Plan Bay Area’s preferred plan advocates targeting and densifying the 5% of the region identified as Priority Development Areas, adding 77% of new housing to these locations. The area around Civic Center Station has been identified as one of these Priority Development Areas (or PDAs). Development is geared around high density housing – small units in apartment blocks. This development will place burdens on traffic, schools, police, fire and ambulance services; or conversely require commensurate increases in taxes to maintain levels of service.
The Cato Insititute’s Randal O’Toole provides useful perspective to help residents understand Plan Bay Area and what this means for residents like us within the Priority Development Area in his highly readable comment letter on the plan: