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Orinda Watch's cheat sheet on why Plan Bay Area is not right for our city.

THE EXPERT REPORTS AND CITIZEN COMMENTS AGAINST PLAN BAY AREA   

A Population Forecast - The San Francisco Bay Area, May 2013, Beacon Economics and 
Tom Rubin cover letter to Beacon Economics comment - Beacon Economics.  One of the nation's leading economic forecasting firms. Based in California , active in the Bay Area. Critique of ABAG (and Plan Bay Area's) forecasts and forecasting methodology.

Al Dugan, Bob Ratto, Tina McMillan comment letter on forecasts  -  Concerns about ABAG’s forecasts.

Chris Engl-Comments to Plan Bay Area  -  Chris Engl, citizen.  Plan dramatically underfunds local road and bridge maintenance in order to fund massive transit projects that will not lead to net new transit ridership or to environmental benefits.

City of Corte Madera comment letter  -  the first city to vote to exit ABAG; a model letter for all Bay Area cities on how a City Council should respond to Plan Bay Area.

Wendell Cox Comments to Plan Bay Area  -  Wendell Cox, national expert in planning.

Linda Pfeifer Comment on Plan Bay Area DEIR and Plan - Sausalito city council member writing as individual citizen. Concerns about the Plan.

  Panos Prevedouros comments on software modeling of Plan  and  
Panos Prevedouros comments on transportation elements - Panos Prevedouros, University of Hawaii.  One of the nation's leading experts in transportation planning, and the uses of software modeling in land use and transportation planning.  Two reports (one on modeling, one on on transportation elements of the Plan).

 Paul Magginetti comment letter, citizen. What happens when a Plan Bay Area high density transit oriented project gets proposed for your town (in Paul’s case, San Carlos)? A cautionary warning for all of us.

 Peter Gordon comment letter  and   
Peter Gordon comment letter part 2 -  Peter Gordon.  Expert in land use.  Report on how regional master plans like this have not tended to lead to results that have been predicted for them by proponents.

 Peter Singleton, Bay Area Citizens, Plan Bay Area Comment  -  Peter Singleton, citizen.  Inadequate process; impact of California MPG regulations treated differently depending on whether those impacts helped the Plan, or hurt it; No Project alternative defined unreasonably and guaranteed to fail.

 Randal O'Toole comment letter  -  Randal O'Toole, national expert in planning

 Sharon Ruston, Sustainable TamAlmonte comment letter - Concerns about environmental impacts of the Plan.

 Susan Kirsch comment letter  -  Susan Kirsch, citizen. Inadequate process.

 Tom Rubin comment letter  - Tom Rubin, national transportation expert.  Report on transportation elements of the Plan.

 Bob Silvestri comment letter on GHG emissions, author of "The Best Laid Plans: Our Planning and Affordable Housing Challenges in Marin", architect, environmentalist, former affordable housing developer, and community activist - establishes that high density transit-oriented development increases, rather than decreases GHGs, and the best housing solution for environmental benefits are dispersed, ecologically-sensitive smaller developments all over the Bay Area and northern California, as well as renovation and improvement of existing low density units. 

Bob Silvestri comment letter on Plan Bay Area housing elements, author of "The Best Laid Plans: Our Planning and Affordable Housing Challenges in Marin", architect, environmentalist, former affordable housing developer, and community activist - establishes that high density TOD does nothing to meet the housing needs for suburban, exurban, and rural areas, and in fact precludes the kind of housing that already exists (both longstanding types of housing, and new innovative housing types that individuals, landowners and small local developers are creating), and will thus result in a sharp reversal of the goals that SB 375 and Plan Bay Area purport to be meeting.

 Greg Schmid comment letter -  Greg Schmid - Palo Alto city councilman writing in his own capacity as citizen.  Eminent forecaster and economist, concerns that ABAG's population forecasts are too high, and regarding ABAG's forecasting methodology.

