55E - RESO - STREETCAR ENVIR PLAN & DESIGNATE CM AS PROJ DIRECTOR

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Streetcar Environmental Review Plan and Cost Participation by the City for Streetcar Operations May 6, 2014 Page 2 The OCTA Go Local Program was initiated in 2006 as a process to provide transportation options which are conceived at the local level. That program is a partnership between OCTA and local agencies, and the process was anticipated to foster local transit connectivity and extend the reach of Metrolink. In addition, the process was a competitive one between local agencies to help identify the best projects for funding consideration. In 2007, the City of Santa Ana's streetcar project was one of two selected to proceed to a Step I Feasibility Study which was completed in 2007. The streetcar was proposed as a partnership between the Cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove. While the project has been officially identified as the Santa Ana - Garden Grove Fixed - Guideway, it is more easily recognized as simply the "Streetcar." Although that partnership still exists today and is part of the project's planning and environmental review, it is anticipated that the partnership will transform into a regional one as the project moves through delivery and operations. In fall 2009, OCTA and the City authorized development of an alternatives analysis and a draft environmental impact report (DEIR). That effort received financial support by the City of Santa Ana for approximately $1.1 million. Today, the project's planning is nearly complete. The needs assessment was completed and accepted by OCTA before the alternatives analysis and environmental documents were prepared by the City's consultants. Those documents have been reviewed by City staff. The attached memo from the project team to the City Manager, as shown in Exhibit 4, confirms completion of alternatives analysis and DEIR. The City Manager will transmit the documents including a statement of legal sufficiency to the OCTA via a letter shown in Exhibit 5. Upon submittal, OCTA will also perform a final review and, thereafter, transmit the document to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). OCTA and the City anticipate that FTA will take two to three weeks for its review, but there is no guarantee of that, and the FTA review could take even several months. Nonetheless, the Environmental Review and Public Outreach Plan is ready, and staff will immediately act upon it when the FTA releases the environmental documents for public review. COORDINATION WITH OCTA In parallel to the project planning and environmental review described above, preparations by the City and OCTA are taking place which will help advance the project to design and construction. The plan involves 1) confirmation of policy decision by the local agency and OCTA that the project can be best developed and delivered by OCTA; and 2) development and approval of a financial plan to commit design, construction, and operation /maintenance funds for the project. On May 5, 2014, the OCTA Executive Committee is expected to receive staff recommendations to: 55E -2