BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Urban Transportation Commission Recommendation Number 20200805-02B: Safe Mobility Bond WHEREAS, The City of Austin has committed to a 50/50 mode share split by 2039, as per the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, WHEREAS, the City’s sidewalk plan identifies over 2,500 miles of absent sidewalks across the city, and estimates that the 580 miles of missing sidewalk considered high or very high priority will cost $308 million to construct, WHEREAS, the City’s 2014 Bicycle Master Plan calls for full implementation by 2025, and estimates that the remaining unbuilt portions of the planned network will cost $170 million for both on-street bike lanes and Tier 1 urban trails identified in the Urban Trails Master Plan, WHEREAS, The City’s Vision Zero Plan and Safe Route to School Program will require additional funding to continue implementation after funding from the 2016 Mobility Bond is depleted, WHEREAS, the 2016 Mobility Bond funds could be completely depleted by 2022, potentially ending the momentum and capacity built up while that funding has been deployed to construct sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure and general road safety infrastructure, WHEREAS, funding from the Project Connect Transit Bond will be essential to meeting the city of Austin’s transportation, equity and climate goals, but the funding may be limited transit construction and nearby streetscape improvements, WHEREAS, a safe and convenient active transportation network is essential to the success of Project Connect by enabling users to access transit without a vehicle, and would multiply the effectiveness of the Project Connect Bond, WHEREAS, Austin has a strong history of approving multiple bond packages, including the approval of 7 separate bonds in the 2018 election, and there is no evidence that adding the Safety Mobility Bond will negatively affect the approval of the Project Connect Bond, WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant increase in people walking, biking and other active modes for both transportation and recreation, overflowing the capacity of much of the active transportation network and creating unsafe conditions in some areas, WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the need for the “Healthy Streets” program to promote social distancing, which has achieved improvements in crucial areas that could be made permanent with the Safe Mobility Bond funding, WHEREAS, ongoing protests against police brutality and economic inequality have shined a spotlight on the systemic injustice of our transportation system and infrastructure, which has been used to subjugate minority populations through inequitable enforcement …
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Urban Transportation Commission Recommendation Number 20200805-02A: Project Connect funding and governance WHEREAS, the City of Austin’s rapid population growth has strained our transportation system; and WHEREAS, the City has allocated relatively few dedicated pathways for transit that allow citizens to choose a congestion-free transportation option; and WHEREAS, our current climate crisis calls for us to make changes to the way we live and plan our cities, and our pattern of continued sprawl and road construction is neither safe nor sustainable; and WHEREAS, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Capital Metro Transit Authority was experiencing sustained increases in ridership at a time when most transit systems in the country were losing ridership; and WHEREAS; the COVID-19 pandemic makes it even more crucial that we fund and build resilient infrastructure throughout our city, which is accessible and equitable for all; and WHEREAS, Capital Metro has been engaged in the current Project Connect long range transit system plan, gathering extensive public input, since October 2016; and WHEREAS, on April 11, 2019, Austin City Council unanimously adopted the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP), which calls for Austin to make a watershed change in mode share, that is, to reach a goal of 50% of Austinites commuting by walking, biking, transit, or any other non-drive-alone mode by 2039, from today’s current 24% of Austinites using non-drive-alone modes; and WHEREAS, WHEREAS, the ASMP also established that the policy of the City is to proactively assess displacement impacts of transportation project; and WHEREAS, the Capital Metro Board of Directors unanimously adopted the Project Connect System Plan that includes the Locally Preferred Alternatives for the Orange, Blue, Gold, Green, and MetroRapid Lines on June 10, 2020; and WHEREAS, it is proposed that the Locally Preferred Alternatives will be funded by a tax rollback election (TRE), to be held in November 2020, which will provided sustained funding for the Project Connect System Plan over many years; and WHEREAS; a proposed interlocal agreement (ILA) between the City of Austin and Capital Metro Transit Authority will create the Austin Transit Partnership, a board of governors to oversee the TRE spending, and an additional Community Advisory Committee to engage the community and advise on all aspects of Project Connect, and WHEREAS, throughout the Project Connect planning process the Orange Line corridor has been consistently described by Capital Metro as the necessary spine of our transit system, and currently is the location …
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Urban Transportation Commission Recommendation Number 20200805-02B: Safe Mobility Bond WHEREAS, The City of Austin has committed to a 50/50 mode share split by 2039, as per the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, WHEREAS, the City’s sidewalk plan identifies over 2,500 miles of absent sidewalks across the city, and estimates that the 580 miles of missing sidewalk considered high or very high priority will cost $308 million to construct, WHEREAS, the City’s 2014 Bicycle Master Plan calls for full implementation by 2025, and estimates that the remaining unbuilt portions of the planned network will cost $170 million for both on-street bike lanes and Tier 1 urban trails identified in the Urban Trails Master Plan, WHEREAS, The City’s Vision Zero Plan and Safe Route to School Program will require additional funding to continue implementation after funding from the 2016 Mobility Bond is depleted, WHEREAS, the 2016 Mobility Bond funds could be completely depleted by 2022, potentially ending the momentum and capacity built up since that funding has been deployed to construct sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure and general road safety infrastructure, WHEREAS, funding from the Project Connect Transit Bond will be essential to meeting the city of Austin’s transportation, equity and climate goals, but the funding may be limited transit construction and nearby streetscape improvements, WHEREAS, a safe and convenient active transportation network is essential to the success of Project Connect by enabling users to access transit without a vehicle, and would multiply the effectiveness of the Project Connect Bond, WHEREAS, Austin has a strong history of approving multiple bond packages, including the approval of 7 separate bonds in the 2018 election, and there is no evidence that adding the Safety Mobility Bond will negatively affect the approval of the Project Connect Bond, WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant increase in people walking, biking and other active modes for both transportation and recreation, overflowing the capacity of much of the active transportation network and creating unsafe conditions in some areas, WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the need for the “Healthy Streets” program to promote social distancing, which has achieved improvements in crucial areas that could be made permanent with the Safe Mobility Bond funding, WHEREAS, ongoing protests against police brutality and economic inequality have shined a spotlight on the systemic injustice of our transportation system and infrastructure, which has been used to subjugate minority populations through inequitable enforcement …
Urban Transportation Commission (UTC) Meeting Minutes Special Called Meeting 5 August 2020 The Urban Transportation Commission convened in a meeting on August 5, 2020 via videoconference. Commission Members in Attendance: Daniel Alvarado Kelly Davis Samuel Franco Commission Members Absent: Mario Champion – Chair Daniel Hennessey – Vice Chair Alex Reyna Allie Runas Susan Somers Athena Leyton Cynthia Weatherby Michael Wilfley CALL TO ORDER Hennessey called the meeting to order at 1:02 p.m. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: JULY 10, 2020 REGULAR MEETING The July 10, 2020 minutes were approved on a 7-0 vote with Commissioners Champion, Weatherby and Wilfley absent and Commissioner Davis not yet present. 2. NEW BUSINESS A. Project Connect transit plan funding and governance – Discussion and Possible Action Commissioner Somers proposed draft recommendation language which, after debate and amendment, read as follows: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The Urban Transportation Commission urges Austin City Council to: • Adopt at least a 8.75% tax rollback election for the November ballot, which will serve to fund the Project Connect Locally Preferred Alternatives and $300 million for anti-displacement efforts such as land acquisition or transit-oriented affordable housing along the transit corridors; • Adopt clear language in the Contract with the Voters requiring the Republic Square to North Lamar Transit Center segment as part of the initial rail line(s); • Exclude any funding for roadway expansion. • Ensure there is broad community input on anti-displacement funding allocation and development of strategies to mitigate any potential negative effects of this project on existing communities. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The Urban Transportation Commission urges Austin City Council and Capital Metro Transit Authority to: • Ensure the Austin Transit Partnership board has diverse representation and deep knowledge of the Austin transit rider experience by: o Require at least five years of experience for the professional members of the board o Expand the board with two community members to be chosen by a Community Advisory Committee o Require that the two community based board members collectively have the following expertise or experience: rides transit; interacts with and understands the needs of transit dependent individuals and families (including those experiencing disabilities); displacement mitigation; experience with labor and worker rights; and experience serving on advisory groups such as the City of Austin Urban Transportation Commission, Capital Metro Customer Satisfaction Advisory Committee, or Capital Metro Access Advisory Committee o Require the board to vote on recommendations made by …
Special Meeting of the Urban Transportation Commission Friday, July 10, 2020 Meeting to be held with physical distancing modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance (Thursday, July 9 by noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the July 10, 2020 Urban Transportation Commission meeting, residents must call or email the board liaison at (512) 974 2358 or emily.smith@austintexas.gov no later than noon on Thursday, July 9 and provide the following information: speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral regarding the item, and a telephone number or email address. Once a request to speak has been called in or emailed to the board liaison, residents will receive either an email or phone call providing the telephone number to call on the day of the scheduled meeting. Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start in order to speak. Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. Late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. Handouts or other information may be emailed to emily.smith@austintexas.gov by noon on Thursday, July 9. This information will be provided to Commission members in advance of the meeting. If this meeting is broadcast live, residents may watch the meeting at ATXN.tv URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION (UTC) FRIDAY JULY 10, 2020 – 10:00 AM VIA VIDEOCONFERENCING MEETING AGENDA CALL TO ORDER 2. NEW BUSINESS 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: JUNE 12, 2020 MEETING A. Street Impact Fee Study results and draft policy recommendation – Discussion and Possible Action Staff: Cole Kitten and Liane Miller, Austin Transportation 3. STAFF AND COMMITTEE REPORTS A. Downtown Commission C. Bicycle Advisory Council B. Joint Sustainability Commission D. Pedestrian Advisory Council E. City Council Mobility Committee F. Project Connect Advisory Network 4. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Note: These topics will NOT be discussed by the commission as part of this agenda A. Austin Community Climate Plan update (Staff; August) ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please …
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Urban Transportation Commission Recommendation 20200612-02C: Street Impact Fee Recommendations WHEREAS, the City of Austin is proposing to develop and implement a Street Impact Fee Program; and, WHEREAS, the City approved an updated city-wide transportation plan in 2019, the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP), that expands the vision of the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan into actionable mobility-related goals and objectives to guide Austin’s near- and long-term transportation investments; and, WHEREAS, the foremost goals of the ASMP are improving safety on our transportation network and significantly changing the City’s work commute mode split to be less reliant on single-occupancy vehicle trips; and, WHEREAS, the Central Texas region is anticipated to double its population and add two million residents in the next 20 years; and, WHEREAS, a Street Impact Fee Program has been advertised to impart a one-time charge to new developments to contribute to capital improvement projects and roadway expansions as designated in the ASMP; and, WHEREAS, the City hired a consultant to conduct a Street Impact Fee Study in August 2016, assist with technical analyses, and determine maximum impact fees; and, WHEREAS, a separate and unrelated study was conducted using connected vehicle trip data to determine average vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for each Street Impact Fee Zone, and it was determined that the discrepancy between the lowest and highest generating VMT zones was over five miles; and, WHEREAS, VMT is a direct measurement of the impact on a City’s roadway network; and, WHEREAS, the Street Impact Fee Study did not take into account or has not presented information related to more significant transportation and mobility metrics, such as VMT per trip or existing mode split, that would achieve the mode split and equity goals of the ASMP; and, WHEREAS, the City has yet to develop specific methodology for the incorporation of impact fees into the greater development assessment process as it relates to transportation; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Urban Transportation Commission recommends that, in order to meet the goals listed in the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, set an example for best practices in transportation, and to provide a fair and accurate assessment of transportation network impacts as they relate to Street Impact Fees and development applications, the City should: 1 1. Conduct an audit and analysis of current development assessment process in tandem with the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan mode split and transportation goals for the …
Street Impact Fee Briefing: Study Results & Policy Recommendation Urban Transportation Commission July 10, 2020 Austin Transportation Department Overview • Recap – Impact Fees in Texas • Street Impact Fee Study Results • Staff Recommendation • Next Steps 2 Texas Local Government Code Chapter 395 • "Impact fee" means a charge or assessment imposed by a political subdivision against new development in order to generate revenue for funding or recouping the costs of capital improvements or facility expansions necessitated by and attributable to the new development. • Water, Wastewater, Stormwater, Roadways 3 Why Street Impact Fees? • Determining a method for growth to pay for necessary infrastructure in a way that is: • Equitable – the same type and intensity development pays equal fee within a Service Area • Predictable – can determine the fee without doing an intensive study • Transparent – a worksheet to calculate the fee would be publicly available • Flexible – fees collected can be spent within a Service Area on any projects identified in the study within 10 years of being collected • Ultimate purpose is to develop a fair and reasonable fee development should pay for vehicle capacity improvements 4 Example Developments Austin Development Round Rock+ Frisco+ Fort Worth+ Prosper+ Austin Mitigation/TIA 298 Apartments $86,288 $424,104 55,000 ft2 Office $317,388 $107,402 $631,164 $177,870 397,000 ft2 Office 46,700 ft2 Restaurant 250 Apartment 100 Room Hotel Single Family: 153 D.U. Office: 7,700 ft2 Retail: 7,700 ft2 $561,325 $1,566,632 $2,274,362 $260,000 $1,051,057 $624,023 $365,348 - $803,408 $216,315 - $475,915 $2,395,819 - $5,270,671 $375,130 - $785,925 $1,059,688 - $1,397,620 $214,005 - $282,260 $2,785,632 - $3,674,050 $761,045- $1,003,832 + Note: Comparison cities are collection rate. 5 LGC Chapter 395 Required Study • Project new growth for the next 10 years • Establish Service Areas within which a maximum impact fee is determined • Develop Land Use Assumptions and corresponding growth projections within each Service Area • Project corresponding roadway capacity needs (Roadway Capacity Plan) to accommodate that growth within each Service Area 6 Texas Law: CIP Definition • Roadway (Street) facilities means arterial or collector streets or roads that have been designated on an officially adopted roadway plan of the political subdivision, together with all necessary appurtenances. The term includes the political subdivision share of cost for roadways and associated improvements designated on the federal or Texas highway system, including local matching funds and costs related to utility …
