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HomeMy WebLinkAbout0153.095, ). '> · . . .. .:1 ... --. , -,-. ~~ City of Palo Alto (W'J City Manager's Summary Report --- TO: HONORABLE clrr COUNCIL 3 FROM: CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PlANNIl'''G AGENDA DATE: February 27,1995 CMR:ISJ:9S SUBJECT: CompnlleJ15iv. Plsn Upd.l ..... Transportation Element REQUEST The puI)JOSe of this report. the auacOOl in-<lep!b staff report. an" CMR:4%:94 prepared for the CouociI meeting of November 1, 1994, is 10 focv.'ard 10 Council • summary of the COOllIlents 011 the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan. The ~ommenl> were made by the PIalJning Commission. other boards and commissions, CPAC, and staff. The City Couneil should review Ihis moIerial and identify which goals; policies, and programs should be ~ info the Tnmspo<18tion Element The dnft Comprehensive Plan and Transportalion Element will be subje<:t 10 con.<iderable public review prior 10 adoption. RECOMMENDATIONS It is JeCOI1l!IleIlde thaI !he City Council review the proposed goals, policies, and programs 10 iclemify those tIllII should be indudcd in the draft TransjJO<Utioo Element. roue\' IMPLICATIONS The CPAC, Boord and Commission and staff =oromendadons contain numerous City policy implkalions.. The attached in-depth report and the previous City Manager Report (C!\~R:496:94) provide information on the JlOlli."Y changes. EXEClJTJYE SUMMARY The roajoriIy of!he proposed Transportation Element goals, policies, and programs build on the goals, policies, and programs of Ibe existing Comprehensive Plan and the Citywide Land Usc ODd TrL1SpO<1ation Study. The emphasis remains one of proviamg efficien!. safe and reliable IrBnspOr!aIion alternatives to !he automobile, wlliIe, 31 the same time, recognizing the reality of ~onlinucd reliance npon the automobile, ...,.1 an "''ithin the myriad of pofi<,y iss""s, explicit and otherwise, embedded in Ibe brood range of CPAC T!'8IlSpOrIatioft Element goals, pofu:ies, and progJiUIIS, staffh.s identified seve. issues thai wamnt f1111her comment • Ma:l<et Based Pricing Strategies • Bike IlId Pedestri.., W~ • Local Transit • Regional Rail Transit • CalTniD Grade Separations • ArIerW streets • 0:IsU and Funding fISCAL IMPACT Adoplioo of a new Comprehensive Plan will reoult in potentially sigr.iJkan1 impacts 00 City "expeodi~ and revenue." The a_bed materUl identi5es some fiscal imp.clS, and further fiscal impact analysis will be ~ndDCIed during preparatioft of the draft Pim EN"V"lRONMENTAL .<\SSESSMF.NT All Eovironrnen!l!l Impact Report will be prepared on the draft Plan that emerges from the public 1'0""';" and subsequent goal, pofi<,y and program <fueclion give. by the City Cooncil Prepared By: Marvin L. Overway. Chief Transportation Official DEPARTMENT HFAD REVlEW: &rL'f. .l./w(--1o: J( R-SCHREIBER ' Direclor of Planning and C<lmmurJty Environment OTY MANAGER APPROY AL, ~ AsSlStanl City Manager CMJUSHS I A -. :-; , :~ :. City Managerts Report (In-Depth) RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended lhal1he City Council review !he proposed goa!s, policies, 8.!Id p.-ugrams to identify !hose thaI should be included in !he draft Transportation Element BACKGROUND Majoc staff commenlS on proposed Tnnsponalion Elemenl8oals, policies, and programs are included in 1bc "SIafJ Comments" portion of!he CPAC recoounendarions (91301'94 staff report to Bouds and Commissions). The November 1, 1994 City M ..... g< .. s Report (CMR:496:94) bwards commen!3 from Ihe City Appointed Boards and Commissions and stafi; on !he rerommeoded goals, pOOcies, and programs developed by CPAC. The November 7 <:ommenls are repeated in this report. with additiooal discussion' on several issues dUIt staff believes wanant fur1ber COlIlIIleOC POLICY iMPLICATIONS The IDIIjoriIy <lflbe proposed TnmsporflIlioo Element goals, policies and programs build 