SR-820706-JHA:JJ:BP
Council Mtg.- 7-6-82
JUL 6 1982
Santa Monica, California
TO: City Council/Redevelopment Agency
FROM: Staff
SUBJECT: Beach Improvement Plan -- Ocean Park Redevelopment
Project.
Introduction
This report transmits the proposed beach improvement portion of-
the off-site improvement program and recommends that the Agency/
Council direct the Staff to evaluate the Consultant's report and
prepare a recommendation including a financing and implementation
plan.
Background
On June 15, 1982 the City Council considered the interim beach
improvement plan and requested cost estimates for various
components of the plan. Following the June 15 meeting - the plans
were placed on display at the Ocean Park Branch Library and on
June 17th the Consultant team held another open house to hear
further ideas and responses to the plan.
Discussion
Significant plan changes since the June 15th meeting which have
resulted in reduction of the total project cost include reduction
in the number of proposed structures, and in the area of grass
originally proposed for the South Beach Area, The overall cost of
1
JUL 6 3982
the project has been reduced from 5.8 million dollars in the
interim plan to 4.4 million. The following funding sources can be
utilized to finance the proposed improvements:
1. Proceeds from settlement with Lincoln
Property Company: $7,000,000
2. A tax allocation bond issue funded from
the estimated 1.4 million dollars annual tax
increment flow from the completed Redevelopment
Project: $7,000,000
3. Net revenue from the land sale proceeds for
Phase II of the project:
$1,000,000
Total $15,000,000
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Council/Agency review the proposed
plan changes and direct the Staff to evaluate the Consultant's
report and prepare a recommendation including a financing
and implementation plan.
Prepared By: JOHN H. ALSCHULER
City Manager
JOHN JALILI
Assistant City Manager
2
OCEAN PARK BEACH IMPROVEMENT PLAN ~'
a~. ,
~ ~ ~ r~
SUMMARY, June 28, 1982 Y~y~~'~ e'':
During the last several weeks the consultant team to the~~
City of Santa Monica has been working on a preliminary
improvement plan for the beach and parking areas from
Venice north to Bay Street. We have conducted meetings
with the City staff, the State Coastal Commission, reviewed
previous community recommendations and held three evening
Open House Workshops to gather additional community ideas.
Considerable time was spent in the important task of gather-
ing and analyzing traffic and parking data for the area.
On May 19 and 20 the first open house evenings were held.
Residents from the project worked on questionnaires and
sketched ideas on base maps. Their maps were energetic and
imaginative and guided much of the planning represented in
our interim presentation.
The ideas and images of these design v~orkshops were synthe-
sized in the development of our interim plan which was pre-
sented to the City Council on June 15, 1982. It was our goal
then as now to develop a beach improvement plan which responds
to the community and staff concerns and is feasible within
the constraints of cost and the guidelines of the Coastal
Commission.
Following the June 15 presentation of our interim plan, our
drawings were on display at the Ocean Park Branch Library.
On June 17 -we held another Open House evening to hear further
ideas and responses to the plan as it was developing.
During the first two Open House evenings we heard a wide
array of concerns. The areas most often mentioned were as
follows:
Traffic/Circulation
-minimize the impact of beach parking on neighborhoods
-reduce speed of traffic in parking lot and on Barnard Way
-narrow or partially close Barnard Way
-narrow Ocean Park Boulevard and increase the size of sidewalk
Beach Access
-upgrade pedestrian access to beach
-pedestrians are often intimidated by traffic on Barnard
Way and in parking lots
-separate pedestrian, car and bicycle circulation when possible
SUMMARY - 2
Views
-minimize image of vast field of parking lots
while preserving ocean views
Park Activities
There have been a great range of suggestions. The most
frequently mentioned include:
-a range of uses for different age groups; more children's
play areas, more recreational uses
for the elderly (especially in the southern end o£ the beach),
more areas for barbecue, quiet shady areas, more beach volleyball
nicer benches
-better separation of pedestrian, bikes and skaters
-better food stands or cafes
-vendors selling food and local crafts
-rental kiosk for beach equipment
-the feeling. and activities of the park should change with
the seasons and weather
Image and History
-the beach and park areas should have a strong image that is
meaningful for the neighborhood even as Palisades Park does
for northern Santa Monica
-the history of the area is important to the residents and
for the beach area
Safety and Security
-lighting and patrolling of the area are important for
increased community use
In addition to these concerns, the City gave the consultant
team a list of policy parameters to guide the planning:
No additional operating costs to the City or the Agency.
Possible net additional revenue to the City and the
Agency from concessions.
Access of the neighborhood to the proposed park.
SUMMARY - 3
. Park usages compatible with adjacent residential
communities.
Park usage for seniors.
No significant impairment of residential views.
Maintenance of obligation for coastal access.
Maintenance of obligations for parking.
Balance of visitor and residential interests.
Minimize traffic impacts on adjacent streets.
Maximize green space and maintain neighborhood scale.
During the Open House evening of June 17 the majority of
those attending had not been present at the first two design
workshops. It is not surprising, therefore, that there were
a number of new ideas and reactions.
