Comment Log Display

Revising State Planning Laws

In California, there remain significant institutional obstacles to
limiting sprawl and favoring low-carbon development.  These include
zoning ordinances, code requirements, parking requirements, CEQA’s
emphasis on congestion and LOS bias, transportation funding
formulas and mechanisms, private lending practices, hidden
subsidies to parking, taxation biases favoring big box retail, and
aspects of the planning process itself.

Judging from the successes of other states it is possible to
mandate more effective comprehensive planning in every
jurisdiction throughout the state.  California’s current planning
mandates, which are followed loosely at best, and with virtually
no meaningful outcome goals, are inadequate to address urgently
needed limitations on GHG, just as they have not been adequate to
meet present day problems such as traffic congestion, water supply
shortages, habitat destruction, and affordable housing.  

Measure 13 includes working with local governments to “develop
targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a regional basis.” 
The suggested targets are just that – suggested.  We believe AB 32
implementation, if pursued seriously, requires significant
revisions to the state’s planning laws to make regional targets
enforceable.  It is not adequate, to simply state, “…ARB
encourages local governments to set municipal and community-wide
2020 greenhouse gas reduction goals and adopt measures and best
practices to meet those goals” (page 32).  The state has long
encouraged better planning, to no avail.   

Now is the time to reform land use planning in ways that provide
both incentives and enforcement opportunities that require:
-  reductions vehicle miles traveled.
- equal the playing field for transit vs cars
- allow and require mitigation for traffic to go for transit
especially in the CMPs
- See also the Addendum to the 2007 Regional Transportation Plan
Guidelines adopted by the CTC on May 29, 2008