agendas_2018.json

{"1516757400": [[{"Title": "Award Construction Contracts for Water Infrastructure Reliability Improvement Project", "Department": "Public Works, Civil Engineering", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council:1. Award Bid #SP2429 to Sully-Miller Contracting Company, a California-based company, for construction services for the Water Infrastructure Reliability Improvement Project, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant-funded project (Grant No. XP-00T79601 and XP-96945401);2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with Sully-Miller Contracting Company in an amount not to exceed $2,785,300 (including a 15% contingency);3. Award RFP #2429 to Willdan Engineering, a California-based company, for construction management and inspection services;4. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Willdan Engineering in an amount not to exceed $219,791 (including a 10% contingency);5. Authorize the Director of Public Works to issue any necessary change orders to complete additional work within contract authority.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "To maintain safe and reliable water delivery to Santa Monica homes and businesses, the Water Division routinely replaces the oldest water mains that are nearing the end of their useful lives. The Water Infrastructure Reliability Improvement Project would replace approximately 4,755 linear feet of water distribution pipelines on Ocean Park Boulevard, 17th Street, Ocean Avenue, Ashland Avenue and Grant Street.  Staff identified the pipelines for replacement from a long-term replacement and maintenance plan based on service records, condition, capacity demands, and age.", "On October 26, 2017, the City issued a Notice Inviting Bids for construction services. Staff recommends Sully-Miller Contracting Company as the best bidder for the Water Infrastructure Reliability Improvement Project for an amount not to exceed $2,785,300 (including a 15% contingency). Additionally, on November 2, 2017, the City issued a Request for Proposals for construction management and inspection services for this project. Staff recommends Willdan Engineering to provide construction management and inspection services for this project in an amount not to exceed $219,791 (including a 10% contingency).", "Background", "In 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a $529,900 reimbursable grant (Grant Number XP-96945401) to the City of Santa Monica, with $460,700 in matching City funds for a total of $990,600.", "On September 12, 2006, the City Council accepted the grant funds (Grant Number XP-96945401) from the EPA for the Santa Monica Water Infrastructure Reliability Improvement Project (Attachment A).", "In January 2012, the EPA awarded another grant to the City for the Santa Monica Water Infrastructure Reliability Improvement Project (Grant Number XP-00T79601) which included $848,000 in reimbursable grant funding and $693,818 in local match funds for a total of $1,541,818", "On June 14, 2016, the City accepted the grant funds (Grant Number XP-00T79601) for the Santa Monica Water Infrastructure Reliability Improvement Project (Attachment B) and awarded a Professional Services Agreement to Cannon Corporation to provide engineering design services, develop construction documents and provide engineering support during the construction phase of the Water Infrastructure Reliability Improvement Project. The remaining balance of these grants in the amount of $965,803 will be used to offset some of the $3,005,091 in project costs. The table below summarizes the grant funds, local matches and the expenditures for each.", "Grant Amount", "Local Match Amount", "Balance", "Grant No. XP-96945401", "$529,900", "$460,700", "$990,600", "Expenditure", "($412,097)", "($348,677)", "($760,774)", "Grant No. XP-00T79601", "$848,000", "$693,818", "$1,541,818", "Expenditure", "($0)", "($0)", "($0)", "Remaining Balance", "$965,803", "$805,841", "$1,771,644", "To date, the City has spent $348,677 of the $460,700 local match funds and $412,097 of the $529,900 Grant Fund Number XP-96945401. The remaining balances of the grant funds and local match funds for this grant are $117,803 and $112,023, respectively, and both of these balances were rolled over to fund the Water Infrastructure Reliability Project.", "Both grants were made pursuant to the Federal Water Resources Development Act and titled Water Infrastructure \u2013 Santa Monica Reliability Improvement Project. Initially, the project comprised both a potable and recycled reservoir.", "Discussion", "The City operates and maintains a 205-mile (1,082,400 linear feet) network of water distribution mains with pipeline sizes ranging from 6 to 36 inches. The City\u2019s water system serves over 93,000 residential and business customers, providing approximately 12 million gallons of water per day.", "The water distribution system consists of transmission main lines, distribution main lines, service laterals, water meters, valves, and fire hydrants. Over time, the useful life of all these components diminish due to aging, soil conditions, and corrosion buildups. To ensure the continuous delivery of an adequate, high quality and reliable supply of water to customers, the City takes a proactive approach in identifying and replacing pipelines that are approaching the end of their useful lives. In 2011, the Water Resources Division developed the Five-Year Capital Improvement Program Business Case Evaluations Study Report to identify and prioritize the replacement of aged cast iron water mains (Attachment C). The study focused on the oldest cast iron pipe installations built prior to the 1970s. The study provides the estimated cost and likelihood of potential water main breaks while making recommendations to replace and upgrade the aged water mains throughout the city.", "In July 2017, the City hired JD7 Technologies to conduct a video inspection and pipeline condition assessment for potable water mains while in service and under full pressure. JD7 Technologies performed the video inspection on pipeline segments identified by City staff in the Business Case Evaluation Study Report as potential candidates for replacement. This video inspection of pipeline condition assessment was a subsequent effort to confirm that the segments previously identified by City staff for replacement are indeed the most vulnerable pipelines in the system. Staff also reviewed maintenance records to identify the most problematic areas where unexpected low water pressure occurs.", "Using the information gathered from the Business Case Evaluation Study Report, Video Inspection and Pipeline Condition Assessment Report, and the City\u2019s maintenance records, staff selected the following segments for replacement and upgrades:", "\u00b7 Ocean Park Boulevard - from 14th Street to 18th Street", "\u00b7 17th Street - from Pearl Street to Ocean Park Boulevard", "\u00b7 Ocean Avenue - from Pico Boulevard to Bay Street", "\u00b7 Ashland Avenue - from 3rd Street to 4th Street", "\u00b7 Grant Street - from Lincoln Boulevard to 6th Street", "Environmental Analysis", "The project is statutorily exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 21080.21 of CEQA, which exempts pipelines of less than one mile. In addition, Section 15302 (Class 2 -Replacement/Reconstruction) of the CEQA Guidelines provides exemption for a class of projects involving the replacement/reconstruction of existing facilities, including the replacement of existing utility systems involving negligible or no expansion of capacity. The project would replace existing water mains that are aging and inadequate. Two of the new water mains will be moderately upsized, but would not represent a substantial increase in capacity. In addition, none of the exceptions specified in Section 15300.2 of CEQA Guidelines would apply that would preclude the use of this CEQA exemption \u2013 the project site is not located in a sensitive environment, the project will not have a significant effect on the environment, the project would not damage scenic resources, the project would not be located on a hazardous waste site, and the project would not cause a change to a historical resource.", "California Coastal Commission De Minimis Waiver", "On January 31, 2017, the California Coastal Commission issued a Notice of \u201cPermit Exemption/No Permit Required\u201d (Commission Reference Number: 5-17-0035-X), allowing for development of the project as described.", "Contractor Selection \u2013 Construction", "On October 26, 2017, the City published Notices Inviting Bids for the Water Infrastructure Reliability Improvement Project in accordance with City specifications. The bid was posted on the City\u2019s online bidding site, and notices were advertised in the Santa Monica Daily Press in accordance with the City Charter and Municipal Code provisions. A total of 67 vendors downloaded the bid and 3 bids were received and publicly opened on November 30, 2017. Bid results are as follows:", "Bidder", "Bid Amount", "Sully-Miller Contracting Company", "$2,422,000", "AMPCO Contracting, Inc.", "$2,493,525", "Colich & Sons", "$3,248,175", "Bids were evaluated based on the criteria in SMMC 2.24.072, including price, previous experience, ability to deliver, quality of product, and compliance with City specifications. Staff recommends Sully-Miller Contracting Company, the lowest bidder, as the best bidder based on price, quality of services offered and experience with similar projects. Sully-Miller Contracting Company provided four references for recently completed projects, and a number of ongoing projects. All references contacted reported that the work performed by Sully-Miller Contracting Company was completed in a timely and cost-effective manner while maintaining consistent quality. The Contractors State License Board also verified that the contractor and subcontractors\u2019 licenses are current, active and in good standing.", "Consultant Selection - Construction Management/Inspection", "On November 2, 2017, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for construction management and inspection services for the Water Infrastructure Reliability Improvement Project. The RFP was posted on the City\u2019s online bidding site, and notices were advertised in the Santa Monica Daily Press in accordance with the City Charter and Municipal Code provisions. Forty firms downloaded the RFP. The following seven consulting firms submitted proposals: Berg & Associates Inc., CivilSource, GK & Associates, KOA Corporation, SA Associates, Wallace & Associates, and Willdan Engineering.", "Responses to the RFP were evaluated by a selection panel of staff from the Civil Engineering Division. The EPA\u2019s guidelines for professional services require that services agreement be awarded based on demonstrated competence and professional qualifications. Evaluation was based on the following selection criteria: experience, references, proposed project work plan, proposed project team, creativity, demonstrated technical competence and understanding of the project scope. Based on this criteria and criteria in SMMC 2.24.073, staff recommends Willdan Engineering as the best qualified firm to provide construction management and inspection services, for an amount not to exceed $219,791 (including 10% contingency). Willdan Engineering demonstrated extensive knowledge and experience with similar projects in the cities of Santa Monica, Downey and Pomona. Through past projects, Willdan Engineering also demonstrated its ability to offer experienced construction management and inspection teams that can conduct high quality construction management and inspection at competitive hourly rates.", "Services provided by Willdan Engineering would include construction management, continuous inspection of the contractor\u2019s work, verification and management of field changes and unforeseen conditions, monitoring and mitigating impacts resulting from construction activities, attending the contractor\u2019s safety meetings, attending periodic progress meetings, keeping records of all necessary inspection documentation relevant to the work performed during construction and conducting public outreach.", "Public Outreach", "Public outreach during construction of this project would be provided by Willdan Engineering, the City\u2019s construction management consultant. Weekly updates on the City\u2019s \u201cKnow Before You Go\u201d (aka KBUG) website and Monday editions of the Santa Monica Daily Press would be provided. In addition, updates regarding the project would be provided on the City\u2019s social media network.", "Properties impacted by the project would receive two construction notices. The first general notice would be mailed to properties adjacent to the proposed work site two weeks prior to the start of construction. Two days prior to the start of construction, a second notice would be subsequently hand-delivered to each adjacent property with detailed information regarding the planned construction activity, potential impacts, and contact information. The notices would be prepared by Public Works staff and Willdan Engineering and would be distributed by the contractor (Sully-Miller). A project-specific outreach campaign, including one-on-one coordination with impacted businesses on Ocean Park Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, would commence prior to the start of construction and continue throughout the project.", "Construction Timeline", "Staff anticipates that construction would begin in March 2018 and would be completed by January 2019. To mitigate traffic impacts in the areas of Ocean Park Boulevard between 14th and 18th streets and Ocean Avenue south of Pico Boulevard, construction would be completed at nighttime from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday to Friday and on Saturdays as needed. Staff anticipates no more than three weeks of after-hours work. Nighttime work would help alleviate lane closures and traffic impacts during the day, thus mitigating impacts to residents and commuters traveling to and from Santa Monica College and John Adams Middle School.", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "The contract to be awarded to Sully-Miller Contracting Company is for an amount not to exceed $2,785,300 (including a 15% contingency). Funds are available in the FY 2017-18 Capital Improvement Program budget in the following accounts:", "Account Number", "Account Name", "Amount", "C200609.589000", "Water System Improvement", "$ 117,803", "C209196.589000", "EPA Water Main Replacement", "$ 848,000", "C250609.589000", "Water System Improvement", "$ 112,023", "C259196.589000", "EPA Water Main Replacement", "$ 693,818", "C250136.589000 City Match Fund", "Water System Improvement", "$1,013,656", "TOTAL $2,785,300", "The contract to be awarded to Willdan Engineering is for an amount not to exceed $219,791 (including a 10% contingency). Funds are available in the FY 2017-18 Capital Improvement Program budget in account C250136.589000 (Water Funds).", "The City will be reimbursed for the remaining $965,803 EPA grant balance."]}, {"Title": "Approval of Fourth Modification to Agreement with Aeroplex Group Partners, LLC. for Santa Monica Airport Commercial Real Estate Management", "Department": "Public Works, Airport Division", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a fourth modification toProfessional ServicesAgreement No. 10262 (CCS) in the amount of $50,325 with Aeroplex Group Partners, LLC (\u201cAeroplex\u201d), a California-based corporation. The modification will eliminate provisions for Aeroplex to provide minor repairs and maintenance of City-owned properties (reducing the contract by $180,675) and add services for additional commercial leasing, property management and consulting services for the Santa Monica Airport (increasing the contract by $231,000, including a 10% contingency). This will result in a three-year amended agreement, expiring on June 30, 2018, for a new total amount not to exceed $1,328,340.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "The City currently contracts with Aeroplex to assist City staff with commercial real estate leasing, property management and consulting services for City-owned aviation properties at the Santa Monica Airport. Staff anticipates that the need for commercial real estate leasing and property management services for City-owned real estate assets in the current fiscal year will exceed the current agreement with Aeroplex.", "Currently the City is negotiating a lease with Atlantic Aviation, a former master tenant located at 2828 Donald Douglas Loop North. Under the proposed lease agreement, the City would assume control of 22 properties previously subleased by Atlantic Aviation. Additional real estate brokerage and property management services will be required for these properties, since the Airport is not currently staffed to effectively manage 22 additional direct tenants. The additional real estate brokerage services and property management services are estimated to cost $210,000 plus 10% contingency for a total additional cost of $231,000 in FY 2017-18.", "Staff recommends that Council approve afourth modificationin the amount of $50,325. The modification would eliminate provisions for Aeroplex to provide minor repairs and maintenance of City-owned properties (reducing the contract by $180,675) and add services for additional commercial leasing, property management and consulting services for the Santa Monica Airport (increasing the contract by $231,000, including a 10% contingency). This would result in a three-year amended agreement, expiring on June 30, 2018, with a new total amount not to exceed $1,328,340.", "Background", "On March 24, 2015, Council directed staff to contract out professional services to assistCity staff with commercial real estate leasing and property management services for City-owned properties at the Santa Monica Airport (Attachment A). Following the Request for Proposals for commercial real estate firms to act as a leasing andproperty managementagent and provide real estate consulting, on July 13, 2015 the City entered into Professional Services Agreement No. 3022 (CCS) with Aeroplex for an amount not to exceed $79,990 to provide assistance to City staff in negotiating leases for City-owned properties located at the Santa Monica Airport, including brokerage services for vacancies that might arise within the contract period, and to provide property management and consulting services for those properties.", "Due to the acquisition of additional properties that required property management services, on March 1, 2016, Council approved a first modification to the agreement, increasing the amount to $404,990 for year one with two one-year renewal options in the amount of $325,000 in FY 2016-17 and $325,000 in FY 2017-18 at the sole discretion of the City for a total amount not to exceed $1,054,990 with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval (Attachment B).", "On September 26, 2016, the City Manager authorized a second modification to Agreement No. 10262 (CCS), increasing the minimum monthly property management fee paid to Aeroplex from $4,000 to $15,000 to account for increased workload. The modification did not require additional funds.", "On July 1, 2016 the City exercised its first option to renew the agreement, adding $325,000 for brokerage and property management services.", "On November 22, 2016, Council approved a third modification to Agreement No. 10262 (CCS), increasing the amount by $223,025for FY 2017-18, for an amended agreement total not to exceed $1,278,015 (Attachment C). The modification was requested for Aeroplex to assume responsibility for minor repairs and maintenance ofthe City-owned properties, using its own employee and contracted resources, and to assist the City in developing a business plan for a City-owned and -operated Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) at Santa Monica Airport. Of the modification amount, $63,340 was allocation to non-aviation maintenance, and $16,335 to aviation maintenance in FY 2016-17.", "On July 1, 2017 the City exercised its second option to renew the agreement, adding an additional $99,000 for maintenance and repairs, and $325,000 for brokerage and property management services.", "Discussion", "The Airport manages 500 leases and license agreements for City-owned assets and properties including offices, hangars, and land leases. Of these 500 leases, staff is currently responsible for 420, and Aeroplex is responsible for the remaining 80 properties. There are four full-time employees on Airport staff dedicated to property management and various administrative tasks related to properties including management of events and filming at the airport. The property management tasks include but are not limited to:  acquiring new tenants, negotiating and executing new leases, generating courtesy notices to tenants monthly; recording of payments; collection of late fees and security deposits monthly; preparing billing journal entries regarding lease and license agreements monthly; tracking of tenant insurance documentation; tracking of lease/license expiration dates; maintaining tenant contact information; processing tenant leases and commercial operation permits, and assessing Consumer Price Index increases annually. In addition, staff manages the day-to-day communication with tenants regarding repairs and maintenance needs, and works with facilities and the CIP Project Manager to address concerns in a timely and cost-effective manner. Airport staff is currently working at capacity to provide the above services in accordance with the City\u2019s expectations for customer service.", "Lease Brokerage and Property Management", "Currently the City is negotiating a new lease with Atlantic Aviation, located at 2828 Donald Douglas Loop North. Atlantic Aviation currently holds a master tenancy for the property. On August 12, 2014, Council approved Airport Leasing Guidelines that, among other things, requires the phase out of master tenant agreements and prohibits sub-leasing. Therefore, the negotiations with Atlantic will transfer management of its subtenants for hangars and office spaces to the direct control of the City. Once the new lease is executed, 22 previously subleased tenancies will be reverted back to direct oversight by the City (Attachment D).", "The formerly subleased properties consist of 4,000 square feet of office space and 56,887 square feet of hangars.", "Staff recommends that Aeroplex negotiate new leases on behalf of the City, and provide property management services for the said properties. In order to provide brokerage and commercial property management and consulting services for the additional 22 properties staff anticipates that the need for additional funding in the current fiscal year will exceed the current agreement amount of $1,278,015.", "The current agreement with Aeroplex awards them commissions for completing any renewal, new lease, or other occupancy agreement at the Santa Monica Airport during the contract period. The commission for a month-to-month lease term is a one-time payment equal to the first month\u2019s rent, but in no case less than $1,000. Commission for longer lease terms is calculated at 5% of the gross rent and fees paid by the tenant to the Santa Monica Airport for the term of the lease or agreement. For property management services, Aeroplex receives a fee of 5% of the gross rent. Aeroplex is reimbursed for out-of-pocket property management expenses that are authorized by the City. All expenditures for maintenance and capital improvements to properties managed by Aeroplex would be the responsibility of the City.", "Staff anticipates additional brokerage service costs of $155,500 and property management service costs of $54,500 for a total of $210,000 plus a 10% contingency for a total additional expense of $231,000 in FY 2017-18.", "Maintenance", "Staff recommends amending the scope of services to eliminate provisions for Aeroplex to provide minor maintenance needs for leased facilities at 3100 Donald Douglas Loop North including,butnot limited to minor roof repairs, flooring, painting, addressing mold issues, fire extinguisher annual maintenance, hangar door repairs, pest control, minor plumbing repairs, and minor electrical services using its own employees and contractors, consistent with the City\u2019s procurement policy and procedures and in accordance with any federal, state and local labor laws. It has proved difficult for Aeroplex to provide these services, and the funds have largely remained unused. In FY 2016-17, none of the $81,675 in allocated funds were expended. These funds were rolled over to FY 2017-18. The City exercised its one-year option to renew, adding an additional $99,000 for maintenance services in FY 2017-18, for total of $180,675. None of the funds have been expended year-to-date.", "On November 13, 2017, the Airport hired a full-time CIP Project Manager whose duties include supervising the maintenance and repair of City-owned properties at the Airport. Releasing the funding for maintenance and repairs from this contract would allow staff to ensure that funds are available to ensure that the work is completed in a timely manner. Staff recommends that the scope of services be modified to eliminate Aeroplex\u2019s responsibility for minor repairs and maintenance. This change to the scope of services would reduce the total contractual amount by $180,675.", "Consultant Selection", "On April 1, 2015, the City published a Request for Proposals for commercial real estate firms to act as a leasing andproperty managementagent. The RFP was posted on the City\u2019s on-line bidding site, and notices were advertised in theSanta Monica Daily Pressin accordance with City Charter and Municipal Code provisions. Twenty-one vendors downloaded the RFP. Five firms responded: Aeroplex Group Partners, CBRE Group Inc., Corporate Realty Group, PAR Commercial Brokerage, and Property Management Associates Responses to the RFP were reviewed by a selection panel of staff fromthe Airport Division of the Public Works Department and Housing and Economic Development. Staff evaluated proposals based on the criteria in SMMC 2.24.073 andlisted in the RFP.Based on these criteria, staffrecommendedAeroplex as the best qualified firmto assist City staff in negotiating Airport leases, including broker and property management services for vacancies that might arise within the contract period.", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "The agreement modification to be awarded to Aeroplex is$50,325for an amended agreement total not to exceed $1,328,340. No budget modification is required for the elimination of maintenance services as City staff will utilize the budget to perform the required maintenance.", "A budget appropriation for the additional leasing and property management services will be included in the FY 2017-18 Midyear Budget for Council approval."]}, {"Title": "Award Contract for Engineering Design Service for Runway Pavement Removal and Repurposing", "Department": "Public Works, Civil Engineering", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council:Award RFP# 2533 to AECOM, a California-based company, to provide engineering design services for excess runway, taxiway and infield pavement removal and repurposing at Santa Monica Airport (SMO);Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with AECOM, in an amount not to exceed $267,575 (including a $24,325 contingency), with an allowance of $25,811 for optional Airport Geographic Information System (AGIS) work, for a total amount not to exceed $293,386 over a one-year period.Authorize the budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of this report.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "The Santa Monica Airport (SMO) Runway Shortening Project was completed in December 2017, leaving 736 feet of excess pavement on each end of the runway after the runway was reduced to an operational use of 3,500 feet. The excess pavement cannot be used by aircraft and is no longer an integral part of operations at SMO. As required by Federal Aviation Administration guidelines, 300 feet of this 736 feet immediately adjacent to the runway ends is needed for the Runway Safety Area (RSA) to protect aircraft should they exceed the runway. The remaining 436 feet of excess runway that falls outside the RSA will be hydroseeded. On September 26, 2017 (Attachment A), Council directed staff to proceed with the procurement of engineering design services to pulverize in-place and stabilize the existing pavement within the RSA as well as remove all unused pavement outside the Runway Safety Area (RSA) and treat the graded surface with hydro seeding.", "Staff recommends the award of RFP# 2533 to AECOM, a California-based company, to provide engineering design services for excess pavement removal and repurposing at SMO in an amount not to exceed $267,575 (including a $24,325 contingency), with an allowance of $25,811 for optional Airport Geographic Information System (AGIS) work should the repurposing project require an update to the FAA\u2019s AGIS records pertaining to SMO, for a total amount not to exceed $293,386 over a one-year period.", "Background", "On February 28, 2017, Council awarded Feasibility Professional Services Agreement 10436 (CCS) to AECOM to study reducing the length of Runway 3-21 at the Santa Monica Airport (SMO) from 5,000 to 3,500 feet (Attachment B). The agreement included an initial feasibility phase to provide runway shortening options for Council consideration and selection.", "On April 24, 2017, staff issued an Information Item responding to Council\u2019s inquiry about a potential phased interim project for the removal of pavement at the ends of the runway and evaluation of future uses of the excess runway area (Attachment C). The Information Item provided an update on those topics, as well as the overall status of the runway-shortening project.", "On May 24, 2017, Council selected the center-aligned shortened runway option from the two options presented for runway shortening construction (Attachment D). At that meeting, Council also:", "\u00b7 Authorized staff to proceed with further design of the preferred option to establish a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for a design-build agreement between the City and AECOM to complete runway shortening construction prior to December 31, 2017;", "\u00b7 Adopted Resolution No. 11044 stating that the runway shortening project is categorically exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and", "\u00b7 Directed staff to investigate pavement removal options for the unused and abandoned portions of the runway, taxiways and adjacent in-field pavement that could be implemented as a separate and distinct project once the runway shortening project concluded.", "On August 8, 2017, Council authorized the City Manager to execute a design-build agreement with AECOM for a GMP of $3.52 million to complete runway shortening construction by December 31, 2017 (Attachment E). Construction began in early October 2017 and was completed on December 23, 2017.", "On September 26, 2017, City Council selected Option 1 from the three options presented by staff (and listed below) for excess pavement removal and repurposing at SMO (Attachment A).", "\u00b7 Option 1 - Remove all unused pavement outside the Runway Safety Area (RSA) and hydro-seed. Pulverize in-place and stabilize pavement within the RSA.", "\u00b7 Option 2 - Remove all unused pavement outside the RSA and install artificial turf. Pulverize in-place and stabilize pavement within the RSA.", "\u00b7 Option 3 - Pulverize in-place all unused pavement outside and within the RSA and stabilize.", "All options involve removing unused pavement outside and within the RSA. Hydro-seeding (or hydraulic mulch seeding) is a planting process that uses a thick fluid mixture, called a slurry, of seed and mulch which is sprayed over prepared ground. The slurry typically has other ingredients including fertilizer and fiber mulch that accelerate the growing process by maintaining moisture around the seeds. The hydro-seeding mixture would be composed of drought-tolerant grasses and other low-lying ground cover native to southern California and suitable for installation around airport runways and taxiways. Figure A below depicts how the hydro-seeded areas are likely to appear once completed.", "Discussion", "Figure B below depicts the abandoned pavement that is potentially eligible for removal, and shows its relation to the Runway Protection Zone (RPZ) and Runway Safety Area (RSA). The RPZ is located at ground level beyond the ends of the runway to enhance the safety and protection of people and property on the ground. For airports in urban areas, due to historical circumstances, the RPZ often extends beyond the airport boundary and into the surrounding neighborhood. At the Santa Monica Airport (SMO), the RSA extends 300 feet beyond the active runway.", "Figure B - Abandoned pavement removal options at SMO.", "The existing runway pavement consists of approximately 6 inches of asphalt surface pavement over approximately 8 inches of concrete pavement. The abandoned taxiways, shoulders and in-field areas consist of variable asphalt and concrete pavements ranging from 3 to 8 inches thick.", "The runway shortening project reduced the runway length on both ends by 736 linear feet, which is unusable for aircraft operations and can be repurposed. The blue shaded areas in Figure B above represent the pavement that will be removed and repurposed as part of this project. The rectangle outlined in orange within the blue shaded area delineates the RSA, which is adjacent to each runway end and is 300 feet long and 150 feet wide. The RSA must be consistent with the City's obligation to comply with the terms of the Stipulation and Order/Consent Decree (\"Consent Decree\") filed in the matter of City of Santa Monica v. United States of America, et al., Case No. 13-CV-8046-JFW (VBKx) (C.D. Cal.). Furthermore, the RSA must be well-graded with no ruts, humps or surface depressions and capable of supporting Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) equipment. Additionally, the first 150 feet of the RSA adjacent to each runway end, which includes the blast pad, must be essentially non-erodible under jet blasts to minimize the generation of Foreign Object Debris (FOD) that represent a major hazard to all aircraft.", "The project will repurpose over half a million square feet of pavement and to ensure proper drainage and keep the runway clear of debris, especially during rain events, a comprehensive civil site design is required. By June 2018, AECOM will perform the following duties to deliver construction plans and associated documents needed for the removal of the runway:", "\u00b7 Conduct pavement investigations, including borings, to characterize the thickness and structural characteristics of the existing pavement in the removal areas", "\u00b7 Conduct a survey of the pavement removal areas and prepare design base maps", "\u00b7 Research to identify existing utilities within the removal areas", "\u00b7 Perform a hydrology analysis of the airport site to identify drainage considerations as a result of the proposed pavement removal project", "\u00b7 Prepare preliminary and final construction plans, specifications, and cost estimates, including civil, electrical, drainage, landscaping and irrigation plans as required", "\u00b7 Prepare construction phasing, safety and erosion control plans as required", "\u00b7 Conduct meetings with the FAA and Airport stakeholders to present preliminary design materials as necessary during various stages of the project", "\u00b7 Respond to Requests for Information (RFIs) from prospective bidders during the bidding period", "\u00b7 Review submittals and respond to RFIs from the selected contractor during construction", "\u00b7 Provide a complete set of As-Built plans that reflect the final project as it was constructed", "\u00b7 Complete Airport Geographic Information System (AGIS) survey and design work, if required, and submit to the City and FAA", "Consultant Selection", "On March 22, 2016, staff issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQs) for Consulting Aviation Services in anticipation of any future planning, environmental, and engineering projects at SMO. The RFP was posted on the City\u2019s online bidding site, and notices were advertised in the Santa Monica Daily Press in accordance with City Charter and Municipal Code provisions. Sixty-eight vendors downloaded the RFQ. Two proposals were received, one from Mead & Hunt, and the other from AECOM. Responses to the RFQ were reviewed by a selection panel of staff from the Public Works Department. Both consultant teams were pre-qualified to provide aviation consulting services at SMO.", "On November 23, 2017, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP #2533) to provide engineering design services for Santa Monica Airport Runway Repurposing. The RFP was emailed to the two pre-qualified aviation consultants: Mead & Hunt and AECOM. Both consultants submitted proposals on December 14, 2017.", "Evaluation was based on the following selection criteria: experience, references, work plans, project team, cost, and delivery schedule. Based on this criteria and criteria in SMMC 2.24.073, staff recommends AECOM as the best qualified firm to provide engineering design services for Santa Monica Airport Runway Repurposing Project based on their extensive experience with some of the largest airports in the country including Los Angeles International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport. In addition, AECOM was pre-qualified and selected for the Runway Shortening Project for the City. AECOM\u2019s expertise and efforts were instrumental in allowing the City to implement the runway shortening design and construction prior to the end of 2017.", "Anticipated Schedule", "Staff anticipates the following completion schedule for implementing excess pavement removal, based on the City's design-bid-build procurement process. The schedule has been extended by approximately two months to allocate additional time during design. Completion of construction is anticipated for April 2019.", "Contract Execution \u2013 January/February 2017", "Final Design Completion \u2013 June 2018", "Construction Award \u2013 October 2018", "Construction Completion \u2013 April 2019", "California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Determination", "It has been determined that removal of the excess runway pavement at the Santa Monica Airport (SMO) would be categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Sections 15301 and 15304 of CEQA Guidelines. Section 15301 provides a Class 1 exemption for the minor alteration of existing public or private facilities involving negligible or no expansion of use. Section 15304 provides a Class 4 exemption for minor public or private alterations in the condition of land and/or vegetation. The project would make improvements to existing unusable pavement at SMO, which will include the removal of existing pavement and the installation of a stable surface (hydro-seeded soil and mulch). Therefore, the project qualifies as a Class 1 and Class 4 exemption. In addition, none of the exceptions specified in Section 15300.2 of CEQA Guidelines would apply that would preclude the use of this CEQA exemption - the project site is not located in a sensitive environment, the project will not have a significant effect on the environment, the project would not damage scenic resources, the project would not be located on a hazardous waste site, and the project would not cause a change to a historical resource. Therefore, this project is determined to be categorically exempt from CEQA. A Notice of Exemption for this project was filed with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk on October 6, 2017.", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "The contract to be awarded to AECOM is for an amount not to exceed $293,386. Award of this contract requires an additional FY 2017-18 Capital Improvement Program budget appropriation of $293,386 from the Airport (33) Fund to Airport Runway Repurposing Account C339222.589000. Future maintenance costs could range between $20,000 and $50,000 annually and would be paid from the Airport (33) Fund. Upon completion of the final design and selection of the final hydroseed mix, a more definitive maintenance budget will be established."]