SR 05-08-2018 7C
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: May 8, 2018
Agenda Item: 7.C
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Susan Cline, Director, Public Works, Civil Engineering
Subject: Introduction and First Reading of an ordinance amending Santa Monica
Municipal Code Section 10.08.560 (Municipal Pier—Vehicle Weight
Restrictions) authorizing the City Engineer to set updated vehicle weight
limitations for Municipal Pier and Newcomb Pier
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Introduce for first reading the attached ordinance amending Santa Monica
Municipal Code Section 10.08.560 (Municipal Pier—Vehicle Weight Restrictions)
authorizing the City Engineer to set updated vehicle weight limitations for the
Municipal Pier and Newcomb Pier.
2. Conduct a public hearing, on behalf of Los Angeles County and at the County’s
request, to determine the appropriate load limitation for the Pier Bridge.
3. Direct staff to seek authorization from the County of Los Angeles to set the Pier
Bridge load limit.
Executive Summary
Following a recent inspection, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works
(LACDPW) recommended posting a weight limit sign for the Pier Bridge . Currently,
weight limit signs are posted only for the Santa Monica Municipal Pier and Newcomb
Pier, both of which are entirely under the City’s jurisdiction. Upon receiving this
recommendation, staff conducted a review and developed revised weigh t limits for the
piers and the bridge. Staff recommends amending local law to authorize the City
Engineer to set updated vehicle weight limits based on study and assessment . Based
on the City Engineer’s most recent study and assessment, staff recom mends increasing
the posted weight limit for the Santa Monica Pier to 15 tons and setting a weight limit of
3 tons for the Newcomb Pier. Staff further recommends that Council conduct a public
hearing, on behalf of Los Angeles County and at the County’s request, to determine the
weight limit for the Pier Bridge. At the conclusion of the hearing, staff would forward the
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City’s weight recommendation to the County and seek authorization from the County to
set the bridge weight limit, as required by state law.
Background
On September 19, 2017, the LACDPW contacted the City requesting a copy of the load
limit ordinance for the Pier Bridge. Staff clarified that load limits are not currently posted
for the Pier Bridge structure. Load limits are posted only for
the Municipal Pier and the Newcomb Pier to protect the pier
structures from the wear and tear brought about by heavy
vehicles. The signs are posted at both the top and bottom
approaches to the Pier Bridge and, by inference, limited the
loads for the Pier Bridge. The photo to the left shows the
sign located at the top of the Pier Bridge. Notwithstanding
the load limits posted for the Municipal Pier and the
Newcomb Pier, the LACDPW noted that their structural
analysis required a load limit to be posted for the Pier Bridge itself. In order to legally
post a load limit for a bridge, the California Vehicle Code requires that a public hearing
be held and an ordinance be adopted under the County’s direction.
Discussion
The LACDPW performed load rating calculations for the Pier Bridge, which indicated the
safe load capacity of the structure to be:
22 tons per truck
22 tons per truck and semi-trailer combination
30 tons per truck and full trailer combination
The LACDPW recommends that the bridge be posted for a weight limit not to exceed 22
tons. However, this exceeds the load capacities of the Municipal Pier (outlined in blue
below in Figure 1) and the Newcomb Pier (outlined in orange below in Figure 1). The
sole purpose of the Pier Bridge is to provide vehicle and pedestrian access to the
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Municipal and Newcomb Piers. There are no other adjoining structures or access points
to the Pier Bridge. Despite the bridge’s 22-ton structural capacity as determined by
LACDPW, it is the 15-ton structural capacity of the Municipal Pier that would dictate the
operational weight limit for the Pier Bridge.
Vehicle Weight Restrictions
Traffic flows through the different sections of the piers, and the lowest rated section of
each pier is the controlling limit for allowable vehicle weights. The Municipal and
Newcomb Piers have had signs posted for maximum weights of 10 and 3 tons,
respectively, for nearly a decade or longer. Staff researched as-built plans and records
for past upgrade and maintenance projects for the Municipal Pier and concluded that
the lowest rated section, a 200-foot-long concrete waffle structure at the west end, could
support a 15-ton vehicle. The rest of the structure is rated for a 20-ton vehicle. Based on
the controlling capacity of the waffle structure, staff recommends that the Municipal Pier
and the adjoining Pier Bridge be posted for a weight limit not to exceed 15 tons.
The 2008 Pier Infrastructure Assessment Study by Moffatt & Nichol (Study) e xamined
the Newcomb Pier and subdivided it into sections based on the varying substructure
types and corresponding load limits. The Study further identified that the lowest rated
section can support a 3-ton vehicle. Therefore, staff recommends the Newcomb Pier,
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where the pier deck parking lot is located, be posted for a weight limit not to exceed 3
tons.
The City has exclusive jurisdiction to regulate Pier weight limitations. Accordingly, the
proposed amendment updates the previously codified weight limit for the Municipal Pier
and codifies the weight limit for the Newcomb Pier.
Community Events
For many years, the Newcomb Pier has served as a venue for community events and
will likely continue to accommodate events moving forward, as reflected in the Pier
Corporation’s calendar (santamonicapier.org/events). A community event permit is
required for these events. Many of these events require the use of vehicles that exceed
the 3-ton weight limit during setup and takedown. To this point, heavy vehicle activity
historically has been coordinated with harbor guards, who ensured heavy vehicles did
not enter the weaker sections of the Newcomb Pier. Codifying the 3-ton weight limit
would make it illegal for a vehicle exceeding 3-tons to enter the Newcomb Pier for any
reason other than an emergency, subsequently precluding many community events. To
continue accommodating community events, the proposed amendment includes an
exemption for vehicles that are issued a permit, and a permit would be required for
events that utilize vehicles heavier than 3 tons. Heavy vehicle activity would continue to
be monitored by harbor guards.
Pier Bridge
Unlike the Piers, which are under the City’s exclusive jurisdiction, California Vehicle
Code Section 35751(a) grants only Los Angeles County the authority to set weight
limitations on the Pier Bridge. Consistent with Section 35751 and longstanding practice,
the County has cooperated with Santa Monica and other cities within the County to set
bridge load limits. Additionally, Section 35751 requires a public hearing be held before
the Pier Bridge’s weight limit could be reduced beyond what the Vehicle Code otherwise
requires. The County has requested that the City conduct this hearing on the County’s
behalf. Upon conclusion of the hearing, staff would transmit the City’s weight
recommendations to the County and work with the County to set the correct weight limit.
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Once that limit is set by the County, staff would return to the Council to codify the new
limit.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the
recommended action. The removal of existing signs and installation of the new signs will
be performed by Public Works staff within the existing operating budget.
Prepared By: Curtis Castle, Civil Engineer
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Ordinance
B. Powerpoint Presentation
7.C –Amendment to the Ordinance for Vehicle Weight Restrictions on the Santa Monica Municipal Pier
Load Limit Recommendations:
1.Municipal Pier –15 Tons
Newcomb Pier –3 Tons
2. Pier Bridge –15 Tons
Recommended Action:
1.Introduce for first reading the attached ordinance amending SMMC
section 10.08.560 authorizing the City Engineer to set updated vehicle
weight limitations for the Municipal Pier and Newcomb Pier
2.Conduct a public hearing on behalf of LA County and at the County ’s
requet to determine the appropriate load limitation for the Pier Bridge.
3.Direct staff to seek authorization from the County of Los Angeles to set
the Pier Bridge load limit.