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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976-01-22 City Council Summary MinutesC!TY COUNCIL MINUT€S SPECIAL JOINT MEETING January 22, 1976 The City Council of the City of Palo Alto and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, sitting as the Transit Board, met on this date at 7:30 p.m. in a Special Joint Meeting with Mayor Norton presiding. City Council members r-eseut: Bears. B rwald, Carey, Clay Comstock, Eyerly, Norton, Sher, Witherspoon City Council members absent: None Supervisors present: D.,^riuic Cortege, Chairman, Sig Sanchez, Geraldine Steinberg, Rodney Dir idor Supervisor$ absent: Dan McCorquodale Mayor Norton announced that the Special Joint Meeting was called to discuss the issue of the one-half cent sales tax for transit purposes which will appear before the voters on March 2, 1976. Mayor Norton welcomed the members of the Board of Supervisors of Santa Clara County, who would be sitting as the Transit Board thin evening. He `hen introduced the members of the City Council, noting that Councilman Sher is the City representative to the Santa Clara County Transportation Commission. He noted that the Counties of Contra Cote, Alameda and San Francisco hove been paying a one-half cent sales tax for transportation for some time and that some persons have inferred that Santa Clara County has not been paying its share. Re thought they ought to look carefully at their responsibilities in this area as it thus far hasn't been addressed adequately. The Council's immediate concern waa the impact of the reasure on Palo Alto and whether the City is being treated fairly in the county --wide perspective. Mayor Norton invited Councilman Sher to 'sake same introductory r rks. Councilman Sher ;joined Mayor Norton in welcoming the Supervisors. He thought it was extremely important to explain to the citizens of Palo Alto and the rest of the cities in the County exactly what the ogre -half cent sales tax would buy and the extent that it would meet the transportation needs in the cities. It was a bit unfortunate that these public sessions were not held before the one-half cent sales tax program and the proposed buss deployment pumas were adopted. He noted that the Transit Board made a commitment that right up to the implementation date, changes could be made in the plan. on the assumption that this vas still true, be hoped that the Council could look at the plan and see what changes needed to be made. They had before them a very ian4oraaative report from the County dated babes 6, 1975, with tables and charts, as well as a number of staff reports. He referred to the chart attached to the County report of November 6, entitled "Apportionment of Peak Hour Service By Jurisdiction." He noted that Palo Alto's peak hour service would be 62 of the besets. lle population figure for Palo Alto, including Barron Park end Stanford, is more like seven percent of the County population. The daytime population in this area is much larger because of the large influx of 595 1/22/76 Corrected people who work in Palo Alto and live elsewhere. He noted that all See pg. 772 of the figures show a very high transit propensity for Palo Alto and made a very good statement for a healthy allocation of buses. In spite of that, only 6% of the buses are allocated to Palo Alto. The PAMTRANS report, which the Council received, called for a grid system as opposed to the County'e radial system, and would require 34 buses at peak hours to implement the recommendations. Mayor Norton thanked Councilman Sher and asked Chairman Cortese if he would like to comment et this time. Chairman Cortese staated that he appreciated the interest Councilman Sher had shown and the input he had provided the Transit -Commission over the past several months. He introduced the members of the County staff present; Janes Pott, Director, Santa Clara County Transportation Agency, and Lou Morztini, Deputy Director, Santa Clara County Transpor- tation Agency. Supervisor Steinberg stated that memhers of the Council were given a staff report dated January 15, 1976, which implied that Palo Alto is not getting its fair share of the County allocation. She had spoken with the County staff and the City staff to try to understand how the County's figures differed from the figures shown is the City staff report. At each Councilmember'e place was a County chart chewing peak period service for Palo Alto and the number of buses per hour under the existing systems in relationship to the proposed system. The County figures do not match she City's. After review, it as found that the City's calculations were based on a set of figures that were different from the County's. The City's figures cage from the PAMTRANS report for the Palo Alto -Menlo Park area, not just the buses running in the incorporated area of Palo Alto right now. So the staff report which says that Palo Alto service will go from about 9.5% now to 62 in the future is contrary to the County figures. Supervisor Steinberg thought this was important beceese It changes the statistics drastically. Mayor Norton thanked Mrs. Steinberg and introduced the city staff mmmbera : Raphtali Knox, Director of Planning and Community !nvironment, and Ted Woguchi, Director of Transportation. Mayor Norton noted the procedure he would follow. He asked that if anyone in the audience wished to Address the Council, he/she should fill out a card and give it to the City Clerk, who La turn will :give it to him. He asked that remarks be limited to three minutes, a maximum of five. He then invited Mr. Pott and Mr. l o itiai to present the County's report. Mt. 3riontini noted there were handouts available in the back of the Chambers, which had already been distributed to the City Council members. There were two major repasts; one is "The Proposed 1/2 Cent Sales Tex Programs" which describes the revenues the District expects to receive over the next five