Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12192006 - C.127 a TO: Board of Supervisors a�,..F-^A �C Contra FROM: Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee Costa (Supervisor Federal Glover, Chair) ,_ N=+` ' ;o> Count s= -- Y DATE: December 11, 2006 'q couc+t'� SUBJECT: Report on Referrals to the Transportation Water and Infrastructure Committee SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS APPROVE referrals to the Transportation Water and Infrastructure Committee for 2007 (see Exhibit B), as recommended by the Committee. FISCAL IMPACT Staff support for the Committee is estimated to be $25,000. This may vary depending on the work undertaken by the Committee. Funding for administrative support to the Committee will be sought by the Community Development Department as part of the annual department budget. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS On December 20, 2005, the Board of Supervisors referred the items described in Exhibit A to the Committee for 2006 and requested that the Committee report to the Board on any goals for 2006 in addressing these referrals. On March 13,the Committee established more specific goals or issues for the Committee to address in 2006, as appropriate.These goals and issues are described in the middle column of Exhibit A. The last column describes the action taken by the Committee during the year. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES — RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR X RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): Supervisor Federal D. Glover, Chair Supervisor Mary Ne•edly Piepho ACTION OF BOARD ON 1 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER -JlgL C—HAIL- AANOLLI-X•L,� -fts id's j<Evt5 oJ I6>F•FoR-E 't7lE krElk WAS �(1�►PjZo� . VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE _ UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE ABSENT: ABST BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE VACN<-3;a.�'• SHOWN. Contact: Steven Goetz / (925/335-1240) ZE )cc: D. Barry, CDD ATTESTED I 1 ( M. Shiu, PWD JOHN CULLEN, CLERK OF R. Goulart, CDD THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS J. Kopchik, CDD AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR County Counsel E. Meyer, Agriculture Commissioner M. Kent, Health Services M. Avalon, Flood Control District , DEPUTY H. Ballenger, PWD J. Bueren, PWD B. Balbas, PWD S. Kowalewski, PWD CADOCUME-1\JPENN I-1.DS\LOCALS-1\Temp\C.Lotus.Notes.Data\referra1.december.doc Report on Referrals to the Transportation Water and Infrastructure Committee December 11, 2006 Page 2 BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS (Continued) On December 11, the Committee discussed items that should be addressed by the Committee in 2007. These items are described in Exhibit B. Several referral items expand on referrals for 2006. These expanded referral items are described below. Redline/str keeut text is used in Exhibit B to highlight these changes. Proposed Referral: Review applications for transportation, water and infrastructure-related grants to be prepared by the Public Works and Community Development Departments, including a report from County staff on potential funding in 2007 for priority trail projects in the County. The Committee discussed emerging needs for trails in the County that may strain available funding. The Committee recommends that County staff report to the Committee on potential funding opportunities in 2007 that could help address these emerging needs. Expanding this referral to include a report on priority trail projects will cover this issue. Proposed Referral: Review freight transportation issues including: the safety of freight trains that carry hazardous materials either in transport or stored in parked tank cars; freight rail increases generated by the Port of Oakland; and the truck route for North Richmond. • Safety of freight trains that carry hazardous materials, either in transport or stored in parked tank cars. The issue of freight trains carrying hazardous materials through the County has come up in past years and may emerge again in 2007. The County has no ability to control the transport of hazardous materials by rail, but does have some jurisdiction over tank cars that are parked for long periods of time (greater than 90 days). The railroads in the past have shown little response to the County's requests for information on this topic. • Port of Oakland freight rail increase. Along with a general increase in the amount of freight transportation occurring within and through Contra Costa County, the Port of Oakland specifically anticipates a tripling of its cargo business over the next ten to fifteen years. This increase is expected to cause a significant increase in truck and rail freight shipments from the Port, through Contra Costa County to distant destinations. The County likely will need to participate in freight planning efforts that will impact the County's neighborhoods and transportation systems. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission will be seeking Proposition 1 B infrastructure bond funding for a package of rail and highway freight improvements which could include expansion of freight rail lines in West Contra Costa County. • Truck route for North Richmond. The County is working with the North Richmond community to identify or create a new truck route that will reduce truck traffic through the North Richmond residential neighborhood and Verde Elementary School area. The Committee will be asked to review the study and provide a report to the Board of Supervisors. Proposed Referral: Transportation plans and services for specific populations, including:the Commun Based Transportation Plan forBay Point,-the Contra Costa Low-Income Transportation Action Plan;and the BayArea Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan, and priorities forseniormobility in the county.. • The Community-Based Transportation Plan forBay Point. In 2005,the Board accepted a grant to fund preparation of this plan, as recommended by the Committee. In 2006,the Community Development Department worked with the District 5 office and various stakeholder groups to prepare a draft set of recommendations for transportation improvements in Bay Point.The plan is being developed through extensive outreach with the Bay Point community. Priority issues identified to date include pedestrian, bicycling and traffic-calming improvements to major streets in Bay Point,expansion of bus transit and bus shelter improvements,and BART station improvements,among otherthings.The Committee will be asked for a recommendation on Board action to approve the plan in early 2007. Report on Referrals to the Transportation Water and Infrastructure Committee December 11, 2006 Page 3 BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION (CONTINUED) • Contra Costa County Low-Income Transportation Action Plan. In May 1999,the Board of Supervisors adopted the Contra Costa County Welfare-to-Work Transportation Action Plan,as recommended by the Committee. This plan was prepared by the Contra Costa Transportation Alliance in order to "develop a mobility support system for current and former CalWORKs participants and at-risk households to improve their access to employment and related activities."The Transportation Alliance is a staff-level group of social service agencies, public transit operators and other transportation service providers in Contra Costa County,who meet regularly to coordinate and plan transportation services for low-income residents and other transit-dependent populations. In the ensuing years this 1999 Plan served as the guide for the County's Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD), local transit operators, and other members of the Transportation Alliance as they have developed services and programs to meet the work-related transportation needs of the county's low- income residents. In 2005, EHSD obtained a grant to update the 1999 Plan.The resultant update,the Contra Costa County Low-Income Transportation Action Plan has been completed. The Transportation Alliance requests that the Committee consider recommending that the Board of Supervisors adopt it as the new guide to improve access to employment and related activities. • Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan. As a requirement of the new SAFETEA-LU transportation legislation passed by Congress,the Metropolitan Transportation Commission(MTC) is developing a Coordinated Human Service Transportation Plan forthe BayArea. Each area of the country must have in place a transportation plan with analysis of the services, needs and gaps for three population groups: low-income households, seniors and persons with disabilities. In addition, the plan must show how services for these populations can be coordinated for maximum service and cost-effectiveness. In the Bay Area, MTC staff will compile the low-income component of the low-income transportation plans that have been completed by each County. MTC has hired a consultant to perform the outreach, research and to draft the senior and disabled components of the plan. That same consultant will then merge all three components and draft the Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan. The research and outreach components are scheduled to be completed by late winter 2007,with the draft plan available by May 2007.The County's CalWORKs Transportation Coordinator,who also serves as staff to the Transportation Alliance,will participate in and monitor the MTC planning process; and wishes to report to the Committee at key milestones. • Priorities for Senior Mobility In Contra Costa County. With the aging of the "baby boomer" generation comes the realization that greater numbers of our elderly population will outlive their ability to drive. A number of organizations are looking into the mobility options that will need to be available to keep these non-driving seniors aging-in-place as productive members of their communities.A public-private group called Contra Costa For Every Generation(CCEG) has been conducting an ongoing survey to determine the mobility priorities for seniors countywide. Members of this organization would like to present the survey results to Committee, and request approval to make a later presentation to the full Board of Supervisors. CCEG is a volunteer effort jointly sponsored by public agencies and private organizations whose mission is "a countywide effort to make our communities good places to age -- supporting our aspirations to stay healthy, live independently and lead full and productive lives." CCEG members are currently working on six initiatives to further this mission:Transportation, Housing, Support Services, Neighborhood Quality of Life, Health and Wellness, and Involvement in the Community. EXHIBIT A STATUS OF REFERRALS TO THE TRANSPORTATION WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE FOR 2006 Board Goals or Issues for 2006 Committee's Actions in Referrals 2006 1. Review legislative Goals for Transportation Recommended positions on various bills on matters on • Support increased funding and transportation, water and flood control, and transportation, water protect existing funding sources. recommended communication of concerns to and infrastructure. our legislative delegation. . Support regional coordination Recommended to RECEIVE reports on the . Support efforts to improve safety State transportation infrastructure bond . Support enhancement of Package for the November ballot. interregional corridors Recommended SUPPORT for Propositions 1A, • Support use of renewable 1 B and 84 on the November ballot. resources in projects Recommended to ADOPT transportation goals for the 2007 state legislative session. . Support streamlining project delivery • Support better linkage between Recommended to APPROVE transportation projects to include in federal appropriation transportation and land use planning requests by the County and transportation . Support improved security at ports, projects to support for federal funding. airports and rail yards and reduce their impacts on adjacent neighborhoods. 2. Review applications for RECEIVED reports and provided direction on transportation,water and road, bicycle, pedestrian and transportation infrastructure-related enhancement projects to be funded by grants to be prepared by various funding sources. the Public Works and Community Development Departments. 3. Oversee the activities of Report on intercity rail operations and Recommended to SUPPORT the AMTRAK the Ad Hoc Intercity Rail grade crossings. federal budget request. Advisory Committee APPROVED priorities for funding grade (AIRAC). crossing projects and REQUESTED that these priorities be considered in the County's legislative advocacy activities. 4. Monitor the development Incorporate relevant policies and See Referral#2. of the Countywide projects into the County General Plan. Bicycle and Pedestrian Consider applications to various funding Plan. sources for pedestrian/bicycle projects. 5. Monitor the Contra Review County projects that can Recommended to ACCEPT amendments to the Costa Transportation benefit from CCTA's Strategic Plan to Measure C Ordinance and Expenditure Plan Authority (CCTA, close-out Measure C and to initiate proposed by the CCTA without comment as long as including efforts to the Measure J Program. no significant changes are made to this proposal implement Measure J. when submitted to the CCTA for adoption, RECEIVED reports on the Measure J Strategic Plan and the CCTA's amendments to the Urban Limit Line requirement of the Measure J Growth Management Program. REQUESTED staff to continue to monitor these issues and report to the Committee as needed. Recommended to ACCEPT report on Measure J Strategic Plan and Proposition 1 B. EXHIBIT A STATUS OF REFERRALS TO THE TRANSPORTATION WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE FOR 2006 Board Goals or Issues for 2006 Committee's Actions in Referrals 2006 6. Monitor EBMUD, Receive progress updates on these No action taken. Freeport Water Project, projects at appropriate junctures. and other ongoing improvement programs and recycled water projects 7. Monitor East County Determine if the state bond measure See Referrals#1 and #8. Water Management or other legislation has an impact on Association's programs the East County Integrated Regional and projects. Water Management Plan and comment as needed. 8. Review issues Receive staff report on levees and Recommended to ACCEPT a report on levee associated with the formulate priorities for levee issues issues. health of the San in 2006. DIRECTED staff to develop a policy framework Francisco Bay and Continue to urge increased federal for water and flood control legislation in • Delta, etc, including funding for and attention to levees I consultation with County department heads, levees. the Sacramento-San Joaquin and then report back to the Committee. Delta. REQUESTED staff to consider the advisability of seeking legislation to allow the Board to appoint a non-elected individual to serve as an alternate with the power to vote on the Delta Protection Commission. DIRECTED staff to report to the Committee on future actions of the Delta Protection Commission. Recommended to ACCEPT report on: 1) Proposition 1 E - the Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act of 2006; 2) establishment of a coalition to lobby for funds for western and central delta levees; 3) Proposition 84 levee funding;4)the Delta Long Term Management Strategy; 5) Delta Risk Management Strategy;6)the newly established Delta Vision process; 7) CALFED levee reauthorization funds; and other related efforts. 9. Monitor drinking water Continue to monitor efforts to Recommended to APPROVE the SF Bay Area quality and water supply restore water quality and water flow Integrated Regional Water Management Plan reliability, drought and in the San Joaquin River and and to AUTHORIZE staff to continue to work on conservation issues. consider policy position as new implementation of the Plan and to participate proposals are made. with other flood control districts on efforts • related to the Plan. Receive progress updates on the SF Bay Area Integrated Regional See Referral#2. Water Management Plan at appropriate junctures. 