HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 02/18/2003 - RESOLUTION 2003-018 REQUESTING THAT FORT COLLINS B AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 22
DATE: February 18, 2003
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL FROM:
110 Diane Jones
SUBJECT:
Resolution 2003-018 Requesting That Fort Collins Be Named the Designated Recipient for
Federal Transit Administration Section 5307 Grant Funding for the Fort Collins Transportation
Management Area.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
BACKGROUND:
As a result of data collected from the 2000 census, the US Census Bureau created a new Fort
Collins Urbanized Area (UZA). The new UZA encompasses Fort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud,
and some adjacent unincorporated areas of Larimer County. Because the new UZA is over
200,000 population, in accordance with their regulations in July 2002, the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) formally designated the
Fort Collins Urbanized Area as a Transportation Management Area (TMA). This designation
makes all transit operators within the TMA potential recipients of FTA Section 5307 Urbanized
Areas Formula Grant funds, i.e., the transit operations of Loveland, Fort Collins, and Berthoud.
Fort Collins previously was the only eligible operator for these funds.
The FTA Section 5307 funds are allocated to TMA's nationwide according to a formula which
takes into account the relative population, population density, and certain transit operational
factors. The allocation strategy for these funds among the three transit operators in the Fort
Collins TMA has already been developed and agreed upon among the agencies. In order for
funds to flow, however, FTA requires that a local agency must be named as designated recipient
for the TMA. A "designated recipient" is the local agency through which the Federal Transit
funds flow to operators. It is an administrative function, involving processing applications for
funds, submitting projects on behalf of the operators to the MPO for the Transportation
Improvement Program, and receiving and distributing the funds. This activity requires staffing
familiar with the Federal rules and regulations.
Prior to the creation of the Fort Collins TMA, the City of Fort Collins was the designated
recipient for FTA Section 5307 funds allocated to Transfort. All of the requisite staff and
processes are in place to perform the required functions. No other agency in the TMA, including
the MPO, has previously had this responsibility.
DATE: ITEM NUMBER:
Upon adoption of the FY2003 appropriations legislation now before Congress, the FY2003 FTA
grant funds will be available for application and dispersal. Much.of the money coming to the
TMA is for operating assistance, and can be received immediately. In order to avoid delay in the
process, a designated recipient must be named and be functioning in short order.
The alternative which has been considered to naming Fort Collins, is naming the North Front
Range MPO as designated recipient. However, the MPO has no in-house staff capability for this
function and this capability would need to be developed at cost. City staff has been informed by
the UFO staff that if the MPO was named as designated recipient, for the short term, the MPO
would need to look to Fort Collins to actually do the work. This would add a layer of
bureaucracy, likely affecting the efficiency of the process with no value added. The most
efficient and effective solution is to continue using Fort Collins in this capacity directly.
Because the decisions on fund distribution are being made through a separate process, there is no
risk to the other operators.
The FTA has indicated that the recipient designation is to be done by consensus of the affected
agencies. The City of Loveland, by unanimous vote, has elected to support Fort Collins as the
designated recipient. Berthoud and Larimer County have yet to take formal action.
RESOLUTION 2003-018
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
REQUESTING THAT FORT COLLINS BE NAMED THE DESIGNATED RECIPIENT
FOR FEDERAL TRANSrr ADMINISTRATION SECTION 5307
GRANT FUNDING FOR THE FORT COLLINS TRANSPORTATION
MANAGEMENT AREA
WHEREAS, in July 2002 the Federal Highway Administration ("FHWA") and
the Federal Transit Administration ("FTA") formally designated the Fort Collins
Urbanized Area as a Transportation Management Area("TMA"); and
WHEREAS, the boundaries of the TMA include the City of Fort Collins, City of
Loveland, Town of Berthoud, and certain adjacent unincorporated portions of Larimer
County; and
WHEREAS, the FTA allocates Section 5307 capital and operating transit
assistance to urban areas according to a formula based on population, population density,
and transit operating data, with such funds to be expended for transit service within the
TMA; and
WHEREAS, the Fort Collins TMA Section 5307 Funds will be divided among
• Fort Collins, Loveland, and Berthoud according to a mutual agreement among the three
entities; and
WHEREAS, Federal regulations require that a local agency be named as the
Designated Recipient, prior to the FTA funds being granted, for the purpose of
processing the FTA funding; and
WHEREAS, the City of Fort Collins has functioned as the Designated Recipient
for FTA funds intended for Fort Collins prior to the creation of the Fort Collins TMA and
possesses the knowledge, processes, and expertise to perform the Designated Recipient
function for the TMA; and
WHEREAS, identifying the Designated Recipient of the Fort Collins TMA
requires the concurrence of the agencies within the boundaries of the TMA; and
WHEREAS, to date, the City Council of the City of Loveland has formally
endorsed Fort Collins as the Designated Recipient for the TMA and the other entities
comprising the TMA have yet to take a position with regard to the Designated Recipient.
NOW THEREFORE, BE rr RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF FORT COLLINS that the City Council hereby requests that the City of Fort Collins
be named as the Designated Recipient for the Fort Collins TMA.
•
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council help this 18th day of
February, A.D. 2003.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk