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 Policy Board 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 Policy Board concerning the item before action is taken.

Action:  Approve Resolution 2018-07 adopting the City of Kingsburg's fiscal year 2017-18 Transportation Development Act claims for $477,859.

Action:  Approve Resolution 2018-08 adopting the City of Mendota's fiscal year 2017-18 Transportation Development Act claims for $500,087.

Action:  Approve Resolution 2018-09 adopting the City of Firebaugh's fiscal year 2017-18 Transportation Development Act claims for $317,859.

Action:  Approve Resolution 2018-10 adopting the County of Fresno's fiscal year 2017-18 Transportation Development Act Claims for $6,878,235.

Summary: In accordance with 23 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 450.314 (h), a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) must meet the performance-based planning and programming requirements established in Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). The MPO, State and public transportation providers shall jointly agree upon and produce specific written provisions for cooperatively developing and sharing transportation performance data information for performance targets selection and reporting in tracking progress toward critical outcomes attainment for the MPO's region, as well as data collection for the State asset management plans for the National Highway System (NHS).

The attached addendum to an earlier Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlines the State's and MPO's roles and responsibilities to meet Transportation Performance Management requirements.  Specific performance measures related to Performance Management Measure 1 (PM 1) on safety, Performance Management Measure 2 (PM 2) on pavement and bridges and Performance Management Measure 3 (PM 3) regarding the interstate and non-interstate NHS, freight movement and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program are further described in the addendum.

Action: Staff and TTC/PAC recommend that the Policy Board approve the addendum to the Planning and Programming MOU between Fresno COG and Caltrans.

Summary: The Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Act of 2017 (SB 1) created new permanent funding sources for road maintenance and rehabilitation projects for cities and counties. Each year, cities and counties must adopt, via resolution, a project list of how they plan to spend SB 1 funds.

These project lists must be submitted to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) by May 1, 2018, to be eligible for SB 1 funding for that fiscal year. The CTC has created a new online tool for cities and counties to upload their project lists. Guidelines, online tools for project submissions and reporting, and additional information are available on the CTC website: http://catc.ca.gov/programs/sb1/lsrp/

Action: Information only. The Policy Board may provide additional direction at its discretion.

Summary:  On April 2, 2018, Fresno COG submitted the Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2017-18 Obligation Plan to Caltrans Local Assistance documenting Fresno COG’s estimated schedule for project and fund delivery (October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018). The overall total Obligational Authority (OA) for all federal funding sources in FFY 2017-18 would have been $23,957,358; however, last year’s OA was over delivered by $3,060,500. That amount was deducted from this year’s OA target. In addition, an estimated FFY 2018 oversight adjustment of $514,715 has been calculated based on the FFY 2018 advance apportionments and is subtracted from this year’s OA leaving $20,422,143 as the projected FFY 2017-18 Obligational Authority target.

As of February 28, 2018, $90,830 of Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) and Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funding has been obligated, which decreases the FFY 2017-18 OA target balance to $20,331,313. The region should deliver $20,422,143 of OA to comply with the “Use It or Lose It” provisions of Assembly Bill 1012 enacted in October 1999, plus any funds that are deobligated during the fiscal year. The obligation plan submitted by the local agencies outlines delivery of $16,341,785 in combined CMAQ and STBG projects, which is $4,080,358 below our target OA.

It is imperative that projects programmed within FFY 2017-18 get obligated within the programmed year to avoid losing those funds. Also, agencies with projects scheduled in later years can take advantage of expedited project selection procedures (EPSP) to deliver their projects early. If the region is successful at delivering more than its OA target, there is an opportunity to capture available funds during the statewide open obligation period. Keep in mind that toll credits may be applicable for project phases that have not been obligated at 100% federal reimbursement if residual federal funds are available.

Furthermore, if funds need to be reprogrammed and financial capacity is not available, it is possible that projects can become substantially delayed if moved to the outer years of the FTIP.

