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HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.2 WDubPleaBART EIRCITY CLERK FILE # 1060-30 AGENDA STATEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: January 16, 2001 SUBJECT: West Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station and Transit Village Project - Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report, Letter to San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (Report Prepared by Janet Harbin, Senior Planner) ATTACHMENTS: 1 ) Draft letter to the BART District prepared by Staff RECOMMENDATION: 1 ) Direct Staff to finalize letter 2) Authorize Mayor to sign on behalf of City of Dublin 3) Direct Staff to submit final letter to the BART District DESCRIPTION: The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) and Jones Lang LaSalle Project and Development Management are proposing to develop a BART Station, transit village and associated parking facilities in the City of Dublin on approximately 10 acres at the terminus of Golden Gate Drive. A seven acre parcel would be developed south of Interstate 580 with an office building adjacent to the station in the City of Pleasanton. The new station would be located in the median of Interstate 580, which is adjacent to the 1 O-acre Dublin property. The station would be accessed from the newly constructed St. Patrick Way exit off Interstate 680 by way of Golden Gate Drive. The proposal includes a 240-room hotel, 160 units of high-density residential housing, and a 713 stall parking garage for BART patrons adjacent to the pedestrian overcrossing connecting to the BART station. Staff is currently in the process of reviewing the preliminary development plans for the project, which is located within the City' s recently adopted West Dublin BART Specific Plan area. Development is planned to commence in early 2001, and completion of the station and transit village is planned in 2003. Background: Staff reviewed the Administrative Draft Supplemental EIR for the West Dublin BART Station in November 2000 and submitted preliminary comments to BART at that time. Following that review, Staff met with the transportation consultant for the project, TJKM, and BART Staff to further H/cc-forms/agdastmt. doc COPIES TO: ITEM NO. discuss the comments. The Draft Supplemental EIR was received on December 4, 2000, and the ipublic review period for submittal of comments ends January 17, 2001. On December 20 and 28, 2000, Staff again met with BART Staff and TJKM to discuss concerns related to traffic and other technical issues needing further clarification in the document. Staff still has some outstanding concerns which need to be addressed related to these issues, and has prepared a letter for the Mayor's signature to submit to the BART District during the public review period for the EIR. Outstanding Issues: The issues detailed in the letter prepared by Staff for submittal to BART include those related to the change in the project from that originally proposed in 1989 and also to the actions which must be taken by the City in the review of the project. The Draft Supplemental EIR does not fully describe and compare the environmental impacts of the previous project analyzed in the 1989 BART EIR (office development) to those of the present project proposed by Jones Lang LaSalle (hotel and high density residential development). Additionally, a complete description of all necessary, actions that must be taken during the review and approval process for the Jones Lang LaSalle project, such as a Stage2 Planned District rezoning and re-certification of the BART Board certification of the Draft Supplemental EIR, is not included in the document. The noise analysis in the Draft Supplemental EIR states that the impacts related to exterior noise at the hotel site are significant and unavoidable, and there is no feasible mitigation available to reduce this impact. Exterior noise levels are excessive at the site due the proximity to the freeway and the BART tracks. Since the exterior noise levels at the hotel site exceed the noise level standard normally acceptable to the City for hotel development, the environmental document should discuss mitigation measures to reduce this impact to a conditionally acceptable range, such as soundwalls or a greater distance between the noise source and the land use, and evaluate the feasibility of those measures. The Jones Lang LaSalle development proposes to construct parking for the hotel and residential development at a parking ratio less than that permitted by the City of Dublin Zoning Ordinance. The environmental document should include some additional information to support the reduction in the required number of parking spaces. The present document includes a discussion of how the reduced parking ratio was determined, but it does not discuss Dublin' s parking standard and that Dublin will need to consider the rationale when reviewing the Jones Lang LaSalle development project. The analysis also should emphasize that parking along the street cannot be counted as available parking for the project. It will most likely be eliminated when Golden Gate Drive is widened. Additionally, the close distance between the two driveways to the project and the existing driveways to other businesses at the end of Golden Gate Drive should be evaluated in the environmental document. The City Council adopted the West Dublin BART Specific Plan on December 19, 2000. Specific traffic improvements were incorporated into the Plan to maintain an acceptable level-of-service on roadways in the vicinity of the West Dublin BART Station. One of the roadway improvements in the adopted Plan was the widening of Golden Gate Drive from Dublin Boulevard to the BART station to four lanes to accommodate future traffic volumes in the station area. This project by itself would not justify the increase to four lanes on Golden Gate Drive, but on an interim basis the street would need to be widened along the project frontage to