HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Bill 2B 05/17/2010~l~~ev~dcvltewv# 2.3
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DATE: May 17, 2010
TO: 1=Ionorable Mayor and Members of the City Council through City Manager
FROM: Vincent Marengo, Public Works Director
SUBJECT: Resolution Adopting a City of Petaluma Procedure for Soliciting and Considering Public
Comment Prior to a Transit Fare Increase and/or Major Service Reduction
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached resolution,adopting aCity of Petaluma
procedure for soliciting and considering public comment prior~to a transit fare increase and/or major
service reduction.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Petaluma became an official Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grantee in 2008: This
new designation enables Petaluma to access funding .for capital and operations expense. To remain
eligible, Petaluma is required to comply with all FTA rules and regulations and is subject to Triennial
FTA audits.
DISCUSSION:
The FTA requires that transit agencies have in place a locally adopted process for soliciting and
considering public. comment before _fare increases or major service "reductions are implemented,
iricludng.written.,procedures that describe the public comment process. The City must also have an
established d`efinifion of what it considers a "major service reduction." The public hearing and public
comment~procedures can be part of the City's standard admini"sfrative policies. The. proposed policy
establishes .a noticed hearing.requirement for transit fare increases or major service reductions, defines
major service reductions and relies on the Brown Act and the. City .Council Rules of Procedure for
hearing, public comment and other process provisions.
Accordingly, this is a housekeeping action, formalizing FTA procedures that were followed in
preparation for the public hearing°to approve proposed transit service changes and a proposed fare
increase, also on this: agenda:
Agenda Revie
Dept. Director City Attorney Finance Directo~~~'~" `CJ City Mana~~_ I
EINA;NCIAL.IIVIPAC'I'S:
No financial `impacts. Compliance with all FTA regulations will enable continued access to FTA
funding.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution, including Exhibit A, City of Petaluma Procedure for Soliciting and Considering Public
Comment Prior to a Transit Fare Increase and/or Major Service Reduction
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ATTAC~~~ 1
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RESOL.>(7TION ADOPTING A CITY. OF PE'I'ALUIYIA PR®CEDiJRE FOR SOLICITING AND
CONSIDERING, P><J'BL`LC.C,OMMENT PRIOR TO A `TRANSIT- FARE INCREASE AND/OR
MAJORSERVICE REDUCTION
WgIEREAS, the City of Petaluma became an offi°cial Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
grantee in 2008, which enables the City to access :increased funding for capital and operations; and.
WI~EREAS; as an FTA: grantee; the:Cty is required to comply with all FTA rules and
regulations and is subject-to Triennial FTA audits; and
WIIEREAS; FTA rules and regulations require that'all. grantees have in place and follow a local
procedure for soliciting and considering public comment prior to implementation of.a Petaluma Transit
fare increase or major service reduction; and
WIIEREAS; the City has in .place: written policies and procedures for accepting and considering
public comment at meetings and hearings' of the City Council, as set forth in the Petaluma City Council
Rules, Policies and Procedures.{"City :Council Rules"), as said City Council Rules may be from time to
time amended.
NOW, T>FI"EREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City.Council. of`the City of Petaluma
hereby adopts the. City of Petaluma Procedure for Soliciting and Considering Public Comment.Prior:to a
Transit Fare Increase and/or Major: Service Reduction, attached`hereto as Exhibit A, and incorporated ~.
herein. by reference.
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EX6~1~~'I' A
CITY OF PETALUIVIA PROCEDURE FOR S®LICITING AND CONSLDERING
PUBLIC C®1kI1VIENT PRIOR T'O A 'T'RANSIT FARE INCREASE
AND/OR MAJOR SERVICE REDUCTION
1. Major Service Reduction Defned.
A major service reduction to City of Petaluma ("City") transit operations is defined as:
a. Any permanent change which increases fares on fixed route or paratransit services
b. A 25% or greater reduction in the total nurriber of miles operated by all vehicles in revenue
service fora particular day of the week on an individual route
c. A 25% or more reduction.of the number of transit route miles'of a route; i.e., the total mileage
covered during the one round trip by a vehicle in revenue service on a particular route.
2. Solicitation and Consideration of Public Comment.
The City shall solicit and~consder public comments prior to implementing a transit fare increase, and/or
any major service reduction in transit services in the manner provided herein.
Public Hearing Required.
At least one public hearing before the City Council shall be conducted prior to the implementation of a
transit fare increase, and%or any major service reduction in transit services. Notice of the hearing time and
place shall be .given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the City at least l4 days in
advance of the public hearing: The notice shall generally describe the nature of the proposed action, shall
state that public comments will be accepted prior to and at-the hearing, shall provide an address for the
submission of comments prior to the- hearing; and shall describe the means of obtaining and/or the'
location of additional iriformation.about the proposed action. The hearing shall be conducted in
accordance with all applicable laws, regulations and written ,City procedures, including but not limited to
the Ralph M: Brown Act (California Gov'f. Code §§54950: etseq:) and the Petaluma City Council Rules,
Policies and Procedures ("City .Council Rules"), as said.. City Council Rules may be from time to time
amended. Mailed notice shall. also be given to any persons who have filed written requests with the City
for such notices. The City`may provide additional public notice by posting the .public -notice on buses,. at
bus: stops. and/or other locations expected to be viewed' by the-users of transit services. The City;may"' also
in its discretion conduct one or more public workshops prior to the public hearing.to inform transit-users
and the general public of a proposed fare increase or~maj'or service reduction. and to accept and consider
public comment.on the proposed changes.
1420657
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