}, {"Title": "Agreement Modification No. 2 to Provide Schematic and Construction Documents, Bidding and Construction Administration Services for the Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field Project", "Department": "Public Works, Architecture Services", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "1. Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a second modification to agreement #10553 (CCS) in the amount of $364,859 (including a 10% contingency) with RJM Design Group, Inc., a California-based company, for the preparation of construction documents, bidding and negotiation, and construction administration services required to complete the design for the Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field Project. This would result in an amended agreement with a new total amount not to exceed $534,997.2. Authorize budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impacts and Budget Actions section of this report.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "To ensure the timely completion of the next steps to keep the City\u2019s commitment to construct the Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field, staff requests authorization to execute a second modification to the existing design agreement with the consultant, RJM Design Group, Inc. (RJM). The additional scope of work to be added to the original agreement would include the preparation of construction documents, bidding and negotiation, and construction administration services for the Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field Project. As the schedule was reported to Council in June 2017, this modification is being delivered a month early and would allow final design services to keep the project on schedule to open the sports field by (or before) spring 2021.", "Background", "On February 9, 2016, staff presented the Civic Working Group\u2019s Final Report and proposed next steps for the Civic Auditorium to Council (Attachment A). Council directed staff to explore the possibility of placing a temporary synthetic turf sports field including temporary restroom facilities at the corner of 4th Street and Pico Boulevard, to work with partners such as the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) and Santa Monica College (SMC) on funding options, and to return to Council with cost estimates for design and construction of the field.", "On June 14, 2016, Council approved the second year of the FY16-18 Capital Improvement Program budget, in which $200,000 was identified for design services for the Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field Project (Attachment B).", "On October 25, 2016, staff presented a quarterly update on the project at a Council Study Session (Attachment C). At that meeting staff was directed to initiate a discussion with the California Coastal Commission regarding the temporary sports field project and its removal of approximately 600 spaces of surface parking; to continue discussions with SMMUSD regarding a potential partnership project to include subterranean parking and a possible permanent field with a possible softball component having a clay infield; and reissue the Request for Proposals (RFP) to a wider range of potential firms for the design of the sports field in an effort to identify a fee proposal that aligned with the $200,000 approved budget.", "On January 17, 2017, staff issued an information item per Council direction to provide an interim progress update for the sports field project (Attachment D).", "On February 28, 2017, staff delivered an update to Council regarding discussions with the California Coastal Commission, and negotiations with SMMUSD to develop a permanent multipurpose sports field with the possibility of a clay infield for softball and subterranean parking, and intent to award feasibility and concept design services for the field project to RJM (Attachment E). Council directed staff to continue negotiations with SMMUSD for the partnership project and set a definitive deadline of June 17, 2017 to either reach an agreement for development of a permanent field over subterranean parking or end negotiations and proceed with advancing the temporary field.", "On June 27, 2017, following completion of the site analysis and conceptual design study by RJM, staff presented an economic study, design feasibility analysis and two concept design options for a multipurpose sports field at the Civic Center (Attachment F). Option one was a temporary field with a synthetic turf overlay for softball with no new parking spaces. Option two was a permanent field with a synthetic turf softball overlay with subterranean parking. Council directed staff to advance plans for a temporary field with no added parking and continue discussions with SMMUSD to determine if softball accommodations, including a synthetic turf infield overlay and softball-related amenities, should be included in the final project program.", "On September 26, 2017, following notification that SMMUSD was not interested in pursuing a softball field overlay, Council authorized a first modification to the agreement with RJM in the amount of $94,198 for schematic and design development services required for future submission of the project to the California Coastal Commission, which resulted in an amended agreement not to exceed $170,138 (Attachment G).", "Discussion", "To advance plans for the Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field Project, as directed by Council, staff recommends that Council authorize a second modification to the agreement with RJM for final design services. Staff entered into a contract for design services in a phased approach, rather than awarding complete design services, to maximize flexibility and cost savings for the project. The additional scope of work to be added to the original agreement would include the preparation of construction documents and bidding and construction administration services in the amount of $364,859 (including 10% contingency).", "This second modification would allow RJM to complete all design services required for construction of a 120-yard by 75-yard California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) soccer field, suitable for lacrosse, with 5-yard buffer zones, security and ball containment fencing, equipment and maintenance storage and modular restroom facilities.", "This second modification would result in an amended agreement with a new total amount not to exceed $534,997 and would allow the project to expeditiously secure a construction permit upon notification of approval by the California Coastal Commission.", "Next Steps", "Staff anticipates the following next steps:", "\u00b7 Return to Council in fall 2018 for amendment of the Civic Center Specific Plan following the completion of a parking study.", "\u00b7 Return to Council in summer/fall 2019 for authorization to award the construction agreement upon securing California Coastal Commission approval.", "Staff anticipates that construction will be completed on schedule in spring 2021.", "Vendor Selection", "On October 31, 2016, the City published a Request for Proposals for feasibility concept study and design services for design of the Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field Project. The RFP was posted on the City\u2019s on-line bidding site and notices were advertised in the Santa Monica Daily Press in accordance with City Charter and Municipal Code provisions. A total of 92 vendors downloaded the RFP. Nine firms responded. Responses to the RFP were reviewed by a selection panel of staff from the Public Works and Community and Cultural Services departments.", "\u00b7 AHBE Landscape Architects", "\u00b7 BFS Landscape Architects", "\u00b7 Brightview Design Group", "\u00b7 David Volz Design", "\u00b7 Hirsch & Associates, Inc.", "\u00b7 HOK", "\u00b7 Pleskow Architects", "\u00b7 Rios Clementi Hale Studios", "\u00b7 RJM Design Group", "Evaluation was based on the following selection criteria: cost of services, understanding of the project, experience on similar projects and feedback from references. Staff then interviewed three shortlisted firms. Based on this criteria and criteria in SMMC 2.24.073, staff recommended RJM Design Group, Inc. as the best firm to provide professional design services for the Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field Project based on the firm\u2019s expertise with field design, cost of services, understanding of the project, and feedback from references.", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "The agreement modification to be awarded to RJM Design Group, Inc. is $364,859 (including a 10% contingency), for an amended agreement total not to exceed $534,997. The agreement modification requires the following FY 2017-18 budget changes:", "1. Release of fund balance from reserve account number 1.380255 of $364,859.", "2. Appropriate $364,859 to account C019194.589000."]}, {"Title": "Recommendation to Remove Santa Monica Public Library Fines for Youth (0-18 years)", "Department": "Library Services Department", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that City Council approve the proposed change in Library policy to remove fines for youth (ages 0 to 18) and eliminate outstanding fines previously accrued for these cardholders estimated to be $50,300 (inclusive of current Library records). The removal of fines will ensure access to the wealth of information, learning and cultural exploration available to them at Santa Monica Public Library with a Library card, further supporting literacy and success in school from an early age.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "Santa Monica Public Library (Library) ensures access to digital and physical learning resources for all ages. The Library is often a primary place to build a foundation of early literacy and learning for our youngest customers. Students rely on Santa Monica Public Library as a place to study and meet curricular as well as entertainment and extracurricular needs.", "Current active youth (0-18 years) accounts total 7,100. The number of those unable to use their accounts to access databases, checkout materials, and use the internet due to overdue fines is 766 for an estimated $12,627 in fines. This means that they have accrued fines of at least $5.00 and therefore cannot use the Library until after they pay the fine. This impacts youth\u2019s ability to access and utilize library resources needed for developing literacy skills, building homework support, and other educational pursuits.", "The Library recommends elimination of youth fines going forward and a one-time waiver of all outstanding fines, which are estimated to be $50,300 (inclusive of current Library records) for youth Library accounts. If approved the change will take place with inception of Fiscal Year 2018-19 and will decrease annual fine revenue by $24,000 \u201311% of the revenue received for all fines annually. Outstanding items will still be subject to fees resulting from lost or damaged items. The Library asks for Council\u2019s support in this important initiative to overcome the hurdle created by library accounts blocked by fines for youth to guarantee their success in the future. The City could make no better investment. The reduction of youth fines has worked successfully in other local communities such as Altadena, City of Los Angeles (Student Success Card) and most recently throughout Los Angeles County, thus, encouraging stronger youth use of library services.", "This effort reflects the City Council\u2019s goal to invest in learning opportunities at all stages of life through the Learn + Thrive strategic goal as well as ensuring the wellbeing of youth through learning and their success later in life.", "Background", "Santa Monica Public Library active youth cardholders number 7,100, with 766 as of this writing, blocked because they owe $5.00 or more in fines. In this discussion, \u201cfines\u201d refers to the monetary penalties incurred by returning library materials past their due date. \u201cFees\u201d are those penalties resulting from lost or damaged items, along with associated processing fees. Several studies have indicated that fines are not prohibitive in the quick return of materials, as youth must rely on various means, including adults for access to the library. Instead, youth and their adults usually make a decision not to return and associate the library with a poor experience. This recommendation is for the elimination of fines only for youth cardholders, regardless of the material type borrowed.", "Current fines by item type \u2013 Table 1", "Item type", "Fine per day", "Children\u2019s materials", "15 cents", "Adult/Teen materials", "25 cents", "DVDs all users", "$1.00", "Discussion", "The Library\u2019s mission is to provide resources, services and a place to encourage the community to read, connect, relax and learn. As a recognized longstanding learning institution, the Santa Monica Public Library embraces policies and practices that remove barriers to information access. Anecdotally, it has been reported that patrons stop using the library when cards are blocked due to fines.", "At the November 8, 2017 special Santa Monica Public Library Board meeting, the Board voted 4-0 with one member absent to endorse the report recommendation from Library staff and recommend the elimination of fines for youth cardholders.", "Circulation of Youth Materials", "A notable downturn in circulation for children and teens material is apparent since 2012. Many factors may contribute to that decrease, access to more information digitally, adoption of the non-resident fee, which was in effect July 1, 2013 through February 1, 2016, and the decreasing youth population in the City.", "Decline in youth material circulation \u2013 Table 2", "Youth Material Circulation", "FY13/14", "FY14/15", "FY15/16", "FY16/17", "Juvenile", "-9.12%", "0.50%", "-8.49%", "-1.64%", "Teen", "-15.68%", "4.36%", "-11.66%", "-11.72%", "Total", "-11.14%", "1.63%", "-9.44%", "-4.59%", "According to the 2014 Youth Wellbeing Report Card (see attached weblink 2014 Youth Wellbeing Report Card) those 18 years and under comprised 15% of Santa Monica\u2019s total population, which was then 92,987. There is a decline in youth in the community based on the 2000 census for Santa Monica showing 14,057 youth. That number currently is 13,340 according to the 2016 estimated census for Santa Monica in American FactFinder.", "A potential cause in the decline in use among youth could be tied not just to the primary factors noted above, but to fines that might prevent their using the Library regularly.", "Outstanding fines on Youth cards are minimal according to the Library\u2019s Integrated Library System and date back to 1998.", "Outstanding fines for Children and Teen Accounts previously accrued and currently due in Polaris the Integrated Library System \u2013 Table 3", "Patron Code", "Status", "#", "Balance", "Juvenile (0-11)", "Active", "blocked", "373", "$6,064", "unblocked", "805", "$1,533", "Inactive", "blocked", "424", "$8,818", "unblocked", "313", "$758", "Total", "$17,173", "Teen (12-18)", "Active", "blocked", "393", "$6,563", "unblocked", "666", "$1,305", "Inactive", "blocked", "1311", "$22,945", "unblocked", "841", "$2,271", "Total", "$33,084", "Total Outstanding Fines for Children and Teen Accounts", "$50,257", "Student success programs and fine free status", "The largest public library in Southern California, Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL), has a newly adopted Student Success card (see attached weblink for Student Success Card) for children and teens in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District. Essentially, all students enrolled in the District receive a special category LAPL Student Success card that is exempt from fines and renewal requirements.", "On December 19, 2017, The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors instructed the Los Angeles County Librarian to implement a fine-free student library card for students 17 years old and under.", "Santa Monica Public Library and the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District are in the process of developing a program that ensures all students receive a library card to support their success all through school. Removing fines for youth is a first step in the process.", "Fine Free Movement", "A robust nationwide movement is afoot in support of fine-free public library services. There is no indication, according to current data, that fines serve as a deterrent or promote return and use of library materials. With increasing frequency, libraries point to the value of fine-free accounts, especially for youth.", "Library Journal published \u201cDoing Fine(s)? / Fines & Fees\u201d by Jennifer A. Dixon and Steven Gillis on April 4, 2017 (see attached weblink Library Journal). Because most libraries moving to fine-free accounts have done so in the past 2 years, the authors found that the impact on circulation of library materials was less discernable at this point. Instead, they focused on the good will benefits and how so far, the removal of fines brought people back to the library and improved staff interactions with patrons at the point of return. Habitually late library users would probably continue to behave in the same manner. The immediate impact for youth would be a positive experience and surprise at learning there were no fines upon returning late items.", "A number of local libraries have adopted fine free status for youth including Altadena Library District, City of Los Angeles Public Library, and LA County Library.", "Plan to implement fine free status", "The Library has formed an ad hoc committee to implement outreach to children through Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District, Santa Monica private schools, Community Corporation, Housing and Economic Development family clients, and Community and Cultural Services to increase library registration and use. The fine free status for youth accounts for those ages 0-18 will have a significant impact on the number of youth accounts. A general marketing campaign is expected in collaboration with the Office of Communications and local news outlets.", "Financial Impact and Budget Actions", "The approval of eliminating overdue fines for youth cardholders will decrease ongoing Library Fines revenues by $24,000 per year and remove approximately $50,300 in outstanding fines previously accrued and currently due in Polaris the Library\u2019s Integrated Library System. Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget for account 01613.401600 should be decreased by $24,000 and an updated fine resolution will be submitted during the Fiscal Year 2018-19 Exception-Based Budget."]}, {"Title": "Award of Design Agreement for the Memorial Park Feasibility Study and Master Plan", "Department": "Public Works, Architecture Services", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council:1. Award RFP #SP2509 to AHBE Landscape Architects, a California-based company, for the feasibility study and master plan design of the Memorial Park Redevelopment and Expansion Project; and2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with AHBE Landscape Architects, in an amount not to exceed $326,706 (including a 10% contingency).", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "The Memorial Park Redevelopment and Expansion Project would combine the existing 10.3-acre Memorial Park with an adjoining City-owned 2.9-acre site to the north into a newly renovated and expanded community park. The recommended feasibility study and master plan would examine existing conditions and park program elements, and propose a single cohesive park program and layout with a focus on sports fields, particularly baseball and softball. Staff recommends entering into an agreement with AHBE Landscape Architects to provide feasibility study and master plan design services for an amount not to exceed $326,706 (includes a 10% contingency). Staff will return to Council in fall 2018 to present the preferred master plan option for final approval.", "Background", "Santa Monica\u2019s Parks and Recreation Master Plan, adopted in 1997, (Attachment A) stated that it was necessary to consider redefining the role of Memorial Park to better serve the community. Staff recommended the development of a Memorial Park Master Plan as part of the 1997 Recreation and Parks Master Plan (Attachment B). However, the City did not take control of the Fisher Lumber site until 2005, and in lieu of a viable alternate site, the Fisher Lumber site has since housed the City\u2019s Colorado Yards and Public Landscape Division\u2019s equipment and staff.  A Memorial Park Master Plan has not yet been developed.", "In October 2004, Council adopted resolution 9987 (CCS) approving a negative declaration and authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a purchase of sale agreement for the property located at 1601 14th Street, at the time occupied by Fisher Lumber. The acquisition would preserve the possibility of expanding Memorial Park, although no project to expand Memorial Park was contemplated at that time (Attachment C).", "On March 22, 2016, Council adopted the recommendation of the Recreation and Parks Commission and staff and formally selected the City\u2019s highest priority park projects to be included in the Los Angeles Countywide Parks Needs Assessment Report (Attachment D). The Recreation and Parks Commission\u2019s Recommendations included the expansion of Memorial Park to include the former Fisher Lumber Site as a priority project to be included in the Countywide Needs Assessment Report.", "Today, Memorial Park is Santa Monica\u2019s primary public park for diamond sports, including little league baseball, Santa Monica High School softball and baseball teams, and adult league softball and baseball. The park also houses the only public gymnasium in Santa Monica.", "Funding for preliminary planning and design for the Memorial Park Expansion Project was included in in the 2016-2018 Capital Improvements Program Adopted Biennial Budget. Funding options for construction will need to be explored and identified pending the completion of the Master Plan.", "Discussion", "The Memorial Park Redevelopment and Expansion Project consists of two adjacent land parcels. Parcel 1 is the existing 10.3-acre Memorial Park site. Parcel 2 is the adjoining 2.9-acre former Fisher Lumber site to the north of the existing park. The two adjoining parcels are bound by Colorado Boulevard to the northwest, 16th Street to the northeast, Olympic Boulevard to the southeast and 14th Street to the southwest.", "Parcel 1 includes six baseball/softball fields, a skate park, four tennis courts, gated children\u2019s play structures, on-site parking, restrooms, a dog run area and three City-owned and operated community buildings. The existing buildings house the Santa Monica Police Activities League (P.A.L.), the community fitness room, staff offices and the Memorial Park gymnasium. Along the proposed project\u2019s Northwest boundary sits Parcel 2, the former Fisher Lumber site, which currently houses the City\u2019s Public Landscape Division offices, covered storage areas and vehicle and equipment storage lots. The City is considering relocating the Public Landscape Division offices to a site at the Santa Monica Airport.", "The core objective of this feasibility study and master planning process is to complete site analysis, define the project program requirements and study options to arrive at a conceptual master plan.  The master plan is intended to inform the design and phased construction of the Memorial Park Redevelopment and Expansion Project.", "Vendor/Consultant Selection", "On August 22, 2017, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide feasibility study and master plan design services for the 13-acre Memorial Park Redevelopment and Expansion Project. The RFP was posted on the City\u2019s on-line bidding site, and notices were advertised in the Santa Monica Daily Press in accordance with City Charter and Municipal Code Section 2.24.075(a) provisions. A total of 120 vendors downloaded the RFP. Ten proposals were received and publicly opened on September 28, 2017. Responses to the RFP were reviewed by a selection panel of staff from the Public Works, Planning and Community Development (PCD) and Community and Cultural Services (CCS) departments. The 10 firms that submitted proposals are listed below:", "\u00b7 AHBE Landscape Architects", "\u00b7 Brightview", "\u00b7 Design Workshop", "\u00b7 Koning Eizenberg", "\u00b7 KSA Design Studio", "\u00b7 MIG", "\u00b7 Studio-MLA", "\u00b7 Rios Clementi Hale Studios", "\u00b7 RJM Design Group", "\u00b7 SWA Landscape Architects", "Evaluation was based on the following selection criteria: fees, previous work experience on similar projects, track record performing public sector work, hourly rates for services, demonstrated understanding project scope, work approach, community outreach, project team qualifications and proposed schedule. Staff then interviewed two shortlisted firms, AHBE Landscape Architects and SWA Landscape Architects, for interview. Based on the above criteria and criteria in SMMC 2.24.073, staff recommends AHBE Landscape Architects as the best qualified firm to provide feasibility study and master plan design services for the Memorial Park Redevelopment and Expansion Project. AHBE Landscape Architects provided a clear fee structure, exhibited a full understanding of the project scope, and has completed projects of similar size and scope. In addition, the project team displayed good composition with required skills, and has experience working with governmental agencies and conducting community outreach. Staff contacted references that had previously worked with AHBE and all highly recommend the firm.", "Next Steps", "Pending Council approval, staff expects to begin design work in March 2018. Staff would return to Council in October 2018 to present a preferred design option and to solicit Council\u2019s comments and recommendations. The selected design would be further developed, and staff would return to Council in January 2019 for approval of the Final Master Plan document.", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "The agreement to be awarded to AHBE Landscape Architects is for an amount not to exceed $326,706. Funds are available in the FY 2017-18 Capital Improvement Program budget in account C019154.589000."]}, {"Title": "Contract Approval for Design Services for Stewart Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements", "Department": "Mobility (PCD)", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council:Award RFP #133 to KOA Corporation, a California based company, to provide engineering and design services for the Stewart Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Improvements Project.Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a professional services agreement with KOA Corporation in an amount not to exceed $315,000 (including a 15% contingency) for an initial two-year term and a one-year renewal option.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "One of the City Council\u2019s five Strategic Goals is the creation of a new model of mobility to improve access for Santa Monica residents to get around within and beyond their community.", "To promote pedestrian and bicyclist safety and access to the Expo 26th Street/Bergamot Station and Expo Corridor Bike/Ped Path, the Stewart Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Improvements Project (the \u201cProject\u201d) would enhance linkages to the Expo station, facilitate walking and biking, and support a safer and barrier-free network. Specifically, the Project would install sidewalks on Pennsylvania Avenue between 26th and Stewart Streets where no sidewalks currently exist; create a protected bikeway along Stewart Street between Colorado and Kansas Avenues; and reconfigure the atypical 3-street, 5-leg Olympic/Nebraska/Stewart intersection.", "These Project elements are identified as a priority in the Bike Action Plan adopted in 2011 and the Pedestrian Action Plan adopted in 2016 because they increase access to transit, and make biking and walking easier and safer. Staff recommends KOA Corporation (KOA), a planning and engineering consultant, to provide the design services for the Project in an amount not to exceed $315,000 (including a 15% contingency).", "Background", "The City began planning for the arrival of Expo light rail nearly a decade ago when updating the General Plan Land Use & Circulation Element (LUCE). Adopted in 2010, following a six-year community engagement process, the LUCE puts forth a land use, urban design, and transportation vision for the City that both establishes new districts comprised of mixed residential and commercial land uses and creates a multi-modal transportation system that provides safer access and mobility options for all. Building on LUCE recommendations, and with community input, the 2011 Bike Action Plan prioritized a Stewart Street protected bike facility; the 2013 Bergamot Area Plan identified preliminary streetscape recommendations for Pennsylvania Avenue and Stewart Street and developed a concept for reconfiguring the Olympic/Nebraska/Stewart intersection; and the 2016 Pedestrian Action Plan identified Pennsylvania Avenue sidewalk gap closure and the reconfiguration of the Olympic/Nebraska/Stewart intersection as priority projects.", "In the Fiscal Year 2016-2018 Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Budget, Council budgeted CIP Funds of $2,800,000 comprised of local and federal funds for the design and construction of both this Project and the adjacent Olympic Boulevard Improvements Project. The Olympic Boulevard Improvements Project will create a sidewalk along the north side of Olympic Boulevard between 26th and Stewart Streets and install pedestrian amenities. Due to the procedural requirements and extended timeline related to federal-funded projects, only local funds are being applied to the Olympic Boulevard Improvements Project so that it may be designed and constructed in advance of the Stewart Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Improvements Project. At the December 12, 2017 (Attachment A) Council meeting, Council authorized staff to execute a contract with KOA Corporation to provide engineering and design services for the Olympic Boulevard Improvements Project in an amount not to exceed $200,000 (including a 15% contingency). The Stewart Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Improvements Project will proceed on a separate, but coordinated, timeline using a mix of local and federal funding.", "Discussion", "The Project area is located within formerly industrial lands with wide roadways and limited pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. Now adjacent to an Expo light rail station, the Project is needed to meet the changing needs and uses for the Project area. The Bergamot Area Plan designates Stewart Street and Pennsylvania Avenue as \u201cComplete Streets.\u201d Complete Streets serve station linkages and provide access for all: pedestrians, vehicles, bicycles, and transit. This Project will create new pedestrian connections along Pennsylvania Avenue between 26th and Stewart Streets and enhance bicycle facilities along Stewart Street between Colorado and Kansas Avenues (see Attachment B). Improvements include:", "\u00b7 Installation of new ADA-compliant sidewalks on Pennsylvania Avenue.", "\u00b7 Creation of a protected bikeway on Stewart Street.", "\u00b7 Enhanced bike connection on Colorado Avenue between Stewart Street and Yale Avenue.", "\u00b7 Improved crosswalk and curb ramps at the north leg of the Stewart Street/Olympic Boulevard intersection.", "\u00b7 Pedestrian-oriented lighting to enhance visibility, increase safety, and accommodate increased pedestrian volumes.", "\u00b7 Reconfiguration of the atypical 3-street, 5-leg Olympic/Nebraska/Stewart intersection to reduce/eliminate left-turn conflicts from Nebraska Avenue.", "\u00b7 Pedestrian and/or bicyclist amenities, such as benches, shade structures, bike racks, and trash containers, as needed.", "This local- and federal-funded Project will coordinate with the adjacent Olympic Boulevard Improvements Project, but will follow on a separate timeline.", "Vendor/Consultant Selection", "On September 19, 2017, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) #133 to obtain design services for the Stewart Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Improvements Project. The RFP was posted on the City\u2019s on-line bidding site, and notices were advertised in the Santa Monica Daily Press in accordance with the City Charter and Municipal Code provisions. 250 vendors downloaded the RFP request. Three proposals were received on October 19, 2017. Following a review of submittal requirements, all three proposals were accepted and evaluated to determine the best qualified person or firm based on the criteria outlined in the RFP, which included understanding of the work to be done, experience with similar kinds of work, quality of staff for work to be done, capability of developing innovative or advance techniques, familiarity with state and federal procedures, financial responsibility, and demonstrated technical feasibility.", "On November 6, 2017, the Evaluation Team comprised of staff from Planning and Community Development and Public Works recommended KOA to provide the design services for this project based on its team composition and experience with similar projects in the Cities of Claremont, Long Beach, San Diego, and Temple City; project approach and understanding; and commitment to deliver the project to the City on schedule and within budget. Based on Section 2.24.073 of the Municipal Code and these criteria, KOA is recommended as the best qualified firm.", "Next Steps", "KOA would initiate background research and data collection; conduct required survey work; and identify design alternatives to be considered. Following the public outreach process, KOA would develop and deliver a City approved, community supported, and technically vetted final design and construction documents. Due to the federal funding component of this Project and required environmental clearance and Caltrans coordination, staff anticipates 12-18 months for the design phase of the project depending on Caltrans coordination, with public outreach beginning summer 2018 and construction beginning summer 2020.", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "The professional services agreement to be awarded to KOA for the Stewart Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Improvements Project is for an amount not to exceed $315,000 (including a 15% contingency) for an initial two-year term and a one-year renewal option.  Funds are available in the FY 2017-18 Capital Improvement Program budget in the following accounts:", "Account   FY 17/18", "C459141.589000 $215,000", "C019094.589000 $100,000", "Total   $315,000"]}, {"Title": "Approval of Agreement for Water and Wastewater Consulting Services for SCADA Systems Integration and Support", "Department": "Information Services Department, Customer Experience and Support", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council:Award RFP# 125 to Vertech Industrial Systems, LLC, a California-based company for professional services to conduct a comprehensive survey of the City\u2019s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system for water and wastewater facilities, development of a SCADA Master Plan, development and implementation of SCADA Standards, and consulting services on future water and wastewater related capital improvement projects.Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Vertech Industrial Systems, LLC, in an amount not to exceed $560,750 (including $50,977 in contingency) over a five-year period with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "Like most water utilities, the City of Santa Monica manages water production, treatment, and distribution via a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. SCADA is an automated computer control system for remotely monitoring, operating, and storing data for a process. Currently, SCADA exists for City water and wastewater facilities, but the component systems are disparate, unstandardized, and isolated from one another. Centralization and standardization of potable and wastewater system hardware and software is necessary to enhance operational and reporting efficiencies of the City\u2019s water systems. The City has established a goal of complete water self-sufficiency by the year 2020 achieved by the combined effects of water conservation, advance treated water reclamation, and increased storm water reuse, though this goal is also reliant on the efficient deployment and operation of current and future water resources. Modern SCADA provides diagnostics and user-friendly means of controlling plant processes to help achieve optimal plant performance and operational decision-making. At this time, staff recommends executing an agreement with Vertech Industrial Systems, LLC (Vertech) to complete a comprehensive survey of the City\u2019s SCADA system, develop a SCADA Master Plan, establish and implement system standards for modern SCADA, and provide maintenance and on-call system support. The contract would be for an amount not to exceed $560,750 (including 10% contingency) over a five-year period.", "Background", "The City\u2019s water production, treatment, and distribution system consists of over 250 miles of pipeline, the Arcadia and Charnock water treatment facilities, four reservoirs, ten wells, a wastewater collection system of over 150 miles of pipeline, the Moss Avenue Pumping Station (MAPS), the Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility (SMURRF), two sewer flow monitoring stations, and five remote urban runoff diversions to sewer. These facilities are located both in the City and the City of Los Angeles. From the 1990\u2019s through the early 2000\u2019s, the City\u2019s water and wastewater telemetering and remote control systems were limited in their abilities to control many of the critical operating functions and monitored only basic functions such as reservoir and wet well levels, pump speeds, and intrusion alarms. On September 16, 2008 (Attachment A), Council authorized a contract to provide SCADA system design and improvements for the MAPS and SMURRF facilities to enhance operational efficiencies for the two sites. This included purchase of the required hardware and software for SCADA system implementation at the facilities.", "On July 27, 2010 (Attachment B), Council authorized a contract to purchase and integrate additional hardware and software for SCADA at Water and Wastewater facilities. Council later authorized extension of this contract on September 24, 2013 (Attachment C). The work performed under these contracts improved process efficiency by adding limited remote site monitoring from the Arcadia Water Treatment Facility and integrating water and wastewater systems onto a common SCADA software platform. However, communication with remote sites via unreliable telemetering systems still remains inconsistent, control abilities remain limited, and process graphical representation is outdated. If not addressed, these limitations could hinder implementation of two major initiatives, the Clean Beaches Initiative (CBI) and the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP), which require enhanced system control and functionality, including robust monitoring and forecasting tools for system optimization.", "Discussion", "Accurate and timely reading and recording of water and wastewater facility data is crucial to operating the systems effectively. As the City\u2019s SCADA system exists today, its graphics do not present data to operators according to present-day International Society of Automation (ISA) standards for Human Machine Interfaces (HMI). Use of high-performance HMI enables operators to monitor and keep systems running at optimal levels and allows them to foresee treatment plant upsets. Such functionality can aid operators in mitigating plant shutdown severity and duration, if not prevent shutdown altogether due to its reporting of useful statistics, metrics, and diagnostics. Monitoring functionality is also limited, particularly for the remotely operated sites. This limitation results in response personnel having to travel to the sites to determine the nature of a problem when an alarm rings on the phone. With more reliable system communication and improved monitoring and control capability, an operator could remediate issues remotely.", "To enhance system functionality, staff recommends hiring the expertise of Vertech, a qualified industrial-process-control-integration consultant to undertake a holistic system survey and generate a SCADA Master Plan that is relevant to the present state of the City\u2019s Water and Wastewater control systems. Such a report would highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the current state of the City\u2019s SCADA infrastructure and reveal gaps to overcome. Staff would then use this information to implement measures that enhance operation in accordance with present-day standards and available technology. Furthermore, staff would work with the consultant to develop SCADA standards for programming and developing graphical interfaces. Such an approach has been proven to be successful in other public agencies, such as the City of Guelph Water Services Department in Ontario, Canada which shows favorable results in reliability of automatic control schemes, ease of operating equipment from SCADA and troubleshooting automation problems, and efficiency in future automation development due to implementing SCADA standards. Integration of future City projects, such as the CBI and the SWIP, would be implemented in accordance with the established standards. Improving SCADA-provided operational-awareness would aid the City in its goals of water self-sufficiency due to increase in potable water and reclaimed water facility operating efficiency.", "Vendor/Consultant Selection", "On July 14, 2017, the City issued a Request for Proposal for professional services to perform an assessment of the City\u2019s water and wastewater SCADA system, provide a roadmap for implementing upgrades/enhancements to the system, and provide on-call integrator services, training, and user documentation. The RFP was posted on the City\u2019s on-line bidding site in accordance with City Charter and Municipal Code provisions. 