Report No: Meeting Date:

Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District

STAFF REPORT TO: Planning Committee

AC Transit Board of Directors

FROM: David J. Armijo, General Manager

12-249 December 12, 2012

SUBJECT: Quarterly Report on District Involvement in External Planning Processes

BRIEFING ITEM

RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):

Consider receiving report on District Involvement in External Planning Processes, August­November, 2012

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Staff continued to participate actively in planning processes affecting the AC Transit district. The West Oakland Specific Plan was particularly active during this period. The Alameda County Transportation Commission's Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plans were completed and approved during this period, as was Fremont's Climate Action Plan (see Attachment A for background on completed plans). EIRs and Plans were being developed for ABAG's Sustainable Communities Strategy and MTC's Regional Transportation Plan.

BUDGETARY /FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.

BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:

Major Activities this Quarter

Oakland's planning efforts continued to be important to AC Transit in this period. A Notice of

Preparation (NOP) for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on the West Oakland Specific Plan was

released andAC Transit participates in the Technical Advisory Committee for this plan .. Staff analysis

of the plan highlighted our concern about the lack of specificity in the NOP, making it difficult to

understand the Plan's likely impacts. We also expressed concern about the excessive and premature

emphasis on a streetcar loop- designated as the "0"-in the transportation section of the Plan. The

Plan focuses on identifying subareas of West Oakland which would be appropriate for additional

commercial and residential growth, including a proposed high tech zone around Grand Ave. &

Mandela Parkway.

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Report No. 12-249 Page 2 of 3

Although the EIR for Oakland's Broadway-Valdez Plan is still being prepared, the city released a NOP

for a 36,000 square foot single story commercial building at 301h & Broadway in the Plan area ..

The Inner East Bay Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA), initiated by MTC, has been a forum

for analysis of the transit system and for collaboration with BART. AC Transit, BART, and MTC are

seeking to identify a mutually acceptable joint fare pilot project. Candidate pilot projects discussed

so far include an East Bay transit pass and greater fare discounts for passengers transferring

between the two systems. Selection of a recommendation for a pilot project is expected by the end

of the year. We have also discussed the appropriate roles of AC Transit and BART in serving the East

Bay. Some participants in the process have argued that AC Transit's Transbay service is expensive to

operate relative to our other service, and should be scaled back. Some routes could be modified to

feed BART stations instead. However, BART staff has raised concerns about a strategy of diverting AC

Transit passengers to BART, since they expect BART to experience capacity constraints at least

during the next few years. Analysis of how to approach this issue continues.

Also at the regional level, staff work continued on the EIR for ABAG's Sustainable Communities

Strategy and MTC's Regional Transportation Plan. In May, MTC and ABAG approved the "Preferred

Land Use and Transportation Investment Strategy" which outlines growth targets and transportation

improvements for Bay Area communities. This document is now being formulated into the final

"Plan Bay Area" and the EIR on it. Release of those documents is scheduled for Spring 2013.

Upcoming Activities

Oakland's draft Lake Merritt Station Area Plan (and EIR) are projected for release soon, with a

community workshop on the Plan scheduled for Saturday, December 15. The cities of Hayward,

Albany, and-at an undetermined later date-EI Cerrito will be initiating updates to their General

Plans. MTC will be kicking off the Tricity/TriValley transit study, evaluating transit service and

institutional structure in the Fremont/Newark/Union City and Livermore Valley areas.

As requested by the Board, the report identifies a subset of priority planning processes. The priority

processes are:

• Broadway-Valdez Plan (City of Oakland)

• Complete Streets Policy (ACTC)

• Inner East Bay Comprehensive Operational Analysis/ Transit Sustainability Plan (MTC)

• Lake Merritt Station Area Specific Plan (Oakland)

• Regional Transportation Plan (MTC) and Sustainable Communities Strategy (ABAG),

• Livable Corridors Plan (Richmond), and the

• West Oakland Strategic Plan (Oakland).

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Report No. 12-249 Page 3 of 3

ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:

The advantage of participating in these planning processes is that AC Transit gets opportunities to influence decisions by cities, counties, and other agencies that affect transit and land use. AC Transit also learns about the programs, projects, and plans of cities and other agencies. The District has viewed it as positive when cities ask us to participate in their processes and we have sought to honor those requests. The disadvantage is that participation in these processes can be time-consuming and sometimes conflict.

ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS:

AC Transit could withdraw from participation in all or some planning processes, or limit our

participation to sending letters.

PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTIONS/POLICIES:

Previous Quarterly Reports including GM Memo 12-180

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment A-Planning Tracker, provides an overview of all of the major planning activities that are being conducted either by external agencies or District staff.

Attachment B-EIR Tracker, provides a project by project summary of development projects that are progressing through the environmental review process. This list provides a description of the project, as well as any staff action taken or planned.

Department Head Approval: Dennis Butler, Planning and Development Officer

Prepared by: Nathan Landau, Senior Transportation Planner

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rldii/1"\.""LIYity Name

11

z Plan

lr Dlete Streets Policv

I Inner East Bav prenensive op :vsis (COAl/

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Plan Sponsor I Status I Plan Description AC Transit's Areas of lAC Transit Interest Involvement

1 City of Oakland I Plan being refined Land use/redevelopment ~Types of transit provided, IT AC memoer as Environmental plan for area between role of line 51 A, potential Impact Report Grand Ave. & 1-580 around shutttles, streetcar

1/"'\ldlllt:::Ud

County Transportation Commission (ACT C)

(EIR) EIR is being Broadwacy prepared

lnitiated-ACTC has ACTC to develop complete Assuring that complete ·iti.::..c::: tf'l c:::tr.::...::..tc::: held preliminary 'streets policy for c ... --, __ ~--· ---- ~-··-·--

oworkshoo apply to ACTC and MTC adequately incorporate fo mrlinn the needs of transit

ioperations

ITAC member

Meeting 1 ... -L-~ule

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scheduled

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lovoeiropoman Draft Plan to be Major transit plan-­develops strategy for service and institutional coordination between transit agencies

Assuring that the Plan Key participant. Ongoing TAC and Transportation released in Commissuion December

correctly understands AC Spinoff COA Policy Committee Transit's markets and studies of AC meetings proposes strategies that Transit serve AC passengers. Transbay

vice, Urban Core service, and main corridors underway

-;\<

Lake Merritt Station Area City of Oakland Administrative Draft Land use/area plan for Assuring that Plan TAC member Community Plan with BART and Plan has been radius around Lake Merritt policies recognize and Meeting on Draft

Laney College released, EIR being BART, including Chinatown support bus transit in that Plan December prepared area 15

I · · · I I u ·J ·. -- ,. :·•·,.

Livable Corridors Plan 1 City of Charette summary Preparation of form-based Assuring that IAavosory Richmond prepared, draft plan zoning code for San Pablo thoroughfare standards Committee

being prepared Ave., Macdonald Ave., 23rd and streetscape plans n"rti~in,nt St. including "thoroughfare aaccomodate transit standards."

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Page 1 of4

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188

Plan/Activity Name Plan Sponsor Status Plan Description AC Transit's Areas of AC Transit Meeting Interest Involvement Schedule

Regional Transportation Plan Metropolitan Preferred Major transportation plan: Assuring that AC TAC member in Except for Equity Transportation alternative Plan for transportation in Transit's capital and Regional Task Force, Commission selected, EIR region to 2040, being done operating needs are met Advisory Meetings have (MTC) process with in conjunction with to the greatest possible Working Group been on hiatus as

Sustainable Sustainable Communities degree in an overall (ended) and EIRbeing Community Strategy transit supportive plan Equity Task developed Strategy Force

underway (see below)

Sustainable Communities Association of Preferred Major region-wide land use Maintaining transit TAC member Meetings on Strategy Bay Area alternative plan to implement state (AB supportive land use hiatus as EIR

Governments selected, EIR 375) mandate to redirect patterns in the SCS, being developed (ABAG) process with growth to transit-served assuring that the SCS

Regional Priority Development Areas recognizes the role of

Transportation (PDAs) bus transit in supporting

Plan underway transit-oriented

(see above) development

·. ·: --~·{·;_ , •.•. i':·.·}~·.:;-;: ·•····. ··:~····? ·-. . •.. . . . ..... . ~·- . . ..

