California land use subject to global warming review

The Sacramento Bee reports on the outright war on property rights in California:

For decades, California cities and counties knew one way to grow -- by sprawling outward.

That approach, which has led to ever longer commutes, jammed freeways and worsening air quality, is being challenged under a bill that was approved Saturday in the state Legislature.

The bill would require local governments to plan their growth so homes, businesses and public transit systems are clustered together. The goal is to help California meet the emission mandates spelled out in a wide-ranging greenhouse gas reduction law passed two years ago.

At the same time, it will encourage housing to be built closer to where people work and shop while discouraging the type of suburban sprawl that has characterized California's development pattern for decades.

It requires local governments to submit regional development plans to state air regulators for approval, making them eligible for billions of dollars in state and federal transportation grants.

Sen. Darrell Steinberg, the bill's author, said it has drawn support from groups that typically are adversaries: home builders, environmentalists, advocates for affordable housing and local government officials. He called it "the coalition of the impossible."

Steinberg said the legislation "allows California to grow, but in a way that is consistent with our environmental goals."

You'll want to read the whole article.California is in decline because politicians have too much say on economic development.Remember,these are the same morons that think paying 3600 California prison guards $100,000 a year makes good sense.