# p u b li c parti c ipatio n a n d c o ns u ltatio n appe n di x

# Pub li c P arti c ipatio n a n d Co ns u ltatio n

**Performing Public Outreach 1** 

**B ackground and Development of SCAG’s Public Participation Plan**  **1**

**R TP Public Participation and Outreach Program**  **2**
Departmentally Integrated Outreach Team 2 U pdated Existing and Created New Presentation Materials 2 U tilized Website and Web 2.0 Tools 2 C oordinated Outreach Efforts with Other Stakeholder Organizations 3
M aintained a Public Outreach Schedule 3
E valuated Public Participation Activities 3 S ought Local Subregional Input 4 C onducted Public Workshops Related to the Draft RTP/SCS 4 C onducted Additional RTP/SCS Workshops and Public Hearings 5 R eached Out to Traditionally Underrepresented and/or Underserved Communities 5 C onsultation and Coordination with Resource Agencies and Tribal Governments 6
E nvironmental Justice Workshop 8
L imited English Proficiency Services 9 

### Key 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Outreach Activities **9**
Subregional Planning Sessions Held in 2012

– 2035 RTP/SCS Development Phase 1 0 RTP/SCS Workshops in the Pre-Draft Phase 1 1 Draft RTP/SCS Workshops and Public Hearings 1 2 Selected Other RTP/SCS Outreach Activities 1 3 

### SCAG Public Participation Plan Amendment No. 3 **1 8** 
Purpose of SCAG’s Public Participation Plan 1 8 Introduction 18 Public Participation Plan Requirements 1 8 Consultation Requirements 2 0 Bottom-Up Planning and Interagency Consultation 2 1 Interested Parties 2 2 Public Participation Plan Goals 2 2 Public Participation Plan Procedures in Obtaining Goals 2 3 Appendix “A” 2 6


### SCAG Contact Form **3 7** Public Participation and Consultation 

### 1



# Performing Public Outreach
The awareness and involvement of interested persons in governmental processes are critical to successful regional transportation planning and programming. When the public is engaged, this feedback helps projects and plans address community needs. Likewise, the public gains a better understanding of the constraints associated with transporta

tion planning. To ensure compliance with federal and state requirements, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) implemented a public involvement process to provide information, timely public notice and full public access to key decisions and to support early and continuing public involvement in developing ther 2012–2035 Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). In addition, with the passage of California Senate Bill 375 (SB 375) in 2008, SCAG has developed a “Sustainable Communities Strategy” in conjunction with the 2012–2035 Regional Transportation Plan to integrate transportation, land use, housing and environ

mental planning; with the goal of reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions. It is SCAG’s first effort to create such a document, and public involvement in the process was imperative. SCAG encourages participation and input on its plans and programs from: the general public, elected officials, cities and counties, affected public agencies, subregional organi

zations, representatives of transportation agencies, freight shippers, providers of freight transportation services, private providers of transportation, representatives of users of public transit, representatives of users of pedestrian walkways and bicycle transportationfacilities, representatives of the disabled, Tribal Governments, transit operators, nonprofit organizations and other interested parties. As Southern California’s metropolitan planning organization (MPO), SCAG is responsible for preparing and utilizing a plan which is developed in consultation with all inter

ested parties and provides reasonable opportunities for interested parties to comment on the content of SCAG’s RTP, pursuant to the “Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users” (SAFETEA-LU), Pub. L. No. 109-59, Title VI, Section 6001(a), 119 Stat. 1839 (Aug. 10, 2005). Additional public participation requirements under SAFETEA-LU are as follows:

 P roviding adequate public notice of public participation activities and time for public review and comment at key decision points, including but not limited to a reasonable opportunity to comment on the proposed RTP, and providing timely notice and rea

sonable access to information about transportation issues and processes;

 E mploying visualization techniques to describe the RTP;

 M aking public information (technical information and meeting notices) available in electronically accessible formats and means, such as the Internet;

 H olding any public meetings at convenient and accessible locations and times;

 D emonstrating explicit consideration and response to public input received during the development of the RTP;

 S eeking out and considering the needs of those traditionally under served by exist

ing transportation systems, such as low-income and minority households, who may face challenges accessing employment and other services;

 P roviding an additional opportunity for public comment, if the final RTP differs significantly from the version that was made available for public comment and raises new material issues which interested parties could not reasonably have foreseen from the public involvement efforts;

 C oordinating with the statewide transportation planning public involvement and consultation processes. SCAG’s videoconferencing facilities (located at five regional offices and three videoconfer

encing sites across the Southern California region), have enabled more people to partici

pate in the public outreach than in previous RTP cycles. SCAG will continue to utilize this technology to conduct public workshops, meetings and other forms of public outreach, as well as expand the number of videoconferencing sites.


# B a ckground and Development of SC A G’s Public Participation Plan
Since its inception, SCAG has encouraged a wide variety of public participation in devel

oping its regional transportation plans and programs. In 1993, SCAG’s governing board, the Regional Council, originally adopted “Policies, Procedures and Guidelines for Public Participation and Interagency Consultation.” As a result of changes in the metropolitan planning law in 2005, SCAG broadened its participation activities to engage a more extensive group of stakeholders in its planning and programming processes, as reflected

### 2 Public Participation and Consultation

in SCAG’s Public Participation Plan adopted by the Regional Council in October 2007. In December 2009, the Regional Council approved an amendment to the Public Participation Plan primarily to address new public participation requirements under state law (SB 375). As part of this process, SCAG staff consulted with and reached out to a broad range of interested parties as required by SAFETEA-LU and state law in developing the public participation plan strategies, procedures and techniques. In an effort to maintain the expansive outreach efforts for the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS, SCAG solicited comments and feedback from stakeholders and other interested parties in the SCAG region to engage in updating the Public Participation Plan and its specific RTP/SCS strategies, proce

dures and techniques. This involved outreach to cities and counties, the county trans

portation commissions, subregional organizations, transit operators, federal and state resource agencies, Tribal Governments, representatives of the disabled, representatives of pedestrian walkways and bicycle transportation facilities, environmental groups, and other interested parties through meetings, mailings, email correspondence, workshops, presentations, telephone communications, and videos and website postings. 

# RTP Public Participation and Outreach Program
There are three phases to the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS outreach: Pre-Draft, January 2009 to December 2011; Post-Draft, December 2011 to March 2012; and Post RTP/SCS adoption. 

## Departmentally Integrated Outreach Team
While outreach activities have been ongoing since the adoption of the 2008 RTP, an important element to fostering and maintaining a fully-integrated agency outreach effort is to schedule and hold regular coordination meetings with the principal staff in all areas associated with each of the various outreach efforts. Regular meetings are held with staff in order to work together and coordinate SCAG outreach activities. 

## U p dated Existing and C r eated N ew Presentation Materials
SCAG staff works to provide clear, consistent and concise primary messages for media and public involvement using a variety of formats, including videos, Powerpoint presen

tations, fact sheets, surveys, brochures, maps, electronic newsletters (Spotlight), and matrices of major RTP/SCS policies and projects. Staff created materials that provide adequate information for debate and conversation on the issues considered in the RTP/ SCS. All Powerpoint presentations created during the development of the RTP/SCS worked off a master copy, and were then edited and adjusted to better serve the interests of the specific groups and their perspectives. RTP/SCS fact sheets, maps of key projects, and matrices containing pertinent information on major modes and issues for workshops were created during the Pre-Draft period and updated as appropriate for the release of the Draft RTP/SCS. The use of video helped generate greater awareness and visibility for the RTP/SCS. An introductory video was produced and screened at the workshops in the summer of 2011, included in subsequent staff presentations, and also made available on the SCAG website. In clear and simple terms, the video explained the need for a regional transportation plan, the role of SCAG and the purpose of the workshop. It helped participants visualize and better understand the plan, and contributed to a high level of interaction between staff and workshop participants. In December 2011, SCAG released a new RTP/SCS video to coincide with the Regional Council approval of the release of the 2012–2035 Draft RTP/SCS and the beginning of the formal public comment period. This new video discusses SCAG’s role, the contents of the 2012–2035 Draft RTP/SCS and the benefits of implementing the plan. As a highlight, it features interviews with key stakeholders, residents of the SCAG region, and community leaders. SCAG showcased this video at presentations throughout the region and made it accessible on the SCAG website.


## U t ilized Website and Web 2.0 Tools
To establish a centralized information dissemination tool, a 2012–2035 RTP/SCS web page was created on SCAG’s website. This page was frequently updated in order to reflect current information on the RTP/SCS during the Pre- and Post-Draft period. During the Pre-Draft phase, the page contained information on how to get involved in the process. The RTP/SCS web page included Powerpoint, videos and materials (agendas, handouts) used at all 18 Pre-Draft RTP workshops. The web page also included direct links on how to request an RTP presentation, sign up for the RTP email list, and submit a comment on the plan. The RTP/SCS page is part of SCAG’s website, which has many different links and pages that aim to educate the public about SCAG and all SCAG initiatives, to keep the public informed of events and meetings, posted meeting agendas and minutes and providePublic Participation and Consultation 

### 3

access to related SCAG publications including: Your Guide to SCAG, the Benefits of Membership, Member Handbook, SB 375 information, the Spotlight newsletter, Fact Sheets on major topics, data and other planning-related information. In the Pre-Draft phase, SCAG used innovative public participation strategies in the devel

opment of a portion of the RTP/SCS. Much of the Active Transportation Plan, a component of the RTP/SCS, was developed online using a Wiki—a managed website that allows the collaborative creation and editing of web pages via a web browser. The Bike/Ped Wiki allowed anyone to comment on the Active Transportation Plan during the entire planning process. SCAG publicized the Wiki on its bike/ped Twitter account (over 500 followers), with local bike/ped leaning blogs and with local news agencies. By November 2011, the Wiki had over 1,000 registered users. SCAG also provided on its website instructions on how to “Get Involved” in the RTP/SCS process by allowing the public to sign up for the agency’s email list, and providing links to follow SCAG on Twitter and Facebook. There are over 1,100 contacts in the email list, 431 fans on Facebook, and 280 followers on Twitter. Updates of all SCAG-related activities and meetings are regularly provided on both social media networks. Concurrent with the release of the 2012–2035 Draft RTP/SCS for public review, a newly created interactive RTP website allowed visitors to directly comment on the Draft RTP/ SCS from within each section. The Draft RTP/SCS and its related Appendices were avail

able for download as PDFs, in their entirety or in sections. SCAG staff ensured that theinformation available, including workshop and public hearing dates, was timely, easyto-understand and accessible and that the website is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

## C o ordinated Outreach Efforts with Other S t akeholder Organizations
Together with subregional partners and other stakeholder organizations, SCAG staff noti

fied interested parties of outreach efforts through traditional meeting announcements, newspapers, public service announcements, press releases, special mailers, website postings, social media postings, email communications and other opportunities as appro

priate. Staff worked to ensure that the subregional organizations and transportation, air quality, environmental, and planning agencies participated in development of the Draft RTP/SCS. Staff also reached out to non-profit agencies, general public, representatives of the disabled community, public transit advocates, urban and rural advocacy groups, bicycle advocates as well as other interested parties. Staff also maintains a current “RTP Outreach” contact list. This list was used for monthly, and if needed, more frequent email updates on the RTP/SCS. As of December 2011, this list contained over 1200 contacts. 

## Maintained a Public Outreach S ch edule
SCAG staff contacted groups and agencies to schedule RTP presentations. As stated on the RTP web page and in monthly RTP outreach emails, any group could request an RTP presentation. Staff also coordinated to be placed on other groups’ agendas to keep these groups informed on the RTP/SCS. Meetings were posted on the SCAG Outreach calendar online. Staff continually worked to conduct presentations, hold briefings, workshops, and hearings to diverse groups and organizations throughout the region; and hold public meetings at convenient and accessible locations and times. RTP presentations were made to groups such as city and public agency planners, chambers of commerce, councils of government, elected officials, County Transportation Commissions, City Councils, Tribal Governments, interested groups and organizations, non-motorized advisory committees and advocates, technical advisory committees and other interested parties. A listing of select outreach activities is included in **T ab**  **l e 2.4** 

. In an effort to facilitate presentations, accessible information and staff response, an RTP hotline and email address exclusively for RTP inquiries were established at (213) 236-1960 and RTP@scag.ca.gov. 

## Evaluated Public Participation Activities
SCAG’s Public Participation Plan called for the evaluation of public participation efforts at the end of the Pre-Draft Phase, so that necessary modifications could be made for the formal public review and comment period of the RTP/SCS. To that end, SCAG staff evalu

ated strategies to enhance the outreach program to better serve the underrepresented segments of the region. As a result of this evaluation process, the Public Participation Plan was amended and adopted in January 2012.

### 4 Public Participation and Consultation



# RTP/ SCS Outreach in the Pre-Draft Period
S o ught Local S u bregional Input
From January 2011 through March 2011, SCAG conducted 11 subregional planning ses

sions with local jurisdictions to gather critical data to develop the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS. This data gathering process was conducted to build upon the local jurisdiction’s participa

tion in the Integrated Growth Forecast exercise. SCAG worked with local jurisdictions to review, verify and provide the necessary input and most recent data in creating the RTP/ SCS scenarios. Specifically, cities were surveyed in four areas: 2035 Land Use Scenarios, Local Planning Factors, Sustainability Factors and Transportation Demand Management Initiatives. Land use scenarios provided city-generated forecasts on where expected future development would occur within the jurisdiction. In the second focus area, SCAG sought input from jurisdictions on local planning factors that may affect their forecasted household growth and distribution. These local planning factors are not determined by municipal ordinances or policies, but include issues such as lack of capacity for sewer or water service, lands preserved from development under existing federal and state programs, or high housing cost burdens. In addressing SB 375 requirements, SCAG also surveyed the cities on environmental planning activities in the region, as well as interest in California Environmental Quality Act streamlining provisions. SCAG sought to obtain the most up-to-date information available of voluntary actions that cities themselves are taking to become more sustain

able—including, but not limited to—efforts directly targeting greenhouse gas emissions. Related to this, SCAG’s fourth focus area was to survey each city’s past, current and future Transportation Demand Management policies and strategies that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This information was extremely valuable in planning the SCS, allowing SCAG to evaluate the entire region’s efforts to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets set by the California Air Resources Board. SCAG staff outreached to cities within each of the fifteen subregions and offered to host survey workshops. Based on the responses, a total of 11 subregional planning sessions were conducted. The planning sessions began with a presentation by SCAG staff that provided an overview of the types of land use and transportation strategies that play an integral part of the SCS. After the presentation, local jurisdictions were invited to meet with SCAG staff to provide input and data from their respective jurisdiction. SCAG utilized these planning sessions in order to continue building a regional plan from the bottom up. A list of all subregional workshops, dates and locations are listed on **T ab**  **l e 2.1**  , and a “Summary of Local Input by Subregion” report is made available on the 2012–2035 RTP website (http://www.scag.ca.gov/rtp2012/). 

## C o nducted Public Workshops Related to the Draft RTP/ SCS
Following the eleven Subregional Planning Sessions, SCAG staff incorporated the data into four planning scenarios and presented them in a series of 18 public information workshops held during the summer of 2011. These RTP/SCS workshops were held in Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties and drew over 700 individuals. Some of the workshops were also available via video confer

ence and teleconference. Announcements for the workshops were posted on the SCAG website, through emails, social media postings, and event flyers distributed at various outreach opportunities. Workshop participants were provided with a description of the four scenarios and how development location, neighborhood design, housing options and mix, and transportation investments within each scenario would impact greenhouse gas emissions, land use, fuel consumption, water consumption and other costs in the region. Following the presenta

tions, the groups engaged in discussions of objectives and priorities for the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS, including mobility, environment, health, modes of travel, economy, safety, equity, and housing. Attendees participated on electronic surveys on current transporta

tion habits, access to public transportation, as well as priorities for their community. Residents, elected officials, representatives of public agencies, community organizations, and environmental, housing and business stakeholders truly made this a “bottom up” process. The results of the surveys, public comments, and preferred priorities have been collected in a summary report for each individual workshop. These documents, along with the original workshop handouts and materials, are available on the SCAG website (http://www.scag.ca.gov/rtp2012). A complete list of the RTP/SCS workshops are listed in
**T ab**  **l e 2.2** 

.Public Participation and Consultation 

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## C on ducted Additional RTP/ SCS W orkshops and Public Hearings
After the release for public review and comment of the Draft RTP/SCS in December 2012, SCAG conducted two workshops and one public hearing in each county. Over 450 elected officials, business leaders and community stakeholders attended the Draft RTP/SCS Workshops and Public Hearings held January – February 2012. A public hearing was held in conjunction with a workshop in each county to provide the general public an opportunity to also attend the workshop. At each workshop, staff presented the components of the Draft 2012-2035 RTP/SCS, including major investments and funding strategies, and outlined the benefits for the entire region. Attendees viewed a video describing the purpose and goals of the Draft RTP/SCS, followed by a staff presentation on major investments in the workshop’s specific subregion. The public hearings provided opportunities for the public to provide input on the draft plan. SCAG provided an additional opportunity to regional stakehold

ers by videoconferencing the February 2nd workshop and public hearing in Los Angeles and allowing participation by videoconference from eight additional sites throughout the region. All the workshops and public hearings were properly noticed and advertised through newspaper ads and notices. SCAG also requested that member cities and stake

holders promote the hearings via email blasts, newsletter items and announcements via government access channel announcements. 

## Reached Out to Traditionally U n derrepresented and/or U n derserved C o mmunities
SCAG staff coordinated with Subregional Coordinators and other regional stakehold

ers to identify underrepresented segments of the region. Coordinating with individuals, institutions and organizations, staff reached out to members in minority and low income communities to gain their participation at the RTP/SCS workshops. SCAG provides assistance, if requested 72 hours prior to the event, to people with dis

abilities, including individuals who are blind, have low-vision or are hearing impaired. SCAG also provides language assistance, if requested 72 hours prior to the event, to limited English proficient persons in Spanish and Chinese. For example, the Pre-Draft RTP workshops included a workshop with participation from the Spanish-speaking community at both the Los Angeles main office and Coachella Valley Association of Governments regional office via video conference. Translation of the meeting and pertinent materials were provided. Additionally, SCAG’s offices and videoconference capabilities throughout the region including for example, El Centro in Imperial County, enable SCAG to engage with residents in rural communities. From comments relating to the 2008 RTP, SCAG staff identified Environmental Justice as a key concern for further follow-up, and a special Environmental Justice focus group was convened in June 2011. Low-income communities are often located near industrial centers and transportation hubs, and SCAG staff sought to identify and acknowledge any concerns in planning the Draft RTP/SCS. Approximately 60 participants, including residents and representatives of local community organizations, attended the meeting and provided valuable feedback on a variety of issues, such as gentrification and health impacts near transportation corridors. Additional information is presented on Page 7. Following the release of the 2012–2035 Draft RTP/SCS, SCAG continued to provide Southern Californians with access to essential public information by producing a series of fact sheets and other outreach materials in English, Spanish and Chinese. To increase participation and ensure representation, SCAG targeted outreach to underrepresented communities, ethnic press and all federally recognized Tribal Governments within the SCAG Region. SCAG makes every effort to outreach and address the concerns of Native Americans in the region. SCAG ensures that the Native American perspective is represented at the decision-making level, providing seven voting seats to Tribal Government representatives on the Regional Council and Policy Committees. The 16 federally recognized Tribes within the SCAG region choose these seven representatives. In addition to representation, SCAG reached out to Tribal governments during the RTP/SCS development process, notify

ing them of workshops, public hearings, and other major meetings. In November 2011, SCAG organized a workshop for regional, state and federal resource agencies and Tribal Governments. Additional outreach after the release of the Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS ensured SCAG addressed tribal concerns.

### 6 Public Participation and Consultation



## C o nsultation and C o ordination with Resource Agencies and Tribal Governments
SAFETEA-LU requires that the RTP environmental mitigation program be developed in consultation with federal, state and tribal land management, wildlife, and regulatory agencies (Title 23 CFR Part 450.322(f)(7)). Additional consultation during development of the RTP is required, as appropriate, with state and local agencies responsible for land use, natural resources, environmental protection, conservation and historic preservation (Title 23 CFR Part 450.322(g)). Consultation shall involve the following, as appropriate: comparison of transportation plans with State conservation plans or maps, if available and comparison of transportation plans to inventories of natural or historic resources, if available. Further, in accordance with Title 23 CFR Part 450.322, the RTP must provide a discus

sion of potential environmental mitigation activities and areas, including those mitigation activities that might maintain or restore the environment that is being affected by the plan. This mitigation discussion must happen in consultation with Federal, State and Tribal land management, wildlife and regulatory agencies. Lastly, Title 23 requires that the metropolitan planning process be continuous, coopera

tive and comprehensive and provide for consideration and implementation of projects, strategies and services to address the following factors:

 P rotect and enhance the environment

 P romote energy conservation

 I mprove the quality of life, and

 P romote consistency between transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic development patterns On November 30, 2011, SCAG held a Resource Agency Consultation Workshop to provide an overview of the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS and highlight key topics that would be of interest to our resource agency partners. SCAG held early planning meetings with FHWA and U.S. EPA to discuss goals of the workshop and identify the agenda topics. Both the save the date notice and agenda materials were sent to over 300 contacts, including the partners listed in **T ab**  **l e 1** 

. SCAG also posted meeting notices on our website and outreach calendar. The meeting drew 44 participants from a wide variety of agencies including FHWA, U.S. EPA, Caltrans, California Department of Fish and Game, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, and the California Regional Water Control Board. SCAG provided access to the workshop via webmeeting technology and from our five satellite offices in Imperial County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County and Ventura County. The agenda cov

ered the following topics: Overview of the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS, Review of SCAG’s Public Participation Plan, the Proposed Regional Mitigation Program, the Proposed Approach to Addressing Public Health, and the Proposed Environmental Justice and Title VI Analyses. SCAG will hold a second workshop during the comment period to gather further com

ments and respond to questions. On March 13, 2012, SCAG hosted a second Resource Agency Consultation Workshop. The workshop agenda included a review of the 2012-2035 RTP/SCS, an overview of com

ments related to natural resources and SCAG’s proposed approach to addressing them. In addition, SCAG staff provided a summary of proposed edits to the Program Environmental Impact Report and the Environmental Justice analysis. The workshop was properly noticed and advertised to over 300 stakeholders. The workshop drew 31 participants including staff from key agencies such as U.S. EPA, California Department of Fish and Game, FHWA, and Caltrans. SCAG’s compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) serves as another opportunity to consult with federal, state and local resource agencies responsible for land use management, natural resources, environmental protection, conservation, and historic preservation in the development of the RTP. This consultation includes other agencies and officials responsible for planning activities in the SCAG region that are affected by transportation, to the maximum extent practicable. As required by CEQA, the Notice of Preparation (NOP) stating that SCAG as the lead agency would prepare a program-level Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) for the RTP was the first step in the environmental review process. The NOP gave federal, state and local agencies and the public an early opportunity to identify areas of concern to be addressed in the PEIR and to submit them in writing to SCAG. Further, SCAG held public scoping workshops to explain the environmental review process and solicit early input on areas of concern. During the development of the Draft PEIR, SCAG consulted with affected agencies on resource maps and inventories for use in the PEIR analysis. SCAGPublic Participation and Consultation 

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**T ab**  **l e 1**  

### S CAG Resource Agency and Tribal Government Partners
**SCAG Resource Agency & Tribal Government Partners** Federal Agencies: Bureau of Land Management State Agencies: California Department of Transportation U.S. Environmental Protection Agency California Department of Conservation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers California Air Resources Board U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service California Department of Fish and Game U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service California Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Department of Interior, Geological Survey California Natural Resources Agency Federal Highway Administration California State Lands Commission U.S. Department of Agriculture California Coastal Commission NOAA Fisheries Services California Bureau of Land Management U.S. National Park Service California Department of Parks and Recreation Federal Transit Administration California Department of Toxic Substances Control Tribes: Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians The Governor's Office of Planning and Research Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians California Department of Food and Agriculture Colorado River Indian Tribe California Department of Public Health Santa Rosa Band of Mission Indians California Department of Water Resources Augustine Band of Mission Indians California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection Ramona Band of Mission Indians California Energy Commission Fort Yuma (Quechan Tribe) California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery Timbisha Shoshone Tribe California Seismic Safety Commission Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians California Office of Historic Preservation Morongo Band of Mission Indians California State Mining and Geology Board Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians Regional Agencies: Regional Water Quality Control Boards Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Mojave Desert AQMD Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Ventura County Air Pollution Control District Juaneno Band of Mission Indians Antelope Valley Air Pollution Control District Cabazon Band of Mission Indians Imperial County Air Pollution Control District Cahuilla Band of Mission Indians Fort Mojave Indian Tribe Chemehuevi Indian Tribe

### 8 Public Participation and Consultation

considered the issues raised during the NOP period and scoping workshops during its preparation of the PEIR. Subsequently, when SCAG completed the Draft PEIR, SCAG filed a Notice of Completion (NOC) with the State Clearinghouse and released the Draft PEIR for a 45-day public review period on December 30, 2011. SCAG sought written comments from agencies and the public on the environmen

tal effects and mitigation measures identified in the Draft PEIR. During the comment period, SCAG consulted directly with agencies and stakeholders with respect to environ

mental impact or mitigation measure. SCAG responded to written comments received prior to the close of comment period and made technical corrections to the Draft PEIR where necessary. SCAG’s Regional Council certified the Final PEIR on April 4, 2012, and SCAG filed the Notice of Determination (NOD) within the required five days of certification. While the RTP is not subject to the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), SCAG consulted with federal agencies as appropriate during the preparation of the CEQA environmen

tal document. Additionally, the involvement of federal agencies in the RTP may link the transportation planning process with the federal NEPA process. It should also be noted that while the RTIP is not required to formally comply with the CEQA provisions, the RTIP represents the near term actions proposed in the RTP. As the projects in the RTP and RTIP continue down the pipeline toward construction or implementation, most must comply with NEPA to address individual project impacts. 

