SHHA & San Domenico - Overview THE BACKGROUND ● Within the San Domenico School use permit, the Transportation Management Plan can be updated through a joint petition from the school and the Sleepy Hollow Homes Association (SHHA) to the County of Marin. ● San Domenico has presented and established its need to the SHHA for a simplified and more flexible plan. ● Since 2015, the SHHA and San Domenico have been working on an updated set of standards in order to revise the school’s 1998 transportation plan. ● Through this multi-year process, a tentative agreement has been reached that will serve as the framework of a joint SHHA/San Domenico application.
SHHA & San Domenico - Overview PURPOSE OF AN UPDATED TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT PLAN ● San Domenico’s current trip standards and penalties restrict operations and put the school at great financial risk. ● Currently, the school’s restrictions cover various times throughout the day, including morning drop-off time, afternoon pick-up, all day averages, and weekends. ● The lack of flexibility in peak and off-peak periods severely constrains the school’s ability to get teachers, staff, prospective families, parents, and others to and from campus. ● San Domenico is the only school or organization in Marin that is required to count every car trip on and off campus. ● The result is that San Domenico has the most intense traffic monitoring program of any school in Marin.
SHHA & San Domenico - Overview SHHA PRIORITIES IN THE PROCESS To respect the concerns of residents: ● Preserve quiet evenings ● Relief from school generated traffic on weekends and during the summer ● Minimize traffic in any direction during the morning and afternoon peaks when children are going to and from school ● Penalties that are material, but include enrollment reductions only after multiple violations ● Assurance that SD invests in safety improvements to mitigate the impact of trips To understand the needs of the school and work out amendments to address them: ● Simplify monitoring categories ● Provide some flexibility during peak and off-peak hours ● Allow certain maximum needs with event exceptions rather than large increase in daily limits ● Change the penalty system to defer the enrollment rollback threat ● Create awareness that non-school related trips are counted against SD’s traffic counts
SHHA & San Domenico - Collaboration Process OUTREACH PROCESS ● ~114 joint meetings from May, 2015 through November, 2019 between SD and myriad constituent groups such as the SHHA Board, the County of Marin, the Town of San Anselmo, Sleepy Hollow Swim Team, Church, Butterfield Safe Corridor Committee, Pre-School. ● Six Open Community Meetings on SD campus or at SHHA Clubhouse throughout 2018.
RESULTS OF THE PROCESS ● The SHHA has collaborated with San Domenico to shape an updated Transportation Management Plan that reflects the views of the Sleepy Hollow community. ● SHHA has secured more investments in safety and traffic calming measures along Butterfield as part of the process. ● The lengthy deliberations between the SHHA and San Domenico have produced a mutually beneficial compromise.
The Transportation Management Plan EXISTING PLAN ● In 1998, the County of Marin approved a comprehensive update to San Domenico’s Conditional Use Permit (CUP), which continues to serve as the guidelines for operation. ● As part of the Transportation Management Plan within the CUP update, San Domenico has been required to meet twelve different trip standards, creating a complex monitoring system. Most schools have one or two trip standards to monitor. ● The 1998 Transportation Management Plan also imposed severe penalties that could put the school at financial risk, including risk of closure.
GOALS FOR AN UPDATED PLAN ● To create simplified standards and some flexibility to the school’s current limits. There is no change in student enrollment. ● To establish consequences with “teeth,” but that don’t threaten San Domenico’s viability. ● To work with the community to focus school resources on safety through traffic calming measures along Butterfield.
San Domenico Safe & Green Traffic Management San Domenico operates with a robust traffic management plan, which will continue forward under an updated Transportation Management Plan. • 80% of commuting students ride the bus • Transportation included in tuition • Cost is $844,000/year • 21 daily routes; 126 stops • Safe Routes to school leader • #1 private school in Marin, “Emerald Green” • #2 of 57 public and private schools • Ongoing community education and incentives to choose safe and green routes • Staff incentives for carpools and timing on and off campus • Restrictions on student driving • Strong history of compliance
San Domenico in Sleepy Hollow ● California’s oldest independent school, founded in 1850 and a neighborhood asset in Sleepy Hollow for over 53 years. ● ~ 1/3 of SD community members live on campus or in Sleepy Hollow ○ 70 SD Day Students are also Sleepy Hollow residents ○ 122 of SD students are also Boarding Students and therefore do not commute ○ 31 employees live in Sleepy Hollow or along Butterfield ● ~ 160 alumni families live in the Hollow ● SD’s sustainability and eco-literacy program provides guidance for other schools and organizations in Marin and the Bay Area. ● 40% of students receive financial aid. ● The school operates at max capacity with ~ 680 students. There will be no change in student enrollment as part of this process.
A Sleepy Hollow Resource ● San Domenico is an open campus, offering residents access to a variety of amenities within Sleepy Hollow. ● Campus community use includes tennis, pool, baseball, dog walking, park-like features, trail access, and more. ● SD plays a critical role in fire protection for the entire Valley, collaborating with the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District in prevention and Emergency Preparedness. ● Neighbors are regularly invited to on-campus events, such as movie nights, theater productions, concerts, and other community-building activities. ● SHHA asks residents to walk or bike to and from campus rather than driving a car whenever possible, and to avoid driving onto or off campus during the morning peak period (7:45 – 8:45 am), the after school peak period (2:45 – 3:45 pm) and the evening between 5:00 — 6:00 pm).
Traffic Circulation in The Hollow
Traffic Circulation in The Hollow
School Buses along Butterfield
Bus Stops â—? 4 San Domenico â—? 37 White Hill, Hidden Valley
While the yellow school buses do help reduce car congestion, they require both sides of traffic come to a complete stop when the red stop signs are extended. San Domenico buses cause less than 10% of the delay on Butterfield due to buses.
San Domenico’s Safe Routes to School Ranking
San Domenico has the highest Safe Routes to School ranking that TAM offers and one of the highest scores in Marin County. The ranking comes out every five years and we expect 2020 to be comparable.
Updates to Trip Levels and Standards CHANGES IN TRIP LEVELS (Note: one round-trip on and off campus counts as two separate trips.) 1. From 7:45 am to 8:45 am on weekdays, SD cannot exceed an average of 366 373 total trips 2. From 7:45 am to 8:45 am on weekdays, SD cannot exceed an average of 130 137 outbound trips 3. From 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm on weekdays, SD cannot exceed an average of 321 350 total trips 4. From 5:00 pm to 6:00pm, SD cannot exceed an average of 100 inbound trips 5. Total daily weekday trips cannot exceed an average of 1,476 1626 trips 6. On Saturdays during the school year, SD cannot exceed 895 985 total trips 7. On Sundays and Holidays during the school year, SD cannot exceed 600 660 total trips 8. During the summer, the total daily and weekend traffic during summer shall not exceed 410 trips per day and 780 trips per day during the school's five-week summer program; however, the total daily traffic during the weekend shall not exceed 610 trips in conjunction with four special summer weekend events.
CHANGES TO SIMPLIFY STANDARDS ● Instead of four separate standards in 7:45am to 8:45am time frame, two average levels will regulate trips. ● Instead of four separate standards in 5:00pm to 6:00pm time frame, one average will regulate trips.
Updates to Event Exceptions Time Period
Current Limit
New Limit
Weekday School Year
17 (day or evening)
20 (3 new are day only)
School Year
10 (day or evening)
12 (2 new are day only)
Summer
4 (day or evening)
6 (2 new are day only)
Allowance for additional exceptions via specific event agreements between SHHA and the School
N/A
10 (Up to 5 for SD and 5 for SHHA annually; evening events considered, but will be discouraged.)
Weekends
Updates to Penalties In updating the consequences for non-compliance with the Transportation Management Plan, the intent is to move away from immediate enrollment reductions that threaten SD’s viability. Instead, the SHHA and the school have developed the following escalating approach for consequences: ● An initial violation of a limit in any one of standards will trigger a retest at the School’s expense within 45 to 60 days. ● Second and third violations of the same standard in a 24 month period: $15,000 second, $35,000 third. Cure and retest each time. ● Penalties for a 4th violation of the same standard in a 24 month period, or for a fifth violation of any kind. $50,000 and elimination of 2 event exceptions. ● Enrollment rollback after the 5th violation of the same standard or the 6th of any standard within a 24 month period. Cure and retest to remove rollback. ● No penalty is triggered unless the violation is 4% or more of the standard.
New Community Safety Investments ● San Domenico will commit to a neighborhood traffic calming investment of $50,000 upon County approval of the new agreement. ● San Domenico will contribute another $150,000 over 5 years on a schedule to be mutually agreed upon with the SHHA. ● Examples cited in community outreach process include these potential traffic safety investments: Funding a neighborhood traffic calming study Dedicated CHP patrols Digital speed sign at Sleepy Hollow Road Crossing guards Street art features to promote safety / speed reduction Removal of Eucalyptus tree at Legend / Butterfield to improve sightlines ● Various other measures to be determined ● ● ● ● ● ●