CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
January 16, 2024 {{section.number}}c
ORANGE AVENUE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT FOCUSED ENHANCEMENTS RECOMMENDATION:
Receive a report and provide direction to staff regarding proposed focused enhancements to Orange Avenue.
BACKGROUND:
Orange Avenue is one of the City’s primary entrances and home to the central business district that serves residents and visitors alike. The City of Coronado has a long history of making strategic investments in the downtown to improve the quality of life for residents and the desirability of the destination for visitors. Since 1991, numerous projects have blended strategic planning, community involvement, and successful project execution to create a vibrant and appealing downtown. Over the past three decades, the City of Coronado has undergone significant downtown transformation driven by dedicated efforts to enhance economic vitality as well as the village atmosphere.
Key initiatives guided by collaborative efforts involving citizens and organizations have shaped the downtown landscape. Three focused community planning efforts were undertaken in the last 30 years: the Coronado Business Area Development Plan (1993), the Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan (2003) and the Wayfinding Signage Program (2015). Major projects have included Adella Plaza (2000), Downtown Enhancement Project Phase 1 (DTEP1) (2001) and Phase II (DTEP2) (2002) and the Rotary Park expansion (2009).
Past projects on the 800 block of Orange Avenue have included the restoration of the Village Theatre and the exterior terrazzo sidewalk (2011) and most recently the remodel and expansion of Vons (2022).
To continue the work along Orange Avenue, the City previously created a Capital Improvement Project known as the Downtown Enhancement Phases III and IV (DTEP) concentrating on making comparable improvements of the first two phases on the 800 and 100 blocks of Orange Avenue respectfully.
In an effort to garner community support and feedback on proposed improvements, on April 6, 2021 Discover Coronado presented their Orange Avenue Beautification Report to the City Council. The report included a broad set of potential improvements to Orange Avenue to enhance the quality of life for residents and the experience of visitors. City Council directed staff to review Discover Coronado’s proposal and develop a menu of options and returned to Council for further consideration.
Due to the COVID pandemic, staff did not return to City Council until March 1, 2022. Staff categorized project ideas from the Discover Coronado report into short-, mid-, and long-term projects and created a matrix showing potential timing and associated implementation steps. City Council reviewed the menu of items and provided consensus direction on high priority improvements to Orange Avenue. A copy of the March 1, 2022 meeting minutes is attached summarizing City Council comments and direction.
ANALYSIS:
Stakeholder Committee
Based upon the input received from City Council at their March 1, 2022 meeting, staff conducted a thorough inventory of the existing streetscape to quantify furnishings and their condition, entering the information into the City’s Geographic Information System to enable effective estimation. Staff then developed a more focused menu of options for consideration and convened the Orange Avenue Beautification Stakeholder Committee comprised of the executive directors of Coronado MainStreet, Discover Coronado, and the Coronado Chamber of Commerce in late 2023 and early 2024 to review those options.
Through a series of meetings, the Committee members were asked to review the menu of targeted enhancements to beautify Orange Avenue and enhance its sense of place as a top destination for dining, shopping and entertainment. The Committee’s goals were as follows:
• Beautify Orange Avenue to benefit residents, business owners, and guests. • Enhance consistency of streetscape and furnishings.
• Maintain harmony between historic architecture and streetscape improvements. • Improve lighting and pedestrian crossings to increase safety. • Consider longevity and maintenance requirements.
• Focus on potential 800 and 100 "demonstration" blocks.
Similar to the last major upgrade in downtown in 2002 on the 900 block, staff focused on replacing existing sidewalks, installing sidewalk-mounted historic style light poles, new trash receptacles, benches, tree grates and decorative lighting. The 100 and 800 blocks of Orange Avenue could serve as updated “model” blocks for future improvements to other segments of Orange Avenue, or could be integrated into a larger scale project that includes the entire expanse of Orange Avenue starting on the 100 block through the 1300 block to RH Dana. Improvements to each block are dependent upon the existing street furnishings and surrounding environment.