Many respondants considered the plan to be a very good
synthesis of input to date. There was a group, however, who
had serious reservations about various aspects of the interim
plan. The major areas of their concern are as follows:
-views from Fraser: More than half the participants at this
open house were residents from Fraser. They were concerned
that their views would be interrupted by the proposed park.
-move improvements away from Fraser: Suggestions ranged
from moving park improvements south of Fraser to reducing.
the size and facilities of the park, to,redistributing
them up and down the beach.
-too much structure: This concern primarily related to a
concern for the interruption of the view from the streets,
especially Fraser.
-too many trees: This concern was voiced for reasons of
view as well as a concern of some that trees and grass
would attract "undesirables."
SUMMARY - 4
-too expensive: A number of individuals wished to use
a significant amount of the money in question for other
purposes, such as a community arts center and affordable
housing.
-distribute activities: There was the suggestion that a
range of activities for different ages could be located
at various points along the beach.
-more bathrooms: There was concern that there be ample
bathrooms, well distributed (others did not want any
additional bathrooms).
-less grass and uses in front of Sea Colony
-a greater development of sand dunes and a natural ecosystem
at the southern part of the site
-possible visual connection from the civic center to the
beach.
Following this workshop we had additional meetings and dis-
cussions with a number of participants who had expressed an
interest in further involvement. Since that time we have
further developed and modified our interim plan and have
tried to satisfy as many of these concerns as possible while
maintaining the basic planning ideas that developed in the
first two community workshops. As before, we have integrated
the community input with the guidelines of the city staff and
the concerns of the Coastal Commission
PLAN SUMMARY
In developing our preliminary plan we have tried to emphasize
the areas of consensus in the community, while working within
the guidelines of public agencies and the realities of budget.
The main components of the interim plan can be summarized as
follows:
Roadway Modifications
Narrow Barnard Way to two lanes plus bike paths
Narrow Ocean Park to two lanes while widening sidewalks and
grass parkways
Upgrade pedestrian crosswalks across Barnard and install
a pedestrian-activated light at Barnard and Ashland.
SUMMARY - 5
Traffic analysis is a critical factor for a successful plan.
Our program for analysis included field study of existing
conditions with 24-hour machine counts and peak hour inter-
section counts to determine traffic volumes. We also conducted
a study of beach users' origins and route choices, as well as
a parking utilization survey on an hourly basis.
A detailed report on traffic and parking analysis is addended.
Greenbelt
Establish a greenbelt along Barnard G7ay from Bicknell to
Nielsen
This can be landscaped to buffer the neighborhood from the
beach parking and provide such amenities as a jogging path
and lookouts to the beach.
Parking Lots
Interrupt long lanes of parking with tree-lined roadways
which continue the pattern of neighborhood streets. These
will make for clearer pedestrian access from the neighbor-
hood while establishing visual connections from the neigh-
borhood to the beach. Undulators at these points will prevent
speeding in the lots.
Areas of the lots adjacent to the park can be closed off and
used for additional recreation at off peak times.
A landscaped parkway isolates the parking lot from all
beach activity.
Promenade/Bikeway
A generous bike and skaters path is separated from the parking
by a landscaped parkway.
A pedestrian promenade is raised to isolate it from the bike
path. It is wide enough for vendors to push their carts with-
out distrubing the pedestrians. At key access points the
promenade expands to accommodate people moving to and from
the beach, as well as benches shaded by trellis and trees.
A broad, low wall forms a continuous bench along the pedestrian
path.
At various points along the way a range of beach activities for
different ages is suggested (e.g., children's play structures,
places for surfboards and climbing structures, beach volleyball).
None of these uses involves the reduction of the sand area.
SUMMARY - 6
Ocean Park
A four acre park is centrally located at the end of Ocean Park
Boulevard. This ends the visual axis of the boulevard and provides
the main location for active recreation. The area for the park
is established by consolidating and slightly reducing the amount
of parking in the lot.
This .park includes: broad fields for ball games and frisbee,
increased facilities for barbecues, shaded tables, facilities
for children's play, new bath and shower facilities, promenade
areas for vendors, and the possibility of a revenue generating
restaurant just south of Ocean Park Boulevard. An office for
City staff is proposed near this. The latter could also have
an open roofed-over area for community or other events.
South Beach Activities and Dunes
A quiet activity area is located near the south end of the
site providing such uses as shuffleboard and horseshoes and
picnic areas. This is located in close proximity to the senior
housing. To the north is another children's play activity area
and between them a proposed sand dune area.
Landscape
Several principles have guided the use of landscape materials.
Low profile canopy trees are used to establish the visual and
access corridors that extend from the neighborhood streets to
the beach and to relieve the broad expanses of parking area.
Each corridor is planned as a different species, so that each
street has an identity. The only other use of low canopy trees
is for shaded areas in the park at Ocean Park Boulevard and at
the senior and children's areas in the southern end of the site.
These are sited to maintain maximum views from the neighborhood
while providing shaded activity areas for beach users. Tall,
thin palms (washintonia Robusta) are used at intervals to mark
the edge of the beach. Palms are also used to mark Ocean Park
Boulevard as a visual and pedestrian connection to the beach.
