AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA, ADOPTING A GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT ON PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT OF MAJOR ROUTE PUBLIC ROADWAYS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE INVOLVEMENT, MITIGATION MEASURES AND IMPROVED DESIGN CRITERIA, AND REPEALING ORDINANCE 1989-125
WHEREAS, in accordance with Section 11-251(4) of the Arizona Revised Statues, the Board of Supervisors may lay out, maintain, control and mange public roads, and
WHEREAS, the Pima Association of Governments developed a Regional Long Range Transportation Plan and Air Quality Plan and Ten-Year Transportation and Expenditure Plan (Regional Transportation Plan) for eastern Pima County.
IT IS HEREBY ORDAINED by the Board of Supervisors of Pima County, Arizona, that Ordinance 1989-125 is hereby repealed, and the "Community Participation and Mitigation Ordinance" is adopted as follows:
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND MITIGATION ORDINANCE
(1) adequate consideration is given to possible social, economic, environmental, and transportation effects,
(2) appropriate considerations given to reasonable alternatives,
(3) interested parties are afforded an opportunity to express their views early enough in the study process to influence the course of studies as well as the action taken, and
(4) decisions on projects are made in the overall public interest.
(1) Overlay or maintenance of an existing roadway;
(2) Addition of paved shoulder, bike lanes, or multi-use lanes to an existing roadway;
(3) Pavement widening of an existing roadway which does not increase the number of through traffic lanes;
(4) Traffic control or warning device installation projects;
(5) Changes or improvements to the right-of-way area outside the shoulder of an existing roadway;
(6) Drainage improvements; and
(7) Safety improvements.
Environmental effects: Effects of the proposed project on the environment, including but not limited to noise, air quality, and wildlife.
Neighborhood impacts: Protection of existing neighborhoods and minimizing negative impacts from a proposed project.
Alternative Transportation Modes: Features for alternate modes of transportation as a part of the proposed project.
Cost: Cost and budget limitations incorporated throughout the design and construction of a project.
The Transportation Action Plan shall be submitted in draft form to the Board of Supervisors for action at a regularly scheduled meeting. If approved, a final report of the Transportation Action Plan shall be prepared, incorporating amendments adopted by the Board of Supervisors. Approval of a Transportation Action Plan by the Board of Supervisors shall include a final determination of whether a Location Report shall be prepared for the project.
A Location Report is appropriate where (1) the proposed project is a new roadway on a new alignment, (2) the proposed roadway has virtually no existing right-of-way, or (3) there are significant alignment choices to be made between the identified project termination points. A Location Report is not appropriate where (1) the established or existing right of way is not of adequate width in accordance with the Major Streets and Routes Plan, (2) the alignment variations are continuous with the existing road right-of-way and location, (3) additional right-of-way is needed only to accommodate minor alignment alterations or intersection widening, (4) alignments for the roadway were established prior to the initiation of the Transportation Action Plan.
After the Location Report is completed, the Board of Supervisors shall hold a public hearing to determine the final right of way alignment. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Board of Supervisors may approve any of the alternative alignments studied in the Location Report, may order the preparation of a new Location Report, or may order that the project be terminated or delayed.
The Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report shall identify adverse impacts of the proposed project and shall provide recommendations for mitigation measures which may be undertaken to minimize the adverse impacts. The Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report shall contain the information detailed on Exhibit 3.
After the Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report is completed, the Board of Supervisors shall hold a public hearing to determine the mitigation components to be incorporated into the project. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Board of Supervisors may approve any of the mitigation measures considered in the Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report, may order the preparation of a new Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report, or may order that the project be terminated or delayed. Approval of mitigation components after the Board of Supervisors hearing on the Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report shall constitute authorization to prepare Construction Documents and to acquire right t-of-way for the project.
Public Open House Meetings shall be held in reasonable proximity to the proposed project. Illustrations to assist the public to visualize the proposed project shall be available for public viewing at each Public Open House Meeting, and Pima County staff and consultants shall be available to answer questions about the proposed project. The public shall have access to the illustrations, staff and consultants for at east a two hour period for each Public Open House Meeting. Following the Public Open House Meeting, the illustrations utilized at the meeting shall be offered for continued public exposure at locations convenient for public display.
Section 5.6 Report and Executive Summary for Board of Supervisors Hearing
A Location Report or Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report shall be delivered to the Board of Supervisors at least thirty days before the public hearing, along with an Executive Summary of the report prepared by or for the Pima County Department of Transportation. The Executive Summary shall explain whether and to what extent the opinions, requests and suggestions of the Community Advisory Committee were incorporated in the Location Report or the Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report.
The Department of Transportation shall provide Community Advisory Committee Members with training materials, construction documents, and copies of this ordinance, and shall explain operating procedures, duties and responsibilities of membership.
The Community Advisory Committee shall elect a chairperson, who shall conduct meetings and supervise the preparation of the Community Advisory Committee Report.
The Community Advisory Committee shall review the Location Report, the Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report, and the Construction Documents, based on the meeting schedule set forth in Section 6.6 below. The Community Advisory Committee shall prepare a report containing the Committee's opinions, requests and suggestions concerning the Location Report, the Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report, Project Summary Report and any other matter listed in Section 6.4 below. The Community Advisory Committee Report may suggest a priority for elements of the proposed improvements, including the Committee's priorities for allocation of mitigation resources available to the project.
The Community Advisory Committee Report shall be presented to the Department of Transportation at least 45 days before the Board of Supervisors public hearing on the Location Report or Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report. A copy of the Community Advisory Committee Report shall be presented to each member of the Board of Supervisors with the Location Report or Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report (see Section 5.6).
After construction, the Community Advisory Committee shall provide a post-construction evaluation of the project. The evaluation shall analyze whether the construction has achieved the mitigation goals identified in the Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report.
(1) The Location Report, which identifies the roadway location within the corridor identified by the Transportation Action Plan.
(2) The Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report, including
(a) Neighborhood factors, such as
(i) Noise abatement methods,
(ii) Streetscape themes,
(iii) Architectural treatments,
(iv) Street lighting,
(v) Access control and mitigation, and
(vi) Other neighborhood impacts;
(b) Environmental factors, such as
(i) View shed treatments, and
(ii) Landscaping theme;
(c) Alternate Modes considerations, such as
(i) Pedestrian facilities,
(ii) Equestrian crossings, and
(iii) Alternative travel modes (for example, public bus and bicycle facilities); and
(d) Cost considerations.
(1) The Transportation Action Plan
(2) Pima County Ordinances
(3) Pima County Department of Transportation and Flood Control District engineering design standards and procedures
(4) Federal Highway Administration, Arizona Department of transportation Standards, American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials, and the Institute of Traffic Engineers design criteria, and other generally accepted engineering and safety principles and standards
(5) Pima County Regional Long Range Transportation Plan roadway designations
(6) Pima County Department of Transportation adopted typical roadway cross sections
(7) Pima County Department of Transportation design and posted speed limit standards and procedures
(8) Pima Association of Government traffic projection modeling
(9) Pima County Capital Improvements Program funding allocation
(10) Federal and State historic, cultural, and archaeological site protection requirements
(11) Federal and State endangered species protection requirements
(12) Federal and State wildlife habitat protection requirements
(13) The Americans With Disabilities Act
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| Location Report |
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A meeting when the draft report is initiated, one when it is completed, and one when the final report is completed |
| Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report |
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A meeting when the draft report is initiated, one when it is completed, and one when the final report is completed |
| Construction Documents |
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As the Construction Documents are being prepared, the project team shall provide the Community Advisory Committee with reports identifying deviations from the approved Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report. The Committee may meet as it deems necessary to review the Construction Documents based upon this report. |
| Post-construction |
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Upon completion of the project |
(b) Neighborhood Traffic Intrusion Major routes shall be designed to minimize neighborhood traffic intrusion. Where local street connections offer a bypass or shortcut between major routes and highways which in the opinion of the Board of Supervisors has a substantial adverse impact on neighborhood traffic, such streets shall be closed to through traffic.
(c) Noise Abatement Noise abatement shall be incorporated into the project design to protect inhabited residential or other sensitive land uses from roadway traffic noise. Noise abatement measures shall be considered for these and uses when existing or design year projections of exterior traffic noise measurements exceed an hourly A-weighted sound level of 67 dBA. The preferred method of noise abatement shall be the construction of noise barrier walls. Other methods may be utilized if the cost to Pima County does not exceed the cost of noise barrier walls.
(b) Landscaping All medians and right-of-way areas on major routes shall be landscaped with drought resistant, low pollinating, preferably native plants. Plant species shall be listed as permissible pursuant to the landscaping requirements of the Pima County Zoning Code. The landscaping theme of each major route shall be compatible with the native landscape through which the roadway passes. Installation of landscaping shall begin not later than six months after the formal completion date of the roadway improvements.
(c) Dust Abatement Curbs or paved roadway shoulders shall be provided adjacent to through traffic lanes to minimize air borne dust generated by vehicular traffic.
(d) Scenic Route Designations A visual impact analysis shall be included in any Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report prepared for improvements on major routes designated as scenic routes.
(b) Transit Vehicles The project design shall consider mass transit vehicle pullouts if bus or other mass transit services are available or planned along the proposed improvement.
(c) Park and Ride Facilities To facilitate carpooling, ridesharing, and mass public transportation ridership, additional right-of-way shall be considered in the vicinity of major intersections of major routes for the development of future park and ride facilities. Park and ride facilities shall be convenient and screened with landscaping.
(1) Grade Separated Intersection Constraints All grade separated roadway intersection components shall either be at or below the average natural elevation of surrounding property except at intersections with Interstate facilities or with mainline railroad facilities, or in locations where drainage requirements or major buried utilities make below-grade construction impractical or prohibitively costly
(2) Sidewalks Sidewalks shall be provided where warranted by pedestrian travel, and special consideration shall be given to pedestrian or bicycle crossings with major routes. Pedestrian overpasses/underpasses shall be considered for school crosswalks or school zones for existing public or private schools adjacent to any major route.
(3) Access and Local Street Connections Access to major roadways shall be restricted as set forth in Title 18 (Zoning) of the Pima County Code. The number of access points and local street connections to a major roadway shall be limited wherever practicable.
(4) Medians Whenever practicable, median openings shall be no closer than one-quarter mile increments. A minimum 24-foot wide, curbed, landscaped median shall be installed on all urban major roadways. Median openings shall be spaced to minimize the number of left turn conflicts on the major route, and shall be installed consistent with adjacent land uses. In any event, median openings shall be no closer than one-eight mile from any major street intersection or another median opening.
(5) Traffic Signal Locations Traffic signal installations shall be spaced not less than half a mile apart, and shall be coordinated, as feasible, to maximize continuous through traffic movement along the major route roadway.
An exemption or variance may be granted by the Board of Supervisors as part of the approval of the final road alignment (see Section 4.3). In that case, the public hearing notice required for consideration of the Location Report or the Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report shall identify each recommended alternative which constitutes an exemption or waiver from the requirements of this ordinance. No further notice shall be required.
If not granted as part of the approval of the final road alignment or the mitigation components to be incorporated into the project, an exemption or variance maybe granted after a public hearing by the Board of Supervisors, at least one notice of which shall be published no less than fifteen days before the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in Pima County.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 13th day of October,
1992.
PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA ATTEST:
Chairman, Board of Supervisors Clerk, Board of
Supervisors
APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
Deputy County Attorney Director, Department of
Transportation and Flood Control District
1. Transportation Action Plan Contents
2. Location Report Contents
3. Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report Contents
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
A. Regional Transportation Plan
B. Proposed Improvement
C. Justification of Project
II. Improvement Specifics
A. Location and limits
B. Proposed design features
1. Design speed
2. Cross-section
3. Other
C. Alternatives
1. Alignments
2. Features
D. Mitigation Methods
1. Environmental
2. Neighborhood
3. Alternate Modes
III. Implementation
A. InterGovernmental Agreement Application
B. Funding Source(s)
C. Conceptual Cost Estimate
D. Timing
IV. Recommendation
A. Project Implementation Process
1. Location Study
2. Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report
V. Exhibits
A. Location map
B. Graphic illustrations
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
A. Recommendation of Transportation Action Plan
II. Identification of Alternative Locations
A. Description of Roadway Alternatives
III. Comparative Impact Assessment and Analysis
A. Preliminary inventory of existing data
B. Comparative impact assessment
C. Evaluation of comparative impact assessment
D. Conclusions
IV. Recommendation
A. Proposed Action
B. Identification of potential impacts of preferred alignment requiring further analysis in the Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Report
1. Environmental
2. Neighborhood
3. Alternative Modes
4. Cost
V. Exhibits
A. Roadway Alternatives
B. Graphic illustrations
* An Executive Summary will be prepared which can be inserted at the beginning of this report.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
A. Recommendation and Findings of:
Transportation Action Plan or Location Report
B. Direction by Board of Supervisors
II. Inventory of Existing Conditions
A. Environmental
1. Topography
2. Drainage
3. Vegetation
4. Wildlife
5. Viewsheds - Visual Analysis
6. Historical, Cultural and Archeological
7. Air Quality
8. Water Quality
B. Neighborhood
1. Adjoining Land Uses and Property Values
2. Recreation
3. Access
4. Character
5. Utilities
6. Noise
C. Alternative Modes
III. Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment
A. Environmental
1. Topography
2. Drainage
3. Vegetation
4. Wildlife
5. Viewsheds - Visual Analysis
6. Historical, Cultural and Archeological
7. Air Quality
8. Water Quality
B. Neighborhood
1. Adjoining Land Uses and Property Values
2. Recreation
3. Access
4. Character
5. Utilities
6. Noise
C. Alternative Modes
IV. Proposed Design Features & Mitigation Measures
V. Preliminary Road Design
VI. Conclusion and Recommendation
A. Proposed action
B. Cost
VII. Exhibits
A. Impact Location Maps
B. Feature Maps
C. Preliminary road design documents
D. Graphic illustrations
* An Executive Summary will be prepared which can be inserted at the beginning of this report.