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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/13/2014 AGENDA - Regular MeetingTRAFFIC & TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AGENDA February 13, 2014 7:00 P.M., Regular Meeting Diamond Bar City Hall Windmill Community Room 21810 Copley Drive Diamond Bar, California Chairman Vice -Chair Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Kenneth Mok Jen "Fred" Mahlke Ted Carrera Liana Pincher Peter Pirritano Witten materials distributed to the Traffic and Transportation Connnission within 72 hours ofthe Tra fc and Transportation Commission meeting are available for public inspection immediately upon distribution in the City Clerk's office at 21810 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, California, during normal business howl. Copies ofstcffreports or other written documentation relating to agenda items are on file in the Public Works Department located at 21810 Copley Drive, and are available far public inspection. Ifyou have questions regarding an agenda item, please call (909) 839- 7040 during regular business hours. In an effort to comply with the requirements of Title 11 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the City ofDiamond Bar requires that any person in need of any lype of special equipment, assistance, or acconmodation(s) in order to communicate at a Chy public meeting must irnfm-m the Public Works Department at (909) 839-7040 a mininnan of 72 hours prior to the scheduled meeting. Please refrain from smoking, eating or drinking The City ofDiamond Bar uses recycled paper in the Auclitoriwn and encourages you to do the same CITY OF DIAMOND BAR TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AGENDA February 13. 2014 DIAMOND BAR CITY HALL WINDMILL COMMUNITY ROOM 21810 COPLEY DRIVE, DIAMOND BAR CALL TO ORDER: PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 7:00 p.m. Commissioner Vice -Chair Mahlke ROLL CALL: Commissioner Carrera, Pincher, Pirritano, Vice -Chair Mahlke, Chairman Mok I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Minutes of January 9, 2014 II. PUBLIC COMMENTS This is the time and place for the general public to address the Commission. Items to be discussed here are those which do not already appear on this agenda. III. ITEMS FROM STAFF A. Traffic Enforcement Update " 1. Citations: November, December 2013 & January 2014 2. Collisions: November, December 2013 & January 2014 3. Street Sweeping: November, December 2013 & January 2014 IV. OLD BUSINESS V. NEW BUSINESS VI. STATUS OF PREVIOUS ACTION ITEMS VII. ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS VIII. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS A. CCTV Project B. Diamond Bar Traffic Responsive Plan/System C. NTMP — Castle Rock Road/Crooked Creek Drive Neighborhood D. ACE's Fairway Drive Grade Separation Project E. Morning Canyon Rehabilitation Project F. Edison Infrastructure Upgrades G. Evergreen Springs Elementary School Traffic/Parking H. City Council Goals and Objectives Update I. General Plan Status Report for 2013 IX. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE CITY EVENTS A. HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE & E -WASTE ROUNDUP — Saturday, February 15, 2014 — Gateway Corporate Center, 1300 block of Bridgegate Drive B. PRESIDENTS' DAY OBSERVED — City Hall offices will be closed on Monday, February 17, 2014 in observance of the holiday. C. CITY COUNCIL MEETING —Tuesday, February 18,2014 — 6:30 p.m., AQMD/Government Center, 21865 Copley Drive, Auditorium D. PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING—Tuesday, February 25,2014- 6:30 p.m., Diamond Bar City Hall, Windmill Community Room, 21810 Copley Drive E. TRANSIT LATE NIGHT—Tuesday, February 25, 2014—City Hall front counter will remain open until 7:00 p.m. F. PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING — Thursday, February 27, 2014 — 7:00 p.m., Diamond Bar City Hall, Windmill Community Room, 21810 Copley Drive X. ADJOURNMENT * THIS INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED AT THE FEBRUARY 13, 2014 MEETING CITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 9, 2014 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Mok called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. in the Diamond Bar City Hall Windmill Community Room, 21810 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, California 91765. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Pirritano led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Commissioners Ted Carrera, Liana Pincher, Peter Pirritano, Vice -Chair Jen "Fred" Mahlke, Chairman Kenneth Mok Also Present: David Liu, Public Works Director; Kimberly Young, Senior Civil Engineer; Christian Malpica, Associate Engineer, and Marcy Hilario, Administrative Coordinator. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A. Minutes of the November 14, 2013 Regular Meeting. C/Carrera moved, C/Pirritano seconded, to approve the Minutes of the November 14, 2013 regular meeting as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS NOES: COMMISSIONERS ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS II. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None III. ITEMS FROM STAFF: Carrera, Pirritano, VC/Mahlke, Chair/Mok None Pincher None A. Receive and File Traffic Enforcement Updates for: 1. Citations: October, November and December 2013 2. Collisions: October, November and December 2013 3. Street Sweeping: October, November and December 2013 C/Pincher asked if staff could remind residents about keeping trees trimmed back from the curbing to allow the street sweeper to get close enough to the curb to pick up debris and prevent build-up. PWD/Liu responded that typically, staff expects the driver to follow up with staff about adverse conditions that January 9, 2014 PAGE 2 T&T COMMISSION IV. V. VI. VII might impede the street sweeping operation. In addition, the City's Public Works maintenance crew reviews street conditions in the public right-of-way and performs maintenance work on the street side. If there is a problem that needs to be addressed, the City welcomes public input. C/Pincher suggested staff include an article in the City Newsletter reminding folks to be proactive. C/Carrera asked the reason for weekly street sweeping during the months of December and January. PWD/Liu replied that when the initial proposal was discussed with the street sweeping contractor, it was determined that there is increased debris and foliage due to weather conditions in Southern California during these two months, which requires an increase in service. Chair/Mok asked how residents are advised about the weekly street sweeping schedule. PWD/Liu explained that the street sweeping information is posted on the City's website. In addition, street signs are posted on all streets and, each year the City's Public Information staff provides the schedule and advises residents that magnet calendars are available. Chair/Mok asked if the parking enforcement officer is more lenient when street sweeping occurs the day after a holiday. PWD/Liu responded that parking enforcement takes a common sense approach to issuing street sweeping citations. At the same time, staff works very closely with residents in the case of special circumstances such as contractors working at the property, large events, etc. VC/Mahlke moved, C/Pirritano seconded, to receive and file the Traffic Enforcement Update reports for October, November and December 2013. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS NOES: ABSENT: OLD BUSINESS: NEW BUSINESS: COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONERS None None STATUS OF PREVIOUS ACTION ITEMS: ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS: Carrera, Pincher, Pirritano, VC/Mahlke, Chair/Mok None None None C/Pirritano asked if the City could entertain a right -turn -only lane on southbound Grand Avenue at Lavender Drive to avoid build-up at the Target/Chili's parking lot entrance. PWD/Liu said that staff will review the situation to determine whether the addition of a dedicated right -turn lane is feasible. ClCarrera asked if there were cameras at that location. AE/Malpica responded that there are video detection cameras at the intersection. In response to C/Pirritano's concern, there are merge lanes just beyond Lavender Drive, which accounts for some of the traffic slow down and stoppage. January 9, 2014 PAGE 3 T&T COMMISSION Chair/Mok asked what the problem was with a faulty traffic signal on Diamond Bar Boulevard at Mountain Laurel Way. AE/Malpica explained that Southern California Edison contractors were working close to the intersection and triggered a cut to the power. However, due to the battery back-up system kicking in, the contractors were not aware the power had been cut and; therefore, did not report the matter. The battery was activated about 8:49 a.m. and it took four hours for the red flash to kick -in and another two hours for the power to be restored. PWD/Liu further explained that staff worked very closely with the Sheriff's Department to regulate school and rush hour traffic until the power was restored. C/Pincher shared her observations of certain utility work areas (within the street) with very little advance traffic control, if any. At other times there is good signage notifying drivers that they are approaching work areas. SCE/Young responded that, with respect to work in the public right-of-way and on City streets, any and all contractors are required to obtain encroachment permits. Depending on the location, the City may or may not require a traffic control plan. Regardless, at a minimum, contractors must follow the "Watch Manual" which is a compilation of minimal traffic control standards. The field maintenance staff reviews traffic control to make certain the job conforms to the standards. At an intersection like Diamond Bar Boulevard and Pathfinder Road, the job would have required a traffic control plan to be reviewed by the City's traffic engineer prior to commencement of work. Situations that may not conform to traffic control plans would be emergency repair jobs for which traffic control plans would not be filed ahead of time. Although rare, these types of jobs do occur. SCE/Young said she would check the Diamond Bar Boulevard/Pathfinder Road job to see if a permit was filed. VIII. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: A. CCTV Project AE/Malpica reported that staff received two quotes for repairs. After reviewing the quotes, staff decided to contract with Crosstown Digital Communications to move forward with repairs to the CCTV feedback. Repairs should be completed by the end of February. B. Median Project at Grand Avenue and Summitridge Drive/Diamond Bar Boulevard at Silver Hawk Drive AE/Malpica stated that both projects were completed on time and under budget. Staff intends to take the Notice of Completion to the City Council on January 21st. C. Traffic Signal Operation and Maintenance Master Plan AE/Malpica indicated that staff is reviewing the draft Master Plan to incorporate data, ideas and recommendations. Once the comments are forwarded to the consultant, the updated Master Plan should be sent back to staff in two to three weeks. PWD/Liu added that as a result of this effort, staff has learned January 9, 2014 PAGE 4 T&T COMMISSION that one of the issues is wiring for the interconnect lines (copper versus fiber) and that the older copper lines do not have sufficient bandwidth to provide clean and uninterrupted information back to City Hall. The work will require a budget of about $1.2 million. Staff is proposing to move forward with the maintenance program on a three-year schedule, with an annual budget of $400-$500,000. D. Diamond Bar Traffic Responsive Plan/System AE/Malpica indicated that as of today, the system is working well. Staff continues to work with its vendor to fine tune the plan. E. NTMP — Castle Rock Road/Crooked Creek Drive Neighborhood AE/Malpica reported that staff continues to work with the assigned captains who are in the process of collecting the necessary signatures that would allow the City to move forward with the design. Chair/Mok asked if staff received feedback/responses on the signage and striping that was completed in November. AE/Malpica responded that there has been no feedback and he felt that residents were focused on installation of speed cushions and other mitigation measures. C/Carrera said he thought there were three captains committed to obtaining signatures. AE/Malpica responded that there were only two, one is a teacher and one an Edison employee. F. ACE Fairway Drive Grade Separation Project AE/Malpica provided information to the Commission that the City's traffic consultant has performed a full traffic signal analysis at Walnut Drive and Lemon Avenue. It was determined that a traffic signal is warranted based on the current condition. ACE expects to have the traffic signal installed by the end of December 2015 in coordination with construction of the on/off ramps at Lemon Avenue and the closing of Fairway Drive. G. Morning Canyon Road Rehabilitation Project SCENoung stated that a section of Morning Canyon Road between Diamond Bar Boulevard and Stone Pine Drive had severe uplifting due to pine tree roots. Conditions were extremely disruptive to vehicles traveling eastbound on Morning Canyon Road toward Diamond Bar Boulevard. Prior to doing the temporary fix, staff held a pre -proposal meeting with firms that were interested in submitting a proposal for the roadway repair. Four firms were invited and two attended to review the roadway conditions before the temporary fix was completed. The temporary fix was done (grinding the roots and patching the roadway) and a Request for Proposal (RFP) was sent to the four firms in September, The two firms that responded were TKE and Onward January 9, 2014 PAGE 5 T&T COMMISSION Engineering. Staff will move forward with its recommendation to the City Council by the end of January or early February to contract with Onward Engineering to move forward with the design and rehabilitation of the roadway. The project consists of full -width pavement rehabilitation, removal of pine trees, planting of new trees (species to be determined), curb and gutter and sidewalk repair, and potentially, a catch basin repair. H. Southern