CSAC Bulletin Article

Housing Land Use and Transportation update 11/1/2013

CSAC Comments on Revised Planning Grant Guidelines

CSAC submitted comments on the revised draft guidelines issued by the Strategic Growth Council (Council) for the Proposition 84-funded Sustainable Communities Planning Grant and Incentives program. CSAC’s comments supported the funding guideline’s acknowledgement that full range of urban, suburban and rural communities can benefit from the planning grant and incentive program.

CSAC encouraged the Council to promote collaboration between regional and local agencies by requiring partnerships with a local sponsor for project proposals submitted by Councils of Governments, Regional Transportation Planning Areas, and Metropolitan Planning Organizations. The comments suggested that the Council carefully consider the use of CalEnviroScreen scores to identify disadvantaged communities for this program and other funding programs in light of the current limitations of this tool.

Finally, CSAC complimented the Council for the flexibility afforded to applicants under the funding guidelines for the focus area related to community planning in preparation for high speed rail. The guidelines acknowledge that some communities will have an opportunity to plan for higher densities and mixed uses around stations, while others may instead need to plan for mitigation of the project, for example, through plans related to habitat protection and conservation, and the preservation of productive agricultural lands.

The Strategic Growth Council will hold a hearing on the guidelines on Tuesday, November 5 at 1 PM. CSAC’s full comment letter on the draft guidelines is available here.

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