The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutAgenda Report - July 7, 1993 (69)E _ r .�. CITY OF L,ODI COUNCIL COMMUNICATION AGENDA TITLE: Letter to Caltrans Regarding Use of Southern Pacific Kentucky House Branch Line MEETING DATE: July 7, 1993 PREPARED BY: Public Works Director RECOMMENDED ACTION: That the City Council approve the attached letter to Caltrans regarding the use of the Southern Pacific Railroad Kentucky House Branch Line. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: In January 1993, the Southern Pacific Railrcad announced to local agencies its intent to initiate formal abandonment proceedings on the Kentucky House Branch Line. This line runs easterly from the main track near Lockeford Street to Calaveras County. In Lodi, the tracks and right of way are immediately adjacent to both Lockeford Street, between Main Street and Calaveras Street, and Highway 12 (Victor Road), between Highway 99 and the east City limit. According to the Railroad, there has been no revenue-producing runs on the track since 1989. After a series of meetings with the Railroau and other agencies, including Senator Patrick Johnston and Calaveras County, Caltrans agreed to study the line and possible funding for public acquisition of the line to preserve the corridor. Based on past Council direction, City staff has made it clear that Lodi wishes to see the portion of the line in Lodi used for rail services, specifically for the Central California Traction Company, allowing removal of their tracks in Lodi Avenue. On June 23, Caltrans held a public meeting in Lockeford to receive input on possible uses of the line. Public support was fairly evenly divided among rail, highway and recreational uses. Participants at the meeting were encouraged to fill out a comment sheet, and, since City staff attended the meeting, we completed a copy. However, prior to mailing, we felt the Council might wish to make a formal statement or even conduct its own hearing. The completed sheet and a cover letter to Caltrans are attached. FUNQING: None required at this time. 1� kci", J ck Ronsko P Works Director Prepared by Richard C. Prima, Jr., Assistant City Engineer JCR/RCP/lm Attachments cc: Jim Verseput, Schaffer, Suess & Boyd APPROVED: ice, THOMAS A. PETERSON ` City Manager J CKENTUCK/TXTW.02M (CO -COM) June 29, 1993 M �a%"yMFit.YIiCGSM.tiR't+a.AY:.r�:-..+W:�;j'iv„!x- -. ..... � «.. ...r-k.:.ivrMtPw.N+..s'aa va'._....+a`....✓+r........r......,.M Y KENT. _KY HOUSE RAILROAD CORRIN PUBLIC COMMENT SHEET NAME C rY c>= Lop ADDRESS &X 006 CITY STATE CA ZIP CODE go240 PHONE a ICA 13-3-1,706 Do you own property adjacent to the railroad corridor? if yes, what is the current land use of the property? (e.g. residential, commercial, agricultural) yes kockt6fl S4(tJ ❑ no did you hear about this meeting? lH��orrw ;l Mailing ❑ Newspaper ❑ Public Flyer, Bulletin Board ❑ Friend/Neighbor ❑ Other In your opinion. what is the most appropriate use for the Kentucky House Railroad Corridor? Please Indicate your degree of support for the following uses. (i -low support, 2=medium support, 3 -high support) Freight Rail Service El Abandonment, private use 1 Highway Improvements a Passenger Rail Service Transit -only corridor Non -motorized Recreational Trail DMultimodal Transportation ❑ Other Corridor (combination of uses) OTHER COMMENTS 1 . 1-- J- '- ..1 - L _ I) . - Thank you for your attendance. Your input is important to us. Please give your comment sheet to an agency representative. or mail to: Caltrans - District 10 P.O. Box 2048 Stockton, CA 95201 Attn: Transportation Plannino - Kentucky House Railroad S 3 CITY COUNCIL PHILLIP A PENNINO. Mayor JACK A. SIEGLOCK Mayor Pro Tempore RAY G. DAVENPORT STEPHEN MANN JOHN R. (Randy! SNIDER State of California CITY OF LODI CITY HALL. 221 WEST PINE STREET P.O. BOX 3006 LODI. CALIFORNIA 95241-1910 (209) 334-5634 FAX 1309) 113.t.39S June 29, 1993 Department of Transportation Attn: Transportation Planning P. 0. Box 2048 Stockton, CA 95201 SUBJECT: Kentucky House Railroad THOMAS A. PETERSON City .Manager ILNNIFER M PERRIN City Clerk BOB MCNATT City Attorney The City of Lodi is pleased to see Caltrans actively pursuing the preservation of the Southern Pacific Kentucky House corridor. A completed comment sheet from your June 23 public meeting in Lockeford is enclosed. The City feels the best use of the line between the Southern Pacific and Central California Traction Company (CCT) main lines is for continued rail service and an interconnection between the two