3A Public Hearing 2009 0302 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ABAG's website, the Bay Area will grow from its current 7 million to about 9 million people from 2007-2014. As a result San Leandro's housing unit allocation for the period 2007-1014 is to add 1,630 new homes, including nearly 600 affordable homes for low and very low income households. This allocation has nearly doubled from the 870 total units assigned for the last planning period from 1999-2007. Each city's Housing Element must address the affordable housing issue and lay the groundwork for meeting it. The proposed project helps the City of San Leandro meet its mandated housing requirements. AB 32 California Global Warming Solutions Act and SB375 California's major initiatives for reducing climate change or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are outlined in Assembly Bill 32 (signed into law 2006). The bill aims to reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 - a reduction of approximately 30 percent, and then an 80 percent reduction below 1990 levels by 2050. The main strategies for making these reductions are outlined in the Scoping Plan being prepared by the California Air Resources Board. These strategies-soon to be requirements-focus on lowering vehicle miles traveled (VMT). San Leandro's TOD Strategy reduces over all VMT in the area which helps bring the city into compliance with existing and current laws related to AB 32. SB375 addresses and clarifies the role of planning and land use as they relate to AB32. SB375, which was just signed into law, has as its core provision a requirement for regions with high air pollution to develop a "Sustainable Communities,Strategy" (SCS) in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars. The law says; "The strategy (SCS) is a realistic development pattern that meets a state target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while taking into account the region's housing needs, transportation demands, and protection of resource and farm lands. The state will allocate $6 billion a year to transportation projects that implement the SCS. The SCS will be updated every 4-5 years as part of the region's transportation plan." The City of San Leandro's TOD Strategy is the type of plan that this SB 375 will be requiring of cities throughout California. The pilot station area plan grant San Leandro received in late 2005 has allowed San Leandro to be a leader in statewide sustainable development strategies. Sustainability Environmental responsibility and sustainability are core principles for the development and the David Baker and Partners design team members have strong experience in green building and environmentally- sensitive design. David Baker and Partners staff members are also LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited. David Baker and Partners have provided leadership in a number of ways, including participating in the LEED-Neighborhood Development Pilot Program and helped create the certification standards for the Build-It Green program. The company has received multiple awards from AIA, Green Communities, the Pacific Coast Builders Conference, the US Environmental Protection Agency, Home Depot and PG&E Flex your Power program in recognition of its green building efforts on other projects. Planning Commission Staff Report January 22, 2009 San Leandro Crossings Public Hearing Page 10 of 12