Criticism of the Cal-Fed Bay-Delta Program continued to pile up during November. First, the Department of Finance released a draft report on Cal-Fed implementation that found a mixed record of progress. One week later, the Little Hoover Commission recommended dissolution of the California Bay-Delta Authority, which began overseeing the Cal-Fed program in 2003. Gov. Schwarzenegger requested the two studies as well as an organization and program management review by KPMG that is due this month. Schwarzenegger asked for the examinations because of growing concern that Cal-Fed is not making adequate progress on its four goals of improving water supply reliability, levee stability, water quality and the ecosystem (see , October 2005). In a November 10 transmittal letter to Resources Secretary Michael Chrisman, Acting Finance Director Michael Genest wrote, “We found areas with significant accomplishments, such as increased groundwater storage, support of local watershed efforts, and maintenance of water supplies through the Environmental Water Account, as well as areas where progress to date is promising for longer term results, such as ecosystem restoration. We also found several areas where significant progress was lacking, such as levee improvements and increased export of water from the Delta.” The Little Hoover Commission found that the Bay-Delta Authority, composed of 25 state and federal agencies, is too fragmented to succeed. The Authority “was not given the authority to implement the Cal-Fed Program and it is not clear within the implementing agencies who is in charge of Cal-Fed implementation,” the Commission reported. The Commission recommended re-creating a previous policy group, with the U.S. interior secretary and the state resources secretary clearly in charge. “One lesson of the last five years is that Cal-Fed will require an amount of political capital and leadership that can only flow from the institution of the governor,” Little Hoover Commission Chairman Michael Alpert said. The Commission further recommended adoption of a comprehensive state water policy, a larger role for science in Cal-Fed decisions, and more meaningful public involvement. Additionally, the Commission said the Legislature should clarify its expectations for state agencies and hold them accountable. The Cal-Fed reports hit at the same time that the Department of Water Resources released an environmental impact report for a project that is intended to meet two Cal-Fed goals: better water quality for farmers and cities, and protection of migrating fish. The EIR drew sharply different responses — just the sort of conflict that Cal-Fed was supposed to stem. The South Delta Improvements Program would install barriers near pumps at Byron that remove water from the Delta for transport to farms and cities via the California Aqueduct. The movable barriers would decrease saltwater intrusion into the area from which the pumps take water and block fish from the pumping zone. The EIR released on November 10 found that the project would not harm water quality or fish. However, the Contra Costa Water District immediately questioned the EIR’s conclusion. District officials said the project could increase water salinity at the district’s Delta pumps. Environmentalists and some farmers also questioned the EIR and the entire project, saying it was a partial solution at best. Meanwhile, a coalition of water agencies, farmers and business interests called California Water Future endorsed the EIR. The EIR as well as the Little Hoover Commission and the Department of Finance reports are all available on the Cal-Fed website: www.calwater.ca.gov.

Water agencies cannot charge water users incrementally more per gallon of use following a  ruling  by the Fourth District Court of Appeals that cited a 1996 law prohibiting government agencies from overcharging for services. The suit came about after San Juan Capistrano charged nearly four times as much per unit of water for users in the highest tier to provide an incentive to conserve, but failed to show that the water was that expensive to deliver. Governor Jerry Brown wanted to use the rates to save water and create strong disincentives for wealthier residents. Other water districts must now review the ruling to make sure that their rates are in step with the court, while still encouraging conservation during the drought. Two-thirds of water districts use some form of tiered water pricing, but now agencies will have to show that hikes are directly tied to the cost of water, according to the court. Change in Leadership at Dept. of Housing and Community Development Claudia Cappio has left her role as director of the Department of Housing and Community Development to head the "Coliseum City" development plan in Oakland. Replacing her as acting director will be Susan Riggs, the former Executive Director of the San Diego Housing Federation. Riggs has been serving as Deputy Secretary of Housing Policy for the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH) since January 2014. Prior to joining BCSH, Riggs served as the Executive Director of the San Diego Housing Federation. In this capacity, her primary goal was to promote the creation of safe, stable, and healthy housing that is affordable to lower income families and people in need. Newly Discovered Fault Puts Ventura at Risk An earthquake fault that runs through downtown Ventura is extremely dangerous and could produce a magnitude 8.0 earthquake every 400 to 2,400 years, according to new research from the California Geological Survey. In contrast with the inland San Andreas fault, an earthquake at the Ventura fault could bring a devastating tsunami to the region that would begin "in the Santa Barbara Channel area, and would affect the coastline � of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, down through the Santa Monica area and further south," according to Southern California Earthquake Center director Tom Jordan, as quoted in the Los Angeles Times . Up until the study, experts believed that California's biggest threat of tsunami would be a mega-quake in Alaska, which would still give Californians hours to evacuate. Services for Homeless Cost L.A. $100 Million Annually Five members of the Los Angeles City Council proposed that the city take a new approach in dealing with 23,000 people living on the streets. Reacting to a scathing report indicating that homelessness costs the city $100 million per year and saying that the city's response has been fractured and dysfunctional, the council members want to create a new council committee focused just on that problem. In the report, City Administrative Officer Miguel A. Santana said that $87 million of indirect costs go to the Los Angeles Police Department for arrests, patrols and mental health interventions. "What's happening in the city and county is unconscionable and unacceptable," Councilmember Mike Bonin said at the meeting. "For the most part we're wasting our money." Waze, Los Angeles Establish Partnership for Data-Sharing In a new private-public partnership, the City of Los Angeles and the traffic app Waze will share data on traffic patterns and roadway conditions. The partnership will allow people using the traffic app to see alerts about hit-and-runs and abducted children, and several government departments will send Waze information about construction, film shoots, and road closures. In return, the app will send the city real-time data about traffic patterns and roadway conditions. Police officers had previously worried that the Google-owned app, which has about 1.3 million users in the city, would put police officers in danger by giving their location and allowing people to track them down.  Napa County Parks In Dire Financial Straits A new financial report brought disappointing news to the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District: a planned expansion of the county's park and open space system doesn't have nearly enough funding and could take a century to complete unless a new tax speeds up the process. Currently, the district has enough funds to maintain existing amenities, but it only has about $100,000 annually available for expansions. Completion of the Bay Area Ridge Trail alone could cost the city $15 million. To raise the funds, the district's advisory committee is looking at the possibilities of a parcel tax, property tax, or sales taxes. "We're not trying to buy the whole county," District General Manager John Woodbury told the Napa Valley Register . "That's not the idea. But those special places that would benefit from being owned publicly, that's where we come in." Laguna Woods Begins General Plan Update The City Council of Laguna Woods agreed to begin work on a comprehensive update of the city's General Plan to map out the city's direction for the next 25 years. Estimated to cost $315,000, the update will focus on transportation, housing, land use, noise, open space, and fiscal development to provide direction on attracting and retaining industries. Adoption of the plan is projected for spring of 2017.  Rents Keep Rising News reports have recently been focusing on the state of rental markets across California. Among the highlights:  San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose were respectively named the three worst cities nationwide for renters by Forbes. The rankings looked at the jumps in rent from 2014 to now, as well as vacancy rates, median household income, and other factors. The best cities for renters included Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Las Vegas. The influx of tech money into San Francisco shot the city's rental rates up 14.8 percent since last year, averaging more than $3,000 a month in some areas. The increase dwarfs the nationwide average of 3.7 percent. Homes in Orange County are flying off the shelves, as the city has become the fifth-fastest in the nation at selling homes. 59 percent of the homes listed through the real estate company Trulia this year came off the market in two months or less, compared with 40 percent nationwide. "Expensive markets � including many in California � have tight housing supplies because of limited construction in the face of growing demand. So homes get snapped up quickly," the report said. Report: Bay Area Ill-prepared for Superstorm Flood Waters A new report shows that, despite the persistence of drought in California, the Bay Area is extremely susceptible to a superstorm that occurs every 150 years. The study, released by the nonprofit Bay Area Council, says that flooding from this type of storm could produce $10.4 billion in economic damage, and it calls for the implementation of infrastructure projects ranging from levees to sea walls to wetlands to prepare for the storm. Eighty percent of the flooding damage from a 150-year storm would be concentrated in Marin, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. In the Bay Area, 355,000 residents and $46.2 billion in assets are situated in areas that are susceptible, according to the report. "The drought is a function of extreme weather, but it's only one side of the coin, and we know what's coming next," Adrian Covert, policy director for the council, told the San Mateo County Times . "With this report, it shows that we can't say we weren't warned, and the time to prepare is now." The last major storm of this type occurred in the Great Flood of 1862, when 34 inches of rain fell on San Francisco in about a month.  BART May Seek 2016 Property Tax Increase  Officials at Bay Area Rapid Transit are considering putting a property tax increase on the 2016 ballot to fund badly needed upgrades to the system, according to Daniel Borenstein at the Contra Costa Times. The district is expecting operating shortfalls of $35-50 million in the years 2018-2024 due to costly employee compensation, and it lacks money to replace or improve 306 of its train cars. All in all, the district estimates that it would need about $4.8 billion in the next 10 years. However, with a tax increase requiring two-thirds of voters' approval, Borenstein warned that such an effort could torpedo the upgrades, and possibly even other unrelated transportation improvements. "Making matters worse, the district is aiming for the same presidential election ballot that Contra Costa Transportation Authority officials are eyeing for a measure to double their current half-cent sales tax for road and transit improvements," Borenstein told the Contra Costa Times . "By loading up the ballot, BART risks dividing the more fiscally conservative, tax-sensitive suburban vote between the two measures and killing both." PPIC Establishes Water Policy Center Amid the state's worst drought, the Public Policy Institute of California is launching a $9 million Water Policy Center with funding from the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation. The center will be headed by Ellen Hanak and will focus on research to promote public policy that would ensure clean and reliable water supplies, build healthy and resilient ecosystems, and prepare for future droughts and floods. "If California's water is managed well, it can support a vibrant economy, society, and environment now and in the future," Hanak said in a  statement . "But we will need new approaches that are practical, evidence-based, and scientifically sound.