main lines. This will allow removal of the CCT tracks in Lodi Avenue which are the source of many problems. Also, the immediate parallel location of much of the rail and highway rights of way lends itself to road widening. Both Lockeford Street and Victor Road (Highway 12) will need to be widened to four lanes in the foreseeable future. Use of a portion of the rail right of way will ease the impact on adjacent businesses and residences on the opposite side. It would also preserve a fine row of oak trees on the south side of Highway 12, east of Lodi. Again, thank you for taking the lead in this project. Phillip A. Pennino Mayor PAP/RCP/lm enclosure cc: Senator Johnston LCALTR93.05/TXTW.02M i1 9,- 10 tr DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Honorable Mayor Phillip A. Pennino CITY OF LODI 221 W. Pine St. Lodi, CA 95240 SUBJECT: City Council Agenda July 7, 1993 Consent Calendar item 10 July 2, 1993 y� The Government and Transportation Review Committee (GTRC) of the Lodi District Chamber of Commerce requests that the above referenced item be removed from the consent calendar for seperate consideration. The Chamber of Commerce would like to comment on the subject of the abandonment of the Southern Pacific (SP) rail line involved. The letter as proposed addresses the subject of street widening and the possible interconnection with Central California Traction Co. (CCT) tracks. We feel that the effect of abandoning the SP line goes much farther than that, and that the letter should fully reflect our economic concerns if this rail line is removed from service. The City and the Chamber have joined forces to promote economic development in the City of Lodi because both have recognized the - importance of economic growth and development to the continued economic stability of our City. It follows that we must make the industrial sector of the City as serviceable and attractive as we possibly can to attract new industry and to retain what we already have. We feel that the removal from service of the only main line tracks that can service the industrial corridor along Lockeford St. and Highway 12 would have an extremely negative impact on our ability to service the needs of future industry, both in and adjacent to the City of Lodi. There is one business currently seeking service on the subject rail spur. At this point that cannot be obtained, as SP has informed him that the tracks are already designated to be abandoned. There is more industrial development slated farther to the east, and a good connection with the CCT tracks could provide better service to the industrial area to the southeast. We feel that the concern of our business community and the City government should be strongly expressed to the agencies involved who might be able to help preserve this vital rail service. ((Jim Verseput Chairman — GTRC ACCRiDIT[D 1330 S. HAM LANE • P.O. BOX 386 • LODI. CA 95241 • PHONE (209) 367.7840 • FAX (209) 334-0528 Mr. Jim Verseput Schaffer, Suess 3 Boyd 122 North Church Stree� Lodi, CA 95240 SUBJECT: Letter to Caltrans Regarding Use of Southern Pacific Kentucky i House Branch Line j Enclosed is a copy of background information on an item that will be discussed at the City Council meeting on Wednesday, July 7, 1993, at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in the City Council Chamber, ? Carnegie Forum, 305 West Pine Street. You are welcome to attend. i This item is on the consent calendar and is usually not discussed unless 1 a Council Member requests discussion. The public is given an opportunity to address items on the consent calendar at the appropriate time. { If you wish to write to the City Council, please address your letter to ' City Council, City of Lodi, P. 0. Box 3006, Lodi, California, 95241-1910. 1 Be sure to allow time for the mail. Or, you may hand -deliver the letter to City Hall, 221 West Pine Street. If you wish to address the Council at the Council Meeting, be sure to fill out a speaker's card (available at the Carnegie Forum immediately prior to the start of the meeting) and give it to the City Clerk. If you have any questions about communicating with the Council, please contact s Jennifer Perrin, City Clerk, at (209) 333-6702. If you have any questions about the item itself, please call Richard Prima at (209) 333-6706. ? ackRonsko lic Works Director JLR/lm Enclosure cc: City Clerk LKENTUCK/TXTW.02M t t� CITY COUNCIL THOMAS A PETERSON PHILLIP A PENNINO. Mayor CITY OF L O D I City Manager (ACK A. SIEGLOCK JENNIFER M PERRIN