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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: April 26, 2022 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 4-b <br /> SUBJECT: Durham & Orange Transit Plan Governance Study — Interim Update <br /> DEPARTMENT: Manager's Office, Planning & Inspections <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> 1. Second Stakeholder Workshop Memo Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager, <br /> 2. PowerPoint Presentation 919-245-2308 <br /> Tom Ten Eyck, Transportation/Land Use <br /> Planner, 919-245-2567 <br /> Tom Altieri, Comprehensive Planning <br /> Supervisor, 919-245-2579 <br /> PURPOSE: To receive an update on the progress of the Durham & Orange Transit Plan <br /> Governance Study and next steps. <br /> BACKGROUND: In the early 2010's, Orange County approved a county-wide transit plan, which <br /> included a joint recommendation for the development of the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit <br /> (DO LRT) project. In 2013, an interlocal agreement (ILA) was developed and approved by the <br /> Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan <br /> Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) Board, and the GoTriangle Board of Trustees. Upon the <br /> discontinuation of the DO LRT project, it was determined that a new governance framework (aka <br /> ILA) was necessary to guide the implementation of future County transit plans. <br /> Project goals include: <br /> • Creation of a clear, operationally efficient governance structure that ensures that Orange <br /> County priorities are funded and implemented with the County transit taxes and fees. <br /> • Formation of new levels of accountability, which includes development of an equitable set <br /> of processes, seeking to gain further community trust. <br /> In the fall of 2021, the study team invited the BOCC, as well as others serving on other transit <br /> plan governing boards (GoTriangle & DCHC MPO) and staff, to participate in initial small-group <br /> interviews. From those interviews, the team learned about overall needs, and the study process <br /> continued to allow for a facilitated workshop with elected officials from each of the transit plan <br /> governing boards (GoTriangle & DCHC MPO). These needs were defined through five overall <br /> elements to be incorporated into a new governance framework: Representative, Equitable, <br /> Collaborative, Transparent, and Accessible. <br /> From these five elements, the elected officials helped to further weigh-in on just how much change <br /> was necessary to primary elements of the existing framework. The feedback provided leadership <br /> and guidance to develop draft alternatives for consideration in a new governance framework. Staff <br />