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Placer County Land Use & Development Digest



Rural California, Reliant on the Trump Administration for Jobs, Braces for Cuts

04/02/2025

Rural counties are some of the most reliant on federal funding and federal workers. But some still welcome Trump’s upcoming cuts to forestry and other departments

CA Lawmakers Seek to Change CEQA (Again)

03/28/2025

A handful of legislators rallied near the state Capitol Thursday to promote what they’re calling an “extremely unsexy,” but important, bipartisan bill package intended to put California’s housing development into overdrive.

Roseville 265-Unit Apartment Development Construction Begins

03/27/2025

A 265-unit affordable apartment community has begun construction in West Roseville at Fiddyment Road and Harvey Way.

Will This Bill Be the End of California’s Housing vs Environment Wars?

03/26/2025

In the recurring legislative fight between YIMBY legislators and defenders of California’s signature environmental law, one bill could be a final legislative showdown.

New Fire Maps Put Nearly 4 Million Californians in Hazardous Zones. What Does That Mean for the People Who Live There?

03/24/2025

CalFire released its fourth and final round of color-coded hazard maps. Different colors come with different rules.

‘It Will Not Be Survivable’: Lake Tahoe Could Be a Deathtrap During Major Wildfires

03/18/2025

Evacuating the Tahoe basin in summer could take 14 hours, and 99% of properties are at risk — yet new resorts are being built in high-danger fire areas.

The High Cost of Fixing Lake Tahoe: Famed Alpine Lake Still Murky After Decades of Efforts

03/18/2025

Billions of state and federal dollars are spent on Lake Tahoe. But is all this attention actually protecting this unique treasure? Pollutants pour in, while development continues. Funding has shifted in focus to tourism and traffic projects, while money spent directly on fixing the lake has declined.

State Farm Can Hike Rates on California Homeowners — If It Pauses Cancellations and Proves Need

03/14/2025

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said today he will grant State Farm’s request to raise home insurance premiums by 22% on average if the company agrees to certain conditions — and wins approval at a public rate hearing next month.

Incorporation of North Lake Tahoe Discussed

03/13/2025

Read on for details about a recent meeting hosted by east Placer County residents about a project to incorporate into the new town of North Lake Tahoe.

The Story Behind That Big Water Release

03/12/2025

Read on to learn the story behind the Army Corps of Engineers abrupt release of billions of gallons of water from two California dams despite pushback from water managers and state elected officials.

California Lawmakers Propose Fixes for ‘Insurance Industry in Shambles’

03/10/2025

From pushing for oversight of the FAIR Plan to providing tax breaks for premiums, California lawmakers try to fix insurance market problems.

They Tried to Pay Their Overdue Rent. Their Landlord Wouldn’t Accept It

03/09/2025

It’s legal in California to evict tenants for nonpayment even when they can pay all their overdue rent. A proposal pending in the Legislature seeks to change that.

First-of-Its Kind Court Order Halts Sweep of California Homeless Camp

03/04/2025

This appears to be the first such injunction since the U.S. Supreme Court let cities crack down on homeless encampments in California and beyond.

‘Too Damn Hard to Build’:  a Key California Democrat’s Push for Speedier Construction

03/03/2025

Oakland Democrat Buffy Wicks said lawmakers will soon see 20 bills to speed up housing construction, along with more on energy, water and transit.

Californians Approved $1.5 Billion for Wildfire Prevention. How Will the State Spend It?

02/27/2025

The governor has proposed spending climate bond money dedicated to wildfire mitigation in various ways. Some lawmakers think a focused strategy would be more effective.

California Insurance Commissioner Meets Privately With State Farm, Hopes to Make Rate Hike Decision Within Two Weeks

02/26/2025

Ricardo Lara said he will look at information provided by State Farm before revisiting his previous decision to reject the company’s emergency rate hike.

California’s Fund to Build Student Housing Runs Dry — Leaving Community Colleges in the Lurch

02/26/2025

Feather River College is still reeling from the 2021 Dixie Fire, which destroyed hundreds of homes in the surrounding community and warped the housing market. The college is one of many schools that have tried — and failed — to secure state grants to build more student housing.

Why Bills to Help Prevent California Fires Fail

02/26/2025

Each year, legislation aimed at better wildfire mitigation fails – often due to cost or conflict with environmental regulations.