2,537 vendors were notified, 66 vendors downloaded the RFP, and 11 firms responded. Responses to the RFP were reviewed by a selection panel of staff from the Public Works Department and the Information Services Department. Bids were received from the following firms: ACS Engineering, Inc., Aspect Engineering Group, Beavens Systems Inc., Cannon Corporation, Control Automation Design, Enterprise Automation, KDC Systems, Northern Digital, Inc., ProUsys Inc., Technical Systems, Inc., and Vertech Industrial Systems, LLC.", "Evaluation was based on the following selection criteria: technical competence, experience, staffing capability, project timeliness, cost of services, quality control, cost control, company stability, client references, value added, and breadth of service. Staff then interviewed three shortlisted firms. Based on this criteria and criteria in SMMC 2.24.073, staff recommends Vertech Industrial Systems, LLC as the best qualified firm to provide SCADA services based on favorable feedback from reference checks and their proven track record of working with municipalities to generate comprehensive SCADA Master Plans, develop SCADA standards, and successfully implement system improvements. Vertech has performed Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and SCADA system hardware and software upgrades for multiple public agencies. Their project history includes developing PLC and SCADA standards, performing retrofits of outdated software and hardware, and migrating old SCADA systems to modern systems with minimal downtime for municipalities, including Irvine Ranch Water District, Adelanto Public Utilities Authority, Orange County Sanitation District, City of Buckeye, International Boundary and Water Commission Nogales, and City of La Verne.", "Financial Impacts & Budget Actions", "The contract to be awarded to Vertech Industrial Systems, LLC is for an amount not to exceed $560,750 (including 10% contingency). Funds of $174,334 for expenses estimated to be incurred in FY 2017-18 are available in the FY 2017-18 budget in the Public Works Department as listed below:", "Account", "FY 2017-18", "Total Contract", "25671.560010", "$ 49,800", "$ 174,603", "31661.560010", "$ 49,800", "$ 174,603", "31661.566450", "$ 37,367", "$ 105,772", "31661.566631", "$ 37,367", "$ 105,772", "Total:", "$ 174,334", "$ 560,750", "Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval."]}, {"Title": "Modification to Software License Agreement for Performance Portal", "Department": "City Manager's Office, Administration", "Sponsors": "City Manager Rick Cole", "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that Council:1. Amend the existing contract (#10452) between the City and Socrata, Inc. (#360108);2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract amendment with Socrata, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $56,000; and3. Authorize budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of this report.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "In Fiscal Year 2017-2018, the City of Santa Monica (\u201cthe City\u201d) established SaMoStat, a performance management program designed to set outcomes and goals and use data to drive the achievement of results towards those goals. The City undertook such an effort to establish outcomes and goals for the 2017-19 budget, developing the Framework for a Sustainable City of Wellbeing. The SaMoStat program is designed to effectively and efficiently manage City resources towards those established outcomes. To facilitate the SaMoStat program, staff would like to leverage the City\u2019s existing relationship with Socrata, which it uses for its open data platform, to use Socrata Performance, a software program designed to allow governments to track and manage performance metrics.", "The requested funding would allow the City to amend its existing agreement with Socrata to begin the process of developing a citywide dashboard to manage and track progress on metrics. This dashboard will allow the City to track key performance metrics towards outcomes in the Framework for a Sustainable City of Wellbeing. This will result in a second modification to add $56,000 amount to the contract for a new five-year agreement not to exceed $272,264. In the first modification, written in April of 2017, the City merged all agreements with Socrata into one contract. This staff report seeks to modify this agreement to provide for additional funding and scope to develop a citywide dashboard.", "Background", "In May of 2014, the City entered into an agreement with Socrata, Inc. (\u201cSocrata\u201d), for the purposes of developing an open data program. The initial agreement was for a three-year term at a cost not to exceed $105,000, below the threshold requiring Council authorization. On April 25, 2017, Council authorized the first modification to this agreement to extend the term of the agreement for two years at a cost of $111,264, resulting in a new total contract amount not to exceed $216,264 (Attachment A). This modification also merged all existing contracts with Socrata under one master agreement.", "In 2014, the City also contracted with Socrata for two-project specific projects \u2013 the Youth Wellbeing Report Card and the Sustainable City Plan. These agreements were done under separate contract from the main agreement. The Youth Wellbeing Report Card is no longer available, as it was a pilot project, but the Sustainable City Plan site can be found at data.sustainablesm.org.", "SaMoStat project will utilize the Open Performance platform. As efforts are underway to connect all performance management plans and activities, the long-term goal is for the inclusion of metrics from the Sustainable City Plan into a larger City-wide dashboard.", "Discussion", "The City restructured the 2017-2019 budget into the Framework for a Sustainable City of Wellbeing. Under this new construct, the City identified six outcomes, based on principles of sustainability, the Wellbeing Index, and principles of good governance as follows:", "1. Foster a save, connected, and engaged community (\u201cCommunity\u201d);", "2. Protect natural resources and cultivate an exceptional and resilient built environment (\u201cPlace and Planet\u201d);", "3. Champion lifelong education achievement and opportunities for continuous personal growth (\u201cLearning\u201d);", "4. Nurture opportunities for enriched physical, social, and emotional health (\u201cHealth\u201d);", "5. Support community needs through a stable, vibrant, and diverse local economy (\u201cEconomic Opportunity\u201d); and", "6. Cultivate a trustworthy and participatory local government through equitable, transparent, and effective process (Governance).", "More on the SaMoStat and the Framework can be found at https://beta.smgov.net/samostat.", "In July of 2017, the City held its first SaMoStat meeting, relative to the Homeless Strategic Goal. Based on best practices from other cities, SaMoStat is a management tool designed to identify goals and outcomes, and use data to track success, monitor progress, and make decisions. SaMoStat is administered by the Chief Performance Officer (\u201cCPO\u201d) Tim Dodd and is based on four tenets:", "1. Accurate and timely intelligence;", "2. Effective tactics;", "3. Rapid deployment of resources; and", "4. Relentless follow-up and assessment.", "Several other cities, such as Baltimore, Maryland, and Louisville, Kentucky successfully implemented similar programs. During the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the \u201cstat\u201d process includes all five strategic goals. Each goal team has met at least once and will begin meeting monthly in January 2018.", "Departments will begin to participate in SaMoStat, based on both readiness and interest. The CPO is now working with departments across the City to develop a suite of metrics tied to activities in the Framework, with a completion date of January 10, 2018.", "Socrata Performance will provide the City with a dashboard through which departments can track progress towards metrics associated with activities in the Framework. This dashboard will allow for back-end data systems to support metrics, and provide for display functionality that will allow users to access a variety of information associated with metrics. The metrics will be organized according to the Framework and will be used by departments to measure progress.", "Under this modification, Socrata will provide the Socrata Performance toolkit and provide consulting services to help deploy the dashboard and integrate it with the City\u2019s open data platforms. Staff will work with Socrata to begin the implementation process this spring, with a goal of 15 metrics included in the platform by summer 2018. The plan is to make the site publically available in FY 2018/19.", "Vendor/Consultant Selection", "In May 2014, the City entered into an agreement with Socrata to provide robust open data hosting capabilities. The agreement was entered into as an exception to the competitive process per SMMC 2.24.080(d) as the exception to competitive bidding because the Socrata Open Data service is copyrighted, patented, or otherwise only available through Socrata. At the time, Socrata was the only open data provider capable of delivering the functionality, interoperability, and user experience deemed acceptable by the City. In particular, Socrata was the only provider that would allow end-users to create their own data visualizations. Moreover, Socrata had then, and still maintains today, a large foothold in the open data software space. Many large, complex organizations utilize Socrata to power their open data portals. Socrata customers include the Cities of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle.", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "The agreement modification to be awarded to Socrata, Inc. is $56,000, for an amended agreement total not to exceed $272,264. Funds of $18,801 are available in the FY 2017-18 budget in account SO015601.589000. Award of the contract modification requires a budget transfer of $37,199 to account SO015601.589000 from accounts SC015501.589000 ($36,925) and SC015502.589000 ($274).", "The agreement will be charged to account SO015601.589000. Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval."]}], [{"Title": "Appeal 17ENT-0186 of the Planning Commission\u2019s approval of Conditional Use Permit 17ENT-0075, Variance 17ENT-0147, and Fence/Wall Modification 17ENT-0148 permitting the establishment of a Child Care and Early Education Facility for up to 20 children at 2953 Delaware Avenue", "Department": "Development Review 3", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "06. Administrative Proceedings", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council deny the appeal and uphold the Planning Commission\u2019s approval by taking the following actions:1. Approve Conditional Use Permit 17ENT-0075 2. Approve Variance 17ENT-01473. Approve Fence Modification 17ENT-0148 4. Adopt the Statement of Official Action, pursuant to the draft findings and conditions.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "On May 18, 2017, the applicant, Laila Taslimi, filed a Conditional Use Permit (17ENT-0075), Variance (17ENT-0147), and Fence Modification (17ENT-0148) for a change of use of a 1,478 square-foot, single-unit dwelling located at 2953 Delaware Avenue (R1 Single-Unit Residential zoning district) to a Child Care and Early Education Facility. On September 6, 2017, the Planning Commission approved these applications. There would be no additional floor area. The facility would serve up to 20 children with four classrooms and outdoor play areas in the front yard (765 square feet) and the rear yard (1,833 square feet, including decks). The CUP allows year-round operation with a regular program between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., with possible early drop-off from 7:30 a.m. and late pick-up by 6:00 p.m. In addition to the Director, the applicant anticipates employing up to five staff. The project includes three on-site parking spaces, a loading space, an on-street short-term parking space and two short-term bike parking spaces. The approval included three variances to allow:", "1) Parking that is not located in a garage as required by SMMC Section 9.28.070.A.1.a.", "2) Parking in the front yard setback as prohibited by SMMC Section 9.28.070.A.1.", "3) One on-site passenger loading space instead of the two passenger loading spaces as required by SMMC Section 9.28.080.E.4.", "In addition, the Planning Commission approved a Fence Modification to allow a front yard fence of more than four feet in height. The Planning Commission approved the fence to a maximum of five feet with specific design requirements for transparency and landscaping, subject to staff approval prior to building permit issuance. The fence runs along the front yard property line for 29 feet, after which it turns in 18 feet and continues behind the proposed car and bike parking spaces.", "Appeal", "On September 20, 2017, Nada Shamonki filed an appeal (17ENT-0186) of the Planning Commission\u2019s decision to approve the CUP, Variance, and Fence Modification applications. The appeal form states that Ms. Shamonki represents \u201cResidents for the Preservation of Gandara Park Neighborhood,\u201d and requests that City Council overturn the Planning Commission\u2019s decision based upon the strong opposition by the entire neighborhood; new traffic generated by the childcare facility; that the proposed childcare facility violates the LUCE; that the area is already well-served by preschools; and that the childcare facility does not meet mandatory CUP findings.", "The appellant expressed objection to the manner of the hearing and strongly disagrees with the Planning Commission\u2019s exercise of its discretionary authority in the matter to approve the application despite a large contingency of neighbors who testified or submitted written testimony opposing it. The full appeal narrative is provided in Attachment C.", "A public hearing before the Council was scheduled to be held on December 5, 2017, and noticing was provided as required by the Zoning Code. At the December 5, 2017 Council meeting, prior to opening the public hearing, the Council continued the item to January 23, 2018. This is a de novo hearing and the Council may consider all aspects of the application as well as matters raised in the appeal. This report includes project description and analysis, the Planning Commission\u2019s action, and the points of appeal together with staff responses. This report concludes with a recommendation from staff to uphold the Planning Commission\u2019s decision on the CUP, Variance, and Fence Modification, based upon the findings and subject to the conditions in the Draft Statement of Official Action provided in Attachment B.", "Background", "Existing Conditions and Setting", "The following table provides a brief summary of the project location. Additional information regarding the project\u2019s compliance with applicable municipal regulations and the General Plan is available in Attachment A.", "Site Location Map & Aerial View (park added, not to scale)", "Zoning District:", "R1 (Single-Unit Residential)", "Land Use Element Designation:", "Single Family Housing", "Parcel Dimensions (Area):", "50\u2019 x 130\u2019 (6,500 square feet)", "Existing On-Site Improvements (Year Built):", "Single-family home (1940)", "Rent Control Status:", "N/A", "Adjacent Zoning Districts and Land Uses:", "North: R2 (Multiple-Unit Dwelling) East: R1 (Single-Unit Dwelling) South: R1 (Single-Unit Dwelling) West: R1 (Single-Unit Dwelling)", "Historic Resource Inventory", "Not listed on HRI.", "Zoning Code", "SMMC 9.08.020: CUP required for a Child Care and Early Education Facility in the R1 zoning district.", "The subject property, on the north side of Delaware Avenue between Dorchester Avenue and Yorkshire Avenue, contains a 1,478 square foot home built in 1940, and expanded with a 375 square foot rear addition in 1951. A 366 square foot, two-car garage is accessed from the rear alley. All properties on this block of Delaware Avenue are developed with single-family residential uses, most of which are one-story structures. The adjacent block to the north, which is zoned R2 (Low-Density Residential), contains two-story apartment buildings, and shares a rear alley with the subject property. Ishihara Park on Exposition Boulevard is across the street from that block.", "Project Description", "The applicant requests a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to allow the establishment of a Child Care and Early Education Facility for up to 20 children, ages 4-6. The facility\u2019s regular program hours are proposed to be between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. The facility would have four classrooms and outdoor play space in the front and back yards totaling 2,598 square feet, exceeding the State minimum standard of 75 sq. ft. per child (1,500 sq. ft. total). The applicant plans to allow early drop-off from 7:30 a.m. for parents who need to maintain their work schedules, and those children must remain indoors until 8:00 a.m. (see Condition #4). Late pick-up until 6:00 p.m. may be offered. In addition to the Director (applicant), the facility would employ three or four childcare staff initially, who would be scheduled to ensure that staff-child ratios comply with or exceed State requirements. With full enrollment, an additional teacher is anticipated, for a total of six staff including the applicant.", "The existing garage would be demolished and replaced with two surface parking spaces and one passenger loading space, including spaces that comply with ADA requirements. In lieu of one of the two required loading spaces, the applicant requests to use one on-street parking space in front of the property for short-term (15-minute) parking during the facility\u2019s operational hours. Mobility and Transportation Engineering staff indicated that this on-street, short-term parking request is feasible, but they can only consider a request if Council approves this application. Parking restrictions on the street allow two-hour parking during the day except by permit. There are also street-cleaning restrictions. Parking would be allowed in the same manner in this proposed short-term space outside of the use\u2019s authorized hours.", "Requested Variances", "Variances from three Code requirements are requested as part of this proposal. SMMC 9.28.070 requires that all parking in the R1 District must be located in an enclosed garage, which is appropriate for single-unit dwellings but is not practical for the functioning of a childcare use. SMMC 9.28.070 also precludes using the existing front driveway for a required parking space, as this application proposes in order to provide the three required parking spaces on-site. These requirements are the subjects of two of the variances being requested.", "The third requested variance addresses a technical conflict between the Zoning and Building Codes. Although SMMC Section 9.31.120(D) anticipates allowing the Director to approve a passenger loading space on the street in front of the property, the Building Code would require extensive modifications to the sidewalk to provide full ramping for ADA access for that loading space, which would necessitate the removal of a mature street tree and impact the character of the street. To avoid this, in consultation with Mobility staff, the applicant requests to provide a short-term parking space instead of the on-street passenger loading space that the Director is allowed to approve, also on the street in front of the property. In this way, the variance facilitates a way to meet the intent of the requirement while maintaining compatibility with the neighborhood.", "In addition to City permits, childcare facilities are closely controlled by the California State Department of Social Services, which imposes its own requirements and limits the number of children based on spatial or other considerations. The project will be required to meet all State licensing requirements.", "Planning Commission Action", "On September 6, 2017, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on this application. Following staff\u2019s presentation, the applicant provided testimony and 27 members of the public addressed the Commission, of which 21 were neighborhood residents speaking in opposition. Project opponents cited:", "\u00b7 Complaints about traffic, which has greatly increased over the last year since the introduction of the Expo Line with at-grade crossing at Stewart Street. Many expressed fear that additional trips generated by the use at morning and evening peak hours would block the alley or increase the time it will take them to leave the street in the mornings;", "\u00b7 Objection to using a residential home for a non-residential business;", "\u00b7 Concern that the applicant\u2019s proposal to bring children to Ishihara Park would displace residents\u2019 access;", "\u00b7 Concern that a front yard fence, requiring a modification, is incompatible with the neighborhood character on a street that is largely without fences; and", "\u00b7 Worry that the facility will lead to neighborhood deterioration and reduced property values.", "Members of the public who supported the project cited:", "\u00b7 The need for more accessible, high-quality preschool programs to serve families in the Santa Monica community;", "\u00b7 Support for the economic diversity aspect of the project;", "\u00b7 Personal connection with and respect for the applicant\u2019s character and vision; and", "\u00b7 Personal testimony that living near a school is typical for the city\u2019s neighborhoods and is not detrimental for neighbors (speaker living near elementary school).", "The Planning Commission discussed the project\u2019s merits, neighborhood concerns, draft findings and conditions. By a vote of 6-1, the Commission approved the Conditional Use Permit for the childcare facility use. Also by a vote of 6-1, the Commission approved a front-yard fence modification up to five feet (one foot less than requested), with conditions requiring that the fence step back from the property edge and have increased transparency and greenery. By unanimous vote, all three variances were approved. The Commission revised the conditions of approval to direct the applicant to explore the feasibility of revising the site plan to add another parking space at the rear, to require encouragement and assistance to employees to bike to work, and to conduct recruitment outreach to try to find qualified staff living locally within the City and particularly in the 90404 zip code. The applicant has accepted the Commission\u2019s conditions of approval. Subsequent to the Planning Commission meeting, the applicant explored the feasibility of revising the site plan to add another parking space at the rear but found that this option was not feasible.", "Additionally, the applicant voluntarily agreed to offer tuition assistance to low and moderate income families within the 90404 zip code to ensure that 1/3 of the children at the facility live within a \u00bc-mile radius. The applicant also voluntarily agreed to consult with Connections for Children and other members of the Early Childhood Wellbeing program to serve children most in need of services.", "Entitlement Summary", "The following summarizes the purposes for the requested entitlements in this application (statutory findings for all permits are included in Attachment B):", "Conditional Use Permit (CUP): Pursuant to the findings contained in SMMC Section 9.41.060, a CUP may be approved to allow a use that is generally consistent with the purposes of the Zoning District where it is proposed but requires special consideration to ensure that it can be designed, located, and operated in a manner that will not interfere with the use and enjoyment of surrounding properties", "Variance: Pursuant to the findings contained in SMMC Section 9.42.040, variances provide a mechanism for relief from the strict application of the Zoning Ordinance where the Ordinance would deprive the property owner of privileges enjoyed by similar properties because of the subject property\u2019s unique and special conditions.", "Fence Modification: Pursuant to SMMC Section 9.31.120.A, the Code allows childcare facilities to have front yard fences up to four feet in height by right, in order to comply with State regulations for enclosing play yards. Additional height requires a formal modification request, pursuant to the findings contained in SMMC Section 9.43.080. The applicant requested up to a six-foot fence, designed with stepback and landscaping. The Planning Commission approved a modification to allow a semi-transparent front yard fence with a maximum height of five feet, stepping back from the front retaining wall to provide sufficient greenery.", "Site Plan with Landscaping", "Discussion", "The following analysis of the project\u2019s consistency with the City\u2019s General Plan goals and policies and compliance with the Zoning Code is followed by analysis of the appeal.", "Childcare Uses: City Policies to Reflect a Priority Community Need", "The City Council has acknowledged and addressed a community need to provide more high quality childcare in Santa Monica through prioritizing supportive policies in the General Plan Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE, Goal CE9) and the Child Care Master Plan. The goal reflects the community\u2019s recognition that education begins prior to kindergarten. In fact, one of Council\u2019s five strategic goals adopted in August 2015, Learn + Thrive, aligns with the decades of collaboration between the City, School District, College, non-profits, and residents to foster a lifelong learning community that thrives.", "The Council has also established a Child Care & Early Education Task Force that meets regularly to actively support quality programs and access for all economic groups. Childcare is the first \u201cstep\u201d in Santa Monica\u2019s Cradle to Career initiative to support healthy development and well-being for the City\u2019s youngest residents. According to Connections for Children (CFC), a regional childcare resource and referral agency that receives funding through the City\u2019s Human Services Grants Program to improve access to quality early care, there are always low and moderate-income families seeking subsidized childcare on their waitlist. Typically, about 60% of these families are in the 90404 area code. The number changes constantly, but at recent points in time, there have been between 50 and 60 families with 80-100 children on the list. This data does not include families seeking childcare that are able to pay full tuition. There are no statistics on these families, which may be either residents or those who work in the City and desire childcare near work. CCS staff reviewing the proposed project have also noted that the applicant has outlined an operating plan that offers a full-day program, acceptance of children in need of tuition assistance, and collaboration with Connections for Children to accept families who qualify for childcare subsidies. In this way, the proposed facility particularly caters to the strongest need in the childcare network for high quality programs that accept subsidies and lower income children as participants.", "Addressing Potential Use Conflicts through the CUP and Specific Use Standards", "During the 2015 Zoning Ordinance revision, the Council implemented LUCE Goal CE9 and Policy CE9.1 to integrate childcare uses into the neighborhoods, by adopting specific use standards for compatibility and fee incentives. The Council expanded the potential locations for childcare facilities to all neighborhoods, including R1 Zoning Districts, through the discretionary CUP process. Childcare facilities are among the very few non-residential uses permitted in single-family zoning districts. The CUP requirement and Specific Use Standards, outlined in SMMC Section 9.31.120, reflect the expectation that there are potential conflicts to be addressed when allowing a childcare use in a residential neighborhood. Potential issues include daily vehicle trips and parking, noise, and the appearance and changed use of a residential home with a non-residential use. The Planning Commission\u2019s approval of the application included conditions to address these issues, as discussed further below.", "Compliance with Childcare and Early Education Facilities Specific Use Standards", "The Zoning Ordinance Specific Use Standards were developed to address the particular characteristics, needs and potential impacts of childcare uses in order to facilitate development of high quality childcare while promoting compatibility with surrounding uses. In residential zones, through the CUP process, additional conditions can be included as appropriate to reflect the specific circumstances of the proposed facility in proximity to residential uses. The CUP conditions should protect neighborhood residents while ensuring that the facility is able to operate its educational and developmental program to provide high quality childcare and early education that meet the needs of working families.", "The proposed project is required to be consistent with specific standards regulating Childcare and Early Education Facilities (SMMC 9.31.120). These standards pertain to: allowing a four-foot front yard fence, or higher with approval of a modification, to enclose a play yard; providing a minimum amount of outdoor play area space in compliance with State licensing requirements; limiting outdoor activity hours; allowing the Director to approve one required passenger loading space on the street adjacent to the facility; requiring compliance with State and other licensing requirements; and designating a neighborhood liaison to address concerns during both construction and operation of the facility. Draft conditions #2, #6, #9, #12 and #13 incorporate the Code\u2019s operational requirements.", "The specific use standards that reflect the facility\u2019s physical design include providing sufficient indoor and outdoor space as required by State law, providing a passenger loading plan, and allowing higher front yard fences than typically allowed in residential zones to enclose a play yard. The proposal complies with the space requirements and the Mobility Division has reviewed and determined that the parking and passenger loading spaces shown on the site plan comply with the Code\u2019s dimension, access and visibility requirements.", "The Planning Commission approved a modification to allow the front yard fence up to five feet in height in order to facilitate the need for the fence to be four feet in height from the interior as required by State law due to the grade differential between the street and the property. The fence would be offset by 18\u201d from the existing two-foot retaining wall at the property line, with landscaping required to soften the interface with the sidewalk. The fence height would be considered to be five feet per SMMC 9.04.050.D (Measuring Fence, Wall and Hedge Height), which states that the height of a fence located within five feet of a public sidewalk is measured from the closest point on the sidewalk. The fence would run for 29 feet along the front property line from the southwest corner. It would then turn back for 18 feet and continue at the full five foot height to the east property line. Fencing in the rear and side yards is permitted to be up to eight feet.", "State requirements for childcare facilities specify that a fence must be designed to \u201ckeep children from leaving the outdoor activity area unnoticed but will not in and of itself present a hazard.\u201d Accordingly, a fence need not be solid, but must ensure that children are not able to climb over it (see Fence/Wall Modification, below). The Planning Commission\u2019s approval requires maximum transparency within these guidelines.", "Conditions for Special Events", "Quality childcare programs promote strong communications with the children\u2019s parents. The applicant plans to hold regular Family Forums, which may be held during or outside of operational hours. These meetings gather parents who are familiar with the site and the rules for neighborhood consideration, but it is important for neighbors to receive communications about them if they are planned outside of regular operational hours. Condition #1 requires notice to properties within a 300-foot radius of the property at least one week in advance in such cases.", "In addition, Condition #5 allows the PCD Director to approve up to two events annually based on the same findings required for Temporary Event Permits for activities related to the childcare but not specifically for the families, such as a fundraising event that is typical for non-profits. Notification would be required to neighbors within a 300-foot radius of the property. A request to hold the event must be submitted at least 45 days in advance. Although the applicant has stated that at this time, they do not anticipate doing these types of events, this condition sets forth appropriate limits and conditions to avoid disruption to the neighborhood should such an event be contemplated in the future.", "Transportation/Parking", "As described above, the applicant is providing the number of automobile and short-term bicycle parking spaces that the Code requires for this use. The Mobility Division has reviewed the parking dimensions and access and the proposed bike racks, determining that they are acceptable. Passenger loading is satisfied with one on-site space and a request (by variance) to substitute an on-street short-term parking space for the second loading space, which the Code allows the Director to approve on the street adjacent to the property. The main reason for requesting this substitution is to avoid passenger loading space standards that would negatively affect the neighborhood by changing the sidewalk and requiring removal of the street tree in front of the house.", "The childcare use would introduce new weekday traffic patterns on the street in that up to 20 children would be dropped off in the mornings and picked up in the evenings Mondays through Fridays. Although some may be siblings, and some may carpool, walk or bicycle, it is inevitable that the childcare facility will result in additional trips to the location.", "The peak morning drop-off time for the childcare facility would take place between 7:45 and 8:30 a.m. Parents are required by law to bring their children into the facility and sign them in, and to sign them out in the afternoon/evening when they pick them up.", "Prior to the Planning Commission hearing, staff heard from several neighbors who expressed frustration about increased traffic on Delaware Avenue since the Exposition Line became operational last year. Their input indicates that Delaware Avenue has become a popular cut-through street during morning and evening peak hours when traffic on Stewart Avenue tends to back up. Changes to traffic patterns that have occurred since opening the Expo Line are unrelated to the current request, but are considered as an existing condition in terms of analysis of this request.", "Neighbors sharing the alley with the property expressed concern about having their access blocked by parents\u2019 cars in the mornings. A project condition (#10) requiring a drop-off and pick-up plan was developed in order to help control the additional trips to the street and alley to access the childcare facility and avoid inconvenience to the neighboring residents at these times. The drop off and pick up plan, subject to the Mobility Division\u2019s approval prior to Certificate of Occupancy issuance, requires specific assignments to all parents to use either the street or the alley, with consideration to the anticipated arrival time of each family, in order to distribute trips. Parents would need to sign an agreement to drive and park in a manner that respects and avoids inconvenience to the neighborhood. The condition also requires all parents to sign a Drop-Off and Pick-Up Agreement, agreeing to abide by its terms.", "The total number of 20 children is small enough that there is capacity between the rear loading space, the front short-term space and other nearby street parking or on-site parking spaces for parents to safely park and sign in their children. Parents do not generally bring their children to daycare all at the same time, and bringing or retrieving a child generally takes no more than 10 minutes, although it could be more if parents need to speak with staff or settle in their children. At times that staff has visited the site and observed use of street parking, it appears that the two-hour parking restriction keeps employees of nearby businesses from parking on the street, leaving ample street parking for the short-term needs of parents coming to the childcare. Based on the above, staff concludes that the proposed plan for dropping off and picking up children from the center is feasible and through its implementation, disruption to the neighborhood can be substantially avoided.", "The applicant has stated that she intends to encourage alternatives to driving to the site, although the decisions that parents make are largely out of the applicant\u2019s control. The applicant can actively encourage employees to rideshare, which could make on-site parking spaces available to meet other needs.  