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The Regular Meeting of the Downtown East Valley Policy Advisory Board (PAB) was called to order at 3:05 p.m. by Vice Chairperson Campos, Lower Level Conference Room, 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose, California.

Members Present                                          Members Absent
Blanca Alvarado                                               None
Nora Campos, Vice Chairperson                      
Cindy Chavez, Chairperson
David Cortese 
Pete McHugh

A Committee of the Whole was declared and Vice Chairperson Campos requested the Minutes be considered once a quorum was present.

There were no Public Presentation.

The Agenda was taken out of order.

Steven Fisher, Senior Transportation Planner, provided a status report on the EIS/EIR for Capitol Expressway Corridor and for Santa Clara/Alum Rock Corridor stating that the Santa Clara/Alum Rock Draft EIS/EIR was forwarded to Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for comment received and staff has responded to the FTA’s comments and forwarded the revised Draft EIS/EIR for further review.   Mr. Fisher stated if the appropriate review is received from FTA, circulation of the document will commence circulation in March 2005 and a power point presentation will be provided to the PAB at the February 3, 2005 meeting.   Should there be a delay, staff will provide a briefing to each PAB Member of the Citizen’s Guide and power point presentation to each one of the PAB Members before commencing public meetings. 

Mr. Fisher noted that the Enhanced Bus Alternative and Single Car Light Rail Alternative to be held as co-equals with full disclosure and comparison in the document.

Mr. Fisher advised that staff is developing a Citizen’s Guide which will be a useful tool in helping the public evaluate the differences between the two alternatives and the environmental impacts. 

Chairperson Chavez took her seat at 3:10 p.m.

Mr. Fisher reported that FTA requested staff demonstrate there are federal funds in a funding table to be included in the EIS before allowing release of the EIS/EIR as a federal document and concurrence by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) regarding findings of adverse impact and mitigations are delaying the Capitol Expressway Corridor EIS/EIR.   Mr. Fisher further reported that with regard to the FTA’s requests, staff has included Transit for Livable Community (TFC) funding and staff will meet with SHOP and FTA on January 18, 2005 to receive such concurrence and if successful, will bring the final EIS to the Board of Directors March 3, 2005 Meeting.

Mr. Fisher stated the delay has not affected progress or the Preliminary Engineering (PE).

On order of Chairperson Chavez, there being no objection, the Status Report regarding Final Environmental Impact Study/Report (EIS/EIR) for the Capitol Expressway Corridor and Draft EIS/EIR for the Santa Clara/Alum Rock Corridor was received.

Ken Ronsse, Design and Construction Manager, referenced a document distributed to the PAB Members entitled Capital Expressway Light Rail Project Preliminary Engineering Phase and provided a brief description of next 13 to 14 months during the PE period. 

Mr. Ronsse noted that VTA has secured the services of a design consultant, Rajappan & Meyer.   Mr. Ronsse introduced Keith Meyer, Project Manager from Rajappan & Meyer.

Mr. Ronsse highlighted general goals of the projects such as solving significant design and implementation issues as they relate to a construction document; and defining major points of interface along the project.

Member Alvarado requested staff remind the PAB what the significant design issues are.   Mr. Ronsse responded that the primarily element for staff is to define and refine the specific alignment and urban design elements.

Member Alvarado queried as to the status of a soundwall along Lindale and if there was anything that goes into the significant design area.   Mr. Ronsse responded that staff has recognized this is a concern with the Community but the environmental document did not identify a noise requirement for mitigation therefore the project will not include design for it but will preserve the opportunity that if in the future funding becomes available or there is direction to add walls staff is not precluding the opportunity.  Member Alvarado requested staff find and provide the information regarding the design elements, noise mitigation, concerns and issues up front.

Member Ronsse stated that Mr. Meyer and his team will be conducting early exercises in value engineering and access issues is the primary focus of that exercise.   To date staff has not included soundwalls but they will be able to be added and shown in its own a category of the approved project.   Mr. Ronsse stated that if it is the PAB’s wish, staff can provide a presentation outlining costs and design features. 

Ms. Render stated that staff will keep the PAB apprised as to the changes that may be necessary once the environmental document is approved.

Member McHugh took his seat at 3:18 p.m. and a quorum was declared.
Member Cortese took his seat at 3:19 p.m.

Mr. Ronsse noted staff will be providing a presentation to the PAB at their February 3, 2005 Meeting regarding criteria, options, discussion material taken to the community and soundwalls can be added to that dialogue as well. 

Mr. Ronsse advised staff will be attending Strong Neighborhood Initiative (SNI) meetings to provide the dates of upcoming sessions and to and invite the SNIs to the sessions.   Staff is considering a workshop that will focus on Capitol Avenue to Story Road and another workshop that will focus Story Road to Eastridge.   Staff noted that provide the dates of the meetings with the SNIs to the PAB.

Member Alvarado requested staff ask the Community whether or not public art would appeal to them on the soundwalls.    Mr. Ronsse stated that staff is considering presenting a list of opportunities identified for public art at the February 3, 2005 PAB Meeting.

Member Campos requested staff provided a list of all of other issues to the PAB Members.

Member Campos recommended staff start building a more personal relationship work closely with the president of each SNI.

