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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-01-27 97-105 ORDERCOUNCIL ACTION Date: January 2] 1997 Item No. 17-yp5 Item/Subject: Authorizing Grant Application - Maine State Planning Office Regional Infrastructure Grants ReeDonaibl< Department Community and Economic Development Commentary: The Maine State Planning Office is making available $100,000 for a small number of matching grants to Maine's 85 regional centers for infrastructure planning and preliminary engineering. The grant would he used in fund Preliminary engineering and surveys necessary to demonstrate physical feasibility for an intermodal monsfamation facility in the Bangor area. The maximum giant available is$20,OOOrequiringa 20% local match. Becauseofthe limited availability ofgrentfunds, the proposed application is for 810,000. If received, the $10,000 Same Planning Office grant will be used to match the local 211 o matching slmre to make available $40," in BACTS (Bangor Area Comprehensive Transportation System) fonds, which will provide a tans! of $50,000 for the sandy. The BACTSfunds would provide the local marching funds for Ne State Planning Office grant and therefore it is anticipated that no City matching Birds will be required. If they are required, FY 1996 Community Development funds allocated for comprehensive plam irg we available. The Community and Economic Development Committee recommends approval. Be P rtm ant ad Manager's Comments: '�Pla+�9�f✓�f� City Manager Associated Information: Budget Approvals Finance Director Legal Approval: (1 -p_ /1 City/Solicitor Introduced For .k Passage 0 First Reading 0 Referral Page I of 1 ca-fora 9T-105 a®fined to Councilor Tyler January 27, 1997 p CITY OF BANGOR VL (TITLE.) Tber AULEoriaiag OranL Applicata -Maine State Office Regional Infrastructure Grants By Us City Council of 94 CiH of Sensate. ORDERED, TEAT WHEREAS, the Maine State Planning Office bas made available$100,000 for a small umber of matching grants to Maine's 85 regional centers for infrastructure planning and preliminary engigeering; and WHEREAS, the City of Bangor, and partners, are seeking hinds to demonstrate the physical feasibility for the location of an intermodal transportation facility that will strengthen Hanger's position a a center of distribution and trade for Eastern Maine; and WHEREAS, tie transferring of mad mailers from trucks to rail can requires a large graded site, mads, rail backs, and a least one loading and creating crane Wit; and WHEREAS, engineering for Nese activities will place Honor in a position to receive foods from the Maine Department of Transportation or construct the proposed facility; and WHEREAS, the goals of the project are in strengthen rhe regional tromponation network which underpins the regional economy of Bangor, to support the development of Bangor as a regional distribution hub for the Mame/Maritimes region, and to complement the regional road and port developments supporting the Bangor economy; NOW, THEREFORE, BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANGOR, BE IT ORDERED, THAT the City Manager is baricity autMrized, on behalf of the City of Bangor, to submit an application to the Maine Sate Planning Office for Regional Centers Infrastructure Grant Funds, a copy of which is shouted hereto, and to accept such grant funds, if awarded, and expend Nem is accordance with state oral federal regulations for the purposes stated therein; AND BE IT FURTHER ORDERED, THAT the City Manager is authorized 0 expend such funds as are necessary to fund the lora] match for said grant funds. IN CITY COUNCIL Tanury 27. 1992 Passed 92-105 ORDER Title, Authorizing Grant Application - Ga1ns State Planning Office Regional Infrastructure Grants ...................................... ...................................... to ............. ..................... Gowci.lman 97-105 Regional Centers Infrastructure Grant Application Applicant's name: Project contact: City of Bangor Rodney McKay 93 Harlow Strut Bangor ME 04101 phone (207) 945-0400 fax (207) 945-0449 Project rmme: Bangor Intermodal Engineering Study Project deseription: The City of Bangor, all partners, are seeking funds to demonstrate physical feasibility for an Imermodal facility. The dematM for this facility, documented in a Jum, 1996 aptly by Stafford At Associates, will strengthen Bangor's position as a center of distribution and trade for Eastern Maim. The transferring of road trailers from trucks to rail cars requires a large graded site, roads, rail tracks, and at least one IoadingluNoading, cram unit. Enginuring for these activities will place Bangor in a position to receive fulls from the Maitre Depar[meat of Transportation m construct the proposed facility. This will provide benefits to businesses which support Bre Bangor economy all serve to establish Bangor as a center for distribution in Eastern Maine end tha Maritimes. participants: The applicant for these funds is the City of Bangor. Other participants include the Town of Hermon, the Bangor Area Comprehensive Transportation System (BACTS), mal the Eastern Maine Development Corporation (EMDC). project Goal The goal of the project is to strengthen the regional transportation network which underpins the regional economy of Bangor. In the longer tenth, the Intermodal facility, will also support the developmem of Bangor as a regional distribution bub for the Maine/Maritimes region, all complement regional road all port developments supporting the Bangor economy. 