Ma
rch 22, 2022
HO
NORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
City of Long Beach
California
RECO
MMENDATION:
A
uthorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into an A greement with The Boeing Company , to accept a one-time cash payment of $2,797,879.50 for the improvement of the Cherry Avenue and San Diego Freeway (I - 405) intersection, to allow the City of Long Beach to construct improvements as required by the Douglas Park Development Agreement in lieu of the Boeing Company; and, I
ncrease appropriations in the Capital Projects Fund Group in the Public Works Department by $2,797,879.50, offset by funds received from the Boeing Company for the Improvement of the Cherry Avenue/405 Intersection. (District 5)
DISCUSSION
C
ity Council approval is requested to enter into an A greement with the Boeing Company and increase appropriation in the Capital Project fund to allow the City of Long Beach (City) to construct improvements of the Cherry Avenue/405 intersection as required by the Douglas Park Development Agreement in lieu of the Boeing Company.
On D
ecember 14, 2004, the City Council approved Agreement 29232, the Development Agreement with McDonnell Douglas Corporation, for development of the former McDonnell Douglas manufacturing plant. McDonnell Douglas then expired as a legal entity, being purchased and subsumed by the Boeing Company. Subsequently, on May 4, 2010, the City Council approved the Amended & Restated Development Agreement 31625. Exhibit F under Agreement 31625 defined the improvements required of Boeing to ameliorate the increased traffic generated by the development. Condition of approval No. 140 requires compliance with the “Transportation Improvements and Phasing Program (TIPP)” (Attachment A). Pursuant to the TIPP (Exhibit F under A greement 31625), The Boeing Company is required to make improvements to the intersection of Cherry Avenue and the San Diego Freeway (I -405) prior to exceeding a peak trip limit per item number MM -V.L-17. The PacifiCenter (Douglas Park) Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) was prepared to analyze the potential environmental impacts of the Douglas Park Planned Development District (PD -32). The PEIR found significant and unavoidable transportation impacts as a result of the project and identified improvements to the Cherry Avenue northbound on -ramp as one of the transportation mitigation measures. The TIPP requires that these improvements be completed before the trip generation threshold established under MM-V.L-17 are achieved.
Department of Public Works
411 West Ocean Boulevard, 5th Floor Long Beach, CA 90802 (562) 570-6383
NB-27
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
March 22, 2022
Based on an analysis conducted by the City, it has been determined that trip generation resulting from development in the Douglas Park Planned Development District (PD-32) area is below the trip maximum established and the project can likely be delayed to 2030 without undue impact to traffic operations (Attachment B) . As the build-out of the area nears completion, the Boeing Company proposes to satisfy this obligation by paying an in- lieu fee in an amount estimated to fund the cost of the improvement, in exchange for the City taking on the obligation and liability to complete these improvements. The Boeing Company has agreed to make a cash payment of $2,797,879.50 in lieu of constructing the required improvements.
The agreed cash payment is based on a fair estimate of the required improvements, including design and construction management costs and future escalation of the cost of the improvement due to inflation (Attachment C). The cost estimate notes that by 2030, the projected cost of the project will be $2 ,600,000, depending on inflation rates . The improvements to the Cherry Ave/405 intersection must be completed before the traffic metrics laid out in Attachment A are achieved.
While the cash payment from Boeing for these improvements appears to be adequate to fully fund the current estimated improvement costs, it is an estimate based on a conceptual design without complete details considered or all design issues remedied or identified. As more time passes before the improvements are completed, there is an increasing likelihood that the actual cost of improvements in the future value of dollars may exceed today’s cash payment amount.
The Department of Public Works is working collaboratively with other public agencies such as the California Department of T ransportation for a more expanded scope of work than is currently mandated for the project and is actively exploring State and Federal grant funding alternatives to fund the expanded scope and any potential future cost overruns.
