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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/1/2008 - STAFF REPORTS - 2.E. F pALM sp,P iy G� V N 4 � + �vvMvgcn n % CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT October 1, 2008 CONSENT CALENDAR Subject: AMENDMENT TO THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION EXPENDITURE PLAN AND RETAIL TRANSACTION AND USE TAX ORDINANCE NO. 88-1 (THE "MEASURE K PLAN) From: David H. Ready, City Manager Initiated by: Public Works and Engineering Department SUMMARY The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) recently initiated an amendment to the Measure A Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). In order for the amendment to the TIP to become effective, the City Council must adopt the attached Resolution confirming the amendment. RECOMMENDATION: 1) Adopt Resolution No. "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION TRANSPORTATION EXPENDITURE PLAN AND RETAIL TRANSACTION AND USE TAX ORDINANCE (ORDINANCE NO. 88-1)." STAFF ANALYSIS: In 1988, by an overwhelming support of 78.9%, voters in Riverside County approved "Measure A", a '/2 cent sales tax measure to generate additional funding for transportation projects. The original Measure A plan was enacted through the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) Expenditure Plan and Retail Transaction and Use Tax, Ordinance No. 88-1. The original Measure A Plan listed the locations of anticipated improvements in Riverside County, including the Coachella Valley area. Due to unanticipated realignments in roadways and the relinquishment of State control over other roadways and highways in the Coachella Valley, RCTC has initiated an amendment to the Measure A Plan to reflect current conditions and to specify the current roadway segments which are eligible for Measure A funding. Item No. 2 • r • Indian Canyon Drive/Interstate 10 Project October 1,2008 Page 2 Approval of the Measure A Plan amendment will make funding available for the planning and environmental review of future transportation improvements along realigned State Highway 111 through Palm Springs (i.e. Vista Chino and Gene Autry Trail) as well as those portions of State Highway 111 that have been relinquished back to the respective cities. City staff has pursued approval of the Measure A Plan amendment with RCTC staff, in order to secure future Measure A funding for necessary improvements to the current alignment of State Highway 111 through Palm Springs, extending from the northern City limits on N. Palm Canyon Drive, to Vista Chino, to Gene Autry Trail, and ultimately to E. Palm Canyon Drive at our eastern City limits. The original Measure A Plan only identified Measure A funding for that portion of State Highway 111 (then aligned entirely along Palm Canyon Drive) south of Ramon Road. The requested amendment will add several miles of State Highway 111 into the Measure A Plan, making it eligible for Measure A funding whereby now it is currently considered ineligible. FISCAL_ IMPACT. Additional unknown future Measure A funding for eligible transportation projects along State Highway 111 under the Measure A Plan. Ord- David J. Barakian Thomas J. Wikson Director of Public Works/City Engineer Assistant City Manager David H. Ready, Cit alter ATTACHMENTS: 1. Resolution 02 ATTACHMENT RESOLUTION RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION TRANSPORTATION EXPENDITURE PLAN AND RETAIL TRANSACTION AND USE TAX ORDINANCE (ORDINANCE NO. 88-1) WHEREAS, the Riverside County Transportation Commission Transportation Expenditure Plan and Retail Transaction and Use Tax Ordinance, Ordinance No. 88-1 ("Measure A") was approved by 78.9% of the voters in Riverside County in November of 1988; and WHEREAS, the purpose of Measure A is to help relieve traffic congestion, increase safety, improve air quality, provide funds to match developers" fees and State and local moneys for transportation and plan adequately for traffic by providing essential countywide transportation improvements; and WHEREAS, the Transportation Expenditure Plan, also referred to as the Transportation Improvement Plan ("TIP"), was attached as Exhibit B to Measure A and was incorporated therein by reference; and WHEREAS, the TIP identifies State Highway 111 from Ramon Road to Indio Boulevard as one of the projects in the Coachella Valley for which Measure A State highway and major regional road project funds are to be appropriated and expended ("Measure A Highway Funds"), and a map depicting the then-current Highway 111 designation between Ramon Road to Indio Boulevard (the "Original Alignment") was part of the TIP; and WHEREAS, since the passage of Measure A, the designation of Highway 111 has been changed as portions of the Original Alignment have been relinquished by the State and are now maintained by local jurisdictions, and additionally, Highway 111 was relianged in the City of Palm Springs and now is located on Vista Chino between N. Palm Canyon Drive and Gene Autry Trail, as well as the segment of Gene Autry Trail from Vista Chino to E. Palm Canyon Drive; and WHEREAS, changes to the alignment of Highway 111 have raised questions regarding the eligibility of segments relinquished by the State to local agencies for Measure A Highway Funds, and furthermore, additional segments of Highway 111 not included in the Original Alignment have been requested to be eligible for receipt of Measure A funds; and WHEREAS, pursuant to California Public Utilities Code Section 240302(d), the TIP may only be amended by the following process: Gj� Resolution No. Page 2 (1) Initiation of amendment by the commission, reciting findings of necessity for the amendment- (2) Approval