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~IS REPORT Is OISTRI-
. "EO EJ>.RLY FOR THE
December 10, ]992
THE HONO~LE CI~Y COUNCIL
Palo Alto, California
Attention: Finance committee
U~CEMBER 15 FINANCE
COMMITTEE MEETING TO
ALLOW SUFFICIWT RE"IlEW
TIME.
Barron Park Drainage_and Street Desian Guidelines. elP 477Q4
Hembers of the Council:
Report in Brief
This report transmits a set of desiqn guidelines tor future street
and drainage improvements in the Barron Park neighborhood~ It
recommends that council approve the guidelines.
Background
On October 27, 1992, the Finance Committee reviewed a dr~ft set of
design guidelines and heard comments from Barron Park residents
(CHR:473:92). The Committee asked staff to return "With ansloI'ers to
the questions and concerns raised by the public and to modify the
design guidelines, as necessary, in response to those concerns.
Responses to COmmunity concerns raised_at the october....1.L.~
~inance COmmittee meeting
staff has reviewed the questions and concerns ~xpressed by Barron
Park residents at the October 27 I ~992 Finance committee mee.ting
and has grouped them into four general categories. The fOllowing
is a sUl'lUtlary of those concerns along with staff··s response:
1. Right-of-way. parking. and landscJ~.pir.g issues
&. There is not room for pedestrian walkways on Barron park
.tre.t ...
CMR:542!92
First of all, pedestrian -walkways 'Will be considered Q.D.ly
for streets identified as collectors (Matadero, Barron,
Los Robles, Maybell, La Donna, Amaranta, ana Laguna).
Local Barron Park streets ... i11 not be candidates for
"Walkways. Secondly, any proposed walkway must fit ~ithin
the existing :r-ight-of-way, since riqht-of-l .... ay acquisition
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is not advocated in the design quidelines. The ability
to construct walkways ~il1 also be limit~d by existing
parking patterns and landscaping r as described in the
responses to questions Ib and Ie. Staff has made a
cursory t'eview of Barron Park collector streets and has
determined that there is ~ufficiant space av~ilable to
construct a walkway on some streets. While ackno...-ledg .Lng
that pedestrian walkways will not fit on narrow collector
streets, staff would like to retain all collectors as
candidates for walk ..... ays until they can be surveyed in
more detail.
Bov vill tb. inatallation of d.rainaqe f ... turelll and/or
pe4a.trian walkways a~t.et parkinq ~.tt.rn.?
Language in t~e design ~~idelir.es has been strengthened
to preserve existing parkin9 pattp.:rns on Barron park
streets. In order to accommodat.e two-way traffic and
parkinq on both sides of' the street. there must b.e a
minimum 'Width of 36 feet (two lO/-"..,dae traffic lanes and
two 8'-wide parking areas) for vehicle use. Installation
of valley 9utters for drainage will not affect parking
patterns since the gutters can be located within existing
parking areas, and vehicles can park or drive aver them.
Fedestrian walkways, however. effectively reduce the
usable width of the street beca'.lse vehicles should not
park or drive over them. In order to maintain eXistinq
parking patterns, walkways must be constructed outside of
the driving and parking areas~ Therefore, in order to
preserve parking on both sides of the street, a ~alkway
will only be considered on streets where a minimum of 36
feet car. be maintained for vehicular traffic and parking.
c. Vn4ar what oirouaatances .ill tbe City r .. ove existing
lan4sc.pinq and/or improvements .uch a8 i.noB'?