97-105 Expected products: The following products and estimated costs are expected as a result of this grant and the BACTS funding: Site search analysis It 7,000 Property aM Topographic survey $ 9,000 Wetland survey $ 8,000 Soil survey $ 8,000 Phase 1 enviro nscand survey $15,000 Traffic study (if required) $ 3.00(1 TOTAL $50,000 Dollar amount requested: Proposed completion dale: October 31, 1997 Funding is requested, as follows: BACTS - $40,000 SPO - $10 ON) Total $50,000 Please provide month and year when the applicant's comprehensive plan was round consistent with the Growth Management Act and locally adopted or, is the community currently drafting a comprehensive plan ? The City of Bangor has received a grant and is currently updating their comprehe sive plan to become consistent with the Gmwlh Management Act. How does the project meet grant criteria (see Grants Program description): The Grants Program material provides four (4) criteria. These are addressed below: a) enhance coawanity and etonomlc capacity of center communities or solve regional problems The City of Bangor serves as the regional economic hub for Eastern Maine. Thus, Me strength of the greater region directly contributes to Bangor's economic health. The benefits of increased commerce, in local and regional farms draw upon the greater Bangor area for services, aM as these same fnms provide jobs and incomes an their 9)-105 employees, whom in tum draw upon the area for services, provides a two fold ben dfit. The proposed facility, with its associnad mil service, will have several impacts: i) a continuing impact on regional employment and incomes through the operation of the facility and the train set string the facility, ii effects on the regional and state trucking industry and freight patterns, and on freight -sensitive industries; and in) long-term indirect effects on the overall growth mm of the region, through the establishment of businesus both servicing and served by a regional intermodal hub. While items i) and h), above represent significant economic potential to Bangor, item Bi) represents to greatest economic bencht. According to Stafford and Associates, investment in an Intermodal facility represents the single greatest transportation investment for the Bangor area. Due to current trucking Names resulting in a large amount of outbound traffic, but little inbound traffic, transportation Costs are particularly high in tine Pastern Maim area. The proposed Intermodal facility is expected to reduce, for example, hoods to the Midwest by $200Arader, resulting in at least 5,000 annual outbound truckload equivalents in yea 3 of the operation, This will directly create 200 paper industry jobs, according to the analysis and have secondary job impacts of 957 jobs, according to Maine's Regional Output Simulation Model. In short, creation of rhe Intermodal facility will have the eff«t of moving Bangor closer W Midwest markets by the trucking equivalent of 200 miles. In freight terms, Bangor will cease to be the metaphorical 'end of the line' when it becomes in reality the intentional 'end of dm line'. b) meet the land use planning goals of Maine's Growdh Management Act. The vision of the working committee for this project is m locate the facility as close in Proximity to the existing infrastructure p-95,1-395, and the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad i s possible. Matcher the area that is being considered for this facility already has regional warehousing and industrial. This facility would foster growth in an area already dedicated for this activity. e) suggest a strong likelihood of success bared on the quality of the proposal, the project's feasibiGly and the community's experience with simi/arprojects. The report by Stafford Associates, issued in lune, 19% Immediately created optimism within the Bangor area. A Committee was forced to pursue funding and develop an organizational structure m seek public funds for the investment. This Committee, comprised of representatives from the City of Bangor, the Town of Herman, Eastern Maine Development Corporation, BACTS, Bangor and Aroostook Railroad and MDOT has met regularly since lune. Funding was sought from the Mame Department of Transportation, resulting in a letter of commitment from the Maine DOT to place the project in the 1998-1999 Biennial Transportation Improvement Plan. Bangor's City lawyer has drafted by-laws for a 9)-105 local non-profit to manage the facility. In the meantime, a trailer lifter has been purchased by the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad to run an small interim facility using available backs at Northern Maine function. The BAM has placed $40,000 in their current budget to fund additional studies for the project. Pending Ne availability of $10,000 in 8P0 foods, there are sufficient funds to provide the necessary engineering to move this project to the funding stage. d) ideadfied as capital hnprovemertt prioehles in community comprehensive plans or capltN hnprovement plans and for which conununides have established capita( reserves. The City of Bangor has included the Intermodal Facility in its drab Transportation Element as part of the Comprehensive Plan Revision presently underway. Implementation of this proposal will be included in the Plans Capital Improvement Plan. Expected sources of construction funding. Project is to be included in the MDOT's PY-1998-1999 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The TIP documents where MDOT was eamwarked spending for construction during the two year period.