CP&DR

Federal Agency Told It Can't Avoid 1-Year Deadline To Decide Listing

May 1, 2002

Legal Digest, other, Vol. 17 No. 05 May 2002

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service cannot ignore the one-year deadline to decide on a petition for protecting a species under the Endangered Species Act, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.

One County Proves Ballot-Box Zoning Begets More Ballot-Box Zoning

May 1, 2002

Insight, Vol. 17 No. 05 May 2002, William Fulton

One of the cardinal rules of ballot-box zoning in California is that ballot measures beget ballot measures. That is, once the concept of making land-use decisions gets embedded in the local political culture, there is no getting rid of it — it only burrows deeper and deeper into the political landscape.

Household Formation Rates Could Alter Housing Needs

May 1, 2002

Chris Williamson, Research Reports, Vol. 17 No. 05 May 2002

Where do housing unit need projections come from? If you answered, "from population projections," you are only partly correct. The little-understood and unappreciated "headship rate" translates population projections into units. Small changes in headship rates could result in significant changes in housing need projections.

San Diego City Council Handing Of Stadium Project Ruled Illegal

May 1, 2002

Legal Digest, other, Vol. 17 No. 05 May 2002

While discussing a proposed downtown baseball stadium and adjoining redevelopment project, the San Diego City Council repeatedly violated the California open meeting law because the council's descriptions of closed door negotiations were too general and because some topics should have been discussed in public, the Fourth District Court of Appeal has ruled. The appellate court also ruled that a trial court judge was correct to issue an injunction detailing how the council should comply with the law in the f

San Bernardino County General Plan Amendment Is Invalidated

May 1, 2002

Legal Digest, other, Vol. 17 No. 05 May 2002

An appellate court has invalidated amendments to the San Bernardino County general plan that gave the county greater authority over development within cities' spheres of influences. The Fourth District Court of Appeal ruled that the county's failure to prepare an environmental impact report on the amendments violated the California Environmental Quality Act.

San Jose's Loss Could Become A Win

May 1, 2002

Deals, Morris Newman, Vol. 17 No. 05 May 2002

Imagine this scenario: A major symphony orchestra woos an internationally renowned conductor to become its next music director. After extensive, high-tension negotiations, the conductor at last accepts the job. The day after, however, the orchestra discovers something disconcerting: The conductor is tone deaf. Truth be told, she does not care much for music. After the inevitable flap, the conductor withdraws from the contract, citing unspecified "unsuitable conditions." Given this situation, should

Religious Land Uses Vex Planners

May 1, 2002

Featured Articles, Paul Shigley, Religious Land Uses , Vol. 17 No. 05 May 2002

Local regulation of religious land uses has become the latest battlefield in California development. There are at least seven lawsuits pending over government regulation of church development, proposed private schools, and the use of facilities by religious ministries. Lawsuits have been filed against the cities of Concord, Cypress, El Cajon, Los Angeles and Morgan Hill, and against Alameda County and the California Coastal Commission. Additional lawsuits appear likely in Sierra Madre and Hun

9th Circuit Rules Suit Over Coastal Access Easement Filed Too Late

May 1, 2002

Legal Digest, other, Vol. 17 No. 05 May 2002

The owners of beachfront property are not entitled to compensation for a public access easement that the state required in exchange for a building permit many years earlier, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.

U.S. Supreme Court Hands Planners A Clear Victory

May 1, 2002

Kenneth Jost, Legal Digest, Vol. 17 No. 05 May 2002

WASHINGTON _ The U.S. Supreme Court gave state and local governments a green light to continue using temporary moratoria to limit or block development while devising long-range land use plans.

Q&A: Marva Smith Battle-Bey

by William Fulton on May 1, 2002

Vol. 17 No. 05 May 2002

Marva Smith Battle-Bey is president and CEO of the Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation, a nonprofit entity that specializes in retail development and job training programs in South-Central Los Angeles. Battle-Bey recently talked about her organization's activities, about South-Central and about the challenges facing inner-city developers. >>read more