Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutOUTBoard minutes 121912Approved 1/16/13 1 MINUTES 2 ORANGE UNIFIED TRANSPORTATION BOARD 3 DECEMBER 19, 2012 4 5 6 MEMBERS PRESENT: Paul Guthrie, Chapel Hill Township; Alex Castro, Bingham Township; Sam Lasris (Chair), 7 Cedar Grove Township; Alan Campbell, Planning Board Representative; Susie Enoch, Cheeks Township; Ted 8 Triebel, Little River Township 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 MEMBERS ABSENT: Jeff Miles, Pedestrian Access & Safety Advocate; Jeff Charles (Vice Chair), Bicycle Advocate; Bryant Warren, Hillsborough Township; Amy Cole, Transit Advocate; Annette Jurgelski, Eno Township; Economic Development Commission - Vacant; CfE Representative- Vacant STAFF PRESENT: Abigaile Pittman, Transportation /Land Use Planner; Craig Benedict, Planning Director; Tina Love, Administrative Assistant II OTHERS PRESENT: Matthew Day, TARPO; Renee Price, Nancy Baker, Randy Marshall AGENDA ITEM 1: CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Staff, new member and outgoing member introductions. AGENDA ITEM II: RECOGNITION OF SERVICE OF PAST OUTBOARD MEMBERS NANCY COLE BAKER, CHAIR AND RANDY MARSHALL, VICE - CHAIR, AND RENEE PRICE, COMMISSION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT REPRESENTATIVE Paul Guthrie recognized the outgoing members and Craig Benedict presented them with certificates and thanked them for their service. AGENDA ITEM III: CONSIDERATIONS OF ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Plan item was moved up on the agenda so that Nancy Baker could provide the information. Alex Castro asked that the Board add the provision for updates on other advisory boards, in particular the Advisory Board on Aging has put out a five year Master Aging Plan. He noted that it includes strategies on transportation and ongoing actions. He noted a grant being sought that relates to mobility transportation. Nancy Baker updated the members on the history of the SRTS Plan development and informed of the required approval from NCDOT, the County by the Commissioners, the School Board, and the Town of Hillsborough for the program to move forward. The group will be meeting in January and will be moving forward with its efforts. Abigaile Pittman let the Board know that there will be a more detailed presentation in January. Nancy Baker noted it would be good as preview of the presentation that will be going to the Commissioners, etc. Abigaile Pittman advised that the Safe Routes to School program funding through MAP -21 had been eliminated from the federal and state budgets but there are likely to be similar sources around the state that could help with implementation. Approved 1/16/13 Matthew Day noted that the Safe Routes to School has been taken out as a specific line item, but it was lumped in with other stuff so he thinks it is still eligible. AGENDA ITEM IV: APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR OCTOBER 17, 2012 The OUTBoard minutes from October 17, 2012 were approved by consensus. AGENDA ITEM V: STAFF UPDATES a. Resolution of Burlington- Graham Metropolitan Planning Organization (BG MPO) and Durham - Chapel Hill - Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) boundaries in Orange County b. Status of Burlington- Graham Metropolitan Planning Organization (BG MPO) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) including Orange County c. North Carolina State Clearinghouse review comments for three proposed railroad private crossing closures in Orange County d. Draft FY2014 -2020 Durham - Chapel Hill - Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) e. Notes from NCDOT luncheon meeting f. Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization (TARPO) new project prioritization policies for the purpose of determining regional priorities for transportation funding, as carried out through the NCDOT's "SPOT" Process g. Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization (TARPO) Division 7 active projects update h. New State Ethics Act Requirements for RPO and MPOs members OUTBoard Action: Receive information Abigaile Pittman reviewed information regarding the MPO Boundaries which has been approved by Burlington - Graham (BG) and Durham - Chapel Hill - Carrboro (DCHD) MPOs and which will now go on to be approved by NCDOT and the Governor. She reviewed the boundaries on the Map, showing the expansion of the BG MPO into Orange County. Craig Benedict updated members on the water & sewer efforts taking place in the Buckhorn /Mebane area and economic development efforts. Craig Benedict noted that he would be updating the OUTBoard on the implementation aspects in February. Abigaile Pittman advised that the BG MPO has established Orange County as a voting member but the Mebane Census numbers used were 2000 and will need to be updated to reflect the 2010 Census numbers which will take place in January. Abigaile Pittman informed the Board about the NC State Clearinghouse review