A NEW STUDY OF WATER SUPPLY in California provides a mixed picture. The state could meet much of the demand required by a growing population through water conservation, groundwater banking, recycling and water transfers, according to a report from the Public Policy Institute of California. However, the long-term plans of many water agencies rely heavily on the development of new supplies, especially groundwater in areas with no groundwater management policies. “Water for Growth: California’s New Frontier” by Public Policy Institute of California Research Fellow Ellen Hanak recognizes what many water experts have said for years — the era of constructing large dams and aqueducts is over. Instead, water suppliers will have to be more creative in managing limited water supplies. According to the PPIC report, California is expected to add 14 million new residents by 2030. If current water use trends prevail, the state would need an additional 3.6 million acre-feet of water to provide for population growth. And that projection might be low because about half of the state’s population growth is expected to be in the Sacramento region, the San Joaquin Valley and the Inland Empire — locations where single-family houses predominate and more than half of water is used for landscaping. Hanak was encouraged to find that a little more than half of planning agencies participate to some extent in utility planning and in regional water policy groups. She also reports that compliance with SBs 610 and 221 — 2001 legislation requiring proof that water will be available for large developments —is quite high. Hanak was less upbeat about mandatory urban water management plans. She found that one-sixth of agencies did not submit required plans during the 2000 update cycle, and the plans of many utilities rely heavily on “paper water” and additional groundwater pumping to meet future needs. Hanak makes four recommendations: • Strengthen long-term water planning, in part by giving land use planners more say. • Streamline project-level water adequacy reviews by improving long-term planning documents and finding ways to pay for new water supplies. Hanak also recommends charging developers impact fees to fund water development. • Realize the potential of water conservation, in part by charging higher rates to the biggest water users. • Consolidate progress in groundwater management because overdraft is a serious problem in some areas. Hanak further recommends that the state withhold new water supply permits from local agencies that do not manage water responsibly. The PPIC report is available at www.ppic.org HOUSES IN FRESNO will have water meters. In July, the city approved a 40-year contract renewal with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for the delivery of 60,000 acre-feet of water from the San Joaquin River. The deal requires installation of water meters at all single-family houses in the city by 2013. Only about 25,000 of the city’s 105,000 houses have meters, and the city has never billed homeowners anything but a flat rate. However, both state lawmakers and federal officials insist that the days of meter-less water use in Fresno had to end so that homeowners would be encouraged to conserve. Retrofitting existing customers with water meters is estimated to cost at least $50 million. Commercial and multi-family developments already have meters. RECONSTRUCTION OF THE BAY BRIDGE is again moving forward now that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill that addresses funding of the $6.3 billion project. Under the deal spearheaded by state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland), the state will provide an additional $630 million for the project. Tolls on all bridges in the Bay Area except the Golden Gate Bridge will increase by a buck to $4 in 2007 to raise another $800 million for the project. Caltrans will keep the single-tower suspension design that has caused much consternation. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake caused a section of the Bay Bridge’s eastern span to fail. Caltrans has retrofitted the western span and plans to replace the eastern span. However, the project stalled last year when the state received only one bid, at double the expected $740 million cost, for the suspension tower (see , October 2004). Nearly a year of negotiations, which added an estimated $400,000 per day to the project cost, resulted in the deal signed by Schwarzenegger. The re-bidding process has already begun. The project’s expected 2012 completion date would give a fourth governor a Bay Bridge photo op. Pete Wilson signed the first funding bill on the bridge in 1997. Gray Davis attended the project groundbreaking. And in July Schwarzenegger signed the latest funding bill with the bridge looming over his shoulder. CITY OF SANTA PAULA VOTERS will not decide on a growth-control initiative during the November 8 special election. Ventura County Superior Court Judge Steven Hintz ruled in July that Santa Paula City Clerk Josie Herrera was correct to disqualify the initiative because signed petitions did not include the ordinances that the initiative wanted to amend. The proposed initiative would have put to a public vote any project of more than 80 acres proposed at a higher density than allowed under the general plan. The initiative came in response to Centex Homes’ proposal for about 2,200 houses, townhouses and apartments on 2,200 acres that Santa Paula would annex. The city’s general plan now calls for about 450 houses on the site. The City Council is scheduled to consider the housing project later this year. Opponents vowed to keep fighting. A 5.8-MILE TROLLEY EXTENSION to San Diego State University opened in July — 28 years after it was first planned. The $500 million project extends San Diego’s thriving, 54-mile trolley system through Mission Valley, providing an alternative to congested Interstate 8. The line is expected to get about 11,000 riders a day, one-third of them SDSU students. THE AIR FORCE IS PROPOSING to reduce the cleanup of groundwater contamination at the closed McClellan Air Force Base, according to the . Sacramento County fears that the reduced cleanup could substantially set back reuse of the 3,000-acre base as a business and industrial park. The military has been pumping and treating tainted groundwater at McClellan for two decades. The new proposal calls for shutting down extraction wells. Instead, the military would only take steps necessary to contain pollution within the base boundaries. The change would save about $600 million, but it still needs approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. TWO SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCILMEN were convicted in July in a federal corruption trial. According to prosecutors, Councilmen Michael Zucchet and Ralph Inzunza accepted $23,000 in campaign contributions from the owner of Cheetahs adult nightclub. They were convicted of conspiracy, wire fraud and extortion. Also convicted was Lance Malone, a former Clark County, Nevada, commissioner, who went between the Cheetah’s owner and the San Diego councilmen. Zucchet, Inzunza and Councilman Charles Lewis, who died while under indictment, tried to ease the city’s “no touch” rule for nude dance clubs. The scheme also involved closing down a Cheetahs competitor and amending the city’s zoning code to make it more difficult to open new adult businesses. Zucchet, Inzunza and Malone have maintained their innocence and vowed to appeal. Sentencing is scheduled for November. THE MARIN COUNTY GRAND JURY has criticized the county’s planning process as “unclear, convoluted, time-consuming and costly.” The Marin Community Development Agency got the grant jury’s attention last year when there was controversy over a 6,500-square-foot house in Greenbrae that was originally permitted for only 3,950 square feet. The grand jury found flaws in the agency’s code enforcement, building inspection and planning practices. The county, however, has already undertaken steps to improve the system, according to officials. The county has adopted new design guidelines for single-family homes, added planners and revised various procedures.

What has been possibly the longest-running general plan controversy on record appears to have concluded on August 31, when a Sacramento County Superior Court judge accepted a revised environmental impact report for a new El Dorado County general plan. The judge’ decision gives the county a legal general plan for the first time since 1999. After a seven-year process with multiple political swings, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors adopted a new general plan in 1996. A collection of homeowners and environmental groups sued, arguing that the plan’s EIR was inadequate. A Sacramento County judge agreed in an early 1999 decision that eliminated the county’s ability to approve discretionary projects (see , March 1999, March 1996). Last year, the Board of Supervisors approved a slightly revised general plan and a new EIR. The plan survived a referendum in March of this year (see , April 2005). The county then returned to court, where it won Judge Gail Ohanesian’s blessing. The county intends to begin processing applications again this month. An appeal of the decision is likely. The case is , Sacramento County Superior Court Case No. 96CS01290. In a controversy nearly as old as El Dorado County’s, a federal judge has stalled a proposed giant garbage dump in Riverside County near Joshua Tree National Park. In late September, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Timlin rejected the Bureau of Land Management’s study of a proposed land swap with Kaiser Ventures, which first proposed the Eagle Mountain landfill in the late 1980s. Kaiser now has a deal with Los Angeles County, which intends to purchase the landfill site from Kaiser for $41 million. Kaiser and the BLM propose swapping approximately 2,500 acres owned by the federal government for a like amount of property Kaiser owns elsewhere in the desert. Judge Timlin found that the BLM did not fully consider alternatives to the land trade, failed to adequately analyze the project’s impacts on national park visitors and bighorn sheep, and did not consider the increased number of predators that that landfill may lure. The proposed garbage dump has withstood extensive state court litigation and political controversy (see , June 1999, April 1996, November 1994; , October 1997; , November 1992). However, environmentalists have continued to fight the project vigorously. San Diego County has sued the City of El Cajon over two proposed development projects — a Home Depot and an 11-lot residential subdivision. Pointing primarily to traffic, the county argues that the environmental reviews for the projects are inadequate. But city officials question whether the county is trying to halt the city from annexing the properties because development within the city limits would deprive the county of a new traffic impact fee. “We’ve never had the county jump on us, and I’ve been with the city for 32 years,” El Cajon Community Development Director Jim Griffin said. “Now we have to pay money to defend lawsuits, and applicants are hung out to dry.” The Home Depot project on East Main Street has been particularly controversial. The city certified an EIR in 1999, but later that year rejected the development. This time around, the city used the six-year-old EIR but added an addendum to address traffic, air quality, noise and other issues. Neighbors remained opposed and they got support from county Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who testified against the project. With both projects now in court, the San Diego County Local Agency Formation Commission has put the annexations on hold. The salamander wars continue unabated in Central and coastal California. In a victory for environmentalists, U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup ruled that the Santa Barbara County and Sonoma County populations of California tiger salamander qualify as endangered. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), which granted the amphibians Endangered Species Act protection only after earlier litigation, had downgraded the two salamander populations from endangered to threatened. Alsup determined that the agency “did not supply any scientific evidence” for the downgraded status. The case is , No. 04-04324. The listing has been particularly controversial in Sonoma County because of the potential for slowing development and wine-growing activities (see , July 2004). Federal officials have proposed designating 74,000 acres near Santa Rosa as critical habitat for the salamander. In a victory for development interests and landowners, USFWS released a new map of critical habitat for the Central California and Santa Barbara County populations of the tiger salamander. The map covers 199,000 acres in 19 counties, but contains only about half as much territory has an earlier proposed critical habitat designation. In its final decision, USFWS eliminated from the critical habitat designation 12 census tracts in Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Clara counties because of the economic impact the designation would have had. A pair of 53-story hotel and condominium towers proposed for the Capitol Mall in Sacramento has received the Sacramento Planning Commission’s approval. At 615-feet, the towers would be the tallest structures in Sacramento by nearly 200 feet. Proposed by developer John Saca for Capitol Mall at Third Street, the buildings would have a hotel on the lower floors and at least 700 condominiums on the upper stories.

