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.

Summary:  On May 27, the Fresno COG Policy Board approved the recommendations for the 2021 Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310 program of projects.  FTA is asking for a resolution for the project recommendations. 

Action: Staff, SSTAC and TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board adopt Resolution 2021-19.   

Summary: State law requires Fresno COG to survey its member jurisdictions for data regarding the required objectives and factors for developing the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) Plan. The survey was conducted in March. A summary of the results is included in the report linked below.

Fresno COG RHNA Member Jurisdiction Survey Results

Additional information regarding the sixth-cycle RHNA Plan can be found on Fresno COG’s RHNA webpage. Contact Meg Prince with any questions at mprince@fresnocog.org.  

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

Summary:  The final, estimated 2021-22 Local Transportation Funds (LTF) apportionment has been updated to the Department of Finance’s May population release. The County Auditor/Controller has estimated the fiscal year 2021-22 Local Transportation Funds (LTF) apportionment at $43,000,000. This represents a $3,392,432 (9 percent) increase from last year's estimate.

Action:  Staff and TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board adopt Resolution 2021-29 adopting the 2021-22 Local Transportation Funds (LTF) final apportionment.

Summary:  The final 2021-22 State Transit Assistance (STA) apportionment estimate has been updated to the Department of Finance’s May population release. The State Controller’s Office has estimated the fiscal year 2021-22 State Transit Assistance (STA) apportionment at $8,349,702. This is down $1,507,242 (15 percent) from the May 2020 final estimate and reflects the SB 878 methodology, requiring the State Controller’s Office to distribute STA.

Action:  Staff and TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board approve Resolution 2021-27, adopting the 2021-22 State Transit Assistance (STA) final apportionment.

Summary:  The final 2021-22 State of Good Repair (SGR) apportionment estimate has been updated to the Department of Finance’s May population release.  The State Controller’s Office has estimated the fiscal year 2021-22 State of Good Repair (SGR) apportionment at $1,785,808. This is up $208,902 (13 percent) from the May 2020 final estimate and reflects the SB 878 methodology, requiring the State Controller’s Office to distribute SGR. 

Action:  Staff and TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board approve Resolution 2021-28 adopting the 2021-22 State of Good Repair (SGR) final apportionment.

Summary:  The Short-Range Transit Plan (SRTP) for the Fresno-Clovis urban area is the annual update to the operating plan and capital programs for Fresno Area Express (FAX) and Clovis Transit.  The SRTP promotes a comprehensive, coordinated and continuous planning process for transit service in the Fresno-Clovis Metropolitan Area (FCMA). It represents a short-range, transit needs evaluation and proposes specific recommendations for long-range objectives in Fresno COG's Regional Transportation Plan.  The Plan will guide transit service in the metropolitan area over the next five years. 

Action: Staff, SSTAC and the TTC/PAC recommend that the Policy Board adopt Resolution 2021-26, approving the Fresno Clovis Metropolitan Area Short-Range Transit Plan.

Summary:  Fresno COG’s Policy Board formed the Social Services Transportation Advisory Committee (SSTAC) in May 1988 to: respond to state legislation, coordinate social service transportation, assist the Board in identifying transit needs throughout Fresno County, review and recommend action for Fresno COG to address at its unmet transit needs hearing, and advise Fresno COG on any other transit issues.  The Board appoints SSTAC members for two-year terms.

Nominated for reappointment to the Council is: Hector Medina – Fresno County Department of Social Services

Article III, Section 99238 of the Transportation Development Act requires a minimum number of SSTAC members in specific categories.  There is no maximum number specified in the TDA, and in the interest of diversity, staff is seeking additional nominations.  Specifically, staff is seeking members who represent minority groups, social service providers for seniors, and potential transit users.  A complete list of SSTAC members is included in the agenda package.

Action:  Staff and TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board reappoint Hector Medina to SSTAC.

