CP&DR

Bureaucratic Compliance With SB 375 May Not Reduce Driving

Jul 1, 2009

California, Climate change, Insight, Vol. 24 No. 07 Jul 2009 - 1, William Fulton

Now that the age of greenhouse gas emissions reduction is upon us, I think there's an important point worth making: Government agencies in California can try to comply with SB 375 – or they can focus on reducing driving. There is a lot of overlap between the two, but they are not exactly the same thing.

Federal Stimulus Grants May Help Locals Meet New Planning Mandates

May 21, 2009

California, Insight, Local government finance, Vol. 24 No. 06 Jun 2009, William Fulton

There's never been a weirder time to try to do planning in California.

On the one hand, the state has made climate change a major priority – and it's driving local government efforts in a hundred different ways, ranging from greenhouse gas analyses in environmental documents to switching out light bulbs in city corporation yards.

On the other hand, the state is cutting back all over the place because of the ever-more-dismal budget crisis. And this is going to make it hard for local governments to meet the requirements the state is laying out.

Proposed SCAG Plan Falls Short Of Likely SB 375 Target

May 11, 2009

Climate change, Featured Articles, Vol. 24 No. 06 Jun 2009, William Fulton

Southern California's regional planning agency unveiled a new "conceptual land use plan" on Friday, May 8 –but the plan does not meet the presumed greenhouse gas emissions target for the region under SB 375, and SCAG has not revealed yet how growth would be split up under the most transit-oriented interpretation of the plan.

Cities, Counties Weigh SB 375 Strategies While Rules Evolve

Apr 28, 2009

California, Climate change, Insight, Vol. 24 No. 05 May 2009, William Fulton

SB 375 is now law, but another year and a half will pass before the California Air Resources Board adopts the follow-up numerical regional targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions. This puts California's cities and counties in a pretty big bind: How can they adopt plans for the future that will conform with the climate change law if they don't know what standard they are going to have to comply with?

Washington Stimulates Old-Style Growth, But Change May Come Via Legislation

Mar 30, 2009

Insight, Local government finance, Vol. 24 No. 04 Apr 2009, William Fulton

Suddenly, for the first time in 30 years, Washington is the center of the government money world. This is turning things upside down for the planning and development establishment, as local officials, developers, transportation leaders and others flood the nation's capital in search of dough. But what will all the dough do? And how will it shape the growth landscape of California over the next few years?

The Other State Budget Breakthrough: Environmental Review Exemptions

Mar 2, 2009

California, California Environmental Quality Act, Insight, Vol. 24 No. 03 Mar 2009, William Fulton

It was a little-noticed aspect of the final California budget deal, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made California Environmental Quality Act history when he signed the long-delayed 2008-09 budget in February.

Schwarzenegger asked for and got something no governor had ever gotten through the budget process before: an exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act for certain state construction projects based on economic hardship, rather than on natural disaster.

Is Obama's Tent Big Enough For All Land Use Constituencies?

Jan 27, 2009

Insight, Vol. 24 No. 02 Feb 2009, William Fulton

Not since Lyndon Johnson more than 40 years ago has any president come into office with anything like the sky-high expectations about reforming urban policy that Barack Obama brings. But the various federal policies related to growth and development have many constituencies – urban, suburban, and rural – and it is not yet clear that Obama can meld them in a meaningful way.

CARB Decision Places Even More Focus On SB 375 Process

Dec 30, 2008

California, Climate change, Insight, Vol. 24 No. 01 Jan 2009, William Fulton

Five million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

This is the target – at least for now – that is likely to drive
"smart growth"-style land use planning in California over the next few years. It's the tentative reduction target that the California Air Resources Board has assigned to the land use sector in order to help meet the state's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals by 2020.

Could Obama's Urban Policy Embrace Regional, Suburban Issues Too?

Dec 1, 2008

Insight, Vol. 23 No. 12 Dec 2008, William Fulton

No president in more than 40 years has been better positioned to reshape American urban policy than Barack Obama. But the new president faces three challenges in dealing with urban policy.

SB 375: It's An Incremental Change, Not A Revolution

Oct 23, 2008

California, Insight, Legislation, Vol. 23 No. 11 Nov 2008, William Fulton

Supporters and opponents alike are touting SB 375 as the most significant land use reform bill in recent California history. When he signed it in September, Gov. Schwarzenegger called it the biggest bill since the California Environmental Quality Act 38 as approved years ago. Meanwhile, the hilariously over-the-top Orange County Register has called the bill "one of the most authoritarian, far-reaching and elitist bills that has ever made it to the governor's desk." In fact, it is neither.