Mr. Ronsse further reported that the other goals of the projects are defining and establishing a better cost estimate baseline schedule for the reminder of design and construction and communicating closely with the public and interested stakeholders regarding urban design and architectural, traffic mitigation, and construction staging and sequencing.

Member Alvarado requested staff remind the PAB what the residential acquisition requirements are along the alignment.   Mr. Meyer responded that residential acquisition commences along the north end where Capitol Avenue is connected to Capitol Expressway and will have an elevated guideway that goes over an intersected junction, which will require right-of-way and full-takes on the constructional engineering and on the east side there are four full-takes of houses.

Mr. Meyer stressed that with regard to the conceptual engineering it is important that the environmental document present the worse case scenario and would rather identify properties as a partial take and then decide later whether it really be needed or not.

Mr. Meyer noted that at Story Road there were both residential and business acquisitions at the station area, at Ocala there were residential takes on the west side, north of Ocala, right of way acquisition from the County at Reid-Hillview Airport and will need to acquire right-of-way from Eastridge Mall.

Member Cortese requested staff incorporate a strategy for a friendly condemnation or arms length real estate acquisition that will advise new or potentially new property owners that the property may be acquired in the future and to avoid a resolution of necessity.

Mr. Meyer advised that per real estate law, once the environmental document is cleared and approved, it is required by those agents whenever a house is being sold and identified in an environmental document, it has to be disclosed that house is needed for acquisition.

Mr. Ronsse advised that VTA has hired a right-of-way special coordinator to help build a schedule when to start acquiring right-of-ways.

On order of Chairperson Chavez, there being no objection, the Presentation regarding Capitol Expressway Preliminary Engineering was received.

Ms. Render stated the PAB requested staff provide responses to the following four items:

Update to the Alum Rock Area of the BART Project

Ann Jamison, Deputy Director, Congestion Management Planning & Programming,  stated that the Board of Directors certified the draft EIR for the BART extension to the cities of Milpitas, San Jose and Santa Clara and approved the project description for the entire 16.4 mile extension at their December 9, 2004 Meeting.

Ms. Jamison referenced the distributed plans for the Alignment and provided a status report direction of the alignment and the stations.

Ms. Jamison noted that the Alum Rock Station’s design was coordinated with the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative Plan for this area, as well as representatives from the neighborhoods initiative groups.    Their plan for community plaza has been integrated into the plan.

Member McHugh queried as to the location of the next station heading into Downtown San Jose.   Ms. Jamison responded the station will be located at the Civic Plaza/San Jose State University location, immediately adjacent to the new city hall.   Member McHugh expressed concern regarding a significant gap between the light rail line and the BART station.

New Starts Funding

Ms. Jamison reported that the Federal Government provides New Starts Funding, approximately 130 projects competing for New Starts Funding, and the current allocation provides about $1.5 billion for those. 

Ms. Jamison noted that 30 projects have been advanced to PE and VTA is currently working through the process.   The decisions for determining which projects will proceed to competition from New Starts Funding is a regional decision with the objective being identifying projects that address or link into a strong regional connection.

Overall Funding for Downtown East Valley

Ms. Render referenced a handout entitled Downtown East Valley identifying the Santa Clara /Alum Rock Corridor costs with regard to Enhanced Bus Alternative and Single-Car Light Rail Alternative, Capitol Expressway Corridor, and costs associated with improvements and light rail storage facilities.

Ms. Render reminded the PAB that due to the tremendous opportunities and changes that could occur as the result of the Evergreen Smart Growth Strategy, it was decided that Phase 2A - Nieman to Monterey Highway and Phase 2B   - Monterey Highway to SR-87 be deferred from any project level decisions until some of the improvements were ironed out.   Staff will be providing an update with regard to Phase 2A and Phase 2B to the PAB at their April 7, 2005 Meeting, as well as provide update of the Highway 101 Corridor.

Ms. Render noted decision on the mode for San Jose/Alum Rock Corridor is still a few months away and there is a great deal of outreach and process to go through before getting to the point of knowing the mode and the committed funding. 

Member Alvarado expressed concern that information staff has provided is only part of the information that the PAB is looking for.   Member Alvarado stated it is important that information be provided to enable the PAB to get a better handle on what funding options might be even if they are.

Ms. Render advised that staff will provide a presentation to the PAB at their February 3, 2005 meeting with the various funding sources available.   Ms. Render also advised the PAB that Tasman East, Vasona, nor Tasman West was from single funding sources but rather sources cobbled together.

Chairperson Chavez reminded staff that the recommendation to staff was to agendize a discussion for funding strategy including federal and funding options available for the Corridor. 

Member Alvarado requested provide a list of all funding options there maybe available over the next five to ten years.

Vice Chairperson Campos requested staff provided the information before their meeting date and not the day of to all the PAB time to review the information. 

Tully/US 101 Improvements

Staff is deferring this item to the April 2005 PAB Meeting when staff will be providing a larger overall presentation regarding the Evergreen Smart Growth Strategy.

On order of Chairperson Chavez, there being no objection, the Responses to question from November 4, 2004 PAB Meeting were received.

M/S/C (Campos/McHugh) to approve the Minutes of November 4, 2004.

On order of Chairperson Chavez, there being no objection, the meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Gilda M. Grozdanich, Board Assistant
VTA Board of Directors