Category: State Policy

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California Policy Local Government Public Transit State Policy Transportation Funding

No Prop 6: Save Transportation Funding for California

Next month voters will consider Proposition 6, which would roll back the additional transportation funding approved by SB 1, the transportation and gas tax law. Millions of dollars of transportation funding and important investments in active transportation, public transit, local road maintenance, and bridge safety would be eliminated. Not only does the measure repeal SB 1, but it also amends the state constitution to require voter approval for any new or increased taxes and fees for future transportation revenue increases.  Prop 6 is bad for transportation, bad for public transit, and bad for air quality.

That’s why Policy in Motion is endorsing No Prop 6 (noprop6.com)

Prop 6 would eliminate:

  • $5 billion annually in existing transportation funds and stop funding for more than 6,500 projects currently underway throughout California – including repairing potholes, repaving roads, bridge and road safety, transportation and public transit improvements.
  • $750 million annually for local transit operations and capital.
  • $100 million annually for the Active Transportation Program grants.
  • $25 million annually for local sustainable planning grants.
  • $7 million annually for UC and CSU Transportation Research.
  • 68,000 jobs and $183 billion in economic investments as thousands of road construction projects are halted.

As it now stands, California has a need of $13 billion annually over the next 10 years, just to bring the state highways and local roads into good condition. Maintaining a functional transportation system relies on user fees from drivers and SB 1 links road usage with maintenance needs by taxing gasoline and charging owners of electric vehicles $100 annual fee.   

Spread the Word – NO PROP 6
Californians are registering to vote in record numbers. Nearly 1.5 million more people are registered to vote than were in the last midterm election in 2014, according to the California Secretary of State’s Office. More than 19 million Californians were registered to vote on Sept. 7 — nearly 76 percent of all eligible voters in the state. It is the highest number of voters ahead of a midterm election in state history.
 
Let your friends and family know more about how Prop 6 impacts their community at noprop6.com, forward this email or share this post on your Facebook page.

And don’t forget to register to vote if you haven’t already! You can do it online at: covr.sos.ca.gov

Categories
California Policy Cap and Trade GHG Reduction High-Speed Rail State Policy Sustainability Transportation Funding

Governor Signs Plan to Spend $1.5B in Cap-and-Trade Dollars

Clean Transportation Receives $900 Million from Cap-and-Trade Revenue 

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed two bills that outline a plan to spend $1.5 billion on environmental initiatives using money from the state’s recently renewed cap and trade program.  The bills were signed on Saturday, hours after lawmakers approved the plan to spend most of the money on incentives and rebates to promote a cleaner vehicle fleet.

$900 Million of the funds will be allocated to clean transportation projects – a substantial increase compared to previous years ($680 million for the last four years combined)

This amount is on top of the $900 million allocated according to formula, including $375 million for the State High-Speed Rail Project.

California has set an ambitious goal to have 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025. Lawmakers hope the rebates will help close the price gap between traditional and electric vehicles.

Here is a breakdown of how the Low Carbon Transportation funds will be spent: 

  • $140M – Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (consumer rebates for electric or fuel cell passenger cars) 
  • $140M – Freight Equipment Advanced Demonstration; Pilot Commercial Deployment Project
  • $100M – Enhanced Fleet Modernization Program and Plus Up Project (low-income assistance for vehicle scrap and replace); School Buses; Light-Duty Equity Pilot Projects (e.g. electric carsharing in disadvantaged communities)
  • $180M – Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project ($35M must go to zero-emission buses)
  • $85M – Agricultural Diesel Engine Replacement and Upgrades 

Additionally, $255 Million will be allocated for AB 617 Implementation:

  • $250M – Community Air Protection (95% to South Coast, San Joaquin Valley, and Bay Area Air Districts; 5% to other Air Districts via CARB) 
  • $5M – Technical Assistance Grants to Community Organizations (i.e. consultants/experts) 

   

