legislation
Examples and Resources
Ban Big Box Relocation Subsidies, California (2004)
A follow up to AB 178, this law prohibits local officials from subsidizing the relocation of big box retailers from one city to another within the same market area. Instead of calling for a process of revenue sharing, it bans outright the practice of towns offering: “tax exemptions, rebates, reductions,…
Development: Financial Assistance: Relocation. AB 178 (1999)
This law prohibits a city or county from giving financial breaks to big box stores unless the municipality agrees to share its tax revenue with a neighboring town in the same market area. The intention is stop large retailers from pitting one town against another in a contest to see which will give…
An Act Concerning Zoning, Construction Permits Retail Stores Over 120,000 s.f. , Maryland (2002)
Proposed state law prohibits local planning commissions from approving a permit to build large retail stores over 120,000 s.f. Preamble says “large retail stores over 120,000 s.f. require a significantly higher commitment of police, fire and public safety resources as opposed to smaller neighborhood…
Sacramento Regional Smart Growth Act: Sales Tax Sharing (2002)
California. Sample legislation to create a mechanism for cities and towns in the greater Sacramento region ( a six county region) to share sales tax revenue so that it is not all “situs-based” or kept by the community where the sales tax originates. The bill explains that sales tax policy in California…
Metropolitan Revenue Distribution Act (1971)
The Minnesota legislature passed this regional tax law “to improve the revenue raising and distribution system in the seven-county Twin Cities area to accomplish the following objectives:
(1) to provide a way for local governments to share in the resources generated by the growth of the area,…
Impact Report, Economic. California (2004)
California. Legislation (SB 1056) filed by Senator Alarcon regarding development projects., Prior to approving a project that would permit the construction of a superstore retailer (store greater than 130,000 s.f. that contains more than 20,000 stockkeeping units and derives more than 10% of its total…
An Act Concerning The Approval Of Certain Development Projects (2004)
New Jersey. Provides for regional economic impact report and review by affected municipalities for certain large retail projects called “developments of intermunicipal impact.” For stores 130,000 s.f. or larger with more than 10% of its stockkeeping units (SKUs) for nontaxable merchandise, such…
Florida Land Development and Regulation, Concurrency Statute 163.3180
The “concurrency” provision is found in Florida state law, and elsewhere. It is the keystone of the 1985 Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Regulation Act (Chapter 163 F.S.). Providing services concurrent with the impacts of development is necessary to assure that the…
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
CEQA created a system of checks and balances for land-use development and management decisions in California. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) records the scope of the applicant’s proposal and analyzes all its known environmental effects. Project information is used by state and local permitting…
Cape Cod Commission, Massachusetts (1990)
The Cape Cod Commission was created in 1990 by an Act of the Massachusetts General Court and confirmed by a majority of Barnstable County voters. In the wake of an unprecedented growth boom in the 1980s, the Cape Cod Commission Act found that Cape Cod had “unique natural, coastal, historical, cultural…
