Implementing California’s Climate Change Legislation: The City of Sacramento General PlanAmerican Planning AssociationWoodie Tescher, Principal Technical Professional, PBS&JJ. Laurence Mintier, Principal, Mintier HarnishStephen Hammond, Principal, WRT/Wallace Roberts & Todd

Our Session…

Context: California’s Climate Change Legislation

Implementing the Legislation through the Comprehensive/General Plan

Implementing the Plan

LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT

California’s Climate Change Legislation: The City of Sacramento General Plan

Major Actions Addressing Climate Change2005 2006 2007 2008

Executive OrderS-3-05

AB 32

SB 375

Executive Order

S-13-08

SB 97

San Bernardino County Lawsuit

City of Stockton Settlement Agreement

Draft CEQA Guidelines

Executive Order S-20-06

AG’s Office Intervention

AB 32 – Global Warming Solutions Act

California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Climate Action Team (CAT)

1990 GHG emissions and 2020 GHG reduction targets

Reporting and verification Maximum technologically

feasible and cost effective measures

Monitoring and enforcement Scoping Plan Market-based compliance

mechanisms Additional limits

Attorney General’s Office Efforts

Pursuing climate change-related efforts CEQA comment letters Mitigation measures Climate Action Plans

Attorney General’s Office Efforts

San Bernardino County lawsuit/Settlement Agreement• Add new policies• GHG Emissions Reduction Plan• Diesel engine exhaust controls

Attorney General’s Office Efforts

City of Stockton settlement agreement• Climate Action Plan/Advisory Committee

Reduce VMTGreen building ordinanceFinancing mechanisms

• Transit Program• Infill targets and balanced growth• Early protection actions

SB 375 Major Components

GHG reduction targets Regional Transportation Plans (RTPs)

• Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) • Alternative Planning Strategies (APS)

Housing Element Reform Links timing of RTP and

RHNA/Housing Elements Incentives not Regulations

• CEQA streamlining• Transportation funding

What is SB 375?

SB 375

It’s a Housing Reform Bill!

It’s a Climate

Change Bill!

It’s a Growth Control Bill!

It’s a CEQA Reform

Bill!

It’s a Land Use Bill!

…its an “everything bill” crammed into one…and I have to

implement it!

MPO

Envir

os

Build

ers

CARB

Hous

ing

Plan

ner

SACOG Blueprint Process

Sacramento Area Council of Governments Extensive public outreach effort Adopted by SACOG in 2004 Endorsed by SACOG’s cities and counties

SACOG Blueprint

Growth Principles Transportation Choices Mixed Use Developments Compact Development Housing Choice and

Diversity Use of Existing Assets Quality Design Natural Resources

Conservation

2030 General Plan & SACOG Blueprint

Common Themes and Principles• Focus on Infill • Encouraging Mixed-use, Compact Development• Moving People, not Cars

2050 Blueprint vs 2030 General Plan• 2035 MTP

Taking the Blueprint Further• More infill, smaller footprint

IMPLEMENTING THE LEGISLATION:COMPREHENSIVE PLANS

California’s Climate Change Legislation:The City of Sacramento General Plan

Our Challenge…

Land Use

Housing

Circulation/Mobility

Conservation

Open Space

Safety

Noise

Permissive Elements

CLIMATECHANGE

Adaptation

Greenhouse Gas Reduction

Strategies…

Land Use: Compact Growth, Infill, Mixed-Use, & TOD

Land Use & Mobility: Walkable Streets

Land Use & Conservation: Green Buildings

Mobility: Transit

Conservation & Infrastructure: Alternative Energy

Mobility: Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Conservation: Community Gardens

Open Space & Safety: Flooding & Habitat

Our Solution…

Address in all relevant elements of the General Plan

Describe climate change as an overarching theme of the General Plan

Incorporate a matrix correlating climate change objectives with applicable policies

Our Solution…

Overarching Plan Themes• Making Great Places• Growing Smarter• Maintaining a Vibrant Economy• Creating a Healthy City• Living Lightly-Reducing Our “Carbon Footprint”• Developing a Sustainable Future

Our Solution…

Our Solution…

Land UseThe illustration to the left identifies the relative amount of change that is expected to occur through

2030 in different parts of the city as follows: Open Space. These areas are expected to

remain in open space use such as agriculture, habitat protection, or regional recreation.

Preserve and Enhance. These areas are expected to retain their current form and character, but will experience some minor infill and reuse consistent with their current form and character.

Improve and Evolve. These areas are expected to experience significant change through infill, reuse, and redevelopment.

