ROC Action Alert: County VMT Proposal

Tell the Board of Supervisors to Oppose Overly Restrictive Vehicle Miles Traveled Regulations

Tomorrow, January 26, the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors will receive an update on new potential regulations that would restrict future development on county lands. SDAR has weighed in on this issue several times as previous proposals would establish a de-facto moratorium on county lands at a time when our region is facing a housing crisis. What's more, while the intent of the proposal is to reduce carbon emissions by reducing the number and length of vehicle trips, the regulations will instead force more individuals to move outside the County and commute longer distances from places like Temecula and Murrieta!

Real estate professionals are encouraged to take action today and over the coming weeks by sharing their concern over this proposal and encouraging the Board of Supervisors to oppose some of the most restrictive provisions that would establish a de facto moratorium on new development on County lands.

Here's how you can help today:

1. Submit an e-Comment Today! - Talking points are below
   
   
   
   
2. Join the Board of Supervisors virtual meeting and provide live comment
   The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:00 am. The VMT issue is listed as item 6 on the agenda.

        How to Call-In Your Comments

• Step 1: Fill out the online Board of Supervisors tele-comments form to request to speak during the meeting via teleconference. The form must be submitted prior to the time that public comment begins on the item. After completing the form, you’ll get instructions on how to call in to the meeting.
• Step 2: Watch or listen to the meeting.
• Step 3: When the Board of Supervisors begins to discuss the agenda item you want to comment on, call in to the conference line and turn off your TV or live stream. You’ll continue to hear the Board meeting after calling in. Please do not call until the item you want to speak about is being discussed.
• Step 4: When it is time for public comments on the item you want to speak about, you will hear a notification that it is your turn to speak. You may begin speaking after the beep.

• Our region is facing a severe housing crisis that continues to drive up housing costs and place an enormous burden on working families. 

• The overly restrictive interpretation of the Vehicle Mile Traveled (VMT) provisions by the County of San Diego is based on a recommendation by the State of California's Office of Planning and Research. This interpretation is advisory and not mandatory.

• These restrictive VMT provisions would add between $50,000 and $900,000 in mitigation fees per unit for housing projects, deeming them infeasible to develop.

• The County's previous and less restrictive interpretation of the VMT proposal would facilitate up to approximately 19,000 new units. Meanwhile, the more restrictive interpretation would limit potential development to 1,108 units, which means the County would fail to meet even its minimum obligation for new housing development of 6,700 units.

• The VMT is based off of state law intended to reduce carbon emissions by reducing the number and length of vehicle trips, the regulations will instead force more individuals to move outside the County and commute longer distances from places like Temecula and Murrieta!

Talking Points (Oppose the VMT)

• The County Board of Supervisors needs to rethink their interpretation of the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) regulations. At a time when our region is facing a severe housing crisis, these provisions will restrict much-needed housing development and drive up costs even further. We cannot afford this misguided policy!

• These provisions will increase both greenhouse gas emissions and traffic in our region as more San Diego workers will be forced to deal with lengthy commutes from outside the County and from places like Riverside County and even Mexico.

• The County Board of Supervisors must allow common-sense revisions to these stringent regulations. The more stringent interpretation of these regulations is unnecessarily based off of guidance from the Office of Planning and Research, which should not be perceived as law. The County should not advance any proposal that would prevent us from meeting our minimal housing obligations as defined by the Regional Housing Needs Assessment.