Shrubbery is avoided altogether for security reasons. Plant
materials are to be selected for appropriateness to the locale
(either natives or coastal species) as well as for drought
resistance.
SUMMARY - 7
Modifications since June 17, 1982
It is important to note the significant plan modifications that
have been made subsequent to the June 17 Open House:
Views from Fraser: An open view corridor from Fraser has been
established by reorganizing some of the planting and built
elements of the main park.
Reduction of number of proposed structures: The only closed
structures proposed for the park are a possible restaurant/cafe
which could generate revenue for the city and a small building to
house city offices plus an area for open air meetings or community
events. Bathroom and shower structures would be as open as possil
and have been reoriented to minimize the impact on the ocean view.
Distribution of activities: The central children's play area
is not as large as originally proposed. Additional areas for
children's play and sand activities for other age groups are
located near the ends of the corridors that access the beach.
South Beach area: The area of grass originally proposed for
this area is considerably reduced in our current plan. This allows
for a sand and ocean view from Sea Colony. At the southern end
of this area the senior activities are maintained and at the
northern end a smaller area is planned for tot lot activities.
A large area between these two uses is proposed for the development
of low dunes and possibly the :use of grass. A number of
participants in the workshops are excited about the visual
and educational opportunities of such an idea. In addition, a
number of professors at Santa Monica College have expressed an
interest in planning and maintaining such a place.
Parking lots: In the effort to further diminish any overflow of
queuing onto the streets, we have added an additional lane (to
give a total of three) at the main entrance at Bicknell.
Cost:
The overall cost of the proposed project has been reduced from
5.8 million dollars in the interim plan to 4.4 million in the
current estimate. A cost estimate is addended to this report.
The plan as now developed is still, of course, at a preliminary
phase. Our goal, in simplest terms, is to try to resolve the
two most important needs: to reclaim the beach for the local
community who use the beach almost daily and to serve the
regional users who come in large numbers though less frequently.
SUMMARY - 8
Our major goals have been:
-increase the accessibility cf the beach from the community
-mitigate the impact of beach traffic on the neighborhood
-mitigate the impact of broad expanses of parking lots
-increase the efficiency and attractiveness of parking lots
-increase recreational areas without a substantial loss of
parking (a summary of net increases in recreational areas
is addended)
-provide a range of activities for various ages without decreasing
the area of sandy beach.
We look forward to continuing the development of this plan
and welcome your comments and questions.
The consultant team:
P4oore Ruble Yudell Architects and Planners, Santa Monica
with P.O.D., Inc. Landscape Architects and Planners
and P.R.C. Voorhees Transportation and Traffic Engineers
Ocean Park Beach Improvement Plan
LANDSCAPED AREAS (ACRES)
LOCATION EXISTING PROPOSED
BARNARD 2.14 3.45
OCEAN PARK l.ll 3.94
SOUTH &E~CH AREA 0.0 ;85'
BEACH IMPROVEMENT PLAN
(OFF SITE)
SUB-TOTALS: 3.25 8.2^4
(ON-SITE)
SUB-TOTALS: 3.4
TOTALS: 3.25 SY.fn4
NET
+ 1.31
+ 2.83
+ . S
+ 4Y99
+ 3.4
+ 8.3 g,
OCEAN PARK REDEVELOPMENT
OFF-SITE IMPROVEMENTS
REVISED PRELIMINARY PLAN
JUNE 28, 1982
COST ESTIMATE SUMMARY
1. Ocean Park Boulevard- Narrowing from Nielson Way to
Barnard Way (includes roadway modifications, sidewalks, 100,
landscaping of parkways).
2. Barnard Way- Narrowing from Bay Street to Nielson WaY 180,00
(includes roadway modifications).
3. Barnard Way Greenbelt- Bay Street to Nielson Way
(includes landscaping, jogging path, paths through
to the beach). 300,00
4. Ocean Beach Park- 4 acre park at Ocean Park Boulevard
(includes landscaping, paving, site furnishings, lighting,
playground, restroom structures). 650.,.00:
5. Beach Promenade- Crescent Bay Park to south city
limits 1.1 miles (includes wall, pedestrian walkway,
bike/skate way, landscaped parkway, lighting, site
furnishings). 1,100,00
6. South Beach Area - :SS'-acres at Barnard Way and
south city limits (includes landscaping, paving, site
furnishings, lighting, playground, shuffle board, horse- 305,0-0
shoe pits).
7. Parking Lots- 2200 car parking lot (includes lot/
facility modifications, landscaping, toll booths). 1,400;'.0
SUB TOTAL 4,035,,0
+ 10% 404,00
TOTAL 4,439,(
Ocean Park Beach Improvement Plar.
EXISTING STRUCTURES:
Buildings south of Ocean Park Blvd.
Pizza stand
Total:
PROPOSED STRUCTURES:
6500 sq. ft.
1600 sq. ft.
8100 sq. ft.
(Restaurant & City Offices) 6000 sq. ft.