Council and residents press Miramonte team on traffic, school siting and emergency‑services timing

Council members and residents repeatedly raised concerns about traffic, emergency access and school siting during the Miramonte informational workshop, saying existing roads could be overloaded as the development builds out.

Residents and the Mayor Pro Tem noted the plan shows only a few roadway exits from the subdivision and said morning and afternoon congestion near existing schools and on San Vicente Road already cause problems. One resident asked whether moving the school site would reduce traffic; staff responded that school location and phasing depend on school‑district needs and project phasing, and that traffic mitigation measures and an off‑site improvement plan will be developed and reviewed by staff and then brought to the Planning Commission and City Council.

Public Works Director and City Engineer Don Wilcox and planning staff said an off‑site traffic improvement plan is required before development can proceed and that the plan will identify mitigations, funding responsibilities and trigger points tied to phasing. Staff warned that major freeway ramp work would be governed by Caltrans and could cost hundreds of millions of dollars; the city may only require the developer to pay its legally established “fair share.”

Council members and public commenters also raised the timing of public‑safety facilities. The project map shows a police and fire substation in a later phase (phase 7); at least one council member urged earlier delivery of the substation to serve a growing city. Staff said the development agreement and public‑facility financing plan will define when public‑safety facilities are built and funded.

Staff said they are conducting a technical traffic evaluation and will return with a recommended funding approach and phasing triggers for required off‑site improvements. The city will analyze updated traffic counts and propose improvements based on current conditions and model results.

Next steps: staff will present a technical traffic evaluation and the public‑facility financing plan as part of the development‑agreement negotiations and return the evidence and proposed triggers to the Planning Commission and council for review.