Going the Extra Mile: Using Connected Vehicle Data to Study Commute Patterns in Relation to Impact Fees Aisling O’Reilly Transportation Planner WGI (512) 669-5560 aisling.oreilly@wginc.com 2021 East 5th Street, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78702 Dan Hennessey, PE, TE, PTOE Director of Transportation Services, Texas WGI 2021 East 5th Street, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78702 (512) 669-5560 dan.hennessey@wginc.com Jackson Archer Transportation Planner WGI 2021 East 5th Street, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78702 (512) 669-5560 dan.hennessey@wginc.com Submitted for 2020 TexITE Technical Paper Award: Abstract Word Count: 249 Word Count (including Abstract): 7,021 words (4,921 words and 10 figures/tables) ABSTRACT The City of Austin is considering the adoption of a street impact fee program, which would change the manner in which developers take responsibility for paying for their portion of growth on the City’s transportation network. In developing this program, the City split Austin into seventeen zones by which to determine the maximum impact fee that can be charged per state law. Using a day’s worth of vehicle trip data from connected vehicle data company Wejo, each zone’s vehicle miles traveled (VMT) data were assessed to determine the average length of trips during the morning commute period, evening commute period, and overall daily trip lengths. The purpose for these analyses was to determine if certain areas of the city showed drastically different VMT patterns than others and what that impact might be on street infrastructure. We found that specific zones characterized by low amounts of employment and housing, typically on the periphery of the city, consistently generated the highest average VMT, whereas central zones had the lowest average VMT. This ability to evaluate real-world data on travel patterns allows the City of Austin and other jurisdictions to consider VMT as a criterion for evaluating development, including the imposition of street impact fees. When developers choose to build in high impact zones (high average VMT), it may be appropriate for them to pay a higher proportion towards growth mitigation than low impact zones (low average VMT), depending on the jurisdiction’s priorities and the type of growth they hope to incentivize. 2 BACKGROUND Growth within a community can place a significant burden on its infrastructure, depending on the planning processes that have preceded the growth. One way that a jurisdiction can make that growth pay for itself is via impact fees. The foundation of impact fees is the idea that developers should share a portion …
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Urban Transportation Commission Recommendation 20200710-02A: Street Impact Fee Recommendations WHEREAS, the City of Austin is proposing to develop and implement a Street Impact Fee Program; and, WHEREAS, the City approved an updated city-wide transportation plan in 2019, the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP), that expands the vision of the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan into actionable mobility-related goals and objectives to guide Austin’s near- and long-term transportation investments; and, WHEREAS, the foremost goals of the ASMP are improving safety on our transportation network and significantly changing the City’s work commute mode split to be less reliant on single-occupancy vehicle trips; and, WHEREAS, the Central Texas region is anticipated to double its population and add two million residents in the next 20 years; and, WHEREAS, a Street Impact Fee Program has been advertised to impart a one-time charge to new developments to contribute to capital improvement projects and roadway expansions as designated in the ASMP; and, WHEREAS, the City hired a consultant to conduct a Street Impact Fee Study in August 2016, assist with technical analyses, and determine maximum impact fees; and, WHEREAS, a separate and unrelated study was conducted using connected vehicle trip data to determine average vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for each Street Impact Fee Zone, and it was determined that the discrepancy between the lowest and highest generating VMT zones was over five miles; and, WHEREAS, VMT is a direct measurement of the impact on a City’s roadway network; and, WHEREAS, the Street Impact Fee Study did not take into account or has not presented information related to more significant transportation and mobility metrics, such as VMT per trip or existing mode split, that would achieve the mode split and equity goals of the ASMP; and, WHEREAS, the City has yet to develop specific methodology for the incorporation of impact fees into the greater development assessment process as it relates to transportation; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Urban Transportation Commission recommends that, in order to meet the goals listed in the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, set an example for best practices in transportation, and to provide a fair and accurate assessment of transportation network impacts as they relate to Street Impact Fees and development applications, the City should: 1. Conduct an audit and analysis of current development assessment process in tandem with the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan mode split and transportation goals for the future …
