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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSS2 - Circulation Element Goals and Policies - CorrespondenceThe Coalition to Protect Mariner's Mile Newport Beach, California October 7, 2022 City Council Members CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH 100 Civic Center Drive Newport Beach. CA 92660 Par,ahlori After Agenda Printed October 11, 2022 Benda Item No. SS2 Re: City of Newport Beach General Plan Update Draft Circulation Element, CE 2.3.1 Coast Highway Ownership Dear Mayor Kevin Muldoon and Council Members Diane Dixon, Brad Avery, Duffy Duffield, Joy Brenner, Noah Blum, and Will O'Neill, We are writing to you regarding our perspective, suggestions, and exceptions to Coast Highway Ownership statement in the draft Circulation element. The City of Newport Beach, the County of Orange, and Southern California are experiencing a major paradigm shift in human events that is generating a restructuring of the way we live. We have seen a significant decline in vehicle traffic, transit use, and air travel since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study by Southern California Associations of Governments (SCAG). As U.S. inflation hits a four -decade high, rising gas prices have led to a sharp decline in vehicle miles traveled, resulting in roads being used less frequently. Coastal cities north and south of Newport Beach have transformed Pacific Coast Highway into a walkable village by calming traffic, reducing speeds, enhancing safety, and widening sidewalks and bike lanes. In recent years Federal, State, and County Governments have been actively encouraging and providing substantial funds for local governments to achieve these purposes. The core value underlying the roadway system and each development project is to enhance a community's quality of life and do not harm. Residents and community stakeholders realize we are at a crossroads in shaping the future of Mariner's Mile. Coast Highway Ownership along Mariner's Mile offers a unique opportunity to assure our scenic corridor is in harmony with the abutting residential communities of Newport Heights/Cliff Haven and Bayshore's and the Villages surrounding Newport Bay. The health, safety, welfare, and livability of the community are of primary importance to the residents of Newport Beach. This focus offers the potential to have a powerful and positive impact. The community's Ownership of Coast highway can best assure optimizing the above in determining the future of Mariner's Mile. Page 1 Respect, Protect, and Preserve the Residential, Commercial and Environmental Qualities of Our Bayside Town The Coalition to Protect Mariner's Mile Newport Beach, California Significant concerns about road safety given the horrific and substantial number of vehicle accidents along Mariner's Mile. Due to the schools in the area and summer activities such as Junior Lifeguards, the safety of our children is of grave concern. Newport Beach should remain a charming "coastal town" along the tranquil bay. West Coast Highway must remain as it is now, adding no new vehicle lanes and retaining street parking. It is not a raceway or a motor corridor for commuters and commercial traffic. A speedway through the heart of our town is not safe for our children or our community. Newport Beach cannot not have it both ways. A village attracting pedestrians and across town freeway are incompatible. Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach decided to create a village atmosphere by preventing the widening of Coast Highway. The Coalition to Protect Mariner's Mile was established to bring residents and stakeholders together to enhance our community's quality of life, protect the environment, and promote appropriate designs for Mariner's Mile. Our primary goal is to provide a charming and welcoming gathering place which fosters the flow of pedestrians and bicyclists, not to facilitate the flow of traffic. In 2017 the Coalition was formed when the initial Newport Village Development Proposal first made its way into the city's approval process. We have been actively involved by providing input to the City Council and the Planning Commission. In addition, we are continuing to participate in the on -going General Plan Update including the Circulation element to effectively deal with the full range of mobility challenges facing our community. The Coalition's comments on specific Circulation Element are below: CE 2.3 Optimal Roadway System Operation. From the current Circulation element Policies CE 2.3.1 Coast Highway Ownership "Pursue ownership of Coast Highway throughout Newport Beach, as opportunities arise, so that Coast Highway can be improved to its ultimate width in Mariners Mile consistent with the city's vision and to provide the city with more opportunities to increase efficiencies. (Imp 2.1, 14.9)" Some history: I and two other members of the Coalition to Protect Mariners Mile met with the Local Director of Cal Trans Mr. Ryan Chamberlain in 2018 regarding the subject of the Cal Trans development plans for Mariners Mile and their input to the change of ownership to the City of Newport Beach. Mr. Chamber stated that Cal Trans interregional systems views a number of roadways such and Beach Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway to be roadways Cal Trans would be willing to relinquish ownership of when asked by a city and an agreement is reached. Page 2 Respect, Protect, and Preserve the Residential, Commercial and Environmental Qualities of Our Bayside Town The Coalition to Protect Mariner's Mile Newport Beach, California Important Points that we want to be reviewed and changed in the final Circulation Element. 