City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Resolution for Modifications to the Potomac Yard Metrorail Implementation Work Group Membership and Responsibilities. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
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ISSUE: Consideration of a Resolution for Modifications to the Potomac Yard Metrorail Implementation Work Group (PYMIG) membership and responsibilities.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council adopt the proposed resolution (Attachment 1) which revises the PYMIG membership and responsibilities.
BACKGROUND: On May 20, 2015, the City Council selected Alternative B as the locally preferred alternative for the purposes of fulfilling the City’s obligation under the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for construction of the proposed Potomac Yard Metrorail Station. At that time, City Council also directed staff to bring back a recommendation on modifications to PYMIG to ensure the group makeup, roles, and responsibilities were consistent with the next phase of the project.
Throughout the planning process for the Metrorail station, citizen work groups have provided an important forum for community and stakeholder input. A Metrorail Station Feasibility Work Group was established in October of 2008 and met through February of 2010. In June 2011, the Potomac Yard Metrorail Station Feasibility Work Group was re-convened as PYMIG to assist in the review of the EIS and provide input to staff, the Transportation Commission, and the City Council through adoption of a Final EIS.
DISCUSSION: In 2011, City Council established PYMIG to ensure a thorough technical analysis of a potential new Metrorail station and ensure full coordination with other City efforts. At that time, the Potomac Yard Planning Advisory Group representative was changed to an at-large member and a representative was added from the Environmental Policy Commission. As the project moves into the next phase of implementation, staff recommends that the composition and responsibilities of the group be revised to enable PYMIG to function as a forum for the public outreach process through station opening.
The proposal to restructure PYMIG is intended to enable flexibility in its responsibilities so that the group can consider the variety of issues that will arise through project implementation. PYMIG’s responsibilities will focus on design and construction. One of the group’s proposed primary new roles will be to act as a forum for the public outreach process throughout the project duration. PYMIG will host the public meetings during the design process and will continue to serve as a public forum through station opening.
PYMIG’s responsibilities in 2011 were primarily to review documents related to the environmental process, provide policy guidance to City and WMATA staff, analyze station concept refinement, and consider funding issues related to the new Metrorail station. As currently configured, PYMIG includes the following representatives:
• Two members of City Council;
• One representative from the Planning Commission;
• One representative from the Transportation Commission;
• One representative from the Environmental Policy Commission; and
• One at-large member from the community.
Staff is proposing to modify the composition and charge of PYMIG to better address issues associated with implementation and to provide a forum for discussing community impacts during construction, including opportunities to mitigate those impacts. The current PYMIG discussed this revised composition change at its meeting on September 21, and this proposal reflects PYMIG’s input. This modified PYMIG would remain in place through the opening of the Metrorail station. PYMIG’s proposed revised responsibilities would include:
• Review and provide input on EIS documents;
• Provide input on project design;
• Receive updates on funding issues related to the new Metrorail station; and
• Facilitate discussion of construction mitigation for community impacts beforehand and during construction.
Staff also proposes to modify PYMIG’s membership to enable it to fulfill its revised role. The proposed composition is:
• Two members of City Council;
• One representative from the Planning Commission;
• One representative from the Transportation Commission;
• One representative from the Environmental Policy Commission;
• One representative from the Parks and Recreation Commission, as part of the project will involve the redesign of features in Potomac Yard Park and Potomac Greens Park (new);
• One community representative from the neighborhoods east of the CSX tracks within the Potomac Yard Small Area Plan area (new);
• One community representative from west of the CSX tracks within the Potomac Yard Small Area Plan area (new);
• One at-large business representative with an interest in the project (new); and
• Two at-large community representatives with an interest in the project (one existing, one new).
Staff from the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services and the Department of Project Implementation will serve as primary liaisons to PYMIG with support from other departments and consultants when needed. The staff of WMATA will also provide support.
FISCAL IMPACT: The coordinating support by City staff will be conducted with the allocated operational budgets for each of these Departments. No additional funding will be needed to help coordinate PYMIG tasks. As the project advances, staff will be providing updates to the City Council regarding information on project financing. Updates will include the status of any grants or other funding sources that staff is seeking. In fall 2015, staff will be bringing to the City Council an amendment to the City’s agreement with WMATA, which will include funding for work on the RFP package.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Resolution to revise the Potomac Yard Metrorail Implementation Work Group charter
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Christopher Spera, Deputy City Attorney, Office of City Attorney
Yon Lambert, AICP, Director, T&ES
Karl W. Moritz, Director, P&Z
Mitchell Bernstein, P.E., Acting Director, DPI
Sandra Marks, AICP, Deputy Director, T&ES Transportation
Jeffery Farner, Deputy Director, P&Z
Christopher Bever, Assistant Budget Director, OMB
Ramond Robinson, Division Chief, T&ES Transit Services
Lee Farmer, AICP, Principal Transportation Planner, T&ES Transit Services
Daphne Kott, P.E., Civil Engineer IV, DPI
Nathan Imm, Urban Planner, P&Z
Bethany Znidersic, Urban Planner, RPCA