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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 8190 (Transportation Improvement Plan)RESOLUTION NO. 8190 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL APPROVING THE MARIN COUNTY TRANSPOR- TATION IMPROVEMENT AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLAN I. WHEREAS, the California Public Utilities Code, Sections 180000 through 180250, authorizes counties to prepare transportation expenditure plans and to hold elections at which the electorate may vote on the imposition of a retail transactions and use tax to raise revenue for identified transportation expenditures; and II. WHEREAS, the Public Utilities Code establishes a procedure for the adoption of transportation expenditure plans which requires approval of the Board of Supervisors and the city councils representing a majority of the cities and a majority of the incorporated population; and III. WHEREAS, the Marin Transportation Authority duly constituted pursuant to Section 180051 of the California Public Utilities Code, has prepared the Marin County Transportation Improvement and Growth Management Plan which includes transportation improvements needed to maintain mobility in Marin County and identifies procedures which will keep residential and commercial development from outpacing the provision of facilities and services; and IV. WHEREAS, the Marin Transportation Authority since August 1989 has held more than nine public meetings to develop and revise the Transportation Improvement and Growth Management Plan. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the San Rafael City Council approves the Marin County Transportation Improvement and Growth Management Plan and hereby recommends that the Marin County Transportation Authority request the Board of Supervisors to hold an election for the purpose of asking the voters to approve the imposition of a one cent retail transactions and use tax for the transportation improvements identified in the Plan. I, JEANNE M. LEONCINI, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of said City held on Monday, the eighteenth day of June, 1990, by the following vote to wit: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Boro, Breiner, Shippey, Thayer & Mayor Mulryan NOES: COUNC ILMEMBERS : None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:None JE M. LEONCINI, City Clerk R1'1N L 6/4/90 MARIN COUNTY TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMiENT AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLAN The Marin County Transportation Authority was created under the provisions of the Public Utilities Code Section 180000 by the Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers and the Board of Supervisors to develop and implement the Transportation Improvement and Growth Management Plan. The activities of the Transportation Authority to implement the Plan shall commence with the passage by the voters of a one cent increase in the retail sales tax in Marin County. The membership of the Transportation Authority includes: - One Member of the Board of Supervisors - One Member of the Novato City Council - One Member of the San Rafael City Council - Two City Council Members appointed by the Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers from the Cities in the Upper and Lower Ross Valley (Corte Madera, Fairfax, Larkspur, Ross, San Anselmo) - Two City Council Members appointed by the Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers from the Cities in Southern Marin (Belvedere, Mill Valley, Sausalito, Tiburon) No jurisdiction shall have more than one representative on the Transportation Authority. OBJECTIVES OF THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT AND GROWTH MANAGENNIENNT PLAN The Transportation Improvement and Growth Management Plan will: 1. 2. Provide a balanced program for transportation improvements and growth management The plan provides public transit, highway and other transportation improvements designed to relieve existing traffic congestion problems. The Plan also includes growth management programs to ensure that new development will not cause additional traffic congestion or other adverse impacts on public services. Establish a Countywide Planning Agency, to Manage Growth A Countywide Planning Agency will be established to ensure that local growth does not exceed local water, sewer and transportation capacities. The Countywide Planning Agency will be responsible for imple aen"'ng countywide performance standards for traffic, housing, water and seder facilities, and environmental protection. C0 PY 3. Provide transportation improvements which will improve the quality of life in Marin while still protecting the natural environment The Plan will improve the quality of life in Marin by providing a high level of mobility through the implementation of transit projects and traffic flow improvements which are beneficial to the environment. Transportation projects which would cause significant adverse impacts to the environment will not be implemented. 4. Emphasize improving public transit over expanding highway capacity. The Plan requires that the majority of expenditures shall be for public transit, including a light rail transit system from Novato to Larkspur, specialized paratransit for the elderly and disabled, and other programs to discourage driving alone. A smaller portion of expenditures shall be for improving and maintaining highways and local streets and roads. 