Serra Mesa

Murray Canyon Apartments

Serra Mesa Traffic Mitigation

Murray Canyon Apartments (268 apartments)is a project located on Mission Center Road across from the Art Institute. The Mitigated Negative Declaration indicates the developer will construct the following traffic projects in Serra Mesa because of the impact on our roads: restriping of Murray Ridge Road between I-805 and Mission Center Road, signalization of intersection at Murray Ridge Road/Mission Center Road, signalization of intersection at Murray Ridge Road/I-805 southbound ramps, signalization of intersection at Murray Ridge Road/I-805 northbound ramps and additional northbound right turn lane (to be done at a later date).

The Serra Mesa Planning Group formed a subcommittee that is meeting on Monday, March 28, 7:15 p.m., at Montgomery Airfield Conference room to respond to the Mitigated Negative Declaration. If you need more information, e-mail the Serra Mesa Planning Group at serramesaplanningroup2002@hotmail.com.

Response to Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration

Below is the letter from the Serra Mesa Planning Group's Murray Canyon Subcommittee responding to the City's Mitigated Negative Declaration.

March 31, 2005

Jerry Jakubauskas, Environmental Planner
City of San Diego Development Services Center
1222 First Avenue, MS501
San Diego, CA 92101

RE: Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration
Subject: Murray Canyon Apartments – Project Number: 5700

Dear Mr. Jakubauskas:

At the Serra Mesa Planning Group meeting on March 17, 2005 a motion was passed to form a subcommittee to review and make comments regarding this Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration.

The proposed project will have significant effects on Serra Mesa. Listed below are our comments, concerns, and questions.

Environmental Analysis:

IV. Biology

D. Interference with movement of wildlife species
What is the percentage of projected increase in traffic on Mission Center Road? At least two and possibly three or more breeding pairs of the threatened California Gnatcatcher are located 0.6 miles from the project in Murray Canyon on Mission Center Road. These birds are experiencing crowding and increased traffic and noise will add to this stress and could disturb their nesting. Reports indicate that the birds roost on one side of Mission Center Road, but forage on the other side.

Any construction or other man-made disturbance within the area surrounding the San Diego River is timed as so not to disturb Gnatcatcher nesting. With the documented presence of the California Gnatcatcher so close to this project and since this project would effectively cut off their retreat to habitat on the San Diego River, we would like to see any construction or other man-made disturbance be timed to avoid disturbing Gnatcatcher nesting.

VIII. Human Health/Public Safety/Hazardous Materials

Since silica dust is a known toxic air contaminant and possible carcinogen, we are concerned about the long-term health affects on the residents. Since this project will be rental units, will the renters as part of their lease agreement receive any notice that the silica dust could be hazardous to their health?


IX. Hydrology/Water Quality

B. An increase in impervious surfaces and associated increased runoff
D. Discharge of identified pollutants to an already impaired water body

Runoff from this project will flow to the San Diego River, which is already an impaired water body with multiple efforts underway to improve the water quality. The San Diego River and its side canyons, including Murray Canyon and Murray Canyon Creek are under the Draft Master Plan.

The report mentions proposed structural BMPs to address the pollutants (oil/grease and dissolved minerals) from the project. Why aren’t these BMPs mandated?


X. Land Use

A. Community Plan Land Use

How many acres are being developed? We were told by the developer’s representative that 10 acres are being developed. According to this draft report the MVR-3 component of the MVRDO doesn’t require multiple uses if less than 10 acres are being developed. Are multiple uses required?


XIV. Public Services

A. Fire protection

The statement “Fire Services Are Adequate” is inconsistent with the previous assertions in the media and for other projects that fire services are inadequate in Mission Valley, which has no fire station. For example, the City used lack of fire services and large fire-rescue response times in Mission Valley as a justification for the promotion of a connecting street between Friars Road and Phyllis Place. The Murray Canyon Apartments project is located adjacent to the proposed Quarry Falls Project. Please explain the inconsistency.

B. Police protection

The statement “Police Services Are Adequate” is inconsistent with statements made by the SDPD Eastern Division representatives at community meetings indicating that the lack of sufficient police officers in Mission Valley is detrimental to police services in Serra Mesa. Are more police officers being added to cover Mission Valley?

C. Schools

Educational institutions within Mission Valley are inadequate since they have no public schools. Students from this development will attend Serra Mesa schools. We would like to know the cumulative impact of all the development in Mission Valley on Serra Mesa schools.

We are also concerned about safe access for students traveling to the Serra Mesa schools when there are no sidewalks on Mission Center Road. The school district does not provide busses.

