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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.
The Fresno COG Policy Board will take place
in person at the Fresno COG Sequoia Room and via Zoom.
Joining the meeting:
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Meeting ID: 867 3484 7360
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Those addressing the Committee must state their first and last name and agency for the record.
To facilitate electronic access, no person shall speak until recognized by the Chair.
Fresno County Rural Transit Agency Meeting Package - Meeting will follow Policy Board Meeting
FRESNO COG POLICY BOARD AGENDA AND ANNOTATED AGENDA IN PDF FORMATTING FOR PRINTING
I.TRANSPORTATION CONSENT ITEMS
About Consent Items:
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.
A.Executive Minutes of September 30, 2021 [APPROVE]
B.City of Fresno Transportation Development Act Claim (Les Beshears) [APPROVE]
Action: Approve Resolution 2021-45 adopting the City of Fresno's 2020-21 Transportation Development Act claims totaling $47,663,637.
C. AB 361 -- Future Committee Meeting Format (Robert Phipps) [ACTION]
Summary: On September 15, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 361, amending the Ralph M. Brown Act to allow local agency councils, boards and committees to continue conducting public meetings remotely during a state of emergency after October 1, so long as they make specific findings every 30 days, and ensure conditions related to public participation are satisfied. Under the Brown Act, both TTC and PAC are considered "legislative bodies," according to the Fresno County Counsel's office.
Under the urgency legislation, a local agency may use the more “relaxed” Brown Act teleconferencing/videoconferencing requirements in any of the following circumstances:
- There is a proclaimed state of emergency, and state or local officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing; or
- There is a proclaimed state of emergency, and the local agency’s meeting is to determine, by majority vote, whether as a result of the emergency, meeting in person would present imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees; or
- There is a proclaimed state of emergency, and the local agency has determined, by majority vote, that as a result of the emergency meeting in person would present an imminent risk to the health or safety of attendees.
AB 361 defines a “state of emergency” as a state of emergency proclaimed pursuant to Section 8625 of the California Emergency Services Act. Importantly, this includes the Governor's proclaimed state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To continue to rely on the relaxed video/teleconferencing provisions, the local agency must reconsider the circumstances of the state of emergency and make the following findings by majority vote, every 30 days:
- The state of emergency continues to directly impact the ability of members to meet safely in person; or
- State or local officials continue to impose or recommend measures to promote social distancing.
The recommended finding under this option would be that "The TTC/PAC, meeting during a proclaimed state of emergency, has determined by majority vote, pursuant to AB 361 subparagraph (B), that, as a result of the emergency, meeting in person would present imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees."
While the Committee has the option of using teleconferencing, as was available prior to COVID restrictions, the Brown Act requires 1) a quorum of the legislative body to participate from within the boundaries of the agency’s jurisdiction, 2) the public agency to post notice of each teleconference location, and 3) the public be allowed to address the legislative body from each teleconference location. These requirements place a significant burden on both Board members and staff.
Action: Approve Resolution 2021-46 authorizing the Policy Board and Fresno COG's subordinate committees to continue meeting remotely during the declared state of emergency and recommendations for social distancing.
II.TRANSPORTATION ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
A.2022 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) Update
1.Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS) Scenarios Presentation (Kristine Cai) [INFORMATION]
Summary: Fresno COG staff has been working on producing the performance indicator results for the three Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS) scenarios over the summer. These three scenarios are:
Scenario A: This scenario focuses on addressing equity and planning for transportation investments that meet the needs of the transit-dependent communities.
Scenario B: Reducing sprawl while supporting higher densities in urban centers to complement high-quality transit investment defines this scenario's priorities.
Scenario C: This scenario prioritizes conserving important farmland while providing for clean air and climate resiliency.
Although every scenario has its investment priorities, each includes all 20 SCS strategies approved by the Roundtable, TTC, PAC and Policy Board. According to the modeling results, the three scenarios have slightly different impacts in various areas demonstrated by the performance indicators. The draft performance indicator results can be found at: https://planfresno.com/planfresno/uploads/2021/09/SCS-Indicator-Graphs_9-22-21_DRAFT.pdf. All three scenarios are consistent with local general plans, and will be able to meet the greenhouse gas targets of 13% per capita reduction by 2035, should any of the plans be implemented.
