PC & TC Minutes-2008-04-2932400 PASEO ADELANTO %, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL .
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA 92675
(949) 493-1171 L — SAM ALLEVATO
ID(DRPDRfliE0 THOMAS W. HRIBAR
(949) 493-1053 FAx ESTABLISHED I96I MARK NIELSEN
www.sanjuancapistrano.org 1776 JOE SOTO
® ® DR. LONDRES USO
MINUTES OF THE JOINT MEETING OF THE
PLANNING COMMISSION AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
Tuesday, April 29, 2008 — 6:30 p.m.
A. ORGANIZATION
1. CALL TO ORDER: 6:30 p.m. for Business Session
2. ROLL CALL
Planning Commission Transportation Commission
Chairman Sheldon Cohen Chairman Ken Ficklin (absent -excused)
Vice Chair Gene Ratcliffe Vice Chair Matt Gaffney
Robert Cardoza Erin Kutnick
Ginny Kerr Charles Lange
Tim Neely (absent -excused) Larry Kramer (absent -excused)
Staff members in attendance: Grant Taylor, Assistant Planning Director; Nasser
Abbaszadeh, Engineering and Building Director; Alan Oswald, Senior Engineer -
Traffic; Sue McCullough, Recording Secretary
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
B. PUBLIC HEARING
1. Interstate 5/State Route 74 (Ortega Highway) Interchange Improvement Project
— Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment (DEIR/EA)
Written Communications
April 29, 2008
Staff presentation & recommendation
Mr. Oswald presented the staff report and recommended that the Planning
Commission and Transportation Commission open the Public Hearing, take
public comment, close the public hearing and provide input from each of the
Commissioners.
Mr. Kevin Haboian, Parsons Consultant, provided a Powerpoint presentation and
asked for feedback on the Draft EIR. Mr. Haboian said that Alternatives 3 and 5
address the main purposes and objectives of the project.
San Juan Capistrano: Preserving the Past to Enhance the Future
�p Printed on recycled paper
PC & TC Meeting Minutes 2 April 29, 2008
Commissioner Questions and Comments
Commissioner Lange asked where the data comes from of the estimated
increase from 99,000 to 215,000. Mr. Haboian said that Austin Foust Associates
worked with the County and OCTA to develop the data.
Art Garbagan, noise expert, said the future noise resulting from Alternative 5
would be the same or less than Alternative 3.
Commissioner Kutnick asked what would have been done with traffic going
southbound in Alternative 3. Mr. Oswald said both options are within an
acceptable level of service.
Vice Chair Gaffney asked if the $58 million is 2008 or 2011 dollars, and if it will
cost a lot more than originally planned? Mr. Haboian said the cost estimates
reflect late 2007, early 2008 dollars, and over time costs go up.
Vice Chair Gaffney asked how much of the $58 million the City would pay and
how much Caltrans would pay. Mr. Haboian said all the funding is coming
through the OCTA Measure M program, and that the funding should take care of
inflationary measures that will take place over the next two years.
Vice Chair Ratcliffe asked if the geometric problem that disqualified Alternative 4
is present in Alternative 5, i.e., the difficult acute turn from the southbound off
ramp onto eastbound Ortega. Mr. Haboian said in Alternative 4 it is a larger skew
angle.
Commissioner Cardoza asked who made the decision to eliminate Alternative 4.
Mr. Haboian said the off ramp alignment of Alternative 4 was done by Parsons
and Caltrans to minimize the impact to the school.
Commissioner Cardoza said that special landscape treatment should be given to
the window to San Juan. Mr. Oswald said the City could enter into an agreement
with Caltrans, with the City having more of a financial responsibility for aesthetic
treatments to the walls.
Commissioner Kerr asked if this project could be affected by budget shortfalls.
Mr. Haboian said that the timeline is an accurate optimistic schedule, and that
incoming revenue should remain.
Chair Cohen asked how the high level of accidents would be mitigated. Mr.
Haboian said that removing the left turn for vehicles getting onto the northbound
onramp and an 8 -foot shoulder should lessen the accidents that occur at the
Ortega Highway intersections and traffic coming off the southbound off ramp.
Chair Cohen asked what the public review process will be on the final EIR. Mr.
