HomeMy WebLinkAboutE-10 Staff Report - Letter to Metro Re Green Complete Streets FundingCONSENT ITEM
E-10
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
VIA: TROY L. BUTZLAFF, ICMA-CM, CITY MANAGER
FROM: DANIEL BOBADILLA, P.E., DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/CITY ENGINEER
DATE: MARCH 7, 2016
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO TRANSMIT A LETTER TO THE METROPOLITAN
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY REQUESTING APPORTIONMENT OF
MEASURE R FUNDING FOR GREEN COMPLETE STREETS PROGRAMS
SUMMARY:
In response to the latest Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit (MS 4 Permit) adopted by the
Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board), the City of Azusa collaborated
with the Rio Hondo/San Gabriel River Water Quality Group to develop an Enhanced Watershed
Management Program (EWMP). The EWMP, which is designed to address the water quality objectives
set forth in the MS4 Permit, has extensive additional requirements that make it both more strenuous and
more expensive to demonstrate compliance. One of the requirements is the implementation of a Green
Complete Streets Program that incorporates infiltration, bio-filtration, and best management practices to
collect, retain, or detain storm water runoff within right-of-way areas. This action authorizes the Mayor
to sign a letter to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) requesting apportionment of
Measure R funding for Green Complete Streets Programs.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council take the following action:
1)Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter requesting Metro apportionment of Measure R funding for
Green Complete Streets Programs.
DISCUSSION:
The Clean Water Act authorizes the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate the
discharge of pollutants to the nation’s waterways. The EPA developed the National Pollutant Discharge
APPROVED
COUNCIL MEETING
3/7/16
Letter to Metropolitan Transportation Authority
March 7, 2016
Page 2
Elimination System (NPDES) to carry out this responsibility. In Los Angeles County, this authority has
been delegated to the State through the work of the Regional Board. The Regional Board regulates the
discharge of pollutants through a number of permits and in the case of the municipal separate
stormwater sewer systems, the permit is known as the MS4 Permit. MS4 Permits are valid for five years
or as replaced by subsequent permits. On November 28, 2012, the Regional Board adopted a new MS4
Permit, Order No. R4-2012-0175. The MS4 Permit contains many provisions that allow cities the option
to develop integrated planning and monitoring plans to address many of the MS4 Permit’s water quality
and program requirements. However, these new requirements pose additional financial challenges that
many cities believe are unfunded mandates.
In response to the new requirements of the MS4 Permit, the Cities of Arcadia, Azusa, Bradbury, Duarte,
Monrovia, Sierra Madre, the County of Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District
entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop a partnership known as the Rio
Hondo/San Gabriel River Water Quality Group (Group). The group has been working together since
2013 on developing an EWMP that identifies the compliance path the Group will utilize to achieve
water quality objectives required in the MS4 Permit.
As a Group, the EWMP implementation costs are estimated at over $1.4 billion spanning a 20-year
period. The City’s share is estimated at $343 million over this same period. These cost figures are well
beyond the financial capability of the City and all cities subject to the MS4 Permit. As such, cities are
seeking creative ways to fund these new mandates. One idea is to apportion a percentage of Measure R
funding for items related to MS4 compliance, specifically the Green Complete Streets component of the
EWMP.
The purpose of Green Complete Streets is to implement best management practices for transportation
corridors associated with new and redevelopment street and roadway projects, including Capital
Improvement Program Projects. Green Complete Streets are defined as right-of-way areas that
incorporate infiltration, bio-filtration, and best management practices to collect, retain, or detain storm
water runoff.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
Prepared by: Reviewed and Approved:
Daniel Bobadilla, P.E. Louie F. Lacasella
Director of Public Works/City Engineer Management Analyst
Reviewed and Approved:
Troy L. Butzlaff, ICMA-CM
City Manager
Attachments:
1. Letter to Metropolitan Transportation Authority
ATTACHMENT 1
March 7, 2016
Phillip A. Washington, CEO
METRO
One Gateway Plaza
Mail Stop 99-25-1
Los Angeles, CA 90012-2952
Re: Green Complete Streets Program – Measure R2
Dear Mr. Washington:
A group of mayors and council members from the Los Angeles County Division of the League of
Cities (League) and the California Contract Cities Association (CCCA) studied the need for funding
urban runoff cleanup programs, after the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors tabled the regional
stormwater fee program in 2012. The elected officials found that since 2012 funding for the
environmental clean-up programs has only grown more urgent. The League and CCCA recognized that
no one funding source will resolve the surface water pollution issues and they recommend a “tool box”
of funding options. One of the options recommended includes a Green Complete Streets Program in
Measure R. This program will greatly assist the cities and the County in implementing the clean-up
requirements.
