1568 - Laserfiche WebLink

The staff feels that the overall design of the map is appropriate, but we are concerned with the intersection of California Avenue and Stanley Boulevard. Because of the trees in that area, site distance to the west is somewhat restricted for cars turning westerly onto Stanley Boulevard. This restriction varies depending upon the location of the turning vehicle - the farther it noses out into Stanley Boule- vard, the greater the site distance. Present plans do not show where vehicles should stop. The proponent is working with Alameda County to alleviate this problem. He has received verbal approval from the County Road Department to remove the first two trees west of the intersection. Removal of these trees would increase the site distance to the west to an acceptable level. One of the trees slated for removal appears to be virtually dead at this time. The western half of California Avenue currently serves as an access drive for the Fiat agency and the A & R Service Center buildings. When the full street is constructed, a raised median will be built from Stanley Boulevard to a point approximately 175 feet south of Stanley Boulevard. This median is necessary to properly channel traffic through the intersection. It would, however, force northbound traffic exiting the A & R Service Center to turn right onto California Avenue and then U-turn in order to get back to Stanley Boulevard. Additionally, traffic from the businesses on parcels 3 through 6 could not reach the service center without turning around somewhere on Stanley Boulevard. To remedy this situation a median break should be constructed opposite the service center driveway. Because of the small volume of traffic expected on California Avenue, such a break should cause no problems. If it does, the break could easily be closed. A negative declaration accompanies this report. Based on the initial environmental study done for this project, it is the staff's opinion that Tentative Map Tract 3858 would not have a significant adverse effect on the environment because conditions attached to the approval of the proposed project would reduce the possible adverse effects on the environment to an insignificant level. Conditions 1-6 are all mitigation measures. If your Commission concurs, you must make the finding that the negative declaration is appropriate for the project. This finding must be made prior to taking action on the project, itself. Please refer to page 8 of the CEQA Guidelines for the definition of significant effect and to pages 20-33 of the Guide- lines for the details on determining significant effect. Staff Recommendation: Because the proposed project would be in con- formity with the General Plan and the subdivision and zoning ordi- nances, the staff recommends approval of Tentative Map Tract 3858, subject to the following conditions: 1. That the development be substantially as shown on Tentative Map Tract 3858 on file with the Planning Department, except that there be a median break in the median on California Avenue adjacent to the driveway to the A & R Service Center. 2. That approval of this map is subject to approval by the staff of an intersection plan for the intersection of California Avenue -2-