Mayor Pro Tempore City Clerk RAY G. DAVENPORT CITY HALL. 221 WEST PINE STREET 508 %AcNATT STEPHEN I MANN P.O. SOX 3006 City Attorney LODI. CALIFORNIA 9S241-1910 JOHN R (Randy) SNIDER (209) 334-5634 FAX (2M) 113-6195 June 30, 1993 Mr. Jim Verseput Schaffer, Suess 3 Boyd 122 North Church Stree� Lodi, CA 95240 SUBJECT: Letter to Caltrans Regarding Use of Southern Pacific Kentucky i House Branch Line j Enclosed is a copy of background information on an item that will be discussed at the City Council meeting on Wednesday, July 7, 1993, at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in the City Council Chamber, ? Carnegie Forum, 305 West Pine Street. You are welcome to attend. i This item is on the consent calendar and is usually not discussed unless 1 a Council Member requests discussion. The public is given an opportunity to address items on the consent calendar at the appropriate time. { If you wish to write to the City Council, please address your letter to ' City Council, City of Lodi, P. 0. Box 3006, Lodi, California, 95241-1910. 1 Be sure to allow time for the mail. Or, you may hand -deliver the letter to City Hall, 221 West Pine Street. If you wish to address the Council at the Council Meeting, be sure to fill out a speaker's card (available at the Carnegie Forum immediately prior to the start of the meeting) and give it to the City Clerk. If you have any questions about communicating with the Council, please contact s Jennifer Perrin, City Clerk, at (209) 333-6702. If you have any questions about the item itself, please call Richard Prima at (209) 333-6706. ? ackRonsko lic Works Director JLR/lm Enclosure cc: City Clerk LKENTUCK/TXTW.02M r-. CITY COUNCIL PHILLIP A. PENNING. Mayor JACK A: SIECLOCK -Mawr Pro Tempore RAY C. DAVENPORT STEPHEN 1. MANN JOHN R. (Randy) SNIDER CITY OF LODI CITY HALL, 221 WEST PINE STREET P O. BOX 3006 LODI. CALIFORNIA 95241.1910 (209)334-5634 FAX .'091113-""s July 8, 1993 State of California Department of Transportation Attn: Transportation Planning P. 0. Box 2048 Stockton, CA 95201 SUBJECT: Kentucky House Railroad THOMAS A. PETERSON City Manager WmIFER M PERRIN City C;erk BOB wcwiT City Attorney The City of Lodi is pleased to see Caltrans actively pursuing the preservation of the Southern Pacific Kentucky House corridor. A completed comment sheet from your June 23 public meeting in Lockeford is enclosed. The City feels tht best use of the line between the Southern Pacific and Central California Traction Company (CCT) main lines is for continued rail service and an interconnection between the two main lines. This would improve rail service for the industrial area on the east side of Lodi. Availability of rail service is an important part of industrial development which is needed to improve economic stability in the area. Continuation of rail service would also allow removal of the CCT tracks in Lodi Avenue which are the source of many problems. Of course, these economic development concerns not only apply to the City of Lodi, but to the areas east of Lodi. Also, the immediate parallel location of much of the rail and highway rights of way lends itself to road widening. Both Lockeford Street and Victor Road (Highway 12) will need to be widened to four lanes in the foreseeable future. Use of a portion of the rail right of way will ease the impact on adjacent businesses and residences on the opposite side. It would also preserve a fine row of oak trees on the south side of Highway 12, east of Lodi. Again, thank you for taking the lead in this project. Phillip nnino Mayor PAP/RCP/lm enclosure cc: Senator Johnston Lodi Chamber of Commerce bcc: Jim Verseput LCALTR93.05/TXTW.02M FAX COVER SHEET ssssasassasssaasasssaaasassas:ssaszassassss:assssasasaassaassasaaaa C I T Y O F L O D I CITY HALL, 221 WEST PINE STREET LODI, CA 95240 Telephone: (209) 333-6702 FAC: (209) 333-6807 DATE: July 19, 1993 FROM: Peggy Nicolini, Deputy City Clerk TO: Mary Ann - Dora Lee Bowle's Office As requested, the following is a copy of the letter regarding the Kentucky House Railroad . Should you need anything further, please let us know. -------------------------------------------------------------- N O T I C 8 sas:sasasasaaaxsaa NEW FAX NUMBER FOR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE CITY ATTORWZ'S OFFICE wwrrrwrr Our new FAX Number (209) 333-6807 rrrwwrwr f i asasssssassssa s:azaaaxaaaaxsasaa ssa aaa aaxxsaxxxxxssxxxxxsxxxaxxxxxxsaxsaaasaa You will receive 1 page(B) asssssesssssssaaasaaassssssssaa:sssssaxaasasassccx�ssss:ssxxssaxaa Z