AGENDA #8

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT:            Report on V Route Transit Service in Southern Village

DATE:             November 26, 2001

This memorandum is written as a follow-up to the petition, submitted at the October 22, 2001 Town Council meeting, asking the Council to eliminate bus service within the residential area of Southern Village. 

The attached resolutions provide options for Council consideration.

Adoption of Resolution A would reconfigure the Transit Service V Route in Southern Village to improve service to the Village Center and provide a new route for service to the residential areas.  The Manager recommends adoption of Resolution A. 

Adoption of Resolution B would reconfigure the Transit Service V Route in Southern Village to provide bus service primarily to the Village Center area.

Adoption of Resolution C would maintain the existing Transit Service V Route in Southern Village.

Petitions

Copies of the petitions, letters and email correspondence are attached for your information and review. 

BACKGROUND

Key Transit Considerations in the Southern Village Development Proposal

The provision of public transit service to Southern Village has been part of overall transportation planning for the site since the adoption of the Southern Small Area Plan in 1992 as a component of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan.  The Southern Small Area Plan included the following discussion of public transit service on page 20, Projected Impacts: 

“…Increased use of public transit, bicycles and pedestrian movement is particularly likely in the village area.  About 15,000 new daily auto trips would be generated by new development in this area.  This projection assumes adequate public transit services and a comprehensive system of bicycle and pedestrian facilities within the village area and adjacent residential development.”

The Southern Village Master Plan was approved on July 6, 1993.  At that time, in addition to approving the Master Plan for the 312-acre site, the Town Council also approved rezoning applications for the eastern portion of the site and a Special Use Permit for the Northeast Tract.  The Council approved the West Tract Special Use Permit in November 1996.  The Council has approved Special Use Permits for individual commercial and office projects in the Village Center since 1995.

The circulation plan that was included and approved as part of the Special Use Permit for the Northeast, Southeast, and West tracts contained mass transit preliminary circulation routes.  These preliminary routes were designed to provide transit service throughout the Southern Village development.  Please see Attachment 1.

   The Design Guidelines submitted as part of the Southern Village Master Plan application in 1992 include the following:

“Design The Village to encourage people to walk, ride bicycles and use public transit.  Incorporate public transit as an alternative to the automobile.”

“Through streets shall be designed to accommodate Mass Transit, with major access points in the village core and potentially in Village Green areas within each Neighborhood District.  Neighborhood streets shall not be designed to accommodate Mass Transit.”

The application chart of the Design Guidelines defined three categories of through streets with varying design components.  The final Southern Village application chart, approved in 1995, expanded the number of through streets design criteria to five and included a map of the designation of street types in the Village Center.

The manager’s staff report, April 20, 1993, which provided an overview of the master plan application, included several references to the future provision of public transit services. 

Page 18, “Transportation Impact: …In addition, the compact design of the village and its proximity to major employment centers such as UNC and Memorial Hospital would encourage increased use of public transportation.  The proposed Southern Village is consistent with the transportation goals that were envisioned in the Southern Small Area Plan.  The inclusion of the Town park ride facility in the village would further the achievement of the Town’s objectives by promoting the use of public transit by commuters living in southern Orange County and northern Chatham County.”

At this time the residential portion of Southern Village is approximately 85% built out.  All but one site in the Village Center has either been developed or is under construction.

Annexation
The Town of Chapel Hill annexed the Southern Village area on July 1, 2001.  A proposed service plan for this annexation area was approved by the Council and made available to the public prior to the annexation.  Under North Carolina General Statute 160A-47, the Town must provide major municipal services to the annexation area on substantially the same basis and in the same manner as such services are provided within the rest of the municipality prior to annexation.

In order to meet the Chapel Hill Service Standard of a bus stop within ¼ mile of 90% of the Chapel Hill households and to provide a similar level of service town wide, the following level of service was proposed:

Two buses operating for 12 hours per day would be required to deliver this level of service.

Notification

A public hearing was held on June 26, 2001 at Chapel Hill Transit on the Transportation Department’s FY2001-02 Program of Projects.  Notification of the public hearing was published in the Chapel Hill News on June 20 and June 24, 2001.  The fourth item on the public hearing agenda was proposed service changes due to the annexation of Southern Village and Notting Hill.  Proposed routes and schedules were available at the public hearing.  Please see Attachments 1a-1b.

In late June 2001, a transit bus schedule and flyer was delivered by Fire Department staff to each residence of Southern Village as part of the annexation information packet.   Please see Attachment 1c.
DISCUSSION
Ridership

The ridership on the V Route has increased from an average daily ridership in August of approximately 110-150 passengers per day to an October average daily ridership of 274 passengers per day.

In October a survey of the boarding and alighting on the V Route was conducted.  The ridership count for the day was 206 passengers.  Of these 206 passengers, 46 passengers boarded the bus in Southern Village.  The following table shows the boarding locations for the 46 passengers that boarded in Southern Village.

One-Day Sample of V Route Rider Boardings by Stop in Southern Village

            Stop                

Arlen Park @ Edgewater

                              

Arlen Park @ Eastgreen

X

                            

Parkview Crescent @ Bridge

                              

Highgrove @ Parkview Cres.

                              

Brookgreen  @ Clubhouse

X

X

X

X

                      

Brookgreen  @ Edgewater

X

X

X

                        

Brookgreen  @ Copperline

X

X

X

X

                      

Brookgreen @ Market St.

X

X

X

X

X

X

                  

Aberdeen Dr. @ Market St.

X

X

X

X

X

                    

Aberdeen Dr. @ Copperline

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

              

Kildaire Rd. @ Market St.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Number of Passengers            1     2     3     4     5    6      7     8     9    10    11   12   13   14    15

The fixed route service standard for Chapel Hill Transit is based on the average riders per hour for all transit service.  Any route that falls below one half of the average riders per hour is evaluated for possible service revisions.  For the 2000-2001 service year which ended in June 2001, the average riders per hour was 22.5.  One half of that average was 11.25.  The current average for the V Route is 11.23.  We note that service to this area began this past summer in conjunction with the annexation and that the ridership on this route is growing as more riders become familiar with the service.

Current V Route Transit Service Configuration

The V Route begins service in Southern Village at 6:16 am with service every 30 minutes in the peak times and hourly service in the off-peak times with service ending at 9:01 pm in Southern Village.  The current route runs between Meadowmont and Southern Village by way of the University campus. 

The bus enters Southern Village on Arlen Park Drive, turns right on Parkside Circle, right on Edgewater Circle, left on Parkview Crescent, left on Highgrove Drive, left on Brookgreen Drive, left on Aberdeen Street, right on Copperline Drive, right on Kildaire Road, left on Market Street, right on Main Street, and left on 15-501.

This route provides service to the northeast section of homes, the pool and clubhouse (where the layover is located), the commercial area of the development, a section of Southern Village Apartments, and departs on Main St.  Please see the maps shown as Attachments 2 and 2a.

Option 1

One group of petitioners propose a route that would enter Southern Village on Main Street, turn right on Market Street (go around the circle), left on Aberdeen Street, right on Copperline Drive, right on Kildaire Road, left on Market Street, and depart on Main Street.   Please see the map shown as Attachment 3.

 

Advantages

This route configuration:

Disadvantages

Option 2

We have evaluated the current route and recommend a route reconfiguration.  Specifically, we recommend a route that would enter Southern Village on Main Street, turn right on Kildaire Road, left on Copperline Drive, right on Brookgreen Drive, right on Edgewater Circle, left on Parkview Crescent, left on Highgrove Drive, left on Brookgreen Drive, right on Copperline Drive, left on Kildaire Street, right into the Park and Ride lot (new layover location), right out of the Park and Ride lot, around Market Street (the circle), right on Main Street and left on 15-501.  Please see the map shown as Attachment 4.

Advantages

This route would:

·        afford a large number of residents of Southern Village bus service within ¼ mile of their residence;

·        provide more extensive service in the Village center, where the majority of high-density housing is located;

·        allow residents from the residential housing areas a reasonable walk to the bus route. 

·        The layover would be located at the Park and Ride lot, which is designed as a layover location. 

·        The addition of the Park and Ride lot to the route will provide additional service options to the passengers.

Disadvantages

This route would:

Option 3

This option would maintain the existing V Route in Southern Village. As is illustrated in Attachment 1, the current route is along several of the mass transit preliminary circulation routes approved with the Special Use Permits for Southern Village.

Advantages

·        The current route affords a large number of residents of Southern Village bus service within ¼ mile of their residence. 

·        New routes need time to build ridership and continuing the route as it is would allow the residents to become more familiar with the service offered.

Disadvantages

Other Issues: On-Street Parking

The streets in Southern Village provide public parking.  At the present time, most of the restrictions on public parking in Southern Village are for fire lanes and fire hydrants. 

There are ordinances in the Traffic Code that prohibit the parking or leaving of a vehicle unmoved for a period of time in excess of 48 hours.  Any vehicle left on a public street for longer than 7 days may be considered to be abandoned and subject to towing and impoundment.  Parking is prohibited in fire lanes and within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.

