Policy Advisory Committee

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.

2025-26 TDA Claim City of Coalinga

2025-43 City of Coalinga FY 2025-26 TDA Claim Resolution

Approve Resolution 2025-26 adopting the City of Coalinga’s FY 2025-26 Transportation Development Act claim totaling $1,173,803.

2025-26 TDA Claim FCRTA

2025-44 FCRTA FY 2025-26 TDA Claim Resolution

Approve Resolution 2025-44 adopting Fresno County Rural Transit Agency’s 2025-26 Transportation Development Act claim totaling $28,957,478.81.

Fresno County FY 2023-24 TDA Claim

2025-33 Fresno County FY 2023-24 TDA Claim Resolution

Approve Resolution 2025-33 adopting Fresno County’s 2023-24 Transportation Development Act claim totaling $11,271,559.

2025-46 OWP FY 25-26 Amendment No 3 Resolution

Summary: Amendment No. 3 to the 2025-26 Overall Work Program reconciles grant balances from projects carried over from 2024-25, and makes various other adjustments. The amendment increases the budget $895,756 to $38,492,456.

WE 111 – Regional Transportation Modeling – Amendment No. 2 added $800,000 for an Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Planning (PL) 2025-26 grant award; Amendment No. 3 programs this grant award, freeing up carryover 2024/25 PL and current year 2025/26 PL and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5303 funds to fund an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) plan update (see WE 114).  After these adjustments were made, the work element decreases $566,149.

WE 114 Fresno County ITS Architecture – The work element increases $505,045 to prepare for an ITS plan update.

WE 122 Fresno County Mobility Hub Feasibility Study – The work element increases $122,809 to adjust an FTA 5304 grant and the contract with Walker Consulting to reflect activity in 2024-25.

WE 141 Pavement Management System – The work element increases $19,290 to adjust the carryover of the contract with Nichols Consulting Engineers to reflect activity in 2024-25.

WE 149 SB 743 Impact Update – The work element increases $13,687 to reconcile State’s SB 1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Act (RMRA) 2024-25 carryover balances.

WE 155 Fresno County Regional Rail Feasibility Study SB1-C – The work element increases $32,821 to adjust the carryover of the contract with DB E.C.O. to reflect activity in 2024-25 and reconcile State RMRA Competitive 2024-25 carryover balances.

WE 170 Regional Transportation Plan – Staff provided various net adjustments to reconcile carryover grant balances from the prior year; however, the scope and total cost of this work element remains unchanged.

WE 173 Regional VMT Mitigation PIP SB1-F – The work element increases $10,484 to reconcile State RMRA Formula 2024-25 carryover balances.

WE 178 FCMA Managed Lanes Study SB1-F – The work element decreases $3,674 to adjust the carryover of the contract with Kimley-Horn to reflect activity in 2024-25 and reconcile State RMRA Formula 2023-24 carryover balances.

WE 179 Complete Streets Planning – The work element decreases $2,143 to adjust the 2024-25 apportionment carryover amount for staff support.

WE 181 Climate Action Plan – The work element increases $252,846 to adjust the carryover of the contract with LSA Associates to reflect activity in 2024-25 and reconcile the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant carryover balance.

WE 182 Fresno County Extreme Heat Analysis SHA-CAPG –  The work element decreases $22,674 to adjust the carryover of the contract with Dudek to reflect activity in 2024-25 and reconcile SHA-CAPG 2024-25 carryover balances.

WE 421 Regional Early Action Plan Housing – The work element increases $486,877 to reconcile carryover grant balances from the prior year.

WE 820 Valley Coordination Activities – The work element increases $46,537, at the direction of the San Joaquin Valley COG Directors, for the Valley Liaison contract to reflect increased workload for additional meetings on behalf of the San Joaquin Valley Policy Council and its Executive Committee.

Action: Staff requests the TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board adopt Resolution 2025-46 approving the 2025-26 Overall Work Program Amendment No. 3.

Fresno County 2024-25 TDA Claim

2025-45 Fresno County FY 2024-25 TDA Claim Resolution

Approve Resolution 2025-45 adopting Fresno County’s 2024-25 Transportation Development Act claim totaling $11,492,860.

