Draft Plan Bay Area 2050 Released; Public Invited to Comment Online or at Virtual Workshops

SAN FRANCISCO, May 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) today released the Draft Plan Bay Area 2050. After three years of public discussion and technical work, Plan Bay Area 2050 is a long-range plan charting the course for the future of the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. The Draft Plan Bay Area 2050 is being released today for a public comment period that will run through 5 p.m., Tuesday, July 20, 2021.

From envisioning a next-generation network of frequent-service transit to strategies for tackling the regional housing crisis to a pioneering suite of protections against sea level rise, Plan Bay Area 2050 takes a comprehensive look at the region's challenges and identifies actions to be advanced by all levels of government in the coming years. Available for review at planbayarea.org, the Draft Plan Bay Area 2050 focuses on four key issues: the economy, the environment, housing and transportation; outlines 35 bold strategies for growth and investment through 2050; and identifies a path to make the Bay Area more equitable for all residents and more resilient in the face of unexpected challenges.

Given the myriad challenges the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose, MTC and ABAG will hold virtual workshops and virtual public hearings through July 7, 2021. Both organizations want to hear from all Bay Area residents in order to incorporate diverse voices from across the region. Input received by MTC and ABAG will be used to further refine the draft plan. The Final Plan Bay Area 2050 is slated for approval in fall 2021.

MTC and ABAG have scheduled a plan release webinar, online workshops and virtual public hearings for comment on the Draft Plan Bay Area 2050 and associated supplemental reports, as well as on the Draft Environmental Impact Report for Plan Bay Area 2050 (slated for release the week of May 31, 2021). Residents are encouraged to attend a virtual workshop or public hearing, where they can ask questions and offer comments on these documents. Full details of workshops are listed below:

Participants without internet access can call into the events by dialing (408) 638-0968 or (888) 788-0099 (Toll Free). After calling in, participants will be prompted to enter the Webinar ID and Passcode (listed individually for all events below).

1. Draft Plan Bay Area 2050 Release Webinar
   Thursday, June 3, 2021, 9:30 am
   Webinar link: https://bayareametro.zoom.us/j/81093979590 
   Webinar ID: 810 9397 9590
   A passcode is not required to join this webinar.
   
2. Plan Bay Area 2050: East Bay Workshop
   Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
   Monday, June 14, 5:00 p.m.
   East Bay Zoom Link
   Webinar ID: 862 3482 0389
   Passcode: 179826
   
3. Plan Bay Area 2050: South Bay Workshop
   Santa Clara County
   Thursday, June 17, 12:00 p.m.
   South Bay Zoom Link
   Webinar ID: 847 2011 1308
   Passcode: 047953
   
4. Plan Bay Area 2050: West Bay Workshop
   San Francisco and San Mateo Counties
   Monday, June 28, 5:00 p.m.
   West Bay Zoom Link
   Webinar ID: 864 3393 2299
   Passcode: 628755
   
5. Plan Bay Area 2050: North Bay Workshop
   Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties
   Wednesday, June 30, 12:00 p.m.
   North Bay Zoom Link
   Webinar ID: 865 5893 1464
   Passcode: 012057

Three public hearings also are opportunities for interested residents to comment on the draft plan and its Draft Environmental Impact Report. The full list of public hearings is as follows:

1. Plan Bay Area 2050: Public Hearing #1
   Joint MTC Planning Committee with the ABAG Administrative Committee
   Friday, June 11, 9:40 a.m.
   Hearing 1 Zoom Link
   Webinar ID: 874 2787 4017
   A passcode is not required to join this hearing.
   
2. Plan Bay Area 2050: Public Hearing 2
   Tuesday, June 22, 5:30 p.m.
   Hearing 2 Zoom Link
   Webinar ID: 812 0345 4209
   Passcode: 177176
   
3. Plan Bay Area 2050: Public Hearing 3
   Wednesday, July 7, 1:30 p.m.
   Hearing 3 Zoom Link
   Webinar ID: 854 5833 8822
   Passcode: 908706

Members of the public also are encouraged to view and comment on the draft plan online at planbayarea.org. Comments will be reviewed by officials from both ABAG and MTC as they consider the adoption of the final Plan Bay Area 2050, slated for fall 2021. Written comments will be accepted via mail to MTC Public Information, Attn: Draft Plan/Draft EIR Comment, 375 Beale Street, Suite 800, San Francisco, CA, 94105; or via email (Draft Plan Bay Area 2050: [email protected]; Draft EIR: [email protected]). Comments by phone can made at (415) 778-2292.

The comment period for all documents will close on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, at 5 p.m.

Questions? Visit planbayarea.org, email [email protected] or call (415) 778-6757.

Accessible Meetings

Do you need an interpreter or any other assistance to participate? Please call 415-778-6757. We require at least three working days' notice to accommodate assistance requests. For TDD or hearing impaired, call 711, California Relay Service, or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (voice) and ask to be relayed to 415-778-6700.

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¿Necesita un intérprete o cualquier otra ayuda para participar? Llame al 415-778-6757. Requerimos un aviso de al menos tres días hábiles para atender las solicitudes de asistencia. Para personas con discapacidad auditiva o TDD, llame al 711, California Relay Service, o al 1-800-735-2929 (TTY) o al 1-800-735-2922 (voz) y pida que lo comuniquen al 415-778-6700.

ABAG is the council of governments and the regional planning agency for the 101 cities and towns, and nine counties of the Bay Area. MTC is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

SOURCE Metropolitan Transportation Commission; Association of Bay Area Governments