Butsko Utility Design

Plans for Edgewood Plaza overhaul advance

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:45:00 +0000

Palo Alto Daily News
A plan to overhaul Palo Alto’s Edgewood Plaza, the only shopping center built by noted developer Joseph Eichler, picked up the endorsement of the city’s Architectural Review Board on Thursday. Board members voted 4-0 to recommend that the city council approve Sand Hill Property Company’s proposal to renovate three of the 1950s-era shopping center’s buildings and construct 10 new single-family houses. As in the past, a small grocery store would anchor the site. Newly appointed Board Member Lee Lippert did not participate in the vote because of his previous involvement in the project as a member of the Planning and Transportation Commission. The board’s support followed a previous review in November that raised concerns about the size of the homes and their proximity to the retail buildings.

Orinda residents oppose new housing project

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:45:00 +0000

Contra Costa Times
ORINDA — An expanse of open space at the intersection of two quiet residential streets has become the epicenter of a debate between Orinda residents and city leaders. Homeowners voiced their dismay with a housing project spearheaded by the Bruzzone family at a recent planning commission meeting. Plans calls for eight new single-family houses at the corner of Lavenida Drive and Donna Maria Way, on more than 12 acres dotted with walnut trees, oaks and other vegetation. In addition to concerns about developing an area with three known landslides, residents said they’re not happy with the Lavenida Lane Subdivision’s proximity to schools, possible construction traffic and pedestrian safety.

Housing assessment needs for Ventura County mapped out

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:44:59 +0000

Ventura County Star
It’s a ritual called the Regional Housing Needs Assessment, mandated by state law, that plays out every few years throughout the state. Cities and counties are assigned a number of housing units they are responsible for during a window of time to meet existing and projected housing needs. The Southern California Association of Governments’ Regional Council on Thursday approved the distribution of draft numbers for its member cities and counties for 2013-2021. Communities can request their number be revised and appeal if they are unhappy. Chris Williamson, principal planner for the city of Oxnard, suggested that multiple jurisdictions be allowed to submit revisions, appeals, trades and transfers together. Oxnard’s draft number is 7,301 units.

OUR VIEW: Waiving or delaying impact fees is no solution

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:44:59 +0000

Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield City Councilmen Ken Weir and David Couch are pushing to eliminate or sharply reduce the transportation impact fee that new homebuilders must pay the city. In their eyes, lowering the $12,870 fee will miraculously jump-start the sale of new homes and bring back construction jobs. City staff, the city manager and the city attorney have all explained why tinkering with the fee is a bad idea. They repeated the explanations Friday when Weir and Couch brought up the proposals again. The fee helps fund roadwork like the Westside Parkway and Rosedale Highway widening. Messing with it could hurt the city’s ability to fund those projects. The fee amount was based on rigorous research that justifies the figure and specifies how the money is used.

Register Now for PCBC Presents: Housing Forecast Series

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:37:17 +0000

PCBC has partnered with a leading researcher and a respected economist to bring you the first of a powerful new Housing Forecast Series taking place March 21 in Phoenix, AZ. Read more.

2-10 Home Buyers Warranty Partners with CBIA

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:37:17 +0000

2-10 Home Buyers Warranty has partnered with CBIA to offer discounts on home warranty products to CBIA members. 2-10 HBW offers three decades of solid claims history and has covered over 5.5 million homes. Read more.

California Homebuilding Foundation to Induct Six Industry Leaders into Hall of Fame

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:37:17 +0000

Six homebuilding leaders will be honored at the California homebuilding industry’s most prestigious event, the California Homebuilding Foundation Hall of Fame Celebration.

Planners want to direct Bay Area residents to live in existing communities to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions

admin — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:12:17 +0000

Contra Costa Times
CONCORD — A Bay Area plan for where to build new houses, shops and offices in a way that helps cut greenhouse gases relies on increased population concentrations some communities may reject, a state homebuilding industry representative told Contra Costa business and political leaders Thursday. "My concern is that we are way down the road in this process, but not a lot has been explained to the public," California Building Industry Association attorney Paul Campos said. "There is a near-poetic discussion of the scenarios but a studious avoidance of the word ‘density.’" One Bay Area calls for directing a majority of the 1.5 million new people expected to live in the region by 2040 into existing communities, where they can live closer to jobs, shopping and transit.

Complex Sunnyvale Town Center project remains in limbo after years of wrangling

admin — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:12:17 +0000

Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal
Sunnyvale Town Center was supposed to be one of the largest and potentially most lucrative development projects in Northern California. Once valued at $750 million, the downtown Sunnyvale project includes nearly 1 million square feet of retail and restaurant space, as well as two office buildings and nearly 200 housing units. The 36-acre project has instead became a legal mess, leaving in its wake a trail of lawsuits, mechanic’s liens, failed attempts to buy and sell the project, and most recently, a bank foreclosure that former project developer Peter Pau is now challenging in court.

Windsor approves plan for future growth around downtown train station

admin — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:12:16 +0000

Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Windsor’s train station doesn’t have passenger rail service yet, but it’s already dictating how the town will grow over the next 20 to 25 years. In a half-mile radius around the station, urban planners have come up with a vision to enhance the area “as the civic and cultural heart of the downtown.” The station is considered integral to a transit-oriented future in which people live and work within walking distance of trains and buses. It calls for increased housing density and “an enhanced public realm” with more parks, open spaces, streetscape improvements, outdoor dining and community gathering spots. It spells out development standards, zoning regulations and design guidelines.