SR 07-24-2018 3O
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: July 24, 2018
Agenda Item: 3.O
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Andy Agle, Director, Housing and Economic Development, Economic
Development Division
Subject: Windward School Lease Amendment
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a sixth amendment to the
Windward School lease agreement to modify the provisions regarding the shared
use of school facilities and,
2. Authorize the City Manager to sign, as Landlord, Windward School’s Master Plan
Land Use Application.
Summary
Since 1983, the City has leased a portion of City-owned property located at Sawtelle
Boulevard and Palms Boulevard in Los Angeles to Windward School (Windward). The
lease provides for shared use of recreational facilities and playfields. Windward intends
to submit a Master Land Use Application (Application) to the City of Los Angeles for
entitlements to update its original Master Plan approved in May 1999. Th e update,
called the Master Plan Update Project, proposes to eliminate previously approved
shared-use recreational facilities for the development of, among other structures, a new
performing arts facility (Exhibit A). As a condition of approval, the City of Los Angeles
requires the City of Santa Monica’s signature, as landlord, on the Application. The lease
amendment would update the shared-use-of-facilities provisions currently in place to
reflect the new facilities in the proposed Application. There will be no impact upon Santa
Monica’s water operations from the proposed Application or lease amendment.
Discussion
Windward is a private, college-preparatory school serving grades 7 through 12.
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Windward leases approximately seven acres of the City-owned Charnock Well property,
the site of active water wells in the Charnock Groundwater Basin used by the City for
the community’s water needs. The lease authorizes Windward to use the leasehold for
school, recreational, and educational purposes and is subject to the primary water use
of the City. The lease includes a shared-use provision with respect to Windward’s
recreational facilities and playfields (Shared-Use Facilities) on the leasehold premises
and on adjacent property owned by Windward. The Shared -Use Facilities include:
the gymnasium (indoor basketball and volleyball courts), outdoor courts,
playfields, weight rooms, locker rooms, and athletic center;
restrooms closest to the recreational facilities and playfields;
parking areas; and,
athletic equipment ancillary to the use of the recreational facilities and playfields.
The City is entitled to approximately 50 percent of the useful time of the Shared-Use
Facilities on an annual basis, with a minimum average of 31 hours per week. The lease
recognizes priority of use for the Shared-Use Facilities, with first priority given to
activities, events, and programs operated by Windward for the direct benefit of its
students and educational programs, and second priority to the City for its municipal
recreational activities and programs, City-sponsored organizations, and permitted
organizations. The City uses the facilities for adult basketball leagues and the Santa
Monica Adaptive Recreation (SMARS) program, which prepares athletes for the Special
Olympics of Southern California.
The 1999-approved original Master Plan includes construction of a second gymnasium
or aquatics center as a second phase. The lease specifies that upon Windward’s
completion of the second phase, such facilities would be included as Shared-Use
Facilities, with the minimum hours of use to increase to no less than 46 hours per week
calculated on an annual basis. Windward has since re-evaluated its original Master Plan
and determined that the planned second phase improvements are no longer compatible
with the school’s needs and long-term vision. Windward plans to submit a land use
application to the City of Los Angeles modifying the unbuilt second phase of the Master
Plan to upgrade and expand existing classrooms and educational facilities and
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construct a new performing arts center on its adjacent fee parcel in lieu of the second
gymnasium or new aquatics center that was previously proposed. The Master Plan
Update Project would also request an increase in Windward’s student enrollment to 625
students, from the 550-student maximum that is currently in place.
Windward has requested that the City, as its landlord, sign the Application for the
Master Plan Update Project. All proposed construction, construction staging, and utility
connection would occur on Windward’s fee parcels and would not encroach on the air
space above, nor the ground below, the City’s fee parcels.
As the Master Plan Update Project proposes to eliminate the planned second-phase
facilities included as Shared-Use Facilities, Windward has agreed to make the school’s
multipurpose performance space, conference room, an d classrooms available for
shared use with the City (Exhibit B). The proposed alternative facilities, along with the
existing Shared-Use Facilities, would be available for use by the City for a set amount of
hours per week for each facility. Windward would still be required to provide a minimum
of 46 total hours per week of shared access, after construction of the facilities proposed
in the Master Plan Update.
