COUNCIL AGENDA STAFF REPORT

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Alfred Stokes
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2 CITY OF AMERICAN CANYON SUBJECT COUNCIL AGENDA STAFF REPORT Workshop to review the draft General Plan Circulation Element. SUBMITTED BY: Brent Cooper, AICP, Community Development Director BACKGROUND AND ISSUES: 1. What is a General Plan Circulation Element? Meeting Date: BUSINESS ITEM: # The Circulation Element is a long-range planning document that identifies the roadway network and related policies to provide a plan for safe and efficient mobility and to guide the City s transportation infrastructure growth over the next twenty (20) years. The Circulation Element includes guiding goals, objectives, policies and a Circulation Map that identifies improvements that together will support the transportation needs of the current Land Use Plan of the General Plan. The City s current Circulation Element was adopted with the first General Plan in Since that time, the City s population has grown from just under 9,000 residents to over 20,000 today. In the meantime, changes to State law, such as the California Complete Streets Act of 2008 (State Government Code 65302(b)(2)), requires all cities and counties to plan for the development of multimodal transportation networks in their general plans beginning in January This change requires the Circulation Element to include policies that foster safe and convenient travel for bicyclists, pedestrians, children, motorists, persons with disabilities, the elderly, users of public transportation, and commercial goods movers. Incorporating updated policies into the city s General Plan is beneficial, as updated policies reflect today s priorities and helps the City maintain eligibility for scarce transportation funds. The Circulation Element works closely with implementation programs that fund and build new transportation infrastructure, such as the city s 5-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and private or public development. The city s 5-Year CIP identifies priority infrastructure projects, and the list often includes many transportation investments. Prior to its adoption, the Planning Commission must review the CIP and conclude that it is consistent with the General Plan. So, having an updated Circulation Element ensures that the CIP is working in tandem with the city s long-range transportation goals. Public and private development often needs to build or improve roadways to access their development. Having an updated Circulation Element will ensure that roads are built or widened to the correct roadway alignment and classification, and that they have appropriate features, such as sidewalks, bike lanes and landscape amenities. In addition to constructing needed frontage improvements, many developers are also assessed citywide traffic impact fees to pay their fair share of the cost to build major roadways throughout the city. Having an updated Circulation Element is necessary to ensure the traffic impact fees are focused on needed roadway improvements.

3 Because American Canyon s mobility needs and State law have changed significantly since 1994, the draft Circulation Element is a comprehensive update to the current plan. A copy of the draft Circulation Element is included as Attachment Technical Advisory Committee Review At the beginning of the effort to update the Circulation Element, the City Council appointed a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to review the work of staff and technical consultants and provide feedback on policy recommendations. The current TAC representatives include Mayor Garcia, Councilmember Belia Bennett, Planning Commissioner Joseph Meck, and Planning Commissioner Eric Altman. Staff representatives include the City Manager, Public Works Director, and Community Development Director. Technical consultants include Martin Inouye from Omni-Means, who oversees preparation of traffic modeling and roadway design solutions, and Rajeev Bhatia of the firm Dyett and Bhatia, who prepared the environmental impact report (EIR). Over the course of the last year and a half, the TAC has met five times and provided guidance on key policy issues and areas of technical study. 3. Community Input Beginning in August at the National Night Out celebration, there have been approximately 16 meetings consisting of public workshops, meetings with stakeholder groups, community groups, residents, and neighboring jurisdictions. A list of meetings is included as Attachment 2. Most of the community response to the draft transportation plan has been positive. Early in the outreach efforts, many members of the public expressed the viewpoint that regional traffic should be kept on regional facilities, and local roads should serve local traffic. The principle that regional facilities serve regional traffic and local facilities serve local traffic have become a centerpiece in the design of the transportation plan. In meeting with the community, staff received frequent questions about when certain roads would be built or how they will be funded. The General Plan Circulation element is a big picture vision of how our transportation network will function in the long run. Resolving day to day decision of how roads are built and funded occurs through subsequent decision making processes, such as the capital improvement program or implementation of conditions of development approvals. The General Plan is important, however, because it provides guidance on how subsequent decisions fit into the overall transportation plan. A summary of input from meetings on the Circulation Element is listed below: Organization Public Workshop (August 2011) Recommendation Keep regional traffic on Highway 29. Protect neighborhoods from regional bypass traffic. Planning Commission Extend Newell north to S. Kelly Road. Emphasize regional bypass potential. Open Space Advisory Committee Councilmember Joseph Create additional in-town north-south roadway connections on the east side of town. Consider a pedestrian crossing on Highway 29 south of American Canyon Road. Extend Main Street south from terminus to Donaldson Way. Interconnect properties to enable vehicles to travel between sites on west side of Hwy 29 from Donaldson Way to American Canyon Road.

