City Council Community Planning and Transportation Committee Meeting

CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MINUTES December 13, 2019 The City Council Community Planning and Transportation Committee of the City of Norman, Cleveland County, State of Oklahoma, met at 4:00 p.m. in the Conference Room on the 13th day of December, 2019, and notice and agenda of the meeting were posted in the Municipal Building at 201 West Gray 48 hours prior to the beginning of the meeting. PRESENT: Councilmember Petrone and Chainnan Holman ABSENT: Councilmembers Biennan, Hall, and Wilson OTHERS PRESENT: Councilmember Scanlon, Ward Six Mr. Taylor Johnson, Public Transit Coordinator Mr. Rick Knighton, Assistant City Attorney Mr. Ken Komiske, Director of Utilities Mr. Todd McLellan, Development Engineer Ms. Beth Muckala, Assistant City Attorney Mr. Shawn O'Leary, Director of Public Works Mr. Darrel Pyle, City Manager Mr. David Riesland, Traffic Engineer Mr. Scott Sturtz, City Engineer Mr. Mike White, Fleet Superintendent Ms. Syndi Runyon, Administrative Technician IV Item l , being: PUBLIC TRANSIT RIDERSHIP REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER TRANSIT RIDERSHIP FARES. Mr. Taylor Johnson, Public Transit Coordinator, said the fixed route service transported 25,666 passengers in November, which is a 7% decrease compared to November 2018. The daily average ridership was 1,285, an increase of 6%. He said FYE 20 to date ridership (July - November is 128,3 I 0, a decrease of 9% over the same period last year. The paratransit service transported 1,79 1 passengers in November, a decrease of 35% compared to November 2018. Average daily ridership was 90, a decrease of 25% with Zone 1 ridership decreased by 35% and Zone 2 ridership decreased by 35% compared to November 2018. FYE 20 paratransit ridership is 9,510, a decrease of 35%, with Zone 1 ridership decreasing by 35% and Zone 2 ridership decreasing by 36%.  Community Planning and Transportation Committee Minutes December 13, 2019 Page 2 Item 1, continued: Mr. Johnson highlighted transit activities and said Staff continues to discuss the Joint Transit and Public Safety Maintenance Facility to be constructed near the current City Fleet Maintenance Facility on Da Vinci Street. He said City Staff gained access to the Federal Transit Authority Grant and reporting system. Councilmember Petrone said there are citizens that cannot call to schedule a paratransit ride because of speech disabilities and asked when that issue could be resolved. Mr. Michael Scroggins, Embark Marketing and Technology Director, said this is an option Embark will explore if that is Counci l's desire. He said because this would be a new process, Embark would want to make sure it is compliant with all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) regulations. He said Embark will have more information on what technologies are available at the next Community Planning and Transportation Committee (CPTC) meeting. Mr. Shawn O'Leary, Director of Public Works, said Council just created an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Public Transportation Sub-Committee and their first meeting will be Monday. He said this issue is exactly the type of information this Committee will be discussing because their purpose is to create an ADA Transition Plan for the public transportation system. Councilmember Petrone said it would be nice to have that technology implemented before the next CPTC meeting because it is vital to citizens with speech disabilities and Mr. Darrel Pyle, City Manager, said Staff will take that as direction from Council. Councilmember Scanlon asked for more information on the Maintenance Facility and Mr. 0 'Leary said an architectural firm has been hired and the Planning Commission recently approved the preliminary plat so the City is following all the rules developers follow. He said there are three elements that includes moving the Park Maintenance Facility out of Reaves Park to build the Senior Center, constructing a Bus Maintenance Facility, and constructing an Emergency Vehicle Maintenance Facility. He said all three facilities are being designed into the ten-acre parcel near the Fleet Maintenance Facility on Da Vinci Street just south of the north base area. He said Staff should have cost estimates at the end of December and a bid package should be ready by January. He said there is funding for the Parks Maintenance Facility and the Emergency Vehicle Maintenance Facility, but there is currently no funding for the bus facility. He said Staff is trying to obtain $3.2 million that the University of Oklahoma (OU) had to repay the federal government for transit operations. If that is not possible, there will be challenges in locating that amount of money within the current budget. He said the City is currently leasing the OU Bus Maintenance Facility, but the lease ends June 30, 2020. He expects that facility to cost around $3.5 million. Councilmember Petrone asked if the paratransit system is still having difficulty finding drivers or