|
LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT
We’re growing! Is that good? Is it bad?
Do we need the Super Wal-Mart?
The Morongo Basin is no longer the sleepy desert valley it once was. Development is moving this way, from Los Angeles and from the Coachella Valley. Citizen involvement is going to make the difference in whether we grow wisely or fall victim to the same sprawl that blights so much of Southern California. Can we remain an oasis of natural beauty and health? It’s up to you.
Influencing the built character of your community is a lot about getting in on the ground floor. For some guidance on how you can have an impact on the growth of your community or stop a bad project before it starts, read How Planning Systems Work.
DEVELOPMENT IN YOUR COMMUNITY:
For specific development issues, links, contacts, and guides for your area:
The latest updates on your community can be found on the MBCA blog. Look in the blog sidebar for the link to your community.
DEVELOPMENT IN YOUR REGION:
MBCA is a member of the Morongo Basin Open Space Group, which was "created by local agencies and organizations as a forum to collaboratively protect our unique natural landscapes and open spaces through regional conservation and land use planning in the Morongo Basin of California." Learn more at MBOSG.
YOUR NEW BEST FRIENDS: CEQA and NEPA
A critical part of maintaining a healthy environment in California is CEQA, the California Environmental Quality Act. Its Federal counterpart is NEPA, the National Environmental Policy Act. Learning how these Acts can help protect you is well worth your time, and we’ve provided a primer with “Learning to Love Environmental Documents: A Brief Guide to NEPA, CEQA, and Alphabet Soup.”
MORE RESOURCES:
- Looking for more resources on becoming an effective advocate in your community? Check out our Take Action section.
- “A Citizens’ Guide to Planning” is an excellent basic primer whose purpose is to “explain, in general terms, how local communities regulate land use and to define some commonly used planning terms.”
|
