Nancy Groves UCPG: Report of September Meeting -

UCPG University Community Planning Group

THE U.C. PLANNING GROUP REPORT from Nancy Groves, UCPG Rep District 1 (south University City):

The UCPG meeting on September 8, 2015, was a 4-hour marathon with many reports, updates and discussions. The following is a condensed summary.

A subcommittee wrote a report to UCSD to discuss the impact on the community of the increase of students and graduate/family housing. Impacts are felt on traffic/transportation, parking, schools, fire protection, parks, sewer capacity and water conservation/drainage. For example, Doyle school was designed to accommodate 500 students and currently has 919 children enrolled. UCPG would like UCSD to address the subcommittee suggestions to their Mesa housing expansion plan rather than rush it to the Regents on Sept. 16.

Council President Sherri Lightner, who attended the UC July 4 celebration, briefed us on her work with MTS on advertisements, Rose Canyon railroad work, fire stations, and introduced Council Chair of Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee, Marti Emerald. Emerald is sponsoring a bond initiative to build more fire stations based on the City Gate Report (completed 5 years ago). Although the city has 48 fire stations 19 more are needed. The bond will be on the 2016 ballot for $230 million to build and staff each station, and $40 million a year will be needed to maintain.

Fire Chief Javier Mainar stated that in UC we are short 3 stations: 1) station #50 is already in the works at Nobel and Shoreline, 2) an emergency response station will be in place in Jan/Feb 2016 in South U.C. and 3) Lightner is working on UCSD to build a station on campus. The goal is a 7½ min. response time since 87% of all calls are for medical. Using firemen/paramedics is much cheaper and more efficient than contracting outside agencies.

Independent Budget Analyst Andrea Tevlin gave a detailed report on this $230 million bond and what it would mean to tax payers. The estimated property tax would go up by $6 per every $100,000 of assessed property value or $30 per year on value of $500,000. (For most south UC residents that is about $30-$60 per year to have adequate fire and emergency medical services.)

Lisa Canning, Project Manager from City Engineering Dept. gave a report on the sewer rehab of laterals in S. UC. Rehabbing does not mean digging up the streets but running a pipe through the sewer access into the sewer lines and strengthening them from the inside out. She did not list the streets but I have them and will post here: Angell Ave, Arnoldson Ave & Ct, Brannick Pl, Branting St, Briand Ave, Buisson St, Bunche Ave & Terrace & Way, Ducommun Av, Dunant St, Fried Ave, Governor Dr, Honors Dr, Regents Rd, Stresemann St, Travers Way. Address questions to LCanning@sandiego.gov.

Dan Monroe, City Planning Department gave a brief introduction and update to the traffic study being prepared for an update to the University Community Plan Amendment which was initiated a year ago. He introduced the traffic engineers from Kimley-Horn who then gave details on how traffic studies are performed.

Dave Sorensen, traffic consultant reported on the technical work as of today which covers peak traffic areas, ADP 24 hr. analysis, land use inventory, coordination with MTS, SANDAG, and CALTRANS . Mobility studies of individual cars, buses, pedestrians, transit, trolley will be completed by next spring and posted on the Planning Dept. web site. Counting was done at 76 intersections from the last week in April – May and traffic and intersections were videoed from poles. All major arteries and freeways 5, 805, 52, were included from Cal Trans. The engineers answered many questions from the audience about the importance of velocity of traffic, school hours, and building occupancy. The mobility assessment impacts will be completed by Spring/Summer and a draft EIR (Environmental Impact Report) available for public review by Oct. 2016, and to the City Council by Nov. 2016.

Kim Elliott, VP of Development for Kilroy, presented an information only report on Kilroy’s plans to build a large, five-story Scientific Research Building on a small lot on 9455 Town Center Drive. They want to take ADT’s allowed at another Kilroy site and use them at this new redeveloped space; they maintain that in 2012 the ADT’s were transferred. ADT’s were discussed along with ideas to improve the appearance of the structure; they will come back to the planning group with more info.

Construction in Rose Canyon and La Jolla Colony is being done on the Coastal Rail Corridor (Lossan) on the Elvira-Morena railroad crossover on land owned by the railroad with some staging area at the end of the North side of Regents Road. (This will not interfere with the Thursday Farmers Market or with people hiking in the canyon.) The Elvira to Morena Double Track project will add a 2.6-mile second main track from state route 52 to just south of Balboa Avenue and will link to double-tracked segments on either end of the project, the result will be a continuous 10.3-mile stretch of double track to improve operations. The existing railroad track will also be realigned to straighten several curves at the north end of the project.

In addition to track construction, the project includes the addition of one and replacement of three existing single-track bridges with new bridges to accommodate double track operations, signal improvements, and ancillary utility and drainage improvements along the corridor segment. The eleven mile light rail trolley extension will be in the same right-of way but not on the same rails. SANDAG is coordinating the two projects. Details can be found at http://www.keepsandiegomoving.com. Discussion centered on how to improve the look of the one large cantilevered signal box and other large boxes that must be installed.

The last request was by Frank January, City Facilities Financing Dept., for $500,000 in additional funding for the widening of Regents Road to four lanes from Executive Drive to Genesee. The city seems to be rushing this through so that they will not have to abide by the new storm water requirements that go into effect on Dec. 24, 2015. The Planning Group members voted 10 to 2 to deny the request for additional funds since the city should be leaders in using new, city approved, better regulations. Of course, they can carry out the project on their own since it only came to the planning group because they wanted extra funds for the project.

Next meeting preliminary agenda: *SANDAG Trolley station design, *Scripps signage, *station naming rites, *return of Marengo & Morton conversion of office space to R & D at 9339 Genesee, * Climate Action Plan, *City cost of services for water and recycled water, *Scripps Research Institute

Nancy Groves is the resident representative for UCPG District 1, which encompasses south University City. The next UCPG meeting is Tuesday, October 13, 6 PM, at Scripps Office Bldg, 10010 Campus Pointe Drive. For more information about the University City Planning Group, visit http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/community/profiles/university/

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