Condition #15 requires rideshare encouragement including transit passes and encouraging bike commuting. Condition #17 also encourages the applicant to demonstrate that a good faith effort has been made to recruit qualified staff that reside within the 90404 zip code.", "Variance Analysis: Key Findings and Justification", "Approval of the proposed Variances requires that the City Council make all nine of the required Variance findings pursuant to SMMC Section 9.42.040. All findings have been drafted to support the variances in Attachment B. Some findings of special note in considering approval of this Variance include:", "\u00b7 There are special circumstances or exceptional characteristics applicable to the property that do not apply to other properties in the vicinity.", "\u00b7 Granting of such variance will not be detrimental or injurious to the property or improvements in the general vicinity and District.", "\u00b7 Strict application of the provisions of this Ordinance would result in practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships, not including economic difficulties or economic hardships.", "\u00b7 Strict application of the provisions of this Ordinance would result in unreasonable deprivation of the use or enjoyment of the property.", "Special Circumstances or Exceptional Characteristics", "Finding 9.42.040(A) states the following:", "\u201cThere are special circumstances or exceptional characteristics applicable to the property involved, including size, shape, topography, mature trees, location, surroundings, identification as a Historic Resource, or to the intended use or development of the property that do not apply to other properties in the vicinity under an identical zoning classification.\u201d", "This finding is supported because the proposed childcare is an exceptional use in the R1 District so the \u201cspecial circumstances\u201d are due to the intended use of the property. The R1 parking standards are oriented toward compatibility of single-unit uses, which is the predominant use in the zoning district. While childcare facilities are conditionally permitted, the standards do not really consider the very different functioning of parking and loading for these uses as compared with single-unit homes. Enclosing the parking in a garage is not practical for this use, and it would necessitate a very large structure in order to meet ADA requirements, which are not applicable to single-unit homes. The childcare use must accommodate three parking spaces as well as at least one loading space on the property. Use of the front driveway in a similar manner to the previous residential use, which had a driveway that could be used for additional parking, meets the needs of the use. However, as a required space, it is not permitted, which is again a special circumstance occasioned by the proposed use. The last variance, to reduce one loading space and provide instead an on-street, short-term parking space, is also justified by the special circumstance of the childcare use, which is the only such use in the district that is allowed an on-street loading space. However, the Building Code requirements for passenger loading, as opposed to short-term parking, create a special circumstance because it would compel the applicant to modify the sidewalk and provide ADA-compliant ramps that would be incompatible with the neighborhood\u2019s character, particularly because they would require removal of a mature street tree. Granting this variance addresses the conflict caused by these requirements, given the special circumstances of the childcare use.", "Not Detrimental nor Injurious to Surroundings", "Finding 9.42.040(B) states the following:", "The granting of such variance will not be detrimental nor injurious to the property or improvements in the general vicinity and district in which the property is located.", "The project provides all required parking, and one passenger loading space on-site. The Director may approve a second passenger loading space for a childcare facility on the adjacent street, but a short-term street parking space is requested in place of the on-street loading space in order to avoid the need to make right-of-way modifications that would be inconsistent with the character of the residential neighborhood street. In making this finding, it should be considered that neighborhood residents typically park their cars on front driveways, although driveways are not considered their required parking. Designating the front driveway as one of the three required parking spaces for the use supports the childcare\u2019s activity while resulting in essentially the same use of the driveway as it served for the previous use as a residence and does not substantially alter the relationship of the property\u2019s access to the street. Concerning the reduction of one loading space, with substitution of a short-term parking space, the Code already allows the Director to approve one on-street loading space in front of a childcare. The short-term space would not be injurious to the surrounding improvements in the general vicinity because it would function similarly and thus meet the intent of the Code requirement, while avoiding the interruption of the consistent, residential streetscape and street tree pattern. Furthermore, the space will be available for general use outside of the facility\u2019s operating hours. Thus, this finding can be made for all three of the requested variances.", "Practical Difficulties or Unnecessary Hardships", "Finding 9.42.040(C) states the following:", "\u201cThe strict application of the provisions of this Ordinance would result in practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships, not including economic difficulties or economic hardships.\u201d", "The strict application of the Code, requiring alley-accessed parking in a garage and prohibiting parking in the front yard setback area, would result in hardship for the childcare use, which is required to provide a total five parking and loading spaces rather than the usual two spaces needed in this district. The requirement for parking in a garage accessed from the alley, combined with ADA requirements that do not normally apply to single-family homes, would result in the need to develop a large three-car garage structure. Providing such a structure would then leave insufficient space along the 50-foot property width to provide the required refuse, recovery and recycling storage and an accessible passenger loading space. Additionally, the childcare facility might be forced to reduce the amount of play area and possibly the number of children served in order to meet all parking location and access requirements in the rear of the property in an enclosed structure.  Furthermore, the garage structure would increase lot coverage and be less compatible with the surrounding properties. Concerning the reduction of one loading space, with substitution of a short-term parking space, the Code\u2019s nomenclature that designates only a loading zone and not a short-term parking space option, would result in practical difficulties due to Building Code requirements to modify the sidewalk with ramps for ADA access that are not compatible with the single-unit residential area and not required for short-term parking. However, the short-term parking will provide equivalent service for the drop off and pick up of children at the childcare facility. Therefore, this finding can be made for all three of the requested variances.", "Unreasonable Deprivation of the Use or Enjoyment of the Property", "Finding 9.42.040(J) states the following:", "\u201cThe strict application of the provisions of this Ordinance would result in unreasonable deprivation of the use or enjoyment of the property.\u201d", "The General Plan encourages childcare and the Zoning Code conditionally permits the use in this single-family zoning district, but requires more parking than a residential use, while still within an enclosed garage. These locational requirements reflect residential needs and character, but on a typical lot such as the subject property, the requirements taken together become unreasonable for the establishment of a childcare facility. Requiring the applicant to construct a three-car garage in the rear of the property, as well as providing an ADA-compliant loading space would preclude optimal siting to meet the needs of the childcare, which deprives the applicant of the property\u2019s use, including a potential reduction in play area and enrollment. Furthermore, due to the need for one space more than the typical single-family residential use in the R1 District, allowing the additional space to be located on the existing front driveway is necessary to allow the facility to serve 20 children, making it possible to develop a viable facility. In this way, the variances in combination provide relief from the strict application of the Zoning Ordinance to avoid unreasonable deprivation of the property\u2019s use for providing childcare to the community, a use that is conditionally permitted in the R1 District.", "Neighborhood Compatibility", "In terms of form and physical appearance, the Code\u2019s CUP findings require that a childcare facility have a physical design that is compatible and relates harmoniously to the surrounding neighborhood.", "The proposed facility will utilize a structure that has been part of this single-family neighborhood for 67 years, making only minor changes to the exterior in order to comply with building code exiting requirements. Demolishing the existing garage would change the property\u2019s appearance from the alley, but would have relatively little impact on the neighborhood\u2019s appearance since it is a secondary structure not visible from the street, and surrounding properties have high rear walls. The applicant is developing a landscaping plan that creates a garden setting, with emphasis on a natural appearance in the front yard. This type of landscaping design is typical in front yards in single-family neighborhoods throughout Santa Monica and compatible with this street.", "Placement of the required third parking space, discussed above, on the driveway (by variance) would be compatible with the pattern that exists on the street because it involves minor modification to the existing front driveway and follows the neighborhood pattern. It is typical in this neighborhood to park cars on the front driveway.", "The most atypical feature of the childcare facility in relation to the surrounding street is the front yard fence, which State law requires in order for the area to be utilized for outdoor play yard space. Due to the slope of the lot, the existing front yard is raised two feet above the sidewalk level, and is held back by a retaining wall. The five-foot fence that the Planning Commission approved by modification would require some excavation of the front yard so that the interior of the fence would be no less than four feet to comply with State law. The fence would run along 29 feet of the property line and would be set 18\u201d back from the existing front retaining wall. The setback space would be used to create a bench and landscaping that softens the effect that the fence will have on the street, which otherwise is mostly free of fences. As designed and conditioned, the fence maintains compatibility with the neighborhood to the greatest extent possible while meeting State requirements.", "Landscape Architect\u2019s rendering of proposed front fence and landscaping", "The fence/wall modification findings, as summarized at the beginning of this report, are made to assure that the increased height of the fence is compatible and necessary to mitigate impacts from adjacent land uses, and that it will not be detrimental to the property, neighboring properties and the overall integrity of the neighborhood. These findings can be made because the Specific Standards for Childcare and Early Education Facilities explicitly recognize the potential need for higher front yard fences to enclose play yards that are required to meet State standards for these uses, which justifies the need for the fence. The design as conditioned is sensitive to the surroundings and therefore the fence would not be detrimental to the surrounding uses and neighborhood.", "Condition #9 would require the Director to review the materials and style of the fence prior to issuance of building permits to ensure that it has the greatest possible transparency. The condition also requires removal of the fence should a residential use be reestablished in the future.", "Noise", "The proposed facility will provide full-time childcare (8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) for up to 20 children. Children dropped off earlier, between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., would be required to remain indoors (Condition #4) as would those children still present after sunset (Condition #6). Some children may stay for an extended day until 6:00 p.m. Simultaneous activities would take place both indoors and outdoors, such that at any given time, groups of children are distributed around the center, utilizing the classrooms, and play yards on both sides of the property. The application states that the planned operations and itinerary would be such that it would be a highly unusual occurrence to have all children outside at the same time.", "SMMC 4.12.025 (Noise Ordinance) provides the following general regulation:", "It shall be unlawful for any person to make, produce, maintain, cause or permit to be made any noises or sounds in such manner so as to unreasonably disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of persons of normal sensitivity within the area of audibility or which are so harsh or prolonged or unnatural or unusual in their use, time or place as to cause physical discomfort to any person of normal sensitivity within the area of audibility.", "The neighborhood is within Noise Zone 1, which restricts maximum daytime exterior noise standards (SMMC 4.12.060) to exceeding 60 dBA for a 15-minute continuous period and prohibits noises that exceed 65 dBA from continuing for more than 5 minutes. (For scale, 55 dBA measures a normal conversational level at close proximity and 60 dBA compares to being in the same room with a television on.)", "The sound of children playing in their yards is a typical occurrence in a residential neighborhood, and the sound of children playing in a childcare setting is a similar type of normal, usual noise. Although sounds of children playing at the childcare would be more consistent during the daytime than at a typical single-family home, the premises would be quiet at night and on the weekends. The noise potential from the normal patterns of children\u2019s play would not constitute the type of noise referred to above. Nevertheless, the conditions of approval specify compliance with the Noise Ordinance, and prohibit organized outdoor activities before 8:00 a.m. and after 6:00 p.m. or after sunset, whichever comes first, consistent with SMMC Section 9.31.120. Should noise reach a level that disturbs nearby neighbors, the on-site contact person (Condition #13) is required to be available to resolve conflicts during all hours of operation.", "General Plan Consistency", "LUCE goals and policy objectives seek to balance community priorities to achieve a vision of a sustainable city that promotes health and well-being for residents and non-residents who work, study or play in Santa Monica. In evaluating whether this project is consistent with the General Plan, it is necessary to look at policies for residential neighborhood preservation and for provision of an educational continuum that supports a healthy community, as both are LUCE goals. The CUP findings for General Plan consistency require considering how these goals, which address differing components of creating strong communities, are achieved.", "The subject property is located within the Single Family Residential land use designation of the LUCE. LUCE Goal N1 aims to \u201cprotect, preserve and enhance the residential neighborhoods.\u201d This goal\u2019s policies aim to respect and preserve existing housing stock (N1.1), connect residents with local services within walking distance (N1.2), create places that promote sociability and human interaction (N1.3), and other policies to protect and adapt neighborhoods over time.", "The LUCE emphasizes preservation of neighborhood character and scale, promoting the rehabilitation and long-term maintenance of existing structures and allowing only new development that is of a scale and character consistent with the existing neighborhood. The LUCE also strives to retain tree-lined streetscapes to conserve the character of the City\u2019s neighborhoods.", "This application demonstrates sensitivity to its location in a R1 single-unit residential zone through the preservation of the existing residential structure, design of the fence with transparency, the proposed limitation on the number of children, the drop-off and pick-up plan and the programming and design of indoor and outdoor play spaces for small groups of children to distribute activity and reduce noise levels.", "The LUCE description of Single-Family Residential Districts does not specify childcare facilities as a typical use, as childcare centers were not previously allowed as a free-standing use. However, Policy CE9.1 LUCE, page 3.5-17) provided a policy foundation for Council to evaluate whether to permit such uses in all City neighborhoods:", "CE9.1: Support the development of high quality child care and early education facilities and small and large family child care in homes to meet the needs of those who work or live in Santa Monica. Maintain streamlined processing and permit regulations, encourage harmonious integration with the neighborhood, and fee reductions as incentives.", "A finding of consistency with the General Plan is also supported by the project\u2019s consistency with LUCE and Child Care Master Plan goals to nurture the optimal growth, development and education of children and to support families. The Master Plan states that childcare and early education continue to be one of the most pressing concerns of contemporary family life and acknowledges the importance of quality, affordable and accessible child care and early education by committing to protect existing resources and expand their supply. LUCE Goal CE9 strives to integrate the childcare and early education needs of those who live or work in the community into the City\u2019s land use planning process. This goal is implemented through Policy CE9.1 (above). Providing a safe place for children to spend their days learning and growing in a stimulating environment during hours that support working parents, implements City policies that aim to provide nurturing facilities for every baby born in Santa Monica \u201cfrom cradle to career.\u201d", "The Planning Commission approval, as conditioned, is consistent with the LUCE objectives to encourage and prioritize childcare and to maintain the integrity of existing single-unit residential neighborhoods.", "Appeal Summary", "On September 20, 2017, Nada Shamonki, a Delaware Street resident who testified at the hearing and submitted written comments, filed an appeal of the Commission\u2019s decision. Ms. Shamonki\u2019s appeal notes that she represents \u201cResidents for the Preservation of Gandara Park Neighborhood.\u201d In an e-mail to staff, Ms. Shamonki described this group as \u201cformed by a group of neighbors in the Gandara Park Neighborhood to inform and advocate for issues related to our neighborhood. We have not filed any formal formation documents and have relied on neighbors signed up. We currently have over 100 members that all live within our neighborhood. Members have all signed on in support of our appeal.\u201d In the following language from the appeal statement (Attachment C), the appellant summarizes six primary reasons for requesting that the Council overturn the Commission\u2019s decision:", "\u201c1. Strong Opposition by Entire Neighborhood: The Proposed Preschool is opposed by almost every neighbor in the surrounding neighborhood, including all immediate neighbors. Gandara Park Neighborhood, although recently named, has a long history with some residents, especially those of Japanese-American descent that moved to the neighborhood, as it was one of the few places to allow Japanese-Americans to buy homes following their internment during World War II. Many of most impacted residents are Japanese-American internment camp survivors in their 80s and 90s.", "2. New Traffic: Traffic and parking in Gandara Park Neighborhood have already reached unmanageable levels, with local businesses using this stretch of Delaware for parking for their employees and Waze designating our streets as cut-throughs to avoid traffic on the 10 freeway, Olympic, Exposition and Centinela. Introducing at least 50 new car trips during peak hours on our small residential street will push it over the tipping point.", "3. Violates the LUCE: The Proposed Preschool violates the LUCE, because it eliminates existing housing stock and allows for the encroachment of commercial uses into quiet residential neighborhoods.", "4. Area is Already Over-Preschooled (sic): According to the 2014 RAND Study, Santa Monica has a \"surplus of preschool spaces for city residents.\" There are already 46 preschools within 2 miles of the Proposed Preschool, 20 preschools, and 15 existing daycares located within a mile or less from the site. A new preschool in a residential neighborhood that already has too many preschools does not make sense and is not good City planning.", "5. Does Not Meet Mandatory CUP Findings: Before a CUP is granted, the SMMC requires that nine mandatory findings MUST be met. These findings are not met, including findings that it would not have an immediate adverse impact on the quality of life of the neighborhood and the fact that the Applicant is asking for changes that are inconsistent with the character of the existing neighborhood.\u201d", "The Appeal statement supports these points with further explanation in the 20 pages that follow in the appeal statement. A sixth point introduced on page 8 states that:", "\u201c(C) The Planning Commission relied on inaccurate and unsubstantiated claims within the Report and did not perform its duty to properly investigate valid legal challenges and concerns raised by Gandara Park Neighborhood residents.\u201d", "(Note that (A) and (B) on Page 8 of the appeal statement further detail points #3 and #5 above). The appeal analysis below responds to these six points to address all topics raised in the appeal narrative.", "The Council\u2019s hearing on the appeal is de novo, and as such, the Council may consider all aspects of the proposed project in rendering its decision, including the points of appeal, additional evidence presented by the applicant, appellant, staff and the public, and the draft findings and conditions.", "Appeal Analysis", "The following states and responds to each of the six points summarized above.", "#1: Strong Opposition by Entire Neighborhood:", "The appellant states that she speaks for the entire neighborhood, which the appeal refers to as the Gandara Park Neighborhood. She references a number of elderly neighbors and states: \u201cAll of them strongly oppose the proposed preschool.\u201d She also references families in the neighborhood with small children that are opposed and states: \u201cAll of us - regardless of race, ethnicity or socio-economic background - strongly oppose the Proposed Preschool\u2026\u201d", "Response: The public hearing process is structured to allow an applicant to propose an allowed use on a property that requires a discretionary permit, subject to compliance with specified Code standards and findings. As a conditionally permitted use, findings for compatibility test whether the application meets the intent of the Code section that allows its use, is consistent with the general plan, and is compatible with the neighborhood. Decision-makers and the public receive all information in a transparent manner. In this case, variances and a fence modification were also requested, requiring consideration of additional findings. In addition to staff\u2019s analysis, the hearing process provides opportunities to consider all points brought up by the applicant and any member of the public with an interest in the outcome of the decision. Often, there are both opponents and supporters of a project, as there were in this case, and all are given an opportunity to be heard, whether in writing prior to the hearing, in person at the hearing, or both.", "In this case, the appellant\u2019s opposition to the proposal and the testimony of many in the neighborhood objecting to the preschool were articulated both in writing and in person at the hearing. The Planning Commission was aware of this opposition when it made its decision. Weighing public testimony against other considerations of the project\u2019s merits and compliance with the Code and General Plan, as well as justification of the variances and fence modification, the Commissioners used their discretion and voted to approve the use.", "As a de novo hearing, the Council, like the Planning Commission, will hear all input, and will consider the statements of opposition together with the merits, findings and recommended conditions for approval. The Council must weigh the considerations of the application to provide a preschool on the applicant\u2019s property against the appellant\u2019s evidence of strong neighborhood opposition to this new use. The Council is often required to make difficult land use decisions and weighs all evidence before doing so. In terms of legal responsibility, the appellant\u2019s statement that all neighbors oppose the application does not necessitate the reversal of the Planning Commission\u2019s approval of the project.", "#2: New Traffic:", "The appellant states: \u201cTraffic and parking in Gandara Park Neighborhood have already reached unmanageable levels, with local businesses using this stretch of Delaware for parking for their employees and Waze designating our streets as cut-throughs to avoid traffic on the 10 freeway, Olympic, Exposition and Centinela. Introducing at least 50 new car trips during peak hours on our small residential street will push it over the tipping point.\u201d", "Response: A discussion of existing and anticipated traffic issues brought up by the appellants is provided below in response to #6. The 50 new car trips referenced is over the full day, not during each peak period, as the proposed childcare facility is estimated to introduce a maximum of 26 trips in the a.m. period and 26 in the p.m. period. These trips would be staggered, with employees arriving at different times based on schedule and children arriving in a controlled pattern based on assigned loading place and time. Unfortunately, the City does not have recent data on this street to compare this number to the current daily trip count.", "Staff does not have any evidence to confirm the claim that Delaware Avenue is used for parking by nearby businesses. However, the street does have preferential parking restrictions, and is limited to two-hour parking during the day. Staff\u2019s observations of the street during the daytime have indicated a great deal of available street parking.", "#3: Violates the LUCE:", "The appellant states: \u201cThe Proposed Preschool violates the LUCE, because it eliminates existing housing stock and allows for the encroachment of commercial uses into quiet residential neighborhoods.\u201d", "Response: The proposed preschool will utilize the existing house and adapt the interior for compliance with State requirements for early education facilities. As such, it does not eliminate existing housing stock, although it does change the use. While a preschool is a business, it is qualitatively different from typical commercial businesses. The Zoning Code includes Child Care and Early Education Facilities within the \u201cPublic and Semi-Public\u201d use classification, implying that its character is similar to a public use, such as a school. Preschools are conditionally permitted in the R1 zoning district while other commercial uses are not permitted. As such, approval of a preschool is not a harbinger of commercial encroachment. Furthermore, preschools have enrollment processes and admit a specific group of children who come regularly to the location. The use does not invite walk-in traffic or transient customers into the neighborhood.", "LUCE policies for the Pico Neighborhood focus on neighborhood character through maintenance of existing structures and adoption of development standards. (Policy N11.5, p. 2.2-27). This is consistent with the citywide land use policy (LU1.4, p. 2.1-11) of \u201cRetention of Existing Structures\u201d to conserve neighborhood character. The proposed project maintains the existing structure, which is currently vacant and in need of maintenance to become habitable again. By conserving the existing home, and using it to provide a community service for the Pico Neighborhood, the proposed project is consistent with the LUCE approach to neighborhood conservation. Support for the finding of General Plan consistency for this project is also discussed earlier in this report.", "#4: Area is Already Over-Preschooled", "The appeal cites a 2014 RAND Study that stated that Santa Monica has a surplus of preschool spaces for City residents. \u201cThere are already 46 preschools within 2 miles of the proposed preschool and 20 preschools and 15 existing daycares located within a mile or less from the site. A new preschool in a residential neighborhood that already has too many preschools does not make sense and is not good City planning\u201d (p. 2).", "Response: The RAND Study sought \u201cto provide the City and SMMUSD with the data and analysis required to deliver effective and sustainable early and school-age care programs\u2026\u201d (Rand Report, page 3, included in Attachment C) The report was based on 2011 data, and cited a population of approximately 3,600 children under the age of five. The most current available data on the US Census site (www.census.gov/quickfacts <http://www.census.gov/quickfacts>) for July 2016 estimates that this number has grown somewhat since this time to 4.1% of the population of 92,478, or 3,800 children under five years old.", "In noting a \u201csurplus of preschool places for city residents,\u201d the RAND study did not infer that there were too many preschools in Santa Monica, but rather that at that particular point in time, the available preschool age childcare facilities met resident needs and still had some room for nonresidents seeking childcare near their jobs in Santa Monica. The context of the statement in the RAND study was to note that high quality childcare is an important economic development tool in terms of attracting a skilled workforce. The report also contrasted the availability of preschool places with the City\u2019s lack of toddler places for ages 0-2 and suggested ways to improve access and participation as well as support development of high quality facilities.", "The significance of the two-mile radius noted in the appeal statement is unclear, as that distance encompasses most of Santa Monica and extends into the City of Los Angeles. According to State Community Care Licensing database (as of 10/12/17), there are 54 preschool centers (ages 2-5), 12 infant/toddler centers (0-2 years), 19 large family day care homes, and 11 small family day care homes in Santa Monica. Of the preschool centers, 18 are located in 90404. The two closest centers to the proposed preschool are located just south of the 10 Freeway on Virginia Avenue and Pico Boulevard.", "It is generally difficult to provide accurate estimates for total childcare need as there is no central mechanism that gathers this data for the entire community. Connections for Children (CFC), a regional child care resource and referral agency that is funded through the City\u2019s Human Services Grants Program to improve access to quality early care, keeps an eligibility waiting list of lower income families looking for subsidized childcare. This list changes constantly, even daily, reflecting family circumstances for parents and many other factors. Working families eligible for subsidy often have a hard time locating providers that will accept this subsidy and offer full-time care. Of those waiting to place children ages 0-5, generally about 60% reside in the 90404 zip code, according to CFC. The City\u2019s Human Services Division, which administers City programs in support of childcare and staffs the Childcare Task Force agrees that there is a clear need for more childcare centers, such as the proposed facility, that offer full-time slots and accept subsidies.", "Notwithstanding the above discussion of childcare supply and demand, establishing that a childcare facility is \u201cneeded\u201d in the City is not a criterion for its approval. While the City adopts general plan goals and zoning regulations, individual property owners, businesses and developers initiate projects and implement development on their properties within the framework of the regulations. In doing so, applicants indicate their assessment that there is demand for the service they propose to provide. The Zoning Code may incorporate incentives for desired uses and it may prohibit or limit less desired uses. The zoning process assumes that the market will generally balance supply and demand. If an application complies with Code requirements and the findings can be made in a positive manner, the demand or need for the use is not a review criterion unless the Code contains a quota for a particular use. There is no such limitation on childcare facilities.", "#5: Does Not Meet Mandatory CUP Findings:", "The appeal statement states that findings were not made to support the issuance of a CUP, and in one place, on page 19, states that findings were not provided to support the Variances. The appeal finds fault with the report, which focused on key variance findings and summarized CUP findings and did not further elaborate on other required findings. The statement claims that the Commission \u201cdid not perform its duty to properly investigate the valid ethical, moral and legal objections raised by Gandara Park Neighborhood residents to the Preschool.\u201d", "Response: The staff report narrative summarized the approach to analyzing the request in terms of the mandatory findings of fact and highlighted key issues for Commissioners to consider, including neighborhood compatibility. The narrative discussed issues of compatibility such as noise, trips and parking, the proposed fence, and site design matters. The staff report also included attachments with more detailed information and application materials, which are also considered an integral part of the staff report. Attachment B to the staff report, the draft Statement of Official Action (referred to as the STOA), contained language for making all findings for the CUP, variances, and modification in a positive manner for the Commission\u2019s consideration. By adopting those findings with small adjustments that were read into the record, the Commission performed its legal duty to make all findings required in the Zoning Code. The final signed STOA, reflecting the decisions made on September 6, 2017, was approved at a subsequent meeting on October 4, 2017 and accepted by the applicant (Attachment F).", "The appeal statement does not specify which findings the appellant believes were not made, but the narrative indicates particular disagreement with findings of neighborhood compatibility (CUP finding #5 and Variance finding #5). The appellant indicates that a childcare use located in one of the single-family homes on the street is fundamentally incompatible with the residential uses that occupy all other properties. The appellant states that \u201cthis tiny neighborhood cannot stand to lose its right to retain its strictly R1 zoning\u201d (Appeal, p. 6), and that \u201cthe Proposed Preschool cannot be designed, located and operated in a manner that will not interfere with the use and enjoyment of the surrounding properties as required by applicable law (p. 13). These statements, and other statements opposing the project made during the Planning Commission review process, appear to indicate the appellant\u2019s contention that any childcare facility in one of the homes on this street or within the neighborhood would be incompatible and would impair the integrity and character of the district.", "While the appellant asserts that a childcare facility is fundamentally incompatible in a R1 residential district, the Council has determined that childcare and early educational uses can be compatible in a R1 District when it revised the Zoning Ordinance in 2015 to allow the use through the CUP process, and established specific use standards. Once established as a conditionally permitted land use, the finding is properly made by examining the individual request and characteristics of the proposed site development and operations to ensure that it meets the standards and intent of the Code. In this particular case, the Planning Commission considered the proposed operation serving 20 children in the existing structure, with a drop-off/pick-up plan and restrictions on hours and outdoor play in the early morning along with other specific conditions of approval and found that, as conditioned, the proposed project meets all the findings of compatibility for the CUP, variance and modification.", "#6: The Planning Commission relied on inaccurate and unsubstantiated claims within the Report and did not perform its duty to properly investigate valid legal challenges and concerns raised by Gandara Park Neighborhood residents.", "The appellant claims that the report was deficient in the following way (p. 18 of appeal statement):", "\u00a7 The Report mischaracterizes the neighbors' knowledge of the Proposed Preschool before the August 20 informational meeting hosted by the Applicant. The Report also omits or minimizes the negative reactions of residents to the Proposed Preschool.", "o Response: The report provided information about neighborhood outreach efforts that the applicant documented in the application and about the neighborhood meeting at which staff was present.", "In terms of notification of this request prior to the August 20th meeting, staff can confirm that the application, submitted on May 18, 2017, included proof of the required site notice posted on the property, and staff received some phone calls around the time that it was posted. The hearing date was added on June 27, 2017. Although callers expressed concern and had questions, and concerns expressed at the August 20th meeting were noted in the staff report along with one letter of opposition that had been received, the level of vocal neighborhood concern increased significantly after the report was released and at the hearing. There was no intent to mischaracterize opposition to the proposal.", "\u00a7 The Report fails to provide any credible evidence for its purported justification for the school.", "o Response: Although the appellant clearly disagrees with the analysis in the staff report, the report does cover all relevant topics associated with analysis of potential impacts that may be attributable to the use. The report and findings, taken together, provided sufficient justification to support the Commission\u2019s conclusion that the application may be approved.", "\u00a7 The Report makes conclusory statements minimizing the impact of the Proposed Preschool on the traffic and safety of the neighborhood\u2026 Despite the obvious disruption that this business will bring to the neighborhood, the Report casually dismisses those disruptions and concludes - without any evidentiary support and often by relying on the \u201cevidence\u201d provided by the Applicant - that the disruptions will be minimal to neighborhood or solved by the \u201csolutions\u201d suggested in the Report\u2026", "o Response: Staff analysis focused on this project\u2019s potential trip generation and its effects on the neighborhood and does not either minimize or inflate the expected trips to the street from up to 20 children being dropped off and picked up five days a week, and up to six staff arriving as scheduled. The project provides the Code-required number of parking and loading (or short-term) spaces, and the conditions of approval require transit subsidies and encouragement of non-driving alternatives. Because the use is not residential, childcare staff will not be eligible for permit parking placards, so staff will not be able to use street parking for more than two hours. Street parking by parents will be for short periods that will not impact the parking supply for the neighborhood because