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Agenda Item No. (4)

To: Transportation Committee/Committee of the Whole Meeting of May 16, 2019

From: Ron Downing, Director of Planning Kellee J. Hopper, Deputy General Manager, Administration and Development James P. Swindler, Deputy General Manager, Ferry Division Denis J. Mulligan, General Manager

Subject: AUTHORIZE THE SETTING OF A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW FERRY ROUTE AND FARE FOR SPECIAL EVENT SERVICE FROM LARKSPUR TO THE CHASE CENTER IN

Recommendation

The Transportation Committee recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the setting of a Public Hearing to receive public comment on the establishment of a new ferry route between the Larkspur Ferry Terminal and the new Chase Center in San Francisco, as well as establishment of a fare for that service. The public hearing would take place on Thursday, June 20, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. in the Board Room, Administration Building, Toll Plaza, San Francisco.

This matter will be presented to the Board of Directors at its May 17, 2019 meeting for appropriate action.

Background

The (Warriors) will move to the new Chase Center in the Mission Bay area of San Francisco later this summer, with the first games scheduled for September. The Chase Center development has been predicated on having the majority of event attendees utilize public transportation. The Chase Center will provide 950 parking spaces, with another 2,000 in the general vicinity, yet the facility will have 18,000 seats. A coordinated effort has been made to have as many people as possible use Muni, Caltrain and ferry service to and from events. The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (District) has been involved in discussions with the , the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) and the Warriors for more than a year to establish ferry service from Larkspur for basketball games and special events at the Chase Center.

BOX 9000, PRESIDIO STATION ♦ SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94129-0601 ♦ USA Transportation Committee/Committee of the Whole Agenda Item No. (4) Meeting of May 16, 2019 Page 2

Discussion

The Board of Director’s (Board) policy identifies that establishing a new bus or ferry route constitutes a “Major Service Change” and thus requires a public engagement process that includes a formal public hearing. Similarly, Board policy also requires a public hearing to establish a new fare. The public hearing on June 20 would encompass both actions.

This service initially would operate for evening Warriors games and potentially serve a limited number of special events, such as concerts. This service would be analogous to the existing special event service to (formerly known as AT&T Park) for baseball games and other events. Also per Board Policy, the current Oracle Park service must recover all of its operating cost through fares, and those fares are set higher than normal fares due to the discretionary nature of this service. The current fare for Oracle Park service is $14.00 per person and because this service is not considered regular service, no discounts are available through Clipper, nor for seniors, persons with disabilities, or youth. It is recommended that the Board adopt the same policy that the fare to the Chase Center be set to cover the cost of the service. Additionally, it is recommended that fare to the Chase Center be set at $14.00, and that the fare be evaluated and changed, if necessary, mid-2020 to ensure that costs are being fully recovered.

Public Comment Process

Public comments on this proposal to operate ferry service to the Chase Center, and establish a ferry fare for this service, service can be submitted in several different ways:

1. Attend the public hearing; 2. E-mail [email protected]; and/or, 3. Send written comments to the District Secretary.

All comments are considered equally without regard to the manner in which the comments are submitted. Therefore, individuals do not have to attend the public hearing and provide testimony in person if they have commented through e-mail or written forms. All comments received through the above methods will be considered in the final recommendation. Comments must be submitted by close of business on Thursday, June 20.

Title VI Equity Analysis

Because this proposal creates a new service, the proposal is considered a major service change under the Board policy. Final recommendation to the Board after the Public Hearing would include the results of a required Title VI equity analysis. This analysis will be completed after the Public Hearing in order to reflect any public comments received on the proposal to implement this service.

Public Notification

If the proposal to hold this public hearing is approved by the Board, outreach on the proposal to add this service would begin immediately and continue into mid-June prior to the public hearing.

Transportation Committee/Committee of the Whole Agenda Item No. (4) Meeting of May 16, 2019 Page 3

Public notification activities will comprise:

 Advertisements in local publications (Marin Independent Journal, Santa Rosa Press Democrat and San Francisco Chronicle;  Ferry terminal signage advertising the Public Hearing;  Press Releases to local media;  Social Media Postings on Facebook and Twitter; and,  Email blast to customers and community-based organizations.

Translation of all printed materials and handouts in Spanish will be available, per the District’s Limited English Proficiency (LEP) plan.

Next Steps

Following the public hearing, staff will evaluate all comments received and determine whether changes or modifications need to be made to the proposal to establish new ferry service between the Chase Center and the Larkspur Ferry Terminal. A final recommendation will be brought back to the Board of Directors at the July 25, 2019 Transportation Committee meeting and to the full Board on the following day.

Fiscal Impact

The fiscal impact of providing a Public Hearing and associated outreach is estimated at less than $5,000, and will be covered by the existing Marketing and Communications Department budget.