City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 06/08/2015 Item Number: C-6
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the City
Manager to Submit an Application for 2015 Countywide Competitive Grant Program
Funds under the Santa Monica Bay Category from the Los Angeles County
Regional Park and Open Space District in the Amount of $839,102.
Contact Person/Dept.: Kaden Young/PW-
EPO; Lee Torres/PW-EPO
Phone Number:(310) 253-6445; (310) 352-
6457
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [x] General Fund: Yes [] No [x]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: [x]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [x] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Agenda and Meetings – City Council (06/03/15)
Department Approval:
Charles D. Herbertson (05/28/15)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (06/01/15)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (06/02/15)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (06/03/15)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager
to submit an application for 2015 Competitive Grant Program funds under the Santa
Monica Bay Category from the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space
District in the amount of $839,102.
BACKGROUND:
Los Angeles County voters passed Proposition A in 1992 and again in 1996. These
Propositions created the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space
District and provided funding for beach, wildlife, park, and natural lands; tree
planting; gang prevention and intervention; and improvement of recreation facilities
for youth and senior citizens.
In March 2015, the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District
announced the availability of approximately $839,102 in grant funds for the 2015
Countywide Competitive Grant Program under the Santa Monica Bay Category.
The Santa Monica Bay Category grant funds are available to public agencies for
capital projects that restore and improve Santa Monica Bay by reducing the toxicity
and/or pollutant load in urban runoff to the Bay.
The deadline to submit grant application forms and a draft resolution is June 3,
2015. Staff will submit the required information for the grant, including a draft
resolution. Once approved, staff will update the granting agency with the signed
resolution. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit (MS4 Permit)
On December 28, 2012, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
(LARWQCB) adopted R4-2012-0175, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit (MS4 Permit). This
new MS4 Permit establishes waste discharge requirements for stormwater, non-
stormwater (urban runoff) discharges within the watersheds of Los Angeles County.
The Marina del Rey (MdR) watershed is a small sub-watershed located in the larger,
Santa Monica Bay watershed. The tributary area served by the MS4 Permit that drains
to MdR harbor is approximately 1,409 acres and consists of portions of the cities of
Culver City and Los Angeles and portions of unincorporated County of Los Angeles
(County).
The MdR watershed is subject to three Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs); the Santa
Monica Bay Nearshore Debris TMDL, the Marina del Rey Harbor Mother’s Beach and
Back Basin Bacteria TMDL, and the Toxic Pollutants in Marina del Rey Harbor TMDL.
The interim and final compliance schedules differ for each of the TMDLs, but final
compliance is required by 2018 and 2021.
To comply with the MS4 Permit, the City Council determined to pursue the
Enhanced Watershed Management Program (EWMP) compliance pathway. The
EWMP reviews the watershed as a whole and proposes Best Management
Practices (BMPs) for responsible jurisdictions to complete. Furthermore,
construction of a larger regional project that could capture, infiltrate, and/or reuse
storm flows and urban runoff from an 85
th
percentile storm event or roughly 1.1 inch
of rain is also required.
Costco Public Private Partnership Proposal
In January 2015, staff began discussions with Costco to develop a joint storm
water/urban runoff retention project as part of a development project. Costco plans
to repurpose over 50% of their property and must implement a Standard Urban
Stormwater Mitigation Plan (SUSMP). The SUSMP must include a treatment BMP
that can capture and infiltrate the 85
th
percentile storm from their entire property, not
just the repurposed area. Since the Costco site along Washington Boulevard is
prominently situated in Culver City’s portion of the MdR watershed, staff identified
this project as an opportunity to capture storm water/urban runoff flows from both
Costco and neighboring businesses and residences. Thus, Culver City’s entire
portion of the MdR watershed could potentially be served by this proposed Public
Private Partnership Project.
DISCUSSION:
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
The Public Works Department’s Environmental Programs and Operations Division is
proposing to construct infiltration galleries to infiltrate storm water and urban runoff
from a drainage area consisting of approximately 42 acres along the west end of
Culver City. Diversion to the proposed galleries would help reduce runoff into Santa
Monica Bay and may prevent toxic pollutants, metals, and bacteria from entering the
storm drain system. The two infiltration galleries are proposed to be located along
Glencoe Avenue and Walnut Avenue between Washington Boulevard and Zanja
Street. The size of each infiltration galleries will be determined during the design
phase and will be based on capturing and infiltrating storm flows from an 85
th
percentile storm event or roughly 1.1 inch of rain. However, due to constraints from
existing underground utilities (LADWP Water and Southern California Gas Company
mainlines) located along Glencoe Avenue and limited Culver City public right-of-way
on Walnut Avenue, staff’s initial studies would require that the proposed infiltration
galleries partially encroach onto private property owned by Costco.
Staff has discussed possible design ideas and restrictions with Costco, and they
have agreed to partially place the infiltration gallery on their private property. Costco
has been receptive to this public/private partnership concept, and the timing of this
project dovetails nicely with their current building expansion project.
Costco has agreed to provide the City a “Permission to Perform the Project” letter as
required by the grant application.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The amount being requested from the grant for Culver City is $839,102 to
partially cover costs for Preliminary Engineering and Construction.
Estimated Project Cost
Preliminary Engineering (Design) $150,000
Construction $3,000,000
Construction Engineering – Construction
Management and Inspection & Material Testing
$150,000
Total $3,300,000
Additional required funding for this project is included in the City Manager’s
Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2015/2016.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Proposed Resolution
2. Location Map
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
MOTIONS:
That the City Council:
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit an application for
2015 Competitive Grant Program under the Santa Monica Bay Category from
the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District in the
amount of $839,102.