East Lake Neighborhood Watch: 7-17-2014 Update - BRT won’t be coming to City Council until fall/winter

MEMORANDUM

TO: HONORABLE MAYOR & FROM: Brooke A. Levin

CITY COUNCIL Director, OPW

SUBJECT: BRT Project Status DATE: July 16, 2014

Approval Date

/s/ Donna Hom 7/17/14

INFORMATION

The purpose of this information memo is to provide the Mayor and City Council a status update on the East Bay Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project. In July 2012, the Oakland City Council adopted the Downtown Oakland to San Leandro line as the Locally Preferred Alternative for the $178 million BRT Project. The City Council adopted AC Transit’s (ACT) Federal Environmental Impact Study (FEIS) and placed local Conditions of Approval on the BRT Project (C.M.S. 84016). A key condition is that AC Transit and City staffers create a fund to underwrite parking and business impact mitigation programs besides those required by the FEIS.

Last April, the City Administrator and ACT General Manager announced an agreement in principle for a three-part Business Sustainability Program that will offer technical assistance and other direct supports to existing BRT corridor businesses. On July 1, the Council allocated $1.0 million of FY 2013-14 General Purpose Fund (GPF) monies to underwrite a fourth capital element meant to support infrastructure improvements outside the BRT Project scope.

The table below lists the FEIS and Business Sustainability Program (BSP) elements and budget estimates. City staffers are developing the scope of the four BSP elements as part of BRT Major Roadway Project 65% Design Phase activities currently underway. Staffers are also exploring opportunities to increase and/or expand the BSP. This includes, but is not limited to, seeking transit agency and regional funding to create off-street (surface) parking lots in the denser commercial areas.

BRT Project Parking & Business Impact Programs	Budget	Funder	Source
FEIS Mitigations
1. Construction Mitigations (Info Center, Ombudsman, etc.)	$2.17 M	ACT	BRT Project
2. Off-Street Parking Lots (Fruitvale & Elmhurst)	$1.21 M	ACT	BRT Project
3. On-Street Parking Mitigations	$1.32 M	ACT	BRT Project
Subtotal	$5.70 M
Business Sustainability Program (BSP)
1. Business Technical Assistance	$2.50 M	ACT	BRT Project
2. Business Interruption Fund	$1.00 M	City	CDBG
3. Access to Existing City Grant / Loan Programs	$1.00 M	City	Misc.
4. BRT Capital Improvement Mitigation Program	$1.00 M	City	GPF
Subtotal	$5.50 M
Grand Total	$10.20 M

Staff will bring the Business Sustainability Program proposal to the Public Works Committee in fall/winter 2014, once AC Transit provides the City with complete 65% Design deliverables including, but not limited to, baseline Parking and Business Impact Mitigation Plans.

Respectfully submitted,