(1) Purpose and process.

(a) Purpose of regional CTR plan. The state's intent in requiring regional CTR plans is to ensure that the region develops a consistent, integrated regional strategy for meeting CTR goals and targets. The region shall use existing plan information as much as possible to determine how the CTR program can help the region achieve its transportation goals. The state intends for CTR services and strategies to be prioritized in regional funding programs.

(b) Plan development process. RCW 70.94.527(6) requires the regional CTR plan to be developed in collaboration with all affected local jurisdictions, transit agencies, and other interested parties within the region.

(i) Collaboration. The RTPO shall invite, as appropriate, local jurisdictions, local transit agencies, major employers, business associations and economic development organizations, nonprofit transportation and land use advocacy organizations, pedestrian and bicycle advocacy organizations, public health agencies, tribal governments, and others as necessary to participate in the development of the regional CTR plan's goals, targets and strategies.

(ii) Development of regional GTEC criteria. The RTPO shall develop minimum land use and transportation criteria for GTECs in collaboration among local jurisdictions, transit agencies, major employers, and other affected parties as part of the regional CTR plan. The state intends for minimum land use and transportation criteria for GTECs to be developed as early in the regional planning process as possible.

(iii) Regional role. The state intends for the RTPO to coordinate the local and regional CTR planning process, and work closely with local jurisdictions to ensure consistency in all of the plans. The RTPO shall provide data and technical assistance to local jurisdictions to aid the development of their local CTR plans.

(iv) Planning framework. The state intends for local plans to follow a planning framework established by the RTPO. However, the state recognizes that during the initial planning phase in fiscal year 2007, development of local and regional CTR plans will be a concurrent, iterative process. Thus the state intent that RTPOs lead the planning process.

(c) Identification of lead agencies. The regional CTR plan shall describe which entities will be implementing the CTR program for each city and county, as determined locally. This description shall include an identification of lead agencies and the expected contractual relationships for program administration.

(d) Consistency and integration with other plans, programs and local requirements. RCW 70.94.527(6) requires the regional CTR plan to be consistent with and incorporated into transportation demand management (TDM) components in the regional transportation plan (as required by RCW 47.80.030). The regional CTR plan shall be consistent with TDM components in the regional transportation plan. The regional CTR plan shall be incorporated by the RTPO into the regional transportation plan by December 31, 2008.

(e) Plan review and approval. According to RCW 70.94.527(6), regions without an approved regional CTR plan shall not be eligible for state CTR funds.

(i) Schedule. For jurisdictions in the region to receive CTR program funding, the CTR board must receive final draft regional CTR plans by October 1, 2007, and by March 31 every two years thereafter, if updates have been made to the regional CTR plan or if the RTPO is adopting a regional CTR plan for the first time.

(ii) Submittal. RCW 70.94.527(7) requires RTPOs to submit their regional CTR plans, related local CTR plans, and certified GTEC programs to the CTR board. By October 1, 2007, and by March 31 every two years thereafter, the RTPO shall submit the regional CTR plan, all local CTR plans in the region, and GTEC certification reports to the CTR board. Local and regional CTR plan submittals shall include documentation of support from the applicable transit agencies if the plans include a transit element.

(iii) Determination of consistency. RCW 70.94.527(7) requires the RTPO to collaborate with the CTR board to evaluate the consistency of local CTR plans with the regional CTR plan. When the RTPO submits local CTR plans to the CTR board, it shall also submit its determination of which local CTR plans are consistent with the regional CTR plan and meet state requirements. If any plans are not consistent or do not meet state requirements, the RTPO shall describe its reasoning and what changes need to be made to the plan before it is approved. The CTR board shall use the RTPO recommendation during its review of the local and regional CTR plans.

(iv) Approval. According to RCW 70.94.527(7), regional CTR plans must be approved by the CTR board to be eligible for state CTR funding. The CTR board shall review the regional CTR plan and notify the RTPO in writing whether it approves or denies the plan. If the regional CTR plan is approved, jurisdictions in the region are eligible for state CTR funding. If the regional CTR plan is not approved, the CTR board shall state its reasoning and recommendations for improvement to the RTPO. The RTPO may then choose to submit its revised plan to the CTR board by the deadline established by the CTR board or to appeal the decision.

