Dover/Kent County Mpo Technical Advisory Committee

Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization P.O. Box 383, Dover, Delaware 19903 (302) 387-6030 FAX: (302) 387-6032 http://doverkentmpo.org

DOVER/KENT COUNTY MPO TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF JUNE 8, 2016

Technical Advisory Committee Representatives attending: Mary Ellen Gray, Kent County Planning (Chair) Aaron Chaffinch, Town of Camden David Edgell, Office of State Planning (Vice-chair) Tim Riley, Kent Conservation District Win Abbott, Town of Smyrna Valerie Gray, DNREC Bill Cook for AM Townshend, City of Dover, Plng & Insp. Mila Robinson, DelDOT Planning Rob Pierce, Milford Cathy Smith, Delaware Transit Corporation Joe Zilcosky, DE Economic Dev. Office Yolonda Jordan, Federal Highway Admin. Members not attending: Milton Melendez, DE Dept. of Agriculture Matt Jordan, Dover Air Force Base Ryan Long, Federal Transit Administration Rick Crawford, Norfolk Southern

Non-members attending: Bobby Fifer Rich Vetter, MPO Exec. Director Kate Mills, City of Dover Lauren DeVore, DNREC AQ Lindsay Donnellon, FHWA James Galvin, MPO Staff Kate Layton, MPO Staff Catherine Samardza, MPO Staff

1) Introduction of Members & Guests

Ms. Jordan introduced Ms. Lindsay Donnellon, who will be replacing Marc Dixon as the FHWA TAC representative.

2) Public Comments

3) ACTION ITEM: Approval of Agenda (enclosure)

Ms. Robinson asked that Item #7 be deleted. Due to the retirement of Ms. Geier, DelDOT Planning is undergoing some restructuring, and is not ready to make a presentation on the State Long Range Transportation Plan.

MOTION By Mr. Riley to approve the agenda as amended. Seconded by Mr. Zilcosky. Motion carried.

4) ACTION ITEM: Approval of Minutes – April 13, 2016 (enclosure)

MOTION By Mr. Chaffinch to approve the minutes as written. Seconded by Mr. Edgell. Motion carried.

5) ACTION ITEM: MPO Title VI/Environmental Justice Policy - Jim Galvin (enclosure)

Mr. Galvin reviewed the changes made to the draft policy since the last time it was seen by the TAC. In particular, he changed the complaint process to be more in line with the streamlined process that WILMAPCO uses. This will also provide consistency with two of Delaware’s MPOs. Mr. Galvin was not sure what the Salisbury-Wicomico MPO has done in regard to Title VI/Environmental Justice. There was some discussion concerning the maps in the document, which illustrate the minority communities as well as the poverty level communities. Ms. Smith noted that DTC is mentioned on Page 14, and appreciated that Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization P.O. Box 383, Dover, Delaware 19903 (302) 387-6030 FAX: (302) 387-6032 http://doverkentmpo.org

DTC could “piggy-back” on the MPO process. This was important for DTC’s triennial review.

Mr. Galvin was asked if there could be language added to let people know where to make a complaint. Mr. Galvin said that there is a line in the document describing how/where to make a complaint.

Mr. Vetter noted that the document has to be released for public comment before Council adopts the policy.

MOTION By Mr. Zilcosky to recommend Council approve the draft policy for release for public comment with the changes that have been made. Seconded by Ms. Smith. Motion carried.

6) DISCUSSION ITEM: FY 2017 - 2020 TIP Review (summary of changes enclosed) - Jim Galvin

Mr. Galvin reviewed the Transportation Improvement Plan process, noting that it works differently in Delaware than other states. In Delaware, the MPO takes the projects in DelDOT’s 6-year Capital Transportation Program and develops the TIP based on that information. In other places, the state develops its CTP based on information from the MPO. In Delaware, the MPOs and the State are small enough to coordinate the process all along, and the State is aware of the MPO priority projects.

Mr. Galvin reported that this year, there are not many changes required by the State’s CTP, and referred the TAC members to the summary page. The MPO was originally going to amend the FY2016 TIP to reflect those changes, but DelDOT Finance asked that the MPO produce a full TIP. The TIP will come to the TAC and PAC in August, for approval by the Council in September. Mr. Galvin reviewed the list of changes – noting that some projects have dropped off, some because they were completed, others because there is no money allocated.

Mr. Zilcosky was concerned that the Garrison Oak connector road project is not listed. Mr. Vetter responded that there is no funding allocated for the project, so it came off the CTP list of projects. The MPO will conduct a traffic study this summer based on full build out at the industrial park, to determine the project’s feasibility.

