Item 02 - N40 SP Amendments - Desk Item & Exhibit 10TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION
Meeting Date: December 15, 2016
ITEM NO: 2
DESK ITEM
PREPARED BY: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
jp au lso n@ losgatosca.gov
SUBJECT: North 40 Specific Plan Amendments
LOCATION: The plan area comprises approximately 44 acres located at the
northern extent of the Town of Los Gatos, bordered by State Route 17
to the wes t, State Route 85 freeways to the north, Los Gatos Boulevard
to the east, and Lark A venue to the south. APN 424-07-009 , 0 I 0, 024
through 027, 031 through 037 , 052 through 054 , 060, 063 through 065,
070, 081 through 086, 090, 094 through 096 , 099 , 100, 102 through
112 ,424-06-115 , 116, and 129.
APPLICANT : Town of Los Gatos
PROPERTY OWNERS: Yuki Farms, ETPH LP , Grosvenor USA Limited, Summerhill N40
LLC , Dodson, Hirschman , Mattes, Ventura Trustee, Moisenco , Los
Gatos Medical Office Center LLC, Los Gatos Gateway LLC , Mbk
Enterprise, Connell, Gin , John & Allison Diep LLC , Bernal, Lg
Boulevard Holdings LLC , Polaris Navigation, Ew Real Estate LLC ,
La zaar Enterprises LLC , Kothary, and Swenson Trustee.
PROJECT SUMMARY: Consider potential amendments to the North 40 Specific Plan
SPECIFIC PLAN:
EX HIBITS:
The North 40 Specific Plan , adopted June 17, 2015, implements the
Town of Los Gatos General Plan and comprehensively plans for future
development in the Specific Plan Area. The Specific Plan Area has a
maximum development capacity of up to 270 housing units and
501 ,000 square feet of non-residential uses . Of the non-residential
uses, the maximum development capacities are up to 250,000 square
feet of office/hotel, and up to 400,000 square feet of other commercial
(such as retail , restaurants , specialty market, health clubs , personal
service, and entertainment). At least 30% of the area (approximately
13 .2 acres) will be open space.
Previously received with December 15, 2016 Staff Report:
1. Location Map
2. Findings
3. October 27,2016 General Plan Committee Memorandum s and
attachments
4. October 27,2016 General Plan Committee verbatim minutes
Planning Commission Desk Item -Page 2
North 40 Specific Plan Amendments
December 15 ,2016
REMARKS:
5. November 17,2016 General Plan Committee Memorandums and
attachments
6. November 17,2016 General Plan Committee verbatim minutes
7. Potential amendments, based on General Plan Committee
discussion
8. Public comments received between 11 :0 I a.m . November 17 , 2016
and 11:00 a.m. December 8 , 2016
Previously received with December 13, 2016 Addendum:
9 . Revised potential amendments, bas ed on General Plan Committee
discussion (Including Exhibits A and B)
Received with this Desk Item:
10. Public comments received between 11 :01 a.m. December 8, 2016
and 11:00 a.m. December 15, 2016
Additional public comments received after distribution of the December 15 , 2016 Staff Report
are included in this Desk Item.
Prepared by:
Sally Zamowitz, AlA, LEED AP
Planning Manager
N:\DE V\PC REPORTS\20 16\N40 SP Am end s_ desk 12-15-16 .doc x
/l J /J
Approved by:
Joel Paulson , AICP
Community Dev elopment Director
I
PRIMECOMMERCIAL
'\l ( 0 I· t' , ) t \ I r )
12/9/16
Town of Los Gatos Planning Commission
c /o Mr. Joel Paulson
Communi ty Development Director
Town of Los Gatos Planning Department
110 E. Main St.
Los Gatos, California 95031
Dear Mr. Paulson:
I am writing this letter in opposition to the proposed mandate that a ll retail tenants that plan to
take occupancy in the Nor1h 40 Specific Plan area will be required to obtain a Conditional Use
Permit. I am a resident of Monte Sereno and the co-owner of Prime Commerc ial , Inc., a
commercial real estate firm that specializes in the leasing of retail proper1ies within Northern
California. I've been in the retail business for 18 years.
Los Gatos is one of our most active communities in which we work. My firm and I have
completed dozens of retail leases in the Town of Los Gatos and we currently have four active
li stings of retail buildings within the Town. Over the past few years it has become increasingly
difficult to lease retail unit s to qualified tenants. Some of the challenges include competition
from newer developments in neighboring communities, parking and traffic mitigation
requirements imposed by the Town, and the time in which to process planning and building
application s, not to mention the competition from internet sales. If these challenges aren't
enough , it is the Conditional Use Permit process which kills more lease tran sactions in Los Gatos
than any other obstacle.
While some argue that requirin g CUPs in the North 40 will even the playing field with
downtown , I beli eve it is in the Town's best interest to make the entire Los Gatos retail offering
more competiti ve. So, in order to level the playing field, Town leaders should be looking at what
would make retail throughout the entire Town of Los Gatos more competitive.
It is unders tood that the Town has greater control of the retail leasing process by requiring
Conditional Use Permits and in some cases, they are warranted and necessary. However, be low
are some key issue s surrounding the implementation of a blanket CUP process for all retail
tenants. In my op inion, the negatives far outweigh the positives that the Town would gain.
December 9, 2016
Page 2 of3
Timing and Risk
Conditional Use Permits are very time consuming and risky in the eyes of a tenant and landlord.
Due to full agenda's, it can take severa l months, and in some cases upwards of one year befo re a
decision is finally rendered by counci l. In some cases, the applicant is denied and he/she does
not hav e the resources, or stomach to appeal the decision. When speaking with potential tenants,
this is one of the biggest fear s they have and many do shy away from the process. From the
landlord 's perspective, Conditional Use Permits result in higher occupancy costs and lower
income. Fut1hermore, having a retail unit vacant in a shopping center, or within a shopping
district also hurts other neighboring shop keepers that rely on the retail synergy and cross
shopping opportunities.
Cost
There is a steep cost invol ved with the application of a Conditional Use Petmit. In some
instances, they can be in excess of$10,000! Although a few national tenant s can absorb the cost,
it is the smaller , or "mom and pop" tenant that can rarely afford this add iti ona l cost o f openi n g a
new or second location. It has been my experience that many tenants will actually forgo a
shopping district that imposes CUP's and locate in one which does not have this requirem en t.
Being a retail expert, it is the smaller tenants that typicall y provi de the unique character to a
shoppi ng center, or district. Placing additiona l costs upon them will just drive them away.
Competition
As of 3QR 2016, Santa C lara County had approximately 700,000 square feet of new retail s pace
under construction which is to be delivered in 2017. Some ofthese retail projects are within a 10
to 15-minute drive from Lo s Gatos and most of these new retail destinations do not encumber
potential tenants with Conditional Use Permits. As a retail broke r, it is my job to attract b est-of-
class tenants for my retail projects, but it is extremely difficult to secure a great tenant when they
can easily go to a competing retail project wi thout the onerou s cost and t ime constraint, not to
mention the risk of a Conditional Use Permit application.
The North 40 provides a very attractive alternative, within Town boundaries, for restaurants and
retailers to expand. This serves an unmet need for the north end of Town and keeps tax dollars
within Town limits.
