City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 09/12/2011 Item Number: A-3
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Approval to Close Portions of City Streets in the
Downtown Area, and a Segment of Washington Boulevard between Culver
Boulevard and Overland Avenue, for the ‘2011 Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes 5-K
Walk’ Organized by the American Diabetes Association; and Direct that Parking
Enforcement occur Only on Streets that Have Existing Permit or Time Limit Parking
Restrictions.
Contact Person/Dept.: Gabe Garcia/PW Phone Number: (310) 253-5633
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agenda – City Council (09/08/2011); (E-Mail)
American Diabetes Association; (E-Mail) Downtown Business Association; (E-Mail)
Culver City Chamber of Commerce.
Department Approval:
Charles D. Herbertson 09/07/2011
City Attorney Approval:
Carol A. Schwab (by H. Baker) (09/08/11)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (09/08/11)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (09/08/11)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council (1) approve the closure portions of City streets in
the Downtown Area, and a segment of Washington Boulevard, between Culver
Boulevard and Overland Avenue, for the ‘2011 Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes 5-
K Walk’ and (2) direct that parking enforcement occur only on city streets that have
existing permit or time limit parking restrictions
BACKGROUND:
On September 14, 2011, the Committee on Permits and Licenses will consider an
application for a Special Event permit, by the American Diabetes Association,
(Organizer), to hold their ‘2011 Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes (5-K)’ on Sunday,
October 2, 2011. Subject to the City Council’s action this evening, the Public Works
Department will recommend to the Committee on Permits and Licenses approve
the issuance of a permit for this event. The Organizer anticipates that there will be
approximately 3,500 attendees, based on similar events at other venues in
Southern California. According to the Organizer, the purpose of this event that
occurs annually in approximately 144 cities nationwide, is to raise awareness and
funds regarding a cure for diabetes. The Organizer has stated this event has
occurred for many years, and their staff is experienced at delivering this event.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
The Organizer has worked with staff from the Police Department, Fire Department,
Community Development Department, and the Public Works Department, and has
agreed to meet all the Conditions of Approval proposed as part of the permit
application to be considered by the Committee on Permits and Licenses (should the
City Council grant this street closure request).
DISCUSSION:
Streets Closures
The proposed closure of streets in the Downtown area would be similar to the
closure for the most recent Car Show, except in two respects: 1) that the closure
would be only between approximately 7:30 a.m. and 12 noon; and 2) the eastbound
traffic lanes on Culver Boulevard would be kept open – this minimizes
inconvenience to local businesses and the neighborhood to the south. (See the
graphic at the end of this report showing the proposed street closure with
crosshatch pattern). Beyond the Downtown area, Washington Boulevard would be
fully closed from Irving Place to Overland Avenue. All streets north of the closure
would have a “soft closure” and would be allowed “local access” traffic only.
After the 5K walk concludes the event will continue at Media Park. Therefore,
Canfield Avenue would remain completely closed. Under a separate process, the
Organizer is pursuing a license agreement through the Community Development
Department for the use of Media Park for related event logistics and to hold an expo
between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
The Organizer will be required to hire a traffic control contractor to setup and
maintain the street closures with standard barricades and signage that is compliant
with the pertinent codes.
The Proposed Route
The traffic control setup would begin at approximately 7:30 a.m. Registrations will
start at approximately 8:00 a.m., and the 5-K walk will commence at 9:30 a.m. in
Downtown (Culver Boulevard) and proceed westbound via Washington Boulevard
to Overland Avenue. This segment of Washington Boulevard would be closed to
traffic. The organizer, working with Culver City Police Department’s special event
Police Sergeant, will hire, as required, a number of off-duty Police Officers to assist
with traffic control.
The street closure ends on the easterly side of Overland Avenue. (Traffic on
Overland Avenue will be able to travel in both the north and south directions.) From
this point on participants will continue walking on Washington Boulevard sidewalks
and must obey all signals and signs as they cross all intersections. All participants
will then turn and walk southerly on the easterly sidewalk on Elenda Street. From
this point, participants would turn easterly by walking on the northerly sidewalk on City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Culver Boulevard, and return to the starting point of the event. Additionally, it is
proposed that there will be event staff at frequent intervals requiring participants to
keep a low level of spoken volume to decrease any possible negative impact to the
adjacent residents on Elenda Street and Culver Boulevard.
Public Notification
One week prior to the event, the organizer is required to notify all adjacent uses,
residential and business, of the upcoming event, and to provide a phone number for
the public to contact them with questions and concerns. Additionally, the organizer
is required to contact Brotman Medical Center and all public and private emergency
paramedic services, and public transit operators. In advance of the event, the
organizer will place two Changeable Message Signs that advise the motoring public
of the upcoming street closures for the event. Lastly, two weeks prior to the event,
the organizer will be required to publish a Public Notification in the local newspaper,
advising the public of the event and the related street closures.
City Services and Fees
City services, such as Sanitation trash bins and recycling bins, scooter vehicle, and
staff time; and Traffic Engineering staff time, will be charged as per the fee
schedule adopted by the City Council for Fiscal Year 2011/2012. Also, off-duty
Police Officers will be hired to assist with the event’s traffic control.
Parking Enforcement
At the City Council meeting of March 14, 2011, during which the 2011 Car Show
was discussed, the City Council expressed a desire to reach a balance between
alleviating residential neighborhood parking impacts and providing a pleasant
experience to the public. Because of this, the City Council directed that parking
enforcement occur only on streets which at the time of the special event had
existing permit parking restrictions or time-limited parking restrictions. Staff
proposes to utilize a similar enforcement strategy if the City Council approves the
streets closure for this event.
To ameliorate parking intrusion into the downtown residential neighborhood to the
south, the event organizer will encourage carpooling and indicate in all their
advertisements that event participants park their vehicles in the public parking
structures in the Downtown area.
It should be noted that should the City Council approve this street closure request,
the Organizer would still need to conclude negotiations for the use of Media Park
and obtain a permit from the Committee on Permits and Licenses in order to be
authorized to hold this proposed event. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
This special event will not represent any costs to the City and all needed City
services will be paid by the organizer of the event.
MOTIONS:
That the City Council:
1. Approve the closure of portions of City streets in the Downtown area, and a
segment of Washington Boulevard, between Downtown and Elenda Street.
2. Direct that parking enforcement occur on city streets that have existing permit or
time limit parking restrictions for the event.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report