SR-9A (46)
PCD KG DM f lppolsharelpicaplanlcerepvrt
COUNC~L MEETING May 5, 1998
Mi~~f -5~
Santa Mon~ca, California
TO Mayor and City Gounc~l
FROM City Staff
SUBJECT Recommendat~an to Review and Approve the F~nal DesEgn for t~e Pico
Boulevard Streetscape Plan, and Ap~ro~e the Budget Change Set Fourth in
the Staff Report
iNTRODUCTION
This report recarnmends that the City Council re~iew and approve the fir~al desig~ for the
Pico Boule~ard Streetscape Plan, and appropriate Transportataon aepa~tment budget
changes as described in the BudgetlFiscal Impact section of this staff report
The report includes background or~ the development of tY~e plan, summary of key conce~ts
and components, a schedule for Gmplementatian of the plan, anc! a summary of the publ~c
review and par~~cipation process
BACKGROUND
In 1994 the City contracted with the consulting firm of Public Works Des~gn to establisF~ a
preliminary streetscape design scheme for Pica Boulevard from Ocean Avenue on the
west to the City of Santa Monica border at Centinela A~enue on the east Thraugh a
community process invol~ing a series af focus group meetir~gs with various neighbarhaod
and bus~ness groups, and a cammun~ty w~de warkshap, a preliminary plan was developed
1
~
~w~'S~~
which included repiacement of the existing street trees, installation of pedestrian lighting
at selected locations, enhancement of the trans~t stops, replacement of or modif~cations
to the existing cemetery fence, installation of an entry gateway feature at the freeway
underpass near Centanela Avenue, and incorporatron of public art into the streetscape
project
In January 1997, the C~ty Council autt~orized staff to execute a contract with Kathenne
Sp~tz Associates an collaborat~o~ with public ar#ist Sheifa K~ern to develop a f~nal design
plan ~For the Pico Streetscape pro~ect and to prepare cor~struction drawings and b~d
specifications for the implementatian af the plan Since January 1997, City staff and the
consultants have held se~eral public meetings and workshops and ha~e de~eloped a final
pian for the streetscape pro~ect based on the concepts presented in the prelimfnary plan
KEY CQMPONEMTS OF THE PLAN
The praposed streetscape plan includes a number of street improvements for the length
af Pico Boule~ard between Ocean Avenue and Cer~tinela Avenue These include a new
street tree program, replacement ofi a partian af #he existing sidewalk with interlocking
pa~mg stones, new ~edestrian light~ng, med~ans at selected lacations, transit stop
impro~ements, replacement of the cemetery fence ad~acent to Pica Baule~ard, and
i~s#allatian of an entry #eature at the freeway underpass near Centinela Avenue A
comp~ete description of eaeh element of the project is provided below
2
Street Trees
Due to a lack of proper irrigat~or~ and a coordinated maintenance plan, many of the existmg
s#reet trees along Pica Boulevard are in poar condition The ~ian calls for the instaliation
of new street trees and t~e remo~al of trees that are found ta be in poor condition or
mcons~stent with the ob~ect~~es af the streetscape plan The consultant has worked with
City staff and the community to select the London Plane Tree, which ~s a tall, fast grow~ng
tree, and is appropriate for the scale of Pica Boulevard The new trees will be irrigated
and planfed at approximately 30' to 35' on center
Wh~le many of the existing street #rees on Pico BouEevard will be removed, in situations
where ~ealthy trees currently ex~st, the new trees will be planted b~tween the existmg
t~ees The consultant w~fl worlc with t~e City's Community Forester to develop cnter4a for
#~e replacement of the trees, and each existing tree will be evaluated to determine i# it
shouEd be ma~ntamed or replaced The cnteria for the remo~al af trees will be based on
the overall height of the tree, the height of the tree canopy in relation to ad~acent business,
the size af the tree trunk, the condition and health of the tree, and the placement of the