4 Supervisor Keith Caldwell Watson Lane Residents Public Workshop (January 2013) Supports City in its efforts to plan but noted that reducing the importance of Newell Drive as a Highway 29 bypass is a change of policy for the City. Keep residents informed of meetings and major decisions. Adjust the arc of Newell north and east of Steve Clerici s property. Further investigation is needed to identify which non-automobile modes of transit would be used by residents. Ensure that sidewalks are provided along Eucalyptus Drive extension so residents can safely walk to Napa Junction shopping center. Ensure City plans for Highway 29 are coordinated with Caltrans How soon will public access be provided to the Newell Open Space reserve? In addition to meetings and workshops, information on the transportation plan has been available on the City s website. The City Manager biweekly newsletter has featured the transportation plan, and notifications have been sent out on NextDoor. The City also sent out a traffic survey and informed residents about it through the city s website, City Manager newsletter, NextDoor posting and distribution list. This survey was available to residents and nonresidents of American Canyon. The survey results for American Canyon are included as Attachment 3 and for nonresidents, the survey results are included as Attachment 4. There were 283 responses to the survey. 200 were from residents of American Canyon and 83 were from nonresidents. In summary, there were some striking similarities on important transportation issues between residents and nonresidents. Listed below is a recap of the most common responses to transportation issues: Issue Resident Status Response Most Trips are by automobile with one occupant driving alone Resident 92% Non Resident 96% Most Trips occur during AM and PM rush hour Resident 66% Non Resident 62% Has the opinion that Hwy 29 congestion delays their trip more than is reasonable Even with congestion, driving alone is still fastest way to get around If American Canyon improved streets with sidewalks, bike lanes and transit, would you change your habits? Resident 46% Non Resident 65% Resident 54% Non Resident 56% Resident Yes: 65% Non Resident No: 64%

5 If money is available, how should we improve Highway 29? Keep as much regional traffic on Highway 29 and off local streets If money from Caltrans is not available, what should we do? Both resident and nonresident responders ranked these two options the highest out of 7 options. Resident Widen Highway, Provide more local streets to bypass highway Non Resident Widen Highway, Build an overpass or tunnel Resident Yes: 77% Non Resident Yes: 69% 1) look at all feasible operational improvements; and 2) Prioritize discretionary Napa County roadway funds on improving Hwy 29 through American Canyon Does your company offer flex schedule to avoid rush hour traffic? Resident No: 58% Non Resident No: 61% The survey appears to indicate that the driving public prefers to drive alone during rush hour and a lack of flex time opportunities at work will maintain that habit in the future. In terms of solutions to Highway 29, there appears to be support from residents and nonresidents alike to widen Highway 29 and allocate all available Countywide transportation funds to improve the highway through American Canyon. The question on providing more opportunities for multimodal transit options received a favorable response from American Canyon residents. Additional polling to explore which multi-modal options would be used to the greatest extent should be explored in the near future. 4. Highway 29 Vision One of the most significant transportation issues facing the City of American Canyon and the County of Napa is the chronic traffic congestion on Highway 29. As a state highway facility, Highway 29 operation and maintenance is under the jurisdiction of Caltrans. The Napa County Transportation and Planning Agency (NCTPA) is currently studying the Highway 29 corridor from Highway 37 in the City of Vallejo to Highway 12 in the City of Napa. Fully 2/3 of the grant is intended to be spent on efforts to develop context-sensitive design solutions for the highway through American Canyon. Community outreach is a crucial component of this work effort and residents of the City of American Canyon figure prominently on the Citizens Committee. Thus far, stakeholder input has favored a boulevard concept for Highway 29, which would provide sidewalks, landscaping, on-street bicycle lanes, but also accommodate local and regional traffic in separate travel lanes. The consulting firm of Dyett and Bhatia, the same firm that is preparing the EIR for our Circulation Element, is heading up this important work effort. With knowledge that an extensive and focused outreach effort on Highway 29 will propose detailed solutions in the near term, the Circulation Element priority for Highway 29 has been to devise a general long-range policy that is broad and allows for multiple design solutions that will be decided later. As proposed in the Circulation Element, Highway 29 would be widened from its current 4-lane configuration to a 6-lane limited access arterial with conventional roadway improvements, such as signal timing, additional travel lanes, additional left- and right-turn

Additional study to determine the means to accommodate complete streets components, such as on-street bicycle lanes, sidewalks and landscaping may require additional right-of-way, an easement on

