PLANNING & PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE

February 21, 2002

 

SUBJECT:     CONGESTION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM LOCAL

                        CONFORMANCE FINDINGS

 

ACTION:       APPROVE CONGESTION MANAGEMENT

                        PROGRAM LOCAL CONFORMANCE FINDINGS

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Find that 88 jurisdictions are in conformance, with the Congestion Management Program (CMP) for Los Angeles County, and determine that one jurisdiction, the City of Industry, is not in conformance, as indicated in Attachment A.

 

ISSUE

 

Since 1992, one of Metro’s statutory requirements as the Congestion Management Agency for Los Angeles County is to monitor the implementation of all elements of the CMP.  Metro must annually determine, and make formal finding, as to whether the County and 88 local jurisdictions of Los Angeles County are conforming to the CMP.  A conformance finding allows the County and local jurisdictions to continue receiving their Proposition 111 gas tax subventions, and maintain their eligibility for other state and federal funds programmed in the Metro Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). 

 

POLICY IMPLICATIONS

 

Making CMP local conformance findings fulfills Metro’s ongoing state-mandated responsibilities as the Congestion Management Agency for Los Angeles County. Los Angeles also uses the CMP to meet federal Congestion Management System requirements, thereby eliminating potential conflicts or duplicating requirements.

 

OPTIONS

 

CMP conformance findings are based on how well local jurisdictions have implemented their responsibilities, as identified in the Metro adopted CMP.  As this is a statutory requirement, no other options are available.

 

FINANCIAL IMPACT

 

Approving the recommendation would have no direct impact on the Metro budget. A conformance finding allows local jurisdictions to continue receiving Section 2105 state gas tax subventions, as well as other state and federal transportation

 

funds.  Section 2105 funding annually provides more than $91 million to jurisdictions in Los Angeles County.

 

BACKGROUND

 

As the Congestion Management Agency for Los Angeles County, the Metro is required by state law to monitor local implementation of all CMP elements.  Local jurisdictions are required to monitor highway congestion levels and implement an adopted trip reduction ordinance and land use analysis program.  In addition, a key CMP component is the deficiency plan through which jurisdictions track and report their local development activity as “debits” and transportation improvements as “credits.”  Jurisdictions must maintain an annual positive balance of credits over debits to be in conformance with the CMP.  Attachment B summarizes each jurisdiction’s deficiency plan credit balance.

 

By September 1^st of each year, local jurisdictions submit to Metro resolutions self-certifying their conformance with the CMP and documenting the deficiency plan “debits” and “credits” that they have generated.  After Metro staff reviews this material, a public hearing is held to give local jurisdictions an opportunity to submit written and oral comments.  Results of the public hearing and staff recommendations regarding each jurisdiction’s conformance are submitted to the Metro Board of Directors.

 

No further action is required until the next year for jurisdictions found to be in conformance at this stage.   Jurisdictions determined not to be in conformance at this stage have an opportunity to take corrective action before a final nonconformance finding is made.

 

The County of Los Angeles, and 87 jurisdictions have fully met CMP local implementation requirements for 2001, including the deficiency plan, and are recommended for a positive conformance finding.  A complete list of these jurisdictions is shown in Attachment A.  It should be noted that two cities, La Mirada, and Westlake Village, currently have negative deficiency plan balances.  However, both cities are recommended for a positive conformance finding, as they previously have adopted and are continuing to implement an action plan of transportation improvements that will result in a positive balance.

 

One jurisdiction, the City of Industry, has a negative deficiency plan balance.  Metro staff is recommending that the Board determine that the City of Industry is not in conformance with the CMP.  This determination is necessary at this time, as the City of Industry did not meet the September 1, 2001, deadline as required by state law to adopt a resolution self-certifying their conformance with the CMP, and did not maintain a positive balance in their Local Implementation Report.  This determination, followed by a formal notification to the City of Industry, will initiate a 90-day period for the City to develop an action plan to address the cause of their non-conformance.  As allowed by statute, Metro staff has already been working closely with the city to develop their action plan.

