SR-9-A (108)
'1-A
LUTM:PPD:PB:SF:PF
w/ccspcc
council Meeting: May 25, 1993
'rJ' ("1
1.<' l
'"~9S:)
Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and city council
FROM: City staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation To Authorize Staff To Select A
Consul tant To Prepare An Urban Design Plan For The
civic Center Specific Plan Area.
INTRODUCTION
This staff report forwards to the Council the recommendation of
the Planning commission to prepare an urban design plan prior to
the adoption of the civic Center Specific Plan.
The Planning
Commission recommended that an urban design plan, based upon the
policies and objectives of the Civic Center Specific Plan, be
prepared prior to the Council's approval of the Specific Plan
document. This staff report provides a summary of the Planning
Commission recommendation and the proposed scope of work should
the Council authorize staff to proceed with preparation of an
urban design plan.
BACKGROUND
The Planning Commission held public hearings on the Draft Civic
Center Specific Plan and EIR on February 17, February 24, and
March 24, 1993.
The Planning Commission concentrated their
discussions on the issues of land uses and development
intensities and concurred with the majority of the objectives and
policies in the Draft specific Plan document.
However, the
commission expressed concerns during the discussions about
maintaining continuity throughout the Civic Center as individual
- 1 -
tt-:4
~J'''.!' ,'~ ~. ~""~.I
i l,.." ~.... . oJ V'
parcels are developed over time, creating an overall vision for
the civic Center area, and implementing the policies in a
comprehensive manner. Therefore, the Planning commission, in its
Resolution recommending adoption of the Specific Plan, made the
recommendation to council that an urban design plan be prepared
to conceptualize the Specific Plan and identify any changes that
may be recommended prior to the adoption of the Specific Plan.
The urban design plan would include various approaches to
building massing, open space, pedestrian linkages, circulation
and parking solutions by utiliz ing the policies in the draft
Specific Plan. The urban design process is not intended to
establish new floor area ratio standards or development
intensities but rather conceptualize the policies within the
draft Specific Plan.
URBAN DESIGN PLAN
Staff supports the recommendation of the Planning Commission that
an urban design plan be prepared for Council consideration prior
to adoption of the Specific Plan. In order to accomplish this,
staff has prepared a scope of work and is requesting
authorization to select an urban design consultant and enter into
a contract for the project. As outlined in the scope of work,
the policies and objectives of the Specific Plan would provide
the parameters for the design process and plan. Staff is
recommending that the entire process be completed within sixteen
weeks of authorization.
The scope of work consfsts of seven work tasks (Attachment A).
Staff is recommending that the Council establish a working group
- 2 -
to assist in the first four work tasks. This working group would
consist of three Planning Commissioners and two City council
members. The purpose of the working group would be to focus the
consultant on the issues to be addressed in the Plan, facilitate
public input in the beginning, and identify alternative design
scenarios to be studied. Once that process has been completed,
the consultant would evaluate up to three alternatives
illustrating approaches to the massing, open space, pedestrian
linkages, circulation and parking facilities using the Specific
Plan parameters. After the alternative evaluation, the working
group would review and recommend a preferred alternative to the
City Council. The City Council would review the alternatives,
consider the working group recommendations, and direct staff and
the consultant to prepare a final design package on a preferred
alternative. The final design package will return to the city
Council with the Specific Plan. The estimated cost for the
proposed urban design plan is $75,000.
TRAFFIC ANALYSIS
During the Planning Commission discussion, the issue of signal
synchronization and direct freeway access were discussed as
traffic mitigation measures. Although the EIR traffic analysis
contains a quali tati ve analysis of direct freeway access and a
new east/west street, a more detailed analysis could provide
information on the number of intersections that may be improved
by such mitigation. The cost to prepare such analysis would be
approximately $10,000. Should the Council decide that this type
- 3 -
of analysis would be beneficial, additional funds would need to
be appropriated.
BUDGET/FINANCIAL IMPACT
The recommendation in this report will have a budget impact.
staff is recommending the Council authorize an appropriation of
$75,000
to
01-210-267-00000-5506-00000
(PPD
Professional
Services) for the preparation of the Urban Design Plan and
$10,000 for the traffic analysis. staff recommends that the cost
of the urban design plan be shared by the major property owners
on a proportional basis.
RECOMMENDATION
staff recommends:
1. The City Council accept the recommendation of the Planning
commission for the preparation of a urban design plan for the
Civic Center specific Plan;
2. The City Council approve the attached workscope for the
urban design plan;
3. The City Council authorize City Manager to select and
contract with a consultant for an amount not to exceed $75,000;
4. The City Council authorize staff to contract with a traffic
consultant to analyze specific mitigation measures in an amount
not to exceed $10,000.
5. The City council appropriate $75,000 for the urban design
consultant and $10,000 for the traffic analysis into account
01-210-267-00000-5506-00000.
Prepared by: Paul Berlant, Director of LUTM
Suzanne Frick, Planning Manager
Paul Foley, Associate Planner
- 4 -
Land Use and Transportation Management Department
Program and Policy Development Division
- 5 -
Task 1: Project start-up. The consultant will meet with City
staff and the appointed design working group to initiate and
coordinate the work program and to review specific Plan policies
on site. During this period, the consultant will also meet with
project stakeholders as appropriate (e.g., property owners,
County representatives, effected City departments, etc.) to
discuss issues of concern, and focused objectives and
programmatic requirements.
Task 2: Public Input: In an open house format, the consultant
and members of the working group would be available to members of
the public to discuss issues related to the design plan.
Task 3: Alternative Design Selections. The consultant will meet
with City staff and the design working group to identify
alternatives to be studied.
Task 4: Alternative Design Concepts and Bvaluation. Based on
policies contained within the Draft Specific Plan and information
provided by staff, the design working group and property owners,
the consultant will prepare three alternative design concepts for
the planning area. These concepts will illustrate varying
approaches to the massing, open space, pedestrian linkages,
circulation and parking facilities within the parameters of the
Draft Specific Plan. Alternatives will be illustrated with site
plans and sections, and with a study model to convey alternative
building massing approaches.
In addition to the alternative design concepts, the consultant
will prepare a summary evaluation memorandum that assesses each
alternative's performance relative to the stated objectives of
the specific Plan and the individual objectives of project
participants. This memorandum will be packaged in conjunction
with alternative graphics and model photographs.
Task 5: City Council Review. The Council will review the
alternatives. Direction will be provided on the alternative to
be evaluated in the final design package.
Task 6: Final Design Plan Package. On the basis of comments
provided by the City Council, the consultant will prepare the
final design plan package, which will include the following
components:
a. An illustrative plan of the Public Framework, depicting the
inter-relationship, configuration and design treatment of
streets, open spaces, plazas, pedestrian areas and parking
facilities, and their linkage to other major public spaces
(e.g., Santa Monica pier and Beach, santa Monica Place, Third
street Promenade, etc.).
b. An illustrative plan showing the full build-out of the
planned development.
- 1 -
c. A study model indicating the massing concept and illustrating
the land use and urban design policies of the Specific Plan.
d. Cross sections illustrating the design treatment of key
streets, open spaces and pedestrian linkages.
e. Up to four perspecti ve sketches that convey the form and
character of the civic Center area.
Task 7: Presentation to city Council. City staff, with
assistance from the consultant, will present the final design
package to the City Council in conjunction with the Civic Center
Specific Plan.
wjccsptask
- 2 -