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Home My WebLink About7.1 Focusing Our Vision Programti~~ \ ~~ ;`~ \~ CITY CLERK File # ^^^2 ~-0^ AGENDA STATEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: September 2, 2008 SUBJECT: Focusing Our Vision (FOCUS) Program, Round Two Priority Development Area Designation Report Prepared by Marnie R. Waffle, Senior Planner ATTACHMENTS: Resolution supporting participation in the Focusing Our Vision (FOCUS) program Round Two Priority Development Area Designation. RECOMMENDATION: Receive Staff presentation and adopt Resolution (Attachment) supporting participation in the Focusing Our Vision (FOCUS) program Round Two Priority Development Area Designation. FINANCIAL STATEMENT: None. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Focusing Our Vision, or FOCUS, program is amulti-agency, regional planning initiative spearheaded by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) in coordination with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). The FOCUS program builds upon regionally adopted smart growth policies and related programs and is one of several projects funded by the State's Regional Blueprint Planning Program. Regional agencies, such as ABAG and MTC, are working in conjunction with local governments to create a specific and shared concept of where growth can be accommodated and what areas need protection in the region. The goal of FOCUS is to support future development patterns that are compact and connected. Regional agencies are currently accepting applications from local jurisdictions for identification of Priority Development Areas throughout the nine county San Francisco Bay Area region. Designation of Priority Development Areas will help focus the region's growth in areas which can accommodate mixed use, infill development near transit and job centers with an emphasis on housing. COPY TO: Page 1 of 3 ITEM NO. G:\FOCUS 2007\CC Mtg 9.2.08\CCSR Support for Rev PDA 9.2.08.doc Local jurisdictions which receive a Priority Development Area (PDA) designation would be eligible to apply for capital grants, planning grants and technical assistance when funding becomes available in the future. Examples of capital grants include funding for transportation projects, including bicycle and pedestrian projects, housing projects, water/sewer capacity, parks/urban greening, streetscape improvements, etc. Examples of planning grants include funding new area-wide specific plans or precise plans, updates to existing plans, preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to implement a plan, etc. Technical assistance includes policy development to implement existing plans, model ordinances, economic analysis, photo simulations to depict future conditions, local workshops and tours, etc. In December 2007 the City of Dublin received designation for three Priority Development Areas: 1) West Dublin BART Specific Plan area, 2) Transit Center Planning Subarea (Eastern Dublin Specific Plan area) and, 3) Town Center Planning Subarea (Eastern Dublin Specific Plan area). In January 2008, MTC announced that $7.5 million in planning grants were available to jurisdictions who received PDA designation. The City of Dublin applied for, and was awarded, a $200,000 planning grant for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report for the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan which includes the existing West Dublin BART Specific Plan area, a designated PDA. Application to Revise an Adopted Priority Development Area Designation In August 2008, the ABAG released a second call for applications for designation of new Priority Development Areas or revisions to existing Priority Development Areas. Jurisdictions which received Priority Development Area (PDA) designations under the first round of applications have the option to revise the PDA under the second call for applications. Jurisdictions can increase their PDA or can create smaller PDA's within a larger, previously designated PDA Area. West Dublin BART Specific Plan Priority Development Area Desi n Staff is proposing to submit a revised application for the West Dublin BART Specific Plan PDA to increase the PDA boundary to coincide with the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan area which is currently being prepared. Expanding the PDA will allow for greater opportunities to apply for grant funding which would support the greater Downtown Dublin area including linkages to the new West Dublin BART Station which is currently under construction. Transit Center Planning Subarea Priority Development Area Desi ng ation Staff is also proposing to submit a revised application for the Transit Center Planning Subarea to increase the PDA boundary to incorporate the Camp Parks Real Property Exchange/Dublin Crossing project area. In January 2008, the Army hosted Industry Day at Camp Parks giving prospective master developers an opportunity to learn more about the development potential of the 180 acres just north of Dublin Boulevard. The Army is pursuing the selection of a master developer and hopes to finalize the selection by the end of this year. Expanding the Transit Center PDA to include the Dublin Crossing project area would allow for future opportunities to apply for grant funding to assist with the preparation of various planning documents related to the Dublin Crossing project (i.e. Specific Plan, Environmental Impact Report, etc). Applications for the second round of Priority Development Area designation are due by September 12, 2008. ABAG staff will review the revised applications and make a determination by October 31, 2008. Since both the West Dublin BART Specific Plan PDA and Transit Center Planning Subarea PDA have Page 2 of 3 already been approved, applications to revise these PDA's do not have to be approved by the ABAG Executive Board. Should the City Council decide to adopt the Resolution showing support of participating in the FOCUS program and submitting applications for the round two Priority Development Area designations, Staff is proposing that the West Dublin BART Specific Plan area PDA be revised to coincide with the larger Downtown Dublin Specific Plan area and that the Transit Center Planning Subarea PDA be revised to include the Camp Parks Real Property Exchange/Dublin Crossing project area (See Figure 1). In order to receive a Priority Development Area designation, local jurisdictions must demonstrate that: 1) the area is within an existing community, 2) the area is near existing or planned fixed transit or the area currently has, or is planned to have, comparable bus service, and 3) the area is planned, or is planning for, more housing. The Downtown Dublin Specific Plan area and the Transit Center Planning Subarea/Dublin Crossing Project Area meet the minimum qualifications for Priority Development Area designation. CONCLUSION: Designation of revised Priority Development Areas within the City of Dublin would allow for greater opportunities for the City to apply for grant funding in the future. Therefore, if the City Council is in support of the revised Priority Development Areas, Staff will submit applications to ABAG by September 12, 2008. RECOMMENDATION: Receive Staff presentation and adopt Resolution (Attachment) supporting participation in the Focusing Our Vision (FOCUS) program Round Two Priority Development Area Designation. Page 3 of 3 ~ ~ RESOLUTION NO. XX- 08 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN SUPPORTING PARTICIPATION IN THE FOCUSING OUR VISION (FOCUS) PROGRAM ROUND TWO PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT AREA DESIGNATION WHEREAS, the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in accordance with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and Bay Conservation and Development Commission (collectively, the "regional agencies") are undertaking a regional planning initiative called FOCUS; and WHEREAS, FOCUS program goals support a future regional development pattern that is compact and connected; and WHEREAS, the regional agencies seek local government partners to create a specific and shared concept of where growth can be accommodated (Priority Development Area) and what areas need protection (Priority Conservation Area) in the region; and WHEREAS, a Priority Development Area must meet all of the following criteria: (a) within an existing community, (b) near existing or planned fixed transit (or served by comparable bus service) and (c) is planned, or is planning, for more housing; and WHEREAS, local governments in the nine county San Francisco Bay Area are eligible to apply for designation of an area within their community as a Priority Development Area; and WHEREAS, the regional agencies are committed to securing incentives and providing technical assistance to designated Priority Development Areas so that positive change can be achieved in communities working to advance focused growth. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Dublin authorizes submitting revised applications to designate the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan Area (formerly West Dublin BART Specific Plan Area) and Transit Center Planning Subarea/Dublin Crossing Project Area (formerly Transit Center Planning Subarea) within the City of Dublin as Priority Development Areas. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 2n8 day of September 2008 by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTEST: Mayor City Clerk `` ! G: IFOCUS 20071CC Mt 9.2.081CC Reso S _ 1 ~~".l. v1-~" ~ ~ I ~ 12 g upport for Rev PDA 9.2.08.doc Attachment