____________________________________________________
Lauren Michele, Principal / Founder, Policy in Motion
 
Policy in Motion offers planning practitioners, policymakers, and public agencies an understanding of how to integrate sustainability policy into transportation infrastructure and land use decisions. Lauren Michele’s 2011 book, “Policy in Motion: Transportation Planning in California after AB 32” explores the State’s evolving policies for sustainable living through transportation planning. Lauren’s 2012 film documentary, “Policy in Motion: Growing Beautiful Communities” continues to explore how an integrated approach to transportation planning and funding based on “People-Oriented Development” (POD) can improve community quality of life while meeting California’s environmental and economic goals. Policy in Motion’s book and film are available for purchase online at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and www.policyinmotion.com.
Categories
California Policy Cap and Trade Education/Webinars GHG Reduction Livable Communities Local Government NewsFlash SB 375 State Policy Transportation Funding

Cap and Trade Resource Center Launches! Website + Infographic + Brochure (with a side of Podcast) 

Multi-Media Transportation Policy

This month, Policy in Motion is pleased to announce two exciting communications projects that will help local governments and interested stakeholders better understand the basics of transportation planning and new grant funding opportunities under California’s new Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

If you happen to be one of the 216,000 people following Streetsblog podcaster, Jeff Wood, on twitter you may have heard that Policy in Motion’s Lauren Michele was recently featured on a podcast called Remaking California’s Transportation System for People and Their Environment. This first podcast in a three part series looks at California’s move to change the way transportation is funded and organized at the state level. With major environmental laws passed in the last decade that focus on reducing greenhouse gasses, California is on the cusp of great change. Lauren Michele and Kate White, Deputy Secretary for Environmental Policy and Housing at CALSTA, were hosted in Part 1 to talk about the new laws and the consolidation of state transportation departments under one agency.  Listen to the 13 minute segment on-line or on your phone here.

Policy in Motion worked with the Institute for Local Government (ILG) to launch a new “Cap and Trade Resource Center” this month – a one stop shop for locals to get a reader’s digest version of how California’s cap and trade program works, and what grant funding is available for local governments.  Lauren Michele developed the content and materials for ILG’s Resource Center, which summarizes 13 new and existing state agency grant programs funded through AB 32 cap and trade auction revenues that could fund or support local government sustainability efforts.

The information can be found on-line at ILG’s website, downloaded as a full brochure, and/or viewed as an Infographic!

Lauren Michele, Principal / Founder, Policy in Motion.

Lauren earned a Master’s of Science degree from the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies after working as a transportation planning professional at Fehr & Peers, a climate change policy analyst at the Center for Clean Air Policy in Washington D.C., and an air quality program assistant at the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District.  At the UC Davis Urban Land Use and Transportation Center (ULTRANS) she focused on the links between California’s Senate Bill 375 and developing federal climate/energy legislation and the transportation reauthorization.  Her academic work includes teaching undergraduate courses in Transportation Policy at UC Davis and experiential learning while living and researching multi-modal transportation planning in Europe.

Lauren organized and served as Policy Director for the Transportation Coalition for Livable Communities — a coalition which includes the California Alliance for Jobs, California Transit Association, National Resources Defense Council, League of California Cities, State Association of Counties, and the Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Councils of Governments throughout the state. The Coalition promotes the investment of cap and trade revenue to address both the greenhouse gas reduction goals of AB 32 and critical transportation system maintenance and operation needs that build on the framework of SB 375 and other GHG reduction strategies.

Her firm, Policy in Motion, specializes in sustainable transportation policy.  Policy in Motion offers planning practitioners, policy makers, and public agencies an understanding of how to integrate sustainability policy into transportation infrastructure and land use decisions.  Lauren Michele’s 2011 book, “Policy in Motion: Transportation Planning in California after AB 32” explores the State’s evolving policies for sustainable living through transportation planning, and identifies how outdated regulatory frameworks must be aligned with supporting paradigm shifts if California is to move forward in a truly unified vision for “People-Oriented Development” and transportation.  Lauren’s 2012 film documentary, “Policy in Motion: Growing Beautiful Communities” continues to explore how an integrated approach to transportation planning and funding based on “People-Oriented Development” (POD) can improve community quality of life while meeting California’s environmental and economic goals. Policy in Motion’s book and film are available for purchase on-line at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and www.policyinmotion.com.