Finally, it is inconceivable how the Town of Los Gatos is to process numerous Condit ional Use
Permits on a shopping center in which the t enants will all likely want to open up w ithin a few
months of one another which would be the case in the North 40. There could be as many as 25
to 30 app li cations that will need due process within a short period of time. I have been in volved
w ith helping numerous tenants within Los Gatos ach ieve their Conditional Use Permits and from
my experience, just one t enant takes a vast amount of time to get through the process. If
Conditional Use Permits are required for each potential tenant within the North 40 Specific Plan
area, it wi ll result in a broken retail project and that would be a shame for our Town and
residents. ·
www.Pri.meCommerciallnc.com
1543 Lafayette Street . Suite C . Santa Clara . California 95050
Office 408.879-4000 . Fax 408.879-4004
December 9 , 20 16
Page 3 of3
The North 40 project presents the Town of Los Gatos w ith an incredible oppottunity to expand
its retail sales tax base and diversify its retail offerings to res idents. It will also provide
neighborhood serving retail for the not1h side of the Town. Placing Conditional Use Permit
regulations a nd restrictions on the North 40 w ill m ake Los Gatos less competitive and will do
much more ha rm than good .
Sincerely,
Doug F etTari
www.PrimeComrncrcia]lnc.c o rn
1543 La fa ye tte Street . Suite C. Sa nt a Clara . Ca lifornia 95050
Office 408.8 79.4000 . Fa x 408 .8 79-4004
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Joel Paulson
From:
Sent:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Diane Dreher <ddreher@scu .edu >
Friday , December 09, 2016 5:55 PM
Sally Zarnowitz; Joel Paulson
Diane Dreher
Comments for Planning Commission meeting on Dec 15 re: North 40 Specific Plan
Dear Planning Commission members:
Thank you for your careful consideration of the proposed changes to the North Forty Specific Plan and your
work to ensure the best future for our town.
I would like to underscore the importance of the proposed word change with "Sha1l s" replacing "Shoulds"
throughout the Plan .
Fu11 di sclosure-! am an English professor.
The difference:
'·Shall" i s future tense, meaning that something will be done.
"Should ," on the other hand, expresses only an ideal or a wish (that may not actually come to pass).
I could say "All American citizens should vote." But, as we know, that doesn 't mean they will. However, ifl
say "I will vote" or "I sha 11 vo te" the intention is clear. (More formal than "wil1 ," "shall " i s used le gally to
indicate an intended future action.)
Therefore, as yo u revi se the Specific Plan, changing "should " to "shall " wi11 make the Specific Plan more
objective, preventing any future confusion. "Shall " conveys a clear message that the Planning Commi ssion and
the town actually intend for the specific requirements of the Plan to be followed .
Thanks for considering my email, and again, my thanks for your vital work on the Specific Plan.
Sincerely,
1
Diane Dreher
Diane Dreher
Professor of English
President, Faculty Se nate
h t tps :/ /www .scu.edu/h lc u lt v-sen at e/
Pas t President, AAUP Chapter
http :/ /www-rel g-st ud i es.sc u .edu/aa up-scu/
Santa Clara Univers ity
500 El Camino Real
Santa C lara CA 95053
(408) 554-4954
ddrcher@sc u .edu
h tt p ://www.di anedre he r .com
Check out my blogs :
http ://www.psych o lo gytoday.co m/bl o g/yo ur-p er so nal-rena issa n ce
https :/ /b lof.!.s.scu.ed u/writehe rewri te nO\·VI
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citiz ens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only
thing that ever has ." Margaret Mead
2
GROSVENOR
~
EDEN
HO US I N G
SUMMERHILL HOMEs ··
C.O\IM U N il ll S O f D l ~rf , ( T IO N
December 12, 2016
Mayor Sayoc, Vice Mayor Rennie, Council Members and Planning Commissioners
c/o Mr. Joel P aulson, Community Development Director
Town of Los Gatos Planning Department
110 E. Main St.
Los Gatos, California 95031
Dear Mr. Paulson:
On September 1, 2016, the Town Council denied the application of Grosvenor, SummerHill and
Eden Housing , Inc. (the "Applicants") to develop approximately 20.7 acres ("Phase 1") of the 44-
acre North 40 Specific Plan Area with 320 market and senior/affordable residential units and
neighborhood-serving retail stores and restaurants (the "Project"). On October 6 , 2016, the
Applicants commenced proceedings in Santa Clara County requesting the court to direct the
Town to comply with the Town 's Housing Element, the Housing Accountability Act and State
Density Bonus Law and compel the Town to approve the Project based on its consistency with
the objective requirements of the existing Specific Plan . Therefore, any subsequent amendment
to the Specific Plan will be invalidated and/or superseded to the extent it is in any way inconsistent
with the anticipated court ruling, directing the Town to approve the Project based on the objective
requirements of the existing Specific Plan. The Town therefore should refrain from considering
or adopting any amendment to the Specific Plan until the pending litigation regarding the Project
is finally resolved . If, however, the Town insists on prematurely pursuing its consideration of the
proposed amendments to the Specific Plan, Grosvenor, SummerHill, and Eden Housing submit,
to supplement the letter provided on November 11 , 2016, the following comments:
Town representatives have stated that the desire is to modify the Specific Plan without triggering
the reopening or changing of the existing California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") approval:
the Specific Plan's Environmental Impact Report ("EIR"). In reviewing the Town Council Meeting
from September, 2016 and the General Plan Committee meetings on October 26, 2016 and
November 17, 2016, we believe it is prudent to remind the Planning Commission of specific
reasons that certain planning decisions were made during the extensive public Specific Plan
approval process. In that effort, in addition to what has already been submitted to the General
Plan Committee, we have the following additional comments for your consideration:
1) Modification of the land uses within the Specific Plan, as proposed or discussed by both
members of the public and the General Plan Committee, either could significantly impact
the Traffic Impact Analysis ("TIA") completed for the Specific Plan EIR or were not
addressed or studied in the TIA, and therefore require reopening or changing of the
existing CEQA approvals . Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162 and 15163,
these changes will trigger the need for either a subsequent EIR or a supplemental EIR
due to the potential substantial increase in severity of environmental impacts and/or the
need for new or additional mitigations. In partic ular:
a. The North 40 Specific Plan Final EIR states on page 2-31:
"Distribution of land uses within the Plan Area is based on various factors including
locating compatible land uses within proximity of each other. While the intent is to
provide a mixed-use neighborhood within the Plan Area, it is desirable to
concentrate certain land use types together instead of evenly distributing all/and
uses across the entire Plan Area. Housing is considered appropriate along Lark
Avenue because of proximity to the existing housing south of Lark Avenue, and
lower trip generation from residential uses on the short, but congested Lark
A venue frontage . Concentrating commercial uses within the Northern District
provides a focused retail presence, which is better located along Los Gatos
Boulevard, because access to a concentration of commercial uses along the
shorter Lark A venue frontage would exacerbate already difficult traffic conditions
along that street. "
Primary access to commercial uses within the Lark District via "A Street" were not
studied in the TIA, rather, it was assumed commercial uses would be conce ntrated
in the Transition and Northern Districts and would therefore be accessed primarily
via a new signalized intersection on Los Gatos Boule vard in the Transition District
region ("Neighborhood Street") and a modified intersection at Samaritan Driv e.
b. The impacts of an additional ingress and egress driveway for commercial use
access between the existing gas station and existing commercial structures on Los
Gatos Boulevard was never studied , including the trip distribution that such a
change would cause. At the July 13, 2016 Planning Commission meeting, Town
Staff confirmed that this area was not advisable from an engineering and safety
perspective to locate a new ingress/egress driveway in such close proximity to the
existing right-turn lane , and the intersection of Lark and Los Gatos Boulevard.
