Modesto, California

===Planning and environment===
In 1885, Modesto enacted what is now considered to be the first [[zoning]] ordinance. The ordinance's primary goal was to keep laundries (which were primarily Chinese run), out of the city.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Williamson |first1=C.J.S. |title=Mechanics of Zoning Adjustments |journal=The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science |date=May 1931 |volume=155 |issue=2 |pages=108–122 |doi=10.1177/000271623115500215|s2cid=145796947 }}</ref> After an arrested man filed to contest the constitutionality of the ordinance, the case escalated to the California Supreme Court which found the law to be constitutional.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bernstein |first1=David E. |last2=Eliot |first2=David |title=Lochner, Parity, and the Chinese Laundry Cases |journal=William and Mary Law Law Review |date=1 January 1999 |volume=41 |page=211 |doi=10.2139/ssrn.146952}}</ref>

In the late 1980s Modesto embarked on an update to the city's [[general plan]] pursuant to requirements of the State of California. The result was a comprehensive evaluation of alternative population and land use projections along with associated environmental impact analysis. Some of the environmental factors technically assessed were air quality, [[water quality]], [[environmental noise]], [[soil contamination]] and visual impacts.

Much of the soils in Modesto are classified as part of the Hanford series: (HbpA) fine [[sandy loam]], moderately deep over silt.<ref>{{cite book|author=Bureau of Soils|title=Soil survey of ...|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3-LwAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA81|year=1964|publisher=Dept. of Agriculture|page=81}}</ref> These soils are well-drained, moderately coarse-textured soils derived from [[alluvium]] from granitic rock. The Hanford soils are important for the production of a wide variety of irrigated orchard, field, and [[market garden|truck crops]].

Vicinity watercourses include the [[Stanislaus River]], the [[Tuolumne River]] and [[Dry Creek, Stanislaus County|Dry Creek]] which empties into the Tuolumne River. Area groundwater, which is the principal source of water supply in the city,<ref>''Stanislaus County General Plan'' (1987)</ref> has been historically impaired in a fashion that is spatially variable. Water from the nearby Modesto Reservoir is now used to augment city water. In various parts of the city and its perimeter the following [[water pollutant]]s have occurred from time to time: [[nitrate]]s, [[dibromochloromethane]], [[Volatile Organic Compounds|volatile organics]], salinity, [[total dissolved solids]] and other [[pesticide]]s.<ref>John Torrey, Paul Awosika et al., ''Expanded initial study, Boulder Creek subdivision, Stanislaus County'', Earth Metrics, Report 7999: California State Clearinghouse, Sacramento, November 1989.</ref> Each of these contaminants is not present citywide.

The [[EPA]] rates air quality in Modesto as a 23 on a scale to 100 (higher is better), making Modesto an unhealthy place to live for those with breathing difficulties. This is based on ozone alert days and number of pollutants in the air. In May 2010, ''Forbes'' magazine, in association with the [[American Lung Association]], indicated that Modesto was one of the top 25 most polluted cities in the U.S.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/2010/04/28/polluted-cities-smog-lifestyle-health-american-lung-association-ozone_slide_2.html?partner=msnhealth |work=Forbes |title=List: Worst Cities For Ozone Pollution}}</ref>