Summary:  The 2021-22 operations program and budget (OPB) for both the Fresno urban and rural Consolidated Transportation Service Agencies is available at fresnocog.org.  The document is designed to provide an overview of how and in what manner the CTSAs will be providing service over the next fiscal year.  The OPB’s 30-day review process began on May 13 and the Social Services Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC) approved the document on May 18.

Action:  Staff, the SSTAC and the TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board approve Resolution 2021-23 for the rural CTSA, and Resolution 2021-22 for the urban CTSA, adopting the urban and rural Consolidated Transportation Service Agencies' operations programs and budgets.

Summary: The Clovis Consolidated Transportation Service Agency’s (CTSA) operations program and budget (OPB) FY 2021-22 for the Clovis urban area is available at fresnocog.org.  It provides an overview of how and in what manner the Clovis Consolidated Transportation Services Agency will provide service over the next fiscal year.  The OPB 30-day review process began on May 13, and was approved by the Social Services Transportation Advisory Committee (SSTAC) on May 18.

Action: Staff, the SSTAC and the TTC/PAC recommend that the Policy Board approve Resolution 2021-21 adopting the Clovis Consolidated Transportation Service Agencies' Operations Programs and Budgets.

Summary: Fresno COG, in partnership with Madera County Transportation Commission (MCTC), is conducting a study to determine State Route 41's future transportation needs in the City of Fresno, as well as the southern segment in Madera County. In addition, the study is analyzing future transportation needs along the Avenue 9 corridor in Madera County between SR 41 and SR 99. This project began in July 2020.

The study is recommending sustainable improvements to address residents' transportation needs in both counties for issues such as: mobility, access, safety, and connectivity for all modes of travel, including automobiles, transit, walking, and rolling/cycling.

The draft study and all other project documents are available for public review and comment at: https://www.fresnocog.org/project/fresno-madera-state-route-41-and-avenue-9-sustainable-corridors-study/

The online information center is live throughout the project and can be accessed at: https://www.ibiviz.com/41_9InfoCenter/

The final study, incorporating all comments, will be brought to the TTC/PAC/Board in July for acceptance.

For questions or comments, please contact Braden Duran at bduran@fresnocog.org

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

Summary: At the request of a PAC member, a summary of Caltrans’ May 24, 2021 Financial Planning TAMP (Transportation Asset Management Plan) workshop is included in this agenda to provide member agencies with a clearer view of the content, significance and impact the discussion outcomes could have on local agencies.

The key workshop topic for local agencies involved the way project information is reported to the state (through the State Controller’s Office), and then ultimately to the federal government, and how the reported information provided to the State by local agencies may need future upgrades/enhancements.

Workshop presenters illustrated a few financial reporting challenges for the previous TAM Plan:

• Spending on National Highway System (NHS) assets in California is not tracked as a separate expenditure for either the State or local governments.
• Federal regulations require expenditures to be categorized into five work types (i.e., initial construction, maintenance, preservation, rehabilitation and reconstruction)
• Moving forward, improvements are needed in reporting expenditures to meet federal requirements

As such, some reporting enhancements that may be needed in the future include:

• Identify projects as being NHS or not at the project level
• Reporting expenditures separately for pavement and bridges
• Identify projects by the five federal work types

At this point, none of the reporting adjustments are compulsory; however, Caltrans seemed to suggest that local agencies should start thinking about ways these reporting adjustments can be implemented since these specifics can provide a higher level of accuracy in TAMP data.

For further information on the various workshops Caltrans plan on holding regarding the 2022 TAMP update, please visit: https://dot.ca.gov/programs/asset-management/virtual-workshop-series-for-the-2022-tamp-update.

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

Summary:  Under Fresno COG's joint powers agreement, County Counsel represents the Policy Board in legal matters.  In June, the Board awarded $292,950 in REAP funds to the County to perform housing-associated activities for its general plan.  To avoid a conflict of interest in reviewing the contract, County Counsel proposes assigning one attorney to represent Fresno COG and a separate attorney to represent the County. This arrangement requires the Board to adopt a conflict waiver.

Action: Staff recommends the Policy Board adopt the conflict waiver setting forth representation for the County of Fresno and Fresno COG regarding the contract for the REAP grant.