 

Categories
California Policy Complete Streets GHG Reduction Livable Communities Local Government Metropolitan Planning Modeling/Tools NewsFlash Public Health Public Transit Safe Routes to School SB 375 State Policy Sustainability Transportation Funding

Transportation Coalition for Livable Communities Cap and Trade Investment Proposal for CARB Workshops

Today the California Air Resources Board will be kicking off its first of three workshops on the development of the AB 32 Cap and Trade Investment Plan. On February 25th in Sacramento the Transportation Coalition for Livable Communities – which includes local/regional governments and transit/transportation agencies statewide – will be laying out a vision for how revenues generated from the state’s program could re-shape California’s urban and rural landscape through integrated land use and transportation investments that build on regional SB 375 and GHG reducing plans with competitive grants for local entities. This opportunity to fund beautiful communities would invest billions of dollars in both the critical transportation investments needed in existing communities, while leveraging local land use and policy changes needed to transform how transportation planning and implementation functions in California. This approach of combined land use strategies co-implemented with livable community infrastructure in the hearts of communities will yield significant long-term greenhouse gas reductions as well as numerous community benefits, such as improved public health, open space and habitat preservation, safe routes to school, and needed support for disadvantaged communities.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT:
-Show up for public support at the workshops tonight in Fresno from 5-8pm, Feb 25th in Sacramento from 3-6pm, or Feb 27th in LA from 4-7pm (location details below)
-Write a support letter with your organization’s logo. Click here to download a template letter to start, and email it to info@transfunding.org
-Submit your written support to CARB easily on their on-line form linked here

The Coalition’s program concept would allocate funds equitably to regional governments under statewide criteria to administer competitive grants to local entities – proposing combinations of investments, including transit service and operating costs, road and bridge maintenance, retrofits for complete streets and urban greening, and clean technology and other community infrastructure – all integrated with land use modifications to support regional plans.

The Transportation Coalition for Livable Communities has developed a series of principles included in a program concept proposal to CARB. You can download the program concept letter here. If you support this program concept please let CARB know that these core concepts should be considered for inclusion in their Investment Plan:

  1. Regional allocation of funds to ensure that every region of the state receives a fair share
  2. Favoring integration of land use strategies and transportation investments to achieve the highest GHG emission reductions.  Studies consistently show that combining transportation investments with complementary land use changes significantly increase the GHG emission reduction and co-benefits.
  3. Use a competitive process at the regional level, under criteria developed by the state, to prioritize local project proposals that co-implement transportation investments with land use changes that most cost effectively meet the goals of the program and further stimulate innovation and flexibility at the local and regional level.
  4. Improved modeling and verification systems for GHG evaluation to ensure effective results.

Members of the Transportation Coalition for Livable Communities

California Transit Association • League of California Cities  • California State Association of Counties • Self-Help Counties Coalition • California Association of Councils of Governments • Sacramento Area Council of Governments • Southern California Association of Governments • Metropolitan Transportation Commission • San Joaquin Valley Regional Policy Council • Transportation California • California Alliance for Jobs • Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District

Date Location
5 pm – 8 pm:  

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Mariposa Mall Building – Room 1036 

2550 Mariposa Mall; Fresno

 
3 pm – 6 pm: 

Monday, February 25, 2013

 California Environmental Protection Agency,
Byron Sher Auditorium, 2nd floor
1001 I Street; Sacramento
This meeting will also be webcast.
http://www.calepa.ca.gov/broadcast/ 

 
4 pm – 7 pm: 

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

 Ronald Reagan Building – Auditorium
300 South Spring Street
Los Angeles

Materials (for all workshops):

 

 

Categories
California Policy NewsFlash State Policy

Strategic Growth Council Names Mike McCoy New Executive Director, Allison Joe as Deputy Director

Strategic Growth Council Names Mike McCoy New Executive Director, Allison Joe as Deputy Director

Transportation Expert McCoy Will Take the Helm Oct. 15

SACRAMENTO – The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) today announced the appointment of Mike McCoy as its new executive officer and Allison Joe as deputy director. McCoy joins SGC from the University of California, Davis where he was the director of the Urban Land Use and Transportation Research Center, responsible for teams working in the fields of land use, transportation, conservation, economics, and equity studies. Joe was most recently a senior planner at the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.