In order to facilitate Windward’s plans and ensure the public benefit of the Shared-Use
Facilities is maintained, staff recommends execution of the Application and a lease
amendment to revise the Shared-Use Facilities provision to include the proposed new
facilities as part of the shared-use arrangement with the City.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
11/14/89 (attachment C) Lease Agreement with Windward to Lease City-owned Property
adjacent to the Charnock water well field.
06/28/05 (attachment D) Fourth Lease Amendment to extend lease term and to modify the
Shared-Use Facility obligations.
02/24/15 (attachment E) Fifth Lease Amendment for the City’s consent for Windward to file
a Zone Variance Plan with the City of Los Angeles.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the
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recommended action.
Prepared By: Erika Cavicante, Senior Development Analyst
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Windward Project Description 7.13.18
B. Shared Use Facilities Availability Chart
C. Lease (June 1, 1990, Contract No. 5457 (CCS))
D. 4th - Lease Fourth Amendment Aug 30, 2006
E. 5th - Lease Fifth Amendment Oct 12. 2015
F. Windward School Oaks Initiative Statement 7.13.18
WINDWARD SCHOOL MASTER PLAN UPDATE
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
I. INTRODUCTION
Windward School (“Windward”) is an independent, not-for-profit, college preparatory
school for students in grades 7 through 12 that provides a dynamic, engaging education
to approximately 550 students in the Mar Vista community in the City of Los Angeles.
With the school’s Strategic Plan as their guide, Windward teachers, parents, and
administrators work together to inspire students to be responsible, caring, well-informed,
ethical, and prepared young adults.
Windward has operated in its current location at the southwest corner of Palms
Boulevard and Sawtelle Boulevard since 1982. Over the past 35 years, the school has
gradually expanded and improved its campus, and it now comprises approximately 9.22
acres, including property leased from the City of Santa Monica. The Windward campus
includes northern and southern portions of campus joined by a Los Angeles County
Flood Control District flood channel known as the Sepulveda Channel. Windward also
owns a parcel adjoining its campus currently developed with a two-story apartment
building and surface parking lot.
In May of 1999, the City of Los Angeles granted Windward School approval of a Master
Plan to improve its campus in a two-phase development project by City of Los Angeles
Case No. ZA-98-0893-ZV-YV. The first phase of the approved Master Plan comprised
an approved total of 55,251 square feet of new construction, including new classrooms,
a library, a visual arts pavilion, administrative offices, and upgrades to existing school
facilities. Upon completion of the first phase of the Master Plan development, Windward
School facilities on the northern and southern portion of campus totaled 90,147 square
feet.
The second phase of the approved Master Plan included an approved total of 60,608
square feet of new construction to build new auditorium and gymnasium facilities, along
with the removal of an existing apartment building owned by Windward School. The
apartment building has not yet been removed, and the approved improvements have
not yet been built. Over the course of time since that approval was granted, Windward
School has determined that the improvements approved for the second phase of its
Master Plan no are no longer compatible with its needs and its vision for the Windward
School campus. This Master Plan Update Project improves upon that previously-
approved development, and reflects changes made in response to valuable feedback
Windward School received from its neighbors and the surrounding community regarding
the second phase of the Master Plan.
By its proposed Master Plan Update Project, Windward School proposes to update its
previously approved Master Plan to upgrade and expand some of its existing
classrooms and educational facilities, construct a new performing arts facility, and
increase its enrollment to allow the school to continue to provide an excellent
educational experience for its students.
II. PROJECT LOCATION
The campus of the Windward School is located at the southwest corner of the
intersection of Palms Boulevard and Sawtelle Boulevard in the Mar Vista community of
the City of Los Angeles. The Windward campus is comprised of several parcels located
at 11340-50 Palms Boulevard, 3481-85 Sawtelle Boulevard, and several parcels located
along Westminster Avenue including 11375 Westminster Avenue.
The Windward campus includes northern and southern portions joined by a Los
Angeles County Flood Control District facility known as the Sepulveda Channel. The
northern and southern portions of campus are connected by two pedestrian bridges that
extend across the Sepulveda Channel.
