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CC - CONSENT ITEM: (1) Acceptance of Grant Funds from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) in the Amount of $200,000 for the Hayden Tract Specific Plan Project; and (2) FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE REQUIREMENT: Approval of a Related Budget Amendment to Appropriate the Grant Funds.
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CC - CONSENT ITEM: (1) Acceptance of Grant Funds from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) in the Amount of $200,000 for the Hayden Tract Specific Plan Project; and (2) FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE REQUIREMENT: Approval of a Related Budget Amendment to Appropriate the Grant Funds.
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Meeting Date: September 8, 2025
Contact Person/Dept.: Troy Evangelho, Lauren Wrenn / Planning and Development- Advance Planning
Phone Number: (310) 253-5744
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (09/04/2025)
Department Approval: Mark Muenzer, Planning and Development Director (8/6/2025)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) accept grant funds for the Hayden Tract Specific Plan project from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Transit Oriented Communities Technical Assistance Program; and (2) approve a related budget amendment to appropriate the grant funds (budget amendment requires a four-fifths vote).
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
On July 30, 2025, the City received confirmation from Metro that an application for funding for the Hayden Tract Specific Plan (HTSP) project was approved. The grant program is funded through Metro's General Fund to support studies and plans for transit-oriented communities. The HTSP is currently under development and is expected for final approval in Summer 2026.
At their regular meeting on April 28, 2025, the City Council directed staff to consider increased building heights and residential densities in the Hayden Tract project area. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process for the HTSP was anticipated to fall under the purview of the General Plan 2045 Environmental Impact Report, which studied the impacts of the current zoning and land uses. Increasing building heights and residential densities requires studying the environmental impacts beyond the original scope of work. This additional work was estimated to cost $100,000. The additional funds were allocated to the Advance Planning Division in the Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 in Account No. 10153300.610400 (Advance Planning - Consulting Services) and the amendment to the HTSP budget was passed on July 14, 2025.
If funds are accepted, the $200,000 grant from Metro will fund the environmental review tasks (tasks 7.1 through 7.7) for the HTSP along with portions of the plan drafting phases (tasks 6.1, 6.2, and 8.1). The grant funds would replace a portion of the department budget funding, freeing up $200,000 of the City's General Fund.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Since the notification of the award occurred after the Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 was adopted, the grant funding was not included. Staff is requesting City Council accept the grant funds and approve a related budget amendment to appropriate $200,000 in grant funds to the Hayden Tract Specific Plan project (requires a four-fifths vote) to supplant funds in Account No. 10153300.610400 (Advance Planning - Consulting Services). The Advance Planning Division has $600,000 budgeted for the project and is under contract with consulting firm AECOM to complete the project with a budget of $600,000. The grant funds would replace a portion of the original department budget funding, thereby freeing up $200,000 of General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
The acceptance of grant funds and related budget amendment are covered by the general exemption rule (as provided in California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15061, subsection (b)(3)) that the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) only applies to projects which have potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. The acceptance of grant funds and related budget amendment will have no significant effect on the environment. The project to be completed using the grant funds will include environmental analysis pursuant to CEQA.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Accept $200,000 in funding for the Hayden Tract Specific Plan project through the Metro Transit Oriented Communities Technical Assistance grant program; and
2. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare any documents necessary to receive the funds; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City; and
4. Approve a related budget amendment to receive the revenue and allocate the grant funds (four-fifths vote required).