San Diego Resolution Number 297376
Be it resolved, by the Council of the City of San Diego, that the Street Design Manual filed in the Office of the City Clerk on October 18, 2002 as Document Number RR-297376 i hereby adopted, for the purpose of establishing uniform policies and guidelines to carry out the City’s street design functions, and to provide information and guidance to City staff and professional in the private design sector who are responsible for the design for the City’s streets.
San Diego Street Design Manual
INTRODUCTION
Streets play a major role in shaping the form of the urban environment. The quality of the street experience is a key element in the quality of a neighborhood. The Progress Guide and General Plan describes the function of the City’s street system as follows:
Streets serve a variety of purposes. One is for the circulation of people, vehicles, goods, and services (utilities). Streets also serve as shopping corridors, restaurant rows, linear parks, residential front yards, extensions of office lobbies, ceremonial gathering places, parade grounds, racing courses, display areas, entertainment strips, etc. The street is really the City, organized along a corridor. It is a continuous forum for gathering where all those activities have their overture, making city life what it is. It has economic, social, aesthetic, political, ecological even philosophical-implications. And, all this is in addition to providing a right-of-way for people and things.
The City of Villages Initiative recognizes streets as an important element in shaping our urban form and improving our neighborhood quality by:
• Balancing the needs of emergency vehicles with everyday traffic concerns—such as vehicle speeding and pedestrian safety— through street design policy.
• Promoting an interconnected street network that includes pedestrian and bicycle access where topography and land form permit
• Creating a more attractive and safe pedestrian environment through the promotion of an active streetscape and the use of public art and artistic elements.
• Reducing peak energy demand through the incorporation of urban heat island reduction measures into the appropriate site and street design guidelines, landscape standards, and building codes.
• Promoting pedestrian- and transit-friendly design of City streets.
• Providing capacity and operational improvements to streets to minimize congestion and focus on persons and goods, not just vehicles.
These are the guiding principles of the Street Design Manual.
The purpose of the Street Design Manual is to provide information and guidance for the design of the public right-of-way that recognizes the many and varied purposes that a street serves. The Street Design Manual is intended to assist in the implementation of the Progress Guide and General Plan, the Strategic Framework Element, the Transit-Oriented Development Design Guidelines, and the Land Development Code. In addition, it is intended to assist in the implementation of the special requirements established through community plans, specific plans, precise plans, or other City Council adopted policy and or regulatory documents.
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California Department of Transportation DP-64-R2. Complete Streets – Integrating the Transportation System
POLICY
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) provides for the needs of travelers of all ages and abilities in all planning, programming, design, construction, operations, and maintenance activities and products on the State highway system. Caltrans views all transportation improvements as opportunities to improve safety, access, and mobility for all travelers in California and recognizes bicycle, pedestrian, and transit modes as integral elements of the transportation system.
Caltrans develops integrated multimodal projects in balance with community goals, plans, and values. Addressing the safety and mobility needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users in all projects, regardless of funding, is implicit in these objectives. Bicycle, pedestrian, and transit travel is facilitated by creating “complete streets” beginning early in system planning and continuing through project delivery and maintenance and operations. Developing a network of “complete streets” requires collaboration among all Department functional units and stakeholders to establish effective partnerships.
DEFINITION BACKGROUND
Complete Street – A transportation facility that is planned, designed, operated, and maintained to provide safe mobility for all users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, and motorists appropriate to the function and context of the facility.
The intent of this directive is to ensure that travelers of all ages and abilities can move safely and efficiently along and across a network of “complete streets.”
State and federal laws require Caltrans and local agencies to promote and facilitate increased bicycling and walking. California Vehicle Code (CVC) sections 21200-21212, and Streets and Highways Code (sections 890-894.2) identify the rights of bicyclists and pedestrians, and establish legislative intent that people of all ages using all types of mobility devices are able to travel on roads. Bicyclists, pedestrians, and non-motorized traffic are permitted on all state facilities, unless prohibited (CVC, section 21960). Therefore, the Department and local agencies have the duty to provide for the safety and mobility needs of all who have legal access to the transportation system.
Department manuals and guidance outline statutory requirements, planning policy, and project delivery procedures to facilitate multimodal travel, which includes connectivity to public transit for bicyclists and pedestrians. In many instances, roads designed to Caltrans’ standards provide basic access for bicycling and walking. This directive does not supersede existing laws. To ensure successful implementation of “complete streets,” manuals, guidance, and training will be updated and developed.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Chief Deputy Director:
• Establishes policy consistent with Caltrans’ objectives to develop a safe and efficient multimodal transportation system for all users.