vehicles to transport the disability community and Mr. Scroggins said Embark Plus had a couple of personnel issues, but that has not impeded the ability to provide the needed trips. Mr. Johnson said at Council' s request Embark will be keeping track ofride denials and adding that information to the monthly report. Community Planning and Transportation Committee Minutes December 13, 2019 Page 3 Item 1, continued: Items submitted for the record 1. Public Transportation Monthly Report for November 2019 2. Norman Transit Ridership Totals for November 2019 ***** Item 2, being: DISCUSSION REGARDING THE NORMAN TRANSIT SYSTEM LONG RANGE PLAN. Mr. O'Leary said the 1/8% sales tax recently passed and Norman is the only City, to date, to have a successful sales tax election exclusively for transit. He said this successful election sends a positive message regarding support for a regional transit service and the transit industry is watching Norman closely. He said now that the City has a reliable funding source, Staff can confidently begin planning short-range and long-range transit system plans. Mr. Johnson said Cleveland Area Rapid Transit (CART) adopted a Long-Range Transportation Plan in 2008 that was based on a needs assessment undertaken in 2003. He said the plan produced improvement recommendations in phases; however, much of the implementation was not realized due to lack of funding. He said the City updated its Comprehensive Transportation Plan in 2014. He said the City created a Transit Subcommittee that recommended enhancements to update the 2008 CART Plan. The Transit Committee discussed local and regional needs and developed immediate ongoing short range, medium range and long range action items for transit. He said the transit updates incorporated the City's Comprehensive Transportation Plan adopted in May 2014. Mr. Johnson highlighted the 2008 CART Long-Range Public Transportation Plan that now applies to City of Norman as follows: • Phase I Improvement Recommendations o Address requests for longer service hours • Extended service hours on high-ridership core routes • Initiation of Sunday service • Downtown/Campus Comer Circulator operating at 20 minute headways • Phase II Improvement Recommendations o Address requests for higher frequency more effective and understandable routes • Creation of a grid of corridor routes • Operate the key grid routes at 30 minute headways • Phase III Improvement Recommendations o Add routes along new service corridors including: • State Highway 9 Circulator • West Norman Circulator • East Norman Circulator • Berry Road Corridor (expand existing) • Main Street Corridor extension west to Sooner Mall Community Planning and Transportation Committee Minutes December 13, 2019 Page4 Item 2, continued: Phase III Improvement Recommendations, continued: Mr. Johnson highlighted the Comprehensive Transportation Plan related action items as follows: • Action items to be implemented as soon as possible o Adopt the updated CART Long-Range Transportation Plan - Completed • Action items to be conducted on an outgoing or annual basis o Coordinate the Norman Thoroughfare Plan with the Norman Land Use Plan o Allocate a portion of the available local funds to all modes o Provide bus pull-over bays at bus stops and upgrade to Urban Arterial Streets - Lindsey Street o Actively engage in agency and public planning and promoting of intercity transit services - Regional Transportation Authority of Central Oklahoma o Monitor transit facilities and rolling stock conditions and implement needed maintenance o Annually assess the transit level of service and ridership on major streets in Norman o Accommodate pedestrian, bicycle, and transit access and mobility during public and private construction in public right-of-way (ROW) o Monitor transit usage barriers and implement mitigation measures o Seek Federal Transit Agency (FTA) funding for transit operations in Norman o Coordinate the planned commuter rail station with future land use planning, development controls, and incentives • Short-Range action items (first five years) o Extend CART transit system service hours on five key routes - extended hours to 10:00 p.m. - not extended as long as recommended o Add Sunday service o Enhance CARTaccess service hours to match fixed route service o Maintain CART service frequency on Lindsey East and West routes year round - completed o Add a new Downtown/Campus Comer Circulator route o Pilot project to reconfigure Main Street route and supporting routes to crate initial grid network o Enhance CART transit accessibility, safety, and amenities - completed/ongoing o Encourage the use of intercity transit services o Develop site planning and property development concepts for commuter rail station areas o Study the needs, methods, and implications of establishing a dedicated funding source - completed • Medium-Range action items (by year 2025) o Reconfigure and add routes to crate grid network o Update the CART Long-Range Public Transportation Plan o Create Hub facilities for coordinated