Title
a. Receive a presentation from the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) on the Marina-Salinas Multimodal Corridor Plan; and
b. Consider supporting the conceptual corridor alignment as part of the Multimodal Corridor Planning process.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive a presentation from the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) on the Marina-Salinas Multimodal Corridor Plan; and
b. Support the conceptual corridor alignment as part of the Multimodal Corridor Planning process.
SUMMARY:
The 1997 Fort Ord Base Reuse Plan (BRP) included an alignment for a multi-modal right of way from State Route One (SR1) to 8th Street and Imjin Parkway in Marina and then Blanco Road and Davis Road in Monterey County. In 2010, a revised alignment was accepted to relocate the alignment generally along Intergarrison Road to Reservation Road and then Davis Road to the Salinas city limits. The California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and the City of Marina requested consideration of a revised alignment that avoids a path through the campus and more directly serves development in Marina.
Over the past year TAMC has been coordinating with the affected agencies, jurisdictions, and property owners to identify a preferred conceptual alignment for the multimodal corridor. On April 30, 2014 the Planning Commission received a presentation and voted to support the conceptual alignment. On May 12, 2014, the Fort Ord Committee received a presentation and authorized staff to present the conceptual alignment to the Board of Supervisors for consideration. Since that time, the City of Marina selected a preferred alternative alignment through Marina that starts on 8th Street near the Monterey Branch Line right-of-way, continues along 8th Street to 9th Street and up 2nd Avenue through the Dunes development area to Imjin Parkway, rather than running along the north edge of the CSUMB campus.
TAMC is now requesting that the Board of Supervisors support the conceptual alignment before more detailed analysis and design is undertaken. Attachment 1 contains a memo and project information from TAMC.
DISCUSSION:
The primary purpose of designating a multimodal corridor alignment is to facilitate the planning of future development and transportation facilities and in particular, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service between Marina and Salinas. In addition to transit, the multimodal corridor will accommodate cars, bicyclists and pedestrians. Alternative routes for less experienced bicyclists and pedestrians have been identified in the more urban portions of the corridor.
The preferred alignment that has emerged from the multi-agency coordination meetings essentially runs from Marina along Reservation Road to Davis Road and then along W. Alisal Street into the City of Salinas and along Lincoln Avenue to the Salinas Rail Station. County staff considered the alignment with plans for a new bridge on Davis Road over the Salinas River and facilitated a meeting with the developers for East Garrison, and generally supports TAMC's preferred alignment for future BRT service. County staff, UCP Partners (East Garrison), and TAMC continue to evaluate options between Reservation Road and running the line through the East Garrison development. Reservation Road would provide the most direct service for a "rapid" transit but could add considerable cost to the project. East Garrison will have a substantial population base and commercial center that would benefit from having a stop within the development, provided it is consistent with the basic design concept of the Specific Plan.
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15004(b), this action is not a decision to approve or carry out a project within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act. The action pertains only to supporting a conceptual project that is conditioned upon CEQA review before a decision whether to authorize such use would be made. According to TAMC, support for the conceptual alignment is preliminary support and does not commit the County.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
TAMC is the lead agency on this program but is requesting that the County and other affected agencies provide conceptual support of the preferred alignment before they move to the second phase of the planning process. The City of Marina and Monterey-Salinas Transit have taken actions to support the conceptual alignment. The Fort Ord Reuse Authority and the City of Salinas are expected to do so in the near term. The Transportation Agency Board is scheduled to take action on the item on June 25, 2014.
FINANCING:
The recommended action involves supporting a conceptual alignment. This is a project under the Fort Ord Base Reuse Plan that is funded through the Fort Ord Reuse Authority and developer fees. There is no impact to the County General Fund.
Prepared by: Carl Holm, AICP, Deputy Director Resource Management Agency
Approved by: Benny Young, Director Resource Management Agency
cc: Board of Supervisor, County Counsel (W. Strimling), N. Chilous, N. Nichols, Economic Development (S Spaur), County Parks (J Akeman), County Sheriff, TAMC (T Muck, A Green) FORA (M. Houlemard, S. Endsley, J. Garcia, S Cook), BLM (E. Morgan), CSUMB (A Spear, K Saunders), MPC (V Nakamura), UC (G Bice), City of Marina (L Long), City of Seaside (D Ingersol), City of Del Rey Oaks (D Dawson), City of Monterey (E Caraker), Doug Yount, LandWatch (A White), Keep Fort Ord Wild (M. Erickson).
The following attachments are on file with the Clerk of the Board:
Attachment 1: 6/24/14 TAMC Memo (w/map)