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Fresno COG Policy Board
Time:
Place:
COG Sequoia Conference Room
2035 Tulare St., Suite 201, Fresno, CA
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accommodations
The Fresno COG offices and restrooms are ADA accessible. Representatives or individuals with disabilities should contact Fresno COG at (559) 233-4148, at least 3 days in advance, to request auxiliary aids and/or translation services necessary to participate in the public meeting / public hearing. If Fresno COG is unable to accommodate an auxiliary aid or translation request for a public hearing, after receiving proper notice, the hearing will be continued on a specified date when accommodations are available.
AB23 Requirement: In accordance with the Brown Act and AB23 the amount of stipend paid to members for attending this meeting of the Fresno Council of Governments Policy Board is $100.
Agenda and Annotated Agenda in pdf format - ALL EXHIBITS ARE AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE
FCRTA Meeting Package - This meeting will take place AFTER the COG Policy Board Meeting
I. TRANSPORTATION CONSENT ITEMS
About Consent:
All items on the consent agenda are considered to be routine and non-controversial by COG staff and will be approved by one motion if no member of the Committee or public wishes to comment or ask questions. If comment or discussion is desired by anyone, the item will be removed from the consent agenda and will be considered in the listed sequence with an opportunity for any member of the public to address the Committee concerning the item before action is taken.
A.January Executive Minutes [APPROVE]
B.Association for the Beautification of Highway 99 Master Plan Update (Lauren Dawson) [ACCEPT]
Summary: At the request of the members of the Association for the Beautification of Highway 99, Fresno COG agreed to fund an update for the Highway 99 Beautification Master Plan. The original Highway 99 Beautification Master Plan was completed in July 2000. Fresno COG facilitated work on the Master Plan Update through an existing contract for Circuit Planning project work made available to our member agencies. Work began on this project in January 2015 and a draft update was presented to members of the Association on October 28, 2015 at a two hour workshop. Comments were received from members attending the meeting and requested from those not able to attend via email. The Draft Update to the Master Plan was discussed at each regularly scheduled Association meeting through 2016 and was approved by vote at the September 26, 2016 meeting of the Association for the Beautification of Highway 99. The finished document is available at: http://www.fresnocog.org/sites/default/files/publications/99/Master_Plan_2016_Update/Hwy_99_Assoc_MasterPlan_Sept._2016_.pdf
Action: Staff, TTC and PAC recommend that the Policy Board accept the Association for the Beautification of Highway 99 Master Plan Update.
C.Triennial Performance Audits (Les Beshears) [ACCEPT]
Summary: Michael Baker International has completed Triennial Performance audits for the three year period from 2012-13 through 2014-15 for the Fresno Council of Governments and the four Transit Operators in Fresno County per Section 99246 of the PUC.
1.Fresno Council of Governments Triennial Performance Audit
The performance audit found the agency complied with both recommendations from the prior performance audit and conducts its management of the TDA program in a competent, professional manner while operating in a complex intergovernmental environment, has satisfactorily complied with state legislative mandates for Regional Transportation Planning Agencies, expanded its visibility with the community, stakeholders and partner agencies during the RTP process and continues efforts to focus attention on regional issues with the One Voice advocacy program.
Three recommendations are given:
- Include an analysis of transit-dependent populations in the annual Unmet Transit Needs report.
- Evaluate opportunities to increase rural county representatives on the SSTAC.
- Continue active promotion of technology development with regard to transit data coordination.
2. Fresno Area Express Triennial Performance Audit
The audit found that FAX has implemented three of the four recommendations of the prior performance audit and complied with seven of the nine applicable TDA compliance requirements. Two recommendations are given:
- Ensure FAX data for Handy Ride paratransit is reported in the State Controller Report.
- Provide Title VI Policy documentation in Spanish.
3.Clovis Transit Triennial Performance Audit
The audit found that Clovis Transit has implemented three of the four recommendations from the previous performance audit and complied with six of the eight applicable TDA compliance requirements. Three recommendations are given:
- Establish a formal travel training program in anticipation of the new transportation hub.
- Ensure Clovis Transit information is accessible on the Fresno State University bus transportation webpage.
- Ensure timely completion and submittal of the annual State controller Transit Operators Financial Transactions Report.
4. Fresno County Rural Transit Agency Triennial Performance Audits
The audit found that FCRTA has implemented all three of the recommendations from the prior performance audit and complied with eight of the nine applicable TDA compliance requirements. Two recommendations are given:
- Provide Title VI policy documentation on the FCRTA website.
- Calculate farebox recovery using revised method contained in new state legislation.
5. Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission Triennial Performance Audits
The audit found the FCEOC implemented all three recommendations from the prior performance audit and has compiled with all eight applicable TDA compliance requirements. Three recommendations are given:
- Review the contract structure for the Central Valley Regional Center.
- Develop expanded performance standards for Consolidated Transportation Services Agency (CTSA) service efficiency and effectiveness.
- Continue efforts to attract and retain a strong driver workforce.
Action: Staff, TTC and PAC recommend that the Policy Board accepts the Triennial Performance Audits.
D.Annual Project Listing (Suzanne Martinez) [INFORMATION]
Summary: Federal law requires Fresno COG to publish for public review an annual listing of projects for which federal funds have been obligated in the preceding year (Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 15/16), as a record of project delivery and as a progress report for public information and disclosure.
This report is divided into the funding types administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Projects are listed by Lead Agency, Federal Transportation Improvement (FTIP) Program, Federal ID and Fresno COG ID. The Fresno COG ID number is a unique project identifier used in the FTIP; the category Total Dollar Amount in FTIP is included for reference of total project funding. Multiple Federal IDs can correspond to one Fresno COG ID. Please note that this list includes only federal funds that were obligated in FFY 15/16; no state or local funds are reported. The information contained in this report was provided by the California Department of Transportation.
This report indicates that approximately $62 million in federal funds were obligated for transportation projects in the region between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016. The federal funds obligated for transportation projects were from the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) Program, Highway Bridge Program (HBP), Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), State Highway Operations and Protection Program (SHOPP), Local Rail, Regional Improvement Program (RIP), Surface Transportation Program (STP), and Active Transportation Program projects.
Action: Information. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Policy Board.
E.Fresno COG Fiscal Year 2015/16 Audit (Les Beshears) [INFORMATION]
Summary: The CPA firm Dedekian, George, Small, and Markarian completed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015/16 Financial and Compliance audit for Fresno COG. The report details that Fresno COG managed its operations according to funding covenants, within budget, and has no findings of non-compliance. The report satisfies requirements of federal and state funding agencies. Total revenues were $9,030,271, total expenses were $9,169,150 and total fund balances at year end decreased from $138,879 to $1,594,496.
Copies of the audit will be available at the meeting to interested parties and linked to our website.
Action: Information. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Policy Board.
F.Regional Transportation Mitigation Fee Fiscal Year 2015/16 Audit (Les Beshears) [INFORMATION]
Summary: The CPA firm Dedekian, George, Small, and Markarian completed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015/16 Financial and Compliance audit for the Regional Transportation Mitigation Fee (RTMF) fund. The report only details how Fresno COG managed collections of administrative fees levied to cover the cost of administrating the fee. The report does not detail total collections of the mitigation fee as those are forwarded to the Fresno County Transportation Authority and recognized as revenue on their financial books. However, for informational purposes, $3,355,550 in RTMF fees were collected in FY 2015/16. Total administrative fees collected were $35,504 and total expenses were $31,548 leaving a total fund balance of $3,958. Copies of the audit will be available at the meeting to interested parties and linked to our website.
Action: Information only. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Policy Board.
G.Circuit Planning and Engineering Update (Rob Terry) [INFORMATION]
Summary: Below is an update on each of the on-going circuit planning and engineering projects. Please note that only the three projects that are currently active are on the list. Completed activities, as well as projects that have been placed on hold by their respective agency or are considered inactive, are not included below.
Current planning-related projects resulting from that process include:
1. Fowler Project 1 - Golden State Property - Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure Design Study, Purpose & Need Statement, Funding Source Review, and Assistance with the Funding Application. City staff and the circuit planning team have completed the required documentation, and are awaiting Council direction.
2. Selma Project 1 – Assistance with Planning and Design Issues - Dinuba Avenue Overcrossing/Interchange @ SR 99. The circuit planning team has met with City staff and Caltrans representatives and has prepared a memo addressing the needed traffic analysis and continues making progress on the project. Approval for such work was given by the Fresno COG Policy Board at the January 2017 meeting. The team will now be coordinating activities to complete the analysis needed.
