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San Clemente council accepts $1.8 million mobility pilot, city to pay vehicle charging costs
Summary
The City Council unanimously approved accepting an $1.8 million state grant for a four-year mobile mobility voucher pilot; city staff said the only expected local cost is keeping pilot vehicles charged, estimated under $200,000 over the program period.
The San Clemente City Council on March 4 voted unanimously to accept a $1.8 million grant to run a mobile mobility voucher pilot intended to provide shuttle service in and around Maxxford Park, Rancho San Clemente Business Park, Valencia and North Beach.
The pilot, described in staff reports as a four-year program funded by the grant, will provide vehicles and program funding; the council-approved resolution also authorized execution of the mobile mobility project voucher agreement and found the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act.
City staff told the council the program and vehicles would be provided through the grant and that the city's only financial obligation would be electricity to charge the vehicles. "The city's only cost would be the cost of keeping the vehicles charged," a city staff member said, adding the city anticipates that expense would be less than $200,000 for the five-year period of the program. Earlier printed materials on the item contained a $534,000 figure; staff reported after publication that a change to program guidelines and a reimbursement timing change reduced the city's outlay and removed the $534,000 request from the recommendation.
Public comment raised concerns about traffic impacts and prior statements about city costs. Amanda Quintanilla, a resident who spoke during the item, said she understood the program would help people with financial barriers but asked why earlier presentations indicated no city cost. "Why was it presented as one thing that it's not going to cost us anything and then now it is possibly?" Quintanilla said, asking for clearer disclosure if the city's share changed.
Council members voted by voice; the measure passed unanimously.
Staff said the pilot's vehicle service would run concurrently with the city's existing trolley service and that reimbursements and scheduling adjustments clarified staff's recommendation prior to the council vote. The agenda report authorized acceptance of the grant funds, execution of the funding agreement and a CEQA exemption determination.
The council did not set an exact ongoing operating budget beyond the charging-cost estimate at the meeting. Staff said they would provide updated budget and timing details as the program is implemented.
