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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/13/1994, 1 - COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF THE DRAFT CIRCULATION ELEMENT '°'���►��IIIIIIIIIp q��ill city of sar r WIS OBIspo - M COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT STEM NUMB R: / OM: Michael McCluskey, Public Works Director Terry Sanville, Principal Transportation Planner 11.1 J SUBJECT: �S Council Consideration of the draft Circulation Element CAO RECOMMENDATION: Hold hearings to consider the draft Circulation Element consistent with the hearing schedule approved by the City Council on August THE SITUATION 23� 1994. On August 23, 1994, the City Council established a schedule for holding hearings to consider the draft Circulation Element. The enclosed materials are for City Council reference during these hearings and include: El Draft Circulation Element (August 1994) that presents the Planning Commission and EQTF recommendations for amending the May 1992 draft Circulation Element. 0 Circulation Element Issues Paper that includes staff-prepared information that was presented to the Planning Commission. Each of the 22 discussion items are keyed to pertinent sections of the draft Circulation Element. A special notation is made where amendments are suggested by Staff that differ from Planning Commission or EQTF recommendations. Planning Commission and EQTF Minutes that are attached for Council reference. The EQTF is preparing a transmittal letter for its recommendations that will be sent under separate cover. Here is how these materials relate to the proposed Hearing Schedule: Hearing Date Discussion Topics Element Page Reference Discussion Paper Topic I September 13 Overview Transportation Goals and Objectives 1-10 1 September 27 Trip Reduction Programs Transit, Bicycle and Walking Programs 11-17 2-7 October 11 Street Standards Neighborhood Traffic Management 18-31 8-22 Street Network Changes October 25 Truck, Air and Rail Transport Parking Management .32-40 -- Scenic Roadways Element Implementation November 3 Reserve as needed (Thursday) _,ovember 29 Hearing to Adopt Element �►ii�� ll�l(�u�h ��Ulll city of San Luis OBIspo Norms COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT It should be noted that the City Council has agreed to schedule adjourned hearings on Thursday evenings following the scheduled Tuesday hearings as needed to complete Council action on the targeted discussion topics. POTENTIAL FOR REQUIRED PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT State law requires that the City Council refer to the Planning Commission for report any changes to the draft Circulation Element that had not been considered by the Commission. When the Planning Commission reviewed the draft Circulation Element it considered amendments and comments from staff, citizens, and from Jim Merkel, representing the Sierra Club. Since the Sierra Club's proposed amendments were the same changes considered and recommended (in part) by the Environmental Quality Task Force, the potential for requiring additional Planning Commission review and report is low. Staff will keep the Council appraised of the need for Planning Commission review. Only if a proposed amendment was not previously considered by the Planning Commission (including all circulation alternatives described in the EIR and EIR Supplement), would additional Commission review be required. Finally, new projects or programs not evaluated by the EIR or EIR Supplement could require additional environmental review and potentially delay action to adopt the draft Circulation Element. ATTACHMENTS Draft Circulation Element (August 1994) Circulation Element Discussion Paper Planning Commission Minutes Environmental Quality Taskforce Minutes TS:ts -city of San Lues OBISpO Draft CIRCULATION ELEMENT AUGUST 1994 Containing: PLANNING COMMISSION Recommendations (February 1994) AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE Recommendations (August 1994) _r a ® O CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO PUBLIC WORKS DEPAR'T'MENT 955 Morro Street, San Luis Obispo, California 93401 GENERAL PLAN CIRCULATION ELEMENT LEGISLATIVE DRAFT August, 1994 This draft has been prepared to reflect changes made by the Environmental Quality Task Force and the Planning Commission to the May, 1992 Hearing Draft. It was approved by the Planning Commission in February, 1994, by EQTF in August, 1994, and will be the subject of City Council hearings scheduled for September, 1994. Chanees to the 1992 hearing Draft are indicated as follows: Planning Commission Changes EQTF Changes Words Deleted War.& Deleted Words Added Words Added [2.4] - Former part number [Rationale: not pan of text/ To make it easy: one line means Planning Commission, two lines EQTF. identifies those policies or programs that are evaluated in attached discussion paper. * identifies those policies or programs where Staff has made recommendations that differ from the Planning Commission or EQTF. CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO GENERAL PLAN CIRCULATION ELEMENT INTRODUCTION Purpose 2 Relationship to Other General Plan Elements 2 Definitions 3 Transportation Goals and Objectives 6 TRAFFIC REDUCTION Employment and School Trip Reduction 11 Transit Service 13 Bicycle Transportation 14 Wig 16 TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT Types of Streets 19 Neighborhood Traffic Management 22 Traffic Flow 23 Street Network Changes 25 OTHER TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS Truck Transportation 32 Air Transportation 33 Rail Transportation 34 Parking Management 35 SCENIC ROADWAYS 37 IMPLEMENiTATION, PROGRAM FUNDING AND MANAGEMENT 39 LIST OF MAPS AND TABLES Figure #1: Modal Split Objectives Figure #2: Streets Classification Map Figure #3: Neighborhood Traffic Management Study Areas Figure #4: Major Street Network Changes Figure #5: Truck Route Map Figure #6: Scenic Roadways Map APPENDICES Appendix A: Description of Level of Service (LOS) Appendix B: Scenic Roadway Survey Methodology Appendix G! Geneept Design of Freeway intenhanges Appendix -C$: Summary of Circulation Element Projects and Programs Appendix D: Ocerational Changes to Santa Rosa Street 1 INTRODUCTION Purpose The city's general plan guides the use and protection of various resources to meet community purposes. The general plan is published in separately adopted sections, called elements, which address various topics. This Circulation Element describes how the city plans to provide for the transportation of people and materials within San Luis Obispo with connections to county areas and beyond. Relationship to Other Elements While the Land Use Element describes the city's desired character and size, the Circulation Element describes how transportation will be provided in the community envisioned by the Land Use Element. The vision of San Luis Obispo described by the Land Use Element is influenced by the layout and capacity of streets and the location of other transportation facilities described in the Circulation Element. Transportation facilities and programs influence the character of neighborhoods, the location of specific land uses, and the overall form of the city. History The City adopted a master plan for streets and highways in 1953 and in 1962. In 1973, it adopted its first Circulation Element which was completely revised in 1982. This Circulation Element is a revision of the 1982 element. Its preparation was coordinated with the preparation of a revised Land Use Element. Public Participation Before adopting or revising any general plan element, the Planning Commission and the City Council hold public hearings. The City publishes notices in the local newspaper to let citizens know about the hearings at least ten days before they are held. Also, the City prepares environmental documents to help citizens understand the expected consequences of its planning policies before a general plan element is adopted. The Planning Commission and City Council reviewed this Circulation Element at public meetings in . A Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which evaluated the effects of both this Circulation Element and a revised Land Use Element, was prepared in Public hearings were held in of and this Circulation Element was adopted on For More Information For more current or detailed information concerning this element, contact the Public Works Department at 955 Morro Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, telephone (805) 781-7178. 2 Definitions Terms that are unique to the Circulation Element and transportation planning include: Alternative Forms of Transportation— something other than single-occupant vehicles, including buses, bicycles, car and van pools, and walking. Average Daily Traffic (ADT) —The total number of vehicles that use a particular street throughout the day (24 hours). Average Vehicle Ridership (AVR) — is a number derived by dividing the number of people in a geographic area or at a specific site by the number of cars that they drive to that location. For example: If 100 people work at a site and they all drive a car to work, then AVR = 1.0 (100 people _ 100 cars). If 100 people work at a site but only 50 drive cars and the rest use alternative forms of transportation then AVR = 2.0 (100 people _ 50 cars). Bike Lane — part of a roadway that is reserved for bicycles. Bike Path — a paved path separated from a road that is reserved for bicycles. Bike Route — routes that bicyclists use to travel throughout the city. Billboards — are signs which are made available for lease or rent. Capital Improvement Plan — part of the city's budget that describes how money will be spent on the construction, maintenance or replacement of buildings, streets, sewer and water mains and other publicly-owned facilities. Commercial Core — the part of the "Downtown Planning Area" (Downtown) that is zoned for central commercial (CC) and public facility (PF) uses. Commercial Truck — a vehicle weighing more than 10,000 pounds used to make commercial deliveries. Cut-Through Traffic — people who drive on a particular residential local or collector street who do not live in the neighborhood and are passing through it to some other destination. Downtown Planning Area (Downtown) — the triangular area bounded by High Street, the railroad tracks and Highway 101. 3 Level of Service — a measurement of the quality of traffic flow on a street or at an intersection. Level of Service (LOS) "A" is free-flowing traffic while LOS "F" is extreme congestion. (See Appendix A.) Major Expansion Areas — are land area shown on the Land Use Element Map. Modal Split — describes how people use different methods of transportation (such as automobiles, transit, bicycles, and walling) to account for all the trips they make. For example, Figure til estimates that city residents use motor vehicles for 71% of all their trips and buses, bicycles, walking and car pools for the remaining 29%. Paratransit — transportation systems such as jitneys, car pooling, van pooling, dial-a- ride services, and taxies that serve the specialized needs of groups such as the elderly or handicapped. Peak Hour Traffic— the single time period in the morning or evening when the greatest number of vehicles are using a street. Pedestrian Path — a walkway reserved for pedestrians that is not along a street. Public Utilities — include telephone lines, electrical power lines, cable television, fire protection valves and related plumbing, traffic signal control boxes, and other equipment and facilities that are often placed above ground. Scenic Resources —are natural features having scenic value including Laguna Lake, San Luis Obispo and Stenner Creeks, the Santa Lucia, Davenport, and Irish Foothills, Cuesta Ridge, the Morros (including Bishop Peak, Cerro San Luis Obispo, and Islay Hill), Orcutt Knob, Terrace Hill, and South Street Hills. Scenic Roadways — are segments of Residential Arterial or Arterial streets, Regional Routes and Highways or Freeway 101 that provide people with views of important scenic resources. Single-Occupant Vehicle — a motor vehicle occupied only by the driver. Street Right-of-Way — is a strip of land that contains public facilities such as streets and highways(including paved and unpaved shoulders),bike lanes, sidewalks, landscaped areas, and utilities. Through Traffic — people who drive through an area where neither their origin nor their destination is within the area. Traffic Reduction Programs —any activity that gets people to use alternative forms of transportation. 4 Transit Service - bus service provided by the city or regional agencies. Trip :— a person. traveling from. one place.(origin) to another (destination). Thick Route =streets that commercial trucks use to make regular deliveries. Vista — a point from which several important scenic resources can be viewed. View — the ability to see a scenic resource..from a moving vehicle on a major street: Viewshed — is the area that can be seen from a scenic roadway. i 5 TRANSPORTATION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Goals and objectives describe desirable conditions. In this context, they are meant to express the community's preferences for current and future conditions and directions. In the following statements, San Luis Obispo means the community as a whole, not just the city as a municipal corporation. TRANSPORTATION GOALS 1. Maintain accessibility and protect the environment throughout San Luis Obispo while reducing traffic to 1289 EA. [Rationale: According to the May, 1988 survey, residents responded to the question, Wiest do you see as San Luis Obispo's greatest problem?, excessive growth (47%), followed by traffic and road conditions (17%). When asked how much undesirable factors can increase to accommodate additional development and economic growth, citizens responded in these areas:Air Pollution,83% none; Car/Truck traffic noise, 54% none. State standards for ozone and fine particulate matter (PM10) are currently exceeded in San Luis Obispo County. As a result, the state Air Resources Board (ARB) has designated the county as a non-attainment area for these pollutants. Additionally, the global warming agreement reached at the Rio Summit requires the U.S. to reduce these pollutants.] 2. Reduce people's use of their cars by supporting and promoting alternatives such as walking, riding buses and bicycles, and using car pools. 3. Provide a system of streets that are well-maintained and safe for all forms of transportation. 4. Widen and extend streets only when there is a demonstrated need and when the projects will cause no significant, long-term environmental problems. 5. Make the downtown more functional and enjoyable for pedestrians. 6. Promote the safe operation of all modes of transportation. 7. Coordinate the planning of transportation with other affected agencies such as San Luis Obispo County, Cal Trans, and Cal Poly. & Reduce the need for travel by private vehicle through land use strateeies telecommuting and compact work weeks. 6 OVERALL TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY Meet the transportation needs of current and planned-for population by: 1. Managing city and regional growth consistent with the Land Use Element; 2. Funding alternative forms of transportation; 3. Sponsoring traffic reduction activities; 4. Providing the infrastructure needed to accommodate the desired shift in transportation modes; 5. Focusing traffic on Arterial Streets and Regional Routes and Highways; 6. Accepting some additional traffic on Arterial Streets and Regional Routes and Highways; 7. Providing facilities that improve transportation safety. TRANSPORTATION OBJECTIVES Encourage Better Transportation Habits San Luis Obispo should: 1. Increase the use of alternative forms of transportation (as shown on Figure #1) and depend less on the single-occupant use of vehicles. 2. Ask the San Luis Obispo Regional Transportation Agency to establish an objective similar to #1 and support programs that reduce the interregional use of single-occupant vehicles and increase the use of alternative forms of transportation. Promote.Alternative Forms of Transportation San Luis Obispo should: 3. Complete a network of bicycle lanes and paths, sidewalks and pedestrian paths within existing developed parts of the city by 1995, and extend the system to serve new growth areas. 4. Complete improvements to the city's transit system serving existing developed area by 2000, and provide service to new growth areas. S. Support the efforts of the County Air Pollution Control District to implement traffic reduction programs. 7 6. Support and develop education programs directed at promoting types of transportation other than the single-occupant vehicle. Manage Traffic San Luis Obispo should: 7. Roll back motor vehicle traffic to 1988 levels using performance-based standards. _Annual modal split surveys will_be conducted. A 5% reduction in ADT and VMT ghoUld be achieveuntil the traffic o ch by the Lmd Use Element and imelementine reatil [EQTF Comment. The amount, type and distribution of urban development enabled by the Land Use Element will not allow the community to achieve this transportation objective of avoiding traffic increases. The City Council should consider adjusting the L UE to allow this objective to be met.] 8. Support county-wide programs that manage population growth - -- a--�nefif. to minimize county-wide travel demand. 9. Provide a system of streets that allow safe travel and alternate modes of transportation throughout the city and connect with Regional Routes and Highways. 10. Manage the use of Arterial Streets, Regional Routes and Highways so that traffic levels during peak traffic periods do not result in extreme congestions . g duced-headways for transit vehicles, or unsafe conditions for pedestrians or bicyclists^HCA-QA5,ap 11. Ensure that development projects and subdivisions are designed and/or retrofitted to be efficiently served by buses, bike routes and pedestrian connections. 12. Consistent with the Land Use Element, allow neighborhood-serving business and provide parks and recreational area that can be conveniently reached by pedestrians or bicyclists. 13. Protect the quality of residential area by achieving maiaWaiag quiet and by reds or controlling traffic routing, volumes, and speeds on neighborhood streets. 14. Coordinate the management of San Luis Obispo County Airport and the planning of land uses around the airport to avoid noise and safety problems. Support Environmentally Sound Technological Advancement San Luis Obispo should: 15. Promote the use of quiet, fuel-efficient vehicles that produce minimum amounts of air pollution. 8 A. The City will support the development of a compressed natural gas fueling station in the San Luis Obispo area. B. When replacing any City vehicle or expanding the City's vehicle fleet, the City Will deF purchas ft alternative fuel vehicles that reduce air pollution. C. The City encourages the use of alternative fuels on a regional basis. 16. Advocate the use of communication systems that enable the transmission of information to substitute for travel to work or meetings. Purchase eaujpment and develop goals and policies for City employee use of these systems. 17. Solicit ideas from private industry for the development and implementation of innovative transportation technologies in San Luis Obispo. 18, Sj=rt the use of alternative pavement materials for public streets. roads and other importation corridors. Support a Shift in Modes of Transportation. San Luis Obispo will: 19. Physically monitor the achievement of the modal shift obiectives shown on Figure #1 and annually review and adjust transportation programs if necessary. 9 3 •' Q _Me E 3 3 c � o CL. m e •- � d� dt � dede tledt � tl� A + + + + C 7 U 33 O q 9 o a E elsel sings n w $gels r a :. W _ m ++ E G. o C!1 bg d i colo,PC m v m .1y � g U y.00 V m „ Q .a eg @ e E w E W o d y •� o s E .$ a F > P o> r. 00 t o V .+ em nv2 n 29 !� v.. r � � Mo at r in ac 16 96 L_ V to ffi o o � 0 � —a u 5 y �g �1 • C F � � < � 5i -cum 9 s y, r4 m F � t- oa3 9 � I- m3 9 � f3 0 � o-. m3 5 Z C� 6� w TRAFFIC REDUCTION INTRODUCTION The small city character of San Luis Obispo is an important quality to maintain. This quality j2 has been severely damaged by high volumes of traffic. This section presents policies and programs for reducing the use of automobiles and emphasizing alternative forms of transportation. POLICIES AND PROGRAMS Employment and School Trip Reduction Policies Employment Trip Reduction 1.1 The City should support county-wide and local programs that sus nti 1 reduce the number of vehicle trips associated with employment. and sebeel go 1.2 The City will advocate flex time programs and alternative work schedules where they reduce peak hour and Bross traffic levels. TheThe C institute these programs for its work force. 1.3 Employers sly are required to participate in trip reduction programs. 1.4 The City should establish programs that reduce the demand for downtown parking in a way that does not damage the downtown's long-term economic viability. 1.5 All developments will be required to nay a traffic impact fee enabling two times the number of trips to be reduced as generated. (Rationale: A similar reduction is pan of the City's water retrofit program.) School Trip Reduction 1�C The City should support county-wide and local programs that substantially reduce the number of vehicle trips associated with school attendance. 11 Programs 1.7 The City will support and cooperate with the County Air Pollution Control [1.5] District's and other agencies' efforts in establishing county-wide trip reduction programs. 1.8 The City recommends that county-wide trip reduction programs include an [1.6] Average Vehicle Ridership (AVR) standard of JM 1,7 or larger. 1.9 The Cily will sm= aggressive efforts of the Air Pollution Control District to LIM establish employer and school-based trip reduction programs that affect downtown emRloyers Cal Poly and Cuesta College and the California Mens Ion [Note: this program is identified in the Draft EIR as a mitigation measure.] 1.10 City government will adoptan a®®it trip reduction plan for city employees [1.8] with an AVR goal of 2 by 1995. and 3 by 1996. with a 25% modal shift to bicycle and walking by 1996 The City will discontinue providing free employee parking for any purpose and instead will provide discounted transit passes and other incentives such as facilities for bicyclists and walkers. 1.11 The e City will work with area employ-ass and the Chamber of Commerce to [1.9] erg. accomplish the following trip reduction obiectives: AVR ACHIEVEMENT SCHEDIILE >I 00 Employees > 50-99 0-49 AVR Target 1995 1996 im 5 19969e97 1998 1.6 997 199809-9 1.7 1.12 The City will work with the School District to design and implement a program Lo eliminate child drop offs at the schools. A similar program for high school and university auto commuters shall be initiated with emphasis on use of alternatives. The City should enter into discussions with Cal Poly and SLO High School to restrict parking in preferred (i.e.. closer-in) lots to cars with multiple occ® All employers and emplovees will develop plans for car pools, fill out ride share forms, and find biking/walking partners. Small businesses are encouraged to meet with other nearby businesses to coordinate plans. 12 Transit Service Policies 2.1 The City should encourage transit development, expansion, coordination and aggressive marketing throughout San Luis Obispo County to serve a broader range of local and regional transportation needs including commuter service. 2.2 The City should improve and expand city bus service to make the system more attractive, convenient and accessible. Transit ridership should be expanded so that they account for: A. 7% of all in-city trips in San Luis Obispo by 2000. B. 8% of all in-city trips in San Luis Obispo by 2010. 2.3 Paratransit service for the elderly and handicapped should continue to be provided by public and private organizations. 2.4 The City should continue to work with Cal Poly to maintain and expand the "no fare program" for campus service and Cal Poly should continue to provide financial support. The City should encourage Cuesta College and other agencies to establish similar programs. 2.5 The definition of Unmet Transit Needs used by the San Luis Obispo Regional Transportation Agency should continue to include transit service for a broad range of purposes. 2.6 The city supports the following service standards for its transit system and for development that is proximate to the transit network: -- A. Bus fares will be set at levels where cost is not a constraint for people to - use buses. B. The frequency of City transit service will compare favorably with the convenience of using private vehicles. C. Routes, schedules and transfer procedures of the City and regional transit systems should be coordinated to encourage commuter use of buses. D. In existing developed areas, transit routes should be located within 1/4 mile of existing businesses or dwellings. 13 E. In City expansion areas, employment-intensive uses or medium, medium- high or high density residential uses should be located within 1/8 mile of a transit route. 2.7 New development should be designed to facilitate access to transit service. 2 The City will explore the use of Palm Street between Santa Rosa and Osos Streets or the closure of Osos Street to automobile traffic between Monterey and Mill Streets to be used as a transportation center/area. This proiect must be very low cost, using existing underutilized facilities. M The City transit fleet will include a range of vehicle sizes so large buses will not be run with few passengers. Programs 2.10 The City will adopt a short-range Transit Plan (5-year time frame) and a [8] long-range Transit Master Plan (20-year time frame). 2.11 To help reduce traffic and the demand for parking, employers should be [9] encouraged to purchase monthly transit passes in bulk and make them available to their employees. The City will develop a bulk discount rate for passes. 2.12 The City will maintain a downtown shuttle service as part of its overall transit [10] system. F-512 The Ci of San Luis Obispo or the San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority (SLORTA) should expand commuter bus service to Cuesta College and the California Mens Colony during_peak demand ,periods. (Note: this program is identified in the Draft EIR as a mitigation measure.) 2.14 The City will cooperate with efforts of the San Luis Obispo Council of AM Governments (SLOCOG) to evaluate the effectiveness of centralizing sit service. [Note: this program is identified in the Draft EIR as a mitigation measure.] 2.15 The City will develop a comprehensive marketing and promotion program to reach target audiences. Bicycle Transportation Policies 3.1 Bicycle transportation should be encouraged for people who live within a 20- minute bike ride of work or school. 14 3.2 Bicycle ridership for Cal Poly Students should comprise at least 33% of all student trips by the year 2000. 3.3 The City should complete a continuous network of safe and convenient bike lanes and paths that connect neighborhoods with major activity centers and with county bike routes as specified by the Bicycle Transportation PlanBkyek FaeiApy Ma . 3.4 New development shall sheuW provide bike lanes and paths, secure bicycle storage, parking facilities and showers, consistent with City plans and standards. 3.5 Bike lanes and paths should be designed and maintained to improve bicycling safety, convenience, and encourage people to use bicycles to commute to work or school. 7 •3.6 . . inEefmpted, Since the p-dm= purpose of roadways is to accommodate safe vehicle movements, the City should consider the creation of bike lanes and transit stops along designated bike routes as having a higher priority than retaining curb-side parking for non-delivery vehicles. 3.7 Bike lanes and paths along designated City bike routes identified in the Bicycle Facility Plan should be established when: A. The street section is repaved, restriped, or changes are made to its cross- sectional design; or B. The street section is being changed as part of a development project; or C. The construction of bike lanes or paths are called for by the City's Capital Improvement Plan. Programs 3.8 To encourage bicycling and walking to school, Cal Poly should be encouraged to not issue vehicle parking permits to freshman students or to all students, faculty and staff who live within a two-mile radius of campus. 3.9 The City will update its Bicycle Facilities Plan consistent with the objectives, policies and standards of this Circulation Element. The Bicycle Facilities Plan shall establish official city bike routes. 3.10 Cal Poly should be requested eneeumged to adopt a bike plan that shows the location of all on-campus bike lanes and bike storage area and includes programs that encourage the use of bicycles. 15 3.11 In cooperation with the City, Cal Poly should be Lcquested eneeareged to revise its Campus Master Plan to de-emphasize the use of automobiles and promote the use of alternative forms of transportation. 3.12 The City will modify its zoning regulations to establish standards for the installation of lockers, and secured bicycle parking, and showers. 3.13 The City1;1 Lhall obtain railroad right-of-way and easements to establish a separated bike path and pedestrian trail through San Luis Obispo. 3.14 The City will give VLnorily to using street funds for ongoing maintenance of bicycle lanes and paths or other public bicycle facilities. 3.15 The City will use revenues `-em bieyele lieensing or-nefamto support education and awareness programs and the construction of bicycle facilities [Note: this program is identified in the Draft EIR as a mitigation measure.] X16 The City should obtain right-of-way for a bicycle path from Laguna Lake area to Cuesta College and Cal Poly University consistent with the Bicycle Transportation Plan. Walking Policies 4.1 Walling should be encouraged as a regular means of transportation for people who live within a -rite two mile walk of school, work, or routine shopping destinations. [Rationale: The health advantages to the individual as well as the benefits of improved air quality and traffic-calming to the community should be emphasized.] 4.2 The City should complete a continuous network of sidewalks and separated pedestrian paths connecting housing area with major activity centers and with trails leading into city and county open areas that avoid sensitive areas. .4.3 New development shall provide sidewalks and pedestrian paths consistent with City policies, plans, programs and standards. 4 4 New or renovated commercial and government public buildings should provide convenient pedestrian access from nearby sidewalks and pedestrian paths. separate from driveways and vehicle entrances. a 4.54 To improve pedestrian crossing safety at 16 heavily used intersections the City should institute the following; �►, Install crossing controls where warranted that provide adequate time for pedestrians to cross the street. B In the downtown install textured cross walks and landscaped bulb-outs where =Wriate. On Arterial Streets Parkways or Regional Routes with four or more travel lanes install medians at 2�destrian crossings where roadway width allows 4.¢g Sidewalk areas in the commercial core should allow for the free flow of pedestrians and should include conveniently-located rest area with shade and seating. Progmms 4.76 The city will adopt a Pedestrian Transportation Plan Urban Tmib es-peck to encourage walking and to expand off-street facilities that provide pedestrian linkages throughout the community. 4.F The City will pursue the installation of sidewalks to complete a continuous network throughout the community. 4,Q The City will continue its annual program of replacin existing-xisting_curbs with I-TI handiorWd ramps, [Note: this program is identified in the Draft EIR as a mitigation measure.] 4.10 The City should work with parents and teachers of elementary school students to-TI establish a "suggested routes to school" program for bicycling and walking [Note: this program is identified in the Draft EIR as a mitigation measure.] 17 TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION City, County and State governments maintain a network of public streets that provide access throughout the community. How these streets are designed, constructed and managed can affect levels of traffic congestion, noise and air pollution, the economic viability of commercial areas, and the quality of living throughout the city. The following policies and programs spell out how the city intends to manage the community's street system. POLICIES AND PROGRAMS AND STANDARDS Purpose 5.1 The primary purpose of street corridors is to enable the movement of vehicles (automobiles, transit, delivery vehicles, bicycles) and pedestrians. Types of Streets 5.2 The City and County should jointly develop and adopt design and construction standards for streets within the City's Urban Reserve. 5.3 The City will revise its Subdivision Regulations to include right-of-way and design standards for each type of street shown in 5.4. 18 Y m �I O T C d O V O m v to ° m = €o r y£ g1 v C ` O X • L L Z L Ty EE E 1/E � 1IE� O Gi N N N N ° {7w T G L c Q ato m co H L G O N O N m >, v - r a = E $ C ym3 yCd ;,01"Mon g�g���g� O 'm0 s Z N P1 7 e�1 N N of C $ m x m � 3 v � W �a •C� H � C s v CN C C m m Q W. .0 ��.. 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Oi • ° WI U C °' O WI uA WI d m o .� W2 O co O O H m = e 1 cc 5 co O Q N F Uppm'ppr�IUp Up p p `' = or e auaoaua�allaUa�aDa� auz�au a�auap all � > a C 1tl1cm II1I nII wypC 6 m L J .-W �i O m •C LL � ccc .yEoo y O � t_ U m u� •C � � O Ip Vcj y O C m O m O O 7 t •� O CA Op 'L' ° e aG 3 > e r °° C 0 g m T ° m > m a m _ 0 3 00 u as O M. P.. o ; e .Q u o eo o. c o e ._ " w a. e o ° E m o as E . E m m o m ` r U ++ O OQ m m Ley w 9 a, a0 ; m u m o oz o m � m c w m m y aa'i .m. > S o y ti m v ° m E m ce Mo. W � M m e f= H w a p ^ s 3 E8 o ° y j ° Ell cis m mil c �� co m a s m e o ` rq otu 0 I h - 'm2. .mi O y o n6 aw 41 O r m r e.s .; u. .= .. azo S 0 w in o 00 I 1 *> �' r i J �� I , i Ti HWgY r . . � •! Sam o, �^�•— —•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•----� Him HIGUFRA IC SAY ror �`.�_• B OAD �C• I , i i - A 000i r lot, I�m f ? •�. -- 7 .J i • - l•d+.� ii �s'aY ror n � o o e i � pC'j i a C 1 a , Ci _ t� �; O a CD 0-4 m tri ty oCD r r y ►-� z O 2 Ztxi r r ,v � CD o r ci • t- 'd y t:7 Neighborhood Traffic Management Policies 6.1 Through traffic should use Regional Routes and Highways, Arterials, Parkway Arterials and Residential Arterial streets and should not use Neighborhood °Arterials", Collectors or Local streets. 6.2 The City should not approve commercial development that encourages customers, employees or deliveries to use Local Residential or Residential Collector streets. 6.3 The City should ensure that neighborhood traffic management projects: A. Provide for the mitigation of adverse impacts on all residential neighborhoods. B. Allow for adequate response conditions for emergency vehicles. C. Give preference to bicycle or pedestrian traffic. 6.4 In major expansion areas, dwellings should be set back from Regional Routes and Highways, Arterials, Residential Arterials, and Collector streets so that interior and exterior noise standards can be met without the use of noise walls. Programs P6 ** 6.5 The City will adopt neighborhood traffic management plans for residential areas shown on Figure#3 in order to protect neighborhood areas from intrusive traffic problems. 