Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority projects : environmental impact report, draft summary of comments and responses

318 Pages·2002·21 MB·English

by  San Francisco (Calif.). Planning Dept

GOLDEN GATE PARK CONCOURSE
AUTHORITY PROJECTS
San Francisco Planning Department
2001.911E
DRAFT EIRPUBLICATION DATE: DECEMBER 14, 2002
D
DRAFTEIRPUBLIC HEARING DATE:JANUARY23, 2003
REF DRAFTEIRPUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD:
711.558
Sa52gods DECEMBER 19, 2002 TO FEBRUARY5, 2003
FINALEIRCERTIFICATION DATE:JULY 17, 2003
San Francisco PublicLibrary
Government Information Center
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street, 5thFloor
CA 94102
San Francisco,
REFERENCE BOOK
Not to be taken from the Library
GOLDEN GATE PARK CONCOURSE
AUTHORITY PROJECTS
San Francisco Planning Department
2001.911E
DRAFT EIR PUBLICATION DATE: DECEMBER 14, 2002
DRAFT EIRPUBLIC HEARING DATE:JANUARY23, 2003
DRAFTEIRPUBLIC COMMENTPERIOD:
DECEMBER 19, 2002 TO FEBRUARY 5, 2003
FINAL EIR CERTIFICATION DATE:JULY 17, 2003

