CP&DR

Antelope Valley Water Shortage Slows Growth, Raises Questions

Oct 5, 2008

California, Local Watch, Paul Shigley, Vol. 23 No. 10 Oct 2008, Water

In combination with the housing market crash, a water shortage has brought construction nearly to a halt in the Antelope Valley. Even if the market were to bounce back in the next year or two, it's unclear that water providers could serve a substantial number of new homes and businesses.

Voters Confront Land Use Measures

Oct 5, 2008

California, Featured Articles, Legislation, Paul Shigley, Vol. 23 No. 10 Oct 2008

Construction activity may have declined dramatically, but the number of ballot measures seeking to slow or guide growth remains high. Voters across California will face close to 50 growth-related local ballot measures in November.

It's not unusual for the number of slow-growth measures to increase at the end of a real estate boom. Construction often continues and the real estate market dies, and slow-growth measures are often a reaction to construction rather than the market. In other words, slow-growth ballot measures are a lagging economic indicator of the real estate market. This November's total is down from the 78 measures on the November 2006 ballot, partly because California had two primaries this year.

State Budget Hits Redevelopment, Public Transit

Oct 1, 2008

California, Featured Articles, Legislation, Paul Shigley, Vol. 23 No. 10 Oct 2008

The state budget signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger in late September shifts $350 million from redevelopment agencies to schools, and it provides no funding at all for transit projects contained in the State Transportation Improvement Program. Still, the sentiment among many local government officials was that the budget could have been far worse.

Federal Housing Funds For California May Have Limited Impact

Sep 5, 2008

California, Housing, Insight, Vol. 23 No. 09 Sep 2008, William Fulton

The state and federal governments are throwing a lot of "new money" at the housing market in hopes of stabilizing prices and bailing out subprime mortgage borrowers. For California alone, the total looks to be several hundred million dollars – at least – in the next year alone. But is that anywhere near enough to make a dent in the problem?

Water Data Drought Prevents Good Planning, Report Finds

Sep 5, 2008

California, Environment Watch, Paul Shigley, Vol. 23 No. 09 Sep 2008, Water

State laws approved seven years ago requiring water assurances for large development projects appear to be of minimal aid in determining whether the state and regions have enough water for the future. That's the conclusion of a California Research Bureau (CRB) report released with zero fanfare in August.

Second Statute Of Limitations Case Reached State High Court

Sep 4, 2008

California, California Environmental Quality Act, CP&DR Staff, Legal Digest, Vol. 23 No. 09 Sep 2008

The California Supreme Court has accepted a second case involving the California Environmental Quality Act's statute of limitations.

Regional Planning Bill Approved By Lawmakers

Sep 3, 2008

California, Featured Articles, Legislation, Paul Shigley, Vol. 23 No. 09 Sep 2008

Senate Bill 375 is alternately being described as the most important land use legislation since the California Coastal Act of 1976, and a step in the right direction. Only time will tell whether the bill is a landmark or an incremental step, but there is no denying that SB 375 author Sen. Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) aimed high. "At the heart of this effort," Steinberg said, "is the need to integrate our housing and transportation plans to create sustainable communities."

Steinberg's bill was by far the most significant land use legislation approved during the two-year legislative session that concluded on August 31.

In Brief: VTA Gets On The Right Track

Sep 3, 2008

California, CP&DR Staff, In Brief, Vol. 23 No. 09 Sep 2008

In this month's roundup: The state auditor says the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is making strides; the state auditor releases the third report in a series on the plan to build a new death row at San Quentin; the largest deslination project in the country has received final approval; Hercules tries to grow smart; L.A. bans fast-food in the inner city.

Academics Recommend Proposition 13 Alternatives

Aug 26, 2008

California, CP&DR Staff, Featured Articles, Local government finance, Vol. 23 No. 09 Sep 2008

Calling Proposition 13, "deeply flawed," a new report by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy recommends entirely new approaches to property tax relief.

General Plans Address Climate Change

Jul 31, 2008

California, Featured Articles, General plans, Paul Shigley, Vol. 23 No. 06 Jun 2008

A general plan that does not address the issue of climate change appears to be an endangered species.

Numerous cities and counties in the process of updating their general plans are addressing climate change with policies for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and, to a lesser extent, adapting to changing conditions. Some localities have adopted climate action plans that affect the general plan and other long-term planning documents, while others have written specific general plan policies and implementation measures.