The Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Board of Directors unanimously adopted the 2016 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy for the six-county Sacramento region and certified the associated EIR. The MTP/SCS is a 20-year plan for transportation improvements in the region based on projections for growth in population, housing and jobs. The plan invests $35 billion into transportation by 2036 to accommodate projected growth of 811,000 new people, 439,000 new jobs and 285,000 new homes. The 2016 MTP/SCS is also grounded in a study of the best use of shrinking transportation funding, air quality improvement, and developing a multimodal (transit, walk, bike, car) system that gives people more options for transportation to different destinations. Investments include $18.4billion for road maintenance, rehab, and capital improvements; $10.6 billion for transit, including vastly increased bus service; and $2.4 billion for bike and pedestrian improvements. "Implementing the 2016 MTP/SCS will result in more transportation choices, reduced time in traffic, more housing choices, reductions to the amount of farmland converted for urban uses, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from cars," said SACOG Executive Director Mike McKeever in a statement.
Obama Creates 1.8 Million Acres of National Monuments
Acting on a proposal originally set forth by Senator Dianne Feinstein, President Obama announced the designation of three new national monuments in the Mojave and Colorado deserts and national forest land. These nearly 1.8 million acres have experienced decades of heavy mining, cattle ranching and off-roading yet maintained their distinct natural beauty. The largest of the three, the Mojave Trails National Monument, spans 1.6 million acres between Barstow and Needles. The Sand to Snow monument includes part of the San Bernardino Mountains, while the Castle Mountains Monument is in a remote corner near the Nevada border. Collectively, the areas are home to many animals, including 250 types of birds, and other unique natural architecture such as volcanic spires and 1,700 petroglyphs. David Lamfrom, director of California desert and wildlife programs for the National Parks Conservation Association told the LA Times that he hopes the next step can be "reintroducing species of a bygone era, starting with pronghorn antelope." The new monuments are meant to expand the conservation efforts begun in 1994 with the creation of Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve.
L.A. Ballot Initiative Seeks to Promote Affordable Housing
A coalition of labor and affordable housing advocates launched Build Better LA, an initiative to ensure that affordable housing and good jobs are part of sustainable development in the City of Los Angeles. The initiative is seen as an alternative to the proposed Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, which, among other provisions, calls for a moratorium on all development that does not conform to current zoning laws and community plans. Build Better LA includes a local hire provision that ensures a living wage, and if a project has residential units, it requires developers to provide a percentage to low-income residents. The initiative seeks to increase the number of affordable housing units and job opportunities. "Build Better LA is an initiative that aligns the city's land use policies and funding to build more housing, require local hiring, and create jobs close to major transit areas," said Rusty Hicks, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and convener of Build Better LA. "Through this initiative, we'll be able to close the gap on Angelenos getting priced out of their homes and facing poverty."
High Speed Rail to Head Northward; Lawsuit Commences; Costs Rise
Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny heard opening arguments a lawsuit claiming that California High Speed Rail is violating requirements of Proposition 1A, which citizens approved in 2008. Playoffs claim that track alignment in the Bay Area, length of the trip, costs are all violations. They are asking the judge to issue an injunction to stop the state and rail authority from spending additional funds. Meanwhile, the authority has decided to build the 250-mile Central Valley section of the train from Kern County line northward to San Jose, instead of southward and ending in Burbank. The northern route will allow the authority to hold down costs and construct faster, as they are already two years behind schedule. Cost estimates say the entire project has been reduced by $4 billion, to $64 billion for the entire 500-mile project. This segment will be in operation by 2025, earlier than planned which will hopefully attract additional private investors. Consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff, have announced the projected cost of the Central Valley segment have increased 5 percent or $260 million. The project is facing "several negative trends including problems acquiring land, relocating underground utilities and reaching agreements with freight railroads that have nearby tracks" the consultants write in the report.
Victorville Terminates Agreement for Rail Station
The City of Victorville City Council recently voted to terminate its development agreement with high-speed rail operator XpressWest, which plans to build a line to Las Vegas. The vote was prompted largely by the 2011 dissolutions of redevelopment agencies and lack of new funding to support the city's share of the project. The city is hoping to have a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with the company for future development of the Xpress West Project that it still hopes to be a part of. Councilman Ryan McEachron told Victorville Daily Press, "There just needs to be acknowledgement of (state law making the agreement moot) and we still would love to work with XpressWest and the developers out there, assuming they can secure the financing and build the train. This would, in no way, discourage them from moving in that direction." The multi-billion project received backing from Chinese investors. (See prior CP&DR coverage.)
Sacramento Considers Tax Increase for Levee Repair
The City of Sacramento plans to ask citizens to pay an average $42 more in property taxes to improve city's levees and double the size of the Sacramento Weir to divert more floodwaters into Yolo Bypass. New requirements in 2007 from the state make all urban areas achieve 200-year flood protection by 2025, which increases the levee cost to an estimated $1.6 billion. The increase of $42 would ask property owners to pay $99 per year for federal and state funds. If the funding does not come through, FEMA could issue a warning that would force a moratorium on building across the city. President of the Sacramento Taxpayers Association, Katy Grimes, told Sacramento Bee: "We typically oppose these things unless there's a really, really good reason. I think it's going to take a lot of convincing, to be honest." Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA)'s board of directors will hold a public hearing and a final decision will be reached April 1.
Santa Monica Releases Downtown Plan
Amid an ongoing battle over development, Santa Monica released its long-awaited Downtown Community Plan. The plan stipulates that only 15 percent of the city's downtown will be redeveloped in the next twenty years, and it will mostly maintain the current mix of residential, commercial, and retail uses. The document "retains most of the area's existing features, including Downtown's mix of historic and modern architecture, its restaurants and entertainment. But� most residents live, work and play within their community and �use their cars' infrequently." The plan stresses the importance of a variety of transportation methods, including cycling and walking. The plan is the latest evolution of the city's Land Use and Circulation Element, which has drawn opposition for its attempt to upzone many of the city's commercial corridors.