3. Fowler Project 3 - Preparation of a Bike System Route Map. City staff and the circuit planning team have completed kick-off activities, preliminary mapping, and have conducted a field reconnaissance survey. Following mapping, survey and additional activities, system recommendations will be delivered to staff and elected officials in mid-February.
Current engineering-related projects include the following:
1. Selma Project 1 – Assistance with Planning and Design Issues - Dinuba Avenue Overcrossing/Interchange @ SR 99. The circuit planning team has met with City staff and Caltrans representatives and has prepared a memo addressing the needed traffic analysis continue making progress on the project. Approval for such work was given by the Fresno COG Policy Board at the January 2017 meeting. The team will now be coordinating activities to complete the analysis needed.
2. Orange Cove Project 1 - Bridge Preventative Maintenance funding. Circuit engineering staff is currently preparing the necessary documents to ensure key bridges are on the eligible funding lists of the Highway Bridge Program.
3. Parlier Project 1 – Intersection analysis for Newmark Ave., Parlier Ave. and Fresno Street. Circuit engineering staff has recently met with key Parlier staff to review the proposed scope of work. Efforts began in January, following official feedback from City officials.
Staff can provide details on the status of individual projects, as requested. If you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding the tasks associated with either the circuit planning or circuit engineering programs, please contact Rob Terry at (559) 233-4148 Ext. 222 or via email at rterry@fresnocog.org.
Action: Information. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Policy Board.
H.Fresno/Madera Origin-Destination Study Phase Two Update (Rob Terry) [INFORMATION]
Summary: The consultant, Applied Development Economics, is nearing completion of the Study Area Characteristics tasks, including mapping, fiscal data analysis, and incorporation of Phase One deliverables/data. It is anticipated that a draft report detailing the aforementioned items will be delivered to the project team in late-February. All project tasks and budget remain on schedule.
For any questions regarding this project, please contact Rob Terry at (559) 233-4148 Ext. 222 or via email at rterry@fresnocog.org.
Action: Information. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Policy Board.
I.Fiscal Year 2017/18 Preliminary Local Transportation Fund (LTF) and State Transit Assistance Fund (STA) Estimates (Les Beshears) [INFORMATION]
Summary: The County Auditor-Controller has estimated the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017/18 Local Transportation Fund (LTF) Apportionment at $35,000,000. This represents no increase from last year’s estimate; however, amounts to various members may change due to population changes. A spreadsheet distributing the funding to member agencies is provided for budgeting purposes. The population estimates will be updated for 2017 when the Department of Finance releases the number in May.
The State Controller’s Office has estimated the FY 2017/18 State Transit Assistance (STA) apportionment at $4,136,281. This is down 15% from last year and reflects the SB 878 methodology requiring the State Controller’s Office to distribute STA using the statutory methodology rather than the new methodology the State Controller attempted to use last year. A spreadsheet distributing the funding to member agencies is provided for budgeting purposes. The population estimates will be updated for 2017 when the Department of Finance releases the number in May.
Action: Information. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Policy Board.
J.Update of the Unmet Transit Needs Process (Jeff Long) [INFORMATION]
Summary: The Fresno COG Policy Board must determine that public transportation needs within Fresno County will be reasonably met in Fiscal Year 2017-18 prior to approving claims of Local Transportation Funds for streets and roads. The Fresno COG’s Social Service Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC) is responsible for evaluating unmet transit needs. Each year the SSTAC begins the process of soliciting comments from the public by sending approximately 400 letters to agencies and individuals interested in providing feedback on their public transportation needs within Fresno County. The request for comment letters, English and Spanish, were mailed the last week of January.
In addition to the request for written comments, SSTAC will be holding three information-gathering meetings:
Tuesday, February 14, 2017 – 5:30 p.m.
Fresno-Clovis Metropolitan Area
City of Clovis, Clovis Senior Activity Center, 850 4th Street, Clovis, CA 93612
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 – 5:30 p.m.
Westside of Fresno County
City of San Joaquin, Senior Center, 21991 W. Colorado, San Joaquin, CA 93660
Thursday, February 16, 2017 – 5:30 p.m.
Eastside of Fresno County
City of Orange Cove, Community Center, 1705 Anchor Dr., Orange Cove, CA 93646
Action: This is an information/discussion item. Direction may be given at the discretion of the Policy Board.
