RESOLUTION NO. RES-2023-053
RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA APPROVING SUBMITTAL OF A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AND ASSOCIATION OF BAY AREA GOVERNMENTS, DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT AND EXECUTE GRANT DOCUMENTS, AND APPROPRIATE GRANT FUNDS RECEIVED FOR A PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT AREA GRANT FOR $1,200,000 TO PREPARE THE SOUTH SANTA ROSA SPECIFIC PLAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT WHEREAS, Senate Bill 375, the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008, defines implementation requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles through better coordination between transportation and land use planning; and WHEREAS, SB 375 requires each regional planning area to prepare a “Sustainable Communities Strategy” (SCS) in the regional transportation plan that demonstrates how the region will meet the greenhouse gas emission targets; and WHEREAS, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) together are the governmental agencies responsible for planning, financing and coordinating transportation and land use planning for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area, including preparation of the SCS; and WHEREAS, MTC/ABAG adopted Plan Bay Area 2050 on October 21, 2021, the current Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy for the nine-county Bay Area; and WHEREAS, Plan Bay Area includes locally nominated Priority Development Areas (PDAs) as locations to coordinate local and regional planning for housing, jobs, and future investment; and WHEREAS, jurisdictions with PDAs have access to regional funding dedicated to planning and infrastructure improvement within PDAs; and WHEREAS, in September 2008, the City of Santa Rosa applied for a new PDA for the Mendocino Avenue/Sebastopol Avenue corridors to create gateways into the downtown area, create a “sense of place” along both Mendocino and Santa Rosa Avenues, and to connect the Santa Rosa Junior College in a substantial way to the downtown area through improved transit infrastructure; and WHEREAS, in September 2019, the City re-established the PDA in order to analyze residential density and non-residential intensity, as well as multi-model circulation, along these corridors during the General Plan Update process; and WHEREAS, in 2019 the County of Sonoma established the South Santa Rosa Area PDA in order to have access to regional funding dedicated to planning and infrastructure improvements; and WHEREAS, on December 1, 2022, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) announced a Call for Projects for Priority Development Area (PDA) Planning Grants, and informed local jurisdictions of a February 23, 2023 deadline for submittals of applications, as well as grant requirements including compliance with the Transit Oriented Communities Policy; and WHEREAS, on January 24, 2023, the City Council held a study session to consider whether or not to proceed with a City initiated annexation, and part of the study session included discussion regarding the need for a specific plan in the south Santa Rosa area, which was one of the areas being considered for annexation. At that time, the Council indicated general support for pursing a grant to cover the cost of the specific plan and associated Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in the south Santa Rosa area; and WHEREAS, on January 30, 2023, the County of Sonoma’s Moorland Annexation Ad Hoc Committee met and confirmed their support for the City of Santa Rosa to submit an application for a specific plan in south Santa Rosa, that would include the Moorland area; and WHEREAS, on February 23, 2023, City staff submitted a PDA grant application to MTC/ABAG for development of the South Santa Rosa Specific Plan and EIR; and WHEREAS, a PDA Planning Grant would fund the South Santa Rosa Specific Plan and EIR for a portion of the City of Santa Rosa’s Mendocino Avenue/Santa Rosa Avenue Corridor PDA and the County of Sonoma’s South Santa Rosa Avenue PDA; and WHEREAS, the South Santa Rosa Specific Plan (as depicted in Exhibit A to this resolution) would engage community members to establish a vision and development framework for the area’s future; and WHEREAS, staff has estimated the cost of this effort to be $1,200,000, which would cover the cost of the City to hire a consultant to prepare the Specific Plan and EIR, and a City staff member to manage the project. / / /
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Santa Rosa approves and ratifies the Planning and Economic Development Department’s submittal of an application to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Association of Bay Area Governments for a Priority Development Area Grant for $1,200,000 to prepare the South Santa Rosa Specific Plan and Environmental Impact Report.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council authorizes the City Manager or designee, to accept the grant award and execute all Agreements, all related award documents and any amendments thereto required for receiving such grant funds.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council appropriate grant funds received to a project key to be established by the Chief Financial Officer.
IN COUNCIL DULY PASSED this 28th day of March, 2023.
AYES: (5) Mayor N. Rogers, Vice Mayor MacDonald, Council Members Alvarez, Okrepkie, Stapp NOES:
ABSENT: (2) Council Members Fleming, C. Rogers
ABSTAIN:
ATTEST: _________________________ APPROVED: ______________________________ City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ________________________
City Attorney
Exhibit A: Priority Development Area Grant - South Santa Rosa Specific Plan Maps Reso. No. RES-2023-053
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