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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/08/2012 - Adjourned City Council Meeting - Study SessionREGULAR ADJOURNEDISTUDY SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF COSTA MESA May 8, 2012 The City Council of the City of Costa Mesa, California met in a Regular Adjourned/Study Session on Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 4:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. The meeting was called to order by the Mayor. ROLL CALL: Council Members Present: Mayor Eric R. Bever Council Member Wendy Leece Council Member Stephen M. Mensinger Council Member Gary Monahan Council Members Absent: None Officials Present: CEO Thomas R. Hatch Assistant CEO Rick Francis City Attorney Thomas Duarte Deputy CEO/Economic & Develop Dir. Peter Naghavi Public Services Director Ernesto Munoz Public Affairs Manager Bill Lobdell Police Chief Tom Gazsi Acting Deputy City Clerk Christine Cordon Executive Secretary Chris Goldsworthy Mayor Pro Tem James M. Righeimer arrived to the meeting at 6:41 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS 1. Colin McCarthy, Costa Mesa, spoke against Alternative 3 of the OCTA 1-405 Freeway Improvement Project. (00:00:34) 2. Perry Valentine, Costa Mesa, expressed concerns regarding Alternative 3 of the OCTA 1-405 Freeway Improvement Project and against Alternative 3A of the SR - 55 Monument Sign Option (00:02:46) 3. Beth Retakes, Costa Mesa, spoke in opposition to the OCTA 1-405 Freeway Improvement Project, wanted to see "Welcome to Downtown Costa Mesa' on the SR -55 Monument Sign to promote the area and expressed concern on the use of fund balance in the FY 2012-13 Preliminary Budget (00:03:55) 4. Anna Reagan, Costa Mesa, read a letter on behalf of Mesa Verde Inc. expressing concerns about the OCTA 1-405 Freeway Improvement Project. (00:05:56) ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION 1. Status Update on 1-405 Freeway Improvement Project (00:08:54) Mayor Bever spoke of receiving many phone calls in opposition to the OCTA 1-405 Freeway Improvement Project and asked the audience for a show of hands opposing Alternative 3, stating approximately three dozen persons responding. (00:08:25) CEO Hatch introduced this item and explained that OCTA staff will address all the details of each alternative within the 1-405 Freeway Improvement Project and provide information on their community outreach. Public Services Director Ernesto Munoz introduced OCTA staff and asked for public comments to be taken after this item has been completely presented. OCTA CEO Will Kempton confirmed the agency's commitment to address the public's concerns with community outreach, and provided a brief overview of Measure M and successfully completed freeway improvement projects. OCTA Project Manager Niall Barrett presented the report, showing the project's history with a study report completed in 2008 with two alternatives, an environmental review in 2009, and a third alternative introduced. A traffic flow projection was ] introduced to determine necessary improvements for congestion management to J bring the 1-405 Freeway to where it should be by Year 2040. Mr. Barrett stated that based on this study, OCTA determined Alternative 3 to be the best scenario. Mr. Barrett explained that the 1-405 Freeway has problems with the general purpose (GP) and carpool lanes (HOV). One of the key improvements with Alternative 3 is increased mobility and minimum environmental impacts. The project will bring bridges and overcrossings to the Master Plan of Arterial Highways Standards. The improvements also include adding bike lanes, sidewalks, maintain or improve sound walls and constructs additional sound walls. A picture of existing traffic conditions of the 1-405 Freeway was displayed with computer generated animation showing the proposed Alternative 3 with one HOV lane in each direction, bridges widened and one additional HOV Toll Lane in each direction similar to the one on the 91 Freeway. The excess revenue generated from the Tolls would be reinvested in the corridor. Mr. Barrett stated that Costa Mesa will benefit from better connections to the 73 and 55 freeways from the 1-405. Design Build Cost Estimates were presented showing Alternative 3 as the more expensive project due to the project being longer extending past Euclid Street and down to the 73. OCTA has $600 million in M2 funds for this project and the OCTA Board approved in February additional M2 funding in bonds for the project. J Mr. Barrett stated that the draft project report shows no residential impacts and minimal effect on businesses in the Fountain Valley area only. Pictures depicting improvements in the Costa Mesa area was presented showing the 1-405 Southbound with a direct connector in Mesa North to the 73. The reasons OCTA decided to replace the Fairview Bridge versus building an overpass were explained and some replacement of current freeway landscape with hardscape in the Mesa North area was also explained. The schedule update was presented stating that the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be available on May 16 for a 45 -day review period. Ongoing public outreach efforts included three public hearings scheduled on June 6, 7 and 14. Mr. Barrett concluded the presentation, indicating that all input received from the 45 - day review period will be responded to and a Traffic Management Plan and agreements with affected cities would be signed ensuring access during