Regional Council Activity Report, April 8, 1998
Last month I wrote about HB 2564, Regional Transportation Administration. This bill would remove freeway decision-making for the sales tax funded freeway program from MAG and give it to a seven-member board appointed by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. The bill was passed by the State House and sent to the State Senate. It has been assigned to the Senate Transportation Committee. No hearing is scheduled.
This month I would also like to discuss HB 2361, Growing Smarter, and a private growth management initiative. These endeavors relate to the planning of each local government and regional planning through your Regional Council.
HB 2361 has three main elements.
1. General/Comprehensive Plans and rezoning:
The bill proposes to:
2. Urban watercourse and urban trust lands:
The bill allows for local bonding to finance up to three urban watercourse
projects and requires the State Land Commissioner to create conceptual use
plans for all urban trust lands at least every ten years. These plans would
include the delineation of open spaces to be conserved through the Arizona
Preserve Initiative (API). The bill appropriates funding for long range
planning within the State Land Department and the API.
3. Creation of a Growing Smarter Commission and Advisory Committee:
The commission and committee would consider a list of issues and submit
a report of findings to the Governor and Legislature. Among the issues to
be considered would be amending the mandates of the State Land Department,
amending the state constitution to allow state trust/private land exchanges,
forming local planning statutes, regional planning, growth funding and financing.
Their recommendations should be complete by September 1, 1999.
The Citizens for Growth Management are circulating petitions for signature for a Citizens Growth Management Act. This initiative would require municipalities with a population of 2,500 or more to adopt growth management plans to set urban growth boundaries, limit development and new city services outside the boundaries, require developers to pay for roads and schools to serve their new developments, and protect air quality standards. Plans could not be changed without voter approval, and citizens could also adopt plans and amendments by initiative. In order to have the Act placed on the November 1998 general election ballot for approval by Arizona's voters, at least 112,000 signatures must be gathered from Arizona's registered voters by July 2, 1998.
The potential impact of these proposals will be discussed by the Management Committee and Regional Council in April.
Homeless Plan Update
Councilmember Sara Moya, Paradise Valley, co-chair of the Homeless Task Force, presented the 1998 Homeless Plan Update to the Regional Council. In 1996, the Regional Council requested an update of the 1991 MAG Homeless Plan to determine whether existing strategies should be revised or new strategies should be developed. A Homeless Working Group was convened for this purpose, which included Councilmember Dennis Cahill of Tempe who acted as the co-chairman, Councilmember Dennis Kavanaugh of Mesa, Councilmember Manuel Martinez of Glendale and Councilmember Cody Williams of Phoenix, along with other members. Recommendations were developed in four areas: services, housing, employment and public policy. Homelessness remains a regional issue, with approximately 8,000 homeless persons valley wide on any given day. There is a need to site additional shelters across the region, address the increasing crisis in homelessness for domestic violence victims, and to focus attention on the severe lack of services for those with alcohol, drug and mental health problems. The Regional Council approved the 1998 Homeless Plan Update.
After the plan was completed, a new issue of importance came to light. Much of the funding providing services to homeless people in the Valley is derived from the competitive federal Stewart B. McKinney Act. The Valley has been extremely successful in acquiring these funds. However, these grants are time-limited and approximately $19.5 million expire in 1999. These funds provide rental vouchers for 534 homeless persons who are seriously mentally ill. The Regional Council requested that its member agencies send a letter to the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) supporting a request by the Arizona Department of Commerce and the City of Phoenix to modify the federal application process to allow time to develop a funding strategy to ensure these formerly homeless mentally ill persons do not lose their housing.
For more information, contact Carol Kratz, Human Services Manager, 254-6300
July 1, 1997 Water Service Area Resident Population
One example of regional partnerships with other agencies is the work done each year by MAG to prepare Water Service Area Resident Population numbers on behalf of the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR). These updates are based upon the 1995 Special Census and developed using a method consistent with the method used to prepare municipality population numbers. The population updates are used by ADWR in assessing municipal compliance with per capita water use targets. The Regional Council approved the July 1, 1997 Water Service Area Resident Population Updates.
For more information, contact Harry Wolfe, Aviation and Socioeconomic Program Manager, 254-6300
Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments require that the MAG Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and transportation plans be in conformance with the applicable air quality plans. The TIP serves as a five-year regional guide for the preservation, management and expansion of public services, including highways, ridesharing, transit facilities and various congestion mitigation and air quality improvement projects. Projects in the TIP are from local, state and federal sources. MAG federal funds in the TIP total approximately $40 million per year. The LRTP is a 20-year regional guide for the development of a financially feasible transportation system. The LRTP considers all types of transportation facilities, socioeconomic and land use conditions and air quality implications. The Regional Council gave their approval to perform an air quality conformity analysis for the Long Range Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Program this month. The full plan will likely be brought forward for approval in July.
For more information, contact Terry Johnson, Transportation Manager, 254-6300
Resolution of Appreciation for Roger Herzog
Roger Herzog, Engineering Manager of the Maricopa Association of Governments, is retiring this year after 20 years of dedicated service. Roger was the Manager of the MAG Transportation and Planning Office and was instrumental in leading the staff effort to plan the freeways for Proposition 300, overwhelmingly approved by the voters. As Engineering Manager, Roger led the air quality and transportation modeling effort that provided local and state policy-makers the information for addressing our air quality challenges. The Regional Council passed a resolution of appreciation for his years of dedicated service to local government in Arizona.
Most Stringent PM-10 Control Measures
Section 188(e) of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 allows for an extension of the attainment date for a Serious PM-10 nonattainment area if the plan for the area, among other requirements, includes the most stringent measures that are included in the implementation plan of any State or are achieved in practice in any State, and can feasibly be implemented in the area. Fifteen potential measures have been identified for consideration which may be the most stringent in any state for PM-10 sources located in the Maricopa nonattainment area. The feasibility of these measures for implementation in this area will be determined by the potential implementing entity. This issue will be presented to the Management Committee and Regional Council in April, 1998.
For more information, contact Lindy Bauer, Environmental Programs
Manager, 254-6300
Growth Management Initiatives
HB 2361, Growing Smarter, and a private growth management initiative were both addressed in the Director's Report. A study session on the growth management initiatives will be presented to the Management Committee and Regional Council in April, 1998.
For more information, contact Leslie Dornfeld, Regional Development Planning Manager, 254-6300
March Showcase Agency, City of Surprise
Mayor Joan Shafer spoke about her city, which has grown from a one square mile area with 500 residents to a city of 68 square miles and over 14,000 residents. The city is growing so rapidly, a new home is built every 2 hours. Mayor Shafer also complimented the City of Phoenix for cooperatively working with Surprise on issues involving the Luke Air Force Base Auxiliary Field 3 property. The property, owned by Phoenix, is no longer used by the Air Force and is located within the corporate limits of Surprise. Mayor Shafer invited everyone to visit the city.
ISTEA Reauthorization
The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, ISTEA, expired on September 30, 1997. To maintain the flow of federal dollars, last year Congress extended the existing version of the bill until May 1, 1998. The Senate has recently agreed on a multi-year measure to reauthorize ISTEA, which would include an increase in average current funding of over 50% per year for Arizona's highways. The legislation also includes significant additional funding for transit. The House passed its version of the bill on April 1. The House and Senate will now form a conference committee to work out the differences between the two bills. It is now conceivable that a bill reauthorizing ISTEA could be signed by the President before the May 1, 1998 deadline.
For more information, contact John Farry, Transportation Planning
Program Manager, 254-6300
Region 2025 Vision
A one-hour briefing on the activities of the Region 2025 Vision committee is given each month prior to the Management Committee Meeting. Currently the committee is actively engaged in establishing collaborative groups to provide input to the Region 2025 Vision Committee, and creating an environmental scan to identify what we are like now and what we would be like in the future. Anyone from our member jurisdictions is invited to join these briefings.
For more information, contact Monique de los Rios, Region 2025 Vision Program Manager, 254-6300
Intermodal Planning Group
On April 8 and 9, 1998, the Maricopa Association of Governments will present its Fiscal Year 1999 Budget and Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) to the federal funding authorities. The work program describes the regional planning activities that will be conducted during the coming year, and identifies the mission, goals, past year's accomplishments, and objectives of the program areas that will be pursued. This year the Budget and UPWP have been combined into one concise and more easily understood document that details the cost for each program area. Additionally, an important new component this year is a series of outcome measures identified for each program area to ensure that projects are not only appropriate but are also being carried out both efficiently and effectively. This year's meeting will include a review of the MAG planning certification, done every three years by the Department of Transportation. It is anticipated that the Annual Budget and Unified Planning Work Program will be presented to the Management Committee and Regional Council in May, 1998.
For more information, contact James M. Bourey, Executive Director, or Dennis Smith, 254-6300
Sunday on Central
The City of Phoenix is sponsoring the 11th annual Sunday on Central festival, which is scheduled for April 19, 1998 between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The festival is held on Central Avenue from McDowell to Osborn. MAG has rented a space for this popular festival and looks forward to seeing you there. If your community has an event similar to this, please let us know so that we might participate.
For more information, contact John Farry, Transportation Planning
Program Manager, 254-6300
Annual Awards Evening
MAG is currently inviting nominations for the 1998 Desert Peaks Awards. The awards focus on a commitment to the spirit of regionalism, and honor Regional Excellence, member agency Regional Partnership, Public-Private Partnership, and Distinguished Service. The awards dinner will be held at the Hyatt Regency, Phoenix, in conjunction with the Regional Council Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 24, 1998.
For more information, contact Rita Walton, Policy and Information Manager, 254-6300
Next Regional Council Meeting
The next Regional Council Meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 29, 1998. The main topics on the agenda are expected to include:
• A presentation by the April Showcase Agency, Fountain Hills
• Most Stringent PM-10 Control Measures
• Growth Management Proposals Discussion
For more information, contact James M. Bourey, Executive Director, 254-6300