AMENDED
BURBANK CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2026
4:00 p.m. – Closed Session
5:00 p.m. – Study Session
6:00 p.m. – Open Session
Council Chamber
275 E. Olive Avenue, Second Floor
*Amended to update Attachment 2 for Reports to Council Item No.1
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Regular City Council Meeting will be held in the Council Chamber – 275 East Olive Avenue, Second Floor, on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at 4:00 p.m., to discuss matters on the attached agenda.
Members of the public have the option to participate in the meeting via in-person and/or telephonically for Closed Session, General Public Comment, Public Hearings, and Study Sessions. They may also submit their written comments regarding City business using the eComment feature on the City website.
Auxiliary aids and services are available for individuals with speech, vision, or hearing impairments (48- hour notice is required). For more information, please contact the ADA Coordinator at (818) 238-5051.
Interpretation Requests
:
If you would like to participate in Public Comments and require an interpreter, please telephone the City Clerk's Office at (818) 238-5851 at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.
Si desea participar en los comentarios públicos y necesita un intérprete, por favor llame a la Oficina de la Secretaria Municipal al (818) 238-5851 al menos 48 horas antes de la reunión.
How to View the Meeting
:
Local Cable: Spectrum Channel 6 or AT&T Uverse Channel 99.
YouTube Live Streaming Channel:
Click here
.
City Website Live Streaming:
Click here
.
Public Comment Options
:
1 .
To speak during Closed Session Public Comment, General Public Comment, Public Hearing Public Comment, and Study Session Public Comment periods during the meeting, members of the public may speak in-person in the Council Chamber or call (818) 238-3335
. Speaker time limits will
be determined by the Presiding Officer, depending on how many public comment cards are received and how many callers are in the queue at the commencement of each public comment period (as shown below).
Additional public comment cards and calls will not be accepted once the public comment period commences.
1 – 20 Total Speakers – 3 minutes each
21 – 39 Total Speakers – 2 minutes each
40+ Total Speakers – 1 minute each
2 .
The Reports to Council Public Comment periods are only accepted in person – public comment Burbank City Council Meeting Agenda
March 24, 2026
1 A.
Public Comment
: (On Closed Session and Study Session items only) To Comment, please telephone into the meeting at (818) 238-3335, or to speak in person a YELLOW
Public Comment
Card must be completed and presented to the City Clerk prior to the comment period.
B.
Closed Session
in City Hall First Floor Conference Room
:
cards must be submitted before the public comment period begins for each report to Council.
Speaker time limits will be determined by the Presiding Officer depending on how many public comment cards have been received at the commencement of each public comment period (as shown below).
Additional public comment cards will not be accepted once the public comment period commences.
1 – 20 Total Speakers – 3 minutes each
21 – 39 Total Speakers – 2 minutes each
40+ Total Speakers – 1 minute each
3 .
Written public comment may be submitted via eComment, available on the City website (
https://www.burbankca.gov/web/city-clerks-office/meeting-agendas-and-minutes ) from the time
the agenda is posted until 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting. eComments will be distributed to the City Council in advance of the meeting.
4 .
The Presiding Officer has the discretion to reduce speaking time for each speaker in order to ensure that City business can be completed at a reasonable hour.
Public Disclosure
:
Please be advised that any communication submitted to the City of Burbank, its officials, staff or City consultants, may be considered a public record under the Brown Act and California Public Records Act.
This means that any information contained in the communication, including personal information, may be subject to public disclosure. The City reserves the right to disclose such information in accordance with the law.
This agenda contains a summary of each item of business which the City Council may discuss or act on at this meeting. The agenda packet consisting of the staff reports and all other documentation relating to each item on this agenda will be posted on the City's website at www.burbankca.gov
. Any writings or
documents provided to the City Council regarding any item on this agenda subsequent to distribution of the agenda packet will be posted on the City's website at www.burbankca.gov
. If you have a question
about any matter on the agenda, please call the Office of the City Clerk at (818) 238-5851. The Council Chamber is disabled accessible. Auxiliary aids and services are available for individuals with speech, vision, or hearing impairments (48-hour notice is required). Please contact the ADA Coordinator at (818) 238-5051 with questions or concerns.
1. Conference with Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation a
.
Initiation of litigation pursuant to Govt. Code §54956.9(d)(4) City as Potential Plaintiff b
.
Number of potential case(s): 1
2. Conference with Real Property Negotiator
a
.
Pursuant to Govt. Code §54956.8
b
.
Property: 300 S. Lake, Burbank, CA 91502 Assessor's Parcel Numbers (APNs) 2451-007- 023 and -024
c
.
Parties Whom Agency or City is Negotiating with: Caliber Collision, 300 S. Lake, Burbank, CA 91502
d
.
City Negotiator: Simone McFarland, Assistant Community Development Director – Business & Economic Development
e
.
Terms Under Negotiation: Potential Real Estate Purchase
Burbank City Council Meeting Agenda
March 24, 2026
2 C.
Study Session: 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Council Chamber
:
1. Discussion Regarding the BurbankBus Comprehensive Operations Analysis – Community Development Department
D.
Call to Order
: 6:00 p.m.
E.
Moment of Reflection
:
F.
Flag Salute
:
G.
Roll Call
:
H.
Announcements
: (The Mayor will make announcements on various topics in addition to any listed) I.
Council Presentations/Recognitions
: (The Mayor will make presentations to various
groups/persons)
1. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring March 2026, as "National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month" in the City of Burbank – City Council
2. Presentation of Certificates of Recognition to Cannon and Barrett Nelson as Part of the Piper’s Pals Adaptive Sports Program – City Council
3. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring March 29 – April 4, 2026, as “Property and Evidence Professionals Appreciation Week” in the City of Burbank – City Council J.
City Manager Report
: (Updates on Notable Events, if any)
K.
Reporting on Closed Session
: (The City Attorney will report the Closed Session items and report out actions taken)
L.
General Public Comment
: (On any matter concerning City business and/or any agenda items.) To Comment, please telephone into the meeting at (818) 238-3335 or to speak in person, a YELLOW
Public Comment Card must be completed and presented to the City Clerk prior to the comment period.
M.
Council, City Manager, and/or City Attorney Comment
: (Responses to General Public
Comment, if any, shall be brief and in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act) N.
Consent Calendar
: (Items on the Consent Calendar are generally routine matters and should be adopted by one motion without an oral report)
Attachments
:
Study Session Cover Sheet
PowerPoint Presentation
Burbank City Council Meeting Agenda
March 24, 2026
3 1.
Council Minutes – City Clerk's Office
2. Approval of a Third Amended and Restated Agreement for Services Administering the Burbank Tourism Business Improvement District Between the City of Burbank and the Burbank Hospitality Association – Community Development Department
3. Approval of the Downtown Burbank Property Based Business Improvement District Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Report – Community Development Department
Recommendation
:
Approve the City Council Minutes of the Joint Meeting of March 10, 2026; the Special Closed Session Meeting of March 13, 2026; and the Dark Meeting of March 17, 2026.
MOTION: Approved 4-0 (Anthony, absent)
Attachments
:
Council Meeting Minutes
Special Meeting Minutes
Dark Meeting Minutes
Recommendation
:
Approve the third amended and restated agreement for services administering the Burbank Tourism Business Improvement District between the City of Burbank and the Burbank Hospitality Association from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2036.
MOTION: Approved 4-0 (Anthony, absent)
Attachments
:
SR -
Agreement with BHA
Att1 - Third Amended and Restated Agreement
Recommendation
:
Approve the Downtown Burbank Property Based Business Improvement District’s Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Report pursuant to Section 36650 of the California Streets and Highways Code.
MOTION: Approved 4-0 (Anthony, absent)
Attachments
:
SR - PBID Annual Report
Att1 - Annual Report FY 2026
Att2 - Accomplishments and Looking Ahead
Burbank City Council Meeting Agenda
March 24, 2026
4 4.
Approval of the BurbankBus Comprehensive Operations Analysis – Community Development Department
5. Approval to Relaunch the Updated Green Choice Program – Burbank Water and Power Department
O.
Public Hearing
:
Recommendation
:
Approve the BurbankBus Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) which includes the following recommendations:
1 .
Reaffirm and refine the City’s BurbankBus Service Design Policies 2 .
Approve the four proposed bus route change recommendations 3 .
Implement near-term improvements to the Orange Route with no budget amendment 4 .
Seek additional funding and once secured, implement the other route change recommendations included in the COA.
MOTION: Approved 4-0 (Anthony, absent)
Attachments
:
SR - BurbankBus COA
Att1 - Proposed BurbankBus COA
Att2 - Burbank Transit Map
Att3 - Proposed Orange Route Extension
Att4 - Proposed Buena Vista Route
Att5 - Proposed Orange Route Changes
Att6 - 01.22.25 Transportation Commission SR
Att7 - 12.17.25 Transportation Commission SR
Att8 - 02.25.26 Transportation Commission SR
Recommendation
:
Approve the Green Choice Program, and authorize Burbank Water and Power to adjust the Green Choice Program’s rate premium as needed to reflect market pricing for Renewable Energy Credits, and to expand the Green Choice Program to commercial electric customers.
MOTION: Approved and Authorized 4-0 (Anthony, absent)
Attachments
:
SR - Green Choice Program
Burbank City Council Meeting Agenda
March 24, 2026
5 1.
Annual Report on Citywide Vacancies and Recruitment and Retention Efforts in Compliance with Assembly Bill 2561 – Management Services Department P.
Reports to Council
: (Items listed under this section will have an oral report provided)
1. Update on the AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project – Community Development Department
Q.
Council Comments
: (Including reporting on Council committee assignments, attendance at conferences, regional meetings, and community events)
R.
Consideration of Previously Introduced Additional Agenda Items : (Council Members may
briefly discuss future agenda item requests)
1. Council Member Rizzotti’s request to consider a first step report regarding renaming of a park in honor of St. Frances Cabrini, including the potential addition of a statue (March 10, 2026).
S.
Introduction of Additional Agenda Items
: (Council Members may request future agenda items)
T.
Adjournment
: To Tuesday, April 7, 2026, for a Joint Meeting in the Council Chamber –
275 East
Olive Avenue, Second Floor.
Recommendation
:
Note and file.
*** If Additional Documents/Correspondences are submitted for this item, they will be periodically posted to the City website for public viewing.***
Public Hearing Public Comment
: To comment, please telephone into the meeting at (818) 238-3335. To speak in person, a
SALMON
Public Comment Card must be completed and
presented to the City Clerk prior to the comment period.
Council Action
: Noted and Filed 4-0 (Anthony, absent)
Attachments
:
SR - Annual Report on Citywide Vacancies
Att1 - Workforce and Recruitment Data
Correspondences
PowerPoint Presentation
Recommendation
:
Note and file.
Public Comment
: To speak in person, a
YELLOW
Public Comment Card must be completed
and presented to the City Clerk prior to the comment period.
Council Action
: Provided Direction 4-0 (Anthony, absent)
Attachments
:
SR - AMC Walkway Beautification Project
Att1 - Project Schematic
Att2 - Letters of Support
Additional Documents - Memo
Additional Documents - Updated Attachment 2
PowerPoint Presentation
Burbank City Council Meeting Agenda
March 24, 2026
6 Agenda Item – Study Session
March 24, 2026 City Council Meeting
Study Session
Discussion Regarding the BurbankBus
Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA)
All materials for this Study Session are
attached to Consent Calendar Item #4
7 BurbankBus Comprehensive
Operations Analysis (COA)
City Council Meeting
March 24, 2026
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
1 8
2 Why Are We Here?
• Approve the BurbankBus Comprehensive
Operations Analysis (COA)
• Reaffirm the City’s Service Design Policies
• Approve four (4) proposed bus route
recommendations
• Implement near-term improvements to the
Orange Route with no budget amendment
• Seek additional funding, and once secured,
implement bus route recommendations
9 3
Project Timeline
January 2025 Summer 2025 December 2025
Existing Conditions Development of
Concepts
Recommendations
March 2026
Community
Engagement
Community
Engagement
10 Comprehensive Operations
Analysis (COA)
4 1. What the BurbankBus System
Looks Like Today
2. Who Might Benefit from
Better Access to Transit
3. Where People Are Trying to
Go
4. What We Heard from the
Community and What We
Learned
5. Recommendations
6. What Comes Next
11 5
BurbankBus Today
12 Monthly Ridership
6 0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
Jan-19 Jan-20 Jan-21 Jan-22 Jan-23 Jan-24 Jan-25
ORANGE
TOTAL
PINK
GREEN
13 Ridership Performance
(Passengers/Revenue Hour)
7 Golden Circulator
14 Average Daily Boarding by Hour
8 15
Who Might
Benefit from
Better Access
to Transit
Community
Characteristics and
Transit Indicators
9 16
Where People Are Trying to Go
1. Land Use Plans – Where is development adding
housing and/or jobs that could use transit?
2. Other Projects – Where are new transit projects
planned?
3. Travel Pattern Data from Replica – Where and
when do people travel that could be served by
transit?
4. Public and Stakeholder Input – What do current
riders and non-riders think transit should do?
10 17
11 1 Land Use Plans
18 2 Other Projects
12 19
3 Identify Major
Centers
Zone Name Daily
Trips
Downtown Burbank 32,400
Empire Corridor 23,600
Media District 20,500
Average Daily Weekday Trips (estimated)
Fall 2024, beginning and ending in Burbank
13 20
Age of Travelers to Key Destinations
14 21
Trips to Major Centers, by Time
15 22
Trips from Major Centers, by Time
16 23
Trip Purposes by Major Centers
17 24
Trips to Major Centers by Mode
18 25
4 Public and Stakeholder Input
Activity Audience Date
BurbankBus
Operators Meeting Bus Operators January 14, 2025
Survey General Public Feb 2025 - May 2025
Interactive Online
Map General public Feb 2025 - May 2025
Stakeholder Meeting
Local leaders, Business
Representatives, Service
Providers
March 4, 2025
Transit Providers
Meeting
LA Metro, Glendale Beeline,
Metrolink, Santa Clarita
Transit, Antelope Valley
Transit Authority
April 16, 2025
On-board
Observations General public April 28, 2025
19 26
20 4 Phase 1 Engagement Summary
Input BurbankBus
Operator
Transit
Provider Stakeholder General
Public
Maintain Service to Burbank Airport ● ● ● ●
Improve connection to other transit
services ● ● ● ●
Add service to Downtown Burbank ● ● ●
Bus Service on Buena Vista Street ● ● ●
Add service to Magnolia Park ● ● ●
Extend hours ● ● ●
27 What We Heard and
Learned from the
Community
21 28
22 Phase 2 Public Engagement
• Stakeholder Meeting
• Senior Citizen Board
• Burbank Farmers Market
• Youth Board
• Burbank Transportation
Management Organization
• Burbank Chamber of Commerce
• Burbank Youth Leadership
Program
• BurbankBus Operator
(Ongoing)
29 Service Design Policies
• Service should be frequent
• Service should operate all day
• Service should be point-to-point
• Service should connect to regional transit
23 30
4 Recommendations for BurbankBus
Improve Orange Route
Develop new route along Buena Vista
Monitor Pink Route and potential impact from
proposed BRT
Move Toward a “Fully Realized System” When
Funding Allows
24 31
More direct service to
Empire Center
Connecting highest
travel demand zones
Maintain service to
BUR with
adjustment for new
terminal
Connects Orange
Route to Pink
Recommendation #1: Improve Orange Route
25 32
Recommendation #2:
Buena Vista Route
Fills north-south transit service
gap
Connects residential areas
underserved by BurbankBus
Extends service on Alameda,
closing a transit gap near
development
Connects Media District and
Empire Corridor travel market
Provides bi-directional service
on Buena Vista segment that
would be discontinued with
Orange Line concept
26 33
Proven ridership
Connection from Universal
City Station and Downtown
Burbank Metrolink Station to
studios and destinations on
Olive
Further modification to Pink
Route pending potential
BRT impacts:
Pink Route: Local Travel
BRT: Regional Travel
Recommendation #3:
Monitor Pink Route
and Potential BRT
Impacts
27 34
Recommendation
#4: Move Toward a
“Fully Realized
System” When
Funding Allows
28 35
Modify Orange Route
Connecting highest travel
demand centers and
neighborhoods
Close alignment with
requested stops and
stakeholder input
Links planned
development areas
expecting future growth
$0 to $150,000 cost
increase per year
29 Near Term Solution
36 Fiscal Impact
30 Near Term Solution – Estimated Annual Operating Cost Route Additional Annual Cost
Orange Route Minor Service
Changes (No Extension)
+$0 to $150,000
Route FY 2025 -26
Total Annual Cost
Recommendations
Total Annual Cost
Orange Route $1,200,000 $2,000,000
North-South Buena Vista Route N/A $1,600,000
Pink Route $1,600,000 $1,600,000
Total Annual Operating Costs $2,800,000 $5,200,000
Estimated Annual Operating Costs
37 Transportation Commission’s Feedback
• Three (3) meetings – January 22, 2025, December
17, 2025, and February 25, 2026
• Several Transportation Commissioners participated
in key stakeholder meetings
• February 25, 2026,
• Voted 7-0 in favor of the BurbankBus COA with
the listed recommendations
31 38
32 Staff’s Recommendation
• City Council Meeting - March 24, 2026
• Final approval of BurbankBus COA
• Transportation Commission – April 22, 2026
• Letter of support for grant opportunity
• Grant submission due - May 2026
• Approve the BurbankBus Comprehensive
Operations Analysis (COA)
• Reaffirm the City’s Service Design Policies
• Approve four (4) proposed bus route
recommendations
• Implement near-term improvements to the
Orange Route with no budget amendment
• Seek additional funding and once secured,
implement bus route recommendations
39 Contact Information
Karen Pan
Transportation Services Manager
[email protected]
or
[email protected]
(818) 238-5187
www.burbankca.gov/burbankbus
33 40
1 CITY OF BURBANK
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
JOINT MEETING WITH THE PARKING AUTHORITY
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2026
Call to Order:
A Closed Session Meeting of the City Council of the City of Burbank was held in the Council Chamber, 275 East Olive Avenue, on the above date. The meeting was called to order at 4:03 p.m. by Mayor Takahashi.
Present: Council Member(s) Anthony, Perez (arrived 4:17 p.m.), Rizzotti, Vice Mayor Mullins, and Mayor Takahashi
Absent: None
Also Present: City Manager Hess, City Attorney McDougall, and City Clerk Clark Closed Session and Study Session Public Comment:
There being no response to the Mayor's invitation for Public Comment on Closed Session and Study Session matters, the City Council recessed at this time to the City Hall First Floor Conference Room to hold a Closed Session on the following:
1. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation
a. Pursuant to Govt. Code §54956.9(d)(1)
b. Name of Case: Nicholas Gutierrez v. City of Burbank, and Does 1 through 100 c. Case No.: 23STCV25587
d. Brief description and nature of case: California Voting Rights Act violation The City Council Meeting reconvened in Study Session at 5:22 p.m. with Council Member Perez absent.
Study Session:
1. Update on the New Library/Civic Center Project
Eric Lashley, Library Services Director, and Houston Drum, Vice President of MOCA Services, presented the PowerPoint presentation and responded to City Council inquiries. Jennifer Becker, Financial Services Director; Justin Hess, City Manager; and Fred Ramirez, Assistant Community Development Director – Transportation and Planning, also responded to Council inquiries.
Council Member Perez returned to the dais at 5:45 p.m.
The City Council Meeting recessed at 6:06 p.m. and reconvened at 6:16 p.m.
Call to Order:
A Joint Meeting of the City Council and the Parking Authority of the City of Burbank was held in the Council Chamber, 275 East Olive Avenue, on the above date. The meeting was called to order at 6:16 p.m. by Mayor Takahashi.
Consent Calendar
Item #1
41 2
Moment of Reflection:
Mayor Takahashi held a Moment of Reflection to begin the meeting with positive and collective support for our beloved community.
Flag Salute:
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Takahashi.
Roll Call:
Present: Council Member(s) Anthony, Perez, Rizzotti, Vice Mayor Mullins, and Mayor Takahashi
Absent: None
Also Present: City Manager Hess, City Attorney McDougall, and City Clerk Clark Mayor Takahashi indicated there would be two (2) periods of Public Comment at this evening's meeting and those who wish to participate in the Joint General Public Comment period may call in at (818) 238-3335. The Reports to Council Public Comment period will only be taken in person.
Announcements:
Mayor Takahashi displayed a PowerPoint presentation announcing the following: (1) eComment; (2) Free Fair Housing Workshop; (3) 2026 Spring Egg-Stravaganza; (4) Community Town Halls for the new Central Library; (5) Film Burbank Campaign; and (6) 2026 Community Events and Program Grant.
Council Presentations/Recognitions:
1. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring March 1–31, 2026, as “Women’s History Month” in the City of Burbank
Mayor Takahashi presented a proclamation declaring March 1–31, 2026, as “Women’s History Month” in the City of Burbank.
2. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring March 23–27, 2026, as “Government Finance Professionals Week” in the City of Burbank
Mayor Takahashi presented a proclamation declaring March 23–27, 2026, as “Government Finance Professionals Week” in the City of Burbank and introduced Jennifer Becker, Financial Services Director, who made remarks.
3. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring March 2026 as “Public Procurement Month” in the City of Burbank
Mayor Takahashi presented a proclamation declaring March 2026 as “Public Procurement Month” in the City of Burbank and introduced Jennifer Becker, Financial Services Director, who made remarks.
City Manager Report:
City Manager Hess introduced Damian Skinner, Public Works Director, who provided an update on the Providencia Sewer Improvements Project - Phase 2. 42 3
Presentations:
1. Presentation of an Update on the City’s Preparation for the 2028 Summer Olympics
Marisa Cardwell, Senior Administrative Analyst – Community Development Department; and Christopher Buonomo, Senior Transportation Planner; and John McGinley, Recreation Services Manager, presented an update on the City's preparation for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Reporting on Closed Session:
City Attorney McDougall reported that the City Council met in Closed Session regarding the agendized Closed Session item and took no reportable action. The Council would resume Closed Session on the same item at a Special City Council meeting on Friday, March 13, 2026 at 2:30 p.m.
Joint General Public Comment:
Public Comment: Appearing to comment were: That Guy Who Hates New Taxes, Ron Bax, Trena Pitchford, Michael Stanley, Emiko Sawanobori, MJ Kinney, Jonathan Wilder, Carmenita Helligar, Diana Pulver, Mark Scroggs, Jo Pimienta, Mary O'Hare, Susan O'Carroll, Kevin Morris, Jackie Waltman, David Kocher, Liz Bax, and Jomo.
Calling in to comment was: None.
Council, City Manager, and/or City Attorney Comment:
Council Members and Staff responded to Public Comment.
Consent Calendar:
It was moved by Council Member Perez, seconded by Vice Mayor Mullins, to approve the Consent Calendar. For Item Nos. 1–5 and 7–9, the motion carried 5-0 with the following roll call vote: AYES: Anthony, Perez, Rizzotti, Mullins, and Takahashi. NOES:
None. For Item No. 6, the motion carried 4-1 with the following roll call vote: AYES:
Perez, Rizzotti, Mullins, and Takahashi. NOES: Anthony.
1. Council Minutes
Approve the City Council Minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 24, 2026, and the Dark Meeting of March 3, 2026.
2. Parking Authority Minutes
Approve the Parking Authority Minutes of the Joint Meeting of January 13, 2026.
3. Adoption of Resolutions Approving the Establishment of the Salary and Conflict of Interest Code Designation for the Classification of Senior Manager – BWP Water Systems; and Adoption of a Resolution Approving the Citywide Salary Schedule
RESOLUTION NO. 26-29,687
Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK 43 4
APPROVING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SALARY AND CONFLICT OF
INTEREST CODE DESIGNATION FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF SENIOR MANAGER – BWP WATER SYSTEMS.
RESOLUTION NO. 26-29,688
Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK APPROVINGTHE CITYWIDE SALARY SCHEDULE.
4. Adoption of a Resolution Approving Contract Documents, Plans and Specifications, Authorizing Execution of a Contract for Bid Schedule 1548 – New Emergency Operations Center at Burbank City Hall, to BBS Construction Inc, and Finding of CEQA Exemption (14 CCR § 15302)
RESOLUTION NO. 26-29,689
Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK
APPROVING CONTRACT DOCUMENTS, PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS, AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT FOR BID SCHEDULE NO. 1548 – NEW EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER AT BURBANK CITY HALL, TO BBS CONSTRUCTION INC., AND FINDING OF CEQA EXEMPTION.
5. Adoption of a Resolution Determining a Public Necessity and Permitting the Prime Contractor to Add a Subcontractor to the Orange Grove Parking Structure Restoration Project
RESOLUTION NO. 26-29,690
Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK
DETERMINING A PUBLIC NECESSITY AND PERMITTING THE PRIME CONTRACTOR TO ADD A SUBCONTRACTOR, ACCESS SOLUTIONS INC., TO THE ORANGE GROVE PARKING STRUCTURE RESTORATION PROJECT.
6. Review of the 2025 Military Equipment Annual Report and Renewal of Ordinance No. 22-3,974, Approving the Military Equipment Funding, Acquisition, and Use Policy
1. Approve the 2025 Military Equipment Annual Report.
2. Renew Ordinance No. 22-3,974, thereby approving the Police Department’s military equipment funding, acquisition, and use policy.
7. Acceptance of an Additional $200,000 from the Los Angeles County Aging and Disabilities Department - Funding for the Contracted Elderly Nutrition Program Older Americans Act Title III C-1 and Related Amendment of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Adopted Budget
1. Accept $200,000 from the Los Angeles County Aging and Disabilities Department One-Time-Only Funding to extend the Contracted Elderly Nutrition Program Older Americans Act Title III C-1 Services and approve 44 5
the executed Elderly Nutrition Program Amendment Two.
2. Amend the FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget as follows upon receipt of the grant funds in FY 2025-26 by appropriating $200,000 One-Time-Only Funding from revenue account 001.PR000.48010.1007.000000 (General Fund, Other Intergovernmental Revenue, Los Angeles County Aging and Disabilities Department Nutrition State C1) to expenditure account 001.PR42A.62300.0000.000000 (General Fund, Supplemental Nutrition Program, Special Department Supplies).
8. Approval of the 2025 General Plan Annual Progress Report and 2025 Housing Element Annual Progress Report
1. Approve the 2025 General Plan Annual Implementation Progress Report.
2. Approve the 2025 Housing Element Annual Progress Report.
9. Approval of the Amended City Council Expectations of Board, Commission, and Committee Members
Approve the amended City Council Expectations of Board, Commission, and Committee Members.
Reports to Council:
1. Review of the General Fund’s Financial Status as of December 31, 2025, and Adoption of Resolutions Amending the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget for Mid-Year Adjustments (with Parking Authority)
Jennifer Becker, Financial Services Director, presented the PowerPoint Presentation and responded to City Council inquiries. Marisa Garcia, Parks and Recreation Director, also responded to Council inquiries.
Public Comment:
Appearing to comment was: None.
Council Action:
It was moved by Council Member Perez, seconded by Vice Mayor Mullins, to:
RESOLUTION NO. 26-29,691
Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK AMENDING THE BUDGET OF FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2025-26 FOR THE PURPOSE OF MID-YEAR ADJUSTMENTS.
The motion carried 5-0 with the following roll call vote: AYES: Anthony, Perez, Rizzotti, Mullins, and Takahashi. NOES: None.
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Council Action:
It was moved by Council Member Perez, seconded by Vice Mayor Mullins, to:
RESOLUTION NO. P-26-128
Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE PARKING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF BURBANK AMENDING THE BUDGET OF THE FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2025-26 FOR THE PURPOSE OF MID-YEAR ADJUSTMENTS.
The motion carried 5-0 with the following roll call vote: AYES: Anthony, Perez, Rizzotti, Mullins, and Takahashi. NOES: None.
Council Comments:
Council Members reported out on Council committee assignments and attendance at conferences, regional meetings, and community events.
Introduction of Additional Agenda Items:
Council Member Rizzotti requested (1) confirmation regarding whether FX Networks moved to the Disney lot; and (2) a first step report regarding renaming a City park in honor of St. Frances Cabrini, including the potential addition of a statue.
Adjournment:
There being no further business to come before the City Council, the meeting was adjourned at 9:03 p.m. to Tuesday, March 24, 2026, for a Regular Meeting in the Council Chamber – 275 East Olive Avenue, Second Floor.
__________________________
Kimberley Clark
City Clerk
__________________________
Tamala Takahashi
Mayor
APPROVED DATE:
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CITY OF BURBANK
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2026
Call to Order:
A Special Closed Session Meeting of the City Council of the City of Burbank was held in the Council Chamber, 275 East Olive Avenue, on the above date. The meeting was called to order at 2:30 p.m. by Mayor Takahashi.
Present: Council Member(s) Rizzotti, Vice Mayor Mullins, and Mayor Takahashi
Absent: Council Member(s) Anthony, and Perez
Also Present: Assistant City Manager Padgett, City Attorney McDougall, and Administrative Officer Gamez
Closed Session Public Comment
There being no response to the Mayor's invitation for Public Comment on Closed Session matters, the City Council recessed at this time to the City Hall First Floor Conference Room to hold a Closed Session on the following:
1. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation
a. Pursuant to Govt. Code §54956.9(d)(1)
b. Name of Case: Nicholas Gutierrez v. City of Burbank, and Does 1 through 100 c. Case No.: 23STCV25587
d. Brief description and nature of case: California Voting Rights Act violation Council Member Perez arrived at 2:36 p.m. Council Member Anthony arrived at 2:45 p.m. and left at 4:33 p.m.
Adjournment:
There being no further business to come before the City Council, the meeting was adjourned at 4:37 p.m. to Tuesday, March 24, 2026, for a Regular Meeting in the Council Chamber – 275 East Olive Avenue, Second Floor.
__________________________
Xiomara Gamez
Administrative Officer
__________________________
Tamala Takahashi
Mayor
APPROVED DATE:
47 CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
DARK MEETING
TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2026
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Burbank was not held on the above date.
__________________________________
Kimberley Clark
City Clerk
__________________________________
Tamala Takahashi
Mayor
APPROVED DATE:
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STAFF REPORT
DATE
: March 24, 2026
TO:
Justin Hess, City Manager
FR
OM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director
VIA: Simone McFarland, Assistant Community Development Director BY: Mary Hamzoian, Economic Development Manager
SUBJE
CT: Approval of a Third Amended and Restated Agreement for Services Administering the B urbank Tourism Business Improvement District Between the City of Burbank and the Burbank Hospitality Association RECO
MMENDATION
Approve the t hird amended and restated agreement for services a dministering the Burbank Tourism Business Improvement District (BTBID) (Attachment 1) between the City of Burbank and the Burbank Hospitality Association from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2036.
BACKGRO
UND
In 2011, City Council established the BTBID to market and promote Burbank and its hotels as a desirable national and international destination. The B TBID has successfully operated for more than 15 years and on November 18, 2025, Council voted to renew the BTBID for a new 10- year term, effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2036. The renewal of the BTBID reinforces City Council’s 2025 Goal of increasing visitor serving amenities to attract tourism associated with Elevate BUR, LA28, World Cup, and the Superbowl.
The B
TBID is comprised of hotels that have more than 25 rooms with the goal of attracting overnight visitors and increasing hotel room occupancy rates, average daily rates, and local sales tax revenues. The funding to increase tourism is collected through a 1% assessment that is charged to the overnight visitor. In Burbank, the 1% assessment rate currently generates approximately $1.4 million annually. With the renewal of the BTBID, the assessment rate will increase to 1.75% as of July 1, 2026, and will generate approximately $2,275,000 annually. The increase in funding will further the BTBID’s ability
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to boost hotel occupancy, increase visitation and enhance General Fund revenues through transient occupancy tax, sales tax and transient parking tax.
Unlike the City’s Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) which goes directly to the General Fund, the assessment revenue collected through the BTBID remains with the BTBID. This provides a stable funding mechanism that supports the growth of this industry, including attracting more overnight visitors, conferences, and events to Burbank, resulting in increased hotel room occupancy, s ales tax, Transient Parking Tax (TPT), and TOT revenue to the City’s General Fund.
BTBID is governed by a Board of Directors known as the Burbank Hospitality Association (BHA), a non-profit corporation. The BHA, also known as Visit Burbank, is an example of a successful public/private partnership with the City. The Economic Development Team, supported through salary funding received from the B TBID, manages the programs and projects of the B TBID by developing strategies and initiatives to enhance tourism and visitor spending in Burbank.
DISCUSSION
During each renewed term of the BTBID, the City and the BHA enter into an Agreement for Services to allow staff to administer the projects and programs for the BHA . The Agreement outlines the responsibilities of both parties , including staffing services. The following are highlights of the City and BHA’s responsibilities in the proposed Agreement.
The City is responsible for:
1. Monthly billing and collection of the BTBID’s assessments.
2. Re gular reporting on the status of assessment revenues collected.
3. Administering and managing the daily operations, projects and programs of the BTBID related to sales and m arketing, d estination development, and administrative services.
4. Assign ing at least three employees, including at least one manager level, one Senior Administrative Analyst level, and one Administrative Analyst II level staff from the City’s Community Development Department (CDD), to provide the services to the BHA. Those C ity employees who also provide agreed upon services to the BHA p erform such services i n a dual capacity but remain employees of the City.
The BHA is responsible for:
1. M anaging the assessment funds and c arrying out the strategies, guidelines, and procedures set forth in the Management District Plan
1. 1 The Management District Plan is the governing document which provides the framework for the TBID’s operations and ensures that the funds are used exclusively based on the services noted in the Plan. 50 3
2. Providing an Annual Report to be approved by City Council.
3. Reimbursing the City 17% of assessments for the agreed upon services, including the shared staffing services for three employees from CDD ’s Economic Development Division.
4. Providing the City with an audit of its financials every three years.
5. Maintaining certain insurance requirements including comprehensive liability, and crime coverage.
6. Maintaining outside legal counsel services.
With the increase of the assessment from 1% to 1.75%, the BTBID will generate approximately 62% more funding annually (from approximately $1,400,000 to approximately $2,275,000), which will increase their sales and marketing and destination development project capacity. The increase in funding will require additional staff coordination and oversight, particularly related to the project management and implementation of destination development projects to enhance the visitor experience, such as art exhibits, superhero statues, monument signage, gateway enhancements, a dedicated trolley, and other initiatives.
The BHA currently reimburses the City for shared staffing services towards two staff members from the CDD in the estimated amount of $234,600 annually which is 17% of the assessment fee. Under the new Agreement, the BHA’s reimbursement amount will increase to an estimated amount of $386,750 annually. With this increase, the Agreement requires the CDD assign a third staff position of a Senior Analyst to provide services to the BHA to address the need for additional capacity.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This report has no potential for resulting in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change to the environment and falls outside the definition of a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and is therefore not subject to CEQA review pursuant to § 15378 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations (CEQA Guidelines).
FISCAL IMPACT
The BHA currently reimburses the City approximately $234,600 annually for services provided by two C DD staff members. With the renewal of this Agreement, the BHA’s reimbursement amount to the City will increase to approximately $386,750 annually. The BHA is requesting a third staff position from the CDD to provide services to BHA under this Agreement and in line with the increase in reimbursement . The reimbursement is calculated based on a percentage of BHA’s annual budget, the total dollar amount reimbursed may fluctuate as it is contingent upon the actual assessments received. Bi- annual adjustments to the shared staffing services reimbursements are made by the City’s Financial Services Department.
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The cost for this position is approximately $145,183.18 annually, that will be fully funded from the TBID assessment to the City . There is no direct impact to the City’s General Fund for the addition of this new position. The Senior Administrative Analyst position will be included in the City’s upcoming Fiscal Year 2026- 27 budget process for Council approval consideration.
CONCLUSION
The TBID has a successful track record of enhancing Burbank’s presence as a tourist destination. For the past 10 years, the BHA has invested $1.4 million annually to promote Burbank as a top tourist destination through marketing and destination development initiatives. With the renewal of a new 10-year term, the assessment will increase 62% to approximately $2,275,000 annually, which will fund additional marketing and destination development projects like the design and implementation of citywide monument/wayfinding signage, additional art exhibits like the Elephant Parade, an additional staff person, and a possible trolley or shuttle service to enhance the visitor experience in Burbank. By approving the Agreement for Services, Council is reinforcing its commitment to enhance and grow the tourism sector in Burbank.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment 1 – Third Amended and Restated Agreement for Services Administering the BTBID Between the City of Burbank and the Burbank Hospitality Association
52 399133.8 1
Attachment 1
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT FOR SERVICES ADMINISTERING THE BTBID
T
his Third Amended and Restated Agreement for Services Administering the BTBID (“Third Amendment”) is made on July 1, 2026, (the Effective Date) by the City of Burbank, a municipal corporation, located at 275 East Olive Avenue, Burbank, California 91510, (hereinafter referred to as the "CITY") and the Burbank Hospitality Association, a nonprofit mutual benefit corporation, (hereinafter referred to as the "NONPROFIT”).
