A city (or county) is not an accident but the result of coherent visions and aims

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University, six Sacramento commuter buses, and two local catering companies. The BioDigester also has an exclusive contract 
to provide natural gas to Sacramento School District’s 6-12 buses and is the backup provider for Elk Grove’s 6-12 buses. The 
waste gas that is not clean enough to use for transportation fuel is used to produce one million kilowatts of electricity which 
powers both the facility and the fueling station. The digestate is used to produce eight million gallons of organic soils and 
fertilizers for Sacramento area farms.
Alameda County adopted its 
Community Climate Action Plan
 in February of 2014. It builds off the county’s already exemplary 
waste management programs by establishing a target of diverting 90 percent of all waste from landfills by 2030 with an 
interim goal of 82.5 percent by 2020. To achieve this, the county has outlined measures and strategies that include mandatory 
household and commercial food waste recycling and a corresponding outreach and education program. The Alameda County 
Waste Management Authority Board, also known as 
StopWaste.Org
, is a joint powers authority. Its members include the county, 
the fourteen cities in the county, and two special districts that provide solid waste and recycling services. Its education activities 
aim to encourage businesses to recycle and include technical assistance for waste prevention and recycling, targeted outreach 
and assistance to large businesses, online resources for smaller businesses, grants for businesses, and a high profile recognition 
program for businesses that recycle.
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Intent of Analysis
Recommended Data
Safety and health concerns for vulnerable populations.
Locations of schools and hospitals as well as populations of children 
and elderly facilities or communities.
Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) effects of waste facility location.
Distances and frequency of truck travel between residential and com-
mercial centers and facilities; local sustainable communities strategies 
(SCS).
15 years capacity needed for organics recycling.
Capacity needed and available/planned infrastructure. 
Greenways
Requirement Description:
A land use element must designate the proposed general distribution, location, and extent of uses of land for greenways, defined 
by 
Civil Code 816.52(b)
 as “a pedestrian and bicycle, nonmotorized vehicle transportation, and recreational travel corridor that 
meets the following requirements:
(1)  Includes landscaping that improves rivers and streams, provides flood protection benefits, and incorporates the significance 
and value of natural, historical, and cultural resources, as documented in the local agency’s applicable planning document, 
including, but not limited to, a master plan, a general plan, or a specific plan.
(2)  Is separated and protected from shared roadways, is adjacent to an urban waterway, and incorporates both ease of access 
to nearby communities and an array of amenities within an urbanized area and services for the users of the corridor and 
nearby communities.

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(3)  Is located on public lands or private lands, or a combination of public and private lands, where public access to those lands 
for greenway purposes has been legally authorized by, or legally obtained from, the fee owner of the land and, if applicable, 
the operator of any facility or improvement located on the land, through leases, easements, or other agreements entered into 
by the fee owner and the operator of any affected facility or improvement on the land.
(4)  Reflects design standards regarding appropriate widths, clearances, setbacks from obstructions, and centerlines protecting 
directional travel, and other considerations, as appropriate, that are applicable for each affected local agency, as 
documented in the local agency’s applicable planning document, including, but not limited to, a master plan, general plan, 
or specific plan, and that are consistent with plans and facilities for controlling the floodwater of rivers and their tributaries, 
as applicable.
(5)  May incorporate appropriate lighting, public amenities within an urbanized area, art, and other features that are consistent 
with a local agency’s planning document, including, but not limited to, a general plan, master plan, or specific plan.”
Planning for greenways should coordinate closely with the 
circulation
, 
conservation
, and 
open space
 elements, and consider 
implications on 
community health
, 
economic development
, 
environmental justice
, and 
social equity
.
Identify and Annually Review Areas Subject to Flooding
Requirement Description:
In addition to the requirement to designate specific land uses, the land use element must “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
” (
Gov. Code § 65302(a)
).
When fully informed by applicable flood information and assessments of 
climate change
 impacts and management practices, 
careful land use planning can effectively reduce vulnerability to potential flood damage in cities and counties. Such 
careful planning can include non-structural flood protection measures, low impact development, and improved stormwater 
management practices. Federal, state, and local agencies may construct and operate flood protection facilities to reduce flood 
risks, but some amount of risk will remain for those residing in floodplains. Therefore, increasing awareness can help ensure 
Californians recognize the potential threat and are better prepared to respond to flood emergencies. 
The 
Land Use: Water Supply Act of 2007 (AB 162, Wolk)
 requires additional consideration of flood risk in local land use 
planning throughout California and named the 
Department of Water Resources (DWR)
 as a source for floodplain information 
and technical data for local governments. The 
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014
, hereinafter referred to 
as SGMA, considers the connections between groundwater management, land use, and flood management and allows local 
agencies to customize plans to their regional needs. 
DWR published two reports—
Implementing California Flood Legislation into Local Land Use Planning: A Handbook for 
Local Communities
 and 
Guidance on General Plan Amendments for Addressing Flood Risk
—to provide assistance and 
recommendations for local government compliance with 
2007 flood legislation
. DWR also created a
 sustainable groundwater 
management toolbox
 to assist with SGMA. 

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