years in total revenue, including the revenues from a successful ha►l1-cent sales tax election. The report also describes where those revenues are proposed to be spent. The other report describes the deployment of the 516 buses. Insofar as the five-year tray ait program is concerned, what is being proposed is a program of some $318 million, over the next five years, in total revenue, including all sources of anticipated funds. Ons third of the total revenue would go for the existing operation and maintenance of the present 236 vehicle County bus system. Mother third would go for the expansion, maintenance and operation to the 516 bus fleet level, and the other third is allocated for sight rail transit. Insofar as th41 revenues from the one-half cent sales tan are conc.rne d, some U9 million is anticipated over the newt five years. Of that $89 million about 85Z is earmarked for continuation and expension of the bus system. The remaining $13 million in one-half cent muss is allocated for light rani. The large federal matching of 876.6 million is s sweat if light rail is to proceed es programmed. 596 1/22/76 So the basic five-year grogram is 8318 million, two thirds for the bus system and one third for light rail. If the one-half cent sales tax does not pass, the alternative is cessation of the existing bus operation in Santa Clara County because of the inability to attract state and federal monies hick are the major source of revenues for the existing system. The other County report describes in somewhat greater detr+.1 how the five-year bus system was developed. Councilman Sher represented the City's interest in that development. An initial application was sub- nitted to the Federal Government for the 300 bus increment with the full recognition that the Federal Goverment would not act until they were assured th.t the Santa Cleat County Transit District had a source of local matching, i.e,, the one-half cent sales tax. As a part of that application, a system map was submitted which indicated coverage of routes throughout the County. That same: map was sent to each of the fifteen cities in the County, and each City was asked to indicate its desire insofar as bus service was concerned. Input was received from all the cities and, without exception, every city indicated that it would like to have even more bus service than was possible with a 516 bus system. So there were series of discussions between staffs of the various cities and the County to attempt to develop a system that as closely as possible took into acccunt the desires of the cities. In no way could the County completely satisfy everyone. The end result is the system shown in the report and approved by the Commission and the Board with the iiportanc provision that those routes mould be subject to review and modification on a continual basis up to and 'including the time the system is actually implemented; and even after implementation, the entire system would be subject to review, evaluation and modification If appropriate. The Commission and the Board have adopted a procedure for handling modifications. In designing the system, the County staff had two very major concerns. One, the County staff was very much aware of the problem of the displaced rider, so the system maximises the maintenance of existing routes. Considerable patronage has built up since the inception of the District. It started off is January 1973 with 12,000 paaasevgers. The present system is carrying some 40,000 passengers a day. Another concern was the identification of key transfer centers, major activity centers for the most part, where several routes come together and where transfers can be easily accommodated. A number of those have been: identified and listed in the report. The County hopes to work with the cities involved to obtain some kind of preferential treatment for the buses as they enter and leave the transfer centers so that the rest of the routes are not penalised by going in and out of the major activity centers. The report also included several charts comparing the existing 236 bus wysteea and the proposed 516 system. The impact on the City of Palo Alto of the bus service was shown in the special one piece handout received by the Council and the public, also illustrated by a wall chart. Another map showed proposed express routes and limited stop routes that the District is planning to operate as part of the expanded service. It also indicated ems proposed aid -day routes. Nsyor Norton invited Supervisor Diridon to speak at this time as he had another commitment and had to leave :shortly. Supervisor Diridon commented that the Council would get the specifics from the staff right down to the crossed "t" and dotted "i", but is general terms, he thought tiro whole process and the election boils down to survival. Right now all the transportation systems carry 3.5 million trips per day sad prior to the year 1990 those arse systems are going to be required to carry over six million trips, an additional 2.5 million. The State government, which is the source of the County's roadowy funds, iodi.cates that there are no ,sore roadway fonds. The County is trying every usy it knows bow to gat them but they have been told by the State that there are very limited roadway finds. This means the County it going to have to find a machanimm some how to carry that additional 2.5 ,million trips or the quality of life is term* of both economic activities 5!7 1/22/76 and environment is going to very significantly deteriorate. The County hes an opportunity, with this tax, to provide a system that can pick up ► about a million of'thoso additional tripe. There isn't a better way to do this than to get started. It takes about five years to develop even the system they are talking about now --getting those 300 buses on the road and running, getting that light rail program started and running. There ie no bettor may to start than by supporting the tax election, Rs hoped in the process of five and take tonight, and the earlier process between the staffs, that soMs of the details the Council yes concerned about had been worked out. la noted that Councilmen Sher had told the Council that the Transportation Commission veil interested in 'Porkies out some of the additional details, and certainly the Transit District is. But the overall concern is survival!. This' election must be successful. lie urged the Council to offer its support; and than the details about which the Council is concerned can be worked out later. 