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HomeMy WebLinkAboutagenda.council.worksession.20180820 CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION August 20, 2018 4:00 PM, City Council Chambers MEETING AGENDA I. Red Brick Center for the Arts Update II. SHIFT Update P1 1 | P a g e MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Jeff Woods, Parks & Recreation Manager Sarah Roy, Red Brick Center for the Arts Executive Director Ben Sachdeva, Parks & Recreation Financial Analyst THROUGH: Sara Ott, Assistant City Manager MEETING DATE: August 20, 2018 RE: Red Brick Center for the Arts REQUEST OF COUNCIL: Staff is requesting City Council to make the Red Brick Center for the Arts a permanent department within the Parks & Recreation Department. In addition, staff is requesting Council to approve ongoing funding for the Red Brick Center for the Arts to provide a community center that offers and develops programming that promotes the arts, creates opportunities for learning and is a place to connect and engage with both locals and visitors to Aspen. PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION: On November 13th, 2017 through Resolution 155, the City of Aspen suspended management services outlined in its agreement (Resolution 131-2015) with the nonprofit organization known as the Red Brick Council for the Arts. In a work session on January 9th, 2018 Council approved to uphold the Red Brick Center for the Arts (referred to as Red Brick) as a building for the arts, affordable office space for related nonprofits, studio space for artists and other community uses. In addition, Council approved ongoing funding for facility management, operations and long-term capital improvements. Council agreed to interim funding for managing the existing arts programming without interruption, and allow staff time to understand the programming operations, financials and purpose within the community. Council agreed to a termed position for an Executive Director, Maintenance Tech II, and half position for an Administrative Tech II. BACKGROUND: In 1942 the newly-constructed Red Brick schoolhouse began as the home to Aspen's elementary, middle and high schools. As the number of students grew, the school district created a larger campus on Maroon Creek Road. By 1991 the school district had consolidated all classrooms to the Maroon Creek campus and put the Red Brick up for sale. An organization known as the Aspen P2 I. 2 | P a g e Snowmass Council for the Arts had the extraordinary vision and drive to petition for the City of Aspen to purchase the former schoolhouse and make it a home for the arts. By a slim margin of votes, citizens of Aspen in the August of 1992 election, agreed for the City to purchase the building with the stated intent of providing a long-term home for the arts, nonprofit organizations and other community uses. During a work session on January 9th, 2018, Council approved to uphold the intent of The Red Brick Center for the Arts to be a vibrant community center by offering affordable rent to nonprofits and artists and creating venues and offerings for artistic engagement. The City of Aspen is committed to the Red Brick thriving as a shared space dedicated to enriching lives and the community. Since January 2018, staff completed several focused tasks including: utilization of various City departments to align the operations with City standards and procedures; maintained regular communication and held group discussions with Red Brick tenants; continued the gallery and art classes programming; conducted a written survey with stakeholders; and identified opportunities for continued success and community engagement. These efforts are described below. City Departments: Working as part of the Parks & Recreation team, staff collaborated with Asset, Human Resources, Finance, Environmental Health and City Manager’s Office to examine both the facility and the arts programing standards and procedures. Asset and Parks & Recreation Maintenance staff are working together to address the two sides of the building (arts and recreation) as a whole; and therefore, address deferred facility issues and initiate a single facility master plan. This approach is proving to be successful financially and for facility upkeep. In addition, Parks has taken over management of the surrounding grounds and is gaining financial and turf management efficiencies. Staff created methods for composting and is looking at areas to improve energy efficiency. Staff is working with Human Resources to hire art educators under the City’s guidelines and system, which ensure appropriate employment standards. Staff moved all building and arts programming financials to City systems and is tracking all monies in real time for accuracy. Staff is working to define real costs for both the facility and arts programming. All these efforts are intended to develop an accurate baseline operation and build a solid foundation that aligns with other City buildings, City procedures and standards. Tenant Relations: In an effort to build relationships with the Red Brick tenants and to learn the culture and expectations of the tenants, staff initiated frequent communication through a regular newsletter and meetings. Staff listened to the tenants’ remarks and suggestions and undertook such tasks as: updating the website, creating new marketing efforts, increasing the quality of gallery exhibitions, repainting bathrooms, installing a baby changing station, fixing exterior lighting, updating facility signage, and hosting the Aspen Community Picnic