Whether climate change science turns out to be solid or skewed, Southern California leaders are making plans to move this region toward a lower-carbon-emitting, more sustainable future.
Former governors Gray Davis and Pete Wilson, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols, and an overflow crowd of local officials and business leaders gathered Thursday in Los Angeles to discuss implementing California’s Sustainable Communities Strategy (SB375). This landmark legislation, the first in the nation, requires local governments to use greenhouse gas reduction targets in developing local housing, transportation, and community plans.
Takeaways from the session:
Local leaders are determined to emphasize sustainability, quality of life, and cutting pollution in regional planning, even if climate change science comes into serious doubt.
Creating incentives for smart growth is going to be very difficult during this economic downturn, as the state has defunded transit and taken city redevelopment funds.
Existing land use planning and revenue structures run counter to the goals of smart growth and sustainability.
Flexibility in state rules for implementing cuts in greenhouse gases will be critical for inland and suburban communities that cannot replicate Northern California building and transit use patterns. “Clean up” language is needed in the legislation.
Don’t underestimate market forces – people will find ways around laws they don’t agree with.
Educating voters (“we need to deputize every Californian”) on this legislation and being sensitive to their economic concerns at this time is paramount.
Yesterday’s meeting was the culmination of several background meetings over the past several months. It brought together the regional council of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the Southern California Leadership Council, and the Global Land Use and Economic Council, a business coalition.
Remarks made during the proceedings:
“The overflow crowd indicates the scope of collaboration the region will need to implement this landmark legislation…The success of implementation will be based on flexibility.” – Jon Edney, SCAG President
“If we are going to discourage autos, we have to increase funding for transit…cities have to have money for redevelopment…we need to get revenue structures in line with SB 375.” – Governor Gray Davis
“…new home building and mortgage problems are making things difficult…high-rise condos aren’t working out financially for developers.” – Greg McWilliams, Chair, Global Land Use and Economic Development
“Be careful when the science is under attack. Our science needs to be beyond the pale – people are looking to California as a leader in this effort. We need to be sure that the science is there, for example, that greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by high-rise development.” – Lucy Dunn, President and CEO, Orange County Business Council
“Government should be required to take a Hippocratic oath (‘First, do no harm’). Be damn careful about undertaking major changes unless you are absolutely sure they are going to make things better…It is difficult enough to create jobs in this economic climate and if we don’t reverse this, local and state government will be without revenue to do even basic things.” – Governor Pete Wilson
“It’s great to talk about Northern California type transit-oriented development, but in most areas here we can only do transit-ready development..SB 375 cannot be about greenhouse gases, it is about housing a growing population and providing jobs while we reduce greenhouse gases.” – Greg Devereaux, Ontario City Manager
“One size doesn’t fit all. The north Los Angeles County district is larger than the other four districts put together, but isn’t getting a fair share of transit funds…Structural reform is needed; not always more funds, but better distribution of funds.” – Mike Antonovich, LA County Supervisor, 5th District
“There are no representatives from school systems here…schools need to be part of this dialogue.” – Sharon Quirk-Silva, Fullerton Council member
“California can’t lose its ability to remain aspirational in tough times. I happen to believe in SB 375 and AB32…I want a toolkit and rules of engagement…whether or not the science is there, land-use planning has not worked out well for the state.” – Beth Krom, Irvine Council member
“The phrases repeated today are what we call ‘co-benefits’ – everything we do has to achieve multiple benefits: cleaning air, reducing gridlock, making communities healthier, and motivating smart growth.” – Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board
There will always be disagreements among “experts” and conflicting reports when it comes to science. There is overwhelming evidence of the need to do everything possible to improve our environment. Doing so must be part of a systemic effort to raise the quality of life in each community. California appears to be taking a whole-systems approach to leverage efforts for multiple benefits. Consider the quotes listed above that reference “collaboration”, “flexibility”, “schools need to be part of the dialogue”, “structural reforms are needed” and “co-benefits”. The phrase that resonated most for me was “we need to deputize every Californian”. Education and engagement are so important. Sustainable development can be a tremendous catalyst for change and powerful driver of innovation.
When Meg Whitman becomes Governor in 2010 this little BIA funded fantasy about building our way out of Global warming goes bye bye. Sorry, but condos and buses will not save the world. And Pete Wilson? Good God. Didn’t he disgrace himself enough when he was baiting Hispanics?
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