6.6 The City will undertake measures measum to control traffic in residential area where traffic speeds or volumes exceed standards set by policy 5.4 Measures that will be considered include: A. Installation of signs on arterial routes that encourage motorists to use routes that do not pass through residential areas. B. Operational changes (eg. signalization, turn lanes and turn pockets at intersections) on arterial streets that encourage their use as inter- community connectors. 22 C. Bulbouts or other traffic calming devices at intersections on streets leading into residential area to inform motorists that they are entering a neighborhood area. D. Meandering street desmons traffic circles road humps raised cross walks stop signs_ Sjeed tables, planters. textured streets. offset intersections and other traffic control devices designed to slow traffic speeds without increasing City liability aleng sawts in midential arem. E. Community educational programs to promote selection of routes within the City that do not pass through residential areas. §,,77 The City shall assist in organizing neighborhood traffic calming workshops that empower residents to redesign their own streets for a safer and more human environment. 6.8 All residential collector streets and all neighborhood arterials shall have traffic calming policies implemented. Traffic Flow Policies ® 7.1 The City will attempt to manage the use of arterial streets and regional routes/highways so that levels of traffic congestion do not exceed the peak hour LOS standards shown in Policy 5.4 [3]. To maintain these standards, the City will pursue the following strategy: A. When traffic reaches LOS "D." the City will, in the following priority a oi 1. [A] Limit traffic increases through growth management programs. 2. [B] Institute programs that require the use of alternative forms of transportation and establish policies and programs that act as disincentives to the use of vehicles. 3. [C] Make minor changes within existing roadways to improve pedestrian and bicycling safety while improving traffic flow. 23 3. [C] Make minor changes within existing roadways to improve pedestrian and bicycling safety while improving traffic flow. 4., Develop creative low-cost alternative improvements to widening of Arterial Streets, Regional Routes and Highways when improvements to public safety are necessary. B. When traffic exceeds LOS "E." the City will consider the selective widening of Arterial Streets, Regional Routes and Highways when improvements to public safety and traffic flow outweigh the fiscal and environmental costs, and do not hinder this plan's alternative transportation policies. 7.2 The City should cooperate with county and state government to institute programs that reduce the levels ofmotor traffic. 7.3 The City should manage the street network so that the standards presented in Policy 5.4 are not exceeded. This will require new development to mitigate the traffic impacts it causes or the City to limit development which affects streets where congestion levels may be exceeded. The standards may be met by strengthening alternative modes to the single occupant motor vehicle. 7.4 Driveway access from development fronting arterial streets should be minimized wherever possible. 7.5 The City will not allow any roadway widenings that would be inconsistent with rolling back traffic to 1988 base year levels. Programs 7,6 Growth management shall be the program of first priority to manage traffic flow (reference Policy 7.7 The City will establish an on-going and comprehensive transportation monitoring [7.5] program that, at a minimum, will keep track of: A. Changes in traffic volumes throughout the city. B. Changes to the Level of Service (LOS) on arterial streets, regional routes and highways. C. Traffic speeds. 24 D. Changes in the use of bike lanes. E. The location, type and frequency of accidents. 7.8 The City will periodically conduct a survey of residents to estimate their use of [7.6] forms of transportation. 7.9 The City will maintain a computerized traffic model of the city's circulation [7.7] system and cooperate with the Regional Transportation Agency in maintaining a traffic model for San Luis Obispo County. P17.10 The GiW *411 Pageeme with State emd Regienal ageneies in eye4eating th I P-M effeedyeftess ef high egeepaney vehiele INOV) lemes en state highways. If State Routes 101 or 227 are widened to add travel lanes. the additional capacity should be reserved for HOV/transit use. [Note: this program is identi,fled in the Draft EIR as a migitagion measure.] Street Network Changes Policies §..1 No large or cumulatively significant development will be allowed until a gpmprehensive transportation program can demonstrate no additional trips will be added to the city-wide ADT. No further degradation in air quality or level of service will be incurred from future development. 8.2 New development will be responsible for constructing new streets, bike lanes, [2] sidewalks, pedestrian paths and bus turn-outs or reconstructing existing facilities. 8.3 Specific Plans prepared for area within the city's urban reserve should include [3] a street system that is consistent with the policies, programs and standards of this — Circulation Element. 8.4 The City willne sure public participation in the [3] planning, design and construction of major changes to the street network. 8.5 Major changes to the city's street network (not listed on Figure #4) may be [4] initiated (included in the budget) only after amendment to this Circulation Element. 8.6 The City will seek opportunities to improve the livability of existing arterial [5] streets through redesign of street corridors. 25 8.7 Street projects that have alfeady been emaFam are needed to complete a key [6] link in a street corridor or are in mostly undeveloped areas should a lace lie ene�as development occurs,. or-when the 1605 gmdafds sawified in S. 8.8 In mostly-developed areas, rights-of-way should be reserved through the building [7] setback line process or through other mechanisms so that options for making transportation improvements are preserved. Programs 8.9 The City will establish building setback lines for routes listed on Figure A. [8] 8.10 The City will ask the California Department of Transportation to designate Prado [9]. Road between Broad Street and Highway 101 as State Highway 227. 8.11 The City will ensure that changes to Prado Road (projects A.1, A.2, and [10] C-4) and other related system improvements are implemented in a sequence that satisfies circulation demands caused by area development. 8.11 The City will adopt a plan and standards for the installation and maintenance of landscaped medians, parkways, signs, utilities, street furniture, sidewalks and bicycle lanes along arterial streets. (� $,12 The City will evaluate optional street designs as a method for achieving an overall ghiective of the Conceptual LlMsical Plan for the C a's Center to imRrove the gedestrian environment in the commercial core. 26 m ; .4I W� r L � m o a d a n u o � � m v _ m o p 00 0 O X 'Z p .. ". 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Delivery services are essential to the functioning of the city. However, commercial trucks can cause traffic congestion in the downtown, and create noise and safety problems in residential areas. The following policies and programs spell out how the city intends to manage delivery services so that problems associated with truck transportation are minimized. POLICIES AND PROGRAMS Policies 9.1 Commercial trucks should not use Residential Local, Collector, Neighborhood or Residential Arterial streets as regular delivery routes. 9.2 When the level of congestion on downtown streets reaches LOS "D," truck deliveries should not be made during peak traffic periods. � Trucks must turn off motors when narked. Programs 9.4 The city's Home Occupation Permit Regulations should be amended to ensure that [3] large commercial trucks are not used to make regular deliveries to home occupations in residential areas. 9.5 As part of this element, the City adopts the truck route plan shown on Figure #5. [4] 9.6 The City will continue to provide reserved commercial truck loading zones in all [5] appropriate downtown areas. 9.7 If level of service (LOS) standards are exceeded, the city will adopt an ordinance [6] that limits delivery times for commercial trucks in the commercial core. 32 AIR TRANSPORTATION INTRODUCTION San Luis Obispo city and county are served by the county-owned airport located off Broad Street near Buckley Road. The airport allows people to fly private aircraft and to use commercial carriers to connect with national and global commercial carriers. The following policies and programs address the continued use of the county airport. Policies 10.1 The City should respect the recommendations of the Airport Land Use Plan as it relates to noise and safety concerns. 10.2 The County airport should provide for general aviation and commuter air service to San Luis Obispo. 10.3 To discourage use by noisier and larger planes Than at present, the County Airport's runways should not be extended, nor their bearing capacity increased. 10.4 The City and the County should regulate land use surrounding the airport so that it is compatible with airport operations and does not threaten the continued use of the airport. 10.5 The City will require development projects and subdivisions within Airport Planning Zones #1 through #4 to include measures that protect the health, safety and comfort of residents and employees. T0.6 The County should regulate airport operations (flight paths and number of flights) so that they do not cause noise or safety problems in developed area or areas targeted for future development by the city's Land Use Element. 10.7 Public transit service should be encouraged to serve the county airport= awe 33 RAIL TRANSPORTATION INTRODUCTION The Southern Pacific Transportation Company owns and maintains a railroad that extends through the county. AMTRAK uses the Southern Pacific line to provide passenger service to San Luis Obispo with once-a-day connections to the San Francisco and Los Angeles metropolitan areas, and other coastal cities. Rail transportation is energy efficient and can provide convenient connections to destinations throughout the state. The following policies identify how the city supports rail service. Policies 11.1 The City supports increased availability of rail service for travel within the state and among states. 11.2 The City supports increased availability of rail service for travel within the county. 11.3 State or federal programs that support passenger rail service to San Luis Obispo should be maintained and expanded. 11.4 The City should provide transit service to the train station, coordinated with train times. Proemms 11.5 There should be daily train service connecting San Luis obispo with points north and south, with departures and arrivals in the morning and evening, to complement the current mid-afternoon long-distance Amtrak service. 11.6 The San Luis Obispo Area Coordinating Council should evaluate the feasibility of passenger rail service to connect points within the county. 34 PARKING MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION San Luis Obispo's central business district includes the highest concentration of commercial, office and governmental uses in the city. Parking is needed for patrons of downtown businesses, tourists and employees. Use of curb-side parking in residential areas can affect the character of these areas. The following policies identify the City's role in providing and managing downtown parking and addressing neighborhood parking needs. Commercial Parking Policies 12.1 To reduce parking demand, people working in the commercial core should use alternative forms of transportation to get to and from work. Workers who do drive individual vehicles should use parking structures or common facilities rather than curb parking. 12.2 Curb parking in the commercial core is intended for short-term use by those visiting businesses and public facilities. 12.3 City parking programs 35�jj $ be financially self supporting. The City, County, merchants, business owners and users of parking spaces should provide the funds needed to maintain and create parking spaces. Programs 12.4 The City will periodically update its Parking Management Plan. 12.5 The City will monitor the use of public parking in the commercial core. 12,6 The City will consider installing park-and-ride lots that serve pimple commuting to destinations outside the City's Planning Area, 12,7 All City employees must nay full rate for motor vehicle parking. 12 Downtown parking lots that are sumlus to parking needs should be converted to City parks. l2� No additional parking structures will be built without a comprehensive study of alternative transportation projects that could eliminate the need for parking. 35 Neighborhood Parking Management Policies 13.1 Each residential property owner is responsible for complying with the City's standards that specify the number, design and location of off-street parldng spaces. Programs 13.2 Upon request from residents or other agencies, the City will evaluate the need for neighborhood parldng permit programs or other parldng management strategies in particular residential areas. 36 SCENIC ROADWAYS INTRODUCTION The following provisions address the scenic importance of local roads and highways in the San Luis Obispo area. Policies 14.1 Views of important scenic resources from major streets should be preserved and improved to the maximum extent possible. 14.2 The route segments shown on Figure #6 are designated as scenic roadways. 14.3 Development along scenic roadways should not block views or detract from the quality of views. A. Projects in the viewshed of a scenic roadway should be considered as "sensitive" and require architectural review. B. Development projects should not wall off scenic roadways and block views. C. As part of the city's environmental review process, blocking of views along scenic roadways should be considered a significant environmental impact. D. Signs along scenic roadways should not clutter vistas or views. E. Street lights should be low scale and focus light at intersections where it is most needed. Tall, "cobra type," light standards should be avoided. Street lighting should be integrated with other street furniture at locations where views are least disturbed. However, safety priorities should remain superior to scenic concerns. 14.4 The City and other agencies should be encouraged to avoid cluttering scenic roadways with utility and circulation-related equipment and facilities. A. Whenever possible, signs in the public right-of-way should be consolidated on a single low-profile standard. B. Public utilities along scenic highways should be installed underground. 37 C. The placement of landscaping and street trees should not block views from Scenic Routes. Clustering of street trees along scenic roadways should be considered as an alternative to uniform spacing. D. Traffic signals with long mast arms should be discouraged along scenic roadways. 14.5 The County should protect and enhance scenic roadways that connect San Luis Obispo with other communities and recreation areas. 14.6 The City will promote the creation of Scenic Highways within San Luis Obispo and adjoining county areas. This support can happen when: A. Reviewing draft county general plan elements or major revisions to them. B. Reviewing changes to the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) as a member agency of the San Luis Obispo Council Regional Transportation Agency. C. Reviewing development projects that are referred to the city that are located along routes shown on Figure #6. 14.7 The City will advocate that the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) or the County designate qualifying segments of Highways 1, 101 and 227 as Scenic Highways. Proararns 14.8 The City will participate with Caltrans, the county and other cities to establish a program for enhancing the visual character of the Highway 101 corridor. 14.9 The City will revise its Architectural Review Guidelines to incorporate concern for the protection of views and vistas from scenic roadways. 14.10 The City will adopt a street corridor landscaping plan for scenic roadways. Indigenous soecies will be used. 14.11 Both the City and the County should enforce an amortization program for the removal of billboards along scenic roadways. 14.12 The City will amend its sign regulations to prohibit billboards along designated scenic roadways. 38 CIRCULATION ELEMENT IMPLEMENTATION, PROGRAM FUNDING AND MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION The following policies should guide city departments in budgeting for and implementing this Circulation Element. Policies 15.1 The City should focus efforts on managing city and regional growth because they are the principal causes of traffic increases. 15.2 Programs that reduce dependence on single-occupant vehicles and encourage the use of alternative forms of transportation should be implemented first. 15.3 The City's Financial Plan and Capital Improvement Program (CIP)should support the programs, plans and projects identified in this Circulation Element. 15.4 Funding for street projects and parldng structures should not prevent the city from meeting its non-vehicular program objectives. 15.5 The City should allocate all mem of the cost of constructing and maintaining facilities that accommodate automobile use to the users of these facilities. 15.6 The City should reduce user costs for alternative forms of transportation. 15.7 Development projects should bear the costs of new transportation facilities or upgrading existing facilities needed to serve them. 15.8 Mechanisms for spreading the cost of transportation systems among the users of the systems, the City and County, and State and Federal agencies should be developed. 15.9 The City should reorganize and expand its transportation programs to improve the planning, delivery and management of transportation services. 15.10 The City intends to update its Circulation Element every five years, with a major revision as needed. 39 Programs 15.11 The Gity will undeftake a siudy to deter-mine the best way te er-gmize, staff and G. Trip feduetien pregmms H. Bieyele and pWestfiaRpFegFams 15.12 A Transportation Work Program will be incorporated into each City Financial Plan. The work program must be consistent with the Circulation Element, will cover a four-year period, and will establish: A. Implementation schedules for all City transportation programs and projects including those described in the Circulation Element. B. A comprehensive funding strategy which identifies funding for each program type by source and amount. 15.13 The City will adopt a transportation ftffiie impact fee ordinance that requires developers to fund projects and programs that mitigate city-wide transportation ftffie impacts associated with their projects. 15.14 The future transportation system of San Luis Obispo will be fiscally conservative. All Miects will be evaluated against a wide ranee of alternatives that accomplish the desired result. Included in this evaluation will be the cost benefit. embodied energy, embodied resource, pollution generation and habitat impacts. All costs. direct and indirect, shall be included in the analysis as well as the impact to social systems and community life. 40 APPENDICES Appendix A: Level of Service (IAS) Definitions Appendix Be Scenic Roadway Survey Methodology �RFIPPM nM'* Appendix Q Summary of'Circulation Element Projects & Programs Appendix D: Operational Changes to Santa Rosa Street . I APPENDIX "A" LEVEL OF SERVICE DEFINITIONS Street Segments Level of services (LOS) is a qualitative measurement of the degree of congestion on a roadway. LOS is described by a letter scale from A to F. "A" represents the best service and "F" represents the worst service. LOS E occurs when the volume of traffic approaches the road's capacity. LOS E is characterized by low operating speeds and numerous delays with much congestion. LOS F represents a forced.flow situation with more traffic attempting to use the road than it can handle. LOS F is characterized by stop-and-go traffic with numerous, lengthy delays. The photographs (taken from the High y Capacity Manual) illustrate the six grades of level of service. The level of service on urban streets and intersections are described with the same scale and have similar congestion associated with them. 41 LEVEL OF SERVICE DEFINITIONS Signalized Intersections Level of Service Volume/ Capacity (LOS) Description Ratio A Little or no delay (under 5 seconds per vehicle) Most vehicles arrive during the green phase and do not stop at all. B Minimal delays in the range of 5-15 seconds per vehicle. .60 - .69 Generally occurs with good progression and short cycle lengths. An occasional approach phase is fully used. C Acceptable delays in the range of 15-25 seconds per .70 - .79 vehicle. Individual cycle failures may begin to appear at this level, and most drivers feel somewhat restricted. A significant number of vehicles stop, although many still pass through the intersection without stopping. D. Moderate delays in the range of 25-40 seconds per .80 - .89 vehicle. The influence of congestion becomes more noticeable, with drivers sometimes having to wait through more than one red indication. Individual cycle failures are noticeable. Queues develop but dissipate rapidly E. Significant delays in the range of 40-60 seconds per vehicle. .90 - .99 This is considered to be the limit of acceptable delay. Individual cycle failures are frequent occurrences, with long queues forming upstream of intersections. Drivers may have to wait through several red indications. F Represents jammed conditions with excessive delays of over > 1.0 60 seconds per vehicle. This condition often occurs with over-saturation, when arrival flow rates exceed the capacity of the intersection. Resulting queues may block upstream intersections. Source: Highway Capacity Manual, Transportation Research Board, 1985 42 APPENDIX "A" LEVEL OF SERVICE DEFENMOi.6 Street Segments Level of service (LOS) is a qualitative measurement of the degree of congestion on a roadway. LOS is described by a letter scale from A to F. "A" represents the best service and "F represents the worst service. LOS E occurs when the volume of traffic approaches the road's capacity. LOS E is characterized by low operating speeds and numerous delays with much congestion. LOS F represents a forced flow situation with more traffic attempting to use the road than it can handle. LOS F is characterized by stop-and-go traffic with numerous, lengthy delays. The photographs (taken from the High ayw Qpaft Manual l illustrate the six grades of level of service. 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O. � .1 mU Ea W O •� y to e e eo m w d on .� n` V. z . �� rA e e t oG E m C C C p y F ° aa c =3: ° °' U L' p p i y m 08 � .22 .0O. fl F F Obo Iz to 0 E G G Z y E < 3 a I %A C V� C6 3 Y � v, nma C4 co 0% ONS e APPENDIX "D" OPERATIONAL CHANGES TO SANTA ROSA STREET R"jea/ weneeam' Daeripfim B.8 (a) Santa Rosa/Foothill Construct an east-bound right turn lane on Foothill B.8 (b) Santa Rosa/Olive Construct a north-bound right turn lane on Santa Rosa B.8 (c) Santa Rosa/Walnut Construct a west-bound left turn lane and an east-bound left turn lane on Walnut 47 O RCUL&ON ELEMENT BSA PAPER Topic # Description Circulation Element Page Reference 1 Modal Split Goals 9,10, Attachment #1 2 Trip Reduction Programs 12 3 Transportation Demand Management 129 14 Programs 4 Transit Consolidation 14 5 Priority Use of Roadways 15 6 -Bicycle Program Funding 16 7 Additional Walking Program Statements 17 8 Arterial Street Level of Service Standards 19 9 Street Classification Changes Figure #2 10 Traffic Management Planning 22 11 Aigh-Occupancy Vehicle Lanes 25 12 Higuera/Marsh Street Changes 26 13 Overview of Road Projects Figure #4 14 Delete Vachell Lane Project Figure #4 15 Extend Sacramento Drive Figure #4 16 Extend Sante Fe Road Figure #4 17 Widen Los Osos Valley Road Figure #4 and Route 101 Bridge 18 Santa Rosa Street Turn Lanes Figure #4, Appendix "D" 19 Widen Santa Rosa Street Figure #4 20 Rebuild Santa Rosa/Route 101 Interchange . Figure #4 21 Freeway Ramp Closures Figure #4 22 Projects for Further Study — CIRCULATION ELEMENT ISSUES 1. Issue: Setting Modal Split Goals: Reference Page 9 and 10 (Figure #1) of the Combined Draft Circulation Element. g<« qq l emeuj P"WW i#* The 1992 draft Circulation Element suggests that private vehicle use be gradually reduced and that bicycling, pedestrianism, ride sharing and transit account for a larger share of all trips taken by City residents (see Figure 1: Modal Split Objectives). The objective to reduce dependance on private vehicles as a principal means of transportation is stated in both the adopted 1982 Circulation Element and the draft 1994 Circulation Element. However, the 1994 draft Element attempts to establish measurable performance objectives by including Figure #1. ` v" ""'YQtIet01titp1EtI01S. The Planning Commission recommends that the City Council accept Figure#1 as drafted by staff. Initial Planning Commission review of Figure #1 in 1991 focused on the potential for expanding the share of trips assigned to alternative transportation. However, when the Commission understood how much transit, bicycle, and car pool use would have to increase to achieve the bench marks set forth in Figure #1, it decided to support Figure #1 as initially drafted. Figure #1 suggests that by the year 2020, about 59% of resident trips would be made by motor vehicles and 41% made by alternative forms of transportation. ......:::i::ii':)�::i�n....�:.::.:'p.iiiiii � roxtmetita) }ity ")forcetecommendatQtu. The EQTF reviewed a variety of TOW: options for establishing modal split objectives including recommendations made by Mr. Jim Merkel. The EQTF concluded that the objectives recommended by the Planning Commission are too low. The committee also concluded that (1) the magnitute of groth accommodated by the LUE cannot be compensated for by a shift to alternate modes; (2) non-resident travel levels will increase as a proportion of total travel and will be difficult to capture with alternate modes; and (3)drastic changes in travel habits, or changes in the Land Use Element's buildout capacity, or both, are essential for the City to keep from being smothered by traffic increases. tMat►s. The Sierra Club suggests that a more dramatic and immediate shift away from motor vehicle use is desirable because it may better achieve environmental goals. Recommendations submitted by Mr. Jim Merkel (January, 1994) suggest that in the year 2020 about 27% of resident trips would be made by motor vehicles and 73% made using alternative forms of transportation. The Sierra Club suggestions were considered by the Planning Commission in February, 1994 and did not receive Commission support. S'fft` ieogtritaf : The City Council should support Figure #1 as recommended by the Planning Commission. Discussion. Establishing objectives for changing our collective transportation habits involves, among other things, the following questions: ❑ Will people be willing to change and what actions will achieve desired levels of change? 1 ❑ If people will not voluntarily change, what is the City's role in ensuring that private vehicle use declines? ❑ What should be the future role of private vehicles in meeting transportation needs? The more significant the degree of desired change, (1) the more involved the City government will need to become in transportation decisions made by individuals and (2) the more aggressive the City will need to become in educating future generations on the benefits of non-motor vehicle transportation. Levels of involvement range from: Types of Actions Level of Involvement Promote alternatives Low Provide infrastructure -Encourage trip reduction Require trip reduction Provide disincentives to vehicle use Restrict vehicle use Prohibit vehicle use High The Planning Commission's draft of the Circulation Element goes to the third level of involvement shown above. 2. Issue: Achieving high Levels of Average Vehicle Ridership (AVR) By Instituting Trip Reduction Programs " "' " " "' ' The Planning Commission recommends that the City 11�n!;; :'�'.v� a�u'�tVdatiinn. establish a voluntary trip reduction program to pursue the AVR goal of 1.6 (see Program 1.11). The draft ii�Circulation Element published in May, 1992 relied on achieving an AVR of 1.6 which in turn presumed the implementation of trip reduction programs by the Air Pollution Control District (APCD). Recent state law (SB 883) restricts APCD's abilities to establish comprehensive trip reduction programs. Without the ability of APCD to implement its program, another-program was necessary to achieve the AVR of 1.6 in order to maintain the validity of the assumptions and recommendations of the Circulation Element. <"YCas..� �t a ecortuq'tis�t' '.. ... ......n. The EQTF recommends that a more aggressive AVR of 1.7 be pursued and that the City require area employers to pursue AVR goals consistent with the 1991 Clean Air Plan (CAP). The adopted CAP states that employers with 25 or more employees purse achieving and AVR of 1.7 phased in over a four-year period (see Program 1.11.) una " ';:staff: eeognedaans' After evaluating numerous program options discussed- below, staff recommends that the Council support some form of mandatory program that involves the participation of area employers, business organizations, and the Air Pollution Control District (APCD). For a listing of staff's specific recommendations see page 10 of this report- 2 Discussion. An AVR goal of 1.6 or 1.7 is significant but not unrealistic. Given current AVR estimates of 1.2, achieving a 1.6 or 1.7 represents a significant change in travel habits. Since the Circulation Element was based upon achieving these high AVR levels, traffic-related impacts would increase with goal levels set at less than 1.6. Therefore, the issue is how to achieve a high AVR level in the absence of a comprehensive APCD-sponsored program. A central component of the draft Circulation Element are policies and programs that support employment trip reduction. A trip reduction program requires employers, working with their employees, to reduce the use of single-occupant vehicles and increase the use of alternative transportation. Specific trip reduction goals, expressed in the form of increases in average vehicle ridership (AVR), are set.for various trip generating land uses. Here's a simple example of how AVR is calculated: If 100 employees arrive at a work site and 83 of them drive alone, the AVR equals 1.2 (100/83 = 1.2). If the number employees using single-occupant vehicles is reduced to 63, the AVR will increase to 1.6 (100/63 = 1.6). Draft Circulation Element policies on page 12 state that the City will support actions of the Air Pollution Control District (APCD) to establish and administer a county-wide trip reduction program. The APCD drafted a program that would affect all employers with 50 or more employees. APCD's draft program would have established a County-wide goal of achieving an average vehicle ridership (AVR) level of 1.5. Draft Circulation Element Program Statement 1.6 recommends that an AVR goal of 1.6 or larger is appropriate. The City's traffic model analysis of the draft Land Use Element was based upon existing and new development achieving an AVR of 1.6 in accordance with Program Statement 1.6. Recently, a new state law has been signed by Governor Wilson (SB 883) that severely limits the scope of APCD-sponsored trip reduction rules throughout California. The law prohibits the APCD from adopting a trip reduction rule that affects employers with less than 100 employees at a single work site. APCD estimates that the number of employees covered by an APCD program consistent with SB 883 would be about 17,000 County-wide, down from about 77,000 employees that would have been covered by the draft programs previously_recommended by APCD. The reduction in the scope of potential trip reduction rules also has an impact on traffic level forecasts for San Luis Obispo. Staff would expect buildout traffic levels to be about 4%-8% greater than traffic model forecasted levels. Level of service on arterial streets during peak traffic periods would incrementally degrade. A County-wide Transportation Management Association(TMA)has recently been established. A TMA is a non-profit association that assists member employers (both public and private) with the design and implementation of trip reduction and congestion management activities. A Caltrans-funded feasibility study is underway. On November 15, 1993 the TMA Advisory Group discussed program goals and objectives, received a feasibility study progress report from consultants, and agreed that the formation of the TMA should proceed. Subsequent steps to establishing the TMA will include surveying County residents on their willingness to use 3 alternative transportation, identifying the scope of services that the TMA should provide, and establishing program priorities and funding. In the long-term, the TMA would be funded through membership fees. Given these developments, the City should consider the following policy options: Option #1: Do Nothing. The policies and programs in the Circulation Element would not be modified. Program 1.8 (which recommends an AVR of 1.6) would remain as a goal but would have little likelihood of being achieved in the near future. The City would not expect to see as significant a modal shift as anticipated by the draft Circulation Element. Congestion levels would be incrementally higher. APCD .would work with the larger employers, such as Cal Poly, to establish trip reduction programs (those with 100 or more employees at a single work site). However, only a small portion.of the area's work force would be covered (see Table #1). If a County-wide TMA is established, it will likely assist larger employers initially, the same employer group covered by potential APCD programs. As larger firms establish trip reduction programs, the TMA could concentrate on attracting employers with smaller work forces. The potential scope of TMA activities is largely unknown at this time. The ability to certify the Land Use/Circulation Element EIR as complete is degraded since traffic increases resulting from implementation of a "do nothing" option will not be mitigated. If trip reduction programs are not an acceptable part of the Circulation Element, the City should consider amending the Element's "level of service" standards (Standard 5.3) to accept higher levels of congestion. In sum, to be successful, the concept of trip reduction will need to become an accepted part of the community's method for meeting transportation needs. Option #2: Establish a City-Sponsored Program. Replace Program 1.8 on page 12 with the following program statement: 1.8 The City will establish a City-wide trip reduction program applicable to all employers with 51 to 100 employees [acrd employers with 100+ employees at multiple work sites]with a goal of achieving an Average Vehicle Ridership (AVR) standard of 1.6 or larger. Staff Comment: The City could adopt a trip reduction ordinance that requires employers with 51-100 employees to participate in trip reduction activities. The City could establish a program that also includes employers with 100+ employees at multiple work sites. These employers are beyond the scope of APCD- sponsored programs. Traffic model forecasts of "build out" traffic conditions would be largely unchanged. This alternative requires the City to enforce rules and guidelines that State law (SB 883) has recently removed from the scope of APCD-sponsored trip reduction programs. The opposition from business groups which forced the State to dis- empower the APCD would also likely be present to oppose this option. 