HomeMy Public PortalAbout07) 7E SCAG Sustainable Communities Program Grant ApplicationAGENDA
ITEM ?.E.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
DATE : November 6 , 2018
TO: The Honorable City Council
FROM: Bryan Cook , City Manager
By: Michael D. Forbes, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM GRANT APPLICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council is requested to authorize staff to submit an application to the Southern
California Association of Governments (SCAG) for a 2018 Sustainable Communities
Program grant to prepare a Pedestrian Master Plan and Safe Routes to School Plan .
BACKGROUND :
1. In 2005, SCAG launched its Compass Blueprint Grant program, which is today
known as the Sustainable Communities Program . The purpose of the program is to
provide technical and financial assistance to SCAG member agencies for planning
and policy efforts that further implementation of SCAG 's Regional Transportation
Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). SCAG is now accepting
applications for the 2018 round of grant funding, a significant portion of which is
being funded by the Road Repair and Accountability Act (SB 1 ).
2 . On December 5, 2017, the City Council adopted the Mid-Century General Plan,
which includes various goals , policies , and implementation programs related to
active transportation , including pedestrian connectivity and safety. One of the
implementation strategies listed in the General Plan is to adopt an Active
Transportation Plan "to improve nonmotorized linkages between residential areas,
employment areas, schools, parks , commercial areas , and transit stations ." This
strategy is listed as near term, to be completed within five years of General Plan
adoption.
ANALYSIS:
Sustainable Communities Program grants can be used for a variety of plans and projects
in three categories , as follows :
City Council
November 6 , 2018
Page 2 of 2
• Integrated Land Use : Sustainable Land Use Planning , Transit Oriented
Development and Land Use & Transportation Integration ;
• Active Transportation: Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Safe Routes to School Plans; and
• Green Region: Natural Resource Plans, Climate Action Plans and Green House
Gas Reduction programs .
Staff considered the various options for Temple City to make use of the grant funds and
determined that the most appropriate use of the funds would be for the preparation of a
Pedestrian Master Plan and Safe Routes to School Plan as identified in the General Plan
implementation program. The General Plan specifically calls for preparation of an Active
Transportation Plan that would include policies and plans for pedestrians and bicycles .
However, since the City already has an adopted Bicycle Master Plan , it is appropriate to
focus this effort on pedestrians and safe routes to school.
The purpose of preparing and adopting a Pedestrian Master Plan and Safe Routes to
School Plan is to establish policies and priorities for integration of pedestrian
infrastructure into capital projects and for new capital projects , such as installation of new
sidewalks, pedestrian amenities , and safety devices . The City Council previously adopted
a policy stating that it is the City's goal to someday have sidewalks on at least one side
of every street in the City. This plan would help implement that goal by defining a preferred
sidewalk network and prioritizing locations for new sidewalks as funding is available, as
well as identifying other pedestrian accessibility and safety priorities . Having such a plan
in place would also help the City compete for future Safe Routes to School and other
Active Transportation Program grants.
CITY STRATEGIC GOALS:
Applying for a Sustainable Communities Program grant furthers the City Strategic Goals
of Public Health and Safety, Quality of Life, and Sustainable Infrastructure.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Sustainable Communities Program grants have no local funding or in -kind match
requirement for the active transportation plan category . As such, there would be no impact
on the City Budget.
ATTACHMENTS:
None