Statement from the City of San Diego describing the Carmel Valley Road Project, followed by comments on the project by the Torrey Pines Association.
- STATEMENT FROM THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO:
- The Carmel Valley Road project will widen a 0.9 mile stretch of Carmel Valley Rd between Via Mar Valle and Portofino Drive. Improvements consists of curb & gutter, sidewalk, curb pop-outs, decorative concrete pavement crosswalks, asphalt pavement repair, 5' bike lanes, 8' parking lanes, storm drains and water quality facilities, landscaping, and street lights.
Sidewalk will remain solely on the North side; curb & gutter will be installed on the South side with a graded shoulder. There will be curb pop-outs at Del Mar Scenic Pkwy, Via Aprilia, Via Borgia, Via Cortina, and Via Donada. These pop-outs will have a traffic calming effect by narrowing the travel lanes. Decorative concrete pavement crosswalks will be installed at Del Mar Scenic Pkwy, Via Aprilia, Via Cortina, Via Grimaldi, and Portofino Dr.
Due to the Coastal Commission conditions, the original design was revised to have zero wetland impact. This resulted in the relocation of parking spaces and reduction in travel lane width at some locations. With this new design, there will be no retaining walls encroaching into the lagoon. New storm drains will be installed to improve storm water runoff control. Curb inlets will be equipped with Stormceptor (www.stormceptor.com) systems to filter out oil, sediment and other debris. During construction, temporary erosion control methods such as silt fences and fiber rolls will be used to prevent storm water pollution.
The graded shoulder along the South side will be landscaped with a hydroseed mix of native plants. There will be pockets in each of the curb pop-outs, which will be landscaped according to a plant palette and maintained by the residents.
A total of seven street lights will be installed on the north side of the street. The poles are 20' high with 150 Watt bulbs.
Click on the links below to review the city project plans.
TORREY PINES ASSOCIATION COMMENTS:
There are several important components of the Carmel Valley Road Enhancement Project.
Some of these cause us concern.
There remain many aspects of this projects that the Torrey Pines Association views as detrimental to the preservation of the resources at Torrey Pines State Reserve. There are elements that need further resolve prior to implementation of the Carmel Valley Enhancement project.
There are several important components of the Carmel Valley Road Enhancement Project.
- The capture of pollutants and runoff from Carmel Valley Road and adjacent roads including the Del Mar Terrace neighborhood.
- ADA compliant sidewalk connection between Portofino Dr. and Via Donada
- Proper design of the road to prevent flooding
- Bicycle lanes
- Parking pockets and landscape pockets to improve parking and improve the walking experience along the north side of Carmel Valley Road.
Some of these cause us concern.
- Added parking along the south side of Carmel Valley road adjacent to Los Penasquitos Marsh Natural Preserve
- Added lighting at each intersection between Portofino Dr and Del Mar Scenic Parkway.
- The Widening of the Right of Way along Carmel Valley Road
- The use of State Parks Land for the implementation of this project.
There remain many aspects of this projects that the Torrey Pines Association views as detrimental to the preservation of the resources at Torrey Pines State Reserve. There are elements that need further resolve prior to implementation of the Carmel Valley Enhancement project.
- The TPA continues to request elimination of street lighting along Carmel Valley Road along the Los Penasquitos Marsh Natural Preserve (aka Los Penasquitos Lagoon), in addition to street lighting through out the Del Mar Terrace neighborhood. Carmel Valley road and the Del Mar Terrace are sandwiched between the two main bodies of Torrey Pines State Reserve; the areas we call the Extension and the Los Penasquitos Lagoon. The TPA advocates maintaining a dark sky community.
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Proposed Action: Removal of street light requirement along Carmel Valley Road and within the Del Mar Terrace neighborhood. This would cause a reduction in cost of project.
- The TPA continues to discourage parking along the south side of Carmel Valley Road. Parked vehicles hinder the publics' views of the scenic resources of TPSR along Carmel Valley Road.
Proposed Action: The development of surface parking within the business district not along Los Penasquitos Marsh.
- This project widens the right of way of Carmel Valley Road through changes in land use agreements. Of major concern is that both the Local Community Plan and Coastal Development Plan that indicate Carmel Valley Road as a major regional connector road and a width shown in order for Carmel Valley Road to be developed as a major highway. Current approved plans will allow, in the future, for Carmel Valley Road to be widened. This is inappropriate for a road that borders a State Preserve.
Action: Change the designation of Carmel Valley Road to help ensure protection of TPSR. This would have no cost impact.
- This project also plans to use State Parks land. A permit to use State Parks land and some form of compensation by City of San Diego to use State Parks land is needed before beginning construction.
Action: Acceptances and completion of a land use designation swap between State Parks and City of San Diego.
- It is important to remember that at Portofino Drive there is a wildlife corridor that connects the Extension to the Los Penasquitos Lagoon. This wildlife corridor crosses Carmel Valley Road.
Action: Require as part of this project or agreement of a future project, to upgrade the wildlife corridor. This would result in a cost increase.