4 A City program could be varied in scope to cover various segments of the work force or various employer groups. The administrative cost of a program is most directly linked to the number of employers covered by the program. The greater number of employers that agency staff assist, the higher the program costs. The effectiveness of the program is more tied to the number of employees covered by the program. The greater the number of employees participating in trip reduction programs, the greater the traffic reduction and air quality benefits. Furthermore, the most effective programs involve ongoing performance monitoring of participating employers coupled with "hands on" technical assistance and training provided by agency staff. Table#1 provides an estimate of the labor force and employer profile within San Luis Obispo's urban reserve to help judge program effectiveness and cost. Table #2 provides similar information for "buildout" levels within the City's urban reserve. Estimates of annual administrative costs are based on studies conducted by DKS Associates (1990) that assume program management would involve assisting employers to survey their employees, prepare and update trip reduction plans, and to monitor employer progress in achieving trip reduction goals. In sum, to establish a hands-on program within the urban reserve that covers employers with 51- 100 employees would involve annual administrative costs of about $56,250 (45 employers x $1,250 annual program cost per employer). If the City fosters commercial and institutional growth within the urban reserve consistent with the draft Land Use Element, the annual costs would rise, at buildout, to an annual estimate of $88,750 (1993 dollars) with the estimated addition of 26 employers (71 employers x $1,250 annual program cost per employer, see Table #2). Administrative costs may be partially or totally recovered through fees assessed participating employers. Under this option, City and APCD programs combined (assuming full coverage of non-governmental employers with 50+ employees) would cover about 37% of the current non-governmental work force within the urban reserve. Option #3: Establish a City-Sponsored Program Only Applicable to New Employers. Replace Program 1.8 on page 12 with the following: 1.8 The City will establish a trip reduction program applicable to all new employers with 51 to 100 employees [and employers with 100+ employees at multiple work sites] established after the adoption date of this Element with a goal of achieving an Average Vehicle Ridership (AVR) standard of 1.6 or larger. Staff Comments. The City could establish a program that applies only to new employers with 51 to 100 employees within the urban reserve. The argument can be made that trip reduction is only needed because of future employment growth in the urban reserve and that existing employers do not cause air pollution or traffic management problems. Staff estimates that with new development, approximately 26 new employers with 51-100 employees would be established within the urban reserve. The effectiveness of a program affecting only new development is minimal since City programs would involve only about 26 out of a total of 71 employers with 51-100 employees (a 37% 5 coverage rate). As existing businesses expand, they would likewise need to comply to mitigate their increased traffic volumes. If the profile of City employers remains constant, this option would cover only about 4% of the City's non-governmental work force at buildout. If combined with an APCD-sponsored program, this percentage might increase to 10%. Opposition to this proposal will be received from business groups and property owners/developers, especially those in areas proposed for annexation — eg. the Airport Area, Dalidio Property, Froom Ranch.. The initial cost of this program's administration would be modest but would require additional staff to design and execute the program and manage it over time. At buildout, annual administrative costs might be about $32,500 (1993 dollars). Option.#4: Linkage Programs to Trip Reduction The following five options are offered as ways of linking existing and potential City programs with trip reduction activities: (a) Reduce Traffic Impact Fees. Replace Program 1.8 on page 12 with the following: 1.8 The City will reduce the portion of its traffic impact fee earmarked for street projects for employers that establish perpetual trip reduction programs that achieve and sustain an AVR of 1.6 or larger. Staff Comment: The City would establish a transportation impact fee (TIF) program affecting all new development. The City could offer a fee reduction applicable to that part of the TIF that covers road projects to employers (of any size) who establish perpetual trip reduction programs that achieve and sustain AVR targets recommended by the Circulation Element (AVR 1.6 or greater). This option assumes that the City has adopted a transportation impact fee to support transportation projects and programs that mitigate traffic problems caused by growth. In designing the program, care must be taken that fee reductions offered to employers do not divert money from targeted capital projects that support bicycling, transit, pedestrian, and ride sharing activities. Fee reductions should only apply to that part of the TIF that is earmarked for new streets or street projects that expand traffic capacity. (b) Require Development Exactions. Replace Program 1.8 on page 12 with the following: 1.8 The City will require all new employers with 50 or more employees and all new multi-family housing projects with 10 or more dwellings to establish perpetual trip reduction programs. Employer programs shall achieve and sustain an AVR of 1.6 or larger. Staff Comments. The City could require new development (both multi-family residential and commercial) to participate in trip reduction activities at various levels. New employers with 50 or more employees could be required to establish trip reduction programs and pay the City an 6 annual fee for City monitoring and technical assistance. Owners-managers or ownership associations of multi-family residential projects could also be required to assist residents in using alternative transportation. This alternative is similar to Option #3 except that it would also apply to multi-family residential projects and to all employers with 50 or more employees. The City should expect to receive strong opposition from business groups to require additional programs as part of development requirements. Residential developers and landlords will maintain that such a program will add to the cost of housing. On the plus side, the potential number of employees and residents enrolled in the program can be significant, improving the program's effectiveness in promoting trip reduction. (c) Reduce Off-Street Parking Requirements. Replace Program 1.8 on page 12 with the following: 1.8 The City will reduce its requirement for off-street employee parking by 25% for employers that establish perpetual trip reduction programs that achieve and sustain an AVR of 1.6 or larger. Staff Comments. The City would allow a 25% reduction in the number of parldng spaces required for employees. A 25% reduction is equivalent to an increase in AVR from 1.2 — the estimated current situation — to 1.6 as recommended by the draft Circulation Element. Participating employers would establish perpetual trip reduction programs that achieve and sustain an AVR of 1.6 or greater. The amount of land dedicated to parldng lots would decrease by 25%. The land areas "freed up" by that reduction in the employee parking could be used for additional building area with 50% reserved for additional landscape area. This option meets two objectives: creating a larger building site and creating larger landscaped areas. As part of the trip reduction program, the employer would pay an annual fee to the City for program monitoring and technical support. If land is a significant portion of the cost of development, then eliminating parking and providing for some additional building coverage may provide an attractive incentive for some employers. Also, such a program may (1) enable the development of parcels too small to accommodate desired building area and parking required by City standards; and (2) enable the expansion of some existing businesses where parldng requirements limit expansion. If off-street parking for employees is limited, some employees may. be encouraged to use curb parldng in surrounding areas rather than use alternative transportation. If this occurs, the City could establish "preferential" parking districts around employers that participate in parking reduction programs. The City could require the employer to fund the management of such a district until trip reduction goals are actually achieved and sustained (documented use of alternative transportation by employees). To implement this type of program will require amending the Zoning Regulations to establish 7 differential standards for employee and patron parking for all types of non-residential land uses. This task will require extensive research and field review of parking conditions in San Luis Obispo. (d) Require TMA Membership. Replace Program 1.8 on page 12 with the following: 1.8 The City will require all employers with 50 or more employers to join a County- wide Transportation Management Association (TMA) for the purpose of establishing trip reduction programs that achieve and sustain an AVR of 1.6 or larger. Staff Comments. The City could adopt a trip reduction ordinance requiring all non- governmental employers with 50 or more employees to join the County-wide Transportation Management Agency (TMA). Employers would pay yearly membership fees to the TMA for assistance with the planning and implementation of trip reduction activities. It is unclear how this type of program might work. Staff believes that, as a non-profit association with voluntary membership from large employers throughout the County, the TMA will be reluctant to monitor employer performance. Monitoring and enforcement(and associated costs) would continue to be the City's responsibility. However, the City would benefit in that the TMA could provide the technical support for designing and implementing trip reduction activities — resulting in lower City administrative costs. Finally, TMA membership could be offered as an alternative to paying the City an administrative fee to support a City-sponsored program (Option #2). More evaluation of this option would be needed as TMA formation proceeds. (e) APCD-City Jointly Sponsored Trip Reduction Program. Replace Program 1.8 on page 12 with the following: 1.8 The City will adopt a trip reduction ordinance and enter into an agreement with the Air Pollution Control District to administer a program that achieves and sustains an AVR of 1.6 or larger within San Luis Obispo. Staff Comment. The City could adopt a trip reduction ordinance requiring participation of employers with 50 or more employees. The City could enter into an agreement with APCD to administer the program. Financial support to APCD could come from a portion of the revenues generated by a $1 increase in the vehicle registration fee. These revenues could be augmented by trip reduction plan review fees collected by APCD. Funding may be a limitation since there will be serious competition for the use of any new vehicle registration revenues. Also, it is unknown whether state law (SB 883) would allow APCD to administer such a program. Staff s informal discussions with APCD staff indicate that APCD is receptive to the concept of a jointly-sponsored program. 8 On the plus side, the program would be most effective since it has the potential for enrolling the greatest proportion of the community's labor force in a program managed by a single agency (37% of urban reserve labor force). However, it is too soon to tell whether potential legal and funding roadblocks can be overcome. Additional analysis would be needed to determine the feasibility of this alternative. IiiS[lvlStt`Reonnnuu'd#ton5. The basis for the transportation mitigation measures included in the draft Circulation Element (roads, transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, etc.) was a computer model traffic forecast that assumed an AVR of 1.6. With recent limits placed on APCD's authority to establish trip reduction programs, the City must make a fundamental decision: use the traffic model to reevaluate future traffic conditions using an AVR of 1.2 or find other ways to achieve and AVR of 1.6. Delaying the adoption of the Circulation Element while re-running the traffic model is not seen as a viable option. A new contract with DKS Associates, the engineering firm which created the model, would require a funding allocation, negotiations, and City Council approval. Running the traffic model and reporting the results would add to the delay. Both the Planning Commission and the City Council have established goals of encouraging alternative forms of transportation and maintaining or enhancing the quality of the air in which we live, work and play. It will take a concentrated and sustained effort over an extended period of time to achieve desired change (ie. an AVR of 1.6). Staff believes that now is the time to begin that process. The challenge is to establish some type of trip reduction program that has the greatest benefit for the private and public dollar invested. The discussion above implies that the most effective programs (that involve the greatest percentage of the City's work force) have the greatest administrative costs. These costs must be borne by either the City (using general fund revenues) or by participating employers. The basic purpose of a trip reduction program is to foster a greater use of alternative transportation by intervening into the transportation decisions made by employees and employers. Without this type of intervention, it is unlikely that providing capital facilities for alternative transportation alone will achieve the modal split goals of the draft Circulation Element. There are significant fiscal and political costs associated with establishing these types of intervention programs. Recent changes in state law and local experience with transportation impact fees demonstrate that fiscal impacts on businesses is of significant concern. However, the City does have the authority to establish a program and require participants to pay to administer that program. There are a variety of options that utilize existing City police powers to require participation in trip reduction activities. The City also has the ability to charge fees. for the administration of these programs. However, the City should expect opposition from businesses where performance is required by City ordinance. 9 Only Option 4(c) offers some economic incentive to employers to participate. Whether reductions in employee parking requirements will be sufficient to compensate for the cost of sponsoring perpetual trip reduction programs is unknown. Option 4(c) may only be attractive to employers that desire to expand existing development or develop new projects but lack the site area necessary to accommodate such development. All options presented here fall into three groups: Group #1: Options #2 (City Sponsored TRP) or Option #4(f) (APCD-City Joint TRP) can achieve the trip reduction goals of the draft Circulation Element because they would apply to both wdsting and new development. However, there are legal and fiscal limits to their implementation. Group#2: Options#3 (City Program, New Development Only)and#4 (a) through (d) (Linkage Programs) will not meet the trip reduction goals of the draft Circulation Element since they apply only to new development. However, their administrative costs may be less than other options and they are easier to implement. Group #3: Option #1 (Do Nothing), although not an AVR 1.6 option, is sort of a middle ground; it neither "starts over" nor achieves the desired AVR goal. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS TRIP REDUCTION PROGRAM OPTIONS Group#1: If the City desires to establish trip reduction programs consistent with the objectives assumed by the draft Circulation Element, it should pursue the following: Priority Option Title 1 4(e) APCD-City Jointly Sponsored TRP (1) 2 2 City-Sponsored TRP Group42: If the City desires to establish trip reduction programs that impact only new development and is willing to accommodate higher levels of traffic and lower levels of service (2), it should pursue the following: 3 (3) 4(c) Reduced Off-Street Parking Requirements 4 (3) 4(a) Reduced Traffic Impact Fee 5 4(d) Required TMA Membership 6 3 Only New Employer TRP 7 4(b) Development Exactions (1) Implementation of this option will depend on overcoming potential legal constraints of SB 883. Additional research is needed. (2) The City Council may want to reevaluate the level of service standards presented in Program 5.4, on page 19 of the draft Circulation Element. (3) City Employers could be offered either option depending on what works best for a particular project. 10 Staff presented the Planning Commission with the alternatives evaluated above. The Planning Commission did not support any of these options but recommended that the City establish a voluntary program. The Planning Commission recognized both the importance of maintaining an AVR goal of 1.6 and the reality that a City-sponsored mandatory program would meet with tremendous opposition and require significant City resources which, given the City's current fiscal situation, seemed unrealistic. While a comfortable first step to take, voluntary programs may or may not be effective in significantly reducing trips or changing transportation behaviors. Staff believes that the Council should likewise review the list of options to ascertain degree of Council support. If the Council supports the Planning Commission's recommendation for a voluntary program, staff would also recommend the following additions to policy 1.8 which would establish performance standards to better achieve AVR goals. 1.8 The City will work with area employers with 50 or more employees and the Chamber of Commence to support a voluntary trip reduction programimih pFegmm to be muntagy FeWewffll. The program will be structured as follows: A. The City will survey candidate employers to determine base year average vehicle ridership (AVR) levels. B ne Qa will ofter assistance to candidate employers in pMaring plans to reduce automobile dependency of their work forces. _. 7lventy four months from the initiation of this assistance program. the Cb will again survey candidate employers If meaningful progress is made toward achieving AVR targets (a 10% or greater increase in AVR of the candidate work force) the voluntaaaarricipation program will continue 1 m aningfull progress has not been made toward achieving_ VR targets then the City will consider adoa ng a mandator�trin reduction ordinance This alternative language would establish a time frame for the voluntary program and establish performance standards used to evaluate its progress. It should be noted that the staffing and administrative impacts of the voluntary program identified above will be significant and will require staff augmentation if other Circulation Element programs are likewise given high priority. 11 a as �Aw 9 C _ a o O o0 G &78 h: .... ... C .�:.. so a �1w C Vl �y+ 3 ° . cam _ ao Fe �0. y y C 'O w G E 5 N tR.N : tR so O •p N y �j 'C " rte' �' V ° y a u aG Q C ee .. ...' 0 6. mmyawoy .- EC6of oma, c :� rA w O � a > G F -- Gz Am rA > eC vii as v, W Fy Oar l W .. g N N .: ;;E• .. v •� � y � ,3 � . v. 1pyp Y O oD O :CL�a V� OAo .00 00 w W o c HCA. y'y W N $ y . Y VAO W CIO > w � N � gv' aQmm p po AO .a O m _ N .. y iL N' CO oCO C rl 0 .430 A6 :01L LV 16-4 .. . O..CL. D U y 0. . Z H '�- . .. 'cts rA ' y Ta rA O r O a: Sol E. 3. Add the following transportation demand management program statements (mitigation suggested by draft EIR): L9 The Atity>:w�l support aggressive efforts'by:tha''Air Pollution Control District'(APCD).to establish employer aad;school based trip reduction Programs thateffectdowntown employers; Cal Poly and Cuesta'.College, add the CalUfomia:Mens'Colony. 213 The Ctty`of San'lins Obispo or the: .aa Wis Obispo'Regional'TraositAuthonty;:(SLORTA) should expaM commutei.bus service to Cuesta College:and the:California'Mens Colony during peak demand Pen ods ;;. w"""'`' p...... econ.unen A. The Planning Commission supports these two ::,,: .�:�:.::.;i:...:�:::�ii:::... policies. ...H:m+:f w,w...:,�,.w::::.y., .'Mv............:..........i:........... ?i\:....�.....Y:....i:.`. >.::ri!.':i::i�:.i i}::Y.:!ni: li oiurie�ta Irt.r `ssk Or ;ReCommendatsbns. The EQTF supports these two ....c..:»:. .:.:.r.. ::..... . policies. f ffi: C and do Include policies to satisfy mitigation requirements of draft EIR. Discussion: The City Council requested that DKS associates evaluate the effectiveness of transportation demand management (TDM) programs on future traffic levels on Santa Rosa Street. The consultant's report identifies measurable, although limited, benefits to traffic circulation associated with these programs. Since much of the traffic on Santa Rosa Street involves regional and inter-state travel, it is difficult for the City to take the lead in establishing TDM programs targeted at commute traffic on this particular street corridor. It is beyond the City's authority to require performance of State agencies or of employers beyond the City limits. Therefore, the first program statement included above places the City in an advocacy position, with implementation being the responsibility of APCD. Two options for extending commute bus service to Cuesta College are noted in program 2.11 above: ♦ The City could provide service to Cuesta College, using Transportation Development Act (TDA) and new Federal Section //9 funding. The City would have control over program costs and therefore be able to better manage its TDA/Section #9 funds. ♦ The regional transit system (SLORTA) could be expanded to increase service to the area. If the regional system is expanded, TDA funding available to support the City's local transit service will be reduced since the regional system has priority use of TDA funds. In light of the way transit service is funded, the City should carefully consider the options and select the one that provides the best ratio of benefits to costs. In 1991/1992, a private consultant conducted a feasibility study for establishing a Transportation 14 Management Agency (TMA) in the downtown. The purpose of TMA would be to solicit area employer/property owner participation in trip reduction activities, administered by the BIA. The feasibility study recommended that a community-wide TMA, rather than a BIA/TMA, be established to serve large employers with voluntary participation phased to coincide with the implementation of APCD's trip reduction program. A BIA/TMA was not seen as practical. The City could establish its own specific program working through the BIA to require some level of employer/employee participation and establish some area-based financing mechanism. Another option would be for the APCD to establish programs that target areas that have high concentrations of small employers. This is the option suggested by 1.8 above. 4. Add the following program statement (mitigation suggested by the draft EIR): Z 14 The .City will cooperate .with r efforts of: the 'San Luis Obispo Counctl of. Governments:: (SLOCOG) to evaluate the:::effectiveness of centralizing' transit SeMCC i<'a'°'°'.."` ' ntnissari"Xteturieuaop. The Planning Commission supports this program. ,`>..:i:::i:i::;:::.::�:,.:v:%:::::::;�:; Envitoe :Qualrtr'Task4F+Drce Reeommendafinns; The EQTF supports this program. taffsRecnenQts Retain this program statement with the understanding that City staff will work with+other transit agencies in the County to evaluate a full range of cost-effective options for providing local and regional transit service. Discussion: The EIR suggests that local and regional transit services be centralized into one agency. Service centralization should be conducted in coordination with the City, County and county-wide transit agencies. Centralization of transit services, in various fors, is part of SLOCOG's ongoing work program. Since the draft EIR was published in January, 1993, (and the Planning Commission review of the draft Circulation Element in February, 1994), SLOCOG has hired a consultant to study the effectiveness of consolidated transit service. The consultant has published working papers that present the pros and cons of consolidated service. The City staff will continue to work with SLOCOG and other transit operators in the County to evaluate service options that can meet San Luis Obispo's transit planning objectives. S. Amend policy 3.6 to read as follows (staff initiated amendment): 36 iotemtte ;-Since the primaa guMgse of roadways is to accommodate safe vehicle. movements,'the City:shoiild.considerthecreation>:of btke lanes and transit stop along'designated lie routes as having a:higher;prionty:'than retauung curb-side 'parking for ri&-deliveNs.vehicles. 15 rl aintt "< oiaiirroidtReeQnriiieivatioa. The Plannin Commission su its this lic uv#rnnmetttal ( �,t " asCt Farce Retnrnmenrlaons, The EQTF supports this policy. ,.f #fRoedaftii Staff recommends that policy 3.6 be changed to acknowledge the paramount purpose of roadways — to accommodate safe vehicle movements. Discussion. In San Luis Obispo, private vehicles, delivery vehicles, buses, trolleys, and bicycles all use the same street corridors and compete for limited roadway space. If the City is to achieve the modal shift and air quality objectives recommended by the draft Circulation and Land Use Elements, then bicycle lanes will need to be accommodated along important commuter routes. The results of the City's 1990 transportation survey indicated that provision of on- and off-street bicycle lanes/paths is the most important action that the City could take to increase bicycle_ridership. Conveniently-located bus stops will also be needed if the City is to increase the frequency and convenience of transit service anticipated by the adopted Short-Range Transit Plan (1992). Amended policy 3.6 acknowledges the curb-parking needs of commercial delivery vehicles serving older commercial districts in San Luis Obispo. However, in new commercial areas, off- street delivery space should be required. (Note: the City's zoning regulations currently require off-street loading spaces for buildings larger than 10,000 square feet in the C-S and M districts.) The wording that is proposed for delation by staff was added by the Planning Commission during its initial review of the document in 1991 and was retained by the City Council in its review during April, 1992. If the Commission/Council feel that the concern for parking removal should be retained, then staff suggests that the Commission/Council work with staff to define, in measurable terms, what constitutes "intensifying parking shortages" or "interrupting commercial activities." 6. Add the following program statements (mitigation suggested by draft EIR). 3 14'. :The City.will give priority to using street funds for ongoing maintenance of.bicycle. lanes:and paths or otherpublic bicycle facilities:.. 3 15;.:.:.:The City will use revenues from its bicycle licensing programs to support'education andawareness:.programs°and the construction of bicycle facilities kYann"'`"`' ouGiSSot"R �umepda� un. The PlanningCommission supports these two programs. nromtterttal (�uairty T Furse Reco�eadatrons« The EQTF supports these two NXprograms. 16 ttcames+ o Include program 3.14 as assurance that bike lane maintenance funding . . .: .� w,,. :..........:.::::..::.. will be given priority. Delete Program 3.15 consistent with past Bicycle Committee recommendations and City Council action . Discussion. The EIR suggests (CIRC - 6b.) that the City should specify the amount of funding earmarked for bicycle facilities maintenance (eg. maintenance of lane markings and street sweeping). Bicycle lanes are maintained as part of the Public Works Department streets budget. The draft Circulation Element already provides the following commitments: 3.5 Bike lanes and paths should be designed and maintained [emphasis added] to improve bicycling safety and convenience, and encourage people to use bicycles to commute to work or school. 15.3 The City's Financial Plan and Capital Improvement Program (CIP)should support the programs, plans and projects identified in this Circulation Element. If the City Council feels that a stronger commitment to bike project maintenance is needed, it should support the policy 3.14 presented above. The EIR suggests (CIRC - 6c.) that revenues from City bicycle licensing programs should be directed at supporting education and awareness programs as well as construction of bicycle facilities. After careful consideration of the effectiveness of the bicycle licensing program and its inability to generate significant revenues for bicycle programs or projects, the City Council terminated the program in April, 1994. This action was in support of recommendations made by the Bicycle Committee and City staff. As part of the adoption of the 1994-1995 Budget, the City Council directed that the 2% of its Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds earmarked for bicycle and pedestrian programs be reserved in an account for these types of programs. Finally, the Bicycle Committee (in preparation for Council action on a 1995-1997 Financial Plan) is evaluating program funding options and will be presenting recommendations to the City Council for its consideration in Winter/Spring 1995. 17 7. Add the following program statements (mitigation suggested by draft EIR) 4.5 To improve pedestrian crossing safety at heavily use intersections, the City should institute the following: A. Install crossing controls, where warranted, that provide adequate time for pedestrians to cross the street. B. In the downtown, install textured cross walks and landscaped bulb-outs, where appropriate. C. On Arterial Streets, Parkways or Regional Routes with four or more travel lanes, install medians at pedestrian crossings where roadway width allows. 4.9 The City should continue its annual program of replacing existing curbs with handicapped ramps. 4.10 The City would work with parents and teachers of elementary school students to establish a "suggested routes to school" program for bicycling and walking. 6H. The Planning Commission supports these policies and programs. nv oium ntat> ua <' `as :�`ot ec erisig io s The TF supports these policiesE Q its and programs. « Eeopaeasatii Include policies to satisfy mitigation requirements of draft EIR. Discussion. The EER suggests (CIRC -7a.) that the City develop a suggested routes to school program_, involving teachers and parents of elementary school students. Staff feels this is a good idea and.suggests that the Council consider the following: The EIR (CIRC 7b) suggests that pedestrian crossings at signalized intersections be improved. Designs should include medians on wide arterials, and more clearly marked crossings at intersections identified as hazardous. The draft Circulation Element includes the following: 4.5 Crossing controls (traffic signals or stop signs) and cross walks should be installed at intersections heavily used by pedestrians. Signals should provide adequate time for pedestrians to cross. This policy addresses the EIR's concern for clearly marked crossings —but ties the installation of cross walks to intersections that are heavily used by pedestrians and have traffic controls (signals or stop signs) rather than those that are "identified as hazardous." 18 CIRC-10 suggests that in the downtown, street design modifications should be implemented to slow traffic and improve pedestrian safety at high activity intersections. To address concerns raised by both CIRC -7 and CIRC -10, staff recommends that policy 4.4 be amended and program statement 4.9 and 4.10 be added as shown above. S. Establishing Level of Service (LOS) Standards for City Arterial Streets (see Policy 5.4 on page 19 and Policy 7.1 on page 23). ' troidticotrigtop. The Planning Commission, Sierra Club, and the Economic Stability Task Force recommend that the level of service standards for City arterial streets be set at LOS "E." These changes amendments would be made to both Policies 5.4 and 7.1. The draft Circulation Element (May 1992) had recommended LOS "D." ttYtmiteiatalypatita5 ' arC . tcpruirriendatui . The EQTF recommends that level of service standards for arterial streets be set at LOS "D" as recommended by the draft Circulation Element (May 1992). However, the EQTF has also suggested revisions to the Policy 7.1 which would established a tiered strategy for maintaining LOS standards. EQTF suggests that at LOS D, the City should become more aggressive in requiring a shift in transportation modes to alternate transportation. The City would only consider street widening projects after high levels of congestion were reached (exceeding LOS E). This strategy was recommended to the EQTF by the Public Works Department staff as a method for ensuring that the Circulation Elements emphasis on alternate transportation would be sustained. SMR......iziett�a axN. Support the EQTF's recommendation for setting LOS standards as part of Policy 5.4 and 7.1. Discussion. For varying reasons, the above-mentioned groups opposed street widenings which were presumed to occur once LOS standards are exceeded. However, streets will not automatically be widened to accommodate traffic when LOS levels have been exceeded. Policy 7.1 on page 23 originally suggested a prioritized strategy for dealing with streets where level of service may be exceeded. Widening streets would be the lowest priority of actions that the City should consider. The key issue seems to be how the LOS standards included in the draft Circulation Element will be used to ensure adequate transportation for City residents and visitors. Staff supports using LOS "D" as the standard for the purpose of triggering programs that reduce traffic demand via shifts to alternative transportation. However, if these programs are not successful, the staff believes that the City should retain its options to consider selective widening of arterial streets - - but only after other travel demand management programs are fully implemented and tested and street corridors are used to their full capacity. 19 9. Changes to Proposed Street Classifications Shown on Figure #2: Streets Classification Map Suggested by Mr. Pat Veesart. ) ''"'"' " gnuinQn;X0oen'datou. The Planning Commission supports the street classifications as shown in the draft Circulation Element (May 1992). .,>,r.:.�>.w.>:n•.�.�„rte.:;: trntgluIi TaS Forel R(«cortimendatrr)n. EQTF did not discuss this specific �,.