1.

Draft Action Element Outline (Jennifer Soliz/Meg Prince) [INFORMATION]

Background: Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act of 2021: Enacted on Dec. 27, 2020, the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) appropriates $10 billion for the Federal Highway Administration to apportion to state departments of transportation. On Jan. 15, the Federal Highway Administration made the apportionments available and issued additional guidance on Feb. 24. Under the Act, funds may be used for a broad range of surface transportation purposes listed in Section 113(b) of Title 23 of the U.S. Code, and are meant to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus”. California’s apportionment is $911.8 million and is available until Sept. 30, 2024. The CRRSAA funds will be split 60/40 with 60% for the state (State Highway Operations and Protection; and Interregional Transportation Improvement Program) and 40% for regional programs. From the regional portion, the funding was further split and distributed between STIP and STBG programs. The funding distribution was approved at the March CTC meeting, and guidance for the STIP and STBG programs was approved at the May California Transportation Commission meeting. Fresno COG received $9,295,806 in CRRSAA funds. Another $4,760,313 in State Transportation Improvement Program funding will be included in the next Regional Transportation Improvement Program and will be brought back to the Policy Board for approval later this year. The $4,535,493 STBG distribution and the program guidelines will follow the STBG provisions of Title 23.

Highway Infrastructure Program: The fourth cycle of the Highway Infrastructure Program (HIP) apportionments was announced in January. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) distributes HIP funding to states, which are required to coordinate with the relevant metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) as required by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. HIP follows the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG)provisions of Title 23, and for the previous three cycles, Fresno COG funded STBG projects from the STBG contingency list. Fresno COG's apportionment for the 2021 HIP cycle is $812,858.

CRRSAA and HIP program funds will not be included as part of the annual allocation of federal funding to the Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and funds will not be included in Fresno COG's annual obligation authority targets. Both program funds must be obligated by September 2024, or they will be lost to the region and state. Since both programs follow the provisions of Title 23 and align with STBG eligibility, Fresno COG staff recommends adding $4,535,493 of CRRSAA funds and $812,858 of HIP funds to the 2021-22 STBG regional bid program. Available funding for the STBG regional bid program would be $18,504,655.

Action: Staff, TTC, and PAC recommend the Policy Board approve allocating CRRSAA funds distributed by STBG and 2020 HIP funding to the 2021/22 STBG regional bid program.

Summary: The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) and Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) programs are authorized in the federal Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) and are the cornerstones for transportation funds distributed to regions. 

Fresno COG, acting in its role as a metropolitan planning organization (MPO), is responsible for programming future federal transportation revenues for the Fresno region in the Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP). CMAQ and STBG funds are reimbursable federal-aid funds, subject to the requirements of Title 23, United States code. 

Program guidelines describe the policy, standards, criteria, and procedures for developing, managing, and adopting Fresno COG’s CMAQ and STBG programs. The 2021/2022 CMAQ and STBG programs will cover four years of programming, 2022/23 through 2025/26. CMAQ and STBG funds are distributed by both regional bid and through a targeted performance program. The competitive, regional bid funding is based on scoring criteria and evaluated by a scoring committee. Targeted performance program funding is available to Fresno COG’s member agencies and can be used in a variety of ways, including to enhance awarded regional bid projects by supplementing regional bid funds or bolstering against cost overruns. Additionally, the program assists in providing member agencies support in accelerating their prioritized projects that help Fresno COG meet its performance targets, San Joaquin Valley regional commitments, and FAST Act requirements. Together, the two programs will distribute over $63 million during this two-year cycle.

The Fresno COG Programming Subcommittee met each month in February through May to update and finalize guidelines, application packets, and scoring criteria for the upcoming 2021-22 CMAQ and STBG calls-for-projects. Updates for both programs include funding distribution language updates, adding language regarding scope changes, updates to the expedited project delivery policy, and minor changes to the applications. A targeted performance program leveraging category was added to both programs' scoring criteria. The programming subcommittee approved the adjustments to the scoring criteria.

