Placer County Land Use & Development Digest

Some residents fear development could destroy parts of the historic land.

The Placer Conservation Authority is seeking to fill two vacancies on its 12-member public advisory committee, which is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Placer County Conservation Program’s land conservation planning.

Rumors are flying that California Forever is using dodgy tactics to gather signatures.

The Wildlife Conservation Board voted to award $10.3 million to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to preserve the 27,000-acre Camatta Ranch in Santa Margarita.

Residents of San Rafael say the project could bring noise, pollution and crime to the area.

California Forever CEO Jan Sramek says promises of new homes, jobs, investments are binding, but legal experts and elected officials are skeptical.

The Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe has a time-limited opportunity to purchase a land parcel encompassing 232 acres located on a historic Nisenan Village site called Yulića near Nevada City.

California voters this spring are considering a $6.4 billion bond to house people with serious mental health conditions. A similar 2018 ballot measure offers lessons about the obstacles that stand in the way of construction.

Downtown Sacramento faces many challenges, but the growing number of small businesses, hotels, homes and other major developments signal its transformation, says the city’s mayor.

The Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe has a time-limited opportunity to purchase 232 acres on a Nisenan Village site called Yulića—the tribe’s best opportunity to re-establish a homeland in more than half a century.

The Placer County Board of Supervisors took action to appoint George Alves to the Placer County Planning Commission, representing District 2.

Raging storms brought major damage to California’s coastline last winter. But in Half Moon Bay, a different kind of coastal upheaval is gaining momentum—one that could decide the fate of billions of dollars of property and affect hundreds of public beaches.

The Hoopa Valley Tribe announced it is acquiring about 10,000 acres of land in Northern California for $14.1 million. As part of this, the tribe will remove dams along the Klamath River and restore salmon runs.

The Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust recently paid almost $10 million for a 1.86-acre site formerly used for oil drilling. It could be converted into a community center, park and affordable housing.

California energy regulators are considering requiring homeowners to replace broken air-conditioning systems with heat pumps or HVAC systems that are more energy efficient. The change would go into effect in 2026.

The Fort Independence Indian Community is getting the Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at no cost in 2024. Native Americans had lived on this land for centuries before the hatchery’s construction.

A 2021 state law has radically changed the housing equation in San Diego. Advocates, developers, and policymakers are split on whether it should be exported to other jurisdictions.

A shrubby Palmer oak tree in Riverside County is around 13,000 years old, making it California’s oldest tree and one of the longest-lived organisms on earth. Some people are concerned that a proposed development could threaten the tree.

Massive ocean wind farms off Morro Bay and Santa Barbara County—which could transform these quiet coastal towns and affect marine life—face a turbulent path.

Work on a new annex, visitors center and underground parking garage can legally begin after the state issued a final, court-ordered review of the project. Plans have been on hold since early 2021.

Fall 2023 semester instruction at Sierra College began on August 21st with increased enrollment and a new instructional building, Building Q, made possible by the community’s support for Measure E.

The irrigation bill, which aims to force businesses and institutions to remove their lawns, now goes to the governor.

A June budget deal required community colleges to raise their own money to build affordable student housing. Some campuses said that plan prevented them from building the dorms, even with help from the state to pay the debt.

Placer County will contribute $910,000 toward the preservation of 1,169 acres in rural Lincoln, helping the county meet goals and objectives outlined in the Placer Legacy Open Space and Agricultural Conservation Program and Placer County Conservation Program.

Assemblymember Buffy Wicks proposed legislation to help get around a court's rejection of a UC Berkeley housing plan. But even if the law is approved, its fate is in the hands of the state Supreme Court.

The Forest Service may need to close parts or the entire trailhead to help ensure public safety while construction work is occurring.

University of California, Davis’ Tahoe Environmental Research Center has been analyzing the Lake Tahoe region overall and the impact that human development has had on the Lake Tahoe basin in the past five decades.

Barton Health is moving forward with its Regional Expansion project, relocating the acute care hospital to Stateline, Nevada, while broadening outpatient services at its California campus.

Management of the Zephyr Shoals Beach at Lake Tahoe, which made world news for the amount of trash found after the July Fourth holiday, will be included with the Zephyr Cove Resort concession.

The Conservancy will remove hazards associated with lead-containing paint on the barn, while maintaining the 1860s-era barn’s historical integrity.

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has made selections for the Granger-Thye Concession special use permits for Camp Richardson, Meeks Bay and Zephyr Cove resorts.

Placer County has released a draft environmental impact report for the proposed project, which would include construction of a museum and cultural center.