00 the goals, policies and programs of 1bc existing C.omprebem;;ve Plan and !he Cily'.wi<ie Land Usc and Transportatioo Study. The =pbasis remains 00< cfproviding elrlCient, safe and reliable ~ .. lternatives to !he aUtomobile, wMe, at the same time, recognizing !he reality of """finned reliance upon !he automobile. Wllhin !he myriad of policy issues, explicit and otherwise, embedded in the broad range of CP AC Tnmsportatioo Element goals, poIio'.." and programs, staff has identified seve" is,ues thai warrant further comment: ~15HS " Markel Based Pricing Strategies • Bilee and Pedestrian Ways • Local Transit • Regional Rail Transit CalTrain Grade Separations • AI1erlal Streets Costs and Fund'mg Page];:J(1 10 .. -.":=:: . , :.. ..... . ~:. - I. Mqial Slreots. The CWTen! C<>mprehensive Plan. while clearly _ supporting majo< ~ in street cap_diy, does specifically rec<>gn;z., (a) the need 10 make effective 1ISC 0(1he traffi<:-canying abililji 0( Palo Aho', netwock 0( majO< streets, IS wen as (b) Ihe need to lIllIl<e operatlonalllld int=<;lion impro\'ements 10 improve traffi<: flow on major streets andior 10 reduce neighborhood traffic intrusion. ]"b., Draft N CPAC TransportaIionE1ement proposal 10 reduce the Dllmber cithrough travel lanes on three majO< arterial streets in Palo Aha (Embarcadero Road. Middlefield Road and Ow!estoolArastradero Roads) is • majO< cb&nge from c\lfrenl policies and practices in PaIoAho. 2. Regional lWl TrmISiL The • .ment Comprehensive Plan gives strong support ond empIwis to improved ar'" expanded regional rail Irart,it servi<:e 10 Palo Allo, as .... n as througbouIlhe Bay Area. Whik the Draft N CPAC Transportation Element continues that tradition through strong support (or • BART ~ sen';':., it also addresses the possible extension of the Santa Clara CounIy ligJ-.1 RAll System from Mountain VlCW. IS well as possible rail transit across the Bay in the Ownbmon Bridge Corrid«, Snc!> rail improvemenlsTad:!itions represent the only serious major opportunities for travel capacity increases!IW could occur IlDder existing and proposed City policies, While it is 001 at all certain tha!. ba..<ed upon rational eost-benef>t analysis, sue. rail servi<:es can be reasooaNy jusli1ied. it is very likely that such ideas ,,'ill _ be pursued without • significant and sustained level of leadership and re",u,co coIlrnlitmenl from Palo Alto. 3. Local Trausa Apa.t from continuing support for a variety of measures that would enhance and encourage the use of Santa Clan. County r ransit and Samtr.;,., the Draft N CPAC Transportation Element includes. program 10 implement a local area (Muguerite-lype) sm311 bus syslem serving !1Cighborhood areas and major destination points. Snell a sy'Slem would have slops at or neor scbools. ~onununily centers .."d commercial destinations and COflI1CCI residential areas 10 inter-moda1lra!ISk staOOns and selected community cfestinatiocs. In serving the oowntowa area. if would also be a direct benefit in Ienns of ,eduction in pailing dema.'!d. Wlule the idea of sucb a servi<:e is readily SUppollable, the magnitude of associated ongoing costs would likely preclude its pracIical implementlltion without the estab~slunenl of some major fun<fmg source(s) (e,l'" parking cbarges, in-lieu parlring fee, traffic impaCI fee, general fund. elc). 4. CalTram G<adc Separations, It is • near certainty that some Iype 0( majO< rail transit seMce, wi!bin the existing C3ITrain right-of-way, will continue to be present dllfing the ""xt 50 10 I 00 years. It is also very lilrely Iilal the freque ... -y of sucb service .. ill incre&sC' substantially over f!m.e .. TherefOfe~ the issue of grade separations is an impoItanI and timely consi<leIation. The options are Co) kl place Cal Train uodergrc.und, (b) elevate ColTrain, (e) bUlld full cross stre.lveJ-"de grade separations at existing at- 8fBde crossings, (eI) bwld pedestrian/bil<e ooly grade separations at existing at-grade crossings. or (e) keep things the way they are at the prese.trime, The Draft IY CPAC Transportation Element supports the evaluation and implementation (If feasible) of PlIJe (of 1 """'"', --... -...... - .' .. " .. : ... • < / C ,.