REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on an Agreement with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority on Voluntary Freeway Contributions from the Santa Clara Square Project [Council Pillar: Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure]
Report
BACKGROUND
On December 15, 2015, the City Council approved the Santa Clara Square Residential/Mixed Use Project's (Project) Environmental Impact Report and Development Agreement. The Project consists of approximately 1,800 housing units, 40,000 square feet of retail space, 4,500 square feet of leasing space, and 38,000 square feet of amenity space on 33.4 acres near Bowers Avenue, Scott Boulevard and Augustine Drive.
The Project's Development Agreement includes a voluntary contribution of $103,000 to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to assist with various transportation needs outside the City's jurisdiction. The developer has paid the $103,000 voluntary contribution to the City. The City and VTA staff have been working on an agreement to transfer the funds to the VTA for use towards the study of potential freeway improvements.
DISCUSSION
The funding agreement stipulates that the funds will be used on State Route 237 improvements from Lawrence Expressway to US Highway 101 and will entail conducting a study to identify potential improvements to relieve traffic congestion, improve operations and enhance safety along the corridor. The VTA has preliminarily identified a list of improvements that the proposed study would further analyze. This includes improvements to auxiliary lanes, on-ramps, off-ramps, HOV/transit only lanes, express lanes, and ramp metering along the corridor. Study findings will be used by the VTA to identify projects for inclusion into the long-range Valley Transportation Plan for future funding. At this time, construction funding is not identified.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a "project" within the meaning o...
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