Sec. 18-50. - Purpose and authority.

(a)

In an effort to reduce traffic congestion and protect our environment with particular attention to clean air and conservation of energy, the county proposes to encourage a reduction of single-occupant commuter trips by their employees within the unincorporated areas.

(b)

This article is viewed as a cooperative effort of county government and the major employers along with their respective employees. The county will serve as the focus and coordinator with participating representatives from each employer or group of employers.

(c)

This article responds to Government Code Section 65089.3 which requires the county to adopt and implement a trip reduction ordinance.

(Ord. No. 4535 § 1, 1993.)

Sec. 18-51. - Definitions.

"Average vehicle ridership (AVR)" means the number of employees reporting to a work site during the peak period divided by the number of vehicles those employees use to arrive at the work site, averaged over the survey week.

"Disabled employee" means an employee with a physical impairment which prevents the employee from traveling to the work site by means other than a vehicle and the employee has been issued a disabled person placard or plate from the Department of Motor Vehicles.

"Employee" means any person conducting work activity for an employer eighty (80) or more hours per month on a permanent, temporary or part-time basis who either reports to work or is assigned to a specified work site on a regular/established schedule. The term excludes field personnel, field construction workers, volunteers, seasonal workers and independent contractors.

"Employer" means any public or private employer with a permanent place of business in the county. "Employer" shall not include contractors and businesses with no permanent place of business in the county.

"Field construction worker" means an employee who reports for work to a temporary field construction site.

"Field personnel" means employees who spend twenty percent (20%) or less of their work-time at the work site and who do not report to the work site during the peak period for dispatch.

"Independent contractor" means an individual who enters into a direct written contract or agreement with an employer to perform certain services and who reports to the work site during the peak period. The period of the contract or agreement is at least ninety (90) days or may be open-ended.

"Volunteer" means an individual who does not receive any wages, salary or other form of financial reimbursement from the employer for services provided.

"Work site" means any property, real or personal, which is being operated or maintained by an employer as part of an identifiable enterprise. Property on contiguous, adjacent or proximate sites separated only by a private or public roadway or other private or public right-of-way, served by a common circulation or access system, and not separated by an impassable barrier to bicycle or pedestrian travel such as a freeway or flood control channel are included as part of the work site.

(Ord. No. 4535 § 2, 1993.)

Sec. 18-52. - Coordination with Trip Reduction Rule.

Compliance by an employer with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Rule will be assumed to be in compliance with this article.

Sec. 18-53. - Trip reduction goal.

The goal is to raise awareness of the problem and alternate solutions associated with single-occupant commuters to and from work. We hope to find and encourage those accepted incentives which will increase the average number of persons per vehicle during peak-commute period (six (6) a.m. to ten (10) a.m. weekdays). The goal of this article is as follows:

It is recognized that modification of this goal may be necessary per review by the employer network.

(Ord. No. 4535 § 3, 1993.)

Sec. 18-54. - Employer responsibilities.

Any employer is welcome as a voluntary participant. At a minimum, it is mandatory that all large both public and private employers (those having one hundred (100) or more employees at an individual jobsite who report to site during the six (6) a.m. to ten (10) a.m. peak period excluding disabled employees, field personnel, field construction workers, volunteers, seasonal workers and independent contractors) participate. Where in employer has multiple jobsites, only those sites with one hundred (100) or more employees are considered as large employment sites. Educational institutions are encouraged to participate.

(a)

Employer Network and Information Dissemination.

(1)

The county transportation administrator shall establish a network of employee transportation coordinators. This network shall serve as the program committee responsible for dissemination of information; development of employee surveys, incentive programs and an annual report; and prepare any proposed revisions to this article.

(2)

Each employer shall designate an employee transportation coordinator and provide trip reduction information to all employees annually and to new employees as they are hired. The name, phone number and address of an employee transportation coordinator shall be provided to the county transportation administrator. Information provided on specific transportation alternatives shall include: Carpooling, vanpooling, transit and bicycling, telecommuting, parking controls, compressed work week, and flexible work hours. The county will work with the congestion management agency (i.e., Sonoma County transportation authority) to prepare information on these alternatives which can be used by employers.

(3)

The employer's employee transportation coordinator shall be responsible for administering the employer requirements of the article. Employee transportation coordinators will be trained via a training program approved by the Sonoma County transportation authority. Employee transportation coordinator duties shall include:

(i)

Represent employer within the network and participate in training program;

(ii)

Dissemination of information to employees;

(iii)

Conducting employee surveys;

(iv)

Assisting with development of incentive programs and implementation of projects impacting employees.

(b)

Employee Survey and Goal Evaluation. The network will formulate an employee survey based on a county-wide, uniform survey developed by the Sonoma County transportation authority that will cover the employee population within the network. A uniform survey will be formulated in 1992, tested in 1992 and conducted annually beginning in 1993. Employees who do not respond to the survey will be counted as a single-occupancy vehicle. The results will be documented in the annual report.

(c)

Incentive Program. The network shall formulate an employer/employee incentive program for innovative participation in trip reduction. The concepts developed will be circulated to employers for consideration. The annual report will document the use of these incentives. The network would formulate a program in 1992 and begin test usage in 1993.

(d)

Annual Report. The county program administrator shall prepare each January (beginning in 1993) an annual report describing the program, progress being made toward achieving the trip reduction goal and plans for the upcoming year. The network shall review this report before it is forwarded to the board of supervisors and the county congestion management agency.

(Ord. No. 4535 § 5, 1993.)

Sec. 18-55. - County responsibilities.

(a)

The county of Sonoma shall appoint a transportation administrator and employee transportation coordinator for implementing this article.

(b)

The county transportation administrator is:

Trip Reduction Coordinator - Program Administrator

Sonoma County Public Works Department

575 Administration Drive (Room 117A)

Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Phone: (707) 527-2231

(c)

The transportation administrator shall be responsible for:

(1)

Liaison with employers and congestion management agency (i.e., Sonoma County Transportation authority);

(2)

Establishment of employer network and transportation coordinators;

(3)

Operation of an information dissemination and public information program;

(4)

Conduct employee surveys, survey analysis and annual report development;

(5)

Formulation and implementation of employer/employee incentive programs and projects that reduce trips;

(6)

Drafting of ordinance amendments;

(7)

Coordination with air quality and transportation agencies;

(8)

Providing input to updates of the congestion management program.

(d)

The employee transportation coordinator responsible for administering the county as an employer requirements is:

Employee Transportation Coordinator

Sonoma County General Services Department

2410 County Center Drive, Suite A

Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Phone: (707) 527-2977

(e)

All questions regarding this article should be addressed to the transportation administrator.

(Ord. No. 4535 § 6, 1993.)