Signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that requires the California Air Resource Board (ARB) to set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and requires metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to develop and implement sustainable community strategies that incorporate housing and transportation plans to reduce the number of miles driven per year by California residents in order to achieve the goals established by AB 32, passed in 2006, which requires the State of California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels no later than 2020.

Highlights:

- Requires the California Air Resource Board (ARB) to set emission reduction targets for 2020 and 2035 no later than September 30, 2010, and requires the board to appoint a Regional Targets Advisory Committee to recommend factors and methodologies to be used in setting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. The advisory committee will consist of representatives from such entities as MPOs, local transportation agencies, homebuilders, environmental organizations, planning organizations, and affordable housing organizations [sec. 4 (2) (A)]. - Requires the ARB to maintain guidelines for travel demand models in the development of regional transportation plans by metropolitan planning organization, that include taking into account the following [sec. 2 (b)]:

- The relationship between land use density, household vehicle ownership, and vehicle miles traveled; - The Impact of increased transportation service levels on household vehicle ownership and vehicle miles traveled; - Changes in travel and land development that is likely to result from highway or passenger rail expansion; - Mode splitting travel which incorporates automobile, transit, carpool, bicycle, and pedestrian trips; and - Speed and frequency, days, and hours of operation of transit service.

- Requires each MPO to develop sustainable community strategies that include identifying the following [sec. 4 (b) (2) (B)]:

- General location of uses, residential densities, and building intensities within the region; - Locations within the region sufficient to house the entire regional population, including all economic segments; - Portions of the region capable of housing an eight-year projected population growth; - Transportation networks capable of servicing the transportation needs of the region; - Resource areas and farmland in the region; - State housing goals; and - A development pattern for the region that, when integrated with the transportation network, and other transportation policies and measures within the region, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and light trucks in order to meet emission reduction targets.

- Requires each MPO to establish a public participation plan to allow individuals to contribute to the development of the sustainable communities strategy, including [sec. 4 (b) (2) (E)]:

- Outreach efforts to encourage active participation by stakeholders in the planning process; - Consultation with congestion management agencies, transportation agencies, and transportation commissions; - Workshops to provide the public with the necessary information to make an informed decision about the issues and policy choices; - Preparation and distribution of a draft sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy; - At least three public hearings on the developed strategies; and - A process for enabling members of the public to request information regarding notices and updates.

- Limits the scope of the sustainable communities strategy, specifically that the strategy can not limit the authority of existing land use policies and agencies [sec. 4 (b) (2) (J)]. - Exempts projects scheduled for funding before December 31, 2011from the policies of the sustainable community strategies [sec. 4 (b) (2) (K)]. - Allows two or more of the following counties to work together to establish multi-regional goals in land use, air quality, transportation, and economic targets to achieve a sustainable community strategy: Fresno, Kings, Kern, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare [sec. 4 (b) (2) (M)]. - Requires MPOs or county transportation agencies to consider financial incentives to cities and counties that contain resource areas or farmland that are useful for the development of transportation systems [sec.4 (b) (4) (C)].

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires the California Air Resource Board (ARB) to set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and requires metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to develop and implement sustainable community strategies that incorporate housing and transportation plans to reduce the number of miles driven per year by California residents in order to achieve the goals established by AB 32, passed in 2006, which requires the State of California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels no later than 2020.

Highlights:

- Requires the California Air Resource Board (ARB) to set emission reduction targets for 2020 and 2035 no later than September 30, 2010, and requires the board to appoint a Regional Targets Advisory Committee to recommend factors and methodologies to be used in setting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. The advisory committee will consist of representatives from such entities as MPOs, local transportation agencies, homebuilders, environmental organizations, planning organizations, and affordable housing organizations [sec. 4 (2) (A)]. - Requires the ARB to maintain guidelines for travel demand models in the development of regional transportation plans by metropolitan planning organization, that include taking into account the following [sec. 2 (b)]:

- The relationship between land use density, household vehicle ownership, and vehicle miles traveled; - The Impact of increased transportation service levels on household vehicle ownership and vehicle miles traveled; - Changes in travel and land development that is likely to result from highway or passenger rail expansion; - Mode splitting travel which incorporates automobile, transit, carpool, bicycle, and pedestrian trips; and - Speed and frequency, days, and hours of operation of transit service.

- Requires each MPO to develop sustainable community strategies that include identifying the following [sec. 4 (b) (2) (B)]:

- General location of uses, residential densities, and building intensities within the region; - Locations within the region sufficient to house the entire regional population, including all economic segments; - Portions of the region capable of housing an eight-year projected population growth; - Transportation networks capable of servicing the transportation needs of the region; - Resource areas and farmland in the region; - State housing goals; and - A development pattern for the region that, when integrated with the transportation network, and other transportation policies and measures within the region, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and light trucks in order to meet emission reduction targets.

- Requires each MPO to establish a public participation plan to allow individuals to contribute to the development of the sustainable communities strategy, including [sec. 4 (b) (2) (E)]:

- Outreach efforts to encourage active participation by stakeholders in the planning process; - Consultation with congestion management agencies, transportation agencies, and transportation commissions; - Workshops to provide the public with the necessary information to make an informed decision about the issues and policy choices; - Preparation and distribution of a draft sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy; - At least three public hearings on the developed strategies; and - A process for enabling members of the public to request information regarding notices and updates.

- Limits the scope of the sustainable communities strategy, specifically that the strategy can not limit the authority of existing land use policies and agencies [sec. 4 (b) (2) (J)]. - Exempts projects scheduled for funding before December 31, 2011from the policies of the sustainable community strategies [sec. 4 (b) (2) (K)]. - Allows two or more of the following counties to work together to establish multi-regional goals in land use, air quality, transportation, and economic targets to achieve a sustainable community strategy: Fresno, Kings, Kern, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare [sec. 4 (b) (2) (M)]. - Requires MPOs or county transportation agencies to consider financial incentives to cities and counties that contain resource areas or farmland that are useful for the development of transportation systems [sec.4 (b) (4) (C)].

Full Bill Text