K.Fresno County Regional Active Transportation Plan - Request for Proposals (Peggy Arnest) [INFORMATION]
Summary: The Fresno Council of Governments, as the Metropolitan Planning Organization for Fresno County, released a Request for Proposals that seeks proposals from qualified consultants to provide planning services and prepare a Regional Active Transportation Plan (ATPlan) covering Fresno County. The ATPlan will provide for more transportation options and a balanced regional transportation system to support smart growth and a more sustainable region as part of the implementation process of the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The RTP calls for a multimodal regional transportation network that includes a regional active transportation network. Furthermore, the purpose of the plan is also to better equip Fresno COG’s member agencies (the County of Fresno and the fifteen incorporated cities of Clovis, Coalinga, Firebaugh, Fowler, Fresno, Huron, Kerman, Kingsburg, Mendota, Orange Cove, Parlier, Reedley, San Joaquin, Sanger, and Selma) with the tools to better compete for all funding sources that support Active Transportation Programs and Projects. The deadline for proposal questions was February 7, 2017. Questions & Answers will be posted on the Fresno COG website. The deadline for the proposal was February 21, 2017 by 2 pm.
For more information, please contact Peggy Arnest at parnest@fresnocog.org
Action: Informational only, direction may be provided at the discretion of the Policy Board.
L. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Comprehensive Federal and State Transportation Planning and Programming (Melissa Garza) [ADOPT]
Summary: The Caltrans’ Division of Transportation Planning is requiring an update of the federally mandated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Comprehensive Federal and State Transportation Planning and Programming. This document is an agreement between Caltrans and each Metropolitan Planning Organization that outlines overall planning and programming roles and responsibilities. It was last updated in 2005, and while the update is mostly consistent with the previous agreement, many citations have been corrected and updated to include new regulations and reflect current practices regarding rules for metropolitan planning.
This agreement satisfies the requirements set forth in 23 CFR 450.314 and highlights the key responsibilities of both the State and the Fresno Council of Governments. This document is being provided for your review and consideration.
Action: Staff, TTC and PAC recommend the Policy Board adopt the Memorandum of Understanding for Comprehensive Federal and State Transportation Planning and Programming.
M. Fiscal Year 2016 Transit Productivity Evaluation Report (Jeff Long) [ACCEPT]
Summary: The productivity evaluation is conducted annually to assess the progress of transit operators who receive State Transportation Development Act funds and to recommend potential productivity improvements. The California Public Utilities Code 99244 requires that “Each transportation planning agency shall annually identify, analyze, and recommend potential productivity improvements which could lower the operational costs of transit operator’s who operate at least 50 percent of their vehicle service miles . . . within the area under its jurisdiction.” If the responsible entity determines that the operator has not made a reasonable effort to implement the recommended improvements, then local transportation funds allocated to that operator cannot exceed the appropriation from the prior year.
The FY 2016 Productivity Evaluation assesses the following transit agencies:
1. Fresno Area Express and Handy Ride
2. Clovis Stageline and Roundup
3. Fresno County Rural Transit Agency
4. Consolidated Transportation Services Agencies for the Metropolitan and Rural Areas.
The FY 2016 Transit Productivity Report was reviewed and accepted by the Social Service Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC) on January 17, 2017.
Action: Staff, TTC and PAC recommend the Policy Board accept the FY2016 Transit Productivity Evaluation Report.
II.TRANSPORTATION ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
A.Draft FY 2017-18 – Overall Work Program and Budget (Tony Boren) [REVIEW]
Summary: Fresno COG Executive Director Tony Boren will give a presentation on the Draft FY 2017/18 Overall Work Program and Budget. Attached is the summary memo.
The document will be available prior to the meeting at http://www.fresnocog.org.
Action: Authorize Fresno COG staff to release the Draft Fresno Council of Governments FY 2017/18 Overall Work Program and Budget for a 45 day review and comment period.
B.Overall Work Program Agreements (Les Beshears) [ADOPT]
Summary: Fresno Council of Governments has Overall Work Program funding agreements with the City of Fresno, the County of Fresno, the City of Clovis, and Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission to perform various planning functions in accordance with federal funding requirements. The agreements were adopted with open-ended terms back in the 1990’s and various references are now out of date as they have been replaced with subsequent federal regulations. Per recommendation by the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration, we are updating our Overall Work Program agreements. The new agreements include provisions required by federal regulations and the term will run concurrently with our Master Transfer Agreement with Caltrans. A template document is included in the agenda for reference and consideration.
