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Council accepts $270,000 MTC TOC grant; members express concern about density language
Summary
The council accepted a $270,000 Metropolitan Transportation Commission grant to support transit-oriented community policy work but several members voiced concern about minimum density language and how it could affect single-family areas within a half-mile of BART.
The El Cerrito City Council on May 20 accepted a $270,000 grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to support work to implement MTC—s Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) policy and to help the city pursue zoning changes and capital projects near its two BART stations.
Staff and the city—s planning consultant said the grant funds would pay for consultant work to align local zoning with MTC—s TOC requirements and to prepare the city for eligibility for larger capital programs (the packet referenced past awards totaling about $9.78 million in One Bay Area funding for Ohlone Greenway projects). Jeff Ballantine, the city—s senior planner, noted links to MTC—s adopted policy (MTC Resolution 4530, 2022) were included in the agenda bill and that the RFP referenced in the staff report was for consultants in MTC—s pool, not a city deadline.
Several councilmembers and multiple public speakers asked for clarity on the policy—s density guidance. Staff stated the TOC policy sets minimum/average density expectations for qualifying sites within a half-mile of regional transit hubs; staff emphasized that the metric is applied as an average across a set of parcels and that the grant-funded work would include economic feasibility analysis and public engagement to tailor outcomes to El Cerrito—s character. City attorney staff also said accepting grant funds does not legally compel the council to approve zoning changes; any actual changes would require Planning Commission review, public outreach and council approval.
Ending: The council approved the consent calendar that included acceptance of the TOC grant. Staff will use the grant to fund consultant work, economic feasibility analysis and public engagement; councilmembers asked for careful outreach and for staff to explore concentrating higher density in San Pablo Avenue and other appropriate areas rather than dispersing large scale density into single-family neighborhoods.
