Title
Public Hearing to consider adoption of a resolution to:
a. Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Castroville Bicycle/Pedestrian Path and Railroad Crossing Project; and
b. Adopt a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Castroville Bicycle/Pedestrian Path and Railroad Crossing Project; and
b. Adopt a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan.
SUMMARY:
An Initial Study and a Mitigated Negative Declaration have been prepared pursuant to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to assess potential environmental impacts of the Castroville Bicycle/Pedestrian Path and Railroad Crossing project. A Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration was filed with the Clerk of the Board on September 24, 2013. The document was circulated as required from September 24, 2013 to October 24, 2013. One comment letter dated October 22, 2013, was received from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) stating that CPUC authorization is required for new grade separated highway-rail crossing with a minimum vertical clearance of 22'6" from top of rail and a minimum horizontal clearance 8'6" from centerline of track. The project is being designed to CPUC requirements in response to this comment (see Attachment 1). The analysis determined that a Mitigated Negative Declaration was appropriate.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed project is located in the community of Castroville. The proposed project is an approximately 3,878 foot (0.74 mile) bicycle/pedestrian path that runs along Salinas Street from McDougall Street to Axtell Street with a 1,170 foot long over crossing at Union Pacific and a bicycle path to Castroville Boulevard. The bicycle path pavement will be 8 feet wide, with 2 feet wide decomposed granite shoulders on each side.
Currently, pedestrians and bicyclists are unl...
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