Los Angeles County to Limit Development in Fire Hazard Areas The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted a new Safety Element Update to the county’s general plan, which will limit new development in wildfire hazard zones, reducing regional risk as California braces for what could be another intense fire season. The update restricts new subdivisions in very high fire hazard severity zones and prohibits amendments that would increase residential density in fire- and flood-prone areas to reduce risks to people, property, and wildlife. County officials are celebrating the move to reduce sprawl and minimize construction of new power lines and electrical equipment that are frequently responsible for wildfires. The update will complement the Housing Element to provide safe, affordable housing while protecting natural habitats. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Proposed Oakland  Stadium Faces Two Lawsuits Union Pacific and a coalition of Port of Oakland shipping companies, truckers, and other workers have filed two separate lawsuits against the city and the Oakland A's in Alameda County Superior Court over their proposed Howard Terminal ballpark and mixed-use development. While UP's lawsuit maintains that the project's environmental analysis does not adequately address the impact of a rise in vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians that would cross UP's tracks near the project, the coalition suggests that the report fails to consider how the new site would disturb cargo transportation. According to a law passed several years ago, the lawsuit must be resolved within 270 days of the project's approval. UP is demanding a specific plan to reduce rail, vehicle, and pedestrian conflicts and minimize congestion. State Provides Guidelines for Implementation of "Duplex Law" The Department of Housing and Community Development released a fact sheet on Senate Bill 9--the "duplex law"--intended to clarify expectations for local agencies, homeowners, and other stakeholders who are implementing the new law. The sheet reviews key aspects of SB 9 and answers frequently-asked questions. The release comes in response to complaints that the Housing Accountability Unit has received from 29 jurisdictions about SB 9. The department is investigating violations of SB 9 that may extend to violations of the Housing Element Law, Housing Crisis Act of 2019, ADU Law, and Housing Accountability Act, over which the HCD can enforce, alongside Attorney General Rob Bonta. State Releases Climate Adaptation Strategies California released its Climate Adaptation Strategy in response to the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and a new snow survey that reported that the statewide snowpack dropped to 38 percent. The strategy is intended to improve resilience efforts by outlining priorities for protecting vulnerable communities, the environment, and the state's economy. Primary concerns include public health initiatives, a climate-resilient community, nature-based solutions, and coalition building. The strategy is innovative in providing success metrics and timeframes for nearly 150 actions. A copy of the document will be available as an interactive webpage to increase access to information that will be updated as progress occurs and new data emerges. CP&DR Coverage: Attorney General Calls Out Housing Elements Attorney General Rob Bonta has become increasingly aggressive on the planning housing front in the two weeks, warning two cities for allegedly violating state housing law and calling one county’s general plan to account on environmental justice issues. Most of the actions are the result of the “housing strike force” that Bonta created last November. At the time, he called housing “a fight I won’t back down from” and announced action to protect tenants’ rights as well as enforce state housing law. Two of Bonta’s warnings have been aimed at cities that have sought to make expansive use of the exemptions contained in SB 9 – the so-called duplex law – to shield themselves from the law’s impact. Quick Hits & Updates  The Sacramento Republic FC released renderings for a proposed 12,000 to 15,000 seat outdoor stadium at the Railyards, which would double the size of downtown Sacramento. The $1 billion venue would host not just soccer events but Division 1 football, lacrosse, rugby, concerts, graduations, and other events and bring more housing. A San Diego Housing Commission report that studies citywide affordable housing and proposes strategies to maintain affordability has won an Award of Excellence from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment officials, which awarded 18 housing and community development projects nationwide. Oakland's universal basic mobility pilot program , which was introduced in November 2020 and provided 500 residents with prepaid debit cards to use for public transit, scooters, and bikes, has succeeded in making transit more accessible for low-income residents and residents of color, according a recently released evaluation. Additionally, residents stated that they drove alone less often and rode public transit more. Los Angeles city officials have approved entitlements to build a $1.6 billion housing, hotel, and retail development called Angels Landing. The highest tower would reach 63 stories, and the project is headed for completion before 2028, with environmental approvals and affordable housing and labor deals already secured. Three tenants won their lawsuit against Caltrans, who imposed an "inflation-adjusted price" on low-income tenants who wanted to buy their homes. The ruling will impact all 450 homes that Caltrans seized to build a defunct 710 Freeway extension. While the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is sticking to its September 9, 2022 Revenue Service Date for the Central subway to Chinatown, a leaked report suggests that the opening will likely be delayed until December or into the following year. The original opening date was in 2018. A 312-unit Newport Beach development will move forward after a judge upheld the city's environmental review process and rejected claims from developer Olen Properties Corp. that the city failed to consider noise, traffic, and air pollution burdens. The developer owns a 10-story office structure next to the proposed complex. Gen Z renters are highly attracted to the San Francisco and San Jose metros, according to data from real estate consulting firm Yardi Matrix. Interest largely grew in the second half of 2021, as COVID-19 restrictions eased.

