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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-05-2011 - Information Item 1 GRANGE CGUNTY PLANNING $~ INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT Craig N. Benedict, AICP, Director Administration ~`~``~Q L~4°~~ ~~ ~ ~3~ W. Margaret Ln. ~9~9~ 2452515 ~~~~ ~7 ~~ ~ ~~ P. ~. Box 8 ~ 8 ~ ~9~9~ 644-3802 ~FA~~ . ;~ 7~= ~ Hillsborough, NC 21218 www.co.orange~nc.us ~`~°~fr, ~~~a1,,;4 MEMORANDUM TU: Grange County Board of Commissioners COPIES: Frank Clifton, County Manager FRAM: Craig Benedict, Planning and inspections Director Mi1a Vega, Land UselTransportation Planner DATE: April 5, 2011 SUBJECT: Triangle Regional Transit Plan and Grange County Transit Plan Updates The following updates are being provided for informational purposes. ~/~ Cent Sale Tax The Noah Carolina General Assembly approved a local option for counties in the Triangle Region awake, Durham and Grange} to levy an additional 1/~-cent sales tax to be used for regional transit, including local transit services in support of the regional service. The 1/~ cent local option is subject to approval by referendum and both must be used according to a financial plan that must be approved in advance, The revenue assumption far %2 cent sales tax in Orange County is $5 million in 2012. $7 Vehicle Registration Fee Zn addition, the law authorizes the County Commissioners to impose a $7 vehicle registration fee in advance of the referendum. This could be invoked by resolution of the BGCC. The new fee is to be used to support existing and new transit service. The anticipated revenue from this funding source in 2012 is $770,000. This fee would need to be distributed by inter-local agreement to bus service agencies in the County ~i.e. Chapel Hill Transit and Grange Public Transportation}, Please note that if these monies are used independent of the financial plan then the plan would need to reconcile this loss. $3 Vehicle Registration Fee Triangle Transit} Triangle Transit was authorized to impose an additional $3 vehicle registration fee. Currently, Triangle Transit collects a $5 vehicle registration fee; the new increase will bring it up to $S. The C,1Documents and SettingslmallisonlLocal SettingslTemporary Internet FileslOLKI~$1Info Item Transit Plan Update.docln~'o Item Transit Plan Update additional $3 fee is intended to restore the buying power of the original $5 fee to its purchasing ~ power level when it was first enacted in the 1990s. There are no specific requirements associated with the fee increase other than it should be used to suppo~ transit. According to Triangle Transit, it is likely to be used on either newlenhanced bus service or advancing planning and design of the rail projects. The revenue assumption in 2012 is $330,000. Financial Plan As noted, a financial plan is required to levy the %-cent sales tax. Triangle Transit is the lead agency for developing the Triangle Regional Transit Plan TRTP} and the associated financial model. URS Corporation is the consultant f rm retained by Triangle Transit to help develop the plan and assist with public outreach efforts. Triangle Regional Transit Plan TRTP} Staius The TRTP includes two main components: fixed guideway flight rail and Bus Rapid Transit} and county-specifrc bus plans far Orange, Durham and Wake Counties. One of the major tasks of TRTP is to develop the Alternatives Analysis (AA} for the light rail option. The AA is a necessary step for accessing federal funds via the Small Starts program. -Small Starts is a federal grant program that offers financing for capital costs associated with new fixed guideway systems, extensions, and bus corridor improvements. As a part on the AA, the Durham-Orange 4 University of North Carolina _ Alston Avenue} alternative was selected far further examination, Attachment 1. The next step is to determine the exact alignment that would be proposed as the Locally Preferred Alternative ~LPA}. Zn addition to progressing the AA process, Triangle Transit has updated the plan financial model. The new f nancial information became available in March 2011. The main base financial model changes related to Orange County are: Assumed federal share increased from 35% to 45% • Available bus resources decreased from 34,004 new bus service hours to 29,500. Originally, the bus network expansion was scheduled for the first 5 years of the program. As of March 2011, the introduction of new bus services was split into two phases: phase ~ to be completed by 2012 assuming Fall 2011 referendum}; phase 2 - by 2029. Triangle Transit also developed a set of alternative scenarios in addition to the base financial model. For example, one of the alternative scenarios shows changes in the financial model assuming that Orange County will pay for the rail segment from the University of North Carolina to the County line; the base scenario assumes that Orange County will pay for the rail segment from the University of North Carolina to Leigh Village ~- over a mile into Durham County. The alternative financial scenarios are provided in Attachment 2. Orange County Transit Plan Status The Orange County Transit Leadership Group, comprised of Orange County elected officials Chair Bernadette Pelissier and Vice Chair Valerie P. Foushee}, has been meeting over the course of the last few months to discuss various important questions and issues related to the TRTP and the financial model. The issue of Orange County rail segment financial obligation has been discussed on numerous occasions in an attempt to determine a fair share for the County to contribute. The proposed C:IDacuments and SettingslmallisanlLacal SettingslTemparary Internet FileslOLKI OSlinfo Item Transit Plan Update.dacinfa Item Transit Plan Update project schedule also received a significant level of attention especially in light of the recent ~ Wake County decision to postpone the referendum to 2012 or 2013. On March 9, 2011, the Orange County Transit Leadership Group met with its counterpart from Durham County. while no specific recommendations came out of that meeting, it was an important step in the Orange-Durham Counties collaboration between elected officials Orange and Durham planning staff had met on several occasions. The next Orange County Transit Leadership Group meetings are scheduled for March 23 and Apri11. Orange County Transit Plan Status -Bus Plan Component The Orange County Transit Partnership comprised of planning staff from various stakeholders within Orange County has been charged with developing recommendations for the bus component of the TRTP. Representatives from Orange County, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, The University of North Carolina, Mebane, Triangle Transit and Chatham County have worked collaboratively to develop a comprehensive bus service improvement plan that supports the effort to Improve public transit and address needs in Orange County, The Partnership completed the following tasks: • Identif ed county-wide transit needs and developed a list of potential services; • Developed plan goals and strategies; and • Ranked and prioritized the list of services. The partnership is scheduled to meet again to fine-tune service rankings. The developed plan concentrates on three transportation corridors within Orange County. US Rautel5-501, NC 8~ and NC 54. These corridors are seen as a high priority far Orange County transit development. Staff will continue to provide regular updates on the progress of the Triangle Regional Transit Plan ~TRTP~. 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