5. Provide a process to ensure that new development helps pay for the transportation projects and services specifically needed to serve that new development The Plan requires each city and the County to collect local and regional traffic mitigation fees to ensure that new developments pay their share of the cost of local and regional transportation improvements needed to serve new development. 6. Provide the funding necessary to implement the Transportation Improvement and Growth Management Plan_ The Plan recognizes that available federal and state funding is not sufficient to meet Marin's transportation needs and that a local sales tax and traffic mitigation fees are the only funding sources available to solve Marin's transportation problems. The establishment of a local sales tax and countywide traffic mitigation fee program will greatly enhance Marin's ability to secure its full share of federal and state funds over the 20 year life of the sales tax. 2 TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS INCLUDED IN PLAN The following transportation projects and programs will be funded with the revenue from a one cent sales tax increase combined with revenue from existing Federal, State, and local funding programs. Proj Highway 101 Corridor Construct and Operate Light Rail Transit from Novato to Larkspur Widen Highway 101 to provide new lanes for buses and carpools through San Rafael and Novato and north to the Sonoma County Line Local Transportation Improvement Finds Maintain, repair or expand local streets, increase local transit, or provide other local transportation improvements as determined appropriate by each City and by the County Specialized Transportation Provide paratransit services for the elderly and the disabled. Allocation of Sales Tax Revenue Total Over Average 20 Years Per Year Per Cent $195,000,000 $ 9,750,000 52.0% 86,250,000 4,312,500 2 3. 0 67,500,000 3,375,000 18.0130, 9,375,000 468,750 2.5% Transportation Systems Management (TSM) Provide programs to encourage commuters to avoid driving alone by carpooling, riding public transit, using bicycles, or walking. 5,625,000 281,250 1.5no' Regional Planning Establish a Countywide Planning Agency to manage growth, establish Traffic Mitigation Fees, and achieve Traffic Standards. 7,500,000 375,000 2.OQV' Administration Administer and manage implementation of thf. projects funded by the sales tax. 3,750,000 187,500 1.0� TOTALS 3 $375,000,000 $18,750,000 100.0ro 1 DESCRIPTION OF THE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS INCLUDED IN PLAN Highway 101 Corridor The Marin County Sales Tax Plan is a balanced transit and highway program designed to meet the transportation needs in the 101 Corridor over the next 20 years. The centerpiece of the Sales Tax Plan is the construction and operation of a Light Rail Transit system on the Northwestern Pacific (NWP) Railroad right-of-way from Novato to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal. Light Rail Transit is a modern, quiet, wheelchair accessible, electric -powered inter -urban railroad. New Light Rail lines have recently been completed in San Diego, Portland, Santa Clara County, and Sacramento. Future extensions of the rail transit line south to San Francisco and north to Santa Rosa will be possible when additional funding beyond the funds provided by the 20 year local Marin County sales tax is available. The rail transit line will be grade separated at appropriate locations including central San Rafael and across Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. The rail line will provide a direct and convenient connection to high speed ferries to San Francisco by traveling over Sir Francis Drake Boulevard on a new rail bridge and then around the back side of Wood Island to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal. Stations on the rail transit line will be provided at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal, Bellam Boulevard, Central San Rafael, Civic Center, Smith Ranch Road, St. Vincent's, Hamilton Air Force Base, Ignacio, Rowland Boulevard, and Central Novato. Space will be reserved for a 10 -foot wide paved bicycle path along the light rail line wherever the right-of-way is wide enough to safely accommodate both rail transit and bicyclists. The Marin Light Rail Transit System will be owned and operated by a new transit operator other than the Golden Gate Bridge District. No sales tax funds shall be used for acquisition of the NWP right-of-way or development of the light rail system until the Marin County Transit District or Marin County Transportation Authority has control over the title of the NWP right-of-way. The major highway project included in the Marin Sales Tax Plan will widen Highway 101 through San Rafael and Novato and north to the Sonoma County Line. The new lanes on Highway 101 will be restricted to buses and carpools. When the new lanes are complete, there will be continuous bus and carpool lanes on Highway 101 from Mill Valley to the Sonoma County Line. The Marin Transportation Authority will prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on the Light Rail Transit Line from Novato to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal. This EIR will