Here’s a new one on the California Environmental Quality Act front: An appellate court has ruled that the environmental impact report for a Livermore development project – a project approved by the city council in that notoriously slow-growth city – was inadequate because it didn’t consider the possibility of purchasing the property for conservation.

Attorney General Rob Bonta has become increasingly aggressive on the planning housing front in the two weeks, warning two cities for allegedly violating state housing law and calling one county’s general plan to account on environmental justice issues.

Cities File Lawsuit to Undo SB 9 'Duplex Law' Four mostly suburban cities in Los Angeles County have filed suit against the state to block provisions of recently adopted Senate Bill 9. The bill legalizes lot splits and the development and redevelopment of duplexes in areas currently zoned for single-family homes. The cities of Carson, Redondo Beach, Torrance, and Whittier have asked a court to find provisions of SB 9 in conflict with the state constitution. As reported in The Real Deal, Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes said SB 9, “takes away the power of cities to respond to the housing crisis in meaningful and practical ways that will best suit the unique circumstances facing each local community.” The petition claims that SB 9 will raise land values, thus increasing housing costs, and faults the law for not requiring affordable units. The suit comes on the heels of the postponement of the "Our Neighborhood Voices" ballot initiative, which would have overturned SB 9, and limited other state land use authority, via voter proposition. Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand was one of the sponsors of that initiative. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Attorney General Calls Out Encinitas, Fresno County Housing Elements The City of Encinitas and Fresno County are facing heat from Attorney General Rob Bonta, who has warned both jurisdictions, separately, that their alleged failures to prioritize equitable housing violates state law. In a letter to Encinitas, Bonta wrote in support of a 277-unit complex in a wealthy neighborhood and noted that the state would take legal action if Encinitas did not move faster to approve more housing. Further inland, Bonta notified Fresno County leaders that their General Plan acts against environmental justice and equity and probably violates the Fair Employment and Housing Act. The county has a plan to build new industrial developments in Malaga and Calwa, two neighborhoods that already face high pollution levels. Bonta and his Housing Strike Force have threatened lawsuits if the city and county do not take action. (See related CP&DR coverage .) HCD Releases $220 Million in Grant Funding for Housing A total of 20 affordable multifamily housing developments will have access to $220 million in funding from the Department of Housing and Community Development. The HCD's Multifamily Housing Program will prioritize the preservation and construction of new affordable homes, both transitional and permanent, for low-income households. The move is in response to a particular undersupply of affordable multifamily housing, which, with high rents and home prices, is increasing housing inaccessibility and cost burdens. The HCD has identified 20 projects across 12 counties for funding, including seven in Los Angeles, three in the Bay Area, two in El Dorado, and one each in San Diego and Nevada counties. CP&DR Coverage: Auditor Questions Housing Allocation Methodology The state Auditor’s Office has called on the legislature, the Department of Housing & Community Development, and the Department of Finance to clarify the methodology for establishing housing targets as part of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment process. In particular, the Auditor highlighted the need for methodological clarity for two factors that play an important role in setting the overall target: the overall vacancy rate and the household formation rate. The auditor did not specify what methodology should be used or speculate whether a different methodology would increase or decrease the target but said some legislative changes are needed and both HCD and DOF should engage in more rigorous analysis. Quick Hits & Updates More than half of Californians are worried about paying for housing costs, according to a study from the Public Policy Institute of California. Within the 55% of concerned Californians, 26% are "very concerned" about paying rents and mortgages, and rates increased for low-income residents and renters. Palo Alto is considering a plan to expedite the process of registering about 130 homes as historic, which would disallow homeowners from splitting lots under SB 9. Many have expressed disapproval, noting that this is yet another attempt from a wealthy community to restrict affordable housing. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Next fall semester, UCLA will open two new apartment buildings with 3,446 beds, making the school the only University of California campus to ensure housing for four years to first-year students and two years to transfers. UCLA, unlike other universities, has avoided neighborhood litigations by constructing new housing within its existing campus. The office of Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer is suing online vacation rental company HomeAway for failing to adhere to home-sharing policies. Feuer says that HomeAway did not issue valid registrations for nearly 30% of property transactions between a one-month period and suggests that the company has made thousands of illegal transactions. The California Endowment, a Los Angeles-based charitable foundation, filed a writ of mandate intended to prevent L.A. Metro from fast-tracking a proposed aerial gondola system to transport fans from Union Station to Dodger Stadium. The endowment, whose offices are next door to Union Station, cited concerns about gentrification. Port Hueneme residents will be able to voice their opinion on whether or not the city should change its name during two public meetings before the city council votes on adding a measure to the November ballot. In the meetings, city officials will present on the pros and cons of a name change, and the public can suggest ideas for new names, including the popular "Hueneme Beach." The Richmond City Council has rejected a proposal to build 1,450 homes and 400,000 square feet of commercial space on a 270-acre portion of the city's shoreline. The decision comes after decades of debates and lawsuits over the housing and environmental impacts of developing the Point Molate peninsula. The City of Ontario has approved the conceptual plan for a 370-acre green space that is 10 times bigger than its current largest park. The Great Park will expand horizontally across 3.5 miles on vacant land that used to hold dairy farms and nurseries.

CP&DR Vol. 37 No. 3 March 2022

Project Descriptions Hold Up

Auditor Calls for Better Use of State Properties for Housing A new report from the state Auditor's Office argues that the state must make better use of available property to build more housing. The report acts in response to Executive Order N-06-19, which encourages the use of excess and surplus state-owned land for affordable housing. The office considered the Departments of General Services (DGS), Housing and Community Development, Transportation, and Developmental Services to analyze the state's use of surplus properties. Researchers determined that, while the executive order has been impactful, departments could streamline their processes and go further to build over 32,000 housing units. While the DGS's 73 remaining properties may take seven years to develop, adding one staff member could reduce the timeline by two years. The office also recommends implementing benefits to the executive order. Census Data Suggest Population Declines in Center Cities Los Angeles and San Francisco saw major population declines in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new census data. Nearly 160,000 residents left Los Angeles County, though the county's large population meant a 1% per capita loss, while San Francisco lost 54,000 residents and saw a 6.7% per capita loss. Between July 2020 and July 2021, 262,000 residents, driven by domestic migration, left California, pursuing factors such as affordable housing, jobs, and family. The data suggests that residents are acting on an extreme housing crisis in addition to more remote working options and decreasing birth rates. With more affordable costs of living, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, meanwhile, saw population growth. (See related CP&DR analysis .) Report: Assessing Vulnerability of Low-Income Residents in Bay Area A report from UC Berkeley Terner Center for Housing Innovation, On the Edge of Homelessness: The Vulnerability of Extremely Low-Income (ELI) Households in the Bay Area , analyzes the demographic, housing, and labor market qualities of the area's ELI households and considers the structural inequalities that must be confronted at the local, state, and federal level to stabilize housing security. According to lead author Carolina Reid, who worked in partnership with All Home, an inadequate social safety