Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout4-15-10 FINAL MINUTES 9AKF PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES � o MEETING OF APRIL 15, 2010 - 5:30 p.m. 'o Council Chambers, City Hall, 1501 Truxtun Avenue ACTION TAKEN A. ROLL CALL Present; Chair McGinnis, Vice Chair Stanley Commissioners Blockley, Haddock, Tragish, Tkac Absent; Commissioner Strong B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE B.1 PRESENTATION Mr. Eggert, Planning Director, presented Commissioner Blockley with a plaque of appreciation for 8 years of service as Planning Commissioner for the City of Bakersfield, C. PUBLIC STATEMENTS Marvin Dean spoke regarding the High Speed Rail alignment and asked that the route chosen affect the least amount of homeowners and businesses. He also requested that the rail authority establish a process to include employment opportunities for local businesses and low income inner city youth in each community. D. WORKSHOP Mark Weisman, with URS Corporation, spoke on behalf of the RES NO consultant and introduced Gene Tacket & Eric Von Burg as part 8-10 of the outreach team and gave a slide show presentation. Mr, Weisman stated that the Bakersfield/Fresno portion of the High Speed Rail is a priority section as it will be test track for different competitors and the EIR must be finished ASAP. The valley offers over 100 miles of flat land with gradual inclines & declines that enables the rail to maintain high speeds. The lead agency on this project is the Federal government and a combined EIR must be completed between the Federal Railroad Administration and the State High Speed Rail Authority. A draft of this document is anticipated to be available later this year. The record of decision will happen at the end of 2011 and then the Authority will be able to negotiate to acquire PC Minutes April 15, 2010 Page 2 property and begin construction activities. In 2012 construction will begin in preparation for alignment development; in 2015 testing of the first prototype train will begin; and in 2018-2020 the operation of the backbone system from San Francisco to Los Angeles/Anaheim will commence. Mr. Weisman stated that the train must maintain a speed of 220 MPH to accomplish the state's requirement of a 2 hour 20 minutes trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco. There will be no grade crossings and all streets, canals etc. must either be bridged or gone under to maintain that speed. Through Bakersfield the track will be raised around 50 to 60 feet with trains going through the station every 15 minutes at full build out. The State is trying to use existing transportation corridors wherever possible. There is one major alignment with small options that the City of Bakersfield, County of Kern and Kern COG must agree upon. The main track through Allensworth State Park, Corcoran, Wasco & Shaffer will either run alongside BNSF's track or have the option of mini bypasses in various areas. Once inside the city the track will be elevated and tend to follow BNSF when possible. Mr. Weisman stated the two alignments, red & blue, are the alignments being introduced tonight and stated that the final choice will be made by the Federal Railroad Authority and the High Speed Rail Authority before the end of 2011 . The alignments are coming down from Wasco & Shaffer in the western part of the city along the east side of BNSF close to the railroad right of way. Mr. Weisman stated that because of the tight curve in the BNSF track, they cannot maintain the necessary speed so the HSR track must be elevated over SR 58 and the refinery and be as straight as possible. These two alignments are the alignments that will be going forward and into the proposed EIR. The Bakersfield Commons will be affected by both the red and blue alignments. The Railroad Authority has to decide what goes under their tracks and has sent a letter requesting this project not be approved until further study can be made. The Westside Parkway will be underneath both alignments, however, the blue alignment is being adjusted to the south so that it will not be straddled over the Parkway. The red alignment is north of the Parkway but crosses over south of the freeway as it approaches the Kern River and Mohawk Street extension. PC Minutes April 15, ?010 Page 3 As the track progresses from the Westside Parkway over the Kern River, the red alignment enters central Bakersfield on the north side of BNSF yard and goes through property that the City of Bakersfield owns and other storage facilities on the north side of the tracks. The blue alignment on the south side goes along the edge of the BNSF yard and some commercial properties north of Bakersfield Plaza would be affected. Further