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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-11-19; City Council; 11453; REQUEST FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF PONTO BEACH PARKING CONTROLSbn C 24 .rl (d F.l a a 5 a, (d +J *d G .rl s 0 (II o+ 3 a k 5 a .rl $ .r( 2 3 z 0 F 0 U e Z 3 0 0 ri a, +J +J a a, a, a ri 0 u .. CITWF CARLSBAD - AGENDeILL * ( AB# 14, qs 3 TITLE REQUEST FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF PONTO DEPT. CITY 1 MTG. 1 1 /19/91 BEACH PARKING CONTROLS DEPT. ENG CITY I RECOMMENDED ACTION: Council deny request eliminating parking along Carlsbad Boulevard from the Bati Bridge to north of La Costa Avenue. ITEM EXPLANATION: The California Department of Parks and Recreation is presently developing a 240 parking lot and other day use facilities at Ponto Beach. The Department is propos remove the informal parking that now exists along the west side of Carlsbad Boul and make improvements to the area with landscaping and native planting. The improvements will include the removal of all vehicle barriers such as bouldei telephone poles, and the placement of an 8" curb along the outside edge of a si wide bike path from the Batiquitos inlet bridge to the entrance road of the new pi lot. Behind the curb additional soil or gravel will be placed in natural mounds ov old concrete highway and the soil mounds will be hydroseeded with native plant 8 The improvements are designed to improve the visual quality of the areas and to pi potential traffic conflicts. State Parks and Recreation maintains that when the parking lot is completed visit the park will use the Number 2 traffic lane (outside southbound lane) to decelerat turn from Carlsbad Boulevard to enter the parking lot. Their contention is that informal parking is not removed there will be conflicts between the cars leavin parking area trying to merge into traffic at the same time cars will be trying to entc park access road. Staff has analyzed the proposed design and finds it acceptable should the Council to eliminate parking in this area. The plan, if implemented, would remove approxirr 75 informal parking spaces. The attached memo from the City's Traffic Engineer indicates that no specific problems are currently occurring at this location due to the informal parking lot. uncertain what impact the new parking lot would have on traffic safety if the infc parking is not eliminated. Approval of the State's request will remove parking and provide an upgraded impr roadway environment. Should the request be denied and safety become a concc the future, the City would incur the cost of future improvements. RECOMMENDATION: Because of the value to local resident's for free access to the beach and the current of demonstrated traffic safety problems, staff recommends denial of the applic request at this time. Staff will continue to monitor the situation. If safety becomes an issue in the future, will report back to the Council any further actions. m a PAGE TWO OF AB# /( Y53 FISCAL IMPACT NONE EXHIBITS: 1. Vicinity Map. 2. 3. Traffic Engineer’s memo. California Department of Parks & Recreation Request dated October 15, 1 rn 0 B AT1 QUI TOS PARKING LOT UNDER CONSTRUC W w PETE Wl1 -, STATE OF CALIFORNIA - RESOURCES AGENCY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION P 0. Box 942896 SACRAMENTO 942!36-m01 (916) 653-9976 October 15, 1991 r? - -.- . ---... Mr. Lloyd Hubbs, City Engineer - City of Carlsbad 2075 Las Palmas Drive -. ,- Carlsbad, California 92009-1519 - . .. ,- -- . Dear Mr. Hubbs: South Carlsbad State Beach Riaht of Way Improvements at Ponto Beach The California Department of Parks and Recreation is presently developing a parking lot and other day use facilities at Ponto Beach. The Department is proposing to remove the informal parking that now exists along the west side of Carlsba Boulevard, and make improvements to the area with landscaping and native planting. The improvements will include the removal of all vehicle barriers such as boulders and telephone poles, and the placemen of an 8" curb along the outside edge of a six-foot wide bike path from the bridge to the entrance road of the new parking lot. Behind the curb additional soil or gravel will be placed in natural mounds over the old concrete highway and the soil mounds will be hydroseeded with native plant seeds. In additic to improving the visual quality of the area, one of the reasons for the proposal is to prevent a potentially hazardous condition. When the parking lot is completed visitors to the park will use the outside southbound lane to decelerate and tur off to enter the park. constant conflicts between the cars leaving the area trying to merge into traffic at the same time cars will be trying to ente the park road. This section of Carlsbad Boulevard is heavily used by bicyclists which will also increase the hazardous condition. If the informal parking lot is not removed there will.be t** 3 i--;m%. %d* $e3$ 1 W -c Mr. Lloyd Hubbs October 15, 1991 Page Two The Department is requesting the City to approve the proposal for these improvements, and to assure there will be no future parking along this section of Carlsbad Blvd. We are als requesting the area to be zoned no parking. Your consideration in our request is appreciated and we refer you to the attached sketches and series of plans illustrating the conceptual improvements. For additional information you may contact me at (916) 653-9887. Sincerely, Q3AL4-l.c Don Hook, Senior Landscape Architect Enclosures cc: Kerry Gates, Supervisor Landscape Architecture Section Bill Fait, LaCosta District Superintendent Kevin Kaestner, OPDM ~~1~~~ 0 47~IWcA-3w 50. Amovto ON1 - mnmrr mpctjEO c4'' E xcl-+rp'r6 DDARTMENT OF ?ARKS AND RECREATION 50u7-4 #-wL,ep3 4 5 OATS - .% mflrr=====lr p4'mp u235 'ai'0"' DRARTMENT Of PARKS AND RECREATION 4.Lsu2'=>5 A- OAR - 0 e -._..- -.- . . - . - ... ... - -4- I c CI +q .__.. ..- - 3i P e e November 4, 1991 TO: CITY ENGINEER FROM: Traffic Engineer SOUTH WBAD STATE BEACH R/W IMPROVEMENTS AT PONTO BEACH I have reviewed the October 15, 1991 letter sent to you by Don Hook of the State California Department of Parks and Recreation. As you recall, at a meeting in the field c September 10, 1991 with William Fait he was asked to submit a letter outlining tl proposal that the State Parks and Recreation was attempting to initiate regarding tl implementation of parking restrictions along Carlsbad Boulevard. The referenced letter their proposal. At this time, the California Department of Parks and Recreation is constructing a larj parking lot and other day facilities at Ponto Beach on the west side of Carlsbad Bouleva: northerly of La Costa Avenue. Their project is situated between the existing "informi parking lot that is located on the west side of Carlsbad Boulevard south of the San Marcc Creek bridge and La Costa Avenue, as shown on the attached Exhibit 1. Approximately ; vehicles can park in the unstriped %formal" parking lot. This ttinformal't parking lot located westerly of the southbound traffic lanes and bicycle lanes for Carlsbad Boulevar In addition, vehicles are allowed to "PARK OFF PAVEMENT" on a segment of Carlsb: Boulevard immediately north of the San Marcos Creek bridge. The physical location these two existing parking areas and the various parking maneuvers do not interfere wi the bicycle lane other than when vehicles cross the bicycle lane when attempting to pa or when leaving the parking area. Sight distance is good and no collisions are attributc to the location of these existing parking areas next to Carlsbad Boulevard. At the September 10, 1991 meeting it was apparent that the intent of the State Parks ai Recreation Department is to capture as many vehicles as possible that want to park in tl vicinity and require those vehicles to park in the State parking lot via implementation a NO PARKING zone on this portion of Carlsbad Boulevard. Potential traffic conflicts ai safety concerns have been cited in the October 15, 1991 letter by Don Hook as tht reasons to implement removal of the ttinformaltt parking lot. At the present time, under existing conditions, the potential for a vehicle-bicycle conflj does exist. However, because of good sight distance and fewer bicycles during da conditions, conflicts have been virtually non-existent. The access road from Carlsbi Boulevard to serve the new State parking lot will be adjacent to the south end of tl "informal" parking lot. Some vehicles exiting the "informal" parking lot could conflict wi a vehicle slowing to turn onto the access road from Carlsbad Boulevard to enter the ne parking lot if one or both drivers were inattentive to their driving. The fact that sig distance is good will help to minimize problems. 0 0 City Engineer South Carlsbad State Beach R/W Improvements at Ponto Beach November 4, 1991 Page: The new parking lot under construction will be a "pay' lot in response to the new polic of the State of California. Because of the close proximity of the "informal" parking lot i the new "pay" lot, without doubt most visitors to the beach will choose to park for free the "informal" parking lot. As such, it is expected that increased usage of the "infoma lot will occur. Parking demand in the location under consideration is relatively light at this time However, with future dredging of the Batiquitos Lagoon expected to provide sand to tl beach it could be expected that beach use will increase. A corresponding increase in tl number of vehicles parking at the beach will also result. The potential for a "no fe parking lot competing