A recurring theme of mine here at the PSI blog has been how economic growth in California is strangled by green statism -- whether in the form of statewide cap-and-trade, thoughtless energy mandates, or reckless land use rules of the kind laid down by the California Coastal Commission.
While the most outrageous, high-profile cases are the easiest to focus on, that can obscure the fact that many parts of the Golden State make it impossible to erect even the most pedestrian developments. That's the theme explored by Bill Watkins over at New Geography (an invaluable site, as attested to by the fact that Steve links to it below) as he examines the myriad public and private-sector entities that have to sign off on a development in his home town of Ventura. Consider his daunting list of the relevant parties:
While the most outrageous, high-profile cases are the easiest to focus on, that can obscure the fact that many parts of the Golden State make it impossible to erect even the most pedestrian developments. That's the theme explored by Bill Watkins over at New Geography (an invaluable site, as attested to by the fact that Steve links to it below) as he examines the myriad public and private-sector entities that have to sign off on a development in his home town of Ventura. Consider his daunting list of the relevant parties:
- City agencies (Planning, Engineering, Flood Control, Traffic, Building & Safety, Utilities, Police, Fire)
- Historic Preservation Committee
- Parks and Recreation Committee
- Design Review Committee
- Planning Commission
- City Council
- School District
- Neighborhood and Community Councils
- No-Growth Citizen Groups
- Chamber of Commerce
- Ventura Citizens for Hillside Preservation
- California Department of Fish and Game
- United States Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Ventura County Local Agency Formation Committee (discretionary authority regarding annexations)
- Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (new MS4 Stormwater Permit issues)
- Ventura County Environmental Health
- California Coastal Commission (for some projects within the Coastal Zone)
- California Native American Heritage Commission and Designated Most Likely Descendant of local tribe
- United States Army Corps of Engineers
- Natural Resources Defense Council, Surfrider Foundation, Heal the Bay, other environmental groups
- And all parties who have requested to be on notice, as well as the general public and other agencies, will be informed of any California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document.
Ventura's example is instructive. It's a beautiful coastal area with a relatively affluent population. But land use isn't difficult here because the place is overrun with wild-eyed liberals. It has just as much to do with the fact that otherwise conservative residents looking to "preserve the neighborhood" want to start restricting property rights the second that they've secured their own title. It's a "growth for me, but not for thee" mindset. The problem, of course, is that everyone ends up worse off in the end.
Those who still remain optimistic about California's future love to point to the state's abundance of natural resources and pristine land. It remains a mystery, however, why they think those factors will help when bureaucratic red tape has rendered them all but inert.
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