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APPROVED MINUTES

SHASTA COUNTY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AGENCY (MPO)

Tuesday, February 27, 2001, 4:00 p.m.
Board of Supervisors' Chambers, Courthouse
1500 Court Street, Redding, California

(Note: These minutes are not intended to serve as a transcript or verbatim record of the proceedings of the Shasta County Regional Transportation Planning Agency, but rather as a record of meeting time, place and attendance; the order and general nature of discussion; Agency deliberations; and action taken, if any.)

Agency Members Clarke, Comnick, McGeorge, Reno, Wilson and Alternate Members Fust and Stegall were present. Agency Members Hawes and Kight were absent. Representatives of the RTPA, Shasta County staff, Caltrans, City of Redding, City of Anderson, Shasta Senior Nutrition Programs (CTSA) and RABA were present.

Call to Order:

Chair McGeorge called the meeting to order at 4:09 p.m.

Public Comment Period:

Marie Carr Fitzgerald spoke to the Agency concerning the need for an additional underpass/overpass in downtown Redding. She stated that long delays when trains switch and safety issues are the two major reasons this should be considered. She submitted to the Agency a petition with 150 signatures concerning this issue.

3-1 Minutes of December 12, 2000, RTPA Meeting

3-2 Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) Project Status Report

3-3 RTPA Meeting Schedule Through February 2001

3-4 Consider Revising Amendment No. 2 to the 2000/01 Overall Work Program (OWP) to Add $8,321.47 of FHWA PL and TDA Funds to Work Element 601 in Order to Obligate Funds

3-5 Consider Amendment No. 3 to the 2000/01 Overall Work Program to Add $10,567.46 of Federal Aviation Funds to Work Element 605 to Fund Late Charges

By motion made, seconded and carried, the items on the Consent Calendar were approved.

• Consider Resolution Commending John Stokes for Nine Years of Dedicated Service to the Shasta County Regional Transportation Planning Agency - Consider Action:

Dan Kovacich reported that Senior Planner John Stokes recently left the RTPA and went to work for the Department of Resource Management. It is recommended that the Agency approve a resolution commending John for his nine years of dedicated service to the RTPA and to wish him luck in his new endeavor.

By motion made and seconded (Fust/Wilson) the staff recommendation passed by unanimous vote.

• Approve Resolution of Support for Future Rail Passenger Service from Sacramento to Redding - Consider Action:

Dan Kovacich stated a report prepared by Caltrans supports that an extension of the San Joaquin Line passenger rail service from Sacramento through Roseville and Chico and eventually terminating in Redding may become feasible in the year 2006. Although there appears to be a demand for this service, no identifiable funding source has been established at this time. It is estimated the annual operating cost for the extension would be approximately $3 million. The purpose of bringing this item before the Agency is to approve a resolution indicating its support for passenger rail service extension consistent with the final draft of the Rail Program Passenger Report prepared by Caltrans' Rail Program.

Dan Kovacich added he would like thank John Hoeflich for keeping staff up to date concerning this issue. Agency Member Fust also thanked Mr. Hoeflich for working with staff on the passenger rail matter.

Mark Reno felt that a reference regarding the Agency's support for high speed rail in the Northstate should be added to the resolution.

By motion made and seconded (Fust/Wilson) the staff recommendation with the addition of the Agency's support for high speed rail in the Northstate passed unanimously.

• Elect Chair and Vice-Chair - Consider Action:

Agency Member Fust made a motion to nominate Norma Comnick as RTPA Chair and Agency Member Wilson seconded it. By unanimous vote, Norma Comnick was elected Chair.

Agency Member McGeorge made a motion to nominate Mark Reno as Vice Chair and Agency Member Stegall seconded the motion. By unanimous vote, Mark Reno was elected Vice-Chair.

• Consider 2001/02 Transit Needs Assessment and Conduct 2001/02 Unmet Needs Hearing - Consider Action:

Executive Officer Kovacich stated that this is the beginning of the process to make annual fund allocations from Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds. He introduced Dan Little, Senior Public Works Planner for the RTPA. Mr. Little presented an overview of the 2001/02 Transit Needs Assessment. This document includes the framework staff used to address public comments regarding unmet transit needs and provides guidelines for the Agency when making their Unmet Transit Needs Findings each year.

Dan Little gave a Power Point presentation which explained the process. The Transit Needs Assessment takes a look at the general transit performance in the transportation funding issues. The annual Unmet Transit Needs is a four-part process and includes the following:

• General Assessment of the Transit Needs and Transit Services within Shasta County (2001/02 Transit Needs Assessment document);
• Public hearing to consider specific transit needs;
• Participation by Social Services Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC); and
• RTPA findings and allocation of TDA funds

The Transit Needs Assessment addresses where areas of high transit demand are within the county, and how the existing services are doing in meeting those demands. Finally, it looks at the criteria for expanding those services to meet the demands.

Mr. Little provided a brief overview of the existing transit services:

• Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) operated Fixed Route and Demand Response services are subject to the "unmet need and reasonable to meet" definitions. Primarily it needs to be an identifiable population group that can meet a farebox ratio of 20%.

Demand Response serves people with disabilities that cannot use the conventional fixed route transit. Demand response ridership is almost identical in comparison to the previous two years.

• Consolidated Transportation Service Agency (CTSA) services must meet the criteria for a "Community Transit Service." They must serve intra-community needs and have specialized services for those unable to use conventional transit. CTSA services are limited to 5% of the total TDA allocation and require approval by the RTPA Board. CTSA is run by the Shasta Senior Nutrition Programs.

• Lifeline services are operated by the Shasta Senior Nutrition programs. Lifeline services are specialized services that provide elderly and disabled transportation in rural areas. The targeted rural areas are Happy Valley, Cottonwood, Palo Cedro, Bella Vista, and Burney.

• Burney Express and Shingletown Vanpool services are subject to the "unmet transit need" and "reasonable to meet" definitions, except the minimum farebox return is 10%. These are commuter-oriented services linking Burney and Shingletown to the Redding area. The ridership for the Burney Express service is down and is being monitored.
• Other Non-TDA funded services such as the Golden Umbrella. The cities and County may provide transit services at their discretion beyond the level required by the RTPA.

Chairman Commick opened the public hearing for 2001/02 Unmet Transit Needs. The following people spoke.

* Submitted in writing. To be part of public record.

There being no one else who wished to speak, Chairman Comnick closed the public hearing.

Agency Members Wilson and Reno thanked the members of public who spoke and acknowledged the courage it took to go before the Agency and express themselves.

By motion made, seconded, and carried the Board approved staff's recommendation to 1) Present the information generated from the public hearing to the Social Service Transportation Advisory Committee (SSTAC) and claimant agencies for formulation of the recommendation; and 2) Direct staff to prepare recommendations, written responses to comments and draft findings in anticipation of final action at the April 24, 2001 RTPA meeting.

• Adjourn:

There being no further business to discuss, Chair Comnick adjourned the meeting at 6:05 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Daniel J. Kovacich, Executive Officer

/jmg