BILL ANALYSIS
AB 810
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Date of Hearing: May 13, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Anna Marie Caballero, Chair
AB 810 (Caballero) - As Introduced: February 26, 2009
SUBJECT : Circulation and transportation element.
SUMMARY : Renames the circulation element in local general plans
as the circulation and transportation element and makes the same
change in seven other statutes that contain cross-references to
the circulation element.
EXISTING LAW requires a general plan to include a statement of
development policies and, among other elements, a circulation
element consisting of the general location and extent of
existing and proposed major thoroughfares, transportation
routes, terminals, and military airports and ports, and other
local public utilities and facilities, all correlated with the
land use element of the plan.
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS :
1)The Legislature first authorized counties and cities to adopt
master plans in 1927. Since 1937, state law has mandated
every county and city to adopt a master plan. Starting in
1955, the Legislature began requiring the local plans to
contain mandatory elements. Now called general plans, these
long-range comprehensive documents must contain seven
mandatory elements: land use, circulation, housing,
conservation, open space, noise, and safety. The first two
state-mandated general plan elements were the land use element
and the circulation element. The circulation element must
show the general location of major roads, transportation
routes, terminals, military airports and ports, and local
public utilities and facilities. State law requires local
officials to correlate these features with the land use
element. Some planners say that the circulation element is
poorly named.
2)An essential part of every general plan, the circulation
element is an infrastructure plan addressing the circulation
of people, goods, energy, water, sewage, storm drainage, and
AB 810
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communications. But the element carries an out-of-fashion
name that distracts and confuses residents, property owners,
and local officials from the importance of local
transportation planning, another critical component of the
circulation element. It is important for local planning
agencies to coordinate their circulation element provisions
with state and regional transportation plans. Renaming the
element promotes accuracy and a better understanding of the
purpose of the circulation element.
3)AB 810 renames the circulation element in local general plans
as the "circulation and transportation element." AB 810 makes
the same change in seven other statutes that contain
cross-references to the circulation element.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
League of CA Cities
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Katie Kolitsos / L. GOV. / (916)
319-3958