�: ::.v : ..v.M::. . . _. item. However, EQTF did make changes to the standards shown in Policy 5.4 for residential streets to lower the maximum desired traffic levels. !'t `"'"eta""tnxeaf Support the Planning Commission recommendations for retaining the street classifications depicted in the May 1992 draft Circulation Element. Amend the boundaries shown on Figure#3 of the Circulation Element to include residential area northeast of Johnson Avenue extending to the railroad. Discussion. Some of San Luis Obispo's arterial streets pass through housing areas. Some of these streets, have only two travel lanes. Mr. Pat Veesart suggests that Broad (High to Pismo), Osos (Upham to Pismo)and Johnson (San Luis Drive to Marsh) be designated as "Neighborhood Arterials." On these types of streets, traffic speeds would be controlled and traffic growth avoided (see Policy 5.4, page 19). By precluding traffic growth on these streets, motorists will use attractive alternative routes if available. If traffic is controlled on Broad Street, motorists may be encouraged to use parallel segments of Chorro Street or Nipomo Street. If traffic is controlled on Osos Street, motorists may be encouraged to use Morro Street. This diversion appears to be accommodated by Mr. Veesart's suggestion that both Chorro and Morro Streets be upgraded to Residential Collector status. Chorro Street and especially Morro Street currently function as residential local streets. Increases in traffic along these corridors will be as objectionable to residents as increases on Osos and Broad. More area will be protected if traffic flow is focused on the arterial streets (Broad and Osos) at the periphery of the old town area than introduced into the interior of the area. Staff agrees that traffic management devices should be used to control vehicle speeds on Broad and Osos Streets (see recommendation concerning Program 6.6). However, traffic management devices should also be used to protect the interior of the old town neighborhood from traffic intrusion while slowing traffic on the peripheral arterials. This overall strategy will be worked out as part of the Traffic Management Plan called for by Policy 6.5, page 22. The segment of Johnson Avenue that Mr. Veesart references is only partially fronted with housing (the railroad to Pismo Street) with the remainder fronted by offices and neighborhood commercial uses (Pismo to Marsh). Traffic speeds and volumes are a noted problem in this area and a concern of residents with access onto Johnson Avenue. While San Luis Drive provides a nearby alternative route for vehicle traffic, Johnson Avenue is the primary route to existing and developing neighborhood shopping facilities (Payless Drug Store and Scolarie's Market). 20 The residential segment of Johnson Avenue forms the northern boundary of one of the Neighborhood Traffic Management Areas shown on Figure#3 in the Circulation Element. This area should be extended northeastward to include residential areas on both sides of Johnson Avenue. 10. Add The Following Provisions to Program 6.5 (staff initiated amendment) 6.5 The City will adopt neighborhood traffic management plans for residential areas shown on Figure #3 in order to protect neighborhood areas from intrusive traffic problems. l... :..a_::..:.Y:n.�:n:. F'a nit sl�wn rm )�gttre�3 nta� be eli�r.,e or.,. ,..:.:�.ttag�m�tpla� rticrrt whezt the l?'ublt� UVorC lxrector detertnes that tfaffic.'vsnles artd e'xc >:�taiattttrttt>:�evet estabis4stted: ;:;<P�Izc:;><5»:4w;�If><:1) ::;�tancfards;:;:are .:'.....a ynn MAnwn.arv.a.a..u.v.S.J.. :::::.v'.i.:.i':ni'.iT.n.nS•i::.a'.a..vy:.n:::.:{.:.\':'.:.\':i:.::.::.:;:;�:i::y'.�:{.:�:.�i�::":::.:.:.:.... ':.::::n.::n,::::iii::.... a.....:.. .................. ... ....... ..... .. .. .............................:.. .......... n...... '•i::: :.'.::5::::ii:iY'::.:...iS'SSSI:'iS:':::!.S ..•.5:::.•Y:n... 5::::::�:::is{.i is:Yi::. "......'i':'SiiS:.:::' :::':i:.i{ii:::::Yi:::i:iYi)i'i::i::i::Sii::i::Y:::{:: A , <„ a. ,, : ..... . . vvy uie ba; #annxn area and .nw ib.1 a car s iRzr for tIl dei t ghbQr ,p. . g. s�roey°tib , ra' „households .>' f:..miiRr tliari.:a1R <t#ye:aa' hatseko)ds> nd;;tcs<tF►eave">''a. ........................ e:.. ..:.. . :..:...:.....:....... ......... ... :. a:.�.<�<:{;:;:<::>:»»;:; �<:YiiYiYiiY:i :«:;::;::;:: «::»: »::> :..Y.: �ct«# :<surve V.MY.:iWV..:iW.:�'•�:n:.�i.a.Y'.,.::::�ent:: z��::::.i":::i:n:::.i..:.>�:Witl'E:.{..'.lati:::fig'::{::i`::�':'. ..aavv..aav ......iii:A .v..y:n....:..::.....:..........::.rnny:..v.::::.:...:.:n.:::n..n:.::n.:::::::::n.:::nwmiY •.:i{.v..... w.!{.'y:myiyvi{.i:MYikxnyY•A:I%.'l.{n'y:idauY\ €: s :> " 515>« <itllt€< ,.ii.: ..:.. ......:.:.:.:.......:::::::::::.a.::::::::.::..:::::::::..::Y:::: Ilki::..::..Y:.Y::.YYY:ilii:i.S:.S:.SiS'::�:.S:.S:.>:.: :_fic;stce I r zncfc rs az : z tfted Icx2d a t rtxdax :aal rs Discussion. While the areas shown on Figure #3 have had traffic problems for some time, in the future, other residential area may warrant similar planning efforts. This policy amendment would streamline the preparation of traffic management plans for these other areas. Amendment to the Circulation Element would not be requiring for these planning efforts to proceed. Decisions on plan preparation would be the responsibility of the Public Works Director (based on standards contained within the Circulation Element) with .support from the neighborhood. As a mater of procedure, if residents in an area do not agree with determinations made by the Public Works Director, they may petition the City Council concerning these determinations to seek relief. 11. Add the following program statement (mitigation suggested by Draft E1R): 7.10 The City will cooperate with State and Regional agencies in evaluating the effectiveness of high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on state highways. If State Routes 101 or 227 are widened to add travel lanes, the additional capacity should be reserved for HOV/transit use. 21 "'Q"taCotueratoThe Planning Commission supports this program. .O'tlV.�"4%.':YY}iY..:S>Y:.YriJn'r%•A';i;Y:Q4iMi.;;;:.'h:{w;;;:isvY:wlii:YY:.»;\•>:•»;Y;:•:•Y::•::C.»>Y:.YY '3:.3:.33'3s':v;.n':;..v;.,.<•aY•:,•.,.:':::...:.;.:..�..,3:y;:;..,..,.;....:.�. t ro ttegtal a1�f'}}j;«'i`tis) econme'n lafianThe EQ TF, for reasons unclear to '3rn;R>%"vinwn'Y:✓i:>v$:3:%:j:$.:: M:•. iiiii:."xv::"Rai:i.3:Y)<:HAY3Y:�.,•;.:F:.Yinry:S..:.,:.• •.••..::::.i%i:v:n:::::=:::.••:••/:.; :: .. :.n%:..:... .. ..: staff, did not support the first sentence of this proposed program statement. However, EQTF did retain the second part of the program. fltee" eridto Include program 7.10 as originally drafted by staff and recommended by the Planning Commission. Discussion. The EIR suggests that the City consider the installation of an HOV lane on Broad Street. This measure is suggested as a strategy for reducing traffic levels from those forecasted by the City's traffic model. HOV lanes are typically reserved for private vehicles with 2 or more occupants and for transit vehicles. In some congested areas, 3 or more vehicle occupants are required. Traffic on Route 227 is effected by the amount and intensity of development in the City's urban reserve, by growth in the south county, and by travel patterns between the two areas. In forecasting future travel patterns, the City staff assumed that Route 101 would remain as a four lane facility south of San Luis Obispo. As congestion increases on Route 101, additional traffic will use Route 227 as an alternative inter-regional connector. To install HOV lanes on Broad Street would require that it be widened to six lanes. Rather than increase the capacity of Broad Street beyond four lanes, an alternative strategy is to widen Route 101 to six lanes (within existing rights-of-ways whenever possible) and dedicate one lane in each direction as a HOV/transit lane. This strategy would emphasis the use of Route 101 as the primary inter-regional connector and deemphasize the use of Route 227. Additional study and "regional modeling" will be required to determine the feasibility of HOV lanes. SLOCOG is currently soliciting proposals from consultants to analyze the Route 101 and 227 corridors and to evaluate all alternatives for meeting forecasted travel demands on these corridors, including HOV lanes. The outcome of this study (due to be complete in Summer, 1995) could suggest further amendment to the City's Circulation Element. 12. Narrowing Higuera Street to One Lane an Making Marsh Street A Two-Way Street (Suggestion made by Mr. Pat Veesart.) PnE % issa ReciRaiek3lat%on. The Planning Commission was not comfortable with 33ti43ri;hYii'm+'Y:4;�!^Y;w:•Y;isY:4;;YY>iri•Y:bYYti:•;'F.•3i33Y:i'G3Y:L;:i.;>3Y33Y%'•rii:.Yii3;Yri,Y;Y;;3YY;: the specific recommendations made by Mr. Veesart concerning these two street corridors — especially if the street narrowing involved the removal of curb parldng in the commercial core. However, the Commission was supportive of considering alternative street designs in the core where they improve the pedestrian environment -- hence the more generalized language of recommended by the Commission as Program 8.12. ,.......: : <::.. The E TF supports Program 8.12< otrn nuen�ah.ons . .. ......... as drafted by the Planning Commission. i 22 ftegtrerot Support Program 8.12 as recommended by the Planning Commission. Discussion. Both of these specific street projects are beyond the scope of the Circulation Element's analysis. It will require detailed study to determine how these streets might be changed or whether it is desirable to change them. Furthermore, the conversion of Marsh Street along its entire length to a two-way street is inconsistent with the Downtown Concept Plan. Staff believes that there is merit to evaluating street design options as a method of achieving some of the overall objectives of the Downtown Concept Plan which is to improve the downtown's pedestrian environment. This evaluation will be identified and prioritized as part of the transportation work program required by recommended Program 15.12. 13. Identifying Road Projects to be included on Figure #4 of the Circulation Element. d:46.0f s. The PlanningCommission recommends a variety of street projects as shown on Figure #4. rirutunerita! Quant ' A � )ftecomn�endatioq The EQTF supported the Planning Commission's recommendations to eliminate several of the originally-proposed street projects. The EQTF also recommends that several additional projects not be pursued and that several others be scaled back (eg. reduction in the number of travel lanes). A brief rationale for EQTF's changes is presented after each deleted item on Figure #4. Vital'#= nneudatoi Support the Planning Commission recommendations for including projects on Figure #4 of the Draft Circulation Element. However, include the "Bishop Street Extension" project as item A-7 and further define the project as follows: Extend A'":. ""` South Street to connect with WOO Street se sr� . ! ...............................:...:.. Discussion. Criteria for Street Projects. The Sierra Club and the City's Economic Strategy Task Force have recommended that, in general, road projects should not be emphasized except those necessary for public safety. Staff agrees with the Planning Commission that a single criterion can not be used to determine the need for streets. Furthermore, public safety can be broadly defined to not only provide for police and fire services but also flood relief or utility access. Additionally, roads provide access to parks, schools and commercial areas and benefit pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users and motorists. The accompanying table identifies multiple criteria and their relationship to street projects identified on Figure #4 in the Circulation Element. Roadway Widenings. The street projects listed below are typical of those where it could be argued that the needs of public safety are already met and therefore they should not be funded. The primary objective of these projects is to accommodate additional local and regional traffic to avoid high levels of congestion. 23 B.1 Monterey Street Widening B.2 Higuera Street Widening(High to Marsh) B.S Tank Farm Road Widening B.6 Prado Road Widening B.8 Los Osos Valley Road Widening B.9 Highway 101 Widening B.11 Santa Rosa Street Widening Only a massive shift to alternative forms of transportation would eliminate enough future trips to allow deletion of road widening projects. Such a modal shift is not practical. Since these routes are also used by emergency vehicles, high congestion levels caused by not widening the roadway will reduce response times. Roadway Funding. Concerning the use of City funds for road projects, as noted on Figure #4, most of the projects will be the funding responsibility of development. Those that are anticipated to require some level of City fiscal contribution include: A.7 South (Bishop) Street Extension B.2 Higuera Street Widening(High to Marsh) B.1 Monterey Street Widening B.6 Prado Road (Higuera to Route 101) B.3 Orcutt Road (Broad to Johnson) B.9 Highway 101 —Widening (Joint City/State Project) D.2 Prefumo Road Narrowing B.10 Santa Rosa Street Widening(Joint City/State Project) Many of these projects are included in a Traffic Impact Fee program considered by the City Council on March 8, 1994. It should be noted that the Economic Strategy Task Force has recommended to the Council that the TIF not include the funding of Monterey Street (B.1) or Highway 101 Widening (11.9). The Planning Commission recommends that Monterey Street (B.1) be eliminated and that Route 101 widening (B.9) be retained as part of the Circulation Element. The TIF program assumes both projects are eliminated. The funding of the Route 101 widening project will need to come from sources other than development. The EQTF recommends that the Higuera Street widening project (High to Marsh Streets) be implemented as adjoining properties redevelop and that the responsibility for funding the widening of the street lie with development and not the City. South Street Extension (project A.7, Figure #4). The Administrative Draft of the Circulation Element forwarded to the City Council in Winter, 1992 did not include the South Street extension project. The City Council asked that the project be included in the Hearing Draft of the Circulation Element for purposes of preparing a draft and final EIR. The EIR concludes: '... this road link appears to have no significant net traffic effect, and may be expensive as well as potentially disruptive to nearby neighborhoods.' (page 6.3.26) 'The proposed link between South Street and Bishop Street should not be implemented,primarily because it is not justied from as traffic standpoint. The elimination of this link would have beneficial noise,safety and land use impacts with respect to the Johnson Avenue residential Area. (page 6.2-21, LU-10.) The Planning Commission and the Environmental Quality Task Force agreed with the findings 24 of the EIR. The project continues to receive considerable attention, primarily associated with the program to relocate City Fire Station # 1 to the corner of Roundhouse Avenue and Santa Barbara Street. Significant effort has been expended by the Fire and Public Works Departments to address station layout and design of either a Bishop Street/Roundhouse Avenue connection or a Bishop Street/South Street connection. The ability of the Fire Department to achieve quick and easy access to the Johnson Avenue neighborhood via this new connection was one of many positive attributes of the fire station site. The ability of Fire Station #1 to serve area east of the railroad also raises the opportunity to eliminate Fire Station #3 located on Laurel Lane. By eliminating Fire Station#3, the City could increase personnel at the remaining three stations or achieve cost savings to the general fund. Staff believes that the Roundhouse Avenue alignment of the South Street extension project is superior to one that extends directly eastward from South Street's current terminus because it avoids dividing the vacant property east of Broad Street into difficult-to-develop fragments will provide a new headquarters fire station with a superior access point onto area streets. Since the South Street extension would be used by emergency public safety vehicles, the project meets the criteria proposed by the Economic Stability Task Force for new street projects. Partial funding of this project (20% of total cost) is already included in the TIF program. If the City Council wishes to include this project in the Circulation Element, it must make a statement of overriding considerations to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act. Such a statement would be included in the Council resolution adopting the Land Use and Circulation Elements. Transportation Philosophy. Street projects test a community's resolve for addressing long-term transportation issues. For some, street projects will only continue past problems into the future by encouraging expanded use of private vehicles. For others, street projects are an acceptable tradeoff for desired high levels of mobility (so long as projects do not adversely impact neighborhoods or businesses). Throughout the Circulation Element adoption process, staff has observed that issues involving street projects clearly go beyond the bounds of traffic engineering and street design. Building new arterial streets and expanding existing ones are a signal to some people that the community is changing, is becoming more urban and is in danger of loosing the environmental characteristics that caused people to move here to live. Table #3, presented on the following page, is staff's attempt at describing these contrasting philosophies. Hopefully, Table#3 can help Council members clarify how they feel about street projects as an overall solution to transportation needs. 25 TABLE #3 BUILDING ROADS v. NOT BUILDING. ROADS CONTRASTING POINTS OF VIEW Build Roads Don't Build Roads Will mitigate congestion that City Will encourage people to drive residents want to avoid which causes congestion Will mitigate air pollution caused by Will continue motor vehicle dependency congestion which causes air pollution Will serve long-term circulation needs Will provide only a temporary resolution of circulation needs Will provide community benefits Impacts to neighborhoods outweigh the exceed land use impacts community benefits Will be paid for by developers Will be paid for by residents through the cost of housing, goods and services Landscaping can mitigate aesthetic Congested narrower streets are preferable impacts of wide streets to increasing pavement area Roads are needed to provide essential Changing land use relationships can access to land uses minimize need for roads, especially arterials. Letting congestion happen is contrary Using congestion to discourage driving to City environmental goals supports City environmental goals People will not change their habits People will change their habits if driving since travel times are short regardless is difficult and expensive, and cheaper, of congestion levels more convenient alternatives are available The City should not intervene in the The City must interne to make significant transportation decisions made by changes in transportation habits individuals We must diversify our transportation Projects that accommodate vehicles detract habits while recognizing the continuing from our efforts to change transportation role of private vehicles habits 26 e X Uy e . . ...... v e X XXXv X X a � v X X X X X .'•` X X mZ EF _ C U � C Q >»' W X X d � � LU 03 wa a u E La ° E. X X X 8 X X pC> X X u O o >iF Q U a 9 AM <Ax::'. V w:: H y Ad a:>' :: e3:>.a' e 7 tor a e .. �° 'a a .. wi y o x x U zd S e x x as d x x x x x x x xe a_ x x x u e m O ^ ^ E x x x d X x x Cc cc ca cc dol cis N ; cc C O mcc U� 'O .fl O=0 r 90 "0 s > 54 `•?;: ?`: '.: ami 9 C <' G 0 cogN m C O .. m .. F oC a .. �i .. .g .. Z .. �A f*Rs: fT►;� W d. .g OG :;:17&#: •c C3 { � a1 ao cti OC1 ao ai GC ftf> Gr. U U �' 0 X •a O c d 3 = a G 7 of � '� a„ 'cU �a d E „ tea � •� po pp >=%14 c6 E c %n to H o. > aKi ' >,a 3 d a oZ � W K a e $ a C a ^� a C6 Lzl OL a syi e N U c 3 .5 a "S, y a U a sw; �oa E flag c N d e o a m o " d C 0 a e as ed<: $ .9 E= � 23m � od 5a a •c %�: en m y to ccc 'i 31 c O m v.3 ewe .. - � `° ah cis me di ° ca ria ": � .W � •= d � '� � � •� � � � � 0L C m ° u O O drZrA ° a O Cr d Q oaC a u euy9 a U E „ ® o c :: > vJ C7 v Ci W Z O m 04 225 cc en c g o0 as m < acScaca Wol _a d r 14. Delete the extension of Vachell Lane from Figure #4 (mitigation suggested by the draft EIR) :. Pri Fuodin lemenW1 :: Project Street Section Description Lead Agepey wary g ImpOM ResponsibilityMethod A. aE�e > f eoeest-wgd�6iE}r euet3; ESI es -— - - --14 + ite oiii di on. The Planning Commission supports the deletion of this street project as an environmental mitigation measure. mental# ualrig TasCoreeR. pmuru+eatdatrn The EQTF supports the deletion of '..n this project. etiatior Support the Planning Commission and EQTF recommendations for .o:3:vii a}SSiRG:Gia;:szis:i::i>;vv:;az:z:i deleting this project. Discussion. The EIR indicates that this project will have significant land use impacts and minimal circulation benefits (reference page 6.2-20). It is unlikely that the industrial park that would be impacted by this street extension will be redeveloped to allow the extension during the planning period of the Circulation Element(2020). Furthermore, the extension of Buckley Road to South Higuera Street (project A.3) is a more likely alignment although it may, depending on precise alignment, impact wetland area and historic agricultural buildings. 15. Extend Sacramento Drive to Connect With Orcutt Road (Project A.5) arii " "" uirirriis [rn' ti>mneriatoti. The Planning Commission supports the inclusion of this project on Figure #4. �roitroenta �Quartg 'asfcoree Recotttmeinc7atians: Consistent with the findings of the draft EIR, the EQTF does not support this street project because it will harm habitat at the confluence of three creeks that the road must bridge to complete the connection. fat')` ecomtii�ini Support the Planning Commission recommendations for including this project and adopt a statement of overriding considerations in compliance with CEQA. Discussion. The Planning Commission and City Council have reviewed the Parkside Development Project and required that Sacramento Drive be extended through the project to link with the existing stub end of Sacramento Drive south of the creek. The Council directed staff to prepare building setback lines (plan lines) for Orcutt Road between Broad Street and the railroad. A setback line ordinance was adopted by the City Council on August 16, 1994. The adoption of this ordinance was based on Council support of a street design that includes a center 30 landscaped median. The installation of this median will limit access onto Orcutt road from fronting properties to right in-and right-out turning movements except at the Duncan/Orcutt and McMillian/Orcutt intersections. 16. Extending Sante Fe Road to Serve Airport Area Development (Project A.6, Figure #4) Pro�ect,;iStreet Section Descnptron Lead Agency PrimaryFunding Implementaho . ResponsibilityMethod A 6Sante Fe:Road Extend load to City/County Development DevelOpp= .north of::Ti&Earn connect'vA Prado "" " "'°" :ut" sttcomtretian. The Planning Commission supports the inclusion of n.n n:::..:::.........n:.n„n....y.%::...2:. this project on Figure #4. ` ' re<) eco ea' atto n s The E TF does not support this isv ronentaf::ta fit ,. project because it may be premature and because of potential impacts to wildlife habitat at Acacia Creek. 5f1" kexorxntYafio Support the Planning Commission recommendations for including this project. Discussion. DKS Associates were asked to evaluate the circulation benefits of three options for connecting Prado Road to Broad Street. The consultant concluded that there does not appear to be any traffic advantage of connecting Prado Road to Tank Farm Road over the Industrial Way connection proposed by the Draft Circulation Element. The consultant also evaluated the benefits of constructing a two-lane connecting link west of Broad Street between Prado and Tank Farm Roads. The conclusions of this analysis indicate that the new connection would attract about 6,000 ADT and would reduce traffic on Broad Street between Tank Farm Road and Industrial Way by about 4,000 ADT. Staff considers these impacts beneficial and recommends that a two-lane street connection between Tank Farm and Prado Road be included on Figure #4 and identified on Figure #2 as a "commercial collector" street. This street would be constructed when the property on the north side of Tank Farm Road is developed. Specific alignment of the roadway and mitigation of impacts associated with creek crossings would be the focus of additional environmental evaluation at that time. 31 17. Widening Los Osos Valley Road Between Madonna Road and Route 101 to Six Lanes and Widening the Los Osos Valley Road/Route 101 Bridge (mitigation suggested by the EIR Supplement) Pro.... Desbri tion of Fun ' Implementation J P Primary::. �8 Potential Change Responsibility Tos Osos Valley;, Wuien to four lanes.:rDevelopment Build�f Insh ILtls Road > but reserve ROW for Area Develops su lanes: �s Owt Vallev> "Widen freeway hrid�e Development g_iad to four`lanes ,,..; +,,,,a" + rt;''RetiiirtetlhoiA. The Planning Commission recommends that Los �crwiz, ` Osos Valley Road be widened to four lanes. This recommendation is consistent with the Commission's recommendation that the Froom Ranch be developed with housing as shown in the February 1992 hearing draft of the Land Use Element. Staff told the Commission that if the City Council supported the property owner's land use preferences (retail commercial), that Los Osos Road may eventually need to be widened to six lanes to handle the additional traffic. +ea::':i;i!;:C!'.C`ii:;r.T:O:.::'i};;• :'Myn� � .vt;•:e < :..... ..... ...i.. ...` n Otu3n:idt :;:> :.:':.`' ::;rift>'F e;R itim n $pons The E TF supports the widening of Q g Los Osos Valley Road to four lanes. As a general principle, the task force did not support the widening of any arterial street or highway to six lanes. ff)E" entafa%a Support the Planning Commission recommendations for widening Los Osos Valley Road to four lanes but amend the project description as shown above and include a new project for widening the Los Osos Valley Road/Route 101 bridge to four lanes. Discussion. The draft Circulation Element already includes the widening of Los Osos Valley Road to-four lanes between Madonna Road and Route 101. The need for this project was based, in part, on the draft Land Use Element's designation of the Froom ranch for residential use with 10 acres reserved for motor vehicle sales. With full commercial development of the Froom Ranch, traffic would significantly increase beyond previously forecasted levels —by as much as 16,000 additional trips. Segments of Los Osos Valley Road most impacted by the additional traffic include the links approaching the Madonna Road intersection and the links southeast of Calle Joaquin. .Segments of Los Osos Road between these two intersection will tend to flow more freely with future traffic flow influenced by the location and spacing of new intersections serving adjoining development. A traffic increase of 16,000 trips may warrant the construction of a six lane roadway. As an alternative to immediate widening to six travel lanes, the City could establish building setback 32 lines (plan lines) that reserve space for a six lane roadway (six travel lanes, turn lanes and medians, and Class II-B bike lanes). Adjoining development would be required to widen the street to four lanes as recommended by the draft Circulation Element. Traffic growth on the street could be monitored and additional widenings pursued if high levels of congestion appears likely. One disadvantage of this approach is that funding for supplementary widening projects is unsecured. One strategy to minimize possible future widening costs is to establish the curb lines of the street at the ultimate width (six lanes plus center turn land/median)and initially install a wide landscaped median. If additional travel lanes are needed in the future, the median area could be narrowed to accommodate these lanes without affecting expensive frontage facilities such as curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and utilities. This option also allows adjoining properties to develop without establishing unusually-deep setbacks and temporary landscaping. The draft Circulation Element already recommends that the highway ramps on the west of Route 101 at Los Osos Valley Road be reconfigured to avoid congestion. With full commercial development of the Froom Ranch, congestion levels on the Los Osos Valley Road bridge over Route 101 would continue to increase, necessitating additional travel lanes. More involved changes to the ramp systems on the east side of the highway may also be warranted but will require additional study to determine the need. 18. Add the Santa Rosa Street Turn Lane Projects to Figure //4 and create Appendix RD" Project Street Section Description Lead Agency Primary Funding Implementation Responsibility Method B.8 Santa Rosa (Walnut- Turn lanes.see City _ State/City State/Federal Foothill Appendix D Programs Create Appendix "D" that identifies turn lanes to be included on Santa Rosa Street: APPENDIX D: OPERATIONAL CHANGES TO SANTA ROSA STREET B.8. (a) Foothill Boulevard: Construct an east-bound right turn lane at Santa Rosa Street. B.8. (b) Santa Rosa Street: Construct a north-bound right tum lane at Olive Street. B.8. (c) Walnut Street Construct a west-bound left lane and an east-bound left turn lane at Santa Rosa PrtRilY' outSSaneCOe 'dat0n. The Planning Commission supports the inclusion of these projects on Figure //4. Etivir4nrtlerttaltrafity Task Force ReCnmmendat�QnS The EQTF supports these projects. 33 Staifitftpn Support the Planning Commission and EQTF recommendations for T...::.n.::.:.,.,...r including these projects on Figure #4 and the creation of Appendix "D." Discussion: These turn pockets are recommended by DKS Associates. Their primary purpose is to reduce congestion at key intersections on Santa Rosa Street and thereby increase the capacity of Santa Rosa Street itself. The extent that these projects benefit traffic flow is estimated in the technical report included in the EIR Volume 2 Appendices. Environmental impacts of these projects are modest and involve the removal of side yards, some landscaping, and possibly parking at Walnut and Olive Streets. Construction of the right-turn lane on Foothill Boulevard (project B.10. (a))will require that the acquisition of additional street right-of-way, the removal of the gas station's pump island closest to- and paralleling Foothill Boulevard, and possibly the removal of underground gasoline storage tanks. The total-'cost of these turn lane projects is estimated by DKS at$800,000. However, additional costs for utility work and property acquisition could increase the cost to above $1.2 million. Staff anticipates that there will be some sharing in cost between the City and State. To date, the City has received a grant of $200,000 (estimated 40% of full project cost) from SLOCOG to construct the Foothill Boulevard right turn lane. City funds will most probably be needed to cover the remaining 60% of the project's cost. 19. Add the Santa Rosa Street Widening Project to Figure #4. Project Street Section Description Lead Agency Primary Funding Implementation Responsibility Metbod B.10 Santa Rosa (Olive- Widen street to State State _ STIP Foothill) six lanes -. tang" aRuniwsytia onatian. On a 4-3 vote, the Planning Commission supports r including this project on Figure#4. lF fivic u k tl "C"C"', <ReronuaeU",-d The E TF recommends that this project be eliminated from Figure#4. As a general principle, the task force did not support the widening of any arterial strut or highway to six lanes. ta'f IteC4nenclafo Support the Planning Commission recommendations for including this project on Figure #4.� Discussion. Based on DKS Associate's evaluation and the EIR analysis, staff supports the widening of Santa Rosa Street over the development of a Highway 1 bypass route. This option is recommended because: 34 • Widening a 0.6 mile section of Santa Rosa Street is less costly ($9 million) than constructing a new five to seven mile bypass route ($35 to $50 million). • Widening Santa Rosa Street will have significant environmental impacts, but less impacts than the bypass route. • The likelihood of widening Santa Rosa Street, and getting state participation in the project, is greater than getting the state to build anew highway. • The traffic circulation benefits of the bypass route are questionable, especially the Cuesta College to Marsh Street option, and the shift of alignments to Los Osos Valley Road would channel interstate traffic through residential areas and away from existing tourist- serving areas on Santa Rosa Street and upper Monterey Streets. The EIR indicates that the environmental impacts of widening Santa Rosa Street are significant and irreversible. The City could choose not to include either the Highway 1 bypass or the widening of Santa Rosa Street in its Circulation Element. However, the EIR also indicates that planned City and regional growth and continued interstate travel growth will lead to .severe traffic congestion on Santa Rosa Street, which in itself is identified as a significant adverse impact (reference 6.3-23 of the draft EIR). In sum, it appears that trip reduction programs and operational changes will not be enough to maintain adequate traffic flow on Santa Rosa Street (reference DKS report). The City and State will need to make some significant changes to the circulation system serving the north coast or the users of this corridor should expect to experience high congestion levels. The decision on this item is a question of what adverse impact is acceptable for community residents and highway users to live with. (As a historical note, the City was involved in similar decision making in the early 1980's. The adopted 1982 Circulation Element includes the Santa Rosa Street widening project.) 20. Add the Santa Rosa Street Interchange Project to Figure #4. Project Street Section Description Lead Agency Primary Funding Implementation Responsibility Method C.2 Highway 101/Santa Changes to State State ST Interchange ramp system (1) u Freeway access should be imgrovedmaximizing he use of existing treet co 'dor and minimizing the removal of buildings, 35 c.::oagv.i.:+.i'ia'::i::vai::v.}i. On a 4-3 vote, the Planning Commission supports including this project on Figure #4. w.n:. amity T#Sk.. ?'orcetecotttmeat3o The EQTF recommends that this project be included on Figure #4. The taskforce felt that if full closure of the Osos and Broad Street highway ramps could be accomplished (reference project C.3.), then some improvements to the Santa Rosa Street interchange would be justified to accommodate the diverted traffic. µReCot ;Pa±Gttoigi Support the Planning Commission and EQTF recommendations for including this project on Figure #4. Discussion. Part of DKS Associates early consultant work identified potential changes to the Highway. 1 - Highway 101 interchange. The consultant designed a full "clover leaf" style interchange that would require the removal of the City Police Station, Home Savings building, the Campus Motel, restaurants on Olive Street, and significantly alter the land use and circulation pattern in the area. Staff did not support this project. While staff has not recommended specific changes to this interchange system at this time, there is potential for modifying existing ramps using existing street corridors while minimizing the demolition of building. Some ideas that warrant further consideration (some of which are also suggested for improving traffic flow at intersections) include: • Close the south-bound off-ramp at Montalban and building a new one to connect with Olive Street. • Eliminate the south-bound off ramp at Santa Rosa Street that connects with Olive Street. • Close the Broad Street north-bound on ramp (recommended by DKS) and realign the Osos Street north-bound off ramp to make a smoother connection to Walnut Street. • Install a north-bound right turn lane on Santa Rosa at Olive Street to emphasize right-turn access to the freeway (recommended by DKS Associates). I • Install additional turn lanes on Walnut at Santa Rosa to improve the operation of that intersection (also recommended by DKS). Specific design studies will be needed to evaluate interchange options. Staff suggests that this. work be done as part of any Project Study Report (PSR) prepared for the widening of Santa Rosa Street or for independent improvements to the interchange. 