the market, residents of that neighborhood have priority to rent or buy them. Though it strongly advocates for increasing affordable housing, Lee has clashed with sects of progressive housing advocates in opposing Proposition F, which would curtail the use of short-term rental sites like Airbnb, and Proposition I, which would halt construction of market-rate developments in the Mission for two years. While backers say that market-rate housing contributes to soaring prices, Lee says that the moratorium is counterproductive because market-rate developer help finance construction of affordable housing. Air District Votes for Stricter Controls on Urban Oil Fields Following a multitude of health and quality of life complaints over the past several years by residents neighboring oil and gas fields, the South Coast Air Quality Management District board in an 11-2 vote approved new rules requiring urban oil fields to control odors and more adequately respond to complaints from nearby residents. Applicable to as many as 240 facilities operating more than 4,000 onshore oil and gas wells, the regulations will require operators to adopt new odor control measures and post signs with instructions on how to report odor complaints. They will also force facilities within 1,500 feet of homes, schools and healthcare facilities to submit reports on the cause of any confirmed release of odors, oil mist, or droplets. Operators of facilities within 100 meters of homes will have to conduct daily inspections of well equipment in a compromise to industry groups that lowered the distance from the originally proposed 1,500 feet for daily inspections. More than 32,000 people in the Los Angeles basin reside within 100 meters of active or or gas wells, and about 1.7 million live within a mile of those wells. L.A. Olympic Bid May Jump-Start Transit Projects The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority is trying to use Los Angeles' bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics to fast-track two of its most anticipated rail projects. Metro sent a letter to the Federal Transit Administration asking to join a pilot program that would allow it to follow an "extremely aggressive" schedule to finish the $2.3-billion Purple Line subway extension and the $330 million LAX train station by 2024. The Purple Line - currently planned to be expanded in phases to Mid-Wilshire in 2024, to Century City in 2025, and to the Department of Veterans' Affairs campus in West L.A. in 2036 - would be crucial to the success of the Olympics, carrying thousands of international visitors to UCLA's campus to see events, Metro Chief Executive Phillip Washington wrote in the letter. Washington proposed accelerating the plan with concurrent construction on all three phases, hopefully funding the third phase through a $1 billion federal grant and $525 million in local taxpayer revenue, the letter said. They also hope to expedite the LAX "people mover," which will connect the airport with a consolidated car-rental facility, a ground transportation hub and a station on the Crenshaw line, from a 2028 schedule. FBI Targets Palm Springs Mayor's Ties to Developer The FBI raided Palm Springs' City Hall in response to allegations that Mayor Steve Pougnet illegally worked as a consultant for a developer when he voted to sell city property to the same developer. The raid comes as the city's downtown - developmentally stagnant for decades - has been booming with construction of new hotels and restaurants due to city incentives of hundreds of millions of dollars. However, the alleged involvement of the mayor with developer Richard Meaney, which the mayor called a mistake, has led some to say that developers have become too powerful in the desert city.  "People like to come here because it's an escape from the city, but this council is putting, basically, a miniature Century City in the heart of town," Frank Tysen, who owns a downtown boutique hotel, told the L.A. Times. Baylands Project Seeks Input from Would-Be Neighbors Residents in the tiny, 2,000-home city of Brisbane are being surveyed for their opinion on the proposed Baylands project, a huge mixed-use development that would add as many as 4,434 homes, condos and apartments along with 7.5 million square feet of commercial space on 684 acres of abandoned rail yards and bay fill. Center to the survey is how residents feel the surge of growth would alter the way of life in one of the Bay Area's smallest communities, with the survey asking voters to decide whether "I worry that too much is changing too fast in Brisbane and we're losing our small-town character," or "I feel we're maintaining Brisbane's small-town character even as we change and grow as a community." An alternate proposal put together by a citizens groups calls for a similar amount of commercial space, but no housing at all, raising red flags to housing advocates.  Study Questions Link between Food Deserts and  Obesity A study from Santa Monica-based RAND Corp. says that there is little evidence that eliminating food deserts - areas and neighborhoods that are devoid of fresh, healthy food - would improve people's health. Rather, the study said that causes of the obesity epidemic in low-income neighborhoods are more complex and include cost of food, cultural preferences, and marketing, and that simply putting a supermarket in a low-income neighborhood likely won't solve any problems. Specifically, the study found virtually no link between the type of food and drinks that Los Angeles County adults consume and the proximity of fast-food outlets, grocery stores and convenience stores to their homes. However, Dr. Paul Simon, director of the Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, said that while government regulations intended to improve public health tended to be too simplistic, the food environment is still one of many important factors in the obesity epidemic. Cost of Transbay Terminal Development Rises San Francisco's new Transbay Transit Center, whose price tag for construction jumped from $247 million to $2.1 billion two months ago, will cost an additional $244 