Mr. Zilcosky asked about transit funding for an (electronic) application to let riders know when a bus is coming to their stop; Ms. Smith said that DTC is working on it. Mr. Zilcosky asked what could be done to help; Ms. Smith said she would find out, the problem is that the program and software need to interface, and there are technical issues.

7) REMOVED - PRESENTATION: DelDOT Long Range Transportation Plan Update - DelDOT

8) Member Agency Reports: State of Delaware: DTC – Ms. Smith reported that service changes will take place on June 26. The results of the Origin/Destination Study are being analyzed, and there will be a public workshop for the results at the Transit Hub in July or August. She also noted that there will be no transit service to the Kent County Library. The new owners of the property will not sign the Memorandum of Agreement, and the Longacre Village residents have expressed opposition to the service. This may be re-visited in six months, but for now there will be no service to the Library. Ms. Smith reported that beach service began on May 26, 2016, and there is a new pilot route travelling from downtown Rehoboth along the Route 1 corridor to Midway.

State Planning – Mr. Edgell reported that the Governor signed the 2015 State Strategies. The Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization P.O. Box 383, Dover, Delaware 19903 (302) 387-6030 FAX: (302) 387-6032 http://doverkentmpo.org

document is available on the website. He noted that there are no major changes, but there are new maps and data. Mr. Edgell also reported that the Office of State Planning has accepted a new round of Downtown Development applications. He noted that the first round required one grantee in each county, with 15 grants total. After that round, there is no set number or distribution for the grants. He said that this program is an economic development tool that leverages private money with a little State funding. There was some further discussion about the program, matching funds and other incentives available to municipalities. Mr. Edgell announced that a Health Planning charrette will take place Monday – Wednesday in downtown Dover at the Bayard Plaza community room on Loockerman Street. A second charrette will be held in the Magnolia/Woodside area once a meeting place has been established.

DEDO – Mr. Zilcosky announced a new program, Project Pop-up. Businesses are offered free retail space in empty buildings for three months. He reported that 85% of participants stay on in the locations when the three months are over. Applications are due the end of July, with a decision in August for a September move-in date for the holiday season (October/November/December). Mr. Zilcosky noted that the program serves as a facilitator, providing a trust clause between the businesses and building owners. He said than any entrepreneur could do the same, but the program also acts as a matchmaker, putting the best applicants together with the best landlords.

9) Staff Reports: 9.1 Outreach Activities – Kate Layton 9.2 UPWP Progress & Financial Reports – Rich Vetter (enclosures)

Ms. Layton announced that the MPO’s public workshop for the Metropolitan Transportation Plan update (also called the Long Range Transportation Plan) would be held that evening (June 8, 2016) at the Dover Public Library in Meeting Room B. In addition to maps, surveys will be available to attendees to record their comments. Ms. Layton hopes to have at least 200 surveys by the middle of August.

Ms. Layton reported that the newsletter would be out soon, and that there will be additional MTP presentations at municipalities and the Dover Farmers’ Market.

Mr. Vetter reported that there will be monies left from FY2016 to carry over to the FY2017 budget. He expects to present a final draft of the MTP at the August TAC meeting.

Studies included in the FY2017 UPWP include updating the MPO Regional Bicycle Plan, a traffic study for the Garrison Oak business park, and a parking study for the City of Dover. The parking study will look at supply and demand, a fee structure for municipal parking, and the threshold for a possible parking garage.

The document that was developed from the Division Street charrette for the Capital Gateway is finished, Dover is finalizing the executive summary. It will be available on the MPO website. The City met with DelDOT on this project, and the roundabout planned in the area at Loockerman Street will be incorporated into the streetscape design developed for the section of Forest Street encompassing the railroad tracks to Division Street.

Mr. Zilcosky asked what would happen to the parking on Division Street. Mr. Vetter said that would be up to the City Council, but for now there will be parking west of the railroad tracks, as well as bicycle lanes.

Ms. Layton announced the PAC Annual Workshop would be held on June 21 at Dover Downs at 5:30 PM. DelDOT’s Barry Benton will be giving a presentation on sea-level rise.

10) Next Meeting: August 10, 2016 Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization P.O. Box 383, Dover, Delaware 19903 (302) 387-6030 FAX: (302) 387-6032 http://doverkentmpo.org

MOTION By Mr. Zilcosky to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Ms. Smith. Motion carried.