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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil PKT 05-24-2011 Special CITY OF Federal Way AGENDA FEDERAL WAY CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Patrick Maher Room - City Hall May 24, 2011 7:00 p.m. www.cityoffederalway.com 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER 2. CITIZEN COMMENT 3. RESOLUTION: SOUND TRANSIT LIGHT RAIL TO FEDERAL WAY 4. ADJOURNMENT COUNCIL MEETING DATE: May 24, 2011 ITEM #: 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CITY OF FEDERAL WAY CITY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL SUBJECT: Changes in Sound Transit's ST2 Program delaying extension of Light Rail to S 272 " Street POLICY QUESTION: Should the City Council approve the attached resolution opposing the delay of extending Link Light Rail to S 272n Street? COMMITTEE: Committee bypassed due to timing constraints MEETING DATE: N/A CATEGORY: ❑ Consent ❑ Ordinance ❑ Public Hearing ❑ City Council Business ® Resolution ❑ Other STAFF REPORT BY: Rick Perez, P.E., City Traffic Engineer DEPT: Public Works Attachments: As requested by City Council at the May 17` 2011 City Council meeting, staff has prepared the attached resolution. Options Considered: 1. Approve the attached resolution. 2. Amend the attached resolution. 3. Do not approve the attached resolution. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approval of Option 1 at the May 24, 2011 City Council Special Meeting.. CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: DIRECTOR APPROVAL: Commi e Council Committee Council COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: N/A N/A N/A Committee Chair Committee Member Committee Member PROPOSED COUNCIL MOTION: "I move approval of Option 1, to approve the attached resolution opposing the delay of the extension of Light Rail to S 272n Street." (BELOW TO BE COMPLETED BY CITY CLERKS OFFICE) COUNCIL ACTION: ❑ APPROVED COUNCIL BILL # ❑ DENIED 1ST reading ❑ TABLED/DEFERRED/NO ACTION Enactment reading ❑ MOVED TO SECOND READING (ordinances only) ORDINANCE # REVISED — 08/12/2010 RESOLUTION # RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of Federal Way, Washington, Opposing a Delay in Constructing Sound Transit Light Rail to 272 " Street. WHEREAS, Federal Way is one of the largest and most transit- dependent cities in South King County, with the most well -used transit routes and highest demand in Sound Transit's South King subarea; and WHEREAS, Federal Way is in the middle of a major regional traffic corridor where Sound Transit's own data predicts transit demand will increase 180 percent in the near future, which is the second largest increase forecast for the entire Puget Sound region; and WHEREAS, Federal Way is an integral part of a regional vision to connect Tacoma, Seattle, and Everett, a vision that helped promote the successful "Sound Move" ballot measure in 1996 to start Sound Transit service; and WHEREAS, Federal Way is the largest city in the region without any form of high-capacity rail service; and WHEREAS, the transit center in Federal Way was sized for light rail transit and is already at full capacity, showcasing the need for public transportation; and WHEREAS, the City's Comprehensive Plan is based upon increased density around transit in order to fulfill regional and countywide planning goals; and WHEREAS, Federal Way is a major hub of affordable housing; a highly diverse community with 112 languages spoken in the Federal Way School District; and a community with a substantial population of lower- income working -class residents, as evidenced by the fact that 53 percent of the Resolution No. 11- Page 1 of 5 Rev 1/10 School District students qualify for free or reduced school lunches; and WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 08 -524 supporting Sound Transit's vision of constructing light rail to and through Federal Way, connecting to areas as far south, north, and east as Lakewood, Everett, and Redmond; and WHEREAS, the City Council urged the Sound Transit Board to submit a ballot measure for the ST2 Plan to provide adequate funding at 0.5 percent sales tax to fully implement this vision; and WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution 08 -528 urging Sound Transit to ensure that the ST2 Plan contained a 272 " Street terminus for Light Rail, combined with preliminary engineering and design and strategic right -of -way acquisition for Light Rail continuing all the way to Tacoma; and WHEREAS, the explanatory statement accompanying the ballot title for the ST2 Plan on the November 4, 2008 election specifically stated that "Light rail extensions will provide frequent service on exclusive track between employment and residential centers, including