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Home My WebLink AboutID-2882 City of Palo Alto (ID # 2882) City Council Staff Report Report Type: Action ItemsMeeting Date: 5/21/2012 May 21, 2012 Page 1 of 3 (ID # 2882) Summary Title: Rail Committee Update Title: Rail Committee Status Report on Current High Speed Rail and Caltrain Electrification Submitted for Council Review and Comment From: City Manager Lead Department: City Manager Recommendation Staff recommends that Council receive the status report of the Rail Committee regarding current Caltrain Electrification and High Speed Rail activities. Background and Discussion Blended System Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) The California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA), the Caltrain Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (PCJPB), and Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) have recently entered into a MOU concerning the implementation of High Speed Rail (HSR) in conjunction with Caltrain Electrification. The Rail Committee remains concerned that the MOU does not limit the ultimate build out of the of HSR/Caltrain projects to the Blended System. The Blended System allows HSR trains to utilize the existing Caltrain right-of-way by building additional passing tracks in key areas and is considered much less of an impact on Peninsula communities. While the Rail Committee’s correspondence to the MOU approving agencies urged inclusion of language to limit the ultimate build out to the Blended System, the language was not included in the final MOU. CHSRA Business Plan May 21, 2012 Page 2 of 3 (ID # 2882) A third iteration of the Business Plan was approved by the CHSRA Board on April 12, 2012. Notably, the Business Plan showed that overall construction costs were less than the $98 million construction cost in the Draft 2012 Business Plan released in November 2011. However, significant gaps in the total financing of the system remain. The current Business Plan still relies on major vague funding sources such as private investment and unidentified Federal funds. Legislation Updates The Rail Committee remains concerned that legislative actions may truncate required California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review of the project. No such legislation is pending but the subject of eliminating CEQA review has been raised with some legislators. The City’s legislative advocate, Professional Evaluation Group, continues to monitor pre- legislative activities regarding CEQA streamlining and will stress the City’s position that full CEQA review is required prior to project approval. CEQA review provides the only direct means for the City and its constituents to have meaningful input into the HSR and Caltrain Electrification projects. A summary of key HSR legislation is attached to this report (Attachment A). Correspondence The Rail Committee has made effective use of written correspondence articulating the City’s position on a variety of subjects. Staff has prepared a summary with the current status of all correspondence for the Council’s reference (Attachment B). Regional Outreach The Rail Committee members, staff and community members met with San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee to explore areas of regional cooperation. San Francisco and Palo Alto are the top two Caltrain ridership cities and rely heavily on comprehensive commuter service. The meeting produced key contacts with policy advisors who are exploring ways to cooperate and advocate for excellent Caltrain commuter service. Program and Project Level EIR updates The Partially Revised Program Level EIR was approved by the CHSRA on April 19, 2012. The Partially Revised Program Level EIR is the re-circulated document pertaining to the Bay Area to Central Valley project legally May 21, 2012 Page 3 of 3 (ID # 2882) challenged by Cities of Menlo Park, Atherton, and Palo Alto. While the Program Level EIR was recently approved, the Cities’ lawsuit and appeal is still pending. The Project Level EIR for the Merced to Fresno segment was approved by the CHSRA on May 3, 2012. Indications are that this document will be challenged by agricultural interests in the Central Valley. Attachments:  Attachment A: -High Speed Rail Legislation Update (PDF)  Attachment B - High Speed Rail Correspondence Summary_5-21-2012 (PDF) Prepared By: Steve Emslie, Deputy City Manager Department Head: James Keene, City Manager City Manager Approval: ____________________________________ James Keene, City Manager HSR Legislation Update Bill Author Short Summary Status AB 1444 Feuer (D) Expedited judicial review of transit projects Passed Natural Resources Committee and was referred to Appropriations Committee AB 1455 Harkey (R) Reduce the amount of general obligation debt authorized for HSR purposes pursuant to Prop. 1A to the amount contracted as of January 1, 2013 Failed in Transportation Committee on a 4-9-1 vote AB 1574 Galgiani (D) Would continue the CHSRA in existence with limited responsibilities and would place the CHSRA within the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. The five members of the Authority appointed by the Governor would be subject to Senate confirmation, but existing members could continue to serve the remainder of their terms. The bill would authorize the Authority to appoint an executive director and would provide for the Governor to appoint up to six additional individuals exempt from civil service as Authority staff. Referred to Transportation Committee SB 985 La Malfa (R) No further bonds shall be sold for HSR and related rail purposes upon approval by the voters at the next statewide general election Heard in Transportation Committee but La Malfa did