8e thought some of the points could be covered tonight. As far as the campaign is concerned, he knew no one wanted to get very political tonight, but it is off and running and at this stage there is no organised opposition; every organisation the Supervisors have talked to has endorsed it. Th*t includes cities, central labor council, chambers of commerce, industrialists, the Sierra Club, and so on. The City of Palo Alto's support is needed, too. Mayor Norton thanked Supervisor Diridon for coming and eeid he rids sorry that he had to leave 'early. He then asked Mr. Montini to continue with his presentation. Mr. Montini noted that the Dietrict is proposing to continue its bus pool and van program. The existing service in Palo Alto consists of seven routes: 21, 22, 23, 24, .50, 86 and 88. Under the proposed system, portions of three additional routes would be added: Routes 100 and 101 cow to the area of the Phllco Ford facility. Route 102 is a cross town route that rune Along Embartadero, Greer, Colorado and Page Mill. The increase in the number of routes is from seven to ten; route miles go iron 64 under the present system to 90 in the proposed system. The bus peak house go from the present 10.7 to the proposed 22.2. The coverage, which is the area within one -quarter mile walking distance of the route, is about 762 of the urban area. Under the proposed system, that coverage figure goes up to 84%. What that map does not show is the increase in service as represented by adore frequent busses or decreased headways. Councilman Sher said he thought it would be very helpful if someone stood up at the wall maps with a pointer and shoved the seven routes that presently exist and those that will continue to exist, what headway presently is on these routes, what the headway will be under the proposed system and finally that the new routes are. Be noted that Mr. Montini mid the masher of routes was going from seven to ten, however, two of those, routes 101 and 102, were only eosins into email sections of the City. A comparison of the headueys would really show how t proved the service mould be. Mk. Moaatiai said that under the existing system, routes 21 and 22 run along El Camino !teal; also routes 23 and 24, which start along Foothill ►ressway and these splits of therm runs past the Philco Ford facility and then along Middlefield. Route 24 runs basically along Foothill and up through the Stanford Industrial Park, Oregon -Page Mill, and tie do®aatown Palo Alto. Route 50 is the existing route that sages the Fast Palo Alto area and then comes down through town end ends up to tha Stafford area. Councilman Sher asked Mk. Montini if it verve not taus that the part of route 50 which is in Seat Palo Alto to not counted, as ha understood it, In the 10.7 Wade in the Count chart. In other words, if that route were iscleded, there mould be more buss at peak hours. Mr. Montini said the t lss correct. Re continued that route 86 is me of the routes 598 1/22/76 that was restored. It sakes a big one --guy loop through the south residential area and then goes downtown. Route 88 is the other route that we* restored. It runs through the Industrial Park and the downtown area of Palo Alto. All of those existing seven route: operate on a 30 einute headvey. In response to Councilman Sher, Mr. Mini said that the PAMTRANS report describes a level of service that would take 34 buses. Those 34 buses include service outside of the County -- not only the Rest Palo Alto route 50, but also service along Junipero Store boulevard. It is not really clear from the report what other area outside of there corporate limits of tbs City are included in the calculation. Mr. Mbntini called attention to the propcsed mid -day route shown both in a handout and en a well asap. That route covers one half of the southern loop shorn in the PAXTRANS report. The route runs along California, Ross, Loma Verde, Areas Los Robles mind Araatradero to the Veterans Hospital. Councilman Sher asked if it you'd be fair to say in summary that the improvement under the proposed expanded fleet rind baeeically increase headway*, during the peak hours on the north -south routes, and the addition of the nee route 102 fro Los Altos Sills to the Raylande would in part duplicate another route along Page Mill -Oregon. Ht. Pott replied that vacs correct except for the addition of proposed express routes. Twee of the express routes begin in the Cambrian or South San Jose area and then go on the freeways and up unto the Industrial. Park area. Another express route begins in the Westgate; area, running on the freeway, then gh the Industrial Park, and finally to Stanford University. The 10.7 busea which operate at peak hours in Palo Alto include the routes to Stan€ord University end Barron Park, but do not include the East Palo Alta route and the continuation of the El Camino Line to the Menlo Perk Southern Pacific station. Really the difference in the service between the exieeting syate m and tha proposed system is that there ire currently 10.7 buses per peak hour, and under the proposed system there would be 22.2 bases per peak hour. Councilmen Sher said it vas his understanding that the present system currently includes bust* that run into San Macao County on a contract basis 'with San Mateo County. He sued that the buses in that area will continue so long as San Mimeo County continues to pay the bill. He asked