Lower Eastside Community Connectivity Active Transportation Plan
Summary
SCH Number
2024101326
Public Agency
City of Santa Barbara
Document Title
Lower Eastside Community Connectivity Active Transportation Plan
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/30/2024
Document Description
The Lower Eastside Community Connectivity Active Transportation Plan (Plan) was adopted by City Council on February 13, 2024. The Plan includes proposed active transportation projects within the Eastside neighborhood, including a new US Highway 101 (US 101) pedestrian and bicycle overcrossing between Pitos/South Canada Streets and Dwight Murphy Field, and the following safety enhancements within the Eastside neighborhood: Safe Routes to School Safety Enhancements, including curb extensions and high visibility crosswalks at the intersections of Montecito/Voluntario, Montecito/Soledad, Quinientos/Voluntario, Quinientos/Soledad, and Carpinteria/Soledad; Cacique Bike Boulevard/Bike Friendly Street improvements including curb extensions at Canada/Hutash, Canada/Punta Gorda, and Voluntario/Cacique. This route connects to the existing Cacique/US 101 undercrossing and would also connect pedestrians and cyclists to the future overcrossing at Canada/Pitos; Sidewalk Infill on Alisos between Hutash and Cacique Streets. This would fill a missing link of sidewalk leading to the US 101 Undercrossing at Cacique Street, connecting pedestrians to and from commercial services along Milpas Street and to the Waterfront; and Salinas Street pedestrian and lighting safety enhancements from US 101 Freeway off-ramp into the neighborhood. The Plan includes additional lighting throughout Salinas Street, a raised intersection for speed control from the highway off ramp at Pitos/Salinas, curb extensions and rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) at Hutash/Salinas Streets, a compact roundabout at Carpinteria/Salinas Streets for speed control, and curb extensions at Clifton/Salinas Streets.
Contact Information
Name
Kaitlin Mamulski
Agency Name
City of Santa Barbara, Public Works Engineering
Job Title
Project Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Santa Barbara
Counties
Santa Barbara
Regions
Southern California
Cross Streets
Pitos/South Canada Streets and Dwight Murphy Field
Other Location Info
Eastside and East Beach Neighborhoods
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
SB 922 & PRC Section 21080.20, 21080.25
Reasons for Exemption
SB 922 specifically exempts Active Transportation Plans (ATP) under PRC Section 21080.20(a)(1), which states: This division does not apply to an active transportation plan, a pedestrian plan, or a bicycle transportation plan for the restriping of streets and highways, bicycle parking and storage, signal timing to improve street and highway intersection operations, and the related signage for bicycles, pedestrians, and vehicles.
The Plan qualifies for a Statutory Exemption under SB 922 as an ATP because it is a Plan developed by a local jurisdiction (City of Santa Barbara) that promotes and encourages residents to choose walking or bicycling through the creation of safe, comfortable, connected, and accessible pedestrian and bicycling networks.
A proposed Plan exempt from CEQA under Section 21080.20 must be in conformance with the requirements articulated in PRC Section 21080.20(b), which states that:
The lead agency shall hold noticed public hearings in areas affected by the project to hear and respond to public comments. Publication of the notice shall be no fewer times than required by Section 6061 of the Government Code by the public agency in a newspaper of general circulation in the area affected by the proposed project. If more than one area will be affected, the notice shall be published in the newspaper of largest circulation from among the newspapers of general circulation in those areas.
Section 6061 of the Government Code requires publication of the notice once. The City conducted bilingual community engagement via a webinar on October 25, 2021, and an in-person meeting on October 30, 2021. Spanish interpretation was provided at all meetings. Between October and December 2021, the City also launched a bilingual survey online. The City conducted additional bilingual community engagement in April 2023 and launched a second survey online between March and May 2023. Notices for these meetings and the survey were distributed through the weekly Foodbank and placed in students’ homework folders at Franklin, Cleveland, and Adelante Charter Elementary Schools, posted on Parent Square (online news platform for parents/teachers/staff), and multiple media outlets. Media outlets included the City’s News In Brief, Instagram, and Nextdoor. Notifications were also posted on the project webpage and emailed to webpage subscribers. Stakeholders, such as The Eastside Society, MOVE Santa Barbara County, and the City’s Neighborhood Advisory Committee were also notified directly. Signs were also placed strategically throughout the neighborhood.
The City held a webinar on April 5, 2023 and an in-person meeting on April 12, 2023 to share design options. The Transportation and Circulation Committee reviewed and commented on the Draft Plan on October 26, 2023, where the public was invited to review and Draft Plan and participate in the meeting. The Plan was then presented to the Sustainability Council Committee February 1st, 2024, and heard and adopted by City Council on February 13, 2024. The public hearings were publicly noticed and advertised on the City’s website. Similar social media posting techniques were also utilized for these meetings.
While the Plan itself is exempt from CEQA, individual projects that are identified in the Plan remain subject to further CEQA review.
In conclusion, the Plan is statutorily exempt from CEQA pursuant to PRC Section 21080.20, as amended and enacted by SB 922.
County Clerk
Santa Barbara
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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