Caltrans released the California Transportation Plan 2040, a long-range integrated approach to transportation planning that is multimodal, sustainable and environmentally responsible. Caltrans describes the plan as taking a "whole system" approach toward the state's transportation system that integrates statewide long-range modal plans and programs with the latest technology and tools to articulate the State's broad vision for a single, seamless transportation system that complements regional transportation plans, sustainable communities strategies and land-use visions for greater mobility choices. The plan included input from governmental agencies, tribal governments, advocacy groups, public stakeholders, elected and appointed officials, and community-based organizations from around the state. The CTP includes recommendations and goals for meeting greenhouse gas reduction targets and how to make transportation in California more sustainable and integrated. More information is available at www.californiatransportationplan2040.org . November Ballot to Include Major Measures Related to Land Use The November statewide ballot, to be finalized this week, will likely include several measures related to land use. California lawmakers proposed a $3.12 billio n bond for the November ballot that would pay for parks, water and climate change actions; 20 percent of the bond must assist disadvantaged communities. Tens of millions of dollars are for specific programs in San Diego, Ventura County, Central Valley and the High Desert/Coachella area. The improvements in state and local parks would improve public safety, health and air quality through added green space. The state parks have maintenance backlog of over $1 billion. The measure was approved in the Assembly, 55-14, and must now go to the senate for a vote. Another measure slated for the ballot is a “No Blank Checks Initiative” which would require a public vote for any state project that spends more than $2 billion in revenue bonds. This initiative could apply to many infrastructure projects, including high speed rail and a plan to construct water tunnels in the Sacramento Bay-Delta. Finally, a measure to legalize recreational marijuana is sure to raise local zoning questions about dispensaries and commercial growing facilities. (See prior CP&DR coverage .) Judge Blocks Bay-Delta Management Plan Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael P. Kenny ruled the current management plan for the Sacramento Bay-Delta must be “set aside” because the comprehensive management plan for the estuary is no longer valid. This means a serious delay in Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to build the two water tunnels through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This means for the tunnels to get built, state officials have to prove the project complies with the Delta Plan for managing land use and water exports in the estuary. The Delta Plan balances the “co-equal goals” of protecting the environment in the Delta and providing stable freshwater for the Southern half of the state. Kenny said the plan fails on many of the environmental issues and failed to provide quantifiable targets for achieving reduced Delta reliance. Airbnb Files Suit Against San Francisco Airbnb is suing its hometown, San Francisco, for its decision to fine the company $1,000 a day for unregistered hosts. The fine is intended to compel hosts to register, and may transient occupancy taxes, in accordance with city regulations adopted in early 2015. San Francisco affordable housing advocates have pushed Airbnb to cap its short-term rentals and required hosts to register with the city. However, reports indicate that only 20 percent of the 7,000 hosts registered and Airbnb has not assisted the city. Airbnb is combating the suit by claiming that the city’s regulation violates the Communications Decency Act, a federal law that shields websites from the actions of contributors. Airbnb claims that it is not responsible for content posted by unregistered hosts. Lands Commission to Address Diablo Canyon Closure The State Lands Commission is considering whether to waive an environmental impact report for the closure of Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in order to speed up its planned decommissioning. The Diablo Canyon twin-reactor facility could forego environmental review and close the site by 2025, nine years before the contract is up. The plant, managed by PG&E, is 31-years old and would close 20 years ahead of planned termination. The twin reactors are located in San Luis Obispo County and built near seismic faults that have triggered an environmental movement to shut down the facility. PG&E says the reactors could withstand a strong earthquake, but the electricity is no longer required from this plant. Anaheim Bans Short Term Rentals Anaheim, home of Disneyland and other tourist attractions, has become the largest city in California to ban short-term rentals outright. The Anaheim City Council for the ban during a five-hour special session. Hosts of the 363 permitted STR have 18 months to stop renting. Residents of the city said the vacationers were ruining their quality of life by staying in “mini-hotels” with all-night parties, littering streets and taking up parking spots. STR owners say they invested into turning eyesore properties into beautiful homes. “The sharing economy is exciting and something that gives people a chance to earn extra income but this is not really the sharing economy,” Mayor Tom Tait told the Orange County Register. “These are motels in residential neighborhoods.” Costa Mesa Approves Plan Update Amid ongoing controversy about housing in Costa Mesa, the Costa Mesa City Council voted, 3-1, to approve updates to the general plan through 2035. Included in the plan is a program to incentivize motel owners along Harbor and Newport boulevards to demolish their establishments to build high-density apartments. However, affordable-housing advocates say these motels are last-resort housing for many families and individuals. The city said these new units would be 40 units per acres, and 20 percent required affordable for lower-income households. There may be a lawsuit, as these types of incentives may violate state law because it does not set aside low-income units. Updates & Quick Hits LA Metro released its draft EIR for the Airport Metro Connector 96th Street Transit Station, which will serve trains on the Crenshaw/LAX line, Green Line, buses, cyclists, pedestrians and the Automated People Mover that brings people to the LAX terminals. The Monterey City Council approved a citywide bike share program. The city also approved its Climate Action Plan, after receiving a $250,000 grant from the Coastal Commission and the Ocean Protection Council to update its plan. Richmond has adopted one of the state’s most liberal marijuana regulations. It will allow an unlimited number of permits for commercial cannabis growing operations as well a business permits to produce edibles like cookies, brownies and tinctures. Mayor Tom Butt estimates it will generate $1 million each year. California senators have approved , 35-1, a $2 billion bond to assist counties in offering permanent housing for mentally ill homeless people. The money would come from an existing fund for mental health care financed by a tax on millionaires that was approved in 2004. A Stanford University study found that California has three times more groundwater than was earlier estimated. However, this water is located in deeper aquifers,1,000 to 3,000 feet underground, which would require much more money and engineering expertise to access as drinking water. The water quality is unsure, and may require desalination. The OCTA board  voted unanimously to cancel the 3.2-mile, $300 million Anaheim Streetcar project. The Transportation Authority will now conduct a study of the Harbor Boulevard corridor and come up with less expensive transit solutions for the corridor.  The California Supreme Court blocked a lower court ruling that said certain tax increases only need a simple majority instead of two-thirds of voters as required by Proposition 13. Having the court review a case will take months, or even years, before a final ruling is made. The ruling will not affect measures on the November ballot. Supporters of a ballot initiative to approve a new football stadium in San Diego had hoped for the 50 percent threshold. Ocean Avenue South, a mixed-use, mixed income development in Santa Monica, is one of 26 global finalists for the 2016 Urban Land Institute Global Awards for Excellence. Half of the projects 160 units are affordable housing and was funded by the city’s former redevelopment agency. L.A. Metro is recommending a combined development team of Trammell Crow Company and Greenland USA to begin negotiations for development of the 15.6 acre Red/Orange Line station in North Hollywood. The project would be one of Los Angeles’ largest transit oriented developments.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved  the largest residential complex in the history of Mission District, 3.5 years after the project was proposed. The development includes 191 market-rate apartments and 100-136 affordable units; the latter will be constructed by the city by land donated by the developer. Residents of this neighborhood, which has become a flashpoint in the city’s gentrification debates, are worried about displacement; in a predominantly working-class Latino community a huge spike in luxury condominiums and new restaurants have replaced the rent-controlled apartments and laundromats. Those opposed to the project say it has a flawed environmental impact report, and that impacts of increased traffic and congestion were not evaluated. Supervisors responded that CEQA was not the appropriate avenue to address displacement concerns and that the city would construct the new affordable units with the $30 million it has set aside. Activists have already indicated that they will sue  to block the project. Chargers Propose Community Land Trust for Barrio Logan Amid debates over a possible new stadium, the San Diego Chargers  have told the San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council that they will help keep land values low and fight gentrification near their new home if the bid for the $1.8 billion convention stadium is won. The team would establish a land trust for Barrio Logan, Sherman Heights, Logan Heights and other neighborhoods that would see high levels of displacement. The trust would be run by a nonprofit group and community members would drive the selection process, however the team would supply the trust with funds that range “in the millions.” A labor agreement between the Chargers and the construction union would require unions to guarantee not to strike and require contractors to hire workers through the union halls. Santa Cruz Zoning Would Create ‘Nodes’ of Density The City of Santa Cruz has released  the first draft of its proposed zoning update its for four main corridors. This new rule-book will help control through these major byways. Developers that meet certain criteria at numerous “nodes” along the corridors may build higher density developments. The new code is part of the city’s vision to increase community walkability. This can include removing on-street parking for right-of-way improvements and bicycle access. The corridor committee also recommends incentives for new affordable housing, “community benefit” exceptions and craft design standards. Opposition has come from residents on the east side of the city who feel the plan encourages is undue density and development on their side of town. The Planning Commission will now begin hosting three public hearing meetings to gather input from the community on the draft zoning code before going to City Council for approval. Humboldt County Agrees to Implement ADA Compliance Measures Humboldt County has three and a half years to correct  violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act according to a new agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. A similar pact was made in 2008, but the county failed to make all the necessary improvements. The county has started prioritizing and cataloguing disability access projects, but must now find the funding and implement the ruling’s requirements. This Department of Justice program, Project Civic Access, had similar agreements with 220 local agencies across the country; Humboldt County was one of the few that did not comply. The county blames the Great Recession for its inability to fund the ADA upgrades and projects; since the economy has improved, these have become priority. The county has created a new ADA coordinator position and is reviewing potential candidates. The county also has allocated $1.2 million in discretionary funds for ADA compliance. Maps Charts Neighborhood Change in Los Angeles The joint UCLA and UC Berkeley Urban Displacement project recently released  a gentrification map of Los Angeles. Researchers looked at the city from 1990 to 2000, and up to 2015 focusing on neighborhoods near transit stops. These areas saw greater rent increases and more displacement than other areas around the city. The most intense developments have occurred in Chinatown, Highland