Parks and Public Works Director Matt Morley stated at this hearing that:
" .. .from an engineering perspective, we look with caution at providing access at
busy intersections, and it's something that has to be done with open eyes .... the
queues in those lanes passing what would be re sidential properties ... there is some
congestion there, and adding additional cars, espe cially if you're thinking that some
of those may want to go across a turn lane and try to go straight, or even worse,
go all the way across and turn left that could provide some congestion, would be
the concern ."
Director Morley went on to further explain that:
" ... there are a/so some grade differences between the street level and the property
level at that point that may provide some potential challenges, and then more
importantly, I don't think Staff has actually explored that, nor has the traffic
engineering really had a detailed look at that."
We have dedicated years to the evaluation of the North 40 Specific Plan and are in a unique
position to comment on its details and that of its supporting documents. If the discussion on
amendments to the North 40 Specific Plan are to continue , we hope that these additional
comments are considered. We also request that this correspondence be distributed to all
members of the Town Council. Thank you.
2
Sincerely,
A. Don Capobres
Principal
Harmonie Park Development
Representing Grosvenor Americas
cc : Town Staff
Town Manager Laurel Prevetti
Town Attorney Rob Schultz
Los Gatos Town Council
Mayor Marice Sayoc
Vice Mayor Rob Rennie
Linda Mandolini
President
Ed e n Hou si ng
Council Member Marcia Jensen
Co uncil Member Steven Leonardis
Council Member Barbara Spector
Town of Los Gatos Planning Commission
Chair Mary Badame
Vice Chair Michael Kane
Commissioner Melanie Hanssen
Commissioner Matthew Hudes
Commissioner Tom O'Donnell
Commissioner Kendra Burch
Commissioner Charles Erekson
Wendi Baker
Vice President of Development
Summ e rHill Homes
3
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Sally Zarnowitz
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Hi Sally,
Kelsey Stillinger <kelsey@stillinger.com >
Wednesday, December 14, 2016 1:30 PM
Sall y Zarnow itz
north 40
I am unable to attend the meeting about the north 40 tomorrow night, but very much appreciate that the town is
considering new directions.
As a life-long resident hoping/planning to stay and raise kids here, I have 2 major concerns about the development:
1. Overcrowding of schools (can we really fit too many more kids into the district and maintain its high ranking?). Please
consider dispersing the housing over the entire area so that not all kids will be in the LG district.
2. Traffic, primarily on Lark and Los Gatos Blvd .... I live a few blocks from that intersection and drive both roads daily
and have noticed a steady increase in traffic over the last few years (even resorting to using parking lots as detours since
the intersection road is too hard to navigate certain times of day). I can't imagine how hard drivi ng in the area will get
once there is a significant development attracting many more cars .
While I know it is a long shot, I would love to see the new development include a school or even a community park-
something that current residents would value and utilize. A dog park would be lovely. Maybe a skate park.
In any case, I hope there are plenty of bike rides and a good path connecting the area to the LG Creek Trail. .. let's make
at least part of Los Gatos more bike -able.
Thanks,
Kelsey Stillinger
Live Oak Manor Resident
1
Sally Zarnowitz
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
susa n buxton <ssbuxton@yahoo.com>
Wednesday, December 14, 2016 3:47 PM
Sa lly Zarnowitz
Specific Planning Amendments
Dear Planning Commissioners,
I would like to thank you in advance for your careful consideration of the potential amendments to the
North 40 Specific Plan . I feel that some potential amendments are more crucial to the development of
the entire North 40 than others. I hope any amendments concerning the following areas will clearly
present the amendment's intent and requirements.
• Create a mix of housing types and sizes, and spreading them throughout the entire North 40.
• Reduce the maximum size of the residential units to make them more affordable and reduce
density.
• Reduce the size of commercial development and require that it be neighborhood serving .
While traffic has not been specifically mentioned, I would like to know if the Specific Pla n can require
a developer to provide a traffic study if the current study is more then 3 years old . Increased
development in the area of the North 40 will result in increased traffic incrementally as it is completed ,
making a realistic traffic analysis impossible .
Thank you for your consideration .
Sincerely,
Susan Buxton
Los Gatos, CA
1
Dear Planning Commissioners-Meeting 12-15-16
As you know, I have voiced my concern regarding the N40 residential housing along the 17
Freeway in the health hazard area shown in Figure 15 in the EIR's Air Quality section .
I have included the 3 pages from the EIR regarding this area.
The EIR states "However, residential uses could be placed within area s with toxic air
contaminants in excess of standards. This is a significant impact. Implementation of the
following mitigation measures would reduce toxic air contaminants health risks to a less-
than-significant level.
The mitigation measure of high efficiency filtration on ventilation systems only works if the
windows of any building are kept closed.
There are 8 lanes of freeways in front of this designated area in Figure 15 of the EIR -a major
freeway interchange with on ramps/off ramps.
Gridlock is almost daily for hours
Housing should not be allowed in the area designated as a health risk area, Figure 15 in the EIR
Plea se read the attached article, "What is a Safe Distance to Live or Work Near High Auto
Emission Roads." There are many similar articles from re spectable re sources on the internet
that concur with the above article, but this article does a good job at consolidating the material
and data into one place.
Consider the below amendment to the N40 Specific Plan
In Section 2. 7.4 Setbacks (Residential), page 2-26 of the N40 Specific Plan, add a requirement
that the residential housing must be 330 feet (100 meters) from the State Route 17 boundary.
Thank you,
Anne Robin son Roley
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•
3 .0 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
Additional Dust Measures
g . All excavation, grading, and/ or demolition activities shall be suspended when average wind
speeds exceed 20 mph;
h.
i.
Vegetative ground cover (e .g., fast-germinating native grass seed) shall be planted in disturbed
areas as soon as possible and watered approprilltely until vegetation is established; and
Unpaved roads shall be treated with a three to six inch compacted layer of wood chips, mulch,
or gravel.
Health Effects from Roadway Emissions. The Plan Area is adjacent to two arterial streets and
two freeways. High volumes of traffic , including heavy diesel trucks, use these roads. State
Route 85 has an average daily traffic volume of 110 ,000 veh icles, State Route 17 has an average
daily traffic volume of 86 ,000 vehicles, and the Lark Avenue onramp has a daily volume of
14,400 vehicles . State Route 1 7 traffiC' includes a bout 2.5 percent heavy duty trucks and about
three percent other trucks . Los G atos Boulevard and Lark Avenue have daily traffic volumes of
fewer than 30,000 vehicle s.
The Air District publishes scree ning tabl es to r roadways with higher than 10 ,000 daily trips.
According to the tables, the diesel pa tticulate matter and total organic gas emission cancer risks
associated with Los Gatos Boul evard a nd Lark 1\ venue arc Jess than significant beyond ten feet
from the edge of those roadway s . For the state highways, lllingworth and Rodkin conducted in-
depth dispersion modeling of toxic air contaminants to evaluate health risk factors . Cancer risks
were projected to be the highest at the southwest comer of the Plan Area, near the State Route
17 on-ramp from Lark Avenue , where the cancer risk was 14 .3 cases in one million . Cancer risks
that exceed the Air District's ten-in-one million threshold were projected to extend northward
for about three-quarters of distance of the Area Plan's western boundary, and extend into the
Plan Area by about 100 to 140 feet . No levels in excess of the Air District's thre~old were
projected along State Route 85. Non-cancer health risks from diesel particulate matter and total
organic gas emission did not exceed the Air District's threshold . The location of health risks in
excess of thresholds is identified on F igure 15 . Health R isks .
