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Home My WebLink About22 AB 2766 07-03-95=,GEF IDA DATE: JULY 3, 1995 TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER FROM: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: PROJECT FUNDING FOR AB 2766 PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that City Council: · Ratify the annual rePort and authorize the use of City AB 2766 funds to off-set costs associated with the.implementation of various programs designed to reduce vehicle emissions within the City of Tustin. · Authorize the City Manager to approve additional AB 2766 expenditures, consistent with Air QUality Management District guidance, throughout the 1995/96. program year as needed. FISCAL IMPACT AB 2766 funds 'are made available to local governments for use in offsetting state mandated vehicle emissions reduction programs. The use of these funds towards this purpose reduces General Fund responsibility to fund these programs. While some of the programs described in this report will result in impacts to the General Fund, they have previously been brought to Council for evaluation and approval. No additional fiscal impact will occur from the implementation of the AB 2766 .Program. BACKGROUND On September 30, 1990, the State Legislature authorized the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to impose an additional motor 'vehicle registration fee of two dollars ($2) per vehicle to finance the implementation of transportation measures embodied in the Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) and provisions of the California Clean Air Act. AB 2766 legislation requires the SCAQMD.to distribute forty cents ($.40) of every dollar collected back to participating cities and counties within the District based on Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) registration numbers. About $60,000 in AB 2766 funds are received annually by the City of Tustin. City Council Report Project Funding for AB 2766 Program July 3, 1995 Page 2 AB 2766 funds must be used solely to reduce pollution from motor vehicles and for related planning, monitoring, enforcement, and · technical studies necessary for the implementation of State and Regional clean air goals within the City of Tustin. Attachment "A" is a copy of a pamphlet prepared by the South Coast Air Quality Management District developed to.guide local government use of AB 2766 funds. PROGRAM AND BUDGET INFORMATION In past years, the City of Tustin has utilized these funds to offset the costs assooiated with a number of air emission reducing programs including the conversion of a City vehicle to propane (mechanical difficulties associated with the conversion has resulted in the program being discontinued), partial funding 9f the cost of including an Air Quality discussion as part of the recent amendment of the City's General Plan, for use as a cash match for grants associated with the Tustin commuter rail station, and to off-set costs associated with development of previous Air Quality/Rideshare programs and staff costs associated with AQMD programs. Last year Council authorized a comprehensive programatical approach to spending the City's AB 2766 funds on an annual basis, thereby relieving Council of the task of approving each proposal in a piecemeal fashion. Proposed program allocations for each fiscal year were to be brought to Council annually for Council concurrence. Attachment "B" provides a summary of the AB 2766 trust .fund revenue and expenditure account activity and estimates for the past 2 1/2 years. This year staff is requesting that $85,150 in AB 2766 funds .be allocated for Fiscal' Year 1995-1996 to implement various air emission improvement related programs for the City. This year's programs are identified below: Personnel Costs Commuter Rail Station Regulation XV/SOAR Program ETC Training Courses $17,000 $65,000 $ 2,650 $ soo TOTAL EXPENDITURES $85,150 A detailed summary of each of the above proposed programs is provided below: a · PERSONNEL COSTS - The City's SOAR Program is currently administered by a staff person who has other duties but City Council Report Project FUnding for AB 2766 Program July 3, 1995 Page 3 be c also serves the role as the City's Employee Transportation Coordinator (ETC). The City is required to perform quarterly evaluations of employee efforts and an annual comprehensive report to the Air Quality Management District. Under AB2766 guidelines, a Portion of the ETC's salary can be funded by the Trust. Approximately 25% of the ETC's salary and benefits are to be funded with AB 2766 funds which represents $17,000 for Fiscal Year 1995/96. COMMUTER RAIL STATION FUNDING ASSISTANCE - The Community Development Department has submitted a Commuter Rail Grant proposal for design, engineering and planning of the Tustin Commuter Rail Station. The Transit CaPital Improvement Grant (TCI) application requests Proposition 116 State Rail Bond monies for design, planning and site acquisition costs. The grant requires local jurisdictions to provide a 50% funding match for the total cost of this program. AB 2766 funds have been previously identified by the City Council to be used as a portion of the citY's matching Contribution requirement. All other matching funds are being provided by other grants, Transportation Demand Management funds, General Fund Capital Improvement Program funds, Measure "M" funds~ and other sources. The implementation and maintenance of the rail station would require additional state and federal grant monies and potential future use of AB 2766 funds. The City has proposed that $340,000 in AB 2766 funds be allocated for the commuter rail station project costs. Last year, $25,000 in AB 2766 funds were encumbered for this purpose. Future commuter rail fund allocations have been projected over the life of the Project (through FY 1997-98) with '1995-96 costs estimated at $65,000 as shown in Attachment B. REGULATION XV PROGRAMS - Southern California Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) requirements, under Regulation XV, currently mandates employers with 100 or more employees to provide a Rideshare incentive program. The City's Save Our Air Rideshare (SOAR) Program provides employees with air quality education, ride sharing incentives, carpool matching services, and participates in numerous state-wide Air Quality promotions (California Rideshare Week, Clean Air Week etc...). The goal of the SOAR Program is to encourage employees when traveling to and from the work site to choose alternative transportation methods i.e. carpool, walk, City Council Report Project Funding for AB 2766 Program July 3, 1995 Page 4 de public transpOrtation, and bicycles. Ultimately, the goal of SCAQMD is to reach a 1.5 average vehicle ridership (AVR) in Southern California. Currently, with the implementation of the modified work schedule, the City's-AVR is estimated to be around 1.4. Staff has proposed ' $2,650 for implementation of the City's Regulation XV program as follows. ITEM ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST 1. Tracking Cards, Photo Cards Certificates required to record and report employee participation. $250 2. Program Signage (Smog Alerts) 3. Rideshare Fair (Public AWareness) 4. Program Incentives (A menu of incentives is required under Reg XV) - Cash Prize $800 - T-Shirts 300 - Coupons 250 - Bus Passes 100 - Shoes 300 TOTAL $1,750 $350 $300 $1,750 TOTAL $2,650 ETC TRAINING - Staff ETC training is required by the Air Quality Management District to ensure that the ETC continues to be informed of amendments implementation strategies which will assist the City in complying with Regulation XV requirements. Staff requests $500 for FY 1995-96 to fund these required costs. CONCLUSION Staff recommends that the City Council approVe the above proposed AB 2766 Program to off-set costs associated with development of Air Quality related programs and reduce vehicle emissions within the City of Tustin. In addition, it is recommended the City Council authorize the City Manager to approve additional AB 2766 expenditures, consistent with Air Quality Management District guidance, throughout the 1995/96 program year as needed. City CounCil Report Project Funding for AB 2766 Program July 3, 1995 Page 5 Staff will submit an AB 2766 proposed program budget for City Council approval on an annual basis. Dana Og~v Senior P~anner DO: do\c c repo r t \A82766- 4. mem Christine Shin~eton Assistant City ~fanager Attachment A: Guide for Use of AB 2766 Funds Attachment B: Project AB 2766 Fund Budget ATTACHMENT "A" _ Local. Government Use of AB 2766 Funds South Coast Air Quality Management District SECOND IaR1ORIT~· USES ff,,~~~r'.u,r, cha~ of Iisht-, medium-, and heavv-dutv, facton,-built, alternative fuel vehicles. ,,~~Zff-~_,'!~. e.'~/~ior, advantases of these facton,:built ~,'ehicles'are superior emissions reductions ~'"'~~/;;affd'n':factory warranty. Several ]993 factory-built, iow emission vehicles certified by the California Air Resources Board are availabl~ for purchase. . .. · Joint asreements with auto manufacturers to test prototype, factory-built, medium- and heavy-duty alternative fuel engines in l~.ublic or private fleets. · Retrofit of city or county fleets to low emission vehicles using alternative fuels if sustain- able emissions reductions can be demonstrated. . · Installation of alternative fuel refueling sites. By combining various public and. private "' agency efforts, access is provided to more fleet vehicles, and perhaps t° the general pub- . . lic, ~he.r_e practical.. . .~ . .. - · Operation of publi.c/prjvate shuttle services using low-polluting alternative fuels. · Improvements to existing databases, transportation Control measures and indirect .. source control programs. . . · Demonstration.projects using Intelligent Veh'icle Highway Systems as a"way to increase operational efficiency. ; .. .. 'THIRD PRIORITY USES" ~e.s~e, ction, coordination, and construction of commuter rail stations. Selection and '~~~~ ~.~,i~'~;~he'station should include access. .." · · ' ' --- · Construction of. dvernight par'king lots for trucks. 'Two or more cities could combine - - · ' ... their efforts. The assessment of the demand for truck parking during off-peak hours should be planned jointly.. · . · Street improvements, traffic intersection mobility enhancements, traffic surveillance pro- .. .. grams and traffic signal synckroni~tion. Traffi~ signal synchronization and street im-- · .. provements should be a combined effort, so that mobility is achieved along the main ar- -- _ terials within adjacent cities~ The links bet~,een main arterials and the in~ner'city could - also be improved. ~. ' --o Rail consolidation to'r~d~ce grade crossing delavs..Joint vowers authorities among cit- -.' '- les may be needed to accomplish this... - ' ' - · Improve airport .access. Combined efforts will be needed among neighboring cities. · Redu, ction in ihe riumber and length of~npaved streets, to reduce particulate emissions. - " ", -'° Cgnstructi,°n of multi-modal transfer facilities amon~ neighboring dries. ' . _ · -Expansion of pubhc awareness related to air qu~'Iity, transportation, and land us~'plan: _ .- ' ._ rting. Create a public education'and marketing plan with measurable performance ob- -- .'._ . jectives. - -- ... -:_.._ - .~_ '.. ._ .. .~ ._ - .., .. · Analysis of the effectiveness of available transp-o~ation control measures in reducing .. -- hide emissions. ;" - .- ,. -- ~ _ · . - . ~-' We'hope that fi-ds ~uiline of suggested uses for-' abou-t other uses of th~se funds, please c~ll t~'~' A QMD · "your--AB'2766'funds is h~lpfld. If you have questions" Intergovernmental Affairi; office at (714) 396-32321 _ - -- o o o° ~ 0 ] o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0 '~' 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o U z ~ ~ Z ;> .< o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0