Drafter
Clerk 07/12/2011
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to public transportation; adopting the Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021 and Metro Transit Service Guidelines; and repealing Ordinance 12060, Section 1, Ordinance 12060, Section 2; Ordinance 12060, Section 3, Ordinance 12060, Section 4; Ordinance 12060, Section 5, Exhibit A to Ordinance 12060, Exhibit B to Ordinance 12060, Exhibit C to Ordinance 12060, Exhibit D to Ordinance 12060, Ordinance 14464, Section 1, Ordinance 14464, Section 2, Ordinance 14464, Section 3, Ordinance 14464, Section 4, Ordinance 14464, Section 5, Ordinance 14464, Section 6, Attachment A to Ordinance 14464, Attachment B to Ordinance 14664, Attachment C to Ordinance 14464, Attachment D to Ordinance 14464, Ordinance 15047, Section 1, Ordinance 15047, Section 2, Attachment A to Ordinance 15047, Attachment B to Ordinance 15047, Attachment C to Ordinance 15047, Attachment D to Ordinance 15047, Ordinance 15962, Section 1, Ordinance 15962, Section 2, Attachment A to Ordinance 15962, Ordinance 15963, Section 1, Ordinance 15963, Section 2, Attachment A to Ordinance 15963, Ordinance 16708, Section 1, Ordinance 16708, Section 2, Ordinance 16708, Section 3, Attachment A to Ordinance 16708 and Attachment B to Ordinance 16708.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. A Comprehensive Plan for Public Transportation ("Comprehensive Plan") was adopted by Resolution 6641 on October 21, 1993, by the council of the former municipality of metropolitan Seattle and ratified by the King County council by adoption of Ordinance 11032, Section 28.
B. On December 11, 1995, the council passed Ordinance 12060, amending the Comprehensive Plan and adopting a Six-Year Transit Development Plan, which guided implementation of service changes and improvements in a way consistent with the new Comprehensive Plan.
C. Following periodic updates to the Comprehensive Plan and The Six-Year Transit Development Plan, the council adopted Ordinance 15963 in November 2007, replacing the Six-Year Transit Development Plan with a ten-year strategic plan. That strategic plan included guidance about the priorities for improvements to the public transportation system consistent with the Transit Now program as established via Ordinance 15962.
D. Beginning in 2008 and 2009, the global recession caused a significant downturn in sales tax revenues funding the current and future years of the Metro transit system. As a result of these changing conditions, the council engaged in a multi-year strategy to refocus, make more efficient and save as much transit service as possible. This strategy involved: a comprehensive audit of the transit division; reductions in staffing and services that support the delivery of transit service; deferral of non-RapidRide and Partnership Transit Now services; multiple fare increases; changing the way transit service is planned and delivered; and appointment of a broad stakeholder group as a regional transit task force with a charge to make recommendations regarding the policy framework for the Metro transit system.
E. Following seven months of intensive deliberations, the regional transit task force delivered its final recommendation report with the unanimous support of task force members. The recommendations in the task force report focused on the following areas:
1. Transparency and clarity: that the transit division provide more transparency and clarity to the public on the agency's decision-making process and develop a set of performance measures and clear and transparent guidelines to be used in service allocation decisions;
2. Cost control: that the transit division continue to control costs and build toward a more sustainable financial structure over time; and
3. Productivity, social equity and geographic value: that, in making decisions about service reduction and service growth, the transit division emphasizes productivity, ensures social equity and provides geographic value.
F. In July 2010, the council adopted the first-ever countywide King County Strategic Plan 2010-2014, establishing prioritized goals, objectives and strategies for the programs and services of King County government. This countywide plan was also intended to provide a framework for all agency-level strategic planning, including planning for the transit division.
G. The Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021, including the King County Metro Service Guidelines, adopted by this ordinance, builds on the King County Strategic Plan 2010-2014 and the policy framework and recommendations of the regional transit task force and is also guided by the challenges King County Metro faces: regional growth; the evolving transportation system; climate change; diverse customer needs; and a structural funding deficit.
H. The Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021 modifies the Transit Now program service implementation phasing plan and revises the description of the Transit Now program that will occur within the 2011-2021 time frame. The King County council, as authorized by K.C.C. 4.29.020 and, if passed by a supermajority of at least six affirmative votes of the council, may allow the proceeds from the Transit Now tax to fund service consistent with King County Code and King County Metro transit policies and goals.