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the State CEQA Guidelines, a Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) was prepared to analyze the potential impacts of anticipated levels of development in the Douglas Park Planned Development District (PD-32) area, and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) identified mitigation measures that would mitigate to the extent feasible the identified environmental impacts associated with build-out of the area. Further analysis conducted by the City provides substantial evidence that neither the trip generation from development in the area nor traffic volumes on the on- ramp are near the allowable maximum and therefore the implementation of the improvement can be delayed. This analysis also concluded that the timing of the improvement can likely be deferred to 2030 or beyond before reaching the allowable trip maximum ( Attachment B). The analysis further establishes that the payment of the in- lieu fee to the City so that the City, rather than Boeing, will construct the required improvements as r equired by the mitigation measure in the MMPR of the PEIR does not constitute “significant new information” that would require recirculation of the EIR, as no new impact would occur and no mitigation improvements are being rejected or replaced ( State CEQA Guidelines Section 15088.5) (Attachment D). As such, the payment of the proposed in- lieu fee to the City for the City to construct the improvements instead of Boeing is in compliance with CEQA, all the requirements of CEQA have been met and no further environmental review is required.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Erin Weesner -McKinley and Budget Management Officer Nader Kaamoush on March 17, 2022.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
March 22, 2022
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on March 22, 2022, to execute an Agreement with The Boeing Company, to make a one- time cash payment of $2,797,879.50 for the improvement of the Cherry Avenue and San Diego Freeway (I-405) intersection.
FISCAL IMPACT
The projected cost of the project buildout in 2030 is estimated to be $2,600,000, inclusive of
design, construction, construction management, labor compliance, project oversight, inspections, and accounting for estimated future escalation of the cost of the improvement due to inflation. While the cash payment of $2,797,879.50 from Boeing for these improvements appears to be adequate to fully fund the current estimated improvement costs, it is an estimate based on a conceptual design without complete details considered or all design issues remedied or identified
. Staff anticipates upcoming federal funding opportunities to fund additional needed traffic improvements in the area, which can assist in offsetting any future cost increases that are not currently anticipated.
An appropriation increase in the amount of $2,797,879.50 is requested in the Capital Projects Fund Group in the Public Works Department, offset by a one- time cash payment from the Boeing Company.
This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. The number of additional local jobs created by this project will not be known until the contractors have completed their hiring and construction has commenced.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully submitted,
ERIC LOPEZ
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
EL:JH:BP:ms:RM
ATTACHMENTS:
A – DOUGLAS PARK TIPP
B – DOUGLAS PARK MITIGATION REVIEW
C – PEER REVIEW OF COST ESTIMATES MEMORANDUM
D – CEQA LETTER OF CONFORMITY FOR DOUGLAS PARK PROJECT
Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment A
CARLSBAD
CLOVIS
IRVINE
LOS ANGELES
PALM SPRINGS
POINT RICHMOND
RIVERSIDE
ROSEVILLE
SAN LUIS OBISPO
20 Executive Park, Suite 200, Irvine, California 92614 949.553.0666 www.lsa.net March 16, 2022
Patricia Diefenderfer
Planning Bureau Manager
City of Long Beach
411 West Ocean Boulevard, 3rd Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802
Subject: Douglas Park Mitigation Review
Dear Ms. Diefenderfer:
LSA is pleased to present this review of the timing of previously proposed improvements at the interchange of Cherry Avenue with Interstate 405 (I‐405) northbound in Long Beach, California. In 2004 the City of Long Beach certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the Douglas Park Project (formerly the PacifiCenter at Long Beach) (SCH No. 2001051048). In 2009, an Addendum to the Final EIR was prepared to address modifications to the approved Douglas Park Project (project). Those modifications, referred to as the Douglas Park Rezone Project, were generally in the northern portion of the project site and included replacement of residential uses with commercial, light industrial, and retail uses.
A Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) was adopted for both the originally Approved Project and the Douglas Park Rezone Project. At the time the Addendum was prepared, some of the mitigation measures in the previously adopted MMRP had been completed, and some of the mitigation measures previously adopted were no longer applicable to the Revised Project due to the elimination of residential uses. The balance of the measures remained applicable. For Transportation/Circulation and Parking, Mitigation Measure V.L‐17, included below, remained applicable to address regional transportation impacts under both the originally approved project and the Douglas Park Rezone Project.
Mitigation Measure V.L‐17: I‐405 (San Diego Freeway) Northbound On‐Ramp from Southbound Cherry Avenue: Widen the two northbound on‐ramps in the area where these ramps merge to provide an elongation of the merge section for a smoother and safer merge.
Additionally, the ramp metering location for southbound traffic from Cherry Avenue could be relocated to provide added queuing length between the meter and Cherry Avenue.
The maximum timing established for completing Mitigation Measure V.L‐17 (Improvement) was no later than 5,000 p.m. peak‐hour trips generated by Douglas Park.
LSA has determined that the timing for completing the Improvement has not been reached. This letter provides the data and analysis leading to that conclusion.