California Edison Infrastructure Upgrades SCE/Young reported that as previously reported earlier in the meeting, Edison and its subcontractor continue to work on the cable pull and switchover which is causing power outages in the Mountain Laurel Way/Maple Hill Road neighborhoods. Edison has completed work in the Sunset Crossing Road neighborhood with the final trench restoration work, and slurry seal on the trench roadway side only will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 14th and 15th. Residents have been notified that this is not a slurry seal project and that the entire roadway is not meant to be slurry sealed, only the portion on the trench side from gutter to centerline. Once the slurry is completed, striping will be installed in all three neighborhoods by the end of January. The scope of work will include restriping of all neighborhood and school crosswalks. Additional Informational Items: Newly Appointed Mayor M/Herrera announced that her focus for 2014 would be "Economic Development'. There will be renewed interest in looking at several properties and sites including Kmart, the golf course, and perhaps the Tres Hermanos property between Diamond Bar and Chino Hills, depending on what the City of Industry decides to do with said property. Gentle Springs Lane/Private Street PWD/Liu reported that Gentle Springs Lane is a private street. It has deteriorated and staff recognizes something needs to be done. Kmart owns a good portion of the street and SCE/Young has been working with Planning Division staff to motivate the property owners to maintain the roadway. K. City Council Goals and Objectives PWD/Liu shared that staff has been asked to provide a status/progress report on the City Council goals for FY 2013-2014. Staff will provide an update to the Commission at its next meeting. January 9, 2014 PAGE 6 T&T COMMISSION L. ACM/Doyle — Accepted City Manager Position for the City of Aliso Viejo PWD/Liu announced that ACM/Doyle has accepted the City Manager Position for the City of Aliso Viejo and will leave the City of Diamond Bar on January 21st following the City Council meeting. ACM/Doyle has been with the City for 13 years and leaves a big void. M. Kimberly Young — Reclassified to Senior Civil Engineer PWD/Liu announced the reclassification of Kimberly Young's position from Associate Engineer to Senior Civil Engineer. Kimberly has been with the City for 10 years and will enhance the department's professional work and our service to the public. IX. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE CITY EVENTS: As stated in the agenda. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Traffic and Transportation Commission, Chair/Mok adjourned the meeting at 7:58 p.m. in memory of David Liu's father who passed away on December 20, 2013. The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this day of Respectfully, David G. Liu, Secretary Attest: Chairman Kenneth Mok 2014. WALNUT/DIAMOND BAR STATION TRAFFIC STATISTICS NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2013, JANUARY 2014 Report Completed: FEBRUARY 2014 CIT Nov -13 Dec -13 Jan -14 © Non-Haz 0 Hazard ■ Parker ■ Total Nov -12 Dec -12 Jan -13 ❑ Non-Haz ■ Hazard 10 Parker ■ Total COLLISIONS Nov -13 Dec -13 Jan -14 13 INJURY DNON INJ ■TOTAL NOVEMBER 2013 D.U.I ARREST= 0 D.U.I. COLLISIONS= 0 DECEMBER 2013 D.U.I ARREST= 1 D.U.I. COLLISIONS= 1 JANUARY 2014 D.U.I ARREST= 0 D.U.I. COLLISIONS= 0 Nov -12 Dec -12 ■INJURY ONON INJ ■TOTAL NOVEMBER 2012 D.U.I ARREST= 0 D.U.I. COLLISIONS= 0 DECEMBER 2012 D.U.I ARREST= 1 D.U.I. COLLISIONS= 1 JANUARY 2013 D.U.I ARREST= 1 D.U.I. COLLISIONS= 1 Nov -13 Dec -13 Jan -14 Dec -12 Jan -13 Agenda # 6 . Meeting Date: February 4, 2014 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT r o tMl` r9g9 TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council 'n VIA: James DeStefano, City Ma a ' ' /_ TITLE: General Plan Status Report for 20 RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file. State Law requires each city to prepare and adopt a comprehensive, long-term General Plan to guide its physical development. The General Plan is a policy document comprised of goals, objectives, and strategies for implementation. The City of Diamond Bar has periodically amended the General Plan as needed, since its adoption on July 25, 1995. In accordance with California Government Code Section 65400(b), the City is required to submit an annual General Plan status report to the local legislative body (City Council), the State Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR), and State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on the status of the General Pian, its implementation progress, and how the City is meeting the regional housing needs for the community. The attached report lists the City's progress toward the implementation of the General Plan for the period of January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013, by meeting the City's share of regional housing needs pursuant to Government Code Section 65584 and by the City's effort to remove governmental constraints, which may influence the maintenance, improvement, and development of housing pursuant to State Law. Prepared by: ca Gr . Lee Senior Planner Attachment: 2013 General Plan Status Report Reviewed by: Greg Gubman, AICP Community Development Director CITY OF DIAMOND BAR General Plan Status Report 2013 Period beginning January 1, 2013 and ending December 31, 2013 On July 25, 1995, the City Council adopted the City of Diamond Bar's General Plan, which is a State mandated document that the City uses to plan the framework for its future physical, social and economic development. The General Plan is considered a long-term document that projects development within a community for approximately 15 to 20 years. By projecting conditions and needs into the future, the General Plan establishes a basis for evaluating current policy and providing insight on future policy. The City of Diamond Bar General Plan consists of the following six elements: 1) Land Use 4) Public Health and Safety 2) Housing 5) Circulation 3) Resource Management 6) Public Service and Facilities The following information summarizes the status of the objectives that the City has implemented for each element of the General Plan in 2013. LAND USE ELEMENT Diamond Bar is for the most part a residential community. Detached single-family dwellings represent the majority of the City's housing stock; however, multi -family housing exists along Diamond Bar Boulevard, south of Grand Avenue and along Golden Springs Drive, west of Diamond Bar Boulevard. Since the adoption of the Land Use Element, development in Diamond Bar has occurred pursuant to the goals, objectives, and policies of the General Plan. Objective 1.2 — Preserve and maintain the quality of existing residential neighborhoods while offering a variety of housing opportunities, including mixed land uses. • The City issued five construction permits for new single-family dwellings and 32 construction permits for additional livable square -footage to residential dwellings. This level of construction activity is an indicator of the continued desirability of