The Northern California Megaregion – Definitions and Challenges
The Bay Area Council and the San Francisco Planning Urban Research Association (SPUR) convened a group of their board members and supporters on April 4 to discuss the Northern California Megaregion and issues and challenges associated with this scale. The meeting was prompted by both groups’ involvement in the America 2050 project and the recognition that certain challenge in Northern California extend beyond the traditional, 9-county Bay Area and 17-county commuter shed, pictured at left.
Gabriel Metcalf gave a presentation to get the group thinking about some of these issues, starting with questions about how to define the “Nor Cal” megaregion. Ultimately, the definition is flexible, encompassing the ever-widening commute shed of those traveling from the Central Valley. He noted the definition should probably extend further north, to where people go for recreation and vacation, and east into Nevada (think: Lake Tahoe, Burning Man).
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