2006
Stakeholder Forum (May)
A Stakeholder Forum
was held on the afternoon of May 8th, 2006 to engage stakeholders in the FOCUS process,
nominate stakeholder representatives interested in being on the Technical Advisory
Committee, and to serve as a starting point to gather feedback from stakeholder
interests on issues of regional concern, related planning efforts, and future
stakeholder involvement in FOCUS.
Technical Advisory Committee (May 2006 - April 2007)
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) advised staff on developing the criteria used to
designate Priority Development Areas (PDAs)
and Priority Conservation Areas (PCAs).
As part of this process, TAC members conducted spatial analyses of a wide variety of
data gathered to determine which criteria were most significant in identifying PDAs
and PCAs.
2007
County-wide Meetings about FOCUS (February - April)
FOCUS staff held meetings in each of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties to begin
discussions with local governments about setting regional priorities for growth and
conservation, supported through funding and technical assistance. Local elected
officials and senior staff were given an opportunity to:
- Share what their community is doing to address growth, development, and
environmental issues.
- Learn what funding opportunities may be available through the regional
FOCUS initiative to advance smarter ways to grow and to protect natural resources.
- Hear about Regional Transportation Plan update, Projections 2007, and
Regional Housing Needs Allocation.
Click here to view the presentation from the meetings.
Application for Priority Development Areas (April - June)
The opportunity for local governments and transit agencies to nominate
Priority Development Areas (PDAs) was
announced at ABAG's General Assembly in April and the deadline for applications was
June 29, 2007. PDAs are areas within existing communities that are near existing or
planned transit services, and that are planned or planning for more housing.
Nomination of Priority Conservation Areas (June - August)
Jurisdictions, open space agencies, land trusts, and other land/resource groups were
invited to nominate areas to be designated as
Priority Conservation Areas (PCAs)
for the region. The purpose of designating PCAs is to accelerate protection over the
near-term of key natural lands in the San Francisco Bay Area by negotiating purchases
or easements with willing sellers.
Three-E Forums (July)
To investigate the potential impacts of FOCUS, the region convened
three policy-based discussions around the
economy, the environment, and social equity. A regional growth program must balance
"the Three Es" and reflect the ideas and concerns of the region's diverse population.
To kick off community outreach for FOCUS, representatives gathered at the
MetroCenter for three regional forums. At each forum, participants raised issues that
FOCUS might create or resolve, and suggested assistance to meet these challenges.
Working Group Meetings (July 2007 - April 2008)
The FOCUS Working Group is assisting staff with the review
of Priority Development Area (PDA) applications, the PDA and PCA designation processes,
and the development of an incentive program. The group includes local government,
congestion management agency, transit agency, and stakeholder representatives.
Bay Area on the Move: Connecting Transportation, Land Use, and Climate
Protection (October 26, 2007)
Bay Area on the Move
was a forum joining ABAG's Fall General Assembly with discussions on
MTC's
Transportation 2035 Plan. Bay Area residents and leaders reviewed some of the major
decisions anticipated as part of an update to MTC's long-range transportation policy and
investment blueprint, known as Transportation 2035. ABAG also showcased results of its
FOCUS effort to identify Priority Development
Areas (PDAs).
Adoption of Priority Development Areas (November 15, 2007)
ABAG's Executive Board adopted the
Priority Development Areas (PDAs) at its
November 2007 meeting.
2008
Approval of Second Cycle of Station Area Planning Grants (June 2008)
MTC's Commission approved the Second Cycle
of Station Area Planning Grants in summer 2008. The Commission expanded
the program to include FOCUS Priority Development Areas (PDAs) in
October 2007. Twenty grants were awarded, totaling approximately $7.5 million.
Adoption of Priority Conservation Areas (July 17, 2008)
ABAG's Executive Board adopted the
Priority Conservation Areas (PCAs) at its
July 2008 meeting.
Award of Development without Displacement Grants (July 2008)
Through the Development without Displacement program,
FOCUS awarded grants to three PDAs to partner with community organizations on
strengthening community in redeveloping neighborhoods.
Adoption of Second Round of Priority Development Areas (November 20, 2008)
ABAG's Executive Board adopted the Second Round
of Priority Development Areas (PDAs) at its November 2008 meeting.