net, affordable housing shortages, and increasing income inequality are all factors that make ELI households particularly at-risk to becoming unhoused. The researchers hope that providing and analyzing data that illuminates the factors leading to this vulnerability will help encourage thoughtful decision-making for officials working to end homelessness. CP&DR Analysis: Legislature Keeps Poking Holes in CEQA In recent years, the legislature has weakened CEQA by a growing number of one-off exemptions and end-runs. And there’s no reason to believe that this trend is going to change any time soon. The new state law adopted last week specifically removes CEQA analysis of enrollment expansion from the long-range development plan process – the UC and Cal State equivalent of the general plan. So, presumably, the impact of enrollment increases can’t – or at least don’t have to – be analyzed in an LRDP environmental impact report. But what happens when an individual project designed to accommodate expanded student enrollment comes along? Is that subject to CEQA? Quick Hits & Updates The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in partnership with the Office of Planning and Research (OPR), Strategic Growth Council (SGC), and California Air Resources Board (CARB), request public input on: Draft Regional Early Action Planning Grants of 2021 (REAP 2.0) Guidelines for metropolitan planning organization applicants and Draft REAP 2.0 Guidelines for tribal and rural applicants. In response to countless conversations about the future of the Oakland A's waterfront ballpark, City Council Member Carroll Fife intends to introduce a ballot measure to allow Oakland residents to decide the development's fate. If added to the November ballot, the measure would delay the final decision and possibly put a stop to the project. Sites Project Authority may apply for a $2.2 billion low-interest loan using the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act to help complete the long-anticipated Sites Reservoir project. If completed, the project would increase water supply and reduce water costs for cities and farms on the west side of the Sacramento Valley. BART board member Lateefah Simon will remain in her seat that represents the East Bay and San Francisco after the staff tried to remove her, claiming that she moved outside of her district, even though Simon had confirmed with BART prior to moving that she would remain in her district. BART staff do not have legal authority to remove Simon from her seat and have received pushback for attempting to unseat BART's only Black board member. Michigan's Hillsdale College purchased 1,028 undeveloped acres west of Roseville in unincorporated Placer County in two separate deals for a total of $5.8 million from AKT Development Corp. For over two decades, the land has been an expected spot for higher-education. The demolition of a downtown Santa Monica parking structure is moving forward after a judge's ruling rejected a lawsuit that would have stopped the city from replacing a six-story garage with affordable housing. The decision was based on a CEQA technicality; the petitioners filed to request their hearing past the deadline. Placer County Supervisors approved an ordinance that would set a 3,900 limit on the number of short-term rentals in areas like North Lake Tahoe and Truckee. The ordinance, if officially approved in February, would allow about one-quarter of homes to be listed as short-term rentals in order to preserve housing for the local population and enforce more inspections and fire protections. The Coastal Commission rejected development permits for two homes along the Cambria coast based off of a report that suggests that the small community lacks adequate potable water sources for the new developments. The property owners' attorney argues that they already have water connections installed, so the state should permit construction.

Last week’s big news from the Census Bureau was that California lost 260,000 residents during the pandemic year – the vast majority of which came from the Bay Area and Los Angeles County. (Or , as The New York Times put it , Los Angeles and “San Francisco” experienced “stark losses”.)

So, enrollment increases at the University of California and Cal State are no longer “projects” under the California Environmental Quality Act.

In a new document released last week, the state Auditor’s Office has called on the legislature, the Department of Housing & Community Development, and the Department of Finance to clarify the methodology for establishing housing targets as part of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment process.