Action: Adopt the Overall Work Program agreements with the City of Fresno, the County of Fresno, the City of Clovis, and the Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission.
C.2018 Regional Transportation Plan Update
1.2018 RTP/SCS Supplemental EIR Consultant Selection (Rob Terry) [ACTION/DISCUSSION]
Summary: In accordance with Federal law and State regulations, Fresno COG has recently begun the process of updating its Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), which covers the geographical area of Fresno County. It has been determined that a Supplemental Environmental Impact Report be prepared to analyze the 2018 RTP/SCS. As such, Fresno COG released a Request for Proposals (RFP) on October 31, 2016, soliciting consultation services relating to the program-level EIR process, with a maximum budget amount of $150,000.
Submittal deadline for such proposals was December 16, 2016; four proposals were received (De Novo Planning Group, First Carbon Solutions, Rincon Consulting, VRPA Technologies, Inc.). A selection review committee was invited to assist in the review of all proposals which included a representative from Caltrans District 6, an East and West side city representative, several project managers from Fresno COG and an at-large participant. Based on the strength of their proposal, the selection review committee unanimously recommended the firm of VRPA Technologies, Inc.
At the January RTP Roundtable meeting, there were members that expressed concern regarding election to conduct a Supplemental EIR as opposed to a full Program EIR. Staff explained that the direction had been taken following significant consideration and consultation with regional planning agencies throughout the San Joaquin Valley and State in regards to their anticipated and/or on-going processes; and acknowledgment of the recent completion of general plan updates in both Fresno and Clovis, as the county's two largest agencies. Because these updates were accounted for in the 2014 RTP/SCS EIR, and the minimal land use adjustments anticipated to be included in the 2018 RTP/SCS process, it was determined that the 2014 EIR is still relevant and current, and meets the intent of required environmental analysis with a supplemental document prepared. While the RTP Roundtable provided unanimous support for moving forward with the recommendation, it should be notated that the group acknowledged the potential for additional CEQA analysis should the process determine that such analysis is required. Approval for any additional analysis activity would come back to the Policy Board for their consideration at the appropriate time.
For any questions regarding this project, please contact Rob Terry at (559) 233-4148 Ext. 222 or via email at rterry@fresnocog.org.
Action: Staff, the RTP Roundtable, TTC and PAC recommend the Policy Board approve the selected consultant to prepare the RTP/SCS Supplemental EIR, permitting Fresno COG to enter into a contract with VRPA Technologies, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $150,000, with project completion anticipated June of 2018.
2.Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) Guidelines Update (Melissa Garza) [INFORMATION]
Summary: The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) Guidelines are intended to set forth a uniform, statewide long-range regional transportation planning framework; promote an integrated, multi-modal, and cooperative planning process; and facilitate the efficient delivery of transportation projects that meet local, regional, and state goals. With the passage of Assembly Bill 69 (AB 69, Chapter 1253, Statutes of 1972) California state law requires the preparation of RTPs to address transportation issues and assist local and state decision-makers in shaping California's transportation infrastructure. In 2016, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) and Caltrans spearheaded the process to update the guidelines for Regional Transportation Plans for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPAs) for the first time since 2010. Updates to the CTC 2010 Regional Transportation Plan Guidelines were necessary in light of changes to state statute, impending final rulemakings pursuant to the previous federal reauthorization, and recent passage of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015. Updates were also needed to reflect advances in the practice of long-range regional transportation planning, including, but not limited to; improvements in the areas of modeling, public health, and other possible items which may impact the regional transportation plans and statewide transportation plans. The process kicked off in late June with the release of the first draft of the guidelines on July 6th followed by stakeholder input efforts through December 2016. The RTP Guidelines represent a general consensus of guidance prepared through a stakeholder-driven process by a workgroup comprised of MPOs, RTPAs, federal, state, regional, and local agencies, as well as individuals and organizations representing environmental, social equity, land-use, and business perspectives. Meeting details for these workgroups are provided at the following link: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/tpp/offices/orip/rtp/. The CTC adopted the 2017 RTP Guidelines on January 18, 2017 as part of Resolution G-17-02 .