at the Red Brick. Staff compiled the more involved projects and are incorporating the ideas into future goals. Through the suggestion of tenants, staff incorporated the nonprofits into the gallery opening receptions. A Red Brick nonprofit sponsors each exhibition by cross-marketing the event and drawing in new P3 I. 3 | P a g e people to the gallery event. The response from the nonprofits on this partnership has been positive and they would like for it to continue. Collaboration between the arts programming and the tenants is a natural fit. This relationship has numerous benefits and creates an overarching identity for the Red Brick as a collective and collaborative hub. The tenants have been grateful for these new and open lines of communication and say there is a renewed sense of positive morale. Overall the tenants have expressed a commitment to making the Red Brick a vibrant center with an aspirational reach. Tenants have expressed since working with the City they feel a new level of excitement, positive energy and momentum for the Red Brick’s future, and a desire to be a part of it. Current Arts Programming: The current arts programming that staff continued includes a weekly free preschool art class, a weekly after-school art class for elementary age children, youth summer camps, adult art classes, and gallery exhibitions of local artists. In addition, staff offered a few new youth and adult art classes and collaborated with the nonprofits to create a new experience during the gallery opening receptions. Staff lowered the cost of the youth art classes to bring them more in-line with similar arts programming in the area. The arts programming has received consistent and very high participation numbers. Overall feedback from patrons echoed the tenant’s experience of a renewed vitality and morale in the Red Brick. In addition, patrons have expressed a strong desire for more artistic offerings. Staff is beginning to examine the number and types of artistic offerings to make a recommendation in the future on program development. Written Survey: Staff conducted a written survey to better understand the community stakeholder’s experience with the Red Brick. The survey was sent to 200 people and included participants in adult classes, parents of children who have taken classes, art educators of the Red Brick, exhibiting artists, all Red Brick tenants, renters of the conference room and dance studio, volunteers and previous donors. The overall sentiment was positive, community centric and described the unique role the Red Brick fulfills. Below are the responses and themes that appeared most frequently: · community · accessible · place to see friends · classes for all ages · features local artists in the gallery · professional artist’s studios · nostalgia for the history of the building · warm and inviting · located in the center of Aspen · beautiful grounds Participants were also asked about the aspirational vision they hold for the Red Brick. A summary developed from the survey responses reads as follows: P4 I. 4 | P a g e The Red Brick Center for the Arts is a unique gathering place in the heart of Aspen that is accessible and affordable to everyone where they can feel connected to the community. It offers artwork for sale at all price levels by emerging and established professional artists. The gallery offers frequently-changing, high quality art exhibits. There is a diverse offering of immersive classes and events year-round for people of all ages and skill level. It provides affordable and accessible space for local professional artists and nonprofits in Aspen. The Red Brick is a unique and personalized experience in an enhanced venue that provides a positive first impression, is open, warm, inviting, updated, and alive, with views of Aspen Mountain, a large, sprawling lawn and mature trees. Ongoing Work: Staff has identified two areas of needed improvement. The two areas are a facility master plan and a defined policy for tenant selection and terms. The facility master plan includes an analysis of the capital maintenance needs as well as the optimal utilization of the entire building (arts and recreation) through a lens of current and future needs and uses. In effort to establish a long-term vision for the facility, staff has reached out to other community art centers both regionally and nationally. These relationships are important to sharing ideas and learning about trends around utilization of community centers. With time, staff will continue to build these connections and knowledge, which will allow for an informed future facility master plan to be developed. The second area of ongoing work is learning how other similar organizations structure the tenant selection process and agreement policies. To assure the purpose of the Red Brick as an affordable home to artists and nonprofits, a clear and known policy should be established. In addition, a rent analysis of free-market rents will be conducted to identify the positioning of the Red Brick’s affordable rents in the current rental market. Through these efforts, City Council could more accurately address the Red Brick’s current and future needs and wants with responsible policies and procedures. Opportunities: The predominant theme that arose from the written survey was the Red Brick represents “community”. Staff recognizes opportunities to continue the Red Brick as a community-oriented creative center through the enhancement of the arts programming and expanding opportunities for people to engage and connect with others. As home to working