Chet Martine comment letter - Chet Martine - citizen and former patents attorney.  This detailed criticism of the "No Project" alternative defined in the ABAG/MTC Environmental Impact Report (EIR) objects to the limited scope of that definition-- which assumes urban growth boundaries will expand into greenfield locations if Plan Bay Area (PBA) is not implemented.  The study: (i) asserts that in defining "No Project", the EIR omits key existing conditions about the transit-oriented locations and extensive amount of housing construction and permits over a recent ten year period (all without PBA) & (ii) requests substantial amendment to the "No Project" definition to bring the EIR into compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act.  

John Charles comment letter -  John Charles.  Expert in land use, especially in Portland.  Portland is the poster child for transit oriented development.  Massive public expenditures and limitations on individual citizens' choices, never delivered even a fraction of the results promised by proponents

Richard Hall + Quiet and Safe San Rafael comment letter - Carefully reasoned and documented analysis of key deficiencies of the Plan that calls into question the need, let alone the justification, for the Plan's policy elements, as well as their efficacy.

 Richard Colman comment letter - Richard Colman, citizen.  Raises concerns about legitimacy of ABAG and MTC, California's heavy tax burdens for businesses and individuals, and Plan Bay Area's forecasts for job growth.

Bruce London comment letter on DEIR - Bruce London, citizen.  Discusses adverse visual impacts, financial harm to homeowners, unfunded increased impacts on essential public services (fire, safety, schools, etc), improper public notification and hearing process, and removing voters from decision-making process.

Denise Beck comment letter, Denise Beck, citizen.   Questions Plan Bay Area impact on water resources.

 Marin Conservation League Plan Bay Area Comments, David Schnapf, Marin Conservation League President.  Discusses Sea level, feasibility of Plan Bay Area to meet goals; need for better coordination between land use/transportation; Affordable housing; 4-year review without guidelines; weakens CEQA; lacking true public outreach.  With regards to the DEIR, questions population & jobs numbers, loss of local control, CEQA, climate change/sea rise, land-use, biological resources, public utilities and facilities (water), public services and recreation.

Marinwood Plan Bay Area Comment Letter, Stephen Nestel representing Organized Residents of Marinwood.  Letter signed by over 400 people and discusses 1. Inadequate public ed and outreach, 2. Toxins along transit corridor, 3. Unreliable data, 4.  Housing assumptions, 5. GHG, 6. American Dream housing, 7.  Need for cars

Linda Rames Comment Letter, Linda Rames, Citizen & real estate agent.  Questions the impact on water, public services, and recreation.

Ann Spake Plan Bay Area & EIR Comment letter, Ann Spake, citizen.  Addresses: 1. Impact Assessments, 2. Impact Significance Criteria – CEQA, 3. Implementation of PDA selection w/o public input, 4. Transportation Impact, 5. Air Quality Impact, 6. Land Use and Housing Impact, 7. Energy Impact, 8. Noise Impact, 9. Geology and Seismicity, 10. Water Resources-Flood Hazards, 11. Sea Level Rise and Inundation, 12. Biological Resources, 13. Visual Resources, 14. Public Utilities, 15. Public Services and Recreation, 16. Hazards, 17. Employment, 18. Growth-inducing Effects, 19. CEQA Required Conclusions

Marin Water Coalition Comment Letter, Kerry Stoebner JD, Marin Water Coalition.  Addresses impacts on water supply.

Toni Shroyer Comment Letter, Toni Shroyer, Citizen.  Addresses public safety issues especially as it favors developers.  Also how Plan Bay Area ignores public comments.

 Jim Shroyer Comment Letter, Jim Shroyer, Citizen.  Asks for 'No Project', suggests the DEIR is using data from 2005.

Liz Specht Comment Letter, Liz Specht, Citizen.  Voices water supply concerns; includes report from Pacific Institute entitled "Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Seawater Desalination in California".

Peter Hensel Comment Letter, Peter Hensel, Citizen.  Addresses concerns over water supply issues AND
Peter Hensel Comment Letter, entitled "In Violation of CEQA, PBA And Its PDA’s Will Destroy Established Neighborhoods".  

Luke Teyssier Comment Letter, Luke Teyssier, Citizen.  Letter addresses: 
1. Failure to Adequately Disclose, Analyze, and Mitigate Impacts to Local Business
2. Water Impacts
3. Flawed dates re: GHG projections
4. CEQA streamlining
5. Reduction of GHG