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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 01/06/2015 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 001, 2015, APPROPRIAgenda Item 6 Item # 6 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY January 6, 2015 City Council STAFF Nancy Nichols, Safe Routes to School Coordinator SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 001, 2015, Appropriating Unanticipated Grant Revenue into the Transportation Services Fund for the Safe Routes to School Program. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to request appropriation of unbudgeted funds received through a grant for the Safe Routes to School program. The City of Fort Collins FC Moves Department has received a $15,000 grant through the Sensible Transportation and Bicycle Advocacy initiative at New Belgium Brewery for the 2015 Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program. This funding will allow the City’s SRTS program (administered and staffed by FC Moves) to purchase strategic SRTS equipment for Fort Collins youth. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The City of Fort Collins FC Moves staff develops and administers the local SRTS program. The success of the program is based on collaborations with local partners including Poudre School District (PSD), Thompson School District, Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Coalition, Healthier Communities Coalition, Safe Kids Larimer County, Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County, Bike Fort Collins, various City departments (Traffic Operations, Police, Engineering, Streets), local businesses, individual schools and parents. Both the 2008 Bicycle Plan and the 2011 Bicycle Safety Education Plan (BSEP) call for the City and community partners to provide bicycle education for children. A major goal of the overall SRTS program is to double the number of children who safely bike and walk to school - from an average of 20% to 25% of local schoolchildren currently to 50% in 2015 and beyond. Per the grant scope of work, the Fort Collins SRTS program will use the $15,000 grant funding to acquire the following new equipment for use at K-12 schools:  Bicycle Workstations - Ten bike-repair stations (tools, workstand, pump) will be purchased by the SRTS program for stationing at schools with active bike programs.  Ride Leader Bags - Twenty-five new SRTS ride leader bags will be assembled for carrying along on educational rides with K-12 students.  Cargo Trailer and Tagalong - A new cargo trailer will be acquired for use in transporting SRTS equipment by bicycle, along with a tagalong that schools may borrow to accommodate children unable to bike on their own.  Air Compressor - A new portable air compressor will be acquired for inflating bike tires in conjunction with SRTS programming at schools. Agenda Item 6 Item # 6 Page 2 This project directly supports City Plan and the City’s Transportation Master Plan: City Plan: Policy SW 2.3 - Support Active Transportation Support means of physically active transportation (e.g., bicycling, walking, wheelchairs, etc.) by continuing bike and pedestrian safety education and encouragement programs, providing law enforcement, and maintaining bike lanes, sidewalks, trails, lighting, and facilities for easy and safe use, as outlined in the Pedestrian Plan and Bicycle Plan. Transportation Master Plan: Policy T 8.1 - Support Active Transportation Support physically active transportation (e.g., bicycling, walking, wheelchairs, etc.) by continuing bike and pedestrian safety education and encouragement programs, providing law enforcement, and maintaining bike lanes, sidewalks, trails, lighting, and facilities for easy and safe use. FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS This is the latest of several grants received by the City’s Safe Routes to School program since 2007, totaling $729,983. New Belgium is providing the full $15,000, with no matching funds required. The City can begin utilizing the funds immediately upon City Council’s approval of this appropriation. Many governmental and nonprofit research organizations are beginning to quantify the economic benefits of active transportation. Economic savings are a clear result when people shift away from motor vehicle use, particularly for short trips, and opt instead to walk or bike. These savings are realized by both individual families as well as the larger community. Choosing to walk or bike translates to personal savings for families through fewer car trips and reduced costs for vehicle maintenance and fuel. For the larger community, reduced automobile emissions combined with a more physically active populace translates to lower health-care costs by reducing the incidence of disease associated with physical inactivity and air pollution. Shifts to active transportation modes also impact the community’s economy through less wear and tear on roadways (reducing road maintenance expenditures) and higher home values in areas with less traffic congestion and air pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL/HEALTH IMPACTS Public-health and environmental agencies are recognizing the connection between active transportation choices and improved health of both people and the environment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Although motor vehicle emissions have decreased significantly over the past three decades, air pollution from motor vehicles continues to contribute to the degradation of our environment and adverse respiratory and cardiovascular health effects.” The CDC specifically mentions Safe Routes to School as a means of ameliorating the negative impacts of motor vehicle emissions and chronic diseases stemming from physical inactivity among children. BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION The Transportation Board and its Bicycle Advisory Committee receive periodic updates from the SRTS program. Both groups have shown strong support for the program’s goals as well as for grant funding to support the program. PUBLIC OUTREACH SRTS public outreach occurs on an ongoing basis through presentations to school PTOs/PTAs, school wellness teams and community groups. Public outreach is also accomplished through an SRTS annual report and other information posted on the SRTS website, fcgov.com/saferoutes. - 1 - ORDINANCE NO. 001, 2015 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING UNANTICIPATED GRANT REVENUE INTO THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FUND FOR THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM WHEREAS, the Safe Routes to School Program established by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is designed to promote the safety of students traveling to and from school and to encourage more students to choose walking or bicycling to and from school; and WHEREAS, the City’s FC Moves Division has received a $15,000 grant through the Sensible Transportation and Bicycle Advocacy initiative at New Belgium Brewery (the “Grant”) for the 2015 Safe Routes To School (SRTS) Program; and WHEREAS, the Grant will be used to purchase new bicycle equipment for K-12 schools; and WHEREAS, the Grant does not require the City to provide local matching funds; and WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9, of the City Charter permits the City Council to make supplemental appropriations by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year, provided that the total amount of such supplemental appropriations, in combination with all previous appropriations for that fiscal year, does not exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be received during the fiscal year; and WHEREAS, City staff has determined that the appropriation of the Grant funds will not cause the total amount appropriated in the Transportation Services Fund - FY 2015 Safe Routes to School program to exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be received during the fiscal year. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that there is hereby appropriated for expenditure from unanticipated grant revenue in the Transportation Services Fund the sum of FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($15,000) for the Safe Routes to School Program. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 6th day of January, A.D. 2015, and to be presented for final passage on the 20th day of January, A.D. 2015. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk - 2 - Passed and adopted on final reading on the 20th day of January, A.D. 2015. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk