John King writes about an ambitious new regional plan for the Bay Area that looks to accommodate the 1.1 million new jobs and 2.1 million new residents expected by 2040, with relatively little suburban sprawl.
Plan Bay Area, which was presented last week to a joint meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments, has been a year in the making. Part of a state-mandated plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the plan "is the latest attempt to encourage local governments to accept higher-density growth as part of an effort to create communities where jobs, housing, shopping and recreational space all are within convenient reach," notes King.
Based on expected demographic trends and changes in tastes that will drive a market for urban living, the plan would focus development in the cities of San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose, and along such corridors as El Camino Real on the Peninsula and San Pablo Avenue from Oakland to Richmond.
The plan, however, is not without its detractors. "'Everything here is cookie-cutter,' said Richard Willis of Corte Madera, referring to the plan's enthusiasm for putting apartments and condominiums near transit. 'If you want to deny that this (Agenda 21) is the basis of your plan, you're in la-la land.'"
FULL STORY: Plan Bay Area envisions growth without sprawl
Bay Area Planners Acknowledge the Need for Regional Housing Solutions
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The Many Ongoing Public Transportation Projects of the Bay Area
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Is CEQA the Main Impediment to Housing Construction in California?
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‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
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The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
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Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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Planning for Universal Design
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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research