2015 Public Participation Plan Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments April 2015 0 Table of Contents I. Introduction _______________________________________________________________ Pages 1‐3 II. Regional Roles and Responsibilities ____________________________________________ Pages 4‐13 III. Public Participation Requirements ___________________________________________ Pages 14‐26 IV. Public Participation Procedures and Development Process _______________________ Pages 27‐30 V. Interested Parties and Public Engagement _____________________________________ Pages 31‐35 VI. Accountability ______________________________________________________________ Page 36 Appendices Appendix A: List of Acronyms Appendix B: Public Participation Practices by Agency Appendix C: Partner Transportation Agency Contacts Appendix D: List of Stakeholders and Community Groups Appendix E: Federal and State Regulations Concerning Interested Parties, Public Involvement and Consultation Appendix F: Best Practices Guide of Public Participation Strategies Appendix G: Public Comments and Staff Responses on the Draft 2015 Public Participation Plan Appendix H: Public Notice for the Draft 2015 Public Participation Plan I. Introduction occurred with the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 375 in 2008. Background Summary The “Monterey Bay region” covers the 18 The 2015 Public Participation Plan has been cities and three counties within AMBAG’s prepared in collaboration with the Council of tri‐county area of Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito County Governments (SBtCOG), San Benito Counties (Figure 1‐1). the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC), the The Association of Monterey Bay Area Transportation Agency for Monterey County Governments (AMBAG) is a federal (TAMC), and the California Department of designated Metropolitan Planning Transportation (Caltrans) District 5, with Organization (MPO), and also serves as the additional input and review by Monterey‐ regional forum for the study and discussion Salinas Transit (MST), Santa Cruz of regionally significant issues, which include Metropolitan Transit District (Santa Cruz but are not limited to: housing, METRO or SCMTD), San Benito County Local transportation, energy efficiency, water Transportation Authority (LTA) and the cities conservation, and environmental quality. and counties in the tri‐county Association of Elected officials within the Monterey Bay Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) region’s 18 cities and three counties form metropolitan planning region. the AMBAG’s Board of Directors. The purpose of this plan is to provide In pursuing its mission, “AMBAG provides guidance to our partner agencies and local strategic leadership and services to analyze, jurisdictions in the structuring of regional plan and implement regional policies for the transportation planning processes to ensure benefit of the Counties and Cities of the that, to the greatest extent possible, Monterey Bay region balancing local control interagency consultation and public with regional collaboration.” AMBAG strives participation are an integral and continuing to inform and involve its local jurisdictions part of the regional transportation planning and the general public throughout its various and decision making process. programs, projects, and work activities conducted by the agency. The public participation policies and procedures described in this plan are AMBAG and our partner agencies in the structured to comply with all applicable Monterey Bay region seek the participation federal and state legislation, rules, and of a diverse set of communities with an express the genuine regional value and interest in regional planning efforts, interest for all residents of the Monterey Bay including low income households, minority region to participate in the shaping and populations, Limited English Proficiency implementation of regional policies and (LEP) populations, persons with disabilities, decisions regarding the region’s multimodal representatives from community and service transportation system. organizations, tribal organizations, and other public agencies. The 2015 Public Participation Plan was developed to conform to the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP‐ 21) legislation, and pursuant to changes in the California Government Code 65080 that 1 Figure 1‐1 (AMBAG, April 2015) 2 The seven guiding principles for our partner agencies (TAMC, SBtCOG, public participation are as follows: SCCRTC, MST, Santa Cruz METRO, LTA) have taken this opportunity to update the 2015 1. Valuing public participation and Public Participation Plan to further improve promoting broad based involvement by transportation decision making in the region members of the community and to reach out to underserved 2. Providing varied opportunities for public communities within the Monterey Bay review and input region more effectively. 3. Treating all members of the public fairly, and respecting and considering all public input as an important component of the planning and implementation process 4. Promoting a culture of dialogue and partnership among residents, property owners, the business community, organizations, other interested members of the public, and public officials 5. Involving underserved communities and community groups, as well as other organizations 6. Encouraging active public participation throughout the entire process 7. Providing communications and agency reports that are clear, timely and broadly distributed AMBAG and our partner agencies perform a broad range of public participation and stakeholder engagement activities, such as: • Conducting public meetings • Establishing standing and ad hoc committees • Partnering on studies and projects • Providing educational and informational programs in accordance with statutory and regulatory directives All of the activities listed above are open to public involvement and review. AMBAG and 3 II. Regional Roles and Responsibilities agreement, AMBAG provides a forum for policy and planning issues of regional AMBAG, as the designated Metropolitan significance. AMBAG acts as the regional Planning Organization (MPO), must follow Council of Governments (COG) for Santa Federal and State legislation when Cruz and Monterey Counties and since 1968 developing and programming transportation has been designated by the Governor as the projects. Regional Transportation Planning MPO for the Monterey Bay region. Agencies (RTPAs) are required to follow Federal legislation and State legislation as Membership of the Association of Monterey well if they are utilizing federal funding. Bay Area Governments includes 21 Federal and State Legislation requirements jurisdictions within Monterey, San Benito, related to the Public Participation Plan can and Santa Cruz counties. An elected official be found in Appendix E. from each jurisdiction is appointed by that jurisdiction’s City Council or Board of State Department of Transportation Supervisors, with each of the 18 cities The California Department of represented by one member and each of the Transportation (Caltrans) ‐ District 5 three counties by two members, forming the Caltrans oversees the state transportation 24 member AMBAG Board of Directors. A planning, and the metropolitan representative from TAMC, SBtCOG, SCCRTC, transportation planning and programming Caltrans, and the Monterey Unified Air processes. Caltrans’ primary responsibility is Pollution Control District each serve as an to ensure the function of the state highway ex‐officio member. system and develop transportation projects AMBAG, as the MPO for the Monterey Bay of statewide importance, including intercity region, is charged with developing and rail projects. periodically updating a federal long range The State Transportation Improvement transportation plan and transportation Program (STIP) includes transportation improvement program for the region, as well projects from throughout California, as developing an annual Overall Work including those from all Monterey Bay Area Program (OWP). These statutory jurisdictions for approval to the California requirements are satisfied throughout the Transportation Commission (CTC), a policy development process of updating the making body appointed by the Governor and Metropolitan Transportation Plan and State legislature. In the Monterey Bay Sustainable Communities Strategy region, Caltrans District 5 is the liaison (MTP/SCS), the Metropolitan Transportation between our partner agencies and Caltrans Improvement Program (MTIP), and the Headquarters. Overall Work Program (OWP). Metropolitan Planning Organization Below is an organizational chart of how Association of Monterey Bay Area federal, state and local funding sources Governments (AMBAG) generally funnel into each agency’s projects Formed under a joint powers agreement in and programs (Figure 2‐1). 1968, AMBAG is a voluntary association of cities and counties for the Monterey Bay region. Established by a joint powers 4 Figure 2‐1 (AMBAG, April 2015) The Metropolitan Transportation Plan and Strategy (SCS) contained in this Plan requires Sustainable Communities Strategy the proposed transportation solutions to (MTP/SCS) meet or further reduce the adopted Adopted in June 2014, the 2035 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions target goals Metropolitan Transportation specifically allocated for the Monterey Bay Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (also region set forth by the state. AMBAG is known as Moving Forward 2035 Monterey beginning the process to update the 2035 Bay or MTP/SCS)