by the board of supervisors. (3) Approval by a majority of the cities constituting a majority of the incorporated population; and WHEREAS, the changes to the designation of Highway 111 have created the necessity for the adoption of this amendment to the TIP, as the TIP is no longer current as applies to Highway 111, and furthermore, in order for Measure A Highway Funds to be effectively expended to carry out the voter intent for highway and roadway improvements an amendment to the TIP is necessary; and WHEREAS, at its meeting on September 10, 2008, the Board of Directors of the Riverside County Transportation Commission ("Commission Board") adopted a resolution initiating an amendment to the TIP, including the required findings of necessity for the amendment; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palm Springs ("City Council") has considered the proposed amendment, and approves said amendment to the TIP; and WHEREAS, Public Utilities Code Section 240302, under which Measure A and the TIP were adopted, states that generated tax revenues may be expended "for the planning, environmental reviews, engineering and design costs, and related right-of-way acquisition"; and WHEREAS, the TIP states that the "scope of highway and commuter rail projects to be implemented is to be determined through required environmental analysis and full consideration of alternatives" including "public participation during the environmental analysis process"; and WHEREAS, the amendment to the TIP does not approve construction of any transportation improvements, but amends the TIP to reflect current conditions in the Coachella Valley; and WHEREAS, under California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 15378(b)(4), the amendment of the TIP is not a "project" subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") because the amendment merely creates a government funding mechanism and does not commit RCTC to a specific project; and WHEREAS, under California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 15004, the amendment of the TIP is not subject to CEQA because RCTC lacks enough information about the transportation improvements to conduct meaningful environmental review at this time; and S5 Resolution No. Page 3 WHEREAS, pursuant to the TIP, all appropriate environmental review will be completed prior to any future approval of a specific transportation improvement. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Incorporation of Recitals. The Recitals set forth above are true and correct and are incorporated into this Resolution by reference as though fully set forth herein. Section 2. Approval of Amendment to the TIP. The City Council hereby approves the following amendment to the TIP, as initiated by the Commission Board: A. Inclusion of Segments to Coachella Valley Portion of TIP. That portion of the TIP entitled "Coachella Valley". Section 1, entitled "State Highways and Major Regional Road Project' of the aforementioned portion of the TIP, located on Page 183-07 of Measure A, shall be amended to include the segments of highway, and/or roadway described below and as shown on the map attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein by reference. The total amount of funding allocated to the Coachella Valley shall not be changed. 1. In Palm Springs, from the intersection of Ramon Road and Gene Autry Trail, north on Gene Autry Trail to Vista Chino, thence west on Vista Chino to North Palm Canyon Drive, thence northerly on the existing Highway 111 alignment to Interstate 10; 2. In Indio, from the crossing of Golf Center Parkway over Indio Boulevard, northerly on Golf Center Parkway to Interstate 10,- and 3. In Indio, from the intersection of Highway 111 and Indio Boulevard, southeasterly on Indio Boulevard and Grapefruit Boulevard, the existing and former Highway 111 alignment, through the City of Coachella and Riverside County to the intersection of State Route 195 (Avenue 66). B. Revision to Map Included as Part of TIP. The map attached as part of the TIP shall be amended to include those segments of highway and/or roadway as shown in the map attached to this Resolution as Exhibit "A". Section 3. Approval of Findings. The City Council hereby approves the findings of the Commission Board related to the adoption of the amendment to the TIP. Section 4. Effective Date. This Resolution shall be effective on the date of its adoption. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the amendment to the TIP set forth herein shall not be effective unless and until approved by the Board of Supervisors of Riverside County, and a majority of the Cities within Riverside County. Resolution No. Page 4 Section 5. Notice of Exemption. The City Council hereby finds that adoption of this Resolution is not subject to CEQA and authorizes and directs City staff to file a Notice of Exemption with the County Clerk of Riverside County and the State Clearinghouse within five (5) days following adoption of this Resolution. ADOPTED THIS 1st day of October, 2008. David H. Ready, City Manager ATTEST: James Thompson, City Clerk CERTIFICATION STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss. CITY OF PALM SPRINGS ) I, JAMES THOMPSON, City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, hereby certify that Resolution No. is a full, true and correct copy, and was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Springs on October 1, 2008, by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: James Thompson, City Clerk City of Palm Springs, California C�7 Exhibit A Map depicting new segments of highway and/or roadway to be included in the TIP l� Legend 'r." 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