CMR:542:92
The first draft of the design g">Jidelines stated that
drainags features and pedestrian ~alk~ay5 would be
designed to miniDize the impacts on existing landscaping
and privatei:zr.provemeOlts such as fences. In order to
clarify this statement, staff has amended the guidelines
to include specific criteria for removal of eX:istinq
features. Technically. any private impro ..... ements within
the public riqht-of-way are encroachments, and the City
has the right to require their removal~ On the other
hand, staff recognizes that 8arron Park residents want to
maintain the: existing look and feel af their
neighborhood~ In order to accommodate the residents'
preference, staff will initially attempt to fit the
d~ainage features or pedestrian ~alk~ays within the
existing clear area. For example, a pedestrian walkway
'Would be placed on only one side of the streE'.t, if
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necessary, to avoid removing private encroachments. If,
however, thi$ is not possible l staff recouunends that
existi~ improvements or landscaping within the public
right-ot-way (except for trees larger than S" in
d.iameter) be rp,moved in order to accommodate the new
co:nDtruc~icn.
d. would the City eonaider installinq & pedestrian walkway
OD only one .1d. of • oollector .tre.t it there va. not
roo. for walkways on both aide.'
Yes, 5taff supports the idea of installing a pede~trian
walkway on only one side of the street if there 16 not
s~fficient 6pace for two walkways, as indicated in the
response to question le.
e. Wbat vill prevent cars from drIving up and over rolle~
curbs ana parking on the pedestrian walkway.?
Since a rolled curb does not provide a solid harrier,
thar-e. may be prohlems with cars driving over the curb and
onto the adjacent pedestrian walkwaY4 A vertical curb
would prevent this practice, but is unaccept~ble to the
community for aesthetic reasons~ staff has included a
minimum street width in the design guidelines in order to
ensure that adequate space is provided for on-street
parking, as indicated in the response to question lb.
Police enforcement and public education can also be used
to di9cour~ge parking of cars on pedestrian walk~ays~
2. Implementation of design _~_~
a. Drainaq. ~.atur.s au~ pedestrian walkways .ho~ld only be
in.tailed Ybare there is • cl.arly i4enti~i.d need for
th ....
Cl!R:542:92
In accordance ~ith the design guidelines, no ne~ capital
improvement project will be cr~ated for the installation
of drainage features and pedestrian walkways in Barron
Park~ These improvements will be made in cO:ljunction
with other ongoing City projects in the neighborhood such
as storm drain improvements, street resurf?cing, and
sidewalk improvements~
As a result of neighborhood input; collector streets have
been identified as candidates for pedestrian valk~aysi
dependent upon the amount of available r ight-of-.... ay
width~ Therefore, staff will pursue the irstallation of
walkways on tbese streets as part of futUre sidewalk
improvement projects.
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Staff acknowledges that there are some Barron Park
residents who do not believe that drainage improvements
a~e needed on their street. It should be pointed out,
however, that drai~age features pro~ide other benefits in
addition to improved stormwater drain!!lge. A valley
qutter or rolled curb at the edge of the road~ay extends
the life of the street by preventing 'Water seepage
beneath t11e pavement and protecting the edge of the
pavement from breakage. A dlainage feature 'io/jll also
cle~rly mark the limits of the city's main~enance
responsibility. The.re are situations 'Where it is
necessary to extend a qutter across an area that does not
have any apparent drainage problem in order to convey
stormwater from an isolated problem location to an
underground storm drain or creek.
In or-der to respond to community concerns., staff has
amended the guidelines to state that drainage features
will be installed on Barron Park streets only to solve
drainage or pavement deterioration problems. Residents
will haYe the opportunity to review specific improvement
plans prior to final design, as explained in the response
to question 2b.
:b. Bow will ne.i9"hbor!1C1o~ residents be invol"1e~ in m.aking
final 4asiqn decisions,
Whenever drainage or walkway improvements ar~ proposed
for streets in Barron Park as part of a capital
improvement project, staff will conduct a public meeting
with the residents living on streets abutting the work.
The meeting will be held at the project plarming stage in
order to receive timely community input into the final
project design. Staff will attempt to incorporate the
residents' desir~s into a cle~ign that is also consistent
with the established d~sign guidelines.
c. What d08. it me.n that the improvements will be inst&lle4
on a block-by-b1o~k basis'
Generally storm drain, street resurfacing, or sidewalk
improvement projects have limits of worK that coincide
'With street intersections rather than a pOint in the
:middle of a block. When drainage or walkway improveI:lents
are made, they 'Will be install~d to the same limits of
work as those of the overall project and will be no less
than one block in length. This approach will result in
a functional and aesthetic syste~ of street improvements.
4. What vi11 bappen when the City has a project to i~8t.ll
new 4rainaq. features and/or pe<1estrian walkway on a
blo~k that already baa some existing improvements? -.-CMR:S42:92
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The d.e6iqn guidelines provide that g~ps in existing
sections of stand~rd curb, gutter, and sidewalx ~ill be
filled in with the 3ame standard impr~vements. Stanoard
i~provementsr however, vill not be exte~ded beyond their
p~esent limits ~xcept for the side frontages ot
properties that front on El camino Real. There is al$o
~ provision for re~oval of a section of standard curb,
qutter, ar.d sidewalk, subject to a review by residents of
abutting propcrtia&. In order to clarify this provision,
staff has amended the guidelines to r~strlct removal to
cases where the eXisting improvement exte.nds for less
than one block and where there is unanimous support tor
removal from the owners of abut.ting residences. (In
other words, removal of existing improvements that extend
for the entire block will not be considered.) Where a
ne~ drainage feature or walkway abuts an existing
improvement j there will be a smooth transition from the
existing improvQment to the new design.
e. Could. roll~ eur:b b. limited to tbose .tr.et. wh.re &
podestrian valkway ia actually i~5tal~.d?
yes. Although rolled curb is the dr~inage featur-e
designated for collector streets. it 15 recpmmended
solely to provide vertical separati~n bet~een the street
and a pedestr ian 'Walkway. Therefore, where a 'Walkway is
not constructed on a collector street, a valley gutter
would be the appropriate drainage feature.
3. Private developm~nt issue~
a.· What .t.rec.t iIprovellellts vill the city require :tro.
developers or project. in Barron Park?
CMR: 542: n
In areas of Palo Alto with standard curb, gutter and
sidewalk improvements. private deveJ.opers mar be required
to include sidewal'it and cur.b improvements as part of
their project. dependent upon the. size and type of
development being proposed. O\Inersjdevelcpers of single
lot residential construction projects are not required to
make sidewalk and cur'b improvement~ unless they are
d",maged by the building contractor. However, developers
of multi-parcel residential and commercial projects are
typically required to install or repair curb, gutter and
sidewalk to conform to surrounding improvements. The
same criteria will be applied to devel~pment in Barron
Park. Single lot residential developers will not be
required to construc:t drain3ge features or pedestrian
~alkways~ In addition, developers 'Will not :be required
to make nor pay any fee for such improve"lIl.en"t.s as part of
multi-lot residential or commercial projects in areas
without exis.ting drainaqe features or ""alkways. An
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isolated secti~n of walx~ay or gutter serves little or no
purpose anQ creates an undesirable hodge-podge
appeara~ce. However, if such a ~evelopment is propcsed
for an area adj~cent to existing improvements or includes
the construction of a neW street, the developer will be
required to construct a drainage feature andfor
pedestrian walk~8y in accordance with the desig~
quideliner:;.
OWnership and maintenanc~ concerns
64 no i. r •• ponsible tor •• intan&DCe of tha area outside o~
the drainage teature aDd/or pedestrian walkway?
The city is responsible tor the maintenance of all street
improvements (pavement, curLs, gutters, 3idewalk, etc.)
lIr'ithin the public right-oi-way. For most Barron Park
streets, maintenance is limited to the street pavement
itself, since there are no drainage or 'Walkway
improvem@"nts. Maintenance of driveways and parking areas
beyond. the pavement 'Width~ even though they maio' be ..... ithin
the public right-of-way, is the responsibility of the
adjacent property owner. If drainage features or
pedestrian walkways are constructed b:r~ the city, the
City's maintenance responsibility will be extended to
include these new improvements. Maintenance of areas
outside these improvements will remain the responsibility
of the property owners.
b. Row can tbe City install i.proveaents Yh.r~ th. property
linea extend to the center ot the street?
