HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-21-2016 Public Comment, Lipper
To: Maier, John Paul
Subject: RE: Luneta Drive
From:
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2016 6:27 PM
To: Marx, Jan
Subject: Luneta Drive
Dear Mayor Marx,
I live at 585 Luneta Dr. with my wife and young children.
Since we've discovered the city's plans to turn Luneta Drive into a through street, we have been shocked.
City Staff estimates this project will increase traffic on Luneta Drive to 500% of its current volume!
Doing so would absolutely devastate our neighborhood. It would:
• Eliminate the only remaining peaceful walking and biking street in the area.
• Attract out -of -area traffic to use it as a shortcut from Foothill to Broad
• Reduce property values along Luneta, Serrano, Palomar and S. Tassajara significantly.
• Create a dangerous street that is no longer safe for kids to play on.
It is even in violation of the most recent General Plan (page 2-29, section 8.1.1), which says:
"The City shall design its circulation network to... discourage through traffic use of Collectors and Local streets." Luneta
Drive is classified as a Local street.
It is my request that the City Council create a future agenda item for allowing Luneta Drive to remain closed to
through traffic.
City Staff states that making Luneta a through street is the completion of a 50 -year old intention, and therefore it is
exempt from any present-day due process or approvals because it was approved in the 1960's. (Is this really true?!)
As such, they have not considered any other alternatives. In addition, there is apparently no input required from
residents, nor is any notification of residents even required.
Staff is apparently obligated to complete this 50 -year old plan with absolutely no consideration for present day
circumstances or impacts.
There has been no traffic study done, no EIR, no consideration of its devastating impact on the surrounding
neighborhood.
The General Plan also says on page 2-31:
"The City shall provide for broad public participation in the planning and design of major changes to the street
network."
Like 1 said, there has been NO opportunity for public participation in the planning or design of this project. NONE.
* It has not been evaluated for compatibility with streets like Serrano or Palomar to handle the tremendous increase in
traffic volume to 500% of its present level.
* It has not been evaluated for compatibility with the planned Broad street bike boulevard.
It is the blind execution of a 50 -year old plan without ANY consideration of current -day impacts and without ANY
consideration of the desires of residents.
Staff has explained that unless the City Council directs them otherwise, they have no choice but to execute this ancient
plan which will devastate the neighborhood of hundreds of residents.
Speaking of residents, there is a petition signed by over 150 residents who oppose this project and wish for Luneta to
remain closed to through traffic.
In addition, Tim Bochum says he has heard from dozens of residents who want Luneta to stay closed to through
traffic. Ironically, he says he has not received a single email or comment from a single resident who actually wants
Luneta to be opened up.
In other words, turning Luneta into a through street is a project that no residents actually want and is only being done
to comply with an "intention" from 50 -years ago.
Perhaps it sounds ridiculous to blindly execute a plan from 1965 that no one actually wants to happen because some
documents from the archives indicate this, but this is exactly what city staff has stated as their reason for this project.
It is my request that this council create a future agenda item for allowing Luneta Drive to remain closed to through
traffic.
Again, Tim Bochum, Director of Transportation, has explained that unless the City Council directs him otherwise, the city
has no choice but to execute this devastating plan that no one actually wants.
Please agendize this issue and save the neighborhood of hundreds of residents.
Thank you.
Al & Aurora Lipper