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Draft 14. Subregional Planning Element With a mild climate, immediate proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay, and attractive natural setting, the Bay Area is one of the most attractive places in the country to visit and live. The area's natural beauty as well as its built environment attracts residents, businesses, and tourists from all over the world. The Bay Area's 2005 population of about 7,091,700 is projected to increase by 19 percent, to about 8.4 million, by the year 2025. Jobs are expected to increase by about 36 percent over this same period, from about 3.5 million to about 4.8 million. More jobs will be added to the health and education services sector than to any other sector. The high technology manufacturing share of total employment should remain constant, rather than increasing as it has over the past 20 yeaxs.z Major planning issues faced by the Bay Area include a high cost of housing, traffic congestion, overburdened public transportation systems, quality of education, and air and water quality. Various agencies address regional issues in the Bay Area. The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) is a voluntary organization of local governments representing the nine Bay Area counties. Established in 1961, ABAG promotes cooperation on areawide issues and coordinates with areas outside the region. Other regional agencies include the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which is responsible for planuung regional transportation and transit in the Bay Area; the Bay Area Air Quality Management District which implements an air quality management plan to address attaintnent of federal and State air quality standards; and the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board which issues permits for discharges into navigable waterways and protects water quality under the federal Clean WaterAct. Pleasanton has been active in regional planning efforts and most recently has participated in the Focusing Our Vision (FOCUS) program which is a multi-agenry collaborative planning effort led by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), and supported by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). The plan, expected to be adopted in late 2007, will build upon the previous Smart Growth /Regional Livability Footprint Project and will define regional criteria for Priority Development Areas (PDAs) and Priority Conservation Areas (PCAs). The purpose of FOCUS is to plan for expected population and job growth for the next 20 years and grow in a way that improves the quality of life for all Bay Area residents, protects and preserves the environment, and is fiscally sound. Principles to advance this vision include: ^ Strengthen and support unique existing communities ^ Encourage new development that creates compact, complete, well-designed communities ^ Increase the housing supply and choices z ABAG Pmjectian.r 2005. Subregional Planning 060507, clean 14-4 City Council 6/5/2007