LUPIN Brings Land-Use Resources to Your Computer

LUPIN, the new web site that provides quick, convenient access to general plans, environmental impact reports, and other land-use documents, is being enthusiastically welcomed by local governments and the private sector.

Professional planners and land-use consultants say LUPIN -- the Land Use Planning Information Network -- saves time, travel expenses, telephone calls, and postage.

"LUPIN gives you access to a whole range of material that wasn't easily accessible before," said George Osner, development services manager for the city of Modesto.

It also eliminates purchase fees. Robert Ulibarri, a registered environmental assessor from the Humboldt County community of Hoopa on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation, says he typically must purchase an entire General Plan for about $50 just to look at one element.

Alex Hines, director of planning and building for San Luis Obispo County, says LUPIN's free access saves paper and copying costs, and storage space.

"LUPIN will reduce the number of plans we need for our own staff and libraries," Hines said. "We have 33 land-use ordinances, coastal plans and other such documents at every planner's desk -- a stack of paper 6 feet tall." All of these documents are accessible on LUPIN.

Janet Ruggiero, community development director for the city of Woodland, says LUPIN will help her department build its own community data base. "It provides a way for small agencies that don't have the resources to tap into these data sources," Ruggiero said.

Available at http://ceres.ca.gov/planning/, LUPIN is a new component of CERES -- the on-line California Environmental Resources Evaluation System of the state's Resources Agency. LUPIN covers all 58 counties, and its information sources include the state Departments of Water Resources, Conservation, and Fish and Game.

"LUPIN will help local government to strike an appropriate balance between sustainable development and sound resource stewardship," Secretary for Resources Doug Wheeler said.

What LUPIN Provides
Just click on the name of a county from a list or on a map to unlock a virtual library of information, including county profiles, supervisors' names and districts; data about special-status species, habitat types, vegetation, infrastructure, economics and demographics, conservation and restoration projects, and Indian tribes.
LUPIN also offers access to reports from state and federal agencies, and environmental laws such as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Williamson Act, the California Forest Practices Act, the California Coastal Act, and the California Endangered Species Act. New information is being added constantly.