?il Is 4' -. Ryan J. Alsop gang CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER COUNTY June 16, 2020 Board of Supervisors Kern County Administrative Center 1 1 15 Truxtun Avenue Bakers?eld, CA 93301 DELAYING VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED (VMT) REQUIREMENTS OF SB 743 (STEINBERG, 2013) Fiscal Impact: None This is to request your Board adopt a position in support of delaying the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) requirements of SB 743 (Steinberg, 2013). Due to Legislative changes adopted in 2013, beginning July 1, 2020, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) will require projects in California to account for how many new miles of automobile travel they produce, rather than how much congestion they produce. The amount of driving, as measured by VMT, will be the new lens for assessing transportation impacts on the environment for projects subject to EQA. The effect on cities and counties may not be immediate, but it will be profound in the long run and will change the way planners analyze projects. Implementation of the VMT standard, as recommended by the Governor's Of?ce of Flaming and Research, will require that new developments achieve a 15% reduction in VMT. Considering that the State of California is in the midst of a housing affordability crisis and is in desperate need of more affordable housing options, making new housing signi?cantly more expensive by imposing VMT reduction requirements on new projects will only serve to exacerbate the State?s housing affordability crisis. The California Building Industry Association estimates that 10,000 Californians are priced out of a home for each $1,000 added to the overall cost of a project. Rural communities throughout the Central Valley already lag behind other parts of California in terms of economic development and many of our rural communities will be disproportionately affected by the implementation of VMT standards created by SB 743 because many of our residents must drive longer distances to find employment in urban centers. Simply put, VMT builds barriers to the creation of jobs. housing, and infrastructure development in rural communities. Making matters worse, the recession has driven a surge in unemployment and will significantly worsen the economic hurdles facing Kem and the Central Valley. From a public policy standpoint, the sensible and appropriate approach should be to delay the implementation of the VMT standard for a minimum of two years until the disastrous effects of the recession have subsided enough to pursue a path forward that benefits Kern County citizens, businesses. and workers. 1 f? 7: 11.15 Truxtun Are 5th Floor Bakers?eld CA. 93301 661. 868 3198 - TTY Relay 800 735 2929 CAOMaItBox@KemCounty com Board of Supervisors Delaying Vehicle Miles Traveled Requirement Of SB 743 (Steinberg, 2013) June 16, 2020 Page 2 Therefore, IT IS RECOMMENDED that your Board adopt a position in support of delaying the VMT requirements of SB 743 and authorize the Chair to Sign correspondence to the appropriate of?cials. Sincerel ief Administrative Of?cer Attachment cc: Kern County Planning and Natural Kern County Public Works Kern Council of Governments esources Department BOARD or SUPERVISORS KATHLEEN KRAUSE SUPERVISORS CLERK or BOARD or SUPERVISORS Mick Gleason District 1 Kern County Administrative Center Zack Scrivner District 2 1115 Truxtun Avenue, 5th Floor Mike Maggard District 3 BakerS?elCl, California 93301 David R. Couch District 4 Telephone (661) 8683585 Leticia Perez District 5 June 16, 2020 I 1 Relay 800735-2929 The Honorable Gavin Newsom Governor of California State Capitol Sacramento, CA 95814 RE: DELAYING VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED (VMT) REQUIREMENTS OF SB 743 (STEINBERG, 2013) Dear Governor Newsom, The Kern County Board of Supervisors respectfully requests that your Administration delay implementation of the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) requirements of SB 743 (Steinberg, 2013). Due to Legislative changes adopted in 2013, beginning July 1, 2020, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) will require projects in California to account for how many new miles of automobile travel they produce, rather than how much congestion they produce. The amount of driving, as measured by VMT, will be the new lens for assessing transportation impacts on the environment for projects subject to CEQA. The effect on cities and counties may not be immediate, but it will be profound in the long run and will change the way planners analyze projects. Implementation ofthe VMT standard, as recommended by your Office of Planning and Research, will require that new developments achieve a 15% reduction in VMT. Considering that the State of California is in the midst of a housing affordability crisis and is in desperate need of more affordable housing options, making new housing signi?cantly more expensive by imposing VMT reduction requirements on new projects will only serve to exacerbate the State?s housing affordability crisis. The California Building Industry Association estimates that 10,000 Californians are priced out ofa home for each $1,000 added to the overall cost ofa project. Rural communities throughout the Central Valley already lag behind other parts of California in terms of economic development and many of our rural communities will be disproportionately affected by the implementation of VMT standards created by SB 743 because many of our residents must drive longer distances to find employment in urban centers. Simply put, VMT requirements build barriers to the creation of jobs, housing, and infrastructure development in rural communities. Making matters worse, the recession has driven a surge in unemployment and will significantly worsen the economic hurdles facing Kern and the Central Valley. From a public policy standpoint, the sensible and appropriate approach should be to delay the implementation ofthe VMT standard for a minimum oftwo years until the disastrous effects ofthe COVID- 9 recession have subsided enough to pursue a path forward that benefits a_ll citizens, businesses, and workers across the State of California. Sincerely, Leticia Perez, Chair Kern County Board of Supervisors cc: Ms. Kate Gordon, Governor?s Office of Planning and Research Honorable Members of the Kern Legislative Delegation Shaw Yoder Antwih Schmelzer Lange