area wide transit service  Community Planning and Transportation Committee Minutes December 13, 2019 Page 5 Item 2, continued: • Long-Range action items (by year 2035) o Add new bus routes to target key corridors and expand service areas o Identify and enter into agreements to secure the property and ROW for proposed commuter rail stations Chairman Holman asked if Staff could give the Committee a report on the number of bus stops that have no bench or shelter and Mr. Johnson said he will have that information at the next meeting. Councilmember Scanlon suggested partnering with Norman Public Schools to provide City bus service to the high schools for a fee. Mr. Johnson highlighted current challenges that includes stabilization of current operations and budget; General Fund and Capital Fund Budgets; program ofFTA Grant Funds; Bus Maintenance Facility; fleet replacements/upgrades; technology upgrades; and implementation of fare structure and modem fare boxes. Chairman Holman said he did not know the life span of the fare boxes, but based on fare revenue and cost of fare boxes it would be costly to install the fare boxes and change them out every five to seven years. He said it takes seven years of fares to pay for updating fare boxes so it may cost more to charge a fare than not charge a fare. Mr. O'Leary agreed, but said there is an argument that free fares increase usage that the City might not be able to handle especially on the paratransit side, which is the most expensive operation. Mr. O'Leary said most of the busses passed onto the City from CART are at the end of their life so new busses will be needed as soon as possible. He said the 1/8% sales tax will not generate revenue until April 2020, so the City is drawing down fund balances to operate until funding is available. Mr. Johnson highlighted proposed Council priorities as follows: • Service Adjustments o Restore Sunday Service o Extend Routes/Stops • Norman Library East, Moore Norman Technology Center, Veteran 's Center, improved Healthplex service, expand commuter route • Fare Structure • Ridership • Technology Councilmember Scanlon asked about revenue from advertising on the busses and Mr. O'Leary said Staff is currently negotiating with Tyler Advertising Company (Tyler) who has provided advertising for CART for many years. Community Planning and Transportation Committee Minutes December 13, 2019 Page 6 Item 2, continued: Mr. Pyle said based on the number of busses and volume of service cun-ently provided, is there a generic number that might be achieved on advertising revenues and Mr. Johnson said the agreement with OU was $12,000 annually. Mr. O'Leary said Tyler provides all the infrastructure for bus stops at no cost in exchange for all advertising at the bus stops. Mr. Johnson said Tyler also provides maintenance on the bus stops. Mr. Johnson said next steps include finishing FTA documentation and program grant funds; discussion and direction from Council on fare structures; begin and complete construction of a Bus Maintenance Facility; analyze FYE 2020 Budget and complete FYE 2021 Budget (fleet replacements - $1 million annually); update Long-Range Transit Plan; analyze and adopt policies as needed; and a branding process, i.e., Nonnan Embark. Chairman Holman said the brand could be "TACO," for the Transit Authority of Central Oklahoma. Chairman Holman asked the cost of a new bus and Mr. Johnson said large busses (35 feet) cost approximately $500,000 and paratransit busses cost approximately $90,000 to $ 100,000. Mr. O' Leary said one of the biggest challenges for the City is fleet replacement so busses will be treated separately from the current Fleet Replacement Program. Mr. O'Leary said CART drivers cleaned their busses every night because they did not have a union, but the Embark Union does not allow their drivers to clean the busses so the City had to find someone to clean and fuel the busses each night. Ms. Amy Brown with Progressive Independence said CART still operates in the OU Campus area serving students, but during holiday/summer breaks the busses do not run. She said this affects a lot of citizens that live in that area and depend the bus service and asked if Embark could close that gap by providing bus service in that area during the times CART is not in operation. Chairman Holman said a lot of the campus routes serve the Campus Comer area so the City needs to address these types of issues and closing that gap in service. Mr. Pyle suggested contacting CART to see if they would be interested in continuing operations if the City pays the driver salaries and fuel costs for that service. Mr. Johnson said Staff would like to discuss fare structures in January, if possible. Items submitted for the record l . PowerPoint presentation entitled, "Norman Transit System Long-Range Plan," Community Planning and Transportation Committee dated December 13 , 2019 ***** Community Planning and Transportation Committee Minutes December 13, 2019 Page 7 Item 3, being: DISCUSSION REGARDING POST OAK ROAD (INDIAN SPRINGS