if the transfer canters would be in Palo Alto and wheat they would look like. Mr. Mentiai replied that the transfer craters mare identified on Page 2 of the County report. The one for Palo Alto is the S.F. station. Tbere wee no prototype as to what they would look like; each would be different. Councilmen Sher noted that the table included with the December 2 report shows4 that a larger portion of the sales tax revenue would be required to continue the existing obligations of the 516 bus fleet. He took that to mesas that there vas no anticipation that there will be any additional buses in the second five-year period. Mr. Pott respomded that eras entirely correct. The progress was to insure that whatever vas acquired in the first five years could be aael,ntained and operated at least for they second five years with no increase in fends. If there is to be en expansion of the bus system or more miles of the light tail system, there would have to be funds from some other source than is identified in the plan. Councilman Sher noted that the buses operated in the first five years are going to have to roman throuh the tem-year perms so they bed better be sure that operating figures and revenue seeds for the first five years of bus service are updated. Mr. Pott said that transit ftuancing was oeaa of the "aqu<irrelieest" financing goners around. It is very difficult to predict from year to year wheat the incomes that are not locally gemerated viii he, much lei mere then five years hence. The County staff hes aid that the formate for allocations from the Federal Goverment for trait operation mill continue at the same level. they hove tried to be very casservative Is their estimates, the purpose bed to lemurs that they arse sot buildtm, themselves 3sto a bent im the first five years, aa®d find they hove to corms bad in tbs s .carding furs pears to sok for more money. 5!! 11!2/)6 Supervisor Sanchez noted that there were two measures on the ballot. One was the 1/2 cent sales tax measure and the other measure was the one the Board of Supervisors submitted to the electorate with tegard to the next five-year plan. One reason was that a public transit system can only have a local revenue source for a five-year period and the other reason is that the Federal government and the State government would obviously not look with favor towards local funding with only a five-year life. Measure A, the one-half cent sales tax, once on, would never coete off. Measure B will set up a five-year renewal, a consent vote of the people to advise the Board of Supervisors as to whether to continue the transit program, The 1/2 cent measure is legally committed to transit. So if the five-year plan were approved, presumably the hoard would automatically get the message to spend the one-half cent. Corrected Councilman Beahrs directed a question to the County staff. They have been See pg 772 freeloading on the Federal program for years. Just how close was the bus systems to a deficit operations? There was no discussion of the opera-- tiooal cote which were of great concern to him. Re could see where the state and federal governments would contribute in the first year, but what would happen beyond that? Look at .BART and what the taxpayer there got into. Mr. Pott replied that all cf the material in the one-half cent sales tax paper is based on the five-year transportation iimprovesent program that was approved by the Board last year. It contains an elaborate breakdown of what the money will be spent for. As to the percentage of revenues, the fare box would pay about 10 percent of the total costs, Councilman Beahrs suggested making the ride free for everyone; that would get a lot of people out of their cars. i Supervisor Steinberg pointed out that it was not unusual for public transportation to be subsidized. There are few places where the fare box meets operating expenses. San Francisco end AC Transit receive about 302 of their revenue from fares. Vice Mayor Clay asked if it were correct that no routea were counted by the City's staff that the County did not also count, and he received an affirmative reply. Mr. Pott said he was having difficulty attaching significance to the numbers,. lie thought it vas simsely a difference in the way the score was being kept. Mr. Noguchi said there vas still some confusion about the 1S buses. It appears from the County figures that 7.3 buses must be floating around East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. At Any rate, it was correct to say that the City and County were using different ground rules for keeping score. Mr. Knox pointed out that if the County's figures of 7.3 for Fast Palo Alto and Menlo Park were accepted and added to the County's bus allocation of 22.2 buses in Palo Alto under the'.xp.eded system, then the new figure for the P V S area would be 29.5 or only 5.5 buses array from the 34 needed to make. the PAl TRANS grid system work, Councilman cilmaan Comstock asked what would happen if the people voted "yes" on tht money (Measure A) and "no" on the plan eaasu re ZS)? Supervisor Sanchez said that would happen only if the voters didn't understand it. Councilman Comstock said he was concerned that the level of service the County vas projecting for the first five years for Palo Alto is inadequate. He -was not ready to support the rail transit portion either. He mould prefer to see, and he added he was just speaking for half, the one-helf cent sales tax money they were planning to spend on rail tra sf t be spent on something else. Supervisor Sanchez said that a light rail feaasfbii ty study was to progress at the present time. Mx. Miontini stated that a number of other transit studies have been authorised by state legislation. The study currently underway for Santa C trra qty will investigate the feasibility of light rail es rosin as alterswttives. It will be completed in Wit. Pending the results of the study, the Doard and the Commission vi.11 be