FAQ
What are the driving factors behind the Regional Blueprint Planning Program?
The formation and ongoing success of the Regional Blueprint Planning Program is an acknowledgement that individual issues such as traffic congestion, the provision of public services, air quality, public health, and a myriad of other issues cannot be addressed or resolved one by one.
Like an organism, a community or region is a complex assembly of individual elements whose success is largely determined by their function as a whole. Transportation system efficiency, for instance, is inescapably tied to where people live, work, and shop; the economy depends upon an effective transportation system to thrive; and public health is dependent upon how we treat the natural environment. One cannot expect to fully address a singular issue without consideration of its interdependency on other natural, man-made, and/or political features of the landscape. It is a holistic approach for the purpose of resolving a variety of very real issues. It is about a program of improvements, public investments, and policy decisions that cumulatively mean much more than they do individually.
Will SF>> replace the General Plan and/or other planning processes?
No. SF>> accentuates rather than replaces existing planning processes by introducing new planning tools, new data, and additional public input. The General Plan and other planning efforts will continue and serve the same purpose they do today.
What's wrong with the way we're planning and growing right now? After all, everything seems fine to me!
There is no one 'right' or 'wrong' way to grow - but there are different costs and benefits associated with the choices we make. Through the scenario planning process, we can better understand the long-term affect of the decisions we're making today. To put it another way: If we continue to plan and grow as we are now, will we continue enjoy the same benefits and quality of life years into the future? If we cannot answer this question in the affirmative, then let's test some alternative future scenarios to see if we can improve the outlook.
Is a Regional Blueprint Plan a regulatory document?
The regional vision, when completed, may be incorporated into local general plans and programs by each respective city council and the County Board as they see fit.
At the state level, recently passed and proposed legislation will tap into Blueprint-related modeling capabilities as a way for regions to plan for and meet new green house gas related regulations, including AB 32 (climate change law enacted in 2006) and SB 375 (green house gas emission reduction law enacted in 2008). Note: these laws and associated regulations would exist with or without ShastaFORWARD>>. With ShastaFORWARD>>, the region will have a forum, the tools, and methodology needed to comply with these laws. This is important in order to attract state and federal transportation funding and to remain competitive in various housing and transportation related grant programs.
Keep in mind that a Blueprint is generated internally within our region and is therefore based on our unique community values and priorities. This, in and of itself, is a compelling reason to develop and be consistent with a regional blueprint plan, regardless of any outside encouragement or incentives.
Is SF>> a special interest project in sheep's clothing?
SF>> is community-driven. Examine our process. Examine the extensive public input. Examine the results. Success means empowering folks to imagine and realize their ideal vision of Shasta County. This can best be accomplished by creating a shared understanding of the issues and then giving citizens the power to explore their own ideas.
SF>> provides the forum for a broad range of individuals to express their values, the tools to help visualize and evaluate possible new growth directions, and the opportunity to vote for the growth scenario that best represents those priorities. The intent is to make meaningful improvements (see Goals & Objectives) to the status quo, but there is no presupposition as to exactly what those values are and how residents will seek a balance them. What is certain is that every effort will be made to craft a transparent process and to document/report all public input.
Who's sponsoring the project you may ask? Project funding comes through the California Regional Blueprint Planning Program. This program – originally created under the Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD) – is now administered by Caltrans. The balance of funding comes from the Shasta County Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA). Although SF>> has a much broader scope than transportation, you should know that we’re specifically looking for ways to maximize the benefit of existing transportation infrastructure, maintain regional mobility, and provide meaningful transportation choices.
How is SF>> different from existing planning processes?
SF>> will address growth and development from a regional perspective, beyond jurisdictional boundaries. SF>> looks out to 2050, well beyond the traditional 20 year planning horizon. SF>> will be a much more accessible, approachable, and engaging process than what most folks have learned to expect; no need to slog through thick reports and technical data in order to participate.
Is there a difference between a 'Sustainable Communities Strategy' (as described in Senate Bill 375) and a regional blueprint?
Senate Bill 375 is follow up legislation to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32). A portion of SB 375 requires regions to come up with a 'sustainable communities strategy' that reduces green house gas emissions from cars and light trucks as a result of urban sprawl.
ShastaFORWARD>> provides the modeling capabilities to project regional emissions under different land use scenarios. The regional growth vision created through ShastaFORWARD>> may qualify as 'sustainable communities strategy', but it's too early to know. Regional green house gas reduction targets will not be known until sometime in 2010. Until we know what we're shooting for and what the region's preferred growth scenario is, it's impossible to say if the ShastaFORWARD>> process can also meet the requirements of a sustainable communities plan.
Have a question that's not answered here? Contact us!
The formation and ongoing success of the Regional Blueprint Planning Program is an acknowledgement that individual issues such as traffic congestion, the provision of public services, air quality, public health, and a myriad of other issues cannot be addressed or resolved one by one.
Like an organism, a community or region is a complex assembly of individual elements whose success is largely determined by their function as a whole. Transportation system efficiency, for instance, is inescapably tied to where people live, work, and shop; the economy depends upon an effective transportation system to thrive; and public health is dependent upon how we treat the natural environment. One cannot expect to fully address a singular issue without consideration of its interdependency on other natural, man-made, and/or political features of the landscape. It is a holistic approach for the purpose of resolving a variety of very real issues. It is about a program of improvements, public investments, and policy decisions that cumulatively mean much more than they do individually.
Will SF>> replace the General Plan and/or other planning processes?
No. SF>> accentuates rather than replaces existing planning processes by introducing new planning tools, new data, and additional public input. The General Plan and other planning efforts will continue and serve the same purpose they do today.
What's wrong with the way we're planning and growing right now? After all, everything seems fine to me!
There is no one 'right' or 'wrong' way to grow - but there are different costs and benefits associated with the choices we make. Through the scenario planning process, we can better understand the long-term affect of the decisions we're making today. To put it another way: If we continue to plan and grow as we are now, will we continue enjoy the same benefits and quality of life years into the future? If we cannot answer this question in the affirmative, then let's test some alternative future scenarios to see if we can improve the outlook.
Is a Regional Blueprint Plan a regulatory document?
The regional vision, when completed, may be incorporated into local general plans and programs by each respective city council and the County Board as they see fit.
At the state level, recently passed and proposed legislation will tap into Blueprint-related modeling capabilities as a way for regions to plan for and meet new green house gas related regulations, including AB 32 (climate change law enacted in 2006) and SB 375 (green house gas emission reduction law enacted in 2008). Note: these laws and associated regulations would exist with or without ShastaFORWARD>>. With ShastaFORWARD>>, the region will have a forum, the tools, and methodology needed to comply with these laws. This is important in order to attract state and federal transportation funding and to remain competitive in various housing and transportation related grant programs.
Keep in mind that a Blueprint is generated internally within our region and is therefore based on our unique community values and priorities. This, in and of itself, is a compelling reason to develop and be consistent with a regional blueprint plan, regardless of any outside encouragement or incentives.
Is SF>> a special interest project in sheep's clothing?
SF>> is community-driven. Examine our process. Examine the extensive public input. Examine the results. Success means empowering folks to imagine and realize their ideal vision of Shasta County. This can best be accomplished by creating a shared understanding of the issues and then giving citizens the power to explore their own ideas.
SF>> provides the forum for a broad range of individuals to express their values, the tools to help visualize and evaluate possible new growth directions, and the opportunity to vote for the growth scenario that best represents those priorities. The intent is to make meaningful improvements (see Goals & Objectives) to the status quo, but there is no presupposition as to exactly what those values are and how residents will seek a balance them. What is certain is that every effort will be made to craft a transparent process and to document/report all public input.
Who's sponsoring the project you may ask? Project funding comes through the California Regional Blueprint Planning Program. This program – originally created under the Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD) – is now administered by Caltrans. The balance of funding comes from the Shasta County Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA). Although SF>> has a much broader scope than transportation, you should know that we’re specifically looking for ways to maximize the benefit of existing transportation infrastructure, maintain regional mobility, and provide meaningful transportation choices.
How is SF>> different from existing planning processes?
SF>> will address growth and development from a regional perspective, beyond jurisdictional boundaries. SF>> looks out to 2050, well beyond the traditional 20 year planning horizon. SF>> will be a much more accessible, approachable, and engaging process than what most folks have learned to expect; no need to slog through thick reports and technical data in order to participate.
Is there a difference between a 'Sustainable Communities Strategy' (as described in Senate Bill 375) and a regional blueprint?
Senate Bill 375 is follow up legislation to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32). A portion of SB 375 requires regions to come up with a 'sustainable communities strategy' that reduces green house gas emissions from cars and light trucks as a result of urban sprawl.
ShastaFORWARD>> provides the modeling capabilities to project regional emissions under different land use scenarios. The regional growth vision created through ShastaFORWARD>> may qualify as 'sustainable communities strategy', but it's too early to know. Regional green house gas reduction targets will not be known until sometime in 2010. Until we know what we're shooting for and what the region's preferred growth scenario is, it's impossible to say if the ShastaFORWARD>> process can also meet the requirements of a sustainable communities plan.
Have a question that's not answered here? Contact us!
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