ESTATES) RAILROAD CROSSING BLOCKAGES. Mr. O'Leary said on September 26, 2019, the CPTC was presented information regarding trains blocking railroad crossings and steps the City is allowed to take if a train blocks the crossing longer than ten minutes. He said residents that live on Post Oak Road in Indian Springs Estates attended the meeting to discuss the train blocking their only way in and out of their addition, sometimes for hours. He said this is a critical safety issue if emergency vehicles cannot get into the addition because a train is blocking the crossing and there is no other way to access addition. He said this is not a new problem and there is a private development moving forward from Cedar Lane Road that will eventually be an access point to this neighborhood; however, that portion of the development may not happen for several years . Mr. O'Leary said residents in Indian Springs Estates are frustrated about the frequency of the railroad crossing being blocked causing disruption to their daily schedules. He said Staff was directed by the Committee to review the situation to find an option for another entrance/exit to the addition. Mr. Scott Sturtz, City Engineer, highlighted the history of Indian Springs Estates and said on February 2, 1971, Council adopted an ordinance placing this property in RE, Residential Estates District, removing it from A-2, Rural Agricultural District; on May 20, 1971 , the Planning Commission recommended approval of the final plat; on June 29, 1971, Council approved the final plat for Indian Springs Estates; and on July 16, 1971 , the final plat for Indian Springs Estates was filed ofrecord with the Cleveland County Clerk. During the period of time, property zoned as RE could be developed with private streets. The responsibility for maintenance of the private streets is with the property owners and it should be noted that not all of the streets have been fully developed within this subdivision, which was not uncommon at that time. He said there are no documented incidents by Norman Police Department, Norman Fire Department, or EMSTATT of any inability to access the neighborhood on Post Oak Road since its development 48 years ago. Mr. Sturtz said Cobblestone Creek Golf Club abuts Indian Springs Estates and highlighted the history of Cobblestone Creek Golf Club. He said on May 8, 2001 , Council adopted an ordinance placing this property in the RE District removing it from A-2 District; on May 8, 2001 , the Planning Commission recommended approval of the final plat; on December 14, 2001 , Council approved the final plat; and on December 19, 2001 , the final plat for Cobblestone Creek Golf Club was filed ofrecord with the Cleveland County Clerk. On June 19, 1973, Council approved Ordinance 0-7273-105 requiring new developments in RE zoning to be constructed as public streets meeting City paving standards. Cobblestone Creek Golf Club was constructed with public streets that are maintained by the City.  Community Planning and Transportation Committee Minutes December 13, 2019 Page 8 Item 3, continued: Mr. Sturtz said the existing roads in Indian Springs Estates are private and were constmcted within 50-foot private road easements. After some research, Staff found a platted 50-foot private road easement available to construct a 250 foot paved road from the west end of Shadybrook Drive to Pebble Beach Drive located in Cobblestone Creek. He said the paved road would be a private road built to City standards and paid for by the property owners in Indian Springs Estates. He said Staff, with Council's directive, can assist Indian Springs Estates residents to coordinate with property owners in Cobblestone Creek, provide technical assistance to property owners in Indian Springs Estates in obtaining a design for the private egress road, and provide technical assistance to property owners in Indian Springs Estates with the construction of the private egress road. Chairman Holman said this is a real problem for residents in Indian Springs Estates and even though there has never been a reported incident that does not make it right to have only one way in or out. He said the train reportedly blocks the crossing anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half. Chairman Holman said he would like some research regarding Cedar Lane Addition and whether there is anything the City can do to advance that development for access to Indian Springs Estates. Items submitted for the record I. PowerPoint presentation entitled, "Parking Requirements (Comprehensive Review of City Ordinances, Engineering Design Criteria and Standard Specifications)," Community Planning and Transportation Committee dated October 24, 2019 2. 2014 City of Norman Comprehensive Transportation Plan ***** Item 4, being: REVIEW OF DRAFT ORDINANCE REGARDING MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROCESSOR ZONING AND LICENSING. This item was postponed due to time constraint and lack of quorum. ***** Item 5, being: MISCELLANEOUS COMMENTS. None ***** The meeting adjourned at 5:43 p.m.