artists, staff recognizes the potential role the Red Brick can play in facilitating a dialogue and creating programming to support the local individuals and businesses that work within the creative industries. This sector plays an important role in the local economy and vitality. The Red Brick currently supports local artists by offering affordable studio spaces and an exhibition space that features local artists. From the research of other community art centers and statewide efforts such as the Colorado Creative Industries, staff is identifying ways to further support the local creatives. Another theme that arose from the written survey was “accessibility”. This is an important aspect of the Red Brick arts programming and culture, and a value that can be expanded through a more robust scholarship program and diversity of classes. These are just a few examples of how the Red Brick is uniquely positioned to offer programming, venues and opportunities as a community arts center. P5 I. 5 | P a g e DISCUSSION: Staff is recommending City Council to establish the Red Brick Center for the Arts a permanent department within the Parks & Recreation Department. In addition, staff is recommending Council to approve ongoing funding for the Red Brick Center for the Arts to provide a community center that offers and develops programming that promotes the arts, creates opportunities for learning and is a place to connect and engage with others. Managing both the facility and the arts programming since January, staff understands how the management of the facility and the arts programming overlap and often work symbiotically. The tenants do not stand separate from the programming but rather are connected to it. For example, resident artists will teach art classes, exhibit regularly in the gallery, and the nonprofits are active sponsors of the exhibitions and are participants in building events. Bound by the same leadership, the facility and arts programming can continue a singular course and allow for greater potentials. As proven so far, working among City departments has been successful, and allowed staff to consider the building as a whole (arts and recreation) and ideas have just begun to arise on developing programming and space for current and future uses. This includes a focus of the Red Brick and its role within the community. As heard from the survey participants and building tenants, there is great value placed on the Red Brick as a community-oriented asset. As City managed programming, the core intent can remain to serve the community’s wants and needs for the center. The City is a part of the Red Brick Center for the Arts conception and history, starting from the August 1992 election and continuing to today. Maintaining City led management of the facility and arts programming preserves this continuum into the future. The Red Brick is and can continue to be a place that exemplifies City values and provide a venue that allows for open, authentic engagement, creative experiences, genuine connections, and sparks new ideas. 26 years ago, the Aspen Snowmass Council for the Arts had an extraordinary vision for the City to purchase the former schoolhouse and make it a home for the arts. Through their leadership and tremendous hard work, the Red Brick is today a beloved and keystone organization for Aspen. Building upon their success, staff would like to explore new possibilities to unlock even more opportunities for this community treasure. FINANCIAL/BUDGET IMPACTS: Financial performance year-to-date 2018 continues to track in-line with original projections, which were developed with limited baseline data. For 2019, staff is recommending a total operating budget of $528,114 with offsetting revenues totaling $447,505. This will require a $80,610 subsidy from the General Fund and result in an 85% recovery rate. This would allow for current programming to continue at the level the community is accustomed too. Programming includes youth and adult art classes, rotating gallery exhibitions and art related events. Staff would continue in the work initiated in 2018 for enhanced class experience and events. Staff heard positive responses on the Red Brick experience in 2018 and support this budget as an adequate baseline operation. P6 I. 6 | P a g e STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff is recommending City Council to make the Red Brick Center for the Arts a permanent department within the Parks & Recreation Department. In addition, staff is recommending Council to approve ongoing funding for the Red Brick Center for the Arts to provide a community center that offers and develops programming that promotes the arts, creates opportunities for learning and is a place to connect and engage with both locals and visitors to Aspen. P7 I. Page 1 MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: R. Barry Crook, Assistant City Manager Ashley Perl, SHIFT Project Director Candace Olson, SHIFT Project Manager Mitch Osur, Director of Parking and Downtown Services John Kruger, Director of Transportation Lynn Rumbaugh, Transportation Program Manager Karen Harrington, Director of Quality Brian Long, Open Space and Trails Supervisor DATE OF MEMO: August 17, 2018 MEETING DATE: August 20, 2018 RE: Update on SHIFT: Aspen Mobility Lab REQUEST OF COUNCIL: Approval of direction of SHIFT efforts. PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION: SHIFT: The Aspen Mobility Lab has been discussed with the City Council in previous worksessions and the Council appropriated $470,300 in 2017 to support the work of the