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RES-2017-009RESOLUTION NO. 2017— 0 09 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO A STREET CAR SYSTEM IN ANAHEIM WHEREAS, for nearly a decade, the City of Anaheim (City) and the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) have worked collaboratively on the proposed Anaheim Rapid Connection (ARC) Project which is intended to provide residents, employees, and visitors an east -west transit connection between the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) and Anaheim's major neighborhoods, employment and activity centers in the Platinum Triangle and The Anaheim Resort; and WHEREAS, on May 12, 2008 OCTA authorized funding Anaheim's Go Local application with an investment of $5,900,000 from Measure M (Project S) and a $100,000 local match from Anaheim to study and potentially develop a convenient "last mile" connection between the Study Area's activity centers and Metrolink, Amtrak, local fixed -route bus, Stationlink bus, and future California High Speed Rail (CHSR) at ARTIC; and WHEREAS, the City has successfully received federal, Measure M and Measure M2 transportation funding from the OCTA Board and entered into cooperative agreements with the OCTA to study transit connections from Metrolink stations in Anaheim to major job, housing and activity centers; and WHEREAS, the City has also contributed local funding to this analysis, including Anaheim Tourism Improvement District (ATID) restricted transportation funds; and WHEREAS, on September 27, 2016, the City Council approved and authorized an Amendment to a Cooperative Agreement with OCTA for the ARC Fixed Guideway Project, requiring the City conclude all planning efforts for the ARC project and submit all work completed to date to OCTA; affirmed OCTA as the lead agency for any potential future phases of the ARC project; and WHEREAS, in furtherance of this previous action, City staff has concluded all planning efforts for the street car project; and WHEREAS, in light of the OCTA managing these significant transportation projects in corridors along and near the ARC corridor, the OCTA Board has determined there is a need for a more regional perspective for planning transit extensions to current or planned systems. As such, the OCTA Board has reevaluated the roles identified in the cooperative agreement with the City of Anaheim for the ARC Project; and WHEREAS, it is the City Council's belief that a Street Car project is not a viable transit solution in Anaheim; and WHEREAS, the proposed Street Car project, budgeted for more than $300 million, would have been one of the most expensive projects of its kind, on a per mile basis in the United States; and WHEREAS, the ARTIC train facility has had significantly lower ridership numbers than projected; and WHEREAS, having a fixed guide rail transit project connected to ARTIC would seem to be an unwise investment of taxpayer dollars; and WHEREAS, a fixed guide rail system within the resort area would be ill conceived as it would severely disrupt street traffic lanes needed for car and buses; and WHEREAS, municipalities such as Providence, Rhode Island and Arlington, Virginia have rejected previously approved rail transit programs due to the high costs associated with such transit solutions; and WHEREAS, the City Council is hereby expressing concern that the proposed Street Car project is expensive and a drain on community resources; does not allow for flexibility; makes congestion worse and does not support ridership numbers; and WHEREAS, Anaheim has a large population of transit -dependent people who rely on the OCTA bus system and the City of Anaheim has a need for more routes and frequency of service with lower fares for these residents; and WHEREAS, the City Council does support more dynamic, fluid and accessible transportation system that does not create unintended consequences, such as an increase in traffic and supports alternatives which are a better fit for the unique needs of The Anaheim Resort and Platinum Triangle. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The City Council of the City of Anaheim wishes to express its opposition to the Anaheim Rapid Connection (ARC) Street Car project as being a non-viable transit solution in the City of Anaheim. Section 2. The City Council of the City of Anaheim also opposes any street car plans along Harbor Blvd. However, it supports the Orange County Transportation Authority's study of other transit modes to recommend the best options to alleviate traffic congestion and improve mobility for transit dependent riders in Anaheim and Orange County. Section 3. The City Council of the City of Anaheim encourages the Orange County Transportation Authority to plan and develop a flexible transit solution that increases frequency of bus routes and provides this solution for a lower fare, so that more riders can use this system. 0) THE FOREGOING RESOLUTION is approved and adopted by the City Council of the City of Anaheim this 10 th day of January , 2017 by the following roll call vote: AYES: Mayor Tait and Council Members Vanderbilt, Barnes, Moreno, Kring, and Faessel NOES: Council Member Murray ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: Nope CITY OF AHE BY MAYOR OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM ATTEST: CITY CLERK OF THE CITY O ANAHEIM 119091 CLERK'S CERTIFICATE STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss. CITY OF ANAHEIM ) I, LINDA ANDAL, City Clerk of the City of Anaheim, do hereby certify that the foregoing is the original Resolution No. 2017-009 adopted at a regular meeting provided by law, of the Anaheim City Council held on the 10th day of January, 2017, by the following vote of the members thereof: AYES: Mayor Tait and Council Members Vanderbilt, Barnes, Moreno, Kring, and Faessel NOES: Council Member Murray ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: None IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of February, 2017. 6L"?� �:�11�� (SEAL)