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County planners brief supervisors on MTC Transit‑Oriented Communities policy, warn of funding risk without compliance
Summary
Alameda County planners described MTC's Transit‑Oriented Communities policy for Bay Fair and Castro Valley BART areas, explained density, FAR and parking targets tied to future funding (OBAG/REAP), and said the county applied for planning grants and will return Feb. 20 with a recommended resolution to seek compliance options.
County planning staff told the committee that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) will prioritize future transportation and planning funds for jurisdictions that adopt MTC’s Transit‑Oriented Communities (TOC) policies.
Angelica Gonzalez, senior planner with Alameda County’s Community Development Agency, said the county applied for MTC planning grants and that beginning in 2025 MTC funding could be contingent on TOC policy adoption. "Future funding will prioritize projects near transit stations that comply with the TOC policy," she said, noting OBAG (a regional transportation grant stream) and REAP planning funds as examples county programs that could be affected.
Olivia Ortiz described the policy’s four components: residential and commercial density targets, station access and circulation, parking‑management standards, and affordable‑housing production/preservation/protection. She identified Bay Fair as a Tier 2 site (higher targets) and Castro Valley as Tier 3, and gave sample targets (Bay Fair average minimum ~75 dwelling units per acre, average maximum at least 100; Castro Valley: 50 min/75 max; commercial FAR targets: Bay Fair min average FAR ~3, max ~6).
On parking management the policy would remove minimum parking requirements for new residential or commercial development in station areas, set maximums (for example, Bay Fair maximum 0.5 spaces per dwelling unit; Castro Valley max 1 space/unit), require secure bicycle parking and allow parking sharing/unbundling. Staff noted overlap with state laws (AB 2097 and AB 1317). For affordable housing the policy requires a menu of options across production, preservation and protection; staff said existing county work (an Eden Community Land Trust preservation award, a mobile‑home park overlay ordinance in development and a just‑cause eviction ordinance) already meets part of the protections requirements.
Gonzalez and Ortiz said the county applied for approximately $2.4 million in planning grants to fund consultant work and ordinance development and that recipients would be announced tentatively in March. If awarded, staff would use grant funding for detailed engagement, zoning and general‑plan amendments (Eden Area and Castro Valley chapters), parking‑management studies and work to advance shelter-bed and affordable-housing solutions where appropriate.
Supervisors asked about Municipal Advisory Council feedback (Castro Valley MAC had concerns about density and parking; Eden MAC was more supportive), outreach to property owners and whether shelter beds and county housing funding could be dovetailed with TOD projects. Staff said outreach to landowners (including BART) and early meetings are planned and that the grant-funded planning process would examine how to balance density targets with local concerns.
Staff will return to the Board at a planning meeting on Feb. 20 with recommended ordinances and a resolution committing to pursue TOC compliance to retain eligibility for MTC planning and discretionary funds.
