HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 10862 (Closure of 4th St)RESOLUTION NO. 10862
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN
RAFAEL APPROVING THE CLOSURE OF A PORTION OF
COURT STREET BETWEEN FOURTH STREET AND A POINT
APPROXIMATELY 140 FEET NORTH OF FOURTH STREET TO
VEHICULAR TRAFFIC
BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Rafael as follows:
WHEREAS, on April 6, 1998, the City of San Rafael approved development of
the Rafael Town Center mixed use project on Court Street between Fourth Street and
Fifth Avenue in the City's downtown; and
WHEREAS, in conjunction with the Rafael Town Center development, the City
and its Redevelopment Agency also approved development of the Court Street Plaza as a
public gathering place in accordance with General Plan policies DT -2, DT -19, DT -z, DT -
22 and DT-gg (incorporated herein by reference) which encourage the creation of public
spaces and plazas in the downtown ("Alive After Five"); and
WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael wants to close Court Street from Fourth
Street to a point approximately 140 feet north of Fourth Street to vehicular traffic for the
purpose of constructing a public plaza, as depicted in Exhibit "A" ("Closed Area" herein)
attached and incorporated herein; and
WHEREAS, the Closed Area of Court Street proposed for closure contains no
driveways or vehicular access points; and
WHEREAS, vehicle access to the parking and traffic circulation areas of
Courthouse Square, on the west side of Court Street, is not in the proposed Closed Area
and will remain open to vehicular traffic; and
WHEREAS, the Closed Area of the street will be closed only to vehicular traffic,
not pedestrian traffic, which will be enhanced and improved, in accordance with General
Plan polices related to the downtown, by the addition of the plaza, new sidewalks and an
American with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant access ramp; and
WHEREAS, the San Rafael Police and Fire Departments have reviewed the
proposed Closed Area and have determined that the proposed closure will not adversely
affect fire and safety access to the surrounding properties on Fifth Avenue, Fourth Street,
Lootens Street and A Street; and
WHEREAS, the environmental impact of the Proposed Court Street Plaza,
including the closure of the street and the diversion of traffic to surrounding streets, was
reviewed and evaluated in the environmental review process for the Rafael Town Center
project and the proposed public development of the Court Street Plaza and was found to
not be significant in the Negative Declaration approved on April 6, 1998; and,
WHEREAS, the City Traffic Engineer has been monitoring the traffic circulation
in the downtown area in and around the Closed Area since Court Street was temporarily
closed to vehicular traffic in December of 1999, and he has determined that said closure
has had no adverse impact on the flow of traffic in the downtown; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to enhance the public health, safety and
welfare of the citizens of San Rafael by constructing the Court Street Plaza as a place
where citizens can gather to enjoy the downtown and to participate in festivals and civic
events, a goal enunciated in the Downtown Vision as incorporated into the City's General
Plan 2000.
NOW, THEREFORE IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that:
1. The City Council determines that all of the above findings are true and
correct.
2. The City Council, pursuant to Vehicle Code section 21101(a)(1) and
based upon the above findings, hereby determines that the portion of Court Street
proposed for the Court Street Plaza (the Closed Area) is no longer needed for vehicular
traffic.
3. The City Council, pursuant to Vehicle Code §21101(a)(1) hereby
authorizes and orders the closure of that portion of Court Street between Fourth Street
and Fifth Avenue (designated the "Closed Area" on Exhibit "A") to vehicular traffic.
I, JEANNE M. LEONCINI, City Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify
that the foregoing resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular
meeting of the Council of said City held on the 18th day of June, 2001, by the following
vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Cohen, Heller, Miller, Phillips & Mayor Boro
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
Jeann M. Leoncini, City Clerk
2
anuan y yyy
I
1
I
1
1
EXHIBIT A
0
aaaj)g ypnog .�
0 r
za�ua� zrauly z'dO�
U
I'M CU M AREA1I
e
�
I T
m
a
I S I
i H �
I L I
U I
IC
1
EXHIBIT A
0
aaaj)g ypnog .�
0 r
za�ua� zrauly z'dO�
U
I'M CU M AREA1I