TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORY AGENCY - PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE - EST 1986

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o; Robert C. Bobb, City Manage David H. Grosse, Executive m: Public Services Agency ,ubject: OOUIM TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR DEVELOPER FEE PROGRAM Date March 6, 1965 Staff has reviewed the proposed Orange County Transportation Corridor Developer Fee Program for the San Joaquin Hills, Eastern, and Foothill Transportation Corridors and has participated in numerous workshops with County, Commission, and other city staffs concerning the proposal. Our recommendation is against participation in the County program for the following reasons: ° Benefit. The closest point of any proposed Corridor to the corporate limits of Santa Ana is two miles. The benefit to developers in Santa Ana has not been clearly established. • Equity. The proposed assessment fee for areas of secondary benefit, such as Santa Ana, is 50% of the primary benefit area assessment giving an unfair advantage to landowners in south County. ° Unresolved Needs.. Neither the Eastern nor Foothill Corridor provides a link to .central Orange County. This missing link has been dubbed the "Bottleneck" and is the subject of a "Bottleneck Analysis" to be conducted in the future by the Commission. A solution for the "Bottleneck" is not included in the financing package. Extension of the 57 Freeway, or a north-south expressway in western Santa Ana is not included in the funding analysis, although developers in that area will be paying. ° Existing Deficiencies. The developer fee program is 'a commitment to fund three freeways. Existing congestion spots, such as the 55 Freeway, the 5 Freeway, and the 5/55 Interchange which have been presumed funded, are now in question. Unless there is a State gas tax increase to finance these needed programs, available County revenues will be committed to build new transportation corridors, leaving existing congestion spots unaddressed. ° Arterial Maintenance. Santa Ana's arterial maintenance program has suffered in recent years from rising maintenance needs /costs and reduced budgets. The County has now proposed to eliminate a pass through program (arterial highway financing program - AHFP) so that their funds could be used to maintain County roadways rather than city roadways. Santa Ana stands to lotse over one -half million dollars per year fran elimination of this pass through. Inter -City Agreements. Santa Ana is already participating in- inter- city agreements with Orange, Irvine, and Costa Mesa, and is considering a new agreement including Irvine, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, and the County for arterial congestion relief. These assessments on developers , amounting to,approximately 1% of construction costs, would be doubled to participate in the County program.