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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTransportation Board - Minutes - 08/21/2019TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR August 21, 2019, 6:00 p.m. Conference Room A, 281 North College Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 8/21/2019 – MINUTES Page 1 FOR REFERENCE: Chair: Indy Hart Vice Chair: Council Liaison: Nathalie Rachline Kristin Stephens Staff Liaison: Paul Sizemore 970.224.6140 1. CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Rachline called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. Jerry Gavaldon volunteered to be the temporary Chair. The Board voted unanimously to accept Gavaldon as the Chair for the evening. 2. ROLL CALL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Nathalie Rachline, Vice Chair (via phone) Eric Shenk Jerry Gavaldon Valerie Arnold York Ellen Boeke Karl Ayers Cari Brown BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Indy Hart, Chair CITY STAFF PRESENT: Chad Creger Drew Brooks Dave Mullen Jerediah Burianek PUBLIC PRESENT: None TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 8/21/2019 – MINUTES Page 2 3. AGENDA REVIEW Sizemore stated there were no changes to the published agenda. 4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION None. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – JULY 2019 Sizemore announced one clarification that the scooter curfew is from dusk to dawn. Shenk made a motion, seconded by Ayers, to approve the July 2019 minutes as amended. The motion was adopted unanimously. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. 7. NEW BUSINESS a. County Transportation Tax Proposal – Chad Crager Chad Crager discussed the need for County facilities and transportation projects and the history of this tax proposal which includes an advisory committee and regional task force, which includes Fort Collins representatives Mayor Pro Tem Stephens and City Manager Atteberry. Crager stated the proposed tax would be a half cent tax for 20 years which would fund a little over $1 billion, 35% of which would go to County facilities, 15-20% to new transit, and the remainder to non-transit infrastructure. He noted the first $10 million will go to I-25. Crager stated the process will involve two technical advisory committees, one for the non-transit infrastructure and one for transit, which will be weighted based on communities with the most transit use. In terms of the County's next steps, Crager stated County Commissioners will consider putting this item on the November ballot and intergovernmental agreements will be constructed upon a successful vote, Crager discussed Fort Collins' layered approach to transit and transportation and the need for $1.3 billion in transportation infrastructure in Fort Collins. Brown asked if any of the tax dollars could be used for capital projects. Crager replied in the affirmative but noted the tax dollars could not be used for replacing existing infrastructure. Crager stated Fort Collins' sales provide about half the sales tax revenue and its total benefit from the non-infrastructure project list is 30-40%. He also stated he is recommending to the technical advisory committee that Fort Collins receive the TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 8/21/2019 – MINUTES Page 3 majority of transit-related funds as it has an established transit system. Brown asked if there is a clear definition of 'transit' for funding purposes. Crager replied it will not include things like subsidizing Uber and Lyft rides, though it may include micro-transit. Rachline suggested the Board may be able to make a simple recommendation to Council regarding careful consideration of the allocation of funds. Boardmembers stated they do not feel they have enough information at this point to make a recommendation. Gavaldon asked if any of the revenue to be produced by the I-25 toll lanes will be coming back to municipalities. Crager replied in the negative stated the tolls themselves are not funding improvements and there is no public-private partnership with the company building the road. Gavaldon expressed concern about the possibility of incongruent benefits for area municipalities. Crager noted this is a regional tax and stated the County has done a good job of making some compromises that have led to some support for the tax in Fort Collins. York asked if this tax precludes another tax for something like a regional transportation authority. Crager replied in the negative; however, he noted this tax does significantly increase taxes and there is a concern that it would make it more difficult for the passage of additional taxes. York stated he would like to ensure a transportation authority could be involved in case the situation changes in the next 20 years. Rachline requested the Board be updated as things progress. b. Transfort Updates and Conversation – Drew Brooks Boeke asked if Transfort ridership has increased among high schoolers with the new bell schedules. Drew Brooks, Transfort, replied the start of school was too recent to have useful data yet. Brown asked if high schoolers have different passes to be able to identify them. Dave Mullen, Senior Transit Operations Manager, replied student ridership is tracked by where riders get on, but not where they get off. Boeke asked how early students generally want to be at school. Brown replied most elementary schools set a limit on how early children can be dropped off. Boeke asked if there are existing routes currently running in both directions that make sense with the bell schedules. Brooks replied there are challenges with hourly routes, but generally there is something available. Boeke suggested an informative presentation related to Transfort routes could occur TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 8/21/2019 – MINUTES Page 4 at the high schools. Gavaldon asked if there have been conversations with the school district regarding a feeder bus line. Mullen replied there are quarterly meetings with the school district, however, such a partnership may be more of a political issue. Boardmembers and staff discussed ways in which Transfort