An Obstacle to Density Desperately Needs Reform

With the loss of redevelopment in California, money for brownfield remediation has dried up. The California Legislature needs to focus on regulatory reform to support brownfield redevelopment, according to environmental attorney Richard Opper.

1 minute read

January 30, 2017, 8:00 AM PST

By wadams92101


In the wake of 9/11, Congress revised CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, aka Superfund) so that the World Trade Center site could be rebuilt. It was a step in the right direction but not enough, writes Richard Opper, a San Diego based environmental law attorney. In California, Governor Brown's elimination of redevelopment agencies, eliminated a primary source of funding for redevelopment of such sites. He says: 

. . . it is an embarrassing failure of leadership at all the state levels that has failed to implement regulatory reform to support brownfield redevelopment.  California still treats every plot owner as a possible PRP (rhymes with “perp” aka potentially responsible party).  It doesn’t matter which of the mind numbingly various state agencies one deals with, they are generally just not interested in making brownfield redevelopment smarter in California.  Our governor, who has had experience with urban redevelopment, seems to think our state system is fine and in need of no further improvement.  In this he is wrong.  Our current system is suffering from regulatory entropy.  We are at a point as low as any  of the last three decades.

For more of Opper's views on the topic, please visit the source article. 

Sunday, January 29, 2017 in UrbDeZine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Cars in traffic entering Holland Tunnel in New York City.

NYC Congestion Pricing Continues to Show Positive Results

While the Trump administration attempts to revoke the program’s federal approval, congestion pricing continues to reduce traffic, speed up bus travel times, and improve air quality in Manhattan.

May 14, 2025 - Governing

"Units for sale - contact your local realtor" sign in front of homes.

‘Displaced By Design:’ Report Spotlights Gentrification in Black Neighborhoods

A new report finds that roughly 15 percent of U.S. neighborhoods have been impacted by housing cost increases and displacement.

33 minutes ago - Next City

Turquoise blue Pyramid Lake near Reno, Nevada.

Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan

A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.

1 hour ago - Inside Climate News

Alpine Recreation Center sign in park in Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA.

More Than a Park: A Safe Haven for Generations in LA’s Chinatown

Alpine Recreation Center serves as a vital cultural and community hub in Los Angeles' Chinatown, offering a safe, welcoming space for generations of Chinese American residents to gather, connect, and thrive amidst rapid urban change.

2 hours ago - American Community Media

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.