TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Erick Lee, Public Works Director
Katherine Doherty, City Engineer
Jeff Fijalka, Senior Civil Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Discuss the Expansion of Public Parking Structure Lot 4 Located at the Northeast Corner of Rosecrans Avenue and Highland Avenue (Public Works Director Lee).
(Estimated Time: 30 Mins.)
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
Line
_________________________________________________________
Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss and provide direction regarding the expansion of public parking at Parking Structure Lot 4 located at the northeast corner of Rosecrans Avenue and Highland Avenue.Body
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications from conducting this discussion. Should the City Council direct staff to solicit proposals from design consultants for the preparation of conceptual redevelopment plans for Lot 4, funds and staff time would be expended on that effort.
BACKGROUND:
Lot 4
Parking Structure Lot 4 is a two-story cast-in-place concrete structure at the northeast corner of Rosecrans Avenue and Highland Avenue. The structure was built in 1980 and currently contains 38 parking spaces on the lower level and 39 parking spaces on the upper level. Of the 77 total parking spaces, 63 are individually metered, two are Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible, and 12 reserved for permit holders.
Due to the surrounding topography, the existing grade along the westerly side of the parking structure (along Highland Avenue) is approximately 12 feet lower than the adjacent grade at the easterly side of the structure. This grade differential allows for direct vehicular access to the lower level through a single entry-exit location off Highland Avenue, as well as direct vehicular access to the upper level from a single entry-exit location off 38th Street.
Parking in North Manhattan Beach
Public parking in North Manhattan Beach is provided predominantly by Lot 65C (the El Porto Beach Lot), Parking Structure Lot 4, and on-street parking along Rosecrans and Highland Avenues. Due to the popularity of El Porto among surfers, Lot 65C is often filled by beachgoers. As a result, El Porto residents and their visitors, as well as customers and employees of the North Manhattan Beach Business Improvement District, frequently rely on the limited number of parking spaces in Lot 4 and along Rosecrans and Highland Avenues. Through the years, the City has explored expanding parking in North Manhattan Beach, including increasing the capacity of Lot 4.
DISCUSSION:
Replacement of Lot 4
An expansion of Lot 4 would increase the amount of available parking in the North Manhattan Beach area. To maximize the parking provided at the current site, the City may consider replacing the existing structure with a new structure containing multiple levels of both subterranean and above grade parking. It is assumed that a new parking structure would contain fewer spaces per parking level than the existing structure in order to accommodate vehicular ramps and to satisfy current design standards, as well as ADA accessibility requirements.
Costs to construct subterranean parking increase significantly when the depth of excavation exceeds two to three levels below grade. Considering that the current lower level of the existing structure is at-grade along Highland Avenue, but nearly one story below grade along the east side of the structure, the construction of two additional parking levels below the existing lower level may be reasonable.
Height Limitations
The City’s Local Coastal Program (LCP) governs development standards applicable to any future project on this site, including, but not limited to, maximum allowable height. Section A.16.030 of the LCP establishes a 30-foot maximum allowable height for the project site. Furthermore, Section A.60.050 of the LCP regulates how maximum allowable height is calculated, while accounting for sloping topography.
The height calculation is a two-pronged approach. First, the elevation of a horizontal plane 30 feet above the average grade of the site corners is determined. Then, a check is performed to ensure that the height of that horizontal plane above the lowest adjacent local grade does not exceed the 30-foot height limitation by more than 20%. Hence, the highest point on the building (inclusive of all lighting, signage, elevator shaft, etc.) can be no taller than 36 feet above the lowest adjacent grade. An estimation of the allowable building height at the subject site is attached to this report. Considering the applicable requirements, it is assumed that at most two levels of parking could be constructed above Highland Avenue street grade.
Per Section A.60.060 of the LCP, exceptions to the height limits previously described are limited to vent pipes, radio antennas, chimneys, and solar panels. No other height exceptions would be applicable to this project.
Additional Planning Considerations
Reconstruction of Parking Structure Lot 4 would require planning entitlements, including, but not limited to, a Use Permit and a Coastal Development Permit. Additionally, a segment of the Rosecrans Place right-of-way which currently crosses through the site would need to be vacated prior to re-development of the site.
Estimated Parking Capacity and Cost
Given the footprint of the existing structure (roughly 15,000 square feet), it is estimated that a new 5-story (including subterranean and above ground levels) parking structure at the site could contain approximately 140 parking spaces and would cost on the order of $9,500,000 to construct. This would increase the available parking by 63 spaces, providing an 82% increase in capacity.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City Council’s discussion of this item is not a “project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary. In the event that the City Council directs staff to proceed with a project, at that time, a future project would be subject to CEQA.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss and provide direction regarding the expansion of the public parking at Lot 4.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Estimation of Allowable Height
2. PowerPoint Presentation