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CC - ACTION ITEM: (1) Discussion of Options to Pave Unpaved Alleyways Citywide; and (2) Direction to the Public Works Director as Deemed Appropriate.
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Meeting Date: June 12, 2023
Contact Person/Dept.: Yanni Demitri/Public Works
Phone Number: (310) 253-5630
Fiscal Impact: Yes [x] No [] General Fund: Yes [x] No []
Attachments: Yes [x] No []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (06/07/2023)
Department Approval: Yanni Demitri, Director of Public Works/City Engineer (06/01/2023)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council discuss various options regarding paving the City’s unpaved alleyways, and provide direction to the Public Works Director as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The City Council requested staff place this item on the agenda to discuss the on-going maintenance and status of unpaved alleyways. The City has approximately 2.4 miles of unpaved alleys (see Attachment 1). Unpaved alleys are alleyways that use compacted gravel and/or dirt as a driving surface. The Public Works Department Maintenance Operations Division regrades the unpaved alleys once annually to allow for positive drainage.
The need to prioritize the use of City general funds for arterial and residential street paving projects has led to unpaved alleyways not being funded for new asphalt construction through the capital improvement program.
Where property owners or residents adjacent to unpaved alleys have requested the City to pave the dirt alley, the Public Works Department’s practice has been to instruct the property owners to form an assessment district to fund the cost of the design and construction of a new asphalt alleyway.
To date, property owners adjacent to unpaved alleyways have not proceeded to form the requisite assessment districts. A majority of the adjacent property owners would have to agree to the assessment levy at a City Council public hearing to form an assessment district. Once approved and formed, the property owners reimburse the City for the cost to pave the alleyway over 10 years at a fixed market interest rate through the property tax bill.
The recent storms have highlighted this issue as the unpaved alleys can flood and become inaccessible to vehicles and pedestrians. Public Works Department Maintenance Operations staff pump stormwater from these unpaved alleyways when resources are available. Also, the adjacent residents are impacted by these unpaved alleyways due to dust and uneven surfaces.
For discussion, staff requests the City Council consider the following options regarding the unpaved alleyways in the City:
Options:
1. Include paving funds for unpaved alleyways in the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 CIP Budget;
2. Continue the practice of requiring property owners to form an assessment district to fund the entire cost of alleyway asphalt paving;
3. Offer a 50/50 cost share to the adjacent property owners where they would pay half of the alleyway asphalt paving cost, and the City would pay the remaining half of the cost, predicated on the condition that the property owners agree to form an assessment district to pay back their portion of the paving cost.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The staff engineers’ estimate to design and pave 2.4 miles of unpaved alleys is approximately $11.5 million. No funds have been included in the Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 for this purpose.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2023-06-12-ATT-CC-List_of_Unpaved Alleys.pdf
2. Cost_Estimate_to_Pave_Unpaved_Alleyways.xlsx
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Discuss options to pave unpaved alleyways citywide; and
2. Provide direction to the Public Works Director as deemed appropriate.