HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-010 - ResolutionRESOLUTION NO. 2021-010
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO
CUCAMONGA, CALIFORNIA, TEMPORARILY CLOSING PORTIONS OF
THOROUGHBRED AND JENNET STREETS, WEST OF SAPPHIRE STREET
AND EAST OF TURQUOISE AVENUE, AND A PORTION OF TURQUOISE
AVENUE BETWEEN JENNET AND THOROUGHBRED STREETS, TO
PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC DURING THE AREA'S HOLIDAY LIGHT DISPLAY
AND MAKING FINDINGS IN SUPPORT THEREOF
A. Recitals
1. The elaborate display of holiday lights and decorations by residents of
Thoroughbred and Jennet Streets, west of Sapphire Street and east of Turquoise Avenue, and
Turquoise Avenue between Thoroughbred and Jennet Streets, during the month of December
(the "Holiday Light Display") is an example of the community's holiday spirit, hard work, and
creativity, which has grown over the last thirty years into one of the largest holiday light displays
in Southern California, drawing viewers from across the region.
2. In recent years, however, the popularity of the Holiday Light Display has led to a
surge in vehicular and pedestrian traffic, particularly on and around portions of Thoroughbred and
Jennet Streets and Turquoise Avenue, resulting in a variety of negative impacts that threaten the
health, safety, and welfare of members of the public.
3. At the regularly scheduled City Council meeting on February 17, 2021, the City
Council received evidence concerning the negative impacts and dangerous conditions created by
the Holiday Light Display prior to the adoption of this Resolution.
4. All legal prerequisites to the adoption of this Resolution have occurred.
B. Resolution
NOW THEREFORE, the Rancho Cucamonga City Council does hereby find, determine,
conclude, and resolve as follows:
1. Based on evidence presented to the City Council at the above -referenced meeting
on February 17, 2021, the City Council finds as follows:
a. All facts set forth in Part A, Recitals, of this Resolution are true and correct.
b. Thoroughbred and Jennet Streets and Turquoise Avenue are narrow, two-
lane, residential streets with no sidewalks, which are not intended to handle substantial amounts
of vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
C. An estimated 5,000 to 9,000 vehicles travel through these streets each day
during the busiest periods of the Holiday Light Display, in addition to pedestrians who park in
neighboring communities and walk into the area.
d. Traffic during the Holiday Light Display has increased to where the average
wait time to enter can reach approximately two hours, followed by an additional hour and a half
Resolution No. 2021-010 - Page 1 of 5
to travel through the streets. On busy evenings, traffic can back up to the 210 Freeway,
approximately one mile away.
e. Large trucks, hot rods, and tour buses, which are normally uncommon on
Thoroughbred and Jennet Streets and Turquoise Avenue, have been increasingly common in the
area during the Holiday Lights Display, which creates additional dangers for pedestrians because
they tend to take up larger portions of the road and require additional skill and attention to safely
maneuver.
f. The exceedingly high number of vehicles and presence of larger -than
normal vehicles in the area results in noise and air pollution to pedestrians and surrounding
residents.
g. Traffic and safety problems are exacerbated by the large volume of
pedestrians in the street, causing vehicles to slow, stop, or idle to avoid collisions. At any one
time, as many as 5,000 pedestrians are in the roadway.
h. Due to the absence of sidewalks on Thoroughbred and Jennet Streets and
Turquoise Avenue, pedestrians mainly travel in the roadway, which creates a danger both to
pedestrians and those traveling in vehicles.
i. Pedestrians have been routinely observed traversing back and forth across
the street to view the holiday displays. At the same time, drivers are distracted by the holiday
displays. With drivers and pedestrians both distracted the potential for an accident involving a
pedestrian substantially increases.
j. The Holiday Light Display attracts many families with young children to the
area. In some instances, children have been observed wandering unsupervised. Children are
therefore at increased risk of being hit by a vehicle while walking in the street.
k. Pedestrians frequently visit the Holiday Light Display expecting to find
public restrooms. As no public restrooms are located nearby, pedestrians have been identified
using nearby horse trails and dark residential areas to urinate, defecate, and discard hazardous
waste.
I. The Chief of Police and Fire Chief have determined that, due to increased
vehicle and pedestrian traffic during the Holiday Light Display and limited street capacity,
emergency personnel might not be able to safely and timely respond to potential emergencies in
the surrounding community.
M. The negative impacts and dangerous conditions created by the Holiday
Light Display would be mitigated if the affected portions of Thoroughbred and Jennet Streets and
Turquoise Avenue were temporarily closed to pedestrian traffic during the Holiday Light Display.
In the absence of pedestrians, vehicular traffic flow would improve and emergency vehicles would
have improved access because they could pass on either side of the one-way vehicular traffic.
Furthermore, potential accidents involving vehicles and pedestrians would be reduced.
n. Vehicle Code Section 21101(e) authorizes the City, to act by resolution, to
temporarily close a portion of any street for celebrations, parades, local special events, and other
purposes when, in the opinion of the City Council, the closing is necessary for the safety and
protection of persons who are to use that portion of the street during the temporary closing.
Resolution No. 2021-010 - Page 2 of 5
o. The Holiday Light Display, although not City sponsored, constitutes a local
special event for the purposes of Vehicle Code Section 21101(e).
2. Based on the facts set forth in the preceding Section 1 of this Resolution and all
available information, the City Council hereby finds that the temporary closure of portions of
Thoroughbred and Jennet Streets and Turquoise Avenue to pedestrian traffic, except for residents
of the homes within the affected area and their guests, during the Holiday Light Display is
necessary for the safety and protection of persons who are to use the streets during the Holiday
Light Display.
3. Based on the finding made in the preceding Section 2 of this Resolution and
pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 21101(e), the City Council hereby closes those
portions of Thoroughbred and Jennet Streets west of Sapphire Street and east of Turquoise
Avenue and Turquoise Avenue between Jennet and Thoroughbred Streets (as identified on
Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference) to all pedestrian traffic
except for residents of the homes on the affected streets and their guests from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00
p.m. from December 3 to December 5, 2021 and from December 10 to December 24, 2021.
4. The Chief of Police, in consultation with the City Engineer or designee, shall erect
or cause to be erected and maintained sufficient temporary signs, barriers, and other temporary
traffic control devices, to preclude pedestrians from traversing those portions of Thoroughbred
and Jennet Streets as shown on Exhibit A, except to residents, during the closure period.
5. This resolution is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA")
pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c), existing facilities. Thoroughbred and Jennet
streets and Turquoise Avenue are existing streets and the proposed temporary closure of those
streets during the Holiday Light Display constitutes a minor change in their operation. The
temporary street closure will only affect a portion of Thoroughbred and Jennet streets between
Sapphire Street and Turquoise Avenue and Turquoise Avenue between Jennet and
Thoroughbred streets during a select number of days and for a limited period of time between
5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Residents of the affected portions of the streets will continue to have
access to their homes at all times and the streets will continue to be accessible by car. Due to
the significant vehicular and pedestrian traffic impacts during the Holiday Light Display, the
temporary closure is anticipated to reduce an existing significant traffic and safety impact in a
portion of the City.
6. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution
Resolution No. 2021-010 - Page 3 of 5
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 171h day of February 2021.
ATTEST:
i
`h-Reynolds,Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO ) ss
CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA )
I, Janice C. Reynolds, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Cucamonga, do hereby certify
that the foregoing Resolution was duly passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council of
the City of Rancho Cucamonga, at a Regular Meeting of said Council held on the 17th day of
February 2021.
AYES: Hutchison, Kennedy, Michael, Scott, Spagnolo
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAINED: None
Executed this 18th day of February, 2021, at Rancho Cucamonga, California.
lwit zo 41Z&44=�
ice C. Reynolds, City v Clerk
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