City Council Preview: Phase Two of HSR Planning

The Gilroy City Council has several big issues to tackle at Monday's 6 p.m. meeting.

On the consent calendar, the council will motion to approve an application requesting funds for phase two of the High Speed Rail project. Planning will be for .

The council will motion to submit an application to the California High Speed Rail Authority and Federal Railroad Administration requesting $600,000 for the project. The City of Gilroy will provide $200,000 worth of funding to match the $150,000 already received from a Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) grant.

Fifty thousand dollars from local, city funds has already been provided to match the VTA grant. The packet also states that the city's contribution to the project doesn't impose an additional financial impact on the city's budget, because it was already factored into the budget for fiscal year 2012.

According to the council's agenda packet, the goal of phase two is to, "Maximize station area development to serve the local community and economy, while increasing HST ridership."

The packet states that the plan will be based on the best practices for the transit-oriented development that will take place within a half-mile radius of the future HST station.

These practices include:

• Higher density development in relation to the existing pattern of development in the surrounding area, along with minimum requirements for density.
• A mix of land uses, such as retail, office, hotel, entertainment, and residential mixed-land uses.
• A grid street pattern and compact pedestrian-oriented design that promotes walking.
• Bicycling and transit access with streetscapes that include landscaping small parks.
• Pedestrian spaces, bike lanes and bike racks.
•  Context-sensitive building design.
• Limits on the amount of parking for new development and a preference that parking be placed in structures.
• Sufficient train passenger parking would be planned when the determined mixed-use areas would support it.

For more information on phase two, or to read about phase three planning of the High Speed Rail project, refer to pages 18-22 of the agenda packet.

Here's a breakdown of a few items to be discussed at Monday's meeting:

• Under public hearings, the will present the council with a report recommending projects and programs that require funding under the State Law Enforcement Block Grant of $100,000 for fiscal year 2011-2012.
• Under unfinished business, the Open Government Commission will give a presentation recommending an .
• On the consent calendar, the city will motion to approve a five-year extension contract between the City of Gilroy and Community Media Access Partnership (CMAP).
• The Bicycle Pedestrian Commission will give its annual presentation to the City Council.

Refer to the attached agenda packet for more detailed information.