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02/01/2000, 1 - PRADO ROAD ALIGNMENT - GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT
council M�nDu. ovovoo aGEnba REpoat 1�.N.�6 C ITY O F SAN LU I S O B I S P O FROM: Michael McCluskey,Director of Public Work-00 4- o Arnold Jonas,Director of Community Development 01 Prepared By: Timothy Scott Bochum,Deputy Director of Public Wor John Mandeville,Manager Long Range Planning Glen Matteson,Associate Planner SUBJECT: Prado Road Alignment—General Plan Amendment CAO RECOMMENDATION 1. Adopt a resolution amending the General Plan Circulation Element as follows: A. Amend Figure #2 to show Prado Road extending eastward from its current terminus, intersecting Broad Street midway between the Industrial Way and Capitolio Way intersections (the northern alignment) — as illustrated on attached Exhibit B. B. Amend Figure #2 to show Prado Road extending eastward from Broad Street midway between the Industrial Way and Capitolio Way intersections to Sacramento Drive—as illustrated on attached Exhibit B. C. Retain the classification of Prado Road between South Higuera and Broad Streets as a "Regional Route;" and classify the segment between Broad Street and Sacramento Drive as a"Commercial Collector" street. D. Adopt and add the following policy in Section 8 of the Circulation Element: 8.17 "The need for extension of Prado Road east of Sacramento Drive shall be determined as part of the final Orcutt Area Specific Plan (OASP). If determined necessary, the alignment of this extension, its connection to the existing street network, and its functional classification shall be established as part of the design and adoption of the OASP. The City shall acquire/preserve right-of-way for the possible extension of Prado Road between Sacramento Drive and the Union Pacific Railroad." E. Approve the Negative Declaration associated with the General Plan Amendment. 2. Direct staff to pursue any actions necessary to acquire/preserve right-of-way for extending Prado Road between Broad Street and the Union Pacific Railroad in accordance with Policy 8.17. 3. Provide staff with direction on any additional circulation related alternatives or issues that should be considered in staff's development of the Orcutt Area Specific Plan(OASP). 1-1 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 2 REPORT-IN-BRIEF The City is in the process of developing specific plans that will guide future growth in the southern part of our community. Growth areas are shown on attached Exhibit C and include the Orcutt, Margarita, and Airport Areas, the Dalidio and Froom Property and the Sports Field complex. In order to provide for direct circulation to, from, and through these new business and residential areas, the City is considering planning a new alignment for Prado Road that will create the primary link for the southern city area. In order for this new alignment to become official City policy, the City Council must amend the General Plan Circulation Element to include it. As detailed in the Discussion section of this report, the issues of alignment and extension of Prado Road are not new. Staff has attempted to address the many issues that have been previously expressed by the Council and the community. Pursuant to Council direction, staff evaluated a number of options for the alignment and extension of Prado Road and had recommended to the Planning Commission that Prado Road be realigned along the northerly route and extended to Johnson Avenue. An initial environmental study was prepared by the Community Development Department that studied the impacts of this new roadway as well as alternatives to it. The initial environmental study identifies "mitigation measures" that would reduce the impacts of extending Prado Road to less than significant levels. Prior to tonight's meeting, staff s former recommendation has been criticized by some property owners within the Orcutt Area and in the Johnson Avenue area. Orcutt Area property owners are legitimately concerned about how the alignment of the new road will impact their area, how its construction will be paid for, and whether the connection alleviates the need for the Orcutt Road grade separation. Johnson Avenue residents are concerned that the road's extension east of the railroad may lead to traffic increases along Johnson Avenue and a reduction in their quality of life. Other City residents, from neighborhoods positively affected, have expressed support for staff's prior recommendation. In response to these concerns, the CAD's recommendation has'been moderated to address these concerns and differs from Staff's recommendations made to the Planning Commission. Adopting the CAO's recommendations, shown above, would enable the extension of Prado Road from its current eastern terminus to Sacramento Drive (recommendations 1.A and 1.13) along the "northern alignment" and classify this roadway as a Regional Route and Commercial Collector street (recommendation 1.C)respectively. Finally, the CAO is recommending that the precise planning for Prado Road east of the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR); the type of road it might be; and its potential connection to existing streets east of the railroad shoulIbe decided by the City, the property owners in the Orcutt area and other community members involved in the development of the GASP. A new General Plan policy is proposed to clarify the City's intent on this issue and how the decision will be made (Recommendation 1.D). 1-2 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 3 DISCUSSION Background: The issues of alignment and extension of Prado Road are not new. The following chronological summary details the numerous steps that the City has undertaken and circumstances that have led to the need for the proposed General Plan Amendment: Year Event 6/1997 City Council adopts a major goal to annex the Airport Area by completing the Airport Area Specific Plan(RASP), and approves a work program to prepare the Margarita Area Specific Plan(MASP)as part of that goal. 7/1998 In support of the MASP, the City Council authorizes the preparation of an infrastructure master plan and environmental impact report for the Airport and Margarita Areas: Three alignments for Prado road,different from the one shown in the adopted Circulation Element,are approved by Council to be studied in the EIR. As recommended by staff, the City Council's "Project" alignment was a northerly alignment intersecting Broad Street midway between Industrial and Capitolio Way. The other two alternatives consisted of one passing through the Unocal property and connecting to Tank Farm Road; and a second alignment extending along the southern property line of the Garcia Ranch and terminating at Industrial Way. The original goal for completing the MASP was June 1999. That completion date has now been advanced to.June 2000. 6/1997 City Council adopts a major goal to create the sports field complex. Fall/99 City council purchases 23.5 acres along Broad Street within the MASP area for the purpose of developing a sports field complex. Fall/99 City Council authorizes distribution of a Request for Proposals(RFP)for the design of the sports field complex. A key issue that mnst he ronlved by the Council prior to commencement of preparing plans for the complex is the location of Prado Road. Since the design of the sports field complex is proceeding ahead of the adoption of the Margarita Area Specific Plan,the alignment of Prado Road west of Broad Street must be resolved now. 6/1998 Community Development and Public Works staffs provide direction and advice to consultants who are preparing a draft Orcutt Area Specific Plan (OASP). Issues that were the focus of staffs input were the design of parks,open space,the housing mix,and circulation. Staff realized that the northern alignment included in the Margarita Area Specific Plan could be extended into the OASP Area east of the railroad. This new extension could provide access for future Orcutt Area residents to places of employment, recreation, education, commercial shopping opportunities, Route 101 and points west of the freeway. To provide this level of access would require that Prado Road be extended across two undeveloped pieces of commercial and industrial property between Broad Street and the railroad. So that Council could consider the potential benefits of this connection, staff requested the consultant preparing the OASP to incorporate such a road extension into their draft specific plan.The road would extend into and terminate within the OASP. 8/1998 As work on the OASP progressed, the consultants asked staff for input on how and where the extension should terminate within the Orcutt Area. Staff suggested that the feasibility of a direct connection of Prado Road to the south end of Johnson Avenue be evaluated. This suggestion was based upon substantial history of complaints from Johnson Avenue residents regarding difficult and limited access into and out of their neighborhood. The draft OASP submitted to the Communitv Develo ment and Public Works De artments for review shows this street 1-3 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 4 extension and connection. 2/1999 Due to pending private development, staff requests Council direction on ways to preserve options for planning key circulation features associated with the OASP—namely the Prado Road extension. The Council directed staff to: (1)work with key property owners west of the railroad and with the OASP private consultants to reserve the right- of-way if possible; (2)in order to evaluate their respective benefits and limitations, initiate a study of: a)the Prado Road extension using the northern route and b)the Prado Road extension using the southern route;and(3)return as quickly as possible with recommendations on amending the Circulation Element to provide for the road extension and to allow reservation of right-of-way for the proposed street extension between Broad Street and the Railroad- Specific ailroadSpecific direction was given to hire an independent consultant to compare traffic impacts of the two specific alignments. Public Works Department hires Fehr & Peers and.in September 1999 the requisite evaluation of alternative alignments is completed. 10/1999 The traffic consultant's fmdings and subsequent staff analysis of the extension alternatives is made part of the and materials considered by the Planning Commission. Staff believes that it has completed all Council-directed 1711999 assignments and recommends action on the Circulation Element amendment. The Planning Commission forwards a recommendation to the City Council that an Environmental Impact Report should be prepared that evaluates the Prado Road extension. 11/1999 City Council approves funding to hire a consultant to work for the Community Development Department to coordinate the preparation and adoption of the Orcutt Area Specific Plan. The Community Development Department has interviewed prospective consultants. Circulation planning within the Orcutt Area is a key issue. 1/2000 Public Works Department sponsors a public workshop at the City-County Library and sends out notices to 6,000 households. Workshops are held on January 5`" and 6`". About 150 people attend and discuss the general plan amendment for about 2.5 hours. Issues raised at that workshop are summarized on attached Exhibit I. Background for Initiating an Amendment. The City's General Plan Circulation Element outlines transportation infrastructure and multi- modal programs that address the transportation needs of the City as it grows. The Circulation Element may be amended to reflect changes in growth areas and to better serve the future community needs. As part of the existing Circulation Element, a dotted line showing the theoretical alignment of Prado Road between Higuera and Broad Street has been adopted. The question has arisen: If we want the southern alignment, why do we need to do a General Plan amendment? The existing General Plan — Circulation Element shows a dotted line extending from Prado Road (near Higuera) to Broad Street (at Industrial). This reflects a policy statement of the City Council at the time of adoption that a roadway connection somewhere between those two points was anticipated for the future. At some point, a specific alignment would be necessarily studied and proposed. A General Plan Amendment would then be initiated to, in essence, turn the dotted line (showing policy direction) into a solid line (adopting a specific route) and setting the stage for construction later on. Both the alignments studied (the proposed northerly alignment and the southern alignment) determine specific alignments from Higuera Street to Broad and therefore both require a General Plan Amendment. The proposed extension 1-4 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 5 of Prado to Sacramento is specific and new and therefore also requires a General Plan Amendment. Staff originally proposed a new dotted line for the extension of Prado from the railroad tracks to Johnson Ave. This would have represented a policy statement that, in essence, said that a connection is preferred and that exact alignments would be determined via the Orcutt Area Specific Plan. That action would have required a General Plan Amendment. However, staff is now simply proposing that, due to the benefits that even a partial connection could provide (pedestrian and bicycle access, etc.) a policy be adopted which will allow the Orcutt Area Specific Plan process to determine if a connection is wanted and if so, what type of connection that should be. Adopting a new policy such as this also requires a General Plan Amendment. Marg9rita V j Orcu ,�• �' Area :�.�� I { 'T ••. . �`~ } Area__ JI -. 1. Airport •ti, � . .-. J ... 5••tir r Area _ _. Prado Road Alignment Figure 1 Existing Circulation Element(Prado Road Alignment—Higuera to Broad) The General Plan requires that Specific Plans be prepared for the Airport, Margarita, and the Orcutt Areas. The City is currently processing these three specific plans. As part this work, circulation needs are studied to determine what infrastructure will be necessary to accommodate buildout of these areas without causing serious traffic congestion. One issue that was identified during the early 1990's investigation of these areas was the need for an additional east-west street connection in the southern section of the City. The existing General Plan Circulation Element that was adopted in 1994 (see Figure 1) shows a theoretical extension of Prado Road east of Higuera Street, connecting with Broad Street at Industrial Way in order to address those needs. The Circulation Element recommends this route as a potential new route for State Highway 227, removing that designation from South Street/Broad Street/Higuera Street. 1-5 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Paee 6 The Specific Plan Areae Exhibit C shows the various specific plan areas as well as other critical growth areas of the southern section of the City. In 1997, the City Council authorized an infrastructure master plan and environmental impact report for the Margarita Area Specific Plan (MASP) and the Airport Area Specific Plan (AASP). Council's preferred alignment for Prado Road at that time was identified as the northerly alignment Figure 2 shows the four network alternatives that were studied as part of the environmental analysis conducted for the AASP/MASP. The study conducted by the City's consultant (Fehr & Peers) regarding the network alternatives is attached as Exhibit E. "Aft�' S j',� f�w M.M ftdAhpm Anu NAh� Figure 2 Road Network Alternatives Studied as Part of the Airport/Margarita Specific Plans Note:The"Project"denoted above is stafrs General Plan Amendment recommendation. Based upon proposed land uses, cost comparisons, and environmental issues, the northerly alignment of Prado was reaffirmed as the "preferred" option by both staff and the traffic consultants working' on the Airport and Margarita specific plans. Reasons for this recommendation include: 1. Safer access to the future sports field complex by putting those users on a quiet signalized intersection (Industrial Way) and minimizing access to the higher volume Prado Road 2. Less traffic congestion and safer bicycle and pedestrian movements at the Industrial Way entrance to the sports field complex, better signal spacing along Broad Street for the major intersections that will allow for better signal timing coordination 1-6 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road'Extension Page 7 3. Avoids the expense of connecting the road through the old quarry site 4. The possibility of extending Prado Road east of Broad Street through two undeveloped properties to allow direct access to the Orcutt Area 5. Easier wildlife migration between the South Hills and Airport Area open spaces 6. If Prado Road is extended to Sacramento Drive, the future need for signalization at Capitolio Way is eliminated and also maintains preferred spacing of major intersections along Broad Street for better traffic management. Approximately one year after the initiation of the MASP,.private parties began planning for.the ultimate development of the Orcutt Area. As part of the scoping process of the Orcutt Area Specific Plan (OASP), staff suggested that they consider a connection of Prado Road extending into the Orcutt Area. The primary benefits to this eastward extension are: 1. More directly connecting residential areas of the OASP with future areas of employment and recreation within the Margarita Area and Airport Area to the west 2. More directly connecting areas of the GASP with Highway 101 3. Providing more efficient bus routes and transit stop locations for the specific plan areas 4. Providing more efficient bicycle and pedestrian facilities and connections 5. Providing a more direct connection to the elementary school that will be developed in the Margarita Area 6. Decreasing air pollution by minimizing vehicle trip lengths 7. Reducing traffic congestion at Orcutt Road and Tank Farm Road intersections with Broad Street because of reduced turning movement requirements At subsequent meetings GASP planners asked for guidance on how the extension should merge with either the interior network of OASP streets or exterior streets (Orcutt, Johnson) along the OASP boundary. Staff suggested that they try to align to Johnson Avenue (east Orcutt is complicated with creek issues) in order to provide additional access into the existing neighborhoods. GASP planners responded to this request with a proposed roadway network (see Figure 3) that included the connection with Prado Road and also an extension of Prado through the Orcutt Area to Johnson Avenue. The perceived need for the connection was partially based upon the substantial history of complaints coming from residents of the Johnson Avenue neighborhood regarding poor roadway connections into their area. 1-7 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 8 Prado Road Extension Y � �I ,ice \�''• r. �— \ /,%^ 77-; � Iii ' : •-T`} .. J � �� ' %ft�/ � LO SCALE:r-W ; -�• 't�; -:,_/ _y.•.'; i?H �9r^ a ".'^^ j. .y.. �AIn91AL 20C1]CHmMFa.D i an VHC" CRZ =MqMeM4OWPAW6t'iP. CEWrFC, A M 0COW EXPANSION ATEA -------CLASS i 81W PATH =Fh(E) =FO =@e vAm PKL1Ee SPEC 1 F I C P L A N T�L� -••- •-��� =M UMccmw A ©uamnw CFKXILA710N PLAN Figure 3 Circulation Plan—Draft Orcutt Area Specific Plan 1999 Properties Tn the "C,an Area Figure 4 shows the three private properties that are affected by the proposed General Plan amendment. These properties are referred to as the "gap" properties because they lie between the Orcutt and Margarita plan areas. Two properties located within the gap (Quaglino, Holdgrafer) are within the City, zoned for industrial and service commercial uses, and are buildable. The Lathrop property has applied for annexation into the City. The current real estate market and attractiveness of these properties has caused an interest in building on these properties, which could limit the City's ability to preserve right-of-way for the future Prado Road extension. The Quaglino property has submitted an application to Community Development for Architectural Review (ARC). The project is tentatively scheduled for ARC consideration in February. The applicant has redesigned the project (relocated the phase one building) such that the extension of Prado Road could be accommodated across the parcel. A proposed second building on the site would need to be redesigned if the roadway corridor is to be preserved. 1-8 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 9 ��. %?;'_•_ ;>)'e 'yam .:.;•' .!' S/ ---.�._; . .,Y.• "\T�.!��•'. •'�:, til. ;..;;,'. IHOp�yOd....ynl�4 1(\ P.6�j��jjj�•'• '. . `�—... / adopted alignment-- .,/ '17 1''�;c���':s��•;, Ivo` Lathmp Tank Psm Rd Proposed Development Sites =;.� ; jC �; Affected by Prado Road Extension Figure 4—Gap Properties (note:this figure has not been modified to reflect the CAO recommendation) In January, Planning Commission denied consideration of the Lathrop property annexation until such time as Council decides the Prado Road alignment issue. It is important to resolve the issue of the Prado Road alignment (and extension to Sacramento Drive) now to allow these projects to move forward in the development review process. Damon-C:arcin Sport-Field Pr Ts In 1997 the City Council adopted a major goal to create a sports field complex. After agreement with Cal Poly for joint use facilities deteriorated, several properties were reviewed as potential sites for the facility. The Damon-Garcia site was eventually selected as the preferred site. In 1999, the City purchased the 23.5 acres site along Broad Street (see Exhibit C) within the MASP area for the purpose of developing this highly beneficial amenity for our community. A Request for Proposals (RFP) for the design of the sports field complex is currently underway and a consultant is anticipated to be selected by March. Therefore, critical constraint issues for the project must be rectified to allow the project to go forward. The key issue that must be resolved by the Council prior to commencement of preparing plans for the complex is the location of Prado Road. Since the design of the sports field complex is proceeding ahead of the adoption of the Margarita Area Specific Plan, the alignment of Prado Road must be resolved now. Recommended Amendment Connection of Pram Road into The nrcntt Specifir Plan Area and Tohnsnn Avenue The significant difference in staff s current recommendation for this General Plan amendment 1-9 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Pace 10 and the previous recommendation that was considered by the Planning Commission is the removal of the proposed connection of Prado Road from Sacramento Drive to Johnson Avenue. As detailed in the analysis contained in the attached Planning Commission reports and supplemental information contained in Exhibit F, staff continues to believe that this roadway alternative offers the best network and transportation infrastructure for the future of the city. However, based upon concerns expressed by the Orcutt area property owners, residents in the Johnson Avenue area and feedback from Council members, staff believes that deciding to connect (or not to connect) should not be made at this time. The proposed General Plan amendment has been modified so as not to preclude a connection into the Orcutt area and makes no recommendations to connect to Johnson Avenue. Council may wish to convey certain specific questions or alternatives for evaluation through the OASP process as provided for under CAO recommendation#3. The CAO recommendation proposes to allow this issue to be decided as part of the development of the Orcutt Area Specific Plan that will be processed over the next few years. Affected property owners and community members will have the opportunity, as part of that process and subsequent environmental review, to determine if a connection (and what kind of connection) into the Broad Street area is best for the community. Fvahiation The CAO recommended General Plan amendment (see Exhibit B) promotes proper transportation infrastructure planning as required by the City's General Plan and will promote alternative transportation programs by making a more direct connection to the specific plan areas. The proposed amendment is consistent with the following policies as outlined in the City's Circulation Element. Exhibit G contains the October 27`x' and December 151 Planning Commission reports that fully analyze the various alternatives that staff has considered regarding this General Plan amendment. The following discussion has been modified from that analysis to reflect the new staff recommendation. While not exact, the "Northerly Terminating" alternative contained in the Commission reports gives an appropriate analysis of the impacts and benefits of the current recommendation. The "Proposed" Commission alternative has been re-titled the "Northerly Extension" alternative for this report. 1-10 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Paee 11 Table 1 —Pertinent Circulation Element Policies POLICY# DESCRIPTION POLICY SATISFIED YES/NO? 8.10 The City will ensure that changes to Prado Road (projects A.1, A.2, BA and C.1) Yes and other related system improvements are implemented in a sequence that satisfies circulation demand caused by area development. 8.1 New development will be responsible for constructing new streets, bike lanes, Yes sidewalkspedestrian paths and bus turnouts or reconstructing existing facilities. 8.2 Specific Plans prepared for areas within.the city's urban reserve.should include a Yes street system that is consistent with the policies, programs and standards of this Circulation Element. 8.6 Street proiects should be im lemented as development occurs. Yes 8.7 Rights-of-way should be reserved through the building setback line process or Yes through other mechanisms so that options for making transportation improvements are vreserved. 8.9 The City will ask Caltrans to designate Prado Road between Broad Street and US Yes 101 as State 11ighway Highway227. 3.3 The City shall complete a continuous network of safe and convenient bikeways that Yes connect neighborhoods with major activity centers and with county bike routes s ecified in the Bicycle Transportation Plan. 3.7 1 All arterials should movide bike lanes. Yes Traffic Pmiections A traffic analysis was conducted by Fehr & Peers, Inc. to identify traffic flow changes.that might result from the proposed General Plan amendment and alternatives. Traffic projections for each alternative are based on the same land use scenarios: buildout of the City's General Plan, as refined by the Airport Area, Margarita Area, and Orcutt Area specific plans. Except for the variation in Prado Road alignments and existence or absence of the easterly extension to Johnson Avenue, the street networks are identical in each alternative. Average daily and p.m. peak hour traffic projections were developed using the San Luis Obispo Citywide Traffic Model (SLOCTM); last updated by Fehr& Peers in 1997. Since traffic projections are based on the same land uses, the roadway system for each alternative accommodates the same amount of traffic. The sensitivity of the SLOCTM allows minor changes in the network to result in minor changes in traffic distribution and assignment. Comi aricnn of Traffic Assignment Exhibit F contains the Fehr & Peers technical analysis of the Prado Road alternatives as well as supplemental technical analysis conducted by staff to review this issue. 1-11 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 12 The Tables S1 and S2 in Exhibit F list the model generated average daily traffic volumes on key roadway segments affected by the various alignments. The proposed, Northerly Extension and Industrial Way Extension alignments are compared to an alignment that terminates at Industrial Way mirroring the endpoints of the theoretical alignment shown in the existing General Plan (this alternative is titled the "Adopted Alignment"). The data is presented in terms of the percent change in average daily traffic volume. Information and analysis regarding the Northerly Extension and Industrial Way Extension alternatives is presented in these tables because the Planning Commission reports did not contain this level of analysis and should be made available to the public. The information regarding these two alternatives is offered to gauge the significance of making a future connection into the Orcutt Area. Keir Findings—Rnadway Volume Distrihntions It is important to note that none of the alternatives that are discussed in this report generate new traffic volumes. The proposed alignment and the various alignments merely redistribute the future traffic volumes differently across the future roadway network. As seen in Tables S I & S2, there are not many significant volumes changes between the adopted General Plan and the proposed alignment. This is logical in that the two roadways intersect Broad Street in very close proximity. There are four roadway segments that receive small measures of decreased volumes in the future if the proposed amendment is approved. Similarly, Broad Street shows slight increases in traffic volumes due to the separation of Prado Road from Industrial Way. These increase are not significant because future Broad Street (six lanes) has sufficient capacity to tolerate these minor volume changes. Intersection Service I evels Table 4 compares the p.m. peak hour intersection levels of service for critical intersections in the vicinity of Prado Road. While projected turning movement volumes vary, each intersection has been analyzed assuming the same lane configurations. Configurations reflect the mitigated preferred "Project" lane configurations as reported in the Airport and Margarita Area Specific Plan EIR. Table 4 compares both the proposed amendment and the existing General Plan. As seen in Table 3 the primary and significant difference between the General Plan alignment and the proposed amendment is the separation of traffic from the Industrial Way/Broad Street intersection. When the east-west traffic is relocated to the northerly alignment of Prado Road, the LOS at the Industrial Way intersection improves to LOS B. This reaffirms staff s belief that by separating the sports field traffic from the east-west traffic will improve the traffic safety of residents accessing the sports field complex. 1-12 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Paee 13 Table 4—Intersection Level-of-Service Comparisons Adopted General Proposed Plan Alignment Alignment Intersection to Sacramento Dela LOS Dela LOS Broad Street/Industrial Way' 27 D 8 B Broad Street/Orcutt Road 16 C 20 C Broad Street/Tank Farm Road 30 D 31 D Broad Street/Prado Road' N/A N/A 23 C Prado Road/Santa Fe Road 21 1 21 C Prado Road/S. Hi uera Street 38 D 38 D Tank Farm Rd./S.Hi uera St. 24 C 24 C I Prado Road is the same intersection as Industrial Way for the General Plan alignment. Delay is average delay in second per vehicle. N/A—intersection does not exist in this scenario. The recommended General Plan amendment does create a new intersection along Broad at the Prado location. However, as seen above, the intersection LOS remains very high (LOC C) and does not deteriorate because of spacing along Broad Street. Many people have asked won't this create the need for too many signals along Broad and if Caltrans will support a signal at this location. As currently envisioned, a traffic signal will probably be needed at Broad and Capitolio (if the northerly alignment is not constructed). This will bring the total to four signals between Tank Farm and Orcutt. If the northerly alignment is adopted and its extension to Sacramento approved, the traffic signal installed will preclude the need for the one at Capitolio; keeping the total number of signals at four. Others have asked about the need for a signal at the entrance to the Marigold Center. While one could be warranted someday, literally hundreds of shopping centers throughout the state with much higher traffic volumes operate quite safely today with a median island entrance and no signal. Thus it is highly unlikely that a signal at that location will be needed for years to come. Broad Street (Hwy 227) is under Caltrans jurisdiction. The traffic analysis performed by the independent consultant shows that traffic operations are better with adequately spaced traffic signals of major arterial streets. The study also identifies that separating the sports field traffic from Prado Road reduces the operation of Industrial Way/Broad Street signal to a local intersection only. The separation between signalized, major intersections will actually increase and should improve future coordination. This signal spacing also allows for three critical operational improvements. Fust, it separates through-traffic on Prado Road from sports complex traffic accessing the park site. Second, it reduces the demand for a future traffic signal at Capitolio Way and third, it allows for safer pedestrian and bicycle crossings at the Industrial Way entrance to the sports complex. Since the number of signals along Broad Street would remain the same and traffic operations would improve, Caltrans should approve a new signal installation in association with the northerly alignment. A more in-depth review of the operations of these locations and the signal 1-13 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Paye 14 warrants will be processed as part of the development of the Damon-Garcia Sports Complex project. North versus South Exhibit H of this report contains a detailed qualitative assessment of both the northern and southern alignments of Prado Road. Although Exhibit H was prepared as part of the analysis for the alternatives that would connect to Johnson Avenue the information regarding the sections between Higuera Street and the UPRR should be considered for this report. What k the southern alignment and how dirt it rnme to he'? The MASP was prepared by a consulting firm on behalf of some of the property owners in that area. Their concepts were packaged and presented to the City as an application for processing (just as recently occurred with the OASP). In that application the alignment of Prado Road was designed and became the current Southern Alignment. Upon submittal, staff began review of all the components of the application and noted that the proposed alignment resulted in the total removal of the remnants of a rock mountain that was previously the site of a quarry operation. This would be a very expensive operation and would create a major visual scar. In addition, the road would be nearly impossible to build as it would require a vertical cut at the very edge of the roadway some 70 feet high. Exhibit H contains profiles and plan views that show the magnitude of this issue. Staff's recent (at the time) experience with the Army Corp of Engineers on creek and flood control projects led us to surmise that this alignment would most certainly meet with heavy Army Corp restrictions, if it were allowed to proceed at all. An environmental review of this alignment would require a look at alternatives and the northerly alignment, already found superior, would most likely cause the Army Corp to deny the lesser of the two proposals. Should the City persist, a likely outcome would have been a requirement to totally bridge Acacia Creek in a manner already proposed by the northerly alignment. This would have required major retaining wall construction right at the property line to allow the road sufficient height to access the needed bridge. In addition, just south of the property is an area of wildlife and wetland habitat that would be disturbed by the road. Mitigation of these impacts, if allowed at all, will be substantial. What is the proposed Northern Alignment and hnw did it rnme to NO About the time that the joint use agreement for sports fields with Cal-Poly was deteriorating, the application for the MASP was made. The City's Parks and Recreation Director began a search of properties for possible sports field sites. The Damon-Garcia ranch land along Broad Street was one such property. Staff realized that if Prado Road were extended so as to miss the wetland area and miss the rock mountain by aligning it to the north, the sports field could be built with a protected entry via Industrial/Broad intersection; that the cost to build Prado Road could be reduced; and that the environmental impacts would be far less than the southern alignment. 1-14 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Paye 15 Thus, it was reasonable to conclude that this was a fiscally and environmentally superior alternative. These arguments were made to the City Council in 1997 as part of the MASP EIR scooping session and the Council concurred by adopting the northern alignment as the "Project `alignment'and the southern alignment as an alternative alignment. Both alignments would be studied via the AASP/MASP infrastructure and environmental impact report process. Table 5 - Cost corn arisons: Northerly alig Lriment vs. Southerly alignment Ini rovements—Se ent: Hi era to Broad Northerly Southerly 1. Roadway construction cost by length of road. Both alignments are same len • therefore no cost difference. 2. Earthwork: Southerly alignment calls for removal of two mountains(one +$1,220,000 large &one small); Southerly alignment will need fill to achieve elevation differential over Acacia Creek in order to receive environmental permits and achieve at grade intersection with Broad St;Northerly alignment will need fill across valley.Costs for the fill sections are the same. 3. Bridge structure over Acacia Creek. Both locations will require the same structure; therefore no cost difference 4. Retaining walls. Southerly alignment will require retaining structures +$103,400 along south right-of-way line to preclude fill material in wildlife and wetland area; may also be required further east(but not inc. in this estimate). 5. Signahzation. Northerly alignment requires new signal at Broad St. Southerly alignment assumes new signal at Capitolio; therefore no cost difference. Improvements—Segment: Broad to Sacramento 1. Right-of-way acquisition. Northern alignment requires substantial ROW, +$850,000 southern requires ROW 1)near Sacramento for turn lane and 2)possibly at UPRR. 2. Road construction cost. Re uired by Northerly alignment only +$336,800 3. Road demolition removal and utility relocation. Southern Only. $ 75,000 Improvements—Se ent: Sacramento to OASP N/S collector 1. Right-of-way ac uisition. Required by Northerly alignment only +$265.000 2. Road construction cost. New road on Northerly alignment. Remove and +$55,000 rebuild road extra excavation on Southerly alignment. 3. Underpass Construction. Same for both alignments 4. Approaches to Underpass. Northerly alignment includes landscaping; + $120,400 small retaining walls. Southerly alignment includes major retaining walls and no landscaping. 5. Environmental Mitigation. Southerly alignment requires new soundwalls, +$274,000 double glazing residences,and reconstruction of Graduate facility for deliveries. Im rovements—Segment: OASP N/S collector to Johnson 1. Road construction. Southerly aligpment longer than Northerly ali ment + 278 000 Subtotals of Cost Differentials: $1,451,800 2000 800 1-15 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 16 What, in the final analysis,did the studies shnw9 In a few words, that the northern alignment is the superior alternative. The northern alignment is actually shorter (although by only 18 feet); does have far fewer environment impacts; provides better and safer access to the sports field site (it was purchased during the study period); and is slightly cheaper to construct. Table 5 contains a cost estimate comparison of the two alignments and includes information regarding perceived costs of extending Prado to the Orcutt area. These estimates are based on actual comparative costs of other similar projects but should not be considered exact due to the limited level of detail that the plan alignments allow for. Even with right-of-way costs factored in for the gap properties, the northerly alignment appears to be lees expensive because of the large capital expenditure to remove the old quarry site. In addition to these cost comparisons, the effect of both the north and south alignment on the Damon-Garcia Sports Filed Complex must be considered. Figures 5 and 6 show conceptual layouts for the sports fields with Prado Road on each alignment. GVnallzed max" \•N '.\'.�����•,\`J� %•J Intefiectlon Norlh '•.,—�\ �� .:—.. is / I . Cancaptual[=tton :r �l /' I,,,�Q'I 1•�,_1' —NW PedaetrmTunnel ..% - ` • .\f� 1 1. PARKIN9/,y.11 \ /+ Ok 't-�j .�111R �.•c�reCchon Garda Sm erose Setm,Zone Prado Roao•Nortern:hpnnrm! tkraSae.re Cd+n V__ firma Figure 5—Prado Road Proposed Alignment 1-16 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 17 \ \,�.. .` ,VV• 1 Ilii %.,Ji Ji IVV.� OV ._ _/ I :y���� ;. • , (-`� 11 `,,;f,:;,�, %,, --�- ��`• r � +l ('Ir • (l; PARKINGI•'�" lei\ �\„r•��j ftnlil2ed 4 \ Y •'• `_�%/�• _�� 1511 �_� J� 'ittereeGion Concem , GJGB Sian J =n.1+o;C-;n�:wa �•` Fnaa S..9.voLM11 A1:;n.M aCL�OS-yy A b.�an:nrC•m.•r.n.l. 1,•15,1911 `` firma Figure 6—Prado Road Southern (Industrial Way) Alignment Staff's concern regarding the southern alignment is shown in Figure 6. In order to obtain maximum yield for the play areas, create adequate parking for patrons and avoid creek setback issues the primary parking lot driveway will be in close proximity to Industrial Way. Because of this proximity (and Prado Roads need for lengthy eastbound left turn lanes) there is consensus that left turns may need to be restricted from the park to satisfy safety concerns. While a second driveway to Broad Street could be constructed to alleviate this access issue, it would eat up available area for play fields and would probably need signalization or prohibition of left turn movements to address turning safety issues. Similarly, the northern proposed alignment has access issues that will need to be addressed. A frequently asked question has been "If the northern alignment is adopted, how will school children get access to/from the sports fields?" As depicted in Figure 5, the northern alignment turns just prior to the mountain rises over existing topography on a gradual slope and crosses a small valley connecting to the south side of the South Hills and then turns again to cross Acacia Creek and then connect to Broad Street. As it passes over the small valley it will be about 10-15 feet above grade. It is envisioned that one or more pedestrian underpasses will allow easy and safe access for all ped and bike movements. For these reasons: safety, environmental, cost, aesthetics, etc. the northern alignment is being recommended to the Council for Amendment into the General Plan. 1-17 a Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 18 Conclusions Trying to meet the goal of adequately and quickly resolving these alignment issues has been a time consuming and exhaustive exercise for City staff. Many projects were put on hold in order to accomplish this task assignment. However, discretion is the better part of valor and as such City Staff is recommending a different solution than the one we originally started on. To summarize: 1. Adopt the northern alignment from Higuera to Broad. Its simply the best choice — its superior environmentally, superior from a traffic operations standpoint, superior in its ability to provide safe ingress/egress to the sports field and slightly less expensive. 2. Adopt the northerly alignment extension from Broad to Sacramento. It negates the need for a future traffic signal at Capitolio; provides direct truck access into and out of the jobs/industrial complex area along Sacramento; allows a connection for a future bike/ped/bus route or even car trips to the OASP, if they so determine in the future. 3. Adopt a policy that puts the ultimate decision for any further extension in the context of the OASP, where it can be more thoroughly analyzed and understood by all community stakeholders. As a part of that policy, direct staff to purchase/preserve the right-of-way needed to give those property owners a chance to make that decision in the future. 4. Provide staff with further direction concerning any additional circulation related issues, concerns and network options that should be evaluated as part of the OASP process. Environmental Determination Before approving a General Plan amendment, the City Council needs to make an environmental determination. If the City Council concludes that the amendment would have no significant impacts, a negative declaration would be the appropriate action. If Council concludes that there may be significant impacts, an environmental impact report (EIR) would need to be prepared and made available for public comment. The EIR, comments, and responses would then be presented to Council as the basis for environmental findings if the amendment is to be approved. Staff recommends that Council approve a "mitigated negative declaration." This means that, as mitigated, the potential for significant environmental impacts resulting from the amendment would be reduced to acceptable, "less than significant" levels. No additional environmental study would be needed for the General Plan to show a northerly extension to Broad Street, to Sacramento Drive, or to the railroad. Environmental review of individual road extension projects would still be required where precise roadway projects lead to more specific impacts. This conclusion is based on a revised and expanded initial study (enclosed for Council members and previously placed in the Council reading file). A mitigated negative declaration is supported by the attached initial study. In compliance with State and City environmental procedures, staff has published the revised and 1-18 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 19 expanded initial study and provided public notices soliciting comment. The most recent newspaper legal notice for this was printed on January 8`''. As this report is prepared on January 20, staff has received no public comment on the revised and expanded initial study or the proposed mitigated negative declaration. Several speakers at previous hearings said an EIR should be prepared. The Planning Commission recommended that one be prepared. An EIR is required when there is a potential for significant environmental impacts and a decision is made that a mitigated negative declaration does not provide adequate environmental analysis or mitigation. Concerns were expressed about the potential amount of road construction costs and their allocation, use of eminent domain, and disruption for individuals along the proposed alignment. These are valid concerns, but they are not a basis for requite an EIR. Some of the expressed environmental concerns assumed that, compared with the adopted alignment, the proposed extension to Johnson Avenue would result in large traffic increases along the middle and northern parts of Johnson Avenue. Traffic studies have projected that this will not be so. The initial study concluded that with recommended mitigation measures, potential impacts to biological resources (including creek corridors), human noise exposure, archaeological resources, and public services (emergency access) would be less than significant. Other impacts would be absent or less than significant, with no need for special mitigation. The initial study evaluated the whole of the project as originally proposed (including an extension to Johnson Avenue), to the extent that specific impacts could be identified and mitigated ahead of the roadway actually being designed. The initial study also examined in some detail several alternatives, including the "northern terminating alignment," which is functionally equivalent to the current recommendation. Any one of the alternatives could be approved with little or no additional study if Council chooses. Because the initial study concludes that a mitigated negative declaration will satisfy State environmental review requirements, the decision whether or not to prepare an EIR rests with the Council. The Council could direct that additional altematives to the project, or specific environmental impacts not adequately evaluated, be further analyzed in either a revision to the attached initial study or an environmental impact report. Staff would revise the initial study to evaluate potential impacts not already addressed and recommend whether or not a negative declaration is still appropriate. The Council could direct that an EIR be prepared even if there is no legal requirement to do so. A consultant at a cost of $60,000 to $80,000 would prepare an EIR. Preparing and processing an EIR would take six to nine months, complicating or delaying decisions on site plans for City-owned and private properties along the potential routes. The EIR for the Margarita Area Specific Plan will provide more information related to a precise alignment and phasing of the road extension between South Higuera Street and Broad Street. With the recommended action, potential impacts of a further extension along several possible alignments through the Orcutt Area will be evaluated in the environmental impact report for the Orcutt Area Specific Plan and any future General Plan amendment that may be required as part of that planning effort. 1-19 Council Agenda Report—Circulation Element Amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 20 CONCURRENCES The Planning Commission considered the issue of the Prado Road General Plan amendment, alignments and extension at its meetings of October 27th and December 4, 1999. After substantial discussion, the Planning Commission recommended that the Council consider requiring the issue be studied further under an Environmental Impact Report prior to implementing a General Plan amendment. On January 5 and 6th, public workshops were conducted to solicit comments and suggestions regarding the Prado Road General Plan amendment issue. Approximately 150 people attended the workshops. A review of the comments, suggestions and concerns regarding this issue are attached as Exhibit I. FISCAL IMPACT Adoption of the proposed General Plan amendment will ultimately require expenditures not currently anticipated in the existing Capital Improvement Program. Establishing Policy 8.17 which requires the preservation of the ability to make the connection of Prado Road into the Orcutt area could require expenditures for right-of-way acquisition regarding properties located in the "gap" area. No specific additional allocation is being requested of Council at this time. If approved, staff will begin discussions with affected property owners within this area and will return to Council with specific requests for funding,if necessary. ALTERNATIVES The City Council at its discretion may enact all; part, or none of this proposed General Plan amendment or the alternative alignments for Prado Road as discussed in this report. Attachments Exhibit A—Resolution Exhibit B —Proposed Circulation Element amendment Roadway Classification Map Exhibit C—Growth Area Map Exhibit D—none Exhibit E—Airport Area/Margarita Area Technical Traffic Analysis Exhibit F—Supplemental Technical Analysis Exhibit G—Planning Commission Reports/minutes, October 27, 1999 and December 1, 1999 Exhibit H—Qualitative Assessment of the Northern and Southern Alignments Exhibit I—Prado Road Public Workshop—Comments & Concerns Exhibit J— Initial Study(proposed negative declaration) 1-20 RESOLUTION NO. (2000 Series) A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO ADOPTING A REVISED CIRCULATION ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN FOR THE ALIGNMENT AND EXTENSION OF PRADO ROAD WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed and considered the staff recommendation, correspondence, and public testimony concerning the revised Circulation Element; and WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed and considered the draft initial environmental study and mitigated Negative Declaration, correspondence, and public testimony pertaining to them. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo that the Circulation Element of the General Plan is hereby amended as follows: 8 Amend Figure #2 to show Prado Road extending eastward from its current terminus, intersecting Broad Street midway between the Industrial Way and Capitolio Way intersections—as shown on the attached map. 9 Amend Figure #2 to show Prado Road extending eastward from Broad Street midway between the Industrial Way and Capitolio Way intersections to Sacramento Drive—as shown on the attached map. 10 Adopt and add the following policy in Section 8: 8.17 "The need for extension of Prado Road east of Sacramento Drive shall be determined as part of the final Orcutt Area Specific Plan. If determined necessary, the alignment of this extension, its connection to the existing street network, and its functional classification shall be established as part of the design and adoption of the GASP. The City shall acquire/preserve right-of-way for the possible extension of Prado Road between Sacramento Drive and the Union Pacific Railroad." SECTION 2. Environmental Determination. The City Council finds and determines that the project's Mitigated Negative Declaration adequately addresses the potential environmental impacts of the proposed General Plan Circulation Element amendment, and reflects the independent judgment of the City Council. The Council determines that the General Plan Circulation Element amendment, as mitigated, will have no significant effects on the environment. The Council hereby adopts said Mitigated Negative Declaration The newly adopted Circulation Element shall be effective on the thirteenth day after passage of this Resolution. Upon motion of , seconded by and on the following roll call vote: 1-21 AYES: NOES: ABSENT: the foregoing resolution Was adopted this day of____ �_�_—_ .;2000 Mayor Allen Settle ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO.FORM: — - ,1006 _ - — ---- - - --- --- - — - -- Lee Price,City Clerk effrey.O. o;gensen, Cit tomey s 1-22 m 94 d o a o O o E-r U y, z & a ,a x w w a W p o x x o a W W W Lq 1--1 W d U U EI 0 W d W a � a � W � � � � W1-4 \ a d E, U EF Ea W W z d d d d W 1-4 Q U f x d ad, U a a U OW v E-4 w W uE a O � W r ' O �.J U a J r .A I I ♦ ♦� •/�L 214 1-23 EXHIBIT C r C O . l .. L C zany uosuyorL� ICTr e. `v 6 C �/a�� ♦V\`cmc ��, � m a Wx EL s /�� U L]'Y ' • o ��Pr w a Deo CL xV. mrm T m G q. c 4 Q Q O r In 'O Q� ..... ............... ...... ........ a W `mom S can C Q yS °d% � �eMy6� 0 0 U \o< CL OSos \ m 75 0 f0O Y O U- 1-24 JAN-21-2000 16:46 -EHR & PEERS EXHIBIT E San Luis Obispo Airport Area Specific Plan EIR Alternatives Anah'sis September, 1999 I. ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS This chapter summarizes the alternatives analysis of major street connections in the Airport and Margarita Specific Plan areas. The purpose of this evaluation is to compare the Project with three alternative "packages- of roadway alternatives, report the traffic projections for each alternative, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the Project and the alternatives. 1. Introduction and Background The scope of work for the San Luis Obispo Airport Area Specific Plan and Environmental Impact Report includes an alternatives analysis for providing major circulation infrastructure between Broad Street (SR 227) and South Higuera Street. The Project and the alternatives include the extension of Prado Road from its existing terminus east of South Higuera Street to Broad Street. along various alignments. This east-west extension and improvement to a major arterial parkway may be designated as the SR 227 connection to US 101. Although not part of this evaluation, Prado Road is also planned to be extended west to connect with Madonna Road. This western extension includes a new interchange with US 101. The Prado Road extension is included in the City of San Luis Obispo's General Plan circulation element along a specific alignment connecting to Broad Street at Industrial Way. Subsequently, the Margarita Area Specific Plan has proposed a revised alignment of the extension which connects to Broad Street north of Industrial Way. In addition to the Prado Road extension. the City is considering an extension of Los Osos Valley Road from South Hicruera Street to connect with Tank Farm Road, providing a second high-capacity east-west facility through the Airport Area. This extension is considered in lieu of widening Tank Farm Road to four lanes because Tank Farm Road is located in an area contaminated with hazardous materials. The alternatives analysis includes two additional minor road connections, 1) the extension of Buckley Road west to connect with South Higuera Street and 2) a realignment of Santa Fe Road north to connect with Tank Farm Road and an extension north to connect with the Prado Road extension. These various road extensions and permutations are evaluated in terms of the Project and three alternative "packages' described in more detail below. The analysis evaluates a number of important physical, environmental, cost and operational constraints to select the optimal alternative. These constraints and evaluation criteria are described below. Description of Alternatives Protect Figure 16 illustrates the Project circulation system, which includes a variation of the General Plan alignment of the Prado Road extension. In this circulation pattern, the Prado Road extension reaches the northern projection of Santa Fe Road with Prado Road aligned 1-25 Fehr&Peers Associates, Inc. Pagel JAN-21-2000 16:46 =EHR & PEERS 9252642691 P.03/21 San Luis Obispo Airport Area Specific Plan EIR Alternatives Anahsis September, 1999 northeast to connect to Broad Street approximately 300 meters north of the Industrial Way intersection. The Project system includes the Santa Fe Road extension to Prado Road, the Buckley Road extension to South Higuera Street and the Prado Road extension to Madonna Road with a new interchange at US 101. Santa Fe will have two connection points to Tank Farm Road and a single connection to Prado Road opposite a future collector street. Advantages of the Project include: • The Prado Road alignment variation connects to Broad Street at a location that feasibly allows a future easterly extension to serve the Orcutt Expansion area and at a point where it is feasible to provide a railroad grade separation. • The Santa Fe Road design provides access to planned development within a restricted 44-foot right-of--way and two-lane maximum capacity. • The Santa Fe Road design aligns with a future collector street in the Margarita area. Disadvantages of the Project include: • The connection of Prado Road to Broad Street introduces an additional major intersection to the Broad Street corridor. However, the spacing between intersections (about 300 meters) is enough to permit coordination of traffic signals. • Alterations to the hillside in order that an appropriate horizontal alignment can be established. Alternative I —General Plan Alignment This variation of the Prado Road alignment provides slightly less of a direct connection to US 101 for traffic traveling to and from SR 227 south. Figure 17 illustrates this alternative which includes the eastern extension of Prado Road to connect with Broad Street at the existing signalized intersection at Industrial Way, a northerly realignment of Santa Fe Road to connect perpendicularly with Tank Farm Road and further extended north to intersect with the Prado Road extension, and a westerly extension of Buckley Road to intersect with South Higuera Street. The alignment of the Prado Road extension is that identified in the City's General Plan_ This alternative includes a westerly extension of Prado Road to Madonna Road and a new full interchange with US 101, an element common to all four alternatives. Advantages of Alternative 1 include: • The Prado Road alignment provides a relatively direct connection to South Higuera Street and US 101 from Broad Street. • The Broad Street connection utilizes an existing signalized intersection eliminating the introduction of another major intersection along this highly used arterial. • The Prado Road connection at Broad Street utilizes an existing connection (Industrial Way) that could be extended further east into the Orcutt Expansion area. • There are relatively few physical and environmental constraints along the Prado Road alignment. Fehr Peers Associates. Inc. age JAN-21-2000 16:4? cEHR 8 PEERS 9252842691 P.04i21 San Luis Obispo Airport Area Specific Plan EIR Alternatives Analysis Disadvantages of Alternative I include: sepcunber, 1999 • The Prado Road alignment requires two, rather than one, new creek crossings. • The Santa Fe Road design provides poorer access to planned development. Alternative 2 -Tank Farm Road Alignment Figure 18 illustrates this alternative which consists of aligning the Prado Road extension southeasterly to connect and merge into existing Tank Farm Road approximately 900 meters west of Broad Street. This alternative essentially combines Prado Road and Tank Farm Road into a single major east-west corridor. Existing Tank Farm Road west of the merge point could either be terminated or realigned as a minor road serving as local circulation for the Margarita Area as shown in Figure 18. This minor road may even be extended easterly to connect with Industrial Road. Altemadve 2 includes the Buckley Road extension to South Higuera Street and the Prado Road extension to Madonna Road with a new interchange at US 101. Advantages of this alternative include: • A potentially substantial cost savings in roadway construction by utilizing 900 meters of the existing Tank Farm Road corridor. • A relatively direct connection between Broad Street and US 101 to and from SR 227 south. • The opportunity to de-emphasize or even abandon a segment of Tank Farm Road which has environmental constraints to widening. • The minor road realignment of Tank Farm Road could provide additional parallel capacity to the primary east-west corridor. Disadvantages of the alternative include: • The alignment shown in Figure 18 must pass through an area of substantial surface and subsurface contamination. Disruption of this area with road construction should be avoided due to costs of clean-up, but there may be alignment variations or other methods to minimize the impact. • This alternative does not provide for future extension into the Orcutt Expansion area along a parallel facility. This alternative encourages use of Tank Farm Road to access the area. • Concentrating all of the east-west travel at a single intersection at Tank Farm/Broad may accommodate vehicular demand with substantial widening, but discourages pedestrian and bicycle travel in the area. Alternative 3 - General Plan Alignment Plus Los Osos Valle) Road Extension This alternative is illustrated in Figure 19 and is a permutation of Alternative 1. Alternative 3 maintains the General Plan alignment of Prado Road as in Alternative 1 and provides an additional east-west corridor via an extension of Los Osos Valley Road from South Higuera Fehr&Peers Associates, Inc. Page 3 JAN-21-2000 16:47 =J. R 8 PEERS 9252842691 P.05i21 San Luis Obispo Airport Area Specific Plan E!R Alternatives Analysis September. 1999 Street to connect to existing Tank Farm Road. This alternative contains the northerly realignment of Santa Fe Road to Tank Farm Road and its extension to Prado Road, but eliminates the extension of Buckley Road to South Higuera. Figure 19 shows the Los Osos Valley Road extension aligned through the middle of large land parcels to allow access to development from either side of the new road. Advantages of this alternative include: • It provides an additional east-west high capacity corridor with direct connection to an interchange on US 101. • Construction costs for the Los Osos Valley Road extension could be minimized by constructing to rural highway standards rather than arterial parkway standards. Disadvantages of this alternative include: • The western portion of the road is within a 100-year flood plain. • The alignment of Los Osos Valley Road needs to overcome potential environmental constraints such as creeks, hazardous materials contamination and sensitive habitats. • The Los Osos Valley Road extension could be viewed as growth inducing as it provides access to potentially developable land in the County, south of the City's current urban reserve limit. • The alignment may subdivide some smaller parcels within the Airport Area making it difficult to develop. • The extension of existing Los Osos Valley Road at South Higuera Street would impact(or require condemnation of) existing buildings. • The cost of constructing the Los Osos Valley Road extension substantially increases the total cost of Alternative 3 when compared to the other alternatives. Issues and Evaluation Criteria The detailed evaluation and analysis of the Project and three alternatives includes a review of key environmental, design, cost and operational issues. These issues constitute the evaluation criteria and are weighted appropriately for the preferred alternative selection process. The issues/evaluation criteria are: • Topography and soil stability (affects design) • Hazardous materials avoidance (affects design, environmental impacts and cost) • Subdivision of parcels (affects land development, cost, design and acceptability) • Sensitive environments (affects environmental impacts, design, cost and acceptability) • Flood plains (affects design and cost of maintenance) • Design standards and geometrics (affects Caltrans acceptability and operations) • Cost to benefits ratio (affects acceptability, fundability and design) • Creeks (affects environmental impacts, design and cost) • Growth inducement (affects environmental impacts, acceptability and fundability) Fehr & Peers Associates, Inc. R JPN-21-2000 16:48 -,EFff2 8 PEERS 9252842691 P.0621 .1. or San Luis Obispo Airport Area Specific plan EIR Alternatives Analy js • Change in regional traffic patterns (affect environmental impacts and ope ations) t999 • Effect on local traffic operations and capacity (affects design, cost and acceptability) • Optimal alignment for water and sewer(affects design and cost) • Connections to expansion areas (affects environmental impacts, design and acceptability) • Consistency with adopted plans and policies (affects overall approval strategy) Major Physical and Environmental Constraints The evaluation criteria listed above include several major physical and environmental constraints that play an important role in the feasibility of the alternatives. Figures 20 through 23 illustrate some of the key constraints identified by the consultant team. Each figure shows the approximate roadway alignments of each alternative and whether they are affected by the constraints. • Figure 20 shows areas with potential surface and subsurface contamination of hazardous materials. Alternative 2 and Alternative 3 have the highest potential constraint due to hazardous materials • Figure 21 shows areas with soil stability constraints including risks of seismic activity, landslides and liquefaction/settlement. All of the alternatives are affected by this constraint since any of the Prado Road extension variations pass through these areas. • Figure 22 shows areas with biological constraints such as sensitive habitats and creeks and streams. All of the alternative roadway alignments are relatively well- placed in respect to biologically constrained areas. There are a number of creek or stream crossings that are required, but should not constitute significant environmental impacts. • Figure 23 shows areas with topographical constraints (steep slopes) particularly the South Street Hills. None of the alternatives encroach upon the South Street Hills constrained area, but the Prado Road extension passes through a minorhillock constraint located approximately 500 to 600 meters north of Tank Farm Road. This hillock is approximately 3 meters higher than the surrounding topography and does not present a serious constraint. The roadway can either be aligned around the hillock or the hillock can be graded level. Traffic Projections Travel demand forecasts have been prepared for the four alternatives. Traffic projections are based on buildout of the City's General Plan land uses and includes the most recent land use projections for the Airport Specific Plan Area, the Orcutt Area, and the Margarita Specific Plan area. Outside of the City (County land), employment and population forecasts do not reflect buildout, but represent about the year 2020 to 2025. For all intents and purposes, the traffic projections represent buildout of San Luis Obispo in the year 2020. Assignment of the projected traffic volumes utilized the Citywide traffic model. This analytical tool is valuable in measuring the effect of new roads, changes in travel patterns, 1-29 Fehr do Peers Associates lnc. Page 5 JAN-21-2000 16:4B -'R & PEERS 9252842691 P.O?/21 San Luis Obispo Airport Area Specife Plan EIR Alternatives Analysis September. /999 and determining intersection turning movements for detailed traffic operations analysis. This E1R includes capacity analysis of roadways and operational analysis of intersections. This alternatives analysis summarizes the traffic projections in two levels: ]) Roadway traffic projections - This report includes two-way average daily and PM peak hour volumes on key roadways within the study area. 2) Intersection levels of service — How study intersections are anticipated to operate based upon network and land use assumptions. Table 11 presents the average weekday and PM peak hour traffic volumes on 7 streets at 16 locations. The Project and Alternative 1 result in very similar traffic volumes since these two alternatives differ only in the eastern alignment of Prado Road and the design Of Santa Fe Road. Alternatives 2 and 3 result in moderate to substantial changes in traffic on some streets, due to the signi roads. ficant alternation in roadway alignments or entirely new east-west Table 12 summarizes the intersection levels of service for the Project and the alternatives. For comparison purposes, the same set of future improvements (Project mitigated) at key intersections along South Higuera Street and Broad Street was assumed, and the land use assumptions were all based upon the Project land use designations. Table 12 indicates that the Project results in similar acceptable operating conditions than the conditions reported for Alternatives 1. 2 and 3, except at three intersections. The intersection of Prado Road/South Higuera Street operates at LOS E or LOS F in Alternatives 1, 2 and 3, due to a very high northbound left tum volume on South Higuera Street(the northbound left turn volume in the Project conditions is low enough to allow LOS D). In Alternative 3, the Tank Farm Road/Broad Street intersection operates at LOS F due to the combined volume from the consolidation of Tank Farm Road and the Los Osos Valley Road extension. Additionally in Alternative 3, the Los Osos Valley Road/US 101 northbound ramp intersection operates at LOS F due to the volume of northbound off-ramp traffic attracted to the interchange because of the Los Osos Valley Road extension. Table 13 provides a cost comparison of the Project and the three circulation alternatives. On an overall basis, the Project results in the second most economical cost per average daily trip (ADT) — $205 per ADT. Alternative 1 has the economical cost per average daily trip at$203 per ADT. The project is higher per trip due to new diagonal collector included as part of the Unocal Property planning. The new diagonal collector costs nearly $2,000,000 to construct with a very high cost per ADT at $1,234. If the new diagonal collector were added, Alternative 1 would cost nearly as much as the Project,.and have a higher cost per ADT. Alternative 3 is the most expensive alternative at $287 per ADT, due to the relatively high cost of the Los Osos Valley Road extension. Selection of Preferred Circulation System Table 14 summarizes the evaluation of the Project and the three circulation alternatives. This table is based upon the criteria described earlier in this report. A total of 100 points were possible for each circulation system, and points were assigned based upon the range of Fe lsr 6c Peers Associates. Inc. 1-3U Page 6 JAN-21-2000 16:49 -EHR 8 PEERS 9252842691 P.08i21 San Luis Obispo Airport Area Specific Plan EIR Alternatives Analysis scores provided. Table 14 indicates that the Project received the highest name---ptemberof po nts relative to the three alternatives and constitutes the preferred circulation system. In fact, Alternatives 2 and 3 ranked well behind the Project and Alternative 1, based on a number of different criteria. The point system was developed based on a review of important factors with the City and consultant team and engineering judgement. Buckley Road and Santa Fe Road Extension Analyses Buckley Road. This relatively short road extension would connect Buckley Road with South Higuera Street_ As shown on Table 13, this project has a cost of over S 1.1 million but carries relatively little traffic—under 1,000 ADT. The cost/benefit ratio is very poor, at over S 1,400 per ADT. This extension would have insignificant impact on nearby intersection operations. Unless constructed as part of nearby development, the Buckley Road extension is not a necessary component of the Airport Area circulation system. Santa Fe Road. This proposed extension would connect Santa Fe.Road with the proposed Prado Road extension. Table 13 provides the range of cost estimates for this extension, ranging from over $500,000 to nearly $1.3 million, depending on the design. The traffic projections completed for the Project land use scenario without the Santa Fe Road extension resulted in unacceptable traffic conditions at Prado Road/South Higuera Street intersection and the Tank Farm Road/Broad Street intersection. This roadway will constitute a critical component of the overall Margarita and Airport Area circulation system, and is also important for access to local development. It is recommended as an integral part of the future circulation system. -1 121 Fehr&Peers Associates. Inc. page A+2-00e G:q 7HREPEERS ggk&k E09G1 § f \ } \ $ - ! ! CL- « 7 ■ 2 ■ i - ■ k§k § © �■ 2 k } » » _ / § � ` k § § ] . 2 ■ f Wl » ■ pi ° ° _ _ _ _ ■ § k § i \ $ § § $ § § § L;I \ rt if $tt A - - - . ) § ƒ f t 9n ° § � ! ) 2a E ■ _ � f / f � / § � � 2 ■ } Cl -- - .k= / - 7 * � - � ■ ] - cz } J | � J ■ . ) , { q c � � c � 1-32 JAN-21-2000 16:49 -.7EHR 8 PEERS 9252642691 P.10/21 &able 11 AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC AND PEAK HOUR ROADWAY PROJECTIONS (Project Land Use) Roadway Average Daily Traffic(ADT) Project 1 2 PbI Peak Hour Traffic Prado Road 3 Project 1 2 3 East of South Higuera 37,000 26,600 26,300 28.000 West of Broad 14,100 15,100 22,500 10,500 1,5080 1,750 930 2.950 3,770 Tank Farm Road 1,340 1,120 East of South Higuera 17,300 18,100 18,700 7,800 1,810 West of Broad 21,700 19,100 NIA' 25,600 2,100 1,870 920 Buckley Road 1.860 NIA' 2 560 East of South Higuera 800 800 1,800 900 420 West of Broad 3,300 3,200 3,200 3,200 440 520 550 Los Oros Valley Road 398 390 390 380 Extension East of South Higuera N/A NIA NIA 10,200 NIA N/A NIA 11020 South of Tank Farm NIA NIA Santa Fe Road NIA 11,600 NIA N/A N/A 1,330 South of Prado 14,000 8,400 4,400 11,900 810 4orth of Buckley 1,200 1,900 2,600 l 000 860 460 I,080 South of Higuera Street 150 140 280 150 forth of Prado 9.700 10,300 10,100 10,000 920 if Tank Farm 11.300 11,000 10,900 8,800 950 930 930 �. of Los Osos Valley 13,400 11,700 11,000 11400 600 900 890 850 lroad Street , 1.300 890 1,840 600 7orth of Prado 32,400 35,900 NIA 38,400 3,600 3,700 N/A 3,970 north of Tank Farm 29.300 32,600 36,900 30,200 3,000 lorth of Buckley 28,100 27.700 28,000 28500 2.4()0 3,200 2,800 3.040 UA=not applicable 2.700 2,760 2,740 Tank Farm Road and the Prado Road extension merge into the existing Tank Farm Road alignment in Alternative 2. 1-33 JAN-21-2000 16:50 ��MK & PEERS r .il ei Table 12 INTERSECTION LEVELS OF SERVICE PROJECT CONDITIONS COMPARISON OF PROJECT WITH NETWORK ALTERNATIVES P.M. Peak Hour Intersection Project AIL l AIL 2 Alt. 3 Prado Road/South Higuera era Street D F F E Tank Farm ROad/SOuth Higuera Street B B B B Tank Farm Road/Broad Street D D D F Los Osos Valley Road/US 101 SB Ramps B A A A Los Osos Valley Road/US 101 NB Ramps C C C F Aero Drive/Broad Street B B B B Buckley Road/Broad Street B D B B Los Osos Valley Road/South Higuera Street C B B B Tank Farm Road/Santa Fe Road C B B B Prado Road/Broad Street C N/A C B Prado Road/Santa Fe Road C B A B Buckley Road/South Higuera Street B B B B Orcutt Road/Broad Street C B B B Prado Road/Broad/Industrial N/A D N/A B Intersection level of service comparison based on equivalent lane configurations. 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E jI aco _ r m C Z.2 LU r Wm4 I A F I i i m, i f^ �s � v tU n` DC7' �•• 7 # • O O: cc— ix / .l �• c EV CL Ana 1-38 7AN-21-2000 16:52 =HR 8 PEERS 9252e42691 P.16/21 171 A � ;�! L. At a / 'l i y II Santa F6 Rd. c kk E.2 CL R cis me= to to z 913 Z UJ >a lace 00 ui Molo Ix CD sic LL. 1-39 JAN-21-2000 16:53 AR 8 PEERS 9252842691 P.17/21 V5 1 Av £may r m C 10 MOE om cr .0 0 U- 02 L Zm f F 0 x OLL 1 11 co >ulix Mae 0 c-4 2< cr a Ir LL 2.Mx LLI Ws j -00-6 fig m;x 0 Lo to CL 0 1-40 JAN-21-2000 1653 —EHR 8 PEERS 9252842691 P.18/21 ma CIS ti k 41 qj rz 7i 1 LL f Li I IJ 111 Illlml� Swims u 0 to Le Amul a EJ: cm vu wax 2, -g'O CXR CD s cc to 0 cc of co 0 ca U) E rn 0 0 aLLto 9 0 ZW 0 0: j 0 U! C)w U 0. m 0 A Cl) z W X • LU z Lu j 0 r- IL 1-41 JAN-21-2000 16:54 -IR 8 PEERS 9252842691 P. 19/21 10I CC Ch 1 t Q N C Ol23 e 1 1 4 L I / i''11l A. I � , ,�., I LU CL � •y I cmtc e = � �N z 09 c - a 1-42 • GG4 '7 �� G ' . ..;a --�;: ,�• , �; �111111)115� � f$ . w�urrn.nra� JAN-21-2000 16:55 `-P & PEERS - 9252642691 P.21/21 i e r 1VY�A�it yam'. Jf /rll I �• a '�:A I 1;'.: 4 ` Sena Fe Re. t ♦♦ 1j O ♦♦♦ l 1 ♦ dl� I C 1 1 fir 8'1 j I I a �I f I r 47 I � a Z /� ag pN 7 �,� �( ♦+ I a00 2 `vX 0 It 0 -zz LL E , 1-44 TOTAL P.21 EXHIBIT F FEHR&PEERS ASSOCIATES,INC. Transportation Consultants l 3685 Mt.Diablo Blvd.,Suite 301 Lafayette, U 94549-3763 925 284-3200 9 Fax 925 284-2691 fehmndpeets.com MEMORANDUM Date: October 12, 1999 To: Tim Bochum,Tent'Sanville City of San Luis Obispo Public Work Dept. From: James M.Daisa, P.E. Subject: Forecasting and Analysis of Alternative Alignment of the Prado Road Extension This memorandum compares the traffic conditions of three alternative alignments for the planned Prado Road extension from its terminus east of South Mguera Street to Broad Street (Route 227). The analysis compares traffic projections and intersection service levels between the original Prado Road alignment (as presented in the General Pian Circulation Element) and two alternative alignments, one of which is considered the preferred alignment in the Airport and Margarita Area Specific Plans. The two alternatives vary from the General Plan alignment primarily because Prado Road is extended east of Broad Street to connect to Johnson Avenue. Alignment Alternatives The following is a brief description of the three Prado Road alignments evaluated in this study; the Existing General Plan Alignment (Alternative #1), the Prado Road Extension Northern Alignment (Alternative #2 also referred to as the "Project" alignment) and the Prado Road Extension Southern Alignment (Alternative #3, a variation of the General Plan Alignment). The primary difference between the alternative alignments is where Prado Road intersects Broad Street and whether the extension continues east to Johnson Avenue. Alternative#1: Existing General Plan Alignment(No Prado Road Extension) Alternative #1, shown in Figure 1, is the alignment proposed in the current General Plan Circulation Element. This alignment intersects Broad Street at Industrial Way. In this alternative Industrial Way does not extend easterly to connect with Johnson Avenue. Access to Prado Road from the northern and eastern portions of San Luis Obispo is entirely from Broad Street. 1-45 FEHR&PEERS ASSOCIATES,INC Transportation Consultants Tim Bochum Terry Sanville October 12, 1999 Page 2 Alternative #2: Prado Road Extension (Northern Alignment) The Northern Alignment of the Prado Road Extension, shown in Figure 2, is the preferred alignment of the Prado Road extension analyzed in the Airport and Margarita Area Specific Plan EIR, and is designated as the"Project" alignment.This alignment intersect.% Broad Street approximately 300 meters north of Industrial Way. The Prado Road extension does not intersect Broad Street at an existing intersection, but intersects at a location that feasibly allows a future easterly extension to Johnson Avenue. This easterly extension links the Orcutt Expansion area and the northeastern portion of the City to Prado Road, ad requires a grade separated crossing of the Southern Pacific Railroad. This easterly Iink serves as an alternative to Orcutt Road and Tank Farm Road for travel west to Broad Street and Highway 101. Traffic projections assume this easterly extension as a minor arterial. Alternative#3: Prado Road Extension (Southern Alignment at Industrial Way) This alignment, shown in Figure 3, is a variation of the Existing General Plan Alignment. Alternative#3 has the same alignment of Prado Road between South Higuera and Broad Street as Alternative #1. Both alternatives intersect Broad Street at Industrial Way. Alternative #3, however, includes an easterly extension of Prado Road (along Industrial Way) to Johnson Avenue, including a grade separated crossing of the Southern Pacific Railroad Similar to Alternative #2, Alternative #3 links the Orcutt Bxpansion area and the northeast portion of the City to the Prado Road extension and Broad Street. Traffic projections assume the easterly extension as a minor arterial. Traffic Projections Traffic projections for the three alternatives are based on the same land use scenarios, buildout of the City's General Plan plus the Airport and Margarita Specific Plan areas. Except for the variation in Prado Road alignments and existence or absence of the easterly extension to Johnson Avenue, the street networks are identical in each alternative. Average daily and p.m. peak hour traffic projections were developed using the San Luis Obispo Citywide Traffic Model (SLOCTM). Attached are traffic volume plots (daily and p.m. peak) for the three alternatives. Because the traffic projections for each alternative are based on the same land use scenario, the roadway system for each alternative accommodates the same amount of 1-46 FEHR&PEERS ASSOCIATES,INC. Transportation Consultants Tim Bochum Terry Sanville October 12, 1999 Page 3 traffic. Because of the sensitive nature of the SLOCTM, minor changes in the network result in minor changes in traffic distribution and assignment. Therefore, the volume plots for each alternative show similar, but not identical traffic volumes. Comparison of Traffic Assignment The table below compares average daily traffic volumes on key roadway segments affected by the variation in aliegmnents. Alternatives #2 and #3 are compared to the Existing General Plan Alignment (Alternative #1) in terms of the percent change in average daily traffic volume. COMPARISON OF AVERAGE DAILY VOLUMES BETWEEN ALTERNATIVES Roadway Section AIL 1 Alt.2 % Change Alt.3 % Change from Alt.J from AIL I Broad Street SIO Orcutt Rd. 35,000 29 000 -177mm 26 400 -25% Broad Street SIO Santa Barbara St. 36,100 34.300 -5% 32,500 -10% Same Barbara St N10 Broad Street 10.300 9.600 -7% 13.600 +32% Orcutt Road Flo Broad Street 14.200 8,500 -40% 8.900 -36% Orcutt Road EfO Laurel Lane 3.100. 2,050 -34% 1100 32% Orcutt Road E/0 Johnson Ave. 3.040 2.030 -33% 2.100 -31% Laurel Lane I N/0 Orcutt Road 8,600 4,800 114% 4.850 -44% lohnson Ave. I NIO Orcutt Road 4.100 10,600 +159% 12.000 +193% The variation in volumes on Santa Barbara Street between alternatives is misleading.In each alternative, the SLOCIM assigns some traffic to Santa Barbara Street and some traffic to parallel Chorro Street The total volume between these two routes is nearly identical for all three alternatives. Key Frndines ■ Alternatives #2 and #3 show nearly identical assignment of traffic to key roadways. Minor variations in traffic volumes between these alternatives do not result in the need to change required roadway widths or intersection lane configurations. ■ Alternatives #2 and #3 result in low to moderately high reductions in traffic volumes (-5% to - 4470) on all but one of the key roadways shown in the table above. This is because the easterly extension of Prado Road to Johnson Avenue diverts a substantial amount of traffic from the northeast portion of the City, relieving the demand on the alternative routes. However, as expected, the easterly extension of Prado Road substantially increases the volume of traffic on Johnson Avenue, increases between 160% and 200%. 1-47 t FEHR&PEERS ASSMATES,INC Transportation Consultants Tim Bochum Terry Sanville October 12, 1999 Page 4 ■ Traffic volumes on Prado Road vary slightly between alternatives, with Alternatives #I and #2 experiencing the highest volume. Alternative #3 experiences slightly more traffic on Tank Farm Road than the other alternatives, leading to the conclusion that the close proximity of Prado and Tank Farm Roads tends to balance traffic demands between the two routes. Screenline analysis' indicates Alternatives #1 and #2 accommodate about the same level of traffic traveling east-west. Alternative #3 accommodates about 5% less east-west traffic. However, when viewed relative to the magnitude of traffic traveling east west between Broad Street and Highway 101 (about 70,000 trips per day), this difference is not significant. ■ Traffic volumes on roads outside of.the study area experience similar traffic volumes in all three alternatives indicating that the variation in traffic is concentrated in the Route 227, Tank Farm Road and Prado Road corridors on the east side of the City. ■ The easterly extension to Johnson Avenue carries more traffic in Alternative #3 than in Alternative #2, about 13,000 versus 9,200 trips per day. Alternative #3 appears to accommodate more traffic because it takes traffic directly from land uses along Industrial Way, whereas Alternative#2 does not. Intersection Service Levels The table below compares the p.m. peak hour intersection service levels between the three alternatives. While projected turning movement volumes vary, each intersection for each alternative has been analyzed assuming the same lane configurations. Configurations reflect the mitigated Alternative #2 "Project" lane configurations as reported in the Airport and Margarita Area Specific Plan EIR. Intersection Analysis Findings The intersections analyzed for each alternative will operate at similar service levels based on the Alternative #2 mitigated lane configurations. There are no situations where an intersection cannot be mitigated to LOS D or better in any alternative. In general, Alternative #2 results in slightly lower delays than Alternatives #1 and #3 because it provides a better link between Prado Road and Johnson Avenue thereby diverting more ' A screenline analysis is the sum of traffic volume crossing an imaginary line that crosses a number of roads.This analysis identifies the magnitude of traffic entering and leaving an area regardless of the route Laken. 1-48 -f FEHR&PEERS ASSOCIATES,INC. Transportation Consultants Tim Bochum Terry Sanville October 12, 1999 Page 5 traffic from parallel routes. While the project alternative adds an additional signalized intersection to Route 227, the spacing between intersections (about 300 meters) allows for good progression and synchronization which should minimize the additional delay introduced to Route 227. Alt.1:Existing Alt 2:Prado Rd. Alt.3:Prado Rd. General Plan Ext.Northern Ext.Southern Intersection Alignment Alignment Ali ent Delav I LOS Delay I LOS Delay I LOS Route 227/Industrial Road 27 D 8 B 32 D Route 227/Orcun Road 16 C 17 C 17 T C Route 227/rank Farm Road 30 D 34 D 35 D Route 227/Prado Road N/A NIA 33 D N/A N/A Prado Road/Santa Fe Road 21 C 19 C 19 C Prado Road/S. Hi era Street 38 D 38 D 39 D Tank Farm RdJ S.Higuera St. 1 24 1 C 1 18 C 1 18 C Delay is average delay in second per vehicle. Alternative 4's Prado/Route 227/Industrial intersection service level is reported under the Route 227/IndusbW intersection. N/A—intersection does not exist in this scenario. Conclusions Based on this analysis using the same level of traffic generation, the three alternatives operate very similar. Alternative #1 provides less overall capacity than the other two alternatives because it lacks the easterly extension of Prado Road. This results in more traffic on Orcutt Road, Laurel Lane, Tank Farm Road and Broad Street. Alternative #1 also minimizes traffic impacts on Johnson Avenue. Despite the higher traffic volumes on many roads, Alternative#1 does not result in the need to widen any roads beyond what is required for the other two alternatives. Alternatives #2 and #3 experience slightly varying levels of traffic diversion to/from Prado Road, Tank Farm Road, Orcuit Road and the easterly extension of Prado Road, but each alternative operates nearly the same in terms of required roadway width and intersection lane configurations. Alternative #3 may be slightly more cost effective (on a dollar per trip basis) than Alternative #2 because it utilizes an existing street alignment (Industrial Way) and carries more traffic. Both alternatives are expected to substantially increase traffic volumes on Johnson Avenue (an impact in itself), while moderately reducing traffic on other streets in the vicinity. 1-49 FEHR&PEERS ASSOCIATES,INC Transportation Consultants Tim Bochum Terry Sanville October 12, 1999 Page 6 There are no dramatic traffic-related differences that result in fatal flaws between Alternatives #2 and #3. The decision to select between these two altematives would most likely be based on other factors such as cost, right-of-way and environmental impacts. The variations between all three alternatives are concentrated in the area bounded by Orcutt Road to the north, Tank Farm Road to the south, Orcutt Road to the east and Santa Fe Road to the west. Outside of this area, all three alternatives carry the same level of traffic and operate similarly. Vd 971-1120 Attachments: Figures 1 through 3,ADT and p.m.peak hour traffic volume plots 1-50 .:;.NIP' ,err• •�I��� - �. ��� � I ;■ Ro III /Ir1llli Epi nr'=_ - HER Bill well ..MAN NAOMI Iallfl5� ��; I •. � "NoEli z LU nz i lu J "' � • ,,,�f l —►inn \�;t;'1.�... --�� ''� �\/lam�.