could partner with the school district to benefit both entities. York asked how safety issues are considered for students going to and from stops as well as being on the bus. Brown noted there are more significant safety regulations for school buses and parents may be concerned about safety on city buses. Gavaldon asked if charter school students use city buses. Brooks replied in the affirmative. Gavaldon asked what changes will be occurring between CSU and Transfort, particularly during the football season. Mullen replied the same services will be offered and routes will be extended for later game times. Gavaldon asked if any changes have been made in terms of CSU's funding component. Brooks replied there have been no large-scale changes, but there was a small amount from ASCSU for the Poudre Express, a joint route with Greeley. He also noted there are discussions around land donations and that kind of thing for capital improvements. Rachline asked what immediate actions are being taken given vehicle miles travelled are increasing. Brooks replied the Transit Master Plan proposes an increase in services that would take the budget from around $17-18 million to $30-31 million, some of which will hopefully come from CSU and other sources. He stated a funding study will be forthcoming and he will seek Board input regarding that study. Mullen noted he does not have any additional storage for busses at this point. He also noted it takes 18 months, minimum, to get delivery of ordered buses. Rachline asked what the Board can do to support Transfort efforts. Brooks replied being able to get on the Board schedule when items come up it important. Sizemore noted the bi-annual budgeting process is an optimal time for the Board to provide input. York suggested showing Federal Transit Authority employees Highway 1 as a transit route from Fort Collins to Wellington should be a high regional priority. He asked about route 12 changes brought up by a citizen. Mullen replied sacrifices had to be made at a couple places in order to fix the reliability of the route, which will increase ridership. Brown asked about micro-transit. Mullen replied several pilot studies are occurring and staff is attempting to collect that data and provide a pilot study in Fort Collins. TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 8/21/2019 – MINUTES Page 5 Brooks discussed the community's priorities of more frequency, safety, and security. c. 2020 Board Work Plan Discussion – All Sizemore discussed the recent changes made to require that Work Plans be provided to Council by the end of September. Brown stated she did not see many changes that need to be made. York suggested the 2020 Work Plan should include work on budgeting. Boardmembers discussed wording changes to the Work Plan, including working on the Climate Action Plan update. 8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS York reported on last night's City Council meeting during which concern was expressed about the Linden Street redesign by area business owners. He suggested business owners should be more concerned about how customers are getting to and from their businesses. York stated the business owners also stated there are enough festivals in Old Town and they actually lose business during those times. York reported on the Planning and Zoning Board worksession during which Montava and associated Streets Master Plan changes, the Harmony gateway plan, and metro districts were discussed. He also stated he shared information with the Planning and Zoning Board on a video about the Vail hospital expansion and 1,000 parking space underground facility. York stated volunteers are still being sought for the September bicycle and pedestrian counts and the Open Streets event. Gavaldon reported on the elimination of E-scooters in other cities noting Denver recently voted to take them off sidewalks. Shenk reported on his first E-scooter ride in Denver and stated he was unsure where he would use one in Fort Collins. He also reported Google Maps will now show congestion data on transit in large cities. Rachline reported on the Hughes Stadium redevelopment meeting, issues with E-scooters she has experienced and the importance of preemptive rider education. 9. OTHER BUSINESS a. Bicycle Advisory Committee Report Ayers reported the BAC discussed the Linden Street renovation project stating the overall goal of the project is to create flexible space that operates 90% of the time as a roadway but that can be closed for larger events to create a fully pedestrian area. Boardmembers discussed losing parking spaces. York explained the challenges or TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 8/21/2019 – MINUTES Page 6 requiring payment for garages without on street paid parking, stating it disincentivizes using the garages. Ayers noted one of the possibilities for Linden Street is back-in diagonal parking which is being piloted on Howes in upcoming months. Brown expressed concern related to blind individuals dealing with a changing space. Ayers reported the BAC also received an E-scooter update. b. City Council 6-Month Calendar Review Sizemore reported Council will consider digital billboard regulations at its September 3rd meeting. Additionally, there will be a worksession including a northeast Fort Collins planning discussion and a reimagining boards and commissions discussion on September 24th. Sizemore stated there may be a mobility worksession on October 22nd though that may be changed. c. Staff Liaison Report Sizemore reported the Planning, Development, and Transportation Director search has been ongoing and the interview process will take place at the beginning of October. He also reported Tim Kemp just took a job with CSU. Sizemore reported the E-scooter contract is in final negotiations and should be signed any day. He stated they will likely be deployed mid-September. Sizemore reported the September agenda will include the Linden Street renovations, the adoption of the Work Plan, and the Harmony Gateway plan. York mentioned the City's bike survey that is currently available. 10. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:03 p.m. by unanimous consent.