TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, Acting City Manager
FROM:
Erick Lee, Public Works Director
Ryan Heise, Acting Community Development Director
Katherine Doherty, City Engineer
Erik Zandvliet, City Traffic Engineer
Jeff Fijalka, Principal Civil Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Lot 3 Parking Structure Local Emergency Update (Public Works Director Lee).
DETERMINE THAT THERE IS A NEED TO CONTINUE THE EMERGENCY ACTION
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council determine, by four-fifths vote, that there is a need to continue the emergency action.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The estimated cost for the demolition and replacement of the Lot 3 Parking Structure (Lot 3) with an at-grade parking lot is projected to be approximately $3,000,000. Pursuant to Manhattan Beach Municipal Section 3.08.060.A.6.c, the emergency demolition and replacement phase will be carried out through an emergency contract, which may be partially funded using funds available in the Parking Fund. The emergency contract, associated costs, and any necessary budget appropriations will be presented to City Council for ratification at a future date. In addition to the appropriation from the Parking Fund, it is anticipated that an alternative funding source may need to be identified for the replacement work.
The costs associated with the additional street parking alternatives are estimated to be on the order of $100,000. While it is anticipated that these costs can be funded within Public Works’ current operating budget, an additional appropriation may be required (depending on the magnitude of these costs). Conversely, the City could consider deferring certain ongoing, non-emergency sign and striping maintenance to a future fiscal year to remain within budget. Any additional funding requirements or deferments, if any, will be presented to the City Council at the November 6, 2024 regular City Council meeting.
BACKGROUND:
Lot 3 is a City-owned facility at the southwest corner of Morningside Drive and 12th Street in Downtown Manhattan Beach. The 3-story structure was constructed in 1971 and contains 146 parking spaces critical to visitors and businesses in the Downtown area. In June 2024, City staff elected to close the structure indefinitely, following a series of onsite inspections and structural assessments indicating that advanced deterioration had significantly compromised the integrity of the structure. At the September 3, 2024 regular City Council meeting, City Council adopted Resolution No. 24-0105, declaring a local emergency at the Lot 3 Parking Structure and authorizing the City Manager to secure, demolish, and replace the structure.
In addition to adopting Resolution No. 24-0105, City Council directed staff to explore means to expedite the work, which may include, but is not limited to, extending construction work hours. Furthermore, City Council directed staff to discontinue temporary shuttle services and to identify and/or create additional parking spaces within walking distance of the Downtown area. City Council also directed staff to suspend parking restrictions in the Downtown Resident Permit Parking Area (map attached). Additional discussions included considering alternate locations for the Farmers Market, providing a shuttle service for special events, and evaluating the potential for valet parking.
Per Resolution No. 12-6422, which was adopted by City Council on December 4, 2012, in the event of an emergency, the City Manager is authorized to take action during an emergency pursuant to California Public Contract Code Section 22050. Section 22050 provides that the City Manager may order the repair of public facilities without advertising for bids when the repair is in the public interest and necessitates the immediate expenditure of public money to safeguard life, health, or property.
California Public Contract Code Section 22050 requires that if the City Manager orders an emergency action, the governing body shall initially review the emergency action at its next regularly scheduled meeting and at least at every regularly scheduled meeting thereafter until the action is terminated, to determine, by a four-fifths vote, that there is a need to continue the action. This staff report serves as the update required by Section 22050. Previous updates were provided at the September 17, 2024 and October 3, 2024 regular City Council meetings.
DISCUSSION:
Emergency Demolition and Replacement
City staff is currently working with the City Attorney’s Office to finalize the agreement with American Wrecking for the demolition work. Pre-demolition meetings with the Contractor, City staff, and members of the public are scheduled for October 10, 2024, and October 16, 2024, after which the Contractor will mobilize. The demolition contract allows for 40 working days (Monday through Friday), with a financial incentive for early completion. Public Works is also finalizing a professional services agreement with a consultant project management firm to provide the services of a Resident Engineer who will provide onsite oversight and stakeholder coordination throughout the demolition work and during the construction of the interim at-grade parking lot.
Parking Alternatives
At the October 1, 2024 City Council meeting, City Council directed staff to move forward with installation of all proposed new parking spaces within the Downtown area, approximately 90 spaces in total. The City’s Traffic Engineer is actively coordinating this work with the Public Works Department, and as of October 9, 2024, twelve of these new parking spaces are available to the public. It is anticipated that the remaining 78 spaces will be made available by early November 2024. Parking meters will be installed for new spaces adjacent to existing metered parking.
Downtown Residential Permit Parking Area
During the October 1, 2024 meeting, City Council also elected to move forward with a proposal to re-implement the Downtown Residential Parking Permit Program and to allow overflow parking in this area for Metlox Parking Lot permit holders, in addition to the residential permit holders. Signage explaining these restrictions was re-installed on October 9, 2024.
Project Impacts to Farmers Market
Per City Council direction, the Farmer’s Market that is held every Tuesday by the Downtown Business and Professional Association (DBPA) will be temporarily relocated from its typical location near 13th Street and Morningside Drive to the Civic Center Plaza and Civic Center Parking Lot. An amendment to the City’s agreement with the DBPA is currently underway, and the first Farmer’s Market at the new temporary location is scheduled to take place on October 29, 2024. The Farmer’s Market will resume operations at its permanent location upon completion of the demolition.
Shuttle Service for Special Events
Staff is currently developing a plan to provide a shuttle service for the Pier Lighting/Holiday Open House and Holiday Fireworks events. The proposed plan will be presented to City Council for consideration during the November 6, 2024 City Council Meeting.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
Formal public notice is not required for this item; however, the item was included in the agenda for this meeting, which was posted in accordance with the law. Additionally, staff has conducted significant outreach by speaking with businesses about parking impacts and coordinating communication and outreach with the DBPA.
An onsite meeting to discuss the demolition process with interested members of the public prior to the start of demolition activities is scheduled for October 16, 2024. Meeting notices were mailed to residents and businesses within 150 feet of the site. DBPA members have also been invited to attend. An additional notice will be mailed to all residents and business within a 500-foot radius of the site prior to the start of demolition activities.
Prior to re-installation of parking restriction signage in the Downtown Residential Parking Permit Program area, a mailer will be sent to all Metlox Parking Lot and Downtown Residential permit holders in to inform them of the modifications to these parking programs.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has previously reviewed the proposed project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the demolition of Lot 3 falls under the statutory exemption for Emergency Projects (State CEQA Guidelines Section 15269) because the demolition is necessary to address a clear and imminent danger and requires immediate action to prevent or mitigate loss of, or damage to, life, health, property, or essential public services. Because the existing structure overhangs the public right of way on three sides, collapse poses a threat to life, health, property and essential public services.
Additionally, the City has determined that the interim surface parking aspect of the project qualifies for the following categorical exemptions:
- Class 1 categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) of the State CEQA Guidelines because the project would modify the ground floor of an existing parking facility to provide fewer parking spaces than the existing facility, thus resulting in no expansion of the existing use.
- Class 2 categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15302 (Replacement or Reconstruction) of the State CEQA Guidelines because the existing parking structure would be replaced with a flat parking lot with substantially the same purpose as the existing structure and substantially the same capacity as the ground floor of the existing structure.
- Class 4 categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15304 (Minor Alterations to Land) of the State CEQA Guidelines because grading necessary to accommodate a surface parking lot would occur at a lot that has less than 10 percent slope, is not in a waterway, wetland, or scenic area, and is not in officially mapped areas of geological hazard.
No further environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 24-0105
2. Map of Downtown Resident Permit Parking Area
3. Location Map