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Home My WebLink About07 - Funding Application for the Balboa Island/Corona del Mar Area Microtransit Feasibility StudyQ �EwPpRT O c — '9 TO: FROM: CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH City Council Staff Report January 14, 2020 Agenda Item No. 7 HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL David A. Webb, Public Works Director - 949-644-3311, dawebb@newportbeachca.gov PREPARED BY: Brad Sommers, Principal Civil Engineer bsommers@newportbeachca.gov PHONE: 949-644-3326 TITLE: Resolution No. 2020-5: Authorizing the Submittal of a Funding Application to the Orange County Transportation Authority for the Balboa Island/Corona del Mar Area Microtransit Feasibility Study ABSTRACT: At the request of the Balboa Island and Corona del Mar communities, staff reviewed potential local transit circulators, similar to the Balboa Peninsula Trolley or Free Rides Around Newport Center (FRANC) to enhance mobility and connectivity within the Balboa Island and Corona del Mar communities. Staff determined local transit circulators, or microtransit options, have been successful in other jurisdictions, but noted the emerging concept of neighborhood transit circulators warrants a feasibility study to determine if a program of this nature would benefit these communities. The topic was discussed at the September 24, 2019, City Council Study Session, with Council indicating there could be further interest in a pilot program, provided the requesting communities or organization fund the program or grant -funding match. The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) recently released a Measure M Program Call for Projects with the goal of providing funding to local agencies for community based transit circulators, including microtransit options. As an opportunity has arisen for grant funding to prepare a Feasibility Study, City staff submitted an application to study the feasibility of local transit options to increase mobility in and around the Balboa Island and Corona del Mar communities, including potential connection to Irvine Terrace and Newport Center, as well as, Balboa Village (via the Balboa Island Ferry). Balboa Island Marketing, Inc. and Balboa Island Improvement Association support a study to review the feasibility of a local transit program and pledge to help pay the required ten percent grant Local Match. RECOMMENDATION: a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; 7-1 Resolution No. 2020-5: Authorizing the Submittal of a Funding Application to the Orange County Transportation Authority for the Balboa Island/Corona del Mar Area Microtransit Feasibility Study January 14, 2020 Page 2 b) Adopt Resolution No. 2020-5, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Authorizing and Approving Submittal of a Funding Application for the Balboa Island/Corona del Mar Microtransit Feasibility Study Project to the Orange County Transportation Authority for Funding Under the Project V Community -Based Transit/ Circulators Program; and c) Authorize the City Manager to accept contribution funds from the Balboa Island Marketing, Inc., the Balboa Island Improvement Association, as well as possible Districts 5 and 6 City Council Discretionary funds, for use as required Local Match funds upon award of Orange County Transportation Authority Project V grant. FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: There is no fiscal impact related to the adoption of Resolution to support the grant application. However, the OCTA Project V program requires a ten (10) percent Local Match of the estimated total project cost. Preparation of the Feasibility Study is estimated to cost $65,000, which includes a requested grant allocation of $58,500 and required Local Match of $6,500. To support the project and partner with the City, Balboa Island Marketing, Inc. and Balboa Island Improvement Association tentatively pledged to provide the required Local Match. District 5 Councilmember Herdman and District 6 Councilmember Brenner have also pledged to contribute Discretionary Council funds, if needed, to achieve the $6,500 match. Upon OCTA notification of award of Project V funds, staff will acquire written commitment letters and funds prior to proceeding with the project. DISCUSSION: In October, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) released a Project V Program call for projects with the goal of providing funding to local agencies for community based transit circulators, including microtransit options. Project V affords an opportunity to receive Measure M funding to prepare a feasibility study to review local transit options within the Balboa Island and Corona del Mar communities, including potential connection to Irvine Terrace, Newport Center, as well as, Balboa Village (via the Balboa Island Ferry). To ensure the City is eligible for this funding, City staff prepared and submitted an application prior to the December 12, 2019, deadline. The proposed feasibility study will determine the benefits and challenges of a transit operation within these communities, consider different types of service, demands and needs of the program, and provide an opportunity to engage the community through public outreach events. If successful, award of OCTA Project V funding requires a ten (10) percent local match of the estimated total maximum project cost of $65,000. The funding application requests a grant allocation of $58,500 and required Local Match of $6,500. 7-2 Resolution No. 2020-5: Authorizing the Submittal of a Funding Application to the Orange County Transportation Authority for the Balboa Island/Corona del Mar Area Microtransit Feasibility Study January 14, 2020 Page 3 As supporters of the project and grant application, Balboa Marketing, Inc. and Balboa Island Improvement Association wish to partner with the City and have tentatively pledged to cover the required Local Match. Additionally, Councilmembers Herdman and Brenner support preparing a feasibility study for a community based transit circulator to increase mobility within these areas and, if necessary, have agreed to contribute a portion of their Discretionary Council funding toward the required match. Staff requests adoption of a Resolution to support the funding application to comply with the OCTA grant guidelines and to allow the City Manager to accept funds from Balboa Island Marketing, Inc. and Balboa Island Improvement Association, upon grant award, to be used as the required Local Match. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly. NOTICING: The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item). ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A — Resolution No. 2020-5 Attachment B — Proposed Project Study Area 7-3 ATTACHMENT A RESOLUTION NO. 2020- 5 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING SUBMITTAL OF A FUNDING APPLICATION FOR THE BALBOA ISLAND/CORONA DEL MAR MICROTRANSIT FEASIBILTY STUDY PROJECT TO THE ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY FOR FUNDING UNDER THE PROJECT V COMMUNITY-BASED TRANSIT/CIRCULATORS PROGRAM WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach ("City") desires to implement a Balboa/Corona del Mar Microtransit Feasibility Study Project ("Project"), WHEREAS, the Orange County Transportation Authority's ("OCTA") Community - Based Transit/Circulators Program ("Project V Program") establishes a competitive process to enable local jurisdictions to develop community-based local transit services that complement regional transit services and meet needs in areas not adequately serviced by regional transit; WHEREAS, the OCTA intends to allocate Project V funds within the incorporated cities and the County of Orange; WHEREAS, the OCTA has established the procedures and criteria for reviewing applications as identified in the Project V Guidelines; WHEREAS, the City has been declared by OCTA to meet the eligibility requirements to receive revenues as part of OCTA's Measure M2 ("Measure M2"); WHEREAS, the City's Circulation Element is consistent with the County of Orange Master Plan of Arterial Highways; WHEREAS, by this resolution, the City Council of the City of Newport Beach authorizes the nomination of the Balboa Island/Corona del Mar Microtransit Feasibility Study Project; WHEREAS, the City must include all projects funded by Net Revenues in the seven-year Capital Improvement Program as part of Measure M2 eligibility requirement; WHEREAS, should OCTA's Board of Directors approve funding for the Project as part of the Project V Program, OCTA shall provide ninety percent (90%) of the funding for the Project, not to exceed Fifty Eight Thousand Five Hundred Dollars and 00/100 ($58,500.00); 7-4 Resolution No. 2020 - Page 2 of 3 WHEREAS, by this resolution, the City Council of the City of Newport Beach intends to agree to provide ten percent (10%) in matching funds for the Project, as required by the Project V Program's Guidelines; WHEREAS, if the Project's total costs exceed Sixty -Five Thousand Dollars and 00/100 ($65,000.00), the City shall be responsible for any additional costs of the Project; WHEREAS, should OCTA's Board of Directors approve the funding of the Project, by this resolution, the City authorizes a formal amendment to the seven-year Capital Improvement Program to add projects approved for funding upon approval from the OCTA Board of Directors; WHEREAS, the City will comply with any applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and any other federal, state, and/or local laws, rules and/or regulations; WHEREAS, the City will consult with OCTA regarding the need for a paratransit plan prior to starting any future operations; WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach will not use Measure M2 funds to supplant developer fees or other commitments; and WHEREAS, in accordance with applicable law, the City will provide OCTA's representatives access to and the right to examine all records, books, papers or documents related to the Project. NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Newport Beach resolves as follows: Section 1: The City Council does hereby approve submission of the funding application for the Balboa/Corona del Mar Microtransit Feasibility Study Project. Section 2: The City Council does hereby authorize a formal amendment to its seven-year Capital Improvement Program to add the Balboa/Corona del Mar Microtransit Feasibility Study Project for funding upon approval from OCTA's Board of Directors to fund the Project. Section 3: The City Council does hereby agree to provide matching funds for the Project in the amount of ten percent (10%) of Sixty -Five Thousand Dollars and 00/100 ($65,000.00), as required by the OCTA Community -Based Transit/Circulators Program Guidelines, and the funds shall be used as supplemental funding to aid the City in the administering of the Balboa/Corona del Mar Microtransit Feasibility Study Project. 7-5 Resolution No. 2020 - Page 3 of 3 Section 4: The City Council does hereby agree that City shall be responsible for any additional costs of the Project, if the total cost of the Project exceeds Sixty -Five Thousand Dollars and 001100 ($65,000.00). Section 5: The recitals provided in this resolution are true and correct and are incorporated into the operative part of this resolution. Section 6: If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this resolution is, for any reason, held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portions of this resolution. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this resolution, and each section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase hereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid or unconstitutional. Section 7: The City Council finds the adoption of this resolution exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly. Section 8: This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council, and the City Clerk shall certify the vote adopting the resolution. ADOPTED this 14th day of January, 2020. Will O'Neill Mayor ATTEST: Leilani I. Brown City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE A ,,- c ff Aaron C. Harp City Attorney 7-6 ATTACHMENT B BALBOA ISLAND/CORONA DEL MAR TRANSIT FEASIBILITY STUDY PROPOSED STUDY AREA CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 1/14/20 7-7 NEWPORT CENTER BAYSIDE SHOPPING CTR. C/V/C CENTER CIVIC CENTER MARINE AVENUE BUSINESS DISTRICT PSEO Z h� a J BALBOA ISLAND i �Q FERRY ,O`PQO P OASIS SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER 0 CORONA DEL MAR % STATE BEACH LEGEND Oeea e 0 POINT OF INTEREST BALBOA ISLAND/CORONA DEL MAR TRANSIT FEASIBILITY STUDY PROPOSED STUDY AREA CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 1/14/20 7-7