PREPARED BY: MEL MACKSON DATE OF MEETING: 02/05/2024
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE CITY OF SAN PABLO SUSTAINABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT (TOD) MASTER PLAN
CEQA: The Plan is statutorily exempt from CEQA under the provisions of Senate Bill 288 which established an exemption from environmental review pursuant to Public Resources Code Sections 21080.20 and 21080.25 for pedestrian and bicycle facilities, projects that improve customer information and wayfinding for transit riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians, and transit prioritization projects. This exemption is applicable to the proposed Plan because it is being carried out by a public agency, it is located in an urbanized area, and it describes projects that would be on or within an existing public right-of-way. In addition, the Plan would not add new automobile capacity or require the demolition of affordable housing units; and the Plan would not involve project costs that would exceed $100 million.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
FY 2023-2025 Council Priority Workplan Compliance Statement
Transit-Oriented Development policies & strategies (Policy 107), Develop Public Facilities For Active Living (Parks, Open Space, Sidewalks, Trails, Bike Lanes, etc.) (Policy 109), and Traffic Safety Program: Improve traffic and pedestrian safety through enforcement, outreach, and environmental design (Policy 510.1) are contained in the FY 2023-25 City Council Priority Workplan, effective May 1, 2023, as amended through December 13, 2023.
BACKGROUND
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is a strategy to achieve many local and statewide goals, including decreasing vehicle miles traveled and supporting housing development, especially in built-out communities like San Pablo. TOD is identified as a priority in the City’s General Plan 2030 (2011), General Plan 2040 (update in progress), Climate Action Plan (2012), and the City Council Fiscal Year 2023-25 Priority Workplan, in addition to being referenced in the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan (2011).
In February of 2021, the City of San Pablo (City) applied for a Sustainable Communities Grant -administered by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)- to develop a Citywide Sustainable Transit Oriented Development Master Plan (Resolution No. 2021-011). In June of 2021, the City was awarded $265,590 in funding for this Plan.
On April 7, 2022, staff issued a Request for Proposals for professional consultant services to develop the Sustainable TOD Master Plan. One of the responding firms, IBI Group, a California Partnership (“IBI Group”) was selected to provide professional consulting services for the Plan.
Through Resolution 2022-105 adopted on July 5, 2022, City Council accepted and appropriated $265,590 in Caltrans SB 1 Sustainable Communities Planning grant funding for the Sustainable TOD Master Plan (0956), with a local match requirement of $34,410 in City staff time. Through the same resolution, the City Council also authorized the City Manager to enter into an agreement with IBI Group and sub-consultants BluePoint Planning and Aaron Welch Planning for design services for the Sustainable Transit Oriented Development Master Plan. In June of 2023, the City was notified that IBI Group had been acquired by Arcadis and would henceforth be known as Arcadis, A California Partnership.
Planning Commission Approval
On January 23, 2024, the San Pablo Planning Commission held a public hearing on the Plan and adopted Resolution PC24-04 (five Ayes, zero Noes) recommending adoption of the Plan by the San Pablo City Council. A Public Hearing Notice was published in the West County Times newspaper (West Contra Costa edition of the East Bay Times) on January 13, 2024. No public comments were received prior to or during the hearing.
Econ. Dev., Housing and Project Management Standing Committee Review
On January 29, 2024 the Economic Development, Housing, and Project Management Standing Committee (Ponce; Cruz) received a presentation on the Sustainable TOD Master Plan from the consultant and Community Development staff, and recommended said adoption by the City Council.
PLAN DEVELOPMENT
The goal of the Plan is to create TOD priority areas and recommendations to facilitate climate-resilient TOD in San Pablo. The Plan builds upon an existing conditions analysis, recommendations from recent/ongoing planning efforts, stakeholder feedback and operational challenges in order to develop TOD implementation recommendations that focus on public transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, housing and climate resilience. The Plan began with a citywide focus, but uses the results of the existing conditions analysis and existing Priority Development Areas (PDAs) to create a TOD priority area. Recommended implementation strategies, policies and projects will focus on the area encompassed by the TOD priority areas.
Community Development and Public Works Department staff, Arcadis, and Arcadis sub-consultants BluePoint Planning and Aaron Welch (together the “Project Team”) worked together to undertake over a year of community engagement (including in-person and online outreach), as well as to develop an existing conditions analysis, TOD Vision, Streetscape Toolkit, and Recommendations Report to advance the transit-oriented development recommendations set forth in the Plan.