��_ _■ ' ,�i��� /%��'�'• ',�-'�,��,�' �� Imo, t C.Effect of the Prado Road Extension on Bicycle Access The City's adopted Bicycle Transportation Plan (1993)is consistent with the current Circulation Element in that it shows east-west bicycle access accommodated on Orcutt Road and Tank Farm Road with no planned crossings of the railroad in between these two corridors. If Prado Road is extended east of Broad Street and the Union Pacific Railroad (either the northern or southern alignment), the Bike Plan should be amended to designate this new route as a "Class IT' bikeway, with connections provided to a bike path extending along the east side of the railroad. The Prado Road extension east of Broad Street will effect bicycle circulation in the following ways: 1. Access between the Johnson Avenue, Sinsheimer School and the proposed Orcutt Area neighborhoods and planned destinations west of the Union Pacific Railroad will be improved (see attached reference map). These destinations include: • The City's proposed multi-field sports complex along the west side of SR 227 (Broad Street.) • The proposed elementary school planned within the Margarita Expansion Area. • Parks and hillside open space areas within the Margarita Expansion Area. • Proposed commercial centers west of Route 101 on the Dalido Property. • Laguna Lake Park west of Madonna Road. 2. The extension will improve bicycle access in six ways: (a) Provide a more direct and shorter route between origins and destinations east and west of the railroad. Bicyclists and pedestrians are sensitive to out-of-direction travel and extended trip distances. By providing a direct connection and reducing trip distances, use of these modes of travel may be encouraged, consistent with the Circulation Elements Modal Split Objectives (reference Circulation Element,Figure#,page 10). (b) Avoid circuitous routing where the potential for serious bicycle-vehicle conflicts currently exist. At the Orcutt Road - Broad Street intersection, westbound cyclists will be required to merge with traffic to tum south onto Broad Street. Since this street includes two southbound left turns lanes and a dedicated westbound right turn lane, bicyclists trying to make this maneuver must merge with vehicles in the center of the street, thereby exposing themselves to conflicts with vehicles. Also, since the westbound approach to the intersection is uphill, bicyclists are traveling slowly and making the merge maneuver will be difficult. At the Tank Farm Road - Broad Street intersection, westbound cyclists will be required to turn right (northbound) onto State Route 227 (Broad Street) then merge left across multiple traffic lanes 1-54 7 to access the planned sports field complex or to connect with the proposed northern intersection of Prado Road. Cyclists may continue westbound on Tank Farm Road and then travel northbound on the proposed Sante Fe Road extension to access Prado Road. However, this routing is more circuitous then the proposed Prado-Johnson extension and requires multiple turning movements. Eastbound bicyclists on Prado Road will need to tum either left at Broad Street (an awkward movement) or right at Broad Street then merge left across multiple traffic lanes to tum left on Tank Farm Road. (c) Reduce the exposure of bicyclists to "regional-level' traffic volumes. High traffic volumes and the attendant concem for personal safety can discourage some people from bicycling. Bicyclists traveling east or west along the proposed Prado-Johnson Extension would be exposed to daily traffic volumes ranging from 13,000 near the current terminus of Johnson Avenue to 14,000 vehicles per day near State Route 227 (Broad Street). By comparison, using SR 227 as a requisite connecting route will expose cyclists to traffic volumes in excess of 33,000 vehicles per day. (Note: to illustrate this point, 33,000 vehicles per day is similar to the current traffic volumes on Santa Rosa Street north of Route 101.) Traffic levels on SR 227 north of the Prado Road connection would decline somewhat with the implementation of the Prado-Johnson Extension (23,000 ADT with extension vs. 33,0000 without extension. Therefore, bicyclists traveling north or south on Broad Street would be exposed to lower traffic volumes due to the new street extension. (d) Enables the development of bicycle and pedestrian facilities along a new road extension that meet all City standards. It is easier to develop facilities that more comfortably accommodate the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians in under-developed areas (e.g. The Margarita Expansion Area, the Airport Area, and the Orcutt Expansion Area) than to try and achieve optimum facilities along established and fully developed street corridors. Typically, it is difficult to meet city bike lane standards (e.g. 6-feet wide lanes along streets with more than 10,000 vehicles per day) or to provide for sidewalks separated from the street by landscaped parkways. Achieving these types of facilities is less of a problem within under-developed areas or along newly established street corridors, such as the Prado-Johnson Extension. (e) Enables more connection options to the Railroad Bicycle Path. The City is developing a Class I Bike Path along the east side of the railroad. By Summer, 2000, the path will extend northward from Orcutt Road to the Jennifer-Osos Street bridge in the Railroad Square Area. As part of the development of the specific plan for the Orcutt Area, the Railroad Bicycle Path will be planned to extend south of Orcutt Road bordering Bullock Lane, extend along the east side of 1-55 8 the railroad, and cross Tank Farm Road to connect with the existing path system in the Islay neighborhood. As part of this planning effort, connections between the Railroad Bike Path and the Prado-Johnson should be achieved to enable access to destinations west of the railroad (see item 1 above). It will be easier to achieve this connection as part of an underpass within the Orcutt Expansion Area than to try and retrofit a connection point at Orcutt Road (planned as an "overpass" location) or at the existing Tank Farm Road underpass. (f) Enhance access to neighborhood and community recreation facilities. With the development of the Prado-Johnson Extension, it will be possible to utilize Islay Park (off Orcutt Road), planned parks and hillside open space areas within the Orcutt Expansion Area, and parks, sports fields, hillside open space and joint-use facilities at the planned elementary school within the Margarita Area. Bicyclists will be able to access these facilities along lower-volume arterial, collector and local streets and the Railroad Bicycle Path and avoid the use of State Route 227. In conclusion, the impacts of extending Prado Road east of Broad Street and the Union Pacific railroad on bicycle circulation are positive. The extension will enable shorter and more direct trips, reduce potential conflicts at intersections between bicyclists and motorists, reduce exposure of bicyclists to street corridors and intersections with high traffic volumes, and improve connectivity to recreation facilities. As a southern belt way within the community, the Prado-Johnson extension provides a unique opportunity to link established and planned neighborhoods along the eastern edge of the community with destinations within the City's western quadrant. As a bicycle route, the entire belt way is being designed to accommodate bicycling as part of the City's specific planning efforts or bikeways are being incorporated into development projects along the corridor. 1-56 9 Reference Map: Prado-Johnson Extension make -- Park Johnson-Sinsheimer Neighborhoods R • Orcurt Rd. _l Dalidio Area: _ retail outlets ! .!_ " Margarita Area:Parks. hillside open space,school Orcutt Arra: dwellings,parks, hillside open space South city Brhwey . -... — `s._,f Sports Field Complex - / � �:'��.• = ••�� -- Islay Park Tank Farm Road r ` If — .County Airport 1-57 10 Traffic Volume Forecasts-Prado Road Alternatives Tables S 1 and S2 depict traffic volume comparisons for the various alternatives of Prado Road alignments and extensions. Table S1-Affect on Existing General Plan Roadway Network EAST/WEST Roadways Northern Northerly Industrial Way Adopted Terminating Extension Extension Alignment Alignment Alignment Pro osed %Change Change %Change Roadway Section ADT ADT from AD from ADT from Adopt. Adopt. Adopt. Buchon Street W/O Johnson Ave 1.2 1.2 0.00% 0.5 -58.33% 0.5 -58.33% E/O Higuera Street 12.1 12.1 0.00% 11.0 -9.09% 10.6 -12.40% otith Street E/O Exposition 9.9 9.9 0.00% 9.0 -9.09% 9.5 -4.04% W/O Broad Street 9.6 9.6 0.00% 8.0 -16.670/a 9.1 -5.21% E/O Broad Street 12.9 12.9 0.00% 8.0 -37.98% 8.5 -34.11% rcutt Road E/O Laurel Lane 3.0 3.21 6.67% 2.1 -30.00% 2.2 -26.67% E/O Johnson Ave. 3.3 2.8 -15.15% 2.0 -39.39% 2.0 -39.39% W/O Tank Farm 2.2 2.2 0.00% 2.1 -4.55% 2.2 0.000` Road E/O Hi vera Street 18.7 18.7 0.00% 20.01 6.95% 20.0 6.95% W/O Santa Fe Road 14.1 14.1 0.00% 11.0 -21.99% 14.3 1.42% Tank Farm W/O Broad Street 19.2 19.2 0.00% 21.0 9.38% 20.0 4.17% Road E/O Broad Street 6.9 7.2 4.35% 5.0 -27.54% 5.0 -27.54% W/O Orcutt Road 2.5 2.7 8.00% 2.5 0.00% 3 20.00% Industrial Way E/O Broad Street 4.1 3.1 -24.39% 3.4 -17.07% 11.6 182.93% W/O HWY 101 36.8 36.8 0.00% 37.0 0.54% 36.7 -0.27% W/O Higuera Street 41.0 41.0 0.00% 39.0 -4.88% 38.0 -7.32% E/O Higuera Street 29.9 29.9 0.00% 27.0 -9.70% 27.6 -7.69% #1 E/O Higuera Street 30.5 30.5 0.00% 29.0 -4.92% 29.4 -3.61% #2 Prado Road E/O Higuera Street 23.0 23.0 0.00% 22.0 -4.35% 23.1 0.43% #3 W/O Santa Fe Road 16.1 16.1 0.00% 16.0 -0.62% 16.7 3.73% W/O Broad Street 16.5 13.3 -19.39% 113.01 -21.21% 15.5 1 -6.06% E/O Broad Street WA WA WA 19.0 1 WA 11.6 WA W/O Johnson Drive WA N/A N/A 8.8 N/A 8.3 N/A a itolio Wa E/O Broad Street 4.8 4.6 -4.17% 14.41 -8.33% 5.3 10.42% 1-58 11 z W z a W LLI W a a D LLJ � d > M A U 3 z z w J pa pa co E W I O q o E J U3 O O s LL. } Ln `7' � '1sJ� ��' Tom- _ _ c-.,<: • ••••••i wok .. 10, ol V 3 kl7ps G� ; A(i y � lo! 1-59 z 0 7 z W • f W a w w w o H G4 V) Y z � o o d 0 a a. H dHWcn m 0 VI V] caAr E-4 z N 0-4 z W py OCN W 0.i U U O x H 41 A ., aw — V) Z) J zC H r —� ac LaLL- P4 � - 1-60 z w F s • W d W rn z o za pq m ] H � Y w > o o d a o E-4 � E d� w0z L) qq 0 0 d d W W c3 d E-' z d � x w w 0 W fx rx to H W z m o � � A _, pq ct c � - _: - - -1 `.yid�!•:i'., rR^;"y L - •J i• 1-61 EXHIBIT G CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT ITEM a If BY: Timothy Scott Bochum, Deputy Public Works Director MEETING DATE: Oct. 27, 1999 FROM: Mike McCluskey, Public Works Director FILE NUMBER: 190-99 PROJECT ADDRESS: Citywide SUBJECT: (A) Initiation of an amendment to the General Plan Circulation Element and recommendation to the City Council to show a different alignment for the extension of Prado Road between South and through the Orcutt Area to Johnson Avenue; (B) If initiated, consideration of the proposed Negative Declaration of environmental impact and the proposed amendment itself. SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION (A) Initiate an amendment to the General Plan Circulation Element as described above. (B) Review the initial environmental study and accept the proposed negative declaration, and recommend to the City Council that the amendment be approved along with the Negative Declaration. DISCUSSION Part A of this report discusses the situation creating a need to amend the City's General Plan. Part B discusses the proposed amendment. (A) Background for Initiating an Amendment The Circulation Element of the City's General Plan outlines transportation infrastructure and multi- modal programs to address the transportation needs of the City as it grows. The Circulation Element may be amended to reflect changes in growth areas and to better serve the future needs of community. The General Plan requires that Specific Plans be prepared for the Airport Area, the Margarita Area, and the Orcutt Area. The City is currently processing these specific plans. As part this work, circulation needs are being studied to determine what infrastructure will be necessary to accommodate buildout of these areas at acceptable levels of service. One issue that has been identified during investigation of these areas is the need for an additional east-west connection in the southern section of the City. The existing General Plan Circulation Element (see Figure 1) shows an extension of Prado Road east of Higuera Street, connecting with Broad Street at Industrial Way. This connection is often mentioned as a potential route for reclassification as State Highway 227, removing that distinction from South Street. 1-62 Planning Commission Meeting 10/27/99 Circulation Element amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 2 During analysis of the Margarita Area Specific Plan (MASP), the best alignment for Prado Road was identified as needing further consideration. The northerly alignment of Prado was chosen over the existing Circulation Element alignment as the "preferred" option by both staff and the traffic consultants working on the MASP. As detailed in Exhibit A, the northerly alignment was chosen as the preferred alignment because it allowed for: 1. Better habitat migration between open spaces 2. Safer access to the future sports field complex by putting those users on a quiet signalized intersection (Industrial Way)and minimizing access to the high volume Prado Road 3. Better signal spacing along Broad Street that allows for better signal timing coordination, less traffic congestion and safer bicycle and pedestrian movements at the Industrial Way entrance to the sports field location 4. Reduced demand and likelihood for future signalization at Capitolio Way 5. The possibility of extending Prado Road east of Broad Street through two undeveloped properties to allow direct access to the Orcutt Area Approximately one year after the initiation of the MASP, private parties began planning for the ultimate development of the Orcutt Area. As part of the scoping process of the Orcutt Area Specific Plan (OASP), staff suggested that they consider a connection of Prado Road extending to the Orcutt Area. The primary benefits to this network modification are: 1. More directly connecting residential areas of the OASP with future areas of employment and recreation within the Margarita Area and Airport Area 2. More directly Connecting areas of the OASP with Highway 101 3. Providing more efficient bus routes and transit stop locations for the specific plan areas 4. Providing more efficient bicycle and pedestrian facilities and connections 5. Providing a more direct connection to the elementary school that will be developed in the Margarita Area 6. Decreasing air pollution by minimizing vehicle trip lengths 7. Reducing traffic congestion at Orcutt Road and Tank Farm Road because of reduced turning movement requirements OASP planners responded to this request with a proposed roadway network that included the connection with Prado Road and also an extension of Prado through the Orcutt Area to Johnson Avenue. This alignment would provide the following additional benefits: 1. Better access for the Johnson Avenue/Laurel Lane neighborhood and a "guaranteed" underpass of the railroad tracks 2. Better access for commute traffic to the City's northern employment areas and Cal Poly 3. Better use of underutilized roadway capacity on Johnson Avenue which is already striped for two lanes in each direction 4. Decreased traffic along existing congested arterials(Santa Barbara Avenue,Chorro Street, Broad Street) 5. Better emergency police and fire response times and access for all surrounding areas 1-63 �!E nii.=_�o, N ��■ � � ill ail=___ - :;�� • _ • .fr is__ _` �?%•' • , — VA unla _., ♦♦��j 1 � IVA ■w •/ I • IM I• •��♦ ��:�1�:tom NO / ONE ,mill • �I,_ OWME aON' �11111111flflllq • ♦�,�� ��� <rr, �. �•�, ..�■ � � .ill �I•If'�'I �\�`\ N --�: -�'�� �=;�l�r 1 ,►inn PS 1 1 Planning Commission Meeting 10/27/99 Circulation Element amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 6 6. More flexible transit and bicycle routing possibilities 7. The creation of a southern "beltway" that allows for better commercial, industrial and residential access to US 101 for much of the city Specific Plans must be consistent with the General Plan. The two types of planning documents should show the same circulation features. Further, while both specific plans show parts of the Prado Road extension neither plan addresses the "gap" between Broad Street and the railroad that makes the entire connection possible. Adoption of each specific plan would not include this necessary segment of the corridor. Therefore, based upon the known benefits of the connection of Prado Road, staff is recommending this General Plan amendment for the entire extension. All properties located within the gap have City zoning designations and are buildable. The current real estate market and attractiveness of these properties has caused an interest in building on these properties, which could limit the City's ability to preserve right-of-way for the future Prado Road extension. There are only two properties located within this gap that are affected by the Prado Road extension proposal. Property lines for these two parcels align such that only property along the edge of each parcel would be necessary to accomplish the future roadway thus allowing full development of the remaining property. Staff has also investigated the alternative of extending Prado Road utilizing the adopted General Plan alignment, with an extension of Industrial Way through the Orcutt Area to Johnson Avenue (see Figure 3). Although physically possible, this option is not recommended because: 1. It would cause roadway noise for the existing residences that back up to Industrial Way east of Broad Street 2. The north side of Industrial Way east of Broad Street would need to be reconstructed, with additional right-of-way required,driveway and utility relocations, and access restrictions for existing businesses 3. There may be remodeling expenses for the"Graduate" 4. Conflict between area wide through traffic and sports complex traffic which would vie for use of the Industrial Way/Broad Street intersection 5. Blockages to habitat movement along the open space corridors 6. Increased roadway construction costs to make the longer Prado connection and reconstruct Industrial Way 7. Traffic queuing and congestion problems due to having two major intersections (Tank Farm Road and Industrial Way)in close proximity 8. Increased demand for signalization at Capitolio Way 1-67 Planning Commission Meeting 10/27/99 Circulation Element amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 7 (B) Recommended Amendment Evaluation The recommended General Plan amendment (Figure 2) promotes proper transportation infrastructure planning as required by the City's General Plan and will promote alternative transportation programs by making a more direct connection to the specific plan areas. The proposed amendment is consistent with the following policies as outlined in the City's Circulation Element. Table 1 —Pertinent Circulation Element Policies POLICY# DESCRIPTION POLICY SATISFIED YES/NO? 8.10 The City will ensure that changes to Prado Road (projects A.1, A.2, BA and C.1) Yes and other related system improvements are implemented in a sequence that satisfies circulation demand caused by area development. 8.1 New development will be responsible for constructing new streets, bike lanes, Yes sidewalks,pedestrian paths and bus turn-outs or reconstructing existing facilities. 8.2 Specific Plans prepared for areas within the city's urban reserve should include a Yes street system that is consistent with the policies, programs and standards of this Circulation Element. 8.6 Street projects should be implemented as development occurs. Yes 8.7 Rights-of-way should be reserved through the building setback line process or Yes through other mechanisms so that options for making transportation improvements are preserved. 8.9 The City will ask Caltrans to designate Prado Road between Broad Street and US Yes 101 as State Highway 227. 3.3 The City shall complete a continuous network of safe and convenient bikeways that Yes connect neighborhoods with major activity centers and with county bike routes specified in the Bicycle Transportation Plan. 3.7 All arterials should provide bike lanes. Yes Exhibit A, Prado Road Extension Issue Paper, further discusses the reasons for making the Prado Road connection between Broad Street and Johnson Avenue. Highlights of this issue paper include: ■ The Orcutt Area is designated by the Land Use Element as a residential area. As envisioned by the current Circulation Element, all motorists would be required to either proceed north to Orcutt Road or south to Tank Farm Road before deciding on further movements west, north or south. The new elementary school designed to serve the southern portion of the City is in the Margarita Area. Thus, all school bus movements between it and the Orcutt Area and Johnson Area would require a circuitous routing. No direct access is shown for cars, bikes, buses, or pedestrians. In terms of simple traffic movements for all modes of transportation, the proposed northern alignment makes more sense. 1-68 Planning Commission Meeting 10/27/99 Circulation Element amendment—Prado Road Extension Pae 8 ■ The Margarita Area business park is shown to be a major employment center in the future, as is the existing Sacramento Drive area. Getting employees living in the Orcutt and Johnson areas directly to this new employment area will minimize automobile and alternative transportation trip lengths, which is a major goal of the City. The shorter the connection, the more likely that bus, bike and pedestrian commuting alternatives will be used in the future. Obviously, a direct connection is shorter than driving all the way around the tracks on either end and requiring turning at HWY 227 at Orcutt Road or Tank Farm Road. ■ Prado Road, as shown in the Margarita Specific Plan (and the Circulation Element) will connect commercial shopping areas west of US 101 with industrial job centers along Prado Road (west and east of Higuera, and in the Sacramento area) and with residential areas in the Margarita Area. ■ By providing a direct connection, less time will be spent in automobiles or making turning movements to get into and out of the Orcutt and Johnson areas. This translates directly to less traffic on Orcutt, Broad, and Tank Farm. It also translates directly to less air pollution. ■ Providing the east-west connection reduces future traffic volumes on already congested sections of roadways such as .Broad Street, Santa Barbara Street, Laurel Street and Orcutt Road and instead places future volumes on Johnson Avenue, which is already striped for four lanes of traffic and has additional capacity. These additional traffic volumes along Johnson Road do not degrade levels of service to unacceptable levels. Traffic Projections A traffic analysis has been conducted by Fehr & Peers, Inc. to identify traffic flow changes that might result from the proposed General Plan amendment and the alternatives. Traffic projections for each area are based on the same land use scenarios: buildout of the City's General Plan, as refined by the Airport Area, Margarita Area, and Orcutt Area specific plans. Except for the variation in Prado Road alignments and existence or absence of the easterly extension to Johnson Avenue, the street networks are identical in each alternative. Average daily and p.m. peak hour traffic projections were developed using the San Luis Obispo Citywide Traffic Model (SLOCTM). Since traffic projections are based on the same land uses, the roadway system for each alternative accommodates the same amount of traffic. The sensitivity of the SLOCTM allows minor changes in the network to result in minor changes in traffic distribution and assignment. Comparison of Traffic Assignment The table below compares average daily traffic volumes on key roadway segments affected by the variation in alignments. The proposed and alternative alignments are compared to the Existing General Plan Alignment (existing) in terms of the percent change in average daily traffic volume. 1-69 Planning Commission Meeting 10/27/99 Circulation Element amendment-Prado Road Extension Page 9 Table 2-Affect on Existing General Plan Roadway Network Roadway Section Adopted Proposed % Change Industrial % Change Alignment Alignment from Exist. Way. from Exist Alignment Broad Street S/O Orcutt Rd. 35,000 29,000 -17% 26,400 -25% Broad Street S/O Santa Barbara St. 36,100 34,300 -5% 32,500 -10% Santa Barbara St. N/O Broad Street 10,300 9,600 -7% 13,600 +32% Chorro Street N/O Broad Street 8,600 8,500 -1%a 3,900 -55% Subtotal of Santa Barbara+Chorro 18,900 18,100 4% 17,500 -6% Orcutt Road E/O Broad Street 14,200 8,500 -40% 8,900 -36% Orcutt Road E/O Laurel Lane 3,100 2,050 -34% 2,100 -32% Orcutt Road E/O Johnson Ave. 3,040 2,030 -33% 2,100 -31% Prado Road W/O Broad Street 16,200 13,980 -13.70% 11,850 -26.85% Prado Road E/O Broad Street N/A 9,190 13,073 Prado Road W/O Johnson Drive N/A 10,330 - 11,634 - Laurel Lane N/O Orcutt Road 8,600 4,800 -44% 4,850 -44% Johnson Ave. N/O Orcutt Road 4,100 10,600 +159% 12,000 +1930/, I The variation in volumes on Santa Barbara Street between alternatives is misleading.In each alternative,the SIACTM assigns some traffic to Santa Barbara Street and some traffic to parallel Chorro Street.The total volume between these two routes is nearly identical for all three alternatives. Key Findings- Roadway Volume Distributions ■ Both the proposed and alternative alignment show nearly identical assignment of traffic to key roadways. Minor variations in traffic volumes between these alternatives do not result in the need to change required roadway widths or intersection lane configurations. ■ The proposed and altemative alignments result in reductions in traffic volumes (-5% to - 44%) on all but one of the key roadways shown in the table above. This is because the easterly extension of Prado Road to Johnson Avenue diverts a substantial amount of traffic from the northeast portion of the City, relieving the demand on the-alternative routes. However, as expected, the easterly extension of Prado Road substantially increases the volume of traffic on Johnson Avenue. These volumes do not exceed General Plan Circulation Element policies and simply take advantage of underutilized roadway capacities along Johnson Avenue. ■ Traffic volumes on Prado Road vary slightly between the proposed alignment and the alternative. The alternative experiences slightly more traffic on Tank Farm Road than the proposed alignment, leading to the conclusion that the proximity of Prado to Tank Farm tends to balance traffic demands between the two routes. Screenline analysis indicates that the existing and the proposed alignments accommodate about the same level of traffic traveling east/west. The alternative alignment accommodates about 5% less east-west traffic. 1-70 Planning Commission Meeting 10/27/99 Circulation Element amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 10 ■ Traffic volumes on roads outside of the study area experience similar traffic volumes indicating that the variation in traffic is concentrated in the Route 227, Tank Farm Road, Johnson Avenue and Prado Road corridors on the east side of the city. ■ The Prado Road extension immediately east of Broad Street (prior to Sacramento) will carry more traffic in the alternative than in the proposed alignment, about 13,000 versus 9,200 trips per day. The alternative appears to conduct more traffic because it takes traffic directly from land uses adjacent to Industrial Way, whereas the proposed alignment does not. Prado Road, midway between Broad Street and Johnson Avenue, carries approximately the same volumes for both scenarios - proposed: 10,300, alternative: 11,634. Intersection Service Levels Table 3 compares the p.m. peak hour intersection levels of service. While projected turning movement volumes vary, each intersection has been analyzed assuming the same lane configurations. Configurations reflect the mitigated preferred "Project" lane configurations as reported in the Airport and Margarita Area Specific Plan EIR. Table 3 depicts the various intersection levels of service for both the proposed amendment and the alternative as compared to the existing General Plan. Intersection Analysis Findings Table 3 depicts the level of service comparisons between the General Plan network and the proposed and alternative scenarios. All intersections analyzed will operate at similar service levels for the various alternatives. There are no situations where an intersection cannot be mitigated to LOS D or better in any alternative. In general, the proposed alignment results in slightly lower delays than the existing General Table 3—Intersection Level-of-Service Comparisons Adopted General Proposed Alt.:Industrial Plan Alignment Northern Way Extension Intersection Alignment Delay LOS Delay LOS Delay LOS Broad Street/Industrial Wa 7 27 D 8 B 32 D Broad Street/Orcutt Road 16 C 17 C 17 C Broad Street/rank Farm Road 30 D 34 D 35 D Broad Street/Prado Road' 27 D 33 D 32 D Prado Road/Santa Fe Road 21 C 19 C 19 C Prado Road/S. Hi uera Street 38 D 38 D 39 D Tank Farm Rd./S.Hi uera St. 24 C 18 C 18 C I Prado Road is the same intersection as Industrial Way for the alternative atigrunent. Delay is average delay in second per vehicle. N/A—intersection does not exist in this scenario. 1-71 Planning Commission Meeting 10/27/99 Circulation Element amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 11 Plan or the alternative alignment. This could be because it provides a more direct link between US 101 and Johnson Avenue thereby diverting more traffic from parallel routes. While the proposed alignment adds an additional signalized intersection to Route 227, the spacing between intersections (about 300 meters) allows for good progression and synchronization, which should minimize the additional delay introduced to Route 227. As mentioned previously, this signal spacing also allows for three critical operational improvements. First, it separates through traffic on Prado Road from sports complex traffic accessing the park site. Second, it reduces the demand for a future traffic signal at Capitolio Way and third, it allows for safer pedestrian and bicycle crossings at the Industrial Way entrance to the sports complex. Conclusions Based on this analysis, the operational differences between the existing General Plan alignment, the proposed alignment and the alternative are very slight. The three operate similarly, except that the adopted General Plan alignment for Prado Road (without extension east of Broad Street) provides less overall capacity than either the proposed or alternative alignments. Without an easterly extension of Prado Road there is more traffic on Orcutt Road, Laurel Lane, Tank Farm Road and Broad Street. The General Plan alignment minimizes traffic volumes on Johnson Avenue but also requires that other existing congested arterials such as Broad Street and Santa Barbara Street stay congestion in the future. Despite the higher traffic volumes on these roads, the General Plan alignment does not result in the need to widen any roads beyond what is currently anticipated in the Circulation Element of the General Plan. The proposed alignment and the alternative experience slightly varying levels of traffic diversion to and from Johnson Avenue, Tank Farm Road, Orcutt Road and the easterly extension of Prado Road, but each alternative operates nearly the same in terms of required roadway width and intersection lane configurations. There is no strong reason to pick one of these two alignments based solely upon traffic analysis. Therefore, the decision to select between these two alternatives has been made based upon the other factors previously mentioned such as cost, right-of-way, safety, and comparison of the environmental impacts. ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION Staff has prepared an initial study and a proposed negative declaration (attached). The proposed negative declaration was advertised October 22, 1999. There was an omission from that notice, so a corrected notice was published October 9. Additional environmental review (including the EIR's for the Margarita Area and Orcutt Area specific plans) must be completed before the extension is built. 1-72 Planning Commission Meeting 10/27/99 Circulation Element amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 12 ALTERNATIVES (A) Initiation of the Amendment The Commission may decide to not initiate the proposed amendment. If so, there would be no further Commission action at this meeting. With that decision, the City Council or any person could initiate the amendment, and it would return for a Planning Commission hearing and recommendation to the Council. (B) Consideration of the Environmental Determination and the Amendment Concerning the environmental determination, the Commission may request more information. The Commission would need to identify the specific type of additional information desired. If the Commission believes there may be significant impacts, the appropriate action would be to recommend to the City Council that an environmental impact report be prepared. If the City Council concurs, the EIR would need to be prepared before a Commission hearing on the amendment itself. The Commission may initiate the proposed amendment and recommend that the Council deny it (even if the Commission concurs that the negative declaration is appropriate). The Commission may continue the environmental determination and the amendment for other reasons. Attached: Exhibit A—Prado Road Extension Issue Paper Exhibit B—Proposed Circulation Element amendment Roadway Classification Map Initial environmental study (proposed negative declaration) 1-73 EXHIBIT A Prado Road Extension Issue Paper Why the northem alignment for Prado Road works best for the Margarita Area Specific Plan. ■ The northern alignment brings Prado Road into Broad Street about midway between Orcutt and Tank Farm Roads which enables good signal spacing and better traffic management (in terms of timed queues of traffic) than the southern route at Industrial Way. ■ The northern alignment provides a more appealing"pull" for traffic heading to Higuera or Route 101 since it will be perceived (and in reality is) closer to town. There would be less of a feeling of having to drive to the southern outskirts of town just to go west.Thus some motorists would choose to head to Prado Road rather than head to South Street. ■ The southern alignment is very close to Tank Farm Road and thus traffic already diverted to Tank Farm would have an option but there would less"pull"to move traffic away from South Street. Motorists using the southern alignment would feel that they were"backtracking;' i.e.driving far to the south to get on a road to drive back to the north-just to get to the west. Although the northern alignment would have the same length of roadway and indeed would extend as far south as the other route, motorists would sense that the northern route would be much more convenient and therefore consider it as an option to South Street. ■ The northern alignment leaves the existing signal at the Industrial-Broad Street intersection to provide safe and signal-controlled access to industrial development to the east and the newly developing industrial complex and the City's sports field complex to the west. Car loads of moms and kids could access Broad Street in a safe manner at this intersection. With the southern alignment, the sports field complex will need to either provide its own driveway access to Broad Street or to Prado Road. Without doubt, the City will be asked to provide signalized access at that location. On either Broad or Prado Road, the access point would provide poor spacing for traffic management purposes since the most likely access points would be fairly close to the existing Broad Street signal. Given that the new Prado Road will require separate movements for left turning vehicles, the access points will have to be sufficiently set back from the Broad-Prado corner to avoid conflict with this movement. In summary, the northern alignmentsolves the sports field complex access issues-there would be no turning movements off Prado Road to the sports field complex; all would be relegated to the signalized intersection at Industrial Way and Broad Street. ■ The northern alignment provides a better topographic crossing of Acacia Creek than the southern alignment. Due to topography, the northern roadway alignment comes in higher and the creek is lower making fulfillment of the Margarita Plan's objectives of providing for a habitat corridor, flood protection, and bike path easier to meet than at the southern alignment. With the southern alignment the topography is nearly flat which translates into either artificially raising the road to meet the three objectives stated above or providing a standard culvert solution which would meet the flood protection goals but not habitat or bikeway goals. ■ The northern alignment allows the possibility of a future connection across Broad Street to points eastward. We currently have received some correspondence requesting signalization of Capitolio Way and Broad Street. If Prado were extended across Broad just to Sacramento, a signalized intersection at Prado and Broad would eliminate the need for the signal at Capitolio and Broad. The property immediately across the street from the northern alignment's intersection with Broad Street is an old chicken ranch and could be developed with or without the connecting road. Both northern and southern alignments would provide direct access from the industrial area to 101 eventually. However, the advantage of the northern alignment is that it splits the industrial area between industrial Way on the south and Capitolio Way on the north and therefore would service the area equally, acting to pull traffic on Sacramento Drive to the connector before it enters Broad Street. This circulation pattern would keep at least some truck traffic off of Broad Street. 1-74 • The northern alignment does not require the use of eminent domain. In the property negotiations for the Sports Field complex, the City has acquired the right-of-way for the northern alignment as well as most of the southern alignment;thus keeping all options open. There is a problem acquiring the remainder of the right-of-way for the southern alignment that is under County jurisdiction and is currently in the process of being developed. The applicant applied for rights to annex and develop in the City and is now in the "process". However, the developer does not wish to dedicate the needed R/W for the southern alignment. He instead wishes that the City procure the R/W at commercial valuation. There is no assurance that this will occur... thus, making the southern alignment a reality will be much more difficult. Why the Orcutt Area should connect directly with Prado Road. ■ The Orcutt Area is designated by the Land Use Element as a residential area. As envisioned by the Circulation Element,all motorists must either proceed north to Orcutt Road or south to Tank Farm Road before deciding on further movements west, north or south. The new elementary school designed to serve the southern portion of town is in the Margarita Area;thus all bus movements between it and the Orcutt Area would require a circuitous routing. No direct access is shown for cars, bikes,buses,and pedestrians. In terms of simple traffic movements for all modes of transportation,a direct connection makes a lot more sense. ■ The Margarita Area is shown to be a major employment center in the future, as is the existing Sacramento Drive area. Getting employees living in the Orcutt Area to either of these areas easily makes sense. The shorter the connection, the more likely that bus, bike and pedestrian commuting will become a reality. Obviously, a direct connection is shorter than driving all the way around the tracks on either end. ■ Prado Road, as shown in the Margarita Specific Plan and the Circulation Element will connect commercial shopping areas west of 101 with industrial job centers along Prado (west and east of Higuera, and in the Sacramento area) with residential areas in the Margarita Area. It just makes sense to also provide a direct connection to the residential areas of the Orcutt Area. • By providing a direct connection less time will be spent in automobiles, making turning movements to get into and out of the Orcutt Area. This translates directly to less traffic on Orcutt, Broad, and Tank Farm. It also translates directly to less air pollution. Assuming that a direct connection to the Orcutt Area is preferable, why is the northern alignment better and why is the southern alignment a poor choice.. • The northern alignment connection can be master planned. It can be whatever the Council desires. It could be any number of lanes, any combination of bike lanes, landscaping, pedestrian facilities, etc. The southern alignment is already fixed. Industrial Way is an existing two-lane facility with existing driveways accessing it at various points. Parking could be removed and replaced with bike and pedestrian facilities but parking removal is a controversial issue and at best the facility would be a remodeled street rather than a master planned street. ■ The northern alignment crosses currently vacant or unimproved property allowing vertical alignment issues to be designed into future projects. The southern alignment has developed properties along its length. Driveways would need to be relocated or closed as the road dipped under the tracks or rose to go over the tracks (an underpass is a more likely scenario). The City will be responsible for major additional off-street mitigation including closing access to the "Graduate" loading facilities, remodeling expenses to the existing building, and relocation of existing driveways and utilities.These improvements will be very costly to the City. 1-75 ■ The northern alignment has no residential properties abutting it west of the railroad. The southern alignment has multiple residences. A key issue in this and most towns is noise impacts of arterial street traffic on nearby residences. Noise impacts upon the residents along Bougainvillea and the rest of the neighborhood is probably enough of an issue to effectively kill the concept of a southern route connection to the Orcutt Area. For both northern and southern alignments, once Prado Road is extended eastward under the railroad to the Orcutt Area, residential areas in the Orcutt Area could be master planned from the outset to mitigate noise from this new connecting road. ■ The northern alignment intersects the middle of the Orcutt area making a logical centroid to focus a roadway, sewer, water and other infraswcture system around. Greater "buy-in" to impact fees that affect all the properties could be realized. The southern alignment enters the Orcutt area near the existing Tank Farm Road. The most obvious question would be: why do this at all if its so close to Tank Farm Road? ■ The northern alignment allows for a direct connection to the south end of Johnson Avenue. It also could provide for a direct connection to Orcutt depending on the final design adopted by the Council. The southern alignment would also allow for a Johnson connector but would require a higher construction cost than the northern alignment because of greater R/W requirements resulting from the longer length of this alignment. Should the connector road link to Johnson? ■ Long before a local consulting firm began work on the Orcutt Area Specific Plan, all that was envisioned was a connector road (on the northern alignment) providing access to the area. It would provide the logical link - connecting residential with commercial, schools, and industrial jobs. The sports field complex adds another advantage to providing this link. There was no link to Johnson Avenue envisioned. During initial meetings with the consultant(retained by private property owners), staff asked the consultant to look at the possibility to see if it could work or would make sense. The resulting draft Orcutt Area Specific Plan shows this connection. ■ A link to Johnson would provide the City with some form of a well connected southern roadway system. If community-serving retail development continues to occur on Madonna Road and points south, the demand for east-west connections will significantly increase. One of the many existing problems with the City's current circulation layout is that almost no roadways connect (everyone must make multiple left or right turns from one street to another in order get through or around the City). The problem is especially noticeable on the eastern half of the City. All these turning movements mean more congestion, more air pollution and more time making trips for buses,cars and trucks. • Johnson Avenue is already configured as a four lane arterial roadway with a LOS D capacity of 36,000 vehicles per day. Current traffic is approximately 4,000 vehicles per day on Johnson Avenue north of Orcutt Road. With a direct connection of Prado Road vehicle traffic on Johnson increases to 10,600; which is LOS A. At the same time,the-Prado extension would serve as a major benefit to the"Old Town"neighborhoods by decreasing traffic on Broad Street, Santa Barbara Street and Osos Street. The City's traffic model indicates that a major destination point of this diverted traffic is Cal Poly and the connection to Johnson Avenue provides a shorter, less congested, less polluted trip for the majority of the north/south commuters. What about the existing planned overcrossing of Orcutt Road over the railroad tracks? 1-76 The overcrossing project is included in the Transportation Impact Fee (TIF) program. It anticipates that developer contributions toward the cost of the project would be $800,000. The City would be responsible for obtaining the remaining$3,200,000(both in 1994 dollars). At the time of adoption, it was anticipated that, via state grants for railroad crossing projects, the City would be able to obtain the funds necessary. The grant formula is based on a series of factors that highly favor other crossings in the State. Thus the City will have to provide the matching funds via its General Fund or recalculate the TIF fees and adopt and new program in the face of much opposition from the building industry. However, by making the Johnson to Prado connection a reality, the priority and timing of the Orcutt Road grade separation can be lessened. The cost of the undercrossing would become the responsibility of the entire Orcutt Area spreading the cost over many of the new homes that would benefit directly from the undercrossing. 1-77 Draft Planning Commission ' tes October 27, 1999 Page 5 The motion carrier 4-1-0. Commissioners Senn and Whittlesey were absent. 5. COMMENTS AND DISCUSSION 5a. Staff—Agenda Forecast: November 3— LaVeme University Administrative Use Permit Appeal, Dana/Nipomo Abandonment Request, Water Management Plan General Plan Amendment, and Four Property Open Space Acquisitions. November 17—Three Abandonments, Residence/Office Conversion Use Permit Appeal, and 3001 and 3045 Johnson Avenue, ER and GP/R 106-99. December 1 — San Luis Marketplace EIR, Annexation, and Prezoning, and Zoning Text Amendmendments. 5b. Commission: There were no comments made. 3. 3001 and 3045 Johnson Avenue. ER and GP/R 106-99: Request to amend the General Plan Land Use Map and rezone property from low-density residential to high-density residential and environmental review; Judson Terrace Lodge,.applicant. This item was continued to November 17, 1999. 4. Southeastern Part of the City. ER and GPA 190-99: Request to amend the Circulation Element to change the alignment of the Prado Road easterly extension; City of San Luis Obispo (Public Works Department), applicant. Chairman Ready refrained from participation due to potential conflict of interest. Vice Chairman Jeffrey conducted this item. Long Range Planning Manager John Mandeville and Deputy Public Works Director. Bochum presented the staff report and recommended (1) initiating an amendment to the General Plan Circulation Element and (2) reviewing the initial environmental study and accepting the proposed negative declaration and recommending to the City Council that the amendment be approved along with the Negative Declaration. Manager Mandeville corrected the staff report, page 11, by deleting the third sentence of the last paragraph and distributed correspondence from Richard De Blauw and his partners expressing support for the proposed amendment to the Circulation Element. Commissioner Cooper had staff discuss the Margarita Specific Plan, the location of the elementary school, playing fields, and open spacelhabitat areas. 