Health risks from fme particulate matter near State Route 17 and State Route 85 were also
assessed by Illingworth and Rodkin. Fine particulate matter concentrations were projected to be
the highest at the southwest comer of the Plan Area, near the State Route 17 on-ramp from Lark
Avenue, where the concentration was projected to be 0.33 micrograms per cubic meter. Fine
particulate matter concentrations in excess of the Air District 's threshold of0 .30 micrograms per
cubic meter were projected to extend northward for about one-quarter of distance of the Area
Plan's western boundary, and extend into the Plan Area by about 75 feet. No levels in excess of
the Air District's threshold were projected along State Route 85 .
3-48 EMC P L ANNING GR O UP I N C .
• • • • •
I
I
J
I
NORTH FORTY SPECIFIC PLAN EIR
The Draft Specific Plan designates a perimeter overlay zone at all of the Plan Area boundaries.
The perimeter overlay zone includes a minimum 30-foot setback of buildings from the State
Route 17 property boundary. The Draft Specific Plan also includes a landscaped butTer along
State Route 17. Beginning in 2014, more stringent diesel engine and fuel requirements will
reduce the future concentration of toxic air emissions, and reduce the extent of significant
impacts within the Plan Area. However, residential uses could be placed within areas with toxic
air contaminants in excess of standards . This is a significant environmental impact.
Implementation of the following mitigation measures would reduce toxic air contaminant health
risks to a less-than-significant level.
Mitigation Measures
AQ-5. High efficiency filtration (MER V rating of I 3 or greater) on ventilation systems shall be required in
residential, hotel, attd office unirs located in areas along State Route 17 identified in the EIR as
having cancer risk ill excess of I 0 cases per lm1lion.
AQ-6. Ground-level outdoor residential y ards that urt' nor oriented to the Los Gatos Boulevard side of the
Plan Area, slwll be located noc/0$1_'1' th an /00 ,"iier from the State Route 17 right-ofway prior to 2015,
and, subject to air hazards modeling to cmtfirm , nu closer than 50 feet .from the State Route 17 right-
of way thereafter (when diesel fu el and engin 11 changes will reduce diesel emissions levels).
Carbon Monoxide Concentrations. The proposed project would increase traffic volumes at
numerous intersections and reduce levels of service at several intersections. However, the
proposed project would not result in hourly traffic volumes in excess of 44,000 vehicles at any of
the street intersections, and therefore , the proposed project would not result in a significant
environmental impact from concentrations of carbon monoxide .
Cancer Risk from Stationary Sources. The gas station within the Plan Area has a screening
level cancer risk that is significant to a distance of about 100 feet from the gas pumps. Additional
analysis was conducted by Illingworth and Rodkin, who determined that cancer risk at 50 feet
from the pumps would be 2 .4 cases in one million. The Lark Avenue Carwash has gas pumps,
with a cancer screening level risk of 1.6 cases in one million. The San Jose Water Company
operates a back-up generator at the reservoir south of Lark Avenue, and at least 350 feet from the
Plan Area. Illingworth and Rodkin estimated the cancer risk at the nearest Plan Area boundary
to be 5.8 cases in one million. All of the stationary sources within 1 ,000 feet of the Plan Area
have cancer risk levels below the threshold of 10 new cases in one million. Toxic air emissions
from stationary sources would have a less-than-significant environmental impact.
Asbestos. The proposed project includes demolition of buildings that could include asbestos-
containing materials. Standard requirements for permitting removal and handling of asbestos
would reduce potential effects from asbestos from building demolition to a less than significant
EMC PLANNING GROUP INC . 3-51
Lege11d
D CoriCe' Rrsl<
-·-PrOJ9 C' Boundary Over 10 per Mr l/ion
Fhe Pomculare Marte·
§ Concenirotions o var 0.3
Micrograms per Cubrc .-..,erer
•
Pointof
Greatest Eff ect
Sou rce. lll ml!won.h and Rodkm. l nc 20!3 Gcogk Etrth ~0 1 1
Figure 15
Health Risks ••• -------~
N orth Forty Specific Plan EIR
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What is a safe di stance to li ve or work near high auto emission roads ? -San Dieg o UrbDe ... Page 1 of 14
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What is a safe distance to Live or work
near high auto emission roads?
' .. .-;:·:. 2015 d; B'LL ADA VtS - 6 CO'.AM[NTS
...
/i
I
1
A nearby roadway may be putting your
hou se ho ld's health at ri sk. The sa me is tru e of
workpl aces. school s. and othe r places where
peopl e spend sign ifican t ti me. This health ri sk is
from th e e l evated auto emissions near high traffic
roadways. It's a hea lth risk separate and in
addition t o the regional air pollution from auto
e miss ions.
We have come t o draw a false se nse of sec urity
from our collective sharing of regional air pollution and, perhaps . the belief that regu l atory
agencies protect us. However. resea rch continues to show that ai r pollution , particularly from
auto emissio n s, has profound effect s on health . Moreover. suc h impacts are unequally
distributed among local populations . l argely based o n nearness to major roadways.
Discussions about w hether or not to build o r expand roadways are dominated by the topics of
traffic congestion relief. urban planning. and greenhouse gasses. The impact of roadways on
Ameri ca ns' h ea lth and morbidity is often lost in th e discussions. 53.000 U S. deaths annually
are attr ibutable to automobile e miss ion air polluti on. (Calazzo. et al.. 2013) Many more are ill
or incapaci ta t ed from auto emiss ions. Ninety percent of the cancer ri sk from ai r pollution in
Southern Ca li fornia is attribu t able to auto emissions. (Hulsey , et al.. 2004. p a r. 10) For
compari son. there are 35.000 U.S. deaths a year from auto collisions (N HTSA. 2012). which is
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the t o p cause of death for U.S males between the age of 15 and 24. and in the top ten causes
of death of all Americans through the age of 54
The impact on life and safety generally from road expansion receives little attention.
However. auto emission pollution based on proximity to sou rce. i.e. line-sou rce pollution. is
one of the most overlooked healt h threa t s in the U .S Curre nt U .S . policies and regulations do
little to protect susceptible populations. including children. f rom the dangers of nearness to
auto-emission sources. Undoubtedly, the disproportionate lack of urgency concern ing the
health impacts of air pollut ion is attributable to its hidden and delayed impact Although the
health impacts of air pollution on general populations are certain . individual d iagnoses of
disease rarely identify ai r pollution as the cause. As a result. the health threat fa ils to take on
the personal dimension of other health threats . The same was true with smoking for many
decades. Additionally. awareness of li ne-source pollution is further hindered by confusion
wi th regional I ambient air pollution. which t ypica lly manifests in more noticea ble high ozone
levels. i.e .. smog.
Air pollution m o nitored by various agencies includes particulate matter (P M), ozone. nitrogen
dioxide. carbon monoxide. sulfur dioxide. and lead. However. two of these ca use the most
() concern due to their prevale nce and health signifi cance 1) Ozone , which cau se s the brown
smog commo nly seen over cities and 2) Particulate m atter (PM ). also referred to as ultra-fine
rT particulates (UFP). Unli k e ozone. PM exposu re is di rectly related to proximity to source-
primarily areas n ear t o or downwind from high traffic a reas . Moreover, fo r health impacts. PM
pollutio n may be the worst of the Lot Hea rt disease. lung function impairment. leukemia.
asthma. a nd lung ca ncer. are so m e of the condit ions that have been associated with PM
exposure re sulting from proximity to high traffic sou rces. (Hulsey. et al . 2004. par. 6 : Fulle r. et
al. 2012. pp. 257 -265) As stat e d in a 2002 study about exposure to highway PM s:
" Throug hout thf'-? pa st decade. (7pidemiologicul stud ies have reported a co n sistent
rela ti o nship between increases in p articulate matter (P M) ex posu re and
contemporury increases in mortality and morbidity. (Zhu. et <C~l.. 2002)
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Ambient UFP
-Deposition in the respiratory tract
Effects on:
Epithelial Cell s
Endothelial Cells
-I -
1'hm (oc a t w n
I firo HtJfi n r r u(a£1 011
t
' Extrapulmona ry Tissues I
• Heart
• B rain cy
Ir<tn)(oca l ion
v ru
l1{/ll("{ nrv
nl'rve /c)
otii1n ory
(m llJ
Figure 17 . Hypothesized pathways via w hich inhalation of UFPs may Lead to effects on
cardiovascular and respiratory systems and on the brain. Reprinted w ith per mission f r om
the Health Effects Institute, Boston MA.