## Environmental Justice Workshop
As part of the environmental justice outreach effort, SCAG compiled a list of key stake

holders to be contacted regarding 2012–2035 RTP/SCS programs and policies. This list is comprised of over 300 persons and organizations involved with the 2008 RTP as well as additional stakeholders. The South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (SCAQMD) Environmental Justice Working Group identified new groups for SCAG, including local community advocates, air quality non-profit organizations, and unions. SCAG maintains this list and allows interested persons to sign-up for the mailing list online. SCAG held two environmental justice workshops and convened focus groups on the envi

ronmental justice analysis in an attempt to enable a large segment of the public to par

ticipate meaningfully in the planning process. On June 24, 2010, SCAG held a workshop to review the planning process and familiarize the participants with the environmental justice analysis process. The workshop drew 37 participants throughout the region, with video conferencing made available from SCAG’s regional offices. The following is a summary of the main topics discussed and requested at the workshop:

 S CAG was requested to conduct a presentation on SCAG’s modeling process

 T he environmental justice analysis should include baseline data of major issues fac

ing the region

 P ublic health was identified as a topic that should be further analyzed

 S CAG was requested to include the housing plus transportation affordability index in its analysis

 G entrification needs to be addressed, particularly with SB 375’s emphasis on transit oriented development As a result of these workshops, SCAG determined that new analysis areas were neces

sary to capture the concerns raised by stakeholders. These new areas include impacts from rail transportation, gentrification and displacement, pollution exposure along heavily traveled corridors, and impacts from revenue generating mechanisms such as congestion pricing. On June 30, 2011, SCAG held a follow-up workshop to discuss the proposed new analysis areas with stakeholders and seek further input. In response to comments from the first workshop, SCAG also included a summary of the modeling process. This workshop drew 45 participants from all six regional offices. The participants provided thoughtful comments and feedback on SCAG’s proposed analy

sis and planning process including:

 PM 2.5 should be analyzed in the Environmental Justice report

 T he Environmental Justice community should be included early in the decisionmaking processes and advisory committees

 T he report should identify communities of concern and compare those areas with the location of investments

 S CAG should produce maps that show long range trip projections compared to system capacityPublic Participation and Consultation 

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 H ousing should be included in the performance measures, including housing/jobs fit (costs vs. wages)

 T he impacts of freight movement should be analyzed and mitigated 

## Limited English Proficiency S e rvices
SCAG is committed to helping people with limited English language proficiency under

stand the purpose of the Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy and encourage their participation in the development process. With advance notice of a minimum of 72 hours, SCAG makes available translation assistance at its workshops and public meetings. During the RTP/SCS public workshops held in Summer 2011, SCAG was requested to provide Spanish language translators at three workshop locations—Palm Desert, Los Angeles, and Carson. In addition to providing interpreters, SCAG translated into Spanish key workshop materi

als, including the Outreach Workshop guide, Small Group Discussion Objectives Exercise, Workshop Polling Questions and Comments Form. All workshop materials, in both English and Spanish, are available online at SCAG’s RTP website (http://www.scag.ca.gov/ rtp2012/) 

# Key 2012–2035 RTP/ SCS Ou treach Activities
The following tables provide a listing of workshops and selected outreach activities during the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS development period.

### 10 Public Participation and Consultation



## S u bregional Planning S e ssions Held in 2012

– 

## 2035 RTP/ SCS D evelopment Phase

**T ab**  **l e 2.1**  

### Su bregional Planning Sessions Held in 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Development Phase

**Date E**  **ve nt**  **Topic L**  **o cation (City, County)**  **Audience**

1/26/11 Subregional Planning Session Presentation on RTP/SCS goals and distribute survey to gather local input on land use, housing and transportation demand management San Bernardino, San Bernardino County City managers, planners, and staff

1/27/11 Subregional Planning Session Presentation on RTP/SCS goals and distribute survey to gather local input on land use, housing and transportation demand management El Centro, Imperial County City managers, planners, and staff

2/15/11 Subregional Planning Session Presentation on RTP/SCS goals and distribute survey to gather local input on land use, housing and transportation demand management Palm Desert, San Bernardino County City managers, planners, and staff

2/16/11 Subregional Planning Session Presentation on RTP/SCS goals and distribute survey to gather local input on land use, housing and transportation demand management Ventura, Ventura County City managers, planners, and staff

2/17/11 Subregional Planning Session Presentation on RTP/SCS goals and distribute survey to gather local input on land use, housing and transportation demand management Perris, Riverside County City managers, planners, and staff

2/23/11 Subregional Planning Session Presentation on RTP/SCS goals and distribute survey to gather local input on land use, housing and transportation demand management Calabasas, LA County City managers, planners, and staff

2/24/11 Subregional Planning Session Presentation on RTP/SCS goals and distribute survey to gather local input on land use, housing and transportation demand management Monrovia, LA County City managers, planners, and staff

3/2/11 Subregional Planning Session Presentation on RTP/SCS goals and distribute survey to gather local input on land use, housing and transportation demand management El Segundo, LA County City managers, planners, and staff

3/3/11 Subregional Planning Session Presentation on RTP/SCS goals and distribute survey to gather local input on land use, housing and transportation demand management Los Angeles, LA County City managers, planners, and staff

3/14/11 Subregional Planning Session Presentation on RTP/SCS goals and distribute survey to gather local input on land use, housing and transportation demand management Palmdale, LA County City managers, planners, and staff

3/16/11 Subregional Planning Session Presentation on RTP/SCS goals and distribute survey to gather local input on land use, housing and transportation demand management Beverly Hills, LA County City managers, planners, and staffPublic Participation and Consultation 

### 11



## RTP/ SCS Workshops in the Pre-Draft Phase

**T ab**  **l e 2.2**  

### R TP/SCS Workshops in the Pre-Draft Phase

**Date E**  **ve nt**  **Topic L**  **o cation (City, County)**  **Audience**

6/30/11 Environmental Justice workshop Orientation to the 2012–2035 RTP and SCS, as well as an opportunity to comment on the proposed environmental justice analysis Los Angeles, LA County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

7/13/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies Town of Apple Valley, San Bernardino County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

7/14/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies San Bernardino, San Bernardino County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

7/14/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies Montclair, San Bernardino County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

7/18/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies Thousand Oaks, Ventura County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

7/19/11 RTP/SCS Workshop (2 sessions) Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies Oxnard, Ventura County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

7/25/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies Corona, Riverside County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

7/25/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies Riverside, Riverside County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

7/26/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies Palm Desert, Riverside County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

7/27/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies El Centro, Imperial County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

8/3/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies Anaheim, Orange County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

8/10/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies City of Orange, Orange County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

8/11/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies West Covina, LA County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

8/15/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies Mission Viejo, Orange County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

8/16/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies Los Angeles, LA County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

### 12 Public Participation and Consultation

**Date E**  **ve nt**  **Topic L**  **o cation (City, County)**  **Audience**

8/22/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies Santa Clarita, LA County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

8/23/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies Carson, LA County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

8/24/11 RTP/SCS Workshop Present major components of the RTP/SCS and its GHG reduction strategies Santa Monica, LA County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.



## Draft RTP/ SCS Workshops and Public Hearings

**T ab**  **l e 2.3**  

### Dr aft RTP/SCS Workshops and Public Hearings

**Date E**  **ve nt**  **Topic L**  **o cation (City, County)**  **Audience**

1/6/12 SCAG Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Workshop For Elected Officials 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Camarillo, Ventura County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

1/17/12 SCAG Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Workshop For Elected Officials 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Carson, LA County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

1/18/12 SCAG Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Workshop For Elected Officials 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation San Bernardino, San Bernardino County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

1/18/12 Public Hearing Hearing on public comments to the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS San Bernardino, San Bernardino County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

1/19/12 SCAG Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Workshop For Elected Officials 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Camarillo, Ventura County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

1/19/12 Public Hearing Hearing on public comments to the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Camarillo, Ventura County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

1/20/12 SCAG Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Workshop For Elected Officials 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Apple Valley, San Bernardino County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

1/23/12 SCAG Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Workshop For Elected Officials 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Riverside, Riverside County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

1/23/12 Public Hearing Hearing on public comments to the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Riverside, Riverside County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.Public Participation and Consultation 

### 13

**Date E**  **ve nt**  **Topic L**  **o cation (City, County)**  **Audience**

1/24/12 SCAG Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Workshop For Elected Officials 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Palm Desert, Riverside County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

1/25/12 SCAG Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Workshop For Elected Officials 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation El Centro, Imperial County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

1/25/12 Public Hearing Hearing on public comments to the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS El Centro, Imperial County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

1/26/12 SCAG Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Workshop For Elected Officials 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Anaheim, Orange County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

1/26/12 Public Hearing Hearing on public comments to the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Anaheim, Orange County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

2/2/12 SCAG Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Workshop For Elected Officials 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Los Angeles, LA County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

2/2/12 Public Hearing Hearing on public comments to the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Los Angeles, LA County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

2/6/12 SCAG Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Workshop For Elected Officials 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Irvine, Orange County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

2/21/12 Draft PEIR Workshop Overview of 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Program Environmental Impact Report comments and revision approach Los Angeles, LA County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

3/13/12 Natural Resources and the 2012– 2035 RTP/SCS Overview of the proposed approach to environmental issues in the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS and the Program Environmental Impact Report Los Angeles, LA County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.



## S e lected Other RTP/ SCS Outreach Activities

**T ab**  **l e 2.4**  

### S elected Other RTP/SCS Outreach Activities

**Date E**  **ve nt**  **Topic L**  **o cation (City, County)**  **Audience**

1/26/11 SCAG’s Bike/Ped Wiki College Outreach at University of California Irvine Promote the SCAG Bike/Ped Wiki to local planning students to increase participation Irvine, Orange County College Students

### 14 Public Participation and Consultation

**Date E**  **ve nt**  **Topic L**  **o cation (City, County)**  **Audience**

2/15/11 SCAG’s Bike/Ped Wiki College Outreach at University of California Los Angeles Promote the SCAG Bike/Ped Wiki to local planning students to increase participation Los Angeles, LA County College Students

2/24/11 SCAG’s Bike/Ped Wiki College Outreach at University of Southern California Promote the SCAG Bike/Ped Wiki to local planning students to increase participation Los Angeles, LA County College Students

5/6/11 SCAG General Assembly: Breakout Session on SCS Strategies Presentation on SCS strategies La Quinta, Riverside Elected, Stakeholders and Community Interest Groups

5/25/11 Intelligent Vehicle Technology Event Panel discussion to share perspective/opinion on new technology in vehicles Los Angeles, LA County Media, stakeholders, opinion leaders, regional traffic planners. Approximately 100 people in attendance

5/25/11 City of Lakewood Interview SCAG's perspective on suburbanization, transportation, land use, & other development issues Lakewood, LA County City staff

5/26/11 Society of Industrial and Office Realtors Dinner Discussion on the future of urban form, changing demo

graphics, changing energy costs and it's impact on future housing type & transportation Newport Beach, Orange County Industry and business representa

tives. Approximately 45 people in attendance

6/21/11 MOVE LA Roundtable Roundtable discussion on the status of Measure R and Los Angeles' transformation around public transportation Los Angeles, LA County Transportation advocates and the general public

6/24/11 Leadership Southern California Class of 2011 Seminar: Land Use, Housing & Transportation Discuss various perspectives on land use, housing and transit-oriented development. Specifically discuss impor

tance of regional cooperation & the work of SCAG related to these themes. Los Angeles, LA County Mid-senior level leaders from com

munity, business and government sectors

6/24/11 American Institute of Architects— Los Angeles Symposium: "The Architect of Transportation" A forum to discuss innovative ideas about to build transpor

tation systems that support & strengthen healthier, more functional & livable neighborhoods Los Angeles, LA County Architects, transit-oriented districts, community activists, academics, business leaders, planners, policy makers, and urban designers

9/6/11 Mobility 21 10th Annual Southern California Transportation Summit Panel discussion on "What Gap Closures Mean for the Effectiveness of Southern California's Goods Movement System" Los Angeles, LA County 1000 regional attendees

9/9/11 Urban Land Institute - Los Angeles Land Use Leadership Committee meeting Briefing on SCS process & next steps following the conclusion of the public workshops Los Angeles, LA County Public officials that make up the ULI-LA Land Use Leadership CommitteePublic Participation and Consultation 

### 15

**Date E**  **ve nt**  **Topic L**  **o cation (City, County)**  **Audience**

9/13/11 Orange County Business Council Meeting Presentation and discussion of Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Irvine, Orange County Business and executive leaders

9/22/11 Annual convention of the Associa

tion for Commuter Transportation, Southern California Chapter Presentation and discussion of Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Glendale, LA County Commuter transportation stake

holders and professionals

9/27/11 Morongo Band Mission Indians Tribal Council Presentation on SCAG and the RTP/SCS Banning, Riverside County Tribal Government Council and staff

9/30/11 Alt Car Expo & Conference Regional Cities debriefing & referendum combined with funding and programs Santa Monica, LA County Elected officials, agency officials, renewable energy advocates and general public

10/14/11 Law Seminars International Califor

nia Environmental Quality Act Workshop A presentation on "SB 375: Sustainable Communities Strategies and the RTP" Santa Monica, LA County Attorneys, real estate and envi

ronmental professionals, corpo

rate managers and government representatives

10/18/11 UCLA Annual Lake Arrowhead Symposium Panel -"Energy Focused Transportation, Land Use & Envi

ronmental Plng: Roles, Research, Tools & Practices Lake Arrowhead Researchers, practitioners and stakeholders

10/20/11 San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments Transportation Committee Presentation on East/West Corridor Alhambra, LA County Elected officials

11/8/11 Inland Empire Economic Partnership Business Council Meeting Presentation on the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS; discussion on the role the Inland Empire can play in the strategy and funding mechanisms San Bernardino, San Bernardino County Business and executive leaders

11/9/11 RCTC Commission Meeting Report on development of 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Riverside, Riverside County Elected officals and transportation leaders

11/9/11 Orange County Business Council/OC Moves Meeting Briefing on 2012–2035 RTP/SCS process Irvine, Orange County Elected officials, private sector, and transportation leaders

11/15/11 SCAG’s Bike/Ped Wiki College Outreach at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Promote the SCAG Bike/Ped Wiki to local planning students to increase participation Pomona, Los Angeles County College Students

11/16/11 Metro Ad Hoc Sustainability Com

mittee 2012–2035 RTP/SCS presentation Los Angeles, LA County Elected officals and Metro staff

11/30/11 Resource Agency Workshop 2012–2035 RTP/SCS presentation & next steps Los Angeles, LA County Representatives from federal, state and regional resource agencies, and Tribal councils

### 16 Public Participation and Consultation

**Date E**  **ve nt**  **Topic L**  **o cation (City, County)**  **Audience**

12/6/11 American Road & Transportation Builders Association's Western Region Conference Presentation on how local sales tax measures play a significant role in funding transportation investments in Southern California counties and the region Los Angeles, LA County Transportation agencies and busi

ness representatives

1/10/12 Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations Annual Legislative meeting 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Los Angeles, LA County Tribal government members

1/12/12 Riverside Community meeting 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation held in coordination with the California Rural Legal Assistance and Riverside County Department of Public Health Riverside, Riverside County Interested parties, general public, stakeholders, etc.