1-78 Draft Planning Commiss linutes October 27, 1999 Page 6 Commissioner Loh had staff review the adopted alignment and the alternative northern alignment and noted the locations of Acacia and Orcutt Creek in relation to the future sports fields. Commissioner Jeffrey asked why it's necessary to bring the connection all the way through Johnson Street, based on the adopted alignment. Manager Mandeville stated it was not necessary, but it made better sense. Commissioner Jeffrey felt traffic impacts that may occur on un-signalized streets that join Johnson"Avenue have not been addressed or acknowledged in the environmental document. Deputy Director Bochum felt the models did a very good job of forecasting traffic volumes. Further analysis will take place through an Orcutt Specific Plan connection or the actual design of environmental review of the project. Manager Mandeville stated that the modeling shows the Johnson Avenue corridor remaining at a Level of Service D or better. Commissioner Jeffrey commented that sometimes it takes five to ten minutes to get out on Johnson Avenue from Ella Street and according to transportation and circulation in the report, there will be "no impact." He believed there should be some impact indicated as a potential, understanding that a more sophisticated environmental document will look at these issues. Commissioner Cooper asked if adjacent property owners have indicated they are prepared to work with the City on the eminent domain. Manager Mandeville stated property owners have been contacted and they are in the audience to speak this evening. Commissioner Cooper asked if there is a residential or commercial area in this part of town which exceeds the 10-minute minimum emergency response time. Manager Mandeville replied no. There were no further comments/questions and the public comment session was opened. PUBLIC COMMENT Matt Quaglino, Arroyo Grande, stated that in April they entered into escrow to purchase land at 3650 Sacramento Drive. Communication companies are interested in the site. He was contacted by the City in May with regards to negotiation for the street right-of- way and it was concluded that giving an easement through the property would ruin 1-79 Draft Planning Commission M is October 27, 1999 - Page 7 development plans and reduce the width and depth too greatly. He felt this item is being pushed through the process quickly to prevent development on the land. The development plan for this property has been submitted. He distributed and described information packets to the Commission and reviewed the staff report, noting the report fails to mention the 84-foot right-of-way will take almost 40 percent of this parcel. He said he did not see this meeting noticed in the paper and the agenda doesn't mention the negative declaration. He asked the Commission to recommend re-evaluation. Commissioner Cooper asked Mr. Quaglino his position regarding realignment up to Broad Street, but not continuing on from Broad Street to Johnson Avenue. Mr. Quaglino didn't state an opinion on the realignment, but commented the information before the Commission is not adequate for making a decision. Commissioner Peterson had staff explain the road location in relation to Mr. Quaglino's proposed development site plan. Mr. Quaglino noted this is the last piece of property that has access to fiber communication. Commissioner Loh had Mr. Quaglino point out the wetland identified on his property. Mr. Quaglino stated when he submitted the development plan, he was asked how the wetland area would be mitigated; yet in the staff report, the City doesn't address the Wetland. Any right-0f-way taken would pass through the wetland. Gary Holdgrafer, 682 Patricia Drive, concurred with Mr. Quaglino's statements. Mr. Holdgrafer has a nine-acre parcel and if the City takes an 80-foot easement, there will be a 30 percent reduction in size of the lot that would prohibit future development. He has owned his property since 1982 and didn't learn of the realignment through his property until two weeks ago. Commissioner Cooper asked if Mr. Holdgrafer has any development plans. Mr. Holdgrafer stated the property was in escrow, but escrow was terminated two weeks ago upon notification of the road realignment. Commissioner Loh questioned Mr. Holdgrafer on his property dimensions. Scott Lathrop, adjacent property owner, stated he has an annexation plan and tract map being processed in the Planning Department and he would like to proceed with his overall plan because of critical deadlines. He would prefer the northern alignment not go through his property. He urged a quick decision so all parties involved can proceed with their plans. He is concerned that the Airport Area EIR will delay the final details of the road alignment. He noted he was contacted by the City in reference to purchasing a portion of his property for access to the proposed athletic fields. 1-80 Draft Planning Commiss, linutes October 27, 1999 Page 8 Joyce Hoffman, Arroyo Grande, owns property at 6050 Tank Farm Road, Hidden Hill Mobile Lodge and Lary Acres Storage Yard. Acacia and Orcutt Creek run through her property and she said she has experienced very bad flooding and asked if flooding would be addressed. She also expressed concerns about her on-site wells and potential future noise impacts. Manager Mandeville noted specific plans being prepared would include full discussion of flooding. Frank Rasell (Inaudible), 3385 South Higuera Street, expressed 'flooding concerns in the Prado Road area. Jim Conrad, Joyce Lane, Pismo Beach, Wallace Computer Services, distributed and cited a letter opposing the northern alignment of the Prado Road extension because it will adversely affect their property. John French, speaking as a private resident, stated the original alignment of Prado Road terminated at Broad Street and the new proposed alignment extends past Broad Street to Johnson Avenue. Impacts such as traffic should be reviewed and considered. Significant amounts of traffic will be relocated onto a portion of Broad Street without the ability to convey the traffic onto Johnson Avenue. Because the original alignment did not include a railroad track crossing, it seems appropriate that the environmental evaluation of extending a new connection over/under the railroad should be considered. The Johnson/Orcutt intersection is awkward and requires impact analysis. He expressed concern with the timing of the application and the availability of substantial additional information to decision makers; a delay of this amendment should occur until more thorough documents which evaluates the Airport Area Specific Plan and the Margarita Area Specific Plan is available. Commissioner Cooper did not see the northern arterial connections as desirable because it would separate the elementary school from the playing fields. Bob Sloan, 3873 Poinsettia Street, owns a home that abuts this property and supports the northern alignment. He felt that consideration should be given to the families living in the. Industrial Way area and the traffic and noise impacts that would be created by converting Industrial Way to an arterial street. Commissioner Cooper asked if Mr. Sloan would oppose the southern connection if it ends at Broad Street Mr. Sloan expressed concern with the potential of two major intersections located closely together. Commissioner Loh asked if Mr. Sloan was aware of the previously adopted alignment up to the Broad Street/Industrial Way intersection. 1-81 Draft Planning Commission D es October 27, 1999 Page 9 Mr. Sloan said he was not aware of happenings in this area until one month ago. Joe Diaz, 884 Bougainvillea, urged consideration of the northern route strictly because of neighborhood concerns about the Industrial Way alignment. The neighborhood has endured many problems associated with noise and traffic. Seeing no further speakers come forward, the public comment session was closed. COMMISSION COMMENT: Commissioner Peterson questioned staff on the wetland area addressed by Mr. Quaglino. Manager Mandeville stated under the discussion of biological resources for the negative declaration for the northern alignment, speck species of concern have been identified. Director Bochum described design concept flexibility and constraints in working with land in this area. Manager Mandeville explained how staff prepared the negative declaration in relation to the location of the wetland; it is not within the alignment corridor. It is important to keep in mind that when the precise alignment is determined and the project actually moves forward, additional environmental review will occur and if it is identified that there is some impact to the wetland, the City will go through mitigation procedures. Commissioner Loh complimented staff of their report. She stated Prado Road exists, the Margarita area is under development, and the alignment has been changed from what is shown in the existing General Plan. The most logical route is on Industrial Way because it exists. An extension of Johnson Avenue is also very important with the future potential of a signalized intersection. It is very important to amend.the Circulation Element, but more study is needed for the areas of concern. In reference to the Initial Study, Commissioner Peterson stated that the purpose of environmental review is to bring information to light for decision makers to consider. He said he was not comfortable with the concept that biological impacts of the wetland issue will be looked at down the line. He felt it would be advantageous to consider all information as early as possible. In reading the biology section of the Initial Study, it starts out saying this wetland is a minor issue and then it continues on to say 66 feet of the creek channel would be placed in a culvert or bridge to accommodate the proposed alignment; this does not sound like a minor issue. He said he would feel more comfortable taking a better look at the environmental impacts now rather than down the . line. Commissioner Cooper stated the realignment staff'is recommending is fine up to Broad Street. He has not heard enough compelling arguments to connect through 1-82 Johnson Draft Planning Commis: Ainutes October 27, 1999 Page 10 Avenue. He is aware of the railroad impediment and how alignment could be an assist to circulation, but he is not convinced that more is better and he is not sure that this is the correct place for it. He supports staffs recommendation from Higuera up to Broad. Vice Chairman Jeffrey said he favors the northern route to Broad Street, but not beyond. He felt the environmental review is insufficient and that additional information is needed before the Commission can proceed with any recommendation. Commissioner Loh moved to initiate an amendment to the General Plan Circulation Element with further environmental evaluation. The motion failed for lack of a second Commissioner Cower moved initiation of an amendment to the General Plan Circulation element and a recommendation to the City Council .to show a different alignment than is indicated for extension from Higuera Street to Broad Street. Vice Chairman Jeffrey for discussion seconded the motion. Commissioner Loh indicated she could not support the motion. AYES: Commissioner Cooper and Vice Chairman Jeffrey NOES: Commissioners Peterson and Loh REFRAIN: None The motion failed 2-2-0. Commissioners Senn and Whittlesey were absent. The Commission and staff discussed action options available to the Commission. Commissioner Peterson likes the northerly route, including Broad Street to Johnson Avenue. Commissioner Loh could support Prado Road from 101 through the Margarita area and then down horizontally to Broad Street. Commissioner Peterson suggested a continuance to allow for the full Commission to hear the item. Commissioner Cooper moved for a continuance with direction to staff to supply the Commission with the specific information pertaining to alignment of the staffs recommendation for Prado Road where it affects the PG&E electrical substation, additional information on the logistics regarding the railroad underpass construction impacts, additional specific information on wetland impacts as it relates to the environmental review, additional information specific to eminent domain or right of way impacts on the Quaglino and Holdgrafer properties. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Peterson. Commissioner Loh requested the motion be amended to direct staff to supply information on the potential for traffic and noise impacts to Industrial Way residents. 1-83 Draft Planning Commission 1 `es October 27, 1999 Page 11 Commissioners Cooper and Peterson accepted Commissioner Loh's amendment. Vice Chairman Jeffrey requested the motion be amended to direct staff to supply information on environmental impacts regarding circulation in relation to the potential termination of Prado Road at Broad Street. Commissioners Cooper and Peterson accepted Vice Chairman Jeffrey's amendment. Commissioner Cooper asked for clarification on the California Takings Law, market-rate compensation, and specifics to the way in which you would handle the applications being processed at this time. Manager Mandeville stated a taking results when economically viable uses are eliminated; that is not the case in this situation. Director Bochum explained fair-market value standard practices for requiring right of way. Attorney Trujillo.commented on aspects of eminent domain and noted this shouldn't be a concern for the Commission. Commissioner Cooper would like to avoid an eminent domain situation if possible. Having had his concerns regarding eminent domain addressed by staff. Commissioner Cooper amended the motion by deleting the direction to staff to supply additional information specific to eminent domain or right of way to impacts on the Quaglino and Holdgrafer properties. The amendment was accepted by the second to the motion. Commissioner Peterson Manager Mandeville noted relocating the PG&E substation has not been identified by any of the experts.as being necessary and. is therefore not addressed in the Initial Study. Commissioner Peterson noted flora and fauna are listed as being in the area, but are not mentioned in specific relation to the 66-foot creek culvert. Manager Mandeville stated a project-level environmental review would address specific project impacts. Commissioner Cooper suggested modification of #12a of the Initial Study, page 17, to address the PG&E substation. Manager Mandeville explained the fact that the utilities would be located in a roadway is not considered an environmental impact. 1-84 Draft Planning Commiss linutes October 27, 1999 Page 12 Commissioner Peterson felt the biology section in relation to the wetland on the Quaglino property, #7 of the Initial Study, page 14, should be more detailed. Commissioner Loh expressed concern about intersection volumes. She cannot support the motion because of the amendment to direct staff to supply information on environmental impacts regarding circulation with regard to potential termination of Prado Road at Broad Street. Vice Chairman Jeffrey expressed concern over the transfer of traffic impacts to the Johnson Avenue area and potential bicycle impacts. AYES: - Commissioners Cooper, Peterson, and Vice Chairman Jeffrey NOES: Commissioner Loh REFRAIN: Chairman Ready The motion carried 3-1-1. Commissioner Senn and Whittlesey were absent. 6. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business before the Commission, the meeting adjourned at 10:37 p.m. to the next regular meeting rescheduled for November 3, 1999, at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers. Respectfully submitted, Leaha K. Magee Recording Secretary 1-85 CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT ITEM a3 BY: Timothy Scott Bochum, Deputy Public Works Director MEETING DATE: December 1, 1999 FROM: Mike McCluskey, Public Works Director FILE NUMBER: 190-99 PROJECT ADDRESS: Citywide SUBJECT: (A) Initiation of an amendment to the General Plan Circulation Element and recommendation to the City Council to show a different alignment for the extension of Prado Road between South and through the Orcutt Area to Johnson Avenue; (B) If initiated, consideration of the proposed Negative Declaration of environmental impact and the proposed amendment itself. SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION (A) Initiate an amendment to the General Plan Circulation Element as described above. (B) Review the initial environmental study and accept the proposed negative declaration, and recommend to the City Council that the amendment be approved along with the Negative Declaration. DISCUSSION At the Planning Commission's October 27`h meeting, the Commission referred this item back to staff for additional environmental and technical analysis. The Commission raised various concerns about the impacts of implementing the proposed Circulation Element amendment and requested subsequent information prior to deciding the issue. The following areas of concern were identified by the Commission as needing further study: ■ Study the affect of the Northern Alignment on the PG&E substation at Johnson and Orcutt roads. Analysis to include a description of how the intersection of Johnson, Orcutt, and Prado roads would be feasible. ■ Additional information regarding the feasibility of the proposed railroad underpasses of the Prado Road extension, including costs, logistics and construction impacts. ■ Additional biological analysis of the northern alignment of Prado Road, including more specific description of location of sensitive species potentially affected and the wetland area on the property proposed for development by Matt Quaglino. ■ Environmental impact analysis of the Industrial Way Extension alignment. 1-86 Planning Commission Meeting 10/27/99 Circulation Element amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 2 ■ An analysis of the difference in traffic patterns and quantities between the extension of Prado Road to Johnson (northern alignment) versus a Prado Road extension that stops at Broad Street. This discussion should include affects on bicycle circulation. The additional investigations conducted by staff regarding these issues has not resulted in any significant new information that requires modification to the October 27"' Planning Commission recommendation for the proposed alignment. The following information is presented for the commissioner's consideration. Evaluation Subsequent to the October 27`h, Planning Commission meeting, staff has expanded the areas of traffic analysis and has refined the forecast volumes for future roadway networks. Attachment A contains detailed descriptions and analysis of the various issues identified by the Planning Commission. The following is a summary of the key findings of the traffic analysis: ■ Study the affect of the Northern Alignment on the PG&E substation at Johnson and Orcutt roads. Analysis to include a description of how the intersection of Johnson, Orcutt, and Prado roads would be feasible. Section E of Attachment A describes the intersection configurations, roadway improvement requirements and the effect on the PG&E substation. No significant impact was identified as a result of the proposed General Plan amendment or the extension of Prado Road to Johnson Avenue. ■ Provide additional information regarding the feasibility of the proposed railroad underpasses of the Prado Road extension, including costs, logistics and construction impacts. Attachment A (Section D) contains a detailed discussion of the qualitative and quantitative costs, impacts and limiting factors in constructing an underpass at either the northern or southern alignment. The primary conclusions resulting from this investigation are: 1. The underpass is feasible at either of the two proposed locations and construction (including a shoe-fly) could be accomplished similarly at both. 2. Many factors that would be necessary to determine the actual costs of construction are impossible to determine without a full project design and assessment. 3. A qualitative analysis which analyzes the costs associated with each of the two alignments reveals that the proposed aligtment should be more cost effective due in large part to more flexible construction possibilities for the corridor. 1-87 Planning Commission Meeting 10/27/99 Circulation Element amendment—Prado Road Extension Pa¢P 3 • Environmental impact analysis of the Industrial Way Extension alignment. Section D also includes discussion of the environmental impacts associated with the Industrial Way extension alternative. As identified previously, the section between Sacramento Avenue and the UPRR tracks contains the most significant environmental issues. These issues and their anticipated mitigation are the primary obstacles to this alignment. No new impacts were identified as part of the additional analysis. However, a refinement of the difficulties and the complexity regarding this alignment has been provided for consideration. ■ Additional biological analysis of the northern alignment of Prado Road, including more specific description of location of sensitive species potentially affected and the wetland area on the property proposed for development by Matt Quaglino. Additional biological assessment has been conducted and is included in the attached revised Initial Study. No new significant impacts were identified. ■ An analysis of the difference in traffic patterns and quantities between the extension of Prado Road to Johnson (northern alignment) versus a Prado Road extension that stops at Broad Street. This discussion should include affects on bicycle circulation. Sections A through C investigate the Commission's concerns regarding the proposed extension of Prado Road to Johnson Avenue. The study area has been extended to include the northern portions of Johnson Avenue as well as investigate potential changes in the need for increased traffic control along the corridor. Traffic volume forecasts originally reported in the October 27`h staff report have been refined to more accurately predict the future volumes along this roadway. While forecast volumes along this corridor did increase, the levels of service for Johnson Avenue remain above City thresholds as outlined in the General Plan. No additional impacts were identified. A quantitative analysis of the need for signalization along Johnson is included. The extension of Prado Road would not require any additional signalization to be implemented along Johnson Avenue. Acceleration of traffic signal installations at Ella and Sydney could ultimately result from the extension, but the timing of these improvements will remain dependent upon development activity and ambient traffic increases along Johnson. The Commission request to analyze a northern alignment alternative that terminates at Broad Street has also been included in the analysis. This alternative and its impacts are very similar with the existing General Plan adopted alignment and did not result in any significant benefits to the overall transportation system. Similar to the adopted alignment this Northerly Terminating 1-88 Planning Commission Meeting 10/27/99 Circulation Element amendment—Prado Road Extension Page 4 alternative reduces overall transportation systems connectivity (bicycle and transit) and causes Broad Street, Orcutt Road, Tank Farm Road and Santa Barbara Avenue to conduct higher levels of traffic in the future. ■ Bicycle Impacts The study includes an in-depth analysis regarding the impacts of the proposed extension upon the bicycle network. The proposed extension of Prado Road to Johnson Avenue has a positive impact upon the bicycle network and future alternative transportation connectivity. ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION Staff has prepared a revised and expanded initial study and proposed negative declaration (attached) to review additional issues as identified by the Planning Commission. No significant impacts were identified as a result of this additional investigation. CONCLUSION The additional traffic analysis and environmental investigation determined that no new significant impacts were identified regarding the proposed General Plan Amendment. ALTERNATIVES (A) Initiation of the Amendment The Commission may decide to not initiate the proposed amendment. If so, there would be no further Commission action at this meeting. With that decision, the City Council or any person could initiate the amendment, and it would return for a Planning Commission hearing and recommendation to the Council. (B) Consideration of the Environmental Determination and the Amendment Concerning the environmental determination, the Commission may request more information. The Commission would need to identify the specific type of additional information desired. If the Commission believes there may be significant impacts, the appropriate action would be to recommend to the City Council that an environmental impact report be prepared. If the City Council concurs, the EIR would need to be prepared before a Commission hearing on the amendment itself. The Commission may initiate the proposed amendment and recommend that the Council deny it (even if 1-89 _ A Planning Commission Meeting 10/27/99 Circulation Element amendment=Prado Road`Extension Page 5 -- -- -- -- - - the.Commission concurs.that the.negative declaration is appropriate).. The Commission may continue the environmental d'etermination:and the amendment foc other-reasons. Attached', Exhibit A Additional Traffic Analysis Initial Study E:\USERS\EVERYONE\Council Agenda Reports\Prado Road C-E GPA(Dec 1).doc i 1-90 Attachment A 1-91 -r - Background At the Planning Commission's October 27' meeting,commissioners raised various concems about the impacts of implementing the proposed Circulation Element amendment to extend Prado Road east of Broad Street and the Union Pacific Railroad. The following issues were identified: ■ Study the impact of implementing the Northern Alignment on the PG&E substation at Johnson and Orcutt roads. Analysis to include a description of how the intersection of Johnson, Orcutt, and Prado roads might be reconfigured to meet future needs. ■ Additional information regarding the feasibility of the proposed railroad underpasses of the Prado Road extension,including costs,logistics and construction impacts. ■ Additional biological analysis of the northem alignment of Prado Road, including more specific .description of location of sensitive species potentially affected and the wetland area on the property proposed for development by Matt Quaglino. • Environmental impact analysis of the Industrial Way Extension alignment. ■ An analysis of the difference in traffic patterns and quantities between the extension of Prado Road to Johnson (northern alignment)versus a Prado Road extension that stops at Broad Street. This discussion should include affects on bicycle circulation. The additional investigations conducted by staff regarding these issues has not resulted in any significant new information that requires modification to the October 27' Planning Commission recommendation for the proposed alignment. The following information is presented for the commissioner's consideration. A. Traffic Impacts on Johnson Avenue and Cross Streets 1. Traffic Volumes and Level of Service Table 1 below was derived from information provided by Fehr & Peers Associates using the City's MD4UTP traffic model and adjusted to reflect the anticipated traffic distribution on the Broad Street and Johnson Avenue corridors. Some of this information was contained in Table 2 of the Commission's October 27' staff report. These new volume forecasts have been refined to better represent the Johnson Avenue corridor and its relationship to other north-south roadways.The traffic information provided below reflects "buildout" conditions, consistent with the City's General Plan Land Use Element, as refined by the draft Margarita and Airport Area Specific Plans and the draft Orcutt Area Specific Plan. As shown in this table,traffic volumes increase from the south end of Johnson Avenue to it's northern intersection with San Luis Drive for each of the three alternatives. Traffic increases are most pronounced for the segment of Johnson Avenue between Laurel Lane and Orcutt Road. Under the "Adopted Alignment"option,most traffic would continue to use Broad Street,Orcutt Road and Laurel Lane to access Johnson Avenue north of Laurel Lane. But for both the northem and southern Prado Road extension options, Laurel Lane and Orcutt Road traffic volumes would decrease while traffic volumes on the southern segment of Johnson Avenue would increase. 1-92 1 - Table.l:.Forecast Trafl'ic.V6lumes'aud'Level Of Seirviafor J6hnsoiivenue Circulation Alternatives Adopted Alignment Proposed Alternative (Circulation Northern Southern Element) Alignmentof Alignmentof Prado Extension Prado Extension Johnson Avenue Current Traffic Forecast LOS Forecast LOS Forecast LOS Volumes(where Volumes Volumes Volumes available) s/o Southwood 6,499 5,133 A 13,400 B 12,728 B s/o Laurel 4,995 A 12,158 B 11,510 B s/o Sydney 13,000 15,277 B 17,749 B 17,653 B s/o Bishop 17,675 C 19,293 C 19,242 C s/o Ella 18,012 22,411 D 23,358 D 23,355 D s/o San Luis 24,963 D 25,718 D 25,720 D Drive Level of Service(LOS)thresholds for Johnson Avenue:LOSE<32,585 vehicles per day; LOS D<30,875; LOS C<21,755. These thresholds are based on the capacity of an urban four-lane undivided arterial street with left turn pockets at intersections and between 2.0 and 4.5 signalized intersections per mile. The City's adopted LOS standard for arterial streets outside the downtown is LOS D. This shift in"preferred routing"to Johnson Avenue reflects the attractiveness of a new east-west route provided by the Prado Road extension. Table 1 also shows that traffic volumes on Johnson Avenue south of San Luis Drive are slightly higher (about 3 percent) for both the northern and southern alignment options than for the current Circulation Element alternative. This minor change in traffic levels suggests that the"directness" of the proposed road extension will attract slightly more motorists than the more circuitous routes provided by the current Circulation Element. While traffic volumes do significantly increase on Johnson Avenue from current conditions, the selection of a particular circulation option will not significantly effect these levels.Rather,increased traffic volumes are tied to the amount of growth accommodated within the southern portions of the City's urban reserve and growth of interregional travel. Finally, all three alternatives show traffic volumes that do not exceed the traffic carrying capacity of Johnson Avenue nor exceed Level of Service standards(a measure of traffic congestion)specified by the current Circulation Element;all street segments would continue to operate at LOS D or better. The selection of a particular circulation alternative has little effect on Level of Service. 2. Intersection Operations Along Johnson Avenue Commissioner Jeffery requested additional information regarding Johnson Avenue safety operations and specifically if any of the proposed alternatives required signalization at the minor intersections spaced along the corridor. Between San Luis Drive and Orcutt Road there are fifteen intersections. Table 2 presents information about each of these intersections. In light of the traffic volumes projected for Johnson Avenue, the Public Works staff has reviewed these intersections to determine the probability for future traffic signal needs. The results of this analysis are shown on Table 3. 1-93 2 iTsible2:, EaistingIntersectioasA'I6ng7ohnsdnAvenue. Sa'nl; Driveand'.OrcutfRoad Cross Street :.Typelnteisection.• -:Cross Street ExistingTu ,; < :Existing:Traffic. C_las_sifhon(e) Pockets::. Signal Breck 3-way Local Yes No Lime 3-way Local Yes Yes Iris 3-way Local Yes No Ella 4-way Local Yes No Bishop 4-way Collector Yes Yes Smith 3-way Local No No Sydney 4-way Collector Yes No La Vineda 3-way Local No No La Cita 3-way Local No No Laurel 4-way Collector/Arterial Yes Yes Southwood 4-way Collector Yes No Gregory 3-way Local No No Cedar 3-way Local No No Tanglewood 4-way Local No No Orcutt 4-way Arterial No No (a)Street Classifications were taken from the adopted San Luis Obispo General Plan Circulation Element(19(A) In general,as traffic volumes on Johnson Avenue increase,motorists on cross streets will experience additional delay as they attempt to merge with Johnson Avenue traffic or cross the street. While cross traffic delay may increase,the volume of cross traffic is not expected to increase significantly since most of the adjoining neighborhoods will experience only limited additional development. Traffic engineers use the"Warrant" system to help determine the need for traffic signals. This system includes a series of thresholds or "warrants" that, if exceeded, suggest that a traffic signal might be installed to provide proper traffic control. Among other factors, warrants are established for traffic volumes during the peak traffic hour for both major and minor streets at an intersection. Projecting traffic volumes for signal warrant analysis is not absolute in determining the need for signalization. However, a direct comparison of the various Circulation Element alternatives can be made using the "Peak Hour" warrant in order to determine if there is an increase in the need for signalization at any intersection location for each scenario. Table 3 shows the warrants for both Johnson Avenue and four key side streets: Tanglewood Drive, Southwood Drive, Sydney Street, and Ella Street. These side street locations were chosen for their likelihood of being signalized in the future(i.e. spacing,neighborhood connectivity,and adjacent land use). Of the four streets analyzed, those at the southern end of the corridor are unlikely to meet wan-ants, primarily due to lower traffic volumes on Johnson Avenue. In contrast, key intersections along the northern and central segments of the corridor would likely meet warrants for signal installation. The Ella Street intersection is likely to require a traffic signal prior to buildout conditions, which would include full development of the adjoining neighborhood and planned development of the French Hospital medical complex. The intersection of Johnson-Ella does not currently meet signal warrant criteria but will be again analyzed in early 2000, as part of the City's traffic safety program. The Sydney Street intersection is also likely to meet cross traffic warrants at some time in the future. However,the estimated extent that it exceeds the warrant(150 vs. 160 vehicles per peak hour,or about 1-94 3 +7%) suggests that warranting signalization will be highly dependent upon the land use and traffic forecast assumptions for the area that have been included in this analysis. • It is important to note that neither the proposed alignment nor the Industrial Way extension alternative require additional signalization along the Johnson Avenue corridor. The impact associated with these two alternatives is merely a potential acceleration of traffic signal installation requirements beyond those already anticipated for in the General Plan alignment. Table3.=;.Traffic'Signal Warrant.Analysis=JdhnsohfflradoEatenAon TRAFFIC SIGNAL WARRANT PEAK HOUR VOLUMES REQUIREMENTS CROSS CIRCULATION Johnson Ave Side Street Warrants Satisfied? STREET SCENARIO Warrant Estimated' Warrant Estimated' Tanglewood Adopted Aligrinient (ming 520 514 480 80 Unlikely (max) 1,000 514 270 80 Unlikely Proposed Northern 1,340 1,340 180 80 No Change from CE Alignment Scenario Alternative Southern 1,275 1,275 195 80 No Change from CE alignment Scenario Southwood Adopted Alignment (min) 520 514 480 130 Unlikely (max) 1,000 514 270 130 Unlikely ProposedNorthem 1,340 1,340 180 130 No Change from CE Alignment Scenario Alternative Southern 1,275 1,275 195 130 No Change from CE alignment Scenario Sydney Adopted Alignment 1,775 1,768 150 160. Likely Proposed Northern 1,800 1,929 150 160 No Change from CE Alignment Scenario AltemativeSouthem 1,800 1,924 150 160 No Change from CE alignment Scenario Ella Existine 1,800 1,794 150 110 No—(side street vols) Adopted Alignment 1,800 2,496 150 270 Likely Proposed Northern 1,800 2,572 150 270 No Change from CE Alignment Scenario Alternative Southern 1,800 2,572 150 270 No Change from CE alignment Scenario A bold number indicates warrant volume exceeded. Notes a)Esunaed kAre vohrrres for Jdrsan Avers were®IaAated Usir9lhe higher d the bllamrg 1)the Cays MINUTP euddoul PM Peak forecast whores or 2)A peak huff fSOW of 10%derefty ADT rokmes idicated n Tads 2. b)Fstmaed kM"whines fcr minr s is sdeats ware-loAaed uv5 the higtra of ee follmrg 1)da CSys MINUTP BudduA PM Peak fae®st vahmes a 2)Mane* b0 ga arann esornaed based on exafyrg ladfae and an aggressive 1%Par Year Mbem goMn Fedor. c)Miriam arrd maxinvn va rnes(for bM ft mapr and maser meets)ae mnpaed due to the simrq Seale bjne ion d dre peak har warati. d)Basad on idmnaon aorSaied n the tram[skdy pedmned ler ft French Hospital Canws Maslen Plan(1993)as moditd fix ft repos. a)sgra•arra t snxoe Slated Caorna Traftmematl(19%) 1-95 4 Concerning the other eleven intersections shown on Table 2 that are not specifically evaluated: • Three(3)already have traffic signals(Lizzie,Bishop,and Laurel); • Seven(7) involve local residential streets(Breck,Iris, Smith,La Vineda, La Cita,Gregory,Cedar) that have very low traffic volumes that would clearly not exceed warrants, do not provide good connectivity to the adjacent neighborhoods, and do not meet appropriate signal spacing requirements;and • One involves the intersection of Orcutt Road and Johnson Avenue. The need for a traffic signal or other stop controls at this intersection will be evaluated as part of the Orcutt Area Specific Plan's development. For purposes of considering the Circulation Element options, the need for traffic signalization along Johnson Avenue under buildout conditions is not affected by the circulation scenario that is selected. Signal warrants are likely to be met for the Ella Street and Sydney Street intersections under all three of the scenarios studied. B. Northern Alignment Of Prado Road Without Extending Prado East of Broad Street The Planning Commission directed staff to conduct additional analysis on proposed alignment alternatives that included a fourth alternative, that of the northerly alignment of Prado Road with no extension east of Broad Street. This new alternative has been termed the Northerly Terminating Alignment.A direct comparison of this alternative and the existing Adopted Alignment(which also terminates Prado/Industrial Way at Broad Street without the connection to the Orcutt Area) is shown in Table 4 below.The forecast volumes depicted in this analysis were derived using SLOCTM traffic model projections that were modified by staff to reflect the Northerly Terminating scenario. These forecast volumes are not exact in depicting future roadway levels of service but are believed to be accurate enough to draw any conclusions regarding significant differences between the two terminating alignments. These two scenarios have no significant differences in traffic distribution upon the future roadway network. As expected,the Northerly Terminating alignment does cause a small increase(4-9%) in traffic volumes using Broad Street in the vicinity of the connection. This increase is logical in that turning maneuvers are necessary to access Orcutt Road, Tank Farm Road or the Marigold Shopping Center near the intersection of Tank Farm Road. Table 4 also indicates that without the Prado Road direct connection to Johnson Avenue,there continues to be a reliance on Broad Street, Orcutt Road and Tank Farm Road to access the northeast area of the City. This fact has not changed from the conclusions drawn in the October 27 Planning Commission report. 1-96 5 Table S2-Affect on Existing General Plan Roadway Network NORTH/SOUTH ROADWAY Northern Northerly Extension Industrial Way Terminating Alignment Extension (Proposed) Roadway Section ADT ADT I%Chane ADT % Chane ADT % Change S/O Buchon Street 10.1 10.1 0.00% 9.9 -1.98% 9.9 -1.98% S/O High St. 22.0 23.0 4.55% 17.0 -22.73% 16.0 -27.27% S/O Santa Barbara 35.0 36.0 2.86% 34.0 -2.86% 34.0 -2.86% WO Lawrence 33.1 34.0 2.72% 31.0 -6.34% 31.4 -5.14% N/O Orcutt Road 30.3 31.0 2.31% 29.0 -4.29% 28.7 -5.28% Broad Street S/O Orcutt Road 32.5 135.51 9.23% 28.0 -13.85% 27.3 -16.00% S/O Ca itolio Road 34.4 137.5 9.01% 30.0 -12.79% 29.5 -14.24% W0 Industrial Way 34.5 137.3 8.12% 28.0 -18.84% 29.5 -14.49% N/O Tank Farm Rd 34.5 136.0 4.35% 27.0 -21.74% 35.8 3.77%. S/O Tank Farm Rd 22.8 23.0 0.88% 23.5 3.07% 23.7 3.95% S/O South Street 28.7 28.7 0.00% 28.0 -2.44% 28.7 0.00% S/O Madonna Road 11.4 11.4 0.00% 10.6 -7.02% 11.2 -1.75% Higuera Street S/0 Elks Lane 10.5 10.5 0.00% 9.6 -8.57% 10.6 0.95% S/0 Prado Road 11.4 11.4 0.00% 11.0 -3.51% 11.7 2.63% S/O Tank Farm Rd 21.1 121.1 0.00% 22.6 7.11% 23.4 10.90% Augusta S/0 Sydney1.5 1.5 0.00% 1.2 -20.00% 1.2 -20.00% Santa Barbara St S/O Leff Street 14.5 14.5 0.00% 11.8 WA 13.1 WA Chorro Street S/O Leff Street 10.0 10.0 0.00% 7.4 WA 8.0 WA aSanta Barbara+ Chorro (S/O Leff 24.5 24.5 0.00% 19.2 -21.63% 21.1 -13.88% treet Santa Barbara St N/O Broad Street 7.7 17.7 0.00% 12.5 N/A 13.2 N/A orro Street I WO Broad Street 13.7 113.7 0.00% 8.3 WA 7.0 WA 'Santa Barbara + Chorro (WO Broad . 21.4 21.4 0.00% 20.8 -2.80% 20.2 -5.61% treet S/O Johnson Ave 7.2 7.2 0.00% 4.2 -41.670/° 5.1 -29.17% Laurel Lane W0 Orcutt Road 9.0 9.0 0.00% 4.7 -47.78% 5.2 42.22% S/O Pismo 4.1 4.1 0.00% 4.2 2.44% 4.2 2.44% S/O San Luis Drive 17.7 17.7 0.00% 19.2 8.47%° 19.2 8.47% S/O Elias Street 14.3 114.3 0.00% 1 16.1 12.59% 16.1 12.59% S/O Bishop Street 12.5 12.5 0.00% 14.4 15.20% 14.3 14.40% Johnson Ave. WO Sydney Street 12.3 12.3 0.00% 13.3 8.13% 13.2 7.32% S/O Sydney Street 10.7 10.7 0.00%° 13.2 23.36% 13.1 22.43% S/O Laurel Lane 3.5 3.5 0.00% 9.1 160.00% 8.6 145.71% WO Southwood Dr 3.7 3.7 0.00% 10 170.27% 9.5 156.76% S/O Southwood Dr 3.7 3.7 0.00% 10 170.27% 9.5 156.76% N/0 Orcutt Road 4.3 4.3 0.00% 10.7 148.84% 10.2 137.21% Santa Fe Road WO Tank Farm Rd 6 6 0.00% 14 145.61% 6 3.51% S/O Tank Farm Rd 3 3 0.00% 3 0.00% 3 0.00% acramento Drive S/O Orcutt Road 4 4 0.00% 3 -21.05% 4 5.26% Source:Fehr&Peers;City of San Luis Obispo Public Works Department(November 1999) Note:a)Because of their close propmity the traffic model assigns trips equally to both Chorro Street and Santa Barbara.The forecast volumes for these two streets must be grouped to result in an accurate forecast for this corridor. 1-97 12 ..r,�.......:u-.�.n...�,....an.... ..tq^....r..%�'.'R;!:•.�..,c • _ %Arra MIS�?able4= of CEl..�gnmertt`and.'NnitLg .. V ...:. :....0 0- Adopted Northern Terminating Alignment Roadway Section ADT %Change ADT ADT from Adopt Broad Street S/O Santa Barbara St. 35,600 36,090 1% WO Prado Road 32,500 35,315 9% S/O Prado Road 34,500 35,835 4% WO Tank Farm Road 31,000 32,370 4% Higuera Street S/O South Street 32,500 32,500 No Change Augusta S/O Sydney 34,500 34,500 No Change North/South Santa Barbara St. WO Broad Street 7,800 7,800 No Change Streets Chorro Street I N/O Broad Street 13,700 13,700 No Change Subtotal of Santa Barbara+Chorro 21,500 21,500 No Change Laurel Lane WO Orcutt Road 9,000 9,000 No Change Johnson Ave. S/O San Luis Drive 24,963 24,963 No Change SIO Bishop Street 17,675 17,675 No Change S/O Laurel Lane 1 4,995 4,995 1 No Change N/O Orcutt Road 5,133 5,133 1 No Change Orcutt Road FJO Broad Street 12,900 12,900 No Change E/O Laurel Lane 3,000 3,195 7% E/O Johnson Ave. 3,300 2,822 -14% Prado Road W/O Broad Street 16,500 13,335 -190/0 East/West E/O Broad street 4,170 N/A - Streets W/O Johnson Drive WA WA - IndustrialWay E/O Broad Street 4,170 3,125 -25% Tank Farm Road W/O Broad Street 19,200 19,200 No Change E/O Broad Street 7,000 7,290 4% Capitotioway FJO Broad Street 4,810 4,810 No Change The Northerly Terminating alignment requires that Broad Street conduct additional levels of traffic particularly for the sections between Orcutt Road and Tank Farm Road. While these additional volumes do not exceed City LOS thresholds for through traffic, the required turning movements at the newly created Prado intersection could require additional tum lanes for both SB right-tum and NB left-tum lanes. These tum lanes are not anticipated to be required if Prado Road is extended east of Broad Street to connect with Johnson Avenue. This conclusion is illustrated by the fact that under both the Northerly Terminating scenario (13,335) and the proposed extension of Prado Road east of Broad Street (13,980) similar levels of traffic are forecast for Prado Road immediately west of Broad Street. The primary difference in these two alteratives is that for the proposed easter extension of Prado Road, the majority of traffic is "through"traffic heading east-west on Prado while for the Northerly Terminating alignment, all traffic is required to tum onto or from Broad Street. At a minimum, an additional southbound right- tum lane on Broad Street would be required to handle the peak hour traffic turning right onto Prado Road at this intersection. 6 1-98 C.Effect of the Prado Road Extension on Bicycle Access The City's adopted Bicycle Transportation Plan (1993) is consistent with the current Circulation Element in that it shows east-west bicycle access accommodated on Orcutt Road and Tank Farm Road with no planned crossings of the railroad in between these two corridors. If Prado Road is extended east of Broad Street and the Union Pacific Railroad(either the northern or southern alignment),the Bike Plan should be amended to designate this new route as a "Class II" bikeway, with connections provided to a bike path extending along the east side of the railroad. The Prado Road extension east of Broad Street will effect bicycle circulation in the following ways: 1. Access between the Johnson Avenue, Sinsheimer School and the proposed Orcutt Area neighborhoods and planned destinations west of the Union Pacific Railroad will be improved (see attached reference map). These destinations include: • The City's proposed multi-field sports complex along the west side of SR 227 (Broad Street.) • The proposed elementary school planned within the Margarita Expansion Area • Parks and hillside open space areas within the Margarita Expansion Area • Proposed commercial centers west of Route 101 on the Dalido Property. • Laguna Lake Park west of Madonna Road. 2. The extension will improve bicycle access in six ways: (a) Provide a more direct and shorter route between origins and destinations east and west of the railroad. Bicyclists and pedestrians are sensitive to out-of-direction travel and extended trip distances. By providing a direct connection and reducing trip distances, use of these modes of travel may be encouraged, consistent with the Circulation Elements Modal Split Objectives (reference Circulation Element,Figure#,page 10). (b) Avoid circuitous routing where the potential for serious bicycle-vehicle conflicts currently exist. At the Orcutt Road - Broad Street intersection,westbound cyclists will be required to merge with traffic to tum south onto Broad Street. Since this street includes two southbound left turns lanes and a dedicated westbound right tum lane, bicyclists trying to make this maneuver must merge with vehicles in the center of the street, thereby exposing themselves to conflicts with vehicles. Also,since the westbound approach to the intersection is uphill,bicyclists are traveling slowly and making the merge maneuver will be difficult. 1-99 7 At the Tank Farm Road - Broad Street intersection, westbound cyclists will be required to turn right(northbound)onto State Route 227(Broad Street)then merge left across multiple traffic lanes to access the planned sports field complex or to connect with the proposed northern intersection of Prado Road. Cyclists may continue westbound on Tank Farm Road and then travel northbound on the proposed Sante Fe Road extension to access Prado Road. However, this routing is more circuitous then the proposed Prado-Johnson extension and requires multiple turning movements. Eastbound bicyclists on Prado Road will need to turn either left at Broad Street (an awkward movement)or right at Broad Street then merge left across multiple traffic lanes to turn left on Tank Farm Road. (c) Reduce the exposure of bicyclists to"regional-level"traffic volumes. High traffic volumes and the attendant concern for personal safety can discourage some people from bicycling. Bicyclists traveling east or west along the proposed Prado-Johnson Extension would be exposed to daily traffic volumes ranging from 13,000 near the current terminus of Johnson Avenue to 14,000 vehicles per day near State Route 227 (Broad Street). By comparison,using SR 227 as a requisite connecting route will expose cyclists to traffic volumes in excess of 33,000 vehicles per day. (Note: to illustrate this point, 33,000 vehicles per day is similar to the current traffic volumes on Santa Rosa Street north of Route 101.) Traffic levels on SR 227 north of the Prado Road connection would decline somewhat with the implementation of the Prado-Johnson Extension(23,000 ADT with extension vs. 33,0000 without extension. Therefore, bicyclists traveling north or south on Broad Street would be exposed to lower traffic volumes due to the new street extension. (d) Enables the development of bicycle and pedestrian facilities along a new road extension that meet all City standards. It is easier to develop facilities that more comfortably accommodate the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians in under-developed areas (e.g. The Margarita Expansion Area, the Airport Area, and the Orcutt Expansion Area)than to try and achieve optimum facilities along established and fully developed street corridors. Typically, it is difficult to meet city bike lane standards (e.g. 6-feet wide lanes along streets with more than 10,000 vehicles per day) or to provide for sidewalks separated from the street by landscaped parkways. Achieving these types of facilities is less of a problem within under-developed areas or along newly established street corridors,such as the Prado-Johnson Extension. (e) Enables more connection options to the Railroad Bicycle Path. The City is developing a Class I Bike Path along the east side of the railroad. By Summer, 2000, the path will extend northward from Orcutt Road to the Jennifer-Osos Street bridge in the Railroad Square Area. 8 1-100 As part of the development of the specific plan for the Orcutt Area,the Railroad Bicycle Path will be planned to extend south of Orcutt Road bordering Bullock Lane, extend along the east side of the railroad, and cross Tank Farm Road to connect with the existing path system in the Islay neighborhood. As part of this planning effort,connections between the Railroad Bike Path and the Prado-Johnson should be achieved to enable access to destinations west of the railroad(see item 1 above). It will be easier to achieve this connection as part of an underpass within the Orcutt Expansion Area than to try and retrofit a connection point at Orcutt Road (planned as an "overpass" location)or at the existing Tank Farm Road underpass. (f) Enhance access to neighborhood and community recreation facilities. With the development of the Prado-Johnson Extension,it will be possible to utilize Islay Park(off Orcutt Road), planned parks and hillside open space areas within the Orcutt Expansion Area, and parks, sports fields, hillside open space and joint-use facilities at the planned elementary school within the Margarita Area. Bicyclists will be able to access these facilities along lower-volume arterial,collector and local streets and the Railroad Bicycle Path and avoid the use of State Route 227. In conclusion,the impacts of extending Prado Road east of Broad Street and the Union Pacific railroad on bicycle circulation are positive. The extension will enable shorter and more direct trips, reduce potential conflicts at intersections between bicyclists and motorists, reduce exposure of bicyclists to street corridors and intersections with high traffic volumes, and improve connectivity to recreation facilities. As a southern belt way within the community, the Prado-Johnson extension provides a unique opportunity to link established and planned neighborhoods along the eastern edge of the community with destinations within the City's western quadrant. As a bicycle route, the entire belt way is being designed to accommodate bicycling as part of the City's specific planning efforts or bikeways are being incorporated into development projects along the corridor. 1-101 9 Reference Map: Prado-Johnson Extension Laguna lake Park " ' Johnson-Sinsheimer Neighborhoods _ ....- ._ cut[' d. IIII or R Dalidio Area - retail outlets _, Margarita Arca:Parks, - hillside open space,school Orcutt Area: dwellings,parks, hillside open space saeh city Bdmy - 'i Sports Field -- Complex x= ... Islay Park Tank Farre Road I N `County Airport D. A Qualitative Look at Costs,Logistics,and Construction Impacts of the Proposed Railroad Underpasses and Road Alignment Table 5 presents a qualitative analysis of constructing an underpass at the Union Pacific Railroad to accommodate an arterial street along two separate alignments. Staff also evaluated the physical feasibility and land use impacts of constructing a railroad "shoofly" (detour) that would be installed east of the railroad and would be used by trains during the underpass's construction. Staff concludes that it is feasible to construct the underpass and shoofly at either the Northern or Southern(Industrial Way)alignment,although the impacts may differ somewhat between the two alignments. The cost of the underpasses may vary somewhat between the alignment locations depending on how wide a bridge structure is desired, how much additional or new right-of-way is needed to accommodate it, the extent of impacts and requisite mitigation to adjacent properties, and the engineering design concept(landscaped.slope banks vs. vertical walls)employed. For the purposes of this comparison staff has estimated the qualitative cost impacts associated with each alternative in a "head-to-head" comparison of the two crossings. Each category was then ranked as "Major, Minor or None" in favor of one crossing or the other, dependent on the assumed impacts and costs. While this comparison is not exact in terns of actual monetary costs it does allow a qualitative analysis with which to compare the two alternative crossings. Furthermore, the fiscal impacts to the City will depend on a variety of factors including how much developers of adjacent or nearby properties will contribute to the cost of constructing the underpass and purchasing the right-of--way and whether the City's Transportation Impact Fee (iIFJpragram is 10 UL+ amended to include this new facility. In the mid-1980's an underpass at the Southern Pacific Railroad was Constructed by the developers of the Edna-Islay Specific Plan Area at a cost of about$1.2 million. While the outcome may differ from the Edna-Islay experience,the fiscal planning for this particular facility will follow a similar track and will be resolved as part of the Orcutt Area Specific Plan and need not be resolved as part of this Circulation Element amendment. Both the Northern and Southern alignments will impact land uses to varying degrees and can accommodate an arterial roadway. While the northern alignment passes through Service Commercial - Industrial areas the southern alignment uses an existing street corridor that, in part, borders a residential subdivision. While establishing the northern alignment will require the City to purchase land and createa new signalized intersection on Broad Street,the southern alignment will require the traffic signals at Industrial Way to be modified, might require some additional right-of-way acquisition, and will expose mrd"adjoining residential area to substantially higher traffic levels and attendant noise,possibly necessitating mitigation. The Southern Alignment can not take place within the existing right-of-way without reducing the existing landscaped area on the south side of the street which borders the residential subdivision.This landscaped area and widened sidewalk was specifically designed to mitigate existing landuse conflicts between the Graduate Restaurant and the residential neighborhood. If maintenance of this area is required for mitigation purposes, additional right-of-way and costly relocation of existing improvements will be necessary on the north side of Industrial Way to construct the underpass. Regardless of this outcome,the City will have to acquire access restrictions to the Graduate service and fire driveways (located immediately adjacent to the railroad tracks) and will have to construct a new fire access point to the area south of Industrial Way. Tab'le5c UuderassandmAlignmentFeas><liilitya_nd Costs, Issue - Northern Alignment Southern Alignment Cost Advantage Underpass Union Pacific Railroad Construction Slightly wider right-of-way on Narrower right-of-way and adjacent existing Northern Cost of approaches may allow the use of development on western approaches to (minor) Underpass some landscaped slope banks underpass likely to necessitate use of vertical Structure which are less expensive than retaining walls which are more expensive. vertical retaining walls. Feasibility and Shoofly alignment on east side of Shoofly alignment will not likely require Neither(1) Impacts railroad will likely require some modification to Bullock Lane's alignment Constructing modification to the Bullock Lane except to a minor extent for the"finger" parcel Railroad alignment serving parcels south of currently in SLO City Limits. Southern end of Shoofly(detour) the mobile home park. Existing shoofly would conceptually begin near the at Underpass(]) structures would not likely be open creek channel and could effect its effected but individual parcel northern creek bank area and the adjacent grove access may need to be modified of eucalyptus trees. Significance of this impact depending on the precise design of will depend on precise length of shoofly and the shoofly's slope banks. design of slope banks. Decisions on the length Significance of this impact will and design of the shoofly will be at the depend on the time of discretion of the Union Pacific Railroad and redevelopmentof these parcels and could potentially include a creek crossing to the actual construction of the meet their needs. underpass. 1-103 11 Issue Northern Alignment Southern Alignment Cost Advantage Route Connection to Broad Street Intersection Intersection New traffic signal will be required. Existing traffic signal system would need to Southern Improvement Installation of signal at this new be modified to reflect new street (minor) Costs intersection may reduce traffic configurations and widths. Installation of a volumes and the need for a traffic signal at the Capitolio Way intersectionmay signal at Capitolio Way to the be needed sooner under this scenario than north. under the northern alignment scenario. Right-Of-Way The cost of purchasing right-of- Current right-of-way might accommodate Southern Costs way to accommodate an arterial an arterial street. However, the inability to (minor) street between the railroad and take advantage of the existing ROW by Broad Street. If this alignment is reducing the landscaped area on the south selected, existing right-of-way side of the street could require additional along Industrial Way between right-of-way costs along this section.Access Sacramento Drive and the railroad rights along the north side of the street could (adjacent to the Graduate potentially have to be acquired to Restaurant)might be available to relocate/remove access form the roadway. help address current land use See "Ease of Implementation" section of compatibility concerns. this table for additional discussion. Environmental Arterial street would pass through Substantial traffic increases on Industrial Northern Mitigation service commercial and industrial Way will raise land use compatibility issues (major) areas with no obvious land use with adjoining residents along the south side compatibility concerns. The of the street. Traffic noise is likely a key "likely wetland" area north of concern. Noise mitigation could include Wallace Business Forms is outside modifications to the existing block wall of the proposed right of way and along the south side, changes to the gate should not be affected by opening in the wall, berms/landscaping construction of the underpass. along the Graduate Restaurant's parking lot However,more analysis is needed perimeter wall to reduce reflective noise, once a design for the structure is and possibly retrofitting vent systems in prepared. adjoining dwellings. If this alignment is selected, existing right-of-way along Industrial Way between Sacramento Drive and the railroad (adjacent to the Graduate Restaurant) might be available to help address current land use compatibility concerns. Ease of Alignment west of the railroad Between Sacramento Drive and the railroad, Northern Implementation passes through primarily vacant the Industrial Way right-of-way includes a (major) areas, with the exception of an 12 foot landscaped area along the southern older chicken coop structure. No border of the street. If this landscaped major disruption to structures or buffer between the Graduate Restaurant and the operation of existing land uses adjoining housing areas is retained,then the is anticipated. road alignment will need to be shifted northward. This shift would likely necessitate the elimination of existing landscaping and mature Palm trees along the north side of the street and could impact the adjoining parking lot. If the landscaped strip is eliminated and the full right-of-way 12 1-104 Issue Northern Alignment Southern Alignment Cost Advantage is used for circulation purposes,additional noise wall buffering and exceptionally tall walls would likely be required along the southern edge of the right-of-way. Service access to the Graduate Restaurant is provided via the east end of Industrial Way and a service driveway. It appears that employees park in back of the building adjoining the railroad. Also,there is a emergency access road that extends from Industrial Way southward bordering the residential tract. Constructingan underpass at Industrial Way will require the Graduate's restaurants service access point to be shifted to Sacramento Drive,that their loading dock area be redesigned,that employee parking be relocated,and that the emergency access roadway be terminated. Route Connection Higuera to Broad Street Construction The Northern alignment The Southern alignment would require a Northern Cost of substantially avoids the defunct substantial cut of the now defunct quarry (Major) Roadway quarry site and takes advantage of site that exists west of Broad Street. This topography west of Broad. construction cost could be substantial if A balancing of cut and fill demolition work is required to meet proper requirements is expected for this engineering grade requirements. scenario. Because of the fixed point at Industrial Way there is no possibility of realigning this section to avoid this work. Notes (t) Constructing a railroad shoofly involves building a new track bed to the east of the existing rail alignment. The shoofly functions as a detour for trains during the construction of the underpass. At its widest point(at the underpass),the toe of the eastern slope of the shoofly would be approximately 30 meters from the center of the nearest railroad tracks. The tapers of the shoofly on either side of the underpass would likely be about.250 meters with an overall shoofly length of 500 m. The eastward shift of the shoofly is dependent on changes in elevation and the.configuration of any required slope banks. The length of the shoofly will depend, in part,on the design speed of trains using it. The dimensions used here are taken from the design of the shoofly used to construct the Tank Farm Road underpass to the south. Neither alignment demonstrates a clear advantage over the other. A shoofly serving the northern alignment may affect access to private properties (the apples) while a shoofly for the southern alignment could impact a creek and a grove of Eucalyptus trees (the oranges). Regardless of this analysis, it appears that land east of the railroad is generally undeveloped and could physically accommodate a shoofly under either alignment alternative. Constructinga railroad shoofly is the traditional technique for provide a train detour. There are other techniques that might be considered depending on their cost effectiveness and impacts including: boring a tunnel under the railroad without relocating the rail line; or even terminating rail connections for a few days to allow the accelerated construction of components of the underpass needed to supporta reestablished rai I line. 13 1-105 D. Study the affect of the Northern Alignment on the PG&E substation at Johnson and Orcutt roads. The Planning Commission requested additional information regarding the potential impact of extending Prado Road to connect with Johnson Avenue on the PG&E substation at the intersection of Johnson Avenue and Orcutt Road This street connection,regardless of whether the northern or southern alignment is selected, will have little effect on the substation or the high voltage tower located immediate southwest of the intersection. Incidental future widening of both Orcutt Road and Johnson Avenue will be required regardless of whether the Prado extension is implemented. The connection of Prado Road to Johnson Avenue would require incidental widening on the PG&E corner in order to complete the curb& gutter,and sidewalks along Orcutt Road and frontage improvements and an additional travel lane along Johnson Avenue. Orcutt Road would need to be slightly realigned to so that it would form a more standard four way intersection with Johnson Avenue. However,this minor realignment of the road and reconfiguration of the intersection could be accomplished entirely on the south side of the roadway with little,or no impact to the PG&E substation. The Commission also requested a description of how the intersection of Johnson-Orcutt-Prado would be completed and what traffic control and lane configurationwould be necessary to make the connection work.The intersection would be completed as a four-leg typical intersection layout that would ultimately require signalization to conduct proper traffic control. The skewing of the Orcutt leg (east of Johnson) would not preclude the connection of Prado being made that ig meets engineering design standards. Orcutt Road would not have to be realigned to create the new intersection or align travel lanes. Figure 2—Intersection of Johnson Avenue—Orcutt Road Johnson Ave � "t��•MY j 4'! �I I 'Iv � , ME Substation Orcutt Rd r 'y .RFI' ..:;F;••L•:'/�I•,j.�. Existing Residential Property 1-106 -raft Planning Commission A ,es December 1, 1999 Page 8 The motion carried 5-0-0. Commission e Loh and Whittlesey were absent. Commissioner Senn moved to a rov the recommended changes to Chapter 17.22 Use Regulation, Table 9 as reviou amended bV the Commission including reference to footnotes. Commissioner Peters n seconded the motion. AYES: Commissioners Senn, Peters , Jeffrey, Cooper, and Chairman Ready NOES: None ABSENT: Commrs. Loh and Whittlesey ABSTAIN: None The motion carried 5-0-0. Commissionersl and Whittlesey were absent Commissioner Senn moved to recommend to the City Council approval the negative declaration and adoption of the proposed zoning text amendments as amended by the Planning Commission this evening. Commissioner Jeffrey seconded the motion. AYES: Commissioners Senn, Jeffrey, Cooper, Peterson, and Chairman Ready NOES: None ABSENT: Commrs. Loh and Whittlesey ABSTAIN:. None The motion carried 5-0-0. Commissioners Loh and Whittlesey were absent. 3. Easterly Side of the City, GPA and ER 190-99: Amendment of the Circulation Element of the General Plan to change the alignment of the Prado Road easterly extension, and environmental review; City of San Luis Obispo, applicant. Commissioner Senn and Chairman Ready refrained from participation due to potential conflicts of interest. Vice Chairman Jeffrey conducted the hearing. Commissioner Loh arrived at 8:20 and participated in hearing this item. Manager Mandeville, Deputy Director Bochum, Director Le Sage, Manger Havlik, . Assistant City Attorney Trujillo, and Associate Planner Matteson presented a joint staff report and recommended (1) initiating an amendment to the General Plan Circulation Element and (2) reviewing the initial environmental study and accepting the proposed negative declaration, and recommending to the City Council that the amendment be approved along with the negative declaration. Commissioner Cooper asked why the southern alternative was deleted from the presentation. Associate Planner Matteson stated the southern alternative is covered in the evaluation and is available to the Commission; it has not been the focus of discussion to this point. Commissioner Loh remarked a southern route would disturb a serpentine rock outcropping and a northern route would disturb an archaeological site. 1-107 Draft Planning Commission M._ as December 1, 1999 Page 9 Commissioner Cooper asked for comment on the sensitive wetland and creek habitat areas and surface/subsurface contamination in relation to the alternative alignment mentioned in the Initial Study that connects at Tank Farm Road. Manager Havlik pointed out on the overhead map, known contamination areas, Acacia Creek, and existing wetlands. In discussions with Unocal in dealing with the airport area plan, this area has been shown as open space. He had urged this area be conserved because of the occurrence of native bunch grass habitat. Commissioner Cooper asked for comment on the Santa Fe Road extension. Manager Havlik stated the Santa Fe Road connection would be an impediment to wildlife corridors but is anticipated to be a much less intensely used road with lower traffic volumes and speeds. Commissioner Cooper felt the map does not show the full extent of the wetlands. Vice Chairman Jeffrey asked if wetlands previously mentioned by Mr. Quaglino have been addressed. Manager Havlik stated the wetland identified on Mr. Quaglino's property is believed to be a drainage swale. It is within the realm of mitigatable wetland loses; planting of appropriate species in a new drainage swale would be an adequate mitigation. Commissioner Loh questioned ingress/egress to the sports fields. Vice Chairman Jeffrey cited and distributed a memo received from Councilman Romero date November 18, 1999. There were no further comments or questions and the public comment session was opened. PUBLIC COMMENT: Nick Muick, 3731 Orcutt Road, owns two parcels slated for development by the draft Orcutt Area Specific Plan that was submitted to the City for annexation by three of the area's 13 property owners. He is not a party to the application nor has he implied he will dedicate any property to build a Prado Road extension to Johnson Avenue. He expressed concern about what an extension would do to already impacted Johnson Avenue. He does not want to be assessed or have financial restrictions placed against his property to build the extension. He felt that more vehicles from U.S. 101 will diminish the sense of neighborhood for the community. The extension should be stopped at Broad Street where the commercial traffic can be effectively dispersed. He reviewed traffic figures and concluded an extension to Johnson Avenue would more than double daily traffic. 1-108 Draft Planning Commission . , rtes December 1, 1999 Page 10 Matt Quaglino, 815 Fiero Lane, displayed an overhead exhibit, reviewed street measurements, and stated Caltrans has indicated it is dangerous for the City to assume additional crossings will be allowed. He felt that newspaper notification of this project . has been insufficient because it did not properly address the proposal nor include a map. A biologist will review wetlands identified on.his property. Paul Murphy, 3560 Cedar Court, expressed how upset his neighborhood is over the process of this proposal. He questioned what greater good would be served by the destruction of his neighborhood. The neighborhood should not be sacrificed so some can get to the freeway more quickly. Decibel projections for Johnson Avenue should be provided. Commissioner Cooper asked if there are also concerns about traffic speeds on Johnson Avenue. Mr. Murphy replied yes, the current average speed is 45 mph. Jeff Brewer, 2253 Johnson Avenue, expressed concern over the proposed amendment that would create an easterly extension of Prado Road to Johnson Avenue because of negative impacts to his neighborhood and the whole community. He felt that traffic and noise levels would be doubled, which is unacceptable. Personal safety, property values and quality of fife will be compromised. A beltway would cut through an R-1 residential neighborhood to offload traffic from streets zoned commercial and industrial. He requested denial of the proposal. Jean Knocks, 982 Bougainvillea Street, supports the proposed northern alignment alternative because it would better serve public transportation/bus passengers. She would be affected by light, view, air and noise pollution impacts-if a southern alignment (Industrial Way )were supported. Rosemarie Carrington, 1743 Southwood Drive, is a longtime Johnson Avenue area resident. She feels thoroughfares should not be located in or near R-1 neighborhoods. She expressed concerns over children's safety when crossing busy Johnson Avenue and the need for signalization. Eugene Judd, transportation engineer, raised questions of regional traffic growth, reviewed protections provided by the Circulation Element, suggested an alternative extension route on the overhead map, and remarked on the levels of service for pedestrians and public transportation and on children's safety while crossing the roads. Rob Strong, address unstated, commented that Prado Road would become State Highway 227 from Broad Street to US 101 if the City follows its General Plan. It also connects to Higuera Street and Madonna Road, according to the General Plan. Margarita and Airport Area Specific Plan EIRs will consider impacts of alternatives, including yet-to-be-seen proposals. He stated that, according to traffic studies, diversion of 11,000 trips per day will increase Johnson Avenue traffic by 160%-200%; this is an impact in itself. Realignment would require additional signalization at Broad Street and an extension east of Broad Street would cost a substantial amount of money. 1-109 Draft Planning Commission N, as December 1, 1999 Page I 1 CEQA requires all phases of the project to be considered and evidence of possible adverse effects should trigger preparation of an EIR as early in the process as possible. Lary Tarpley, 3478 Gregory Court, distributed and cited a letter protesting the proposed connection of Prado Road from US 101 to Johnson Avenue because of increased traffic and speeding, a decrease of security, and a decline in property values that will negatively impact his quality of life. He also submitted two additional letters from his neighbors, names and addresses unstated. Nicholas Taylor, 3725 Orcutt Road, stated the proposed Prado Road extension to Johnson Avenue would go directly though his home. He does not want to lose his home. Beverly Johnson, 1495 Orcutt Road, owns property on the corner of Johnson Avenue and Orcutt Road and stated realignment would go through her husband's greenhouse. She does not want her property value negatively impacted. Andrew Wise, 3290 Johnson Avenue, expressed disapproval of the proposed extension easterly from Broad through Johnson Avenue because of traffic impacts. He does not want to lose the rural character of his neighborhood. Patti Taylor, 3731 Orcutt Road, reviewed the location of her property on an overhead map, noting her property would be divided by the proposed alignment, and stated she was not notified of this proposal until the last minute. An EIR is necessary and wildlife would be impacted by realignment. The staff report stated developers of the Orcutt area expansion would pay for and dedicate this roadway. She is not a party to the expansion submittal and will not dedicate land. She raised safety concerns for children crossing Johnson Avenue. Jean Anderson, 3580 Bullock Lane, feels her property will be impacted by realignment. She felt an EIR is necessary because of flooding, pollution, and wildlife concerns. She questioned how impacts to the railroad would be addressed. She did not receive timely notification of this hearing process. More concern is being given to bunch grass than to persons who may lose their homes, yards, and property values. John Anderson, northern California resident, grew up at 3580 Bullock Lane. He expressed concern that the proposed ball fields/sports complex drives the northern extension. He commented on flooding concerns and the inability of the creek to handle diversion. He felt an EIR is necessary. Paul Garay, representing the Garay family at 3821 Orcutt Road, stated he has expressed concerns to Orcutt Speck Plan proponents over the dedication of his family's acreage for parkland or right-of-way. The Garay family does not wish to be a part of the Orcutt expansion area and will not dedicate any property. Gamey Hall, 3711 Orcutt Road, stated the proposed road would wipe out every building on his property. He objects to the proposal. 1-110 Draft Planning Commission .rtes December 1, 1999 Page 12 Ron Allers, 2302 Park Lane Terrace, felt the real issue driving this proposal is construction of the sports complex and he expressed support for the southern alignment Leo Evans, 2248 Glacier Lane, Santa Maria, owns five acres on Bullock Lane. He feels staff supports an underpass at Industrial Way or Prado Road because developers will pay for it. He expressed concern about truck traffic on Prado Road and Industrial Way. Scott Lathrop, 1619 La Vineda, requested a determination on the road location so he can move forward with annexation development plans. He feels another connection across the railroad area is necessary to adequately serve other locations in the city, and that two city east-west accesses under the railroad are insufficient [Johnson Avenue and Tank Farm Road]. Penny Rappa, Santa Lucia Homeowners Association representative, stated there is growing concern in her neighborhood over traffic impacts. A southern alignment into Tank Farm Road over to Orcutt Road bisects the neighborhood. She expressed concern over children's safety while crossing busy streets and stated continuing to funnel traffic down Tank Farm Road is generating an increasingly difficult situation. Roy Garcia, 547 Prado Road, felt trying to reroute the plans to Industrial Way has created a mess. Bob Sloan, 3873 Poinsettia Street, owns property that backs Industrial Way. He complained of high noise levels, traffic impacts, and a decrease in his quality of life. He feels the northem alignment is more beneficial in routing traffic away from an existing neighborhood. Patty Taylor, 3731 Orcutt Road, felt realignment would actually be creating a new road. Seeing no further speakers come forward, the public comment session was closed. COMMISSION COMMENT: Commissioner Loh commented on the public remarks expressing lack of adequate project notification and asked when the EIR for the General Plan was performed. Assistant City Attorney Trujillo explained that the action before the Commission is a recommendation to the City Council. The Commission does not have final approval authority. He reviewed relevant CEQA-challenged court cases and explained options available to the Commission. Commissioner Loh questioned if the project has been expanded since first reviewed by City staff. Associate Planner Glen Matteson stated the project has not been expanded and the project description is the same. What has been expanded is the information in the initial study. He noted the EIR for the Land Use and Circulation Element Updates was prepared in 1994. 1-111 Draft Planning Commission A es December 1, 1999 Page 13 Commissioner Loh expressed the need for an EIR and proper public notification. She suggested a workshop might be helpful in gathering further public input. Commissioner Cooper moved to support the Prado Road extension which would connect with Industrial Way but not extend beyond Broad Street to Johnson Avenue [the adopted alignmentl, and recommend to Council that any further extension be submitted to a full environmental impact report. There was no second to the motion Commissioner Peterson does not support initiation of the amendment. He favors recommending requirement of an EIR for the entire length of the road. Commissioner Loh concurred. Commissioner Peterson moved to recommend not initiating the amendment to the General Plan and to recommend to the City Council preparation of an EIR if a change is initiated, considering the entire length of the route from US 101 to Johnson Avenue or to whatever location is determined by Council. Commissioner Cooper seconded the motion. Commissioner Peterson remarked much of the issue has to deal with growth; if growth in this area of town is not wanted, the public must voice their concerns and desires. Build out of this side of the city will require adequate roadways and access. Commissioner Loh complimented staff on their fine work. Vice Chairman Jeffrey has felt all along that this road should stop at Broad Street and not extend to Johnson Avenue. There are a number of impacts that have not been addressed in the environmental study; the study needs to be expanded. The community will benefit from a full EIR for the entire proposal. AYES: Commissioners Peterson, Cooper, Loh, and Vice Chairman Jeffrey NOES: None ABSENT: Commr. Whittlesey REFRAIN: Commissioners Senn and Chairman Ready The motion carried 40. Vice Chairman Jeffrey opened the floor to receive further Commission comment. Commissioner Cooper felt there should be further exploration of fiscal implications of the costs for construction of the road and the under/overpass, there should be clarification on the wetland areas and alternative routes and implications on Tank Farm Road; the southern connection was not explored thoroughly. There should be some concern for levels of service for pedestrians, bicyclists, and buses/public transportation. There ought to be concern about the issue of how pedestrians will get across the Prado Road arterial as it joins up through Johnson Avenue. There should be clarification on flooding concerns raised by the public near Broad Street. There is concern about the 1-112 EXHIBIT H A Qualitative Look at Costs,Logistics,and Construction Impacts of the Proposed Railroad Underpasses and Road Alignment Table 5 presents a qualitative analysis of constructing an underpass at the Union Pacific Railroad to accommodate an arterial street along two separate alignments. Staff also evaluated the physical feasibility and land use impacts of constructing a railroad "shoofly" (detour) that would be installed east of the railroad and would be used by trains during the underpass's construction. Staff concludes that it is feasible to construct the underpass and shoofly at either the Northern or Southern (Industrial Way) alignment, although the impacts may differ somewhat between the two alignments. The cost of the underpasses may vary somewhat between the alignment locations depending on how wide a bridge structure is desired, how much additional or new right-of-way is needed to accommodate it, the extent of impacts and requisite mitigation to adjacent properties, and the engineering design concept (landscaped slope banks vs. vertical walls) employed. For the purposes of this comparison staff has estimated the qualitative cost impacts associated with each alternative in a "head-to-head" comparison of the two crossings. Each category was then ranked as "Major, Minor or None" in favor of one crossing or the other, dependent on the assumed impacts and costs. While this comparison is not exact in terms of actual monetary costs it does allow a qualitative analysis with which to compare the two alternative crossings. Furthermore, the fiscal impacts to the City will depend on a variety of factors including how much developers of adjacent or nearby properties will contribute to the cost of constructing the underpass and purchasing the right-of-way and whether the City's Transportation Impact Fee (TIF) program is amended to include this new facility. In the mid-1980's an underpass at the Southern Pacific Railroad was constructed by the developers of the Edna-Islay Specific Plan Area at a cost of about$1.2 million. While the outcome may differ from the Edna-Islay experience, the fiscal planning for this particular facility will follow a similar track and will be resolved as part of the Orcutt Area Specific Plan and need not be resolved as part of this Circulation Element amendment. Both the Northern and Southern alignments will impact land uses to varying degrees and can accommodate an arterial roadway. While the northern alignment passes through Service Commercial- Industrial areas the southern alignment uses an existing street corridor that, in part, borders a residential subdivision. While establishing the northern alignment will require the City to purchase land and create a new signalized intersection on Broad Street, the southern alignment will require the traffic signals at Industrial Way to be modified, might require some additional right-of-way acquisition, and will expose and adjoining residential area to substantially higher traffic levels and attendant noise,possibly necessitating mitigation. The Southern Alignment can not take place within the existing right-of-way without reducing the existing landscaped area on the south side of the street which borders the residential subdivision. This landscaped area and widened sidewalk was specifically designed to mitigate existing landuse conflicts between the Graduate Restaurant and the residential neighborhood. If maintenance of this area is required for mitigation purposes, additional right-of-way and costly relocation of existing improvements will be necessary on the north side of Industrial Way to construct the underpass. Regardless of this outcome, the City will have to acquire access restrictions to the Graduate service and fire driveways (located immediately adjacent to the railroad tracks) and will have to construct a new fire access point to the area south of Industrial Way. 1-113 Table 5: Underpass and Alignment Feasibili and Costs Issue Northern Alignment Southern Alignment Cost Advantage Underpass @Union Pacific Railroad Construction Slightly wider right-of-way on Narrower right-of-way and adjacent existing Northern Cost of approaches may allow the use of development on western approaches to (minor) Underpass some landscaped slope banks underpass likely to necessitate use of vertical Structure which are less expensive than retaining walls which are more expensive. vertical retaining walls. Feasibility and Shoofly alignment on east side of Shoofly alignment will not likely require Neither(1) Impacts railroad will likely require some modification to Bullock Lane's alignment Constructing modification to the Bullock Lane except to a minor extent for the "finger"parcel Railroad alignment serving parcels south of currently in SLO City Limits. Southern end of Shoofly(detour) the mobile home park. Existing shoofly would conceptually begin near the open at Underpass(1) structures would not likely be creek channel and could effect its northern effected but individual parcel creek bank area and the adjacent grove of access may need to be modified eucalyptus trees. Significance of this impact depending on the precise design of will depend on precise length of shoofly and the shoofly's slope banks. design of slope banks. Decisions on the length Significance of this impact will and design of the shoofly will be at the depend on the time of discretion of the Union Pacific Railroad and redevelopment of these parcels and could potentially include a creek crossing to the actual construction of the meet their needs. underpass. Issue Northern AlignmentT Southern Alignment Cost 1 . 1Advanta e Route Connection to Broad Street Intersection Intersection New traffic signal will be required. Existing traffic signal system would need to Southern Improvement Installation of signal at this new be modified to reflect new street (minor) Costs intersection may reduce traffic configurations and widths. Installation of a volumes and the need for a traffic signal at the Capitolio Way intersection may signal at Capitotio Way to the be needed sooner under this scenario than north. under the northern alignment scenario. Right-Of-Way The cost of purchasing right-of- Current right-of-way might accommodate an Southern Costs way to accommodate an arterial arterial street. However, the inability to take (minor) street between the railroad and advantage of the existing ROW by reducing Broad Street. If this alignment is the landscaped area on the south side of the selected, existing right-of-way street could require additional right-of-way along Industrial Way between costs along this section. Access rights along Sacramento Drive and the railroad the north side of the street could potentially (adjacent to the Graduate have to be acquired to relocate/remove Restaurant) might be available to access form the roadway. See "Ease of help address current land use Implementation' section of this table for compatibility concerns. additional discussion. Environmental Arterial street would pass through Substantial traffic increases on Industrial Northern Mitigation service commercial and industrial Way will raise land use compatibility issues (major) areas with no obvious land use with adjoining residents along the south side compatibility concerns. The of the street. Traffic noise is likely a key "likely wetland" area north of concern. Noise mitigation could include Wallace Business Forms is outside modifications to the existing block wall of the proposed right of way and along the south side, changes to the gate should not be affected by I opening in the wall, berms/landscaping 1-Mr— construction of the underpass. along the Graduate Restaurant's parking lot However, more analysis is needed perimeter wall to reduce reflective noise, once a design for the structure is and possibly retrofitting vent systems in prepared. adjoining dwellings. If this alignment is selected, existing right-of-way along Industrial Way between Sacramento Drive and the railroad (adjacent to the Graduate Restaurant) might be available to help address current land use compatibility concerns. Ease of Alignment west of the railroad Between Sacramento Drive and the railroad, Northern Implementation passes through primarily vacant the Industrial Way right-of-way includes a (major) areas, with the exception of an 12 foot landscaped area along the southern older chicken coop structure. No border of the street. If this landscaped major disruption to structures or buffer between the Graduate Restaurant and the operation of existing land uses adjoining housing areas is retained, then the is anticipated. road alignment will need to be shifted northward. This shift would likely necessitate the elimination of existing landscaping and mature Palm trees along the north side of the street and could impact the adjoining parking lot. If the landscaped strip is eliminated and the full right-of-way Issue Northern Alignment Southern Alignment Cost Advantage is used for circulation purposes,additional noise wall buffering and exceptionally tall walls would likely be required along the southern edge of the right-of-way. Service access to the Graduate Restaurant is provided via the east end of Industrial Way and a service driveway. It appears that employees park in back of the building adjoining the railroad. Also,there is a emergency access road that extends from Industrial Way southward bordering the residential tract. Constructing an underpass at Industrial Way will require the Graduate's restaurants service access point to be shifted to Sacramento Drive,that their loading dock area be redesigned,that employee parking be relocated,and that the emergency access roadway be terminated. Route Connection Iii era to Broad Street Construction The Northern alignment The Southern alignment would require a Northern Cost of substantially avoids the defunct substantial cut of the now defunct quarry site (Major) Roadway quarry site and takes advantage of that exists west of Broad Street. This topography west of Broad. construction cost could be substantial if A balancing of cut and fill demolition work is required to meet proper requirements is expected for this engineering grade requirements. scenario. Because of the fixed point at Industrial Way 1-115 there is no possibility of realigning this section to avoid this work. Notes (1) Constructing a railroad shoofly involves building a new track bed to the east of the existing rail alignment. The shoofly functions as a detour for trains during the construction of the underpass. At its widest point(at the underpass), the toe of the eastern slope of the shoofly would be approximately 30 meters from the center of the nearest railroad tracks. The tapers of the shoofly on either side of the underpass would likely be about 250 meters with an overall shoofly length of 500 m. The eastward shift of the shoofly is dependent on changes in elevation and the configuration of any required slope banks. The length of the shoofly will depend, in part, on the design speed of trains using it. The dimensions used here are taken from the design of the shoofly used to construct the Tank Farm Road underpass to the south. Neither alignment demonstrates a clear advantage over the other. A shoofly serving the northern alignment may affect access to private properties (the apples) while a shoofly for the southern alignment could impact a creek and a grove of Eucalyptus trees (the oranges). Regardless of this analysis, it appears that land east of the railroad is generally undeveloped and could physically accommodate a shoofly under either alignment alternative. Constructing a railroad shoofly is the traditional technique for provide a train detour. There are other techniques that might be considered depending on their cost effectiveness and impacts including: boring a tunnel under the railroad without relocating the rail line; or even terminating rail connections for a few days to allow the accelerated construction of components of the underpass needed to support a reestablished rail line. 1-116 Win. 