HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 01-25-2022 Virtual Assembly of Governments Meeting 1
APPROVED 2/17/22
MINUTES
JOINT ASSEMBLY OF GOVERNMENTS MEETING
WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS,
THE CARRBORO TOWN COUNCIL, AND THE CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL
January 25, 2022
7:00 p.m.
The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a virtual joint Assembly of Governments
meeting with the Hillsborough Board of Commissioners, the Carrboro Town Council, and the
Chapel Hill Town Council on Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Renee Price, Vice Chair Jamezetta Bedford,
and Commissioners Amy Fowler, Sally Greene, Jean Hamilton, Earl McKee, and Anna
Richards
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None.
COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts
COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley, Deputy County Manager
Travis Myren, and Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen (All other staff members will be identified
appropriately below)
HILLSBOROUGH BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Mayor Jenn Weaver, Mayor Pro
Tern Matt Hughes, and Board Members Mark Bell, Robb English, and Kathleen Ferguson
HILLSBOROUGH BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Evelyn P. Lloyd
HILLSBOROUGH STAFF PRESENT: Town Manager Eric Peterson (All other staff members
will be identified appropriately below)
CARRBORO TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Damon Seils, Mayor Pro Tern
Susan Romaine, and Council Members Barbara Foushee, Randee Haven-O'Donnell, Danny
Nowell, and Sammy Slade
CARRBORO TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None.
CARRBORO STAFF PRESENT: Town Manager Richard J. White (All other staff members will
be identified appropriately below)
CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Pro Tern Karen Stegman and
Council Members Jessica Anderson, Camille Berry, Danny Nowell, Paris Miller-Foushee,
Michael Parker, Amy Ryan, and Adam Searing
CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Mayor Pam Hemminger and Tai
Huynh.
CHAPEL HILL STAFF PRESENT: Town Manager Maurice Jones (All other staff members will
be identified appropriately below)
Due to current public health concerns, the Orange County Board of Commissioners conducted
a Virtual Joint Assembly of Governments Meeting with the Hillsborough Board of
Commissioners, the Carrboro Town Council, and the Chapel Hill Town Council on January 25,
2022. Members of the Board of Commissioners, the Hillsborough Board of Commissioners, the
Carrboro Town Council, and the Chapel Hill Town Council participated in the meeting remotely.
As in prior meetings, members of the public were able to view and listen to the meeting via live
streaming video at orangecountync.gov/967/Meeting-Videos and on Orange County Gov-TV on
channels 1301 or 97.6 (Spectrum Cable).
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Call to Order and Roll Calls
Chair Price called a meeting of Orange County Board of Commissioners to order at 7:00
p.m. She performed a roll call of the County Commissioners; all members were present.
Mayor Damon Seils called a meeting of the Carrboro Town Council to order. He
performed a roll call of the Town Council; all members were present.
Mayor Jenn Weaver called a meeting of the Hillsborough Board of Commissioners to
order. She performed a roll call of the Board of Commissioners; all members were present
except for Evelyn P. Lloyd and Matt Hughes.
Mayor Pro Tern Karen Stegman called a meeting of the Chapel Hill Town Council to
order. She performed a roll call of the Town Council; all members were present except for
Jessica Anderson, Tai Huynh, and Pam Hemminger.
Welcome and Opening Comments (BOCC Chair and Mayors)
Chair Price said read a passage written by Martin Luther King, Jr. from his manuscript
"Where Do We Go From Here; Chaos or Community?" on the importance of community. She
said she was glad to be present at the Assembly of Governments meeting with everyone and
that she believes they can accomplish so much for the people they serve as they work together
as one orange.
Chair Price greeted everyone and introduced members of the Board of Commissioners.
Chapel Hill Council Member Jessica Anderson joined the meeting at 7:06 p.m.
Hillsborough Commissioner Member Matt Hughes joined the meeting at 7:06 p.m.
Mayor Pro Tern Karen Stegman greeted everyone and introduced members of the
Chapel Hill Town Council.
Mayor Weaver greeted everyone and introduced members of the Hillsborough Board of
Commissioners.
Mayor Seils greeted everyone and introduced members of the Carrboro Town Council.
Chair Price asked staff to introduce themselves as appropriate during the presentations.
1. Long Term Recovery Plan Update
In 2020, the County and its municipal partners allocated a total of $175,000 in CARES Act
funding to retain a consultant to support long term recovery planning and to draft a final report
with detailed recommendations, implementation approaches, and performance indicators. The
planning effort involved several community organizations and representatives to quantify and
characterize the impact of the pandemic in their respective focus areas, generate ideas and
recommendations, establish recovery priorities using a social justice and racial equity
perspective, and review of the final draft documents.
Public engagement efforts during the planning process sought to engage all community
members and included deliberate measures to improve representation from communities of
color. The County convened focus groups and translated engagement materials into four
languages to increase representation from communities most severely impacted by the
pandemic. Feedback from these groups was shared with local governments, elevated, and
referenced throughout the planning process to help shape the strategies and initiatives in the
plan.
The guiding vision of the Plan is to leverage recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic to
strengthen and transform Orange County by improving economic sustainability, providing
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resources, and advancing social and racial equity. The recommendations in the Plan are
organized into seven Recovery Support Functions focused on the local economy, the health
system, human services, housing, natural and cultural resources, community planning, and
public information. The majority of the Plan provides detailed recommendations in each of those
Recovery Support functions in terms of what needs to take place, who should be involved,
when these activities would need to occur, and how progress will be measured.
The plan appendices provide additional information to help enact the plan or explain its
development and include: a summary of input from key stakeholders throughout the planning
process; a map of how community input was integrated in the plan; and information about
funding sources available to help implement the plan.
The final draft plan is available at https://www.orangencforward.org/wp-
content/uploads/2021/04/Final-Draft-Long-Term-Recovery-and-Transformation-Plan.pdf and
the full Recovery Plan website https://www.orangencforward.org/
In addition to the Plan documents, the staff team created a Frequently Asked Questions
document (Attachment 1). Each governing board also received a presentation on the final draft
plan in the Summer of 2021 (Attachment 2). These presentations were followed by a letter to
elected officials in the Fall of 2021 that answered questions raised by each governing board
(Attachment 3).
The Recovery Support Functions are now in the process of identifying how programs and
services currently provided by each jurisdiction are working to advance the goals contained in
the Plan. The inventory will serve as the basis for a gap analysis to identify strategies that are
not currently being addressed or are not being addressed adequately.
A preliminary review of the responses identifies areas where interagency collaboration has
been successful, but it also demonstrates the need for flexibility as each jurisdiction executes
the initiatives contained in the Plan. As a result, each jurisdiction will be asked to endorse the
strategies contained in the Plan rather than the specific initiatives. This approach is consistent
with the approval of a framework for the One Orange Racial Equity Plan which provided a
framework for advancing racial equity while allowing each jurisdiction to determine next steps.
Staff will provide any other information at the meeting, and the governing boards can discuss
issues and provide feedback to staff related to this item as necessary.
Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager, made the following presentation:
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Slide #1
Orange County
Recovery and Transformofion PlanningProject
HAG ERTY ORANGE COUNTY
Slide #2
What Was the Purpose of the Project?
Analyze Train Plan
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Slide #3
Hover Was Racial Equity Integrated into the Plan?
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Slide #4
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What is the Planrs Guiding Vision
recoveryLeverW i t 1 r
pandemic tr strengthen and transffirm
Orange County by improving
sustainability, providing resr
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Slide #5
■ ■
What are the Goals of the Plan?
The plan is based on five recovery goals,identified through community input and the gaps
revealed b}the ImpackAssessment-
Address fuidameutal ueeds of all rebideutr};
Create safe,stable,end affordable housing solutions;
Promote a dynamic,equitable, and sustainable economic recovery;
Stream ue access to wmmuuitr-based resources;and
Combat the negative effects of social distancing to promote oomxnunity healing.
I ewtiadOUx L GAry
Slide #6
Strategies
' Economic
Rrovfde Support for small businesses_
Identify and address regurq}pry harriers In eccnomlc recovery.
Drive local economic growth and encourage local spending.
Strengthen and expand the local workforce_
' HousIng
hicanfEvlze the dovclopmaht or affordable and accessible holuAW40_
` RSchabflitatc, Improve safety. and preserve the affordability of existing
hovsfn4_
` 1=nsure conlinuutian of and streamlined access la housing support
programs, including emergency housing assistance_
Slide #7
1t`at i e
• Health
Continue monllaring, testing, and eradicating COVIC-19.
Promote economic recovery and bolster existing heullhGOFU syslams_
Promote beHer access Ip mental and Behavioral health services.
Address historic and systemic health disparities.
• Human Services
Promote jab opporlunities Ihat provide thriving wages or increase
quality of IRe.
• Streamline access to community resources.
• Prevent widening of the aChlevemenl gap.
Slide #8
Strategies
Natural and Cultural Resources
• Prevent the deterioraWn 01 n-atUFQI res#UrCes-
Provide cullural and mcmcitlonal oppoFtvn-N"foroll residsn%-
* Support suslainabte focal agrlcultura Systems_
Community Plonning gnd Capacity Building
Promote climate change mitigation and adaptation eHpris.
Build collaborative programs between govprnmenl and the q-ammvnity.
• I nte rg ove r n m e ntol Affairs and Public Information
Support open lines of communication betwvon the public and total
€lovernmonls.
Promote equitable public ongagemcnl in planning processes.
Consistently deliver essential government services.
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8
Slide #9
■ ■
What are the next sieps?
Endorse Identify Gaps Implement/Meamire
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Slide #10
Thank You!
. . • - . • * •
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Mayor Seils thanked Travis Myren for his presentation and invited attendees to ask
questions.
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Council Member Miller-Foushee asked how the survey was administered. She said it
was important to hear all of the voices in the community and to capture diverse demographics.
She said that she wants to know how the data is aggregated demographically.
Travis Myren said the initial survey did not adequately capture the diversity of the
county. He said that is why they layered the community engagement and enlisted community
leaders to try to capture more diverse voices and populations that had been disproportionately
impacted by the pandemic.
Council Member Miller-Foushee stated that she would like to see what the numbers of
the initial response looked like in regards to the demographics of the survey respondents.
Travis Myren said he would send that information to the governing boards.
Council Member Foushee said she was also interested in the demographics of the
survey respondents and would like to see percentages of communities of color. She said that it
is really important to reach communities of color, but that it is equally important that the people
who receive and interpret the information reflect communities of color as well. She said she
wondered about the demographics of the project management team. She said that life
understands life. She said she is looking at the project management team and she knows that
representation matters. She said that she understands when Council Member Miller-Foushee
talkes about her Northside neighborhood being gutted because it is coming from one person of
color to another. She said people don't know, unless they live and walk in it on a daily basis.
She said she is concerned about who was receiving the information, how it was being
interpreted, and if the needs of the community were going to be met.
Council Member Foushee asked who was on the project management team and
recovery team now.
Travis Myren said the project management teams and recovery support teams were in
place. He said he does not know if it is fair to provide the names of the team members
because he does not have permission from them to do so at this time.
Council Member Foushee said that she saw some names in the packet and asked who
the support function leads were and that it is an important question.
Travis Myren said that from Carrboro it is Rebecca Buzzard, from Chapel Hill it is John
Richardson, and from Hillsborough it is Margaret Hauth.
Council Member Foushee asked if it is the people listed in the packet.
Travis Myren said yes and they are in the process of replacing Annette Moore.
Council Member Foushee asked for the support function leads.
Travis Myren said he would get that information to the governing boards.
Commissioner Fowler stated that a concern is the widening acheivement gap and asked
if the schools were included in the strategies for recovery.
Travis Myren said the schools were represented on the support recovery team. He said
the agenda item shows all of those involoved, but he does not have the demographics.
Commissioner Hughes asked if there was involvement of the school districts at the staff
level because he reached out to school board members and they were unsure what he was
talking about in regards to the plan and their input.
Travis Myren said staff would have been involved in the recovery support functions but
he is unsure if they took those to their elected board.
Commissioner Hughes said it was important to have community groups involved in the
plan especially organizations like Partnership for Young Children, Children and Families Rising,
and Kidscope, since they work with vulnerable families.
Travis Myren said he will check to see that those organizations received an invitation.
Council Member Romaine asked about the Orange County crisis diversion facility and if
it is part of the recovery plan. She said that she didn't see it mentioned and is curious if she
missed it or if it is not included.
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Travis Myren said one of the strategies is to expand access to behaviorial and mental
health. He said he thinks it is just a matter of timing because the two subjects were being
discussed at the same time. He said that he can make sure that it gets added to the plan.
Commissioner Greene asked how often the team will check-in and provide updates to
the elected bodies.
Travis Myren said they haven't talked about the frequency in which they will come back
to the governing bodies but he can get a plan for regular communication moving forward.
Council Member Slade said that he agrees that the crisis diversion center should be
included in the plan. He stated that there is an opportunity for mental health crisis first
responders and he looks forward to having the conversation amongst jurisdictions about how
they might pool their resources together to take the burden off of policing for mental health
response. He said while this is called a recovery plan, everyone is still dealing with COVID and
that he is not sure if we are out of the pandemic. He said that one of the things identified is how
to eradicate covid and given the realities of the vaccines and transmissions still happening, he
wants to highlight the importance of wearing good masks in the initiatives section of the plan.
He said that under strategy 1.3, one of the best ways to promote local growth is through
supporting locally owned businesses.
Chair Price said that early on she was reviewing the leadership in departments and
management and that there was not a lot of diversity and therefore there was not a lot of
diversity in the leadership team. She said they needed to redefine leadership team and who will
be in those leadership roles. She said that bringing on nonprofits and their leaders is a way to
bring in the people that actually do the leadership work in the community. She said by
expanding the definition of what they are looking for in a leadership team and leadership roles,
it can become more inclusive.
Mayor Seils asked if Travis Myren had a sense of when the governinig bodies will weigh
in on the plan again.
Travis Myren said around February or March.
Commissioner Hamilton said she had specific comments, but given the format, it would
not be the time to delve into the details. She said she wants to know how the community will
stay on track and focused on the initiatives to get the work done. She wants to make sure the
elected bodies are staying focused and implementing the plan. She said that at BOCC
meetings, each agenda item is linked to goals that were decided by a previous Board. She said
that right now they have the longterm recovery plan and GARE and both are huge plans. She
said she would like to see that any topic discussed by the Board of Commissioners is tied to a
specific plan and timeline. She asked staff to think about a way of tracking results through a
dashboard that is visible to everyone and to keep everyone on track doing the work and to
understand where the collaboration is and where it is not. She said it is a good plan and that
implementation is going to be what she is looking for.
Mayor Seils said that it was is a great way to be approaching any comprehensive
planning effort like this is by focusing on the implementation and parsing out the management
of the day to day of it all.
Council Member Berry said it will be important for staff and Travis Myren to let them
know of any limitations they might be experiencing. She said she wants to make sure she is
listening to staff about what is possible because there is always more work going on at the
same time. She said it is important to understanding what the tradeoffs are going to be if focus
is placed on this plan and removed from other work. She said she wants to support staff and
needs to hear from them. She said that she truly values this work and wants to know what the
costs are to recover together. She said that she expects to hear from staff what they need from
the electeds.
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Travis Myren said that Kirby Saunders from Orange County, John Richardson from
Chapel Hill, Rebecca Buzzard from Carrboro, and Margaret Hauth from Hillsborough worked
with him on the plan. He said Annette Moore also worked on the plan before her retirement and
that when her replacement is selected, they will join the work, as well.
2. Transportation and Transit— Infrastructure Planning
Orange County Transit Plan Update
The Orange County Transit Plan is in the process of being updated. The updated plan is
intended to identify priorities for investments through the year 2040. The planning process is
being guided by a Policy Steering Committee composed of elected officials representing each
jurisdiction in the County.
The plan is being developed in coordination with Durham County, Go Triangle, Chapel Hill
Transit and Orange County Public Transportation; the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro
Metropolitan Planning Organization; the Triangle-J Council of Governments; the University of
North Carolina-Chapel Hill and its hospitals; and municipalities.
All meeting materials including a recording of the Policy Steering Committee's retreat can be
found at https://octransit2020.com.
During its retreat, the Policy Steering Committee identified core values to use in evaluating
investments recommended in the Plan. Those values were equity, environmental sustainability,
economic prosperity, affordability, and transit access for all. Although transit revenues are
programmed in the short term with little available funding for new projects, the Steering
Committee also requested that some longer term visionary projects be referenced as future
opportunities for transit investment.
The consulting team has developed a draft menu of projects and has evaluated each of them
against these values. The Policy Steering Committee reviewed and discussed these
recommendations on January 14, 2022. During this meeting, the Committee authorized staff to
present transit improvement options to the public for community engagement. The results of
this engagement will be used to create a final update to the Transit Plan for approval in the
Spring of 2022.
A full project schedule and detailed next steps are included in Attachment 4.
Orange County and Durham County are also leading an effort to study how the Transit Plans
are governed and implemented through interlocal agreements such as the one created in 2012
between Orange County, DCHC MPO and GoTriangle. These agreements operationalize the
future Transit Plan as it is executed on an annual basis. The governance study is reviewing
authorizing legislation and requirements, corollary agreements, funding system, reporting
requirements, implementation committee(s), budget processes, benchmarks, and material
change thresholds that affect the financial model.
Chapel Hill Transit (CHT) Update
Over the past two years CHT's focus has been the safety of Team Members and customers
during the COVID pandemic. During this time, CHT has worked closely with Public Health and
Emergency Management officials and continue to follow cleaning/sanitizing and safety
protocols consistent with industry best practices, OSHA/CDC requirements and from practices
recommended by the European Commission. CHT was one of the first systems in the State to
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implement shields for Operators and UV and air purification systems on all public vehicles. The
COVID pandemic has created a new context for Chapel Hill Transit and the response will
continue to evolve. Staffing shortages and absenteeism challenges related to COVID protocols
and illness continue to have impacts on CHT's ability to deliver services.
