CC 2013-08-27_10.a. Police Station Upgrade Project - Prkg LotTO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
DATE:
MEMORANDUM
CITY COUNCIL ~v
TERESA MCCLISH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
CONSIDERATION OF PARKING LOT CONFIGURATION FOR THE
POLICE STATION UPGRADE PROJECT LOCATED AT 200 NORTH
HALCYON ROAD (MINOR USE PERMIT CASE NO. 13-005) AND
NORTH HALCYON ROAD WIDENING
AUGUST 27, 2013
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommenc;ted that the City Council: 1) approve the revised parking configuration
option for the Police Station Upgrade project; and 2) direct staff to not include the
widening of North Halcyon Road in the Police Station Upgrade project.
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
The preliminary cost estimate for design and construction of the Police Station Upgrade
project is $975,000, not including offsite improvements. If widening of North Halcyon
Road along the project frontage is considered, the preliminary cost estimate is
increased $52,000 which would be paid out of the Transportation Fund.
BACKGROUND:
At the April 13, 2013 meeting, the City Council approved a two phase plan to address
the Police Station facility needs. The first phase is to remodel the existing building to
address the highest priority immediate facility needs. The second phase is to expand or
construct a new facility in the future when long-term needs and financial resources are
determined. The Council also approved the Purchase and Sale Agreement for the
acquisition of the property at 270 North Halcyon Road and directed staff to prepare
alternatives and recommendations regarding expansion of employee parking.
On July 9, 2013, three parking lot options were presented. Option I maintained all of the ·
Eucalyptus trees on site. Option II removed some of the trees. Option Ill removed all of
the trees. The Council directed staff to prepare a parking lot design that integrated the
two largest and healthiest Eucalyptus trees on site. The Council also requested that
more information be provided regarding options for widening North Halcyon Road in
order to determine whether to include partial widening in the Police Station Upgrade
project.
Item 10.a. - Page 1
CITY COUNCIL
AUGUST 27, 2013
CONTINUED CONSIDERATION OF PARKING LOT CONFIGURATION FOR THE
POLICE STATION PROJECT
PAGE2
ANALYSIS OF ISSUES:
Employee parking will be expanded by utilizing the adjacent property acquired from the
VCA Animal Hospital. However, the configuration of the site does not enable the City to
meet all of the projected need for spaces. The goal is to be able to store all employee
and Police Department vehicles and equipment on site. Many vehicles are now parked
on the street and at the Public Works Corporation Yard.
The Council approved a modified Option II for the parking lot alternatives presented at
the July 9, 2013 meeting, which removed one additional tree. This option has been
designed with the goal of maximizing parking around the two preserved trees, which is
shown in Attachment I. It was expected that the number of spaces gained from the
additional tree removed could make the total close to the parking spaces provided by
Option Ill, but this was not possible due to measures needed to protect the existing
trees.
Staff met with Dave Ragen of the Tree Guild to confirm the health of the selected trees
to remain, and both trees are considered viable. In order to reduce impacts to the trees
during construction, several mitigation measures were recommended to protect the root
system in the site design and during construction, including the following:
• Precise measurement of the tree drip line;
• Protection of the root system including stump grind to level and leave in place near
preserved trees;
• Leave chips and spread under tree for mulch;
• Hand trench 2 ft. in drip line perimeter for Rena tree;
• Remove dead branches;
• Thin branches on side of lean for Rena tree;
• Thin and remove crossing branches on Halcyon tree; and
• Widen pervious area near trees.
The site plan was modified to provide additional space near the trees and pervious
pavement/pavers. Although precise measurements of the drip line and an evaluation of
the root system prior to construction may necessitate some minor plan revisions, it
appears the forty-one (41) parking spaces included in Option II will be maintained.
However, it does continue to provide five (5) fewer spaces in the updated site plan
compared to Option Ill as a result of retaining two (2) Eucalyptus trees on the site. This
leaves the plan eight (8) employee parking spaces short of the number projected to
meet the Police Department's needs of forty-nine (49) spaces.
Item 10.a. - Page 2
CITY COUNCIL
AUGUST 27, 2013
CONTINUED CONSIDERATION OF PARKING LOT CONFIGURATION FOR THE
POLICE STATION PROJECT
PAGE3
A subsequent correspondence received from Dave Ragen is also attached for Council's
review and consideration. It presents supplemental information and an option involving
tree removal.
The site plan depicts the shaded area for the covered parking area that is
recommended to protect vehicles and a schematic of a typical structure is represented.
The Architectural Review Committee is scheduled to review the landscape plan,
fencing, covered parking and elevation for the remodel at their September meeting.
The City's long range plans include the widening of North Halcyon Road in order to
better accommodate forecasted traffic volumes. The existing 80 ft. right-of-way
currently consists of two 6 ft. sidewalks, two 12 ft. travel lanes and two 8 ft. parking
lanes for a majority of the property frontage. Portions of North Halcyon Road, including
a portion of the Police Station frontage have been improved on the east side an
additional 8 ft. The site plan indicates the future curb face and right-of-way lines.
Per Council's direction, staff has requested the City's traffic consultant to prepare
updated traffic data on Halcyon Road, which is under development. Initial study of the
North Halcyon corridor indicates that a three-lane configuration with a center turn lane
and either Class II bike lanes or one parking lane would meet circulation and capacity
needs. However, staff does not believe completion of the traffic data is necessary to
make a decision on widening of Halcyon Road for two reasons. First, the need for
widening of North Halcyon Road is related to a design deficiency that is somewhat
independent of traffic volumes. One of the northbound lanes drops at East Grand
Avenue, creating a conflict by forcing vehicles into the right turn lane. Second, widening
of the full length of Halcyon Road is not anticipated for many years under any traffic
volume scenario due to costs and unavailability of right-of-way in other restricted
segments. Feedback is sought if Council would like to change its prior direction
regarding the traffic analysis.
The project improvements will require replacement of sidewalk, and new street trees are
proposed. The trees will likely be mature by the time the widening is completed.
Widening of this segment was proposed at this time largely to prevent the same
scenario the Council is currently facing, which would be the decision whether to remove
mature trees to make the necessary improvements at that time.
As a result, staff has requested the architect to present an alternative parking lot and
sidewalk design to avoid this problem, which is attached for consideration and
recommended. The current plan places the new street trees along Halcyon Road
behind the back of the sidewalk for the expanded right of way. Therefore, the trees will
not have to be replaced when the expanded right of way is constructed in the future. It is
recommended that the project not include widening at this time since the proposed
design precludes the need for street tree removal in the future. Widening at this time
Item 10.a. - Page 3
CITY COUNCIL
AUGUST 27, 2013
CONTINUED CONSIDERATION OF PARKING LOT CONFIGURATION FOR THE
POLICE STATION PROJECT
PAGE4
would require substantial additional cost, and no significant benefit would be gained
until constraints are removed in other areas of the corridor.
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are provided for the Council's consideration:
1. Approve the recommended parking lot design and direct staff not to include
widening of North Halcyon Road in the project;
2. Direct staff to include widening of North Halcyon Road in the project;
3. Modify the parking lot design option to include removal of all trees in order to
increase parking spaces;
4. Delay the decision on widening of North Halcyon Road until updated traffic
data is provided; or
5. Provide direction to Staff.
ADVANTAGES:
Proceeding with the recommended option will increase parking while also preserving
some of the mature trees and minimizing impacts to new street trees on the project site.
DISADVANTAGES:
The recommended design option results in a projected deficiency of eight employee
parking spaces. Proceeding with the design without widening North Halcyon Road
would necessitate additional work and disruption in future years that may be more
efficiently completed at this time. Maintaining the Eucalyptus tree on the west side of
the property may cause future damage to the new sidewalk.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, staff
has reviewed the proposed project and determined that it is categorically exempt per
Section 15301 of the Guidelines relating to repair and minor alteration for existing
facilities, and Section 15332 relating to in-fill development projects.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The agenda was posted in front of the City Hall on Thursday, August 22, 2013 and on
the City's website on Friday, August 23, 2013.