• Ensures management staff is trained to provide for the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users.
Deputy Directors, Planning and Modal Programs and Project Delivery:
• Include bicycle, pedestrian, and transit modes in statewide strategies for safety and mobility, and in system performance measures.
• Provide tools and establish processes to identify and address the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users early and continuously throughout planning and project development activities.
• Ensure districts document decisions regarding bicycle, pedestrian, and transit modes in project initiation and scoping activities.
• Ensure departmental manuals, guidance, standards, and procedures reflect this directive, and identify and explain Caltrans’ objectives for multimodal travel.
• Ensure an Implementation Plan for this directive is developed.
Deputy Director, Maintenance and Operations:
• Provides tools and establishes processes that ensure regular maintenance and operations activities meet the safety and mobility needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users in construction and maintenance work zones, encroachment permit work, and system operations.
• Ensures departmental manuals, guidance, standards, and procedures reflect this directive and identifies and explains Caltrans’ objectives for multimodal travel.
District Directors:
• Promote partnerships with local, regional, and state agencies to plan and fund facilities for integrated multimodal travel and to meet the needs of all travelers.
• Identify bicycle and pedestrian coordinator(s) to serve as advisor(s) and external liaison(s) on issues that involve the district, local agencies, and stakeholders.
• Ensure bicycle, pedestrian, and transit needs are identified in district system planning products; addressed during project initiation; and that projects are designed, constructed, operated, and maintained using current standards.
• Ensure bicycle, pedestrian, and transit interests are appropriately represented on interdisciplinary planning and project delivery development teams.
• Provide documentation to support decisions regarding bicycle, pedestrian, and transit modes in project initiation and scoping activities.
Deputy District Directors, Planning, Design, Construction, Maintenance, and Operations:
• Ensure bicycle, pedestrian, and transit user needs are addressed and deficiencies identified during system and corridor planning, project initiation, scoping, and programming.
• Collaborate with local and regional partners to plan, develop, and maintain effective bicycle, pedestrian, and transit networks.
• Consult locally adopted bicycle, pedestrian, and transit plans to ensure that state highway system plans are compatible.
• Ensure projects are planned, designed, constructed, operated, and maintained consistent with project type and funding program to provide for the safety and mobility needs of all users with legal access to a transportation facility.
• Implement current design standards that meet the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users in design, construction and maintenance work zones, encroachment permit work, and in system operations.
• Provide information to staff, local agencies, and stakeholders on available funding programs addressing bicycle, pedestrian, and transit travel needs.
Chiefs, Divisions of Aeronautics, Local Assistance, Rail and Mass Transportation, Transportation Planning, Research, Innovation and System Information, and Transportation Programming:
• Ensure incorporation of bicycle, pedestrian, and transit travel elements in all Caltrans transportation plans and studies.
• Support interdisciplinary participation within and between districts in the project development process to provide for the needs of all users.
• Encourage local agencies to include bicycle, pedestrian, and transit elements in regional and local planning documents, including general plans, transportation plans, and circulation elements.
• Promote land uses that encourage bicycle, pedestrian, and transit travel.
• Advocate, partner, and collaborate with stakeholders to address the needs of bicycle, pedestrian, and transit travelers in all program areas.
• Support the development of new technology to improve safety, mobility, and access for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users of all ages and abilities.
• Research, develop, and implement multimodal performance measures.
• Provide information to staff, local agencies, and stakeholders on available funding programs to address the needs of bicycle, pedestrian, and transit travelers.
Chiefs, Divisions of Traffic Operations, Maintenance, Environmental Analysis, Design, Construction, and Project Management:
• Provide guidance on project design, operation, and maintenance of work zones to safely accommodate bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users.
• Ensure the transportation system and facilities are planned, constructed, operated, and maintained consistent with project type and funding program to maximize safety and mobility for all users with legal access.
• Promote and incorporate, on an ongoing basis, guidance, procedures, and product reviews that maximize bicycle, pedestrian, and transit safety and mobility.
• Support multidisciplinary district participation in the project development process to provide for the needs of all users.
Employees:
• Follow and recommend improvements to manuals, guidance, and procedures that maximize safety and mobility for all users in all transportation products and activities.
• Promote awareness of bicycle, pedestrian, and transit needs to develop an integrated, multimodal transportation system.
