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Cay of Seal Beach Planning Commission
Meeting Minutes of October 20, 1999
all of the criteria for financing through the Federal Highway Program. He said that Staff
feels the project is consistent with the General Plan and recommends approval. Mr.
Whittenberg stated that a visual presentation had been prepared for viewing tonight, but
that the computer components were not properly configured and the presentation could
not be made. He noted that Resolution 99-39 was scheduled for public hearing before
the City Council on Monday, October 25, 1999.
Commissioner Questions
Commissioner Lyon commented that driving across the Seal Beach Boulevard Bridge
during peak hours was "terrifying", as there was so much traffic congestion.
Commissioner Cutuli asked how many lanes of traffic would be open during the
construction phase. Mr. Whittenberg responded that this had not yet been determined.
He stated that one of the mitigation measures was that a traffic management plan had
to be prepared and approved both by the City and CalTrans. He stated that he
assumed that there would be a minimum of one lane at all times, and that his best
guess was that the construction would be phased so that two lanes in each direction
would be available during peak traffic hours. Commissioner Cutuli then asked what the
projected date of completion for the Old Towne Center would be, should it receive
approval. Mr. Whittenberg responded that at this point a date for completion is "up in
the air," as a referendum petition has been submitted to the City that, if qualified, would
place on the ballot for the March elections the question of whether or not the two
commercial portions of the project should be allowed to proceed. Commissioner Cutuli
asked if a delay in completion of the Bixby project would be good as it would be better
to have improvements for the Seal Beach Boulevard overpass completed prior to
beginning work on the Bixby Ranch development. Mr. Whittenberg responded that it
was difficult to predict that at this time as it would depend upon whether the petitions for
the referendum will qualify as a ballot measure. He stated that he believed the City
anticipates that this will occur, and that an election will take place in March. Pending
the results of the election, this will determine whether the commercial components of
the Bixby Ranch development can proceed. He stated that if the commercial
components do not proceed, the amount of transportation impact fees that the City
would collect on the remainder of the project would not be adequate to fully fund the
Seal Beach Boulevard improvements, and they would not go forward as anticipated at
this point in time. He clarified that because improvement to the Seal Beach Boulevard
overpass has been a long-term objective of the City (since 1975), the conditions of
approval imposed by the City on the Bixby Old Towne Center did not require
improvements to Seal Beach Boulevard to be completed as part of the Bixby
development. He stated that the existing problem of traffic congestion in that area is a
result of existing traffic flows, regardless of whether or not there is a Bixby development.
He explained that the Seal Beach Boulevard improvement is a separate project from the
Bixby development for both environmental review purposes and financing purposes.
Mr. Whittenberg noted that if the City is not able to obtain money from any future Bixby
development to offset the cost of the construction, the City would apply to the County of
Orange through the Measure M Program and talk to CalTrans to get financing for
10-20-99 PC Minutes
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