09-07-2004 CC RPT 24 - Laserfiche WebLink

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"People Serving People" CITY OF RIVERSIDE CITY COUNCIL MEMORANDUM Riverside HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: September 7, 2004 ITEM NO: 24 SUBJECT: BETHEL CHRISTIAN CENTER- REQUEST FOR AN EASMENT ACCESS BACKGROUND: Bethel Christian Center (Bethel) is planning to expand its school and sanctuary in efforts to better serve its congregation and the Riverside community. However, in order to do so, Bethel is in need of an easement to allow access for a new entry thAtrtough orange groves and open space from their center's existing parking lot to Dufferin Avenue. achment 1 Bethel has been in existence since 1980 and is located at 2425 Van Buren Boulevard, along the northerly side of Dufferin Avenue between Van Buren Boulevard and Irving Street. Bethel once owned and occupied approximately 40 to 60 acres of this area. However, due to the passage of Proposition 70 several years ago, an initiative for the improvement and establishment of parks approved by the people and resulting in an allocation of $10 million to the City of Riverside, the City purchased 20 acres of property through eminent domain from Bethel to develop a citrus buffer for the development of the California State Citrus Heritage Park. Conversely, Bethel inadvertently relinquished their access rights to Van Buren Boulevard prior to it knowing the City was going to acquire or condemn the property. It is their opinion that Bethel would never have released any or all restricted rights for a future easement, which was to become a part of the center's master plan, had it prior knowledge of such ramifications. Today, the arrangement proves to be a problem for Bethel's expansion plans. The site occupies three existing driveways, which now requires a new entry that will allow access to come in and out onto Dufferin Avenue. This will result in significantly elevating traffic congestion at the signal light located at Van Buren Boulevard and Cleveland Avenue, which presently serves as the primary entry to Bethel. An additional right-of-way will lessen the impact to the residential homeowners in the immediate greenbelt area. Since the parcels sold to the City were initially owned by Bethel, it is my personal opinion that it would be in the best interest of the City to demonstrate a manner of good faith and fair business practice to grant an access easement to Dufferin Avenue. Therefore, I request the support of my colleagues to recommend the approval of an easement for a new driveway and to direct the Public Works Department to work with Bethel in selecting an appropriate location. 24-1