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Title:
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Discussion Regarding Upcoming Confluence of Major Construction Activity in the Washington-National TOD District and a Potential Culver City Municipal Code Amendment to Allow Extended Construction Hours under Certain Circumstances to Preserve the Public Health, Safety and General Welfare by Mitigating Related Impacts.
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City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 09/09/13__ Item Number: _A-3
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Discussion Regarding Upcoming Confluence of Major
Construction Activity in the Washington-National TOD District and a Potential Culver City
Municipal Code Amendment to Allow Extended Construction Hours under Certain
Circumstances to Preserve the Public Health, Safety and General Welfare by Mitigating
Related Impacts.
Contact Person/Dept.: Phone Number:
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: Meetings and Agendas – City Council (08/30/13 and 09/04/13);
Neighborhoods – East Washington Boulevard (08/30/13); Timely Topics – Exposition
Light Rail Project (08/30/13); Timely Topics - Street Maintenance and Closures (08/30/13)
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld (09/04/13)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (09/04/13)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (09/04/13)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (09/04/13)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council discuss a potential Culver City Municipal Code
(CCMC) amendment to allow extended construction hours under certain
circumstances in order to preserve the public health, safety and general welfare by
mitigating related impacts and, if desired, direct the City Manager as deemed
appropriate.
BACKGROUND:
Since early 2012 the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority has been
extending the Exposition Light Rail Line over Venice Boulevard which has adversely
affected traffic on Venice, Culver and Washington Boulevards. The existing traffic
conditions will likely worsen when the Legado and Platform projects (both located
near the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Venice Boulevard) begin
construction in the coming weeks.
The upcoming confluence of major construction activity in the Washington National
TOD District has raised concerns related to traffic congestion and the possibility of
impeding police and fire services access to the surrounding area in an emergency.
Specifically, the Legado and Platform projects’ construction will require the closure City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
of traffic lanes on Washington and National Boulevards due to the nature of the
construction. The lane closures will likely create traffic congestion and, as a result,
could impede emergency service vehicles attempting to reach the easterly part of
the City. Staff believes these conditions can be mitigated if construction activity
were allowed to occur beyond the hours currently specified in the CCMC.
DISCUSSION:
The CCMC currently limits construction activity to the following hours:
• From 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mondays through Fridays;
• From 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Saturdays; and
• From 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sundays.
The only exceptions to the construction hours are set forth in CCMC Sections
9.07.035.C and 9.07.035.D as follows:
C. In the case of an emergency, the Building Official may issue a permit for
construction activity for periods during which construction activity is
prohibited by Subsection A of this Section. Such permit shall be issued for
only the period of the emergency.
D. The City Council shall retain the right to impose more restrictive hours of
construction upon any project by adding appropriate conditions to the
approval of any Use Permits that are required for the project.
Because existing language in the CCMC does not allow the City Council to address
unique conditions such as those expected to occur near the Washington National
TOD site, staff is recommending the City Council discuss potentially amending the
CCMC to allow for extended construction hours under certain circumstances in order
to preserve the public health, safety and general welfare by mitigating related
impacts.
In this particular situation, and perhaps in future situations where circumstances
warrant extended construction hours, construction impacts could be mitigated by
reducing the overall construction duration. The reduced duration will benefit the
community, by shortening the time period of public inconvenience and disturbance
(i.e. noise, dust, unsightly site conditions, construction parking, etc.) typically
associated with construction activities.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
If the City Council supports staff’s recommendation to amend the CCMC, staff will
return to the City Council on September 23
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with a proposed ordinance. Further, it
will be staff’s recommendation that the amendment be adopted by an urgency
ordinance due to the pending Legado and Platform construction, which is anticipated
to begin in early October.
City Charter Section 614 allows for the adoption of an urgency ordinance if the City
Council finds that it is necessary to preserve the public peace, health or safety.
Given the concerns with the confluence of these three construction projects, which
will create significant traffic congestion and issues relating to emergency service
access, staff, in consultation with the City Attorney’s Office, believes urgency
findings can be made.
If the City Council directs staff to return with CCMC amendment, the substance of
the amendment and the basis for an urgency ordinance will be discussed in further
detail in the September 23 staff report.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
Discussion of this item does not create a fiscal impact.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Graphic depicting the location of the Exposition Light Rail overpass, the
Washington National TOD, and the Legado and Platform projects.
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1. Discuss a potential CCMC amendment to allow extended construction hours
under certain circumstances in order to preserve the public health, safety and
general welfare by mitigating related impacts; and,
2. (If Desired) direct the City Manager as deemed appropriate.
MEETING DATE: September 9, 2013
AGENDA ITEM: Discussion Regarding Upcoming Confluence of Major
Construction Activity in the Washington-National TOD District
and a Potential Culver City Municipal Code Amendment to
Allow Extended Construction Hours under Certain
Circumstances to Preserve the Public Health, Safety and
General Welfare by Mitigating Related Impacts.
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
1. Graphic depicting the location of the Exposition 1
Light Rail overpass, the Washington National TOD,
and the Legado and Platform projects.
1.
2.
3.
HAYDEN
TRACT
HELMS
AREA
DOWNTOWN
TOD DISTRICT PROJECTS
1. Expo Station Extension (Construction in progress)
2. The Platform (Construction commences in October)
3. Greystar (Construction commences in October)
Transit Oriented Development District
Confluence of Construction |1013|