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The Regular Meeting of the Downtown East Valley Policy Advisory Board (PAB) was called to order at 3:09 p.m. by Vice Chairperson Chavez at the San Jose City Hall, 801 North First Street, Room #204, San Jose, California.

ROLL CALL:

Members Present
Blanca Alvarado, Chairperson
Cindy Chavez, Vice Chairperson
Nora Campos
David Cortese
Pete McHugh

Members Absent
None

There were no Public Presentations.

Ms. Price stated that staff is considering an additional design option for project the Story Road/Capitol Avenue Intersection.  Ms. Price stated that originally there were three design options considered for that intersection: 1) an Aerial Option from Alum Rock Avenue through Story Road; 2) Tunnel/Aerial Option; 3) Tunnel Option that would go under Capitol Avenue and Capitol Expressway to Story Road.  Ms. Price noted that all three of these options are grade separated options.  Ms. Price noted that staff ruled out the tunnel option due to comments from the community involving a below grade subway station relating to safety and security issues for passengers.

Member McHugh asked how far down from the surface would the station location be located.  Mr. Lightbody responded and stated that it would be approximately 15-20 feet below the surface level.  Member McHugh asked for more information concerning this type of station location and expressed concern over the security and safety issues due to visibility concerns.

Member Campos asked how many options would be carried forward into the environmental phase for consideration.  Mr. Lightbody replied and stated that there would now be three options including the new depressed, below grade, open air station location option.

Member Cortese asked what the result was from community outreach efforts in determining a preference for the station location at Ocala Avenue and Cunningham Avenue.  Ms. Price responded and stated that there is no clear preference for station location there and staff will continue to take all three station locations forward into the environmental phase of the project.

Chairperson Alvarado stated that staff needs to develop a way to include the community in determining station locations.  Chairperson Alvarado stated that there should be a lot of community interest in this area and staff should develop a way to have maximum engagement by the community for that subject. She further stated that there should be a detailed discussion by the PAB on the issue of how to have maximum participation by the community added to the agenda for a PAB meeting.

Julie Render, Principal Transportation Planner, presented VTAs staff recommendation for the Santa Clara/Alum Rock Corridor.

Chairperson Alvarado asked about the major differences between the single car and two car light rail vehicles in terms of capacity noting a comment made at the Special Meeting for the PAB on March 24, 2003 pointed out that the single car vehicle will reach its capacity within a short time.   Chairperson Alvarado stated that the PAB is planning to build a system for the future.  Ms. Render replied and stated that the major difference between the single car light rail vehicle and the two car vehicle is which lane of the street they are sharing with traffic between King Road and Diridon Station in San Jose.  The single car system is designed to operate in the outside curb lane.  The two car light rail vehicle is designed to operate in the inside lane of traffic.

Ms. Render stated that staff feels that the comments received from the Special Meeting of the PAB on March 24, 2003 were in support of the staff recommendation.   Ms. Render asked the members of the PAB to adopt the VTA staff recommendation.

Chairperson Alvarado asked the PAB members for any additional comments and there were none.

Chairperson Alvarado opened the meeting to receive public comments on Agenda Item Number 5.

Eric Weaver, interested citizen, expressed concern over the Downtown East Valley project noting that mass transit must integrate people and vehicles in the community and feels that this project fails to do that.   Mr. Weaver stated that he feels that the project failed to receive proper public input.  Mr. Weaver feels that the Light Rail project should be aligned on San Antonio Street due to safety concerns, greater availability of utilities, and no obstruction of freeway off ramps.  Mr. Weaver stated that he was never contacted for focus groups to study the possible alignment of the project.

Alex Weaver, interested citizen, expressed concern over more public involvement.   He further suggested having personnel go out, on foot and contacting residents and business owners in the community to participate in the planning meetings for the project.  Mr. Weaver stated that the mail leaflets sent out by staff were ineffective as the residents do not understand what the leaflets represent.  Mr. Weaver stated that he did not understand the purpose of the mail leaflets.  Mr. Weaver suggested having personnel from the City of San Jose assist VTA in contacting business owners and residents in the community to participate in the planning meetings.  Mr. Weaver cautioned that residents do not fully understand what is going on and when the street starts being torn up for construction and the businesses start failing in the area there will be major problems.

Chairperson Alvarado explained the next steps in the process for moving the Downtown East Valley Project forward.   She stated that after approval by the PAB, the next step is to present the project to the Transit Planning and Operations Committee April 2003, and then to present it before VTA Board of Directors May 2003.

Member Cortese made an informational comment on the motion stating that issue of construction impact mitigation, relative to the Downtown East Valley project for the City of San Jose, will be taken up by the Citys Transportation Committee April 2003 for the first time.

On order of Chairperson Alvarado, there being no objection, the Community Outreach Report was received and filed.

On order of Chairperson Alvarado,àthere being no objection, the meeting adjourned at 3:48 p.m.

Dan Heider, Board Assistant
VTA Board of Directors

NOTE: M/S/C MEANS MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED AND, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.