California's Biggest Land Use Story Is Not The Housing Market

The deepening of the housing market crisis is certainly a big deal in California. But the land use story of the year was the Legislature's passage of a measure mandating regional planning.

1 minute read

January 1, 2009, 5:00 AM PST

By Paul Shigley


The passage of Senate Bill 375 may not mark the end of the suburban era in California, but it demonstrates the ongoing evolution. Quite clearly, the goal is to encourage infill development, mixed uses and transit, and to discourage greenfield housing subdivisions. And the diverse coalition that endorsed the bill was truly remarkable.

Other top land use stories in the Golden State include the passage of sales taxes for transportation projects, voter-imposed growth controls, the rejection of a property rights initiative, and a stunning court reversal on wireless zoning.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008 in California Planning & Development Report

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