Claremontclair Authority: Metro A Line Extension project.

This bill would reduce the scope of the light rail project overseen by the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority by instead providing that the project extends to any mass transit guideway that may be planned along the rail right-of-way to the City of Claremont in the County of Los Angeles.

This bill would instead require the Claremontclair Authority (authority), which the bill would create, to award and oversee all design and construction contracts for completion of a light rail project extending from and including the rail tracks located to the east of the Claremont light rail station to be constructed by the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority and continuing to the Montclair Transit Center in the City of Montclair in the County of San Bernardino. The bill would grant the authority all the powers necessary for completion of the project, as provided. The bill would require the authority to conduct financial studies and planning and engineering necessary for completion of the project and to make reasonable progress in the design and construction of the project. The bill would require the authority to be dissolved upon completion of project construction. The bill would also make conforming changes.

This bill would require the authority to be governed by a board of 5 voting members and one nonvoting member, with the city councils of the Cities of Claremont and Montclair, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), the president of the board of directors of the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), and the County of San Bernardino Board of Supervisors each appointing one voting member and the Governor appointing the nonvoting member. The bill would authorize the board to appoint an executive director and authorize the executive director to appoint staff or retain consultants as necessary to carry out the duties of the authority.

This bill would require LACMTA and SBCTA to enter into an agreement with the authority to grant to the authority or hold in trust with the authority all real property and real property rights, and other assets, as necessary for the completion of the project. The bill would also require LACMTA and the authority to enter into a memorandum of understanding that specifically addresses the ability of LACMTA to review any significant changes in the scope of the design or construction, or both the design and construction, of the project. The bill would require LACMTA to assume responsibility for operating all completed phases of the project, with operation of certain portions of the project being contingent upon LACMTA entering into an operations and maintenance agreement with SBCTA, as provided.

By imposing new duties on local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.