Council pares Streetscape Multimodal Plan, prioritizes Albertsons‑to‑North Avenue segment
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Summary
After lengthy public debate about traffic, safety and funding, the council voted to amend the Lompoc Streetscape Multimodal Improvement Plan to remove projects south of North Avenue and to prioritize the Albertsons signal‑to‑North Avenue class‑1 bikeway as the city's immediate focus; Caltrans SHOP funding for the larger project was not approved this cycle.
Craig Dearling, Public Works Director, presented the Lompoc Streetscape Multimodal Improvement Plan (LSMIP) concepts, including class‑1 separated bike paths, high‑visibility crosswalks and other pedestrian improvements meant to improve safety and strengthen grant competitiveness.
"If the council decides not to support this, it would just remain as a planning study that can inform future grant applications or other efforts by the city," Dearling told the council, noting adoption does not itself obligate construction funding.
Public comment split the room. Ashley Costa, executive director of the Lompoc Valley Community Healthcare Organization, urged the council to keep the plan’s safety elements and the community‑informed recommendations. "I would hate to see it weakened or dismantled," she said. Opponents — including commercial drivers and business owners — warned that lane reductions on major corridors such as Ocean Avenue would create traffic problems for trucks, commuters and Vandenberg‑bound traffic.
Council discussion focused on two practical issues: (1) whether adopting or revising the plan would jeopardize future Caltrans grant opportunities and (2) how to limit the city’s exposure to unfunded mandates or new impact fees on property owners. Dearling told the council Caltrans staff had prepared a SHOP application but that the $12 million SHOP request was not approved in the most recent cycle and that future SHOP decisions would depend on statewide funding availability.
After deliberation the council voted 5‑0 to amend the adopted LSMIP to remove projects south of North Avenue and to prioritize the segment from the Albertsons signal to North Avenue (the staff‑recommended highest bicycle infrastructure priority) so the city can pursue near‑term funding for that chunk without committing to controversial elements farther south.
What happens next: staff will prepare a resolution to amend the adopted plan, identify a prioritized project scope for Albertsons→North Avenue suitable for grant submittal, and report back on how revisions might affect competitiveness for Caltrans or other funding streams.