tree aR t~e sidewalk in relation to ad~acent driv~ways and street furniture
Due to the narrow sidewalks and I~m~ted amount of planting area available for the street
#rees on Pic~ Boule~ard, it Es anticipated that there wilf be increased maintenance costs
associated with the new street trees These include the cost for ~uture tr~mming, root
pruning, and hardscape repaar in order to ensure that there is proper maintenance fo~ the
3
trees, as well as for other aspects of the streetscape pro)ect, staff wili return to City Council
with an operation a~d maintenance plan
The pro~ect budget includes up to 500 new trees ln arder to ensure that 500 London
Plane trees which have a simrlar shape and size are ava~lable for planting along the street
frontage of Pico Baule~ard, staff intends to proceed w~th a separate pub~~c bidd~ng process
for purchase and maintenance of these trees at a plant nursery in advance of t~e p~blic
bidding process for the balance of the pro~ect
~nterlocking Pavers
The installat~on of the new street trees and ~rngation lines will require that the existing
sidewalk be saw cut to create ar~ 18" to 24" w~de trench and plantmg area on bath s~des
of the street a(ong the entire length of Pico Boulevard The co~sultant is propasing that
once the new trees are planted and tfi~e irngation and electnea! lanes are installed, the saw
cut area be repa~ed with ~nterlocking pavers The new paving will be composed of dark
gray and pale gray concrete pavers, set in alternating raws The design concept is
intended to create a subtle undulation pattern, suggesting the rippling effect of water as
it flows from the higher topagraphy of 30"' Street down ta Ocean Avenue The pavets w~ll
enable the Caty to serv~ce the ~rrigation system and perform root pruning w~thou# mcuring
tf~e castly removal of concrete TF~e pa~ers will also enabEE rain water ta perco[ate which
will reduce water runoff and IencE ta the sustainability of the overalf streetscape design
4
Pedestrian Lighting
In order to enhance the pedestrian en~ironment o# Pico Boule~ard, new accent pedestrian
I~ght~ng will be added at selected locations The new light #ixtures are des~gned using
sculpturai leaf shaped reflectors that are mounted an ten foot poles An integral I~g~t
element, which is recessed to discourage vandalESm, casts light upward The lea~es
capture the lig[~t and reflect it k~ack to the sidewalk in an even glaw The "leaf lights"
strengthen the idea of greening the Boulevard Tf~e repetition of the dastinctive lights will
unify the streetscape for pedestrians and motor~sts. and will pro~ide a strong ~~sua~
ident~~ier for Pico Baulevard In addition to the pedestnan lights at the transit stops, the
current budget for tF~e pro~ect calls for clusters of lights primarily at Virginia Park, Santa
Monica College, Santa Monica High Schoai, and in the area between the Freeway ar~d 315t
Street on the east end of Pico Bouke~ard
Medians
In selected areas of P~co Boulevard. the consultant ~s propas~ng med~ans as a way to
break up the ~ast expanse of concr~te and add greenery to the street The med~ar~s are
proposed in areas where there is adequate room to install them without requir~ng the
removal af traffic lanes or on-street parkrng The medEans are located primarily at the
eastern end of Pico Boule~ard between the Freeway and 26t" Street, and near Santa
Monica College and Woodlawn Cemetery The medians will be irrigated, and planted w~th
Jacaranda trees and low scale nati~e shrubs that wil! nat interfere with ~is~bility
Ad~atianally, the plan ca~ls far tt~e ex~tmg median at the HEgh School to be replanted to
match the p(anting palette in the new medians
5
Planning staff and the consultant have reviewed the median plans with re~resentatives
from the Polic~ Department and the FEre Department to ensure that the medians do not
#~ave an impact on emergency access Both Departments have approved the p~an and the