examine the cumulative impact of implementing all of the 101 Corridor Plan projects in Marin County including the light rail line, increased transbay bus and ferry services, and extending the carpool lanes on Highway 101 through San Rafael and Novato and north to the Sonoma County Line. This EIR must be completed before moving ahead with construction of the rail line or extension of the carpool lanes from Novato north to the County line. Local Transportation Improvements The Plan allocates a portion of the sales tax funding for local projects. These projects 4 will be selected by each of the eleven cities in Marin and by the County to serve the transportation needs felt to be most important from each jurisdiction's own perspective. Projects may include the repair or reconstruction of city streets, added local transit services, or other transportation programs. In order to qualify for the local transportation improvement funds, each city and the County will have to meet several eligibility requirements and participate in a Countywide Planning Agency established through a Joint Powers Agreement. The eligibility requirements are described in the Growth Management Program. SpeciaUzed Ziansportation/Paratransit The Plan will provide funding for improving and expanding paratransit services for the elderly and disabled. These paratransit services will enable elderly and disabled county residents to live more independently in the community. Transportation Systems Management (TSM) The Plan will provide funding for the implementation of a Countywide TSM Program to increase the use of transit, carpools, vanpools, bicycles or walking and to decrease the number of Marin employees commuting by single-occupant vehicles. The program will provide assistance to employers in encouraging their employees to use commute alternatives and reduce the use of the single-occupant auto. Under the Countywide TSM Program, employers will fully inform their employees about alternatives to commuting alone in single-occupant automobiles. Large employers with 200 or more employees will use part time transportation coordinators to provide on-site transportation services to employees, to conduct annual ridesharing campaigns, and to distribute information on commute alternatives to all new employees. Regional Planning The Countywide Planning Agency will administer the countywide planning and growth management program. This program will include: 1. reviewing local city and county general plans for consistency with the countywide standards for traffic, housing, water and sewer facilities and environmental protection, and 2. reviewing the annual growth rate in each jurisdiction to ensure that it does not exceed the jurisdiction's annual Trip Budget. The annual Trip budget for each jurisdiction will limit the amount of residential and commercial development in that jurisdiction each year to prevent the vehicle trips generated by new development from exceeding the capacity of the local transportation system. The Countywide Planning Agency will also develop a regional traffic mitigation fee program to be used by each city and by the County in conjunction with the local traffic mitigation fees required by the countywide growth management program. Administration The Marin Transportation Authority will develop a schedule for implementing the regional transportation projects funded by the one cent sales tax and will closely monitor the implementation of the projects to ensure that they are proceeding on schedule. 5 GROWTH MANAGEMENT PROGRAM The overall goal of the Marin County Growth Management Program is to ensure that residential and commercial development does not exceed local water, sewer, and transportation capacities. Countywide performance standards for traffic, housing, water and sewer facilities, and environmental protection will be implemented to prevent new development from increasing traffic congestion or exceeding water and sewer capacities. Each new development will be required to pay for the transportation projects, facilities, and services needed to serve that development. Organization The eleven cities and the County will use a Joint Powers Agreement to establish a Countywide Planning Agency to administer the growth management program. The County will appoint one County Supervisor and each city will appoint one City Councilmember to serve on the Board of Directors of the Countywide Planning Agency. The Countywide Planning Agency will annually review each jurisdiction's application for local transportation improvement funds and determine whether the local eligibility requirements have been met. The Countywide Planning Agency will also (1) review the general plans of the cities and the County to determine consistency with the countywide standards for traffic, housing, water and sewer facilities, and environmental protection, and (2) review city and county performance in complying with the annual growth limits established by their annual trip budgets. Allocation of Funds to Local Jurisdictions The Transportation Authority will annually allocate local transportation improvement funds to each city and to the County provided that the Countywide Planning Agency has determined that each of the cities and the County have met the eligibility requirements. The formula for allocating local transportation improvement funds shall be the same formula used to allocate gas tax funds based on population and road mileage. The Countywide Planning Agency will administer the eligibility requirements for the local transportation improvement funding. Local jurisdictions will have to demonstrate that their General Plans are in compliance with the countywide standards and their annual growth rate does not exceed their annual Trip Budget in order to qualify for the local transportation improvement funds. Local Elig bility Requirements Each local jurisdiction shall meet the following eligibility requirements in order to receive local transportation improvement funds. 