HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 3.A 01/22/2018DATE: January 22, 2018
Agenda Item #3.A
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council through City Manager
FROM: Scott Duiven — Senior Planner
Curtis M. Bates, P.E. — City Engineer
SUBJECT: Resolution of the Petaluma City Council Supporting Application for the
California Department of Transportation Sustainable Transportation Planning
Grant Program and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute Grant Related
Agreements.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached Resolution of the Petaluma City
Council supporting the application for the California Department of Transportation Sustainable
Transportation Planning Grant Program and authorizing the City Manager to execute grant
related agreements.
BACKGROUND
In January 2018, the California Department of Transportation released the Fiscal Year 2018/19
call for projects for the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant program. The program is
intended to provide funding for local and regional multimodal transportation and land use
planning projects that further the region's transportation planning objectives in sustainability,
mobility, and safety. Approximately $12.38 million is provided statewide through Senate Bill
One (SB1) for competitive grant applications. Grant applications are due to the State on February
23, 2018, and grant awards are expected to be announced in May of 2018.
The City of Petaluma's current General Plan 2025 was approved in May of 2008 and contains
information that is in need of updating. Included within the General Plan is the City's Mobility
Element, which contains requirements related to transportation planning programs and policies
for all modes of transportation. This includes passenger vehicles, transit, pedestrians and bicycles
as well as travel mode shift and transportation demand management. Additionally, the mobility
element does not explicitly include programs and policies on Complete Streets requirements and
the recently enacted State legislation Senate Bill 743 which requires that Vehicle Miles Traveled
(VMT) replace Levels of Service (LOS) in CEQA review of projects. These items would be
included in updated City planning documents. The proposed update would likely better position
the City to be awarded future grant opportunities for various transportation and sustainability
related projects.
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DISCUSSION
The primary purpose of the proposed transportation planning grant is to fund the update of the
mobility element of the City's General Plan 2025. The overall objectives of the project would be
as follows:
• Update Mobility Element of the Petaluma General Plan 2025
• Update policies and programs related to all modes of transportation including mode shift
and transportation demand management
• Update Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
• Incorporation of Vehicle Miles Traveled (SB743) requirements
• Incorporation of Complete Streets requirements and design elements in the updated plan
• Coordination with other City and Regional transportation planning Documents
On November 1, 2017, the Petaluma Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee unanimously
recommended the City apply for the transportation planning grant and authorized the committee
chair to sign a letter of support on behalf of the committee, to submit with the grant application.
The grant requires a significant community engagement and outreach effort including a project
website, community workshops and targeted Petaluma public meetings with the Planning
Commission, Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee, Transit Advisory Committee and
City Council.
The City will engage the assistance of a consulting team to perform the Mobility Element update
work. Petaluma has not yet selected a consulting firm. Upon award of grant, the City will initiate
a competitive request for proposal process to select the appropriate and most qualified consultant
to assist staff in preparation of the updated planning documents.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS
The cost to prepare the new and updated planning documents would be paid entirely through the
Caltrans grant program. The cost estimate to prepare the documents has not yet been completed
but is expected to be in the low to mid six figure range. The grant requires a local match
contribution of 11.47 percent. This local match may be in the form of all cash, City staff time
spent on the project, or a combination of the two. Staff proposes the local match for this grant
consist entirely of City staff time spent. There is no cash proposed for the local match.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution
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ATTACHMENT 1
RESOLUTION OF THE PETALUMA CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTING APPLICATION
FOR THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SUSTAINABLE
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM AND AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE GRANT RELATED AGREEMENTS
WHEREAS, the City of Petaluma is eligible to receive Federal and /or State funding to
develop certain transportation planning related plans, through the California Department of
Transportation; and,
WHEREAS, a restricted grant agreement is needed to be executed with the California
Department of Transportation before such funds can be claimed through the Transportation
Planning Grant Programs; and,
WHEREAS, the Petaluma City Council wishes to delegate authorization to execute these
agreements and any amendments thereto.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of
Petaluma hereby authorizes the City Manager, or designee, to execute all Restricted Grant
Agreements and any amendments thereto with the California Department of Transportation.
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