Lab (including an appropriation to use the Air Sage data acquired in the Upper Valley Mobility Study effort). On May 7, 2018 in a worksession, Council approved $859,250 in funding for FY 2018. BACKGROUND: Council Goal #4 is: 4. Leave the transportation landscape forever changed and dramatically alter the way we move ourselves into, out of and around Aspen by experimenting with technologies and modes that are not reliant on more lanes and more parking in town, but are reliant on making the new modes competitive with the personal, single-occupancy automobile. This extended experiment will look at possible futures of mobility and the results will inform future solutions that improve the quality of life and community experience. P8 II. Page 2 Staff has been before the council on a number of occasions to discuss this goal and to outline both the financial requirements and the various elements of SHIFT. DISCUSSION: Traffic and congestion both at the Entrance to Aspen and in the core has long been a topic of community discussion. Our community has had decades of conversations, votes, re-votes and angst about the entrance and what to do about it. The city council has indicated, as the Aspen Institute’s Community Forum Task Force on Transportation and Mobility did, that they are not interested in pursuing expensive capital-intensive solutions (i.e. another bridge and alternatives to add paved lanes across existing open space) that will reduce transit times by only a minute or two. This Mobility Lab is meant to test those non-capital-intensive alternatives to see if congestion can be reduced by offering a variety of mobility options to those who might avail themselves of those options. This is not meant to be a solution for everyone, but to provide some alternatives for some people – and in so doing to free up lane space and parking spaces for others who cannot avail themselves of those alternatives. What is the Lab Supposed to Accomplish? The Lab will draw on lessons from select pilot programs in over 25 cities worldwide, and will be the most advanced community-wide pilot program executed to date, providing a demonstration ground for the concepts that were put forward by the Community Forum on Transportation. The lessons learned from the Lab will be actively disseminated to national partners, municipal leaders, and transportation directors across the US. Most importantly, the City of Aspen and regional partners will learn what modes are accepted and used by the community to inform responsible future investments and planning. We will not introduce some of the “sticks” that have been discussed – namely (a) congestion road pricing (a toll of some sort for vehicles wanting to use the bridge to enter town) or (b) congestion parking pricing that would both increase greatly the cost of parking a vehicle and let that price adjust as demand for parking increases. Instead our effort will concentrate on the “carrot” efforts of providing incentives and alternative mobility options. We hope the Lab might be successful at reducing traffic in the AM/PM commute periods by some 800 vehicles (500-600 parking at the Brush Creek Intercept Lot and 200 from additional carpooling). It might not stop congestion, but we believe it will be very noticeable to the remainder of the commute vehicles. The Lab has been refined to focus effort in four areas: 1. Commuters: a. use of the Brush Creek Intercept Lot – we want to greatly increase the use of the lot, thereby freeing up parking in town that is used by commuters and decrease the traffic trying to cross Castle Creek into town. b. commuter use of Car Pools – we would like to increase commuters who carpool, thereby reducing the number of vehicles used to transport commuters. c. use of the Buttermilk Parking Lot – we would like to increase the intercept rate for Snowmass Village commuters by getting more of them to park in the Buttermilk P9 II. Page 3 lot, and utilize the Buttermilk Parking Lot as a place where bikers could park their commuter vehicle and access a bike – bike share, e-bikes and regular pedal- powered bikes – to commute the rest of the way into town. 2. In/Near Town Mobility – in a sampling of license plates of automobiles parked in the downtown core, we discovered that over 60% of the cars were registered to owners with an “81611” zip code (see map below). With most of the addresses in this zip code being in or near to Aspen, this represents an opportunity to provide a mobility alternative for many of these trips into the core. If we can change behavior of some number of the people who drive and park their car by providing an alternative mobility option, it will reduce the number of cars looking to park in the core. This would leave more parking for those who have no other mobility option and must drive and park their car when visiting the core. 3. Increase the use of bicycles as a mobility option – recognizing that a bicycle is not an option for everyone, we still want to try and get some number of people who are using their automobile to move around Aspen or to drive from nearby into Aspen to try a bicycle option. We believe that e-bikes will become an increasingly attractive option for people of all ages. We want to provide e-bike share, rent and purchase options, increase the storage capacity for bikes, and provide charging stations for e-bike users so they will feel this is a viable mobility option for their mobility needs when they have arrived in Aspen or want to move within and around town. 4. Data Gathering/Analysis/Learning – to assess whether our efforts