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Public Works, Community Development, and Recreation staff presented information concerning various aspects of extending Prado Road to connect with Johnson Avenue. Many questions and comments were made by the public. Staff responded to all of the questions and to many of the comments. The following is a synopsis of public questions and comments. Why not use the existing signalized intersection at Industrial Way which avoids creating a new signalized intersection to the north? I don't understand the problem with using the Industrial Way alignment and access to the proposed sports field complex. I'm concerned about the amount of traffic on Johnson Avenue. Won't that street experience daily volumes of 31,000 vehicles? Traffic speeds on Johnson Avenue south of Laurel Lane are too fast. The City needs to do something. How are children going to try and cross that street? Will the City install a traffic signal at the Orcutt-Johnson Intersection? Won't doubling the traffic volume on Johnson Avenue cause more air pollution? Will the new proposed two-lane section of Prado Road (between the railroad and the south end of Johnson Avenue)be easier to cross? What will be the speed limit along that road? City should try to limit traffic growth on Johnson Avenue. Proposals to plan the Orcutt Area and the southern part of the city should include Class I bikeways. Has the City considered a parking structure as part of the sports field complex? 1-119 1 Does the traffic analysis completed by city staff consider full development in the southern part of the city? Is this plan (the Prado Extension Proposal) directed at solving future problems? Or does it also address current conditions and needs? The elderly have a hard time crossing Orcutt Road (between Johnson and Laurel) and the City has not supported the installation of a crosswalk in this area. City should improve transit service and provide more police enforcement. What is the status of the grade separation at the railroad on Orcutt Road? When will it be built and what's holding it up? Has the City established a financing plan for the Prado Road extension? There is a need for bike trails throughout the area. Shouldn't the City consider eliminating the bike lanes on Johnson Avenue since they're not used? Will we have a bridge over Route 101 at Prado Road? Making left turns from Tanglewood Drive onto Johnson Avenue is unsafe and difficult to do during peak traffic periods. Do children need to be hit on Johnson Avenue before the City agrees to install stop signs? Why is this project going forward to the City Council since the Planning Commission voted to require an EIR? The flyer that was sent out advertising this workshop was overly political. Why can't we have a more direct connection to areas west of the railroad? I support the extension. Why can't the City install a stop sign at Tanglewood Drive and Johnson Avenue? Traffic projections used by staff to do the analysis for this proposal are unreliable. Increases in traffic will decrease safety within the Johnson Avenue area. How does the City propose to stop large trucks accessing commercial areas directly west of the railroad from continuing eastward on Prado Road and driving through the Johnson Avenue area? I live on Flora Street and I can't wait for this connection to be made. Will Prado Road west of Broad Street become State Route 227? 1-120 Why should Prado Road be aligned to bisect the new neighborhoods that are planned in the area [the Orcutt Area and the Margarita Area]? Won't this type of alignment create the same type of problem we have elsewhere? Extending Prado Road east of the railroad will damage properties in the Orcutt Area. If Prado Road is extended, developers will want to build more quickly in the Orcutt Area. Who's going to pay for the Prado Road extension and underpass? What happens if the property owners in the Orcutt Area don't want the road extension? Nine out of the thirteen property owners in the Orcutt Area don't want to annex their land to the City and will not dedicate land for the road extension. City should focus traffic on Orcutt and Tank Farm Roads. We don't need another connection and its not worth the reduced safety for children. The City staff is shoving this road extension down the resident's throats. The specific plan for the Orcutt Area seems to be a done deal. City staff told me that the extension of Prado Road would begin this July. The time frames for its extension presented tonight are totally different. What is the reason for the difference? The Prado-South Higuera Street intersection will be heavily used and congested. How will landscaping be handled as part of this street extension? Contrary to what staff has been saying, extending Prado Road will attract new trips to the area. Building arterial streets'/i mile apart as proposed here is not the norm for circulation planning. City should consider planning for a pedestrian-bicycle underpass of the railroad to provide access from the Orcutt Area to the Graduate Restaurant and the Marigold Shopping Center. Prado Road west of Broad will separate the proposed elementary school site from the sports field complex. This is not a good land use relationship. We need and EIR to fully evaluate this proposal. The map produced by staff that shows how various circulation options cause an increase or decrease in traffic along various streets is confusing. It seems to show that along the green colored streets,traffic will decrease. Will traffic levels on Johnson Avenue between Buchon and Pismo Streets increase and, if so, what will the City do about it? 1-121 3 The City should install 3 or 4 stop signs on Johnson Avenue: It's easy to do and it will take care of the traffic problems [speeding and access from cross'streets]. If the Orcutt Area property owners don't Want-the street extension; isn't the issue moot? Has anybody looked.into the-.problems with visibility at the Southwood-Johnson intersection? 1=122 4 EXHIBIT J Initial Environmental study: Circulation Element Amendment for Prado Road Extension (ER 190-99) January 2000 City of San Luis Obispo Community Development Department Long-range Planning Division 1-123 This Initial Study has been revised, expanded, and reformatted following the December 1, 1999, Planning Commission hearing, to: . Further clarify the type and extent of impacts expected to result from the proposed General Plan amendment designating an approximate alignment, as opposed to impacts which cannot be described until a specific roadway design is proposed; . Identify the criteria for deciding if there could be significant impacts; . -Highlight mitigation that can be decided now, to achieve consistency with the General Plan; . Respond to questions and comments from Commissioners and the public at the December 1 hearing and the January 5, 2000, public workshop. 1-124 Contents Summary .......................................................................... 1 Introduction ProjectTitle .......................................................................... 3 Lead Agency Name and Address ............................................. 3 Contact Person and Phone Number .......................................... 3 Project Sponsor's Name and Address ....................................... 3 ProjectLocation .................................................................... 3 General Plan Designation .......................................................... 3 Zoning ................................................................................ 3 Project Description .................................................................3 Project Alternatives ................................................................ 5 RelatedProjects ................................................................... 6 Project Entitlements Requested ............................................... 6 Surrounding Land Use and Setting ........................................... 6 Other Public Agencies whose Approval Is Required ..................... 6 Impacts and Mitigation Measures Transportation and Circulation ........................................... 7 Land Use and Planning ......................................................... 19 Noise ............................................................................... 24 Biological Resources ..............:............................................. 29 Cultural Resources .............................................................. 33 GeologicProblems .............................................................. 35 Water ............................................................................... 36 AirQuality .......................................................................... 38 Aesthetics ............................................................................ 40 Hazards ............................................................................. 41 PublicServices ........:............................................................ 43 Utilities and Service Systems ................................................. 44 Population and Housing ......................................................... 45 Energy and Mineral Resources ............................................... 46 Recreation .......................................................................... 46 Mandatory Findings of Significance ..................................... 47 Environmental Determination ............................................... 48 Determination for Department of Fish & Game Fee ............... 48 Mitigation and Monitoring ..................................................... 49 Source References ............................................................... 52 EarlierAnalyses ................................................................... 53 1-125 Maps and Tables Maps VicinityMap .......................................................................................... 2 Alternatives & Cumulative Projects ......................................................... 4 Road System Context .......................................................................... 10 Principal Environmental Features Near the Prado Road Potential Alignments ............................................................................... 20 Projected Johnson Avenue Noise Contours Assuming No NoiseMitigation ............................................................................... 26 Projected Noise Contours for Prado-Industrial Extension Assuming No.Noise Mitigation ..................................................................... 26 Tables Comparison of Average Daily Traffic Volumes Among Alternatives ............... 16 Intersection Levels of Service ................................................................. 17 Comparison of Alternatives .......................................................... attached 1-126 Summary The City of San Luis Obispo proposes to amend the Circulation Element of its General Plan, to show a more northerly alignment for the extension of Prado Road between South Higuera Street and Broad Street, and continuing under the railroad to Johnson Avenue at Orcutt Road. This change is meant to improve areawide circulation in the long term as additional development occurs, mainly in the southern part of the city, consistent with the Land Use Element of the General Plan. The General Plan is a policy document that must be internally consistent. In addition to the Circulation Element's desired circulation network, the General Plan contains many policies for environmental protection. Therefore, the proposed amendment to the Circulation Element must be consistent with the General Plan's environmental-protection policies. In this way, General Plan policies prescribe approaches for mitigating potential impacts of the proposed alignment change. These policies are the basis for the mitigation presented in this evaluation. The proposed alignment would redistribute future traffic and related impacts from some existing street segments within neighborhoods to other existing street segments within neighborhoods (mainly from Laurel Lane and the east-west segment of Orcutt Road, to Johnson Avenue between Laurel Lane and Orcutt Road). However, the increased traffic levels would not violate policies for the types of roadways or neighborhood settings that would be affected. The General Plan amendment would not lead to immediate construction of the extension. Precise designs have not been prepared. Actual construction of the extension is not proposed at this time. The Margarita Area Specific Plan, the Orcutt Area Specific Plan, and the environmental impact reports for those plans will provide additional information on roadway design, impacts, and mitigation. The proposed alignment involves potential impacts in these topic areas: • noise • biological resources cultural (archaeological) resources public services The City has made a preliminary determination that no further environmental study will be required if certain features or future actions are,made part of the .project, to assure that the potential impacts will not be significant. In considering the proposed alignment, the City has compared it with alternatives, including: • the proposed alignment east to Broad Street, but stopping there • the adopted alignment, with no extension beyond Industrial Way • the adopted alignment to Industrial Way, but then continuing under the railroad to Johnson Avenue at Orcutt Road • a southerly alignment extending Prado Road to Tank Farm Road. The proposed alignment would provide the most direct connection for cars, pedestrians, cyclists, and bus riders, and therefore beneficial impacts for traffic flow, air quality, and energy consumption. Its impacts on biological resources and public services (emergency access) would be about the same or less severe than the alternatives. The proposed alignment's potential impacts on noise exposure and archaeological resources require more mitigation than some of the alternatives, to maintain consistency with the General Plan and to assure that impacts will be acceptable. The attached table compares the alternatives. 1-127 Initial Environmental Study: Prado Road Extension Circulation Element Amendment - Page 2 �a c d E .. .:. C any uasuyorML tM .ca C �1 O - JQ Q' :::.. :::' :::.::::::: / • � W m A ::0..:. 9 tJ ,. ., a ......... .... ..... ... CS O �V '_.,_...., .... O 8 0 .a >_:::..:. . _ :m::. . t0 4 a:: :::::::: m Aa Q - Z CLWCO 0 w� r .......... ....... ....... wC W . y oa rs . C Qpm �aA � O O`4M�16j o 0 L p I U CL ea a 5 o 0 SOS m Y NOMIN 1-128 V Initial Environmental Study: F Road Extension Circulation Element Amen, Page 3 Introduction Project Title: Circulation Element Amendment for Prado Road Extension (GPA 190-99) Lead Agency Name and Address: City of San Luis Obispo 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo CA 93401-3249 Contact Person and Phone Number: Glen Matteson, Associate Planner 805 781-7165 e-mail: gmatteso@ci.san-luis-obispo.ca.us Project Sponsor's Name and Address: City of San Luis Obispo 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Project Location The project would affect access and traffic patterns throughout the southeastern part of the city. On-site impacts would focus on the proposed roadway alignment: from the vicinity of the former quant' hill to a point on Broad Street midway between Capitolio Way and Industrial Way, easterly across Sacramento Drive, under the railroad near the southern end of Bullock Lane, and on to the intersection of Johnson Avenue and Orcutt Road near the P. G. & E. substation. General Plan Designation: The proposed road alignment is within the urban reserve line, extending through: • the Margarita Specific Plan Area, through land designated Business Park, Residential Neighborhood, and Park; • an area between Broad Street (Highway 227) and the Union Pacific Railroad, designated Services& Manufacturing; • the Orcutt Specific Plan Area, designated Residential Neighborhood. Zoning The land between Broad Street and Sacramento Drive is zoned Service Commercial. The land between Sacramento Drive and the railroad is zoned Manufacturing. The sections of the proposed alignment in the specific plan areas are outside the city limits, so City zoning has not been applied (though the County has similar designations). Upon annexation and adoption of the proposed specific plans, these areas will be zoned consistent with the specific plans (mainly a new Business Park zone, residential zones, and the PF zone). Project Description The Circulation Element of the General Plan schematically shows a "proposed roadway" extending from the eastern end of Prado Road through the Margarita Area, to intersect Broad Street at Industrial Way. This road would provide the principal access to the Margarita Area, which is a major residential expansion area, and connect the southeastern part of the city with a new Highway 101 interchange. Prado Road is also shown extending westward past Highway 101 to Madonna Road. The Circulation Element shows the existing Tank Farm Road link between areas east and west of the railroad, as well as Orcutt Road having a new overpass at the railroad. It does not show an easterly extension of Industrial Way, or any direct east-west connection from east of the railroad to the area of Highway 101 and Madonna Road. 1-129 Initial Environmental Study: Prado r i Extension Circulation Element Amendment Page 4 t f >3.0 row 1 N cc— � � _0.. Mx 1 — 1 �OMCD I `f t any uosuyor -, a _ 1 / \ ♦ � A ` 11 D r 1 � ♦ Q. z� � � a I JSP) p \ G��♦ 4G Oad e O 1 (D U) 1 r � J eae�y \ I (((���• m 1 5 g o% � — - 1 M 2-� elue I y •0 L y a) a 0 ' c v is •. axi l ai CL (•• S 3 cc CL 0 0 v • c« o CL 00 (D E E U- M CM c N= c 0 Qz 00 I E ani ++ I M LL ` — 1 d j o 14W at a0 1 e/a cp \ C Q — �m 1 n � " o 0 tY u-i uagoeA >. d /1 0 a 'n u' / 0 y ' _ o� \ m a .-J eam 6 A a e d 0 ca��e� / \ E Ol Cl gJ o _o p ro o s05° x ego L a - � Initial Environmental Study:I Road Extension Circulation Element Amen t Page 5 The proposed project is to amend the Circulation Element, to show the Prado Road extension intersecting Broad Street midway between the Industrial Way intersection and the Capitolio Way intersection, and continuing east to a connection with Johnson Avenue at Orcutt Road. ("Vicinity Map").The extension from the eastern end of the existing Prado Road to Broad Street would be classified as a "highway/regional route,"the same classification shown for the adopted alignment. From Broad Street to the railroad, it would be classified as an "arterial." From the railroad to Orcutt Road, it would be classified as a "residential arterial." The extension from the existing Prado Road to Broad Street would continue to be classified as a truck route. The rest of the extension, east of Broad Street, would not be classified as a truck route. The City is proposing the General Plan amendment now because the choice of alignment is a key factor in planning for the Margarita Area and the Orcutt Area, as well as for individual development proposals along the adopted and proposed alignments. Precise designs have not been prepared. Actual construction of the extension is not proposed at this time. The Margarita Area Specific Plan, the Orcutt Area Specific Plan, and the environmental impact reports for those plans will provide additional information on roadway design, impacts, and mitigation. For the purpose of understanding the scope of alignment impacts, the following assumptions were made. Most of the right-of-way through the Margarita Area would be 32 meters (105 feet) wide, and is expected to have up to four travel lanes (and tum lanes at intersections), a landscaped median and parkways, and bicycle lanes and paths. The right-of-way east of Broad Street to Johnson Avenue would be up to 26 meters (84 feet) wide, and is expected to accommodate two travel lanes (with turn lanes at intersections), parkways, and bicycle lanes and paths. Most of the right-of-way would be about 23 meters (74 feet) wide. According to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and its Guidelines, a "project" is an action that has the potential to adversely affect the environment. In that sense, the proposed General Plan amendment is a project. Therefore, this study refers to the proposed amendment as "the project." However, CEQA also distinguishes between, on one hand, a project in the sense of building a particular feature, and on the other hand, establishing or changing a policy or program. While CEQA says the whole of an action should be evaluated early in the decision- making process, CEQA acknowledges that general review can take place first at a policy or program level, and later at a more specific level as the details of implementing actions become known and can be evaluated. CEQA requires disclosure of likely impacts, but discourages speculation concerning impacts that cannot be predicted until project features are known in sufficient detail. Project Alternatives This study evaluates several alternatives to the proposed project. They are listed below and shown schematically in the map"Alternatives and Cumulative Projects! Adopted alignment, which would bring Prado Road to Broad Street at the existing Industrial Way intersection, but with no extension east of the railroad. This can be considered the "no action" alternative. • Industrial Way extension: the adopted alignment to Industrial Way, but then extending under the railroad to Johnson Avenue at Orcutt Road. • Northern terminating alignment: the proposed northern alignment east to Broad Street, but stopping there. • Southern alignment: extending Prado Road to Tank Farm Road with an intersection west of Santa Fe Road (with Tank Farre Road being the secondary link and having a"T" intersection with the new road). 1-131 Initial Environmental Study: Pra iad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 6 Related Projects As part of the adopted Circulation Element, Santa Fe Road would be extended north to intersect the new Prado Road extension, and Buckley Road would be extended west to intersect South Higuera Street. Actual construction of these extensions depends largely on adjacent subdivision and development. The adopted Circulation Element also shows a new interchange of Prado Road and Highway 101, with Prado Road extending west to Madonna Road. The location of that.Madonna Road intersection may be shifted southwest as a result of an amendment connected with the San Luis Marketplace (Dalidio property) proposal, for which an environmental impact report is being prepared. An optional new road extending northeast from Los Osos Valley Road is being considered as part of the Airport Area Specific Plan. These related items are shown on the map "Alternatives and Cumulative Projects." The southerly extension of Bullock Lane to Tank Farm Road, shown in the adopted Circulation Element, may be deleted following additional work (including an environmental impact report) to draft the Orcutt Area Specific Plan. Project Entitlements Requested The decision-making body is the City Council. The only approval requested is amendment of the General Plan Circulation Element to designate the subject of this evaluation as a "proposed roadway" (affecting Figure #2, Streets Classification Map; Figure 4, Transportation Capital Projects; and Figure#5, Truck Route Map). Surrounding Land Uses and Setting In the Margarita Area, the adopted alignment extends through largely undeveloped grazing land, and through the location of a house that is being used as an office opposite Industrial Way. The proposed alignment would also extend through mostly undeveloped grazing land in the Margarita Area. Both alignments pass through the remnants of a quarried hill and would cross Acacia Creek, but at different places. East from Broad Street, the proposed alignment would follow the southern edge of the largely undeveloped parcel to the north of the self-storage facility, intersect Sacramento Drive, and proceed along the northern, undeveloped edge of the parcel partly occupied'by a printing plant (recently approved as a separate parcel). East of the railroad, the alignment would pass through parcels used mainly for outdoor storage and through vacant land. Approaching the Orcutt-Johnson intersection, the proposed route would pass through at most four home sites. Other Public Agencies Whose Approval Is Required No other agency approval is required for the Circulation Element amendment. Required agency approvals for finalizing a design and constructing the road will follow further environmental evaluation. Bridges over Acacia Creek and Orcutt Creek are expected to need approval by the California Department of Fish & Game and by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans District 5) will review and comment on the new intersection prior to City action. As a related action, the City may ask Caltrans to designate the extension of Prado Road between Broad Street (Highway 227) and Highway 101 as Highway 227 (in place of Broad Street to the north, and South Street.) Caltrans approval will be required for any construction work or encroachments into a State highway right-of-way. 1-132 Initial Environmental Study: I Road Extension Circulation Element Amen t Page 7 - Impacts and Mitigation Measures TRANSPORTATION &CIRCULATION Increased vehicle trips or traffic congestion Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would generate measurably more trips than previously projected for General Plan build-out. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would cause a roadway or intersection level of service to be unacceptable according to the Circulation Element standards, where the level of service would have been acceptable with the adopted Circulation Element Conclusion: Most intersections would have a beneficial Impact; some would be adverse but less than significant. 3. The proposed alignment would cause more traffic volume or speed, or require a greater number of travel lanes, than identified as desirable for a street classification type according to the Circulation Element standards (Policy 5.2). Conclusion: No impact. Summary: None of the alignments under consideration would generate traffic. The proposed alignment would not result in a lower service level for any street or intersection than the adopted alignment. It would not result in Circulation Element standards being exceeded for traffic volume, speed, or number of lanes, including for the "residential arterial" Johnson Avenue. The proposed alignment would have beneficial impacts by producing a higher level of service at the intersection of Broad Street and Industrial Way and reducing the number of turning movements at the intersections of Johnson Avenue with Laurel Lane, Broad Street with Orcutt Road, and Broad Street with Tank Farm Road. Hazards to safety from design features (such as sharp curves or dangerous intersections) or incompatible uses (such as farm equipment) Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would use horizontal or vertical curves or intersection configurations that do not meet commonly accepted design standards, or would direct substantial traffic to other roadways that do not meet such standards. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would cause merging or path-crossing between types of vehicles or travel modes in a way that is inherently hazardous. Conclusion: Depending on mode and location, impacts would be beneficial, less than significant, or subject to mitigation. Summary: All alignments would follow commonly accepted design standards. No alignment would produce unacceptable conflict with trucks accessing industrial areas. No alignment would substantially reduce pedestrian safety along connecting roads (such as Johnson Avenue, where mitigation in the form of traffic signals would be available, as warranted). The proposed alignment would result in an additional opportunity for separation of rail traffic from vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. It would allow access to the proposed 1-133 Initial Environmental Study: Pra ad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 8 Margarita Area sports fields from a local street rather than from one highway close to the intersection with another highway, a reason for preferring this alignment. Inadequate general or emergency access Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would block existing local streets or driveways, without providing alternate access. Conclusion: Impact would be less than significant. 2. The proposed alignment would measurably increase emergency-response times. Conclusion: Impact would be beneficial. Summary: The proposed alignment would not interfere with existing routes. It would result in an additional opportunity for emergency vehicles to travel between areas east and west of the railroad. Potential short-term access disruptions can be avoided or mitigated (see also Public Services discussion). The Industrial Way extension would reduce emergency access along the west side of the railroad. Insufficient parking capacity on-site or off-site Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would eliminate existing on-street parking in contradiction to adopted City policy or it would eliminate off-street parking, resulting in nonconformity according to the Zoning Regulations. Contusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would measurably increase parking demand. Conclusion: No impact. Summary: None of the alignments would affect parking demand. Only the Industrial Way extension has the potential to eliminate curbside parking, but this would not violate City policy. Hazards or barriers for pedestrians or bicyclists Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would create a barrier to existing or planned walkways or paths. Conclusion: The impact would be beneficial. 2. The proposed alignment would cause merging or path-crossing between vehicles and pedestrian or cyclists in ways that are inherently hazardous. Conclusion: For some routes the impact would be beneficial; for others impacts would be mitigable. 3. The proposed alignment would measurably increase vehicle traffic volume or speed on a roadway with insufficient space or facilities for pedestrians or cyclists sharing the roadway or expected to share the roadway in the future. Conclusion: Impact would be less than significant. Summary: The proposed alignment would not create barriers and would provide a way past one barrier (the railroad). The proposed alignment would allow cyclists traveling from the 1-134 Initial Environmental Study: P Road Extension Circulation Element Amenr Page 9 Johnson Avenue.area and the Orcutt Area to the Margarita Area and beyond to avoid turning onto Broad Street through the Orcutt Road and Tank Farm Road intersections. Johnson Avenue has adequate space for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists traveling parallel. Traffic signals could be installed (with or without the proposed alignment) to provide safety for cross-traffic, as warranted, under any alternative alignment. "Traffic calming" (neighborhood traffic management measures, aimed mainly at speed reduction) could be pursued, under any alignment alignment. Conflicts with adopted policies supporting alternative transportation Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would make pedestrian or bicycle routes longer or take them through areas that are inherently unpleasant or hazardous for walking or cycling. Conclusion: The impact would be beneficial. 2. The proposed alignment would eliminate existing or planned bus routes or stops. Conclusion:The impact would be beneficial. 3. The proposed alignment would make driving single-occupant vehicles measurably more attractive than using altemative transportation between points connected by the proposed alignment Conclusion: No impact. Summary: The proposed alignment would not lengthen pedestrian or bicycle routes or take them through areas that are inherently unpleasant or hazardous. It would create another opportunity for a bicycle route and a bus route. No alignment would favor single- occupant vehicles over other modes. Rail,waterborne or air traffic impacts (including incompatibility with Airport Land Use Plan) Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would sever a rail or water transportation route or occupy an airport. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would otherwise interfere with the normal operation of rail, water, or air traffic. Conclusion: Short-term impact would be adverse but less than significant; long-term impact would be beneficial. 3. The proposed alignment would cause additional rail, water, or air traffic beyond the capacity of existing facilities. 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' . . . . . _ :``' ` :'::::':.: : ::. . . . . . . : :1:136 : : : : Initial Environmental Study: I Road Extension Circulation Element Amen it Page I I Summary: No alignment would permanently affect another transportation mode. The proposed alignment or the Industrial Way extension would create a beneficial opportunity for additional separation of road and rail traffic. Building any road crossing under the railroad will require a temporary, parallel track or tracks to be constructed (which may have secondary impacts) or another technique to minimize interference with trains during construction. Construction-stage impacts and mitigation measures for any alignment will be identified when a project design is prepared. Discussion of Traffic Situation and Traffic-Related Impacts Development Capacity and Travel Demand The City's General Plan designates land for future development, in addition to presently developed areas. Major future development locations include the Airport Area (mainly industries and services), Madonna Road and Los Osos Valley Road (mainly stores), and the'Margarita Area and the Orcutt Area (mainly housing).As these areas develop,there will be increasing desire for travel between the eastern part of the city (along Johnson Avenue and Orcutt Road) and the south-central and southwest parts of the city. While the General Plan favors shifting travel demand from single- occupant vehicles to other modes such as carpooling, cycling, and bus, the number of vehicle trips is expected to increase in proportion to the additional dwellings, stores, and work places. With the existing and proposed roads shown in the General Plan, much of this additional travel would be along Tank Farm Road, Laurel Lane and Orcutt Road, Johnson Avenue north of Laurel Lane, and an extension of Prado Road connecting Madonna Road, Highway 101, and Broad Street at Industrial Way. Why the New Route Is Being Considered The City is preparing specific plans for the Margarita Area and the Airport Area, and has received a draft specific plan from representatives of some owners in the Orcutt Area.A key circulation issue to be resolved by these planning efforts is the best means of connecting the Higuera Street corridor and areas west of Highway 101 with the Broad Street corrdior and areas east of the railroad. Because the current Circulation Element of the General Plan does not show a continuous route from the Johnson Avenue area to Broad Street, Highway 101, and Madonna Road, the segments of Laurel Lane, Orcutt Road, South Higuera Street, and Broad Street connecting the discontinuous east-west roads are expected to experience disproportionately higher increases in traffic volume. Those wanting to travel in a generally east-west direction would need to tum onto, merge with, and tum off from the connecting segments, their trips being added to the north-south trips and contributing to congestion and delay at intersections (Road System Context map). Such congestion would affect emergency response times and travel modes, in addition to singe-occupant vehicles. It would also increase noise, air pollution, and energy consumption. None of these consequences is expected to produce intolerable conditions. However, the existence of largely undeveloped land along a potential route for a direct east-west connection has prompted the City to consider a new road alignment that could result in better areawide circulation for the long term. The "program level" environmental review provided by this initial study is meant to identify impacts that could not be avoided or reduced to acceptable levels by a future project design, and which therefore would be a basis for rejecting the proposed general alignment. Much public concern expressed during early review of the proposed alignment focused on impacts to property in the Orcutt Area and the neighborhood along the southern part of Johnson Avenue. It should be noted that absence of the proposed alignment would not avoid development of the areas noted above, nor the provision of new collector streets affecting the Orcutt Area and its neighbors. 1-137 Initial Environmental Study: Prat ad Extension Circulation Element Amendmf Page 12 The principal result of the new route would be a redistribution of traffic from Laurel Lane and -the segment of Orcutt Road between the railroad and Johnson Avenue to the new road and Johnson Avenue between Laurel Lane and Orcutt Road. Along the latter segment, average daily traffic is projected to increase from the range of 5,000 to 6,000 currently, and at General Plan build-out with the adopted Circulation Element, to about 13,000 at General Plan build-out with the proposed alignment. For comparison, Johnson Avenue at Sydney Street currently carries about 13,000 vehicles per day. Johnson Avenue, long designated as an arterial, has adequate capacity for that traffic volume. Comparison of Alternatives The basic alignment alternatives will not affect trip generation or significantly differ among themselves in terms of encouraging or discourgaing single-occupant vehicle trips or alternative modes such as walking, cycling, or transit. The principal traffic differences among the alternatives involve levels of congestion at intersections, which can be similarly mitigated through intersection design. The general advantages and disadvantages of the alternatives are summarized below. This comparison is qualitative. The numbers of factors listed under the alternatives are not intended to be used for determining a superior altemative. The attached table provides a comprehensive comparison of alternatives. Adopted (Industrial Way) alignment Advantages . A relatively direct connection to South Higuera Street and Highway 101 from Broad Street; . Use of an existing signalized intersection, avoiding the introduction of another major intersection along heavily traveled Broad Street; . Potential extension of Industrial Way east into the Orcutt Area; . Few physical or environmental constraints along the alignment. Disadvantages . Two new creek crossings needed; . No direct access from the west into the Orcutt Area (except by extension of Industrial Way,which would be disruptive of existing adjacent land uses); . Shallowness of Acacia Creek channel is an obstacle to providing a pedestrian path and wildlife movement under a new road bridge; . Difficult to provide continuous bicycle paths or lanes, requiring cyclists to use existing major roads. Proposed northern alignment Advantages . A direct extension into the Orcutt Area, where most feasible to provide a railroad grade separation; . Acacia Creek crossing at a location more accommodating of a pedestrian and bicycle path and wildlife movement; • Better accomodates access and parking for proposed sports fields and business park development(at Industrial Way intersection); . Better opportunities for continuous bicycle paths or lanes between origins and destinations. Disadvantages • Creates another major intersection for the Broad Street corridor (though the spacing between intersections would permit coordination of traffic signals); . Roadway may impact rare plants and an archaeological site; . Requires some grading on the lower slope of the hill to attain appropriate horizontal and vertical alignments, possibly further impacting views, plants, and an archaeological site. 1-138 Initial Environmental Study: f Road Extension Circulation Element Amen, t Page 13 - Northern terminating alignment Advantages . Acacia Creek crossing at a location more accommodating of a pedestrian and bicycle path and wildlife movement; . Better accomodates access and parking for proposed sports fields (at Industrial Way intersection). Disadvantages . No direct extension into the Orcutt Area; . Creates another major intersection for the Broad Street corridor, without diverting trips from existing Orcutt Road and Tank Farm Road intersections (though the spacing between intersections would permit coordination of traffic signals); . Requires grading on the lower slope of the hill to attain appropriate horizontal and vertical alignments; . Difficult to provide continuous bicycle paths or lanes, requiring cyclists to use existing major roads. Southern (Tank Farm)alignment Advantages . Reduced roadway construction cost by using 900 meters of the existing Tank Farm Road; • Relatively direct connection between the eastern Tank Farm Road area and Highway 101; • Could avoid widening, or possibly allow abandonment, of a segment of Tank Farm Road that has environmental constraints to widening. Disadvantages . Passes through an area of substantial surface and subsurface contamination (disruption by road construction should be avoided due to costs of clean-up, but there may be alignment variations or other methods to minimize the impact); . Passes through sensitive creek habitat areas and some of the highest quality wetland in the area; . No direct extension into the Orcutt Area; . East-west travel concentrated at a single intersection at Tank Farm Road and Broad Street, requiring substantial widening to meet vehicular demand, which may discourage pedestrian and bicycle travel in the area. A new road extending east and north from Los Osos Valley Road is not necessarily an alternative to the adopted and northern alignments described above. It is a variation that would: • Provide an additional east-west, high-capacity route directly to an interchange on Highway101; • Be a major expense, though construction costs could be reduced by constructing to rural highway standards rather than arterial parkway standards; • Near the western end, require construction in a 100-year flood plain; • Need to overcome environmental constraints such as hazardous materials contamination, and creeks and other sensitive habitats; • Be growth-inducing, as it would provide access to potentially developable land in the County, south of the City's current urban reserve line; • Divide some relatively small parcels in the Airport Area, reducing their usability; • Require removal of existing buildings on South Higuera Street at Vachell Lane. 1-139 Initial Environmental Study: Pra iad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 14 Traffic Projections Average daily and afternoon peak-hour traffic projections were made using the San Luis Obispo Citywide Traffic Model (Fehr& Peers, and City of San Luis Obispo Public Works Department, 1999). The sensitivity of this model allows minor assumed changes in the street network to be reflected in minor differences in projected traffic distribution. As a result, similar but not identical traffic volumes are predicted for various street segments and intersections when the Prado Road extension alternatives are modeled. Traffic projections for the following evaluation are based on one land-use scenario: buildout of the General Plan Land Use Element, as refined by in-progress drafts of specific plans for the Airport Area, the Margarita Area, and the Orcutt Area. Therefore, the overall street system accommodates the same total amount of traffic for each alternative. Also, except for the variation in Prado Road alignments and existence or absence of the easterly extension to Johnson Avenue, the street networks are identical for each alternative. The attached table "Comparison of Average Daily Traffic Volumes Among Altematives" shows average daily traffic (ADT) volumes on key roadway segments affected by the various alignments. Traffic Impacts • The proposed northern alignment and the Industrial Way extension would have nearly identical traffic volumes on key roadways. The minor differences in traffic volumes between these alternatives would not require changed roadway widths or intersection lane configurations. • The proposed northern alignment and the Industrial Way extension would result in traffic volume reductions of 5% to 44% on all but two of the key affected roadways, because the easterly extension of Prado Road to Johnson Avenue would divert substantial traffic from the northeast part of the City, relieving the demand on alternative routes. The Industrial Way extension would substantially increase traffic on that road. The extensions of Prado Road east of the railroad would increase traffic on Johnson Avenue north of Laurel Lane by small percentages, but would increase Johnson Avenue traffic between Orcutt Road and Laurel Lane by 160% (proposed aligment) to 200% (Industrial Way extension). While these are large percentage increases, the traffic volumes would not exceed roadway capacity or cause unacceptable service levels. • Traffic volumes on Prado Road would vary slightly between altematives, with the adopted alignment and the proposed northern alignment having the highest volume. The Industrial Way extension would result in slightly more traffic on Tank Farm Road than the other alternatives, leading to the conclusion that the proximity of Prado Road and Tank Farm Road tends to balance traffic demands between those two routes. • A "screenline analysis" identifies the total traffic volume crossing an imaginary line that encircles an area, regardless of the route taken. Screenline analysis shows that the adopted alignment and the proposed northern alignment would accommodate about the same level of traffic traveling east-west. The Industrial Way extension would accommodate about 5% less east-west traffic. However, when viewed relative to the magnitude of traffic traveling east-west between Broad Street and Highway 101 (about 70,000 trips per day), this difference is not significant. • Traffic volumes on roads outside of the study area would experience similar traffic volumes with all three alternatives, indicating that the variation in traffic is concentrated on Route 227, Tank Farm Road, Prado Road, and on Johnson Avenue between Orcutt Road and Laurel Lane. • The easterly extension to Johnson Avenue would carry more traffic with the Industrial Way extension than with the proposed northern alignment, about 13,000 versus 9,200 trips per day. The Industrial Way extension would appear to carry more traffic because of trips to and from land uses along Industrial Way. 1-140 Initial Environmental Study: F Road Extension Circulation Element Amern t Page 15 Intersection Service Levels The table "Intersection Levels of Service" compares the afternoon peak-hour intersection service levels between the three alternatives that were the intial focus of traffic modeling efforts. While projected turning movement volumes vary, each intersection for each alternative has been analyzed assuming the same future lane configurations (some of which change from current configurations). The intersections analyzed for each alternative would operate at similar service levels. There would be no situations where an intersection could not be mitigated to levet of service D or better in any alternative. In general, the propsoed northern alignment would result in slightly lower delays than the adopted alignment or the Industrial Way extension, because it would provide a better link between Prado Road and Johnson Avenue, thereby diverting more traffic from parallel routes. While the proposed northern alignment would add a signalized intersection to Highway 227, the spacing between intersections (about 300 meters) would allow for good progression and synchronization, which should minimize any additional delay introduced to Highway 227. Vehicle Traffic Observations This discussion has been based on more detailed traffic evaluations prepared by the City's Public Works Department, and included with the Planning Commission staff reports for the meetings November 17 and December 1, 1999. Build-out of the General Plan will create more traffic, no matter which alignment for Prado Road is used. The adopted alignment would not result in the need to widen any roads beyond what would be required with the other approaches. The adopted alignment and the northern terminating alignment would provide less overall capacity than the two alternatives extending east of the railroad, and would cause more traffic on Orcutt Road, Laurel Lane, Tank Farm Road, and Broad Street. The adopted alignment would minimize traffic impacts on the southern end of Johnson Avenue. The proposed northern alignment and the Industrial Way extension would experience slightly different levels of traffic diversion to or from Prado Road, Tank Farm Road, Orcutt Road, and the easterly extension of Prado Road, but each alternative operates nearly the same in terms of required roadway width and intersection lane configurations. According to preliminary work by the consulting engineers Fehr and Peers, the Industrial Way extension may be slightly .more cost- effective (solely on a dollar-per-trip basis) than the proposed northern alignment, because it would use part of the existing Industrial Way and it would carry more traffic. Either the proposed northern alignment or the Industrial Way extension would substantially increase traffic volume on the southern part of Johnson Avenue, while moderately reducing traffic on other streets in the vicinity. Traffic variations between the alternatives are concentrated in the area bounded by Laurel Lane to the north, Tank Farm Road to the south, Orcutt Road to the east and Santa Fe Road to the west. Outside of this area, roads would cant' about the same level of traffic and operate similarly with each alternative. 