Technical Advisory Committees and Working Groups

The Aviation Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC) is a quarterly regional forum for aviation professionals (e.g. airport planners, transportation agency officials, and academics) to share technical and professional expertise on regional aviation issues with SCAG. SCAG uses information and data provided by the ATAC to inform aviation element of the Connect SoCal Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, as well as other planning and research efforts. The ATAC shall not serve as a policy, legislative, or voting body; thus, meetings are not subject to the Brown Act.

Staff Contact

Scott Strelecki
Planning Supervisor
Mobility Planning and Goods Movement

The purpose of the SoCal Greenprint Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is to gather key stakeholder input to ensure that data provided through the SoCal Greenprint web-based application will be useful to targeted user groups for its intended purposes. SCAG staff will work to ensure the SoCal Greenprint tool aligns with advanced mitigation opportunities, fulfillment of the Connect SoCal 2020 Program Environmental Impact Report mitigation measures and the Connect SoCal’s policies, objectives and goals, and the Regional Advance Mitigation Planning (RAMP) Policy Framework adopted by SCAG’s Regional Council in February 2023.

As outlined in the RAMP Policy Framework, the TAC will advise and consult SCAG in the development of governance standards, user guidelines, data selection criteria, and data parameters to be used for establishment of the SoCal Greenprint tool and (as directed by the Regional Council’s February 2023 action approving formation of the TAC) suggestions of the TAC will be presented to the Regional Council and Energy & Environment Committee. The meetings of the TAC will be consistent with the Brown Act.

Staff Contact

India Brookover
(213) 236-1919
brookover@scag.ca.gov

The “Highways to Boulevards Regional Study” will identify areas to remove, retrofit, or mitigate the negative impacts of highways and railways through highway-to-boulevard conversions, freeway caps, and railroad conversions. The study will create two project advisory committees to gather input from organizations in the region.

The first Highways to Boulevards project advisory committee aligns with regional goals defined by SCAG in the Connect SoCal Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy by identifying locations for conversion and mitigation. The study will rely on input from cities, councils of government, and country transportation commissions to help identify preliminary project locations. The project advisory committee will contribute to the vision and goals for the study, define methodologies, screen and prioritize criteria, and determine corridors for future conceptual design. 

The second project advisory committee also aligns with the regional goals, gathering agencies and community-based organizations to take the lead in seeking funding and implementing identified projects. The primary goals of the second project advisory committee are to provide guidance on the top six to 10 corridors identified, determine next steps, and seek funding. The project advisory committee will identify preliminary designs and anti-displacement strategies to arrive at final designs, implementation, and funding strategies.  

The Modeling Task Force (MTF) coordinates SCAG’s various modeling programs and provides a forum to discuss data standards and share information and new ideas. Participation in the MTF is open to all interested parties including governmental staff, education-related individuals and groups, environmental organizations, business groups, and the general public. The MTF is not a legislative body of SCAG, so meetings of the MTF are not subject to the Brown Act.

Staff Contact

Ellen Jisu Lee
(213) 236-1867
leej@scag.ca.gov

The Regional Planning Working Groups (RPWG) function as a forum for SCAG staff to engage stakeholders in the development and implementation of plans and policies to advance the region’s mobility, economy, and sustainability. Areas of focus include: Safe and Active Streets; Equity; Natural and Farm Lands Conservation; and Sustainable and Resilient Communities.

A few notes regarding participation in the meetings:

• RPWG meetings are structured as open public forums for information sharing only.
• RPWG participants do not vote or take positions on any policy issues.
• SCAG staff organize and manage the meetings, with no formal chair or assigned roles for participants.
• Meetings are open to the public and may include participation from peer stakeholders and staff from state, regional, and local agencies, non-profit organizations, local universities, and the business community.
• RPWG meetings are held remotely (via video-conferencing/teleconferencing) through the development of Connect SoCal, the 2024 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). Changes to meeting format and schedule(s) will be further communicated through each working group when applicable.
• RPWG meetings will generally be held on the third Thursdays of the month. Specific dates and times are announced at the beginning of the month. Sign up to receive monthly RPWG emails.

