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Home My WebLink About7/5/2017 Item 12, Codron/Grigsby ��.�. �� Co cil e ora�� °<�� . _ _ _ �� ._� � Date: 7/5/2017 TO: Mayor and Council FROM: Michel Codron, Community Development Director Darryl Grigsby, Public Works Director �� VIA: Katie Lichtig, City��^��;r•� SUBJECT: San Luis Ranch EIR, City and Caltrans Staff Correspondence The City received a correspondence from CalTrans on Friday, June 30, 2017 regarding the San Luis Ranch Development project. Since receiving this letter late that day, City and CalTrans staff have been corresponding about the location and findings of various studies within the San Luis Ranch EIR and the US 101 / Prado Road Interchange Traffic Operations Analysis. This correspondence is attached. As a result of this continued dialogue with the State, staff will be recommending an additional project condition at the hearing which provides more detailed operational monitoring during phase 1 of the project as a function of continued work on the Prado Rd. Interchange. � " �;� ; Public Works 999 Palm, 5an Luis C7bispo, CA 93401 8i15.?81.'72�0 ��ro�o��.�7 u�;'�� July 5th, 2017 John Olejnik, Planning Management Liaison Caltrans Dist. 5 50 Higuera Street San Luis Obispo, Ca 93401 Mr. Olejnik, Thank you for the follow up discussion we had on June 30`h, 2017 regarding concerns expressed in a letter dated June 30`h, 2017. First, the City greatly appreciates the continued partnership and dialogue on these important projects that include San Luis Ranch, Avila Ranch, and the processing of regional improvements such as the Prado Road Interchange (Interchange) and extension of Buckley Road. An example of this cooperation has been the dialogues between City and Caltrans staff in developing the scope of work for this EIR as well as the Project Initiation Document (PID) for the Interchange, the review of transportation consultant proposals and the work products for both. Both the City's Public Works and Community Development Departments have collaborated on reviewing and addressing CalTrans requests. As discussed, we fully acknowledge and share Caltrans' concem regarding the timing of improvements that are necessary to keep local and regional transportation facilities operating at acceptable levels. The City is confident that we have adequately analyzed the development project pursuant to CEQA and in such a manner that foreseen deficient conditions along US 101 as a result of the project will be addressed. The San Luis Ranch EIR evaluates state facilities based on density and control delay measures of effectiveness consistent with the Caltrans Guide for The Preparation of Traffic Impact Studies. This analysis is provided in Tables 24 & 38 of the Traffic Impact Study (Appendix L) for existing conditions and for existing plus project conditions. Project traffic volumes on state facilities are not predicted to worsen any existing conditions beyond CalTrans thresholds. Similarly, for near term and near term plus project conditions (shown in Tables 57 and 87 of Appendix L), the project does not cause any segments of the freeway to worsen beyond conditions forecast for the near term without project scenario. The requested merge, diverge, and weave level of service is not included in the EIR because it is not a measure of effectiveness established under the Caltrans Guide for The Preparatinn of Traffic Impact Studies. However, as stated in our response to comment letter, this operational analysis has been completed and provided to Caltrans in March 2017 as part of the US 101 / Prado Road Interchange Traffic Operations Analysis. This document is being processed concurrently to the development project EIR and is being undertaken with a full cooperative Agreement with Caltrans. � m % f ' Ead +�� 44 M 1, The June 30th letter specifically identifies concerns with NB US 101 between Prado & Madonna and on SB US 101 between Marsh & Madonna. during phase 1 of the development project prior to the Prado Rd. Interchange being constructed. Based on the project trip generation and distribution for phase 1 approximately 40 additional vehicles in the peak are expected on SB 101 (Mash to Madonna) and less than l0 additional vehicles are expected in the peak on NB 101 (Prado to Madonna)also in phase 1. The limited number of trips generated by phase 1 on these segments would have a negligible effect on the merge,diverge, and weave which occurs in this segment of Highway 101 based on thc respective level of service calculation. The City acknowledges that development of this size is creating the need for improvements throughout the Madonna, LOVR, Hwy 101 and surrounding area. Accordingly, improvements have been establishcd as project mitigations and conditions to address project- related and cumulative traffic impacts resulting from development. These measures include many infrastructure upgrades on both City and State facilities prior to phase 1,the requireznent for a financing plan to build Prado Road Interchange in place prior to the project proceeding with Phase 2, and Travel Demand Management strategies to reduce vehicular traffic. While no data, adopted measure of effectiveness or other information in the record supports a conclusion that there are any project-related, potentially significant environmental impacts warranting the additional analysis you request as part of the entitlements currently being considered by the Council, the City is committed to its ongoing partnership with CalTrans