Preamble. | |
Municipal Transportation Agency. | |
Governance and Duties. | |
Service Standards and Accountability. | |
Personnel and Merit System. | |
Municipal Transportation Fund. | |
Budget. | |
Municipal Transportation Quality Review. | |
Fare Changes and Route Abandonments. | |
Additional Sources of Revenue. | |
Planning and Zoning. | |
Citizens' Advisory Council. | |
Parking and Traffic. | |
Parking and Traffic; Governance. | |
Cable Cars. | |
Transit-First Policy. | |
(a) An effective, efficient, and safe transportation system is vital for San Francisco to achieve its goals for quality of life, environmental sustainability, public health, social justice, and economic growth. The Municipal Transportation Agency must manage San Francisco's transportation system which includes automobile, freight, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian networks to help the City meet those goals. Through this measure, the voters seek to provide the Municipal Transportation Agency with improved resources and expanded independence and authority in order to create a transportation system that is among the best in the world.
(b) This article requires the Municipal Transportation Agency to develop clear, meaningful and quantifiable measures of its performance and goals and to regularly publicize those standards. This article also recognizes that the workers of the Municipal Transportation Agency are vital to the success of the Agency and to achieving the improvements voters seek. Therefore, it authorizes incentives for excellence and requires accountability for both managers and employees.
(c) Specifically, San Francisco residents require:
1. Reliable, safe, timely, frequent, and convenient transit service to all neighborhoods;
2. A reduction in breakdowns, delays, over-crowding, preventable accidents;
3. Clean and comfortable transit vehicles and stations, operated by competent, courteous, and well trained employees;
4. Support and accommodation of the special transportation needs of the elderly and the disabled;
5. Protection from crime and inappropriate passenger behavior on the Municipal Railway;
6. Responsive, efficient, and accountable management;
7. Roads that are not gridlocked with congestion;
8. A safe and comprehensive network of bicycle lanes;
9. A safe and inviting environment for pedestrians;
10. Efficient movement of goods and deliveries;
11. A transportation sector that promotes environmental sustainability and does not contribute to global warming; and
12. A well-managed and well-coordinated transportation system that contributes to a livable urban environment.
Through this measure, the voters seek to provide the transportation system with the resources, independence and focus necessary to achieve these goals.
(d) The voters find that one of the impediments to achieving these goals in the past has been that responsibility for transportation has been diffused throughout City government. Accordingly, this Article places within the Municipal Transportation Agency the powers and duties relating to transit now vested in other departments, boards, and commissions of the City and County. This Article further requires that, to the extent other City and County agencies provide services to the Municipal Transportation Agency, those departments must give the highest priority to the delivery of such services.
(e) At the same time, this Article is intended to ensure sufficient oversight of the Municipal Transportation Agency by, among other things, preserving the role of the City's Controller as to financial matters, the City Attorney as to legal matters, and the Civil Service Commission, as to merit system issues. In addition, this Article requires that outside audits be performed to ensure that required service levels are obtained with a minimum of waste.
(f) Finally, this Article is intended to strengthen the Municipal Transportation Agency's authority to: 1) manage its employees; 2) establish efficient and economical work rules and work practices that maximize the Agency's responsiveness to public needs; and 3) protect the Agency's right to select, train, promote, demote, discipline, layoff and terminate employees, managers, and supervisors based upon the highest standards of customer service, efficiency and competency.
(g) The effective management of traffic flow and parking are vital to the operation of the Municipal Railway. Congestion on city streets causes delays in transit operations. Therefore, the Municipal Transportation Agency must manage parking and traffic flow to ensure that transit vehicles move through City streets safely and efficiently.
(h) In addition, the residents of San Francisco require that the Agency: 1) value and protect the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists; 2) reduce congestion and air pollution through efficient use of the streets; and 3) protect the City's economic health by giving priority to commercial deliveries and access to local businesses.
(i) The voters find that reducing the carbon emissions from San Francisco's transit sector is fundamental to the City's health and wellbeing and shall be among the Agency's policy priorities. Because the Agency has significant influence on San Francisco's transportation sector, which is responsible for fully half of the carbon emissions produced within the City, the voters direct the Agency to develop and implement strategies for substantially reducing those emissions. The voters further affirm the goals of the City's Climate Action Plan.
(j) This Article shall be interpreted and applied in conformance with the above goals.
(Added November 1999; Amended by Proposition A, Approved 11/6/2007)
(a) There shall be a Municipal Transportation Agency. The Agency shall include a Board of Directors and a Director of Transportation. The Agency shall include the Municipal Railway and the former Department of Parking and Traffic, as well as any other departments, bureaus or operating divisions hereafter created or placed under the Agency. There shall also be a Citizens Advisory Committee to assist the Agency.
(b) The Board of Supervisors shall have the power, by ordinance, to abolish the Taxi Commission created in Section 4.133, and to transfer the powers and duties of that commission to the Agency under the direction of the Director of Transportation or his or her designee. In order to fully integrate taxi-related functions into the Agency should such a transfer occur, the Agency shall have the same exclusive authority over taxi-related functions and taxi-related fares, fees, charges, budgets, and personnel that it has over the Municipal Railway and parking and traffic fares, fees, charges, budgets, and personnel. Once adopted, Agency regulations shall thereafter supercede all previously-adopted ordinances governing motor vehicles for hire that conflict with or duplicate such regulations.
(c) Any transfer of functions occurring as a result of the above provisions shall not adversely affect the status, position, compensation, or pension or retirement rights and privileges of any civil service employees who engaged in the performance of a function or duty transferred to another office, agency, or department pursuant to this measure.
(d) Except as expressly provided in this Article, the Agency shall comply with all of the restrictions and requirements imposed by the ordinances of general application of the City and County, including ordinances prohibiting discrimination of any kind in employment and contracting, such as Administrative Code Chapters 12B et seq.,* as amended from time to time. The Agency shall be solely responsible for the administration and enforcement of such requirements.
(e) The Agency may contract with existing City and County departments to carry out any of its powers and duties. Any such contract shall establish performance standards for the department providing the services to the Agency, including measurable standards for the quality, timeliness, and cost of the services provided. All City and County departments must give the highest priority to the delivery of such services to the Agency.
(f) The Agency may not exercise any powers and duties of the Controller or the City Attorney and shall contract with the Controller and the City Attorney for the exercise of such powers and duties.
(Added November 1999; amended by Proposition A, approved 11/6/2007)
Editor's Note:
The Board of Supervisors exercised the power granted under division (b) of this section and abolished the Taxi Commission and transferred its functions, powers, and duties to the Municipal Transportation Agency. See Police Code Art. 16, Sec. 1075.1.
The Board of Supervisors exercised the power granted under division (b) of this section and abolished the Taxi Commission and transferred its functions, powers, and duties to the Municipal Transportation Agency. See Police Code Art. 16, Sec. 1075.1.
*Editor’s Note:
Former Administrative Code Chapters 12B et seq. are now at Labor and Employment Code Articles 131 et seq. See Ord. 221-23.
Former Administrative Code Chapters 12B et seq. are now at Labor and Employment Code Articles 131 et seq. See Ord. 221-23.
(a) The Agency shall be governed by a board of seven directors appointed by the Mayor and confirmed after public hearing by the Board of Supervisors. All initial appointments must be made by the Mayor and submitted to the Board of Supervisors for confirmation no later than February 1, 2000. The Board of Supervisors shall act on those initial appointments no later than March, 1, 2000 or those appointments shall be deemed confirmed.
At least four of the directors must be regular riders of the Municipal Railway, and must continue to be regular riders during their terms. The directors must possess significant knowledge of, or professional experience in, one or more of the fields of government, finance, or labor relations. At least two of the directors must possess significant knowledge of, or professional experience in, the field of public transportation. During their terms, all directors shall be required to ride the Municipal Railway on the average once a week.
Directors shall serve four-year terms, provided, however, that two of the initial appointees shall serve for terms ending March 1, 2004, two for terms ending March 1, 2003, two for terms ending March 1, 2002, and one for a term ending March 1, 2001. Initial terms shall be designated by the Mayor. No person may serve more than three terms as a director. A director may be removed only for cause pursuant to Article XV. The directors shall annually elect a chair. The chair shall serve as chair at the pleasure of the directors. Directors shall receive reasonable compensation for attending meetings of the Agency which shall not exceed the average of the two highest compensations paid to the members of any board or commission with authority over a transit system in the nine Bay Area counties.