Over a 35-year career, McCoy has focused on modeling and forecasting urban growth, transportation systems use, and environmental impacts including land, air, water and land use decisions.  He is a founder of the University of California, Davis Extension Land Use and Natural Resources Program, the Information Center for the Environment at U.C. Davis, and the Urban Land Use and Transportation Center (ULTRANS) at U.C. Davis.

Allison Joe’s responsibilities at OPR included coordinating statewide efforts related to land use and environmental policy and implementation of statewide and regional planning efforts. She also staffed the chair of the Strategic Growth Council. Allison has nearly 15 years of experience in the planning field, having worked in government and the private sector. She holds a Master of Planning from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from Claremont McKenna College.

The SGC is comprised of the agency secretaries for Natural Resources, Cal/EPA, Business, Transportation, and Housing, and Health and Human Services; the director of the Office of Planning and Research; and a public member. It coordinates state agency action to improve air and water quality, protect natural resources and agricultural lands, increase the availability of affordable housing, promote public health, improve transportation, encourage greater infill and compact development, revitalize community and urban centers, assist state and local entities in the planning of sustainable communities, and promote efforts to address climate change.

For more information on the Strategic Growth Council, please visit www.sgc.ca.gov.

Categories
California Policy Complete Streets Federal Policy GHG Reduction High-Speed Rail Livable Communities Metropolitan Planning Public Health Public Transit Safe Routes to School SB 375 State Policy Sustainability Transportation Funding

Transportation Funding: Past, Present, Future

Funding Beautiful Communities

The nature of transportation funding is a cycle of birth and death. Despite clear state policy goals to address the transportation sector’s 38% contribution to California’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory, funding for needed sustainable community investments to implement such goals has seen levels of uncertainty that make progress equally uncertain. From years of local public transit cuts and underfunded local road maintenance needs to recent slashes for complete streets and Safe Routes to School in the federal transportation bill – hope still prevails with billions approved by the State for high speed rail, possibilities for redevelopment reincarnation, and the promise of new cap and trade revenue from fuels. California not only has opportunities like leveraging its investments in high speed rail with cap and trade funding for sustainable communities, but will need to act on them given the dismal federal transportation reauthorization vision for integrated transportation and land use systems.

But it’s not all dismal!

On August 10th Growing Beautiful Communities will depict how an integrated approach to transportation planning and funding can improve community quality of life while meeting California’s environmental and economic goals.

Uncertainty can breed creativity. I made a documentary on that premise. California can make history. The State can leverage the lack of federal vision to do something really innovative for transportation funding in California – the same way the lack of federal GHG reduction leadership led to state climate action plans across the country starting here.

California has the potential to capitalize on its $8 billion investment in high speed rail and do everything the federal transportation bill is missing for transformative transportation — we can achieve a vision for sustainable communities and reduced greenhouse gas emissions through the creation of an integrated transportation funding program which:

  • Draws on a new source of transportation revenues, offering multi-year financial stability to communities and regions implementing projects
  • Creates flexibility to use funds for needed transit operations and maintenance investments
  • Provides funding for road and bridge repair to improve transportation efficiency
  • Expands active transportation, complete streets and transportation enhancement infrastructure
  • Incentivizes transportation innovation from regional and local governments
  • Measures meaningful performance to tie transportation investments to GHG emission reduction, as well as other benefits like health, energy, water, cost-effectiveness, and agricultural resources.
  • Integrates intercity, rural, and local transit, roads, and active transportation infrastructure with regional land use planning and local project implementation
  • Invests in existing communities by offsetting the high cost of infill development
  • Promotes inter- and intra-jurisdictional collaboration between institutions like local/regional planning departments and school and medical campuses

We can learn from the past, capitalize on the present, and make the future a reality through innovative transportation funding.