‘Limited to No Impact’: Why a Pro-Housing Group Says California’s Pro-Housing Laws Aren’t Producing More

02/23/2025

A passel of recent California laws were supposed to supercharge the construction of desperately needed housing. According to YIMBY Law, they haven’t even come close.

Do Homeowners Associations Trump CA’s ADU Laws?

02/20/2025

In a dispute over whether he can convert his three-story condominium’s garage into its own ground-floor apartment, one Carlsbad resident is waging a battle against his homeowners association.

288-Unit Affordable Apartment Development Opens in Rocklin

02/19/2025

Read on for details about the new 288-unit apartment complex which has been completed and open for new residents on University Avenue in Rocklin.

How Newsom Has Responded to the LA Fires

02/18/2025

In the days and weeks following the January Los Angeles County wildfires, Gov. Gavin Newsom and his office moved quickly to manage the response and begin recovery efforts after the blazes were contained. Since then, the governor has been singularly focused on the region, describing his approach as “an extended period of engagement” with L.A. during a press conference in Altadena last week.

Big CA Insurance Hike Blocked for Now

02/17/2025

Against the recommendation of his staff experts, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara denied a request from State Farm to green light “emergency” rate increases for insurance policy holders.

Learning Through Burning: Moss Landing Fire Exposes Need for Changes in Battery Facilities

02/15/2025

AS HOST TO the largest battery storage facility in the world, on a site that just had its fourth fire in four years, the people of Monterey County have grown to realize that Moss Landing is a learning laboratory for California’s green energy transition.

Big Homeowner Rate Hike From State Farm Shot Down by California Regulator

02/14/2025

In the wake of the Los Angeles fires, State Farm asked for an “emergency” premium increase of 22% on average for California homeowners. Lara today denied the request pending more information.

Hell Hole Reservoir Storage Expansion Project Approved

02/13/2025

In their February 13 meeting, the Placer County Water Agency approved $5.8 million in funding to increase water storage capacity at Hell Hole Reservoir. Read on to learn more about this project.

Roseville Hampton Suites Conversion Update

02/06/2025

Read on to learn more about the progress in converting a former Hampton Inn & Suites in Roseville to an apartment building for housing of former homeless.

State Farm Asks for More Insurance Rate Increases After LA Fires

02/04/2025

State Farm, which already has rate increase requests pending, asked state officials to approve more insurance price increases.

Placer County Approves Land Acquisition

02/04/2025

In their February 4 meeting, the Placer County Board of Supervisors approved the acquisition of 279 acres of land to add to the Placer County Conservation Program. Read on to learn more.

New Regulations Proposed for Battery Energy Storage Facilities Following Moss Landing Fire

01/29/2025

In the wake of the fire earlier this month at Vistra Corporation’s Moss Landing Power Plant and Energy Storage Facility, the California Public Utilities Commission has proposed new standards for battery energy storage facilities.

LA Fires Damage Estimated at More Than $250 Billion

01/24/2025

Damages in the ongoing Southern California wildfires are topping $250 billion, on track for the costliest disaster in US history. Read on to learn more.

Featured

Zoning laws tell you what you can and can't build on the property you own. How does government get away with that?
How Zoning Laws Shape California and Society
Zoning is everywhere, but is it a way to regulate development or a tool for social engineering?
How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
Since 1972, the California Coastal Commission has ruled over the state’s shoreline.
California Coastal Commission: Where It Comes From, What It Does
How a nuclear plant, a real estate development and an oil spill led to a landmark law.
The Baldwin Hills area in South Los Angeles is one region where a state conservancy would keep open land accessible to the public.
California’s 10 State Conservancies: How They Protect Parks and Open Land
Starting in 1976, the legislature began creating agencies to buy up open land, and keep it open.
Does California’s signature environmental law protect the state’s scenic beauty, or cause more problems than it solves?
CEQA: The Surprising Story of CA’s Key Environmental Law
54-year-old environmental law is often blamed for causing the state’s housing crisis. Is it getting a bad rap?
The 1965 law known as the Williamson Act has been responsible for keeping about half of California's farmland out of the hands of developers.
The Williamson Act: How the Law That Protects California’s Farmland Works
More than half of California farmland is under contracts that prevent its development.