[Council Communication]  

Council Communication

Title:	Appointment of Paula Brown as the Alternate to the Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee
Dept:	Public Works Department
Date:	September 2, 2003
Submitted By:	Paula Brown
Approved By: ...........................	Gino Grimaldi, City Administrator

Synopsis:	Currently the Mayor sits as the only official City of Ashland member on the Rogue Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization's Policy Committee. Approval of this item appoints Paula Brown, Public Works Director, as the City's alternate member to serve as Ashland's representative should the Mayor not be able to attend.
Recommendation:	It is recommended that the Council appoint Paula Brown, Public Works Director, as the City's alternate member to the Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee to serve as Ashland's representative in the Mayor's absence.
Fiscal Impact:	none
Background:	The 2000 census codified and subsequently redefined urban areas. As such, the existing "Medford" urbanized area grew and now extends to Ashland, Talent and Jacksonville. Our expanded urbanized area has grown to be 128,780 in population (2000 census figures). Based upon federal regulations, the new designation requires that the current Rogue Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization (RVMPO) expand it's boundaries to cover the entire area that is anticipated to become urbanized within the next 20 years. This allows transportation planning to be accomplished in total, and includes the air quality determinations for our area. It is the MPO's policy to develop continuing, cooperative and comprehensive transportation planning processes that consider all transportation modes that support the regional system. Formal designation of the revised boundaries and new MPO boundaries is recommended by the MPO Policy Committee, approved by the Governor then accepted by the Federal Highway Association (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Authority (FTA). By law we are required to have the boundary expanded by April 25, 2005, however funding decisions require us to participate sooner. Ashland approved as a voting member of the MPO Policy Committee at the May 2003 MPO meeting.
Attachments:	none