Although private property lines may extend to the center
of the street, i:-L some case,::; roadway easements were
typically dedicated to Santa clara county {or the City
after lSi5) at the time the land was subdivided. Such
easements held by the county -were transferred to the City
when Barron Park was annexed jnto Palo Alto. Therefore,
alt.~ough the City may nat OW'l"l the strGet outright, it has
easement rights which will allov for the construction ~[
public roadway improvements.
HOcU.ficatioDS to Des] an Gui_Q.§.l.iJ"lJi~ __ §:
In response to the questions and concerns raised by Barron Park
residents at the October 27, ~992 Finance Committee meeting, staff
has amended the attached Barron Park Drainage/street Improvement
Guidelines. FollowiYlg is a summary of the modifications:
Drainage Fea_tun~_§:
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CMR, 542,92
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Drainaqe features ~ill
streets only when neeoed
deterioration pro~lems.
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be installed on Barron Park
to solve draina~e or p~yeroent
• Rolled curb 'Will be used as th~ <it'"ainage f-satu.ce for
collector streets ~ in conjunction with a pedestrian
walkway. A valley c),utter 'Will be used to correct
drainage problems where a 'WalkW"ay is l'Ivt constructed.
• Existing vertical curb and gutter ~ill be considered for
removal only if it extends for less than one block, and
the re~oval has the unanimous support of the residents of
abutting properties.
Pedestrian walkways
• Existing standard City side .... ·aH:: 'Will be considered for
removal only if it extends for less than one block I and
the removal has the unanimous support of the residents of
abutting properti~s4
Criteria for Implementation of Qesign Cuidelines
• Rolled curb and pedestrian ~alkways will only be
considered on streets where a minimum street width of 36
feet between curb lines can be maintained for vehicular
traffic and parkinq~
• Staff will attempt to design dl.-ainage features and
pedestrian walkways .:ithout r.a:moving landscapjng cr
private improvements. A ~alkway will be placed on only
one side of the street if necessary to avoid removing
private encroaChm~nts_ If, however, this is not
possible, existing improveme.nts or landscaping within the
public right-of-way (except for t~ees larger than Sa in
diameter) will be removed in order to accom..rnodate the new
construction.
• Whenever drainage ur ~alkway improvements are proposed
for streets in Barron Park as part of a capital
improvement project, staff will conduct a public meeting
with the residents living on streets abutti~g the work_
• When drainage or walkway improvements are made as part of
a capital improvement project, they will be installed to
the sa'ID~ limit.s of work as those of -c.he overall project,
and will be no less than one block in length_
• Single lot residenti~l developers will not be required to
construct drainage fe~tures or pedestrian walkways4 In
addition, developers will not be requi~ed to make nor pay
any fee for such improvements as part of Iilul ti-lot
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C!!R,S42,92
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residential or cOlJUllercial projects in areas without
existing drainage features or walkways. HO' .• ever I if such
a development is proposed for an area adjacent to
existing improvements or includes the construction of a
ne~ street, the developer will be required to co~struct
a drainage feature andjor pedest .... ian. walx.'way in
accordar.ce with the design ql..'idelines.
Envirgnmental Assessment
The Barron Park Drain.:Jge and Street Design Guidel ines pr-oject is
not a project for purposes of the California Envi~onmental Quality
Act.
Becommendat..i.Qn
steff recommends that Council approve the attached "Barron Park
D~ainage and Street Design Cuidelines.w
Respectfully submitted,
,~~j(&¥~-
GEORGE BAGDON
Assistant Director of Public Works
(j ) ---,' j / ~ .. ~. '
~-c.c ; _ " Q'--'i.,. __
DAVID G. ADAMS
Director of Public Works
rnterim city Manager
Attachment: Amended Section 6 of the Barron Park Drainage/Street
Improvement Guidelines
Related Reports: CKR:510:0
CMR:600:0
CMR:407: 91
CMR:473:92
cc: Will Beckett, Barron Park Association Traffic committee
PUblic Speakers at October 27, 1992 Finance Committee meeting
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CMR:5~2:92
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Section 6
Design Guidelines
Conclusions
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Based on the: disciJsslOn with Barron Park residents and the input receivo.:l t.hrough survey
responses, the project ream has develGl'<'l propose<! street design guideline. for fUMe
improvements in Barron Pa.ri:. The guidelines include narrative descriptions thai provide (lverdll
guidance., intent, and priorities for !he design of projects in Barron Park. The gui~e1ine,: also
include sample drainage feature detail drawings (see Figure 2).
