HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES NO 60-81RESOLUTION NO. 80-81
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF BAKERSFIELD MAKING FINDINGS
AND CERTIFYING THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT REPORT FOR THE TRUXTUN AVENUE
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
WHEREAS, it is proposed that the City of Bakersfield
improve the existing Truxtun Avenue intersection with Oak Street,
provide a connection to Truxtun Avenue Extension and widen a
segment of Truxtun Avenue between "A" Street and "H" Street in
order to provide increased traffic capacity; and
WHEREAS, a Draft Environmental Impact Report on said
project was prepared by the City of Bakersfield, circulated and
distributed in accordance with the requirements of law and applicable
regulations, the distribution list being included in the Final
Environmental Impact Report; and
WHEREAS, a duly noticed public hearing was held and
conducted by and before the City of Bakersfield Planning Commission
in accordance with the procedures required by Resolution No. 60-80,
on June 4, 1981, at which hearing the public was entitled to
comment upon the Draft Environmental Impact Report; and
WHEREAS, due to the significant public interest in the
project and to the alternative courses of action discussed in the
Draft Environmental Impact Report, the Planning Commission extended
the review period for written comments for an additional two-week
period.through June 18, 1981; and
WHEREAS, the City has responded in writing to all
significant points raised by the public and private agencies and
~n~Viduals in the review and public hearing process, and
the Final Environmental Impact Report, including comments and
recommendations received on the Draft Environmental Impact Report,
a list of persons or organizations and public agencies cenM~enting
on the draft and the responses of the City as aforesaid, was
completed by the Development Services Department and has been
placed on the Agenda of the Council for its meeting of july~9,
1981, for evaluation and consideration by said Council; and
WHEREAS, the City of Bakersfield Planning Commission,
on the basis of the Truxtun Avenue Improvement EIR, identified a
number of significant or potentially significant effects associated
with the approval of the Truxtun Avenue Improvement project; and
WHEREAS, the California Environmental Quality Act
requires one or more of the following findings as to each significant
effect:
(1)
Changes or alterations have been required in,
or incorporated into, the project which mitigate
or avoid the significant environmental effects
thereof as identified in the Final EIR.
(2)
Such changes or alterations are within the
responsibility and jurisdiction of another
public agency and not the agency making the
finding. Such changes have been adopted by
such other agency or can and should be adopted
by such other agency.
(3)
Specific economic, social, or other considerations
make infeasible the mitigation measures or
project alternatives identified in the Final
EIR; and
WHEREAS, such findings are supported by substantial
evidence in the record summarized for each identified significant
or potentially significant effect, below, accompanied by a
statement of the facts supporting each finding:
CIRCULATION/TRAFFIC: Local north, south through
traffic movements and left turn access onto
Truxtun Avenue from local streets will be more
restricted and difficult during peak traffic
volumes and traffic congestion is expected to
occur at the proposed Truxtun Avenue and Oak
Street intersection after Year 2000.
Findings and Application: Finding (1), above,
applies to the entire project.
Supporting Facts: In addressing potential
restriction on local traffic access to Truxtun
Avenue during peak traffic volumes, upgrade the
Truxtun Avenue and "F" Street intersection to
full signalization and monitor traffic flows
and accident frequency and apply Federal and
State guidelines concerning the installation
of traffic control devices where the situation
warrants. If future traffic conditions
warrant additional capacity at the Oak Street/
Truxtun Avenue intersection, develop a 16th
Street diversion for incoming traffic from
the west in order to address potential
intersection congestion by Year 2000 or
study and implement an alternative
action.
NOISE: Sixty decibel (dB.) noise or-gr~a~er'.
on average day/night (Ldn) scale attributed
to increased. traffic/on Truxtun AVenue will
potentially affect 180 persons residing in
90 residences and additional persons on a
temporary daily basis'(staff and visitors) at
17 offices, a church, hospital, school and
tennis courts upon~ projectcompletion and
initial operation· Sixty-f~ive 'decibels
noise may. affect up'to 16 persons in eight
apartment units and on a.temporary daily to
infrequent basis additional staff and visitors
at 5 medical offices, a church, hospital and
tennis courts also upon projection' completion·
Sixty decibel noise or greater will potentially
affect 246 persons reslding in 118 'residences
and a retirement home and additional persons on
a temporary daily to infrequent basis (staff and
visitors) at 23 offices, a church, hospital,
school and tennis courts by Year 2000. Sixty-
five decibels noise may affect 190 persons
residing in 90 residences and a retirement
home and additional persons on a temporary
daily to infrequent basis (staff and visitors)
in 15 offices', a church, hospital, retirement
home'and tennis courts by Year 2000.