• The Chapel Hill Transit Short Range Plan
(https://www.townofchapelhill.org/home/showpublisheddocument?id=45520) was adopted in
early 2020 and despite challenges from COVID, implementation was started in August of 2020,
including providing Sunday service, funded through the Orange County Transit Plan, for the first
time in over 40 years. CHT has taken delivery of three (3) electric buses and secured funding
for an additional seven (7) electric buses.
North-South Bus Rapid Transit(BRT)
The North-South BRT project (https://nsbrt.org/) has completed 30% design and continues to
move forward through the Federal environmental review process (NEPA). CHT anticipates the
NEPA process being completed in calendar year 2022. A firm is also being selected to
complete final design. Unfortunately, changes to the State's funding cycle has required an
adjustment to the project's schedule and budget.
• Bus Stop Improvements
Despite supply chain and other challenges, CHT continues to make progress on Bus Stop
Improvement Projects
(https://www.townofchapelhill.org/government/departments-services/transit/bus-stop-upgrades),
some of which are funded through the Orange County Transit Plan.
Additional information is also available in the CHT Business Plan
(https://www.townofchapelhill.org/home/showpublisheddocument/50396/637733471079600000)
Orange County Public Transportation (OCPT) Update
Orange County Public Transportation continues to meet the needs of its community while also
expanding service and improving access with customer-focused technology. In addition to
launching the Mobility on Demand pilot program, which created a new travel option on Fridays
from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., OCPT also rolled out mobile
ticketing with Umo/TouchPass, providing riders a touchless, cashless option to pay bus fare.
OCPT is also proud to have collaborated with the Orange County Health Department to provide
rides to vaccination sites throughout the county, using the MOD vans to provide an accessible,
distanced and safe transportation option. Orange County launched its mobility on demand
service in March 2021 and in FY2023 will be replacing up to ten of its existing buses.
• Bus Infrastructure
Completed design and obtained N.C. Department of Transportation approval for four Orange
County Public Transit bus stops with three in Hillsborough and one in Chapel Hill. Continued to
advance the Hillsborough Park-and-Ride lot through the approval process including
coordination with Orange County, NCDOT, utilities and surrounding property owners. OCPT
also procured seven buses, including two electric buses.
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• Transit Service
These two projects are expected to allow OCPT to increase its service hours by 7,020 during
FY2022: Continue the "Mobility on Demand" micro transit service and add a second
Hillsborough Circulator route that decreases headways significantly.
• Planning Projects
OCPT will continue to participate on updating the Orange County Transit Plan, will start work on
the Regional Fleet and Facilities Study, and will initiate design of priority transit safety and
access improvements.
Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) 2050
Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP)
The federal government requires the DCHC MPO to update its MTP at least every four-years.
The 2050 MTP will identify the highway, public transportation, bicycle, pedestrian and other
transportation projects that the region plans to implement over the next thirty years to meet the
MPO's goals. The MTP has to be based on the future land use plans and policies of the
jurisdictions and counties in the MPO's planning area, and must be fiscally constrained, which
means that the project costs have to be covered by the expected available revenues. As a
practical matter, the MTP is important because the MPO requires that projects that are
submitted to the NCDOT prioritization process for possible state or federal funding must come
from the MTP, and regulations require that all federally funded projects must be in the MTP. In
addition, local governments may use the MTP to reserve or dedicate right-of-way for future
highway and rail transit projects.
The DCHC MPO released the 2050 MTP final report on January 12, 2022, for a 21-day public
comment period, i.e., January 12 through February 1. The final report contains the roadway
and transit projects, financial plan, and policies that the MPO intends to adopt at the MPO
Board's February 9, 2022, meeting. The report also contains performance measures and
analysis on the extent to which the plan and process meet other standards such as
environmental justice, federal planning criteria, and air quality conformity. Following is a link to
additional information, including the report: www.bit.ly/2050MTP-AltsAn.
Staff will provide any other information at the meeting, and the governing boards can discuss
issues and provide feedback to staff related to this item as necessary.
Craig Benedict, Orange County Planning Director, presented the Orange County Transit
Plan Update.
Craig Benedict said that the plan was originally formulated with the light rail project in
mind, but that in 2018 and 2019 they found out the county would not get federal funding for the
project. He said in late 2019 the plan was reevaluated, and they considered how to re-allocate
funds to other services. He said a policy steering committee, made of local government
officials, reevaluated the original goals of the plan to make sure they were relevant. He said
they developed similar goals but with some different priorities. He said they agreed on were
equity, environmental sustainability, economic prosperity, affordability, and transit access for all.
He said that as they developed ideas for how the monies would be invested, that they used a
value matrix to figure out what new bus service may be applicable. He said that even though
they are a year into it, most of the work has been evaluating existing service and the costs of
existing service. He said there are revenues from the Article 43 sales tax and that during the
pandemic, people were purchasing goods from home and that this increased revenues more
than they had projected. He said other revenue sources include a car rental and registration
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taxes. He said the policy steering outreach has been muted some during the pandemic and that
they have plans to go out again in the upcoming months to get feedback from the community.
He said they have hired Renaissance Consulting to assist with community outreach to make
sure they are reaching the full community. He said that as they get information back from the
community that the policy steering committee will again meet to discuss what types of services
they can afford. He said that the original plan had about 30,000 hours of bus service and there
may be enough money for another 25-30,000 hours of new service. He said that in the short
term they have made a major commitment through the modified transit plan to support the bus
rapid transit in Chapel Hill and some of the capital needs that they have. He said they hope to
have additional federal funding for the bus rapid transit and that the state funding seems to be
drying up. He said that the Hillsborough Train Station, a commuter rail station for Amtrack, is
still part of the plan and will come forward. He said they also analyzed the original commuter
rail, which would have connected Mebane to Raleigh, and found out that the price tag is far
beyond what their financial means are at this time. He said the are ready to do outreach, come
back to the steering committee, bring information to the elected bodies, and then decisions will
be made on how to update the transit plan through 2040. He said they are working with another
consultant, jointly with Durham County, to take a look at the interlocal implementation
agreement. He said that the current agreement is from 2012 and needs an update. He said the
plan will review how decisions are made, how is the membership and voting arranged, when do
financial assumptions get changed or made and who gets to do that. He said it will be modified
and delete references to the light rail. He said there has been one retreat but that they are in
the early stages. He said the plan also includes Triangle J Council of Governments, GoTriangle
so that the process is inclusive. He said they hope to have the surveys completed soon. He said
the timeline and flowchart is included in the agenda packet as attachment 4 and provides the
full detail.
Brian Litchfield from Chapel Hill made the following presentation:
Slide #1:
Chapel Hill Transit
Orange County Assembly
of Governments Update
January 25 2022
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Slide #2
Thank you to our Bus Operators, Supervisors/Dispatchers, Reservation ists,
Mechanics, Service Attendants, Service Technicians, Training and Safety, Managers,
Parts Clerks and Administrative Team Members for adapting to new work
environments and safety requirements and helping our customers to safely get to
their essential destinations, while also responding to significant changes in your
P.
lives over the past two years! Thank you to the Public Health, Emergency
Management and Medical professionals and Local Government Partners that have
provided guidance and support during the pandemic!
- � I
Xnallel Hill.
Slide #3
• 2017-2018:Customer and community feedback .•�, -
• February 2019:Partners adopted preferred plan
• September 2019:Community sessions and o n,
presented to Council
• August 2020:Implementation started,including
.>.I
Sunday service(first time in almost 40 years) Ron ;-
Health Sciences
• Goals Included: library
✓ High frequency corridors
✓ Equity vJ 1
✓ Sunda service r
y I (o Sh,deni Sior
✓ Increase ridership _ --1.-
✓ Sustainability
h I i
Brian Litchfield noted that in August 2020, it was the first time in 40 years that Sunday
services was included.
Slide #4
• • • • : ' ,_
• Locally Preferred Alternative(LPA)adopted
by Town Council on January 16,2019.
• Completed 30%design and entered federal
environmental(NEPA)process in 2020. r„ „
- Anticipate NEPA to be finished this fall.
• Received Federal Transit Administration grant to "
.,
study transit oriented development around BRT
stations in 2021.
— Project designed to move forward with Town of
Chapel Hill land use planning efforts.
• Due to delays in State funding process,project
costs,timelines and non-federal match have
been adjusted. -,u.•°••
MENEM Chgel Hill
16
Slide #5
Before
Bus Stop Upd,teTmcker
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o
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After -unnDel Hill
Brian Litchfield showed a map of all the bus stops in Chapel Hill. He said that stops in
yellow are in the process of being designed. He also showed an example of a sidewalk
improvement project that was recently completed.
Slide #6
r
After
Before
Brian Litchfield showed an example of a bus stop that was improved in Carrboro. He
said the system will continue to improve bus stops as supply chain issues allow.
17
Slide #7
eo.
t'
i
Brian Litchfield showed examples of artistic displays on shelters and on buses.
Slide #8
NOW
s. 5
7 T
Brian Litchfield showed another example of artistic displays on buses.
Theo Letman presented the Orange County Public Transportation (OCPT) Updates. He
said the pandemic presented challenges to providing transportation in Orange County. He said
they had moved to a cashless system where a customer can use a pre-loaded debit card to
reduce the transmission of viruses. He said it also makes it easier for customers to pay their
fare at their leisure. He said the department is providing vaccination transportation and COVID-
19 testing in conjunction with the Public Health department. He said they received a grant from
the state that allows them to provide the COVID related transportation services. He highlighted
the new bus stop improvements around the county and said supply chain issues are affecting
the ability to make these improvements, but more updates are forthcoming. He said that they
are looking forward to replacing their fleet and have been awarded a NC Department of
Transportation (NCDOT) Capital Grant and that they are in the process of procuring an electric
bus. He said the NCDOT grant will allow them to purchase more fuel-efficient and smaller
equipment that will be more accessible and allow them to get into locations easier than they can
right now. He said that many of the procurements that were put on hold due to COVID are on
back on track. He said they are scheduled to provide their first electric bus and electrification
18
infrastructure. He said that this information is reported to the NC Department of Environmental
Quality with NCDOT.
Theo Letman said his department is involved with the long-range planning that is going
on with the county. They are providing surveys and being a resource of information for
consultants and residents. He said the department is involved with Medicaid transformation
that is going on throughout the state. He explained that Medicaid has been privatized and now
those entities provide trips, and they contract with local transportation providers. He said this
has been a tough transition but that they continue to meet those challenges and provide
services to constituents on Medicaid.
Craig Benedict briefly touched on the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan
Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). He said
that it will tie into how the counties plan is financially feasible and provides what could happen
by 2040.
Mayor Pro Tern Stegman thanked the presenters and asked for any questions.
Council Member Ryan asked about the bus driver shortage and what issues remain.
Brian Litchfield said it is still a significant problem for Chapel Hill Transit, as it as across
the nation and region. He said any specialized license employment is hard to find right now. He
said there are consistently 30-45 fulltime vacancies and that has forced adjustments to
services. He said there have also been service adjustments due to absentees due to COVID
infection protocols. He said some of those trip reductions are already coming back but that the
effort continues. He said they are working with the town to adjust starting pay to 18.60/hour and
he believes it will go along way to help but will not solve the shortage. He said the challenges
will remain into next year.
Mayor Weaver said she participated in an intergovernmental workshop for transit. She
said the elected officials that participated did not have a clear understanding of the agreement.
She said it was important for everyone to understand their roles and the parameters of the
agreement.
Mayor Weaver asked about the Orange County Transit Plan Update. She asked about
the plan's structure and if it is still set up for a real dollar amount needed for resources while
also having a visionary aspect for what the community would like to have.
Mayor Weaver also asked about Mobility on Demand. She asked if there was a plan for
a second circulator route in the county or if Mobility on Demand is the solution to the one-way
circulator.
