STAFF REPORT
DATE: May 17, 2022
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director BY: David Kriske, Assistant Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Approving Projects to be Submitted to the Arroyo Verdugo Communities Joint Powers Authority for F unding through the Metro Measure M Subregional Funding Plan
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK APPROVING
TRANSIT CAPITAL AND MODAL CONNECTIVITY AND COMPLETE STREETS
PROJECTS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE ARROYO VERDUGO COMMUNITIES JOINT
POWERS AUTHORITY FOR FUNDING THROUGH THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY
METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY MEASURE M MULTI -YEAR SUBREGIONAL PLAN (Attachment 1).
BACKGROUND
The City of Burbank receives ongoing regional funding through the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority ( Metro) under several transportation sales tax programs. The City receives local return funds through each of the four sales taxes (through Prop A, Prop C, Measure R, Measure M) and City Council has set policy for how these funds are spent through adopting the Annual Budget and Capital Improvement Program. In addition to l ocal return, the City also receives multi-year subregional equity funding through Measure R and Measure M. This subregional equity funding was allocated to areas in Los Angeles County that did not get a fair share of large regional capital rail projects funded through these two sales tax programs. Unlike local return, this subregional equity funding is not given to cities automatically , but is programmed by subregions and must be approved by Metro. Measure M subregional equity funding is programmed by the Arroyo Verdugo Communities Joint Powers Authority (AVCJPA), which coordinates regional and cooperative transportation planning on behalf of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena, South Pasadena, and the County of Los Angeles.
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
2 Measure M subregional equity funding totals nearly $1 billion over a 40 year period, but only about $34.5 million has been made available by Metro to the AVC JPA since the passage of Measure M in 2016. Measure M subregional funds can be spent on transit capital and “modal connectivity” projects that are generally projects aimed to improve connection between transportation modes. The AVCJPA Board has adopted a Funding Plan for Measure M funds that was approved by Metro in 2021 . (Attachment 2 ).
Approximately every two years, Metro releases additional Measure M subregional funding, which must be programmed by the AVCJPA by updating the Funding Plan. For 2022, Metro has released an additional $10.8 million and will be programming these funds at their June 2, 2022 Board meeting.
The AVCJPA Board has previously allocated these Measure M subregional funds proportionally to each member jurisdiction based on population. Two projects for Burbank have currently been funded through this program : 1) the Victory Boulevard Connectivity Gap Closure (e.g. B urbank Channel Bikeway ) Project, for $3 million ; and 2) the BurbankBus State of Good Repair Bus Replacement Project, for $1.8 million. With the inclusion of the new funds made available by Metro, Burbank currently has $4.4 million unallocated Measure M funds that will be programmed by the AVC JPA Board in June 2022.
On March 15, 2022, the City Council approved a BurbankBus Electrification Transition Policy to convert the City’s BurbankBus fleet to zero -emission electric vehicles in accordance with a California Air Resources Board regulation that requires transit agencies deploy zero- emission vehicles starting in 2026. This policy directs staff to pursue cooperation with the City of Glendale to electrify its transit operations center and co-locate BurbankBus transit operations with the City of Glendale by 2026. It also directs staff to implement a phased implementation of electric vehicles such that the City would procure up to six traditional compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles between now and 2026 and then purchase battery electric vehicles after that time.
Staff is currently working to implement the City Council’s BurbankBus Electrification Transition Policy by purchasing six CNG buses funded under the current Measure M Subregional Equity Funding Plan previously approved by the AVCJPA. However, funds for battery electric transit vehicles have not been identified for the purchase of transit vehicles after 2026. The additional funds made available through the Measure M subregional equity funding presents an opportunity to begin the City’s transition to electric vehicles.
DISCUSSION
As discussed above, the AVCJPA is scheduled to consider an update to the Measure M Subregional Equity Funding Plan at their regular meeting on June 2, 2022. AVCJPA staff is currently recommending that the Board allocate and program the new funds proportionally to each region based on population, which has been the Board’s past practice. Based on that allocation, Burbank will receive about $2.2 million in new funding, which will be available in Fiscal Year 2025- 2026. This funding is combined with approximately $2.2 million in funding previously made available to the City that has not been allocated, resulting in a total funding amount of $4.4 million available for 3 programming. These funds can be spent on transit capital like buses or could be spent on “modal connectivity” and complete streets projects.
