The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2001-02-27 - AGENDA REPORTS - VALLEY CALGROVE EIR (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT PUBLIC HEARING DATE: February 27, 2001 City Manager Approv Item to be presented by: Jeffrey Lamb rt SUBJECT: MASTER CASE NO. 99-377 — VALLEY STREET/CALGROVE BOULEVARD GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT DEPARTMENT: Planning and Building Services RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council adopt a resolution approving Alternative 4 in Final Environmental Impact Report for the Valley Street/Calgrove Boulevard Amendment to the Circulation Element of the General Plan resulting in opening the roadway connection between Valley Street and Calgrove Boulevard as a through street accommodating one lane of traffic in each direction. The project includes eliminating the secondary highway designation from this section of roadway and installing traffic calming devices to the satisfaction of the City Engineer prior to opening the roadway. This recommended action is consistent with the Planning Commission's recommendation to the City Council on January 25, 2001. BACKGROUND In September 1999, the Santa Clarita City Council directed staff to prepare the appropriate studies to complete a General Plan Amendment, which would remove the secondary highway designation from a portion of Calgrove Boulevard and Valley Street between Creekside Drive and Maple Street. An Environmental Impact Report was prepared and it included the environmental review of the construction and installation of two terminus abutting cul-de-sacs near the existing barricades as well as other alternatives. The project area consists of a portion of Calgrove Boulevard and Valley Street between Creekside Drive and Maple Street. The project site is located at the intersection of Calgrove Boulevard and Valley Street. Presently there are two sets of barricades that prohibit through access from Calgrove Boulevard to Valley Street. A private gate, serving only the residents of Hidden Valley is located immediately adjacent to, but off-site of, the project area. The project road area was constructed in the early 1980's as required by the County of Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning in its conditional use permit approval of a phase of ,A ul- ' `' Agenda Item : /•� tract 44493 consisting of the construction of 271 residential units in the Hidden Valley community. Essentially the road has been closed—originally with the County's consent–since the mid/late 1980's when a portion of the Hidden Valley residential community was constructed. Prior to Santa Clarita's incorporation in 1987, this road section was identified as an unconstructed secondary highway on the County's Santa Clarita Wide General Plan Circulation Plan from 1961 to until it was downgraded in 1984. Since incorporation, Santa Clarita has recognized this road as a secondary highway and it was designated as such when the City's General Plan was adopted in 1992. In 1997, the City Council adopted a comprehensive Circulation Element update to the General Plan, with this road remaining designated as a secondary highway. Currently, per the Santa Clarita City Council's direction, the project area is blocked with reflective A -frame stands and portable barricades. Immediately west of the project area is a two-lane private drive with a mechanical arm gate and guard shack. The closed portion of this road is approximately 100 yards long and has curb, gutter and streetlights on the east side. There is a white centerline stripe. The current paved width is approximately 40 feet. The existing right of way is 80 feet wide with the required right of way width for the existing general plan standard for a secondary highway designation in this location is up to 88 feet wide. Planning Commission Action On January 25, 2001 the Planning Commission adopted a resolution recommended that the City Council approve Alternative 4 in the FEIR noting that this alternative provided for I mproved emergency vehicle access, improved access for necessary postal and utility services vehicles, and greater vehicular circulation alternatives for all City residents. Mitigation Measures The FEIR contains mitigation measures (page ES -8) identified to reduce potential project impacts to a level of less than significant that will be required if the Council selects the proposed project or any alternative. With this project, the City is the "next developer in line" obligated for these improvements. According to the EIR consultant and the project's traffic consultant, traffic volumes in relationship to the project area are high enough to warrant the following mitigation measures regardless which project/alternative is selected. The required mitigation measures include, but are not limited to: 1. A traffic signal at the Interstate 5/Calgrove Boulevard southbound ramp 2. A traffic signal at the Interstate 5/Calgrove Boulevard northbound ramp 3. A right turn pocket on Lyons Avenue eastbound onto Wiley Canyon Road 4. Appropriate lane striping on Valley Street 5. Signal coordinating on Lyons Avenue 6. Ancillary capital improvement costs for traffic calming