We will ask the staff of the Parking Services Division to monitor complaints about unlawful parking and will initiate appropriate follow up actions, if needed.


CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

The Town of Chapel Hill encourages transit-oriented development in the review of Special Use Permits for new development.  Southern Village is an example of a transit-oriented development with moderate and high density housing, along with retail stores, a school, a day care center, jobs, services, and entertainment.  The location, design, configuration, and mix of uses in a transit-oriented development provides an alternative to current suburban development trends by emphasizing a pedestrian-oriented environment and reinforcing the use of public transportation.  We believe this type of planned development benefits from the transit system and contributes to reducing car trips, traffic congestion, and air pollution.

On balance, we believe the best option is Option 2 as this option reduces the number of residential streets the bus is routed on and continues to provide service within ¼ mile of most residents of Southern Village while improving service to the Village Center area.

RECOMMENDATION

That the Council adopt resolution A, which establishes a new configuration for the V Route in Southern Village.

ATTACHMENTS

1.      Southern Village Street Map with Transit Routes from the Special Use Permit Identified (p. 11).

1a. Notice and Copy of Public Hearing (p. 12).

1b. Minutes of Public Hearing (p. 15).

1c. Flyer Delivered to Southern Village Residents (p. 1c).

2.      Map - Current V Route (p. 17).

2a. V Route from Transit Guide (p. 18).

3.      Map – Option 1 (p.19).

4.     Map – Option 2 (p. 21).

5.      Petition from Chris Rogers (p. 22).

6.      Petition from Robert Koontz (p. 64).

7.      Petition from Shelley Levine (p. 69).

8.      Correspondence regarding the V Route (p.79).

9.      E-mails regarding the V Route (p.94).

Manager’s Recommendation

                                                                                                           Option 2

RESOLUTION A

A RESOLUTION TO RECONFIGURE THE TRANSIT SERVICE V ROUTE IN SOUTHERN VILLAGE (2001-11-26/R-15a)

WHEREAS, a route has been proposed that would enter Southern Village on Main Street: right on Kildaire Road, left on Copperline Drive, right on Brookgreen Drive, right on Edgewater Circle, left on Parkview Crescent, left on Highgrove Drive, left on Brookgreen Drive, right on Copperline Drive, left on Kildaire Street, right into the Park and Ride Lot, right out of the Park and Ride lot, around Market Street, right on Main Street, and left on 15-501;

WHEREAS, meeting the Chapel Hill Service Standard of a bus stop within ¼ mile of 90% of the Chapel Hill households is a goal of the Town Council;  

WHEREAS, this route configuration helps in the attainment of this service standard; and

WHEREAS, this route configuration would:

·        provide a more direct return trip to the Village Center;

·        relocate the layover to the Park and Ride Lot;

·        provide more direct service to the day care center and elementary school,

·        provide more direct service to most of the apartments and townhouses in the development; and

WHEREAS, the Special Use Permits approved for Southern Village included circulation plans that contained mass transit preliminary circulation routes in the residential areas;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby establishes a reconfiguration of the V Route for transit services in Southern Village, as described in this resolution.   

This the 26th day of November, 2001.

RESOLUTION B

                                                                                                                              Option 1

A RESOLUTION TO RECONFIGURE THE TRANSIT SERVICEV ROUTE IN SOUTHERN VILLAGE TO PROVIDE THE BUS SERVICE TO THE VILLAGE CENTER (2001-11-26/R-15b)

 

WHEREAS, some of the citizens residing in the Southern Village area have requested that the Council modify the V Route in a manner that reconfigures the route outside of the homeowner residential areas of Southern Village; and,

WHEREAS, a route has been proposed that would enter Southern Village on Main Street, turn right on Market Street (around the circle), left on Aberdeen Street, right on Copperline Drive, right on Kildaire Road, left on Market Street, and depart on Main Street; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby reconfigures the transit route outside of the homeowner residential areas of Southern Village as described in this resolution.

This the 26th day of November, 2001.

RESOLUTION C

                                                                                                                               Option 3

A RESOLUTION TO MAINTAIN THE EXISTING TRANSIT SERVICE V ROUTE IN SOUTHERN VILLAGE (2001-11-26/R-15c)

WHEREAS, meeting the Chapel Hill Service Standard of a bus stop within ¼ mile of 90% of the Chapel Hill households is a goal of the Town Council; and

WHEREAS, the present route configuration helps in the attainment of this service standard; and

WHEREAS, the Special Use Permits approved for Southern Village included circulation plans that contained mass transit preliminary circulation routes in the residential areas;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the V Route maintain the same routing in Southern Village as in its current schedule.

This the 26th day of November, 2001.