Diamond Bar as a place to live, and its residents' desire to remain in their homes, neighborhoods and schools by adapting their homes to meet the needs of their families. Moreover, as individual properties are improved and upgraded, the overall quality of the neighborhoods in which they are located also improves. • The City adopted zoning standards for emergency shelters and transitional/supportive housing to be in compliance with Senate Bill 2 on June 18, 2013 GP Status Report Page 1 2013. The "I" (Light Industry) zone allows emergency shelters to be established by right; and affirms SB 2's mandate that transitional/supportive housing shall be treated as a residential use subject only to the same requirements as other residential uses of the same type in the same zone. The City also adopted zoning standards for single -room occupancy (SRO) housing, to be permitted in the I (Light Industry) zone with a conditional use permit. The City amended the existing density bonus provisions to be in compliance with Senate Bill 1818 on June 18, 2013. • The City approved a new development of 182 for -sale dwelling units — consisting of 120 detached homes and 62 townhomes — on approximately 30 acres located at the southeast corner of Brea Canyon Road and Diamond Bar Boulevard to be developed by Lennar Homes of California, Inc. Lennar will be marketing the project under the name "Willow Heights." Objective 1.3 — Designate adequate land for retail and service commercial, professional services, and other revenue generating uses in sufficient quantity to meet the City's needs. • The City approved a new 21,794 square -foot, two-story building for office uses located at 650 Brea Canyon Road. • The City approved a new 3,431 square -foot Chase Bank with drive-thru services at Diamond Hills Plaza, The Chase Bank replaced the Burger King building that occupied the project site. • The City approved a 7,149 square -foot commercial building to suit an America's Tire Company sales and service center on the northeast corner of Diamond Bar Boulevard and Cold Springs Lane. The site was previously a Unocal 76 gas station with auto repair services until closing in 2010 and has been vacant since. Objective 1.4 — Designate adequate land for educational, cultural, recreational, and public service activities to meet the needs of Diamond Bar residents. • The Willow Heights project referenced above will include a minimum 2.5 -acre neighborhood public park. • The City continues to have a joint use agreement with Pomona Unified School District to use Lorbeer Middle School for their recently renovated football/soccer and track fields. • The City designated the Grandview and Grandview Link trails adjacent to the Diamond Bar Center. 2013 GP Status Report Page 2 Objective 2.1 — Promote land use patterns and intensities which are consistent with the Resource Management Element and Circulation Element. Strategy 2.1.2 — Ensure that new development utilizes feasible contemporary technologies to reduce energy and water consumption, generation of solid and hazardous wastes, and air and water pollutant emissions. • In accordance with the Site D Specific Plan, Lennar's Willow Heights project is required to incorporate green building strategies and facilitate energy and water conservation. • The City, in collaboration with the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, completed an Energy Efficiency Chapter of the Climate Action Plan (EE CAP). It is a standalone chapter of a future plan that identifies current energy use and green house gas emissions of the residential, business, and governmental sectors in Diamond Bar. Objective 3.1 — Create visual points of interest as a means of highlighting community identity. • The Willow Heights project referenced above will incorporate community identity through an entry feature at the corner of Brea Canyon Road and Diamond Bar Boulevard to mark the entrance to the City. The development will also be required to incorporate street improvements that are in conformance with the final adopted Grand Avenue streetscape specifications along Diamond Bar Boulevard parkway and future neighborhood park frontage. HOUSING ELEMENT The Housing Element identifies and makes provisions for existing and future,, housing needs. Several programs continue to be implemented based on the strategies within the Housing Element as follows: • The City continues to implement a proactive Neighborhood Improvement/Code Enforcement program and direct eligible households to available rehabilitation assistance in order to correct code violations. • The City continues to assist in the rehabilitation of existing housing stock through CDBG Home Improvement Program funds for home rehabilitation. • In partnership with Los Angeles County, the City continues to offer a first time homebuyer assistance program and Mortgage Credit Certificates. • Staff completed implementation of all the strategies and programs identified in the 2008-2014 Housing Element, which are listed below: 2013 GP Status Report r Page 3 o Assisting in the development of affordable housing — The City of Diamond Bar currently provides a variety of housing types, with densities ranging from one dwelling unit per acre to 20 dwelling units per acre. As part of the Housing Element Update, the City was obligated to rezone at least 15.6 acres of land with a density of 30 units per acre in order to accommodate 466 multi -family housing units to meet current State affordable housing mandates. On September 3, 2013, the City Council approved the Affordable Housing Land Use and Zoning Designation Project (Planning Case No. PL2013-227). This approval included the following actions: 1. Adoption of a General Plan Amendment to establish a new High Density Residential (RH-30) land use designation to facilitate residential development at densities of up to 30 dwelling units/acre in areas designated as such on the General Plan Land Use Map. 2. Adoption of a Development Code Amendment to create a new High Density Residential (RH-30) zoning designation which would allow, by right, multifamily development at a maximum density of 30 dwelling units per acre on sites bearing this designation on the Official Zoning Map. 3. Revising the General Plan Land Use Map to change the designation of a 30 -acre site in Tres Hermanos, on the west side of Chino Hills Parkway, just south of Diamond Ranch High School, to RH-30. 4. Revising the Official Zoning Map to change the zoning designation of the site described in Item 3 above to RH-30. 5. To accommodate both the 4th and 5th Housing Element Lower -Income RHNA allocations, the City rezoned sufficient acreage (approximately 16.3 net acres out of the 30 gross acres rezoned) to make enough land . available to accommodate up to 490 RH-30 zoned units. o Providing adequate housing sites — The City's land inventory, including approved projects and the potential development of vacant parcels is adequate to accommodate the net remaining RHNA for this planning period in the moderate and above income categories. o Removing governmental and other constraints from housing development — The Housing Element addresses and where legally possible, removes governmental constraints affecting the maintenance, improvement, and development of housing. The City provides affordable housing incentives/density bonuses and efficient project processing to mitigate government constraints on residential development and facilitate the development of a variety of housing. (As previously discussed, the City 2013 GP Status Report Page 4 amended the existing density bonus provisions to be in compliance with Senate Bill 1818.) o Promoting equal housing opportunities — To adequately meet the housing needs of all segments of the community, the Housing Element includes programs that promote housing opportunities for all persons regardless of race, religion, gender, family size, marital status, ancestry, national origin, color, age, or physical disability. The City already established procedures to facilitate reasonable accommodations for dwellings occupied by persons with disabilities, and adopted zoning standards for emergency shelters and transitional/supportive housing to be in compliance with Senate Bill 2. o Promoting equal housing opportunities — The City also adopted zoning standards for single -room occupancy (SRO) housing on June 18, 2013. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ELEMENT Issues related to open space and conservation overlap in Diamond Bar. As a result, the City combined its Open Space Element and Conservation Element into one Resource Management Element. The Resource Management Element addresses open space, visual resources, biological resources, and parks and recreation. Additionally, this element establishes strategies for effectively managing local and natural resources in order to prevent waste, destruction, or neglect. Progress toward implementing strategies within the Resource Management Element has been made in the following areas: Objective 1.3 — Maintain a system of recreation facilities and open space preservation which meet the active and passive recreational needs of Diamond Bar residents of all ages. • The City continues to work with Lewis Corporation to develop Larkstone Park as part of the 99 -unit South Pointe West development. • The City is currently working with Lennar Homes to design and develop a new minimum 2.5 -acre public park at Willow Heights. Objective 2.1 — Minimize the consumption of water through combination of water conservation and use of reclaimed water. • The Willow Heights project referenced above is conditioned to incorporate water conservation landscaping, water saving features within the units, and use of reclaimed water in public landscaped areas. Objective 2.5 — Minimize the environmental impacts of landfill disposal of solid wastes through an aggressive public education and information campaign designed to promote 2013 GP Status Report Page 5_ a comprehensive program of source reduction, recycling, composting, and household hazardous waste reduction activities. • The City implemented a revised Construction and Demolition permit process to better reach the 75% solid waste diversion goal mandated under the adoption of the Solid Waste Ordinance in 2011. The new diversion goal applies to all construction and demolition projects over 1,000 square feet, including both residential and commercial sectors. The City's contracted residential and commercial waste haulers continue to offer comprehensive waste collection and curbside recycling services citywide. Curbside recycling services include collection of green waste, used oil, bulky items, and hypodermic needles. • The City, in conjunction with Los Angeles County Public Works, provides a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) event in the City once a year. The HHW event takes most forms of electronic and hazardous waste including paint, batteries, and other toxic materials that are recycled and do not enter the waste stream. The upcoming HHW event is scheduled for February 15, 2014. • The City conducts an annual birthday party celebration that includes a Going Green section where information on recycling is provided to residents. Representatives from the City's franchise waste haulers, Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas, Walnut Valley Water District are present to provide information on recycling and conservation. The City conducts an annual America Recycles Day event that includes e -waste collection for household electronic waste such as televisions and computer equipment, free mulch giveaway, and paper shredding. • The City website and public information outlets are routinely used to promote recycling and information on new laws such as AB 341 that require businesses and multi -family residential communities to meet new diversion requirements. PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY ELEMENT The Public Health and Safety Element contains provisions that relate to the protection of life, health, and property from natural hazards and man-made hazards. It identifies areas where public and private decisions on land use need to be sensitive to hazardous conditions caused by slope instability, seismic activity, flood, fire, and wind. Objectives 1.1 and 1.2 — Minimize the potential for loss of life, physical injury, property damage from seismic ground shaking and other geologic hazards, and the public health hazards and nuisances from the effects of a 100 -year storm and associated flooding. 2013 GP Status Report Page 6 ® The City continues to require site-specific geotechnical investigations and drainage studies which must be approved by the City Engineer prior to issuance of any grading permits in conjunction with the Uniform Building Code and as part of the standard conditions of approval that are applied to all new developments and redevelopment projects. The City continues to expand upon its emergency preparedness and response capabilities with the inclusion of a dedicated Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in City Hall. The dedicated EOC provides the City with added flexibility to coordinate and respond to emergencies, provide redundant communications to public safety agencies, and enable added communications to residents. City Hall also has a backup power generator to ensure critical systems are operational in the event of a prolonged emergency. • The City's public safety agencies continue efforts to outreach to residents on safety, including earthquake, fire, and emergency preparedness topics. The City's public safety agencies work in coordination with the City's Public Information Division to communicate time sensitive information to residents through the City website, as well as the Neighborhood Watch Program. Objective 1.3 — Require that properties in and adjacent to wildland areas are reasonably protected from wildland fire hazards without degrading the viability of natural ecosystems, providing a balance between removal of flammable vegetation, introduction of fire resistant vegetation, and preservation of natural vegetation. • The Los Angeles County Fire Department completed the construction/renovation of a helicopter landing site (helipad) end of January 2013. It is located adjacent to the East Gate Drive Reservoir on a hilltop in the vicinity of Pantera Park. This helipad consists of two square concrete helicopter landing pads. It was first built in 2006, and has since been maintained on an annual basis and as needed. The enhancements made as part of the latest maintenance efforts included the regrading and compaction of the site, repair of eroded areas, improvement of drainage channels, and installation of native plantings for slope stabilization. The helipad plays an important; role in local and regional wild land fire detection and suppression operations by providing a safe landing site for aircraft to refuel and have their water tanks refilled. CIRCULATION ELEMENT The Circulation Element defines the transportation needs of the City and presents a comprehensive transportation plan to accommodate those needs. The focus of this element is the identification and evaluation of local circulation needs, balancing those needs with regional demands and mandates. 