Please contact Jennifer Soliz with questions or EPSP requests at jsoliz@fresnocog.org or 559-233-4148 ext. 223.

Action:  Information only. The Policy Board may provide additional direction at its discretion.

Summary:  On September 28, 2017, the Fresno COG Policy Board issued a formal call-for-projects for the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) regional bid and lifeline process. The available funding for this round of CMAQ regional bid projects is $20,817,281. Staff received 44 applications requesting approximately $52 million. On March 28, 2018, the CMAQ Scoring Committee (as appointed by the Programming sub-committee) convened, reviewed the applications and made its recommendations. The scoring committee's recommendations are included as an enclosure in the meeting packet. Also included is a listing of the lifeline amounts per agency, funding amounts per agency and urban/rural splits.

Action:  Staff and TTC/PAC recommend that the Policy Board approve the scoring committee’s recommendations for the 2017-18 CMAQ call for projects. Approved projects will be programmed for funding in the 2019 Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP).

Summary: The Measure C Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Program was created to boost transit ridership and encourage transit-supportive land uses such as high-density compact and mixed-use developments. The TOD Program Policies and Guidelines were revised in 2017 to allow all 16 jurisdictions to compete for funding. Different criteria were developed in the revised TOD Guidelines for the Fresno-Clovis Metropolitan Area and the rest of the county in recognition of their different abilities to absorb densities. In addition, to advance quality TOD projects, the revised guidelines require a minimum of 70 points for a project to be funded.

There is about $1.5 million available in Cycle VI. Fresno COG received eight applications from five jurisdictions totaling more than $1.9 million. The scoring committee, comprising 13 members from local governments, transit agencies, Fresno COG, Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA), and the general public, met and scored the applications on March 29 and recommended funding the following three projects:

City of Fresno, Blackstone and McKinley Transit Oriented Development, for $478,000.

This project is to fund off-site improvements that support the Blackstone and McKinley transit-oriented, affordable housing development to be located near Fresno City College. The Blackstone & McKinley TOD will be a mixed-use facility constructed at 1501 N. Blackstone Avenue with 88 units of affordable housing at 30 units/acre. It is located within a quarter mile of the City of Fresno Bus Rapid Transit "Q" line.

City of Clovis, Clovis Landmark Commons, for $250,000.

Landmark Commons will build a new Clovis senior center, a new Fresno County Library Branch and Clovis Transit Hub in Old Town Clovis. The project will improve the adjacent bike and pedestrian trail, provide on-site improvements and infrastructure for the Transit Hub and a public plaza adjacent to both the trail and the Transit Hub.

City of Kingsburg, Downtown Kingsburg Strategic Plan, for $157,000

The City of Kingsburg will produce a strategic plan to identify development strategies that promote multi-modal transportation, including: walking, biking, transit and sustainable parking opportunities within the downtown area.

These three projects received the minimum required 70 points or more. Given that some of the applications lacked information and did not provide strong nexus to transit-oriented development, the Scoring Committee recommended that City of Fresno and Clovis' applications be shared with potential future applicants as exemplary TOD applications. The two applications can be found at https://www.fresnocog.org/measure-c-transit-oriented-development.

The TOD scoring committee recommended funding approval for the City of Fresno for $478,000, the City of Clovis for $250,000 and the City of Kingsburg for $157,000.

Action:  Staff and TTC/PAC recommend that the Policy Board approve the TOD funding applications as recommended by the TOD scoring committee.

1.

Draft 2018 Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) Informational Meeting (Seth Scott) [INFORMATION]

2.