• Maximize bicycle, pedestrian, and transit safety and mobility through each project’s life cycle.
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Cal. Government Code u00a7 65302. Elements required to be included in plan
The general plan shall consist of a statement of development policies and shall include a diagram or diagrams and text setting forth objectives, principles, standards, and plan proposals. The plan shall include the following elements:
(a) A land use element that designates the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of the land for housing, business, industry, open space, including agriculture, natural resources, recreation, and enjoyment of scenic beauty, education, public buildings and grounds, solid and liquid waste disposal facilities, greenways, as defined in Section 816.52 of the Civil Code, and other categories of public and private uses of land. The location and designation of the extent of the uses of the land for public and private uses shall consider the identification of land and natural resources pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (d). The land use element shall include a statement of the standards of population density and building intensity recommended for the various districts and other territory covered by the plan. The land use element shall identify and annually review those areas covered by the plan that are subject to flooding identified by flood plain mapping prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the Department of Water Resources. The land use element shall also do both of the following:
(1) Designate in a land use category that provides for timber production those parcels of real property zoned for timberland production pursuant to the California Timberland Productivity Act of 1982 (Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 51100) of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5).
(2) Consider the impact of new growth on military readiness activities carried out on military bases, installations, and operating and training areas, when proposing zoning ordinances or designating land uses covered by the general plan for land, or other territory adjacent to military facilities, or underlying designated military aviation routes and airspace.
(A) In determining the impact of new growth on military readiness activities, information provided by military facilities shall be considered. Cities and counties shall address military impacts based on information from the military and other sources.
(B) The following definitions govern this paragraph:
(i) “Military readiness activities” mean all of the following:
(I) Training, support, and operations that prepare the members of the military for combat.
(II) Operation, maintenance, and security of any military installation.
(III) Testing of military equipment, vehicles, weapons, and sensors for proper operation or suitability for combat use.
(ii) “Military installation” means a base, camp, post, station, yard, center, homeport facility for any ship, or other activity under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Defense as defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (g) of Section 2687 of Title 10 of the United States Code.
(b) (1) A circulation element consisting of the general location and extent of existing and proposed major thoroughfares, transportation routes, terminals, any military airports and ports, and other local public utilities and facilities, all correlated with the land use element of the plan.
(2) (A) Commencing January 1, 2011, upon any substantive revision of the circulation element, the legislative body shall modify the circulation element to plan for a balanced, multimodal transportation network that meets the needs of all users of streets, roads, and highways for safe and convenient travel in a manner that is suitable to the rural, suburban, or urban context of the general plan.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, “users of streets, roads, and highways” mean bicyclists, children, persons with disabilities, motorists, movers of commercial goods, pedestrians, users of public transportation, and seniors.
(c) A housing element as provided in Article 10.6 (commencing with Section 65580).
(d) (1) A conservation element for the conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources, including water and its hydraulic force, forests, soils, rivers and other waters, harbors, fisheries, wildlife, minerals, and other natural resources. The conservation element shall consider the effect of development within the jurisdiction, as described in the land use element, on natural resources located on public lands, including military installations. That portion of the conservation element including waters shall be developed in coordination with any countywide water agency and with all district and city agencies, including flood management, water conservation, or groundwater agencies that have developed, served, controlled, managed, or conserved water of any type for any purpose in the county or city for which the plan is prepared. Coordination shall include the discussion and evaluation of any water supply and demand information described in Section 65352.5, if that information has been submitted by the water agency to the city or county.
(2) The conservation element may also cover all of the following:
(A) The reclamation of land and waters.
(B) Prevention and control of the pollution of streams and other waters.
(C) Regulation of the use of land in stream channels and other areas required for the accomplishment of the conservation plan.
(D) Prevention, control, and correction of the erosion of soils, beaches, and shores.
(E) Protection of watersheds.
(F) The location, quantity, and quality of the rock, sand, and gravel resources.
(3) Upon the next revision of the housing element on or after January 1, 2009, the conservation element shall identify rivers, creeks, streams, flood corridors, riparian habitats, and land that may accommodate floodwater for purposes of groundwater recharge and stormwater management.
(e) An open-space element as provided in Article 10.5 (commencing with Section 65560).
(f) (1) A noise element that shall identify and appraise noise problems in the community. The noise element shall analyze and quantify, to the extent practicable, as determined by the legislative body, current and projected noise levels for all of the following sources:
(A) Highways and freeways.