1/12/12 American Lung Association Forum 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Riverside, Riverside County Interested parties, general public, stakeholders, etc.

1/26/12 Los Angeles Metro Board meeting 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Los Angeles, LA County Interested parties, general public, stakeholders, etc.

1/26/12 South Bay Council of Governments meeting 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Palos Verdes, LA County Interested parties, general public, stakeholders, etc.

1/27/12 South Coast Air Quality Manage

ment District, Environmental Justice Advisory Group 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation focusing on the Environ

mental Justice Analysis Diamond Bar, LA County Interested parties, general public, stakeholders, etc.

1/27/12 Southern California Leadership Network Seminar Discussion on "Understanding Southern California's Transit System: The Challenges & Possibilities" Los Angeles, LA County Interested parties, general public, stakeholders, etc.

1/30/12 San Fernando Valley Council of Governments 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Burbank, LA County Interested parties, general public, stakeholders, etc.

1/31/12 LA THINK Forum, "Advancing Transit: The 'It' Factor of Successful Cities" Presentation of the key policies of the 2012–2035 Draft RTP, especially those related to transit & how they may impact Southern California Los Angeles, LA County Interested parties, general public, stakeholders, etc.

2/3/12 SANBAG Board Retreat Discussion of Southern California transportation issues; sharing of challenges transportation agencies are facing, with focus on future collaborative opportunities San Diego, San Diego County Interested parties, general public, stakeholders, etc.

2/6/12 Arroyo Verdugo Council of Govern

ments meeting Presentation on the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS with focus on impact/benefits to Arroyo Verdugo La Canada Flintridge, LA County Elected officials, stakeholders

2/9/12 Reservation Transportation Authority meeting 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Temecula, Riverside County Tribal government membersPublic Participation and Consultation 

### 17

**Date E**  **ve nt**  **Topic L**  **o cation (City, County)**  **Audience**

2/9/12 El Centro Rotary Club meeting 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation El Centro, Imperial County Club members, business lead

ers, community leaders, and civil servants 2/21/12 Agua Caliente Planning Commission 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Palm Springs, Riverside County Elected officials, stakeholders

2/23/12 American Planning Association Inland Empire Section event 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation: What the SCS means to local governments San Bernardino, San Bernardino County Interested parties, general public, stakeholders, etc.

2/24/12 LA on the Verge of a Transit Break

through: MOVE LA's 4th Annual Transportation Conversation Presentation on funding strategies for improving transit/ infrastructure in LA County Los Angeles, LA County Interested parties, general public, stakeholders, etc.

2/27/12 Coachella Valley Association of Governments Executive Committee meeting 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Palm Desert, Riverside County Elected officials, stakeholders

3/7/12 Four Corners Coalition Presentation/update on RTP financial plan Diamond Bar, LA County Interested Parties, General Public, Stakeholders, etc.

3/9/12 2012 Southern California Transpor

tation & Logistics Summit Panel discussion on the economy, goods movement and job growth in the region Ontario, San Bernardino County Interested parties, general public, stakeholders, etc.

3/12/12 Big Bear Lake City Council meeting 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino County

3/13/12 Valley Industry Association Group 2012–2035 RTP/SCS Presentation Santa Clarita Elected officials, interested par

ties, general public, stakeholders, etc.

3/15/12 South Orange County Mayors' meeting Update on SCAG 2010 Regional Economic Recovery Strat

egy Laguna Niguel, Orange County Elected officials, stakeholders

### 18 Public Participation and Consultation



# SC A G Public Participation Plan Amendment N o . 3 Purpose of SC AG ’s Public Participation Plan
The awareness and involvement of interested persons in governmental processes are critical to successful regional transportation planning and programming. When the public is engaged in the process, their feedback helps assure projects address community needs. Likewise, the public gains a better understanding of the tradeoffs and constraints associated with transportation planning. This Public Participation Plan (“Plan”) serves as a guide for SCAG’s public involvement process as well as the continuing, comprehen

sive and coordinated planning process among the stakeholders to ensure the ongoing opportunity for broad-based participation in the development and review of regional plans and programs. 

## Introduction
Since its inception, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) has engaged in a public involvement process in developing its regional transportation plans and programs. As a result of changes in the metropolitan planning law in 2005, SCAG has broadened and will continue to broaden its participation activities to engage a more extensive group of stakeholders in its planning and programming processes. As a metropolitan planning organization (MPO), SCAG is responsible for preparing and utilizing a Plan which is developed in consultation with all interested parties and provides reasonable opportunities for interested parties to comment on the content of SCAG’s proposed plans and programs, including the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and the Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) (also known as the Federal Transportation Improvement Program), pursuant to the “Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users” (SAFETEA-LU), Pub. L. No. 109- 59, Title VI, Section 6001(a), 119 Stat. 1839 (Aug. 10, 2005). The participation procedures, strategies and goals incorporated into this Plan are intended to provide interested parties with reasonable opportunities to be involved in the metropolitan transportation planning process. The Plan contains an expanded list of Interested Parties to encourage participation of a broad range of stakeholders. Additionally, SCAG is required to consult with State, local, and Tribal governments in the development of its RTPs and RTIPs. SCAG is specifically required to consult with agencies and officials responsible for other planning activities within the region that are affected by SCAG’s RTP and RTIP (including, as appropriate, state and local agencies responsible for land use management, natural resources, environmental protection, conservation, and historic preservation). Pursuant to new State law, Steinberg’s Senate Bill 375 (SB 375) SCAG has further expanded the list of Interested Parties and added additional outreach and consultation provisions to ensure broad stakeholder participation in the development of a sustainable communities strategy as part of the RTP or an alternative planning strategy. As part of developing other plans and programs for which SCAG is responsible, SCAG carries out additional participation activities, including but not limited to: collaboration with transportation partners in development of the SCAG Overall Work Program, pursu

ant to 23 C.F.R. 450.314 and State guidance; creation of technical advisory committees to expedite input; scoping meetings and public review of the Draft Program EIR (PEIR) for the RTP, as required by applicable California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, 14 C.C.R. Ch. 3, Art. 7; and, public participation in the development of a methodology for the Regional Housing Needs Allocation Plan, pursuant to Govt. Code Section 65584.04(c). This Plan is intended to guide the participation process and to coordinate the process with SCAG’s consultation activities and other responsibilities. Detailed strategies, pro

cedures, and techniques for carrying out the participation process for the RTP, RTIP, and Overall Work Program (OWP), are described in “Appendix A,” of this Plan, and incorpo

rated herein by this reference. 

## Public Participation Plan Requirements
SCAG’s Public Participation Plan must comply with the following requirements provided under 23 U.S.C. 134, subsections (i)(5), and (j)(1)(B) which are summarized as follows:

1. S CAG shall provide citizens, affected public agencies, representatives of public transportation employees, freight shippers, providers of freight transportation services, private providers of transportation, representatives of users of public transportation, representatives of users of pedestrian walkways and bicycle trans

portation facilities, representatives of the disabled, the business community and other interested parties with a reasonable opportunity to comment on the RTP.Public Participation and Consultation 

### 19

2. T he participation plan shall be developed in consultation with all interested parties, and shall provide that all interested parties have reasonable opportunities to com

ment on the contents of the transportation plan.
3. I n carrying out the participation process, SCAG must, to the maximum extent practicable: A. h old any public meetings at convenient and accessible locations and times; B. e mploy visualization techniques to describe plans; and C. m ake public information available in electronically accessible format and means, such as the World Wide Web, as appropriate, to afford reasonable opportunity for consideration of public information under paragraph 1 above.
4. T he RTP shall be published or otherwise made readily available by the metropolitan planning organization for public review, including (to the maximum extent practi

cable) in electronically accessible formats and means, such as the World Wide Web, approved by the metropolitan planning organization and submitted for informa

tion purposes to the Governor at such times and in such manner as the Secretary shall establish.
5. I n developing the RTIP and before approving the RTIP, SCAG, in cooperation with the State and any affected public transportation operator, shall provide an opportunity for participation by interested parties in the development of the program, in accor

dance with the same requirements described above.
6. T he Public Participation Plan further addresses the requirements of the applicable regulations, 23 CFR 450.316(a) (See 72 FR 7273; February 14, 2007), as follows: A. T he MPO shall develop and use a documented participation plan that defines a process for providing citizens, affected public agencies, representatives of public transportation employees, freight shippers, providers of freight transportation services, private providers of transportation, representatives of users of public transportation, representatives of users of pedestrian walk

ways and bicycle transportation facilities, representatives of the disabled, business and other interested parties with reasonable opportunities to be involved in the metropolitan transportation planning process. I. T he participation plan shall be developed by the MPO in consultation with all interested parties and shall, at a minimum, describe explicit proce

dures, strategies, and desired outcomes for: a. P roviding adequate public notice of public participation activities and time for public review and comment at key decision points, includ

ing but not limited to a reasonable opportunity to comment on the proposed metropolitan transportation plan and the TIP; b. P roviding timely notice and reasonable access to information about transportation issues and processes;
c. E mploying visualization techniques to describe metropolitan transpor

tation plans and TIPs; d. M aking public information (technical information and meeting notices) available in electronically accessible formats and means, such as the World Wide Web;
e. H olding any public meetings at convenient and accessible locations and times; f. D emonstrating explicit consideration and response to public input received during the development of the metropolitan transportation plan and the TIP; g. S eeking out and considering the needs of those traditionally under

served by existing transportation systems, such as low-income and minority households, who may face challenges accessing employment and other services; h. P roviding an additional opportunity for public comment, if the final metropolitan transportation plan or TIP differs significantly from the version that was made available for public comment by the MPO and raises new material issues which interested parties could not reason

ably have foreseen from the public involvement efforts; i. C oordinating with the statewide transportation planning public involvement and consultation processes under subpart B of this part; and ii. P eriodically reviewing the effectiveness of the procedures and strategies contained in the participation plan to ensure a full and open participation process. II. 2

. W hen significant written and oral comments are received on the draft metropolitan transportation plan and TIP (including the financial plans) as a result of the participation process in this section or the interagency consultation process required under the EPA transportation conformity

### 20 Public Participation and Consultation

regulations (40 CFR part 93), a summary, analysis, and report on the disposition of comments shall be made as part of the final metropolitan transportation plan and TIP. III. 3

. A m inimum public comment period of 45 calendar days shall be provided before the initial or revised participation plan is adopted by the MPO. Copies of the approved participation plan shall be provided to the FHWA and the FTA for informational purposes and shall be posted on the World Wide Web, to the maximum extent practicable. Additionally, the plan addresses SB 375, the state law that requires SCAG to adopt a public participation plan for development of the sustainable communities strategy (SCS) and an alternative planning strategy (APS) that includes the following components, in summary:

1. O utreach efforts to encourage the active participation of a broad range of stake

holder groups in the planning process, consistent with SCAG’s adopted Public Participation Plan;
2. C onsultation with congestion management agencies, transportation agencies, and transportation commissions;
3. W orkshops throughout the region to provide the public with the information and tools necessary to provide a clear understanding of the issues and policy choices;
4. P reparation and circulation of a draft SCS and APS, if one is prepared, not less than 55 days before adoption of a final RTP;
5. A t least three public hearings on the draft SCS in the RTP and APS, if one is pre

pared, held in different parts of the region, if feasible;
6. A m inimum of three public workshops in each county with a population of 500,000 or more; and
7. A pr ocess for enabling members of the public to provide a single request to receive notices, information and updates. Further, SB 375 requires that SCAG conduct at least two informational meetings in each county within the region for members of the board of supervisors and city councils on the SCS and APS, if any. The purpose of the meeting shall be to present a draft of the SCS to the members of the board of supervisors and city council members in that county and to solicit and consider their input and recommendations. SCAG has addressed and integrated the above requirements with its participation proce

dures for the regional transportation planning process. See attached Appendix “A.” 

## C o nsultation Requirements
SCAG must consult, as appropriate, with State and local agencies responsible for land use management, natural resources, environmental protection, conservation, and historic preservation concerning the development of a long-range transportation plan. The con

sultation shall involve, as appropriate:

1. C omparison of transportation plans with State conservation plans or maps, if avail

able; or
2. C omparison of transportation plans to inventories of natural or historic resources, if available. See 23 U.S.C Section 134(i)(4). Furthermore, under the metropolitan planning process, RTPs and TIPs must be developed with due consideration of other related activities within the region, and the process must provide for the design and delivery of transportation services within the region that are provided by:

1. R ecipients of assistance under Chapter 53 of Title 49 U.S.C.
2. G overnmental agencies and nonprofit organizations (including representatives of the agencies and organizations) that receive Federal assistance from a source other than the Department of Transportation to provide non-emergency transportation services; and
3. R ecipients of assistance under 23 U.S.C Section 204. See 49 U.S.C Section 5303. Consultation requirements are accomplished primarily through our policy committees, other committees, subcommittees, task forces, and working groups. Policy committees are primarily made up of local elected officials. There are several issue-specific as well as mode-specific committees, subcommittees, task forces and working groups that are on-going as well as some that are created for a specific purpose and specific timeframe. All of these groups forward their recommendations to policy committees. Examples include the Aviation Technical Advisory Committee, Plans and Programs Technical Advisory Committee, Regional Housing Needs Assessment Subcommittee, TransitPublic Participation and Consultation 

### 21

Technical Advisory Committee, Modeling Task Force, and Transportation Conformity Working Group. Membership on these groups includes elected officials as well as stake

holder agency representatives. The stakeholders have a direct pipeline to SCAG’s plan

ning processes through these groups. In addition, SCAG conducts meetings with all 191 member city managers and provides individual city council briefings when requested. Also, SCAG conducts several workshops prior to releasing the Draft RTP, SCS and or APS involving stakeholders to ensure that their input on major issues is addressed in the plan. SCAG also utilizes the subregional council of governments (COG) structure to get the word out and solicit input on the content as well as the planning and programming process from local stakeholders. SCAG mails out a notice of the Draft RTP and RTIP availability to the stakeholders at the local, state and federal level to solicit their comment and input to the final RTP and RTIP. Comments as well as responses are fully documented and reflected in the final RTP. SCAG engages Tribal Governments in the RTP and RTIP processes through Tribal Government representation on SCAG’s governing board and policy committees.


