Present-

Council Members Campbell (arrived at 8:49 p.m.), Golonski, Ramos and Vander Borght.

Planning Board Members Gabel-Luddy, Humfreville, Jackson, Taylor and Thomas.

Absent - - - -

Council Member Murphy.

Planning Board Members None.

Also Present -

Ms. Alvord, City Manager; Mr. Barlow, City Attorney; and, Mrs. Campos, City Clerk.

Citizen

Comment

There was no response to the Mayor�s invitation for oral communications at this time.

Land Use/

Transportation

Connection

Mrs. Georgino, Community Development Director, explained the link between land use and transportation, noting land use policies have a direct effect on the transportation system; and conversely, the nature and makeup of the transportation system affects livability and quality of life.  She discussed the challenges inherent in achieving a balance between the following competing goals:  managing the transportation network in the face of external regional expansion and local growth; balancing economic opportunity/community vitality/neighborhood livability with the need to construct street improvements to manage traffic congestion; achieving goals within funding constraints; providing transportation alternatives to reduce congestion and provide better mobility access to all sectors of the population; and, recognizing the many trade-offs in transportation planning between competing land use and transportation goals.  She stated that although land use and transportation goals sometimes conflict, land use policies can also be used to further transportation goals.  She noted policy changes being proposed through the Land Use Element/Mobility Element update process that promote better transportation systems, such as:  the creation of neighborhood centers of community-serving retail to encourage walking trips between residential and other land uses; the establishment of mixed-use commercial and residential development along corridors to encourage better connections to transit and make alternative transportation modes more viable; focusing new growth in areas that have excess street capacity or good connections to transit; development of sidewalk and mixed-use design standards to foster safe, vibrant street environments to enhance walkability and strengthen the sense of community; and, consideration of new land use controls to limit by-right development intensity based upon its peak hour traffic generation characteristics.  She emphasized that ensuring that both the Land Use Element and Mobility Element are consistent and supportive of each other is key to planning a transportation system that can provide the critical mobility key to the City�s economic vitality; while not sacrificing community values of importance to residents.

Current Conditions and

Long-Range

Growth

Forecast

With the use of visual aids, Mr. Herrmann, Assistant Community Development Director/Transportation and Planning, discussed the following issues with regard to current traffic and transportation conditions and the long-range growth forecast:  the current Levels of Service (LOS) Map; growth assumption implications; and, 2025 deficient intersections with scenarios of no improvements, moderate improvements and ultimate improvements.  He noted that as freeways get more congested, the impact on the City will increase as regional traffic exits freeways to use arterials; and, local traffic (either Burbank residents or Burbank employees) will opt to use arterials rather than the freeways.  He informed the Council and Planning Board that the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is currently in design to widen five carpool lanes which will provide some relief, although this improvement will reach capacity shortly after it is installed.  He added that in order to implement this improvement, Caltrans will have to acquire additional right-of-way, especially along the Interstate 5 Freeway. 

Mr. Herrmann explained that one of the main ways used to implement the growth forecast is through the Trip-Based Intensity Measurement Standards (TIMS), which is measured as trips per 1,000 square feet of land area.  He stated that TIMS will be introduced in the Land Use Element and into the Zoning Code, thereby giving each property depending upon their land use classification a certain trip-based budget to be allocated amongst the different uses.  In conclusion, he stated that staff was currently in the process of updating the Mobility Element, and as a part of that process has identified a number of policy issues.  He noted that in an effort to reduce trips, the City was attempting to provide alternative forms of transportation such as with the expansion of the bicycle routes and the new fixed-route service.

8:49 P.M.

Mr. Campbell

Entered the

Room

Mr. Campbell entered the room at this time.

Transportation

Technology

Mr. Johnson, Assistant Public Works Director/Traffic Engineer, addressed the topic of congestion and technology, using a pie chart to illustrate the causes of congestion.  He explained the two primary ways of improving traffic flow:  1) physical improvements, including systems, structures, and facilities (such as private automobiles, bus systems, bicycles and pedestrian systems); and, 2) the use of traveler information.  He stated that the City has been developing infrastructure to allow the best use of the two options.  He noted that widening of streets was the original means of improving traffic flow, but the current solution includes turn lanes, peak hour parking prohibitions and special purpose lanes such as those for use by buses.  He described the Intelligent Transportation System  and used a map of the City to illustrate the location of cameras, signs and detection systems which are currently in place or will be installed, noting these are generally located on major intersections.  He then addressed the option of providing traveler information, specifically describing the Regional Integration of Intelligent Transportation System program, noting the ultimate goal of providing traveler information is to enable the traveler to make the best-informed decisions possible with regard to traffic management.

Trip-Based

Development

Standard

Mr. Kriske, Transportation Analyst, Community Development Department, provided more detail about the proposed Trip-Based Intensity Measurement Standard (TIMS) by illustrating two hypothetical development scenarios, one on a block face of Magnolia Boulevard and a second example in the Media District.  He described that the TIMS rates are a ratio of trips per 1,000 square feet of land area, and described how a property owner would use the size of their parcel and the TIMS rate applicable for their location to derive a PM peak hour trip �budget� for the site.  He then described how a property owner could use the trip budget to compare different land use scenarios and projects that would all have the equivalent trip generating characteristics.  He also described how incentives or credits could be built into the TIMS rates for developments that promote walkability, better transit access, or other pedestrian-oriented features.

With the aid of a large diagram of the intersection of Hollywood Way and Victory Boulevard, Mr. Kriske illustrated how various street improvements needed to mitigate traffic congestion by the year 2025 require trade-offs and policy decisions between improving traffic flow and providing for better pedestrian activity, and maintaining quality of life for surrounding land uses.  He described both short-term and long-term improvements needed at the intersection to maintain a Level of Service D, which is the City�s current standard for intersection operations.  He noted a series of improvements that would require extensive intersection flaring, additional through-travel lanes and parking restrictions.  He also illustrated how intersection flarings and street widenings would sacrifice sidewalk widths and the ability to add bicycle lanes on Victory Boulevard.  He noted that needed intersection improvements conflicted with current Council direction that prohibited widening on Hollywood Way.  He reiterated the trade-off that would be necessary between adding street capacity or reducing development (through the TIMS methodology), and accepting deteriorated levels of service at certain intersections where necessary street widenings come into conflict with other transportation system and land use goals of increased pedestrian activity, providing for alternative transportation modes (bicycle, transit), or maintaining healthy neighborhoods in adjoining land uses.

Adjournment

There being no further business to come before the Council and Planning Board, the meeting was adjourned at 9:25 p.m.

                                                       Margarita Campos, CMC

                                                                City Clerk