not have the votes to pass it so he tabled it SB 1189 Hancock (D) Would appropriate funding from the $950M in Prop. 1A for regional transportation enhancements to projects that eligible agencies have requested and that have been approved by the California Transportation Commission Placed on the Appropriations Committee suspense file SB 1533 Padilla (D) Potential gut & amended placeholder bill that could be potentially used for a later HSR compromise Referred to Appropriations Committee City of Palo Alto Initiated High Speed Rail & Caltrain Correspondence Summary Date Letter Topic To From Summary Reply Reply Date Reply Summary 9/7/2010 HSR Station Area Development: General Principles & Guidelines Roelof van Ark Mayor Burt -City has not been given sufficient time to respond to station proposal but will respond after our review No N/A N/A 11/3/2010 Supplemental Alternative Analysis Report Response Roelof van Ark Mayor Burt -City’s detailed comments with the help of engineering consultant HMM No N/A N/A 11/9/2010 Potential Palo Alto Mid-Penn. Station Roelof van Ark Mayor Burt -Reasoning why Palo Alto opposes a HSR station No N/A N/A 12/15/2010 Suggested FRA HSR Actions Ray LaHood Mayor Burt -List of suggested FRA HSR actions related to City’s design, cost, and ridership concerns Yes 1/13/2011 -FRA does not believe design, cost, or ridership concerns should delay the project at this point 12/15/2010 Palo Alto HSR Info John Mica Mayor Burt -Intro/information on recent Palo Alto HSR actions No N/A N/A 12/15/2010 Palo Alto Response to the CHSRA’s Letter to Caltrain Roelof van Ark Mayor Burt -Request for clarification regarding multiple conflicting HSR statements Yes 1/10/2011 -CHSRA is looking at phased implementation but remains in the EIR clearance period, CHSRA must have a four-track system, and freight can operate in tunnels 12/23/2010 Resetting the HSR & Caltrain planning process Jerry Brown Mayor Burt -Requests for resetting the HSR & Caltrain planning process No N/A N/A 3/7/2011 CHSRA vs. CARRD Cost Estimates Roelof van Ark Mayor Espinosa -Request for the basis of the CHSRA’s $43B cost estimate No N/A N/A 3/7/2011 Request for PCJPB Ridership Review Michael Scanlon Mayor Espinosa - Request for PCJPB ridership review due to the lack of accurate information Yes 3/24/2011 -PCJPB does not believe at this time it must undertake an independent ridership review 3/20/2011 AB 952 & AB 953 Support Letter Bonnie Lowenthal Mayor Espinosa -AB 952: Prohibit private firms from making direct gifts to CHSRA members -AB 953: Require CHSRA to use Berkeley ITS for ridership study No N/A N/A 3/28/2011 Packet of Palo Alto HSR letters John Mica Mayor Espinosa -Packet of different Palo Alto HSR letters No N/A N/A Date Letter Topic To From Summary Reply Reply Date Reply Summary 6/8/2011 Support of the Eshoo/ Simitian/Gordon HSR Proposal Anna Eshoo Joe Simitian Rich Gordon Mayor Espinosa -Support of the Eshoo/ Simitian/Gordon HSR proposal and a copy of Palo Alto’s HSR Guiding Principles No N/A N/A 6/20/2011 AB 952 Support Letter Mark DeSaulnier Chair Klein -Prohibit private firms from making direct gifts to CHSRA members No N/A N/A 6/20/2011 SB 517 Support Letter Bonnie Lowenthal Mayor Espinosa -Change the organizational structure of the CHSRA No N/A N/A 9/7/2011 Caltrain Electrification EIR Certification Sean Elsbernd Mayor Espinosa -City comments on potential Caltrain electrification EIR certification Yes 10/6/2011 -Staff is focused on studying the feasibility of a Blended System which will determine what should be done with this EIR 10/17/2011 Response to BAC July 10 and 27 letters to the MTC Jim Wunderman Mayor Espinosa -Clarification of Palo Alto’s HSR position and that MTC does not speak on our behalf No N/A N/A 10/17/2011 Response to BAC July 10 and 27 letters to the MTC Adrienne Tissier (MTC) Mayor Espinosa -Palo Alto’s position on the role the MTC should have in the HSR process Yes 12/2/2011 -MTC is working hard to improve the corridor and would be happy to discuss our positions with your Council 12/19/2011 Draft 2012 Business Plan Comments Thomas Umberg Mayor Espinosa -City comments on Draft 2012 Business Plan No N/A N/A 12/19/2011 2012 Funding Plan Comments Thomas Umberg Mayor Espinosa -City comments on the 2012 Funding Plan No N/A N/A 1/25/2012 Request for an Indefinite Delay in the Partially Revised Draft Program EIR Recirculation Comment Period John Mason Chair Klein - Request for an indefinite delay in the Partially Revised Draft Program EIR recirculation public comment period due to a lack of data Yes 2/3/2012 -CHSRA will work with our consultants to obtain the requested traffic data and provide it to you when available 2/16/2012 Partially Revised Draft Program EIR Comment Letter John Mason Mayor Yeh -City’s 29 page comment letter on the Partially Revised Draft Program EIR No N/A N/A 2/16/2012 SB 985 Support Letter Doug LaMalfa Mayor Yeh -Prevent the sale of HSR bonds until approval by the voters No N/A N/A 2/29/2012 Palo Alto Opposition to California HSR Ray LaHood Mayor Yeh -Clarification that Palo Alto Opposes California HSR No N/A N/A 3/20/2012 Blended System MOU Comments Adrienne Tissier (JPB) Mayor Yeh -Initial City comments on the Blended System MOU No N/A N/A Date Letter Topic To From Summary Reply Reply Date Reply Summary 4/25/2012 Caltrain’s Position on Potential CEQA Streamlining Seamus Murphy Steve Emslie -Request for clarification on Caltrain’s position on potential CEQA streamlining Yes 5/1/2012 -Caltrain is not aware of any such proposals and is committed to CEQA and NEPA but would consider such a proposal if put forward 5/2/2012 Follow-up Blended System MOU Comments Adrienne Tissier (JPB) Mayor Yeh -Follow-up City comments on the Blended System MOU No N/A N/A