a.  Finance-Auditing Committee/Committee of the Whole of April 10, 2008; and,
b.  Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of April 11, 2008.

Carried

Denial of Claims

a.  Claim of Reverend Marc L. Carr

Carried

b.  Claim of Suzanne Rischman

Carried

c.  Subrogation Claim of California State Automobile
     Association (Insured: John Kurylo)

Carried

Commemorative License Plate

Ms. Kupersmith provided an update regarding plans by the California Coastal Commission (Commission) to issue a new commemorative license plate, bearing the image of the Golden Gate Bridge, that will raise money for beach repair and beautification. She stated that next week, staff and the Attorney for the District will be meeting with the Executive Director of the Commission to discuss the District’s concerns regarding its intellectual property rights.

“Authorize a budget increase in the FY 07/08 Ferry Transit Division Capital Budget in the amount of $2,530,000, for the addition of the Larkspur Ferry Terminal Parking and Access Improvements Project, to be funded by $1,365,240 of U.S. Department of Transportation Urban Partnership Program funds, $729,000 of Federal Transit Administration funds and $435,760 of District funds.”

Mr. Mulligan also stated that after this construction is complete, it is the District’s intent to limit parking to that number. To implement this cap, the District will actively enforce parking regulations. Specifically, the District will ticket vehicles that park in the bicycle path or are otherwise illegally parked outside of the 1,808 marked parking spaces. The District will also tow illegally parked vehicles when appropriate. After construction is complete, the monthly ferry passenger ridership report will be modified to also state the number of vehicles that have been ticketed and towed during the previous month.

He stated that staff is proposing that the Board take the verbiage below and incorporate it into the proposed action as an amendment to the above-referenced recommendation.

“The construction of the Project will limit parking to 1,808 lawful parking spaces at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal facility, and this cap will be rigorously enforced and will remain in place until such time as future environmental clearance for any future parking expansion is conducted; and with the further understanding that after construction is complete, the monthly ferry passenger ridership report will be modified to also state the number of vehicles that have been ticketed and towed during the previous month.”

The following motion was made and seconded by Directors STROEH/REILLY to amend the recommendation, to read as follows:

“Authorize a budget increase in the FY 07/08 Ferry Transit Division Capital Budget in the amount of $2,530,000, for the addition of the Larkspur Ferry Terminal Parking and Access Improvements Project, to be funded by $1,365,240 of U.S. Department of Transportation Urban Partnership Program funds, $729,000 of Federal Transit Administration funds and $435,760 of District funds; with the understanding that the construction of the Project will limit parking to 1,808 lawful parking spaces at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal facility, and this cap will be rigorously enforced and will remain in place until such time as future environmental clearance for any future parking expansion is conducted; and with the further understanding that after construction is complete, the monthly ferry passenger ridership report will be modified to also state the number of vehicles that have been ticketed and towed during the previous month.”

AYES (14): Directors Cochran, Dufty, Eddie, Grosboll, Hernández, Kerns, Middlebrook, Newhouse Segal, Reilly, Sanders, Sandoval and Stroeh; Second Vice President Ammiano; President Moylan
NOES (0): None
ABSENT (5): Directors Brown, McGlashan, McGoldrick and Pahre; First Vice President Boro

Carried

Discussion ensued, including the following:

• Director Sanders made the following comments and inquiries:
  • She inquired as to how many parking spaces are currently in the LFT parking lot, and how many would be eventually gained by the parking improvement projects. In response, Mr. Mulligan noted the difference between cars parked legally and illegally at the LFT; and, further stated that currently there are approximately 1,800 cars per day that park at the LFT, but that there are only 1,600 legal, marked parking spaces. He further stated that the proposed project would address the current parking demand. He also described the separate project that contemplates building a parking garage, for which the District has partial funding from the Urban Partnership Program. He stated that this conceptual project would provide a net increase of approximately 650 new parking spaces. Ms. Kupersmith noted that the parking garage would require a full environmental clearance process.
  • She commented that another way to reduce greenhouse gases, other than by limiting vehicle use, is to use a clothes line to dry your laundry instead of using a clothes dryer.

• Director Dufty inquired as to the number of motorcycle parking spaces in the existing lot, as well as how many would exist after the completion of all phases of the Larkspur Ferry Terminal Parking and Access Improvements Project (LFT Parking Project). In response, Mr. Mulligan stated that at the present time, there are enough spaces to accommodate all motorcyclists who wish to park at the LFT. He noted that the District has made improvements to both motorcycle and bicycle parking in the past. He noted that the total 1,808 parking spaces noted above also includes High-Occupancy Vehicle parking, accessible parking and employee parking at the LFT.

• Director Ammiano inquired regarding the possibility of adding mixed-use housing at the LFT in conjunction with any future parking garage. In response, Mr. Mulligan described discussions that District staff has held with staff from the City of Larkspur, who are under pressure from the Association of Bay Area Governments to increase housing because of the City’s role as a transit hub. He stated that initially the City of Larkspur was contemplating consideration of including housing at the LFT, although they understood the constraints associated with the site, one being a 24-hour commercial operation. He stated that it is anticipated that the question of housing at the LFT will be discussed during the environmental review process for the parking garage.