Pasadena's SB 9 Urgency Ordinance May Violate Law Attorney General Rob Bonta notified the City of Pasadena that its urgency ordinance restricting the implementation of SB 9 violates state law. Just days before the law went into effect, Pasadena adopted Urgency Ordinance No. 7384, which would allow the city to exempt existing areas from SB 9 requirements by declaring them "landmark districts." Pasadena extended the ordinance on January 10, 2022. Attorney General Bonta warned that the city must repeal its ordinance, or it will be held accountable for disregarding state laws intended to combat the housing crisis. The action is part of the Housing Strike Force under the Department of Justice that encourages local action and accountability to house Californians. Revised Redevelopment Plan for San Diego Waterfront Reaches $3.5 Billion Developers recently submitted to the Port of San Diego a revised, $3.5 billion redevelopment plan that would transform the downtown waterfront, including Seaport Village and adjacent parks, into new hotels, restaurants, an art exhibition space, and a yacht club. The plan may also include a 500-foot tower for observation decks, an aquarium, and more areas for public recreation. Public perception is mixed, with some disapproving, noting their respect for the waterfront's landmark status and its relaxing atmosphere, and others enthusiastic about the new infrastructure. Developer Protea Waterfront says it wants small businesses to remain a critical feature of the new development. Mayor Todd Gloria, the city council, and the Regional Chamber of Commerce all support the plan. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Grand Jury Evaluates Contrasting Approaches to Housing in Mountain View, Palo Alto The City of Mountain View is making great progress toward its housing production goals, while Palo Alto is falling flat, according to a Civil Grand Jury report titled "Affordable Housing: A Tale of Two Cities." The grand jury found that effective planning, political will, and innovative financing are three characteristics key to Mountain View's success. Meanwhile, the grand jury found that the"Palo Alto Process," infamous for its lengthy approach, will be sure to prevent that city from meeting the state's goals. The grand jury also found that Mountain View, home to Google, has notably encouraged community involvement in affordable housing, but Palo Alto does not engage with its residents. Palo Alto essentially has not leaned into state affordable housing goals, while Mountain View has embraced the need for housing with specific, coordinated, timely plans that reflect its interest in building more housing. City of Santa Monica Receives LEED Platinum Certification The City of Santa Monica has achieved a Platinum certification under the LEED for Cities program, which celebrates local governments for their responsibility in green building related to energy, water, waste, transportation, education, health, safety, prosperity, and equity. Santa Monica became the first city to reach a Platinum certification with 80 points, achieving high levels in the Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions category by reducing emissions 60% below 1990 levels and powering 94% of properties with 100% renewable energy. Santa Monica also scored well in the Natural Systems and Ecology category for green space distribution, in Transportation and Land Use for transit access, in Quality of Life for education and community engagement, and in several other categories. Paradise Devises Rebuilding Plan Paradise town leaders have developed a plan for the town's rebuilding process following the devastating 2018 Camp Fire that left 85 people dead and 15,000 structures destroyed and reduced the population by nearly 20,000 residents. A global organization, Counselors of Real Estate, have collaborated with local leaders to draft a number of recommended rebuilding actions that are based on two main approaches: residential construction that would house all income levels and a prototype wildfire area insurance program. This program would work in tandem with the state Insurance Commissioner and would serve as greater protection from potential future wildfires. The report also proposes expanding community septic capacity and establishing a government sector whose duties would specifically be to assist financing and rebuilding. CP&DR Legal Coverage: Courts Reject Projects in San Diego County, Nevada County The long-running Fanita Ranch battle in Santee has reached a new crescendo , as a judge in San Diego has struck down the project’s environmental impact report – the latest in a series of decisions that focuses on wildfire evaluation routes as part of environmental analysis. In her tentative ruling, San Diego County Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal upheld the EIR on many grounds but struck down the EIR largely over the wildfire evaluation route analysis. Bacal is the same judge who found fault last year with the City of San Diego’s EIR on the proposed height increases in the Midway district. Environmentalists have stopped the a controversial 760-home project in Martis Valley near Truckee in Nevada County – at least for the moment. The Third District Court of Appeal upheld most of the actions that Placer County took in conducting an environmental analysis and approving the project. However, the Third District found in favor of the environmentalists on a couple of key points