HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-07-2017 - Avila Ranch Draft Environmental Impact Report Recirculation - Bike SLO CountyCity of San Luis Obispo
Community Development Department
Attn: Tyler Corey, Principal Planner
919 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo CA 93401-3218
tcorey(7a.slocity..om
Dear Mr. Corey:
RECEIVED
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
APR 0 7 2017
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Re: Avila Ranch Draft Environmental Impact Report, Recirculated Portions
April 7, 2017
Bike SLO County appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Recirculated Portions
of the Avila Ranch Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) relating to energy
impacts. We applaud the City for determining that additional analysis related to energy
impacts was needed.
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. Replacing personal motor vehicle trips with bicycling saves
energy by reducing fuel consumption, and also reduces air pollution and traffic
congestion and improves public health.
We reiterate our comment that the Avila Ranch Draft Environmental Impact Report is
not acceptable because the Mitigated Project Alternative would increase demand for
bicycle facilities in an underserved area and potentially conflict with the City's Bicycle
Transportation Plan regulations and General Plan thresholds.
City Policy supports:
-Pedestrian- and bicycle -friendly facilities located and designed to promote travel by
pedestrians and bicyclists.
-A transportation and circulation system that fosters travel by modes other than motor
vehicles, including walking, bicycles and public transit.
-A network of bicycle lanes and paths, sidewalks and pedestrian paths within existing
developed parts of the city by 2035, and extending the system to serve new growth
-Efforts of the County Air Pollution Control District to implement traffic reduction
programs.
We support the proposed mitigation measures with secondary energy conservation
effects:
-MM TRANS -2d: Construction of Class II Bicycle Lanes: Reduce personal vehicle use
and fuel consumption by providing connecting the Project site to the existing bicycle
860 Pacific St, Suite 105, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 1 bikeslocounty.org
network, ensuring a safe and continuous bicycle route, and encouraging the use of
multi -modal options.
-MM TRANS -11: Construction of New Bicycle Bridges: Reduce vehicle fuel
consumption by providing a safe and continuous bicycle route and encouraging the use
of multi -modal options.
Although Avila Ranch proposes excellent bicycle facilities 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.
For example, the existing gap in the bicycle transportation network on Buckley Road will
be exacerbated by Avila Ranch as currently proposed. 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 and growing
number of job sites and Los Ranchos Elementary School at the east end of Orcutt Road
and vicinity. Increases in motor vehicle traffic when Buckley Road is extended to
Higuera Street, combined with project -generated vehicle traffic, will make riding a
bicycle on Buckley Road without continuous Class II bike lanes perilous. Without
consistent Class II bike lanes on Buckley Road between Higuera Street and Highway
227, people will drive, resulting in more energy use.
The significant increase in project -generated vehicle traffic on South Higuera Street, Los
Osos Valley Road, Tank Farm Road, Buckley Road, Broad Street and other roadways
without adding buffers and other safety enhancements for people on bicycles, and the
DEIR's proposed mitigations to address traffic congestion by adding multiple turn lanes
in intersections to increase capacity for motor vehicles will likely reduce the number of
people currently riding bicycles and prevent others from trying out of fear of being hit by
motorists. Again, more people driving will increase energy use.
In conclusion a major shift in emphasis from motor -vehicle dependency to multi -modal
choice is required to reduce energy use. Additional mitigations to reduce personal
vehicle trips are needed to achieve the 20 percent trips -by -bike goals in the Land Use
and Circulation Elements (LUCE) and Climate Action Plan and the 20 percent mode
share objective in the Bicycle Transportation Plan. According to HEAL SLO, San Luis
Obispo County's obesity prevention coalition, Avila Ranch is projected to produce one-
third more driving miles per household (72 per day) than the City average (54),
especially drive -alone automobile traffic, because it is at the edge of City limits and far
from most services and all schools.
860 Pacific St, Suite 105, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 1 bikeslocounty.org
Sincerely,
Mike
Mike Bennett, Executive Director
Bike SLO County
Lea
Lea Brooks, Board Member
Bike SLO County
860 Pacific St, Suite 105, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 1 bikesiocounty.org