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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 05231995 - 1.84 t 1.83 thru 1.85 THE BOARD OR SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on May 23, 1995, by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Rogers, Smith, DeSaulnier, Torlakson, Bishop NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SUBJECT: Correspondence 1.83 Letter dated May 10, 1995, from John Beuttler, Executive Director, United Anglers of California, 5200 Huntington Avenue, #300, Richmond, 94804, accepting the Board's offer to work with Contra Costa County to prevent the resumed construction and completion of the San Luis Drain. **REFERRED TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AND WATER COMMITTEE 1.84 Letter dated May 9, 1995, from J. Browne, District Director, State Department of Transportation, on the replacement of highway planting along I-680 in central Contra Costa County as soon as funding becomes available. **REFER TO TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AND PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR 1.85 Letter dated May 9, 1995, from Alfred C. Simmons, Vice-President, Association for Minority Adolescents in Residential Care Homes (AMARCH) , 2919 Mullens Drive, Richmond 94806, on the placement of African American children in their group homes. **REFER TO FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE AND ACTING SOCIAL SERVICE DIRECTOR IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the recommendations as noted (**) are APPROVED. 1 hereby esMy that this ft a bus and oorrsot oopy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of SupwAsore on the date shown. ATTESTED ��- ate, PHIL BATCHELOR,Clark of the board of Supervieore and County Adminletretor BY De" cc: Correspondents County Administrator Family & Human Svcs. Cte. Community bevel. Director Transportation Cte. Water Cte. Public Works Director Acting Social Service Director i SLI STATE OF CAL IFOFNIA-BLISNESS,TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING AGENCY PETE WILSON, Govemo► DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION BOX 23660 OAKLAND,CA 84623.0660 (' Pr (510)286-4444, d C E.1 ll Lk- i 1 MAY 1 5 P% May 9, 1995 CLERK BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONTRA COSTA CO. The Honorable Gayle Bishop and The Honorable Mark DeSaulnier Supervisors, Contra Costa County 6511 Pine Street, Room 106 Martinez, CA 94553 Subject: I-680/24 HIGHWAY PLANTING Dear Ms. Bishop and Mr. DeSaulnier: This is in reference to your letter dated April 10, 1995, regarding replacement highway planting along 1-680 in central Contra Costa County. Caltrans recognizes the impacts to the cities of Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill due to the 680/24 Interchange reconstruction and the loss of mature landscaping, and has been working closely with the city staffs and the community. Caltrans Construction and Landscape Architecture Offices have made numerous revisions to project designs to reduce visual and aesthetic impacts during road construction. Five replacement planting projects were programmed to follow the completion of the various phases of road construction. The first phase of replacement planting was within the City of Walnut Creek and was completed in 1994. Contract plans for the second phase were completed in February 1995. A severe funding shortfall for all transportation projects in California has resulted in a delay in the construction of this second landscape project in Walnut Creek until sometime after July 1996. The remaining three replacement planting Projects are currently programmed for construction funding in the 1996/97, 1998/99 and 1999/2000 Fiscal Years. Typically, preliminary design for these remaining projects would begin 12 to 15 months prior to the project's scheduled advertisement for construction. The Office of Landscape Architecture will be unable to advance the design and preparation of landscape plans for the three remaining landscape projects as requested by the I-680/24 Task Force. Field revisions with the road construction projects will invariably occur and any design work at this time would result in further changes later. The Office of Landscape Architecture is also faced with a 25 percent staff reduction in the 1995/96 Fiscal Year and their efforts will be committed to emergency, safety and highway projects approved for funding in the allocation plan passed by the California Transportation Commission (CTC) in February 1995. This allocation plan was cooperatively developed by the CTC, Caltrans and the Regional Transportation Agencies (e.g. Metropolitan Transportation Commission) with the CTC as the ultimate decision maker. 14,-c: ��) f . Honorable G. Bishop and Honorable M. DeSaulnier May 9, 1995 Page 2 Your letter specifically addressed the concerns of the Sherman Acres subdivision in Pleasant Hill. Caltrans has worked very closely with a Pleasant Hill ad hoc committee made up of City Council members,city staff and representatives from the Sherman Acres Home Owners Association to address landscape and aesthetic concerns. A draft plant list for highway planting projects within the City of Pleasant Hill has been developed and we have developed a conceptual planting plan for the Monument Boulevard Interchange which has been reviewed by the ad hoc committee. Additionally, Caltrans has agreed in concept to the planting of trees, shrubs and vines along Sherman Drive as proposed by Pleasant Hill's landscape architectural consultant, David Gates &Associates. The level and type of planting would be similar to the landscape Caltrans has installed on the west side of Route 680 in Walnut Creek along South Main Street from north of Rudgear Road to the South Main Street Undercrossing. Since 1985, the amount of landscaping has been constrained by a maximum cost per acre. The current limit for replacement planting is $23,200 per acre. This figure is adjusted annually each January to reflect inflation. The road construction project which completes the improvements on Route 680 adjacent to the Sherman Acres subdivision is expected to begin in September 1995 and be completed in the Fall of 1998. Preliminary planting design would not begin until early 1998. In view of the community's concerns with the impacts of the high wall facing the Sherman Acres neighborhood, we:will request a contract change order to install vines on the wall as part of the road construction contract. I assure the I-680/24 Task Force that Caltrans will complete the replacement planting along the: 680 corridor as soon as funding becomes available. We can only request your understanding and patience during this period of severely restricted funding and staff reductions in Caltrans. We look forward to working with the I-680/24 Task Force, the cities of Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill and the various community groups in completing the landscaping projects. If you desire additional information or have further questions, please contact Mr. Lyle Oehler, District Office Chief, Office of Landscape Architecture, at (510) 286-5918, or Mr. Arthur Yee, District Branch Chief, at (510) 286-5922. Sincerely, J E BROWNS trict Director