|
|
 |
California
SANDAG Will Be First MPO to Update Regional Plans Under Historic Anti-Sprawl Bill
Its 2030 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) due for a new long-range population growth forecast (RGF) next year and an update as the 2050 RTP in July 2011, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) will be the first of the state's 18 Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to complete this task under California's historic anti-sprawl bill (SB 375) enacted last September, integrating transportation, housing and land use, and devising a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), based on the current Smart Growth Concept Map, to cut vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks.
In a nutshell, the agency needs to step up efforts to make people less dependent on cars and expand its ''experiment with 'smart growth' in selected communities'' into the dominant development pattern across San Diego County, reports North County Times writer Dave Downey, quoting County Supervisor Ron Roberts.
''We can put (energy efficient) light bulbs in our houses all we want, but that isn't going to be significant compared to all that is going to have to be done,'' he pointed out at a SANDAG Transportation Committee meeting, after Principal Regional Planner Coleen Clementson's briefing on SB 375 requirements. ''The essential ingredient, bar none, is public transit.''
The planner stressed that the new law significantly changes how the agency and the county will work on the next RTP and the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA), both setting the stage for a future update of the Regional Comprehensive Plan (RCP), adopted in July 2004.
Specifically, the Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) must show how the region will meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets through development patterns, infrastructure investments, and transportation measures and policies, while ensuring sufficient housing and natural habitat protection.
The agency, the planner said, will hold informational meetings in September to involve the public, present a 2050 population forecast to the state Air Resources Board (ARB) by February 2010 to get an ARB-set greenhouse gas emissions target in July, and adopt the updated plan in July 2011.
As the first to include the SB 375 requirements in its RTP update, said SANDAG Executive Director Garry Gallegos, the region can expect scrutiny from the other 17 regions, eager to study its moves and learn.
See meeting minutes at www.sandag.org/uploads/meetingid/meetingid_2235_9405.pdf. -- North County Times 4/3/2009
Click here to view the source article or
here to view the source publication.
|
|
E-mail
to a Friend
View
Printer-friendly page 