had any impact, we will want to gather a variety of information about the lab effort. We obviously want use data – how many additional cars parked at the Brush Creek Intercept Lot or at Buttermilk, how many people used the specialty buses and where did they go, what were the traffic counts coming across the Castle Creek Bridge, how many additional people carpooled, how many people used the on-demand in-town mobility options and where did they start P10 II. Page 4 and go. We also want to know some satisfaction date – how did people rate their experience using the intercept lot, how did people rate their in-town mobility options, what was their perception of traffic/congestion across the Castle Creek Bridge, etc. The Miles app would play a key role in providing the city with highly accurate data on commuting patterns, transfers, length of commuting segments, biking. Miles provides aggregated data only, not data on an individual’s travel pattern. We will want to analyze this data after we acquire it and derive learnings from it. What should we do going forward, given the results? What else should we try if people were not satisfied by the lab choices? We would intend to hold a review session and determine “next steps” in the Fall of 2019. How Does the Lab Propose to Do That? COMMUTERS Use of the Brush Creek Intercept Lot: we have a target of some 500 to 600 additional cars a day using the Brush Creek Intercept Lot. We know we have to induce behavioral change such that a commuter who is normally inclined to drive into Aspen (even when traffic backs up to the Airport) would instead take a left at Brush Creek, park their car in the intercept lot, make a mode change to a bus and ride that bus into Aspen or their final destination. We know we need to grab the commuting public’s attention and maintain this shift in commuting habit. We propose several efforts to do that. 1. Instead of driving to Aspen and paying to park, we propose to PAY PEOPLE TO PARK AT THE INTERCEPT LOT. Our current thinking is to start the Lab by providing incentives via an app (Miles) that allows the app holder to redeem “miles” and coupons from a variety of local and national vendors. We think this would get people’s attention and incent them to try a very different commuting option. As part of the lab, we want to experiment with different levels of incentive during the course of the summer – to test the price elasticity of demand around our incentive ideas. Using the Miles incentives, if we start with an equivalent of $5 per day in June, we could test the same concept at $2.50 per day in July, and perhaps $25 per 20 days of parking in August. We want to see if we can get people to change and keep the change at various levels of incentive (test the price elasticity of demand). We also recognize that the mode shift penalty (the time it will take to make a turn at the light, park their car, get to a bus terminal location and ride into town) will only be overcome by a combination of time saved riding in the bus lane and by the monetary incentive. 2. In addition to offering the miles and coupon incentives, we would increase the frequency of fixed route buses into Aspen: P11 II. Page 5 FIXED ROUTE TRANSIT DEFINITION: A system of transporting individuals including, but not limited to, specific public transportation service, on which a vehicle is operated along a prescribed route according to a fixed schedule. SHIFT APPLICATION: Increased frequency of RFTA service between the Intercept Lot and Rubey Park. 3. and experiment with specialty buses that would travel straight to locations other than the Rubey Park Terminal – buses that go up the Maroon Creek Road to the ARC, Highlands, and possibly the school campus; buses that travel up Castle Creek Road to AVH, MAA and the County campus; buses that would go to other nodes that people would sign up to travel directly to (such as the Institute or other locations that have sufficient demand to justify the use of small buses/large vans such as pictured below). Delivering people directly to their destination would greatly decrease the transfer penalty in the mode shift by no longer requiring everyone to go to Rubey Park, then change buses to another location or hop on a bikeshare and pedal to their final destination. MICROTRANSIT DEFINTION: IT-enabled, multi-passenger transportation services that serve passengers using dynamically generated routes, and may expect passengers to make their way to and from common pick-up or drop-off points. Vehicles can range from large SUVs to vans to P12 II. Page 6 shuttle buses. Because they provide transit-like service but on a smaller, more flexible scale, these new services have been referred to as microtransit. SHIFT APPLICATION: A service that departs and returns to the Intercept Lot with flexible routing based on passenger demand. Commuters may reserve a seat ahead of time and may bring a dog, gear or tools onto certain vehicles. P13 II. Page 7 4. We also recognize that the “amenity” package at the intercept lot needs sprucing up. We would propose to put tables/umbrellas at the waiting areas for bus pick up and the introduction of a coffee/food truck/cart(s) and additional bathrooms. We might use one of the above vans as a circulating collector for people parked further away from the bus pick up areas if enough vehicles use the intercept lot and have to park further away from the bus transfer points. P14 II. Page 8 5. Commuter use of Car Pools: we want to increase carpooling incentives to try and increase carpooling such that an additional 200 cars per day are