Douglas Park Trip Generation – Previously Analyzed
The Revised Project resulted in slightly lower trip generation than the Approved Project. The gross trip generation for the project identified in the Addendum (i.e., net trip generation plus the credit for existing uses) was 52,250 daily trips of which 4,220 would occur in the a.m. peak hour (3,531 inbound and 689 outbound) and 5,198 would occur in the p.m. peak hour (1,305 inbound and 3,893
3/17/22 (P:\CLB1904.31 ‐ Douglas Park\Mitigation Timing4 Final.docx) 2 outbound). Because the gross trip generation in the p.m. peak hour (5,198) was only slightly higher than the maximum timing established for completing the Improvement (5,000), a slight reduction (3.8 percent) in trip generation would reduce the total below that amount.
The Douglas Park Amended and Restated Development Agreement By and Between the City of Long Beach and the Boeing Company (March 2010) establishes a trip cap of 5,872 peak‐hour trips not including internal trip reductions or the project’s transportation demand management (TDM) program. The Development Agreement also established development thresholds for implementing the TDM measures and trip rates for monitoring total Douglas Park development relative to the trip cap. Currently, 2,533,019 square feet (sf) of development has taken place within Douglas Park.
According to the established trip rates, this development would generate 4,125 p.m. peak‐hour trips (not adjusted to account for 5 percent internal trip capture between employment and retail commercial uses) of the 5,872 p.m. peak‐hour trip cap.
Two additional Douglas Park projects have recently been submitted to the City for review. One project would develop 57,998 sf of office space along Stineman Court. The other would develop 935,450 sf within the Boeing Enclave (subarea 8b). Upon completion of these two projects, and without implementation of the TDM program considered in the EIR and Addendum traffic studies, the total Douglas Park trip generation would exceed the 5,000 p.m. peak hour mark identified as maximum timing for completing the Improvement.
However, these two projects would complete the buildout of Douglas Park. With these two projects, at buildout of Douglas Park, less development would have taken place than analyzed in the EIR and Addendum traffic studies. Applying the established trip rates shows that total p.m. peak‐hour trips would be about 8.5 percent below the established trip cap. As mentioned previously, a 3.8 percent reduction in the trip generation analyzed in the Addendum would reduce trip generation below the maximum timing for completing the Improvement. Therefore, with implementation of the TDM program, and if the TDM program achieves the estimated 20‐percent trip reduction, the trip generation of Douglas Park at buildout would be below the maximum timing for completing the Improvement. However, as the Improvement was to be completed “no later than” 5,000 p.m. peak‐ hour trips, the Improvement should be implemented when it is necessary to address regional transportation impacts.
Douglas Park Trip Generation – Surveyed
Seven roadways and two driveways provide access to Douglas Park. LSA contracted with an independent data collection company to collect 24 hour roadway volumes at the access points to Douglas Park over seven consecutive days. The traffic volume data is provided as an attachment to this letter. The traffic volume data identifies the total traffic volume into and out of Douglas Park.
Collecting traffic volumes at the access points eliminates internal trips from the data collection effort. However, the traffic volume data, by itself, does not present the trip generation of Douglas Park.
In addition to constructing the 2,533,019 sf of commercial and industrial space discussed above, development of Douglas Park resulted in new roadway connections. Some of these connections present potentially attractive cut‐through routes. For example, traveling along Cover Street between Cherry Avenue and Lakeview Boulevard rather than along Carson Street would have more than
3/17/22 (P:\CLB1904.31 ‐ Douglas Park\Mitigation Timing4 Final.docx) 3
0.5 mile of driving and eight traffic signals. Additional routes through Douglas Park may be used to avoid the intersection of Lakewood Boulevard/Carson Street during periods of congestion. It is anticipated, therefore, that cut‐through traffic (not making any stops within Douglas Park) is included in the traffic volume data collected at the access points.
Table A summarizes the total inbound and outbound traffic volume by day of the week. The total daily traffic volume into and out of Douglas Park was lower on weekends than on weekdays as would be expected for an area with high office and industrial employment. However, the total traffic volume on Saturday was only 18 percent less than the average weekday [(39,886 – 48,825) / 48,825 = 18%], which is greater than would be expected when comparing typical weekday and weekend trip generation rates. The presence of cut‐through traffic could explain this finding. Table A also summarizes the total inbound and outbound traffic during the p.m. peak hour. Because of the presence of cut‐through traffic, the total traffic volume is higher than the Douglas Park trip generation. Reviewing the inbound and outbound traffic, however, reveals that the trip generation of Douglas Park is no greater than anticipated based on the established trip rates.