Financial Statements 6-30-2024

Summary:

CalVans Financial Condition Report

As of June 30, 2024

Background

The CalVans Joint Powers Authority (JPA) was established in 2011 to provide farmworker and commuter vanpool services across a broad region of California. Membership has grown to include:

• Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments
• Fresno Council of Governments (FCOG)
• Imperial County Transportation Commission
• Kings County Association of Governments (KCAG)
• Madera County Transportation Commission
• Merced Association of Governments
• Riverside Transportation Commission
• Tulare County Association of Governments
• San Joaquin Council of Governments
• Stanislaus Council of Governments
• Ventura Transportation Commission
• Santa Barbara County Association of Governments

CalVans originated in Kings County, with KCAG and the County providing office space, vehicle yards, staffing, and substantial funding for initial vehicles and equipment. FCOG and FCRTA also contributed significantly to the startup fleet, which has since been fully depreciated and retired.

Revenue Overview

CalVans’ primary revenue source is vanpool fare collection. In FY 2024, fare revenue accounted for 92.4% of total revenues, totaling $13.7 million. While fare revenue is intended to cover all operational costs, complexities in accounting for leased vehicles suggest the agency may not be fully recapturing the capital cost of its fleet.

Historical Financial Challenges

From its inception, CalVans faced recurring cash flow issues. Early efforts to secure Federal Transit Administration apportionments from member agencies were unsuccessful, as those funds were already committed to local transit services. A 2015 attempt by then-State Controller Betty Yee to revise the State Transit Assistance formula to include CalVans was ultimately blocked by major transit operators.

To manage seasonal cash flow fluctuations, CalVans entered into lease-back arrangements with Merchants Leasing Bank in 2018 and again in 2020. These provided short-term relief but led to unsustainable debt levels. In response, a Financial Committee was formed, resulting in budget workshops, personnel reductions, salary cuts, and fare increases. The fallout included KCAG’s withdrawal from the JPA on June 6, 2023, a significant loss given its foundational role.

Audit and Debt Resolution

In August 2022, CalVans retained Price Page & Company to complete the FY 2019–2022 audits left unfinished by the prior auditor. Jaribu W. Nelson , CPA provided the FY 2023-2024 audit however, CalVans continues to use Price Page in an advisory role. As of June 2025, all outstanding loans have been paid off.

Impact of KCAG Withdrawal

KCAG’s exit created operational constraints, including the loss of economies of scale in facility leasing and employee benefits tied to Kings County. Although CalVans secured a $15 million Prop 4 grant, the funds are contingent on state budget appropriation, with the earliest availability projected for FY 2026–27. In the interim, cash flow remains a concern, as reflected in the “going concern” note in the June 30, 2024, audited financial statements.

Net Position Decline

A review of audited financials shows a steep decline in CalVans’ net position:

While the operating budget appears balanced, depreciation expenses—unaccounted for in fare structures—have eroded the unrestricted fund balance. However, materially increasing fares to cover capital cost has a significant impact on ridership.

Response to Financial Concerns

In response to the going concern finding, CalVans initiated several corrective actions:

• Fare Increase: Effective May 1, 2025, projected to generate $500,000
• Vehicle Sale: Proposed sale of 150 vehicles, expected to yield $750,000
• Captive Insurance: Agreement with American Sterling Insurance Agency; CalVans formed Tenet Assurance in Arizona in December 2024 but maintains 5 layers of commercial insurance covering $10 million in general liability
• Strategic Planning: On June 12, 2025, Resolution 2025-007 approved hiring Nag Consulting Services to develop a strategic plan for Prop 4 funds and broader agency sustainability
• Leadership Transition: Cooperative Personnel Service was retained after the KCAG withdrawal and quotes were secured to determine costs to recruit a new Executive Director and potentially a Finance Director, as the current Executive Director prepares to step down after 15 years

FY 2025/26 Budget Assumptions (Resolution 2025-006)

• Prop 4 funds will not be available until FY 2026/27
• Fare increase and vehicle sale will offset current year depreciation ($1,183,091 in 2024)
• Insurance rates have been reduced slightly for 2025
• Fuel and oil costs are expected to decrease
• Leasing costs will rise if new vehicle acquisition occur in future

Current Financial Status

CalVans has operated for almost 18 months since the June 30, 2024, financial statements were issued. While the fare increase, vehicle sales, and insurance restructuring are expected to stabilize cash flow, the unaudited trial balance as of June 30, 2025, shows a cash balance of $104,287, down from $1,457,315 the previous year.