Learn More About the Working Groups

Safe and Active Streets Working Group

Previous: Active Transportation Working Group, Safety Working Group, Go Human Steering Committee

SCAG is interested in working more closely with transportation safety and active transportation stakeholders on developing Regional Transportation Safety and Active Transportation strategies that can be incorporated into the region’s next long-range plan, Connect SoCal, the 2024 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). The purposes of the Safe and Active Streets Working Group meetings are to:

• Explore methods to increase the value of the Connect SoCal active transportation and safety components for local jurisdictions and implementing agencies through enhancement of policies, analysis and presentation of the regional active transportation and safety plans.
• Share information on SCAG initiatives and funding programs, such as the Active Transportation (ATP) and the Go Human Safety & Encouragement Campaign.
• Discuss emerging issues and share innovations and best practices for increasing safe mobility across the region.
• Assist SCAG staff in developing transportation safety analyses and policies (e.g., existing conditions analysis; high injury corridor methodology and identification; safety target(s) and performance measures; strategies and actions).
• Provide SCAG staff with guidance on the development of the Regional Safety Strategy to be incorporated into Connect SoCal.
• Motivate information sharing and the identification of best practices related to transportation safety, planning, and programming at the local level.

Sustainable and Resilient Communities Working Group

In January 2021, SCAG’s Regional Council adopted Resolution No. 21-628-1 affirming that the SCAG region is experiencing a climate crisis and emphasizing the importance of regional collaboration to improve regional resilience and adaptation to climate hazards. The Sustainable and Resilient Communities Working Group is a forum to engage with stakeholders on SCAG’s climate adaptation and resilience projects, and to highlight ongoing climate adaptation work across the region. The Working Group will serve as a platform for SCAG to discuss topics and initiatives related to regional climate adaptation and resilience, such as:

• Senate Bill 379 compliance.
• SCAG’s Regional Resilience Framework.
• Development of a regional climate planning network.
• Best practices in climate adaptation/resilience planning.
• Strategies to balance conservation, development, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while cultivating livable communities.

Please contact adaptation@scag.ca.gov for any questions or comments regarding the Sustainable and Resilient Communities Working Group.

Equity Working Group

On July 2, 2020, SCAG’s Regional Council adopted Resolution 20‐623‐2, declaring systemic racism a human rights and public health crisis. The resolution affirmed SCAG’s commitment to working in partnership with others to close the gap of racial injustice and meaningfully advance inclusion, diversity, equity, and awareness. Less than a year later, on May 6, 2021, SCAG’s Regional Council adopted a Racial Equity Early Action Plan (EAP), which includes a total of 29 actions SCAG will take to advance racial equity across the region. One of the EAP actions is to form a Regional Planning Working Group dedicated to Equity. In June 2021, SCAG kicked off the Equity Working Group, which will meet on at least a quarterly basis.

The purpose of the Equity Working Group is to engage stakeholders on SCAG’s regional and local planning activities as well as share efforts across the region to eliminate racial bias and barriers in land-use and transportation planning. National best practices will also be highlighted. SCAG anticipates discussions will focus on equity-related plans, programs, projects, tools, resources, and best practices. Because equity is intersectional, the Equity Working Group will address multiple planning areas, including Environmental Justice (EJ), Public Health, and others.

Each Equity Working Group meeting will include discussion of regional policy and planning programs along with two standing sections that focus on showcasing local jurisdiction SB1000 Environmental Justice Elements and local examples of “Equity in Action” with panel discussions. Future meetings will focus on topics identified as priorities by working group participants.

Potential Topic Areas to Highlight & Discuss

• Equity Definitions
• Equity Goals
• Equity Frameworks
• Equity Indicators
• Equity Existing Conditions Analysis
• Equity Action Plans and Work Plans
• Equity Resources (checklists, guidelines, guidance)
• Stakeholder Outreach and Engagement
• Equity-Focused Project Prioritization or Funding Methodologies
• Intersectional Efforts (e.g., EJ/Equity; Public Health/Equity, Housing/Equity, etc.)
• SCAG’s EAP Progress and Implications

The Equity Working Group, which was formed from the previous EJ and Public Health Working Groups, will include EJ and Public Health stakeholders, community-based organizations, academic partners, and other government agencies and local jurisdiction staff.

A summary of topics covered by the EWG since June 2021 are available here: Equity Working Group History.

For more information, please contact Anita Au at environmentaljustice@scag.ca.gov.

Natural and Farm Lands Conservation Working Group

The purpose of the Natural Lands meetings is to gather a breadth of additional stakeholder input into the development and ongoing success of SCAG’s conservation planning efforts. Meeting since 2014, the Natural and Farm Lands Working Group is comprised of a diverse group of stakeholders representing federal and state conservation agencies, nonprofits such as land trusts, academic institutions, as well as CTCs, Counties and Cities. The working group was instrumental in refining the conservation strategies and policies in the Connect SoCal, 2020 RTP/SCS, Natural & Farm Lands Conservation Technical Report, and will continue to be engaged for the 2024 RTP/SCS update.

Housing Working Group

The Housing Working Group (HWG) is a newly formed group that will provide a forum to engage stakeholders on several housing-related priorities. While one of the immediate priorities of the HWG is to help develop supportive land use strategies for the Connect SoCal 2024 Plan, the HWG will also be engaged in the development of other regional programs and priorities. These include:

• Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) reform
• Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH)
• Housing element compliance
• Other housing policy goals identified by the working group

Input and discussions from the Housing Working Group will inform the development of SCAG’s housing program and resources provided to local jurisdictions, shape regional policies for consideration in Connect SoCal, and inform legislative proposals that SCAG staff bring forward for consideration of the Legislative/Communications and Memberships Committee, other SCAG Policy Committees and the Regional Council as appropriate.

Participation is open to all and city and county staff, housing planners, developers, advocacy and policy organizations, community-based organizations, philanthropy community members, housing-focused trade organizations, and labor representatives in the housing industry are encouraged to join.

If you have any questions, please reach out to housing@scag.ca.gov, for more information.

Future Meetings

Note: These meetings will not convene in person. All meetings will be teleconference-only until further notice.

The Regional Transit Technical Advisory Committee (RTTAC), made up of representatives from the region’s transit operators, provides a forum for coordination of input in the development of the Connect SoCal Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy and the Federal Transportation Improvement Program. Past RTTAC discussion topics have included funding programs, intelligent transportation systems, transit-oriented development, and performance measures. A list of upcoming meetings is available on the SCAG calendar. 

Staff Contact

Priscilla Freduah-Agyemang
(213) 236-1973
agyemang@scag.ca.gov
 

The purpose of the Technical Working Group (TWG) for regional planning and growth is to enhance the quality, data integrity, and transparency of the Connect SoCal Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy. The TWG provides a venue for SCAG staff to discuss and receive feedback on growth-related technical approaches, data collection, and technical tools with local and regional planning partners, regulatory and coordinating agencies, and technical experts. The TWG shall not serve as a policy, legislative, or voting body; thus, meetings are not subject to the Brown Act.

View the Technical Working Group Charter

Staff Contact

Kevin Kane
(213) 236-1828
kane@scag.ca.gov

The Transportation Conformity Working Group (TCWG) is a regional forum for interagency consultation and coordination to maintain transportation conformity and improve air quality in Southern California.  

The TCWG meets monthly to facilitate inclusive transportation and air quality planning processes and to fulfill the interagency consultation requirements of Federal Transportation Conformity Regulations. The group helps resolve regional issues pertaining to transportation conformity and coordinates with the Statewide Transportation Conformity Working Group.

Membership of the TCWG includes federal (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration), state (California Air Resources Board, Caltrans), regional (air quality management districts, SCAG), and subregional (county transportation commissions) agencies and other stakeholders.​

Staff Contact

Lijin Sun
(213) 236-1804
sunl@scag.ca.gov