Resolution 14301E
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CITY OF ALAMEDA RESOLUTION NO. 14301
APPROVING A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO ADOPT A NEW
TRANSPORTION ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN AND RECIND THE
1991 TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT
WHEREAS, the new Transportation Element of the General Plan
Amendment is the result of a community planning process initiated by the City of
Alameda Transportation Commission in 2004; and
WHEREAS, the City Council appointed Transportation Commission held
numerous public workshops and many public meetings to discuss appropriate
transportation policies for Alameda between 2004 and 2008; and
WHEREAS, the Transportation Commission's recommended General
Plan Amendment was circulated for public review beginning in 2004 and
reviewed by the City of Alameda Planning Board, Recreation, Housing
Commission, Recreation and Parks Commission, and Economic Development
Commission; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Transportation Element includes updated
policies to guide the future decision making by the City regarding transportation
improvements, services, and priorities consistent with the public's welfare and
the community's vision for the future of Alameda's transportation network and
services; and
WHEREAS, the an Environmental Impact Report was prepared and
circulated for public review to identify and disclose the potential environmental
impacts of the proposed General Plan Amendment; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Board held a public hearing on this General
Plan Amendment on November 24, 2008, and examined pertinent maps,
drawings, and documents in connection with the application; and
WHEREAS, on November 24, 2008, the Planning Board of the City of
Alameda recommended that the City Council adopt an Environmental Impact
Report ( "EIR "), regarding the environmental impacts related to this project; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has made the following findings relative to
the General Plan Amendment:
1. The Amendment Is consistent with the policies and intent of the
General Plan. The City's General Plan policies focus on five broad
themes that strengthen awareness of the City's island setting, its small
town feeling, respect for history, de- emphasis of the automobile, and
retention of multi -use development on the Waterfront. The proposed
Transportation Element is consistent with these themes. The proposed
General Plan amendments are intended to: plan, develop and maintain a
safe, barrier -free and efficient transportation system to provide the
community with adequate present and future mobility; balance the mobility
needs of the community with the overall community objective of creating a
livabable human and natural environment, coordinate the interaction of
transportation systems development with land use planning activities,
encourage the use of transportation modes, especially at peak period,
other than the single occupant automobile in such a way as to allow all
modes to be mutually supportive and to function together as one
transportation system, and implement and maintain the planned
transportation system in a coordinated and cost - effective manner.
2. The Amendment will have beneficial effects on the general welfare of
the community. The amendments will support and facilitate strategies
and decision - making that maintain, protect, and improve the transportation
system, facilities, and services for Alameda residents and businesses.
3. The Amendment is in the public interest. The amendments represent
an important update to a 17- year -old transportation element and it is in the
public's interest to maintain current and up -to- date transportation policies
to ensure appropriate and cost effective decision making for the
community.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of
Alameda approves the General Plan Amendment to adopt the new
Transportation Element as amended by the following amendments:
Amendment #1: The seven "EIR" policies numbered EIR -1 through EIR 7 shall
be inserted under Implementation Strategy 4.4.2 in the Element and renumbered
as Policy 4.4.2.a through 4.4.2.g.
Amendment #2: Policy 4.4.2b shall be amended as follows:
4.4.2. b Intersections will not be widened beyond the width of the approaching
roadway with the exception of a single exclusive left turn lane when
necessary with the exception of increasing transit exclusive lanes or non -
motorized vehicle lanes.
Amendment #3: Policy 4.4.2f shall be amended as follows:
4.4.2.f Transportation related mitigations for future development should
first implement TDM measures with appropriate regular monitoring;
transit, bicycle and pedestrian capital projects; and more efficient use of
existing infrastructure such as traffic signal re- timing in order to reduce the
negative environmental effects of development, rather than attempting to
accommodate them. Should appropriate regular monitoring indicate that
these mitigations are unable to provide the predicted peak -hour vehicle
trip reductions, additional TDM measures, development specific traffic
caps, or mitigations through physical improvements of streets and
intersections, consistent with policy 4.4.2.a and policy 4.4.2.b, may be
implemented.
Amendment #4: Policy 4.4.2 g shall be amended as follows:
4.4.2. g After the implementation of quantifiable /verifiable TDM measures
(verified through appropriate regular monitoring), and mitigation measures
consistent with 4.4.2.f and identification of how multimodal infrastructure relates
to congestion concerns, some congestion may be identified in an EIR process as
not possible to mitigate. This unmitigated congestion should be evaluated and
disclosed (including intersection delay length of time) during the EIR process,
and acknowledged as a by- product of the development and accepted with the
on -going funding of TDM measures.