Table A: Douglas Park Inbound and Outbound Traffic Volume Day of the Week Daily Traffic Volume PM Peak‐Hour Traffic Volume Saturday 39,886 3,134
Sunday 33,138 2,869
Monday 47,060 4,308
Tuesday 47,374 4,217
Wednesday 49,219 4,636
Thursday 48,046 4,297
Friday 52,427 4,522
Average Weekday 48,825 4,396
Source: Compiled by LSA (2022)
Cherry Avenue to Interstate 405 Northbound Ramp Volume
LSA also collected data at the I‐405 Northbound ramps from Cherry Avenue. These were collected on a typical weekday (Wednesday, December 8, 2021). Traffic volume data is provided as an attachment. LSA compared the current traffic volume to the revised traffic volume tables in the Final EIR. Table B provides this comparison.
Table B: Cherry Avenue Ramps Volume Comparison
Existing 2002
(EIR Table 7)
Future 2020 without
Project (EIR Table 14a)
Future 2020 with
Project (EIR Tables 14b
and 16c)
Existing 2021
(Empirical Data)
AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM
From Northbound
Cherry Avenue 454 548 858 548 858 548 503 421
From Southbound
Cherry Avenue 329 354 399 438 477 554 378 325
Total at Merge Point 783 902 1,257 986 1,305 1,102 881 746 Sources: Douglas Park Final Environmental Impact Report (City of Long Beach September 2004); Counts Unlimited (2021); LSA (2022).
3/17/22 (P:\CLB1904.31 ‐ Douglas Park\Mitigation Timing4 Final.docx) 4 As Table B shows, the existing (2021) traffic volumes at the merge point of the two I‐405 northbound ramps from Cherry Avenue are lower than the Future 2020 Without Project or With Project traffic forecasts. In the p.m. peak hour, the existing (2021) traffic volumes are lower than the 2002 existing conditions. It should be noted that the existing traffic volumes were collected during a period when many office workers were still working from home. Although peak‐hour freeway traffic volumes had returned to pre‐pandemic levels, other indicators of pre‐pandemic traffic conditions such as shoulder period and off‐peak freeway traffic volumes, traffic along freeway bypass routes, and public transit volumes had not returned to pre‐pandemic levels. It is possible that the surveyed existing traffic volumes reflect atypical pandemic conditions. However, approximately 64 percent of the anticipated Douglas Park development has taken place to date and Douglas Park appears to be generating traffic consistent with the established trip rates, yet Douglas Park does not appear to be the driving factor affecting traffic volumes at the I‐405 northbound ramps from Cherry Avenue.
LSA considered the potential trip generation from the current proposed Douglas Park development.
If the currently proposed 993,448 sf of development generates trips on the I‐405 northbound ramps from Cherry Avenue at the rate forecast in the EIR, then the development would add 12 a.m. peak‐hour and 29 p.m. peak‐hour trips. This additional traffic volume would not result in the traffic volumes at the ramp merge point previously identified as benefiting from the Improvement.
LSA reviewed Exhibit D‐1 from the Los Angeles County Congestion Management Program (CMP)1, which lists traffic volume growth factors for different sections of Los Angeles County. The CMP estimated 2.5 percent traffic growth between 2020 and 2035 in Long Beach.
LSA also reviewed the traffic impact analysis prepared for the Long Beach General Plan Land Use and Urban Design Elements2, which used the Southern California Association of Governments Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy traffic model to forecast future growth. The Cherry Avenue/I‐405 interchange was not included in the study area, but nearby intersections of Cherry Avenue/Wardlow Road and Cherry Avenue/Willow Street were among the intersections for which future traffic volume forecasts were prepared. At the south leg of Cherry Avenue/Wardlow Road, the traffic model predicted 8.1 percent growth in the a.m. peak‐hour and 7.0 percent growth in the p.m. peak‐hour traffic volume between 2018 and 2040. At the north leg of Cherry Avenue/Willow Street, the traffic model predicted 10.7 percent growth in the a.m. peak‐hour and
14.7 percent growth in the p.m. peak‐hour traffic volume between 2018 and 2040.