--",-": pedestriaDlbik. only grade separations at Ihe four existing at-grade crossings. The evalu!ltiQn is coosistent wilh current Council dlrection I<> staff, Ihrough an approved Capital Improyement Project (195()2), 10 assess tl:e various ,,"'ays 0( providing ~e ooIy grade separatioos at 1he lOur eJtisting at-grade cro<sings. Wbile stall" cleady supports IIlis approach. 1he decisWn DOlle purs ... grade sopor.tion ·of C..JTrai. ... or run vehicle grade separations, as sevcraJ cities in San Maleo County are DOW doing. is one 0( major significance. s_· Bike and Pedestrian Ways. Provisions for bikes ane! pedestrians are I vOl)' important part 0(1he existing Comprehensive PI ... and current city practice. However, the Draft IV CP AC Transpo<tation Element, as well as other elements (particularly the Community Design Element) """sioo • quantum level improvement in 1he pre,isioo for, and usc of; these two modes. To achieve such a lever. it is important 10 carefully and dili~ ~ bicycle and pedestrian needs and interests, in all .. peels 0( public and private sect<Jc desigD. II..! implementation, as a forelhooghl and not an aftertllought 6. Com and Fgnding. While most of the ideas represented in 1he Dnft IV CPAC TnmsportatioII EIemenf goals, policies and programs have some mail, the aggregate cost consequences associated with a number 0( them are of suck magnitude that the prOOahiliIy of implementation is yery limited. The amount 0( federal and state monies needed, if and whea lMIilable, would far exceed any sense of what might be considered • proportjooaI share for Palo Alto. lD addition, 1he local dollar commitment required 10 participate in die initial planning, kasibility and design development, as ",eIT as the more l'ignificant local dollar commitmmt 10 match federal and state mooie. for Ille large capital and/or operating projects ",m delnJct from other competing ""eds in Palo Alto (community services, public safety. and facilities main!e."""">. \Vhilc that does oc>t mean dlat Palo Alto shoUld riorpmsue some 0( the high cost ideas put forth in the Draft IV CP AC Transpor1atioo Element, Ibere should be some 8eneral cons;deration of likely cost cooso'l'.>ences or an up-frOf'.t recoglli!ion thaI sorne or many 0( the program. mar likely Dever materialize 10 any significant level 7_ Market Based Pricing Strategies. Market-based pricing mechanisms, that accurately rdlecI1he C05Il! of lravel choices, could change lravel related decisions and reduce the volume of lUIOmObiIes durin81he peak periods, ;" the same way that lelepbooe, water, gas. ekctric, .kline, and • host 0( other services and companies ntilize pricm8 mechanisms 10 balance supply and demand. The Droft IV CPAC Transportation EIemenI includes a recommendation for support and participation in regional, stale-wide and federal market pricing efforts. The existing Comprehensive Plan does nol addre .. this issue. "'""" ,"'" ." ..--"" -. 1.-." . ~~--;;... - DW1lSSl0N The Draft IV policies and programs docwmDt contUru nUID-'"TQUS other st&ff COOIlIleIIts. The Nowmbcr 7,1994 sraffn::port (CMR:496:94) contained the fo!Jowi.'Ig ~omments on the Bo",d and C'nmm;s\ion =<l<!II1leIIdatioos: PI8" 3 -Program TR-l.B). Program B3 ruse additional parking fee!txx reve."". 10 fund location oItcmative tn'-Isportation projects') direcdjl relates;o local shuttle bus systems identified on Tr!lIlSportation Sectioo Page 6 (Programs 11, n, 14). Program B3 should be discussed within !he contexl of iDter.,t in additional IransportBtion seni<:es such as shulll. bus system and related financing issue .. Page 5 -Program TR-l.m. -Given California Dean Ai" Act ~ts for elecbic aod oIher vebicles. if is recomtnended that lite draft Plan include Program H.3: 'Study feasibility of e1ectric >-.ruck book-ups for po5sible implementation in pubIK and private parlring slru<:tures.