03.14 Quiet Zone Maintenance Appropriation1. SUBJECT
Appropriation request to fulfill City's commitment for Quiet Zone Maintenance.
2. SUMMARY
Based on quiet zone agreements between the City of Orange (City), Southern California Regional
Rail Authority ( SCRRA), and Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), the City is required
to pay SCRRA an annual cost to maintain those warning devices installed for the establishment of the
Quiet Zone in the City of Orange. Additional funding is needed cover the annual maintenance cost to
SCRRA.
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION
Authorize the appropriation of $81,639 from the Reimbursable Capital Projects Fund (550)
unreserved fund balance to expenditure account number 550.5032.56670.16065, Capital Projects
Fund -Quiet Zone RR Xing Safety.
4. FISCAL IMPACT
The total expenditure for this maintenance agreement is $81,639 and will be funded in Quiet
Zone /RR Xing Safety (16065) through Reimbursable Capital Projects (550).
5. STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL(S)
Provide for a safe community
b. Provide and maintain infrastructure necessary to ensure the safety of the public.
Enhance and promote quality of life in the community
d. Maintain and improve multi -modal transportation throughout the City.
6. GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
Noise Goal 3.0: Minimize train noise in residential areas and near noise - sensitive land uses.
Policy 3.1: Encourage noise - compatible land uses and incorporate noise - reducing design features
within transit - oriented, mixed -use development near rail corridors.
7. DISCUSSION and BACKGROUND
A quiet zone is a series of railroad crossings that prohibits trains from sounding their horns as they
approach a railroad intersection. The purpose of the quiet zone is to reduce train - induced noise and to
provide the community with an enhanced quality of life.
When the City established Quiet Zones in 2011, the City entered into two separate cooperative
agreements with Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), and Orange County
Transportation Authority (OCTA), the purpose of which was to implement sixteen, at -grade rail
highway safety enhancements, and to provide for their ongoing maintenance. Since that time, the
City has been paying the annual maintenance cost, which, due to the agreed 4% annual escalation cost
has increased from its initial $21,600 amount to approximately $30,750 in FY 19.
Currently, the City has $81,639 in fund balance in the project, and this amount needs to be
appropriated into the project's expenditure account to cover approximately two and a half years of the
maintenance cost. After that time, the City will likely need to use general fund to pay this annual
quiet zone maintenance cost.
8. ATTACHMENTS
• Construction and Maintenance Agreement between the City of Orange and the Southern
California Regional Rail Authority for Railroad Grade Crossing Safety Enhancements and Safety
Measures Related to Quiet Zone Implementation is on file with the Public Works Department.
• Cooperative Agreement No. C -8 -0859 between the City of Orange and the Orange County
Transportation Authority is on file with the Public Works Department.
ITEM 2 8/14/2018