() Children are especially vulne rable to auto-emi ssi on health impacts because. among other
reasons. they breathe more ai r relativ e to their body weight than adults. are more physically
rT act ive. and s pend more t im es ou tdoors during tim es when pollutan t levels are at their
highest. <Hulsey. et al.. 2004) Additionally , children hav e many more yea rs ahead of t hem in
w hich th e cumulative d amage caused by auto e m issio ns ca n man ifest itself in disease or
disability. Women who l ive near areas of high au tomobile traffic during pregnancy have a 20-
30% higher cha nce of ha vi ng children with l ung impai rment. (Morales. et al.. 2014) Auto
e mi ss ion PM exposure fro m nearness to high traffic during the the t hi rd t rim ester of
pregnancy doubles the risk for autism. (Raz. et al .. 2014).
11~~ of U.S. residents. over 30 million people. live within 100 m eters of 4 la ne o r grea ter
highways. (Brugge, et al.. 2007; Howard, 2011) Addin g in work places. scho ols. and
commu tin g. it is reasonable to extrapolate that roughly 1/3 of people spend a substa ntial
portion of their day exposed t o unhealthy levels of auto emission PM s.
So how can you determine your own exposu re level o r t h ~t of your ch il dren ? Below are
some key di stances an d other factors:
Ground Zero:
Curb si de and in -traffic air contains high level s of all pollutants associated with a uto emission s
-both PMs and gaseous substan ces like benzene and carbon monoxide. (Hulsey. et aL. 2004.
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par. ?) PM exposure at intersections is as much as 29 times higher than other portions of t he
road. (Goel & Kumar. 2015l Cyclists. auto occupants with windows down o r vents open. toll
booth operators. and roadside residen t s and businesses recei ve up to 25 tim es the level of
PM exposure. (Zhu. et al.. 2002) Moreover. the air inside a car typ ically contains higher
concentrations of these pollutants than the air outside of the car -as much as 4 t imes the
benzene and 10 times the carbon monoxide. OCT A 2000) Kee ping t he w indows closed and
t he ventilation set to recirculate can reduce in-car pollutants to 20% that of air outside the car
(LA Times. 2013)
High Toxicity Zone-300-500 feet:
On average. PM concentration is significantly higher within 330 feet (100 meters) of major
highways than it is further away. (Z hu . et al.. 2002) The smallest PMs. w ith a peak
concentrat ion of 1.6 x 10(5l/cm3. are the mos t dangerous. Smaller PMs carry tox ic substan ces
deeper into the lungs and body, and as a re sult. have more profound hea l th effects. (Cal. EPA.
Aug. 2014. p .29 l They are concentrated in an area with in 330 feet from highways. (Zhu. supra)
Pregnant women who live within 500 feet of high traffic areas are prone to bi rth
complications. including premature birth. low birth weig ht children . and children w ith medical
() proble m s. (Wilhelm & Ritz. 2003l A review of a broad range of stud ies has correlated early
morta lity -from a wide ra nge of illnesses -with living within 330 feet of a high traffic
rT roadway and related exposure to various auto emission substances. (Beelen. et al.. 2008)
Figure 3.2.6-4: Sensitive Receptor Locations
(Springdale Street to Warner Avenue) May
2012, 1-405 Improvement Project
Elevated Toxicity Zone -1,000-
1,500 feet:
PM s from auto emissions are elevated withi n
1.000 feet (300 meters) of a major highway.
(Yifang . et al.. 2002. pp . 1038-1039) A Denver
study indicated that children living roughly within
that distance were eight tim es as likely to
develop leukemia and six times as vu lnerable t o
all types of cancer. (Hulsey. et a l.. 2004.-par. 1) In
another study. children u nder 5 years of age
admitted to hospitals with asthma emergencies
were significantly more likely to live within soo
meters (1.640 feet) of a major highway when t raffic
flow exceeded 24.000 vehicles p er hour than
those who lived further away or when traffic flow
was less . (Edwards & Walters. 1994) Particle levels return to near norma l beyond thut
distance.
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Other Factors Influencing Air Pollution Levels Near
Roadways:
Wind:
People living ''downwind" of highways with 4 or more lanes (2 l anes in eac h di rection) are
ex p osed to higher levels of fine particu late matter. (8rugge, et al. 2007) Hov.;ever . thi s
circumstance does not exempt one side of a highway from PM dangers. In many region s.
wind direction changes not only depending on weather conditions. but al so between day and
night
Sun, Rain & Humidity:
Areas receiving higher amounts of rain or humidity can experience reduced auto-emission
pollution levels. especially ultra-fine particulate pollution. The clean air you sense after a rain
storm r eally is cleaner. Thi s fa ct is regu larly demonstrated in high-pollution Bejing . (USA
Today. Aug . 11. 2008) Atmospheri c condit ions alt er the size. di stribut ion. and composition of
() f reshly-emitted PM through condensation , evaporation . and diluti on during transpo rt to
downwind locations. (Brugge. et al.. 2007) Thus. hi gher humidi ty levels can t amp down th e
TT distribution of PMs . (HEI Review Panel. 20 13. p.24) Conversely. sun. heat. and l ack of humidity
general ly favor greater d istribution of PM . Additionally, ground level ozone concentration
is unh ealthiest on su nny and warm days.
Topography:
PM. as well as gaseous air pollutants. tend to
concentrate in va lleys due to containment by
topographical featu res. (HEI Review. supra)
Inversions. in which a layer of cold air is trapped
underneath a layer of warm a ir . ke ep PM
concentrated near ground level and aggravate
the concentration of PM in valley and canyon
f loors. Ibid. Fog is often an indicator of an
inversion .
Time:
A t e mperature inversion in a v a lle y -clean air
post e r from a T eache r 's Guide to Clean Air b y
BC Tra n sit, Nov. 2005 - r epublis h e d
p ermiss ion Ministry of Environme nt, Britis h
Columbia Canada
The time of d ay can influence PM concentratio ns near hig hways -both in terms of t raffic
concentrations and in terms of weather. (HE I Review Panel. supra) Of course. highways
experience much higher traffic concentratio n s at certain t im es of the day. However. such
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rT
concen tration has b ecome less va ried as employers stagger w ork shifts to alleviate
com mut ing burdens and as continued h ighway expansion creates induced
demand (tendency of freeway expansion to create more demand and congestion in the long
run by faci litating sprawll. Additionally. the heating and cooling of day and night effect
pollution concentrations at ground level.
Auto Emission Air Pollution as a Social Justice Issue:
The unavoidable conclusion fro m the research is that each time a major highway is built or
ex panded. some of the residents living nearby wi ll pay w ith their health or lives.
Nevertheless. compared to industrial uses that pose potential health risks , roadway
construction projects remain relatively unregulated as a direct air pollution health ri sk .
(Hulsey. et a l.. 2004) The sa me is true of the siting of residential. employment. senior. or
educational uses near highways.
(tnCiriOdti
Htghwt~y Health Hdzards
ltP..-'~-40:) '-'••l'l ~t-f)
• Nr-.,._.lMf~ .. 4J 1 t O• "f-\t'<ftJ•• . ..,.
Cincinna ti highway proximity health
haza rds. Republished perm ission
LAD CO
Low income a nd minority populations are
disproportionately impacted by air pollution health
risks . (Beleen. 2008) Subu rb an expans ion creates a
demand for road expansion through existing
neighborhoods. Lower income ne ighborhoods and
eth nic minority populations least often wield the
political influence necessary to resist road expansion
projects. Additionally. multifamily and afford abl e
housing is more likely to be si ted near high traffic
areas t han is more expensive detac hed housing.
More recently. the construction of high density
"tran sit oriented developments" (TODsl. which are
intended to reduce auto reli ance and which often
include affordable housing. are frequently sited near
h igh tra ffic areas. There has been little
acknowl edgement in U.S. transportation policy of the social inequality and the ethical issues
related to sac rificing the hea lth of members of one community to facilitate the growth and
commuting of another community.
Property condemned for a road expansion project results in monetary compensation to the
owner based on fair market value. However . residents put at risk by the additional traffic
emissions as a result of living adj acent to or near the road proj ect cannot recover
compensation or assistance to relocate.
Construction and expansion of roadways may involve some public d isclosure of health
impacts via e nv i ronmental report ing document s but the reporting tends to assume that "no
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build " highway expansion options will simply result in ever increasing con gestion. However.
more than a half century of highway building has demonstrated t hat congestion relief from
road expansion tends to be temporary. and that the long term impact is increased automobile
use and traffic congestion. Suc h "induced demand" is increasingly recogn ized as the long
term effect of expanding roadways to relieve current t raffic congestion.
Increasingly. line-source p roximity to auto emission pollution and the refinement and
improved accuracy of roadway air pollution dispersion modeling is being used in legal an d
political challenges to highway exp ans ion proposals. Given the stakes. it s hard to justify the
continued expansion of roa dways in urban areas . the slowness of conversion to non-
combustible fuel automobiles. or the proportionately small invest ment in public transit. If
such decisions were based solely on health criteria proport ionate to o t her identified public
risks . highways might be quarantined as an acutely elevated health ha zard to those who live
or work near them. Of course, such action is impractica l as it would result in vas t tracts of
existing homes. schools. and p laces of employment being abandoned
It is clear that the public is sti ll not fully aware of t he
() difference between ambient air pollution effecting the
general populace of a c ity and li ne-source air
TT pollution impact ing health based on nearness to
highways. Perh aps. if the public was more aware of t he
direct an d unequal health impacts of high-traffic road ways.
t ransitioning f rom roadway expansion t o tran sportation
alternatives wo u ld receive more urgency. One proposal for
an air quality district plan in California required that builders
of homes. schools. or day care centers p rovide notice to
their customers of t oxic emissions. including those
emanating from busy roads. within 1.000 feet. (Hulsey. 2004.
p.13)
WA.RN ING :
Areas within 1.000
feet of major
roadways conta in
substances known to
cause respiratory
illness , heart disease ,
cancer , and
reproductive harm .
Without a better understandi ng of line-source proximity exposure by the general public. its
hard to foresee subst an tial changes. It may take activism and information campaigns. such as
posting warning notices in neighborhoods within the 1.000 foot zone. t o ca tch the public's
attention and educate it on this health issue.
Updates:
Updates made February 2 . 2016
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"According to a study that will appear in the Feb. 17 (2007) issue of The Lancet and is now
avai lable online. researchers at the Kec k School of Medicine of USC found that children who
lived with in soo meters of a freeway. or approximate ly a third of a mile. si nce age 10 had
substan tial deficits in lung function by the age of 18 years. compared to children living at least
1.500 meters. or approximat ely one mi le. away." Living Near Highways Can Stunt l ungs. USC
News Uan. 27. 2007).
In November 2015. the U.S. EPA published a "best practices" manual in collaboration with the
Sou th Coast Air Quality Man agement District and the Southern California Clean. Green. and
Healthy Sc hools reg ardi ng the location (siting) of schools and mitigation of air pollution at
schools. The EPA a lso has a website p age summarizing the booklet. and Planetizen published
u su mmary.
Update made September 26. 2016:
A 2009 study indicates that unhealthy levels of air pollutants extend 15 miles downwind of a
freeway. particularly in the hours b efore sunrise Air pollution from freeway extends further
than previously thought. UCLA Newsroom . June 10. 2009
Notes:
While thi s a rticle cites a number of scientific articles. some "rounding" is used for the purpose
of readability. In other words. thi s article attempts to organi ze and summarize current
avai lable data into a general conceptual framework for general public understanding rather
than to p rovide new data .
References:
Caiazzo. F .. As hok. A. Waitz. lA. Yim . S.HL Barrett. S.RH (2013) Air po!Lution and early dedths
in th e United States. Part I. Quantifying the tlnpact of nk:?.for sectors in 2005. Laboratory for
Aviation and the Environment. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Mas sach u se tts
Institute of Technology . August 2013
Zhu. Y., Hinds. W.C .. Seongheon Kim, S . and Sioutas. C. (2012) Concentration and Size
Distribution of Ultrafine Particles Near a Major Highway, Journal of the Air & Waste
Management Assoc iation . vol. 52
Fa taLity AnaLysis Reporting Systern (2012) fars.NHTSA.do t gov
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What is a safe di stance to live or work near high auto emission roads ? -San Diego U rbDe ... Page 9 of 14
Mora les. E .. Garda-Esteban. R. Asensio de la Cruz. 0 .. Bas t e rrechea. M .. Lertxundi. A.
Martinez Lopez de Dicastillo. M.D .. Zabaleta. C.. Su nyer. J . (2014) Intrauterine and early
postnatal exposure to outdoor air pollution and tung function at preschool age. Thorax. 2014 :
See a lso. BMJ -British Medical Journal: See a lso Exposure to traffic po//ution during pregnancy
can damage future ch1!d's lungs ScienceDai ly, 20 October 2014.
Howard. E. (2 011) Eve1y Breath You Tak e. Tufts Now. November 2. 2011
Brugge. B. Durant. J.L .. Rioux. C. (2007) Near-highway po!tutants in motor vehicle exhaust: A
review of epidemiologic evidence of cardiac and pulmonary health n'sk s. Environ m e nt al
Healt h. Autust g. 2007. 6 23
Goel. A and Kumar. P. (2015 ) Characten'sation of nanopartic!e em1'ssions and exposure at
traffic intersections through fast-response mobile and sequential measurements
Atmospheric Environment. Vol. 107 . Apri l 2015. pp. 374-390
Hu lsey. B .. Hopkins. E .. Olson . E .. Burg. E .. and Carlson . M. (200 4) 1-fighway Nea!th
1-lazards: How highways and roads cause health p roblems in our communities-and what you
(t can do about it. Sierra Club. 2004. 6
TT Draft Environmental Impact Report/ Env1!·onmental Consequences. and Environmental
Impact Statement A vo1dance. Minimization. And/Or Mitigation Measures. 1-405 Improvement
Project. May 2012 3.2 .6 -22
Fuller. CH. Br u gge. D. Williams. P. Mittlem an . M .. Duran t. J .L .. and Spenglera. J. D.
(2012 ) Estimation of ultra fine particle concentra tions at near-highway residences using data
from local and central monitors. Atmospheric Environ m ent. Volu me 57 . Sept e m ber 20 12.
