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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 06/05/2012 - RESOLUTION 2012-040 NAMING THE MAX BUS RAPID TRANSDATE: June 5, 2012 STAFF: Mark Jackson, Kurt Ravenschlag, Claire Thomas AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 20 SUBJECT Resolution 2012-040 Naming the MAX Bus Rapid Transit Station located near Bay Farm, Natural Resources Research Center, Whole Foods and Mason Trail. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY MAX Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will serve two Transfort transit centers and twelve MAX BRT stations. MAX stations are named according to cross-street location. This methodology is based on best practices in transit operations as well as emergency response location identification. The station located near the Bay Farm/Natural Resources Research Center/Whole Foods/Mason Trail area is unique in that it is not directly related to a cross-street. In order to have a strong identity that is easy to remember and reflects the general vicinity of the station, staff recommends Spring Creek Station as the preferred option, per the City’s Administrative Naming Policy 2.6 (geographic location). BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION MAX Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will serve two Transfort transit centers, the Downtown Transit Center (already in operation) and the South Transit Center (operational in 2014). These transit centers serve as the MAX BRT line’s northernmost and southernmost end points. Twelve MAX BRT stations will be located along the route between the transit centers. Stations are named according to cross-street location. This methodology is based on best practices in transit operations as well as emergency response location identification. The City of Fort Collins MAX design team and area emergency service providers have agreed that cross-street station nomenclature is the most effective identification system. According to this nomenclature, moving north to south, MAX stations are named: • Mountain • Olive • Mulberry • Laurel • University • Prospect • To be Determined - BAY FARM/NRRC (Natural Resources Research Center) •Drake • Swallow • Horsetooth • Troutman • Harmony Bay Farm/NRRC Station: Special Circumstance: The Bay Farm/NRRC station is treated differently from other stations because its location is not directly related to a cross-street. There are several possibilities for names that have been discussed by the MAX project team, but since none of them follow the established nomenclature, City leaders requested that the project team work with area stakeholders, collect their input and narrow the choices to two potential station names. A final name would be decided at a future City Council meeting. The request for stakeholder input on the MAX name and ultimate decision making by City Council was given in September 2011, before the new naming of City facilities process was adopted in November 2011 (See Section 23-141 and 23-142 of the City Code). A stakeholder input process was held in late March. Two names were created for City Council to choose from as a result of citizen feedback: Spring Creek Station and Midtown Bridge Station. Staff recommends the name Spring Creek Station. June 5, 2012 -2- ITEM 20 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS The station name should reflect the area’s geography and overall use of the station in order for transit industry- standard way finding. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution with the name of Spring Creek Station. Per the City’s Administrative Naming Policy 2.6, the preferred name reflects the geographic location and history, and was developed through a stakeholder input process. PUBLIC OUTREACH A meeting to engage stakeholders and determine the best name for the Bay Farm/NRRC station was held on Thursday, March 29, 2012 at the Senior Center from 3-5 p.m. Stakeholders included Mason Street businesses, property owners, members of the Downtown Development Authority, Downtown Business Association, Colorado State University staff, City Works alumni, UniverCity Connections, and employees from the NRRC. Forty people participated, along with ten staff members. Participants were divided into small groups to brainstorm names. Almost 60 names were generated during the first round of brainstorming. Each participant was then given five stickers to put next to their preferred station name. This multi-voting exercise resulted in five names rising to the top. Participants then went back to their small groups to select their top three names from the five presented. Small groups reported out and the tally resulted in two top choices: • Spring Creek Station Participants stated that Spring Creek is a well-known and lasting landmark that is near this station location. They liked the historic aspect of tying the name to a feature that has both history and recognition. • Mid-town Bridge Station Participants stated that the overpass/bridge that will be built at this location will truly be a landmark and a distinctive feature easily recognized. They also felt that the obvious name for the bridge would be “Mid-town Bridge” which would then easily lead into the “Mid-town Bridge Station” name. ATTACHMENTS 1. Map of MAX Bus Rapid Transit Route ATTACHMENT 1 RESOLUTION 2012-040 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS NAMING THE MAX BUS RAPID TRANSIT STATION LOCATED NEAR BAY FARM, NATURAL RESOURCES RESEARCH CENTER, WHOLE FOODS AND MASON TRAIL WHEREAS, within the coming weeks, the City will commence construction of the MAX BRT project, a five-mile long, primarily fixed guideway, located approximately one block to the west of College Avenue, which will include numerous park-n-ride lots, BRT stations, curbside stops and transit centers on each end; and WHEREAS, the BRT will serve two Transfort transit centers, one at each end of the system, as well as twelve stations that will be located along the route between the transit centers; WHEREAS, the methodology generally used for naming of stations, based upon best practices in transit operations as well as emergency response location identification, is to name the stations based upon cross-street locations or other important geographic site locations; and WHEREAS, all of the MAX BRT transit stations will be located at easily identifiable cross- streets except for the Bay Farm/Natural Resources Research Center/Whole Foods/Mason Trail, and a different kind of name must be selected for that station; and WHEREAS, on November 1, 2011, the City Council adopted Ordinance No.134, 2011 amending Chapter 23 of the City Code to establish a procedure for the naming of City-owned and City-operated property and facilities; and WHEREAS, under Section 23-141 and 23-142 of the Code, the City Council is responsible for the naming of such properties or facilities if the name selected is that of a particular person or entity, while the City Manager is authorized to select and approve other names according to administratively established rules and procedures; and WHEREAS, the administrative rules and procedures established by the City Manager under Section 23-142 authorize the City Manager to solicit input from the City Council, the public, and City boards and commissions, as the City Managers deems appropriate and advisable; and WHEREAS, following public outreach and based upon staff recommendation, the City Council has determined that the most appropriate name for the MAX BRT station located near the Bay Farm/Natural Resources Research Center/Whole Foods/Mason Trail is the name “Spring Creek Station”; and WHEREAS, because of the importance of the BRT project to the community and the prominent role that this facility will play in the operation of the BRT, and because of the interest that the City Council has expressed in the naming of the facility, the City Manager wishes to ensure that the name that he has identified is acceptable to the City Council; and WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that the name “Spring Creek Station” should be adopted for that location. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the name of the transit station located near the Bay Farm/Natural Resources Research Center/Whole Foods/Mason Trail shall be “Spring Creek Station”. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 5th day of June, A.D. 2012. Mayor ATTEST: Interim City Clerk