HomeMy WebLinkAbout21205 - RESOLUTIONS - 2/16/2005 RESOLUTION NO. 21205 '
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS,
CALIFORNIA APPROVING THE APPLICATION TO WIDEN
GENE AUTRY TRAIL FROM TWO TO SIX LANES BETWEEN
VISTA CHINO AND VIA ESCUELA AND FROM TWO TO FOUR
LANES BETWEEN VIA ESCUELA AND THE APPROACH TO
THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD BRIDGE THROUGH THE
WHITEWATER RIVER WASH, SECTIONS 6 AND 31, T4S, RSE.
WHEREAS, the City of Palm Springs (the "applicant") has initiated an application to widen Gene
Autry Trail from two to six lanes between Vista Chino and Via Escuela and from two to four
lanes between Via Escuela and the approach to the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge through the
Whitewater River Wash, Sections 6 and 31, T4S, R5E (the "Project"); and
WHEREAS, notice of a public hearing of the Planning Commission of the City of Palm Springs
to consider Case No. 5.0929, a request to wide Gene Autry Trail from two to six lanes between
Vista chino and Via Escuela and from two to four lanes between Via Escuela and the approach
to the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge through the Whitewater River Wash, Sections 6 and 31,
T4S, RSE; and
WHEREAS, on November 10, 2004 a public hearing to consider the Project was held by the
Planning Commission in accordance with applicable law; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Section 15063 of the California Environmental Quality Act, an '
Initial Study was prepared and staff found that with the incorporation of mitigation measures, the
proposed project could not have a significant effect on the environment; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has carefully reviewed and considered all of the evidence
presented in connection with the hearing on the project, including but not limited to the staff
report, all written and oral testimony presented.
THE CITY COUNCIL HEREBY FINDS AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: Pursuant to CEQA, the City Council finds that the current environmental
assessment for Case No. 5.0929 adequately addresses the general
environmental setting of the proposed Project, its significant environmental
impacts, and the mitigation measures related to each significant environmental
effect for the proposed project. The City Council further finds that with the
incorporation of proposed mitigation measures, potentially significant
environmental impacts resulting from this project will be reduced to a level of
insignificance and therefore adopts a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the
project. This finding reflects the City Council's independent judgment.
Section 2: With respect to issues raised regarding the requirement for wildlife
undercrossings by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Sierra
Club, the City Council finds as follows:
The Draft CVMSHCP also refers to such undercrossings, stating that they should '
be implemented when Indian Canyon Drive and Gene Autry Trail are widened to
six lanes or the year 2038-2039, whichever comes first. The USFWS has
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' supported this Draft CVMSHCP requirement. The City has been consistently
concerned that these undercrossings were not sufficiently defined and could be
prohibitively expensive. Given the undefined nature of the proposed
undercrossings, the revised MND proposed a mitigation measure (BIO-3) that the
City further study the potential need and design for such undercrossings prior to
the 2038/2039 year identified in the Draft CVMSHCP.
The Sierra Club requested that the City of Palm Springs, as mitigation for the
widening of Gene Autry Trail from two to four lanes across the Whitewater River,
commit to installation of wildlife movement undercrossings as part of the project.
The City does not agree that the four-lane widening creates the need for
undercrossings because staff does not agree that the Draft CVMSHCP requires
such undercrossings as a condition of the four lane widening.
As presently drafted, the CVMSHCP notes the need for the provision of
undercrossings when the roadways (Gene Autry Trail and Indian Canyon Drive)
are: 1) widened to six lanes, or 2) the year 2038-39, whichever comes first.
Since the first part of the condition addresses widening the roadway to six lanes,
it is not applicable at this time since the City is only contemplating widening to
four lanes. The second part of the condition, "the year 2038-2039, whichever
comes first," is applicable in any condition: the existing two lane road, the
proposed four-lane road, or a future six lane road. If this condition is contained in
the final adopted CVMSHCP, it would require the installation of such
' undercrossings, even for the existing two-lane roadway; therefore the proposed
mitigation for undercrossings is not a condition of widening Gene Autry Trail to
four lanes.
In consultations with the USFWS, "wildlife undercrossings" were defined as they
applied to this project. USFWS has clarified their definition of "undercrossings"
through the Whitewater River as an elevated bridge, not below grade box
culverts, for the movement of wildlife and sand transport. Further, the USFWS
has requested environmental mitigation in addition to the 115 acres of open
space required as mitigation by the Conservation Plan Addressing Direct,
Indirect, and Cumulative Effects of Interstate 10 Coachella Valley Interchange
Projects. The additional environmental mitigation consists of the installation of
box culverts of sufficient size under the south approach to the Gene Autry Trail
railroad bridge and the ultimate construction of a Gene Autry Trail Bridge over
the Whitewater River, a distance of approximately 6850 feet. This bridge would
allow for wildlife movement and sand transport under the bridge consistent with
the Draft CVMSHCP language, USFWS seeks installation of the bridge prior to
2038-2039.
The mitigation measure to construct a bridge has serious financial implications
for the City. As USFWS staff have clarified the intended meaning of an
undercrossing through the Whitewater River to mean an elevated bridge
structure, the financial commitment to construct such a long bridge through the
Whitewater River is exorbitant. Previously, such a structure was included in the
' Measure A Program for both Indian Canyon Drive and Gene Autry Trail. In 1997,
the City had prepared a study of various all-weather crossings through the
Whitewater River for Indian Canyon Drive, Gene Autry Trail, and Vista Chino.
This report, completed on October 31, 1997, was called the "Palm
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Springs/Whitewater River Three Bridges Feasibility Study," and was prepared by '
Berryman & Henigar. The report thoroughly analyzed various issues related to
construction of all-weather crossings through the Whitewater River, including
environmental issues, utilities, right-of-way, and specifically hydrology and flood
control protection.
The report assumed for Indian Canyon Drive; and Gene Autry Trail that the
bridges had a total width of 83 feet, providing two lanes in each direction (4 total
lanes), divided by a 10 feet wide striped median, an 8 feet wide shoulder on each
side, and one 6 feet wide sidewalk along one slide. For Indian Canyon Drive, the
report concluded that the ultimate, 100-year storm design for an all-weather
crossing through the Whitewater River required construction of a 3,150 feet long
elevated bridge with the remaining 4,950 feet through the Whitewater River
constructed as an elevated roadway on fill. The estimated cost of this project in
1997 was $31,359,275. For Gene Autry Trail, the report concluded that the
ultimate, 100-year storm design for an all-weather crossing through the
Whitewater River required construction of a 2,100 feet long elevated bridge with
the remaining 4,750 feet through the Whitewater River constructed as an
elevated roadway on fill. The estimated cost of this project in 1997 was
$33,989,687. These 1997 estimates used a unit cost of $73.44 per square foot
for the bridge structures, which is significantly lower than the $200 to $300 per
square foot unit costs used today to reflect rapidly increasing costs of concrete
and structural steel. Additionally, the need for construction of a new flood control
levee was identified along the north side of the Whitewater River south of and
adjacent to the Union Pacific Railroad, as well as elevating the existing levee by ,
7 to 8 feet along the south side of the Whitewater River in order to address
increases to the base flood elevation within the Whitewater River due to the
proposed elevated roadways within it. There was no estimate for the
construction of the levee improvements included in by the 1997 report.
Given that USFWS has identified the need for maintaining wildlife movement and
sand transport within the Whitewater River, the; City expects that any proposal to
elevate the roadways on fill within the Whitewater River would not be approved
by the various resource agencies. This implication means that the future
roadways within the Whitewater River, whether they are 2, 4 or 6 lanes, will.need
to be elevated along their entire length across the Whitewater River. Using
conservative current unit costs of $200 to $300 per square foot, City staff
estimates that the cost for construction of an 8,100 feet long bridge for Indian
Canyon Drive will be between $134,460,000 to $201,690,000; and the cost for
construction of a 6,850 feet long bridge for Gene Autry Trail will be between
$113,710,000 to $170,565,000.
The City cannot commit to funding a $200,0010,000 future project and City staff
has conferred with USFWS regarding the financial challenge represented in
constructing the required underpass. If the Final CVMSHCP includes measures
requiring the undercrossings, the future project should be identified as a regional
project, requiring regional funding, and City staff will cooperate with the various
resource agencies and local legislators as necessary to obtain state and federal '
funding through a variety of grant sources such as the Exemplary Environmental
Initiative, the Highway Bridge Rehabilitation and Replacement (HBRR) Program,
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Public Lands Highway Discretionary Fund, as well as future Regional Measure A
funding.
Section 3: The roadway widening project implements the General Plan for Gene Autry Trail
because it is designated as a major thoroughfare. The project is consistent with
the General Plan for the six lanes between Vista Chino and Via Escuela and will
be an interim improvement for the four lanes that are proposed to be built
through the wash. Only when traffic volumes require additional capacity through
the wash will the City expand Gene Autry Trail to 6 lanes in the wash, and in that
case it is anticipated such a facility would be an above grade bridge crossing to
avoid environmental impacts and to accommodate the flood control capacity of
the Whitewater River Wash.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that, based upon the foregoing, the City Council orders
filing of a mitigated negative declaration and approves Case No. 5.0929 to widen Gene Autry
Trail from two to six lanes between Vista Chino and Via Escuela and from two to four lanes
between Via Escuela and the approach to the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge through the
Whitewater River Wash.
ADOPTED THIS 16thday of February 2005.
AYES: Members Foat„McCulloch, Mills, Pougnet and Mayor Oden
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
' ABSTENTIONS: None
ATTEST: CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA
' Clerk City Manager
Reviewed and Approved as to Form:
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