To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Permit Sonoma
Staff Name and Phone Number: Amy Lyle, 565-7389
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): First, Third, and Fourth
Title:
title
Request for Nomination of the Airport Area Specific Plan Area, Springs Specific Plan Area, and South Santa Rosa Area as Priority Development Areas for Plan Bay Area 2050.
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Recommended Action:
recommended action
Approve three resolutions nominating the draft Airport Area Specific Plan, draft Springs Specific Plan, and South Santa Rosa Area for consideration as Priority Development Areas in Plan Bay Area 2050. Priority Development Areas have access to regional funding dedicated to planning and infrastructure improvements. (First, Third, and Fourth Districts)
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Executive Summary:
Plan Bay Area 2040 was prepared by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Association of Bay Area Governments (MTC/ABAG). The plan serves as the Sustainable Communities Strategy and regional plan for the nine-county Bay Area. MTC/ABAG are currently preparing the update to the plan-Plan Bay Area 2050 (PBA2050)-and are soliciting local government nominations for Priority Development Areas (PDAs) where PBA2050 will recognize planned growth and focus investment. This item requests that the Board of Supervisors nominate the draft Airport Area Specific Plan, draft Springs Specific Plan, and South Santa Rosa Area as Priority Development Areas for consideration by MTC/ABAG in PBA2050.
Discussion:
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments (MTC/ABAG) are jointly responsible for developing long range planning for land use and transportation growth within the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC/ABAG is currently developing the next regional plan, dubbed Plan Bay Area 2050 (PBA2050), which will serve as the Bay Area’s Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), outlining strategies for growth and investment through the year 2050.
The current SCS for the Bay Area: Plan Bay Area 2040 recognizes seven areas within unincorporated Sonoma County under unique “PDA place-types.” The seven designated areas in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County include the: Airport Area, Forestville, Graton, Guerneville, Larkfield, Penngrove, and the Springs. The proposed Springs Specific Plan Area is identified as a Rural Community Investment Area, and the Airport Area Specific Plan is recognized as an Employment Investment Area.
The planning framework for PBA2050 proposes a different designation criteria, using only one category of “Priority Development Area (PDA)” throughout the region (See Attachment A). MTC/ABAG are asking local governments to self-nominate PDAs where growth is, or will be, planned through 2050. Nominated areas must be within an urbanized area; planned for housing growth, including affordable housing; and served by an existing or planned transit. Due to the more stringent PDA qualifying criteria under PBA2050 most of Sonoma County’s PDA place-types under Plan Bay Area 2040 are no longer eligible. Three currently-designated areas will meet the new PDA-designation criteria in PBA2050 as it is currently designed: the Airport Area Specific Plan Area, Springs Specific Plan Area, and the South Santa Rosa Avenue Area. Permit Sonoma submitted letters of interest to ABAG/MTC on September 13, 2019 for these areas and all three have been accepted as meeting minimum qualification for consideration under the new framework.
The PDA designation does not impact existing General Plan land use or zoning. The PDA designation is critical because it will open avenues for infrastructure and other funding opportunities to support development within these areas. Both the Airport and Springs areas have Specific Plans underway that will define future development within those areas; the PBA2050 funding for PDAs will support the buildout of these two planning areas consistent with the Specific Plans that may be approved by the Board in 2020. The Board has directed staff to initiate Specific Plan scoping work for the South Santa Rosa Ave area in FY2020/21; PBA2050 PDA designation could provide grant funding to support a future Specific Plan for this area.
For those areas that are not designated within the Plan Bay Area framework staff will continue to look for other grant opportunities. Programs may be available related to environmental remediation, low income designations, conservation, etc. The General Plan update could include a local growth framework which could provide leverage for future investments.
Prior Board Actions:
The Board previously approved the applications for designating eight Priority Development Areas in May 2012 (Roseland was one of these areas which was annexed in 2017).
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Not Applicable.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
Not Applicable.
Attachments:
Attachment A: Plan Bay Area Growth Framework Changes
Attachment B: Resolution Nominating the Airport Area Specific Plan Area as a PDA
Attachment C: Resolution Nominating the South Santa Rosa Ave Area as a PDA
Attachment D: Resolution Nominating the Springs Specific Plan Area as a PDA
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.