(b) The Agency shall:
1. Have exclusive authority over the acquisition, construction, management, supervision, maintenance, extension, operation, use, and control of all property, as well as the real, personal, and financial assets of the Agency; and have exclusive authority over contracting, leasing, and purchasing by the Agency, provided that any Agency contract for outside services shall be subject to Charter Sections 10.104(12) and 10.104(15) and that the Agency may not transfer ownership of any of the real property of the City and County without approval from the Board of Directors and the Board of Supervisors;
2. Have exclusive authority to enter into such arrangements and agreements for the joint, coordinated, or common use with any other public entity owning or having jurisdiction over rights-of-way, tracks, structures, subways, tunnels, stations, terminals, depots, maintenance facilities, and transit electrical power facilities;
4. Notwithstanding any restrictions on contracting authority set forth in the Administrative Code, have exclusive authority to enter into agreements for the distribution of transit fare media and media for the use of parking meters or other individual parking services;
6. Notwithstanding Section 2.109, and except as provided in Sections 8A.106 and 8A.108, have exclusive authority to fix the fares charged by the Municipal Railway, rates for off-street and on-street parking, and all other, rates, fees, fines, penalties and charges for services provided or functions performed by the Agency;
7. Notwithstanding any provision of the San Francisco Municipal Code (except requirements administered by the Department of Public Works governing excavation, street design and official grade) have exclusive authority to adopt regulations that control the flow and direction of motor vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic, including regulations that limit the use of certain streets or traffic lanes to categories of vehicles and that limit the speed of traffic; and to design, select, locate, install, operate, maintain and remove all official traffic control devices, signs, roadway features and pavement markings that control the flow of traffic with respect to streets and highways within City jurisdiction, provided that:
(i) Notwithstanding the authority established in subsection 7, the Board of Supervisors may by ordinance establish procedures by which the public may seek Board of Supervisors review of any Agency decision with regard to the installation or removal of a stop sign or the creation or elimination of a bicycle lane. In any such review, the Agency's decision shall stand unless the Board of Supervisors reverses the decision of the Agency not later than 60 days after submission of a request to the Board of Supervisors.
(ii) Nothing in this subsection 7 shall modify the authority of ISCOTT, or any successor body, over the temporary use or occupancy of public streets, or the authority of the Board of Supervisors to hear appeals regarding the temporary use or occupancy of public streets.
(iii) Nothing in subsection 7 shall modify the power of the Board of Supervisors to establish civil offenses, infractions and misdemeanors.
(iv) Notwithstanding the authority established in subsection 7, to the extent state law contemplates that Agency action authorized by subsection 7 be effectuated by ordinance, such action shall be effectuated by resolution of the Board of Directors and shall be subject to referendum in accordance with Article 14, and, if a referendum petition contains the requisite number of signatures, the Board of Supervisors shall have the power to reconsider or repeal the action as provided in Article 14.
8. Have exclusive authority to adopt regulations limiting parking, stopping, standing or loading as provided by state law and to establish parking privileges and locations subject to such privileges for categories of people or vehicles as provided by state law; to establish parking meter zones, to set parking rates, and to select, install, locate and maintain systems and equipment for payment of parking fees, provided that:
(i) Notwithstanding the authority established in subsection 8, the Board of Supervisors may by ordinance establish procedures by which the public may seek Board of Supervisors review of any Agency decision with regard to the creation or elimination of any preferential parking zone, the creation or elimination of any parking meter zone, the adoption of any limitation on the time period for which a vehicle may be parked, or reservation of any parking space for persons with a disability that qualifies for parking privileges under state law. In any review of a decision of the Agency pursuant to this section, the Agency's decision shall stand unless the Board of Supervisors reverses the decision of the Agency not later than 60 days after submission of a request to the Board of Supervisors.
(ii) Nothing in subsection 8 shall modify the power of the Board of Supervisors to establish civil offenses, infractions and misdemeanors.
(iii) Notwithstanding the authority established in subsection 8, to the extent state law contemplates that any Agency action authorized by subsection 8 be effectuated by ordinance, such action shall be effectuated by resolution of the Board of Directors and, if a referendum petition contains the requisite number of signatures, shall be subject to referendum in accordance with Article 14, and the Board of Supervisors shall have the power to reconsider or repeal the action as provided in Article 14.
