Okaloosa County BOCC — August 16, 2016 — Access EC Rider TDP - August Draft Report — reading text

seating to accommodate a minimum of four persons and a wheelchair  Bike rack  Connectivity to adjacent non-residential developments will be encouraged Public transit stops are permitted uses in all R-1, R-2, MU, and MHP districts. The LDC also includes quantitative methods for determining LOS that exist and which may be impacted by any particular development application. In addition, the LDC defines the process for finding of compliance with LOS standards based on standardized quantitative data. Okaloosa County 2012–2021 TDP Major Update (September 2011) The Okaloosa County 2012–2021 TDP Major Update was completed in September 2011 and provides direction and input to the MPO’s Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), LRTP, and TIP. In interviews, the County expressed the need for realistic expectations for its TDP, as funding for transit has become a greater challenge. The Public Transit Vision for Okaloosa County and Okaloosa County Transit recognized Okaloosa County Transit as the best small transit system in Florida by delivering a well-balanced multimodal transportation system that promotes community embrace, economic development, community accessibility, environmental sensitivity, and customer demand. The TDP focused on four areas of service for the ten year planning horizon:  Maintain the existing system.  Improve existing services in terms of later evening trips on non-express routes if external grant funding sources become available. ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan E-11 Appendix E: Plans and Studies Review  Develop one new route between Niceville/Bluewater Bay and Destin via the Mid-Bay Bridge if external grant funding sources become available.  Bring all stops to ADA compliance. In addition to the focus areas, a candidate list of service improvements were compiled to be considered outside of the 10-year timeframe:  Additional new routes as tested for ridership demand in T-BEST (including Navarre to Hurlburt Field–Santa Rosa).  Additional evening departures on weekdays.  New routes from previous TDP updates that were not implemented.  Addition of Saturday service.  Addition of Sunday service.  Express services to Eglin Air Force Base from park-and-ride lots. Okaloosa County Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP) SFY 2013–2017 Annual Update (June 2013) Okaloosa County Transit administers services for the TDSP, providing paratransit service to those in need, including persons who because of physical or mental disability, income status, or age are unable to transport themselves or to purchase transportation. The legislation also includes children who are “high- risk” or “at-risk” of developmental disabilities. The TDSP identifies needs in service and capital purchase; the needs include purchase of replacement paratransit vehicles, providing transportation for the TD population, capital to provide rural transportation, and addressing the needs of welfare recipients and low- income persons needing transportation to their employment. The following were identified as barriers to effective coordination and service:  Lack of commitment with scarce tax dollars.  Not enough funding to cover demand.  Securing local funding.  Specific issues directly related to funding sources.  Reluctance of some medical providers to cooperate with transportation coordinator.  No AHCA providers in local area.  Eglin Air Force Base’s geographical location is a barrier separating the north part (Crestview) from the south part of Okaloosa County. One of the strategies for ensuring a cost-effective service is to offer incentives such as free passes for transitioning paratransit users to fixed route service. Through the efforts of the WFRPC, discussions have recently begun with Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties to study the feasibility of coordinating transportation through the three counties. These discussions will continue as census data are updated and new urbanized area boundaries are determined. ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan E-12 Appendix E: Plans and Studies Review Okaloosa County Strategic Plan: Fiscal Year 2013–2014 The Okaloosa County Strategic Plan addresses the mission, vision, goals, objective and strategies for Okaloosa County with respect to airports, court services, facility maintenance, growth management, public safety, public works, Tourist Development Council, water and sewer, among other aspects of the government. The goals, objectives, and strategies for Transit and Grants Division, include the following: Goal 1: Provide the greatest level of fixed-route transit service possible in Fiscal Year 2014 with available local, state and federal funds as identified in the locally adopted Transit Development Plan. Objective: To identify dedicated funding source for fixed route operations. Action/Strategies: a. In conjunction with County’s contract transit service provider, propose and develop partnerships with municipalities. b. Increase 2014 advertising revenue by 10% over 2013. c. Examine existing routes to identify efficiencies to reduce operating costs and examine existing fixed-route service for improvements that would encourage increased ridership. Goal 2: Keep operating costs of paratransit and fixed-route transit service at lowest possible level. Objective: To continue to encourage paratransit rider shift to fixed-route service. Action/Strategies: a. Increase public awareness/education of fixed-route system through advertising, public