California Speeds Toward Decreasing Sprawl and Harmful Emissions

On Monday, August 25, California took one step closer towards adopting a law to reduce sprawl and heat-trapping gases in the San Francisco area. This law, which will undeniably be the nation's largest comprehensive effort to reduce urban sprawl, will provide tens of billions of dollars to encourage clustered growth of the city's housing, businesses and agriculture. The goal of this law, upon approval is, "to encourage housing near current development and to reduce commutes to work." Their mission mirrors Trailnet's vision for complete streets, where all travelers have safe, supportive infrastructure to move them from place to place. In California, the number of miles driven has increased a staggering 50% faster than the increase in population over the last two decades. Among the multiple miles driven on a daily basis, passenger vehicles produce 30% of the state's heat-trapping gases, making them the largest source of harmful emissions. 

The passage of this law is more than an effort to minimize the increase in emissions of heat-trapping gases, it is a strategic plan. A plan surrounding housing, climate-change and transportation needs all together. How will land use be split among housing, agriculture, industry, etc? Where will new roads and bridges be built to maximize use? How much affordable housing needs to be provided and where?  San Francisco's tri-fold effort incorporates similar planning tactics to that of Los Angeles' DO REAL PLANNING moto, with the basis that quality planning assures that communities take the correct steps toward strengthening the universality of its streets.

When should the San Francisco law be expected to pass? According to California State Senator Darrell Steinberg, the answer is soon. Each of the seventeen regional planning groups will devise goals, directed by the Air Resources Board, and will submit their transportation, housing and land-use plans. Environmentalists hope to use the idea of "urban growth boundaries", adopted from Portland planners, to control sprawl by, "encouraging higher density development within an area and largely prohibiting it outside." Development of stronger coalitions and environmental quality assurance is necessary to offset the reservations held by many Californian developers and some local environmental groups. 

For more information, check out:

         http://www.completestreets.org/CaliforniaCS.html