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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-03-09; City Council; 17540; SANDAG Regional Comprehensive PlanAB# 17,540 MTG. 3/9/04 DEPT. CM TITLE: Staff Presentation on the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Regional Comprehensive Plan. DEPT. HD. ATTY. CITY MG- RECOMMENDED ACTION: Receive and accept update on the Regional Comprehensive Plan and provide direction to staff where requested ITEM EXPLANATION: The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) has been working on developing a Regional Comprehensive Plan (RCP) for the San Diego County region. The purpose of the RCP is to increase the level of coordination between the development process in the region and the resulting need for infrastructure that development inevitably brings. A major tenet of the RCP is to maximize existing facilities (predominately transportation) by calling for increased densification of the western third of the county, and, especially, within the urban core, wherever possible. In January of this year, SANDAG released a draft version of this plan for public comment. Staffs analysis of this plan takes two forms, a summary of the significant policy issues and concerns that the City may want to express to SANDAG (Exhibit I), and a more exhaustive review of the plan that details the sum of Carlsbad’s questions, concerns, and clarifications that staff would want SANDAG to address as part of their Environmental Impact Review process. Due to the general nature of the RCP, the stage that it is at in the review process, and the fluidity of the conversation, staff is unable to provide a definitive analysis of the RCP at this time. Moreover, as the RCP is intertwined with several other plans, both local and regionally, this interconnection further complicates staffs clarity and understanding of the pertinent issues. The RCP is scheduled for a series of public workshops throughout the County (Exhibit 2) to provide information to the community at large and to solicit feedback for consideration. Staff will present an overview of the RCP and highlight the list of policy issues, concerns, and areas of support that Council should consider as this project moves forward. FISCAL IMPACT: Unknown at this time EXHIBITS: 1. 2. Memorandum to Mayor and Council, Via the City Manager, from the City of Carlsbad’s RCP Review Team, dated March 1,2004. Proposed Calendar of Events for the Regional Comprehensive Plan EXHIBIT 1 March 1,2004 TO: CITY COUNCIL VIA: CITY MANAGER FROM: REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REVIEW TEAM EVALUATION OF REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Mayor and Council members, As you may be aware, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) has been working on developing a regional comprehensive plan (RCP) for the San Diego County region. The purpose of the RCP is to increase the level of coordination between the development process in the region and the resulting need for infrastructure that development inevitably brings. A major tenet of the RCP is to maximize existing facilities (predominately transportation) by calling for increased densification of the urban core where possible. Future transportation funding is currently being dealt with by SANDAG, and the proposed formula will be presented to Council as a separate item. In January of this year, SANDAG released a draft version of this plan for public comment. Staffs analysis of this plan takes two forms, a summary of the significant policy issues and concerns that the City may want to express to SANDAG, and a more exhaustive review of the plan that details the sw of Carlsbad’s questions, concerns, and clarifications that staff would want SANDAG to address as part of their Environmental Impact Review process. Outlined below is the summary list of policy issues, concerns, and areas of support that Council should consider as it relates to the approval of the Regional Comprehensive Plan. Again, this list is meant to identify the high level policy concerns and questions Council may want to raise to SANDAG in order to gain greater clarification on the potential impacts of the RCP. In evaluating the RCP, staff has identified several components of the RCP that are consistent with Carlsbad’s approach to developing a healthy community and generally a positive step forward for the region. Potential Issues, Concerns, and Areas of Support Transportation Funding Intent: As an outgrowth of the RCP, SANDAG is now revising its “Transportation Project Evaluation Criteria” to consolidate transportation project categories, to incorporate land use-related criteria, and to incentivize smart growth. These criteria will be used to establish revised priorities for allocating the $4.4 billion in Regional Transportation Improvement Plan project hnds (five year CIP). Development of the “Smart Growth Incentive Program”, will additionally allocate funding (up to $25 million over 5 years) for community improvements in the Smart Growth Opportunity Areas program. There are several funding sources that make up transportation funding, several of which are currently under revision by SANDAG, including the future Transnet allocation. Impact: The criteria that will be used to score and rank proposed transportation projects for competitive funding are to be re-weighted so as to give more importance to projects that include transit or where adjoining land uses have the types of density to support transit. This change in weightings would likely have the effect of making less competitive those project proposals that would focus on completing major roadways in the suburban and rural areas that are part of the regional transportation network, but which do not include major transit components. Examples in Carlsbad include Cannon Rd Reach 4B and parts of College Ave. If adopted, the revised criteria may make it dfjcult or impossible for Carlsbad to obtain regional funds for our projects. Recommendation: SANDAG should re-consider how the revised project evaluation criteria will work. If project weightings are to be changed to support smart growth, then the revised criteria should reflect glJ aspects of smart growth, not just transit-oriented development. Smart growth includes preserving habitat and open spaces, developing affordable housing, and placing jobs near housing and housing near jobs, in addition to developing at 25 dwellings per unit per acre along transit corridors. Staff believes that the strength of the RCP is the holistic approach it takes, and that to maximize its long- term effectiveness, all regional funding should include the full breadth of the RCP in its evaluation criteria. Fiscal‘Reform Proposal Intent SANDAG has been promoting a version of fiscal reform that they believe provides: Constitutional revenue protection for cities and county governments Even revenue exchange and creation of new countywide tax base Revenue allocation from new countywide tax base SANDAG’s proposal basically exchanges state subventions (vehicle license fees, gas tax and homeowner’s exemptions) for a larger share of property tax and sales tax (1/2 cent). So cities retain the 1% local sales tax, which