Park, East L.A., and along the Hollywood red line. Urban planners have been pushing for more transit-oriented development, which includes a half-mile area around a Metro or light rail stop. Professor Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris from UCLA told KPCC that TOD and denser development do not have to be stopped, but more policies need to be put in place to protect affordable housing. Caltrans to Liquidate Properties Surrounding Would-Be 710 Extension Caltrans will begin selling  42 properties, including 39 single-family and 3 multi-family, along the path of the north 710 Freeway extension in El Sereno. Caltrans is considering a variety of projects in the area: dedicated busway, light-rail line, traffic management systems or a 6.3-mile freeway tunnel. These first homes lie outside the scope of all these potential projects. Caltrans has a formula to set the starting price for the property but many worry that this may lead to unaffordable prices for current tenants. Of the properties, 3 are in Pasadena, 6 in Los Angeles, and 33 in South Pasadena. The Santa Barbara Planning Commission Considers Major Coastal Plan At a recent Santa Barbara County Planning Commission meeting, comissioners heard  about the Gaviota Coast Plan, which will set regulations for the more than 100,000 acres of oceanfront property. The plan includes issues such as public trails across private property, streamlined permitting for fire stands and small campgrounds, balance of ranching and farming with protection of endangered species, and whether to allow fracking. The Environmental Defense Center said the plan should include better protection of endangered species habitat in mountainous areas, which makes up roughly 25,000 acres or a quarter of the plan’s scope. Monterey Adopts Specific Plan, Parks & Recreation Plan The Monterey City Council adopted  the Lighthouse Specific Plan and the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. For the Lighthouse plan, referring to a corridor along Lighthouse Avenue, major pieces were parking and traffic and building heights. Most buildings will not be higher than 35 feet. Over 1,000 community comments were heard for the new Parks and Recreation Master Plan, which guides the design needs for the next 20 years. The city plans to construct a teen center, more art and history in the parks, dog parks, and potentially a pickleball field. Monterey Council members also approved a response letter to the county’s 2016-17 civil jury report showing low-income housing is rarely available for homeless women. QUICK HITS & UPDATES The U.S. Interior Department officials signed  the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, designed to balance conservation of California’s desert landscapes with the growth in clean energy. The plan puts 9.2 million acres of federal land in California deserts off limits to solar, wind and geothermal development and allows approximately 800,000 acres to be used for renewable projects. 400,000 acres of Development Focus Areas will have a streamlined permitting process. U.S. DOT announced a $1.04 billion federal grant to SANDAG to extend the existing Blue Line Trolley service from downtown San Diego to the growing University City area. The 10.92-mile light rail extension is estimated to serve around 24,600 transit trips every weekday and begin service in 2021.  According to a new survey  by Los Angeles Metro, the Expo Line has seen a ridership surge of 20,000 new rides per weekday since the opening of Phase 2 to Santa Monica. The first two months of service have hit 70 percent of the rider projection made for 2030. Seventy percent of were new to the system; half used to drive alone and 23 percent switched from using the bus. Measure A, the proposed half-cent sales tax in San Diego County, is being challenged  by a group of labor, health and transportation organizations for claiming the ordinance would improve water quality by treating runoff and that it will reduce mass transit fares for seniors, students, disabled people and veterans. The Registrar of Voters, Michael Vu, will make a decision to amend or delete the disputed statements. San Diego is expecting  to reap nearly $49.2 million from developer impact fees over the next five years from the many construction projects occurring downtown. This money will cover the developer’s projects impacts on parks, transportation and fire station needs. The city has a nearly $1.6 billion wish list for projects it would like to complete in the upcoming years.  Yosemite National Park is adding  400 acres of meadows and forests to its western boundary for the biggest expansion in seven decades. The Trust for Public Land purchased $2.3 million Ackerson Meadow from private owners and donated it to the National Park Service. The meadows are home to the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher and a geographically isolated group of 200 great gray owls. The South Coast Air Quality Management District announced  that it will appeal a recent decision in favor of the planned World Logistics Center in Moreno Valley. The 40.6-million-square-foot warehouse has faced nine lawsuits for not adequately addressing air pollution, traffic and other environmental consequences required by CEQA. The Alameda City Council has proposed  permitting 1,843 housing units through 2023 in order to put the city in compliance with state housing needs assessment.

The American Planning Association announced its 2016 Great Places in America, including one honoree in California: downtown Santa Ana . These communities all include planning that has lead to stronger, healthier and more just communities. The organization announced five Great Neighborhoods, five Great Streets and five Great Public Spaces. Downtown Santa Ana received recognition as a Great Neighborhood. The award refers to the neighborhood bounded by Civic Center Drive Flower Street, First Street, and on the east by the Southern Pacific Railroad. The award cites downtown’s “organic” evolution over 147 years and its mix of uses and architectural styles and its embrace of Orange County’s creative community. It praises planning efforts such as a complete streets plan and notes that Santa Ana has the largest form-based code in the country. Sacramento Arena Opens with Hopes of Spurring Downtown Vibrancy The Golden 1 Center, the new $557 million Sacramento Kings arena, officially opened  this month after years of planning, negotiating, and efforts to keep the Kings in Sacramento. Located in the heart of downtown Sacramento at Fifth and L Street, the building was designed for a relatively small space, but needed to push Sacramento’s downtown into a new era architecturally and economically. The arena’s design draws from the Sierra Nevada mountains and Yosemite’s Half Dome for inspiration. The city gave $255 million in construction subsidies in the belief that the stadium would draw people to the city center to help rejuvenate Sacramento. The Downtown Plaza shopping mall, which had been in decline for years, formerly occupied the site. It, in turn, had come about through a 1960s urban renewal program that demolished an entire neighborhood. Anaheim Approves Redevelopment Initiatives The Anaheim City Council approved  a series of actions for commercial and residential developments along Beach Boulevard intended to rejuvenate the west side of the city. The council unanimously approved a $16.1 million sale of 25-acres to LA-based Zelman Development Company for a proposed “Main Street-style” outdoor shopping center. Additionally a 3.6-acre property was purchased for $13 million by the city’s Housing Authority to push out motels and encourage mixed-use development and affordable housing. These motels are hotspots for illicit activity and provide makeshift month-to-month housing for poor and homeless families. City officials are completing a draft of a Beach Boulevard Specific Plan, which has plans to revitalize the corridor and provide incentives such as fee waivers, flexible development standards and commercial rehabilitation loans. L.A. County Light Rail Extension Takes Eastward Step The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority board of directors approved  engineering plans for the 12.3-mile Gold Line extension from Glendora to Montclair. The 700-page document, which took two years to draft and cost $15 million, describes the alignment of the two new light-rail tracks, location and design of six future stations and parking facilities, 24 grade-separation bridges and 24 street crossings. A trip from Montclair to downtown Pasadena will take about 40 minutes, to Los Angeles approximately 75 minutes. The train will directly serve six cities: Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona, Claremont and Montclair. These cities, along with LA Metro, now have 60 days to submit comments on the preliminary plans. Funding for the $1.2 billion project depends on voters approving Measure M, a half-cent sales tax increase on the Los Angeles County ballot. The line would be the first Los Angeles-Area light rail line to cross county borders, with the final station being in San Bernardino County. With Vote Looming, Interest Groups Weigh in on San Diego Stadium A new study  from the University of San Diego and the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council found that the Chargers’ proposed stadium and convention center annex would bring an economic boost and other benefits to San Diego and its residents. The team-funded study finds that the project would create 15,000 construction jobs and 6,400 permanent jobs. The three areas the project will have economic impacts are the construction, the Chargers’ operation, and additional conventions and meetings in the “convadium”. Meanwhile, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has endorsed  the Chargers stadium ballot measure after reaching an agreement with the team on various financial safeguards and other concessions. Even if the measure fails in November, the relationship between the city and the Chargers will allow for a new stadium solution to be found. Finally, San Diego Chargers owner Dean Spanos announced  that he will not consider a new Mission Valley stadium if voters reject the team’s ballot measure for a combined downtown stadium and convention center annex. Spanos said it would not make financial sense to build a standalone stadium that would host eight to ten events per year and need construction subsidies from the city’s general fund. Quick Hits & Updates The National Trust for Historic Preservation released a report of the 11 most endangered historic places  in the U.S., San Francisco Embarcadero made the list. The two major threats to this historic area are earthquakes and sea level rise. The Port of San Francisco is anticipating a rise in sea level of up to 66 inches by 2100 and major disruption to the $11 billion a year tourism industry in the city. The Anaheim City Council voted to postpone  a vote on the proposed $450 million development at Platinum Triangle, across from the Angel Stadium. The project has support from city leaders and nearby businesses, but the development would harm the team’s ability to build its own developments around the stadium.  The San Francisco Planning Commission voted unanimously to displace  the city’s only commercial farm and allow Golden Bridges School to build on the site. The private school owns the 30,700-square foot parcel but supporters of the farm say Little City Gardens provides herbs to acupuncturists, vegetables for Michelin-starred restaurants, and a peaceful sanctuary for many volunteers. The Long Beach City Council announced  the results of a feasibility study to analyze the potential impacts of adding an international terminal and federal customs facility to accommodate international flights at Long Beach Airport. The conclusion was the move would not violate the noise ordinance established, would generate 350 jobs, and cost between $13.1-$16.4 billion to build. President Obama signed  a new law that gives the Veterans Administration authority to negotiate and sign leases on the nearly 400-acre property in Westwood. The VA’s master plan for the campus calls for 1,200 units of permanent supportive housing for homeless vets. The Escondido Creek Conservancy has been purchasing  land to eventually create a greenbelt and improve creek conditions to support steelhead trout. In the past 25 years, the organization has preserved 1,800 acres. The final two parcels, totaling nearly 1000 acres, will cost nearly $11 million. After reaching purchase agreements with willing sellers, the organization raises funds through community groups, private donors and government grants. The Brisbane City Council decided to postpone  a vote on adding housing to a proposal to develop a 684-acre site know as Baylands. Brisbane residents would like to develop the land as a “community alternative” plan with commercial and industrial space, but not housing. The City of Santa Cruz has announced plans to establish  a bike sharing program. The city is planning on bringing in a third-party operator to manage the rental program. Santa Cruz’ General Plan and Climate Action Plan goals include “multimodal mobility” as well as increasing commute trips by bicycle from 9.7 to 12 percent by 2020.