 

NEXT STEPS

 

Once the Metro Board of Directors approves the recommendation, Metro staff will formally notify the City of Industry of the non-conformance determination and the reasons for the determination. This will initiate a 90-day corrective period during which Metro staff will continue to work closely with the City of Industry to assist them with coming into conformance.  If the City of Industry remains out of conformance at the conclusion of the 90-day period, then following an opportunity for the City to appeal a staff recommendation, the Metro must consider a finding of non-conformance in Spring 2002.  Following any such finding in Spring 2002, the Metro will submit the finding to the City of Industry and notify the State Controller to withhold the jurisdiction’s Section 2105 state gas tax subvention funds.  To receive the withheld gas tax funds, a jurisdiction must achieve CMP conformance within twelve months.  Otherwise, the Controller will reallocate the jurisdiction’s withheld funds to the Metro for regionally significant projects in Los Angeles County.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

A.  List of CMP Conforming and Nonconforming Agencies for 2001

B.  2001 CMP Deficiency Plan Summary

 

Prepared by:    Heather Hills, Program Manager

Long Range Planning and Programming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

__________________________________________

James L. de la Loza

Executive Officer

Countywide Planning & Development

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

__________________________________________

Roger Snoble

Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Attachment A

 

CONFORMING & NONCONFORMING JURISDICTIONS

 

Local Jurisdictions Recommended for a Finding of Conformance with the CMP for 2001

 

Agoura Hills

Alhambra

Arcadia

Artesia

Avalon

Azusa

Baldwin Park

Bell

Bell Gardens

Bellflower

Beverly Hills

Bradbury

Burbank

Calabasas

Carson

Cerritos

Claremont

Commerce

Compton

Covina

Cudahy

Culver City

Diamond Bar

Downey

Duarte

El Monte

El Segundo

Gardena

Glendale

Glendora

Hawaiian Gardens

Hawthorne

Hermosa Beach

Hidden Hills

Huntington Park

Inglewood

Irwindale

La Canada               Flintridge

La Habra Heights

La Mirada

La Puente

La Verne

Lakewood

Lancaster

Lawndale

Lomita

Long Beach

Los Angeles City

Los Angeles County

Lynwood

Malibu

Manhattan Beach

Maywood

Monrovia

Montebello

Monterey Park

Norwalk

Palmdale

Palos Verdes Estates

Paramount

Pasadena

Pico Rivera

Pomona

Rancho Palos Verdes

Redondo Beach

Rolling Hills

Rolling Hills Estates

Rosemead

San Dimas

San Fernando

San Gabriel

San Marino

Santa Clarita

Santa Fe Springs

Santa Monica

Sierra Madre

Signal Hill

South Gate

South El Monte

South Pasadena

Temple City

Torrance

Vernon

Walnut

West Covina

West Hollywood

Westlake Village

Whittier

 

 

Local Jurisdiction(s) Recommended for a Determination of Non-Conformance with the CMP

 

Industry:  The City has a negative deficiency plan balance at this time.  In advance of Board action, staff has been meeting with the City of Industry and is working toward positively resolving the City’s conformance status.  As allowed by statute, Metro staff has been working with City staff on adopting a resolution, and developing an action plan that would allow the City to achieve conformance.  Based on past experience, Metro staff believes that the current non-conformance status will be resolved during the 90-day corrective period.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment B

 

2001 DEFICIENCY PLAN SUMMARY

 

This attachment provides information about the activities of each local jurisdiction to fulfill the requirements of the CMP Deficiency Plan.  The Deficiency Plan requires local jurisdictions to implement transportation improvements that would be sufficient to offset impacts caused by new development. The CMP utilizes a point system to quantify the impacts of new development (“debits”) and the mobility benefits of transportation improvements (“credits”).  Jurisdictions meet their responsibilities to the CMP Deficiency Plan by maintaining a positive balance of credits over debits.

 

Deficiency Plan Status Summary

 

This report summarizes each jurisdiction’s Deficiency Plan status indicating:

 

2000 Carryover Balance:  The jurisdiction’s CMP debit/credit point balance based on Metro Board 2000 CMP conformance findings.

 

2001 Debits:  Indicating each jurisdiction’s level of responsibility based on building permits approved for the period from June 1, 2000- May 31, 2001.

 

2001 Adjustments:  Jurisdictions may reduce their level of responsibility based on demolition activity or building permits that have expired.

 

2001 Credits:  Indicating the total recommended credits earned by implementing any of the more than 70 strategies contained in the CMP “Toolbox.”

 

2001 Balance:  Summarizing each jurisdiction’s CMP debit/credit point balance after accounting for the most recently reported debits and credits.