Significant CEQA Streamlining Reform Bills Enacted

Courtesy of Meyers / Nave Read the original article here. This is a little bit dated but some of these new regulations and interpretations will take effect on January 1, 2012. October 24, 2011 Three important reform bills designed to streamline California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) processing and review for certain classes of projects have been enacted and will take effect January 1, 2012.  SB 226 creates a new exemption for urban infill... Read More

Rebranding Planning so the Public Understands

Robin Rather, CEO of Collective Strength, speaks about how planners can build support for planning in their communities and counter critics. “I think the attacks are coming more frequently and with more pain, because planners have been succeeding. The idea of sustainable communities has really taken off in place after place, and comprehensive planning is really catching on around the country, and success breeds antagonism,” says... Read More

Change in Planning Commission Meeting Dates for 2012

PRESS RELEASE FROM CALAVERAS COUNTY The dates set for the regular monthly meetings of the Planning Commission will be changed to the second and fourth Thursday of each month. The first regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Commission in 2012 shall take place on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012.  Read More

Planning Commission Study Session Scheduled for December 1st at 9 AM

The Planning Commission Agenda indicates that they will be reviewing the Board of Supervisors Study Session of November 22nd and discussing refinements to the Preferred General Plan Land Use Map.  You can view and download the agenda and supporting documents here.  Read More

Countywide Land-Use Plan Returns to Board Next Year

Written by Sean Janssen, The Union Democrat November 23, 2011 01:59 pm County planning staff will bring back a long-range land use plan Jan. 10 for the Board of Supervisors to pore over in greater detail. The board, after a lengthy Tuesday afternoon study session, unanimously asked for:_ * an inventory of unimproved lots and parcels that cannot be improved due to terrain or other reasons; * a plan to accommodate rural subdivisions that occur outside... Read More

Calaveras Board of Supervisors Approves “Next Steps” for the General Plan

The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors approved all of the recommendations that new Planning Director Rebecca Willis made for moving the General Plan Update forward during the study session on November 22, 2011.  Many of her recommendations stemmed from the public comment letters sent in by the CPC and others during the review of the General Plan Alternatives in spring of 2010. Thank you to all the CAP/CPC people who spoke at the study session,... Read More

General Plan Study Session Scheduled for November 22

The Board of Supervisors agenda (available here) shows a Study Session “Refinements to the General Plan Preferred Land Use Map” at 2:00 pm.  This is an important next step in the General Plan process and we encourage all of you who can find the time to attend and make sure your concerns are being addressed. The entire agenda packet is available here.  The agenda packet includes Planning Department documents for the Study Session but... Read More

Rebecca Willis, Planning Director, announces a Nov. 22nd General Plan Workshop/ Study Session

Planning Director, Rebecca Willis, spoke during Review of Correspondence and Reports; you can watch the video (she speaks at 1 hr. 1 min. ~50 sec.+) here. Rebecca Willis gave a brief summary of the process so far and noted that there is now brand new Planning  staff.  She then announced that a workshop/study session is scheduled at the Board’s next meeting Nov. 22. Rebecca indicated that the purpose of the study session is to review the land... Read More

Calaveras Planning Coalition Hosts Planning Director Rebecca Willis

Calaveras Planning Director Rebecca Willis was the guest of the Calaveras Planning Coalition at their November 7 “Brown Bag” discussion.  Rebecca has been on the job for three months.  This gathering provided the opportunity for her to introduce herself to Planning Coalition members and to answer some of their questions. Rebecca has many years of planning experience in Southern and Northern California.  She was most recently Community Development... Read More

GOVERNOR VETOES AB 1220

October 11, 2011 The Governor decided to veto AB 1220 on Sunday – the last day he was able to take action on a bill. This bill was modeled after AB 602 from last year, which was also vetoed by then Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. While it was vetoed last year, the exact same language returned this year. AB 1220 would originally have expanded from one year to five years the statute of limitations to sue a city or county, challenging the adoption... Read More