## B ot tom- U p Planning and Interagency C o nsultation
An expanded 70-member Regional Council and the fostering of 14 subregional organiza

tions were initiated by the former Executive Committee in 1992. (The Regional Council currently has more than 80 members). These forums, coupled with three policy commit

tees, numerous standing committees and technical advisory committees, and the “AB 1246 process” (required under Public Utilities Code Section 130000 et seq.) facilitate SCAG’s ability to provide a framework for bottom-up planning and more frequent and ongoing participation by interested parties at all stages of the process. Within the AB 1246 process, the multi-county designated transportation planning agency shall convene at least two meetings annually of representatives from each of the four commissions, the agency, and the Department of Transportation for the purposes below. The region wide Transportation Agencies CEOs Group is currently fulfilling the function of the AB 1246 process. 1. T o review and discuss the near-term transportation improvement programs prior to adoption by the commissions.
2. T o review and discuss the Regional Transportation Plan prior to adoption by the agency pursuant to Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 65080) of Title 7 of the Government Code.
3. T o consider progress in the development of a region wide and unified public transit system.
4. T o review and discuss any other matter of mutual concern. SCAG has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) on transportation and air quality conformity consulta

tion procedures for the South Coast Air Basin and for the Riverside County portions of the Salton Sea Air Basin and the Mojave Desert Air Basin. Parties to the MOU include: SCAQMD, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Orange County Transportation Authority, Riverside County Transportation Commission, San Bernardino Associated Governments, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), California Air Resource Board, and the Federal Highway Administration. Likewise, SCAG has an MOU for transportation and air quality conformity consulta

tion procedures with the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD) for the Ventura County portion of the South Central Coast Air Basin (SCCAB). Parties to the MOU include: VCAPCD, Ventura County Transportation Commission, Caltrans, California Air Resources Board, Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration. To support interagency coordination and fulfill the interagency consultation requirements of the Federal Transportation Conformity Rule, SCAG participates in the Transportation Conformity Working Group (TCWG). The group meets on a monthly basis to address and resolve regional issues pertaining to transportation conformity for the RTP and RTIP; RTP and TIP amendments; and the region’s air quality management plans. Participants in the Southern California TCWG include representatives from federal, state, regional and sub-regional agencies such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency (both national and regional representatives), Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, California Air Resources Board, California Department of Transportation, Air Quality Management Districts, County Transportation Commissions, Transportation Corridor Agencies, and SCAG.

### 22 Public Participation and Consultation



## Interested Parties
To ensure compliance with SAFETEA-LU requirements and other federal and state man

dates, SCAG intends to target the following participants in the region:

 gener al public

 e lected officials

 a ffected public agencies

 C ity Managers

 su bregional organizations

 r epresentatives of transportation agency employees

 f reight shippers

 pr oviders of freight transportation services

 pr ivate providers of transportation

 r epresentatives of users of public transit

 r epresentatives of users of pedestrian walkways and bicycle transportation facilities

 r epresentatives of the disabled

 T ribal Governments

 t ransit operators

 g overnmental agencies and non-profit organizations that receive Federal assistancefrom a source other than the Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide nonemergency transportation services and recipients of assistance under section 204 of Title 23 U.S.C .

 af fordable housing advocates

 t ransportation advocates

 n eighborhood and community groups

 en vironmental advocates

 h ome builder representatives

 b usiness organizations

 l andowners  c ommercial property interests

 h omeowner associations

 o rganizations serving rural area residents

 l imited English proficiency populations

 a nd other interested parties (e.g. ethnic and minority groups, older and retired persons, special interest non-profit agencies, educational institutions, women’s organizations, and private sector) The following goals and procedures are designed to encourage participation and provide opportunities to comment on the development and approval of SCAG’s plan, programs, related environmental review documents, and other products prepared by SCAG that statutorily require public participation or for which the Regional Council determines is necessary. 

## Public Participation Plan Goals
The five primary goals of SCAG’s Public Participation Plan include:
Goal 1: I mplement an open and ongoing participation process that ensures general public, agency and interested party participation in, and input into, regional transporta

tion planning and programming.
Goal 2: P rovide full public access and information to key decisions in the regional trans

portation planning process.
Goal 3: D isseminate clear, concise and timely information to general public, affected agencies and interested parties.
Goal 4: P rovide timely responses to issues, concerns, and comments raised by the public regarding the development and implementation of regional transportation plans, programs, and projects. Ensure that the comments received are considered and incorporated into the deliberations regarding proposed plans and programs.
Goal 5: E nhance the participation process including reaching out to those communities that have been underrepresented and/or underserved.Public Participation and Consultation 

### 23



## Public Participation Plan Procedures in Obtaining Goals

Goal 1: I mplement an open and ongoing participation process that ensures general public, agency and interested party participation in, and input into, regional transporta

tion planning and programming.

 S CAG’s participation program will include public outreach and communica

tions for all major plans and programs. This includes establishing procedures and responsibilities for (1) informing, involving and incorporating public opinion into the planning process, (2) consultative involvement of designated agencies (i.e., federal, state and local agencies, county transportation com

missions and air quality management/pollution control districts) on technical data and modeling used in developing regional plans and determining trans

portation improvement program and regional transportation improvement program conformity, (3) designating lead staff persons who are knowledge

able about the entire planning process to be responsible for the participation program, and (4) providing adequate funds and staff resources to implement the participation program.

 S tress the requirement to encourage, assess and provide for public participa

tion to staff, consultants, stakeholder organizations and others as well as stress the importance of an inclusionary process and dialogue and encour

age staff to regard general public, subregional organizations and agencies as working partners.

 I nteract and seek input from a broad spectrum of interested stakehold

ers through various task forces and working groups that meet on a regular, on-going basis to review, discuss, and provide feedback on various SCAG initiatives, plans and programs.

 C oordinate outreach efforts with subregional organizations and transportation and air quality agencies.

 E ncourage proponents and opponents to participate in the regional planning process and acknowledge the value of their input.

 U pdate and maintain the internal contact databases and audience categories. Expand current list categories to include the additional list of parties outlined in the federal SAFETEA-LU & State Law SB 375 (Steinberg). These contact databases should be reviewed and updated on an on-going basis.  M embers of the general public, stakeholders, agency partners and other interested parties may be added to SCAG’s contact database by making a request to any SCAG staff member in person, by calling the SCAG office, by sending a written request via US Mail or via email, or via the website by click

ing on the “Contact Us” link or the “Sign Up for Our Newsletters” link or the “Get Involved” link.

 P rovide outreach to the general public, groups, agencies and subregional organizations and inform them of how their involvement has affected the plan.

 A ssemble, organize and equip a participation and outreach team of transpor

tation planners, environmental planners, analysts and other technical staff, public affairs staff, management staff, and elected officials to conduct pre

sentations, hold briefings, workshops and hearings during the year to diverse groups and organizations throughout the region.

 C onduct hands-on, interactive workshops such as the Compass workshops, to encourage community involvement and participation and obtain feedback from local residents, regional stakeholders and local governments (planners, demographers, and elected officials).

 P rovide outreach assistance, including to under-represented areas, using Regional Affairs Officers who are geographically focused and knowledgeable on the issues of the subregion.

 T rain staff in effective communication and public relations skills by providing clear, consistent and concise primary messages for media and public involve

ment and interaction.

 D evelop and disseminate public participation / outreach materials to provide key messages to all stakeholders.

 C omplete target group and media mailing lists for targeted audiences and determine the best methods for distributing information: including fact sheets, brochures, flyers, white papers, plan summaries, newsletters, PowerPoint presentations, electronic newsletters, press releases, public service announcements, press advisories, press conferences, telephone and personal interviews.

 D evelop memoranda of understanding or agreements with appropriate agen

cies, as needed.

### 24 Public Participation and Consultation

 P articipate in regular monthly meetings with the CEOs of the county transpor

tation commissions.
Goal 2: P rovide full public access and information to key decisions in the regional trans

portation planning process.

 U tilize SCAG’s website to provide information, announce draft and final plan releases, encourage feedback and comments from the public, make draft and final plans and corresponding documents available, provide contact informa

tion, educate about SCAG and SCAG initiatives, inform of upcoming events and meetings, post meeting agendas and minutes and provide publications. Ensure that the information available is easy-to-read and accessible and that the web site is compliant with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.

 P ost public notices of the draft product in at least one major newspaper in each of the six member counties, SCAG regional offices and include commu

nity newspapers and ethnic press.

 F ollow up on public notices to increase participation. Assign staff to look out for non-participating public interests.

 C onduct public hearing and workshops for the draft RTP, TIP, SCS and/or APS and EIR and other major plans as needed. Announce public hearings in printed materials, on SCAG’s website, and in local newspapers. Provide trans

lation services at these hearings, if needed.

 D evelop procedures for public hearings. Include the time to be allotted to each speaker and how the order of appearance is determined. A written explanation of adopted procedures should be distributed to participants both prior to and at the hearing. Make arrangements for the submission of written statements in addition to verbal comments.

 H old monthly meetings with the subregional coordinators to review upcoming Regional Council and Policy Committee agendas and conduct other coordinat

ing activities.

 K eep interested parties informed with progress reports during the product development, review and adoption phases.
Goal 3: D isseminate clear, concise and timely information to the general public, affected agencies and interested parties.

 S CAG, together with its subregional partners and other stakeholder organizations, will notify interested parties through traditional meeting announcements, newspapers, public service announcements, press releases, special mailers, publications and agendas of committees, meetings, work

shops, briefings, website postings, email communications and other opportu

nities to participate, as appropriate.

 M ake electronically accessible to the public all draft and final plans, fact sheets, publications such as Your Guide to SCAG, the Overall Work Program, key PowerPoint presentations, meeting agendas and minutes, data and other planning-related information, and a calendar of upcoming events on SCAG’s Web site at www.scag.ca.gov. Encourage public involvement on the web site. Ensure that the information provided is timely, accessible and easy-to-understand.

 P rovide complete and easy-to-understand information, including summaries and one-page fact sheets on major plans and initiatives at the beginning and throughout the planning process and define the issues and alternatives in a concise, straightforward and consistent manner.

 U pdate annually contingent upon budget availability and disseminate SCAG’s citizen guide “Your Guide to SCAG” which succinctly informs the public about SCAG and the regional planning process, highlights major SCAG initiatives, cites the importance of public involvement, invites participation, and identi

fies key contacts.

 P rovide updated information about SCAG’s activities, plans, actions, upcom

ing events, legislative efforts, and subregional activities in the electronic newsletters which are disseminated to local elected officials, legislators, subregions, commissions, air districts, other interested parties and members of the public at least eight times per year. The electronic newsletters are accessible through SCAG’s website. In addition, archival copies are readily available on the site.

 M aintain and update media mailing lists that include metropolitan and local community newspapers, radio, television and cable outlets, trade journals, wire services, ethnic and foreign-language media, government and legal pub

lications and special interest press directed at older Americans, the disabled, Native Americans and students.

 I mplement the media outreach strategies contained in the agency’s overall Communications Strategy. This includes press releases, use of social media, including Facebook and Twitter, media advisories, calendar advisories, mediaPublic Participation and Consultation 

### 25

interviews on television and radio talk shows and public affairs programs, public notices, op-ed articles in local newspapers, editorial board meetings, and development of consistent media messages on major SCAG initiatives, and outreach to ethnic and foreign language press.

 D evelop printed materials, fact sheets, brochures, summaries, fliers, and PowerPoint presentations relating to SCAG and SCAG’s initiatives and other publications for general population distribution in concise, understandable, non-technical language.

 M aintain an updated calendar of events on SCAG’s website, accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 T ranslate the most significant web site information and printed materials into other languages when needed and contingent upon resource and budget availability. Include the ethnic press in media advisories, press releases, press conference notifications, calendar advisories and other media com

munications. Maintain and update ethnic press contacts in the media contact database.

 D isseminate SCAG major publications and studies at conferences, through mailings, SCAG regional offices and in SCAG’s lobby area to highlight SCAG’s major initiatives, invite participation within the community, solicit feedback and encourage general public to “Get Informed and Get Involved.”

 M ake presentations on various SCAG initiatives throughout the region to gen

eral public, community groups, environmental groups, business organizations, minorities, subregions, other stakeholders, and other interested parties. Staff throughout the organization, along with Regional Council members, will con

duct the presentations. Determine the appropriate staff and agency represen

tatives to speak on policy, technical and media issues. Staff will proactively encourage presentations be included on various meeting agendas.

