MINUTES OF THE METRO COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING

Tuesday, May 5, 1998

Metro Council Chamber

Members Present:  Ed Washington (Chair), Susan McLain (Vice Chair), Jon Kvistad

Members Absent:  None.

Chair Washington called the meeting to order at 3:36 PM.

1.  INTRODUCTIONS

None.

2.  CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES OF APRIL 21, 1998

3.  RESOLUTION 98-2633, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER TO EXECUTE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING THE SOUTH/NORTH LAND USE FINAL ORDER (LUFO) STEERING COMMITTEE

Andrew Cotugno, Director, Metro Transportation Department, introduced Mark Greenfield, who had been contracted to draft the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) and who would be available to answer questions. Mr. Cotugno said the IGA implements a state law that consolidates all the land use decisions connected with a project into a single process. The statute requires a steering committee of those who will be participating partners in the project. That steering committee would recommend to the Metro Council any action that would be reflected in that land-use final order. This IGA sets that committee for the South/North Light Rail.

Chair Washington asked if this establishes committee members. Mr. Cotugno said not specifically, but rather it establishes the committee itself. He said an ongoing steering committee is already in place, currently chaired by the chair of this committee, Mr. Washington. The overall project steering committee makes recommendation on the overall project decision--on what will happen. That steering committee includes representatives from Oregon and Washington. The steering committee of interest here is a subset of that overall steering committee. It would include representatives from only the jurisdictions that would have direct responsibility for managing the Phase I project--i.e., representatives from Clackamas County, City of Milwaukie, City of Portland, Metro, and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). It would include representatives from Clark County, Oregon City, and Gladstone representatives as ex-officio non-voting members. The job of this committee would be to decide how the project will happen.

Mr. Cotugno said local jurisdictions will still need to issue permits, but under the law those permits will deal with the details of how the project is built. Nothing in those permits could block a project. This committee would include as voting members representatives from the jurisdictions that would be bound by the committee’s decisions.

Mr. Cotugno said all the jurisdictions that will be part of the IGA have been sent a draft of the IGA for approval. The City of Milwaukie responded by submitting comments requesting that membership on this committee be expanded to include Oregon City and Gladstone. However, because those jurisdictions are not directly affected by the land-use decisions and because they are already included as ex-officio non-voting members, Mr. Cotugno said he does not recommend expanding the membership. Those jurisdictions are included as voting members on the larger committee because their membership is relevant to the decisions that committee makes.

Councilor Kvistad asked how and by whom the members would be appointed to this committee. Mr. Cotugno said this resolution establishes the committee itself, but leaves the method of appointment to the individual jurisdictions. However, he said that the method of appointment by the Metro Council could be made clear in the wording of the motion made for action by this committee.

Mr. Cotugno suggested that the membership on this subcommittee be composed of those who are also members on the larger committee, to simplify conducting the meetings.

Chair Washington will carry the motion to a meeting of the full Council.

4.  REVIEW OF JOINT POLICY ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION (JPACT) AGENDA FOR APRIL 9, 1998

Mr. Cotugno reviewed the JPACT agenda for April 9. (A copy of the agenda is attached to the meeting record.) He said two action items are on the agenda and two discussion items. The action items include authorizing funds for the Eugene-to-Portland high-speed rail project. These are Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality (CMAQ) funds that would be added to the amount of CMAQ funds that come into this region. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has agreed to commit more CMAQ funds to this project, but Metro must amend the TIP to authorize those CMAQ funds. This action begins that process.

The second action item concerns Land Conservation Development Commission (LCDC) review of the Transportation Planning Rule (TRP) that sets out requirements the transportation system plan must meet. A staff group of TPAC is developing comments on some proposed amendments. A draft of those comments will be available in the next day or so. The purpose of this agenda item is to allow the comments come from JPACT, not from Metro Staff.

Mr. Cotugno said the two other items JPACT will discuss are non-action items. One is the Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) Criteria. The discussion of these criteria was forwarded from that last meeting because the last meeting ran out of time. (This item is summarized in material included in the agenda packet of the meeting record.) He called the committee’s attention to a timeline, included in the packet material, which shows JPACT and the Transportation Committee taking action in June to propose which criteria to use. A 30-day comment period would follow that action, and the criteria would be formally adopted in July. September would be the deadline for submitting proposals, and the selection process would begin after that.

Councilor McLain asked if more staff work had been done on such issues as the productivity studies of the urban reserves and how various transportation projects fit with short term and long-term 2040 goals. She said she felt those issues needed to be discussed internally before they go to JPACT.

Chair Washington suggested that the issue of urban reserves and transportation be brought before the next Transportation Planning Committee for more discussion. Mr. Cotugno suggested he and Councilor McLain get together first, then bring their ideas and recommendations to that discussion.

Mr. Cotugno addressed the issue of connectivity. He said he expects connectivity requirements to be more easily met in the urban reserves than in already developed areas. Councilor McLain said that might not necessarily be true. People might object regardless, depending on how they believe they will be affected. She noted that in Forest Grove, completing one particular connection was opposed by people who would not be personally affected. Chair Washington warned against making any assumptions about the ease of any decision.

Mr. Cotugno said the other non-action item for discussion by JPACT is the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)/Federal Transportation Authority (FTA) Certification. This certification process takes place every three years. It assesses how well the federal requirements connected with the Interurban Surface Transportation Enhancement Act (ISTEA) have been met by Metro and by Clark Count’s Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). He said the review will be fairly exhaustive. It will include participation of Metro staff on June 8 and elected officials on June 9. (A schedule of the review is included as part of the agenda packet in the meeting record.) Chair Washington requested that all members of the Transportation Planning Committee be present at this session.

5.  COUNCILOR COMMUNICATIONS

There being no further business before the Committee, Chair Washington adjourned the meeting at 4:00 PM.

Prepared by,

Pat Emmerson

Council Assistant

ATTACHMENTS TO THE PUBLIC RECORD FOR THE MEETING OF MAY 5, 1998

The following have been included as part of the official public record.