California Voters Still Leaning Slow-Growth

"In balloting Tuesday on local land use measures in California, slow-growth advocates won 22 of 36 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, San Marcos and Redwood City.

Election day was a good one for transit. Voters in Sonoma and Marin counties approved a new sales tax to fund a commuter train through the two counties. Los Angeles County voters backed a half-cent sales tax to fund numerous transportation projects, including extensive rail and bus service expansions. In a portion of the Alameda County Transit District, voters doubled the parcel tax to fund bus service. In Berkeley, voters rejected an initiative to block a bus rapid transit lane on Telegraph Avenue. And in West Sacramento, voters endorsed a plan to spend sales tax revenue on a new streetcar system."