D. Parks or other recreational facilities

Please explain the statement “Park and Recreation Facilities are adequate.” We’re only aware of an inadequacy of recreational facilities in Mission Valley. Murray Ridge Park in Serra Mesa and the Serra Mesa Recreation Center would be the closest facilities to this development. We would like to know how much the development will impact our recreation facilities.
Will there be playground equipment at the project?

E. Maintenance

It’s difficult to understand that maintenance services are adequate when Fashion Valley Road has been out-of-service since December 2004 and potholes along Mission Center Road and other areas of Mission Valley remain unfilled.

F. Other governmental services

What government services are adequate?

XV. Recreational Resources

A. Increase the use of existing neighborhood and regional parks or other recreation facilities

It’s indicated there would be no adverse impact on recreation resources. Please name the resources to which the Draft refers.

XVI. Transportation/Circulation

A. Traffic generation in excess of specific/community plan allocation

B. An increase in projected traffic which is substantial in relation to the existing traffic load and capacity of the street system

G. Increase in traffic hazards

Restriping

The proposed mitigation measures could result in unsafe conditions. For example: restriping Murray Ridge Road to four lanes will result in a confusing configuration. Murray Ridge east of Mission Center Road will be two lanes, west of Mission Center Road will be four lanes, on the Murray Ridge Bridge it will be three lanes. All of these variations would exist within less than three-tenths of a mile.

Restriping Murray Ridge from Mission Center Road to the Murray Ridge Bridge from four lanes to two lanes will make it hazardous for the residents living on Murray Ridge Road to enter and exit their properties. Additionally, restriping to four lanes eliminates the possibility of a bike lane.

What is the purpose of the restriping? How will it mitigate the effects of the increased traffic on the residents of Murray Ridge Road?


New Mission Center Intersection and Signalization

This project includes a new intersection and traffic signal on Mission Center Road. There will be six traffic signals in less than 0.5 miles. Adding a signal so close to the existing one (.1 mile away) could potentially cause a significant increase in gridlock, driver frustration, increased exhaust from idling cars waiting at red lights, etc.

We suggest redesigning the project to use the existing intersection, Mission Valley Road, on the southern side of the property. This intersection, presently being used by Vulcan, could be designed to minimize interaction with the concrete trucks. For example, there could be a Vulcan only lane that goes straight and a left turn lane that goes into Murray Canyon Apartments. Vulcan vehicles could be banned from exiting at this route and required to exit at Qualcomm Way.

Another alternative would be to add a signal on Mission Valley Road where emergency access is currently planned rather than adding a signal on Mission Center Road. If the concern is to reduce the mixing of mining vehicles with the residential vehicles, this alternative would simply shift the mixing point from the current signal at Mission Center Road and Mission Valley to further east on Mission Valley Road. This would reduce the impact of the development on all of the other users of Mission Center Road.

The question is why can’t this project be designed to make use of an existing traffic signal?

Improvements need to be made to the timing of the signals on Mission Center Road, especially in the area of Mission Valley Road and Friars Road. The signals are not timed correctly to improve traffic circulation.

Mission Center Road and Murray Ridge Road Signalization

A four-way signal replacing the four-way stop sign is proposed for the intersection of Mission Center Road and Murray Ridge Drive. There are concerns that the signal would not improve the situation. If people are allowed to make a right hand turn (south on Murray Ridge Road), residents living on that block will have trouble entering and exiting their driveways, because there will a steady stream of vehicles. Also, it may be difficult for people to enter and exit on the two side streets, Encino and Converse. Encino and Converse west of Murray Ridge have no other alternative route. A condominium complex is located off of Converse.

The grade is approximately 12% on Mission Center Road at that corner. What will be the pollution impact of sustained idling on the residents living near that corner? Does a four-way stop sign or a signal minimize the amount of idling? What will be the visual impact of the light at night on the residents located at the corner?

Before this stop light is installed we request that a full analysis be conducted on traffic alternatives for this intersection and their respective impacts and that the study be discussed with the community, especially the people residing in the area of the proposed stop light.

Bike Lane

There are bike spaces listed in the project parking plan. Where are the bike lanes on Murray Ridge Road?


Freeway Access

The main focus for mitigation in this report is the Serra Mesa roads. Serra Mesa would like Mission Valley to do everything it can to improve access to SR-163 and I-8. SR-163 is .7 miles and I-805 is1.5 miles from Murray Canyon Apartments. If access to SR-163 and I-8 is improved, the residents in Mission Valley will have better access to I-805 north and south and will not need to access I-805 via Mission Center Road. In this report there is no mention of the impact on or improvements for the Mission Valley roads which are en route from the project to the SR-163 or to the I-8 access. What about improvements for Mission Center Road from the project to Friars Road and Friars Road from Mission Center Road to SR-163? Or the alternate route from Mission Valley Road to Metropolitan to Frazee Road to Friars Road?