(B) Primary arterials and major local streets.
(C) Passenger and freight online railroad operations and ground rapid transit systems.
(D) Commercial, general aviation, heliport, helistop, and military airport operations, aircraft overflights, jet engine test stands, and all other ground facilities and maintenance functions related to airport operation.
(E) Local industrial plants, including, but not limited to, railroad classification yards.
(F) Other ground stationary noise sources, including, but not limited to, military installations, identified by local agencies as contributing to the community noise environment.
(2) Noise contours shall be shown for all of these sources and stated in terms of community noise equivalent level (CNEL) or day-night average sound level (Ldn). The noise contours shall be prepared on the basis of noise monitoring or following generally accepted noise modeling techniques for the various sources identified in paragraphs (1) to (6), inclusive.
(3) The noise contours shall be used as a guide for establishing a pattern of land uses in the land use element that minimizes the exposure of community residents to excessive noise.
(4) The noise element shall include implementation measures and possible solutions that address existing and foreseeable noise problems, if any. The adopted noise element shall serve as a guideline for compliance with the state’s noise insulation standards.
(g) (1) A safety element for the protection of the community from any unreasonable risks associated with the effects of seismically induced surface rupture, ground shaking, ground failure, tsunami, seiche, and dam failure; slope instability leading to mudslides and landslides; subsidence; liquefaction; and other seismic hazards identified pursuant to Chapter 7.8 (commencing with Section 2690) of Division 2 of the Public Resources Code, and other geologic hazards known to the legislative body; flooding; and wildland and urban fires. The safety element shall include mapping of known seismic and other geologic hazards. It shall also address evacuation routes, military installations, peakload water supply requirements, and minimum road widths and clearances around structures, as those items relate to identified fire and geologic hazards.
(2) The safety element, upon the next revision of the housing element on or after January 1, 2009, shall also do the following:
(A) Identify information regarding flood hazards, including, but not limited to, the following:
(i) Flood hazard zones. As used in this subdivision, “flood hazard zone” means an area subject to flooding that is delineated as either a special hazard area or an area of moderate or minimal hazard on an official flood insurance rate map issued by FEMA. The identification of a flood hazard zone does not imply that areas outside the flood hazard zones or uses permitted within flood hazard zones will be free from flooding or flood damage.
(ii) National Flood Insurance Program maps published by FEMA.
(iii) Information about flood hazards that is available from the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
(iv) Designated floodway maps that are available from the Central Valley Flood Protection Board.
(v) Dam failure inundation maps prepared pursuant to Section 6161 of the Water Code that are available from the Department of Water Resources.
(vi) Awareness Floodplain Mapping Program maps and 200-year flood plain maps that are or may be available from, or accepted by, the Department of Water Resources.
(vii) Maps of levee protection zones.
(viii) Areas subject to inundation in the event of the failure of project or nonproject levees or floodwalls.
(ix) Historical data on flooding, including locally prepared maps of areas that are subject to flooding, areas that are vulnerable to flooding after wildfires, and sites that have been repeatedly damaged by flooding.
(x) Existing and planned development in flood hazard zones, including structures, roads, utilities, and essential public facilities.
(xi) Local, state, and federal agencies with responsibility for flood protection, including special districts and local offices of emergency services.
(B) Establish a set of comprehensive goals, policies, and objectives based on the information identified pursuant to subparagraph (A), for the protection of the community from the unreasonable risks of flooding, including, but not limited to:
(i) Avoiding or minimizing the risks of flooding to new development.
(ii) Evaluating whether new development should be located in flood hazard zones, and identifying construction methods or other methods to minimize damage if new development is located in flood hazard zones.
(iii) Maintaining the structural and operational integrity of essential public facilities during flooding.
(iv) Locating, when feasible, new essential public facilities outside of flood hazard zones, including hospitals and health care facilities, emergency shelters, fire stations, emergency command centers, and emergency communications facilities or identifying construction methods or other methods to minimize damage if these facilities are located in flood hazard zones.
(v) Establishing cooperative working relationships among public agencies with responsibility for flood protection.
(C) Establish a set of feasible implementation measures designed to carry out the goals, policies, and objectives established pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(3) Upon the next revision of the housing element on or after January 1, 2014, the safety element shall be reviewed and updated as necessary to address the risk of fire for land classified as state responsibility areas, as defined in Section 4102 of the Public Resources Code, and land classified as very high fire hazard severity zones, as defined in Section 51177. This review shall consider the advice included in the Office of Planning and Research’s most recent publication of “Fire Hazard Planning, General Plan Technical Advice Series” and shall also include all of the following:
(A) Information regarding fire hazards, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(i) Fire hazard severity zone maps available from the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
(ii) Any historical data on wildfires available from local agencies or a reference to where the data can be found.
