BILL ANALYSIS
AB 842
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Date of Hearing: January 24, 2008
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mark Leno, Chair
AB 842 (Jones) - As Amended: January 17, 2008
Policy Committee: Local
GovernmentVote:4-2
Housing and Community Development 5-2
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill makes significant changes with respect to regional
transportation planning and the allocation of bond proceeds
authorized by Proposition 1C (Housing and Emergency and
Emergency Shelter Trust Fund of 2006). Specifically, the bill:
1)Requires the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to
update its guidelines for the preparation of regional
transportation plans (RTPs) to include a requirement that each
RTP provide for a 10% reduction in the growth of vehicles
miles traveled.
2)Provides that when the Department of Housing and Community
Development (HCD) is ranking infill and transit oriented
project applications qualifying for Proposition 1C funds, it
shall give preference to a project that:
a) Is in a city or county that has adopted a general plan
that will reduce the growth in vehicle miles traveled by at
least 10% and is consistent with the plan; or
b) Is in a region covered by a council of governments that
has adopted a regional transportation plan or similar
document that will reduce the growth in vehicle miles
traveled by at least 10% and is consistent with the plan.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Increased costs to the CTC to update guidelines to include the
vehicle miles traveled requirements. Magnitude of cost
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increase would depend on how detailed the guidelines would
need to be, but could be greater than $150,000.
2)Increased costs to regional transportation agencies to develop
methodologies to measure and achieve 10% reductions in the
growth in vehicle miles traveled. Not state reimbursable.
COMMENTS
1)Background . In November 2006, California voters approved
Proposition 1C, the Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund
Act, which authorized $2.850 billion in bonds for housing and
projects promoting urban infill and development near public
transit. Of this total, $850 million is allocated to the
Regional Planning, Housing, and Infill Incentives Account,
which supports projects that promote infill development
(including park creation, water, sewer, transportation, or
brown field cleanup). Another $300 million is allocated to the
Transit-Oriented Development Implementation Program, which
supports development of higher density uses within close
proximity to transit stations.
Projects that qualify for funding from these accounts are
ranked using a "bonus point" system that gives priority to
projects meeting several criteria, including: proximity to
transit stations, parks, employment or retail centers,
schools, and social services; a demonstration of other funding
commitments; a demonstration that the project can receive
approvals from the local jurisdiction within a reasonable
period of time; and consistency with an adopted regional
blueprint plan or other adopted regional growth plan intended
to foster efficient land use.
This bill would add a new criterion for ranking qualified
projects, by providing bonus points to projects that are in
areas which have adopted plans to achieve 10% reduction in the
growth in vehicle miles traveled, and are consistent with
these plans.
2)Rationale . This bill is intended to help achieve state goals
of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by promoting project
development and land use planning that reduces vehicle miles
traveled. The author asserts that a reduction in vehicle miles
traveled will have a strong positive impact on air quality,
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will reduce traffic congestion and urban sprawl, and will help
the state develop energy independence.
Analysis Prepared by : Brad Williams / APPR. / (916) 319-2081