Alternative Techniques for Controlling Land Use: A Guide to Small
Cities and Rural Areas in California, by Irving Schiffman (Institute
of Government Affairs, University of California, Davis), 1982, 88 pp. Explains
techniques such as cluster development, planned unit development, and the
specific plan.
Bridging the Gap: Using Findings in Local Land Use Decisions,
by Robert Cervantes (Governor's Office of Planning and Research, Sacramento,
CA), 1988, 108 pp. A guide to the requirements for making findings to support
land use decisions.
California Environmental Quality Act: Statutes and Guidelines
(Governor's Office of Planning and Research, Sacramento, CA), 1997, 179
pp. The requirements for evaluating and assessing environmental impacts.
California Land Use and Planning Law, 18th edition, by Daniel
J. Curtin, Jr. (Solano Press, Pt. Arena, CA), 1998, revised annually. The
planning, zoning, subdivision, and environmental quality laws explained;
with an emphasis on legal requirements and references to numerous court
cases.
The Conditional Use Permit (Governor's Office of Planning and
Research, Sacramento, CA), 1997, 8 pp. Legal requirements for conditioinal
use permit processing.
The General Plan Guidelines (Governor's Office of Planning and
Research, Sacramento, CA), November 1990, 368 pp. How to write or revise
a general plan and how to implement that plan.
Guide to the California Environmental Quality Act, by Michael
H. Remy, Tina A. Thomas, James G. Moore, and Whitman F. Manley (Solano Press,
Pt. Arena, CA), 1996, 447 pp. A technical guide to CEQA statutes and case
law.
Guide to the Cortese/Knox Local Government Reorganization Act of 1985,
by the Assembly Local Government Committee (Joint Publications Office, Sacramento,
CA), 1996, 249 pp. The annexation and incorporation law, with a flowchart
for these procedures.
The Job of the Planning Commissioner, 4th edition, by Albert Solnit
(APA Planner's Press, Chicago, IL), 1987, 218 pp. All about the job, from
dealing with staff to conducting successful meetings and legal requirements.
Open and Public: A User's Guide to the Ralph M. Brown Act (League
of California Cities), 1994. A discussion of the laws, court decisions,
and attorney general's opinions relating to the requirements of the Ralph
M. Brown Act.
The Planner's Book of Lists (Governor's Office of Planning and
Research, Sacramento, CA), issued yearly. The address and phone number of
each planning department in the state and information on local plans and
ordinances.
A Planner's Guide to Financing Public Improvements, by Antero
Rivasplata (Governor's Office of Planning and Research, Sacramento, CA),
revised 1997. This is an introduction to some of the financing options available
to local governments in California, including general taxes, special taxes,
developer fees and exactions, special assessments, and leasing.
The Planning Commissioner's Guide - Processes for Reasoning Together,
by David J. Allor (APA Planner's Press, Chicago, IL), 1987. A guide to understanding
and improving the decision making process.
Planning, Zoning, and Development Laws (Governor's Office of Planning
and Research, Sacramento, CA), 1998, revised yearly. Available only through
the Internet as a downloadable document at http://ceres.ca.gov/planning/pub_org.html.
A compilation of the various state codes relating to planning, including
the Subdivision Map Act.
"The Role and Responsibility of the Planning Commissioner"
(Pappas Telecommunications, Fresno, CA), 1987, 40 minute videotape (available
for purchase from the League of California Cities (916/444-5790).
Sources: An Annotated Bibliography for California Planners, by
Antero Rivasplata (Governor's Office of Planning and Research, Sacramento,
CA), revised May 1995, 16pp. A list of over 100 books and periodicals covering
planning-related topics from developer fees to urban design.
The Planner's Guide to Specific Plans, by Gregg McKenzie, et al.(Governor's
Office of Planning and Research, Sacramento, CA), 1998, 51 pp. Everything
you could want to know about specific plans.
Tracking CEQA Mitigation Measures Under AB 3180, by Robert Cervantes,
et al. (Governor's Office of Planning and Research, Sacramento, CA), 1996.
This provides basic information on the mitigation monitoring or reporting
requirements established by AB 3180 (Chap. 1232, Stats. of 1988) and local
government programs developed in response to that bill.
The Variance (Governor's Office of Planning and Research, Sacramento,
CA), November 1997, 8 pp. Background and detailed discussion of the variance
and its legal requirements.
"Why Plan: A Primer for the Concerned Citizen" (Pappas Telecommunications, Fresno, CA), 1987, 30 minute videotape (available for purchase from the League of California Cities (916/444-5790).
This site of the architecture school at the State University of New York,
Buffalo, links to sites from Architecture to Planning and everything in
between.
The Land Use Planning and Information Network (LUPIN)
A rich resource for information (including a free online source for most of OPR's planning publications). Links to many sites.
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State of California
Governor's Office of Planning and Research
1400 Tenth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-445-0613