reasonable time limit for speakers if announced before the beginning of the agenda item or public comment item.
2.46.090 City Council Liaison(s)
The City Council may appoint a liaison from its members to a commission. The liaison shall facilitate communications between the commission and the City Council, and provide information related to City Council policy. The liaison shall not exercise any vote nor provide undue influence on the proceedings of the commission.
2.46.100 Compensation
Unless otherwise provided for, the members of boards, commissions, and committees shall serve without compensation for their services as such but may receive reimbursement for necessary travel and other expenses incurred on official duty when such expenditures have been authorized by the City Manager.
2.46.110 Conflict of interest
No member of a board, commission, or committee shall be or become directly or indirectly financially interested in or with the performance of any contract, work, or business, or in the sale of any article, the expense, price or consideration for which is payable from the City if such contract, work, business, or sale falls within the advisory duties delegated to the board, commission, or committee upon which such member is serving; and provided further, that no member shall be deemed to be financially interested, within the meaning of the foregoing provisions, if such interest is not a prohibited interest under, and disclosure is made in accordance with, the provisions of the California Government Code, or under the provisions of the Political Reform Act of 1974. Every person appointed to a commission listed in the City's Conflict of Interest Code shall file a statement of economic interests with the City Clerk. Statements of economic interests shall be filed within 30 days of taking office and annually thereafter, and upon leaving office. Any such person who fails to file a statement of economic interests as provided in this section may be required to vacate the office.
Section 2. Chapter 2.48 PLANNING COMMISSION is hereby amended to delete the following sections in their entirety as follows:
2.48.030 Membership – Appointment.
2.48.040 Membership – Qualifications.
2.48.060 Term of office.
2.48.070 Vacancy filling.
2.48.080 Presumption of vacancy.
2.48.090 Removal of member.
2.48.110 Quorum.
2.48.120 Organization – Officers.
Section 3. Chapter 2.54 OLD TOWN LA VERNE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD is hereby amended in its entirety as follows:
2.54.010 Purpose and intent.
It is the purpose and intent of the city council to establish an advisory board to the Old Town La Verne business improvement district pursuant to Streets and Highways Code Sections 36500-36551.
2.54.020 Created.
There is created and established an advisory board for the Old Town La Verne business improvement district.
2.54.030 Membership - Appointment.
The advisory board of the Old Town La Verne business district shall be the Old Town La Verne Business Improvement Association.
2.54.080 Advisory personnel.
The city manager or his or her designee shall furnish any necessary administrative and technical support to the advisory board.
2.54.120 Meetings.
The advisory board shall meet on a quarterly (every three months) basis or more frequently if considered necessary by a majority of the advisory board. An annual business meeting shall be held in the first quarter of the calendar year.
2.54.130 Committees.
The advisory board may designate subcommittees for purposes it deems necessary to further the goals and objectives of the Old Town La Verne business improvement district.
2.54.140 Records.
The secretary of the advisory board or designated city representative shall maintain a copy of all records of agendas, minutes and correspondence of the Old Town La Verne business improvement district. The records of the Old Town La Verne business improvement district are public records except as exempted by state law.
2.54.150 Assessments and expenditure of funds.
The advisory board, per Streets and Highways Code Section 36530-36548 shall make a recommendation to the city council on the expenditure of revenues derived from the levy of assessments and prepare a report for each fiscal year for which assessments are to be levied and collected, per Section 36533.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this [xxx]th day of [month], [year]. ______________________________________
Mayor Tim Hepburn
_______________________________
Debra Fritz, Deputy City Clerk
CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance 25-XXXX was introduced for first reading by title only at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of La Verne held on the XX day of [month], 2025 and duly and regularly adopted by the City Council of the City of La Verne at a meeting thereof held on the XX th day of [Month], [year], by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
____________________________________
Debra Fritz, Deputy City Clerk
City of La Verne,City Council
Agenda Report
DATE: April 21, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Cody Howing, City Engineer
SUBJECT: ARCHITECTURAL ENHANCEMENTS FOR THE METRO A-LINE (FORMERLY
GOLD LINE) TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE PROJECT.
SUMMARY
This discussion is to review options for architectural enhancements for the Metro A-Line (formerly Gold Line) Transit Oriented Development Pedestrian Bridge Project. These architectural features are not required for the bridge function and use, but if selected to be included in the final design documents, they will integrate common architectural treatment strategies to create a more cohesive connection to the Metro A-Line La Verne/Fairplex station.
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council provide direction and feedback for the architectural features presented in the staff report, including “Decorative Concrete Slip Forms”, “Architectural Lighting” and “Bridge Signage.”
DISCUSSION
The Metro A-Line La Verne/Fairplex Station is nearing construction completion and will bring a new mass transit connection to the City once opened. As part of the long-term planning for the station and surrounding area, design of a multi-modal bridge connection from La Verne/Fairplex Station to the Fairplex campus has been underway. The pedestrian bridge will enhance connectivity and safety for multi-modal users moving to and from the Fairplex campus and the A-Line station by eliminating at-grade crossings of Arrow Highway and the nearby Metrolink tracks.
