Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 16, 2019
Subject
SUBJECT: WEST SANTA ANA BRANCH TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
A. Receiving and Filing the West Santa Ana Branch Transit Oriented Development Strategic Implementation Plan (WSAB TOD SIP); and
B. Authorizing the Chief Executive Officer or designee to enter into multiple agreements with WSAB corridor cities and the County of Los Angeles to fund implementation activities recommended in the WSAB TOD SIP in an aggregate amount not to exceed $1,000,000.
Issue
ISSUE
In 2016, the Metro Board directed staff to identify budget, scope of work, and funds for the purpose of Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) predevelopment and planning activities for the WSAB corridor (see Attachment A). Metro, together with the City of South Gate and EcoRapid Transit, was awarded a grant to develop the WSAB TOD SIP, which was completed in spring 2019. Staff now seeks to enter into agreements with WSAB corridor cities and the County to fund up to $1,000,000 in implementation activities including specialized studies and providing matching funds for grants, in order to continue implementation of the Board’s 2016 motion.
Background
BACKGROUND
TOD SIP
Metro has facilitated the development of a WSAB TOD SIP in order to maximize the transit investment that will be made in the WSAB corridor, and to ensure that communities along the corridor equitably benefit from the investment. The TOD SIP was funded by a $2 million grant from the FTA Pilot TOD Project program, together with a $500,000 match from Metro, and completed in collaboration with the WSAB local jurisdictions. The TOD SIP provides an overarching vision and strategic guidance for local WSAB jurisdictions to use as a reference as they develop and implement plans, policies and economic development and mobility strategies in the 12 station areas on the alignment. This information will support station areas in equitably and sustainably transforming, as well as in improving their safety and accessibility via multiple modes of mobility. This is particularly important, as a concentration of Equity Focused Communities, as well as local jurisdictions with minimal staff resources and constrained local budgets are found in this transit corridor, running from the City of Artesia in the south, to downtown Los Angeles in the north. An Executive Summary of the TOD SIP is included as Attachment B and a link to the full TOD SIP is included as Attachment C.
Implementing the TOD SIP will require continuation of a multi-year strategy for transit supportive planning in this corridor, in which Metro’s initial efforts to support land use planning around WSAB stations were largely focused on award of TOD Planning Grants to both EcoRapid Transit and WSAB cities.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Implementation Strategy
In addition to the impetus from the 2016 Board motion directing support for WSAB jurisdictions, two other key factors will guide Metro’s strategy to support implementation of the TOD SIP moving forward.
First, the TOD SIP recommendations are focused on economic development, while also protecting and benefitting the disadvantaged and lower income populations that live along the corridor and mitigating potential displacement pressures. Metro’s support for WSAB corridor TOC activities will track to the recommendations in the TOD SIP and should ensure that TOC activities are pursued with strong community engagement and commitment to the equitable realization of benefits, in keeping with Metro’s Equity Platform and TOC Policy.
Second, Metro’s role going forward is to assist the municipalities along the corridor to build capacity to pursue and carry out TOC activities. The TOD SIP was managed by Metro in coordination with the WSAB municipalities. In the future, the cities/County, given their control of local land use, will necessarily have primary responsibility for future planning, plan, and program delivery. Future programs and policies will be developed within the local governments and will be implemented by the entities with regulatory authority to carry out the identified activities.
Implementation Program
With these factors in mind, staff proposes that the Board authorize Metro to enter into agreements with WSAB corridor cities and the County in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 to support an implementation program (Program) over the next three years to provide funding to:
• Conduct new planning studies related to TOD SIP recommendations;
• Provide grant matching funds to enable jurisdictions to pursue grant opportunities; and
• Provide short term loans to provide jurisdictions the cash flow they need to take on typical grant reimbursement requirements.
