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Home My WebLink AboutPACKET Town Board Study Session 2017-06-13 Tuesday, June 13, 2017 TOWN BOARD 4:45 p.m. – 6:20 p.m. STUDY SESSION BOARD ROOM 4:45 p.m. Dinner. 5:00 p.m. Key Outcome Discussion – Government Services and Internal Support. (Assistant Town Administrator Machalek) 5:30 p.m. Discussion of Rural Transit Authority. (Manager Wells) 6:00 p.m. Trustee & Administrator Comments & Questions. 6:15 p.m. Future Study Session Agenda Items. (Board Discussion) 6:20 p.m. Adjourn for Town Board Meeting. Informal discussion among Trustees concerning agenda items or other Town matters may occur before this meeting at approximately 4:30 p.m. AGENDA 1 2 Strategic Plan *Outcome areas, Goals and Objectives are not listed in any priority orderKEY OUTCOME AREASGOALS (5-7 YEARS) 2017 BOARD OBJECTIVES (1 year time frame)Town of Estes Park 2017 Strategic Plan: Vision, Mission and Goals* VISION: The Town of Estes Park will enhance our position as a premier mountain community.MISSION: The Mission of the Town of Estes Park is to provide high-quality, reliable services for the benefit of our citizens, guests and employees, while being good stewards of public resources and our natural setting.1. Implement an enterprise wide document management systema. We will maintain a well-trained and educated town staff.b. We will provide adequate funding for staffing needed to provide the appropriate level of services to our citizens and guests.c. We will conduct a citizen survey biennially to measure our performance and citizen preferences.Governmental Services and Internal Support - We will provide high-quality, reliable basic municipal services for the benefit of our citizens, guests, and employees, while being good stewards of public resources63 4 COMMUNITY SERVICES Report To: Honorable Mayor Jirsa Board of Trustees Through: Town Administrator Lancaster From: Brian Wells, Transportation Program Manager Date: June 13, 2017 RE: Discussion of Rural Transit Authority Objective: Discussing the parameters of establishing a Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) in the Estes valley, connecting to other public transit agencies in Front Range communities. Present Situation: • The Town offers full-service for 79 days of the year from 8/9 a.m. until 9 p.m. with limited trolley service on select high volume weekends corresponding to special events. • Service is dictated by the funds budgeted from the General Fund. • Via operates Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Continual requests about adding shuttle services to the existing calendar; from extending the current season to year-round service. Additional requests about service to neighboring communities/other public transit services. • Majority of those surveyed, by the year-round transit survey, responded positively about the desire for year-round transportation in the Estes valley (297 out of 390 or 76%). • CDOT is only able to fund through Federal Transportation Authority (FTA) 5311 Grants, at best, up to 50% of new service offerings (will not cover existing services). The Town must raise the 50% match to add new services. • Obtaining FTA Grant money requires offering matching ADA services (same service area and same operating times as the fixed route services). • Via and the Town cannot both obtain FTA 5311 Grant funding. The Town, as the home/local agency has first option for applying and obtaining grant funding. • Grant funding requires a minimum of three days per week of year-round service. 5 • The CDOT statewide transportation plan prefers funding agencies that connect with other agencies; in their efforts to build a statewide, and seamless, transportation network. Proposal: Outline: • The state constitution allows for the formation of a Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) [Colorado Section 43-4-614(1)(a) and (b)] which is very similar to a Special District (i.e. fire, sanitation, marketing) • The Estes valley / southwestern Larimar County area could form an RTA that could link with RTD in Lyons and COLT in the City of Loveland. • Services could include transit on a year-round basis with matching ADA services • This plan could eventually reduce the Town's transit expenses if not eliminate them from the budget. RTA Formation • Establishment of an RTA would require the support of the Town Board, Larimer County Commissioners, and people living within the boundaries of the RTA. • The RTA would be formed through a public vote, typically in the fall of odd numbered years (2017) according to the State of Colorado’s Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) • Two ballot initiatives would include: 1) a public vote for the formation of the RTA, and 2) a public vote for any revenue/taxes collected to fund the RTA (Tabor requirement). • The milestones for a for a coordinated election (Town & Larimer County) are as follows: o For November Elections:  Polling Places and Precinct Boundary Map Available: County Clerk shall have available for inspection at the office of the County Clerk