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AGENDA REPORT 10-t-P� � .��,
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Dave Klotzle, City Engineer/Public Works Director
Prepared by: Shaun Kroes, Senior Management Analyst
DATE: May 24, 2013 (CC Meeting of 06/05/13)
SUBJECT: Consider Concepts for a Draft East County Transit Memorandum of
Agreement Among the County of Ventura and the Cities of Camarillo,
Moorpark, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
Senate Bill 716 (SB 716) was enacted in 2009 to amend Sections 99400 and 99401.5
of, and to add Sections 99232.1, 99232.2, and 99232.3 to the Public Utilities Code,
relating to transportation. This bill requires that, as of July 1, 2014, all Transportation
Development Act (TDA) funds allocated to jurisdictions be committed solely for transit
purposes. Prior to enactment of SB 716, if a jurisdiction had fully met its transit needs,
the remaining TDA balance could be allocated for street and road purposes.
In response to SB 716, the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC)
adopted the "Regional Transit Study Final Report: Executive Summary and Report to
the Legislature" (Regional Transit Study) on April 13, 2012. The Regional Transit Study
included support of a creation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in East
Ventura County between the Cities of Camarillo, Moorpark, Simi Valley and Thousand
Oaks, and the County of Ventura for unincorporated East County, to further
coordination of transit services among the agencies. The Regional Transit Study also
included transitioning authority of VISTA East service to the East County MOU and
transitioning authority of the remaining VISTA service to Gold Coast Transit. On June
20, 2012, the City Council authorized the Mayor to sign a letter of support for the
Regional Transit Study.
For the past year, staff from the four East County cities and Ventura County has been
working on the MOU. During that time staff recommended creating a Memorandum of
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June 5, 2013
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Agreement (MOA). Though the group recognized that an MOU and MOA are not
dissimilar, the MOA provided the appearance of greater formality. On March 1, 2013,
the VCTC voted to amend the Regional Transit Study. The amendment stated that
VCTC would retain authority of all VISTA services. Rather than rely on contributions
from local jurisdictions for VISTA funding, VCTC would instead fully fund VISTA service
using Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and State Transit Assistance (STA) funds.
The change in VCTC's direction required some adjustment to the MOA language, as it
was originally drafted based on the premise of the East County assuming responsibility
for VISTA East services.
The MOA is near completion. It is designed as a framework and guide to improving
transit services in the East County over the next several years through enhanced
connections, mutual service agreements, service hours, fares, transfers, policies, and
public information for both fixed-route and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Paratransit services. Additionally, it is anticipated that cost efficiencies may be realized
by the East County cities through cooperative purchases, joint grant applications, and
shared use of technology and infrastructure, such as fueling facilities, dispatch centers,
and administration facilities when feasible and in concert with individual operator policy
board approval. Key conceptual goals outlined in the MOA are:
• Promoting seamless public transit services in the East County;
• Supporting coordinated purchase, fueling, and use of CNG vehicles,
• Providing coordinated reporting, grant writing, information sharing, marketing,
and public information among the East County cities and the County of Ventura;
• Enhancing shared fueling facilities in Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks;
• Exploring, improving, and/or establishing inter and intra-city connections between
Simi Valley, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, and County unincorporated
areas, as well as connections to Los Angeles County;
• Coordinating Senior and ADA Dial-A-Ride services between Simi Valley,
Moorpark, and Thousand Oaks;
• Coordinating fares, transfers, and program eligibility requirements among the
East County cities.
• Enhancing transit interconnectivity throughout Ventura County.
Staff is requesting that City Council approve the conceptual goals outlined above.
Upon approval, staff will continue to work with the other East County participants to
finalize the draft MOA and return to City Council with a request for adoption of the
formal MOA.
It should be noted that Senate Bill 203 (Pavley) was introduced on February 7, 2013.
SB 203 would enable Ventura County cities with a population of less than 100,000
residents to continue to spend TDA funds on street and road purposes so long as the
cities continue to meet their transit needs. SB 203 was amended April 30, 2013, to
require VCTC on or before September 1, 2014, and four years annually thereafter, to
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submit a report to the Legislature on transit service within the County of Ventura. The
report will include descriptions of transit route changes, changes to service levels on
transit routes, and ridership numbers for all transit routes operating within Ventura
County. The report will also include annual budget numbers for transit services
provided by VCTC, Gold Coast Transit, other multiagency operators, and individual
municipal operators. The reporting requirement will expire January 1, 2019, unless
amended.
There is interest from the State Legislature in the progress of the East County MOA.
Staff is requesting that City Council authorize the City Manager to sign a joint letter to
the Legislature from the East County City Managers and County CEO stating their
commitment to the MOA and the agencies' commitment to finalizing the MOA this
summer. The City Managers also intend to discuss the draft MOA with representatives
from the State Legislature who are interested in the progress of public transit
improvements in Ventura County. After reviewing the MOA with the State Legislature
the MOA will be returned to the East County agencies for formal adoption.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1. Approve the concepts presented herein for an East County Transit MOA
among the County of Ventura and the Cities of Camarillo, Moorpark, Simi
Valley, and Thousand Oaks and direct staff to return to the City Council with
a draft MOA after further discussion with the other participating agencies; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to sign a joint letter to the Legislature from the
East County City Managers and County CEO stating their commitment to the
MOA and the agencies' commitment to having a finalized MOA this summer.
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