The Issues: Protecting Neighborhoods if Benicia Gets Seeno Project

Candidates running for mayor and the Benicia City Council are unanimous in focusing on the need to use economic development to drive the city out of its budget problems. Benicia has one large undeveloped parcel in the Industrial Park, the 528–acre Seeno property.   

The discussion surrounding development of the property generally focuses on two areas: What should the development look like? And how should the city protect neighborhoods from the impacts of the development? This Q&A looks at the neighborhood question. 

In the next Q&A we publish, the candidates will tell us their vision for the Seeno property.

Today’s question:

How should the mayor and City Council protect the neighborhoods and the elementary school on East Second Street from traffic generated by development on the Seeno property?

City Council candidates

During the roughly 18 months we were working on the Seeno Industrial Park we spent a lot of time on this issue because there were potentially 40,000 to 50,000 new car and truck trips going past Semple School per day. Who knows what the exact number ultimately would be since there were several estimates, but it was going to be a huge number according to the project’s traffic analysis.

The approach the council took was to try to redirect trucks and cars to enter the Industrial Park from the 680-Lake Herman entrance and to set up a traffic pattern and grid that would minimize the impact on the neighborhood around Semple School as well as the school itself. This was done through a series of project conditions that Seeno was not happy with. I would agree it was going to be very expensive but in the past the city has let too many things slide and then later had to fix at a significant cost to the residents. A recent but classic example of paying later for not watching close during the project just happened at Waters End where the taxpayers are going to get stuck with a bill to pay for replacing water pipes that should have been done differently when they were first placed.

We spent a lot of time setting up a traffic pattern and grid that would have been good for the Semple neighborhood but expensive for Seeno to build. That is unfortunately always part of the tension in doing a project like this. If you make it too expensive to build, the developer won’t do it. If you make it less expensive but miss things, then later the residents will have to pay to correct missed problems.

If and when we develop the Seeno property-Business Park there are a number of ways to mitigate traffic on East Second Street.

1. Limit large trucks on southbound East Second past Valero and direct to Lake Herman Road to 680.

2. Create traffic calming by putting in roundabouts. This has been effective in many parts of the world.

3. Create a berm of trees around Robert Semple, creating a barrier of protection.

4. Bus shuttle routes. These would run back and forth from the Business Park to different stops around town including the downtown, Arsenal and strip centers.

Access, egress and signage for Benicia Business Park should be oriented to direct freeway-bound traffic to and from the Lake Herman Road freeway ramps rather than those on East Second Street. Big-rig trucks especially should not use the East Second Street exit from I-780 to get to the Industrial Park. 

I felt the traffic pattern from the project should be changed away from East Second Street and over to highway 680/780 where cars could use the East Fifth Street exit and others could use the East Second Street exit.

Mayoral candidates

The key would be to reduce the number and type of vehicles (less emissions) going to and from the business park, 780, and the downtown, in addition to reducing speeds. The size and scope of the project and the types of businesses would certainly have much to do with the number of vehicles on East Second Street. The mayor and council must insist on a project size, building type, business mix and accompanying job count that makes sense for the city and is economically viable for a developer. Obviously, the devil is in the details. An environmental impact report that includes a transportation study with data on traffic to and from the downtown is a must.

For commuters from out of town, every effort should be made to provide incentives to use methods of transportation other than cars. This would include rideshare and carpool opportunities. An intermodal public transportation station must be included as a part of the project with a minimum of reliable and convenient countywide bus service and a long-term plan of train service that would allow commuters from further distances the ability to use the Amtrak Capitol Corridor service.

Improved citywide bus service would allow residents to commute to the park or visit the commercial areas and leave their cars at home. The project should include bicycle racks and lockers and businesses should be encouraged to provide showers for bicyclists. A shuttle service should be available to transport workers to restaurants during their lunch breaks. Larger business should be should be encouraged to provide cafeterias. Electric charging stations should be available in many locations throughout the park.

There should be weight and axle limits for trucks on East Second Street, and signage should direct trucks to use the Bayshore Road and Lake Herman Road exits on 680. Speed limits should be reduced on East Second Street from the corporation yard to 780. Violations must be vigorously enforced, especially during school hours. A signal at East Tennys should be explored as a way to give neighbors easier ingress and egress to and from their homes. Traffic control should be present during school drop off and pickup. The return of school buses would reduce emissions and traffic.

Robert Semple School would need to be inspected for appropriate safety improvements related to air quality (filtration), noise (windows), etc. and should be included in the conditions for development. A comprehensive development agreement must be negotiated and signed prior to development. 24/7 on-site monitoring during construction, hired by us and paid through us by the developer should be included. The environmental impact report would most likely include other protection measures.

Minimizing traffic impacts is key to how the Seeno property is developed. By designing streets that encourage walking and bicycling, car travel is reduced. By creating a business park that mixes commercial, light manufacturing, restaurants, cleaners, and other goods and services, employees reduce car trips outside of the business park. By targeting the Benicia workforce, by matching jobs to the professions and skills residents have, commute trips into and out of Benicia can be reduced. 

The goals and policies in the General Plan include these strategies for creating a walkable, low-impact and sustainable project and these principles are in the adopted council resolution of February 2010. 

That resolution included agreements on road configuration, site planning and integrating commercial and retail uses into the project (instead of being freeway focused). In addition, we have applied for a state grant from the Sustainable Growth Council to develop a specific plan for a regional intermodal and transit oriented project that includes portions of the Seeno site and East Second. The concept is that an intermodal station for buses would be a facility for regional commute trips and short trips to downtown and other places in Benicia. Potential traffic impacts are further reduced through congestion management strategies that include buses, car pools and short stop transit. 

Lastly, plans for the East Second Street neighborhoods include redesigning the street as a “complete street.” This will provide separate bicycle lanes, tree-lined sidewalks and other traffic calming measures to slow traffic, make it safer for pedestrians and bicyclists and for residents to make left turns onto East Second.

Because modest increase in traffic creates noise and because there are established neighborhoods and an elementary school, it is essential to slow the traffic and provide soundproofing for the school.

In sum, the purpose of the adopted resolution is to design a business park that avoids traffic impacts that adversely affect the quality of life for our neighborhoods and school.

Nov. 8, 2011, City Council and Mayor Election Handbook: Candidate Q&As, Bios and Voter Guides