Table C applies the growth rates at the north leg of Cherry Avenue/Willow Street (the highest value from the identified methodologies) to project future traffic volumes at the merging of the two I‐405 northbound ramps from Cherry Avenue. For each of the future forecast years, the potential additional trips from an additional 993,448 sf of Douglas Park development have been added.
Although the tendency of office workers to work from home is unknown in the long‐term, the projected growth above the 2021 surveyed conditions is anticipated to reflect traffic conditions for the near term.
1 Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2010. Los Angeles County Congestion Management Program.
2 LSA Associates, Inc. 2019. Transportation Impact Analysis for the Long Beach General Plan Land Use and Urban Design Elements. June.
3/17/22 (P:\CLB1904.31 ‐ Douglas Park\Mitigation Timing4 Final.docx) 5 As Table C shows, even when applying the highest identified growth rate, the forecasted traffic volumes remain much lower than previously forecasted traffic volumes for the near‐term future. It therefore appears to be possible to delay implementation of the Improvement without undue impact to traffic operations. As traffic volumes at the I‐405 northbound ramps from Cherry Avenue return to non‐pandemic conditions, the Improvement should be implemented to address regional transportation impacts.
Table C: Cherry Avenue Ramps Volume Forecast
AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour
Douglas Park Additional Project Traffic 12 29
Traffic Model Growth Rate (2018–2040) 10.7% 14.7%
Annual Growth Rate 0.49% 0.67%
2021 Empirical Data 881 746
2025 Forecast (growth plus Project) 910 795
2030 Forecast (growth plus Project) 931 820
Sources: Counts Unlimited (2021); LSA (2022).
Conclusion
LSA reviewed the established timing and previous analysis related to Mitigation Measure V.L‐17, improvements to the I‐405 northbound ramps from Cherry Avenue. While the EIR established a maximum timing for completion no later than 5,000 p.m. peak‐hour trips generated by Douglas Park, empirical data from Douglas Park and the I‐405 northbound ramps appear to indicate that Douglas Park is not the driving factor affecting traffic volumes at the I‐405 northbound ramps from Cherry Avenue. With implementation of the TDM program analyzed in the previous traffic analyses, and if the TDM program achieves the estimated 20 percent trip reduction, the trip generation of Douglas Park at buildout (with the currently proposed 993,448 sf of development), would be below the 5,000 p.m. peak hour trip mark identified as maximum timing. Further, based on empirical data of current traffic volumes and traffic model growth rates, the forecasted traffic volumes at the I‐405 northbound ramps would be below the previously identified levels at which the Improvement was deemed potentially beneficial. Therefore, delaying implementation of the Improvement to 2030 or beyond could be accomplished without undue impact to traffic operations. However, as the Improvement was to be completed “no later than” 5,000 p.m. peak‐hour trips, and traffic volumes at the I‐405 northbound ramps from Cherry Avenue will increase as ambient traffic volumes rise to non‐pandemic conditions, the Improvement should be implemented when necessary to address regional transportation impacts.
Sincerely,
LSA Associates, Inc.
Arthur Black
Principal Transportation Planner
Attachment: Traffic Volume Data
M ARCH 2022 D OUGLAS P ARK M ITIGATION R EVIEW
3/17/22 (P:\CLB1904.31 ‐ Douglas Park\Mitigation Timing4 Final.docx) TRAFFIC VOLUME DATA
320 Main Street • Unit D • Seal Beach • CA • 90740
MEMORANDUM
TO: Arthur Black – LSA
FROM: Rick Kreuzer, KCG
RE: PEER Review of Cost Estimate for Improvements to the I-405/ Cherry Northbound on-ramp Arthur,
We have completed our Cost Estimate PEER Review of the subject project. This effort included a cursory review of the plans, calculation of construction quantities and development of an independent project cost estimate.
With regard to the plans, we did a general review and did not identify any fatal flaws with respect to Caltrans Design Standards. That said, we make no representations that the plans will be acceptable to Caltrans.
Based on the plans provided, we calculated construction quantities for the various items of work summarized on the Michael Baker estimate provided to us. We did not find any discrepancies with regard to construction quantities.
Based on these construction quantities, we generated our own independent constructed estimate utilizing cost data received on recent bids for various projects. We have adjusted some of the unit costs accordingly and applied contingency amounts that we felt were appropriate. This estimate is included as Attachment A to this Memorandum. In summary, we estimate the project cost will be approximately $1.9M at prevailing wage , including project soft costs. Please note that this estimate is based on the preliminary plans provided and could change significantly once the project is reviewed by Caltrans.