Highlights of the revisions made to the RTP Guidelines include, but are not limited to:
• Separating the RTP Guidelines into two versions, one for MPOs and one for RTPAs, to better address the specific requirements for metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas;
• Updating federal requirements throughout to reflect changes resulting from implementation of the FAST Act;
• Providing a summary of policies, practices, projects, tools, and resources that have been employed by MPOs to promote health and health equity as required by Government Code Section 14522.3 pursuant to AB 441 (Monning, 2012);
• Enhancing guidance and information related to climate change mitigation and adaptation resulting from Governor’s Executive Order B-30-15 and state legislation including Senate Bill (SB) 32 (Pavley, 2016), SB 246 (Wieckowski, 2015), SB 379 (Jackson, 2015), and AB 1482 (Gordon, 2015);
• Updating the Regional Travel Demand Modeling chapter in collaboration with regional agencies, Caltrans, the Air Resources Board, and other stakeholders to clearly convey requirements, enhance planning practice examples, and identify a statewide forum for continued discussion of modeling issues;
• Expanding the Consultation and Collaboration chapter to highlight Title VI and Environmental Justice considerations in RTPs;
• Describing SB 743 (Steinberg, 2013) and the anticipated future change to transportation impact analysis in the California Environmental Quality Act;
• Highlighting the California Freight Mobility Plan and the California Sustainable Freight Action Plan that was prepared per Governor’s Executive Order B-32-15;
• Adding information regarding emerging transportation technologies such as transportation electrification as well as connected and autonomous vehicles;
• Creating a new chapter on Transportation Performance Management to highlight new federal requirements for performance-based planning; and
• Establishing a comprehensive appendix of planning practice examples.
The full text of the Final Guidelines and a comprehensive log of all comments received and considered are available online at: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/tpp/offices/orip/rtp/.
Action: Information only. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Policy Board.
3.2018 Regional Transportation Plan Update Mini Grant Application Release (Brenda Veenendaal) [INFORMATION]
Summary: The Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG) is seeking assistance from community organizations, schools, agencies and businesses, to solicit ongoing public input into key activities associated with the preparation of their 2018 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and the Sustainable Communities Strategy Scenarios associated with it. In order to ensure diverse and extensive input to the 2018 RTP and related key components from people throughout the region, Fresno COG is requesting help to expand community outreach activities.
Fresno COG will provide up to seven (7) mini grants of $5,000 each to implement outreach activities resulting in public involvement and input from stakeholders. The primary goal of this effort is to reach out to residents of the Fresno County region to include them in the RTP and SCS transportation planning process, and to obtain defined input on various aspects of the RTP development. This program will help ensure that interested members of the public have ample opportunity to understand the plans and process, and provide meaningful input on these plans during the entire planning process.
All mini grant recipients will be tasked with providing factual information to their contacts. Any attempts to influence a participant’s responses, comments or votes on any aspect of the RTP outreach is prohibited and is grounds for termination of a mini grant contract by Fresno COG. This outreach will be coordinated with additional public involvement activities conducted separately by the Fresno COG. A defined set of questions or types of feedback will be used while conducting outreach. All answers/input/data collected will be combined and forwarded to the Fresno COG Policy Board.
Completed Mini-Grant Application Packets and Proposals are due to Fresno COG by 12:00 p.m. February 27, 2017. A complete scope of work, timeline and applicaiton package is available on the Fresno COG's website or by request by calling the Fresno COG office at 559-233-4148.
Action: Information Item. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Policy Board.
C.Critical Urban Freight Corridors and Critical Rural Freight Corridors (Rob Terry) [INFORMATION]
Summary: The Federal FAST Act requires the Federal Highway Administration to establish a National Highway Freight Network (NHFN) to strategically direct federal resources and policies toward improving the performance of this network. The NHFN is the focus of funding under the National Highway Freight Program (NHFP) and a funding target under the FASTLANE program. The FAST Act asks states and its regional partners to collaborate on the designation of Critical Urban Freight Corridors and Critical Rural Freight Corridors (CUFCs/CRFCs), two major subsystems of the NHFN. Additional details can be found at http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/fastact/crfc/sec_1116_gdnce.htm.
A statewide technical working group (TWG) has been working on the development process to designate the limited miles allocated to California (maximum of 623.54 miles for CRFCs, and 311.77miles for CUFCs). The team is tasked with representing the diversity of our State and our respective agencies and best position the State to compete for funding.