east, the blue alignment moves into the BNSF yard following the Centennial corridor near Mercy Hospital. As the blue alignment continues east there is a major conflict as it would go through the industrial arts building of Bakersfield High. Mr. Weisman noted that they have already spoken to the Superintendent's office and have agreed to work with the High Speed Rail in moving the building sc the track can proceed. Both alignments converge at the Amtrak station, cross over BNSF and continue on the south side with the blue alignment having a station location near Truxtun west of Union Avenue. The red alignment would cross through the middle of the Mill Creek area and would affect the current Chelsea apartment project currently under construction. Currently we are doing conceptual planning for the station location and Mr. Weisman suggested that there will be another meeting that shows both of the station platform locations. Either station would be accessible to downtown area and the convention center and within walking distance of each other. The local streets around California and Union will serve the downtown area and access to parking the would probably be located off Union Avenue On the east side of town both alignments will impact housing, institutions and industrial facilities. They have already held several meetings on the east side regarding this and whichever alignment is chosen the community will feel the effects of construction. The blue alignment would follow along the BNSF tracks while red alignment enters the median of California Avenue. Both alignments converge near Oswell Street. Mr. Eggert, Planning Director, stated that the EIR process that the Authority is going through is still in the future but the City Council felt that the Planning Commission would be the proper venue to take public input on the two proposed alignments through the City. Although we understand that the Rail Authority has the ultimate decision making authority as to which alignment is picked the City of Bakersfield can select a preference that the Rail Authority will consider. PC Minutes April 15, 2010 Page 4 Staff focused on the station locations downtown and alignments east of Unior. Ave where the dramatic changes would take place. As the staff report points out the City prefers the blue alignment and blue station location mainly because it fronts towards Truxtun Avenue, the Amtrak station and Convention Center and many businesses are within walking distance of the blue station. Commissioner McGinnis clarified that this workshop tonight is to allow public input for the High Speed Rail and for the Planning Commission to select an alignment that they prefer to recommend to City Council. It is not meant to be a question and answer session. Mr. Dennis Fox stated tha` for the interim, until completion, we should have the train go to the airport and have a people mover along one of the 3 highways in town. Mr. Steve Foust supports staff's recommendation of the blue alignment and expressed concern with the High Speed Rail's notification of hearing process. Ms. Adi Dominguez supports staff's recommendation of the blue alignment. She expressed concern with the rail running down California Ave at 200 mph through a residential area. Ms. Dominguez asked that the rail run along the BNSF right of way that has already been established and for those home owners that will be displaced during this process, involve the Habitat for Humanity organization to help them purchase new homes. Mr. Tom Dee, representing Western Properties, supports staff recommendation of the blue alignment. Mr. Keith Gardiner stated he is the owner & managing partner of Rosedale Ranch and Wasco Real Properties. Mr. Gardiner supports staff's recommendation of the blue alignment, however, he stated that the alignment impacts his family farming operation as well as the Rosedale Ranch master planned and community in northwest Bakersfield and asked that negotiations for the different alignments that affect his properties continue. Mr. Ben Stinson stated he does not support either alignment and pointed out that between Butte Street & Sonora Street there is a large empty piece of land and wants to know if it is possible to sell a property that is in eminent domain and then lease it back from whomever purchased it. PC Minutes April 15, 2010 Page 5 Mr. Issac Sandifer, Minister of the California Church of Christ, supports staff's recommendation of the blue alignment. Mr. Daniel Niemann, Manager for Bakersfield Commons, stated he is concerned about the impact this project will have on the Bakersfield Commons Project and any delay's it might impose. He asked if there were any other routes being considered, why is it in the