To: Board of Supervisors
From: John Kopchik, Director, Conservation and Development
Report Title: Metropolitan Transportation Commission Transit-Oriented Communities Planning Grant
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ADOPT Resolution No. 2025-198 to support the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) Transit-Oriented Communities policy, and APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Department of Conservation and Development Director, or designee, to sign a waiver of claims and indemnification agreement with MTC for technical assistance for Transit-Oriented Communities Planning for the Pleasant Hill BART Station - TOC Station Access and Circulation: Access Gap Analysis and Mobility Hub Planning effort.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None to the General Fund.
The actions will allow the County to receive grant funds to conduct the Pleasant Hill BART Station - Transit-Oriented Communities Station Access and Circulation: Access Gap Analysis and Mobility Hub Planning effort.
BACKGROUND:
In March 2025, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) informed the County that it would be awarded $400,000 from the Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) Planning and Implementation Grant program to conduct the Pleasant Hill BART Station - TOC Station Access and Circulation: Access Gap Analysis and Mobility Hub Planning effort. The planning effort will be an initial step in improving multimodal access to and within the Pleasant Hill BART Station, consistent with MTC’s TOC Policy (Exhibit A).
As part of the grant award, MTC will procure and administer a contract with a consultant who will provide technical assistance to help the County conduct the planning effort and comply with the TOC Policy’s Station Access and Circulation requirements at the Pleasant Hill BART Station.
As conditions to receive the grant award, the County is required to adopt:
1. a resolution of local support for MTC’s TOC Policy, and
2. a waiver of claims and indemnification agreement for technical assistance for Transit-Oriented Communities Planning (Exhibit B).
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the actions are not taken, the County will be unable to receive grant funds to conduct the Pleasant Hill BART Station - Transit-Oriented Communities Station Access and Circulation: Access Gap Analysis and Mobility Hub Planning effort.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
and for Special Districts, Agencies and Authorities Governed by the Board
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IN THE MATTER OF Resolution No. 2025/XXX
Resolution Of The Board of Supervisors Of Contra Costa County Committing to Take Steps Toward Achieving Compliance with The Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC's) Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) Policy as a Condition for MTC to Allocate Regional Discretionary Funding to the Pleasant Hill BART Station - TOC Station Access and Circulation: Access Gap Analysis and Mobility Hub Planning
WHEREAS, the MTC adopted Resolution 4530, the TOC Policy; and
WHEREAS, the TOC Policy incentivizes local jurisdictions to plan and zone for higher residential and commercial densities in areas within one half-mile of existing and planned fixed-guideway transit stops and stations to support the region’s transit investments and implement key GHG reduction strategies from Plan Bay Area 2050; and
WHEREAS, incentivizing local jurisdictions to also adopt policies focused on increasing housing production of all types, particularly affordable housing production, preservation and protection, commercial anti-displacement and stabilization, parking management, and transit station access and circulation further supports regional transit investments and Plan Bay Area 2050 implementation; and
WHEREAS, in 2023 MTC identified two Tier 3 TOCs in Unincorporated Contra Costa County; and
WHEREAS, MTC conditions the allocation of regional discretionary funding for fixed-guideway transit extension projects on compliance with the TOC Policy; and
WHEREAS, MTC anticipates that future regional funding, such as the One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) program, will consider compliance with the TOC Policy as part of the prioritization and project selection process starting with OBAG 4, expected in 2026; and
WHEREAS, the TOC Policy establishes different compliance expectations for existing and planned station areas based on the level of transit service; and
WHEREAS, the TOC Policy identifies four TOC Policy areas (density, housing affordability, parking, and access/circulation); and
WHEREAS, on September 30, 2024 the MTC announced a Call for Projects for Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) Planning and Implementation Grants, and informed local jurisdictions of a November 22, 2024 deadline for submittals of Applications, as well as grant application guidance and requirements including compliance with the Transit Oriented Communities Policy; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Contra Costa County submitted a grant application/grant applications to MTC for $400,000 for the Pleasant Hill BART Station - TOC Station Access and Circulation: Access Gap Analysis and Mobility Hub Planning in response to the MTC’s Call for TOC Planning and Implementation Projects; and
RESOLVED, that Contra Costa County accepted a grant award from MTC for $400,000 for the Pleasant Hill BART Station - TOC Station Access and Circulation: Access Gap Analysis and Mobility Hub Planning in response to the MTC’s Call for TOC Planning and Implementation Projects; and
RESOLVED, that Contra Costa County commits to completing the associated the Pleasant Hill BART Station - TOC Station Access and Circulation: Access Gap Analysis and Mobility Hub Planning work scope(s) following an MTC grant award by applying for these funds; and
RESOLVED, that Contra Costa County intends to adopt relevant plans, policies or zoning updates emerging from the work completed through the Pleasant Hill BART Station - TOC Station Access and Circulation: Access Gap Analysis and Mobility Hub Planning grant to comply with the TOC Policy Station Access and Circulation requirements.