asked to make a decision as to whether or not to go= :- 660 1/22/76 ahead with light rail. To that and, the Board has committed to reserving $13 million of the 1/2 cent sales tax revenue, either for pursuit of light rail should it be feasible, or if it is not feasible, the Board has indicated a commitment to set that money aside and take a look at all forms of rail transportation in Santa Clara County. Councilman Berwald asked how soon the County intended to begin building the transfer stations. Mr. Pott replied that the County had neither designed nor done anything else about the transfer centers. They will start on those as soon as the routes are settled and after an election which guarantees the program. Councilman Berwald noted the statement that "existing facilities acre inadequate to operate and administer an expanded bus operation and rail transit." Be asked when construction would start at the Agnew Transportation Center, at the South County Coach Terminal, and at the nev West Valley Coach Terminal. Mr. Pott replied that would cone immediately after the guaranteed source of beading and the submission of the necessary capital grant applications. The County has to have those facilities c"peerational before the busses roll. There is no way to accommodate them otherwise. Councilman Berwald melted when the rail transit activity was to begin. Mr. Pott respcnded that after the feasibility report is received and if the decision is to go ahead, the staff will submit a capital grant application and all of the paperwork attendant thereto. The rest of the schedule is unpredictable, as it is up to the Federal government. Purchase of equipment for the light rail system will be dependent upon federal approval of a major federal transit investment. Councilmen Berwald noted that the County was asking the voters to approve the one- half cent sales tav for the $101 million portion of the project which includes the federal capital grant, the SCA 15 Gas Tax Diversion, the one-half cent sales tax and the Mills-Alquist-Deddeh funds. He asked at what stage in the County plan would the rail transit activity cane. Mr. Pott said they could not predict the schedule at this time. Councilman Berwald said it we pretty :"iffy" when they got beyond the 516 buses. Mr. Pott responded that depending upon the viewpoint, even federal capital grants can be pretty "iffy." 8e advised that the technology for light rail and the bates vas not in any v ay "iffy." Councilman bervald asked whether there were provisions to meet the new regulations for the handicapped. Mr. Pott replied that right now the board has authorised the construction of a wheelchair lift which could be installed in any vehicle operac:ing in the fixed route services, whether it be a light rail vehicle or a rubber tired bus. That pro- totype will be out within sixty to ninety days. It is the County's intention to submit the appropriate federal capital grant for that a7ao. Thus, every vehicle in the County system would be accessible to the self -assisted wheelchair handicapped parson. Corrected See pg 772 Councilman Sher expressed concern about reeding that the County Transit District be given a supporting vote on light rail Awn it was on such an t"iffy" basis. The cost is $101 million; the sales tax would provide $13 million and other grants would provide the balance. There would be a $73 eillion deficit before it even got underway. Nothing has been said or heard about the rights of way or the route design. He would like to know the overall . speed of the system. He would also like to be convinced the.t the technology for light rail is really there and at the cost suggaateed. He would like to sae the rail portion of the system come back for review and placed on the ballot at another election, or the entire proposal 1* reviewed and given to the voters, say, at the November election, He mould prefer the former. Be realised that brought up the problem of matching fends, but there were just too many unanswered questions right now. Supervisor Steinberg stag that as far as tbe Supervisors view the plan, there is nothing "iffy' about it. They dent to present to the voters e 601 1!22/76 very specific plan about how the money is going to be used, They have gone so far as to say that if the feasibility study does not show that light rail is by far the best way to go, then the Board has said it is not going to decide among itself how that money is going to be used. It will be put aside until the Board is ready to present the next five - jeer plan to the voters. As far as the technology is concerned, it le not any "pie in the sky" scheme. This system is working now in different parts of the country and 1e: will be working in San Frencieco this summer. It is not a newefengled, imaginative, experimental system. The Board its the voters to know that. Supervisor Switches stated that there were groups such as the Modern Transit Society and the Sierra Club who felt that even the $1,3 minion being set aside for light rail is inadequate. He though if they went to the voters with a straight bus system, they would lose the election. The $13 million of local funding would really only buy ems.' maintain an additional twenty or thirty buses. So when that is related to the 516 it is really not that much more bus transportation. The top speed of the light rail street car system was sixty miles per hour; the scheduled speed, depending on the spacing of the stops, would range anywhere from the speed of a bus (which is fifteen miles pet hour) to twenty-five to thirty mules per bout including stops. Mayor Norton introduced Councilman Eyerly who had arrived a few minutes earlier. Councilwomen Witherspoon related that her pereon.sl experience with route 50 has been teat it is jammed during the rush bout and is almost full all during the day. She has been hoping for months that the County would see fit to put more buses on that route. Mr. Mentini said the problem there is that