Livable Communities Working Group Meeting

The South Bay Cities Council of Governments Livable Communities Working Group is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, November 19, 2014. 

MEETING TIME:  2:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.   

LOCATION:  South Bay Environmental Services Center, 20285 So. Western Avenue, Suite 100, Torrance 90501

The meeting agenda is posted below. 

To LCWG Members;

November 19 will be our final meeting of 2014.  And the agenda is not only full but includes information of great significance to cities. Community Development Department Directors might consider attending. 

Robert Calix of Metro will present the brand new “bicycle model” developed by Cambridge Systematics with a large committee of experts from around the world  This model translates inputs such as bike lane miles and bike lockers into forecasts of cyclers at the city scale.  You should attend in order to evaluate the utility of the model for local planning purposes. 

Second, I will share what we are learning about the new “Cap and Trade” grant program.  This is a giant source of state funds dedicated to projects and programs that qualify as advancing “sustainability.”  Sustainability for the purpose of this program means reducing Metric Tons of CO2. 

A total of $832 million in auction funding has been allocated through FY 2015-16 across 12 project categories administered by various state agencies. Some of the categories are one time allocations.  In subsequent years the funding allocation is expected to grow to over $1 billion annually.  The upcoming funding opportunities are of monumental importance to cities interested in advancing their sustainability programs.  Also, fully 25% of the funds must be invested in “disadvantaged communities” and the South Bay has around 12 census tracts that qualify.  The COG’s Steering Committee requested a speaker to describe the program to the Board members at their November 20 meeting.  Many planning departments will be asked to get involved. 

Depending on the time remaining, I will provide an overview of the plans to develop the land use and transportation chapters of a sub-regional climate action plan as well as to complete the CAPs for the cities that has been underway for a while.  

Dan Sturges will be back to share his latest thinking on mobility innovations.  Dan, Jacki and I are heading to Google HQ on November 21 to present our sustainability strategy and NEV Demonstration research findings to its “Team X” – the group responsible for designing the self-driving Google Car.  This will be the PPT deck Dan plans to present. 

A load of new research on car/ride/bike sharing has just been published by Susan Shaheen of UCB.  Dan will summarize these new reports.  This work is the most thorough understanding produced by the research community of these new mobility services – which could play a role in sustainability programs. 

Jacki will add a few comments on the February, 2015 General Assembly.  Next meeting; January 21, 2015.

Hope to see you next Wednesday.  As usual, please RSVP to Rosie Lackow at [email protected].    

Wally Siembab

310 645 1129