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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/21/1997, 6 - RAILROAD SQUARE MASTER PLAN.council j ac En as nepont C I T Y OF S A N L U I S O B I S P O FROM: Arnold Jonas o PREPARED BY: Jeff H SUBJECT: Railroad Square Master Plan. CAO RECOMMENDATION: 1) Approve the master plan workscope and authorize staff to prepare the master plan; and 2) authorize the CAO to use up to $15,000 in Surface Transportation Program funds to cover master plan costs. DISCUSSION Last June, Council members reviewed a draft workscope and voted 5 -0 to direct staff to work with San Luis Obispo Council of Governments ( SLOCOG) staff to identify potential funding sources for the Railroad Square Master Plan. Following several meetings with City staff, SLOCOG agreed to allocate $5,000 in Surface Transportation Act funds for preparation of the Master Plan, with an additional $10,000 to be made available in the future on a "demonstrated need" basis. With this support from SLOCOG, Community Development and Public Works staff are ready to proceed with the master plan. It is desirable to start the study now, since three large capital projects are being planned in the railroad district at this time: the Railroad multi-modal transportation center, the Jennifer Street Bridge, and the Railroad Bikeway. The master plan would be prepared concurrently, as these. projects proceed, and help integrate these projects and while providing design guidelines for planned improvements. It is not expected to delay implementation of these projects. The General Plan identifies the Santa Barbara Street corridor as a "Special Design Area" and calls for the City to develop an area plan to guide renovation and improvement of buildings, streetscape, landscaping and public use areas in this key corridor. The Railroad Master Plan area overlaps with that of the Special Design Area. The Master Plan would provide useful information and direction for both of these study areas. The Railroad Square Master Plan was initially suggested by a citizen who felt that a plan was needed to address several important issues, including: city and regional transportation issues, open space and historic preservation, the need for safe pedestrian and bicycle connections, esthetic and public safety concerns, and the need to provide additional car parking. Council members were also concerned that the various activities and improvements planned or underway in the Railroad Area be properly coordinated. 6 -/ Council Agenda Report - Railroad Square Master Plan Page 2 As envisioned by staff, the Railroad Square Master Plan's chief purpose would be to help define the overall vision for the District, similar to the Downtown Physical Plan but with special standards to maintain the district's historic character. It would also help coordinate activities of the various City and County staff, including Public Works, Community Development, SLOCOG and others as they consider projects in the railroad area. Specifically, the master plan could help guide: 1) reuse of abandoned railroad right -of -way for bicyclists and pedestrians; 2) locations for new or expanding businesses; 3) area- serving parking /transportation facilities; 4) redevelopment of service - commercial uses and the Santa Barbara Street corridor, including unused street rights -of -way; and 5) historic preservation projects, including the Railroad Water Tower and possible restoration of the old Railroad Warehouse and /or Roundhouse for a railroad heritage museum and related commercial uses. Some of these efforts are already underway, for example, the City's new bikeway and the Jennifer Street bridge. Circulation, land use, historic preservation, recreation, public safety and other issues should be considered comprehensively to enable logical, safe and attractive development, consistent with General Plan policies. A master plan would create a framework to implement General Plan goals for the area, and help coordinate capital projects in this relatively small but visible and sensitive gateway. The timing for such a plan appears good for severalreasons: • The City applied to the State of California, via the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments ( SLOCOG), for $580,000 to purchase abandoned railroad right -of -way south of the Railroad Square office building and the application was approved. In addition, Proposition 116 funds totaling $1.1 million are also available for site purchase and development; • The Council has chosen the above site as the preferred location for the multi -modal transit center, and it appears that construction of the new center will be feasible; • Plans for a new Cafe Roma restaurant on the former "Outside Inn" site have been approved by the City; • Recent completion of platform and