Drafter
Clerk 05/01/2012
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AN ORDINANCE relating to public transportation; adopting an update to the Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. The King County council adopted the King County Metro Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021 ("the strategic plan") and the King County Metro Service Guidelines ("the service guidelines") in July 2011.
2. The regional transit task force recommended that the strategic plan and service guidelines focus on transparency and clarity, cost control and productivity.
3. In July 2010, the King County council adopted the first-ever countywide King County Strategic Plan 2010-2014, establishing prioritized goals, objectives and strategies for the programs and services of King County government. The countywide plan was also intended to provide a framework for all agency-level strategic planning, including planning for the transit division.
4. The strategic plan and service guidelines build on the King County Strategic Plan 2010-2014 and the policy framework and recommendations of the regional transit task force and are also guided by the challenges King County Metro faces: regional growth; the evolving transportation system; climate change; diverse customer needs; and a structural funding deficit.
5. The strategic plan and service guidelines are meant to be living documents setting the policy for and guiding the implementation of the Metro transit service network while responding to growth throughout the county, while also incorporating regular review of policies by the regional transit committee.
6. Ordinance 17143, Section 6, which adopted the strategic plan and service guidelines, directs that by April 30, 2012, 2013 and 2015, and as necessary thereafter for the purpose of validating policy intent of the strategic plan, the executive shall transmit to the council an ordinance to update the strategic plan and service guidelines. The legislation and updates should include:
A. Changes necessary to account for separately adopted transit policy documents including updating the strategic plan and service guidelines;
B. Any proposed changes to address unanticipated issues associated with implementing the strategic plan and service guidelines;
C. Changes that may be necessary to achieve the five-year implementation plan for alternatives to traditional transit service delivery. The five-year implementation plan is required by Ordinance 17143, Section 7, consistent with the recommendations from the 2010 regional transit task force and guidance from the service guidelines;
D. Changes necessary to address the results of the collaborative process required in Ordinance 17143, Section 8; and
E. Additional substantive changes that may also be proposed following regional transit committee discussion.
7. Ordinance 17143, Section 7, requires that by June 15, 2012, the executive shall transmit to the council, for acceptance by motion, a five-year implementation plan for alternatives to traditional transit service delivery consistent with the recommendations from the 2010 regional transit task force and guidance from the service guidelines. The plan should, at a minimum, include:
A. Review of alternative service delivery best practices in the transit industry;
B. Consideration of local service needs;
C. Stakeholder involvement;
D. Costs and benefits of all evaluated alternative service delivery options;
E. A summary of constraints to implementation and methods to reduce barriers for change;
F. Strategies to build ridership, such as through marketing, where resources are available to do so;
G. Recommendations for alternative service delivery; and
H. A timeline for implementation actions.
8. The proposed update meets the requirements of Ordinance 17143, Section 6, and provides the basis for policy changes necessary to achieve the five-year implementation plan for alternative services that will be transmitted on June 15, 2012.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. The King County Metro Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021 is hereby updated to incorporate two new strategies, which is Attachment A to
this ordinance, to address policies necessary to facilitate achievement of the five-year implementation plan for alternatives to traditional service.