114-PC - 11 CEQA finding for Alternate Mitigation Measure Trans -23b.pdf
FINDINGS REVISION #1 (October 1, 2013)
to
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT FINDINGS
AND STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE
APPLE CAMPUS 2 PROJECT
Revise Part VI, subsection AA, pages 1-51 to I-52, by replacing subsection AA in its entirety
with the following:
AA. Impact TRANS-23: Based on City of Cupertino standards, the design of the
project with three left-turn lanes on the Wolfe Road driveway approach would
cause a substantial increase in conflicts due to vehicles weaving on Wolfe
Road between the driveway and the I-280 ramps in order to merge and align
into the correct lanes to enter the freeway upon exiting the campus.
The Final EIR finds that the Project would cause a substantial increase in conflicts due to
vehicles weaving on Wolfe Road between the Project driveway and the I-280 ramps in order to
access the freeway upon exiting the campus. The Draft EIR fully analyzes the impacts of three
left turns lanes exiting the project site on to Wolfe Road (see Draft EIR, pp. 414-418), and
concludes that the impacts on traffic operations would be less than significant but that a three-
lane driveway exit design would have a significant impact on safety due to “weaving.”
Mitigation Measure TRANS-23 identified in the Draft EIR, which requires the number of
driveway left turn lanes to be reduced from three to two, would reduce this impact to a less-
than-significant level (Draft EIR, pp. 416-418).
At the request of the project sponsor, the City considered an alternate mitigation measure that
would allow three left turn lanes exiting the project site on to Wolfe Road. The project sponsor
requested the City to consider replacing Mitigation Measures TRANS-23 with a mitigation
measure that would reduce the weaving impact to a less-than-significant level without
requiring a reduction to two lanes through the use of clear signage at the exit approach,
including overhead signs, painted directions on lanes and appropriate lane striping; internal
employee education; and traffic monitors. The project sponsor \[Apple?\] proposed that these
measures would be implemented for a nine-month period during which the driveway exit
would be monitored by an independent observer at the expense of the project sponsor. If the
weaving behavior predicted by the EIR is observed, the third lane would be closed.
City staff and Fehr & Peers reviewed the proposed, alternate mitigation measure for its ability
to mitigate the waving impacts and the City has concluded that Mitigation Measure TRANS-23
(Alternate), set forth below, which is hereby adopted and made a condition of project approval,
would avoid or reduce these impacts to less-than-significant levels.
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Mitigation Measure TRANS-23(Alternate):
The project sponsor may be permitted to construct three left-turn exit lanes from the project site
to Wolfe Road if all of the following measures are implemented:
Clear signage, including but not limited to overhead signs, shall be installed to
indicate the destination of each of the three exit lanes in order to discourage
unsafe lane changes.
Each lane shall be clearly marked by painted stripes, directional arrows and
destination legends to indicate the destination of each lane and to indicate by
double lines or other appropriate markings that changing lanes is a violation of
law between the Apple Campus 2 driveway and Pruneridge Avenue.
The project sponsor shall fund the following measures for a trial period of nine
months and shall install closed-circuit video cameras linked to the City’s Traffic
Operations Center to continuously record vehicle movements at the project
driveway and along southbound Wolfe Road. Trained personnel, who are
independent from the project sponsor, shall periodically review the video
footage at the direction of the City, and provide a report at the end of each month
to the Public Works Department. This report shall document any unsafe or
illegal lane changes observed, noting accidents caused by unsafe lane changes
and noting whether, in the professional judgment of the independent observer,
the observed violations constitute a safety problem that should be addressed
and, if so, recommending measures to address them.
If, at any time following the nine-month trial period implementation of the
measures listed above do not substantially prevent violations, in the professional
opinion of independent observer and the City, the City shall determine whether
additional measures are required, or whether the number of lanes must be
reduced to two exit lanes. Monitoring shall continue until nine months following
full occupancy of the project.
A penalty of $500 per violation during the PM 2-hour peak period per day shall
be paid by the project sponsor to the City. The number of violations will be
determined by the independent observer based upon review of the video
footage, and extrapolated to account for daily activity should daily video footage
not be reviewed.
The project sponsor shall develop employee education materials, to the
satisfaction of the City explaining the proper use of the driveway exit lanes
without weaving among lanes.
512260.1
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