9. Have exclusive authority to establish policies regarding and procure goods and services for the enforcement of regulations limiting parking, stopping, standing or loading and the collection of parking-related revenues and, along with the Police Department, have authority to enforce parking, stopping, standing or loading regulations;
10. Be responsible for chairing the Interdepartmental Staff Committee on Traffic and Transportation (ISCOTT) or any successor body;
11. Be responsible for cooperating with and assisting the Police Department in the promotion of traffic safety; studying and responding to complaints related to street design, traffic control devices, roadway features and pavement markings; collecting compiling and analyzing traffic data and traffic accident data and planning improvements to improve the safety of the City's roadways; and conducting traffic research and planning;
12. Have exclusive authority to apply for, accept, and expend state, federal, or other public or private grant funds for Agency purposes;
13. To the maximum extent permitted by law, with the concurrence of the Board of Supervisors, and notwithstanding the requirements and limitations of Sections 9.107, 9.108, and 9.109, have authority without further voter approval to incur debt for Agency purposes and to issue or cause to be issued bonds, notes, certificates of indebtedness, commercial paper, financing leases, certificates of participation or any other debt instruments. Upon recommendation from the Board of Directors, the Board of Supervisors may authorize the Agency to incur on behalf of the City such debt or other obligations provided: 1) the Controller first certifies that sufficient unencumbered balances are expected to be available in the proper fund to meet all payments under such obligations as they become due; and 2) any debt obligation, if secured, is secured by revenues or assets under the jurisdiction of the Agency.
14. Have the authority to conduct investigations into any matter within its jurisdiction through the power of inquiry, including the power to hold public hearings and take testimony, and to take such action as may be necessary to act upon its findings; and
15. Exercise such other powers and duties as shall be prescribed by ordinance of the Board of Supervisors.
(c) The Agency's Board of Directors shall:
1. Appoint a Director of Transportation, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Director of Transportation shall be employed pursuant to an individual contract. His or her compensation shall be comparable to the compensation of the chief executive officers of the public transportation systems in the United States which the Board of Directors, after an independent survey, determine most closely resemble the Agency in size, mission, and complexity. In addition, the Board of Directors shall provide an incentive compensation plan consistent with the requirements of Section 8A.104(k) under which a portion of the Director's compensation is based on achievement of service standards adopted by the Board of Directors.
2. Appoint an executive secretary who shall be responsible for administering the affairs of the Board of Directors and who shall serve at the pleasure of the Board.
3. In addition to any training that may be required by City, State or federal law, attend a minimum of four hours of training in each calendar year, provided by the City Attorney and the Controller regarding the legal and financial responsibilities of the Board and the Agency.
(d) The Director of Transportation shall appoint all subordinate personnel of the Agency, including deputy directors. The deputy directors shall serve at the pleasure of the Director of Transportation.
(e) Upon recommendation of the City Attorney and the approval of the Board of Directors, the City Attorney may compromise, settle, or dismiss any litigation, legal proceedings, claims, demands or grievances which may be pending for or on behalf of, or against the Agency relative to any matter or property solely under the Agency's jurisdiction. Unlitigated claims or demands against the Agency shall be handled as set forth in Charter Section 6.102. Any payment pursuant to the compromise, settlement, or dismissal of such litigation, legal proceedings, claims, demands, or grievances, unless otherwise specified by the Board of Supervisors, shall be made from the Municipal Transportation Fund.
(f) The Agency's Board of Directors, and its individual members, shall deal with administrative matters solely through the Director of Transportation or his or her designees. Any dictation, suggestion, or interference by a director in the administrative affairs of the Agency, other than through the Director of Transportation or his or her designees, shall constitute official misconduct; provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall restrict the Board of Directors' powers of hearing and inquiry as provided in this Section.
(g) Notwithstanding any provision of Chapter 6 or 21 of the Administrative Code establishing any threshold amount for exercise of executive authority to execute contracts, or any successor provision of the San Francisco Municipal Code, the Agency's Board of Directors may adopt threshold amounts under which the Director of Transportation and his or her designees may approve contracts.
(h) Except provided in this Article, the Agency shall be subject to the provisions of this Charter applicable to boards, commissions, and departments of the City and County, including Sections 2.114, 3.105, 4.101, 4.103, 4.104, 4.113, 6.102, 9.118, 16.100, and A8.346. Sections 4.102, 4.126, and 4.132 shall not be applicable to the Agency.
(Added November 1999; Amended by Proposition A, Approved 11/6/2007)
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