million to complete its first phase, according to new estimates from consultant T.Y. Lin International. The project's first phase will set up a bus terminal with room for a railroad in the basement and a park on top, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission has repeatedly helped the Transbay Joint Powers Authority balance its budget as the costs have soared. According to the report, much of the reason for the increase in costs is the booming economy pushing construction costs higher, along with a pattern of inaccurate estimates on contracts and overly optimistic assumptions. Study Identifies Southern California's Worst Air Residents in an Ontario neighborhood near the 60 Freeway are breathing in the dirtiest air in California, according to new measurements of lung-damaging soot by the South Coast Air Quality Management District as mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency. The average concentration of fine-particle pollution about 30 feet from the freeway was 18.7 micrograms per cubic meter from January to March, compared with federal health standards limiting concentrations to 12 micrograms. "It's not just people living along the 60 Freeway - anyone close to that many diesel trucks is going to be breathing the same heavy pollution," Penny Newman, who heads the Riverside County-based Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice, told the Los Angeles Times. Last year, the EPA instituted new requirements that 100 big cities place pollution monitors next to major roads. Air quality officials used to place monitors at a distance from traffic and other big pollution sources. S.F. Sup. Weiner Devises Plan for Subway Construction San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener laid out a plan to increase and maintain subway infrastructure citywide through his "Subway Master Plan," which will task San Francisco with "always" having a subway under construction. Seeking to accommodate a potential population boom of over 2 million people in the next 30 years, Wiener's plan would bring Muni subways to the southern and western sections of San Francisco and construct a second BART transbay tube to connect the East Bay with San Francisco and to alleviate traffic as the Bay Area grows. The master plan, which Wiener plans to introduce via an ordinance to the Board of Supervisors this week, does not identify funding sources for subway tunneling, which Wiener said would be acquired on a per-project basis. San Francisco Metropolitan Transit Authority Board of Directors Chairman Tom Nolan, however, said that many of these projects require federal funding, and the government has lately been stingier. "With the current situation, they're not likely to give us an extra billion dollars for more subways," Nolan told the SF Examiner. San Diego Appoints Planning Director Jeff Murphy, the planning director for the City of Encinitas, will serve as the new Director of the Planning Department for the City of San Diego, according to a letter from Mayor Kevin Falconer. Murphy has served as the director for Encinitas for 15 years, overseeing land development operations and developing an approach to public engagement on the City's Housing Element Update. He was also instrumental in the rebuild efforts following the 2003 and 2007 wildfires, directing, organizing, and coordinating approximately 100 employees, supervisors, and contract staff in carrying out planning and land use efforts. Murphy succeeds Tom Tomlinson, who had served in an interim capacity for over a year, having succeeded CP&DR Publisher Bill Fulton.

Along with other cities in California, Sacramento is joining the Vision Zero movement to eliminate bicycle and pedestrian fatalities on city streets. These cooperative movements combine government, advocacy groups, residents and others to make streets safer for all users. In Sacramento approximately 130 people died in crashes between 2010-2014, including 48 pedestrians and 13 cyclists. The city will set up a Vision Zero task force including police and fire representatives to determine trouble spots to increase officers in certain locations. City traffic chief Hector Barron told the Sacramento Bee that it is an "opportunity to shine a light on who is most at risk. Disproportionately, it's low income people in the suburbs." The city has begun by improving bike lanes, slowing traffic, separating sidewalks from traffic, flashing beacons at crosswalks and pedestrian traffic signals. (See prior CP&DR coverage .) Los Angeles Approves Controversial High Rises in Hollywood Los Angeles City Council approved , 12-0, a plan for the Palladium Residences, one of the city's most controversial residential projects. The council backed a zoning and height district change as well as other approvals for two 30-story towers advanced to the Hollywood Palladium theater. Opponents of the $324-million project, primarily the AIDS Healthcare Foundation next door, argue the complex is too tall and dense for the location, which has notorious vehicular traffic. The foundation's executives plan to sue to stop the construction and they have begun gathering signatures to ban other "mega-developments." The apartments will add hundreds of much needed apartment units to a city that has experienced serious housing shortages. Approximately 37 units will be set aside for lower-income families. Protests against Palladium Residences spawned the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, a ballot measure that would significantly impact planning and development in Los Angeles (see prior CP&DR coverage ).  SCAG Nears Approval of $556 Billion SCS/RTP The Southern California Association of Governments Regional Council is expected to adopt the 2016-2040 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy in early April. The plan is a long-range vision that includes future transportation mobility and housing needs with economic, environmental and health goals. The RTP lists over $556.5 billion in projects and investments for transportation systems across the region. They include projects to optimize existing roadways, promote active transportation, ease goods movement, implement new technologies, improve airport access, and focus growth around "high-quality transit areas" and other urban centers, improve air quality, and preserve natural lands. San Francisco Applies Hotel Tax to Household Items In another move to regulate short-term rentals, San Francisco is asking Airbnb and other STR hosts to pay taxes on "furniture, appliances, supplies, equipment and fixtures" used in the roughly 5,500 Airbnb listings in the city. Through these calculations there will be around one percent tax on the value, similar to most other businesses such as offices, restaurants, and hotels. A new law in the city requires all short-term rental hosts to register with the city as of February 2015. San Francisco already requires STR guests to pay the 14 percent hotel tax.  Mountain View Considers Pod Car System Mountain View has agreed to $200,000 to study a pod car system  connecting the downtown transit center with the North Bayshore tech hub. The city is considering an automated-guideway transit (AGT) that uses driverless a system that runs so frequently that consulting a schedule is not required. The city may seek funding from private companies that currently participate in a Transportation Management Association through which they fund a shuttle system for employees. Compare to a light-rail extension that could cost around $100 million per mile, a pod system is estimated to run around $8 million per mile.  Federal Legislation Could Speed Rail to Las Vegas U.S. Senators and Congressman from Nevada introduced legislation to promote the proposed high-speed rail service between Las Vegas and Southern California. The Mojave National Preserve Boundary Adjustment Act of 2016 would remove some federal restrictions and promote the most efficient and cost effective route for the XpressWest. The initiative would transfer 520 acres from the National Parks Service to the Bureau of Land Management, which would allow construction on the land without tunneling under hills. This preferred route is more direct and would, backers say, prevent unnecessary impacts on wildlife and habitat.  Group Calls for Downsized Redondo Beach Harbor Development A grassroots organization in Redondo Beach plans to file a ballot initiative to scale down the proposed development along the city's harbor and pier. Rescue Our Waterfront's slogan is "revitalize don't supersize." The group claims the design doubles the amount of development but increases parking spaces by eight percent, thus risking parking shortages. Supporters say there is plenty of available parking in the area. Another major concern is the lack of adequate boat ramps for fishers and boaters. The Sierra Club sent Redondo Beach city staff a letter claiming the public is not properly informed about the Waterfront project's scale. There have been multiple meetings but this will continue to be discussed at the next Harbor Commission meeting.   Water District Approves $200 Million Purchase of Delta Islands The board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has voted to purchase 20,000 acres of farm islands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta for around $200 million. While a private company had previously used this area for water storage, Met says it will use the acreage for fish and wildlife habitat or storing materials for emergency levee repairs or access for construction of delta tunnel system. To close the deal, Delta Wetlands Properties must clear from the title various agreements it made in connection with the water storage proposal. The islands are located in the path of the Metropolitan backed, proposed $15-billion tunnel system to channel water under the delta. The tunnel project is vehemently opposed by delta farmers who call the Met's ownership of the delta "an existential threat".  LAO: High Speed Rail Has Funds for First Segment A recent review of the business plan for High Speed Rail by the Legislative Analysts Office finds that the state has enough money to build the initial segment of the high-speed rail from San Jose to the Central Valley. While $21 billion is identified for the first section, the project is still $43.5 billion short for the entire 500-mile route. Under the 2016 business plan, the state would use existing federal grants, sale of bonds approved by voters in 2008 and greenhouse gas fees. However CA legislative analysts are concerned about the funding gap for the remaining segment but understand the rail authority's choice in beginning in Silicon Valley instead of Los Angeles. The authority said in a statement, "we remain committed to moving forward with this project to create job, improve air quality and better connect California's communities."  California Planning Schools Among �Most Influential' UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs has been named the most influential planning school in Northern America from a study at Virginia Tech. The study measures citations of planning scholarship by using the median number of Google Scholar citations per faculty member. Professor Michael Storper was the second-most-cited, of the 900 faculty members, with more than 28,000 citations. Other top ten programs are at Harvard, UC Berkeley, New York University, USC, Tufts University, University of Minnesota, MIT, University of Maryland and Rutgers. (CP&DR Publisher Bill Fulton sits on the advisory board of the Lewis Center, Housed at the Luskin School.)  California Ranks Fourth in Bicycle Use The Alliance for Biking and Walking published a 2016 Benchmarking Report, which ranks various cities and states on statistics including percentage of people commuting by bike. California ranks fourth among the 50 states for bike commute, with 1.1 percent of all commuters biking. The report finds connections between biking and poverty, gender, and race. Other major conclusions in the report are show positive correlations between active transportation and health indicators. The study has shortcomings because it uses U.S. Census data, which asks only for commute trips and not other types of trips and majority of the data is self-reported.

Three environmental groups are suing Riverside County over a climate action plan and amendments to its general plan. Plaintiffs claim that, contrary to the plan's stated goals to combat climate chance and protect the environment, the plan actually creates increased traffic, air pollution and threats to wildlife. Plaintiffs include the Center for Biological Diversity, San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society, and the Sierra Club. The groups argue that the Board of Supervisors violated CEQA by certifying an inadequate environmental impact report. The county argues its plans are up to the state's standards and designed to assist California in meeting its GHG emission-reduction targets. According to the groups, Riverside County is not discouraging sprawl by increasing density in existing cities, not actively reducing pollution, and allows for developments near sensitive wildlife areas. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 22. NFL Approves Rams' Move to Los Angeles After a 21-year wait, the National Football League has finally approved the relocation of a team to the Los Angeles area starting in the 2016 season. NFL owners voted, 30-2, to allow the St. Louis Rams to transfer to Los Angeles. They will temporarily play at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and then move to a new stadium complex in Inglewood. The San Diego Chargers have a one-year option to join, but must decide by Jan. 15, 2017 or else the Oakland Raiders will get the year-long option. If they both choose to stay in their home markets they will each get $100 million for their own new stadiums. The proposed stadium in Inglewood will open in 2019 and cost almost $3 billion with no public funds. The 298-acre site will include entertainment, retail, housing, performing arts venue, and privately financed stadium with 70,240 seats. Study of Bay Area Carbon Footprint Released UC's CoolClimate Network, which includes researchers from UC Berkeley and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, recently released a ranking of census blocks in the nine-counties in the Bay Area according to carbon consumption. The per-household measurements are based on transportation use, food consumption, goods and services used, energy to heat or cool home, materials going into construction, electricity use and waste. The study is the first detailed carbon study of a major metropolitan area. "One of the things that really struck me the most was the wide variation within cities," Christopher Jones, program director of the CoolClimate Network, told the San Francisco Chronicle. "Oakland, for example, has some of the highest and lowest carbon footprints in the entire Bay Area, all within the same city." The study found that Atherton has the largest per-household carbon footprint in the Bay Area, at 85.7 tons; Emeryville has the smallest, at 30.7 tons. Caltrans Issues Statewide Bikeway Guidelines Caltrans has issued a long-awaited "Class IV Bikeway Guidance" ( pdf ) document to assist planners and engineers in building protected bike lanes. In 2014 the Protected Bikeways Act mandated Caltrans create a category and guidance documents. The guidelines provide, for the first time, a statewide standard to help local planners design and implement bike infrastructure.  The document is written with a permissive rather than restrictive attitude to encourage the local jurisdictions to specialize to fit their communities. The guidance document are continuing protected intersections, loading zones and driveways. This document is designed to help engineers and planners build bike lanes for those commuters less comfortable with using the road alongside vehicle traffic. "We didn't want to dictate from a Caltrans statewide perspective," Kevin Herritt, chief of Caltrans' Office of Standards and Procedure, told Streetsblog . "The guidelines are intended to be flexible, so that all local jurisdictions can do what they need to do given their specific local circumstances." Coalition Proposes Region-wide Tax to Restore San Francisco Bay A coalition of Silicon Valley business leaders, Bay Area Council, and environmental groups such as Save the Bay are teaming up to create a new local tax for the Bay Area to vote on in the next election. This initiative would put a $12 tax on each parcel to grow a fund for bay restoration to protect against rising sea levels. If approved this program would raise $500 million over the next twenty years for levees and restoration of natural buffers such as marshes and wetlands. The tax poses complex issues in communities not adjacent to the Bay, such as Gilroy, Livermore, and Half Moon Bay that would still pay the tax. There is discussion of structuring it more like a benefits assessment; those that live closest to the potential danger should pay more. The San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority voted Jan. 13 to place the measure on the June 7 ballot. Los Angles Landlords May Pass Some Seismic Retrofit Costs on to Tenants Under a plan recently approved by the Los Angeles City Council, property owners and tenants can split the costs of seismic retrofitting, with tenants having rent increases of less than $38 a month over a ten-year period. The plan clarifies an ambitious ordinance passed in October that requires around 15,000 buildings to be retrofitted, especially unstable wood-frame apartments and concrete buildings. The costs of retrofitting these types of buildings could cost between $130,000 to millions. With the cost-sharing discussion resolved, the question of implementation