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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-03-27 City Council (19)City of Palo Alto g er’s Rep-°rt TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT DATE:MARCH 27, 2000 CMR: 178:00 SUBJECT:REQUEST FOR COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR A TRANSPORTATION FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES GRANT APPLICATION RECOMMENDATION Staff requests authorization to submit a letter of interest for a Transportation for Livable Communities grant in the amount of $35,000 to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to prepare a plan to enhance bicycle and pedestrian mobility and safety in Downtown Palo Alto. BACKGROUND The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has established a Transportation for Livable Communities (TLC) planning grant funding program to support local initiatives on behalf of planning to "enable residents to use a range of travel modes, including transit, walking and biking, to access jobs, shopping, recreation, and other daily needs." The community-based planning support grants under this program are intended to fund planning efforts that "improve a community’s connection with the regional transportation system." Municipalities are eligible to apply for up to $50,000 in TLC planning grant funds. A letter of interest is required by MTC in place of a formal grant application. This letter must include 1) a description of the project; 2) its sponsors; 3) how the project fulfills the planning project selection criteria; 4) a planning timetable; 5) a preliminary construction schedule; 6) the amount of funds requested and 7) the level of local match proposed. TLC Planning grant project criteria are contained in Attachment A. DISCUSSION Staffproposes the following TLC planning project: 1.A sample survey of downtown Palo Alto employees, shoppers, and other visitors to ascertain their mode(s) of access to downtown and their purpose (e.g. work, shopping, etc.) in coming downtown. Data from this survey will be used to ascertain existing CMR: 178:00 Page 1 of 3 modal shares by trip purpose and to develop goals fo~ the future. Progress toward these goals will be measured through travel surveys in subsequent years. 2.Development of a Downtown Palo Alto Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation/Access Plan, with the following elements: a)Identification of priority pedestrian and bicycle routes connecting the downtown district with the University Avenue Caltrain station. b) Identification of improvements to pedestrian and bicycle safety on these routes. c)Identification of measures to give priority to pedestrians and bicyclists (e.g. pedestrian alleyways for midblock connections). d) Development of generalized cost estimates for these improvements. Findings from the above elements will inform a proposed capital program to implement the identified improvements. Palo Alto is now developing a city-wide bicycle plan and has been involved in the preparation of a county-wide bicycle plan. In addition, the City and Stanford University are now preparing a master plan for the environs of the University Avenue Caltrain station that will emphasize improvements to pedestrian and bicycle access and circulation within the study area. The proposed downtown bicycle and pedestrian facilities improvement plan will both complement and supplement these efforts. RESOURCE IMPACT No new City funds are required for this initiative. City funds will be required, however, for up-front payment of project costs, which then will be re-imbursed through prospective TLC grant revenues. POLICY IMPLICATIONS The City of Palo Alto 1998-2010 Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element supports measures to reduce auto use through encouragement of alternative transportation modes. Many Comprehensive plan policies and programs promote bicycling and walking, by themselves or in combination with public transport. These include: Policy T-14: "~mprove pedestrian and bicycle access to and between local destinations, including public facilities, schools, parks, open space, employment districts, shopping centers, and multi-modal transit stations." Program T-20: " Develop, periodically update, and implement, a bicycle facilities improvement program and a pedestrian facilities improvement program that CMR: 178:00 Page 2 of 3 identify and prioritize critical pedestrian and bicycle links to parks, schools, retail centers, and civic facilities." Policy T-21: Support the use of Downtown alleyways for pedestrian- and bicycle- only use." ~TIMELINE This project would commence in July, 2000 and would be completed no later than June 30, 2001. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW This is not a project for the purposes of CEQA. ATTACHMENT Transportation for Livable Communities flyers from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission PREPARED BY: Joseph Kott, Chief Transportation Official DEPARTMENT HEAD: CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: G. EDWARD G~WF Director of P_lan~?ng and /~U/~nt ~- JuNI~~Lt~MIN< " / ’ City Manager Planning and Transportation Commission CMR:178:00 Page 3 of 3 Transportation _for Livable Communities A program of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to revitalize Bay Area neighborhoods through transportation investments ATTACHMENT A A Little "TLC" for Bay Area Communities Small-scale transportation investments can sometimes make a big difference in a community’s vitality and identity. Streetscape improvements, transit-, pedestrian-, and bicycle-oriented develop- ments, and related strategies can bring a new vibrancy to down- town areas, commercial cores and neighborhoods, enhancing their amenities and ambience and making them places where people want to live and visit. To identify and nurture these kinds of projects at the local level, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission -- the Bay Areas transportation planning and financing agency -- has creat- ed a special ’program called Transportation for Livable Communities (TLC). The "TLC" program’s primary goals are to: ¯develop innovative projects whose transportation elements support a community’s development or redevelopment efforts; ¯provide "success stories" to encourage integration of trans- portation and land use throughout the region; ¯forge’ unique partnerships between local jurisdictions, com- munity organizations, transportation service providers, and the development community; ¯make a significant contribution to the creation of a livable community. What Kinds of Assistance Does TLC Offer? MTC offers two kinds of financial assistance through the TLC pro- gram. Projects in the early or conceptual stage of their