HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-01-25 - AGENDA REPORTS - AMEND CITY CIRCULATION GP (2)NEW BUSINESS
DATE:
SUBJECT:
DEPARTMENT:
BACKGROUND
AGENDA REPORT
January 25, 1994
City Manager Approval
Item to be presented by:
Lynn Harris
Proposed Application for Amendment to the City's Circulation Element of the
General Plan
Community Development
The process to reassess the central city circulation network began following Council direction in
1992 to find an alternative east -west corridor to the proposed alignment of State Route 126 as an
eight lane expressway through the City. The Council also directed that the proposed State Route
126 as an eight lane expressway be deleted from the Master Plan of Arterial Highways in the
Circulation Element of the General Plan. The Council further directed that the City Manager appoint
the Citizens' Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC) to identify an east -west corridor.
After a series of CTAC meetings and public meetings, CTAC identified a proposed network of roads,
Including a local east/west corridor and a north county bypass for regional traffic, for consideration
as a potential general plan amendment (GPA). Staff then presented the CTAC recommendation to
the Planning Commission, and on December 21, 1993, the Commission recommended that the
Council should primarily consider the Magic Mountain/Vla Princessa corridor presented by the Porta
Bella applicant as well as the CTAC recommendation as a starting point for initiating an amendment
to the Circulation Element of the City's General Plan. The Planning Commission's recommendation
followed several public hearings and a field trip. Maps and summary material are attached.
In the mid -year budget adjustment Just completed, Council authorized $45,000 in additional funds
for the GPA process. Staff is seeking Council input regarding the primary and any secondary
alternatives to be studied prior to commencing the model runs. At this point, staff is seeking
direction regarding the starting point for the study. The CTAC recommendation and the Magic
Mountain/Via Princessa offered by the Porta Bella developer appear to be good concepts for
initiating the study.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Recommend primary circulation network and alternatives to be studied in
preparation of an amendment to the circulation network on the Master Plan
of Arterial Highways in the Circulation Element; and
2. Direct staff to return with a proposal for study and necessary budget
adjustment to proceed with environmental review.
ladvance\gprdar2.kim
app�Q 10 4
CENTRAL CITY CIRCULATION ALTERNATIVES: BACKGROUND MATERIAL
City Council Meeting, January 25,1994
Prepared by the Community Development Department
EXISTING GENERAL PLAN CIRCULATION NETWORK
The Santa Clarita General Plan presently shows an extension of State Route 126 joining Newhall
Ranch Road and traversing the northern portion of the City connecting to State Route 14. State
Route 126 is classified as an eight lane limited access expressway. Via Princessa, a major highway,
is shown as an extension of Wiley Canyon Road and extends across the southern edge of the Porta
Bella site. Rio Vista Road is shown as a major highway running parallel to San Fernando Road
from Bouquet Canyon Road south to Sierra Highway along the alignment of Dockweiler Drive.
Although not discussed in the General Plan text, Magic Mountain Parkway is shown on the
Proposed Master Plan of Arterials (Exhibit C-3 of the Circulation Element) to extend onto the Porta
Bella site as a secondary highway. The Bermite Connector, although unnamed on the map, is a
north -south roadway shown on the Porta Bella site connecting Soledad Canyon Road and the
proposed Via Princessa. An exhibit showing the center city circulation of the General Plan Is
attached.
CITIZENS TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
CTAC was formed by the City Manager in June 1992 to review traffic and transportation Issues in
the City and advise the City Manager on policy recommendations to the Planning Commission and
the City Council. In October 1992, the City Council passed a motion to reject the north and south
alignments of State Route 126 as they were proposed in Caltrans' Draft Tier -1 EIR document.
Subsequently, the City Council made a referral to CTAC to receive further community Input
regarding an alternative east -west roadway network in the City.
CTAC met numerous times and held several public meetings in the community to gain Input on
circulation alternatives. The primary suggestions received from the public were to 1) place the
alignment of Highway 126 north of the City limits and delete it from the current General Plan, 2)
adopt a network of roads for the central circulation system, 3) restrict heavy trucks on City streets,
4) limit arterials to six lanes, 5) minimize the Impact on the Santa Clara River, and 6) consider
elimination of the proposed Rio Vista Road. Acting on these suggestions from the public as well
as direction from Council CTAC arrived at their recommendations.
CTAC has recommended that the designation of State Route 126 through the City as depicted on
the City's General Plan Map be eliminated. Instead, State Route 126 should be relocated to the
north and bypass the City. CTAC also desires to see Newhall Ranch Road extended across the City
to join Golden Valley Road. CTAC favors a grid of east -west and north -south roadways. CTAC
favored limiting roadways to local and delivery trucks only. They also favored limiting arterial
roadways to a maximum of six lanes with medians, turn pockets, and bicycle lanes where possible.
CTAC recommended the deletion of a portion of Rio Vista Road from north of the Santa Clara River
to the extension of Magic Mountain Parkway. A minority group in CTAC favors extending Magic
Mountain Parkway into Via Princessa through the center of the Porta Bella site.
PORTA BELLA PROPOSAL
The proposed Porta Bella circulation differs from the General Plan and CTAC circulation proposals.
Under the Porta Bella proposal Magic Mountain Parkway connects to Main Street and does not
Intersect Soledad Canyon Road as shown on the General Plan, though the connection is completed
via "D" Street and Santa Clarita Parkway. Rio Vista Road, proceeding north from Circle J, also ends
at Main Street and does not extend through to Soledad Canyon Road. While the elimination of a
northern section of Rio Vista Road differs from the General Plan, it is consistent with the CTAC
recommendation and with the Civic Center Master Plan. The Porta Bella proposal provides access
to Soledad Canyon Road through Santa Clarita Parkway. Santa Clarita Parkway does not exist on
the General Plan but is Included in the circulation network recommended by CTAC. The General
Plan shows a road identified as the Bermite Connector which connects Soledad Canyon Road to
Via Princessa. This roadway does not exist on the Porta Bella proposal but this function is
preserved in an indirect way through a route from Main Street to Via Porta Bella and "D" Street to
Santa Clarita Parkway.
PORTA BELLA CONCEPTUAL CORRIDOR FOR MAGIC MOUNTAIN PARKWAY
The Porta Bella applicant has provided staff with a conceptual project revision as a "response to
comment' to the Porta Belle EIR. The revised Porta Bella proposes an extension of Magic Mountain
Parkway to Via Princessa that Is similar in nature to the CTAC proposal. Under this possible
revision, Rio Vista Road would be eliminated between the Magic Mountain Parkway extension and
Via Princessa.
The revised Porta Bella proposal assumes that the Magic Mountain Parkway extension would have
a grade separation over San Fernando Road and the railroad tracks. Grade separations may also
be required at Via Princessa and San Fernando Road and the railroad tracks.
Maps are attached showing the original Porta Bella project and the possible revision to the Porta
Bella project. The roadways in red denote those which are within the project site. For both of
these Porta Bella maps the CTAC recommended circulation network is shown as the background
network.
CIVIC CENTER PROPOSAL
The Civic Center site plan shows primary access to the site from an extension of Magic Mountain
Parkway. Rio Vista Road would exist between the Magic Mountain Parkway extension and Main
Street. Both the design team for the Civic Center and for Porta Bella believe that the concepts are
unified and will complement each other. These projects are in the conceptual stage and minor
differences between these proposals will be reconciled and finalized during implementation of these
plans.
COMPARISON EXHIBIT
A large exhibit is attached which shows the four center city circulation alternatives which have been
considered by the Commission. A comparison chart Is shown next to these alternatives and
highlights the differences between the proposals.
