Making Land Use Work: Rules to Reach Our Goals

Report #136, November 1995

OVERVIEW

As California’s population grows at a staggering pace, concerns that regulations may be hindering the State’s tradition of prosperity prompted the Commission to study the State’s land-use policies.

The Commission found that complicated and costly procedures are undermining the State’s long-held policies advocating orderly growth. Four findings and four recommendations are made to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of project approval procedures.

The Commission recommends that the State establish a single process for assessing proposals, reform planning laws to encourage local agencies to enact regional strategies, invest in infrastructure, and work pro-actively with all levels of government and the private sector to develop solutions to land-use concerns.