Categories
California Policy Education/Webinars GHG Reduction High-Speed Rail Metropolitan Planning NewsFlash SB 375 State Policy

California Interregional Blueprint Summit May 23 to Host Governor Appointees and Directors: BT&H Acting Secretary Brian Kelly; HSR Chair Dan Richard; Directors of Caltrans, SCAG, SANDAG, CARB

Come see two of Governor Brown’s most recent appointees speak at the California Interregional Blueprint (CIB) Summit: Brian Kelly, Acting Secretary, Business, Housing and Transportation Agency, and Malcolm Dougherty, Director, Caltans.  If you have not registered for the Summit yet, please do so today!  Join us in-person in Sacramento, or on the Web, and help shape California’s future transportation system.

California Interregional Blueprint (CIB) Summit May 23, 2012 8:00 AM – 10:30 AM* CalPERS Auditorium, 400 P Street, Sacramento, CA

Seating is limited so register today at: http://bit.ly/CIBSummit

Caltrans is sponsoring the CIB Summit to share critical information about the long-term future of California’s transportation system and receive valuable feedback from you.  Take this opportunity to speak with representatives from State agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, regional transportation planning agencies, and the private sector.

Business Transportation and Housing Agency Acting Secretary Brian Kelly will share Governor Brown’s perspective as the Summit’s keyone speaker.

Leaders from key regional and State agencies scheduled to participate in panel discussions are:

  • Gary Gallegos, Executive Director, San Diego Association of Governments
  • Hasan Ikhrata, Executive Director, Southern California Association of Governments
  • James Goldstene, Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board
  • Sharon Scherzinger, Executive Director, El Dorado County Transportation Commission
  • Malcolm Dougherty, Director, Caltrans
  • Dan Richard, Chair, California High Speed Rail Commission
  • Tim Schott, Executive Director, California Association of Port Authorities

Complete details on the Summit and the California Interregional Blueprint process are available on the Caltrans Web Site:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/tpp/californiainterregionalblueprint/summit.html

After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email with directions to the workshop.  If you have questions, email Caroline Leary, Cambridge Systematics, at cleary@camsys.com or call her at 510-873-8700 (voice) or

711 (TTY). If you need physical accommodations or other assistance, please contact Caroline as soon as possible, but no later than two working days before the Summit.

Categories
California Policy NewsFlash SB 375 State Policy Sustainability

Sustainable California Update :: Conservation Strategy Group Reports on Redevelopment, CEQA & SB 375

Sustainable California Updates – February 12, 2012

In this issue:

Update on Redevelopment

Workshops for Draft CEQA Guidelines for Streamlining Infill

New: Sustainable Communities Learning Network

SB 375 Update: Sustainable Community Strategies

Save the Date: Equity Summit – April 10th

Update on Redevelopment

Background

In June 2011, the state legislature passed two bills that were signed by the Governor to dissolve California’s network of redevelopment agencies.  Just last week, over 400 redevelopment agencies were shut down statewide.

 

The closing of redevelopment agencies was controversial.  For half a century, cities have relied on redevelopment agencies to revitalize neighborhoods and develop vacant or blighted properties.  In light of the massive budget deficit, the Governor chose to close these agencies down and free up tax revenue they were diverting away from schools, counties, and cities.

 

As of February 1, 2012, redevelopment agencies are officially dissolved.  Each redevelopment agency appointed a successor agency to pay off all outstanding debt and most chose the city government for this task.  For the next few decades, property tax revenue will go towards paying off debts and eventually will help the state’s bottom line.

Future of Redevelopment

Cities are actively looking for new financing options for redevelopment.  The City of Roseville, for example, developed a nonprofit to promote private financing of projects in the public interest.  Legislators are also looking for ways to promote economic development and affordable housing.  For example, Senate Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg introduced a measure, SB 654, to direct balances in Low and Moderate Income Housing Funds (LMIFH) for use in developing affordable housing. Running parallel to SB 654 is AB 1585, by Assembly Speaker Perez, which also seeks to retain affordable housing funds from LMIHF. Without a definite state solution to redevelopment needs at the moment, communities are now focusing on crafting their own unique solutions.

