06-0530_CC_Minutes_Regular MeetingMINUTES
' MAY 30, 2006
CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO
CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION JOINT MEETING
CLOSED SESSION (610.85) — None
Mayor Swerdlin called the joint meeting of the City Council and Planning Commission of
the City of San Juan Capistrano to order at 7:02 p.m. in the City Council Chamber.
Council Member Soto led the Pledge of Allegiance and Council Member Allevato gave
the invocation.
ROLL CALL
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Diane Bathgate, Joe Soto, Mayor pro tem Sam
Allevato, and Mayor David M. Swerdlin.
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Wyatt Hart
PLANNING COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Joe Drey, Tim Neely, Gene Ratcliff (7:20
arrival), Vice Chairman Sheldon Cohen, and Chairman Robert Cordoza
' PLANNING COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Dave Adams, City Manager; Meg Monahan, City Clerk; William M.
Huber, Assistant City Manager; Molly Bogh, Planning Director; Nasser Abbaszadeh,
Engineering and Building Director; William Ramsey, Principal Planner; and Eileen
White, Recording Secretary
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None
DISCUSSION ITEMS
1. CONCEPTUAL DESIGN ALTERNATIVES RELATED TO CALTRANS'
PROPOSED WIDENING OF ORTEGA HIGHWAY (SR -74) PRESENTED AND
GENERAL CONSENSUS ESTABLISHED. (820.20)
Council Member Bathgate recused herself from considering this item due to the
proximity of her property to the proposed project and left Council Chamber.
Description: The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has
proposed to widen Ortega Highway (SR -74), which is designated as a scenic
route in the City's General Plan, to four lanes from Calle Entradero to east of
Antonio Parkway, Rancho Mission Viejo Company is working with Caltrans in the
' preparation of preliminary design plans for the proposed widening, and Caltrans
has invited the City to participate in the project design process. Staff
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recommended Council and Commissioners provide direction to Caltrans on the
proposed conceptual design alternatives with respect to design concepts,
including the roadway section, sound walls, retaining walls, and landscaping for
Caltrans -proposed widening of Ortega Highway.
Written Communications:
Report dated May 30, 2006, by William Ramsey, Principal Planner.
Supplemental Agenda Item dated May 30, 2006, by William Ramsey, Principal
Planner.
Email dated May 26, 2006, from Maryann Tucker, City resident, supporting the
proposed sound walls.
Presentations:
Molly Bogh, Planning Director, summarized the staff report.
William Ramsey, Principal Planner, provided the project overview.
William Bennett, HDR Engineering, narrated the slide presentation.
Mike Sweeney, Land Concern, landscape architectural consultant to Caltrans,
presented and discussed alternative sound wall and retaining wall materials and
treatments.
Reza Aurasteh, Caltrans representative, presented the results of the noise
analysis and discussed survey particulars.
Ahmed Abou-Abdou, Caltrans Project Manager, addressed signal warrants.
Public Comment:
Robert Lavacot, City resident, requested an aesthetic design solution for the
retaining and sound walls rather than a cost saving solution.
Alan Bober, City resident, ascertained that installation of sound walls will be
determined by a greater than 50% vote by affected residents that return the
surveys.
Bernard Hale, City resident, requested mitigation of noise reflected from sound
walls and consideration of costs associated with project impact to Hunt Club
guard gates.
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Bob DeCaro, City resident, asked for continued research into sound wall options
' to mitigate noise impacts; requested the rural character of the area be
maintained; and was concerned with pedestrian safety on the trail and crossing
Ortega Highway.
Osman Castillo, City resident, was concerned with aesthetics, maintenance
problems, and amplified noise from sound walls.
Jeff Allen, City resident, requested the residents on the north side of Ortega
Highway be treated as affected parties.
Dan Merkle, City resident, expressed concerns with safety issues and requested
controlled access. He also requested Caltrans to work closely with the City to
address aesthetic issues.
Sandra Butler, City resident, was concerned with removal of existing landscape,
adequate areas for wall footings, and decreased property values.
Jim Cunningham, City resident, was concerned with increased noise and the
impact on the grade of his driveway, which needs to be accessible for large
horse trailers. He opposed a monolithic wall design and was concerned with
potential graffiti and loss of rural ambiance.
' Ed Paniagua, City resident, supported installation of sound walls on the South
side of Ortega to mitigate the increased noise from adding more traffic lanes.
Dan Campion, City resident, supported installation of sound walls to mitigate
noise and ascertained that no other mitigation is required if the sound walls are
not approved by a greater than 50% vote from the residents that complete the
surveys.
Chip Assade, City resident, was concerned about access to the equestrian trails
during construction and following completion of the project.
Larry Thomas, City resident, recommended rubberized coatings on retaining
walls for additional sound attenuation.
Kevin Baldridge, City resident, recommended a natural screen of landscape
materials in front of the sound and retaining walls.
Allen Robinson, City resident, preferred a block sound wall with an arch design to
reflect the City's character.
Ron Miller, City resident, ascertained that the Mission Woods landscape district
' was not part of the project.
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(2) speakers without identification suggested considering alternative routes for
traffic, concerning the stacking of cars at the Hunt Club entrance.
Briand Parenteau, City resident, inquired into annexing portions of Rancho
Mission Viejo.
Council/Commission General Consensus:
1. Concurrence with the proposed 70' side geometric design section for the
Calle Entradero-Avenida Siega road segment, and a 76' wide geometric
design section for the Avenida Siega-City limit road segment.
2. Concurrence with reconstructing the existing eastbound right -turn lane
curb return and sidewalk at Via Cordova.
3. Concurrence with considering at least one signalized intersection and
providing pedestrian/equestrian crossing, noting that the City would fund
any signal that did not meet warrants.
4. Concurrence with removal of the existing sidewalk along the north side of
Ortega Highway from Calle Entradero to Via Cordova and no construction
of new sidewalk on the north side of the highway to City limits, while
recognizing the need for future signalized pedestrian crossing.
5. General consensus that more study of sound wall materials is needed to
enhance aesthetics and capture or reduce sound reflection, and
acknowledging City willingness to fund materials that exceed Caltrans
standards.
6. General consensus that City is willing to fund maintenance of glass walls
or other walls that exceed Caltrans standards, provided that such
materials reduce sound deflection.
7. General consensus that for retaining walls on north side of Ortega
Highway, faux rock is the preferred material except that if the walls can be
completely covered with landscape, such as vines, or other similar
approach.
8. General consensus that the north side of Ortega should be landscaped
with drought tolerant, native or historical California plant palette. The city
will consider covering the cost differential.
9. General consensus that the city agrees to maintain all landscaping for the
project located within city limits.
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ADJOURNMENT
' There being no further business, Mayor Swerdlin adjourned the joint meeting at 10:25
p.m. The City Council was adjourned to Tuesday, June 6, 2006, at 5:30 p.m. for Closed
Session, and 7:00 p.m. for the Public Business Session, in the City Council Chamber.
The Planning Commission was adjourned to Tuesday, June 13, 2006, at 7:00 p.m. in
the City Council Chamber.
Respectfully su
July 3, 2006
ATTEST
DAVID M. S E DLIN, MAYOR
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