PC 010803 - Laserfiche WebLink

Bypass Road as set forth in the Speci tic Plan and the EIR, due to various economic and environmental issues_ He advised that those issues were not specified in the staff report or in person, and inquired why these issues were being brought forth at this late date. Mr. Schlies believed the City should not be concerned with Mr. Spotorno's opposition as referenced in the staff report. He requested that the City abandon the study, and to proceed with the bypass road as set forth in the Specific Plan. Janet Linfoot, 6300 Alisal Street, noted that Sherman Balch requested that she read a letter from the Law Offices of Wendell, Rosen, Black and Dean, relating to the Happy Valley Bypass Road Alternative Alignment Study: "This office represents Sherman and Cheryl Balch, whose family resides at 601 O Alisal Street, in the I-sappy Valley area, immediately east of the intersection of Sycamore and Alisal Roads. As discussed in more detail below, our clients strongly object to the City's intention to conduct the above-referenced study, which could result in the elimination or relocation of the adopted and approved Happy Valley Bypass Road. Additionally, our clients strongly oppose any proposed alternative bypass road location which would require condemnation of a portion of their property. Accordingly, our clients respectively request that the City discontinue the study, and instead, reaffirm its commitment to construct the bypass road in its currently planned location. on an expedited basis_ Our clients' first issue relates to the general concept of the bypass road. As the Coirimission is well aware, our clients and the neighbors in the Happy Valley area are extremely disturbed at the fact that the City would even consider the elimination or relocation of the bypass road. As far as everyone involved was concerned, the issue of the bypass road was fully resolved in 1998, with the City's adoption of the Happy Valley Specific Plan. Access to the golf course and associated housing was explicitly dependent upon the bypass road, and the specific location established by the Specific Plan. The project analyzed in the associated EIR expressly included the bypass road in its currently proposed location, and the EIR specifically rejected the number of alternative locations for the bypass road, since each one would increase the Specific Plan's environmental impacts_ Together, the Specific Plan and EIR demonstrated at the time that the City had fully analyzed the feasibility of the bypass road, and the City was committed to its construction in its currently proposed location. If, as a result of the study, the City decides to eliminate or relocate the bypass road, the Specific Plan and its associated EIR will no longer be valid. As acknowledged in the staff report, the City would accordingly be required to amend the Specific Plan, aizd would have to prepare a new EIR or other appropriate environmental document analyzing the impacts of the amendment. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES January 8, 2003 Page 10