John King writes about an ambitious new regional plan for the Bay Area that looks to accommodate the 1.1 million new jobs and 2.1 million new residents expected by 2040, with relatively little suburban sprawl.
Plan Bay Area, which was presented last week to a joint meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments, has been a year in the making. Part of a state-mandated plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the plan "is the latest attempt to encourage local governments to accept higher-density growth as part of an effort to create communities where jobs, housing, shopping and recreational space all are within convenient reach," notes King.
Based on expected demographic trends and changes in tastes that will drive a market for urban living, the plan would focus development in the cities of San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose, and along such corridors as El Camino Real on the Peninsula and San Pablo Avenue from Oakland to Richmond.
The plan, however, is not without its detractors. "'Everything here is cookie-cutter,' said Richard Willis of Corte Madera, referring to the plan's enthusiasm for putting apartments and condominiums near transit. 'If you want to deny that this (Agenda 21) is the basis of your plan, you're in la-la land.'"
FULL STORY: Plan Bay Area envisions growth without sprawl

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

NYC Outdoor Dining Could Get a Re-Do
The city council is considering making the al fresco dining program year-round to address cost concerns from small businesses.

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City
The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill
A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.
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