no longer being used for commuting and trying to enter the City – instead those drivers are sharing a drive with others. The City of Aspen currently offers free parking in designated spaces for carpool groups of two or more adults. This will continue and be heavily promoted during the SHIFT effort. Carpooling will be rewarded via the Miles app. Additionally, staff is exploring free carpool matching options that can be promoted to commuters throughout the SHIFT effort. P15 II. Page 9 6. Use of the Buttermilk Parking Lot: we see two opportunities to increase the use of the Buttermilk lot: a. Intercept commuters traveling from Snowmass Village to town by use of the Miles app incentive; and b. Create a bike commuting hub at Buttermilk. This would add bikeshare, e-bike share, and bike lockers for commuters who would park and shift to a bike for their final ride to town. We would solicit bike shops to set up pop-up repair stores. We would have demonstrations for e-bikes and offer programs for people to “rent” an e-bike. Add better wayfinding for the bike trail to town – the work this summer on the Castle Creek Bridge will greatly aid this initiative. BIKE LOCKERS AT BUTTERMILK IN TOWN DRIVING In/Near Town Mobility: for those whose trip into/around town originates nearby, we want to provide some mobility options that will compete with their desire to get into their own vehicle, drive and park at their destination. We are not trying to preclude this as an option, but to offer a choice – if we are successful at moving 200 of the vehicle trips/parking from the daily use of the 600 core parking spots, we think we can free up parking for those who lack an option or visitors most likely to shop and spend, while making the core less congested. “The Ride”: we issued an RFP seeking additional mobility options for on-demand transit services within defined zones of the city. This service is intended to offer a competitive choice to those residents who are using their personal vehicle for trips of just a few miles – and have to find parking. If we can increase their use of transit services by offering an app-based service that would pick them up from their doorstep and deliver them to their destination for a price that is no greater than their cost of parking their vehicle, we think we can both reduce congestion and reduce the P16 II. Page 10 demand for available parking spaces in the core. The elements of this service would include the following excerpts from the RFP: • The City’s target Level of Service (LOS) for on-demand service provides customer pick- up times of no more than 10 minutes post-request and in-vehicle times of less than 10 minutes. • Services will be offered door-to-door or very nearby within the service area outlined during the hours of 7:00am-12:00am daily. • The City is not interested in any model that includes the expectation of a gratuity either in cash or via app. No tips will be solicited for service provided, either on an app or with the provision of an on-board tip jar. No materials related to the service (app, business cards, decals) will refer to acceptance of gratuity in any manner. • The Contractor will offer a smartphone app (compatible with the last 3 major versions for both iOS and Android) as the primary tool to request service. Priority scoring will be provided to proposals that also provide a call-center option for those without access to smartphones. This proposed service area is illustrated below Vehicle types being sought are not like the Downtowner’s gem cars – rather they would be vans such as the types illustrated below: P17 II. Page 11 INCREASED USE OF BICYCLES Since we have determined NOT to pursue any additional bicycle infrastructure outlined in the Bicycle/Pedestrian Master Plan as part of the Mobility Lab effort, our sole focus will be to increase the use of bicycles as a mobility option for those for whom a bicycle makes sense. As indicated earlier in the memo, we believe the use of e-bikes offers a viable option for some people who have been using a vehicle to get around town. We will explore options to get more e-bikes into use by people in town – from bike-sharing to free rental tryouts. We will also increase the bike parking facilities in town for all bikes and at the Buttermilk Intercept Lot where we hope to establish a hub for those commuters who might park their vehicle there and use a bike to complete the rest of their P18 II. Page 12 trip into town. That concept includes bike parking facilities, bike lockers and the cooperation of some bike vendors who would set up a tune-up/repair pop-up shop at the lot. BIKE SHARING DEFINITION: Short-term bike rental, usually for individual periods of an hour or less over the course of a membership SHIFT APPLICATION: The WE-cycle program will be in place during the SHIFT effort. Additional bike share services in the form of dockless e-bikes are planned to be offered and are currently being reviewed via an RFP process. CARGO BIKE OPTIONS DEFINITION: Cargo bikes allow for the carrying of large loads, heavy loads, pets and/or children. SHIFT APPLICATION: Staff is currently exploring options for making a number of electric cargo bikes available for check out. Cargo bikes enable people to carry children, pets, groceries, make deliveries, run errands, transforming bikes into a highly competitive alternative to driving. Electric cargo bikes will be tested at Buttermilk, employee housing complexes, and grocery stores . P19 II. Page 13 DATA GATHERING/DATA ANALYSIS The Mobility Lab Steering Committee formed a Data Group to focus