To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: MARC WIENER, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
TITLE
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DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE SCHEDULE FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE REMAINING GENERAL PLAN UPDATE ELEMENTS AND TASKS (GPU PHASE 2) AND DIRECTION TO STAFF ON ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE FOR FUTURE REVIEW
APPROVE A SEVENTH AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT WITH PLACEWORKS, INC. FOR CONSULTING SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE FOR AN ADDITIONAL COST OF $187,474 FOR A NEW TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,459,846
ADOPT BY 4/5THS VOTE AND BY TITLE ONLY RESOLUTION NO. CC-2503-013, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING A FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET MODIFICATION TO APPROPRIATE $234,632 TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT BUDGET IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR GENERAL PLAN EXPENSES WITH FUNDING AVAILABLE DUE TO A STATE LOCAL EARLY ACTION PLANNING (LEAP) GRANT REIMBURSEMENT
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On October 1, 2024, the City Council was provided with an overview of the General Plan update and directed staff to phase the project in order to separate out and prioritize the amendments that served to implement the City’s 6th Cycle Housing Element (2021-2029), meet the State HCD statutory deadline of February 12, 2025, and comply with other State housing laws. On November 5, 2024, the City Council approved the residential amendments to the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance and continued the remaining General Plan Update elements and tasks to 2025.
The second phase of the General Plan Update (GPU Phase 2) involves a variety of items, including consideration of the Open Space and Conservation Element, Noise Element, Safety Element and Floor Area Ratio modifications to commercial businesses along Artesia Blvd. Separating the GPU into two phases requires additional study and analysis on the part of the City’s General Plan consultant. Specifically, additional scope and budget must be added to the existing contract with Placeworks, Inc. to complete the remaining tasks. The net cost of the additional services outlined in the seventh amendment is $187,474, including reimbursables and contingency expenses. The amendment increases the total Agreement cost from $2,272,372 to $2,459,846.
From a budget perspective, $331,085 is needed to complete the outstanding General Plan work items in the sixth amendment with Place works ($143,611) and the new scope of work proposed in the seventh amendment. Funding for these items has been set aside through a combination of State LEAP Grant funds, existing and anticipated General Plan Maintenance Fund revenue, and available Community Development Department contracts and professional services budget. Of the remaining total, $96,453 has been appropriated in the Budget. The recommended Budget Resolution is needed to appropriate the $234,632 of outstanding funding.
BACKGROUND
The City’s three-year Strategic Plan goal to update the General Plan was first approved by the City Council on March 29, 2016. The City Council held a series of public hearings on the updates to the five General Plan Elements (Land Use, Open Space & Conservation, Noise, and Safety), associated amendments to the City’s Zoning Ordinances and Local Coastal Program, and certification of the Environmental Impact Report on October 1st, 15th, and 29th, and November 5th and 12th, 2024.
Through the multiple public hearings noted above, the City Council directed staff to bifurcate the General Plan update in order to prioritize the updates that served to implement the City’s 6th Cycle Housing Element and the residential amendments necessary to meet the statutory deadline of February 12, 2025 and comply with other State housing laws. As a result, the City Council at their meetings on November 5th and 12th 2024, advanced and adopted the following, which served to implement the City’s Housing Element:
1. Resolution No. CC-2410-105, Certifying the Final Program EIR
2. Resolution No. CC-2410-106, amending the existing General Plan Land Use Element
3. Resolution No. CC-2410-107, amending the Land Use Plan of the City’s Certified Local Coastal program
4. Ordinance No. CC-3281-24, amending Title 10, Chapter 1
5. Ordinance No. CC-3282-24, amending Title 10, Chapter 2
6. Ordinance No. CC-3283-24, amending Title 10, Chapter 5
At their November 5, 2024 public hearing, the City Council directed staff to “defer” to a later date “Phase II” of the General Plan update that included the following tasks:
• General Plan Update
o Land Use Element
o Open Space & Conservation Element
o Noise Element
o Safety Element
• Direct staff to return on December 3, 2024, for consideration of subsequent CEQA action to address a 1.25 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) at the Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) campus
o This action item was completed and an “Addendum” to the General Plan Final Program EIR pertaining to the FAR at the BCHD campus determined the additional potential FAR does not trigger any of the conditions in CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 requiring the preparation of a subsequent Program EIR, and the appropriate environmental document, as authorized by CEQA Guidelines Section 15164(b), is an Addendum
o The City Council adopted the “Addendum” at their meeting on December 3, 2024
• Additional Analysis and Recommendations on the following items:
o Public Institutional (PI) - Floor Area Ratio (FAR)
o Artesia Boulevard - FAR/Development Standards/Rooftop Dining
o Nonconforming Uses and Structures
o Historic Preservation Policy
GPU Schedule Going Forward
Below is a summary of the schedule going forward for “Phase II” of the General Plan update. A flow chart of the GPU schedule is also attached.
