Sacramento County Plan Embraces 'Paradigm Shift' in Growth
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VOL. 26, NO.19 – OCTOBER 1, 2011 CALIFORNIA PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT REPORT Sacramento County Plan Embraces ‘Paradigm Shift’ in Growth Management BY JOSH STEPHENS SACRAMENTO COUNTY MAY NOT RANK among California’s great wine not sure anyone else has done exactly the same way,” said Mike McK- countries, but it does appreciate the value of aging. Eight years in the eever, executive director of the Sacramento Area Council of Govern- making, the land use element of the county’s new general plan update is ments. County Supervisor Phil Serna called it a “paradigm shift for how on the verge of approval by the county Board of Supervisors. In contrast the county is going to consider growth in the future.” with the contentiousness that has surrounded many other recently updated Critics of the growth management strategy contend that there will be county general plans, this one – save some concerns about the protection political pressure to not follow through with the plan’s density goals, of wild habitats – seems to be pleasing just about everyone. which could then open up greenfields to development more quickly than The plan still holds the theoretical potential to expand the “Urban Pol- planners anticipate. icy Area” by up to 20,000 acres. However, in order to direct development “Our big concern is that despite strong criteria, the actual implementa- towards what county planners explicitly refer to as a “smart growth” pat- tion of projects will involve a never-ending series of concessions and re- tern, the county has established a novel set of benchmarks that proposed laxations and decisions that will end up with the kind of development that development must meet before they can even think about treading beyond we have historically seen at the edge of the urban area, which is primarily the established Urban Policy Area. single-family residential, transportation systems that are inadequate, and “They have fashioned a really innovative kind of approach that I’m – CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Land Use Legislation Roundup Governor signs Gov. Jerry Brown considered more than 870 bills Though the governor publicly griped about the that came to his desk this legislative session. Some number of bills that the Legislature presented him – bills regarding of the most contentious involved land use, particu- the chambers considered a total of 2,719 bills this larly bills concerning redevelopment and the Cali- year – it was actually the lowest number in decades. redevelopment, fornia Environmental Quality Act. The City of Los Yet, he still managed to veto 14 percent of them. Angeles got a CEQA exemption for its proposed Herewith is CP&DR’s roundup of bills relating to CEQA, transportation football stadium and infill developments have re- land use that made the cut. ceived special dispensation; speculation is that other such exemptions may be on the horizon. High-profile California environmental Quality aCt failures and vetoes include a bill opposing the expan- aB 320 (Hill) will prevent CEQA lawsuits and lit- CLICK HERE sion of Walmart in San Diego and a bill that would igation from being thrown out in the event a “recipient for last year’s have lowered parking requirements in transit-orient- of approval” appears only after the statute of limita- roundup. ed districts. tions time period has passed. The bill will help bring – CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 IN BRIEF LEGAL DIGEST LEGAL DIGEST Napa County Malibu developer How long is a ‘day’ considers light rail............................. Page 2 wins right to subdivide....................... Page 4 in land of CEQA?............................... Page 6 IN BRIEF LEGAL DIGEST FROM THE BLOG Three CAi cities win n APA s iCourt d rules for county e Planners try to resurrect ‘Great Places’ awards........................ Page 3 in flood damage suit........................... Page 5 Westwood Village............................. Page 12 2 10.01.2011 THE U.S. DEPARTMENT of Housing & Urban Devel- yond the 11-mile mark. Three nonprofit corporations Vine Trail would be constructed on the right of way of opment has decided upon five neighborhoods to re- sued, arguing that the use of the auger would violate the Wine Train.The Napa County Transportation and ceive the first awards of a $122 million federal initiative the Wilderness Act, which forbids use of motorized Planning Agency found, in 2003, that the estimated targeting blighted areas. The initiative by the Obama equipment. The plaintiffs – Californians for Alternatives cost of building a passenger rail system in Napa Valley Administration gives out Choice Neighborhood Imple- to Toxics, Wilderness Watch, and Friends of Silver King would be $216 million. That price tag would mean a mentation Grants to cities with poor areas, in order to Creek – also argued that the plan prioritized recreation- connected system between Napa, Fairfield, and Valle- redevelop and revitalize those neighborhoods. Some al fishing over preservation of wilderness character. jo, with service every hour to the Vallejo ferry and the of the goals of the program are to provide better qual- Judge Damrell agreed, saying that the agencies had Capitol Corridor train terminals. ity public housing, improve public education, lower vi- neglected to take into account other native invertebrate olence rates, and present a path for people to begin species which may be negatively impacted, such as THE LEADERS OF PALM DESERT have voted to up- improving their lives. A grant of $30.5 million went to stoneflies, caddisflies, and mayflies. date a study about the costs of annexing Sun City the Alice Griffith Public Housing Development/Eastern Palm Desert. This study was last completed in 2008, Bayview community in San Francisco. RESEARCHERS AT THE WORLD BANK in Washington and annexation was unsuccessful. To do a new study D.C. have analyzed per-capita emissions of major would cost $20,000, and the costs of renewing the JOINING SEVERAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, metropolitan areas in the United States and discov- old study are undetermined as of yet. Some believe California Attorney General Kamala Harris has filed a ered that dense urban areas in warm climates with that acquiring Sun City Palm Desert could be a good lawsuit against Riverside County over an enormous good transportation systems have far lower emis- move, considering that the city already pays for most warehouse project. The project includes plans to con- sions per-capita. In a study published earlier this year, of its own services and generates sales tax from busi- struct 1.4 million square feet of warehouse and in- the researchers identified these trends and compiled nesses along I-10. However, Mayor Jean Benson and dustrial buildings just south of the 60 freeway, about a list of the top ten least-polluting metro areas in the Councilwoman Cindy Finerty shot down the idea, con- three miles away from the small, low-income com- country. San Francisco topped the list, with 10.1 tons cerned about both the cost of the study itself and the munity of Mira Loma. Thousands of trucks from the of carbon emissions per capita. San Diego and, probability of Riverside County Local Area Formation Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach already pass shockingly, Los Angeles also reached the top ten list allowing annexation of Sun City Palm Desert without through Mira Loma to deposit cargo, contributing to at numbers four and eight, with 11.4 and 13.0 tons also annexing Bermuda Dunes. Bermuda Dunes, a massive truck pollution and lessened lung growth ca- of carbon emissions per capita respectively. Other 200-foot wide strip, runs along the northeastern bor- pacity problems in children, as documented by a USC cities at the top include, in descending order, New der of Palm Desert, and lacks a few of the standard study. The new facilities would mean an estimated ad- York City, Philadelphia, Miami, Chicago, Portland, features of most cities, like full sidewalks. Palm ditional 1,500 diesel truck trips to the area each day. Boston, and Seattle. This research might indicate bet- Desert could be required to add those, as well as All trucks which would enter the facility must have ter development potential in large, dense cities with other amenities, and the cost of doing so might pro- been manufactured after 2007, and will have particu- warmer weather, since those cities have emission lev- hibit the annexation altogether. late traps on them. Riverside County is presumed to els below the U.S. average, and may pave the way to- oppose the intervention by the attorney general, but ward incentives to build denser neighborhoods with LAST MONTH, THE OLDEST SALT FLAT in the Bay has not yet commented publicly. better access to transportation. Area was destroyed in order to return the area to wet- lands, as part of the 15,000-acre South Bay Salt Pond U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE Frank C. Damrell Jr. has INVESTORS HAVE ENTERED discussions with the Restoration Project. Since the Gold Rush, levees have decided that a joint federal-state attempt to restore the Napa Valley Wine Train about bringing a light rail pas- been in place to create ponds from which to harvest Paiute cutthroat trout population in Alpine County can- senger train to wine country. The group of local in- salt, used by Ohlone Indians and then by commercial not include the use of an auger to dispense chemicals. vestors, brought together by Keith Rogal and presided organizations. Now, most of the salt flats are owned The U.S. Forest Service and the California Department over by Chuck McMinn, wants the shuttle service to by the state and federal governments and will also be of Fish and Game want to put rotenone in 11 miles of run on the tracks of the gourmet tourist train. Rogal knocked down for wetlands restoration.