City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 05/23/11 Item Number: J-4
JOINT CITY COUNCIL/REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD AGENDA ITEM:
Discussion Related to the Reuse of Vacant Gas Station Sites in Redevelopment
Component Area Number 4 and Vacant Commercial Properties City-wide.
Contact Person/Dept.:
Michael Pasternak, CDD/Redevelopment
Todd Tipton, CDD/Redevelopment
Phone Number:
(310) 253-5708
(310) 253-5783
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: (USPS) All Property Owners of Vacant Gas Station Sites (); (Email)
Meetings and Agendas – City Council (05/19/11), Meetings and Agendas -
Redevelopment Agency (05/19/11);
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld (05/04/11)
Agency General Counsel Approval:
Murray Kane: (05/04/11)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (05/17/11)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir: (by K. Marsden) (05/18/11)
Executive Director/City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (05/19/11)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council and Redevelopment Agency Board (Agency
Board) discuss and provide direction related to the reuse of vacant gas station sites
and other vacant commercial properties City-wide.
BACKGROUND:
On October 25, 2010 the Agency Board and City Council discussed and provided
direction related to the reuse of six vacant gas stations at major commercial
intersections in Redevelopment Component Area Number 4 (Attachment 1). The
Agency Board directed staff to return with options that will alleviate the blighting
condition caused by the vacant properties, address property maintenance standards,
facilitate reuse, and provide incentives for preferred uses.
DISCUSSION:
Of the six vacant gas stations identified in the October 25, 2010 report, three
stations are currently in the development process application stage|1010|. Aside from gas
stations, there are several other blighted vacant properties in the City’s commercial
areas. A property could reasonably be vacant for a temporary period, however if it is
vacant and unimproved for a longer period of time, it has a blighting effect both on
itself and the surrounding area. The City does not document these non-revenue City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
generating properties or track how long they have remained vacant. For the Agency
Board’s consideration, this report provides options for addressing vacant property
blight at gas station sites, as well as other commercial properties City-wide, through
incentives and regulatory measures.
Staff recommends the Agency Board and City Council consider the following
alternatives:
1. Issue a Design for Development (DFD) for Vacant Gas Station Sites in
Redevelopment Component Area Number 4
A DFD is a design control document that enables the Agency to establish
detailed guidelines for rehabilitation or new construction on specific sites
within the redevelopment project area. The vacant gas station sites are
already subject to the Planning Division’s site plan review process, which
enforces development standards under the City’s Zoning Code. The Agency
Board may add additional design controls through a DFD. However,
additional use restrictions are not advisable given economic conditions|1010|. The
DFD may include the following incentives:
• Owner Participation Agreements (OPAs) to provide low interest loans;
• Fee reimbursement;
• Expedited permit processing; and
• Tenant assistance|1010|.
2. Create a Vacant Commercial Property Registry Program
This type of program allows a municipality to collect information about vacant
properties, assess program registration fees, and set penalty terms for failure
to comply. The Vacant Property Registry Program (Registry) could be made
available to the development community and the public, which may facilitate
reuse and serve as a form of marketing of the sites. Additionally, the list could
by use by Code Enforcement and Police Department staff to monitor vacant
properties and thereby minimize length of vacancies. A Registry, such as the
one implemented by the City of Wilmington, DE (Attachment 3), would require
property owners to register, for a fee, vacant|1010| properties with the City on an
annual basis with the intent of encouraging property owners to rehabilitate or
sell their properties for reuse.
3. Establish Maintenance Standards for Vacant Properties|1010|
Staff recommends the City Council consider establishing stringent
maintenance standards for all vacant properties City-wide. Such standards
could be included in the forthcoming revisions of the Property Maintenance
Ordinance. Staff expects to bring a revised Property Maintenance Ordinance
to the City Council for consideration in summer 2011.
4. Provide an Incentive Package for Preferred Uses City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
As an alternative to a DFD, the City may opt to enter into agreements with
property owners that would offer incentives for neighborhood and pedestrian
oriented uses on current and future vacant gas station sites City-wide.
Incentives may take the form of:
• Fee reimbursement/forgiveness;
• Expedited permit processing; and
• Tenant assistance.
Staff believes a combination of incentives (either through a DFD or exclusive
agreements between the City and property owners) and penalties (through Property
Maintenance Ordinance or Vacant Property Registry) will help activate blighted
vacant properties and steer them towards preferred uses. At minimum, staff
recommends the Property Maintenance Ordinance include standards for vacant
commercial property.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The Agency will incur staff and legal costs if the DFD process is pursued and/or if
the City wishes to enter into site specific agreements that provide incentives for
preferred uses. The establishment and on-going operation and enforcement of a
Vacant Commercial Property Registry Program would require staff time to
implement, which could adversely affect existing work programs. Registration fees
and fines could offset some of the Registry’s operational costs. The City Council
previously considered a Property Maintenance Ordinance but did not adopt it. The
addition of vacant property standards to this ordinance would have a negligible fiscal
impact.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Map of Vacant Gas Stations in Redevelopment Component Area Number 4
2. Photographs of Existing Site Conditions
3. Vacant Property Registration Fee Program, City of Wilmington, DE
MOTION:
That the City Council and Agency Board:
Discuss and provide direction related to the reuse of vacant gas station and other
vacant properties City-wide.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Notes:
|1010| Development Status of Vacant Gas Station Sites
Address Use Status
11304 Culver Blvd. Auto Repair Application Approved
4436 Sepulveda Blvd. Convenience Store Pre-Application
11281 Washington Pl. Retail Center Pre-Application
3800 Sepulveda Blvd. Vacant Environmental
Remediation
11198 Washington Pl. Vacant Leasehold
11962 Washington Blvd. Vacant For Sale
|1010| The vacant gas station sites fall within the Commercial General Zone (CG), which allows for a
wide variety of residential, retail trade and service uses. Staff believes that further restricting the
types of uses allowed may delay reuse of the sites.
|1010| Staff will consult on tenant selection, proactively recruit potential tenants, coordinate with local
brokers and facilitate access to other City services.
|1010| Staff defines “vacant” as an un-occupied commercial building, structure or unimproved property
where no lawfully licensed business is conducted on a permanent, non-transient basis.
|1010| Staff recommends maintenance standards for vacant properties include all commercial as well as
residential properties.
MEETING DATE: May 23, 2011
AGENDA ITEM: Discussion Related to the Reuse of Vacant Gas Station Sites in
Redevelopment Component Area No. 4 and Vacant Commercial
Properties City-wide.
ATTACHMENTS
Page
1. Map of Vacant Gas Stations in Redevelopment
Component Area No. 4|1010|2. Photographs of Site Conditions 2-3
3. Vacant Property Registration Fee Program, City
of Wilmington, DE
4-5Attachment No. 111304 Culver Blvd.
(@ Sawtelle Blvd.)
3800 Sepulveda Blvd.
(@ Venice Blvd.)
4436 Sepulveda Blvd.
(@ Braddok Dr.)
Attachment No. 211198 Washington Pl.
(@ Sepulveda Blvd.)
11281 Washington Pl.
(@ Sawtelle Blvd.)
11962 Washington Blvd.
(@ Inglewood Blvd.)
Attachment No. 2Dear Fellow Citizens:
The City of Wilmington has embarked on an unprecedented effort to hold the owners of vacant properties accountable for the
physical condition of their properties and to the overall well being of the communities and neighborhoods in which the vacant
properties are located.
The City's new Vacant Property Registration Fee Program, outlined in this website, seeks to do something about an issue than no one
can dispute...vacant properties are a detriment to people who live in proximity to the properties, to entire neighborhoods, and to the
city's overall image as an attractive and inviting City in which to live, own property, work and be entertained.
The Mayor's Office, through the City's Department of Licenses and Inspections and Wilmington City Council has joined forces to
revise the City's Vacant Property Registration Fee Program requiring that yearly registration fees ranging from $500 to as high as
$5,000 be paid to the City by the owners of vacant properties. The program is intended to encourage owners of vacant properties to
immediately rehabilitate the property or to sell the property to an individual or an agency that will make the property attractive for sale
or rental. The new law is summarized for you in this website along with a section on what you can do to help in this effort.
We have contacted to owners of more than 1,000 vacant properties scattered throughout the City and advised them in writing of their
responsibilities under the new law. If owners of vacant properties ignore the law, the City can and will institute criminal proceedings
that could result in fines. The City could also bring civil action against the property owner to collect any unpaid registration fees.
In reality, the City would prefer that the owner of a vacant property use their money to fix up and rehabilitate a property rather than pay
a registration fee to the City. But it is vital that vacant property owners understand the importance to which the City has attached to
reducing vacant properties and how determined the City will be in terms of moving to resolve the problem.
If the new registration fee law is ignored, the City is ready to take additional actions to remove an eyesore property from a
neighborhood. If the new law is followed, vacant properties will begin to disappear giving our neighborhoods a chance to continue to
grow stronger.
Thank you for your interest in this matter and for taking time to understand and assist with this new effort.
Sincerely,
James M. Baker, Mayor
CITY OF WILMINGTON
VACANT PROPERTY REGISTRATION FEE PROGRAM
Message from the Mayor
http://www.wilmingtonde.gov/vacantproperties/mayormessage.htm
Attachment No. 3CITY OF WILMINGTON
VACANT PROPERTY REGISTRATION FEE PROGRAM
ANNUAL REGISTRATION OF VACANT BUILDINGS
AND ASSOCIATED FEES
Summary of Wilmington City Code Chapter 4,
§4-27, 125.0 et seq.1
An owner of a building that has been vacant for more than forty-five (45) consecutive days is
required to file with the Department of Licenses and Inspections a notarized registration
statement containing all the relevant information with respect to the vacant
property. Registration forms are available in the Department of Licenses and Inspections,
800 N. French Street, 3rd Floor, Wilmington, DE 1980, telephone: (302) 576-3030 or they
can be downloaded from this website. A registration fee is assessed to each property that
has been vacant for at least one (1) year. Registration fees are billed by the department of
Licenses and Inspections in November of each year and must be paid in full by January 1. If
the status of the property or the information contained in your registration statement
changes, it is your responsibility to inform the Department of Licenses and Inspections in
writing within 30 days of the change.
1 This document merely constitutes a summary of City Wilmington Code, Chapter 4, §4-27,125.0 et seq., entitled Annual
Registration of Vacant Buildings and Registration Fees and is not intended to be a full recitation of the requirements of this
ordinance. Persons affected by §4-27,125.0 may obtain a copy of the full ordinance by contacting the Department of
Licenses and Inspections at (302) 576-3030.
http://www.wilmingtonde.gov/vacantproperties/codesummary.htm
Attachment No. 3