6 pockets, etc. Although further study is needed, the City s traffic engineer estimates that much of the needed widening outside of the intersections can be accommodated within the current highway right-of-way. Additional study to determine the means to accommodate complete streets components, such as on-street bicycle lanes, sidewalks and landscaping may require additional right-of-way, an easement on private property within the existing 40-foot building setback, or a combination of both options. 5. Completing the Existing Street Network The City s existing street network includes a number of gaps that will need to be constructed as the City continues to develop. Several of these gaps are located near neighborhoods that were built after When the Circulation Element was first adopted, there was no neighborhood context to consider, and today many planned but unbuilt roadway segments depicted in the 1994 Circulation Element may not be appropriate. Consistent with early direction from the August 2011 community meeting, the draft Circulation Element provides policies to support safe, complete and well-connected neighborhood streets that minimize the use of local streets for north-south regional travel (Policy 1.2 and 1.4). With the goal of supporting well connected neighborhoods that minimize local streets from northsouth regional travel, the following summary identifies proposed changes to future roadway alignments in the draft Circulation Element. These proposed roadway alignments are diagrammatic and not necessarily reflective of a final specific alignment. The specific alignment will be determined in conjunction with a development project or when the City improves the road through the CIP. a. Realign Devlin Road between the railroad crossing south of S. Kelly Road and Green Island Road. Revised Alignment Description: The proposed Devlin Road connection to Green Island Road shifts east from Commerce Boulevard to a point midway on Green Island Road between two atgrade railroad crossings. Justification for the Change: The 1994 Circulation Element anticipated the use of Devlin Road, Commerce Blvd, Wetlands Edge, American Canyon Road and Kimberly Drive as a bypass route for Highway 29. This bypass configuration is no longer appropriate as Wetlands Edge has been constructed to serve as a neighborhood collector and not a regional arterial. Shifting Devlin Road east will provide a more direct bypass for traffic on Highway 29 and reduce traffic

pressure on Commerce Boulevard and further downstream on Eucalyptus Drive and Wetlands Edge. It will also avoid the need to construct a costly grade-separated railroad crossing. b.

Revised Alignment Description: The proposed Commerce Boulevard connection to Eucalyptus Drive has been shifted away from the intersection with Wetlands Edge.

Eucalyptus Drive adjacent to the Waterton homes.

appropriate roadway system to serve the property will include significant outreach with the community to assess traffic impacts to the surrounding neighborhoods. c. Delete an extension of Wetlands Edge between Kensington and Kimberly Drive.

7 pressure on Commerce Boulevard and further downstream on Eucalyptus Drive and Wetlands Edge. It will also avoid the need to construct a costly grade-separated railroad crossing. b. Shift Commerce Boulevard away from Wetlands Edge through the former Eucalyptus Grove property. Revised Alignment Description: The proposed Commerce Boulevard connection to Eucalyptus Drive has been shifted away from the intersection with Wetlands Edge. Justification for the Change: Shifting Commerce Boulevard away from the intersection with Wetlands Edge will reduce traffic pressure on Wetlands Edge and will reduce traffic on Eucalyptus Drive adjacent to the Waterton homes. Given the lack of existing roadway infrastructure within the former Eucalyptus Grove, if and when a specific development project is proposed for this area, consideration of an appropriate roadway system to serve the property will include significant outreach with the community to assess traffic impacts to the surrounding neighborhoods. c. Delete an extension of Wetlands Edge between Kensington and Kimberly Drive. Revised Alignment Description: The 1994 Circulation Element extension of Wetlands Edge from Kensington to Kimberly Drive has been removed from the draft Circulation Element. Justification for the Change: Removing the extension of Wetlands Edge from the Circulation Element will avoid significant impacts to the Napa River wetlands and would reduce traffic within

the Bella Terra neighborhood along Wetlands Edge, the Poppyfield Meadows neighborhood, and along Kimberly Drive. d.

Revised Alignment Description: Provide a new Eucalyptus Drive connection from Theresa Avenue to Highway 29.

This connection became necessary when the Napa Junction shopping center provided a new Eucalyptus Drive signalized intersection on the east

Providing a direct connection from Eucalyptus Drive to Highway 29 will reduce traffic pressure at the Rio del Mar signalized intersection and

8 the Bella Terra neighborhood along Wetlands Edge, the Poppyfield Meadows neighborhood, and along Kimberly Drive. d. Connect Eucalyptus Drive from Theresa Avenue to Highway 29. Revised Alignment Description: Provide a new Eucalyptus Drive connection from Theresa Avenue to Highway 29. Justification for the Change: Eucalyptus Drive under the 1994 General Plan did not directly connect to Highway 29. This connection became necessary when the Napa Junction shopping center provided a new Eucalyptus Drive signalized intersection on the east side of Highway 29. Providing a direct connection from Eucalyptus Drive to Highway 29 will reduce traffic pressure at the Rio del Mar signalized intersection and along Theresa Avenue, and it may improve traffic flow on Highway 29, as it would relieve traffic at other intersections. e. Reduce the number of travel lanes on Newell Drive from South Napa Junction Road to Highway 29. Revised Alignment Description: The number of travel lanes on the future extension of Newell Drive is proposed to be reduced from 4-lanes to 2-lanes north of the future intersection with South Napa Junction Road.

