News
California cities starting to ban new gas stations amid climate change
Los Angeles Times – July 11
Without realizing that they were starting a movement in green energy policy, leaders of a small Sonoma County city questioned the approval process for a new gas station — eventually halting its development and others in the future. Since Petaluma’s decision, four other cities in the Bay Area have followed suit, and now leaders in Los Angeles, California’s most car-centric metropolis, are considering a similar move. The proposal calls on the city to draft an ordinance to prohibit any new fossil-fuel pumps in the city and require that “any expansions of current gas stations to be limited to serving zero-emissions vehicles and providing non-fuel-related facilities.” City leaders now say they expect a full hearing on the proposal in August.
How much student housing does $1.4 billion buy?
CalMatters – July 8
An estimated 3,800 more college students will soon have affordable campus housing after state lawmakers and Governor Gavin Newsom agreed to pump a portion of California’s $300 billion budget into a student program to ease a residential crisis gripping the state’s public universities and community colleges. All told, $1.4 billion is heading to 26 public campuses this year to build or expand dorms, a tripling of the original plan to send $470 million to just nine campuses. Once the structures are complete — some of which are scheduled to open in two years — about 7,300 students will have access to beds at ultra-low rents.
Kilroy Realty brings three solar projects online in California
Solar Industry Magazine – July 7
Kilroy Realty Corporation has completed three solar installations: 2100 Kettner and 9455 Towne Centre Drive in San Diego and Kilroy Oyster Point – Phase 1 in San Francisco. With these systems, Kilroy now possesses over 6 MW of solar, spanning 13 assets. The solar projects are installed behind the meter, allowing the solar energy generated to be used onsite, reducing the buildings’ electrical grid demand to optimize building efficiency.
This old Bay Area golf course is now a nature preserve
The Mercury News – July 11
The nonprofit Trust for Public Land (TPL) has purchased a 157-acre former golf course, now called San Geronimo Commons, in Marin County for $8.85 million and has begun a years-long project to uncover long-buried creeks and to rewild fairways into wildlife habitat linking to four surrounding nature preserves. TPL is also involved in the restoration of the former Rancho Cañada golf course in Monterey County.
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