CP&DR - Articles

Cities, Counties Weigh SB 375 Strategies While Rules Evolve

Apr 28, 2009

California, Climate change, Insight, Vol. 24 No. 05 May 2009, William Fulton

SB 375 is now law, but another year and a half will pass before the California Air Resources Board adopts the follow-up numerical regional targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions. This puts California's cities and counties in a pretty big bind: How can they adopt plans for the future that will conform with the climate change law if they don't know what standard they are going to have to comply with?

Diamond Bar Settles With Industry On Football Stadium

Apr 28, 2009

CP&DR Staff, In Brief, Los Angeles County, Stadiums and arenas, Vol. 24 No. 05 May 2009

The City of Diamond Bar has reached an agreement with the neighboring City of Industry regarding development of a proposed pro football stadium in Industry.

Petaluma Disbands Its Planning Department

Apr 27, 2009

Local Watch, Paul Shigley, Sonoma County, Vol. 24 No. 05 May 2009

In a budget-cutting move, the City of Petaluma is disbanding its Community Development Department. After slashing the department from 23 to 11 employees in September 2008, the City Council more recently voted 4-2 to lay off all remaining planners, including the community development director.

Another Antiquated Subdivision Map Rejected

Apr 23, 2009

CP&DR Staff, Legal Digest, Solano County, Subdivision Map Act, Vol. 24 No. 05 May 2009

In the third decision in an emerging line of cases regarding antiquated subdivisions, an appellate court has refused to recognize the legality of a parcel shown on a 1909 subdivision map. The First District Court of Appeal ruled the Solano County map did not satisfy the requirements of the Subdivision Map Act's grandfather clause because the law in effect in 1909 did not address the "design and improvement" of subdivisions.

Court Upholds Reliance On Unspecified Mitigation Bank

Apr 21, 2009

California Environmental Quality Act, Legal Digest, Paul Shigley, Sacramento County, Vol. 24 No. 05 May 2009

In a case regarding a proposed "town center" project in Rancho Cordova, the Third District Court of Appeal has overturned nearly every portion of a Superior Court ruling in favor of environmentalists who oppose the development.

San Joaquin Valley Leaders Adopt Regional Blueprint

Apr 21, 2009

Central Valley, Featured Articles, Paul Shigley, Vol. 24 No. 05 May 2009

A regional panel of elected officials in the San Joaquin Valley has approved a growth blueprint that calls for increased housing densities in the eight-county region. In approving a plan for a new housing density of 6.8 units per acre for the region, the San Joaquin Valley Policy Council rejected an alternative of 10 units per acre that would have preserved more farmland and cut forecast greenhouse gas emissions.

Energy Companies Win Supreme Court's Clean Water Act Ruling

Apr 1, 2009

Clean Water Act, Kenneth Jost, Legal Digest, Vol. 24 No. 05 May 2009

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court has given power plant operators in California and around the nation an important victory by upholding the Environmental Protection Agency's power to use cost-benefit analyses in deciding whether to require expensive retrofitting to minimize fish-kills.

Environmental groups, however, say they hope the Obama administration EPA will shift policy and take a stricter view of what existing power plants must do to reduce the impact on aquatic life from using ocean or river waters to cool the facilities.

Planning Departments Downsize, Private Firms Scramble For Jobs

Apr 1, 2009

California, Featured Articles, Paul Shigley, Vol. 24 No. 04 Apr 2009

Significant reductions in general fund revenues and building activity have caused many cities and counties in California to reduce planning department staffs. Numerous jurisdictions have shrunk staff sizes by one-quarter to one-half, and more cuts may be coming during the 2009-10 fiscal year.

The tough economy is also hitting private consulting firms. Consultants that typically work for private developers are seeking public-sector jobs, and large outfits are bidding on ever-smaller projects, creating a high level of competition.

School Campus Replaces L.A.'s Ambassador Hotel

by Morris Newman on Apr 1, 2009

Historic preservation, Los Angeles County, Morris Newman, Places, Vol. 24 No. 04 Apr 2009

Wilshire Boulevard is the Main Street of Los Angeles, and the Ambassador Hotel (1921-2006) was its biggest, swankiest, classiest address. The hotel is but a memory these days. Now, after nearly two decades of false starts and lawsuits, construction has finally started on the scheme to convert the Ambassador Hotel property into an education center. >>read more

San Leandro Embraces Its Past, Present And Future

Mar 31, 2009

Alameda County, Downtown planning, Local Watch, Paul Shigley, Vol. 24 No. 04 Apr 2009

Downtown San Leandro is clearly in transition. A working-class city with a large industrial base located just south of Oakland, San Leandro's suburban past and its more urban future are present at the same time. Now, the city has big plans to transform its downtown into a truly urban, pedestrian-oriented place that takes full advantage of the BART station and a planned bus rapid transit line.

In Brief: Neighboring City Sues Over Football Stadium

Mar 31, 2009

CP&DR Staff, In Brief, Vol. 24 No. 04 Apr 2009

In this month's roundup of land use news: The City of Walnut sues the neighboring City of Industry over the environmental review for a proposed professional football stadium; Loma Linda officially kills two unpopular projects; Forest City leaves Fresno; The Center for Biological Diversity opens a new climate law institute; the state auditor applauds bond spending safeguards, but questions real estate policies.

Court Sides With Butte County In Flood Control Suit

Mar 31, 2009

Butte County, CP&DR Staff, Legal Digest, Takings, Vol. 24 No. 04 Apr 2009

A Butte county landowner who claimed that flood control measures undertaken and approved by Butte County amounted to inverse condemnation had all of his arguments rejected by the Third District Court of Appeal. The court ruled that the strict liability standard that applies in most inverse condemnation cases does not apply in the flood control context. Instead, the court determined a rule of reasonableness applied to the claims, and the landowner did not prove that the county acted unreasonably.

Court Rejects In-Lieu Housing Fee Methodology

Mar 30, 2009

Housing, Legal Digest, Paul Shigley, San Joaquin County, Vol. 24 No. 04 Apr 2009

The City of Patterson's in-lieu affordable housing fee has been invalidated by the Fifth District Court of Appeal, which rejected the city's methodology for setting the fee. Homebuilders celebrated the decision as a victory in their long fight to constrain development fees, while affordable housing advocates and municipal attorneys described the ruling as limited.

Washington Stimulates Old-Style Growth, But Change May Come Via Legislation

Mar 30, 2009

Insight, Local government finance, Vol. 24 No. 04 Apr 2009, William Fulton

Suddenly, for the first time in 30 years, Washington is the center of the government money world. This is turning things upside down for the planning and development establishment, as local officials, developers, transportation leaders and others flood the nation's capital in search of dough. But what will all the dough do? And how will it shape the growth landscape of California over the next few years?