With an estimated project buildout in 2030 the cost of the project would increase by approximately 40% from $1.9M (2022 $) to $2.6 5M (2030 $). This is based on an annual escalation of 5% for each of the next 5 years (2022-2027) and 3% for each of the remain ing years (2027-2030). These rates were applied to account for current inflation and uncertainty with the assumption that rates will return to historical norms in 5 years.
City of Long Beach ATTACHMENT C
405 & Cherry Avenue Improvements
PEER Review - Construction Cost Estimate
1/12/2022
Unit
Item Description Unit Cost Quantity Cost
1 HOT MIX ASPHALT (TYPE B) TON $150.00 345 $51,750
2 LEAN CONCRETE BASE CY $300.00 171 $51,300
3 AGGREGATE BASE (CLASS 3) CY $125.00 433 $54,125
4 END ANCHOR (TYPE SFT) EA $800.00 1 $800
5 THRIE BEAM BARRIER LF $75.00 14 $1,050
6 TYPE A2-6 CURB LF $100.00 24 $2,400
7 TYPE B1-4 CURB LF $100.00 150 $15,000
8 TYPE B2-6 LF $100.00 133 $13,300
9 MBGR LF $75.00 150 $11,250
10 CONCRETE BARRIER (TYPE 60SC) LF $150.00 330 $49,500
11 REMOVE GUARDRAIL LF $20.00 295 $5,900
12 REMOVE CURB LF $25.00 295 $7,375
13 REMOVE BASE AND SURFACING SF $35.00 3,781 $132,335
14 ROADWAY EXCAVATION CY $100.00 547 $54,700
15 RECONSTRUCT 2" HMA SLOPE PAVING TON $150.00 48 $7,200 16 24" RCP LF $300.00 46 $13,800
17 CONCRETE COLLAR EA $1,000.00 2 $2,000
18 REMOVE PIPE LF $300.00 36 $10,800
19 REMOVE INLET EA $1,000.00 3 $3,000
20 G2 DI INLET EA $12,000.00 1 $12,000
21 G3 DI INLET EA $7,500.00 1 $7,500
22 ROADSIDE SIGN (ONE-POST) EA $500.00 1 $500
23 THERMOPLASTIC TRAFFIC STRIPE (DETAIL 27B) LF $2.00 926 $1,852 24 THERMOPLASTIC TRAFFIC STRIPE (DETAIL 25A) LF $2.00 926 $1,852 25 THERMOPLASTIC TRAFFIC STRIPE (DETAIL 36B) LF $2.00 179 $358 26 THERMOPLASTIC PAVEMENT MARKING (12" WHITE LIMIT LINE) SF $50.00 12 $600 27 BARRIER MARKERS EA $10.00 15 $150
28 REMOVE TRAFFIC STRIPE LF $4.00 2,031 $8,124
29 REMOVE PAVEMENT MARKING SF $15.00 12 $180
30 RAMP METER SYSTEM LS $40,000.00 1 $40,000
31 TYPE III BARRICADE EA $250.00 5 $1,250
32 TYPE III BARRICADE WITH SIGN EA $300.00 27 $8,100
33 DELINEATOR EA $40.00 46 $1,840
34 FLASHING ARROW BOARD EA $1,000.00 2 $2,000
35 TEMPORARY RAILING (TYPE K) LF $35.00 1,080 $37,800
36 TEMPORARY CRASH CUSHION MODULE (TS11) EA $250.00 22 $5,500 37 CONSTRUCTION ARE SIGNS (ON POST) LS $5,000.00 1 $5,000 38 TRAFFIC CONTROL LS $20,000.00 1 $20,000
39 JOB SITE MAINTENANCE LS $15,000.00 1 $15,000
40 PREPARE WPCP LS $7,000.00 1 $7,000
41 PROGRESS SCHEDULE (CRITICAL PATH) LS $5,000.00 1 $5,000 42 TEMPORARY WATER POLLUTION CONTROL LS $5,000.00 1 $5,000 43 MOBILIZATION LS $75,000.00 1 $75,000
CONSTRUCTION SUBTOTAL $749,191
Contingency (25%) LS $187,298 1 $187,298
Project Location, Complexity & Small Quantity Contingency (50%) LS $374,596 1 $374,596 CONSTRUCTION TOTAL $1,311,084
CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS & SUPPORT SERVICES (20%) LS $262,217 1 $262,217 CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT & INSPECTIONS (25%) LS $327,771 1 $327,771 SOFT COST TOTAL $589,988
PROJECT GRAND TOTAL $1,901,072
USE $1.9M
Total
CARLSBAD
CLOVIS
IRVINE
LOS ANGELES
PALM SPRINGS
POINT RICHMOND
RIVERSIDE
ROSEVILLE
SAN LUIS OBISPO
20 Executive Park, Suite 200, Irvine, California 92614 949.553.0666 www.lsa.net
March 16, 2022
Patricia Diefenderfer, AICP
Planning Bureau Manager
City of Long Beach Development Services
411 West Ocean Boulevard, 3rd Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802
Subject: California Environmental Quality Act Letter of Conformity for the Proposed Douglas Park Project
Dear Ms. Diefenderfer:
LSA is pleased to submit this letter to the City of Long Beach (City) detailing the City’s compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970 (CEQA) as it relates to the adopted transportation mitigation measure involving improvements at the interchange of Cherry Avenue with Interstate 405 (I‐405) northbound for the Douglas Park Project (project). Specifically, the applicant, Boeing Corporation, is proposing payment of an in‐lieu fee for the full cost of the improvement to be constructed by the City, and delaying implementation for the interchange improvement until it is needed.
This letter of conformity serves as the substantial evidence required under CEQA confirming that the City adequately analyzed the potential impacts of the proposed project in previous environmental documentation. This letter is intended to confirm that the City has complied with all applicable CEQA requirements.
Project History
In 2004, the City certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the Douglas Park Project (known at that time as the PacifiCenter at Long Beach) (SCH No. 2001051048). The PacifiCenter project proposed development of approximately 261 acres of the former and existing Boeing C‐1 aircraft production facilities with new commercial uses (Research and Development, light industrial, office, retail, hotel, aviation‐related, and ancillary uses, including warehouse uses) and residential uses (single family and multifamily).
The 2004 Final EIR included the Cherry Avenue/I‐405 improvements as a voluntary part of the project, but also included Mitigation Measure V.L‐17 to address regional transportation impacts:
Mitigation Measure V.L‐17: I‐405 (San Diego Freeway) Northbound On‐Ramp from Southbound Cherry Avenue: Widen the two northbound on‐ramps in the area where these ramps merge to provide an elongation of the merge section for a smoother and safer merge. Additionally, the ramp metering location for southbound traffic from Cherry Avenue could be relocated to provide added queuing length between the meter and Cherry Avenue. The threshold established for completing this
3/16/22 «P:\CLB1904.31 ‐ Douglas Park\CEQA\CEQA Compliance Letter4.docx» 2 improvement was no later than 5,000 p.m. peak‐hour trips generated by Douglas Park.
Even with mitigation proposed, the 2004 Final EIR concluded that regional transportation impacts would remain significant and unavoidable. Mitigation Measure V.L‐17 is the subject of the proposed revisions now being requested by the project applicant.
In 2009, an Addendum to the Final EIR was prepared to address modifications to the approved Douglas Park Project. Those modifications, referred to as the Douglas Park Rezone Project, were generally located in the northern portion of the project site and included replacement of residential uses with commercial, light industrial and retail uses.
A Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) was adopted for both the 2004 Final EIR and the Addendum to the Final EIR (Douglas Park Rezone Project). At the time the Addendum was prepared, some of the mitigation measures in the previously adopted MMRP had been completed, and some of the mitigation measures previously adopted were no longer applicable to the Revised Project due to the elimination of residential uses. The balance of the measures remained applicable.
For Transportation/Circulation and Parking, Mitigation Measure V.L‐17, as stated above, remained applicable to address regional transportation impacts.
Proposed Change to Project Mitigation Measure
As outlined in Mitigation Measure V.L‐17 above, the two northbound on‐ramps at Cherry Avenue and I‐405 shall be widened to provide an elongated on‐ramp condition, and the ramp metering location for southbound Cherry Avenue could be relocated to provide added queuing length. These improvements should be constructed and operational before, and no later than when the Douglas Park Project generates 5,000 p.m. peak hour trips. This mitigation measure was intended to reduce regional traffic impacts.
The property owner (Boeing) is requesting to pay a fee to the City to construct the improvement in lieu of completing the improvement themselves as outlined in Mitigation Measure V.L‐17. It is LSA’s opinion that payment of the in‐lieu fee and construction of the improvement is acceptable as long as impacts can still be mitigated.
