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RPVCCA_CC_SR_2013_06_18_10_Metro_Crenshaw_LAX_Transit_ProjectCITY OF MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: REVIEWED: CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYOR BROOKS AND COUNCILMAN KNIGHT JUNE 18, 2013 METRO RECOMMENDED FUNDING PLAN FOR CRENSHAW/LAX TRANSIT PROJECT CAROLYN LEHR, CITY MANAGER a9.__ RECOMMENDATION ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2013-_; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES OPPOSING THE METRO RECOMMENDED FUNDING PLAN FOR THE CRENSHAW/LAX TRANSIT PROJECT AND SUPPORTING THE DIRECTOR KNABE AND O'CONNER MOTION. BACKGROUND The Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor is a north/south corridor that serves the cities of Los Angeles, Inglewood, Hawthorne and El Segundo, as well as portions of unincorporated Los Angeles County. The proposed alignment extends 8.5 miles, from the intersection of Crenshaw and Exposition Boulevards to a connection with the Metro Green Line at the Aviation/LAX Station. The project provides for connections with the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), as well as links to the Metro Green Line, the Exposition Line and countywide bus network. DISCUSSION The solicitation process has been completed by Metro staff. The recommended price proposal is within Life-of-Project budget, but the current project allocated budget does not have the normal project contingences for this massive project. A request is being made to the Metro Board to replenish $160 million to establish adequate contingency levels. Following the Metro policy of obtaining funds from the impacted region, the Metro staff is recommending that the source of additional funds proposed to award the base work 10-1 Metro Recommended Funding for Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project June 18, 2013 Page 2 is from the South Bay subregion's Ramps and Interchanges project; the South Bay's Green Line Extension to LAX project; existing unobligated Call for Project grants in the Central Area sub-region; and the Central Area sub-region's Wilshire Bus Rapid Transit project. This recommended action will directly affect the South Bay's $906 million Measure R Highway program by reducing the amount available for highway projects, setting a precedent for altering the intended use of the funds, and obligating future funding in the current decade. CONCLUSION The South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) is working with the other South Bay cities and Metro Directors Knabe and O'Connor to oppose the current Metro staff proposal and provide an alternative motion. On June 13, 2013, SBCCOG sent out a request .for the City Councils of the South Bay cities to approve the attached resolution for presentation at the June 27, 2013 Metro Board meeting opposing the Metro recommended funding plan for the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project and supporting the Director Knabe and O'Conner motion. FISCAL IMPACT Although the fiscal impact to Rancho Palos Verdes is unknown at this time, the Metro staff's recommended action will directly affect the South Bay's $906 million Measure R Highway program by reducing the amount available for highway projects. Any City project's slated to use Measure R funding could potentially be underfunded or unfunded as a result. Attachment: Draft Resolution 10-2 RESOLUTION NO. 2013-_ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, OPPOSING THE METRO RECOMMENDED FUNDING PLAN FOR THE CRENSHAW/LAX TRANSIT PROJECT AND SUPPORTING THE DIRECTOR KNABE AND O'CONNER MOTION WHEREAS, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation (Metro) is considering the award of a design and construction contract for the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor Project at its June 27, 2013 Board of Directors Meeting; and, WHEREAS, the Metro staff recommends increasing the life of project budget by $160 million more than the project's April 2013 Metro Board-adopted life of project budget: and, WHEREAS, the Metro Measure R Unified Cost Management Process and Policy states that project funding shortfalls can be funded by reallocating funds from other projects within the sub-region(s) served by a project; and, WHEREAS, the Metro Board will also consider a Measure R Project funding acceleration policy at its June 27, 2013 meeting that will require Metro to issue bonds and take out loans guaranteed by Measure R, Proposition A and Proposition C; and, WHEREAS, the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor Project contract award recommendation for the June 27, 2013 meeting includes the use of $47.1 million of Proposition C 25% funds currently allocated to the South Bay Highway Program and $47.48 million of Measure R funding from the LAX-Metro Airport Connector transit project, as part of the $160 million to be reallocated from the South Bay and Central areas to be served by the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor Project; and, WHEREAS, the application of the April 2011 Metro Board-adopted Cost Management Process and Policy in this instance jeopardizes the very integrity for which the flawed policy was designed to protect and sacrifices regional equity by: 1) allowing project shortfalls to be made up utilizing funding committed to out-year sub-regional projects and programs, and 2) allowing funding commitments to be rescinded at the whim of the Metro Board without consultation or concurrence by the affected subregion(s); and, WHEREAS, the proposed acceleration policy would reduce the subregions' access to Measure R funds and require these funds to be spent before 2023, thereby dramatically increasing the probability that second and third decade Measure R projects promised to the voters in Measure R, the November 2008 Los Angeles County %- percent sales tax increase for transportation improvements, will not be built. BE IT, THEREFORE, RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES: 10-3 Section 1: The City of Rancho Palos Verdes opposes Metro staff recommendations for items #10 and# 52 on the June 27, 2013 Metro Board Agenda items. Section 2: The City of Rancho Palos Verdes opposes the use of South Bay Highway Program funds and LAX-Crenshaw Connector funds as part of the contract award recommendation for the Crenshaw/LAX project. Section 3: The City of Rancho Palos Verdes supports other approaches such as the proposed Knabe/O'Connor Motion that would fund the South Bay portion of $160 million shortfall. Section 4: The City of Rancho Palos Verdes supports the O'Connor/Knabe Motion (Item No. 11) on the Metro Acceleration Policy to protect highway funding from reallocation to transit prior to 2019. Section 5: The City of Rancho Palos Verdes supports a collaborative process to re-visit the flawed Metro Measure R Unified Cost Management Process and Policy with sufficient time for stakeholder input. PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 18th day of June 2013. ATTEST: City Clerk State of California County of Los Angeles City of Rancho Palos Verdes ) ) SS ) Mayor I, Carla Morreale, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, hereby certify that the above Resolution No. 2013-_, was duly and regularly passed and adopted by the said City Council at regular meeting thereof held on June 18, 2013. 10-4