As neighbors to your Oceanside Transit Center (OTC), we wanted to raise some concerns we have about your operations and activities. We generally support most of
your activities and the proposed development with Toll Brothers, but there are many issues where we feel were NCTD has broken past commitments and generally could be a better neighbor. As a public agency, public trust is important for the support of projects that may require ongoing and future public funding. Further, public trust has been lost at the Federal, State, and local level, due to public agencies not fulfilling their commitments and maintaining public trust. During this time of reduced funding for most public agencies, we wanted to add our input on what we think could be improved at NCTD.
Many of the nearby neighbors moved here, due in part, to some of the benefits of the OTC, however, when acquiring their properties, many residents researched your past, current and future operations. When this research was done, questions were asked of NCTD staff, SANDAG, the City of Oceanside, Toll Brothers, and consultants working on behalf of NCTD and your partners. Below we would like to point out where we feel NCTD did not fulfill their commitments and/or you could be a better neighbor.
1. Public Input on OTC bus bays moving south.
Issue:
Many neighbors were advised a robust public outreach and input process would be undertaken about this topic about the potential movement of the bus bays to a more southern alignment. This did not happen since the original agreement with Toll Brothers was considered under COVID 19 conditions that reduced public noticing and participation. Attempts to rectify this shortcoming have been rejected by NCTD and Toll Brothers.
Restoring Public Trust:
Don’t move the bus bays to a new Southern position. If moving the bus bays is necessary, after public input, contain the bus circulation inside the development and route all bus traffic in and out of Segaze and Tremont as is currently done.
2. Proposed bus exit at new bus southern OTC bus station onto Missouri.
Issue:
A proposal to route bus traffic on to Missouri, a local community street, was raised late in the Toll Brothers community meeting process. This was not addressed early on or completely until residents asked for clarification.
Restoring Public Trust:
Don’t move the bus bays to a new Southern position. If moving the bus bays is necessary, after public input, contain the bus circulation inside the development
and route all bus traffic in and out of Segaze and Tremont as is currently done.
3. Coaster engine idling/parking location too far south impacting residential
units with noise and pollution.
Issue:
When NCTD and SANDAG met with the public for the proposed new Coaster Platform, and in conversations with NCTD staff when the Coaster engine was parking further south than promised, the public was assured the Coaster engine alignment would be near the NCTD parking area at Missouri street. We also understand the Coaster has had a decline in ridership, so the trains are shorter that their standard 5-car configuration or the envisioned 7-car configuration when the new 1,000-foot platform was built with Transnet funds and other funds.
Restoring Public Trust:
When NCTD is running shorter 3-car trains, install a new ADA (Mini-High) ramp near where the last 3-car train would park in a more Northern alignment. This
would place the train in a location closer to the originally promised location. It should noted that parking near Missouri as promised, the noise and pollution
would have more room to dissipate due to the street not having residential units directly on it.
4. Shore power for Coaster
Issue:
NCTD when building the new Coaster platform advised the public, they would cut down on Coaster engine idling pollution and noise by investigating and installing
shore power for the Coaster engine. This would cut down on idling time, noise and pollution. This was never installed nor was any investigation of this communicated to the nearby community.
Restoring Public Trust:
When NCTD is running shorter 3-car trains, install a new ADA (Mini-High) ramp near where the last 3-car train would park in a more Northern alignment. This
would place the train in a location closer to the originally promised location. It should noted that parking near Missouri as promised, the noise and pollution
would have more room to dissipate due to the street not having residential units directly on it.
5. Buses on City streets near transit center such as S Cleveland Street.
Issue:
NCTD previously worked with City of Oceanside staff to develop and informal agreement to not drive buses on local streets near the OTC. Due to city and NCTD staffing changes, these commitments were forgotten. In this example, residents remember this informal agreement on S Cleveland Street due in part to the street being too narrow street (33’ 8” wide). Buses on this street create conflicts with Postal deliveries and the public’s safe passage.
Restoring Public Trust:
Halt all bus traffic on S Clevland Street and find an alternative route for buses. There are additional items that we think should be addressed, however, would like to see if NCTD can address the initial 5 items with which we have a concern. Some neighbors believe some of these changes were due in part to our community’s input on the Toll Brothers OTC development. Your CEO has assured us this is not the case; however, we wish to address these issues with your Board and staff to create a better partnership with NCTD and restore some of the trust we believe has been lost in NCTD’s word.
Thank you for your time and assistance.
Lane and Shelley Stewart
425 S Tremont St
Oceanside, CA 92054
760.214.3984
