Title
Recommendation to Review and Accept the Annual Reports on the General Plan, Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP), and the Transportation Choices Plan. (Planning, Building and Transportation 481001)
..Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report includes three annual reports for City Council. The three reports reflect a multi-departmental effort by the Office of the City Manager, the Public Works Department, and the Planning, Building and Transportation Department. The three reports include:
1. General Plan Annual Report (Exhibit 1),
2. Climate Action and Resiliency Annual Report (Exhibit 2), and
3. Transportation Choices Annual Report (Exhibit 3)
Staff provides these annual reports early in the spring of each year so that the community and City Council is able to use the annual reports to inform citywide budget and Capital Improvement Program (“CIP”) decisions, which are typically made in May and June of each year.
BACKGROUND
Every city and county in the State of California is required to adopt and maintain an up-to-date General Plan, which establishes the local development and conservation policies necessary to guide physical development and protect the general health, safety and welfare of the community. The General Plan should be an “integrated, internally consistent and compatible statement of policies for the adopting agency.” (Government Code section 65300.5.) Government Code section 65400 et seq. requires that the City of Alameda (City) annually review the adequacy of the General Plan and progress made toward meeting the City’s regional housing needs allocation (the “RHNA”).
In 2019, the City Council adopted the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP), and in 2018, the City Council adopted the Transportation Choices Plan (TCP). Both of these plans require the preparation and presentation of an annual report to assess progress and set priorities for the following year.
The General Plan, CARP, and TCP annual reports were reviewed by the Transportation Commission on January 27, 2021, and the Planning Board on February 8, 2021. The CARP was also presented to Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda (CASA) on February 8, 2021, the Recreation and Parks Commission on February 11, 2021, and is planned to be presented to the Social Services and Human Relations Board on February 25, 2021.
DISCUSSION
General Plan Annual Report. The attached annual report on the status of the General Plan provides an assessment of the City’s General Plan, the schedule for the comprehensive update, and progress made toward meeting the city’s regional housing need in 2020. As described in the Annual Report, Alameda’s housing production for the period 2015-2023 is projected to meet the housing need for total housing units (1,725), but not the need for housing for lower income households.
Climate Action and Resiliency Plan Annual Report. The attached Annual Report on the CARP provides an annual update on progress made on the plan’s recommended strategies and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build resilience to the local impacts of climate change, and become a more sustainable city.
Transportation Choices Plan Annual Report. The attached Annual Report on the TCP provides an annual update on progress made on the plan’s 39 priority projects and programs to improve transportation services and facilities in Alameda over the next 10 to 15 years.
ALTERNATIVES
The City Council may:
• Review and endorse one or more of the Annual Reports,
• Review and request changes to one or more of the Annual Reports, or
• Direct staff to change the priorities identified in an annual report for consideration in the upcoming budget workshops.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Endorsement of the annual reports has no financial impact. The recommended priority actions are designed to be accomplished within existing (or anticipated) approved budgets and with existing (or anticipated) funding sources, where the City is the lead agency. Final budget decisions on specific programs and capital projects will be made by the City Council when it approves the FY 2021-23 Biennial Budget and Capital Improvement Program in June 2021. Endorsement of a work priority in the Annual Report does not predetermine or obligate the City Council to make a particular funding decision when it adopts the City-wide Budget and Capital Improvement Program.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
Review of annual reports is consistent with General Plan, TCP, and CARP policies calling for an annual review.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Review and comment on the annual reports is exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the general rule that CEQA only applies to actions that have the potential to cause a significant impact on the environment.
CLIMATE IMPACT
The priorities established in the General Plan annual report, TCP annual report and CARP annual report all serve to reduce greenhouse emissions in the City and support global and regional efforts to address climate change.
RECOMMENDATION
Review and endorse the General Plan, Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, and Transportation Choices Plan Annual Reports.
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager concurs with the staff recommendation.
Respectfully submitted,
Erin Smith, Public Works Director
Andrew Thomas, Planning, Building and Transportation Director
Gerry Beaudin, Assistant City Manager
By,
Andrew Thomas, Planning, Building and Transportation Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Annie To, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. General Plan Annual Report
2. CARP Annual Report
3. CARP Annual Report Appendix
4. 2020 Annual Report on Transportation
cc: Eric Levitt, City Manager