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AB-1209 Transportation planning: Sacramento Area Council of Governments: Green Means Go Grant and Loan Program.(2021-2022)



Current Version: 02/19/21 - Introduced

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AB1209:v99#DOCUMENT


CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1209

Introduced by Assembly Member McCarty

February 19, 2021

An act to add Section 65080.7 to the Government Code, relating to transportation.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1209, as introduced, McCarty. Transportation planning: Sacramento Area Council of Governments: Green Means Go Grant and Loan Program.
Existing law authorizes the formation of the Sacramento Regional Transit District with various powers and duties with respect to transportation planning, programming, construction, and operations. Existing law requires that the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) be the long-range planning agency advising the district.
This bill would require SACOG, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to develop and administer the Green Means Go Grant and Loan Program to award competitive grants and revolving loans to cities, counties, and special districts within the Sacramento region for qualifying projects within and benefitting green zones, as defined. The bill would require SACOG, on or before November 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, to submit a report to the Legislature describing the development and administration of that program, amount of moneys awarded pursuant to that program, and status of projects for which that program’s moneys were awarded.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) “Green Means Go” is a multiyear pilot program that is part of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ 2020 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases in the six-county Sacramento region by accelerating infill development through infrastructure investments and reducing and electrifying vehicle trips.
(b) Green Means Go would allocate a proportional share of existing state grant funding to infrastructure and other investments that will create more infill housing opportunities and greater mobility, while also reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases in furtherance of the region’s 19-percent greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board in 2018.
(c) When adequately funded, Green Means Go will stimulate recovery from the economic effects of Covid-19 and improve quality of life in the region by improving local economic development, increasing housing availability, decreasing traffic congestion, and reducing development pressure on high wildfire prone areas.
(d) Green Means Go has led to local jurisdictions designating “green zones” and developing local policies to support and promote infill development and new transportation options.
(e) “Green zones” are key areas that must have infill capacity, be in an area planned for infill development, and be in a center and corridor community or established community, as identified in the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ 2020 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy.
(f) Green zones will be the laboratories for economic development projects that promote strategies to increase transportation options, including public transit, for shorter, cleaner, and fewer vehicle trips, increase housing near expanded travel options and other amenities, and make it easier for the Sacramento region to access electric vehicles for cleaner transportation.

SEC. 2.

 Section 65080.7 is added to the Government Code, to read:

65080.7.
 (a) Upon appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall develop and administer the Green Means Go Grant and Loan Program to award competitive grants and revolving loans to eligible government agencies within the Sacramento region for qualifying projects within or benefitting green zones.
(b) (1) On or before November 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall submit a report to the Legislature describing the development and administration of the Green Means Go Grant and Loan Program, amount of moneys awarded pursuant to that program, and status of projects for which that program’s moneys were awarded.
(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795.
(c) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Eligible government agency” means a county, city, or special district.
(2) “Green zone” means an area either planned for growth and supported by local policies and actions that support increased development or redevelopment in the area and identified as a center and corridor community or established community in the most recently approved Metropolitan Transportation Plan-Sustainable Communities Strategy, or designated as a green zone by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments.
(3) “Qualifying project” means a project that meets both of the following requirements:
(A) The project is consistent with the purposes of the general use, density, intensity, and applicable policies specified for the project area in the most recently approved Metropolitan Transportation Plan-Sustainable Communities Strategy.
(B) The project will support accelerating infill development within green zones by prioritizing incentives and removing barriers, including projects to improve sewage, water, or other infrastructure necessary for development.

SEC. 3.

 The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because the Sacramento Area Council of Governments is the only metropolitan planning organization for which the State Air Resources Board conditioned its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target on securing funding and commitments to implement a pilot project, which is known as “Green Means Go.”

SEC. 4.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district are the result of a program for which legislative authority was requested by that local agency or school district, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code and Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.