Sen. Jim Beall (D-San Jose) and Assembly Member Jim Frazier (D-Oakley) have introduced two bills that would dedicate $7.4 billion annually for transportation projects. Approximately $2.5 billion will go to local streets and roads and another significant portion to freight, transit, active transportation, maintenance and rehabilitation of state highways and local roads. The plan would also stabilize the variable gas tax to help generate more revenues by adding a 17-cent per gallon increase. The bills also require local reporting and cities and counties to maintain existing general fund levels for transportation projects. Other parts of the plan include moving “complete streets” design to highways, creating an Office of Transportation Inspector General, and creating an advanced mitigation program for transportation projects. The two bills have been introduced in a special session, which allows negotiations to continue past the regular session’s deadlines. San Jose Sues Santa Clara over Mixed-Use Project The City of San Jose is suing the City of Santa Clara for approving the 240-acre mixed-use City Place project, which that allegedly have a negative impact on San Jose. City Place, also called Related Project, is located across from the Levi’s Stadium and will include retail, entertainment, office space, hotels and residential units. San Jose claims the EIR that was approved by Santa Clara City Council in June failed to adequately address impacts on traffic and housing. According to a letter San Jose sent to Santa Clara in November, the project does not include enough housing within City Place to support the jobs the project will generate. Additionally the City of San Jose commented on the lack of analysis on greenhouse gas emissions, air quality and public services. Cap-and-Trade Auction Again Yields Disappointing Results Revenue generated from the cap-and-trade program last month is estimated to be around $390 million, even weaker than the previous round in May. Around 30.8 million credits were sold out of the nearly 96 million available. The market did have a higher demand for permits than three months ago, which is a measure of success. Gov. Jerry Brown’s high-speed rail will get around $8.4 million this round, but the program needs significantly more. Cap and Trade funds also contribute to planning-related programs such as the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities grants. The Cap and Trade program is still facing a pending lawsuit as to the legality of this potentially unconstitutional tax. And the recent auction was conducted before the legislature approved an extension of the program, thus calling into the question the long-term value of carbon credits.  Planning Reform and Moratorium Initiative Qualifies for Los Angeles Ballot Los Angeles activists have submitted 104,000 signatures to place the anti-development Neighborhood Integrity Initiative on the March 2017 ballot. The measure includes fast-tracking a new general plan, rules that developers cannot meet with city officials and a two-year moratorium on most major development projects. The major group in opposition, Coalition to Protect LA Neighborhoods and Jobs has raised $722,335, half of the money came from CH Palladium. Coalition to Preserve LA, the backers of the initiative, have received $1 million from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio, Kirsten Dunst, Lowe Enterprises, Planning Architecture Engineering Alliance, Westfield and Eli Broad, among others. Ride-Hailing Services Collaborate with Public Transit in Dublin In a unique collaboration between the public sector and ride-hailing services, Lyft and Uber riders in Dublin will get subsidized fares for not riding the bus. The Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority has launched a $200,000, one-year pilot project to help pave the way for changes in how public transit serves suburban areas. Fares would be limited to $3 per trip within West Dublin and $5 within East Dublin. Managers of the bus service say offering these rideshare subsidizes will cost less than operating a bus for a few passengers. The pilot program was funded evenly by the Wheels funds and a grant from the Alameda County Transportation Commission. First Public Street Opens in Sacramento Rail Yards The City of Sacramento has opened the new Fifth Street bridge making it possible to drive from downtown into the heart of the old rail yards, which has been the subject of a long-term redevelopment. The property will house a Kaiser Permanente medical facility, major-league soccer stadium, new Superior Court building and up to 10,000 housing units. The city has been pushing for redevelopment of the railyard for 25 years, including ownership changes, toxic cleanup fights, recession doldrums and changing markets. Kelley’s Downtown Railyard Venture LLC bought the yard a year ago, and says the first apartment buildings will be available in 2018. Anaheim Paves Way for Development Near Angel Stadium The City of Anaheim Planning Commission voted , 4-0, to develop a 15-acre site across from the Los Angeles Angels’ parking lot for shops, restaurants, offices, residences and a hotel. The Angels are opposed to the project because, according to Angels’ attorney Allan Abshez “would cannibalize the Angels’ existing food, beverage and retail operations at Angels’ Stadium.” The plans include a 30-story residential tower with views of the stadium as well as an outdoor entertainment center. The Angels have plans to develop a “sports-entertainment-hotel” to help generate profits for the stadium renovations. The Angels, lead developer of the 15-acre site and the city will now try to reach a plan that is beneficial for all. The Anaheim City Council must still vote on the project within the next two months. Soda Mountain Solar Plant Proposal Rejected San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors rejected , 3-2, a solar plant proposed for the Mojave Desert’s Soda Mountains. The supervisors were concerned with the project destroying habitat and blocking ancient trails used by bighorn sheep. The Mojave Desert has hundreds of miles of land that has already been disturbed and can be used for such projects, Soda Mountains was not one of them. Soda Mountain Solar would bring hundreds of well-paying local union jobs, economic benefits to the county and local economy, and the production of clean solar energy. Quick Hits & Updates Executive Director Chris McKenzie of League of California Cities has announced his retirement after 17 years in the position. The board is conducting a nationwide recruitment for his successor. McKenzie will remain director until the Oct. 5-7 annual conference in Long Beach.  Long Beach was one of the six cities nationwide selected from a group of 18 to be part of a tactical urbanism workshop series. The cities receive funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to “advance street safety and placemaking projects such as pedestrian plazas, bike lanes, shared streets, and more.” West Hollywood will be the fourth L.A.-area city to welcome bike-sharing. The WeHo Pedals bike pilot program begins August 30th at four stations. When WeHo Pedals is fully launched there will be 20 stations and 150 bikes. The Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club and the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society are planning to sue  the Regional Tertiary Treatment and Water Reclamation Authority as well as the cities of San Bernardino and Colton over the alleged repeated stranding and killing of the threatened Santa Ana sucker fish. The Water Treatment plant shuts down its outflows to conduct maintenance, which leaves the fish with 75 percent less water in their critical habitat. San Francisco City Controller released a draft report on affordable housing percentages in the city. The report finds that 18 percent affordable units for renting apartments was the ideal number and 20 percent for condominiums. This study was a feasibility study for Proposition C, the June ballot initiative that tried to raise the affordability requirements from 12 to 25 percent. The California Coastal Commission halted the demolition of three decorative waterfalls at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes last April. The club has since sent four revisions to restore habitat of the protected California gnatcatchers; the most recent draft has been accepted.