in the environmental analysis – most specifically the question of whether the county had improperly deferred further analysis and mitigation on greenhouse gas emissions – and that was enough to sink the project. Quick Hits & Updates  A state appellate court rejected an appeal from Pleasanton Citizens for Responsible Growth that questioned the validity of the city's environmental review for the proposed Johnson Drive Economic Development Zone with a Costco store and two hotels. The group, who believes that air quality and traffic burdens were not properly considered under CEQA, is led by a former city councilman. The Desert Hot Springs Planning Commissions voted , 3-2, to approve the development permit for a three-million square-foot e-commerce warehouse proposed by real estate group Seefried Industrial Properties, Inc. It will be one of the largest single warehouses in the United States. The multi-story property is intended for a single, currently unidentified tenant. A crowd of mostly UC Berkeley students voiced their support of banning cars along a four-block stretch of Telegraph Avenue during a march on the street. The students organized for ending fossil fuel dependency and enhancing pedestrian and bicycle safety. A ban on cars along a 1.5-miles stretch of John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park that was introduced at the start of the pandemic may become permanent after San Francisco Mayor London Breed proposed legislation that will head to the Board of Supervisors for a vote. A former San Francisco planning commissioner will settle his lawsuit against the city for $1.8 million. Commissioner Dennis Richards and real estate agent Rachel Swann accused the city of retaliating against Richards for criticizing the department for corruption. A new study has found that fewer residents missed their rent payments and were less likely to be evicted in the months following the introduction of state policy that raises the minimum wage. The report also determined that an increase in minimum wage had a higher impact for tenants who pay lower monthly payments compared to high rents. A Superior Court judge has ruled that the San Diego City Council acted improperly when it chose to approve Measure C, a ballot measure that would raise the hotel tax to fund a convention center expansion, homeless services, and road repairs. Though it came incredibly close, the measure did not technically receive a two-thirds majority vote. San Francisco has begun its ferry service to Treasure Island, which is undergoing affordable housing development and is planned for more amenities. The new service will hold 48 passengers and operate 16 hours per day, seven days a week with $5 one-way tickets and monthly passes available. Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian wants county officials to establish a plan to purchase the Lehigh Hanson property, which houses a quarry and cement plant in hills west of Cupertino that, over generations, have held freeways, dams, and buildings. Simitian hopes to foster an open space with limited housing and reduced pollution and noise.

State Reviews Impact of Transportation Spending on Climate Goals The Strategic Growth Council (SGC)  published the California Transportation Assessment ( AB 285 Report ), evaluating how transportation planning and funding in California support long-term common goals, including building and maintaining a transportation system that advances the state's climate goals and meets the transportation needs of Californians. The AB 285 report, written by researchers from the University of California Institute of Transportation Studies, analyzes state and regional transportation plans and institutions, funding allocations to various state, regional, and local transportation programs and funding sources, and the legal frameworks that govern how transportation funds are spent in California. In addition, the report identifies the initial actions all levels of government and legislators can take to improve quality, sustainability, and equity of transportation in California. BART San Jose Extension Faces Delay The Federal Transit Administration released a 145-page report that suggests that BART's San Jose extension will likely be delayed another four years until 2034. Officials conveyed concerns about the project's complexity and the Valley Transit Authority's time and budget challenges. The report explains why the project may total $9.1 billion, $4.4 billion more than the VTA's original projection and $2.2 billion over its most recent estimate, noting that the VTA acted in both an "insufficient" and "illogical" manner. The FTA's consideration of the project acts under a federal pilot program intended to streamline funding for new transit proposals, which resulted in $2.3 billion of funding for the San Jose extension. In response to the FTA's report, VTA officials noted that they will not currently amend their estimated cost and schedule. Projected Costs of High Speed Rail Segments Rise Again A Bay Area addition to the California bullet train will cost $19 billion, 40% higher than the High-Speed Rail Authority projected, according to a new environmental report. The cost is also far higher than can be made available. The report consisted of the environmental clearance process for a 90-mile segment that would connect Merced County to San Jose. The route would also include a 13.5-mile tunnel, the longest underground railway passage in