I. The Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021 replaces the Comprehensive Plan for Public Transportation, the Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2007-2016 and the separately adopted Transit Program Financial Policies, which are therefore repealed by this ordinance together with the ordinances approving and amending them.
J. The Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021 and King County Metro Service Guidelines are meant to be living documents setting the policy for and guiding the implementation of the Metro transit service network while responding to growth throughout the county, while also incorporating regular review of policies by the regional transit committee.
K. Regional transit committee review of policies within the timeframe provided by the county charter for deliberation of legislation could be challenging due to the multiple due dates of reports and plan updates required by this ordinance and other county issues such as budget deliberations or recess commitments. City and county leaders intend to work cooperatively to ensure that regional committee meetings and review provide the full time allocated in the county charter for future deliberations on the Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021 and King County Metro Service Guidelines. This intent is recognized in King County council rules, K.C.C. 1.24.065.B.5, which provide that the chair of a regional committee cannot take a unilateral action to cancel a regional committee meeting without concurrence of the vice chair or action of the full committee in lieu of vice chair agreement.
SECTION 2. The following are each hereby repealed:
A. Ordinance 12060, Section 1;
B. Ordinance 12060, Section 2;
C. Ordinance 12060, Section 3;
D. Ordinance 12060, Section 4;
E. Ordinance 12060, Section 5;
F. Exhibit A to Ordinance 12060, Six-Year Transit Development Plan for 1996 - 2001;
G. Exhibit B to Ordinance 12060, Six-Year Transit Development Plan for 1996 - 2001 Appendices;
H. Exhibit C to Ordinance 12060, Six-Year Transit Development Plan for 1996 - 2001 Public Involvement Report;
I. Exhibit D to Ordinance 12060, Six-Year Transit Development Plan for 1996 - 2001 Addendum to the Regional Transit System Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement;
J. Ordinance 14464, Section 1;
K. Ordinance 14464, Section 2;
L. Ordinance 14464, Section 3;
M. Ordinance 14464, Section 4;
N. Ordinance 14464, Section 5;
O. Ordinance 14464, Section 6;
P. Attachment A to Ordinance 14464, Six-Year Transit Development Plan for 2002 to 2007;
Q. Attachment B to Ordinance 14664, Six-Year Transit Development Plan for 2002 to 2007: Appendices RTC Recommended September 2002;
R. Attachment C to Ordinance 14464, Public Involvement Report Summary Proposed Initiatives for the Six-Year Transit Development Plan King County Metro Transit Fall 2001;
S. Attachment D to Ordinance 14464, Addendum to the Regional Transit System Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement, Six-Year Transit Development Plan for 2002-2007;
T. Ordinance 15047, Section 1;
U. Ordinance 15047, Section 2;
V. Attachment A to Ordinance 15047, Exhibit A - 2002 Six-Year Transit Development Plan Update;
W. Attachment B to Ordinance 15047, Exhibit B - 2002 Six-Year Transit Development Plan Update;
X. Attachment C to Ordinance 15047, Exhibit C - 2002 Six-Year Transit Development Plan Update;
Y. Attachment D to Ordinance 15047, Exhibit D - 2002 Six-Year Transit Development Plan Update;
Z. Ordinance 15962, Section 1;
AA. Ordinance 15962, Section 2;
BB. Attachment A to Ordinance 15962, Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan for Public Transportation, dated November 5, 2007;
CC. Ordinance 15963, Section 1;
DD. Ordinance 15963, Section 2;
EE. Attachment A to Ordinance 15963, Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2007-2016, November, 2007;
FF. Ordinance 16708, Section 1;
GG. Ordinance 16708, Section 2;
HH. Ordinance 16708, Section 3;
II. Attachment A to Ordinance 16708, Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2007-2016, dated November 5, 2009; and
JJ. Attachment B to Ordinance 16708, 2010/2011 Transit Program Financial Policies, dated October 30, 2009.
SECTION 3. The Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021, which is Attachment A to this ordinance, is hereby adopted, superseding the Comprehensive Plan for Public Transportation and the 2007-2016 Strategic Plan for Transportation.
SECTION 4. The King County Metro Service Guidelines, which are Attachment B to this ordinance, are hereby adopted.
SECTION 5. Beginning with a baseline report in 2012 and then annually thereafter through the duration of the plan, the executive is directed to transmit to the council, for acceptance by motion, an annual service guidelines report of Metro's transit system, complementary to the biennial report on meeting the goals, objectives and strategies identified in chapter three of the Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021. This service guidelines report is shaped by the Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021 and the King County Metro Service Guidelines.