The recently established Oakland Department of Transportation released its strategic plan, which focuses on four pillars: equitable jobs and housing; holistic community safety; vibrant, sustainable infrastructure; and responsive, trustworthy government. The plan includes a range of goals and strategies in those four categories that the city will pursue. Other points include that transportation has a role in maintaining affordability, strong policies must be made, governments with accountability and transparency, and lastly that the focus must be on the region instead of only Oakland. OakDOT is comprised of 270 staff and 18 work units from the Department of Public Works and the Police Departments. The strategy calls for partnerships with the departments of Planning and Building, Race and Equity, local transit partners, and stakeholders at the local, regional, state and federal levels. (See prior CP&DR coverage .) L.A. County Gold Line Spurs $6.7 Billion in Transit Oriented Development The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority released two reports that detail the amount of transit-oriented development that has been built or is underway within a half-mile radius of a current and future Gold Line stations. The reports reveal that TOD projects near 18 Gold Line stations from Chinatown to Montclair have resulted in $6.7 billion in private investments since 2003. More than 12,500 new housing units, 3.6 million square feet of commercial space and 1,400 hotel rooms have been built within a half-mile radius of a Gold Line station. The potential TOD for Phase 2 corridor from Arcadia to Montclair would add 17,000 more housing units, 10 million additional square feet of commercial space and 250 more hotel rooms as well as generating $100 million more in annual tax revenues to LA County. The six Pasadena stations amount to $3.3 billion in economic output and roughly 20,700 jobs. These light-rail lines create temporary jobs as well as tax revenues to the county. Los Angeles Takes Stock of Thousands of City-Owned Parcels The City of Los Angeles controller’s office recently a database of counts of properties including parking lots, parks, and orange groves that the city owns but that had not previously been cataloged comprehensively. The data shows the city owns 9,900 parcels in Los Angeles County, much more than previously listed. City officials see this as a first step toward identifying land that could be sold, leased or better utilized for things like condominiums, affordable housing development, parks, or other public facilities. While the databases shows parks, airports and government buildings most residents recognize as city property, the city also found that in 1969 officials began purchasing vacant desert lots in Palmdale to build an airport- there are 17,500 acres in Palmdale that Los Angeles owns. The system will be further detailed to include information on zoning, parking, energy usage, and in some cases estimated property value. UCLA Considers Effects of Climate Change, Envisions L.A. in 2050 Recent climate research from UCLA has found that Los Angeles by 2050 will be hotter, drier, with less snow in the San Gabriel Mountains. It will also grow by 1.5 million people. While one solution is to create denser multi-use developments along transportation corridors, many Angelenos are worried about losing their communities’ characters. The university’s Now Institute released two publications called 100% Sustainable : Strategies for 2050 renewable energy, local water, and ecosystem health in Los Angeles and 99% Preservation, 1 % Densification: A case for 2050 sustainability through a denser, more connected Los Angeles. The studies , led by Los Angeles-based, Pritzker Prize-winning architect Thom Mayne, find increasing the density of Los Angeles’ Wilshire Boulevard to accommodate an additional 1 million people on the 15.8-mile long corridor would be sufficient. Additionally, the plan would be to extend the purple line light rail to Santa Monica allowing more than one million residents to live within a half-mile of a Metro stop. This densification would allow more residents to live a public transit-based lifestyle, diminish water demand, reduce vehicular emissions, and protect an area 10 times its size, primarily by building upward instead of outward. Coastal Cities Sue FAA Over New Flight Paths Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Culver City have sued the Federal Aviation Aministration citing concerns about potential increased aircraft noise and pollution, arguing the environmental analysis for a new air traffic control system was not adequately prepared. The FAA’s Metroplex Project intends to replace aging air traffic control systems, redesign busy airspace and change arrival and departure procedures for 21 local airports including LAX and John Wayne in Orange County. FAA officials say the new procedures will be phased in from November through April and many public outreach sessions will be held. City of Ontario Takes Over ONT Airport The City of Ontario has finally assumed ownership of LA/Ontario International Airport from LA after years of litigation and negotiation. The once fast growing airport saw dramatic cuts in airline service and its annual passenger volumes plummeted from 7.2 million in 2007 to 3.97 million in 2013. Ontario International Airport Authority paid LA World Airports $55.5 million in bonds issues by LA for airport improvements and the FAA issues an operating certificate to the authority. In addition to spreading out the region’s air travel, control of ONT may lead to a development boom around the airport as the city tries to capitalize on its new asset. (See prior CP&DR coverage .) Gas-Powered Autos Cost State $15 Billion Annually The American Lung Association released a report saying California’s dependence on gas-powered vehicles costs the state $15 billion a year in health and climate-related expenses. The research tries to quantify the costs of smog and climate pollution caused by passenger vehicles. To evaluate health care costs the report looked at asthma attacks, hospitalizations, and premature deaths. California has some of the worst air in the country, but new policy calls for 15 percent of cars sold by 2025 to be zero-emission vehicles. Coleman to Succeed McKenzie at League of Cities The League of California Cities Board of Directors has selected Carolyn Coleman as the new executive director. Coleman has a law degree from Indiana University and currently serves as the director of Federal Advocacy for the National League of Cities since 2006. She has experience in the public and private sectors and will be the first female executive director of the League and only the fifth executive director in the organization’s 118-year history. Colman succeeds Chris McKenzie, is retiring after 17 years. (See further CP&DR coverage .) Updates & Quick Hits A controversial $1.2-billion residential, hotel and retail complex in South LA known as The Reef is one step closer to approval after the city council’s Planning and Land Use Committee voted to support the project despite arguments from the community activists who said the project could lead to widespread displacement of low-income residents. The Reef would transform two empty parking lots and the current 12-story Reef building into a walkable community just blocks from the Metro Blue Line station. L.A. Metro received three more unsolicited proposals for mega-projects related to the Measure M ballot measure. Two are for the Sepulveda Pass rail tunnel and another for the West Santa Ana Branch Light Rail project. The approaches in the 8 proposals Metro has received utilize an innovative public-private partnership to deliver projects sooner than anticipated. An Alameda County Superior Court judge denied petitions brought forth against an 18-story mixed-use project in Downtown Berkeley. The Berkeley City Council approved the project in December 2015 but lawsuits were filed against the project’s EIR saying the impacts on nearby schools weren’t studies, the project was incorrectly designated as urban infill development, and the buildings height violated zoning limits. The San Diego City Council rejected , 7-2, a proposal to ban short-term vacation rentals in single-family neighborhoods. The Council directed its staff instead to return with a comprehensive ordinance that would regulate STR. “Star Wars” creator George Lucas has released designs for museums for Treasure Island in San Francisco and Exposition Park in Los Angeles. Both museums are designed by Chinese architect Ma Yansong and have a futuristic, fluid look. Lucas will make a decision early 2017. Sacramento rents are steadily increasing with the healthy job market, population growth and stagnant construction of new development according to Yardi Matrix, a real estate research group, Sacramento’s rents are the fastest-growing rent market in the nation with increases of 11 percent per year and occupancy rates of 96.7 percent. This has created a surge in homeless families. The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a permit to build a solar farm in Jacumba that would generate electricity for 5,000 homes. The proposed plant is located nearly three miles east of Jacumba Hot Springs near the U.S.-Mexico international border fence and near a San Diego G&E substation, so long transmission lines to hook into the region’s power grid will not be needed. The permit allows Jacumba Solar LLC to build 108-acre solar plant along 304 acres of land. Orange County Superior court Judge William D. Claster ruled the City of Fullerton can continue its plan of preserving pieces of West Coyote Hills with other areas getting developed. Friends of Coyote Hills have fought against the 510-acre development and took the city to court last year saying its plan to preserve 60 percent of the land as open space violated state law and a 2012 voter-approved ballot measure. The City of Santa Ana released planning documents titled “The Safe Mobility Santa Ana Plan” that identifies 42 high-priority projects (37 corridors and 5 intersections) that would take around $40 million to complete. The plan signals a shift from the city away from passenger vehicles to a greater focus on pedestrian and bicycle safety.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found through genetic tests that the rare coastal California gnatcatcher qualifies a valid subspecies of gnatcatcher, therefore is entitled to continued protection under the Endangered Species Act. The finding reinforces protections to the bird’s critical habitat, which had been in dispute based on claims — based on findings in a 2013 article by biologists at the University of Minnesota and the Natural History Museum -- that the bird was not a separate subspecies and, therefore, had population robust enough to warrant protection. The species’ federally designated critical habitat covers 197,000 acres in six Southern California counties. The species was first listed in 1993 and has been the subject of ongoing disputes, including a 2014 lawsuit filed by the Pacific Legal Foundation on behalf of several construction and development groups, which precipitated the recent round of genetic testing. The suit claimed that the gnatcatchers is a single species that ranges from Southern California to the southern tip of Baja California. There are an estimated 2,900 coastal California gnatcatchers left in the U.S. Federal analysis indicate the that listing will cost up to $915 million by 2030 in costs incurred by development restrictions.  1.8 Million Acres of Amphibian Habitat Get Critical Designation The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated 1.8 million acres of public land in the Sierra Nevada mountains as critical habitat for three threatened amphibians: the Yosemite toad, Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, and the mountain yellow-legged frog. This decision will impact 16 counties from Lassen in the north to Fresno in the south as all grazing, logging and hydroelectric dam operations must take these amphibians into account. While this designation will not interfere with most extant land uses, it may precipitate changes in the issuance of grazing permits or hydroelectric licenses. Echo Lake in El Dorado County, along with 60 other Sierra Nevada lakes used for recreation, was excluded from the listing. Alameda County Survey Connects Housing Costs, Public Health The Alameda County Public Health Department released results of a survey indicating that the affordable housing crisis was causing a healthcare crisis in the East Bay, primarily Oakland. The survey, conducted by Alameda County and PolicyLink Center for Infrastructure Equity on thousands of low-income, senior and disabled people, showed that many are over-paying and in living in overcrowded, unsafe housing units. These conditions correlate with rising numbers of hospitalizations for hypertension, mental health emergencies, asthma attacks, and numerous other illnesses. Oakland’s working class, primarily Black and Latino, are being pushed into substandard housing. "While the causes and solutions to address the housing crisis are complex, inaction is a prescription for shorter, sicker lives for many of our Alameda County Residents,” wrote Dr. Muntu Davis in a policy brief. Management Plan for San Gabriel Natl. Monument Drafted The U.S. Forest Service released a 195-page draft management plan for the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, which outlines changes in transportation/access, wilderness zones/protected species, mining, and recreation. The 346,177-acre monument was designated by President Obama in 2014 which means it requires a plan to manage the park that sees 4 million visitors per year. The plan lists many existing conditions of the park, but does not address solutions. Many of the issues that were addressed in the public hearing or the 1,545 comments received were labeled as “desired conditions” and not goals or targets to accomplish. Many in the environmental community praised the effort and said the document tackled many aspects, but lacked a clear plan for implementation. UCLA, Berkeley Launch Online Tool to Map, Understand Displacement UCLA and UC Berkeley announced the launch of a joint program called the Urban Displacement Project which addresses issues such as gentrification and displacement in urban communities. The project includes an interactive mapping tool to “help community leaders better understand the effects of new light-rail and subway projects