Homelessness and Gateway Arch on Vista Council Agenda

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The Vista City Council Meeting October 22, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. Council Chambers of the Vista Civic Center 200 Civic Center Drive will discuss the Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness and Paseo Santa Fe Phase III Arch.
On June 4, 2019, the City Council conducted a workshop in which the Consultant presented an overview of federal, state and local issues related to homelessness, information regarding Vista
specific issues, the efforts of the Consultant to date, and potential outcomes and strategies for the Strategic Plan’s “big picture” focus. The City Council discussed proposed desired outcomes and directed staff to include the following outcomes in the Strategic Plan:
• Prevent Homelessness
• Improve Quality of Life (for Vista residents, businesses, and for those experiencing homelessness)
• Enhance Community Outreach and Education
• Legislative Advocacy
• Reduce Homelessness

Phase III of the Paseo Santa Fe Streetscape Improvement project (Capital Improvement Program No. 8291), includes the completion of the streetscape improvements within the Paseo Santa Fe corridor along S. Santa Fe Avenue between Main Street and Civic Center Drive. The overall streetscape improvement project includes reducing the street width from four lanes to two,
undergrounding utilities, adding three roundabouts, and adding new landscaping, sidewalk improvements, street furniture, lighting, signage, and infrastructure improvements. The first phase of the project from Main Street to Oceanview Drive was completed in 2015; the second phase of the project from Oceanview Drive to south of Terrace Drive is currently under construction (with anticipated completion in Spring 2020); and the third and final phase of the project from south of Terrace Drive to Civic Center Drive is forthcoming for final funding.

The engineering design plans for the final phase of the project includes a proposed gateway arch placed along S. Santa Fe Avenue at the southern entrance to the Paseo Santa Fe project, between the intersection of Civic Center Drive and Pala Vista Drive. As currently proposed, the new gateway arch would be an identical design to the existing arch located near Main Street. The purpose/intent of the two arches is to provide “bookends” for Paseo Santa Fe that visually identifies and brands the general boundaries of the neighborhood. The arches were originally not intended to be “Welcome to Vista” arches. The preliminary cost estimate for the new gateway arch is approximately $350,000.