route 50 served primaail.y the East Palo Alto area and staff found it very diffiTult to justify additional service outside of the County when there are many cities, in addition to Palo Alto, who have said that their existing bus level of service is not adequate. Councilwomen Witherspoon noted that the bus waa so jammed that a person couldn't gat oeu it in dcwntovu Palc Alto and that a number of Palo Altars ride that bus. She didn't really follow the County's rationale. She asked if there were going to be procedure* for modifying the system plan and if so, how that was going to be dame, Supervisor Steinberg replied that she has been advocating community input from the peeple who ride the busses. The Board lo confident that some of the best directicna will come from the riders, so in addition to the procedure of going through the Transportation Commission and th the Board, there will be a well publicised drive tort suggestions from those who ride the buses. Councilman Sher said hi thought it was clear from the PAMTRANS report aid others that light rail is oot going to be rightfor this part of the County. He was primarily conferred a?ed that Palo Alto's transportation needs are meet. a didn't want to take a posittoon against light rats if there are people oho Wank it is the right way to go in their part of the County. He *greed with whet vas said about tb s total program being a compromise. It will need everyone's vote in order to pass. He suggested focusans on wit was being proposed tor the Forth Canty - tear it was adequate and fair. He would hope, however, that if 1 ight rail doss prove feasible that might mean some basses than would otherwise be allocated to serve that part of the County would become available 1--t use eleemhere. If the study proves light raei.l, is not feasible, and that $13 Lillian is available,, them ultimately that might be used for some other kind of transportation which would help all of -the people. le commented that the people are not really going to have a chance to sake u a package; they are just going to have a look at Est the Transit Sword is propeeing foe the seat f1,e years sod say y ee or no. The'Word viii have the 11ree esy. Supervisor Steinberg said the Hoard hoped that by the oast fire-yseas per' they st11 have amok citizen ptertIcipetion in transit Uses. 6®2 02. 1/22/76 Mayor Norton called on Jobe Beckett, a Palo Alto resident and Chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Mr. Beckett commented on the role that MTC will play. He anticipated that MTC will endorse thine election, and urge that people support the 1/2 cent sales tax. MTC has the role of reviewing all of the applications of the different transit operations In the Bay Area. MTC is a planning agency, a financial al locat ion agency, and to a certain extent a regulation agency in view of the authority it has recently been given to look at the five- and ten+ -yeas plans of the reapective transit districts. The neat application from Simms Clara County, coming in after the election, will be acted on in the spring. There will be public hearings and every opportenity for people to comment. The MTC staff was very con- cerned that the initial review of the December 2 County proposal showed it was not sufficiently ccnservst ive and did not reflect a complete understanding of some of the cost factors► involved in light veil. There Dana a wide discrepancy, eometbing between $130 million and $230 million. That was clarified in an MTC staff memo dated January 15. Mr. Beckett thought the third paragraph of that memo explained it very well in the sense that MTC reconciled the differences so that the cities and the County ere now looking at the same thing. The light rail proposal is truly a minimum proposal for the County. There is admittedly only a email proportion of the money available out of the half -cent sales tax to start light rail. Mayor Norton thanked Mr. Beckett and called upon Councilman Carey. Councilman Carty noted the memorandum dated November 6, 1975, from Mr. Mont ini, and the chart attached to it entitled "Apportionment of Peak :Hour Service by Juriedictioei." the thought the figures given indicated that Palo Alto we not going to get its fair share of improved bus e rv1cee. Mr. Montini replied that they bad tried to be lair and equitable, but there was no uey to satisfy all the wants of all the cities. Mr. Pott noted that there was a conflict as to which factors were Important, and that there was a need to prioritise goals. It was suggested that the City and County staffs meet again. Mayor Dorton called upon Professor James Jucker, Resource Director of PAS. Mr. Jockey confirmed that the PANTIANS report data includes but es that are currently operating in Pai.o Alto, Bast. Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Stanford, so it was undereetaudabls why the data in the County report differed somewhat. If the number of proposed buses in the area will indeed be 29.3, that to very close to the 34 recommended by PANTIAMS. Tbs grid system proposed bore some benefits the County's proposal does sot. Moe to effect the transition between t Is mistime end the ?ANTRA= proposal mss not included in the PAMIAMN report —that wens another problem. There was a major difference in phi.losophy es far se planning was concerned. The Transit Agency eras very cos erred about the displaced rider. Therefore, they taxied to smiataia seating routes sad modify the system so as not to disturb the existing rider. ?AMAIN tried to design a system that scold be most attractive to the citizens of the area, ona which would produce the greatest ridership, end the ability to get from one plaza to mother is the Palo Alto/Menlo Perk area as expediciossly as possible. Commilmem Sher commented on the difference betty : the 14.7 figure for buses peed by the qty and the lb figure presented by the city staff based on the UNMANS report. Since the report covered Menlo Park sod tut Polo Alto, 7.3 of