in the mornings the neighborhood residents will be parked first and in the evenings, if loading spaces are taken, parents will use street parking for short stays only. After 6:00pm and on weekends, there will be no change from the present conditions on the street.", "To address neighborhood concerns and distribute these trips, a drop-off and pick-up plan is required as a condition of approval. With optimal utilization of front and rear loading spaces, considering the facility\u2019s maximum enrollment of 20 children, adhering to this plan can ensure that trips to the childcare avoid overwhelming the street and alley. Parents will have specific assignments and will sign binding agreements as a condition for sending the children to Untitled #1.", "\u00a7 The Report completely ignores the already impacted condition of the neighborhood \u2026 and (fails) to even mention the Traffic Plan implemented in the past by the City to keep traffic out of our R1 neighborhood.", "o Response: Staff analysis does not minimize or ignore resident concerns regarding cut-through traffic in the neighborhood. The Traffic Engineering Division has not yet studied these impacts and thus no data exists to substantiate the claims of cars using the street in the mornings and evenings that did not exist prior to the Expo Line.", "The appeal cites large projects in the pipeline in the area north of Exposition Boulevard (the Bergamot Area Plan area) as another justification to deny the preschool and states that the approval did not consider these projects. Staff disagrees that current traffic and anticipated traffic that may be generated by new commercial projects north of this neighborhood are factors for consideration in this application, which is a small-scale reuse of an existing building that is categorically exempt from CEQA and thus does not require a traffic study.", "The City\u2019s Traffic Engineering Division has confirmed that it does not have a \u201cTraffic Plan\u201d for this neighborhood. Traffic-calming measures referenced by the appellant were implemented as part of the 2004 Lantana Development Agreements, including bulb-outs and turning restriction signs that were installed in 2008. However, the Expo Line extension project did not introduce new traffic measures. At this time, further study or development of a Traffic Plan in this neighborhood is not in the division\u2019s approved budget and work plan.", "\u00a7 The Report concludes, without any evidentiary support, that the significant increase in noise from this business will not impact the neighborhood. However, a large percentage of the residents on Delaware are elderly retirees who will be home during day when this business is operating. All our elders oppose the Proposed Preschool. Our elders crave and cherish what calmness and tranquility remains in our neighborhood after years of watching new developments spring up around their home.", "o Response: The appellant does not substantiate claims that elderly residents will suffer from the sounds of children playing. The Commission staff report did state that the sound of children playing is not incompatible in a residential area, and staff reaffirms this analysis because residential neighborhoods are places for children to live, gather and play. At the Planning Commission hearing, there were seniors who voiced concern about the potential noise from children\u2019s play, and the approval is conditioned to require compliance with the Noise Ordinance, and more importantly, for the applicant to maintain a Good Neighbor policy with a contact person to address any nuisance of which they are made aware.", "Many of these same concerns were included in a 21-page letter emailed on the evening of September 5, 2017, to the Planning Commissioners and staff. Although the timing precluded inclusion of the letter\u2019s points in the Planning Commission staff report, which had already been released, Commissioners received the information and thus were able to review that information as part of their deliberations. If the Commissioners had determined that the information presented in the letter warranted additional investigation, the hearing could have been continued with direction to staff. The Commission chose not to take up appellant\u2019s suggestion to conduct further study and declined to delay their action.", "In conclusion, the Planning Commission and the public received full information about the application, the Zoning Code and General Plan, the conditions proposed to ensure compatibility between the use and surrounding neighborhood and the public hearing. Neighborhood opposition and community support were expressed using the transparent public hearing structure and a decision was made. The appellant, representing a large group in the neighborhood, has expressed ongoing opposition to allowing this type of use in an R1 neighborhood, and the above discussion has responded to the specific points, concluding with staff\u2019s recommendation to approve the application, upholding the Commission\u2019s decision.", "Community Outreach and Comments", "In the application materials, the applicant provided documentation of her communications with neighbors about proposing a new childcare center prior to purchasing the property and submitting the application (see Attachment D).", "Soon after the site was posted for the Planning Commission hearing, staff received three phone calls from neighbors expressing concerns that the proposed center would lead to loss of residential stock in this relatively small neighborhood and increase car trips on Delaware Avenue. These neighbors noted that since the establishment of the Expo Line and delays on Stewart Street when the gates close to allow trains to pass, Delaware Avenue has experienced increased cut-through traffic at certain times of day. Callers expressed concern that the facility would add trips to the street\u2019s current traffic flow at times that they stated are already becoming problematic.", "On the afternoon of August 20, 2017, the applicant, Laila Taslimi, held a neighborhood meeting at the subject site attended by 29 neighbors, as well as her design team and the co-chair of the Childcare Task Force. City staff was also present and answered technical questions about the application and hearing process. At the meeting, Ms. Taslimi and her team provided details of the site, building and operational plans and then opened the meeting to questions and comments. Ms. Taslimi explained her plan to open the center as a registered non-profit organization next year with 12 children of mixed economic backgrounds, expanding gradually to reach the maximum of 20 children.", "Meeting participants, some of whom had previously spoken with staff as discussed above, brought up several concerns about the proposed childcare facility. Some stated that they oppose the use entirely and are concerned that it would set a precedent for the replacement of single-family homes with business uses. They were concerned about neighborhood traffic and additional use of the street in the mornings and evenings. Some cited recent increasing crime, and stated that bringing the families of children served by the use would introduce more people to become familiar with the neighborhood, which may lead to more crime on their quiet street. Furthermore, they expressed that they were not favorable toward the applicant\u2019s plans to take small groups of children to Ishihara Park, which they viewed as belonging to the nearby residents. The applicant and others present noted that Ishihara Park is a public park and not highly utilized on weekdays.", "Other neighborhood participants at the meeting expressed support for having this childcare in the neighborhood to meet the needs of working parents and create a sense of community through the concept of a preschool based on economic integration and pluralistic education.", "To reduce the impact on morning and evening traffic volumes, the applicant suggested at the meeting that it would be reasonable and feasible to assign parents to specific drop-off/pick-up locations, balancing use of the front and back parking spaces. She stated that employees would park in the three on-site spaces and that she planned to provide transit passes to those who would commute by transit rather than drive. Condition #10 includes distribution of child drop-off and pick-up, and Condition #15 requires the applicant to offer rideshare incentives to employees.", "Environmental Analysis", "The proposed change of use from a single-family home to a childcare facility is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guideline Section 15303(a). This Class 3 exemption applies to the construction of small structures including single-family homes or to the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure.", "The property is not listed on the City\u2019s Historic Resources Inventory.", "Alternative Actions", "As an alternative to the staff recommendation, the Council may choose to grant the appeal based on revised findings and deny the CUP (17ENT-0075), Variance (17ENT-0147) and Fence Modification (17ENT-0148).", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the recommended action."]}], [{"Title": "Introduction for First Reading of an Interim Ordinance Establishing Interim Development Standards in the R1 Zoning District Pending Adoption of Permanent Revisions to the R1 Development Standards", "Department": "City Planning (PCD)", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "07. Ordinances", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council introduce for first reading an interim ordinance establishing interim development standards in the R1 zoning district.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "A core principle of the City\u2019s adopted Land Use and Circulation Element, as stated in LUCE Goal LU1, is that the diversity and uniqueness of the City\u2019s residential neighborhoods are protected by a policy framework under which the existing housing stock and character is respected, conserved, and enhanced. The LUCE identifies retention of the existing single-unit housing stock and design standards that allow for compatible development as important tools that promote the long-term stability of existing R1 neighborhoods. As stated in Policy LU1.1, the protection of neighborhoods is part of a balanced land use strategy that redirects investment pressure away from existing neighborhoods by providing opportunities for housing production and local-serving uses on commercial boulevards and transit-adjacent areas. Policies LU1.2 and N4.1 also call for establishing conservation strategies that manage and control the scale, type, rate, and compatibility of change occurring in existing neighborhoods. Reducing the development potential, as proposed by this interim ordinance, may discourage land speculation.", "Drawing from the policy framework set forth in the LUCE, a key purpose of the R1 zoning district is to ensure that the scale and design of new development and alterations to existing structures are consistent with the scale, mass, and character of the existing residential neighborhood. Recent trends in permit activity in R1 neighborhoods show that new home construction is often double or triple the size of existing homes, resulting in substantial changes in the existing character of R1 neighborhoods.", "As part of Council\u2019s discussion on City Planning Division priorities, on January 9, 2018, City Council directed staff to bring back interim zoning standards in the R1 zoning district that would temporarily reduce the size and scale of new single unit dwelling construction in order to ensure the character of existing R1 neighborhoods is preserved. Council specifically directed staff to consider reducing maximum parcel coverage by 20%, limiting maximum building height to 25 feet, and excluding accessory dwelling units from parcel coverage calculations. Staff has considered the Council direction, the public input received, and completed their own analysis. In keeping with the Council\u2019s interest to reduce the size of new single unit dwellings and for consistency in implementation of the interim standards, staff has added associated changes to upper level stepback requirements.", "Background", "As part of Council\u2019s discussion on City Planning Division priorities, Council determined that a revision to the R1 standards was of high importance. Council directed staff to prepare an interim ordinance that would temporarily reduce the size and scale of new homes pending a public process to study revisions to the R1 zone development standards.", "In addition to the input at the January 9, 2018 City Council meeting, staff has received numerous inquiries from concerned community members regarding the size of new home construction and the redevelopment of older housing stock. There is overall concern that the sizes of new single-unit dwellings are changing the character of existing R1 neighborhoods. On October 5, 2016, in response to public correspondence and testimony, the Planning Commission held a discussion about the rapid change occurring in the R1 zoning district citywide. At the time, the Commission had previously reviewed Variances for homes 9,000-11,000 square feet in size. On December 1, 2016, the Planning Commission submitted a letter to the City Council requesting that Council direct staff to prepare a comprehensive review of citywide R1 zoning standards. A comprehensive review of R1 development standards has not occurred since selected amendments were made approximately 20 years ago.", "In a review of permit data from the last five years, staff has found that the number of  permits issued for new home construction has remained relatively consistent. The average floor area of new homes has been approximately 5,000 square feet. The average parcel coverage has been approximately 55%. In a comparison of new home size compared to existing homes over the past three years, staff found that new homes have been approximately two to three times larger than existing homes (while 2013-2014 data is available for average existing home size, due to time limitations in preparing this staff report, staff was only able to compile 2015-2017 data). In looking at demolition data over the past three years, the City has received approximately 70 applications per year. The number of demolition permits issued regardless of when the applications were submitted has remained relatively consistent at approximately 40 per year. As of the writing of this staff report, there are currently 33 pending demolition permit applications. Table 1 summarizes permit activity for new single-unit dwellings.", "Table 1: Summary of Permit Activity for Single Unit Dwellings in R1 Zone 2013-2017", "No. of Building Permits Issued", "Average New SUD Size", "Average New Parcel Coverage", "No. of Demo Permits Issued", "Average Existing SUD Size", "2013", "34", "5,480 SF", "52%", "36", "-", "2014", "51", "5,386 SF", "54%", "35", "-", "2015", "34", "4,735 SF", "55%", "36", "1,588 SF", "2016", "30", "4,828 SF", "59%", "41", "2,140 SF", "2017", "38", "4,809 SF", "55%", "36", "1,835 SF", "As put forth in SMMC Section 9.07.010, the relevant key purposes of the R1 zoning district are to:", "\u201cB. Preserve and protect the existing character and state of the City\u2019s different residential neighborhoods and the quality of life of City residents against potential deleterious impacts related to development\u2014traffic, noise, air quality, and the encroachment of commercial activities.", "C. Ensure adequate light, air, privacy, and open space for each dwelling.", "E. Ensure that the scale and design of new development and alterations to existing structures are consistent with the scale, mass, and character of the existing residential neighborhood.", "G. Promote the rehabilitation and long-term maintenance of existing structures.\u201d", "The number of demolition permits has kept pace with building permits issued for new home construction. Based on research of redevelopment that has occurred in R1 neighborhoods over the past five years, the average size of new homes is at least double the size of the demolished homes that they replaced. In these instances, the parcel coverage, mass, and scale of the new home were increased compared to the prior home. As shown in Figure 1, mapping the locations of building permits issued for redevelopment in R1 neighborhoods demonstrates that there are areas where entire blocks of neighborhoods are undergoing irreversible change in character due to the size and scale of new homes. If prior trends continue, the existing character of existing R1 neighborhoods would be permanently changed, inconsistent with the stated purpose of the R1 zoning district.", "Figure 1: Building and demolition permits issued in R1 neighborhoods 2013-2017", "Discussion", "The proposed interim zoning ordinance includes changes to development standards that are intended to reduce the overall building envelope including parcel coverage, building height, and upper story stepbacks. In order to ensure that accessory dwellings units are not inadvertently affected by the parcel coverage limitations, detached accessory dwelling units would be excluded from parcel coverage.", "Parcel Coverage", "Maximum parcel coverage is a ratio of building footprint to parcel size. The interim ordinance proposed that parcel coverage be reduced by 20% from existing standards. In the North of Montana and Sunset Park R1 neighborhoods, maximum cumulative parcel coverage is currently 61%, which is allocated to a maximum of 35% on the first floor and 26% on the second floor. Second floor parcel coverage may be increased to 30% with a corresponding decrease in first floor parcel coverage. As a general standard that is applicable citywide unless specified in particular geographic areas, maximum parcel coverage is currently 50%. In the Expo/Pico R1 neighborhood, maximum parcel coverage is currently 40%, except that parcels between 3,001 and 5,000 square feet in area may have a parcel coverage of no more than 50 percent, and parcels of 3,000 square feet or smaller may have a parcel coverage of no more than 60 percent.", "The proposed interim ordinance would reduce overall maximum parcel coverage and maximum first and second floor parcel coverage by 20%, consistent with Council\u2019s direction. Table 2 outlines the existing parcel coverage and the proposed parcel coverage with the 20% reduction applied.", "Table 2: Comparison of Existing and Proposed Parcel Coverage", "General Standard (citywide)", "North of Montana", "Sunset Park/", "North of Wilshire", "Expo/Pico", "Existing", "Proposed", "Existing", "Proposed", "Existing", "Proposed", "Existing", "Proposed", "One-story structure not exceeding 18 feet in height", "50%", "40%", "50%", "40%", "50%", "40%", "--", "--", "Maximum Cumulative Parcel Coverage", "--", "--", "61%", "48%", "61%", "48%", "40%", "3,001-5,000 sf parcel \u2013 50%", "3,000 sf or smaller \u2013 60%", "32%", "3,001-5,000 sf parcel \u2013 40%", "3,000 sf or smaller \u2013 48%", "Ground Floor", "--", "--", "35%", "28%", "35%", "28%", "--", "--", "2nd Floor", "--", "--", "26%", "20%", "26%", "20%", "--", "--", "Maximum 2nd Floor Increase (Resulting Ground Floor Max)", "--", "--", "30% (31%)", "24% (24%)", "30% (31%)", "24% (24%)", "--", "--", "Maximum Ground Floor Increase (Resulting 2nd Floor Max)", "--", "--", "40% (21%)", "32% (16%)", "40% (21%)", "32% (16%)", "--", "--", "Maximum Building Height", "Maximum building height is generally 28 feet citywide. An exception is in the North of Montana neighborhood where maximum building height is currently 32 feet.", "The proposed interim ordinance would reduce maximum building height in all R1 zoning districts to 25 feet. This revised building height would still permit two-story homes but would reduce the scale and mass of new buildings, particularly from neighboring properties.", "Additional Minimum Stepbacks for Upper Stories", "This development standard is intended to require modulation on the front, rear, and sides of upper portions of new buildings. An upper story stepback is currently required above 14 feet in height on all sides.", "In order to make this requirement consistent with the reduced building height in the interim ordinance and relevant to the upper portions of new buildings, the upper story stepback would apply starting at the second story, instead of commencing at an arbitrary 14-foot height. This change is necessary to be consistent with the reduced maximum building height, should the second story start at less or greater than 14 feet.", "Detached Accessory Dwelling Units Parcel Coverage Exemption", "Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are encouraged by State law. In order to ensure that ADUs continue to be encouraged, Council directed that ADUs be exempted from parcel coverage calculations. ADUs may either be attached (i.e. included within the envelope of the primary dwelling) or detached (i.e. separated from the primary dwelling). In reviewing this direction more carefully, staff found that it would be prudent to limit the parcel coverage exemption to only detached ADUs or portions of detached accessory buildings that contained ADUs. If attached ADUs were exempted from parcel coverage calculations, it could subvert the intent of the interim ordinance to reduce the sizes of primary residences.", "Applicability of Interim Ordinance", "An interim ordinance is effective 30 days after second reading of the ordinance. However, the applicability of the ordinance is a Council policy decision. Since Council\u2019s direction to staff to prepare an interim ordinance on January 9, staff has received numerous public inquiries regarding the applicability of the interim ordinance. The greatest concern has been expressed by property owners who have been working on plans for some time and are preparing to submit plan check applications but would be significantly impacted with re-design if the interim ordinance were applied retroactively. Staff is unable to speculate as to how many homeowners are in the situation of having invested significant time and expense in preparing plans based on existing standards. However, at present there are currently 23 pending plan checks for new single unit dwellings in the R1 zone. All projects that have obtained a building permit, are currently under construction, or are in plan check would not be subject to this interim ordinance. Council could consider the following options for applicability of the interim ordinance:", "\u00b7 Option A (Staff\u2019s Recommendation) \u2013 \u201cReachback\u201d: The interim ordinance would apply to all development projects located in a R1 zoning district that have not submitted complete plan check applications as of January 23, 2018, as that will be the first date that Council holds a public hearing on the interim ordinance.", "\u00b7 Option B \u2013 \u201cRegular Applicability\u201d: The interim ordinance would apply to all development projects located in a R1 zoning district that have not submitted complete plan check applications as of 30 days from second reading of the ordinance. The concern of delaying the applicability date of the interim ordinance is that there would likely be a rush to file plan check applications before the interim standards could take effect. This could have the effect of undermining the opportunity to study revised standards in the R1 zone.", "Comprehensive Update to the R1 Development Standards", "The proposed interim ordinance would represent a temporary measure to reduce the maximum allowable size of new single-unit dwellings in the R1 zoning districts. A more comprehensive update to the R1 Development Standards, which was identified as a high City Planning priority by Council on January 9, 2018, will require a significant public engagement process regarding the appropriate character and scale of new construction and additions in R1 neighborhoods which could begin in the second half of FY2018-19.", "Environmental Analysis", "The proposed interim ordinance is categorically exempt from the provisions of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to 15061(b)(3) of the State Implementation Guidelines (common sense exemption). Based on the evidence in the record, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the proposed interim ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment. The recommended interim ordinance represents a temporary change to regulatory standards and would not allow more mass or floor area within the Zoning Ordinance than existing regulations. Therefore, no further environmental review under CEQA is required.", "Financial Impacts & Budget Actions", "There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the recommended action. The proposed interim ordinance has the potential to impact property tax revenue, however staff is unable to predict the exact impact at this time."]}]], "1515547800": [[{"Title": "Proclamation: 2018 Homeless Count Week", "Department": "2: Special Agenda Items", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "02. Special Agenda Items"}, {"Title": "Recognition of Santa Monica Fire Fighters' Fortitude, Dedication, and Valor in Fighting the Skirball, Creek, and Thomas Fires", "Department": "City Manager's Office, Administration", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "02. Special Agenda Items"}], [{"Title": "Authorization for final payment to the City of Los Angeles for the Cost-sharing Monitoring Plan Memorandum of Agreement for the Santa Monica Bay Beaches Bacterial Total Maximum Daily Load", "Department": "Public Works, Office of Sustainability & Environment", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council:1. Authorize the City Manager to approve the cost-share payment in the amount of $75,485.30, including $66,888.62 for Fiscal Year 2016-17 and exceedances of $8,596.68 for Fiscal Year 2015-16, to the City of Los Angeles to comply with the cost-share monitoring plan with the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board\u2019s Bacterial Total Maximum Daily Load requirements for the Santa Monica Bay Beaches.2. Authorize budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impacts and Budget Actions section of this report.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "As a municipal agency within the boundaries of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit system of Los Angeles County, the City of Santa Monica is part of a regional partnership of cities responsible for improving water quality for Santa Monica Bay. As a partner, the City is obligated to comply with requirements of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) to reduce pollution from urban runoff into the Bay. A TMDL requires a monitoring plan to collect data on water quality prior to and after a TMDL is implemented to demonstrate compliance with water quality objectives. As a member of the jurisdiction that drains into the Bay watershed, the City is responsible to share the costs of implementing a water quality monitoring plan for the Santa Monica Bay Beaches Bacterial TMDL that has been established for this watershed. Thus, the City has had a three-year renewable Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the City of Los Angeles since 2003 to share these costs.", "The most recent Santa Monica Bay Beaches Bacterial TMDL cost-sharing MOA 2013-17 expired on June 30, 2017. Unlike past three-year MOAs, the 2013 MOA was a four-year term. However, when Council approved the 2013 MOA, funds were encumbered to cover the costs for the first three years, but not the fourth year. Therefore, staff is asking Council to approve the recommended action to increase the budget, and allow the City to pay the charges incurred during the fourth year (FY 16-17) of the MOA. The one-year FY 16-17 cost, to be paid during FY 17-18 from the Clean Beaches and Ocean Parcel Tax Fund, is not to exceed $75,485.30.", "Background", "The Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) requires the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region (Board), to develop water quality standards that identify beneficial uses, and criteria to protect beneficial uses, for each water body found within its region. Beneficial uses include swimming, fishing, drinking water, navigability, and wildlife habitats and reproduction. Section 303(d) of the CWA requires states to prepare a list of water bodies that do not meet water quality standards and establish for each of these water bodies pollutant load allocations known as total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), which will ensure attainment of water quality standards. A TMDL represents an amount of pollution that can be released by anthropogenic and natural sources of a watershed into a specific water body without causing a decline in water quality and beneficial uses.", "The Santa Monica Bay watershed is listed on California\u2019s 2006 Section 303(d) list due to impairments by bacteria, and its beaches are subject to postings and closures due to elevated concentrations of this pollutant. The Board adopted bacterial TMDLs for wet and dry weather runoff into the Bay in 2003. These TMDLs regulate the amount of bacteria found in discharges of runoff from the cities within the Bay watershed.", "In accordance with the Bacterial TMDLs, the City of Los Angeles submitted a Coordinated Monitoring Plan (CMP) for compliance with the TMDLs on behalf of the agencies within the Bay watershed. The City of Los Angeles currently performs all required monitoring and reporting to the Board, and annually invoices the City of Santa Monica for its share of monitoring costs.", "The City Council approved the initial Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for cost-sharing bacterial monitoring on July 8, 2003 (Attachment A). The last MOA renewal was approved by Council on August 13, 2013, and included a three-year term and a provision allowing for a fourth year (Attachment B). However, when Council approved that agreement, funds were budgeted to cover the costs for the first three years, but not for the fourth year. Staff inadvertently failed to allocate the fourth year funds during the 2013 staff report process.", "Discussion", "On November 28, 2012, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region approved a new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit with additional monitoring requirements beyond the previous permit. Though a new cost-sharing MOA was approved by City Council on August 13, 2013, the City only budgeted for the three-year term of the MOA. Article V, Section 4 states, \u201cThis MOA shall continue on a month to month basis after expiration date as stated in Article V, Section 1 . . . not to exceed 12 months.\u201d The City of Los Angeles sent the City an invoice for $75,485.30 for the month-to-month term covering FY 2016-17, which includes $8,596.68 for exceedance monitoring in FY15-16. Staff is requesting to appropriate the necessary funds to pay this invoice. A new cost-sharing MOA was approved by the Santa Monica City Council July 11, 2017, for FY 17-18 and beyond; this MOA is going through the signature phase, at this time (1/2/2018) with the City of Los Angeles, before it can be executed (Attachment C).", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "Santa Monica\u2019s share of the monitoring costs for the fourth year of the Memorandum of Agreement is not to exceed $75,485.30, which includes additional costs for exceedance monitoring. Payment of the invoice requires a FY 2017-18 appropriation of $75,486 to the Clean Beaches and Ocean Parcel Tax Fund (account 06402.555170)."]}, {"Title": "Adoption of Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to execute Memorandum of Understanding with The International Association of Sheet, Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers - Transportation Division, Local 1785", "Department": "Human Resources Department", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council:1.  Adopt the attached Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Santa Monica and the International Association of Sheet, Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers \u2013 Transportation Division, Local 1785 (SMART-TD).2. Approve the attached revised salary schedule effective as a result of the agreement reached for the classifications represented by SMART-TD.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "The agreement with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers \u2013 Transportation Division, Local 1785 (SMART-TD) expired on June 30, 2017. SMART-TD includes the Motor Coach Operator and Motor Coach Operator Trainee classifications. The City currently has 351 employees who are members of SMART-TD. With the direction from City Council to continue Santa Monica\u2019s commitment to competitive compensation for the City\u2019s workforce while keeping costs within the City\u2019s Five Year financial forecast, the City and SMART-TD, have met and conferred in accordance with the Meyers-Millias Brown Act (MMBA). The terms of the tentative agreement are summarized below.", "Background", "The Meyers-Millias Brown Act requires that local public agencies negotiate with their respective bargaining units regarding wages, hours and working conditions. Agreements with ten of the City\u2019s eleven bargaining units expired at the end of June 2017 and, under direction from the City Council, staff negotiated for new terms.", "On June 27, 2017, Council approved agreements with the Executive Pay Plan (EPP) and set the terms and conditions for medical insurance for most City employees (Attachment A). On July 11, 2017 Council approved the terms for the agreements with the Police Officer\u2019s Association (POA) (Attachment B). On August 8, 2017 Council approved agreements with Administrative Team Associates (ATA), Municipal Employees Association (MEA), the Public Attorneys Union (PAU), the Santa Monica Firefighters Local 1109 IAFF, Supervisory Team Association (STA), the Management Team Associates (MTA), and the Confidential Unrepresented Employees (CUE) pay plan whose contracts expired June 30, 2017 (Attachment C). On October 24, 2017 Council approved agreements with Fire Executive Management Association (FEMA) and California Teamsters Local 911 (Attachment D).", "Discussion", "The overall policy of the City of Santa Monica has been to maintain competitive wages, hours and working conditions in a high-cost geographic labor market in order to retain and attract a dedicated, high-quality workforce to serve our community across a wide range of specialized services. Since most, though not all, City jobs are comparable to other municipalities, the City has traditionally looked to full-service cities in our region of similar size and financial strength for labor market comparisons. Market competitiveness in recruitment, the increase in the Consumer Price Index, internal equity, and offsetting contributions to pension and medical benefits may also be factors that contribute to the setting of compensation during the negotiations process.", "Generally, the City finds itself in first or second position among comparable cities. As a result, the City has maintained competitiveness through modest cost of living adjustments. The Council is undertaking a compensation review overseen by the City Council Audit Subcommittee that will provide a comprehensive analysis for future policy direction. The tentative agreement with SMART-TD is as described below:", "\u00b7 The three-year agreement between the City of Santa Monica and SMART-TD is effective July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2020.", "\u00b7 SMART-TD employees will receive at 1.7% increase effective the first pay period following City Council approval. Council policy precludes retroactive pay when contract negotiations extend beyond the expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding. In this case, the agreement includes a one-time catch-up lump sum payment that addresses the time lag between tentative agreement and final ratification.", "\u00b7 The City will contribute to a 457 deferred compensation account in the amount of $50 per month effective January 1, 2018.", "\u00b7 The second and third years of the agreement each include a 1.5% salary increase.", "\u00b7 Employees will be eligible to receive Tuition Reimbursement up to $2750 per fiscal year effective January 1, 2018.", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "The total cost of the negotiated changes contained in the agreement is approximately $455,000 for FY 2017-18. The budget impact of these changes was included in the FY2017-18 through FY 2021-22 Five-Year Financial Forecast. An appropriation for the Big Blue Bus Fund will be included in the FY 2017-18 Midyear Budget for Council approval."]}, {"Title": "Adoption of Big Blue Bus Resolution for Transit Funds", "Department": "Big Blue Bus, Finance & Administrative Services", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council:1. Adopt the resolution authorizing the City Manager to: a. Apply for and execute grant agreements and execute related certifications and assurances with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), L.A. Metro, or other federal, state, regional or local agencies; b. Enter into agreements for transit funds for the pass-through of funds and agreements for planning, programming, and implementing transit services and capital projects during Fiscal Year (FY) 2017-18 through FY 2019-20; and,c. Enter into agreements for transit program revenue with institutions, local agencies, and businesses for funds generated during FY2017-18 through FY 2019-20. 2. Adopt the resolution authorizing the application for grant funds from the California Department of Transportation for State Transit Assistance State of Good Repair funds. 3. Adopt the Big Blue Bus Title VI Program.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "Big Blue Bus (BBB) requests that City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to file grant applications, execute grant agreements, and enter into agreements associated with funding, planning, programming, and implementation of transit services, transit programs, and capital projects; and adopt a resolution authorizing the application for grant funds from the California Department of Transportation for State Transit Assistance State of Good Repair funds. This is an annual request for resolution adoption, as BBB\u2019s grant funds need unique resolutions for various federal, state and local grant fundings.", "BBB also requests that City Council adopt its Title VI Program. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects people from discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requires the governing body of a transit agency to adopt its Title VI Program in order to be eligible for federal grant funds. Big Blue Bus\u2019 Title VI Program has been updated to include the adopted service standards and a Limited English Proficiency (LEP) plan.", "Background", "Each year, Big Blue Bus requests that City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to file grant applications, execute grant agreements, and to enter agreements associated with funding, planning, programming, and implementation of transit services, transit programs, and capital projects. The most recent said resolution was adopted by City Council on January 24, 2017. In addition, staff requests that City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the application for grant funds from the California Department of Transportation for State Transit Assistance State of Good Repair funds. Finally, Big Blue Bus requests that Council adopt its Title VI Program, which has been updated to include the adopted service standards and a Limited English Proficiency (LEP) plan.", "Discussion", "Staff requests that Council authorize the City Manager to file grant applications as transit-related funding opportunities become available; to execute grant agreements to accept federal, state, regional, and local transit-related funds, as funds are approved or programmed; and to execute and file certifications and assurances as they relate to grant programs, compliance, and project implementation. These authorizations would allow the City to expedite its annual grant applications and participate in unanticipated one-time grant opportunities in a timely manner. Potential funding agencies include, but are not limited to, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and other federal agencies, Metro, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), California Department of Transportation (CalTrans), and other state and regional agencies.", "Staff also requests that the City Manager be authorized to enter into agreements, including but not limited to: Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs); Letters of Agreements (LOAs); Cooperative Procurement Agreements; Payment and Services Agreements and sub-grantee agreements for transit funds; pass-through funds; and other transit program revenues. Agreements may include, but are not limited to: agreements by and between the City of Santa Monica and L.A. Metro, SCAQMD, FTA, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), Access Services, Playa Vista Parks and Landscape Corporation, St. John Hospital, UCLA, SMC, nonprofits, and other federal, state, local, and regional entities for the purposes of planning, programming funds, and implementing transit services and capital projects for the residents of the City of Santa Monica and greater Los Angeles area.", "State Transit Assistance \u2013 State of Good Repair", "In April 2017, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), which generates new revenues from various taxes and fees and is designed to support public transit. As a result of SB 1, Santa Monica\u2019s Big Blue Bus is an eligible recipient for State Transit Assistance (STA) State of Good Repair funds, which are managed by the California Department of Transportation. Funds will be used toward, but not limited to, bus replacements and/or preventive maintenance. As a requirement to secure the funds, an adopted resolution and an allocation request to claim the funds is required.", "Title VI of the Civil Rights Act", "FTA requires the governing body of a transit agency to adopt its Title VI Program in order to be eligible for federal grant funds. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects people from discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requires the governing body of a transit agency to adopt its Title VI Program in order to be eligible for federal grant funds. As a requirement, the program must include a Language Assistance Plan and service standards.", "BBB has updated its program to include the adopted service standards and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) plan to meet the new requirements of the Title VI program. The original service standards were adopted at its council meeting in August 2015.  BBB now requests that City Council adopt its updated Title VI Program.", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the recommended actions. Local programming and transit subsidies are in the approved Big Blue Bus department budget.", "The new funding from STA State of Good Repair will be included in the FY 2017-18 Year-End Budget review, once the final amount is released."]}, {"Title": "Contract Modification for IPS Group, Inc.", "Department": "Finance Department, Revenue Division", "Sponsors": "Director David Martin", "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a fourth modification to agreement #9496 (CCS) in an estimated amount of $4,050,000 with IPS Group, Inc., a California-based company, to add merchant processing services for parking meter transactions for the Finance Department. The ten-year term of the contract will remain unchanged. This will result in an amended agreement with a new total estimated amount of $21,594,169, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "Since 2011, IPS Group, Inc. (IPS) has provided ongoing maintenance for the City\u2019s parking meters and sensors, battery replenishment, miscellaneous parts, credit card processing communication services, and a web-based management system. Since 2003, TransFirst Health and Government Solutions, LLC (TransFirst), has provided merchant processing services, including for the City\u2019s parking meter credit card transactions. In 2016, Council authorized staff to work with IPS in reducing the City\u2019s significant and growing parking meter credit card transaction costs. IPS proposes a process through which the City could access IPS\u2019s preferred interchange rate with Visa and Master Card for regulated debit transactions. This would lower transaction fee costs for parking meter transactions by an estimated $120,000 annually. The City would retain TransFirst for merchant processing services related to other parking and non-parking transactions.", "Staff recommends a fourth modification to agreement #9496 (CCS) with IPS to add merchant processing services for parking meter related transactions. The amended contract would be for an estimated amount of $4,050,000 for the remainder of the contract, for an estimated amended total of $21,594,169. The ten-year term of the contract would remain unchanged.", "Background", "IPS has provided ongoing maintenance for meters and sensors, battery replenishment, miscellaneous parts, credit card processing communication services and a web-based management system since 2011. TransFirst has provided merchant processing services since 2003.", "On October 25, 2011 (Attachment A), Council awarded contract no. 9496 to IPS Group, Inc. (IPS) to purchase and operate parking meters and in-ground sensors. The contract was for $7,560,000 for a five-year term with one five-year option to extend.", "On March 19, 2013 (Attachment B), Council authorized the City Manager to negotiate and execute a first modification for a Battery Replenishment Program, miscellaneous parking meter parts, and increased credit card transactions processing. The modification resulted in a total not to exceed amount of $9,694,345 with no change to the five-year term.", "On April 22, 2014 (Attachment C), Council authorized the City Manager to negotiate and execute a second modification for a one-time purchase of 350 additional parking meters with in-ground sensors for a total not to exceed amount of $10,296,950 with no change to the five-year term.", "On April 28, 2015 (Attachment D), Council awarded Contract No. 10053 to TransFirst to provide merchant processing services, for an estimated total amount of $12.4 million over a five-year period. The contract does not require that all City credit card transactions be processed through TransFirst.", "On May 24, 2016 (Attachment E), Council authorized the City Manager to negotiate and execute a third modification to extend the term of the IPS agreement for an additional five years and to increase the contract total accordingly, for a not to exceed amount of $17,544,169. This modification also provided the authority for the City to work with IPS to find ways to reduce credit card transaction fees (merchant processing fees).", "Discussion", "The City currently operates approximately 6,000 single space parking meters with varying enforcement hours and rates. All meters are credit/debit card enabled and are predominantly used to manage demand and ensure turnover.", "The City currently pays approximately $1.1 million per year to process over 5.3 million parking meter credit/debit card transactions. An estimated total of $15.6 million in parking meter revenue is collected per year. Most parking meter transactions (approximately 58%) are through credit/debit cards, and these costs represent approximately 40% of all the City\u2019s credit card processing fees.", "Under the City\u2019s current contract with TransFirst, merchant processing fees consist of interchange fees assessed by the credit card companies (Visa, MasterCard, Discover) and a TransFirst fee. Small value transactions such as those made for metered parking incur a higher fee as a percentage of the actual transaction amount than other credit card transactions. For example, fees paid for metered parking equate to about 7% of the value of the transaction as compared to 2.1% for non-parking transactions. Through IPS, the City could take advantage of a preferred rate for certain debit/credit card transactions through their merchant processing services provider because of their high volume of transactions. TransFirst is not able offer the same rate for meter parking transactions.", "Council has previously directed staff to search for ways to reduce the City\u2019s overall merchant processing fee costs, which were $2.5 million in FY 2016-17 and which have increased an average of 10-12% annually for the past four fiscal years as the city has added more credit card enabled payment services. Staff estimates that switching to IPS for parking meter credit/debit card transactions would save approximately $120,000 annually. While this amount is small, it is a step in the right direction to ensure that city operations are as cost effective as possible.", "Vendor/Consultant Selection", "In January 2011, the City initiated a trial program to test new single-space on-street parking meters with electronic payment options. All companies that produce credit-card enabled single or multi-space parking meters were invited to participate, and one took part in the trial. Based on customer feedback and functionality, staff recommended a single-space meter solution. IPS, a California-based company, was the only company that could deliver a functional single-space product at that time. IPS single-space meters have been widely deployed in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and West Hollywood and are commonly accepted and known by on-street parkers in the Los Angeles area.", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "Fees for merchant processing services are based on credit card usage. Staff estimates the cost for merchant processing services over the remaining 4 years of the 10-year term of the IPS contract to be $4,050,000, or $1,012,500 per year, for an amended estimated contract amount of $21,594,169. The City currently pays approximately $2.5 million annually in merchant processing fees for all transactions. Use of IPS to process debit/credit card transactions related to parking would result in a decrease in costs associated with the TransFirst contract and would save the City an estimated $120,000 per year in merchant processing fees.", "Funds for merchant processing services are available in the FY 2017-19 Biennial Budget in the Finance Department in account 012241.522230 (credit card processing fees). Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval."]}, {"Title": "Award RFP# 144 for Emergency Medical Patient Transport and Billing Services", "Department": "Fire Department", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council:1. Award RFP#144 to Westmed Ambulance INC. DBA McCormick Ambulance, a Colorado based company, to provide emergency ambulance and billing services for the Fire Department;2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a cost recovery agreement with McCormick Ambulance, for three years, with two additional one-year renewal options, on the same terms and conditions over a five-year period.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "A private ambulance contractor has provided emergency ambulance transport and billing services for the Fire Department since 2004. Following a competitive bidding process, staff recommends a contract with McCormick Ambulance to provide emergency ambulance and billing services for a three-year term beginning February 1, 2018. McCormick Ambulance bills the patient directly for transported services resulting in the Fire Department\u2019s anticipated annual cost recovery of $800,000, as reflected in the FY2017-18 Budget.", "Background", "On April 10, 2017, the City posted a Request for Proposals(RFP)for Emergency Ambulance Services and Patient Billing, seeking proposals fromambulance service contractors interested in providing emergency (911) ambulance transportation and patient billing services for the Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD). One potential proposer notified the City that they would not submit a proposal due to their inability to comply withtheCity's Living Wage Ordinance (LWO). City staff subsequently reached out to other service providers and concluded that industry standard pay, including that of the City\u2019s current provider, does not comply with the City\u2019sLWO. In light of theinformation received, staffcancelled that RFP.", "Staff identified that emergency ambulance services providers have specific challenges that differentiate themfrom other City contractors. Additionally, the City is not currently prepared to provide emergency transport services. As a result, on July 11, 2017, Council adopted Living Wage Ordinance amendment 2458 CCS that exempted ambulance services from the living wage for a limited time which sunsets on June 30, 2020. This action has ensured continuous provision ofeffective emergency services. Impacted vendors must still comply with the City\u2019s minimum wage law.", "Contractors who provide emergency ambulance services to the City aredifferent from other Citycontractorssubject tothe LWObecause emergency ambulanceproviders do not control rates for the services they provide.Rather, theLos Angeles County Board of Supervisors sets rates for all emergency transport services. The Board adjusts rates annually based on changes to the medical care and transportation line items of the Consumer Price Index forAll Urban Consumersand, starting July 1, 2017, the percentage change of the Los Angeles County minimum wage change. The County rates are the maximum allowable ambulance rates chargeable to the general public. Thus, while there is an established methodology for increasing rates that takes into account some wage changes, these factors do not include the higher Santa Monica living wage.Additionally, revenue collected by ambulance companies is dependent on the insurance payer mix of the patients transported. Payer mix varies from community to community, and in Santa Monica, approximately one third of payers are Medicare and another third MediCal recipients. These payers pay considerably less to the ambulance company than what is billed. All of these factors, in addition to employee wages, influence the bottom line of any ambulance company providing services in this community.", "The City is currently under contract until January 31, 2018, with Ameri-Care Ambulance as its ambulance provider and ambulance-related billing services provider. Ameri-Care has successfully provided ambulance services for the past five years.However, they are not recommended as the best qualified firm based on their proposal but will continue to provide their high-level of service until the completion of their contract and until their billing services are complete.", "Discussion", "The City has utilized an emergency ambulance and billing service company since 2004 to provide emergency medical transport and billing services for the response, assessment, treatment and/or transportation of members of the public by Fire Department paramedics. Charges are assessed based on the Advanced Life Support Assessment Fee adopted by City Council on June 15, 2004. The Advanced Life Support Assessment Fee is the difference between the Los Angeles County approved Advanced Life Support (\u201cALS\u201d) rate and the Los Angeles County approved Basic Life Support (\u201cBLS\u201d) rate as set forth in the most current Los Angeles County Emergency Services Agency General Public Ambulance Rates. On the City\u2019s behalf, McCormick Ambulance will bill approximately $796.00 per transport based on the current fee structure, excepting Medi-Cal and Medicare patients.", "The Fire Department responds to over 16,000 emergency medical calls annually and calls for patient transport have increased 5% as compared to the previous year. Currently approximately 7,500 patients are transported annually to local hospitals. The Fire Department\u2019s response model includes six paramedic engine companies, two rescue ambulance paramedic non-transport unit, and other support units deployed as needed. The department also maintains two additional rescue ambulances that are mainly used for special events and non-transport responses. Contracted emergency ambulances are used to transport patients on behalf of the Fire Department with Santa Monica Fire Department paramedics on-board to provide patient treatment in the ambulance while en route to a medical facility.", "Contractor Selection", "In October 2017, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for an emergency ambulance and billing services. The RFP was posted on the City\u2019s on-line bidding site, and notices were advertised in the Santa Monica Daily Press in accordance with City Charter and Municipal Code 2.24.072 Best Bidder provisions. Two Los Angeles County approved ambulance providers submitted proposals. Proposals were evaluated on experience, technical competence, training and continuing education of staff, billing and collection systems, business stability and references, value added and breadth of service, fleet and equipment quality and maintenance, capability and completeness of proposal to meet request for proposal requirements, and operational systems. After a thorough review, the five member selection committee comprised of representatives from the Fire Department and Finance Department recommended McCormick Ambulance as the best qualified firm based on the evaluation criteria. McCormick Ambulance\u2019s proposal demonstrated their depth and breadth of experience and their organizational structure displayed their highly qualified personnel. McCormick\u2019s fleet is expansive including 83 ambulances, 3 specialty disaster units, 2 high-risk ambulance units which can serve as isolations units for chemical exposures or suspected infectious diseases, a mobile command and communications trailer, and a mobile generator and fuel tender all of which could be utilized by the City in the event of a large-scale emergency or for special events.  McCormick also operates an in-house, full service and fully accredited maintenance facility in Los Angeles County. McCormick currently meets all applicable minimum wage laws including the City\u2019s Minimum Wage Ordinance (MWO), Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 4.62. McCormick\u2019s proposal also identified their extensive employee training and continuing education program. The Fire Department is presently working with the current and prospective ambulance transport providers to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.", "Financial Impacts & Budget Actions", "There is no immediate budget or financial impact related to this staff report. McCormick Ambulance\u2019s compensation is not a direct payment from the City; the provider bills the patient directly. McCormick Ambulance will also bill the patient on behalf of the Santa Monica Fire Department for services provided by the Fire Department; $800,000 in cost-recovery has been included in the Fiscal Year 2017-18 Budget."]}, {"Title": "Approval of Minutes for the Redevelopment Successor Agency for the June 27 and October 24, 2017 meetings", "Department": "Records & Elections Services Department", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the Redevelopment Successor Agency approve the minutes for the June 27 and October 24, 2017 meetings."}, {"Title": "Adoption of the 2018-19 Annual Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule", "Department": "Housing and Economic Development", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "03. Consent Calendar", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the Redevelopment Successor Agency adopt resolutions approving the Agency\u2019s draft recognized obligation payment schedule and administrative budget for July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "In compliance with the statewide elimination of all Redevelopment Agencies in 2012, the Redevelopment Successor Agency is required to prepare a recognized obligation payment schedule (ROPS) and corresponding administrative budgets to be implemented in yearly increments. The ROPS ensures that all of the obligations of the former redevelopment agency are fulfilled. The ROPS 2018-19 includes Successor Agency enforceable obligations of $29,301,630 and an administrative budget of $639,873 covering July1,2018 to June 30, 2019.", "Background", "Under the governing statutes that implemented the dissolution of redevelopment agencies statewide, each redevelopment successor agency is required to prepare a recognized obligation payment schedule (ROPS) on a yearly basis. The ROPS identifies a former redevelopment agency\u2019s enforceable obligations within the following categories: 1) bond payments; 2)indebtedness obligations (including loans, housing agreements, and similar obligations); 3) contracts or agreements necessary for continued administration or operation of an agency; and 4) an allowance for an agency\u2019s administrative costs.  The ROPS also identifies the sources of payment for the obligations, including bond proceeds, interest income, and distributions of tax increment revenue from the State\u2019s Redevelopment Property Tax Trust Fund (RPTTF). Each successor agency is required to submit an approved ROPS to the California Department of Finance and the relevant county auditor-controller for the period ending June 30, 2019 (ROPS 18-19) by February1,2018.", "Discussion", "The ROPS 2018-19 for the period of July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019 includes all Successor Agency enforceable obligations. All proposed ROPS2018-19 enforceable obligations have been previously listed and approved for payment on a previous ROPS.", "Under AB 26 and SB 107, the Agency may receive an administrative cost allowance of up to three percent of the property tax allocated to the Agency each fiscal year, based upon an approved administrative budget which justifies the administrative cost allowance. Based on estimated property tax allocation to the Agency for fiscal year 2017-18, the administrative cost allowance cap would be $222,201. As a result, $417,672 of the Agency\u2019s administrative costs would not be reimbursed. Theadministrative budget is included as an enforceable obligation on the ROPS 2018-19 (see Attachment A, Exhibit 1, Line Item 30).", "Next Steps", "Copies of the ROPS 2018-19, as approved by the Oversight Board, must be sent to the State Controller\u2019s Office and the Department of Finance and posted on the Agency\u2019s website no later than February 1, 2018. The Department of Finance must make its determination regarding the ROPS 2018-19 no later than April 15, 2018.", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "On June 1, 2018 and January 2, 2019, the Los Angeles County Auditor-Controller will transfer property taxes into the Agency\u2019s cash account from which the Agency will pay enforceable obligations listed on the approved ROPS 2018-19. Before the distributions take place, the DOF must issue a determination letter with the total RPTTF revenues to be disbursed for enforceable obligations along with a final administrative cost allowance cap amount. The administrative cost allowance, estimated at $222,201, would then be transferred to the General Fund. It is staff\u2019s practice to share a draft ROPS with DOF staff prior to final submittal to ensure that all DOF questions are answered prior to formal review and approval.", "There are no other budgetary impacts associated with the adoption of the resolutions approving the ROPS 2018-19 and administrative budget. The ROPS 2018-19 simply sets forth the Agency\u2019s existing financial obligations and administrative costs for the period July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019."]}], [{"Title": "Amendment to the Ordinance for Vehicle Weight Restrictions on the Santa Municipal Pier", "Department": "Public Works, Civil Engineering", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "07. Ordinances", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council:1. Introduce for First Reading the attached Ordinance amending Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 10.08.560 (Municipal Pier\u2014Vehicle Weight Restrictions) updating load limitations for the Santa Monica Municipal Pier and the Newcomb Pier.2. Conduct a public hearing, on behalf of Los Angeles County and at the County\u2019s request, to determine the appropriate load limitation for the Pier Bridge.3. Direct staff to seek authorization from the County of Los Angeles to set the Pier Bridge load limit.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "In compliance with federal and state laws, the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works (LACDPW) works with local agencies to set weight limits for bridges, such as the Pier Bridge. Following a recent inspection, LACDPW recommended posting a weight limit sign for the Pier Bridge; currently, weight limit signs are posted only for the Santa Monica Municipal Pier and Newcomb Pier, both of which are entirely under the City\u2019s jurisdiction. Upon researching the lack of a weight limit sign for the Pier Bridge and the current weight limit signs of 10 tons and 3 tons for the Santa Monica Municipal Pier and Newcomb Pier respectively, staff determined that local law governing the weight limit on the Santa Monica Pier should be revised, and a weight limitation for the Newcomb Pier should be codified. Staff recommends amending local law to increase the posted weight limit for the Santa Monica Pier to 15 tons, and to set a weight limit of 3 tons for the Newcomb Pier. Staff further recommend that the Council conduct a public hearing, on behalf of Los Angeles County and at the County\u2019s request, to determine the weight limit for the Pier Bridge. At the conclusion of that hearing, staff will forward the City\u2019s weight recommendation to the County and seek authorization from the County to set the bridge weight limit, as required by state law.", "Background", "On September 19, 2017, LACDPW contacted the City requesting a copy of the load limit ordinance for the Pier Bridge. Staff clarified that load limits are not currently posted for the Pier Bridge Structure. Load limits are posted only for the Municipal Pier and the Newcomb Pier to protect the Pier structures from the wear and tear brought about by heavy vehicles. The signs are posted at both the top and bottom approaches to the Pier Bridge, and by inference, limited the loads for the Pier Bridge. Notwithstanding the load limits posted for the Municipal Pier and the Newcomb Pier, LACDPW noted that their structural analysis required a load limit to be posted for the Pier Bridge itself. In order to legally post a load limit for a bridge, the California Vehicle Code requires that a public hearing be held and an ordinance be adopted under the County\u2019s direction.", "Discussion", "The LACDPW performed load rating calculations for the Pier Bridge which indicated the safe load capacity of the structure to be:", "\u00b7 22 tons per truck;", "\u00b7 22 tons per truck and semi-trailer combination;", "\u00b7 30 tons per truck and full trailer combination.", "The LACDPW recommends that the bridge be posted for a weight limit not to exceed 22 tons. However, this exceeds the load capacities of the Santa Monica Municipal Pier (outlined in blue below in Figure 1) and the Newcomb Pier (outlined in orange below in Figure 1). The sole purpose of the Pier Bridge is to provide vehicle and pedestrian access to the Santa Monica Municipal and Newcomb Piers. There are no other adjoining structures or access points to the Pier Bridge. Despite the bridge\u2019s structural capacity as determined by LACDPW, it is the structural capacity of the Santa Monica Municipal Pier that would dictate the operational weight limit for the Pier Bridge.", "Vehicle Weight Restrictions", "Traffic flows through the different sections of the piers, and the lowest rated section of each pier is the controlling limit for allowable vehicle weights. The Santa Monica Pier and Pier Deck Parking Lot have been posted for maximum weights of 10 tons and 3 tons, respectively, for nearly a decade or longer. Staff researched as-built plans and records for past upgrade and maintenance projects for the Santa Monica Municipal Pier and concluded that the lowest rated section, a 200-feet-long concrete waffle structure at the west end, could support a 15-ton vehicle. The rest of the structure is rated for a 20-ton vehicle. Based on the controlling capacity of the waffle structure, staff recommends that the Santa Monica Municipal Pier and the adjoining Pier Bridge be posted for a weight limit not to exceed 15 tons.", "The 2008 Pier Infrastructure Assessment Study by Moffatt & Nichol (Study) examined the Newcomb Pier and subdivided it into sections based on the varying substructure types and corresponding load limits. The Study further identified that the lowest rated section was capable of supporting a 3-ton vehicle. Therefore, staff recommends the Newcomb Pier, where the pier deck parking lot is located, be posted for a weight limit not to exceed 3 tons.", "The City has exclusive jurisdiction to regulate Pier weight limitations. Accordingly, the proposed amendment (attached) codifies weight limits for the Santa Monica Municipal Pier and the Newcomb Pier.", "Pier Bridge", "Unlike the Piers, which are under the City\u2019s exclusive jurisdiction, California Vehicle Code section 35751(a) grants only Los Angeles County the authority to set weight limitations on the Pier Bridge. Consistent with Section 35751 and longstanding practice, the County has cooperated with Santa Monica and other cities within the County to set bridge load limits. Additionally, section 35751 requires a public hearing be held before the Pier Bridge\u2019s weight limit could be reduced beyond what the Vehicle Code otherwise requires. The County has requested that the City conduct this hearing on the County\u2019s behalf. Upon conclusion of the hearing, Staff will transmit the City\u2019s weight recommendations to the County and work with the County to set the correct weight limit. Once that limit is set by the County, staff will return to the Council to codify the new limit.", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the recommended action. The removal of existing signs and installation of the new signs will be performed by Public Works staff within the existing operating budget."]}], [{"Title": "City Planning Division Priorities", "Department": "Planning and Community Development", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "08. Administrative Item", "Recommendations": "It is recommended that the City Council review and provide guidance on setting the upcoming City Planning Division priorities.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "The adoption of the Downtown Community Plan in 2017 marked a major milestone and added to the list of significant implementation efforts completed since the adoption of the Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) in 2010. These efforts include the completion of the Bergamot Area Plan, the Bike Action Plan, the Pedestrian Action Plan and the Zoning Ordinance Update. While substantial progress towards LUCE implementation has been made over the last seven years, there are additional Area Plans and ordinance updates that are necessary to fulfill the vision of the LUCE. In addition to the implementation projects recommended by the LUCE, there are new initiatives directed by City Council as well as major Development Agreement projects that are pending Planning Commission and City Council review.", "This report summarizes pending policy and development projects, provides a general timeline of when these projects can be completed (Attachment A), and presents a recommended prioritization of these work items for Council discussion. While these projects involve collaboration between various City Divisions and Departments, they are primarily led by the City Planning Division within the Planning and Community Development Department. In addition to staffing the policy and implementation projects in this report, the City Planning division is also responsible for the processing of all development permit applications including Planning Commission review, Landmarks Commission review, Architectural Review Board, Zoning Administrator and building permit plan check. Therefore, it is necessary to consider these priorities and schedules in the context of the \u201cday to day\u201d work of the City Planning division and the capacity of the division to complete these projects while also maintaining its significant administrative functions and processing of numerous Development Review permits, Administrative Approvals and plan checks. Further, after approval of projects, there are typically three rounds of plan check followed by managing issues that arise through construction and occupation of new buildings. With a handful of staff assigned to the strategic planning and design and historic preservation function, there are approximately eight planners assigned full-time to development review, which includes processing planning applications, plan checks, staffing the counter, responding to phone inquiries, and reviewing business licenses. Due to volume and emerging division needs, small teams of planners normally assigned to development review are assigned to augment strategic planning and design/historic preservation projects.", "It should also be borne in mind that planning is not an end in itself. The goal of land use and transportation planning is to help shape great places, whether they be districts, neighborhoods or streets. The identification of ambitious and laudable goals does not automatically produce results. It is critically important that planning be grounded in the capacity of City government and private real estate market forces and property owners to actually implement adopted policies. The City of Santa Monica already has a backlog of implementation activities, projects and initiatives. By focusing on the highest priorities for future land use planning and mobility enhancements, the City can produce practical, achievable policy guidance for public and private investment in the years ahead. This is the highest and best use of limited staff and financial resources.", "This report divides the Division\u2019s upcoming priorities into three sections, and provides a fourth section on alignment with citywide priorities:", "I) Policy Plans and Ordinance Updates: The first section consists of major policy implementation efforts that were called for in the LUCE or subsequent policy documents, or are necessary due to legal requirements or outdated ordinances. These include the Pico Neighborhood Plan, the Memorial Park Neighborhood Plan, the Local Coastal Program Update, the Gateway Master Plan, the Landmarks Ordinance Update, and an update to the City\u2019s Travel Demand Forecast Model and adoption of CEQA thresholds compliant with CA Senate Bill 743.", "II) Council Directed Research: The next section includes five items that have been directed by City Council, primarily through the approval of \u201c13 Items,\u201d for staff and Planning Commission review and possible action by the Council. These include review of the R1 Development Standards, review of the Bergamot Area Plan to consider the percentage of housing required in specific developments, amendment of the Zoning Ordinance to prohibit the conversion of hotel rooms to residential units in the Proposition S Overlay area, and review of the development standards and entitlement processes for housing projects on the commercial boulevards and in the Bergamot area to incentivize housing over commercial development.", "III) Major Development Agreements: The third section of this report provides a summary and status update of four major Development Agreement projects currently pending. These include the Phase Two Master Plan for Providence Saint John\u2019s Health Center, the proposed mixed-use project at 4th/5th and Arizona, the redevelopment of the Miramar Hotel, and the proposed Ocean Avenue Hotel project located on the northeast corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Ocean Avenue.", "IV) Alignment of Division Workplan with Council Priorities: The final section of this report demonstrates how the City Planning Division\u2019s ongoing work efforts align with the five strategic goals of the City Council. This section also looks at the Council-directed research through the lens of citywide priorities as a means to help the Council provide feedback on The City Planning Division\u2019s proposed workplan priorities.", "Planning Commission Discussion", "On December 13, 2017, staff presented these priorities to the Planning Commission. The Commission voted 6-0 to prioritize the following:", "1) Pico Neighborhood Plan", "2) SB743 CEQA implementation", "3) Landmarks Ordinance update", "4) R-1 Interim Zoning Ordinance standards", "5) Options for housing on the boulevards and in the Bergamot area", "The Commission identified these as key areas of focus given competing demands. The Commission also based its recommended priorities on the principle of preservation, which is why the Pico Neighborhood Plan, Landmarks Ordinance update, and review of R-1 standards rose to the top. Staff had originally proposed only a very targeted zoning effort for the Pico Zoning District that would directly address recent requests from the Pico Neighborhood Association. However, in their discussion and in response to public testimony at the meeting, the Commission indicated a broader scope to the Pico Zoning District would be appropriate. This discussion drew from the Commission\u2019s prior review of Pico Neighborhood goals in June 2016 and LUCE Goal N11, which calls for protections for Pico Neighborhood and the Boulevard through an area planning process. This would mean that staff could proceed with the Pico Neighborhood Plan in two phases \u2013 immediate zoning changes as Phase 1 and a broader interdepartmental implementation effort as Phase 2 that would include a more intensive public engagement process. This is described in more detail in the next section of this report. SB743 is required and the production of housing remains a City priority. In order to ensure that there is sufficient capacity for these priorities, the Commission recommended delaying the Gateway Master Plan.", "I. POLICY PLANS/ORDINANCE UPDATES", "Pico Neighborhood Plan", "The Pico Neighborhood Plan is a budgeted planning effort ($150,000) intended to address concerns within the Pico neighborhood. Bounded by the I-10 Freeway to the north, Pico Boulevard to the South, Centinela to the east, and 7th Street to the west, this planning area integrates the residential neighborhood of R2 and R1 District households with the commercial Boulevard. While there is a desire for a comprehensive approach to addressing concerns about enhancing quality of life, minimizing displacement of longtime residents and retaining neighborhood character through a range of activities that may include housing policies, cultural-based planning initiatives, economic development incentives, crime and safety interventions, circulation enhancement recommendations and environmental/landscaping improvements, experience has shown that land use planning tools are not ideal for tackling such challenges. The staff recommend a narrower approach led by PCD to address zoning issues related specifically to protection of neighborhood character and retaining affordable housing. If the Council wishes to pursue a more comprehensive approach, staff recommends this be a multi-departmental effort outside the scope of setting PCD priorities.", "To ensure community participation in the land use planning effort, the bulk of the budget will be used to conduct multi-lingual outreach. Planning staff is already at work organizing and conducting dozens of meetings with staff from across many City departments to understand the context of current City services offered to Pico residents and businesses. Future outreach will involve various neighborhood organizations, residents, community groups, places of worship, cultural associations, business improvement districts and other stakeholders. Outreach and technical analysis will help staff to develop zoning revisions.", "Anticipated Timeline", "Staff intends to expedite analysis and recommendations for land use planning changes beginning with an in-house evaluation of potential zoning ordinance updates to provide a context-specific framework for development in Pico similar to standards that were established for the Ocean Park neighborhood. These may include revisiting the Mixed Use Boulevard Low zoning on Pico Boulevard, evaluating rules for combining residentially-zoned lots in the Pico Neighborhood, and a review of the appropriateness of Parking Overlay 2 parking requirements between Lincoln and 11th Street. Staff expects to bring forward this Zoning Analysis to Planning Commission in the second half of 2018. Community outreach for the Pico Plan will begin in early 2018.", "Memorial Park Neighborhood Plan (MPNP)", "The Memorial Park Neighborhood Plan was launched in 2013 to design a framework for the rezoning of approximately 70 acres of formerly industrial land centered on the Expo Light Rail station at 17th Street and Colorado. Several outreach events were conducted in 2013-2014, and a presentation was made to the Planning Commission in July 2014. A planning framework was drafted in late 2014, which ties together a desire for additional housing in this area, as well as new streetscape concepts that address permeability, landscaping, and the presence of a regional transit connector in close proximity to Santa Monica College and the city\u2019s two hospitals. Due to competing priorities for staff time on the Downtown Community Plan, a public draft of the Memorial Park Neighborhood Plan was not completed.", "The appropriate level of environmental review necessary to address potential changes in land use proposed by the MPNP is currently being evaluated.", "Anticipated Timeline", "Staff anticipates the need to rework and enrich the draft document to make it relevant to today\u2019s regulatory environment, and to work closely with the Community and Cultural Services Department throughout the re-design process of Memorial Park, which will begin in early 2018. Outreach to re-establish communications with area stakeholders and the community at large about the MPNP can begin simultaneously. It is anticipated that the Memorial Park Neighborhood Plan and required environmental analysis will be completed in the first half of 2019.", "Local Coastal Program Update", "The Local Coastal Program Update is being funded through a combination of Coastal Commission grants and local funds and consists of two parts \u2013 a Land Use Plan (LUP) and Implementation Plan (IP). Over the past two years, staff has been working closely with Coastal Commission staff to discuss and resolve key policy issues with respect to coastal access, new development, and the new science of sea level rise.", "Anticipated Timeline", "It is expected that a public draft of the LUP will be released for public review in early 2018, followed by Council review and an application to the Coastal Commission for final plan adoption. Once the LUP has been substantially completed, staff will start the IP, otherwise known as the \u201ccoastal zoning ordinance.