The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) completed a study in Los Angeles
County that illustrates that zinc from tire wear is a significant source of water pollution in our region.
Zinc oxide is included in tires as part of the vulcanization process. As a tire wears, zinc oxide is
deposited on streets, highways and freeways. The SCAG study shows that tire wear rates are higher in
urban areas, where stops, starts and turns increase wear. Over a tire’s lifetime, more than 10% of its
mass wears onto road surfaces. Los Angeles County has a high volume of truck traffic on local streets
and highways, as the region supports the “Goods Movement” industry for a significant part of the
nation.
SCAG estimates that vehicles in Los Angeles County drive an average of 75.4 billion miles annually,
with truck travel amounting to 2.4 billion miles annually. This results in 186,000 kilograms of zinc
washing onto the streets and highways from cars and 59,000 kilograms of zinc from truck tires
annually. The SCAG study also examined zinc from brake pad wear, which generates 17,000
kilograms annually to Los Angeles County streets and highways. SCAG also documented that over 2.5
Re: Green Streets Program – Measure R2 Page 2
tons of zinc wheel weights are dispersed into Los Angeles County streets and highways annually.
There is no dispute that zinc from tire wear is a major source of water pollution in Los Angeles
County.
Green Complete Street Compliance Requirements – NPDES Permit
We are providing representative samples of the cities in Los Angeles County and their Green Street
Compliance requirements under their respective stormwater plans (known either as EWMPs or WMPs)
in order to demonstrate the need for the environmental clean-up fund. It is important to note that a
majority of the cities in Los Angeles County, as well as the County itself, rely on a Green Complete
Streets program to comply with stringent NPDES permit requirements adopted by the Los Angeles
Regional Water Quality Control Board in 2014.
Our City is participating in the Rio Hondo/San Gabriel River Water Quality Group watershed plan.
Our community will need to invest over $343 million in storm water compliance programs over the
next two decades. This roughly translates to $17.15 million annually over the next twenty years. As
demonstrated in the chart below, 25% of our watershed compliance will be through Complete Green
Streets. This translates into approximately $4.29 million annually for our community. The City
currently has no funding source to implement any of these stormwater programs.
The City of Los Angeles will need to invest a total of $6.9 billion over the next twenty-years in
stormwater compliance programs. 20% of their compliance plan is based on implementing Green
Complete Streets. This equates to $1.38 billion dollars over the next twenty years. Although the City
of Los Angeles has a dedicated funding source for stormwater, we have been informed that it is
insufficient to fund these new programs.
Los Angeles County – Stormwater Compliance Plans by Watersheds
There is a similar compliance plan for the unincorporated communities in Los Angeles County. The
County will rely on Green Complete Streets for 26% of its stormwater compliance needs, at an
Re: Green Streets Program – Measure R2 Page 2
estimated cost of $1.732 billion over the next twenty years. This equates to $447.9 million to the
County of Los Angeles.
As the chart illustrates, the Ballona Creek Watershed will rely on Complete Green Streets for 17% of
their compliance requirements. The Lower San Gabriel River Watershed will rely on Complete Green
Streets for 80% of their compliance requirements. The average in the eleven watersheds in Los
Angeles County is 36.4% compliance through Green Complete Streets. This is a staggering sum, when
you consider that the total costs to local government of compliance with the NPDES permit is over $20
billion over the next two decades.
Our request that the environmental cleanup and Green Complete Streets program be established at 2%
of gross annual revenues outside of the Local Return programs is a prudent and modest request,
considering the tremendous need. The 2% environmental cleanup program revenues should be
available to all communities to retrofit existing streets, highways and intersections in order to
implement Green Complete Streets and other environmental clean-up programs. It is important to note
that the funds for Measure R2, as well as the existing transportation measures are derived from local
sales tax override. A portion of these local sales tax revenues should be returned to local government
for use in the environmental cleanup program. We appreciate the consideration of this request by the
METRO Board.
Sincerely,
Mayor Rocha
cc: Azusa City Council
METRO Board
Ms. Kristine Guerrero, League of California Cities
Mr. Sam Olivito, CCCA
Troy L. Butzlaff, City Manager, City of Azusa