Plan Bay Area

Every 4 years, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission is required under federal requirements to prepare a regional transportation plan, that identifies regional transportation investments over a long term planning horizon. Due to state requirements from California’s landmark 2008 Senate Bill 375, regional transportation plans are integrated with a long range land-use/housing strategy, known as a sustainable land use strategy, to accommodate future population growth and meet greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets set by the California Air Resource Board.

The first regional transportation plan and sustainable community strategy, known as Plan Bay Area, was adopted by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)  and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) in 2013. Working in collaboration with cities and counties, the Plan advances initiatives to improve our maintain, modernize and improve our local and regional transportation systems, expand housing choices, create healthier communities, and build a stronger regional economy.

In our role as Marin’s Congestion Management Agency, TAM works with our members —  11 cities and towns and the County — to coordinate, fund and implement transportation projects and programs that support this regional transportation plan. As a congestion management agency, TAM works with these partners to submit projects for consideration as identified transportation investments in the plan, allowing projects to access regional, state and federal funds, as those funds become available. TAM also serves a coordinating role in supporting our local towns and cities in reviewing housing and employment forecasts reflective of locally determined land use policies.

On July 18th, 2013, The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) adopted Plan Bay Area, an integrated transportation and land-use strategy through 2040.  Nearly three years in the making, Plan Bay Area is an integrated long-range transportation and land-use/housing plan that will support a growing economy, provide more housing and transportation choices, and reduce transportation-related pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Included in the 2013 plan are forecasts for population, employment and housing, as well as a transportation investment framework.  These elements were evaluated against performance targets to understand the ability of the plan to meet state mandated and regionally adopted goals and objectives. In order to implement these goals the One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) funding process was developed to reward jurisdictions with higher levels of housing growth with transportation funding.

Plan Bay Area does not mandate any changes to local zoning rules, general plans or processes for reviewing projects, nor is it an enforceable direct or indirect cap on development locations or targets in the region. As is the case across California, the Bay Area’s cities, towns and counties maintain control of all decisions to adopt plans and permit or deny development projects. The 2017 update to the plan does not establish new state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) numbers for each jurisdiction.

Due to ongoing discussions regarding local housing needs and land use plans, the RHNA allocation for Marin was revised downward from the 2007-2014 Cycle to the 2015-2022 cycle. Due to this reduction in housing forecasts, Marin is expected to receive less federal transportation funding under the OBAG process, and has worked with our partner agencies to preserve what we love about our small towns, cities and farmlands.

Beginning in 2015, MTC began the update process to Plan Bay Area, known as Plan Bay Area 2040. in November 2016, the MTC commission adopted a Preferred Scenario after two rounds of public outreach, and coordination with TAM, transit operators and local cities and towns including the county. The Preferred Scenario identifies population and employment forecasts, transportation investment strategy and performance targets to achieve plan goals. This update to the plan does not establish new state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) numbers for each jurisdiction. RHNA operates on an eight-year cycle, with the next iteration not due until the 2021 RTP/SCS.

Plan Bay Area’s serves as the 9 county Bay Area’s federally mandated Regional Transportation Plan. Transportation policies and investments in the plan aim to maintain, modernize and expand the region’s extensive existing transportation network as well as support the housing and development pattern that reduces emissions from cars and light trucks.

Transportation investments in Marin are submitted for consideration in the plan from TAM, in our role as Congestion Management Agency, as well as by regional transit operators.