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1. What are the top three environmental challenges facing Placer County, and how can the County address them?

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1. What are the top three environmental challenges facing Placer County, and how can the County address them?

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2. What strategies or policies should the County prioritize to enhance resilience to climate change (e.g., wildfire, drought)

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2. What strategies or policies should the County prioritize to enhance resilience to climate change (e.g., wildfire, drought)

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3. How can Placer County promote sustainable development practices, such as green building or renewable energy integration?

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3. How can Placer County promote sustainable development practices, such as green building or renewable energy integration?

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4. What existing environmental initiatives in the County have been successful and how can we build on these efforts?

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4. What existing environmental initiatives in the County have been successful and how can we build on these efforts?

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5. How can land use policies better balance development with the protection of natural resources?

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5. How can land use policies better balance development with the protection of natural resources?

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The county housing element must include a strong inclusonary zoning requirement that does away the option for builders to pay a fee rather than build 10% of their housing as affordable to people making less than the mean income for the county. Also the elimination of any exclusionary zoning is a good thing for us all to advocate for. Every community, new or existing, should never have restrictions on the building of "missing middle" housing including duplexes, live work spaces and apartments. The need for a variety of housing price points in every community is an important environmental standard that we should fight for. Reducing vehicle trips is the most efficient way to reduce carbon emissions that we have at our disposal. Reducing long commutes means less road construction that breaks up green space corridors.

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The county housing element must include a strong inclusonary zoning requirement that does away the option for builders to pay a fee rather than build 10% of their housing as affordable to people making less than the mean income for the county. Also the elimination of any exclusionary zoning is a good thing for us all to advocate for. Every community, new or existing, should never have restrictions on the building of "missing middle" housing including duplexes, live work spaces and apartments. The need for a variety of housing price points in every community is an important environmental standard that we should fight for. Reducing vehicle trips is the most efficient way to reduce carbon emissions that we have at our disposal. Reducing long commutes means less road construction that breaks up green space corridors.

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Wildlife connectivity, habitat loss and the accompanying loss of insects, birds and mammals and quality of life measures for humans.

Loss of keystone species. A keystone species is an organism (i.e. oak trees) that has a significant impact on its ecosystem, often maintaining the structure and balance of the community. If a keystone species is removed, the ecosystem can change dramatically or even collapse.

invasive weed and pathogens. Invasives alter natural processes such as soil chemistry and fire regimes, reducing biological diversity and impacting the ecological balance.

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Eliminating understory and thnning does not necessarily enhance resiliency against fire. Removing native flora contributes to the spread of invasive weeds which burn faster that native species. Enact protocols to contain the introduction and spread of invasive weeds and pathogens which harm forest health resiliency. Enforce zoning to contain urban sprawl into the urban rural interface and protect farmlands which are natural buffers against catastrophic wildfire.

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This requires a conceptual shift in traditional Placer County development practices. Enact policies to contain urban sprawl. Adopt a no-rezone policy for aglands. Incentivise developers to utilize abandoned, blighted, vacant and greenfield sites in existing urban areas for new mixed use community development. Require a jobs/housing balance in all new development, enable public transit and improve quality of place and quality of life by adopting a General Plan policy standards to grow smarter with quality locations for all housing choices, enforce equity to the core, with mixed use walkable developments that do not accommodate automobiles and. reduce household operating costs.

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The County can improve on the Housing element to improve the County's jobs housing balance, quality of life and environment by requiring that alll new development include affordable housing proportionate to the Placer County population where 67% are eligibloe for affordable housing.

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Enact and apply smart growth carbon alternative policies consistently. The County's historic land use planning and acquicience to rezone requests has consumed habitat, farmland and natural resource, fouled our air and created communities that are inequitable and exclusive. New development should emphasize equity, housing choice and community design and liveability. The importance of this cannot be overstated as the single most significant factor in families overcoming poverty is to live in mixed income communities.