A. For the period of the report, the service guidelines report shall include:
1. The corridors analyzed to determine the Metro All-Day and Peak Network with a summary of resulting scores and assigned service levels as determined by the King County Metro Service Guidelines;
2. The results of the analysis including a list of over-served and under-served transit corridors and the estimated number of service hours, as either an increase or decrease, necessary to meet each underserved corridor's needs;
3. The performance of transit services by route and any changes in the King County Metro Service Guidelines thresholds since the previous reporting period, using the performance measures identified in Chapter III of the strategic plan and in the guidelines;
4. A list of transit service changes made to routes and corridors of the network since the last reporting period;
5. Network and rider connectivity associated with transit services delivered by other providers; and
6. A list of potential changes, if any, to the strategic plan and guidelines to better meet their policy intent.
B. The report and motion shall be transmitted by March 31 of each year for consideration by the regional transit committee.
SECTION 6. By April 30, 2012, 2013 and 2015, and as necessary thereafter for the purpose of validating policy intent of the strategic plan, the executive shall transmit to the council an ordinance to update the Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021 and the King County Metro Service Guidelines. At a minimum, the legislation and update should include:
A. Changes necessary to account for separately adopted transit policy documents including updating the plan and guidelines, and repealing or rescinding, as necessary, appropriately accounted for policies;
B. Any proposed changes to address unanticipated issues associated with implementing the plan and guidelines, including the factors that implement the concepts of productivity including land use, social equity and geographic value;
C. Changes that may be necessary to achieve the five-year implementation plan required in Section 7 of this ordinance;
D. Changes necessary to address the results of the collaborative process required in Section 8 of this ordinance; and
E. Additional substantive changes that may also be proposed following regional transit committee discussion.
SECTION 7. By June 15, 2012, the executive shall transmit to the council, for acceptance by motion, a five-year implementation plan for alternatives to traditional transit service delivery consistent with the recommendations from the 2010 regional transit task force and guidance from the King County Metro Service Guidelines. This plan should, at a minimum, include:
A. A review of alternative service delivery best practices in the transit industry;
B. Consideration of local service needs;
C. Stakeholder involvement;
D. Costs and benefits of all evaluated alternative service delivery options;
E. A summary of constraints to implementation and methods to reduce barriers for change;
F. Strategies to build ridership, such as through marketing, where resources are available to do so;
G. Recommendations for alternative service delivery; and
H. A timeline for implementation actions.
SECTION 8. By April 30, 2013, and as part of the 2013 transmittal required in Section 6 of this ordinance, the executive shall transmit to the council an ordinance to update the Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021 and the King County Metro Service Guidelines recognizing that the strategic plan and guidelines are based upon Metro's current network, which will require future changes to meet the 2010 regional transit task force recommendations. Additionally, by October 31, 2012 the executive shall transmit a preliminary results report produced through the collaborative process identified in Section 8.A. of this ordinance to the regional transit committee. At a minimum, the legislation and update should include refinements to the guidelines' methodology to:
A. Incorporate input from local jurisdictions as generated through a collaborative process defined by the executive;
B. Address the factors, methodology and prioritization of service additions in existing and new corridors consistent with Strategy 6.1.1;
C. More closely align factors used to serve and connect centers in the development of the All-Day and Peak Network and resulting service level designations, including consideration of existing public transit services, with jurisdictions' growth decisions, such as zoning and transit-supportive design requirements, and actions associated with but not limited to permitting, transit operating enhancements, parking controls and pedestrian facilities; and
D. Create a category of additional service priority, complementary to existing priorities for adding service contained within the King County Metro Service Guidelines, so that priorities include service enhancements to and from, between and within Vision 2040 regionally designated centers, and other centers where plans call for transit-supportive densities and jurisdictions have invested in capital facilities, made operational changes that improve the transit operating environment and access to transit, and implemented programs that incentivize transit use.
SECTION 9. When submitting a proposal for reduction of total Metro transit system service hours greater than ten percent of the current service hours, the executive should include a proposed community outreach and awareness program to be implemented in support of developing and implementing the service hour reductions. The program should be appropriate to the size and scale of the transit service reductions and incorporate a community feedback process. In light of the scope and schedule of the
necessary outreach, the program should include consideration of the use of external professional resources to augment county staffing.