The Fairplex and surrounding future development, as envisioned in the Old Town La Verne Specific Plan, are anticipated to create higher concentrations of foot traffic from the A-Line Station and the surrounding points of interest. The bridge will offer a connection adjacent to the station platform and ramp up and over the potential points of conflict that exist from vehicle and train traffic nearby. The projected total project cost is estimated to be approximately $26.26 Million (2023 dollars) including contingencies and cost escalations.
On November 18, 2024, the City Council authorized the City to enter into an agreement with the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) to serve as the lead agency through the remainder of the design phase and continue that role through the construction phase of the project.
Architectural Enhancements for the Metro A-Line (formerly Gold Line) Transit Oriented Development Pedestrian Bridge Project., Page 2
Funding for the project has been secured to cover the projected total cost, as programmed below:
Funding Source Funding Amount
Federal Surface Transportation Block Grant Program
(SGVCOG) $16,000,000
Community Project Funded Congressional Directed
Spending, Napolitano (City of La Verne) $4,000,000
Measure M Multi-Year Subregional Program (SGVCOG) $3,000,000 Measure M “Pathways of the Future” (SGVCOG) $2,000,000 Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District Funds (City of La Verne) $1,800,000
Measure M Sub-Regional Funding (City of La Verne) $895,000 Prop C funds (City of La Verne) $419,000
Total Identified Funding $28,114,000
With funding secured to cover the principal bridge construction scope, City staff evaluated cost- effective options to improve the architectural finishes of the bridge to facilitate interest in the use of the facility and benefit the public that will view the bridge from the roadway and A-Line Station. Those features for the design scope were incorporated into the agreement authorized in November 2024, and more prominent architectural features are included in this report to obtain final direction on preferred concepts.
Some room in the budget is currently expected to be created by conservative contingencies already planned in the project estimates and additional Measure M funding that has flexibility in scope of use to apply to the bridge. However, only after bidding results are tabulated will there be clarity in whether items described in this report can be integrated into the construction contract. Given the status of the design is approximately 95% complete, development of these possible project features is required to be finalized and included in the bid documents to obtain real costs for construction. It’s anticipated that the use of “additive alternate” bid items for these features will be the approach implemented to grant final flexibility for implementation of the project, ensuring construction of the bridge and the budget of these architectural features can be adjusted to suit the available funding.
Decorative Concrete Slip Forms
To maintain a cost-effective design, the use of precast structural components has been heavily used in the design of the project. There are, however, some portions of the bridge structure that will be constructed using cast in place reinforced concrete. Those elements will allow for the application of decorative slip forms in the concrete pour that will create texture and imagery on large surfaces. The design team has created two options for consideration and feedback themed for features of the citrus industry, blending cohesively with the A-Line Station, which also has citrus industry art elements in and around the facility.
Architectural Enhancements for the Metro A-Line (formerly Gold Line) Transit Oriented Development Pedestrian Bridge Project., Page 3
In the attachments to this report in the “Column & Wall Design” cover sheet is the theme “Hills & Trees”, a concept that mimics the foothills present to the north of the station and imagery of citrus trees. This landscape imagery is proposed to be located on the embankment portions of the bridge that will have large, exposed surfaces facing the A-Line Station plaza and Arrow Highway. The design team has mindfully worked to create variable features while utilizing repetitive slip form designs to aid in managing manufacturing costs of the materials. Similar features will also be integrated into bridge columns to carry the theme through other ground- level connections of the bridge.
The second alternative presented in the “Columns & Walls” attachments with the theme name of “Oranges” creates an abstract layout of sliced citrus fruit to drive interest on the same bridge embankment and column surfaces discussed above. The strategy to minimize the variable slip form panels required for manufacture has also been applied to this layout. For each of the two embankment concepts, there are two options for column wrap features, each of which includes abstract versions of the respective theme elements with spirals that mimic other design features in the bridge. City staff are seeking feedback from the City Council on its preferences for the presented designs or alternative concepts that should be further evaluated. It is important to note that as designs become more elaborate, it’s anticipated that costs to construct those will also increase.
Architectural Lighting
The bridge is intended to be open to the public during evening hours to support commuter traffic and functions at the Fairplex campus. As a result, basic lighting to achieve minimum standards for safety has been factored into the principal project design. These lighting features include fixture housings mounted under the handrail to light the bridge deck walking surface. While effective for users on the bridge, the under-mount hand-rail lighting does not cast light on the overall structure for the public observing it from the station plaza and on Arrow Highway.
Multiple options were evaluated for the architectural lighting of the bridge structure and many options were deemed cost-prohibitive and a high burden for maintenance. The cost-effective and visually pleasing version of the structure lighting is attached as ”Lighting Design.”