attention on the data-related needs for the Lab. On May 7, the Council confirmed its support for the “black diamond” option. This option includes: 1. Data Support (for data related project management assistance and survey development) 2. Data Collection (for collection of field data on mode use and patterns) 3. Database and Data Management Services (for database development, data aggregation and advanced data analysis) Collectively, these components are intended to provide the City with the information it needs to understand not only mode shifts per se, but their impact on the community and their potential to be a part of the long-term mobility landscape here. The proposed budget for these three elements is $450,000, with $125,000 allocated to 2018 activities. Since the May meeting, the Data Group has evaluated the Data Support and Data Collection RFPs and has selected HDR to deliver the services envisioned under both those components. A request for approval of the contract is anticipated to come to Council on August 27 for approval, for an amount of $285,500. In addition, the Data Group has narrowed the choice of Database and Data Management vendors to four and will be interviewing finalists the last week of August and first week of September. A contract for this portion of the work is anticipated to come to Council for approval in early October. At this time, staff request to keep the budget for the entire data effort at the requested $450,000, including contracts and contingency funds. P20 II. Page 14 The team has been reviewing the various RFPs for the data collection/analysis efforts involved in the Lab and will be better informed as this interviewing unfolds to finalize budget projections and scope of the data effort. Where are We Now? • We have issued RFPs for in-town transit on demand providers and specialty bus services from the intercept lots and are evaluating those proposals. • We have issued RFPs for data gathering and analysis and are evaluating those proposals. • We have discussed with RFTA the possible need for additional bus service at the Brush Creek Intercept Lot. • We have issued a RFP for e-bikesharing services and are evaluating those proposals • We have shared the current SHIFT concepts with the community at events throughout the valley – and more are planned for the rest of August • We have engaged in conversations with the Miles incentive app • We have fund raising consultants under agreements to do work on our behalf and have held meetings with both potential donors and potential in-kind donors. • We have identified grant opportunities and are working on grant submissions • We have a pretty good idea of the cost of SHIFT and all its component parts. We have not signed any agreements for services yet and will not until the council had determined whether to proceed with the Lab and at what cost to the city. What is Ahead in the Summer and Fall of 2018? We have three major efforts planned for the Summer/Fall of 2018 to get ready for SHIFT 2019: 1. CONTINUED OUTREACH: We want to take our conceptual proposals for the Lab out to the community to see what the reaction is, take their suggestions for “pricing” of the proposals, and see if there are other ideas we should incorporate into the Lab design. This would take up most of the summer months and involve a variety of outreach tools/techniques. The public outreach for SHIFT includes pop-up events to engage individuals from the entire Roaring Fork Valley (and reach Aspen commuters that support our local business community). In addition, the team is utilizing one-on-one interviews with key influencers from Aspen to Glenwood Springs, as well as small group meetings and emailed surveys. As of 8.14.18 the plan is approximately 60% complete and the initial research findings are outlined below. Pop-Ups 6 completed (listed below), 10 more to execute before 9/1 • Employee Fund Day 7/26 • Carbondale Farmer’s Market 8/1 P21 II. Page 15 • Basalt Live Music 8/1 • Carbondale First Friday 8/3 • Rio Grande Parking Garage Commuters 8/9 • Snowmass Concert 8/9 • Aspen Music Festival – Benedict Tent 8/12 The pop-up events consist of the branded ice cream trike and concept banners (pictured below), as well as a City employee administering a 10 question survey. Below are initial stats from the 5-7 minute pop- up surveys collected thus far (114 total). The team has been pleasantly surprised by how engaged individuals are – asking questions, and discussing their personal opinions. We estimate for every survey conducted at least 5+ more people were exposed to the information, taking a brochure and/or having a quick discussion with a City representative. As you will see from the data below, the interviewees represent a large cross-section of the Roaring Fork Valley. P22 II. Page 16 Overall Pop-Up Feedback There has been a significant amount of support for the Intercept Lot (50% very likely to try) and around-town proposals (57% very likely to try) with less support for the Buttermilk bike commuting hub (28% very likely to try). The mobile app was favorably received with 69% of people reporting they would be very likely to try the technology. When asked what participants like most about SHIFT (open-ended) many people responded with: • Getting people out of cars! (the most popular answer) • The fewer cars in Aspen the better • Environmentally friendly • Expanded Downtowner-like service • That the city is taking initiative, solving the traffic problem and reducing the carbon footprint • eBikes • Intercept amenities When asked what they liked least about