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Home My WebLink About05 WIDENING EDINGER 04-16-01"AGE XIDA R "O MEETING DATE' APRIL 16, 2001 TO' WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER 750-90 No. 05 04-16-01 FROM' PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/ENGINEERING DIVISION SUBJECT' ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION FOR THE WIDENING OF EDINGER AVENUE FROM SR- 55 TO 1400 FEET EAST OF RED HILL AVENUE (ClP NO. 7147) SUMMARY This project provides for the widening of Edinger Avenue from four to six lanes from SR-55 to east of Red Hill Avenue. This action will consider and approve the use of a Final Initial Study/Mitigated. Negative Declaration as the controlling environmental document and clearance for the project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No.. 01-40 which considers and approves the use of the Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Edinger Avenue Smart Street Improvements from Ritchey Street to 1400 .feet east of Red Hill Avenue as the controlling environmental document and clearance for the segment of Edinger Avenue between the City limits at SR-55 to 1400 feet east of Red Hill Avenue pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Then direct staff to file a Notice of Determination. FISCAL IMPACT The Edinger Avenue Smart Street Project is funded by Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Smart Street Funds. The City of Santa Ana is the lead agency for this segment of the Edinger Avenue Widening. The City's 00/01 Capital Improvement Program Budget currently allocates adequate funding for the oversight of this project (CIP No. 7147). BACKGROUND The project is a portion of the Moulton Parkway Smart Street Program which is a Regional Transportation Improvement Program spanning a 26-mile stretch of Moulton Parkway/Edinger Avenue from the City of Dana Point to the City of Santa. Ana. This segment of the Smart Street Program is a joint project with the City of Santa Ana and the City of Tustin. Because the project spans both cities, it was agreed for efficiency that the City of Santa Ana would serve as the lead agency providing-a single source for managing the funding, design, right-of-way acquisition and construction. As the responsible agency, the City of Tustin reviews and approves the process in all phases. Environmental Determination and Approval for the Widening of Edinger Avenue from SR/55 to 1400 Feet East of Red Hill Avenue (CIP No. 7147) April 16, 2001 Page 2 The project provides for the widening of Edinger Avenue from the existing four lanes to major arterial highway standards (six lanes and bike lanes). The complete project limits are from Ritchey Street in the City of Santa Ana extending past the SR-55 northbound ramps through to 1400 feet east of Red Hill Avenue in the City of Tustin. The improvements include pavement resurfacing, new street pavement, curb, gutter, center median, bus turnouts, storm drain, streetlights, traffic signal modifications, new railroad crossing arms and landscaping. These .improvements provide important traffic circulation and capacity enhancement to this congested area. A Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared for this project with santa Ana as the lead agency. The Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared in conformance with the CEQA. DISCUSSION The Mitigated Negative Declaration for Edinger Avenue Improvements from Ritchey Street to 1400 feet east of Red Hill Avenue was certified and found .adequate and in compliance with the CEQA by the City of Santa Ana on December 19, 1997. The City of Tustin reviewed and provided comments on the Mitigated Negative Declaration. The Mitigated Negative Declaration finds that the potentially significant environmental effects have been substantially lessened by the mitigation measures. Implementation of mitigation measures outlined in the Mitigated Negative Declaration will be monitored by staff as the project proceeds. The report is available for public review at the Public Works Department. Tim D. Serlet Director of Public Works/City Engineer Dana R. Kasdan Engineering Services Manager TDS:DRK:RS:ccg'Env determination widening of Edinger & Reso 01-40.doc Attachment: Resolution No. 01-40 Location Map , l0 15 16 18 19 20 25 26 RESOLUTION NO. 01-40 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA APPROVING THE FINAL INITIAL STUDY/MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR THE EDINGER AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS FROM RITCHEY STREET TO 1400 FEET EAST OF RED HILL AVENUE AS THE CONTROLLING ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT AND CLEARANCE FOR THE SEGMENT OF THE EDINGER AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS FROM THE CITY LIMITS AT SR-55 TO 1400 FEET EAST OF RED HILL AVENUE (CIP NO. 7147), PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT. The City Council of the City of Tustin does hereby resolve as follows' !. The City Council finds and determines as follows' Ao The proposed project consists of the widening of, and improvements to, Edinger Avenue from the City limits at SR-55 to 1,400 feet east of Red Hill Avenue (CIP No. 7147); and Bo The proposed project is a segment of the Moulton Parkway Super (Smart) Street Project; and C. The Orange County Board of Supervisors certified Environmental Impact Report (EIR) No. 542 for the Moulton Parkway Super (Smart) Street Project on October 5, 1993; and Do The City of Santa Ana, as the Lead Agency, adopted a Final Initial · Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Edinger Avenue Improvements from Ritchey Street to approximately 1400 feet east of Red Hill Avenue on December 19, 1997; and Eo The Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Edinger Avenue Improvements incorporates EIR No. 542 by reference; and Fo The City of Tustin is a Responsible Agency for the Edinger Avenue Improvements project and is responsible for implementation of the project within Tustin; and O. The City of Tustin completed an Initial Study dated April 16, 2001, to determine if the proposed project may have significant effects on the environment beyond those addressed in the Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration; and Ho No additional significant effects on the environment beyond those addressed in the Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration were identified; and !5 !8 19 25 26 The environmental effects of the project, shown in the Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, have been reviewed and considered; and g. The City of Santa Ana received comments from the public and responsible public agencies on the draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration during the 30-day public review period which extended from August 23, 1997 through September 22, 1997; and Ii. The City Council of the City of Tustin does hereby find that the Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Edinger Avenue Improvements from Ritchey Street to 1400 feet east of Red Hill Avenue, in its entirety, 'is adequate to serve as the controlling environmental document and clearance for the Edinger Avenue Improvements from the City limits at SR-55 to 1,400 feet east of Red Hill Avenue; and Iii. The City Council finds the project involves no potential for any adverse effects, whether individually or cumulatively, on wildlife resources; and, therefore, makes a De Minimis Impact finding related to the California State Department of Fish and Game Code Section 711.4; and IV. The City Council hereby finds that the potentially significant environmental effects identified in the April 16, 2001 Initial Study have been substantially lessened in their severity by the imposition of the mitigation measures contained in the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration. PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Tustin City Council, held on the 16th day of April 2001. Tracy Wills Worley, Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk 28 Z [[: W W 0 U.I U.I