1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: March 26, 2024
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. Approve by a 4/5ths vote a Right-of-Entry Agreement (Agreement) for a period of three years, with two one- year extension options (Attachment 1) 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, and authorize the Community Development Director, as the City Manager’s designee, to execute the Agreement.
2. Find the approval of a Right -of-Entry Agreement for use of a bus bay at the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, the exemption for minor modifications to existing structures involving no expansion of existing use.
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 and is extremely limited in parking.
To reduce parking pressures, the LA Philharmonic offers a network of park and ride shuttles throughout Los Angeles County.
The LA Philharmonic and the City entered into an agreement to provide shuttle services from the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station for the 2023 concert season. After the 2023
2 season, the LA Philharmonic contacted City staff and requested to continue the partnership for the 2024 concert season and beyond.
DISCUSSION
In 2023, staff from the LA Philharmonic approached the City about using the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station (Station) to provide shuttle services to the Hollywood Bowl.
The Station to be an ideal candidate for this type of service and has nearly 500 parking spaces that are typically used by commuters, meaning they are not usually occupied during the evenings when the 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.
On March 14, 2023, Council approved an eight month right of entry agreement with the LA Philharmonic for the 2023 concert season on a trial basis. The shuttle service for the 2023 concert season at the Hollywood Bowl was popular. The LA Philharmonic reported that 9,000 patrons took the shuttle from the Downtown Burbank Metrolink station during the 2023 season to 115 concerts, which is 100 patrons per concert. The LA Philharmonic considered it a success and has requested a longer agreement starting with the 2024 concert season.
The Station continues to be an ideal location for this type of service in part because such an agreement allows for increased utilization of the Station and provides an added amenity, including a cost savings for Burbank residents. Parking at the Hollywood Bowl ranges from $20.00 to $60.00. The cost of a Hollywood Bowl shuttle is either $6.00 or $7.00, depending on their locations. Attendees can take several transit options such as BurbankBus or Metro bus lines to reach the shuttle, or even drive themselves and park in one of the 500 available parking spot s. The LA Philharmonic will continue to staff the Station to provide directions and manage the boarding and alighting processes.
The shuttles will continue to use the same bus bay they used in 2023. The alignment of the bus bays and layover zone can be seen in Exhibit A of the Right of Entry Agreement (Attachment 1). The LA Philharmonic shuttles are expected to operate from 5:00 PM until 12:00 AM on weekdays and weekends . Along with the benefits 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) A need to create a bus layover zone along Olive Avenue.
To mitigate increased security and maintenance costs, staff recommends the Agreement include a monthly right-of-entry fee of $4,500 during the months the LA Philharmonic uses the Station. At a minimum, anticipated months of use are April through November of each year, coinciding with the Hollywood Bowl concert schedule. Revenues from the fee will be deposited directly into the City’s Proposition A Fund 3 (104.ND000.51220.1006.000000.00000), which is used to maintain the Station. This fee is based on a proportional share of the cost to maintain and oversee the Station.
Given the success of the prior year’s shuttle service, staff is recommending a three-year agreement, with two one-year options to renew; this will cover the Hollywood Bowl’s 2024 through 2028 concert seasons. The right-of-entry fee will increase based on inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index every year. Pursuant to Burbank Municipal Code 2-2-201(E)(2), approval of this Agreement requires a 4/5ths vote of the City Council.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Approving this A greement 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 by entering into the A greement with the LA Philharmonic. Maintenance and security costs are covered by the Agreement’s license fee of $4,500 per month (during active months) to ensure that the City’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 is requesting to continue providing shuttle services to the Hollywood Bowl on concert nights from the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station .
Burbank benefits from having additional transportation options at the Station and the LA Philharmonic Association can provide this service with no impact to the Metrolink Station.
The LA Philharmonic Association’s right-of-entry fee covers additional maintenance and security costs necessary to support the station’s operations. Approving this agreement provides additional transportation and community benefits with a low risk of impact. Staff recommends Council approve the Right-of-Entry Agreement with the LA Philharmonic Association to provide shuttle services to the Hollywood Bowl on concert nights for the 2024 through 2028 concert season.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment 1 – Right of Entry Agreement with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association