August 31, 2023
Oscar Resendiz
City of Salinas
65 West Alisal Street, 2nd Floor
Salinas, CA 93901
RE: City of Salinas General Plan Amendment No. 2022-002 and Rezone No. 2022-002 for Edge of Downtown/ Front and John Streets
Dear Mr. Resendiz:
Monterey-Salinas Transit District (MST) provides public transportation throughout Monterey County and operates an extensive bus network in the City of Salinas. MST has reviewed the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the City of Salinas General Plan Amendment and Rezone Project for Edge of Downtown/ Front and John Streets and would like to make the following comments.
MST serves, operates, and maintains three (3) stops within the project’s vicinity, with hourly service on Line 96.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG)
The VMT reduction column under Table 4-8 Scoping Plan Reduction Measures Consistency Analysis mentions that the project site has three (3) bus stops within 1000 feet of the project site. Please provide the full list of stops and a vicinity map with all three (3) bus stops:
1. Front / Summer (Stop ID: 3794)
2. Abbott / John Street (Stop ID: 2341)
3. Abbott / Maple (Stop ID: 3789)
MST also recommends that future developers incorporate pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure along the project site that are in accordance with AMBAG’s 2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategies (MTP/SCS) plan. The implementation of complete streets in areas with mixed- use can mitigate the project’s potential increase in GHG emissions.
Transportation
Although no development is proposed at this time, the future development of the project site could result in an increase in traffic and demand for transportation alternatives. Access to adequate transit services can help mitigate both the environmental and transportation related impacts of new developments. Therefore,
it is crucial for future developers to incorporate transit into their plans, including bus stop infrastructure improvements and enrolling in MST’s Group Discount Program.
Closing
As this project moves forward, and a development is proposed, we ask that the City of Salinas continue to collaborate with MST to ensure that adequate transit service is available to this site. If you have any questions about the above comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or 831-264- 9288.
Sincerely,
Emma Patel
Planning Manager