HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-28-2014 ac LopesGoodwin, Heather
From: Murry, Kim
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 1 :32 PM JAN 21 2014
To: Goodwin, Heather; Kremke, Kate
Cc: Mandeville, Peggy S[-0 C',IT✓
Subject: FW: Comments on Draft Circ. Element
Attachments: Letter_ CityCouncil _1- 21- 14_CE_LUCE_Lopes.doc; Letter_CityCouncil_1 -21 -14
_CE_LUCE_Lopes.pdf
Attached please find agenda correspondence for the January 28th Special Council meeting. Both attachments are the
same - one is in Word format while the other is a PDF.
Thanks!
Kim Murry
Deputy Director, Long Range Planning
City of San Luis Obispo, Community Development
919 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo CA 93401
Ph: 805 - 781 -7274 FAX: 805 - 781 -7173
Web: www.slocity.org
Email: kmurry @slocity.org
- - - -- Original Message---- -
From: James Lopes [mailto:iameslopes @charter.netj
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 12:43 PM
To: Murry, Kim; Mandeville, Peggy
Subject: Comments on Draft Circ. Element
Hi,
AGENDA
CORRESPONDENCE
Date -- Item#
71
Attached are my comments for City Council regarding the draft Circulation Element. Hope you have some time to
review and comment yourselves!
Jamie
James Lopes
1336 Sweet Bay Lane
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Ph. 805 - 781 -8960
1
1336 Sweetbay Lane
San Luis Obispo, California 93401
January 21, 2014
City Council
City of San Luis Obispo
990 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, California 93401
RE: Comments on Planning Commission Draft Circulation Element
Dear Mayor and Council Members:
Tremendous effort has been expended to create the draft Circulation Element, which is
before you to provide a project for the draft EIR. My comments build on or repeat my
earlier ones made online, to the Task Force and Planning Commission. I understand
that comments that are not relatable to the EIR will be considered for the Public Hearing
Draft Circulation Element. I want to thank Derek Johnson, Community Development
Director, for clarifying that step in the process at the January 14, 2014 hearing.
Overriding all issues is the scope of the Circulation Element update; like the Land Use
Element, the process has focused on minor fixes at intersections and word - smithing
about a multi -modal emphasis (which is already in the 1994 plan to a great degree). The
scope was set too narrowly. My major concern is that the draft Circulation Element has
not had the benefit of a technical capacity study that normally is the foundation of a
sustainable community plan.
• We don't know how close the City's streets and regional highways are to their
capacity with the content before us.
• We don't know how soon projected traffic trends, without and with the plan's
modifications and goals, will reach untenable levels or exceed capacities.
• We don't know how much commuting traffic will be generated by the areas
planned for employment; nor how this commuting traffic will reduce the capacities
of regional highways and roads, due in great respect by the amount of potential
housing planned in residential and mixed use commercial areas.
Perhaps the process is being planned to provide this information in the Draft EIR; if so,
then it would be useful for such a statement to be made. It is not sustainable planning to
not be basing a plan update on the long -term capacity of resources and in this case,
major streets, road and highway infrastructure. I made similar comments about the Land
Use Element in my January 14, 2014 letter to the Council.
A solution might be if the Environmental Setting section of the Draft EIR provides this
capacity analysis, and a transportation consultant does the technical work to identify
potential traffic capacity issues. Again, if that is the process, it should be made more
explicit how the Draft EIR will guide the preparation of a sustainable city plan. More
detailed and EIR - related comments follow:
James Lopes
TRANSPORTATION GOALS
January 21, 2014
P. 2 -8, Goal 9. This goal actually negates the other goals by balancing "the needs of
all circulation modes." The City cannot continue to meet the needs of all vehicle
drivers for wide, fast streets to drive unimpeded, for instance. The plan needs to
redress a current imbalance by affecting some modes negatively to help others and
seek a new equilibrium. It is obvious that vehicle- oriented designs and expenditures
would be reduced in order to provide funds and space for competing modes. The
City should not confuse the previous eight goals with a countervailing one. Goal 9
should be deleted and replaced with a new no. 1:
• 1. Provide a circulations stem that will reduce air j2ollution, -greenhouse gas
emissions, vehicle miles traveled; increase energy and fuel conservation, and
maintain the long -term capacity of major transportation infrastructure.
