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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 11/12/1974MINUTES OF MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL PETALUMA,, CALIFORNIA November 12., 1974 COUNCIL MEETING Special meeting of the City Council of the City of Petaluma was called to order by Vice -Mayor Cavanagh at 7:30 p.m. ATTENDANCE Present: Councilmen Brunner, Cavanagh, Daly, Harberson, Mattei, and Perry. Absent: Mayor Putnam. NOTICE OF CALL Notice of the special meeting called for November 12, 1974, the certificate of the City Clerk of the delivery of said - notice, and the consent of the City Council for holding said meeting submitted and filed. PURPOSE OF The meeting was called to consider and act on the.. MEETING following: 1. Transportation System - Intra -city Bus Feasibility. Study. 2. Report— East Washington Creek Linear Park. 3. An executive session. INTRA -CITY BUS Vice -Mayor Cavanagh prefaced the discussion on the G� FEASIBILITY transportation system by referring to the Kaiser STUDY Report prepared for_the.City of Petaluma on the .Intra- city Bus Feasibility -Study and.briefly reviewed the report with the Council. He asked City Manager Robert Meyer what direction the Council was.expected to take at this special meeting. Mr. Meyer indicated that in order for the staff to come up with some cost figures for a system of .transportation for the City.of_Petaluma a policy decision must be made by.the Council on the level.of service they wish to provide for the community.. The staff could then bring the cost figures back to the Council for their consideration. Vice -Mayor Cavanagh had previously been appointed by the Mayor to visit the City of Pacific Grove to observe the bus system they.have recently installed. Mr. Cavanagh reported the system employs three drivers and utilizes two buses and has been in operation for approximately one year.- The community of Pacific Grove got into the bus business within three to five days by purchasing two or three used buses._ The buses they utilized have a capacity of seating seventeen persons with a maximum capacity.of twenty -five persons.. They run on a twenty to thirty minute schedule to the downtown.area. Initially, they had planned a no -fare operation; however, because of.vandalism they decided on.a ten cent fare to the connecting. Monterey Peninsula systems. Originally the rolling stock had been purchased through Revenue Sharing Funds; however, they are using SB 325 Funds to subsidize the system.... Mr. Cavanagh'indicated that although he preferred having.pxivate enterprise be responsible for a trans portation system in Petaluma, he realized any private system would.require subsidy. In reponse to Mr. Mattei's question.what the.cost on the Pacific Grove system had been, Mr. Cavanagh said the operating expenses are approximately $48,000 a year 'and the initial capital outlay was around $50,000:._ Methods of funding any type of transportation system were discussed by the Council,.including' Senate Bill 325 Funds, UMTA Funds, Community Development Act Funds, and Revenue Sharing Funds. Councilman Mattei indicated he -felt it was time the City_Council.made some decision on providing some type of-public transportation in.Petaluma..to which Councilman Harberson concurred. Councilman Brunner felt.the Council should take into consideration four points outlined in the Chamber of Commerce's report to the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee for the City of Petaluma.on the Intra -city Bus Feasibility Study, dated May 28, 1974. Said `�­ report filed with City Clerk. November 12, 1974 INTRA -CITY BUS Vice -Mayor Cavanagh called on Mr. Art Cader .in the FEASIBILITY STUDY audience who had previously expressed a desire to (continued) provide a transportation system for the City of Petaluma. _Mr. Cader indicated they still.had an. interest.;-however, they were primarily interested in seeing that the citizens of Petaluma had some type of transportation system. Were they to go into the system, they would propose using a bus similar to an Econoline bus which would carry fifteen passengers. They would have,a three bus system with some demand response, similar to a dial -a -ride system. Mr. Cadet indicated they proposed hiring some women as well as retired,persons to man the buses for the demand response system. In answer to Councilman Harberson's question how long they felt it would take then to get into business after getting the go- ahead, Mr. Cader felt.they would go, ahead rapidly after receiving the equipment. Mr. Cader emphasized.the fact. that he didn.'t want the Council to feel they-were obligated to award.a contract to them, they were merely interested in seeing that.the City is provided with a good bus system. Councilman Mattei asked.the. staff to advise the Council specifically on.how SB 325 Funds could.be used. Whether or not they could be used to completely. finance a system or if they could be used to buy the stock and then lease it to a private concern. .Director of Public Works David Young indicated the City does