Amendment #5: The Street Classifications for Selected Segments shall
amended as follows:
Segment
Proposed New Classification
Justification
Grand Street
School /recreation zone from
Encinal Avenue to Otis Drive
Vicinity of Franklin, Lum,
Wood, and St. Joseph's
San Jose
Avenue
School /recreation zone from Paru
Street to Chestnut Street
Vicinity of Franklin and St.
Joseph's
San Antonio
Avenue
School /recreation zone from Paru
Street to Chestnut Street
Vicinity of Franklin and St.
Joseph's
Blanding
Avenue
Primary transit route from
Broadway to Tilden Way
Served by Line 51 and Line
19; addresses AC Transit
comment
Broadway
Primary transit route from
Clement Avenue to Santa Clara
Avenue
Served by Line 51;
addresses AC Transit
comment
Mecartney
Road
Primary transit route from Island
Drive to Adelphian Way
Served by Line 50;
addresses AC Transit
comment
Amendment #6: The following addition text shall be added to help explain the
Street Classifications.
1) Insert at the end of the introductory section on the Street Classification system
(just before the page beginning with "Regional Arterials ":
The land use and transportation mode classifications were developed to
provide additional information about the context of each street. To apply
this information to the City's street network, these classifications would be
overlaid on the street type layer. The land use and modal overlays are
then used to identify appropriate design treatments and modal
preferences for each street. For example, a street that is classified as an
island arterial, a primary transit street, but not a bicycle priority street could
potentially include bus bulbs to facilitate transit access, even though this
would preclude the installation of a bicycle lane.
2) Under "Land Use Classifications," add the following sentence:
The land use overlay describes the interaction between the roadway and
the surrounding area, as well as the design treatment examples.
3) Under "Modal Classification," modify the first sentence to read:
Modal classifications are used to denote the preferred mode of travel on a
particular street segment, as well as appropriate design treatments.
4) Under "Transit Priority," modify the second sentence to read:
The Transit Priority street classification is broken down into three groups,
each with its own set of design and operational features. The Transit
Priority street classification does not imply that a specific type of transit or
level of service will run on the street; it refers to the preference of transit
on the street and the type of design features that would be prioritized. For
all Transit Priority street classifications, the pedestrian environment needs
to be incorporated into plans, as this is the primary mode of transit access
Amendment #7: The following policies shall be added as follows:
4.1.6.d Minimize the cross- island portion of regional vehicular trips by providing
alternative connections to Oakland, such as Water Taxis, shuttles, and
a Bicycle Pedestrian Bridge and by encouraging Transportation Systems
Management (TSM) and Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
techniques.
4.2.1.b Include landscaping in transportation projects to enhance the overall
visual appearance of the facility and improve and treat urban runoff.
4.2.2.b Maintain a Traffic Calming Toolbox, as described on the City Website,
and implementation program.
1. Integrate traffic calming elements into new facility design and as
appropriate, modify existing facilities to enhance traffic systems
management.
4.3.1.g Establish targets for increasing mode share of non -SOV transportation
modes
1. Increase daily non -SOV mode share (transit, walking,
bicycling) by 10 percentage points by 2015 as compared to
2000
2. Increase the share of children who walk or bicycle to school
by 10 percentage points by 2015 as compared to 2000.
4.3.2.a Include improvements to pedestrian facilities as part of City
transportation improvement projects (streets, bridges, etc.).
1. Wherever possible provide wide sidewalks that facilitate and accommodate
activities such as sidewalk cafes and other pedestrian friendly activities.
4.3.2.b Review City sidewalk design standards to ensure continued compliance
with requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and to better
serve pedestrian needs.
1. Evaluate existing sidewalks for compliance with ADA
requirements, and to identify possible improvements such as
relocating utility installations and poles which block or hinder
pedestrian access.
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the
City of Alameda rescinds the 1991 Transportation Element (Exhibit B).
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and
regularly adopted and passed by the Council of the City of Alameda during the Regular
Meeting of the City Council on the 20th day of January, 2009, by the following vote to
wit:
AYES: Councilmembers Gilmore, Matarrese, Tam - 3.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: Mayor Johnson - 1.
ABSTENTIONS: Councilmember deHaan - 1.
IN WITNESS, WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of
said City this 21st day of January, 2009.
LA.44-A,
Lara Weisiger, City
City of Alameda