\u201d It is anticipated that it will take up to 24 months to complete City review of the IP.", "Gateway Master Plan", "The Gateway Master Plan is a funded planning effort that will address comprehensive planning for the area adjacent to the I-10 Freeway that links Downtown to the Civic Center and Samohi. There is a unique opportunity for strengthening connections over the freeway right of way. This would provide multiple benefits, including:", "\u00b7 Seamlessly link the historic Downtown and historic Civic Center, removing a visual and physical divide", "\u00b7 Allow for better freeway entry and exiting in the often congested traffic bottlenecks", "\u00b7 Provide access to peripheral parking opportunities that could reduce vehicular impacts on the Downtown core", "\u00b7 Provide a framework for design and access for adjacent properties", "Development of the Gateway Master Plan will be an open process facilitated by staff, and include participation from the community, land owners and decision-makers as priorities for the area are refined. This key location should become an experience that reflects the city\u2019s values of community, sustainability and pride of place.", "Anticipated Timeline", "As established in the Downtown Community Plan, properties within the Gateway Master Plan boundaries may only request Tier 2 height and FAR until the earlier of 2021 or the completion of the Gateway Master Plan. In order to meet the timeline established in the DCP, staff would need to initiate the process for the Gateway Master Plan in the first half of 2018.", "Landmarks Ordinance Update", "The Landmarks Ordinance was adopted in 1976 and has not been comprehensively updated since its inception. Since that time, application of the ordinance to a variety of preservation projects has revealed some ambiguities in language that would benefit from clarification. The Landmarks Commission has long advocated for a comprehensive update to the ordinance to provide clarity on implementation and to also explore new directions, such as the potential for a second tier of designation. The Commission has identified a list of issues over a number of years that would be the starting point for the ordinance update.", "Anticipated Timeline", "Given other priorities, staff will likely start work on a comprehensive update to the Landmarks Ordinance in the second half of FY2018/19. The ordinance update will be a joint effort between City Planning and the City Attorney\u2019s office.", "SB743 Implementation", "In the next coupleofyears, transportation review required under CEQA will change as a result of the adoption of California Senate Bill 743 (SB743). SB743 will require the City to adjust the way it conducts CEQA-mandated transportation analysis. The State\u2019s publishedCEQA Guidelinesindicate thatthe City will be required to usevehicle miles traveled (VMT)as the metric for transportation analysis under CEQA. VMT measures the total distance traveled (in miles) between the origin and destination ofatrip and as such, captures the full extent of vehicle travel on the roadway network (VMT = Trip Rate x Trip Length). VMT is a more appropriate metric for assessingtransportationimpacts on the environment,because it is related togreenhouse gas emissions, the development of multimodal transportation networks, and a diversity of land uses.", "Currently, output data of the City\u2019s Travel Demand Forecast Model (TDFM) is used to generate Level of Service(LOS)analysis asformerly required under CEQA. Since 2008 the Model also has calculated VMT for informational purposes, but not as a threshold of significance for transportation impacts under CEQA. To comply withtheanticipated CEQA Guidelines under SB743, the TDFM will need to be calibrated to use VMT to assess transportation impacts. Furthermore, the Citywillhave to establish new transportation review procedures andadopt new VMT-based traffic impact thresholds to replace the existingLOS impact thresholds.", "Anticipated Timeline", "City Council approved a contract with Fehr + Peers in October 2017 to update the TDFM with the 2017 citywide transportation counts, and to recalibrate the model based on network changes and horizon year land uses. Fehr + Peers will also assist with development of some of the SB743 review guidelines and thresholds. Community engagement is anticipated to educate the public regarding this change and establishing new transportation analysis thresholds, including a public workshop, focus groups and a number of public hearings.", "The project will begin with updating and recalibrating the Model from January to September 2018. This work includes steps to complete traffic counts and quality assurance, develop horizon year forecasts, update the physical network, update and calibrate, and to evaluate TDM and VMT Performance.", "Following the Model update, staff will work on developing transportation review guidelines and thresholds from July 2018 through April 2019. This phase will include tasks to develop CEQA significance thresholds, develop planning-level transportation metrics, and develop guidelines for transportation review of projects.", "II. COUNCIL DIRECTED RESEARCH (\u201c13 ITEMS\u201d)", "R1/Single Family Residential Development Standards", "As part of the adoption of the zoning ordinance update, Council directed staff to further research neighborhood-specific zoning changes that would address the unique character of neighborhoods. The Planning Commission wrote a letter to the City Council requesting review of the R1 zoning standards. Staff has received complaints from neighborhood groups and individual residents expressing concern about the size of new homes. In nearly all cases, staff has found the new homes of concern to comply with existing zoning regulations for single-unit dwellings. A previous update to the R1 standards addressed \u201cmansionization\u201d concerns in 2000. Staff has received complaints regarding recent renovations/additions and the redevelopment of older housing stock. These have raised questions regarding the appropriateness of the existing R1 zoning standards. While the R1 standards have been in place for many years, existing homes typically do not represent the maximum buildable envelope resulting in a mismatch between new homes and existing homes. An update to the R1 zoning standards would require a significant public engagement process regarding the appropriate character and scale of new construction and additions in R1 neighborhoods.", "Anticipated Timeline", "It is expected that staff could begin work on a comprehensive update to the R1 standards in the second half of FY2018/19. In the meantime, if directed by Council, an interim zoning ordinance that takes a more surgical approach to strategically address specific R1 zoning standards that would regulate the size of new home construction pending completion of a comprehensive update could be completed in the first half of 2018.", "Amendment of Bergamot Area Plan to Increase Percentage of Required Housing", "The Bergamot Area Plan (BAP) encompasses an area that includes a large amount of the city\u2019s office space and includes the heart of the city\u2019s creative industries with approximately 8,000 workers. The BAP established a required land use mix in the Mixed Use Creative zoning district of 40% residential and 60% non-residential with an allowance to vary by 10% in either direction. Since the adoption of the BAP, completed or under construction projects include the following:", "Project", "Address", "Land Use", "Entitled By", "Agensys DA", "1800 Stewart Avenue", "Research and Development", "1988 Zoning Ordinance", "Village Trailer Park DA", "2930 Colorado Avenue", "362 units housing", "24,893 sf retail and creative office", "1988 Zoning Ordinance", "Colorado Creative Studios DA", "2834 Colorado Avenue", "192,000 sf creative office", "1988 Zoning Ordinance", "Pen Factory", "1681 26th Street", "203,816 sf creative office", "2013 Bergamot Area Plan", "As demonstrated by the above table, only one of the mentioned projects was approved under BAP regulations. However, the DA\u2019s approved under the 1988 Zoning Ordinance did provide some of the infrastructure enhancements identified in the BAP for those sites as negotiations were ongoing simultaneously with the development of the Plan. The Pen Factory project was entitled as a Tier 1 addition of 7,499 square feet converting the vacant industrial space to creative office. The only other project to have been approved (but not constructed) since the adoption of the BAP is an approximately 600-space private parking structure at 2941 Michigan Avenue.", "In the years subsequent to the adoption of the Bergamot Area Plan, staff has heard from the development community that the BAP does not contain sufficient height and FAR incentives to attract housing or commercial development, and that uncertainty and project risk weigh heavily on larger projects. Minimal differences in the FAR allowance between Tier 1 and Tier 2 do not provide incentives to produce housing or projects that could contribute community benefits to the area\u2019s transformation. And, while the BAP did identify certain properties as ripe for Tier 3 mix-use development projects, the uncertainty of the development agreement process has led many owners to maintain their properties \u201cas-is.\u201d To the extent that there is interest in creating housing incentives similar to those created in the DCP, further study and environmental analysis is required in order to determine necessary amendments.", "Anticipated Timeline", "Staff expects to be able to initiate work in the first half of FY2018/19. This effort would likely be folded into any options brought forward to encourage housing production on the boulevards.", "Explore Tools to Encourage Housing Production on the Commercial Boulevards and in the Bergamot Area and Disincentivize 100% Commercial Projects", "As part of the adoption of the Downtown Community Plan, Council gave further direction to also study incentives for housing production citywide on the commercial boulevards and the Bergamot area. It is likely that work on this item would be combined with any updates to the BAP designed to encourage housing production discussed above. It is likely that fully exploring this direction would also precipitate amendments to the Affordable Housing Production Program (AHPP) ordinance if not a comprehensive update to the AHPP. Establishing a framework similar to the DCP will require additional economic feasibility analyses in addition to outreach. In relation to the issue of housing on the boulevards, staff has included a map (Attachment B) showing the under construction, approved, and pending housing projects throughout the City.", "Anticipated Timeline", "Staff expects to be able to initiate work in first half of FY2018/19.", "Amendment of Zoning Ordinance to Prohibit Conversion of Existing Hotel Rooms to Residential Uses in the Proposition S Overlay Area", "A recent change in ownership of one of the hotels in the City prompted inquiries from Council and the community as to the intentions of the new owners, who converted a hotel to for-sale condominiums in another city. New hotels are prohibited in the Prop S overlay area and therefore, the importance of preserving existing hotels has been underscored. There has been no indication of any interest in converting existing hotel rooms to residential uses nor are there any pending applications for such a conversion.", "Anticipated Timeline", "Staff proposes to bring this forward with the \u201cBucket 3\u201d package of zoning ordinance discussions in the third quarter of 2018.", "Explore Ordinance Denying New Discretionary Permits of Entitlements on Properties Where Ongoing Violations Remain Unresolved", "There have been occasional instances where a property has outstanding Municipal Code violations but the property owner/applicant submits an application for a new permit. In these situations, Council has expressed concern that by issuing new permits, the applicant is not incentivized to abate the Code violation.", "Anticipated Timeline", "Staff proposes to bring this forward with the \u201cBucket 3\u201d package of zoning ordinance discussions in the third quarter of 2018.", "III. MAJOR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS", "Providence Saint John\u2019s Health Center Phase Two Master Plan & Development Agreement Amendment (2121 Santa Monica Boulevard)", "The Providence Saint John\u2019s Health Center (PSJHC) Phase Two Project development agreement amendment includes a master plan process that will comprehensively review the circulation, land use, parking, and development potential for the Health Center\u2019s north and south campuses located on Santa Monica Boulevard between 20th and 23rd Streets. A procedural amendment to the development agreement was approved on April 25, 2017 and established a framework that resulted in the following:", "\u00b7 Changed the South Campus Master Plan to a Phase Two Project Master Plan encompassing all of Phase Two development, on both the North and South Campuses.", "\u00b7 Changed the Development Agreement to require approval of the Phase Two Project Master Plan prior to approval of the individual Development Review Permits for Phase Two Project buildings.", "\u00b7 Required a phasing plan and performance schedule for significant project components such as infrastructure, circulation improvements, and community benefits.", "\u00b7 Established the City Council as the decision-making body for the Phase Two Project Master Plan.", "\u00b7 Required that all Phase Two development be consistent with the approved Phase Two Project Master Plan.", "Staff and the applicant team have completed their first-round review and discussion of the Phase Two Project circulation plan and started the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Phase Two Project with release of a Draft EIR for public review anticipated at the end of 2018.", "Anticipated Project Review Timeline", "\u00b7 Substantive Master Plan Review and Community Benefits Negotiations \u2013 2018", "\u00b7 EIR Public Review Draft \u2013 4th quarter 2018", "\u00b7 Planning Commission Hearings \u2013 1st quarter 2019", "\u00b7 City Council Hearings \u2013 3rd quarter 2019", "\u00b7 Development Review Permits for new John Wayne Cancer Institute, Child & Family Development Center, and replacement housing (Scenario A) or West Ambulatory & Acute Care Building and replacement housing (Scenario B) \u2013 4th quarter 2019", "Plaza at Santa Monica (4th/5th and Arizona)", "The proposed Plaza at Santa Monica project is a public/private partnership located on City-owned land. The current project proposal conforms to the limitations in the DCP at a height of 129\u2019 and consists of office, hotel, retail, and cultural uses. A large public plaza intended to provide space for a seasonal skating rink and other year-round programming is a key feature of the project.", "The site is identified as one of three Established Large Sites in the Downtown Community Plan. The project requires both negotiations on terms of the ground lease with the developer and a development agreement. The project is currently in the environmental analysis phase with the Draft EIR anticipated to be released for public review in 2nd quarter 2018. Per Council direction, the Draft EIR will be studying a range of eight project alternatives that include significantly different configurations for development of the site, particularly ones that envision a larger component of public space in the form of a central park or plaza for Downtown. Complimentary circulation alternatives are also part of the environmental analysis, including consideration of partial or periodic closure of Arizona. Formal hearings are anticipated to commence at the Planning Commission towards the end of 2018.", "Anticipated Project Review Timeline", "\u00b7 EIR Public Review Draft \u2013 2nd quarter 2018", "\u00b7 Planning Commission Hearings \u2013 4th quarter 2018", "\u00b7 City Council Hearings \u2013 2nd quarter 2019", "Miramar Hotel Mixed-Use Project (1133 Ocean Avenue)", "The proposed Miramar Hotel Mixed-Use Project Development Agreement application was originally submitted in April 2011 to comprehensively redevelop the existing Santa Monica Fairmont Miramar Hotel as a new approximately 550,000 SF (2.9 FAR) mixed-use hotel with the following key components:", "\u00b7 265 guest rooms", "\u00b7 food, beverage, meeting, and spa facilities", "\u00b7 retail space along Wilshire Boulevard", "\u00b7 approximately one-acre open space area at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Ocean Avenue", "\u00b7 up to 120 condominiums", "\u00b7 up to 40 affordable housing units at 1127 2nd Street", "\u00b7 approximately 484 on-site subterranean parking spaces", "\u00b7 Preservation of the site\u2019s Landmark Moreton Bay Fig Tree", "\u00b7 Preservation/rehabilitation of the Landmark Palisades Building", "Following Planning Commission\u2019s review of the conceptual plans in February 2012, the City provided direction regarding desired design parameters for the site and potential priority community benefits to be negotiated, and authorized staff to initiate development agreement negotiations with the applicant for the proposed project in April 2012. The project design was revised by the applicant team and resubmitted in 2013. At that time, the design strategy for the site focused on constructing a significantly taller, new building at the center of the site (approximately 262\u2019 tall) with open space and reduced building heights on the perimeter of the property. While City staff initiated work on the EIR for the project in 2013, that work along with City review of the revised project design was put on hold pending completion of the Downtown Community Plan (DCP).", "The Council adopted the DCP in August 2017 and included an Established Large Sites Overlay for three individual project sites in the Downtown. The DCP requires that projects for these three sites be processed as a development agreement and comply with specific development parameters (building height, floor area, and open space). For the Miramar Hotel site, the maximum building height for the project site is 130\u2019 and a maximum floor area ratio of 3.0.", "It is anticipated that the applicant will submit revised project plans during the first quarter of 2018 that address programmatic changes and design concept revisions compliant with the DCP\u2019s Established Large Sites Overlay regulations. Following initial review of these revised plans, City staff will resume its preparation of the Draft EIR for the project, including hosting a second EIR Scoping Meeting for the new project design.", "Anticipated Project Review Timeline", "\u00b7 Submit Revised Project Plans \u2013 1st quarter 2018", "\u00b7 EIR Scoping Meeting for Revised Project \u2013 1st quarter 2018", "\u00b7 Substantive Project Review and Community Benefits Negotiations \u2013 2018 through 1st quarter 2019", "\u00b7 EIR Public Review Draft \u2013 1st/2nd quarter 2019", "\u00b7 Planning Commission Hearings \u2013 3rd quarter 2019", "\u00b7 City Council Hearings \u2013 1st quarter 2020", "Ocean Avenue Hotel (101 Santa Monica Boulevard)", "A Development Agreement application was submitted in February 2013 for a proposed mixed-use hotel, cultural, retail, and residential development at the northwest corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Ocean Avenue (\u201cOcean Avenue Project\u201d). The applicant hosted a Community Meeting to introduce the proposed project in March 2013 which was followed by the Architectural Review Board\u2019s conceptual discussion of the proposal in August 2013. Following completion of the Community Meeting, City review of the project was put on hold pending completion of the Downtown Community Plan. For the Ocean Avenue Hotel site, the adopted DCP specifies a 130\u2019 maximum building height for the site and a maximum floor area ratio of 4.0.", "The applicant submitted revised project plans last month that address programmatic changes and design concept revisions compliant with the DCP\u2019s Established Large Sites Overlay regulations. Key components of the revised project include:", "\u00b7 115-room hotel with meeting room and banquet space;", "\u00b7 79 residential rental units, comprised of 19 new rent-controlled units to replace existing on-site units, 42 market rate units, and 18 affordable units;", "\u00b7 Ground-floor restaurant and retail space;", "\u00b7 Cultural/museum campus with open space;", "\u00b7 Publically-accessible roof-top observation deck;", "\u00b7 Subterranean parking;", "\u00b7 Retention and rehabilitation of two, on-site designated City Landmark structures.", "The applicant is scheduled to host a second Community Meeting to introduce the revised project design on January 11, 2018. Following initial review of the project plans, preliminary conceptual review will be scheduled at the Landmarks Commission and/or the Architectural Review Board during the first quarter of 2018. It is anticipated that Float-Up Discussions at Planning Commission and City Council will be completed by the third quarter of 2018 followed by initiation of environmental review for the project.", "Anticipated Project Review Timeline", "\u00b7 Community Meeting \u2013 1st quarter 2018", "\u00b7 ARB/Landmarks Conceptual Review \u2013 1st quarter 2018", "\u00b7 Planning Commission Float-Up Discussion \u2013 2nd quarter 2018", "\u00b7 City Council Float-Up Discussion \u2013 3rd quarter 2018", "\u00b7 EIR Scoping Meeting \u2013 4th quarter 2018", "\u00b7 Substantive Project Review and Community Benefits Negotiations \u2013 2019", "\u00b7 EIR Public Review Draft \u2013 4th quarter 2019", "\u00b7 Planning Commission Hearings \u2013 3rd quarter 2020", "\u00b7 City Council Hearings \u2013 1st quarter 2021", "IV. ALIGNMENT OF WORKPLAN WITH COUNCIL PRIORITY AREAS (STRATEGIC GOALS)", "In order to connect desired outcomes to the day-to-day work of city government, the City Council identified five council priority areas, or Strategic Goals, that are expected to have short-term impact on community safety, quality of life, and prosperity.", "Based on best practices from municipalities across the country, Santa Monica is now using an approach to workplan development and budgeting that connects the work of City Departments to a new Framework and SaMoStat. This process aligns departmental work efforts, measures outcomes, and ultimately ensures that the City delivers these services effectively and a transparent manner. The Framework is built around its long-term commitment to sustainability infused with its new Wellbeing Index, Santa Monica\u2019s custom measurement tool that provides an understanding of wellbeing in our community. The Framework is built on the core beliefs, visions, and structures of these two exciting and groundbreaking approaches. The five strategic goals connect to these outcome areas through a matrix. They are the key drivers that will allow us to achieve outcomes for residents of and visitors to Santa Monica.", "Based on these descriptions of the five priority areas, the following matrix has been developed to guide the Council\u2019s discussion on focus areas for the City Planning Division. The matrix demonstrates where individual planning efforts or Council directed research aligns with Council priorities.", "Council Strategic Goals", "INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE COMMUNITY", "MOBILITY", "THE AIRPORT", "HOMELESSNESS", "LEARN AND THRIVE", "Policy Plans", "Pico Neighborhood Plan", "X", "X", "X", "Memorial Park Neighborhood Plan", "X", "X", "X", "Local Coastal Program Update (Required by law)", "X", "X", "Gateway Master Plan", "X", "Landmarks Ordinance", "SB743 Implementation (Required by law)", "X", "Council Directed Research", "R1 Standards", "Bergamot Housing and Use Mix", "X", "Housing Production on Boulevards", "X", "Hotel/Condo in Prop S Overlay", "Denying Permits for Properties with Unresolved Code Violations", "The Council\u2019s strategic goals formed the basis for how staff prioritizes the work of the City Planning Division, especially those that require staff and funding resources. A second framework for organizing priorities is based on ongoing legal requirements. This would allow projects such as the Local Coastal Program Update, Housing Element, and SB743 guidelines to be brought forward. A third framework is based the urgency of issues to be addressed. For example, staff has been bringing forward clarifications to the zoning ordinance in response to questions raised in the course of project review and implementation. As these changes directly affect the daily work of the division, these have been prioritized.", "CONCLUSION", "This report presents an overview of the strategic plans, land use policies, and major development agreements that are the City Planning Division\u2019s priorities for the next two years. The significant volume of \u201cday to day\u201d work requires the majority of staff to be devoted to the Division\u2019s development review function. Similarly, each of the projects in this report requires a significant investment in staff time, consultant time, and public engagement. Therefore, some of the strategic plans and comprehensive ordinance updates in addition to the major development agreements have been prioritized so that projects can be completed in a timely manner responsive to Council\u2019s direction. Council directed-research is incorporated into the workplan as appropriate, but based on the Council\u2019s strategic goals, staff would prioritize work on the creation of housing incentives on the boulevards and within the Bergamot Plan area. Due to the ongoing construction in R1 neighborhoods that continues to generate community concern, if directed by Council, staff could prepare an interim zoning ordinance in short order that could put in place temporary regulations pending a comprehensive update.", "As noted in this report, staff has organized priorities based upon the following framework:", "1. Council adopted Strategic Goals", "2. Legally required policy documents", "3. Urgency of issue and impact on daily work", "Based on this framework, staff has prioritized the Division\u2019s work as described in the table below, which has been formatted to show a comparison of the Planning Commission\u2019s recommended priorities. As this table demonstrates, the Pico Neighborhood Plan is the division\u2019s top strategic planning priority, followed by the required SB743 Implementation.", "City Planning Staff Recommendation", "Planning Commission Recommendation", "1. Pico Neighborhood Plan", "1. Pico Neighborhood Plan", "2. SB743 Implementation", "2. SB743 Implementation", "3. Memorial Park Neighborhood Plan", "3. Landmarks Ordinance Update", "4. Local Coastal Program Update", "4. R1 Standards", "5. Gateway Master Plan", "5. Options to Encourage Housing on the Boulevards", "6. Options to Encourage Housing on the Boulevards and in the Bergamot area", "7. Landmarks Ordinance Update", "The remainder of the strategic plans and Council-directed research will be included in the work plan as capacity allows. In these instances, staff has been reviewing interim options that might allow bringing forward changes sooner while reserving a larger effort for subsequent years.", "Major developments projects also have a natural stagger however, processing of these applications requires a significant investment of interdepartmental staff time, time for environmental review, and community engagement. As all the development agreements are anticipated to generate public interest, it should be noted that staff devoted to processing the projects will not be able to devote attention to other potential priorities, such as the Landmarks Ordinance update.", "Financial Impacts & Budget Actions", "There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the recommended action."]}], [{"Title": "Calendar Year 2018 Water Rate Adjustment", "Department": "Public Works, Water Resources", "Sponsors": null, "Category": "09. Public Hearings", "Recommendations": "Staff recommends that the City Council:Suspend the 9% water rate increase authorized to go into effect on January 1, 2018 and authorize a 5% increase to be in effect until December 31, 2018; andAuthorize the budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of this report.", "Body": ["Executive Summary", "The City of Santa Monica has historically provided water service to our residential and business customers. Given the statewide challenges surrounding safe and reliable water supply in recent years, Santa Monica has been a leader in efforts to conserve, reuse and safeguard our local water resources. This report addresses the annual water rate recommendation for calendar year 2018 and provides a progress update on various efforts undertaken to meet the City\u2019s ambitious goal of eliminating use of imported water and becoming water self-sufficient by 2020.", "On February 24, 2015, Council approved a series of five annual 9% water rate increases for the period of March 1, 2015 through December 31, 2019 (Attachment A). The resolution adopting the water rates provided City Council with flexibility to suspend all or a portion of each 9% annual rate increase during the five-year rate period, depending upon circumstances which demonstrate that such increases are unnecessary due to greater than anticipated revenues, decreased operating expenses or decreased capital projects expenditures. The first 9% increase went into effect on March 1, 2015. On February 23, 2016 and November 22, 2016, due to better than expected financial results, Council approved 5% increases for calendar years 2016 and 2017, respectively, partially suspending scheduled 9% increases (Attachments B and C). Review of Water Fund performance for Fiscal Year 2016-17 indicates that revenues were $0.6 million greater than anticipated and expenditures were $8.6 million less than anticipated, leaving the Water Fund with a $36.7 million fund balance. Staff therefore recommends that City Council adopt a 5% water rate increase for 2018 instead of the previously approved 9% increase. Better than expected financial performance in Fiscal Year 2016-17 has allowed for this reduced rate adjustment while still providing sufficient funds to conduct studies necessary to inform the Sustainable Water Master Plan update and future rate recommendations.", "The recommended rate adjustment would be sufficient to allow the City to:", "1) Deliver potable water to Santa Monica customers reliably, safely and sustainably in compliance with federal and state regulations; and", "2) Fund operating and capital budgets that are necessary to implement the City's self-sufficiency goals to encourage water conservation and sustainability, as contemplated in the City's 2014 water rate analysis. Such projects include five FY 2017-18 capital projects to improve reservoir chlorination ($900,000), perform pilot reverse osmosis upgrades at the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant ($250,000), commence preparation of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan for the Santa Monica Basin ($150,000), conduct a supplemental study to refine the Sustainable Yield Analysis ($100,000), and complete a flow modelling study required for future reuse of recycled water ($300,000).", "The recommended 5% water rate increase would be effective for calendar year 2018 on bills issued on or about March 1, 2018. Proposed and current water and fire line service rates are listed in Attachment D. Council may take action to adjust future rates at the next annual review.", "The 2014 water rate study was prepared in conjunction with the preparation of the Sustainable Water Master Plan (SWMP). In 2014, City Council adopted the SWMP with the goal of eliminating reliance on imported water from Metropolitan Water District and achieving water self-sufficiency by 2020. Since the adoption of the SWMP and as a result of new water conservation programs/policies implemented in 2015 and 2016, the City has seen a 16 percent reduction in water use while the residential population has grown from 92,321 to 93,282 over the same period. Overall, through its efforts to address the drought, the City has achieved and continues to maintain a nearly 20% reduction in water use relative to its 2013 baseline. This reduction has allowed the City to further reduce its use of imported water by 11 percent. Currently, the City\u2019s water supply consists of approximately 25 percent imported water and 75 percent local groundwater. Per capita water use has maintained steady at 110 gallons per capita per day (GPCD) in 2016 versus record low usage of 109 GPCD in 2015.", "Staff initiated a comprehensive update of the Sustainable Water Master Plan earlier this year. Significant progress has been made on the completion of that plan, including completion of a preliminary Santa Monica Basin sustainable yield analysis, which evaluated the rate (volume) at which groundwater can be pumped on a perennial basis without depleting the resource, a key element in achieving the water self-sufficiency goal", "Based on the work completed to date, staff believes further analysis is needed in order to assess whether the City will meet its water self-sufficiency goal by 2020, including what added measures are needed to eliminate reliance on imported water. . Specifically, analysis to validate the sustainable yield estimates, determine availability and costs to access potential additional local groundwater resources, and evaluate the cost and viability of additional water conservation programs as requested by the Task Force on the Environment are required. This work is currently underway and is expected to be completed in late spring 2018 and will be incorporated into an updated SWMP. The updated SWMP will be presented to Council in mid-2018 and will include a detailed progress report and timeline for achieving the water self-sufficiency goal and maintaining an ongoing sustainable local water supply.", "Background", "On February 24, 2015, Council approved the following schedule of water rate increases via resolution subject to an annual State of the Water Fund review analyzing fiscal performance and projected fund balances over a five-year period:", "Calendar Year", "2015", "2016", "2017", "2018", "2019", "Effective Date", "March 1, 2015", "January 1, 2016", "January 1, 2017", "January 1, 2018", "January 1, 2019", "Maximum Authorized Increase", "9%", "9%", "9%", "9%", "9%", "Actual Increase*", "9%", "5%", "5%", "*Actual Increase adopted by Council based upon review of Water Fund performance", "Rate increases go into effect automatically on an annual basis unless suspended, all or in part, by Council. On February 23, 2016, based on an improved financial outlook, Council partially suspended the full 9% increase and approved a 5% increase for calendar year 2016. On November 22, 2016, based on better than expected financial performance, Council partially suspended the full 9% increase and approved a 5% increase for calendar year 2017. The rate increase for 2017 provided funding to increase the City\u2019s water main replacement budget from $2 million to $4 million per year in order to meet a 100-year replacement schedule which will increase the resilience of the water system and help to prevent water main breakages.", "For financial stability, the Water Fund strives to maintain a $7 million minimum reserve balance with revenues sufficient to cover all operating and capital expenditures while meeting various water-related requirements and goals including:", "\u00b7 20% reduction in water use from 2013 levels mandated by the State from May 5, 2015 through May 2016, and current City Stage 2 Water Supply Shortage conditions adopted by Council on August 12, 2014 in accordance with the City\u2019s Water Shortage Response Plan;", "\u00b7 Meeting a State-required 123-gallon per capita per day usage standard per the Water Conservation Act of 2009 also known as SBx7-7;", "\u00b7 Federal & State water quality and treatment requirements;", "\u00b7 Achieving Santa Monica's goal of reducing the City's reliance on imported water and attaining 100% water self-sufficiency by 2020;", "\u00b7 Managing Santa Monica basin groundwater contamination and utilizing groundwater resources in a sustainable manner; and", "\u00b7 Maintenance and construction of water treatment and distribution systems including facilities, meters, pipelines, pump stations, reservoirs and well fields for reliable and efficient delivery of potable water for customer use.", "The approved 9% annual increases may be suspended in whole or part if revenues are greater than anticipated or expenditures are less than expected, while maintaining a $7 million minimum reserve Water Fund balance at the end of the five-year planning horizon.", "Any 2018 rate increase would go into effect for water consumption beginning on January 1, 2018, effective on water bills prepared on or after March 1, 2018 as water meters are read approximately every two months (e.g., a bill issued for a meter read on March 1, 2018 would reflect water usage from January 1 to February 28, 2018).", "Water Units of Measure, as the City uses, are in units of hundred cubic feet (HCF) for water billing purposes, where 1 HCF = 748 gallons. Discussion in the first portion of the staff report related to water rates, individual customer bills, and Water Fund financial performance will reference