Item 9-A

City Council Meeting: 03-23-99 Santa Monica, California

TO: Mayor and City Council

FROM: City Staff

SUBJECT: Recommendation to Adopt Addendum No. 1 to the Final Environmental Impact Report, Approve the Final Design for the Cloverfield Boulevard Widening Project, Phase II, and Authorize the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute an Agreement and Adopt the Related Resolutions for the Purchase and Sale of Property Necessary for the Cloverfield Boulevard Widening Project

Introduction

This report recommends that the City Council adopt Addendum No.1 to the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and approve the final design for the Cloverfield Boulevard Widening Project, Phase II. This report also recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement and adopt related resolutions to allow the purchase and sale of adjoining property necessary to the Cloverfield Boulevard Widening Project.

Background

As part of the environmental review for the Colorado Place, Water Garden, and Arboretum developments, various alternatives were analyzed to mitigate traffic. The widening of Cloverfield Boulevard was identified as the best mitigation measure to improve traffic circulation in the Special Office District. The City prepared an Environmental Impact Report and, following evaluation of comments and a public hearing on August 11, 1992, the City Council certified the FEIR for the widening of Cloverfield Boulevard from the Santa Monica Freeway (Route 10) to 390' north of Colorado Avenue.

New sidewalks, street trees, street lights, upgraded and synchronized traffic signals, and modifications to the existing storm drainage system to accommodate the widening are part of the project. Originally proposed Phase II improvements consisted of widening Cloverfield Boulevard from Michigan Avenue to north of Colorado Avenue and narrowing 26th Street between Cloverfield Boulevard and Olympic Boulevard. The original design required removal of nine Tipuana "Tipu" trees along the west side of Cloverfield Boulevard north of Colorado Avenue on property owned by the State of California, Department of Motor Vehicles. Due to the low survival rate anticipated in removal and relocation of these well established trees, the impact of maintaining the current width north of Colorado Avenue was subsequently analyzed in the attached Addendum to FEIR. As indicated below, it is now recommended that no widening occur north of Colorado Boulevard.

Since only minor technical changes or additions are necessary to make the FEIR adequate under CEQA, and conditions necessitating preparation of a subsequent EIR have occurred, the City has determined that an Addendum to the FEIR is appropriate. Proposed changes to the project are not substantial and will not result in significant new environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects.

The Addendum evaluated whether the reduction in the number of southbound approach lanes to the intersection of Cloverfield Boulevard and Colorado Avenue would result in a significant traffic impact. Using the traffic forecasts for the year 2002 as developed in the Project EIR for the AM and PM peak hours, the analysis examined whether the elimination of the widening on the west side of Cloverfield Boulevard north of Colorado Boulevard would create a significant impact on the level of service at the Cloverfield/Colorado intersection and determined that there would be no change in the level of service from the originally certified project. There are no other changes to the environmental impacts identified in the Final EIR or any significant new impacts and therefore approval of the proposed project change would not result in any significant environmental impacts.

Property Purchase and Sale

As part of the overall settlement of one of the eminent domain actions filed by the City for property acquisition necessary to Phase I of the Cloverfield Boulevard Widening Project, staff negotiated the sale of surplus City Yard property and excess street right-of-way to the affected private property owner. City Council conceptually approved this settlement in a closed session on January 12, 1999, subject to all necessary public actions by City Council for approval of the acquisition and settlement. The Superior Court was informed of the potential settlement on January 19, 1999.

Discussion

When Phase II of the Cloverfield Boulevard Widening project was last before the Council in December 1997, one commercial property owner along Cloverfield Boulevard expressed concerns about the impacts of the proposed widening on existing drainage, loss of on-site and off-site parking, and site security. As a result of the discussions with this property owner, a portion of whose property will be acquired by eminent domain for the project, the following design modifications have been made:

• 26^th Street between Cloverfield Blvd. and Olympic Boulevard will accommodate 14 on-street metered parking spaces along the west side of 26^th Street.
• Seven additional parking spaces will be created along 26^th Street, requiring vacation of approximately 1200 sq. ft. of excess pavement to the adjacent property owners to replace lost parking.
• A chain link fence will delineate the private property at 1723 Cloverfield Boulevard.
• Drainage problems on 26^th Street will be resolved.

Another design feature for this area along 26^th Street is the elimination of excess paving in favor of landscaping. This area will be irrigated and planted with Mediterranean Fan Palm, Queen Palm, Pink Melaleuca, and a variety of drought-tolerant shrubs and groundcover.

Property Purchase and Sale

The City hired an appraiser to value all of the properties required for Phase I of the expansion project, including a portion of property along Delaware Avenue. The appraised amount of $10,500 for the Delaware property was deposited with the Court as payment to the property owner. As its business operations would be affected by the City's acquisition of a portion of that property, the City considered the sale of its surplus contiguous property. Negotiations with the property owner resulted in agreement to sell a portion of surplus City Yard property and a portion of the excess right-of-way at the southeast corner of Delaware Avenue and High Place, subject to obtaining all necessary approvals of the City Council. (City staff has confirmed that the City obtained the fee title to the High Place property at the time of two subdivisions, in 1906 and in 1923.) These approvals include adopting Resolutions Waiving Advertising Requirements for each of these parcels, and commencing street vacation proceedings to allow for the sale of the excess right-of-way. Descriptions of the affected properties are attached as exhibits to the Resolutions with this report.

Budget/Financial Impact

There is no budget or financial impact associated with the recommended actions regarding design approval. Staff will return to City Council in the spring of 1999 for award of a construction contract.

Property Purchase and Sale

The property owner agreed to pay the City for the surplus City Yard property, relocating a section of the wall abutting the City Yard, and the excess right-of-way. The purchase price of the surplus City Yard property is $38,896. The costs of relocating the wall is $42,809. The purchase price of the excess right-of-way property located at the southeast corner of Delaware Avenue and High Place is $64,390.04 for a total of $146,095.04. The City's deposit of $10,500 will be used as an offset against the total amount owed by the property owner for the acquisition of the surplus City Yard property and the excess right-of-way property. The total amount payable by the property owner after deducting the $10,500 deposit for acquisition of his property will be $135,595.10. This revenue will be deposited in Account Number 01-130-224-00000-0417-10000.

Recommendation

It is respectfully recommended that the City Council:

1. Adopt Addendum No.1 to Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR);

2. Approve the final design for the Cloverfield Boulevard Widening Project, Phase II;

3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement of purchase and sale; and

4. Adopt the related resolutions for the purchase and sale of property necessary for the Cloverfield Boulevard Widening Project.

Prepared By: Craig Perkins, Environmental & Public Works Management Director

Marsha Jones Moutrie, City Attorney

Suzanne Frick, Director of Planning and Community Development

Barbara Stinchfield, Director of Community and Cultural Services

Anthony Antich, P.E., City Engineer

Linda A. Moxon, Deputy City Attorney

Karen Ginsberg, former Planning Manager

Attachments: Addendum No.1 to FEIR

A Resolution of the City Council Waiving Advertisement Requirements

And Authorizing the Sale of Surplus Property Located at the

City Yards

A Resolution of the City Council Waiving Advertisement Requirements and Authorizing the Sale of Excess Right-of-Way Property Located at the Southeast Corner of Delaware Avenue and High Place

A Resolution of the City Council Declaring Its Intention to Order Vacation of Excess Street Right-of-Way at the Southeast Corner of Delaware Avenue and High Place

Detail of the Lighting Standards

Landscape Plan for the Cloverfield Widening Project