SHIFT (open-ended) many people responded with: • Buttermilk – You are already past the worst of the traffic, hassle to change modes of transport at this point • Intercept Lot – additional amenities (toilets, WIFI, seating, etc. didn’t impact decisions) • The cost, to the City and potentially to individuals Behavior Change – We are seeing that changing behaviors could be challenging, especially if people aren’t convinced that these alternatives are significantly faster and cheaper. If the options aren’t cheaper/faster then we need incentives. P23 II. Page 17 Small-Group Meetings 1 complete, 3 more to execute before 9/1 Groups include: Pitkin County, NextGen Commission, Commercial Core and Lodging Commission, Public Affairs Committee Emailed Online Surveys 59 completed, anticipating receiving another 200+ responses before 9/1 – Takeaways to be compiled once complete Email survey sent to Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, Aspen Skiing Company, Pitkin County (TBD), City of Aspen employees, Aspen Young Professionals, Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association, Aspen Chamber and Resort Association One-on-One Interviews 24 complete, 8-10 more to execute before 9/1 Note: Several of the individuals thanked the team for reaching out, and asking for input. Many described it as very unusual, welcomed and for one, the best thing the City can be doing! Results from the small group meetings, surveys and one-on-one interviews will be compiled once they are all completed at the end of the month. A final report will be issued by early September. 2. TEST “MILES”: Our app-based incentive program – Miles – would be tested first among City staff. We would hope to sign up 250-300 city staff members, along with several representatives from Pitkin County government, and consultants working with the city on Shift. Miles will purchase, with city funding, gift cards valued at $10,000, for the challenges during this period, and will match with $10,000 for national rewards. We would follow this up in late Fall/early Winter with a marketing campaign to begin signing up some 750 commuters into the Miles app in order to build a base of participants that we would expand and begin to communicate with in the Spring of 2019 in the run-up to the SHIFT launch on June 1st. 3. REFINEMENT: Further develop the Lab concepts and individual components so we are sure we can make them work together – including the marketing plans to let commuters and in-town mobility users know of the options the Lab will provide them and how to sign up for those options where sign up is a requirement. 4. DECISION: Finally, in October – after we have concluded our outreach efforts, completed design of the Lab components, finalized the results of fund raising efforts – we will be back with the Council to give you those results and ask you to render the final “GO/NO GO” decision about SHIFT 2019. P24 II. Page 18 What are the Resource Needs for SHIFT 2019? Project Management: this represents the cost of the project management assistance we have brought on to help organize all the various teams and track effort and a portion of the Project Director’s time. Fundraising: used to account for fundraising expenses in 2017 and 2018. We anticipate no expenses in 2019 App Development: this is for the Miles app license that will provide the platform for signing up users for mobility and parking incentives, provide data about user choice for mobility, and allow to target incentives and “challenges” to drive behavioral change. Public Outreach: this is the consultant outlay for outreach and marketing of SHIFT in the run-up to June 1, 2019 and during the summer of 2019. Incentives: this is for the design and implementation of possible incentive approaches for use during the lab. Engineering & Design: this is a placeholder that will probably be less in the final analysis Data Collection & Analysis: The Mobility Lab Steering Committee formed a Data Group to focus attention on the data-related needs for the Lab. On May 7, the Council confirmed its support for the “black diamond” option. This option includes: 1. Data Support (for data related project management assistance and survey development) 2. Data Collection (for collection of field data on mode use and patterns) 3. Database and Data Management Services (for database development, data aggregation and advanced data analysis) Contingency: we want to be responsive to changes in approach and expenditures, so this rather large contingency is in the supplemental request. If we don’t need to spend it, we won’t. P25 II. Page 19 FINANCIAL/BUDGET IMPACTS: The 2019 Supplemental Budget request of $2,565,980 would be split between the General Fund and the Transportation Fund on a 30% General Fund/70% Transportation Fund basis. The Transportation Fund would provide $1,796,186 of the supplemental and the General Fund would provide $769,794 to fund the budget request. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS The Aspen Mobility Lab positively impacts numerous measures from City Council’s Sustainability Dashboard including: Air Quality (PM levels, ozone levels); Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Castle Creek Bridge Counts; Acres of Trails; Mass Transit Use; Walkability and Bike- ability Rating; Health and Well Being; and Community Connections. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the workplan for and direct staff to begin closing out the RFPs, selecting vendors and initiating contract negotiations. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS: P26 II.