Pacific Edge by Kim Stanley Robinson (American, 1990)

Summary:
The story takes place in El Modena. People are now very concerned with the environment; everything is more ecological. Kevin, Gabriella and Hank are picking up the trash from people in the past as they had to do town work. Alfredo and Ramona had just broken up and it was Kevin’s chance as he had always been in love with Ramona. He tried to cheer her up and they went flying on a kind of bicycle they had to pedal for it to fly. Kevin and Dorus belonged to the Green Party while Alfredo and Matt were Feds. Alfredo was a very popular man and he seemed to make all decisions at the council’s meetings. In his first meeting, Kevin had a debate with Alfredo about what he was planning to do with the water. Oscar was the new lawyer and Kevin was going to build a house for him. Kevin worked by building self-sufficient houses. Thanks to Oscar, Doris and Kevin discovered that Alfredo and Ed Macey, who ran Hartech, wanted to build in Rattlesnake Hill, which was the last hill at El Modena. Kevin went to Alfredo’s house to confront him, but he couldn’t make Alfredo feel guilty about it. Kevin took Doris and Nadezhda to talk with his grandfather Tom. Tom and Nadhezda knew each other from before as they changed the law for the environment. Tom had been depressed since his wife died, but he and Nadhezda started visiting each other to talk. Doris and Kevin accused Alfredo of wanting to do a commercial building, but he never accepted it, he said they just wanted the permission to plan later what they could do there. Things got really personal between Alfredo and Kevin because Kevin was dating Ramona and they got into a fight at a softball game. Oscar wrote a letter to Clarice telling her he missed Chicago and that rural life was really possible at El Modena. Oscar took Kevin and Doris to see Sally Tallhawk, who told them the story about how Owens Valley dried out, but also told them that there was plenty of water in El Modena’s soil so they could be positive about the situation. Sally and Oscar were professional wrestlers and after watching them fight, Kevin and Doris spend the night together. Doris and Kevin had something going on before, but Doris still had feelings for him. Doris found out that the people she worked with are on Heartech’s side, so she quits and gets a copy of all the documents. Kevin and Ramona started having a relationship and Doris and Oscar were jealous, but finally they ended up together. Tom investigated more about Heartech and discovered they were doing illegal things, so they didn’t let Alfredo buy the water. Alfredo talked with Ramona and she went away for a while. Kevin realized that they got back together. Tom discovered that Heartech and AAMT were working together. There was a fire at Tom’s house. Tom ran away with Nadhezda on a ship. Tom drowned in a storm. Finally, the rezoning of Rattlesnake Hill was approved, and Kevin did a memorial there to honor Tom. Ramona and Alfredo got married and Kevin wanted to be with Doris, but she was already with Oscar.

Another summary:
This story takes place in the town of El Modena, California, in 2065. In this town, the people work together. They take shifts in taking care of the neighborhood children, and the citizens can also take part in the town council.
 The story tells us about Kevin Claiborne, who works in building renovation and construction. Kevin is a big fan of softball. One day, Kevin learns that his childhood crush, Ramona Sanchez, has just broken up with her boyfriend Alfredo, the town's mayor.
 
 Kevin and Doris Nakayama (with whom he once had a relationship) have recently become part of the town council as members of the Green party. During their first town council meeting, Kevin realizes that Alfredo is proposing to purchase large quantities of water from Los Angeles' Metropolitan Water District; to resell it and save some money.
  Following the Green party's policy of offering more that is needed is bad; Kevin disapproves of such a proposal, and he believes that Alfredo has ulterior motives to propose such a thing. 
 Oscar, the new town attorney, takes Kevin and Doris to Bishop. There they meet Sally Tallhawk, a specialist in the law of water. Sally explains to them that El Modena has more than enough water. She advises some actions they could take to stop Alfredo's plan.
 Soon, Doris, Kevin, and Oscar learn that Alfredo's firm, Heartech, plans to build a complex in Rattlesnake Hill, the last hill in El Modena that still keeps the wilderness. 
 However, Kevin, Doris, and Oscar will not let this plan continue. So, they start researching with the help of Kevin's grandfather, Tom. 
 Doris quits her job when she discovers that the firm might be working together with Alfredo. But before leaving, Doris makes a copy of all the firm's files. 
 Analyzing the firm's files, Tom realizes that Heartech might be receiving illegal profit from Hong Kong and that Alfredo must be involved in shady things. Oscar finds out that reselling water is against the law, and only the government can do that. The town council votes against buying the water.
 Things get tense not only because Kevin and Doris confront Alfredo in every meeting. But also, a love triangle is developing between Kevin, Ramona, and Alfredo. 
 Kevin and Ramona are having a great time until Alfredo comes back and asks Ramona to get back together. After a time, Kevin gets broken-hearted by hearing that Ramona and Alfredo are together again. 
 Tom continues investigating Heartech, he finds out that Alfredo is involved with illegal loans from the American Association for Medical Technology, but he does not have tangible proof of it. 
 Tom, Doris, and Kevin go on a public campaign against the Rattlesnake Hill complex development. But, the Green Party asks them to stop the fight. 
 Tom passes away on a tropical storm. Everyone is sad about the news, but Kevin is devastated. 
 The Rattlesnake Hill development is approved a public vote. Doris and Kevin had lost. 
 But, Kevin has a brilliant idea that might change everything. He holds a memorial service and puts a commemorative plaque for Tom on a tree in Rattlesnake Hill. Since Tom was well-appreciated by everyone in the town, they changed their mind about the development.

