HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 08/20/2002 - RESOLUTION 2002-081 ADOPTING A STRATEGY FOR LONG T AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 36
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL DATE: August 20, 2002STAFF:
John F. Fischbach
SUBJECT:
Resolution 2002-081 Adopting a Strategy for Long Term Transportation Capital Funding for the
City of Fort Collins.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Transportation Funding Committee and staff recommend adoption of the Resolution.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On June 11, City Council and staff met in Study Session to discuss the Transportation Funding
Committee's proposal for a long-term funding strategy for transportation capital needs. Overall,the
Council supported the Committee's proposal to pursue a 20 year, .25 cent Sales and Use Tax, a l%
Construction Excise Tax,and an annual General Fund reallocation of$2,300,000 for transportation
capital. The General Fund reallocation includes approximately $1,300,000 from a proposed
Transportation Maintenance Fee(TMF)and$1,000,000 from other General Fund sources. The two
tax measures will require voter approval, while the General Fund reallocation commitment,
including the TMF proposal, can be accomplished by Council action. Together the four elements
of the long-term capital funding strategy will provide an additional $10.3 million per year for the
City's capital needs.
To select specific projects that will be funded through the funding strategy, the committee has
proposed that the City Council adopt a Transportation Capital Improvement plan every four'years,
based upon the Transportation Master Plan and the community's evolving needs. The proposal also
specifically names four initial high priority projects, which are:
• The widening and improvement of Timberline Road from Drake Road to Prospect
Road.
• The improvement and extension of the Mason Street Transportation Corridor.
• An overpass or underpass and other improvements to Lemay Avenue near the
intersection of Vine Drive.
• Other intersection improvements throughout the City.
DATE: August 2u, 2OU2 2 ITEM NUMBER: 3
Other Strategies:
In addition to the Transportation Funding Committee's four-pronged approach to allocating new
resources the Transportation Capital needs, the Council has made several other commitments that
help to recognize the critical importance of the community's transportation system. The attached
resolution reaffirms those commitments,and provides a summary of the Council's overall strategy
for providing needed resources to the Transportation Master Plan. Other strategies include:
Street Oversizing: Discussions on the transportation capital matter have highlighted the role of
impact fees and developers'contributions in the total transportation infrastructure funding package.
Every two years the Council updates the Street Oversizing Fee structure to reflect current projections
of construction costs. On June 11, 2002 Council and staff discussed in Study Session potential
adjustments to the fee for construction costs, and also expanding the fee to address the costs of
extraordinary infrastructure items such as bridges and culverts. An ordinance making these
adjustments is scheduled for Council consideration in Fall 2002. In the future,the City Council also
will undertake a longer-range examination of the fee structure related to the impacts of growth on
the existing street infrastructure.
Street Maintenance: The need to maintain the City's transportation infrastructure has been a
constant theme in the transportation funding discussion. Recognizing transportation n as an ongoing
primary service,in the past the Council has indicated its intention to present to the voters the option
to extend the Building Community Choices(BCC) .25%Sales and Use Tax for Street Maintenance
before it expires at the end of 2005.
General Fund Resources to Specific Projects: In recent years the City Council has approved the use
of General Fund reserves for high priority transportation improvements. In prior years the Council
approved$5,000,000 in existing General Fund reserves to fund the Advanced Traffic Management
System (Traffic Signals). This project is well underway with some improvement to signal
coordination already realized.
At its March 19, 2002 regular meeting, the Council approved $750,000 for preconstruction work
(design and right-of-way phases)for the improvement of Harmony Road from College Avenue west
to Seneca Street. The project will be ready for construction in late 2003. The total project cost is
estimated at$7,500,000,of which approximately$3,300,000 has been collected from development
fees. The Council Subcommittee proposal is to fund the remaining $2,986,220 needed for
construction from General Fund reserves.
Summary:
The Resolution on transportation capital funding strategy assembles the proposed direction on new
long term transportation capital funding, updated and expanded Street Oversizing Fees, and on-
going street maintenance into a comprehensive statement of the Council's intention for funding the
development and maintenance of the city's transportation system. The strategy is intended to
provide a framework for funding decisions for both near and long-term capital needs.
RESOLUTION 2002-081
• OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
ADOPTING A STRATEGY FOR LONG-TERM
TRANSPORTATION CAPITAL FUNDING FOR THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
WHEREAS,the City Council of Fort Collins continues to work toward the development and
maintenance of an effective transportation system providing mobility for people and goods as an
essential and primary City function; and
WHEREAS, on September 16, 1997 the City Council adopted the City of Fort Collins
Transportation Master Plan which describes the direction for development of the City's
transportation system; and
WHEREAS,the City's Transportation Master Plan identifies approximately $1.3 billion in
projected long term capital improvement needs; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to institute a strategy for securing funds to implement
the highest priority transportation capital needs; and
WHEREAS, the City Council believes that a long term transportation capital funding
strategy should involve multiple sources of funds including taxes and fees; and
. WHEREAS, the imposition of new taxes requires voter approval under Article X, Section
20 of the Colorado Constitution.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Fort Collins,
Colorado, as follows:
Section 1. That the City of Fort Collins shall pursue a Long Tetra Transportation Capital
Funding package which includes the following elements:
1. A new twenty-year .25 cent saes and use tax dedicated to transportation capital,
exempting groceries and prescription drugs, to be presented to the voters at the
Special Election to be held in conjunction with the Larimer County General Election
on November 5, 2002.
2. A new twenty-year 1.00%construction excise tax dedicated to transportation capital,
exempting affordable housing,to be presented to the voters to be held in conjunction
with the Larimer County General Election on November 5, 2002.
3. A monthly Transportation Maintenance Fee based on trip generation factors,with the
General Fund monies that are supplanted by these fee revenues to be used for
transportation capital projects.
4. An annual General Fund allocation of$1,000,000 above current ongoing allocations
with the additional revenue to be used for transportation capital projects.
Section 2. That a Transportation Capital Improvement Plan designating the
improvements to be implemented shall be adopted by the Council at least every four years, with the
first projects so designated to include:
• The widening and improvement of Timberline Road from Drake Road to Prospect
Road; and
• An overpass or underpass and other improvements to L.emay Avenue near the
intersection of Vine Drive; and
• The improvement and extension of the Mason Street Transportation Corridor; and
• Other intersection improvements throughout the City.
Section 3. That the City Council shall seek voter approval of a permanent extension of
the existing Building Community Choices .25% sales and use tax that is dedicated to street
maintenance, prior to its expiration in 2005.
Section4. That the improvement of Harmony Road from College Avenue west to Seneca
Street shall be accomplished as the City's highest street project priority using existing City General
Fund reserves, and that the improvement of the City traffic signal system shall continue to be
implemented through the use of appropriate City General Fund reserves.
Sections. That the current Street Oversizing fees for new development shall be adjusted
to account for current construction costs plus inclusion of the costs of extraordinary infrastructure
such as bridges and culverts, and that City staff shall undertake a longer range examination of the
fee structure related to the impacts of growth on the existing street infrastructure.
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held this 20th day of August,
A.D. 2002.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk