>> good morning. welcome to the san francisco transportation authority. please call the roll call. >> [roll call] we have a quorum. commissioner mirkarimi: very good. please read item two. >> item 2. approval of minutes of july 19, 2011 meeting.

this is an action item. any discussion? seeing none, public comment is closed. seconded by commissioner mar. without objection. so moved. >> [roll call] the item passes. commissioner mirkarimi: items 3 and 4 please. >> item 3. chair's report. this is an information item.item 4. executive director's report. this is an information item. commissioner mirkarimi: there was quite a bit of activity in transportation arena in washington, d.c.. the house move a bill for that

would reauthorize the transportation act at a level that is 30% lower than current funding and the center is considering a counterpart measure that would reauthorize the act at current funding levels. the stakes are high and the chance that it will come to reauthorize before the presidential election appears to be dimming. in context, the role for the local sales tax organization, like our own transportation authority, is bound to continue to grow, but tried to close at least some of the funding gaps created by the lack of resources. i think the prioritization process we have in place will serve us well, not just to guide us through the sales tax expenditures, but also to ensure we are leveraging those dollars with other funding sources, the day local, regional, or federal, so we can still deliver on the promise of proposition k to the voters. i want to remind you that in mid

november we are hosting the annual meeting of the election, the organization that brings together all the local sales tax transportation authorities from around california. the executive director has more details on that. i hope that you will be able to attend and that we will be well represented there. it is an opportunity to meet our counterparts from around the state and highlight the city's attractions and the many things we are doing in transportation and in the bay area. this concludes my report. mr. executive director. >> good morning, mr. chairman. jose moscovich. my report is on your desk. highlights a few things. thanks to commissioners campos and weener for attending and providing clear direction on a

meeting that we held last week on the region transportation plans, a communications strategy, which we organized in order to continue to get public input and provide a forum for discussion. a very important topic, which is the discussion, and in different ways in which the region is likely to grow from now until 2040. in particular, the way that over three-quarters of a million housing communities, over a million jobs will be absorbed in the region over the period, of which, depending on the scenario, san francisco will be handing over 100,000 housing units.

he turned rememberthe discussioy productive, one that shed light on a number of issues. we continue to emphasize the point the community is willing to accept growth need to also be rewarded at the regional level, the commensurate infrastructure. so there is credibility for selling the additional population, and jobs. we have also stressed the point that communities that already

have good transit and amenities need to be incentivized in a real way to take more growth in housing, growth in jobs. also, there was a significant discussion that would continue to highlight the need to reward jurisdictions that have a good track record in producing affordable housing. that is going to be one of the big tests for any of the scenarios that will materialize. we expect to post a fourth leadership roundtable meeting in san francisco with representatives to the mtc and abag. i will continue to update the board on these. we anticipate input to deal with

our own comments to mtc on vacant -- financially constrained list, which will start looking more real late this year and early 2012, leading up to the selection of a preferred alternative scenario. the chair already addressed the issues with the funding levels for safety. we do have a six-month extension of the current bill approved by congress september 12. it will take until march 31, 2012. the situation in the house is very worrisome. 35% cuts suggested in transportation funding. of course, a huge gap with the senate bill, which is proposing to maintain levels of funding

where they are now, and an even bigger gap than the president is proposing. i believe we will not see a reauthorization until after the election. it is becoming more and more clear that that seems to be the case. i will keep you posted on this. unfortunately, there is not good news on that front. as far as local activity, we have entered a third round up of reach in the transportation plan. that may make a pitch for the significance of this document. this is a comprehensive look at transportation in relation to land use. that is something that no other organization does in san francisco and is likely to have some significant outcomes because of the context of the sustainable communities. we have not reached efforts now

including a second project, lunchtime webinars, surveys, and also, one survey on school transportation, which is becoming a hot topic as well. as well as presentation to community groups. the dates have not been sent but i will make sure that you are aware of them. at that point, we will share with those committees and results of the surveys that we have done and starting to use that information as the basis for the framework for an alternative which would be in the next several months.

we have submitted the draft staff legal eir eis. i believe yesterday there was a letter submitted by n reiskin supporting the contents of the document. it further enhances the chances of the project getting an expedited review by the ta and further support. a schedule right now for the public draft eir/eis to be circulated in mid-october. we're looking forward to hear public comment at that point. we are preparing in coordination with the mta, materials, for the moment in the report is released, to get comments, and of course, we fully expect to be

able to address those in the comment period. we will make a more formal presentation of the findings to the public draft to the authority board and committees during the public circulation period. the other important thing, we met with caltrans. we got the ok on the feasibility on the brt project on van ness. that clears the way of sorting through the final design exception with them. as you recall, van ness avenue is a state group. that is another major milestone. unfortunately, i had to miss that.

some great ideas coming out of the netherlands. some good news on -- boulevard. that is also a state route. caltrans is restricting the boulevard to turn it into two lanes instead of three. bike lanes and safer crosswalks. matter warnings for drivers for people crossing the street. caltrans has already issued a procurement on that. this is between everglade and 19th avenue. we are reaching some milestones on some other studies. the bay shore intermodal access study has also seen a complete draft report. the final report of the study that was presented to the city council, which has a major stake in terms of land use position that will affect areas surrounding the station.

of course, the station is intended to be the terminal of the -- in connecting to caltrain. we will bring you a final report this fall. we have had some interesting out -- results of the western soma neighborhood transportation plan. there are some comments and solutions beginning to emerge, like providing crosswalks for some of those ballets that are truly real streets with people living on them, but they are not very safe right now. particularly, mina and natoma. we will bring you a final report after the plans that step, which is to generate some refined designs. also, on the by county transportation study, the southeast quadrant of the city, a significant study.

we presented a final list of projects and likely cost ranges, which are fairly significant to our counterparts, san the tail county, other parties, and a milestone agreement that these are the right cost of agreements. this is something that has been in the works for decades. as a given milestone. -- a significant milestone. we will be issuing debt in the fall. to conclude my report, i am pleased to let you know that we have filled two transportation planner positions and we have both of the planners are here. colin interned with us a year or so ago. he had a focus of transportation from uc-berkeley.

he worked for the city of oakland, worked for the new york regional plan association, and for arlington county in virginia. he also served as a legislative intern for then-senator joe biden. he is probably the best connected member of staff we have to. and then a bill -- also an intern with the authorities since january. he granted in december with a master's in urban economics, urban planning from the london school of economics. he researched, among other things, how public-private projects have been used for light rail projects, and what u.s. policy makers can draw from that. before that, he was a special assistant to the transportation director of houston. i am pleased to have worked with them.

they are both right and dedicated and a look forward to working with them. commissioner mirkarimi: i think we have some questions for you. commissioner cohen: thank you. a question about the bay shore intermodal access study, your final report. you mentioned you made out rich to the visitation valley neighbors. if i'm not mistaken, i think we had a conversation several months ago about possibly forming a cac. as my memory serves me correct? -- does my memory serves me correct? >> there are several groups advising the study there. commissioner cohen: [inaudible] >> good morning, tilly chang. you are correct. our cac member did make a

request, and they ask the authority to consider ways to increase the involvement of the community in the whole program of transportation improvements that are connected to the area. our thoughts are still forming on that, providing different options to the commission, to the authority board. one of them would be to conduct a feasibility study of brt common that we anticipate to be one of the first projects out of the block. we are working on a consensus plan with san mateo to finish up what the composition may be there. there is some thought that it ought to be another by-county type of cac. commissioner cohen: thank you. commissioner mirkarimi: mr. executive director, since sometimes it is pertinent to hear from our representatives on

the mtc, those items are rarely, if not ever again dies. i know we rely on the border supervisors to hear those reports. -- agendized. but there are some items that i think reflect the transportation sustainability program, especially if those strategies are to help orchestrate it in this area. so keep in mind, you may want to continue to work with our mtc representatives. some of these items that are coming up very much affect mtc discussions as well. >> i would be happy to calendar those on a periodic basis, and direct report from the executive director. i can work with them to see what the schedule is on mtc, what they prefer to do. commissioner mirkarimi: instead of the supervisor's

introduction time, that also helps, but it is also bolstered by the transportation authority. if commissioners wiener and campos agreed, it could be something that ta staff want to consider as well. there are things that we have been monitoring closely and we are pretty much intersected on what has been happening. >> thank you for that point. would be useful to agendize that. commissioner campos and i work closely with the ta on a regular basis, and they are extraordinarily helpful in providing information, helping with technical assistance. two quick things as an update. at tomorrow's mtc meeting, we will be taking up the issue again on whether or not to move the mtc headquarters, colo kidded with several other agencies, to san francisco,

after some chaos after the committee was formed in the recommended that we proceed with the purchase. there had been growing support for that. i'm optimistic there. i also believe we will have a hearing in the next month or two on ab 57, which is very important here in san francisco. i am confident we can have a good discussion on whether or not that bill should proceed. commissioner mirkarimi: commissioner campos? commissioner campos: just to follow-up on what commissioner wiener said, i think it is important to note, all of the city agencies in both of our offices are working to ensure there is a cohesive city strategy, in terms of our service on the mtc. one of the things that i look for too, working with the

transportation authority on, is making sure that we also involved, besides the city agencies, and we also involved in members of the city of san francisco, so that they become more engaged in some of the issues that are being dealt with at the empty seat. the level of involvement on the part of some of the san francisco transportation organizations, some of the community members that we usually hear from, in my view, is not the level athat it should be at the regional level pair that is one of the challenges we face. depending on what happens tomorrow, if the decision is to proceed, to locate the mtc and offices in sanfrancisco, perhaps that would make it easier. that is one of the challenges we face. oftentimes, san francisco's voice is not heard at the level that it needs to be.

>> one more thing, if you would indulge me, to echo what the chair said about this coalition, they bring together all of the sales tax in the state. this year, we are meeting in san francisco for the annual meeting. it is november 13, 14, 15. if you are interested, let us know, we will get you registered. there should be some very interesting sessions, a great opportunity to meet your peers. i hope you will consider attending. i will send you a reminder with all of the pertinent information. of course, it would be something covered by the authority, and it would be great to have us well represented there. and that does conclude my report. i anticipate that next month i will have a further update on what we are doing with high- speed rail, as well as the

thoughts on central subway as the project approaches. i will be working with you on that, and i look forward to next meeting. commissioner mirkarimi: thank you. this is a non-action item, but we do entertain public comment. is there anyone from the public that would like to comment on this item? seeing none, public comment is closed. we will continue this to the call of the chair. please read item 5. >> item 5. authorize the executive director to execute a memorandum of agreement with the national park service for a one-year period with two additional one-year extension option. in an amount not to exceed $105,845, for liaison services for the presidio parkway project and authorize the executive director to negotiate the agreement terms and conditions. this is an action item. commissioner mirkarimi: we have entered into recommendation from the finance committee. any discussions on this item? moving to public comment? is there anyone from the public that would like to comment on this item?