10. Monitor the Baldwin Ship Receive status report on County's No action taken. Channel&Southampton Congressional requests for funding Shoal, and upland for ship channel projects in FY 07. disposal of dredge material 11. Review dredging and See Referral#8. dredge disposal issues, EXHIBIT A STATUS OF REFERRALS TO THE TRANSPORTATION WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE FOR 2006 Board Goals or Issues for 2006 Committee's Actions in Referrals 2006 such as Long Term Management Strategy and "environmental windows." 12. Monitor the San Luis Receive updates on agricultural Recommended to OPPOSE a waiver of fees Drain and Grasslands drainage issues in the San Joaquin for violations of selenium load limits, and to Bypass projects related Valley, including the San Luis Drain, AUTHORIZE staff to submit comments to the to agricultural drainage the Grasslands Bypass Project, and Oversight Committee opposing waiver of the in the Central Valley. requests by agriculturalists for fees. waivers of penalties for exceedance of selenium discharge limitation, and consider positions on new aspects of these issues as they come up. 13. Monitor creek and • Review the options for financing Recommended to REQUEST amendments to watershed issues. clean water treatment facilities and AB 2838 (Pavley-D). determine the most appropriate Recommended to SUPPORT the Good option for our county. Samaritan Clean Watershed Act. • Determine if the county should be Recommended to DIRECT staff to form signatory to the MOU with the SF Community Facilities District and Benefit Bay Area Water Forum. Assessment District and take related actions • Decide on proposed policy changes for Board approval to fund county storm water, in Flood Control District maintenance county drainage and Flood Control District practices. facility maintenance, implement funding • Determine if the state bond measure or mechanism for The Committee approved the other legislation has an impact on the report to the Board as prepared by staff. SF Bay Area Integrated Regional Water Management Plan and comment as needed. • Review and approve a proposed 218 ballot measure to increase assessments for the Clean Water Program. • Determine response to the skyrocketing costs to mitigate flood control maintenance. 14. Monitor the activities of • Consider 3-month progress report on DIRECTED the Task Force to work with the Interagency Task IPM Coordinator position and related Public Environmental Health Advisory Board Force on Integrated Pest matters. on opportunities to improve public Management (IPM). • Monitor General Services'control for notification, outreach and education issues. pest control services or request DIRECTED staff to: 1) work with the County proposals for a new contract Administrator on funding for an IPM Coordinator; • Work with PEHAB to further refine 2)implement new procedures for pest control in and implement some of PEHAB's County buildings; 3) modify and extend the recommendations on the County's contract with Orkin for pest control services;and IPM policies and practices. 4) provide a status report to the Board on • Work with UC Master Gardeners to implementation of the County's IPM policy. provide IPM training in designated Recommended to ACCEPT annual report, and County facilities DIRECTED the Advisory Committee to review the written comments on the Annual Report from Parents for a Safer Environment and report to the Committee during the first quarter EXHIBIT A STATUS OF REFERRALS TO THE TRANSPORTATION WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE FOR 2006 Board Goals or Issues for 2006 Committee's Actions in Referrals 2006 of 2007. 15. Monitor CCWD projects, Receive progress updates on these No action taken. such as the proposed projects at appropriate junctures. Los Vaqueros Reservoir expansion, agricultural drainage at Rock Slough and cover/lining of the Contra Costa Canal and other programs. 16. Review park issues and • Report to Committee on park REQUESTED staff to evaluate whether any of oversee inter-epartmental maintenance issues. the funding mechanisms researched for storm work of the Parks,Creeks . Report progress on brochure water and flood control facilities could be used and Trails Committee to describing County park facilities to help fund maintenance of County parks, and improve the County s park and services. report their findings to the Committee. function. REQUESTED County Counsel to estimate when the modified park ordinances will be given to the Board. 17. Monitor the East Contra Receive updates on the finalization of Recommended to APPROVE the East Contra Costa County Habitat the HCP prior to a decision by the Costa County HCP/NCCP and related Conservation Plan/Natural Board on adoption. Implementing Agreement and Joint Exercise of Community Conservation Powers Agreement. Plan(HCP/NCCP). REQUESTED that the Committee members be keep informed of any changes proposed to address concerns raised by the City of Antioch. 18. Review the Neighborhood Recommended to ADOPT the program and to Traffic Management DIRECT staff to report to the Committee on the Program ability to revise the County's design standards for residential streets to address traffic calming and neighborhood livability issues when these roads are built. 19. Review the Underground No action taken. Utilities Program County staff anticipates submitting a priority list for undergrounding in early 2007, with a goal of starting one or two undergrounding projects in 2007. 