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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcc min 1988/03/17 MINUTES OF A COUNCIL CONFERENCE (ADJOURNED MEETING) OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA Thursday, March 17, 1988 Council Chamber 7:00 p.m. Public Services Building ROLL CALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Councilman Nader, Mayor Cox, Councilman Moore, Councilwoman McCandliss MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilman Malcolm STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Goss, Assistant City Manager Asmus, Assistant City Attorney Rudolph 1. SWEETWATER VALLEY TRAFFIC STUDY Director of Public Works Lippitt reported that the Traffic Study was accomplished and funded by three agencies. Chairman of the Committee was George Kost, Tom Garibay, Deputy Director ofoPublic Works was the staff cordinator and JHK & Associates was the Consultants. George Kost, P.O. Box 2332, Bonita 92002, gave a history of the mini region study for the traffic situation in Sweetwater, which included the County, the State, National City, Chula Vista, the Sweetwater Valley Civic Association, the Planning Group and the Business and Professional Group. Forecasts in the study concentrate on Route 125 going from San Miguel to Route 54 and if that changes the forecasts figures must be changed. Mr. Kost requested that the 805/Bonita Road interchange project be moved up in priority. Joel Marcuson, Senior Associate with JHK & Associates, 1702 North 44th Street, (Suite 102a) Phoenix, AZ used visuals to highlight recommendations made in the Sweetwater Valley Traffic Study Report, prepared by JHK & Associates and dated January 1988. Concentration of discussion was spent on the intersection of north and southbound 805 and Bonita, which was the most controversial interchange for which three alternatives were presented, one of which was a comparatively new concept of an urban interchange now used in Phoenix. Deputy Director of Public Works/City Engineer Garibay reported his discussions with CALTRANS on the interchanges for the City of Chula Vista and discussed the City's intent to do the General Plan Update and Phase II. CALTRANS' staff indicated they would be willing to do progress study reports to help move that along after the City provides information to them, but the actual dedication or acceptance of the urban interchange is only a concept because of the obvious problems. MINUTES - 2 - March 17, 1988 Councilman Moore commented on the advisability of the Loop referred to on page 4-13 of the Report to get the Bonita Plaza traffic off Bonita Road or, secondarily, that Loop referred to on page 4-12. MOTION MSUC (Cox/Moore) to direct staff to bring back for consideration those items listed as "Near Term" solutions where Chula Vista has complete or partial control, and the those items that can be done in conjunction with the County IOtay Lakes and Central) to the Budget Sessions for Capital Improvement Projects for next year. MOTION MSUC IMoore/Nader) to direct staff to prepare a program of work with timelines, sources of funding, priorities including the need for cooperation with the entities that are not within the City of Chula Vista on our top three priorities, with this program to be included in the forthcoming budget, and to include Project Study Reports by CALTRANS and requests for and analysis of the Urban Exchange at Bonita and 805. Mayor Cox confirmed that the intent included to come back with budget considerations of the golf course entry, and the westbound Bonita Road right turn lane to the 805 northbound lane. Councilwoman McCandliss commented on the areas designated and the traffic impact and improvements now required for development and other factors and questioned why Environmental Impact Reports in the past did not foresee these problems. Councilman Nader agreed and suggested that staff investigate who prepared these EIR's when awarding future EIR's. Sheldon Craig, commented on the urban interchange as preliminary at this point; CALTRANS does not see this as feasible because of the cost and the necessary rebuilding of the present columns. The Slip Ramp referred to near the South Bay Freeway might have problems of approval but they will consider requests to investigate. MOTION MSUC IMoore/Co~ to accept the Sweetwater Valley Traffic Study. Phil Creaser, 333 Hilltop Drive, asked for clarification of the motions in view of Mr. Craig's remarks. The people of the area are vitally concerned with the intersection and feels that what was approved will be another stalemate for another few years. MOTION MSUC (Moore/McCandliss) that the Committee be retained to be called at the discretion of the Chair, and to have staff prepare letters for Council signatures to thank them for their time and efforts. MINUTES 3 March 17, 1988 2. STATE ROUTE 125 CORRIDOR INTERIM FACILITY ROUTE ALIGNMENT AND FINANCING ALTERNATIVES STUDY. In answer to Councilwoman McCandliss' questions as to acceptance of input from those at all levels, Sheldon Craig, Deputy District Director for California Department of Transportation for Project Studies, explained that as local agencies and developers proceed with the Interim Facility but that the area still needs its own environmental document with input requirements. The Highway Commission and CALTRANS is in the process of working with the City of Chula Vista, the City of San Diego, the County and with SANDAG working toward an agreement whereby CALTRANS will do the route studies for 54 down to 905. Regardless of who does the environmental