• Director Grosboll made the following comments and inquiries:
  • He inquired regarding the improvements to be made to bicycle access and accessible parking at the LFT. In response, Mr. Mulligan stated that the LFT Parking Project will also reconstruct the bike path from East Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to the terminal buildings, as well as make improvements to existing accessible parking for persons with disabilities. He also noted that the Marin County Bicycle Coalition and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission staff are supportive of the proposed bike path improvements.
  • He requested that once the project is completed, staff keep track of how many bicyclists are parking their bicycles at the LFT for a six-month period. In response, James Swindler stated that Ferry Transit Division staff can accommodate his request and will conduct a survey of bicycle use at the LFT.
  • He inquired regarding the inclusion of parking spaces for City CarShare vehicles. In response, Ms. Kupersmith stated that accommodating the City CarShare Program, in the context of charging for parking, would be considered during the design and planning for the parking garage during Phase 2 of the LFT Parking Project.
  • He inquired as to the timetable for bringing forward the proposal for parking charges at the LFT. In response, Ms. Kupersmith stated that she would meet with key staff and expedite such a proposal. She noted that staff would review all of the technological and infrastructure issues associated with charging for parking. She stated that any proposal for parking charges at the LFT would also include a discount program.

David Schonbrunn, of TRANSDEF stated that future consideration of charging for parking at the LFT is crucial, in order to reduce the number of cars driving in Marin County, and thus reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in the County. He requested that for future high-profile District projects, such as the LFT Parking Project, that the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documentation be made public at the same time that the District’s Committees and Board of Directors consider taking action on such projects. He further stated that he met with staff and the Attorney for the District and that TRANSDEF’s concerns about the CEQA Notice of Exemption for the LFT Parking Project were dealt with by putting a cap on the number of parking spaces at the LFT. He noted that if the cap had not been put in place, the District would effectively be expanding the amount of parking at the LFT, thereby creating environmental impacts and placing the project in a different category of environmental review process. In conclusion, Mr. Schonbrunn stated that at this point, TRANSDEF is satisfied with the project as amended.

David Hoffman, of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC), stated that he was also speaking on behalf of the San Francisco Bay Trail, who share the concerns of the MCBC with respect to parking and bicycle access at the LFT. He stated that he understands the $12.8 million in Urban Partnership Program funds are slated to be used for “ferry access improvements,” which can be interpreted to mean projects other than building a parking garage. He stated that the MCBC urges the District to use the $12.8 million to help construct the Central Marin Ferry Connection Project, which project will entail a new bridge spanning Corte Madera Creek and provide safe access for bicyclists and pedestrians from Larkspur and Corte Madera to the LFT. He noted that the Marin Countywide Plan encourages alternative transportation modes other than automobiles.

Karen Nygren, Sierra Club Marin Group urged the District to charge for parking before contemplating building a parking garage at the LFT. She noted that the shuttle bus service to the LFT failed in the past because the availability of free parking created a disincentive for ferry passengers to ride the shuttle buses. She described some of the environmental constraints existing at the LFT site, as well as problems associated with the existing traffic congestion at the Greenbrae Interchange between U.S. Highway 101 and the LFT. She stated that the District should consider non-automobile alternatives to building a parking garage, such as shuttle bus service, since the addition of 650 new parking spaces at the LFT will contribute to the traffic congestion and produce more greenhouse gas emissions at the site.

Adopted

AYES (14): Directors Cochran, Dufty, Eddie, Grosboll, Hernández, Kerns, Middlebrook, Newhouse Segal, Reilly, Sanders, Sandoval and Stroeh; Second Vice President Ammiano; President Moylan
NOES (0): None
ABSENT (5): Directors Brown, McGlashan, McGoldrick and Pahre; First Vice President Boro

Approve a Revision to the Investment Policy and Amend RULE XI of the Rules of the Board

Directors STROEH/KERNS
Resolution No. 2008-036 approves adoption of the Investment Policy, as amended, and amends RULE XI, Section I., Permitted Investment Instruments, Subsection 3, of the Rules of the Board, in order to reflect revisions to the California Government Code Assembly Bill No. 1745, by replacing Subsection 3 in its entirety with the revised text as outlined below:

“(a) Bonds, notes, warrants, or other evidences of indebtedness issued by California or any local agency in California, including evidences of indebtedness, payable solely out of the revenues from a revenue producing property owned, controlled, or operated by the local agency or by a department, board, agency or authority of the local agency or by the State of California; (b) registered treasury notes or bonds of any of the other 49 United States in addition to California, including bonds payable solely out of the revenues from a revenue-producing property owned, controlled, or operated by a state or by a department, board, agency, or authority of any of the other 49 United States, in addition to California.”

Adopted

AYES (14): Directors Cochran, Dufty, Eddie, Grosboll, Hernández, Kerns, Middlebrook, Newhouse Segal, Reilly, Sanders, Sandoval and Stroeh; Second Vice President Ammiano; President Moylan
NOES (0): None
ABSENT (5): Directors Brown, McGlashan, McGoldrick and Pahre; First Vice President Boro