Given the amount of new and previously -allocated funding made available through the AVCJPA, and the need to begin electrification of the City’s transit fleet after 2026 in line with the City’s Electrification Transition Policy, staff recommends that the City Council direct its AVC JPA Board representative to advocate for the AVCJPA to include $4.4 million in funds towards the City’s purchasing of battery electric transit vehicles so that they are available after 2026 to integrate with the City’s transit fleet. This allows the City to work with Glendale to begin co-location of both transit fleets and to allow Glendale the ability to install battery electric charging infrastructure at its transit operations center.
Glendale is simultaneously seeking grant funds and regional funds in this effort, and has also allocated a portion of its Measure M subregional equity funds towards electric vehicles. At an expected cost of $900,000 per bus, Burbank could fund the purchase of five electric vehicles with this funding, augmenting the Measure M funds with a small amount of Measure R Local Return or Transportation Development Impact funds. This funding would allow the City to purchase six C NG vehicles between now and 2026, and five electric vehicles after 2026, thereby renewing 11 of the City’s 17 vehicle fleet over the next 5-7 years. These 11 vehicles would replace vehicles that are currently between 13 and 19 years and are all well over their useful life. The attached resolution would update the current “ Measure M Arroyo Verdugo Subregion Measure M Multi -Year Subregional Program City of Burbank Project List” to add this new project.
Alternatively, the City Council could request allocating these Measure M funds to complete streets projects identified in the Complete Streets Plan. Staff does not recommend this approach. The City is currently implementing three projects from the Complete Streets Plan that are fully funded including the First Street protected bike lane project, the Verdugo / Front Street protected cycle track, and the closure of the Bonnywood Place frontage road to improve pedestrian access to the Olive Bridge. In addition, staff is pursuing other multi -modal complete streets projects including the Chandler Bikeway Extension, the San Fernando Bikeway, the reconfiguration of San Fernando Boulevard in Downtown Burbank, the Los Angeles River bike and pedestrian bridge, and the reconfiguration of the Olive -Sparks-Verdugo intersection. The current Capital Improvement Plan has several complete streets projects in process, but currently does not include any funds for transit vehicle electrification. Thus, staff recommends that the City request that these new Measure M subregional equity funds be allocated to transit electrification in line with the City Council’s Electrification Transition Policy.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
The proposed resolution has been reviewed for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA ). Based on City staff’s assessment, this resolution does not constitute a "project" pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378 (b)(4), which excludes items involving the general creation of governmental funding mechanisms or fiscal activities; and Public Resources Code section 21080.25, which exempts projects related to increasing bus transit . This resolution is to authorize projects to be funded by the AVCJPA, and even if it does involve a commitment to any specific project, that project 4 is related to clean buses, which is statutorily exempt from CEQA. As a result, no further environmental review is necessary.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no immediate fiscal impact for includi ng the BurbankBus Zero Emission Transit Vehicle Replacement Project into the City’s list of Measure M subregional equity projects.
These funds are received on a reimbursable basis and staff would request budget authorization to front the funds as part of the City Council’s annual review and approval of the Capital Improvement Program.
CONCLUSION
Metro’s Measure M Arroyo Verdugo Subregional Equity Funding Plan provides significant capital improvement funds for transportation projects in the City of Burbank. The projects funded through this program will ensure the City can continue to provide BurbankBus fixed-route transit services, while not impacting the general fund or other funding sources that provide important complete streets projects. Staff recommends the City Council adopt the proposed Resolution approving the Cit y’s updated Measure M projects and direct its AVC JPA representative to advocate for inclusion of the BurbankBus Zero Emission Transit Vehicle Replacement Project into the updated Metro Measure M Subregional Funding Plan, to allow the City to continue recei ving transportation funding through these important regional programs.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment 1 – Proposed Resolution
Attachment 2 – Measure M Multi -Year Subregional Program Update – Arroyo Verdugo Subregion, Metro Board of Directors Report