District 4 Office of Regional and Community Planning

Office of Regional & Community Planning (ORCP) advances transportation solutions supporting a safe and reliable transportation network. The office coordinates with local agencies to minimize transportation impacts from local development projects; engages in regional transportation planning processes to ensure federal and state legislation, policies, and priorities are met; coordinates with the Bay Area Tribal Governments to meet their transportation-related needs; manages multimodal transportation planning grants and studies; integrates equity considerations into all District planning processes and guidance, leads the Districts’ climate adaptation and resilience planning efforts; and supports public and community engagement in all of its District planning and early project development efforts.
 

Local Development Review (LDR)

The LDR program is a legislatively mandated, ongoing statewide effort focused on avoiding or reducing impacts to the State Transportation Network from land use and other infrastructure development proposals, including general plans and any other local, state, and federal government actions that may adversely impact the transportation system. The LDR Program involves internal collaboration and coordination among multiple Caltrans functional review units, as well as external collaboration with outside agencies and private entities. LDR coordinators facilitate functional unit reviews of environmental documents and associated land use plans for new projects, and articulate comments, concerns and requests to Lead Agencies or applicants through discussions and official CEQA response letters. LDR can assist Lead Agencies or applicants for land use proposals to determine potential impacts to the STN. To reach out to LDR, please email LDR-D4@dot.ca.gov.

Regional Planning and Native American Liaison Branch (RPNAL)

RPNAL focuses on interaction with the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) with the development of Overall Work Program (OWP) and Regional Transportation Plans (RTP), with emphasis on monitoring activities funded by state Rural Planning Assistance (RPA), federal Consolidated Planning Grant (CPG), and State Transportation Planning Grants. The OWP is a one-year scope of work and budget for transportation planning activities and funding sources to be accomplished between July 1 and June 30 of the state fiscal year. The RTP is a long-term horizon plan (20 + years within the entire life of the RTP) that identifies the region's existing and future transportation needs. It includes rough cost estimates for the transportation proposals. It is fiscally constrained and developed through formal consultation with Native American Tribal Governments and the involvement of federal, state, regional, and local agencies, public entities, private and community-based organizations, and individuals working together to identify future regional transportation needs and to plan how these needs can and will be met. RTP for the Bay Area is known as the Plan Bay Area (Plan Bay Area 2050 | Metropolitan Transportation Commission (ca.gov)) and OWP (Overall Work Program (OWP) | Metropolitan Transportation Commission (ca.gov)).

Moreover, RPNAL meets with Tribal Government representatives as requested and shares funding, training opportunities, and federal and state initiatives. RPNAL works with MTC to constantly remind the inclusion of Bay Area Tribes in the transportation planning and programming processes.

Community Planning

Community Planning Branch co-leads the District’s Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program activities and participates in local corridor planning efforts and transportation planning studies. Branch staff work closely with the Regional Planning Branch related to the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant program and the Pedestrian and Bicycle Coordination Branch related to multimodal transportation projects. Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants | Caltrans.

Climate Change Planning

Climate Change Planning branch coordinates with other Caltrans Divisions and Bay Area agency partners to anticipate and address climate-related impacts to the State Transportation System, and advance resiliency to climate change. The branch leads District implementation of climate change adaptation planning programs, including those established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and other federal programs, as well as programs established by the State. These programs help our Office to provide funding for adaptation planning studies and vulnerability studies that allow our District to anticipate the challenges posed by a changing climate. We coordinate our engagement efforts with partners to better define both the threats to our infrastructure and the need for studies and projects. Along with internal coordination, we represent and guide the District in regional efforts to advance and implement adaptation solutions; advance sustainability; elevate equity and environmental justice; and fulfill various agency requirements for determining mid- and end-of-century sea level rise, an overriding climate change concern in the region. Other regional climate concerns include wildfires and associated debris flows that follow, extreme heat, and flooding resulting from heavier precipitation events between years of drought.

The branch also provides plan development, plan review, and project-level consultation. For more information, please email D4_ClimateResilience@dot.ca.gov

Equity & Engagement Planning

Equity & Engagement Planning Branch provides direction, knowledge and support to District 4 planners and engineers to more effectively engage with the public (especially Equity Priority Communities) during the development of plans, studies, and project initiation documents. Through communication, collaboration and partnership, and the implementation of best planning practices in Equity and Engagement, the Branch strives to eliminate disparities and provide more equitable transportation across Bay Area communities:

Equity – Develops, implements and supports relevant actions outlined in the Caltrans Race & Equity Action Plan, and promotes equity in all District 4 Transportation Planning plans and programs. Equity considerations are integrated into transportation decision making to help eliminate barriers and promote intentional decision-making that recognizes past, stops current, and prevents future harms from planning activities. “Equity is everyone having access to what they need to thrive — starting with our most vulnerable — no matter their race, socioeconomic status, identity, where they live, or how they travel.”

Engagement - Promotes and integrates meaningful and consistent public, partner and stakeholder engagement and outreach to inform District plans, studies and project initiation documents. Develops and reforms planning-level policies and processes in order to ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and justice, and to avoid harm to vulnerable communities.

Resource Management & Business Operation (RMBO)

Resource Management and Business Operations (RMBO) Branch provides functional, administrative and resource support for the Division as well as act as the liaison between the District Office and various HQ Offices. The RMBO Branch works with staff from all other Branches within the Division by providing service/assistance with: Personnel/Hiring, Training, Budgeting,  Procurement, Space Planning, and Inventory.

 

Erik Alm - Office Chief, Regional and Community Planning

Phone: (510) 715-8654   Email: erik.alm@dot.ca.gov