Foss Creek Pathway Plan
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Foss Creek Pathway Plan City of Healdsburg Foss Creek Pathway Plan Prepared for City of Healdsburg Metropolitan Transportation Commission Prepared by City of Healdsburg Planning Department Landmark Planning and Permit Service Andy Gustavson, Principal Alta Planning + Design George Hudson, Principal Josh Abrams, Associate In association with North Coast Railroad Authority Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit Adopted by Healdsburg City Council October 2, 2006 Table of Contents Acknowledgements.............................................................................................ii 1 Introduction .................................................................................................3 1.1 Summary............................................................................................. 3 1.2 Background.......................................................................................... 3 1.3 Plan Process......................................................................................... 3 1.4 Plan Organization .................................................................................. 4 2 Pathway Setting............................................................................................5 2.1 Foss Creek ........................................................................................... 5 2.2 Northwestern Pacific Railroad ................................................................... 5 2.3 Geysers Wastewater Pipeline .................................................................... 6 3 Planning Goals and Policies .............................................................................7 3.1 Community Outreach.............................................................................. 7 3.2 Potential Pathway Users .......................................................................... 7 3.3 Pathway Vision Statement, Goals and Policies ............................................. 11 4 Pathway Alignment and Access....................................................................... 13 4.1 Railroad Station Reach .......................................................................... 14 4.2 Downtown Reach................................................................................. 15 4.3 Foss Creek South Reach......................................................................... 16 4.4 Foss Creek North Reach......................................................................... 18 4.5 North Healdsburg Reach ........................................................................ 19 5 Pathway Construction Standards..................................................................... 20 5.1 Railroad Setbacks ................................................................................ 21 5.2 Cross Section...................................................................................... 21 5.3 Construction Details ............................................................................. 22 5.4 Railroad Accommodation ....................................................................... 25 5.5 Pathway Crossings................................................................................ 26 6 Pathway Design Guidelines............................................................................ 28 6.1 Site Improvements and Amenities ............................................................ 28 6.2 Signs ................................................................................................ 31 7 Pathway Implementation Plan........................................................................ 33 7.1 Property Owner Permission .................................................................... 33 7.2 List of Reviewing Agencies ..................................................................... 33 7.3 Development Permits............................................................................ 36 7.4 Funding Sources .................................................................................. 36 7.5 Phasing and Cost Estimates .................................................................... 36 Appendix A – Survey Results Appendix B – Funding Sources Appendix C - Pathway Alignment Details i Acknowledgements A number of individuals and agencies made valuable contributions the preparation of the Foss Creek Pathway Plan. The North Coast Railroad Authority and the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transportation Authority granted their support to the project within their right-of-way and allowed the City of Healdsburg to seek funding to prepare the plan. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission awarded the City a substantial Livable Community Grant to fund the preparation of the Plan. The residents of the city took an active role in formulating the Plan by completing a public survey, reviewing the draft plan and providing comments at a public workshop. Finally, the staff from public agencies who joined the Technical Advisory Committee are recognized for their substantial guidance and insight they freely offered during the preparation of the Plan. Funding and Participating Agencies Metropolitan Transportation Commission City of Healdsburg Redevelopment Agency North Coast Railroad Authority Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transportation Authority Technical Advisory Committee Robert W. Floerke, California Department of Fish & Game Allan Buckmann, California Department of Fish & Game Thomas Krakow P. E., DKS Associates Mike Strider, HDR Engineering, Inc. Lynn Woznicki, Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau Annie Young, Metropolitan Transportation Commission Rick Kennedy, North Coast Railroad Authority Mitch Stogner, North Coast Railroad Authority John Darling, Northwestern Pacific Railway Co., LLC Steve Schmitz, Sonoma County Transit Janet Spilman, Sonoma County Transportation Authority Robin Goodman, City of Healdsburg Community Services Bill Duarte, City of Healdsburg Electric Utility Randy Collins, City of Healdsburg Fire Department Susan Jones, City of Healdsburg Police Department George Hicks, City of Healdsburg Public Works Department ii 1 Introduction 1.1 Summary This Plan establishes the alignment and design standards the City of Healdsburg will use to construct the Foss Creek Pathway alongside the Northwestern Pacific Railroad and Foss Creek between Front Street and the city’s north boundary. The pathway will complete a 4.1-mile long bicycle and pedestrian facility through the city by connecting to the existing bike lane along South Healdsburg Avenue, which continues south along Old Redwood Highway to the Town of Windsor. At the north end of the city, the pathway will tie into a bike lane along Healdsburg Avenue that will eventually run to the north city limit line and provide access to Alexander Valley. Completion of the pathway will provide cyclists with safe and convenient bicycle access from the City to northern Sonoma County's premiere wine production areas. The pathway will also tie major destinations together within the city by connecting residential areas with employment centers, recreational areas (such as Veteran’s Memorial Beach Park and the Carson Warner Memorial Skate Park) and the downtown. It will provide children a safe route to school, and create a pedestrian/bicycle link to the planned Healdsburg intermodal transit facility and railroad station. Major segments of the pathway will lie adjacent to Foss Creek and provide the public with opportunities to view its riparian vegetation. The Healdsburg City Council made the pathway a priority because of its benefit to community residents and businesses and to Sonoma County visitors. The regional value of this pathway is recognized by its inclusion in the Sonoma County Bicycle Plan and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission Regional Bicycle Plan. It is also included in the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transportation (SMART) Plan as a segment of its planned railroad right-of-way bikeway and as a needed pedestrian and bicycle link to the historic Healdsburg Train Station, which is planned for restoration. Numerous agencies have recognized the merits of this project through the awarding of funding. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) awarded a $50,000 Transportation for Livable Communities (TLC) grant to the City to prepare this plan and to complete environmental review. In addition, MTC allocated approximately $100,000 in Transportation Development Act funds that allowed the City to construct approximately 1,200 feet of the pathway in the city’s downtown in 2005. The Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District has granted another $100,000 to help construct the pathway from Front Street to the Healdsburg Railroad Station. Finally, in 2004, United States Representative Mike Thompson worked to obtain a $1.25 million federal grant to construct the remainder of the project. 1.2 Background In 1998, the City renewed its landscape easement with the North Coast Rail Authority (NCRA) and secured the right to develop a public pathway within the railroad right-of-way in the downtown area. In 2001, the City completed a pathway feasibility study, which identified a north-south corridor in which a pathway could be built through the city. This study was then used to secure a grant from MTC’s TLC Planning Grant program to prepare this Plan. 1.3 Plan Process The Plan is based on a preliminary feasibility study and a series of technical working papers prepared by Alta Planning + Design during 2002-04, which established that the pathway could be built along Foss Creek and the