COG staff will present the performance indicator results for the three SCS scenarios at the TTC/PAC meetings.
Action: Information and discussion.
2.Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS) Scenarios Fall Outreach Summary (Brenda Veenendaal) [INFORMATION]
Summary: Fresno COG released three Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS) scenarios for public review and comment on Aug. 25. Public outreach ran through Sept. 26, using a four-pronged approach that included the following strategies:
1. Online, interactive surveys for scenario review and selection in English and Spanish, easily accessible via smart phone or computer.
2. Hosted eight workshops throughout the county in Reedley, Coalinga, Sanger, Clovis, Kerman, Selma, Fresno and Mendota.
3. Five additional presentations to rural residents and community organizations.
4. Hosted two virtual workshops in English and Spanish, day and evening.
Additional outreach included the following:
- Dedicated website developed for access to RTP/SCS information at www.planfresno.com that included an SCS Fall Outreach webpage
- Social media posts on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter. Purchased ads to run on Facebook and Instagram regarding the workshops and online survey.
- Videos posted to YouTube and linked in the SCS survey explaining the scenarios.
- RTP/SCS handout developed in English and Spanish distributed at each workshop and posted online with detailed indicator definitions, reporting data and other explanations.
- Constant Contact emails sent to 4,500 email addresses.
- Staff worked with each host city to invite community members to attend meetings.
SCS scenario indicator data results were depicted in various graphic forms for scenario reporting.
Staff will provide a summary of the feedback from the public about the three SCS scenarios.
Action: Information and discussion. The Policy Board may provide additional direction at its discretion.
3.Preferred SCS Scenario Selection (Kristine Cai) [APPROVE]
Summary: Following presentations of the scenario performance and public feedback, further discussion about the SCS scenarios is welcome.
The TTC and PAC have unanimously recommended that Scenario B be selected as the preferred scenario. The RTP Roundtable has also chosen Scenario B as the preferred scenario.
Action: Staff, the TTC/PAC and the RTP Roundtable recommend that the Policy Board select scenario B as the preferred scenario for the 2022 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy.
BMeasure C Renewal Update (Tony Boren) [INFORMATION]
Summary: Staff will provide a short update on the Measure C renewal process and timeline.
Action: Information and discussion. The Policy Board may provide additional direction at its discretion.
C.State Route 41 Elkhorn to Excelsior Project (Tony Boren) [INFORMATION]
Summary: Staff will provide a short update on the status of the State Route 41 Elkhorn to Excelsior gap closure project.
Action: Information and discussion. The Policy Board may provide additional direction at its discretion.
D.Caltrans Report (Caltrans) [INFORMATION]
III.ADMINISTRATIVE CONSENT ITEMS
About Consent Items:
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.
A.2022 One Voice-Washington Program (Robert Phipps) [ACTION]
Summary: Fresno COG's long-running One Voice-Washington program was suspended in 2019, owing to a lack of federal transportation funding or policy requests at that time. The program was delayed again in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions and concerns.
In the interim, a new administration ascended and proposed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which, if approved in the House of Representatives, will succeed the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act that expires Sept. 30. The IIJA has been tied to a broader spending package totaling $3.5 trillion that the Biden Administration is actively negotiating to have approved before the new federal fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.
Meanwhile, Fowler Mayor and Fresno COG Chairman David Cardenas, along with Kingsburg Councilmember Michelle Roman, represented the Fresno region earlier this month to support the region's earmark requests during the annual Valley Voice-Washington lobbying effort as part of the San Joaquin Valley Policy Council delegation. Those requests included a $20 million set-aside for the Elkhorn-Excelsior gap closure project on State Route 41 near Kings County, as well as the City of Fresno's Elm Avenue Road Diet Reconstruction and Class IV-Ventura/California to North Avenue project for $3.75 million. In addition, the Policy Council supported Fresno COG's Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant application for the California Inland Port, a Valleywide project, at $1 million.
Given the timelines associated with the federal infrastructure bills and the recent Valley Voice trip, staff is recommending that Fresno COG not embark on a separate One Voice-Washington trip in 2022, unless some unforeseen circumstances arise.
Action: Staff and PAC recommend the Policy Board decline to host a One Voice-Washington program for 2022.
IV.ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
V.OTHER ITEMS
A.Items from Staff
B.Items from Members
VI.PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
A.Public Presentations
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.