Haboian said public comments are responded to, and the City in consultation
with Caltrans would determine the final alternative to recommend.
PC & TC Meeting Minutes 3 April 29, 2008
Mr. Taylor said that the final EIR would come back to the Planning Commission
to include Response to Comments and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting
Program. Public comment period ends May 12t .
Chair Cohen asked how traffic will be enhanced to balance losing the gateway
and the entry statement on the west side of the freeway that would be lost with
Alternative 3. Mr. Haboian said a number of analyses have been done to insure
one to two better levels of service.
Chair Cohen said that questions would not be answered this evening, but would
become part of the EIR, and formal responses would be given to those
questions.
Public Comments
Ted Stroscher, Del Obispo, opposed Alternative 3 and 5, spoke in favor of
Alternative 4, asked if Measure M covers condemnation awards to be made on
the private property that is being taken, and said there would be problems with
condemnation.
Silvia Pule, 31642 EI Camino Real, Principal, San Juan Elementary School, said
that Alternate 3 provides the best option for the school.
Eric Altman, 102 Lattice, Irvine, spoke on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce
Economic Development Committee, read from and presented a letter to the dais
regarding traffic, economic, and street alignment impacts as well as the need for
improved access to downtown. Specifically, the study must address
1) Traffic impacts on the local streets such as Ortega, EI Camino Real, Del
Obispo, and Camino Capistrano, 2) evaluate economic impacts of the west side
street alignments during the construction phase and after completion of the
interchange, 3) How to provide improved access to downtown, and 4) Identify
and address the adverse impacts on the street alignments on the downtown.
Laura Freese, 26332 Paseo Toscana, spoke in favor of Alternative 3, said the
gateway to downtown is important, and asked that Stonehill be opened up to
reduce the pressure on Ortega Highway.
Carmen Escamilla, 31372 Guadalupe, spoke in opposition to Alternative 5 and
asked that a no -build alternative be considered.
John D. Gantes, P.O. Box 80340, Rancho Santa Margarita, owner of Arby's
Restaurant, asked if under Alternate 5, the building could be reconfigured to
include a drive-through.
Sia Adabkhah, 27142 Ortega Highway, owner of Denny's Restaurant, spoke in
opposition to the item, and said that 200 employees and their families would
have to relocate.
PC & TC Meeting Minutes 4 April 29, 2008
Commissioner Questions and Comments
Commissioner Lange asked if the Measure M money covers condemnation
costs.
Commissioner Kutnick suggested closing Ortega in front of the Mission, making it
a plaza, and realigning with Verdugo before Alternative 3 begins.
Vice Chair Ratcliffe voiced concern regarding pedestrian and bicycle circulation,
and asked if the loop ramp and northbound ramp would be a signalized free right.
Commissioner Cardoza said he would like to see if Alternate 4 could be
amended to make it a workable solution and viable alternative design.
C. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS:
Persons wishing to address the Commissions on city business that is not listed on the
agenda may do so at this time.
None.
D. ADJOURNMENT:
1. Planning Commission: to Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the City
Council Chamber.
The Planning Commission meeting adyourned at 7:40 p.m. to the Regular
Meeting of the Planning Commission of 7:00 p.m. on May 13,
2008 at 7:00 p.m., in the City Council Chamber.
2. Transportation Commission: to Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the
City Council Chamber.
The Transportation Commission meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m. to the
Regular Meeting of the Transportation Commission on May 14, 2008 at 7:00
p.m., in the City Council Chamber.
E. CERTIFICATION: The agenda was posted at City Hall, the San Juan Capistrano
Library and the Community Center Reception Area on April 24, 2008, before 5:00 p.m.
Ap roved:
Steven A. Apple, AICP
Planning Director
Alan P. Oswald
Secretary to the Transportation Commission
Those persons desiring to make public comments on agenda items will be given an opportunity to do so.
Written information pertaining to any of the items must be submitted to the Planning Department by 5:00
p.m., on Monday, April 28, 2008 at 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675. E-mail
correspondence may be sent to: plan ningdep�a.san0uancapistrano.org and should reference the project
name and/or project planner in the subject line. Individuals desiring to submit written information at the
meeting must request and be granted approval by the Chairman.