CP&DR - Articles

Legislature Passes Water, Subdivision, Redevelopment Bills

Sep 1, 2001

Featured Articles, Paul Shigley, Vol. 16 No. 09 Sep 2001

In the session that ended Sept. 14, the California Legislature has passed bills that would strengthen the connection between water supply and land use planning, place restrictions on how long redevelopment agencies can keep operating, and shut down the "certificates of compliance" loophole in the Subdivision Map Act being used by Hearst Ranch and others. The question of whether Gov. Gray Davis will sign the subdivision and redevelopment bills in particular is sparking keen interest in land-use circles.

Agencies Lose Seperate Rounds Over Allocation of Tax Revenues

Aug 1, 2001

Legal Digest, other, Vol. 16 No. 08 Aug 2001

Two Southern California redevelopment agencies have lost separate lawsuits over the allocation of property tax revenue from redevelopment project areas.

U.S. Supreme Court Will Review Lake Tahoe Moratorium Decision

Aug 1, 2001

Legal Digest, other, Vol. 16 No. 08 Aug 2001

The U.S. Supreme Court will decide a case in which Lake Tahoe property owners allege that a temporary building moratorium amounted to an unconstitutional taking.

Interior's Policy for Listing Species Rejected as Too Slow by 9th Circuit

Aug 1, 2001

Legal Digest, other, Vol. 16 No. 08 Aug 2001

A Clinton-era Interior Department policy that delayed endangered species petitions filed by the public has been thrown out by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The unanimous three-judge panel agreed with environmentalists who said the policy improperly stalled consideration of plants and animals that could qualify for protected status.

State Lets Regional Boards Craft Stormwater Runoff Rules

Aug 1, 2001

Environment Watch, Paul Shigley, Vol. 16 No. 08 Aug 2001

Regulations that require most new development to contain and treat stormwater runoff continue to advance at Regional Water Quality Control Boards for California's coastal urban areas. The regulations, however, have received mixed reviews from environmentalists and condemnation from the building industry.

In Brief

Aug 1, 2001

In Brief, other, Vol. 16 No. 08 Aug 2001

Failure to Request Hearing Dooms Lawsuit Over Timber Harvest Plan

Aug 1, 2001

Legal Digest, other, Vol. 16 No. 08 Aug 2001

An environmental group that sued the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection over environmental review of a North Coast timber harvest lost its chance to pursue the lawsuit because it did not request a hearing within a prescribed deadline.

Hercules Prepares For The Town Center It Never Had

Aug 1, 2001

Contra Costa County, Local Watch, Paul Shigley, Specific plans, Vol. 16 No. 08 Aug 2001

The Bay Area town of Hercules has adopted a new plan that city officials hope will allow the town to capitalize on a unique asset: 400 acres of mostly vacant land, some of it with sweeping bay views, situated in the middle of town.

Energy Situation Gives Cities Opportunities

Aug 1, 2001

Stephen Svete, Trends, Vol. 16 No. 08 Aug 2001

While finger-pointing and chest-thumping have been California politicians' most visible reactions to the latest version of the energy crisis, a few local governments are slowly emerging as leaders in addressing the new energy crisis. The most aggressive of these agencies are going beyond simple conservation programs and actually using their existing facilities as alternative energy power generating locations. And some are seeing that by being leaders in alternative energy production, they can gain com

Invisible Class Speaks Up About Downtown L.A.

Aug 1, 2001

Deals, Downtown planning, Los Angeles County, Morris Newman, Vol. 16 No. 08 Aug 2001

Here is a twist on the familiar story of neighborhood groups negotiating with developers: The two sides did not limit their discussion to traffic congestion. On the table were a surprisingly wide array of social and environmental concerns, including hiring guarantees, wage levels, job safety and affordable housing.

Developer Needs to Own Interest in Land to Pursue Suit, Court Rules

Aug 1, 2001

Legal Digest, other, Vol. 16 No. 08 Aug 2001

A developer who lost his ownership interest in a piece of property had no standing to seek a court order forcing a county to recognize a 19th century subdivision of the property, the Second District Court of Appeal has ruled. A unanimous three-judge panel of the Second District, Division Six, overturned a trial court's writ of administrative mandamus in the case.

New York Sprawls More than Los Angeles, Study Finds

Aug 1, 2001

Los Angeles, Vol. 16 No. 08 Aug 2001, William Fulton

California is the land of wide-open spaces. And everybody moves here from the East Coast to get away from those big, crowded cities. Right? Not anymore. In some ways, California is just as crowded as ï¿½ or maybe even more crowded than ï¿½ the East Coast. And it's only going to become more so during the decades ahead.

Regional Planning Gains Momentum: Private Enterprise Takes an Interest

Aug 1, 2001

Featured Articles, Paul Shigley, Vol. 16 No. 08 Aug 2001

Regional land use planning efforts appear to be gaining momentum in several portions of California, with San Diego County heading toward a potential "regional authority." Business interests, frustrated that no entity addresses many cross-jurisdictional issues, appear to be a major driver of the regional approaches.

No Flood of Housing Accompanies UC's Student Tidal Wave

Aug 1, 2001

Larry Sokoloff, Public Development, Vol. 16 No. 08 Aug 2001

The University of California is preparing for a tidal wave of new student enrollment in the next decade, and the question of where students will be housed is one that the university continues to grapple with.