West Oakland Strategic Plan Oakland Notice of Land use and Assuring that transit TAC member As needed

Preparation of EIR transportation plan for concepts are on Plan concept West Oakland appropriate, feasible, and

issued, AC Transit integrate with AC Transit

commented

PLANNING PROCESSES Adaptation to Rising Tides BCDC Development Plan for adapting to rising Bus routes in impacted Stakeholder Irregular

sea levels areas Alameda Point Transportation Alameda city Development Plan for improved transit to Aligning service with Key stakeholder None

Strategy support redevelopment of demand, funding and off-Alameda Point and reduce island service traffic citywide

Albany Transit Plan Albany Development Plan for transit service in Aligning service with Key participant None scheduled Albany demand, funding,

existing routes

Page 2 of4

189

Plan/Activity Name Plan Sponsor Status Plan Description AC Transit's Areas of AC Transit Meeting Interest Involvement Schedule

Americas Cup Preparation San Francisco AC Transit Plan to handle transit, Impact on Transbay Stakeholder- None scheduled implemented traffic for 2012 Americas service, especially on consulted with by service for 2012 Cup events in SF weekday PM city of San rounds of Francisco Americas Cup--impacts on AC

- -

Central Estuary Plan Oakland "Implementation Land use plan for inner E. Support for TOD Stakeholder None Guide" and NOP Oak area on its EIR issued

Countywide Bicycle and ACTC Both plans Update of Alameda County Transit network shown in TAG member Plans approved-Pedestrian Plans approved by plan for bikeway network plan for peds to connnect further action not

ACTC Board and funding priorities for to, key transit nodes for needed bicycle/pedestrian bicycles improvements

Dumbarton rail project planning Caltrain with Interim Bus Rail service plan and Short term--support and TAG Member Quarterly MTC, VTA, Service expansion interim bus plan for expand existing bus ACTC implemented Dumbarton corridor service; long term--

provide connectivity between AC buses and Dumbarton rail

El Cerrito General Plan Update El Cerrito Announced New General Plan Issues not yet defined-- Participation plan Not before Fall due generally, improving San is not yet defined to budget Pablo as transit corridor constraints

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190

Plan/Activity Name Plan Sponsor Status Plan Description AC Transit's Areas of AC Transit Meeting Interest Involvement Schedule

Fremont General Plan and Fremont General Plan and New General Plan for city. Maintaining AC Transit's Stakeholder-- Plans approved-Climate Action Plan Climate Action Plan places more role given plan's interest consulted with by no further

Plan now emphasis on development in shuttles, streetcar city of Fremont meetings needed approved by City on transit corridors

Council

M LK/Peralta Streetscape Oakland AC Transit Streetscape improvement Roundabouts on Peralta TAG member No meetings Project commented on plan for Peralta Street, currently

plans in MLK, Grand and 40th St. scheduled November

Mission Boulevard Corridor Hayward Plan being Land use plan and form Helping transit-oriented Stakeholder-- Planning Specific Plan developed based (zoning) code for development consulted with by Commission

Mission Boulevard corridor Hayward staff Review in Spring 2013

Parking Regulations Update Oakland Announced Update to Oakland Zoning Issues not yet defined-- Participation plan Not yet scheduled Ordinance to modern ice generally, reducing is not yet defined parking provisions excess parking

requirements

West County Transportation WCCTAC Being initiated-- Plan for transportation Improving transit Key participant Not yet scheduled

Plan WCCTAC Board facilities and congestion operations in West has approved reduction in 1-80 corridor in County, assuring that concept West County proposals do not lead to

increased auto travel

I

1-880 Integrated Corridor MTC/Caltrans Plan being Will provide Corridor Ensuring that projects TAG member Meetings to be

Management (ICM) developed Management Concept, developed are useful to scheduled sucfh as signalizaton, AVL AC transit and that AC for buses, message signs, Transit is not required to in the 1-880 corridor fund ICM elements

Page 4 of4 191

City/Sponsor Project Name I Description Respond? Advanced NOP Y/NfrBD Notice Received

Oakland Central Estuary I TBD No . 11/21/2011

Implementation Guide Oakland Emerald Views Project--42 N No 11/9/2007

story residential highrise with 370 for sale units near 19th & Lakeside

Oakland Kaiser Center Project--Add 2 y Yes 5/25/08 new towers with @1 ,500,000 sq. ft. of net new development

Oakland Macarthur-High 115 senior y No 5/23/11 apartments

Alameda North Park Street Regulating No No 5/16/11 Code--Zoning Plan for area of Alameda