Craig Benedict said the Orange County Transit Plan has moved to a more ambitious
and visionary plan and that has been relayed to the consultant and the strategies have been
renegotiated with them as well. He said they must start with what they have now and look at
what investments could be made in the corridor if there are additional revenues.
Theo Letman said there are still plans to expand on the circulator. He said the
pandemic and supply chain issues have affected the department's ability to purchase and
maintain vehicles.
Council Member Berry asked about the increased costs due to delays for the North-
South Rapid Transit. She said it seems like we are looking at continued increased costs due to
delays associated with the state. She asked if$150 million is the correct cost and if the costs
will continue to increase with delays.
Brian Litchfield said that is correct and that the figure of$150 million assumes starting
construction in 2026 and 2027. He said if they could build the project earlier, it would cost less.
He said $150 million is a good estimate within the estimated timeline but that the more the
project is delayed, it could increase. He said the challenge is that to ask for$100 million in
federal money, they must already have non-federal money lined up. He said the transit plan is
providing $14 million, but it does not provide as much revenue as other plans. He said there are
19
limited options to cover the funds and without the state, there are few options to obtain the over
$30 million needed to cover those non-federal costs.
Council Member Berry asked about the fares for Mobility on Demand.
Theo Letman said it was $5 per trip and payable on the app.
Council Member Berry asked if partner agencies or non-profits could help provide
access to Mobility on Demand for low-income individuals.
Theo Letman said they are open to that.
Commissioner Richards asked about the MTP final report. She asked if she
understands correctly that it is based on future land-use plans from the county and the
municipalities that are not available yet. She asked if the final plan is out for public comment
and expressed concern about planning going out to 2050 when the land use plans are not
available.
Craig Benedict said all local jurisdictions have some form of land use plans and updates
to the plans are in progress. He said the focus that supports the 2050 MTP is to focus
development on areas that have been identified as high and definite corridors such as 1-40 and
15-501. He said it is a dynamic process and always being updated to support the transit
corridors and the plans are reasonable and can always be improved. He said that Chapel Hill is
in the process and plans will be matched with other initiatives. He said all the other jurisdictions
are reevaluating their plans. He said the county will be looking at their land use program in the
next year.
Commissioner Richards asked when the county's land use program was last updated.
Craig Benedict said the plan was fully updated in 2008. He said the next update will be
done now that 2020 census information is available. He said the existing plan is good enough
to be used for the 2050 MTP plan. He said during the next budget year, there will be funding
requested for a major update to the county plan.
Commissioner Greene said during a retreat in the summer for the policy steering
committee, the group set out priorities and agreed they wanted the plan to have aspirational
components. She said in response, the consultant outlined new issues and opportunities. She
said she wanted to remind them that they should not think of transit in a vacuum because it also
must be connected to land use and environmental strategies. She read the issues listed in the
consultant's report:
"Over 65% of county's affordable housing units are located within proposed transit service
improvement areas, but housing (especially affordable housing) has gaps that are growing.
Service to minority and low-income residents is improved, but inequities remain and are
exacerbated as more residents move far beyond the urban core in search of affordable
housing."
Commissioner Greene read the list of opportunities from the consultant's report:
"Adopt a county-wide growth management land-use vision and implementation strategy for
focusing new development in current or future transit corridors. Prioritize and incentivize
residential development in current or future transit corridors. Ensure that jobs and housing are
transit accessible. Identify innovative commuter solutions."
Commissioner Hamilton asked Brian Litchfield about the Chapel Hill Sunday transit
services.
Brian Litchfield said he would send the governing boards a link to those routes. He said
the ridership is similar to Saturday ridership, which seems to be a little stronger than weekday
20
ridership. He said he would also send that information to the governing boards. He said
Sunday service has been asked for by the public for years.
Commissioner Hamilton asked why the state's funding has been delayed.
Craig Benedict said the state received less gas tax and has only let 1 in 10 projects go
through. He said the funding program is starting over and that Chapel Hill's project will
compete in the next round.
Brian Litchfield said prior to the pandemic, NCDOT had significant funding challenges,
which were exacerbated by the pandemic and the drop in driving and gas tax revenues. He
said NCDOT has a $5 billion budget, of which $58 million goes to transit.
Commissioner McKee noted the dire financial issues of NCDOT of recent years and
said they have really struggled with finances. He said the transit tax is still in place and we are
slowly building a fund balance.
Craig Benedict said the county receives $9 million a year for transit planning purposes.
He said those come from Article 43 and car rental and registration taxes. He said that over half
goes to support existing services. The other half has been allocated for bus rapid transit. He
said $4 million a year does not generate a lot of service. He said those funds are being placed
in fund balance to plan for the next 3-4 years and hopefully be used in conjunction with federal
funding. He said after the commitment to bus-rapid transit is completed, then they can open
additional bus services to the county. He said there is also $1 million for the Hillsborough train
station. He said the light rail was paid for with long-term loans but when you strip away those
loans and the revenue base, there is only about $9-$10 million going forward.
Commissioner McKee said that inflation also must be factored in and noted that those
revenues will not actually be available to spend at their estimated dollar amount.
Commissioner Fowler said she agreed with Commissioner Greene about combining the
land use plan and transit plan. She said she was pleased that the bus drivers are going to be
offered more pay but that she was concerned about stealing bus drivers from the school system
and that a reduction in bus drivers could result in additional cars idling in the student pickup
lines. She praised the Mobility on Demand service for providing vaccination transportation and
waiting for patients while they are being observed. She also expressed appreciation for making
bus stops more accessible.
Council Member Miller-Foushee asked about transit connectivity to trails.
Brian Litchfield said many bus stop improvements are related to connectivity. He said
they work with Parks and Recreation departments closely to look at connectivity to greenways
and trails. He said they also work closely with development projects to make sure bus stop
access is available. He said that the short-range transit plan focus is built around providing
access to financial and environmentally sustainable transit.
Theo Letman said that Mobility on Demand and Mobility as Service are both concepts.
He said the pandemic has forced transportation agencies to do things differently. He gave an
example of a house-bound person who could receive groceries and supplies via a public
transportation system. He said they need to hear from the public about their needs and what
future service might look like.
