MATS CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING – MINUTES SUMMARY

MACON-BIBB COUNTY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION

682 CHERRY ST., SUITE 1000, MACON, GEORGIA 31201

Meeting Description: MATS Citizens Advisory Committee Regular Meeting

Date: 10-14-15
    Time: 4:00pm     Location: Macon-Bibb County P & Z Commission, 10^th Floor Conference Room

MINUTES

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 @ 4:11PM by Mike Greenwald, Planning Director.

Adoption of Agenda – Action Item: During the adoption of the agenda, it was suggested to move the election of CAC Chairman/Vice-Chairman to new business in an effort to allow a quorum to be formed. The agenda was adopted with the necessary suggestion.

Introduction of Meeting Attendees: Planning staff members & members of the MATS Citizens Advisory Committee introduced themselves, in addition to members of the general public.

Election of CAC Chair / Vice-Chairman – Action Item: Dr. John Swint was elected as Chairman and Ms. Mary Lou Ezell was elected as Vice-Chairman.

Public Comment Period (2 Minutes): Members of the general public were offered an opportunity to address the Citizen’s Advisory Committee and planning staff. Items of concern were:

• Time allotted for public comment: The CAC voted to change the current allotted public comment time from 2 minutes to a 5-minute time limit per person with no limit to the overall time for public input, meaning that the CAC will be open to hear more than an hour worth of public input (if necessary), in addition to having a public sign-in sheet available at the beginning of the meeting. It was also suggested that the general public can send pre-information to the CAC beforehand. The motion passed with one opposition.
• The scheduled time for CAC meetings: The CAC voted to recommend the scheduled time for meetings to begin at 6:00PM instead of the current set time of 4:00PM.
• Quorum: The CAC voted to recommend to amend the bylaws to change the current quorum requirement from 11 members to 7 members.
• Newly Appointed Members: The CAC voted to appoint the following members to the committee: Michael Brown, Bicycle/Pedestrian Representative; Tina Hopper, Disabled Population Representative; Jada Robinson, Transit User
• Publishing of MATS CAC Members Email Address: Jim Thomas mentioned that there has been several requests from the general public requesting their email address. A motion was made that anything coming from the general public to the MATS CAC should be channeled through the MATS Planning Staff. Approved!

Jim Thomas mentioned that some on the recommended changes such as changing the meeting time and the quorum will have to go through the bylaws procedural process.

Greg Brown come up with ways to allow members of the general public to get items added to the MATS CAC agenda.

Presentation of the draft UPWP (Unified Planning Work Program) FY 17 – Action Item: Mike Greenwald explained that the draft UPWP document is a required document that the MATS Staff have to do every year for submission to the federal government to justify what we’re doing and how the federal transportation dollars will be used. Overview of the funding reporting process for the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Process). The diagram demonstrates funding through key primary sources: FHWA Administration Funds (PL Funds) and FTA Funds (5303 Funds). The funds are channeled through the Georgia Department of Transportation to the various MPO’s across the State of Georgia. After an in-depth overview of the draft UPWP, the CAC voted to approve the draft UPWP FY 17 as presented. Approved!

Presentation of TIP (Transportation Improvement Program) Amendments – Action Item: Mike Greenwald provided an overview of the TIP by stating that the TIP is a subset of projects from the LRTP (Long Range Transportation Plan). Projects can be amended or adjusted as new information becomes available to the MPO or GDOT. If changes are fairly small (moving a construction year), that is an administrative – modification that can happen on a staff level to the TIP. However, if major/significant changes affects a project such as design change, budget change or project cancellations, it then has to go through a formal amendment process.

Ken North provided a review of the TIP project amendments at the request of GDOT:

• TIP Amendment: SR 49 @ Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge Replacement: Construction and utility phases are moved to FY 2017 and Right-of-Way is moved to FY 2016;
• TIP Amendment: I-75 Lighting Replacement Project (From Pierce Avenue to Arkwright Road): Construction phase moved from FY 2015 to FY 2016 with a total cost increase from $2.3 million to $4.7 million;
• TIP Amendment: SR 11/SR 49/US 41 @ Rocky Creek/Tobesofkee Creek: (Bridge Replacement Project of 8 Separate Bridges): The Right-of- Way cost increased and the project moved out to FY 2015 and the Construction / Utility Phases are shifted out beyond FY 2017;
• TIP Amendment: SR 11/SR 49 @ Norfolk Southern Railroad: New Railroad Bridge Replacement Project (Hawkinsville Road): Preliminary Engineering scheduled for FY 2016 and Construction is not finalized for this project.

After an in-depth overview of the TIP amendments, the CAC voted to approve the TIP amendments as presented. Approved!

Presentation of LRTP (Long Range Transportation Plan) Status Update – Agenda Item: Mike Greenwald and Brad Belo provided an overview of the LRTP Schedule & Public Involvement process. The LRTP is updated every (4) four years. Brad presented the scheduled milestones to be accomplished:

• Socio – Economic Data and Network Modeling;
• Goals, Objectives, Performance Measures and Desired Trends;
• Development of Comprehensive Transportation Plan / Vision;
• Financially Constrained Plan;
• Approval of the 2040 LRTP Update

Mike continued to describe GDOT’s Modeling Process. No action was taken on this agenda item.

Old/Unfinished Business:

Seventh Street Truck Route Update: Jim Thomas reported that the project is in the 2040 network which is a low priority in the plan. The Mayor and Board of Commissioners now view this project as a high priority and are now looking for local money to develop a concept and scoping document to advance the project in the LRTP and TIP. A draft concept of the project is available and can be made available to the CAC to review. The overall concept is to remove truck traffic from MLK/Broadway to Walnut; an improvement at Seventh Street with a possible roundabout (at the entrance of the park) and improvements to the railroad crossings that will reconnect with the Eisenhower Parkway Extension. No widening’s are anticipated for Seventh Street. No action was taken on this agenda item.

Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) Vacant Positions: Jim Thomas presented the 3 positions on the CAC that needs to be declared vacant. According to the bylaws, the CAC Chairman declared the following CAC positions vacant because of (3) three consecutive absences from members representing the following districts: Commission District 3; Commission District 6 and Commission District 7.

New Business:

MAP (Macon Action Plan) Update: The CAC and general public received a presentation on the Macon Action Plan by Alex Morrison, Urban Development Authority. The Macon Action Plan is the “urban core” plan for the entire community to include transit policy suggestions and road improvement suggestions, etc. The natural barriers of the “urban core” area is bounded roughly by: Ocmulgee national monument/Emery Highway, Mercer University, the Railroad, the interstate, the Ocmulgee River, the Rose Hill Cemetery and Seventh Street. Public comment made a major difference in producing the plan. More information on the Macon Action Plan can be found at: http://www.maconactionplan.com/ No action was taken on this agenda item.

Project Status Report – Agenda Item: The GDOT project status report was distributed to meeting attendees for information.

Next Meeting Dates: The next regular meeting of the CAC is scheduled to be held on January 13, 2016 at 6:00PM as a Special Called meeting.

Adjourn:

The meeting was adjourned at 6:19pm.

*Please Note: A digital recording is available for detail minutes from the October 14, 2015 meeting.