Some of our recent blog posts have followed the progress of SB 827, a bill intended to address the State housing shortage. The bill limits local zoning restrictions for housing units located in qualifying transit areas. The bill was sponsored by California YIMBY (Yes in My Backyard) and supported by some in the building industry. […]
A state bill that would have brought denser housing to areas around transit stations, in an effort to alleviate California’s housing crisis, is dead after failing to receive enough votes before the state senate’s transportation and housing committee. Several lawmakers said they supported the bill’s goal of creating additional housing, in areas where the state […]
On Monday April 2, the federal government took aim at a land use law passed in California last year, which gives California the right of first refusal in any sale of public lands, for the purpose of preventing resource exploitation or development. Under the law, the state would either have to raise the money to […]
President Trump made a promise early April to support legislation with a goal of protecting the marijuana industry in states that have already legalized the drug. The U.S. Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, made a threat against the industry just three months ago, and the President’s promise forebodes a clashing. In January 2018, Attorney General Sessions […]
April 13, 2018 | Category:
California,
CEQA,
Land Use,
News | Tags:
California,
california land use,
CEQA,
Housing,
land use,
Land Use Law,
LegislationThe sponsor of California State Senate Bill 827, Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) amended the proposed bill ahead of its first legislative committee debate. SB 827 has potentially significant land use implications and was previously summarized on this blog. To recap, the bill is an aggressive attempt to address the housing shortfall in California by overriding […]
A proposed “wild-fire fix” bill (PL 115-141 of March 23), sponsored by Senator Simpson (R-Idaho), includes various provisions to address forest and fuels management. The provision proposes to categorically exemption from environmental review hazardous fuels reduction projects less than 3,000 acres and authorized pursuant to the Health Forests Restoration Act of 2003. The House approved […]
International Energy Agency (“IEA”) is an intergovernmental organization that aims to support decisions by governments and the private sector to ensure reliable, affordable, and clean energy. On March 23, 2018, the IEA issued its first “Global Energy and CO2 Status Report.” Some recent reports claim that the IEA has been guiding governments toward energy decisions […]
March 31, 2018 | Category:
California,
CEQA,
Land Use,
Lawsuit | Tags:
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california land use,
CEQA,
court case,
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Mitigated Negative Declaration,
MNDThe Second District Court of Appeal upheld an infill project approved by the City of Covina in the case Covina Residents for Responsible Development v. City of Covina (Cal. Ct. App., Feb. 28, 2018, No. B279590). The project at issue involved a 58-unit, mixed use, infill project located about a quarter-mile from a commuter rail […]
The City of Santa Barbara has been awarded a $10 million grant by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to offset the $72 million cost of reactivating the Charles E. Meyer Desalination Plant. The plant came back online to supply water to city customers in May 2017. It provides an important source of drought-proof […]
From CNBC: Californians fed up with housing costs and taxes are fleeing state in big numbers Californians may still love the beautiful weather and beaches, but more and more they are fed up with the high housing costs and taxes and deciding to flee to lower-cost states such as Nevada, Arizona and Texas. “There’s nowhere in the United States that you […]