· Page 6 -Progrom TIt-I.H\!. -Staff believes that for lite downtown and Californi. Avenue commercial areas, information kiosks could serve many customer assistanc<: purpc-ses and thos recommends retention in the draft Plan of Program H II: "Provide informati<lo Kiosk> downtoVo'll and on California A venue for transit and parking information. DesigR for computer-generated trip anall's .. upgrade.' Page 7 -Program TR-2Al -for reasons DOted above for Program H3 (Ill page 5, retention ofPrognm A2. 'EDcounge development of alternative fuel infrastructure (c.!., provide elecbic plug-ins at key locations around the ~ity). ... reccmmended. Page 8 -Program TR-3,A). -Ifinco<porated in i!Ie final Plan, implerrenla60u of Program AI ("Wad: with CaI!rans 10 eruu.le altem.tive lane Config'>ratYAS for portions of EJ Camino in coojunction with prevision of flgbt r3l1") will no( occur for. very looglime, givtll the unh1<elihood of. hght rail extensk·n, Page 13 -Program TR-SM. -The coocepl contained in Program A3 ('Sel parking fees for permits and pay lots acco<<fmg \() • m..-ket demand ana\y>is') relates both \() getIIn!ion of revenue for InUlSpOrtation alternatives (e g., shuttle bus system) and efforts 10 discourage use of automobiles. RelenOon of Program A3 in the draft Plan is recommended. Page 13 -Program TR-S.B2. -Retention in !he draft Plan of this <>Osting Plan program (which is an important element of !he DowntowR Study) is recommended (Program B2; "In the downloWll area, new developrner~ shoul d _ incre ... !he Iota! parking deficit be}ond 1,600 spaces."). ......... -,----'-,---:--- ,'';" " ,. . i I ", -~:-~ "-';" ."'~' 'r ,. -' P"8e IS· Program TR-6.A6, -Retention in the draft PIlIn of Program A6 is rcwmmended (Ali: "Make auto lanes narrowe; arod re-aU"".te sp&« 10 bicycles 0" the street and to pedes!rians, except ",'bere a ..rety problem is created Of alreedy e,osl>."). Page 16· Goal TR-8 and related policies and programs • As noted in the Staff C<>rnments secti<Jn OIl page 16, • AD implemtnlation section ;5 CIlvisioned 10 be pan of !he Phase m effen, wd \hi. langyage can be embodi<:d there," The Council shoold ' m.iew die goal. fh .. policies and two programs 10 identify r.ems fur inclusion in future draft PIlIn text ALTERNAID"ES A1tuna!ives 10 many of the gools, po!i<:ies and p<cgr.ms include deletion and substantive modificalions. FISCAL IMPACr As noted in previous staff reports on !he Comprehensive Plan: "Adoptioa. and implementation of the new Oxnp<ebensive Plan ",ill represent shifts in City I'CSOII1U allocation IUId could ha, .. very signifICant impa<ts on Cily expenditures and likely impacts OIl City revenues. Staff has identified cost ranges for some of the larger potential expenditures, mclucfIng those v,bkh are likely 10 be implemented only with DOD-kx:aI funding sources (e.g., Light Rail), hut many otber policies and programs still have undefined fiscal impacts. Further fisc&! impa.."t anaJysis will be «mducted in Phase nt" ENYIRONMENJAL ASSESSMElIo, A:!>. Ellvironmcntallmpaci Repo<t will be prepared on the draft Plan that emerges from the public review and subsequent goals, polky and program direction given by Il',e Cit', Council. STEPS FOLLOWING APPROVAL A&r 0mnciI identification of goals, poli<:ies lLod progra.=, I draft Comprehensive Plan will be prepared. That document wiD r=ive extensive public review, including rev'.ew by ca<:ll Scard and Commissioo, prior 10 Council •• aluation and action. c(:: CPAC Archl!ectural Review Board Historic Resources Scard Human Relations Commi ssWn Planning Commission Public Art Coounission Utility Ad.-isory Commission "" ....... « --..... ,-- ~ " ,'"' .... " "' - ..... 7,,(7 .. ~ ." . ..:::, .