As was reported in January, the follow-up TWG meeting scheduled for January 17th was canceled due to the amount of feedback Caltrans received on project identification and selection. A meeting was held on January 30th and the TWG reviewed the proposed designation and certification process, the regional project ready nominations potential alternative approaches and the timeline and relationship with the California Transportation Commission's California Freight Investment Program process. The TWG is recommending a set of criteria that includes, amongst other measurements, that the designated mileage be allocated to projects that are on the Primary Highway Freight System and are shovel ready (within 5 years). Against the current criteria, the Fresno Region has two projects that qualify, including Excelsior Expressway and Veteran's Boulevard, respectively. The TWG will meet again in late February, and anticipates their designation recommendation activities be completed by June, in time for the next related FAST Act call for projects.
For any questions regarding Critical Urban Freight Corridors and Critical Rural Freight Corridors, please contact Rob Terry at (559) 233-4148 Ext. 222 or via email at \ rterry@fresnocog.org.
Action: Information. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Policy Board.
III.ADMINISTRATIVE CONSENT ITEMS
About Consent:
All items on the consent agenda are considered to be routine and non-controversial by COG staff and will be approved by one motion if no member of the Committee or public wishes to comment or ask questions. If comment or discussion is desired by anyone, the item will be removed from the consent agenda and will be considered in the listed sequence with an opportunity for any member of the public to address the Committee concerning the item before action is taken.
A.Monthly Legislative Update (Melissa Garza) [INFORMATION]
To locate current and past year state bill information go to the Official California Legislative Information webpage at: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/
To locate current and past year federal bill information go to THOMAS, The Library of Congress’s bill information website (in the spirit of Thomas Jefferson) at: http://thomas.loc.gov/
Please contact staff person, Melissa Garza, if you have any questions or comments.
IV.ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
A.2017 Legislative Platform (Melissa Garza) [APPROVE]
Summary: The Legislative Platform is a document that includes the advocacy priorities of the Fresno COG in state and federal legislative matters. It represents a unified voice when communicating legislative priorities to our state and federal lawmakers as well as to relevant state and federaL agencies. It also provides guidance to the Fresno COG staff and the lobbying partners when advocating on behalf of the Policy Board. The 2016 Legislative Platform was circulated for input to help inform the 2017 Legislative Platform. One comment was received during the update process. The 2017 updated Legislative platform is enclosed and reflects the most current priorities for advocacy during the 2016/2017 state and federal legislative session.
Action: Staff, TTC and PAC recommend the approval of the 2017 Legislative Platform. Further direction may be provided at the discretion of the Policy Board.
B.2017 One Voice Draft Project Recommendations (Brenda Veenendaal) [INFORMATION]
Summary: The Annual Fresno COG One Voice trip to Washington D.C. for elected officials, business leaders, and community partners is scheduled for April 29 - May 4, 2017. Fresno Council of Governments’ Washington D.C. “One Voice” advocacy was established to seek federal support, policy change or funding for projects and priorities of broad community-wide benefit and regional significance within Fresno County. In order to accomplish this goal, a delegation of elected officials, public administrators and regional stakeholders from the public and private sectors join together to visit Washington D.C. on an annual basis. On the trip, the delegation meets with Congressional, legislative, and departmental representatives to advocate for the regionally significant issues that have been agreed upon during the COG selection process. Please see the attached Fruits of One Voice brochure circulated during the 2016 One Voice DC trip. (Currently being edited for the 2017 effort).
Delegates have just begun registering to participate in the 2017 One Voice trip to Washington, DC. A registration form is attached.
Staff continues to request sponsorship support and thanks the Fresno COG member agencies and the following entities for their financial support thus far:
Fresno COG's 2017 Annual Partners (to date)
Participating Partner $3,000 - Community Medical Centers
Supporting Partners $1,000
- Townsend and Associates
- LSA
- Omni-Means, Ltd.
- Placeworks
- Sigala, Inc.
