1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: May 21, 2024
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Department 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 Funding through the Metro Measure M Subregional Funding Plan
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK UPDATING
THE 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 SUBREGION AL PLAN TO INCLUDE THE BURBANKBUS ZERO EMISSION ELECTRIC VEHICLE REPLACEMENT PROJECT PHASE 2, AND APPROVING A SAMPLE FUNDING AGREEMENT (Attachment 1).
BACKGROUND
The City of Burbank receives ongoing regional funding through the Los Angeles Metropolitan Tr ansportation Authority ( Metro) under several transportation sales tax programs. The City receives local return funds through each of the four sales tax measures – Prop A, Prop C, Measure R, and Measure M. Council has set policy for how these funds are spent through adopting the Annual Budget and the 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 tw o sales tax programs. Unlike l ocal return, 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; about $45.4 million has been made available by Metro to the AVCJPA 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 aim ed to improve connection between transportation modes. The AVCJPA Board adopted a Funding Plan for Measure M funds that was last updated in 2022 and approved by Metro in 2023 (Attachment 2).
Approximately every two years, Metro releases additional Measure M subregional funding which must be programmed by the AVC JPA by updating the Funding Plan. For 202 4, Metro released an additional $27 million. A portion of this new funding is being provided by a related Measure M subregional equity funding program.
The AVCJPA Board previously allocated these Measure M subregional funds proportionally to eac h member jurisdiction based on population. Three projects for Burbank have currently been funded through this program:
• Victory Boulevard Connectivity Gap Closure Project (e.g., Burbank Channel Bikeway) for $3 million. This project was completed in 2020. • BurbankBus State of Good Repair Compressed Natur al Gas ( CNG) Bus Replacement Project for $1.8 million. Buses have been delivered and are being placed into service.
• BurbankBus Zero Emission Bus p urchase for $4.4 million. Funds have been reserved for this project.
With the inclusion of the new funds made available by Metro, Burbank will have $5.7 million unallocated Measure M funds that will be programmed by the AVC JPA Board in June 2024.
On July 25, 2023, Council approved the BurbankBus Zero-Emission Bus Rollout Plan (Plan) (Attachment 3) 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 to deploy zero-emission vehicles starting in 2026. This policy directs staff to implement a phased implementation of electric vehicles such that the City would replace its aging transit vehicles with CNG transit vehicles until 2026 and then battery electric vehicles after 2026.
Staff is currently working to implement the Plan by purchasing six CNG buses funded under the Measure M Subregional Equity Funding Plan previously approved by the AVCJPA. These buses have been delivered and are expected to be placed into revenue service within a month. An additional $4.4 million has been reserved to assist the City in purchasing four zero emission electric buses beginning in 2026. However, the bulk of the cost to electrify the City’s bus fleet is still unfunded. The additional funds made available through the Measure M subregional equity funding presents an opportunity to expand the funding available to transition to electric vehicles.
DISCUSSION
The AVCJPA is scheduled to consider an update to the Measure M Subregional Equity Funding Plan at their regular meeting in June 2024. The AVCJPA Board previously directed its staff to program the new funds proportionally to each region based on 3 population, which has been the Board’s past practice. Based on that allocation, Burbank will receive about $5.7 million in new funding, which will be available in Fiscal Year (FY) 2027/28. 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 in line with the City’s Electrification Transition Policy, staff recommends that the City’s new Measure M Subregional Equity Funding be earmarked towards the BurbankBus Zero Emission Transit Vehicle Replacement Project (Phase 2) . This project would purchase additional battery electric transit vehicles so that they are available after 2026 to integrate with the City’s transit fleet. At an expected cost of $ 1,100,000 per bus, Burbank could purchase five electric vehicles with this funding. When combined with the previously allocated Measure M funding, the total funding al located to electric buses would allow the City to purchase nine electric vehicles after 2026, and would pay for the number of fixed route transit vehicles needed to be replaced with zero emission electric vehicles through 2031 (Attachment 4).
Alternatively, the City could request that this funding be allocated towards 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, P hase 2 of the reconfiguration of San Fernando Boulevard in Downtown Burbank, 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 other than the $4.4 million previously allocated Measure M funding. Thus , staff recommends that the City request that these new Measure M subregional equity funds be allocated to transit electrification in line with Council’s Electrification Transition Policy.
At their April 2024 meeting, t he Transportation Commission recommended that Council request that the AVCJPA Board allocate Burbank’s $5.7 million in new Metro Measure M subregional funds towards purchasing BurbankBus zero- emission electric vehicles to implement the BurbankBus Zero- Emission Bus Rollout Plan . It was also requested that staff prepare a timeline illustrating when the Metro Measure M subregional funds will be available and when the buses need to be purchased per the bus electrification plan .
Further, the Commission recommended the funding should not be committed until the completion of a transit analysis of BurbankBus, which is slated to start in 2024.
If AVCJPA and Metro approve funding for the City’s additional battery electric transit vehicles, the City will be required to enter into a Measure M Funding Agreement for the project. The Funding Agreement is substantially similar to prior Metro funding agreements. Under the proposed resolution, staff requests Council approve the sample Funding Agreement and authorize the City Manager to make minor modifications as may be necessary, subject to review by the City Attorney’s Office. 4 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed resolution has been reviewed for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA ). The resolution does not constitute a "project" pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15378 (b)(4), which excludes items involving the general creation of gover nmental funding mechanisms or fiscal activities . Further, under Public Resources Code §21080.25, public projects to increase bus service are exempt from CEQA. The resolution requests the AVCJPA to fund the City’s purchase of new zero- emission clean buses. As a result, no further environmental review is necessary.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no immediate fiscal impact for including the BurbankBus Zero Emission Transit Vehicle Replacement Project (Phase 2) into the City’s list of Measure M subregional equity projects. However, if approved by the AVCJPA, funds will be distributed to the City in the amount of $5,656,095. These funds are received on a reimbursable basis and staff would request budget authorization to front the funds as part of 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 Council approve the Resolution and request the new Measure M subregional funding be allocated to the BurbankBus Zero Emission Transit Vehicle Replacement Project (Phase 2) to purchase additional BurbankBus zero emission vehicles to further implement the City’s transit vehicle electrification plan and four of Council’s FY 2023/24 Sustainability an d Transportation goals.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Metro Board of Directors 2023 Measure M Multi-Year Subregional Program Update for Arroyo Verdugo Subregion
Attachment 3 – BurbankBus Zero-Emission Bus Rollout Plan Attachment 4 – BurbankBus Fixed Route Fleet Replacement Plan and Measure M Funding Availability