RB Planning Board Recap: Welcome Sign Decision; High-Speed Rail; Bike Lanes

The Rancho Bernardo Planning Board met Thursday at the Oaks North Community Center. 

Here is a look at some of the highlights:

• Welcome Sign: In a vote signifying both approval and a desire to move past the issue, the Board backed a design for the new welcome sign created by Refresh RB Committee member Larry McIntyre. The design concept includes a red tile roof, travertine wall, the classic RB logo, red, white and blue waves representing rolling hills, and "Rancho Bernardo" in red lettering. The lettering, waves and logo are to be internally lit. This design—the latest in a long string of offerings—was created in response to input from the Board at its April meeting. The next step calls for the RB Community Council to vote on the design, too, but its members already at a special meeting in May. It's not yet clear what happens if the two groups do not agree on a concept. See more articles about the welcome sign here.

• High-speed Rail: The Board voted to work with the RB Community Council to craft a letter to the California High-Speed Rail Authority opposing the current alignment of the rail project which runs alongside Interstate 15 through the community, impacting homes and businesses. The Board cited several reasons for opposition, including a belief that projected cost figures are unrealistically low, and concern over noise and visual impacts. A project engineer has said would need to be taken over through eminent domain under the current alignment, but the design is several years from finalization. See the full list of the Board's issues with the rail project below.

• Bike Lanes: Three miles of bike lanes are set to be installed along Bernardo Center Drive and West Bernardo Drive in August and September, stretching from Rancho Bernardo Road to past Aguamiel Road on West Bernardo Drive. Along Bernardo Center Drive, the lanes will run from Rancho Bernardo Road, across the Duenda Road overpass to West Bernardo Drive.

• New Representative: Jack Straw, the community representative from Councilman Carl DeMaio's office for the past year, announced that he will be transferring to Councilwoman Lorie Zapf's office by the end of the month. Straw said he will still be available to help the new representative transition. The Board thanked him for his work.

• Stop Signs: Straw said the installation of a stop sign at Matinal and Florindo roads has been approved. Residents had complained about speeding in the area. Straw also told the Board that the budgets for stop signs at Bernardo Trails Drive and Grandee Place on Pomerado Road have been frozen. The Board did not want either of the Pomerado Road stop signs.

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[The California High-Speed Rail Authority will be able to respond to the perceived issues cited below once the letter is submitted.]

High-Speed Rail "Issues for Concern to the RB Community"

1. General opposition to the project due to the adverse impacts on the RB Community.

2. Unjustified/unwarranted relocation of the initial alignment from coastal route to inland route.

3. Excessive noise impacts from high speed train operation that cannot be mitigated due to lateral and downward noise from concrete guideway. 

4. Vibration from high-speed trains operating on concrete guideway affecting adjacent properties.

5. Excessively high guideways over freeway bridges (70+ feet) causing adverse visual impacts and loss of view corridor for many businesses and residents.

6. Adverse impacts to both commercial and residential property values.

7. High-speed trains causing dust trail from movement of trains through community at speeds in excess of 150 mph.

8. Taxpayers' perspective ... unrealistically low system construction costs. When all other rails systems average $150-$250 million per mile at the, [California High-Speed Rail Authority] claims it can build the system for $53.75 million/mile. California taxpayers will suffer the burden of added costs.

9. General ... unrealistic and overly inflated ridership projections, questionable point-to-point travel times, lack of a sound financial plan. 

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