HomeMy WebLinkAboutRPT 5 FIXED GUIDEWAY 03-18-91B rI F
')ATE: MARCH 181 1991
TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
REPORTS NO. 5
3-18-91
Inter - Com
SUBJECT: STATUS REPORT ON CENTRAL ORANGE COUNTY FIXED GUIDEWAY PROJECT
RECOMMENDATION
Receive and file.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this report is to advise the City Council of any
recent developments on the Central Orange County Fixed Guideway
(COCFG) project and to discuss follow-up actions to the previous
concerns identified by the Council. Last December, the City
Council received an informational report regarding the Central
Orange County Fixed Guideway (COCFG) project and requested that
staff continue to monitor the project and investigate the potential
for City membership in the Joint Powers Authority (JPA).
The Central Orange County Fixed Guideway Project was originally
conceived as a public/private partnership involving 5 cities within
Central Orange County (Anaheim, Santa Ana, Orange, Costa Mesa and
Irvine) for the purpose of establishing an elevated transit system
to connect core activity areas. The participating agencies have
since been expanded to include the City of Fullerton, County of
Orange, Orange County Transit District and Orange County
Transportation Commission (OCTC). The COCFG Policy Committee is
composed of these 6 cities and the county agencies. In late
October, 1990, a Prospectus for the COCFG project was prepared and
circulated for comments.
In December, 1990, staff reviewed the Prospectus and provided
preliminary comments on the project. The City identified a concern
with potential environmental impacts of a feeder line that is
proposed adjacent to the City's western boundary. At that time we
reiterated the City's interest in participating in the planning
process. The City has been advised that it is too late to join the
JPA either as a full member or as an associate member, however, we
are welcome to attend all meetings to provide technical support and
to participate in the planning process.
The topic of membership has been discussed extensively at the COCFG
Policy Committee meetings and by adjacent cities. Membership has
been limited to ensure that the focus is to implement the mainline
project first. The OCTC has recommended that $340 million be
1.__ City Council Report
Status report on Central Orange County Fixed Guideway Project
March 18, 1991
Page 2
allocated toward this system. It is expected that as funding
becomes available, extensions to other cities and/or Los Angeles
County can be planned and constructed. The Committee believes that
it would be easier to plan and implement a smaller, core project.
They have recognized the potential for expansion of the system in
the future and are therefore encouraging adjacent cities to
participate in the planning stages.
Some of these adjacent cities (Brea, Buena Park, Huntington Beach)
are identified as Associate Members. Associate members are public
agencies that expressed an interest in extensions of the COCFG into
their jurisdictions and have provided the necessary demographic and
land use information for inclusion in the Prospectus. Associate
members have no voting rights, no powers, duties or obligations and
are not responsible to participate in administrative and planning
costs. The City of Tustin has the same ability to participate as
an Associate Member, although we are not officially identified as
an Associate Member Agency in the JPA. The City would need to
provide demographic and land use information prior to the JPA
considering identifying Tustin as an Associate Member Agency. At
the present time, it is estimated that each Member Agency will be
contributing less than $10,000 for the Executive Director salary.
Future costs to each Member Agency are unknown at this time. The
City of Tustin may become a Member Agency upon majority vote of the
Board of the JPA. The JPA is not interested in expanding the
number of Member Agencies or Associate Member Agencies at this
time.
CONCLUSION
Although the City of Tustin is not a Member or Associate Member
Agency, this project could have some significant impacts on the
City. The Community Development Department will continue to
monitor the project and participate in the county's planning
activities to ensure that our concerns are addressed.
G�
Sara Pashalides
Associate Planner
Christine A. Shine ton
Assistant City Manager
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Community Development Department