those buses mast be operating during peak hoar* in those two jurisdictions. is noted thaat woe people have raised the question, bow can Palo Alto, Stanford, Same Park only have 10.7 buses ring at peak hours, yet these extensions into Seat Paso Alto end Park have 7.3 busedrianning at the sees time. If Mir. Jucker caan tstl him those figures are correct, be will be sore that Laoso boss. mill still be theses to addition to the 22.1 the County premises mill a tato Pace Alto. Mk. Jacket replied bent he tld like to be able to say the figures * ctsbti be it would be difficult ficult for his to deter- mine the rit sass. Q2 1/22/74 Mr. Ducker referred to the chart on the headways and noted that under the existing system, there is a zero shown for "15 -minute headways." If that is the case, then the County was not including the El Camino Route. Mr. Pott responded that the route was included. Line 23 runs at one-half hour intervals as does line 24, but they are staggered to have the effect of a 15 -minute headway. Councilman Sher said, assuming that 22.2 buses become available in the Stanford. Palo Alto and Barron Patk stead during the peak hours and that the 7.3 buses continue to be availebis in San Mateo County's portion of the study area, they are talking about 29.5 buses. `faking those buses into account, the suggestion has been made that it would be possible to implement the PAMfTAA S grid proposal. What would ba lost because there wouldn't be 3s,: buses at peak hours would be proposed decrease yaws. Assuming the Council can get a commitment from the County that Palo Alto can take those buses and use diatom any way it wants, in order to inplenent the PAMTRANS grid system. would it be possible to put the grid system into effect in a weep that would be effective and attract the riders es PAS suggests? Mr. .tucker thought a 29.5 bus grid system would attract more riders than the County proposed system, There would be sone difficulty about the displaced rider, but in the long run there would be a better bus system. The off- peak period that PAMTRANS has proposed under the grid systems requires 26 buses. Councilman Sher pointed out that Palo Alto is not necessarily going to get 22.2 buses in the off-peak hours; he didn't know what they would get and he hasn't been able to find out. in any event, did Mr. Jucker think it would be possible, by taking the buses allocated in the two areas, to at least implement the grid routes with, in some cases, longer headways the ?MUMS thought desirable. Mr. Jucker replied yes. Vice Mayor Clay asked Mr. Juke: if, assuming the difference in the number of buses was in the method of scuot tang, he was saying that it was very important that that number be 29 and not 22.2 and that it ought to be stated that way. Mt. Ducker replied that for ;AMTRANS' purpose, that makes it easier to look at what the County has proposed. Vice; Mayor Clay asked if the 7.3 buaes which involve San Mateo County could! be counted on; the County otaf f reapondeel they could. as long ea the bill Ms paid. MayorNorte* thanked Mr. Jucker and called upon Mr. Freak Koch, a Vice - President of gyntex acrd a der of the PAMTRANS Board of Advisors represeatiug the business' amity. Mr. Kock said to works in the Stanford Isdsstxial Park and lives in Palo Alto. One of the reason* for the ?ANTRA= study was the mood to look into local transit as it relates to employment. Ste said it did not appear to PASS that seafficl at attaaatioo has been paid to this, factor and that existing public transit doss not meet the needs of those traveling to and from work each day iu this area. Palo Alto to a ssjct employmeat center and provides as substantial member of the Jobe in the County. The County bas system has the potentisl to transport those who live in San Jose, Mountain View, Son yvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, Campbell end so forth to their Jobe in Palo Alto. There is a greater aced for more buses, more frequent sctasdtiiimg and more eff ecaativo ply emeet of bus routes to insure that the seeds of both commuters mad residents will be adequately served. Mk. ;ch costineed that the ?ANTRA= study developed a novel mass bus ruing plan, based on an efficient grid system, to serve Palo Alto, Stanford Univereity, lit Menlo Park and East Palo Alto. Thiel plae would at last double ridership in this area and would be a major step to r4 providimg service that would have the potential of rein imrk related automobiles trips and leek hoer traffic congestion its thin area. Me said that this alone would not be the entire solution. Missy of the major employers in the ayes, including Syntex, have already implemented a system of Ala msrki►sg beers to enable employees to use the moot commenieat seed economical seems of tramaportatimm available to three. 646. 1(22/76 Mr. Koch said that in March the voters of 'iante Clara County will be asked to approve a half -cent increase in the sales tax to improve public transit. It is important that this step be taken and that the additional funds be made available. Ho said that it is clear in locking at the local transit needs that there is a substantial inequity between what is needed and deserved and what Palo Alto is scheduled to receive if the tact initiative passes. He noted that Palo Alto would receive only 62 of the peak hour bus hours which is the County's method of measuring the amount of service allocated. He said there are four factors vhich he believes are critical in determining the equitable allocation of service including residential population, wotkine population, transit dependency and the amount of sales tax collaectioia. Giving equal weight to these four factors indicates that Pals Alto is entitled to 92 of the bus service in the County or 502 more than is proposed for Pelo Alto. Thin allocations is related almost exclusively to residential population giving little weight to the need for Palo Alto to deal with the movement of as working