Staff has outlined four potential options for improvements to Orange Avenue below for consideration:
Option 1: 100 and 800 Blocks - Full Scope Enhancements
Please refer to Attachment 1 for a full list of proposed streetscape improvements and the associated recommendations provided by the Orange Avenue Beautification Stakeholder Committee. The list of streetscape improvements on the 100 and 800 blocks represent the most cost intensive areas along Orange Avenue in comparison to the remaining blocks from 200 through 1300 that have received prior upgrades or are less commercial in nature.
City Council may choose to do some or all of the items presented at this time; however, it is important to note that sidewalk replacements must be done in tandem with electrical and irrigation conduit installations to enable installation of new historic light poles and potential decorative lighting of trees and/or new historic light poles.
Option 1 would be programmed into Fiscal Year 2024/25 Capital Improvement Budget with design starting in July 2024. Caltrans permits for the 800 block would be secured by Spring 2025 with the start of construction starting in Fall 2025 and estimated completion in Spring 2026.
Option 1A: 100 and 800 Blocks – Street Furnishings Only City Council could choose to have only street furnishings installed on the 100 and 800 blocks.
Street furnishings include new trash receptacles, benches, trees, tree grates, news racks and bike racks, but not historic street lighting, sidewalk improvements or decorative lighting.
Option 1A would shorten the estimated timeline with the project starting in July 2024 with completion in June 2025.
Option 2: 100 through 1300 Blocks to RH Dana – Full Scope Enhancements A second option would be to expand the scope of the Downtown Beautification Project to include all of the remaining portions of Orange Avenue starting at the 100 block through RH Dana. The scope would include all of the same items in Option 1 listed above, with notable exceptions. Due to the more mixed-use/residential nature of the 200 through 600 blocks, staff only included replacement of missing trees in the right-of-way and addition of historic street lighting in associated cost estimates.
Option 2 estimated project start would be July 2024 with completion slated for Fall 2026.
Option 2A: 100 through 1300 Blocks to RH Dana – Street Furnishings Only City Council could also direct staff to move forward with replacement of street furnishings only for the 100 block through 1300 block to RH Dana.
Option 2A project schedule would be similar to that of Option 1A and would shorten the estimated timeline with the project starting in July 2024 with completion in June 2025.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Below is a summary of potential funding sources and costs of the four options:
Appropriated Funding Amount
2023/24 CIP Budget - Downtown Enhancement Phase $100,000 Unappropriated Funding
City Council unfunded prior General Fund commitment $500,000 Von’s Development Impact Fee Fund (frontage improvements) $150,000 Total Potential City Funding Sources $750,000
Cost Comparisons (includes landscape design and contingency) Option 1: 100 and 800 Blocks Full Scope $4,026,908
Option 1A: 100 and 800 Blocks - Replace Street Furnishings Only $705,515 Option 2: All Blocks (100 block through RH Dana) - Full Scope $8,728,098 Option 2A: All Blocks (100 block through RH Dana) – Replace Street Furnishings Only
$1,599,035
In addition, Discover Coronado previously discussed contribution of up to $500,000 for the project.
A formal request would need to be submitted to Discover Coronado for consideration by their board once the scope is determined.
The City Council could choose to appropriate project costs as part of the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Capital Improvement Budget in June.
Regardless of the option chosen by City Council, City staff would work directly with local businesses, the Chamber of Commerce and Coronado MainStreet to notify them of construction schedules and to help minimize impacts to those nearby businesses. The project scope would also include reviewing the right-of-way improvements for compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
ALTERNATIVE:
The City Council could direct staff to research additional options or provide additional direction on the Downtown Beautification Project.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT:
Not Applicable. Once the aspects of the enhancement project have been identified, environmental review will be conducted under CEQA.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
No notice required.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. List of Full Scope Streetscape Element Options
1. City Council Meeting Minutes – March 1, 2022 (Item 10C) Submitted By: City Manager's Office / Tony Winney, Assistant City Manager Kelly Purvis, Sr. Management Analyst