(v) Appeal. If a regional CTR plan is not approved by the CTR board, the RTPO may choose to appeal the decision to the secretary of transportation or his/her designee within sixty days of the board's decision by submitting a written request for appeal to the secretary of transportation or his/her designee. The secretary of transportation or his/her designee shall consider the appeal within sixty days of the RTPO's request. If the secretary of transportation or his/her designee grants the appeal, the regional CTR plan shall be considered valid by the CTR board. If the secretary of transportation or his/her designee denies the appeal, the region is not eligible for state CTR program funding until a revised regional CTR plan is submitted and approved by the CTR board.

(f) Annual progress report. RCW 70.94.527(8) requires RTPOs with a regional CTR plan to submit an annual progress report to the CTR board at the end of each state fiscal year. The RTPO is required to submit a progress report to the CTR board by June 30, 2008, and every year thereafter. The report shall describe progress in achieving the regional CTR goals and targets and shall highlight any problems being encountered in achieving the goals and targets. The information shall be reported in a form established by the CTR board.

(g) Plan update cycle. The regional CTR plan shall be updated concurrent with the schedule for the regular update of the regional transportation plan or in order to establish new regional goals and targets and incorporate information from updated local CTR plans.

(2) Required plan elements. RCW 70.94.527(6) requires affected RTPOs to adopt a regional CTR plan consistent with the rules and deadlines established by WSDOT.

The regional CTR plan shall contain the following elements:

(a) Description of land use and transportation context. The state intends for RTPOs to evaluate the significance of regional land use and transportation conditions, characteristics and trends to highlight factors that are considered critical to the success of the regional CTR plan.

The plan shall discuss the existing and future land use and transportation conditions and characteristics considered most critical by the RTPO and evaluate the degree to which existing local services, policies, regulations, and programs, as well as any documented future investments, will complement the trip reduction efforts of major employers and help employer programs be more effective.

The plan shall evaluate the existing barriers to the success of the CTR plan, and identify how the RTPO and its partners can overcome these barriers.

The plan shall also discuss cross-boundary issues, such as pass-through commute patterns or extra-regional issues, and how these affect the regional plan.

(b) Minimum criteria for growth and transportation efficiency centers. The RTPO shall adopt minimum transportation and land use criteria that are appropriately scaled to the regional context. The RTPO may establish either absolute or relative criteria. The regional criteria may include, but are not limited to:

(i) Consistency with local and regional CTR plans and local comprehensive plans;

(ii) Support achievement of goals in the regional transportation plan;

(iii) Minimum existing and/or target density thresholds (i.e., activity density, population density, or employment density);

(iv) Minimum and maximum geographic sizes;

(v) Existing and targeted levels of transit service;

(vi) Existing and targeted commute trip mode splits;

(vii) Current and forecasted level of delay on state and regional facilities of significance;

(viii) Number of employees and/or residents;

(ix) Maximum parking development ratios for new commercial and residential development;

(x) Pricing strategies affecting parking demand (commuter and transient); and

(xi) Bicycle and pedestrian accessibility.

(c) Regional program goals and targets. The plan shall describe the established CTR goals and targets for each of the region's affected urban growth areas and designated GTECs. The plan shall also describe the entire region's goals and targets for CTR and how the regional goals and targets relate to the local goals and targets. The plan shall describe how the regional CTR goals and targets will help the region achieve its other transportation goals.

(d) Description of how progress will be measured. The plan shall describe how the measurement of local CTR plan progress will be used to assess regional progress toward CTR goals and targets. The plan's measurement methodology shall be consistent with the measurement guidelines established by WSDOT and posted on the agency's website.

(e) Description of regional strategies for achieving the goals and targets. The plan shall describe what regional services and strategies will be implemented to achieve the plan's goals and targets, and how these services and strategies will support major employer programs and local CTR plans. The regional services and strategies may include modifying regional funding allocations and program prioritization criteria to support the regional CTR plan.

(f) A sustainable financial plan. The plan shall describe the funding revenues from public and private sources that are reasonably expected to be available, as well as the expected costs, to implement the plan and achieve its goals and targets. If a RTPO identifies program elements that are not necessary to the success of the plan, but would support the plan and are beyond expected resources, the plan shall describe the level of funding that would be needed to implement the program element and how it would contribute to the success of the plan.