is already in place, and continue to receive it on a situs basis. This provides some specific revenue to offset the cost of hosting commercial development. It then exchanges all of a city’s VLF, gas tax and HOE for a !h cent of the State’s sales tax base plus as much property tax as needed to make the exchange equal. The exchanged revenues would be put into a countywide pool and distributed, in the first year, in an amount equal to the amount given up with any subsequent growth distributed by population. In the years after the exchange, cities would get the growth in the exchanged revenues on a population basis not based on the revenues they had exchanged. Impact Pros: e e e e e Cons: e e Gives revenues controlled by the state to the State. Gives more locally controlled revenues to local government. This makes it easier for citizens to understand which revenues provide State versus City services, It does not dramatically change the current amount of taxes received by cities rather the change occurs over time giving cities the time needed to adjust to the changes, It exchanges revenues currently distributed on population for new revenues also based on population so the future impact on the City’s planned revenue growth is minimized, Cities retain their current share of sales tax on a situs basis thus providing incentives for locating commercial sites in the city as well as in the region (gaining the additional % cent sales tax), Over time, it provides more revenues based on population thereby encouraging housing creation. It reduces the diversification of revenue sources in the city; creating an even greater concentration in property and sales taxes which are already the largest sources for cities, It exchanges a restricted revenue (gas tax) for general revenues. This may be beneficial for some cities but in Carlsbad, it means that it exchanges revenue restricted for street purposes (gas tax) for revenue restricted by an expenditure limit (prop H - $1 million), Recommendation Due to the nature of this plan and the implications of other fiscal reform proposals, staff is not prepared to make recommendations at this time. As the political and financial landscape become clearer, staff will return to council with further analyses and recommendations. Application of Regional Infrastructure Fees Intent: The RCP calls for Local Agencies to consider adopting a Regional Infrastructure Fee that could assess new development for traffic/environmentaVother infrastructure impacts on the region. Impact: The Regional Development Fee at this time is too vague for analysis. The scope of the fee and the manner in which it would be administered are unclear to staff. Additionally, a regional development fee seems to be in conflict with the RCP’s call for the creation of more affordable housing, as those fees will likely be passed on to the prospective homebuyer. The application of the term “affordable housing” should be construed loosely in this instance, and looked at in the general context of the average citizen and their ability to purchase a home in the San Diego region. Recommendation: This particular item is difficult to address considering the political and financial considerations that are unclear at this time. Staff should be directed to engage in further discussion with SANDAG to better define SANDAG’s intent on this item. Staff would also like to discuss possibility of receiving credit or exemption, where applicable, for past actions at the local level that are consistent with this item. Cali for Increased Density Intent: A major thrust of the RCP is to provide a combination of incentives and disincentives to help spur local agencies to increase housing density, especially along existing transportation corridors. Some underlying assumptions are that the increased density will be acceptable to the community, and that the existing infkastructure is able to accommodate the increased growth. Impact: Based on past history, the City of Carlsbad, as well as the other North County jurisdictions, have moved to decrease and limit their density and population. For the City of Carlsbad there is a voter approved Growth Management Plan that plans for the final configuration of the City, including the number of dwelling units at buildout. The requirement included in the RCP for increased density may ultimately be in conflict with the desires of the residents of Carlsbad, creating a tenuous situation for the City. In addition, SANDAG may be pushing development into areas already impacted from constrained infrastructure. Recommendation: SANDAG should expand their funding criteria to include the full breadth of the RCP, and help local jurisdictions find areas of compliance where possible. This could include the expansion of the criteria to evaluate the capability and condition of the existing infrastructure to accommodate the increased density. Beyond 2030 Intent: The RCP is geared for accommodating the projected growth in San Diego region up until 2030 utilizing “Smart Growth Strategies”. This proposal is designed to safeguard as much habitat as possible, maximize and economize existing and new transportation infrastructure. Impact: Looked at in a historical context, 2030 is just around the corner. Especially in terms of changing land use patterns and implementing major public works projects. The question “What happens after 2030?” identifies a major shortfall of the RCP and demands to be answered. The answer to this question is critical as the RCP calls for such a significant shift in the Southern Californian development paradigm. If the long-term growth projections and their implications are not considered, the adoption and incorporation of the RCP may result in just the “delaying” of sprawl, ultimately failing to achieve the goals set out in the RCP. The underlying question for this discussion is centered on population growth and the manner in which the region can choose to accommodate and incorporate it. Conjoined with this is the concept of “regional carrying capacity” (much like the dwelling unit limits of Carlsbad’s Growth Management Plan). Recommendation: SANDAG should begin to look at a longer timeframe than 25 years when considering the future of San Diego. We would also encourage discussions around what we ultimately want our communities and region to be like, how do we manage growth, and most importantly, preserve our quality of life as we move forward. The above items are the more significant policy issues that need to be discussed as part of the RCP. Staff believes that the RCP incorporates many positive components and intentions, and is a good beginning in forging regional solutions to regional problems. As stated above, staff will submit a more comprehensive list of questions, concerns, and clarifications to SANDAG for their consideration. The RCP is still very fluid, and staff will keep Council apprised as the situation changes. EXHIBIT 2 Item Initial review period for draft RCP Presentations on draft RCP to member aaencies and interested Darties Calendar Of Events for Regional Comprehensive Plan Time Frame Dec. 19,2003 - March 1 , 2004 January - March 2004 Draft Environmental Impact Report released March 26,2004