Upcoming Senate Hearing – February 22

Joint Senate Hearing: “Financing Affordable Housing and Local Economic Development: New Reality, New Opportunity” Capitol Building, Room 4203

 

Formal testimony will be delivered by Housing California and the California Housing Consortium on the need for permanent ongoing sources of funding for affordable housing particularly given the demise of redevelopment. Representatives from labor, the business community and local government will also provide testimony. Following the speakers, there will be an opportunity for public comment.

 

Workshops for Draft CEQA Guidelines on Streamlining Infill

The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) has developed a draft proposal for additions to CEQA Guidelines. Under the direction of SB 226 (Simitian, 2011) this proposal intends to set forth a streamlined review process for infill projects.  It also contains the performance standards used to determine an infill project’s eligibility for that streamlined review.

 

In order to develop an efficient and effective set of guidelines, OPR is depending on public input and engagement. Workshops on the subject will be held in three cities. The meeting in Sacramento will also be webcast.

 

Sacramento Fresno Los Angeles
February 21, 2012

1:00 pm

February 22, 2012

1:00 pm

February 23, 2012

1:00 pm
Cal/EPA Headquarters Building

Sierra Hearing Room, 2nd Floor

1001 I Street

Sacramento, CA 95814

City of Fresno

Council Chambers, 2nd Floor

2600 Fresno Street

Fresno, CA 93721

Ronald Reagan State Building

Auditorium

300 South Spring Street

Los Angeles, CA 90013

 

For the full text of the proposed changes, visit: http://opr.ca.gov/s_sb226.php

 

New: Sustainable Communities Learning Network

The Sustainable Communities Learning Network helps local officials and staff access and share resources and tools that encourage their communities to consider and apply economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable practices. It is a project of the Institute for Local Government in partnership with the Information Center for the Environment at the University of California, Davis with support from the Strategic Growth Council and The California Endowment.

 

The Learning Network:

  • Facilitates peer-to-peer learning, sharing of real-world examples between local officials and others engaged in sustainability efforts
  • Provides access to best practices, tools, and resources
  • Offers opportunities to be recognized as a leader in sustainability

 

The Sustainable Communities Learning Network is currently in the development stage.  They envision a user-driven learning platform, with opportunities to connect with experts in various sustainability best practices areas. To stay up-to-date as the Network develops and grows, sign up here for the Sustainability eNews. You can also contact them directly for more information or to tell them what you would like to see as part of the Learning Network.

 

SB 375 Update: Sustainable Community Strategies

SB 375 (Steinberg, 2008) has called on Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to incorporate Sustainable Community Strategies (SCS) into their Regional Transportation Plans.  SCSs combine land use and transportation strategies to achieve the emissions reduction targets established by the Air Resources Board for each of 18 MPOs.

 

The progress of several MPOs in developing this plan is described below:

San Diego: San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) was the first agency to adopt a SCS and adopted its plan on October 28, 2011, after two years of work and public input.  On November, 2011, the Cleveland National Forest Foundation and Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit against SANDAG for a producing a flawed plan through a deficient process. According to the plaintiffs, the plan focuses on goals opposite to those of SB375 by placing priority on expanding freeways, encouraging driving, and increasing air pollution. Sierra Club and California’s Attorney General Kamala D. Harris also joined the lawsuit. The 2050 Regional Transportation Plan can be found here.

Sacramento Area Council of Governments: Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) released its Metropolitan Transportation Plan 2035 and draft SCS and is planning to release the final SCS in April this year. The draft is available online to read and submit comments.

Southern California: Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) has released a draft SCS and is holding public hearings on the current plan.  SCAG is planning to release its final draft in April. To attend workshops on the SCS or to read the draft plan, visit the SCAG website.

Bay Area: Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) has released alternative scenarios and is holding public workshops to determine how to reach the 2035 target for GHG emissions. ABAG launched a campaign in 2010 called “One Bay Area” to achieve sustainable community and climate action initiatives. The land-use and transportation plan is called Plan Bay Area and the final SCS is expected in Spring 2013.