The northern portion of the Windward campus consists of one parcel of approximately
1.49 acres with frontage along Palms Boulevard, owned by Windward School. This
portion of the campus is developed with one- and two-story buildings housing
classrooms, administrative offices, and other educational facilities including a small
black-box theater, as well as a surface parking lot.
The southern portion of the Windward campus consists of several parcels and portions
of parcels that are leased by W indward School from the City of Santa Monica under a
long-term ground lease, totaling approximately 7.26 acres.
Windward School also owns an additional parcel connected to the southern portion of
campus of approximately 0.47 acres that is currently developed with a two-story
apartment building. In total, the Windward campus comprises approximately 9.22 acres.
The Windward campus is bounded by Palms Boulevard to the north and Sawtelle
Boulevard to the east; portions of the Project Site extend to Westminster Avenue to the
south. To the west, the Project Site is bordered by residential uses located along Butler
Avenue, the Sepulveda Channel, and Butler Avenue.
III. PROJECT COMPONENTS
Windward School’s proposed Master Plan Update project includes the following
components:
A. Upgraded and Expanded Classroom Facilities
The northern portion of the Windward campus is currently developed with two main
classroom buildings, one containing classroom space, and the other containing
classroom, theater, and school administrative office space.
As part of its Master Plan Update Project, Windward proposes to renovate and expand
the classroom, theater and administration building. This renovation and expansion will
include upgrades to school’s existing black box theater, the addition of visual arts
educational facilities including a new rehearsal space, a new dance room, and a new
tech classroom, and administrative office space. A new pedestrian bridge will replace an
existing wood pedestrian bridge to provide greater connectivity. Demolition of parts of
the existing building will result in a loss of 12,964 square feet. The renovation and
expansion of the existing building will consist of new classroom cluster of approximately
22,628 square feet. Upon completion, the renovation and expansion will result in
approximately 9,664 net new square feet.
B. Arts & Innovation Center
The key component of Windward’s Master Plan Update Project is a revision to the
proposed auditorium that was originally approved in 1999. Windward has carefully
considered the best location and design of a performing arts facility and has designed a
new Arts & Innovation Center of approximately 58,187 square feet to be located on the
site of the existing apartment building and related parking lot owned by the school.
The Arts & Innovation Building will consist of a performing arts facility that will include a
250-seat auditorium and a theater space with capacity for 189 seats. The structure will
be approximately 45 feet high and will be connected by a pedestrian footbridge to the
existing gymnasium and science center educational facilities.
C. Student Gathering Plaza
The Master Plan Update Project includes a landscaped plaza in between the existing
and proposed pedestrian bridges that will connect the campus over the Sepulveda
Channel. The plaza will provide a student gathering space convenient to facilitate
outdoor learning opportunities. Two concrete paths would provide the main points of
access from the south side of the campus onto the plaza.
D. Pedestrian Circulation
In order to improve the connectivity between the northern and southern portions of the
Windward campus, the Project includes the removal and replacement of an existing
pedestrian bridge across the Sepulveda Channel. The new, broader pedestrian bridge
will allow for more students, faculty, and staff to cross between the northern and
southern portions of campus and will enhance the aesthetics of the campus.
E. Vehicle Access, Circulation, and Parking
Windward School currently provides 152 parking spaces in two surface parking lots, one
accessed from Sawtelle Boulevard and the other from Palms Boulevard. In the Spring
of 2018, and on a separate path, the school plans to reconfigure the existing Palms lot
to maximize the efficient use and circulation of the lot, resulting in a total number of 150
existing spaces.
Access and circulation of the parking lot on Sawtelle Boulevard will be maintained, but
will be augmented with additional spaces located on the site of the removed apartment
building during construction phases.
F. Enrollment Increase
Windward currently operates under a maximum enrollment of 550 students pursuant to
a condition of the operating approval ZA-98-0983-ZV-YV. Windward requests an
increase in permitted enrollment to 585 students upon approval of the Master Plan
Update Project, which would functionally result in an average daily attendance of
approximately 550 students. Windward also requests an increase to an ultimate
maximum enrollment of up to 625 students upon the projected completion of the Master
Plan Update Project improvements in 2022, provided that Windward implements
transportation demand management measures to ensure that any increase in actual
enrollment above 585 students does not result in any new trip generation.