HomeMy WebLinkAboutMS SMART Review 65% Station PlansAgenda Item Na: 6.a
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Meeting Date: September 2, 2014
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: CITY MANAGER
Prepared by: Nancy Mackie, City Manager
SUBJECT: Review of SMART (Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit) 65% Station Plans
RECOMMENDATION: Approve Staff recommendation.
BACKGROUND. At the August 18, 2014 City Council meeting, an overview of all matters
related to SMART was presented to the Council. One of the ten items discussed for followup
was the "65% Station Design Plans" review, as discussed in the Discussion section below in
this report. In addition to this Council -level review of 65% Plans, Department of Public Works
staff (DPW) has been working with SMART staff to provide technical review on more detailed
submittal packages for the "IOS 2" plans, which includes work from just south of the Civic
Center Station to the Downtown San Rafael Station, and the "IOS 1" plans which include the
details for the Main Line Rail Placement. DPW reviewed these plans for issues related to road
crossings, accessibility, elevation changes, sidewalk width, path of travel, drainage, turning
movements, etc. and have and will continue to provide comments to SMART.
Prior to SMART starting their rail work in Downtown, utilities that are located under the rail line
require relocation. The San Rafael Sanitary District is currently relocating their facilities and,
following that work, the Marin Municipal Water District will be relocating their facilities from
under the tracks. DPW is handling coordination efforts in this busy section of Downtown to
minimize the impact to traffic patterns in this corridor.
DPW is also working closely with SMART, and the County of Marin to develop the County's
"Civic Center North" project. The County of Marin is proposing significant modifications to Civic
Center Drive prior to the rail activation. Modification to the roadway geometry and improving
the access to the Civic Center rail station are being addressed by all three agencies. Details
associated with accessible parking and a new "kiss n' ride" area are also being discussed. Both
of these projects will be brought to the City Council for review later this year.
DISCUSSION: On August 5, 2014, SMART submitted their 65% design plans to the City for
the Downtown and Civic Center stations in San Rafael. The submitted design includes a
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
File No.: _2- 4 S
Council Meeting: :;? %3- tx o / 4
Disposition: CLap&'-PE k"6eF 4-5
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SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT 1 Pane: 2
platform shelter, benches, pole mounted lights, trash receptacle, ticket vending machine and
signage, with the same design for both stations. Should the City desire to include betterments
or add enhancements to SMART's design, at our own cost, SMART has requested we inform
them by September 15th, Exhibit A shows the station plan and the context for the Civic Center
Station and Exhibit B shows the same for Downtown Station.
The Civic Center Station is located under the freeway near McInnis Parkway, and the County
desires to take the lead in handling the review of that station's design, given its adjacency to the
Civic Center itself and the particular design needs for that area. Staff and the City Council
SMART Subcommittee (Mayor Phillips and Councilmember Bushey) concur with that approach
and the full Council agreed at its August 18th meeting to this process. The Board of
Supervisors will be hearing this item on September 9, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at the Civic Center,
and the public is invited to attend. DPW staff has and will continue to provide the technical
review of the engineering at the street level.
For the Downtown Station plans, the Mayor has requested Planning Commissioner Larry Paul
and Citizens' Advisory Committee Member William Carney to provide input regarding the design
submitted by SMART. Their focus will be on the platform shelter, benches, lights, and related
items located above the actual platform. Note that there will be two platforms in the Downtown
due to the dual tracks at that location.
DPW has performed an initial review of the 65% plans, as shown on Exhibit C, focusing on the
more technical, ground level components of the plans, SMART's narrow right of way and the
platforms connection to the adjacent street were identified as initial potential issues. SMART
has since noted that they are modifying the plan to provide a larger area for patrons to access
the train platform. DPW's detail review includes iItems such as vehicle turning radii, modifying
fence locations, pedestrian issues,, utility relocation and rail signal system design and
connectivity to traffic signal systems.
Staff recommends that the attached letter (Exhibit D) be submitted to SMART. The draft letter
was written considering feedback from the City Council's SMART Subcommittee and pending
the Council's input tonight. Staff will revise the letter, as necessary, to reflect the Council's
comments. The draft letter informs SMART that the City Council has some concerns about the
simple nature of the design of the station and will need more time to determine what, if
anything, the City would like to see changed. The SMART Subcommittee will meet with Larry
Paul and William Camey to solicit input and return to the City Council with some initial thoughts
on the plans as well as a process for any further work, should that be the direction the Council
pursues.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact to submitting a response to SMART. Should the
Council desire to enhance the pians, funds will need to be identified for this project.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT 1 Pane: 3
EXHIBITS:
A: Civic Center plans
B: Downtown plans
C: DPW technical review
D: Draft Letter to SMART
OPTIONS:
A. Approve staff recommendation to submit a letter to SMART as shown in Exhibit D
B. Direct staff regarding modifications to letter to SMART,
ACTION REQUIRED: Approve Staff recommendation.
EXHIBIT A
CIVIC CENTER STATION DESIGN
Above shows proposed standard station design finishes from SMART 65% Plans
Above shows Google Street View of area where platforms will be located
EXHIBIT B
Above shows proposed standard station design finishes from SMART 65% Plans
Above shows Google Street View of area where platforms will be located
DRAFT
I a
PHONE:CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
,x #- tFAX: 415-459-2242
-
September 9, 2014
Bill Gamlen, Chief Engineer
Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit
5401 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 200
Petaluma, CA 94954
Re: City of San Rafael 65% Design Review Comments
Dear Bill,
Based on your letter of August 5, 2014, we have reviewed the referenced drawings and have included our
comments on the standard SMART review form. For the ease of review, we have arranged our comments
based on each planset page and numbered the comments on the attached set for reference. We have also
included a copy of comments from our previous reviews associated with work in the Downtown area for
your reference. Our concerns are as follows:
Aesthetics
Access
The City Council has concerns about the simplicity of the station designs, especially as the
Downtown station provides a gateway to our community. Based on this we are considering
modifying the station designs to provide aesthetic treatments that fit the character of the Downtown.
The City Council SMART Subcommittee will be reviewing these plans and returning to the full
Council this later this year to determine whether San Rafael wishes to make enhancements to
SMART's design, and if so, what those should be. Once that determination is complete, we will be
in contact with SMART.
The County of Marin is taking the lead to provide comments on the Civic Center plans.
As noted in our letter to you on August 7, 2014 we are concerned about the limited access to the
stations. SMART's right of way is narrow, especially in Downtown and we want to make sure that
there is sufficient room for people to access the platforms. Modifications to the current design may
be needed to better serve the general public.
If you have questions or comments, please feel free to give me a call.
Very truly yours,
Nancy Mackle
City Manager
EXHIBIT D
INSTRUCTIONS: USE THIS FORM WITH EACH SUBMITTAL OF A CONTRACT, AGREEMENT,
ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION BEFORE APPROVAL BY COUNCIL / AGENCY.
SRRA / SRCC AGENDA ITEM NO.v, t!,
DATE OF MEETING: Sept. 2, 2014
FROM: Nancy Mackle
DATE: August 27, 2014
TITLE OF DOCUMENT., Review of SMART (Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit) 65% Station Plans
FTIM2.0404-61
City
NOT APPROVED
REMARKS:
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APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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City AttorTiey (signature),
Esther Beirne
From:
Shirley Fischer <sfischer_94903@comcast. net>
Sent:
Monday, September 01, 201410:36 AM
To:
Nancy Mackie; Esther B,eirnie
cc!:
sfis�cher-94903@comcast.net
Subject:
City Council meeting 9/2, agenda item 6a.
Dear city Council Members,
I want to call your attention to a couple points in the SMART 65% design plan that you will be reviewing on Tuesday,
September 2.