1. Participate in the Regional Planning Process Each jurisdiction shall participate in the regional planning work of the Countywide Planning Agency. More specifically, each jurisdiction shall (1) join th- Countywide Planning Agency established by a Joint Powers Agreement; (2) submit its local General Plan for review by the Agency to determine whether it complies with the countywide standards for traffic, housing, water and sewer facilities, and environmental protection; (3) submit a complete account of all residential and commercial projects approved during R the preceding year so the Countywide Planning Agency can determine whether the jurisdiction has complied with the annual growth limit established by their annual trip budget allocation, and (4) provide local land use and transportation data for use in the countywide transportation computer model. 2. Adhere to Annual Growth Limit Established by Trip Budget Allocation Each jurisdiction shall annually submit a complete account of all residential and commercial projects approved during the preceding year to the Countywide Planning Agency so the Agency can determine whether the jurisdiction has complied with the annual growth limit established by their annual Trip Budget Allocation. The Trip Budget Allocations for each jurisdiction will be determined when the Countywide Planning Agency reviews each jurisdiction's General Plan for conformance with the countywide standards for traffic, housing, water and sewer facilities and environmental protection. The total vehicle trips generated by all of the development allowed under each jurisdiction's General Plan over the next 20 years will be calculated, and this estimate of total vehicle trips will be divided by 20 to establish the annual Trip Budget Allocation. In order to be eligible to receive local transportation improvement funds, local jurisdictions must not exceed their Trip Budget Allocations when approving development projects. 3. Adopt Traffic Level of Service (LOS) Standards Each local jurisdiction shall adopt Level of Service (LOS) traffic standards for local streets and roads and the regional Level of Service D standard of Highway 101 and each local jurisdiction shall establish and implement policies, programs, and projects to achieve and maintain these Level of Service standards. The local Level of Service standards may be higher but shall not be lower than Level of Service D. The Countywide Planning Agency shall regularly review local progress in achieving the Level of Service standards on Highway 101 and other routes of regional significance. The Countywide Planning Agency shall work with local jurisdictions in a cooperative process to establish the local and regional Level of Service standards. In developing policies, programs and projects for achieving the traffic service standards, the Agency shall jointly work with local jurisdictions to evaluate the following options: 1. modifying or adjusting local development patterns to reduce travel demand, 2. developing and implementing capital improvement projects or transportation service programs, 3. determining whether there may be a need for a special exemption from the Level of Service standards for a specific highway or road segment if a significant percent of traffic traveling through the road segment is from outside the local jurisdiction, or if the transportation improvements needed to achieve the Level of Service standard would adversely affect the natural ens 'ronment. 7 The Countywide Planning Agency shall determine the method to be used to calculate Level of Service and may establish alternative procedures to be used for unusual situations or special circumstances. 4. Develop Five Year Capital Improvement Programs to Meet the Traffic Level of Service Standards - Each jurisdiction shall prepare on-going five year capital improvement programs for implementation of transportation projects needed to meet and maintain their adopted Traffic Level of Service Standards. The local five year improvement programs shall be based on the level of development specified in each jurisdiction's General Plan, shall be coordinated with the regional transportation improvements programs developed by the Countywide Planning Agency, and shall specifically identify the funding sources for each capital project. 