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Home My WebLink About2001-06-11 City Council (3)City of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: CITY MANAGER JUNE 11, 2001 HIGH SPEED RAIL DEPARTMENT: PLANNING AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT CMR:269:01 This is an informational report forwarding to Council a letter that staff sent to the High Speed Rail Authority. No Council action is required. BACKGROUND The California High Speed Rail Authority (Authority) was established in 1996. The Authority is the state agency authorized to develop and implement an inter-city, high speed rail system. The need for a high speed rail system is directly related to the expected growth in population and resulting increase in inter-city travel demand. As part of the Authority’s efforts to implement a system, the Authority adopted a Final Business Plan in June 2000, which reviewedthe economic feasibility of a 700-mile- long high speed rail system extending from Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area, through the Central Valley, to Los Angeles and San Diego. The.Authority is the lead agency responsible for preparation of a Program Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Study (EIR/EIS) for the project at this conceptual stage of planning and decision making, which would involve defining and evaluating alternative technologies, corridors, station locations, and phasing options. DISCUSSION Staff attended a scoping meeting in San Jose on May 15, 2001 and a second meeting in Palo Alto on May 16, 2001. The Authority is seeking public input by May 31, 2001, on issues that should be addressed in the EIR/EIS. In view of the above, - staff sent a letter (Attachment A) to the California High Speed Rail Authority transmitting issues that staff believes should be addressed in the Draft CMR:269:01 Page 1 of 2 EIR/EIS, including alignment, station locations, grade separations, cultural resources, noise and visual issues. Staff is also preparing a report for Planning and Transportation Commission discussion and recommendation to Council regarding the City’s initial position on critical issues such as corridor alignment, station location, and others issues. The Authority staff is hoping to narrow down some of the numerous alternatives, such as multiple alignments, in the next few months. ATTACHMENT A. May 22, 2001 Letter to High Speed Rail Authority PREPARED BY: .~,I~IOK AG~WAL City Traffic Engineer DEPARTMENT HEAD: Director of Planning and Community Environment CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: EMILY HARRISON Assistant City Manager cc: Planning and Trans’~ortation Commission CMR:269:01 Page 2 of 2 City of Palo Alto Department of Planning and Community Environment May 31, 2001 Mr. Dan Leavitt California High-Speed Rail Authority Fax (916) 322-0827 RE: EIR/EIS SCOPING COMMENTS Dear Mr. Leavitt: Divisions ~peaion s~-,,i~s The purpose of this letter is to transmit the City of Palo Alto’s issues of concern that Tr~-~sponation we believe should be addressed in the upcoming Draft EIR/EIS for the California high-speed rail (HSR) project in the San Francisco Peninsula area. City staff will not make a formal statement on critical issues such as corridor alignment and station location until we have benefit of the EIR/EIS analysis. However, we do : expect to provide you with Our initial policy position on those issues within the next two months. Alignment The Draft EIR/EtS. (subsequently referred to as "the EIR") should evaluate the right-of-way nee.ds. To .r the,selected alignment, including impact of the project on the existing facilities :in-the corridor (e.g., Caltrain tracks, stations, parking lots, other structures, freeway igiles, frontage roads, over/under crossings, etc.). For the Caltrain corridor, the EIR. should be quite specific with regard to the possible location and Widthiof the HSR right-of-way, with respect to the ultimate right-of- way and track:needs Ot’Caltrair~. Station Location As stated, above, Palo Alto has’ not yet taken a formal position on station location, but an obvious p0tentiallocation is the existing University. Avenue Caltrain station: Therefore, if such a location is desired by the HSR Authority, the EIR should address the impact of a joint CaltrainA/SR station, including: auto trip generation, parking facilities, road improvements, .pedestrian and bicycle access, and bus access. The analysis of impacts of auto trips should include major roadways and intersections where at least 10.or more peak hour vehicles per lane would be added. A clear understanding of the number and origin and destination of passengers, as well as expected travel mode to/from the station should be .provided. The EIR should identify what type of trips ~the potential travelers would make (e.g., daily commute trips, long-haul multi-day trips, etc.) A similar analysis should be provided for any station location selected by HSR. 250 Hamilton Avenue P.O. Box 10250 Palo Alto, CA 94303 650.329.2404 650.329.2154 fax High ¯Speed Rail Scoping Comments May 31, 2001 Page 2 of 3 In addition, should the University Avenue station location be preferred, the EIR should. address the impact of the project on Palo Alto’s planned new Intermodal Transit Center in this area. The latter would accommodate ¯four Caltrain tracks, expanded transit access, and substantially alter the road network and pedestrian access in the University Avenue and Caltrain station area. Palo Alto can provide details of this proposed project. Stanford University is a major stakeholder in the area and inthe Intermodal Station project, so .impacts on Stanford. University lands should be included. Cultural Resources The Caltrain portion of the proposed route is a historic railroad line, constructed circa 1863-1870. The section between San Jose and Millbrae includes nine.historic train depots that are listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Millbrae, Burlingame, San Carlos, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Santa Clara and Diridon Station at San Jose are currently listed on the National Register.and the Burlingame Broadway Station and the Atherton Station are eligible for National Register listing. Taken together, this collection of historic depots is an unusually complete and valuable record of the railroad era in California, from the 1863 Santa Clara depot to the Moderne-style Palo Alto station of 1940; The analysis should evaluate possible impacts on this historic rail line, including impacts on the depots and related stru. ctures, the physical setting around the depots, the relationship to the tracks, boarding patterns, etc. The Alternatives section of the EIRJEIS should include an alternative that preserves the historic depots and related structures, their physical surroundings, and their traditional boarding patterns and function. Grade Separations The EIR should state what type of vertical alignment is planned (e.g., elevated, at grade, below grade) for the HSR and Caltrain tracks and the impact on existing roadway and pedestrian/bicycle crossings. If POssible, conceptual-level plans¯ for new and/or modified grade separations or other form of crossings should be includ.~d. This should include a discussion of whether any new pedestrian/bicycle crossings may be desirable between existing crossings. - Noise An evaluation of noise impacts on adjacent and nearby residential areas should be included in the EIR for the selected grade level of the alignment, along with any alternatives. High Speed Rail Scoping Comments May 31, 2001 Page 3 of 3 Visual An analysis should be included of the visual .and aesthetic impact of the structures from the viewpoint of adjacent residences and roadway users, particularly if the line is elevated. Any large trackside structures, such as electrical substations, .should be included in the visual analysis. Energg and Electrical Issues The EIR should include discussion of impacts of electrical energy radiation and/or interference along the right-of-way, as welt as the relationship between energy supply and project demand. Mitigation Measures The EIR should identify feasible mitigation measures for any significant impacts identified in the above analysis. Conceptual design, cost, time frame, implementation responsibility and mitigation .of secondary impacts should also be addressed for each mitigation measure. Thank you for this opportunity to provide our comments on this important project. If you have any questions, please contact Carl Stoffel of our staff at (650) 329-2552 or carl_stoffel@city.palo-alto.ca.us. G. Edward Gawf Director, Department .of Planning and Community Environment