Northgate, Shoreline, Lynnwood, Mercer Island, Bellevue, Des Moines, and Federal Way "; and WHEREAS, the voters approved the November 4, 2008 ballot agreeing to a 0.5 percent sales tax increase to fund the ST2 program, which included light rail to S 272 " Street on the northern boundary of Federal Way; and WHEREAS, based on the promise of light rail transit coming to their northern doorstep, a majority of Federal Way voters supported the ST2 ballot measure; and WHEREAS, collection of the 0.5 percent sales tax increase commenced on April 1, 2009; and Resolution No. 11- Page 2 of 5 Rev 1 /10 WHEREAS, it is estimated that the citizens of Federal Way have paid approximately $12,009,348 for the ST2 program thus far, and will pay approximately $240 million over the life of the bonds funding the ST2 program, which includes light rail to Federal Way; and WHEREAS, Sound Transit announced in May 2011, that Light Rail to Federal Way was projected to be delayed beyond 2023 due to budgetary constraints; and WHEREAS, a representative from Sound Transit confirmed for the City Council on May 17 that the South King County Subarea was the only subarea in the ST2 program that was designated for Light Rail project expansion and will not receive it -- meaning that the other subareas would have their Light Rail projects built by 2023; and WHEREAS, Sound Transit's subarea equity policy only addresses the source of revenue, not the source of riders or the size of the sub -area population; and WHEREAS, the proposed delays would leave Federal Way as the largest city in the region without any form of high- capacity rail service; and WHEREAS, the planned 600,000 service hour reduction in King County Metro service will increase the number of riders on Sound Transit between Federal Way and Seattle. NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FEDERAL WAY, RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The City Council strongly opposes delaying light rail to Federal Way to 2034 or later when the citizens have already paid approximately $12 Million Tax Dollars since April 1, 2009 and will pay an estimated $240 million in taxes over the life of the bonds funding the ST2 program to fund light rail. Resolution No. 11- Page 3 of 5 Rev 1/10 Section 2. The City Council strongly urges that if a reduction in Light Rail project expansion is to occur, Sound Transit should equitably reduce that program across all five subareas, which might include source of ridership, population and socio- economic profile. Section 3. The City Council strongly urges Sound Transit to consider the following options to provide sufficient cost savings to make the extension of Light Rail to S 272 Street more affordable: (1) Consider a light -rail alignment along I -5 instead of an elevated alignment along SR 99, which would also improve ridership by improving travel times and reducing operating costs; (2) Increase flexibility in Sound Transit's sub -area equity policies to reflect the source of ridership in addition to the source of revenue; (3) Assure that financial projections assume reduced bidding costs and other project cost reductions commensurate with the reduced revenue projections; (4) Reexamine the cost - effectiveness of the various lines of service provided by Sound Transit, and invest limited resources in those that minimize capital and operating costs per rider. (5) Use inter - subarea borrowing between the South King and Pierce County subareas to make Light Rail to 272 Street more feasible — a strategy that was already going to be utilized for ST2. Section 4. Severability. If any section, sentence, clause or phrase of this resolution should be held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of any other section, sentence, Resolution No. 11- Page 4 of 5 Rev 1 /10 clause or phrase of this resolution. Section 5. Corrections. The City Clerk and the codifiers of this resolution are authorized to make necessary corrections to this resolution including, but not limited to, the correction of scrivener /clerical errors, references, resolution numbering, section/subsection numbers and any references thereto. Section 6. Ratification. Any act consistent with the authority and prior to the effective date of this resolution is hereby ratified and affirmed. Section 7. Effective Date. This resolution shall be effective immediately upon passage by the Federal Way City Council. RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FEDERAL WAY, WASHINGTON this day of , 2011. CITY OF FEDERAL WAY MAYOR, SKIP PRIEST ATTEST: CITY CLERK, CAROL MCNEILLY, CMC APPROVED AS TO FORM: CITY ATTORNEY, PATRICIA A. RICHARDSON FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: RESOLUTION NO.: Resolution No. 11- Page 5 of 5 Rev 1/10