Oakland Macarthur Transit Village-- Not on EIR Yes 2/20/06 624 residential units; 42,000 sq. ft. commercial space

Richmond Richmond Bicycle and y Yes Not Pedestrian Plan--Mitigated Applicable Negative Declaration

Richmond Richmond Greenway-- N Yes Not Extending Richmond Applicable Greenway Trail across San Pablo Ave. to connect with Ohlone Greenway

Oakland Rockridge Shopping Center-- y Yes- Met 6/29/09 Replace existing shopping with center with 260,000 sq. ft. Safeway shopping center

Albany Safeway on Solano-Initial TBD Yes-now in Pending proposal: build new retail pre-store and other shops application totalling 63,000 square feet - p_!lase

Page 1 of 3

NOP NOP EIR Comments Comments Received

Due Sent No No 11/9/2012

No No 10/4/2011

6/23/08 6/23/08 8/19/10

6/16/11 6/16/11 10/26/12

6/15/11 NA 1/14/12

3/16/06 3/15/06 2/2/08

NA NA 8/19/11

NA NA Notice of Mitigated Neg Dec-May 27,

2011

7/30/09 7/30/09 Pending

Not NA NA Applicable

EIR I:IK

Comments Comments Due Sent

12/24/2012 NA

11/11/2011 No

10/7/10 10/6/10

12/10/12 No

2/20/12 NA

3/17/08 No

9/19/11 9/19/11

6/27/11 No

NA NA

NA NA

Final Received

NA

No

4/25/11

NA

NA

5/26/08

11/1/11

Not Applicable

NA

NA

I

Vl ;;o ...... N ' N ~ 1.0

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192

City/Sponsor Project Name I Description Respond? Advanced NOP NOP NOP EIR EIR t:.ll'( Final Y/N/TBD Notice Received Comments Comments Received Comments Comments Received

Due Sent Due Sent

Oakland Safeway Shopping Ctr.-- y Yes-Met 10/30/09 12/1/09 11/30/09 7/5/11 8/16/11 8/12/12 7/6/12 College & Claremont Aves with New Safeway @25,000 sq. Safeway ft. larger than existing store plus 11 ,500 sq. ft. of additional retail

Oakland Shops at Broadway 3001- y Yes- 7/27/12 8/31/12 8/31/12 Pending NA NA NA 3039 Broadway, 36,000 sq. Discussed ft. of single story with City commercial staff

San Francisco Treasure Island & Verba y Yes-Met 1/26/08 2/26/08 No 7/12/10 9/10/10 9/10/10 3/12/11 Buena Island Area Plan with TIDA

staff Albany University Village Retail y Yes Date 4/29/08 No 7/6/09 10/5/20009 10/5/09 5/19/11

Mixed Use Project (Whole missing Foods)--55,000 sq. ft. grocery store, 30,000 sq. ft. other retail , 175 senior housing units

Oakland Victory Court Ballpark-- y No 11/13/10 12/9/10 12/8/10 Pending Not NA NA Mixed use project with Applicable 39,000 seatb ballpark, up to 180,000 sq. ft. retail , 540,000 sq. ft. office, 700 residential units

Berkeley 2133 University Ave.--Total No Yes 10/20/11 11/17/11 No Pending NA NA NA of 203 housing units, 20,000 sq. ft. commercial space in rehabilitated and new buildings, Acheson Commons

Berkeley 2598 Shattuck/2037 Parker-- No No Not Not Not Notice of 12/1/11 NA NA

155 residential units with Applicable Applicable Applicable Mitigated

retail Neg Dec--November

1' 2011 - - -

Page 2 of 3

193

City/Sponsor Project Name I Description Respond? Advanced NOP NOP NOP EIR EIR ~IK Final Y/N/TBD Notice Received Comments Comments Received Comments Comments Received

Due Sent Due Sent

Oakland 325 7th St. -380 y No 12/21 /07 1/16/07 No 10/1 8/10 12/10/10 12/10/10 7/5/1 1 condominium units in two towers ..

Oakland 1800 San Pablo-120,000 No No 10n111 11n111 No 7/10/12 8/20/12 No 10/31/12 sq. ft. commercial space on existing surface parking, modifies previous IEIRs

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