service announcements and other appropriate avenues as funding permits. Goal 3: Maintain compliance with all rules and regulations as applicable to state and federal grant programs. Objective: To continually review, revise and update all plans and policies to ensure compliance with FTA/FDOT requirements. Action/Strategies: a. Continue to use the WFRPC to assist with transit development. b. Update the Board as necessary regarding any evolving opportunities and challenges. Okaloosa County Planning Profiles In 2013, the Okaloosa County Department of Growth Management Planning and Zoning Division developed planning profiles for 10 “planning areas” in the county. The profiles contain a series of maps and tables with information like general demographics, existing and future land use, land characteristics, subdivisions, transportation, community facilities, public schools, and capital facilities needs assessment. The transportation facilities section summarize the AADT volumes at FDOT counting stations, as well as past and future LOS levels at those stations. The County road system is also briefly summarized. ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan E-13 Appendix E: Plans and Studies Review City of Crestview 2020 Comprehensive Plan (Amended September 2012) The City of Crestview’s Comprehensive Plan outlines the importance of coordinating and planning with the WFRPC, FDOT, the MPO, and the County to improve the transportation system. Coordination efforts include the identification of potential transit stops and park-and-ride lots. Crestview has implemented an MMTD in the downtown. The comprehensive plan identifies the need to place public transit facilities within an appropriate radius from residential development in the MMTD, especially medium-density and high- density areas, to enhance the public transit system. To mitigate the impacts of new development, the City uses impact fees to help fund system improvements, including transportation. Alternately, the City can require developments to construct road improvements during the development review process. Although the City does not operate transit services, nor does it have plans to, the importance of coordinating with transit are outlined in several policies, including Section 6.08: Impact fees, where “the City council may impose impact fees on development to assist in covering the costs of needed improvements to all systems, including roads improvements … and implementation of an express transit service between Crestview and Eglin Air Force Base, or other military installations in the area.” The City recognizes that SR 85 has the most congested road. City of Crestview Code of Ordinances The Crestview LDC has no specific provisions for transit or multimodal districts. However, the City reserves the right to use the proportionate share program for transportation improvements such as transit in the MMTD. In July 2012, the Crestview City Council voted to begin amending the City’s comprehensive plan to drop transportation concurrency, thereby eliminating the proportionate fair share that would generate funds from permitted developments. The City’s traffic impact fee for development are used only for the purchase of capital improvements consisting of land, design costs, and construction costs for public roadways per all applicable standards in effect. City of Fort Walton Beach Comprehensive Plan (February 2011) The goals for the City of Fort Walton Beach’s transportation system include providing for a safe, energy- efficient, cost-effective, and uncongested multimodal transportation system. The City has implemented a TCEA that is coterminous with the Fort Walton Beach Community Redevelopment Area and will provide transit stops and sidewalk access within the CRA when a fixed-route transit service is implemented. The City’s policy is to continuously access the multimodal needs and to coordinating with Okaloosa County in the provision of transit services. Fort Walton Beach Land Development Code Although the Fort Walton Beach LDC does not have specific transit provisions for certain types of development, it has implemented a TCEA with rules that could enhance transit services. As a part of the ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan E-14 Appendix E: Plans and Studies Review TCEA mobility requirements, developments must obtain a minimum number of points, depending on the site’s net average daily trip generation. For example, the City allows developers to obtain 20 points for the construction of an Okaloosa County transit bus shelter. Developers also can optionally add transit stops if their development is outside of the TCEA. Other transit-supportive policies include the allowance of accessory uses in certain land uses; residential multi-family (low- to medium-density) zoning districts, mixed business and manufacturing districts, mixed-use districts, commercial zoning districts, commerce and technology park districts may have onsite amenities such as recreation facilities, carports, parking garages, parking lots, and transit stops. The LDC also allows for density and intensity bonuses of up to 1.5 times the maximum density and density of a land use in the R-2, MX-1, MX-2, CG, and MB zoning districts. Table E-4 highlights some of the bonuses points available as they relate to multimodal development. Bonus points can be gained if developers provide annual transit passes to building occupants. Table E-4: Development Features Available and Corresponding Bonus Points Points Category R-2 MX-1 MX-2 CG/MB Provision of annual transit passes to 25% or more of building occupants