North America, that runs over an active seismic fault. In 2008, voters approved $9.95 billion for high-speed rail construction from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Now, the entire project may cost $105 billion. The authority faults rising inflation and expensive land costs for the extreme rise in price. Climate Change Report Bodes Ill for Central Valley A UC Merced report suggests that the San Joaquin Valley's annual average temperature may increase by 4 degrees by 2050, putting low-income farmer communities with inadequate resources for adapting at high risk in an environment with damaging water quality, extreme heat, and health burdens. The report is part of California's Fourth Climate Change Assessment and considers the worst-case scenario by midcentury for life in the southern Central Valley, where many residents depend financially on agriculture, 55% of the population lives in poverty, and water sources are already depleting. The report does outline several recommendations for turning this outcome around, mostly relying on clean energy and green space initiatives would advance environmental justice for the region's residents. State Suit Targets Inland Empire Logistics Center for Environmental Impacts Attorney General Rob Bonta and the state of California are challenging a decision that permitted the operation of the $200 million Eastgate Air Cargo Logistics Center, a formative aspect of Amazon's package air network, at San Bernardino International Airport, arguing that the decision is inconsistent with current environmental law and burdens the health of nearby residents due to truck and jet emissions and particulate matter. The Federal Aviation Administration approved the development in 2019, and a U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit re-approved the project in 2020, allowing Amazon to run dozens of flights and hundreds of truck drives daily by the middle of the decade and generating at least 1 ton of toxic air pollutants that would largely impact low-income communities and communities of color. (See related CP&DR coverage .) CP&DR Coverage: Pending Land-Use Legislation  After a few years featuring big, controversial housing bills, this year's crop of land use legislation appears to be more subtle. The potentially biggest bill would establish a statewide housing authority that would actually build housing. Other bills would make it easier for cities to convert golf courses to housing and to facilitate adaptive reuse. A bill to limit parking requirements is back, as is a bill to promote active transportation. For the full rundown, click here .  Quick Hits & Updates Governor Newsom signed SB 118, which ensures that student enrollment at a college campus is not singled out as a project under the California Environmental Quality Act, while preserving requirements that campus long-range development plans are comprehensively reviewed for environmental impacts. The bill was introduced in response to a recent court order that could have forced UC Berkeley to shut the door on thousands of potential college freshmen and transfer students, disproportionately impacting students from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds. Pleasanton officials rejected a proposed five-story, mixed-use building in the city's downtown area, stating that the project did not adhere to SB35 and Housing Density Bonus requirements as well as local objective standards and therefore could not receive ministerial approval. The project would have included a 48,000-square-foot building with 3,000 square feet of retail and 37 affordable units near the Pleasanton Public Library. The city of San Diego and the Padres development team are hoping to close escrow by the end of the year now that they have agreed on the $35 million sale and development terms for the four-block Tailgate Park. The developer has a $1.5 billion plan to build a 1.3-acre community park and 1,800 apartments, 15% of which would be affordable. Santa Cruz County staff released a 15-page report that imagines the impacts of a June ballot measure introduced by Santa Cruz County Greenway Inc. on county government and a proposed trail along the Branch Rail Line. The measure would change the county's General Plan to make way for two lanes for bicycles, a divider, and a walkway. The Regional Transportation Commission has also outlined an "interim plan" for bicyclists and pedestrians. The Coastal Commission has unanimously approved a cap on short-term rentals in San Diego after agreeing to a provision that the city reviews the new restrictions in seven years. Commissioners warned that restricting short-term rentals could impact coastal access, so the new policy should be reviewed after a substantial time period with the rule in effect. The Oakland City Council voted against a sixth extension of a two-building, 360-unit housing project with market-rate and affordable units near Lake Merritt on city-owned land, with members saying that the land should be used for purely affordable housing. The lot was empty for six years until a council member initiated a tiny home village for the unhoused population. A mid-sized concert venue may come to Sacramento after SKK Developments proposed a live music, comedy, and event theater that could host 2,300 audience members in the city's midtown. The development would replace a vacant industrial building, cover roughly 43,000 square feet, and accompany a nearby light rail station.