 

Tahoe: Tahoe is a unique, bi-state region developing its SCS as a component of its long-range general plan. The Tahoe MPO is updating its Regional Transportation Plan to incorporate the SCS with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s (TRPA) regional plan update.  The new plan will be called Mobility 2035, and information on progress can be found here. The public draft will be released this month and the final draft will be released in August 2012.

 

Save the Date: Equity Summit – April 10th

Building on the momentum of Equity Summit 2011 in Detroit, the Sacramento Coalition on Regional Equity (CORE) (a project of the Sacramento Housing Alliance) and its partners are organizing a day-long equity summit where equity advocates from across the state will strategize to move forward an equity agenda for the state of California and its diverse regions.

 

Get more information or register here.

 

 

Sustainable California

 

Conservation Strategy Group manages Sustainable California as a forum for organizations and agencies to share information and identify opportunities for individuals and organizations to engage in urban sustainability policy development and funding programs, focusing on activities in California.

Conservation Strategy Group provides email updates on what’s happening at the Capitol and identifies opportunities to take action in support of urban sustainability. We have also established an online resource through which information could be shared.  Our hope is that the network would evolve over time so that participating organizations would also share information with each other.

This service is free and provided by Conservation Strategy Group.  For questions or comments, please contact Connie Gallippi at connie@csgcalifornia.com

 

Categories
California Policy Livable Communities Local Government State Policy Sustainability

Wishing You a Happy New Year from Policy in Motion!

A Gift for You!

What if the joy of the holiday season extended throughout the year and laid the foundation for community sustainability policy and planning? “Quality of Life” is a recent concept in the land use/ transportation/ environmental planning profession to depict how the creation of sustainable communities fosters individual “livability” — or happiness.  In an attempt to translate the abstract concept of “Livability Planning,” Lauren Michele has combined her graduate research on greenhouse gas reduction strategies and travel behavior policy with a vision for “People-Oriented Development” (POD) in the launch of a business and book — Policy in Motion.

Since the launch of my book in August, I have shared my technical research and “POD” vision with over 350 University students, emerging professionals, and leading experts — as well as over two dozen policy makers from the California Governor’s Office and State Legislature — all interested in more integrated sustainability planning at the local, regional and state levels of government.  Additionally, the book has been made available in the libraries of the State of California’s Department of Transportation, Energy Commission, and Air Resources Board for employees.

Policy in Motion is now certified as an Underutilized Disadvantaged Business Enterprisein the states of California and Nevada, and is seeking new partnership and creative opportunities with other private and public organizations across the Western United States and in Washington D.C.  Policy in Motion will also be expanding its Career Development Mentorship Program (Interns in Motion) in 2012 to include motivated high school students from downtown Sacramento to work together with undergraduate and graduate University student interns — to achieve this vision the organization is seeking shared office space opportunities.

“People-oriented development is a concept that goes beyond traditional planning concepts of promoting high density development near transit stations; rather, POD focuses on what makes people happy and how to offer existing neighborhoods job growth, community schools, places of gathering, quality travel, resource management, and housing diversity.  In a state that drives 800 million miles a day and spends ten percent of household income on cars, planning for PODs today will blossom beautiful communities tomorrow”
— Policy in Motion: Transportation Planning in California after AB 32

Download a free book sample of Policy in Motion’s highlights and have a beautiful holiday season! And don’t forget to check out the Policy in Motion Blog for the latest on all the planning acronyms to keep up with everything from performance based planning in MAP-21, LEED-ND, STARS; to webinars / events with APA, ULI, ASLA, SGC; for the scoop on regional/statewide planning under SB 375, SCS, RTP, CIB, HSR; and all the research / grant resource opportunities in between!

~  Lauren Michele  ~

Woman Business Owner & Author
530.848.4342 │lauren.michele@policyinmotion.com
Growing Beautiful Communities at www.policyinmotion.com

Categories
California Policy NewsFlash SB 375 State Policy Transportation Funding

SGC Planning Grant Workshop Schedule for Prop 84 Round 2 Program

Strategic Growth Council

Notice to Potential Applicants to Round 2 of the SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PLANNING GRANT AND INCENTIVE PROGRAM:

INVITATION TO ATTEND ROUND 2 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WORKSHOPS

Important reminders:

  • Applications must be must submitted online by 5:00 PM, Wednesday, February 15, 2012.
  • Applications must include a signed resolution from the Board or Council of the submitting entity.
  • Technical assistance is available for all potential applicants. For technical assistance, phone or e mail: (916)322-3439; SGCsustainablecommunities@conservation.ca.gov

See the Solicitation, RFP, Guidelines with Instructions, and Errata at:

http://www.sgc.ca.gov/planning_grants.html

Specific workshop dates and locations are listed on page two of this notice.

To RSVP for Round 2 Technical Assistance workshops, contact Bruce Gwynne at the Department of Conservation Division of Land Resource Protection at:

(916) 322-3439 or via email to: SGCsustainablecommunities@conservation.ca.gov

_____________________________________________________________________________________

An important task of the Strategic Growth Council is to assist state and local entities in the planning of sustainable communities.  Find out more about the Strategic Growth Council at: http://www.sgc.ca.gov/

The Sustainable Communities Planning Grant and Incentive Program awards financial assistance to cities, counties, Regional Transportation Planning Agencies, Joint Powers Authorities, Councils of Governments, and Metropolitan Planning Organizations for the development, update, adoption, and/or implementation of planning instruments. Find out more about the Sustainable Communities Planning Grant and Incentive Program at: http://www.sgc.ca.gov/planning_grants.html

WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT:

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PLANNING GRANT AND INCENTIVE PROGRAM – Round 2

Workshops will be conducted to provide technical assistance in preparing grant applications and vetting project proposals for eligibility and competiveness. Ongoing technical assistance is available by phone or e mail (see guidelines).

WORKSHOP LOCATIONS
 

Rohnert Park – January 6, 2012 (Friday)

10:00 AM – 12:00 noon

Sonoma State University

1801 E. Cotati Avenue

Rohnert Park, CA  94928

Environmental Tech Center

  

SACRAMENTO – January 20, 2012 (Friday)

10:00 AM – 12:00 noon

Cal EPA Coastal Room (2nd Floor)

1001 “I” Street

Sacramento, CA 95814
 

Los Angeles – January 10, 2012 (Tuesday)

10:00 AM – 12:00 noon

SCAG-Southern California Association of Governments            818 West 7th Street, 12th

Los Angeles, CA 90017-3435

  

CLOVIS – January 18, 2012 (Wednesday)

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

City Council Chambers

1033 Fifth Street

Clovis, CA  93612

 

Additional hosted webcast locations for the January 10, 2012, Southern California Workshop (from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon), at five SCAG Regional Offices, and three local offices in the SCAG region.  Arrangements are being made for additional webcast facilities at San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) offices. Please check back for details on the San Diego location.

 

  
–Imperial County Regional Office 

1405 N. Imperial Avenue, Suite 1

El Centro, CA 92243

 

 –Orange County Regional Office 

600 South Main Street, Suite 906

Orange, CA 92863

 
–Riverside County Regional Office 

3403 10th Street, Suite 805

Riverside, CA 92501

 

 –San Bernardino County Regional Office 

1170 West 3rd Street, Suite 140

San Bernardino, CA 92410

 
–Ventura County Regional Office 

950 County Square Drive, Suite 101

Ventura, CA 93003

 
–Palm Desert – 

CVAG – Coachella Valley

73-710 Fred Waring Dr.

Palm Desert, CA 92260

 

 –San Bernardino County – Hesperia 

Jerry Lewis High Desert Government Center

5900 Smoke Tree St., 1st Floor

Training Room B

Hesperia, CA 92345

 
–Palmdale – City Hall 

38250 Sierra Highway

Palmdale, CA 93550

 

 –San Diego – (pending confirmation) 

SANDAG

401 B Street, Suite 800

San Diego, CA 92101