BNSF right of way and not to the north where it would have less impact, how much right of way is needed, how close can you build to it, and what is the quality of life around the pier's would be once the tracks are in place. Mr. Sandifer stated he submitted written comments and questions. Commissioner Tragish responded to Mr. Dean's questions about using local labor in the building process. He stated that there are procedures to follow in using federal public works money and if the project is more than $25,000,000 there is a Presidential Executive Order that the contractors must be union. Commissioner Tragish asked if the blue alignment goes near the airport which Mr. Weisman responded that neither alignment is near the airport, which was a decision made by local governments. Commissioner Tragish asked staff if the possibility of the High Speed Rail traversing over property was covered in the Bakersfield Commons Draft EIR. Mr. Eggert, responded in the negative that the Draft EIR was completed and out for public review before the two alignments were chosen. Commissioner Tragish asked about the impact if the blue alignment goes through the Commons property. Mr. Eggert responded that the City did point out to the High Speed Rail that the Bakersfield Commons currently has entitlements for industrial and residential use, and if they wanted to begin building today they could. The Rail Authority thought the property was zoned agricultural because it is vacant. The High Speed Rail will have to address the fact that the Commons has entitlements as part of their environmental process. Commissioner Tragish asked if on the June I Th hearing for the Commons if the Planning Department would be able to provide where the blue alignment is supposed to be in any material that can be used in analyzing their application. Mr. Eggert responded that copies of the letter received from the High Speed Rail and any responses will be given to the Commission in hard copy format as part of the Final EIR. PC Minutes April 15, 2010 Page 6 Commissioner Tragish stated he was in support of staff's recommendation of the blue alignment. Commissioner Stanley asked when the HSR EIR is available if that is the time that comments can be heard to which Mr. Weisman responded that there will be many opportunities for the public's input before the EIR is finaled. Commissioner Stanley asked if there was consideration of a different route on the west side of BNSF to which Ms. Weisman responded in the affirmative but the current alignment was chosen because the east side alignment was the best for meeting their design criteria and the curve for both alignments going south of the refinery. Along the west side, the curve becomes much broader and closer to the Kern River Parkway. Commissioner Stanley asked Mr. Weisman if there were major differences in costs between the impacts of the red and blue alignments to which Mr. Weisman stated that those numbers will be in the EIR. Commissioner Stanley is in support of staff's recommendation of the blue alignment. Commissioner Blockley asked Mr. Weisman what speed is being contemplated for the express trains through town to which Mr. Weisman responded 220 mph. They will also be studying the noise impact as part of the EIR of the dispersion of noise from an elevated structure and feel that they can mitigate by using a slight barrier on the wheel side of the structure as a way to disperse the noise so it does not affect the people below. Commissioner Blockley asked why they are not using the existing Amtrak station as the High Speed Rail station to which Mr. Weisman responded that the station is too small for the volume of people expected to ride the high speed train. However, they can integrate pedestrian access to connect both stations. Commissioner Blockley stated he was in support of staff's recommendation of the blue alignment. Commissioner Haddock asked the Planning Director about eminent domain and if the Federal government can just come in and take the property they need. Mr. Eggert answered that once the High Speed Rail Authority has selected their route, they would have to abide by the current process for acquiring property. He then deferred to the City Attorney Joshua Rudnick to give a brief overview of the eminent domain process. Mr. Rudnick stated that if a government agency wants to take PC Minu`es April 15, 2010 Page 7 private land for public use there is a process they need to follow and settlement agreements need to be made. If an agreement cannot be made then the court would determine the value of the property. Commissioner Haddock asked Mr. Eggert how the issue of vibration from the trains will be mitigated and Mr. Eggert stated that it will be dealt with in the same way as within any other EIR and would be the responsibility of the rail authority to mitigate. Commissioner Haddock stated that he was in favor of staff's recommendation of the blue alignment. Commissioner Tkac asked if the questions asked tonight will be answered in some way in the EIR document to which Mr. Eggert stated that all the comments made this evening will be passed to the High Speed Rail Authority through Mr. Weisman for consideration. Commissioner Tkac asked if this project is being built through Bond 1 A. Mr. Weisman replied that Bond 1 A is one of the sources of revenue but not the only one. Mr. Von Burg, URS, further explained that in Prop 1A there was 9 billion dollars available for the High Speed train with only 1 billion available for the engineering and planning work. The rest is reserved for actual construction of the project. Commissioner Tkac asked Mr. Eggert when a route is eventually picked, do we anticipate rezoning in the area around the track and does he expect them to come before the Planning Commission. Mr. Eggert responded that most of the property is zoned industrial but ultimately it will depend on what the impacts are on the neighboring property and if the rezoning is supportable and makes sense. Commissioner Tkac asked for more public input before he felt comfortable in making a decision on an alignment tonight. Commissioner McGinnis asked Mr. Weisman if they will be having public meetings to apprise them of what is going on during the selection process and how would the public be notified of these meetings. Mr. Von Burg stated that they have public meetings where staff is available to answer questions with maps available. The full calendar of public meetings is on the Authority's website at °,__/Vw.ca.highspeedraii.com. PC Minutes April 15, 2010 Page 8 Commissioner McGinnis stated he was in favor of staff's recommendation of the blue alignment. Commissioner Haddock moved, ! APPROVED seconded by Commissioner Blockley to adopt the resolution making a !, TKAC recommendation to the City Council that RECUSE the "Blue" rail alignment that parallels the existing BNSF Railway as shown on STRONG the map identified as Exhibit A, be ABSENT selected as the preferred high speed rail route through the City of Bakersfield and forward that recommendation to the High Speed Rail Authority for their consideration. E. CONSENT CALENDAR - NON PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS NONE F. CONSENT CALENDAR- PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS F.I Approve Continuance of Amendment to Bakersfield ! CONT. TO Municipal Code, Title 17, Chapter 17.61 to June 3, 2010 6/3/2010 (City of Bakersfield) F.2 Vesting Tentative Parcel Map 11941 (Pinnacle Civil RES NO Engineering, Inc.) 9-10 Public hearing opened, no one from the public spoke. Public hearing closed. Commissioner Stanley moved, seconded APPROVED by Commissioner Blockley to approve Consent Calendar - Public Hearing Items F.1 with hearing remaining open & F.2. PC Minutes April 15, 2010 Page 9 G. PUBLIC HEARINGS G.1 Vesting Tentative Parcel Map 10740 (Summit RES NO Engineering) 10-10 Public hearing opened, Christine Boyer spoke in opposition to staff's recommendation. Maurice Etchechury spoke in favor of staff's recommendation. Public hearing closed. Motion by Commissioner Tragish, ! APPROVED seconded by Commissioner Stanley to approve Vesting Tentative Parcel Map STRONG 10740 with findings and conditions set ABSENT forth in the attached Resolution (Exhibit A), and incorporating the Planning Director's memorandum dated April 15, 2010, and the Public Works memorandum dated April 13, 2010. G.2 Vesting Tentative Parcel Map 11803 (Summit RES NO Engineering) 11-10 Public hearing opened, no one from the public spoke in opposition to staff's recommendation. Maurice Etchechury spoke in favor of staff's recommendation. Public hearing closed. Motion by Commissioner Tragish, APPROVED seconded by Commissioner Haddock to approve Vesting Tentative Parcel Map 11803 with findings set forth in the Resolution attached to the staff report including Planning Director's memo dated April 14, 2010, and Public Works memo dated April 13, 2010. G.3 Vesting Tentative Parcel Map 11941 (Pinnacle Civil HEARD ON Engineering, Inc.) CONSENT H. COMMUNICATIONS Mr. Eggert stated that the High Speed Rail slide show presentation will be made available to the Commissioners. j PC Minuies April 15, 2010 Page 10 I. COMMISSION COMMENTS All the Commissioners wished Commissioner Blockley well in his future endeavors. J. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Chair McGinnis adjourned the meeting at 8:08 p.m. Robin Gessner, Recording S ret ry Ji ge Secretary May 4, 2010 nni g Di 'ctor