The Clippers are asking the Legislature for special treatment on environmental regulations so they can build a new basketball arena faster. They’ll get it.
And they probably should. Why not? Special regulatory deals for major league sports teams are being handed out in Sacramento like free bobbleheads.
The Oakland A’s also are seeking legislation to expedite building a new baseball stadium. They’ll score, too.
In recent years, the Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown have smoothed the regulatory process for the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors to construct fancy basketball arenas. Lawmakers also have tried to help erect other stadiums that didn’t get built for various reasons.
All that’s fine. But what about less glamorous, more modest housing developments? Or retail stores? Industrial parks? They’re still stuck with the pokey California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, which project opponents too often abuse to wrest financial concessions from developers, or to kill potential competition.
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