Administrative
Report
H.8., File # 23-5654 Meeting Date: 8/15/2023
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: TED SEMAAN, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
TITLE
APPROVE THE PROPERTY SALE AGREEMENT WITH PACIFIC CREST CEMETERY COMPANY, INC FOR THE ACQUISITION OF AN UNDEVELOPED PARCEL AT 2714 GRANT AVENUE, REDONDO BEACH, CA 90278 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $1,485,000, ENTIRELY FUNDED BY
REGIONAL MEASURE M FUNDS, AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE
RELATED DOCUMENTS TO ACCOMPLISH THE INTENT OF THE SALE AGREEMENT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Approval of this purchase and sale agreement will allow the City to complete acquisition of the 6,300 square foot undeveloped property at the southeast corner of Inglewood Avenue and Grant Avenue (2714 Grant Avenue, APN 4082-00709). The City currently owns an adjacent undeveloped parcel at 2716 Grant Avenue (1,630 square feet) and the adjacent undeveloped Ripley Avenue right-of-way extension to the east of Inglewood Avenue (12,700 square feet). A map is attached hereto for reference.
The acquisition of the subject parcel would complete the City's ownership and control over the entire south east quadrant of the intersection and allow for the development of an attractive/inviting waypoint and mobility network improvement. The property was appraised in 2022 at a fair market value of $1,485,000. The owner has agreed to sell the property to the City for its appraised value.
Funding for the property acquisition is available in the North Redondo Beach Bikeway - Inglewood Ave/Grant Ave to Kingsdale Ave Project, Job. No 41260 and is entirely funded through Metro Regional Measure M funds. This funding restricts the use of the purchased parcel for active transportation purposes that contribute to the enhanced use of the pedestrian and bicycle network as a whole. Once the property is purchased, the City will move into the design phase of the North Redondo Beach Bikeway - Inglewood Ave/Grant Ave to Kingsdale Ave Project, which includes the south east quadrant improvement as well as the bike facility gap closure on the west side of Inglewood Avenue between the SCE right-of-way at Inglewood and Ripley Avenue.
BACKGROUND
On August 27, 2020 the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) Board approved the North Redondo Beach Bikeway (NRBB) Extension- Inglewood Ave. Grant, allocating $200,000 of Regional Measure M funds for the design of a project to close the bicycle facility gap on the west side of Inglewood Ave between the SCE right-of-way and Ripley Avenue. In that same timeframe, the City approached the owner of the subject parcel on the southeast quadrant of the Grant Avenue / Inglewood Avenue intersection with the goal of securing the quadrant to enhance the City’s mobility network. The owner agreed in concept to the appraised price and City staff applied for
H.8., File # 23-5654 Meeting Date: 8/15/2023
City’s mobility network. The owner agreed in concept to the appraised price and City staff applied for funding to acquire the property for that purpose. Subsequently, on September 22, 2022 the LACMTA Board approved an increase in funding to the design project grant in the amount of $1,535,000, for right-of-way acquisition and additional design, for a total project budget of $1,735,000.
The project consists of continued improvement to the City's active transportation network and, in particular, improvements to the North Redondo Beach Bikeway ("Bikeway"). This project continues the efforts to close gaps in the City’s bike network. It is adjacent to a planned construction project to complete the Bikeway within the SCE right-of-way that parallels Rockefeller Lane, between Felton Lane and Inglewood Avenue, which the City is working on under a separate Regional Measure M grant. The initial grant provided design funding of $200,000 to close the gap between the Bikeway terminus at Inglewood Avenue and move southward along the west side Inglewood Avenue to Ripley Avenue. The additional funding allows for the purchase of the parcel immediately south and east of the intersection at Grant Avenue at Inglewood Avenue and design improvements to the intersection and south east quadrant for enhanced bicycle and pedestrian crossing to this parcel.
The goal of these projects is to provide a hub connecting several spokes of the City's active transportation network that will connect residential areas in southern, central and northern Redondo Beach and the commercial areas around the South Bay Social District (Galleria), the City's new Transit Center on the east side of the City, and planned bike facility improvements reaching Alondra Park and El Camino College.
Below is a description of this network, and attached for reference is a map depicting this connectivity:
· One spoke extends to the southwest along Ripley Avenue, past residential areas and two schools with eventual connection to the City's Dominguez Park, the Beach Cities Health District Campus and eventually the Redondo Beach Pier and beach areas. · A second spoke extends due west along Grant Avenue, past Birney Elementary School and a Perry Park to the commercial corridor along Aviation Blvd. on the City's westerly border with Hermosa Beach.
· A third northwesterly spoke provides access to residential areas in the north of the City along the SCE right-of-way with eventual connection to Northrup's campus, the current final station of the Metro C (Green) Line and the city of Manhattan Beach. · The fourth spoke heads eastward along Grant Avenue toward the commercial mall area, now under redevelopment and the City's new Transit Center.
· The City is also party to a $6.6M MAT Grant funded effort that will continue enhancing the active transportation network to the northeast along the Ripley/Grant/Redondo Beach Boulevard corridor as far as El Camino College.
At the time the applications for the two grants were made, the next steps to enhance the bicycle network northeastward along Grant Avenue, as far as Kingsdale Avenue, were beyond the reasonable capacity of the City’s existing right-of-way area. However, the opportunity to secure the needed right-of-way to continue its network to the east presented itself by securing additional right-ofway for the project. The 6,300 square foot parcel at the southeast quadrant of the Grant Avenue / Inglewood Avenue intersection is privately held by a willing seller who otherwise wished to develop the site. Purchase of the parcel by the City will provide an opportunity to enhance the experience of network users by creating a dedicated "hub" between these spokes, as a place to gather, rest, regroup and stage for additional activities along the network. The City owns the predominant portion of this southeast quadrant of the intersection, but the privately held parcel is situated in a way that
H.8., File # 23-5654 Meeting Date: 8/15/2023
of this southeast quadrant of the intersection, but the privately held parcel is situated in a way that inhibits meaningful use or development for the users of the active transportation network. Purchase of the parcel, which would complete the City's control over the quadrant, will allow for the development of an inviting waypoint space, and implement an overall enhancement that will contribute to higher use of the bike network as a whole.
Given the timely opportunity, the City spoke to SBCCOG and obtained their support for the off-cycle modified scope and the increase in funding for the project. The Metro Board subsequently approved the modification on September 22, 2022. The City Council approved the funding agreement with Metro on February 7, 2023 which allowed staff to move forward with the property acquisition.
Approval of this purchase agreement will allow for final execution of the real estate acquisition.
COORDINATION
The purchase agreement has been approved by the City Attorney’s Office.
FISCAL IMPACT
The expenditure of $1,485,000 for the purchase of the property is available in the North Redondo Beach Bikeway Extension, Job No. 41260 Project Budget and is entirely funded by Regional Measure M funds.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
· Vacant Land Purchase Agreement
· PSA Amendment
· Parcel Acquisition Map
· Connectivity Map