(iii) Information about wildfire hazard areas that may be available from the United States Geological Survey.
(iv) General location and distribution of existing and planned uses of land in very high fire hazard severity zones and in state responsibility areas, including structures, roads, utilities, and essential public facilities. The location and distribution of planned uses of land shall not require defensible space compliance measures required by state law or local ordinance to occur on publicly owned lands or open space designations of homeowner associations.
(v) Local, state, and federal agencies with responsibility for fire protection, including special districts and local offices of emergency services.
(B) A set of goals, policies, and objectives based on the information identified pursuant to subparagraph (A) for the protection of the community from the unreasonable risk of wildfire.
(C) A set of feasible implementation measures designed to carry out the goals, policies, and objectives based on the information identified pursuant to subparagraph (B) including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(i) Avoiding or minimizing the wildfire hazards associated with new uses of land.
(ii) Locating, when feasible, new essential public facilities outside of high fire risk areas, including, but not limited to, hospitals and health care facilities, emergency shelters, emergency command centers, and emergency communications facilities, or identifying construction methods or other methods to minimize damage if these facilities are located in a state responsibility area or very high fire hazard severity zone.
(iii) Designing adequate infrastructure if a new development is located in a state responsibility area or in a very high fire hazard severity zone, including safe access for emergency response vehicles, visible street signs, and water supplies for structural fire suppression.
(iv) Working cooperatively with public agencies with responsibility for fire protection.
(D) If a city or county has adopted a fire safety plan or document separate from the general plan, an attachment of, or reference to, a city or county’s adopted fire safety plan or document that fulfills commensurate goals and objectives and contains information required pursuant to this paragraph.
(4) Upon the next revision of a local hazard mitigation plan, adopted in accordance with the federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390), on or after January 1, 2017, or, if a local jurisdiction has not adopted a local hazard mitigation plan, beginning on or before January 1, 2022, the safety element shall be reviewed and updated as necessary to address climate adaptation and resiliency strategies applicable to the city or county. This review shall consider advice provided in the Office of Planning and Research’s General Plan Guidelines and shall include all of the following:
(A) (i) A vulnerability assessment that identifies the risks that climate change poses to the local jurisdiction and the geographic areas at risk from climate change impacts, including, but not limited to, an assessment of how climate change may affect the risks addressed pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3).
(ii) Information that may be available from federal, state, regional, and local agencies that will assist in developing the vulnerability assessment and the adaptation policies and strategies required pursuant to subparagraph (B), including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(I) Information from the internet-based Cal-Adapt tool.
(II) Information from the most recent version of the California Adaptation Planning Guide.
(III) Information from local agencies on the types of assets, resources, and populations that will be sensitive to various climate change exposures.
(IV) Information from local agencies on their current ability to deal with the impacts of climate change.
(V) Historical data on natural events and hazards, including locally prepared maps of areas subject to previous risk, areas that are vulnerable, and sites that have been repeatedly damaged.
(VI) Existing and planned development in identified at-risk areas, including structures, roads, utilities, and essential public facilities.
(VII) Federal, state, regional, and local agencies with responsibility for the protection of public health and safety and the environment, including special districts and local offices of emergency services.
(B) A set of adaptation and resilience goals, policies, and objectives based on the information specified in subparagraph (A) for the protection of the community.
(C) A set of feasible implementation measures designed to carry out the goals, policies, and objectives identified pursuant to subparagraph (B) including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(i) Feasible methods to avoid or minimize climate change impacts associated with new uses of land.
(ii) The location, when feasible, of new essential public facilities outside of at-risk areas, including, but not limited to, hospitals and health care facilities, emergency shelters, emergency command centers, and emergency communications facilities, or identifying construction methods or other methods to minimize damage if these facilities are located in at-risk areas.
(iii) The designation of adequate and feasible infrastructure located in an at-risk area.
(iv) Guidelines for working cooperatively with relevant local, regional, state, and federal agencies.