Pages 257-265
Yifang . Z . Hinds. W C.. Seongheon. K .. Shen. S .. Sioutas. C. Concentration and s ize d istribution
of u ltrafine particles near a major highway. Journal of the Ai r a nd Wast e Managem ent
Associa t ion . September 2002. pp. 1038-1039
Beelen.R.. Hoek. G .. A van den Bra ndt. P . Goldboh m . RA. Fi scher. P .. Schouten . L.J .. Jerrett.
M .. Hughes. E.. Armstrong. B .. and Bru n ekreef. B., Long-Term Effects of Traffic-Related Air
Pollution on Mortality in a Dutch Cohort (NLCS-AIR Study). Environmental Health
Perspectives (vol. 116 . no. 2. Feb. 2008)
Ra in . rain : BeU in g air pollution WelS hes away. August 11. 2008-USA Today
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What is a safe distance to live or work near high auto emission roads? -San Diego Urb... Page 10 of 14
In-Car Air Pollution: The Hidden Threat to Automobile Drivers. International Cen t er for
Technology Assessment (ICT Al Ju ly 2000. page 5
Barboza. T . For cleaner air. set car ven t s to 'recirculate .' study says September 12. 2013. LA
Times.
California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool. Version 2.0 (Calenviroscreen
2 o) Guidance And Screening Tool. California Environmental Protection Agency (Aug ust 2014l.
P.29.
HEI Review Pane l on Ultrafine Particles. 2013. Understanding the Health Effects of Ambient
Ultrafin e Particles. HEI Perspectives 3. Health Effects Institute. Boston. IVlA p. 24
Wilhelm. IV1 and Ritz. B .. Residential Proximity to Traffic and Adverse Birth Outcomes in Los
Angeles County. Environmental Health Perspectives (vol. 111. No. 2. Feb. 2003)
Edwards. J : S. Walters. et al.. Hospital admissions for asthm a in preschool children:
relationship to major roads in Birmingham. United Kingdom Archives of Environmental
() Health. (49(4): 223-7 1994)
TT San Diego Freeway (l-405) Supplemental Draft EnvironmentaL Impact Report I Environmental
Impact Statement. Figure 3 2 6-4 Sensitive Receptor Locations, California Dept of
Transportation (2013) (freeway wideni ng project)
Raz . R. Roberts , AL . Lyall. K. Hart. JE. Just. AC. Laden . F .. and Weisskopf, IVl.G. Autism
Spectrum Disorder and Particulate Matter Air Pollution b efore. during. and after Pregnancy: A
Nested Case-Control Analysis within the Nurses' Health Study II Cohort. Envi ronmental
Health Pe rspectives (2014)
H 1 ;::r; I UC ~~ EC OLOGY . ENVIRONMEf'JTAL HEALT H. FEAT U R:: POSTS SAN D IEGO TRANSPORTATIO\!
T,. r;•:;·=D \</ITH AIR POLLUTION. [MISSIONS PARTICULATE MATTER PM U rP U~TR!-1 FI:'\E PAR T ICULATES
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About Bill Adams
Bill Adams is the founder and c h ief editor of UrbDeZine. He is al so a partner in the San Diego law
f irm of Norton . Moore. & Ada ms. L L P. He has been involved wi t h land use and urban renewal for
nearly 25 yea rs . both as a profes sion a l and as a persona l passion. He currently sit s on t he Boards o f
San Diego Historic Streetcars. The Sa n Diego A rc h it ectu ral Foundation. and the Th e Food and
Beverage As sociation of Sa n Diego County.
Comments
Saam says
()
Th anks for consolidating so much material and data into one place! This was truly
rT informative.
Log in to Reply
Jacquelynne Le says
JU~C ,;, 2015 AT 9 29 At<1
Great! I've been looking forward to this article . I sent the link to a couple f r ie nds at
En v ironmental Heal th Coalition .
Couldn't have come at a better t ime since there has been talk about SR -94 bei ng
w idened.
PETITION : https:/ /www.change.org /p/sto p -the-srg4 -express-La ne -proj ect ?
source _l ocation ,pet ition_ footer&a l gorithm :promot e d
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Thanks!
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Paul McNeil says
JUNE 4 2015 AT 725 Pt'-'1
Nice w ork, Bill. Well resea rc he d and well written. My parents moved me and my 8 si blings
t o a house immediately abutting the l-5 in Anaheim. The house no longer exists -the
vict im of the las t Di sney expansion of the 5. Fo rtu nat e ly. we only li ved there for 3 yea rs but
th e noise was untenable until yo u got u sed to it. We had to imagine we were living next to
th e ocean w ith waves crashi ng and swooshing on the rocks. No one had AC and the
w indows were open half the yea r. That was in the yea rs before th ey removed lead f rom
o ur gasoli ne. I can't im agin e w hat a ll we inh aled in those 3 yea rs but you'll b e g lad to know
() I fee l f ine 4 2 years later !
rT I still b e li eve we need to d ensify th e communit ies near tran sportation corr idors. Maybe
electri c cars and sho rt term rental co mmunities are the answer.
Log in to Reply
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United Kingdom Lung Cancer Coalition I mesotheliomabox.com says
M()y 10. 2016 at 5:27pm
1...1 What is a safe di st ance t o live o r work ... -Low income and minority popu lations are
disproportionately impacted by air pollution health risks. <Beleen . 2008) Suburban expan sion
creates a dema nd for ... 1...1
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Niiios indigenas se amparan contra Peiia Nieto y empresa afin por destrucci6n de su
habitat -Agenda de Informacion Pu blica says:
Sep t ember 6. 2016 at 2 :42 pm
L.l acue r do la revista de planeamiento urbano San Diego U rbDeZin e. las autopist as a menos de
300 metro s de una p oblaci6n causan fuert es e f ect os en la salud por las I .l
Log i n t o Rep ly
Niiios indigenas se amparan contra Peiia Nieto y empresa afin por destrucci6n de su
habitat I An tena San L u is says :
Sept ember 6. 2016 at 3:56 p m
l ... l acu e r do la revista de planeamiento urbano Sa n Diego UrbDeZine. las au topist as a m enos de
300 metros de una poblaci6n causan fuertes efectos en la sa lud por l as L.l
()L og i n t o Re ply
rT
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Brett Thompson · Di recto r at JAB HAl Ma rine
Oh my goodness, this in formation is priceless . We are about to take on a
battle to try and stop a Petrol Station being bui lt less that 100 meteres from
our family home . I am reading and learning as much as possible, in a few
weeks we have to stand up infront of an independent panel and state why we
oppose the developement.
We have 3 boys aged 7 and under, our 2 youngest have both had seizures
from birth , I have dedicated the last 3 years of my life to getting them well. I
have focused on all aras of health , natura l therapy , enviroment , food ,
exercise ... my youngest has gone from 100 seizure ... See More
L1ke Reply {-~ Aug 11 .2016 7.15arn
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http://sandiego.urbdezine.com/20 15 /05 /28 /what-is-a-safe-distance-to-live-or-work-near-h... 12115 /2016
Sally Zarnowitz
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Attachments:
Hi ,
Shannon Susick <ssusick@comcast.net>
Thursday, December 15, 2016 9:18 AM
Sa ll y Zarnowitz
Desk Item for Special Meeting Tonight on the North 40
PC NO 40 Specific Plan .pdf
Thank you ..... will drop off thumb drive in a bit.
