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Staff Report with Attachments PREPARED BY: Matt Morley Parks and Public Works Director Reviewed by: Town Manager, Community Development Director, and Town Attorney 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 406-354-6832 www.losgatosca.gov TOWN OF LOS GATOS GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: 09/19/2019 ITEM NO: 1 DATE: September 13, 2019 TO: General Plan Advisory Committee FROM: Matt Morley, Parks and Public Works Director SUBJECT: General Plan Amendment Application GP-19-001. Project Location: Town Wide. Applicant: Town of Los Gatos. Consider Proposed General Plan Amendments to Language Specific to Highway 17 in Goal TRA-4 and Supporting Policies. RECOMMENDATION: Provide a recommendation to the Planning Commission and Town Council on proposed General Plan amendments (Attachment 3) to language specific to Highway 17 in Goal TRA-4 and supporting policies. BACKGROUND: Changing dynamics in job and population growth in the greater Bay Area have led to increased pressure on local streets and roads as freeways exceed capacity. This is especially evident in Los Gatos during commute hours and with summer weekend beach traffic. The configuration of Highway 17 approaching Los Gatos from the north and through the Town may exacerbate the impacts on the Town as drivers search for alternate routes that lead them to local streets. In 2016, Measure B was passed by voters to allow for transportation improvements throughout the County funded through a sales tax increase. This measure included broad language specific to Los Gatos and Highway 17. The specific Measure B language reads: Highway 17 Corridor Congestion Relief: Upgrade Highway 17/9 interchange to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety, mobility, and roadway operations; deploy advanced transportation technology to reduce freeway cut thru traffic in Los Gatos, including traffic signal control system upgrades in Los Gatos, Traveler Information System, advanced ramp metering systems; support Multi-Modal Congestion Relief Solutions, including enhanced Highway 17 PAGE 2 OF 3 SUBJECT: Provide a Recommendation to the Planning Commission and Town Council on a Proposed General Plan Amendment to language specific to Highway 17 in Goal TRA-4 and Supporting Policies DATE: September 13, 2019 BACKGROUND (continued): Express Bus service, implementing local bus system improvements that reduce auto trips to schools, work, and commercial areas in Los Gatos; and develop park and ride lots to serve as transit hubs for express bus, shuttles, local bus system connections. Through preliminary discussions with the Valley Transportation Agency (VTA), and Caltrans an opportunity exists to extend the scope of the Highway 9 interchange project to include efficiencies from Highway 85 through the Highway 9 onramp to southbound Highway 17. In the interest of ensuring the potential for funding for the maximum scope of the project, on March 19, 2019 the Town Council, on a 3-2 vote, supported the design for a project at Highway 9 and Highway 17, including design options for efficiencies on Highway 17 , and for additional travel lanes on Highway 17 and directed staff to process a General Plan 2020 amendment allowing for the project. Attachment 1 is the Council Agenda Report for this item. The early work associated with the project includes identifying the scope of work and preliminary design associated with the project, which may include stacking lanes, merge lanes, auxiliary lanes, exit lanes, and improved traffic flow through lane realignment and roadway widening. The Town will be engaged through a public outreach process and provide Town Council reports throughout the design and construction. DISCUSSION: The Town Council directed staff to process amendments to the existing General Plan 2020 in alignment with the potential project. Attachment 2 provides the text of General Plan 2020 Goal TRA-4 and supporting policies and Attachment 3 provides the recommended amendments. Staff recommends retaining the full language of the existing Goal TRA-4 in the interest of continuing to emphasize the importance of Highway 17 to the community. Modifications to the supporting policies would facilitate for the project design. Town procedure requires the General Plan Committee (GPC) to make a recommendation on all proposed General Plan amendments. This recommendation then goes to the Planning Commission as it conducts a public hearing (tentatively scheduled for October 9, 2019) on the amendments and makes its recommendation to the Town Council. The Town Council is tentatively scheduled to hold its public hearing on November 5, 2019. The entire membership of the GPC is on the GPAC and it is important for the GPAC to be involved with any changes to the existing General Plan to inform its work on the update. For these reasons, the GPAC is serving as the recommending body for these proposed amendments. PAGE 3 OF 3 SUBJECT: Provide a Recommendation to the Planning Commission and Town Council on a Proposed General Plan Amendment to language specific to Highway 17 in Goal TRA-4 and Supporting Policies DATE: September 13, 2019 CONCLUSION: The Committee should review the proposed amendments and provide a recommendation to the Planning Commission and the Town Council. COORDINATION: This report has been coordinated with the Community Development Department. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact as a result of the recommended action. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required. Attachments: 1. March 19, 2019 Council Agenda Report 2. Current General Plan TRA-4 Goal and Policies 3. Proposed General Plan TRA-4 Goal and Policies PREPARED BY: MATT MORLEY Parks and Public Works Director Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, Finance Director 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832 www.losgatosca.gov TOWN OF LOS GATOS COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: 03/19/2019 ITEM NO: 7 DATE: MARCH 14, 2019 TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER SUBJECT: SUPPORT THE 2016 MEASURE B PROJECT FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT HIGHWAY 9 AND HIGHWAY 17 INCLUDING DESIGN OPTIONS FOR EFFICIENCIES ON HIGHWAY 17 AND FOR ADDITIONAL TRAVEL LANES ON HIGHWAY 17 AND DIRECT STAFF TO PROCESS A GENERAL PLAN 2020 AMENDMENT ALLOWING FOR THE PROJECT RECOMMENDATION: Support the 2016 Measure B project for improvements at Highway 9 and Highway 17 including design options for efficiencies on Highway 17 and for additional travel lanes on Highway 17 and direct staff to process a General Plan 2020 amendment allowing for the project. BACKGROUND: The Countywide 2016 Measure B sales tax measure includes investments in the regional transportation infrastructure across nine program areas. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) manages the 2016 Measure B program and the VTA Board approves project prioritization and funding. The VTA intends to approve projects on a two-year budget cycle with a ten year look ahead at potential projects. For projects to get underway in that ten-year cycle, it is important that they are included in the two-year budgeting process. The Town has engaged actively to ensure local projects receive prioritization in the program. One priority area of particular importance to Los Gatos is the Highway program. The program includes upgrades to the highway system with the number and anticipated costs of the identified projects exceeding the anticipated funding through the life of 2016 Measure B, making this a very competitive category. ATTACHMENT 1 PAGE 2 OF 3 SUBJECT: SUPPORT THE 2016 MEASURE B PROJECT FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT HIGHWAY 9 AND HIGHWAY 17 INCLUDING DESIGN OPTIONS FOR EFFICIENCIES ON HIGHWAY 17 AND FOR ADDITIONAL TRAVEL LANES ON HIGHWAY 17 AND DIRECT STAFF TO PROCESS A GENERAL PLAN 2020 AMENDMENT ALLOWING FOR THE PROJECT DATE: MARCH 14, 2019 S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2019\03-19-19\07 2016 Measure B Allocation - Hwy 17\Staff Report FINAL.docx 3/14/2019 2:22 PM MM DISCUSSION: Through the process to establish the structure of and projects included in the 2016 Measure B, the Town proposed upgrades to the interchange at Highway 9 and Highway 17 as its major project in the category. In reviewing the project with VTA, an opportunity exists to include two options for modifications to Highway 17 through Los Gatos. The first includes efficiency improvements such as adding auxiliary lanes and realigning existing lanes. Auxiliary lanes might include continuing the on-ramp from Lark Avenue south to the Highway 9 off-ramp, facilitating a smoother transition of traffic. The second is an expanded version that could include the addition of travel lanes on Highway 17. VTA is prepared to advance this project by budgeting 2016 Measure B funds to bring the project through preliminary design and environmental review. The allocation of 2016 Measure B funds would require at least a 10 percent contribution from non -2016 Measure B sources. Securing 2016 Measure B funds would be an important first step toward assessing Highway 17 solutions for addressing the cut-through of regional traffic through the Town. The Transportation Element of the Town of Los Gatos 2020 General Plan Goal TRA -4 identifies several policies associated with Highway 17, including Policy TRA-4.1 – “Highway 17 should