PUBLIC HEARING: Draft 2018 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS), Draft 2019 Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP), Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Draft Corresponding Air Quality Conformity Analysis for the 2019 FTIP and 2018 RTP/SCS (Kristine Cai) [INFORMATION]

Summary: During its June 2018 meeting, Fresno COG's Policy Board must determine that public transportation needs within Fresno County will be reasonably met during fiscal year 2018-19 prior to approving Local Transportation Fund claims for streets and roads. As a part of the public process for that finding, this Unmet Needs Public Hearing is being held to receive public comment on transit needs that can be met by the following four transit providers:

• Fresno Area Express (City of Fresno)
• Clovis Transit
• Fresno County Rural Transit Agency
• Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission

Public Outreach to Date:

Fresno COG’s Social Service Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC) is responsible for evaluating unmet transit needs. Public outreach for the unmet needs process began in early February. To date, the meeting schedule has been publicized in two of Fresno COG's "Coming Up at Fresno COG" e-newsletters; via public notices published in the Fresno Bee and Vida En El Valle newspapers; through Fresno Metro Ministries' e-news to 2,000 public and community agencies and; with request-for-comments letters, in English and Spanish, mailed out to 380 agencies.

Based on feedback from the unmet needs process last year, the SSTAC increased the number of public outreach meetings from three to eight. Four of these meetings were held in the urban area and four in the rural area. Two of the rural meetings were held on the west side of Fresno County and two on the east side.     

The meeting schedule is as follows (all beginning at 5:30 p.m. except as noted):

Tuesday, March 13, Mendota City Hall, 643 Quince Street Mendota, CA 93640

Monday, March 19, Selma City Hall, 1710 Tucker Street, Selma, CA  93662

Tuesday, March 20, Clovis Senior Center, 850 Fourth Street, Clovis, CA  93612

Wednesday, March 21, Kerman City Hall, 850 S. Madera Avenue, Kerman, CA 93630

Wednesday, March 28, Central Valley Regional Center, 4615 N Marty, Fresno, CA  93722

Wednesday, April 4, Fresno Metropolitan Area, Ted C. Wills Senior Center, 770 N. San Pablo, Fresno, CA 93728

Thursday, April 5, Mosqueda Center (Room 8), 4670 E. Butler Ave., Fresno, CA 93702

Thursday, April 19, 6 p.m.,  Parlier City Hall, 1100 E. Parlier Ave., Parlier, CA 93648

In addition to the eight published meetings, SSTAC held a ninth meeting with the Jakara Movement on April 4.

SSTAC has received two written comments to date. To submit comments on public transit needs in Fresno County, please attend one of the scheduled public meetings, the public hearing or submit written comments to SSTAC Chairman Bill Hyatt at:

Email:  comments@fresnocog.org

Regular Mail:  Central Valley Regional Center, Inc, 4615 North Marty, Fresno, CA 93722

All comments will be discussed and evaluated by the Social Service Transportation Advisory Council.

Action:  Information only.  The Policy Board may provide additional direction its discretion.

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 Policy Board 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 Policy Board concerning the item before action is taken.

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, Trai Her-Cole, if you have any questions or comments.

Summary:  Stanislaus Council of Governments will host the annual San Joaquin Valley Policy Conference May 9-11, 2018 at the Doubletree Courtyard Hotel in downtown Modesto and include such speakers as California Transportation Commissioner Paul Van Konynenburg and California High-Speed Rail CEO Brian Kelly. City and County elected officials and staff are invited and encouraged to attend.

Topics include: "Speaking with One Voice-Bringing the Valley Together," "What Retail Changes Mean for Land Use," and "Meeting Valley Water Supply Needs," among others.

The $230 registration fee includes a Wednesday night reception featuring classic hot rods from the Modesto-based film "American Graffiti" alongside new, autonomous vehicles. Breakfast on Thursday and Friday mornings, as well as a Thursday night dinner.

Participants may register online at http://sjvcogs.org/events and make hotel reservations by calling 209-526-6000 or at the Doubletree website, http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/california/doubletree-by-hilton-hotel-modesto-DSTO-DT/index.html.

Action:  Information only. The Committee may provide additional direction at its discretion.

This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the Policy Board on items within its jurisdiction but not on this agenda.  Note:  Prior to action by the Policy Board on any item on this agenda, the public may comment on that item.  Unscheduled comments may be limited to 3 minutes.