all phases of construction. Mayor Bever thanked Mr. Barrett for the presentation and expressed concerns with the added HOV lanes causing traffic congestion on streets in Mesa North, especially Baker Street which is already impacted. Mayor Bever also felt that the average taxpayer would not benefit from the added toll lanes. (00:49:12) Mayor Bever questioned the financial benefit of Alternative 3. (01:21:15) Council Member Monahan thanked Mr. Barrett and OCTA staff for the presentation and their efforts to alleviate traffic on the 1-405 Freeway and asked to see a rendering of 1-405 at the southbound Euclid/Harbor intersection where there appears to be a bottleneck of traffic. Council Member Monahan also expressed major concern with bridges and on and off -ramps being replaced at Fairview and Harbor Boulevard and asked why Alternative 3 was being pushed at this time. (00:52:04) OCTA CEO Kempton stated that Alternative 3 provided more improvement of traffic flow through the corridor and stated that he will be talking to residents to get more input during the review period. CEO Kempton thanked the City Council for listening to the presentation and left the meeting. Council Member Monahan asked Deputy CEO/Economic Development Director Peter Naghavi to provide an overview of the improvements to the 1-405 and 73 freeways. Mr. Naghavi stated that 10 years ago $53 million was spent to widen the 1- 405 and 73 freeways with the promise of no further improvements through Costa Mesa. Mr. Naghai stated that the bottleneck on the 1-405 begins at Brookhurst and explained the differences in the three alternatives presented by OCTA. (00:52:02) Council Member Monahan displayed Alternatives 1, 2 and 3 on overhead screens and described the scenarios to address the bottlenecks indicating that Alternative 2 seems to have the less impact on Costa Mesa. (01:30:56) Mayor Pro Tem Righeimer thanked OCTA for their presentation and asked for clarification on the HOV lanes through Costa Mesa and the proposed express lanes and bridges expressing concern for traffic impacts in the Mesa North area and impacts of freeway lanes coming closer to residential areas and asked questions on the duration of the demolition and reconstruction of the Fairview Bridge, effects on commercial properties. (01:02:07) Council Member Leece expressed a desire for an OCTA 1-405 Open House public meeting in Costa Mesa for the residents and asked questions about the public review period for the Environment Impact Report (EIR) and any remedies for traffic on the 55 freeway going northbound in the afternoon. (01:13:32) Council Member Mensinger thanked Mr. Barrett for his presentation and expressed concerns on the 1-405 improvements having no benefit to Costa Mesa. (01:24:17) Mayor Bever allowed members of the public the opportunity to provide feedback on this item. (01:34:47) Jim Fitzpatrick, Costa Mesa, stated that OCTA misunderstands the impacts to Costa Mesa. (01:36:04) Olga Franklin, Costa Mesa, stated that traffic improvements mean adding lanes, but should look at public transportation that has less impact on lifestyle, noise and pollution. (01:37:49) Robin Lefler, Costa Mesa, spoke about a letter of opposition from Mesa Verde Community Inc. (01:39:28) Debbie Marsteter, Costa Mesa, asked a question on soundwalls and the impact of removing soundwalls and expressed concerns with the impact on commercial properties at Cambridge Park. (01:40:47) Susan Graham, Costa Mesa, expressed opposition to the 1-405 improvement project and asked questions about the toll booths for the express lanes and the system for paying tolls. (01:41:51) The City Council took no action on this item. The Mayor recessed the meeting at 6:19 p.m. (01:44:35) The Mayor reconvened the meeting at 6:31 p.m. (01:47:11) 2. SR -55 Gateway Improvement Project — Monument Sign Option (01:47:34) This item was continued to the May 24, 2012 Special Study Session. J 3. Introduction and Overview of the FY 2012-13 Preliminary Budget (01:47:40) CEO Hatch introduced this item as brief introduction to the budget document and complimented staff on the preparation of the budget document which incorporated Council suggestions. CEO Hatch itemized items not included in the budget document. Finance/IT Director Bobby Young complimented staff for their hard work and provided a PowerPoint presentation outlining the Fiscal Year 2012-13 budget. Mr. Young provided the line items for the budget summary, total operating and capital improvement, distribution of appropriations, and charts showing the increases in the budget from FY 2011-12 to FY 2012-13. Mr. Young also addressed capital improvements and other unfunded items that were not included in the budget and statistics for general fund revenue estimates and increases. (02:00:51) Discussion ensued on increases to the budget, capital improvements and other items the City Council wants staff to include in the budget and whether or not items should be added at this time. CEO Hatch and Mr. Young responded to questions from the Council Members. (02:10:36) 4. Employee of the Month The City Council reviewed applications submitted for Employee of the Month; a ' preference was indicated, absent any objection. Announcement of the Employee of the Month would be made at a subsequent City Council meeting. COUNCIL MEMBERS' REPORTS, COMMENTS, AND SUGGESTIONS None ADJOURNMENT The Mayor adjourned the Study Session at 7:07 p.m. Mayor of the City of Costa Mesa ATTEST: Acting Deputy City Clerk of the City of Costa Mesa