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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - BisharatRod Bisharat, Canyon Arco January 8, 2018 Chula Vista Planning Commission 276 4"' Avenue Chula Vista, CA 91910 Re STP Wash "N" Go Automated Car Wash Facility 495 Telegraph Canyon Rd. DRC 15-0037 and CUP 15-0023 Honorable Members of the Chula Vista Planning Commission: I am writing this letter to oppose the Design Review and Conditional Use Permits for the automated car wash facility 495 Telegraph Canyon Rd. unless and until the City requires the applicant to perform a traffic study an adequate noise study and an understanding of the contaminated soils on the proposed property. The matter is scheduled for hearing before the Planning Commission on January 10, 2018 under case numbers DRC 15-0037 and CUP 15-0023. The notice for the Conditional Use Permit indicates no environmental analysis of the project has been done, stating there is a categorical exemption under the CEQA Guidelines. I believe, however, that some environmental analysis must be done including a traffic study and noise study. According to the city staff the applicant indicated they may be servicing over 400 cars a day. The gasoline station I own is located immediately across the street from this project on Halecrest Dr. and Telegraph Canyon Rd. Based on a previous determination by California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), all cars exiting the proposed car wash must do so onto Halecrest Dr. and not Telegraph Canyon Rd. The driveway for the proposed car wash is directly across fi-om a driveway for the gas station at an already impacted intersection on Halecrest Dr. and the fi•eeway entrance onto Highway 805. Several safety hazards likely will occur with significant traffic entering and exiting both the carwash and the gas station directly across the street from each other at an impacted intersection controlling a large volume of traffic going onto the fi-eeway. After receiving a notice of the Planning Commission's hearing and after contacting and meeting with the project managers Caroline Young, Stan Donn, and traffic engineer Frank Rivera I expressed my concern about traffic safety, noise and soil contamination conflicts. I then reminded Mr. Rivera about the restrictions Caltrans implemented in 2005 on the Telegraph Canyon Rd. driveway as an entry only and not to have any cars exiting on to Telegraph Canyon Rd. (At that time Mr. Rivera was involved with the widening of Telegraph Canyon Rd.). The project manager indicated that they had received a letter from Caltrans (please see attached Caltrans letter) and, as a result, was under the impression that cars exiting the carwash could exit also onto Telegraph Canyon Road, I contacted Keri Robinson at Caltrans since I was aware that this was not the case. Previously, signs had been placed on the property prohibiting exiting onto Telegraph Canyon Rd. (please see attached picture) at the vicinity of the on ramp to freeway 805. I was aware of this prohibition because in 2005 a portion of my property was also taken for the new lane for the entrance on the 805, One of the conditions that applied to the property across the street is that traffic could not exit the property proposed for the carwash onto Telegraph Canyon Rd, because of the traffic impacts at the entrance ramp onto the 805. Mr. Sanchez with Caltrans who works with Mrs. Robinson advises me when I spoke with him on 01/05/2018 that this restriction has not been removed and nowhere in that letter it says it would be removed. Given that all the exiting traffic from the carwash will have to be onto Halecrest Dr„ and that this is an already significantly impacted intersection because of the entry and exit to that shopping center adjacent and behind my property and from cars that use Halecrest Dr. to get to and from the fi-eeway, a traffic study is imperative before the project can be approved. Furthermore, significant noise is generated by the carwash equipment, blowers (dryers), and the free vacuums service being offered as part of the project. All of those equipments are very noisy and are directly adjacent to homes and businesses in the neighborhood. Several of the neighbors who use my gas station have expressed to me their concern about this noise and the impact on the values of their homes, Without a traffic study to address the potential public safety and traffic issues posed by this project, a noise study to look at the impact of the noise on the homes and businesses in the neighborhood, and to address any contaminated soils because the proposed property was a gas station before 2005 for over 30 years this project should not be approved. Approving this project without any environmental evaluation is neither appropriate or prudent. City staff needs to and should know the traffic counts at the intersection of Halecrest Dr, and Telegraph Rd., and how cars exiting the proposed car wash will impact the intersection and public safety. I am certain this will cause a back up on Halecrest Dr. and personally observed this when the new market in the shopping center first opened. Frustrated drivers trying to leave the gas station when traffic backed up got stuck at the intersection and began making unsafe turns to avoid being stuck at the intersection. Additional vehicle traffic from the car wash at the driveway directly across the street, some turning left and others right to get on the freeway are certain to be an accident waiting to happen. Please take the time to do a proper traffic study before considering approval of the project. �', Truly Yours, ,�'..� �,_ Rod Birihataf ✓" ( CC; Patricia Aguitar 1/7/2018 91 e 897 Halecrest Dr 897 Halecrest Dr - Google Maps Chula Vista, California Image capture: Jan 2015 @) 2018 Google �v -' Google, Inc. Street View - Jan 2015 May 2015 -j.anvon P a za (3 https://www.google.com/maps/@32.6290781,-117.0422617,3a,28,4y,249,27h,86ud,ta=!3m7!,i e I! 3m5I1 sX6DEt-MODqwcysQBBDwYQQ!2e0!5s201 50... 1 _,cvrr��.irutwtA—LAWr'pRNIASTATE"('RAAIS�`1RTAT[ONAGENCY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPok f ATION DISTRICT 11 4050 TAYLOR STREET, M.S. 240 SAN DIEGO, CA 92110 PHONE (619) 638-3193 TTY 711 Www,dot.ca.gov October 3, 2017 Ms. Caroline Young City of Chula Vista 276 4th Ave Chula Vista, CA Dear Ms. Young: EDMUND G. BROWN Jr.. Governor Making Conservation 4Ry -q Yi a Califotviia Way ofLife. MC i 01' i j 0 7017 � 11 -SD -805 PM 6.06 STP Wash `N' Go Automated Car Wash Facility The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has reviewed a site plan for the Wash `N' Go Automated Car Wash facility, which will be located north of Telegraph Canyon Road and Interstate 805 (I-805). Caltrans has the following comments: The proposed new driveway location (920) adjacent to Telegraph Canyon Road shall be at least 50 feet beyond the end of the curb return, Per Caltrans HDM, Section 504.8 Access Control. )LS SITS PLAN sc..,r, „>.,. Any modification to the existing drainage and increase runoff to or from State facilities will not be allowed or the responsibility of Caltrans. "Provide a safe, sustainable, integrated and efficient lransportatio�l systeln to enhance California's economy and livability" Ms. Young October 3, 2017 Page 2 Current plans provided to Caltrans dated September 26, 2017, do not show encroachment in to Caltrans right-of-way. Any work performed within Caltrans right-of-way will require discretionary review and approval by Caltrans and an encroachment permit will be required. or email at Sincerely, KERI ROBINSON, Acting Branch Chief Development Review Branch "Provide a safe, sustainable, integrated and officient frartsportation systzm o enhance Cali economy and livability"