Preserve Rural Durham’s Post

Join us on Zoom tomorrow for a Lunch and Learn aimed at demystifying the California legislative process for planners. I'll be sharing some of my tips on tracking legislation related to planning, housing, and community development. Please bring your own tips and questions as there will be plenty of time for a discussion/Q&A! #california #urbanplanning #publicpolicy

Legislative Update: June 30, 2024 2nd Quarter Update   Baltimore County Council Legislation Update The Baltimore County Council has been busy this year passing legislation, some of which significantly impacts development and redevelopment opportunities. Here are the highlights provided by Public Policy Chair Danielle Bridge and Committee Member Jennifer Busse https://lnkd.in/eu7RfvcC #hvbf #publicpolicy #baltimorecountycouncil #legislativeupdate

Warrant article … warrant what? Many towns are currently finalizing warrant articles for their annual Town Meetings. A warrant article is an item to be voted on at this legislative event, such as zoning amendments, municipal budget appropriations, etc. Warrant articles are drafted and submitted by the governing body (i.e. Selectmen), Planning Board, or by petition.    Since town meeting happens only once a year, these warrant articles are a big deal to land use planners!

A key vote Tuesday afternoon will determine whether two amendments to Orange County’s charter restricting development will appear on the November ballot. Ordinance 24-1068, also known as the Rural Boundary Proposal, would establish a rural area and rural boundary, as shown below on the map. It would require a majority-plus-one vote of the commission to either approve more urban development on property located in the rural boundary or to remove property from it altogether. Ordinance 24-1069, also known as the Voluntary Annexation Proposal, would require a majority-plus-one vote of the commission to approve voluntary annexations with the rural area. The municipality also has to provide notice to Orange County 10 days before the first public hearing. However, even if annexed, the county would still be in charge of development regulations of property in the rural area. This amendment would not apply to municipalities that have a joint planning agreement with the county. “So what this is an actual procedural amendment to our charter that allows that requires a super majority if there’s a land use change in the rural boundary outside the urban service area where we know it’s more expensive, where we know we have to run the sewer lines, we need to work on getting roads, so those things are consequential to every single resident whether they live in a rural area or not,” Commissioner Nicole Wilson said. The debate has been tense between those who are against growth and those who say development is needed to keep up with the number of people moving into Central Florida. “Well the reality is so much of the urban sprawl that we have seen that has annexed a lot of land outside of the City of Orlando for example other municipalities, so much of the housing being built is not affordable housing. It is not affordable it is not obtainable housing, which is supposed to be the supply that we’re building to address that demand,” Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith said. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/etmMPuxA

To achieve a different outcome, you need to try something REALLY different. Yet Angela Rayner’s NPPF consultation announcement sounded very much like her Conservative predecessors. Admittedly there are other initiatives but planning reform - of itself - does not sound like the golden bullet that will result in higher building starts and more house completions. What she HAS announced means that public consultation is front-loading the process. When it comes to saying yes to controversial schemes – I’m still not sure. This suggests there is some way to go before local communities will feel happy that their voices will be heard. #consultation #consultationguru #planning #planningreform #angelarayner #michaelgove #robertjenrick #NPPF #publicconsultation #coproduction https://lnkd.in/ekxy7dvG

The problem with consultation is that you might have to listen to those who disagree with the question, not just the choice of answers that you are offering.

The New York City Council is set to approve a revised version of Mayor Eric Adams' "City of Yes" zoning overhaul, aimed at boosting business growth by eliminating outdated regulations, such as the ban on dancing in bars. The Council's land use committee voted on Wednesday to advance a modified plan addressing concerns about the expansion of commercial activities in residential areas, noise pollution, congestion, and reduced community input on land use changes. Council Member Kevin Riley, chair of the zoning subcommittee, emphasized that the modified plan avoids a one-size-fits-all approach to transforming residential districts into mixed-use areas. The Council also secured commitments from the Adams administration to regulate last-mile warehouses and increase enforcement resources. The vote comes as the third and most controversial part of the "City of Yes" initiative, aimed at increasing housing production, undergoes public review, facing strong opposition from suburban areas. The revised zoning plan includes 18 proposals to stimulate business growth, with significant modifications and the removal of the allowance for corner stores in residential zones. Another contentious proposal sought to modernize rules for home-based businesses by allowing up to three employees and lifting prohibitions on certain types of businesses. The Council, however, scaled it back to permit only one employee and maintain the prohibition on animal-related businesses. Mayor Adams praised the committee's approval, highlighting the initiative's potential to sustain lively commercial areas while balancing public input and maintaining the proposal's intent. The modified plan now moves to the full Council, where it is expected to pass. #NYC #CityCouncil #EricAdams #ZoningReform #BusinessGrowth #CityOfYes #UrbanPlanning #CommunityInput #LandUse #CommercialDevelopment #NYPolitics https://lnkd.in/eDiyCFMa

FREE WEBINAR: THE IMPACT OF THE SHEETZ DECISION ON CITIES, TOWNS AND DEVELOPERS The unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision in Sheetz v. County of El Dorado means changes are coming for development fees and other requirements. The Court also many questions about which regulatory takings can satisfy constitutional requirements. Four important issues could impact CITIES and TOWNS as well as the DEVELOPERS wanting to build. Join Jordan Ramis Attorney Ed Trompke, who has represented municipality, land use, and real estate matters for 40 years, will review the case and discuss the implications for cities and counties. Jordan Ramis Attorney Ezra Hammer, an experienced member of our land use team, will explain the impact of this decision on developers. Both will be available to answer questions. Please click here https://lnkd.in/ghf-vghn to register in advance for this free webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

It's been a long and strange week to say the least. I really hope my recent Bill 16 summary series was helpful. My intention, as always, is to educate; this series was produced to help everyone (whether private professionals, public servants, or engaged citizens) understand the proposed and upcoming land use and planning rights, entitlements, and protections we all share. As Robert Delves once taught me, we're all trying to achieve the same ends: the construction of housing for everyone's benefit. Legislation just tells us the rules of the game to make that happen, and we all deserve a chance to understand how it all works together. If you missed any post in the four-part Bill 16 summary series and you'd like to read more, then I've got some good news. I've linked everything together for easy review and perusal below: PART I - Tenant Protection Bylaws: https://lnkd.in/g97Dfy4J PART II - Transportation Demand Management: https://lnkd.in/gMin-Ucx PART III - Site Servicing Updates: https://lnkd.in/gpmHFP8f PART IV - Inclusionary Zoning & Density Benefits: https://lnkd.in/gr9wcKf7 Proposed Legislation (Bill 16 @ First Reading) - https://lnkd.in/gNAGGSp2 Finally, as one last parting gift, I thought that I'd wrap everything up with a little joke. For those on this side of the counter, you can likely relate to this piece tentatively titled "local_government_2024.png". Thank you again for your time. :)

In this blog post, I highlight the key pieces of current and upcoming legislation on the docket for 118th Congress. While communities and states are finding innovative ways to address the nation's housing deficit, partners in Congress and the Biden administration can do more to spur housing production through federal action on zoning reform — APA's 2024 policy priority. #ItTakesAPlanner