1-141 initial Environmental Study: e. , Extension ra;*. Element A_km Page 16 b § c : e . . 4:@ :I:@ $ 0 a * @ 2 7 2 7 « r :�: U N:- � § \ Cco CO V) . 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However, the proposed northern alignment (or the northern terminating alignment) offers some advantages that the other alignments do not. The adopted alignment (and the Industrial Way extension) would require the proposed sports fields at the southeast comer of the Margarita Area to take access from a new driveway on Broad Street, which is strongly discouraged by City policy and Caltrans standards, or from a driveway on the Prado Road extension close to the Broad Street intersection, which would further congest the intersection and might be subject to a prohibition on left turns. The proposed alignment would allow sports fields access from a local street at a signalized intersection, which is the preferred means of access. The adopted alignment (and the Industrial Way extension) would require the property at the southwest comer of the intersection of Broad Street and Industrial Way(Orcutt Creek Annexation)to take access from a new driveway on Broad Street, which is strongly discouraged by City policy and Caltrans standards, or from a driveway on the Prado Road extension close to the Broad Street intersection, which would further congest the intersection and might be subject to a prohibition on left turns. The proposed alignment would allow access from a local street at a signalized intersection, which is the preferred means of access. The Industrial Way extension's subgrade roadway would block existing access along the south side of the Graduate site, and to the emergency access road along the railroad south of Industrial Way. Railroad Operations Any alignment that results in more road traffic using a grade-separated crossing of the railroad will increase safety for road vehicles, trains, walkers, cyclists, and neighbors, in comparison with use of at-grade crossings. Grade separations will become increasingly important if coastal passenger train service becomes faster or more frequent. Building an underpass will require close coordination with the railroad. It will result in minor train delays during the construction period. It is expected that the tracks will need to be temporarily realigned onto a "shoo-fly," as when the Tank Farm Road underpass was built in the Edna-Islay Area. It may be possible to build the shoo-fly within the existing railroad right-of-way, minimizing impacts to adjacent property. Alternatives to a shoo-fly, such as suspending rail operations during an intense construction period, are.available. This level of design evaluation is beyond the scope of the present study, but will be addressed in the environmental impact report for the Orcutt Area Specific Plan, if a new extension east of the railroad is supported at the General Plan level. If a shoo-fly cannot be avoided or accommodated within the existing right-of-way, there may be additional adverse, short-term impacts for the adjacent land. For the proposed northern alignment, these impacts could be noise exposure and views for existing properties east of the railroad and south of Bullock Lane. Building a shoo-fly for the Industrial Way extension could impact a creek. If an extension from Industrial Way is chosen, it is expected that construction would temporarily make inaccessible a spur track extending to an industry west of the railroad. The spur has an operable track switch, but for several years the spur has been used for storage, not active service. 1-144 Initial Environmental Study: F Road Extension Circulation Element Amen( Page 19 LAND USE AND PLANNING Conflict with a General Plan designation,specific plan designation, or zoning . Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would result in development that is not consistent with an adopted land-use designation. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would result in traffic or traffic-related impacts that conflict with adopted policies for a street type or land-use category. Conclusion: Impact would be less than significant. Summary: No alignment would change land-use designations or the types of uses or development standards within an existing land-use designation. The proposed alignment would redistribute future traffic and related impacts from some existing street segments within neighborhoods to other existing street segments within neighborhoods (mainly from Laurel Lane and the east-west segment of Orcutt Road, to Johnson Avenue between Laurel Lane and Orcutt Road). However, the increased traffic levels would not violate policies for the types of roadways or neighborhood settings that would be affected. Discussion The Circulation Element says streets should be extended only when there is a demonstrated need and the extension will cause no significant, long-term environmental problems (goal #4). If the Margarita Area and the Orcutt Area are to be developed as allowed by the General Plan, they will need to be connected with the highways and arterial streets serving the community. The question before the City is whether the connection should be made by way of the proposed alignment or some other way. The proposed extension into the Orcutt Area offers several circulation benefits for future residents of that area and for travelers between the Johnson Avenue area and the southwestern part of the city, as well as improved emergency access. The determination of need will be a City Council decision. The proposed alignment does not entail any substantially more extensive or severe impacts to environmental resources than the adopted alignment. Impacts to habitat areas of creeks, wetlands, and valley grasslands are about the same as or less than the adopted alignment, and will not be significant. The proposed alignment has more potential for impacts to serpentine hillside habitat and views than the adopted alignment, but impacts will not be significant with recommended mitigation (see following sections on Biological Resources and Aesthetics). Similar conclusions can be made for the alignment alternatives terminating at Broad Street or extending east from Industrial Way. The General Plan Land Use Element says residential expansion areas such as the Margarita Area and the Orcutt Area should be developed as neighborhoods and should be connected with the rest of the city, but that roads should not detract from the quality of neighborhoods due to traffic volume or speed (policies 2.1.3 and 2.1.4). While the extension through the Orcutt Area would have fewer lanes and less traffic than in the Margarita Area, it will require careful design to avoid becoming a dividing line (Land Use Element policies 2.2.2 and 2.2.12.1-1). The extension can be designed consistent with these policies. A residential arterial need not be a barrier within a neighborhood. Similar conclusions can be drawn for the alignment alternatives terminating at Broad Street or extending east from Industrial Way. 1-145 10 eloeov �— y� �:sr CD- Is i �fjFfcc ii i•h _ 5 S < C [ L YY .y t- t .< <� < { < r r r •'� ���1w SYw� �r11 s a 7..1.. S, .y�� �;r � F r .t �,�• `. � 1-I'� � �.r}h� �f�` I y• t4 �� r i . r • - n I' Y 1 r -.r �S '. 1 �-�� A • '- J � ��1 'mut-r t"T• � ♦ C r r • If _CL 16 6 4N d t u •. I ' i W S ���•ypJ ` 1 rV'1 r 1- I ,W ` Y i i�r}�F r{t t t b' �j'"Y�" 3 !.� � f t" �+•/ 0.= S .a ols XIA .�i��ga�a�I` �� � ` sd- ' a �•�,�, .`�,�?�: ,�",� .�amu, I,�� ,v • r.• 7 t_i�3Tist�`rc� ♦ '4i :a r,' y� r� � 7 J • ` Ll yy� e..✓ / �,'�I may, -� t ,�4�Lf � '� r� (' .• NKy, ZS1 •r . fh -d .Y lr _.y�",',y 'I �-t^ 6 yr: ��11 n rn •r•1 • - - J C. / � � ' tri^ .j��� Fes,, •��' � �n`�5 y t < ' ,y�y$ i' CCL r Initial Environmental Study: Pra( ad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 22 Conflict with applicable .environmental plans or policies adopted by agencies with jurisdiction over the project Criterion for significance and conclusion: The proposed alignment would conflict with adopted plans of the City, the County, or a special purpose agency such as the Air Pollution Control District, Regional Water Quality Control Board, California Department of Conservation, or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Conclusion: There would be no substantial conflict. Explanation: The potential for conflicts is discussed under topic headings, including Noise, Air Quality,Water, Biology, and Aesthetics, and in part 2.a above. Incompatibility with existing land use in the vicinity Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would result in development that is not consistent with an adopted land-use designation for a developed area. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would result in traffic or traffic-related impacts that conflict with adopted policies for a street type or land-use category for a developed area. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. Discussion: No alignment would change land-use designations or the types of uses or development standards in an existing land-use designation. The proposed alignment would redistribute future traffic and related impacts from some existing street segments within neighborhoods to other existing street segments within neighborhoods (mainly from Laurel Lane and the east-west segment of Orcutt Road, to Johnson Avenue between Laurel Lane and Orcutt Road). However, the increased traffic levels would not violate policies for the types of roadways or neighborhood settings that would be affected. Similar conclusions can be drawn for the altematives. Affect agricultural resources or operations (such as impact to soils or farmlands, or impacts from incompatible land uses) Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would go through land designated for agriculture. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would go through land used for agriculture, prior to an areawide conversion of land use. Conclusion: No impact. 3. The proposed alignment would induce urban development in or adjacent to an area designated for agriculture. Conclusion: No impact Discussion: The proposed alignment would not have impacts different from the adopted alignment. All alignments would extend through areas designated for urban development, largely where grazing is expected to continue until an areawide use conversion occurs. The 1-148 Initial Environmental Study: F Road Extension Circulation Element Amen, t Page 23 City's General Plan ties urban development of the designated areas to open space protection on nearby land. Disrupt or divide the physical arrangement of an established community (including a low- income or minority community) Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would sever pedestrian, bicycle, or motor vehicle connections within an existing neighborhood or between a neighborhood and the rest of the community. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would result in roadway structures that would be incompatible with the architectural or historical character of a neighborhood, or would block views. Conclusion: No impact. 3. The proposed alignment would require the removal of a neighborhood-serving businesses or institution, an historically or architecturally significant "landmark" building, or more than ten percent of the existing dwellings in any city block or rural tract. Conclusion: Impact would be less than significant. 4. The proposed alignment would result in traffic volumes or speeds that would substantially reduce residents'willingness to cross a roadway within the neighborhood. Conclusion: Impact can be mitigated to less than significant level through existing General Plan policies and programs, but it is premature to decide specific features or timing. Discussion The proposed alignment would not result in the termination of any existing streets or paths. It would not require cuts, fills, bridges, or a wider roadway in an existing residential area (Johnson Avenue). The nonresidential area that would be affected (Sacramento Drive) does not have a district character that would be harmed by the new roadway. While the likely eventual removal of two or three dwellings near the Orcutt Road intersection is a major concern for the owners, the loss will not be a significant neighborhood impact. The proposed alignment is not expected to increase traffic speed on existing roads. Residents along Johnson Avenue, particularly between Laurel Lane and Orcutt Road, are expected to perceive an undesirable traffic increase. As traffic volume increases along Johnson Avenue with either the adopted or the proposed alignment, mitigation measures consistent with Land Use Element policy 2.1.3 will be available to reduce traffic speed and the resulting roadway "barrier" effect. These measures include stop signs as well as roadway physical characteristics that can be changed without disrupting adjacent development, and which tend to affect driver behavior, without relying on enforcement activity. Additional measures are outlined in Circulation Element chapters 6 and 7. Similar conclusions can be drawn for the alternatives. 1-149 Initial Environmental Study: Pra, )ad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 24 NOISE Increase in existing noise levels Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would result in measurably more noise being produced within the community than the adopted alignment. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would expose an area to measurably higher noise levels than the adopted alignment. Conclusion: With recommended mitigation, the impact would be less than significant. Summary. No alignment would substantially affect the total number of trips, vehicle speeds, or the proportion of trucks, so there would be no impact from those aspects. With the proposed alignment's fewer turning movements through intersections, decelerations and accelerations would be avoided, for a beneficial impact (but at locations with few nearby noise-sensitive uses). The main concern with the proposed alignment is increased traffic on Johnson Avenue between Orcutt Road and Laurel Lane. The Industrial Way extension would increase noise exposure for dwellings on the south side of Industrial Way unless additional mitigation is provided. Exposure of people to "unacceptable" noise levels as defined by the San Luis Obispo General Plan Noise Element Criteria for significance and conclusion: Noise resulting from the proposed alignment would not cornply with the following: Outdoor Activity Areas Indoor Spaces Ldn or CNEL, in dB Ldn or CNEL, in dB Leq in dB Land use Residences, hotels, motels hospitals, 60 45 no standard nursing homes Theaters, auditoriums music halls no standard no standard 35 Churches meeting halls, offices 60 no standard 45 Schools libraries, museums no standard no standard 45 Neighborhood parks 65 no standard no standard Playgrounds 70 no standard no standard Source: City of San Luis Obispo General Plan Noise Element, Table 1 (policies 1.2.6 & 1.2.7). Notes: "Ldn" is an abbreviation for"day/night average sound level," based on a 24-hour day and computed for annual average conditions. "CNEL" is an abbreviation for"community noise equivalent level,"which in practice is nearly the same as Ldn. "Leq" is an abbreviation for"equivalent sound level"over a typical worst-case hour when the noise-sensitive facility is in use. "dB" is an abbreviation for"decibel,"a measure of sound amplitude on a scale that is meaningful for people's perception of loudness. If there is no designated outdoor activity area on a site, the standard applies at the property line. Conclusion: With recommended mitigation, the impact would be less than significant. 1-150 Initial Environmental Study: F Road Extension Circulation Element Ament' t Page 25 Summary: With traffic levels projected at build-out of the General Plan, noise levels on Johnson Avenue between Orcutt Road and Laurel Lane would be perceptibly higher with the proposed alignment (or with the Industrial Way extension) than with the adopted alignment, but adequate mitigation measures are available. Noise 'levels on other existing road segments would not differ substantially between the alignments. In new development areas affected by any proposed alignment, there is adequate space to comply with noise-exposure and neighborhood-design policies. Discussion Margarita Area Between South Higuera Street and Broad Street, differences in traffic noise exposure along the adopted and proposed alignments will not be significant. Noise exposure for the parks and school site shown in the draft Margarita Area Specific Plan would be about the same. For the proposed alignment between Broad Street and the railroad, noise-sensitive uses are not existing or proposed. If allowed office or institutional uses were developed in the Services and Manufacturing designation, noise could be reduced to acceptable levels through site-planning and building construction measures. Orcutt Area Any arterial roadway extension into the Orcutt Area will require noise mitigation for the new development along it. The same is probably true for a collector road, in addition to Orcutt Road, linking Tank Farm Road with Johnson Avenue. Adequate noise reduction is expected to be provided by setbacks and landscaped berms, with minimal use of walls. Any arterial roadway extension to Johnson Avenue'will increase traffic volumes and noise levels on Johnson Avenue, mainly in the segment between Orcutt Road and Laurel Lane. Based on the projected traffic volume increase of 160 to 200 percent (Circulation section above), noise levels would increase by 4 to 5 decibels using the day-night average noise level (Noise Guidebook, City of San Luis Obispo, May 1996). This is the maximum increase that would be expected above traffic resulting from General Plan build-out (including the Orcutt Area) and resulting from a new collector street intersecting Orcutt Road somewhere near Johnson Avenue (the"no project" alternative). Johnson Avenue Johnson Avenue is a four-lane roadway from just north of Orcutt Road to San Luis Drive. It is designated as a "residential arterial." This means that it does or will function to connect sections of the city with each other and with highways or regional routes, but that much of the fronting development is residential. The largest percentage traffic increase between the proposed alignment and existing conditions or the adopted alignment would be on Johnson Avenue between Orcutt Road and Laurel Lane. Traffic noise levels are highly dependent on traffic volume (which would change) and speed (which would not). Particularly if the change were to occur in a short time, residents would perceive an undesirable increase in noise. The attached map "Projected Johnson Avenue Noise Contours" shows projected worst-case noise exposure along Johnson Avenue between Orcutt Road and Laurel Lane, at General Plan build-out, with and without the traffic increase resulting from a direct Prado Road connection. The projections assume no intervening walls, buildings, or substantial vegetation, and no elevation difference between the roadway and the dwellings and yards. Several measures to reduce noise exposure are available, including installation of walls along yard areas, or possibly removing travel lanes and providing landscaped berms between the remaining travel lanes and the sidewalks. Some mitigation measures may have secondary impacts for aesthetics and emergency access. 1-151 • - - • • I.-iol I WMA XMQ I I LZA OL • • • y • p}, R t i'� � J ++ _ r� jo - � v/ F'l:J� � , • .- , ''� moi•-.. ���� ! "'. � .., V w/ ,c "' 1 .."_-� �� n/ p Jit `� r-a.�1 J. .�•4�'> r� q�� \� w.� _ r /� 1 a.- � ���• ��~, • •r••f�t' y\. r�1V�~ � 1 r l� �� r•s./. oaf f• � � ' �''�` i4 � � >L ' i �. lt-.,,� rI '�' � / �G7F�•f � �!,"" �bti Ifa._ �'c�` - •�' 1 '.f.� 04 Lp, QM FFF I:-I ot r, FSS. yJ ' '•�i7+-, +� -• ' "f1 �: �., y ,:�. y 'C' v' ��. •nlRl r L � -`'ia � L F�1._ 'F i It l_ • j 4°'a �� . •1at��.� �y c =��!,'.,`.l�r��Li-.,x� `,, r �M Mme_ .� '� v� r ��'~�� ..ra:.C.....:' `-ar _ - � �:-�L:': 1� � F�> �l-r' r A . 'F' �4Y`�•. ��''�• , �� '""t�.d is e� • r /f fl t�S- y._ ```,_ t • , 'a +'�Y a 'K*.. Ff; At :. ^F •. '".i i4� R tir y .. ffff .:. owl S qFIr1 \ V z 1a 1707-' 1 pi�.•�. F Fb1� 7•y h 3' � 1�l '� 1 �'r4�'.S;.s7'ti�,j •lam• f.-� .µ�,��..� 5 r�!j�r i lt';yn �( ,�,■.f ��: - � F • ••• •• '•• _ Initial Environmental Study: 3 Road Extension Circulation Element Amet nt Page 27 Projected Noise Contours for Prado-Industrial Extension Assuming No Noise Mitigation _} ;W OL 1(. .nom .'1 •C:� \ '`;. .c :a. .•.�'� ::7 &VI ry Lip, s' s. a.;. , ' 4 0 100 200 ��s, y Feet ® /� ,,1�' ' = Meters t��0 50 N City of San Luis Obispo Long-range Planning December 1999 . �ra�►a � ``��� - 1-153 Initial Environmental Study: Pra )ad Extension Circulation Element Amendn^ Page 28 Most of the Johnson Avenue frontage between Orcutt Road and the underpass near the high school has been developed with residences, churches, and medical offices. The additional traffic resulting from a Prado Road connection would make it difficult to avoid excessive outdoor noise exposure for street yards along the southern section of Johnson Avenue. With no mitigation, noise levels of 65 to 70 dB would occur. Some houses are oriented with the front yards toward intersecting streets or common driveways, so rear yards (typically the primary outdoor activity areas) would not be sheltered by the houses. Walls along street property lines would be effective, but are generally discouraged by policies concerning neighborhood character. Outdoor noise exposure on the sides of buildings opposite the road and indoor noise exposure are expected to remain in the acceptable range. By diverting traffic from other routes such as Broad Street, Chorro Street, Santa Barbara Avenue, and Osos Street, a Prado-Johnson connection would reduce traffic noise along those other routes, which also have residential and institutional uses along them. Industrial Way Extending Industrial Way is an alternative, not part of the project. Residences exist along the south side of Industrial Way, which carries very little traffic with current conditions. Existing noise exposure is mainly from patrons and vehicles at the nightclub on the north side of the street. Because Industrial Way would not be a through street with the adopted alignment, noise exposure along that street was not projected for the General Plan Noise Element. With the proposed northern alignment, traffic and noise levels on Industrial Way would be less than with the adopted alignment. The alternative Industrial Way extension would increase traffic and noise levels. Noise exposure would be mitigated somewhat by a below-grade crossing of the railroad. However, if.vertical concrete walls were used for the underpass approach (to minimize right-of-way width and disruption to existing adjacent development) they would tend to reflect noise. Acceleration and deceleration of vehicles using the underpass would increase noise somewhat in comparison with a level roadway. With an extension east across the railroad, Industrial Way is projected to have a traffic volume of about 13,100 ADT. This is about the same as exists on Johnson Avenue near Sydney Street. While modeling has not been done for Industrial Way as an extension.route, by analogy with existing streets that are similar to the potential extension the following noise exposure approximate distances are projected (assuming no intervening walls, buildings, or substantial vegetation, and no elevation difference between the roadway and the dwellings and yards): 60 decibels—33 meters (108 feet)from road centerline 65 decibels— 15 meters ( 51 feet)from road,centerline 70 decibels— 7 meters ( 23 feet)from road centerline The existing dwellings are located about 22 meters (73 feet)from the road centerline (attached map "Projected Road Traffic Noise Contours for Prado-Industrial Extension..."). There is a wall ranging from five to six feet tall along the south side of Industrial Way, which provides some noise reduction. Where the linear park and path end at Industrial Way, there is board fence and metal-bar gate, which are less effective in blocking noise. Also, the wall ends at the railroad buffer and emergency-access strip, reducing the wall's effectiveness for adjacent dwellings. Considering the existing wall, it appears that noise exposure would be in the acceptable range for most dwellings along Bougainvillea Street. However, the increase in traffic and noise are likely to be perceived as substantial by neighbors. If an Industrial Way extension is selected, additional noise evaluation will need to be done and mitigation will need to be included in project plans. Potential mitigation measures for Industrial Way(Bougainvillea residences) include the following. 1-154 Initial Environmental Study: 1 Road Extension Circulation Element Amen t Page 29 • increasing the height of the existing wall (from the present 5 or 6 feet to 8 feet) • extending the wall in place of the board fence at the end of the linear park, and providing a gate opening perpendicular to the road • providing a landscaped berm along, or in place of, the parking-lot wall on the north side of Industrial Way, to reduce reflected noise . • providing vertical offsets and planting within retaining walls for the underpass, to reduce reflected noise • to minimize indoor noise exposure, replacing windows with ones having a greater sound- reduction rating and adding baffles to any vents attic or building vents facing the roadway. Depending on the position of the roadway within the right-of-way, and the extent of any additional right-of-way obtained on the north side of Industrial Way, the existing wall and landscape setback on the south side may need to be removed and a new wall constructed. Recommended Mitigation Mitigation for Johnson Avenue, Orcutt Road to Laurel Lane: Before a final design for a connection to Johnson Avenue is approved, the City shall adopt a mitigation program that will achieve noise exposure in conformance with the General Plan Noise Element The program will include one or more of the following specific measures. The selection of measures will follow General Plan standards for neighborhood character and take into consideration the preferences of neighborhood residents. a. Removal of the outer travel lanes and provision of landscaped berms. b. Changes to the roadway(other than#1)to reduce vehicle speeds. c. Rehabilitation or replacement of the pavement to minimize tire-friction and impact noise. d. City initiation of a fence-height exception for all fronting properties, so property owners will be able to install walls up to 1.8 meters (six feet) tall close to street property lines, without needing to apply for individual exceptions to the City's Zoning Regulations, if they choose to install noise- blocking walls. The exception will include a menu of standard wall designs following the General Plan criteria intended to minimize esthetic impacts, particularly for pedestrians. e. Upon property-owner request, City installation of a noise wall as part of City street, drainage, or utility work that would substantially disrupt frontage improvements or street yards, as part of the City's work to restore the site. f. Upgrading window,wall, or door assemblies to reduce indoor noise exposure. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES Endangered, threatened or rare species or their habitats (including plants, fish, insects, animals or birds) Locally designated species (such as heritage trees) Locally designated natural communities (such as oak forest, coastal habitat) Wetland habitat(marsh, riparian and vernal pool) Wildlife dispersal or migration corridors Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would remove a larger area of natural habitat than the adopted • alignment. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. 1-155 Initial Environmental Study: Prai ad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 30 2. The proposed alignment would result in reduced population of species of concern, through the death or removal of.individuals or the interruption of critical breeding or nesting cycles. Conclusion: With mitigation, impacts would be less than significant. 3. The proposed alignment would isolate a natural habitat area. Conclusion: With mitigation, impacts would be less than significant. Summary: The proposed alignment has a small advantage over the alternatives in maintaining connections between open lands. If it would harm plant species of concern at the bottom of the serpentine hills, the plants can be relocated or propagated within the planned, adjacent open space preserve. Considering the proposed development and the need for local and collector streets in the Orcutt Area, the proposed alignment would result in no more overall habitat area loss than the adopted alignment. Impacts of creek crossing can be mitigated with any of the alignments. Discussion Locations of sensitive habitat areas are shown on the map"Principal Environmental Features Near the Prado Road Potential Alignments(west and east parts)." Small plants indicative of wetlands and some native grasses have been found in the central and eastern parts of the Margarita Area. They could be affected by both the adopted alignment and the proposed northern alignment. The adopted alignment has more potential to impact wetland plants because it extends through an area of nearly level ground east of Acacia Creek that includes Orcutt Creek. Impacts to wetland plants and native grasses by any development or road extensions will need to be mitigated in compliance with City policies and the requirements of State and Federal agencies. The Airport Area Specific Plan and the Margarita Area Specific Plan are expected to contain mitigation programs, including the designation, enhancement, and maintenance of open space preserves where larger, contiguous habitat areas would be protected. Between Sacramento Drive and the railroad, near the proposed alignment, there is a small, isolated area that appears to meet criteria for wetland.The extension would not affect this area.A development has been proposed on this site, and its potential impacts are being assessed. East of Broad Street, the proposed alignment would affect "ruderal" land, mainly non-native annual grasses and areas that have been extensively disturbed by grading, compaction, and non-agricultural outdoor uses. This non-native grassland provides foraging for small mammals, which in tum support snakes and birds of prey. However, this habitat has not been designated as sensitive. The proposed alignment would avoid creeks, and a group of wetlands in the northern part of the area, identified in a preliminary survey of the Orcutt Area (Morro Group, November 1998). It should be noted that not approving the proposed northern alignment would not avoid road impacts in the Orcutt Area, since there will be at least a collector road through the area. The only locations that would have different biological impacts, with or without the proposed alignment, are at the Orcutt-Johnson intersection and northwest from the proposed railroad under-crossing. Biological Impacts at these locations will not be significant, because development and outdoor storage uses have essentially eliminated natural conditions. The proposed northern alignment is more likely than the adopted alignment to affect plant species of concern that are endemic to serpentine hills in the San Luis Obispo area (following list). The proposed alignment would require grading about 0.6 hectare(1.5 acres) of the toe of the South Hills approaching 1-156 Initial Environmental Study: f Road Extension Circulation Element Amen, It Page 31 Acacia Creek. About half of this area (0.3 hectare, or 0.7 acre) is exposed serpentine rock or fractured rock with very shallow soil cover. The following plants are known to occur in the vicinity in similar soil conditions. Layia jonesii (Jones' layia), an annual forb, is listed by the California Native Plant Society as rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere. The Federal government considers it a species of concern, with not enough biological information to support listing at this time. It is not listed by the State of California. Calystegia subacaulis variety episcopalis (San Luis Obispo County morning glory), a perennial herb, is listed by the California Native Plant Society as rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere. The Federal government considers it a species of concern, with not enough biological information to support listing at this time. It is not listed by the State of California. Calochotfus obispoensis (San Luis Mariposa lily), is listed by the California Native Plant Society as rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere. It is not listed by the State or Federal governments. Carex obispoensis (San Luis Obispo sedge), is listed by the California Native Plant Society as rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere. It is not listed by the State or Federal governments. • Chorizanthe breweri (Brewer's spineflower), is listed by the California Native Plant Society as rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere. It is not listed by the State or Federal governments. Dudleya blochmaniae subspecies blochmaniae (Blockman's dudleya), is listed by the California Native Plant Society as rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere. The Federal government considers it a species of concern, with not enough biological information to support listing at this time. It is not listed by the State of California. Creeks in the area provide habitat for many aquatic species, including the federally listed southern steelhead. They support Pacific pond turtles and may contain red-legged frogs. Creeks also are important sources of water; food, and shelter for more common and wide-ranging species. They provide corridors for wildlife movement between habitat areas that have been fragmented by urban development and intensive agriculture. The creeks west of Broad Street have been severely degraded by cattle grazing, with no overstory plants remaining. There is evidence that Orcutt Creek was realigned many years ago. The General Plan favors, and the Margarita Area Specific Plan and the Orcutt Area Specific Plan are expected to provide, protection and enhancement of creek corridors. Corridors include the channels themselves and buffer areas along the sides containing riparian vegetation. Road bridges can be points of constriction in the corridors. Usually, bridge construction at least temporarily disrupts riparian corridors. Roads adjacent to creeks can result in high mortality of wildlife entering and leaving the corridor. Roads adjacent to or crossing creeks are often sources of water pollution due to unfiltered drainage containing petroleum residues, as well as accidental spills. The adopted alignment would require crossing Acacia Creek and Orcutt Creek west of Broad Street. The proposed alignment would require crossing Acacia Creek west of Broad Street and Orcutt Creek east of Broad Street. Neither alignment would be adjacent to a creek. No creeks in the area east of the railroad would be directly affected by the proposed alignment. The option of extending Industrial Way could affect a creek by adjacency if it had a curve radius immediately east of the railroad larger than shown in the attached map. 1-157 Initial Environmental Study: Prat' ad Extension Circulation Element Amendme Page 32 The alternative southern alignment (connecting with Tank Farm Road) would avoid new creek crossings, but would require replacement of existing bridges over Acacia Creek and Orcutt Creek. The proposed northern alignment provides the most vertical clearance for a bridge,which may result in the most opportunity for a span clear of the creek corridor and therefore the least disruption. The proposed northern alignment, immediately east of Broad Street, would occur in part over a concrete-lined Swale that carries a perennial waterway (Orcutt Creek). It would also cover a section of creek flowing into the swale at approximately a right angle. The Open Space Element classifies this creek corridor as "degraded, but able to be restored or repaired." About 20 meters (66 feet) of the channel would need to be placed in a culvert or bridged to accommodate the proposed alignment. Or, the length of non-lined channel could actually be increased if the flow is realigned to follow the northern side of the new road. Riparian vegetation could be restored along this section of channel, providing a landscaped setback and site amenity for the anticipated commercial or industrial development of the adjacent site, as well as wildlife habitat benefits. Recommended Mitigation A. Serpentine-dependent plants 1. Before a precise alignment is designed, a qualified person will survey-the general alignment and record the locations of any concentrations of plant species of concern. The survey corridor will include the potential roadway location as well as any areas likely to be affected by paths, utilities, grading, or construction staging. To the maximum practical extent, the City will design the precise alignment to avoid any such concentrations. 2. In the growing season before construction, a qualified person will survey all areas that would be affected. Individual plants of the species of concern will be relocated to the adjacent open space preserve. For any species for which relocation is not feasible, seed will be collected and planted in suitable areas within the adjacent open space preserve. For both relocated and propagated species, conditions favorable for establishment will be maintained and the location will be monitored for not less than two years. B. Creek corridors 1. Before a precise alignment is designed, a qualified person will survey the general alignment, and record the locations of any pools or overhanging banks (steelhead and pond turtle shelter) and slope banks leading to upland areas (pond turtle crawl-out). The survey corridor will include the potential roadway location as well as any areas likely to be affected by paths, utilities, grading, or construction staging. To the maximum practical extent, the City will design the precise alignment to avoid any such features. 2. Bridges will provide the maximum feasible clear span and vertical clearance. 3. Each day before construction, a qualified person will examine the work area and remove to safety any steelhead trout, red-legged frog, pond turtles, and individuals of other species of concern. 4. Upon recommendation by a qualified person, barriers will be installed to prevent pond turtles from traveling from the creek to the roadway. 5. Construction will avoid the season of maximum expected flow (November 15 to March 15). 1-158 Initial Environmental Study: F Road Extension Circulation Element Amen Page 33 6. Graded areas will be promptly protected from erosion with fiber mats and, approaching the rainy season, planting. 7. Work within the channel will be minimized. 8. Stream flow will be diverted around locations of any work within the channel. 9. Any fueling, cleaning, or servicing of construction equipment, storage of fuel or chemicals, or disposal of construction materials will occur well away from waterways, in locations where spills can be contained before entering a waterway. 10. The Acacia Creek riparian corridor will be restored and maintained, including planting of native trees (with more specific information to be provided by the Margarita Area Specific Plan). 11. Orcutt Creek east of Broad Street will not be placed in a culvert, but instead will be aligned along the northern edge of the new road and maintained as an open waterway. Any additional or more restrictive requirements set by the California Department of Fish and Game or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will control over these recommended measures. CULTURAL RESOURCES Paleontological resources Archaeological resources Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would pass through or adjacent to a known paleontological or archaeological site. Conclusion:With mitigation, the impact would be less than significant. 2. The proposed alignment would pass through an area likely to contain paleontological or archaeological resources, based on the physical conditions along the route or previously identified sites. Conclusion: With mitigation, the impact would be less than significant. Discussion The proposed alignment appears to have more potential for impacts than the alternatives, but mitigation is available. There have been several surface surveys and records searches in the vicinity, including an inventory for the City's Water Reuse Project(Gibson, 1993), which focused on the adopted alignment connecting with Industrial Way. However, the entire route affected by the proposed amendment has not been surveyed by an archaeologist. One archaeological site is known to exist along the proposed alignment. It is a bedrock mortar with evidence of some stone working, between the South Hills and Acacia Creek (designated site SLO 1427). Bedrock mortars are places where aboriginal people, such as the Chumash, ground acorns in depressions worn into masses-of exposed rock. Previous map depictions of this site are not sufficiently precise to determine the extent to which the proposed alignment would affect it. Other resources may be encountered during construction along any alignment. 1-159 Initial Environmental Study: Prai ad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 34 Recommended Mitigation 1. Before the extension is precisely designed (along any general route), the alignment will be surveyed by an archaeologist. The known site and any sites discovered will be precisely located and described. The City will design the precise alignment to avoid sites to the maximum extent feasible. 2. Features or resources that cannot be entirely avoided will be dealt with in a manner recommended by a qualified archaeologist and a representative of any affected Native American group, consistent with State and Federal laws. Possibilities include one or any combination of the following: • Investigating and reporting on the items using approved procedures; • Covering the features with a protective layer of soil and leaving them in place; • Moving the features to an approved location; • Providing general public information concerning any features that need to be covered or moved, including directions to more detailed information. Historical resources Criterion for significance and conclusion: The proposed alignment would require the removal of, or substantially affect the setting of, an historical resource. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. Discussion: The proposed alignment has more potential for impact than the alternatives, but the impact will not be significant. There is a turn-of-the-century farmhouse just north of the proposed alignment, between Acacia Creek and Broad Street. The proposed alignment would not require removal of the house, but would substantially change the character of its setting.This is not a designated historic resource. Have the potential to cause a physical change which would affect unique ethnic cultural values Restrict existing religious or sacred uses within the potential impact area Conclusion:The project would not affect these resources. 1-160 Initial Environmental Study: P Road Extension Circulation Element Amen( Page 35 GEOLOGIC PROBLEMS Fault rupture Criterion for significance and conclusion: The proposed alignment would cross an active or potentially active fault line. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. Discussion: While not all fault locations are known and mapped, there is no evidence that the proposed alignment or any of the alternatives crosses a fault. Seismic ground shaking, and Seismic ground failure, including liquefaction Criterion for significance and conclusion: The proposed alignment would be closer to a known fault, or would overlie a soil type more susceptible to ground shaking (near-surface amplification), liquefaction, or other failure than the adopted alignment. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. Discussion: The proposed and alternative alignments are in essentially the same geologic setting. Seiche,tsunami, or volcanic hazard Criterion for significance and conclusion: The proposed alignment would be closer to a source of seiche, tsunami, or volcanic hazard than the adopted alignment. Conclusion:There would be no impact. Discussion:The vicinity is not subject to these hazards. Landslides or mudflows Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would be in an area of substantially greater ground slope than the adopted alignment. Conclusion:The impact would be less than significant. 2. The proposed alignment would be at the mouth of a canyon or arroyo. Conclusion: There would be no impact. Discussion: The proposed alignment would be in an area of slightly higher slope where it crosses the toe of the South Hills, but there is no evidence of ground movement in this area. Erosion, changes in topography, or unstable soil conditions from excavation, grading, or fill Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would require cut, fill, or tunneling in a geologically unstable area. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. 1-161 Initial Environmental Study: Pra )ad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 36 2. The proposed alignment would require massive earth movement in any area, removal of substantial vegetation, or realignment of a fast-flowing watercourse. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. Discussion: The proposed alignment and the northern terminating alignment, would require some cut and fill near the toe of the South Hills. The proposed alignment would require realignment or culverting of part of Orcutt Creek immediately east of Broad Street, where this minor waterway flows through a nearly level area. The adopted alignment and the Industrial Way extension would require grading on the former quarry hill. Subsidence of the land and Expansive soils Criterion for significance and conclusion: The proposed alignment would overlie a soil type more susceptible to subsidence or expansion than the adopted alignment. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. Discussion: The expansive soils that exist along some of each alternative route must be addressed through engineering design. The proposed alignment and the alternatives are in substantially the same setting. Unique geologic or physical features Criterion for significance and conclusion: The proposed alignment would disrupt or be subject to a unique geologic feature. Conclusion: There would be no impact. Discussion: The vicinity of the various alignments does not contain unique features. WATER Changes in absorption rates, drainage patterns, or the rate and amount of surface runoff Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would result in substantially more impervious surface than the adopted alignment. . Conclusion: Impacts would be less than significant. 2. The proposed alignment would direct flow to or away from a watercourse differently from the adopted alignment. Conclusion: Impacts would be less than significant. Discussion: The proposed alignment would not differ substantially from the adopted alignment in terms of total roadway surface in the Margarita Area or the Orcutt Area. Without the proposed alignment, there would not be a new arterial roadway from Broad Street to the railroad. However, that segment would be occupied mostly by impervious buildings, parking lots, and driveways. The proposed alignment would not necessarily result in Orcutt Creek entering Acacia Creek at a different point, though such a change is being considered as part of the Airport Area Specific Plan and the Margarita Area Specific Plan, and will be addressed in the EIR on those plans. 1-162 Initial Environmental Study: i Road Extension Circulation Element Amen it Page 37 Exposure of people or property to water-related hazards such as flooding Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would result in blocking drainage from an area, thereby increasing the flood hazard. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would pass through a flood-prone area. Conclusion: Impact can be mitigated to less than significant level through standard engineering practices, but it is premature to decide specific features. Discussion: None of the potential alignments would block substantial drainage or pass through a 100-year flood zone, except at creek crossings. As a low point in the surrounding area, a railroad underpass at either of the potential locations would be subject to local flooding if intended drainage or pumping systems failed. The alternatives that do not involve new underpasses would not entail this risk. To minimize the flooding effects of a power failure, pumps for the underpass could be provided with a "dual feed," allowing power to be drawn from different distribution circuits, or an on-site generator could be provided for back-up power. Discharge into surface waters or other alteration of surface water quality(including temperature, dissolved oxygen or turbidity) Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would require roadway drainage to flow directly to a watercourse. Conclusion: Impacts would be less than significant. 2. The proposed alignment would result in roadway construction through an area that is contaminated with toxic chemicals. Conclusion: Impacts would be less than significant. Discussion: The proposed alignment and the alternatives would allow room for filtered drainage between the roadway and nearby creeks. The proposed alignment and the alternatives except the southern (Tank farm Road) alignment would not go through a hazardous materials site.The southern alignment would go through the contaminated Unocal site. Changes in the amount of surface water in any water body and Changes in currents, or the course or direction of water movements Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would require draining or filling a waterway or water body. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would require a levee, seawall,jetty, abutments, or pilings. Conclusion: No impact. Discussion: None of the potential alignments would affect lakes, rivers, or the ocean. (Potential impacts at creek crossings are discussed under the Biology section.) 1-163 Initial Environmental Study: Pral iad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 38 Change in the quantity of ground waters, either through direct additions or withdrawals, or through interception of an aquifer by cuts or excavations or through substantial loss of groundwater recharge capability and Altered direction or rate of flow of groundwater and Impacts to groundwater quality and Substantial reduction in the amount of groundwater otherwise available for public water supplies Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would impound surface water in an area conducive to groundwater infiltration, pave over a groundwater recharge area, or require sustained groundwater pumping. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would create a subsurface barrier or an outlet for an aquifer or subsurface flow. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. 3. The proposedalignment would require pavement drainage directly to a groundwater recharge area or would disturb soils with chemical contamination. Conclusion: No impact. Discussion:An under-crossing of the railroad at either location may require de-watering the construction area to the depth of the excavation, a temporary, localized impact. AIR QUALITY Violate any air quality standard or contribute to an existing or projected air quality violation (noncompliance with APCD Environmental Guidelines) Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would measurably increase the number of vehicle trips or vehicle- miles traveled. Conclusion: The impact would be beneficial. 2. The proposed alignment would measurably increase delay at intersections or grade crossings. Conclusion: The impact would be beneficial. 3. The proposed alignment would require grading through an area where soils and prevailing wind conditions would require extraordinary measures to control dust. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. Discussion: None of the potential alignments would enable development beyond that anticipated in the County Clean Air Plan. The proposed alignment would shorten trips between the existing Johnson Avenue neighborhood and points along or west of lower Broad Street by about 0.9 kilometer(0.55 mile), and between the middle of the proposed Orcutt Area 1=164 Initial Environmental Study: P Road Extension Circulation Element Amene Page 39 neighborhood and points along or west of lower Broad Street by about 1.3 kilometers (0.8 mile). For such trips, it would reduce turns through intersections by at least one. The travel-time advantage of the proposed connection or the Industrial Way extension is not expected, by itself, to cause more trips than would otherwise occur. Construction emissions from each alternative would be about the same, though alignments requiring more grading (those through the quarry hill or near the South Hills) will have more emissions. Expose sensitive receptors to pollutants Criteda for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would result in a new point of starting or of delay for a substantial number of vehicles. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would substantially increase traffic past a hospital, clinic, park, school, day care facility, or residential care facility. Conclusion:The impact would be less than significant Discussion None of the potential alignments would be adjacent to existing sensitive receptors. In the Margarita Area, all the potential alignments except the southern (Tank farm) alignment would pass next to proposed sites for a school, a park, and sports fields, with no substantial difference in exposure expected between the alignments(less than significant impact). A senior housing facility, community garden, and climbing gym exist along Orcutt Road and Laurel Lane, where future traffic levels are projected to be less with the proposed alignment than with the adopted alignment (beneficial impact). Two hospitals, medical offices, and several churches with day care programs exist along Johnson Avenue, where traffic volumes with the proposed alignment are projected to be at most about 16 percent more than with the adopted alignment, and where intersections would operate at acceptable levels of service. No unacceptable carbon monoxide concentrations are foreseen. Along Johnson Avenue between Orcutt Road and Laurel Lane, the proposed alignment would result in up to 2.6 times as many trips as the adopted alignment, resulting in a build-out traffic volume about the same as now experienced along Johnson Avenue near Sydney Street (13,000 average daily trips). This road segment is bordered by residential development and churches. No unacceptable carbon monoxide concentrations are foreseen. The road segments that would have lower build-out traffic volumes in comparison with the adopted alignment also have residential uses along them. The optional Industrial Way extension would pass the northern end of a private linear park. No unacceptable carbon monoxide concentrations are foreseen. Alter air movement, moisture, or temperature, or cause any change in climate and Create objectionable odors? Conclusion: None of the potential alignments would affect these features. 1-165 Initial Environmental Study: Prat ad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 40 AESTHETICS Scenic vista or scenic highway Demonstrable negative aesthetic effect Light or glare Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would require fills or bridges that would block views from a scenic roadway, a park or other public gathering place, or a substantial number of private viewing points. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would require the removal of a historically or architecturally significant building, mature trees, or a rock outcrop. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. 3. The proposed alignment would divide a continuous natural or agricultural landscape area (such as a broad hillside, meadow, orchard, or row-crop area) that would otherwise remain intact and be visible from a scenic roadway, a park or other public gathering place, or a substantial number of private viewing points. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. 4. The proposed alignment would substantially change the setting of an historically or architecturally significant building. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. 5. The alignment would lead to a substantial physical change to an existing roadway corridor, such as increasing the number of travel lanes, installation of a tall, continuous noise-blocking wall, or removal of parkways, medians, or parking lanes. Conclusion: No impact. 6. Street fighting would create glare. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. Summary: None of the potential alignments would block views, remove significant buildings, or divide a landscape planned to remain intact. None except the Industrial Way extension would change an existing corridor, and that change would involve a relatively short segment with adjacent (but not fronting) residential development on one side. Visual impacts of grading and lighting will not be significant for any alignment. Discussion According to the Scenic Roadways section of the Circulation Element, Broad Street in the project vicinity is a road with moderate scenic value. Views west toward the Irish Hills would not be affected by the project or alternatives. Views east toward the Santa Lucia Mountains probably would be better preserved with a road corridor to maintain a gap in commercial buildings along the east side of Broad Street. The proposed northern alignment would result in the roadway and associated graded slopes, newly planted trees, and street lights being more visible against the South Hills than would the adopted alignment. Standards of the Margarita Area Specific Plan will reduce visual impacts to acceptable levels. Graded slopes will make transitions to natural contours and vegetation 1-166 Initial Environmental Study: Pr load Extension Circulation Element Amend, Page 41 similar to existing natural vegetation will be re-established. Streetlights will be designed to illuminate the roadway while minimizing light skyward or to the sides of the roadway. Both alignments would be through open space or park areas, with no new fronting buildings proposed. New underpasses at either of the potential locations are not expected to have significant visual impacts. The proposed alignment would substantially change the character of the setting of the existing house and grounds between Acacia Creek and Broad Street. This is not a designated historic resource or community space. The Industrial Way extension might require removal of the palm trees along the nightclub frontage, due to root cutting. The Industrial Way extension railroad underpass could require, depending on design details, vertical walls 18 to 24 feet tall. The visual impact would be experienced mainly by those traveling the extension by vehicle, bicycle, and foot, and not by those on adjacent sites. On the residential side of Industrial Way, the existing sound and privacy wall and a landscape buffer along the wall's south side are within the street right-of-way. Full use of this right-of-way could result in lower underpass retaining walls, or walls with more relief in their surfaces, but would require removal and replacement of the existing residential buffer wall (with a smaller setback to the houses). An option would to shift the roadway and underpass to the north (commercial) side of Industrial Way. HAZARDS A risk of accidental explosion or release of hazardous substances (including oil, pesticides, chemicals, or radiation) Criterion for significance and conclusion: The alignment would require demolition, excavation, or overhead construction at sites containing hazardous waste, pipelines, a rail line, or a highway. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. Discussion: Hazardous wastes are not known or suspected to occur along the proposed alignment. A natural-gas transmission main will need to be crossed and the railroad will need to be excavated under. Past projects at Los Osos Valley Road, Madonna Road, Johnson Avenue, and at Tank Farm Road have shown that accepted construction practices can avoid accidents at such locations. The same conclusions can be drawn for all alternatives, though the southern alignment is more likely to encounter petroleum wastes. Possible interference with an emergency response plan or emergency evacuation plan Criterion for significance and conclusion: The alignment or ensuing construction would require the closure or relocation of emergency response or communication facilities, or the permanent or temporary closure of an existing road. Conclusion:The impact would be less than significant. Discussion: Construction may require short-term lane closures on Broad Street, Sacramento Drive, and Orcutt Road, but not to the extent that emergency-response or evacuation routes would be blocked. Similar conclusions can be drawn for all alternatives. 1-167 Initial Environmental Study: Prat ad Extension Circulation Element Amendm- Page 42 The creation of any health hazard or potential health hazard Criterion for significance and conclusion: No alignment would require the use of chemical, biological, or radioactive agents. Conclusion: No impact Exposure of people to existing sources of potential health hazards Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The alignment would interfere with a chemical processing facility, wastewater treatment plant, or an active or closed landfill, hazardous waste site, weapons testing area, or weapons training area. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The alignment would require grading or excavation in an area with chemical contamination or naturally occurring hazardous material. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. Discussion: The proposed alignment avoids areas known to have been contaminated by the Unocal tank farm disaster of 1926 and continuing operations. The adopted alignment and either of the extensions east of the railroad would also avoid known contamination. The southern (Tank Farm Road) alignment is more likely to encounter contamination, but a precise alignment could largely avoid areas of known concentrations. Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral, is sometimes found in association with serpentine rock, such as the area at the toe of the hill that would be graded for the proposed alignment. Previous investigations in the San Luis Obispo area (Stoneridge residential development to the north and State Water Project to the east) have not found this to be a problem. Increased fire hazard in areas with flammable brush, grass, or trees Criterion for significance and conclusion: The proposed alignment would pass through a longer distance having a "high" or "extreme" wildland fire hazard rating, according to the City's Safety Element, than the adopted alignment. Conclusion: No impact. Discussion: All alignments pass through areas with mostly "low" fire hazard rating. The proposed alignment skirts an area with a "moderate" rating (the toe of the South Hills) and passes through another area with a "moderate" rating approaching Orcutt Road, where the wildland fire rating will be changed as the area develops concurrently with the road extension. 1-168 Initial Environmental Study: P Road Extension Circulation Element Amen( Page 43 - PUBLIC SERVICES Fire protection and Police protection Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would result in measurably more demand for public safety services, due to creation of inherently hazardous conditions. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would deprive an area of emergency access. Conclusion: Long-term, areawide impacts would be beneficial. A potential adverse, short- term, local impact will be not significant with mitigation. Discussion: No alignment would affect demand for public safety services. Either extension east of the railroad would improve areawide emergency access. Property immediately east of the railroad and south of the proposed alignment could be deprived of access if Bullock Lane is not extended beyond the proposed under-crossing or the Orcutt Area Specific Plan does not provide for alternate access, through the location and phasing of local and collector streets in the area. Recommended mitigation The Orcutt Area Specific Plan will provide for access to properties in the area at least equivalent to the pre-project condition, considering the potential termination of Bullock Lane north of the proposed under-crossing of the railroad. Schools Criteria for significance and conclusions: 2. The proposed alignment would occupy a school site or result in measurably more school enrollment. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would deprive a school of access or make access hazardous. Conclusion: The impact would be beneficial. Discussion: No alignment would occupy a school site or affect total enrollment. Either extension east of the railroad would provide more direct access between areas potentially served by the existing Los Ranchos and Sinsheimer elementary schools and the proposed Margarita Area school. Maintenance of public facilities, including roads Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would measurably increase the lane-miles to be maintained in comparison with the adopted alignment. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. 2. The proposed alignment would require substantially longer trips for maintenance activities. Conclusion: The impact would be beneficial. 1-169 Initial Environmental Study: Prar' ad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 44 Discussion: The proposed alignment would not substantially increase lane-miles to be maintained in comparison with the alternatives, considering expected local and collector streets in the Orcutt Area. It would reduce trip length and time in comparison with the adopted alignment. Other governmental services Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would measurably increase the demand for other government services. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would reduce accessibility of public facilities. Conclusion: No impact. Discussion: None of the potential alignments would affect other services. UTILITIES AND SERVICE SYSTEMS Power or natural gas Communications systems Local or regional water treatment or distribution facilities Sewer or septic tanks Storm water drainage Solid waste disposal Local or regional water supplies Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. The proposed alignment would measurably increase the demand for utilities or services. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. 2. The proposed alignment would reduce the accessibility of utility or service systems. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. 3. The proposed alignment would require re-routing or reconstruction of utility or service systems. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. Discussion No alignment would increase demand or reduce accessibility. The proposed alignment would not affect the P. G. & E. substation, which is east of the existing Johnson Avenue and Orcutt Road rights-of-way. A tower for high-voltage transmission lines is within the proposed alignment shown on the previous maps (near the existing houses west of the intersection of Johnson Avenue and Orcutt 1-170 Initial Environmental Study: F Road Extension Circulation Element Amenr' t Page 45 - Road). Options for dealing with this situation include the following, in order of increasing impacts on the adjacent existing home sites: shifting the tower about 45 feet(no impact to existing houses if shifted to the west) creating a widened median around the tower, similar to Margarita Avenue (minimal impact) shifting the road alignment by about 45 feet (additional loss of yard areas and accessory buildings, and possibly a dwelling, depending on the direction of the shift) POPULATION AND HOUSING Cumulatively exceed official regional or local population projections Criterion for significance and conclusion: The proposed alignment would measurably increase the capacity for, or rate of, nonresidential or residential development. Conclusion: No impact Discussion: The proposed alignment extends through areas previously planned for development, which are subject to the City's growth management program. Similar conclusions can be drawn for the altematives. Induce substantial growth in an area either directly or indirectly (for example, through projects in an undeveloped area or major infrastructure) Criterion for significance and conclusion: The proposed alignment would trigger or hasten urban development Conclusion:The impact would be less than significant. Discussion: Extension of the roadway is expected to occur concurrent with adjacent development. If it were extended in early phases of development in the Margarita Area or the Orcutt Area, it might cause adjacent development to occur sooner than without the new access. However, such development would still need to comply with growth management provisions. Similar conclusions can be drawn for the alternatives. Displace existing housing, especially affordable housing Criterion for significance and conclusion: The proposed alignment would displace more than ten percent of the existing dwellings in any city block or rural tract, or any dwellings that are owned or rented under a program intended to maintain their affordability for occupants with moderate or lower incomes. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. Discussion: Extension of the roadway along the proposed alignment (or the Industrial Way extension) is expected to require removal of at most three dwellings, none of which are subject to an affordable housing program. Similar conclusions can be drawn for the alternatives. 1-171 Initial Environmental Study: Pra )ad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 46 ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES Conflict with adopted energy conservation plans Criteria for significance and conclusions: 1. Roadway structures along the proposed alignment would deprive property of solar exposure levels favored by the Energy Conservation Element, or preclude other uses of renewable energy. Conclusion: No impact. 2. The proposed alignment would encourage trips in single-occupant vehicles at the expense of trips in alternate transportation modes. Conclusion: No impact. Discussion: The same conclusions can be drawn for all alternatives. Use non-renewable resources wastefully or inefficiently Criterion for significance and conclusion: The alignment would be subject to demolition of the new roadway and construction of a replacement. Conclusion: No impact. Discussion: The same conclusions can be drawn for all alternatives. Loss of availability of a known mineral resource that would be of future value to the region and the residents of the State Criterion for significance and conclusion: The alignment would make inaccessible a mineral resource. Conclusion: The impact would be less than significant. Discussion: The former gravel quarry site at the south edge of the Margarita Area would be affected by both the adopted and proposed alignments, but less so by the proposed alignment. The quant'material is not highly valued in the region or the state. RECREATION Increase the demand for neighborhood or regional parks or other recreational facilities Affect existing recreational opportunities Criterion for significance and conclusion: The proposed alignment would go through, or reduce access to, a park or other facility. Conclusion: No impact. Discussion: None of the alignments would affect park demand or existing recreational opportunities. The proposed alignment would provide better access and more flexibility to provide parking for the proposed Damon-Garcia sports fields. (The Margarita Area Specific Plan proposes a grade-separated bike and pedestrian crossing between the sports fields southeast of the proposed alignment and the neighborhood park and elementary school site,which also would have sports fields, northwest of the proposed alignment.) 1-172 Initial Environmental Study: F Road Extension Circulation Element Amen t Page 47 Mandatory Findings of Significance Potentially Potentially Significant Less Than No Significant Unless Mitigation Significant Impact Incorporated a) Does the project have the potential to degrade the quality of the environment, substantially reduce the habitat of a fish or wildlife species, X cause a fish or wildlife population to drop below self-sustaining levels,threaten to eliminate a plant or animal community, reduce the number or restrict the range of a rare or endangered plant or animal or eliminate important examples of the major periods of California history or prehistory? The proposed alignment's impacts to biological resources can be mitigated at least as well as with the adopted alignment. b) Does the project have the potential to achieve X short-term, to the disadvantage of long-term, environmentalgoals? The main reason for pursuing the proposed alignment is a long-term improvement in circulation compared with the adopted alignment, resulting in benefits for energy savings and air quality. The main long-term trade-off is increased noise exposure along the southern part of Johnson Avenue, which can be mitigated. c) Does the project have impacts that are individually limited, but cumulatively considerable? ("Cumulatively considerable" X means that the incremental effects of a project are considerable when viewed in connection with the effects of past projects, the effects of other current projects, and the effects of probable futureprojects) The EIR for the 1994 update of the land use and circulation elements noted that the change from rural to urban character would be an adverse, cumulative impact. The project will contribute to that change, but as a consequence of planned land development, not a cause of the -development. d) Does the project have environmental effects X which will cause substantial adverse effects on human beings, either directly or indirectly? The project will result in a different distribution of traffic noise impacts compared with the adopted alignment, but the overall impacts on city residents will be about the same. The main adverse impact for humans is increased noise exposure along the southern part of Johnson Avenue, which can be mitigated. 1-173 Initial Environmental Study: Pra )ad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 48 Environmental Determination On the basis of this initial evaluation: I find that the proposed project could not have a significant effect on the environment, and a NEGATIVE DECLARATION will be prepared. I find that although the proposed project could have a significant effect on the environment, there will not be a significant effect in this case because the mitigation X measures described on attached sheets will be part of the project. A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION will be prepared. I find that the proposed project may have a significant effect on the environment, and an ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT is required. I find that the proposed project may have one or more significant effects on the environment, but at least one effect (1) has been adequately analyzed in an earlier document pursuant to applicable legal standards and (2) has been addressed by mitigation measures based on the earlier analysis as described on attached sheets, if the effect is a "Potentially Significant Impact" or is "Potentially Significant Unless Mitigated." An ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT is required, but it must analyze only the effects that remain to be addressed. I find that although the proposed project could have a significant effect on the environment, there will not be a significant effect in this case because all potentially significant effects (1) have been analyzed in an earlier EIR pursuant to applicable standards and (2) have been avoided or mitigated pursuant to that earlier EIR, including revisions or mitigation measures that are imposed upon the proposed project. I find that the proposed project may have one or more significant effects on the environment, but (1) the potential impacts have been adequately analyzed in an earlier environmental impact report pursuant to applicable legal standards, including findings of overriding considerations for some potential cumulative impacts, and (2) impacts for which findings of overriding considerations have not previously been made have been avoided, or mitigated by measures described on attached sheets. Arnold Jonas, Community Development Director BY.- nature Dat John Mandeville, Long-range Planning Manager Determination for California Department of Fish and Game Fees The project has potential to impact fish and wildlife resources and shall be subject to the payment of Fish and Game fees pursuant to Section 711.4 of the Califomia Fish and Game Code. 1-174 Initial Environmental Study: I Road Extension Circulation Element Amen �t Page 49 Mitigation Measures and Mitigation Monitoring Future Project-stage Mitigation Some mitigation measures for the ensuing road construction project can be decided only when specific plans covering the route are ready for adoption and a specific project design is proposed. The range of such potential mitigation measures is.discussed under the topic headings above. Current Plan-stage Mitigation The following mitigation measures are included in the overall project description now. Biological resources: serpentine-dependent plants 1. Before a precise alignment is designed, a qualified person will survey the general alignment and record the locations of any concentrations of plant species of concern. The survey corridor will include the potential roadway location as well as any areas likely to be affected by paths, utilities, grading, or construction staging. To the maximum practical extent, the City will design the precise alignment to avoid any such concentrations. Monitoring: City planning and natural-resources staff will participate in future design work and will review design and construction contracts and other documents. 2. In the growing season before construction, a qualified person will survey all areas that would be affected. Individual plants of the species of concern will be relocated to the adjacent open space preserve. For any species for which relocation is not feasible, seed will be collected and planted in suitable areas within the adjacent open space preserve. For both relocated and propagated species, conditions favorable for establishment will be maintained and the location will be monitored for not less than two years. Monitoring: City natural-resources staff will participate in future design work, will review design and construction contracts and other documents, and will monitor performance. Biological resources: Creek corridors 3. Before a precise alignment is designed, a qualified person will survey the general alignment, and record the locations of any pools or overhanging banks (steelhead and pond turtle shelter) and slope banks leading to upland areas (pond turtle crawl-out). The survey corridor will include the potential roadway location as well as any areas likely to be affected by paths, utilities, grading, or construction staging. To the maximum practical extent, the City will design the precise alignment to avoid any such features. 4. Bridges will provide the maximum feasible clear span and vertical clearance. 5. Orcutt Creek east of Broad Street will not be placed in a culvert, but instead will be aligned along the northern edge of the new road and maintained as an open waterway. 6. The Acacia Creek riparian corridor will be restored and maintained, including planting of native trees(with more specific information to be provided by the Margarita Area Specific Plan). Monitoring (measures 1 — 6): City planning and natural-resources staff will participate in future design work and will review design and construction contracts and other documents. 1-175 Initial Environmental Study: Pra )ad Extension Circulation Element Amendrr Page 50 7. Each day before construction, a qualified person will examine the work area and remove to safety any steelhead trout, red-legged frog, pond turtles, and individuals of other species of concern. 8. Upon recommendation by a qualified person, barriers will be installed to prevent pond turtles from traveling from the creek to the roadway. 9. Construction will avoid the season of maximum expected flow (November 15 to March 15). 10. Graded areas will be promptly protected from erosion with fiber mats and, approaching the rainy season, planting. 11. Work within the channel will be minimized. 12. Stream flow will be diverted around locations of any work within the channel. 13. Any fueling, cleaning, or servicing of construction equipment, storage of fuel or chemicals, or disposal of construction materials will occur well away from waterways, in locations where spills can be contained before entering a waterway. Monitoring (measures 7 — 13): City planning, public works, and natural-resources staff will participate in future design work, will review design and construction contracts and other documents, and will monitor performance. Note on measures 1 through 13: Any additional or more restrictive requirements set by the California Department of Fish and Game or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will control over these recommended measures. Noise exposure: Johnson Avenue, Orcutt Road to Laurel Lane 14. Before a final design for a connection to Johnson Avenue is approved, the City shall adopt a mitigation program that will achieve noise exposure in conformance with the General Plan Noise Element. The program will include one or more of the following specific measures. The selection of measures will follow General Plan standards for neighborhood character and take into consideration the preferences of neighborhood residents. a. Removal of the outer travel lanes and provision of landscaped berms. b. Changes to the roadway(other than#1)to reduce vehicle speeds. c. Rehabilitation or replacement of the pavement to minimize tire-friction and impact noise. d. City initiation of a fence-height exception for all fronting properties, so property owners will be able to install walls up to 1.8 meters (six feet) tall close to street property lines, without needing to apply for individual exceptions to the City's Zoning Regulations, if they choose to install noise-blocking walls. The exception will include a menu of standard wall designs following the General Plan criteria intended to minimize esthetic impacts, particularly for pedestrians. e. Upon property-owner request, City installation of a noise wall as part of City street, drainage, or utility work that would substantially disrupt frontage improvements or street yards, as part of the City's work to restore the site. f. Upgrading window, wall, or door assemblies to reduce indoor noise exposure. Monitoring: City planning staff will participate in future design work, will review design and construction contracts and other documents, and will prepare materials for the mitigation to be carried out. 1-176 Initial Environmental Study: F Road Extension Circulation Element Amen t Page 51 Public services: Orcutt Area properties emergency access 15. The Orcutt Area Specific Plan will provide for access to properties in the area at least equivalent to the pre-project condition, considering the potential termination of Bullock Lane north of the proposed under-crossing of the railroad. Monitoring: City planning staff will participate in future design work and prepare or review materials for the mitigation to be carried out. Archaeological resources 16. Before the extension is precisely designed (along any general route), the alignment will be surveyed by an archaeologist. The known site and any sites discovered will be precisely located and described. The City will design the precise alignment to avoid sites to the maximum extent feasible. 17. Features or resources that cannot be entirely avoided will be dealt with in a manner recommended by a qualified archaeologist and a representative of any affected Native American group, consistent with State and Federal laws. Possibilities include one or any combination of the following: a. Investigating and reporting on the items using approved procedures; b. Covering the features with a protective layer of soil and leaving them in place; c. Moving the features to an approved location; d. Providing general public information concerning any features that need to be covered or moved, including directions to more detailed information. Monitoring (measures 16 and 17): City planning, public works, and natural-resources staff will participate in future design work, will review design and construction contracts and other documents,-and will monitor performance. 1-177 Initial Environmental Study: Prar' )ad Extension Circulation Element Amendm Page 52 Source References Airport Area Speck Plan Constraints Analysis Memorandum, Wallace Roberts & Todd: Jones& Stokes Associates, Inc.; Fehr& Peers Associates, Inc. (1998) CEQA Air Quality Handbook, San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District(1995) Final Environmental Impact Report., 1992 Land Use Element and Circulation Element Updates, City of San Luis Obispo (August 1994) General Plan Land Use Element, City of San Luis Obispo (1994, as amended through 1999) General Plan Open Space Element, City of San Luis Obispo (1994, as amended through 1999) General Plan Circulation Element, City of San Luis Obispo (1994, as amended through 1999) General Plan Housing Element, City of San Luis Obispo (1994, as amended through 1999) General Plan Noise Element, City of San Luis Obispo (1996, as amended through 1999) General Plan Conservation Element, City of San Luis Obispo (1973, as amended through 1999) General Plan Parks & Recreation Element, City of San Luis Obispo (1995, as amended through 1999) General Plan Seismic Safety Element, City of San Luis Obispo (1975, as amended through 1999) General Plan Safety Element, City of San Luis Obispo (1978, as amended through 1999) General Plan Energy Conservation Element, City of San Luis Obispo (1981, as amended through 1999) General Plan Water& Wastewater Management Element, City of San Luis Obispo (1994, as amended through 1999) Inventory of Cultural Resources for the Water Reclamation Project, City of San Luis Obispo, CA, Robert O. Gibson (February 18, 1993) Margarita Area Speck Plan Draft, City of San Luis Obispo (May 1998 Council-approved draft and draft in progress) Noise Guidebook, City of San Luis Obispo (1996) Orcutt Area Speck Plan Draft, Cannon &Associates (September 1999) Planning Commission Staff Report Attachment A, City of San Luis Obispo Public Works Department (December 1, 1999) San Luis Obispo Area Plan of the San Luis Obispo County General Plan, County of San Luis Obispo (January 14, 1999) San Luis Obispo County Clean Air Plan, San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District (1995) 1-178 Initial Environmenfal.Study I .Road Extension Circulation.Element Amen t Page 53 Earlier Analyse§ 'This initialstudy uses information from earlier documents but:does not,rely on an.earlier analysis for the deterPnination. Orcutt\Prado-Johnson\Prado.CE amend ies.doc 1479 C Y O m d C H LL a. 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