The site pian for the Civic Center station appears on pages 7, 27, and 28.
http://www 2.sonomamarintrain.or,q/u!serfiles/file 65 c Design., - SMART Station Platform - San Rafael. df
There are a few important questiions which have not been addressed in the staff report.
1) Access from S.,MerNdate Rd and San Rafael Meadows, to the Civic Center station, There, does not appear to be
any access either to Civic Center Drive or to the SMART station from the south. Currently there is a fairly heavily
used informal path from South Merrydale Road which crosses the tracks which gives residents from
the southern community access to North Merrydale Road and the Northgate area. This access needs to be
preserved and residents of San Rafael Meadows need to be able to walk to the train station. There appears to
be sufficient room on the south side of the right-of-way (on the bank next to the storage facility) to create a
path from South Merrydale Road and a track crossing at the west end of the train platform that would resolve
this problem.
2) Parking. Nancy Mackle's 8/18 staff report stated that SMART is contracting for 120 parking spaces on County
property near the Avenue of the Flags. This will serve people coming from the east or off Hwy 101, but it is Ilikely
that most people from Terra Linda will park at Northgate or Northgate III shopping centers or along North
Merrydale Road andi walk to, the
he station from the west. The design plan and/or City plans for pedestrian and
bicycle connector from the station to Northgate (NSR Promenade extension) need to consider how parking will
be, accommodated on the west side of Highway 101.
3) Safety of cyclists and pedestrians on multiuse path. I do not see what type of barrier or protection will separate
people on the pathway from the main track. What is planned for this?
4) Commuter dro -off What will the "kiss and ride" drop-off be located? Also, where will the bus pad be located?
5) Wetland area. There is a small riparian area along Gallinas Creek drainage west of the station. What are the
plans for protection of this area?
Thank you for your consideration of these issues,
Shirley Fischer
19 Cermenho Court, San Rafael, CA 94903
415-472-0596
Sfischer 94903@comcast.net
Mayor Phillips and City Council Sept. 2, 2014
San Rafael City Hall
1400, 5'". Avenue
P.O. Box 151560
San Rafael, Ca. 94915-1560
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers;
Thank you for the opportunity to address the issue of SMART station design. I urge the Council to
inform SMART that the city wishes to add enhancements to the design. I do this well aware that there
will be an indeterminate cost involved. My reasons are as follows.
• We already have a train station; Whistiestops. This modified, but iconic, mission revival style
has been a, downtown landmark for decades, It should be preserved, as a gateway to, the
downtown airi San Rafael, Functioning as an arcade, open to, Taimalpaiis, it would provide the
public space we often discuss as a needed amenity but rarely get the chance to, implement.
Retail ground floor space, and 2 ind floor offices would be prime real estate.
• If Whistlestops can be conserved, the station platform design would need to be compatible.
• Whistlestops was the centerpiece of the DSAP. It was the entry to the city and was designed to
play that role.
• Our seniors deserve a better location with sufficient parking. Other cities in Marin have
• General Plan Neighborhood element, NH -15a has a vision statement for downtown that
states"..,a beautiful place to stroll... reflects the historic buildings..."" NH -32 references the need
for compatible design with our historic buildings. NH -33 asks for "a major entrance to
downtown with gateway treatment." NH -37b and c: continue this clear statement of our wishes.
• SMARTs, design! is Inadequate. There is no need to go into detail for something that Is so
evident and lacking identity.
San Rafael is poised to become a bicycle hub of Marlin Co. The station design needs to reflect
this and should be reviewed by the BPAC. Scant attention is paid to the bike and pedestrian
SMART is exempt from our design review process and that leaves us vulnerable to their
economic priorities. This will be the most significant improvement to our downtown in
decades. We have an opportunity to make our city a better place and tell future generations
that we cared about our town. We cannot afford to miss this chance.
Sincerely
Gerald) Kellie to