The guidelines can be divided :..nCo ihree basic sections: 1) drainage features, 2) pedestrian
walkways, and 3) criteria foc implementation.
NaIT8.tivt Guidelines
:Ii;: llnUna!!e Features
Ji Tnree options for drainage [""lUre type are available:
• Rolled curb (geneA>lly or collector. $tra!I3:With~y)
• VaDey gutter Cge<leA>Il) on local streets and 0lI~~~1U\
~)
• hhlntiin the existing conrlltioo
or~ '::reofi\ei:":iiimbe~ on Baiiun l>ad: sireeij DIll wben ~to sOl"" ~~~~~~:~l:~f'I'prob1<-ms. ........ Y... . ..... ... .' ..... .
~"""'Wiltbe:~&$the drainage feature for c<>!!c<"lDr streets Ml;' in corijuricuon Withf~~Y. A valley gUlrer will be used to correct drainage problems
~'~!lisJ\\>l_.structed.
~ !,;'i,,"~i~.~bel!>staJled in acoordoDce \\'llh the <ri1eriJlIiSWdin SecIiOn C.
jj!:cJ!~~.P .• ~:Valley guPer8 dmi •• ge -. shall be placa; at the outside
edge of existing pavement fIftd---wtfI:tmnthe right ef iii Ii} in a manner that is as linear as
possible and minimizes maDway narrowing or widening. lnQldecto ~:adeqtlate
~:f<ii:V1!IIl¢Ie~.~"" cum. shall be;>lac«! such Ihat.there is a minimum of
~'~ ft\lm'1lje!JW::khfOtlt; <:Utb 1<> the back of the opposite curl>.
'jS,'~ Dr.:tinage features shall be constructed with concrete mixed. with 4 pints of ~n black
for each cubic yard of concrete to achieve: a medium shade of gray.
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4~ The transition from e'tisting vertic..U curb and gutter ~o newly proposed drainage features
$him ~ follow these g~ideiines:
• There shall be a one lot transition area of vertical curb and gutter ru.ong
the side frontage of propenies fronting on El Camino ReaL
e \Vhere vertical curb and gliner exists on BarrOJl Park streets, it \!will not
be extended (e.g. tf a half block: ha'S vertical curb and Jutter, it will not
be continued for the entire hlcck).
• Where gaps in exi:;ting .. ertka.J: curb Uld gutter ex.ist. they will geaefftil,
be filled in with addItional vertical curb and gutter. The option of
removing iU) existing sections of vertical curb and gutter will aLso be
Cl>n~idered if it m.adifurleSllllan ooeblook,and,the temQIIaj lliIStbt
~iriQQs, suppOttOf lite reoideuts Of abottiDg properIie$ • ,.~ .. t Ie •
Fe ,'it: u of the 8.fl".6t!ftt af eet!3bf'lg gt:li"!ef Md-&£ desires sf affeeted
fesitlef!lfS.
~: Pedestrian WalkWll,l'S
Cetlerere 61 aspJot.ftIt iOsIkv.&)s \. ill em, ee eeflJitiere6 erlo eeUeetaF JH'eet~ I!.e l .. tl1l'l~ OOA5ffi:Jefee
anl, if tt.e Fight sf .. 8:) ~ otiter ~b)i'~ ee,Hlil:i:8F.!i peffflit.
2;
3.
7.