regarding the proposed railroad crossing closures and advised them of the upcoming public hearings. Paul Guthrie suggested a future briefing on railroad topics. Abigaile Pittman updated the members on the DCHC MPO MTIP projects. The draft TIP was released for public comment and a public hearing was held on November 141h by the DCHC Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC). Every two years the DCHC MPO approves its TIP and NCDOT produces the state TIP (STIP). They coordinate the projects on these companion TIPs which identify the transportation projects to receive funding over the next seven years. The DCHC MPO adopted a regional priority list for the TIP to provide guidance to the state and the MPO and the TIPs. The final TIP approval date was scheduled for June 2013. However, NCDOT announced a delay until the spring of 2014. There is some additional information which she will bring to the Board in January. Sam Lasris asked for the STIP list. Approved 1/16/13 Abigaile Pittman gave the Board information regarding the quarterly NCDOT luncheon meeting. She advised them that Attachment six is the notes from that meeting. Craig Benedict advised that Orange County put together a plan for the economic development zones and worked with DOT and identified intersections and access management roads that would be a continuation of a frontage road in front of Collington Farms in Mebane. DOT is interested in seeing if Orange County can acquire right -of -way in that area. Craig Benedict noted that the future jail site in Hillsborough is south of 85 next to the DOT compound. Abigaile Pittman discussed the SPOT process and how it is used to review and rank projects for the TIP. Matthew Day advised that it is basically the process by which the MPOs and RPOs submit projects to DOT for funding. Sam Lasris asked if there was any discussion on bicycles on any of these updates. Abigaile Pittman advised that NCDOT has announced that they are going to be increasing funding for their bicycle and pedestrian projects, significantly. Abigaile Pittman advised that the local prioritization process that TARPO has adopted consists of three parts: selection and ranking of projects at the countywide level, quantitative scoring of submitted projects and ranking of scored projects, and assignment of SPOT points. Paul Guthrie advised that he was less than impressed with the process. Abigaile Pittman advised the members on the TARPO Division 7active projects status and noted that NCDOT did a presentation at the last TARPO meeting and she referred to the projects contained in the attachment. She advised that for the January meeting she'd like to do an overview of a list that just released by DCHC of some MPO projects. Abigaile Pittman also advised that there is a new law that was passed by the General Assembly that requires MPOs and RPOs to be treated as boards for the purposes of the state government ethics act and it is effective January 1, 2013. It is rather involved but the two main requirements of the act, in addition to conducting business in an ethical manner, are the completion of an annual statement of economic interest and an annual ethics training course. It applies not to the OUTBoard but to members and alternates of both the TCC and TAC committees. It is rather controversial and it applies to not only to the member but to their household, including children. AGENDA ITEM VI: OUTBOARD INPUT FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' ANNUAL PLANNING RETREAT: Development of a list of concerns or emerging issues for the upcoming year that the OUTBoard plans to address, or wishes to bring to the Commissioners' attention. OUTBoard Action: Develop and approve list. Abigaile Pittman discussed the annual work plan and the list staff created as a recommendation and noted several projects and emerging issues including: Research and provide recommendations on the implementation of the CTP which goes to public hearing on January 241h and will hopefully be adopted by the spring of 2013, Collector Street Plan review and recommendations with an emphasis on economic development areas, Safe Route to School (SRTS) Strategic Action Plan adoption and implementation, Planning for new transportation technology (electrical vehicles, etc.), Enhanced regional transportation planning efforts, Pursuit of funding sources for transportation projects, Revisit Rules of Procedure to address township representation, and in the event OPT remains within the auspice of Orange County Government, then additional amendments will be required to comply with State regulations regarding Approved 1/16/13 transportation services and operational duties. Pau Guthrie asked that the word planning be removed from number 5 because there will be some operational issues pop up that we should have a legitimate question on. Sam Lasris questioned how that goal could be pursued. Paul Guthrie responded that the OUTBoard should keep its toe in on the