HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3 •
gOFFO2At 71
t-1111 PI 7
Au(utt 5�{,9tll
unity of STAFF REPORT
Development Services Department
DATE: July 9, 2013
TO: Honorable Chairman and Planning Commission
FROM: Philip A. Wray, Deputy Director of Development Services/City Engineer
SUBJECT: General Plan Consistency No. GP 13-01 — Review for Right-of-Way
Vacation of Front Street for the Construction of the Arcadia Parking
Structure and Transit Plaza for the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension
Light Rail Project
SUMMARY
The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority (Authority) has requested
that the City vacate Front Street for the construction of the Metro Gold Line Foothill
Extension Light Rail project. The project is currently under construction from Pasadena
to Azusa. For Arcadia, the project includes a station, parking structure and transit
plaza. The station is located just northwest of the intersection of First Avenue and
Santa Clara Street, and the parking structure and transit plaza are located on the north
side of Santa Clara Street just west of First Avenue. In order to construct the Parking
Structure and transit plaza, Front Street must be vacated from St. Joseph Street to
Santa Clara Street. The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Authority has made a
formal request to the City to vacate the Front Street right-of-way for this purpose.
The Development Services Department is recommending that the Planning Commission
find that the requested vacation is consistent with the City's General Plan and forward
the recommendation of approval to the City Council. Upon finding that the right-of-way
vacation is consistent with the General Plan, the City Council will then hold a public
hearing to consider the vacation.
BACKGROUND
The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority (Authority) is responsible
for the current construction of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension east from
Pasadena to Azusa. The construction of the light rail is underway, and the station will
be at grade just northwest of the intersection at Santa Clara Street and First Avenue,
with the rail line passing diagonally through the intersection, which is also at grade.
Approaching the station from the west, the rail line will be elevated above Santa Anita
Avenue to allow continued flow along this arterial. The project funding was committed
in 2008 through the passage of Measure R, a half-cent sales tax for local transportation ...
in Los Angeles County. In 2011, the Authority selected Kiewit Parsons to design and
construct the main alignment, and in 2013, the Authority selected WebCor/Watry to
design and construct, among other things, the Arcadia Parking Structure and Transit
Plaza.
ANALYSIS
One of the Authority's responsibilities in the final design process is to obtain all missing
portions of right-of-way for the light rail alignment and related elements like the parking
structure. The Authority has requested the City to vacate Front Street so that the
Arcadia Parking Structure and Transit Plaza can be constructed in its place.
Front Street was dedicated to the County in 1887 as part of the Santa Anita Tract. The
street has served as a local connection between St. Joseph Street and Santa Clara
Street. Only one industrial/office complex currently takes access from Front Street and
that complex has been purchased by the Gold Line for the construction of the parking
structure. The Authority currently owns a majority of the contiguous properties on both
sides of Front Street with Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) owning the balance of
property. The vacation will not create any land-locked parcels.
The proposed vacation is consistent with the following goals and policies set forth in the
City's 2010 General Plan:
Circulation and Infrastructure Element
Goal CI-1: An efficient roadway system that serves all of Arcadia, supports all
transportation modes, and balances the roadway system with planned
land uses.
Policy CI-1.7: Continue Capital Improvement Programs (CIP) funding for
transportation improvements.
Goal CI-3: Enhance local and regional transit service
Policy CI-3.4: Enhance local transit circulator service, particularly to link
neighborhoods to commercial districts, and Downtown to all areas.
Policy CI-3.6: Cooperate with Metro and the Gold Line Authority to bring light rail
service to Arcadia as soon as possible.
Land Use Element
Goal LU-10: A thriving Downtown, with health commercial areas supported by
high-quality, residential uses and supportive of the Metro Gold Line
transit station.
Front Street Vacation
General Plan Consistency
July 9, 2013— Page 2 of 3
Policy LU-10.2: Promote the Metro Gold Line Extension and establishment of a transit
., station in Downtown Arcadia, and take full advantage of the
opportunities the Gold Line station will bring to Downtown and the City
as a whole.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The Planning Commission action; determination of General Plan consistency, is not a
project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The proposed
right-of-way vacation by the City Council is expected to be categorically exempt from
CEQA pursuant to California Code of Regulations, Title 14 CEQA Guidelines Section
15301(c) because the action consists of a legal transfer of ownership that will result in
negligible or no expansion of use beyond the project analyzed in the Environmental
Impact Report (EIR) adopted in 2007 for the Gold Line Extension.
RECOMMENDATION
The proposed Front Street right-of-way vacation as depicted on the attached map and
aerial photo is consistent with the City's General Plan. Therefore, based on the
aforementioned information, the Development Services Department recommends that
the Planning Commission find that the proposed right-of-way vacation is consistent with
the General Plan and forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION
The Planning Commission should approve a motion to find that the proposed Front
Street right-of-way vacation is consistent with the City's General Plan goals and
policies, and forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council.
If any Planning Commissioner, or other interested party has any questions or comments
regarding this matter prior to the July 9, 2013 meeting, please contact Phil Wray,
Deputy Development Services Director/City Engineer at (626) 574-5488 or by e-mail at
Pwrayeci.arcadia.ca.us.
Approved by
Ji asama
Community Development Administrator
Attachment: Location Map and Aerial Photo of Requested Front Street Vacation
Front Street Vacation
General Plan Consistency
July 9, 2013— Page 3 of 3
.
N
LilI
LL
Itti i 8 otorik,
U
, JA y T
aT ili
a''
2694 , 6061. ,' _o
o R 3AV 8 8 88 /b II-—4- 5Z661-6461. IS I. �-------
Z J -/.p,,,S
If OS 101
06'681 ■
LI'Ott LO'»l
tr a tpo - Na^�G�O `�d� UJ
m LL 00 Q
09 r •
I X00 N E l A 1 �'�p
1. .tr ctb i A 1 fl
1
a t•�'- c P I
T ,�
. 8£ - LC - £4l INd
�O_ t < t ant 96.6Lt
5 Z ' iOg 1 1 �£Z66�O9t 09t� 5?
To.
� OJ 1 Q z
Z
____.Im.,...;.8 ! .% 1 N= o0Q Z
0n n T $ C ®Ng 8
nN N 1 d +
♦ 4?, 141
IIIse oR� `po ^ p�a S9 I OOl r I lA O9t N k,9 GJ Ot i t p,�_ tin $ . 8 I. a T N O A l $ h O7 S
R R g a'? 8I k • `701 orNaoI se 00; s I c),- R
RrN Q ,- / N 2 n at 8 J cle ft co
O91 $ t1. 091
itg q 4° MCC
111 iji 1 A68
AS. r ids 44
' Ot f- b 10 N I R 1.®N§ ...r.•
O - ss t L►
= Q 91'CB W
_ ® ~�
a r W
n- w s z =
c 1 o i g 8 4 NE Mg : vi F vai n� � O e1
F.. . .-10, n1 n C C9 &
P i i u) �� b10• d ,1 IN• - Q v ) OZ99L 0109 l
�R 9C 29 B9'et '_ -- ,f
1
en en i
s 3AV 411Nd'9IINS
gm8 ' 1
M
t--
\ ,
iNe"\ CO t--
An
a N °ass "
(Dy $
Z —
II"
. Front Street Vacation
d ` i 4 :1,,,,,i,:, Inn Traffic
awax=ytJ�i(u �I �i 9 f rcit�eEi d r ,� ns
,r it-;'Ili n r, t,>R " •4,<:x, ... A'�'' tl.-_'.n►`_" .,,. ,�L1 C(tll}il(�d 1
y Ls Id(C`i) lain 1 �..
xf
'
?4 i� `1 Y l�r iFr I �Ap r I F •.} Y ' I I if FvSr •I rll f nlc G ?� s� Kr
w y r _ u
f
1 WIN
4
::: .^ . +•.-
r 4v w q uk i y "v'Y Y 7yC 71° M \ L'
l e w . wm . + '' ty x n ,,,'-74.4' 1 1 ' e4 e..,Gp. 8dL r "nr - °^w Idc yin
.i..
, r,
F.
„t 1
d Ilk
10— II 4I AC §ih kx'r3 Y",',.-ti 1 ',�.{ +� .ty°g trt �1 �.r I
..'1 f ' iYk a„ #1r 6 i 1� ;'....,f r). ' x• {14` Sl C M i 1 j'� 1' # f.'
ro' ^.
4411,4r3:0 I
I lPni f .Za�I�I lr ,. r1 1,,
1 I JfPIIAIl l r - r1.4 S , tt _ :Il1
�` I �'I�,r. F'1' C n Un �. tnt , Nhal
I t i �
:�
.1 f IP i dl 4 AVIDµtCticlA r.r� T 11� :,. �' . S. }j h_
,--7-:',.-- - /
■ it � ti 14* ■.
.r,.�,. IX ! I)r'.f .'r� 1` .ca ... _, �.` 1'-+ !1•A:�r•—� C+ rt _ w
I dr,`
,..1.1.4t°. .J asvljc ,` k ...E
f 1 x ....:,—.,7=.. •• 1 1.
E it
ti �.,' If •f' ridimnai It,- z *:
n _� ,_! ...w.a+>..r,',1 , I :� i.'*!y7:�"�5if:. idb'-,'0°M,- L,. r �..
e
I
�' " ° ' .. I) l4ni
Front Street Vacation
AIM lk