CP&DR

Firefighters Take Expertise To The Urban Edge

Aug 1, 2002

Stephen Svete, Trends, Vol. 17 No. 08 Aug 2002, Wildfires

It was cool and foggy along the Santa Barbara Channel coast in early June. So the delicate layer of ash coating everything outside and the faint smell of burnt sage seemed a bit incongruous.

Court Finds Potential For Conflicts In Hearing Officer Selection Process

Aug 1, 2002

Legal Digest, other, Vol. 17 No. 08 Aug 2002

The state Supreme Court has struck down a common method that cities and counties use to select temporary administrative hearing officers for land use controversies and other issues. The court ruled that San Bernardino County's unilateral appointment and payment of an attorney as a temporary hearing officer created the possibility of a conflict of interest for the attorney. The court accepted the argument from a massage clinic owner that the attorney might provide the county a favorable decision

Another Redevelopment Plan Gets Shot Down

Aug 1, 2002

Legal Digest, other, Vol. 17 No. 08 Aug 2002

A state appellate court has invalidated a City of Upland redevelopment plan because the city improperly manipulated the base tax year for one parcel, and because the area was neither predominately urbanized nor blighted.

SF Locates Infill Opportunities On Transit Agency Real Estate

Aug 1, 2002

Paul Shigley, Public Development, Public Transit, TOD, Vol. 17 No. 08 Aug 2002

Spurred by a 1999 ballot initiative to find new revenue sources, San Francisco's Municipal Transportation Agency is examining some of its real estate holdings with an eye toward development opportunities. Muni has a development agreement with a hotel builder for one piece of prime property near the Ferry Building. Other properties could be developed with housing, stores and offices ï¿½ possibly above ground-level transit facilities.

Sacramento County Approves 10,000-Unit Specific Plan

Aug 1, 2002

Local Watch, Paul Shigley, Sacramento County, Specific plans, Vol. 17 No. 08 Aug 2002

One of the largest housing developments ever proposed for the Central Valley received approval from the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors in July. After about a decade of planning, environmental reviews and public hearings, supervisors backed the 2,600-acre, 10,000-unit Sunridge Specific Plan — a detailed subset of the 6,000-acre Sunrise-Douglas Community Plan, which supervisors also approved in July.

Coastal Landowners Fight To Keep Out The Riffraff

Aug 1, 2002

Environment Watch, John Krist, Vol. 17 No. 08 Aug 2002

Movies, music and television have created a global image of California as the land of sunshine and surf. Like many caricatures, the mystique has a nugget of truth at its core: Californians do love their beaches.

In Brief

Aug 1, 2002

In Brief, other, Vol. 17 No. 08 Aug 2002

Check out this month's installment of CP&DR's infamous in brief column, the only place to consult to keep abreast of the latest events shaping the land use stories across the Golden State!

San Diego Finds The Easy Route Does Not Lead To ‘Smart Growth'

Aug 1, 2002

Insight, Vol. 17 No. 08 Aug 2002, William Fulton

In September, the San Diego City Council is scheduled to vote on "City of Villages," the new "strategic framework element" of the city's general plan. Designed to provide a foundation for revising the city's 1970s general plan, City of Villages makes all the usual politically correct statements about promoting smart-growth ideas.

Construction Defect Rules May Change

Aug 1, 2002

Featured Articles, Paul Shigley, Vol. 17 No. 08 Aug 2002

State lawmakers appear to be accepting the longstanding argument that needed construction of condominiums and townhouses is being chilled by construction defect litigation, and legislators might be ready to pass a reform bill this year.

Storm Drainage Fee Fails To Qualify For Sewer And Water Exemption

Aug 1, 2002

Legal Digest, other, Vol. 17 No. 08 Aug 2002

A City of Salinas fee to finance stormwater drainage facilities and system maintenance has been ruled unconstitutional by the Sixth District Court of Appeal.