The City needs to do everything it can to encourage people to use the roads in Mission Valley to access the freeways. Serra Mesa roads are not designed to handle the increase in traffic. Mission Center Road is a three lane curvy road and it may not be possible to add another lane and still put in a bike lane and a walking path. A walking path and bike lane is essential for school children traveling to Serra Mesa schools. Murray Ridge Road between Mission Center Road and I-805 is a residential street with homes with driveways accessing this street, the street is only 64 feet curb to curb, limiting the ability to add additional lanes and a bike lane, and has not been built to withstand massive amounts of traffic. The alternate routes through Mission Valley do not take people through a residential area. What is the City doing to encourage freeway access within Mission Valley which is a more appropriate route for this project?

We do not believe that the proposed traffic mitigation will relieve the anticipated traffic effects on our community. Instead of widening Mission Center Road and restriping Murray Ridge Road to encourage traffic from Mission Valley and this new development, the developer’s mitigation should consist of traffic calming techniques to discourage additional traffic on these residential streets. The Serra Mesa community is developing a traffic calming plan which could be expanded and incorporated into this mitigation plan.

F. Alterations to present circulation movements including effects on existing public access to beaches, parks, or other open space areas?

Changing the traffic pattern on Murray Ridge Road would negatively impact traffic bicycling on Murray Ridge Road to Murray Ridge Park and the Serra Mesa Recreation Center.

XI. Noise – Would the proposal result in:

B. Exposure of people to noise levels which exceed the City’s adopted noise ordinance?

The report indicates the noise assessment was done in Serra Mesa at Harton Road and Ainsley Street. Were noise assessments of the mining operations and the movement of concrete trucks made at the project site to determine the noise level for the people who will live there? What would be the decibel level at the site?

Planning Commission Hearing

If you use Mission Center Road, you will be affected.
Murray Canyon Apartments
Planning Commission Hearing
Thursday, April 28, 9 a.m.
City Admin. Bldg, 202 C Street, 12th fl.

The Serra Mesa Planning Group (SMPG) formed a subcommittee to evaluate the traffic mitigations located in Serra Mesa for the Murray Canyon Apartments project. H. G. Fenton Company proposes building 268 apartments located on Mission Center Road across from the Art Institute.

SMPG approved the subcommittee’s recommendation to request that the four-way stop sign be maintained in lieu of signalization at the corner of Mission Center/Murray Ridge; Murray Ridge Road between Mission Center Road and I-805 be striped with two through lanes, two bike lanes, two parking lanes, a median strip, and a turn pocket at Encino; and no new signalization at Mission Center Road and the Murray Canyon Apartments Project.

According to Linda Kaufman, Fenton representative, City staff has agreed to the subcommittee’s restriping request and to maintain the four-way stop sign at the corner of Mission Center and Murray Ridge Roads. No resolution has been reached regarding the new signal on Mission Center Road. This signal will impact the residents of Hye Park (located on Mission Center Road) and officially part of Serra Mesa and any person who uses Mission Center Road. There will be six signals in less than 0.5 mile.

While the developer and staff have agreed to two of our requests, we still need to be there for the third request and, also, to make sure the Planning Commission approves the other two requests.

The Serra Mesa Planning Group will make a presentation. If you wish to speak or express your opposition, fill out a speaker slip indicating you oppose the project. The time of our presentation is unknown, but could extend into the afternoon. Hearings are broadcast on station 24 or for a live webcast go to: http://www.sandiego.gov/citytv/webstreaming/index.shtml.

The San Diego Trolley is convenient, runs every 15 minutes. To catch the trolley park at Qualcomm Stadium or Fashion Valley Shopping Center, exit at the Civic Center station, which is in front of the Administration Building. Security checks are conducted at the building.

Go to the Web Site http://www.sandiego.gov/planning-commission/agenda/agenda050428.pdf for the Planning Commission agenda. If agenda items don't get shuffled, Murray Canyons Project should be heard in the morning. The staff report can be found at the same Web Site by scrolling down until you come to reports. The staff report was not available as of April 23.

For more information, visit the Web site http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/sandiego/serra/, Murray Canyon page, or send an e-mail to serramesaplanninggroup2002@hotmail.com or contact contact Cindy Moore, Serra Mesa Planning Group Chair, at 858-278-9660.

If you’re unable to attend this meeting, you can send a letter to the Planning Commission, City Administration Building, 202 C Street, MS 5A, San Diego, CA 92101 or email PlanningCommission@sandiego.gov.