 P repare technical and non-technical PowerPoint presentations for work

shop, conference, hearings and other meeting use to showcase SCAG and SCAG’s initiatives and simplify the regional planning process. Ensure that the presentations are easy-to-understand, interesting, and invite participation and involvement. Utilize graphics and animation to make the presentations more interesting and inviting. Tailor presentations to the audience by includ

ing subregional statistics and addressing primary areas of audience concern. Enhancements to the presentations should be based on community input and speaker feedback. Maintain a library of all PowerPoint presentations created. Post relevant PowerPoint presentations on SCAG’s web site for public access.

 U tilize visualization techniques whenever possible such as maps, videos, PowerPoint presentations with graphics and animation, flowcharts, com

puter simulation, interactive GIS systems, photorealistic visualizations, video fly-throughs, illustrative drawings, simulated photos, sketches, and photo manipulation scenario planning tools to better and more easily communicate technical planning issues and strategies.

 D esign and display a modular exhibit for “on-the-road” presentations and exhibit tables at conferences, workshops, meetings and other public events. The exhibit will be visually appealing and will graphically showcase SCAG’s major planning initiatives to diverse audiences. This exhibit will increase the public’s awareness of the work of SCAG and the importance of public involvement.

 E xplore new opportunities using state-of-the-art communications and infor

mation technology for reaching remote audiences.
Goal 4: P rovide timely responses to issues, concerns, and comments raised by the public regarding the development and implementation of regional transportation plans, programs, and projects. Ensure that the comments received are considered and incorporated into the deliberations regarding proposed plans and programs.

 S CAG will review and consider all public comments in the regional transporta

tion planning process. Comments will be recorded, tracked and maintained, through SCAG’s contact database system. The system will provide a list of all comments received, the name of the commenter, the comment date, the topic, the comment message, and SCAG’s response to the comment. All com

ments received will be responded to in a timely manner.

 E valuate public comments received throughout the planning process and assess whether, and to what extent, modifications were made in the draft documents as a result of the comments received.
Goal 5: E nhance the participation process including seeking out and considering the needs of traditionally underrepresented and/or underserved persons. Ensure that minority and low-income persons have meaningful access to the public outreach and involvement activities.

### 26 Public Participation and Consultation

 C oordinate with individuals, institutions or organizations to reach out to mem

bers in the affected minority and/or low income communities.

 C hoose an event site and time convenient for participants. All events should be fully accessible to all general public, including disabled, low-income and minority communities. Encourage the participation of elected officials at events and hearings.

 P rovide assistance, if requested 72 hours prior to the event, to people with disabilities.

 P rovide language assistance, if requested 72 hours prior to the event, to Limited English Proficient Persons.

 E valuate public participation efforts at the end of each phase of the planning process so that necessary modifications can be made for subsequent phases. Provide recommended strategies to enhance the outreach program and better serve the underrepresented segments of the region.

 A nnually review and update the agency’s overall Communications Strategy.

 A nnually review the process for providing language assistance for persons with limited English proficiency.

 M aintain an outreach calendar of presentations, workshops and hearings to strengthen outreach to underrepresented areas.

 U tilize SCAG’s existing online survey programs to conduct outreach on public opinions of community interests to obtain feedback on regional issues.

 D evelop surveys or evaluations on projects, plans, services and activities to obtain feedback on ways to improve service to members, stakeholders, partners and general public..

 A ssess how effective the agency’s communication strategies have been in impacting public policy. 

## Appendix “A”

Strategie s , P ro c ed u re s a n d T e c h n i q u e s f or Pub li c P arti c ipatio n R elated to the R egio n al T ra n s portatio n P la n ( RTP), R egio n al T ra n s portatio n I mpro v eme n t P rogram ( RTIP) a n d Ov erall W ork P rogram (OWP)
SCAG’s adopted Public Participation Plan (“Plan”) serves as a guide for SCAG’s public involvement process as well as the continuing, comprehensive and coordinated plan

ning process among the stakeholders to ensure the ongoing opportunity for broad-based participation in the development and review of regional plans and programs. For purposes of the Plan, “public” is intended to mean “Interested Parties” including general public, affected public agencies, and other interested parties as identified in the Plan. This Appendix “A” to the adopted Public Participation Plan provides more explicit details as to SCAG’s strategies, procedures and techniques for public participation on the RTP, RTIP and OWP. The interrelated goals identified in the Plan suggest that a coordinated approach to public outreach is best in seeking to spread a consistent message and increase public awareness of SCAG’s planning efforts. SCAG seeks the public’s feedback, active participation and input in developing its plans and programs.


## S E C T IO N 1. DE V E LOPME N T O F S T RATEGIE S , P RO C E D U R E S A N D T E C H N I QU E S
SCAG staff consults a wide range of interested parties to fulfill federal and state require

ments in developing public participation strategies, procedures and techniques. SCAG makes significant efforts to reach out to interested parties, encourage feedback, and involve interested parties in the development of the Plan’s strategies and procedures and will continue these efforts in future updates to the Plan. Specifically, SCAG solicited comments and feedback from the county transportation commissions, the subregions, transit operators, federal and state resource agencies, Tribal Governments, representa

tives of the disabled, the business community, representatives of pedestrian walkways and bicycle transportation facilities, environmental groups, and other interested parties through mailings, email correspondence, workshops, presentations, meetings, telephone communications and website postings encouraging individuals to get involved withPublic Participation and Consultation 

### 27

developing the Public Participation Plan. In developing the 2009 Public Participation Plan, SCAG conducted a survey which asked several questions to help SCAG determine how to improve public participation. This survey was emailed to 3,600 individuals within SCAG’s contact database system with valid email addresses of potential interested parties. SCAG engaged in interagency review by sending letters to over 200 affected agencies and orga

nizations to seek input on the proposed strategies, procedures and techniques. Finally, SCAG continues to solicit feedback through an online Public Participation Form.


## S E C T IO N 2. REGIO N A L TRA NS P ORTATIO N P LA N
Federal and state laws require SCAG to prepare a long-range Regional Transportation Plan, or RTP. The purpose of the RTP is to combine transportation policies and projects to lay out the blueprint for Southern California’s transportation network and how it can best handle the needs of the future. The RTP works to coordinate a balanced regional trans

portation system, identify adequate funding for transportation projects, and meet federal air quality requirements. An update of an existing RTP is required every four years, and SCAG is currently under

taking the development of the 2012–2035 RTP to provide Southern California with a comprehensive vision for its transportation future to the year 2035. State law SB 375 requires SCAG and other MPOs to additionally engage the region in the development process of the Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) and/or an Alternative Planning Strategy (APS) through outreach efforts, and a series of workshops and public hearings. For the SCAG region these additional workshops and public hearings amount to approximately twelve workshops for local elected officials, two workshops in each county in the region (depending on levels of participation, the number of work

shops can be reduced to one per county), and three public workshops per county, except Imperial County, where one workshop is required. Workshops will be held in the counties of Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, Orange, Los Angeles, and Ventura . In order to maximize participation, SCAG will also conduct three public hearings on the Draft RTP/ SCS in different parts of the region.

1. 

### Phase 1: Pre-Draft RTP (January 2009–November 2011 ) A. H old Regular Outreach and SB 375 Coordination Team Meetings: (January 2009–November 2011) While outreach activities have been ongoing since the adopted 2008 RTP, the single most important element to fostering and maintaining a fully-integrated agency outreach effort is to schedule and hold regular coordination meetings with the principal staff in all planning areas and consultants associated with each of the various outreach efforts. I. O utreach and SB 375 coordination meetings will provide important opportunities (1) to brief all members of the coordination team on overall goals and strategies; (2) to inform the team of upcoming outreach forums and other key milestones; (3) to identify strategies and specific work tasks that can either be shared or can accommodate multiple outreach objectives; and (4) Ensure all outreach events are being entered on SCAG’s outreach calendar in a timely manner for public notice as well as documentation of SCAG’s outreach history. II. S B 375 allows sub-regional agencies to prepare a Sustainable Communities Strategy or Alternative Planning Strategy for their subre

gional area for incorporation into the regional strategy. SCAG’s responsi

bility, as described in this Plan, is to conduct outreach in accordance with statutory requirements for the regional SCS and/or APS. B. P ublic Workshops: (June 2009–November 2011) SCAG will conduct at least two public workshops in each county of the region, except for Imperial County, where one workshop will be conducted. These workshops are intended to provide the public with a clear understanding of the issues and policy choices and to the extent practicable will include urban simulation computer modeling to demonstrate visual representation of the SCS and APS. SCAG will also provide a process for members of the public to provide a single request to receive notices, information, and updates Additional public workshops will be held as needed on the RTP, in accordance with applicable requirements. C. U pdate Contact Databases and Advisory Groups: (May 2009–November 2011) I. R eview and update mailing lists for outreach efforts. II. E xpand contact databases to include all Interested Parties identified in the Plan. III. W ork with subregional coordinators and SCAG task force and commit

tee members to expand current list categories to include all Interested Parties.

### 28 Public Participation and Consultation

IV. C onvene an Environmental Justice Advisory Group to meet as needed. This group would include representatives of community-based organiza

tions, non-profits, and Tribal Governments from all parts of the SCAG region. V. U pdate media mailing lists that include metropolitan and local community newspapers, radio, television and cable outlets, trade journals, wire ser

vices, ethnic and foreign-language media, government and legal publica

tions and special interest press directed at older audiences, the disabled, Native Americans and students. D. U pdate Existing Presentation Materials: (January 2009–November 2011) Many of the needed PowerPoint presentations have already been prepared and are currently in use. SCAG has developed PowerPoint presentations on all major SCAG initiatives and they are easily accessible by all staff. These presentations will continue to be updated as new information becomes avail

able. Communications staff will continue to work closely with Planning staff to ensure a consistent look and message for all of SCAG’s communications. I. P rovide clear, consistent and concise primary messages for media and public involvement and interaction. II. U pdate technical and non-technical Powerpoint presentations as new information becomes available. III. T ailor specific presentations to meet the needs and interests of the target audiences. IV. M aintain a library of all PowerPoint presentations developed. V. R eview and update Fact Sheets. VI. R eview and update brochures, fliers and other publications relating to SCAG and SCAG’s initiatives for general population distribution in concise, understandable, non-technical language. VII. R eview and update public feedback forms, both paper and web-based. VIII. R eview and enhance web interface to encourage public education and feedback on the related planning efforts. IX. I nclude articles on plans and programs in SCAG’s eVision newsletter, produced eight times each year as new information becomes available. E. C reate New Presentation Materials: (January 2009–November 2011) Develop new materials to simplify the RTP and cater to subregional audi

ences. Traditionally, interested parties raise questions about proposed projects in their specific community. Materials that visually highlight the most prominent features of the Plan and are most relevant to audiences will most likely be read and recalled. I. S B 375 presents new elements to the RTP which will require increased outreach and consensus building efforts, outreach materials will be develop accordingly to those needs. II. C reate an introductory, fold-out brochure which visually showcases regional projects of significance. Highlights of the plan will be summa

rized and created to peak interest and enhance readability. III. C reate 14 subregional maps that visually depict proposed projects of subregional significance. IV. P roduce the RTP on a CD to ease handling and ensure more efficient use of resources. V. P repare press releases, calendar advisories, notices of public hearings (in one major newspaper in each of the six counties), and reach out to the ethnic press by providing notices in English, Spanish and Chinese. VI. U tilize visualization techniques whenever possible such as maps, videos, PowerPoint presentations with graphics and animation, flowcharts, com

puter simulation, interactive GIS systems, photorealistic visualizations, video fly-throughs, illustrative drawings, simulated photos, sketches, and photo manipulation scenario planning tools to better and more easily communicate technical planning issues and strategies. VII. E xplore new opportunities using state-of-the-art communications and information technology for reaching remote audiences i.e. SCAG’s Regional Offices, video conference, web meetings twitter, wiki, and surveys. F. C ontinually Enhance Website Capabilities: (January 2009–November 2011) I. C reate new web pages dedicated to the RTP, enhance navigation, and ensure information is up-to-date. Link to stakeholder web pages. II. T ranslate key RTP communications in English, Spanish and Chinese on the web pages. III. U tilize SCAG’s web site to provide information, announce draft and final plan releases, encourage feedback and comments from the public, make draft and final plans and corresponding documents available, provide contact information, educate about SCAG and SCAG initiatives, informPublic Participation and Consultation 

### 29

of upcoming events and meetings, post meeting agendas and minutes and provide access to major SCAG publications including Your Guide to SCAG, key PowerPoint presentations, data and other planning-related information. IV. E nsure that the information available is timely, easy-to-understand and accessible and that the website is compliant with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act G. C oordinate Outreach Efforts with other Stakeholder Organizations: (January 2009–November 2011) I. S upport interagency coordination by continuing to participate in the monthly Transportation Conformity Working Group. II. M ail Notice of Draft RTP availability to the stakeholders at the local, state and federal level to solicit their comment and input to the final RTP. Ensure that the public comment period is at least 55 days for the plan. Participate in regular monthly meetings with the CEOs of the county transportation commissions. III. C oordinate outreach efforts with the subregional organizations and trans

portation and air quality agencies. IV. T ogether with subregional partners and other stakeholder organizations, notify interested parties through traditional meeting announcements, newspapers, public service announcements, press releases, special mailers, publications and agendas of committees, meetings, workshops, briefings, web site postings, email communications and other opportuni

ties to participate, as appropriate. V. H old monthly meetings with the subregional coordinators to review upcoming Regional Council and Policy Committee agendas and conduct other coordinating activities. VI. E xpand the membership of some of SCAG’s various committees, task forces and working groups to ensure inclusion of the broader stakehold

ers and interest groups identified in the Plan. VII. K eep interested parties informed with monthly progress reports during the plan development phase. H. M aintain and create an Outreach Schedule: (January 2009–November 2011) I. C ontinue the practice of attempting to get on other groups’ agen

das. Conduct presentations, hold briefings, workshops, hearings to diverse groups and organizations throughout the region. II. H old public meetings at convenient and accessible locations and times. I. M aintain a Log of Outreach Efforts: (January 2009–November 2011) I. M aintain a log of all agency-wide outreach presentations. J. R each Out to Traditionally Underrepresented and/or Underserved Communities (January 2009–November 2011) I. W ork with Regional Services staff and Subregional Coordinators to iden

tify underrepresented segments of the region. II. C oordinate with individuals, institutions or organizations to reach out to members in minority and/or low income communities. III. P rovide assistance, if requested 72 hours prior to the event, to people with disabilities. IV. P rovide language assistance, if requested 72 hours prior to the event, to Limited English Proficient Persons. V. E xplore new opportunities using state-of-the-art communications and information technology for reaching remote audiences. K. E valuate Public Participation Activities: (November 2011) I. E valuate public participation efforts at the end of phase 1 so that neces

sary modifications can be made for subsequent phases. II. P rovide recommendations to enhance the outreach program and better serve the underrepresented segments of the region.
2. 

