City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: June 9, 2026
Agenda Item: 4.A
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Christopher Dishlip, Director of Public Works, Architecture Services Division Subject: Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing Acceptance of the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Grant with the California Department of Transportation for the Reconnecting Pico Project and Execution of Necessary Associated Documents
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to accept a grant awarded to the City in the amount of $2,000,000 from the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program for the Santa Monica Reconnecting Pico Project in the Public Works Department, and to accept all grant renewals;
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute all necessary documents to accept the grant and all grant renewals; and
4. Authorize a budget amendment as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of this report (requires 5 votes).
Summary
Santa Monica’s Department of Public Works continues to advance adopted City plans and initiatives through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Discretionary Grant Program (Attachment C). The goal of the program is to reconnect communities harmed by past transportation infrastructure decisions through community-supported planning activities and capital construction projects that are championed by those communities, funding the study of removing, retrofitting, or mitigating existing facility to restore community connectivity, conduct 2 of 7
public engagement, and support other transportation planning activities. This grant award is for planning only, not construction. Santa Monica will conduct a thorough investigation into the feasibility and optimal placement of potential cap parks along the I10 freeway segment from 11th Street to 20th Street in the Pico Neighborhood, prioritizing cap park locations in alignment with available funding sources and an implementation timeline.
On September 30, 2024, Public Works submitted the Reconnecting Pico Neighborhood Project (Reconnecting Pico) to enhance community-centered transportation and improve access to economic opportunity, education, health, and green spaces, while simultaneously alleviating environmental burdens for residents of the Pico Neighborhood. Public Works was awarded RCP grant funding in the amount of $2,000,000 in late 2024 and, on October 15, 2025, the City was cleared to work with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) California Division Office on the grant agreement (Attachment D). Staff is requesting authorization to accept the grant funds of $2,000,000 in grant funding plus the required local match of $505,712.
Discussion
The Santa Monica Freeway, also known as Interstate 10 (I-10), played a pivotal role in mid-20th-century efforts to construct a nationwide interstate highway network. Authorized by the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways Act of 1956, this initiative aimed to fortify transportation infrastructure, spur economic growth, and bolster national security. By markedly reducing travel times between the Westside and downtown Los Angeles, the I-10 facilitated the integration of geographic communities that were once distinct. In the subsequent decades, the Santa Monica economy experienced substantial growth, with the freeway serving as a catalyst for economic development.
However, this achievement came at a substantial cost. The construction of the freeway led to the unjust displacement of more than 1,500 residents in what is now the Pico Neighborhood. Though legally sanctioned through eminent domain, this action resulted in a profound injustice, forcibly relocating families from their homes, and severing deep- 3 of 7
rooted connections to their neighborhoods. The scars of this displacement persist, giving rise to enduring economic, health, and environmental justice disparities.
This displacement sparked significant opposition, particularly from the Pico Neighborhood Association (PNA), formed in 1979 to advocate for the rights and wellbeing of affected residents. In the early 1980s, with funding from a federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the Pico Neighborhood Community Plan emerged.
Spearheaded by the PNA, it sought to safeguard the Pico Neighborhood for its existing residents, recognizing the profound impact of historical housing discrimination, economic pressures, and harmful public policies. Subsequently, in the 1990s, the City of Santa Monica embarked on the Pico Boulevard Streetscape Plan, a concerted effort to improve conditions for pedestrians along the boulevard. This comprehensive initiative encompassed the redesign of transit stops, medians, street trees, lighting, and the addition of gateway features. In 2010, the City of Santa Monica took a significant step toward rectifying the imbalances brought on by the freeway’s construction by exploring the feasibility of capping a portion of the freeway from 14th to 17th Streets with a park.
This initiative aimed to redress historical injustices, mitigate environmental impacts, provide green space, establish alternative transportation routes, and reconnect the Pico Neighborhood to economic opportunities. However, this initiative was halted due to financial constraints. With the support of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the City of Santa Monica will be empowered to build upon previously completed work and partner with the local community to adequately address these historical wrongs and current disparate impacts of the Santa Monica Freeway on the residents of the Pico Neighborhood.