not be widened to provide additional travel lanes south of Lark Avenue.” VTA is aware of this policy and the current work to update the Town’s General Plan. Approval of the recommendation will signify the Council’s support to pursue and accept 2016 Measure B funds to start project development efforts for Highway 17 that could result in an improvement project that includes additional lanes on Highway 17 and to update the Town’s General Plan as part of its ongoing efforts to allow for such an outcome. The project design will remain within the existing Highway 17 right-of-way and any impacts to trees will be mitigated with equivalent replacement plantings. During the project development process, the town and its Council will have multiple opportunities to direct, review and provide input on the development of solutions to be part of the project . This should also align with the completion of the General Plan 2040. The first phase of the project development process that would assess options could take up to two years to complete and would result in recommendations on project elements to take into future phases, such as environmental documentation and design. Support of the first phase should occur in good faith that a reasonable design will be supported by the Town for future construction. CONCLUSION: Supporting the initiation of a project development process for improvements on Highway 17, with the understanding that improved conditions on Highway 17 may lead to less congestion on local roadways and will lead to subsequent environmental documentation and design work on selected project elements with concurrence from the Town . PAGE 3 OF 3 SUBJECT: SUPPORT THE 2016 MEASURE B PROJECT FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT HIGHWAY 9 AND HIGHWAY 17 INCLUDING DESIGN OPTIONS FOR EFFICIENCIES ON HIGHWAY 17 AND FOR ADDITIONAL TRAVEL LANES ON HIGHWAY 17 AND DIRECT STAFF TO PROCESS A GENERAL PLAN 2020 AMENDMENT ALLOWING FOR THE PROJECT DATE: MARCH 14, 2019 S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2019\03-19-19\07 2016 Measure B Allocation - Hwy 17\Staff Report FINAL.docx 3/14/2019 2:22 PM MM COORDINATION: This report has been coordinated with the VTA. FISCAL IMPACT: This agenda item does not financially obligate the Town; however, 2016 Measure B projects have a requirement for a minimum ten percent non-2016 Measure B match of funds. If approved, Town staff will work with VTA and others to identify matching funds, including Federal, State, or regional grant funds. The Town may also be asked to contribute matching funds for the project in the future. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: The recommended actions are not a project defined under CEQA and no further action is required. T O W N O F L O S G A T O S 2 0 2 0 G E N E R A L P L A N T R A N S P O R T A T I O N E L E M E N T Policies Policy TRA-4.1 Highway 17 should not be widened to provide additional travel lanes south of Lark Avenue. Policy TRA-4.2 There should not be an interchange at Blossom Hill Road. Policy TRA-4.3 Highway 17 between Los Gatos and Santa Cruz should not be widened to provide additional travel lanes or be converted to a freeway. Policy TRA-4.4 The Planning Commission and Town Council shall review all new or modified connections with Highway 17 within the Town. Policy TRA-4.5 Work with other local jurisdictions and the State to develop effective ways to reduce regionally generated Highway 17 congestion and cross -town traffic that do not involve adding freeway lanes or interchanges. Goal TRA-4 To ensure that future changes to Highway 17 do not negatively impact the quality of life or small-town character of Los Gatos. T O W N O F L O S G A T O S 2 0 2 0 G E N E R A L P L A N T R A N S P O R T A T I O N E L E M E N T Policies Policy TRA-4.1 Highway 17 should not be widened to provide additional travel lanes south of Lark Avenue.Improvements to Highway 17 should consider efficiency improvements prior to adding capacity through increased travel lanes. Policy TRA-4.2 There should not be an interchange at Blossom Hill Road. Policy TRA-4.3 Highway 17 between Los Gatos and Santa Cruz should not be widened to provide additional travel lanes or be converted to a freeway. Policy TRA-4.4 The Planning Commission and Town Council shall review all new or modified connections with Highway 17 within the Town. Policy TRA-4.5 Work with other local jurisdictions and the State to develop effective ways to reduce regionally generated Highway 17 congestion and cross-town traffic that does not involve adding freeway lanes or interchanges. Goal TRA-4 To ensure that future changes to Highway 17 do not negatively impact the quality of life or small-town character of Los Gatos.