ADOPTED PLATFORM ON GROWTH MANAGEMENT

• Coordinated / Integrated Planning Process
• Local, Subregional and Regional Responsibilities
  
• Consolidation on Single-Purpose Agencies
• Conflict Resolution
• Fiscal Reform
  
• Housing

1. The planning process in California should be broadly coordinated and integrated at the state, regional, subregional and local levels. Regional, subregional and local planning will be most effective if the state first coordinates its oversight so as to provide clear and consistent planning-related goals and programs. A primary focus should be on reorganizing responsibilities for efficiency and on consolidation and streamlining at all levels. The process for achieving this integration should be derived with input from all levels of government.
   
   
2. Governance is handled best at the closest level to the governed. Thus the planning process should be structured so that local issues are handled locally in General Plans, subregional issues are handled at a county or other subregional level and regional issues are handled collectively at the regional level. Moreover, greater efficiency and effectiveness in the planning process is desired; not a new layer on top of existing agencies.
   
   
   Local, Subregional, and Regional Responsibilities
   
   
3. Local jurisdictions should be responsible for ongoing coordination of local plans with state, regional and subregional growth management strategies. They should retain full land use regulatory powers.
   
   
4. There are planning issues that transcend single cities and require coordinated subregional planning. Subregional planning bodies should be established following the desires of each subregion. Initially, the county level would be assumed to be the appropriate geographical area; however, nothing should preclude two or more counties from forming such a planning entity. The county board of supervisors and the city councils would identify either an existing body or a new one to provide subregional planning and review functions.
   
   
5. Portions of two or more counties having common interests such as commute patterns or environmental, open space and/or economic issues shall be encouraged to form a subregional planning body.
   
   
6. Once established, subregional planning bodies should develop a subregional strategy to address the following issues:
   
   
   • subregional development form: urban development strategy
   • natural resource protection / management
   • subregional mobility
   • subregional jobs-housing balance · housing supply and affordability
   • coordinated planning among cities and with adjacent counties
   
   Other functions of the subregional planning bodies could include:
   
   
   • brokering of local housing needs allocations for jurisdictions wishing to "share" housing development responsibilities
   • negotiation of a revenue sharing plan
   • Congestion Management Planning functions
   • Local Agency formation Commission functions.
   
   
7. There are planning issues of regional importance that affect the whole of the Bay Area. Some of these issues are:
   
   
   • regional pattern of development
   • regional mobility
   • adequate housing supply and affordability
   • coordination of jobs and housing development
   • regional open space and agricultural land preservation
   • social and economic vitality and equal opportunity
   • coordination of infrastructure and major facility planning and siting with expected timing of development.
   
   Regional goals and policies should be structured upon plans of cities, counties and subregions and seek to reconcile and coordinate planning issues that transcend single cities and counties. A regional planning body should review and advise local and subregional agencies on their consistency with regional needs and state policies. Local and subregional bodies should review their plans to assure consistency with developed regional goals and policies.
   
   
   Consolidation of Single-Purpose Agencies
   
   
8. Land use, transportation and air quality planning issues are inseparably inter-related. A plan shall be developed for the purpose of merging and streamlining the functions of the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Prior to actual merger, the policies in this plan shall ensure that:
   
   
   • any successor agency shall have no additional powers other than those currently vested in the existing agencies
   • activities shall be structured so as to achieve cost-reductions relative to the expenditure levels of existing agencies
   • the efficiency of the plans, planning process and the organization are increased
   
   The plan for merger shall be submitted to ABAG's General Assembly and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for a ratification vote. In the future, it may be appropriate to consolidate some or all of the functions of other agencies.
   
   
9. Local elected city and county representatives will constitute the governing board of any merged regional body and be appointed by each subregional planning body.
   
   
10. A public advisory board to the regional body will be established and attempt to reflect the gender, ethnic and economic diversity of the region. In addition, a technical advisory committee to the regional body will be established comprised of technical personnel from the staff of the agencies in the subregion.
    
    
    Conflict Resolution
    
    
11. Conflict resolution mechanisms are needed to negotiate compromise when jurisdictions disagree about such issues as appropriate mitigation for project impacts, facility siting, etc. The resolution process should stress early negotiation (conflict avoidance). Conflicts should be resolved at the lowest level possible; first among disputing agencies, second by a subregional body and finally by the regional planning body.
    
    
    Fiscal Reform
    
    
12. Financial and other incentives are preferred as a means of achieving compliance with state, regional, and subregional goals.
    
    
13. Statewide fiscal reform is needed to offset revenue-driven development policies. In addition, the state should establish stable state, regional, subregional and local funding sources for growth management and planning functions.
    
    
14. Existing law allows revenue sharing. Subregions may consider a revenue sharing plan to reduce the incentive for fiscal land use planning at the expense of other needs.
    
    
    Housing
    
    
15. The housing needs determination process should be restructured to better integrate overall regional and subregional growth management strategies. In addition, the housing element review process should pay greater attention to performance and less to process. The state should delegate housing element review and certification to the regional planning body, if the governing board of the regional planning body elects to take on such responsibility.