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Office of the Central Virginia Planning District Commission
828 Main Street, 12th Floor
Lynchburg, VA 24504
Large Conference Room | 4:00 pm
Agenda
1. Call to Order, John Sharp, Chair
2. Approval of Minutes: October 18, 2018 Meeting | Attachment 2 | John Sharp, Chair
The minutes of the October 18, 2018 meeting of the CVMPO are attached for your review and approval.
Recommendation: Staff recommends approval.
3. Opportunity for Public Comment, John Sharp, Chair
4. Adoption of FY 2018-2019 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), Scott Smith, Transportation Planning Director, CVPDC
The CVMPO’s Work Program and Budget for FY 20 | Attachment 4a | is presented for the members’ consideration and approval. The UPWP is the document that will guide the staff activities for the coming year. Projects of note in the UPWP include the bulk of the 2045 update to the Central Virginia Long Range Transportation Plan. This is a major 18-month process that will end in the late summer of 2020. Other activities include working with localities on the SMART SCALE project submittal process, providing technical assistance to area localities, continued support for the Lynchburg Regional Connectivity Study and continuing efforts related to alternative transportation (bicycle and pedestrian opportunities). CVMPO staff also provide support to several local committees, including the LRBA’s Lynchburg Regional Transportation Advocacy Group (LRTAG) and the Lynchburg Pedestrian Advisory Committee.
Additionally, planning assistance is provided to the GLTC, including providing support in implementing the 2018 Transit Development Plan (TDP), providing support for the pilot program involving the creation of a strategic plan for GLTC, prioritizing ADA improvements at bus stops, and working with GLTC to consolidate bus stops and make route adjustments, as needed.
The regional van pool study that was authorized for FY 19 has been delayed due to DRPT’s development of a statewide van pool plan. Our region’s study will be created in FY 20.
The Transportation Technical Committee (TTC) has reviewed and recommends the UPWP be adopted. Two resolutions of support are needed for approval of this document: the first resolution is for the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration | Attachment 4c |; the second resolution is for the Virginia Department of Rails and Public Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration | Attachment 4b |.
Recommendation: Staff recommends adoption of the resolutions.
5. Report from Bylaws Subcommittee – Recommended Changes to the Bylaws, Turner Perrow, CVMPO Board Member
In early 2018, the CVMPO Policy Board appointed a subcommittee consisting of Turner Perrow and Frank Rogers of the Policy Board and Paul Harvey of the Technical Committee to work with staff to perform a comprehensive review of the organization’s bylaws, which had not been updated since 1999.
The subcommittee has met several times since then, and staff has communicated with VDOT, Federal Highway Administration, and a number of MPOs from Virginia and beyond in order to obtain guidance and current best practices,
The proposed changes in | Attachment 5a | and | Attachment 5b | have been recommended by the subcommittee. In addition, the changes regarding the organization’s name and committees were reviewed and recommended for approval by the Transportation Technical Committee at its March 14, 2019 meeting.
Attachment 5a shows the current bylaws with markup and comments (words that are struckthrough are proposed to be deleted, and words that are underlined are proposed to be added), while attachment 5b shows a “clean” version of the bylaws with all proposed changes incorporated. Many of the proposed changes are simply intended to clarify the mission and purpose of the organization or to update language. Some proposed changes, however, are substantive. Those are outlined below.
- Article I, Section 1 – Name: To reduce confusion and better reflect the specific mission of MPOs, some organizations around the country are re-designating themselves as Transportation Planning Organizations, or TPOs. Three of the larger Virginia MPOs (Roanoke, Richmond, and Hampton Roads) took the opportunity to change their name when they were recently classified as Transportation Management Areas (TMAs). Examples of TPOs that are not classified as TMAs (having an urbanized area population of greater than 50,000 but under 200,000) include Kingsport, TN, Gainesville, FL, and Sebring, FL. Staff has communicated with FHWA and VDOT Lynchburg District staff who are supportive of the change. A review of the federal regulations has found no prohibitions to an MPO of our size calling itself something other than an MPO. We would still function as the MPO for the Lynchburg urbanized area in the eyes of the federal regulations and state code but would be outwardly known as a TPO.
- Article III, Section 1 – Voting Members: By acknowledging as a voting member the appointee of the Secretary of Transportation, we are putting into writing what has been practiced for years and are bringing the bylaws language in line with the MOU between the MPO, GLTC, and the Secretary of Transportation (the current MOU is dated 6/1/18 and is located in tab 2 of your MPO notebook). In the recent past, the Secretary’s appointee has been the VDOT Lynchburg District Administrator.
- Article III, Section 2 – Non-Voting Members: This adds a representative of the Planning District Commission to the board (this supports existing language in Article V, Section 1 that names the executive director (or designee) of the PDC as the secretary of the board). Additionally, this change officially adds a representative of Liberty University to the board as a non-voting member. This has been normal practice for a number of years but was not added to the bylaws.
- Article III, Section 3 – Alternate Members: Deleted. See Article IV, Section 4 below.
- Article IV, Section 4 – Proxy Votes: In the past, proxy voting was not allowed, but alternate members could be officially designated by the members’ respective boards or councils (this required a vote at a meeting of the governing body). By discontinuing the alternate member policy and instead allowing proxies, the process is streamlined and now agrees with the bylaws of the CVPDC.
- Article V, Section 2 – Terms of Office: The chair and vice chair may now only serve two consecutive terms.
- Article VIII, Section 1 – Transportation Technical Committee: Proposed changes in this section 1) remove the shared vote between Lynchburg City Planning and Engineering representatives (they would each now have a vote), 2) allows a representative from each town, 3) allows up to one citizen representative from each locality, but does not require that one be appointed, 4) adds a Liberty University representative, 5) reduces the quorum from a simple majority to 25% of the seated members (the large membership makes it very difficult for a quorum to currently be achieved), 6) establishes the annual election of a committee chair.
- Article VIII, Section 2 – Community Transportation Advisory Committee: A committee consisting of representatives of various community organizations has been included in the bylaws since the beginning but has not been seated in at least 15 years. With increased ability to gather public input through technology and the existence of groups like the Lynchburg Region Transportation Advocacy Group (LRTAG) (a program of the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance), it is likely that this committee is no longer necessary. Relevant organizations will continue to be engaged for specific projects, especially updates to the LRTP. These include the LRTAG and GLTC’s customer and ADA committees. Removing the Community Advisory Committee will in no way hamper the organization’s efforts or ability to interface with the general public through meetings and workshops, surveys, and other methods.
- Article VIII, Section 1 – Regular Meetings: This changes the meeting schedule from monthly to quarterly, as has been the usual practice. Special meetings may still be called if needed.
- Article VIII, Section 5 – Quorum: This reduces the quorum from a simple majority of voting members (6) to 5 in order to increase the likelihood that business can be conducted if attendance is lower than usual. While the number required for the quorum is different, the idea of a quorum that is less than a majority is in keeping with the PDC’s bylaws.
If agreeable to the Policy Board, the proposed amendments will be placed on the agenda for approval at the July 18, 2019. All bylaw amendments would take effect on that day, except possibly for the name change, which may require that a new “cooperative agreement” be approved by the five member localities following the Policy Board’s vote. This question has been submitted to counsel and the answer will be known prior to the July meeting.
Any further proposed changes to the bylaws will need to be made prior to June 12, 2019 so that the final version can be distributed at least 30 days in advance of the meeting (as currently required).
Recommendation: Participate in the Discussion.
6. Adoption of Resolution Supporting the Potomac Long Bridge Expansion Project | Attachment 6 |
The Washington, DC District Department of Transportation (DDOT), in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), is completing a comprehensive study for the rehabilitation or replacement of the Long Bridge over the Potomac River. The existing two-track railroad bridge, owned by CSX Transportation (CSXT), serves freight (CSXT), intercity passenger (Amtrak) and commuter rail (Virginia Railway Express [VRE]). Built in 1904, the ancient bridge is operating at 98% capacity. Virginia transportation officials have stated that there can be no further additions of passenger rail service until Long Bridge’s capacity is expanded. This includes a second Northeast Regional Amtrak train as called for in the Lynchburg Regional Connectivity Study along with any further expansions to the New River Valley or further southwest.
The Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO adopted a similar resolution in January. These resolutions will be presented to Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine in order to aide the Commonwealth’s efforts to allocate or advocate for funding for this critical project.
Recommendation: Staff recommends adoption of the resolution.
7. Election of FY 2019-2020 Officers, John Sharp, Chair
The CVMPO Bylaws call for election of a Chair and Vice Chair at the last scheduled meeting of the fiscal year (in this case, the April meeting). Officers serve for one-year terms beginning on July 1 and may be re-elected.
Recommendation: Participate in the process.
8. Presentation on VTrans 2045 Update, Chris Wichman, Office of Intermodal Planning & Development, Office of the Secretary of Transportation
VTrans is Virginia's multimodal transportation plan developed by the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) every four years. VTrans lays out the overarching Vision and Goals for transportation in the Commonwealth, identifies transportation investment priorities, and provides direction on implementation strategies and programs to the CTB and to transportation agencies such as Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), as well as regional MPOs.
OIPI (Office of Intermodal Planning & Investment) staff will give a presentation to look back on the accomplishments of VTrans2040 and to highlight new opportunities for our region as we participate in the VTrans 2045 update.
Recommendation: Participate in the discussion.
9. Matters from the Members
10. Adjournment
11. Informational Items
The CVMPO will be meeting at 4:00 p.m. on the following dates, unless otherwise noted or notified.
- July 18, 2019
- October 17, 2019
- January 16, 2020
The CVMPO ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you have questions or concerns about your civil rights in regards to this project or need special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, please contact the CVMPO. Sign language or non-English language interpreters will be provided if needed and requested in advance of this meeting. Please contact the CVMPO at 434-845-3491 to request an interpreter.