PURPOSE:

This report presents the 2004 Congestion Management Program (CMP) Local Development Report (LDR) for submission to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).  The City Council is requested to conduct a public hearing on the LDR and adopt the proposed resolution.

BACKGROUND:

Proposition 111, approved in 1990, authorized a nine-cent increase in the state gasoline tax and mandated the creation of a Congestion Management Program to address the mobility needs of the urbanized portions of the state.  In Los Angeles County, the MTA is the designated coordinating agency for the Los Angeles County CMP.  As part of the CMP, local agencies are required to participate in a regional deficiency plan.

In years past, the CMP utilized a system of debits and credits tracking development activity versus transportation improvements.  Each year, new development (�debits�) and transportation programs and improvements (�credits�) were inventoried to account for the impacts of local development on the regional transportation system.  However, starting with the approval of the 2004 CMP, this system has been suspended and cities do not have to track their debits and credits for the 2003-2004 reporting period.  Instead, cities must complete a Local Development Report which tracks development activity only.  MTA has suspended credit reporting while MTA staff conducts a nexus study on the implementation of a countywide congestion mitigation fee in lieu of the debits and credits system.

THIS YEAR�S REPORT:

The LDR reports new development where building permits were pulled between June 1, 2003 and May 31, 2004.  Completion of the annual LDR, along with an adopted resolution certifying conformance to the CMP must be submitted to MTA prior to September 1, 2004.  The proposed LDR, attached as Exhibit A, includes 4 sections:

1. 2004 Deficiency Plan Status Summary:  A summary of all development activity during the reporting period.  These numbers represent the total of all new development versus all demolitions or exempted development, as outlined on the subsequent portions of the report.

2. New Development Activity:  This section tracks new development during the reporting period as reported through building permit records.  Development for this year consists predominantly of residential units and also includes the Burbank Civic Plaza office development, commercial development at the former Costco site on Sherman Way, and production offices on the Warner Brothers site. 

3. New Development Adjustments: This section tracks all demolitions in the City as well as any exempted development.  Major demolitions for this year include the Old AMC site, office space on the Warner Brothers lot, and vacant industrial buildings on the Zero site.

4. Exempted Development Activity:  This section tracks any exempted development as defined by MTA that is not included in the yearly development totals.  The 43 units of the 141-unit Senior Artist Colony earmarked for low-income residents is the only development that qualified as exempted development for reporting purposes.

For the 2003-2004 period, the City of Burbank reported 206 new residential units (43 of those classified as low-income) and a loss of 248,000 square feet of commercial development.  This loss of square footage is predominately due to the demolition of the long-vacant industrial buildings on the Zero site.  Excluding these demolitions, the City saw a net increase of 57,000 square feet of development for the reporting period.

While MTA has suspended reporting of credits and debits until further notice, it has frozen the credit balances of each City until a countywide congestion mitigation fee nexus study is completed.  Exhibit B shows the City�s credit balance of 103,590 from last year in relation to the other agencies in Los Angeles County.

FISCAL IMPACT:

If the city failed to comply with the CMP, it would lose the revenue allocated by Proposition 111-authorized (Section 2105) gas tax revenues. This amounted to approximately $590,000 for the first 11 months of FY 2003-2004 and $636,000 for FY 2002-2003.  Non-compliance may also render Burbank ineligible for other State and Federal transportation program funds.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Staff recommends the City Council adopt the proposed resolution finding the City in conformance with the Congestion Management Program and adopting the 2004 CMP Local Development Report for the 2003-2004 reporting period.

EXHIBITS:

Exhibit A:        2003-2004 CMP Local Development Report

Exhibit B:        2004 Deficiency Plan Summary (prepared by MTA)

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