81
Summary of Comments and Responses
Table of Contents
Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority Projects
Environmental Impact Report
Summary of Comments and Responses
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
A. INTRODUCTION C&R-l
Project Sponsor's Preferred Alternative C&R-l
Organization ofthis Summary of Comments and Responses C&R-2
B LIST OF COMMENTORS C&R-3
.
C. COMMENTS AND RESPONSES C&R-8
GENERAL C&R-8
Public Participation C&R-8
Adequacy of Cumulative Analysis C&R-10
General Comments on the EIR C&R-l
PROJECT DESCRIPTION C&R-24
Consistency ofthe Project with Proposition J C&R-24
Access to Underground Parking Facility via Academy Drive C&R-35
Analysis ofPhase II C&R-40
Pedestrians and Bicycle Improvements C&R-48
Proposed Golden Gate Park Master Plan Parking Removal C&R-5
Underground Parking Facility Maintenance and Operations C&R-51
Status of Cultural Shuttle C&R-53
Project Design C&R-54
Project Approvals C&R-56
Reference to Martin Luther King Drive C&R-57
Reference to California Academy of Science Project C&R-58
LAND USE, PLANS AND ZONING C&R-59
Consistency ofthe Project With the Golden Gate Park Master Plan
and the San Francisco General Plan C&R-59
VISUAL QUALITY C&R-67
Academy Drive Entrance C&R-67
Tenth Avenue Entrance C&R-69
Visual Effects of Underground Parking Facility C&R-70
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Ventilation Structures C&R-74
Ramps and Handrails C&R-78
Barriers C&R-78
Tree Removal C&R-79
Lighting and Signage C&R-83
Landscaping C&R-85
Other Concourse Projects C&R-86
Phase II Visual Effects C&R-87
HISTORIC RESOURCES C&R-90
Setting C&R-90
Pedestrian Tunnels C&R-91
Other Music Concourse Elements C&R-105
Tree Removal in Music Concourse C&R-109
Phase II Impacts to Rhododendron Dell C&R-lll
Landmarks and Monuments C&R-118
Construction and Staging Impacts C&R-119
Significant Effects C&R-121
Mitigation Measures C&R-122
TRANSPORTATION C&R-125
Traffic Studies C&R-125
Traffic Calming, Parking, and Pedestrian Conditions
Outside of Park C&R-136
Pedestrian and Bicycle Conditions in the Park C&R-164
Parking Effects C&R-183
Access to Institutions C&R-203
Saturday Road Closure C&R-205
Muni and Transit Effects C&R-207
Special Events C&R-221
Tour Buses C&R-223
Phase II Studies and Effects C&R-224
Construction Impacts C&R-238
Cumulative Impacts C&R-242
Mitigation Measures C&R-247
NOISE C&R-254
Underground Parking Facility Noise C&R-254
Ventilating Noise C&R-255
Phase II Traffic Noise C&R-256
AIR QUALITY C&R-259
Underground Parking Facility Effects C&R-259
TOPICS ADDRESSED IN THE INITIAL STUDY C&R-263
Lights, Glare and Biology C&R-263
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Geology/Topography C&R-266
Hazardous Materials Mitigation C&R-266
ALTERNATIVES C&R-270
Adequacy of Alternatives C&R-270
Alternative A: No Project C&R-275
Alternative C: Phase I With Muni and Emergency Vehicle Access C&R-276
Alternative D: Ramp Under Kennedy Drive to
Underground Through Street C&R-278
Alternative E: Surface Through Street C&R-279
Additional Alternatives C&R-282
COMMENTS ON THE PROJECT C&R-303
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 (revised) Intersection Level of Service, Existing Conditions C&R-146
Table 3 (revised) Baseline Intersection Level of Service Conditions,,
Weekday PM Peak Hour C&R-147
Table 4 (revised) Baseline Intersection Level of Service Conditions,
Saturday Midday Peak Hour C&R-148
Table 5 (revised) Baseline Intersection Level of Service Conditions,
Sunday Midday Peak Hour C&R-143
Table 9 (revised) Intersection Level of Service, Baseline plus Project Scenarios -
Weekday PM Peak Hour C&R-150
Table 10 (revised) Intersection Level of Service, Baseline plus Project Scenarios -
Saturday Midday Peak Hour C&R-151
Table 11 (revised) Intersection Level of Service, Baseline plus Project Scenarios -
Sunday Midday Peak Hour C&R-152
Table 14 (revised) Baseline Plus Project Parking Conditions,
Sunday Midday Period C&R-153
Table 15 (revised) Intersection Level of Service, Existing, Baseline and
2015 Cumulative Conditions - Weekday PM Peak Hour C&R-154
Table 16 (revised) Intersection Level of Service, Existing, Baseline and
2015 Cumulative Conditions - Saturday Midday Peak Hour C&R-155
Table 17 (revised) Intersection Level of Service, Existing, Baseline and
2015 Cumulative Conditions - Sunday Midday Peak Hour C&R-156
Table 18 (revised) Proposed Project's Percent Contribution to 2015 Cumulative
Conditions, Weekday PM Peak Hour C&R-157
Table 19 (revised) Proposed Project's Percent Contribution to 2015 Cumulative
Conditions, Saturday Midday Peak Hour C&R-158
Table 20 (revised) Proposed Project's Percent Contribution to 2015 Cumulative
Conditions, Sunday Midday Peak Hour C&R-159
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure C&R-l View South OfPark Entrance at Tenth Avenue from Fulton Street
with Phase I (Revised Design) . C&R-71
Figure C&R-2 View ofTenth Avenue Entrance within Park with Phase I
(Revised Design) C&R-72
Figure 3 (revised) Proposed Project Site Plan Phase I C&R-76
Figure 24 (revised) Transportation Study Area and Transit Service C&R-l32
Figure C&R-3 Pedestrian Network - Conceptual Plan C&R-169
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Summary ofComments and Responses
A. Introduction
SUMMARY OF COMMENTS AND RESPONSES
INTRODUCTION
A.
PROJECT SPONSOR'S PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE
The DEIR identifies three components for purposes of analysis. Phase I would be the GGPCA
Projects' Underground Parking Facility and associated Concourse surface improvements.
Phase II would be an Underground Through Street between Kennedy Drive near Eighth
Avenue to Middle Drive East. The third component consists ofthe following Transportation
Implementation Plan (TIP) Elements: Intra-Park Shuttle; Cultural Shuttle; Traffic Calming;
Parking Management; Bicycle/Pedestrian Improvements; Road Closures; and MUNI Service
Improvements. The TIP Elements would be included in the GGPCA Projects if only Phase I
were implemented, or ifboth Phase I and Phase II were implemented.
The Phase II Underground Through Street is unfunded and, as noted in Chapter V, DEIR p.
208, would have an unavoidable significant environmental impact on the Rhododendron Dell,
GGPCA
an historic resource. For these reasons, the has advised the Planning Department that
it now proposes to implement as its Preferred Alternative Phase I, the Underground Parking
Facility, and the TIP Elements. The GGPCA does not propose to implement Phase II, the
Underground Through Street, at this time. Consequently, Phase II has been severed from the
project and should not be treated as part ofthe project for decision-making purposes
In order to disclose to the decision makers and the public the impacts ofPhase I and the TIP
Elements without Phase II, the DEIR and the Comments and Responses herein separately
analyze (1) the impacts that would occur if only Phase I and the TIP Elements were
implemented, and (2) the impacts that would occur ifboth Phase I and Phase II and the TIP
Elements were implemented. Both the DEIR and these Responses to Comments advise the
reader when only Phase I is being analyzed and when both Phase I and Phase II are being
analyzed. For purposes of analysis in both the DEIR and these Responses to Comments, the
term "Phase I" means the Underground Parking Facility and the TIP Elements. The Preferred
Alternative is DEIR Alternative B: Phase I Only and the TIP Elements.
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Summary ofComments and Responses
B. List ofCommentors
ORGANIZATION OF THIS SUMMARY OF COMMENTS AND RESPONSES
This document contains summaries ofthe public comments received on the Draft
Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) prepared for the Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority
(GGPCA) Projects, and responses to those comments.
All substantive comments made at the Draft EIR public hearing before the Planning
Commission on January 23, 2003, and all written comments received during the Draft EIR
public review period from December 14, 2002, to February 5, 2003 are presented herein by
direct quotation, edited to delete repetition and non-substantive materials only. In some
instances, minor edits have been made to the public hearing transcript; changes other than
editorial corrections are noted.
Comments and responses are grouped by subject matter and are generally arranged by topic
corresponding to the Table of Contents in the Draft EIR. Each group ofcomments is followed
by its set of responses. Responses generally provide clarification ofthe Draft EIR. They
occasionally include changes in, or additions to, the text ofthe Draft EIR. These
modifications are indented and bolded within the response to make them easily discernible.
Newly inserted words and phrases are double underlined as are new sentences that are
,
incorporated into existing text. Underlining is not used ifthe modification is all new text.
Text that is deleted is denoted with strike through. As the subject matter of one topic may
overlap that of other topics, the reader must occasionally refer to more than one group of
comments and responses to review all information on a given subject. Where this occurs,
cross references are provided.
Some comments do not pertain to physical environmental issues, but responses are included
for informational purposes.
The public hearing transcript, a copy of all letters received during the public review period,
the administrative record, and background documentation for this EIR are contained in Case
File 2000.613E, available for public review at the Planning Department, 1660 Mission Street,
San Francisco.
Case No. 2001.91IE „ „ „ EIP 10478-00
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