To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: ANDREW WINJE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
TITLE
title
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE FULTON PLAYFIELD MULTI-BENEFIT INFILTRATION PROJECT
APPROVE THE PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE PROJECT, JOB NO. 60280, AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY CLERK TO ADVERTISE THE PROJECT FOR COMPETITIVE BIDS
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Fulton Playfield Multi-Benefit Infiltration Project (Project) is included in the updated and City Council approved Enhanced Watershed Management Program (EWMP) as a priority project. The design of the Project is now complete, and the bid ready construction documents, plans and specifications, have been finalized and are ready to be advertised for competitive bidding upon approval by the City Council. The plans and specifications are available for review at the plans and specifications review area located behind the Engineering Permit Counter at the City Hall and will be posted online by the first day of advertising. The Engineer’s construction estimate for the project is $6.6 million. Construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2026 and is estimated to take 120 working days to complete.
BACKGROUND
The City of Redondo Beach, in collaboration with the Cities of Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Torrance, along with the Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD) formed the Beach Cities Watershed Management Group to develop an EWMP to comply with the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit requirements. The EWMP defined a set of projects and activities each jurisdiction would undertake to reduce pollution entering the ocean in compliance with standards set by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. The City Council approved the first EWMP on June 16, 2015 and approved the updated EWMP on June 8, 2021. The updated EWMP includes the Fulton Project as a priority regional project for reducing the potential for pollutants being discharged into the Santa Monica Bay.
Fulton Playfield is an open green space and play area at the southeast corner of the intersection of Ripley Avenue and Rindge Lane. The playfield is adjacent to an 8.5-foot by 10-foot LACFCD storm drain that runs under Ripley Avenue and connects directly to the Herondo Storm Drain on 190th St, which drains into the Santa Monica Bay. An underground flood control retention basin underlies the western half of the playfield and provides approximately 6.4 acre-feet of passive storage to help relieve flooding during storm events. Drainage from approximately 440 acres in the City of Redondo Beach and 25 acres in the City of Manhattan Beach is tributary to the basin. The Project proposes to add infiltration elements to the existing flood control basin in order to transform it into a regional water quality project, while still maintaining its flood control capacity and function. The Project will also incorporate a variety of other benefits. Parkway greening via the installation of ocean-friendly rain gardens is proposed along the southeasterly side of Ripley Avenue to capture and treat street flows that aren’t currently tributary to the detention basin. An exhibit showing project elements is attached.
The Project was added to the City’s CIP in FY 2022-23. On April 18, 2023, the City Council approved the second amendment to the Agreement with Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. for services related to planning, environmental documentation, community outreach, and final design of the Project. The Project was declared to be categorically exempt under CEQA in August 2023 with notice sent to the State and the Los Angeles County Clerk that same month, see attached documents. A community meeting was held on February 2024 to share conceptual plans with neighbors, residents, and other interested parties at the school adjacent to the playfield. A meeting summary is attached to this report. Public feedback was adopted into the design elements that involved use of the park.
Due to its integration with the LACFCD facilities, approval of the design was also required from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works. Approval of the conceptual plan was achieved in July 2024 and the final design review of the plans was completed by Los Angeles County Public Works in December 2025. The bid-ready plans and specifications have now been finalized and are ready for competitive bidding upon approval by the City Council. The plans and specifications are available for review at the plans and specifications review area located behind the Engineering permit counter at the City Hall and will be posted online by the first day of advertising.
The Engineer’s construction estimate for the project is $6,600,000. Construction is expected to begin in late summer of 2026 and is anticipated to take 120 working days to complete. Additional community outreach is planned when the construction phase commences.
To provide funding for the project, staff applied for funds under the then newly adopted LA County Measure W (Safe Clean Water Act) program. On November 21, 2022, the LACFCD Board approved the FY 2022-2023 Stormwater Investment Plan that included initial funding for the Project in the amount of $4,292,138. The transfer Agreement for these funds was completed on May 18, 2023. To address the total estimated construction cost, a Project Modification Form (PMR) requesting additional funding in the amount of $4,010,000 was submitted to LACFCD in October 2024. The request was approved by the County during FY 2025-2026. As a result, the Project is now fully funded using Safe Clean Water (SCW) grants totaling $8,302,138. The Table below shows a summary and tentative disbursement schedule:
COORDINATION
Project planning has been coordinated by the Public Works Department and the Beach Cities Watershed Management Group.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Project is funded entirely through Regional Safe Clean Water grant funds totaling $8,302,138. Grant payments will be disbursed to the City based on the outlined schedule above, and any unspent funds will be returned to SCW. It is likely that the construction schedule will precede the final year of the grant distribution cycle, requiring the City to advance up to $1.9M in funding for a single fiscal year. Staff from the Public Works and Finance Departments will coordinate this advancement, if needed, to ensure there is capacity in the CIP Budget to carry the cost prior to reimbursement. Funding for the Project is included in the Fulton Playfield Infiltration Project #60280.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Location Map
• Project Elements - Fulton Playfield Infiltration Project #60280
• Meeting Notes - Community Meeting, February 15, 2024
• CEQA Notice of Exemption - Fulton Playfield Multi-Benefit Infiltration Project