and for distribution to the Designated Election Official a map of the county showing the location of the polling places and precinct boundaries utilized in the last November election (no later than 120 days prior to a regular special district election). C.R.S. § 1-5-102(2)  Written Notice to County Clerk of Intent to Coordinate Election: If, by one hundred days before the election, a political subdivision has taken formal action to participate in an election that will be coordinated by the county clerk and recorder, the political subdivision shall notify the county clerk and recorder in writing. C.R.S. 1-7-116(5)  Coordinated Elections (if applicable) Intergovernmental Agreement between the county clerk and recorder and the special district shall 6 be signed no later than seventy days prior to the scheduled election. C.R.S. § 1-7-116(2)  Pro/Con Comments (TABOR): Comments for the TABOR notice due. District will provide two summaries, up to 500 words each, one for and one against the proposed ballot issue. Since such day is always a Saturday, all comments shall be filed by the end of the business day on the Friday before the forty-fifth day before the election. State Constitution Article X, Section 20, Part 3(b)(v), C.R.S. § 1-7-901 (4)  Transmittal of TABOR Notice; The designated election official or the official's designee for the special district conducting an election in November, shall prepare and deliver to the county clerk and recorder for the county or counties in which the special district is located no later than forty-two (42) days before the election the full text of any required ballot issue notices. C.R.S. § 1-7-904, 1-13.5- 503 o For Special District Elections (held in even numbered years)  2018 Regular Election Date: May 8, 2018 (to elect RTA board members) • There are currently six RTA’s in the state and one currently in formation; Telluride/San Miguel County is currently forming an RTA, similar to what is offered in Summit County (Dillon, Silverthorne, Frisco), the Roaring Forks area (Aspen, Glenwood Springs, etc.), and most recently in Winter Park (LIFT). Potential Service Offerings • An RTA in the Estes Valley could potentially connect to the COLT bus system in Loveland and RTD in Lyons with service offered along Hwys. 34 & 36 to include Glen Haven, Drake, and Pinewood Springs with additional stops in between. Service could also include Hwy 7 south to the Long’s Peak Campground road/entrance. • Services offered in this fashion meet the long-range transportation plans of the state by offering transit connections between agencies. Potential RTA Revenue • Sources include o Sales tax o Guest related revenue o Passenger fares o Grant funding o Sponsorship program o Donations • Any revenue plan would collect revenue from the entire district/service area. • Loveland’s COLT bus service has a fare/transfer agreement with Transfort’s FLEX bus service along Hwy 287. The RTA would want to consider offering a 7 similar arrangement to facilitate transit travel in the area. (RTD does not offer the same arrangement with FLEX). Advantages: • Public transit services offered that connect the Estes valley with other transit agencies in the Front Range (i.e. Loveland and Lyons, CO) • Access by potential employees living in Front Range communities at a lower cost than individual/private transportation • Increased guest access to the Estes valley without the accompanying vehicle Disadvantages: • Increased taxes; however, current funding of the Town free shuttle system is unlikely to be able to add services beyond what is currently offered. A proportionate amount of sales tax revenue would be paid by guests traveling to/from/around the Estes valley. Shuttle stop locations outside of Town limits would be contributing to services offered. • Changing from a free shuttle service to a fee shuttle service, however, options for monthly passes for regular passengers would reduce individual expense for the service. Grant funding entities are leaning towards helping applicant agencies who are utilizing multiple methods of acquiring operating funds. Many current passengers have expressed that fees could be used to expand service. Action Recommended: • The Town Board would need to approve discussions with Larimer County Commissioners about the formation of an RTA and initiate public communications/input • A formalized RTA plan would need to be written • Begin the process for including a public vote for the formation and funding of an RTA Budget: The potentially affected Transportation Budget is #101-5600-456-__-__ Level of Public Interest High • Continual requests about adding shuttle services to the existing calendar; from extending the current season to year-round service. Additional requests about service to neighboring communities/other public transit services. • Guests and residents asking about public transportation to/from valley services (HWY 34 & 36). 