Justification for the Change: Newell Drive is located adjacent to many homes in Vintage Ranch and the future Town Center neighborhoods.

It is also a walking route to school for children attending Canyon Oaks Elementary school.

children. f. Realign South Napa Junction Road from Highway 29 to Newell Drive.

9 Justification for the Change: Newell Drive is located adjacent to many homes in Vintage Ranch and the future Town Center neighborhoods. The American Canyon High School is also located on Newell Drive with a 25 mile per hour speed limit while children are present. It is also a walking route to school for children attending Canyon Oaks Elementary school. Reducing Newell Drive from 4-lanes to 2-lanes in the northern segment will help to keep regional traffic on Highway 29, which will improve neighborhood livability and pedestrian safety for school children. f. Realign South Napa Junction Road from Highway 29 to Newell Drive. Revised Alignment Description: The proposed extension of South Napa Junction Road east of the railroad tracks is shifted north and away from nearby homes and the basalt mine ruins. Justification for the Change: The 1994 General Plan alignment for South Napa Junction Road did not recognize the presence of the basalt mine ruins, the nearby pond, or the future homes in Vintage Ranch. Shifting South Napa Junction Road away from existing residences and ruins will help preserve the City s cultural resources and improve neighborhood livability for residents in Vintage Ranch. g. Provide Three Pedestrian Overcrossings on Highway 29. Revised Facility Description: Three grade-separated pedestrian overcrossings are depicted for Highway 29. The preliminary locations are shown at American Canyon Road, Donaldson Way, and Napa Junction Road. Pedestrian overpasses require a lot of physical space to accommodate accessible ramps, although elevators may be installed where space is limited. Refinement of pedestrian overpass locations and potential design alternatives will be considered as a component of the NCTPA Highway 29 corridor study. These design alternatives may result in other options that do not include pedestrian overpasses. The intent with these locations is to devise solutions to provide safe pedestrian access across Highway 29.

10 Justification for the Change: The 1994 General Plan did not identify locations for Highway 29 pedestrian overcrossings. Providing grade-separated pedestrian overcrossings will improve pedestrian safety and facilitate through traffic on Highway 29, as traffic would not need to stop for pedestrians at these intersections. In addition, the pedestrian crossings can be coordinated with the City s bicycle master plan to augment bicycle safety across the highway as well. 6. Next Steps The current schedule for review and adoption of the Circulation Element includes review and City Council recommendation by the Planning Commission on a special meeting date of February 13. The City Council is scheduled to conduct a public hearing for adoption of the Circulation Element on March 19. In the meantime, staff is moving ahead securing a consultant to update the City s traffic impact fee ordinance consistent with the new transportation plan. This effort is anticipated to take approximately 6 months and will include extensive outreach with our business community. The NCTPA Highway 29 Corridor effort is ongoing with a final report scheduled for July Building upon the new Circulation Element and Highway 29 Corridor effort, early in the second quarter of this year, staff will bring an RFP for a consultant to prepare a Specific Plan for the City s Priority Development Area, which includes properties on the east and west sides and immediately adjacent to Highway 29. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The cost for preparing the Circulation Element update is estimated at $315,690 and has been budgeted for the current fiscal year. Funding roadway and associated improvements would likely be funded from a combination of sources (developer, local tax dollars, state and federal funds highway, development fees, grants, etc). Since the plan for Highway 29 is consistent with the regional Highway 29 corridor study effort, staff is anticipating greater buy-in by regional and state agencies along with greater cooperation on funding at both the state and federal levels. ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that all public agencies consider the environmental impacts of projects over which they have discretionary authority. A draft environmental impact report (DEIR) was prepared for the project. The public review period occurred from December 13, 2012 to January 28, 2013 and the Planning Commission conducted a workshop on the DEIR at its January 24, 2013 meeting. The City received two letters in response to the DEIR; one from Caltrans and one from California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Staff will prepare responses to these letters in accordance with CEQA requirements and timeframes. ALTERNATIVES: N/A. The purpose for this report is to discuss the Circulation Element.

11 STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Receive and file staff report. 2. Provide direction to staff at the Council s discretion. Attachments: 1. Draft Circulation Element 2. Circulation Element Outreach Meeting List 3. American Canyon resident transportation survey 4. Nonresident transportation survey E-Copies: Kate Miller, NCTPA Larry Florin, Napa County Keith Caldwell, 5 th District Supervisor and Chair of the NCTPA Board Buzz Butler Rick Hess Doug Pope Deborah Castles Steve Clerici Ed Paoli Les Lawson Robert Roche Laura Williams Julie Kennedy

Exhibit 1 PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM

Exhibit 1 PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM Project Name: Grand Junction Circulation Plan Grand Junction Complete Streets Policy Applicant: City of Grand Junction Representative: David Thornton Address: