Last week marked the deadline for all bills to be introduced, and now the 2011 legislative session is under way! This session the Planning and Conservation League has sponsored two bills aimed to smooth our existing regulatory framework and aid California’s sustainable growth into the future.

Assembly Bill 320, by Assemblyman Jerry Hill, aims to prevent California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) lawsuits and litigation from being thrown out in the event a “recipient of approval” comes out of the wood works after the statute of limitations time period has passed. This common sense measure, will help bring clarity to the question of which parties must be named in CEQA lawsuits and litigation.

Assembly Bill 605, introduced by Assemblyman Dickinson, aims to adopt guidelines that would establish a percentage reduction of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for a proposed project, in comparison to the average VMT of a project, that would assist a region in meeting the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board for the vehicles of that region. The bill develops a list of mitigation measures that a project may incorporate to reduce the project’s projected trip generation and vehicle miles traveled. We anticipate AB 605 will be the first of many land use bills introduced in the upcoming years; especially as we turn our focus towards encouraging more sustainable development, more pedestrian friendly communities and all around healthier and less polluted environment for the next generation.