1. Ownership of Coast Highway Cal Trans would turn over tomorrow the ownership of coast highway to the city of Newport Beach, if the city where to accept the ownership of the 3 bridges along Pacific Coast Highway, The bridge over the river jetty, the Newport Blvd., Coast highway bridge and the Corona del Mar Bridge. They would even give the city some millions of dollars for the continued maintenance of the bridges. The coalition to Protect Mariners Mile supports the city of Newport Beach taking over the ownership of the Pacific Coast Highway along Mariners Mile. 2. Coast Highway to be improved to its ultimate width Cal Trans was not in favor of the widening of the Coast Highway and would be looking at ways to improve the Highway along Mariners Mile to be more pedestrian and bicycle friendly Traffic calming measures would also be on their agenda as the current traffic speed and the number of accidents already makes the current highway width too dangerous. The city of Newport Traffic Engineer provide incorrect information in the staff report regarding the development review of the 2510 west Coast Highway. PMM was not comfortable nor satisfied with this response and independently asked the city of Newport Beach Police department to provide an accident survey regarding the accidents that had occurred along Mariners Mile. The actual numbers provide the Newport Beach Police department were staggering higher than what the city staff report contained. The citizens of Newport beach along with the Coalition to Protect Mariners Mile are also not in favor of the widening of the Mariners Mile Highway and have repeatedly made this clear at every attempt by the city or developers to widening the highway. All you need to do is drive down Mariners Mile and observe what's happened due to the speed of the current traffic along the highway. It's become a series of derelict non occupied for sale or lease properties. From pervious discussions with some of the property owners along Mariner's Mile they also voiced concerns that if they attempt to develop their properties, they are faced with the cities current policy requiring them to dedicate 12 feet of their property along the street frontage of Mariner's Mile. 3. The cities Vision of Mariners Mile to become a Village Without a clear vision guiding the transformation of Mariner's Mile, ongoing efforts will continue to be ineffective and disappointing. Newport Beach cannot have it both ways. A village attracting people and across town freeway are incompatible. Page 3 Respect, Protect, and Preserve the Residential, Commercial and Environmental Qualities of Our Bayside Town The Coalition to Protect Mariner's Mile Newport Beach, California 4. Opportunities to the increase the efficiencies of Mariners Mile There is a growing movement in Beach towns to transform PCH into a more pedestrian and bicycle friendly thoroughfare. From Seal Beach to San Diego, cities are prioritizing protecting children, residents, and visitors. And to do so, they have found ways to slow traffic, enhance safety, widen sidewalks, and bike lanes, and make other changes more compatible with a village environment. Newport Beach can optimize the improvements of coast highway to change the current cross-town freeway to a compatible community roadway that supports the cities future Village environment plans and provide the city with more opportunities to implement these plans. While we have stated several times before we support development, we just need to ensure that proper planning and decisions are made today that will assure Mariner's Mile is transformed into a village concept that will endure for years to come. The Newport City Council must consider the future of Mariner's Mile form a citywide perspective. We now have a golden opportunity to build a genuine and lasting community consensus. We can make a strong commitment to work together and to encourage city planners to prioritize safety and community. The General Plan update process is the most appropriate means to assure enhancing and revitalizing our beach city's main street Mariner's Mile to create the new village environment for the future. Sincerely, James F. Carlson Chairman The Coalition to Protect Mariners Mile protectmarinersmile. org jfcarlson@roadrunner.com CC: City Manager: Grace Leung, City Attorney: Aaron Harp, Community Development Director: Seimone Jurjis Page 4 Respect, Protect, and Preserve the Residential, Commercial and Environmental Qualities of Our Bayside Town Newport Beach City Council Transportation Element Update — Workshop/Study Session October 11, 2022 Comments: • The Circulation Element has not been updated since 2006. According to Staff, a lot has changed! • The Circulation Element Update is "also being refreshed to reflect the community's vision on trending transportation matters" and to "ensure adequate mobility for the community". • The city seeks public input to "reflect the community's vision on trending transportation matters" and what the public feels is the "best possible balance" between growth and quality of life. • The Circulation Element must explain how the Element proposes to accommodate and "balance" growth, and the impacts of this growth on the community. It does not. • In order to "reflect the community's vision" the public needs the data relied upon by the city in reaching their determination that the Draft Circulation Element represents the "best possible balance" in order to make an informed decision. To date, the public has received No Data! Nothing! Specific Topics: 1. Shouldn't the Circulation Element Update address aircraft overflight and the use of drones? "The City Council believes that the impacts related to JWA are now, and will continue to be, the most significant threat to the quality of life of Newport Beach residents."' It doesn't! The Planning Commission September 8, 2022 staff report states: "The 2006 Circulation Element includes the Master Plan of Streets and Highways, future primary intersection geometries, and acceptable levels of service at those intersections. The proposed amendment proposes no changes to these components at this time." Why? No analysis has been completed, that's why! Do you think this statement miss -informed the public? 3. Climate Change —The City's Green New Deal! Did you know the Draft Circulation Element Update is claiming to reduce climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and sea level rise and the proposed changes will have no possibility of impacting the environment! (Staff recommends you find the project exempt from CEQA!) Isn't this what the Democrats told us, and look at things now. Where are the facts to back this up? The public asked for them. There are none! 4. What is a "Complete Street"? Can any of you point to one? Shouldn't the Circulation Element Update identify them? It doesn't! 5. The Staff is recommending the Climate Change and Complete Streets Goals and Policies will have no impact on the environment (The "project" is exempt from CEQA). Where are the facts to prove it? The public asked for them. There are none! ' Source: City Council Policy A-17 NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL AIRPORT POLICY. Link: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/home/showr)ublisheddocument/20996/635745355502270000 Page 1 of 2 6. Shouldn't the Circulation Element Update provide information explaining how the Safety Element's Evacuation Plan and Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan is incorporated in the Draft Circulation Element Update? It doesn't! 7. Shouldn't the Circulation Element Update address existing public safety circulation network hazards within the city (example: shared electric bicycle and pedestrian walkways)? It doesn't! 8. Why is the Circulation Element Update relying on the outdated 2014 General Plan Implementation Program and CEQA mitigation measures? Why are they not all being updated concurrently? Is the city limiting the Project's scope to try to avoid CEQA analysis! 9. How can it be said the "The goals and policies in the Circulation Element are balanced with the goals and policies of the Land Use and Housing Elements in order to provide a correlation between land use and transportation planning" when the Land Use Element has not been updated to reflect the changes from the Housing Element Update??? No explanation has been provided! 10. The Circulation Element Update says "The goals and policies in the Circulation Element are balanced with the goals and policies of the Land Use and Housing Elements in order to provide a correlation between land use and transportation planning. In so doing the General Plan provides the best possible balance between the City's future growth, service levels for all travel modes, and community character." (Page 7-6) Where are the facts to support this statement? None have been provided! Why? there are none! 11. Explain how the city can make this statement (".the General Plan provides the best possible balance between the City's future growth, service levels for all travel modes, and community character") prior to the update of the Land Use Element, other General Plan Elements, Municipal Code and technical studies (including a "traffic analysis") required to implement the Housing Element Update. Particularly, when you acknowledge the traffic analysis "will guide a policy discussion about the design of the future roadway network". It seems this statement is the goal of the Draft Circulation Element Update, but there is no evidence at this time, this goal will be met. In Conclusion: • Even though I made a written request to staff to share public comments on the city's website, no public comments were made available to the public. Why, especially if the city wants to "reflect the community's vision on trending transportation matters"? • 1 have received No Response from city staff to my written comments. • The City Council is scheduled to act on the Circulation Element Update on October 24th. How can the public get the information requested, analyze it, provide comments to the city, allow time for staff analysis and your review and consideration prior to this time? • The City Council instructed staff to prepare a Circulation Element Update concurrent with the Housing Element. Not to bring a piece of the Circulation Element Update back to the City Council for approval. • Why is the city having this limited/piecemealed policy discussion at this time? • It appears this intentional piecemeal approach is designed to limit the public's participation and understanding of the proposed changes to the Element, and prevent the Element from being voted on pursuant to the City Charter as stated in your staff report. Thank you, David Tanner, 223 62"d Street, Newport Beach, CA 92663 Page 2 of 2