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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-14-2016 PC Correspondence - Item 1 (Brooks)ITEM NO,:_�A _--� From: Lea Brooks < ! ' ���.L V JkLU Sent: Monday, December 12, 2016 5:07 PM To: Advisory Bodies DEC 1 Z 2016 Subject: Bike SLO County's comments on Avila Ranch DEIR Attachments: BikeSLOCounty PlanComm comments.docx SLO CITY CLERK Bike SLO County's comments are attached. Please forward to the Planning Commission. Thank you. Lea Brooks, Advocate Bike SLO County To: San Luis Obispo Planning Commission Commission Chair Charles Stevenson and Commissioners Hemalata Dandekar, Daniel Knight, John Larson, Ronald Malak, Kim Bisheff and John Fowler advisorybodie_s -1slocity,orq From: Lea Brooks, Advocate Bike SLO County Lea@bikeslocounty.org Re: Avila Ranch Draft Environmental Impact Report Dec. 12, 2016 Bike SLO County appreciates the opportunity to comment to the Planning Commission on the Avila Ranch Draft Environmental Impact Report. While Avila Ranch would provide much-needed housing, Bike SLO County is deeply concerned that the project resembles a suburban subdivision that seems dependent on motor vehicles for off-site transportation. The project is proposing parking spaces for all residential units in addition to on -street parking. Although there are excellent bicycle facilities proposed onsite and crucial connections proposed to the bicycle transportation network, there are no guarantees that the connections the applicant isn't funding fully or in part as mitigations will be constructed in the near future, especially in the unincorporated area. Unless these connections are made at the same time the project is occupied, we are concerned that trips by bike will be largely limited to the project site and immediate adjacent destinations. This project's dependence on motor vehicles results in 6,776 net new motor vehicle daily trips and the DEIR's "significant and unavoidable" environmental long-term impacts to air quality and to transportation and traffic, including the intersection of Buckley Road and State Route 227. A major shift in emphasis away from motor vehicle dependency to multi -modal choice is required to achieve the Land Use and Circulation Elements' 20 percent trips -by -bike and 12 percent trips by transit goals to preserve our health and high quality of life. Class I, or separate bikeways, are desirable, but not substitutes for safe and convenient Class II bike lanes. People on bikes, especially commuters, have the same destinations as people in cars and usually take the most direct routes. That's why we are so alarmed that mitigations for the DEIR's "significant but mitigable" environmental impacts of clogged intersections on Higuera Street and Los Osos Valley Road caused by project - generated traffic include extending and adding double turn lanes to intersections. It's already intimidating to ride a bicycle through these intersections in heavy traffic. Intersections with double turn lanes would raise the risk and worry of riding a bike, especially for kids. The priority for intersection design must be bicyclist and pedestrian safety, not faster traffic flow for more motorists. Traffic congestion may encourage motorists to consider transit, carpooling or riding a bicycle. Specific concerns -One major obstacle facing Avila Ranch is its location at the south border of the City of San Luis Obispo. While this location is within easy bicycling distance to the growing number of jobs in the Regional Airport vicinity, getting there by bicycle is a daunting prospect. Avila Ranch proposes the Tank Farm Creek Class I bicycle path that would terminate at its northern border with the Chevron property, but an estimated time line for construction of the Chevron portion of the bicycle path is not identified. There is no discussion of options if the Chevron portion of the bicycle path is not constructed. -The most glaring gap in the bicycle transportation network that will be exacerbated by Avila Ranch is Buckley Road. While Avila Ranch proposes Class II bike lanes along its frontage, the abrupt end of the bikes lanes in the unincorporated area leaves an approximate one -mile gap to the airport. With motor vehicle traffic generated by the extension of Buckley Road to Higuera Street combined with project -generated traffic, riding a bicycle on Buckley Road without continuous Class II bike lanes would be perilous. The DEIR acknowledges the traffic impact on Buckley Road with its conclusion that "project -generated traffic would cause exceedance of intersection capacities at the Buckley Road/State Route 227 intersection in both the AM and PM peak hours, resulting in significant and unavoidable impacts. (3.12.52 Impact TRANS -5) The applicant would pay a fair share fee to offset project contributions to this impact." Comment: Unfortunately, the county has no provision for collecting fees from Avila Ranch toward road improvements such as Class II bike lanes in the unincorporated area to complete the Buckley Road gap. And the city and county have no agreement to complete such gaps. -Because Suburban Road is not designated for Class II bicycle lanes in the Bicycle Transportation Plan, there is no requirement that the applicant add bike lanes as mitigation. Suburban Road is an integral part of the Avila Ranch circulation system. -The proposal to install signage at the South Higuera Street/Buckley Road intersection to inform drivers of additional access to Highway 101 at Ontario Road to keep them from clogging the LOVR/Highway 101 on- and offramps is unacceptable without further mitigations. (3.12-59 MM Trans -8b) The bridge on South Higuera just north of the northbound highway onramp is substandard and needs to be brought up to current standards. Of special concern is southbound motorists turning north on the substandard freeway on-ramp and cutting off southbound bicyclists. In addition, the shoulders on Higuera Street from Ontario Road to the northbound freeway onramp are substandard and must be upgraded to Class II bike lanes, preferably buffered because of the additional traffic. Since this segment of South Higuera Street is in the unincorporated area, what leverage does the city have to require these safety improvements? -Regarding the Buckley Road/South Higuera Street proposed mitigation: "With the addition of project traffic, bicycle level -of -service at the Buckley Road and South Higuera Street intersection would exceed City General Plan thresholds. However, this intersections is under county jurisdiction, which has no thresholds for bicycle facilities. The Bicycle Transportation Plan proposes bicycle facilities at this intersection and the planned installation of a Class I bike path from Los Osos Valley Road to South Higuera Street and from Higuera Street to Broad Street would alleviate bicycle LOS impacts at Buckley Road/South Higuera Street." (3.12-71) Comment: No time line or guarantee that these Class I bike paths will be built, at least in the near future. -Project-generated traffic would make Higuera Street and Los Osos Valley Road even more unpleasant and intimidating to ride a bicycle. At a minimum, buffered and/or green bike lanes or a combination must be required from Vachell Lane to Marsh Street to protect people on bikes from motorists turning left and right — an existing danger that will be exacerbated by increased congestion. For example, the entrance to the Trader Joe's shopping center for northbound bicyclists is especially treacherous, with motorists turning left into the shopping center and others pulling out with little regard for people on bikes. - Regarding the proposed mitigation for South Higuera Street/Tank Farm Road: "Project development of Class I bike paths through the project site and connections to the Bicycle Transportation Plan's regional network would improve conditions to (an) acceptable level. This new bike path would connect to a planned Class I path parallel to Tank Farm Road that would provide cyclists with an alternative route that would allow them to bypass the South Higuera Street/Tank Farm road intersection, reducing the usage of this intersection and improving conditions to acceptable levels." Comment: There is no guarantee that this Class I path will be built in the near future. And, people on bikes have the same destinations as motorists. The Class I bike path may not go where all people on bikes want to travel. Hoping people on bikes will avoid intersection is not an acceptable mitigation. Safety for all users — not motor vehicle traffic flow — should be the intent of the mitigation. -The DEIR states the following: "Construction of Class I and II bicycle networks would be a multi -agency effort between the City, County and applicant. The applicant would develop all segments within the project site. Depending on the jurisdiction of the proposed bicycle lane segment, the City and/or County would develop Class I and II bicycle lanes along the Buckley Road Extension, as well as future offsite connections along Santa Fe Road and East Branch of San Luis Obispo Creek as part of capital improvements. Implementation of these future offsite segments is also dependent upon right-of-way acquisitions. Comment: What happens if the acquisitions don't happen and these bikeways are never built? -The DEIR does not address school access. How will students travel to Los Ranchos Elementary, Laguna Middle and San Luis High schools? The ability of children to safely ride a bicycle or walk to school should be a high priority. Suggested mitigations to encourage Avila Ranch residents to ride bikes, take transit and car share include: -Require participationin in the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments' Rideshar e programs, including the new Residential Transportation Demand Program. -Free bikes or a -bikes for new residents (voucher to local store or certain bikes). -Car sharing on site. Initial free membership to encourage this option. -Bike hooks, racks, bike garages for safe, easy storage and quick grab use at all housing unit entries. -Reduce unit -specific and on -street parking. -Include a number of no-car/no parking/no garage units for people without cars. -First year free bus passes for residents. -On-site bicycle maintenance kiosks at high-density unit complexes and neighborhood parks. -Bike/pedestrian connections at the ends of all cul-de-sacs. In summary, this project needs multi -modal connectivity combined with incentives to use transit and active transportation choices. Safe routes to school, safe and convenient bike routes to destinations both on- and off-site and frequent transit service should be the focus. Bike SLO County is supported by more than 4,800 individuals throughout the region who believe safer complete roads for biking, walking and driving are essential to communitywide well-being.