Regional Planning in the San Joaquin Valley: Smart Valley Places

In 2010, 14 San Joaquin Valley cities formed a formal compact for sustainable growth called Smart Valley Places. It is based on the premise that a partnership among cities, rather than counties, COGS or other governmental entities, is “the best and most effective way to create and coordinate a pool of resources, templates, models, technical expertise, and utilize the local land use and zoning authority required, that will lead to the practical and measurable implementation of long-term San Joaquin Valley sustainability.” It is intended to build on the California Partnership recommendations and the Blueprint to integrate some, if not all, of the planning processes taking place in the Valley. One of its explicit objectives is to help local governments modify their general plans to achieve the SB 375 GHG reduction targets. Another is to promote the livability principles articulated by the federal HUD-EPA-DOT Partnership for Sustainable Communities which has awarded a $4 million grant to the Smart Valley Places consortium.

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