OVERALL TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY
2. P. 2 -8, Goals 5 and 6. These 1995 strategies are not conducive to 2014 multi -
modal transportation needs for a sustainable community. They should be edited:
• 5. I= GGUS+ng Dispersing traffic to reduce trip distances and numbers, and
minimize traffic increases on Arterial Streets and Regional Routes and Highways
to maintain their Iona -term capacities;
g eGGeptin , se fpfe Minimizing additional traffic on Arterial Streets and Regional
Routes and Highways, with attention to attracting travel in alternative modes
such as transit, bicycling and walking, to lower increases in carbon dioxide and
other air pollutants;
TRANSPORTATION OBJECTIVES
3. P. 2 -9, NO. 1.7. The dates in the objectives need to be updated.
A new objective should be added to increase transit "capacity" by increasing the
number and frequency of transit trips: "3. Plan and fund increases in transit trips and
fMguencyto attract major increases in usage within the City and the regional
system"
4. P. 2 -9, No. 1.8. Objective no. 1 would be effective if it had been observed since
1994. How can it be met or implemented to be effective? An analysis should be
done, either in the Draft EIR or before the Public Hearing Draft CE, of the City's plan
for residential and economic development to compare the likely amounts of housing
and employees, and their projected commuting. These amounts should be trended
and compared with the projected traffic from other sources on arterials and regional
roads and highways, for their potential impacts. Guidance then needs to be provided
to "balance" potential housing and employment more objectively by revised and
staged designations in the City's plan, which would reduce traffic growth and regional
traffic impacts, among other benefits.
5. P. 2 -10, No. 1.10. A local cultural shift is needed to increase understanding and
changes in transportation choices. Education has been missing and should become
a plan objective: 2. Engage in public affairs education about creating a healthier,
more livable community, driving less and using other modes of transportation.
Another objective is needed to fund and create a more robust transit system, with
more frequency and trips: 3. Provide the transit infrastructure and operations to
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James Lopes
January 21, 2014
increase the comfort number and frequency of transit trips and choices to attract
more usage.
6. P. 2 -11, Figure 1. The objective would reduce the 65% vehicle trips surveyed in
2008 by 15 percent in 20 years, which is commendable but not enough to address
the circumstances that the Draft EIR will likely project for 2035. The survey done in
2008 is summarized in the staff report, page PH 1-2. These percentages should be
observed in the draft CE, but only after the modes are assigned more specifically:
Car Pools with Transit; Motorcycles with Vehicles. Then, the objectives should be
made robust for alternative forms:
• Motor Vehicle trips declining from 65% to 40 %;
• Transit increasing from 6% to 20 %;
• Bicycle trips from 14% to 20 %, and
• Walking from 16% to 20 %.
These high objectives give the City a challenge for redefining our transportation to be
sustainable locally and in the region.
2 - TRAFFIC REDUCTION
7. Page 2 -12, Introduction. ." An introduction should define problems that need
solutions and offer a general approach; other text should be added for this purpose.
The second sentence is true and important; something needs to be said to galvanize
staff, officials and the public.
• Keep and reword to read: "This quality of life is being eroded by high traffic
volumes of traf#is and speeds
8. Page 2 -12, 2.0.1 Multi -level Programs. A second policy is especially needed to
address regional issues and solutions, as information to future staff and officials and
public:
• "The City, shall initiate and lead regional discussion on how to retain the capacity
of regional transportation infrastructure such as reducing 'urisdictional
competition for
retail sales tax revenues, planning for more balanced regional
commercial and industrial rowth and easing low- income and workforce
housing deficits in local general plans."