Attachments:
1. Recommended Site Layout
2. August 20, 2013 Dave Ragen Correspondence
Item 10.a. - Page 4
RELOCATE G~"!E ..-~--1,...---..-_... ......
TRUCK PARKING ---+-+--\-\
22' x 50' METAL BUILDING
STRUCTURE ON CONCRETE
PAO · (5) ROLL-UP DOORS
IBI
GROUP
ARCHITECTURE PLANNING
EX ISTING FACE OF CURB ---~
NEW STREET TREE, CLEAR
OF FUTl!RE ROW ,~· -_--~
FUTURE FACE OF CURB
__....-
NEW SLIDING GATE
~
DEMO ANO RESURFACE
,,,-· (E) PARKING LOT
,/
(E) EUCALYPTUS TREE TO
REMAIN WITH PERVIOUS-
PAVEMENT BELOW DRIP LINE
FUTURE BACK OF SIDEWALK
FUTURE PoLICE MEMORIAL
_.PARK AREA+/-3,000 SO . FT .
NEW STREET TREE
'---NEW SECURE STAFF
VEHICLE PARKING LOT
COVERED PARKING UNDER
_., EUCALYPTUS TREES
(E) EUCALYPTUS TREE TO REMAIN WITH
PERVIOUS PAVEMENT BELOW DRIP LINE
NEW STREET TREE
......__ ___ RELOCATE/REPLACE
NATURAL GAS GENERATOR
IQuercus agrttolla/COAST LIVE OAK 24" Box
1Pis1achla chinensls/CHINESE PISTACHE 24" Box
Trislania oonferta/BRISBANE BOX 24" Box
SECURE PARKING SUMMARY
CITY VEHICLES
PATROL CARS
STANDAR D SPACES
TRUCK SPACES (LARGE)
TRAILER STORAGE
COMMAND POST TRAILER
STAFF VEH ICLES
STANDARD SPACES
ACCESSIBLE PARKING
CODE REO'O, BASED ON STAFF
PARKING REO'O
10
12
2
5
1
18
VEH ICLES 1
TOTAL PARKING REQ'O; §
PARKING PROVIDED
10
11
1
5
1
12
SITE PLAN C ITYOFARROYO GRA ND E• _Lb_z Q 1 A-:-:R=-:R::-::O~Y;::O:--:G:-::R::-7A"':':N::".DE=-=Po::-:L-:-:IC::-::E:-:S:::::T:-:-AT=1-=o:-:-N-:-A=:oo::-:1=n-=077NfT=E=:N..,..,A-:-N=T-:-:IM""'P:-::R""'O.,...,V""EM""'E""'N""'T,....--------------·/l/I--_,. ____ ~. 11145.000
0 20' 40' 80' 08/27/13
ATTACHMENT 1
Item 10.a. - Page 5
ATTACHMENT 2
Teresa McClish
From: dragan [dragan @directv.net]
Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 1:24 PM
To: Teresa McClish
Subject: Saved trees at Police parking area
Hello Teresa
I was under the impression saving the 2 large Eucalyptus was a done deal but I wanted to pass
along my thoughts on another option.
Removal may be the best alternative in the long run.
The root zones on the two Eucalyptus we talked about saving are currently impacted by the
street, sidewalk and parking lot. Removal of the asphalt in the existing parking lot, soil
excavation, addition of base material and compaction will damage additional roots.
The current area available for gas and water exchange will be reduced with the installation
of the new parking. The trees may be able to survive with the measures we discussed.
However, removal of these existing trees and replacement with trees appropriate for this
location should result in a greater number of trees in the new parking area, there will be
room for more parking spaces and the potential hazard of limb failure would be eliminated.
Please give me a call if you have any questions.
Dave Ragan
ISA Certified Arborist WE-0345A
1