The August 14, 2025, board agenda includes unaudited financial reports for FY 2024/25, indicating either a $78,589 loss or a $220,815 gain, depending on adjustments. Staff continues to manage situational cash flow challenges, and monthly board agendas include unaudited trial balances and three-year budget comparisons. While Price Page contributes to these reports, historical comparisons show that CPA audits introduce significant technical adjustments—particularly depreciation—which are not reflected in CalVans accounting staff budget tracking.

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

City of Fowler TDA Claim FY 2023-24

2025-47 City of Fowler FY 2023-24 TDA Claim Resolution

Approve Resolution 2025-47 adopting the City of Fowler’s Transportation Development Act claim totaling $506,614.

City of Fowler TDA Claim FY 2024-25

2025-48 City of Fowler FY 2024-25 TDA Claim Resolution

Approve Resolution 2025-48 adopting the City of Fowler’s Transportation Development Act claim totaling $557,767.

City of Fowler TDA Claim FY 2025-26

2025-49 City of Fowler FY 2025-26 TDA Claim Resolution

Approve Resolution 2025-49 adopting the City of Fowler Transportation Development Act Claim totaling $510,874

2025-50 SR 41 Excelsior Expressway Resolution

Summary: Design and right-of-way acquisition has been completed for the SR 41 Excelsior Expressway gap closure and the project is ready to list. The project is funded by a variety of state and local funding sources, and Caltrans is scheduled to go to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) in October to appropriate State funding on the project.  At its July 2025 meeting Fresno COG’s Board authorized an additional $2,273,000 in Measure C funds to be programmed for SR 41 Excelsior and forwarded the project to the Fresno County Transportation Authority to authorize the cooperative agreement with Caltrans. That has taken place as recommended.

During the Fresno COG discussion, staff advised further action would be required to program the remaining $4,191,000 in STIP regional shares required to fully fund the project.  The current action accomplishes that.

Project Facts;

• The project has been a priority for Caltrans, Fresno COG and FCTA since the partners constructed 16 miles of SR 41 from the City of Fresno to Elkhorn Ave in the 1990s.
• Kings County has completed complementary improvements on its end
• SR 41 Excelsior Expressway closes the six-mile gap between Fresno and Kings County
• This project is a vital safety issue

Total Project Funding;

Local Measure C                               $15,273,000

State SHOPP                                    $18,886,000

STATE IPP                                        $40,694.000

State/Local LPP                                $4,164,000

State/Regional STIP                         $16,191,000

Total                                                  $95,208,000

Action: Staff requests the TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board approve Resolution 2025-50 authorizing $4,191,000 in Fresno County STIP shares to be programmed on SR 41 Excelsior Expressway project.

DRAFT_2025 FTA Section 5310 Application

Summary: Fresno COG serves as the designated recipient of the large, urban fund in the Fresno County region for the Federal Transit Administration’s Enhanced Mobility of Seniors & People with Disabilities program, Section 5310 grant funding. The program makes federal resources available to improve mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities by removing barriers to transportation service and expanding transportation mobility options.  In the Fresno County region, this is addressed through providers associated with the Consolidated Transportation Services Agency (CTSA).

Staff is preparing to release the 2024/25 FTA Section 5310 grant application and scoring criteria for the Fresno/Clovis urbanized area.  Under the proposed timeline, applications will be due by November 21, 2025.

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

FY 24-25 OA Quarterly Report July - (APR. - JUN. 2025)

Summary: On Feb. 27, Fresno COG submitted its federal fiscal year (FFY) 2024/25 obligation plan to Caltrans’ Division of Local Assistance, which documents Fresno COG’s estimated project delivery for the remainder of the year. The obligational authority (OA) target for FFY 2024/25 was set at $19,788,364. Of that, the region has obligated $10,491,564 in combined Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) improvement funds as of June 30. This equates to roughly 53% of the OA target.