To be realistic about fiscal competition and the complexity of transportation funding
and collaboration among the jurisdictions, this section of policies should be thorough
and targeted.
5 WALKING
9. Page 2 -23, 5.1.1 Downtown Pedestrian Plan. As recommended by the LUCE Task
Force, this plan should be revised into a draft "Citywide Pedestrian Plan." An
ongoing advisory committee should be established to review the plan and implement
it continually. A trip- reducing strategy should be added in this plan for important trip
reductions: "The Plan shall focus on creating safe and attractive walking
connections and routes between multi - family areas and emplovment areas. and
other strategies for reducing vehicle trips.
10. Page 2 -24, 5.1.2 Pedestrian Network. Another policy should be more strategic
about reducing vehicle trips: "High priority shall be given to installing and upgrading
the network between multi - familv areas and emplovment areas."
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James Lopes
7 TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
January 21, 2014
11. Page 2 -29, 7.0.5 Vehicle Speeds. It should be a policy of the City to utilize a
provision in the California Vehicle Code (CVC), which allows the City Council to
approve a lower speed limit than is currently traveled, by a 4/5 majority vote.
Somehow this fact was overlooked by the consultant in previous meetings, who
emphasized that, in my understanding, the City is powerless to reduce speed limits
below average travel speeds. The City should take a strong position that it shall use
this provision, primarily because the Arterials were planned for high speeds serving
"pods" of unconnected uses. We are in a different age now, where we need to use
these corridors for multi -modal travel, which can only be attracted if these high
speeds are reduced by design or enforcement of lower speed limit ordinances.
• Add the following policy: "The City shall fully utilize the provisions of the
California Vehicle Code to reduce travel speeds below their current levels, in
particular on Arterials and other streets, which were designed for high speeds
that are now undesirable."
12. Page 2 -31, Table 7.1 Descriptions and Standards for Figure 2. The City should
not be dissuaded from using its option, with a 4/5 vote, to set speed limits below
existing travel speeds. The consultant has negated this opportunity and has
recommended deleting the design and operation speed for Residential Arterials. In
Table 7.1, the existing "35 mph" desired maximum speed is proposed to be deleted.
However, it should remain with inclusion of the policy in item 11 above. The text
should be retained and observed.
13. Page 2 -31, Table 7.1 Descriptions and Standards for Figure 2. Another type of
Arterial street is needed, a "Neighborhood Center Arterial, which I propose in the
attachment to designate segments or sections of Arterial streets in the vicinity of a
neighborhood center such as Marigold Plaza. Arterials in these segments would
have lower design speeds and other features that are explained in the attachment.
Without these segments, the City will not have legible and present guidance for
reducing traffic speeds and improving driver behavior in these critical segments of
arterial streets.
14. Page 2 -34, Circulation Element Streets Classification Map. Some adjustments
should be made to the map:
• A Commercial Collector should be dotted from Buckley through the Avila area
across Tank Farm Road to Prado Road at the commercial service area.
• Buckley Road should be designated a "Parkway Arterial." It will be at the
extreme south edge of the city in a suburban setting, and the addition of a
parkway median would be very appropriate here.
• Collector and any Arterial 'streets in the Orcutt Specific Plan area should be
shown as planned.
• Any other omitted streets should be included for a better EIR analysis.
15. Page 2 -40, Neighborhood Traffic Management Areas. Somehow, the Marigold -
Tank Farm /Broad Street area was not included in this map, and it should be since
traffic conditions threaten and discourage walking and biking:
• The arterial streets should also be identified as Neighborhood Center Arterials,
and treated as a pedestrian zone, with stop signs or lights, street markings, low
speed limits, speed humps, etc. so that drivers entering the zone slow down
before Poinsettia (coming from the East) and before the large west side
properties coming from the West. Vehicle traffic lanes should be reduced from
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James Lopes
January 21, 2014
four to two east of Broad at least past Poinsettia. This pedestrian zone should be
the kind of "road diet" that all arterials within neighborhood centers should
engage in. The concept is to treat the area's residents and the users of this retail
center with respect.
