CP&DR

Complete Local Election Results, November 2008

Nov 25, 2008

California, CP&DR Staff, Featured Articles, Initiatives and referendums, Vol. 23 No. 12 Dec 2008

Complete results of 67 ballot measures in 23 counties.

Court Supports City Attorney Who Rejected Ballot Measures

Nov 24, 2008

CP&DR Staff, Initiatives and referendums, Legal Digest, Ventura County, Vol. 23 No. 12 Dec 2008

A state appellate court has sided with a city attorney who declined to prepare ballot titles and summaries for proposed ballot initiatives because they were unconstitutional. The court rejected the initiative backer's arguments that the Ojai city attorney acted too late, that judicial review at the "pre-petition" stage was inappropriate, and that a lawsuit filed by the city attorney was a SLAPP.

Private Agreement Fails To Provide Relief From Rent Restrictions

Nov 24, 2008

CP&DR Staff, Legal Digest, Los Angeles County, Rent control, Vol. 23 No. 12 Dec 2008

A Los Angeles property owner who leased a multi-family dwelling could not collect a rent increase of more than about 3% per year, even if the tenant agreed to pay more. That is the most broadly applicable portion of a recent appellate court ruling in a nasty dispute between a landlord and tenant.

Santa Barbara COG's Work On Sales Tax Measure Upheld

Nov 19, 2008

CP&DR Staff, Legal Digest, Santa Barbara County, Transportation, Vol. 23 No. 12 Dec 2008

The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments did not illegally campaign for a ballot measure to fund transportation projects, the Second District Court of Appeal has ruled. By preparing a transportation plan and making presentations to member agencies and the public about the benefits of a proposed sales tax extension, the Association of Governments was simply performing its duty, the court determined.

Stadium Could Replace Dead Chula Vista Bayfront Project

Nov 18, 2008

CP&DR Staff, Featured Articles, Redevelopment, San Diego County, Vol. 23 No. 12 Dec 2008

A proposed 400,000-square-foot convention center and 2,000-room resort hotel that was supposed to anchor the redevelopment of Chula Vista's waterfront is dead, but the demise of the convention center and hotel could open up the site to potential development of a San Diego Chargers football stadium. The Chargers have been seeking a location for a stadium and related commercial development and have considered two other sites in Chula Vista.

November 18 Election Update: Another Transit Victory

Nov 5, 2008

California, CP&DR Staff, Elections

In balloting November 4 on local land use measures in California, slow-growth advocates won 22 of 39 elections. Opponents of development rejected an ambitious plan for the San Diego waterfront, endorsed a tight growth control initiative in Redondo Beach, and extended agricultural land protections in Napa and Solano County. But pro-growth forces won high-profile victories in Oxnard, where a subsequent vote requirement was proposed for most projects, and in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, San Marcos and Redwood City.

In Brief: Redevelopment Association Sues State

Nov 3, 2008

California, CP&DR Staff, In Brief, Vol. 23 No. 11 Nov 2008

In this month's collection of land use news from around the state: The California Redevelopment Association has sued the state over a shift of revenues to schools; a San Diego property owner is ordered to pay the city $4.3 million in attorney fees; corruption in San Francisco; a CEQA lawsuit in Healdsburg; a subdivision in Tuolumne County; Sacramento acquires dilapidated downtown properties; land conservation in Sonoma County; Diablo Grande gets new owners; K rat critical habitat shrinks.

Fish & Game Commission Ordered To Consider Salamander Protection

Oct 29, 2008

California, CP&DR Staff, Endangered Species Act, Legal Digest, Vol. 23 No. 11 Nov 2008

The California Fish and Game Commission must consider listing the California tiger salamander on the state endangered species list, the Third District Court of Appeal has ruled. The court determined that the Commission should have accepted a petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and considered adding the salamander to the list of species protected by the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). "The Commission acted outside the range of its discretion in denying the petition," the court concluded.

Cal Supremes Accept CEQA Case, Order Prop. 218 Suit Rehearing

Oct 28, 2008

California Environmental Quality Act, CP&DR Staff, Legal Digest, Sacramento County, Vol. 23 No. 11 Nov 2008

The California Supreme Court has accepted yet another California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) case for review, this one involving the question of whether denial of a conditional use permit extension is subject to CEQA. In an unrelated matter, the court has dismissed a Proposition 218 case regarding assessments for a business improvement district.

Large Southern California Infill Projects Advance

Oct 28, 2008

CP&DR Staff, Featured Articles, Infill development, Vol. 23 No. 11 Nov 2008

A quarry in San Diego and a closed garbage dump in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson provide the locations of huge urban infill projects. The San Diego project recently won City Council approval, while work has begun on the Carson development.