maintenance facilities for the San Diegan passenger service near the railroad depot; • Engineering design studies are underway to restore the Old Railroad Water Tower, an historic preservation project funded with State transportation grant funds; • Plans to install a new bikeway and bridge to link the Ella Street neighborhood with Downtown are moving forward; and • Completion of the new City Fire Station #1 at South and Santa Barbara Street may focus additional public and property owner attention on this area of town for redevelopment. Vo -01-- Council Agenda Report - Railroad Square Master Plan Page 3 The master plan will be a short-term, narrowly defined project, taking about six months to a year to draft and adopt. Key Council decisions have already been made which must be factored into the plan, and to some degree, the master planning effort would need to move relatively quickly to "catch up" with the activities already in planning and design stages. The workscope would include the following general topics: Circulation/parking Bicyclelpedestrian linkages Public Transportation Access Urban design standards Cultural Resources Land Use Recreation /open space Plan implementation FISCAL EWPACT Funding for the Master Plan would come from state and /or federal transportation funds administered by the SLOCOG. No additional City funding is needed. As envisioned, the master plan would be prepared "in house" by Community Development Department staff with assistance from Public Works and other city staff, and in consultation with SLOCOG, the County of San Luis Obispo, Amtrak, Southern Pacific Transportation Company, and area property owners. Depending upon-the availability of staff resources, funding might be needed to provide graphic or other specialized services, such as urban design standards and cultural resource mapping. SLOCOG has initially earmarked $5,000 for the plan, with an additional $10,000 available on a "demonstrated need" basis. Estimated study costs printing, photography, other direct costs $ 5,000 consultant expenses, as needed 10,000 Total PI The project may require that some Community Development work priorities be deferred or reassigned. For example, some Cultural Heritage Committee programs may need to be deferred, although the plan would also tie in with CHC preservation goals in the Railroad area. These CHC programs can be deferred for six month to a year without adversely affecting CHC goals. Housing Element implementation and Community Development Block Grant programs would continue to be high priorities and would not be significantly affected. ALTERNATIVE 1. Contract for consultants to prepare a master plan for the Railroad Square area. This G Council Agenda Report - Railroad Square Master Plan Page 4 option would recognize the importance of planned development activities in Railroad Square and the need for a master plan to guide that development. Consultant preparation for a complete plan would increase the cost significantly, by as much as $30,000 - 40,000. 2. Do not prepare a master plan for Railroad Square. Under this approach, project review in the Railroad Historic District will continue on a project -by- project basis by Community Development and Public Works Departments, based on existing General Plan and Zoning Ordinance standards. Opportunities for project coordination would be more limited, and there would be no overall vision to guide public and private development in Railroad Square. Attachments Railroad Area Study Area Map Letter from Astrid Gallagher Council Minutes jh /word:rrsmp4.rpt V/,// RAILROAD SQUARE STUDY AREA ^k SOUTH STREr= 1 I \ Aeten 37 El Mirador Ct San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 October 31, 1995 The Hon Allan Settle, Mayor Members of the City Council 990 Palm St. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Dear Mayor Settle and Members of the City Council: In the 1880s San Luis Opispo County historian and newspaper editor Myron Angel cajoled and harassed the Southern Pacific to extend the coastal railroad through San Luis Obispo. He goaded the city fathers and the property owners to provide the land for the right of way. He did a good deed. The "Espy" brought the world to our doorstep. However, the tracks cut our city in half and for a hundred years the city has turned its backside to the tracks. The entire Historic San Luis Obispo Railroad Corridor within the City limits needs a comprehensive Master Plan. The city needs to explore now, while the options are available, all avenues and possibilities for a safe, open space that preserves the historic character and the alternative transportation parkway. Walkers, joggers, mothers with strollers, pets on leashes, mopeds, bicyclists and students of all ages use the entire Railroad Corridor. I urge you to get a sense of the heavy