implementation of transportation activity which is going to be the big deal down the road and part of it is planning now but as this money begins to kick in between Durham and Orange County, you will start seeing some manifest things. Some of the earliest things are going to be bus service. Routes, structures, and those become key in the long haul because one of the key ingredients of that bus structuring is to build the customer base at certain locations where future transportation of a different mode, more rapid transportation, will be able to have a fixed customer base ready to make a transfer from bus to light rail or commuter rail, etc. Craig Benedict added that when the Commissioners passed 3 resolutions concerning moving forward with the ' /z cent sales tax, they mentioned the rural routes and rural representation of how to tie in to potential east/west route and maybe how to bring in Cedar Grove and Whitecross. I think they are going to be looking to a Board such as this as these monies are put forward to how they can best be spent and how to build the rider base. Alex Castro suggested a language change to number 4- Review of new transportation related technologies and assess suitability for employment to meet transportation requirements within Orange County. For example, smart phones have GPS functions so we can use smart phones to locate a transportation requirement and match it with a transportation source. He referred to another revision that he brought up at the beginning of the meeting: Review the Orange County Master Aging Plan 2012 -2017 Strategies involving transportation and mobility and provide recommendations. Here we have a list of strategies that pertain to transportation and mobility and we as perform transportation planning we can comment on it and come up with suggestions. I think that serves two purposes and shows that we are doing something and we are working with others and advancing something. Craig Benedict: Technologies are good. It took me three and a half years to upgrade the new demand response software and it is still not what I want. I would want the mobile based which is somewhat like the smart phones so there is more mobile technology within the vans. I think in order to be more efficient in the future, and use the technology that is available, I would love an advocate of the OUTBoard and my OPT manager to get into developing a strategic plan of IT, where the needs meets technology. Alex Castro: What I've just brought up is being used. It's already in the initial use in the San Francisco Bay Area. What I am talking about in our case is applying it to the mobility issues of the disabled and seniors in the rural part of the county and see if we can do that. There is a disconnect because the seniors don't have smart phones. We have to do something in that regard but that's the idea I am talking about. Paul Guthrie added that a future topic he would like to discuss is how to integrate private transportation into the systems so it isn't a contention between private and publically sponsored transportation. OUTBoard approved the staff recommendations for the annual work plan with the changes suggested by consensus. AGENDA ITEM VII: PREVIEW OF JANUARY 2013 AGENDA ITEMS: a. Public Hearing Draft of Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) b. Final Draft Safe Routes to School Plan (SRSP) OUTBoard Action: Receive as information Abigaile Pittman advised the members of the public hearing draft of the CTP that is on the NCDOT website and referred the members to the handout. She noted that the environmental maps are not yet posted but hopes to receive them in the next week or so. She gave them some background and informed them that it will go to a public 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 Approved 1/16/13 hearing before the BOCC on January 241h and staff is recommending to the BOCC that the draft then be sent to the OUTBoard for review and recommendation. AGENDA ITEM VIII: 2013 MEETING SCHEDULE Abigaile Pittman noted that the next OUTBoard meeting is scheduled for January 16, 2013. AGENDA ITEM IX: BOARD COMMENTS Paul Guthrie noted that at the next meeting he'd like the members to be thinking about a thing that they might want to be a "point" person of this committee on. For those interested, have a person who might want to deal with, for example, like Alex, senior issues. Sort of become the point person and keep the Board alerted to the key issues out there. AGENDA ITEM X: ADJOURNMENT Items for future meetings: • Map showing future water and sewer infrastructure in Buckhorn Area • '/z cent sales tax implementation update in February • Short briefing on the NC railroad, the Hillsborough terminal proposal, high speed rail, and the proposed commuter service. • DCHC MPO TIP update explanation • STIP list • DCHC MPO Project Status • NCDOT Project Information • Schedule of Board Meetings • Board member special interest (point persons) Paul Guthrie, Chair