Attached is the list of obligated and de-obligated projects from April 1 through June 30, 2025, totaling $8,585,287 during that quarter. It is the State’s goal to exceed the OA target and, in August, receive additional federal funds redistributed from other states to projects pending authorization. Fresno COG encourages all agencies to continue submitting their requests for authorization. If projects do not receive authorization approval in August, they will be delayed to October 2025, the beginning of the new federal fiscal year 2025/26.

Please keep Fresno COG staff updated on any changes that could impact the region’s project delivery plan. Contact Blake Rincon at 559-233-4148 ext. 203 or brincon@fresnocog.org with any questions regarding fiscal year deadlines or the process of obligating project funds.

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

Summary: The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) created the transportation network company (TNC) Access for All (AFA) Program following Senate Bill (SB) 1376 (Hill: 2018), which directed CPUC to address TNC accessibility services for people with disabilities, including wheelchair users who need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV). A $.10 fee collected from every TNC trip is redistributed to each MPO region to develop programs that incentivize on-demand transportation services for people with disabilities, including wheelchair accessible vehicles/rides.

In June 2021, Fresno COG became a local access fund administrator for the Fresno County AFA program. For this current funding cycle, Fresno COG has received $249,884 to allocate to projects supporting Access Providers. Access Providers are entities that directly provide, or contract with a separate organization or entity to provide on-demand WAV transportation to meet the needs of persons with disabilities.

Fresno COG released a request for proposals early this summer, extended the proposal deadline, and received two applications from the Fresno County Rural Transit Agency (FCRTA) and from Busloop. After reviewing both applications, the scoring committee recommends awarding all $249,884 to FCRTA.

FCRTA will use funding to purchase three additional wheelchair-accessible vehicles. The additional vehicles will allow for FCRTA to expand Rural Transit Dial-a-Ride services to serve the general public disabled population and provide transportation beyond approved lifeline services in unincorporated communities.

Action: Staff and the Access for All scoring committee request the TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board approve awarding $249,884 to FCRTA.

Summary: As part of the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS), Fresno COG must achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The GHG reduction target for Fresno County is 13% below 2005 levels by 2035.

The last GHG target was in 2018 when Fresno County was forecast to have to a population of more than 1.25 million by 2035. In the years since this target was set,  the State’s Department of Finance has reduced Fresno County’s population forecast from 1.25 million to 1.07 million by 2035. This reduction in population limits Fresno COG’s ability to show how the county will reduce its GHG emissions because that additional population would have been more likely to reside in higher density residential developments, which is typically accompanied by lower daily vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and thus lower GHG emissions. This is an external, structural challenge to the RTP/SCS process that Fresno COG does not control.

Last year, Fresno COG updated its activity-based model (ABM) from a base year of 2014 to 2019. This update revised the household survey inputs along with other Census and regional datasets. 2019 was the peak pre-COVID travel demand year, and travel or VMT forecasts from this baseline is much higher compared to that from 2014 baseline.

To reflect the change in travel trends and characteristics brought by the COVID pandemic, staff is working on the new base year 2023 by referring to the 2022/23 Central California Travel Survey (CCTS). This survey will also capture the changes in work travel and increase in telecommuting since COVID. This effort is anticipated to reduce the gap coming from the model update.

In addition, auto operating costs (AOC), which includes fuel and maintenance expenses, is one of the model inputs that goes into the SCS analysis. In the 2026 SCS, the trend of AOC increase is forecast to be lower than that of 2022 SCS. This is resulting from several factors, such as lower fuel prices, higher fuel efficiency, and changing CARB regulations, all of which are external factors. The decrease in AOC for the target year 2035 (compared to the last SCS) is resulting in higher VMT and higher GHG emissions.

These issues are leading Fresno COG staff to begin to consider the potential for an Alternative Planning Strategy (APS). An APS is a type of regional land use and transportation plan that is required when a region’s SCS fails to meet the GHG emission targets set for that region. These plans are mandated under Senate Bill 375 and would show how a region can achieve emission reductions through alternative development patterns, infrastructure, and transportation policies. An APS is financially unconstrained, which allows this plan to consider projects that may otherwise wouldn’t have been considered due to their high capital costs.