Another summary:
The story unfolds after a legal struggle between 2020 and 2040, the United States has achieved a green way of life where the size of companies is limited, land, water and energy are nationalized and green ideas are taken into account. In 2065, in a small town in California called El Módena, there are two political parties, the green party that Kevin is part of along with his ex-girlfriend Doris and the New Federalist party in which Alfredo is mayor. Alfredo has just broken up with Ramona who is Kevin's new love interest.
 At his first council meeting Kevin rejects a proposal from Alfredo in which he buys large amounts of water at a lower rate, even though this makes savings for the city, Kevin becomes suspicious of Alfredo. Then Kevin and Doris meet Oscar, the town's new lawyer, and find out that Heartech, Alfredo's firm, is planning to build a new complex on Rattlesnake Hill, the only hill in Modena still preserved in nature.
 A friend of Doris, Nadezhda, and Kevin's grandfather, Tom, are old friends, they met when they were changing international law and the world at the famous conferences in Singapore in the years 2020 and 2030. Kevin and Doris need help with the developments from Rattlesnake Hill and Tom sets out to help them. As Kevin and Ramona grow closer, things between Kevin and Alfredo get tense. Oscar takes Kevin and Doris to Bishop, where they meet Sally, a specialist in shady water law; Sally explains to them that El Módena has more than enough water and gives them suggestions for actions they could take. At Bishop, after getting drunk, Kevin and Doris end up together for the night.
 Tom and Oscar's investigations lead them to discover that Heartech might have a source of illegal capital in Hong Kong and that municipalities can't actually resell water, so Alfredo's plans to save El Modena money are impossible. Supported by his party, Kevin tries to get the non-partisan councilors on his side and succeeds, the city council votes against the water purchase.
 Tom and Nadezhda are together and Kevin and Ramona start a relationship, Doris gets jealous and Oscar shows romantic interest in her. Kevin and Ramona have a great time together, until Alfredo talks to Ramona again, who is confused. Later, Ramona returns to Alfredo and Oscar continues to try to win over Doris.
 Investigating as both parties campaign for and against the Rattlesnake Hill complex, Tom uncovers connections between Heartech and the American Association for Medical Technology (AAMT), a conglomerate rebuilding the medical industry's power base. A wildfire burns down Tom's house, but Kevin can't find conclusive evidence that it was arson. Tom explains that all along Alfredo and Heartech got involved with AAMT's black ops with illegal loans to get Heartech up and running; eventually the deals became a mix of saving lives and making money; Alfredo was unable to negotiate with the AAMT, but there is no tangible evidence. Tom leaves with Nadezhda on her boat and drowns in a tropical storm, everyone is dismayed.
 A public vote in El Modena approves the development of Rattlesnake Hill. The Hill is rezoned from open space to commercial. Then Kevin has an idea so symbolic that it changes everything: he holds a memorial service and places a memorial plaque for Tom on a sycamore tree on Rattlesnake Hill. Later that year, Ramona and Alfredo marry. Kevin realizes that he loved Doris, but now he sees that she is with Oscar. Kevin rides his bike like crazy, feeling like the unhappiest man in the world. He then laughed at this very thought.

World view: Describes in a variety of aspects and with some consistency an imaginary state or society which is regarded as better, in some respects at least, than the one in which its author lives.
Future projections: Sees the future as potential to reform a reality that once seemed unchangeable.
Ideology: Portrays the enforcement of justice in a positive manner and has faith in human capacity to build a better future.
Characters, plot and writing style: A perfectly planned social order derives on the personal satisfaction and psychic well-being of the characters.
Classification: Dystopia