Public services and facilities include capital facilities (streets,
sewers, storm drains and drainage facilities, water, gas and electric
utilities) and governmental services (schools, fire and police services,
and other governmental services). A goal of the North 101 Corridor
Specific Plan is to insure adequate public services and facilities
based on the planned types and levels of land use.
Street, alley, pedestrian and streetscape improvements are outlined
in the Circulation chapter of the plan. A survey of other existing
utility systems was conducted to gauge the need for improvements,
based both on age of facilities and demand for additional capacity
based on planned area development. The sewer systems were found adequate.
Overshadowing other utility needs, however, is the storm drain system.
An adequate drainage system needs to be designed and installed to
replace the virtually non-existent system today and resolve flooding
problems.
So fundamental is the needed storm drain system, that it should
be designed and engineered before any other street improvements are
engineered or installed. Substantial cost savings may be realized
by joint design and installation of drainage, streetscape and other
improvements, and a major objective of the specific plan is to define
and coordinate all capital improvements. Another infrastructure objective
is to underground overhead utilities consisting of electricity, telephone
and cable TV lines. The opportunity exists for additional cost savings
by coordinating and combining undergrounding with other needed capital
facility improvements.
The city, county, and other governmental agencies provide a
broad range of public services. Service levels are planned based on
projected population and intensities of land use. Police and fire
services will not be negatively impacted by the land use changes in
the specific plan. This includes the existing system of fire hydrants,
which are judged ample in terms of location, capacity and pressure.
The elementary and secondary school districts will experience some
impact as a result of the proposed specific plan land use. The existing
Paul Ecke Central Elementary School on Vulcan Avenue is planned to
continue in operation.
Perhaps the greatest challenge for the specific plan regarding public facilities is providing the funding for needed improvements. Substantial capital costs will be involved in needed street, alley, bicycle, pedestrian sidewalk/path, and streetscape improvements, as well as the major storm drain system for the area. Substantial savings can be realized by coordinating all improvements and combining and sharing their funding. The specific plan provides cost estimates for all capital improvements and summarizes potential funding sources to enable subsequent detailed capital facility programming to choose and carry out the best options, as discussed in Chapter
10.