Saturday, 02 November 2024

Community

SACRAMENTO – The State Senate voted 25-12 Friday to approve Senate Bill 1557, legislation by North Coast Senator Patricia Wiggins (D – Santa Rosa) to include the reduction of greenhouse gases among the state’s top planning priorities.


SB 1557 amends legislation that Wiggins authored when she was in the Assembly, AB 857, which established planning priorities for state infrastructure.


“This bill adds three simple, but important, provisions to those priorities,” Wiggins said.


“First, it adds a reduction in greenhouse gases as a goal of the state’s planning priorities. Second, it considers a reduction of vehicle miles traveled when citing state infrastructure. Lastly, it updates the state administrative manual to include the planning priorities.”


Former Gov. Gray Davis signed AB 857 in 2002. That Wiggins bill established state planning priorities that would encourage the state to lead by example in development of infrastructure that support smart growth principles. While AB 857 was signed into law, there are varying opinions on whether or not the law has been adequately implemented.


Wiggins said SB 1557 will both update and strengthen the law created by her earlier bill by adding a provision stating that the planning priorities are intended to meet the state’s greenhouse gas emissions limits that will be developed under AB 32, and by including efficient development patterns that will provide a reduction in vehicle miles traveled.


In 2005, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's signed an executive order calling for reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 2010 and 2020. The following year, he signed AB 32 (the California Global Warming Solutions Act, authored by former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez).


Wiggins represents the state’s 2nd Senate District, made up of portions or all of six counties: Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.


Now that it has passed the Senate, SB 1557 next goes to the Assembly for review.


For more information on SB 1557 or other legislation by Senator Wiggins, please visit her Web site at http://dist02.casen.govoffice.com/.


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SACRAMENTO – The State Senate voted 24-13 Friday to approve Senate Bill 1645. The measure, by North Coast Senator Patricia Wiggins (D – Santa Rosa), requires the California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to update its “energy aware planning guide” to include model general plan elements to address energy and climate changes with specified elements.


Wiggins said her legislation will help local government agencies better plan for growth.


“SB 1645 requires the California Energy Commission to update its planning guide and to include two model general plan elements: one to address energy issues and one to address climate change,” Wiggins said.


“As local governments join the state in addressing climate change, we must try to provide local governments with the tools and guidance they need to succeed,” she added. “SB 1645 will help provide that guidance.”


The commission is currently charged with preparing plans for dealing with energy shortages, and serving as a central repository for the collection, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information on all forms of energy supply, demand, conservation, public safety and research.


State law also requires cities and counties to adopt general plans which reflect long-term goals and policies that guide local land use decisions. The plans are required to contain several specific elements: land use, circulation, housing, open space, conservation, safety and noise.


After reviewing the energy aware planning guide, Wiggins felt it was important to update the document to stress the importance of climate change and energy to local government planning. But "rather than requiring local governments to include a climate change element in their general plans, SB 1645 will create an overall model element to assist local governments when undergoing their general plan updates," she said.


Wiggins represents the state’s Second Senate District, made up of portions or all of six counties: Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.


Now that it has passed the Senate, SB 1645 next goes to the Assembly for consideration.


For more information on SB 1645 or other legislation by Sen. Wiggins, please visit her Web site at http://dist02.casen.govoffice.com/.


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CLEARLAKE – Westamerica Bank's charitable foundation has donated $1,000 to fund building materials for Habitat for Humanity's 11th house.


Pictured above, in a photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity, construction volunteers, branch mangers of the Clearlake Branch of Westamerica Bank and members of the RV-Care-a-vanner traveling volunteer group pose in front of recently framed house No. 11 in Clearlake.


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CLEARLAKE – The Lake County Democratic Central Committee will meet Thursday, June 5, at 7 p.m. at the Redbud Library Community Room, 14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake.


Meetings are open to the public and associate committee membership is open to all registered Democrats.


Contact the Democratic Party of Lake County at 277-0833 or by email, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..


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LAKEPORT – The Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild will meet on Saturday, June 7, in the Scotts Valley Women’s Clubhouse at 2298 Hendricks Road, Lakeport.


The doors open at 9 a.m. and the meeting begins at 10 a.m. Come early to browse the quilt library, sign up for special events and socialize.


“Discovering the Artist Within Through Quilts and Wearable Arts” is the topic and Melinda Bula of El Dorado Hills is the speaker.


Bula has had a varied career, first as a flight attendant, then designing wallpaper and quilts, and most recently writing her first book, “Cutting Garden Quilts.” See her Web site at www.melindabula.com for samples of her award-winning work, featuring lush flowers and glowing colors.


Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild welcomes all quilters and prospective quilters to its meetings and events. Through a variety of programs and projects, the quilt guild members learn new skills and techniques, benefit the Lake County community, and enjoy themselves immensely.


For more information, contact Dottie at 462-7036 or Donna 262-1201, or visit the Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild Web site at www.LLQG.org.


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MIDDLETOWN – The Middletown Luncheon Club will host a District 1 supervisorial candidates forum on Wednesday, May 21.


The event will begin at noon at the Middletown Methodist Church, located on Armstrong Street.


EcoArts of Lake County will serve lunch, which costs $4 per person.


Reservations are not necessary, but seating is first-come, first-served, with a lunch seating limit of 50.


For more information contact Helen Whitney, 928-9812.


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