In July and August, staff informed the RTP Roundtable and the SCS Subcommittee of these challenges and their potential impact on the overall RTP/SCS schedule. Staff is continuing to work with CARB on finding potential solutions to hit the GHG reduction target for our region within the current SCS process, but we believe there will be at least a two month delay in the current schedule, which will impact Fresno COG’s RTP/SCS adoption. Originally planned for final adoption in June 2026, staff is now forecasting adoption of the RTP by August 2026, and the SCS or APS adoption will be dependent on further coordination with CARB.

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

Summary: California metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are now under a “conformity lockdown,” preventing the completion of required air quality analyses necessary to advance transportation projects. This jeopardizes project schedules and funding across the San Joaquin Valley and all California.

On June 12, 2025, President Trump signed three Congressional Review Act (CRA) Resolutions that rescind Federal approval of California’s Clean Air Act waivers:

• H.J. Res. 87 – Rescinds waiver for the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) Regulation (zero-emission vehicle phase-in).
• H.J. Res. 88 – Revokes California’s general Clean Air Act waiver to regulate mobile source emissions, also eliminating Section 177 state adoption authority.
• H.J. Res. 89 – Rescinds waiver for the Low-NOx Omnibus Regulation (stringent truck/off-road NOx standards).

Due to the CRA process, these actions took immediate effect, halting MPOs’ ability to complete conformity analyses required under 40 CFR Part 93. Because California is the only state permitted to use its own emissions model for conformity purposes, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) action is urgently needed to provide a remedy that allows continued delivery of transportation projects.

During a conformity lockdown, key MPO activities are stalled, including:

• Processing Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP)/Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) amendments that require or rely on conformity analyses (risking loss of federal funding).
• Adoption of the 2027 FTIP/2026 RTP before current plans expire in December 2026 (otherwise, only “exempt project” FTIPs can advance).
• Receiving updated budgets for the 2016 Ozone SIP needed for future demonstrations.

The EPA should provide timely guidance on conformity procedures and coordinate with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on a technical solution for California MPOs. Since federal approval may take months, a grace period or interim process may be needed. Alternatively, EPA could grant temporary regulatory relief to prevent project delivery disruptions.

Activities that can continue include exempt project amendments (e.g., transit, bike/ped, traffic signals), approved Transportation Control Measures (TCMs), advancing phases of projects already in a conforming TIP/RTP, and PM hot-spot determinations for those projects considered not of air quality concern.

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

Summary: At its Aug. 14 meeting, the 2026 Measure C Steering Committee reaffirmed its Vision Statement, approved a new set of Guiding Principles and agreed on General Categories, taking three steps closer to assigning allocations to those categories.

In addition, based on feedback and negotiations with the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) and the Measure C Facilitation Team, Fresno COG has canceled its contracts with DKS for facilitating the 2026 Measure C Steering Committee and as project manager. Mark Keppler has been selected as the new facilitator and COG staff will function as program manager in the interim.

Vision Statement

“Measure C envisions a reliable, safe, equitable and connected infrastructure and transportation system that enables all residents to travel efficiently and safely, regardless of mode.”

Guiding Principles

• Fix what matters most

          (repair and maintain existing local streets & roads)

• Keep people safe

          (enhance lighting, road safety & safe routes to school)

• Get people where they need to go efficiently

          (improve connectivity, accessibility, and affordability to essential services & amenities)

• Improve transportation alternatives

          (invest in building & maintaining bike ways, pedestrian facilities, and public transit options)

• Build strong, vibrant communities

          (add shade, trees and other features to combat heat & beautify transportation corridors)

• Leave no neighborhood behind

          (invest across our county to strengthen all communities)

• Foster innovation

          (make smart investments that keep our county competitive and connected—now & in the future)

• Ensure a fair and transparent use of tax dollars

Under General Categories, the Committee agreed to frame future discussions under the following general headings:

• Existing Neighborhood Roads
• Public Transportation
• Active Transportation
• Regional Connectivity
• Other
• Administration

During the Aug. 27 Steering Committee meeting, members finalized their choices for subcategories before moving on toward approving allocations by general category.  Members proposed and voted on an additional 18 subcategories for inclusion beyond those generally accepted at the Aug. 14 meeting. The items in bold were added during the Aug. 27  meeting.