studies, alternatives must be considered with the impacts and mitigations, and make those decisions for the interim facility and a separate environmental document for the route adoption. The final decision for which is made by California Department of Transportation Commission. Director of Public Works Lippitt reported that this is in the County's jurisdiction and that Council had reserved its rights to give further information to the County. Since the report had been done, a portion of this alignment was included in Proposition A. In a presentation by Supervisor Bilbray in the eastern area, it was mentioned that the County would look at Alternatives A, B and C, as discussed, all of which was explained by Director Lippitt. The detailed Rick Engineering alignment was displayed on the wall and described by Houshmand Aftahi, Vice President with the reasoning for the positioning of the alignment curves explained to Councilmembers. Sue Pena, who lives less than one mile west of the lake, asked why the County would suggest that more of the parkland be located to the east and staff explained his belief that it is higher land on that side and also almost impossible to build the bridge at this height. Mr. Kost outlined his disagreement with the proposed alignment at several points; and Stanley Waid, Sweetwater Valley Civic Association Ad hoc Committee for Route 125 presented a proposed alignment called "Alternate D", one which Supervisor Bilbray expressed interest to present for study to the County. Alternate D starts at the Mexican Border crossing where 905 crosses and goes northerly and northwest to Telegraph Canyon Road, and traverses a saddleback between Mother Miguel Mountain and San Miguel Mountain northerly again to Route 94 at Avacoda Boulevard where it provides freeway all around San Diego. Mr. Waid requested that this Alternate Route D be taken into consideration. Director Lippitt discussed the future need for a north/south road as was presented in the Rick Engineering Alignment, and answered Councilmembers questions in relation to this and the 125 alignment presentation. MINUTES - 4 - March 17, 1988 At 9:35 p.m., Mayor Cox declared a five minute recess and Council reconvened at 9:44 p.m. Councilman Moore did not return to the meeting. Gretchen Birkey, P.O. Box 321, Bonita, referred to fact input was not more extensively solicited and the impact to biological resources of the area. MOTION MSC ~ader/~toore) to communicate to the County Council's view that Alternative D as presented by Mr. Kost to be considered as one of the alternates for study in the EIR and that they also consider the impacts both pro and con of the eastern alignment of 125 combined with a major arterial in the proposed alignment. (Councilman Moore out) MOTION MSC (McCandliss/Cox) to send a letter to Supervisor Bilbray, as representative for this area, expressing our concern that public participation in the planning process has not, at this point, been there and to ask him to include in the final alignment and the environmental impact that public participation from, not just the Bonita area but the affected jurisdictions. (Councilman Moore out) MOTION MSC (McCandliss/Cox) that staff prepare for Council's use a summary of the process for alignment decisions summarizing at what point, and based on whose recommendations and citing at what point there will be public hearings for both the interim alignment and the final alignment. (Councilman Moore out) 3. AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA ANO THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION FOR JOINT FUNDING OF ROUTE 125 ENVIRONMENTAL AND ROUTE LOCATION STUDIES Director of Public Works Lippitt reported the joint study of this agreement as the most movement to date getting the State involved to share the study by CALTRANS. It is requested that Council approve this agreement in principle. Councilwoman McCandliss questioned whether the Alternate D alignment would be precluded by acceptance at this time, and it was explained this is just a draft subject to changes and approvals, and that the final agreement's language could be appropriately changed to include modifications. M (Nader) to agree in principle to participate in Route 125 study. M (McCandliss) to approve in concept this agreement to be appropriately changed to reflect the possibility of another alignment. MINUTES 5 March 17, 1988 Gary Klein, CALTRANS Project Studies' Chief, stated an Environmental Impact Statement and the public would be involved before the adoption with input from the community. MOTION MSC ~ox/McCandliss) to approve the Draft Agreement in concept and in principle and ask staff to note the actions taken at this meeting for modifications that may be necessary to this Agreement in order to make that action consistent and ask staff to bring back a Resolution appropriating City of Chula Vista's share of the funds for this Agreement. (Councilman Moore out) ~. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Stanley Waid reported his belief that the further development of EastLake is dependent upon the alignment of 125. 5. REPORT OF THE CITY MANAGER None 6. MAYOR'S REPORT 7. COUNCIL COMMENTS At 10:05 p.m., Mayor Cox announced adjournment to meet in Closed Session to discuss the Sierra Club vs. the California Coastal Commission and Potential Litigation. The Deputy City Clerk was excused and the City Manager reported the session ended at 10:35 a.m. ADJOURNMENT AT 10:35 p.m. to the regular meeting of March 22 and 7:00 p.m. Jennie ~. Fulasz, CMC ./~_~~J.. CITY CLERK Jean Fortune, CMC D~PUTY CITY CLERK 1191C