The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
The San Joaquin Valley has a serious air pollution problem that will take the cooperation of land use and transportation planning agencies, transit operators, the development community, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the public to solve. The solution to the problem requires changes in the way we have traditionally built our communities and constructed the transportation systems. It involves a fundamental shift in priorities from emphasis on mobility for the occupants of private automobiles to a multimodal system that more efficiently uses scarce resources. It requires a change in attitude from the public to support development patterns and transportation systems different from the status quo.
In 2003 the district published a document entitled, Air Quality Guidelines for General Plans. This report is a comprehensive guidance document and resource for cities and counties to use to include air quality in their general plans. It includes goals, policies, and programs that when adopted in a general plan will reduce vehicle trips and miles traveled and improve air quality.
Air quality guidelines are recommended strategies that do, when it is feasible, all of the following:
Determine and mitigate project level and cumulative air quality impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code).
Integrate land use plans, transportation plans, and air quality plans.
Plan land uses in ways that support a multimodal transportation system.
Local action to support programs that reduce congestion and vehicle trips.
Plan land uses to minimize exposure to toxic air pollutant emissions from industrial and other sources.
Reduce particulate matter emissions from sources under local jurisdiction.
Support district and public utility programs to reduce emissions from energy consumption and area sources.
The benefits of including air quality concerns within local general plans include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
Lower infrastructure costs.
Lower public service costs.
More efficient transit service.
Lower costs for comprehensive planning.
Streamlining of the permit process.
Improved mobility for the elderly and children.
The legislative body of each city and county within the jurisdictional boundaries of the district shall amend the appropriate elements of its general plan, which may include, but are not limited to, the required elements dealing with land use, circulation, housing, conservation, and open space, to include data and analysis, goals, policies, and objectives, and feasible implementation strategies to improve air quality.
The adoption of air quality amendments to a general plan to comply with the requirements of subdivision (d) shall include all of the following:
A report describing local air quality conditions including air quality monitoring data, emission inventories, lists of significant source categories, attainment status and designations, and applicable state and federal air quality plans and transportation plans.
A summary of local, district, state, and federal policies, programs, and regulations that may improve air quality in the city or county.
A comprehensive set of goals, policies, and objectives that may improve air quality consistent with the strategies listed in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a).
A set of feasible implementation measures designed to carry out those goals, policies, and objectives.
At least 45 days prior to the adoption of air quality amendments to a general plan pursuant to this section, each city and county shall send a copy of its draft document to the district. The district may review the draft amendments to determine whether they may improve air quality consistent with the strategies listed in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a). Within 30 days of receiving the draft amendments, the district shall send any comments and advice to the city or county. The legislative body of the city or county shall consider the district’s comments and advice prior to the final adoption of air quality amendments to the general plan. If the district’s comments and advice are not available by the time scheduled for the final adoption of air quality amendments to the general plan, the legislative body of the city or county may act without them. The district’s comments shall be advisory to the city or county.
The legislative body of each city and county within the jurisdictional boundaries of the district shall comply with this section no later than one year from the date specified in Section 65588 for the next revision of its housing element that occurs after January 1, 2004.
As used in this section, “district” means the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
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