While prioritizing cap park locations in alignment with available funding sources and an implementation timeline, the project also envisions the development of a pedestrianfriendly environment featuring improved sidewalks, dedicated bikeways, and the potential integration with public transit systems, ensuring accessibility for individuals of all abilities. The overarching project goals include addressing historical disparities, promoting economic opportunities, and mitigating environmental justice concerns through:
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1. Existing Conditions Analysis/Site Research:
1.1 Review background information, obtain long-range plans, and update existing preliminary studies such as land surveys, geotechnical reports, and traffic pattern studies.
1.2 Establish baseline data on the freeway’s impacts on the environment, public health, economy, and community.
1.3 Evaluate right-of-way impacts and investigate air-rights issues and opportunities.
2. Community Outreach/Public Engagement:
2.1 Compile a list of all potential local stakeholders to be used throughout the entirety of the project.
2.2 Conduct public outreach to establish a community vision for future green space and surrounding areas.
2.3 Engage a broad cross-section of the community through various outreach methods and events.
2.4 Prepare project guiding principles, design and phasing concepts, costbenefit analyses, and funding scenarios to determine a preferred alternative based on feedback and the outcomes of the community/public engagement.
3. Development of Concepts, Conduct Constructability Review:
3.1-3.6 Determine Preferred Alternative, Evaluate Funding Sources, and Prepare Final Feasibility Study Document with all necessary components including an executive summary, project history, existing conditions, project description, construction phasing options, cost estimates, and funding strategies.
4. Pre-Development Activities:
4.1 Prepare conceptual plans and studies to support environmental review for a construction project.
4.2 Coordinate closely with Caltrans regarding project scope approvals, encroachment permits, airspace leases, and other project acceptance requirements.
5. Final Report:
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5.1 Prepare Final Report for feasibility cap feasibility and site recommendations.
Next Steps
If Council adopts the resolution (Attachment C) to accept the RCP Grant, Caltrans will issue a notice to proceed allowing project activities to begin upon execution of the grant agreement by the California Department of Transportation. Following the execution of the agreement, the City will issue a Request for Proposals to select a consultant who will support management of the Reconnecting Pico Project. The grant award will require a local in-kind match of $190,240 for staff time and a cash match of $315,472 from the Parks and Recreation Development Impact Fee revenues.
Staff would return to Council in Winter 2026–27 to award a Professional Services Agreement for design services. The project is anticipated to begin in Spring 2027.
Environmental Review
Preparation of the Reconnecting Pico Project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies) of the CEQA Guidelines, which exempts feasibility and planning studies for possible future actions that the agency, board, or commission has not approved, adopted, or funded. Implementation of future improvements identified in the study would be subject to future environmental review as required under CEQA prior to project approval.
Past Council Actions
April 23, 2024
(Attachment A)
Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing Climate Grant
Applications by City Manager or Designee
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to accept a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Discretionary Grant Program for the Santa 6 of 7
Monica Reconnecting Pico Project and appropriate funds for the required 25 percent local match.
Approval of the recommended action requires the following budget amendment.
FY 2025-26 Budget Amendment
Establish Revenue Budget Appropriate Funds
Account # Amount Account # Amount
20500011.406280 $ 2,000,000 C2009230.689000 $ 2,000,000 Total $ 2,000,000 Total $ 2,000,000
In addition, staff recommends appropriation of available Park and Recreation Development Impact Fee resources to meet the local match requirement.
FY 2025-26 Budget Amendment
Release Funds Appropriate Funds
Account # Amount Account # Amount
10.370334 – Park
Impact Fee $ 315,472 C1009230.689000 $ 315,472
Total $ 315,472 Total $ 315,472
If modifications or renewals are awarded, budget adjustments will be included in subsequent year budgets, contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Tony Lopez, Senior Park Planner
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. April 23, 2024 Staff Report (Web Link)
B. Reconnecting Communities Notice of Funding Opportunity C. Resolution No. 11582 (CCS)
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D. RCP FY24_CA_ Santa Monica Reconnecting Pico_Grant
Agreement_Draft_030226_CoSM
E. Reconnecting Pico Grant Acceptance Resolution
F. Written Comments
G. PowerPoint Presentation