The draft of the Bay Area’s first Sustainable Communities Strategy, Plan Bay Area, was released two weeks ago and regional advocates are already weighing in.  Plan Bay Area, scheduled for adoption this summer, will guide development decisions and transportation investments in the 9-county Bay Area region until 2040.

The Bay Area is often considered the most progressive region in the state, but did the draft SCS live up to those expectations?  According to some of our Bay Area partners, it looks like a relatively strong draft but there is still room for improvement.  Read on for more info from some of our partners in the region, and links to their analyses.

Equity advocates are celebrating a victory in the release of the plan’s Draft EIR.  A scenario that was developed by the 6 Wins Network and other equity advocates, the Equity, Environment, and Jobs Scenario, was determined to be the “environmentally superior alternative!” That’s an important validation that addressing the needs of all the Bay Area’s residents will result in stronger communities as well as a healthier environment. Check out Public Advocates’ blog post for more details.

Conservation advocates, including Greenbelt Alliance, are particularly excited that the plan calls for all future growth to occur within the existing urban footprint and urban growth boundaries.  That’s a big win for smarter land use!  Read more from Greenbelt on their blog here.

TransForm was happy to see that the plan takes a “Fix-It-First” approach to the region’s transportation network, and will include a better system for prioritizing transportation projects that help meet the region’s environmental, health, conservation and equity goals. Check out their blog for much more detail.

Public meetings are happening now in counties all across the region. Click here for details or contact the great folks at Public Advocates, Greenbelt Alliance, or TransForm to learn more and get involved.