RE
CITALS
W
HEREAS, on September 20, 2011, pursuant to Resolution No. 28,403, the City Council of the CITY has established a tourism business improvement district in specified areas of the City (the "BTBID"), under Section 36600, et seq. of the California Streets and Highway Code (the "Act") for an initial term of five (5) years; and W
HEREAS, on May 24, 2016, pursuant to its Resolution No. 16-28-841, the City Council of the CITY renewed the BTBID in specified areas of the City, under the Act for a term of ten (10) years; and
W
HEREAS, on November 18, 2025, pursuant to Resolution No. 25-29,669, (“Resolution”) the City Council of the CITY renewed the BTBID in specified areas of the City for an additional term of ten (10) years; and
W
HEREAS, pursuant to the Resolution and the Act, assessments will be levied annually against the assessable parcels in the BTBID commencing with July 1, 2026, for the years July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2036; and
W
HEREAS, such assessments may be used only for the purposes set forth in the Resolution; and
W
HEREAS, on April 17, 2012, the CITY entered into an Agreement for Services with the NONPROFIT for the administration of improvements and activities in connection with the BTBID (“Agreement”)
W
HEREAS, on November 7, 2017, the CITY entered into a Restated and Amended Agreement for Services Administ ering the BTBID with NONPROFIT (“ First Amendment”); and
W
HEREAS, on November 19, 2019, the CITY entered into Second Restated and Amended Agreement for Services Administering the BTBID with NONPROFIT (“Second Amendment”); and
ATTACHMENT 1 - 1
53 399133.8 2
W
HEREAS, the parties now desire to enter into this Third Amendment for the continued administration of the improvements and activities of the BTBID.
NO
W, THEREFORE, the CITY and NONPROFIT mutually agree as follows:
1. TE
RM OF THIRD AMENDMENT
1 .1 The term of this Third Amendment shall be from the Effective Date, July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2036.
1 .2 Either party may, in advance of the expiration of the term, terminate this Third Amendment, without cause upon the giving of ninety (90) days written notice to the other party.
1 .3 Any material violation of this Third Amendment is a default. In the event of a default by either party , the non-defaulting party may give written notice to defaulting party, which identifies the default and demanding cure of it. Defaulting party shall have a reasonable period of time to correct the default, but in no event more than thirty (30) days.
If the default is not cured, then this Third Amendment may be terminated upon written notice to the defaulting party, which termination shall be immediate.
1.4 . NONPROFIT shall be reimbursed for work which has been performed as of the termination date or which is in progress and cannot prematurely be terminated by virtue of contractual commitments. NONPROFIT shall be entitled to no further compensation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if termination is for cause, then NONPROFIT shall be compensated only to the extent required by law.
1. 5 Upon termination or expiration of this Third Amendment , all unexpended moneys for the BT BID and all assets purchased with BTBID funds shall be returned to the CITY and disposed of pursuant to the Act.
1 .6 If NONPROFIT needs additional time to wind down its affairs, this Third Amendment may be extended for an additional thirty (30) days, if approved by the City Manager or designee.
1.7 . NONPROFIT agrees to maintain its corporate status as the Burbank Hospitality Association, a nonprofit mutual benefit corporation, during the term of this agreement.
1.8 . EXTENSION OF TERM.
If the City Council renews the BTBID , then this Third Amendment shall be extended for the period of the BTBID extension, unless either party gives ninety (90) days’ notice to renegotiate the terms of this Third Amendment before expiration of the current term.
2. US
E OF FUNDS
ATTACHMENT 1 - 2
54 399133.8 3
2.1. Funds received by NONPROFIT pursuant to this Third Amendment shall only be expended for the purposes as stated in the Resolution, and as authorized by the Act and all other laws. Such funds shall be expended in accordance with the Management District Plan (MDP) and each annual report prepared by the NONPROFIT board and approved by the City Council. Specifically, NONPROFIT may not use the funds for any political activity, including but not limited to local campaigns or advocating for or against ballot measures.
3. NONPROFIT RESPONSIBILITIES
3.1. NONPROFIT shall administer the BT BID work program and perform all of the services specified in the Management District Plan and each annual report prepared by the NONPROFIT Board and approved by the City Council, and in this regard shall cooperate with the CITY ’s Community Development Director or such personnel as he designates.
3.2. Throughout the term of this Third Amendment, NONPROFIT shall submit to the CITY’s Finance Director the following:
3.2.1 Annual Report - By December 31 each year , NONPROFIT shall submit a report for the previous fiscal y ear including a performance report of accomplishments of the BTBID during that year.
3.2.2. Financial Statements - By December 31 each year , NONPROFIT shall submit a financial statement of the BTBID, reviewed by a Certified Public Accountant covering the previous year.
3.2.3. Within ten ( 10) days of a request of the CITY’s Finance Director, NONPROFIT shall provide such any other financial information of the BTBID as the CITY’s Finance Director shall reasonably request.
3.3. NONPROFIT hereby agrees to comply with all State and City laws and regulations as they relate to the administration of the BTBID , and the operations of the NONPROFIT.
3.4 NONPROFIT shall reimburse the CITY for costs incurred by CITY for certain services to the NONPROFIT, as defined in section 4 below . NONPROFIT shall remit to CITY 17% of all assessments received monthly as payment for all services listed in Section 4, including the time of at least one (1) manager level employee, one (1) senior level employee, and one (1) analyst II level employee from CITY’s Community Development Department.
3.5 NONPROFIT shall maintain a P.O. Box to receive mail. NONPROFIT shall conduct its Board meetings in accordance with the Brown Act (Gov. Code Sections 54950 et seq.,) at a location within the C ITY and the BTBID limits. NONPROFIT shall provide ATTACHMENT 1 - 3
55 399133.8 4
C
ITY with a copy of every agenda, at least two (2) business days prior to the actual posting of that agenda as required by the Ralph M. Brown Act (Gov. Code Sections 54950 et seq.
3 .6 NONPROFIT agrees that C ITY’s representation on its board shall be the CITY’s Community Development Director as an ex-officio member, who shall neither vote nor be counted towards a quorum.
3 .7 NONPROFIT shall maintain outside legal counsel services, located outside of CITY offices. NONPROFIT has the option to maintain outside bookkeeping services, located outside of CITY offices.
4. CI
TY RESPONSIBILITIES
4. 1. The CITY shall bill and collect the BTBID assessments, and the CITY shall review all reports submitted by NONPROFIT and shall perform all other responsibilities specified in the Management Plan.
4. 2. The CITY shall make available to NONPROFIT such information in its possession, except for information, which is determined to be confidential information by the City Attorney, which is necessary for implementation of the BTBID work program.
4.3 . The CITY shall report to NONPROFIT on a regular basis (not less than quarterly) as to the status of BTBID assessment revenues thus far collected, so NONPROFIT can adjust its budget and work program accordingly.
4. 4. CITY agrees to cooperate with NONPROFIT by providing certain services as set forth in this section, and NONPROFIT agrees to pay CITY for those services in accordance with 3.4 above. The specific services include, but are not limited to:
coordination and attendance to monthly board meetings and note taking of proceedings, coordinating travel logistics, answering inquiries related to the destination, assisting with administrative functions as related to special events, consulting with BHA’s legal counsel on contracts regarding Sales/Marketing and Destination Development, administrative services, such as district renewal, annual report writing and presentation to City Council, drafting minutes and agenda for Board meetings, which must be approved by NONPROFIT’s attorney and Chair prior to posting, and routine correspondence; implementation of the Sales/Marketing and Destination Development categories within the MDP; and services for the billing and collection of the BTBID assessment , as stated in Section 4.1, above.
4.5 . CITY agrees to assign at least three (3) employees, including at least one manager level, one senior level analyst, and one analyst II level from CITY’s Community Development Department, to provide the services to NONPROFIT. Those CITY employees who also provide services to NONPROFIT shall perform services fo r NONPROFIT in a dual capacity but remain employees of the CITY.
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56 399133.8 5
5. D
ISBURSEMENTS
5. 1. CITY shall remit to NONPROFIT the NONPROFIT assessment revenues paid to the CITY, within ten (10) days of receipt of such revenues. Monthly disbursements shall be decreased to the NONPROFIT for City services by 17%, which are payable to CITY in accordance with Section 3.4.
6. A
UDITS, ACCOUNTING AND AUDIT EXCEPTIONS
6. 1. NONPROFIT, as it relates to the BTBID, shall provide the CITY with a copy of its audit, to be completed every three (3) years beginning FY 2026- 2027. Each audit shall be completed within six months of the end of the applicable fiscal year and City shall be provided with a copy of said audit.
At CITY’s discretion and at CITY’s cost , CITY or its authorized representatives shall, with ten (10) days’ prior notice, have access for the purpose of audit or inspection to any and all books, documents, papers, records, property and premises of NONPROFIT related to the BTBID.
6. 2. NONPROFIT’s staff will cooperate fully with authorized auditors when they conduct audits and examinations of NONPROFIT 's program, as it relates to the BTBID .
If there are indications of misappropriation or misapplication of the funds governed by this Third Amendment, then the CITY may conduct a special audit . Such an audit may only be conducted during normal business hours , and without any prior notice required. T he cost of such audit shall be paid by NONPROFIT . Should it be subsequently determined that the special audit did not reveal misappropriation or misapplication of the funds , the cost of such audit, if paid by NONPROFIT, will be refunded to NONPROFIT by CITY. The right to audit, as provided by Sections 6.1 and 6.2, shall be for a period of three (3) years from the date of submission of NONPROFIT’s audit in accordance with Section 6.1 or any indication or notice to the CITY of any misappropriation or misapplication of funds by NONPROFIT, whichever is later.
6. 3. NONPROFIT will establish and maintain on a current basis an adequate accrual accounting system in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP). The system shall detail all costs chargeable to NONPROFIT under this Third Amendment and shall substantiate all such costs, meeting acceptable standards for major public entities in Southern California and complying with any applicable Federal standards. The system shall meet the minimum fiscal and internal control requirements as reasonably determined by the CITY. NONPROFIT shall retain all records related to the performance of this Third Amendment for a minimum time of four years.
7. INSURANCE
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57 399133.8 6
7. 1. Without limiting NONPROFIT’s indemnification of CITY, NONPROFIT shall provide and maintain during the term of this Third Amendment policies of comprehensive public liability insurance in a combined single limit amount of at least $1 ,000,000.00 covering services to be rendered by NONPROFIT hereunder. Such insurance shall be procured from an insurer authorized to do business in California, provide primary coverage, shall name CITY, and officers and employees as additional insureds and shall contain provisions that prohibit cancellation without thirty (30) days' prior written notice to CITY. NONPROFIT shall also procure and maintain in force crime coverage insurance in an amount of at least $500,000 covering services to be rendered by NONPROFIT hereunder. Such insurance shall be procured from an insurer authorized to do business in California, shall provide primary and not excess coverage, sh all name CITY and its officers and employees as additional insureds and shall contain provisions that prohibit cancellation without thirty (30) days' prior written notice to CITY. NONPROFIT shall file and maintain as proof of insurance on file with the CITY at all times during the term of this Third Amendment a policy of the liability insura nce so procured and maintained, and special event insurance when requested by CITY.
7. 2. Notwithstanding Section 1.3, failure on the part of NONPROFIT to procure or maintain required insurance shall constitute a material breach of contract under which CITY may immediately terminate this Third Amendment , or alternatively, City may purchase required insurance with the assessment revenue.
8. NO
TICES
8. 1. All notices, plans, or reports permitted or required under this Third Amendment shall be in writing and shall be deemed made when personally delivered to the following persons as provided in this Third Amendment. Additionally, such notices shall be deemed made 48 hours after deposited in the U.S. Mail, first class postage prepaid and addressed to the respective parties at the following address, or at such other address as the respective parties may provide in writing for this purpose:
CI
TY: CITY OF BURBANK
275 East Olive Avenue
Burbank, California 91502
Attention: Economic Development Manager
NON
PROFIT: Burbank Hospitality Association
P.O. Box 349
Burbank, CA 91503
9. CO
NFLICT OF INTEREST
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58 399133.8 7
9.1. For the duration of this Restated Agreement, NONPROFIT or its employees will not act as consultant or perform services of any kind for any other person or entity in regard to the BTBID without the prior written consent of the CITY. In addition, neither members of the Board of Directors of NONPROFIT, nor its Executive Director, may enter into any additional contracts in regard to the BTBID, nor vote on any BTBID matters, when such contract or matter would be of financial benefit to the member or director over and above the general financial benefit to all businesses in the BTBID, notwithstanding voting on elements of the Management Plan.
10. NONDISCRIMINATION
10.1. NONPROFIT represents and agrees that it does not and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of political affiliation or on account of any characteristic listed or defined in subdivision (b) or (e) of Section 51 of the CA Civil Code.
11. GENERAL PROVISIONS
11.1. Assignment. Neither this Third Amendment, nor any interest herein, shall be assigned by any party without the prior written consent of the other party.
11.2. Independent Contractor. It is agreed and understood that NONPROFIT is a wholly independent contractor. This Third Amendment is not intended and shall not be construed to create the relationship of agent, employee, servant, partnership, joint venture or association as between the CITY and NONPROFIT. Neither the CITY nor its agents shall have control over the conduct of NONPROFIT except as set forth herein.
The CITY shall have no liability or responsibility for payment of any wage or benefits to NONPROFIT’s employees (if any ), for whom the NONPROFIT shall bear sole responsibility and liability.
11.3. Default of Contractor. In the case of default by NONPROFIT in providing any service, or in performing this Third Amendment, the CITY may, in addition to all other remedies it may have, including but not limited to termination of the Third Amendment and/or filing of a suit at law or equity, obtain such services from other sources and deduct the cost thereof from any costs due or thereafter owing to NONPROFIT relating to such items or to otherwise claim and collect such costs.
11.4. Indemnity. NONPROFIT shall indemnify and hold CITY harmless and defend, CITY, and every officer, employee and agent of CITY, from any and all claims, causes of action, damages to persons or property, penalties, obligations, liabilities or financial losses, including, without limitation, attorney’s fees and court costs arising directly or indirectly from any or all negligent or other wrongful acts, errors or omissions of NONPROFIT, its agents, employees and subcontractors in the performance of this Third Amendment.
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59 399133.8 8
CI
TY shall indemnify and hold NONPROFIT harmless and defend, NONPROFIT, and every officer, employee and agent of NONPROFIT, from any and all claims, causes of action, damages to persons or property, penalties, obligations, liabilities or financial losses, including, without limitation, attorney’s fees and court costs arising directly or indirectly from any or all negligent or other wrongful acts, errors or omissions of CITY, its agents, employees and subcontractors in the performance of this Third Amendment. 1 1.6. Entire Agreement. This Third Amendment contains the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Third Amendment may only be modified or extended in writing signed by both parties. 1 1.7. Governing Law. This Third Amendment shall be governed by the laws of the State of California.
1 1.8. Time of Essence. Time is of the essence of each and every provision of this Third Amendment.
I
N WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Third Amendment this ____ day, ________, 2026.
C
ITY OF BURBANK, a municipal corporation
ATTEST:
B
y:______________________________
Justin Hess, City Manager
____________________________
Kimberley Clark , City Clerk
A
pproved as to Form
Office of the City Attorney
___
__________________________
Sei-Hee Park, Assistant City Attorney
BU
RBANK HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION, a
nonprofit mutual benefit corporation
B
y:______________________________
N
ame:___________________________
Title:_____________________________
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STAFF REPORT
DATE: March 24, 2026
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director
VIA: Simone McFarland, Assistant Community Development Director, Economic Development and Housing
BY: Mary Hamzoian, Economic Development Manager
SUBJECT: Approval of the Downtown Burbank Property Based Business Improvement District Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Report
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the Downtown Burbank Property Based Business Improvement District’s (PBID) Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Annual Report (Attachment 1) pursuant to Section 36650 of the California Streets and Highways Code.
BACKGROUND
The Downtown Burbank Property Based Business Improvement District ( PBID) was established by the City Council in 2003 and has been renewed three times, most recently in 2018 for a 10-year term through 2028 with a current annual operating budget of $1,176,722.
The PBID is a non-profit organization governed by the Downtown Burbank Partnership, a Board of volunteer members comprised of brokers, property owners, and business owners in Downtown. The City’s Economic Development Team manages the operations of the PBID, creating projects and programs that enhance the economic wellbeing of Downtown, and ultimately increase consumer spending, visitation, and property values for the area. The PBID continues to be a prime example of a successful public/private partnership between the City and the property owners in Downtown.
Since 2003, the PBID has been a driving force investing more than $19 million dollars to
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housing, hotels, entertainment, shopping, and dining establishments for residents, visitors, and employees. Many of the improvements and programs seen today would not have been possible without the continued investment and commitment of the PBID.
PBID’s Goals
The PBID continues to pursue a set of strategic goals designed to enhance Downtown’s vitality, safety, and placemaking. These goals guide the initiatives of the organization and serve as the foundation for all projects and programs:
Enhancing Downtown’s Appearance and Infrastructure
PBID invests and supports the City’s efforts in the ongoing maintenance and improvement of public spaces and capital infrastructure to ensure Downtown remains clean, attractive, and welcoming.
Promoting Downtown as a Destination
Through targeted marketing campaigns, event support, and promotional efforts, PBID works to increase visitation, encourage consumer spending, and position Downtown as a vibrant cultural and economic hub.
Improving Safety and Outreach Services
The Downtown Ambassador Program plays a central role in creating a safe and hospitable environment by providing safety patrols, wayfinding assistance, and social outreach to individuals in need.
Supporting Economic Development
PBID actively supports efforts to reduce commercial vacancy by facilitating leasing, engaging the broker community, and advocating for property activation and investment.
Providing Business Support Services
Through dedicated concierge services, the PBID assists businesses with navigating city processes, obtaining permits, and accessing resources, helping to streamline operations and encourage long-term success.
Developing a Livable, Walkable Neighborhood
PBID promotes the development of a pedestrian- friendly, mixed -use urban environment that enhances the quality of life for residents, employees, and visitors.
These strategic goals reflect the PBID’s commitment to continued improvement and long- term vibrancy for the neighborhood.
support the evolution of Downtown into a vibrant, mixed-use urban neighborhood with 62 3
As Downtown Burbank continues to evolve and grow as a popular destination, so do its visitors, with an estimated 4.9 million visitors in 2025, up from 4.1 million in 2024. Key factors in supporting the continued growth of visitors include the highest grossing AMC Theaters in the nation, the addition of a residential population made up of 848 new multi- family housing units (Intro Burbank and First Street Village) and the addition of more than a dozen new restaurants and retailers added to Downtown.
DI
SCUSSION
The Annual Report (Attachment 1) is required by the California Streets and Highways Code Section 36650 and provides an outline of the programs and services that the PBID will offer in FY 2026, which runs from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026. The Downtown Burbank Partnership 2025 Year in Review and 2026 Looking Ahead Marketing Report (Attachment 2), provides highlights of the PBID’s accomplishments in FY 2025 and discusses plans for FY 2026.
Hig
hlights from the 2025 Year in Review include the following:
• Maintained and repaired on-street outdoor dining parklets on San Fernando Blvd. • Continuation of enhanced weekly trash removal, sweeping services and additional three times a month power washing;
• Sponsored special events including two Downtown Burbank Arts F estivals the Burbank Winter Wine Walk , Burbank International Film Festival and Burbank Comedy Festival, which in total have attracted more than 45,000 visitors annually; • Addition of one new mural called “The Dot” located on the side wall of Art Cellular Boutique;
• Enhanced public relations efforts and digital/social media marketing campaigns promoting new restaurants, retailers, events, entertainment, and hotels reaching an audience of more than 14.5 million;
• Updated holiday décor including a new walk-through display , custom overhand canopy, 188 light poles wrapped with enhanced garland and ornaments , and custom photo spots;
• Continuation of the Downtown Burbank Ambassador Program. Transition ing to a new service provider and expanded program hours; and
• F ocused business a ttraction efforts for new retailers and restaurants including, but not limited to Calidum Café, Chubby Dumpling, Jam Jam Tea Lab, Tigawok, Fire Wings, Brothers Coffee, High Intensity Pilates, Sunright Tea Studio, Candeeland, Lab Lagree.
Look
ing Ahead 2026
For the past 23 years, the PBID has been a stable funding mechanism for Downtown Burbank investing approximately $19 million through capital improvements, maintenance, infrastructure enhancements, events, social services, marketing, advocacy, and leasing 63 4
support. The ongoing efforts of the PBID have shaped the evolution of Downtown to a cleaner, safer, and thriving neighborhood. This would not be possible w ithout the dedication from the property owners and businesses to maintain, enhance, and further grow the PBID.
Look
ing ahead, the PBID plans to carry out the following initiatives in FY 2026:
• Addition of a new mural to enhance walkability and aesthetics; • S
upport of placemaking upgrades for the AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project to elevate the profile of Downtown and create additional public open space with neighborhood serving amenities;
• Enhance public relations, social media and digital marketing audience to promote Downtown as a destination for shopping, dining, housing, and entertainment; • Maintain and sponsor events in Downtown to increase visitation and consumer spending;
• Continuation of the Downtown Burbank Ambassador Program with a focus on safety, maintenance, homeless outreach, and street performer management; • Business attraction efforts to assist with filling tenant vacancies and attracting neighborhood serving tenants such as Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Color Me Mine, Skyzone T rampoline Park, the Melt, iSmash, Fire Wings, Flow Wine Bar, Supreme Crab, Scum and Villainy Cantina, and more opening in 2026; • Support the changes and updates to the Downtown Transit Oriented Specific Plan to create a more livable and walkable community;
• Work closely with the City’s Economic Development Team and Visit Burbank (the City’s official destination marketing organization), to support and host the Official Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone at Downtown Burbank, and
• Maintain and enhance the holiday décor program and year-round ambient outdoor lighting.
I
ncrease in Annual Assessment Income
Pursuant to Section V .B.3 in the Management District Plan (the governing document of the PBID), the Board of Directors has the authority to increase assessments to 3% annually. Since inception in 2003, the PBID Board has not opted to exercise the ir ability to increase assessments annually. I n 2025 with the continued increased costs of the Ambassador Program, maintenance services and holiday décor, the PBID Board voted unanimously to increase assessments for 2026 by 3% , amounting to a new budgeted amount of $1,176,722 annually.
C
alifornia Street and Highways Code Section 36650 Requirement The California Streets and Highways Code Section 36650 requires an owners’ association to prepare a report for each fiscal year, except the first year, for which assessments are to be levied and collected to pay the cost of the improvements, 64 5
maintenance, and activities described in the report. The report may propose changes, including, but not limited to, the boundaries of the property and business improvement district or any benefit zones within the district, the basis and method of levying t he assessments, and any changes in the classification of property, including any categories of business, if a classification is used.
In c
ompliance with the State law and the Management District Plan for the PBID, the FY 2026 Annual Report outlines the boundaries of the PBID, the method and basis of levying the assessment for each property owner, plans for 2026, and other statutorily required provisions.
EN
VIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This activity has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and as such, is not a “project” subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 14 Cal. Code Regs § 15378.
F
ISCAL IMPACT
The efforts of the PBID have demonstrated the ability to maintain or increase sales tax revenue and property tax revenue for businesses in Downtown Burbank enhancing the City’s General Fund. With the 3% increase to the budget the PBID’s contributions towards Economic Development staff salaries will also increase to $1 76,508 annually in 2026 compared to $170,772 in 2025.
CO
NCLUSION
The PBID concluded another successful year in 2025 with multiple projects and programs that increased visitation, enhanced maintenance, sustained events, and attracted new businesses to the area. Downtown Burbank’s successful evolution would not have been possible without the support and collaboration of the City’s Economic Development Team who manages the operations of the PBID, Visit Burbank, and its Board of Directors.
Together, these organizations work to attract new businesses and investment, enhance consumer spending and visitation, facilitate jobs, and maintain a vibrant urban neighborhood that is safe and thriving.
Look
ing ahead, 2026 will be focused on enhancing the safety, placemaking, and infrastructure in Downtown by supporting the AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project and preparing for the Official Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone at Downtown Burbank. These projects along with many others, will help ensure residents, visitors, and employees can continue to live, work, and explore in this growing destination. The past 23 years of determination and tenacity from the PBID Board, businesses, and staff have led to the continued progression and success of Downtown Burbank. The addition of new mixed-u se housing developments and hotels further enhances the opportunity for growth 65 6
and expansion with a built-in residential and visitor population. The PBID looks forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the City’s E conomic D evelopment Team to create a safe, beautiful, and thriving community.
AT
TACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Downtown Burbank Property Based Business Improvement District (PBID) Annual Report FY 2026
Attachment 2 – D owntown Burbank Partnership Accomplishments for 2025 and Looking A head 2026
66 ATTACHMENT 1-1
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Burbank Property Based Business Improvement District (PBID) Annual Report Fiscal Year 2026
Pursuant to Section 36650 of Streets and Highways Code
Section One
Proposed Boundary Changes: Any proposed changes in the boundaries of the property and business improvement district or in any benefit zones or classification of property or businesses within the district.
Response: In Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, there will be no changes to the boundaries of the PBID or classifications of property within the PBID.
Section Two
Programs and Services for FY 2026: The following are improvements, maintenance, and programs/activities to be provided for FY 2026 which runs from January 1 to December 31.
Response:
• Capital Improvements and Maintenance:
• Maintain w eekly porter services including trash pickup and sidewalk sweeping, doubled on high-traffic days Wednesday-Sunday; • Maintain sidewalk power washing three times a month;
• Maintenance and repairs to communal outdoor dining parklets; • Support the implementation of placemaking upgrades to the AMC Walkway and Palm Avenue Paseos to create additional public open space with neighborhood serving amenities;
67 ATTACHMENT 1-2
• Addition of a new mural to enhance walkability and aesthetics, and • Installation of district-wide holiday décor, and year-round ambient lighting. • Marketing and Events:
• Work with existing marketing and social media agencies to develop a comprehensive annual marketing program including social media marketing, branding, advertising campaigns, and broker marketing materials;
• Work with existing marketing agency to update dtnbur.com website and marketing collateral;
• Support and promote the Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone at Downtown Burbank. Efforts will include strategic digital campaigns, targeted outreach, and curated content to elevate awareness, drive visitation, and position Downtown Burbank as a premier community gathering destination during World Cup activities.
• Continue implementing a dedicated public relations strategy to promote the progression and evolution of Downtown and assist with future business attraction and investment, and
• Sponsor and support local events that attract visitors to the area, including two Downtown Burbank Arts Festivals, Burbank Comedy Festival, Burbank International Film Festival and Burbank Winter Wine Walk.
• Economic Enhancements – Maintain Downtown Burbank Ambassador Programming including increased staff hours to facilitate services including homelessness assistance and street performer management, parklet maintenance, daily business outreach, maintenance support, and reporting of public health and safety and trash concerns.
• Administration:
• Maintain funding of Economic Development staff salaries, retain insurance including Board of Directors and Liability insurance, prepare taxes and financial statements, and attend local and regional conferences related to the operation and evolution of the PBID;
• Maintain business concierge and attraction efforts to assist with filling vacancies and attracting neighborhood serving with tenants; • Support the changes and updates to the Downtown Transit Oriented Specific Plan to create a more livable and walkable community, and • Work closely with the City’s Economic Development Team, Visit Burbank (the City’s official destination marketing organization) and the Transportation Division to create opportunities for FIFA World Cup and LA28.
• Contingency - Maintain contingency for unf oreseen expenses incurred in 202 5, and for future renewal costs.
68 ATTACHMENT 1-3
• Contractual Obligations with the City - Credit to the City for costs related to collection and disbursement of PBID assessments and operational costs for general office expenses.
Please note, programs and services may be subject to change based on marketing performance and Board priorities.
Section Three
Approved Budget for FY 2026: An estimate of the cost of providing the improvements, maintenance and the activities for that fiscal year.
Response: The estimated budget for implementing improvements , maintenance and activities for FY 2026 is $1,176,722.88The annual budget for FY 2026 has increased by 3% pursuant to Section V.B in the Management District Plan that gives the PBID Board of Directors the authority to vote on a up to 3% increase in assessments annually.
Section Four
Assessment Rates: The method and basis of levying the assessment in sufficient detail to allow each real property or business owner, as appropriate, to estimate the amount of the assessment to be levied against his or her property or business for that fiscal year.
The Downtown Burbank Partnership Board of Directors has approved an increase to the method and basis of levying the assessment at the May 15, 2025 Board of Directors Meeting. The assessment rate is an increase of 3%.
Response: The assessment rate for each parcel is based on parcel type, parcel square footage, and frontage along San Fernando Boulevard between Magnolia Boulevard and Alameda Avenue. The initial annual assessment rate to each parcel is shown in the table below. Parcels with residential uses and residential portions of mixed-use parcels are not assessed.
2026 Parcel Assessment Rates
Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3
Parcel Type
Parcel Size
(sq. ft.)
Parcel Size
(sq. ft.)
Parcel
Frontage Along
San Fernando
Blvd (In ft.)
Parcel Size
(sq. ft.)
Parcel
Frontage Along
San Fernando
Blvd (In ft.)
Commercial $0.1751 $0.2142 $2.68 $0.1648 $2.06
Budget Category Amount Percent
Capital Improvements and Maintenance $400,085.78 34%
Marketing and Events $258,879.03 22%
Economic Enhancements $200,042.89 17%
Administration $223,577.35 19%
Contingency $23,534.46 2%
Contractual Obligations with City $70,603.37 6%
Total Assessment Funding $1,176,722.88 100%
69 ATTACHMENT 1-4
Government $0.1226 $0.1500 $1.88 $0.1154 $1.44
Industrial $0.0876 $0.1071 $1.34 $0.0824 $1.03
Section Five
Carryover Dollars from Fiscal Year 2025: The amount of any surplus or deficit revenues to be carried over from a previous fiscal year.
Response: The total carryover from December 31, 2025, is $281,603.14.
Section Six
Estimated Contributions: The amount of any contributions to be made from sources other than assessments levied pursuant to the Property and Business Improvement District Law.
Response: The estimated amount of all projected contributions made from other sources is estimated at $11,000. These contributions are generated from interest income. 70 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 1
Downtown
Burbank
Partnership
Attachment 2
2025 Accomplishments & 2026 Looking Ahead
ATTACHMENT 2 - 1 71
2 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 3 Table of
Contents
Welcome 0 4
About
05 G
oals & Benefits 06
Pu
blic/Private Partnership 08
Annu
al Budget 09
M
anagement District Plan Services & Map 10
2025 Accomplishments 12
Ca
pital Improvements & Maintenance 13
M
arketing & Events 16
Eco
nomic Enhancements 22
L
easing Support & Advocacy 24
Eco
nomic Indicators 26
N
ew Businesses In 2025 27
Future Investments in Downtown Burbank 28
What’s in Store for 2025 30
Ca
pital Improvements & Maintenance 31
E
conomic Enhancements 31
M
arketing & Events 34
Le
asing Support & Advocacy 36
Directors, Board & Staff 39
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 3
ATTACHMENT 2 - 272
4 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 5 Since 2003, the Downtown Burbank Property Based Business Improvement District (PBID) has helped shape the remarkable evolution of Downtown Burbank into one of Southern California’s most energetic and desirable urban destinations. What began as a shared commitment among property owners has grown into a powerful engine for progress, fueling investment, strengthening businesses and elevating the everyday experience of Downtown Burbank for visitors and residents.
Over the past 23 years, the PBID has invested more than $19 million into programs and improvements that make a visible difference. Through sustained and strategic investment, Downtown Burbank has evolved into a cleaner, safer, and more dynamic mixed-use district that attracts residents, employees, and visitors year-round. These efforts have strengthened property values, increased foot traffic, enhanced tenant demand, and positioned Downtown as a competitive regional destination.
In 2025, the PBID continued building on this strong foundation with significant new enhancements and program expansions, including:
•
Ma
intenance and repair of in-street outdoor dining parklets along San Fernando Boulevard to support our restaurant community and activate public space
• Con
tinuation of enhanced weekly maintenance services to maintain a clean and welcoming environment • Pr
oduction and sponsorship of major special events, including two Downtown Burbank Arts Festivals, the Burbank Winter Wine Walk, the Burbank International Film Festival, and the Burbank Comedy Festival • Ad
dition of a new mural, “The Dot,” located on the side of the Art Cellular wall • Ex
panded digital and social media marketing campaigns promoting new restaurants, retailers, events, entertainment, and hotels, reaching an audience of 14.5 million • Up
dated and expanded holiday décor
• Con
tinuation and expansion of the Downtown Burbank Ambassador Program • On
going business concierge and attraction efforts supporting new retailers and restaurants including: Calidum Café, High Intensity Pilates, Sunright Tea Studio, Candeeland, Lab Lagree, and many others These accomplishments are made possible through strong collaboration with the City of Burbank’s Economic Development Team and Visit Burbank, whose partnership continues to advance business attraction, retention, and destination marketing efforts.
Looking ahead to 2026, we’re advancing key initiatives to strengthen Downtown’s vibrancy and economic vitality. From placemaking improvements through the AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project to expanded marketing efforts that elevate Downtown as a premier destination, our focus remains on driving visibility and growth.
We will continue producing signature events, enhancing business attraction and concierge services, and collaborating with the City’s Economic Development Team and Visit Burbank to support and host the Official Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone at Downtown Burbank. Thank you for your continued partnership, we look forward to building even greater momentum together in the year ahead.
Michael Cusumano, Board Chair
Welcome
Downtown Burbank
Property Owners,
About
Sincerely,
The PBID, governed by the non-profit organization known as the Downtown Burbank Partnership, was formed in 2003 as part of the City of Burbank’s efforts to revitalize Downtown Burbank. The PBID was renewed in 2018 for a new 10-year term beginning January 1, 2019. The goal is to fund and manage projects and programs that enhance the economic well-being of Downtown Burbank working in collaboration with property owners and businesses in the area to increase property values, consumer visitation and spending. The PBID is managed by the City of Burbank Economic Development Team. 4 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
ATTACHMENT 2 - 3 73
6 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
Goals & Benefits
The PBID continues to pursue a set of strategic goals designed to enhance Downtown’s vitality, safety, and appeal. These objectives guide all initiatives and serve as the foundation for our projects and programs:
•
Enh
ancing Downtown’s Appearance and Infrastructure
The PBID invests and supports the City’s efforts in the ongoing maintenance and improvement of public spaces and capital infrastructure to ensure Downtown remains clean, attractive, and welcoming.
•
Pr
omoting Downtown as a Destination
Through targeted marketing campaigns, event support, and promotional efforts, the PBID works to increase visitation, encourage consumer spending, and position Downtown as a vibrant cultural and economic hub.
•
Im
proving Safety and Outreach Services
The Downtown Ambassador Program plays a central role in creating a safe and hospitable environment by providing safety patrols, wayfinding assistance, and social outreach to individuals in need.
•
Su
pporting Economic Development
The PBID actively supports efforts to reduce commercial vacancy by facilitating leasing, engaging the broker community, and advocating for property activation and investment. •
Pr
oviding Business Support Services
Through dedicated concierge services, the PBID assists businesses with navigating city processes, obtaining permits, and accessing resources. These efforts help streamline operations and encourage long-term success.
•
De
veloping a Livable, Walkable Neighborhood
PBID promotes the development of a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use urban environment that enhances the quality of life for residents, employees, and visitors.
By creating a stable funding mechanism, the Partnership has provided 23 years of continuous investment in:
•
Capi
tal improvements and maintenance
• Mar
keting and events
• Le
asing and business attraction support
• Su
pport and advocacy for Downtown businesses and property owners • Enh
anced maintenance and safety
Goals
Benefits
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 7
ATTACHMENT 2 - 474
8 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 9 Public/Private
Partnership
Burbank Economic Development manages the efforts of the Downtown Burbank PBID by developing strategies and initiatives that enhance visitation and increase consumer spending.
The PBID also collaborates closely with Visit Burbank - the City’s destination marketing organization. Combined, these three organizations work to attract new businesses and developments, enhance consumer spending and visitation, facilitate new jobs, and maintain a vibrant, dynamic urban neighborhood. This public/private partnership gives Burbank a competitive edge in increasing job diversity, attracting new businesses, and safeguarding existing ones.
Annual Budget
Downtown Burbank PBID operated in 2025 with a $1,024,304 annual budget allocated as follows:
Capital
Improvements &
Maintenance
Marketing &
Events
Contractual
Obligations
Economic
Enhancements
Contingency /
Reserve
Administration
$358,506$256,076
$71,701
$133,160
$20,486
$184,375
ATTACHMENT 2 - 5
75 10 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
The PBID continues its investment in capital improvements, maintenance and infrastructure, event programming, marketing, advocacy, and leasing support. Services provided to the District in 2025 are notated on the chart below.
Management District
Plan Services
ALAMEDA AVE
BURBANK BLVD
GLENOAKS BLVD
N Third St
San Fernando Blvd San Fernando Blvd
First St
1st St
Grinnell Dr
Capital Improvements and Maintenance
District Wide Maintenance
Holiday Décor
Wayfinding Signage
Façade Improvement Program
Expanded WiFi
Marketing & Events
Comprehensive Marketing Program
Special Events
Economic Enhancements
Business Assistance Program
Homeless Assistance Program
Street Performer Management
Leasing Support
Administration
Administrative Costs
Contingency/Reserve
Contractual Obligations with City
Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3
Cypress Ave
San Jose Ave
Tujunga Ave
Magnolia Blvd
Orange Grove Ave
Olive Ave
Angeleno Ave
Verdugo Ave
Santa Anita Ave
Providencia Ave
Cedar Ave
Elmwood Ave
Valencia Ave
Palm Ave
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 11
ATTACHMENT 2 - 676
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 13
20 25
Accomplishments
Goal: Preserve and improve the aesthetics of Downtown through enhancements to capital infrastructure, and increased maintenance Capital Improvements
& Maintenance
Mural Program
Outdoor Dining Program
In 2025, the PBID unveiled a new mural to
improve the aesthetics of Downtown and
attract more visitors to the area. Created
by Murale & Co, the ‘Dots’ mural is located
on the wall of Art Cellular, and adds to
the expansive list of murals located in
Downtown Burbank, adding arts, culture
and beautification to the neighborhood.