2013 GP Status Report Page 7 Objective 1.1 — Participate in local and regional transportation related planning and decision-making. • The City continues to actively participate in the Four Corners Policy Committee and Coalition. Four regional transportation projects were identified as the initial priority projects, including the design and construction of the long term fix of the State Route (SR) -57/60 Freeway Interchange. Diamond Bar has been a member since its existence in 1990. This group includes cities, counties, and public commissions/districts that meet monthly in an effort to create policy on a broad spectrum of transportation issues designed to unify and benefit the Four Corners Region. • The City continues its collaboration with the City of Industry in the implementation of the 57/60 Confluence Project. This is a $287 million multi -phase improvement project to the existing 57/60 interchange. y Phase One of the project has been expanded and is the construction of a $37 million westbound on-ramp and westbound off -ramp at Grand Avenue. It is fully funded, with a $18.1 million MTA grant and local match funding (expected construction to begin Mid -2015). Phase Two is the construction of $15 million street widening improvements in the vicinity of Grand Ave./Golden Springs Dr. intersection. It is fully funded as well, with a $5.9 million grant from MTA and local match funding (Phase II is on hold. Current focus is to deliver the Phase I westbound on and off -ramps.) Phase Three is the freeway mainline improvements and by-pass connectors and is estimated at $235 million. Staff is currently working to secure recognition of the SR -60's ongoing status as a component of the state and national freight networks in an effort to secure $235 million in future funding for Phase Three of this project. The final Environmental Impact report for Phase 2 & 3 was approved by Caltrans in December 2013. The City continues to annually implement the guidelines of the Los Angeles County Congestion Management Program, which is required. to maintain eligibility for regional transportation funding opportunities. • The City has been active in monitoring the Multi -County Goods Movement Action Plan to ensure the City is not negatively impacted by the strategy and implementation plan for the Southern California goods movement transportation system. The City has been very proactive in addressing the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) efforts to incorporate an EastNVest Truck Corridor between Interstate 710 and Interstate 15 into the Goods Movement 2013 GP Status Report Page 8 Element of the 2012 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The City has collaborated with affected stakeholder agencies to voice concerns regarding the premature nature of declaring the San Jose Creek Flood Control Channel as the preferred solution for goods movement. The current San Jose Creek Flood Control Channel proposal has not been sufficiently studied and lacks critical analysis to ensure adjacent communities will not be negatively impacted. The 2012 RTP was adopted in April 2012 but the City went on record regarding the need to expand the study scope to include other east -west corridors along the 10, 210, and 91 freeways. The City is advocating for transportation solutions that are equitable in their distribution of goods movement related traffic. The City is actively seeking funding partners to complete a feasibility study to determine the preferred and most cost-effective options for the completion of the 57/60 big fix (missing freeway and HOV connectors separate from the 57/60 Confluence Project) which will also include the East-West Freight Corridor. • The Lemon Avenue interchange project is expected to result in the closure of the SR -60 Brea Canyon Road eastbound access ramps and create on-ramp and off - ramps at Lemon Avenue. The benefit of the Lemon Avenue project will effectively reduce truck traffic on Golden Springs Drive because access to the City of Industry can be provided without traversing arterial roadways in Diamond Bar. The final design is anticipated to be completed by May 2014. The Freeway Agreement was executed in December 2010 and a Right -of -Way Cooperative Agreement was signed in September 2011. The right-of-way phase is currently underway with the State taking the lead on the necessary acquisition of land for the interchange improvements. Construction is expected to begin in June 2015 with a completion by December 2016. .Objective 1.2 — Balance the need for optimum traffic flow on City Arterials within economic realities, environmental, and aesthetic considerations. Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras have been installed at key arterial intersections (16 locations) to provide real time video feedback to verify traffic conditions. Currently, the City has a total of 19 arterial intersections equipped with battery back-up systems to ensure temporary signal operations in the event of a power outage. Design for an additional 15 locations will be underway by mid -2014. • The City is developing design plans to enhance the streetscape at the Grand Avenue/Diamond Bar Blvd, intersection and Grand Avenue/Longview Drive intersection using SAFETEA-LU funds. This Grand Avenue Beautification Project will provide an opportunity to create street design standards for all future development to follow. 