Pohce Department has stated that the med~ans may improve traffic safety on P~ca
Boulevard by reducing the number of m~d-b~oc~C, left han~ turns The median plans F~a~e
aEso been rev~ewed and approved by the City Parking and Traff~c Di~ision
Transit Stop Impro~~m~nts
Due to the fact Pico Boule~ard is a heavily traveled trans~t route, the transit stops are a
pr~mary component o~ the streetscape plan The 33 sto~s along P~co Boule~ard will be
improved to ~nclude a pedestrian light at each stop and new bus f~rniture The ac#ual
selection of the bus furniture companents wall be determmed as part of the Transportation
Department's approval of #heir system-wide design plan The selectior~ of these
companents will be cornpleted in #ime for mstaliation concurrent with the other
improvements on Pico Boulevard In addition to the new laghfing and bus furniture, each
transit stap will mclude two ta three histor~c facts printed on concrete pavers These facts
are a tim~ line which recount the history of Santa Manica and focus on the people and
e~ents that have shaped this history A I~st of the historic facts to ~e used is contamed m
Attachment A
VGrginia Avenue Park Expansion
TF~e expansian of Virg~naa Avenue Park at tfi~e northwest corner af Pico and Cloverf~eld
Boulevards is currently En the comm~,n~ty des~gn process A conceptual design for the park
expansion area, which has approximately 650 feet o~ street frontage on P4co Boule~ard is
6
expected by Summer, 1998 Plans for ar~y ct~anges to the ~nal streetscape desEgn based
upor~ tF~e park pro~ect will be brought to the City Council for fe~iew along with the park
concept design
T~e Gateway
The Santa Monica Freeway at Pico Bo~le~ard marks the east~rn boundary between Santa
Monica and Los Angeles In order to mark this Gateway, the consultant team with publac
artist Sheila Klein f~as developed a sculpture to be mstal(ed wit~~n the underpass Tk~e
sculpture is a series of inetal "light trees" w~ich wEll be placed between the structural
support columns under the freeway and will light a silhouette which will be pa~nted on the
unders~de of the tunnef By casting light up onto t~e cailing, the "light trees" will transform
the underpass into a lumir~ous gateway and will create a safier en~ironmentfor pedestnans
and motonsts The consultant team has been workir~g with Caltrans during the design
process, has recea~ed conceptual appro~al of the design from Caltrans, and will cantinue
to work w~th Caltrans on the techr~~cal aspects of the pro~ect
Cemetery Fence
Dunng the community process for this pro~ect, community members expressed a desire to
improve the existing fencelhedge ad~acent to the Woadlawn Cemetery as part of the Pico
Boulevard Streetscape project While some members of the pubf~c wanted to have the
fence opened up to pro~ide a view of the green space and mountams beyond, others
expressed a need to respect the pri~acy of people who are ~~siting loved ones at the
cemetery In response to these concerns, staff held twa p~bl~c meetmgs to pr~sent aptions
for the fence design
7
The community process led to the design of a cF~ain link fence with concrete p~llars, which
will be planted with vines to provide privacy for cemetery users Immed~ately fo~lowi~g #he
planting of the ~ines, a screenmg materaal will be a~pl«d to the fence ~n order to provide
pr~vacy untii the ~ines ~ave matured to an extent necessary to pro~ide adequate
screenmg The new cemetery fence will be designecf to be as tall as the extsting fence
At the community meetings, there was general consensus that a fence which includes
concrate pi~lars and wraught iron would best express the historic nature flf the cemetery
and would be the most attractive alternative To upgrade the fence from chain link to
wrought ~ron would cost an additional $22~,400 Staff feels that the due ta the #act that the
fence will be covered with ~~nes, it is not rtecessary to use wrought iron, since ~t wi~l not be
vESible once the vines mature