36 21. Add the following Freeway Ramp Closure Project to Figure #4: Project Street Section Description Lead Agency Primary Funding Implementatio Responsibility Method Q goad Street Q Close north on State State State Programs Hiehwav 101 and south off ramps "oriivinendOW On a 4-3 vote, the Planning Commission supports including this project on Figure #4. ....... ixrolntaX Qi�alltq<TasC< ux :; commeaion ..v:}h.W'}i.rv:Ji)v}�::4r:iw'iiWiiiiiw':Ci..iiiri.:Ji>:vi.:i:vJ:viiN'):'iii:':J:vnY':4.4tiw'ili.i}:ii':i.ii.::.... :>:v:'i:.i:.Y":iri:•i:iiiiii:iinp:i. highway ramps at Osos and Broad Street be closed. The taskforce felt that improvements to the Santa Rosa Street interchange (project C.2) would serve traffic needs and that the ramp closures would protect adjoining residential area from traffic intrusion. taioiiiseaiiatu > Support the Planning Commission recommendation for including this project on Figure #4. Discussion. The City Council requested that ramp closures at Broad and Osos Streets be studied as a method of reducing traffic intrusion into adjoining housing areas. DKS Associates evaluated the full and partial closure of the these ramp systems and have identified the closure of the Broad Street north-bound on ramp and the Broad Street south bound off ramp and having the following advantages: ♦ Ramp closures would eliminate the short, substandard freeway weaving sections in both directions between Broad and Osos Ramps -- a future bottleneck and unsafe condition. ♦ Traffic intrusion into adjoining Broad Street housing area would be reduced. The consultants also evaluated the full closure of the ramp systems but found that it would cause "backtracking" of motorists through the neighborhood attempting to reach the nearest freeway access points — Santa Rosa Street. The off ramp bridge over Stenner Creek at Broad Street is scheduled for replacement by the State. The City would be responsible for 20% of the cost of this project. If the south-bound off ramp is closed, this bridge project wold not be necessary. 37 22. Projects that are identified in the EIR supplement that warrant further study are shown below. Projects Description of Primary Funding Implementation Potential Change Responsibility Los Osos Valley Widen to 4 lanes Development Road between South Higuera and Route 101 Route 101 Build auxiliary lanes Development between Madonna and LOVR New Road Build new road to Development connect Dalidio w/ LOVR n Los Osos Valley Reconstruct ramps Development Build as part of Airport Road Interchange on east side of Area development Route 101 Discussion. The widening of Los Osos Valley Road to four lanes between South Higuera Street and Route 101 may be needed to mitigate the cumulative impacts of area development. Further analysis of this particular street segment is needed. Likewise, reconstructing the highway ramps on the east side of Route 101 at Los Osos Valley Road — eg. to install addition turn lanes — will require further analysis. These studies can be completed as part of the following: Prado Road Interchange Project Study Report (PSR). This report is required by Caltrans and the federal government prior to the construction of a new Prado Road interchange. The City has received approval of federal funding which, when combined with developer funding, will pay for preparation of the PSR. The PSR will evaluate needed changes to the Los Osos Valley Road interchange, Madonna Road interchange, evaluate the design of a new interchange at Prado Road, and the need for auxiliary lanes on Route 101 between Madonna and LOVR (one side or both sides). (Note: the draft Circulation Element already includes the widening of Route 101 to six lanes. Auxiliary lanes would be in addition to the six travel lanes — an eight-lane roadway.) The PSR will also include a specific financing plan for installation of road projects. Airport Area Annexation and Specific Plan. This planning effort will access the capital improvement needs of airport area development and involve the adoption of a public facilities financing plan for area improvements. Regional transportation facilities will be a part of this impact analysis. 38 f The proposed "new road" between Dalidio Drive and Los Osos Valley Road may be needed to provide alternative access to the expansion of the Central Coast Plaza. This new connection would provide some traffic relief to segments of Madonna Road south of Dalidio Drive. There are a variety of locations where a new connection could be made: Extend Calle Joaquin northward (see attached sketch). This option would introduce additional commercial traffic onto Los Osos Valley Road close to Route 101, increasing congestion levels on Los Osos Valley Road south of the Calle Joaquin intersection. Staff does not favor this alternative. Extend a new road between Dalidio Drive and Los Osos Valley Road through the Madonna Property (see attached sketch). This extension will influence the pattern of future development on the Madonna and Dalidio properties and will depend on the design of the mall expansion project. In sum, alternatives to linking Dalidio Drive with Los Osos Valley Road will depend on the design of the Central Coast Plaza expansion project, the alignment of the new segment of Prado Road west of Route 101, and the design of the new Prado Road interchange. The need for this street connection, its location and intersection with other streets serving new commercial development, functional classification (eg. local, collector, or arterial street) and design standards (number of lanes) should be resolved as part of the mall expansion project. The Circulation Element can be amended at that point to reflect "project" decisions made by the City. 39 MINUTES - CITY PLANNING COMMISSION City of San Luis Obispo February 2, 1994 PRESENT: Commrs. Mary Whittlesey, Gilbert Hoffman, Dodie Williams, Brett Cross, Sandra Sigurdson, Charles Senn and Chairman Barry Karleskint ABSENT: None OTHERS PRESENT: John Mandeville, Long Range Planning Manager; Terry Sanville, Principal Transportation Planner; Wayne Peterson, City Engineer; Cindy Clemens, Assistant City Attorney; and Diane Wright, Recording Secretary PUBLIC COMMENT: There were no public comments. Item 1. General Plan Land Use Element and Circulation Element updates. Consideration of updating the Circulation Element. (Continued from January 19, 1994) Chairman Karleskint announced that the public hearings on the Land Use Element and the Circulation Element had been closed and that this meeting involved Commission comment and action. Terry Sanville said that the Commission had been asked to consider amendments to the draft Circulation Element recommended by Public Works staff. He said he would briefly comment on the items outlined in the staff report for this meeting, which were areas of concern previously identified by the Commission. He said action needed to be concluded at this meeting so that the legislative draft would be ready for Commission approval on February 23, 1994. A. Review the Sierra Club's Recommendations 1. Traffic Calming Measures Terry Sanville said that traffic calming was referred to in the Circulation Element as "neighborhood traffic management." He .recommended that the Commission support staff's recommendation for changing policy 6.6 to strengthen the City's position concerning neighborhood traffic management and relating those features to street characteristics in policy 5.3, and expanding a paragraph to include examples of traffic control measures. Commr. Williams asked Wayne Peterson to explain how the Engineering Department felt about item D regarding meandering street designs. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 2 Wayne Peterson said that the main concern was that control measures be carefully designed so that they did not adversely affect the City's liability. He explained how raised crosswalks could create a pedestrian hazard. He said that just because the draft listed measures that would be considered did not necessarily mean that those measures would be used. Commr. Cross said that people could also sue if the City had not used traffic control measures. Commr. Williams felt that if possible, designs should be done in a manner to avoid City liability. Wayne Peterson said following state and federal design standards was the best defense against liability. He said traffic calming was not addressed in those standards. Terry Sanville said there was probably a risk in trying something new, but there was also a risk for the City not to do anything. Commr. Karleskint pointed out that the items on the list were suggestions and not mandates. In answer to a question by Commr. Sigurdson, Wayne Peterson explained that a $15,000 per year program existed for making corners wheel chair accessible. Commr. Hoffman said he could support staff's recommendation for policy 6.6. Commr. Cross expressed concern that the wording appeared negative, but he said he could support staffs recommendations. There was a consensus of the Commission to accept staffs recommendation for policy 6.6. 2. Eliminating Road Projects Terry Sanville said that the Sierra Club and the Economic Stability Task Force had recommended keeping only road projects that maintained or improved public safety. He explained that it was difficult to point out a single objective for road improvements. He explained the projects listed on the table included in the January 12, 1994 memorandum contained improvements based on projected future traffic demands. He asked the Commission to identify any projects it believed needed to be eliminated from the list. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 3 Commr. Sigurdson asked for an explanation of staffs conclusion comparing the cost of transit service and'road widening. She referred to 15 items listed in Mr. Merkel's January 10th letter that also increase cost, but were hard to measure. Tent' Sanville said staff's explanation was not an exhaustive analysis of costs and benefits. He explained how bench marks for traffic levels were determined, and how future generation rates were reduced and compared with current generation rates. He explained there would be a large gap between future travel demands and a reasonable prediction of alternative transportation even if bus and bicycle ridership tripled. He said extreme congestion would result ff road projects were not done. He explained the Circulation Element tried to find a balance in encouraging alternative transportation and planning road projects. Commr. Sigurdson asked Terry Sanville to respond to the comment that cities that had improved roads tended to become congested faster than predicted. Terry Sanville said if a °sustained° community can be achieved where population and traffic demand is stable, transportation demands are easier to control. He explained that some of the proposed widenings were being suggested because when the roads were built, they did not anticipate 1994 traffic levels. Commr. Hoffman asked why the City planned for a peak in traffic but did not plan for a peak in parking. Terry Sanville said the City's traffic consultant discussed levels of service and peak demands in a report which showed that when the level of service increased, the length of peak demand also increased. He explained congestion could occur several hours per day rather than a short peak period. He said using the level of service as a standard was becoming more common. In answer to a question by Commr. Hoffman, Terry Sanville explained that if traffic on Santa Rosa Street exceeded level of service E, the regional transportation planning agency (SLOCOG) could require the City to address the traffic congestion. He said it had been determined that without widening, Santa Rosa Street would exceed level of service F. Commr. Hoffman asked Terry Sanville to describe businesses and homes that would be affected between Foothill Boulevard and the freeway K Santa Rosa was widened. Terry Sanville explained that the City's proposed design would have to be approved by Caltrans because it was a state highway. He said the widening would primarily affect businesses on the east side of Santa Rosa Street. He described the following properties: landscaping by Wells Fargo Bank, the parking lot of the medical clinic, a medical office P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 4 on the corner of Murray Street and a home used as an Engineering office, the bridge over the creek would have to be widened, a medical office supply building, the Taco Works sign, outdoor seating at Jack in the Box and various trees and planting. He explained proposed right hand tum lanes on Foothill Boulevard and Olive Streets. He said the Circulation Element mentioned ,street widenings to be considered as the lowest priority and the Sierra Club preferred it not be an option at all. Commr. Senn asked if the analysis was based on full build out. Terry Sanville said the projections were based on 50 years in the future with the City built out as shown on the LUE map. Commr. Cross felt the timing issue was not that important because he assumed it would happen sometime. Wayne Peterson explained that the impacts could occur without City growth. He explained that growth elsewhere in the County or an increase in tourism could impact the City. Terry Sanville said staff was recommending avoiding the problems associated with widening Santa Rosa for projects in the periphery of the City by building roads wide enough to handle projected traffic. commr. Sigurdson said even without a high growth rate, traffic levels in the City were increasing. Wayne Peterson said bus ridership was increasing every year, but not enough to contain traffic levels. Commr. Senn asked Wayne Peterson if he agreed with the recommended road projects in the table. Wayne Peterson said yes. Commr. Cross asked the Commission to address B-9, Highway 101 between Los Osos Valley Road and Santa Rosa Street, because the Commission had recently stated it opposed widening Highway 101 to six lanes. Terry Sanville said staff was still recommending that Highway 101 be widened to six lanes in the existing right of way. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 5 Terry Sanville explained that the widening of Highway 101 was being heavily debated in the South County where level of service concerns existed during peak periods. He said the regional transportation planning agency was suggesting an analysis of alternatives for widening Highway 101 such as carpools, additional mass transit, routing alternatives, ramp changes and frontage road changes. He said the traditional engineering approach would consider those alternatives unrealistic. Commr. Whittlesey asked why A-9 in the January 12 memo was being recommended when it had not been earlier. Terry Sanville said traffic modeling had been done and initial findings indicated a connector road would be needed at full build out to reduce traffic on Madonna Road from Dalidio to Los Oscs Valley Road. He explained the need for the road would depend on development of the Central Coast expansion area. He said if it was needed in the future, it would be introduced as an amendment to the Circulation Element. In response to a question by Commr. Hoffman, Terry Sanville explained the proposed South Street extension had been crossed out because staff felt it would be better to modify the intersection at South and Broad to connect South Street to Roundhouse if the project was supported. He said the EIR and traffic analysis didn't show the extension had major benefits and it would introduce traffic into a residential neighborhood. He explained that the recommendation was made before the City began considering a fire station at that intersection. Commr. Hoffman said page 10 of the draft stated that high volumes of traffic damaged the small city character of the City. He believed that character was also damaged by wide intimidating streets. Commr. Sigurdson felt the City should spend money on getting people out of their cars instead of accommodating traffic. She said should would not endorse widening any roads. Commr. Karleskint said it would be advising citizens what roads might be widened in the future. Commr. Sigurdson believed the County would be less likely to require street widenings if the City maintained its small character. Commr. Williams disagreed with Commr. Sigurdson. She said the City was not isolated from the rest of the world and the traffic would have to be accommodated. Commr. Cross expressed concern about continuing to accommodate increased traffic. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 6 Commr. Williams believed people were sensitive to reducing vehicle trips but some people could not carpool because of shift work or an insufficient mass transit system. She did not feel people should be made to get out of their cars by making it miserable. Commr. Cross felt making it as miserable as possible would get people out of their.cars. Commr. Williams said the earthquake in Los Angeles got people out of their cars, but the mass transit system was already in place. Commr. Cross said spending money on roads prevented that money from being spent on alternative transportation. He believed it was too easy for people to drive. Wayne Peterson expressed concern that Highway 101 and Highway 1 carried interstate traffic and could cause congestion for local traffic. Commr. Williams send she was not advocating wholesale road widening, but felt the Commission should be reasonable and sensitive to what happens to businesses when road widening is not planned for. Chairman Karleskint read down the list of proposed widenings. The Commission approved staffs proposals for A-1, A-2 and A-3, the elimination of A-4, the proposals for A-5 and A-6, the elimination of A-7, and the addition of A-8 (Sante Fe Road) by consensus. Terry Sanville explained the history of the proposal to reserve setbacks on Monterey Street between Santa Rosa Street and Grand Avenue to accommodate widening for various transportation alternatives. Wayne Peterson explained there was enough room on Monterey Street to widen it to four lanes without tearing down buildings or the bridge, but the City did not have the right-of- way for most of the area. Terry Sanville said the Economic Stability Task Force was recommending this proposal be excluded. The Commission voted 4-3 to eliminate B-1 (Monterey Street widening), with Commrs. Hoffman, Williams and Karleskint casting the dissenting votes for approval. The Commission voted 6-1 to approve B-2 (Higuera Street widening) with Commr. Sigurdson casting the dissenting vote. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 7 The Commission voted 6-1 to approve B-3 (Orcutt Road widening) with Commr. Sigurdson casting the dissenting vote. Terry Sanville explained the extension of Prado Roast. The Commission voted 6-1 to approve B-4 (Broad Street) with Commr. Sigurdson casting the dissenting vote. In answer to a question by Commr. Whittlesey about B-5, Terry Sanville said staff had not examined if a three lane road might be adequate, but he said the Airport Area specific plan might consider that option. The Commission voted 5-2 to approve B-5 (Tank Farm Road) with Commrs. Sigurdson and Cross casting the dissenting votes. Terry Sanville explained if the airport area was developed, the connection to Highway 101 would be important. Commr. Sigurdson asked Cindy Clemens if she should step down because of her affiliation with ECOSLO. Cindy Clemens advised that Commr. Sigurdson could vote because the public at large exception applied. She said ECOSLO would not benefit more that the general public, and the road widening would not directly increase or decrease the amount of business at ECOSLO. The Commission voted 5-2 to approve B-6 (Prado Road) with Commrs. Sigurdson and Whittlesey casting the dissenting votes. Terry Sanville explained that B-7 applied to sections of South Higuera that were currently not four lanes. The Commission voted 7-0 to approve B-7. Terry Sanville said that the Circulation Element recommended widening Los Osos Valley Road from Madonna to Highway 101 as proposed in B-8. He explained if the Commission had recommended full commercial development for Froom Ranch, staff would have recommended reserving room for six lanes. He said the City Council had requested a conditional statement indicating that the widening was contingent upon development of those areas. He explained that all proposed development on the west P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 8 side of Los Osos Valley Road was considered as part of the Irish Hills development for this purpose. The Commission voted 6-1 to approve B-8 with Commr. Sigurdson casting the dissenting vote. In response to a question by Commr. Senn, Wayne Peterson said the median space on Highway 101 and current right of ways would be utilized for the new lanes with the confines of the highway remaining about the same. The Commission voted 4-3 to approve B-9 (Highway 101) with Commrs. Whittlesey, Sigurdson and Cross casting the dissenting votes. Terry Sanville explained the proposed turn lanes for Santa Rosa Street in B-10 and the widening in B-11 and the City Council's requests of the consultant. He said the consultant's results showed that turn lanes would work in the short term, but the street would need to be widened to be effective in the long term. In answer a question by Commr. Sigurdson, Terry Sanville said the Commission could vote on B-10 and B-11 independently. The Commission voted 7-0 to approve B-10 (Santa Rosa turn pocket). The Commission voted 4-3 to approve B-11 (Santa Rosa Street widening) with Commrs. Sigurdson, Cross and Whittlesey casting the dissenting votes. The Commission voted 6-1 to approve C-1 (Prado Road interchange) with Commr. Sigurdson casting the dissenting vote. The Commission voted 6-1 to approve C-2 (Los Osos Valley Road Interchange Upgrade) with Commr. Sigurdson casting the dissenting vote. Terry Sanville explained that staff believed existing street right of ways could mainly be used to improve the Santa Rosa Street Highway 101 Interchange, but some buildings would probably be impacted. In answer to a question by Commr. Whittlesey, Terry Sanville explained the bullets in recommendation 4 in Appendix 0 of the April 9, 1993 Memorandum were potential alternatives. The Commission voted 4-3 to oppose C-3 (Santa Rosa Street interchange) with Commrs. Hoffman, Williams and Karleskint casting the dissenting votes for-.approval. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 9 NOTE: After the Commission voted on C-4, Commr. Senn requested to change his vote on C-3 from No to Aye. Therefore the Commission voted 4-3 to approve C-3 with Commrs. Whittlesey, Cross and Sigurdson casting the dissenting votes. Commr. Whittlesey asked about recommendation 5 in Appendix O for C-4 for closure of the Highway 101 northbound and southbound ramps at Broad Street. Terry Sanville explained the City Council's concerns about traffic in residential neighborhoods. He said the consultant had recommended the northbound on ramp and the southbound off ramps be closed. He explained full closure was not recommended because it would increase 'back track" traffic in residential areas. Commr. Senn said voting on this proposal affected the vote on C-3. Commr. Hoffman felt voting for closure of these ramps would indicate that the Commission felt the improvements for the Santa Rosa Street interchange were more important. Commr. Whittlesey asked if closing ramps was within the purview of the Commission. Wayne Peterson said that the City could request that the State close the ramps. He explained the State could not close the ramps without City approval, but the State was not required to close the ramps. The Commission voted 4-3 to approve C-4 (Broad Street ramp closures) with Commrs. Whittlesey, Sigurdson and Senn casting the dissenting votes. Commr. Senn said because a majority of the Commission was voting to close the ramps, he reversed his vote on C-3 so that traffic flow would not be severely impacted. The Commission voted 7-0 to approve D-1 (Orcutt Road overpass). The Commission voted 7-0 to approve D-2 (Perfumo Canyon Road). The Commission voted 7-0 to approve D-3 (Garden Street closure). The Commission voted 7-0 to approve D-4 (Osos Street). Terry Sanville explained the Broad Street proposal (D-5) reflected the conclusions of the Downtown Concept Plan. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 10 Commr. Senn said he was opposing it because he did not feel he was well enough informed about the proposal. The Commission voted 6-1 to approve D-5 with Commr. Senn casting the dissenting vote. Terry Sanville said the Sierra Club suggested narrowing Higuera Street and making Marsh Street a two way street between Highway 101 and Johnson Avenue. He directed the Commission to page 6 of staff's January 12, 1994 memorandum. He said staff believed the proposal deserved further study, but could not be supported by staff at this time. Commr. Karleskint felt those proposals were too important to be included in the element without a public hearing. Commr. Williams agreed with Commr. Karleskint. Commr. Whittlesey disagreed because she felt the idea had been around for a while and should be studied further. Commr. Cross said he would prefer a broader statement for analysis on Higuera and Marsh Street. Commr. Williams felt input was needed from the business community and she believed the business community would oppose this proposal without a complete hearing. Commr. Sigurdson said slowing down traffic and increasing pedestrian use of downtown was a goal of the Downtown Plan and she believed it could be included in the element. Commr. Cross suggested changing the wording in the Element to support street design options to improve the downtown's pedestrian environment. He said it would be consistent with the Downtown Plan. Commrs. Williams and Karleskint said they could agree with Commr. Cross' suggestion. Terry Sanville suggested the following wording: 'The City will evaluate the merits of alternative street design for Higuera and Marsh Streets as a method of achieving the overall objectives of the Downtown Concept Plan. Commrs. Williams and Karleskint felt it should not be restricted to evaluating only Higuera and Marsh Street. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 11 Commr. Whittlesey suggested the following wording: 'The City will evaluate downtown street design options as a method of achieving the overall objectives of the Downtown Concept Plan." The other Commissioners agreed. Commr. Whittlesey suggested taking item 2 at this time because of the length of discussion on the Circulation Element. The other Commissioners agreed. BUSINESS ITEM Item 2. Consideration of correspondence from Martin Tangeman expressing concern regarding proposed Land Use Element policy 7.7.K., pertaining to special policies for the Maino-Madonna area. John Mandeville presented the staff report and said that the item was on the agenda in response to a letter to the City Attorney from Mr. Martin Tangeman, who represented Mr. Alex Madonna. He explained that Mr. Tangeman objected to the requirement that the road cut on San Luis Mountain be restored to a natural slope before development because the existing road provided recreational use for hikers* restoring the natural slope would cause environmental damage, and that there was no nexus between the requirement and development. John Mandeville used an overhead diagram to explain the site. He explained staff's suggested revised language for mitigation for visual and erosion _ impacts which would address the nexus issue and would not require complete removal of the existing road cut. He recommended that the Commission approve replacing the existing language with staff's proposed language. Commr. Senn asked if staff had negotiated the revised language with Mr. Tangeman. John Mandeville said staff provided Mr. Tangeman a copy of the suggested language but time had not permitted further responses. In response to a question by Commr. Hoffman, John Mandeville explained that the suggested "or" statement allowed for planting to solve erosion problems in some areas. He advised that a professional would probably be hired to evaluate the slope. Chairman Karleskint opened the public hearing. Martin Tangeman, 806 Murray Avenue, representing Alex Madonna, said he would be addressing staffs revised version. He said the road was legally put in. He said he did P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 14 Commr. Senn said he agreed with Commr. Hoffman. He said it was not necessary to make people's lives difficult without a specific development. He said a specific plan would address the issue. Commr. Karleskint said the land could be sold to another owner and a new owner should not be held responsible for land he did not own. Commr. Cross asked staff what would be required if the property was sold. John Mandeville said the sale of the property would not change LUE policies. VOTING: AYES - Commrs. Hoffman, Williams, Whittlesey, Senn and Karleskint NOES - Commrs. Cross and Sigurdson ASSENT - None The motion passed. Chairman Karleskint announced that the Commission would continue discussing the Circulation Element. 3. Economic Stability Task Force Recommendations Terry Sanville explained the Economic Task Force recommendations for a traffic impact fee. He said the recommendations and the fee program would be reviewed by the City Council in early March. He said the Task Force's main concerns were the cost of projects and its administration. He suggested that the Commission let the City Council decide how the program would be administered. He said the Task Force had also suggested a level of service standard E instead of a level of service D be included in the Circulation Element. He explained that the concern appeared to be that road projects would be done before they were really needed if the standards were set too low. He directed the Commission to page 5 of the January 12, 1994 memorandum which summarized the Circulation Element's intent to first provide infrastructure and incentives to promote alternate transportation, consider managing growth, require alternate forms of transportation, and make minor operational changes to streets before street widening was considered. He pointed out that streets would not necessarily be widened if a level of service was reached. He recommended the level of service standard remain as proposed. Commr. Karleskint asked if it would be possible to require a lower.level of service before widening was considered. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 15 Terry Sanville said the wording could be modified to state paragraph D would not be implemented until level of service E was reached. Commr. Whittlesey felt letting roads get more congested might not eliminate road widening, but it might encourage more people to use alternative forms of transportation. Terry Sanville said congestion might cause more people to use alternative means of transportation, but it could also just cause more congestions. Commr. Karleskint said congestion would hinder carpools and buses as well as private vehicles. John Mandeville said street widening projects take three to ten years to complete depending on how much land was needed because land was very expensive. Commr. Williams said she supported staffs recommendation. In answer to a question by Commr. Cross, Terry Sanville explained that traffic impact fees were determined by the project's affect on traffic. Commr. Senn asked if there was any peak period that traffic level now reached F or E. Wayne Peterson said the lowest level of service currently reached on some City streets was level D. Chairman Karleskint repeated that staff's recommendation was to retain level of service D for arterial streets and level of service E for streets downtown. Commr. Senn said he supported level of service E for downtown and for arterial streets. The Commission voted 4-3 to change the level of service to E for downtown and arterial streets with Commrs. Cross, Williams and Karleskint casting the dissenting votes. 4. Changes is Street Classifications Terry Sanville said Mr. Veesart had suggested reclassification of Broad Street, Osos Street, segments of Chorro Street, Morro Street and Johnson Street. Terry Sanville recommended that street classifications be maintained as proposed by staff and figure 3 of the Circulation Element be amended to include the expanded neighborhood traffic management area as shown on pages 5 and 6 of the January 12, 1994 memorandum. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 16 The Commission voted 7-0 to support staffs recommendations. 5. Setting Higher Modal Split Objectives Terry Sanville directed the Commission to page 8 of the draft LUE which used a 1990 survey as a base year. He explained that as a city expands, travel demand expands, which meant that a larger percentage of residents using alternative transportation in the future would not necessarily reduce the number of automobile trips. He explain that Mr. Merkel was suggesting single vehicle trips be reduced from 71 percent to 27 percent. He said staff believed the reduction form 71 percent to 59 percent (as suggested by Figure #1 in the Circulation Element) was a reasonable goal. He asked the Commission for comments. Commr. Karleskint said it had been discussed in depth previously and he could support staff's recommendation. In answer to a question by Commr. Whittlesey, Terry Sanville explained that figure 1 was a profile of city residents. He said a regional profile would show a higher percentage of vehicle trips because most commuters did not use alternative transportation. Commr. Whittlesey asked if Mr. Merkel was suggesting the DKS numbers that included regional trips. Terry Sanville said yes and staff felt that would be difficult to do. Commr. Cross felt the City could be more optimistic about increasing the use of aftemative methods of transportation. The Commission voted 4-3 to support staff's recommendation with Commrs. Whittlesey, Cross and Sigurdson casting the dissenting votes. B. Response to Mr. Rowntree's High Priority Recommendations Terry Sanville recommended including item 1, pedestrian access, item 2, neighborhood "arterial" notation, and item 4, Developer Mitigation of Community-Wide Transportation Impacts to the Circulation Element. He said he was not recommending "ride and park" lots because staff felt lots should be close to trip origins. He said a "park and ride" lot could be used by City residents who commute to work outside the City. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 17 Commr. Cross felt Mr. Rowntree's proposal for "ride and park" lots had some merit because it would reduce trips in town. He said the BART system worked in the San Francisco area. The Commission voted 7-0 to include B:1, Pedestrian Access, in the Circulation Element. The Commission voted 7-0 to include B-2, Neighborhood "Arterial" Notation, in the Circulation Element. Commr. Senn said he was opposed to B-4, Developer Mitigation of Community-Wide Transportation Impacts, because traffic impact fees already existed. Wayne Peterson explained that traffic impact fees deal with the cumulative effects of a project on traffic, but don't necessarily deal with all aspects of transportation such as trails. He said the City Council was considering looking.at impacts of projects city-wide. Commr. Karleskint expressed concern that requiring City-wide mitigation would put a hardship on small projects. Commr. Whittlesey suggested adding the words "city-wide transportation impacts" to section 15.13. Commr. Williams expressed concern with Commr. Whittlesey's proposal. Commr. Senn said he had no objection to including Mr. Rowntree's concern, but he said he would like to discuss the paragraph later. The Commission voted 6-1 to include Commr. Whittlesey's suggested wording for section 15.13 to address Mr. Rowntree's concern listed as B-4, with Commr. Karleskint casting the dissenting vote. Commr. Senn suggested that 15.13 should be changed to state "may adopt" instead of 'will adopt." There was not support for the change from other Commrs. because a time frame when the program would be started was not mentioned in the Circulation Element. Regarding B-4,Terry Sanville suggested adding 'The City will consider installation of"Park and Ride" facilities that serve commuters with destinations outside the City's planning area. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 18 The Commission voted 7-0 to support staffs recommendation for a "Park and Ride" lot for City residents. Commr. Cross felt a "Ride and Park" lot needed to be considered. Wayne Peterson said the same lot used by commuters from the City could be used by commuters to the City. Commr. Whittlesey said employers could run a shuttle to pick up employees at the lot. Commr. Senn did not believe a "Ride and Park" lot would work because the City did not have a large major employer. The Commission voted 4-3 to not consider a"Ride and Park" lot with Commrs. Whittlesey, Cross and Sigurdson casting the dissenting votes. C. A Trip Reduction Program for City Employees Terry Sanville said the Commission had suggested the City should be a role model in establishing an aggressive trip reduction program. He explained that policy 1.7 on page 10 of the Circulation Element was general in nature to avoid labor relations concerns. He suggested the Commission could suggest a higher AVR. Commr. Senn suggested modifying policy 1.7 to state: City government will adopt a trip reduction plan for City employees." He said he preferred a more general statement to allow employees from different departments to carpool. Wayne Peterson explained that the corporation yard and downtown were specified because many departments did not have many employees working the same hours. Commr. Senn said the broad statement would give the City the experience of what it was asking other business to do. The Commission voted 7-0 to support Commr. Senn's suggestion. Cindy Clemens said that when trip reduction programs are mandated, travel to and from work was covered by workman's compensation and has resulted in increased insurance cost to employers. D. Establishing a City-Sponsored Trip Reduction Program P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 19 Terry Sanville explained that state law had recently changed with the adoption of SB883 which limited APCD established trip reduction programs to sites with more than 100 employees. He explained the City's options and costs to the City as stated in the November 23, 1993 memorandum. Commr. Senn requested that Bill Thoma respond to a question. Chairman Karleskint reopened the public hearing. Commr. Senn asked Bill Thoma if he thought employers who had more than 50 employees would respond to a voluntary request by the Chamber to provide lists of employees willing to carpool. Bill Thoma, 1663 Colina Court, said he could only support it if it was a voluntary program. He explained his employees worked different hours and private employers had labor issues to consider. He said he would ask the circulation committee if it would support an education program that encourages carpooling. He requested that businesses not be held to a higher standard than the City. Chairman Karleskint closed the public hearing. Terry Sanville said 541-CARS was a voluntary program in existence for carpooling and addresses did not have to be provided. He suggested that if the Commission desired a more aggressive program, businesses could be initially surveyed and then resurveyed after two or three years to see if a voluntary program worked. If the program did work, he said the City would have saved the cost of establishing a program. Commr. Williams said the City should have the same AVR standard as businesses. She said she liked Terry Sanville's suggestion. Commr. Sigurdson said she could support a two year period between surveys. Commr. Cross did not believe a voluntary program would be effective. Commr. Senn felt a voluntary program could work. He said a specific number did not need to be set because any increase in carpooling would be an improvement and the success would spread by word of mouth. Commr. Karleskint felt the City had to monitor the program. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 20 John Mandeville explained monitoring was important when required by the Air Quality District, but this program was not required. Terry Sanville said a three year voluntary program would be better to allow the program to work and provide time for staff to analyze results. Wayne Peterson expressed concern about requiring more from businesses within the City than elsewhere in the County. Commr. Senn suggested the following language: 'The City will work with major employers and the Chamber of Commerce to establish a voluntary trip reduction program. Progress to be reviewed annually with first review to take place not later June 1, 1995. Commr. Whittlesey suggested regional ride share oversee the program because of commuters. Terry Sanville felt a base line survey would be needed to measure the success of the program. Commr. Senn felt the City did not need to have an active role. Terry Sanville explained that carpooling was only one part of trip deduction. Employers could also provide bicycles, lockers, flex time or van pools by learning the needs of the work force. He said the City's involvement could be seen as accountability for public programs rather than government intrusion into business. Terry Sanville suggested that Commr. Senn's suggestion could be included as program 2.0 with the wording modified to state annual review instead of a specific date. Commr. Sigurdson felt the wording was too vague. The Commission voted 5-2 to support Commr. Senn's wording with the modification suggested by Terry Sanville with Commrs. Sigurdson and Cross casting the dissenting votes. In regard to recommendation 2 in the April 9, 1993 Memorandum, Appendix Q, section 1.8 Terry Sanville explained the DKS recommendations which would probably only affect County and City employees. He also explained parking caps in recommendation 12. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 21 Commr. Sigurdson mentioned that UCSB had a better AVR than Cal Poly because parking wasn't available. Terry Sanville asked the Commission if Commr. Senn's voluntary. program superseded all the November 23, 1993 options. The Commission agreed. Terry Sanville said the Commission could also support recommendations 2 and 12. The Commission unanimously agreed to support recommendation 2 with the changing Of "effect' to "affect." Wayne Peterson expressed concern about recommendation 12 because he felt limiting parking spaces on a site for employees forced the employees to park on the street. Terry Sanville said employers such as Scolari's ask employees not to park in their lots, and the employees park on the street. He suggested parking. reduction be tied to trip reduction programs as an incentive instead of a parking cap. Commr. Senn expressed concern that facilities with adequate parking would go up in value and those without would go down. Commr. Sigurdson said businesses could share parking. She said she supported recommendation 12. Commr. Senn said the LUE already provided density bonuses for parking reduction programs. The Commission voted 5-2 to eliminate recommendation 12 with Commrs. Sigurdson and Hoffman casting the dissenting votes. E. Other Items of Commission Concern Sierra Club Suggestions Terry Sanville said staff disagreed with most of the principles of the Sierra Club's suggestions. He said staff felt that achieving 1980 traffic levels was unrealistic, congestion would not cause a massive modal shift and that the City could not mandate parking fees for property the City did not own. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 22 Commr. Cross said he supported the Sierra Club's recommendation for number 8 on page 6 under transportation goals. Commr. Karleskint felt the recommendation was already addressed in section 16. The Commission voted 4-3 to approve the Sierra Club's recommendation for number 8 in the Circulation Element with Commrs. Hoffman, Williams and Karleskint casting the dissenting votes. Commr. Cross suggested number 3 on page 7 be included. Wayne Peterson said the proposal would have a negative effect on the City's bus service because it was more expensive to transport regional bus riders than City riders. Terry Sanville explained that it was difficult to link an AVR figure to mass transit. There was not support on the Commission to add number 3. Commr. Cross suggested number 13 on page 9 be modified by replacing the word "maintaining" with the word "achieving." The Commission voted 6-1 to replace"maintaining"with"achieving" in number 13 on page 9 with Commr. Hoffman casting the dissenting vote. Commr. Cross said a funding mechanism should be included in 1.8 on page 10. Terry Sanville said staff could support the first part of the statement, developing a comprehensive marketing promotion program for target audiences to be included under target audiences, and the elimination of the reference to budgeting considerations. The Commission voted 7-0 to Terry Sanville's suggestion. Commr. Cross mentioned the suggestion for 2.6.6 to use travel time instead of frequency to calculate bus efficiency. Terry Sanville said he preferred to use frequency instead of travel time in the calculation because the time people wait for buses was a part of the total travel time. The Commission voted 6-1 to leave 2.6.13 unchanged with Commr. Cross casting the dissenting vote. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 23 Commr. Cross suggested the City develop bulk discount rate bus passes as suggested for 2.9 on page 12 and a commuter pass program for a discount rate during certain hours to encourage people to take the bus to work. Wayne Peterson said monthly passes were already discounted. He said a.monthly pass cost $16 which was cheaper than a parking pass. He did not think a bulk discount rate would be effective in increasing bus ridership. Commr. Sigurdson said she supported a bulk discount rate. Commr. Senn said he objected because he was relying on Wayne Peterson's expertise. The Commr. voted 5-2 to support a bulk discount rate with Commrs. Senn and Karleskint casting the dissenting votes. Commr. Cross suggested the modified wording suggested on page 13 for 3.10 and 3.11 be approved. The Commission voted 7-0 to change the wording in 3.10 and 3.11 as suggested on page 13. Commr. Cross suggested the Sierra Club modification to 8.3 on page 19. There was no support on the Commission to make the change. Commr. Cross felt the suggestion for cost/benefit analysis for 15.4 on page 31 was important. Wayne Peterson explained the difficulty in doing a cost/benefit analysis. Commr. Sigurdson agreed with Commr. Cross. The Commission voted 5-2 not to a support a cost/benefit analysis with Commrs. Cross and Sigurdson casting the dissenting votes. Commr. Whittlesey asked for the Commission's opinion on Mr. Merkel's suggestion for pavement reduction. She asked Wayne Peterson about Mr. Merkel's suggestion for alternative paving. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 24 Wayne Peterson said federal funds were being used for rubberized asphalt. He explained that one of the benefits of using rubberized asphalt was that all of the old asphalt did not have to be replaced. He said he was open to looking at other forms of pavement. The Commission voted 7-0 to support Commr. Whittlesey's suggestion for including a statement that alternative payment be looked into and placed in the Element where staff believed it would belong. Terry Sanville said it would probably fit on page 8 of the Circulation Element. Commr. Whittlesey asked staff about 15.11 on page 31 of the Circulation Element. Terry Sanville said 15.11 could be eliminated because it has already been addressed. The Commission voted 7-0 to delete 15.11 from the Circulation Element. Commr. Whittlesey asked if Cal Poly impacts of neighborhood parking, transit needs and traffic congestion were discussed in the Circulation Element. Terry Sanville said general parking policies applied to Cal Poly. He directed the Commission to program 13.7 on page 27 that provided for neighborhood parking permit programs. Commr. Whittlesey said she was concerned about single residences being rented by several students resulting in overflow parking on lawns and in the street. Wayne Peterson said that a City ordinance was being written to prohibit parking between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. without a permit and prohibit parking in yards. Commr. Whittlesey asked if Cal Poly bus ridership was increasing or decreasing. Terry Sanville said although enrollment was dropping, bus ridership was increasing. Commr. Senn suggested 9.2 be totally deleted because he did not believe it was practical to prohibit truck deliveries during peak traffic periods. Terry Sanville explained that the level of service would be monitored downtown and when it becomes congested, a program would be is established for truck parking times. He said several other communities had that type of program. There was not a consensus to delete 9.2. P.C. Minutes February 2, 1994 Page 25 Commr. Senn requested 10.7 be amended to include the phrase: "as soon as practical." The Commission voted 7-0 to amend 10.7. Commr. Senn asked staff it bus transit.schedules could be coordinated with the opening and closing of schools as suggested in Diane Wright's letter. Wayne Peterson explained that bus schedules were coordinated with the highest use group which was Cal Poly students. Terry Sanville explained that the addition of route 5 and the increase in frequency would address the problem without the difficulty of changing schedules. Commr. Hoffman moved to direct staff to prepare a legislative draft of the Land Use and Circulation Elements to be brought back before the Commission on February 23, 1994. COMMENT AND DISCUSSION Chairman Karleskint thanked staff for its thorough analysis of the late submissions, the public for their input, and the Commission for its work. The meeting adjourned at 1:05 a.m to a regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting on February 9, 1994. Respectfully submitted, Diane Wright Recording Secretary DRAFT MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE August 18, 1994 Citv of San Luis Obispo, California Planning Conference Room PRESENT: Task Force members: Phil Ashley, David Chipping, Jan Clucas, Carla Sanders, Richard Schmidt, and Eve Vigil Staff and others: Glen Matteson, Associate Planner; Terry Sanville, Transportation Planner; Jim Scafe Public Comment There was no public comment. Business items 1. Circulation Element uRdate. 2. Land Use Element update and related issues. Task force members and staff discussed the alternative recommendations for modal shift objectives, and the draft Circulation Element prepared by staff to reflect earlier direction. By consensus and voice vote the task force agreed to: A. Send to the City Council a memorandum stating that: The EQTF has taken seriously the results of the citizen preference survey, which showed strong desire to avoid increased traffic congestion; The goal of avoiding increased traffic (or, ideally, reducing traffic levels) cannot be met, with any reasonably likely modal shift, given the amount and type of development enabled by the revised Land Use Element. It appears that the links between land use and circulation goals are being overlooked, and adopting the elements at different times is more likely to lead to inconsistencies between the elements. The EQTF's recommended goal of reducing traffic to 1988 levels should help focus the discussion. EQTF Minutes S/18/94 Staff was directed to draft the memo, to be reviewed before transmittal by Vice-chair Sanders, in itnie fur distrlbui'un before ilie Col;ncil s AU1'U�,1 _? cons:deraiijo 1 Ut adop'Lin the Land Use Element. B. Send to the City Council for information a copy of the comparison of modal split objectives and projected traffic levels, as prepared by staff, with the changes to notes as suggested by Richard Schmidt. C. Insert into the EQTF-recommended draft Circulation Element. below #7 on page 8, a comment: "The amount, type and distribution of urban development enabled by the Land Use Element will not allow the community to achieve L'-is transportation objective of avoiding traffic increases. The Council si:ould consider adjusting the draft Land Use Element so this objective can be met." D. Add a note to the draft Circulation Element table which shows modal split objectives: "Tliese modal split objectives are too low." E. Delete the reference on Circulation Element page 23 to reducing traffic to 1988 levels (but keep it on pace 8). F. Forward the recommended draft Circulation Element to the Council, reflecting changes agreed to at previous meetings of the committee and the full task force. 3 Water management policies update and related issues and }2rojects. Staff reported that ."d Urban \','a;er Management Plan is to be considered by the Commission September 14. Copies of the draft plan and a staff report should be available by September 1. Staff is to provide copies of the initial environmental study to Phil Ashley and _ David Chipping. 4. Task force final report. This item was continued without discussion. Adiournment The meeting adjourned to a meeting date to be determined. Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, Associate Planner EQTFS. title NILNTUTES ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE July 14, 1994 City of San Luis Obispo, California Planning Conference Room PRESENT: Task Force members: Phil Ashley, David Chipping, Jan Clucas, Ken Haggard, Kurt Kupper, Carla Sanders, Richard Schmidt (part of meeting) Staff and others: Glen Matteson, Associate Planner; Terry Sanville, Transportation Planner Public Comment There was no public comment. Business item 1. Circulation Element update and related issues The task force continued its review of the Planning Commission Draft Circulation Element, Figure 4. starting with "Road Widening Projects." The following actions were taken by motion and voice vote. V -Monterev Street right-of-way reservation, no action. — Hisuera Street, approved withh funding responsibility changed from "City" to "Development." Orcutt Road changed to "Complete widening to four lanes .from Broad to Laurel" and "Provide two travel lanes and a turn lane from Laurel to Johnson," (and note that all arterial street projects should provide bicycle lanes). - Broad Street - eliminate widening. - Tank Farm Road - changed to widen to 3 (not 4) lanes, note bike lane requirement, and include bridges for wildlife movement. - Prado Road - changed to widen to 4 (not 6) lanes. - South Higuera - approved as in draft. EQTF Minutes 7/14/94 Page 2 - Los Osos Valley Road - no action. - Highway 101 - ell,ninare iridenin; (;aintain at 4 lanes). - Santa Rosa turn lanes - approved as in draft. - Santa Rosa, Olive to Foothill - elinrinare widening (maintain at 4 lanes). Prado Road interchange - eliminate. - Los Osos Valley Road ramp changes - approved. - Route 101/Santa Rosa ramp changes - approved. - Route 101/Broad Street - change to close all ramps. - Orcutt Road RR overpass - eliminate. - Prefumo Canyon Road narrowing - change so City pays. Garden Street closure - change to one-lane, one-way. - Osos Street closure - approve deletion of project. Broad/Monterey closure - approved. Higuera Street closure [subcommittee,recommendation] - nor supported. Carla Sanders will work with staff to draft a transmittal letter noting the EQTF's concern that most of the multimillion-dollar road projects are needed due to the pattern of land uses in the draft Land Use Element. Consideration of modal split objectives was continued to the next meeting. Comment and discussion Glen Matteson distributed copies of the Council Agenda Report on Water Management for the Council's July 20 meeting. Marilyn Farmer's letter of resignation was received (for-transmittal to Council). Phil Ashley distributed copies of a revised draft Land Use Element policy on open space and Greenbelt designations, which was discussed by members and staff. The relationships between EQTF Minutes 7/14/94 Page 3 the Open Space Element, the Land Use Element, and the County's jurisdiction were discussed. Concern focused on criteria for designating land as open space as opposed to the description of what could occur on land with that designation. A subcommittee of Phil Ashley and Ken Haggard was appointed to work with staff on revised wording. The meeting tentatively scheduled for Thursday July 21 was cancelled. Adjournment The meeting adjourned to the next regular meeting scheduled for Monday July 25, 1994, at 6:00 p.m., in the planning conference room at City Hall. Subcommittee meetinz The ad hoc subcommittee for open space and wildlife habitat policy met and decided to recommend to the task force the following text for the Land Use Element: 6.1.1 Open Space and Greenbelt Designations The City shall designate four types of land as Open Space: A. Sm... .ctent area of ead s abttat type eastite tie ttttegr t+ol" at habt#at type year'tie Cirucuig cOnnecribrts between #tabttats for wtidlrfe 3tiovetnertt att dispersal: B Undeveloped prime agricultural soils wfich ar%e to remain in :agricultural use as provided;art po7tcy l 8 2. [Previously decided by Council.] ..... ..__.......--_. ....:.................... C. Those areas which are best suited to nonurban uses due to: infeasibility of providing proper access or utilities; excessive slope or slope instability; wildland fire hazard; noise exposure; flood hazard; scenic value; wildlife habitat value, tnciudtng sei ttve .]tabttacsi nr unique resources as defined 3.. . Open Space Element; agricultural value; and value for passive recreation. [Staff's wording acceptable with changes to "A" as shown above.] D. A greenbelt ... [As in EQTF draft; not an issue]. Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, Associate Planner EQTF7-14.NIIN MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE July 7, 1994 City of San Luis Obispo, California Planning Conference Room PRESENT: Task Force members: Phil Ashley, Jan Clucas, Ken Haggard, Kurt Kupper, Carla Sanders, Richard Schmidt, and Eve Vigil Staff and others: Glen Matteson, Associate Planner; Terry Sanville, Transportation Planner (part of meeting); Pat Veesart (part of meeting) Public Comment There was no public comment. Business item 1. Circulation Element update and related issues The task force continued its review of the Planning Commission Draft Circulation Element. taking the following actions by motion and voice vote. The changes recommended by members acting as a committee at recent meetings were approved by the quorum present. Policy 5.3 should be revised as follows: ❑ The definitions of each street type presented in Policy 5.2 should be incorporated in Policy 5.3. ❑ Policy 5.3 should show the following amended "desired" ADT/LOS Standards: Residential Local` 1,500 ADT Residential Connector 3,000 ADT Neighborhood Arterial 5,000 ADT Residential Arterial LOS "D" Arterial LOS "E" (Downtown) LOS "D" (Other Routes) Parkway Arterial LOS "D" EQTF Minutes 7/7/94 Page 2 Highway/Regional Route LOS "D" Freeway LOS "D" O For all streets shown in color on Figure #2 (fold-out map), Policy 5.3 should list streets within each classification and identify existing ADT or LOS. This approach would help people to see the relationship between existing conditions and what would be allowed by the recommended standards. There was consensus to move explanatory notes from the bottom to the top of the table, and to explain (or at least write out) the abbreviations "ADT" and "LOS." Richard Schmidt noted that the color map shows highway ramps as local streets. The following changes were made to Figure 4, Transportation Capital Projects, Part II, "New Roads:" Prado Road from the city limits east to Broad Street would be two travel lanes with a turn lane, Class I bike paths, and culverts or bridges for easy wildlife passage from the South Street Hills and the Unocal wetlands to the greenbelt. Prado Road from Highway 101 west to Madonna Road would be two travel lanes. Delete Buckley Road extension west to South Higuera Street. [Rationale: growth inducing in an agricultural area.) Concur with deletion of Vachell Lane new connection at Los Osos Valley Road. - Delete Sacramento Drive extension. [Rationale: Significant habitat impacts at the confluence of three creeks.] Concur with deletion of South Street extension. Delete Santa Fe Road extension to Prado Road. [Rationale: premature; creek habitat impacts.] Do not odd a road connecting the Dalidio commercial expansion with Los Osos Valley Road. [Rationale: not needed for traffic flow; impacts to habitat (creek crossing) and agricultural land.] Discussion of "Road Widening Projects" was continued to the next meeting. EQTF Minutes 7/7/94 Page 3 Comment and discussion Glen Matteson distributed copies of the first pace of "The Coordinator" of June 1994, concerning availability of the draft regional transit improvement studv. Glen Matteson displayed a recent article from a Southern California newspaper concerning the alleged porch requirement. Ken Haggard read an article from Metropolis Magazine on the same subject. Phil Ashley distributed copies of his July 5 letter to the City Council, concerning staff's June 30 memo, Open Space Element interpretations, and recent Council actions on Land Use Element annexation policy. Phil Ashley referred to a letter from John Moss, Utilities Director, concerning water usage levels. Adiournment The meeting adjourned to the next regular meeting scheduled for July 14, 1994, at 6:00 p.m., in the planning conference room at City Hall. Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, Associate Planner EQTF7-7.MIN MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE June 23, 1993 City of San Luis Obispo, California Planning Conference Room PRESENT:'- Task Force members: Phil Ashley (part of meeting),Jan Clucas, Ken Haggard, Tom Ruehr, Carla Sanders, Richard Schmidt, and Eve Vigil (part of meeting) Staff and others: Glen 'Matteson, Associate Planner; Terry Sanville, Transportation Planner; Arnold Jonas, Community Development Director; Bill Keyworth, Chamber of Commerce; Don Smith Since at no time were seven members present, there was not a quorum; those present acted as a committee, with Carla Sanders and then Ken Haggard acting as vice-chair. Public Comment Don Smith said the recent City Council action to include a certain amount of money in the budget for Nacimiento Reservoir project predevelopment costs implied the City would ask for its tentative subscription amount, which was enough for build-out including the airport area. Business item 1 Circulation Element update and related issues The task force continued.its review of the Planning Commission Draft Circulation Element, beginning with policy 8.1. By consensus and voice vote, the committee agreed to the following modifications to the text: Policy 8.3 to read: The City will ensure public participation in the planning, design and construction of major changes to the street network. Policy 8.6 to read: Street projects that are needed to complete a key link in a street corridor or are in mostly undeveloped areas should take place as development occurs. EQTF Minutes 6;23/94 Page 3 Policy 8.13 added to read: No large or cumulatively significant development %vill be allowed until a comprehensive transportation program can demonstrate no additional trips will be added to the city-wide ADT. No further degradation in air quality or level of service will be incurred from future developments. The committee decided to defer its review of Figure tea: Transportation Capital Projects until a quorum is present. Program 9.8 added to read: Trucks must turn off motors whets parked. Policv 10.3 to read: To discourage use by noi-sier and 11ar1ger planes than at present, the County Airport's runways should not be extended, nor their bearing capacir; increased. Policy 10.7 to read: Public transit service will serve the county airport. Policy 12.3 to read: City parking programs will be financially self supporting. The City, County, merchants,business owners and users of parking spaces should provide the funds needed to maintain and create parking spaces. Program 12.8 added to read: All City employees must pay full rate for automobile parking. Program 12.9 added to read: Downtown parking lots that are surplus to parking needs should he converted to City parks. -- Program 12.11 added to read: No additional parking structures will be built without a comprehensive study of alternative transportation projects that could eliminate the need for the additional parking. Program 14.10 to read: The City will adopt a street corridor landscaping plan for scenic roadways. Indigenous species will be used. Policy 14.13 added to read: The City shall work with the City of Morro Bay and all involved agencies to preserve the unique scenic viewshed of "the valley of the Morros"between San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay along State Route 1 and Los Osos Valley Road. Policy 15.5 to read: The City should allocate all of the cost of constructing and maintaining facilities that accommodate automobile use to the users of these facilities. Policy 1:.14 added to read: The future transportation system of San Luis Obispo Nvill be fiscally conservative. All projects will he evaluated against a wide range of EQTF Minutes 6/23/94 Paae 3 alternatives that accomplish the desired result. Included in this evaluation will be the cost/benefit, embodied energy, embodied resource, pollution generation, and habitat impacts. A11 costs, direct and indirect, as well as the impact to social systems and community life, shall be included in the analysis. At this point, the committee reached the appendices of the draft Circulation Element. Terry SamilIe identified three major policy areas that the EQTF has yet to prepare recommendations for: Alodal Split Objectives (Figure 7#1): Street Operational Standards (Policy 5.3): Transportation Capital Projects (Figure #4) Terry stated that EQTF should refer to a previously distributed Council Agenda Report and materials distributed at the meeting to help with the analysis of the three policy areas. Glen Matteson will contact Marilyn Farmer to obtain a legible copy of Figure 4 (streets projects) as modified by Jim Merkel, for distribution to members. Comment and discussion Phil Ashley asked about staffs suggestion for Land Use Elenent policy 6.1.C. Glen Matteson explained that staff recommended substituting a reference to habitat as described in the Open Space Element for EQTF's proposed "areas of ... ecological sensitivity." Glen Matteson distributed copies of the Council's schedule for meetings on the Land Use Element update. He reported that on June 21, Council accepted the EQTF's six-month work program, and emphasized the intended sunset date. He distributed copies of staffs June 17 memo concerning EQTF's Land Use Element items. Adjournment The meeting adjourned to the neat regular meeting scheduled for June 30, 1994, at 6:00 p.m., in the planning conference room at City Hall. Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, ,associate Planner, and Terry Samille, Principal Transportation Planner EQTF6-23.N11N MINUTES ENVIRONNIENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE June 16, 1994 City of San Luis Obispo, California Planning Conference Room PRESENT: Task Force members: Phil Ashley,Ken Haggard, Richard Krejsa, Kurt Kupper,Tom Ruehr, Carla Sanders, and Richard Schmidt Staff and others: Glen Matteson, Associate Planner (part of meeting); Terry Sanville, Transportation Planner; Arnold Jonas, Community Development Director; Bill Keyworth, Chamber of Commerce; Sheree Davis, Chamber of Commerce Public Comment There was no public comment concerning items not on the agenda. Business item 1. Circulation Element update and related issues The task force continued its review of the Plannina Commission Draft Circulation Element, beginning with policy 2.1. By consensus and voice vote, the task force agreed to the following modifications to the text: Policy 2?: Discussion of this policy was deferred until the task force establishes a recommendation for Figure #1: Modal Split Objectives. Policv 2.6.a. added to read: The City will explore the use of Palm Street between Santa Rosa and Osos streets, or the closure of Osos Street to auto traffic between Monterey and Mill Streets, to be used as a transportation center/area. This project must be very low cost, using existing underutilized facilities. Policy 2.7.b added to read: The City fleet will include a range of vehicle sizes so large busses will not be run with few passengers. Policv 3.4 to read: New development shall provide bike lanes and paths, secure bicycle storage, and parking facilities and showers, consistent with City plans and standards. EQTF Minutes 6/16/94 Page? Policy 4.5 corrected to replace the word "were" with "where" in paragraphs A and B. Policy 5.3: Discussion of this policy was deferred to allow staff to distribute parts of the City Council Agenda Report which discuss Level of Service (LOS) standards and provide recommendations alternative to the Planning Commission's recommended policies. Policy 6.3.C. to read: Give preference to bicycle or pedestrian traffic. Program 6.6.0 & D to read: C. Bulbouts or other traffic calming devices at intersections on streets into residential areas to inform motorists that they are entering a neighborhood area. D. Nfeandering street desig walks, stop signs, spens, traffic circles, road humps, raised cross ed tables, planters, textured streets, offset intersections, and other traffic control devices designed to slow traffic speeds without increasing City liability. Program 6.7 added to read: The City shall assist in organizing neighborhood traffic calming workshops that empower residents to redesign their own streets for a safer and more human environment. Program 6.8 added to read: All residential collector streets and all neighborhood arterials shall have traffic calming policies implemented. Policy 7.1A to read: Roll back motor vehicle traffic to 1988 levels or below using performance-based standards. Annual modal split surveys will be conducted. A 5CI'o reduction in ADT and VMT should be achieved until the 1988 traffic goal is reached. Policy 7.1.D added in place of Planning Commission-recommended paragraph 7.1.D, to read: Develop creative, low-cost improvements alternative to widening of Arterial Streets, Regional Routes, and Highways, when improvements to public safety are necessary. Policy 7.1.E. would be Planning Commission's recommended 7.1.D: Consider the selective widening of Arterial Streets, Regional Routes and Highways when improvements to public safety and traffic flow outweigh the fiscal and environmental costs, and do not hinder this plan's alternative transportation policies. Policy 7.2 to read: The City should cooperate with County and State government to institute programs that reduce the levels of motor vehicle traffic. EQTF Minutes 6/16/94 Page Policy 7.3 to read: The City should manage the street network so that the standards presented in Policy 5.3 are not exceeded. This will require new development to mitigate the traffic impacts it causes, or the City to limit development which affects streets where congestion levels may be exceeded. The standards may be met by strengthening alternative modes to the single occupant vehicle. Policy 7.4.a added to re-ad: The City \gill not allow any roadway widenings that would be inconsistent with rolling back traffic to 1988 base year levels. Insert a "new" Program 7.5 to Read: Growth management shall be the program of first priority to manage traffic flow (reference Policy 7.1). Program 7.8 to read: If State Route 101 or Route 227 are widened to add travel lanes,the additional capacity should be reserved for high-occupancy-vehicle or transit use. Comment and discussion Glen Matteson said that the EQTF's work program is scheduled to be considered by the City Council Tuesday evening, June 21. Glen Matteson asked the members to clarify the recommendation for Land Use Element policy 7.4, greenbelt protection in connection with Airport Area annexation, specifically the degree of open space protection to be achieved and the amount and location of protected area in relation to the annexed area. This clarification is needed for staffs evaluation of topics to be considered by Council June 28. Richard Schmidt, Land Use Element Committee Chairman, said the intent was to have parts of the greenbelt protected as parts of the Airport Area are annexed, and that the protection had to be more than adoption of policies. There was consensus support for this statement. Adjournment The meeting adjourned to the next regular meeting scheduled for June 16, 1994, at 6:00 p.m., in the planning conference room at City Hall. Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, Associate Planner, and Terry Sanville, Principal Transportation Planner EQTF6-16.r41N MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE June 9, 1994 City of San Luis Obispo, California Planning Conference Room PRESENT: Task Force members: Phil Ashley (part of meeting), David Chipping, Richard Krejsa, Kurt Kupper, Jim Merkel, Tom Ruehr (part of meeting), Carla Sanders, Richard Schmidt (part of meeting), and Eve Vigil Staff and others: Glen Matteson, Associate Planner; Terry Sanville, Transportation Planner; Bill Keyworth, Chamber of Commerce; Bill Thoma, Chamber of Commerce (pan of meeting) Public Comment There was no public comment concerning items not on the agenda. Minutes The minutes of May 26 and June 2, 1994, were approved as submitted. Comment and discussion By consensus, the meeting which had tentatively been scheduled for Saturday, June 11, was cancelled. Glen Matteson reported that so long as the EQTF has 12 members, 7 are required for a quorum. Glen Matteson distributed copies of memoranda for the June 14 Council meeting, one concerning simplified annexations policies and the other concerning evaluation of EQTF recommendations on the Resource Protection section of the draft Land Use Element. He noted that Council meetings to consider the Land Use Element are scheduled for June 14 and 28, and July 12 and 26. Glen Matteson asked if the EQTF intended to point out the incorrect statement in a Telegram-Tribune article that the EQTF recommended banning warehouse stores. Kurt EQTF Minutes 6/9/94 Page 2 Kupper said he had tried to contact Jeff Fairbanks (editor), and would try again. Kurt Kupper noted recent Council consideration of a real estate transfer tax for open space acquisition. Carla Sanders reported that Santa Cruz has adopted a development impact fee of $1-50/square-foot for greenbelt and open space acquisition. Consent item 1 EOTF work program for six month's extension period The work program [attached] was approved by consensus, with the following changes to the draft provided by staff. change the target date for Circulation to June 30; add reference to the Nacimiento project under "Water;" add reference to the Energy Element and the Conservation Element under "Sustainable community." Business items t Circulation Element ul2date and related issues EQTF members, staff, and visitors discussed the draft Circulation Element. (Phil Ashley left the meeting. Richard Krejsa, Tom Ruehr, and Richard Schmidt entered.) By consensus and voice vote, the Committee agreed to the following modifications to the text; items not specifically noted were accepted as presented in the Planning Commission draft. The Introduction should include a statement that addresses the impact of motor vehicles (as drafted by Jim Merkel). Goal #1 to read: Maintain accessibility and protect the environment throughout San Luis Obispo while reducing traffic to below 1988 levels. (Include the rationale provided by Jim Merkel.) [This is a change to previous action.] Objective #7 to read: Roll back motor vehicle traffic to 1988 levels or below using performance-based standards. Annual modal split surveys will be conducted. A 5% annual reduction in ADT and VMT should be achieved until the 1988 traffic goal is reached. Objective #8 to read: Support countywide programs that manage population growth to minimize countywide travel demand. EQTF Minutes 6/9/94 Page 3 Objective #9 to read: Provide a system of streets and alternative modes of transportation that allow safe travel throughout the city and connect with Regional Routes and Highways. Objective #10 to read: Manage the use of Arterial Streets, Regional Routes and Highways so that traffic levels during peak periods do not result in extreme congestion, reduced headways for transit, or unsafe conditions for pedestrians or bicyclists. Objective #11 to read: Ensure that development projects and subdivisions are designed and/or retrofitted to be efficiently served by buses, bike routes and pedestrian connections. Objective #13 to read: Protect the quality of residential areas by achieving quiet and by reducing or controlling traffic routing, volumes, and speeds on neighborhood streets, Objective #15.B to read: When replacing any City vehicle or expanding the City's vehicle fleet, the City will purchase alternative fuel vehicles that reduce pollution. Objective #16 to read: Advocate the use of communication systems that enable the transmission of information to substitute for travel to work or meetings. Purchase equipment and develop goals and policies for City employees to use these systems. Establish another category of transportation objectives as follows: Support a Shift in Modes of Transportation. San Luis Obispo will: 19. The modal shift objectives shown on Table #1 below will be physically monitored, and programs will be annually reviewed and adjusted if necessary. (Note: The EQTF deferred its decision on the content of Table #1 to a future meeting.) Traffic Reduction, Introduction to read: The small city character of San Luis Obispo is an important quality to maintain. This quality has been severely damaged by high volumes of traffic. This section presents policies and programs for reducing the use of automobiles and emphasizing alternative forms of transportation. Divide the "policies" section into Employment Trip Reduction and School Trip Reduction. EQTF Minutes 6/9/94 Page 4 Policy 1.1 to read: The City should support countywide and local programs that substantially reduce the number of vehicle trips associated with employment. Policy 1.2 to read: The City will advocate flex-time programs and alternative work schedules where they reduce peak hour and gross traffic levels. The City will institute these programs for its work force. Policy 1.3 to read: Employers are required to participate in trip reduction programs. Policy 1.4.2. added to read: All developments will be required to pay-a traffic impact fee enabling two times the number of trips to be reduced as generated. (Rationale: A similar reduction ratio is part of the City's water retrofit program.) Policy 1.4.b. add to read: The City should support countywide and local programs that substantially reduce the number of vehicle trips associated with school attendance. Policy 1.7 to read: The City recommends that countywide trip reduction programs include an Average Vehicle Ridership (AVR) standard of 1.7 or larger. Policy 1.8 to read: City government will adopt an aggressive trip reduction plan for city employees with an AVR goal of 2 by 1995, and 3 by 1996, with a 25% modal shift to bicycle and walking by 1996. The City will discontinue providing free parking for any purpose and instead will provide discounted transit passes and other incentives such as facilities for bicyclists and walkers. Policy 1.9 to read: The City will work with area employers and the Chamber of Commerce to accomplish the following trip reduction objectives: AVR ACHIEVEMENT SCHEDULE Number of Employees: 100+ 50-99 20-49 AVR Target: 1.5 1994 1995 1996 1.6 1995 1996 1997 1.7 1996 1997 1998 Policy 1.9.b added to read: The City will work with the School District to design and implement a program to eliminate child drop offs at the schools. A similar program for high school and university auto commuters shall be initiated with emphasis on use of alternatives. The City should enter into discussions with Cal Poly and the SLO High School to restrict parking in preferred (closer-in) lots to cars with multiple students. EQTF Minutes 6/9/94 Page 5 Policy 1.9.c added to read: All employers and employees will develop plans for car pools, fill out ride share forms, and find biking/walking partners. Small businesses are encouraged to meet with other nearby businesses to coordinate plans. Adjournment The meeting adjourned to the next regular meeting scheduled for June 16, 1994, at 5.00 p.m., in the planning conference room at City Hall. Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, Associate Planner, and Terry Sanville, Principal Transportation Planner EQTF6-9.MIN I I I I A 'CO 1 N 1 1 N m N ° > = I I t - I 1 ° 0 Ea y V H a i i 'm O E ° H 1 EI m � OTU i 1 E � c yN i Od C°' Vd 0 . 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T� m E cm CL C7 L L L En '= v T — Ccc m = o = c c `o - N C C N >. m U � � c E = y � C L to L 7 p Ip Q O m '00 _m E G1 > = i6 �0 a t Eo c m n �°c y ooi ; � E cE yE m � � .p O N 3 O ` O a7 2 a 7 C m C rn o m o W � r C u T MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE June 2, 1994 City of San Luis Obispo, California Planning Conference Room PRESENT: Task Force members: Phil Ashley, Richard Krejsa, Kurt Kupper, and Eve Vigil (not a quorum) Staff and others: Glen Matteson, Associate Planner; Terry Sanville, Transportation Planner; Arnold Jonas, Community Development Director; Sheree Davis, Chamber of Commerce staff Public Comment Sheree Davis said Wanda Strasburgh, Chamber of Commerce President, still wanted to talk with the EQTF, maybe at the next meeting, and felt there was common ground. Kurt Kupper said if a discussion is to be included at the next meeting, it would have to be part of the Circulation Element consideration. Minutes Richard Krejsa noted the following corrections to the minutes for May 26, page 5: Water rights issues were discussed. Staff noted that issues of significant environmental impacts may exist whether or not there are water rights issues. Concerning the idea that treated wastewater flows are not natural flows, David Chipping questioned how much of the effluent flows originate as infiltration or spring flows that reach the sewer system. David Chipping and Richard Krejsa reported that three fish species (including some populations of steelhead, some stickleback subspecies, and the lamprey) are being considered for listing as endangered; these, with the presently listed Tidewater Goby, would bring to four the number of luted species involving SLO Creek. No action could be taken on the minutes. 1. EOTF work program for six month's extension period Members discussed time and attendance constraints and potential work items, and suggested _ several changes to the draft Work Program table distributed by staff. Members asked that EQTF Minutes 6/2/94 Page 2 the revised draft table be distributed and scheduled as a consent item for the next meeting. No action could be taken. 2. Circulation Element update and related issues Those present discussed the need to complete the initial review next week, so there would be time to produce a revised draft for approval by the EQTF and transmittal to Council sufficiently before Council's expected hearing dates. Richard Krejsa said the EQTF should consider a goal of rolling back traffic to 1988 levels, since the increase from that date has been documented. 3. Land Use Element update and related issues 4. Task force final report 5. Urban Water Management Plan and related issues and projects These items were not discussed, except as topics within the work program. Comment and discussion Availability of members during the summer, and potential meeting dates and times, were discussed. Staff will contact members concerning upcoming meetings, and rill check on quorum requirements. Adjournment The meeting adjourned to the next regular meeting scheduled for June 9, 1994, at 5:00 p.m., in the planning conference room at City Hall. Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, Associate Planner EQTF6-2MIN tiIINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE May 26, 199 3 City of San Luis Obispo, California Planning Conference Room illi t t.: items are EQTF actions or need EQTF member follow-up; *asterisk items need staff follow-up.) PRESSN17: Task Force members: Phil Ashlev, David Chipping, Jan Clucas, Ken Haggard, Richard Krejsa, Kurt Kupper, and Carla Sanders Staff and others: Glen Matteson, Associate Planner; Terry Sanville, Transportation Planner; Dave Garth, Chamber of Commerce Director Public Comment There was no public comment concerning items not on the agenda. Minutes The minutes of May 5 and May 19, 1994, were approved as submitted, and the minutes of May 12, 1994, were approved with a correction to Phil Ashley's statement concerning valley foraging habitat, and with clarifications that the paper "Speaking for the Trees and the Fishes" was a product of the biological resources subcommittee. 1 EOTF work program for six month's extension period This item was continued without discussion to the meeting of June 2. 2. Task force final report David Chipping distributed a new draft of the paper "Speaking for the Trees and the Fishes," from the biological resources subcommittee. Further consideration was continued to the meeting of June 2. EQTF Minutes 5/26/94 Page 3 Introduction (continued) Add a section: Magnitude of the problems facing San Luis Obispo The December 1988 Circulation Study by DKS Associates indicated the seriousness of the traffic and congestion problems facing San Luis Obispo between that date and full development wider the Land Use Element (build-out): - In 1988 the total average daily trips (ADT) was 6.59,300, with 534,300 of these being within the chy; - At build-out, with no changes in travel behavior (trip generation rates) or the street system, total ADT would increase to 1,317,200, with 968,800 within the city; - There would be peak-period gridlock (or longer periods of very slowly moving traffic) on many roads, including North Broad, Chorro, Santa Rosa; California,Foothill;Mill,Monterey,Higuera,Marsh,Buchon, Santa Barbara,Broad,Johnson, Orcutt,Prado, Tank Farm, Buckley, Madonna, Highway 101, and Los Osos Valley Road Transportation goals and objectives Transportation goals Revise #1 to read: Maintain accessibility and protect the environment throughout San Luis Obispo, while reducing motor vehicle traffic below 1994 levels and reducing dependence on single-occupant motor vehicles. Revise #3 to read: Widen streets only to accommodate bicycles, pedestrians, or transit service. Add goals: Carry out citywide neighborhood traffic management (traffic calming), to provide pedestrian-oriented, enjoyable neighborhoods for residents and families Reduce fossil fuel consumption and dependence on private automobile transportation. EQTF Minutes 5/26/94 Page 5 Fish and Game had suggested measuring the one cfs at some distance downstream from the point of discharge. Phil Ashlev said the EQTF should send a letter to the Council regarding the goal of the project. Water rights issues were discussed. Staff noted that issues of significant environmental impacts may exist whether or not there are water rights issues. Concerning the idea that treated wastewater flows are not natural flows, David Chipping questioned how much of the effluent flows.originate as infiltration or spring flows that reach the sewer system. David Chipping and Richard Krejsa reported that three additional fish species present in San Luis Obispo Creek may be listed as endangered (in addition to the presently listed Tidewater Goby), including some steelhead populations, some stickleback subspecies, and lamprey. Comment and discussion Kurt Kupper said that Steve McGrath has submitted a letter of resignation. Staff noted that Council meetings to consider the Land Use Element update are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on the following days: Monday, June 6; Tuesday, June 14; Thursday June 23. The EQTF decided to schedule meetings for June 2, 9, 16, and 30, though- obtaining a quorum may be difficult. Adjournment The meeting adjourned to the next regular meeting scheduled for June 2, 1994, at 6:00 p.m., in the planning conference room at City Hall. Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, Associate Planner EQTF5-26.MIN MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE May 5, 1994 City of San Luis Obispo, California Planning Conference Room Ifi #i ghtied items are EQTF actions or need EQTF member follow-up; *asterisk items need staff follow-up.) PRESENT: Task Force members: Phil Ashley, David Chipping, Ken Haggard, Richard Krejsa (part of meeting), Kurt Kupper, Jim Merkel, Carla Sanders (part of meeting), and Richard Schmidt Staff and others: Terry Sanville, Transportation Planner; Glen Matteson, Associate Planner; Jeff Wagner and George Griffin (Chorro Street neighborhood) Public Comment There was no public comment concerning items not on the agenda. Circulation Element update and related issues Jim Merkel distributed copies of pages 3 through 11 of the draft Circulation Element, with the Sierra Club's proposed changes. The Introduction's paragraph "Magnitude of the Problems facing San Luis Obispo" was discussed. Terry Sanville noted that this paragraph assumes that current trip generation and modal split would continue and that there would be no changes to the street system, while the Circulation Element did not make those assumptions. Members and staff discussed retitling the paragraph "Projections," stating the assumptions, and clarifying terms such as "build-out" and "total daily trips." Goal 1 on page 6 was discussed. Rationale for aiming for 1980 traffic levels was discussed. There was consensus to have a measurable goal, preferably one that citizens could understand, such as keeping traffic levels below certain numbers of vehicles for key street segments. David Chipping suggested focusing on neighborhoods and arterials. Carla Sanders said levels of service should not be degraded, and referred to the "Measure G"vote. Ken Haggard said the focus should be on giving people choices of modes. EQTF Minutes 5/5/94 Page 2 Terry Sanville said he thought that traffic calming measures would usually redistribute traffic rather than reduce the total amount; also, he was skeptical that the Sierra Club's recommended measures would reverse the current modal split as indicated in the Sierra Club's draft. The validity of Figure #1 (page 9) was questioned. Jim Merkel noted that it was very different from the DKS traffic model, even if resident and local trips are accounted for separately from the overall total. Merits of the traffic model and various traffic surveys were discussed. Jim Merkel suggested surveying modal split in other cities. The difficulty of finding comparable cities was discussed. There was general support for recommending that the City have yearly traffic and bus ridership counts. Terry Sanville suggested presenting the same type of data showing (1) current travel volumes and modes, as best we can tell, (3) future volumes and modes if current behavior continues, and (3) objectives for the future. Richard Krejsa suggested using the term "in-city" rather than "internal." Richard Schmidt and others opposed tieing the City's plans to those of other agencies(such as the County), which may change to allow more environmental damage than the City desires. There was general support for Richard Krejsa's suggestion that there should be a reference to coordination with other agencies, while the policy should be to follow the highest standard, consistent with the environmental ethic of the City. Jeff Wagner questioned #9 on page 7: what are the land use and social impacts of having only low-income housing, even if it legally possible to do so? David Chipping suggested calling for a certain annual percentage reduction in vehicle trips. Goal #4 (page 6) was discussed. Jim Merkel asked why street widening would even be considered if traffic volumes are not supposed to increase. There was general support for a policy "Before spending money on street extensions or widening, compare the costs with those of improving alternate forms of transportation." Richard Schmidt was opposed to including land use policies in the Circulation Element. Jim Merkel did not want the City to overlook land use policies which could reduce travel demands or support alternative modes. EQTF Minutes 5/5/94 Page 3 George Griffin said a proposal for Chorro Street traffic calming could be proposed as a model. Work on the Circulation Element was continued to the next meeting. Land Use Element update and related issues Glen Matteson distributed copies of staffs May 5 memo to the Council concerning the EQTFs recommended Land Use Element, to be considered by the Council May 10. Further consideration of the Land Use Element update and of staffs memorandum concerning the EQTFs recommendations was continued to the next meeting. Task force final report and related issues David Chipping distributed copies of a draft from the biological resources subcommittee, "Speaking for the Trees and the Fishes: Incorporation of Natural Habitat Conservation into the Planning Process." Consideration of this material was continued to the next meeting. `Staff was directed to draft for the Chairman's signature a request that the Council extend the EQTFs sunset date, to complete the final report. Urban Water Management Plan and related issues and projects Jim Merkel distributed copies of the Sierra Club recommendation and other material concerning City water supply and demand. Consideration of this material was continued to a future meeting. Adjournment The meeting adjourned to the next regular meeting scheduled for May 12, 1994, at 6:00 p.m., in the planning conference room at City Hall. Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, Associate Planner EQTF5-5.MIN MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE April 27, 1994 City of San Luis Obispo, California Planning Conference Room PRESENT: Task Force members: David Chipping,Jan Clucas,Jim Merkel, Carla Sanders, and Richard Schmidt Staff and .others: Arnold Jonas, Community Development Director; Glen Matteson, Associate Planner; Carol Tangeman (Chorro Street neighborhood) Public Comment There was no public comment concerning items not on the agenda. Circulation Element update and related issues Since there was not a quorum,Jim Merkel convened the meeting as a subcommittee to work on the draft Circulation Element. He reviewed other documents involving circulation issues. At Jim Merkel's request,Carol Tangeman described her neighborhood's traffic concerns and initial efforts to identify possible solutions. The elimination of proposed traffic calming items from the City budget was discussed. Carla Sanders noted that Measure G addressed traffic increases from commercial development, but Measure G had not been implemented since it was advisory. Carol Tangemen said residents of Los Osos use the corridor. Carla Sanders said the EQTF had recommended that transportation impact fees be available for traffic calming measures. EQTF members present began to note in the draft Circulation Element the ideas contained in other documents (including the Clean Air Plan and Economic Strategy Task Force recommendation). Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, Associate Planner EOTF4-27.MIN MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE April 14, 1994 City of San Luis Obispo, California Planning Conference Room ( g1g# td items are EQTF.actions or need EQTF member follow-up; *asterisk items need staff follow-up.) PRESENT: Task Force members: Phil Ashley, Jan Clucas, Richard Krejsa, Kurt Kupper, Jim Merkel, and Eve Vigil (not a quorum) Staff and others: Glen Matteson, Associate Planner; Terry Sanville, Transportation Planner; Pat Veesart; Cynthia Boche Public Comment There was no public comment. Comment and Discussion Phil Ashley questioned whether the EQTF could complete its work before the end of May. Kurf Ktipperwtil draft a lusttfiratton fpr extez}dang the task force .:.a.....:.a...... :......... ..... .:.. :.:....: .... Circulation Element update and related issues Jim Merkel asked those present to continue the brain-storming session for traffic reduction ideas. Phil Ashley suggested communicating directly with President Baker. Jim Merkel noted that Cal Poly has a bicycle committee. Terry Sam+ille said the updated campus master plan will have a transportation component. Concerning the goals of modal shift for employers, the following policies-were suggested in a brainstorming session: - view Cal Poly as a major employer - identify target reductions and reasons for those targets EQTF Minutes 4/14/94 Paget - meet with involved employers (or transportation management associations) - Air Pollution Control District performance standard - reduce transportation impact fees for employers meeting trip reduction goals - employment centers closer to residences; mixed use; housing closer to employers - trip reduction credits (such as credit for an employer who helps reduce trips by other than that employer's workers) - reduced parking requirements employer education program - goal: 2-to-1 reduction ... trips, vehicle-miles travelled, or both - quantify air pollution, noise reduction - increase average vehicle ridership (Pat Veesart: at least double, from current 1.1 or 1.2; Terry Sanville noted that employment trips are 2090 to 30% of all trips) encourage hitchhiking transit allowance instead of car allowance - telecommunication coordinate bus schedules - van shuttles - monthly meetings to discuss trip reduction - ride share bulletin board Add under government goals: no single-occupant trips for business. Possible goal: find out what's working in other places. Possible items for all goal areas: set lower speed limits; undo existing parking subsidies. Pat Veesart said substantial modal shift requires alternatives to be available,plus one of the three: high cost (fuel); high congestion; lack of parking. Concerning the goals of community (pedestrian friendly), the following policies were suggested .in a brainstorming session: - speed limits (15 mph residential streets; 35 mph citywide maximum?) - traffic calming - positive recognition/reward for not using a car - events (clean air walk...) - create attractive walking areas (tree canopy) - city pedestrian plan - close streets to through traffic (all or part of day) Pat Veesart noted examples from the Oregon Highway Department list. A shuttle connecting Monterey Street's motel row, downtown, and Madonna shopping areas EQTF Minutes 4/14/94 Page was suggested. Jim Merkel said a long work session would be needed to go through the Circulation Element draft. He will arrange for the subcommittee to work on it before the April 27 and 28 EQTF meetings. Kurt Kupper left the meeting. Terry Sanville noted that bike lane installation is listed as a consent item on the City Council agenda for April 19, and it may be discussed. Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, Associate Planner EQTF4-14.Nf]N MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE April 13, 1994 City of San Luis Obispo, California Planning Conference Room (Tglig2t ' items are EQTF actions or need EQTF member follow-up; *asterisk items need staff follow-up.) PRESENT: Task Force members: Jan Clucas, Marilyn Farmer, Ken Haggard, Richard Krejsa, Kurt Kupper, Jim Merkel, and Carla Sanders Staff and others: Arnold Jonas, Community Development Director; Glen Matteson, Associate Planner; Bill Thoma and Sherri Davis (Chamber of Commerce); Pat Veesart; Ned Rogoway; Andrew Merriam; Vicki Fisher (Agricultural Task Force); Carol Tangeman; George Griffin; Cynthia Boche Public Comment Those present introduced themselves. Bill Thoma provided copies of a letter suggesting that the Chamber of Commerce and EQTF have a dialogue, possibly with a joint meeting to be held before the town hall meeting. Comment and Discussion Richard Krejsa entered the meeting. Kurt Kupper asked about attending the Chamber's legislative committee meeting. Jim Merkel suggested that the Chamber identify the areas of agreement with the EQTF draft outside of a joint meeting, with a small number of issues of significant disagreement to be discussed later. Carla Sanders questioned whether the Council expected the EQTF.and the Chamber to restate their positions as a result of the dialogue. Procedures and schedules for the potential dialogue and meetings were discussed. Ken Haggard said a discussion of the Land Use Element would be technical and would take four to five hours, and could best be handled by a subcommittee. EQTF Minutes 4/13/94 Paget Bxcons>rnsus, ]Cert Haggard was directed to work with Bt11.Thoma to arrattge a :iiieeting between ihe.Chamber of Commerce General Plan Update Coiitmattee and it e EQTF Land __. Use Element subcommittee ' IL was moved ;.by Keit Haggard, seconded by Ma ilyn'Farmer, all ayea, to fold: the; y,. czitty forum (also referred to as a town fall tneetutg) tFe evening of Thursday, April Z1,`wit]} sfaff to arrange:a #�mej and location,:and to note ava�3abill ty of the ,QTF draft: Laird Usa;:Element in public anrtouncemenu Minutes ' It was moved by Ken Haggard, seconded by Jan Clucas, all ayes, to approve the minutes of March 3, 24, and 26 as submitted, and the minutes of April 2 with a correction to Carla Sanders' statement on page 2, that the EQTF did not intend for the Council to adopt the full EQTF recommended Land Use Element at the Council's initial meeting. Circulation Element uadate and related issues Kurt Kupper distributed copies of Steve McGrath's comments on the EQTF Circulation Element subcommittee working draft. Jim Merkel said the Circulation Element should be reorganized, with goals, policies, and implementation in each section. He suggested several goals: - roll back traffic to 1980 levels - no road widening - - land use planning as a major section - being fiscally conservative - substantial modal shifts at - Cal Polv - other schools - government agencies - employers Members and others suggested additional goals in a brainstorming session: - air quality (Carla Sanders) - neighborhoods (Kurt Kupper) - community values (Carla Sanders) - citywide.neighborhood traffic management (Pat Veesart) - pedestrian priority (Kurt Kupper) EQTF Minutes 4/13/94 Page 3 - statement of current situation (Carla Sanders) - projections of population and traffic at buildout (Kurt Kupper and others) - projections of technological and modal changes (Ken Haggard) - reconsider how right-ocwav is assigned, to favor alternate modes (examples: free right turns hazardous for pedestrians, cyclists; diamond lanes for transit) (Pat Veesart) - maintaining levels of service (Carla Sanders) - ...but without road widening or new roads (Pat Veesart) - measurable, performance based goals (Jim Merkel) - noise reduction (Ken Haggard) - safe streets for families and children (Kurt Kupper) - easy for tourists and commuters to get around without cars (Marilyn Farmer) - higher modal shift objectives than in Planning Commission's draft Circulation Element (Pat Veesart) - realistic goals and timelines, which consider problems the general public may have (Jan Clucas) - evolution toward goals (Ken Haggard) - public education (Jan Clucas) - regional cooperation among agencies, linkages (Bill Thoma) - special needs, handicapped (Kurt Kupper) Concerning the goals of modal shift for Cal Poly, the following policies were suggested in a brainstorming session: - direct, frequent busses from nearby housing to campus - less parking, more expensive parking on campus - traffic calming for all arterials and collectors - encourage new students not to bring cars to SLO; promotional package emphasizing cost savings and other benefits - car co-ops - complete the railroad bike path - education package for public as a whole - land use strategies --mixed use, higher densities, decentralization (relevance to Cal Poly modal shift was questioned) - bike pool - bike racks on busses - including faculty and staff in efforts - putting fun in alternative transportation - on-campus housing - close campus to cars Bill Thoma noted the limited number of people who can ride bikes. Andrew Merriam said there should be incentives for private sector solutions. EQTF Minutes 4/13/94 Page 4 Concerning the goals of modal shift for other schools, the following policies were suggested in a brainstorming session: - more coverage of attendance areas by the school district bus system, especially for the high school - physical education credit for walking, cycling, skateboarding to school - safety for young children walking to school (traffic hazards and crime) ... chaperons, block grandparents, crossing guards - bike pools - parent and student workshops to find out what would work for them - schools integrated into neighborhoods, walking path connections Concerning the goals of modal shift for government the following policies were suggested in a brainstorming session: - no free parking - free parking only for high-occupancy vehicles (3-plus/car) - increased alternatives - bikes for meter readers, police, building inspectors - reduced work week - staggered work hours - telecommuting - documents available on electronic mail network - trip board .................................... . ..... T 7vier ce nrge�l merubers to:thtnk of measurable s#andards and spectff itnpI' tab, ieast#ies t,4 znrlude tn'the draft Circhlatio Element, atde prepared to;work trc►ttgtl ii aL�O meeit By< psensus,A�Ianlya l+armer ani J"irnIerke3 ware confirmed as: he { rculatioa;.2rlement stzbcaorn�nit#ee with ths:�otent�`al for a�;addattonalr member _ .::....:..... . Comment and Discussion (continued) I was nvecl 'by Rzehard Ke�sa, secx�nded by Carla Sanders,, all ayes, to cancel tle` mee#tag scheduled for ip f Jim Merkel urged those present to attend the David Engwicht presentation on traffic calming scheduled for the same date and time at Cal Poly's Chumash.Auditorium. EQTF Minutes 4/13/94 Page 5 Adjournment The meeting adjourned to the community forum scheduled for Thursday? April 21, 1994, at 6:00 p.m., in a location to be determined. Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, Associate Planner EQTF4-13.IvIIN MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE City of San Luis Obispo, California City Hall - Planning Conference Room February 17, 1994 (H",h,g-t' items are EQTF actions or need EQTF member follow-up; *-asterisk items need staff follow-up.) PRESENT: Task Force members: Phil Ashley, David Chipping, Marilyn Farmer, Ken Haggard, Kurt Kupper, Steve McGrath, Carla Sanders (part of meeting) Staff and others: Gary Henderson, Water Division Manager;John Moss, Utilities Director; Glen Matteson, Associate Planner; Arnold Jonas, Community Development Director; Bill Roalman, Councilman; Pat Veesart Minutes The minutes of February 3, 1994, were approved as submitted. Public Comment There was no public comment. Comment and Discussion Economic Forecast Project Carla Sanders reported on her meeting with the staff and some members of the Board of Directors for the economic forecast project based at UCSB, noting: - $LO City and County pay part of the costs, but cannot be represented on the project's governing board; - The project's report does not give a complete picture (as when it compared recent and historical unemployment rates in San Luis Obispo County, but did not compare SLO County with surrounding counties); Development related or supportive interests were heavily represented on the project's first board of directors/corporate sponsors list; the board of directors determines the salary and bonuses of the staff director; The project does not look at the public costs of development; - - The project staff director does not have an academic appointment to UCSB, even = though the university name is used, and according to a 1990 Telegram-Tribune article, he said no downturn is expected, a lot of development was needed to = accommodate the many people expected to move to the area, and the area had lots of room for development because all the rolling hills were not being used for anything. Marilyn Farmer noted the need to know the assumptions behind the reports. -= Arnold Jonas said the City could obtain selected background data used by the forecast, but the data base itself was proprietary. David Chipping and Phil Ashley noted their impressions of downtowns in Salinas and Gilroy _ declining after development of outlying shopping centers. .. ..'m>w.ti r.:..:.rn. ii.... .....i:'::::i•!.`i: .:....i:.::eGi:.'F,•.n: : :{'.iii:::,. .:::{�::.Y':.:ii:Y%::i:. ":i:i:.i::. ::.i::`:iii::•n..`:.`:.:.i:.:ii::i::�i:'.i:!.i:. )WQ"1r'Feiners agrees chat Carla'danders should contact Domrmc Perello concerntng'a a Ci'� #.��e�t��` zittrt�te'pictiure;:©f i1te��rea Work space at Linnaea's Ken Haggard distributed to members keys for the work space at the rear of Linaaea's. Information := Steve McGrath distributed copies of an article on Bamberton, B.C., Canada. Marilyn Farmer and Steve McGrath distributed a draft outline for the EQTF's final report. 1. Land Use Element comment and recommendation Hen Haggard reported that subcommittee work is continuing and will soon be presented. Kurt Kupper asked if staff would prepare a legislative draft showing the changes as had been done for the Planning Commission's recommendation. Glen Matteson said staff would start work on it when the full EQTF endorses a draft. EQTF ]Minutes February 17, 1994 Page 3 2. Traffic impact fees Carla Sanders distributed a draft statement, and left the meeting. Pat Veesart said he had discussed the issues with Carla and generally supported the statement, but was concerned with the opposition to lowering level-of-service (LOS) standards. He thought lower LOS standards would help avoid road widening and save money, and that the increased road capacity often benefitted drivers during only a short peak traffic period. The road projects might save a few minutes on a cross-town trip, and would invite more use of single-occupant vehicles. David Chipping asked what would happen if all the traffic impact fees went to transit -- would there be 15-minute headways, jitneys? Marilyn Farmer and others supported lower fees if projects could demonstrate adequate mobility without additional vehicle trips. Pat Veesart noted that the Planning Commission had recommended eliminating performance standards for trip reduction from the Circulation Element and having voluntary measures only. In response to a question from Steve McGrath, Glen Matteson said the City had information on the number of trips by purpose, and that many trips were for purposes other than home-to-work commuting. Marilyn Farmer suggested changing item #4 in the draft statement to give first priority to funding of transportation alternatives to single-occupant vehicles, and to include the idea of compact land uses centered on alternative transportation. David Chipping suggested referring to transit levels of service. Steve McGrath said, concerning item #3, it would be acceptable for the cominunity to cover some project-related transportation costs if the project provides community benefits. . .::.::,,, .:. .. ..: ...:..:....::::::..: :...: . . ..:........................... Tvfembers agreed that lvlanlyn Farmer rv�Il work with Carla.;Sanders and Pat Veesart, ani3 4.` and return:wtth a sevised:dral�# lot the ext meeting. ...,.. 3. Water Management Concerning removing water policies from the City's General Plan, Kurt Kupper said the County tried that and found that water policies took on a life of their own, with water sources being pursued for development that people did not want. He questioned whether obtaining water for general plan "build out" gave people a false sense that the pain would stop at a certain point. F Minutes -1ruary 17, 1994 ege 4 Marilyn Farmer questioned the meaning of "making maximum use of groundwater." David Chipping expressed concern about the subsidence lawsuit. Gary Henderson said that if the City did not use the water which percolated into the basin each year with normal rainfall, it flowed to the ocean, because of the size of the local groundwater basin. The City wants to use groundwater ahead of other sources because it is the cheapest. There will be a policy that City extractions will be reduced or stopped if .ground water levels approach historic low levels. This approach will prevent further subsidence. Marilyn Farmer asked if lower water rates would result from using groundwater. Gary Henderson said rates reflect long term costs of all sources, plus the treatment and distribution system, so using groundwater makes little difference in customer rates. In response to a question from Kurt Kupper, Gary Henderson said groundwater withdrawals were not a flood control measure. Phil Ashley referred to his draft statement distributed with the packet. He said it was premature to set by a policy a one cubic foot per second (cfs) rate for reclaimed water flow to the creek, with further studies pending. John Moss said the 1 cfs appeared acceptable to the concerned agencies, and the pending studies focused on how to assure the City's discharge would remain in the creek, rather than be withdrawn by downstream water users. Phil Ashley was concerned with the difference between flowing water (for animals) and wetted ground area (for plants) in the creek. He recommended identifying wildlife habitat as a use for City water. David Chipping suggested looking at other state's requirements for in-stream reservations for wildlife. John Moss will provide a draft study scope to Phil Ashley for comment. Pat Veesart said the City may be oversubscribing for new water supplies based on excessive per capita usage rates, considering conservation. Staff noted Council's concern with the timing of decisions on potential water supply projects, aiming for enough water while avoiding paying for excess supplies. EQTF Minutes February 17, 1994 Page 5 ' Comment and Discussion (continued) Next meeting • Items for the next agenda will be: (1) Progress report and discussion of the Land Use Element subcommittee work, and related sustainable community principles. (2) Response to proposed traffic impact fees and related Circulation Element matters. (3) Draft Urban Water Management Plan and related issues such as water reclamation and Salinas Reservoir expansion, and habitat as a use for water. _ Adiournment The meeting adjourned to the next meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 3, 1994, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., in the work room at the rear of Linnaea's cafe, 1110 garden Street. Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, Associate Planner EQTF2-17.MIN 13RAFT ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE City of San Luis Obispo, California City Hall - Planning Conference Room February 3, 1994 items are EQTF actions or need EQTF member follow-up; 'asterisk items need staff follow-up.) PRESENT: Task Force members: Phil Ashley, Jan Clucas, David Chipping, Marilyn Farmer, Ken Haggard, Richard Krejsa (part of meeting), Kurt Kupper, Jim Merkel, Richard Schmidt, Carla Sanders, Eve Vigil Staff and others: Glen Matteson, Associate Planner; Bill Roalman, Councilman Minutes The minutes of January 27, 1994, were approved by all present, with Richard Krejsa not voting. Public Comment There was no public comment. Agenda Items Kurt Kupper noted that the Water Management Plan had been added to the posted agenda (item #3), as requested. 1. Commercial Development Position Statement Carla Sanders reintroduced a draft statement, with two key points: (1) general retail should be concentrated at the two existing areas, downtown and Madonna Road; (2) commercial development should be accommodated by building up instead of out. Eve Vigil questioned the community's and the decision-makers' perception about how well San Luis Obispo is doing economically compared with other areas. EQTF Minutes February 3, 1994 ~x Page 2 --, Carla Sanders asked Bill Roalman if the Council thought "the sky is falling." He said that he did not think so, but there was an organized effort to portray it that way. David Chipping suggested asking the Chamber of Commerce for their response to the information showing that San Luis Obispo is relatively better in terms of employment and per capita sales tax than nearby areas, to find out what their argument truly concerned. He questioned whether downtown businesses supported big box retailers. Richard Schmidt supported Carla Sanders'two points, and recommended adding a third: general retail should fill in between downtown and Madonna Road, along Higuera Street, using underutilized land. He questioned if the proposed transit center location would support that approach. Jim Merkel said the transit center should be on that segment of Higuera Street, with busses making a stop downtown, then going to the transfer point so they would not be idling amid downtown stores and offices, where pedestrian density is highest. A free, frequent shuttle along Higuera between the retail centers was discussed. Jan Clucas favored broad policies. Other locations for major retailers were discussed, including lower Broad Street and the airport area. Bill Roalman outlined the situation the City faces with LAFCO support for services for the airport area whether or not the City annexes it. The intended criteria for airport area annexation are: (1) development there not be subsidized by the rest of the City; (2) another airport area to the south not be allowed to develop. Richard Schmidt suggested aiming for a positive fiscal impact, and earmarking the funds to acquire land or development rights in the greenbelt. Jim Merkel pointed out the large traffic increase on Broad.Street which-would come from airport area development, which conflicted with residents' desires. Carla Sanders said the statement on commercial development should include a reference to the "Measure G" election results. Y..:.\.ii::!n..: mJ: i.i2!i.ii:i.Y'.ii%.i:.i:.i::4i:4i'.iii:.iiY:biiii'.�:ry':::': By mom,members supported the resnsed draft s atertlent oa coutmerc al aeyeloprnent, as directto� to the Land Use: Element subcomrruttee.. 2. Circulation Element Recommendation Jim Merkel presented the subcommittee's work and background information, including: Projected trips increasing at least as fast as population; Minutes ary 3, 1994 3 Traffic calming antidotes to traditional roadway planning; Bikeway availability and bicycle usage in other cities; The cost effectiveness of various measures to reduce carbon monoxide emissions; City spending for cars vs. other modes; Reducing the number of trips to 1980 levels; Making sure transportation investments were cost effective, unlike the "multimillion dollar center" which would not increase bus ridership; Emphasizing walkable, mixed use areas. Bill Roalman noted that a lot of the "cars" money is spent to maintain road surfaces used by several modes. - Jim Merkel said there was more spending on reconstructing streets than needed, citing the example of his neighborhood. Richard Schmidt said the Circulation Element should follow from the Land Use Element, and that the Circulation Element should not include land use policies. He said historical development patterns make it impossible to achieve jobs/housing parity. Carla Sanders noted that the previous draft Land Use Element had aimed not for a balance, but for keeping the current imbalance from getting worse. Members questioned the status of transportation impact fees. Staff distributed copies of the council agenda report and noted that the item will be considered March 1 or 8 [the correct date is the 8th]. Carla Sanders questioned the recommended approach of lowering traffic service levels and charging some types of uses one half the fee that would be required based on trip generation. Also, up to now input has been solicited only from representatives of those who would be paying the fee, not neighborhood or environmental representatives. Richard Krejsa entered the meeting. Kurt Kupper summarized member comments by saying that development should pay 100 percent of the costs for facilities needed to provide mobility at acceptable service levels, considering cumulative demands from the development, but the impact amount should be 'ower if a particular development demonstrates lower traffic demands with an -Mronmentally acceptable transportation system. l i S EQTF ;Minutes - February 3, 1994 Page 4 ' Staff will provide for the land use element committee copies of the circulation element committee's recommendation . Carla Sanders will outline a response to the tfaffie impact fee recommendation,fo the nezt'; meeting 3. Water Management Plan RICltard Sclm[di will outline a response to the draft Water'Manageent an fort enex Meeting. Comment and Discussion Kurt Kupper noted a concern with Richard Krejsa being able to remain on the task force, and Krejsa's desire to focus on core values instead of general plan elements. Ken Haggard said it was not efficient to have all members try to work through all topics. David Chipping thought each subcommittee would incorporate values in its work. Kurt Kupper said we had reached the point as a community where we need to get beyond the fuzzy statements in the general plan. Phil Ashley felt work had to proceed on all aspects. Jim Merkel related the Sierra Club brainstorming session. He said the environment was taking hits from so many directions it was hard to respond to each. Instead, there should be a major policy change by the City. Kurt Kupper noted that the Land Use Element update has tremendous inertia. Kart Kipper as3i� Tim ivlerkelll work on the vasnan thing,., Ken Haggard reported that work space will be available in part of the rear space at Linnaea's. He axili.'niake;Uvs'avaijable; s.!:.:....t:................: Carla Sanders thought it was important for the EQTF subcommittees to keep on track. • Items for the next agenda will be: (1) Land Use Element comment/recommendation and related issues such as"sustainable community" principles. :TF Minutes sbruary 3'1994 - ,age 5 - (2) Response to traffic impact fee proposal and related Circulation Element matters. (3) Draft Urban Water Management Plan and related issues such as Salinas Reservoir expansion. Adjournment The meeting adjourned to the next meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 17, 1994, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., in the Planning Conference Room at City Hall. Respectfully submitted, Glen Matteson, Associate Planner EQTF2-3.WN s. MEETING AGENDA E 4ITEM # September 13, 1994 MEMORANDUM TO: Council Colleagues FROM: Dave Romero SUBJECT: TRANSPORTATION NEEDS In 1989 at John Dunn's suggestion, I prepared the attached paper regarding transportation needs. The paper reflects my views then and now. I feel it would be worthwhile for Council-to be aware of the approach I have always followed and will continue to follow regarding this continuing need in our community. DR:ss Attachment RECEIVED SEP- 13 1994 CITY COUNCIL SAN LUIS OBISPO.CA 9 NCIL LOREC DIR FA4(1 / CHIEF1 WPWIR CLERI IORIG CE CHF ❑ MGMT TEAM DIRDIR DIR II I city of san vuis oaspo y 990 Palm Street/Post Office Box 8100 • San Luis Obispo, EA 93403.8100 October 30, 1989 MEMORANDUM To: City Council From: John Dunn Subject: Thoug _paw s Some time ago Dave Romero and I were having a discussion on overall transportation issues. He felt strongly that he had a more comprehensive point of view on the subject which he would like to present to the Council. I said, "Write it up. " He did, but I didn't send it out at the time because of its interrelationship with budget matters. In discussion at previous Management Team meetings, I 've offered the department heads the opportunity to write "white papers" on subjects of interest about or potential benefit to the City. These papers would be on topics that aren't immediate or pressing; they would not be staff reports on agenda matters, or items needing immediate action. They would be ideas, a point-of-view, or provocative thoughts or whatever. Here is Dave's "position paper" for your perusal. JD:mp Attachment c. Management Team �Il�ifll�lllll�ll ���;����II�IIQlullllllllll II city1�i1S onspo_ 955 Morro Street • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 June 29, 1989 MEMORANDUM TO: City Council VIA: John Dunn, City Administrative Officer FROM: Dave Romero, Public Works Director SUBJECT: • Position Paper Recrarding Transportation Needs BACKGROUND There has been much discussion regarding the direction we should follow in providing for our future transportation needs, with strong advocates for this approach or that, coupled with their belief that . if we only did what they advocate, our problems will be solved. This report presents my views as a long' time very active participant in providing for transportation needs of our community. It is the Public Works Department, under my immediate involvement, which set up the City, North Coastal and the north county transit service, the first bike plan and implementation, and an ongoing aggressive program to install and repair sidewalks, in addition to planning and carrying out all street improvement and maintenance. My point is that the Public Works Department has a concern for all forms of transportation. DISCUSSION_ During the past 30 years, the traffic growth trend on major city streets in San Luis Obispo has been at a compound rate of 4.8%/year. At this figure', traffic doubles every 15 years. During the past 30 years there have been major changes at Cal Poly, in the downtown, the government center, outlying shopping centers, and the residential neighborhoods. We've installed bus systems, bike lanes, sidewalks, widened streets, improved interchanges, extended streets, failed to widen streets, adopted alternate state highway routes and unadopted state highway routes. We've had fast growth, moderate growth and slow growth, gasoline shortages, schools openings and closings, freeway widenings, major reductions in numbers of trains, increases in airline service; we've had fires and floods, and every other imaginable change a city might expect. And through it all, traffic volumes have increased at the 4.8% figure, (which incidentally is close to the local state highway growth figure of 5%/year) . r Transportation Page Two The conclusion is inescapable that, unless the life style of the citizens of San Luis Obispo is radically altered, we must consider that traffic will double every 15 years. As prudent managers of our traffic system, it is imperative that we. use every means at our disposal to provide for the transportation needs of our citizens. We must approve every street widening, paving program, signal installation, street extension, parking improvement, sidewalk improvement, bicycle improvement, and transit improvement to provide for increasing needs and the inevitable increased congestion on our streets. Even with our best efforts, we'll be hard pressed to keep our quality of life from deteriorating. We don't dare take the risk that by not improving our streets, or by not providing parking, people's driving habits will change. Improved streets help bus and bike traffic, and improved bus and bike use helps vehicle traffic. Rough streets, narrow streets, narrow bridges, and lack of widened shoulders are much more detrimental. to the, bicycle. rider than they . are _to. the motorist. All forms of transportation must work together, with as much spent on each as we can possibly afford. In a rich state like California, in a rich country like the United States, even the best bus system can not expect to handle more than 5% of the traffic. Riders will be primarily students, the very poor and the elderly. Unless there are very special circumstances such as a young population and flat terrain, only a very small percentage of people will ride bikes in preference to automobiles. At best, with a fully functioning bike lane system in place, we could anticipate that 10 to 15% of trips will be made by bicycle. Ridesharing and traffic demand management programs all help, but not as much as we would like because we don't have employers of large numbers of people which makes these programs most efficient. Air quality can be helped by reducing unnecessary congestion, by eliminating unnecessary stop signs, by providing for direct rather than circuitous traffic routing, by providing sufficient parking to reduce the number of vehicles circling blocks looking for a parking space, and by encouraging use of buses, bikes and ridesharing. Air quality is made worse by not providing basic convenience for vehicles. The best we can hope for, if all of our alternative traffic management and use programs work, is a traffic reduction of . 15-20 %, or 3-4 years traffic growth. Transportation Page Three A CONCLUSION AND SUMMARY It is my conclusion, based on well over 30 years close involvement with traffic in San Luis Obispo, that every traffic"management and traffic improvement program at our disposal must be utilized to have any chance of coping with future ever-increasing traffic congestion. We cannot risk being passive about either traffic improvement projects or alternative programs. We should never exclude one program in the hopes that the public's basic habits will change, but alternatively should continue to respond to needs as they occur. Lastly, despite all our efforts, we will probably never see any substantial betterment in our traffic congestion. We can best hope to preserve our quality of life by using every means at our command to meet the ongoing ever-increasing need. c: Wayne Peterson Mike Multari transportation/dfr#17 F NCIL ❑ CDD DIR pLCETING AGENDA ❑ FI IR E - ITEM #O ❑ E CHIEF NEY PW DIR ❑ POLICE CHF 7.21 TERM ❑ REC DIR MEMORANDUM D FILE ❑ UTILDIR 1Z ❑ PERS DIR TO: Mayor Pinalu Council member Rappa, Roalman, Romero, and Settle FROM: BIA Board of Directors RECEIVED DATE: September 13 , 1994 SEP 13 1994 RE: Circulation Element CITY SAN081 CI ca The Business Improvement Association Board of Directors would like to express it ' s concern with the process through which the Circulation Element .has.been evaluated. We did not receive the draft circulation element until 3 days ago, nor were we asked for input. Because of the limited amount of time we were given to review the Traffic Reduction Plan, we would like to go on record as expressing extreme concern with the plan as written. Although the BIA agrees that traffic congestion is a concern for the City of San Luis Obispo and that "traffic calming" is a priority, we have not had an adequate time period for review of this document and request more time. Our primary concerns are: * the removal of any parking spaces, whether it be from the streets or parking lots in the downtown core. Parking adds to the pedestrian friendliness of our downtown streets and the loss of parking would create a wasteland for the downtown. * the limitation of parking structures. Limiting downtown parking strucutres would threaten the long term economic viability of the City' s commercial center. * the idea that there is a parking surplus downtown. To the contrary, parking is a premium and has never and will never be at a point of excess in the downtown. Therefore, the idea of turning any parking into parks is beyond conception. Aspects of the plan which we find extrememly positive are: * the traffic calming aspects such as bulb outs downtown to creat a more pedestrian friendly street. * improving pedestrian and bicycling safety while improving traffic flow. * the City periodically conducting a survey of residents to estimate their use of forms of transportation. MEET I G/3--9 ITEM # San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce 1039 Chorro Street • San Luis Obispo, California 93401-3278 (805) 781-2777 • FAX (805) 543-1255 David E. Garth, Executive Director RECEIVE® OSMll- CDD DIR CtG.V �� ❑ FI IR September 8, 1994 SEP 1 3 1994 �A5AO ❑ RE CHIEF �( OrRNEY PW DIR CITY COUNCIL ERKrORIG C3POLICE CHF ❑ MGUITTEAM ❑ REC DIP, Honorable Mayor and City Council Members ❑ c D F LE q PERS DIR p PERS DIR 900 Palm Street j City of San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-8100 RE: CIRCULATION ELEMENT HEARING (Transportation Goals and Objectives) Dear Mayor and Council Members: The San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce offers its recommendations on the August 1994 legislative draft of the Circulation Element. The Chamber's Clean Air/Circulation Task Force has met regularly throughout the year and has reviewed the recent draft. . We forward to Council our Board approved recommendations pertaining to Transportation Goals and Objectives as scheduled for the September 13 Circulation Element hearing. With the recently adopted Land Use Element describing the City's desired character and size, the Circulation Element plays a vital role in shaping how we live and commute within our community. In making your decisions on the Circulation Element, the Chamber urges your adherence to the concept of "Compact Urban Form" as means in which to preserve air quality and mitigate traffic congestion. In your efforts, the Chamber recommends that you ultimately adopt a Circulation Element that emphasizes first the efficient movement of people as opposed to merely adjusting single occupancy vehicle travel. Regarding Transportation Goals and Objectives (p. 6-9), the Chamber would like to emphasize its support of various concepts in the document such as: • emphasis away from single occupancy vehicles • increases in alternative transportation options (bus,bicycle, pedestrian) • compact work weeks • traffic calming rl ACCREDITED CHAMBER Of COMMERCE LLNV I NCO++u Ar,.f Vi 1,I1 UILG:14115 • voluntary trip reduction programs • telecommuting • regional transportation solutions such as TMA's • regional transit coordination • land use strategy of compact urban form As representatives of a very progressive business community, the Chamber has been in the forefront in its support for alternative transportation. We support, and continue to support, transportation goals that include a variety of voluntary alternatives in which to achieve these goals. Further, we urge Council to acknowledge the fact that most of the traffic in our community is generated outside our city limits. As a result, the transportation goals and objectives in the Circulation Element need to address regional cooperation. The transportation goal of reducing traffic to 1988 levels (Goal #1, p. 6) is in direct conflict with Council's recently adopted Land Use Element. The Chamber much prefers, and urges your support of the Planning Commission recommendation which stresses both the maintenance of accessibility throughout our community and the protection of our environment through reduced dependance on single occupancy vehicles. Regarding items 3 and 4 of Transportation Objectives (p. 7), the Chamber of Commerce believes that scheduled completion dates for various forms of alternative transportation be reviewed and scheduled realistically so that periodic updates of the element do not necessitate revisiting such issues within a year or two. In reference to traffic management objective #8 on page 8, the Chamber of Commerce recommends rewording as follows: Support county-wide programs that support modal shift while utilizing our existing road system and reducing air pollution and traffic congestion.. Concerning the Traffic Reduction section of the document, the Chamber reiterates its support of voluntary trip reduction programs as a means to reduce vehicular traffic. Trip reduction programs should be both voluntary and incentive based. Any program implemented in our city should be fair and equitable, and that means recognizing individual responsibility for trip reduction. If implemented, such a program should not put undo burden on employers. In fact, a viable trip reduction program would make it both convenient and profitable for residents to change their travel behavior. In short, give businesses and individuals an opportunity to achieve transportation goals through voluntary programs. As a point of clarification, government and its employees should not be exempt from a trip reduction program. Since government represents a significant number of trips generated, it too should actively participate in trip reduction efforts. The Chamber of Commerce would like to stress that Council maintain open public hearings for each scheduled meeting throughout the Circulation Element's update process. We believe that the process is best served when the public is encouraged to comment at each meeting. In closing, the Chamber of Commerce looks forward to participating in the hearing process, and we urge Council to make decisions that will truly meet our community's transportation needs. Sincerely, John Ewan, Chair Clean Air/Circulation Task Force San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce William A. Thoma, Vice President San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce 09 1Ji9J 17:21 $`505 543 48o9 RRM DESIGN GROUP 2 oul I i i September 13, 1994 San Lens Obispo City Counal f 990 Palm Street P.O. BOX 8100 Sao Lais Obispo, CA 93403-8100 Re: Draft Circulation glement ( Dear Councalmembers: 'For the past several years the Margrita property owners have worked along with the City during their Land Use Element Update. It involved painstaking efforts to keep up with and review the -large number of proposals, counter -proposals, comments, and questions that surfaied during this process. After finally havin; achieved some level of consensus for planning the Margarita Area, the Draft Circulation Element is unveiled_ I If the policies and goals that are contained within this Draft were adopted, the aty1woutd have to immediately amend the General Plan and eIrminate all expansion areas from the plan_ The Draft Circulation Element is inconsistent with the newly approved Land Use Element. This is really too bad,' because the objectives of both the Circulation Element combined with the Land Use Element should seek to provide real and workable solutions to controlling our area's naific that includes both regional intervention and local "on_ We stringently oppose many of the policies contained in this Draft Circulation Element as it will completely undo what we have Just spent several years trying to achieve. Please keep one thing in mind Radical, rVilatory mandates such as the ones proposed in the Circulation Element do nothing to realistically achieve an actual increase in average vehicle ridership or reduction in vehicle miles traveled They simply polarize the cormrm�ity and create the same M will and mistrust that was, exE1r-bited through the Land Use Element Update process. ..Many of the policies contained in the Draft Circulation Element will "kal the beast in as attempt to cure the disease". We must look farther, work harder and smarter, and find a Lgffistig and balan= solution to these issues. We will provide you with detailed comments on this Draft in the near f dwe. Sincerely, of the Mayg lTiia Area FTvpary Owners 7Jej-marp.d.cou !x 225 Almond San Luis Obispo April 28, 1994 Mayor Peg Pinard City Hall 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo CA 93406 Dear Peg, As you probably have heard, a group of residents in the Anholm area is meeting to consider ways to deal with the heavy traffic on North Chorro. It is on the verge of destroying this once -charming neighborhood. The noise is jarring and the excess speed is a safety issue for families with young children. The recent addition of benches and planters downtown certainly makes our commerical center more people -friendly. We should have the same concern for our residential areas. As this topic comes up for discussion, I hope you'll have some creative suggestions on what the city can do and what the residents cas'do, so that together we can again enjoy this )lovely old part of our community. Yes, we really do want "social ecology" to be an important goal! Sincerely, v� Betty Schetzer U ti'1 Y7 . LCk Full Council has received this document u,c S April 6, 1994 (7AL POLY CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY SAN Luis OBISPO, CA 93407 ARCHITECTURE DEPARTMENT (805) 756-1316 Honorable Mayor and Council Members City of San Luis Obispo PO Box 8100 San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-8100 Dear Mayor Pinard, I am writing to express my support of any implementation traffic calming measures on our city streets. As a teacher of 'how to design the built environment around us', this is small effort which would make a significant change in our way of life. In our auto -centric society we have come to feel unalienable rights behind the wheel of an automobile. Every person has equal rights to the streets of San Luis, whatever their chosen mode of transportation. Unfortunately, because cars are larger and can do more damage than pedestrians, bicyclists,or tricylcists cars have dominated our city. As I walk or bike to Cal Poly each day, I feel my life is constantly not respected---- by cars exceeding the speed limit, anxious to go faster, and to get 'there' sooner. Any traffic calming measures which could be designed for our streets would be greatly appreciated. I would also encourage looking at Grand Avenue and California Blvd. as opportunities to reduce the speed limit of cars. Both are essentially 2-4 lane freeways with no obstacles or determents to acceleration. Given the number of students , staff and faculty walking or bicycling this is a dangerous situation. Thank you for your efforts and if you have any questions or need design assistance, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely, Laura E. Joines Assistant Professor �• 5• bu"YA Girt CL6RK THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY