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Home My WebLink About5/7/2019 Item 15, Grigsby (2) ;� °�°� Council Agenda Correspondence �� Date: May 7, 2019 TO: Mayor and Council FROM: Daryl Grigsby, Public Works Director Prepared By: Luke Schwartz, Interim Transportation Manager VIA: Derek Johnson, City Manager �.�� SUBJECT: 5/7/19 Council Agenda; Public Hearing Item#15,Northwest-West Corner M�ed- Use Development Project—Response to Comments from Ms. Lea Brooks The Council has received several agenda correspondence regarding the proposed development project at the northwest corner of Tank Farm and Broad(3985 Broad Street, 660 Tank Farm Road). This includes a letter submitted by Ms. Lea Brooks raising numerous questions regarding the project-related transportation impacts, mitigation requirements, and accommodations for bicycle and pedestrian circulation. The purpose of this memorandum is to supplement the information already provided in the staff report and corresponding attachments. The comments addressed in this memorandum cover most of the other public comments received by staff as of noon today (May 7, 2019) regarding the transportation elements of the proposed project. Why didn't the City's Active T�ansportation Co�nmittee (ATC) have the opportunity to review the developn�ent proposal? The purpose of the ATC is to advise on policy direction related to active transportation. Review of development projects that are in conformance with adopted plan&policy is not within the purview of the Active Transportation Committee. Mitzgation Measure T-1, which pro�oses a second westbound t�a�c lane on Tank Far�n Road f�oyn B�oad to the Mindbody intersection will encouNage aggressive dNiving and will not encouNage people to ride bikes. Instead of a second tj^affic lane, this spczce should be used fo�^ a protected bicycle lane. Mitigation Measure T-1 requires the project to widen Tank Farm Road along the project frontage to develop the ultimate street cross section identified in the Airport Area Specific Plan. This includes addition of a second westbound motor vehicle lane, sidewalks buffered from the street with landscaped parkway, 7-foot bike lanes with a 2-foot striped buffer. The proposed cross section provides a wider bike lane than exists currently, results in fewer vehicles in the traffic lane directly adjacent to the bike lane and provides pedestrian facilities that are set back from vehicular traffic. It should also be noted that the proposed bike lane buffer provides a dedicated area for future installation of physical separation to provide for protected bike lanes. Specific policy and design guidance for future installation of protected bike lanes is currently being defined as part of the Active Transportation Plan, Northwest Corner Mixed-Use Development— Response to Letter from Ms. Lea Brooks Page 2 which will be developed over the next year with plans for adoption in the second half of 2020. Mitigation Measur�e T-2, requir•es the project to make a fair�share cont�ibution towards the cost of widening Tank Fa�fn Road to four lanes between Santa Fe Road and Old Windmill Lane. This contribution should also be used for protected bicycle lanes. The future improvements along this segment of Tank Farm Road include widening to provide a cross section that includes four vehicular travel lanes, a center median/two-way left-turn lane, on-street bike lanes with striped buffers, sidewall�s, and a separated Class I Shared-Use Path on one side of the road. Thus, the fair-share payment that the project is required to contribute will fund the future construction of a physically-separated bicycle facility. The project is also required to pay Citywide Traffic Impact Fees, which also contribute towards installation of other planned bicycle facilities within the city. Mitigation Measu�e T-3, which requires t�affic signal phasing and st�iping modifications at the BNoad/IndustNial inteNsection, only addNesses motoN vehicle opeNations and ignores bicycle and pedest�ian conditions along Industrial Way. Indust�ial Way should inclucle removal of st�eet pa�king on one side to provide bike lanes and the inte�section of Broad Street and IndustNiaZ Way must be protected for pedestr�ians and bicyclists. Mitigation Measure T-3 is required to address project-related impacts to auto operations at the Broad/Industrial intersection. The transportation impact study prepared for the project also analyzed pedestrian and bicycle operations at this location but did not identify any instances where the City's performance thresholds were exceeded. Thus, from a CEQA perspective, there was no nexus from which to require the project to contribute to additional improvements. Mitigation Measure T-4�equi�es fai�share cont�ibutions towards future improve�nents at the Tank Fczrm/Higue�a, Tank Farm/Santa Fe, and Broad/Tank Farm intersections payment of Citywic�e Traffic Impact Fees th�ough payment of Citywide T�affic bnpact Fees. These mitigation sneasu�es solely addr�ess moto� vehicle t�affic flow with no fnention of imp�oving pedestria�e and bicyclist cornfo�t and safety. Tlzese inteNsections �nust be p�otected for bicyclists and pedestr�ians. Through payment of Citywide Traffic Impact Fees, the project is contributing fair share payments towards these specific intersection improvements, as well as numerous planned bicycle and pedestrian projects throughout the city. As additional pedestrian and bicycle improvements are identified in the Active Transportation Plan, the traffic impact fee program may be amended in the future at the discretion of the Council to reflect these specific projects. Plans for an inte�im Class I Path alignment extending along the future Prado Road Extension czlignmentfi^om the existing Prado Road terminus to Broad Street did not materialize with czpproval of develop�nent tracts withira the Mnrga�ita Specific Plan A�ea. Similarly, approval of the Avila Ranch Develop�nent did not require im�rovements to bicycle facilities ota Buckley Road between the Avila Ranch site and Broad St�^eet/Hwy 227. Without improved east-west connections at Prado or Buckley, Tank Farm Road will continue to serve as the p�imary east-west active transportation Northwest Corner Mixed-Use Development— Response to Letter from Ms. Lea Brooks Page 3 route fo� the nea� futuNe. Without mitigations to irnprove connectivity fo� pedestr�ians and bicyclists, fnost people will continue to driveway between Higuera and Broad Streets. While the City will continue to collect traf�c impact fees and pursue other direct developer contributions (where a nexus exists) towards the future Prado Road Extension and widening of the Tank Farm Road corridor, at this time there is insufficient funding to proceed with these projects, which involve significant costs and right-of-way needs. For additional information on these items, please contact Luke Schwartz, Interim Transportation Manager, at lschwartz(cr�,slocity.org. IIII��