### Phase 2: Post-Draft RTP (December 2011–March 2012) A. N otify public of the Draft Release (December 2011) I. D raft RTP Update is released for a minimum 55-day public review and comment period. II. D raft RTP Update is reviewed by SCAG’s Transportation and Communications Committee as part of a public meeting. III. D evelop procedures for public hearings. Include the time to be allotted to each speaker and how the order of appearance is determined. A written explanation of adopted procedures should be distributed to participants both prior to and at the hearing. Make arrangements for the submission of written statements in addition to verbal comments.

### 30 Public Participation and Consultation

IV. P rovide translation services at these public hearings, if needed. B. C onsider and Incorporate Comments Received into the Deliberations Regarding the Draft Plans and Programs: (December 2011–March 2012) I. R eview and consider all public comments in the regional transportation planning process. II. R ecord, track and maintain a log of comments and SCAG’s response to the comments. III. A cknowledge all significant comments received in a timely manner. IV. E valuate public comments received throughout the planning process and assess whether, and to what extent, modifications were made in the draft documents as a result of the comments received. V. P rovide additional opportunity for public comment on the revised plan if the final plan differs significantly from the draft plan that was previously made public. VI. P rovide a summary, analysis and report on the disposition of comments as part of the final plan. VII. P repare Final RTP Update for adoption by Regional Council at a public meeting. C. E lected Official Meetings : (January–February 2012) SCAG will conduct at least two (2) informational meetings in each county for members of the Board of Supervisors and City Councils in the respective county to consider and provide input on the Draft 2012–2035 RTP/SCS. SCAG may conduct only one informational meeting in a county if it is attended by representatives of the county board of supervisors and city council members representing a majority of the cities representing a majority of the population in the incorporated areas of that county. The purpose of the meetings is to present a Draft RTP/SCS to the members of the board of supervisors and the city council members in each county and to solicit and consider their input and recommendations. Notice of the meetings shall be sent to the clerk of the board of supervisors and to each city clerk. D. P ublic Hearings: (January–February 2012) SCAG will conduct at least three public hearings in different parts of the region on the Draft RTP/SCS to maximize the opportunity for participation. The public hearings will be announced in printed materials, on SCAG’s web

site, and in local newspapers. E. E nhance Website Capabilities: (December 2011–March 2012) I. C ontinue to utilize SCAG’s web site to provide information, announce draft and final plan releases, encourage feedback and comments from the pub

lic, make draft and final plans and corresponding documents available, provide contact information, educate about SCAG and SCAG initiatives, inform of upcoming events and meetings, post meeting agendas and min

utes and provide access to major SCAG publications including Your Guide to SCAG, the Benefits of Membership, Member Handbook, the Legislative Reference Guide, the eVision newsletters, key PowerPoint presentations, data and other planning-related information. II. E nsure that the information available is timely, easy-to-understand and accessible and that the website is compliant with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. F. U pdate Contact Databases and Advisory Groups: (December 2011–March 2012) I. R eview and update mailing lists for outreach efforts. II. E xpand contact databases to include all Interested Parties identified in the Plan. III. W ork with subregional coordinators and SCAG task force and commit

tee members to expand current list categories to include all Interested Parties. IV. U pdate media mailing lists that include metropolitan and local community newspapers, radio, television and cable outlets, trade journals, wire ser

vices, ethnic and foreign-language media, government and legal publica

tions and special interest press directed at older audiences, the disabled, Native Americans and students. G. C oordinate Outreach Efforts with other Stakeholder Organizations: (December 2011–March 2012) I. S upport interagency coordination by continuing to participate in the monthly Transportation Conformity Working Group. II. P articipate in regular monthly meetings with the CEOs of the county transportation commissions. III. P articipate in and conduct two City Manager meetingsPublic Participation and Consultation 

### 31

IV. C oordinate outreach efforts with the subregional organizations and trans

portation and air quality agencies. V. T ogether with subregional partners and other stakeholder organizations, notify interested parties through traditional meeting announcements, newspapers, public service announcements, press releases, special mailers, publications and agendas of committees, meetings, workshops, briefings, website postings, email communications and other opportuni

ties to participate, as appropriate. VI. H old monthly meetings with the subregional coordinators to review upcoming Regional Council and Policy Committee agendas and conduct other coordinating activities. VII. K eep interested parties informed with monthly progress reports during the post-draft plan development phase. H. M aintain an Outreach Schedule: (December 2011–March 2012) I. P roactively contact groups to schedule speakers from the pool of avail

able speakers, as appropriate, to meet the interests of the particular group. II. C ontinue the practice of attempting to get on other groups’ agendas. III. C onduct presentations, hold briefings, workshops, hearings to diverse groups and organizations throughout the region. IV. H old public meetings at convenient and accessible locations and times. I. M aintain a Log of Outreach Efforts: (December 2011–February 2012) I. C ontinue to maintain a log of all agency-wide outreach presentations. J. R each Out to Traditionally Underrepresented and/or Underserved Audiences: (December 2011–February 2012) I. W ork with Regional Services staff and Subregional Coordinators to iden

tify underrepresented segments of the region. II. C oordinate with individuals, institutions or organizations to reach out to members in minority and/or low income communities. III. E ngage Tribal Government in the RTP processes through Tribal Government representation on SCAG’s governing board and policy committees. IV. P rovide assistance, if requested 72 hours prior to the event, to people with disabilities. V. P repare press releases and reach out to the ethnic press by providing notices in English, Spanish and Chinese. VI. P rovide language assistance, if requested 72 hours prior to the event, to Limited English Proficient Persons. VII. E xplore new opportunities using state-of-the-art communications and information technology for reaching remote audiences.
3. 

### Phase 3: Post- Final RTP (April 2012–September 2012) A. C reate New Presentation Materials: (April 2012–September 2012) I. C reate a final brochure which visually showcases regional projects of sig

nificance, economic impacts, mobility improvements and health impacts. Highlights of the plan will be summarized to peak interest and enhance readability. II. P roduce the RTP on a CD to ease handling and ensure more efficient use of resources. III. U tilize visualization techniques whenever possible such as maps, videos, PowerPoint presentations with graphics and animation, flowcharts, com

puter simulation, interactive GIS systems, photorealistic visualizations, video fly-throughs, illustrative drawings, simulated photos, sketches, and photo manipulation scenario planning tools to better and more easily communicate technical planning issues and strategies. IV. E xplore new opportunities using state-of-the-art communications and information technology for reaching remote audiences. B. E nhance Website Capabilities: (April 2012–September 2012) I. M aintain web pages dedicated to the RTP and ensure information is up-to-date. II. T ranslate key RTP communications in English, Spanish and Chinese on the web pages. III. U tilize SCAG’s website to provide information, announce final plan releases, encourage feedback and comments from the public, make draft and final plans and corresponding documents available, provide contact information, educate about SCAG and SCAG initiatives, inform of upcom

ing events and meetings, IV. E nsure that the information available is timely, easy-to-understand and accessible and that the website is compliant with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.

### 32 Public Participation and Consultation

C. U pdate Contact Databases and Advisory Groups: (April 2012–September 2012) I. R eview and update mailing lists for outreach efforts. II. E xpand contact databases to include all Interested Parties identified in the Plan. III. W ork with subregional coordinators and SCAG task force and commit

tee members to expand current list categories to include all Interested Parties. D. C reate an Outreach Schedule: (April 2012–September 2012) I. E ven after the Plan has been adopted, continue to proactively contact groups to schedule speakers from the pool of available speakers, as appropriate, to meet the interests of the particular group. II. C ontinue the practice of attempting to get on other groups’ agendas. III. C onduct presentations, hold briefings, workshops, hearings to diverse groups and organizations throughout the region. IV. H old public meetings at convenient and accessible locations and times. E. E valuate Public Participation Activities: (April 2012–September 2012) I. C ontinue to monitor outreach presentations and assess whether outreach efforts are being conducted throughout the region, including the outlying areas of the region. F. R TP Amendments I. A n amendment is a major revision to a long-range RTP, including add

ing or deleting a project, major changes in project/project phase costs, initiation dates, and/or design concepts and scope. An RTP Amendment requires public review and comment, demonstration that the project can be completed based on expected funding, and a determination that the change conforms to air quality requirements. II. S CAG’s strategies, procedures and techniques for public participation regarding RTP Amendments include, but are not limited to, the release of the proposed RTP amendment for a minimum 45-day public review, posting of the proposed RTP amendment on SCAG’s website, presenta

tion of the proposed RTP amendment before certain SCAG committees, review of the proposed RTP amendment by SCAG’s Transportation and Communications Committee at a public meeting, and adoption of the proposed RTP amendment by SCAG’s Regional Council as part of the public meeting. 

## S E C T IO N 3. F ED ERAL TRA NS P ORTATIO N I MPRO V EM E N T PROGRAM
SCAG’s Federal Transportation Improvement Program, or FTIP, is a capital listing of all transportation projects proposed over a six-year period. The listing identifies specific funding sources and funding amounts for each project. The proposed transportation proj

ects are funded through a variety of federal, state and local sources. Projects consist of improvements such as, highway improvements, transit, rail, bus, high occupancy vehicle lanes, signal synchronization, intersection improvements, and freeway ramps to name a few. The FTIP must include all transportation projects that are federally funded, region

ally significant regardless of funding source or which is subject to any federal action . The projects are submitted to SCAG by the six County Transportation Commissions. SCAG analyzes the projects to ensure that they are consistent with state and federal require

ments. Federal law requires the FTIP be consistent with the RTP. The following outlines SCAG’s strategies, procedures and techniques for public participa

tion on the FTIP. SCAG intends to update this section of the Appendix as needed prior to commencing each FTIP cycle to reflect appropriate changes.

1. 

### FTIP Public Participation Process in the SCAG Region SCAG has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with transit operators and each of the County Transportation Commissions (CTCs) within the SCAG Region. These MOUs specify the role of the CTCs with respect to approval of transportation projects utilizing federal, state highway, and transit funds within their respective jurisdiction. The Transportation Commissions are also responsible for transporta

tion programming and short range planning in their respective counties. The County Transportation Commissions transmit their approved County TIP to SCAG. The public participation process and coordination is a tiered process within the SCAG region. This tiered process initiates the public participation process at the CTC’s county TIP development stage, which occurs long before the development of the SCAG FTIP. There are several opportunities for the public to review and comment on projects and programs during the development of each county TIP and approval of the SCAG FTIP. These public participation opportunities are described below. A. P roject Identification Public participation begins at the local agency level by identifying projects and associated work scopes based on local and regional transportation needs. Newly identified projects are commonly placed on funding needsPublic Participation and Consultation 

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lists, funding plans or capital improvement program plans and programs that identify projects to be funded. These lists, plans and programs are adopted by local agency boards (mostly elected officials) in meetings open to the general public. Stakeholders, interest groups and the general public have the opportunity to review and comment on these projects and local plans prior to local agency board approvals. B. P roject Funding The general public, interested parties and stakeholders have an opportu

nity to review and comment on projects and programs during the allocation of funds by local agencies including cities, counties, special districts, and county transportation commissions (CTCs). The process of assigning specific funding sources to projects normally occurs in meetings open to the general public by public policy boards. For example, the CTCs in the SCAG region conduct “call for projects” when funding under their control (federal, state and/or local) is available for programming. Local agencies apply and compete for available funding based on adopted eligibil

ity guidelines consistent with federal, state and local county requirements. Candidate projects usually have gone through an initial public review process and are included in a local agency capital improvement needs programs or plans. The CTCs work through their respective committee review process to develop a list of projects recommended for funding and adoption by each respective policy board. CTCs review committees are comprised of local agency staff (stakeholders and interested parties), and in some cases include public elected officials. Review committee meetings are publicly noticed. The recommended project lists approved by the committees are forwarded to the respective policy boards for approval. Projects proposed for funding are made available for review by the general public, stakeholders and interested parties in advance of adoption by the CTCs policy boards. All allocation of funds by the policy boards occur in publicly noticed meetings open to the general public. The allocation of public funds to projects by other entities meet the public review requirements that are consistent with the federal, state and/or local laws that govern the allocation of the funds. C. C ounty TIP Development The CTCs develop their respective TIPs based on FTIP Guidelines written by SCAG in consultation with the CTCs, SCAG’s Transportation Conformity Working Group (TCWG) and Federal Highway Administration staff, with approval by SCAG’s Regional Council. All projects programmed in County TIPs have been previously approved for funding by the entity responsible for allocating the project funds. When submitting County TIPs to SCAG, each CTC is required to adopt a financial resolution which certifies that it has the resources to fund the projects in the TIP and affirms its commitment to implement all projects. The financial resolution is approved by each policy board in publicly noticed meetings open to the general public. D. S CAG FTIP Development SCAG develops the FTIP for the six-county region based on the County TIPs prepared and submitted by the CTCs described above in Section iii. The Draft SCAG FTIP is noted for a minimum 30-day public review, and a public hearing is held at the SCAG office. Notices of the public hearings are placed in the major newspapers throughout the SCAG region. SCAG conducts additional public outreach efforts through the placement of public notices in minority newspapers such as, but not limited to, the Los Angeles Sentinel, La Opinion, El Chicano Newspaper, the Chinese Daily News, and the Korea Times. The Draft SCAG FTIP documents are made available for review and comment by stakeholders, interested parties and the general public through the SCAG internet website at http://www.scag.ca.gov/ftip and at public libraries throughout the six-county region prior to the public hearing. In addition to the public hearing held at the SCAG office, SCAG committees and working groups also review and discuss draft FTIPs. These SCAG groups include the) AB 1246 Chief Executive Officers Committee, the Transportation Committee (TC), the Transportation Conformity Working Group (TCWG), and the Energy and Environment Committee (EEC) The SCAG Regional Council takes final action when they review and adopt the FTIP as part of a public meeting. E S CAG FTIP Updates The FTIP is amended several times a year. This process is similar to develop

ing the formal FTIP. Proposed amendments to the adopted FTIP are submitted by the CTCs to SCAG. After SCAG has completed its analyses of the proposed change(s) to the FTIP ensuring consistency with the various programming rules and regulations, SCAG electronically posts the proposed change(s) for

### 34 Public Participation and Consultation

public review and comment on the SCAG website at http://www.scag.ca.gov/ ftip. In addition to posting the amendment information on the web, a notice is sent to the Transportation Conformity Working Group as part of the FTIP amendment public review process.
2. 

### Schematic of the Public Participation Process The following **F ig**  **u r**  **e 1** helps to illustrate when stakeholders, interested parties and the general public have the opportunity to review and comment during the FTIP programming development process described above in Section 3A.

**F ig**  **u r**  **e 1** 

### S CAG FTIP Public Participation Process

Development of project lists requiring funding are commonly adopted by public boards in meetings open to the general public.

The allocation of funds to projects commonly occurs by policy boards in publicly noticed meetings open to the general public.

**STEP 7** 

### PUBLIC REVIEW & COMMENT TIP DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

CTCs policy boards adopt FTIP financial resolutions. Noticed public hearing is held at the SCAG office to take public input on FTIP document.

Proposed amendments to the FTIP are posted to the SCAG website 15 days prior to transmittal to State and Federal agencies for approval. PROJECT FUNDING Projects receiving state and federal funds and/or approvals and local projects determined regionally significant are identified for programming in County TIPs and the SCAG FTIP.

COUNTY TIPS & SCAG RTIP DEVELOPMENT Projects are first programmed in County TIPs and then submitted to SCAG for inclusion in the SCAG FTIP.

FTIP UPDATES SCAG processes amendments to

the FTIP based on changes

requested by the CTCs. PROJECT IDENTIFICATION Projects are identified based on

needs and placed on capital improvement programs or other lists awaiting funds. 1. O ther FTIP Public Participation strategies, procedures and techniques A. E nhance Website Capabilities: I. U tilize SCAG’s web site to provide information, announce draft and final program releases, encourage feedback and comments from the public, make draft and final programs and corresponding documents available, provide contact information, inform of upcoming events and meetings, post meeting agendas and minutes II. E nsure that the information available is timely, easy-to-understand and accessible and that the website is compliant with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. B. U pdate Contact Databases and Advisory Groups: I. R eview and update mailing lists for outreach efforts. II. E xpand contact databases to include all Interested Parties identified in the Plan. C. C oordinate Outreach Efforts with other Stakeholder Organizations: I. S upport interagency coordination by continuing to participate in the monthly Transportation Conformity Working Group. II. M ail Notice of Draft FTIP availability to the stakeholders at the local, state and federal level to solicit their comment and input to the final FTIP. Ensure that the public comment period for the program is at least 30 days. III. P articipate in regular meetings with the county transportation commis

sions in the coordination of the draft and final FTIP. D. C onduct Public Hearing: I. A nnounce public hearings in printed materials, on SCAG’s website, and in local newspapers. II. H old public meetings at convenient and accessible locations and times. III. C onduct at least two public hearings on the draft FTIP. Where possible make public hearings available via video or teleconference. IV. E xplore new opportunities using state-of-the-art communications and information technology for reaching remote audiences. E. M aintain a Log of Outreach Efforts: I. M aintain a log of all agency-wide outreach presentations . II. R eview and consider all public comments in the regional transportation planning process.Public Participation and Consultation 

### 35

III. R ecord, track and maintain a log of comments and SCAG’s response to the comments IV. R espond to all comments received in a timely manner.
2. A nnual Listing of Projects SAFETEA-LU requires the production of the annual listing of projects with the cooperation of Caltrans and the public transportation operators throughout the SCAG region. Federal law also requires a list to identify all bicycle/pedestrian projects for which Federal funds were obligated in the preceding year. The listing is available on SCAG’s website. The county commissions, working with the project sponsors within their respec

tive county, update project obligations for projects in their county through use of the SCAG FTIP database. SCAG then produces an annual listing of projects utiliz

ing the SCAG FTIP database. In addition, Caltrans produces obligation reports for the MPO’s, which SCAG also makes available on its website as supplemental information.
3. F TIP Amendments For the FTIP, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) California Division has provided definitions of amendments and corresponding conformity requirements. The following summarizes the categories of amendments identified by FHWA for the FTIP and the public participation requirements for each amendment type. A. C ategory 1. Administrative Modification An administrative modification includes minor changes to project cost, schedule, scope, or funding sources. Please see the Federal Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (FSTIP) and Federal Transportation Improvement program (FTIP) Amendment and Administrative Modification Procedures for a complete definition of an administrative modification and eligibility. B. C ategory 2. Amendment – Changes that do not impact the existing conformity determination. The Amendment category may include changes that are not eligible under an administrative modification. C. C ategory 3. Amendment – Relying on the existing Conformity Determination. This amendment may include adding a project or a project phase to the program. This amendment category consists of projects that are modeled and are included in the regional emissions analysis. D. C ategory 4. Formal Amendment – New Conformity Determination. This amendment may include adding or deleting projects that are not cur

rently included in the regional emissions analysis nor part of the existing conformity determination. This amendment may involve adding or deleting projects that must be modeled for their air quality impacts: significantly changing the design concept, scope; or schedule of an existing project. E. C ategory 5. Technical Amendment – Changes to project information not required to be included in the FTIP per federal requirements. Changes are not subject to an administrative modification or an amendment such as changes to project codes, and changes to correct typographical errors. These technical corrections do not impact project scope or cost.

**T ab**  **l e 3**  

### P ublic Hearing - Public Review and Comment Period Requirement

**Amendment Category Public Hearing**  **Requirement Public Review Period**  **# of Days** Category 1. Administrative N/A N/A Category 2. Formal – Changes that do not impact the existing conformity determination No 10 Category 3. Formal – Relying on existing conformity determination No 10 Category 4. Formal – Requires a new confor

mity determination Yes 30 Category 5. Technical Correction – Not subject to funding agency approval for public review No N/A

### 36 Public Participation and Consultation



## F T IP Amendment and Administrative modification approval procedures - SC A G executive director authority

F T IP A me n dme n t P ro c ed u re s
As part of the TIP approval process, the SCAG Regional Council approved Resolution # 11-532-1 granting authority to SCAG’s Executive Director or designee to approve Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP) amendments and associated conformity determination and to transmit to the state and federal agencies amendments to the most currently approved FTIP. These amendments must meet the following criteria:

 C hanges that do not affect the regional emissions analysis.

 C hanges that do not affect the timely implementation of the Transportation Control Measures.

 C hanges that do not adversely impact financial constraint.

 C hanges consistent with the adopted Regional Transportation Plan. Amendments triggered by an RTP amendment must be approved by the Regional Council


### F T IP A dmi n i s trati v e M odi f i c atio n P ro c ed u re Consistent with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) letter dated June 3, 2011 the SCAG Regional Council has the discre

tion to delegate authority to SCAG’s Executive Director to approve FTIP Administrative Modifications to the Federal State Transportation Improvement Program (FSTIP) consis

tent with approved FSTIP/FTIP Administrative Modification and Amendment Procedures and as may be amended. Such delegation of authority was granted as part of the same SCAG Regional Council Resolution mentioned above (# 11-532-1). The following proce

dures apply to this delegation of authority:

 S CAG will send copies of the approved administrative modification to Caltrans, FHWA, and FTA.

 O nce the administrative modification is approved by SCAG, the administrative modification will be deemed part of the Federal State Transportation Improvement Program (FSTIP).

 S CAG will demonstrate in a subsequent amendment that the net financial change from each administrative modification has been accounted for.  C altrans will conduct periodic reviews of SCAG’s administrative modification process to confirm adherence to the procedures. Noncompliance with the procedures will result in revocation of the MPO’s delegation.


## S E C T IO N 4. O V E RALL WORK PROGRAM
Funding for SCAG’s metropolitan planning activities are documented in an annual Overall Work Program (OWP) (also known as a Unified Planning Work Program), pursuant to fed

eral requirements, 23 CFR 450.308(b)-(c), and Caltrans guidance. The OWP is developed each fiscal year, and details the agency’s planning and budgetary priorities for the following fiscal year. SCAG’s federal and state funding partners (FHWA, FTA and Caltrans) must approve SCAG’s OWP each year before it takes effect. The following describes SCAG’s strategies, procedures and techniques with respect to public participation on the OWP.

1. A dopt OWP Preparation Schedule and Work Programs Outcomes: (September–October) A. R egional Council adopts the OWP preparation schedule and work program outcomes for the coming fiscal year.
2. C onduct a Budget Workshop: (February) A. S CAG staff conducts a Budget Workshop for the Regional Council and mem

bers of the public.
3. D istribute Draft OWP: (March) A. T he Regional Council approves the Comprehensive Budget which includes the draft OWP. The draft OWP is distributed to all Regional Council members and the Regional Council approves the release of the document for a minimum 30-day public comment and review period. The draft OWP is also placed on SCAG’s website.
4. D istribute the Draft OWP for Public Comments: (March) A. S taff mails letters to over 300 City Planners, Planning Directors and other Planning representatives within the SCAG region, including subregional coordinators, CTCs and transit operators, encourages their feedback on the draft OWP, and notifies them of the availability of the draft document on SCAG’s website.Public Participation and Consultation 

### 37

5. R eview and Consider Comments Received in the Final OWP Deliberations: (April) A. S taff reviews and considers all public comments in the OWP planning process. B. S taff records, tracks and maintains a log of comments and SCAG’s response to the comments.
6. A dopt the Final Comprehensive Budget and Resolution Authorizing the Submittal to Funding Partners: (April) A. T he Regional Council adopts the Final Comprehensive Budget and Resolution authorizing the submittal of the Final OWP to Caltrans and other funding agencies as necessary for approval. Caltrans must submit the recommended Final OWP to FHWA/FTA by June 1 of each year.

SCAG staff works to provide clear, consistent and concise messages for media and public involvement using a variety of formats, including videos, Powerpoint presentations, fact sheets, surveys, brochures, maps, electronic newsletters and social media. SCAG Website: http://www.scag.ca.gov contains information about SCAG, it’s programs and events. SCAG Update e-newsletter: (http://scag.ca.gov/scagupdate/index.htm) is the organiza

tion’s official newsletter with 4,245 individual subscribers (as of March 2012) SCAG Spotlight e-newsletter: (http://scag.ca.gov/spotlight/index.htm) is the SCAG Regional Council’s official newsletter with 1,120 individual subscribers (as of March 2012) SCAG Facebook page: (http://www.facebook.com/pages/ Southern-California-Association-of-Governments/120708001722)
SCAG Twitter feed: @SCAG_ED Videos: SCAG utilitizes streaming video to share with the public information about SCAG programs and planning work, as well as make accessible select Regional Council meet

ings. They are available at http://scag.ca.gov/scagtv/index.htm 

# SC A G C o ntact F orm
Thank you for your interest in SCAG. If you would like to receive information about SCAG meetings, plans, activities and events, please complete the SCAG contact form below and return to SCAG by either: Mailing or dropping off at any SCAG office

 M ain Office:818 W. 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017

 I mperial County Office: 1405 No. Imperial Avenue, Suite 1, El Centro, CA 92243

 O range County Office: 600 S. Main Street, Suite 906, Orange, CA 92863

 R iverside Office: 3403 10th Street, Suite 805, Riverside, CA 92501

 S an Bernardino Office: 1170 W. 3rd Street, Suite 140, San Bernardino, CA 92410

 V entura County Office: 950 County Square Drive, Suite 101, Ventura, CA 93003

or Emailing to: contactus@scag.ca.gov

or Faxing to: 213-236-1961

Name:____________________________________________________________

Email: ____________________________________________________________

If no email:

Street Address or PO Box: _____________________________________________

City: _________________________________ State: ________ Zip: ___________818 West 7th Street, 12th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90017 Phone: (213) 236-1800 Fax: (213) 236-1825 www.scag.ca.gov

please recycle 2347 2012.04.23 City of Palmdale 38250 Sierra Highway Palmdale, CA 93550 Phone: (213) 236-1912 Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) 73-710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 200 Palm Desert, CA 92260 Phone: (213) 236-1925