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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010/12/14 Item 3 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT ~If,c.. CITY OF .~ (HULA VISTA DECEMBER 14,2010, ITEM. 3 SUBMITTED BY: TWO- YEAR WORK PROGRAM FOR THE E STREET TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVES?~NT SITE ASSISTANT CITY MANAG~DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRE~ CITY MANAGER f ITEM TITLE: REVIEWED BY: 4/5THS VOTE: YES D NO I X I SUMMARY At the August 2010 Chula Vista Redevelopment Corporation ("CVRC") Workshop, members of the Urban Land Institute's ("ULI") local chapter presented the findings and recommendations of their recent study on the E Street Transit Oriented Development Site. I The study includes a review of opportunities and constraints, a conceptual site design, and steps the City can take to successfully initiate redevelopment of the area. One of the biggest challenges to redeveloping the site is defining the scope of pending improvements to the E Street Transit Center. In order to effectively market the site, it is critical that the Redevelopment Agency work together with the Metropolitan Transit System ("MTS"), San Diego Association of Governments ("SANDAG") and California Department of Transportation ("CaITrans"). Determining whether the trolley tracks will be grade separated, whether they will be above- or below-grade, where the station and bus depot will be located, and where and how much parking is needed, is critical to the site design of the surrounding area. Factors such as circulation, setbacks, parking, and views will define the development envelopes and marketability of the entire site. To better understand the development parameters, staff proposes to develop an interagency team to carry out the following two-year work program: A. Finalize the preliminary design for a new E Street Trolley Station that is grade separated; B. Identify funding opportunities for engineering design and environmental document preparation and certification; 1 The site is approximately 20 acres of publicly and privately held land. adjacent to the E Street Trolley ond Transit Hub. It is zoned for high-density mixed-use development. 3-1 DECEMBER 14, 2010, Item 4 Page C. Identify opportunities to elevate the priority of the E Street Trolley grade separation at the regional level; D. Create new development envelopes/parcels that facilitate redevelopment of the E Street Transit Oriented Development site; and E. Indentify public open space and parking facilities for the Transit Center. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The Environmental Review Coordinator has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the project qualifies for a Class 6 categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15306 (Information Collection) of the State CEQA Guidelines because the proposed action involves approval of a two-year work study program leading to an action which a public agency has not yet approved, adopted or funded. Thus, no further environmental review IS necessary. RECOMMENDATION COUNCIL ACCEPTS THE REPORT. BOARDS/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION On October 14, 2010, the Chula Vista Redevelopment Corporation voted 5-0-0-2 to approve the two-year work plan. DISCUSSION In August 2009, at ajoint hearing on Redevelopment, the CVRC and staff were directed to be creative and proactive, exploring opportunities for new housing and other development in the urban core. In December 2009, the Council approved the Five-year Redevelopment Implementation Plan (2010-2014). The plan outlines priorities for the Redevelopment Agency for the next five years. One of the catalyst projects listed in the Implementation Plan is the former City corporation yard at F Street and Woodlawn, adjacent to the E Street Transit Center. E Street Transit Center The site was chosen as a catalyst project for the following reasons: . The location at E Street and Interstate 5 is a primary gateway to Chula Vista . More than half of the site is publicly owned . The site has immediate access to transit and freeway . The property is designated and zoned for high-intensity, mixed-use smart growth development The site vicinity currently serves as a main transportation hub, interconnecting regional trolley service with three main bus routes, and E Street is a heavily used east/west circulation artery through western Chula Vista. The area is host to the Chula Vista 3-2 DECEMBER 14, 2010, Item 4 Page Visitors Center, as well as to a number of visitor-serving uses including motels, hotels, and restaurants. Office uses and a significant amount of multi-family housing exist within walking distance. However, the City's six acre property sits vacant and the general appearance of the area is substandard, with low-density one to two-story buildings, overhead utilities, relatively narrow sidewalks, little landscaping, and minimal pedestrian features. Infrastructure improvements in this area would allow for more density and ultimately achievement of the vision as a vibrant, bustling entrance to the City, For assistance in developing a work program that would lead to the successful marketing and ultimate development of the City's property, staff contracted with the Urban Land Institute (ULl) to provide technical expertise. ULI Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is a 70 year old organization with an international membership of3 7,000 members who are widely recognized as the top advocates for encouraging and fostering high standards ofland use planning and real estate development. The Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) is a service offered by ULI that brings together a panel of professionals chosen from UU's membership to provide advice on diverse issues spanning all aspects of site specific and public policy questions. The TAP is a group ofreal estate, design and financial professionals, members of ULI, who volunteer their time and expertise to help municipal organizations like Chula Vista resolve development related issues. In September of 2009 the City of Chula Vista contracted with the ULI to provide a Technical Assistance Panel to explore the development potential for the twenty (20) acres surrounding the E Street Trolley. The TAP process involved approximately twenty ULl professionals, city officials and city staff who participated in 2 all-day meetings, extensive review of existing policies and regulations, site design brainstorming sessions, and several months of report preparation. The resulting TAP report provides the City with an overall design and phasing plan, serving as a foundation for further discussion and for soliciting development proposals for the site. In March 2010, the results of the TAP effort were compiled in a report, "Transit Oriented Development Site Recommendations ~ E Street Trolley Station," prepared for the City by the UU (Attachment 1). Those recommendations describe several paths the City could take to revitalize this key 20-acre property. Development experts from the panel vetted the concept plans, with the goal of determining a realistic and fiscally viable path to redevelopment. In August 2010, ULI members presented the results of their report at a CVRC Workshop, detailing the Preferred Concept Plan and emphasizing the importance of creating an identity for the property: it is critical that the City leverage the location adjacent to the transit center and define what that center will look like in the future. The results of the 3-3 DECEMBER 14, 2010, Item 4 Page study concl uded that there were some intermediate steps that needed to be accomplished before the Agency would be able to successfully market the site for development. Development Challenge The biggest challenge to redeveloping this transit-adjacent property is the potential improvement (in terms of physical space and timing) of the E Street Transit Center: . Analysis of trolley grade separation is part of the 1-5 Comdor Study - a multi- year and multi-faceted comprehensive study including transit, freight, freeway, pedestrian and bicycle components - that is being prepared by SANDAG and due to be completed in early 2011. . The Regional Transportation Plan ("RTP") calls for a grade separation of the E Street Trolley from surface streets, to mitigate impacts with vehicular traffic. Whether the trolley station and tracks will be elevated or moved underground has not been determined. Either way, the design, construction and operation of this separated trolley service will influence the ultimate build-out of the site. . The Implementation portion of the RTP is called the Regional Transportation Implementation Plan CRTlP"). The entire RTIP is updated every four years, as priorities, economics and other factors come into play, and a list of specific improvements is updated every two years. Trolley crossing locations are being evaluated throughout the region. The next update for the R TIP is due this fall, and currently lists the E Street Trolley Grade Separa\ion as priority #6 for the San Diego region. The State will make its decision by December 2010 as to which projects will be funded in the next funding cycle. Conclusion As directed by the Redevelopment Agency in the August 2009 Workshop, the CVRC will be creative and proactive, functioning as a master developer for this and other redevelopment sites. However, given market conditions, evaluation is necessary to help the City determine how to focus its redevelopment efforts and best market its property interests. To that end, staff has prepared the two-year workplan for the E Street Transit Oriented Development Site. Following the suggested workplan, the CVRC will be able to address critical questions and clear the way for redevelopment of the E Street Transit Oriented Development Site. By strategically focusing their resources, the CVRC and Agency can address the blight that exists today with the vacant corporation yard and spark a redevelopment effort that will offer significant economic benefit to the surrounding area. Staff proposes developing an interagency team to carry out the following two-year work program: A. Finalize the preliminary design for a new E Street Trolley Station that is grade separated; B. Identify funding opportunities for engineering design and environmental document preparation and certification; 3-4 DECEMBER 14,2010, Item 4 Page C. Identify opportunities to elevate the priority of the E Street Trolley grade separation at the regionalleve1; D. Identify new development envelopes/parcels that facilitate redevelopment of the E Strcet Transit Oriented Development site; and E. Indentify public open space and parking facilities for the Transit Center in coordination with the public. DECISION MAKER CONFLICT Staff has reviewed the property holdings of the City Council and has found no property holdings within 500 feet of the boundaries of the property which is the subject of this action. CURRENT YEAR FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund as a result of the two year work program. The Agency will fund city staff costs as it compiles an interdisciplinary team to work on the regional issues of grade separating the Trolley station which will be included during the annual Redevelopment budget cycle. ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT Ongoing costs may be incurred as a result of this effort, and staff will come back to the Agency for approval on future related expenditures. ATTACHMENTS 1. Attachment 1 - Wark plan Prepared by: Janice Kluth, AlCP, Senior Project Coordinator, Development Services Department 3-5 Attachment 1: Two-year Workplan for City-owned Site at 707 F Street, Chula Vista Staff proposes forming an inter-agency team to accomplish the following: A. Finalize the preliminary design for a new E Street Trolley Station that is grade separated; B. Identify funding opportunities for engineering design and environmental document preparation and certification; c. IdentifY opportunities to elevate the priority of the E Street Trolley grade separation at the regional level; D. IdentifY new development envelopes/parcels that facilitate redevelopment of the E Street Transit Oriented Development site; and E. IndentifY public open space and parking facilities for the Transit Center in coordination with the public. 3-6