20. Review the PG&E Review results of Phase II-A study. No action taken. Streetlights Feasibility Acquisition Study County staff has targeting February 2007 for submitting to the Committee the results of the Phase IIA Study and requesting approval to go to the Board for authorization for Phase IIB. 21. Review opportunities to No action taken. move the storage areas of rail cars in the County to safer locations. 22. Hold a hearing on the HELD a public hearing regarding the intention proposed Capital Road of the Committee to recommend that the Board Improvement and adopt the CRIPP Update, and recommended EXHIBIT A STATUS OF REFERRALS TO THE TRANSPORTATION WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE FOR 2006 Board Goals or Issues for 2006 Committee's Actions in Referrals 2006 Preservation Program ADOPTION. (CRIPP) Update. 23. Iron Horse Corridor No action taken. Management Program 24. Review County Budget Recommended to AUTHORIZE a letter of recommendations for appreciation to Tri Delta Transit for their funding Route 200. successful effort to obtain other funding to fully restore Route 200 service and REQUEST that Tri Delta investigate the ability to obtain more permanent funding for this service. 25. East County Workforce Recommended to ACCEPT the East County Survey Work Force Survey Report and to PROVIDE copies to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Association of Bay Area Governments, the BART, the State Route 4 Bypass Authority, and the CCTA and its regional transportation planning committees 26. eBART Recommended to SELECT the Byron — North site for the Byron/Discovery Bay eBART station and to REQUEST that BART fully evaluate certain station location issues in the eBART environmental document. Recommended to CONSIDER accepting the Committee's status report on the eBART project. 27. Review the agreement to Recommended to APPROVE the Agreement. fund the Dougherty Valley Transit Demonstration Project 28. Monitor the Community ACCEPTED the report on the draft Plan and Based Transportation DIRECTED County staff to submit a final Plan for Bay Point Plan to the Committee for a recommendation to the Board. g:\transportation\twic\2006\board orders\referral.december.doc EXHIBIT B REFERRALS TO THE TRANSPORTATION WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE FOR 2007 1. Review legislative matters on transportation, water, and infrastructure; 2. Review applications for transportation, water and infrastructure-related grants to be prepared by the Public Works and Community Development Departments, including a report from County staff on potential funding in 2007 for priority trail projects in the County; 3. Oversee the activities of the Ad Hoc Intercity Rail Advisory Committee, including their review of the Regional Rail Plan, San Joaquin service increases, 4. Monitor implementation of Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan; 5. Monitor the Contra Costa Transportation Authority including efforts to update the Strategic Plan and efforts to implement Measure J; 6. Monitor EBMUD, Freeport Water Project, other ongoing improvement programs and recycled water projects; 7. Monitor the East County Water Management Association's programs/projects; 8. Review issues associated with the health of the San Francisco Bay and Delta, including Delta levees, and establish goals to accomplish in 2006; 9. Monitor drinking water quality, water supply, reliability, drought and conservation issues; 10. Monitor the Baldwin Ship Channel/Southampton Shoal, and upland disposal of dredge material; 11. Review dredging and dredge disposal issues, such as Long Term Management Strategy (LTMS) and environmental windows and related levee issues; 12. Monitor the San Luis Drain, Grasslands Bypass and other projects related to agricultural drainage in the Central Valley; 13. Monitor creek and watershed issues; 14. Monitor the activities of the Interagency Task Force on Integrated Pest Management; 15. Monitor CCWD projects, such as the proposed Los Vaqueros Reservoir expansion, agricultural drainage at Rock Slough and cover/lining of the Contra Costa Canal and other ongoing programs; 16. Review park issues and oversee the interdepartmental work of the Parks, Creeks and Trails Committee to improve the County's park function, and report in 2006 on county park maintenance issues; 17. Monitor the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan; 18. Review the ability to revise the County design standards for residential streets to address traffic calming and neighborhood livability issues when these roads are built; 19. Review the Underground Utilities Program; 20. Review the PG&E Streetlights Feasibility Acquisition Study, including the results of the Phase II-A study in 2006; 21. Review eppertunities te- rneve the storage apeas feF rail GaFs on West GOLIRty te 6 '^^n+,�TFreight transportation issues, including Port of Oakland transportation projects, safety of freight trains that transport hazardous materials, truck route for North Richmond; 22. Monitor the Iron Horse Corridor Management Program; 23. Monitor the eBART Project; and 24. MenmteF the Gemmunity Based TranspoFtatiGR Plan for Bay PGORt. Transportation Plans and services for specific populations, such as the Contra Costa Low Income Transportation Action Plan, the Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan for the Bay Area, Priorities for Senior Mobility in Contra Costa, Community Based Transportation Plan in Bay Point.