The One Voice Request for Regional Priorities was issued on January 16th and closed on February 2nd. The One Voice Steering Committee convened on February 7th to review and select the regional priorities recommendations out of all of the priorities submitted for consideration. They recommended forwarding nine priorities, possibly ten, to the Policy Board during the March meeting cycle for consideration and approval. Those priorities include:
- US DOT - Consistent Policies for Targeted Hiring Programs Policy Change
- US DOT - Uniform Policies for Workforce Training Funds Policy Change
- Sustainable Aviation Project Funding
- Veterans Boulevard Interchange Project Funding
- High Speed Rail Training Facility Support
- Regional Transportation Plan Update Cycle Change from 4 to 8 or 10 years
- Establishment of a Central Valley Forestry Corps to address the tree mortality crisis in California
- Community Services Block Grant continued funding and Reauthorization of the Community Economic Opportunity Act - to be introduced
- CEQA-NEPA - AB 28 Pilot Program (dependent on State support)
Fresno COG staff gave a verbal update of the priorities during the February 10th Transportation Technical Committee and Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) meetings as an informational item. Some of the PAC members expressed concern with taking as many as 9 or 10 priorities to D.C., and stated that they would like to see the list cut down to about 5 priorities or projects. They also expressed concern about taking a priorities that are not directly related to transportation. Staff informed the PAC that the Steering Committee members were very supportive of the above list of priorities/projects, but ultimately the Fresno COG Policy Board would make the final decision.
The 2017 Call for Projects stated the following: What regional issues are you facing in your community or organization that you would like discussed at the federal level? Do you have a hot priority that impacts the region and you want local elected officials, business leaders, and stakeholders to discuss? If so, then on behalf of the One Voice steering committee, Fresno COG staff is issuing a call for regional priorities for the 2017 One Voice advocacy trip. Please be advised that Fresno COG is a transportation planning agency and is looking for regional priorities and projects; however, the committee will continue to review all other regional priorities as has been done in previous cycles- even if they are not transportation focused.
Since One Voice began in 2003, advocacy issues have numbered as many as 23 projects and policies (2011) or as little as 6 (2006). Originally Fresno COG only carried projects to D.C. with requests for funding. Projects were ranked in an effort to give Federal agency staff and representatives an idea of our priorities, should a choice need to made between projects. Over the years our funding requests changed to policy change requests and support for continued funding of programs, as earmarks were no longer available. Therefore, projects and priorities have not been ranked in recent years.
All those who submitted whitepapers for review and recommendation have been asked to edit their papers and resubmit them to Fresno COG staff for final review and approval by the Fresno COG Policy Board in March. The preliminary whitepapers are attached for your review. Staff would like feedback and direction from the Board on the list of priorities.
Action: Informational item. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Policy Board.
C. 2017 Valley Voice Sacramento Trip Update (Melissa Garza) [INFORMATION]
Summary: The San Joaquin Valley Regional Policy Council (Policy Council) is a partnership that exemplifies the regional transportation planning agencies’ commitment to working collaboratively to address regional issues, challenges and opportunities. This sixteen member Policy Council was established to discuss and build regional consensus on issues of valleywide significance. The Policy Council consists of two elected officials and one alternate, appointed from each of the regional planning agencies’ policy boards. It is positioned to have a unique and potentially pivotal position in further Valley collaborative efforts and improving the quality of life for all Valley residents. The Policy Council provides guidance on common interregional policy issues and also represents the San Joaquin Valley at public forms such as the California Transportation Commission, the Governor and his administration, as well as State and Federal legislative bodies that require a common voice from the San Joaquin Valley.
The San Joaquin Valley Regional Policy Council travels to Washington, D.C., and Sacramento, each year, to deliver a united message to state and federal elected officials and agencies on issues and projects of regional significance. All eight counties advocate together as the Valley Voice which strengthens the region’s presence and influence in the policy making process. The Policy Council is holding their annual advocacy trip to Sacramento on March 1, 2017. Funding to address the ailing transportation system is topic number one, along with detailed discussions pertaining to goods movement, San Joaquin Valley Intercity Passenger Rail, Cap and Trade Funding, Cal Enviro Screen, Definition of Disadvantaged Communities, and Funding for Air Quality Improvements. Also, enclosed is the draft agenda that is being coordinated by Khouri Consulting.
Action: Information only. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Policy Board.
V.OTHER BUSINESS
A.Items from Staff
B.Items from Members
VI.PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the Committee on items within its jurisdiction but not on this agenda. Note: Prior to action by the Committee on any item on this agenda, the public may comment on that item. Unscheduled comments may be limited to 3 minutes.