8 •Majority of those surveyed, by the year-round transit survey, responded positively about the desire for year-round transportation in the Estes valley (76% in favor). •Several guests have gotten one-way service through Uber to Estes Park with limited private and no public transit return options •Larimer County is looking at transit options that would connect unincorporated areas of the county to existing transit options in the Front Range communities. That focus is on transit for seniors which omits younger adults and youth. 9 Visitor Services Annual Training 5/9/2017 Brian Wells, Transit Program Manager 1 Town of Estes Park Town Board Study Session June 8, 2017 Discussion of Rural Transportation Authority Connecting the Estes Valley and SW Larimer County to the Front Range and Beyond Rural Transportation Authority Parameters of establishing a Rural Transportation Authority (RTA): • The state constitution allows for the formation of a Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) [Colorado Section 43-4-614(1)(a) and (b)] which is very similar to a Special District (i.e. fire, sanitation, marketing) • RTA would have its own board and revenue generation opportunities • Formation via a public vote with two ballot initiatives: 1) formation of the RTA, and 2) for any revenue/taxes collected to fund the RTA (Tabor requirement) Visitor Services Annual Training 5/9/2017 Brian Wells, Transit Program Manager 2 Estes valley Transit Today • The Town offers full-service for 79 days of the year from 8/9 a.m. until 9 p.m. with limited trolley service on select high volume weekends corresponding to special events • Service is dictated by the funds budgeted from the General Fund which is collected through sales/use tax within Town limits • The shuttles have a sponsorship program which generated $10,600 for the 2017 season • Via operates Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and receives funding through multiple sources including a Federal Transit Administration 5311 Grant and a contribution from the Town Additional Transit Requests • Continual requests about adding shuttle services to the existing calendar; from extending the current season to year-round service. • Additional requests about service to neighboring communities and other public transit services • Majority of those surveyed, by the Town’s year-round transit survey (2016), responded positively about the desire for year-round transportation in the Estes valley (297 out of 390, or 76%) Visitor Services Annual Training 5/9/2017 Brian Wells, Transit Program Manager 3 Estes valley Transit Today • CDOT is only able to fund through Federal Transportation Authority (FTA) 5311 Grants, at best, up to 50% of new service offerings (will not cover existing services). The Town must raise the 50% match to add new services. • Obtaining FTA Grant money requires offering matching ADA services (same service area and same operating times as the fixed route services). • Via and the Town cannot both obtain FTA 5311 Grant funding. The Town, as the home/local agency has first option for applying and obtaining grant funding. Estes valley Transit Today • FTA grant funding requires a minimum of three days per week of year-round service and matching ADA services • The CDOT statewide transportation plan prefers funding agencies that connect with other agencies; in their efforts to build a statewide, and seamless, transportation network Visitor Services Annual Training 5/9/2017 Brian Wells, Transit Program Manager 4 Proposed RTA • The Estes valley / southwestern Larimar County area could form an RTA that could link with RTD in Lyons and COLT in the City of Loveland • Services could include transit on a year-round basis with matching ADA services • This plan could eventually reduce the Town's transit expenses, if not eliminate them from the budget Proposed RTA cont. Proposed boundaries of the RTA: Visitor Services Annual Training 5/9/2017 Brian Wells, Transit Program Manager 5 RTA Formation • Establishment of an RTA would require the support of the Town Board, Larimer County Commissioners, and people living within the boundaries of the RTA • The RTA would be formed through a public vote in a November general election Continued… RTA Formation cont.… • Two ballot initiatives would include: 1. a public vote for the formation of the RTA 2. a public vote for any revenue/taxes collected to fund the RTA (Tabor requirement) • The preparation timeline for the public vote: • 120 days before the vote; Polling places and precinct boundary map available • 100 days before; Written notice to the County Clerk of the intention to coordinate a special district election • 70 days before; Coordinated election IGA signed Continued…. Visitor Services Annual Training 5/9/2017 Brian Wells, Transit Program Manager 6 RTA Formation cont.