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6.B. - Page 2 of 13 Port of Redwood City ("Port"), and WETA would be the first step towards a partnership. Additionally, Government Code Section 66540.6(b) establishes that WETA has sole authority to determine entry of any water transportation service in the Bay Area outside of the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District which only services Marin County. Section 47 of the City Charter establishes the Port as an enterprise department of the City with ownership and control of certain waterfront property within the City. Since a potential ferry terminal would be on Port property, the Port is a party to the agreement. ANALYSIS On September 10, 2018, the City Council authorized the City Manager to execute a funding agreement with the San Mateo County Transportation Authority in the amount of $450,000 of Measure A funding towards a Redwood City Ferry Financial Feasibility Study & Cost -Benefit and Economic Impact Analysis ("Study"). Additionally, the City committed $60,000 of capital funding towards the completion of the Study. On January 28, 2019, the City Council approved an agreement with CDM Smith, Inc. to conduct the Study. The Study is currently underway and staff anticipate presenting findings to the City Council in summer 2020. The goal of the Study is to provide the City Council with as complete a picture as possible to best determine whether the City should proceed with pursuing a new commuter ferry service. Moreover, WETA requires that a project be feasible in order to be incorporated in their system expansion. From the beginning of the Study, WETA has worked with the Port and the City towards the Study's completion by providing ridership and cost data of their existing service, reviewing documents, and providing guidance and consultation on defining successful public ferry service. While WETA is actively supporting Redwood City with its Study, the execution of an MOU would memorialize the relationship and WETA's commitment to pursue public ferry service in Redwood City should a project be feasible. Should the Port and City determine new public ferry transit service to be feasible, the City would initiate the development of a Business Plan for Ferry Service ("Business Plan") to identify strategies to attract and retain ferry riders. San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA) staff has stated that the creation of a Business Plan would be necessary to obtain additional Measure A funding for planning and capital construction costs. When Measure A was passed, voters approved including funding for "cost- effective" ferry service. The Study and Business Plan will identify whether commuter ferry service is feasible, and if the project is feasible, what strategies are necessary to ensure service is cost-effective. WETA's participation will greatly facilitate the development of a Business Plan given their role as a ferry operator. FISCAL IMPACT There is no direct fiscal impact associated with the execution of the MOU with WETA. As a Redwood City Ferry project progresses and develops, there is significant benefit from partnering with WETA since WETA is an eligible recipient of RM3 funds and federal Department of Transportation funding. Page 2 of 4 City of Redwood City 1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA. 94063 Tel: 650-780-7000 www.redwoodcity.ore 16