Approved - June 2026

REGIONAL GOVERNMENT

“Promote the implementation of sustainable, integrated regional governing policies and practices that recognize the interdependence of environmental, social, health, and economic impacts.”
Support measures to make regional decision-making bodies representative of the population distribution and region-wide governmental, environmental, social and health equity, and economic interests. Link to Regional Study Summary

1. Recognition that many regional functions require cooperation between the level of government closest to the people and regional governing bodies

2. Support effort to maintain local government identity within the regional framework 

3. Support authority for the designated regional planning agencies to prepare and implement long-term, comprehensive plans and capital improvement programs according to state policies and guidelines with: 

a.    power of eminent domain

b.    authority to review local general plans and major development proposals for consistency with the         regional plans.
c.    power to allocate or withhold federal and state funds to implement the comprehensive regional             plans and capital improvement programs.

  4.    Support mandatory local, general and special district plan compliance with the comprehensive         

         regional plan prepared by MTC-ABAG.

  5.    Support reform of the state/local finance system to provide local governments with dependable and

         adequate funding for comprehensive regional planning and implementation. 

 

REGIONAL PLANNING
Support legislation to establish state/regional/local comprehensive planning criteria that promote resilience, compact growth, natural resources protection, and social, economic, and health equity.  

1. Include the following planning considerations: environmental quality, transportation, conservation and environmentally sensitive development of the Bay, its shoreline and tributaries, wetlands, parks, open space, agricultural lands and natural resources, sewage and waste disposal, housing, seismic hazards, climate change, employment, as well as social and health equity.

2. Promote policies that limit urban sprawl, protect environmental resources, maintain open space around urban centers, utilize existing services, provide housing close to jobs, address housing equity, and promote a regional transportation system throughout the nine Bay Area counties.

3. Support a regional growth framework that coordinates local growth boundaries and includes:

a.    Land use controls outside the boundaries to protect agricultural lands and natural resources;
b.    Requirements inside the boundaries for more job-related housing and transit- oriented

       development with. consideration of social equity, and natural resource protection;
c.    Adherence of LAFCos to the regional growth framework;
d.    Regional capital improvements program for allocating federal, state, and local resources for

       regional facilities, low-to-moderate income housing, and land acquisition to implement the

       regional plan

   4.  Promote equitable opportunities and services, through regional planning processes to meet the needs of the Bay Area’s under-resourced communities and marginalized populations and to reduce segregation, displacement, extreme inequity and poverty. 
 

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at lwvbayarea@gmail.com.

Link to Study Guide.​