SECTIONS 99660-99669 - California Statutes

PUBLIC UTILITIES CODE

SECTION 99660-99669

99660. (a) The commission shall adopt guidelines, as necessary, to
require that grants for transit projects be expended for projects
which are essential to the implementation of safe and reliable
transit services. The guidelines shall include criteria for the
awarding of grants for new or rehabilitated rail construction for
passenger rail projects, specifying a maximum cost per mile for
service for various regions of the state.
(b) The purpose of this section is to facilitate implementation of
improved cost-effective transit service to the maximum number of
Californians and to prevent the funds provided for by this part from
being spent on needlessly costly features.

99661. The department, the Department of Parks and Recreation, or a
local agency responsible for a project which is eligible for a grant
pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 99620) may apply to
the commission for a grant for that project. Each application shall
identify the specific section of Chapter 3 which authorizes the grant
applied for. If a project is proposed to be funded by grants
authorized by more than one section, the application shall identify
each of the applicable sections and shall specify the amount applied
for under each of those sections.

99662. Two or more applicant agencies may join in applying for a
grant for a project in which each of the agencies will participate.

99663. (a) In accordance with regulations and guidelines of the
commission, each application shall be accompanied by a plan
describing how the grant funds will be used, what other capital funds
are available for the project, and how those funds will be used. The
plan shall include a plan for operating any new service, including a
financial plan for operation.
(b) The plan shall also identify the sources of the remainder of
the funds required for construction and operation of any new service.
(c) The application shall demonstrate that a reasonable share of
the cost of any new or rehabilitated passenger rail service, as
determined by the commission, will be covered by farebox revenue.

99664. (a) The commission, with the assistance of the department,
shall commence its review of an application for a grant within 30
days of receipt of the application.
(b) The application shall either be approved or denied by the
commission within 180 days of its receipt, except that, if the
commission requests additional information from the applicant, the
time for approving or denying the application shall be calculated
from the date that the commission receives the additional information
requested.
(c) If the commission denies an application, it shall state the
specific reasons for that denial and may, in its discretion, permit
the application to be amended to remove those grounds for denial. The
commission shall have 180 days from the receipt of an amended
application to either approve or deny the amended application.
(d) The commission shall not deny any application which meets the
requirements of this part and which conforms to the regulations and
guidelines of the commission for the award of grants, nor shall the
commission unreasonably delay the approval of an application which
substantially conforms to those requirements if the applicant agrees
to allow the commission to modify the application to meet its
conditions for approval.

99665. (a) To be eligible for a grant for a rail transit project
pursuant to Section 99630, subdivision (b), (c), or (d) of Section
99631, subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 99632, Section 99633, 99634,
99635, 99637, subdivision (b) of Section 99638, Section 99639,
subdivision (b) of Section 99640, Section 99641, 99642, 99643, 99644,
or 99645, an applicant agency shall match on a dollar-for-dollar
basis, the amount of the grant from other public or private sources
and shall demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the commission, the
availability of those other funds.
(b) Local agencies shall not adopt new or increased development
taxes, fees, or exactions or permit fees for the purpose of providing
matching funds for any grant specified in subdivision (a) or to pay
for operating costs of new service established by a grant made
pursuant to this part.
(c) Bridge toll revenues otherwise available to a local agency may
be used as a source of matching funds.

99666. The eligibility of an applicant agency for a grant pursuant
to a section of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 99620) does not
make it ineligible to apply for and receive a grant pursuant to any
other provision of that chapter.

99667. (a) An application for a grant for a commuter rail or rail
transit project within the area of jurisdiction of a transportation
planning agency, as defined in Sections 29532 and 29532.4 of the
Government Code, shall be subject to the grant review authority of
the transportation planning agency.

99668. Each application for a grant to fund a segment of a commuter
rail project shall demonstrate that the project is coordinated with
all other planned and existing connecting commuter and intercity
services, to maximize their efficiency and service to the people in
the region.
(b) If practicable, a joint maintenance facility shall be
developed for commuter and other rail equipment at a central location
in Southern California.
(c) In order to maximize efficiency and avoid duplication of
effort, a single joint powers agency may be established to implement
and operate all commuter rail services in Southern California.

99669. An application for rail transit extension shall include a
plan for integrating bus service with the rail line and for avoiding
duplicative and competing bus service. The commission shall submit
the application to a peer review committee of at least three persons
which shall evaluate the adequacy of the local agency's transit
integration plan. The peer review committee shall be appointed by the
commission from persons recommended by the department and shall
include representatives of transit operators. The local agency shall
either implement recommendations of the peer review committee or
indicate why the recommendations are not being implemented. The
commission shall review the adequacy of the transit integration plan
before approving the rail transit extension.