Challenge of Future Growth After the Loss of Our Housing Cap

By Cindy McGovern

With the loss of the housing cap Pleasanton needs alternative growth management policies to insure the goal of a environmentally and fiscally sustainable community.

Current Plans include the utilization of our Housing Element update of our General Plan to develop an assessment of various factors that are impacted by the loss of the Housing Cap. Included in this assessment is how to address the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) mandated by the State of California. The council has approved a council committee to work with staff to explore various alternatives used by other cities to control growth based on our goal of planning for an environmentally and fiscally sustainable community.

One alternative that has been court tested is a Growth Management program that is based on sustaining city services including fire and police and maintaining city infrastructure such as roads, sewer lines, water delivery etc. Development paying its long-term costs has been a part of growth management programs in some cities also.

The committee assigned to study the alternatives for growth management will have updates on the work of the Housing Element committee, the preparation of the City's Climate Action Plan and the work of Hacienda Task Force as it studies and explores alternatives.