TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Erick Lee, Public Works Director
Katherine Doherty, City 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
_________________________________________________________
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 original cost estimate for the demolition and replacement of the Lot 3 Parking Structure (Lot 3) with an at-grade parking lot was on the order of $3,000,000. Pursuant to Manhattan Beach Municipal Code Section 3.08.060.A.6.c, the emergency demolition and replacement phase is being carried out through multiple emergency contracts. To date the City has expensed, encumbered, or planned for the following amounts:
|
|
General Fund |
Prop A Fund |
Meas M Fund |
Parking Fund |
TOTAL |
|
DEMOLITION |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Actual |
- |
- |
- |
37,143 |
37,143 |
|
Planned |
- |
- |
- |
512,857 |
512,857 |
|
Subtotal |
- |
- |
- |
550,000 |
550,000 |
|
INTERIM LOT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Planned |
- |
- |
- |
66,238 |
66,238 |
|
Subtotal |
- |
- |
- |
66,238 |
66,238 |
|
|
General Fund |
Prop A Fund |
Meas M Fund |
Parking Fund |
TOTAL |
|
SHUTTLE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Actual |
- |
63,408 |
6,000 |
335 |
69,743 |
|
Planned |
- |
25,000 |
- |
- |
25,000 |
|
Subtotal |
- |
88,408 |
6,000 |
335 |
94,743 |
|
LOT CLOSURE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Actual |
5,215 |
- |
- |
960 |
6,175 |
|
Subtotal |
5,215 |
- |
- |
960 |
6,175 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GRAND TOTAL |
5,215 |
88,408 |
6,000 |
617,533 |
717,156 |
BACKGROUND:
The Lot 3 Parking Structure was a City-owned facility at the southwest corner of Morningside Drive and 12th Street in Downtown Manhattan Beach. The three-story structure was constructed in 1971 and contained 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 Lot 3 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, including, but 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. Additional discussions included considering alternate locations for the Farmer’s 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 (California PCC) 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 PCC 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 regular City Council meetings held on the following dates during calendar year 2024: September 17, October 1, October 15, November 6, November 19, and December 3.
DISCUSSION:
Emergency Demolition and Replacement
Demolition activities concluded on November 22, 2024, and 12th Street was re-opened to traffic that same day. Center Place was re-opened for use as a delivery zone on November 27, 2024. The Lot 3 site is now vacant and currently secured with chain-link perimeter fencing.
A limited geotechnical investigation to support the design of the interim parking lot was performed on December 6, 2024. A draft report of the findings of this investigation will be provided to the City in late December. Additionally, the City has issued a Notice to Proceed to TAIT & Associates for the development of the interim lot design drawings, technical specifications, and an Engineer’s cost estimate. It is anticipated that these construction documents will be finalized by mid-January 2025, and the City will solicit bids for the construction of the interim lot shortly thereafter.
Project Impacts to Farmer’s Market
Per City Council direction, the Farmer’s Market that is held every Tuesday by the Downtown Business and Professional Association (DBPA) has been temporarily relocated from its typical location near 13th Street and Morningside Drive to the Civic Center Plaza and Civic Center Parking Lot. Staff secured an amendment to the City’s agreement with the DBPA to address this change.
Shuttle Service for Special Events
At the November 19, 2024 regular City Council meeting, City Council adopted a resolution authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute an amendment to the General Services Agreement with Charter Up to provide a shuttle service for the Holiday Fireworks Festival. City Council also appropriated up to $25,000 from the unreserved Proposition A Fund balance for this service.
In accordance with the amended agreement, Charter Up operated a shuttle service between Northrup Grumman and Downtown Manhattan Beach for the Holiday Fireworks Festival on December 8, 2024.
Redevelopment Options for Parking Lot 3
On December 9, 2024, the City Council received a presentation from Kosmont Companies regarding potential scenarios and alternative options for the redevelopment of the Lot 3 site. These options included:
• Scenario 1: New Self-Park Garage - Replace existing Parking Lot 3 Structure
• Scenario 2: Automated Garage
• Scenario 3: Hotel/Commercial Reuse on Site
• Scenario 4: Public Parking on Alternative Sites
During that meeting, staff was directed to perform more research regarding the options available to the City and to return to the City Council with additional information.
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 was held on October 16, 2024. Meeting notices were mailed to residents and businesses within 150 feet of the site. DBPA members were also invited to attend. An additional notice was mailed to all residents and business within a 500-foot radius of the site prior to the start of demolition activities.
Additionally, a mailer was sent to all Metlox Parking Lot and Downtown Residential permit holders to inform them of the modifications to these parking programs.
The shuttle service for the Holiday Fireworks Event was promoted on the City’s website and social media channels, as well as the organizer’s website and the DBPA and Chamber of Commerce social media platforms. In addition, directional signs and shuttle stop signs were deployed on the shuttle route.
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. Location Map