Plan development began in the late summer of 2022 with preparation of an existing conditions analysis, followed by the first round of public outreach in the fall of 2022. Development of the TOD Vision commenced through the winter of 2022, which was then followed by the second round of public outreach and development of the Streetscape Toolkit through the summer of 2023. During the fall and winter of 2023, the Recommendations Report was finalized, bringing the process to the beginning of 2024 and the final recommendation and plan.
The Plan incorporated the City’s visions stated throughout the following recent guiding land-use development and transportation policy documents:
• San Pablo General Plan 2030
• San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan (2011)
• San Pablo Climate Action Plan (2012)
• 2023-31 Draft Housing Element
• San Pablo Avenue Multimodal Corridor Plan (ongoing)
The Plan’s guiding objectives are as follows:
• Analyze existing conditions for transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, along with their proximity to housing (e.g., existing/proposed facilities and conditions, existing/proposed infrastructure, recent/ongoing planning documents and studies, climate risks).
• Create a Community Engagement Plan (CEP) to guide outreach efforts to the general public and key housing, transit, bike/ped, business, regional and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate with related ongoing efforts, including the City’s Affordable Housing Study (AHS), General Plan and Housing Element update, implementation of the San Pablo Avenue Corridor Study, and related work in the City’s two PDAs (along San Pablo Avenue & 23rd Street, and Rumrill Boulevard)
• Develop a community vision from CEP feedback, including goals, and concept TOD and streetscape designs.
• Create TOD priority areas.
• Develop an implementation strategy and recommended policies, projects and programs to advance TOD implementation while continuing to reflect the character of the City. Key strategies will target reducing parking demand/supply, building resilient transportation infrastructure, reducing City procedural barriers to TOD implementation, aligning TOD efforts with the AHS and Housing Element, and identifying funding opportunities.
SUSTAINABLE TOD MASTER PLAN CONTENTS
A draft version of the Sustainable TOD Master Plan has been prepared for public review. It is available at this link:
<https://www.sanpabloca.gov/2808/Sustainable-TOD-Plan>
The final draft is attached to this report.
The Sustainable TOD Master Plan includes the following Chapters:
1. Introduction
Plan Purpose
Planning Process
Methodology
2. Introduction to Transit Oriented Development
What is TOD?
Components of TOD
Characteristics of TOD
3. Explore Phase
Location & Context
Existing Plan & Policy Framework
Growth Management & Long-Range Planning
Needs Assessment Summary
Key Takeaways
4. Public Engagement Summary & Insights
Public Engagement Program
Explore Phase, Envision Phase
5. Envision Phase
Priority Areas
6. TOD Strategy
Recommendations Framework
Equity Lenses
Recommendations - Transportation, Open Spaces, Development
Prioritization Matrix
7. Implementation
Implementation Plan
Appendices include:
A. Existing Conditions Analysis
B. TOD Vision + Priority Areas Study
C. Streetscape Toolkit
D. Policy Recommendations Report
SUMMARY OF TOD MASTER PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS
To create a suite of effective policy recommendations, the project team considered the existing conditions analysis, TOD Vision, and public engagement analysis, as well as the opportunities identified in the Priority Area analysis. Two key types of recommendations are described: policy recommendations and physical recommendations.
Policy recommendations are mainly implemented by updating City of San Pablo plans, ordinances, and incentive programs to encourage specific outcomes. These recommendations may be tied to general standards, corridor improvements, transit operations, development approvals, or other municipal-policy level actions. They are oriented towards city-wide or priority area-wide geographical scopes. Policy recommendations also include partnerships and agreements that further TOD objectives through co-benefits with public and private stakeholders and authorities.
Physical improvement recommendations are specific and place-based. They recommend City departments, or private landowners, to make proactive, direct improvements to achieve a higher quality public realm along TOD areas. They are primarily directed towards the TOD Priority Areas. Refer to the Streetscape Toolkit document for detailed examples, precedent images, and approaches that demonstrate many of the recommendations outlined in the Plan.
The Policy and Physical Recommendations are organized around the three major focus areas of TOD:
• Transportation - Including enhanced new intersections, transit stops, and pedestrian crossings, micro-mobility hub facilities, streetscape improvements, and areas for prioritized pedestrian connectivity.
• Open Spaces - Such as activating open space frontages, connecting key destinations with green linkages, enhanced creek access, and designating new park spaces.
