1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: March 14, 2023
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director VIA: David Kriske, Asst. Community Development Director, Transportation BY: Nick Burant, Administrative Analyst II
SUBJECT: Approval of a Right-of-Entry Agreement with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association to provide shuttle services at the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station
RECOMMENDATION
1. Find the approval of a Right -of-Entry Agreement (Attachment 1) for use of a bus bay at the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to the CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, the exemption for minor modifications to existing struc tures involving no expansion of existing use.
2. Approve by a 4/5ths vote the eight month Right-of-Entry Agreement with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association to use a bus bay at the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station to provide shuttle services to the Hollywood Bowl on concert nights
3. A uthorize the Community Development Department Director to execute the Right- of-Entry Agreement pursuant to Burbank Municipal Code Section 2-2-201(E).
BACKGROUND
The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association (LA Philharmonic) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. Among other things, the LA Philharmonic jointly manages the Hollywood Bowl music venue along with the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. The Hollywood Bowl seats 17,500 people. Parking at the Hollywood Bowl is limited, and to reduce parking pressures, the LA Philharmonic offers a network of park and ride shuttles t hroughout Los Angeles County. The LA Phil harmonic would like to
2 extend this network into Burbank and provide shuttle service in Burbank to ease travel and parking demand from patrons arriving from the east San Fernando Valley.
DISCUSSION
Staff from the LA Philharmonic approached the City about using the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station (the Station) to provide shuttle services to the Hollywood Bowl. Staff believes the Station is an ideal candidate for this type of service. The Station has nearly 500 parking spaces that are typically used by commuters, meaning they are not usually occupied during the evenings when Hollywood Bowl’s concerts are scheduled. The Station also has twelve bus bays, which host buses from BurbankBus, Glendale Beeline, Los Angeles County Metro, and Santa Clarita Transit. The Station also previously hosted bus service from Megabus and Flixbus, which provided inter -city transit service to cities beyond the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
Staff also believes that providing shuttle services to the Hollywood Bowl can be a benefit to residents, saving residents money as well as making the cultural experience of the Hollywood Bowl more easily accessible. Parking at the Hollywood Bowl ranges from $20 to $60 per vehicle depending on the concert. The Hollywood Bowl shuttles are either $6 or $7 per person, depending on their locations. Burbank residents may drive to the Station or may take several options such as BurbankBus or Metro bus lines to reach the shuttle.
The LA Philharmonic will provide staff at the Station to provide directions and manage the boarding and alighting processes.
The bus bay that previously hosted Flixbus is empty, and staff has found that the presence of Flixbus at that bus bay did not impact BurbankBus operations. Should the City Council approve this agreement, the Hollywood Bowl buses will board and alight at the unused bus bay located on the west side of the station under the Olive Avenue bridge, and adjacent to the largest Station parking lot. Furthermore, staff will need to create a layover zone along Olive Avenue near the bus stop to accommodate the buses waiting to pick up passengers to the Hollywood Bowl. This layover area will require the permanent removal of approximately four street parking spaces on eastbound Olive Avenue west of Lake Street. The proposed alignment of the bus bays and layover zone can be seen in Exhibit A of the Right of Entry Agreement (Attachment 1).
Along with the benefit s of shuttle service to the Hollywood Bowl , staff identified three potential impacts to the City: 1) increased maintenance and security costs ; 2) increased wear on City streets caused by the large vehicles used to provide the service; and 3) creating the bus layover zone along Olive Avenue. To mitigate increased security and maintenance costs, staff will be requiring a monthly right-of-entry fee of $4,000 to reimburse these costs to the City. Revenues from the fee will be deposited directly into the City’s Proposition A Fund (104.ND000.51220.1006.000000.00000), which is used to maintain the Metrolink Station. This fee is based on an expected 110 shows during the 3 Hollywood Bowl’s season. Should more shows be added to the season , the LA Philharmonic will compensate the City an additional $300 per show.
Staff is recommending an eight -month agreement, which cover s the Hollywood Bowl’s 2023 season. If this agreement proves to be beneficial to both the City and the LA Philharmonic, staff may return to the City Council for approval of a long-term agreement.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Approving this Right of Entry agreement is Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 Class 1, Existing Facilities. Approving the Right of Entry is an activity intrinsic to operating the existing Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station and park -and-ride facility. Approving the Right of Entry does not expand the use of this existing facility.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no immediate fiscal impact to the City in entering into a Right-Of-Entry Agreement with the LA Phil harmonic for utilizing the Metrolink Station. Up -front maintenance and security costs are covered by the agreement’s license fee so that Burbank’s monthly expenses for the station will not be impacted. License fee funds are deposited into the Proposition A local return revenue account (104.ND000.51220.1006.000000.00000) and will be used to offset increased security and maintenance costs at the station.
CONCLUSION
The LA Philharmonic Association would like to provide shuttle services to the Hollywood Bowl on concert nights. Staff believes that Burbank benefits from having additional transportation options at the Station, and that the LA Philharmonic Association can provide this service with no impact to the Metrolink Station. The LA Philharmo nic Association’s right -of-entry fee covers additional maintenance and security costs necessary to support the station’s operations. Given the transportation benefits and low risk of impacts, staff recommends the City Council approve a Right -of-Entry Agreement with the LA Philharmonic Association to provide shuttle services to the Hollywood Bowl on concert nights.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment 1 – Right of Entry Agreement with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association