SR-418-003
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city council Meeting 02/14/89
Santa Monica, California
TO:
Mayor and city Council
FROM:
City staff
SUBJECT:
Recommendation to Authorize the city Manager to
Contract for Consulting Services Related to the
Valuation of the SPTC Santa Monica Branch Line
Railroad Right-of-way.
Introduction
This report outlines the next steps which the city needs to take
in order to investigate the preservation of the subject
right-of-way for public uses.
Background
The Southern Pacific Transportation company has announced its
intent to abandon the Santa Monica Branch Line stretching from
Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles. They have received
authority to abandon the right-of-way. The City took the first
step in investigating the public use of this right-Of-way by
enacting an emergency ordinance which prohibits the use of
railroad rights-of-way in the City for other than transportation
uses. At this time, additional actions are necessary:
o Before the right-of-way can be sold to a public agency, a
valuation of the line from downtown L.A. to Santa Monica
must be performed. A qualified consultant should be
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retained to perform this valuation so as to enable the city
to begin negotiations with SPTC.
o The public needs to be adequately informed as to the
benefits of preserving right-of-way in the corridor. All
questions and concerns of citizens, homeowners, businesses
and community leaders in the corridor must be accurately
and thoroughly addressed. A qualified consultant should be
retained to develop and implement a Community Outreach and
Public Information program.
o Negotiations with the SPTC for purchase of the right-of-way
can begin upon completion of the Valuation study. On
January 9, 1989, the City received a letter from SPTC
expressing an interest in beginning formal discussions.
With regard to the valuation study, city staff has reviewed the
qualifications of several firms and recommends that the firm of
Hill International be retained to perform these services. Hill
International is a local firm (located in Century City) and was a
principal subcontractor in the aforementioned feasibility study
and is thus already thoroughly familiar with the project. It
would therefore have no need to "get up to speed" and could
perform the study in a most cost-effective manner. In addition,
Hill has recently performed similar work with regard to SPTC
railroad rights-of-way in the San Francisco Bay Area and is very
familiar with SPTCts organization, personnel and policies with
regard to right-of-way divestiture.
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with regard to the public Information and Community outreach
program, staff recommends that the contract of Aldaron, Inc. be
extended to perform this assignment. Aldaron is a local firm
(located in Culver city) and was the prime contractor on the
aforementioned feasibility study. Aldaron is extremely familiar
with both the project and the corridor and is well-qualified to
carry out an effective and thorough outreach effort.
Budgetary/Fiscal Impact
The recommended actions would result in $140,000 being
appropriated from the Prop. A Local Return Rail Reserve Funds as
follows:
o To Account 33-710-631-000-906 (consultant services):
$140,000 to retain the firms of Hill International and
Aldaron, Inc. and to undertake transportation modeling and
planning studies, and
o To Accounts 20-700-695-000-906 ($140,OOO),
33-700-695-000-906 ($140,000), as technical appropriations
to transfer these funds from the Miscellaneous Grants fund
to the Airport Fund.
Recommendation
1. Authorize the City Manager to apply to the LACTC for
authority to appropriate $140/000 in Prop. A Local Return
Rail Reserve Funds to Account #33-710-631-000-906 for
consultant services, and for staff to perform
transportation modeling and planning studies to support the
valuation of the SPTC Santa Monica Branch Line
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right-of-way, and upon approval by LACTC to affect these
appropriations and the technical appropriations specified
in the Budgetary/Fiscal Impact section of this report.
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a
contract with Hill International in an amount not to exceed
$80,000 for right-of-way valuation as described herein.
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a
contract with Aldaron, Inc. in an amount not to exceed
$40,000 to carry out the Public Information and Community
Outreach Program described herein.
4. Authorize the City Manager to begin negotiations with SPTC
as soon as practicable.
Prepared By: Hank Dittmar, Airport Director
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