Council Member Slade said he wanted to make sure the elected officials are keeping an
eye on the reality that those state funds may not materialize. He said that they should be ready
to consider cutting their losses and determining if the costs could be shouldered without those
funds and be completed sooner. He said that they should make that assessment because he
does not have faith in the state leadership.
Mayor Pro Tern Stegman thanked everyone for the comments and staff for their work.
21
3. Parks and Trails / Connectivity and Collaboration
The pandemic of the previous two years has witnessed a number of challenges for all the
jurisdictions in managing parks, public open spaces and trails. Providing public spaces for
recreation and enjoyment of nature has been widely acknowledged as critically important to the
physical and mental well-being of the populace.
During the meeting, the staffs of the towns and County have prepared a summary presentation
- to serve as an overview/reminder of existing parks and trails, address the current state of
parks and open space planning, offer examples of current priority projects and activities, and
review the ways that the jurisdictions are working together to coordinate on efforts of mutual
interest.
One product of past collaboration is the Interactive Parks Locator Map, which enables the
public to find where parks of all the jurisdictions are located, and search by feature for different
types of amenities. This map will be part of staff's presentation of the above update and may be
found at the following link: https:Hgis.orangecountync.gov/parklocator/.
The information provided at this link will also be informative in preparation for the meeting —
https://gis.orangecountync.gov/TrailsAndParks/default.html.
Staff will provide any other information at the meeting, and the governing boards can discuss
issues and provide feedback to staff related to this item as necessary.
David Stancil, Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, and Parks and
Recreation Director, made the following presentation:
Slide #1
Parksand Trails-
Connectivity ■ Collaboration
grange oun� Int�ract��+� I�ark�, `r`r��l� and r� n ��r
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22
Slide #2
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David Stancil said these maps are available from each of the jurisdiction's websites. He
said that it allows the public to find parks easily. He said you can search by type of amenities
and gave examples of soccer fields, dog parks and hiking trails.
Slide #3
Status urrntr Ilnndmprhnr Planrirg
E��ort
David Stancil said it is critically important to have master plans for parks.
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23
Slide . I
Hot Topics - Tawn of Carrbaro
Jones Creak Greanwav Proiect
• Part of the BolinLreekGreenwaySystem
• Lanneds Lake Hogan Farm Rd to existing
Orange County greenway
• Completes off•road infrastructurefrom
LHF to future Twin Creeks Park It Morris
Grose ELementarySchool
• Design of 90-percent&permits under
review
Slide
Hot Topics - Tawn of �arrboro, cpntinu�d
i1Aor�an Creek Greenwav-Phase 1
• advertised in 2019,rereired high 61ds
• Modifications underway in preparation far
readvertisement.
• will connect tp Chapel Hill system to east,University
Lake to south
Si�nalixed Pedestrian Crussin�s
• Collahoratlanwith Chapel Hill,Chapel H1llTrarlsit Fe
NCbOT to designlconstruct signalised rrossings at 3
locations with high transit use
• design underway
Sidewalk Proiects
• South Greensboro Street-design at G5%
• Connects to Pooherson Bikeway
• Future sldewatk projects on Barnes Street&Jones
Ferry Rnadfunded
Slide • •
Ha# Topics- Town of Chapel Hill
T
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Morgan Crrrk Troll Pra}rcts(East and Wrst Srct6ons;Bartram pr-Brldgr Cpnstr action}
East SeGtien Projeee ThIS phatt YMIId ektear V,e Ne1'aen Cneta leas 265twaYd 3,e00 feet ee VteyS Fmod and tdmeLt Vie
irnl syitwn io axtensma naryhbmtwds sswtli A rordMm 6asAr+rrd.
wasr SacNon proiec[:Trn axlstlrt traA wwW 6r ax[endrd 3,�Op foot wri[m tM Cart6we Tam Im at Smitli Laval Road,
Thrs senfpn npulr ccnnecr dFectly w tM large Grr6oro arlahharhppds wulh d Nprlh CmdWa Fa�way S4 and Ifnk w she
Wneswwd saa*6irnis and r.rik PortK C'raMm° �r6
$srtnsn arida�Seckion iroiacs:Thn sacsron sA SM vrdl sw�Ad v,clydr�6*SdQr is wcss racryan Crrrk I[wswld b Iscapd
arttfrNy on plgperty ptHled eY Ne UnlYel'S1lY
l ill�HdN Carnl7ne IUt1C1 and memtad 61'tM Hp17h CaYpl7ne 9ptMiml Golden.
"At urls tYme the prple[t B nprukly fir[eee.aeeltlpnel rundirrj sarrr•s err hefrrj prrss.ed."
24
-
Hat Tap own of Hi llsbaraugh
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AL
David Stancil noted that this is both a transportation and parks priority for Hillsborough.
Sli
The preemvay>riLLconnect dovmtown F6lis6orou�mtlne[rain
station,Collins Ridge,anoss I.85 witha pedestrian hridge and m
� Cates Creek Parkin LYaterstcne.
1�-
I
•- i
Hot Topics- Orange County
Mountains to Sea Trail Blackwood Farm Park
' BLACKWOOD
FARM PARI!�
David Stancil stated that Orange County has made recent easement acquisitions that
allow connectivity as noted on the Mountains to Sea Trail map. He said that Blackwood Farm
Park will have an amphitheater, disc golf course, picnic shelters, and restrooms. He said
construction is expected to be completed this summer.
Slide ••
Current and Future Collaboration
■ CflVl�-i9 Operations and Lang Term Reca�ery-Significant
increase in communication and sharing of information
■ Projects:Community Egg Hunt,joint park projects
■ Communication: Intergvvemmental Parks Wvrk Group
[Next Meeting Date April i3,2022],Partnerships with
towns. County and non-profit partners
■ Cvnnectivity-Mvr an Creek and Bolin Creek Trails, MST,
HoLlaw RocklMew ape Preserve, bikeways and sidewalks
25
Slide #10
Visit the fol(owing websitesfor r -
1
Mayor Weaver thanked David Stancil for his presentation and invited people to ask
questions.
Commissioner Fowler thanked staff for the provision of parks and space for people
during the pandemic. She asked for more information on bike and trail connectivity through
parks. She asked if the plans include prioritizing bike and trail connectivity to business services.
David Stancil said it was important to all the jurisdictions and very much a part of the
plans from his observation. He said the trails systems connect people to important places and
serve multiple functions.
Phil Fleischman from the Town of Chapel Hill said he agreed, and that connectivity is a
key focus for all the plans.
Mayor Weaver said that connectivity is also part of the Hillsborough ethos around
planning.
Chair Price said she was pleased to see the work being done on connectivity. She
asked for staff to keep in mind that some trails are not accessible to people with mobility issues,
and there is a need for trails with surfaces that are navigable for people with differing abilities
and should be accessible to all.
David Stancil said it is one of the important things when developing new trails to make
sure they are ADA accessible.
Council Member Searing said there were pieces of property on the parks locator that are
classified as a park that he does not see as parks. He said they he does not think some places
fit the definition of a park and mentioned that he is specifically talking about areas where other
landowners allow access like Brumley Forest Preserve and Carolina North. He suggested a
different category for those types of properties on the park finder.
David Stancil said that staff discussed that issue when putting together the map. He
said the point was well taken. He said there are different types of open space available and
they will look at this going forward.
Council Member Searing said that UNC has been clear that Carolina North is not public
land. He said that other jurisdictions are collaborating on building larger trail systems. He asked
if this community is considering something similar.
David Stancil said there are groups like the Triangle Trails Initiative and the East Coast
Greenway Alliance, among others, that are examining large trail systems in the region. He said
that the Mountain to Sea Trail is part of the state parks system and that outside of that, the
focus has been inward in terms of building connections among the jurisdictions.
26
Council Member Searing said he was wondering if those connections exist between the
communities in Orange County.
David Stancil said there are connections that exist in some places but others that do not.
He said the Hillsborough to Carrboro and Chapel Hill connection does not yet exist via trail and
they will likely focus on those connections in the future.
Council Member searing said he will send staff some examples of the connections and
partnerships that he has observed across the state.
Commissioner English thanked the staff for working together during the pandemic and
communicating the same message to the public.
David Stancil said that the message of being consistent came from the managers and
elected officials.
Commissioner Richards asked about how best to let people know about all the
resources available to the public.
David Stancil said that it is so important to make those resources available. He said that
social media has helped, they are doing information videos, as well but they are trying to use all
the things they have available to share the information.
Phil Fleischman said they were always open to suggestions for new methods of
outreach. He said that the park locater can be a great resource, but that staff are always open
to suggestions on how to reach more people.
Anita Jones McNair from the Town of Carrboro said there was an opportunity to engage
the community more through the One Orange Racial Equity framework and see how we can
best reach them in terms of messaging. She said they can see what they are currently doing
and how to do it better.
Mayor Weaver said it is important to let people know what the amenities are and how
they can get to them.
Commissioner Greene thanked Commissioner Richards for her comments. She said
that Orange County has had a local land use plan since the 1980s that includes the urban
services boundary and other commitments not to sprawl. She said the message needs to be
clear that development is appropriate inside of the municipalities because it is either no growth
at all or sprawl into the county. She said that all these things should work together, and we
need to get the message out.
Commissioner Hamilton said some of the parks north of Hillsborough require cars to
access them. She said it was important to think about community members that do not have
access to cars and the barrier that presents to park access. She also encouraged the thinking
about how recreational facilities and open space can be balanced in a more urbanized city. She
said she wants those spaces to feel like being out in nature, while still being in the city. She said
she did not know if there are guidelines associated with how much land per person is needed
and can be afforded.
David Stancil said there are guidelines that stipulate how many acres a park should
have per population, but that they have moved away from that to be more responsive to
community interest.
Council Member Miller-Foushee thanked Commissioner Greene for her comments and
for the need for balance between development and preserving open space in the rural buffer.
She said that she agrees that the municipalities are where the growth should be concentrated.
She connected that to Commissioner Hamilton's comments about being thoughtful about
developing with balance. She said that she has seen how development and greenspace can be
achieved with that balance and that it is not an "either or" but a "both and" situation. She said it
required planning and that there must be continued planning so that they do not fail.
Mayor Weaver thanked David Stancil for the presentation and the work that is ongoing
throughout the jurisdictions.
27
Chair Price thanked staff members for their attendance during the meeting and for their
work and support.
4. Announcements
Council Member Haven-O'Donnell announced that the Solid Waste Advisory Group
meeting is planned for January 31 st and that she wanted to point out that they continue to think
about the solid waste stream. She said that the Chapel Hill recycling drop off at University Place
is set to shut down. She urged people to continue to think about how we can continue to meet
solid waste diversion goals and carbon reduction goals. She said Carrboro Plaza drop off site
was lost and there has yet to be a location identified to replace it. She asked attendees to
continue to discuss this issue because of the serious impact on carbon reduction goals,
greenhouse gasses, and efforts for solid waste diversion.
Commissioner McKee gave an update on the task force broadband initiative and said
there were several strong RFPs submitted that are in the process of being evaluated. He said
the RFPs will be brought to the commissioners soon. He said there is $5 million set aside for
those efforts and that it has been very helpful to show the commitment. He said he believes it is
no longer an if, but a when, for broadband across the county.
Council Member Berry said January is national mentoring month. She asked if any of
the attendees have either mentored or have been mentored. She said many youth in the
community are waiting for a mentor. She invited the attendees to consider how they might be a
mentor.
Chair Price expressed appreciation to everyone who attended the Assembly of
Governments meeting and welcomed all the newly elected members.
The elected officials agreed to adjourn the meeting at 9:34 p.m. Each jurisdiction took a roll call
vote to adjourn in the following order: the Town of Chapel Hill, the Town of Hillsborough, the
Town of Carrboro, and Orange County.
VOTE: UNANMIOUS
Renee Price, Chair
Laura Jensen
Clerk to the Board
Submitted for approval by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board.