35 Staff Report - Los Gatos Boulevard PlanDATE:
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
MEETING DATE: 8 / 5 / 9 6
ITEM NO. 3
4.
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
July 26, 1996
MAYOR AND TOWN
TOWN MANAGER
LOS GATOS BOULEVARD PLAN:
A. AUTHORIZE TRANSFER OF $10,000 FROM GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
ACCOUNT TO PLANNING DEPARTMENT EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL AND TRAFFIC CONSULTANTS.
B. AUTHORIZE SENDING REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL TO QUALIFIED GRAPHIC
DESIGN CONSULTANTS FOR DRAWINGS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Authorize transfer of $10,000 from General Plan Update Account to Planning Department Expenditure
Account for Environmental and Traffic Consultants.
2. Authorize sending Request for Proposal to qualified Graphic Design Consultants for drawings and illustrations.
BACKGROUND:
For almost two years the General Plan Committee has been working on a plan to improve Los Gatos Boulevard. On
May 28, 1996, the Committee held a workshop to present a draft Los Gatos Boulevard Plan (Plan) to the public and
members of the Boulevard Community Alliance. On June 12 and July 10, 1996, the Committee considered the
comments received during the workshop and made changes to the draft . One of the major comments received during
the workshop was that the draft lacked drawings and diagrams to illustrate the policies. The lack of drawings created
a great deal of confusion in understanding many of the policies and implementation measures described in the draft.
In addition, the Plan is subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and an Initial
Study / Negative Declaration and Traffic Capacity Impact Analysis must be prepared before the Plan can be considered
by the Planning Commission and Town Council. While the Committee has been able to prepare the Plan by recruiting
many volunteers from the community, the remaining tasks require special expertise from professional consultants. As
a result, the Committee recommended that Town Council appropriate funding to hire a graphic design consultant, an
environmental consultant, and a traffic consultant.
DISCUSSION:
A. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT
An environmental consultant is needed to prepare an Initial Study for the Plan. It is possible to use one of the Town's
environmental consultants to prepare the Initial Study. It is anticipated that the Plan will not result in any significant
environmental impacts so the Initial Study should cost approximately $5,000. However, if the Initial Study concludes
that the Plan will have a significant impact on the environment an Environmental Impact Report will be required and
PREPARED BY: LEE E. BOWMAN L&
PLANNING DIRECTOR
Reviewed by: W Attorney Finance
Revised: 7/26/96 9:37 am
Reformatted: 10/23/95
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MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
August 5, 1996
a supplemental appropriation will be necessary. The consultant will perform the following tasks:
1. Prepare an Initial Study describing the potential impacts that will result from implementation of the Los Gatos
Boulevard Plan.
2. Evaluate the cumulative impact of the Plan on Los Gatos Boulevard , adjacent commercial property, and
surrounding residential neighborhoods.
3. Evaluate the potential impact of eliminating some on -street parking on nearby residential neighborhoods.
B. TRAFFIC CONSULTANT
A major component of the Environmental Initial Study will be the Traffic Capacity Impact Analysis. The Analysis will
evaluate the impact of the policies recommended by the Plan on the traffic capacity of Los Gatos Boulevard. It is crucial
that none of the recommended changes to Los Gatos Boulevard reduce its capacity to a point that traffic will migrate
to adjacent residential streets. It is possible to use the Town's Traffic Engineering Consultant, Willdan Associates, to
prepare the Traffic Capacity Impact Analysis. The Consultant has indicated that the Analysis would cost approximately
$5,000. The consultant will perform the following tasks:
1. Prepare a Traffic Capacity Impact Analysis to evaluate the impact of the Los Gatos Boulevard Plan on the
traffic capacity of Los Gatos Boulevard.
2. Determine if any changes recommended by the Plan will cause traffic to migrate to adjacent residential streets.
3. Evaluate the impact of eliminating certain free right turns and reducing lane width on the traffic capacity of
Los Gatos Boulevard.
4 Study selected free right turns to determine if they pose a safety hazard for pedestrians or bicyclists and
recommend alternative designs that will improve safety.
3. Determine if adding bike lanes or eliminating on -street parking along Los Gatos Boulevard will create unsafe
conditions or impact the traffic capacity of Los Gatos Boulevard.
C. GRAPHIC DESIGN CONSULTANT
One criticism of the current draft that is consistently raised by the public and members of the Boulevard Community
Alliance is that it lacks drawings and illustrations. Since the Town does not retain the services of a graphic design
consultant it will be necessary to send a Request for Proposal to qualified graphic design consultants and enter into a
contract with the selected consultant. The drawings and illustrations are important for the following reasons:
• To graphically depict the "vision" for Los Gatos Boulevard. This will help people understand what the
Boulevard will look like when the Plan is fully implemented and help communicate the proposed Plan to the
community.
• To support and reinforce the policies and implementation measures described in the Plan.
• To help property owners and prospective developers understand the Town's "vision" for Los Gatos Boulevard.
This will streamline the development review process thereby saving developers and the Town time and money.
• To provide the Town with a map of the area along Los Gatos Boulevard that can ultimately be integrated into
future updates of the General Plan.
The consultant will perform the following tasks:
1. Prepare one reproducible concept plan showing:
a. Los Gatos Boulevard right-of-way (including medians, on -street parking, sidewalks, travel and bike
lanes, etc.).
b. The footprint of buildings on private property, landscape areas, and driveway locations.
c. Where on -street parking will remain and where it will be removed and replaced with a landscaped
park strip and pedestrian areas.
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MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
August 5, 1996
d. The location of proposed node sites.
e. Where free right turns will be eliminated.
2. Make changes to the concept plan as requested by the General Plan Committee and provide one copy of the
concept plan in color.
3. Prepare one reproducible sketch of a typical node and provide one copy of the sketch in color.
CONCLUSION:
After nearly two years of work by the General Plan Committee and hundreds of hours of work by community
volunteers, a draft of the Los Gatos Boulevard Plan is nearly ready to be presented to the Planning Commission and
Town Council. However, before the Plan can be presented, graphic, environmental, and traffic consultants must be
hired to complete certain critical tasks. The General Plan Committee recommends Council appropriate funding to hire
these consultants so the Plan may be presented for consideration.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
The requested action is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
FISCAL IMPACT:
TRANSFER FROM:
Deposit Account (GPUPDATE) Account 100-26751:
Balance (7/1/96) 270,240
- 10.000
260,240
TRANSFER TO:
PROGRAM ACCOUNT # BUDGET BALANCE REC. BUDGET INC/DEC
Advanced Planning 3150-61004 0 0 10,000 10,000
GP Update Revenue 3150-46031 0 0 10,000 10,000
Distribution:
General Plan Committee
Steve Boersma, Chair, Boulevard Community Alliance, c/o Calvary Baptist Church, 16330 Los Gatos Boulevard, Los
Gatos, CA 95032
LEB:BNL
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