HomeMy WebLinkAbout22620 - RESOLUTIONS - 11/4/2009 RESOLUTION NO. 22820
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING AND
ORDERING THE FILING OF A MITIGATED NEGATIVE
DECLARATION FOR THE INDIAN CANYON DRIVE AND
BRIDGE WIDENING PROJECT, CP NO. 01-11, FEDERAL
AID PROJECT NO. STPLN 5282(016) & BRLO 5282(017).
WHEREAS, the City of Palm Springs ("City") submitted an application to the Federal
Highway Administration ("FHWA") for Federal Local Assistance Funds from the Surface
Transportation Program Local (STPL) Program, and from the Bridge Replacement Local
Off System (BRLO) Program to construct the Indian Canyon Drive and Bridge Widening
Project, City Project No. 01-11, Federal Aid Project No. STPLN 5282(016) and BRLO
5282(017) ("Project"); and
WHEREAS, the Project will widen Indian Canyon Drive for a distance of approximately
4,000 feet south of its intersection with Garnet Avenue over the Union Pacific Railroad
from two lanes to six lanes; and
WHEREAS, the Project is consistent with the Circulation Element of the 2007 Palm
Springs General Plan Update, which identifies Indian Canyon Drive as a Major
Thoroughfare in the Circulation Element; and
WHEREAS, the Project is listed on the Southern California Association of Governments
("SCAG") 2008 Regional Transportation Improvement Program ("RTIP") as Project ID
Xs RIV011203 and RIV990727, approved by the Federal Highway Administration and
Federal Transit Administration on November 17, 2008; and
WHEREAS, the Project implements the goals and policies of the General Plan; and
WHEREAS, an Initial Study was prepared pursuant to the provisions of the California
Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"), Division 13 of the Public Resources Code of the
State of California, beginning with §21000 (hereinafter "Act"); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 21152 of the Act, on July 13, 2009, a Notice of Intent to
Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Availability of Initial Study, and Notice of
Opportunity for Public Hearing, was filed with the California State Clearinghouse; and
WHEREAS, the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) was
circulated for public comment from July 13 through August 12, 2009; and
WHEREAS, by the close of the public comment period on August 12, 2009, there were
no requests for a Public Hearing submitted in response to the Notice of Opportunity for
Public Hearing; and
Resolution No. 22620
Page 2
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 15202 of the CEQA Guidelines, Title 14, Division 6,
Chapter 3, Article 13 "Review and Evaluation of EIRs and Negative Declarations", of the
California Code of Regulations, CEQA does not require formal hearings at any stage of
the environmental review process, and public comments may be restricted to written
communications; and
WHEREAS, the IS/MND prepared for this project has concluded, and following public
review, it has been determined that the Project will not have a significant effect on the
environment with the adoption of avoidance and mitigation measures identified in the
MND; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has carefully reviewed and considered all of the evidence
presented in connection with the Project, including, but not limited to, the staff report,
the IS/MND, and all written and oral testimony presented.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS DOES HEREBY RESOLVE
AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: The above recitals are all true and correct.
Section 2: The City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, is hereby designated the
custodian of the documents and other materials which constitute the record of proceedings
upon which the City Council has based its decision. The custodian of the documents is
located at 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, California.
Section 3: Pursuant to Section 15063 of the CEQA Guidelines, a Mitigated Negative
Declaration ("MND") of environmental impact was prepared and circulated for a 30-day
public review period ending on August 12, 2009. The Mitigated Negative Declaration
adequately analyzes the general environmental setting of the Project, its potentially
significant environmental impacts, and the alternatives and mitigation measures related
to each potentially significant environmental impact for the Project, and has determined
that there are no potentially significant impacts associated with the Project.
Section 4: The Project implements the following goals and policies of the General
Plan:
Goal CR1: Establish and maintain an efficient, interconnected circulation system that
accommodates vehicular travel, walking, bicycling, public transit, and other forms of
transportation.
Goal CR2: Establish improved levels of service for efficient traffic flow and provide a
safe circulation system.
As stated in the Project's Statement of Purpose of Need, the Project will accomplish the
following:
Resolution No. 22620
Page 3
• Alleviate traffic congestion,
• Improve intraregional travel by improving "directional mobility"
• Improve local access to commercial and industrial areas within the City of Palm
Springs, and
• Develop a transportation facility consistent with the Circulation Element of the
General Plan.
Policy CR2.2: Make street improvements at problem intersections and bottleneck
locations to improve specific traffic operations and safety, with all such improvements to
be considered selectively on the basis of specific studies of the affected intersection and
streets, and the impacts on the surrounding area and on pedestrian activity.
As stated in the Project's Statement of Need, the Project will resolve the following:
• Capacity Deficiencies. The capacity of the roadway is limited by its inadequate size
from its connection with the Interstate 10 interchange and bottleneck when the
existing road narrows to one lane in each direction.
Section 5: The City Council has carefully reviewed and considered all of the evidence
presented in connection with the Project, including, but not limited to, the staff report,
the Initial Study and public comments received, the proposed Mitigated Negative
Declaration, the proposed Environmental Commitment Record (otherwise known as a
"Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program"), and all written and oral testimony
presented. The City Council further finds that on the basis of the entire Project record,
there is no substantial evidence that the Project will have a significant effect on the
environment and that the Mitigated Negative Declaration reflects the City's independent
judgment and analysis.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that based upon the foregoing, and pursuant
to Section 15074 of the CEQA Guidelines, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3, Article 6
"Negative Declaration Process", of the California Code of Regulations, the City Council
adopts and orders the filing of a Mitigated Negative Declaration, and approves the
Environmental Commitment Record (otherwise known as a "Mitigation Monitoring and
Reporting Program"), for the Indian Canyon Drive and Bridge Widening Project, City
Project No. 01-11, Federal Aid Project No. STPLN 5282(016) and BRLO 5282(017).
Resolution No. 22620
Page 4
ADOPTED this 4th day of November, 2009,
David H. Read i nager
-ATTEST:
r _
times Thompson, City Clerk
CERTIFICATION
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss-
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS )
I, JAMES THOMPSON, City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, hereby certify that
Resolution No. 22620 is a full, true and correct copy, and was duly adopted at a regular
meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Springs on the 4th day of November,
2009, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmember Foat, Councilmember Hutcheson, Councilmember
Weigel, Mayor Pro Tern Mills, and Mayor Pougnet.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
ABSTAIN: None.
mes Thompson, City Clerk P f�l� qz p pF:
City of Palm Springs, California