• Development - Including revitalizing main streets and corridors through infill development, applying and adjusting the zoning ordinance, and Housing Element Coordination.
Each of the policy and physical recommendations are evaluated using specific criteria or variables to determine the priority level. These variables include the cost and available funding sources, responsible party, timeframe, and level of impact. Based on these criteria, the priority level for each recommendation is categorized as Quick Start, Planning Horizon, or Big Moves. Please refer to the Sustainable TOD Master Plan document for further details of the prioritization matrix and implementation plan.
GENERAL PLAN CONFORMITY
The proposed Plan aligns with the following guiding and implementing policies of the San Pablo General Plan 2030:
LU-G-3 Preserve and strengthen the City’s overall image and create a safe, walkable and attractive urban environment for the current and future generations of residents.
LU-I-9 Encourage new residential, commercial and related forms of development in a manner which fosters both day and appropriate night time activity; visual presence on the street level; appropriate lighting; and minimally obstructed view areas.
LU-I-11 Enhance the City’s unique identity and image by adopting a consistent palette of landscaping, street trees, lighting, and signage within the public right-of-way for neighborhood and street improvements.
GME-G-2 Provide adequate infrastructure and facilities to meet the demands of new development and population growth.
GME-G-3 Provide new and improved pedestrian, bicycle, parking and transit facilities, as envisioned in the Circulation Element.
GME-I-9 Continue to work with West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee (WCCTAC), the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and surrounding jurisdictions to help develop General Plans, Specific Plans, and other programs, and study the effect of large development on the regional transportation system.
C-I-1 Design and operate city streets based on a “Complete Streets” concept that enables safe, comfortable, and attractive access and travel for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit users of all ages and abilities.
C-G-5 Develop a safe and comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian network.
C-I-21 Complete and enhance the pedestrian network with an interconnected system of walkways, continuous sidewalks on both sides of the street, and pedestrian crossings.
C-I-23 Provide pedestrian facilities that are accessible to persons with disabilities and ensure that roadway improvement projects address accessibility and universal design concepts.
C-G-7 Facilitate the use of public transportation in San Pablo by making it more comfortable and convenient.
C-I-29 Work with public transit providers, Contra Costa College, and property owners to identify and develop a future Major Transit Hub along San Pablo Avenue near Mission Plaza.
SAN PABLO AVENUE SPECIFIC PLAN CONFORMITY
The proposed Plan aligns with the following guiding and implementing policies of the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan:
2-G-1: Promote development of San Pablo Avenue as an attractive boulevard lined with a diverse array of uses that promote vibrant street life, and maintain eyes on the street at all times.
2-G-2: Locate higher intensity nodes, which include community and regional-oriented stores and amenities, in areas that are adjacent to major employment or education centers, and where opportunities are present.
2-G-3: Promote pedestrian-and transit-friendly development that enhances the public realm
2-I-1: Establish mixed-use, transit-supportive nodes of development near the intersections of San Pablo Avenue and the following streets: Rumrill Boulevard, El Portal Drive, Church Lane, and San Pablo Dam Road.
2-I-4: Develop housing, and particularly affordable housing by complying with the policies of the San Pablo Housing Element
2-I-5: Ensure that ample community gathering spaces, open spaces, and recreational facilities are part of any mixed-use development or master planned area.
3-G-9: Support roadway improvement efforts to establish San Pablo Avenue as a Complete Street. Balance the needs of cars with those of pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit.
3-I-25: Ensure that new developments provide fine grain street grids, creating shorter blocks and more route options that emphasize pedestrian connectivity to and from San Pablo Avenue, transit, and key destinations.
4-G-6: Support continued operation of the Towne Center. At such time as the site is expanded or reused, seek development of regional retail and a high-intensity entertainment hub at this prominent site at the corner of San Pablo Avenue and San Pablo Dam Road, with heightened accessibility and walkability throughout the site.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct impact to the General Fund associated with the adoption of the Sustainable TOD Master Plan. However, additional staffing and budgetary resources will be required to implement a majority of the Sustainable TOD Master Plan recommendations.
ATTACHMENTS
Att A - Resolution
Att B - Planning Commission Resolution PC24-04
Att C - Sustainable Transit Oriented Development Master Plan Executive Summary
Att D - Sustainable Transit Oriented Development Master Plan and Appendices
Att E - City Council Resolution No. 2022-105