Transformation - Urban. These existing urban areas are expected to experience dramatic change through major development and redevelopment projects.

Transformation - New Growth. These existing open space areas are expected to experience dramatic change through major new development projects.

Land Use

Special Study Areas Not planned for growth Possible annexation areas Require GPA, Community Plan, &

applicable master plans & financing plans

Must provide community benefits

Planned Development Must be developed consistent with

Vision & GP policies No new PD areas on adoption of

GP

Land Use / Urban Form Designations

Address “place-making,” not just land use

Responsive to existing context

Clear about outcomes—visualizes change

Concrete rather than abstract

Land Use / Urban Form Designations

Designation Categories relate to “Place Types”: Neighborhoods Centers Corridors Open Space Other

Urban Form and Climate Change?

Making the link between urban form and: Climate Change Sustainability

• Environment• Social Equity• Economic vitality

Livability Health and Safety Mobility

Urban Form—A Place-based Approach

Understanding the Physical DNA of the Place:

Key form-giving features

Features that contribute to community identity

Characteristics to protect and enhance

Characteristics to mitigate or change

Urban Form—A Place-based ApproachUnderstanding the Physical DNA of the Place

Urban Form—A Place-based ApproachDeveloping a

Typology of Place as the foundation for

future recommendations

Place-making Components The Street The Block The Site The Building

Land Use / Urban Form Designations

Each designation addresses 3 topics: Urban Form

Guidelines Allowed Uses Development

Standards

Key urban design characteristics associated

with designation

Role of the designation in Citywide growth strategy

Land Use / Urban Form Designations

Each designation addresses 3 topics: Urban Form

Guidelines Allowed Uses Development

Standards

Description of Allowed Uses including building types

Land Use / Urban Form Designations

Each designation addresses 3 topics: Urban Form

Guidelines Allowed Uses Development

Standards

Development Standards include minimum and maximum intensities

Land Use / Urban Form Designations

Each designation addresses 3 topics: Urban Form

Guidelines Allowed Uses Development

Standards

Development standards illustrated to help visualize

density

Land Use / Urban Form Designations

Each designation addresses 3 topics: Urban Form

Guidelines Allowed Uses Development

Standards

Illustrates how uses, guidelines, and standards

might look “on the ground”

Visualizing Change

Before

After

Mitigating the fear of change—Removing uncertainty and inspiring action

Visualizing ChangeMitigating the fear of change—

Removing uncertainty and inspiring action

Policy That Reflects Concern for Design

Policy Themes City of Neighborhoods City of Rivers City of Trees City of Destinations &

Memorable Places City Connected &

Accessible City Sustained &

Renewed City Fair & Equitable

Economic Development

Business diversity & sustainability Compact & mixed-use development: Market

intensification in proximity to businesses New “green” businesses

Mobility

Comprehensive Transportation System• Complete streets• Core area level of service exemption

Transportation Demand Management Modes

• Walkable communities• Bikeways• Public transit• Roadways• Appropriate parking• Aviation

Utilities

Adequacy to Support Development Alternative Approaches for Sustainable Utility

Systems• Energy generation & conservation• Water conservation• Stormwater management• Waste recycling• Other

Environmental Resources

Resource Preservation & Conservation Urban Agriculture/Local Food Supply

Environmental Constraints

Adaptation to Climate Change Risks: Increased Flooding, Wildfire Risk, and so on

IMPLEMENTATION & MONITORING

California’s Climate Change Legislation: The City of Sacramento General Plan

Administration & Implementation1. Specific Implementation

Programs2. Categories of

implementation3. General Plan maintenance

and monitoring:a) Annual review and

reportb) 5-year review and

update4. Livability Index

Categories of Implementation

Tools to implement policies and programs Included with all policies and programs Eight categories of implementation

• Regulation and Development Review (RDR)

• City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)

• Financing and Budgeting (FB)

• Planning Studies and Reports (PSR)

• City Services and Operations (SO)

• Inter-governmental Coordination (IGC)

• Joint Partnerships with the Private Sector (JP)

• Public Information (PI)

Specific Implementation Programs

Livability Index

Indicators program Used to measure

effectiveness Tracks key livability

factors• Economy• Health of residents• Quality of life

Reviewed and updated annually

Used to set priorities

THE PLANNING PROCESS

California’s Climate Change Legislation: The City of Sacramento General Plan

Public Outreach & Involvement

COMMUNITY CONVENTION: CELEBRATING THE GENERAL PLAN