quantities in HCF units. As the City imports water from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California in units of acre-feet (AF), where one acre foot = 325,851 gallons or 435.6 HCF, discussion in the second portion of the staff report related to the City\u2019s overall progress towards water self-sufficiency will reference quantities in acre-feet.", "Discussion", "State of the Water Fund and Rate Recommendation", "Fiscal Year 2016-17 Financial Performance", "In considering whether to suspend all or part of the scheduled 9% rate adjustment for calendar year 2018, staff analyzed the FY 2016-17 actual performance of the Water Fund. The Water Fund ended Fiscal Year 2016-17 with a fund balance of $36,727,423, $9.2 million better than expected primarily due to lower than expected capital and operating expenditures while achieving revenues just above expectations. The fund balance includes the one-time infusion of $33.4 million in Charnock Fund MTBE settlement funds at the end of FY 2012-13 which is being used to fund increased capital and conservation programs; and ongoing monitoring, remediation and permitting activities for the Charnock Well Field.", "\u00b7 Revenues \u2013 FY 2016-17 potable water sales of 4,991,022 hundred cubic feet (HCF) increased by 2.5% versus record low usage of 4,870,900 HCF in FY 2015-16, resulting in sales revenues exceeding budget by $0.4 million and total Water Fund revenues exceeding expectations by $0.6 million. Although overall water usage remains approximately 20% below the City\u2019s 2013 baseline, modest year-over-year increases were observed for the three customer classes which account for approximately 93% of City usage: Multi-Family Residential (+1.7%), Commercial (+2.6%) and Single Family Residential (+2.8%).", "\u00b7 Expenditures \u2013 FY 2016-17 capital and operating expenditures were $8.6 million less than expected. Key line items include:", "o Capital Expenditures were $3.6 million less than projected \u2013 virtually all of these funds are for ongoing projects and programs which will be rolled over into FY 2017-18 and spent pending bids and completion of design work for projects related to water main replacements ($1.5 million), facility repairs ($1.25 million), irrigation controllers & turf removal at City sites ($540,000), and software and control systems ($312,000).", "o Expenditures for Water Conservation Programs were $1.7 million less than projected \u2013 turf removal rebates ($585,000 of $1.5 million budgeted) and multi-family toilet installation program ($80,000 of $678,000 budgeted) expenditures were significantly lower than expected due to staffing vacancies and contracting delays.", "o Water Treatment and System Maintenance Materials & Services were $900,000 less than projected \u2013 expenditures for water treatment chemicals, maintenance supplies and professional services were less than expected.", "o Charnock Well Field Operations were $850,000 less than projected \u2013purchases of activated carbon required to treat groundwater to remove Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) and other contaminants continued to drop as clean-up of the Charnock Sub-basin continues. Only twenty-one 20,000-lb deliveries of activated carbon were required in FY 2016-17 compared to 40 deliveries in FY 2013-14, which was the highest year of carbon use.", "o Salaries & Wages were $600,000 less than projected \u2013 the Water Resources Division experienced several key staff vacancies in FY 2016-17, including four positions vacant for longer than six months.", "o The Cost to purchase water was $300,000 less than projected.", "Rate Recommendation", "Due to an improved financial outlook and the need to do additional analysis to determine the project and financial needs to achieve water self-sufficiency, staff recommends Council partially suspending a portion of the 9% water rate increase authorized by Council and authorize a 5% increase for calendar year 2018. Comparing rates with the 15 other Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California member cities, Santa Monica\u2019s tiered rate structure would continue to offer close to the lowest costs in the region for the average user. For a single-family residence using the City average of 25 HCF (18,700 gallons) over a two-month period, a 5% increase would raise a bi-monthly water bill by $4.63 from $91.64 to $96.27, which works out to about a half-cent per gallon ($0.00515). Anaheim currently offers the best pricing at $84, followed by Fullerton at $89 and El Segundo at $95 as indicated in the following chart:", "The 5% rate adjustment would provide for continued delivery of water service, including:", "\u00b7 Sufficient funding to maintain safe and reliable water deliveries for Santa Monica customers at a reasonable cost while meeting federal and state regulations and City water usage restrictions;", "\u00b7 Continued funding toward projects and programs needed to continue progress toward the City\u2019s water self-sufficiency goal", "\u00b7 Continued investment in infrastructure and conservation programs; and", "\u00b7 Meeting or exceeding bonding capital requirements; and the financial stability to allow for fluctuations in water usage and to address unforeseen operating and capital budget requirements.", "The following anticipated costs and budgeted projects are included in the Water Fund\u2019s 5-year fund balance projection (Attachment E):", "\u00b7 Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California \u2013 $5.4 million from FY 2019-20 to FY 2021-22 to ensure sufficient funding for imported water deliveries prior to achieving water self-sufficiency and ongoing access to imported water if needed in case of emergency. After 2020, the City anticipates costs for continued access to MWD water (including fixed \u201cReadiness to Serve\u201d and \u201cCapacity\u201d charges which have totaled $1.0 million to $1.2 million per year in addition to per acre-foot charges for water imported) to serve as a backup source in case of City water production interruptions or to meet peak demand requirements.", "\u00b7 Coastal Sub-Basin Exploratory Borings and Well SM-7 Replacement Project \u2013$4.2 million in FY 2017-18 to evaluate groundwater availability and quality in the Coastal sub-basin by drilling three borings/production wells at the Santa Monica Airport, Colorado Yards and 2018 19th Street; and replace an inactive well (SM-7) located near Olympic / Stewart with a new production well.", "\u00b7 Water Neutrality Ordinance \u2013 added $2.1 million in FY 2017-18 costs for contractor services to implement the ordinance for new development permits and to identify/ensure compliance with water usage offsets. Staff anticipates that Water Neutrality fees effective for permit applications submitted on or after July 1, 2017 coupled with the cessation of Water Demand Mitigation fees ($3 per gallon per day of estimated new net water use collected to fund water conservation programs at municipal sites) will lead to revenues that are approximately $560,000 less than total program costs, which is due to one-time non-recoverable program start-up costs for implementing this water conservation program.", "Staff also recommends Council approve funding for five Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects, which would commence in FY 2017-18, and reduce budgets for two projects for a total of $549,982:", "\u00b7 Potable Water Reservoir Improvements ($900,000) \u2013 To improve chlorination and reduce nitrification at the City\u2019s three reservoirs (Mount Olivet, Riviera and San Vicente), additional mixers, chemical dosing and analyzer equipment would be installed.", "\u00b7 Arcadia Water Plant Enhanced Reverse Osmosis Recovery Pilot ($250,000) - To increase the efficiency of the City\u2019s water treatment process from the current 82% (82 gallons of finished water are produced from 100 gallons of raw water) to approximately 90%, which could yield an additional 672 acre-feet per year (AFY) from the same amount of groundwater, the City would pilot a new full-scale treatment skid on a rental basis including membranes, pumps and analyzer equipment to process reject water currently disposed into the sewer. Depending on the success of the pilot, staff would return to Council to consider purchasing the rental equipment (estimated at $2 million), with full cost recovery possible within two to four years due to savings from reduced MWD water purchases.", "\u00b7 Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan ($150,000) - To develop a state-required Groundwater Sustainability Plan by January 2022 to manage Santa Monica Basin groundwater in concert with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the County of Los Angeles, the City of Beverly Hills and the City of Culver City, an additional $150,000 in FY 2017-18 would be added to the City\u2019s current $50,000 budget for plan development and facilitation of regular interested party meetings. Actual costs may be higher or lower dependent on the cost-sharing agreement negotiated with the other signatory agencies of the Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency.", "\u00b7 Supplemental DInSAR Study ($100,000) - This study will supplement data collected as part of the preliminary Differential Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar or DInSAR subsidence study completed earlier this year. The study is intended to better assess how the local groundwater basins and sub-basins are recharged and will allow further refinement and finalization of the Sustainable Yield Analysis (SYA) for the basin.", "\u00b7 US Geological Survey (USGS) Numerical Flow Model ($300,000) \u2013 Completion of this model is required for the City to obtain a recharge permit that would allow future injection of treated recycled water from the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP) into local aquifers for reuse. USGS has completed a detailed groundwater flow model for most of the LA Basin. Staff has met with the USGS to begin the process of working cooperatively to extend the USGS model into the Santa Monica Basin by sharing our existing modeling with the agency. These activities would utilize the City\u2019s currently contracted modeling expert (ICF Engineers) to interface with the USGS modeling team. Work would initially focus on the Charnock and Olympic sub-basins. The objective of the modeling program is to have a preliminary calibrated model for the sub-basins the City currently pumps by 2020.", "\u00b7 Arcadia Water Treatment Plant Reverse Osmosis Membrane Replacement Project ($700,000 budget reduction) \u2013 in November 2017, the City completed replacement of 1,608 reverse osmosis membranes used in the treatment of potable water. Initially budgeted at $1.5 million, actual costs were $800,000, yielding $700,000 in savings available to defray the project costs above.", "\u00b7 Water / Wastewater Tenant Improvement Projects \u2013 to reflect the deferral of Water / Wastewater building modifications at the City Yards to accommodate staff currently located at 1212 5th Street not included in Phase I of the City Yards Master Plan, staff also recommends Council approve FY 2017/18 CIP reductions $450,018 for the Water Fund and $1,950,017 for the Wastewater Fund originally slated for design and construction. Pending further City Master Plan design and planning work, these modifications will be taken to Council as part of the FY 18-20 Biennial CIP budget submittal with updated cost and timing estimates (currently, approximately $3.9M apiece has been included in the 5-year budget forecasts for both the Water and Wastewater Funds).", "Alternatives", "As currently modeled, an increase lower than a 5% increase for calendar year 2018 would cause the Water Fund to drop below the $7 million minimum recommended reserve balance by the end of FY 2021-22. If rates are not increased at all, the fund balance would be projected to drop to $1.6 million at the end of FY 2021-22.", "While an increase greater than 5% might provide additional resources for accelerating progress toward the 2020 water self-sufficiency goal, the completion of the ongoing studies will provide a clearer roadmap for making those decisions in the years ahead.", "Similarly, diverting from the recommended capital investments by adding or deleting proposed projects could either delay or accelerate progress toward the City\u2019s goal of providing safe water, meeting its water self-sufficiency goal and/or meeting the State\u2019s Groundwater Sustainability Plan requirement by 2022. Again, the completion of the current analyses will provide a better guide for future investments beyond the ones recommended in this report.", "Despite having a larger than normal $36.7 million Water Fund balance primarily due to the one-time infusion of $33.4 million in Charnock Well Fund MTBE settlement funds at the end of FY 2012-13, it is anticipated that significant investments in capital ($42 million) and conservation ($17 million) programs will cause expenses to outpace revenues in each of the next few years. The five-year Water Fund forecast currently models in an approved 9% rate increase for calendar year 2019, with any future changes in future years to be determined by a future rate study. However, actual rate adjustments will be set by Council for 2019 based on an annual financial performance review, which has been better than expected over the past three years leading to reduced rate increases; and for 2020 to 2024 based on an upcoming Water/Wastewater rate study to be considered by Council in 2019 and subject to Proposition 218 notifications to all rate payers and public hearing requirements.", "Progress Toward Meeting Water Self-Sufficiency Goal", "In 2014, City Council adopted the Sustainable Water Master Plan (SWMP) with the ambitious goal of eliminating reliance on imported water from Metropolitan Water District (MWD) and achieving water self-sufficiency by 2020. Since the adoption of the SWMP and as a result of new water conservation programs and policies implemented in 2015 and 2016, the City has seen a 16 percent reduction in water demand while the residential population has grown about 1 percent over the same period. Overall, through its efforts to address the drought the City has achieved and continues to maintain a 20% reduction in water use relative to its 2013 baseline. This reduction in water demand has allowed the City to further reduce its use of imported water by 11 percent. Figure 1 below indicates the continuing reduction in the City\u2019s imported water supply over the five-year period from 2012 to 2016.", "Figure 1", "From 2007 to 2016, the population increased from 87,860 to 93,282. Nevertheless, as a result of long-standing successful conservation efforts by the City of Santa Monica, per capita water use (total city water use divided by population) has continued to decrease, as indicated in Figure 2 below.", "Figure 2", "Water Conservation Program Update", "The City\u2019s past and current water conservation efforts include a combination of incentive programs, regulations, enforcement, and outreach and education programs. For the 2014-2017 time period, the programs and policies that the Water Conservation Unit within the City\u2019s Office of Sustainability and the Environment (OSE) has implemented and executed can be categorized as follows:", "\u00b7 2014 Sustainable Water Master Plan programs", "\u00b7 New program enhancements to existing programs", "\u00b7 Ordinances for new developments and water waste", "Of all the factors shaping Santa Monica\u2019s water conservation programs since the initial SWMP, the most significant have been the recent five-year (2012-2017) California drought and the resultant mandatory water use reductions and water conservation requirements issued by both the State and the City.", "Although Water Conservation Unit staff resources were devoted primarily to new water conservation efforts in response to the 2012-2017 California drought, 10 of the programs defined in the 2014 SWMP were initiated with significant progress.", "Water conservation programs implemented by the Water Conservation Unit have significantly reduced water demand since the 2014 SWMP:", "\u00b7 Total annual demand shrank by 1,578 acre-feet (AF) from 2014 to 2016. Because the SWMP water conservation programs implemented to date have an estimated 317 acre-feet per year (AFY) savings, the additional 1,261 AFY in savings can be primarily attributed to new water conservation programs along with enhancements to long-standing legacy programs.", "\u00b7 Drought response reduction targets of 20% mandated by the State and the City were consistently met.", "\u00b7 The City\u2019s Stage 2 Water Supply Shortage and the requirement for 20% reduction in water use remains in effect (via Water Use Allowances and Exceedance Citations), and the City continues to meet this target even with the Drought State of Emergency rescinded and the media spotlight no longer on the drought.", "\u00b7 The City surpassed the State of California Water Conservation Act of 2009 (SBx7-7) target of 123 gallons per capita per day (GPCD) in 2014 and by 2016 had achieved a water demand of 110 GPCD. In September 2017, the Task Force on the Environment recommended that the City commit to further reductions in water demand to achieve a goal of 90 GPCD by 2025. As discussed later in this report, a detailed work plan for achieving this goal is being evaluated as part of a comprehensive update of the SWMP, which will be presented to Council in mid-2018. However, staff expects that increased water conservation necessary to meet this goal could be achieved in part by focusing on untapped areas such as:", "o Yet to be implemented programs from the 2014 SWMP (most notably the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District retrofits, St. John\u2019s fixture retrofits and coin-operated laundry machine retrofits).", "o Increased focus on the commercial sector for rebates on water-saving devices (especially flush-o-meter toilets and urinals).", "o Continued aggressive water-waste enforcement.", "o Additional sustainable landscape conversions.", "o Outreach program assisting customers to properly adjust their irrigation timers.", "o New marketing and outreach campaign focusing on permanent conservation in line with the State\u2019s forthcoming framework for \u201cMaking Water Conservation a California Way of Life.\u201d", "Additional Progress on 2014 SWMP Implementation and SWMP Update", "Preliminary Sustainable Yield Analysis", "As noted above, the City\u2019s water supply currently consists of approximately 25 percent imported water and 75 percent local groundwater. Given the significant City-wide reductions in water use over the past three years and the identification of new opportunities to cultivate local water resources, the City hired Black and Veatch Corporation to complete a comprehensive update to the 2014 Sustainable Water Master Plan. Work began on this update in July 2017. To inform this effort staff also hired Richard Slade and Associates to complete a Preliminary Sustainable Yield Analysis (SYA) of the various groundwater sub-basins from which the City is pumping groundwater in the larger Santa Monica Basin. The Preliminary SYA has been completed and is included as (Attachment F) to this report.", "The term \u201csustainable yield\u201d is generally defined as the rate (volume) at which groundwater can be pumped from an aquifer or basin on a perennial basis under specified operating conditions without producing an undesirable result. Undesirable results include, among other things, the unsustainable reduction of the groundwater resource, degradation of groundwater quality, land subsidence and uneconomic pumping conditions. Groundwater in the Basin is replenished primarily from precipitation falling on the entire Basin and along the approximately 36-square-mile front of the Santa Monica Mountains adjacent to the northern boundary of the Basin. Since the Basin is heavily developed and a large portion of the available ground surface has been paved to construct roads and other infrastructure, only a limited portion of exposed soils are impervious and capable of allowing infiltration of surface water into the subsurface water-bearing geologic formation.", "The Preliminary SYA study estimated sustainable yields for the Arcadia, Charnock and Olympic sub-basins, which are the only sub-basins currently pumped by the City. These are presented below in Table 2:", "Table 2", "GROUNDWATER SUBBASIN", "CURRENTLY CALCULATED", "SUSTAINABLE YIELD", "(AFY)", "Arcadia", "600 to 800", "Charnock", "4,600 to 5,900", "Olympic", "1,600 to 1,700", "TOTALS:", "6,800 to 8,400", "Coastal", "Assessment in Progress", "Crestal", "Yet To Be Determined", "Previous estimates of sustainable yield of the combined Arcadia, Charnock and Olympic sub-basins by various experts retained by the City have ranged between 9,695 -13,475 acre-feet per year (AFY). These previous estimates relied heavily on literature searches and localized data. The current study provides an analysis based on actual pumping and recharge data over a period of 30 years. The information is preliminary, and conservative, based solely on the three basins from which the City currently draws water. As detailed below, additional work is currently underway to refine the preliminary SYA results. This work involves completing exploratory borings in the Coastal sub-basin, digital land mapping and remote sensing efforts; staff anticipates the safe yield estimates will be adjusted once the additional work is completed in Spring 2018.", "Exploratory Borings", "The City currently has no wells in the Coastal sub-basin and little reliable geologic data is available. However, based on a test well drilled adjacent to City Hall in 2017 it is anticipated that the sub-basin could hold significant groundwater reserves. To assess the availability and quality of groundwater that might be present, the City is drilling three deep (600 ft.) exploratory borings in the sub-basin to document hydrogeological conditions (Council action July 11, 2017, Attachment G). This project began in September 2017 and will be completed in early 2018. Initial results indicate that at least one of the drilling locations may be suitable for installation of a future production well. Full results and future recommended actions will be presented to Council as part of the updated Sustainable Water Master Plan in mid-2018.", "Digital Elevation Mapping", "A supplemental study related to the SYA addresses how surface water runoff becomes available for recharge (replenishment of the groundwater supply) and consequently, how water in storage is calculated. The recharge rates used in the preliminary SYA include a simple calculation of recharge from the mountain areas, which likely underestimates recharge to the basin. Staff has initiated a study utilizing computer-assisted modelling of irregular elevation data to provide a more accurate estimate of available runoff.", "Differential Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar Studies (DInSar)", "Differential Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) is a satellite-based remote sensing technique capable of detecting minute variations (deformation) of surface topography over time. In order to evaluate if historic and ongoing groundwater withdrawals by the City may have resulted in large scale sediment compaction (land subsidence) which could adversely affect the amount of groundwater storage in the basin, a preliminary DInSAR study (Attachment H) was conducted as part of the Preliminary SYA. The study determined that historic or ongoing Basin-wide sediment compaction (land subsidence) was not evident, and also identified previously unknown groundwater recharge pathways in the basin. Two additional remote sensing studies will be completed to further evaluate this preliminary information and refine the preliminary SYA study.", "Current and Planned Efforts to Increase Local Supply", "In addition to water conservation programs staff have initiated or are planning several projects intended to increase local water supplies and further reduce the need for imported water in order to meet the City\u2019s water self-sufficiency goal. These are summarized below.", "Clean Beaches Project", "In June 2017, Council approved a contract for construction of the Clean Beaches Project for the Pier watershed (Attachment I). The Project involves construction of a below ground stormwater harvesting tank, which will improve beach water quality by collecting stormwater discharges to the ocean at the Pier outfall. The Project will harvest up to 1.6 million gallons (MG) of storm water from any single storm event for advanced treatment, recycling and reuse. The harvested water will be treated at the Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility (SMURRF) for non-potable uses such as irrigation and toilet flushing. Construction began in September 2017 and is expected to be completed by August 2018.", "Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP)", "The SWIP is composed of three integrated project elements to help improve drought resiliency, increase water supply and enhance flexibility in the management of the City\u2019s water resources. SWIP Element 1 involves the installation of a containerized brackish/saline reverse osmosis and enhanced disinfection treatment system at the SMURRF. When operational, the reverse osmosis/disinfection unit would be utilized to advance treat non-conventional water resources such as urban and wet weather runoff harvested by the Clean Beaches Project for later reuse. SWIP Element 2 includes the construction of a below ground Advanced Water Treatment Facility (AWTF) at a location beneath the Civic Center parking lot.The AWTF would advance treat approximately 1.0 million gallons per day (MGD) of municipal wastewater for reuse.SWIP Element 3 consists of two below-grade stormwater harvest tanks. One tank (3.0 MG) would be constructed beneath Memorial Park. The other below-grade tank (1.5 MG) would be located adjacent to the AWTF beneath the Civic Center parking lot. Together, the Project elements would produce approximately 1.5 MGD (1,680 acre-feet/year) of new water for immediate non-potable reuse, and when appropriately permitted, for indirect potable reuse via aquifer recharge.City Council approved a funding agreement for the SWIP project on September 12, 2017 (Attachment J). Following completion of all required permitting approvals construction is expected to begin in Spring 2019 and the project is expected to be operational by late 2020.", "Enhanced Reverse Osmosis (RO) Recovery", "Staff is exploring the use of new technologies that could cost effectively increase the production of the City\u2019s existing Arcadia treatment plant by re-treating brine that is currently discharged to the sewer. Current recovery rates for water processed through the existing reverse osmosis treatment system stand at about 82%. In early 2018, staff will begin a feasibility study which includes a pilot test to assess the effectiveness of an emerging technology which may increase the recovery rate to 90%, and possibly beyond. Preliminary estimates are that an additional 672 AFY may be produced from the brine currently being disposed. The feasibility study that would evaluate the technology, costs, and water savings will be completed by the end of the fiscal year.", "Numerical Groundwater Flow Modeling", "In order to more effectively manage its groundwater resources, the City has completed numerical flow modeling of its Olympic and Charnock well fields. Numerical groundwater flow models are based on detailed hydrogeologic data which are compiled into a sophisticated modeling software program that is used by numerous government agencies and other municipalities throughout California. Once calibrated, flow models can be used to identify and plan future groundwater development, better control contamination plumes, and most importantly, provide for adaptive pumping that would allow individual wells or entire supply fields to be better managed in order to sustainably recharge without affecting the City\u2019s overall groundwater production rates.", "The US Geological Survey (USGS) has completed a detailed groundwater flow model for most of the LA Basin. Staff has met with the USGS to begin the process of working cooperatively to extend the USGS model into the Santa Monica Basin by sharing our existing modeling with the agency. These activities would utilize the City\u2019s currently contracted modeling expert (ICF Engineers) to interface with the USGS modeling team. Estimated costs for these activities over the next 12 months are approximately $300,000. Work would initially focus on the Charnock and Olympic sub-basins. The objective of the modeling program is to have a preliminary calibrated model for the sub-basins the City currently pumps by 2020.", "Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Pilot \u2013 Smart Meters", "AMI is an integrated system of smart meters, communications networks, and data management systems that enables two-way communication between the water utility and customers and provides real-time collection and evaluation of water use data. Currently, water meters throughout the city are manually read once every two months. This infrequent and staff intensive process provides very limited data regarding actual water use patterns at individual sites and throughout the city. The real-time continuous data provided by AMI allows for the timely identification of leaks and excessive water use, allows customers to accurately budget their water use in order to meet conservation goals, provides more accurate water billing, and can help to improve customer service. In March of 2016 the City partnered with Southern California Gas Company (SCG) and Aclara Technologies (Aclara) to run a proof of concept AMI pilot. The pilot involved retrofitting some 200 City water meters (single family, multi-family, commercial) and using SCG\u2019s network infrastructure to transmit the meter reading data to a network management database and software hosted by Aclara. Subsequently, an additional 500 meters (roughly all City of Santa Monica municipal accounts and some locations that were challenging for City crews to perform manual meter reads for billing) were retrofitted with AMI technology. The pilot will run until March 2018.", "Preliminary indications are that 99.2% of the hourly data transmitted from the meter to the Data Management System has been received without error; the outlier may have been signal interference at one of the SCG\u2019s data collection units. During the pilot active response to anomalies in the data received (high consumption alerts) have allowed customers to be notified of potential leaks in time to reduce significant water loss. The continuation of the pilot will address the effectiveness of those services with both smart meters and a consumer engagement overlay called WaterSmart, which helps customers manage their water usage and assists the City to comply with State mandates. The full findings of the AMI pilot will be presented to Council in 2018 along with recommendations for possible expansion of the AMI system to all Santa Monica customers.", "Summary of Next Steps", "As previously noted in this report, staff initiated a comprehensive update of the Sustainable Water Master Plan (SWMP) earlier this year. It is too soon to tell whether the City will meet its water self-sufficiency goal by 2020. Significant progress has been made on implementing and updating that plan, including completion of the preliminary sustainable yield analysis (SYA) and integration of new projects such as SWIP, the Clean Beaches Project and improvements in water treatment efficiencies. However, additional work is required to validate the sustainable yield estimates, determine availability and costs to access potential additional local groundwater resources, and evaluate the cost and viability of additional water conservation programs as requested by the Task Force on the Environment. As detailed above, the additional work required to update the SWMP is currently underway and is expected to be completed in late spring 2018. The results of that additional analysis will be incorporated into an updated SWMP, which will be presented to Council in mid-2018 and will include a detailed progress report and timeline for achieving the water self-sufficiency goal.", "Upcoming Water Studies", "Water/Wastewater Rate Study & new 5-year rate adjustment schedule (2020 to 2024)", "The current rate schedule was approved in early 2015 and provides potential rate adjustments for calendar years 2015 to 2019. Staff is preparing to begin a water and wastewater rate study by midyear 2018 in order to bring rate recommendations to Council in the fall of 2019.", "Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA)", "In May of 2017, Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the City\u2019s participation in the formation of the Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SMBGSA). At approximately the same time, Los Angeles County and the cities of Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Culver City also executed the MOU to form the SMBGSA. After the required 90-day posting period to allow public review of the MOU, no challenges to the MOU were received and the SMBGSA was designated the exclusive Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) for the Santa Monica Basin. Milestone deadlines for the SMBGSA now include:", "\u00b7 Preparation and submittal of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for the basin, January 31, 2022", "\u00b7 Following the adoption of the GSP, and annually thereafter, the GSA must submit a GSP Monitoring Report, April 1, 2023", "\u00b7 The GSP must include measurable objectives and milestones in increments of 5 years to achieve sustainability within 20 years of GSP adoption, January 31, 2042", "The SMBGSA has initiated monthly meetings, led by Santa Monica, to address moving forward expeditiously to retain consultant(s) to assist with the preparation of the GSP, as well as to identify necessary amendments to the MOU as they relate to the potential development of bylaws and cost-sharing issues. Any amendments to the MOU agreed upon unanimously by the member agencies will be brought to the respective agencies\u2019 governing bodies for approval.", "Task Force on the Environment and Water Advisory Committee Actions", "Findings of the preliminary SYA, progress on the update to the Sustainable Water Master Plan, and the Rate Adjustment recommendations were presented to the Environmental Task Force on September 18, 2017 and October 16, 2017. The same information was presented to the Water Advisory Committee on October 2, 2017, and November 6, 2017. No action was taken by either body; however during discussions of funding for sustainability projects, the Task Force passed the following two motions:", "September 18, 2017", "The City of Santa Monica Task Force on the Environment reinforces the position that all of the water settlement funds should be used to help the City get to and maintain water self-sufficiency and water perpetuity.", "October 16, 2017", "WHEREAS, there is $120 million from previous settlements.", "WHEREAS, Water Fund capital improvement program (CIP) projects are estimated at $42 million over the next five years.", "WHEREAS, the City is borrowing $56 million from the State of California to fund the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP) to assist in achieving water self-sufficiency by 2020. The total cost of the project is estimated at $69.9 million.", "THEREFORE, the Santa Monica Task Force on the Environment strongly supports the projects recommended by staff, but we are not currently recommending the proposed rate increase.", "With regard to the water settlement funds referenced in the motions from the Task Force, staff prepared an information item dated December 19, 2017 (Attachment K), which outlines the sources and uses of those funds and the remaining balance of unrestricted funds that have been set aside in the General Fund to assist with funding of other priority projects as identified by Council.", "To date, Council has made the determination to use both pay-as-you-go and debt financing to fundSustainable Water Master Planprojects. The pay-as-you-go funding comes from a combination of ratepayer-generated revenues and the $33.6 million balance of MTBEsettlement funds after thecompletion of remediation work atthe Charnock facility. These funds have been budgeted to pay for capital projects included in the last Water Rate Study approved in February 2015. For Fiscal Years 2014-15 through 2018-19, capital projects included and will include general system improvements such as emergency generator enhancements, water main replacements, and treatment plant pressure vessel repair, among others.  In September, 2017, the City entered into an agreement with the State Water Resources Control Boardto receive a very low interest (1.8%), 30-year loan in the amount of$56.9 million, with $4 million in debt forgiveness, to fund the SWIP projects. With this loan, the City was able to leverage funds at a lower rate than would be possible through other financing, and the $4 million in principal forgiveness further lowered the price of the financing. In the current economic climate, bond financing for lease revenue bonds or revenue bonds, whether in the General Fund or enterprise funds, is approximately 4-5%. As a result, the use of a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan leveraged funds at a lower price.", "Staff proposed to transfer $11.1 million in FY 2017-18 from General Fund reserves for the 2009 Gillette water mediation settlement funds to the Water Fund reserves in order to cover ongoing and future costs for remediation of polluted groundwater in the Olympic Well Field / Sub-basin. $6.5M would be reserved for annual ongoing remediation costs for a ten-year period including monitoring, permitting and reporting required by the State; and $4.6M would be reserved as a contingency for other Olympic remediation-related costs.", "The larger policy issue of the mix of financing between rate payer and water settlement resources will be addressed in the upcoming Capital Improvement Plan adoption process after the completion of the currently ongoing technical studies.", "Financial Impacts and Budget Actions", "1. FY 2016-17 water sales increased 2.5% versus FY 2015-16, slightly above the 2% increase projected by staff, resulting in sales revenue $379,440 greater than budgeted. Although the State has discontinued its mandatory conservation requirement, the City has remained at Stage 2 of its Water Shortage Response Plan (mandatory 20% reduction versus 2013 levels) and implemented the Water Neutrality Ordinance for new developments effective July 1, 2017. As of October 2017, FY 2017-18 water sales of 1,786,912 HCF are down by 1% versus the same period in FY 2016-17 (1,807,373 HCF); therefore, staff projects water sales to finish FY 2017-18 1% lower than FY 2016-17. Based on a 5% water rate increase for calendar year 2018, increase revenue budget at account 25671.402310 in the amount of $161,660.", "2. Approval of the recommended action requires the following FY 2017-18 Capital Improvement Program budget appropriations and reductions in the Water Fund:", "Account Number", "Amount", "C259078.589000 \u2013 Groundwater Management Plan", "$150,000", "C259219.589000 \u2013 Arcadia Enhanced RO Recovery", "$250,000", "C259220.589000 \u2013 Reservoir Improvements", "$900,000", "C259223.589000 \u2013 DInSAR Study", "$100,000", "C259224.589000 \u2013 City/USGS Numerical Flow Model", "$300,000", "C250162.589000 \u2013 Water Resources Tenant Improvement", "($450,018)", "C259209.589000 \u2013 Arcadia Water Plant Membrane", "($700,000)", "Total", "$549,982", "3. Approval of the recommended action requires a FY 2017-18 Capital Improvement Program budget reduction in the Wastewater Fund in account C310162.589000 in the amount of $1,950,017.", "4. Approval of the recommended action requires an interfund transfer of $11,100,000 from Gillette-Boeing water mediation settlement funds in account 01695.570080 to the Water Fund in account 25695.570080. This also requires a release of fund balance 1.380237 in the amount of $11,100,000."]}]]}