California Planning & Development Report

California Planning & Development Report
Name	California Planning & Development Report
Type	Online news service
Format	Digital
Founded	1991
Founder	Lisa Goldberg
Publisher	California Planning and Development Report
Headquarters	Sacramento, California

California Planning & Development Report

California Planning & Development Report is an independent online news outlet focused on land use, housing, transportation, and environmental policy in California. The publication covers state and local decisions, regulatory actions, and legislative developments affecting urban planning across the state. It serves planners, policymakers, advocates, developers, and scholars by tracking implementation of statutes, ballot measures, and judicial rulings related to growth and infrastructure.

History

Founded in 1991 by Lisa Goldberg amid debates over the California Environmental Quality Act, the publication emerged during the tenure of Pete Wilson as Governor of California and the passage of Proposition 184 and other statewide initiatives. Early coverage intersected with controversies involving the Del Mar Fairgrounds, the aftermath of the Loma Prieta earthquake, and litigation such as Friends of the Earth v. Laidlaw Environmental Services (TOC), linking the outlet to debates around the California Coastal Commission, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and regional plans like Blueprint for a Better Bay Area. Over decades the report chronicled actions by the California State Legislature, rulings from the Supreme Court of California, and executive policies from administrations including Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Coverage expanded with statewide housing crises, the enactment of laws such as Senate Bill 375 (2008), and policy shifts under governors Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom.

Mission and Coverage

The outlet's mission emphasizes transparent reporting on land use decisions shaped by statutes including Senate Bill 9 (2021), Assembly Bill 1482 (2019), and reforms tied to Proposition 13 (1978). Coverage spans municipal actions by bodies like the San Francisco Planning Department, county boards such as the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and regional agencies like the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. It tracks legislative activity in the California State Assembly and California State Senate, administrative rulemaking at the California Department of Housing and Community Development, and litigation at the California Court of Appeal. The publication contextualizes local projects—transit-oriented developments near BART stations, infill projects adjacent to Caltrain corridors, and affordable housing financed via Low-Income Housing Tax Credit allocations—within statewide initiatives like Measure H and federal programs such as the Community Development Block Grant.

Content and Features

Regular features include beat reporting on zoning changes by cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and Sacramento, analysis of ballot measures such as Proposition 10 (2018), and summaries of agency decisions by entities like the California Coastal Commission and California Public Utilities Commission. The site publishes explainers on statutes including Senate Bill 50 (2019), compendia of court opinions from cases like Yim v. City of San Diego, and deep dives into projects including the High-Speed Rail (California) program, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, and the Los Angeles River revitalization. Multimedia features profile planners trained at institutions such as University of California, Berkeley, University of Southern California, and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and interview advocates from organizations like the Urban Land Institute, Planners Network, and Shelter Partnership.

Editorial Structure and Contributors

The editorial team consists of editors and reporters with backgrounds at outlets such as the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Sacramento Bee, and with academic affiliations to centers like the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and Terner Center for Housing Innovation. Contributing writers include policy analysts, attorneys who have worked with the Public Advocates Inc., and former municipal planners from jurisdictions such as Oakland and Pasadena. The board of advisors features practitioners affiliated with professional organizations including the American Planning Association and the Urban Land Institute, and scholars from universities such as Stanford University and University of California, Los Angeles.

Impact and Reception

Reporting has influenced debate around statewide measures such as Proposition 13 reform discussions and implementation of SB 35 (2017), and has been cited by stakeholders including city councils in San Diego and regional agencies like the Southern California Association of Governments. The publication's investigations into environmental review processes have been referenced in filings before the California Coastal Commission and in amicus briefs filed to the Supreme Court of California. Reception among advocacy groups—ranging from Tenants Together to the California Building Industry Association—reflects the outlet's role in framing discourse on density, preservation, and transit investments. Academic researchers at centers such as the Institute of Urban and Regional Development have used its archives for longitudinal studies of housing policy.

Funding and Governance

Funding sources historically include individual subscriptions, philanthropic grants from foundations like the James Irvine Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and underwriting from nonprofit partners including the Local Government Commission. Governance involves a nonprofit board composed of practitioners from agencies such as the California Strategic Growth Council and representatives of civic groups like California Common Sense. Editorial independence is maintained through conflict-of-interest policies aligned with standards promoted by organizations like the Society of Professional Journalists and governance best practices advocated by the National Council on Nonprofits.

Category:California media