Ventura County Grand Jury • 2004-2005

Ventura County Transportation Commission Oversight Review

Published: September 23, 2004 8 pages
Ver PDF original

Findings and Recommendations 17 findings

F01
The VCTC’s mission is, “To improve mobility within the county and increase funding to meet transportation needs.”
No recommendations for this finding
F02
The VCTC is a public agency whose board consists of all five county supervisors, one representative from each of the incorporated cities (mayor or member of city council), one citizen member appointed by the County Board of Supervisors, one citizen member appointed by the County City Selection Committee, and one non-voting member appointed by the governor (traditionally from CalTrans).1
No recommendations for this finding
F03
The VCTC, created by state legislation in 1988, is charged with establishing transportation policies, setting priorities and coordinating activities between the various transportation operators, agencies, cities and the county.2
No recommendations for this finding
F04
The VCTC controls and/or reviews the allocation of federal, state and local funds for highway, transit, rail, aviation, bicycle and other transportation projects.3
No recommendations for this finding
F05
Meetings are publicly noticed in accordance with the Brown Act and public attendance is welcome. Monthly agendas and archives of past agendas are available on www.goventura.org under the heading “About VCTC.”3
No recommendations for this finding
F06
When California voters passed the gas tax increase in June 1990 (Proposition 111), the requirement for the Congestion Management Program (CMP) also became law.4
No recommendations for this finding
F07
With passage of the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Act of 1991, all urban areas in the nation were required to have a Congestion Management System (CMS). The CMS was largely modeled after, and is quite similar to, the California CMP. The Federal Highway System accepts the CMP as the basis for meeting the CMS requirements.4
No recommendations for this finding
F08
In Ventura County, the cities and county have designated the VCTC to be the Congestion Management Agency responsible for preparing and monitoring the CMP.4
No recommendations for this finding
F09
The purpose of the CMP is to help develop a coordinated approach to managing and decreasing traffic congestion by linking the various transportation, land use, and air quality planning programs throughout the county. New development, such as housing tracts or shopping malls, permitted in one city can add traffic congestion and air pollution in other areas of the county. The CMP is one tool to help the county take into account and deal with the overall county-wide impact of local land use decisions.4
No recommendations for this finding
F10
VCTC Roles and Responsibilities:4 • Preparation and Adoption of the CMP • Developing Countywide Traffic Model and Databases • Reviewing and Approving local traffic models • Approving Deficiency Plans • Monitoring CMP Implementation • Determining CMP Conformance o If VCTC finds that a city or the county is not in conformance with the CMP, they are required to notify the State Comptroller to withhold local gas tax revenues.
Related Recommendations (1)
R01
The county and cities should provide VCTC with all construction and development plans involving transportation arterial interfaces or potential effects on public transit as early in the planning stages as possible. Follow up dates should be set and met to update data. (C-03) Responses Ventura County Board of Supervisors Ventura County Transportation Commission Attachments 1. Ventura County Transportation Commission Adopted Major Project Priority List 2. Summary of Transit Services Bibliography 1. California Public Utilities Code, Section 130000 – 130455, County Transportation Commissions Act. 2. VCTC Budget Summary July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2005 3. VCTC, Measure B Information letter dated September 23, 2004 4. 2004-05 Ventura County Congestion Management Program (CMP) 5. SCAT letter dated May 11, 1999 6. CUP-5144 dated June 18, 2001 7. General Counsel memo dated May 9, 2005 Attachment 1 Attachment 2 (1 of 2) Attachment 2 (2 of 2) (This page intentionally left blank)
F11
Summary of Available Funding Sources:4 • State Gas Tax - Motorists in California pay 36.4 cents for each gallon of gas purchased. Of this, 18 cents goes to the State of California with the remaining 18.4 cents going to the federal government (about 90% of that returns to California under different transportation programs). • Approximate Breakdown of the 36.4 cents per gallon – o 15 cents from each gallon goes to CalTrans to maintain and operate the state highway system. o 11.3 cents is returned to local agencies (county and city) to construct, operate and maintain their local streets. o 3 cents is allocated to transit. o 1.5 cents goes to other states through a federal program where more populous states subsidize less populous states. o 5.5 cents goes to construction of new projects within the state (approximately 1/8 of a cent goes to Ventura County).4
No recommendations for this finding
F12
VCTC maintains a major project priority list (Attachment 1)
No recommendations for this finding
F13
VCTC maintains a summary of county transit services (Attachment 2)
No recommendations for this finding
F14
Requirement for public transportation at the JJC was recognized as early as 1999.5
No recommendations for this finding
F15
CUP-5144 required the PWA ensure that sufficient public transportation service is available to meet needs of JJC for a period of three years or until the bus route can be modified.6
No recommendations for this finding
F16
Public transportation is not available at the JJC as of June 2005.
Related Recommendations (1)
R01
The county and cities should provide VCTC with all construction and development plans involving transportation arterial interfaces or potential effects on public transit as early in the planning stages as possible. Follow up dates should be set and met to update data. (C-03) Responses Ventura County Board of Supervisors Ventura County Transportation Commission Attachments 1. Ventura County Transportation Commission Adopted Major Project Priority List 2. Summary of Transit Services Bibliography 1. California Public Utilities Code, Section 130000 – 130455, County Transportation Commissions Act. 2. VCTC Budget Summary July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2005 3. VCTC, Measure B Information letter dated September 23, 2004 4. 2004-05 Ventura County Congestion Management Program (CMP) 5. SCAT letter dated May 11, 1999 6. CUP-5144 dated June 18, 2001 7. General Counsel memo dated May 9, 2005 Attachment 1 Attachment 2 (1 of 2) Attachment 2 (2 of 2) (This page intentionally left blank)
F17
California Attorney General opinion and case law indicate VCTC time and funds used on Measure B were appropriate.7 Conclusions C-01. The VCTC is operating within its legislatively defined limits. (F-02, F-05, F- 17) C-02. The VCTC is fulfilling its mission. (F-01, F-03, F-04, F-06 thru F-12) C-03. There are areas in which the VCTC, the county, and cities could more effectively and efficiently coordinate their interfaces. (F-14, F-15, F-16) Recommendations
No recommendations for this finding

Additional Recommendations 2

These recommendations are not explicitly linked to specific findings.

Conclusions 1

Agency Responses 3

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

No Responses Found 1

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

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