with a "pay" parking lot could, under various scenarios, result in tl "informal" free parking lot not being able to meet the parking demand. Various problen would then result. Under the proposal being offered by the State Parks and Recreation Department sever benefits are accrued by the City of Carlsbad. First, the potential for vehicle-vehicle conflic due to the proximity of the two parking lots is eliminated. However, the weaving area the point where the access road to the parking lot diverges from Carlsbad Boulevard wou remain as a conflict point between vehicles and bicycles. Second, the cost to provide safe improvements by the elimination of parking along Carlsbad Boulevard is borne by the Sta of California and not the City of Carlsbad. Finally, the State proposal does provide for landscaping feature that would improve the aesthics of the area. From a traffic engineering standpoint, I would not oppose the proposal offered by the Sta Department of Parks and Recreation, provided that they do not attempt to use guardrz to implement the closure of the "informal" parking lot. A NO PARKING zone can 1 implemented on Carlsbad Boulevard pursuant to Section 10.40.055 (4) of the Carlsb: Municipal Code and does not require City Council action. However, in my opinio eliminating the "informal" parking lot is a policy decision that must be initiated by the Ci Manager through a formal decision by the City Council. pLq--L%(f ROBERT T. JOHNSON, JR., P.E. Traffic Engineer RTJ:rz c: Community Development Director Attachment c Daviaarr 3322 Venado St. Carlsbad, CA 92009 *$ 0 -4 November 12, 1991 Mayor Lewis & Members of City Council City of Carlsbad 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive - /ST*- C,d Carlsbad, CA 92009 L!L%L. c' Cub$ Dear Mayor and City Council; Parks and Recreation request to eliminate parking along Carlsbad Blvd. in the area of their new parking lot at South Carlsbad State Beach. This is in response to the State Department of Although at this time this area is not a white sand tropical oasis I am confident that with the enhance- ment of Batiquitos Lagoon and sand replenishment this beach will become a prime asset to Carlsbad. Even in its present state this area is used by a surprising number of people. Fishermen, surfers, picnickers,tourists, birdwatchers, amateur photographers and artists, and families are just a few of the types of people who enjoy this beach on a daily basis, year 'round Many stay only a brief time before continuing up or down the coast or resuming the daily grind,, These casual beach users require casual beach parking. For most it is not a question of parking free or paying, If required to pay most will not come at all. If only pay parking is available this beach wil be restricted only to those people with the money to pay and the time to Rake the payment worth while, The many groups of casual, short term users will be excluded, Carlsbad has no alternative parking available en local public streets, Any restriction on parking at South Carlsbad will drive more people to the neighborhoods in the North. the State to pay to keep parking free at the (North) Carlsbad State Beach lot, TJXlile I would support this along with a City takeover of the new South Carlsbad State Beach lot I think it shmld be done only as a last resort, dip into Carlsbad tax money I suggest this money may be Unlike the Northern Carlsbad beach area, South I understand that the City is negotiating with Rather than allow the State to take a yearly 4 uaw Lil== November 12, 1991 0 Beach parking L q -a ‘C* better spent by the City to provide free alternative parking. I can think of no more logical use for Transient Occupancy Tax funds, Specifically I propose the following; the State to keep parking free while eliminating existing free parking is inconsistent and absurd 1, Reject this State request - To consider paying 2, Formalize a policy of the City of Carlsbad to provide as much free beach parking for our residents and visitors as possible, 3, Develop the shoulder of Carlsbad Blvd, adjacent t South Carlsbad State Beach to provide as much parking as possible, public input, of beach parking along the entire coastal stripo Taking into account future devel- opment determine how the City can provide more beach parking and access. Determine what City, County, or private land may be available and funding sources. 5. Join the Surfrider Foundation in their lawsuit to stop the imposition of parking fees at all State beaches. 4, Undertake a comprehensive analysis, including 6. Lobby State legislators to keep the Department oj Parks and Recreation within the spirit (some WOI argue the letter) of the Coastal Act by keeping coastal access unrestricted and available to al: Thank you for your consideration. 0 J.&&&-- David Carr