Agenda - 09-17-2013 - 5i - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 member jurisdictions, including Orange County. MOU approval and execution is occurring simultaneously in all jurisdictions and should be complete before the end of the year. The only revisions to the MOU document (Attachment 2) have been the addition of Orange County as a member jurisdiction, and the revision of weighted votes from 1 to 3 for the City of Mebane. The contents of the MOU are consistent with the following provisions of the NC GS 136-200.2: • Agreement for the participation in a continuing and cooperative comprehensive transportation planning process. • Creation of MPO Technical Coordinating Committee (TAC) and Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) subcommittees, responsibilities, membership, and provisions for open meetings and public records. • Distribution of regular and weighted voting power among the constituent counties, municipal corporations, and other participating organizations. Weighted voting is based on the jurisdictional population within the MPO boundaries according to the most recent U.S. Census. The County's estimated population within the BG MPO planning area is approximately 1,817. Based on this, the County will have 1 regular vote and 1 weighted vote. • Designation of the City of Burlington as the Lead Planning Agency (LPA), and detailing the LPA's administrative responsibilities. • Stipulation that all transportation and related federal aid planning grants funds available to promote the cooperative transportation planning process be expended in accordance with the MPO's Planning Work Program adopted by the TAC. Update on the MPO Boundaries: In October and November, 2012, the revised BG MPO boundary within the County was endorsed by the BG MPO TCC and TAC, the County, and the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro (DCHC) MPO TCC and TAC. Related to the revised boundaries, the DCHC MPO and BG MPO executed a letter of agreement in January 2013 addressing a few of Burlington's urbanized areas that will be planned by the DCHC MPO. Following full jurisdiction endorsement of the MOU, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will officially receive the revised MPO boundaries, verify that they conform to legal requirements, and submit them to the NC Secretary of Transportation for final approval. The NCDOT reports that this process should be complete by the end of the year. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Orange County staff would dedicate time to the BG MPO transportation planning activities, and TCC and TAC meetings. The BG MPO MOU has no provisions for membership fees. There are no membership fees associated with the County's membership in the BG MPO. MPO staff and planning activities are currently funded by the Federal government. The City of Burlington pays the local matching funds for Lead Planning Agency (LPA) planning activities. However, this system of the LPA paying for 100% could be revised in the future, and has already been revised in the DCHC MPO where matching funds will now derive from participating agencies. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board approve the resolution (Attachment 1) approving the revised MOU adding Orange County as a voting member of the BG MPO, and authorize the Chair and Clerk to the Board to execute the MOU (Attachment 2).