The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutRPT 6 COMM RAIL STAT'N 12-21-92REPO _ S NO. 6 6 _ 12-21-92 1 i ATE. DECEMBER 21 1992 I nt e r -Com -J TO: TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER FROM: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: TUSTIN/NORTH IRVINE COMMUTER RAIL STATION RECOMMENDATION Receive and file. BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION The City Council at their meeting of December 7, 1992 requested a status update on the Commuter Rail Station. As you are aware, .the Community Development Department has been monitoring the rail station process and has been actively involved in meetings with various agencies and groups in an attempt to resolve location and funding issues. Historically, the City of Tustin first became involved and aware of the Commuter Rail Action Plan in Fall 1990. On October 1, 1990, the Community Development Department transmitted a report to the Council identifying concerns and issues that were determined as part of the department's review of the Draft plan. The Council authorized transmittal of the letter to the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA). The Draft Plan identified four possible rail station locations for the Tustin/North Irvine area generally bounded by Jamboree Road, Harvard Avenue, Edinger Avenue and the railroad tracks (Location Map Attached). The locations recommended by OCTA were Site A, the northwest corner of Jamboree Road and Edinger Avenue located entirely in the'City of Tustin and Site B. at Harvard south of the railroad, also located in Tustin. In responding to OCTA, the City of Tustin explained that Site A was owned by Bedford Properties who was processing a development proposal for the site (known now as Jamboree Plaza). In addition, we identified noise impacts associated with the starts, slowing and stops and their affect on the nearby residential areas (Tustin Meadows and Peppertree). Through 1991 the Community Development Department continued to monitor the Commuter Rail Working Group meetings. However, it wasn't until February 1992 that the OCTA contacted the City of Tustin and requested a meeting to discuss a rail station at either City Council Report Tustin/North Irvine December 21, 1992 Page 2 Commuter Rail Station Site A or Site.B in Tustin. The reason the OCTA had not been in contact with the City of Tustin was they had been discussing and negotiating with the City of Irvine regarding the development of the station at Site B. Site B was included as part of the Boundary Reorganization that was being discussed between Irvine and Tustin. If the boundary reorganization had gone through the site was to have been in Irvine. Since the Irvine City Council has taken a policy position to not realign the boundary between both cities, the OCTA initiated discussions with Tustin. During the meetings that followed our first contact from OCTA, Tustin staff reiterated concerns regarding siting a station at Site A due to the concerns initially expressed by Tustin residents about noise impacts and circulation impacts resulting from the increased number of trains which would affect the southeastern section of the City. Subsequently, the Community Development Department met with the affected Homeowners Association presidents (Laurelwood, Tustin Meadows and Peppertree) . Input received as a result of our contact with each association indicated that each association could support a station location at either Site A (Jamboree Plaza) or Site B (northwest corner Harvard/Irvine Center Drive). During the last three months this year, the Community Development Department has also met with the City of Irvine and OCTA staff and their consultant to ascertain station development criteria, cost estimates, scheduling and funding resources for acquisition and/or lease, operation and maintenance of a rail station. In early November, the City of Tustin staff met again with the City of Irvine staff to discuss each agencies' position on potential station locations and methods of financing station acquisition and long term maintenance. The City of Tustin staff agreed to contact Kemper Real Estate, owner of Jamboree Plaza and set up a meeting to determine their interest in a Commuter Rail station on their property and share with them the information we had acquired through our meetings with OCTA and the City of Irvine. In order to help Kemper to make a decision on the viability of the station at Jamboree Plaza, the staff researched and responded to a number of questions regarding rail station parking fees, construction, operational and maintenance costs, financial sources, acquisition funding sources, station development criteria and estimated annual dollars spent by rail commuters at station locations. Kemper responded that they are interested in pursuing a Commuter Rail Station at Jamboree Plaza, however, they cannot afford to City Council Report Tustin/North Irvine December 21, 1992 Page 3 Commuter Rail Station absorb the cost without additional financial subsidy to offset the cost of operation/maintenance, construction and lost lease income. Approximately $1.3 million in Proposition116 monies is currently available for the station development, this money may not be used for site acquisition, operation or maintenance and presently there Local are no other anticipated sources to offset jurisdictions are expected to fund anyproject shortfall through informed local or other sources. OCTA has also the city that they can not guarantee that the $1.3 million commuter rail stations in Orange County will be available in the future if a station is not constructed at this time. They believe there may be some reallocation of these funds to other sources if cities do not take advantage of the allocation and procedure with station selection and construction within the next few years. The OCTA hasprepared an orange County commuter Rail i DeV Phaseent Schedule which sets some critical target construction of stations including station site selection by January 15, 1992, completion of final design by June 6, 1993, completion of construction by November wever3and commencement of we have been told by on-line service by December 6, 1993. Ho , OCTA that the opportunity to have a station location is not lost if we don't meet these target dates. Full implementation of nine daily trains will not occur until 1995 and OCTA has indicated that station completion could be delayed until at least 1995. The basic minimum site development criteria established by OCTA for a station is a 3+ acre site, paved parking lot area forT 00+ vehicles, a loading platform, benches and a covered canopy. hese basic minimum facilities are estimated to cost between 2.3 - 2.5 million dollars. This cost range does not cover such items as security lighting, landscaping or any to her r architectural al enhancements to the loading platform area any compatibility desires. With the potential of a 1.3 million dollar Measure M contribution, a funding gap of approximately $1 million just for the station development would still need to be funded. In addition, staff has estimated that acquisition costs for a 3 acre site would be approximately 2.5 million dollars and projected annual maintenance costs could be over $25,000 annually for the parking lot alone. OCTA staff has recommended and will be coordinating a joint meeting with the City of Irvine, City of Tustin and OCTA to discuss the possibility for financial contributions from the City of Irvine. City Council Report Tustin/North Irvine December 21, 1992 Page 4 Commuter Rail Station It is anticipated that there would still be a shortfall for acquisition, construction and maintenance costs. Upon direction of the City Council, the. City would investigate the Transit Capital Improvement (TCI) grant program which may provide some contribution to offset these costs. The grant cycle will not occur again until Fall 1993 and each city would vie competitively for available funds which historically have been a total of $5 million shared Countywide, but are anticipated to be less next year. We will continue to explore alternate funding sources and keep the City Council informed. C a- /1"P. Rita T. Westf' ld Assistant Director Community Development RTW:kbc\comrlstn.rw Christine A. Shin6keton Assistant City Manager ORANGE C* JNTY COMMUTER RA, SERVICE STATION DISTANCES LOS ANGELES 9.5 MILES EXISTING STATION COMMERCE 7.4 MILES PROPOSED STATION NORWALK 4.6 MILES BUENA PARK 4.4 MILES \AP1 60.6 FULLERTON mpl 65.0 5.5 MILES ANAHEIM NAHEIM ... 2.2 MILES NIP172.7 ORANGE 2.5 MILES MP175.2 SANTA ANA 4.8 MILES NIP180.0 TUSTIN/NORTH IRVINE 5 MILES NIP1 85.0IRV.INE SPECTRUM 0 7.0 MILES MP1 92.0 MISSION %*qEJO/LAGUNA NIGUEL 0 5.3 MILES MP1 97.0 1 MP204.8 2 -3 - SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO 7.6 MILES MP226.4 SAN CLEMENTE 21.6 MILES OCEANSIDE North Irvine/Tustin Station Locations 2-35