have the option of purchasing the buses and then contracting.. them out for maintenance and operating and completely finance the operation for the first five years; however,-after that period of. time, SB 325 would provide only fifty percent.. Initially, Petaluma would be eligible for approximately $130,000 to $140,000 based on our present rates.. :After five years the amount would be somewhere around $50,000 or $60,000. The City would have to set up a system and clear it through MT.0 before-funds would be available. Councilman Mattei expressed preference for the City exploring the availability of funds to purchase the equipment and set up the system with the Council outlining the routes to be covered and then having outside operators run the transportation system.. City.Manager. Robert Meyer cautioned that regardless of whether the system is set up and then-contracted out; there could be a time when the City would have to take over the operation and_hire City employees to man the system, which probably would cost .the.City more in the long r-un than having private operators:. He felt that once.the system was started, regard - less in which manner it started, it would have to be.continued unless it could be proved.the public did not - desire such service. On the mat.ter.of fixing time schedules, Councilman Daly felt.that the Council as a whole was unqualified to determine whether .there should -be half hour or , hourly .pickups throughout the City. He sited the fact .that the Golden Gate Bus District had done quite a to_determine that they should have ten _ minute pickups during the commute hours.and,thirty minute pickups until 11:0.0. p.m. He also.stressed that he felt'the City should. try to s.tay` within the limits of the $135,000.of_SB 325 monies available to them. .Mr. Young pointed. out. that the $135, 00,0, if used for. operating. expenses. would provide. a two system and for,, perhaps, $170,000 a.three bus system could. be provided. .Mr. Daly felt that as the number of-buses increased to.a.four bus system, the cost as shown.in the Kaiser report doubled from a.two to a four.bus system 'whereas a private operator.could reduce.this figure.by.hiring part -time personnel to. man the system during the heavy commute periods. In response to Vice -Mayor Cavanagh's question whether or not he-would be interested in operating the system,. Mr.. Martin.. Gravensen, who ,was in .the audience, who.had,formerly operated.a private jitney service in Petaluma, indicated he would.be interested if the City financed the operation and hired it out.to a private contractor. . City Manager Robert Meyer reminded the Council that in some of the. preliminary meetings of the Transportation Committee, some of the alternatives had been discussed such.'as setting up a trans -it assessment district for the.two commercial areas in.the City and a fare validating.system. He further reminded the.. Council.that..the Committee had discussed that by providing ,public..transportation for the.community, the City could .save some money in providing additional par-:king in..the. downtown. area. _ ;, November 12, 1974 INTRA -CITY BUS Councilman ,Harberson recommended the staff study the FEASIBILITY STUDY cost for one three bus system purchased by the City (continued) and,hiring drivers and maintenance personnel to be completely.financed by the City up to the five -year period and also study the cost of purchasing a minimum of three buses and go out with a set route structure for contract bids for operating the system. In addition, Councilman Harberson said.he favored operating the system as a public service similar to fire and police; however, from reports he has received, it is, probably wise.to impose minimal fare of from ten to twenty -five cents. Councilman Brunner inquired if we used the $135,000 for a transit system, would this displace funds for street construction_? Director of Public Works David Young reported that the City now found itself in a position where it would have to prove to the MTC that a public transportation system in Petaluma was not needed;, and in view of the feasibility study by Kaiser and the work done by the City's Transportation Committee, he felt the City would be remiss in indicating there was not a.need. Mr. Meyer said that during the first year when.funds were available were in the midst of having the report prepared and during the second year the study still was not complete. However, once the City announced it would have a public_hearing_as required, enough people would turn out in support of the public transportation system and the money would have to be used for that purpose. Mr. Young indicated the Legislature.intended the-gas tax funds to go for streets and SB 325 Funds had a priority for public transportation. He further indicated that if the City did not apply for the funds, they would probably go to other cities or to Sonoma County. Vice -Mayor Cavanagh called on Planning Commissioner John Balshaw for comment. Mr. Balshaw indicated he was in favor of the City financing public transporta- tion and