population larger than its residential population. ?tae proposed allocation also fails to tska into account the number of people iu each ccemnaity who are transit dep+eadent. Finally, the proposed allocation dears not consider mere the ray is coming iron to support the County transit system. This oethod of allocating service is arbitrary and inequitable. He noted that the District has maid that about $89.1 million would be raised over a five-year period by s successful election in March and that about $55 million of this would be available for expansion of the bus system. The PAMTRANS report says that $700,000 of additional service is needed from the District to implement the nee bus plan. Palo Alto's 9Z fair share of the $55 million would provide $990,000 annually for five yews. There is no reason, therefore, why the PA'frRA 4S bus plan ce' 1 d not be impleeented and he asked for a commitment to the people of this community that it will be implemented. Mr. Koch said his final remarks ere directed toward the District's decision to allocate $13 million of the estimated $89 million to support possible rail transit operations in the County. This is a decision that could have s substantial effect on Palo Alto. If these funds are committed exclusively to the possibility of ae West Valley light rail transit system, capable of serving only a small portion of the County's residential end working populatiaaes, this community will show little enthusiast for such a decision. Hs *eked that the County's rail sand bus errensiit options he evaluated carefully and extensively so that the cost-effsetivemszs of each potential project_ can be thoroughly evaluated before millions of dollars of tax -collected funds apace committed to any specific plan. Maeyor Norton thanked Mr. Koch end called upon the ors of the a dieacs who requested to @peaks Mr. Jaeck,M. Otto, 3175 his Road; Mr. Steve hy1voie, 415 f ; Mr. Carl A. Smith, 454 Tent ass e; Me. Gerry 275 Vestura; end Terry A. Trumbull, 1011 Lincoln. Each of the speakers urged the mil to support than tax teaser*. Councilman r said there ma a lot of merit In that tlr. Koch proposed. reelised.that the nembers of the board would not be able to commit themselves to S.92, which old be 33.3 basses mot coeeatisg tbs 7.3 that area romping in Kee Mates €may, which would more that ir,rplemint the P . Sae the Trait board ors if they cold make tome cart of committee* to Prlo Alta tit to support any changes in the send hue assigsemmt sod routes In Palo Alto la oar to make it poesible to implement es tech .f the PANTIASS proposal as the City might coeclude use desirabIo. If he could pet she a cammitmsat, be mould pat the qteettom of formal support of the tie samaasa wee as the City Council agenda. Saperviaor Gsstass of be mes14 okeerve his policy of melting to is ems the setter it ease *fftelally stye the lased. as deferred to impervieor lsbeq. 403 1/22/7 Councilman Sher reiterated and rephrased his question. He wanted to know if he could get a commitment tonight. He wanted the City staff and the County staff to work with the PAMTRANS people, to take the currently proposed allocation of buses and put them to work in a system that will serve more people. The City hasn't officially adopted the grid system in the PAMTRANS proposal, but with the buses that are proposed, it can move towards implemention. In other words, he wanted the City to be able to do so if it wished, and he wanted the Transit Board to assure the Council tonight that they will look favorably on proposals for such a change in the bus deployment eyetem that has already been approved. He thought the original deployment of buses was inequitable; however, he realized that no commitment about that could be made tonight because it would mean going back to the other cities in the County, changing figures, etc. He was asking tonight for a commitment from the Supervisors to support any changes in bus assignment and routes in Palo Alto so as to implement such of the PAMTRANS proposal, including the grid system, as the City might conclude is desirable. Supervisor Steinberg said she didn't believe there was any problem. It was the intention of the Transit Board that it look to the cities to decide what kind of route system they want in their cities. There is one reservation, though. Each city's system has to fit into the over- all County plan. There will have to be routes that meet the other routes. She said that the City had her commitment. Superviaor Cortese said he was prepared to indicate there was a willingness on the part of the Board. He was not prepared to commit the 33.3 buses because he thought that would have to go back to the Transportation Commf ssion and the Cities of Sari Jose, Sunnyvale, and others, who would have concernP. But as far ae the cities' designing their awn route, he vas sure the Board would allow the flexibility in designing those routes, as long as they tie into the overall system. Mayor Norton asked if the City staff and the County staff understood each other at this point. He received an affirmative reply. Mr. Knox noted that the Council had not had en opportunity to formally consider the PAMTRANS grid, and asked for direction on how members of the Council felt about implementing the PAMTRANS system. Mayor Morton replied that he sat, a majority of Council heads nodding affirmatively. Mr. Enos said chat was very helpful. Supervisor Sanchez thanked Mayor Norton and the Council far their hospitality. He said he could safely say that the Supervisors hadn't received as many questions as they had at other cities, but Palo Alto certainly posed the most difficult ones to answer. Mayor Morton thanked Supervisor Sanchez and said he was really pleased to sate the Supervisors at the meeting. He admired their willingness to comma to each city in the County, cousidering their heavy schedule, to explain end support this project. The meting was adjourned at 10:55 p.m. ATTEST: APPROVE: 606 1/22/76