5. Adopt a Development Traffic Mitigation Fee Program Each jurisdiction shall establish a traffic mitigation fee program for new development to ensure that developers pay for the transportation projects and services required to serve each new development. The traffic mitigation fee programs established by each city and by the County shall include a local traffic mitigation fee to fund the local transportation improvements needed for new development and a regional mitigation fee for the regional transportation improvements needed for new development. The regional mitigation fee levied by the local jurisdictions shall be based on the regional mitigation fee program developed by the Countywide Planning Agency. The Countywide Planning Agency shall develop a program of regional traffic mitigation fees to fund transportation improvements of countywide significance and shall consider existing local traffic mitigation fees when setting the regional fees for each area of the County. 6. A�r'ee that local transportation improvement funds are intended to supplement rather than replace existing dedicated or discretionary transportation funding programs - 7. Consider local transit, paratransit, school transportation and bikeway needs when deriding how to spend the local transportation improvement funds_ The local transportation improvement funds do not have to be used for maintaining the local street system. Each jurisdiction is encouraged to consider other uses for these funds including local transit, paratransit, school transportation services, and bikeways. B. Participate in the Marin County Transportation Systems Management (TSM) Program Each jurisdiction shall participate in the TSM Program which is adopted by the majority of cities and the County. This program is expected to be based on the model TSM Ordinance developed by the County. .19 PLAN AMENDMENT PROCESS The Transportation Authority may approve administrative amendments to this Sales Tax Expenditure Plan with a minimum of 4 votes, provided the amendments do not substantively alter the regional transportation projects or growth management program. Substantive amendments to the Sales Tax Expenditure Plan involving major changes in the regional transportation projects shall require the approval of the Marin Transportation Authority, the County, and a majority of the cities representing a majority of the incorporated population. Substantive amendments to the Sales Tax Expenditure Plan involving major changes in the growth management program shall require the approval of the Marin Transportation Authority, the County, and a majority of the cities representing a majority of the incorporated population. In addition, any changes to the countywide standards for traffic, housing, water and sewer facilities, and environmental protection contained in the Joint Powers Agreement establishing the Countywide Planning Agency shall require an amendment to the Joint Powers Agreement. Any changes to the annual Trip Budget Allocation process outlined in the Joint Powers Agreement establishing the Countywide Planning Agency shall also require an amendment to the Joint Powers Agreement. Amendments to the Joint Powers Agreement must be approved by all of the local jurisdictions participating in the Countywide Planning Agency. The Transportation Authority shall transmit proposed project and program amendments to the Sales Tax Expenditure Plan to the cities and the county for review. If any of the cities or the county request a vote on the proposed amendment because they view it as substantive in nature, then the Authority must submit the amendment to the cities and the County for their approval. IOI: Growth2 9 6/4/90 PROPOSED MARIN SALES TAX BALLOT LANGUAGE Marin County Transportation Improvement and Growth Management Plan. This Plan will enact a one percent Sales Tax in Marin County for construction of transit and highway projects to reduce traffic congestion on Highway 101 and local streets, and for implementation of a countywide growth management program to prevent future growth from exceeding local water, sewer, and transportation capacities. The sales tax funded highway and transit projects include: • Construction and operation of an electric powered light rail transit line from Novato to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal, • Widening Highway 101 to extend the carpool lanes through San Rafael and Novato and north to the Sonoma County Line, • * Improving local streets and roads, s Improving transit for the elderly and handicapped, and • Establishing a countywide program to encourage ridesharing, transit use, and alternate work hours. The Countywide Growth Management program will utilize a newly established Countywide Planning Agency to: • Review the annual growth rates in each city and the county to ensure that residential and commercial development does not exceed local water, sewer, and transportation capacities, 0 Require developers to pay; traffic mitigation fees to mitigate the negative traffic impacts caused by their development, • Implement countywide standards for traffic flow, housing, water and sewer facilities, and environmental protection, and • Provide sales tax funds to local jurisdictions which are in conformance with the countywide standards for traffic flow, housing, water and sewer facilities, and environmental protection. Shall the Marin Transportation Authority be authorized to establish a one percent retail transactions and use tax for 20 years with an Article XEIB appropriations limit of $375 million and with the proceeds from the tax to be placed in a Special Fund solely for use in implementing the specified highway and transit projects and administering the countywide growth management program? salestax