contracting the service. He felt this would be a good compromise. He also reported that "dial -a -bus" is working well in other communities. Whether the community has a no- charge or a minimal charge by utilizing dial -a- bus, the riders pay a premium for door -to -door pickup. He further indicated the Golden Gate System is still a long way from people._ In order to have a successful operation, the City must get people within a reasonable distance to the.commuter service or it is no good at all. In the summary, the Council-asked the staff to explore cost figures utilizing figures #5, X66, and #7 of the Kaiser Report for routes, which call_for a three bus system,'loop routes, three bus system continual single directional loop, and a.four bus system three loop routes. In addition,- Councilman Daly asked the staff to explore how much service could be provided with the $135,000. The staff will compile costs for the City's purchase of buses and operation of the systems mentioned above, as well as the City's purchase of the busses and contracting the operation. The staff will also compile cost for the City's.. purchase of the buses, but contracting the operation out to private operators. 305 Director of Public Works David Young will coordinate the report with John Scharer and bring it back to the Council not later than the first meeting in January. EAST WASHINGTON_ Resolution #6737A N.C.S. authorizing the Mayor to sign CREEK LINEAR PARK •an agreement with Sidney M. Lewin and Associates for RES #6737A NCS architectural- services for the development of East Washington Creek Linear Park was introduced by Council- man Harberson, seconded by Councilman Daly, and approved by 5 affirmative and 1 negative- votes, 1 absentee. Councilman Brunner voted "no." Vice -Mayor Cavanagh called a recess at 9:10 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 9:20 p.m. City Attorney Matthew Hudson reported to the Council with reference to the conditions of.use in the Sonoma County Water Agency's agreement for the East Washington Creek Linear Park. He has been in contact with the County Counsel and they had worked out an agreement incorporating some suggestions from the _City as well as suggestions made by the County Counsel for revision of the conditions of'use.. November 12, 1974 EAST WASHINGTON Mr. Meyer reported-that-he had gone to Santa Rosa to CREEK LINEAR PARK the Board of Supervisors meeting as the Board of RES #6737A NCS Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency; however, (continued) the meeting had been held in -the morning rather than at the usual - 2:00- p.m.'time in the afternoon and he was unable-to-attend the meeting. The-Board of Supervisors rejected any changes to the conditions of use. Gordon Miller, Chief Eng -ineer of'-the Sonoma County Water Agency, suggested to the City Manager.that the City proceed to develop this linear -park and the trail system along East Washington Creek and then turn it over to the Water Agency for maintenance. This area is on the north side of the creek between Ely Boulevard and McGregor Drive. The area of concern before the Council for consideration this evening is between East Washington Street and - McGregor Drive on the south •side of East Washington Creek. Recreation Director -Jim Raymond -requested that the Council consider hiring Sidney M. Lewin and Associates to provide architectural services for the development of this area - stating- that -Mr. Lewin would present preliminary drawings to the Council before•a.contract would be- awarded. -A map-of the area was given to each member of the Council -and'a copy is-on file in the -City Clerk's office. Mr. Raymond stated that the twenty -foot wide area had been. dedicated to the City by Qantas Development Corporation. Mr. Gray, Director of Community Deve- lopment, reminded the Council, however, there was an -area where the park .would decline to a ten -foot area near McGregor Drive which could develop into -some problems. He further indicated -that the owners of the parcel planned to submit to the Planning Commission-some solutions for solving this problem. Councilman - Brunner objected to-the-whole concept -of the project;- and based his objecton.on -the problems of -vandalism the City had experienced as a result of La Tercera Park. The, terms of the.agreement with Sidney -M. Lewin and Associates was discussed by the Council noting that the compensation for such services shall be ten percent -of the estimated cost of the construction. In answer -to Vice -Mayor Cavanagh's question what he felt-the cost would be Mr. Raymond - indicated they had no firm figures, but the cost could be somewhere between $35.,000 and $50,- OOO-for the project.' Mr. Raymond further stated that $39,000 is available in bedroom taxes paid by Qantas - Development Corporation. At the conclusion of.the discussion, the above resolution was adopted by the City Council. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business -to come before the - Councilithe meeting -was adjourned at 9:40 -p.m, to an executive session. I Mayor Attest: City Cle 3