Mayoral candidates pledge to make walking, cycling a more viable option

March 3, 2016

By Daniel Weintraub

Special to The Bee

The next mayor of Sacramento will have a chance to make the city truly “world class” – not by subsidizing more professional sports teams or building taller office towers, but by making the city a vibrant place that people can navigate without having to use a car.

A modern city hoping to draw economic, cultural and social vitality from people on its streets must place a priority on making those streets safe and easy to use for everyone, not just motorists.

Sacramento Transit Advocates and Riders (STAR) Issues Statement

March 1, 2016 – Sacramento Transit Advocates and Riders (STAR) Issues Statement Challenging RT proposed fare increase

In response to Sacramento Regional Transit’s proposed fare increase, Sacramento Transit Advocates and Riders, which includes individuals and representatives of a number Sacramento organizations, has issued the following statement to be entered into the public record.

As riders, advocates, and tax payers, we are very concerned about the fare increase that Sacramento Regional Transit (RT) proposed at the January 25, 2016 board meeting for several reasons. Increased fares will decrease ridership. The current fare increase disproportionately impacts seniors, the disabled, and those who are low income, many of whom live in already-underserved areas and rely on public transportation. The proposed fare structure may place RT in violation of Title VI requirements.

Clearly, increasing fares without assessing or addressing operational deficiencies will not promote the significant improvements and reforms needed for RT to provide even adequate levels of service to meet our community’s needs for those who are dependent on public transportation and a viable alternative to car transportation for those who would otherwise choose to drive.

STAR supports an across the board increase of 5% provided RT agrees to commit to the following and to reporting about its progress at the RT Board meetings no less than quarterly:

The conducting of an independent operational audit that includes, but is not limited to, expenditures, management, efficiency issues, routes & schedules, restoration of prior service cuts, possible restoration of central city fare.
Two hour transfers will be implemented for all fare payments including smart phone app, connect card, cash, and credit or debit cards.
No fare categories or passes will be eliminated for at least the next two fiscal years. Any future adjustment in categories or passes will require public input and justification.
There will be no increase in fares or passes for those under 18 years of age or low income students.
Properly working and convenient fare payments systems including the connect card, fully operating ticket machines that take, cash (coins and paper) and debit and credit cards.
Fare payment enforcement is a serious concern and must be addressed. Concerns include the need for consistent fare checking, negative impact of police raids, and that people without tickets should be sold a more expensive ticket on the spot rather than being issued a citation involving the court system.
Paratransit services are critical and efficiencies, not simple cuts, must be addressed.
Any future fare increases must be fully justified, incremental and not result in steep increases.
No capital expansion is allowed until RT is financially stabilized and the items above are implemented.

Contact: 775-997-4937

ECOS to RT re Fare Increases

In response to Sacramento Regional Transit District’s proposal to increase ticket fares ECOS has released the following statement:

For many years, ECOS has supported transit (Sacramento Regional Transit in particular) as an essential alternative to the over reliance on automobiles for transportation in the Sacramento region. We are therefore very concerned about the proposed fare increase that was presented at the January 25, 2016 RT Board meeting, since increased fares will invariably decrease ridership. The current fare increase disproportionately impacts transit dependent riders — including seniors, the disabled, and people on low income — many of whom live in already underserved areas.

Occasional fare increases are probably inevitable just to stay in step with general cost inflation. But it would be wise to proceed in small steps, at roughly five percent increments. At the same time, RT must strive to implement reforms already under discussion, such as reinstituting transfers, better enforcing fare payment, and restoring as much service as possible, in order to restore ridership to prerecession levels. To provide a minimally acceptable level of transit service in Sacramento County will require increased public funding. Transit got shortchanged in the last Measure A, and future transportation measures will need to provide a much higher level of financial support for transit.

2016 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy Adopted

On February 18th, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Board of Directors unanimously adopted the 2016 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (2016 MTP/SCS) for the six-county Sacramento region and certified the associated Final Environmental Impact Report. See the article mentioned here to read ECOS’ comments about the MTP/SCS. Learn more about the plan by clicking here.

Cities must stick to smart growth

February 16, 2016

By Matthew Baker, Land Use and Conservation Policy Director, Environmental Council of Sacramento

Special to The Bee

Feb 11 Update from Trees Sacramento

February 11, 2016

Dear Tree Advocates

Trees Sacramento continues to promote a strong tree ordinance with City Staff and Council members. Our letter was signed by six regional environmental organizations, supported by 10 neighborhood associations, and an additional 11 individual community leaders. Staff has indicated that they hoped to take another version of the tree ordinance to the Law and Legislation Committee in March and to City Council in April 2016. This version may include some of our recommendations but not others.

In a recent meeting with Council Member Jeff Harris, we were encouraged that some of our recommendations are being considered and some may be incorporated into the next revision of the Staff’s proposed ordinance. There appears to be support at the City that trees on city-owned properties would be treated equally with the same protections as city street trees. Staff is reexamining the issue of requiring replacement and mitigation in the ordinance for removal of protected trees (rather than leaving this to the discretion of the director).

However, staff is still opposed to other important recommendations such as a notification of tree removals, requiring trees in all development projects, and making tree removal factors (criteria) objective and quantifiable.

Upper Land Park Neighbors, Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association, Trees4Sacramento and ECOS also attended the Parks and Recreation Commission hearing when staff presented the tree ordinance changes they seek. Most commissioners were strongly in favor of better notification of tree removals to community. In addition, some members indicated they did not want to hear tree appeals because they lack expertise to make informed decisions.

We are making progress, but we will have to wait and review the new draft ordinance and prepare a response when it is available.

In particular we want to ensure that the ordinance revises support and are consistent with our General Plan policies and Climate Action Plan. Our General Plan policies in question are underlined below:

ER 3.1.2 Manage and Enhance the City’s Tree Canopy

The City shall continue to plant new trees, ensure new developments have sufficient right-of-way width for tree plantings, manage and care for all publicly owned trees, and work to retain healthy trees. The City shall monitor, evaluate and report, by community plan area and citywide, on the entire tree canopy in order to maintain and enhance trees throughout the City and to identify opportunities for new plantings. (RDR/MPSP/SO)

ER 3.1.3 Trees of Significance

The City shall require the retention of City trees and Heritage Trees by promoting stewardship of such trees and ensuring that the design of development projects provides for the retention of these trees wherever possible. Where tree removal cannot be avoided, the City shall require tree replacement or appropriate remediation. (RDR/MPSP)

ER 3.1.4 Visibility of Commercial Corridors

The City shall balance the tree canopy of the urban forest with the need for visibility along commercial corridors, including the selection of tree species with elevated canopies. (RDR)

ER 3.1.6 Urban Heat Island Effects.

The City shall continue to promote planting shade trees with substantial canopies, and require, where feasible, site design that uses trees to shade rooftops, parking facilities, streets, and other facilities to minimize heat island effects. (RDR/PI)

ER 3.1.9 Funding

The City shall provide adequate funding to manage and maintain the city’s urban forest on City property, including tree planting, training, maintenance, removal, and replacement. (SO/FB)

THANK YOU for all your help in getting the improvements to the current staff ordinance. BE AWARE — we will need your help for the upcoming two meetings – to get people to send support letters and attend these important meetings.

Trees Sacramento

trees4sacto[at]sbcglobal[dot]net

Tag Archives: Climate Solutions