2013 GP Status Report Page 9 Objective 1.3 — Maintain the integrity of residential neighborhoods. Discourage through traffic. • In residential neighborhoods, the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP) continues to be an effective tool in providing a procedure to implement traffic calming devices in neighborhoods that experience speeding and cut - through traffic. Neighborhoods have also benefited from a residential parking district that preserves residential street parking through a permit system in the areas around Diamond Bar High School. Additionally, the City worked with the Pomona Unified School District last fiscal year to improve circulation at Golden Springs Elementary School through parking lot upgrades made within their school site. Objective 2.1 — Maximize the use of alternative transportation modes within and through the City to decrease reliance on single -passenger automobiles. The City continues to sell monthly Metro bus and rail passes in addition to Foothill Transit Zone passes. These programs are subsidized by Proposition "A" funds and provide a benefit to Diamond Bar residents because of the subsidized rates. • The City's Dial -a -Ride program provides discounted taxi services to residents over 60 years of age and the disabled community. The program is subsidized through the City's allocation of Proposition C funds and provides supplemental transportation options to residents for medical and other related service needs. • The City website continues to provide alternative transportation information to residents, including website links to Metro, Foothill Transit, Metrolink and Amtrak rail, and Ridematching information. Objective 3.1 — Improve the safety and efficiency of existing transportation facilities. • The Capital Improvement Program for 2013 lists specific projects that were approved, and the General Plan Conformity Report annually identifies projects completed in conformance with the General Plan. The following capital improvement projects including traffic signal modifications and street improvements were accomplished in 2013: The City completed the Golden Springs Drainage Improvement Project which included the installation of new catch basins and lateral lines on Golden Springs Drive in the vicinity of Lavender Drive to improve surface flow on Golden Springs Drive. The City completed the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) curb ramp project in the Gateway Corporate Center and the neighborhood of Peaceful Hills 2013 GP Status Report Page 10 Road and Pathfinder Road. A total of 67 curb ramps were installed in both areas. The City completed the Arterial Zone 7 and Residential/Collector Area 1B Annual Slurry Seal. Due to the pavement condition in Residential Area 1, it was decided that separating Residential Area 1 into two areas would be necessary due to budgetary constraints. Therefore, the arterial zone program will remain on schedule, but the residential area program will temporarily be on an 8 -year cycle. ➢ Diamond Bar Boulevard at Silver Hawk & Grand Ave. at Summitridge Median Modifications were completed in December 2013 which included construction of median offsets to improve line of sign for left turn movements from Diamond Bar Boulevard onto Silver Hawk Drive and left turn movements from Grand Avenue onto Summitridge Drive. PUBLIC SERVICE AND FACILITIES ELEMENT The Public Service and Facilities Element deals with the long-term provision of municipal services and facilities, and what types of facilities are needed to support those services. This element focuses on identifying City facilities and services needed to sustain the community's quality of life; long-range planning to fund City services and buildings; and coordinating and cooperating with various local agencies to provide those services not provided by the City. Objective 1.1: Maintain adequate infrastructure facilities and public services to support development and planned growth. • The City continues to require new development to pay development fees for infrastructure facilities and/or provide the necessary infrastructure to support the new development. Additionally, all new subdivisions are required to connect to the public sewage system. • The Willow Heights project referenced above will be required to pay appropriate fair -share contributions toward the improvement of areawide street improvements and the following traffic improvements will be implemented, which will be completed prior to the issuance of project certificates of occupancy: ➢ Pathfinder Road at Brea Canyon Cutoff Road: Widen and/or restripe eastbound Brea Canyon Cutoff Road to provide one left -turn lane, two through lanes and a separate right -turn lane. The implementation of this improvement may require some modification to existing traffic signal equipment (i.e., re-cut/install new vehicle loop detectors, modification to traffic signal controller); and 2013 GP Status Report Page 11 ➢ Cherrydale Drive at Diamond Bar Boulevard: Provide an option left/through lane and a separate right -turn lane on the northbound approach; restripe southbound approach to provide an option left/through/right-turn lane on Cherrydale. Widen eastbound approach to provide a separate right -turn lane. Modify median and restripe Diamond Bar Boulevard to provide dual westbound left -turn lanes. Install traffic signal. The implementation of this improvement may require some modification to existing signing and striping the affected streets. CONCLUSION The General Plan continues to direct all land use decisions and remains an effective guide for future development. The City continues to pursue economic development to increase City revenue, address traffic related issues, and preserve open space and continues to create a community environment that nurtures social, cultural, religious, educational and recreational opportunities for its citizens. 2013 GP Status Report Page 12 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR MEMORANDUM To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council From: James DeStefano, City Manager Date: January 20, 2014 SUBJECT: FY 2013-14 Council Goals & Objectives The latest updates to the Council's adopted Goals & Objectives for FY 2013-14 are listed below in red: Proposed FY 2013-2014 City Council Goals & Objectives 1. Traffic Mitigation • In cooperation with the City's project partners, complete the 57/60 Freeway Interchange corridor long-term "big fix". a) Commence construction on the Westbound SR -60 Slip Ramp (Phase 1 of 57/60 -Grand Confluence Project). WB Slip Ramp is being combined with the new WB off -ramp. Current schedule is to complete the PS&E by end of 2014. Contract award is anticipated in third quarter of 2015. b) Complete design of Local Improvements at Grand/Golden Springs and DB Golf Course Frontage and prepare for construction (Step 1 of Phase 2 57/60 -Grand Confluence Project). Design for Grand Ave/Golden Springs Dr. (Phase II) is currently on hold. Current focus is to deliver the WB on and off ramps project as discussed in (a). c) Complete EIR for Grand Bridge Widening, Bypass Roads, & On/Off Ramp Reconfiguration and continue design work (Step 1 of Phase 3 57/60 - Grand Confluence Project). Caltrans approved the Final EIR on 12/11/13. d) Secure funding partners for and complete a feasibility study to determine the preferred and most cost-effective options for the completion of 57/60 "big fix" (missing freeway and HOV connectors separate from the 57/60 Confluence Project). Work on this item remains ongoing. Advocate for transportation solutions that are equitable in their distribution of goods movement related traffic. a) Secure recognition of the SR -60's ongoing status as a component of the state and national freight networks in an effort to secure funding for 57/60 Interchange improvements. SR 60 has the highest truck traffic in California and currently is in a strong position in both the State and Federal Freight Draft Plans. Staff is tracking the progress of both plans and is working