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Home My WebLink AboutRCC MIN 2003/12/01MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION COMMISSION December 1, 2003 Ken Lee Building Conference Room 430 "F" Street MEETING CALLED TO ORDER by Chair Teresa Thomas at 4:00 p. m. ROLL CALL/MOTION TO EXCUSE MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Teresa Thomas, Vice-Chair Doug Reid, Commissioners Stanley Jasek, Juan Diaz, John Chavez and Pamela Bensoussan (4:26) STAFF PRESENT: Paul Hellman, Environmental Projects Manager Alex AI-Agha, Deputy Director of Engineering Dave Kaplan, Transportation Engineer Dan Forster, Growth Management Coordinator Linda Bond, Recording Secretary APPROVAL OF MINUTES: None. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None. NEW BUSINESS 1. Traffic Workshop Mr. Alex AI-Agha (Deputy Director of Engineering) stated that the main objective of the workshop was to explain how the City of Chula Vista conducts traffic impact studies, how the City determines project-related traffic impacts and how traffic impacts are mitigated. Mr. AI-Agha presented a PowerPoint presentation and expanded on the following: Objectives • Purpose of Traffic Impact Studies At this point during his presentation, Mr. AI-Agha handed out a report entitled "Guidelines For Traffic Impact Studies in the City of Chula Vista". Traffic Impact Study Study Area Methodology -Analysis Scenarios Significance Criteria -Project Impacts RCC Minutes - 2 - December 1, 2003 • Short-term (Study Horizon Years 0-4) • Long-term (Study Horizon Year 5 and Later) • Mitigation • Nexus Commissioner Bensoussan arrived at 4:26 p.m. • Transportation Development Impact Fee (TDIF) Program Commissioner Chavez asked, if it is reasonably possible to resolve a problem within a project with some additional measures and funding, why then would we allocate a mitigation measure by impact fee to some other location? If we have a problem at Otay Lakes and "H" Street, and that could be mitigated within the project, is it allowable under the guidelines to allow a TDIF contribution elsewhere from the developer or the project in question? Mr. AI-Agha responded that numerous Public Facility Financing Plans and EIRs require immediate mitigation through the construction of specific improvements. There are some improvements that we do not want to wait until adequate funding has been collected through the Transportation Development Impact Fee Program to build when projects are creating substantial impacts. So there is definitely a timing element to address, and we certainly consider this when making a determination regarding the type of mitigation that is appropriate and the timing for needed improvements. Commissioner Chavez asked if there is a trigger point once an impact reaches the level of significance within the City later on. Mr. AI-Agha stated that the City has an ongoing trigger event every year when staff determines which CIP projects need to be constructed. • Capital Improvements Program (CIP) • Planned Highway Projects o Table entitled "Reasonably Expected Revenue Scenario -SANDAL RTP January 2003" • I-805 and I-5 Transportation Study All the RCC members thanked Mr. AI-Agha for his excellent presentation. Chair Thomas and Commissioner Chavez requested a copy of the PowerPoint presentation. Commission Comments Commissioner Jasek expressed interest in learning about the thinking behind buses being allowed to interrupt the flow of traffic along main thoroughfares within the City and the reasoning behind all of the things that restrict the flow of traffic on City streets. Mr. AI-Agha stated that the City is very aware of specific intersections that need improvement and aware of urgent improvements that are needed right now. RCC Minutes - 3 - December 1, 2003 The City maintains a priority list of such improvements. Funding in Western Chula Vista is quite restricted because improvements cannot be funded in a manner similar to how they are funded in Eastern Chula Vista. Therefore, the City is seriously considering creating a Western Chula Vista Transportation Development Impact Fee program. We are spending most of the available funding for Western Chula Vista transportation improvements on traffic signal improvements. Commissioner Jasek stated that that pertains to funding that we do not have at the present time. What he was talking about is the thinking that goes into the design of development projects that are being approved. Projects that would not cost any more to do it better, to do it smart. Case in point -the project on Fourth Avenue and "C" Street. They did not do a darn thing with the bus stop that is going to clog traffic on a 2-lane road. They left it right out in the middle of the first lane when there is ample room to build a pull out. Mr. Hellman (Environmental Projects Manager) stated that MTDB does not like bus turnouts because they have a lot of trouble getting back into traffic, and that queue jumpers will likely be used a lot more often in the future to facilitate bus mergers into the traffic stream at signalized intersections. Commissioner Jasek stated that he has a hard time giving MTDB priority when the design of their operations delays numerous cars. 2. 2004 RCC Meeting Schedule Chair Thomas did not get a chance to check the meeting schedule and asked if it could be tentatively approved and brought back at the next meeting. MSC (Chavez/Jasek) to tentatively approve the 2004 meeting schedule subject to any minor changes. Vote: (6-0-0-0) ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW COORDINATOR COMMENTS: None. CHAIR COMMENTS Chair Thomas stated that she would not be at the January 5, 2004 meeting. She handed out a flyer for a USIBWC Citizens' Forum on December 2, 2003 that she thought the RCC members might be interested in attending. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Vice-Chair Reid stated that he would not be at the December 15, 2003 meeting. Mr. Hellman indicated that there are no items for the December 15, 2003 RCC meeting. Commissioner Chavez stated that he had contacted a couple of organizations that have some expertise with regard to the environmental status and impacts of the South Bay power plant, the Environmental Health Coalition and the Beard--ef Border Power RCC Minutes - 4 - December 1 2003 Projects. He would like to have them address RCC and give a workshop on siting and environmental impacts related to that power plant. Commissioner Bensoussan suggested doing it at a GPU Environmental and Open Space Subcommittee meeting where more people could benefit. Commissioner Chavez agreed and asked how he should coordinate the timing and planning of such a workshop. Chair Thomas suggested that he talk with Ms. Marilyn Ponseggi (Environmental Review Coordinator). ADJOURNMENT: Chair Thomas adjourned the meeting at 5:36 p.m. to a regular meeting on Monday, January 5, 2004, at 6:00 p.m. in the Ken Lee Building Conference Room, 430 "F" Street, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Prepared by: ~. Linda Bond, Recording Secretary (A:\II b\RCC#3\RCC 120103 M i ns.doc)