To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: BRANDY FORBES, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
TITLE
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DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING CONTRACTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW ASSOCIATED WITH THE ZONING AND PARKING AMENDMENTS TO BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ARTESIA AVIATION CORRIDORS AREA PLAN (AACAP).
APPROVE CONSULTING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH RINCON CONSULTANTS, INC. FOR PREPARATION OF CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE REDONDO BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE TO IMPLEMENT THE ARTESIA AND AVIATION CORRIDORS AREA PLAN (AACAP) FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $53,491 FOR THE TERM OF APRIL 6, 2021 THROUGH JANUARY 31, 2022.
APPROVE CONSULTING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH RINCON CONSULTANTS, INC. FOR PREPARATION OF CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS FOR PREPARATION OF THE PARKING STUDY AND RECOMMENDED REVISIONS TO PARKING REGULATIONS RELATED TO AACAP AND THE CORRESPONDING CEQA ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $84,065 FOR THE TERM OF APRIL 6, 2021 THROUGH JANUARY 31, 2022.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On December 12, 2020, the City Council adopted the Artesia and Aviation Corridors Area Plan (AACAP).
City staff received proposals from Rincon Consultants, Inc. (environmental consultant) and Fehr & Peers (traffic engineering consultant) for preparation of environmental review documents and parking/traffic analysis for implementing the adopted Artesia Aviation Corridors Area Plan (AACAP). Per City Council’s direction, staff proceeded with contracts for the zoning amendments analysis and reduced scope parking study.
BACKGROUND
Zoning Amendments to Activate the AACAP - $53,491
Rincon Consultants, Inc. (environmental consultant) submitted a proposal for preparation of an Initial Study-Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS-MND) for the following proposed amendments to the Redondo Beach Zoning Ordinance.
Scope of Work
• An amendment to “activate” the AACAP and require future development in the AACAP Area to be consistent with the “intent” of the AACAP. It should be noted that actions allowed under the AACAP that may result in environmental impacts include increases in the allowable floor area ratio from 0.5 to 0.6 (FAR), the application of design guidelines, alterations to signage, improvements to walking and biking infrastructure, and the creation of new public spaces.
• An amendment to Section 10-2.621, Additional Land Use Regulations, which applies to the C-2-PD Zone. The amendment would remove the restriction of “Office” uses, including “Medical Office” to only the second floor or on the ground floor to the rear of other permitted retail or services uses in the AACAP area.
Schedule
The environmental review is estimated to take 4-5 months per the proposal.
Following the completion of the draft zoning ordinance amendments and the associated environmental review process, the public hearing process before the Planning Commission and ultimately the City Council would commence. The public hearing process is estimated to take approximately 3-4 months.
The estimated total time for completion of the zoning amendments would be approximately 9 months.
Cost
Per the proposal, the amendments would likely require the preparation of an Initial Study-Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS-MD), for a total cost of $53,491.
Reduced Parking Implementation Study - $84,065
Rincon Consultants, Inc. (environmental consultant) and Fehr & Peers (traffic engineering consultant) prepared proposals for a reduced scope focusing only on updating the current parking regulations and associate environmental review. The timeframe to begin implementing parking changes would be reduced from 1 year down to 9 months.
Scope of Work
• Estimate Existing Residual Parking Capacity & Parking Management Triggers
As part of the AACAP update, Fehr & Peers conducted inventory and occupancy counts of existing parking throughout the Corridor Area Plan. We collected new counts of existing on-street and off-street parking supply and utilization during one weekday and one weekend midday peak period, which identified available parking supply. Using parcel data provided by the city and the existing parking utilization data, we calibrated an existing conditions shared parking model, to be used to estimate future parking demand.
Due to existing available parking in the AACAP, there is the capacity to increase land intensity without necessarily increasing the parking supply. Using parking demand ratios from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Shared Parking, Third Edition (2020) manual, Fehr & Peers will estimate the residual capacity for land use growth for a range of different uses, targeting an overall parking occupancy percentage of 85% in the corridor as an effective capacity. This will provide the City with information for how much organic land use growth could occur on the corridor before the need to implement parking management strategies and/or parking supply increases.
• Parking Management Strategies & Recommended Amendment to the City’s Existing Parking Regulations
Fehr & Peers will evaluate best practices in other nearby coastal cities with similar parking management goals intended to balance future land use impacts with projected parking demand. This analysis would identify parking and land use ratios adopted by nearby cities in areas similar to the Aviation Artesia Corridor (like Long Beach’s 2nd Street corridor) and explore the successes and/or shortfalls of curbspace management tactics such as pricing. Policy and management recommendations that consider weekday, weekend, daytime, nighttime, and seasonal demand patterns, as well as management of the parking supply through time limits and long-term/short-term controls.
Policies for administering a district parking strategy, such as a framework for evaluating the need for and implementation of parking supply as demand increases in the future, as well as funding strategies, such as in-lieu fees would be summarized as well. Fehr & Peers will identify “flexible” parking standards/regulations that could support addressing the increased development of the preferred uses, namely restaurants and in some cases medical office (higher parking rate than professional office).
• Parking Implementation Plan Report & Public Meetings
Fehr & Peers will prepare a concise draft and final parking implementation plan report. Fehr & Peers is including three public hearings / workshops over the course of the parking implementation plan.
Schedule
The reduced Parking Implementation Study with associated environmental review process could be completed in approximately 6 months, following contract funding and execution.
Following the completion of the study and environmental review, the amendments to the City’s parking regulations within the AACAP area would be expected to take approximately 3 months.
The estimated total time to complete the reduced Parking Implementation Study and recommended amendments to the City’s parking regulations, inclusive of the required environmental review process, would be approximately 9 months.
Cost
Per the attached proposal, completion of the reduced Parking Implementation Study and associated environmental review and CEQA documentation would be $84,065.
ALTERNATIVE OPTION FOR A FULL PARKING IMPLEMENTATION STUDY- $122,101
Rincon Consultants, Inc. (environmental consultant) and Fehr & Peers (traffic engineering consultant) also prepared proposal for a full “Parking Implementation Study” and the required CEQA environmental document (Initial Study-Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS-MND)), based on the following scope of work:
• Shared Parking Model Update/Recalibration
As part of the AACAP update, F&P conducted inventory and occupancy counts of existing parking throughout the Corridor Area Plan. They collected new counts of existing on-street and off-street parking supply and utilization during one weekday and one weekend midday peak period. Using parcel data provided by the city and the existing parking utilization data, coupled with the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) recently updated (2020) Shared Parking manual, F&P would calibrate an existing conditions shared parking model, to be used to estimate future parking demand.
• Estimate Future Parking Demand, Parking Ratios, & Supply Changes to Determine Sufficient Parking or Shortfall
The shared parking models would be used to estimate the parking demand effects of the land use changes associated with the AACAP, considering a reasonable expectation for use of transportation network companies (TNCs) and autonomous vehicles (AVs) that will likely lower the parking demand. These factors could be considered to propose modified parking ratios for land uses within the AACAP.
• Parking Management Strategies, Implementation, and Siting Recommendations for Public Parking
If estimated future demand exceeds supply for any parking scenarios within the AACAP area, the study would make recommendations for the best parcel within sub areas to accommodate new parking supply, based on parcel size, shape, and access, as well as the importance of the pedestrian network and walkability to and from new parking supply.
In addition to potential opportunities to increase parking supply through infrastructure development, F&P would identify policy and management recommendations that consider weekday, weekend, daytime, nighttime, and seasonal demand patterns, as well as management of the parking supply through time limits and long-term/short-term controls.
Policies for administering a district parking strategy, such as a framework for evaluating the need for and implementation of parking supply as demand increases in the future, as well as funding strategies, such as in-lieu fees would be summarized in the Study as well.
F&P would also evaluate best practices in other nearby coastal cities with similar parking management goals intended to balance future land use impacts with projected parking demand. This analysis would identify parking and land use ratios adopted by nearby cities in areas similar to the Aviation Artesia Corridor (like Long Beach’s 2nd Street corridor) and explore the successes and/or shortfalls of curb space management tactics such as pricing.
• Recommended Amendment to the City’s Existing Parking Regulations
F&P would also identify “flexible” parking standards/regulations that could support addressing the increased development of the preferred uses, namely restaurants and in some cases medical office (higher parking rate than professional office).
• Parking Implementation Plan Report & Public Meetings
F&P would prepare a draft and final parking implementation plan report and attend up to four public hearings/workshops over the course of the parking implementation plan development process.
Schedule
The full Parking Implementation Study with associated environmental review process could be completed in approximately 8 months, following contract funding and execution.
Following the completion of the fully Parking Implementation Study a likely next step would be the implementation of amendments to the City’s parking regulations within the AACAP area. The Zoning Ordinance amendments to the City’s parking regulations are expected to take approximately 4 months. The anticipated timelines for other determined recommendations resulting from the Parking Implementation Study would vary depending upon City Council priorities and funding.
The estimated total time to complete the Parking Implementation Study and implement recommended amendments to the City’s parking regulations, inclusive of the required environmental review process, would be approximately 1 year.
This full parking implementation option would result in an additional $38,036 in contract costs, versus the reduced parking implementation option, and add 3 months to the overall project timeline.
COORDINATION
Each agreement has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost for each contract totaling $137,556 will be funded through the General Plan Maintenance Fund, which has a current balance of $290,000 unencumbered. The remaining balance if the proposed contracts are approved would be $152,444
If City Council were to direct staff to proceed with the full parking implementation study as an alternative, the remaining General Fund Balance would be only $114,408, leaving less funding for future amendments the Council may want to consider. As an example, the General Plan Maintenance Fund has been utilized for the upcoming Housing Element update, the RHNA allocation consultant services, and the General Plan update.
APPROVED BY:
Joe Hoefgen, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
Contract with Rincon Consultants AACAP Zoning Implementation
Contract with Rincon Consultants AACAP Parking Implementation