OPERATI4N AND MAINTENANCE
In order to ensure that the proposed impro~ements for Pico Boulevard are praperly
matntained o~er the life of the pro~~ct, stafF is currently consideri~g mechanisms fior
pro~~d~ng ongomg funding for the operation ar~d ma~ntenance o~ these improvemen#s once
~mplemented Staff will return to the City Council once the operation and maintenance
plan is fully de#ined
PROJECT SCHEDULE AND FUNDING
The fundmg far this pro~ect as bemg provided through a grant from the Economic
Development Adm~nistration (EDA}, Community DeveEopment Block Grant (CDBG) funds
ta match a portion af the EDA grant, and Redevelopment Agency f~nds A pro~ect cast
8
summary showing sources and uses of funds is included as Attachment B to thES report
The terms of the EDA grant requ~re that the pro~ect be completed by February 2000 In
order to meet this deadl~ne, staff has de~eloped a schedule whieh calfs for the completion
of construction drawings by August 1998, start of constructian by No~ember 1998, and
completian of construction by No~ember 1999
SUMMARY OF PUBLIC REVIEW PROCESS
D~rang the develapment of the preliminary plan for Pica Boule~ard, staff held a series of
focus group meetings w~th ~arious neEghborhood and ~usiness groups, and a community
wide workshop These mcluded meetings witi~ the Pico Boule~ard Group of the Chamber
of Commerce, Pico Ne~ghborhood Association, Mid-C1ty Neighbors, Sunset Park
Association of Neighbors, and Ocean Park Commun~ty Organ~zation Additionally, staff
held meeti~gs with r~~resentat~ves from V~rginia Avenue Park, Woadlawn Cemetery,
Santa Monica College, and Santa Mon~ca HEgh School Fallowing the Cauncil
author~zation to h~re Katherine Sp~tz Assoc~ates to prepare the final plan in January 1997,
t~ree public workshops were h~~d inciud~ng two which focused on the pfar~s for the fence
ad~acent to Woodlawn Cemetery Add~tionally, the pro~ect has been presented to the P~co
Boulevard subcommitte~ af the Chamber of Commerce, and they have voted to support
the plan
The Prco Baufe~ard Streetscape Plan was presented to the Public Arts Committee of the
Arts Commiss~on on April 2, 1998 The Committee recammended approval of the plan and
specifically supported tF~e Gateway #eature at the Freeway ur~derpass On Apr~l 15, 1998
the Pico Boulevard Stree#scape Plan was presented to the Plannmg Commiss~on The
9
Planning Commission rev~ewed the plan and adopted a motion to recommend that the City
Cot~nc~l approve the plan wit~ t~e condition that the new cemetery fence be as tall as tF~e
exESting fence, that the fence nat be ~isuafly transparent, and that measures be takert
durmg constructian of the fence ta ensure tl~e privacy of peopl~ ~isiting the cemet~ry At
the Arehttectural Review Board meeting of Apnl 20, 1998 the streetscape pro~ect was
rewewed by the ARB Following the presentation of the plan, the Board adopted a motion
recommending that the G~ty Counc~l approve the plan
BUDGETIFINANCIAL IMPACT
Pro~ect #und~ng has been budgeted at account r~umbers 17-770-266-20097-8905-99455
($3,465,452), 17-720-266-2D096-8905-99391 {$462,095}, and 41-750~57-20098-89~D-
99114 ($135,000) To complete the pro~ect, additional available Transportation
De~elopme~t Act cap~tal grant funds need to be appropriated at this time at accaunt
number 41-750-F57-2~098-8900-99114 ($44, 850}
REGOMMENDATIQN
{t is recammended that the City Council review and approve the Pico Boulevard
Streetscape Plan, and approve the budget change set forth abo~e
Prepared by Suzanne Fnck, Director of PCD
.~eff Mathieu, Director of Resource Management
Karen Ginsberg, Planning Manager
Howard Robinson, Economic Developmen# Manager
Gwen Pentecost, Senior Administrat~ve Ar~alyst
Da~id Martin, Senior Planner
10
Attachments A Text of H~staric ~acts
B Cost Summary
C Pico Boulevard Streetscape Plan dated May 5, 1998
D Pro~ect Plans
11
ATTACHMENT A
~ ~. n
~ ~
Ptco Boule~ard 5treelscape
Draft Test Facts
8,OOp aC Tangvcra Nati~e Art-er~c~n people rnhabit the Spnta Mon~ca regFOn
