HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-04-10 - RESOLUTIONS - DOCKWEILER DR ARCH ST 13TH ST AT-GRADE RAIL CROSSI (2) RESOLUTION NO. 18-11
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA,
CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE ALIGNMENT OF THE DOCKWEILER DRIVE
EXTENSION TO CONNECT AT ARCH STREET/13TH STREET AND AUTHORIZING AN
APPLICATION TO THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO CONSIDER
NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE 13TH STREET AT-GRADE RAIL CROSSING
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. FINDINGS OF FACT. The City Council does hereby make the following
findings of fact:
a. On June 25, 1991,the City Council adopted the City of Santa Clarita(City) General
Plan by adoption of Resolution No. 91-98. On June 14, 2011,the City Council
adopted an update to the City General Plan by adoption of Resolution No. 11-61.
b. The Circulation Element of the General Plan and the Joint Highway Plan designate
Dockweiler drive as a secondary arterial roadway.
c. The Circulation Element of the General Plan identifies future roadway improvements
needed to implement the buildout of the Joint Highway Plan. Roadway improvements
include constructing the Dockweiler Drive roadway segment, a four-lane secondary
highway, from the existing terminus just east of Leonard Tree Lane,to Railroad
Avenue and Lyons Avenue. The Joint Highway Plan refers to the Circulation Element
in both the City's General Plan and Los Angeles County's (County) Santa Clarita
Valley Area Plan. The City and the County worked together to develop one Highway
Plan that was incorporated as the Circulation Element in each agency's respective
General Plan/Area Plan.
d. On January 13, 2009, a 0.64-mile segment of Dockweiler Drive was approved by the
City Council as a part of The Master's University Master Plan project. The 0.64-mile
segment of Dockweiler Drive includes extension of a four-lane roadway from the
terminus of Dockweiler to the westerly property line of The.Master's University. This
segment of Dockweiler Drive has not been constructed.
e. The City of Santa Clarita received$5,899,000 in Proposition C grant funding from
the 2013 Metro Call for Projects and$5,475,000 in Proposition C grant funding from
the 2015 Metro Call for Projects equaling $11,374,000 in grant funding for
construction of the Lyons Avenue/Dockweiler Drive Extension for Project.
f. On October 23,2012, the City Council awarded a contract to Hall &Foreman and
consultants (now David Evans and Associates Inc.)to complete the Environmental
Impact Report(EIR) for the Lyons Avenue/Dockweiler Drive Extension project.
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g. The project consists of a 0.44-mile extension of Dockweiler Drive from the approved
extension of Dockweiler Drive at The Master's University, to Railroad Avenue, at
Lyons Avenue, along with a connection to Arch Street/13th Street. The project would
consist of a four-lane roadway with a 12-foot raised landscaped median, a 13-foot
sidewalk/parkway on each side. The typical right-of-way width would be 92 feet. The
project would also include the closure of the at-grade rail crossing at 13th Street with
required street improvements.
h. The environmentally superior alternative project, as identified as Alternative 2
(Proposed Alignment to Arch Street/13th Street without the Lyons At-Grade
Crossing), includes the construction of the proposed roadway alignment and
associated infrastructure for Dockweiler Drive, which would extend Dockweiler
Drive 0.67 miles from The Master's University to Arch Street/13th Street. The route
would continue along Arch Street to 13th Street to link with Railroad Avenue. Unlike
the Proposed Project, Alternative 2 does not include the roadway segment between
the Dockweiler Drive extension and Lyons Avenue, which spans a portion of the
Newhall Creek. Additionally, Alternative 2 proposes to maintain and improve the
13th Street at-grade rail crossing. The Alternative 2 Project would require
improvements to Arch Street and 13th Street to accommodate traffic from the
extension of Dockweiler Drive to Arch Street.
i. Surrounding land uses to the project site include vacant, industrial, and residential
uses to the north and zoned Mixed Use Neighborhood (MXN); vacant, residential,
and college uses to the east and zoned MXN and Public/Institutional (PI);the
Newhall Creek to the south and zoned Specific Plan(SP); and Old Town Newhall to
the west and zoned SP. Land use and zoning designations for the project site include
MXN and PI.
j. In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act(CEQA),the City of
Santa Clarita is the identified lead agency, with the City Council as the decision-
making body for the Lyons Avenue/Dockweiler Drive Extension project.
k. The City prepared an Initial Study for the project, which determined that the project
may have a significant effect on the environment, and that an EIR must be prepared.
The Initial Study determined that the following areas must be addressed in the EIR:
aesthetics, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils,
hydrology/water quality, land use/planning, noise, and transportation/traffic.
1. On August 5,2013, a Notice of Preparation(NOP)was circulated to affected
agencies,pursuant to CEQA statutes and the CEQA Guidelines (Title 14, Cal. Code
of Regs. §§ 15000 et seq.). Numerous comments from agencies and the public were
received over the 30-day review period, which ended on September 3, 2013.
Agencies that received the NOP include, but are not limited to, the State of California
Public Utilities Commission, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Southern
California Regional Rail Authority, the County of Los Angeles, the California
Regional Water Quality Control Board, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, South
Coast Air Quality Management District, law enforcement agencies, school districts,
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waste haulers, water agencies, and transportation agencies serving the Santa Clarita
Valley, in accordance with CEQA's consultation requirements. Numerous comments
from public agencies, organizations, and members of the public were received in
response to the NOP.
m. On August 21, 2013, a Scoping Meeting was held at City Hall, 23920 Valencia
Boulevard, Santa Clarita, California, to obtain information from the public as to
issues that should be addressed in the EIR. Notice of the Scoping Meeting was mailed
to all property owners within 1,000 feet of the subject site and to all affected
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agencies.
n. The City and the EIR consultant developed three project alternatives as part of
preparing the Draft Environmental Impact Report(Draft EIR), including: 1)the No
Project Alternative; 2)Alternative 1 (Proposed Alignment with the 13th Street Rail
Crossing); and 3) Alternative 2 (Proposed Alignment to Arch Street Without Lyons
At-Grade Crossing). In addition, three other alternatives were considered, but rejected
as infeasible because of the physical constraints associated with each of these
alternatives. These other alternatives that were considered but rejected from further
study included: 1)the Market Street Alignment; 2)the Lyons Avenue Overpass; and
3)the Lyons Avenue Underpass.
o. A Draft EIR for the project was prepared and circulated for review and comment by
affected governmental agencies and the public and all issues raised in the NOP and by
comments received on the NOP have been considered, in compliance with CEQA.
The Notice of Availability/Notice of Completion for the Draft EIR was filed, posted,
and advertised on August 16, 2017, and the public review period ran for 60 days,
from August 16, 2017, through October 16, 2017, all in accordance with CEQA. All
written comments received during the review period were accepted for inclusion in
the Final EIR Responses to Comments.
p. Two duly-noticed public outreach meetings were held on September 14, 2017, and
September 28, 2017, to receive public comments on the Draft EIR. The public
outreach meetings were advertised by mailing to all property owners within 1,000
feet of the project site, to commenting agencies on the NOP, and to neighboring
homeowners' associations and property owners' associations. The meetings were held
at The Master's University,North Campus, 24728 Quigley Canyon Road, Building
#35, EHC Room 100, Santa Clarita, California, at 6:00 p.m. The following occurred
at the public outreach meetings:
1. On September 14 and 28, 2017, City staff conducted public outreach meetings
on the project. Staff provided a summary of the project description and the
Draft EIR and received public testimony regarding the project. Approximately
100 people attended each meeting.
q. Following the public outreach meetings, the City prepared the Final EIR(February
2018; SCH No. 2013082016). The Final EIR contained copies of all written comment
letters; responses to all written comments received on the Draft EIR.
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r. Notice of the Final EIR's availability was provided on February 14, 2018,to
commenting agencies, organizations, and persons.
s. The City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on the Lyons
Avenue/Dockweiler Drive Extension project and Final EIR on February 27, 2018, at
City Hall, 23920 Valencia Boulevard, Santa Clarita, California, at 6:00 p.m. At this
meeting, the City Council received a presentation on the Lyons Avenue/Dockweiler
Drive Extension project from staff and the environmental consultant, and received
public testimony regarding the project. At the conclusion of the meeting,the City
Council continued the public hearing to April 10, 2018.
t. The City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on the Lyons
Avenue/Dockweiler Drive Extension project and Final EIR on April 10, 2018, at City
Hall, 23920 Valencia Boulevard, Santa Clarita, at 6:00 p.m. At this meeting,the City
Council received a presentation on the Lyons Avenue/Dockweiler Drive Extension
project from staff and the environmental consultant, and received public testimony
regarding the project. At the conclusion of the hearing, the City Council closed the
public hearing and adopted all of the necessary approval documents (resolutions,
findings of fact,responses to comments, mitigation monitoring, reporting program,
etc.) for certification of the Lyons Avenue/Dockweiler Drive Extension project Final
EIR and for approval of the environmentally superior alternative alignment as
analyzed in the Lyons Avenue/Dockweiler Drive Extension project.
u. Based upon the Draft EIR(August 2017) and Final EIR(February 2018), staff and
consultant presentations, staff reports, and public comments and testimony, the City
Council finds the project will not adversely affect the health, peace, comfort, or
welfare of persons residing in the area; nor will the project be materially detrimental
to the use, enjoyment, or valuation of property in the vicinity of the project site; nor
will the project jeopardize, endanger or otherwise constitute a menace to the public
health, safety, or general welfare since the project conforms with the General Plan
and is compatible with surrounding land uses.
v. Additionally,the City Council finds all public meetings pertaining to the project were
duly noticed in accordance with the noticing requirements for the project. The project
was advertised in The Signal, by sign posting, and by direct first-class mailing to
property owners within 1,000 feet of the project site.
w. The location of the documents and other materials that constitute the record of
proceedings upon which the decision of the City Council is based is project file for
the Lyons Avenue/Dockweiler Drive Extension project is with the Public Works
Department; the record specifically is in the custody of the Director of Public Works.
SECTION 2. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT REQUIREMENTS.
The City Council does hereby make the following findings of facts:
a. On April 10, 2018, the City Council certified the Final EIR(SCH No. 2013082016)by
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separate resolution,which was prepared in compliance with CEQA. For purposes of
this finding,the Final EIR is comprised of the Draft EIR(August 2017) and Final EIR
(February 2018).
SECTION 3. Based upon the testimony and other evidence, if any, received at the City
Council meeting, and upon studies and investigations made by the City Council and on its
behalf,the City Council further finds and determines that this proposal is consistent with the
City's General Plan.
SECTION 4. The City Council hereby approves the alignment of Dockweiler Drive
extension to connect at Arch Street/13th Street, in accordance with the environmentally superior
alternative project(Alternative 2), as described in the Final Environmental Impact Report for the
Lyons Avenue/Dockweiler Drive Extension project.
SECTION 5. The City Council hereby directs and authorizes the City Manager, or
designee, to file the applicable application with the CPUC for the necessary improvements to the
13th Street at-grade rail crossing.
SECTION 6. This resolution will take effect upon the adjournment of the City Council's
April 10, 2018, City Council meeting.
SECTION 7. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this.Resolution and certify
this record to be a full, complete, and correct copy of the action taken.
PASSED,APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 10t"day of April, 2018.
MAYOR PRO TEM
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
DATE:
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