Stop signs should be located at Poinsettia, and street lights should be installed to
highlight the crosswalk. Similarly, the other intersections further east should also
have stop signs. Otherwise, crossing tables should be located before these
intersections, so that drivers will lower speeds in order to perceive crossing traffic
and pedestrians.
The entry to San Luis Obispo on Orcutt Road, east of Spanish Oaks Drive,
should be posted with a lower speed limit than the current 55 mph. The first lower
speed sign of 45 mph is actually west of the Orcutt Road intersection. By the
time drivers see this sign, if at all, and start to slow down a bit, if at all, is when
they ascend the hill to Brook Pine Street. The entry should announce the first in
a series of 35 mph signs east of and before Spanish Oaks Drive. It is physically
impossible to cross traffic coming at 50 — 60 mph along this corridor, without
"gunning" it. Only one or two seconds are available to make a decision whether
to go for it, given the sight distance problems. This is particularly true on Brook
Pine Street and Wavertree Streets, crossing left onto Tank Farm Road.
The bus stop at Tank Farm and Poinsettia Street should be upgraded to a
structured shelter /kiosk/coffee corner. It is the central transit hub for the
neighborhood, but it has been ignored as such by one transit official after
another. If it is upgraded to be attractive to the middle - class, it will attract middle
class riders to transit.
16. Page 2 -45, Figure 4: Transportation Capital Projects. The Circulation Element
should be explicit and apply priorities and timing to the projects in Figure 4, listing
them with priority levels, anticipated years for starting, and short descriptors. The
Circulation Element should have a statement that the Projects and Programs in this
table shall be brought to public hearings for budget consideration annually, or in each
budget cycle, not every five years which is too infrequent.
To summarize, a capacity study for buildout of the land use plan and circulation system
is necessary for the plan update. A related study of capacities for housing and projected
commuting trips to and from San Luis Obispo will inform whether San Luis Obispo is
overly ambitious for commercial development while trying to be sustainable and a good
regional actor. A new street classification is needed to manage vehicle traffic near the
major neighborhood centers.
Thank you for your careful consideration.
Sincerely,
James Lopes
James Lopes
Neighborhood Center Arterial
Street type: Arterial
Function: Slow arterial vehicle traffic speeds to
accommodate and attract pedestrian, bicycle and
transit traffic along and across the street.
Desired Characteristics: Slow traffic speeds in two
or four traffic lanes; high density of pedestrian and
bicycle travel; transit stop at high usage /occupancy
Design speed: 30 — 35 mph
Typical locations: Neighborhood shopping centers
near Multi - Family zoning; such as LOVR- Madonna
Road area (see right)
Candidate locations: Santa Rosa - Foothill; Chorro-
Foothill; Tank Farm Road -Broad Street; Marsh -
Johnson; Broad - South; others?
Typical features:
January 21, 2014
J _s�
LOVR- Madonna NCA: Designation of
arterial applies to a segment to meet multi -
modal objectives, as shown by blue line.
• Entry signs for the "Neighborhood Center" corridor; slower- speed -limit warning
signs; speed -limit signs and painted speed limit on pavement.
• Traffic light at an entry intersection (if applicable).
• Low - height speed tables before intersections
• Reduced traffic lane widths: 10 — 11 feet
• Painted bike lanes at minimum six -foot width
• Parallel street parking next to bike lanes if possible for pedestrian protection
• Sidewalks at 10- to 12 -foot widths; street trees; benches; planters; historical
signs
• Center landscaped median with tree canopy or left turn lanes
• Bike channels with landscaped medians on very wide streets
• Pedestrian streetlights at 35 -foot intervals in addition to tall streetlights
• Bus stop shelter for 12 people minimum; solar lights; wind and rain protection;
emergency phone; large- format (3x4') graphics shelter sign and maps.
Example of a Neighborhood Center Arterial
http: / /www.walklive.org /resources/