332AD 5a~nt Mon~ca is born in AFrica
1542 Juan RodrFguez Cabrillo sa~Es into 5anta Mon~ca Bay
1768 Carfos IEI af 5pair~ sends a coic3roiz~ng fores fo Alta Caltforn~a
1769 Span~sh explorers and sold~ers led by Gaspor De Portola pc,ss through the Santa
lVlonica regian
~ 7b9 ~irst mission +s founded by Junipe~a Serra Mtssion San Diego de Alcalc~
1771 A fourfh mrss~an rs founded by.-un~pero 5erra: Mtssion San Gobrasl Accongel
1771 Tongua~ Native Amer~cans renamed Gabnelinos by t~e M~ssion founders
1823 Last ~nission foUnded in A1ta Ca~fFornia San Fransisco 5olano
178~ Pu~bio of Los Angeles is established
1803 P~o ~e .lesus Pieo as barn in San Gabriel
1827 Spa~n grants the Rancho BQCa de San#cr MonacQ to Xnv-er A1~arado and
Augustine Machado
1832 Spatn gran#s Ranc~o Sa~ Vincente y Santa Monica tQ Don Francrsco Sepul~eda
~ 838 Spain grants Rar~cha La Ballnna to the IV4acado r~nd ~aCamanfes fam3lies
~832 Pica Bou~svard rs unoccupied land diviclmg the RancF~os
~$33 Calrfarnia MESSions own 1,fl00,400 cattle and ] 73,004 acres af f4rm iand
~ 833 Mexieo ordars the M~ss~ons ciosed
1$~l Thausands o# s#arving cat#ie ara slaugh#ered far their h~des on{y
1$41 F~rsi wc~gan tra-n ^rrives m CalifomEa fram Missouri
1$~.5 Pio PECO becomes th~ East govemor of Mexican con#ralled Cafifornia
1848 Gafd cliscoverad in 5utter's Fort, California
1$A8 Mex~can American War ends, California is ~nnexed by the fJnrted States
1$e18 Catt~e hrdes seil for $2 eocE~
18~4 80,Q00 people ~rom the Urr-ted Sfiates arr~ve ~n Catifarr~~a to seefc gold
1$75 ] 4th 5treet is ~Cnown as Ceme#ery Ra~c~
1897 City Cemetery is improved wit~ trses and irr~ga#ion and g~~en the name
"Woadlawn"
~f ~ i~
1900 Carnations, Ca~~as, and Roses ore grown by E J Vawt~r ~n fielc#s ~etwear~ 5anta
Monaca Boulevard and Ocean Park
1$72 Rabert B~icer arrrves in Cai~Fornia
1$72 Raber 8aker buys 3$,409 acres af Rancho 5an V~cente for $ 54,OOQ
1873 Robert Baker 6uys half Qf Rancho 8oca ~!e Santa Monica for $d,~00
1$74 Robert Baker starts planning the port ~3ty o# Truxton
1875 Truxtan becames known as Santa Mon~ca
1$51 E~rst ovsrland mafl arrtves ~n Cal~fomia from St Louis
i 854 ~aliforn~a l~ecomes t~e 3~ st sta#e ta enfer tha Un~on
~ $56 Gold Rush ends
~886 Ra~lr~c~d fares #rom fC~e Midwest to Southern California drop f~om $125 to $ 3
par passenger
188C~ 120,004 taur~sts arr-ve ~n Los Angeles area by Southern PacFf~c ruilroad
1892 5ov#hern Pac~F~c Ra~lroad 68g~ns construc#~on o~ wharf m Sc~nta Mbn~ca Canyor~
1896 Electr~c ratlway ~rom Las Angeles to Scrntn hlkontca Es founded
1$541 S5b Rr~nchos prosper by sup~lying beef ancf tailow to gold miners
1$56 Cai#1e sefl for $70 eaeh
1875 Raiiraad passenger tickets #rom ~os Angeles #o Santa Manrca cast $1
1$7~ A fare war rages between Los Angeles & Independence Railroad and So~thern
Pacific Railroad
1927 23rd 5#reet was renarrted Cfo~erfielc! Boulevard m I~onor of Grrer Clorrer, a
young aviator w~o ~ost hts I~fe in Worfd War I
1860 Smokl pox epidemEC annihifates remainrng Ga{~trelir~v papu}ahon
}861-18b4 Drought destroys the Rancho's eatt~e mdustry Arner~can in~estors p~rchas~
rancho land
1$b4 Orange growes ar~ pianisc! through4ut 5o~thern Califarrn~
1875 7{~e f~rst lots ~n the tawn of Santa IVtonica are aucfaoned
1$75 The lot at the corner of Broadway and Ocean A~enue selfs for $310
1875 Santa Monica's first newspaper, "The Outlook" is pubfES~,ed
199$ "E~en~r,g Outlook" ceases publECation
3 904, 19Q7 Mary Sufton B~ndy af Santa MonECa wins W~m6ledom chomp~ortsip
~,. _ ~~
ATTACH~NT B
1i
Pico Streetscape Project
Projec# Costs and Sources of Funds
Sources of Funds
EDA Grant ~3,118,9U7
Matching funds - CDBG ~34fi,545
7ransportation Department $779,850
Rede~e~opment Agency ~462,D95
Total Funds ~4.107,397
Uses of Funds
Administrati~e & Legaf Expenses $20,000
Architectural & Engineering Fees $288,787
Consiruction $3,390,717
Contingency {12°k) $407,893
Total Uses of Funds
$4,107.397
- -- -----~ ~`~i