SUBJECT: GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 99-1

LOCATION: Ocean View Avenue between Third Street and Fourth Street

PURPOSE: To permanently close vehicular access along Ocean View avenue between Third Street and Fourth Street to allow conversion of a portion of the street to a walk street.

Planning Commission Recommendation

To amend the General Plan as described in the attached resolution, allowing for permanent closure, and the adoption of a Negative Declaration.

Background

On May 28, 1998, the City Council received a petition from 3rd Street residents requesting that a number of changes be made to improve safety on their street. A study was done and on August 11, 1998, and the City Council approved designating a short section of 3rd Street for two-way traffic, to allow for access to the commercial parking lot serving businesses on Pacific Cost Highway, and placing a barricade on 3rd Street where it becomes one-way eastbound. The temporary closure of Ocean View Avenue at 3rd Street was also approved. These measures were considered a trial and after 6 months, on March 9, 1999 the City Council again considered the matter and it was determined that the Street should be permanently closed to auto-traffic. The matter was then referred to the Parks and Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission to come up with a plan for the site. A second petition was received by City Council on April 13, 1999 and the Council asked that the two groups meet to determine whether a consensus could be reached and to report back on the matter on May 25, 1999. No consensus was reached on the street closure, however the groups were in agreement about the two way configuration of 3rd Street.

On September 20, 1999, the Staff Environmental Review Committee reviewed environmental documentation on the project including reports from the City Traffic Engineer and Fire Department and recommended an environmental negative declaration. The Fire Chief’s follow-up correspondence summarizes his findings that the closure would not present any negative impacts on life safety or Fire Department response.

On October 19 and November 16, 1999 the Planning Commission continued the hearing on the matter to obtain addition public safety input. At their meeting of December 1, 1999, the Planning Commission voted 3:1 (one Commissioner absent) to amend the General Plan identifying the subject portion of Ocean View Drive as a walk-street in the Circulation Element. The Planning Commission’s concerns regarding public safety and area circulation were addressed by correspondence by the Fire Chief and the City Traffic Engineer, however, one Commissioner disagreed and felt that new circulation problems would result with the traffic diversion.

Analysis

The proposed General Plan Amendment and permanent street closure involves a 91-foot segment of Ocean View Avenue, shown as lot 21 on the attached map. The temporary closure was initiated to study if any parking and circulation impacts would result from permanent closure of the street. A traffic study was conducted by the City Traffic Engineer with follow-up analysis from the date of the initial study, and it was determined that the proposed closure would not negatively impact area circulation and would minimally affect area parking. The City Traffic Engineer studied the traffic counts prior to and after the temporary closure for comparison and found that the impact of diverting traffic was not significant (August 24, 1999 report). The traffic engineer also provided a supplemental analysis (November 17, 1999 supplemental report) addressing operational and safety concerns, concluding that surrounding streets were virtually unaffected by the closure. An assessment was also made by the Police and Fire Departments relative to the closure and emergency services. Based upon the parking and traffic studies and input from the Public Works, Police and Fire Departments, the City Council commenced with permanent closure of the street.

The proposed change, initiated by concerned residents of Third Street, will improve area safety and may result in improvement of the parcel as a small park. Permanent closure of the street requires amending the General Plan. The proposed change to the General Plan involves only a minor map change to the General Plan map, and elimination of the segment of Ocean View Avenue as a vehicular street in the Circulation Element. The subject segment of street would remain a public way and improved as a landscaped walk-street, or small park based on direction from the City Council. If the General Plan Amendment is approved, the Public Works Department would commence with any required plans for the walk street/park improvements.

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