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Home My WebLink AboutItem No. 5 - Resolution No. 1974 - Street Vacation.iu puw[ 5, 1401 DATE: September 13, 2016 STAFF REPORT Development Services Department TO: Honorable Chairman and Planning Commission FROM: Philip A. Wray, Deputy Director of Development Services /City Engineer SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 1974 - GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY NO. GP 16- 01 WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED VACATION OF THE EXCESS STREET RIGHT OF WAY ON HUGO REID DRIVE AND GOLDEN WEST AVENUE TO MAKE THE STREET SEGMENTS CONFORM WITH THE CITY'S RESIDENTIAL STREET STANDARDS IN FRONT OF SEVEN SINGLE - FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES Recommendation: Adopt Resolution No. 1974 and forward a recommendation to the City Council SUMMARY In 2015, the City administered a Safe Routes to School project in the Hugo Reid School neighborhood that included improvements to the intersection of Hugo Reid Drive and Golden West Avenue. The intersection was realigned from the original two adjoining curves to two offset "T" intersections, and the curb -to -curb street widths were brought into conformance with the City standard of 36 feet. The purpose of the realignment was to shorten the pedestrian crossings and create standard right -angle crosswalks for a safer and more pedestrian friendly environment, and to control the traffic better through more standard right - angled intersections. The realignment and reconstruction of the streets created excess right -of -way, beyond the 60 foot residential street standard, that is no longer necessary for public use. The excess right -of -way impacts seven (7) properties. The realignment and reconstruction of the streets and vacation of excess right of way is consistent with the General Plan goals and policies and results in the most efficient and safe use of the land for public rights -of- way. The Development Services Department is recommending that the Planning Commission find that the requested vacations are consistent with the goals and policies of the City's General Plan and forward the recommendation of approval to the City Council. Upon making the recommendation to the City Council, the City Council will then hold a public hearing to consider the vacation. Resolution No. 1974 — GP 16 -01 September 13, 2016 — Page 2 of 6 BACKGROUND In 2011, the City of Arcadia applied for and received a Federal grant from the Safe Routes to School ( "SRTS ") Program in the amount of $647,000 to improve the pedestrian infrastructure in the vicinity of Hugo Reid Elementary School. The grant program encourages the active involvement of the neighborhood school to develop programs to encourage use of these pedestrian improvements to reach their school. The Arcadia Unified School District supported the program and the Hugo Reid Elementary School neighborhood was selected with the assistance of the District, the School Administration, and the School PTA. The project scope included sidewalk and street improvements at the intersection of Hugo Reid Drive and Golden West Avenue, new sidewalk on Sunset Boulevard, sidewalk enhancements at the intersection of Hugo Reid Drive and Altura Road, sidewalk and crosswalk enhancements at the intersection of Hugo Reid Drive and Corto Road, and sidewalk and crosswalk enhancements at the intersection of Hugo Reid Drive and Cabrillo Road. The public rights -of -way for Hugo Reid Drive and Golden West Avenue were originally dedicated to the City of Arcadia, at no cost to the City, through the subdivision of the neighborhood in 1944 and 1945. The intersection of Hugo Reid Drive and Golden West Avenue had a very unusual alignment that was un- friendly to pedestrians, with extended street crossings at unusual angles to traffic flow. The project realigned the intersection into two offset "T" intersections, and brought the street widths into conformance with the City standard of 36 -feet, curb -to -curb, like the rest of the neighborhood. The realignment and reconstruction of the streets created excess right -of -way that is no longer necessary for public use. The realignment of the Hugo Reid Drive and Golden West Avenue intersection changed the curb frontages and brought these street segments into conformance with the City's residential street standards for the following seven (7) properties: • 876 Hugo Reid Drive • 900 Hugo Reid Drive • 907 Hugo Reid Drive • 915 Hugo Reid Drive • 935 Hugo Reid Drive • 36 Golden West Avenue • 201 Golden West Avenue ANALYSIS The City's standard residential street right -of -way width is 60 feet. Applying the 60 foot right -of -way to the newly aligned streets creates excess right -of -way along the frontages of the seven properties. There is no need to retain this excess right -of -way for street Resolution No. 1974 — GP 16 -01 September 13, 2016 — Page 2 of 6 purposes; therefore, it is desirable to adjust the street rights -of -way to the 60 feet standard and vacate the excess land as shown in the attachments. The proposed vacations are consistent with the following goals and policies set forth in the City's 2010 General Plan: Circulation and Infrastructure Element Goal CI -2: Maximize Operational efficiency of the street system. Policy CI -2.2: Design and operate arterials and intersections for the safe operation of all modes, including transit, bicyclists and pedestrians. Goal CI -4: Connected, balanced, and integrated bicycle and pedestrian networks that provide viable alternatives to use of the car Policy CI -4.5: Develop and implement a comprehensive pedestrian circulation plan that includes, among other components: 1) enhanced pedestrian crossings of streets. 2) sidewalk improvement plans. 3) pedestrian amenities on sidewalks in major streets that are key pedestrian routes, including the benches, street trees, trash cans, and pedestrian scaled lighting 4) ADA compliant crossings. 5) convenient crossings of arterials with landscaped medians, particularly in the vicinity of schools. And 6) strategies to remove barriers to pedestrian movement (for example, news racks, utility poles and boxes) Policy CI -4.7: Ensure that intersections and development at intersections are designed and maintained to provide for pedestrian safety. Goal CI -6: Reduce auto traffic and improved traffic management around schools. Policy CI -6.2: Look for ways to enhance pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the vicinity of schools. Policy CI -6.4: Promote Safe Routes to School programs and policies ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The proposed right -of -way vacation is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ( "CEQA ") pursuant to Section 15301(c) because these actions consist of a legal transfer of ownership, which will result in negligible or no expansion of use beyond the project. RECOMMENDATION The proposed vacation of portions of Hugo Reid Drive and Golden West Avenue, as depicted on Exhibits "A" and "B" attached, is consistent with the goals and policies in Resolution No. 1974 — GP 16 -01 September 13, 2016 — Page 2 of 6 City's General Plan Circulation Element. 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 vacation of portions of Hugo Reid Drive and Golden West Avenue is consistent with the City's General Plan goals and policies, and forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council. If the Planning Commission finds that the proposed vacation of portions of Hugo Reid Drive and Golden West Avenue is not consistent with the goals and policies of the General Plan, the Commission should state the reasons, and forward a recommendation to deny the request to the City Council. If any Planning Commissioner, or other interested party has any questions or comments regarding this matter prior to the September 13, 2016 meeting, please contact Phil Wray, Deputy Development Services Director /City Engineer at (626) 574 -5488 or by e- mail at pwray @arcadiaCA.gov. Appfoved= JEm Kas ma Umrnuhity Development Administrator Attachment No. 1: Resolution No. 1974 Attachment No. 2: Location Maps - Exhibits "A" and "B" Attachment No. 1 Resolution No. 1974 RESOLUTION NO. 1974 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA APPROVING GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY NO. GP 16 -01 WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED VACATION OF THE EXCESS STREET RIGHT OF WAY ON HUGO REID DRIVE AND GOLDEN WEST AVENUE TO MAKE THE STREET SEGMENTS CONFORM WITH THE CITY'S RESIDENTIAL STREET STANDARDS IN FRONT OF SEVEN SINGLE - FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WHEREAS, the City of Arcadia has proposed that certain portions of Hugo Reid Drive and Golden West Avenue be vacated to make the street segments conform with the City's residential street standards at 876 Hugo Reid Drive, 900 Hugo 'Reid Drive, 907 Hugo Reid Drive, 915 Hugo Reid Drive, 935 Hugo Reid Drive, 36 Golden West Avenue, and 201 Golden West Avenue, as shown on the maps in Exhibits "A" and "B ", attached hereto; and WHEREAS, City staff have determined that the proposed right -of -way vacation of portions of Hugo Reid Drive and Golden West Avenue is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ( "CEQA ") pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c) because these actions consist of a legal transfer of ownership, which will result in negligible or no expansion of use. NOW, THEREFORE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY FIND, DETERMINE AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Planning Commission does hereby find that the proposed right -of- way vacation is consistent with the goals and policies of the City's General Plan Circulation Element, and that a recommendation of approval be forwarded to the City Council. SECTION 2. The Secretary of the Planning Commission shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution. 1 Passed, approved, and adopted this day of 2016. ATTEST: Secretary APPROVED AS TO FORM: &-jT4Lf3 &=e Stephen P. Deitsch City Attorney 2 Chairman, Planning Commission Attachment No. 2 Location Maps — Exhibits "A" and "B" 0 M- (Nd (900 HUGO R Air. 1 5 tj :. PI-I p GOMM WEST DR) . . . . . . . . . . PARCELS TO B VACA ED