… • The preparation timeline for the public vote: • 45 days before the vote; Pro/Con comments submitted for the TABOR notice • 42 days before; Transmittal of the TABOR Notice • Special District elections held in even numbered years in May; for the election of board members • There are six RTA’s in Colorado and one in formation in Telluride/San Miguel County Potential RTA Services • An RTA in the Estes Valley could potentially connect to the COLT bus system in Loveland and RTD in Lyons with service offered along Hwys. 34 & 36 to include Glen Haven, Drake, and Pinewood Springs with additional stops in between. Service could also include Hwy 7 south to the Long’s Peak Campground road/entrance. • Services offered in this fashion meet the long-range transportation plans of the state by offering transit connections between agencies. Visitor Services Annual Training 5/9/2017 Brian Wells, Transit Program Manager 7 Potential RTA Services cont. • Summer: • Ten Routes (including ADA) with 9 buses • Earliest service begins at 6 a.m. • Latest service ends at 8:59 p.m. • Remainder of the year: • Seven Routes (including ADA) with 7 buses • Earliest service begins at 6 a.m. • Latest service ends at 7:59 p.m. Potential RTA Services cont. Visitor Services Annual Training 5/9/2017 Brian Wells, Transit Program Manager 8 Potential RTA Services cont. Potential RTA Revenue • Potential sources include; • Sales tax • Passenger fares • Grant funding • Sponsorship program • Donations • Other? • Any revenue plan would include the entire district/service area • Potential fare/share arrangements with other services • Frequent rider passes; reduced fees by income Visitor Services Annual Training 5/9/2017 Brian Wells, Transit Program Manager 9 RTA Advantages • Public transit services offered that connect the Estes valley to other transit agencies in the Front Range • Access to potential employees living in Front Range communities, reducing their commuting expenses • Increase guest access to the Estes valley with the accompanying vehicle (reducing congestion, need for additional parking, and emissions) RTA Disadvantages • Increased sales tax; however, current funding stream unlikely to be able to add the service level of an RTA. A proportionate amount of sales tax revenue is paid by guests traveling to/from/around the Estes valley. Shuttle stop locations outside of Town limits would contribute • Changing from free to a fee shuttle service; however, can include options for monthly and reduced passes. Grant funding entities are leaning towards helping applicant agencies who are utilizing multiple methods of acquiring operating funds. Existing passengers expressed that fees could be used to expand service Visitor Services Annual Training 5/9/2017 Brian Wells, Transit Program Manager 10 Action Recommended • The Town Board would need to approve discussions with Larimer County Commissioners about the formation of an RTA and initiate public communications/input • A formalized RTA service plan would need to be written • Begin the process for including a public vote for the formation and funding of an RTA Budget Sales Tax 92% Grants 1% Fees 5% Sponsorships 1%Donations 0% ESTIMATED REVENUES Operating 90% Personnel 10% ESTIMATED EXPENSES Estimated Expenses Operating $ 2,554,840 Personnel $ 275,000 Total $ 2,829,840 Estimated Revenues Sales Tax $ 2,613,000 Grants $ 31,840 Donations $ 10,000 Fees $ 150,000 Sponsorships $ 25,000 ……………………. Total $ 2,829,840 Visitor Services Annual Training 5/9/2017 Brian Wells, Transit Program Manager 11 Level of Public Interest High • Continual requests about adding shuttle services to the existing calendar; from extending the current season to year-round service. Additional requests about service to neighboring communities/other public transit services • Guests and residents asking about public transportation to/from valley services (HWY 34 & 36) • Majority of those surveyed, by the year-round transit survey, responded positively about the desire for year-round transportation in the Estes valley (76% in favor) Level of Public Interest cont. • Multiple guests have gotten one-way service through Uber to Estes Park with limited private and no public transit return options • Larimer County is looking at transit options that would connect unincorporated areas of the county to existing transit options in the Front Range communities. That focus is on transit for seniors which omits younger adults and youth Visitor Services Annual Training 5/9/2017 Brian Wells, Transit Program Manager 12 Questions ? Contact info: Brian Wells, office in the EPVC Telephone:970-577-3963 E-mail:bwells@estes.org 10 June 27, 2017 • Short update on the Downtown Neighborhood Plan. • Discussion of process and procedures for funding outside agencies (including Community Service Grants) July 11, 2017 • Review of Governance Policies. • Presentation on Boys and Girls Facility at Stanley July 25, 2017 • Review of Policy Governance Policies. August 8, 2017 • Draft Stormwater Master Plan report. September 12, 2017 • Making Board e-mails available to the public – follow up. December 12, 2017 • Final Review of 2017 Strategic Plan Items Approved – Unscheduled: • Discussion of Housing Needs Report recommendation for a Town Housing Coordinator Study Session Items for Board Consideration: • Alternative for Time-Limited ‘Placeholder’ Vacation Home Registration • Discussion of possible housing partnership Future Town Board Study Session Agenda Items June 13, 2017 11 12