The CMAQ and STBG program guidelines and application packets can be found on Fresno COG's website. Upon Board approval of the application packets, the call-for-projects will be initiated. 

Action: Staff, the programming subcommittee, TTC, and PAC recommend the Board approve the CMAQ and STBG guidelines and application packets and initiate the call-for-projects.

Summary:  Under California's Transportation Development Act, Fresno COG's Policy Board must determine that public transportation needs within Fresno County will be reasonably met in fiscal year 2021-22 before approving Local Transportation Fund claims for streets and roads. The Fresno COG Social Service Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC) is responsible for evaluating unmet transit needs. 

Each year the SSTAC begins soliciting comments by sending approximately 400 letters to agencies and individuals interested in providing feedback on their public transportation needs within Fresno County. The request for comments letters, in English and Spanish, was sent in February 2021.

Usually, outreach occurs in the form of six formal meetings split evenly between Fresno County urban and rural communities. Because of the extraordinary circumstances brought on by COVID-19, public outreach was virtual and broken down into two components; virtual meetings and an online survey.

The virtual meetings -- five on Zoom and one on Facebook -- took place throughout the day on Feb. 25, and March 2. Attendance ranged from a few to a handful of participants per meeting. They were an excellent forum for transit agency staff to engage in meaningful dialog with members of the public. Relevant comments were added to the list of public comments received.

The second component of public outreach was an online survey. Fresno COG ran a digital marketing campaign between Feb. 9 and March 2, targeting Facebook users within Fresno County. While there was modest participation in the virtual events, most of the feedback came from the online survey. Stakeholders and the public submitted 67 comments, including a letter from Leadership Counsel. A summary of the comments received includes:

• Several requests for transit service to Clovis Community College. 
• Feedback about recent route changes to the FAX fixed-route network. 
• Comments about service between outlying rural communities and the Fresno metropolitan area.

A public hearing for the Unmet Transit Needs Assessment was held at the last Fresno COG Policy Board meeting on April 29. Two public comments were received. They have been added to the attached Unmet Transit Needs Assessment for 2021-2022.

After a thorough review of all comments and issues, the Social Services Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC), at its April 20, 2021 meeting, found an unmet transit need in Fresno County that is reasonable to meet.

Action: Staff, SSTAC and the TTC/PAC recommend the Board adopt Resolution 2021-20, approving Fresno COG's 2021-22 Unmet Need Assessment and find that there are unmet transit needs, including needs that are reasonable to meet.

Summary: Staff will provide a verbal update regarding ongoing Measure C renewal efforts at the committee and staff levels.

Action: Information and discussion.

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.

1.

Regional Transportation Planning Agencies Valleywide Coordinator (Roberts Phipps) [ACTION]

2.

Circuit Planner and Engineer Program Contract Renewal / Extension (Meg Prince) [ACTION]

3.

San Joaquin Valley Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) Technical Assistance Contracts (Robert Phipps) [ACTION]

4.

Modeling On-call Contract with RSG (Kristine Cai) [ACTION]

5.

WSP – RTMF On-Call Contract 2021-22 (Les Beshears) [ACTION]

6.

Better Blackstone Design Challenge Contract Extension (Peggy Arnest) [ACTION]

7.

Fresno-Madera State Route 41 and Avenue 9 Sustainable Corridors Study Contract Extension (Braden Duran) [ACTION]

8.

On-Call Contract with LSA (Kristine Cai) [ACTION]

9.

On-call Contract with NCE (Kristine Cai) [ACTION]

Staff and TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board approve Resolution 2021-24 adopting the Fresno County Rural Transit Agency's 2021-22 Transportation Development Act claims totaling $9,298,267.

Staff and TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board approve Resolution 2021-25 adopting the City of Reedley's 2021-22 Transportation Development Act claims totaling $1,269,397.

Action:  Approve Resolution 2021-31 in support of Jose Ramirez, World Champion Boxer, for his outstanding civic contributions and advocacy int the San Joaquin Valley. 

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 three minutes.