Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: November 21, 2023
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: SUNAYANA THOMAS, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PREPARED BY: TAYLOR SAMUELSON, SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST SUBJECT: CLEAN CALIFORNIA TRANSIT INITIATIVE PROGRAM GRANT AWARD AGREEMENTS AND BUDGET APPROPRIATION FOR FULLERTON TRANSIT STATION ENHANCEMENT PROJECT
SUMMARY
Staff requests approval to execute the Clean California Caltrans Transit Station Program grant to obtain $799,000 for Fullerton Transit Station rehabilitation, enhancement and beautification efforts.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt Resolution No. 2023-XXX.
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-XXX – A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING A REPRESENTATIVE TO SIGN AND EXECUTE AGREEMENTS WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE CITY OF FULLERTON TRANSIT STATION ENHANCEMENT PROJECT Authorize City Manager to execute agreements for services, supplies and materials as necessary in the amounts needed and in an expeditious manner to fulfill grant requirements and ensure all deliverables are completed by December 2024.
Appropriate receipt and use of $799,000 grant award from the Clean California Transit program in Capital Projects Fund (Fund 74).
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
The City Manager requests City Council adoption of the resolution. This grant will enable the City to work on critical maintenance and rehabilitation at the Fullerton Transit Station.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statement:
Infrastructure and City Assets.
FISCAL IMPACT
The grant does not require matching funds and generates no additional fiscal impact to the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Adopted Budget. The City would use the $799,000 grant award to cover maintenance and rehabilitation costs at the Fullerton Transit Station.
DISCUSSION
Fullerton applied for limited-time Clean California funding for the Transit Initiative Program through competitive statewide process. The submittal period opened for approximately 2.5 weeks in August 2023. Specific requirements for grant submittals included:
enhance public space / reduce waste
promote equity and community engagement
implement sustainable practices
protect vulnerable populations
transit station enhancement
prioritize active transportation efforts
micro-mobility integration.
Typical grant recipients include transit authorities and a few local governments throughout the state. Fullerton does not operate a transit service but it owns and maintains the Fullerton Transportation Center (FTC), which has one of the highest rider counts in the region and serves as the Orange County gateway for cross-country rail travel from Chicago on Amtrak’s long-distance service. The FTC served 13,300 more Amtrak riders in 2023 than the ARTIC Train Station in Anaheim and had over 300,000 Metrolink boardings. The station scored highest on the OCTA maintenance and repair needs assessment among all stations in Orange County in 2023.
The City submittal received letters of support from Metrolink, OCTA, Caltrans District 12, California State University Fullerton, Southern California Railway Plaza Association (SCRPA - Fullerton Train Museum) and Arts Orange County (ArtsOC). The following matrix breaks down grant spending by category:
All improvements have a strict timeline as the grant award requires completion by December 2024. Staff would leverage cooperative agreements for supplies and materials and identify the most expedient methods to complete improvements while ensuring delivery of a quality project. Community and Economic Development would lead the project, coordinated with Public Works Engineering, for site improvements and installations. Attachment 2 includes a detailed breakdown of anticipated costs and expands on the following grant usage categories:
Wayfinding, Enhanced Signage and Branding (43% of Grant $343,175) The rail station provides a major transit hub for the region and an opportunity to drive economic growth and improve visitation. The grant funds Downtown wayfinding signage, in addition to visual enhancements, to direct visitors to local shops and restaurant hubs. The wayfinding and gateway signage would focus on points of interest such as the museum center, SOCO, Downtown, Fox Theatre and other walkable areas. The grant also focuses on branding. Staff would conduct a Request for Information (RFI) for branding consultants. The project would install digital signage at the station to provide information for travelers. Signage may include community digital bulletins, information on transportation options, City services and could showcase walkable Downtown destinations. The Depot has two digital display boards for train information along with two static display boards. Staff would replace the two static display boards with digital displays, modernizing the depot without detracting from the historic aspects of the building.
Santa Fe Depot and Pedestrian Bridge Rehabilitation (31% of Grant $251,450) The Santa Fe Depot restoration, funded by the grant, focuses on critical rehabilitation efforts for the depot exterior structure, platforms and pedestrian bridge. The City Capital Projects team, Community and Economic Development Department and City tenants would undertake this endeavor with advice from Fullerton Heritage to preserve historic value while enhancing public utility and aesthetic appeal. The Depot is a multi-use facility with private tenants. Restoration would serve the public by preserving a key historical site, improving safety and accessibility and adding public-centric improvements, particularly on external surfaces and pedestrian areas. The City maintains the exterior of the building. The project includes tenant collaboration on restoration work and value-add assessment for real costs based on leased areas. This strategic approach underscores the commitment to revitalizing the Santa Fe Depot as a historical landmark and community asset, balancing the interests of stakeholders in a manner that transparently and effectively serves the public interest.
Overall Beautification, Landscaping and Public Art (17% of Grant $135,905) Improvements funded through this grant include a mural paying homage to Fullerton history and the regional significance of the Santa Fe Depot. Staff would work with partners to vet design concepts including site lessees, Fullerton Heritage and ArtsOC. The City would issue an RFI for artist responses and award a qualified provider reviewed by all stakeholders. The project proposes landscape improvements such as new planters and enhanced greenspace to improve and beautify the space. The City may identify opportunities for matching collaboration on public art with community partners.
Bike Lane Restriping and New Bike Racks (9% of Grant $68,500) Proposed enhancements include restriping existing bike lanes along Walnut Way and Lemon / Valencia (Class III), supporting signage for bicyclists and replacing various bike racks at the transportation center with racks in line with modern bike usage. These enhancements align with the City Bicycle Master Plan and connectivity to the Bike Boulevard from the Fullerton Transportation Center.
This grant would support City efforts to improve maintenance at the Depot and beautify and improve the station. Proposed enhancements align with the Fullerton General Plan, Bicycle Master Plan and Active Transportation Plan.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Draft Resolution No. 2023-XXX
Attachment 2 – Detailed Grant Budget
Attachment 3 – Restricted Grant Agreement Package
cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt
Clean California Transit Grant Award
November 21, 2023 - Page 2