(v) The identification of natural infrastructure that may be used in adaptation projects, where feasible. Where feasible, the plan shall use existing natural features and ecosystem processes, or the restoration of natural features and ecosystem processes, when developing alternatives for consideration. For purposes of this clause, “natural infrastructure” means using natural ecological systems or processes to reduce vulnerability to climate change related hazards, or other related climate change effects, while increasing the long-term adaptive capacity of coastal and inland areas by perpetuating or restoring ecosystem services. This includes, but is not limited to, the conservation, preservation, or sustainable management of any form of aquatic or terrestrial vegetated open space, such as beaches, dunes, tidal marshes, reefs, seagrass, parks, rain gardens, and urban tree canopies. It also includes systems and practices that use or mimic natural processes, such as permeable pavements, bioswales, and other engineered systems, such as levees that are combined with restored natural systems, to provide clean water, conserve ecosystem values and functions, and provide a wide array of benefits to people and wildlife.
(D) (i) If a city or county has adopted the local hazard mitigation plan, or other climate adaptation plan or document that fulfills commensurate goals and objectives and contains the information required pursuant to this paragraph, separate from the general plan, an attachment of, or reference to, the local hazard mitigation plan or other climate adaptation plan or document.
(ii) Cities or counties that have an adopted hazard mitigation plan, or other climate adaptation plan or document that substantially complies with this section, or have substantially equivalent provisions to this subdivision in their general plans, may use that information in the safety element to comply with this subdivision, and shall summarize and incorporate by reference into the safety element the other general plan provisions, climate adaptation plan or document, specifically showing how each requirement of this subdivision has been met.
(5) Upon the next revision of the housing element on or after January 1, 2020, the safety element shall be reviewed and updated as necessary to identify residential developments in any hazard area identified in the safety element that do not have at least two emergency evacuation routes.
(6) After the initial revision of the safety element pursuant to paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5), the planning agency shall review and, if necessary, revise the safety element upon each revision of the housing element or local hazard mitigation plan, but not less than once every eight years, to identify new information relating to flood and fire hazards and climate adaptation and resiliency strategies applicable to the city or county that was not available during the previous revision of the safety element.
(7) Cities and counties that have flood plain management ordinances that have been approved by FEMA that substantially comply with this section, or have substantially equivalent provisions to this subdivision in their general plans, may use that information in the safety element to comply with this subdivision, and shall summarize and incorporate by reference into the safety element the other general plan provisions or the flood plain ordinance, specifically showing how each requirement of this subdivision has been met.
(8) Before the periodic review of its general plan and before preparing or revising its safety element, each city and county shall consult the California Geological Survey of the Department of Conservation, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, if the city or county is located within the boundaries of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District, as set forth in Section 8501 of the Water Code, and the Office of Emergency Services for the purpose of including information known by and available to the department, the agency, and the board required by this subdivision.
(9) To the extent that a county’s safety element is sufficiently detailed and contains appropriate policies and programs for adoption by a city, a city may adopt that portion of the county’s safety element that pertains to the city’s planning area in satisfaction of the requirement imposed by this subdivision.
(h) (1) An environmental justice element, or related goals, policies, and objectives integrated in other elements, that identifies disadvantaged communities within the area covered by the general plan of the city, county, or city and county, if the city, county, or city and county has a disadvantaged community. The environmental justice element, or related environmental justice goals, policies, and objectives integrated in other elements, shall do all of the following:
(A) Identify objectives and policies to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities by means that include, but are not limited to, the reduction of pollution exposure, including the improvement of air quality, and the promotion of public facilities, food access, safe and sanitary homes, and physical activity.
(B) Identify objectives and policies to promote civic engagement in the public decisionmaking process.
(C) Identify objectives and policies that prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of disadvantaged communities.
(2) A city, county, or city and county subject to this subdivision shall adopt or review the environmental justice element, or the environmental justice goals, policies, and objectives in other elements, upon the adoption or next revision of two or more elements concurrently on or after January 1, 2018.
(3) By adding this subdivision, the Legislature does not intend to require a city, county, or city and county to take any action prohibited by the United States Constitution or the California Constitution.
(4) For purposes of this subdivision, the following terms shall apply:
(A) “Disadvantaged communities” means an area identified by the California Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code or an area that is a low-income area that is disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative health effects, exposure, or environmental degradation.
(B) “Public facilities” includes public improvements, public services, and community amenities, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 66000.
(C) “Low-income area” means an area with household incomes at or below 80 percent of the statewide median income or with household incomes at or below the threshold designated as low income by the Department of Housing and Community Development’s list of state income limits adopted pursuant to Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code.”}