O
00Up11ES CpNvpN RpP 9
ix
OP
90
F STATE ROUTE 126
�p1P
V P�
SOLEDAD CANYON
Mga/C
NpVNN
m
z m�
G ; CO
m r0
D p Z
x
O Z
31 m
P
a
l/�) c E`'SP t�Fy
"k 4\0.9 pV 51�pKPN1 W p S��a
.ay0a 9tP��� J
1FqDECEMBER
CITY GENERAL PLAN
1993
ROgO
I CALGROVE
L.MAGic
MOUNTAIN
CALGROVE
OJOJ�S GPN /�
VONVLOP
8
NEWHALL ROAD EXT
VIA PRINCESSA
4t,
4,v
SOLEDAD CANYON ROAD
Nw P�
S`ePPP,{�G
Jt�
CTAC RECOMMENDATION
DECEMBER 1993
0JOVEZ GpN�ON OPO
BO
\CIO
::Z:ZAIN
oyy�.Py
,
y0�
Zoo
LYONS
CALGROVEAF
10
NEWHALL ROAD EXr
m ry9/y
n ST9
0 FFT
VIA PRINCESSA
SOLEDAD CANYON ROAD
t`
0
p
`Oy
4
�F
F�
DOCkwER
SqN
9N'QY
00
904
O
9woo
�PPPP ��a.
OVA
tPP
_ 5�P
ORIGINAL
PORTA BELLA PROPOSAL
DECEMBER 1993
JOVEZ CPN,iONPOpO
0�
NC�p
V A�—
o\ Tq�N
�. {il0
LYONS
I CALGROVE
0
NEWHALLROAD EXT
►�R
SOLEDAD CANYON ROAD
�q PRINCESSA
H� PV a
00
OVA
oftow, 5�P
OOCICWFjIER
REVISED
90
PORTA BELLA PROPOSAL
DECEMBER 1993
V ;
5
m
m
2
C
m
m
N Z
imn Am
1
w
co
m
CD
S
m
CO
m
L
i
o
�,
m
V ;
5
m
m
2
C
m
m
N Z
imn Am
�-'
a
—
co
m
CD
S
m
CO
m
L
L
D7 O
F
o
�,
m
o
o
v CL
d, 3 W
wl U)
n
m
J)
U
w
I
� =
I
I
lr�a W�
I
2, wi
I
L """ c'3
Proposed Master Plan of
Arterial Highways
m
J
IA�
oryLWII
iUm.4varn
44,
O Santa Clarita General Plait
City of Santa Clarita
HIGHWAYS
Eipre"way (8 Ian")
— Freeway
— MmlHighway (6 Lan.m)
— Secondary Highway (4 Lanom)
---------- L"" Highway (2 Lanes
EXCEPTIONS AS NOTED
L """ c'3
Proposed Master Plan of
Arterial Highways
m
J
IA�
oryLWII
iUm.4varn
44,
O Santa Clarita General Plait
City of Santa Clarita
EXTEN51ON OP
REDS {': �_ �,`,
y,
�Il�{I '�ii�• II _� rY ��{ ���Sr�'�`F! UL'f
1V/JNEL w� �'�F _ �F • � 't ill ` I
d I I e elsnr c RCLE 1 rp, •_r
rpl �
IO4
■U ,y e�� I� A•
� � i f � i� ✓� r �r�M' � ✓ irlA
0 ll_
PORTA
VC.SI INC: TF.NTATIVG 7'RnCT No. 51599
F3f _
` Su�nr r �.aly. lal,,.l Mrl.11l b 9aa u. rlra 11 .l.rv�L L LL
n
i1 F /`l Mil+lll
Y I
Y 5
I
�� To
S,
wvao .n
3 r
�'•u r 9t Y *P i CANYON
✓ "jf •� J �n �"'' `t II 6 COUNTRY
t
i
VALENCIA \ s
\\_
Al
PARNy^ t �
. t
126 NUrlh COul11y IIypJSS.
omet EHI i ANTA CLARITA !
Magic MOunldln E[IPnSIOH w RR mci I I 6
Q? Newhall Ra -ch Hn,]V Ealension
Iq VLa P,'Ices"
IS! Propuscn SJwot<IJnIa Peikway f� Y
(6' Guluen vane,
NEWHALL e r
tt
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
A
.:' PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO
Alf -
CENTRAL CIRCULATION SYSTEM
l�
CITY GENERAL PLAN
CTAC RECOMMENDATION
ORIGINAL PORTA BELLA PROPOSAL
REVISED PORTA BELLA PROPOSAL