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C.121

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
Date:	May 22, 2018

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

AUTHORIZE Board of Supervisors to sign a letter to the Superintendent of Public Instruction re: Title 5 Update (Haz. Materials/School Siting-Safety)

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 05/22/2018

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:	John Cunningham (925) 674-7833
cc:	Michael Kent

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: May 22, 2018
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

AUTHORIZE the Board of Supervisors to sign a letter to the California State Superintendent of Public Instruction expressing the County's concerns with the Department of Education's process to update Title 5 (School Facilities Construction), as recommended by the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee.

FISCAL IMPACT:

None.

BACKGROUND:

The topic of school siting and safety has come before the Board of Supervisors on numerous, prior occasions. Concerns have included: 1) the purchase of school sites and development of schools in inappropriate areas, 2) local school district violations of statutory requirements relative to the notification of local land use agencies regarding property acquisition, and 3) the conflict between school siting practices and state and local policies relative to safe routes to school, greenhouse gas reduction, growth management and more generally, coherent land development.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

The State is currently conducting a formal process to revise Title 5 guidance. The letter is in response to that process. The Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee discussed the update process at their March 2018 meeting. Members of the Hazardous Materials Commission and transportation planning staff were included in the discussion. While the concepts to be included in the letter were discussed at the March meeting, the Committee did not review the letter attached to this report.

The language in this letter is more direct than the County's previous, numerous communications on this topic. Staff has become aware of significant resistance to any changes to the Title 5 polices relative to school siting. That resistance, combined with this now formalized process to update Title 5, prompts staff to recommend more direct language in order to try and more clearly communicate what the County has long identified as critical issues. Key concerns include school siting practices relative to hazardous materials, multi-modal transportation, safety, and general land use planning tenets.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

Current school siting practices result in negative outcomes under, "Outcome 2: Youth Are Healthy and Preparing for Adulthood" and "Outcome 4: Families and Communities Are Safe" in Costa County County's Children's Report Card. The letter seeks to make improvements in school siting practices by way of reformed Title 5 policies.