Lafayette council objects to MTC transit-oriented communities policy, will send letter asking reconsideration

The Lafayette City Council on Oct. 14 voted to send a letter to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission asking the agency to reconsider its recently adopted Transit‑Oriented Communities policy and associated grant rubric.

City staff told the council the MTC policy, while described as voluntary, ties eligibility for One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) funding to a points‑based menu of land‑use, parking and housing measures. The city manager said the policy would “encourage higher density development around transit stops” and that “funding…is tied to compliance with that policy.” Staff reported that reaching the 85 percent points threshold MTC set would require changes inconsistent with Lafayette’s General Plan and would impose significant financial and regulatory burdens on a smaller jurisdiction.

The council’s move came after several council members described the policy as a…