In the fight to curb global warming, it's the state's lawsuit against the federal government on auto-emission standards that has been making headlines recently. But with pressure from California's Attorney General Jerry Brown and new state legislation, the issue of global warming will become increasingly prominent in land-use planning and real-estate development right here in Ventura County.

That's because reducing dependence on autos through better land use represents an important component of the type of integrated effort needed from state and local governments in order for California to achieve the goals of Assembly Bill 32, the landmark legislation that established the Global Warming Solutions Act in late 2006. The statewide goal is to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020.

Cities and county governments have the opportunity to help California achieve these goals by developing planning-related policies that address climate-change issues and lead to sustainable communities.

The American Planning Association's California Chapter has also published its perspective on policy principles to help guide local government agencies to make planning decisions that respond to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Fortunately, the city of Ventura is well-positioned to address these issues. In the 1990s, both the city and county of Ventura were early leaders in adopting measures that encourage "smart" growth through the passage of the voter-approved Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources (SOAR) initiatives and adoption of city urban reserve boundaries (CURB) limit lines.

In fact, Ventura County has a long history of guiding urban development into the cities going clear back to the mid-1960s. Global warming may not have been top of mind when voters approved these "smart" growth measures, but they are now nationally recognized techniques for discouraging urban sprawl and encouraging sustainable communities that help reduce greenhouse emissions.

Ahead of the curve

Sustainable communities are recognized as ones that put less reliance on the auto, promote public transportation, maximize open space, encourage walking and biking through an integrated system of parks, greenbelts and hiking trails and conserve energy and water.

They encourage "infill" projects that reuse vacant or rundown properties and revitalize historic neighborhoods, a key goal of Ventura's 2005 newly adopted general plan. The idea is to put people close to where they work, shop and play.

The city of Ventura aggressively took on the open-space issue in 1995, when voters approved the first Save Our Agricultural Resources measure that allows for intensification of changes in agricultural land uses of the general plan with voter approval.

In recent years, the city has taken additional steps, beginning with the Ventura Vision adopted in March 2000 and subsequent adoption of an updated general plan in 2005, which is a blueprint for guiding future growth and development in the city.

Ventura's key goals

Key goals cited in the city's general plan state it best: "Protect our hillsides, farmlands, and open spaces; enhance Ventura's historic and cultural resources; respect our diverse neighborhoods, reinvest in older areas of our community; and make great places by insisting on the highest standards of quality in architecture, landscaping and urban design."

A key component is the form-based Development Code that represents a new approach to zoning that puts a priority on the appearance of development, making certain that building types are compatible and fit the area. For example, the architecture of higher density, more vertical developments encouraged by "smart" growth policies has to feel comfortable to the neighbors and community.

One example of the city's general plan concepts at work is the Victoria Avenue Corridor Plan that envisions a mix of land uses, including retail, restaurants or offices and townhomes with a new network of walkable streets and open spaces.

Cities and counties must also consider how to protect their communities from the potentially increased environmental hazards and impacts related to the rise in sea levels, coastal storms and erosion, increased stress on levees, wildfire risks and growing demands for water supply as the Sierra snowpack shrinks.

In fact, scientists estimate we could lose as much as 90 percent of the Sierra snowpack, the state's largest source of water, if global warming emissions are not reduced significantly.

Climate change is a global issue, but it will take local efforts such as Ventura has embraced to bring about any meaningful improvements to the reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions. It's encouraging to know that Ventura is leading the way.