City Council Agenda Report
August 6, 2024
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Alexander Hamilton, Interim Director of Community Development Jana Stuard, Director of Finance/City Treasurer
Arnold M. Alvarez-Glasman, City Attorney
Austin A. Ching, Deputy City Attorney
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 24-42 - ACCEPTING TRANSFER OF PARCEL FROM
SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO CITY FOR FUTURE COURTHOUSE PARKING LOT
EXCHANGE WITH THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Background:
Pursuant to an Option Agreement dated May 29, 2009, the City of Norwalk (“City”) and the County of Los Angeles (“County”) agreed to the purchase and exchange of County-owned property located at 12700-12720 Norwalk Boulevard for the construction of a secured judges’ parking structure (“Property”).
Title to the City-owned lot on which the judges’ parking lot is built was originally held by the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency (“RDA”). When the RDA was dissolved pursuant to AB 1x26 (the “Dissolution Act”) and the California Supreme Court decision in California Redevelopment Association, et al. v. Ana Matosantos, et al. 53 Cal.4th 231 (2011), the Property was transferred to the Successor Agency to the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency (“Successor Agency”). In 2013, the Property was designated in the Successor Agency’s Long Range Property Management Plan for the government purpose of use as future parking for judges from the adjacent Superior Court building.
The Dissolution Act (Health and Safety Code §34181(a)) allows for the Oversight Board of the Successor Agency to direct the Successor Agency to transfer the ownership of assets that were constructed and used for a governmental purpose pursuant to existing agreements. In 2018, the Oversight Boards of all Successor Agencies in the County of Los Angeles were consolidated into five districts, with the City of Norwalk falling under the jurisdiction of the Fourth District Oversight Board (“Oversight Board”). The definition of “governmental purpose” included parking
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Transfer of Judges’ Parking Parcel from Successor Agency to City Page No. 2 9 6
3 facilities that do not generate revenues in excess of reasonable maintenance costs of the properties. The transfer of the Property must be approved by the Oversight Board, pursuant to a resolution and a public meeting with ten (10) days advanced notice. As the Property is to be exchanged with another adjacent parcel for the City’s parking purposes, the exchange needs to occur between the City and County, rather than the Successor Agency. Therefore, prior to any exchange with the County, the Successor Agency needs to transfer the Property to the City, and the City needs to accept via the attached resolution.
The transfer of the Property is also exempt from the Surplus Land Act (AB 1486) under California Government Code §54221(f)(1)(C) and §54221(f)(1)(D) in that the Property is being transferred to another local agency’s use for the purpose of eventually exchanging the parcel for another property necessary for the agency’s use.
The transfer is also exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) in accordance with CEQA Guidelines §15378(b)(5), in that the transfer of the Property does not meet CEQA’s definition of a “project” as it is an organizational or administrative activity of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. The proposed action is also exempt under §15312 for Surplus Government Property Sales as the Property has no significant value for wildlife habitat or other environmental purpose and the use of the parcel and adjacent property has not changed.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
Citizens Advised:
N/A
Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
The recommended action will further the City’s Strategic Plan Goal 3: Create and sustain a resilient and economically prosperous City.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends City Council, on behalf of the City and as the governing body of the Successor Agency to the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency:
a. adopt Resolution No. 24-42, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF NORWALK ACCEPTING TITLE TO THE TRANSFER OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 12710 NORWALK BOULEVARD FROM THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO
THE NORWALK REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY FOR GOVERNMENTAL PURPOSES b. find that the Property will be used for a governmental purpose as a parking lot for judges’ from the adjacent County courthouse pursuant to the Long Range Property Management Plan,
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3 c. approve the transfer of the Property to the City to effectuate the future exchange of parking lots pursuant to the option agreement with the County of Los Angeles; and d. find that the Property is exempt surplus land pursuant to the exemptions under California Government Code §54221(f)(1)(C) and §54221(f)(1)(D); and that the transfer is not a “project” under CEQA Guidelines §15378(b)(5).
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 24-42
2. Certificate of Acceptance