to ensure that SR 60 is a top priority on both lists. Both SR 57 and SR 60, which includes the entire 57/60 confluence area, are included in the designation of the draft highway Primary Freight Network (PFN) at 27,000 miles. USDOT has also proposed a 41,518 -mile comprehensive map, they would prefer this larger map/system if it were not constrained to 27,000 miles by the statute. SR 57 and SR 60 are included in this larger system as well. For SR 60, it is designated from 1-10 to 8.95 miles east of 1-215. For SR 57, it is designated from 1-5 to 1-10. In cooperation with the City's project partners, complete the Lemon Avenue on and off ramp project. a) Complete right-of-way acquisitions and begin construction. Due to the dissolution of the City of Industry's Redevelopment Agency, the funds originally targeted for the ROW Phase of the project would not be available until January 2014. In order to keep the ROW Phase moving, staff worked with the State to obligate additional SAFETEA-LU funds to the ROW Phase in the amount of $1,789,760. Additionally $450,000 of the Metro Prop C funds from the construction phase was redirected to the ROW phase for the local match of the SAFETEA-LU Funds as well as the utility relocation work that is not eligible for federal funding. The ROW Phase continues with the land acquisition process and is expected to be completed by December 2014. Develop a report to the City Council outlining the ongoing effectiveness of the City's ongoing traffic mitigation project programs. Public Works is in the process of developing evaluation criteria with quantifiable measurements such as: travel delay and travel time; number of stops; average speed; environmental and air quality benefits (i.e., CO emissions); and reduced fuel consumption Oppose any high speed or light rail proposals that adversely impact Diamond Bar. Staff continues to monitor this item as it progresses. At this time, there are no established plans resulting in direct impacts to Diamond Bar. 2. Fiscal Responsibility/Economic Development Create a long-term City-wide financial plan for preservation of the City's fixed assets, including infrastructure, buildings, parks, and other facilities. The City's assets are regularly monitored for condition, depreciation and repairs/maintenance to ensure the maximum benefit is achieved. When it is determined that the asset's useful life is exhausted, replacement costs are included in the annual budget. This is done on a proactive basis by consulting the citywide asset schedule for aging fixed assets. • Identify specific development opportunities and develop Specific Plans to revitalize the K -mart and Honda property areas in a way that provides the greatest net benefit to the community. Staff continues to meet and work with the K -mart property owner to develop long-term improvement options. a) Complete the market study for the Honda property and provide a report to the City Council. With the Municipal Highest and Best Use Analysis completed and the Hotel Overlay zone established for the Honda site, proactively market the property to potential hotel developers. Develop a plan to address the long-term financial sustainability of the City's Lighting and Landscape Assessment Districts (LLADs). Staff continues to monitor expenses of the three LLADs. Recent price increases by Edison (6.3%) and Walnut Valley Water (7.66%), plus continuing drought conditions for the 3`d straight year, will result in higher utility costs and an increase in the subsidy of the LLADs from the General Fund by $43,000, raising the General Fund subsidy for the 2013/14 FY to $163,835. This number does not include personnel costs of approximately $300,000 that have been absorbed in regular maintenance budgets. Inclusion of these items brings the total subsidization to approximately $463,835. 3. Communications • In addition to regular public meetings, provide a variety of opportunities for public interaction and participation. a) Implement the Discover Diamond Bar program. Through new partnerships with local organizations (schools, nonprofits, faith -based organizations, etc.), increase community awareness about City programs and services, particularly those related to emergency preparedness and environmental services. This outreach may include face-to-face interaction, dissemination of literature/educational materials, and contribution of City content for inclusion in partner organizations' news letters/we bsites. Discover Diamond Bar is now in place. The program is a long-term outreach strategy to utilize local community partners to improve resident and business awareness of City programs and services and enhance interaction and communication. b) Complete an update to the City's website, enhancing governmental transparency, access to information, and ease of use for the public. Preliminary work on this project is underway, with an estimated completion date in Fall 2014. The completed project will feature a complete redesign offering an enhanced user experience, improved video and social media integration and a more accessible home page. 4. Other Items Preserve Windmill structure via ownership of structure and/or property. The City Manager continues to work with the property owner and management company to secure long-term protection of the structure. Develop a City-wide branding plan that incorporates standard design elements with a unifying theme that reflects the image of Diamond Bar. a) Commence Grand Avenue beautification project, using the chosen design as an initial standard plan for the City's streetscapes and entry signage. Outreach meetings with the shopping centers/business owners and the general public are being prepared. These meetings are being planned to take place in the months of February and March. Establish a "quiet zone" on the MetroLink train line at Lemon Avenue near Walnut Elementary School. The City's NFL stadium settlement agreement with the City of Industry includes the funding of the "quiet zone" in question. Given that the agreement is contingent upon the commencement of construction, staff recommends maintaining patience until the ultimate fate of the stadium project is known II rather than funding the expensive project out of General Fund reserves. Should the settlement agreement be declared null and void due to the lack of a project, staff will develop contingency plans as directed. • Develop and implement fiscally responsible environmental/sustainability programs. a) Complete a five-year review/update of the Council's Sustainability Program Options Report (2008). Staff has completed a full review of the 2008 report, including status updates on each of the options outlined in the document. A comprehensive memo is expected to be delivered to the City Council in the next month. • Complete the implementation of the approved Housing Element update. The 2008-2014 housing element has been fully implemented, which included rezoning a portion of Tres Hermanos to meet the City's designated RHNA number for lower income households, adopting a "reasonable accommodation" ordinance, and adopting ordinances to accommodate emergency shelters and transitional/supportive housing.