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

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

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.

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Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won
A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide
Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code
The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.
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