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Posted Friday, February 3, 2012
Agencies Invite Public to Visit Virtual Workshop
To Guide Development of New Regional Plan
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) are asking members of the public for assistance in developing Plan Bay Area, a 25-year transportation investment and land-use strategy for the nine-county region from 2015 through 2040. The agencies have created an online virtual workshop for anyone who wants to weigh in on options and trade-offs from the convenience of their computer. People can visit the online workshop at http://www.onebayarea.org/workshops/virtual.htm.
The virtual workshop closely mirrors the format of a series of nine public forums held in January in every Bay Area county, and includes numerous opportunities to comment. Web visitors can watch several informational videos and take a few short surveys on their priorities for the Bay Area’s future housing and land use development, transportation investments and policies and more. The virtual workshop will be up and running through February 15, 2012.
“We want to hear from you, so make your opinion count,” said MTC Chair and San Mateo County Supervisor Adrienne Tissier. “The goal of Plan Bay Area is to make our region more livable for current and future generations, and we need public input to ensure we’re hearing from as many residents as possible.”
By creating the virtual workshop, MTC has stepped up its outreach effort for the Plan Bay Area process, which is scheduled to conclude in the spring of 2013. Plan Bay Area will be the region’s first transportation and land-use plan to incorporate the Sustainable Communities Strategy mandated by state Senate Bill 375, which was signed into law in 2008.
More than 1,000 people attended Plan Bay Area workshops in all nine counties in January 2012. An additional 150 people attended 10 focus groups held with community-based organizations (CBOs) throughout the region.
Survey results and comments from the virtual workshop will be tabulated and considered by MTC and ABAG decision makers — along with feedback gathered from workshops, CBO meetings, focus groups and a statistically valid telephone survey — at a meeting slated for March 9.
MTC is the transportation planning and financing agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. ABAG is the official regional planning agency for the 101 cities and towns and nine counties of the Bay Area. For more information contact Kathleen Cha, ABAG Senior Communications Officer, (510) 464-7922.
Posted Tuesday, November 29, 2011
The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), the region’s council of governments and regional planning agency, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the Bay Area’s metropolitan planning organization, have been awarded a nearly $5 million 2011 Sustainable Communities Grant by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This $4.991 million grant is one of the largest Regional Planning grants awarded by HUD this year, and the Bay Area is one of just 29 regional areas nationwide that have received the grants.
ABAG and MTC Awarded Major HUD 2011 Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant
Grant will help create jobs, and improve housing, transportation, and economy
To recognize the award’s significance to the Bay Area, ABAG President and Union City Mayor Mark Green and MTC Commissioner and San Francisco Supervisor Dave Campos joined Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, HUD Director Patricia Hoban-Moore, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, EPA Region 9 Regional Administrator Jared Blumenfeld, and other leaders from HUD, local governments and non profits on November 28th in a press conference held in San Francisco. Speaking from the courtyard of the Richardson Apartments, a new sustainable and affordable housing development, ABAG President Mark Green said, “The success of the Bay Area's innovative economy is critical to our nation's prosperity and global competitiveness. As a region we understand that we will only be truly successful if we are able to create middle class jobs in affordable, accessible communities that provide a path of upward mobility for our working families. This grant will provide for a Regional Prosperity Plan to do just that.”
During the press conference MTC Commissioner Dave Campos thanked HUD “for its generous support of the Bay Area's efforts to expand economic opportunities and help Bay Area cities and local non-government organizations create more housing choices near transit, strengthen neighborhoods to attract more businesses, and help the entire regional economy."
ABAG and MTC are partnering with local governments to implement a Regional Prosperity Plan. The initiative will focus on creating middle-income jobs and developing and preserving affordable housing in transit-served communities. The plan includes two major, interconnected areas of work: a community-rooted process to develop and implement a regional Economic Opportunity Strategy to expand economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents; and the implementation of a Housing the Workforce strategy that would create and preserve housing affordable to low-income workers.
The grant will be managed with a Bay Area Consortium that includes cities and counties representing more than half of the region’s residents, plus regional agencies, community-based organization, labor unions and local labor federations, regional and local advocacy groups, community foundations, business interests, and academic institutions. This integration of decision-making, knowledge building and public engagement across public agencies, community organizations, foundation, and regional policy agencies is central to the Regional Prosperity plan.
