CP&DR

Growth, Public Investment Decisions Confront Governor's New Council

Feb 26, 2008

California, Insight, State agencies, Vol. 23 No. 03 Mar 2008, William Fulton

Is Gov. Schwarzenegger's "Strategic Growth Council" simply the latest in a decades-long string of gubernatorial efforts to make it look like they're dealing with growth? Or can Schwarzenegger actually take coherent action on growth by appointing a Cabinet-level council devoted to the issue?

It's probably a little bit of both.

Developer's Initiative Thrown Out, Citizen Initiative Upheld

Feb 25, 2008

California, CP&DR Staff, Featured Articles, Initiatives and referendums, Vol. 23 No. 03 Mar 2008

A pro-development initiative in San Luis Obispo County was not the proper subject for an initiative, a San Luis Obispo Superior Court judge has ruled. Meanwhile, a slow-growth initiative approved by Loma Linda voters in 2006 was upheld by a San Bernardino County Superior Court judge.

State's Approach To Species Protection Survives Loggers' Challenge

Feb 19, 2008

California, CP&DR Staff, Endangered Species Act, Legal Digest, Vol. 23 No. 03 Mar 2008

A ruling that could result in more plant and animal listings under the California Endangered Species Act will stand. The state Supreme Court on February 13 declined to review a decision by the Third District Court of Appeal, which held that "evolutionary significant units" of a species may qualify for protection, and that state officials need only consider a species' range within California.

Stanislaus Voters Approve Growth Control; Housing Projects Win Elsewhere

Feb 6, 2008

California, CP&DR Staff, Elections, Initiatives and referendums, Vol. 23 No. 03 Mar 2008

Stanislaus County voters on Tuesday approved a growth control initiative that prohibits the rezoning of agricultural land in unincorporated areas without voter approval. Elsewhere in California on Super Tuesday, voters in Santa Clara and Rocklin upheld housing project approvals, while voters in San Clemente overturned conversion of a golf course into condominiums.

Fight For Fanita Ranch Resumes

Feb 5, 2008

California, CP&DR Staff, In Brief, Vol. 23 No. 02 Feb 2008

News from around California: The battle continues over Santee's Fanita Ranch; a Congressional commission recommends tripling the gas tax; Bay Area builders go green; Caltrans demands a refund from Placentia; global warming suit dropped in San Bernardino County; Diablo Grande goes on the market; the historic Cocoanut Grove falls; proposed Barstow casinos die; Madera County water controversy roils; San Bernardino corruption figures must pay up; San Francisco Supervisor forced to resign; local taxing authority explained.

Creative Bills Offered For Local Infrastructure Finance

Feb 1, 2008

California, CP&DR Staff, Legislation, Legislation, Vol. 23 No. 02 Feb 2008

This could become a year of creative financing, and not merely for the state government. Lawmakers are considering at least three bills that could change the rules for financing local infrastructure.

State's Solution To Budget Deficit May Have Long-Term Consequences

Feb 1, 2008

California, Insight, Local government finance, Vol. 23 No. 02 Feb 2008, William Fulton

When you've got a $14 billion deficit, everybody's ox is going to get gored. So the question for the planning and development community in California is not really whether something bad is going to happen. The question is whether it matters very much.

Eminent Domain Acquisitions Grow More Expensive

Jan 30, 2008

California, Eminent domain, Legal Digest, Paul Shigley, Vol. 23 No. 02 Feb 2008

Court have issued four recent court decisions regarding eminent domain that suggest that acquiring property through eminent domain is an increasingly costly prospect for the government. None of the four decisions addressed whether the government had the right to take the property in question. Rather, the cases dealt with procedure and valuation.

Time May Have Arrived For Solving The Delta's Troubles

Jan 30, 2008

California, Environment Watch, John Krist, Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, Vol. 23 No. 02 Feb 2008

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is one of the biggest ecological train wrecks in the nation, the focal point of a tectonic smash-up between human needs and natural dynamics. In consequence, it also has become perhaps the most-studied and squabbled-over body of water in the West. The latest contributions to that voluminous body of work are the final report of a governor-appointed "Blue Ribbon Task Force," and a federal court ruling.

Housing Market Stalls, Evolves At Same Time

Jan 29, 2008

California, CP&DR Staff, Featured Articles, Housing, Vol. 23 No. 02 Feb 2008

The California housing market crashed during 2007, and only true optimists and a handful of industry groups predict a turnaround this year. The halcyon days of the housing boom already seem like a long ways away.

But while the downturn has reached nearly every corner of the state, some markets are stronger than others. In particular, exurban markets are weak, while urban markets focused on infill development are relatively strong.