accommodate two southbound lanes, one northbound lane and a two-way left-turn lane along the center of the roadway. In the future, to accommodate the need to widen Golden Gate Drive to four lanes, additional right-of-way will be required on the east side of Golden Gate Drive from the BART station to Dublin Boulevard and widening on the west side from St. Patrick Way to Dublin Boulevard. It is the City's policy for the future developer to improve the street along the Jones Lang LaSalle project frontage to the ultimate curb condition. The interim additional lane along the Jones Lang LaSalle project frontage would reduce the congestion at the end of Golden Gate Drive near the BART station, plus provide more efficient and safer access. Since this improvement may be part of a proposed downtown traffic impact fee, the developer could complete this improvement and receive fee credits toward payment of required traffic impact fees for the project, assuming that the fee structure is in place at the time of building permit issuance. Additionally, Staff suggests in the letter to BART that consideration be given to constructing a two-lane extension of St. Patrick Way for a second driveway to the residential development portion of the Jones Lang LaSalle project for secondary access. This would assist in reducing the amount of traffic on Golden Gate Drive accessing the residential and hotel project, and also meet the City's requirement that a secondary emergency vehicle access be provided. Since the road is a Capital Improvement Project, it may also be included as part of the proposed downtown traffic impact fee program. The developer could build this improvement and receive fee credits toward payment of traffic impact fees if that fee structure is adopted prior to building permit issuance. The City' s Public Works Department has also compiled a list of other specific comments related to issues which should be further addressed in the traffic analysis of the Draft Supplemental EIR. These issues are detailed in the letter for the City Council' s review. Recommendation: It is recommended by Staff that the City Council take the following actions: 1 ) Receive presentation from Staff 2) Direct Staff to finalize letter 3) Authorize Mayor to sign letter on behalf of City of Dublin 4) Direct Staff to submit final letter to the BART District CITY OF DUBLIN P.O. Box 2840, Dublin, Galifornia 94568 City Offices, 1 O0 Civic Plaza, Dublin, California 94568 January 17, 2001 John H. Rennels, Jr. Senior Real Estate Officer San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District P.O. Box 12688 800 Madison Street Oakland, CA 94604-2688 Re: Comments on Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report West Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station and Transit Village Project Dear Sirs: The City of Dublin appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the West Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station and Transit Village Project. The City has several comments on the Draft Supplemental EIR, and would like to submit them at this time for your consideration in the final EIR document. City of Dublin staff reviewed the Administrative Draft Supplemental EIR for the West Dublin BART Station in November 2000 and submitted preliminary comments to the BART staff and the consultants preparing the Supplemental EIR, EDAW, at that time. Following that review, City staff met with the transportation consultant for the project, TJKIM, and BART staff to further discuss the comments. The Draft SupplementalEIR was received in the City offices on December 4, 2000, at which time a one-day extension of the public comment period was requested to accommodate the City Council 's limited meeting schedule during the month of December. The City appreciates the extension of the public review period for submittal of comments to allow us to fully review the document. City staff met with BART staff and TJKM on December 20 and 28, 2000 to discuss concerns related to traffic and other technical issues which need further clarification in the document. The concerns are as follows: 1) The Draft Supplemental EIR does not fully describe and clarify the differences between the previous project analyzed in the 1989 BART EIR (office development) and the present project proposed by Jones Lang LaSalle (hotel m~d high density residential development). This would consist of a short, qualitative discussion of the aspects of the previous project and the transition to the newly proposed project. 2) The list of discretionary actions and approvals needed for the project on page 2-2 of the Draft Supplemental EIR is not complete. A complete description of all necessary actions that must be taken during the review and approval process for the Jones Lang LaSalle project should include the Stage 2 Planned District rezoning and, also, re-certification of the Draft Supplemental EIR by the City of Dublin following certification by the BART Board of Directors. 3) The noise analysis in the Draft Supplemental EIR on page 4.3-2 1 states that the impacts related to exterior noise at the hotel site are significant and unavoidable, and there is no feasible mitigation available to reduce this impact. Exterior noise levels are excessive at the site due to proximity to the freeway and the Administration (925)833-6650 · City Council (925)833-6605 · Finance (925)833-6640 · Building Inspection (925)833-6620 Code Enforcement (925) 833-6620 · Engineering (925) 833-6630 · Parks & Community Services (925) 833-6645 Economic Development (925)833-6650 · Police (925)833-6670 · Public Works (925)833-6630 Community Development (925) 833-6610 · Fire Prevention Bureau (9 ATTACHMENT 1 Letter to BART Comments on DSEIR W. Dublin BART Station January 17, 2001 Page 2 BART tracks. Because the exterior noise levels would exceed the noise level standard normally acceptable to the City for hotel development,'the environmental document should discuss possible mitigation measures to reduce this impact to a conditionally acceptable range, such as soundwalls or a greater distance between the noise source and the land use, and if those measures are feasible. 4) The Jones Lang LaSalle development proposes to construct parking for the hotel and residential development at a parking ratio less than that permitted by the City of Dublin Zoning Ordinance. The environmental document should include some additional information to support the reduction in the required number of parking spaces. The present document includes a discussion of how the reduced parking ratio was determined, but it does not discuss Dublin's parking standard and that Dublin will need to consider the rationale when reviewing the Jones Lang LaSalle development project. Below is a list of specific comments related to issues which should be further addressed in the traffic analysis of the Draft Supplemental EIR. Golden 5) Gate Drive Improvements Currently, Golden Gate Drive is an industrial cul-de-sac and based on City standards, cannot exceed a maximum ADT of 4,000. Since the projected traffic volume of Existing + Approved + Project is anticipated to be 8,950 ADT, a two-way left-turn lane on Golden Gate Drive between Dublin Boulevard and St. Patrick Way should be restriped to collector street standards as an interim improvement. As discussed in Comment #6 below, an additional six feet of right-of-way will be needed for the left-tum lane and that the ultimate configuration of the roadway. This improvement would be consistent with the City of Dublin General Plan for Class II Collector Streets. 6) The Draft Supplemental EIR should address the widening of Golden Gate Drive to four lanes with a center left-turn lane in the Existing +Approved + Project + Dublin Specific Plans scenario. This improvement was included in the improvements proposed in the Specific Plans, but should also be mentioned in the analysis in this environmental document. An additional six feet of right~of-way dedication along the Jones Lang LaSalle project frontage to accommodate the increased traffic and proposed entrances to the project. The additional right-of-way is necessary now for interim improvements to create two lanes southbound, a center turn-lane, and one lane northbound. Ultimate improvements to a four-lane roadway from St. Patrick Way to the BART station will require right-of- way dedication and improvements on the east side from the BART station to Dublin Boulevard, and from St. Patrick Way north to Dublin Boulevard. Since these improvements may be included in a proposed downtown traffic impact fee program, the developer could build this improvement and receive fee credits toward payment of required traffic impact fees for the project, assuming that the fee structure is adopted prior to building permit issuance. These conditions were agreed to by BART, Jones Lang LaSalle and the City in a meeting held on January 9, 2001. 7)¸ The Draft Supplemental EIR should address the amount of traffic, congestion and circulation patterns at the end of the Golden Gate Drive cul-de-sac with the existing and proposed project access points. Consideration should be given to constructing a two-lane extension of St. Patrick Way for a second driveway to the residential development for secondary access. This would assist in reducing the amount of traffic on Golden Gate Drive going to the residential and hotel project and also provide for a secondary emergency vehicle access. Since the road is a Capital Improvement Project and may be part of a proposed downtown traffic impact fee program, the developer could build this improvement and receive fee credits toward payment of traffic impact fees, assuming that the fee structure is adopted prior to building permit issuance. Letter to BART Comments on DSEIR W. Dublin BART Station January 17, 2001 Page 3 8) The distance between the two major driveways for the project should be at least 200 feet. Deviations may be approved if it can be demonstrated that left-turn demands do not create an adverse traffic condition. The Draft Supplemental EIR should address the close distance between these two driveways and the two existing driveways at the end. 9) The Draft Supplemental EIR should address access to the site and onto Golden Gate Drive during phased construction, and how it will be built. Parking 10) The parking study should emphasize that parking along the street cannot be counted as available parking for the project as it will be eliminated when Golden Gate Drive is widened. 11 ) The extension of the water main at the end of Golden Gate Drive should be shown. 12) All parking close to the busses along the first level of the parking garage should be eliminated. Additionally, WHEELS has informed the City that 12 bus stalls are needed in the bus area of the garage, rather than eight as shown in the Draft Supplemental EIR. 13) It is suggested that the final determination on the percentage of spaces allocated to the "charge for parking" program proposed for the parking garage be made in coordination with City of Dublin staff. Additionally, BART staff and City staff should work closely together on the monitoring of this program to assure that parking "spillover" on adjacent streets and in private parking lots does not occur. Circulation Details 14) The Kiss n'Ride area at the main entrance to the site should be relocated to improve the circulation in the station area. 15) The curb return radii on the bus travel path should be increased. 16) The pedestrian accessway from the bus area to the BART station should be improved to increase its efficiency of use. Please contact Janet Harbin, Senior Planner, at (925) 833-6610, or Kevin Van Katwyk, Senior Civil Engineer, at (925) 833-6630, if you have questions regarding this letter. Sincerely, Guy Houston Mayor Cc: City Council Douglas Brown, EDAW Lee Thompson, Public Works Director Eddie Peabody, Jr., Community Development Director Kevin Van Katwyk, Sr. Civil Engineer Janet Harbin, Senior Planner G:\BART DEIRcomments.doc(jh)