In 2025, to assist businesses in providing
expanded dining options for guests, the
PBID continued to work with the City of
Burbank to operate outdoor dining including
semi-permanent outdoor parklets and
expanded sidewalk dining. The communal
parklet areas contain dining furniture and
umbrellas (newly purchased in 2024),
providing guests opportunities to enjoy quick
service food and beverages from anywhere
in Downtown. In 2024, the PBID advocated
for the extension of in-street and sidewalk
dining through the life of The Downtown San
Fernando Boulevard Reconfiguration Project,
reinforcing its support of local businesses
and enhancing the guest experience.
12 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
ATTACHMENT 2 - 7 77
14 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 15 Maintenance
The City of Burbank provides baseline maintenance services to Downtown Burbank which includes once a month power washing of the sidewalks and alleys and morning sidewalk sweeping and trash pickup services. The PBID supplements the existing maintenance services provided by the City by investing in extra power washing of sidewalks and alleys three times a month, and an evening service for sidewalk sweeping and trash pickup Wednesday through Sunday. These enhanced services would not be possible without the PBID. In addition to ongoing district-wide maintenance, the PBID also manages the general cleaning and upkeep of the Downtown including cleaning of outdoor communal dining parklets, repairs to decking and furniture, and coordination of graffiti removal and reporting.
Power Washes
Per Year
Weeks
Maintenance
• 67 street trees along San Fernando Blvd. wrapped with warm LED lights and decorated w
ith starburst ornaments
• Th
e 36’ walk-thru tree refreshed with new musical nutcrackers • 188 li
ght poles wrapped with garlands and ornaments
• Fo
ur medians in Zone 3 decorated with shimmering holiday trees, 4’ and 6’ gold stars, and nutcracker statues
• A LE
D snowflake canopy on the AMC Walkway
• Si
x pergolas wrapped in warm LED lights and embellished with wreaths • Te
n bollards on Palm Ave. wrapped with garland and bows
• Tw
o custom photo-op holiday arches each adorned with garlands and festive holiday characters
• Tw
o giant LED walk through holiday snowflakes
Holiday Décor Program
The 2025 Holiday Décor Program Included:
The 2025 holiday season included enhanced and new décor extended throughout the District from Zone 1 to Zone 3 (along San Fernando Blvd. from Verdugo Ave. to Alameda Ave.). 14 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
ATTACHMENT 2 - 8 78
16 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
Goal: Promote Downtown Burbank as a vibrant commercial destination in an effort to increase consumer spending, visitation and events.
Marketing Events
Paid Media represents advertising campaigns that are purchased by the PBID via media outlets. Media included: Outfront Media, Social Ads, Google Ads, and LinkedIn Ads.
Paid Search Ads:
•
To
tal Impressions: 1,416,924
• To
tal Website Visits: 22,011
- Se
arch: 8,835
- Di
splay: 2,605
- PMAX: 10,571
MET
A Ads:
• To
tal Impressions: 1,046,804
• To
tal Clicks: 53,727
LinkedIn Ads:
•
To
tal Impressions: 1,988,766
• To
tal Clicks: 1,313
Bus Shelters:
•
Im
pressions: 10 Million
Newsletters:
•
To
tal Impressions: 11,336
• Op
en Rate: 17%
• Cl
ick Rate: 1.65%
Print Ads:
•
Sh
opping Center Business -
Readership: 75,000
• CA
Centers Magazine -
Readership: 30,000
Paid Media
Total Impressions:
14.5 Million
DTNBUR.COM
DISCOVER
WHERE
SPRING
COMES
ALIVE
DOWNTOWN BURBANK
CONGRATULATES
QUENTIN TARANTINO
The 2025 Burbank International Film Festival
Vanguard Award Honoree
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Just steps from the big screen, Downtown Burbank is a star in its own right — with over 600 shops, restaurants, and experiences to explore. Whether you’re celebrating a festival win, grabbing a post-screening bite, or simply soaking up the vibrant atmosphere, there’s always something happening in the heart of Burbank.
DOWNTOWN
BURBANK BROKER
OPEN HOUSE
YOU’RE INVITED
WEDNESDA Y , APRIL 9, 2025
5:30PM - 7:30PM
Come and learn about the new
and exciting changes happening
in Downtown Burbank
PALMA RISTORANTE
269 E PALM A VE
Complimentary appetizers, a no-host bar,
and an opportunity drawing.
PLEASE RSVP BY MARCH 28, 2025
BY EMAILING INFO@ DTNBUR.COM
MAY 31 – JUNE 1, 2025
WWW.DTNBUR.COM
SUMMER
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 17
ATTACHMENT 2 - 979
18 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
Website Metrics
Social Media Metrics
• Total Sessions: 109,578
• Ne
w Users: 91,224
• Av
erage Time on Site: 0:26 seconds
Dtnbur.com Metrics
• Follower Growth from 2024-2025: 31.4%
• To
tal Impressions: 9,356
• To
tal Engagements: 298
Linkedin
Followers: 339
• Fan Growth from 2024-2025: ~0.4%
• To
tal Impressions: 1M
• To
tal Engagements: 60K
Facebook
Followers: 23,388
• Follower Growth from 2024-2025: 7.4%
• To
tal Impressions: 3.2M
• To
tal Engagements: 135K
Instagram
Followers: 13K
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 19
Total Impressions: 5,084,067
ATTACHMENT 2 - 10
80 20 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 21 Goal: Create promotional opportunities to increase consumer visitation and spending for businesses through marketing and events.
$75,000 47,300
Invested by PBID annually to support
events in Downtown Burbank
event visitors generated
annually to Downtown Burbank
Strategic Event Partnerships
Downtown Burbank Winter
Arts Festival
December 13-14, 2025
A holiday artisan festival featuring more
than 170 trend-setting indie creators,
thousands of art lovers, photos with
Santa, and live entertainment.
Downtown Burbank Summer
Arts Festival
May 31-June 1, 2025
A festival featuring more than 170
artisans, live entertainment, a chalk-artist
exhibition, and live mural painting.
Burbank Winter Wine Walk
November 22, 2025
The wine tasting social event of
the season, showcasing world class
wineries and breweries with tasting
stations inside your favorite Downtown
businesses, and a holiday street fair.
Burbank Comedy Festival
August 9-16, 2025
An annual festival featuring
performances from top celebrity
headliners and more than 300 of
the hottest new talents.
Burbank International
Film Festival
September 23-28, 2025
An annual festival that celebrates
independent filmmaking by
showcasing a diverse range of films
from around the world.
ATTACHMENT 2 - 11
81 22 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
Goal: Enhance safety and provide hospitality and social outreach services through an ambassador program.
Economic Enhancements
The goal of the Downtown Burbank Ambassador Program is to create a safe environment in Downtown, supporting increased visitation, consumer spending, and property values while also addressing concerns from visitors, residents, and businesses.
Downtown Burbank Ambassador Program:
• Identification and outreach to homeless individuals, providing resources and assistance a
s needed
• Ho
spitality engagement with visitors and members of the public • Da
ily check-ins and quarterly surveys with Downtown businesses • Vis
ibility, circulation, and monitoring of issues
• Saf
ety escorts for local employees
• We
ekly reports documenting all activities and interactions including those with street performers
• Da
ily reporting of maintenance and landscaping issues including burned out lights, abandoned items in the right of way, trash/debris, and damaged public infrastructure • En
hanced cleaning to help keep Downtown Burbank clean and safe for visitors Results for 2025
Downtown Burbank
Ambassador Program
*Figures above reflect total reporting that took place from January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025 Wellness Checks with
Homeless Community
Members
60 36
Trespassing Issues
Resolved
24 Homeless Individuals
Blocking Public
Sidewalks Assisted
45 Instances of
Panhandling and
Street Performers
Resolved
Total Individuals Have Received Housing,
Housing Support, or Transportation
Back to Their Families From Downtown
Burbank Since March 2019
Mental Health
Checks to Homeless
Individuals Requiring
Special Assistance
57 249
Social Service
Contacts Made for
Homeless Community
Members
67 Noise Complaints and
Verbal Disturbances
Handled
102
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 23
ATTACHMENT 2 - 1282
24 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
Goals: Work to maintain a low vacancy rate through leasing support, broker outreach, and business concierge services.
Leasing Support & Advocacy
The PBID works nonstop to re-energize the shopping and dining experience by anticipating vacancies and maintaining relationships with property owners, prospective tenants, and commercial real estate professionals.
Proactive outreach to regional and
national tenants promoting available
vacancies and opportunities
in Downtown
Providing business concierge
services to help streamline
permitting processes for tenants
and property owners
Meeting with local brokers and
retail executives at conventions
like the Southern California Idea
Exchange and ICSC to attract
businesses and developments
Connecting with local brokers to
highlight the benefits of locating to
Downtown Burbank
Creating dedicated broker focused
marketing materials and social media
content and supporting networking
events for the broker community.
Marketing available properties in
national publications such as Western
Real Estate Business (Readership of
55,000), Shopping Center Business
(Readership of 79,000), and BISNOW
(Virtual Readership of 55,000)
TOP 10 REASONS TO CHOOSE
DOWNTOWN BURBANK
2.2 MILLION
POPULATION IN
20 MIN. DRIVE-TIME
AMC THEATER
RANKED TOP 3
GLOBALLY
MORE THAN
600 SHOPS
& RESTAURANTS
TOP LOCAL
EMPLOYERS
PRIME LOCATION
RIGHT OFF
THE I-5
FREEWAY
LARGEST IKEA
IN THE U.S.
9,000
PARKING SPACES
DEDICATED
ALFRESCO DINING
4.1 MILLION
VISITORS
ANNUALLY
AVERAGE HHI
OF $132K+
1 52
63 7
8 9
10 4
Annual Survey Results
The PBID frequently surveys businesses and property owners to gain feedback and insight on activities and programs.
A final year-end survey was distributed in December 2025 to obtain feedback on programs and accomplishments from the past year, and provide insight into the impact of the PBID on Downtown Burbank. A total of 28 survey responses were received.
Survey respondents were comprised of:
•
57% Re
staurants
• 18% Re
tailers
• 14
% Service Providers
• 11% Pr
operty Owners
The 2025 year-end results were
as follows:
96% 85%
96%
100%
96%
Are satisfied with the
overall cleanliness
and maintenance in
Downtown Burbank
Are aware of the events
and happenings in
Downtown Burbank
Are satisfied with the
Downtown Burbank
Ambassador Program
Are satisfied with the
holiday decorations in
Downtown Burbank
Feel that Downtown
Burbank is a safe place
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 2524 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report ATTACHMENT 2 - 13 83
Economic Indicators
Downtown Indicators:
Citywide Indicators:
Downtown Burbank is a mixed-use urban neighborhood known as the core of the City of Burbank. Featuring more than 600 shops, restaurants, and businesses, Downtown Burbank is situated in the heart of the entertainment industry, and the area is renowned for its dynamic street scene, outdoor dining, and pedestrian orientation. Below are the economic indicators representing Burbank.* Home To Top Employers
Including: Nickelodeon, The City of Burbank,
Tesla, Hollywood Production Center,
Hotel Burbank, and IKEA.
4.9 Million AMC Theaters Largest IKEA
in the U.S.Visitors to Downtown
in 2025
Ranked Top 3
Globally Located in
Downtown Burbank
848
Brand New
Housing Units
280
New
Hotel Rooms
Sources: HDL, CoStar, STR, and Tourism Economics.
*The figures reflected here are higher than average due to large vacancies at the Burbank Town Center.
Retail Vacancy
Rate Q4 2025
15.5%
Office Vacancy
Rate Q4 2025
33.7%
Office Rent
Per Square Foot
Q4 2025
$3.42
Retail Rent Per
Sq. Ft. Q4 2025
$3.69
2.2m
Population in a
10-mile radius
$151k
Annual household
income
250k
Daytime
population
167k
Workforce
population
6.5m
Annual passengers at
Hollywood Burbank Airport
78%
Average annual
hotel occupancy
Downtown Burbank was happy to welcome the following
businesses in 2025:
New Businesses
In 2025
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 2726 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report ATTACHMENT 2 - 14 84
28 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
Goal: Support the continued formation of a livable and walkable neighborhood with 18-hour amenities.
Future Investments in
Downtown Burbank
Downtown Burbank remains a top entertainment destination with new retailers and restaurants, enhanced capital improvements, and dedicated marketing and promotional efforts. The popularity of the area has spurred an increase in private investment with projects such as The First Street Village, Intro by LaTerra, and Home2 Suites with more projects in the pipeline.
Under Construction
First Street Village
325 N. First St.
Estimated Completion Date: Phase I & II Complete
Mixed-use project consisting of three six-story buildings with 275 multi-family apartments and 18,876 sq. ft. of ground retail and commercial space. The property is the first of its kind to include 14 affordable housing units.
Mixed-Use Development Projects:
Now Open
Intro By LaTerra
777 Front St. (Zero Site)
Estimated Completion Date: 2025
A mixed-use project featuring 573 rental units,
and 1,067 sq. ft. of ground retail. The residential
portion consists of an eight-story building with
one level of underground parking.
Proposed
AC Hotel
550 N. Third St.
Estimated Groundbreaking: Mid-2026
Six-story 196-room hotel with a 3,800 sq. ft.
ground-level restaurant and three levels of subterranean pa
rking. Amenities to include a fitness center, lounge,
pool, outdoor courtyard, and rooftop viewing deck.
Proposed
Home2 Suites
129 E. Providencia Ave.
Estimated Completion Date: TBD
Five-story, 43,896 sq. ft. hotel
with 84 rooms.
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 29
ATTACHMENT 2 - 1585
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 31
Goal: Preserve and improve the aesthetics of Downtown through enhancements to capital infrastructure and increased maintenance.
Capital Improvements
& Maintenance
• Maintaining weekly maintenance services including trash pickup, sidewalk sweeping, t
hree times monthly power washing, and graffiti removal
• On
going maintenance and repairs to communal outdoor dining parklets • Th
e addition of a new mural to enhance walkability and aesthetics • In
stallation of district-wide holiday décor and year-round ambient lighting Programs include:
Programs include:
Goal: Enhance safety and provide hospitality and social outreach services through an ambassador program.
Economic
Enhancements
Maintaining the
Downtown Burbank
Ambassador
Program
Daily communal dining
parklet maintenance,
and reporting of public
health and safety
concerns
District support services
including homelessness
assistance, street
performer management,
and daily business
outreach
20 26
What’s In Store For
30 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
ATTACHMENT 2 - 16 86
32 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 33 The AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project is a City funded effort that represents one of the largest financial infrastructure investments in Downtown since 2003.
The goal of the Project is to revitalize the popular outdoor gathering space with landscaping, seating, trash bins, shade, bike racks and lighting, providing amenities that will support a growing population of visitors, residents and employees in Downtown.
The Project will transform the aesthetics and functionality of the area, modernize the AMC Walkway, and provide a much-needed refresh to the heavily used area. Planned improvements include new green space, shade trees, seating, landscaping, enhanced lighting, and public art. Improvements will extend beyond Palm Avenue and beautify the alley adjacent to the Orange Grove parking structure behind Kabuki and Kalaveras, unifying both spaces.
The project is expected to be completed in 2026.
AMC Walkway /
Palm Paseo
Beautification Project
ATTACHMENT 2 - 17
87 34 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
Goal: Promote Downtown Burbank as a vibrant commercial destination in an effort to increase visitation, consumer spending, and events.
In February 2026, the City of Burbank was awarded designation as an official Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone.
This special festival will take place July 18-19, 2026 in Downtown Burbank, bringing fans from across the globe together to celebrate the energy, culture, and excitement of the World Cup! With live match viewings, electrifying entertainment, an international street fair and family friendly activities, the two-day celebration creates amazing opportunities for increased tourism, consumer spending, and international visibility.
Marketing & Events
Los Angeles World
Cup 26 Fan Zone
Programs include:
Dedicated shopping and dining focused social media campaigns Focused promotional, digital marketing
New Destination Website
Strategic event partnerships:
• The Downtown Burbank Summer Arts Festival
• Th
e Burbank Winter Wine Walk
• Th
e Downtown Burbank Winter Arts Festival
• Lo
s Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone at Downtown Burbank
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 35
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 35
ATTACHMENT 2 - 1888
36 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
Goal: Maintain a low vacancy rate through leasing support, broker outreach, and business concierge services.
Leasing Support &
Advocacy
Programs include:
Targeted leasing and
business advocacy efforts
to attract new tenants and
developments
The continuation of
dedicated broker
focused marketing
materials, events, and
LinkedIn outreach
Dedicated public relations
strategy to promote
evolution of Downtown
and assist with future
business attraction and
investment
Working with the City
to modify ordinances
and permitting to
simplify procedures and
timelines for new and
current businesses
Business concierge
services to assist
businesses with City
permitting processes
Working with the City
to better manage and
regulate parking in
Downtown
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 37
Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 37
ATTACHMENT 2 - 1989
38 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report 39 Directors, Board & Staff
Chair
Michael Cusumano, Cusumano Real Estate Group
Vice Chair
James O’Neil, Crown Realty Group
Treasurer
Dominick Scarola, Burbank Community Member
Secretary
Ted Slaught, The Village Walk
Board
Voting Members
Mary Ann Barroso-Castanon, IKEA
Christine Deschaine, KWP Real Estate
Erik Maenner, Burbank Town Center
Courtney Padgett, Assistant City Manager
Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director
Brett Warner, Lee and Associates
Parham Yedidsion, Evolution Strategic Partners LLC
Non-Voting Members
Brad Bucklin, Professional Literary Services
Mark Gangi, Gangi Architects
Jamie Keyser, Burbank Chamber of Commerce
Staff
Simone Mcfarland, Assistant Community Development Director for Business and Economic Development, City of Burbank
Mary Hamzoian, Executive Director, Downtown Burbank Partnership & Economic Development Manager, City of Burbank
Marissa Cardwell, Operations Manager, Downtown Burbank Partnership & Senior Economic Development Analyst, City of Burbank
Aida Ofsepian, Economic Development Analyst, City of Burbank 38 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
ATTACHMENT 2 - 20 90
40 Downtown Burbank Partnership / Annual Report
dtnbur.com
ATTACHMENT 2 - 21
91 1
STAFF REPORT
DATE: March 24, 2026
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director
VIA: David Kriske, Assistant Community Development Director – Transportation
BY: Karen B. Pan, Transportation Services Manager
SUBJECT: Approval of the BurbankBus Comprehensive Operations Analysis
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the BurbankBus Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) (Attachment 1) which includes the following recommendations:
1. Reaffirm and refine the City’s BurbankBus Service Design Policies
2. Approve the four proposed bus route change recommendations
3. Implement near -term improvements to the Orange Route with no budget amendment
4. Seek additional funding and once secured, implement the other route change recommendations included in the COA.
BACKGROUND
The City of Burbank has provided its own fixed- route, local transit service for over 30 years. BurbankBus was established to provide a travel alternative to employees commuting into Burbank’s regional employment centers and Burbank residents who work outside the C ity a way to connect to regional transit. BurbankBus provides a travel alternative to the more than 100,000 people who commute into the City each day as well as future residents of the more than 12,000 housing units Burbank is planning to construct as part of its General Plan and Housing Element goals. The system also helps meet City Council’s (Council) transportation goals, which is to support an accessible, equitable and safe multimodal transportation network including pedestrian, bicycle, equestrian mobility,
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
Consent Calendar
Item #4
92 2
improvements and bus route integration with the development of future high- speed rail and transportation hubs.
Over the years, the City has added, extended, modified, and removed local routes and services to meet changing demands and travel patterns. Most recently, in February 2023 Council directed staff to remove a third BurbankBus Route due to low ridership observed during the post-pandemic recovery. However, in eliminating that route, the Council also expressed concern that BurbankBus may no longer be meeting the City’s transportation objectives, especially given changes in travel over the last several years. Council directed staff to investigate options to upgrade or replace existing BurbankBus routes, to focus on North to South running routes, and to utilize data from both public and private partners to help identify areas not already covered by Metro transit lines. Council also directed staff to focus on residents’ travel needs in addition to the system’s traditional focus on commuters.
DISCUSSION
Staff conducted a BurbankBus COA in response to the Council’s February 2023 direction.
The BurbankBus COA is a report that evaluates the effectiveness of the City’s existing transit services, solicit s feedback from current and potential riders to identify unmet needs, and recommends service enhancements that address the present and future transportation needs of Burbank residents, visitors, and commuters. T his staff report provides an overview of the project, including an assessment of current transit demand and projections of where service needs are expected to grow in the coming years.
The BurbankBus COA assists the City in creating a roadmap to improve BurbankBus.
There are six key components to the study:
1. What the BurbankBus System Looks Like Today (including ridership and performance)
2. Who Might Benefit from Better Access to Transit
3. Where People Are Trying to Go
4. What We Heard from the Community and What We Learned
5. Recommendation for a Better BurbankBus
6. What Comes Next
What the BurbankBus System Looks Like Today (Including Ridership and Performance) BurbankBus connects the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station and the Metro Rail station in North Hollywood to neighborhoods and major employment centers in the City. In addition to this regional connection, BurbankBus helps bridge local transit service gaps, supplements the regional Metro bus network, and provides transfer opportunities with and increase use of public transportation. Another Council goal is to coordinate 93 3
Beeline, Santa Clarita Transit, and Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) Commuter Express. This transit map is included (Attachment 2).
BurbankBus provides Monday through Friday service to serve the needs of commuters and residents. Riders pay $1.00 per trip or can receive a free trip if connecting from regional transit. The City operates a fleet of seventeen 35- foot buses to provide service each day. The service is delivered through a private operations and maintenance contract with MV Transportation and costs the City approximately $2,800,000 per year to operate.
The City funds the service using a combination of Proposition C and Measure R Local Return Funds. The City does not use General Fund, nor does it receive regional transit operations funding from Metro to provide this service. BurbankBus provided about 187,141 rides in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25, or about 717 rides per weekday. This equates to approximately $11.78 cost per ride.
There are two BurbankBus routes that operate an all -day service, providing higher - frequency service of at least 15 minutes during morning and evening commute periods, with less frequent service during midday. The Pink Route runs from the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station along Olive Avenue through the Media District to the LA Metro Universal/Studio City Red (G) line station. The Orange Route starts at the LA Metro North Hollywood B (Red) and G (Orange Line) Station and runs east along Burbank Boulevard before heading counterclockwise to the Hollywood Burbank Airport and then back to the North Hollywood Station. There is no BurbankBus service on the weekends.
Who Might Benefit and Where People Are Trying to Go (Data Analysis) To better understand how people move around Burbank and where transit could play a stronger role, staff reviewed data based on demographics and real-world travel activity.
This helps see where trips happen today and identify locations where improved or redesigned bus service may better match how the community actually travels.
There are demographics data from the United States Census Bureau that can help identify who is more likely to benefit and rely on transit, such as people without access to a car, those with lower incomes, seniors, youth, and employees traveling to major job centers. One way to understand where there is opportunity for transit to exist today is by developing a transit propensity map (Attachment 1), and this level of analysis includes a map indicating where the City should expect to attract the strongest ridership by incorporating demographics and travel characteristics . This analysis revealed z ones nearest to downtown and along Glenoaks Boulevard to have the highest propensity score in the study area, corresponding with the higher density and variety of land uses and economic activity in the area. Another area that scores relatively high is the neighborhood west of the Media District, west of Pass Avenue to Clybourn Avenue.
Metro Local, Metro Rapid Orange Line, Metro Red Line, Metrolink, Amtrak, Glendale 94 4
One other primary source for that analysis was Replica data. Replica is a “big data” tool that estimates real world travel patterns and shows where people begin and end their trips, using anonymized, modeled travel behavior to help identify major activity centers and transit opportunities. The big data revealed the highest zones of activity starting and ending in Burbank are Downtown Burbank, the Empire Avenue Corridor, and the Media District. Other data points included reviewing age of travelers, travel by time of day, trip purposes, and travel modes in each of the identified major centers.
W
hat We Heard from the Community and What We Learned
Public engagement was a central component of the BurbankBus COA, ensuring that the study reflected not only travel data but also the priorities of the community. Engagement took place in two phases, each playing a distinct role in shaping the findings and recommendations.
Phase 1 engagement focused on listening. Through surveys, an interactive online map, stakeholder and transit -provider interviews, operator feedback, and on- board observations, staff gathered input and understanding of how people move around Burbank, what currently works well, and where people feel the transit system falls short.
P
hase 2 engagement shifted toward validating and refining. After developing route recommendations grounded in Phase 1 input and the travel data analysis, staff returned to the community to share what was learned and to gather feedback on the proposed service changes. This phase included a stakeholder meeting, a pop- up event at the Burbank Farmers Market, and various demographic specific meetings where participants reviewed the concepts, discussed tradeoffs, and helped identify which improvements should be prioritized. Input from these activities confirmed the direction of the recommendations and provided important details such as connections and phasing preferences.
R
ecommendation for a Better BurbankBus
Service Design Policy
The Council previously adopted a service design policy to guide its planning decisions.
Staff recommends that service policies remain the same with some refinements informed by the COA, as outlined below.
• Service should be frequent. Transit service is most successful when it is frequent.
Frequent service offers more choice and flexibility for riders, which is essential to compete with driving. It improves reliability and does not require riders to consult with a schedule when catching a bus or making a connection because buses come often enough that wait times are minimized. Buses on all routes should arrive at least every 15 minutes during peak periods.
95 5
• Service should operate all day. All-day service is necessary to serve most trips.
People will not ride the bus somewhere if there is not a return trip available later.
Consistent service through the evening improves reliability and best serves residents and non-commute trips.
• Service should be point -to-point. Transit services should operate in a direct way between major trip generators and should have a major transfer point at each end.
Point-to-point service improves travel times by minimizing turns (which can slow a bus route) and focuses service on the corridors closest to the greatest opportunity. • Service should connect to regional transit. BurbankBus serves as a local connection to regional transit, and it is important to maintain this regional connectivity so that employees traveling into Burbank, and residents traveling out of Burbank, can benefit from ongoing investments in regional transit.
B
us Route Changes
The COA’s data analysis and public outreach suggest that BurbankBus could be more effective with several targeted service changes to enhance service in line with travel patterns and community input:
1. E
xtend the Orange Route Making it More Direct and Useful Today, the Orange Route is the only bus service that provides connectivity from the North Hollywood Metro Station to the Hollywood Burbank Airport. By extending the bus route eastward, the Orange Route would stop at other major destinations such as the Empire Center retail area, nearby hotels, new residential development projects, residential neighborhoods east of Interstate 5, Downtown Burbank, and the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station. At the Station, riders would be linked to other transportation modes such as the Antelope Valley and Ventura County Metrolink trains, BurbankBus Pink Route, Glendale Beeline, Santa Clarita Transit, Disney Employee Shuttle, LA Metro, and the upcoming LA Metro Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) North Hollywood to Pasadena Transit Corridor (Attachment 3).
T
he Orange Route offers the only transit connection between the Hollywood Burbank Airport and the Metrorail regional network. The proposed change would shorten and streamline the connection from Metro services in North Hollywood to the Airport by eliminating the one- way loop service on Burbank Boulevard and instead routing two-way service directly to the Airport on Hollywood Way.
2. C
reate a New North-South Route on Buena Vista Street
The second recommendation is to establish a new north-south BurbankBus route along Buena Vista Street, addressing what has emerged as the most significant gap in the city’s current transit network (Attachment 4). Most of the bus network in 96 6
Burbank is oriented east-to-west, and there is no service on most of Buena Vista Street. Community feedback and travel data both identified Buena Vista Street as the clearest opportunity for new service. The new route would:
• Connect two major activity centers , the Empire Corridor and the Media District, by providing a continuous, bi -directional north– south transit connection.
• Serve residential neighborhoods that today have minimal or no access to local transit.
• Extend service along Alameda Avenue, filling another service gap and providing better access to areas undergoing new development.
3. M
onitor the Metro BRT and Adjust the Pink Route When Needed The Pink Route is currently the stronger performer in the BurbankBus system, serving major studios, residential areas, and key connections to the Universal City B Line Station and Downtown Burbank Metrolink. With the proposed Metro North Hollywood–Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line, BurbankBus will have a new regional partner operating in the same corridor. Because it remains unclear how rider behavior will change once the BRT launches, staff recommends a “wait and see” approach before considering any changes to the existing Pink Route.
4. M
ove Toward a “Fully Realized System” When Funding Allows Operating all three routes concurrently would exceed the City’s current transit budget by approximately $2.8 million per year, requiring additional funding.
Therefore, staff recommends a phased implementation of all three routes.
C
osts and Funding
Today, BurbankBus fixed-route transit service costs approximately $2.8 million per year.
The City funds BurbankBus fixed- route services via a combination of Proposition C and Measure R Local Return funds. The General Fund does not provide any financing of transit services in Burbank. Implementing all recommendations in the BurbankBus COA would increase the BurbankBus fixed- route program by approximately $2.4 million per year, for a total of $5.2 million per year. Table 1 shows the existing cost in comparison to each recommendation.
97 7
Table 1. Estimated Annual Operating Costs
Route FY 2025-26
Total Annual Cost
Recommendations
Total Annual Cost
Orange Route $1,200,000 $2,000,000
North-South Buena Vista Route N/A $1,600,000
Pink Route $1,600,000 $1,600,000
Total Annual Operating Costs $2,800,000 $5,200,000
A
s discussed above, the City funds fixed- route transit and many other transportation programs with transportation local return funds from Metro. There is no excess funding available to increase BurbankBus service today using transportation local return funds alone. Implementing any of the service alternatives in the COA would require reducing funding to other transportation programs or identifying new funding sources.
T
he COA recommendations include a proposal to seek new outside funding opportunities to help fully implement the two new service routes identified in the analysis. In particular, it may be difficult for Council to consider large outlays of funding on new routes without understanding the actual demand for these new services, especially if that funding comes at the expense of other important programs. While outside funding for transit operations is difficult to secure, there is one- time grant funding available to fund startup costs and initial operations of new services. The purpose of these grants is to secure funding to test new services before an agency commits long- term funding to these services. The COA recommends the City pursue these one- time grant funding opportunities as a means to implement the new service options while simultaneously testing the demand for these services.
A
s the recommendations in the BurbankBus COA exceed the current budget . S taff recommends a targeted incremental approach for phased implementation.
W
hat Comes Next (Near-Term Solution)
As discussed above, funding is not currently available to fully launch either new route without reducing funding from other transportation programs or identifying new, non- transportation revenue sources. Because funding is limited, staff recommends implementation of improvements to the Orange Route. This modified Orange Route proposal would streamline the existing route and implement a partial extension that would enable the Orange Route to better serve the Empire Center, which is one of the City’s major trip destinations (Attachment 5).
T
hese modifications would add an additional cost approximately up to $150,000 per year, which can be funded with existing t ransportation local return funds from Prop C or 98 8
Measure R. Staff will monitor key transit performance measures including ridership and cost per rider on the Orange Route as a means to address effectiveness.
T
able 2. Phased Approach (Near-term Solutions)
Phased Approach Additional Annual Cost
Orange Route Minor Service Changes (No Extension) +$0 to $150,000* *Cost is dependent on bus frequency and bus schedule
T
ransportation Commission’s Feedback
Staff worked closely with the Transportation Commission throughout the development of the COA and presented updates on the COA at three different meetings – January 22, 2025, December 17 , 2025, and February 25, 2026. The Transportation Commission provided extensive feedback throughout development of the COA including their preference on community outreach, data points, and recommendations. Several Transportation Commissioners also participated in some of the key stakeholder meetings held with non-profit organizations, local transit providers, and employers. On February 25, 2026, the Transportation Commission voted 7-0 in favor of recommending to Council to approve the BurbankBus COA with the listed recommendations above. The Commission agreed on the recommended routes and for staff to pursue grant opportunities to support bus operations. Once a grant is secured, staff will implement the other route change recommendations included in the COA based on funding availability.
EN
VIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Approving the COA, including the four recommendations outlined therein, is Statutorily Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code § 21080.25(b)(5) because any bus route improvements resulting from such recommendations will be serviced exclusively by zero -emission, near -zero- emission, or compressed natural gas buses within existing public rights-of-way within the boundaries of an urbanized area.
F
ISCAL IMPACT
Proposed changes to the Orange Route is anticipated to increase the cost of service by up to $150,000 per year, dependent on service design with bus stops and bus time schedules. Staff estimates that implementation of the modifications would take several months to plan and implement. Sufficient funds are available within the FY 2025- 26 Budget to cover these costs.
CO
NCLUSION
The BurbankBus COA provides a clear path toward a more efficient, equitable, and connected transit system. By integrating detailed travel market data and community input, this study identifies where transit is most needed today and where demand is likely t o grow in the years ahead. The findings highlight both the strengths of the existing network 99 9
and the opportunities to better serve Burbank’s major activity centers, residential neighborhoods, and regional connections.
T
he COA’s recommendations include refining and extending the Orange Route, creating a new north-south route on Buena Vista Street, and monitoring future changes to the Pink Route. The City cannot currently fund all these alternatives, but the COA offers options to implement a phased strategy that aligns with demonstrated travel patterns and community priorities. The BurbankBus COA a lso helps meet its General Plan Mobility , greenhouse gas reduction target goals , and Council transportation goals . Staff recommends Council approve the BurbankBus COA, and
1. Reaffirm and refine the City’s BurbankBus Service Design Policies,
2. Approve the four proposed bus route change recommendations,
3. Implement near-term improvements to the Orange Route, and
4. Seek additional funding and once secured, implement the other route change recommendations included in the COA.
AT
TACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Proposed BurbankBus Comprehensive Operational Analysis Attachment 2 – Burbank Transit Map
Attachment 3 – Proposed Orange Route Extension
Attachment 4 – Proposed North-South Buena Vista Route
Attachment 5 – Proposed Orange Route Minor Service Changes (No Extension) Attachment 6 – January 22, 2025 Transportation Commission Staff Report Attachment 7 – December 17, 2025 Transportation Commission Staff Report Attachment 8 – February 25, 2026 Transportation Commission Staff Report 100
BurbankBus
Comprehensive
Operations Analysis
Final Report
Prepared for: City of Burbank Submitted: 03.11.2026
ATTACHMENT 1
ATTACHMENT 1-1 101
2 Table of Contents
Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... 5 Understanding Today’s System ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................. 5 Travel Market Findings ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 5 What the Community Told Us ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................... 5 Key Recommendations ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 6 A Path Forward................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................... 6 Why We Conducted This Study ................................................................................................... 6 What the BurbankBus System Looks Like Today ........................................................................7 Orange Route ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................. 7 Pink Route................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 7 Service Performance ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 8 Ridership Detail by Time of Day and by Stop ................................ ................................ ............................ 11 Connecting Services ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 12 Who Might Benefit from Better Access to Transit? .................................................................. 13 Community Characteristics and Transit Indicators ................................ ................................ ........................ 14 Planned Developments ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 16 Where People Are Trying to Go .................................................................................................. 18 Analysis ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 19 Step 1: Identify Major Centers................................ ................................ ................................ ........................ 19 Step 2: Analyze Major Centers to Other Neighborhoods in Burbank ................................ .............. 20 Step 3: Analyze Regional Travel Opportunities ................................ ................................ ...................... 24 What We Heard from the Community ....................................................................................... 28 Phase 1 Engagement ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 28 Interactive Map ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................. 31 Survey ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..33 Key Takeaways ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 34 Phase 2 Engagement ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 34 What We Learned ........................................................................................................................ 39 Recommendations for a Better BurbankBus ............................................................................. 40 Service Design Policy ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 40 Route Changes ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................... 41
1. Make the Orange Route More Direct and More Useful ................................ ................................ ......41
2. Create a New North–South Route on Buena Vista Street ................................ .............................. 43 ATTACHMENT 1-2
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3 3. Monitor the Metro BRT and Adjust the Pink Route When Needed ................................ .............. 45
4. Move Toward a “Fully Realized System” When Funding Allows ................................ ................... 46 Implementation with a Phased Approach ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 48 Near-Term Implementation (Stage 1) ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 48 Extend Orange and Launch Buena Vista (Stage 2) ................................ ................................ ............... 49 Expand Service to Weekend Hours (Stage 3) ................................ ................................ ........................ 50 Implementation Assumptions by Stage ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 51 Bus Stop Modifications ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 52 Marketing, Promotions and Partnerships ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 56 Performance Monitoring ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 60 Conclusion..................................................................................................................................... 61 List of Figures
Figure 1 – Map of Existing BurbankBus Services ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 8 Figure 2 - BurbankBus Annual Ridership by Route, 2019-2024 ................................ ................................ ......... 9 Figure 3 - Productivity (Passengers/Revenue Hour) 2019 and 2024 ................................ ................................ 9 Figure 4 - Average Daily Boardings by Hour ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 11 Figure 5 - Average Daily Stop Activity (Boardings and Alightings) ................................ ................................ .12 Figure 6 - Transit Propensity Index for Burbank and Surrounding Census Tracts ................................ ...... 15 Figure 7 - BurbankBus Existing Conditions ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 16 Figure 8 – Trip Concentrations by Block Groups for All Trips Beginning and Ending in Burbank, with Existing BurbankBus Routes................................ ................................ ................................ ................. 20 Figure 9 - Age of Travelers to Key Destinations................................ ................................ ................................ .....21 Figure 10 - Trips to Major Centers, by Time ................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 22 Figure 11 - Trips from Major Centers, by Time ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 22 Figure 12 - Trip Purposes by Major Center ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 23 Figure 13 - Trips to Major Centers by Mode ................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 24 Figure 14 - Origins and Destinations of Trips from Glendale to Burbank ................................ ...................... 26 Figure 15 - Origins and Destinations of Trips from Burbank to Glendale ................................ .......................27 Figure 16 - Image of BurbankBus COA Website & Interactive Map ................................ ................................ . 31 Figure 17 - Heat Map of Requested Stop Locations by Zone ................................ ................................ ............ 32 Figure 18 - Recommended Route Changes Map ................................ ................................ ................................ . 36 Figure 19 - Community Members Providing Feedback at Burbank Farmers Market Pop -up Event ..... 38 Figure 20 - Proposed Long-Term Orange Route Modification ................................ ................................ ....... 42 Figure 21 - Proposed Long-Term Buena Vista Route ................................ ................................ ......................... 44 Figure 22 – Existing Pink Route & Proposed NoHo-Pasadena BRT ................................ ............................... 46 ATTACHMENT 1-3
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4 Figure 23 - Proposed BurbankBus Network ................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 47 Figure 24 - Proposed Near-Term Orange Route Modification ................................ ................................ ........ 49 List of Tables
Table 1 - Productivity and Operating Expenses, Los Angeles Regional Bus Operators ............................. 10 Table 2 - Local and Regional Route Frequencies and Key Destinations ................................ ......................... 13 Table 3 - Transit Propensity Variables and Associated Weight ................................ ................................ ........ 14 Table 4 - Future Infrastructure Improvements, City of Burbank ................................ ................................ ....... 17 Table 5 - Phase 1 Engagement Activities ................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 29 Table 6 - Phase 1 Engagement Key Takeaways ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 30 Table 7 - Phase 2 Engagement Activities ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 35 Table 8 - Route Concept Considerations ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............37 Table 9 - Route Change Recommendations by Stage ................................ ................................ ........................ 51 Table 10 – Bus Stop Modifications ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................ 52 ATTACHMENT 1-4
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Executive Summary
The 2026 BurbankBus Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) provides a data driven and community informed roadmap for improving the City of Burbank’s local transit system. The study evaluates how well the current Pink and Orange Routes meet today’s travel needs, identifies gaps and opportunities in the network, and recommends improvements that can better connect residents, workers, and visitors to key destinations across the city. The COA builds on a combination of current ridership trends, demographic and land use data, travel pattern analysis using the Replica platform, and extensive community engagement.