Collector streets shaH be undidates for ~ "hallways if there is space available
outside the existing pavement and \l,1thin the City street ;ight-<lf-way. Walkways'ShaD
lJ!!{~;m .;~tormanc:e ·Wiih· tI1e <;rireria !isIed in Sectiw C. of theSe ~
g,~..,e;;. .. .... ..... . ...... .
Walkways shall not be placed on local S.trecLS.
In general, coIiector street .. near schools that serve as access to the school s.haH be
considered & priority location for pedestrian wall.~'ays.
Walkway mal.'orial shall be concrete or a'phalt. Concrete walkways shall be colored tl,.
same as the jldjaa.nt .rolIedcuiil ~"'fl8!ie feat.re.
Where wallcways are proposed, they sha.il be uniform on a giver1 street.
The minimum walkway width shall be 4 feet.
~Ira'isition Jrom di:sting stan<lafd Cit~ sideW1llk to newly propoStd walkway shall
fOtIi,., Ifleseguldelittd:
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• There shall be a one lot !Iansition area of City.!tandard sidewalk "alk",}
along the side frontage of properties fronting on E1 Camino ReelL
& Where City"sCaJldard ~dewa!k ~ uists on teeaI Ban"on Far'-'
streets. it will no< be extended (e.g. if. half block has Cily.slamfard
sidewalk, it will not be continued for the entire block).
• Where gaps in existing City IIandard sidewalk ' ... 1 .... : •• exist. they ,,'JI
g ... e",;ly be fill«f in ·.vith additional City s!andanI sidewalk h alk"., •.
The option of removing ~ existing scxtions of C\ty'standard:':'SUJeIl'talk
~ will also be considow.! ir it emads for Ie$s than oilc t>k>ck:. aDd
Itiii~ bu the IIIWIfmous SUf'PO'I <>f !be ~ 0( .bUlling
~. suejeel 'fe ! re.ie .. eftfie amettflt efexiZlti •. g . tilt' 6::) end &.E
desires sf aliet!teEi residenl:5.
~~ Los Robles Avenue between La Donna Street and Laguna Avenue has been jdentified as
a location that may acccmmodate a decomposed gran:te pa&. due to its separdtion from
the road'Way. Approval from the Santa Clara Valley Water District would be re(j;uired
for this improvement because the path would be located within District right-of-way
above their box culvert.
{;. Criteria for ImplemeDtation of Design Guldelinu
The City will not create a new program to const1\lct S8'eel MEl drai~age ARd'~y
improvements throughout Barren Park all at once. Improvements \I."ill be incorporated
into ongoing City swnn drain, street resurfacing, and sidewalk projects.
Separate design guidelines shall be .pplie<! to collector and local stre<L',
Improvements will be designed to fit v..ithin existing right-of-way &:ItB te miflimire the
If!lJl8et!J en ~-Jana:;eapil,! ftflei pi'tfk.iftg petter::s. Ptwemeftt-wicll"i) llttdl FeA,aill at
leas! ti • il;l.e a:, eJ(~--~!hef!'\el'1t •.. hefe flEl5siltJe.
~""'\l~ ~desigri~e r .. ln..,. and. pedestrian walkways without remtiving t.i.~~~~'lI"~j~ts soch'" fence3 •. It. walkway win be placed ~only
ooe~·Ofll!estteet;jf.necessary, to avoid removing private encroadurents." If.
hoV.ie\'er;.!I\is;:IS·nqt JXi$bJe. ttisting improvements or landscaping within the pUblic
right'Of..v.ay (~ t<>r In!eS larger than g-in diamelU} will be removed inotder.t<l
~ ~newql!lSltuciion.
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6. lmprovements will be constructed on a block-by-block basis, ra.ther than in a piecel7lea!
fasJrion. WIId>.~ or walkway improvements are made as pari of a Clpital
~ projC('l,.~ will be instaJle<I to Ih<> oame limits of work lIS Uwse of !he
~pn:>ject.andWiIl be 00 Jess tlum one block in lenglb.
Improvements ""ill be des.igned so as not to adversely affect dr.iJnage from pnV3te
properties
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