and related developments- especially on low-income communities.” The tool will be a resource in helping to identify pressures and come up with solutions for gentrification. While many communities are improving transit-oriented development, this type of “upscaling” frequently leads to pricing out lower-income households. While the joint-program is not to ensure neighborhood change does not occur, only that the process is fair and just. The tool allows users to examine neighborhood-level data on racial/ethnic composition, which areas have seen upscaling, gentrification, population density, percentage of people living in poverty, median household income and level of education. Deal Reached on Cap-and-Trade Funds Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders announced how they will spend the $900 million in revenue from the cap-and-trade program. The legislature approved, 47-26, measures to extend the clean air targets that allow all the climate change policies. The new pot of money will direct hundreds of millions to help disadvantaged communities, curb dangerous super pollutants, and cut petroleum use. For instance, a rebate program to help lower-income Californians buy cleaner cars will receive $80 million as will projects that build green space in urban areas. Additionally $140 million will be available for grants for communities with high rates of pollution. Los Angeles Grandfathers in Hundreds of Accessory Dwelling Units The Los Angeles City Council voted to approve hundreds of “granny flats” or accessory dwelling units (ADUs) that had been in legal limbo for months. These flats were already approved or in the pipeline, but a lawsuit over a discrepancy between the city’s ADU policy and state law threatened the city’s existing ADUs. The grandfathering plan would allow owners that had submitted their plans to the city before the lawsuit to continue. This includes more than 200 units that had gotten building permits but were unable to move forward and get city certificates that allow them to be legally occupied. The City Council has directed city planners to develop stricter rules than the state standards, which would take into account the different neighborhoods. This new fix would allow thousands of new units to be built and ease the city's housing crisis. Part of the discussion centers on the maximum size to allow the granny flats to be constructed. Quick Hits & Updates The Fresno City Council approved a 20-year lease with Outfront Media to place five digital billboards on four city-owned properties along the Fresno freeway. As part of the agreement, Outfront Media will remove the 47 nondigital billboards it owns across town. In San Diego the Citizens’ Plan to finance the new Chargers’ stadium may go to voters in November, but under dispute  is what would constitute voter approval. While those in favor of the plan say a simple majority is required, the City Attorney Jan Goldsmith’s office says the plan constitutes a tax increase and therefore requires a two-thirds of vote. (See prior CP&DR coverage .)  The San Francisco Planning Department along with SFMTA have launched a new website to allow users to design the city’s future subway over the next 50 years. The goal is to understand priorities for the residents of San Francisco. The Subway Vision is one piece of a new effort to create long-range plans for transportation called Connect SF. Orange County judge Theodore R. Howard ruled that the California Coastal Commission cannot prevent the repair and maintenance of a sea wall that protects mobile homes in San Clemente. The Coastal Commission says the rules are in place to protect future shorelines and the image of beaches. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Chalfant ruled  that the City of Hermosa Beach may continue enforcing its short-term rental ban.  Construction  has begun on the East Bay’s first bus rapid transit line, which will run 9.5 miles from downtown Oakland to San Leandro. BRT will include 12 curbside stations and 21 center median stations, which will allow them to run every seven minutes during peak hours.  The California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to add the the Northern Spotted Owl to the state’s endangered list. Its numbers have been dropping at a rate of 3.8 percent annually. In California, the owl’s habitat is along the coast in the northern part of the state, including the Mendocino Coast, Humboldt, Shasta, Klamath regions and Coastal Redwoods. California Coastal Commission staff have  recommended the proposed Newport Banning Ranch project shrinks significantly to protect wildlife habitat. The 900-home development would be located on an old Orange County oil field near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. The development shrunk to 55 acres after environmental assessment from staff scientists found important habitat for rare plants and animals last fall; the latest recommendation is to cut that down to 20 acres. A new report released from Trip, a nonprofit transportation research group, found that California’s inadequate transportation system costs motorists around $53.6 billion annually in the form of congestion-related delays, crashes and extra costs of operating a vehicle.

The Legislative Analysts Office has released a report  on the impacts of Proposition 13. The property tax raised $55 billion in 2014-2015 making it the second largest source of government revenue behind personal income tax. With the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, the property tax was capped at 1 percent annually (whereas before it was an average of 2.67 percent). The report seeks to answer a range of questions about Prop. 13, many of which are based on assumptions and received wisdom about the perceived fairness of the law. The LAO came to the following conclusions, among others: 1) Owners of properties that are similar but purchased at different times often pay vastly different amounts of property tax; 2) For homeowners at all income levels, tax relief from Prop.13 generally is proportionate to the market value of their homes; 3) Property turnover has slowed since voters approved Proposition 13; 4) Homeowners pay a slightly larger share of property taxes today than they did when Prop.13 passed; 5) There is little evidence that Prop. 13 significantly discourages creation of new businesses; 6) Local governments increasingly rely on other local taxes to make up for the revenue loses that resulted from Prop.13 and cities’ and counties’ tax revenue per person has declined since Prop.13; and 7) Proposition 13 created fiscal incentives for many communities to focus more on building retail stores, auto dealers, and hotels while focusing less on housing. Los Angeles May Put Up Roadblock to High Speed Rail Stakeholders in the northern portion of the City of Los Angeles are mounting increasingly intense opposition  against at least one of the preferred alternatives for the proposed bullet train route along the topographically problematic segment from Palmdale to Burbank. L.A. Councilmember Paul Krekorian has filed a motion to oppose the route and instead to continue to fund the L.A. River revitalization efforts to protect the environment and residential communities in the Valley. Residents from Lake View Terrace to Shadow Hills say the foothill route would destroy the environment, kill horse-related businesses and put an end to an equestrian way of life. The California High Speed Rail Authority has already agreed to take certain routes out of the discussion: such as the one that would cut the Northeast Valley in half. The L.A. Unified School District is also considering opposition to the aboveground route. Housing Shortage May Yet Impede Economic Growth, Reports Say A pair of reports  from UC Riverside’s Economic Forecast  and UCLA’s Anderson Forecast both contend that California’s housing crisis may have long-term impacts on the state’s economy. The reports find that the state cannot continue to grow as it has in the past without growing the workforce; but California does not have the homes needed to accommodate these new workers. One reason for this slump is the state’s full employment, meaning nearly everyone that wants a job has one. The UC Riverside report equates economic growth with population growth. It notes that the shortage of housing all but ensures that the state’s population cannot grow significantly, in part because housing coasts are too high to attract migrants from other states. Without more people to recruit into the job market, residential construction has been down 2 percent for houses and 11 percent for multifamily permits from last year. A major reason for the lack in migration is the high cost of living in the state. SGC Recommends Climate Funds for Los Angeles, Fresno The Strategic Growth Council has recommended  (pdf) that Transformative Climate Community Program funds, established by recently passed Assembly Bill 2722, be allocated in the cities of Los Angeles and Fresno, and a third location to be determined. Funds amount to up to $140 million, funded by the state’s greenhouse gas auction. A minimum of half of the funds shall be allocated in the City of Fresno. A minimum of one fourth of the funds shall be allocated in the City of Los Angeles. The third geographic location to receive priority will be determined in a separate, future, rulemaking. All program grants will be awarded pursuant to a competitive process. The Council will determine selection criteria for that process in a separate, future, rulemaking. SGC has identified the three initial locations because, it contends, the State must focus its initial investments on the communities that are most impacted by poverty and pollution where a substantial state investment can promote significant change. San Diego Considers Scenarios for Mission Bay Restoration Environmentalists from Rewild Mission Bay in San Diego have proposed  eight possible ways to restore the Mission Bay Park’s marshland and boost recreational appeal. Some scenarios include eliminating a golf course, pouring landfill into De Anza Cove or creating a habitat island. The city will release its own set of draft alternatives next month. The main efforts are to restore environmentally crucial marshland to boost water quality and restore habitats. That is why three of the eight scenarios propose filling the polluted De Anza Cove swimming and boating area. By next May the scenarios will be down to four based on cost estimates, feasibility, and how successfully they meet the goals. The city will not finalize plans for at least three years, and the final proposal will need Coastal Commission approval. SPUR Considers Impact of Sea Level Rise on Mission Bay San Francisco Planning and Urban Research has released  a study of San Francisco’s Mission Bay to assess the types of protection that will be required to withstand the impacts of sea level rise in the coming decades. The 80-page study has been called an “imaginative exercise” and consists of design concepts rather than formal recommendations. Other collaborators include the Bay Conservation and Development Commission. There are seven concepts, three focusing on Mission Creek, and four on the district’s southern shore; one major concept would turn Mission Creek into a lake. The goal of the project, which has been in the works since 2014, is to show ways to integrate flood protection into the urban area. Updates & Quick Hits The Oakland Planning Commission unanimously voted to move forward with implementing Senate Bill 743. The Bill replaces the out-dated LOS system of analysis and instead uses Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)s to look at transportation impacts under CEQA. (See prior CP&DR coverage .) Developer SunCal has announced  plans for a massive mixed-use development by Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron in Los Angeles’ Arts District. The 14.5-acre development would include two 58-story towers, 1.96 million square feet of residential space, shops, offices, hotels, charter school, and underground parking for 3,400 cars. The federal government has put a hold on transferring  San Francisco’s Hunters Point land to the city for redevelopment because of concerns over radiation. Tetra Tech has been hired with the cleanup, but has been accused of falsifying soil samples. S.F. Mayor Ed Lee and Supervisor Malia Cohen sent a letter to the EPA explaining that the city “will not accept the transfer of any land until regulators are satisfied that the land is clean and safe.” “Citizens for Ceres” must decide in less than 30 days whether they want to appeal  the approval of a Walmart Supercenter to the California State Supreme Court. The Fifth District Court of Appeals in Fresno ruled against an appeal after the Stanislaus County Superior Court rejected the legal challenge of the shopping center. The opposition group is challenging the adequacy of the environmental studies of impacts on the community. A group of investors has withdrawn  a $167 million offer to purchase the Oakland Coliseum land from the city and county. Their reason was that Mayor Libby Schaaf had announced to East Bay Times that she would not recommend the proposal to be forwarded to the City Council for consideration. Santa Barbara County Planning Commission approved  an updated winery ordinance that allows a 300-square-foot, appointment-only tasting room for smaller Tier A wineries. The vote eliminates a previous requirement that a new winery’s production be at least 20 percent from grapes grown on the property. Napa County Board of Supervisors unanimously opposed  a proposed Indian casino in Vallejo. The Lake County-based Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians earlier applied this year to the federal government to find out if the Vallejo site qualifies for gaming. The owner of the four dams on the Klamath River has filed  applications with federal regulators to remove the dams. The decommissioning and removal could cost at least $290 million, but that work would be paid by ratepayers of PacifiCorp and Proposition 1 monies. The plan is to remove four of the five dams on the river, with work beginning in the next four years. New proposed legislation  in San Diego would crack down on “mini-dorms” near San Diego State, shut down illegal medical marijuana dispensaries, prevent illegal grading of land and many other code violations. The legislation was approved by City Council’s Rules Committee and must now be considered by the full council in the next few months.

