SR-6-I (79)
Cotlf;S' 'ILler" bI
MAY 2 5 1999
SF JT AS SOL F \PPO\SHARE\EIRTEMPS\Breakwatercouncll EIR contract wpd
COUNCIL MEETING May 25,1999 Santa Monica, California
TO Mayor and CIty CouncIl
FROM City Staff
SUBJECT Recommendation to Award a Contract of $137,800 00 to Chambers
Group Consultants, Inc for Preparation of an Environmental Impact
Report on the Santa MOnica Breakwater Replacement, Boat Moonngs
and Dock
INTRODUCTION
ThIs staff report recommends that Chambers Group Consultants, Inc be awarded a
contract In the amount not to exceed $137,800 (which Includes a 30% contingency), to
prepare an Environmental Impact Report for the proposed Santa MOnica Breakwater
Replacement, Boat Moorings and Dock project located In the Santa MOnica Bay adjacent
to the Santa MOnica Pier
BACKGROUND
The objective of the project IS to rebUild the eXlstmg breakwater as a means of protecting
the Clty.s Pier from potential storm wave damage An additional benefit from the
breakwater reconstructIon Will be the ability to replace commercial boat uses that were
historically part of the Pier's use mix The replacement breakwater construction Will be
funded With federal and City money and the breakwater portion of the project WIll be
completed by the Army Corps of Engmeers The boat moorings and the dock Will be funded
and constructed by the City
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The project consists of the reconstruction of the Santa MOnica Breakwater The new
breakwater WIll be 900 feet long, whIch IS about one half the length of the eXisting
breakwater, and Will be located at the southern end of the eXIsting breakwater, directly
across from the pier The project also calls forthe addition of 12 commercial boat moorings
for vessels no larger than 150 feet m length, located between the reconstructed
breakwater and the eXisting Pier Finally, a boat dock Will be constructed and attached to
the eXisting Pier structure to provide access to the moonngs The boat dock Will be
engmeered for the temporary dockmg of boats up to 150 feet In length
As the boat moonngs and dock are City projects, they are subject to the standard City
approval process whIch Includes environmental analYSIS The Plannmg and Community
Development Department has determmed that an EnvIronmental Impact Report (EIR) Will
be required to evaluate the proposed project, and an EIR contract must be approved by
CounCil The EIR Will examme a number of environmental Issues regardmg the proposed
project includIng aIr, water, plant lIfe, animal lIfe, construction effects, fiscal, recreation,
aesthetics, neighborhood effect, nOIse, traffic, transportation and cIrculation Once an EIR
IS prepared, there Will be a publiC comment penod dunng which Interested persons can
revIew and comment on the environmental analYSIS The project Will be presented to the
Planning Commission and public heanngs on the project Will be conducted by the City
CounCil
The City IS requestmg the analYSIS of a broad range of alternatives for the moorings and
the location of the dock based on the range of boats that may use thiS manne facility The
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heavy burden on the region's congested streets and overtaxed transportation system The
loss of this housing will also result In Increased over-crowding for those Individuals who are
unable to secure larger affordable Units as their need for such Units develop
(p) At the same time as Costa-Hawkins was phaSing in, the City was expenenclng
a time of unprecedented economic boom. Land values were skyrocketing again In the
smgle family neighborhoods, small lots sold for sums ranging from hundreds ofthousands
of dollars to a million or more Modest forty-year old homes sold for as much as half a
million dollars The burgeoning economy Impacted the multl~famlly development as well.
Between 1996 and 1997, the number of multi-family housing Units approved for
construction almost tnpled Pnor to that time, the three year average was under 80 new
units per year. In 1997 the number Jumped to 234 (excluding one enormous and highly
unusual project of 351 umts).
(q) Along With the economic boom and acceleration In bUIlding came a dramatic
shift In demographics The vast majonty of new, pnvately built units were for upper Income
purchasers. These new housing developments have committed scarce land resources to
provldmg luxury housing which IS unaffordable to most residents of the City Moreover,
market conditions, Including the high cost of residential land, construction costs, and the
availability and cost of financing, make the development of affordable housing In the City
extremely difficult
(r) These trends are continuing Planning approvals for multi-famIly construction
will substantially exceed the rate approved last year Accelerated development Impacts
the City as a whole and also Impact the dally lives of residents who must cope WIth the
nOIse and Interference caused by construction undertaken In a crowded, fully developed
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commumty Construction matenals and equipment are often placed In the roadway and/or
on sidewalks, thereby obstructing both vehicular and pedestnan traffic Neighborhood
aesthetics suffer
(s) This construction boom Will likely continue. A slgmficant amount of the Clty]s
residential hOUSing stock was bUilt prior to the 1960's. Parcels developed with older
structures tend to be developed at densities and heights that are lower than what IS
currently allowed by zonmg Given these conditions and the booming economy, there IS
a high likelihood that a significant amount of construction Will occur In the City with Its
attendant disruption to residents' peace and qUiet enjoyment.
(t) The redevelopment of these currently underdeveloped properties at greater
height and densities would also result In the loss of views and light and could pose a threat
to the eXisting character of neighborhoods and the City's umque natural environment
(u) There IS also a slgmflcant shortage of reasonably available and convenient
parkmg spaces In these residential districts ThiS IS demonstrated In part by the large
number of preferentIal parkmg districts that have been established by the CIty and the
contmued demand for the creation of new preferential parking dlstncts. Given the growmg
affluence of the community, mcreased development may exacerbate an already
unacceptable level of parking problems
(v) In order to address the changes resultmg from Costa-Hawkms and from the
economIc boom, In part, the CIty undertook a reVISion of Its hOUSing poliCIes through the
process of amending the City]s HOUSing Element ThiS was a difficult process State
HOUSing Element law purports to require Cities to continually proVIde new hOUSing
However, Santa Momca IS fully bUilt out and committed to neighborhood preservation.
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