3/16/22 «P:\CLB1904.31 ‐ Douglas Park\CEQA\CEQA Compliance Letter4.docx» 3 Although completion of recently proposed projects may result in greater than 5,000 p.m. peak‐hour trips being generated by all land uses within Douglas Park, traffic volumes at the merge section of I‐405 northbound ramps from Cherry Avenue are not expected to reach the projected traffic levels until 2030 or beyond. The empirical evidence collected appears to show that trips generated by Douglas Park do not affect traffic volumes at the site of the proposed improvement in the way anticipated in the EIR. Because the traffic volumes at the merge section of I‐405 northbound ramps from Cherry Avenue are lower than the level at which the EIR deemed the improvement beneficial, and the increase in p.m. peak hour trips from Douglas Park is not anticipated to increase the ramp volumes above those levels prior to 2030, completion of the improvement would not be necessary at this time. However, as noted above, the improvement should be constructed prior to 5,000 p.m. peak hour trips being generated.
The project applicant is not proposing to delete or substitute the mitigation measure, but rather is proposing to pay the full cost for the improvement as an in‐lieu fee for construction of the improvements, and which the City will construct at the appropriate time, prior to the 5,000 p.m. peak hour trips being generated. Payment of an in‐lieu fee and the construction of the same mitigation is not a material change and does not constitute “significant new information” that would require recirculation of the EIR, as no new impact would occur and no mitigation improvements are being rejected or replaced (State CEQA Guidelines Section 15088.5). LSA believes that the payment of an in‐lieu fee and construction of the improvements would still reduce the regional transportation impacts identified for the project as required in Mitigation Measure V.L‐17, as the improvements would ultimately be implemented by the City and paid for by the in‐lieu fee, which would be earmarked by the City specifically for construction of these improvements.
Conclusion
No additional analysis of the proposed project is required under CEQA because the regional transportation impacts identified at the Cherry Avenue/I‐405 interchange would still be reduced by Mitigation Measure V.L‐17; the only change is that the costs for this improvement would be paid for by the applicant with the City responsible for constructing the actual improvements. The in‐lieu fees would be designated and earmarked for the construction of the Cherry Avenue/I‐405 northbound ramp improvements identified in Mitigation Measure V.L‐17 and these improvements would be constructed by the City. Therefore, no additional CEQA documentation is necessary as Mitigation Measure V.L‐17 would ultimately be implemented as intended in the Douglas Park 2004 Final EIR and the Addendum to the EIR; there are no material changes to the mitigation as proposed and adopted.
3/16/22 «P:\CLB1904.31 ‐ Douglas Park\CEQA\CEQA Compliance Letter4.docx» 4 LSA is available to discuss the contents of this letter with City staff, if necessary. Although this letter is intended to explain how the City has complied with the requirements of CEQA as they relate to the project, this letter does not represent legal advice. As always, it is LSA’s pleasure to assist the City with any CEQA needs. If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Davis at (949) 553‐0666 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
LSA Associates, Inc.
Ashley Davis
Principal
REQUEST TO ADD AGENDA ITEM
Date: March 17, 2022
To: Monique De La Garza, City Clerk
From: Thomas B. Modica, City Manager
Subject: Request to Add Agenda Item to Council Agenda of March 22, 2022
Pursuant to Municipal Code Se ction 2.03.070 [B], the City Councilmembers signing below request that the attached agenda item (due in the City Clerk Department by Friday, 12:00 Noon) be placed on the City Council agenda via the supplemental agenda.
The agenda title/recommendation for this item reads as follows:
Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to enter into an Agreement with The Boeing Company, to accept a one-time cash payment of $2,797,879.50 for the improvement of the Cherry Avenue and San Diego Freeway (I -405) intersection, to allow the City of Long Beach to construct improvements as required by the Douglas Park Development Agreement in lieu of the Boeing Company; and,
Increase appropriations in the Capital Projects Fund Group in the Public Works Department by $2,797,879.50, offset by funds received from the Boeing Company for the Improvement of the Cherry Avenue/405 Intersection. (District 5)
Council District Authorizing Councilmember Signed by
4 Supernaw (Digital – attached email)
5 Mungo (Digital – attached email)
7 Uranga (Digital – attached email)
Attachment: Staff Report dated March 22, 2022