use of this historic corridor by standing on the Mill St. overpass, by driving on San Luis Dr. any school day at noon, where you'll see high school students enjoying the Railroad Corridor reading, studying and chatting. With a major city - directed cleanup, and the installation of some street lighting and minor landscaping, the northern portion from Johnson Ave. to Calpoly will be attractive and safe for the neighborhood residents. I urge you also to drive or bike the corridor from the Railroad Station to Orcutt Rd. at sunset. The spectacular views of our valleys and of our mountains from this open space need to be preserved for our community. Now arriving tourists and through Amtrack passengers get their first and sometimes only impression of San Luis Obispo when they see the filthy, hazardous transient encampments around and in the culverts, the piles of trash and tires, rusty cars, gang graffiti, old sofas, and vandalized historic buildings. An immediate major city directed cleanup effort from Johnson Ave to Orcutt Rd. must be made to protect this communty's historic resources, to promote safety f in the Railroad Historic District, and to prevent further deterioration, vandalism and theft. The Master Plan must address the preservation, reconstruction and reuse of the historic resources. Other competing issues need to be addressed. There are several unresolved right -of -way issues, including public access to public resources. The possibility exists for City purchase of open space. Additional Railroad Depot parking is critical. The Avila Valley Railroad group is looking at the historic Pacific Coast Railroad connection. The completion of the long planned Bikeway will reduce cars on city streets. The Bishop St. underpass or bridge will reduce by hundreds of thousands of dollars the cost of fire protection. The pedestrian/bike underpass to the Sinsheimer Recreation complex allows for easy car -free access for area residents. A creative, comprehensive Master Plan will pull together the many, varied and exciting opportunities for this historic zone. The time is right for the City of San Luis Obispo to take control of the longest section of open space within the city limits. On behalf of the Cultural Heritage Committee, I ask you to direct your staff to prepare a Priority Master Plan for the Historic San Luis Obispo Railroad Corridor. Very Sincerely, Astrid Gallag ?r Chairman, Cultural Heritage Committee 6 -7 City Council Meeting Page 3 Tuesday, June 4, 1996 - 4:0v p.m. location for the Center site, coordinatin in cooperation with SLOCOG; motion carried (5 -0). Moved by Williams/Romero to develo a viable sub -center within the core of the City downtown which will provide excellent and conve rvice to transit passengers to the Government Center and the downtown; motion carried (5 -0). Moved by Smith/Roalman to discontinue purs a former Toyota property; motion carried (4- 1; Romero voting no). Moved by Smith /Romero to adopt Resolution No. 8540 authorizing the CAO to execute a transfer agreement for an allocation of NI funding for additional Amtrak Parking facilities; motion carried (5 -0). 2. RAILROAD SQUARE MASTER PLAN (File No. 452) Council considered approving the Master Plan workscope for the Railroad Square area and authorizing staff to proceed with preparation of the master plan, consultant proposals for specific workscope tasks, if necessary, and including $15,000 in the 1996 -97 Budget for master plan costs. Arnold Jonas. Community Development Director, and Jeff Hook, Associate Planner, outlined the important developments taking place in the Railroad Square area creating the need for a master plan. Mayor Settle asked for comments from the audience. Steve Devencenzi, SLOCOG, supported a Master Plan for the area. Mayor Settle returned discussion to Council. After discussion, moved by Roalman /Romero to direct staff to work with SLOCOG to identify potential funding sources for a study of land use in connection with two regional projects in the Railroad Square area; motion carried (5 -0). L.R.1. Council Member Romero rted that Astrid Gallagher was moving out of the City and would have to resign from ultural Heritage Committee. He asked if she could serve in an consultant capacity to the mmittee. Staff responded that she would be welcome to sit in on CHC meetings. 5:55 p.m. Mayor Settle recessed to 6:00 p.m. Clos sion to be held in Conference Room A of the Library. 5:55 p.m. President Settle adjourned the Capital Improvgmef5t Board. /CLOSED SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO TUESDAY, JUNE 4,1996 - 6:00 P.M. CITY /COUNTY LI RARY.C.44FERENCE ROOM A, 995 PALM STREET SAN LUIS OBISPO_CALIFORNIA ROLL CALL: Council Members Present: Council Menters Kathy Smith, Dave Romero, Bill Roalman, Vice Mayor Dodie Williams, and Mayor Allen Settle i