Sprawling development and alternative energy projects are a growing threat to California's productive farmland. Susie Cagle discusses how two bills "could give a boost to California agriculture big and small," while reining in sprawl.
"First up: The Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone Act, AB 551," writes Cagle. "This would set up an optional program for counties to give residents breaks on their property taxes so long as they’re using the land to grow food." As San Francisco based urban think tank SPUR explains, "This legislation provides an incentive to private landowners to make more land available for urban agriculture...which is especially critical for the viability of commercial urban farms."
"For non-city dwellers, the California Farmland Protection Act, AB 823, packs a much bigger punch," Cagle adds. As SPUR notes, "The bill would require developers to either 1) permanently protect an acre of farmland for every acre they develop as part of the mitigation process in the California Environmental Quality Act or 2) build more densely."
FULL STORY: Two new bills aim to save California farmland from rampant sprawl

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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