Spring/Summer 2025
• City Council discussions and directions to staff on the following “Phase II” Tasks (May/June):
o Public Institutional (PI) - Floor Area Ratio (FAR) Analysis
o Artesia Boulevard - FAR/Development Standards/Rooftop Dining Analysis
o Nonconforming Uses and Structures Analysis
o Historic Preservation Policy
• Initiate Article 27 Analysis (EIR Addendum, if necessary) based on the above policy direction
• Present the following updated General Plan Elements to City Council for discussion and consideration/adoption:
o Safety Element (June)
o Open Space & Conservation Element (June)
o Noise Element (August)
o Land Use Element (August)
• Zoning Ordinance Adoption “Phase II” Tasks (August):
o Public Institutional (PI) - Floor Area Ratio (FAR) Standards
o Artesia Boulevard - FAR/Development Standards/Rooftop Dining Standards
o Nonconforming Uses and Structures Amendments
Fall/Winter 2025
• November/December Special Election (Split Ballot):
o PI FAR
o Artesia FAR/Other Land-Use Amendments
Amendment Seven Tasks/Costs
As a result of the bifurcation and deferral of “Phase II” items noted above, additional scope and budget in the General Plan consulting services agreement is necessary. The proposed seventh amendment to the Placeworks contract adds a number of tasks and additional scope to the Agreement, which are summarized below:
Task 2.5: Study Sessions and Public Hearings - $9,500
Additional time and budget to prepare materials/maps/data in support of future City Council public hearings.
Task 8.5: Draft Environmental Impact Report Edits - $10,000
Additional out of scope work performed during summer and fall of 2024 to analyze contemplated BCHD FAR of 1.25 and bifurcation of Housing Element implementation and other residential amendments.
Task 8.9: CEQA Project Management - $5,600
Additional time required to reference and confirm that the scope of the remaining General Plan Element updates and the Non-Residential related update actions are within the scope and purview of the completed FEIR.
Task 9.6: Article XXVII - Traffic Impact Analysis (Two Additional Runs) - $92,774
The original scope was for one Article XXVII analysis to address all Land Use Plan changes associated with the General Plan Update. Two additional Article XXVII analysis are required related to the Housing Element Sites and Non-Housing Element residential amendments and then separately all proposed non-residential changes.
Task 10.1/10.2: Project Management/Team Meetings - $14,200
Extend Project Management for an additional 9 months for anticipated project completion in November 2025.
Task 14: Article XXVII - Additional Buildout Data Required to Support Traffic Analysis - $20,500
Preparation of two additional studies and identified measures required to meet the provisions of Sections 27.4 b. and 27.5 a. 3 & 4 of Article XXVII traffic studies.
(New) Task 20 LEAP Submittal Assistance - $4,900
LEAP close out report; work already completed as directed by City Staff.
Deliverable(s)
• LEAP Close Out Report submitted to State HCD.
(New) Task 21 FAR Testing for Artesia, BCHD, and other PI properties - $20,000
This task is to evaluate the City's institutional FAR approach. Additionally, this task will study Artesia FARs, including development standards, development capacity, and building height.
Contingency and Reimbursables - $10,000
Subtotal = $187,474
Amendment Six Completed Tasks/Costs
The remaining sixth amendment budget is summarized below:
Task 9.6 Traffic Impact Analysis Article XVVII - $99,288
Task 17 Traffic Impact Analysis Data Support Article XXVII - $26,613
Task 8.8 Final EIR - $17,710
Subtotal = $143,611
COORDINATION
The proposed seventh amendment to the Agreement for consulting services with Placeworks was prepared in consultation with the Financial Services Department and the City Attorney’s Office.
FISCAL IMPACT
The net cost of the additional services outlined in the seventh amendment is $187,474, including reimbursables and contingency expenses, and if approved would increase the total Agreement from $2,272,372 to an amount not to exceed $2,459,846.
As mentioned above, $331,085 is needed to complete the outstanding General Plan work items in the sixth amendment with Place works ($143,611) and the new scope of work proposed in the seventh amendment ($187,474). Funding for these items has been set aside through a combination of State LEAP Grant funds, existing and anticipated General Plan Maintenance Fund revenue, and available Community Development Department contracts and professional services budget. Of the remaining total, $96,453 has been appropriated in the Budget. The recommended Budget Resolution is needed to appropriate the $234,632 of outstanding funding.
The table below entitled General Plan Update Fiscal Impact summarizes the sources and proposed spending presented in this report related to the PlaceWorks Planning and Environmental Consulting Services Agreement.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Phase II General Plan Update Schedule for 2025
• Reso - No. CC-2503-013 Authorizing a FY 2024-25 Budget Modification
• Agmt - Proposed Seventh Amendment to Agreement with PlaceWorks
• Agmt - Sixth Amendment to Agreement with PlaceWorks, March 12, 2024
• Agmt - Fifth Amendment to Agreement with PlaceWorks, February 21, 2023
• Agmt - Fourth Amendment to Agreement with PlaceWorks, October 4, 2022
• Agmt - Third Amendment to Agreement with PlaceWorks, March 17, 2020
• Agmt - Second Amendment to Agreement with PlaceWorks, April 16, 2019
• Agmt - First Amendment to Agreement with PlaceWorks, December 19, 2017
• Agmt - Original Agreement with PlaceWorks, October 4, 2016