in efforts to maximize operational efficiency and effective project implementation, on both State and City facilities. In order to address the concerns CalTrans staff has raised, and recognizing the fluid nature of large scale transportation project implementation, City staff will recommend that the Council adopt project-specific conditions clarifying requirements for monitoring of inerge, diverge, and weave levels of service during intervals of phase 1 development as a function ofthe Hwy 101 /Prado Interchange work. Ifnecessary,components of the interchange proj ect, such as ramp meters or auxiliary lanes, can be advanced to address any unanticzpated operational changes. Please contact either Tim Bochum or Jake Hudson should there be any questions about the issues covered in this letter. Sincerely yours, �,� _.., .�� . ..:� . � ,., �,._. _�,.� ��.., . �.� .Jake Hudson Transportation Manager, City of San Luis Obispo •I��,�� r��.ar,� 805.781.7255 .,�r�,r�_��e��nt��'4.rr��p��..�a:��.op�,��r�r�.��ay�e",�;I�,, �.a�.3r��a,r��a��)��+v��5°P� _ ......�. , .�S��r�t:�� llc�'�.^�.��.�r�w��.��: DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ��.�;�� 0 HTGUF.RA STREET +"'�"��w.°��`� SAN LUIS OBISPO.CA 93401-5415 �� +� � PHONE (805)�49-3101 '��° FAX (805)549-3329 TTY 711 ��k��fa�Mh"'�^�WW?,�1��4;�� °��Iti�� 'lexy¢�¢u-poib�er! FIe eaaerg��efftcierar! June 30, 2017 Mr. Brian Leveille OS-SLO-26.91 City of San Luis Obispo Cammunity Development SCH: 2015101093 919 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Dear Mr. Leveille: R.E: COMMENTS TO SAN LUIS RANCH SPECIFIC PLAN FII`�AL EIR Thank you for praviding Caltrans the opportunity to comment on the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the San Luis Ranch Specific Plan. Caltrans appreciates continued coordination with the City through the environmental review process, including our most recent June 29, 2017 meeting with City staff to discuss the FEIR response to comments on our January 30, 2017 Draft Environmental Document (DEIR) letter (enclosed). As discussed at this meeting, Caltrans maintains concern about the potential ramp and m.ainline project-specific impacts at US 101/South Higuera Street, US 101/Los Osos Valley Road, US 101/Prado Raad, and US 101/Madomla Road. These concerns stem from the potentially significant safety issues that can axise from. intraducing new trips either merging into ar off of tlae mainline highway. Without the benefii of a merge/diverge analysis at these locations, it is unknown if or to what degree safety or operations will be affected on the US 101 ramps (and ultimately the mainline), Again, this information is necessary to evaluate operational and safety impacts to the State Highway System and determine if any improvements may be recommended to mitigate these. Absent the study data we previously requested, the Caltrans viewpoint is that a development of this size (in addition to the Avila Ranch Development) creates the need for such improvements as auxiliary lanes in the vicinities mentioned above. The US 101/Prado Road Interchange project serves as the primary mitigation for impacts on US 101 triggered by Phase 2 of the project. While the City is working in close partnership with Caltrans to complete the Project Study Report for this interchange, Caltrans maintains concern about the potential interim impacts on US 101 in Phase 1 of the developinent. Therefore, we continue to request that the additional analysis be completed to deterinine if there are impacts requiring mitigation prior to occupancy of Phase 1. We appreciate the City meeting with us to discuss methods for accomplishing this within the environmental review process. Also, to clarify from our previous letter, we request a weaving analysis using the Leisch method for the short weave sections between the tlorthbound US 101/Prado Road on-ramp to the northbound US 101/Madonna Road off-ramp and the segment between the southbound US 101/Marsh Street on- ramp to the southbound US 101/Madonna Road off-ramp. 'Prpuicfe a srz�e,susCrain�zG[�, tint�,��i-�aP,ecl ant�effieient�r•rxns�r�a•lrzCior�sysGeni 1u erthart.ce C�l.efmrrtia's econoritiy rznr�leutzbili8y" Mr. Brian Leveille June 30, 2017 Page 2 As mentioned, Caltrans valued the recent opportunity to meet and discuss these comments with City staff. We hope that our meeting and this letter reiterates the point that the Caltrans Guide for Preparation of Traffic Impact Studies plus our engineering judgement expressed over the potential operational and safety issues from San Luis Ranch clearly support the need for the additional study and mitigation. Further, we look forward to the continued partnership and dialogue with the City in the development of Project Study Report for the US 101/Prado Road Interchange project; while this effort is underway for the long-term transportation needs, we also view it important to address the opening day impacts of both San Luis and Avila Ranch. Lastly, we wish to further extend the invitation to nneet with City staff on a more regular basis to coordinate on transportation issues of mutual interest. Please feel welcome to contact me at (805) 542-4751 or '��wa��,��c;��,+��,,�,��,,�with any questions. Sincerely, �"�HN J. OLEJNIK Caltrans District S Planning Management Liaison Development Review Enclosure: January 30, 2017-Caltrans Draft Environmental Impact Report Comments `Prouide a sa/'e,s�stainable,integraeed and efficienl transpor•tation systeni to e�ih¢iace C¢li/'ornia's economy¢nd liu¢bility"