AB 417 would increase bicycle transit plans

by Brian Leubitz

Every so often I delve into the joy of filed legislation, and now seems like a good time. There hasn’t been too much progress made at the subject matter committees. So, with that, I jumped into the decrepit website that the state pretends is a suitable California legislation tracking system with a random number. My choice this time: 417.

I had my choice between an SB 417 and an AB 417. Considering that SB 417 was a technical change to the Dept of Consumer Affairs, off I went to check out AB 417, a bill by Asm. Jim Frazier (D-Oakley). AB 417 is one of many CEQA reform bills that are up for consideration this year. While CEQA reform brings a lot of political baggage, this one wades into another big question of green planning: bicycle transit planning. Here’s the Leg Analyst’s take:

This bill, until January 1, 2018, 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 OPR and the county clerk. This bill would require OPR to post specified information on its Internet Web site, as prescribed.

Here in San Francisco, we’ve had a fight over our bicycle transit plan for years upon years with CEQA used as an extremely blunt instrument to slow implementation. While I’m very careful about CEQA reform, this is one area that clearly needs it.

That being said, this may be swept into the broader CEQA reform conversation, for better or worse.