Urban Transportation Commission (UTC) Meeting Minutes Special Called Meeting 10 July 2020 The Urban Transportation Commission convened in a meeting on July 10, 2020 via videoconference. Commission Members in Attendance: Daniel Alvarado Mario Champion – Chair Kelly Davis Commission Members Absent: Athena Leyton Samuel Franco Daniel Hennessey – Vice Chair Alex Reyna Allie Runas Susan Somers Cynthia Weatherby Michael Wilfley CALL TO ORDER Champion called the meeting to order at 10:04 a.m. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: JUNE 12, 2020 REGULAR MEETING The June 12, 2020 minutes were approved as amended on a 7-0 vote with Leyton, Weatherby, and Wilfley absent and Runas not yet present. 2. NEW BUSINESS Action A. Street Impact Fee Study results and draft policy recommendation – Discussion and Possible Liane Miller, Austin Transportation, and Jeff Whitacre, Kimley-Horn, gave a presentation and addressed commissioner questions. Commissioner Hennessey proposed draft recommendation language which, after debate and amendment, read as follows: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Urban Transportation Commission recommends that, in order to meet the goals listed in the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, set an example for best practices in transportation, and to provide a fair and accurate assessment of transportation network impacts as they relate to Street Impact Fees and development applications, the City should: 1. Conduct an audit and analysis of current development assessment process in tandem with the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan mode split and transportation goals for the future of Austin. a. Determine if current measures encourage desired outcomes for the City’s transportation network and growth. b. Consider revising development assessment process, including Transportation Impact Analysis process and methodology, to reflect priorities of the City (focus TIA recommendations on Transportation Demand Management and funding alternative modes to single occupancy vehicles, elimination of Level of Service (LOS) as a measurement of roadway capacity failure with a replacement of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)). c. Current discussion has only been about the addition of a Street Impact Fee, not about modification to the greater transportation policy and development assessment process. As presented, the policy provides “more predictability” by raising the floor of costs, not by also providing a clear and predictable ceiling or how this impact fee would change existing development assessment procedures. A complete policy with respect to transportation for development applications should be understood before the item is considered for approval by City Council. 2. Modify maximum street impact fees for all zones …
Urban Transportation Commission (UTC) Meeting Minutes Special Called Meeting 10 July 2020 The Urban Transportation Commission convened in a meeting on July 10, 2020 via videoconference. Commission Members in Attendance: Daniel Alvarado Mario Champion – Chair Kelly Davis Commission Members Absent: Athena Leyton Samuel Franco Daniel Hennessey – Vice Chair Alex Reyna Allie Runas Susan Somers Cynthia Weatherby Michael Wilfley CALL TO ORDER Champion called the meeting to order at 10:04 a.m. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: JUNE 12, 2020 REGULAR MEETING The June 12, 2020 minutes were approved as amended on a 7-0 vote with Leyton, Weatherby, and Wilfley absent and Runas not yet present. 2. NEW BUSINESS Action A. Street Impact Fee Study results and draft policy recommendation – Discussion and Possible Liane Miller, Austin Transportation, and Jeff Whitacre, Kimley-Horn, gave a presentation and addressed commissioner questions. Commissioner Hennessey proposed draft recommendation language which, after debate and amendment, read as follows: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Urban Transportation Commission recommends that, in order to meet the goals listed in the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, set an example for best practices in transportation, and to provide a fair and accurate assessment of transportation network impacts as they relate to Street Impact Fees and development applications, the City should: 1. Conduct an audit and analysis of current development assessment process in tandem with the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan mode split and transportation goals for the future of Austin. a. Determine if current measures encourage desired outcomes for the City’s transportation network and growth. b. Consider revising development assessment process, including Transportation Impact Analysis process and methodology, to reflect priorities of the City (focus TIA recommendations on Transportation Demand Management and funding alternative modes to single occupancy vehicles, elimination of Level of Service (LOS) as a measurement of roadway capacity failure with a replacement of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)). c. Current discussion has only been about the addition of a Street Impact Fee, not about modification to the greater transportation policy and development assessment process. As presented, the policy provides “more predictability” by raising the floor of costs, not by also providing a clear and predictable ceiling or how this impact fee would change existing development assessment procedures. A complete policy with respect to transportation for development applications should be understood before the item is considered for approval by City Council. 2. Modify maximum street impact fees for all zones …
Special Meeting of the Urban Transportation Commission Friday, June 12, 2020 Meeting to be held with physical distancing modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance (Thursday, June 11 by Noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the June 12, 2020 Urban Transportation Commission meeting, residents must call or email the board liaison at (512) 974 2358 or emily.smith@austintexas.gov no later than noon on Thursday, June 11 and provide the following information: speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. Once a request to speak has been called in or emailed to the board liaison, residents will receive either an email or phone call providing the telephone number to call on the day of the scheduled meeting. Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start in order to speak. Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. Late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. Handouts or other information may be emailed to emily.smith@austintexas.gov by Noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. If this meeting is broadcast live, residents may watch the meeting at ATXN.tv URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION (UTC) FRIDAY JUNE 12, 2020 – 3:00 PM VIA VIDEOCONFERENCING MEETING AGENDA CALL TO ORDER 2. NEW BUSINESS 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: MAY 15, 2020 SPECIAL CALLED MEETING A. Urban Trails Plan and Sidewalk/ADA Transition Plan updates – Briefing Staff: Katie Wettick, Craig McColloch, and John Eastman, Public Works B. FY2020-21 Proposed Budgets for Austin Transportation and Public Works Departments – Discussion and Possible Action Staff: Rob Spillar and Peggy MacCallum, Austin Transportation and Richard Mendoza and Kristi Fenton, Public Works C. Street Impact Fee Study results and draft policy recommendation – Discussion and Possible Action Staff: Cole Kitten and Liane Miller, Austin Transportation 3. STAFF AND COMMITTEE REPORTS A. Downtown Commission D. Pedestrian Advisory Council B. Joint Sustainability Commission E. City Council Mobility Committee C. Bicycle Advisory Council F. Project Connect Advisory Network 4. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Note: These topics will NOT be discussed by the commission as part of this agenda A. Austin Community Climate Plan update (Staff; August) …
CITY OF AUSTIN PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Urban Trails Plan and Sidewalk/ADA Transition Plan Updates CONNECTING YOU ALL AROUND AUSTIN Agenda Project Introduction • Austin Strategic Mobility Plan • Schedule Urban Trails: • Background of the Urban Trails Program • Goals for the Urban Trails Plan Update Sidewalks: • Background of the Sidewalk Program • Goals for the Sidewalk Plan Update Questions and Feedback City of Austin | Public Works Department 1 Austin Strategic Mobility Plan City of Austin | Public Works Department 2 Project Approach and Schedule Boards & Commissions Kickoff Public and Stakeholder Listening Public and Stakeholder Response to Findings Boards and Commissions Final Input Consultant Award Analysis & Draft Plans Council Adoption Final Plans Spring 2020 Fall 2022 City of Austin | Public Works Department 3 2014 Urban Trails Plan Definition of an Urban Trail A citywide network of non-motorized, multi-use pathways that are used by bicyclists, walkers, and runners for both transportation and recreation purposes. • Hard surface, ADA accessible • Typically 12 – 15 ft in width Urban Trails Plan identified 47 miles of Tier 1 (high priority trails) and 360 miles of Tier 2 Trails As of Spring 2020, 50 miles of Urban Trails exist throughout Austin. Prioritization Criteria • Proximity to Attractors/Destinations • Residential Population of Census Tract within ½ Mile • Connectivity • Community Support City of Austin | Public Works Department 4 Austin Strategic Mobility Plan Urban Trails Policies Urban Trails City Council Policy • Recognize the urban trail system as an integral part of the transportation network • Provide high-quality urban trails that can serve all • Pursue opportunities to connect to and expand the users urban trail system City of Austin | Public Works Department 5 Austin Strategic Mobility Plan Urban Trails Targets Urban Trails Indicators and Targets • Increase the linear miles of Tier I urban trails Complete 100% of Tier I urban trails by 2029 • Increase wayfinding elements on existing urban trails Install wayfinding elements on 100% of existing urban trails by 2022 • Improve lighting for existing urban trails Light 100% of urban trails as defined by a citywide trail lighting plan by 2028 • Increase trail usage • Reduce the response time to address unforeseen trail damage City of Austin | Public Works Department 6 Goals for Urban Trails Plan Update Re-Examine the Proposed Trail Network • Include equity in the prioritization …
FY2020-21 Budget Proposal Austin Transportation Department June 12, 2018 | City of Austin, Texas June, 2020 The Austin Transportation Department is... Transp. Eng. Design, Vision Zero Trans. System Develop, Planning, Demand Mgmt. Support Services Active Transp. & Street Design ATD Signs Markings Mobility Services & Technology Arterial Mgmt. Inspect. Review & Support Corridor Program Office • Strategic • Multimodal • Operations-minded • Regionally engaged • Publicly accountable 2 Rate and Revenue Highlights Total Revenue is project to decrease by ($5.4 million) vs. FY 2020 Budget: Mobility Fund ATD has proposed a $0.25 per month increase in Transportation User (TUF): $1.9 million Right of way permits, Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) and other permits will increase: $4.9 million Parking & Mobility Services Fund Reduced revenue for parking meters, and permits: ($9.6 million) Reduced micro-mobility permit: ($2.2 million) 3 Rate and Revenue Forecast • 48% of ATD's revenue is collected through the Transportation User Fee (TUF) $29.5 million, a 6.8% increase with a $0.25(*) monthly fee increase • Right of Way revenue provides approximately 29% of ATD’s revenue, 17.8 million • Parking and micro-mobility revenue severely impacted by current economic downturn Click to add text 4 *ATD has proposed $0.40 and $0.50 increase in the TUF to fully fund Vision Zero and signal safety improvements FY 20 Impacts to Expenditures Parking Enterprise o Parking, mobility services and smart mobility have deferred new initiatives to reduce costs: ($3.6 million) o Freeze vacant positions to reduce costs o Utilization of available $2.7 million of parking fund balance to continue basic service levels for parking and micro-mobility Mobility Fund o Reduce programs utilizing consulting services to stabilize funding for the department : ($6.5 million). o Freeze vacant positions to reduce costs o Utilization of $4.5 million of mobility fund balance to continue basic service levels for the department 5 FY 21 Expenditure Highlights Parking Enterprise - Parking, mobility services and smart mobility have reduced the FY21 budget to align with lower revenue projections o Reduced enforcement activities based on transition to in-house temporary staffing model: ($0.65 million) o Reduce staff augmentation for field engineering services for kiosk installations: ($0.14 million) o Defer smart mobility project to reduce staff augmentation for engineering and policy development: ($0.64 million) o Defer mobility data and analytical services: ($0.60 million) Mobility Fund o Reduce programs utilizing consulting services to focus on bond and grant projects: ($2.9 million). …
Urban Transportation Commission Public Works Department FY 2021 Proposed Budget June 12, 2020 | City of Austin, Texas Department Overview Mission: We build and maintain a better community by delivering services to every corner of Austin Key Performance Data FY 19 Actual FY 20 Estimate Projected FY 21 Percentage of street network lane miles in fair to excellent condition 73.8 74.1 Percentage of major bridges in good to excellent condition Percentage of existing sidewalks that are functionally acceptable Percent of sidewalk and urban trail networks completed Percent of PWD CIP projects in the right-of-way coordinated across departments Percent of projects that pass one-year warranty inspection without significant construction deficiencies Overall employee job satisfaction in the City’s annual Listening to the Workforce (LTW) survey Percent variance between actual and budgeted expenses and revenues 88 37.3 14.3 0 81.4 8 89 38.8 15.6 100 80 11 100 100 74.8 90 40.3 16.1 100 85 80 10 Service Areas Asset and Facility Management Bridge Maintenance Capital Project Delivery Safe Routes to School Community Services (Neighborhood Partnering & Urban Trails) Right-of-Way Maintenance Sidewalk Infrastructure Program Street Preventive Maintenance Street Repair Support Services Transfers and Other Requirements 2 Council Priority Outcomes MOBILITY - Getting us where we want to go, when we want to get there, safely and cost-effectively (69% of Department Budget) Goal 1: Proactively maintain City-owned transportation-related infrastructure and assets. Goal 2: Provide equitable access to transportation options by planning, building, and maintaining sustainable multi-modal infrastructure. GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR ALL - Believing that city government works effectively and collaboratively for all of us – that it is equitable, ethical, and innovative (29% of Department Budget) Goal 3: Proactively coordinate the maintenance, repair, and placement of assets in the right of way. Goal 4: Deliver high quality capital projects on time, and on budget. Goal 5: Establish a workplace culture of excellence, inclusiveness, continuous improvement, safety, and human-centered innovation and learning. Goal 6: Ensure Public Works services are financially affordable and sustainable services. 3 Budget Highlights FY 2020-21 Proposed Budget FY 2020 Budget $124.9 M Cost Drivers $3.5 M New Invest. $1.7 M FY 2021 Budget $130.1 M 5-Year Outlook Highlights 124.9 130.1 130.6 132.3 134.8 137.5 5-Year annual budget growth = 2% positions ✓ Maintain current levels of service; no new 58.2 57.6 56.3 61.8 45.6 8.68 2020 8.68 2021 10.59 2022 Budget ($ millions) Typical Rate Payer 11.28 2023 11.47 2024 …
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Urban Transportation Commission Recommendation 20200612-02C: Street Impact Fee Recommendations WHEREAS, the City of Austin is proposing to develop and implement a Street Impact Fee Program; and, WHEREAS, the City approved an updated city-wide transportation plan in 2019, the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP), that expands the vision of the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan into actionable mobility-related goals and objectives to guide Austin’s near- and long-term transportation investments; and, WHEREAS, the foremost goals of the ASMP are improving safety on our transportation network and significantly changing the City’s work commute mode split to be less reliant on single-occupancy vehicle trips; and, WHEREAS, the Central Texas region is anticipated to double its population and add two million residents in the next 20 years; and, WHEREAS, a Street Impact Fee Program has been advertised to impart a one-time charge to new developments to contribute to capital improvement projects and roadway expansions as designated in the ASMP; and, WHEREAS, the City hired a consultant to conduct a Street Impact Fee Study in August 2016, assist with technical analyses, and determine maximum impact fees; and, WHEREAS, a separate and unrelated study was conducted using connected vehicle trip data to determine average vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for each Street Impact Fee Zone, and it was determined that the discrepancy between the lowest and highest generating VMT zones was over five miles; and, WHEREAS, VMT is a direct measurement of the impact on a City’s roadway network; and, WHEREAS, the Street Impact Fee Study did not take into account or has not presented information related to more significant transportation and mobility metrics, such as VMT per trip or existing mode split, that would achieve the mode split and equity goals of the ASMP; and, WHEREAS, the City has yet to develop specific methodology for the incorporation of impact fees into the greater development assessment process as it relates to transportation; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Urban Transportation Commission recommends that, in order to meet the goals listed in the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, set an example for best practices in transportation, and to provide a fair and accurate assessment of transportation network impacts as they relate to Street Impact Fees and development applications, the City should: 1 1. Conduct an audit and analysis of current development assessment process in tandem with the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan mode split and transportation goals for the …
Street Impact Fee Briefing: Study Results & Draft Policy Recommendation Urban Transportation Commission June 12, 2020 Austin Transportation Department Overview • Work to Date & Prior Actions • Maximum Impact Fee & Draft Policy Recommendation • Revenue Projections • Community Feedback • Next Steps 2 What are Street Impact Fees? • One-time fee for new development • Study determines the costs of street infrastructure to meet the needs of new development • Governed by Chapter 395 of the Texas Local Government Code 3 How do we calculate the costs of needed street infrastructure to serve new growth? • Project new growth for the next 10 years • Establish Service Areas within which a maximum impact fee is determined • Develop Land Use Assumptions and corresponding growth projections within each Service Area • Project corresponding roadway capacity needs (Roadway Capacity Plan) to accommodate that growth within each Service Area 4 Why Street Impact Fees? • Determining a method for growth to pay for necessary infrastructure in a way that is: • Equitable – the same type and intensity development pays equal fee within a Service Area • Predictable – can determine the fee without doing an intensive study • Transparent – a worksheet to calculate the fee would be publicly available • Flexible – fees collected can be spent within a Service Area on any projects identified in the study within 10 years of being collected • Ultimate purpose is to develop a fair and reasonable fee development should pay for vehicle capacity improvements 5 Street Impact Fee Study 2016 2017 2018 2019 Data Collection Service Areas and Land Use Assumptions Roadway Capacity Plan Development (in coordination with ASMP) Phase 1 Phase 2 Establish Advisory Committee Mobility Committee Council comments on Service Areas, Land Use Assumptions 6 2020 Policy and Ordinance Review Phase 3 Council action on Study Assumptions Council action on Policy Prior Meetings & Actions Council Actions: • June 9, 2016: ATD authorized to procure consultant to develop Street Impact Fees (SIF) • October 19, 2017: City Council Public Hearing on Land Use Assumptions • April 11, 2019: Austin Strategic Mobility Plan adopted, calling for implementation of SIF policy and program to fund roadway capacity improvements necessitated by growth • August 8, 2019: City Council Public Hearing on SIF study assumptions Council Committee, Boards & Commissions: • • June 21, 2017: Council Mobility Committee July 25, 2017: Impact Fee …
Going the Extra Mile: Using Connected Vehicle Data to Study Commute Patterns in Relation to Impact Fees Aisling O’Reilly Transportation Planner WGI (512) 669-5560 aisling.oreilly@wginc.com 2021 East 5th Street, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78702 Dan Hennessey, PE, TE, PTOE Director of Transportation Services, Texas WGI 2021 East 5th Street, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78702 (512) 669-5560 dan.hennessey@wginc.com Jackson Archer Transportation Planner WGI 2021 East 5th Street, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78702 (512) 669-5560 dan.hennessey@wginc.com Submitted for 2020 TexITE Technical Paper Award: Abstract Word Count: 249 Word Count (including Abstract): 7,021 words (4,921 words and 10 figures/tables) ABSTRACT The City of Austin is considering the adoption of a street impact fee program, which would change the manner in which developers take responsibility for paying for their portion of growth on the City’s transportation network. In developing this program, the City split Austin into seventeen zones by which to determine the maximum impact fee that can be charged per state law. Using a day’s worth of vehicle trip data from connected vehicle data company Wejo, each zone’s vehicle miles traveled (VMT) data were assessed to determine the average length of trips during the morning commute period, evening commute period, and overall daily trip lengths. The purpose for these analyses was to determine if certain areas of the city showed drastically different VMT patterns than others and what that impact might be on street infrastructure. We found that specific zones characterized by low amounts of employment and housing, typically on the periphery of the city, consistently generated the highest average VMT, whereas central zones had the lowest average VMT. This ability to evaluate real-world data on travel patterns allows the City of Austin and other jurisdictions to consider VMT as a criterion for evaluating development, including the imposition of street impact fees. When developers choose to build in high impact zones (high average VMT), it may be appropriate for them to pay a higher proportion towards growth mitigation than low impact zones (low average VMT), depending on the jurisdiction’s priorities and the type of growth they hope to incentivize. 2 BACKGROUND Growth within a community can place a significant burden on its infrastructure, depending on the planning processes that have preceded the growth. One way that a jurisdiction can make that growth pay for itself is via impact fees. The foundation of impact fees is the idea that developers should share a portion …