Findings and ~pplica~tiOn:l Finding (3), above,
applies to the area affected by 60 and 65 dB
noise along the project route·
'Supporting Facts: While the development of
alternative actions (Alternatives 2, 3 and 4)
would reduce the potentialnumber of permanent
residents subject to sixty-five decibes of
noise both upon project-completion and in
Year 2000, the total population subject to
sixty decibels or greater would be larger
with all alternative actions, except the "no
project" alternative allowing a full connection
to Truxtun Avenue Extension which would have
the same noise .impact as the project· Specific
economic and social considerations make the
project alternatives in'feasible when compared
to the interior noise reduction to 45 decibels
afforded by normal California construction and
the application of closed doors and windows
during the brief higher noise associated with
peak traffic volumes·
,HEALTH AND SAFETY: While the accident rate is
expected to decrease with the proposal, the
actual number of accidents may increase and
limited sight and braking distance from the
Oak Street Bridge crest-to the proposed Truxtun
Avenue and Oak Street intersection with traffic
signalization may create accident potential.
~Findings and' Application: Finding (1) applies to
both situations described above.
Supporting Facts: The City of Bakersfield will
monitor traffic flows and accident rates and
their causes and apply Federal and State
guidelines concerning the installation of traffic
control devices where situations warrant along
the Truxtun Avenue route and require warning
lights on the Oak Street Bridge as part of the
traffic signal system.
POPULATION AND HOUSING: Temporary construction
nuisances will be felt by 80 to 85 persons -
mostly elderly.
Findings and Application: Finding (1) applies
to those living primarily within the "A" to
"H" Streets segment (the narrowing of the
median) and to a lesser extent to those near
the proposed intersection improvement at Truxtun
Avenue and Oak Street.
Supporting Facts: Appropriate safety measures,
signing and special care will be instituted to
provide for pedestrian movements.
SOCIOECONOMICS: The possibility exists for a
barrier effect to be created between residents
on the south side of Truxtun Avenue and the
school, park and recreational facilities on the
north side of Truxtun Avenue particularly during
morning and evening peak traffic volumes.
Findings and Application: Finding (1) applies to
the situation cited between Oak Street and "A"
Street.
Supporting Facts: The City of Bak6!rsfield will
monitor traffic conditions and pedestrian
movements and apply Federal and State guidelines
concerning tke installation of traffic control
devices where situations warrant; and
WHEREAS, the Council of tke City of Bakersfield, on the
basis of tke Findings and Statement of Facts, has determined that
the significant environmental effects identified in the EIR have
been eliminated or substantially mitigated and that any remaining,
unavoidable significant effects have been found acceptable on the
basis of.specific economic, social or other considerations,
'including the Circulation Element of the Metropolitan Bakersfield
General Plan, making additional mitigation or alternatives to the
project infeasible.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council hereby determines, finds
and resolves as follows:
1. The above recitals are true and correct;
2. That the Final EIR dated June 1981, including City
~e~ponSes'to Comments as an appended document, has been reviewed,
evaluated and considered by the Council;
3. That the Final EIR, consisting of the Draft EIR
(dated April 1981), the Responses to Comments (dated June 1981),
and this Resolution is certified as having been completed in
compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act, the
State EIR Guidelines, and City of Bakersfield Resolution No. 60-80;
4. That the said Final EIR is an accurate and objective
discussion of the proposed project and adequately discusses and
describes the environmental considerations and mitigation measures.
5. That the various alternatives to the project,
including "no project" have been considered in the Final EIR.
o0o
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was
passed and adopted by the Council' of the'City of Bakersfield at a
regular meeting thereof hel'd on the '29th day of July, 1981, by the
following vote:'
~. CO" ""t"!~/"~lq -k'Z~/'~ ~ J . MEANS, PAYNE, RATTY, ROCKOFF, STRONG
ABSENT: COLJ ~C~"
ABSTAINING: COUNCILMEN:
CITY x '
k of
Council of the City of Bakersfield
the