SCENARIO E

• Growth is distributed in and near existing communities; intense development is focused in walkable centers, preserving other areas for single family homes, open space, and agriculture; people live close to where they work, learn, and play 

• Countywide spending on transportation is lower than all other scenarios; driving across the valley is slower than all other scenarios; travel without a car is more convenient than any other scenario; people spend less time in the car and money on fuel and maintenance than any other scenario  

• The lowest emissions of any scenario; buildings are 50% more efficient than they are today; 50% of cars are electric or zero emissions; people drive less than in any other scenario  

• More new housing is smaller and located in walkable places; a wide variety of housing options is available; private yards are much smaller; housing is more affordable and closer to work or other destinations; energy efficiency is improved by 50%  

• Teacher salaries improve substantially, increasing instructional quality; educational collaboration is excellent; many more students obtain post-secondary degrees; many more high-paying jobs in life sciences, information technology, and hospitality and tourism, benefiting the entire economy  

• Water use per household is reduced by 30%; yards are much smaller, and some homes use water-efficient landscaping; low-impact design is used to clean stormwater runoff  

• Most buildings are built in areas with high earthquake risk; construction standards for ground shaking stay the same; few homes are built in areas with high wildfire risk 

• The most farmland is preserved in this scenario; the minimum lot size in agricultural zones is 40 acres, which prevents subdivision for large-lot housing; agricultural production shifts towards specialty and high-value crops