remains. Property owners have seven years to retrofit wooden apartments and twenty-five years for concrete. According to Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety there are approximately 13,500 soft-story wooden buildings that need retrofitting. The city is continuing to search for financing options to assist landlords such as low-interest loans, permit fee waivers and tax breaks. Ojai Approves Total Ban on Short-Term Rentals Enacting what may be the strictest limits on short-term rentals in the state, the Ojai City Council voted, 5-0, to ban informal rentals from sites such as Airbnb and VRBO in all areas of the city including mixed-use and commercial zones. Councilmember Betsy Clapp told the Ventura County Star, "online business model circumvents and undermines community zoning laws" by allowing renters who do not enroll in schools, volunteer or contribute to the community. While some citizens said they rely on short-term rentals for financial support, the majority of the community was against this new home-based hotel system. The council also voted, 4-1, to subpoena Airbnb, VRBO, and others for records on existing vacation rentals in Ojay. The restrictions go into effect Feb. 1. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Suit over Santa Ana Sucker Fish By refusing to hear a suit brought on by 21 Inland Empire water agencies, the U.S. Supreme Court has effectively put to rest an ongoing dispute over the protection of the Santa Ana sucker fish, which has been listed as threatened since 2000. The species lives in a specific 2-3 mile stretch of the Santa Ana river in Riverside, with over 9,000 acres in the county designated as critical habitat. Plaintiffs claimed the designation was based on flawed science and threatens billions of dollars of future water capture and groundwater recharge projects. With the ruling, the agencies must develop plans to protect the species. McKeever to Step Down as SACOG CEO Mike McKeever has announced, that 2016 will be his last year as Chief Executive Officer of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. During McKeever's 12-year tenure as CEO, the organization has been recognized as an active participant in collaborative regional decision making. The work of SACOG and the region is highly regarded nationally for the visionary Blueprint framework, the Rural Urban Connections Strategy (RUCS), several high performing Metropolitan Transportation Plans, and programming hundreds of millions of dollars for members and partners to construct transportation projects that increase transportation choice and mobility. Don Saylor, SACOG Board Chair for 2015 and Yolo County Supervisor, said in a statement, "Mr. McKeever is a tremendous asset to the Sacramento region. He has assembled a great team at SACOG and has been extremely effective at serving our diverse 31-member Board." A successor has not been announced. Transfer of Control over Ontario Airport Nears Completion Following an agreement over the sale of Ontario International Airport to the City of Ontario, the city is applying to the FAA take control of airport operations. Approval could come as early as July, thus substantially completing transfer of the airport from Los Angeles World Airports to the city. There are multiple payments being negotiated between the various cities, airports and agencies. Los Angeles World Airports will operate ONT during the transition phase and assist with the protection of workers positions and salaries. Upon transfer, Ontario will owe LAWA $120 million, to be paid for largely through $2 per-passenger fees. Redondo Beach Develops Plan for Waterfront The City of Redondo Beach is considering a public-private partnerships to redevelop its pier and other waterfront properties.  Infrastructure repairs to fix the pier, crumbling parking garages and waterfront cost around $108 million. CenterCal Properties and the city of Redondo Beach are working together on a $250 million project called Waterfront Redondo. The plan has 11 acres of public open space, improved beach and swim area, public market, 700-seat specialty theater, hotel, retail space, and wider boardwalk. Some residents have expressed concerns over restricted views, threats by exploding sea lion population and resistance to a mall by the sea. The proposal will go to the City Council in March for approval. Accessory Dwelling Units Catch on in Marin County The San Rafael City Council voted , 3-2, to approve "junior second units." Council members agreed that additional units need to be built in the city. However, two council members disagreed on the requirements for the new units, expressing concerns about overcrowding and excessive parking use. The new junior second units will be constructed without minimum lot size or additional parking spaces. Officials will monitor the program for two years to watch for overcrowding or other problems, which warrant revisions. The move is part of a trend in Marin County. Novato and Tiburon adopted ordinances earlier and Fairfax, Larkspur and Belvedere are moving towards adopting standards. San Jose Considers Approval of Apple Facility Even as Apple Computers constructs its new headquarters in Cupertino, the company has received endorsement from the San Jose planners for the construction of a new campus in North San Jose, near the airport. This 86-acre development would bring 16,000-20,000 Apple employees to the area. The development plan gives the campus 4.15 million square feet and 15 years to add buildings. Planners see the campus as an anchor for economic development in that part of the city.