Existing Neighborhood Roads

• Streets near homes, schools, and parks
• Major roads and arterials
• Alleys, bikeways, and pedestrian facilities (repair & new)
• Streetlights, signals, and other safety features
• Traffic calming measures to reduce speed
• Sidewalk and pedestrian safety
• Basic road maintenance and infrastructure such as beautification, landscaping, shade, pothole repairs, and curb maintenance

 Public Transportation

• Transit systems – urban/rural
• Senior/veteran/youth/disability transportation
• Carshare/Vanpools/Microtransit
• Mobility Hubs
• Future transportation alternatives
• Programs and Services
• Public Transit Supportive Infrastructure
• Coordinating transportation bodies
• Light Rail

Active Transportation

• Bike and pedestrian trail maintenance & construction
• Accessibility improvements
• Safe Routes to Schools
• Safe routes to school – lighting & traffic signals to promote safety

Regional Connectivity

• Major road projects for safety improvements and congestion reduction
• Airports
• Grade separations
• Prioritize the “worst first”
• Regional Transit

Other

• Future alternative transportation
• Transit Oriented Development
• New technologies
• Climate mitigation, flood, heat, air quality, and subsidence
• Mobility hubs and microgrids
• Community Planning

Administration

• Administration/Planning
• Technical Assistance
• Community Engagement
• Public Database by Category
• Support for grant writing staff
• Annual and public reports
• Annual Audits

For the next Steering Committee meeting on Sept. 11, Fresno COG staff will work with the Technical Advisory Committee to further define the subcategories as the members begin debating allocations by general category.  In addition, the Steering Committee will be asked to consider options for either a 20-year or 30-year measure.

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

Summary:      Your agenda package includes this month’s Clearinghouse Calendar containing “Project Notification and Review Reports” for the grant proposal.

1. Housing Preservation Grant (HPG)

Project Subject to Review:

2. Communities Facilities Grant

Project Subject to Review:

The Regional Clearinghouse is a process of informing local agencies of Federal grant requests, providing an opportunity to comment, and potentially avoid duplication of effort. Clearinghouse items are brought before the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) and, if appropriate, the Transportation Technical Committee (TTC) for review and comment. Any resulting TTC/PAC comments, and any comments received from other agencies as a result of the Clearinghouse notification process, are noted on a monthly report brought forward to the Fresno COG Policy Board.

COG Policy Board action authorizes staff to forward any comments received to the State Clearinghouse and other appropriate agencies. The applicants have been notified of this meeting. While participation by the agency is optional, they have been personally requested to attend the Policy Board meeting in case there should be any questions. Project notification and review reports describing these projects are attached.

Action: Per Board procedure, unless an item is pulled from the Consent Calendar, tacit authorization is given for staff to forward any comment(s) received, or any Committee/Board comment(s) generated as a result of this informational item, to the appropriate agency.

SB 743 Amendment #2_Scope of Work_Exhibit A1

Summary:  Senate Bill 743 (SB 743, 2013), requires that the traffic congestion metric level of service (LOS) within the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process be replaced with a metric that would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), develop a multi-modal transportation system and increase land use diversity.

Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG), with the help of the consultant LSA, developed the original SB 743 regional guidelines for Fresno County and implemented it in July 2020. This document has been serving as a guide to local governments and consultants for traffic-impact and CEQA-related studies. All Fresno County jurisdictions with the exception of Clovis have adopted COG’s regional guidelines.  Fresno COG worked with LSA to update the original guidelines and the VMT thresholds in June 2025 addressing modeling impacts and policy-related changes between 2020-2024. The updated document will also help phase two of the VMT mitigation program, which Fresno COG will develop in FY2025-26.

LSA is an established environmental firm with expertise in CEQA and SB 743. As a recognized leader on SB 743, LSA has in-depth knowledge and understanding of the regulatory environment and has been closely following SB 743 implementation throughout the state. LSA has also been serving as an on-call consultant since 2020 and is very familiar with the local land-use and VMT assessment in Fresno County. LSA will provide on-call support through the end of 2025-26. LSA will assist Fresno COG in providing the training or workshop to the consultants and member agencies as needed, along with the technical assistance in the methodological and implementation of the recently updated regional guidelines. LSA will also support connecting the SB 743 VMT analysis and VMT Mitigation Implementation Framework in the future. As the original contract amount of $65,000 is expended on the update of the SB 743 regional guidelines as of August 2025, additional $20,000 is needed to provide the on-call support. Attached is the scope of work.

Action: Staff requests that PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the executive director to add $20,000 to the existing LSA contract in order to provide the on-call support through June 30, 2026 with total contract amount not to exceed $85,000.

Scope of Work ABM On-Call

Summary: Fresno COG’s activity-based model (ABM) is a cutting-edge, travel-demand forecasting model that has been used to develop the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)/ Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), conduct air quality conformity analyses, and analyze traffic and vehicle-miles-traveled impacts. The ABM is an essential planning tool for COG and the Fresno County region.

Since 2019, Fresno COG has maintained an on-call contract with RSG, who built the ABM for Fresno COG and has been providing technical assistance to COG modeling staff. The RSG team helps COG staff troubleshoot the model, provides training on new model enhancements, and fixes any bugs in the scripts/coding. Last year, Fresno COG completed the 2019 base year update of ABM along with multiple modeling enhancements like managed lanes, TNC, truck restriction, and new transit modes. The base year model update was followed by the transit related enhancements by adding Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Commuter Rail Transit (CRT) systems, envisioned as a part of the 2026 SCS scenarios.

As Fresno COG was developing the 2026 RTP/SCS, there was a need to have the post COVID base year that reflects the current travel trends and characteristics. Further, Fresno COG in partnership with other valley MPOs had conducted the Central California Travel Survey (CCTS) which is based on year 2022/2023. California Air Resource Board (CARB) also suggested using the CCTS survey in the base year, as a part of the comments received on the SCS Technical Memorandum. Hence, Fresno COG kicked off the development of 2023 base year with a tight timeline in July 2025 which is expected to be completed by early September 2025. Once the new updated model is available, SCS scenarios development will occur. RSG will also be assisting with troubleshooting during the SCS scenarios model runs and VMT analysis. COG staff will be testing out high-capacity commuter rail services like light-rail transit (LRT) and regional rail services for the 2026 SCS scenarios. These features are new, and staff will require some guidance and sensitivity tests for SCS modeling. Since the last budgeted amount of $80,000 is already expended on the 2023 base year update task as of August 22, 2025, an additional amount of $100,000 is required to complete the 2023 base year update along with the RTP/SCS modeling support to be provided as a part of the on-call support through the end of June 2026. Attached is the scope of work for the FY 2025-26 on-call support contract.

Action: Staff requests that PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the executive director to add $100,000 to the existing RSG contract in order to complete the 2023 base year model update and provide the on-call support through June 30, 2026 with total contract amount not to exceed $180,000.

Summary:  Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG) entered into a contract with Nichols Consulting Engineers (NCE) to update the Regional Pavement Management Systems effective through September 30, 2025. The scope includes conducting pavement inspections, updating decision trees for maintenance and rehabilitation strategies, budget analysis, final reports and providing training to participating agencies.

Pavement inspections have been completed, and draft reports have been submitted to most jurisdictions. However, due to delays in uploading inspection data into the StreetSaver software, reports for the City of Fresno and Fresno County are scheduled to be delivered in September. This delay has impacted the timeline for finalizing and presenting the regional analysis.

To allow sufficient time to complete the remaining tasks, staff is requesting an extension of the contract term through March 31, 2026. No additional funding is requested at this time.

Action: Staff requests that PAC recommend the Policy Board to authorize the Executive Director to extend the contract with NCE through March 31, 2026. No budget adjustment is requested at this time.

CalCOG Scope for SJV

Summary: Since 2019, Fresno Council of Governments has served as the fiscal agent on behalf of the eight San Joaquin Valley counties for the State’s Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) program, which has provided housing planning funding in anticipation of the sixth-cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) process and subsequent housing element updates that began in approximately 2022.

While much of the $19 million grant was suballocated among the counties, a major part of Fresno COG’s role in the REAP program was in producing a slate of studies, documents and services available on a Valleywide basis to other COGs and individual jurisdictions to use in updating their housing elements.  Approximately $187,000 still remains, which is being proposed to support a set of white papers, curated web links, curriculum development for a webinar series, leadership forum housing sessions, as well as specific outreach and technical assistance specific to SJV jurisdictions.

The California Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) has already authorized and contracted this work through the California Association of Councils of Government (CalCOG), a professional organization of which each of the eight Valley COGs is a member.  HCD has authorized Fresno COG to use the remainder of its REAP funds to further support this program, which will provide specialized access to SJV COGs and their member agencies.  A full scope of work is attached.

That scope includes six white papers addressing various complex aspects of housing law for jurisdictional assistance, including:

• Regional Housing Needs Assessment process
• Housing Elements
• Permit Streamlining, Housing Accountability Act, & Housing Crisis Act
• Density Bonus Law
• SB 35 Streamlining
•  Enforcement of State Housing Laws

CalCOG is also establishing and maintaining a housing-specific Web portal with links to various aspects of housing element development and planning law that will be maintained and updated as needed, covering such issues as California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) streamlining and exemptions, accessory dwelling units, streamlined ministerial approval processes, lot splits and multiple other land-use issues.

Deliverable No. 3 involves three publicly available, housing-related webinars focusing on RHNA reform, vehicle miles traveled and housing policies. A fourth deliverable includes REAP-aligned content and sessions to be provided at CalCOG’s Regional Leadership Forum, including VMT Mitigation Banking as a Strategy for Infill Development, Emerging Regional Housing Trusts for Affordable Housing and How Regions are Supporting Housing Element Implementation.

Deliverables No. 5 and 6 include specific SJV outreach and technical assistance, involving surveys to jurisdictions on needed resources and how best to receive them, identifying gaps in service that may be addressed and informational packets with educational materials and strategies for urban planners to assist them in navigating California housing requirements into the future.

Action: Staff requests that the TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the executive director to enter into a contract with CalCOG for $187,243 in Regional Early Action Planning funds to provide access to a slate of housing planning technical assistance and deliverables for San Joaquin Valley COGs and jurisdictions.

Summary: Owing to an expanded workload and responsibilities, Valleywide Coordinator VRPA has requested a $46,537 budget increase for 2025-26 to manage additional meetings requested by multiple Valley planning agencies.  This request would result in an approximately $11,000 additional, pro-rata contribution from Fresno COG.

In August 2024, the Board entered into a three-year contract with VRPA to manage MPO and partnering agency collaboration. Fresno COG manages the Valleywide Coordinator’s contract on behalf of 10 regional planning agencies in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) to help communicate policy positions, respond to inquiries and address issues of common concern, such as air quality conformity, housing planning, Federal and State funding sources and freight movement, among many others.  On a monthly basis, the Coordinator works closely with the SJV COG Directors group, which vets all of these issues before common policy positions are established.

The Valleywide Coordinator’s role also includes serving as secretary to the San Joaquin Valley Policy Council, an advisory body comprising up to two members from each of the 10 members (including the SJV Regional Rail Commission and Air Pollution Control District).  Over the course of 2025, the Policy Council has re-established its executive committee, as well as increased the number of meetings it holds, particularly in support of its Valley Voice advocacy initiatives to Sacramento and Washington, D.C. These activities have added considerably to the workload and led to the request for a budget increase covering the remainder of the contract, which is due to expire on June 30, 2027.

Under the proposed amendment, for the 2025-26 year, the budget would increase from $133,464 to $180,000.  That number would increase nominally again in 2026-27 to $185,400.  The total increase is $94,844 over the remaining two years of the contract.  The cost is divided on a pro-rata basis among the eight SJV COGs.  The COGs are in negotiations to include the SJV RRC and APCD into that cost-sharing arrangement.

Action:  Staff requests that the TTC/PAC recommend the Policy Board authorize the executive director to approve Amendment No. 1 to its contract with VRPA for Valleywide Coordinator responsibilities,increasing the contract $94,844, including a cost of $180,000 for 2025-26 and $185,400 for 2026-27.