devices if Alternative 4 is selected by the Council 7. Signal phasing (protective/permissive left turn signal lights) for future installation of a traffic signal at Calgrove/Wiley/Valley Oak - Note: the City is not obligated to install this signal with this project; just implement phasing once the signal is installed Costs for these improvements have yet to be identified by staff. Presumably, if the Council selects "No Project," then no mitigation measures would be required. Alternatives The EIR studied five alternatives to the proposed project. ■ Alternative 1- No Project Alternative: This scenario would allow the barricades to remain in place and would maintain the private gate access for Hidden Valley residents. ■ Alternative 2, Implementation of the General Plan: The circulation element of the General Plan designates Calgrove Boulevard from The Old Road to the vicinity of Valley Street as a Secondary Highway. It also designates Valley Street from Calgrove Boulevard to Lyons Avenue as a secondary highway. ■ Alternative 3 - Cul-de-sac both Calgrove Boulevard and Valley Street, but include access to the private Hidden Valley gate for residents authorized to traverse through the gate: ■ Alternative 4 - Open Calgrove Boulevard and Valley Street and include traffic calming: • Alternative 5 — Open the Calgrove Boulevard/Valley Street connection to public vehicular access, but make Calgrove Boulevard as a one-way street westbound/southbound between Champagne Lane and a point of east of Creekside and remove the Maple Street gate. The purpose of this alternative is to open the roadway for west!southbound vehicles and provide other means of access to the area for east/northbound vehicles Maple Street: Statement of Overriding Considerations The project's EIR. contains Unavoidable Significant Impacts for the proposed project in the study areas of trafficlaccess, air quality, noise and fire services. Final City Council approval of the project or one of its alternatives will require a Statement of Overriding Considerations to be adopted by the Council. During the course of the Planning Commission's discussion of the project, it identified the following benefits of the recommended project alternative: improved emergency vehicle access, improved access for necessary postal and utility service vehicles, and greater vehicular circulation alternatives for all City residents. Reading File The Planning Commission staff reports dated November 21, 2000 and December 19, 2000 are associated with this staff report and are located in the reading file. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS The Council may approve any of the alternatives included in the FEIR or it may give staff other direction as appropriate. FISCAL IMPACT The cost of implementation of the mitigation measures (traffic signals, right turn pocket, etc.) has not been determined. The cost of traffic calming improvements on Valley Street/Calgrove Boulevard is estimated at $25,000.00. ATTACHMENTS City Council Resolution Planning Commission Staff Report, January 25, 2001 JES: \pbs \current\val-cal \ sr022701 CITY OF SANTA CLARITA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER MASTER CASE 99-377 GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 99-005 OAK TREE PERMIT 99-042. THE SITE IS LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF CALGROVE BLVD. AND VALLEY STREET IN THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CA. THE PROJECT APPLICANT IS THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: A Public Hearing will be held before the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita to consider Master Case 99-377; General Plan Amendment 99-005; Oak Tree Permit 99-042. The site is located at the intersection of Calgrove Blvd. and Valley Street in the City of Santa Clarita, CA. The Project Applicant is the City of Santa Clarita. The proposed project consists of amending the Circulation Element of the General Plan to remove the secondary highway designation from a portion of Calgrove Blvd. and Valley Street between Creekside and Maple Street. The proposed project will formalize the existing barricade condition with the installation of two terminus -abutting cul-de-sacs. A Final Environmental Impact Report has been prepared for this proposed project and is available for public review at the Planning & Building Services Department, 23920 Valencia Blvd, Suite 302, Santa Clarita, CA For further information regarding this proposal, you may contact the City of Santa Clarita, Department of Planning & Building Services, 23920 Valencia Blvd., Third Floor, Santa Clarita, CA 91366; Telephone: (661) 266-4330, Jason Smisko, Project Planner. The hearing will be held by the Santa Clarita City Council in the City Hall Council Chambers, 23920 Valencia Blvd., 1st Floor, on the 27' day of February, 2001, at or after 6:00 p.m. Proponents, opponents, and any interested persons may appear and be heard on this matter at that time. If you wish to challenge this action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council, at, or prior to, the public hearing. Dated: February 1, 2001 Sharon L. Dawson, CMC City Clerk Publish Date: February 3, 2001