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Planning for sustainable communities:Regional incentives and local policy under SB375
Gian-Claudia Sciara, Ph.D., AICPUrban Land Use and Transportation CenterUniversity of California, Davis
Policy Institute Policy for Energy, Environment and the Economy ● University of California, Davis ● March 19, 2014
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SB 375: Sustainable Communities & Climate Protection Act (2008)
isolation dispersion automobility impacts
access density alternatives sustainability
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Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS)
San DiegoSacramento Los Angeles S.F. Bay Area
Land use component of regional transportation plans
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2013
SB375: Significant change, considerable challenge
San Diego regionConventional vision for 2020 Post-SB375 vision for 2050
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General plans in California
• Constitution for future development
• Required under state law
• Seven basic elements
• Zoning consistency requirement
• Updates not mandated, infrequent
Land useCirculation
Housing Conservation
Open space Noise Safety
SB375 affirms local land use authority
Implementation depends on local governments
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Outcomes
How to get local governments on board?
Regional planning & policy
Local planning & policy
State policy
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Motivation
access density alternatives sustainability
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Motivation
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Investigations
1. How can regions encourage local governments
to adopt policies supportive of SB375?
2. Are local governments using such planning policies right now?
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Investigations
1. How can regions encourage local governments
to adopt policies supportive of SB375?
Innovative use of available funding, targeted investments with geographic focus,
support for implementation orientation.
2. Are local governments using such planning policies right now?
How we can assess that. Yes, but not nearly as much as they could be.
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1: Regional models for nudging local land use
How have regions MPOs nudged local governments to
make regionally-supportive land use decisions?
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MPO-driven smart growth initiatives
State Regional
Federal
Local
MPO Region Program Est.
S.F Bay Area Transportation for Livable Communities Program 1997
Sacramento Community Design Program 2005
San Diego Pilot Smart Growth Incentive Program 2005
Southern CaliforniaCompass/Blueprint Demonstration Grant & Green Incentive Programs
2005
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SF Bay Area: Transportation for Livable Communities
• Infrastructure and planning program; mostly federal $
• Investments in transportation choices
• Focus on infill development, TOD housing, transit stations
• Evolution:
→ planning grants
→ capital grants (bike-, ped-, TOD-enhancements)
→ housing oriented improvements, near transit
→ station area grants
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Research approach
Looked at:
• Program materials
• Funding applications and criteria
• Regional spending program
• Data on funded projects
• Program evaluations
• Staff interviews
Looked for:
• Program genesis & formalization
• Funding sources
• Planning vs. capital eligibility
• Project activities
• Implementation readiness
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Key Features
San Francisco Sacramento San Diego Los AngelesProgram Transportation for Livable
Communities ProgramCommunity Design Program Smart Growth Incentive
ProgramCompass Blueprint Program
Year Started 1997 2005 2005 2005Funding Source(s)
STPCMAQTransportation Enhancements (TE)
STPCMAQTransportation Enhancements (TE)
Transportation Enhancements (TE)
Federal planning grantsFHWA & FTA Metro PLFHWA &FTA State Planning & Research
Local Funding Source(s)
Federal - local swaps. Federal - local swaps. Seeded by federal grants.TransNet sales tax funds; est. $250 million (2008-48)
No.
Target Growth Areas
Priority Development Areas Transit Priority Areas; Centers & Corridors
Smart Growth Opportunity Areas
The 2% Strategy
Planning Projects
Capital Projects
• Use federal $ creatively to drive center-focused capital investment and planning.
• Used federal $ to leveraged local $.
• Federal-local swaps for planning & non-transport infrastructure.
• Favored target growth areas.
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Local planning: From vision to implementation
Vision Implementation
Public workshop, charetteCommunity vision processDesign study/ scenariosConcept plan
Zoning ordinanceGeneral planSpecific plan
Construction docs
Revitalization studyFeasibility study
Parking studyCorridor study
Plan update analysisTransit station planDesign guidelines
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Majority of efforts fund late stage planning
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Observations
1. Innovative use of funds: compliance by incentives
2. Interventions support established communities and non-auto modes
key corridors & streetscapes
bicycle and pedestrian travel
transit station areas
3. Planning for implementation
4. What’s next?
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Part 2: Local planning assessment
1. Are local governments planning for SB 375-
supportive outcomes in the built environment?
