Traffic has become a topic on the lips of nearly every South Coast resident. In addition, skyrocketing housing prices are rapidly ejecting the region’s workforce — further increasing the flow of commuter vehicles into our area. These and other land use issues are only going to get worse unless our community comes up with sustainable, rational, equitable solutions.

The conversation about how to grow sustainably includes such issues as affordable housing, transportation, economic development, governance, infrastructure, financing, open space and habitat conservation. Although some of these are not traditional environmental issues, we believe it’s what you should expect from an organization with a long history of looking at problems holistically.

Our strong reputation for creating productive, respectful, non-partisan discussions, has allowed CEC to bring diverse — sometimes adversarial — parties to the table. Some examples are our visioning process in the Santa Ynez Valley and our convening of a broad-based coalition to promote more livable communities on the South Coast. Because of the pressing nature of these issues, CEC is working to expand the impact of its land use programs through new, emerging initiatives.

To find out more about our sustainable land use efforts or to get involved, call us at (805) 963-0583, ext. 109, or email us.