[Support of Proposed Transportation Demand Management Program Requirement Ordinance]
Resolution urging the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor to adopt an ordinance establishing a citywide Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program, to require Development Projects to incorporate design features, incentives, and tools that support sustainable forms of transportation.
WHEREAS, The “Transit First Policy” in the City Charter declares that public transit is “an economically and environmentally sound alternative to transportation by individual automobiles”, and that within the City, “travel by public transit, by bicycle and on foot must be an attractive alternative to travel by private automobile”; and,
WHEREAS, The City and County of San Francisco has a implemented a number of plans, policies and initiatives including the San Francisco Bicycle Plan, the Green Connections Plan, the Better Streets Plan, Vision Zero, among others, which seek to encourage safe travel by active modes of transportation; and,
WHEREAS, Transportation by public transit, bicycle, or on foot are considered to be trips made by sustainable modes of transportation; and,
WHEREAS, According to Plan Bay Area 2040, the Bay Area’s Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Community Strategy, San Francisco is expected to grow by approximately 191,000 jobs and 102,000 households between 2010 and 2040 which will generate an increased demand for transportation infrastructure and services on an already constrained transportation system; and,
WHEREAS, increased number of single occupancy vehicle trips, and the pressure they add to San Francisco’s limited public streets and rights-of-way, contribute to congestion, transit delays, public health and safety concerns, air pollution, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and noise, which negatively impact the quality of life in the City; and,
WHEREAS, At the state level, the Congestion Management Law, Gov. Code Section 65088, has established that in order to reduce the state’s traffic congestion crisis and “keep California moving,” it is important to build transit-oriented developments, revitalize the state’s cities, and promote all forms of transportation; and,
WHEREAS, Various policies have been adopted at the state level that set GHG reduction targets including, Assembly Bill 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Chapter 488, Statutes of 2006), Executive Orders B-30-15, S-3-05 and B-16-12, Senate Bill 375, the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008 (Chapter 728, Statutes of 2008); and,
WHEREAS, Policymakers have implemented local plans and policies including Plan Bay Area 2040, the GHG Reduction Ordinance, and the San Francisco Climate Action Strategy 2013 Update to set GHG reduction targets; and,
WHEREAS, The transportation sector contributes significantly to GHG emissions and, as a result, many GHG emissions reduction targets are accompanied by targets to reduce vehicle miles traveled and to increase non-automobile mode share; and one of the ways identified to achieve these targets is through a requirement for the inclusion of transportation demand management (TDM) measures for new development; and,
WHEREAS, The importance of TDM strategies are acknowledged in the Transportation Element of the General Plan, the San Francisco County Transportation Plan; and,
WHEREAS, A signifignt number of San Francisco’s Area Plans including each of the Area Plans within Eastern Neighborhoods and the Transit Center District Plan identify policies for the development of a TDM program for the Plan Area; and,
WHEREAS, The Planning Commission initiated legislation that would amend the Planning Code to establish a citywide TDM Program for new development; and,
WHEREAS, The proposed legislation seeks to promote sustainable travel modes by requiring new development projects to incorporate design features, incentives and tools that support transit, ride-sharing, walking, and bicycle riding for the residents, tenants, employees, and visitors of those developments; and,
WHEREAS, The goals of the proposed legislation are to help keep San Francisco moving as the city grows, and to promote better environmental, health and safety outcomes, consistent with state, regional and local policies; now, therefore, be it,
RESOLVED, that the Commission on the Environment urges the Planning Commission, Board of Supervisors and the Mayor to adopt the citywide TDM Program for new development; and, be it,
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Commission on the Environment urges the authors of the proposed legislation to specifically include the San Francisco Department of the Environment as one of the collaborators in the development of Planning Commission standards for the TDM program in Planning Code Section 169.6 (a) of the proposed ordinance; and, be it,
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Commission on the Environment recognizes that the Transportation Demand Management Program will help the City and County of San Francisco meet its goal of 50 percent of all transportation trips by means other than a personal vehicle.
I hereby certify that this Resolution was adopted at the Commission on the Environment’s Meeting on May 24, 2016.
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Anthony Valdez, Commission Affairs Manager
Vote: 6-0 Approved
Ayes: Commissioners Omotalade, Bermejo, Hoyos, Stephenson, Wald and Wan.
Noes: None
Absent: None