The ‘Room to Roam Act’ would require cities and counties to consider local habitats and the impact of development on wildlife corridors and connectivity.
A proposed California bill dubbed the “Room to Roam Act” would require general plans to consider “fish, wildlife, and habitat connectivity,” signaling a shift toward more conservation-minded development.
According to a blog post on the Nossaman LLP website, Assembly Bill 1889 would require cities and counties to make the necessary updates to their general plans by January 1, 2026. “Section 1 of the Room to Roam Act would require local jurisdictions to ‘consider and implement measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts to fish, wildlife, and habitat connectivity from existing and planned land uses within their jurisdictions.’”
The post adds, “The updated conservation element must: identify and analyze connectivity, permeability, and natural landscape areas within the jurisdiction; identify and analyze wildlife passage features; consider impacts of wildlife barriers caused by development and avoid, minimize and mitigate these impacts; and analyze and consider options to remediate barriers to wildlife connectivity and restore degraded habitat and open landscape.”
The bill could help cities balance conservation, housing, and climate resilience, but may also lengthen the development approval process.
FULL STORY: California’s “Room to Roam Act:” Factoring Wildlife Connectivity Into Land Use Planning
California Room to Roam Act Prioritizes Wildlife Connectivity
A new state law requires new development and infrastructure to minimize disruption to local wildlife habitats and migration patterns.
Once a year, Maine roads become highways for amphibians
The 'Big Night' brings out volunteers to help frogs, salamanders, and other migrating amphibians cross roads to reach their breeding grounds.
Study: How Urban Parks Can Support Biodiversity
Conservation and recreation can go hand in hand in urban green spaces designed to serve both humans and local wildlife.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
5 New England states march closer to 800 megawatt wind energy project
Securing federal approval for the project may be complicated under the Trump administration, which has historically been hostile towards domestic wind power.
Baltimore to break ground on $50 million Transit Priority Project
The project will bring faster bus trips, safer streets and better bike connections to Baltimore.
Airbnb launches $250 million 'last-dollar financing' housing accelerator, makes first investment in Austin
The company will put $6.4 million towards affordable housing development in Texas’ capital.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association