Bay Area Consortium List of Partners
Jurisdiction
Alameda County
City of Berkeley
City of Concord
County of Contra Costa
City of Daly City
City of East Palo Alto
City of Fairfield
City of Fremont
City of Hayward
City of Oakland
City of Pittsburg
City of Richmond
City & County of San Francisco
City of San Jose
City of Santa Clara
City of Santa Rosa
County of Sonoma
City of Sunnyvale
City of Vallejo
Non-Profit / NGO
Bay Area Council
Council of Community Housing Organizations
East Bay Housing Organizations
Greenbelt Alliance
Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development
Non Profit Housing Association of Northern California
ReConnecting America
San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association
The San Francisco Foundation
San Mateo Labor Alliance
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Silicon Valley Leadership Group
TransForm
Urban Habitat
Working Partnerships
The Sustainable Communities Grants are part of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, which represents an association between HUD, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that the agencies' policies, programs and funding consider affordable housing, transportation and environmental protection together. HUD estimates this year's grants totaling nearly $96 million will impact 45.8 million Americans by helping their communities and regions become more efficient and competitive while improving quality of life. In addition to awarding Regional Planning Grants, 27 communities and organizations received Community Challenge grants.
Posted Friday, November 18, 2011
Local Government Guide to Electric Vehicle Readiness
EVs to Generate Environmental and Economic Benefits
A whole new wave of energy efficient electric cars will be rolled out over the next couple of years and the Bay Area is poised to establish electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and other infrastructure needed to support this changing landscape of automotives. Energy transformation from carbon fuels to renewable energy sources such as EVs must be achieved in order to reduce carbon emissions and ensure protection of the planet from climate change. The environmental and economic benefits of increased electric vehicle use include reduced greenhouse gas emissions with EV emissions estimated to be 75 percent lower than the average conventional gasoline-powered vehicle.
To assist local governments in preparing the region for new electric vehicles (EV), the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), the Bay Area Climate Collaborative (BACC), EV Communities Alliance, and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District have developed Ready, Set, Charge, California! A Guide to EV Ready Communities. The guidelines provide information on charging station options and installation issues, signage, ADA compliance, permitting, EV-friendly building and parking ordinances, and other key issue. The guidelines provide a consistent framework for EV infrastructure deployment and guidelines on key challenges and questions facing local governments.
One of the goals of Ready, Set, Charge California is to establish the San Francisco Bay Area as an electric vehicle leader. Electrical vehicle readiness will involve facilitating installation of new charging stations and helping the public understand how to use charging stations regionwide. Electrical vehicle charging stations must be accessible to provide electrical vehicle drivers with the ability to travel across the region.
Local agencies and other stakeholders are urged to review the Ready, Set, Charge California guidelines to establish their own local EV guidelines to streamline the use of EVs regionwide. Implementation of the guidelines will help the Bay Area become “EV ready.” Download Ready, Set, Charge, California! A Guide to EV Ready Communities at www.readysetcharge.org. Contact Jackie Reinhart at jackier@abag.ca.gov or 510-464-7994 for more information.
Posted Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Fall General Assembly Focuses on Environmental and Economic
Value of Sustainability
View Speaker’s Power Point Presentations and Photos
“Greening Our Communities: Healthy People, Healthy Bay, Healthy Economy” was the focus of ABAG’s Fall General Assembly in San Francisco on October 13th. Elected officials, agency and business leaders shared their expertise and insight into environmental quality and water infrastructure and sustainability issues. ABAG President and Union City Mayor Mark Green framed the issue: “We are leaders and innovators in the Bay Area. We lead the state and arguably the nation in green technology, green streets, and other green planning such as smart growth and transit oriented development planning, but there is much more to be done. Now is not the time to rest on our past accomplishments. Our cities, towns, and counties can and will do more to advance green principles, which will lead us into a brighter, healthier, more economically sustainable future.
Keynote speaker Wade Crowfoot, Deputy Director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, addressed “Why Green Cities Are Good for the Environment and the Economy.” As part of the Governor’s energy and environment team, he talked about state sustainability efforts related to energy efficient buildings, renewable energy, regulatory reform, value of SCS, and support of local government efforts to protect themselves from extreme weather.
