Home California AB 417: Frazier’s Passes First Bill on Assembly Floor

AB 417: Frazier’s Passes First Bill on Assembly Floor

by ECT

Frazier Profile

 

The first time is always extra special and for Assemblyman Jim Frazier (D-Oakley), today was special as his first bill passed the assembly floor with a 69-2 vote.

AB 417 would exempt from CEQA a bicycle transportation plan for an urbanized area, as specified, and would also require a local agency that determines that the bicycle transportation plan is exempt under this provision and approves or determines to carry out that project, to file notice of the determination with the county clerk. This Bill would sunset January 1, 2018.

 

The beauty of the bill is it reduces costs by exempting certain impacts from the review requirement which means that with more available funding that more safety improvements can be planned and implemented more quickly.

 

AB 417 Bill Text

SECTION 1.

Section 21080.20 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:

21080.20.

(a) This division does not apply to a bicycle transportation plan prepared pursuant to Section 891.2 of the Streets and Highways Code for an urbanized area for restriping of streets and highways, bicycle parking and storage, signal timing to improve street and highway intersection operations, and related signage for bicycles, pedestrians, and vehicles.

(b) Prior to determining that a project is exempt pursuant to this section, the lead agency shall do both of the following:

(1) Hold noticed public hearings in areas affected by the bicycle transportation plan to hear and respond to public comments. Publication of the notice shall be no fewer times than required by Section 6061 of the Government Code, by the public agency in a newspaper of general circulation in the area affected by the proposed project. If more than one area will be affected, the notice shall be published in the newspaper of largest circulation from among the newspapers of general circulation in those areas.

(2) Include measures in the bicycle transportation plan to mitigate potential vehicular traffic impacts and bicycle and pedestrian safety impacts.

(c) (1)Whenever a local agency determines that a project is not subject to this division pursuant to this section, and it determines to approve or carry out that project, the notice shall be filed with the Office of Planning and Research and the county clerk in the county in which the project is located in the manner specified in subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 21152.

(2)The Office of Planning and Research shall post on its Internet Web site each lead agency filing a notice of determination pursuant to this section, as required pursuant to Section 21152.1, a link to the Internet Web site for any plan that was exempt pursuant to this section, and any action or proceeding alleging noncompliance with this division for a plan that was exempt pursuant to this section, the cause of the action, and the case outcome.

(d)  This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2018, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2018, deletes or extends that date.

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