develop- ment are eligible for TLC planning grants, which are awarded to help sponsors refine and elaborate promising project ideas. Projects with completed plans are eligible for capital grants, which directly support construction and help turn plans into reality. Planning Grants Community-Based Planning Support: MTC can provide funding for planning efforts that aim to improve a community’s connec- tion with the regional transportation system. Up to $50,000 per project is available. Technical Planning Assistance: Technical experts can jump start a project by helping define its general concept, assisting with plan- ning and implementation, or facilitating community’ input. Providers of technical assistance include urban design, architec- ture and transportation planning firms. Up to $10,000 per proj- ect is available. Capital Grants MTC allocates $9 million annually for TLC projects from funds made available through the federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA 21). Capital grants range in size from $150,000 to $2 million per project. For more information on the TLC program, including proiect eli- gibility criteria, application materials and deadlines, see MTC’s Web site at <www.mtc.ca.gov/proiects/livable_communities/ lcindex.htm> or contact TLC project manager Karen Frick at 510.464.7704 or kfrick@mtc.ca.gov. METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION Joseph E Bort MetroCenter 101 Eighth Street Oakland, CA 94607-4700 Tel.: 510.464.7700 TTY/TDD: 510.464.7769 Fax: 510.464. 7848 Illustrations: Van Meter W’flllams Pollack (top left and top fight); vanderToolen Assodates / City of Napa (bottom) Transportation for Livable Communities Planning Grants - Project Criteria and Application Information MTC’s Transportation for Livable Communities (TLC) program provides planning funds and technical assistance for small-scale transportation projects (such as streetscapes and pedestrian-, transit-, and bicycle-oriented developments) that can help to revitalize local communities and town centers. Who can apply for TLC planning grants? Local governments, community-based organizations and transportation service providers may receive funding. How to apply No formal application is required. Rather, organizations hav- ing proiects that meet TLC planning grant criteria should send a letter of interest to: Lawrence D. Dahms, Executive Director, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, 101 Eighth Street, Oakland, CA 94607. The letter should include a description of the proiect, its sponsors, how the project fulfills the criteria, a planning timetable, a preliminary construction schedule, the amount of funds requested, and the level of local match. MTC reviews letters of interest twice a year. For the sched- ule of upcoming deadlines, or for more information, check MTC’s TLC Web site at: <www.mtc.ca.gov/projects/ livable_communities/lcindex.htm> or contact Karen Frick at 510.464.7704 or kfrick@mtc.ca.gov. How planning projects will be selected MTC will follow a two-step process when considering planning projects. (A separate process has been developed for capital proj- ects.) MTC will first determine whether a proiect meets the pro- gram criteria. Those that do will be evaluated with respect to innovativeness, proiect readiness and the availability of local matching funds. MTC’s Advisory Council also will offer com- ments. MTC staff will then make a recommendation to the exec- utive director. An excerpt from MTC’s Transportation/Land-Use Connection policy The Commission encourages community plans that: 1. Enable residents to use a range of travel modes, including transit, walking and biking, to access jobs, shopping, recreation and other daily needs. 2. Provide that the streets, transit, pedestrian and bicycle ways are part of a system of integrated routes. 3. Provide for development of housing and regional activtty centers that are accessible to the regional transit network. 4. Provide for a diversity of development and other community-orient- ed transportation strategies designed to limit the extent to which it is necessary to travel from one community to another to access basic necessities of living. 5. Provide for the design of streets and other transportation facili- ties and amenities that are integrated into the overall community design and are conducive to a sense of community identity and pride. TLC planning project criteria As used below, "project"pertains to the planning project to be fund- ed under this program, and "overall project" pertains to the intend- ed capital or mobility investment. 1. A collaborative planning process will be undertaken with community stakeholders (e.g., residents, business proprietors, property owners, local agencies, neighborhood associations), the project sponsor(s), and the local jurisdiction. 2. The project supports one or more of the obiectives of MTC’s adopted Transportation/Land-Use Connection policy (see excerpt, below left) to promote the development/redevelopment of livable communities in the Bay Area. 3. The project pertains to a defined physical location. 4. The project pertains to a physical setting where deficiencies exist (or will exist), which, if remedied, will provide significant community benefit (e.g., walkability; safety and security; eco- nomic development; protection of community cultural, historic, or environmental resources; public transit access or amenity; parking design; streetscape design; and access to daily needs). 5. The overall project will have identifiable and likely synergistic effects (provision of any single community benefit will likely induce additional community benefits). 6. As appropriate during the development of the project, the fol- lowing issues will be evaluated: accessibility as it relates to the Americans With Disabilities Act, economic development oppor- tunities, environmental impacts, economic/financial considera- tions, safety and security, and potential adverse impact, if any, to local trips made by commercial delivery vehicles and other forms of transportation. 7. The project will result in a discrete and clear work product, which will guide the overall project to the next level of planning, and/or form the basis to compete for funding for the overall proi- ect. 8. The project is structured to be completed within one year. 9. The project is unlikely to be fully funded other than through MTC’s program. 10. The sponsor commits to pursuing the project recommenda- tions, including subsequent planning activities, and to pursue the overall project to the extent feasible. METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION Joseph E Bort MetroCenter 101 Eighth Street Oakland, CA 94607-4700 Tel.: 510,464.7700 TTY/TDD: 510,464. 7769 Fax: 510,464,7848