COMMISSIONERS: Dave Hudson, Chair     Maria Viramontes, Vice Chair      Janet Abelson      Susan Bonilla     David Durant 
               Donald P. Freitas      Federal Glover     Brad Nix      Julie Pierce        Karen Stepper     Don Tatzin 
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS: Amy Worth, MTC    Gail Murray, BART      Joe Wallace, Bus Operators 

PLANNING COMMITTEE (PC)
AGENDA

MEMBERS:             Brad Nix – Chair, David Durant – Vice Chair, Janet Abelson, Susan Bonilla, Dave Hudson

DATE:                      Wednesday, September 3, 2008

TIME:                      6:30 p.m.

PLACE:                   3478 Buskirk Avenue, Suite 100, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
                                    (925) 256-4700

CONVENE MEETING.

A.        PUBLIC COMMENT: Members of the public are invited to address the Committee regarding any item not listed on the agenda. Please complete one of the speaker cards in advance of the meeting and hand it to a member of the staff.

B.         APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Planning Committee Minutes of June 4, 2008. (Attachment-Action)

CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS

1.     Approval of the City of Pittsburg’s Calendar Year 2006 & 2007 Growth Management Compliance Checklist. Pittsburg has submitted its Calendar Years 2006 & 2007 Growth Management Program Compliance Checklist for allocation of local street maintenance and improvement funds. (Attachment-Action)

REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS

2.     Definition of Project Alternatives for the 2008 CTP EIR. The Authority has begun preparing a program EIR on the 2008 Countywide Comprehensive Transportation Plan. Authority staff and consultants are working to identify alternatives that the EIR would analyze. The Authority defined three very distinct alternative Measure J expenditure plans that were used in the EIR on the 2004 CTP. Now that Measure J has passed, many of the funding decisions have been made, making identification of alternatives more complicated. Staff and the TCC, however, have identified several alternatives for the 2008 CTP EIR that could be used. (Attachment-Action)

3.     Status of Comments Received on the Measure J Implementation Guide. The Proposal for Adoption Measure J Implementation Guide was released for review on July 21, 2008, with comments due by Friday, September 19, 2008. To date, no comments beyond the issues flagged by TRANSPAC, relative to service objectives, and by County staff, relative to those objectives and the General Plan Amendment (GPA) review process, have been received (Attachment-Action to be Determined) (Download to view Proposal for Adoption Implementation Guide)

4.     Review and Discussion of Action Plans for Routes of Regional Significance. Each subarea has completed a Draft Action Plan for incorporation into the Countywide Transportation Plan. The Actions Plans reflect a collaborative, multi-jurisdictional planning process to set performance measures and establish a program of actions for achieving those measures along each major corridor. The performance measures – called Multi-Modal Transportation Service Objectives (MTSOs) serve as a yardstick for estimating the impacts of major land use decisions on the regional transportation system. (Attachment-Action)

1. Status of the Action Plans by Sub-area. Since last June, significant progress continues on the Action Plans. WCCTAC, TRANSPLAN, and LPMC have released second drafts for circulation and review. TVTC released its Proposal for Adoption Action Plan in July. At its meeting on July 24, the TRANSPAC committee released portions of its first draft Action Plan for Central County,
2. Consideration of TRANSPAC’s request to proceed with an Action Plan that does not include MTSOs. TRANSPACs draft Action Plan does not include MTSOs. TRANSPAC is requesting that the Authority incorporate the Central County Action Plan into the CTP, and allow TRANSPAC to proceed with its action plan without MTSOs.

5.     Status Report Regarding the Measure C/J Regional Transportation Mitigation Programs. In February 2008, the Authority issued an updated Summary Status Report for the Measure C Regional Transportation Mitigation Program. The report documented that $243 million in regional mitigation fees had been collected since program inception. Chair Nix has requested that the Planning Committee hold a discussion regarding the status of RTMPs. (Attachment-Action) CMA Function

6.     Proposal for an Authority Workshop to Discuss Corridor Management and Related Growth Management Program (GMP) Issues. The external environment that the Authority and its local jurisdictions operate within is changing, and the pace of change is significant.  The Metropolitan Transportation Commission has approved, as part of its draft 2009 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), both an 800 mile HOT lanes network and a “freeway performance initiative” (FPI) that would install ramp metering and information signs throughout the Bay Area’s freeway network.  If the Governor signs SB 375, reducing greenhouse gas emissions will become the overarching objective of the RTP.  In this changing environment, the Authority needs to decide both how to best address the complex and challenging regional and state initiatives, and also whether or not those proposals and mandates fundamentally change the context of Contra Costa’s 20-year old GMP.  A workshop to begin the discussion is recommended for the September Authority meeting. (Attachment-Action)

7.     Release “Call for Projects” for the Lifeline Transportation Program (LTP). The purpose of the LTP is to fund projects that result in improved mobility for low-income residents of Contra Costa. Authority staff has prepared a draft “Call for Projects” for review by PC, and release on September 19, 2008. A total of $9.1 million is expected to be available to Contra Costa through MTC from a variety of federal and State funding sources over a three year funding cycle. The amount is subject to the STA funding in the state budget once approved. The program is proposed to be conducted in a method similar to the first cycle with two exceptions. First, MTC is requiring a new criterion for project consideration which requires some level of consideration be given to projects derived from community based transportation plans (CBTP). MTC is allowing counties to establish targets for this funding by operator service areas, on a formula basis, as long as the funds are applied based on evaluation criteria for projects which meet the Lifeline requirements. The JARC funding must still be distributed on a purely competitive basis. (Attachment-Action)

8.     ULL Compliance Issues Relating to the Tentative Incorporation of Alamo. ULL Compliance Issues Relating to the Tentative Incorporation of Alamo. Subject to voter approval, Alamo may become incorporated in 2009. Consequently, the new Town would be eligible for its share of 18% Local Street Maintenance and Improvement Program funds under Measure J, provided that it complies with the Authority’s Growth Management Program. A question has arisen regarding how Alamo would comply with the GMP requirement for a ULL. Following incorporation, Alamo would be eligible to pursue either the County or Local Voter-Approved ULL options under Measure J. (Attachment-Action)

9.     Other Business

10.  News Clippings and Correspondence

11.  Adjournment: The next meeting is proposed for October 1, 2008 at 6:30 p.m.

SHUTTLE SERVICE: Please Note Change – effective May 1, 2003 With 24-hour notice, a County Connection Link shuttle can be available at the Pleasant Hill BART station for the Administration & Projects, Planning, and Full Authority meetings. To arrange for the shuttle service, call: Danice Rosenbohm at 925-256-4722, NO LATER THAN 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING. Con el aviso de 24-horas, una County Connection Link Shuttle puede estar desponible en la estacion de Pleasant Hill BART para las asambleas horaria. Para arreglar para el servicio de lanzadera, llame: Danice Rosenbohm en 925-256-4722, NO MAS ADELANTE DE 24 HORAS ANTES DE LA ASSEMBLEA.

TRANSLATION SERVICES: If you require a translator to facilitate testimony to the Authority, please contact Danice at 925-256-4722 no later than 48 hours in advance of the scheduled meeting. Si usted requiere a un traductor para facilitar testimonio a la Authority, por favor llame Danice al 925-256-4722, 48 horas antes de la asamblea. ADA COMPLIANCE: This Agenda shall be made available upon request in alternative formats to persons with a disability, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12132) and the Ralph M. Brown Act (Cal. Govt. Code Sec. 54954.2). Persons request­ing a disability-related modification or accommodation should contact Danice Rosenbohm at 925-256-4722 during regular business hours, at least 24 hours prior to the time of the meeting.