Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority: transit connectivity.

Existing law establishes the Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority for purposes of planning, developing, and delivering cost-effective and responsive transit connectivity, between the Bay Area Rapid Transit District's rapid transit system and the Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail service in the Tri-Valley, as defined, region of California. Existing law gives the authority all of the powers necessary for planning, acquiring, leasing, developing, jointly developing, owning, controlling, using, jointly using, disposing of, designing, procuring, and constructing facilities to achieve transit connectivity, including, among other powers, the power to enter into cooperative or joint development agreements with local governments or private entities necessary to achieve transit connectivity. This bill would require the authority to be considered a rail transit district, thereby exempting the authority from specified provisions related to regulation by counties and cities regarding building, zoning, and related matters.