With a significant increase in cap-and-trade funding for 2016, the Strategic Growth Council announced the expansion of the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation program (SALC). SALC provides funds that compensate farmers and ranchers for creating conservation easements. It also assists local governments' plans to preserve agricultural lands, with an eye towards mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Available funding in 2016 will amount to $40 million, a eightfold increase over the previous year. Funds will be made available through a competitive application process. Last year, SGC received $45 million worth of applications. The new funding level comes with new guidelines from SGC. Funding match thresholds have been reduced, particularly for projects in disadvantaged communities. Pre-applicaitons are due Feb. 16. Further information, including new guidelines, is available here .  DMV Issues Draft Regulations for Autonomous Vehicles Anticipating what could be one of the most significant urban trends of the coming decade, the Department of Motor Vehicles released a draft of preliminary regulations of autonomous vehicles ( pdf ). The regulations primarily focus on safety issues. Proposed regulations include the following: third-party safety certification; presence of liscenced operators capable of controlling vehiciles at all times; initial three-year deployment permits for manufacturers; privacy and cyber-security protection for vehicles that collect and relay data while driving. DMV initially intends to allow only autonomous passenger vehicles. Two upcoming workshops will be held to discuss the draft regulations and recieve input: Jan. 28 in Sacramento and Feb. 2 in Los Angeles.  Oakland, San Diego Stand Firm on Football Stadium Offers With NFL owners meeting in mid-January, Oakland and San Diego have issued what are apparantly final offers to keep their respective football teams. San Diego officials, including Mayor Kevin Faulconer, promised a $350 millino contribution towards a replacement for Qualcomm Stadium for the Chargers. The City of Oakland is being less generous towards the Raiders. Mayor Libby Schaff and Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty reiterated their refusal to spend public money on a new stadium. They have, however, promised to give the Raiders a favorable deal on the long-term lease of 60 acres adjacent to O.co Coliseum if the Raiders choose to fund their own stadium.  Garcetti Taps Pasadena's Vince Bertoni to be New L.A. Planning Director Mayor Eric Garcetti today announced the nomination of Pasadena Planning Director Vince Bertoni as the new head of the Los Angeles Department of City Planning (LADCP). Bertoni comes to the department with more than 25 years of planning experience - including a previous stint at LADCP.  "Vince Bertoni's experience both here in Los Angeles and across the region will add tremendous value to our City's planning efforts," said Garcetti in a statement. "He is a professional who leads by collaborating and consensus-building - skills that will help him balance the diverse needs of our communities, and facilitate real progress in the ongoing conversation about development in this city."  Bertoni has served for five years as the City of Pasadena's Planning and Community Development Director. During that time, he successfully managed Pasadena's city planning program through a General Plan update, a comprehensive visioning process that happens just once every 20 years.  Before joining the City of Pasadena, Bertoni served as Deputy Planning Director in Los Angeles, where he oversaw the adoption of 16 historic preservation overlay zones, new guidelines for the Broadway Historic District, a bicycle master plan and a Hollywood community plan.  Los Angeles Goes After Nuisance Properties A new plan approved by the Los Angeles City Council would allow the city to take control of vacant nuisance properties from banks and put them under the control of a court-appointed overseer who would hire contractors to fix the houses for sale. Under the plan, proceeds from the sales, not taxpayer dollars, would pay for that work, including the fees of private attorneys who would handle the legal paperwork. "It offers an effective way to turn a property around quickly," City Attorney Mike Feuer told the LA Times. "This program costs nothing." Feuer's proposal now goes to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti for approval. If he signs off, the city attorney would be able to have outside firms start working on takeovers after 30 days. Mayors Form Homelessness Alliance Five West Coast mayors announced the creation of an alliance united in addressing the growing crisis of homelessness. The alliance, consisting of Portland Mayor Charlie Hales, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, was developed during the West Coast Mayors Summit addressing homelessness, housing, and climate action. It first plans to elevate the importance of homelessness and housing in their communities and among their federal delegations. It would be committed to data collection and sharing - getting the right data for the West Coast - and sharing of best practices. Bay Area Cities Win Problem-Solving Grants San Francisco and San Jose are two of 13 new beneficiaries of grants from former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's What Works Cities initiative, a program launched in April 2015 that provides grants to technical experts to help mid-sized urban governments solve local problems. The initiative, launched through New York-based Bloomberg Philanthropies, plans to expand to as many as 100 cities by 2017, investing a total of $42 million to support consulting and technical assistance for mid-sized cities. Its goal is to encourage cities to adopt the data-driven governing techniques that distinguished Bloomberg's administration in New York City. L.A. River Project Gets Key Backing from Army Corps The Chief of Engineers of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, has signed off on the plan to restore the Los Angeles River, a major milestone in efforts to transform the river's aquatic ecosystem. This approval is a critical step toward moving the project forward to Congress for authorization and appropriation of funding.  The Chief's Report now goes to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) for administrative review and transmittal to Congress, expected in early 2016. Congress must authorize the project in a Water Resources Development Act and appropriate funds in order for the Corps and the City to begin construction.  The plan will restore approximately 719 acres by widening the river in key areas by terracing and restructuring channel banks to support vegetation, creating side channels and off-channel marsh, daylighting small streams, and removing invasive vegetation. Associated recreation features include trails, vista points, educational amenities, and pedestrian bridges. "We and our partners have put tremendous effort into developing and moving forward a plan that would improve the L.A. River ecosystem in a constrained funding environment," said Col. Gibbs. "Our number one priority of the plan is to restore the river's ecosystem while preserving the flood protection that is provided by the existing channel system."

More than four decades after a graduate student proposed adding a "green belt" of wildlife habitats, parks, and recreational areas in a rim circling the San Fernando Valley, Rep. Adam Schiff is pushing to add as much land as possible "Rim of the Valley Corridor" to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in the Los Angeles area. Backed by a broad coalition including the National Park Service, the designation would protect of the 1,000-square-mile area from future development and preserve puma and bobcat habitats, along with forests and fossil beds. "For us, it's a complete and utter enhancement," Las Virgenes Homeowners Federation president Kim Lamorie told the LA Times . "Our are always competing to get the National Park Service - to purchase land in and around our homeowners associations and rural villages.... Property values go up when you're surrounded by open space."  Group Proposes Complete Streets Alternative to 710 Freeway Tunnel An opposition group to an underground 710 freeway extension from Alhambra to South Pasadena presented its plan for an alternative to a tunnel proposed to close the 710 freeway gap through South Pasadena. Beyond the 710, a coalition of community organizations, environmental attorneys and five San Gabriel Valley cities, is advancing a plan that would expand bus service, improve surface streets, and develop more walkable communities to better address traffic congestion, pollution, and transportation needs of the area, all with a price tag for $875 million, much less than the $5.6 billion price tag of the tunnel, which is one of five alternatives analyzed in an environmental impact report released in March. "We are hoping to move beyond the old, tired 710 Freeway debate, which is wasting lots of time, money and resources," South Pasadena City Councilwoman Marina Khubesrian, vice chair of the Beyond the 710 coalition, told the  Los Angeles Times . Supporters of the estimated $5.6 billion tunnel, contend that the group is just trying to gum up an environmental review that is underway and undermine growing support for the tunnel project. Arcata Experiments with Zoning for Medical Marijuana  Believing that statewide marijuana legalization may be coming in 2016, the Arcata City Council voted unanimously for a proposal to create a new "Medical Marijuana Innovation Area," which would rezone three parcels of land to allow for the cultivation, processing, and wholesale of medical marijuana out in the open instead of in private homes. Isaiah O'Donnell, policy co-chairman for California Cannabis Voice Humboldt, estimated that there are about 100 indoor growers in the city that could legitimize their business in the innovation zone, but he expressed concern that a mega-cultivator could come in and monopolize the zone. "With Arcata being very small business-centric, I don't believe anybody should be able to come in and grow 50,000 square feet of cultivation," O'Donnell told the  Times-Standard .  Laguna Beach, Sacramento Propose Short-Term Rental Regulations Laguna Beach and Sacramento the latest cities to explore ways of regulating short-term rental services like Airbnb.  In Sacramento, City Council members say they are drafting a proposed ordinance backed by the city's planning department that would allow short-term rentals without a permit for up to 29 days and waive the requirement for an on-site manager. "We have this innovative new way for people to visit our city and for people to engage in the sharing economy," Sacramento City Councilman Steve Hansen told the Sacramento Bee . "We should be cautious of overshooting the mark with any kind of regulation." According to city estimates, Sacramento only has about 500 housing units used as short-term rentals, making it easier for lawmakers to take a breath before imposing restrictions, in contrast with coastal cities with high populations of tourists. Alternately, the Laguna Beach City Council voted unanimously to impose a 45-day moratorium on all new short-term rentals of 30 days or less as a temporary salve while city staff researches long-term solutions to what residents perceive as a growing quality-of-life issue. Residents have said that the high turnover of tenants has bred loud parties, the blocking of driveways by cars and increased trash on the streets. Additionally, city staff has said that many owners do not register their rentals with the city, avoiding the city's $275 transit occupancy tax.   Los Angeles Considers Long-Term Maintenance Plan for Sidewalks In an attempt to find a long-term plan for sidewalk upkeep after it makes a planned $1.4 billion in improvements, Los Angeles' top city budget office has recommended that the city transfer responsibility for fixing broken sidewalks in front of commercial businesses to property owners and make homeowners responsible for future upkeep. The report comes as the city has committed to spend $1.4 billion over the next three decades as part of a legal settlement with disability rights groups that had sued the city over its impassible sidewalks. Under the plan, businesses would have a year to voluntarily repair cracked sidewalks. If they did not comply, the city would make the repairs and charge the business. Residents, on the other hand, would receive a certificate following an inspection and city-funded improvements, and would be held responsible for all future damage to the sidewalks.  S.F. Mayor Proposes $500 Million for Affordable Housing San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee has proposed an ambitious new affordable housing plan to add 3,000 new units by 2030 in the Mission Bay, Transbay Terminal, and Hunters Point Shipyard-Candlestick Point neighborhoods. The plan would use the Redevelopment Property Tax Fund, established when the state dissolved redevelopment agencies, to tack on $500 million extra to Lee's previous plan to build $250 million worth of affordable housing throughout the city. The plan would authorize the issuance of bonds to build 1,800 affordable units by 2020, 660 units by 2025, and 540 units by 2030. Opposition Prompts Down-Scaling of Major San Diego Development Bowing to opposition from residents in the San Diego community of Carmel Valley, developer Kilroy Realty decided to scale back its massive mixed-use development known as One Paseo. Kilroy received City Council approval in February for a 1.1-million square foot version of the project with over 600 residences along with office and retail space, but a signature drive forced the previous version of the project to a vote in 2016 that would cost the city roughly $900,000. Observers are studying the fate of the project carefully as a potential precedent-setter for the development of denser projects in suburban San Diego. Kilroy said that the compromise would reduce the traffic caused by the project -- the major stickler for neighborhood opposition groups -- by half and would lower the heights of the tallest office towers from nine stories to seven stories. Kilroy will now present the compromised version to community groups for approval and eventually bring it back to the city council for another round of votes.  California Cites Score Highly in Fitness Ranking A new report ranks San Diego, the Bay Area, and Sacramento in the top five fittest among the 50 biggest metropolitan areas in the country. The ranking, called the American Fitness Index and released by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Anthem Foundation, measures health and community indicators including varieties of outdoor exercise options and rates of smoking, obesity, and diabetes. Those three cities ranked respectively third, fourth, and fifth; San Jose rounded out 10th place, Los Angeles got 23rd, and Riverside-San Bernardino came in at 34th. California's Carbon Use Beats Most Nations California has the second-least carbon-intensive developed economy in the world, according to a new study from public policy group Next 10. Having more electric cars than any other state or country, the most clean-technology investment, and a fast-growing fleet of renewable power plants, California's economy is only beaten by France in the study which measures emissions of greenhouse gases per dollar of economic activity. From 1990 through 2012, California's greenhouse gas emissions shrank by 25 percent per person while per capita gross domestic product rose 37 percent. That ratio could increase even further as Governor Jerry Brown seeks to expand California's use of renewable energy to 50 percent by 2030. Lawsuit Over Sacramento Arena Dismissed Without further comment the California Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit led by retired state Department of Transportation director Adriana Saltonstall alleging that the $477 million Sacramento Kings downtown arena project violated CEQA and would cause massive traffic and air pollution problems in the city. Officials breathed a sigh of relief at the decision, as they assumed that the case could delay the stadium's scheduled opening date of October 2016. The dismissal leaves only one hurdle for the construction of the new arena which has been fast-tracked through CEQA by AB-900. Three Sacramentans are suing the city for contributing a $255 million subsidy to the project, most of which will come about by borrowing against its downtown parking operations. Natural Resources Agency Releases Application for River Parkways Grants The California Natural Resources Agency announced the release of the guidelines and application for the California River Parkways (RP) grant program. Awards for this program will be made pursuant to the River Parkways Act of 2004. An estimated $7.6 million will be available for projects that involve natural creeks, streams and/or rivers, or channelized or culverted creeks, streams and/or rivers. Projects must serve at least two of the following purposes: recreation, habitat protection, flood management, conservation, conversion to river parkways.  The agency will award funds to "projects that produce multiple benefits which reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase water use efficiency, reduce risks from climate change impacts and demonstrate collaboration with local, state and community entities." The application period runs June 1 to Sept. 1.