As part of its participation in the 100 Resilient Cities program , the City of Oakland released  Resilient Oakland: It Takes a Town to Thrive, a resilience playbook and call to action designed to tackle Oakland’s most pressing systemic and interdependent economic, social and physical challenges. The Resilient Oakland playbook includes strategies and actions to tackle systematic, interdependent challenges. This means changing the local and regional institutions to become more resilient and responsive to challenges. The main themes of Resilient Oakland are to build a more trustworthy and responsive government, stay rooted and thrive in the city, and build a more vibrant and connected Oakland. "The Resilient Oakland Playbook sets forth nearly 40 actions designed to be collaborative, data-driven and equitable in our outcomes," said Kiran Jain, Oakland's chief resilience officer, in a statement. "By taking a continuous 'build, measure, learn' approach to resiliency, we honor the work that has been done and build on it today, while setting forth bold actions that shape the future of a more resilient Oakland." (See prior CP&DR coverage .) Low Inflows Imperil S.F. Bay Ecosystem Researchers at the Bay Institute have found  that because little water is flowing from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River into the San Francisco Bay estuary, the ecosystem may be collapsing. One major reason for the sharp decrease in water is human extraction. The State Water Resources Control Board last month required Californians to leave 40 percent of what would naturally flow during the spring to save fish species. One UC Davis scientist told the SF Chronicle “of the roughly 120 native freshwater fish species in California, over 80 percent of those are faced with extinction by the end of the century if current trends continue.” The study’s conclusions were that fish extinctions were looming, starvation of fish-dependent species, diminished freshwater to the Gulf of the Farallones, increased salinity, and lack of sediment. Downzoned San Diego Community Plans Sent Back to Drawing Board The San Diego City Planning Commission rejected  the Uptown community plan update, which would have decreased housing density in parts of Hillcrest, Bankers Hill and Mission Hills. The vote may signal an appetite for greater density in those parts of San Diego. The rejected Uptown community plan update included several instances of “downzoning,” resulting in a loss of around 1,900 housing units but also protects historic buildings. The commissioners voted unanimously to recommend approval of the community plan update, but without the density decreases. A city-commissioned analysis found the Uptown Community Plan update would fall short of the citywide transportation goals included in the Climate Action Plan. The City Council has final say on the update. Beacon Awards Recognize Leaders in Greenhouse Gas Reduction Honoring voluntary efforts by local governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save energy and adopt policies that promote sustainability, the Beacon Program  is sponsored by the Institute for Local Government and the Statewide Energy Efficiency Collaborative (SEEC). The City of Colma won the 2016 Gold Beacon Award for 29 percent Agency Energy Savings, 43 percent Agency Greenhouse Gas Reductions, and Platinum in Sustainability Best Practices. American Canyon, Emeryville, Benicia, Hermosa Beach, Davis, Manhattan Beach, and Santa Monica received silver Beacon awards. One-hundred California cities participate in the program and 45 cities received awards  for their sustainability efforts. Parcel Adjacent to Great Park Rouses Controversy in Irvine Orange County is developing  a proposal to develop 100 acres it owns south of the Great Park in Irvine. The development would include 2,103 housing units, 242 room hotel, 220,000 feet of commercial space, and 1.9 million square feet of office space and could reap the county nearly $4 billion in tax revenues over 75 years. Irvine officials are threatening to sue over the project because they claim it is a money grab and could prevent future nearby developments. County officials deny these allegations and will begin a public discussion about the project by releasing draft plans next month. The opposition centers on the limited capacity of local roads. Study Assesses Wild Fire Damage Across Western U.S. A study by the University of Idaho and Columbia University found  that 10.4 million acres in the West burned between 1984 and 2015 as a direct result of human-caused global warming. While research has tied wildfires to hotter, dryer conditions resulting from GHG emissions, this report is one of the first to quantify the impact of climate change. California is one of the states hit the hardest with the 132,000-acre Soberanes Fire in Big Sur this summer, last years Valley Fire in Lake County and Yosemite’s Rim Fire in 2013. According to the U.S. Forest Service, nationwide a record 10.1 million acres burned last year. The research looked at eight measures of “aridity” such as weather and moisture metrics. Their models showed temperature increases of 2.5 degrees in the past 50 years. Additionally they computed that 55 percent of forest aridity was due to climate change and the remaining 45 percent was natural climate variation. Oceanside Embarks on General Plan Update The City of Oceanside is updating  its General Plan to focus on expanding local jobs and reducing its carbon footprint. The first step is a new Economic Development Plan Element and Energy/Climate Action Plan Element. As is required by CEQA, all cities must reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2035. Oceanside is updating its general plan and including GHG emission reduction thresholds and how they intend to meet these goals. Some policies the city will focus on are containing sprawl, providing alternative transportation options and expanding tree canopy. Quick Hits & Updates The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission  announced  it will produce a plan to help the city prepare for sea level rise. Drafting of the plan will take three years and focus on coming up with “vulnerability assessments” for each section of the shoreline and explain how it could be adapt to changes that lie ahead as well as recommending that local governments explore new institutional arrangements to address the impacts of climate change”. Tesla Motors Inc. intends to build  4.6 million square feet of new space for its factory in Fremont, which would increase production to 500,000 cars per year and add more than 3,000 workers. This proposed expansion is adjacent to the company’s current 4.5 million square feet plant. The company is seeking approval from the City of Fremont for a master plan to accommodate 11 new structures, primarily industrial space. The proposal must now go to the city’s Planning Commission. (See prior CP&DR coverage .) The Fair Political Practices Commission dismissed  a complaint that accused Chinese developer Wanda Group of illegally funding an effort to halt a rival Beverly Hills condo proposal, which is the subject of a November ballot measure. Wanda Group and Alagem have plans to build condominium towers on adjacent properties. The California High-Speed Rail Authority has announced  the beginning of its search for engineering and architectural consultants to draw up plans for the Fresno station. The winning team will receive a six-year contract for up to $11 million. The City of Fresno is developing a master plan for the proposed area of the station in the heart of downtown. The Greater Sacramento Economic Council has presented a proposal  to rename the Bay Area, Sacramento, Central Valley corridor the “Bay Area-Sacramento Mega Region.” The council claims that the megaregion can collaborate to keep jobs in California and improve regional transportation. The California Public Utilities Commission has approved  water taxi service connecting San Francisco and Berkeley. Two companies, Tideline and Prop, will run smaller 40-person ferries. Prop plans to serve Berkeley, Emeryville, San Francisco, and Redwood City starting in January. Tideline expects cross-bay trips to take about 20 minutes and cost $10 each way. The League of California Cities installed  several new officers at its recent conference. Lodi Council Member JoAnne Mounce, former vice president, was installed as the League president. Palos Verdes Estates Council Member James Goodhart was elected the first vice president and South San Francisco Council Member Rich Garbarino as second vice president. The City of Carlsbad released  its draft Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment in June. City officials are meeting with residents and experts to discuss ways the city can adapt.