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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03181986 - 2.4 t � THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on March 18, 1986 , by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Fanden, Schroder, McPeak, Torlakson, Powers NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------- SUBJECT: Southern Pacific-Santa Fe Railroad Merger The Board received the February 27, 1986 report (copy attached hereto and by reference incorporated herein) from A. A. Dehaesus, Director of the Community Development Department, detailing actions that have been taken by the Community Development Department and County Counsel to intervene in the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) proceedings in Washington, D.C. , relative to the Southern Pacific-Santa Fe Railroad merger. He recommended that the Board take the following actions: 1 . Accept this Report; 2. Direct the Community Development Department and County Counsel to continue to monitor the ICC proceedings and submit additional documents, if appropriate, in order to reiterate the County' s concerns; and 3• Direct the Community Development Department to continue to coordinate responses to the ICC with the cities and other affected agencies in the County. In addition, direct the Clerk of the Board to distribute copies to all affected juristictions in the County as follows: East Bay Regional Park District; the cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Pittsburg, Martinez, Pinole, Hercules, San Pablo, and Richmond. Supervisor Torlakson referred to a recent meeting of the Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee about a proposal pre- sented regarding the possibilities of a light rail connection along the waterfront through Martinez from the Antioch and Pittsburg area to Richmond. He suggested that staff of the Community Development Department review this proposal in terms of feasibility and options available to the County. Supervisor Torlakson also referred to the need for a light rail type system to connect Central County and the San Ramon Valley area. He also referred to the Alternatives Analysis developed by the Bay Area Rapid Transit District to examine extention of service to the West Pittsburg area and expressed concern that it does not include a light rail connec- tion in the San Ramon Valley. Supervisor Torlakson suggested that staff review the Alternatives Analysis and report to the Board on keeping options open with various federal and state agencies for the development of a light rail alternative along these railroad rights- of way. Supervisor Schroder commented on public hearings being held by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to receive input on new rail starts and extentions for transit operations. He stressed the importance in developing an over-all transportation plan for the County that would include rail, public transit, and highways. He expressed concern that failure to develop a compre- hensive transportation plan for this County could result in various areas within Contra Costa County competing for transportation funds. Supervisor Schroder advised that if this were to occur, there would probably be a lack of funds for many of the projects. Supervisor Powers recommended that the Board approve the recommendations of the Community Development Director with the addition of the following: 4 . Authorize the Community Development Director to send a letter to BART requesting consideration in the Alternatives Analysis the two rights-of-way discussed today--the Santa Fe and the Central County right-of-way; 5 . Request Community Development Department staff to work with the Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee to develop a presentation for the hearings being held by MTC � and designation of a Board member to testify about those new rail starts, particularly taking into consideration the Santa Fe right-of-way; 6 . Authorize the Community Development Director to more fully examine light rail possibilities including the Santa Fe right-of-way and the Central County right-of- way in an integrated transportation system; 7 . Direct Community Development staff to work with the affected communities and East Bay Regional Park District and AMTRAK to develop a coordinated approach to potential abandonment of these rights-of-way: Supervisor Torlakson presented an additional recommendation: 8 . Direct the County Administrator to communicate to the Public Utilities Commission, the U. S. Navy, and the County' s Congressional Delegation the County' s interest in these rights-of-way and to seek to assure inclusion of all parties in discussions. IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the 8 recommendations as set for above are APPROVED. cc: East Bay Regional Park District Cities of Antioch Iherebycart IIythat'hh'sinatr€s�rndcnrr,cIcop ,F �f Brentwood an action taken and enterer;oq $i?y of 's;:e Pittsburg Board of Supervisors on the male showun, Martinez �� Pinole Hercules PF12L BATCHELOR, Clerk of the Board Sari Pablo of Supervisors and County Administrator Richmond U. S. Naval Weapons Station `-o C.pD. By Community Development Director Deputy Community County Counsel County Administrator . 4 , TO- BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Anthony A. Dehaesus n,,�,♦ Director of Community Development �.�,l.J,l�,"} ra February' 27, 1986 Costa DATE: COU *SUBJECT: Southern Pacific-Santa Fe Railroad Merger � �l� SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS Accept this report detailing the actions that have been taken by the Community Development Department and County Counsel to intervene in the Interstate Commerce Commission proceedings in Washington, D.C. Direct the. Community Development Department and County Counsel to continue to monitor the ICC proceedings and submit additional documents, ' if appropriate, in order to reiterate the County's concerns. Direct the Community Development Department to continue to coordinate responses to the ICC with the cities and other affect- ed agencies in the County. Direct the Clerk of the Board to distribute' copies of this order to all affected jurisdictions in the County listed below. FINANCING IMPACTS Staff time and mailing costs from the existing budgets of the Community '' Development Department and County Counsel will be required to monitor the ICC proceedings and submit any additional documents. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND This report serves to update the Board regarding action that has been taken by the Community Development Department and County Counsel in response to the proposed Southern Pacific-Santa Fe railroad merger, as well as recent changes in the schedule being followed by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) in Washing- ton, D.C. r l 1 CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT; _ YES SIGNATU RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RE M EN ATION F BOARD OMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATUREISI: County -Adm-ini strator -� cc: County Counsel ' East Bay Regional Park District - Cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Pittsburg, Martinez" Pinole, Hercules, San Pablo, Richmond - -- M382/7-83 CGPR - -- 1,.,,�,m,11 Qn Actions Taken by County Staff A previous analysis of the proposed railroad merger and the impacts that the new operating plan may have upon Contra Costa County was submitted to 'the Board on August 27 and September 17, 1985. On September 17 , 1985 , Board directed the Community Development Department and County Counsel to intervene in the legal proceedings before the Interstate Commerce Commission and to submit specific comments and concerns in response to the ICC environmental assessment of the proposed merger application. In response to the staff submittals, the County was granted its petition to intervene as an active party in the ICC proceedings in November, 1985. Community Development Department staff prepared a report commenting upon the environmental assessment document and County Counsel filed a legal brief with the ICC. The report and legal brief outlined Contra Costa County' s con- cerns regarding the impacts of greatly increased rail traffic on the Southern Pacific line in East County (noise impacts to residences and schools adjacent to the track, safety issues at rail-highway crossings, the need for over-crossings in the Oakley area, etc. ) , as well as impacts associated with the possible _abandonment of the Santa Fe track through the Franklin Canyon and between Antioch and the San Joaquin County line (impacts of not maintaining the right-of-way, future use of the right-of-way as a transit corridor or recreation facility, etc) . The report and legal brief identified specitf �3:;;:mit=igation---mea= sures that could be attached by the ICC as conditions to' the approval of the merger application. The submittals requested additional analysis regarding noise and safety impacts in East County, as well as further documentation regarding the transpor- tation of hazardous materials by rail through the County. The response also supported the attempts by the City of Martinez and the East Bay Regional Park District to mitigate increased rail traffic impacts on access to the Martinez waterfront and to the proposed Carquinez Straits Shoreline Regional Park.The County' s submittal also supported the attempt by AMTRAK to continue rail service on the Santa Fe line through the Delta to Stockton. As directed by the Board, the Community Development Department has coordinated its comments to the ICC with those of the affect- ed cities in the County, as well as other involved agencies. A copy of the County' s response to the ICC has been sent to all affected cities. In November, Community Development staff met with representatives from the cities and from the. park district to coordinate responses on this item and share information. Responses to the environmental assessment have subsequently been filed with the ICC by several local jurisdictions, including the cities of Martinez, Antioch, and Brentwood, and the East Bay Regional Park District. Recent Changes in ICC Hearing Schedule A major revision in the timetable being followed by the ICC staff has been announced recently. Originally, all final evidence and comments had to be submitted to the Commission by mid-December, 1985 . However, the evidentiary period has now been continued by the administrative judge in Washington, D.C. through April, 1986 , in order to allow more comments regarding an agreement recently signed between Southern Pacific and a rival railroad, the Burlington Northern. (The agreement would allow Burlington Northern to route some of its rail traffic over Southern Pacific lines in areas where there would be no effective competition if the merger were to be implemented. ) More importantly, the ICC staff has decided to prepare additional environmental analysis for the rail corridor that runs through Contra Costa County. Consultants hired by the ICC will examine more carefully the noise, safety, and other impacts associated with increased rail traffic in eastern Contra Costa County, as well as the proposed abandonments, during this coming Spring and Summer. A supplemental environmental assessment dealing with concerns raised by Contra Costa County and other California jurisdictions is expected to be completed by August, 1986. The additional time allocated by the ICC for the evidentiary period and for further environmental review will not affect the deadline for final action on the merger Under federal statutes, the ICC must either approve or deny the appli- cation to merge the two railroads by mid-October, 1986. The Community Development Department and County Counsel will continue to monitor the process in Washington, D.C. and submit appropriate documents, and will keep the Board and cities updated on the situation.