title
CC - Discussion and Direction Relative to the (1) Naming of the Transit Oriented Development District; and (2) Potential Expansion of the Arts District Business Improvement District to Include Portions of the TOD District.
body
Meeting Date: January 14, 2019
Contact Person/Dept: Elaine Gerety-Warner/CDD - Economic Development
Joe Susca/Public Works
Phone Number: (310) 253-5777
(310) 253-5636
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (01/09/19); The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (10/31/18)
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director (12/24/18)
______________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council discuss and provide direction relative to 1) the official naming of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) District; and 2) the potential expansion of the Arts District BID to include portions of the current TOD District.
BACKGROUND
Metro Wayfinding Grant
In 2015, Culver City was awarded a grant from Metro to install 20 wayfinding signs to direct individuals to their closest Metro train station as well as other destinations such as public parking, business districts and facilities. The $23,000 grant covers up to 50% of the total cost to design, fabricate and install the wayfinding signs, all located within a one mile radius of the Culver City Metro train station. The TOD Visioning Study (pages 84 and 88), approved in 2017, also recommended that the City institute a TOD Wayfinding program.1
Staff formed a stakeholder group comprised of individuals from the Arts District, the TOD District, the Downtown Business Association and the Chamber of Commerce to identify the way finding destinations for each of the 20 way finding signs. The draft signage was presented to the stakeholder group and the Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee for their review and comment.
Staff issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) and in May 2018 recommended approval of an agreement with Fluoresco to fabricate and install the signs. (Attachment 1). At that time, the City Council requested further clarification on the district naming of the TOD District, The Metro Bike HUB and the Robertson Transit Hub prior to moving forward with the sign fabrication.
The item was referred to the Parking and Traffic Subcommittee meeting for further discussion in June 2018. During the discussion, staff provided clarification for the various naming conventions indicated on the signage. The Subcommittee recommended that further study of the TOD District naming should be considered.
Arts District Expansion
In August 2018, the Culver City Arts District Business Improvement District (CCAD) met with Vice Mayor Sahli-Wells, Councilmember Fisch and staff regarding their interest in expanding the Arts District boundary to the west and including a portion of the current TOD District. The CCAD believes that the expanded area will better connect the Arts District to the train station, enhance business promotion and create sustained economic vitality by generating additional assessment operational proceeds for the CCAD.
Since the TOD district is largely under construction and not tenanted, a formal TOD District
Property/Business Improvement District has not yet been organized. However in meeting with major stakeholder property owners, the name “The Hub” was recommended as a reference to the TOD’s central connection to various forms of transportation and as a center for tech business. Banners were designed and installed as part of the Washington National Streetscape Plan with that theme
It is important to note that the two areas are distinctly different with primarily different land uses, building size and building design, which suggests maintaining their distinct names to reflect their distinct district character.
DISCUSSION
Staff has requested a grant extension to complete the wayfinding project which is behind schedule. It is important now to get further direction from City Council on the proposed TOD District name and the extent of its boundaries since both the TOD District and Arts District naming conventions are included in the proposed wayfinding signage.
Options may include:
1. Maintaining the proposed TOD District naming and Arts District boundaries
2. Delaying the grant (request an additional extension) and hire a consultant to study and/or facilitate outreach for the development of an alternative TOD District name and/or expansion of the Arts District boundaries
3. Removing specific TOD District naming from the signage and replace it with other destinations such as Metro parking, Culver City station, Robertson Transit Hub, etc.
4. Adjusting directions to the “Arts District” to include its potential expansion into the TOD District
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The total estimated cost to fabricate and install the wayfinding signage is $111,265.06. The funding for the project would be allocated as follows:
1. $18,000 Metro grant (for 20 wayfinding signs)
2. $18,000 in City matching funds required by the Metro grant (Account No. 10150120.619800) (for 20 wayfinding signs)
3. $75,265.06 from Public Works Maintenance/Operations Street Division - Equipment & Maintenance -- Account No. 10160210.600800 to pay for additional replacement signs in downtown (unrelated to Metro Grant)
Flouresco has agreed to maintain their current bid until February 2019. If the project is delayed further, staff may need to reject the bid and re-bid the project once naming conventions and/or boundaries are confirmed. Additionally, staff will need to request an additional extension from Metro to maintain their grant funding for the project.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Wayfinding Signs Plans and Specifications
2. TOD and Arts District Boundaries
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Provide direction relative to the naming of the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) District; and,
2. Provide direction regarding the expansion of the Arts District Business Improvement District into the TOD District.