Understanding Today’s System
BurbankBus currently operates two weekday fixed routes:
• The Pink Route, serving Universal City, the Media District, and Downtown Burbank Metrolink. • The Orange Route, a loop serving North Hollywood Station, Hollywood Burbank Airport, and parts of Burbank Boulevard.
Travel Market Findings
Three major activity centers generate the highest volume of daily trips in the city, making them prime anchors for transit service: Downtown Burbank, the Empire Corridor, and the Media District. The analysis also revealed a clear north–south connectivity gap, particularly along Buena Vista Street, which limits access between residential neighborhoods and major destinations.
What the Community Told Us
Across two phases of engagement, including surveys, workshops, an online map tool, stakeholder discussions, and a pop-up event at the Burbank Farmers Market—participants consistently emphasized several needs:
• Better connections to regional transit, especially Metrolink and the Metro B Line. • Maintaining and improving airport access.
• More frequent and reliable service.
• Expanded service hours, including strong interest in weekend service. • New or improved connections to Downtown Burbank, Magnolia Park, and the Buena Vista corridor.
• Greater awareness, clearer schedules, and improved wayfinding.
In Phase 2 outreach, participants largely supported the proposed concepts and noted they aligned with day-to-day needs. While opinions varied on which route to implement first, the majority favored extending the Orange Route due to its strong ridership potential. 105
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Key Recommendations
Based on the combined insights from data analysis and community input, this COA recommends the following:
1. Refine and extend the Orange Route to provide direct service to the Empire Center, Downtown Burbank, and the Downtown Metrolink Station while maintaining airport access.
2. Create a new bi-directional route on Buena Vista Street to address the city’s largest transit network gap and improve north–south connectivity between major destinations.
3. Maintain the Pink Route alignment in the short term while monitoring the impacts of the future Metro NoHo–Pasadena BRT before considering adjustments.
4. Move toward a fully connected three-route system when funding allows—linking major destinations, closing longstanding service gaps, and better supporting underserved neighborhoods. The full three-route system would greatly increase opportunities for Burbank residents across the city to access the airport, Empire Center, Media District, and Downtown as well as improving access to regional Metro Rail and Metrolink stations.
A Path Forward
Implementing all recommended improvements would require additional operating resources beyond the current budget, meaning changes may need to be phased. Regardless of phasing, the recommendations position BurbankBus to deliver a more connected, reliable, and easy-to-use transit system that reflects both how people travel today and how the community envisions transit serving Burbank in the future.
Why We Conducted This Study
The 2026 BurbankBus Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) study is timely because the conditions that shaped BurbankBus services in the past have changed significantly. Since the last evaluation, the COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally altered travel behavior, with major increases in remote work and online activities. At the same time, Burbank—like many cities across the greater Los Angeles region—is continuing to grow, with new development placing new demands on the transportation network.
This study is an evaluation of the fixed-route transit services provided by the City of Burbank. The intention of this effort is to ensure that future and current people who live, work, and play in Burbank have access to an efficient, well-connected system.
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The objectives of the study are:
• Fill public transportation gaps.
• Prioritize those with the greatest transportation challenges, such as low-income communities with minimal transportation options and low car ownership, women and gender minorities, youth and neurodiverse communities, among others.
• Serve areas expecting future growth, referencing City Specific Plans and other related documents.
• Connect the community to key destinations.
• Maximize reach and efficiency of other transportation services and avoid redundancy. • Ensure services are sustainable and able to function at high-level (i.e. frequent, safe, and reliable).
Potential outcomes of this study may include revised routes, updated schedules, additional stops, improved connections to regional transit providers, and other service improvements designed to better meet Burbank’s evolving needs.
The following pages summarize the analysis, key findings, and recommendations for improvements to the BurbankBus system. If not otherwise noted, all data was provided by BurbankBus.
What the BurbankBus System Looks Like
Today
BurbankBus offers two fixed-route bus routes - the Orange Route and the Pink Route. These are shown in Figure 1. BurbankBus is largely operated within city limits, with the exception of the Orange Route stop at NoHo Station and Pink Route stop at Universal City Station.
Orange Route
The Orange Route provides counterclockwise service along portions of Burbank Blvd, Buena Vista St, Empire Ave, and Hollywood Way, connecting NoHo Station to Hollywood-Burbank Airport. It runs on weekdays at 15-minute intervals from 5:30am-9am, 20-minute intervals from 9:20am-2:40pm, 15- minute intervals from 3pm-6:45pm, and 45-minute intervals from 7pm-10pm.
Pink Route
The Pink Route provides service along Riverside Dr, Alameda Ave, and Olive Ave, connecting Universal City Station to the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station. This route passes through the Burbank Media District, a major employment center of the greater San Fernando Valley. Westbound service runs on weekdays at 15-minute intervals from 5:30am-9:30am, 30-minute intervals from 10am-2:30pm, 15-minute intervals from 3:00pm-7:45pm, and 60-minute intervals from 8pm-9pm.
Eastbound service runs on weekdays at 15-minute intervals from 6am-10am, 30-minute intervals from 10:30am-3pm, 15-minute service from 3:30pm-8:15pm, and 60-minute intervals from 8:30pm- 9:30pm.
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Figure 1 – Map of Existing BurbankBus Services
Source: City of Burbank
Service Performance
In 2024, BurbankBus provided approximately 197,000 trips for riders, with about 127,000 riders using the Pink Route and just under 70,000 on the Orange Route.
Like all transit services, the COVID-19 pandemic heavily reduced the number of people riding BurbankBus for several years. By 2024, BurbankBus total ridership had reached approximately 89% of the pre-pandemic annual total. However, the system has undergone several changes since 2019 that affect the story for the Pink and Orange routes. In 2019, different versions of the current Pink and Orange routes operated along with Golden State Circulator and Green Route. The Golden State Circulator was discontinued and the Pink Route was extended to Universal City Station in late 2019.
The cancellation of the Green Route in March 2023 and incorporation of some of its service into the Pink Route has possibly boosted the Pink Route ridership. 108
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Figure 2 - BurbankBus Annual Ridership by Route, 2019-2024
Source: BurbankBus Service Performance & Cost Tracking Sheet (Internal) Measuring productivity is a means of understanding how well a route attracts riders relative to how much service is offered. It helps to simplify measuring ridership, especially when a route operates several times an hour, as the Pink and Orange Routes do. Productivity here is shown as passengers (or “boardings”) per revenue hour. A revenue hour is each hour a bus is in service, so the total revenue hours accounts for all of the buses operating at the same time.
Compared to 2019, productivity has decreased somewhat for the Orange Route and increased for the Pink Route, partly because of the cancellation of the Green Route.
Figure 3 - Productivity (Passengers/Revenue Hour) 2019 and 2024
Source: City of Burbank, 2024
0 50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Ridership
Year
Systemwide Golden State Orange Green Pink
0.00 2.00
4.00 6.00
8.00 10.00
12.00 Systemwide Golden State Orange Green Pink
2019 2024
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For context, the table below lists a selection of bus operators in the Los Angeles region. There are many factors that influence both productivity and operating expenses. In general, the trend in the region has been significantly increasing operating costs from contractors while productivity remains flat or in some cases still low compared to 2019. Smaller local city circulator networks typically have a lower productivity compared to large regional transit operations that cover the densest areas of the region. Glendale, Montebello, Norwalk, Pasadena, and Torrance are good peer agencies in the region which operate mostly local service in their community and range in productivity from about 8 to 18 passengers per revenue hour.
Table 1 - Productivity and Operating Expenses, Los Angeles Regional Bus Operators Agency 2024 Fixed Route Productivity
(Passengers per revenue hour)
2024 Operating Expense per
Revenue Hour
Alhambra (ACT) 13.6 $68.79
Arcadia Transit 2.0 $97.35
Culver City Bus 21.9 $219.99
Gardena (GTrans) 24.3 $270.23
Glendale Beeline 8.3 $137.33
LADOT (DASH only) 21.2 $133.18
Metro (LACMTA) 33.7 $217.05
Montebello Bus Lines 17.9 $206.36
Norwalk Transit 13.8 $188.44
Pasadena Transit 16.8 $113.93
Torrance Transit 13.8 $208.42
Santa Monica (Big Blue Bus) 20.0 $206.18
Source: National Transit Database Agency Profiles, 2024 While BurbankBus is neither the lowest nor highest in terms of fixed route productivity, there are always opportunities to improve total ridership and productivity. Generally, for a city of Burbank’s size, land use density and diversity, and a relatively grid-like street network, well-designed bus routes should be able to achieve over 10 passengers per revenue hour , and ideally much higher. 110
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Ridership Detail by Time of Day and by Stop
BurbankBus attracts most of its riders during the morning and afternoon peak periods, which is also when both routes run the most often. Ridership in the middle of the day is very low, which can be both because demand is lower and because service runs less often. Other transit services around the country have seen more growth in midday ridership when midday service frequency is improved.
Figure 4 - Average Daily Boardings by Hour
Source: GMV Syncromatics, 2025 (BurbankBus Portal)
The map below (Figure 5) indicates the level of daily activity (boardings and alightings) at stops on each route. All stops see at least some activity periodically, and the larger circles indicate where the major anchors for each route are.
On the Orange Route, many riders connect to and from the Metro and other bus services at the North Hollywood station, and there are strong patterns at the airport and the intersection of Buena Vista Street and Empire Avenue (the closest stop to the Empire Center). Other stops are used relatively infrequently daily, with several in the “less than 2 daily riders” category.
On the Pink Route, there are similar major anchors at the Universal City B Line station and the Downtown Burbank train station, with the main destination between being the Media District and studios area. Stops along Olive Avenue are more regularly used than many stops on the Orange Route.
0.0 5.0
10.0 15.0
20.0 25.0
30.0 5 AM 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 PM 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 PM
Total Pink Orange
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Figure 5 - Average Daily Stop Activity (Boardings and Alightings)
Source: GMV Syncromatics, 2025 (BurbankBus Portal)
Connecting Services
As noted in the stop-level ridership maps, BurbankBus relies heavily on connections to other transit services at the North Hollywood, Universal City, and Downtown Burbank stations. The Metro B Line subway, G Line bus, and Metrolink regional commuter rail trains are some of the most significant connections, and Metro, LADOT, and Glendale Beeline are other regional bus operators with connections at these stations and along other portions of each route.
Notable routes providing regular all-day connections across the region include:
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Table 2 - Local and Regional Route Frequencies and Key Destinations Operator/
Route
Weekday
Frequency
Saturday
Frequency
Sunday
Frequency Key Destinations
Metro B Line 12-20 12-20 12-20 NoHo Station, Hollywood and Highland, 7th St/Metro Center, Union Station
Metro G Line 6-20 10-20 10-20 Chatsworth Station, Reseda Station, NoHo Station
Metro 90 20-60 30-60 30-60 NoHo Station
Metro 94 12-60 20-60 20-60 NoHo Station
Metro 152 10-60 20-60 20-60 West Hills Med Center, NoHo Station Metro 154 60 60 60 Sepulveda G Line Station, NoHo B Line Station, Burbank Station
Metro 155 60 60 60 Burbank Station, NoHo Station
Metro 162 15-60 20-60 30-60 West Hills Med Center, NoHo Station Metro 169 30-60 60 60 Canoga Station, West Hills Med
Center, RITC
Metro 222 30-60 60 60 Hollywood/Vine, Universal City/Studio City Station, RITC
Metro 224 15-60 20-60 20-60
Hollywood and Highland, Universal
City/Studio City Station, Sylmar
Station, Olive View Med Center
Metro 294 30-60 30-60 30-60 Burbank Station, Sylmar Station Metro 240 10-20 15-20 15-20
CSUN Transit Center, Reseda G Line
Station, Universal City/Studio City
Station
Metro 501 20-30 40 40 NoHo Station, Del Mar Station
Glendale
Beeline 12 10-35 0 0 Glendale Train Station, Burbank Train Station
Source: Agency published data, 2025
LADOT, Santa Clarita Transit and other regional operators also provide some limited express and commuter bus services in the area, primarily to the North Hollywood station. LADOT Commuter Express 549 includes a stop in Burbank.
Who Might Benefit from Better Access to
Transit?
To understand who would gain the most from improved transit in Burbank, we looked at local demographics, travel patterns, and community input. This included identifying residents and workers who are more likely to rely on transit, such as people without access to a car, those with lower incomes, seniors, youth, and employees traveling to major job centers, also known as a “travel 113
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propensity” analysis. We also used Replica travel-pattern data, which combines multiple anonymized sources to show where and when people travel, helping us see which neighborhoods and corridors could benefit from more frequent, direct, or better-connected service.
Community Characteristics and Transit Indicators
According to Census American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates, Burbank has a total population of 105,165 with a median household income of $95,816. About 54% of residents are white non-Hispanic. People of Hispanic or Latino origin are estimated to be about 25% of the population, people of Asian heritage are approximately 12%, Black non-Hispanic people about 3% and people of two races or more are about 5%. Generally, most households in Burbank have access to at least one car; only 8% of households have zero vehicles.
Burbank is home to 153,621 jobs, many of which are clustered into three job centers, most notably the Media District which is home to Warner Bros., Disney, and the Burbank studios. A second job center surrounds the Hollywood Burbank Airport and areas immediately to the east, and the third surrounds downtown Burbank and the areas east of Victory Boulevard. Along major boulevards throughout the city are more local neighborhood-serving retail and other businesses.
One means to identify where opportunity for transit exists is to develop a transit propensity map. This map incorporates demographic and travel characteristics that tend to predict transit ridership. Areas where transit propensity is highest represent the greatest concentration of these variables and are areas we should expect transit to attract the most riders. Successful transit connects areas of both high and low transit propensity in a network, or along a corridor of high propensity.
The variables used for this analysis are shown below. The weighting was previously developed specifically for local-serving transit in the Los Angeles region and emphasizes zero-car households and lower household incomes, which are strong predictors for transit riders. Density of young people (under age 18) is also a strong predictor, as they are less likely to have the ability to drive. Also included in the transit propensity index is the “trip density” which incorporates the total number of trips (to anywhere) generated from a given Census block group as estimated by Replica.
Table 3 - Transit Propensity Variables and Associated Weight Variable Weight
Zero-vehicle Density 17%
Low-income Density 16%
Youth Density 12.3%
Trip Density 9.4%
Population Density 9.4%
Senior Density 9.4%
Disability Density 9.4%
College-aged Density 6.6%
Minority Density 5.7%
Job Density 4.7%
Source: Fehr and Peers
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The map below shows the results of the transit propensity analysis. Note that a propensity index is always developed relative to the study area. In this case, the study area includes all tracts inside the City of Burbank as well as within two miles of the border. Transit propensity scores only indicate where we should expect to attract the strongest ridership, not necessarily actual ridership outcomes. Areas on the map with the darkest shading have the highest values in the service area across all the weighted variables, and areas with no shading have the lowest values.
Figure 6 - Transit Propensity Index for Burbank and Surrounding Census Tracts
Source: Fehr and Peers
Zones nearest to downtown and along Glenoaks Boulevard have the highest propensity score in the study area, corresponding with the higher density and variety of land uses and economic activity in the area. Another area that scores relatively high is the neighborhood west of the Media District, west of Pass Avenue to Clybourn Avenue. Much of the rest of Burbank falls in the mid-range of the 115
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propensity index. How to connect these areas to high-propensity areas is further informed by the travel pattern analysis with Replica data in the following section.
Planned Developments
The project team considered how specific plans and transportation projects in Burbank will influence future transit demand. These projects could reshape travel patterns, create new transit demand, or require service adjustments to maintain strong mobility options for the community.
The map below shows where new housing, employment centers, station upgrades, and multimodal enhancements align (or do not yet align) with current BurbankBus coverage.
The map below shows three clear concentrations of future residential development: the Golden State, Downtown Burbank, Rancho Neighborhood, and the Media District. It’s important to note that several of these developments have been approved without requiring off-street parking, increasing the importance for providing a nearby, high-quality transit service.
Figure 7 - BurbankBus Existing Conditions
Source: City of Burbank
The project team also reviewed other planned improvements, such as new transportation projects and planning documents to understand where the City hopes to direct future growth and what transportation improvements might introduce opportunities for integration. The chart below provides a summary of those projects and plans and highlights their implications for the BurbankBus COA.
Several projects are planned to improve regional transit connectivity to Burbank with limited stops at central locations like the train station or the Media District, which create further opportunity for future BurbankBus routes to provide first/last-mile connections to neighborhoods and local businesses. 116
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Table 4 - Future Infrastructure Improvements, City of Burbank Project Name Geographic
Focus Key Elements Implications for BurbankBus
Golden State
Specific Plan
(Draft)
Empire
Corridor;
Hollywood
Burbank
Airport
• Improve district-wide
accessibility by providing safe
opportunities for walking,
biking, and transit.
• Facilitate mixed-use and
residential neighborhoods that
provide increased access to
most daily necessities and
services.
Leverage the District’s
transportation assets—
Hollywood-Burbank Airport,
Metrolink, Metro Bus,
BurbankBus, and the future
High-Speed Rail station—with
supportive land uses and
multi-modal connections.
Rancho
Neighborhood
Specific Plan
(Draft)
South of
Burbank,
proximity to
the LA
Equestrian
Center (LAEC)
and Griffith
Park
• Incorporate City’s Complete
Our Streets Plan Equestrian
Design Guidelines
• Evaluate a potential historic
district and/or equestrian
overlay
Make it easier and safer to get
around the Rancho for all
modes, ages, and abilities,
including by equestrian travel.
Metro
NoHo to
Pasadena BRT
Olive Ave
Corridor,
Media District,
Downtown
Burbank
• 5 proposed BRT stations
• Side/mixed/curb-running lanes
• Station amenities, Transit
Oriented Development (TOD)
focus areas
Supports TOD, enhances
transit speed and reliability,
creates integration points for
BurbankBus with Metrolink
and regional BRT network.
Metrolink
Strategic
Business Plan
Downtown
Burbank &
Hollywood
Burbank
Airport–South
Stations
• Two key Metrolink stations in
Burbank (Downtown and
Airport–South) are being
upgraded and integrated into a
high-frequency, all-day rail
network.
• Service frequency upgrades
• TOD/station access
enhancements
Boosts train frequency,
supports multimodal
transfers, reinforces
BurbankBus role at Downtown
Station.
Media District
Specific Plan
(Draft)
Olive Ave,
Alameda Ave,
Riverside Dr,
Pass Ave
• New jobs and housing units
• Bikeways, widened sidewalks,
transit hub
• Studio-adjacent intensification
Provides opportunities for
route coordination, TOD-
supportive land use, and
first/last mile improvements.
Burbank2035
Mobility
Element
Citywide
corridors,
Metrolink
station areas
• Mode shift targets
• Multimodal corridor redesign
• Transit, bike, ped
enhancements
Guides long-term BurbankBus
expansion, corridor
integration, and first/last mile
investments.
Greenhouse
Gas Reduction
Plan (2022)
Downtown,
Media District,
Golden State
• 26 GHG strategies
• TOD and density incentives
• Transit and bike infrastructure
support
Elevates BurbankBus as a key
climate solution; reinforces
need for electric fleet and
land use integration.
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Project Name Geographic
Focus Key Elements Implications for BurbankBus
Downtown
Burbank TOD
Specific Plan
(Draft)
Downtown
Core, Civic
Center,
Metrolink area
• New housing units
• Mixed-use nodes and
pedestrian zones
• Metrolink access
improvements
Creates future BurbankBus
ridership, justifies frequency
increases, supports cross-
town service redesign.
BurbankBus
Zero Emission
Bus Rollout
Plan
Citywide transit
network
• BEB transition by 2040
• $22M cost with phased
implementation
Requires infrastructure
investment, ensures
regulatory compliance, offers
fleet modernization
opportunities.
Source: Fehr and Peers
Where People Are Trying to Go
To better understand how people move around Burbank and where transit could play a stronger role, we also reviewed data on real-world travel activity. This helps us see where trips are happening today and identify locations where improved or redesigned bus service may better match how the community actually travels. One of our primary sources for that analysis is Replica data.
Replica is a “big data” tool that estimates real-world travel patterns and shows where people begin and end their trips—using anonymized, modeled travel behavior to help identify major activity centers and transit opportunities. Replica is a travel model, so it provides valuable insights but should not be the sole source of decision-making for planning and may not always reflect what we assume or observe in the real world.
The key questions that are the most effective for identifying potential transit opportunities are:
• Where are there major mixed-use or non-residential centers with the highest level of trip activity?
• From these identified “major centers,” where are corridors or clusters of high origin travel activity that could be captured by existing bus routes or modified routes? • Are there corridors or clusters of travel activity that are underserved or unserved by existing or planned transit?
• For any of these travel analyses, what are the times of day travel is busiest, and is the activity weighted towards only certain hours or consistent throughout the day? • What are the trip purposes for people traveling to these centers? To plan for successful transit, we consider these travel pattern data indicators alongside the existing transit performance and local demographics to understand the potential of transit opportunities.
1. Are the existing routes attracting reasonable ridership given the population density, demographic characteristics, and strength of the travel patterns within the service area?
2. For existing routes that are not capturing as much ridership as desired, do the travel patterns align with the route service area? Are the travel activity levels lower or higher than other 118
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service areas nearby that attract more riders? Are there other indicators of what might be affecting ridership?
3. After evaluating these questions, are there corridors where travel patterns are not served by any existing transit route that would represent a “gap” where travel volumes, demographics, and community input indicate there is a need?
Analysis
Our team analyzed data from Replica to understand where people are going. Unless otherwise noted, the source for all following data are Replica estimates for the Fall 2024 “Thursday” which represents a typical weekday in the model. Each section describes the origin and destination settings, which vary depending on the analysis. Each uses all modes, unless otherwise noted. Fehr & Peers developed the maps provided (unless otherwise noted) and interpretation of the data.
Step 1: Identify Major Centers
Where are the clusters of trip origins for travel beginning and ending in Burbank? This step measured trips with both an origin and a destination within the city limits. This identifies block groups of the highest absolute trip activity that we might serve with local transit – they represent anchors where transit service is expected to be the most concentrated. We can also distinguish corridors or areas of high activity from areas of lower activity.
The highest zones of activity are three clusters that we classify into:
Downtown Burbank, which includes block groups roughly south of Burbank Boulevard to Providencia and east of I-5 to Sixth Street with a cumulative 32,400 daily trips. The zone could be extended to include south to Alameda Ave, which is also a high activity zone, but mostly includes Ikea and Home Depot which are high traffic generators but not strong transit anchors.
The Empire Corridor which extends west of Victory Place to Hollywood Way, between San Fernando and Vanowen with a cumulative 23,600 daily trips.
The Media District which extends south of Oak Street to the Los Angeles River, between Hollywood Way and Parish Place just east of the Disney Studios, with a cumulative 20,500 daily trips.
Trip activity across the rest of the city varies but is significantly lower per block group, as the predominant land use is residential with corridor-based, local-serving retail or other non-residential uses. These represent the areas to connect to the major centers. 119
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Figure 8 – Trip Concentrations by Block Groups for All Trips Beginning and Ending in Burbank, with Existing BurbankBus Routes
Source: Replica, Fall 2024 estimates; Fehr & Peers
Step 2: Analyze Major Centers to Other Neighborhoods in Burbank Selecting just the block groups that comprise the Major Centers, we mapped and evaluated travel between these areas and other parts of the city. This includes all travelers, even if the trip is being made by someone who doesn’t necessarily live in Burbank (although it will predominantly represent residents).
The maps in this section show the total number of trips to each zone, with the darkest color corresponding to at least 1,900 daily trips. Above that range, the highest trip destination zones vary 120
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depending on the analysis between 4,500 and 7,100 daily trips. There is no definitive way to relate total trip activity measured in Replica to potential ridership of a transit service; at this stage of a market analysis, what matters most is identifying areas of the highest travel activity and considering the potential benefits of linking those with other nearby zones.
Each zone is mapped below individually and showing the trip purposes for travelers to that zone.
However, there are some common characteristics among all three zones worth reviewing first.
Age of travelers is useful for identifying opportunities to attract different market segments; for example, youth and seniors are two groups who may use transit more often and are less likely to be able to drive. Alternatively, people aged 18-64 may be more likely to need work-oriented transit than service to other local destinations. In the three Major Centers identified in Burbank, the age distribution is relatively similar for each except that Downtown has a slightly higher proportion of travelers aged 65+ (17%) compared with the Empire Corridor and Media District (about 10-11% each), and the Empire Corridor has a smaller proportion of youth (2%) compared with Downtown and the Media District (about 5-6% each).
Figure 9 - Age of Travelers to Key Destinations
Source: Replica, Fall 2024 estimates; Fehr & Peers
Travel by time of day is important to guide when transit should begin and end for the day (span of service), and if there are times when increased frequency would be most valuable. The chart below shows this information for all three zones together. As shown, fewer than 500 tr ips per hour happen for any given zone before 6:00am or after about 9:00pm. Between those hours is the greatest opportunity for weekday service. Reflective of changing work patterns, even trips to the employment-centric Media District ramp up steadily until 3:00pm. The highest period of travel for Downtown and the Empire Corridor is late afternoon and early evening. -
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
Downtown Burbank Empire Corridor Media District
Under 18 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
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Figure 10 - Trips to Major Centers, by Time
Source: Replica, Fall 2024 estimates; Fehr & Peers
Figure 11 - Trips from Major Centers, by Time
Source: Replica, Fall 2024 estimates; Fehr & Peers
0 500
1000
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Downtown Empire Corridor Media District
0 500
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Trips departing Major Centers tend to start later (especially the Media District) and are more spread throughout the day. Trips leaving the Media District taper off quickly after 6:00 pm while Downtown and the Empire Corridor still have greater than 1,000 departures per hour through 8:00 pm.
Altogether, the time-of-day analysis supports regular, all-day transit frequency serving these areas between 6:00am and 6:00pm, with service through 9:00pm more likely to benefit Downtown and the Empire Corridor. Service after 9:00pm may be beneficial (especially as these areas are not the only locations any transit would serve), but ridership is likely to be significantly lower by this time.
Trip purpose is important to consider for each zone individually and can affect the type of transit opportunity and operating hours. A highly employment-focused area is most likely to attract most of its ridership in the morning and afternoon and less at any other times. An area with a diversity of land uses will attract more trip purposes and is more likely to attract ridership throughout the day. The chart below compares the trip purposes by Major Center. Unsurprisingly, shopping is highest for the Empire Corridor and Downtown, while “Work” is much higher for the Media District. The “Home” trip purpose is strongest for Downtown which reflects the greater mixed use and residential land uses in that area compared to the other two zones.
Figure 12 - Trip Purposes by Major Center
Source: Replica, Fall 2024 estimates; Fehr & Peers
Lastly, it is helpful to understand the current transportation modes people use, to put in context both how much transit ridership might be expected and to frame how much opportunity there truly is to grow ridership. According to the Replica estimates for all trips to each of the major centers, public transit in 2024 represented only 1% or less. Driving, unsurprisingly, is the predominant mode. Walking trips range from about 23-27% with Downtown and Media District higher than the Empire Corridor zone.
0 2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
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With a robust transit network operating frequently throughout the day and evening, there is great potential to attract some walking trips and many driving trips that are circulating in town. However, the existing regional bus network is heavily centered on Downtown Burbank with a range of relatively frequent routes radiating out in most directions operating most of the day and yet only appears to capture a small portion of travel even there.
Figure 13 - Trips to Major Centers by Mode
Source: Replica, Fall 2024 estimates; Fehr & Peers
Step 3: Analyze Regional Travel Opportunities
Beyond serving local trips for residents, workers, and visitors, BurbankBus can serve as the “first/last- mile” connection between regional rapid transit and local destinations. This step of the Replica analysis examines the opportunities for the Media District connecting to the wider region, the Hollywood-Burbank Airport, and the potential for service integration to and from the City of Glendale.
Media District Access to the Region
The Replica analysis indicates that about 46,700 daily trips are made to the Media District zone from across the region excluding Burbank. While there is no significant concentration in any given neighboring city or neighborhood that indicates a clear direct transit opportunity, the large number and wide distribution of trips do suggest that the best opportunity is for BurbankBus to continue connecting the Media District to regional transit centers both at Universal Studios and at the Downtown Burbank Metrolink station. As the Metro regional rail network continues to expand for the foreseeable future, this transit connection will only grow in importance. -
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
Downtown Burbank Empire Corridor Media District
Other/Unknown Mode Driving Taxi, TNC, Other Walking + Biking Public Transit 124
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One consideration for this travel market is the future completion of the planned Metro NoHo - Pasadena BRT line, which is intended to operate through Burbank on Olive Avenue, similar to the Pink Line. However, the Pink Line offers more local stops than the planned BRT will, so these are not necessarily conflicting or competing services.
Hollywood-Burbank Airport Access and Regional Connectivity The Hollywood-Burbank Airport is another important regional destination, currently served by the BurbankBus and several Metro bus routes, with connections to the Metro B Line station at North Hollywood. The Airport (including all trips, not only flying travelers) is estimated to generate approximately 17,700 daily trips from across the region excluding Burbank, and about 1,500 trips from within Burbank. With less than half the daily trip generation of the Media District, the daily travel from around the region is widely dispersed and very low from any given Census tract. However, by the nature of air travel and landside employment, maintaining regular, all-day transit access to the airport is likely still beneficial. The connection to the North Hollywood station is the most logical as it offers the broadest access to the region within an hour’s travel time given the number of routes and frequency of service there. BurbankBus service from North Hollywood should have at least a similar frequency as the rail service to be as attractive as possible for airport passengers.
Burbank and Glendale Integration
As discussed, Metro is planning for a new NoHo-Pasadena BRT line that would include stops in Glendale and Burbank. Additionally, the City of Glendale’s Beeline transit service offers at least one route into the City of Burbank serving the Downtown Metrolink station. Potential integration and connections with both the BRT and Glendale Beeline services can be considered using Replica. This analysis differs from the above studies by explicitly removing areas that will be served by the BRT line and only examining travel between the two cities where the BRT line would not directly serve. This tells us where there is opportunity for BurbankBus or Glendale Beeline to make direct connections that do not have significant overlap with the planned BRT, given the level of investment in that project. It also identifies opportunities for BurbankBus to potentially serve a first/last-mile connection to BRT stops in the City of Burbank.
Based on the following two maps, there is likely benefit for BurbankBus to fill a role in connecting to the BRT for enhanced options to the north of Downtown and Empire Corridor areas, and perhaps along Buena Vista. This area is not served by any existing north-south transit service and would represent the clearest gap in the transit network for BurbankBus to fill, although volumes for most tracts along Buena Vista are much lower than other areas in the city. However, most other areas of opportunity are already covered by existing transit routes.
There are fewer clear opportunities for BurbankBus and Glendale Beeline to offer more direct service connections. There is some more intensity of travel in the neighborhoods east of Glenoaks Boulevard on either side of the city border which could be an opportunity. Glendale Beeline currently has two bus routes going to Burbank, Route 7 along Glenoaks Boulevard and Route 12 that ends at Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station.
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Figure 14 - Origins and Destinations of Trips from Glendale to Burbank
Source: Replica, Fall 2024 estimates; Fehr & Peers
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Figure 15 - Origins and Destinations of Trips from Burbank to Glendale
Source: Replica, Fall 2024 estimates; Fehr & Peers
Together, the travel-pattern analysis revealed clear themes about where people in Burbank are most frequently traveling and where the current transit network does—or does not—support those trips. By identifying Downtown, the Empire Corridor, and the Media District as the city’s three major activity centers, and by mapping how residents travel to and from these hubs throughout the day, the analysis pointed to important opportunities for more direct connections, better north –south service, and stronger links to regional transit. These findings helped shape our initial ideas about how BurbankBus could be improved.
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However, data alone cannot fully capture the lived experience of riders, workers, and residents. To ensure that our recommendations reflect community needs and priorities, the next step of the study involved hearing directly from the people who use —or want to use—BurbankBus. The following section summarizes what we learned through surveys, workshops, ride-alongs, stakeholder interviews, and public mapping tools, and how this feedback guided the development of our service recommendations.
What We Heard from the Community
Public engagement was a central component of the BurbankBus COA, ensuring that the study reflected not only travel data and system performance but also the priorities of the community.
Engagement took place in two phases, each playing a distinct role in shaping the findings and recommendations.
Phase 1 engagement focused on listening. Through surveys, an interactive online map, stakeholder and transit-provider interviews, operator feedback, and on-board observations, we gathered a detailed understanding of how people move around Burbank, what currently works well, and where they feel the transit system falls short. This early feedback highlighted consistent themes which directly informed the travel market analysis and the initial set of draft concepts.
Phase 2 engagement shifted toward validating and refining. After developing route recommendations grounded in Phase 1 input and the travel data analysis, the project team returned to the community to share what we had learned and to gather feedback on the proposed service changes. This phase included a stakeholder meeting, a pop-up event at the Burbank Farmers Market, and various demographic specific meetings where participants reviewed the concepts, discussed tradeoffs, and helped identify which improvements should be prioritized. Input from these activities confirmed the direction of the recommendations and provided important details such as connections and phasing preferences
Phase 1 Engagement
The project team completed the first phase of community engagement for the BurbankBus COA between February and April 2025. This phase focused on understanding challenges and opportunities from a variety of perspectives—including the general public, stakeholders, BurbankBus operators, and peer agency staff—while gathering information and feedback on how people move around the city, what is working well, what can be improved in the current transit system, and their aspirations for the future system. Feedback collected during this phase informed the system redesign recommendations.
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A full list of phase one engagement activities is provided below:
Table 5 - Phase 1 Engagement Activities
Activity Audience Date
BurbankBus Operators Meeting Bus Operators January 14, 2025 Survey General Public Feb 2025 - May 2025
Interactive Online Map General public Feb 2025 - May 2025 Stakeholder Meeting Local leaders, Business Representatives, Service Providers March 4, 2025
Transit Providers Meeting
LA Metro, Glendale Beeline, Metrolink,
Santa Clarita Transit, Antelope Valley
Transit Authority
April 16,2025
On-board Observations General public April 28, 2025
Source: Fehr and Peers
Across all engagement activities, the community consistently prioritized better connections to other transit services and maintaining airport access. Many also emphasized the need for service to Downtown Burbank, new service on Buena Vista Street, longer operating hours, and expanded coverage to Magnolia Park.
Stakeholders highlighted two key priorities: improving marketing and awareness of BurbankBus and addressing reliability and on-time performance, especially for Metrolink connections. They also expressed interest in serving more areas of the city, including east of I-5, Downtown, Magnolia Park, and major retail or social-service destinations.
Transit providers echoed the importance of maintaining airport service, noted interest in weekend service, and emphasized opportunities for stronger Metrolink coordination, particularly during off-peak periods.
Operators reinforced that the Pink Route is the strongest performer and should remain unchanged, while suggesting weekend service and improved marketing. They noted that the Orange Route’s loop design is inconvenient, recommending a bidirectional alignment and calling attention to unmet needs along Victory Place, Buena Vista Street, and north of I-5.
Survey respondents rated affordability and safety positively but identified major gaps in frequency, hours, and connectivity. Among current riders, only about one-third felt frequency and hours met their needs, with nearly 30% indicating these areas require major improvement. Many non-riders cited coverage limitations, slow travel times, and low awareness as reasons they do not use BurbankBus. Desired improvements included better access to Downtown, Magnolia Park, and the airport; more frequent and weekend service; stronger Metrolink integration; and clearer wayfinding and rider information.
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The top ideas that arose through the community engagement process are outlined in the table below:
Table 6 - Phase 1 Engagement Key Takeaways
Input
BurbankBus
Operators
Transit
Providers
Stakeholders
General Public
Add service to Downtown Burbank ● ● ●
New Bus Service East of I5 ● ●
Bus Service on Buena Vista Street ● ● ●
Extend hours ● ● ●
Improve connection to other transit services ● ● ● ●
Improve marketing and awareness of BurbankBus Services ● ● Improve frequency of BurbankBus Services ● ●
Maintain Service to Burbank Airport ● ● ● ●
Add service to Magnolia Park ● ● ●
Improve wayfinding ●
Improve reliability and on-time delivery of service ● ● Improve service for school-aged children ●
Add service to N Victory Boulevard ●
Connect Downtown Burbank to the Airport ●
Fare and cost ● ●
Source: Fehr and Peers
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Interactive Map
One key feedback opportunity was the interactive map hosted on the Social Pinpoint website.
Respondents were able to drop pins in response to the following five categories:
• Bus Stop Suggestion
• Amenities Needed
• Visit Here Weekly
• I Visit Here Monthly
• Make Your Own
Figure 16 - Image of BurbankBus COA Website & Interactive Map
Source: Social Pinpoint, Fehr and Peers
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We analyzed each response category as a separate Geographic Information System (GIS) layer to understand spatial trends and inform proposed route alignments. This layered approach allowed us to integrate community feedback into the planning process and highlight areas with recurring engagement or unmet needs. A total of 217 responses were received across all categories.
One of the categories in the Social Pinpoint interactive map was “Bus Stop Suggestion.” Survey participants were invited to place pins on the map indicating locations where they would like to see new bus stops. We exported these responses into GIS and generated a heat map to visualize concentration patterns. In this heat map, darker areas represent higher densities of bus stop suggestions, while lighter areas indicate fewer suggestions. This visualization helped identify priority zones for potential transit improvements.
Figure 17 - Heat Map of Requested Stop Locations by Zone
Source: BurbankBus Social Pinpoint Survey Results, 2025 We grouped areas of the city into zones similar to the travel market analysis zones, while also considering land use and travel patterns. Because respondents could drop pins anywhere on the map, identifying precise locations of interest is difficult, which is why a heat map and zone approach can help elevate areas of interest.
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Through the zone approach, we identified the three zones with the highest number of bus stop requests: Residential Zone #1 (Buena Vista Street area), Residential Zone #3 (south of Downtown), and the Downtown Zone. These zones represent the most concentrated areas of demand. It is important to note that zone sizes vary, which may influence the number of requests observed in each area. Within the Downtown Zone, we recorded 17 requests, while Residential Zone #1 (Buena Vista Street area) accounted for 30 requests. Again, differences in zone size should be considered when interpreting these figures, as larger zones may naturally generate more suggestions. The Downtown Zone ranks as the third most requested area, with 17 responses. This reinforces Downtown’s significance as a priority location for potential bus stop improvements. Overall, there were 95 comments within the zones with 122 comments falling outside of the zones, for a total of 217 total comments. Areas of low interest included north and east of Downtown, west of Hollywood Way, and the “Residential Zone #2” triangle zone near Victory Boulevard.
Survey
The project team implemented a community-wide survey that was available in person and online. 543 people responded to the survey. Most participants identified as White (52%), followed by Hispanic or Latino/a/e respondents at 22%. Approximately 37% of respondents reported using transit as their primary mode of travel. Most respondents fall within the 25–65 age range, representing a broad working-age population. Among transit riders, 55% do not have access to a personal vehicle.
Income distribution among transit riders shows that 26% earn between $20,000 and $59,999 annually. In contrast, non-transit riders tend to have higher incomes, with 42% reporting annual earnings greater than $100,000. These findings highlight notable differences in mobility access and economic status between transit users and non-users.
Survey respondents also had the opportunity to provide additional comments in an open -ended format. We conducted a high-level thematic assessment of these comments to identify insights relevant to this study. It is important to note that quantifying qualitative data presents inherent challenges, as interpretation can introduce subjectivity. Therefore, the categories summarized and quantified should be viewed as indicative rather than definitive, serving as a tool to highlight recurring themes rather than precise measurements.
The open-ended survey responses revealed several recurring themes related to service improvements and desired destinations. The most frequently mentioned category was connections, with 90 comments emphasizing a desire for better integration with other transit services, more direct service, and addressing coverage gaps. Respondents also expressed interest in extended service hours (45 mentions) and improved frequency (30 mentions).
Awareness of existing services was another theme, with 29 comments suggesting that some riders are unaware of current offerings, particularly service to Burbank Airport (BUR). Further, 36 responses requested additional service to BUR, with many specifically asking for a direct connection from Downtown Burbank, the most common explicit new service request.
Destination-related feedback was significant. Downtown Burbank (48 mentions), Magnolia Corridor (42 mentions, including Buena Vista Street), Empire Center (32 mentions), and local high schools (32 mentions) were frequently cited as priority areas for expanded service. Additionally, 101 responses fell into an “Other” category, which included fragmented requests for destinations such as North Hollywood B Line, Universal/Studio City B Line, Burbank Town Center, Disney/Warner Bros, and Providence St. Joseph.
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Safety and cleanliness were noted in 21 responses. However, further details about what would specifically address safety concerns were not mentioned.
Key Takeaways
Phase 1 engagement provided a comprehensive understanding of community priorities and operational challenges for the BurbankBus system. Across surveys, stakeholder meetings, operator interviews, and transit provider discussions, several themes consistently emerged. Improving connections to other transit services and maintaining service to Burbank Airport were top priorities across all groups, underscoring the importance of regional integration and seamless transfers.
Additionally, expanding service coverage—particularly to Downtown Burbank, Magnolia Park, and along Buena Vista—along with extending operating hours and improving frequency were repeatedly identified as critical needs. These enhancements reflect a strong desire for a system that is more convenient, reliable, and responsive to evolving travel patterns.
Beyond service design, engagement highlighted the need for targeted marketing and rider education to address low awareness, as well as improvements in reliability to support Metrolink connections.
Operators reinforced the success of the Pink Line and cautioned against changes to its alignment, while noting opportunities for weekend service and addressing gaps on the Orange Line. Survey results validated these concerns, pointing to frequency, hours of operation, and connectivity as major pain points, alongside coverage limitations and lack of awareness. Open-ended comments further emphasized route design and service span as dominant issues, followed by affordability, physical stop amenities, and marketing. Together, these insights provide a clear roadmap for Phase 2: refining recommendations to address these priorities and re-engaging the community to validate proposed solutions.
While connectivity to other services was a frequent theme of input, this indicates two possible issues.
First, when considering the frequent comments about low awareness of BurbankBus offerings, people may also have low familiarity with the ability to connect with other transit services and BurbankBus.
Second, frequency and reliability could be an issue affecting connectivity, especially when it comes to Metrolink and MetroRail. In the case of Metrolink, on-time-performance of BurbankBus is important given the low frequency of commuter rail trains. Generally, BurbankBus has very strong connectivity to the regional transit network, with options to connect to most if not all the other transit providers in the city and at North Hollywood or Universal Studios. However, the survey results indicating how these connections function may be an important issue to address.
Phase 2 Engagement
During Phase 2, the project team returned to the community to share what we learned from the travel market analysis and the first round of engagement and to gather feedback on the draft service recommendations shaped by that work. This phase centered on two key outreach activities: a stakeholder meeting with representatives from local institutions and city departments, and a pop -up event at the Burbank Farmers Market where residents could react to the proposed route concepts in an informal setting. In addition, BurbankBus staff engaged various stakeholder-specific groups to introduce the recommendations and solicit feedback.
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Table 7 - Phase 2 Engagement Activities
Activity Date
Phase 2 Stakeholder Workshop January 27, 2026
Senior Citizen Board January 28, 2026
Pop-up at Burbank Farmers Market January 31, 2026
Youth Board February 4, 2026
Burbank Transportation Management Organization February 5, 2026 Burbank Chamber of Commerce February 19, 2026
Burbank Youth Leadership Program February 21, 2026
Source: Fehr and Peers
At the stakeholder workshops, the project team shared the findings from the transit market analysis and phase one engagement. They were then introduced to the “fully realized system” map, shown in Figure 18, which was the collection of recommendations informed by the data analysis and public input.
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Figure 18 - Recommended Route Changes Map
Source: Fehr and Peers, City of Burbank
Participants were then asked the following questions:
• What do you like about the proposed “fully realized system” or the specific route concepts? • What could be improved? (full system concept or route specific) • When funding becomes available, which concept should be implemented first (Orange or Buena Vista Route)?
To help frame the conversation, participants were asked to consider whether they wanted to prioritize filling gaps in the transit network or near-term ridership growth. Below is a chart of considerations that was shared with the stakeholder group. 136
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Table 8 - Route Concept Considerations
Route Opportunities Challenges
Conceptual Orange Route
• Strongest alignment with
travel market
• Offers new direct rides
between key destinations
• Empire Center itself could be
difficult to access
• Highest level of overlap with
existing Metro service
Conceptual Buena Vista Route
• Aligned with a moderate
travel market opportunity
serving neighborhoods
• Fills most significant gap in
existing transit service
• Large stretches of residential
neighborhoods may generate
less ridership
Source: Fehr and Peers
The stakeholders expressed alignment with the proposed route concepts. Most participants favored implementing the Orange Route extension first, citing its immediate ridership potential and broader citywide benefits, though some noted that the Buena Vista route would fill an essential gap for neighborhoods without transit today. Stakeholders also raised practical considerations—such as stop locations, pedestrian safety, connections to Metro Micro, and ensuring that the proposed system works well for major employers.
For the Burbank Farmers’ Market Pop-Up, the project team presented a series of boards that shared project background and goals, transit market and phase one community engagement findings, and the proposed route recommendations. Participants were invited to provide overall comments and prompted to share which improvement they would like to see come first. Pop-up participants expressed excitement about better access to the Airport and Downtown, improved service reliability, and the value of expanding into neighborhoods currently lacking transit options. There was strong interest in both routes, though there was slightly more interest in the changes to the Orange Route coming first.
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Figure 19 - Community Members Providing Feedback at Burbank Farmers Market Pop-up Event
Source: Fehr and Peers
Similar content was presented at the Burbank Transportation Management Organization (BTMO), Youth Board, and Senior Citizen Board meetings. These were informal discussions and gave specific stakeholder groups the chance to ask questions and digest the recommendations. Across all meetings, the stakeholders received the recommendations positively and shared no major red flags .
Across all activities, participants were generally supportive of the overall direction and agreed that the recommendations reflected the realities of travel in Burbank. Stakeholders noted that the findings aligned with what they observe day-to-day—particularly the strong demand for connections to Downtown, the Empire Center, the Airport, and the Buena Vista/Alameda area. Many were enthusiastic about the potential for the redesigned Orange Route to create more direct connections and for the new Buena Vista route to fill a north–south gap in service. Several also emphasized the importance of linking both routes to the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station and serving key employment areas such as the studios.
Together, this feedback helped validate the study’s findings, clarify community priorities, and strengthen the final recommendations by ensuring they reflect both data-driven analysis and lived experience. Phase two engagement showed that the community was interested in seeing all the recommendations implemented, but want to prioritize changes to the Orange Route if a phased approach was necessary.
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What We Learned
Over the course of this study, we combined data, on-the-ground observations, and community perspectives to understand how BurbankBus can better serve people who live and work in the city.
The travel market analysis clarified where trips are most concentrated and when they occur; the engagement rounds—surveys, workshops, ride-alongs, stakeholder meetings, and a pop-up at the Burbank Farmers Market—grounded those patterns in lived experience. Together, these inputs paint a consistent picture of where the network is strong today, where gaps persist, and what changes would make transit more useful, reliable, and easy to connect with. Several themes emerged through the process:
Three key destinations to link neighborhoods with. Three places stood out as Burbank’s anchors for daily travel: Downtown Burbank, the Empire Corridor, and the Media District. These activity centers generate significantly more trips than surrounding areas and remain active through most of the day, with Downtown and the Empire Corridor staying busy into the evening. This points to the value of all-day frequent service and later evening span where demand persists, and it helped focus our attention on linking these hubs.
Buena Vista Street is a gap in the community’s transit access. While east–west connections are relatively strong, the analysis highlighted a north–south gap—especially along Buena Vista Street— that limits convenient travel between the Empire Corridor, residential neighborhoods, and the Media District, as well as limits how much people who live near Buena Vista Street can access other transit routes. Addressing this gap emerged as one of the most consequential opportunities to improve citywide connectivity.
Future developments and projects support the need for improved local transit. Many redevelopment projects are planned around the same key activity centers above and in the southern neighborhood around Alameda Avenue that may depend even more on transit due to parking constraints.
The Pink and Orange routes perform differently. While both routes would benefit from increased ridership, the Pink Route is a stronger performer, linking Universal City, the Media District, and Downtown Burbank Metrolink. Given the planned Metro NoHo–Pasadena BRT in the same corridor, the right near-term posture is to preserve the Pink Route’s local role and “wait and see” how travel patterns shift after BRT launches before making major changes. By contrast, the Orange Route’s loop structure feels indirect and inconvenient for riders trying to connect among high-demand destinations; a more linear path that directly serves the Airport, Empire Center, Downtown, and Metrolink better matches how people actually travel today.
Community members support improved neighborhood connections to key destinations . Across both phases of engagement, people emphasized the same core needs: better connections to other transit (especially Metrolink), maintained airport access, more frequent service, longer hours (with interest in weekends), and coverage that clearly reaches Downtown, Magnolia Park, and Buena Vista.
Stakeholders and residents responded positively to the proposed direction, noting that the recommendations reflect day-to-day realities and employer needs, including safe, visible stop locations along key corridors like Alameda and stronger links to the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station. Participants also flagged opportunities to coordinate with Metro Micro to improve first/last-mile access.
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The City has trade-offs to consider in a phased implementation. Many community members favored implementing the Orange Route extension first, citing near-term ridership potential and broader citywide benefits. Others stressed the importance of launching the Buena Vista route early to fill the largest structural gap in the network and extend service to neighborhoods with fewer options today.
The overall tone was supportive of phased growth so long as the end state delivers both direct citywide connections and the missing north–south link.
Rider experience matters as much as alignment. Even where the network lines up with travel demand, awareness and reliability can still hold riders back. Non-riders frequently reported not knowing what BurbankBus already offers, and riders pointed to timetable mismatches that make rail transfers challenging—underscoring the need for clearer schedules and wayfinding, targeted marketing, and tighter schedule adherence alongside any service redesign.
The following section describes the recommendations informed by these findings.
Recommendations for a Better
BurbankBus
This section presents a coordinated set of improvements designed to elevate the BurbankBus system and position it for the future. Together, these recommendations update the City’s guiding service design policy and outline targeted route changes that respond directly to what we learned through the COA—how people travel today, where service gaps persist, and what the community says would make transit more useful. Grounded in data, shaped by public input, and aligned with industry best practices, these recommendations chart a clear path toward a simpler, more frequent, and better-connected network that improves mobility for residents, workers, and visitors across Burbank.
Service Design Policy
The City of Burbank previously adopted a service design policy to guide its planning decisions. An updated policy is offered that maintains the general approach with some refinements informed by this study:
1. Service should be frequent. Transit service is most successful when it is frequent. Frequent service offers more choice and flexibility for riders, which is essential to compete with driving. It improves reliability and does not require riders to consult with a schedule when catchin g a bus or making a connection because buses come often enough that wait times are minimized. Buses on all routes should arrive at least every 15 minutes during peak periods.
2. Service should operate all day. All-day service is necessary to serve the most trips. People will not ride the bus somewhere if there is not a return trip available later. Consistent service through the evening improves reliability and best serves residents and non-commute trips.
3. Service should be point-to-point. Transit services should operate in a direct way between major trip generators and should have a major transfer point at each end. Point-to-point service improves travel times by minimizing turns (which can slow a bus route) and focuses service on the corridors closest to the greatest opportunity.
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4. Service should connect to regional transit. BurbankBus serves as a local connection to regional transit, and it is important to maintain this regional connectivity so that employees traveling into Burbank, and residents traveling out of Burbank, can benefit from ongoing investments in regional transit.
Route Changes
Based on our analysis of travel patterns, public feedback, and upcoming changes to the regional transit network, this study recommends a set of coordinated improvements designed to make BurbankBus more reliable, useful, and directly connected to places people want to go. These recommendations build on what we learned about travel demand between Burbank’s major destinations—including Downtown, the Empire Center, and the Media District—as well as clear community interest in new connections along Buena Vista Street and east of I-5.
Taken together, these improvements would create a stronger, more complete bus system that addresses today’s needs while preparing BurbankBus for future demand.
1. Make the Orange Route More Direct and More Useful
The first recommendation is to refine and extend the Orange Route so it directly links the places with the highest levels of travel activity. Riders and bus operators stated today’s Orange Route loop is inconvenient and low-performing. The redesigned route would:
• Maintain service to the Hollywood Burbank Airport, adjusting for the new terminal location if needed.
• Provide more direct service to the Empire Center, one of the largest trip generators in the city. • Extend east to Downtown Burbank and the Downtown Metrolink Station, closing a gap in the network.
• Create a stronger connection point with the Pink Route for easier transfers between city destinations.
To support this new alignment, the Orange Route would run every 15 minutes during peak commute times and every 30 minutes during midday and late evening hours, Monday through Friday.
This improvement would provide the greatest immediate ridership benefit because it aligns most closely with Burbank’s demonstrated travel market and highest-demand centers. 141
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Figure 20 - Proposed Long-Term Orange Route Modification
Source: Fehr and Peers
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2. Create a New North–South Route on Buena Vista Street The second recommendation is to establish a new BurbankBus route along Buena Vista Street, addressing what has emerged as the most significant gap in the city’s current transit network. Most of the bus network in Burbank is oriented east-to-west, and there is no service on most of Buena Vista Street. Community feedback and travel data both identified Buena Vista Street as the clearest opportunity for new service.
The new route would:
• Connect two major activity centers—the Empire Corridor and the Media District—by providing a continuous, bi-directional north–south transit connection. • Serve residential neighborhoods that today have minimal or no access to local transit. • Extend service along Alameda Avenue, filling another service gap and providing better access to areas undergoing new development.
Service would operate every 20 minutes from 6:00am to 8:00pm, Monday through Friday.
This route would provide important equity and accessibility benefits by reaching neighborhoods that currently lack service. It also replaces the segment of Buena Vista service discontinued under the revised Orange Route.
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Figure 21 - Proposed Long-Term Buena Vista Route
Source: Fehr and Peers
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3. Monitor the Metro BRT and Adjust the Pink Route When Needed The Pink Route is currently the stronger performer in the BurbankBus system, serving major studios, residential areas, and key connections to the Universal City B Line Station and Downtown Burbank Metrolink. With the opening of Metro’s North Hollywood–Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line in the future, BurbankBus will have a new regional partner operating in the same corridor. Because it remains unclear how rider behavior will change once the BRT launches, the project teams recommend a “wait and see” approach.
The City should:
• Monitor ridership on the Pink Route once the BRT opens. • Maintain the current Pink Route schedule in the short term, including 15-minute peak service and reduced frequencies midday and evenings.
• If overlap with the BRT reduces the Pink Route’s regional role, refocus the route on local connections within Burbank while relying on Metro for longer-distance travel.
This approach preserves a successful route today while ensuring the City remains flexible as the transit network evolves.
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Figure 22 – Existing Pink Route & Proposed NoHo-Pasadena BRT Source: LA Metro, Fehr and Peers
4. Move Toward a “Fully Realized System” When Funding Allows Implementing all three recommendations—enhanced Orange Route, new Buena Vista Route, and an optimized Pink Route—would create a fully connected, three-route network that:
• Links the Empire Center, Downtown, the Media District, the Airport, and major residential areas with reliable service.
• Closes longstanding gaps on Buena Vista Street and Alameda Avenue. • Aligns closely with community feedback and top-requested stop locations. • Supports planned development areas expected to grow in the coming years. 146
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However, operating all three routes concurrently would exceed the City’s current transit budget by approximately $2.8 million per year (for weekday service only), requiring additional funding or phased implementation. A financial analysis of current and projected future services follows later in this report.
Figure 23 - Proposed BurbankBus Network
Source: Fehr and Peers, City of Burbank
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Implementation with a Phased Approach
Because funding may not be available to launch both new routes simultaneously, the City may need to decide between two strong options for the first phase:
A. Improve the Orange Route first to maximize near-term ridership and provide new direct connections between the most important travel hubs.
B. Launch the Buena Vista Route first to eliminate the most significant gap in the transit network and expand service to underserved neighborhoods.
While there are arguments in favor of either approach, stakeholders and community members surveyed during Phase 2 Engagement appeared to prefer improvements to the Orange Route as a priority over launching a new Buena Vista Route.
Near-Term Implementation (Stage 1)
Within the existing contracted service hours budget, BurbankBus could implement a modified Orange Route as a step towards its later full extension.
The near-term Orange Route modification would discontinue the one-way loop on Burbank Boulevard, Buena Vista Street, and Empire Avenue. Instead, the route would offer bi-directional service on Hollywood Way to the airport (including a provision for the new airport terminal ) and then proceed to a stop near to the Empire Center at the corner of Valpreda Avenue and Empire Avenue.
As with each concept, the exact routing is subject to change during testing and final implementation.
The project team considered an alternative route that uses Victory Place to reach Walmart and make a short turnaround loop within the Empire Center itself, but this option is likely less preferable due to conflicts with parking lot traffic.
The near-term modified Orange Route would operate between 6:00AM and approximately 9:00PM, Monday through Friday. Service would operate every 15 minutes between 6:00 and 8:30AM and again between 4:30 and 6:30PM, and every 30 minutes at all other times. If budget permits, peak service hours should be extended at least from 6:00AM to 9:00AM and from 4:00PM to 7:00PM, and at least 30-minute service operating until 10:00PM.
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Figure 24 - Proposed Near-Term Orange Route Modification
Source: Fehr and Peers
Extend Orange and Launch Buena Vista (Stage 2)
The fully realized network including a complete extension of the Orange Route to Downtown Burbank and the full version of the new Buena Vista route is the ultimate goal. Stage 3 assumes the full extension of Orange Route as envisioned east to Glenoaks Boulevard and to the Downtown Burbank Metrolink station via Flower Street, operating from 6:00AM to 10:00PM with 15-minute headways during the peak hours. The new Buena Vista route would be extended at this stage to its fully intended route north to Glenoaks Boulevard and Cohasset Street, operating every 20 minutes from 6:00AM to 9:00PM.
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Pursuing a Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) grant has strong potential for funding future expansion towards the fully realized network of three routes. The proposed full Orange Line extension and the new Buena Vista route would feature new connections to the Downtown Burbank Metrolink station, and would attract new riders both to BurbankBus and connecting rail and regional transit services.
Expand Service to Weekend Hours (Stage 3)
Currently, BurbankBus operates its fixed route service only on weekdays. Expanding service to weekends will enhance mobility for residents and visitors, while regional commuter riders are less likely to be a core market. Transit ridership on weekends is generally lower per revenue hour than weekdays, and most transit routes run lower frequencies and may begin the service day later in the morning and/or end earlier. On the other hand, weekend bus routes typically are faster throughout the day than weekday service, without the rush hour traffic congestion.
The recommended starting framework for weekend service is:
Saturday Sunday
Pink Route
Headway 30 30
First trip 7:30am eastbound 9:00am eastbound
Last trip 10:00pm westbound 8:00pm westbound
Est. vehicles 2 2
Orange Route
Headway 20 20
First trip 7:00am eastbound 8:30am eastbound
Last trip 10:00pm westbound 8:00pm westbound
Est. vehicles 5 5
Buena Vista Route
Headway 20 20
First trip 7:30am southbound 9:00am southbound
Last trip 10:00pm northbound 8:00pm northbound
Est. vehicles 2 2
The recommended frequencies and span are estimated based on the earliest and latest practical connections to Metrolink trains, and to provide service outbound from downtown late enough to support nightlife activity through Saturday evening. Any of these parameters should be adjusted at the time of implementation considering the available resources. The Pink Route is recommended to operate at 30-minute headways given it primarily serves a regional employment hub that is not active on the weekends, but it does provide connections for residents in the southern neighborhoods to Metro rail and Metrolink trains. Frequency could be increased to 20-minute headways with sufficient funding and community support. Frequency less than every 30 minutes is not recommende d. 150
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Implementation Assumptions by Stage
The table below illustrates the assumptions for each stage. The peak and off-peak headways refer to weekdays only; weekend service in Stage 3 would follow the description above . Cost estimates are conservative, especially for weekend service which was not road-tested and could potentially be operated at the proposed frequencies with fewer buses, depending on timing.
Table 9 - Route Change Recommendations by Stage
Current Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
Pink Route No change No change No change Add weekend
service
Peak Headway 15 15 15 15
Off-Peak Headway 30 30 30 30
Max. buses 6 6 6 6
Revenue Hours 12,170 12,170 12,170 14,240
Annual Cost (millions) $1.6 $1.6 $1.6 $1.85
Orange Route No change Near-term
realignment
Extend east to
Downtown
Metrolink
Add weekend
service
Peak Headway 15 15 15 15
Off-Peak Headway 30 30 30 30
Max. buses 4 5 6 6
Revenue Hours 9,030 8,850 15,700 24,530
Annual Cost (millions) $1.2 $1.2 $2.0 $3.2
Buena Vista Route Not operating Not operating Extend north to Glenoaks
Add weekend
service
Peak Headway - - 20 20
Off-Peak Headway - - 20 20
Max. buses 0 0 5 5
Revenue Hours 0 0 12,550 16,930
Annual Cost (millions) 0 0 $1.6 $2.2
Total Two routes Two routes Three routes Three routes
Max. buses 10 11 17 17
Revenue Hours 21,200 21,020 40,420 55,700
Annual Cost (millions) $2.8 $2.8 $5.2 $7.25
Source: Remix, Fehr and Peers
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Bus Stop Modifications
This section briefly reviews bus stop modifications to consider with the modification (both near and long-term) of the Orange Route and new Buena Vista route. No stop modifications are necessary for the existing Pink Route at this time. Many proposed bus stops on the new or modified portions of routes would require striping new red curb and reducing or relocating on-street parking. In a few instances on the Orange Route, existing bus stops would be relocated and could be converted to parking in exchange for red curb at the new location. Many stops on Alameda and Buena Vista would require implementing new red curb restrictions.
Table 10 – Bus Stop Modifications
Stop Name(s) North or Eastbound South or Westbound
Orange Route
Burbank & Clybourn No change No change
Burbank & Pass/Maple No change No change
Burbank & Hollywood Relocate stop to farside (after left turn) No change
Hollywood & Jeffries Add existing Metro stop No change
Hollywood & Victory Bl Add existing Metro stop No change Hollywood & Pacific Add existing Metro stop No change
Hollywood & Valhalla Add existing Metro stop No change
Hollywood & Thorton Add existing Metro stop Add existing Metro stop New BUR terminal Under construction
Winona / Ontario
New stop just beyond right turn to
Ontario. May affect on-street
parking.
New stop just beyond left turn
onto Winona. May affect on-street
parking.
Ontario & Thorton
Replaces existing stops on
Thorton. Locate new stop farside
on Ontario. May affect on-street
parking. Narrow sidewalk.
Replaces existing stops on
Thorton. Locate new stop farside
on Ontario. May affect on-street
parking. Narrow sidewalk.
Empire & Ontario Add existing Metro stop east of
Fairview Serve existing stop before turn.
Empire & Buena Vista
Add existing Metro stop nearside.
Consider implementing signalized
transit queue jump to get buses
back into through lane from EBR
pocket.
No change
Empire & Valpreda Add existing Metro stop Add existing Metro stop Empire & Grismer Add existing Metro stop Add existing Metro stop Amherst Dr / San
Fernando
New stop just beyond left turn,
between Carl’s Jr driveways. May
affect on-street parking.
New stop prior to right turn in
WBR turn pocket, or restripe 1-3
parallel parking spaces.
Glenoaks & Bethany Add existing Metro stop Add existing Metro stop 152
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Stop Name(s) North or Eastbound South or Westbound
Glenoaks & Fairmount Add existing Metro stop Add existing Metro stop Glenoaks & Cypress Add existing Metro stop Add existing Metro stop Glenoaks & Magnolia Add existing Metro stop Add existing Metro stop Glenoaks & Olive
Create new stop nearside
(appears potentially was a bus
stop in the past)
Create new stop farside at Library.
May affect on-street parking.
Glenoaks & Verdugo Add existing Metro stop
Create new stop, likely nearside
due to trees on farside corner.
Either location will affect on-street
parking.
Glenoaks & Providencia Add existing Metro stop Add existing Metro stop Glenoaks / Alameda Add existing Metro stop
immediately following right turn
Add existing Metro stop
immediately following left turn
Alameda & San Fernando Add existing Metro stop Add existing Metro stop Flower & Alameda Add existing Glendale Beeline
stop
Create new stop nearside of
Valencia. May affect on-street
parking.
Flower & Alameda Add existing Glendale Beeline
stop
Add existing Glendale Beeline
stop
Metrolink Station,
westside loop at Olive
overpass
No change No change
Buena Vista Route
Metrolink Station eastside
terminal at Front St No change No change
Verdugo & Ikea Way
New bikeway implementation
precludes a nearside stop without
further construction. Consider
farside stop with parking removal.
Add existing Metro stop
Verdugo & San Fernando Add existing Metro stop New farside stop.
Glenoaks & Providencia Add existing Metro stop Add existing Metro stop Glenoaks / Alameda Add existing Metro stop
immediately following right turn
Add existing Metro stop
immediately following left turn
Alameda & San Fernando Add existing Metro stop Add existing Metro stop Alameda & Lake Add existing Metro stop Add existing Metro stop Alameda & Victory
Nearside red curb is in WBR turn
pocket. Farside location would
affect on-street parking. Farside
configuration is preferred.
Nearside red curb is in EBR turn
pocket. However, nearside is
preferred over farside due to gas
station driveways.
Alameda & Main New stop on farside, red curb may
need to be extended ~20 feet
New stop, nearside unless
sidewalk modifications can be
made farside. Either location will
affect on-street parking.
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Stop Name(s) North or Eastbound South or Westbound
Alameda & Mariposa
New farside stopwith
modifications to on-street parking
and sidewalk parkway
replacement for boarding area
New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
and sidewalk parkway
replacement for boarding area
Alameda & Reese New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
Alameda & Keystone New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
Reactivate former nearside stop,
shelter still present
Alameda / Buena Vista Use existing stop after right turn onto Buena Vista
New farside stop after left turn to
Alameda. Alternatively consider
existing Disney Shuttle stop at
Lincoln farside. However, this
would be closest southbound stop
to Providence.
Buena Vista & Olive Use existing nearside stop Use existing farside stop Buena Vista & Verdugo
Nearside stop would be in NBR
turn pocket. Update signage to
permit buses to continue through
(right lane must turn right – buses
exempt). Sidewalk on farside is
narrow.
New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
Buena Vista & Clark New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
New stop, nearside unless
sidewalk modifications can be
made farside. Either location will
affect on-street parking.
Buena Vista & Magnolia New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
Nearside red curb is in SBR turn
pocket. However, nearside is
preferred over farside due to gas
station driveways.
Buena Vista & Chandler New farside stop New farside stop Buena Vista & Burbank New farside stop Use existing farside stop (current Orange Route)
Buena Vista & Jeffries
New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
and sidewalk parkway
replacement for boarding area.
Pedestrian crossing improvements
needed
New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
and sidewalk parkway
replacement for boarding area.
Pedestrian crossing improvements
needed
Buena Vista & Victory New farside stop Use existing farside stop (current Orange Route)
Buena Vista & Pacific
New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
and sidewalk parkway
replacement for boarding area.
Pedestrian crossing improvements
needed
Use existing farside stop (current
Orange Route). Pedestrian
crossing improvements needed
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Stop Name(s) North or Eastbound South or Westbound
Buena Vista & Empire New farside stop New nearside stop Buena Vista & Thorton New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
Buena Vista & Victory New nearside stop New farside stop Buena Vista & Winona New farside stop. May affect on-
street parking
New farside stop
Buena Vista & Tulare
New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
and sidewalk parkway
replacement for boarding area.
New nearside stop
Glenoaks / Buena Vista
New farside stop after left turn
with modifications to on-street
parking and sidewalk parkway
replacement for boarding area.
New stop at Frederic nearside
Glenoaks / Cohasset
New farside stop after left turn to
Cohasset with modifications to
on-street parking
Serve existing Metro stop after
right turn onto Glenoaks
Cohasset & Bloomington
New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
and sidewalk parkway
replacement for boarding area.
Pedestrian crossing improvements
needed
New farside stop with
modifications to on-street parking
and sidewalk parkway
replacement for boarding area.
Pedestrian crossing improvements
needed
N San Fernando / Lima /
Avon
Terminus stop proposed on San Fernando facing west, nearside of Avon. Requires modification of on-street parking.
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Marketing, Promotions and Partnerships
One significant strategy to improve any local transit ridership is to invest more in marketing and promoting the service and developing community partnerships. Transit cannot meet its full potential with a “set it and forget it” approach. Community members and stakeholders in the engagement phase also expressed this concern that many people may not be aware of BurbankBus or may not think of it as a choice available for their travel.
Branding and public information: BurbankBus already has its own branding and wordmark-style logo, but it would also benefit from a distinctive element that is welcoming to residents and conveys its mission to the public. There is great benefit in designing vehicles with more eye-catching styles, and using a consistent and modern visual approach in all related published materials .
A strong brand includes consistent use of color palette, typography, and iconography, and applying these elements across all touchpoints: vehicles, bus stop signage, shelters, maps, and digital platforms. Because these elements form the foundation for other improvements, brand development would best occur before implementing upgrades like enhanced bus stop signage and wayfinding.
Bus stop signage: Good signage can boost branding and communicate how to navigate a new or familiar space. BurbankBus stops generally have a sign that makes consistent use of the wordmark logo and indicates what route serves that stop.
Additional information—name of the stop, the direction of the route, the transit schedule for that location, and how to access real-time arrival information—should be provided at eye-level for riders.
Many transit providers now include a QR code for fast access to the service webpage. This information is present at some stops and should continue to be updated and maintained.
Wayfinding: Effective wayfinding helps users, especially new or infrequent riders, navigate to transit stops more easily and strengthens the overall user experience by making the system feel more intuitive and welcoming. Gateway signs are found at major points of entry to BurbankBus serving to both welcome individuals to the system and guide them through the various pathway options , and are typically used at places like connecting rail stations. They typically have more of both big-picture and detailed information about the transit service than a typical bus stop sign. Gateway signs are already in place at the Metrolink station (and may be in use elsewhere). These signs should be updated under the “Fully Realized System” scenario, where two of the three routes would serve one side of the Metrolink Station while the third would be on the opposite side of the tracks. With the Fully Realized System, establishing seamless connectivity between BurbankBus routes will become important.
In addition to physical wayfinding, digital wayfinding is now an essential strategy for public transit.
BurbankBus should continue publishing a high-quality GTFS feed following the latest Cal-ITP specification, and work with third-party vendors including Transit App and Google Maps to ensure the feed is accessible across a spectrum of user apps. This helps potential riders consider BurbankBus when they search for map directions.
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Ongoing Marketing and Engagement
Ongoing marketing and engagement keep s existing riders informed while encouraging potential, new riders to try BurbankBus. The key messages to convey by market segment are:
Who What To Promote
All Residents
BurbankBus routes are a safe and reliable way to get around the city and are open to all (not just seniors). Consider specific promotions:
• The modified Orange Route will expand opportunities for residents to reach BUR airport; cross-promote in conjunction with new terminal opening • The Buena Vista route will be the first time consistent neighborhood access is available connecting with Empire Center, Magnolia Park, Metrolink, and Downtown
• Following Fully-Realized implementation: Great option for high school students to reach John Burroughs, Burbank HS, and connect to after-school opportunities
Employees
who work in
Burbank
Cross-promote with schedule improvements on Metrolink service, Metro D Line extension opening, Metro NoHo-Pasadena BRT. Invest in regular partnership communications with major employers.
Tourists and
visitors staying
at hotels
Following implementation of Fully Realized System, most hotels in Burbank would have a direct linkage to Downtown. Opportunities to link hotel employees and visitors to the wider region via Metro Rail connections (Orange and Pink).
EXISTING MARKETING CHANNELS
Current marketing channels for BurbankBus include a city webpage, social media posts (through the City’s general social media channels), email-based listservs, and direct contact with strategic partners. These tools and channels are in line with best practices to keep existing riders informed about existing services, short-term system changes, and other initiatives. These channels are important to maintain to retain and reach more users and partners.
ENGAGING WITH EXISTING RIDERS
Consistent content production: Produce schedule updates and rider engagement (such as a monthly newsletter) on regular intervals. Schedule updates should generally be limited to once or twice a year at the same time of year; transit agencies often publish a new schedule in the late summer to adjust service schedules to local school bells, for example. Rider engagement strategies could include a monthly newsletter highlighting upcoming events that riders can attend (e.g. special events at the library, City festivals, free fare day, take the bus to school day). Consider working with the City’s public information staff to program regular social media updates.
Themed content: Creating clear themes for engagement can boost its effectiveness. For example, BurbankBus could create a monthly social media post that highlights the stories of transit riders, bus drivers, or representatives of establishments (e.g., business owners, community center leaders, etc.) along the fixed-route service lines. Other theme examples could be holiday content or service updates. Themes help City staff (or a contracted marketing team) plan ahead to deliver consistent content and build community around relatable ways people use transit in their daily lives and for special occasions. This approach also helps personalize service and showcases relatable, real examples.
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Facilitating dialogue: Feedback channels should offer riders of different ages and backgrounds an easy way to provide feedback on system performance and to communicate recommended improvements. These could take the form of inviting users to engage in the comments section of social media posts or a more formal channel like an online form, City email address, or in -person “office hours.” Offering clear and consistent responses is an important component of collecting feedback, as it creates a culture of transparency and encourages participation. Rider engagement and feedback through online channels should be integrated with traditional customer input databases.
EXPANDING RIDERSHIP
Transit providers must invest time in informing the community that their service is a great option for getting around. Improved BurbankBus service presents the perfect opportunity to reinvigorate interest in the community locally and expand awareness for visitors from around the region. To reach the fullest extent of potential new riders, consider these key market segments:
• Resident students and parents, schools, and after-school organizations • Resident seniors and senior-oriented programs and community organizations • Community-based organizations supporting people with special needs and neurodivergent populations, special interest groups, social clubs and more • Employers and employees in Downtown Burbank who would benefit from the newly expanded service
• Tourists and visitors to the region traveling through BUR airport, or on Metrolink and Metro regional rail
• Visitors staying in local hotels
• Patients, visitors and staff of the hospital and associated medical specialists in the city Each of these market segments, and potentially others, may need tailored messaging and different engagement techniques.
Multi-channel Targeted Marketing:
• Participate in and/or sponsor community events where crowds are drawn locally and regionally.
When possible, bring and park a transit vehicle for people to explore and have an operator available to welcome visitors and answer questions.
• Cross-promote service enhancements on regional routes (e.g., Metro, Glendale Beeline, Metrolink) to expand the audience of regular and occasional riders who directly benefit from improved transit connections. This could include working with their social media staff to work on a cross-promotional feature, purchasing interior “car card” advertising, and informational updates at public committee meetings.
• Conduct outreach to local school districts and after-school programs to promote service and seek input for improvements. Offer informational flyers and travel training workshops for parents or student programs.
• Connect with local businesses, entertainment venues, and community centers for promotional opportunities. Explore how the new span of service supports employees’ access to work or for general entertainment. Offer promotions for businesses to be featured “on the route” to riders and vice versa. Provide printed materials to these establishments. • Promote and provide incentives for current BurbankBus users to try new fixed routes; offer travel training through community organizations such as senior programs, libraries, schools/after -school programs, and local business associations.
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Partnerships: Take every opportunity to promote the transit service to City Council, at school events and fairs, adult education programs, community events, and more. Regular communication with the strategic partners that were engaged during the COA—like school district administrators, business representatives, after-school clubs, senior center program directors, and other community leaders — can help educate people about BurbankBus. Partnerships will recognize the importance of two principles:
1. The partnership offers benefits in both directions, and
2. The collaborative partnership is cultivated via some level of continuing interaction and exchange of information.
Where BurbankBus can offer something of value to their partners, this can build relationships and generate advocates. The value or benefit most readily offered is information and access. This can include:
• Information about the transit network (and improvements being made) • Free fare promotions for target groups (e.g., free youth fares) or bulk pass purchases • Special fare promotions for all ridership (e.g., free fares on Transit Equity Day or Earth Day) • General information on how to access public transportation • Specific information on how to use trip planning tools (i.e. Google, Transit App, etc.) Some ideas for BurbankBus partnerships include:
• Burbank Unified School District (BUSD) — Coordinate with school administrators and after-school program leads to share student-friendly route information, offer travel training, and provide materials for parents.
• Woodbury University — Work with student services and campus leadership to promote BurbankBus as a travel option, distribute route information during orientation, and explore bulk pass or subsidized fare opportunities.
• Burbank Senior Activity Center — Host travel training workshops and informational sessions that cover how to use BurbankBus, upcoming service changes, and trip-planning basics; organize group practice trips using the service.
• Major Studios (Warner Bros., Disney, etc.) — Collaborate with employer transportation coordinators on route promotion for employees, provide updates for internal newsletters, and explore opportunities for shared marketing during major studio events. • Burbank Chamber of Commerce — Participate in periodic forums with local businesses to discuss mobility needs near BurbankBus stops, share information about service improvements, and explore partnership opportunities for special events or seasonal promotions. • Visit Burbank + Local Hotels — Supply easy-to-use transit information (print materials, QR codes, maps) for hotel welcome packets, front desk staff, and tourism guides; highlight BurbankBus connections to Downtown Burbank, the Media District, BUR airport, and regional transit. • Burbank Parks & Recreation Department — Provide transit materials to youth programs, camps, and community classes; partner during city-sponsored events to offer travel guidance, service updates, or event-day transit promotions.
• Hollywood Burbank Airport (Bob Hope Airport) — Collaborate on traveler-friendly signage, QR codes linking to BurbankBus routes, and coordination during peak travel periods; share service information through airport communications and visitor channels. • Local employers and activity centers along the route network — Engage hospitals, retail clusters, and community facilities adjacent to Buena Vista, Orange, and Pink routes (e.g., Providence St. 159
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Joseph Medical Center, Downtown Burbank businesses, Magnolia Park shops) to distribute transit information and share service updates.
Performance Monitoring
An important aspect of implementation is monitoring performance over time. Too often, communities see “buses driving around empty,” and incorrectly interpret that there is no demand for transit. Low utilization does not necessarily reflect low demand. It may instead indicate that people are unaware of, or unable to use the service in its current form. These issues can be addressed directly.
When considering a route’s performance, the City should first confirm that the route’s design follows all appropriate industry-standard guiding principles, and that they have employed the marketing strategies described above. If these conditions are met, and the service still fails to attract sufficient ridership, it is reasonable to conclude that the service may be fundamentally underperforming, and more significant actions are warranted.
Minimum Performance Thresholds and Considerations for Fixed Routes The fixed-route services should expect the following outcomes at a minimum:
• Average daily productivity of at least 10 passengers per revenue hour • Peak ridership periods, typically falling between 7:00am to 9:00am, and between 2:00pm and 5:00pm; and at least a few riders per trip throughout the day, even if certain trips are significantly lower than peak periods
Performance Evaluation
The performance standards above describe a minimum threshold for evaluating routes or services for corrective action, but well designed and publicized routes should attract even more riders. If the minimum performance metrics are not being met, it is important to evaluate the causes and understand the context.
1. Monitor data regularly, focus on long-term trends: it will take some time for route adjustments to garner results. Initially, focus on engagement, marketing, and promotional efforts to ensure people are aware of the service changes and focus on messaging to new riders to try the service out.
2. Be responsive to existing and past customers, but avoid major swings in service changes too quickly. When making a planned service change, some longtime riders may offer critical feedback, and staff should balance making small tweaks to further improve the service against making big changes too soon.
3. If, after six to nine months ridership is not growing or changing as expected despite promotional marketing, consider:
a. How has the route’s connection to the regional rail network performed? Is the regional rail ridership declining? Are there other indicators that commuters and visitor/tourist activity is down?
b. Are there issues with service reliability? Perform ride-alongs on the routes to identify if there are locations where connections are being missed, traffic is holding up service, or other issues that would result in a poor experience.
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c. For routes serving more neighborhoods (Pink and future Buena Vista), is safe and timely access to schools accounted for? Is an adjustment to the schedule needed to better align with the bells?
d. How extensive has the reach for promotions been? Are businesses and services along the route aware and interested? Are there local organizations and day programs that understand the system and know how to access it?
Conclusion
The 2026 BurbankBus Comprehensive Operations Analysis provides a clear path toward a more efficient, equitable, and connected transit system for the City of Burbank. By integrating detailed travel market data, an assessment of planned development, system performance metrics, and robust community input, this study identifies where transit is most needed today and where demand is likely to grow in the years ahead. The findings highlight both the strengths of the existing network and the opportunities to better serve Burbank’s major activity centers, residential neighborhoods, and regional connections.
The recommendations—refining and extending the Orange Route, creating a new north–south route on Buena Vista Street, and monitoring future changes to the Pink Route —offer a pragmatic, phased strategy that aligns with demonstrated travel patterns and community priorities. Together, these improvements lay the foundation for a more direct, frequent, and accessible BurbankBus system that strengthens mobility for residents, workers, and visitors alike.
As the City moves toward implementation, continued coordination with regional partners, targeted marketing, and ongoing performance monitoring will be essential.
With thoughtful phasing and sustained community engagement, BurbankBus can evolve its network into one that supports the city’s long-term goals and enhances everyday travel for the people of Burbank.
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vanowen st.
sherman way
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strathern st.
vanowen st.
victory blvd.
victory blvd.victory blvd.
thornton ave.
pacific ave.
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universal
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pass ave.
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bob hope dr.
chandler bikeway
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hollywood way
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lake st.
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victory blvd.
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chandler blvd.
magnolia blvd.
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oak st.
keystone st.
california st.
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501, SC 757
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Burbank Transit Map
Effective January 2026
map legend
LA Metro Bus Line
LADOT Commuter Express
BurbankBus Orange Route
BurbankBus Pink Route
Metrolink Line
Bus Station
LA Metro B Line (Red)
LA Metro G Line (Orange)
Bus Station
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LA Metro Bus Line Number
Metro Bus Lines
A thick line shows a frequency of
15 minutes or better
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frequent service
ATTACHMENT 2
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ATTACHMENT 3 – PROPOSED ORANGE ROUTE EXTENSION
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ATTACHMENT 4 – PROPOSED NORTH-SOUTH BUENA VISTA
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ATTACHMENT 5 – PROPOSED ORANGE ROUTE MINOR SERVICE CHANGE (NO
EXTENSION)
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DATE: January 22, 2025
TO: Transportation Commission
FROM: David Kriske, Assistant Community Development Director, Transportation BY: Karen B. Pan, Transportation Services Manager
SUBJECT: Introduction of the BurbankBus Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA)
RECOMMENDATION
Provide feedback on the launch of the BurbankBus Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA).
BACKGROUND
Burbank has offered local fixed-route transit services since the 1990s primarily to connect the City’s residents and employees to the regional transportation network. The City’s transit service began as a limited peak -period connection between the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station and the Media District. In 2005, the service was rebranded as BurbankBus, and was expanded to bridge local transit service gaps, supplement the regional Metro bus network, and provide regional transfer opportunities with Metro Local, Metro Rapid (Orange Line), Metro Red Line, Metrolink, Amtrak, Glendale Beeline, Santa Clarita Transit, and Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) Commuter Express. BurbankBus also helps meet City Council’s transportation goals, which is to support an accessible, equitable and safe multimodal transportation network including pedestrian, bicycle, equestrian mobility, and increase use of public transportation.
BurbankBus offers two local fixed -routes with local multi -modal connections between regional transit facilities, offices, and commercial centers near the major employment areas of Burbank . The Pink Route runs from the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station along Olive Avenue through the Media District to the LA Metro Universal/Studio City Red (G) line station. The NoHo-Airport route starts at the LA Metro North Hollywood B (Red) and G (Orange Li ne) Station and runs east along Burbank Boulevard before heading ATTACHMENT 6
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2 counterclockwise to the Hollywood Burbank Airport and then back to the North Hollywood Station. There is no service on the weekends. (Attachment 1 for the map).
Since its establishment in 2005, BurbankBus has evolved to meet changing ridership demands. This has included adding routes to attract new ridership or cover areas of the City, removing routes to address poor performance to respond to changes in transit demand, or extending routes improve connectivity. In the last decade, significant regional transportation trends began to significantly affect transit ridership across LA County including BurbankBus, and in response to these trends in 2017 the City prepare d a Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) to analyze the BurbankBus network and identify potential changes. As a result of this study, in 2019 the City Council (with recommendation from the Transportation Commission) adopted a set of transit service policies and recommended modification of the Pink route to better align BurbankBus service with these new policies.
Soon after these changes, the COVID -19 pandemic caused tremendous upheaval to transit ridership across the region, undermining and changing many of the previous assumptions and policies that were adopted by the City Council in 2019. While ridership has re covered, travel pattern changes remain drastically different from before the pandemic. In addition, Metro has fully implemented a major service realignment called NextGen, the City is preparing to adopt three specific plans that will drastically increase the number of housing units in the City, and the North Hollywood to Pasadena BRT project will introduce a new, high-quality regional transit connection through the City. As a result of all these changes, the City Council directed staff to take a new, “top-to-bottom” review of the City’s transit systems to ensure the service is meeting current and new demands.
In response to the City Council’s direction, Staff will be launching efforts to conduct a new BurbankBus COA and is seeking feedback from Transportation Commission . The COA will evaluate the effectiveness of a transit agency’s current transit services, seek input from existing and potential riders to identify unmet service needs, and identify service enhancements while ensuring these services meet the current and future needs of Burbank’s residents, visitors, and commuters.
This staff report provides an overview of the BurbankBus COA, objectives, engagement plan, survey, and next steps for this project.
DISCUSSION
Overview of the Current Budget and Operations
BurbankBus fixed-route transit service is budgeted in Proposition C Transportation Fund.
Table 1 is a summary of the expenditures, which includes staff years, benefits, private contractual services, interdepartmental charges, and membership fees for the Burbank Transportation Management Organization (TMO), San Fernando Valley Council of Governments (SFVCOG), Arroyo Verdugo Joint Powers Authority, California Association ATTACHMENT 6 - 2
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3 for Coordinated Transportation (CalACT), and Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). For Fiscal Year (FY) 202 3-24, the expenditures were approximately $2.6 million.
Table 1. Proposition C Transportation Expenditures Summary Cost
1 Hours Cost/Hr Rides Rides/Hr Cost/Ride Farebox
FY 2022-2023
Actuals $ 2,208,133 21,758 $ 101.49 148,199 6.8 $14.90 $ 112,941 FY 2023-2024
Actuals $ 2,583,400 21,318 $ 121.18 181,151 8.5 $14.26 $ 112,376 1 Includes transportation planning and related support & marketing, vehicle depreciation/maintenance, bus operator contract, and a portion of the Transit Services Manager's salary.
MV is the current contractor who assists City to operate and maintain 17 City-owned fleet for BurbankBus fixed-route transit service . The total annual direct cost to provide BurbankBus fixed -route services (that is, the cost the City pays to MV to operate the service each year) is approximately $2,400,000 this year. The MV contract was approved in 2021 and is set to expire in March 2026. A new Request for Proposal will be released in Summer 2025 to select an operator and maintenance team for BurbankBus, and City Council and the public will have the opportunity to rev iew the Agreement at a later City Council meeting date.
Current Vehicle Inventory
BurbankBus fixed-route has a fleet of 17 buses. These buses have been purchased over several years since the City has operated fixed -route transit services. The most recent purchase was in March 2023 where the City purchased six (6) CNG buses with a $3 million grant. The new CNG buses have been in service in June 2024. The City has secured grant funds for vehicle replacement as older vehicles are retired. The City is also subject to state California Air Resources Board regulations that require the City to slowly transition the fleet to zero emission between now and 2040.
Table 2. BurbankBus Fixed-Route Fleet Inventory
Year Model Length Fuel Quantity
2009 El Dorado National 35’ CNG 5
2017 El Dorado National 35’ CNG 6
2024 El Dorado National 35’ CNG 6
Total Number of Fixed-Route Buses 17
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4 Ridership
Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic (Pandemic), the ridership per year was 213,000 rides with three fixed-routes. After dropping significantly in March 2020, ridership has slowly recovered but continues to trail ridership seen before the pandemic. The Pink and Orange Route ridership for FY 2023-24 was 181,151. Figure 1 outlines ridership per month.
Figure 1. Ridership per Month
Legend: Green Route (Green), Orange Route (Orange), Pink Route (Pink), and All Combined Routes (Bold Yellow). Green Route ended in March 2023.
Overview of BurbankBus COA
Staff has selected Fehr & Peers to assist the City in guiding and gathering data for this effort. The COA will use community feedback and data analysis to produce fact -finding recommendations for BurbankBus. Staff anticipates recommendations may include additional or changed fixedroutes, operational changes to improve efficiencies in the transit services and increase ridership, policy changes, and more. Staff has identified key objectives for the BurbankBus COA:
1. Connect the community to key destinations.
2. Maximize reach and efficiency of other transportation services and avoid redundancy.
3. Fill public transportation gaps.
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5 4. Prioritize those with the greatest transportation challenges, such as low -income communities with minimal transportation options and low car ownership, women and gender minorities, youth and neurodiverse communities, among others.
5. Serve areas expecting future growth, particularly the City Specific Plan areas.
6. Ensure services are sustainable and able to function at high-level (i.e. frequent, safe, reliable, and within available funding ).
Outreach and Engagement Plan
There will be a comprehensive community outreach plan to ensure there is a representation from all groups (e.g. advocacy, business, transportation agencies and organizations, recreation, youth, and service providers) (Attachment 2). An outreach plan has been developed to inform the public about this project, and seeks engagement from both riders and non-riders with the following communication channels:
• New webpage on the City’s website that includes information about the project and contact information;
• Access to survey at City public facilities, including bus stops in Burbank; • Individual interview meetings with key stakeholders;
• Marketing campaign with the Public Information Office that will include videos about the survey and outreach events, press releases, social media posts, bulletin on the Burbank Channel, E-blasts, and City Council announcements; • Partnerships and their communication channels to share information and gather feedback;
• Ambassadors that will be present throughout the year to talk to the community ; and
• Pop-up tables at popular City events.
An outline of the year-long engagement plan is available in Attachment 2, and it highlights the steps that will be taken for this project.
Survey
There will be two (2) main survey types. The first type is through an interview process (Attachment 3) with the identified key stakeholders and the second type is an electronic/hard copy survey for passengers and the community (Attachment 4). The initial transit surveys are intended to accomplish the following:
1. Gain initial insights into where, how, and how often people in Burbank travel to key destinations, to help us focus our analysis of service and potential travel markets
2. Understand the basic awareness of BurbankBus as an option for people who say they don't ride transit regularly
3. Understand the perceptions of BurbankBus of those who do ride it, and identify potential areas for improvement
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6 4. Create a network of people who are engaged in the planning process with whom we can reconnect with in later phases for input on concepts The transit surveys are designed to be succinct and straightforward for anyone to answer, whether they use the bus or not. The survey highlights the most essential questions that staff needs direction on at the outset and allows respondents some open fields to provide feedback. This is just the first opportunity to connect with people. This survey and all other engagement materials will be translated into Spanish and Armenian.
Data Analysis
The BurbankBus COA will gather reliable data to develop an existing conditions report to create a better understanding of existing fixed-route usage on BurbankBus service area.
This project will:
• Collect or obtain an abundance of operational data from BurbankBus, Beeline, and Metro operations to create a complete and detailed statistical picture of the ridership, productivity and performance by route and by route segment. • Obtain data and provide analysis to understand as to how and why passengers travel on BurbankBus routes, among BurbankBus routes, and between BurbankBus, Beeline, Metro bus (including NoHo BRT), LADOT routes; and between fixed route and Metrolink and Amtrak services.
• Obtain aggregated travel data of all travel modes (using “big data” or other comparable data sources), to identify significant travel patterns currently occurring between origins and destinations within the service area and city boundary, and compare this to trips taken with transit services in the service area. • Document key “complete trip” travel patterns and trip generators; and • Obtain operational data to produce fact -based recommendations for coordinated regional connectivity.
Next Steps
The BurbankBus COA is a one-year project. Staff will be conducting outreach and surveys in the upcoming months , and staff anticipates presenting fact-based recommendations and feedback results to Transportation Commission in August 2025. Final completion of the project will be presented to City Council at the end of the calendar year.
CONCLUSION
BurbankBus is a critical component of the City’s transportation network and infrastructure.
Transit service is a lso an important service to the community to help reduce single - occupancy vehicles off streets and help the City meet its greenhouse gas reduction target goals. Staff is requesting Transportation Commission’s feedback on the BurbankBus COA to help meet City’s transportation goals.
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7 ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – BurbankBus Route Map
Attachment 2 – Engagement Plan
Attachment 3 – Stakeholder Interview Guide
Attachment 4 – Passenger and Perception Survey
ATTACHMENT 6 - 7
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DATE: December 17, 2025
TO: Transportation Commission
FROM: David Kriske, Assistant Community Development Director, Transportation BY: Karen B. Pan, Transportation Services Manager
SUBJECT: Update on the BurbankBus Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Project
RECOMMENDATION
Provide initial feedback on the BurbankBus Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA), which includes the travel market analysis and possible service options.
BACKGROUND
BurbankBus offers two local fixed -routes with local multi -modal connections between regional transit facilities, offices, and commercial centers near the major employment areas of Burbank The Pink Route runs from the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station along Olive Avenue through the Media District to the LA Metro Universal/Studio City Red (G) line station. The NoHo-Airport route starts at the LA Metro North Hollywood B (Red) and G (Orange Li ne) Station and runs east along Burbank Boulevard before heading counterclockwise to the Hollywood Burbank Airport and then back to the North Hollywood Station. There is no service on the weekends. (Attachment 1 for the map).
BurbankBus helps bridge local transit service gaps, supplements the regional Metro bus networks, and provides regional transfer opportunities with Metro Local, Metro Rapid Orange Line, Metro Red Line, Metrolink, Amtrak, Glendale Beeline, Santa Clarita Transit, and Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) Commuter Express (Attachment 2 for the map). BurbankBus also helps meet City Council’s transportation goals, which is to support an accessible, equitable and safe multimodal transportation network including pedestrian, bicycle, equestrian mobility , and increase use of public transportation.
Another City Council’s goal is to coordinate improvements and integration with the development of high speed rail and transportation hubs.
ATTACHMENT 7
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2 Staff began the BurbankBus COA in early 2025, presented the project to Transportation Commission at the January 2025 meeting , and is now seeking feedback on the COA’s travel market analysis and preliminary service recommendations. The purpose of the COA is to evaluate the effectiveness of the City’s current transit services, seek input from existing and potential riders to identify unmet service needs, and identify service enhancements while ensuring these services meet the current and future needs of Burbank’s residents, visitors, and commuters. This staff report provides an overview of the BurbankBus COA, objectives, survey and data results, and next steps.
DISCUSSION
Staff selected Fehr & Peers to assist the City in guiding and gathering data for this effort.
The key objectives of the BurbankBus COA are the following:
1. Connect the community to key destinations.
2. Maximize reach and efficiency of other transportation services and avoid redundancy.
3. Fill public transportation gaps.
4. Prioritize those with the greatest transportation challenges, such as low -income communities with minimal transportation options and low car ownership, women and gender minorities, youth and neurodiverse communities, among others.
5. Serve areas expecting future growth, referencing City Specific Plans and other related documents.
6. Ensure services are sustainable and able to function at high-level (i.e. frequent, safe, and reliable).
Data Analysis
An important part of the COA is the travel market analysis , which is included as Attachment 3 and is summarized as part of Staff’s presentation to the Commission . The travel market analysis uses data to help guide where there is opportunity to improve transit, whether that be attracting more riders to the existing service or modifying services to better align with travel patterns. The analysis is comprised of demographics analysis, land use information, travel data analysis, and public input. Demographics analysis includes understanding Burbank residents who may benefit the most from transit service, and Burbank employees who could use a combination of regional and local transit to reach jobs and activity centers. The travel analysis uses aggregated transportation and travel data from Replica (www.replicahq.com), which combines data sources including anonymous location-based app data to model where, when, and how people make trips.
Stakeholder Outreach Analysis
As part of the COA, staff and its consultant also conducted a comprehensive outreach campaign to gather information from existing, potential, and non -transit riders between February and May 2025 . This information focused on understanding challenges and opportunities from a variety of perspectives while gathering information and feedback on how people move around the city, what can be improved in the current transit system, ATTACHMENT 7-2
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3 and their aspirations for the future system. Outreach activities included meetings with the current bus operator, neighboring transit agencies, survey, interactive online map, and onboard observations. Details of the results are provided in Attachment 4 and is summarized as part of Staff’s presentation to the Commission.
Two Service Options
Based on the travel market analysis and stakeholder outreach , staff has identified two potential service options that could improve BurbankBus service and better align it with how Burbank residents and employees currently travel in Burbank. These options include:
1) Extension of the existing Orange Route to Downtown Burbank and neighborhoods east of Interstate 5 ; and 2) creating a new bus route on Buena Vista Street and Alameda Avenue to close service gaps in existing BurbankBus and Metro service . These preliminary service options aim to address several broad themes identified in the analysis and were analyzed against the COA’s six objectives discussed above.
Extension of Orange Route
Today, Orange Route is the only bus service that provides connectivity from the North Hollywood Metro Station to the Hollywood Burbank Airport. By extending the bus route eastward, the Orange Route would stop at other major destinations such as the Empire Center (shopping), hotels, new residential development projects, residential neighborhoods east of Interstate 5, Downtown Burbank, and the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station where riders would be linked to other transportation modes such as the Antelope Va lley and Ventura County Metrolink trains, BurbankBus Pink Route, Glendale Beeline, Santa Clarita Transit, Disney Employee Shuttle, LA Metro, and the upcoming LA Metro Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) North Hollywood to Pasadena Transit Corridor. This change would also shorten and streamline the connection from Metro services in North Hollywood to the Airport by eliminating the one-way loop service on Burbank Boulevard and instead routing two-way service directly to the Airport on Hollywood Way.
New Bus Route on Buena Vista
Survey information collected through the social pinpoint bus stop survey identified a need for additional service on Buena Vista Street, particularly to connect the Magnolia Park neighborhood and other neighborhoods along Buena Vista to other destinations in the City. In addition, a review of the City’s existing 15-minute service routes (both Metro and BurbankBus) show a significant north -south network service gap along Buena Vista and an east -west gap along Alameda Avenue.
There are opposing consideration s when considering establishing this new service, particularly on Buena Vista Street. Survey responses suggest there is an unmet transit need on Buena Vista Street as well as a more broad concern of lack of frequent north-south service in the City. This is bolstered by the fact that no 15- ATTACHMENT 7-3
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4 minute service currently exists on any north -south streets in Burbank west of Interstate 5 (except for a small portion of the Orange Route on Hollywood Way), and no transit service at all is currently provided on the full stretch of Buena Vista Street, which is a major arterial that connects several neighborhoods. However, while establishing service on this corridor would close a significant network gap between destinations, the relatively low -density residential land uses and few commercial land uses located along the corridor would likely not support high ridership travelling specifically to neighborhoods on the corridor; ridership would instead likely come from patrons connecting from other higher -density neighborhoods via other transit services. Nonetheless, it could be wor th considering if BurbankBus should close this network gap and offer new connections to other transportation modes from its connection to Downtown Burbank.
Next Steps
Staff is requesting Transportation Commission review of the travel market and stakeholder outreach analysis, and feedback on the possible service options in light of the information provided in staff’s analysis. This early feedback will help inform the final analysis of the COA. In particular, staff requests feedback on how the proposals meet the objectives, concurrence or comment on the feedback received to date, and input on prioritization. The service recommendations also include high-level cost estimates which can be compared to the costs of the City’s current services. Based on the availability of transportation funds, the ability to pay for one or more service options will come with tradeoffs with other transportation programs such as Senior and Disabled Transit, Active Transportation projects, Safer Streets programs, and other activities. Based on this information and Transportation Commission feedback , staff will work with its consultant to refine the proposals, reject proposals, or potentially identify additional proposals. Staff will also work to further analyze these draft options using any additional data resources that are available to the City and consultant team.
In addition, staff will be conducting additional outreach in the upcoming months with key stakeholders with the recommendations to obtain feedback . This would include meeting with different organization s, attending Burbank Farmers’ Market, and hosting a community meeting. Staff will return to Transportation Commissio n in early 2026 with refined service proposals, more detailed cost estimates and tradeoffs with other transportation programs, and will request the Commission provide a recommendation to the City Council.
CONCLUSION
BurbankBus is a critical component of the City’s transportation network and infrastructure.
Transit service is an important means to address travel demands caused by new development, including the City’s required new housing production goals. Offering ATTACHMENT 7-4
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5 frequent, reliable transit service is important so that those without access to vehicles, or those who choose to travel without a car can still access transportation. Transit also helps the City meet its General Plan Mobility and greenhouse gas reduction target goals. Staff is requesting Transportation Commission’s initial feedback on the BurbankBus COA to help meet City’s transportation goals.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – BurbankBus Route Map
Attachment 2 – BurbankBus and Other Routes Map
Attachment 3 – BurbankBus COA Travel Market Analysis
Attachment 4 – BurbankBus COA Travel Market Analysis - Phase 1 Engagement Memo Attachment 5 – Preliminary Service Options
Attachment 6 – January 22, 2025 Transportation Commission Staff Report
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DATE: February 25, 2026
TO: Transportation Commission
FROM: David Kriske, Assistant Community Development Director, Transportation BY: Karen B. Pan, Transportation Services Manager
SUBJECT: Recommend Approval of the BurbankBus Comprehensive Operation s Analysis (COA)
RECOMMENDATION
Recommend the City Council approve the BurbankBus Comprehensive Operation s Analysis (COA) and the following recommendations:
1. Reaffirm the City’s BurbankBus Service Design Policies
2. Approve the four proposed bus route change recommendations
3. Implement short-term improvements to the Orange Route
4. Seek funding to implement the other route change proposals included in the COA.
BACKGROUND
BurbankBus offers two local fixed -routes with local multi -modal connections between regional transit facilities, offices, and commercial centers near the major employment areas of Burbank The Pink Route runs from the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station along Olive Avenue through the Media District to the LA Metro Universal/Studio City Red (G) line station. The NoHo-Airport route starts at the LA Metro North Hollywood B (Red) and G (Orange Li ne) Station and runs east along Burbank Boulevard before heading counterclockwise to the Hollywood Burbank Airport and then back to the North Hollywood Station. There is no service on the weekends. (Attachment 2 for the map).
BurbankBus helps bridge local transit service gaps, supplements the regional Metro bus networks, and provides regional transfer opportunities with Metro Local, Metro Rapid Orange Line, Metro Red Line, Metrolink, Amtrak, Glendale Beeline, Santa Clarita Transit, and Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) Commuter Express (Attachment ATTACHMENT 8
ATTACHMENT 8-1
178
2 2 for the map). BurbankBus also helps meet City Council’s transportation goals, which is to support an accessible, equitable and safe multimodal transportation network including pedestrian, bicycle, equestrian mobility , and increase use of public transportation.
Another City Council’s goal is to coordinate improvements and integration with the development of high speed rail and transportation hubs.
Staff began the BurbankBus C OA in early 202 5 with an introduc tory presentation to Transportation Commission at the January 2025 meeting. Data analysis and community engagement phases have been completed, and this staff report provides an overview of the proposed BurbankBus COA. The BurbankBus COA identifies where transit is most needed today and where demand is likely to grow in the years ahead.
DISCUSSION
The BurbankBus COA, written by Fehr & Peers, is to assist the City in creating a roadmap to improve the City’s local transit system. There are six (6) key components to the study:
1. What the BurbankBus System Looks Like Today
2. Who Might Benefit from Better Access to Transit
3. Where People Are Trying to Go
4. What We Heard from the Community and What We Learned
5. Recommendation for a Better BurbankBus
6. What Comes Next
Who Might Benefit and Where People Are Trying to Go (Data Analysis) To better understand how people move around Burbank and where transit could play a stronger role, staff reviewed data based on real world travel activity. This helps see where trips happen today and identify locations where improved or redesigned bus service may better match how the community actually travels. One of our primary sources for that analysis is Replica data. Replica is a “big data” tool that estimates real world travel patterns and shows where people begin and end their trips—using anonymized, modeled travel behavior to help identify major activity centers and transit opportunities. The big data reveals the highest zones of activity starting and ending in Burbank are Downtown Burbank, Empire Corridor, and Media District. Other data points include reviewing age of travelers, travel by time of day, trip purposes, and travel modes in each of the identified major centers.
What We Heard from the Community and What We Learned
Public engagement was a central component of the BurbankBus COA, ensuring that the study reflected not only travel data but also the priorities of the community. Engagement took place in two phases, each playing a distinct role in shaping the findings and recommendations.
ATTACHMENT 8-2
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3 Phase 1 engagement focused on listening. Through surveys, an interactive online map, stakeholder and transit -provider interviews, operator feedback, and on -board observations, staff gathered input and understanding of how people move around Burbank, what currently works well, and where they feel the transit system falls short.
Phase 2 engagement shifted toward validating and refining. After developing route recommendations grounded in Phase 1 input and the travel data analysis, staff returned to the community to share what staff had learned and to gather feedback on the proposed service changes. This phase included a stakeholder meeting, a pop -up event at the Burbank Farmers Market, and various demographic specific meetings where participants reviewed the concepts, discussed trad e-offs, and helped identify which improvements should be prioritized. Input from these activities confirmed the direction of the recommendations and provided important details such as connections and phasing preferences.
Recommendation for a Better BurbankBus
Service Design Policy
The City previously adopted a service design policy to guide its planning decisions. Staff recommends service policies remain the same with some refinements informed by this study, as outlined below.
• Service should be frequent. Transit service is most successful when it is frequent.
Frequent service offers more choice and flexibility for riders, which is essential to compete with driving. It improves reliability and does not require riders to consult with a schedule when catching a bus or making a connection because buses come often enough that wait times are minimized. Buses on all routes should arrive at least every 15 minutes during peak periods.
• Service should operate all day. All-day service is necessary to serve the most trips.
People will not ride the bus somewhere if there is not a return trip available later.
Consistent service through the evening improves reliability and best serves residents and non-commute trips.
• Service should be point -to-point. Transit services should operate in a direct way between major trip generators and should have a major transfer point at each end.
Point-to-point service improves travel times by minimizing turns (which can slow a bus route) and focuses service on the corridors closest to the greatest opportunity. • Service should connect to regional transit. BurbankBus serves as a local connection to regional transit, and it is important to maintain this regional connectivity so that employees traveling into Burbank, and residents traveling out of Burbank, can benefit from ongoing investments in regional transit.
ATTACHMENT 8-3
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4 Bus Route Changes
1. Make the Orange Route More Direct and More Useful
Today, Orange Route is the only bus service that provides connectivity from the North Hollywood Metro Station to the Hollywood Burbank Airport. By extending the bus route eastward, the Orange Route would stop at other major destinations such as the Empire Center (shopping), hotels, new r esidential development projects, residential neighborhoods east of Interstate 5, Downtown Burbank, and the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station where riders would be linked to other transportation modes such as the Antelope Valley and Ventura County Metrolin k trains, BurbankBus Pink Route, Glendale Beeline, Santa Clarita Transit, Disney Employee Shuttle, LA Metro, and the upcoming LA Metro Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) North Hollywood to Pasadena Transit Corridor (Attachment 3).
This change would shorten and streamline the connection from Metro services in North Hollywood to the Airport by eliminating the one-way loop service on Burbank Boulevard and instead routing two-way service directly to the Airport on Hollywood Way.
2. Create a New North–South Route on Buena Vista Street The second recommendation is to establish a new BurbankBus route along Buena Vista Street, addressing what has emerged as the most significant gap in the city’s current transit network (Attachment 4) . Most of the bus network in Burbank is oriented east -to-west, and there is no service on most of Buena Vista Street.
Community feedback and travel data both identified Buena Vista Street as the clearest opportunity for new service. The new route would:
• Connect two major activity centers —the Empire Corridor and the Media District—by providing a continuous, bi -directional north –south transit connection.
• Serve residential neighborhoods that today have minimal or no access to local transit.
• Extend service along Alameda Avenue, filling another service gap and providing better access to areas undergoing new development.
3. Monitor the Metro BRT and Adjust the Pink Route When Needed The Pink Route is currently the stronger performer in the BurbankBus system, serving major studios, residential areas, and key connections to the Universal City B Line Station and Downtown Burbank Metrolink. With the opening of Metro’s North Hollywood –Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line in the future, BurbankBus will have a new regional partner operating in the same corridor.
Because it remains unclear how rider behavior will change once the BRT launches, staff recommends a “wait and see” approach.
ATTACHMENT 8-4
181
5 4. Move Toward a “Fully Realized System” When Funding Allows Operating all three routes concurrently would exceed the City’s current transit budget by approximately $2 .7 million per year, requiring additional funding or phased implementation.
What Comes Next (Near-Term Solution)
Funding is not currently available to launch either new routes without reducing funding from other transportation programs or identifying new, non -transportation revenue sources. Because funding is limited , the COA identified considerations to implement modifications to the Orange Route. Instead of extending to Downtown Burbank, the Orange Route can head each towards Empire Shopping Center and head back. Minor modifications can be approximately up to $150,000 per year more.
Service Option Costs
Today, BurbankBus fixed-route transit service costs approximately $2,800,000 per year.
The City funds BurbankBus fixed -route services via a combination of Proposition C and Measure R Local Return funds. The General Fund does not provide any financing of transit services in Burbank. Implementing all recommendations in the BurbankBus COA would increase the BurbankBus fixed -route program by approximately $2.4 million per year, for a total of $5.2 million per year. Table 1 outlines the cost per recommendation.
Table 1. Estimated Annual Operating Costs
Existing Service Annual Cost
Pink Route and Current Orange Route $2,800,000
Recommendations Annual Cost
Orange Route Extension $2,000,000
New North-South Buena Vista Route $1,600,000
Monitor Pink Route No cost
Fully Realized Bus System (Orange + Pink + Buena Vista Route) $5,200,000
While the recommendations in the BurbankBus COA exceed the current budget, there is an opportunity to consider a smaller approach. In refining the service recommendations, staff identified one phased option for the Commission and City Council to consider.
• Orange Route Minor Service Changes: This modified Orange Route proposal would streamline the existing route and implement a partial extension. This partial extension would enable the Orange Route to better serve the Empire Center, which is one of the City’s major trip destinations (Attachment 5).
ATTACHMENT 8-5
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6 Table 2. Phased Approach (Near-term Solutions)
Phased Approach Annual Cost
Orange Route Minor Service Changes (No Extension) $0 to $150,000* *Cost is dependent on bus frequency and bus schedule
As discussed above, the City funds fixed -route transit and many other transportation programs with transportation local return funds from Metro. Overall the City budgets its $10.2 million annual local return revenues completely towards transportation programs, so there is no excess funding available to increase BurbankBus service. Implementing any of the service alternatives in the COA would require reducing funding to other transportation programs, or identifying new funding sources. Table 3 outlines the City’s current transportation budget in Prop A, Prop C, Measure R, and Measure M, and a short description of what programs, capital improvements, and projects are funded. Choosing to implement recommendations from the BurbankBus COA would have a fiscal impact towards other funded transportatio n projects. A detailed breakdown will be provided during the presentation.
It is important to note that there is an unreserved balance of $10.5 million; however, this amount is a one -time fund balance that is not sufficient to operate new bus routes that require annual funding on a recurring basis. Staff expects to use this unreserved balance to fund one-time active transportation and transit capital projects, and to provide a cushion for unexpected rising transit operations costs, emergencies, and operational flexibility.
Table 3. FY 2025-26 Transportation Local Return Budget
Funding
Source FY 25-26 Budget Transportation Programs and Projects Prop A $3,039,267 • BurbankBus Senior & Disabled Transit Service • Downtown Metrolink Maintenance and Security
• Transportation Planning / Operations Salaries (partial) Prop C $3,883,978 • BurbankBus Fixed-Route Service
• BTMO and Council of Governments Memberships/Fees
• Transportation Planning Salaries (partial)
Meas. R $979,946 • Safer Streets Action Plan Implementation One-time Capital Projects*
• Downtown San Fernando Boulevard
• First Street Bike Lane
• I-5 Arterial Phase 3
• Main Street / Elm Avenue
Meas. M $2,086,171 • Annual Sidewalk Rehabilitation Program • Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Program
One-time Capital Projects*
• Olive Magnolia Bridge Pedestrian Safety
ATTACHMENT 8-6
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7 • New Traffic Signal (Buena Vista & Jeffries)
*Note: Budget funds exceed revenues because Fixed-Route Services and certain one -time capital projects utilize accumulated fund balance carried over from prior years.
New Funding Opportunities
The COA recommendations include a proposal to seek new outside funding opportunities to help implement the two new service routes identified in the analysis. In particular, it may be difficult for the Commission and the City Council to consider large outl ays of funding on new routes without understanding the actual demand for these new services, especially if that funding comes at the expense of other important programs. While outside funding for transit operations is difficult to secure, there is one-time grant funding available to fund startup costs and initial operations of new services. The purpose of these grants is to secure funding to test new services before an agency commits long - term funding to these services. The COA recommends the City pursue these one-time grant funding opportunities as a means to implement the new service options while simultaneously testing the demand for these services.
CONCLUSION
The BurbankBus COA provides a clear path toward a more efficient, equitable, and connected transit system. By integrating detailed travel market data and community input, this study identifies where transit is most needed today and where demand is likely to grow in the years ahead. The findings highlight both the strengths of the existing network and the opportunities to better serve Burbank’s major activity centers, residential neighborhoods, and regional connections.
The COA’s recommendations include refining and extending the Orange Route, creating a new north –south route on Buena Vista Street, and monitoring future changes to the Pink Route. The City cannot currently fund these alternatives, but the COA offers options to implement a phased strategy that aligns with demonstrated travel patterns and community priorities. The BurbankBus COA also helps meet its General Plan Mobility , greenhouse gas reduction target goals , and City Council transportation goals . Staff recommends that the Transportation Commission recommend that the City Council approve the BurbankBus COA , and 1) r eaffirm the City’s BurbankBus Service Design Policies, 2) approve the four proposed bus route change recommendations, 3) implement short-term improvements to the Orange Route, and 4) seek outside funding to implement the other route change proposals included in the COA.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Draft BurbankBus Comprehensive Operational Analysis Attachment 2 – Burbank Transit Map
Attachment 3 – Proposed Orange Route Extension
Attachment 4 – Proposed North-South Buena Vista Route
Attachment 5 – Proposed Orange Route Minor Service Changes (No Extension) ATTACHMENT 8-7
184
8 Attachment 6 – December 17, 2025 Transportation Commission Staff Report Attachment 7 – January 22, 2025 Transportation Commission Staff Report
ATTACHMENT 8-8
185
1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: March 24, 2026
TO: Justi
n Hess, City Manager
FROM: Mandi
p Kaur Samra General Manager, Burbank Water and Power
VIA: Riad Sleiman, Chief Assistant General Manager
Drew Johnstone, Sustainability Officer
BY: Drew Kidd, Marketing Associate
SUBJECT:
Approval to Relaunch the Updated Green Choice Program
RECOMME
NDATION
Approve the Green Choice Program, and authorize Burbank Water and Power (BWP) to adjust the Green Choice Program’s rate premium as needed to reflect market pricing for Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), and to expand the Green Choice Program to commercial electric customers.
BACKGROUND
The Green Choice Program is a voluntary program available to residential customers to pay a premium to purchase more renewable energy . The program was approved by Burbank City Council (Council) in January 2020 and launched in July 2020. Residential electric customers could enroll to have 100% of their bill offset by Portfolio Content Category 1 (PCC1) RECs. PCC1 refers to bundled procurement from qualified renewable energy generators located within California or from out-of-state generators that can meet strict delivery requirements. To cover the cost of additional renewable energy, customers paid an additional 1.8 cents per kilowatt -hour ( kWh) on their monthly electric bill (“premium”). RECs are purchased to cover enrolled customers’ annual energy usage, not on an hourly basis.
The program i
s currently on pause. From January 2020 until the program pause on January 1, 2025, the program had approximately 200 enrolled customers.
WATER AND
POWER
Consent Calendar
Item #5
186
2 DISCUSSION
Program Premium Increase
To properly recover costs for the customers participating in the Green Choice Program, BWP will need to increase the premium proportionally to the cost of PCC1 energy. When the program was created in 2020, PCC1 REC prices were around $18 per megawatt-hour (MWh), which translates to 1.8 cents per kWh. Prices are currently forecasted to be between $25 - $30 per MWh from 2026 through 2030, meaning a price of 2.5 to 3 cents per kWh. Energy markets can be highly volatile, so BWP will set the final premium price for the quarter before the program launch, although the expectation is that it will be between 2.5 and 3 cents per kWh.
Applying the Rate Premium
The Green Choice program provides one option for participation: REC purchases to provide program participants with 100% renewable energy . Previously, REC purchases were made at 100% of participants’ energy use, without accounting for the existing renewable content of BWP’s electricity portfolio. Historically, BWP’s renewable content has trended upwards in alignment with the State of California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requirements. The relaunch of the program will be adjusted to account for the existing RPS renewable percentages in BWP’s portfolio. This means that, since BWP’s power mix is currently 45% from renewable sources and 55% non- renewable sources, the Green Choice Program will supply and charge the customer for RECs to cover the remaining 55% of energy use that isn’t already renewable. This will require adjustments to how the rate is applied on a yearly basis as the RPS percentages change.
Expansion to Commercial Customers
Previously, the Green Choice program was open only to residential electric customers.
BWP is proposing to expand the program to commercial electric customers as well. Some commercial electric customers may be interested in the program to meet internal sustainability goals. Commercial customers can also use participation in a program such as the Green Choice Program, which retires RECs, to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for their buildings.
Commercial customer enrollment will work differently from residential customer enrollment. Residential customers are eligible to enroll or unenroll at any time, as their energy use is small enough that the program can easily adjust power purchases for individual residential customers. However, commercial customer energy use can be large enough that it may be difficult to purchase PCC1 RECs for their energy use, especially at or below 3 cents per kWh. Therefore, commercial customer applications will be subject to BWP staff review , and their admittance to the program is not gua ranteed. If Power Resources staff determines that the customers’ energy use can be covered by the program with no additional price adjustment, then the customer will be admitted to the program. If the customer’s energy use is large enough, BWP staff may need to negotiate 187
3 a larger REC purchase on the customer's behalf, which may not be at or below the current Green Choice Program premium price. Depending on the feasibility of meeting the request, BWP staff may have to reject certain commercial customer applications.
Periodic Premium Adjustment
REC prices have historically been highly volatile. In 2024, REC prices reached $85 per MWh and were projected to continue to increase. As previously stated, REC prices are currently closer to $25 - $30 per MWh. However, there is high potential for near-term PCC1 REC volatility. Tariffs may increase construction costs, leading to higher prices for new renewable projects. Federal legislation was passed that removed tax credits for renewable energy projects and imposed taxes on new renewable energy projects, which may also cause price increases in the REC market.
Due to this, BWP is requesting authorization to make price changes to the rate premium, as needed. BWP would be required to notify enrolled customers of any price change at least one month before implementing it, to give customers a chance to adjust their enrollment before the change. The price change would be applied to all enrolled customers each quarter, regardless of when they enrolled. Quarterly changes would be required to be enacted on either January 1, April 1, or October 1, or else not be enacted for that quarter. The ability to make these price adjustments will allow BWP to administer the program without requiring pauses each time the REC market changes.
Relaunching Program
The program relaunch is dependent on staff resources needed to update the billing system software.
BWP will evaluate existing commitments to other technology projects as well as limited testing windows to determine a definitive program relaunch date, anticipated later in 2026 or early 2027. Once a relaunch date has been determined, BWP staff will notify the Council of the relaunch date.
Eventual Phase-out
The Green Choice Program will be phased out at some point in the future. As BWP gets closer to 100% carbon-free energy, the impact of this program gets smaller. When BWP reaches 75%, or the program is no longer cost-effective, staff will begin to phase-out the program.
Performance Standards
In the past, customer participation in this program has been low . BWP staff is optimistic that with the addition of customer tiers and marketing efforts, enrollment can be higher for this new version of the program. However, if BWP is unable to maintain a minimum of
2.75 MWh of annual participating energy, staff will begin to phase out the program. This is equivalent to the average annual energy use of 500 residential customers.
188
4 COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Before the program relaunches, staff plans to perform a marketing campaign to promote the revamped program. BWP will promote the program on the BWP website and through social media. Previously enrolled customers will then receive targeted notifications to inform them of the program return. Commercial customers will receive direct promotion by BWP Key Account Managers.
At the Thursday, February 5, 2026 BWP Board meeting, BWP staff presented the Green Choice program staff report to the BWP board. Staff received a unanimous vote by the BWP board to recommend that the Council approve the proposed Green Choice program, and adopt a motion that will:
1. Authorize Burbank Water and Power to adjust the Green Choice Program’s rate premium as needed to reflect market pricing for renewable energy credits (RECs).
2. Expand the Green Choice Program to commercial electric customers.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Staff has reviewed this item in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and believes that approval of this item is not a project under CEQA. This item is related to monetary and administrative adjustments to an existing program. This program is designed to promote renewable energy which results in reduced emissions and environmental impacts. Accordingly, this item involves government fiscal activities unrelated to any specific project with the potential for an environmental impact. (See 14 CCR § 15378 (fiscal activities that do not involve any commitment to any specific project that may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment are not projects). As such, this item is not a project under CEQA and no further environmental review is necessary.
FISCAL IMPACT
The program is funded by participants through the per kWh premium charged to enrolled customers. Revenues from the Green Choice Program are deposited into revenue account number 58020.1022 and are then used to purchase RECs. Since the premium is set to equal the cost of RECs, this program will not affect rates if BWP is granted the ability to adjust rates quarterly. The premium will only be charged to customers who opted into the program.
BWP will track labor hours needed to administrate this program . Prices will be adjusted annually to cover the cost of administering the program, if necessary.
CONCLUSION
The Green Choice program allows customers to voluntarily purchase renewable energy.
This gives residents and businesses a way to reduce their carbon footprint while supporting the City’s clean energy goals , which is especially useful for customers who 189
5 cannot access renewable energy through other means, such as installing solar panels .
With the proposed changes, BWP staff aims to update the Green Choice Program to current market prices and create options to ensure all electric customers can potentially participate. BWP is committed to advancing the goals of the GGRP and the Integrated Resource Plan by increasing RECs procurement, and the Green Choice Program aligns with these goals. Staff recommends the Council approve the Green Choice Program, and authorize BWP to adjust the Green Choice Program’s rate premium as needed to reflect market pricing for RECs, and to expand the Green Choice Program to commercial electric customers.
ATTACHMENT
None.
190
1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: March 24, 2026
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Betsy McClinton, Management Services Director
SUBJECT: Annual Report on Citywide Vacancies and Recruitment and Retention Efforts in Compliance with Assembly Bill 2561
RECOMMENDATION
Note and file.
BACKGROUND
Pursuant to AB 2561, local government agencies are required to hold at least one public hearing per year to report on workforce vacancy rates, recruitment and retention efforts, and any issues that lead to obstacles in the hiring process. The hearing must occur prior to the adoption of the annual budget and recognized labor groups must be allowed to speak at the hearing. Additionally, if 20% or more of positions in a labor group are vacant, labor groups may request certain additional information at the hearing, including number of vacancies, number of applicants, average time to hire, and suggestions for improved compensation and working conditions.
Each of the City’s six labor groups was invited and allocated five minutes to speak following staff’s presentation. The labor groups are not required to attend or speak. Staff randomly selected the order that the labor groups will present, should they elect to speak:
1. Burbank Fire Fighters Association – Chief Officers’ Unit (BFFCOU)
2. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
3. Burbank Management Association (BMA)
4. Burbank Police Officers’ Association (BPOA)
5. Burbank Fire Fighters Association (BFF)
6. Burbank City Employees’ Association (BCEA)
MANAGEMENT
SERVICES
Public Hearing
Item #1
191
2 DISCUSSION
This report is divided into several sections. The first four sections provide data regarding the City’s general workforce, vacancy rates, number of recruitments and timeframes, and number of employees put through background and timeframes. The last three sections address the City’s ongoing recruitment and retention efforts, recruitment processes and improvements, and challenges in the hiring process.
G
eneral Workforce Data
From Fiscal Years (FYs) 2024-25 to 2025-26, the City’s budgeted fulltime equivalent positions (FTEs) increased from 1,535.76 to 1,575.191. Attachment 1, Table 1 shows the City’s budgeted FTEs for each FY by labor or employee group. Table 2 shows the same data arranged by department.
V
acancy Rate Data
The average monthly vacancy rate for each labor group for calendar year 2025 was below 20% and is shown in Attachment 1, Table 3. While not represented by a labor group, vacancy rate data for the City’s unrepresented mid management employees and Executives is also provided. Attachment 1, Table 3 shows the monthly vacancy rate for 2025, which has been below 20% . The average vacancy rates for each labor group for 2024 have been provided for comparison and show a decrease for 2025 across most groups.
R
ecruitment Data
During 2025, Management Services ( MS) staff received 433 personnel requisitions (departmental requests to fill at least one vacancy ) for a total of 584 vacancies. As a result, MS staff conducted 285 separate recruitments, many of which filled multiple vacancies, particularly for temporary/seasonal positions . In addition to the 285 recruitments, and as part of the City’s special recruitment plan for Police Officers, MS staff continuously recruited for Police Recruit/Police Officer – Lateral and conducted 12 testing processes, resulting in 20 Police Recruits and one Police Officer lateral.
W
hile the details of individual recruitments vary, most follow a similar process that begins with the hiring department submitting a personnel requisition to MS outlining recruitment details such as advertising duration and testing methods. The position is then advertised and applications are accepted for a set period, after which MS screens appli cations to confirm minimum qualifications. Qualified applicants participate in the testing process, results are compiled, and a list of eligible candidates is provided to the hiring department.
The hiring department conducts interviews and selects a candidate, after which MS coordinates the onboarding process ( including background checks, medical examinations, and personnel and benefits paperwork) before establishing a start date. 192
3 In 2025, the average time to complete a recruitment , and provide a list of candidates to the hiring department for final interviews , was 71 calendar days, or approximately 2. 4 months. The average length of time individual departments spend on final interviews varies across departments. Attachment 1, Table 4 further breaks down the average time to complete a recruitment process based on different types of recruitments.
B
ackground Process Data
During 2025 , MS staff completed the background process for 637 employees (backgrounds, medical examinations, and personnel/benefits paperwork), including 351 new hires, 165 promotions, 37 rehires, 58 transfers, and 26 other title/position changes.
The onboarding process averaged 35 calendar days for all employees hired in 2025. This represents the time between the department selection and the employee’s start date.
About 1 9 calendar days on average , or a little less than three weeks, were spent conducting the background and medical exam ination. The remainder of the time, (16 calendar days) on average, was spent assisting candidates and departments with the completion of required paperwork and allowing time for other issues such as selected candidates providing notice to their current employers or salary negotiations between the selected candidate and the department.
R
ecruitment and Retention Efforts
The most critical and effective recruitment and retention effort is the Council’s continued commitment to the City’s publicly adopted compensation policy which states that subject to the City’s financial policies, and “in order to recruit and retain a well-qualified workforce to provide exceptional services, we will compensate employees at a level commensurate with the average of Burbank’s relevant labor market.”
Co
uncil continues to work with MS staff to ensure adherence to the City’s compensation policy by approving contracts with the City’s labor groups that provide competitive salaries and benefits. The City’s long history of financial responsibility enabled the City to provide competitive compensation even through financial instability. Council’s commitment to competitive wages is critical to ensuring that the City recruits and retains employees who continue to provide excellent City services that the Burbank c ommunity has come to expect.
I
n addition to competitive compensation, MS staff have taken steps to broaden the City’s outreach to potential candidates and market the City as a desirable employer. These efforts focus on increasing the visibility of the City and its employment opportunities.
Specifically, the City’s efforts on LinkedIn have resulted in measurable growth in candidate engagement. Over the past year, followers of the City’s LinkedIn jobs page increased by 22.9%, and engagement with recruitment postings rose by 94.4%. The City also utilizes Handshake, a career services and recruitment platform used by colleges and 193
4 universities nationwide, to connect directly with college students and recent graduates, which expands the City’s outreach to emerging talent.
Thes
e new outreach efforts build on existing recruitment strategies, including creating visually engaging job advertisements that highlight why Burbank is a great place to work; attending career fairs, job fairs, and community and college recruitment events on a regular basis; and building a pipeline of future talent through the City’s Youth Employment Programs.
L
astly, the City continues to prioritize recruitment efforts for Police Recruits/Laterals to maintain staffing levels within the Police Department . Council has continued to support these efforts with one time funding each year to cover the cost of temporary staff and overtime in MS to assist with the additional workload associated with running Police Recruit/Lateral recruitments up to 12 times per year. Council has also approved lateral signing bonuses for Police Officer s from other agencies as well as additional vacation and sick leave, to remain competitive with surrounding agencies and strengthen the City’s ability to attract experienced Police Officers.
R
ecruitment Processes and Improvements
MS staff continues advancing improvements aimed at streamlining recruitment processes while enhancing the candidate experience. Recent efforts include the implementation of ioPredict, an online testing platform providing a library of validated, job- specific written examinations, and AssureHire, a background screening and pre- employment platform that integrates with NEOGOV, the City’s recruitment software, eliminating manual data entry and minimizing processing delays.
T
hese new efforts to streamline processes build on previous initiatives implemented over the last few years, such as TestGenius, providing online skills assessments; Spark Hire In-Time Interviews, providing remote video interviews; a centralized onboarding portal for candidates through NEOGOV; and the creation, in partnership with the BCEA, of an Ongoing Candidate Pool (OCP), which allows departments to fill high- turnover and hard to fill positions faster.
C
hallenges in the Hiring Process
A continuing challenge in the hiring process is that the City’s human resources software systems are not integrated with each other and/or are reaching the end of their useful life.
As a result, many processes are manual or require workarounds due to system gaps.
The C
ity’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, which is the backbone financial and human resources software that touches every employee, is over 25 years old and reaching the end of its life. Due to this, many of the steps of the hiring process require manual processing, which is time consuming and requires MS staff to focus on 194
5 administering the process rather than higher -value activities such as supporting departments with recruitment strategies. As part of the FY 2025- 26 Adopted Budget, Council approved a multi-year funding plan to replace the City’s ERP system over the next few years, and the planning phase of this project began in FY 2025-26. This project will ultimately enable the City to modernize and streamline its hiring processes.
EN
VIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This activity has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and as such, is not a “project” subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 14 Cal. Code Regs § 15378.
F
ISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
CO
NCLUSION
This report presents workforce, vacancy rate, and recruitment data, in compliance with AB 2561, as well as background data. It also showcases the Council’s and staff’s ongoing work to ensure that the City can recruit and retain a well -qualified workforce to provide the high- quality services the Burbank community expects. The work discussed in this report directly contributes to the Council’s goals under City Services (recruit and retain high caliber employees) and Public Safety (maintain staffing of police and fire departments and increase appropriately as the City grows).
AT
TACHMENT
Attachment 1 – City of Burbank Workforce and Recruitment Data Correspondences
195
1 Attachment 1
City of Burbank Workforce and Recruitment Data
Table 1 – Budgeted Fulltime Equivalent Positions by Labor or Employee Group
L abor or E mployee Group
F Y 24/25 F Y 25/26
B udgeted Fulltime
E quiv alents (F T E s)
B udgeted Fulltime
E quiv alents (F T E s)
BCEA 751.76 765.191
BFF 116 116
BFFCOU 8 8
BMA 249 260
BPOA 155 155
IBEW 140 143
U nrepresented M id M anag ement E mploy ees 101 108
E xecutive E mployees 15 15
To t a l 1535.76 1575.191
Table 2 – Budgeted Fulltime Equivalent Positions by Department
D epartment
F Y 24/25 F Y 25/26
B udgeted Fulltime
E quiv alents (F T E s)
B udgeted Fulltime
E quiv alents (F T E s)
B urbank W ater and Power 360 377
City A ttorney's Office 24 24
City Clerk's Office 10.48 12
City Council Office 2 2
City M anager's Office 13 16.5
City T reasurer's O ffice 5 5
Community Development 110.28 112.28
F inancial Services 40 40
F ire D epartment 144 144
Information T echnology 33 35
L ibrary Services 66.81 71.65
M anagement Services 59.13 57.497
Parks and R ecreation 194.53 195.484
Police D epartment 265.78 265.78
Public W orks 207.75 212
Grand T otal 1535.76 1575.191
196
2 Table 3 – 2025 Monthly Vacancy Rates by Labor or Employee Group
M onth BCEA BFF BFFCOU BMA BPOA IBEW U nrepresented E x ecutiv es Gra nd
To t a l
January 15.03% 5.17% 12.50% 16.48% 11.61% 7.14% 11.46% 6.67% 11.37% February 13.42% 0.00% 12.50% 15.27% 10.97% 7.86% 11.46% 6.67% 10.64% M arch 13.44% 0.00% 0.00% 14.07% 11.61% 7.86% 11.46% 13.33% 10.59% Ap r i l 12.67% 0.00% 0.00% 14.07% 9.68% 10.00% 9.48% 6.67% 10.35% Ma y 11.81% 0.00% 0.00% 13.26% 9.03% 10.71% 10.47% 0.00% 9.60% June 11.35% 0.00% 0.00% 12.68% 9.03% 10.71% 11.46% 0.00% 9.21% July 12.21% 0.00% 0.00% 18.56% 9.03% 11.19% 17.04% 0.00% 11.19% A ugust 11.29% 0.00% 0.00% 17.82% 9.03% 2.10% 17.04% 0.00% 9.93% September 15.71% 0.00% 0.00% 18.25% 10.32% 2.80% 13.37% 0.00% 12.16% October 14.76% 0.00% 0.00% 18.62% 12.90% 3.50% 12.45% 0.00% 11.95% Nove mbe r 13.51% 0.00% 0.00% 18.25% 9.68% 3.50% 12.84% 6.67% 11.24% D ecember 13.78% 0.00% 0.00% 17.28% 10.97% 2.80% 12.84% 6.67% 11.33% Ave r a g e 13.25% 0.43% 2.08% 16.22% 10.32% 6.68% 12.61% 3.89% 10.80%
Compared to 2024
BCEA BFF BFFCOU BMA BPOA IBEW U nrepresented E x ecutiv es Gra nd
To t a l
Ave r a g e 15.12% 3.51% 2.08% 17.41% 10.00% 3.42% 6.98% 7.22% 11.29%
Table 4 – 2025 Average Days to Complete Recruitment Process
A v erage N umber of Calendar D ay s to Complete R ecruitment Process T ype of R ecruitment
Civil Se rvice
R ecruitments
R ecruitments E x empt
from Civil Service A ll Recruitments
D epartmental
Promotional 77.6 (2.6 months) 76.7 (2.6 months) 77.2 (2.6 months) Interdepartmental
Promotional 96.0 (3.2 months) 5.0 (0.2 months) 65.7 (2.2 months) Open Competitive 92.8 (3.1 months) 60.8 (2.0 months) 69.8 (2.3 months) Ov erall T otal 88.4 (2.9 months) 61.8 (2.1 months) 70.8 (2.4 months)
197
Correspondences
Please Note: If Additional
Documents/Correspondences are
submitted for this item, they will be
periodically posted to the City website
for public viewing.
198
Annual Citywide
Vacancy Report
In compliance with AB 2561
03.24.2026
MANAGEMENT
SERVICES
1 199
PRESENTATION AGENDA
- AB 2561 Background
- Citywide Workforce & Vacancy Rate Data
- Recruitment & Background Data
- Recruitment & Retention Efforts
- Recruitment Process Improvements
- Obstacles to Hiring
- Public Comment
- Presentations by Labor Groups
- Council Questions/Comments
- Recommendation: Note and File
2 200
AB 2561 BACKGROUND
- Effective January 2025
- Annual Public Hearing
Vacancy Rates by Labor Group
Recruitment & Retention Efforts
Obstacles to Hiring
- 20% Vacancy Rate Threshold
- Presentations by Labor Groups
3 201
LABOR GROUP SPEAKING ORDER
- Burbank Fire Fighters Association – Chief
Officers’ Unit (BFFCOU)
- International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers (IBEW)
- Burbank Management Association (BMA)
- Burbank Police Officers’ Association (BPOA)
- Burbank Fire Fighters Association (BFF)
- Burbank City Employees’ Association (BCEA)
4 202
CITYWIDE WORKFORCE &
VACANCY RATE DATA
- FY 24/25
1,535.76 Fulltime Equivalent Positions
- FY 25/26
1,575.19 Fulltime Equivalent Positions
5 203
CITYWIDE WORKFORCE &
VACANCY RATE DATA
- 2025 Average Monthly Vacancy Rates
BCEA – 13.25%
BFF – 0.43%
BFFCOU – 2.08%
BMA – 16.22%
BPOA – 10.32%
IBEW – 6.68%
Unrepresented mid management – 12.61%
Executives – 3.89%
Overall – 10.80%
6 204
RECRUITMENT &
BACKGROUND DATA
- 433 Requisitions
- 584 Vacancies
- 285 Separate Recruitments
- 12 Police Recruit/Lateral Recruitments
- 71 Calendar Days (2.4 months) Average
from Requisition to List
7 205
RECRUITMENT &
BACKGROUND DATA
- 637 Employee Backgrounds Completed
351 New Hires
165 Promotions
37 Rehires
58 Transfers
26 Other Title Changes
- 35 Days on Average to Complete
8 206
RECRUITMENT & RETENTION
- City Council Compensation Policy
- Expand Outreach/Marketing
LinkedIn
Handshake Recruitment Platform
Job Fairs and Community Outreach
Youth Employment Programs
Police Recruit/Lateral Efforts
- Employee Engagement
9 207
RECRUITMENT PROCESS
IMPROVEMENTS
- ioPreditct Testing Platforms
- AssureHire Background Systems
- TestGenius Skills Testing
- Fully Remote Testing
- Ongoing Candidate Pool
10 208
OBSTACLES TO HIRING
- Legacy ERP System (25+ years old)
- Non-integrated HR software systems
- Manual Recruitment process due to
system gaps
- ERP replacement planning
11 209
QUESTIONS?
Betsy McClinton
Management Services Director
[email protected]
(818) 238-5026
12 210
1 STAFF REPORT
DAT
E: March 24, 2026
T
O: Justin Hess, City Manager
F
ROM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director
VIA: Simone McFarland, Assistant Community Development Director Mary Hamzoian, Economic Development Manager
BY: Marissa Cardwell, Senior Analyst
SUBJ
ECT: Update on the AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project RE
COMMENDATION
Note and file.
BACKG
ROUND
Downtown Burbank is a mixed-use urban neighborhood with more than 600 restaurants, retail establishments, and entertainment venues. The neighborhood is anchored by Burbank Town Center to the north and IKEA to the south and includes adjacent residential developments. The area is widely known for having the highest grossing AMC Theaters in the nation, popular restaurants, and annual events including the Winter Wine Walk and arts festivals. Downtown Burbank attracts 4.9 million visitors annually
1. T
he core of Downtown is the AMC Walkway (Walkway), a busy outdoor pedestrian gathering place for residents, visitors, and employees exploring the area. The Walkway, located between Finney’s Crafthouse and Gap Factory on Palm Avenue and San Fernando Boulevard and extending to First Street , is home to the AMC 16 Theaters as well as multiple restaurants and eateries, including The Boiling Crab, Buffalo Wild Wings, Yard House, and Finney’s, that attract high volumes of visitors to the area annually. 1 This figure is derived from reporting from Placer.ai, an AI-powered location analytics platform that the City licenses with to determine foot traffic counts and consumer behavior.
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
Reports to Council
Item #1
211
2 DISCUSSION
The Walkway was originally created in 2003 through a partnership between the City and the Downtown Property Based Improvement District (PBID), adding benches, trash bins, and planters along San Fernando and the Walkway. Since 2003, there has been limited infrastructure investment in Downtown. Much of the area’s infrastructure has deteriorated and the Walkway lacks essential amenities such as adequate seating, shade, lighting, and contemporary placemaking features.
R
ecognizing Downtown’s continued growth and its role as a vibrant destination, in 2020 the City worked with a landscape architect to develop initial schematic designs for improvements to the area. Although the designs were completed, the potential AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project (Project) was temporarily put on hold due to funding challenges. In 2024, the City reevaluated the Project and the City Council approved funding to update the previously completed design work. T he Project was added to the City’s Capital Improvement Project (CIP) list and the Infrastructure Oversight Board recommended funding for construction. During the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 budget process, Council approved the Project funding as part of the CIP and a landscape architect updated the design work (Attachment 1) , with construction proposed for completion by November 2026.
T
he Project is part of a larger infrastructure investment strategy aimed to create contemporary, multi-functional public spaces that meet the evolving needs of residents and visitors while enhancing the overall look and feel of Downtown . In addition to improvements along the Walkway itself, the City is updating adjacent infrastructure, including the Orange Grove parking structure, the nearby alley (included in the Project), and San Fernando Boulevard, creating a cohesive, welcoming, and modern environment.
W
alkway Beautification Project
The goal of the Project is to revitalize the Walkway into a modern, multi-functional space.
The redesign will provide a comprehensive array of amenities, including green spaces, shade trees, seating, trash bins, enhanced lighting, bike racks , and public art, providing a space that is both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional.
Impr
ovements will extend beyond Palm Avenue and enhance the alley adjacent to the Orange Grove parking structure (behind Kabuki and Kalaveras), creating a unified space.
The Project is designed to support a wide variety of community uses and programming, including seasonal events, arts and cultural displays, pop- up activations, and other activities that r eflect the broader needs and interests of the community and that will 212
3 encourage people to return frequently to the Downtown as a destination. The design is illustrated in the following images:
(View of Walkway from San Fernando Boulevard)
(Aerial View of Walkway from San Fernando Boulevard)
213
4 (View of Walkway towards San Fernando Boulevard)
(View of alley Walkway entrance from Orange Grove Avenue)
The Project is important to Downtown Burbank’s ongoing success and is supported by the PBID Board, as well as by multiple property and business owners who have provided 214
5 letters of support (Attachment 2). Project construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in August 2026, with projected completion by the end of November 2026.
Cultural Market
In 2021, the City was approached by the Burbank Cultural Market (Market) to operate a weekly outdoor market on the Walkway. At the time, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the City approved the Market as a temporary activation to help encourage foot traffic in Downtown. Since December 2021, the Market has operated on the Walkway, initially once per week and currently three days per week, Friday and Saturday (5:00 pm to 10:00 pm) and Sunday (4:00 pm to 9:00 pm). The Market has operated under a permit issued by the City’s Public Works Department, paid annually (at the Market’s request). There is no formal agreement in place for the Market’s ongoing , annual, or exclusive use of the Walkway. From the outset and throughout its operation, it was communicated to the Market operators that the permit was temporary and that the Walkway location would need to be relocated in the future.
With the upcoming enhancements planned for the Walkway as part of the Project, the redesigned space will no longer be able to accommodate the Market’s current operational footprint. Separately, the Market’s current days and hours of operation also limit the City’s ability to utilize the Walkway for other community events and programming. In addition, the existing footprint can affect pedestrian circulation and partially obscure the storefronts of nearby brick -and-mortar businesses, impacting visibility and access for customers.
Adjusting the Market’s location is necessary for the City to enhance the Walkw ay and maintain a flexible, multi -functional public space that support s a variety of community activities, while preserving clear access and visibility for businesses located along the Walkway.
Relocation
Recognizing the Market’s role as a community event, staff have remained in regular contact with the organizers and began relocation discussions in early 2024. Staff have made a concerted effort to identify alternative locations, including private properties, City- owned parking lots, and local parks such as the terrace of the Burbank Town Center, the parking lot adjacent to City Hall, and an option to locate within a park . To date, the Burbank Town Center has declined the opportunity to work with the Market and alternative locations have not been accepted by the Market. Staff continues to work closely with the Market to explore alternate spaces that would be mutually beneficial for both the Market and the City.
After evaluating the options, an optimal alternate location appears to be the parking lot adjacent to City Hall. The lot is located two blocks away from the Walkway and just one block off San Fernando Boulevard, providing easy access for visitors. It is large enough 215
6 to accommodate an increased number of vendors and visitors and allows opportunity for expansion beyond the current footprint, if desired.
(Proposed Location in City Hall Parking Lot)
Should the Market elect to continue operation at a new location in the City , at the proposed location or another, the City will assist in supporting communication and signage to direct Market patrons and pedestrian traffic to the new location.
Notably, the Burbank Farmer’s Market, operating with a footprint similar to the Market, has operated successfully for many years in the City-owned parking lot located near the Community Services Building, off Olive Avenue and North Third Street.
(View of Burbank Farmer’s Market Operating at the Community Services Building Parking Lot ) 216
7 The City will continue to provide support for the Market during this transition and remains committed to assisting the Market in securing a new location.
Future Walkway Programming
As part of ongoing efforts to bring diverse, engaging, and experiential cultural offerings to Downtown, the City has secured the Richard Orlinski Art Exhibit (Exhibit) for the Walkway.
Richard Orlinski
2 is an internationally renowned French artist known for creating larger - than-life sculptures that are displayed around the world. The Exhibit, funded by Visit Burbank, will feature six monumental pieces co- located along the Walkway, providing residents and visitors with a unique opportunity to experience contemporary art in a public setting.
Similar to The Elephant Parade Burbank 2024, also
supported by Visit Burbank, the Exhibit is expected to
increase public engagement with the arts, attract visitors, and further position Burbank as a destination for cultural tourism.
Orlinski has a global f ollowing of 10 million on social media and five international galleries, bringing additional visibility to the City on a worldwide scale. The Exhibit will be on display from May 12, 2026, through July 20, 2026, coinciding with the Summer Arts Festival and the Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone in Downtown Burbank, maximizing exposure and
engagement with the arts. The Exhibit was also hosted locally in the City of Beverly Hills and globally in Saint-Tropez and Paris.
Due to the timing of the Exhibit, as well as the Fan Zone event, the Market will discontinue operations on the Walkway as of April 27, 2026, to allow for installation and display of the Exhibit and execution of the Fan Zone event, followed shortly thereafter by Project construction.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This report has no potential for resulting in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change to the environment and falls outside the definition of a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and is therefore not subject to CEQA review pursuant to § 15378 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations (CEQA Guidelines).
FISCAL IMPACT
The Walkway Project is a fully funded CIP Project with a $700,000 budget approved by City Council and approximately $200,000 in grant funding received from the Complete
2 https://www.galeries-orlinski.com/en/home/
217
8 Streets Plan for a total investment of approximately $900,000. Once completed, the Project will provide great er economic vitality to Downtown Burbank and is expected to support increased General Fund revenues through sales and transient occupancy tax because of increased dwell time and new attractions.
The C
ultural Market pays approximately $41,206 in permitting fees for use of the Walkway three nights per week for an entire year. Additionally , due to the temporary nature of the Market and in effort to support its early operations , the City has waived the requirement for Market vendors to pay weekly itinerant merchant permit fees3 since its inception. This accommodation has resulted in reduced General Fund revenues of approximately $334,957.404 since 2021. Moving forward, the Market vendors will be requested to pay the itinerant merchant vendor fees at their future location. The Farmer’s Market operates with a Right of Entry and License Agreement between the City of Burbank and Providence Saint Joseph Foundation. Based on the terms of the Agreement, the Farmer’s Market vendors do not pay the itinerant merchant fees.
CONCL
USION
The Project delivers significant benefits to the City and Downtown, including a refreshed streetscape, enhanced visitor experiences, opportunities for new art and cultural programming, and a visually appealing environment that supports local businesses and promotes Downtown as a destination for residents and visitors. By modernizing a heavily used public space, the Project strengthens Downtown Burbank’s identity and contributes to long- term economic vitality, placemaking, and community engagement. While the Walkway’s opportunities for use will evolve, the improvements will provide meaningful benefits for residents and visitors, including modern amenities, expanded and diverse programming, and a clean, safe, and welcoming space for the community to enjoy.
Wi
th the Project advancing through design and construction in addition to the upcoming Richard Orlinski Art Exhibit (scheduled to begin early May 2026) and the FIFA Fan Zone event (planned for July 2026) , the Walkway will no longer be able to accommodate the operation of the Market. The planned physical improvements, landscaping, and pedestrian-oriented features are designed to support broader public use and are not compatible with ongoing private Market operations under its current footprint. Since the Market’s inception, the City has regularly communicated that the use of the Walkway was intended to be temporary given the planned improvements to the area.
Sta
ff remains committed to working in collaboration with the Market to identify an alternate location within the City to support continued operation. Several potential sites have been 3 The Burbank Municipal Code (BMC 3-4-1109) defines an itinerant merchant as a person who temporarily sells and delivers goods within the City from a temporary location such as a building, tent, hotel room, apartment, or shop. 4 This calculation is based on an average of 25 weekly market vendors including approximately 15 merchant vendors and 10 food vendors per event day for 213 weeks beginning in FY 2021-22 through current. Inclusive of the fluctuating annual vendor fee, there is approximately $334,957.40 in lost permit revenue to the City. 218
9 evaluated and presented for consideration, with the current recommendation being the City-owned parking lot adjacent to City Hall. This location offers a centrally -located site within Downtown that can accommodate vendors and visitors while allowing for potential expansion.
T
he Project represents an important , much needed, and overdue reinvestment in Downtown Burbank and reflects the City’s ongoing commitment to maintaining vibrant, welcoming, and well-designed public spaces. The Project will help ensure that Downtown continues to evolve as a dynamic destination. Strategic investments such as this strengthen the community experience, support economic vitality, and demonstrate the City’s dedication to enhancing the quality of life for those who live, work in, and visit Burbank.
AT
TACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project Schematic Attachment 2 – Letters of Support for the AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project
219
ATTACHMENT 1 - 1
220
ATTACHMENT 1 - 2
221
ATTACHMENT 1 - 3
222
ATTACHMENT 1 - 4
223
Burbank City Council
275 East Olive Avenue
Burbank, CA 91502
Re: Letter of Support for the AMC Walkway/ Palm Paseo Revitalization Project Dear Madame Mayor and Members of the City Council,
On behalf of the Downtown Burbank Business Improvement District (PBID) Board of Directors, I want to express our strong support for the proposed AMC Walkway/ Palm Paseo Revitalization Project and the proposed relocation of the Burbank Cultural Market.
This project represents a significant opportunity to reinvest in one of Downtown Burbank's most visible and heavily used pedestrian corridors. For many years, the PBID has made sustained investments throughout the district to enhance cleanliness, safety, maintenance, and placemaking. The proposed revitalization of the AMC Walkway/ Palm Paseo builds upon that ongoing commitment by transforming an underutilized space into a welcoming, vibrant environment that better serves residents, employees, and visitors alike.
The PBID also recognizes that this project will require the permanent relocation of the Burbank Cultural Market from the Palm Paseo/AMC Walkway. From an operational and economic standpoint, continued frequent event use of this corridor has had measurable negative impacts on adjacent brick-and-mortar businesses, including reduced storefront visibility, restricted access, ongoing trash and maintenance issues, and inconsistent utility coordination. These impacts have been particularly problematic for businesses that have made significant private investments with the expectation of reliable access, visibility, and customer flow.
The reimagining of this paseo with enhanced landscaping, public art, seating areas, and improved lighting will create meaningful new amenities for the community. These improvements will encourage pedestrian activity, support local businesses, and invite visitors to linger, shop, dine, and explore Downtown Burbank. In addition, the project has the potential to generate new employment opportunities and strengthen overall economic vitality by reinforcing Downtown Burbank as a destination.
Attachment 2-1
224
Placemaking initiatives such as this are essential to activating high traffic areas and maximizing the impact of public and private investment. The AMC Walkway / Palm Paseo Revitalization Project will not only improve the physical environment but also create opportunities for collaboration with local artists, arts organizations, and community resource groups, further enhancing Downtown Burbank's identity and sense of place.
The Palm Paseo/AMC Walkway is not an appropriate location for continuous, weekly event programming. The PBID believes the Cultural Market can be better accommodated at an alternative Downtown location that supports its operation without undermining surrounding businesses. We support an orderly relocation process and strongly recommend that any future continuous use of public space be subject to a formal City License Agreement and an RFP process to ensure accountability, transparency, and equitable use of the public right-of way.
For these reasons, the Downtown Burbank PBID Board of Directors fully supports the AMC Walkway/ Palm Paseo Revitalization Project and urges the City Council to allow this project to proceed without delay. Advancing this effort is critical to protecting existing business investment and ensuring the long-term vitality of Downtown Burbank.
Thank you for your continued partnership.
Since,,,,/, ;? µ
Mich�/4ano, Board Chair
Downtown Burbank Business Improvement District (PBID)
Attachment 2-2
225
!aEPR
� Properties'•
The Diversified Experiential REIT'
March 13, 2026
Dear Mayor and Members of the City Council,
As a property owner along the Palm Avenue Paseo in Burbank, I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project and the relocation of the Burbank Cultural Market.
This project represents an important opportunity to reinvest in one of Downtown's most visible and heavily trafficked pedestrian corridors. Thoughtful improvements such as enhanced landscaping, lighting, seating, and public art will transform an underutilized space into a vibrant, welcoming environment that better serves residents, employees, and visitors while strengthening Downtown Burbank as a destination. Additionally, these improvements will complement future upgrades that we may initiate in the surrounding area.
While we value community programming, the continued weekly operation of the Cultural Market in this location has created ongoing challenges for adjacent brick-and-mortar businesses. Reduced storefront visibility, restricted access to customer and employee parking, and direct competition with hot food vendors have had meaningful negative impact on sales, customer flow and day-to-day operations. Businesses that have made substantial private investments deserve reliable access and a stable operating environment.
The Palm Paseo/AMC Walkway is not an appropriate location for continuous event programming.
Relocating the Cultural Market to a more suitable Downtown site would allow it to thrive without undermining surrounding businesses.
For these reasons, I fully support the AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project and urge the City Council to move forward without delay. This effort is essential to protect existing investments and ensure the long-term economic vitality of Downtown Burbank.
Sincerely,
Cassie Lane
Director, Asset Management
EPR Properties - Owner of Burbank Entertainment Village Attachment 2-3
226
CONTINENTAL BURBANK, LLC
1010 Racquet Club Drive, Suite 104 / Auburn, California 95603 March 10, 2026
Dear Councilmembers:
My name is Gary Henson, and I am the property owner and managing partner of Continental Burbank, LLC, which owns and manages the building located at 164 E. Palm Avenue in Downtown Burbank. This property is home to several long-standing, family-owned small businesses that have served this community for decades.
I am writing on their behalf to respectfully ask the City to revisit the current setup and location of the Downtown Cultural Market and consider relocating it to a dedicated space, along with reviewing its current operating schedule to better support the broader Downtown Burbank business environment.
Please understand that we support the concept of a community market and the opportunity it provides for vendors and residents to gather. The concern is not the market itself, but its current placement and schedule, which are creating ongoing operational challenges for nearby brick-and mortar businesses that operate year-round and contribute daily to Downtown Burbank's economy and vitality.
When the market was introduced in 2021, it served an important purpose during a difficult period for small businesses. However, conditions have changed, and the current arrangement is creating unintended consequences.
The market now operates Friday through Sunday evenings, directly overlapping with peak business hours for surrounding tenants who rely heavily on weekend revenue.
In addition, tenants have reported recurring issues, including blocked storefront visibility and walkways, unauthorized use of private patio space, and trash left behind after market operations.
In some instances, commercial trash bins paid for by our building have been used or overfilled by vendors, creating additional cost and sanitation concerns.
There are also deeper structural concerns. Some market vendors now sell goods or food products that compete directly with tenants despite prior assurances that this would not occur. Food vendors previously removed over health and cleanliness concerns have returned, raising questions about oversight and enforcement. Without consistent oversight and enforcement of Attachment 2-4
227
Stacy Yoon, Franchise Owner
Burbank Scoop Shop, Inc.
dba Ben & Jerry's
Attachment 2-5
228
THE BURBANK COLLECTION
I
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA
Re: Relocation of the Dowritown Burbank Cultural Market February 12, 2026
Dear Honorable Members of the Burbank City Council,
We are writing on behalf J property ownership and several new and long-standing bri mortar restaurant tenants located in Downtown Burbank. While we support cultural programming and community activation in principle, we respectfully request that the c rrently approved "Cultural Market" operating Friday through Sunday afternoons and evenings e relocated away from the downtown core and immediate retail and restaurant corr dors.
Since its introduction, the jarket has had material and demonstrable negative impac s on established businesses in the surrounding area, including but not limited to the followin concerns:
1. Obstruction of Visibility and Access
The market physically blocks the view, signage, and entry points of permanent, rent-pa ing I
businesses. For restaurants that rely heavily on visibility, walk-in traffic, and ease of ac ess, this obstruction directly translates into lost revenue during peak operating. hours.
2. Unequal and Unfair Competitive Conditions
Brick-and-mortar tenants b�ar substantial ongoing costs, including commercial rent, ins ance, payroll, utilities, licensing, �d property taxes. In contrast, the temporary market vendo s do not shoulder comparable financ�al or regulatory obligations, yet operate immediately adjac nt to and in direct competition with-these permanent businesses. This imbalance creates an inherently unfair competitive environment.
3. Negative Impact on Tenant Revenue and Viability
Multiple tenants have expe�enced reduced foot traffic and sales during market operatin hours.
Restaurants and service businesses rely on visibility, impulse visits, and repeat custome s factors that are directly compromised by the market's current configuration and proxim ty.
4. Nuisance, Cleanliness, and Security Concerns
The market has contributed ito increased trash, congestion, noise, and loitering in the i ediate vicinity. These conditions negatively affect the customer experience, strain property m agement resources, and raise legitim!te concerns regarding safety and security during evening h urs.
Attachment 2-6
229
5. Negatively Impact Private and Public Parking Availability Our parking lot is the number one used lot in Downtown Burbank. Our downtown parking is already impacted by the reduced pay parking along San Fernando. thus additional strain comes to the free private/public lots such as ours when the vendors and customers for the Cultural Market park in these lots. On some occasions, customers heading to our own property's restaurants have given up and left because they can not find a parking spot.
Downtown Burbank's success depends on the health and stability of its permanent businesses the very establishments that invest year-round in the city, employ local residents, and contribute consistently to the tax base. While cultural markets may be appropriate in designated or transitional areas, their current placement within a dense restaurant corridor is proving counterproductive.
For these reasons, we respectfully urge the City Council to reconsider the current location of the Cultural Market and relocate it to a more suitable area where it can thrive without undermining existing businesses.
We appreciate the City's efforts to promote cultural engagement and economic activity and would welcome the opportunity to collaborate on solutions that support both community programming and the long-term vitality of downtown Burbank.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
cJi;;;k
By: Parham Yedidsion, Managing Director
Burbank Collection Associates, LLC
Attachment 2-7
230
Re: Relocation of the Downtown Burbank Cultural Market
February 1, 2026
Dear Honorable Members of the Burbank City Council,
We are writing on behalf of property ownership and several new and long-standing brick-and- mortar restaurant tenants located in Downtown Burbank. While we support cultural programming and community activation in principle, we respectfully request that the currently approved “Cultural Market” operating Friday through Sunday afternoons and evenings be relocated away from the downtown core and immediate retail and restaurant corridors.
Since its introduction, the market has had material and demonstrable negative impacts on established businesses in the surrounding area, including but not limited to the following concerns:
1. Obstruction of Visibility and Access
The market physically blocks the view, signage, and entry points of permanent, rent-paying businesses. For restaurants that rely heavily on visibility, walk-in traffic, and ease of access, this obstruction directly translates into lost revenue during peak operating hours.
2. Unequal and Unfair Competitive Conditions
Brick-and-mortar tenants bear substantial ongoing costs, including commercial rent, insurance, payroll, utilities, licensing, and property taxes. In contrast, the temporary market vendors do not shoulder comparable financial or regulatory obligations, yet operate immediately adjacent to— and in direct competition with—these permanent businesses. This imbalance creates an inherently unfair competitive environment.
3. Negative Impact on Tenant Revenue and Viability
Multiple tenants have experienced reduced foot traffic and sales during market operating hours.
Restaurants and service businesses rely on visibility, impulse visits, and repeat customers— factors that are directly compromised by the market’s current configuration and proximity.
4. Nuisance, Cleanliness, and Security Concerns
The market has contributed to increased trash, congestion, noise, and loitering in the immediate vicinity. These conditions negatively affect the customer experience, strain property management resources, and raise legitimate concerns regarding safety and security during evening hours.
Attachment 2-8
231
5. Negatively Impact Private and Public Parking Availability Our parking lot is the number one used lot in Downtown Burbank. Our downtown parking is already impacted by the reduced pay parking along San Fernando, thus additional strain comes to the free private/public lots such as ours when the
vendors and customers for the Cultural Market
park in these lots. On some occasions, customers heading to our own property’s restaurants have given up and left because they can not find a parking spot.
Downtown Burbank’s success depends on the health and stability of its permanent businesses— the very establishments that invest year-round in the city, employ local residents, and contribute consistently to the tax base. While cultural markets may be appropriate in designated or transitional areas, their current placement within a dense restaurant corridor is proving counterproductive.
For these reasons, we respectfully urge the City Council to reconsider the current location of the Cultural Market and relocate it to a more suitable area where it can thrive without undermining existing businesses.
We appreciate the City’s efforts to promote cultural engagement and economic activity and would welcome the opportunity to collaborate on solutions that support both community programming and the long-term vitality of downtown Burbank.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
By: Sahiba Kaur
Business Name: Pinkberry
Attachment 2-9
232
Re: Relocation of the Downtown Burbank Cultural Market
February 1, 2026
Dear Honorable Members of the Burbank City Council,
We are writing on behalf of property ownership and several new and long-standing brick-and- mortar restaurant tenants located in Downtown Burbank. While we support cultural programming and community activation in principle, we respectfully request that the currently approved “Cultural Market” operating Friday through Sunday afternoons and evenings be relocated away from the downtown core and immediate retail and restaurant corridors.
Since its introduction, the market has had material and demonstrable negative impacts on established businesses in the surrounding area, including but not limited to the following concerns:
1. Obstruction of Visibility and Access
The market physically blocks the view, signage, and entry points of permanent, rent-paying businesses. For restaurants that rely heavily on visibility, walk-in traffic, and ease of access, this obstruction directly translates into lost revenue during peak operating hours.
2. Unequal and Unfair Competitive Conditions
Brick-and-mortar tenants bear substantial ongoing costs, including commercial rent, insurance, payroll, utilities, licensing, and property taxes. In contrast, the temporary market vendors do not shoulder comparable financial or regulatory obligations, yet operate immediately adjacent to— and in direct competition with—these permanent businesses. This imbalance creates an inherently unfair competitive environment.
3. Negative Impact on Tenant Revenue and Viability
Multiple tenants have experienced reduced foot traffic and sales during market operating hours.
Restaurants and service businesses rely on visibility, impulse visits, and repeat customers— factors that are directly compromised by the market’s current configuration and proximity.
4. Nuisance, Cleanliness, and Security Concerns
The market has contributed to increased trash, congestion, noise, and loitering in the immediate vicinity. These conditions negatively affect the customer experience, strain property management resources, and raise legitimate concerns regarding safety and security during evening hours.
Attachment 2-10
233
5. Negatively Impact Private and Public Parking Availability Our parking lot is the number one used lot in Downtown Burbank. Our downtown parking is already impacted by the reduced pay parking along San Fernando, thus additional strain comes to the free private/public lots such as ours when the vendors and customers for the Cultural Market park in these lots. On some occasions, customers heading to our own property’s restaurants have given up and left because they can not find a parking spot.
Downtown Burbank’s success depends on the health and stability of its permanent businesses— the very establishments that invest year-round in the city, employ local residents, and contribute consistently to the tax base. While cultural markets may be appropriate in designated or transitional areas, their current placement within a dense restaurant corridor is proving counterproductive.
For these reasons, we respectfully urge the City Council to reconsider the current location of the Cultural Market and relocate it to a more suitable area where it can thrive without undermining existing businesses.
We appreciate the City’s efforts to promote cultural engagement and economic activity and would welcome the opportunity to collaborate on solutions that support both community
programming and the long-term vitality of downtown Burbank.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
By:
Business Name:
Slice House By Tony Gemignani
Vincent Margott
Attachment 2-11
234
1 MEMORANDUM
DATE: March 20, 2026
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director BY: Katie Picha, Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: Amendment to the March 24, 2026 City Council Meeting Agenda Item Report No. 1 – Update on the AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project
This memo is to update Attachment 2 (Letters of Support) regarding the March 24, 2026 City Council Meeting Agenda Item Report No. 1 – Update on the AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project.
On Friday, March 20, 2026, Vincent Margott, on behalf of Slice House By Tony Gemignani, requested that we add a retraction of his letter of support in Attachment 2 to the public record. Attachment 2 has been amended to add the retraction which can be found on page 12.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment 2 – “Letters of Support for the AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project (Amended)”
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
235
Burbank City Council
275 East Olive Avenue
Burbank, CA 91502
Re: Letter of Support for the AMC Walkway/ Palm Paseo Revitalization Project Dear Madame Mayor and Members of the City Council,
On behalf of the Downtown Burbank Business Improvement District (PBID) Board of Directors, I want to express our strong support for the proposed AMC Walkway/ Palm Paseo Revitalization Project and the proposed relocation of the Burbank Cultural Market.
This project represents a significant opportunity to reinvest in one of Downtown Burbank's most visible and heavily used pedestrian corridors. For many years, the PBID has made sustained investments throughout the district to enhance cleanliness, safety, maintenance, and placemaking. The proposed revitalization of the AMC Walkway/ Palm Paseo builds upon that ongoing commitment by transforming an underutilized space into a welcoming, vibrant environment that better serves residents, employees, and visitors alike.
The PBID also recognizes that this project will require the permanent relocation of the Burbank Cultural Market from the Palm Paseo/AMC Walkway. From an operational and economic standpoint, continued frequent event use of this corridor has had measurable negative impacts on adjacent brick-and-mortar businesses, including reduced storefront visibility, restricted access, ongoing trash and maintenance issues, and inconsistent utility coordination. These impacts have been particularly problematic for businesses that have made significant private investments with the expectation of reliable access, visibility, and customer flow.
The reimagining of this paseo with enhanced landscaping, public art, seating areas, and improved lighting will create meaningful new amenities for the community. These improvements will encourage pedestrian activity, support local businesses, and invite visitors to linger, shop, dine, and explore Downtown Burbank. In addition, the project has the potential to generate new employment opportunities and strengthen overall economic vitality by reinforcing Downtown Burbank as a destination.
AMENDED
Attachment 2-1
236
Placemaking initiatives such as this are essential to activating high traffic areas and maximizing the impact of public and private investment. The AMC Walkway / Palm Paseo Revitalization Project will not only improve the physical environment but also create opportunities for collaboration with local artists, arts organizations, and community resource groups, further enhancing Downtown Burbank's identity and sense of place.
The Palm Paseo/AMC Walkway is not an appropriate location for continuous, weekly event programming. The PBID believes the Cultural Market can be better accommodated at an alternative Downtown location that supports its operation without undermining surrounding businesses. We support an orderly relocation process and strongly recommend that any future continuous use of public space be subject to a formal City License Agreement and an RFP process to ensure accountability, transparency, and equitable use of the public right-of way.
For these reasons, the Downtown Burbank PBID Board of Directors fully supports the AMC Walkway/ Palm Paseo Revitalization Project and urges the City Council to allow this project to proceed without delay. Advancing this effort is critical to protecting existing business investment and ensuring the long-term vitality of Downtown Burbank.
Thank you for your continued partnership.
Since,,,,/, ;? µ
Mich�/4ano, Board Chair
Downtown Burbank Business Improvement District (PBID)
Attachment 2-2
237
!aEPR
� Properties'•
The Diversified Experiential REIT'
March 13, 2026
Dear Mayor and Members of the City Council,
As a property owner along the Palm Avenue Paseo in Burbank, I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project and the relocation of the Burbank Cultural Market.
This project represents an important opportunity to reinvest in one of Downtown's most visible and heavily trafficked pedestrian corridors. Thoughtful improvements such as enhanced landscaping, lighting, seating, and public art will transform an underutilized space into a vibrant, welcoming environment that better serves residents, employees, and visitors while strengthening Downtown Burbank as a destination. Additionally, these improvements will complement future upgrades that we may initiate in the surrounding area.
While we value community programming, the continued weekly operation of the Cultural Market in this location has created ongoing challenges for adjacent brick-and-mortar businesses. Reduced storefront visibility, restricted access to customer and employee parking, and direct competition with hot food vendors have had meaningful negative impact on sales, customer flow and day-to-day operations. Businesses that have made substantial private investments deserve reliable access and a stable operating environment.
The Palm Paseo/AMC Walkway is not an appropriate location for continuous event programming.
Relocating the Cultural Market to a more suitable Downtown site would allow it to thrive without undermining surrounding businesses.
For these reasons, I fully support the AMC Walkway/Palm Paseo Beautification Project and urge the City Council to move forward without delay. This effort is essential to protect existing investments and ensure the long-term economic vitality of Downtown Burbank.
Sincerely,
Cassie Lane
Director, Asset Management
EPR Properties - Owner of Burbank Entertainment Village Attachment 2-3
238
CONTINENTAL BURBANK, LLC
1010 Racquet Club Drive, Suite 104 / Auburn, California 95603 March 10, 2026
Dear Councilmembers:
My name is Gary Henson, and I am the property owner and managing partner of Continental Burbank, LLC, which owns and manages the building located at 164 E. Palm Avenue in Downtown Burbank. This property is home to several long-standing, family-owned small businesses that have served this community for decades.
I am writing on their behalf to respectfully ask the City to revisit the current setup and location of the Downtown Cultural Market and consider relocating it to a dedicated space, along with reviewing its current operating schedule to better support the broader Downtown Burbank business environment.
Please understand that we support the concept of a community market and the opportunity it provides for vendors and residents to gather. The concern is not the market itself, but its current placement and schedule, which are creating ongoing operational challenges for nearby brick-and mortar businesses that operate year-round and contribute daily to Downtown Burbank's economy and vitality.
When the market was introduced in 2021, it served an important purpose during a difficult period for small businesses. However, conditions have changed, and the current arrangement is creating unintended consequences.
The market now operates Friday through Sunday evenings, directly overlapping with peak business hours for surrounding tenants who rely heavily on weekend revenue.
In addition, tenants have reported recurring issues, including blocked storefront visibility and walkways, unauthorized use of private patio space, and trash left behind after market operations.
In some instances, commercial trash bins paid for by our building have been used or overfilled by vendors, creating additional cost and sanitation concerns.
There are also deeper structural concerns. Some market vendors now sell goods or food products that compete directly with tenants despite prior assurances that this would not occur. Food vendors previously removed over health and cleanliness concerns have returned, raising questions about oversight and enforcement. Without consistent oversight and enforcement of Attachment 2-4
239
Stacy Yoon, Franchise Owner
Burbank Scoop Shop, Inc.
dba Ben & Jerry's
Attachment 2-5
240
THE BURBANK COLLECTION
I
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA
Re: Relocation of the Dowritown Burbank Cultural Market February 12, 2026
Dear Honorable Members of the Burbank City Council,
We are writing on behalf J property ownership and several new and long-standing bri mortar restaurant tenants located in Downtown Burbank. While we support cultural programming and community activation in principle, we respectfully request that the c rrently approved "Cultural Market" operating Friday through Sunday afternoons and evenings e relocated away from the downtown core and immediate retail and restaurant corr dors.
Since its introduction, the jarket has had material and demonstrable negative impac s on established businesses in the surrounding area, including but not limited to the followin concerns:
1. Obstruction of Visibility and Access
The market physically blocks the view, signage, and entry points of permanent, rent-pa ing I
businesses. For restaurants that rely heavily on visibility, walk-in traffic, and ease of ac ess, this obstruction directly translates into lost revenue during peak operating. hours.
2. Unequal and Unfair Competitive Conditions
Brick-and-mortar tenants b�ar substantial ongoing costs, including commercial rent, ins ance, payroll, utilities, licensing, �d property taxes. In contrast, the temporary market vendo s do not shoulder comparable financ�al or regulatory obligations, yet operate immediately adjac nt to and in direct competition with-these permanent businesses. This imbalance creates an inherently unfair competitive environment.
3. Negative Impact on Tenant Revenue and Viability
Multiple tenants have expe�enced reduced foot traffic and sales during market operatin hours.
Restaurants and service businesses rely on visibility, impulse visits, and repeat custome s factors that are directly compromised by the market's current configuration and proxim ty.
4. Nuisance, Cleanliness, and Security Concerns
The market has contributed ito increased trash, congestion, noise, and loitering in the i ediate vicinity. These conditions negatively affect the customer experience, strain property m agement resources, and raise legitim!te concerns regarding safety and security during evening h urs.
Attachment 2-6
241
5. Negatively Impact Private and Public Parking Availability Our parking lot is the number one used lot in Downtown Burbank. Our downtown parking is already impacted by the reduced pay parking along San Fernando. thus additional strain comes to the free private/public lots such as ours when the vendors and customers for the Cultural Market park in these lots. On some occasions, customers heading to our own property's restaurants have given up and left because they can not find a parking spot.
Downtown Burbank's success depends on the health and stability of its permanent businesses the very establishments that invest year-round in the city, employ local residents, and contribute consistently to the tax base. While cultural markets may be appropriate in designated or transitional areas, their current placement within a dense restaurant corridor is proving counterproductive.
For these reasons, we respectfully urge the City Council to reconsider the current location of the Cultural Market and relocate it to a more suitable area where it can thrive without undermining existing businesses.
We appreciate the City's efforts to promote cultural engagement and economic activity and would welcome the opportunity to collaborate on solutions that support both community programming and the long-term vitality of downtown Burbank.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
cJi;;;k
By: Parham Yedidsion, Managing Director
Burbank Collection Associates, LLC
Attachment 2-7
242
Re: Relocation of the Downtown Burbank Cultural Market
February 1, 2026
Dear Honorable Members of the Burbank City Council,
We are writing on behalf of property ownership and several new and long-standing brick-and- mortar restaurant tenants located in Downtown Burbank. While we support cultural programming and community activation in principle, we respectfully request that the currently approved “Cultural Market” operating Friday through Sunday afternoons and evenings be relocated away from the downtown core and immediate retail and restaurant corridors.
Since its introduction, the market has had material and demonstrable negative impacts on established businesses in the surrounding area, including but not limited to the following concerns:
1. Obstruction of Visibility and Access
The market physically blocks the view, signage, and entry points of permanent, rent-paying businesses. For restaurants that rely heavily on visibility, walk-in traffic, and ease of access, this obstruction directly translates into lost revenue during peak operating hours.
2. Unequal and Unfair Competitive Conditions
Brick-and-mortar tenants bear substantial ongoing costs, including commercial rent, insurance, payroll, utilities, licensing, and property taxes. In contrast, the temporary market vendors do not shoulder comparable financial or regulatory obligations, yet operate immediately adjacent to— and in direct competition with—these permanent businesses. This imbalance creates an inherently unfair competitive environment.
3. Negative Impact on Tenant Revenue and Viability
Multiple tenants have experienced reduced foot traffic and sales during market operating hours.
Restaurants and service businesses rely on visibility, impulse visits, and repeat customers— factors that are directly compromised by the market’s current configuration and proximity.
4. Nuisance, Cleanliness, and Security Concerns
The market has contributed to increased trash, congestion, noise, and loitering in the immediate vicinity. These conditions negatively affect the customer experience, strain property management resources, and raise legitimate concerns regarding safety and security during evening hours.
Attachment 2-8
243
5. Negatively Impact Private and Public Parking Availability Our parking lot is the number one used lot in Downtown Burbank. Our downtown parking is already impacted by the reduced pay parking along San Fernando, thus additional strain comes to the free private/public lots such as ours when the
vendors and customers for the Cultural Market
park in these lots. On some occasions, customers heading to our own property’s restaurants have given up and left because they can not find a parking spot.
Downtown Burbank’s success depends on the health and stability of its permanent businesses— the very establishments that invest year-round in the city, employ local residents, and contribute consistently to the tax base. While cultural markets may be appropriate in designated or transitional areas, their current placement within a dense restaurant corridor is proving counterproductive.
For these reasons, we respectfully urge the City Council to reconsider the current location of the Cultural Market and relocate it to a more suitable area where it can thrive without undermining existing businesses.
We appreciate the City’s efforts to promote cultural engagement and economic activity and would welcome the opportunity to collaborate on solutions that support both community programming and the long-term vitality of downtown Burbank.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
By: Sahiba Kaur
Business Name: Pinkberry
Attachment 2-9
244
Re: Relocation of the Downtown Burbank Cultural Market
February 1, 2026
Dear Honorable Members of the Burbank City Council,
We are writing on behalf of property ownership and several new and long-standing brick-and- mortar restaurant tenants located in Downtown Burbank. While we support cultural programming and community activation in principle, we respectfully request that the currently approved “Cultural Market” operating Friday through Sunday afternoons and evenings be relocated away from the downtown core and immediate retail and restaurant corridors.
Since its introduction, the market has had material and demonstrable negative impacts on established businesses in the surrounding area, including but not limited to the following concerns:
1. Obstruction of Visibility and Access
The market physically blocks the view, signage, and entry points of permanent, rent-paying businesses. For restaurants that rely heavily on visibility, walk-in traffic, and ease of access, this obstruction directly translates into lost revenue during peak operating hours.
2. Unequal and Unfair Competitive Conditions
Brick-and-mortar tenants bear substantial ongoing costs, including commercial rent, insurance, payroll, utilities, licensing, and property taxes. In contrast, the temporary market vendors do not shoulder comparable financial or regulatory obligations, yet operate immediately adjacent to— and in direct competition with—these permanent businesses. This imbalance creates an inherently unfair competitive environment.
3. Negative Impact on Tenant Revenue and Viability
Multiple tenants have experienced reduced foot traffic and sales during market operating hours.
Restaurants and service businesses rely on visibility, impulse visits, and repeat customers— factors that are directly compromised by the market’s current configuration and proximity.
4. Nuisance, Cleanliness, and Security Concerns
The market has contributed to increased trash, congestion, noise, and loitering in the immediate vicinity. These conditions negatively affect the customer experience, strain property management resources, and raise legitimate concerns regarding safety and security during evening hours.
Attachment 2-10
245
5. Negatively Impact Private and Public Parking Availability Our parking lot is the number one used lot in Downtown Burbank. Our downtown parking is already impacted by the reduced pay parking along San Fernando, thus additional strain comes to the free private/public lots such as ours when the vendors and customers for the Cultural Market park in these lots. On some occasions, customers heading to our own property’s restaurants have given up and left because they can not find a parking spot.
Downtown Burbank’s success depends on the health and stability of its permanent businesses— the very establishments that invest year-round in the city, employ local residents, and contribute consistently to the tax base. While cultural markets may be appropriate in designated or transitional areas, their current placement within a dense restaurant corridor is proving counterproductive.
For these reasons, we respectfully urge the City Council to reconsider the current location of the Cultural Market and relocate it to a more suitable area where it can thrive without undermining existing businesses.
We appreciate the City’s efforts to promote cultural engagement and economic activity and would welcome the opportunity to collaborate on solutions that support both community
programming and the long-term vitality of downtown Burbank.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
By:
Business Name:
Slice House By Tony Gemignani
Vincent Margott
Attachment 2-11
246
From: P. Yedidsion <[email protected]>
Sent:
Friday, March 20, 2026 12:17 PM
To:
Hamzoian, Mary <[email protected]>; Cardwell, Marissa <[email protected]>
Subject:
Fwd: Burbank Cultural Market -Slice House
CAUTION:
This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Please see below.
From:
Vinny Margott <[email protected]>
Sent:
Friday, March 20, 2026 11:29 AM
To:
Mychael Margott <[email protected]>; Slice House <[email protected]>; Claudia Cardona <[email protected]> Subject:
RE: Burbank Cultural Market - 100-132 E Palm Ave/200-250 N. First Street Please retract the letter for slice house
Thank you,
Vinny Margott
Slice House By Tony Gemignani
805-807-4821
[email protected] | Slicehouse.com
247
AMC Walkway
Palm Paseo
Beautification
Project
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
03.24.2026
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
248
BACKGROUND
- DOWNTOWN BURBANK:
- Mixed-use urban neighborhood with
600+ restaurants and shops anchored
by IKEA and the Burbank Town Center
- Highest grossing AMC Theaters in the
nation and top 3 globally
- Annual events including the Winter
Wine Walk and two Arts Festivals
- 4.9 million visitors annually
2249
AMC WALKWAY BEAUTIFICATION
PROJECT
- Goal: revitalize the space with new
amenities, providing an area that is
beautiful, modern and multi-
functional year-round
- Improvements will extend beyond
the AMC Walkway, enhancing
Palm Court
- Support a wide variety of uses
and activities that reflect the
broader needs of the community
3250
Project Benefits
(View from San Fernando Boulevard) 4251
Project Benefits
(Aerial View from San Fernando Boulevard)
5252
Project Benefits
(View toward San Fernando Boulevard)
6253
Project Benefits
(View of alley entrance from Orange Grove Avenue)
7254
Orange Grove Parking
Structure Upgrades
- The City is currently upgrading the
Orange Grove Parking Structure
- The Structure serves as a first
impression to Downtown Burbank
visitors
- Upgrades support a clean and safe
experience, and complement the
Walkway improvements
8255
Downtown Burbank
Sidewalk Enhancement Project
(San Fernando Blvd Reconfiguration Project)
Improvements include:
- Reconstruction of four
blocks of San Fernando
Blvd between Olive and
Angeleno Blvd
- Wider sidewalks
- Landscaped parkways
- New street furniture
- Space for outdoor dining
9256
RICHARD ORLINSKI EXHIBIT
Staff secured the Richard Orlinski Art Exhibit for
the Walkway.
- The Exhibit will increase public engagement,
attract visitors, and further position Burbank
as a cultural tourism destination
- Orlinski has a global social media following
of 10 million, and five international galleries
- The Exhibit will be on display from May 12th -
July 20th
- This coincides with the Downtown
Summer Arts Festival and the LA World
Cup 26 Fan Zone
10257
RICHARD ORLINSKI EXHIBIT
11 258
FIFA FANZONE
- The Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan
Zone at Downtown Burbank will take
place July 18-19, 2026
- This once in a lifetime event will
welcome fans from around the world
to celebrate the World Cup in
Burbank, CA!
- Featuring opportunities to watch
live matches while enjoying sports
activations, music, an international
street fair, and more!
12259
CULTURAL MARKET:
Relocation Efforts and Strategy
- Staff have been working with the Market since early 2024 to develop a relocation strategy
- With a similar footprint, an ideal location for the Cultural Market would be the parking lot adjacent to City Hall Lot - The Burbank Farmer’s Market currently operates a highly successful event in the City-owned parking lot near the Community Services Building
- The new location keeps the Market in the Downtown area with easy access for visitors, while supporting a more
functional public space on the Palm Paseo
- The City is committed to supporting the transition to a new location with communication efforts and signage 13260
CULTURAL MARKET
(View of City Hall Parking Lot)
(Farmer’s Market, currently
operating in the Community
Services Building Lot)
14261
CONCLUSION
- The Project delivers significant
benefits and represents much
needed reinvestment in Downtown
- Ties in with the San Fernando
Reconfiguration Project
- Strategic capital investments
strengthen community experience
and enhanced quality of life for all
- The City is committed to continuing
to work with the Cultural Market to
find an alternate location for the
event.
15262