Construction Industry Association of Sonoma County, a California Nonprofit Corporation v. The City of Petaluma, a California Charter City

The City of Petaluma (the City) appeals from a district court decision voiding as unconstitutional certain aspects of its five-year housing and zoning plan. We reverse.

Statement of Facts

The City is located in southern Sonoma County, about 40 miles north of San Franciso. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, Petaluma was a relatively self-sufficient town. It experienced a steady population growth from 10,315 in 1950 to 24,-870 in 1970. Eventually, the City was drawn into the Bay Area metropolitan housing market as people working in San Francisco and San Rafael became willing to commute longer distances to secure relatively inexpensive housing available there. By November 1972, according to unofficial figures, Petaluma’s population was at 30,500, a dramatic increase of almost 25 per cent in little over two years.

The increase in the City’s population, not surprisingly, is reflected in the increase in the number of its housing units. From 1964 to 1971, the following number of residential housing units were completed:

In 1970 and 1971, the years of the most rapid growth, demand for housing in the City was even greater than above indicated. Taking 1970 and 1971 together, builders…