Rohnert Park Vice Mayor Jake Mackenzie, who moderated the panel “Greening Our Neighborhoods and Communities for a Sustainable Bay Area,” added that “Creating livable communities means addressing community sustainability involving green planning, green streets, stormwater issues, renewables, and understanding the value and economics of green infrastructure.” Ed Harrington, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission General Manager, provided comprehensive insights into sustainable stormwater and water conservation strategies and green projects being implemented. Fellow panelist Jen McGraw, Climate Change Director of the Center for Neighborhood Technology, a “think and do” tank for urban sustainability, showed local governments how to quantify the value and practices of green infrastructure.
Moderator Clayton Councilmember Julie Pierce facilitated a discussion by elected officials who shared how they have addressed sustainable infrastructure challenges. Emeryville Vice Mayor Jennifer West showed the city’s successful green infrastructure in brownfields and Councilmember Kansen Chu described a range of San Jose innovative urban core projects. San Carlos Councilmember and C/CAG Chair Bob Grassilli showcased the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo’s range of collaborative sustainable projects and funding strategies for land use, transportation, energy and waste programs. Napa County Supervisor Mark Luce provided an update on Napa Green, Living River Project, and their innovative jobs/housing initiative.
Kathy Gerwig, Vice President, Workplace Safety and Environmental Stewardship Officer for Kaiser Permanente, explored what helps build Healthy Communities, describing community health initiatives that are being implemented. She also provided insights into safety and environmental sustainability in health care, and Kaiser Permanente’s leadership in Workplace Safety. It has strengthened efforts to eliminate workplace injuries for the organization’s 164,000 employees and 15,000 physicians.
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee provided host city remarks during the luncheon, citing how and why San Francisco is recognized as one of America's greenest cities, while recognizing the great achievements and progress being made by other cities in the region. Luncheon speaker Sam Schuchat, Executive Officer, California State Coastal Conservancy and Chair, San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, expertly showed how we are “Greening the Edge of the Bay for Flood Control, Water Quality and Quality of Life” and noted how they are meeting funding challenges.
(Special thanks to General Assembly sponsors which included corporate sponsor of the year Kaiser Permanente, along Bay Friendly Landscaping and Gardening / StopWaste.org, and Comcast.)
Posted Thursday, May 12, 2011
View Video: Growing Smarter Together Awards
Presented to Local Governments and Distinguished Leader at ABAG's Spring General Assembly on April 14, 2011
The Fifth Annual ABAG Growing Smarter Together Awards were presented to the City/County Association of Government (C/CAG) of San Mateo County, the City of Oakland/Oakland Housing Authority, the County of Alameda/Flood Control and Water District, and Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty. These award winners were honored because of their significant contributions to strengthening and supporting existing communities and creating more sustainable communities with a diversity of housing, jobs, services, transit efficiency, and conservation efforts.
Distinguished Leadership Award
Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty was named the 2011 Distinguished Leader for his visionary leadership and ability to translate strategies for sustainable communities into action, focusing on the benefits of integrated land use and transportation. His far-reaching policies have strengthened and supported Livermore and other east Alameda Cities and helped create Livermore’s compact downtown, Livermore Film Commission, enhanced public safety, and increased transportation efficiency. His leadership in advocating and supporting open space and agricultural land preservation has also had a positive impact on neighborhoods and the business community partnerships in Alameda County and region-wide. His regional leadership and commitment were cited as models for how to make a difference. Supervisor Haggerty is currently Metropolitan Transportation Commission Chair and Alameda County Transportation Commission Vice Chair. He is ABAG Past President, Past Chair of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District), and has served as chair of Alameda County Transportation Authority and Alameda County Congestion Management Agency.
Sharing the Benefits
The Sharing the Benefits Award was presented to the City/County Association of Government (C/CAG) of San Mateo County for the Sub-RHNA Process in San Mateo County -- the first sub-regional approach in the state for handling the state mandated regional allocation of housing numbers (RHNA) within their county. The groundbreaking collaborative of the County and the 20 cities and towns in San Mateo County was managed by C/CAG. Through collaboration, sharing, and housing need trades, the sub-regional approach allowed the 21 jurisdictions to determine their own methodology for clustering housing in areas of greatest need. Working together, they were able to creatively plan for all levels of housing to meet specific community needs and to find the greatest benefits for the county as a whole, while taking into consideration commuting patterns, job locations, and affects on air quality.
Building a Better Bay Area – Urban Design
The Urban Design Award was given to the City of Oakland /Oakland Housing Authority for Tassafaronga Village. Tassafaronga Village was a 7.5 acre brownfield infill site located in East Oakland—previously home to decrepit public housing, an abandoned factory building, and unused train tracks. Through the innovative sustainable design of the architect, David Baker and Associates, Tassafaronga Village is now a vibrant, green community filled with multiple housing types, including energy-efficient affordable family rental apartments, for-sale townhouses, and service-enhanced housing with access to an on-site medical clinic. Specially landscaped walking paths and pedestrian-friendly public and private roadways connects residents to a new public library, elementary schools, and a city park and recreation center. Under the leadership of the City of Oakland Housing Authority, Tassafaronga Village now serves as a model of sustainable green development and affordable housing urban design, achieving the first LEED Neighborhood Development Gold Certified Plan in California.
Preserving and Protecting the Environment
The Preserving and Protecting the Environment Award was given to the County of Alameda/Flood Control and Water District for the Castro Valley Creek Daylighting and Restoration Project. The Castro Valley Creek restoration involved removal of an underground 300 foot culvert and “daylighting” this section into a more natural channel. This restoration of the urban stream created new habitat for birds and riparian wildlife, provided flood protection for the adjacent new Castro Valley Library and Castro Valley neighborhoods, and helped Union City meet mitigation requirements necessary to build a new multimodal transportation hub. The natural design also provided improved water quality by slowing and filtering the flow of water. Project partners included the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District and the Alameda County Arts Commission. Castro Valley Creek, situated in unincorporated Alameda County, now provides a scenic destination and educational community center and increases access to public transportation and the town’s commercial area.
Posted Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The Energy Upgrade Bay Area Information Center is now open to provide Bay Area residents with information about the benefits of retrofit improvements and available financial incentives. Hours of operation are between 8 am and 4 pm, Monday through Friday. The call center’s toll free phone number is 855-464-8484 and the local Oakland number is 510-464-8484.
Energy Retrofit Call Center for Bay Area Residents Launched
The Energy Upgrade Bay Area Information Center call center works with an associated website (www.energyupgradeca.org) to help homeowners and others navigate the Energy Upgrade California process. Call center staff provides information to residents with questions or for those unable to access the internet. Energy Upgrade California is designed to encourage California residents to conduct home improvement projects to lower energy use, conserve water and natural resources, and to make homes healthier and more comfortable.
ABAG Energy Upgrade Bay Area Information Center and Energy Upgrade California are funded by the California Energy Commission and the federal America Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). For more information about Energy Upgrade Bay Area, call 855-464-8484 or visit the Energy Upgrade California website at https://energyupgradeca.org/overview.
Posted Friday, March 11, 2011
Regional Agencies Begin Development of New Long-Range Plan for Bay Area
Initial Vision Scenario Marks Start of Two-Year Conversation
Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) staff today released an Initial Vision Scenario for the Sustainable Communities Strategy mandated by the 2008 passage of state Senate Bill 375, which requires the Bay Area and other California metro areas to develop integrated regional land-use and transportation plans to meet state targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks. The release of the Initial Vision Scenario provides a starting point for conversations with local governments and Bay Area residents about where new development should occur, and how new long-term transportation investments can serve this new growth. This effort will culminate in 2013 with the adoption of a new long-range plan for the nine-county region. The plan, to be known as Plan Bay Area, will detail a 25-year transportation investment and land-use strategy for 2015-2040, and will be the region’s first such plan to incorporate a Sustainable Communities Strategy.
The Initial Vision Scenario focuses on the location of growth areas around the Bay Area and outlines a future development pattern. It assumes a strong economy in which the region will add some 1.2 million jobs by 2035 and will need 903,000 more housing units than currently are available. The scenario assumes sufficient funding for affordable housing and supportive public infrastructure investments, but is not a forecast for the region.
“The Initial Vision Scenario makes the most of the Bay Area’s existing infrastructure,” explained MTC Planning Director Doug Kimsey. “It projects that 97 percent of all new households will be accommodated in already urbanized areas, and particularly in cities where residents have access to frequent public transit service. Under this scenario, 70 percent of the growth, or 632,100 new households, will go into places that have been designated ‘close to transit’ by local jurisdictions. And the Bay Area’s biggest cities get even bigger, with San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland together accounting for nearly one-third of all new housing units.”
“The Initial Vision Scenario is a tool to advance dialogue among the Bay Area’s regional agencies, together with our local government partners, nonprofit organizations, business and community groups, and interested Bay Area residents,” said ABAG Executive Director Ezra Rapport. “Through this collaborative planning effort to strengthen the character and qualities of our neighborhoods and communities, we can tackle the region’s population growth with a mix of housing, while preserving open spaces, protecting our economy, and getting residents where they need to go.”
MTC is the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area’s transportation planning, coordinating and financing agency. Founded in 1961, ABAG is the official regional planning agency for the 101 cities and towns, and nine counties of the Bay Area, and is recognized as the first council of governments in California.
Posted Friday, March 4, 2011
ABAG 50th / MTC 40th Anniversary Gala –View Photos
ABAG Celebrates Half Century of Service to the
Cities, Towns, and Counties of the Bay Area 1961 - 2011
During the ABAG 50th / MTC 40th Anniversary Gala on Friday, January 21st at the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley more than 330 guests celebrated ABAG’s half century of service to the region’s cities, towns and counties. The packed Empire Ballroom hosted elected officials from all nine Bay Area Counties, current and past ABAG and MTC Presidents and Executive Directors, and State Legislators, as well as business leaders from throughout the region. The event was sponsored by ABAG’s corporate partner Kaiser Permanente, along with sixteen table sponsors. All nine counties participated in an exhibit showcase featuring their county. This historic occasion featured a video of the history of regionalism showcasing the region’s past success and future challenges.
During the reception preceding the gala, Senator Loni Hancock presented ABAG with both Senate and Assembly Resolutions in commemoration of ABAG’s 50th Anniversary and efforts to address regional challenges and sustain and improve Bay Area quality of life. ABAG also received Special Congressional Recognition from both Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressman Mike Honda. Similar recognition was accorded MTC.
This monumental occasion celebrated ABAG’s achievements over the past 50 years, including adoption of a Regional Open Space Plan for the boldest open space system designed for any metropolitan area in the world with a target of 3.4 million acres of open space in 1972 and the formation of the San Francisco Estuary Partnership initiated to establish plans for sensitive estuaries in the region in 1986.
In 1961, Bay Area city, town, and county leaders recognized the need to address common issues from a regional perspective and formed ABAG -- California’s first Council of Governments. Since inception, ABAG has led innovative efforts in land use planning, environmental conservation and stewardship, water resource protection, and hazard mitigation. ABAG’s planning and service programs work to address regional economic, social, and environmental challenges.
Selected ABAG Milestones by Decade
1961: ABAG was the first Council of Governments established in California and one of the first in the nation.
1972: ABAG adopted a Regional Open Space Plan for the boldest open space system designed for any metropolitan area in the world with a target of 3.4 million acres of open space.
1986: The Bay/Delta Project, later the San Francisco Estuary Partnership, was initiated to establish plans for sensitive estuaries in the region.
1986: ABAG’s Administrative Committee approved the new Pooled Liability Assurance Network (PLAN), and the Newark City Council voted to become PLAN’s first charter member.
1990: ABAG implemented a hazardous waste management plan that all nine counties adopted.
1994: ABAG was the first Council of Governments on World Wide Web (online) and the second public agency to establish a web presence in California. In 1995, ABAG launched the online government network and online training.
2002: Smart Growth Vision called the Network of Neighborhoods Final Report: Smart Growth Strategy/Regional Livability Footprint Project—Shaping the Future of the Nine County Bay Area was developed after 18 region-wide workshops and distilled from a large number of land use scenarios and extensive community engagement.
2008: ABAG Energy Watch program enrolled 70 cities, counties and special districts to help them achieve energy and cost savings by improving energy efficiency in public facilities and creating community-wide energy savings through energy policies and programs.
2009: The Green Business Program reached milestone of certifying more than 2000 businesses and public agencies throughout the region to build a better, energy efficient Bay Area.
2009: ABAG Celebrated San Francisco Bay Trail’s 20th anniversary and the completion of nearly 300 miles of walking and biking trails surrounding the Bay.
2010: The ABAG Multi Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation plan was approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and annexes to the plan by local jurisdictions are in progress.
2010: ABAG and regional partners are working to implement SB 375 and develop the Sustainable Communities Strategy engaging local governments, communities and regionwide stakeholders in ways to build a better Bay Area over the next 25 years.
Click here for more about ABAG.
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