MEETING DATE: March 27, 2019

PREPARED BY: Edward J. Wimmer, City Engineer

DEPT. DIRECTOR: Brenda Wisneski

DEPARTMENT: Development Services CITY MANAGER: Karen P. Brust

SUBJECT: Alternative Design Options for the North Coast Highway 101 Leucadia Streetscape Project (CS04D). RECOMMENDATION: Receive report and consider various options for possible Council action.

STRATEGIC PLAN: This item relates to the Community Planning Focus Area, which strives to maintain safe and livable communities through well-maintained infrastructure and facilities and strong public safety; and the Transportation Focus Area to provide effective, safe, and easy transportation for all modes of movement and demographics. FISCAL CONSIDERATIONS: No additional funding is requested at this time. BACKGROUND: The Streetscape project will improve Highway 101 from A Street to La Costa Avenue, adjacent to the westerly boundary of the North County Transit District (NCTD) rail right-of-way. The goals to be achieved by multiple projects championed by NCTD, San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), and the City are both complementary and competing for space in a narrow rail right-of-way. SANDAG plans to construct a segment of the CRT through the Leucadia rail corridor, which will connect with the Cardiff CRT to the south and the Carlsbad CRT to the north. Development of the Streetscape project necessitated SANDAG to determine the alignment of the CRT through Leucadia, which revealed the need for a large drainage channel on the east side of the rail line which initially constrains the location of the CRT on the east side of the rail corridor. Further study is expected to determine all options to properly address this matter. The City evaluated several alternatives, seeking to balance the NCTD required clearance from the track, the CRT, east side parking of at least 176 spaces per Coastal Commission project condition, Fire Department requirements, and the City's project condition requiring the project to plant at least 839 new trees (many of which must be accommodated in the east side of the corridor). On February 20, 2019, City staff presented a design option that would locate all eastside parking on-street and accommodate the CRT. The City Council rejected this design and

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directed staff to work with NCTD and SANDAG to pursue a temporary parking solution within the original approved Streetscape design. At this meeting, Council also appointed Council Members Hinze and Kranz to a Council Subcommittee to review options for the Streetscape corridor. ANALYSIS: The City Council is asked to consider approval of:

1. The temporary design for the eastside of Highway 101 (Figure 1); and

2. Response to SANDAG Consistency Letter dated March 28, 2019 (Attachment 2). Implementation of a temporary parking design on the east side of Highway 101 and delaying installation of permanent improvements will allow the City and SANDAG to complete the various studies that will influence the opportunities and constraints for the corridor. These studies include management of stormwater, refinement of the double track alignment and the location of the Coastal Rail Trail. While certain assumptions are being made today to allow conceptual design concepts to proceed, these studies may reveal the ability to change these assumptions in the future. At the request of NCTD, SANDAG evaluated the Streetscape and El Portal Undercrossing projects for consistency with the long-range Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). SANDAG’s findings of consistency are detailed in their letter dated March 20, 2019 (Attachment 1). SANDAG recognizes the need to provide flexibility as to the width of the CRT, so that the objectives of all projects can be accommodated. A draft letter stating the City’s concurrence with the baseline assumptions presented in SANDAG’s letter is provided as Attachment 2. The City will continue to coordinate with NCTD and SANDAG to develop a permanent design that accommodates the needs of all future projects in the NCTD corridor. Temporary Design – All Parking Pods To allow the streetscape project to proceed, a temporary design solution has been developed for the eastside of Highway 101. The temporary parking configuration must address the following:

1. Parking layout to accommodate 176 spaces, 2. Maintain minimum distance of 20.5 feet from existing rail track centerline, 3. Fire Department apparatus 20 foot drive aisle requirement, 4. Limited amount of impervious surface as to not increase stormwater runoff, 5. Minimize impact to existing trees, and 6. Creation of improved bike and pedestrian facilities.

The concept presented in Figure 1 satisfies the above criteria. Improvements, westerly and including the on-street bike lane, would be improved in accordance with the approved Streetscape project. Improvements easterly of the on-street bike lane would be modified to locate all parking in an intermittent parking pod configuration, delineated by railroad ties. The materials of the parking and drive lane would be gravel. Parking spaces required to be ADA accessible would be decomposed granite. Drainage improvements would be limited to surface grading of the NCTD right of way to minimize stormwater ponding. The temporary design is not expected to impact the existing trees; and, it is recommended that a limited number of new trees be established with the temporary design. Since the ultimate design may be modified, the temporary design would only plant new trees in areas that are not expected to be impacted by potential design changes.

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FIGURE 1 Temporary Design – All Parking Pods

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:

On March 21, 2018, the City Council certified the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the North Coast Highway Streetscape project to identify the significant effects on the environment, to identify alternatives, and to indicate the manner in which the significant effects can be mitigated or avoided.

ATTACHMENTS

1. SANDAG’s Consistency Review Letter dated March 20, 20192. Response to SANDAG’s Consistency Letter dated March 28, 2019

11.5’ 8.5’

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Attachment 1

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March 28, 2019

Hasan Ikhrata, Executive Director San Diego Association of Governments 401 B. Street, Suite 800 San Diego, CA 92101-4231

Dear Executive Director Ikhrata,

Subject: City of Encinitas North Coast Highway 101 Streetscape and El Portal Undercrossing Design Reviews

Thank you for your revised letter (“SANDAG Consistency Letter”) dated March 20, 2019 stating SANDAGs findings that the Leucadia Streetscape and El Portal Undercrossing projects are consistent with the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) with the inclusion of the base assumptions identified in the SANDAG Consistency Letter (collectively, the “Consistency Comments”). These projects are top priority for the City Council in that they will provide critical pedestrian and bicycle connections. They reflect years of community input and technical analysis.

The City appreciates the extensive efforts of SANDAG and NCTD staff in assisting in formulating mutually acceptable design concepts that meet the needs of all of the agencies, in accordance with SANDAG Consistency Letter. The City will endeavor to address and include the Consistency Comments in revised designs for the above-mentioned projects and to work with NCTD and SANDAG on final review, approval and implementation.

The City looks forward to continued coordination with SANDAG and NCTD in evaluating these projects in the rail corridor with the ultimate goal of implementation for the benefit of the local community and region.

Very truly yours,

Catherine S. Blakespear Mayor

cc: Jim Linthicum, Director of Mobility Management and Project Implementation Charles “Muggs” Stoll, Director of Land Use and Transportation Planning

Attachment 2

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Matthew Tucker, Executive Director, North County Transit District Jacob Gould, Senior Legal Counsel, North County Transit District Stephen Fordham, Director of Railroad Engineering, North County Transit District Tracey Foster, Chief Development Officer, North County Transit District Beth Freeman, Manager of Real Estate, North County Transit District Karen P. Brust, City Manager, City of Encinitas

Glenn Sabine, City Attorney, City of Encinitas Brenda Wisneski, Director of Development Services

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