The areas for consideration for the architectural lighting include the bridge embankment area and the bridge span over Arrow Highway, noted in Yellow and Pink respectively, on the bridge line work rendering sheet. Up-lighting the bridge safety barrier support on the bridge deck (pink area) will highlight the vertical guard rail supports and improve the enjoyment of the bridge by users on the bridge and passersby on the roadway and sidewalks.
Two options have been identified for the embankment area (yellow). Both will make use of ground-mounted light housings to up-light the bridge embankment wall surfaces and textured concrete surface from the slip form theme options if selected for use on the project. The individual housings option presented on the upper concept photo in the attachment has been identified as a preferred concept for ease of maintenance. An alternative linear up-light distribution option has also been presented for consideration for the project. This linear light distribution will be achieved by using LED “rope” lighting materials. While the “rope light” is replaceable, it is anticipated to be a higher level of effort when compared to the more
Architectural Enhancements for the Metro A-Line (formerly Gold Line) Transit Oriented Development Pedestrian Bridge Project., Page 4
conventional individual light housing option.
Bridge Signage
The bridge will be a permanent and long-term feature of the area once constructed. It's located on Arrow Highway, adjacent to the A-Line Station, and the Fairplex campus situates the structure in a high-traffic area and as an ideal gateway entry to the City. There is an opportunity for City signage to help with branding and location identification for the public visiting the area, essentially serving as a gateway entry sign for people entering or traveling through the City along Arrow Highway.
In the “Sign Concept Options” attachment there are three possible approaches to integrating signage on to the bridge structure. Option 1 and Option 2 are similar signage options with the variable being the scale of the text. Both options will utilize the safety fence mesh to create space for the text lettering to be viewed. Option 3 uses metal or other all-weather signage materials attached to the bridge deck to provide signage.
In the concepts provided, “CITY OF LA VERNE” is used, but alternative messages such as "WELCOME TO LA VERNE" could be considered. Fonts selected for the signage in the concept exhibits mimic the font chosen for the gateway entry sign that is under construction on E Street just north of the A-Line tracks as part of the Gold Line Project scope of work. Alternative fonts may also be considered if they are of interest to further evaluate.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There are no required appropriations as these features for the design phase have been accounted for in the current design budget and captured in the November 2024 agreement with the SGVCOG. Feedback furnished by the City Council will be utilized in developing the final construction project scope for the subject features and ultimately used in the bidding process. The project lead agency is the SGVCOG and thus, the contract award will be through that agency. However, as a partner on the project and the ultimate agency that will take ownership of the facility’s operations and maintenance once constructed, the City of La Verne will have an opportunity to comment on the award of any portion of this architectural enhancement work.
Current construction cost projections for each of the feature concepts are estimated as follows:
Decorative Concrete Slip Forms
Embankment Walls:$180,000
Structure Columns: $70,000
Architectural Lighting
Bridge Deck Safety Barrier Up Lighting: $272,000
Embankment Wall Up Lighting: $100,000
Bridge Signage
Cost contingent on final direction
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
Architectural Enhancements for the Metro A-Line (formerly Gold Line) Transit Oriented Development Pedestrian Bridge Project., Page 5
Not Applicable.
LEGAL REVIEW
This report was reviewed and approved by the City Attorney.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Column & Wall Design Options
2. Lighting Design Options
3. Sign Concept Options
4. Sign Material Options at Mesh
Coordinated with:
Danny Wu, Director of Public Works
ARCHITECT:
Column & Wall Design
Design Updates
Arcadis (US)
March 28th, 2025
LA VERNE GOLD LINE TOD
LA VERNE GOLD LINE TOD BRIDGE - DESIGN UPDATES
MARCH 28TH, 2025
02 Column & Wall Design - Theme (Hills& Trees)
LA VERNE GOLD LINE TOD BRIDGE - DESIGN UPDATES
MARCH 28TH, 2025
03 Wall Design (View from Face 1) Wall Design (View from Face 2) Column Design Option A Column Design Option B
Column & Wall Design - Theme (Hills& Trees)
LA VERNE GOLD LINE TOD BRIDGE - DESIGN UPDATES
MARCH 28TH, 2025
04 Column & Wall Design Reference - Theme (Oranges)
LA VERNE GOLD LINE TOD BRIDGE - DESIGN UPDATES
MARCH 28TH, 2025
05 Wall Design (View from Face 1) Wall Design (View from Face 2) Column Design Option A Column Design Option B
Column & Wall Design Reference - Theme (Oranges)
HLB Lighting Design
Tina Aghassian
Azusa Yabe
Amol Sardeshpande
08 April 2025
ENHANCEMENTS
HLB Lighting Design
HLB Lighting Design
Enhancements
HLB Lighting Design
Vertical Structure Lighting Options - Enhancements
HLB Lighting Design
Wall Lighting Enhancements
HLBlighting.com
Thank You.