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Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy Roundtable

Date:
Time:
Place:

Wednesday, July 26, 2017
2:00 PM

COG Sequoia Conference Room
2035 Tulare St., Suite 201, Fresno, CA

Toll Free Number: 888-398-2342 ~ Participant Code:  740166



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.

I.WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS - Dave Fey

II. 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.

III. FOLLOW UP ITEMS

IV. NEW INFORMATION/DISCUSSION ITEMS

A.
Approve June 28, 2017 Meeting Summary [APPROVE]
B.
Regional Transportation Plan June 2017 Community Outreach Workshops Summary (Brenda Veenendaal) [INFORMATION]

Summary: Fresno COG staff, working with the seven Regional Transportation Plan Mini-Grant recipient organizations, hosted 15 community workshops throughout the County between June 5 and July 6, 2017.  Each of the 15 workshops included dinner, childcare, and Spanish presentations, when needed, as well as translation and interpretation services. In total, 516 people attended workshops with 413 of them participating in our workshop demographic survey.

Fresno COG also developed an online survey in English and Spanish to provide opportunity for transportation project input to those who could not attend the workshops.  The survey was available through July 9, 2017. In total, Fresno COG received online input from 92 participants.

These outreach efforts were focused on providing the public an opportunity to provide transportation project suggestions that could be submitted by local agencies in response to the RTP Call for Projects issues July 1, 2017.  The workshops were advertised through many means by Mini-Grant organizations and Fresno COG.  Television advertisements were produced for each workshop and aired on KSEE 24 and KGPE 47 and interviews were scheduled with Central Valley Today and Univision.  Flyers and information were posted to websites, emailed to databases and shared through social media.  Many organizations shared workshop information at existing organization or group meetings and some even went door to door canvasing neighborhoods. Staff is waiting for final reports from each Mini-Grantee on their individual efforts.

During the workshops and through the online portal Fresno COG received 1,218 suggestions for projects, 663 from workshop attendees and 555 from online participants. The suggestions were separated into three categories:

1. Streets and Roads - Repairing roads, adding lanes, improving intersections, improving safety, reducing congestion or "other", 573 suggestions received

2. Transit - Adding bus stops or new service, improving service, improving safety, repairing assets or "other", 251 suggestions received

3. Active Transportation - Adding bike lanes, adding or repairing sidewalks or trails, improving safety, adding bike racks, or "other", 368 suggestions received

Fresno COG staff processed the workshop and online suggestions and forwarded all of them to local agencies for consideration. They will also be posted to the Fresno COG website at this link by Friday, July 21st:

http://www.fresnocog.org/2018-regional-transportation-plan-public-outreach

A handout with the participation demographics and final counts are attached. Staff will present more detailed information at the meeting.

Action: Information only. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Roundtable.

C.
Regional Transportation Plan Roundtable Proxy Voting (Kristine Cai) [INFORMATION]

Summary:  Fresno COG has been in the process of developing the 2018 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)/Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) since the fall of 2016. The RTP Roundtable Committee was set up to provide guidance and advisory recommendations to the RTP process. Because of its broad and inclusive membership, the Roundtable provides input and recommendations that represent the voices of different sectors and various interests.  The Roundtable meeting has been held monthly as a great resource for Fresno COG staff to vet the RTP/SCS process.

Because it is critical that all voices are heard and all votes are counted, members of the RTP Roundtable are strongly encouraged to attend the monthly meetings in person or call in to the meetings. However, in the case of conflicting schedules and unavoidable absence at the RTP Roundtable meeting, it has been suggested that as a last resort, a proxy voting system be set up so that members can request another RTP Roundtable member to vote on their behalf.  It should be noted that with the proxy voting system members may need to speak with Fresno COG staff prior to meetings to develop a thorough understanding of the action items.  In addition, members should notify Fresno COG staff to verify that their proxy will vote on their behalf on action items. Members will have to inform their proxy whether they want to delegate the vote if the action is modified by the Committee and different from the original staff recommendation.  The proxy system will be voluntary and available to any members who wish to use it.

The pros of proxy voting are that more votes would be counted. The cons are that the member loses their opportunity for discussion and for offering alternative approaches and constructive ideas during the discussion of items.

Action: Information only. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Roundtable.

D.
Policy Element Comment Letter (Meg Prince/Jennifer Soliz) [DISCUSSION/DIRECTION]

Summary: Fresno COG received a comment letter on June 26, 2017 on the Draft Policy Element from a group of five community based organizations (Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, Cultiva La Salud, Safe Routes to School Partnership, ClimatePlan, and Sequoia Riverland Trust). Fresno COG is asking the RTP Roundtable to provide direction on several of the prominent comments received in the letter, and has prepared a staff report to provide the RTP Roundtable Fresno COG’s recommendations on how to proceed and to facilitate the discussion of the RTP Roundtable during the July 26, 2017 meeting.

Fresno COG recommends that a Policy Element Subcommittee convene in early August to complete the updates to the Policy Element. The updated Policy Element will be brought back to the RTP Roundtable on August 30, 2017. Fresno COG will ask during the July 26, 2017 meeting if any volunteers are interested in participating on the Policy Element Subcommittee.

Action: This is a discussion item. Direction may be provided at the discretion of the Roundtable. 

V.OTHER ITEMS

A.
Items from Staff

B.
Items from Members

Upcoming meeting dates:

August 30, 2017 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM.

September 27, 2017 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM.

October 25, 2017 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM.

February 28, 2017 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM.

AFTER MEETING: RTP Roundtable Member Spotlight - Dwight Kroll, City of Clovis