Shannon Susick
(~08) 316-9559
1
Special Planning Commission ;;----=-~--=---=-"---------------· ---··
December 15th 2016
North40
Specific Plan Amendments
The ''T'' Word
and it's not for Tony the Tiger
The ''T'' Word
TRAFFIC
• 6.5 Process for Estimating Mixed-Use
Trip Generation
• The recommended procedure for estimating
internal trip capture and trip generation for
a mixed-use development is a series of nine
steps:
Step 1: Determine whether methodology is
appropriate for study site.
Step 2: Estimate person trip generation for
individual on -site land uses.
Step 3: Estimate proximity between on-site
land use pairs.
Step 4: Estimate unconstrained internal
person trip capture rates with proximity
adjustment.
Step s: Estimate unconstrained demand
between on-site land use pairs.
Step 6: Estimate balanced demand between
on-site land use pairs.
Step 7: Estimate total internal person trips
between on-site land use pairs.
Step 8: Estimate total external person trips
for each land use.
Step 9: Calculate overall internal capture
and total external vehicle trip generation.
PLEASE INCLUDE TRAFFIC
MANDATES IN THE REVISED
SPECIFIC PLAN
• Levels of Service (LOS)
• Level of service
(LOS) is a qualitative
measure used to relate
the quality of traffic
service. LOS is used to
analyze highways by
categorizing traffic flow
and assigning quality
levels of traffic based on
performance measure
like speed, density,etc.
TRAFFIC PLAGUES EVERY PART
OF OUR TOWN
D's or F's in a classroom or on our streets are not considered
acceptable ..... .
D: approaching unstable flow. Speeds slightly decrease as
traffic volume slightly increase. Freedom to maneuver within
the traffic stream is much more limited and driver comfort
levels decrease. Vehicles are spaced about 160 ft(som) or 8
car lengths. Minor incidents are expected to create delays.
Examp1es are a busy shopping corndor in the middle of a
weekday, or a funct10nal urban highway during commuting
hours. It is a common goal for uroan streets du.ring peak
hours, as attaining LOS C would require prohibitive cost and
s ocietal impact in bypass roads and lane additions.
E: unstable flow , operating at capacity. Flow becomes
irregular and speed varies rapidly because there are virtually
no usable gaps to maneuver m Hie traffic stream and speeds
rarely reach the posted limit. Vehicle s pacin& is about 6 car
lengths, but speeds a re still at or above so m1 /h(8o km /h ).
Any disruption to traffic flow, such as merging r am)) traffic or
lane c hanges, will create a shock wave affecting traffic
upstream. Any incident will create serious delays. Drivers'
leve l of comfort become poor.L: This is a common standard in
larger urban areas, where some roadway congestion is
inevitable.
F : forced or breakdown flow. Ever;r vehicle moves in lockstep
with the vehicle in front of it, with frequent s lowing required.
Travel time cannot be predicted, with generally more demand
than capacity. A road in a constant .. ~ ' IS at this LO S,
because LOS is an average or typical service rather than a
constant state. For example, a highway might be at LOS D for
the AM peak hour, but have traffic consistent with LOS C
some days, LOS E or F others, and come to a halt once every
few weeks.
Key Intersection Grades after additional information requested by
Council
14
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TRAFFIC WAS ONE OF THE MOST
MENTIONED OBJECTIONS TO THE
RECENT APPLICATION.
PLEASE INCLUDE LANGUAGE TO
MANDATE TRAFFIC STUDIES THAT
ARE APPROPRIATE AND TIMELY.
PLEASE INCLUDE LANGUAGE
THAT CALLS FOR STUDIES
TRIGGERED BY NEARBY
DEVELOPMENTS
(such as Samaritan Drive.)
Presently the main transportation mode in the North 40 Specific Plan
area is the automobile .... mass transit such as VTA may be
discontinued .
Jl
... __ ._,.·.+..:. ·---·-----..---·--.. ~ ----·----~--...___ ------------------------·-. -·----···~---~---:;--· -~~:...: ... , ... .,.;,: . .:.. ... ~:~:~···1 , .
Additional Projects Scope and Impact
Studied v. Actual
STUDIED
• Good Samaritan ER
Expansion
• 2425 Samaritan Dr
o Expand ER by 14,796 sf
o Add 9 hospital beds
Samaritan Court Medical
Office
50 Samaritan Court
o 64,500 sf of medical office
building
ACTUAL
Per the Samaritan Medical
Center Master Plan
0 Full build out; demolition of
all existing medical office
buildings for Samaritan Drive
and Samaritan Court (13
Acres)
0 Net increase of 364,726 sf or
medical space ***
D *** slightly less than
commercial space allowed by
the Specific Plan
II
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r."~wmw~.r-~..!~M.~~T~~flft~,Fijjf,T~~
PLEASE INCLUDE ADDITIONAL
TRAFFIC LANGUAGE IN THE
REVISED SPECIFIC PLAN
Please cons i der thi s
staggering statisti c (based
on projections , no t
objective data .)
Pro j ected Trip Gene r ati on
for the No r th 40 proj ect
D An add i t i onal15,000-
16,000 daily trips
Pr oj ec t ed Trip Gene r ati on
Sama ri tan Maste r Pl an
D An add itional 14 ,000
new da ily veh i cle t ri ps
D 834 am/1 ,398 pm
, ' • "' • -. • r {' C , ~ ' . ' .. .• -~.,.~,, . ,. ·•(
~---------------· ------------_______ __,_ __________ ~ -~-~ ~ ·----------------·----------.. ~...;--
..... , 't
T should stand for our Town of Los
Gatos .... not Traffic
. .. '";. ·. . . -. -.... -· -----~ -----------. --. . . . ----~ ,_., , ___ . ·-_.-..
• ,~,~u~.·~"'rl~Al<J~E<W?J&~~~~~.:.... -. · ...
LET'S KEEP OUR TOWN TERRIFIC!
The residents of this town emphatically support our staff & commissioners in the
efforts to revise the North 40 Specific Plan.
We respectfully request you include in your motion a mandate regarding triggers and
timeliness of traffic and all other studies and incorporating the full impact of
developments outside the North 40. This will ensure compliance with the 4th Vision
Statement:
"The North 40 will minimize or mitigate impacts on town infrastructure, schools &
other community services."
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME & SERV ICE
II
Ref: THE N. 40 SPECIFIC PIAN, Request for Consideration of Amendments
The following comments are in the inte res t and consideration of architectural and
site d esign for the N40 Specific Plan amendments that can play a significant r ole in
the Planning Co mmission's A&S r eview as well as Council's ultimate decision.
The intent is to clarify and enhance the role of "Ex cell ence of Design" that b est
s uites the "look and feel" of the town.
Ben chmarks for what constitutes d es ign excellence for the N40 d evelopment can
b e addressed by the Sp ecific Plan.
I. Respect and Engage with the Agricultural Past.
Architecture and s ite design should reflec t the rural past, its natural
scheme, and capture the agrarian feel of t h e property. Con sider a
rural yet contemporary plan, tuned to the s ite, rural, yet "of today".
2. A void the Overuse of Concrete, Sleek Steel and Glass Boxes, (particularly
in the central area).
Although contemporary design can be an enhancement, it s hould be
carefully reviewed by the appropriate body for its context within the
rural atmos phere of the site. The land should be cons idere d more
important than the buildings.
3. Maximize Open Space, Views, and light.
Encourage site des ign that allows for maximum "rural-in-fe eling"
s tyle, versus a rigid grid urban pattern with cramped buildings,
and formal , symmetrical plantings.
4. Follow the Contours of the Property.
When loc ating structures, large and small, an organic layout can s uit
and complement the agricultural feel . It could result in fewer s tructures
but it could also r esult in more open s p ace, protection of the viewscape,
and a more aesthetically pleasing and welcoming d evelopment.
December 15, 2016