Implementation activities for which the WSAB jurisdictions may seek funding under this Program will be limited to planning activities in the following categories, which correspond to those that have been included in the TOD SIP:
|
Governance |
Equitable Development & Community Preservation |
|
- Corridor Wide Governance/ Economic Development Entity Structuring - Financing/Value Capture Feasibility - Special Districts Development, including TIFs, EIFDs and CRIAs - Corridor Wide Investment and Marketing Strategies |
- Community Engagement/Education Initiatives - Affordable/Inclusionary Housing Policies - Rent Stabilization Ordinances - Anti-Displacement Policies - Land Trust/Property Assembly Studies - Equity Screens/Community Benefits Frameworks - Economic and Workforce Development Strategies Cultural Resource Identification and Development |
|
Transit Supportive Planning |
Placemaking |
|
- Land Use, Zoning (Form/Use), Infill and Adaptive Reuse Studies - Parking Studies Environmental Clearance |
- Design Guidelines - Public Space Activation Plans, Community Design/ Wayfinding/ Branding/ Identity Studies |
|
Mobility, Access & Connectivity |
Sustainability & Resilience |
|
- Pedestrian/Bike/Active Transportation Plans - New Mobility/Micro Mobility Technologies Planning |
- Renewable Power - Infrastructure/Smart Cities Systems: Capacity Studies, Planning, Financing - Environmental Remediation - Low Impact Development - Green Streets - Urban Greening - Green and Healthy Project Certification Planning |
Should this program be authorized, WSAB corridor jurisdictions will be invited to express interest in funding, for up to $200,000 per jurisdiction, for implementation of TOD SIP recommendations, within a specified period of time. WSAB jurisdictions will be required to demonstrate, and will be evaluated for selection, based on the following:
• need, either in terms of serving Equity Focused Communities, and/or in augmenting limited city staff or budget capacity,
• demonstrated nexus with TOD SIP recommendations, and
• readiness to take on the work program they propose.
Grant Writing Assistance
In addition to the proposed Program, Metro will continue to provide grant-writing assistance to WSAB jurisdictions, focusing on funding activities that implement the WSAB TOD SIP recommendations. In fall 2018, the TOC team launched a pilot grant writing assistance program by using an existing Metro grant assistance contract and supporting five applications to the State of California’s SB 1 Planning Grant program and the SCAG Sustainable Communities program. The five grants requested over $2.4 million in TOC-related planning studies, and over $1.24 million was awarded. The TOC team will continue this grant writing assistance program over the next three years, with an anticipated ability to support up to 10 grants per year.
Equity Platform
Many WSAB corridor communities have been identified as disadvantaged communities that are the focus of Metro’s Equity Platform. Actions recommended in the TOD SIP include best practices for inclusive community engagement process, as well as equitable development and community preservation strategies, and transit supportive planning. Therefore, funds awarded would, in the words of the Equity Platform, “build local government technical capacity serving historically underserved communities”. Providing local jurisdictions support in TOD SIP implementation activities also supports the Focus and Deliver pillar of the Equity Platform, targeting areas where Metro partners with others, particularly in land use and transit supportive planning.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
There is no negative impact to the safety of our employees or patrons. The program will advance transit-supportive, and active transportation planning and development policies that improve the integration of transit stations into existing communities and the built environment. This integration will support improved safety for passengers and Metro operations.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The FY 2020 budget includes $500,000 in Cost Center 4530, Project 460201 (WSAB Transit Corridor Admin). Since this is a multi-year commitment, the Cost Center Manager and Chief Planning Officer will be responsible for budgeting in future years.
Impact to Budget
The funding for this project is from Measure R Transit Capital New Rail (35%). As these funds are earmarked for the WSAB Transit Corridor project, they are not eligible for Metro bus and rail capital and operating expenditures.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Providing funding to WSAB jurisdictions for TOD SIP implementation will carry out Strategic Plan Goal 3: Enhance communities and lives through mobility and access to opportunity, by facilitating transit supportive planning in future station areas. The program funding, since it will build and enhance the capacity of WSAB local jurisdictions, will also carry out Strategic Plan Goal 4: Transform LA County through regional collaboration and national leadership.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may choose not to approve this $1,000,000 funding authorization as requested. We do not recommend this alternative. This program, together with the ongoing grant writing assistance we have committed to provide to WSAB jurisdictions will further:
• implementation of the TOD SIP;
• the creation of transit-oriented communities that maximize access to corridor stations and, ultimately, transit ridership; and
• continuing progress toward the Board’s 2016 motion to support WSAB jurisdictions’ TOC predevelopment and planning activities.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
With the completion of the TOD SIP, city and county staff are expected to review its recommendations with their local decision makers and stakeholders and use the guidance within the plan to inform their own station area planning, programs and implementation actions. With Board approval, staff will, in the fall of 2019, release an invitation to express interest in funding under the Program, evaluate submissions, and initiate agreements with WSAB corridor jurisdictions, for TOD SIP related implementation predevelopment and planning activities. Staff will report implementation progress to the Board on an annual basis, at minimum.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Board Motion Revised Item #32.1
Attachment B - WSAB TOD SIP Executive Summary
Attachment C - WSAB TOD SIP
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Melani Smith, Senior Director, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-7276
Nick Saponara, Executive Officer (Interim), Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-4313
Holly Rockwell, Sr. Exec. Officer - Real Estate, Transit Oriented Communities and Transportation, (213) 922-5585
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: James de la Loza, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-2920
