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There is no difference in the community-driven planning process between PDA-designations. All PDA-designations require a Specific or Precise Plan to be adopted by 2025. Connected Community PDAs outside of a High Resource Area are required to also adopt policies to reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). The City of San Rafael has already adopted these policies...

All PDA designations must be in an “urbanized area” and adopt a Specific or Precise Plan by 2025. There are two main categories of PDA designations: Transit-Rich and Connected Community. MTC/ABAG describes these designation as the following: Transit-Rich: The majority of land is within one-half mile of an existing or planned rail station, ferry terminal,...

The PDA Grant Program is very specific about the type of Plan that is eligible for grants. The PDA Grant Program guidelines require the grant fund a Specific Plan, or equivalent Plan (e.g., Precise Plan). These plans includes a Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Zoning Code and General Plan amendments. These elements are important because...

While there are similarities and overlap, each Plan type is distinctive and have different elements and purposes.   The purpose of all these plans to is conduct future planning.  The different plans look at a finer level of detail for future planning a specific geographic area.  The following is a description of each Plan type and...

There is a significant difference between a PDA and both a Transit Priority Area and a Transit Priority Project;.  While there may be overlap in the areas defined as a PDA, TPP, or TPA, they are not directly related or linked. A PDA is a planning and financing tool that is part of the Plan...

No.  The San Rafael General Plan 2040 update has been in process for the last two years and is near completion. A draft of the General Plan 2040 is expected to be published for public review within the next month. The designation of a new PDA would not impact the current work on or the...

Environment review streamlining refers to the level of environmental analysis a development project is required to perform as part of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). CEQA requires that all development projects in California conduct some level of environmental analysis.  In many cases, a city will conduct a comprehensive environmental analysis for a neighborhood as...

Sometimes government can get a little carried away with the acronyms, click here for a full list of the acronyms and their definitions.

By nominating a PDA, San Rafael is prioritizing a community-driven planning process looking at housing, jobs and services, and intensified land uses within this area.  Jurisdictions are required to conduct this process for this PDA by 2025 in order to maintain the PDA-designation. To help facilitate this process, designated funding is provided to jurisdictions with...

No. Local jurisdictions are not required to comply with Plan Bay Area. Further, the designation of a PDA does not obligate or mandate the local jurisdiction to comply with or meet any of the jobs and housing growth projections that will be developed as part of Plan Bay Area.

No. The PDA is first a funding tool and is part of Plan Bay Area, a regional plan which is strategic document only.  By State law (California Government Code Section 65080(b)(2)(K), Plan Bay Area cannot supersede local land use authority. Any changes to local planning and land use policies are solely the authority and control...

The primary benefit of creating a PDA is access to funding for a community-driven planning process.  The PDA provides access to funding sources such as grants, which can be used for land use and circulation planning, as well as needed and planned infrastructure improvements.

Plan Bay Area 2050 is a long-range plan charting the course for the future of the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. Plan Bay Area 2050 will focus on four key issues—the economy, the environment, housing and transportation—and will identify a path to make the Bay Area more equitable for all residents and more resilient in...