1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: S eptember 26, 2023
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director VIA: David Kriske, Assistant Community Development Director, Transportation
BY: Nick Burant, Administrative Analyst II
Karen Pan, Transportation Services Manager
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the Community Development Director to Waive BurbankBus Fares on Environmental , Active Transportation, and Public Transit Promotional Days
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK AMENDING ARTICLE I, SECTION 7 OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 CITYWIDE FEE SCHEDULE
TO AUTHORIZE WAIVER OF THE FEES RELATED TO BURBANKBUS SERVICES ON
CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, AND PUBLIC TRANSIT PROMOTIONAL DAYS (Attachment 1).
BACKGRO UND
One of City Council’s goals is to support an accessible, equitable and safe multimodal transportation network including pedestrian, bicycle, and equestrian mobility.
Furthermore, one of the strategies of the City of Burbank ’s (City) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan is to provide clean, abundant, affordable , and accessible public transit.
One method the City uses to support use of public transit is by participating in local and regional transit promotional initiatives such as Clean Air Day or Bike to Work Day. These single-day promotional events advertise free fares to encourage residents and commuters to try transit on these promotional days. These events can be helpful to encourage more local transit usage but also promote regional travel beyond the City borders. To ensure the City can participate in local, state, and national events, staff is requesting City Council’s authorization for the Community Development Director to waive
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
2 BurbankBus fares during transit promotional events to encourage ridership on fixed-route public transit and other active transportation modes.
DISCUSSION
The City participates in a number of environmental, active transportation, and public transit promotional days throughout the year . Many of the large transit agencies in Southern California participate in these activities by waiving their fares. Currently, BurbankBus often participates in the marketing activities related to these promotional days but does not offer free fares on these days because waiving a transit fare or other fee requires the approval of the City Council.
Staff recommends that the City Council give the Community Development Director the authority to waive BurbankBus fares for any single-day promotional events in perpetuity, by adopting the proposed Resolution (Attachment 1). If approved, staff recommends that the first BurbankBus free fare promotion occur as part of California Clean Air Day on October 4, 2023. California Clean Air Day is sponsored by the Coalition for Clean Air and includes several partners who offer transit promotions, including Metrolink (regional train system) and MoveLA (a transportation advocacy non- profit). The City would also share resources to promote California Clean Air Day and BurbankBu s. The City will be advertising the event on social media and will have a table at the Metrolink Station along with tables from Metrolink and MoveLA. This event would be an opportunity for residents, workers, and visitors to challenge themselves to take actions that are essential to clean air, like taking transit, shopping local, and much more.
If approved, staff anticipates offering other promotional free fare days on Earth Day and Bike to Work Day. Staff estimates up to five free- fare promotions could be offered each year.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Adopting the proposed Resolution to authorize the Community Development Director to waive BurbankBus fares for single- day promotional events has no potential for resulting in a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change to the environment and therefore, is not a “project” subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 14 Cal. Code Regs. § 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
Based on Article I. Section 7 of the Citywide Fee Schedule, BurbankBus fixed-route fare is $1 per trip. All fare revenues are deposited in the City’s Proposition C Transportation Local Return Fund. If BurbankBus fares were waived for up to the estimated five, full-day 3 events per year, it would have a financial impact of approximately $2500 to $5,000 per year on the City’s Proposition C Transportation Local Return funds. There would be no impact to the City’s General Fund.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a Resolution to authorize the Community Development Director to waive BurbankBus fares for promotional days to champion strategies and events that promote transit and active transportation initiatives.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Resolution