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Research approach
1. Develop general plan assessment tool
(Baer, Berke, Conroy, Godschalk, Manta)
2. Select study cities
3. Collect General Plan elements (unit of analysis)
4. Isolate policies (unit of observation)
5. Score policies using evaluation tool
TransportationElement
Land UseElement
Housing Element
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City selection
Sampling frame
• population > 20,000
• in metropolitan planning area boundaries
• key plan elements updated 2008 or later
Sampling strategy
• random sample
• stratified by population size
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Plan assessment: Evaluation tool
Tool components
A. SB375 Planning Principles1. Strengthen existing communities2. Reduce auto dependence3. Provide housing variety4. Mix land uses5. Equity6. Responsible regionalism7. Preserve open space
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Plan assessment: Evaluation tool
Tool components
A. SB375 Planning Principles
B. Implementation Strategies
Residential mixed-use projectInclusionary zoning ordinanceBicycle master planSupport ride sharing/carpoolingDensity bonusesConnect transit to jobs/housingConcentrate servicesIncrease street connectivitySupport infill developmentLimit open space developmentReduce parking supplySupport increased densities
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Plan assessment: Evaluation tool
Tool components
A. SB375 Planning Principles
B. Implementation Strategies
C. Score assignment O = Not used1 = Used, low detail2 = Used, high detail, implementation oriented
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Plan assessment: Evaluation tool
STRATEGIES 1 2 3 4 5… … … 32 33 34 35Score
SumTotal
Policies NormalizedPRINCIPLES
Strengthen existing communities 0 0 0 1 1 0 4 7 3 0 1 0 39 21 0.265Policy 1…Policy 2…
Reduce automobile dependence 0 0 5 2 0 2 10 1 0 0 0 0 50 21 0.340
Provide housing variety 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 6 3 0.286
Mix land uses 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 12 7 0.245
Equity 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000
Responsible regionalism 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0.286
Preserve open space 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.143
Score Sum of Strategies 0 0 5 3 1 2 15 10 3 4 1 0
Redwood City: Land Use Element
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Overall performance
All cities, all elements, all principles
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
Preserveopen space
Strengthenexisting
communities
Responsibleregionalism
Providehousingvariety
Mix landuses
Reduce autodependence
Equity
no
rmal
ized
sco
reTotal Normalized Score for All Cities by Principle
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Strategies
All cities,
all elements.
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Limit open space development
Reduce parking supply
Support increased densities
Connect transportation modes
Create affordable housing
Create jobs-housing balance
Increase TOD
Rehab/reuse existing structures
Support mixed-use
Support affordable housing
Permit housing variety
NMT infrastructure
Increase public transit
Coordinate l.u., transp., hsng. agencies
Street design standards
Policies Employing the Strategy
Top 15 Implementation Strategies
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Results
• Dispersion of high, medium, and low scoring cities
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Top scoring cities
South Lake TahoeTracyGoletaSan PabloRancho CucamongaChicoStantonLancaster
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South Lake Tahoe: Changing direction?
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Low scoring cities
Apple ValleyLaguna BeachHesperiaSanta PaulaSanta RosaSan DiegoMurrietaLodi
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Apple Valley: Committed to ultra-low density
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Recap & conclusions for policy and planning
1. California regions squarely in the twilight zone. but steering
built environment & land use change.
2. Local governments: room for improvement
3. Rich terrain for regional institutional experimentation. Expect more.
4. Need to institutionalize evaluation in SB 375 framework:
-- of plans (general, specific, amendments) and subsequent entitlements
-- of projects and policies (before and after)
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Funders• William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
• Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives of the University of California
Acknowledgements
Research Assistants• Rhia Bordon
• Dillon Firth
• Victoria Galvin
• Stephanie Martin