Meeting_Body
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
JUNE 23, 2016
Preamble
Motion by:
Directors Solis, Kuehl and Fasana
as amended by Director Solis
June 23, 2016
Transit to Open Space and Parks
Los Angeles County is a community rimmed by dramatic open spaces from the tranquil coasts to the rolling Santa Monica Mountains and vast deserts. The San Gabriel Mountains are closer to downtown Los Angeles than Denver is to the Rockies. Yet, access to the majestic places remains unattainable for many members of our community.
The purpose of this action is to develop a systematic plan for increasing access to parks and open space, countywide. This is a key priority for the region as demonstrated in the LA County Parks Needs Assessment and the Southern California Association of Governments’ Long Range Transportation Plan highlighting a lack of access to the newly designated San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.
In December of 2015, the Board affirmed its commitment to increasing access to parks and open space when it adopted performance measures for project in the Long Range Transportation Plan and Potential Ballot Measure that included Sustainability & Quality of Life and Accessibility. Both categories reference access to parks and open space. Metro has taken actions to provide access to green space to communities, but further gains in connecting people to open space could be achieved with more coordinated efforts.
Given that the Los Angeles Basin is home to 10+ million people, it is critical that we provide affordable, publically managed, transit to parks, open spaces, and publicly managed land. The LA basin is park-deficient-the only way we can ensure the health of Angelenos is by providing access to transit that connects communities, especially disadvantaged (income-poor and park-poor) communities to parks. For instance, 3 million people visited the San Gabriel National Monument last year, but there are no viable public transit options to access the area.
There are funding opportunities to support these programs at the federal, state and local levels, but a lack of coordination and information can prevent local municipalities and transit agencies from accessing these funds. Metro, as a regional leader, is uniquely able to help coordinate efforts and assist public land managers, transit authorities, nonprofits and municipalities seeking to increase access to parks and open space.
Title
MOTION by Solis, Kuehl, Fasana that the Board direct the Chief Executive Officer to report back to the Metro Board in October 2016 with an action plan to better connect communities to parks and open space. The plan shall include the following elements:
A. An overview of existing transit system connections to parks and open space and identification of opportunities to increase access to parks and open space. This assessment should draw upon, but not be limited to, data from the following agencies:
1. the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation;
2. the National Park Service;
3. U.S. Forest Service;
4. California State Parks;
5. the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy;
6. the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority; and
7. Southern California Association of Governments.
B. Identification of funding sources for transit to parks and open space including, but not limited to:
1. Federal Grants and Programs like the Federal Lands Access Program, the Federal Lands Transportation Program, the Transportation Alternatives Program, and the National Parks Service Challenge Cost Share Program;
2. Existing eligible local revenue like Proposition A, Proposition C and Measure R;
3. Nongovernmental and private partnerships; and
4. Other Creative funding opportunities
C. Methods to support the implementation of programs to connect communities to parks and open space, such as offering technical assistance and grants to jurisdictions.
D. Recommendations to promote the usage of current services and the building of the new service including:
1. Shuttle services from transportation infrastructure such as MTA Metro Rail stations, busway stations, bus stops, and regional rail stations as connector hubs for direct shuttles to parks and open space.
2. Prioritized services for communities with 20% lowest per capita open space acreage in the county; communities that have less than 3 acres of parkland per 1000 people, making them park poor, and incomes below $48,706 median household income, making them income poor.
3. Connections to parks and opens space through active transportation corridors such as bike lanes, walkways and greenways.
4. Potential extensions of existing public transit bus lines to park and open space.
ADDITIONALLY WE MOVE that the Board direct the Chief Executive Officer to engage with other agencies with related planning processes such as the California Collaborative Regional Transportation Plan and the Southern California Association of Governments Regional Transportation Plan and the United States Forest Service San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.
SOLIS AMENDMENT: Include rivers and mountains conservancy and water conservation authority.