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Home My WebLink AboutItem 1b - Resolution No. 6989 ordering Front Street Vacation°o\ Of i DATE: September 17, 2013 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council STAFF REPORT Development Services Department FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager /Development Services Director By: Philip A. Wray, Deputy Dir. of Development Services /City Engineer SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 6989 ORDERING THE VACATION OF FRONT STREET IN ITS ENTIRETY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE METRO GOLD LINE FOOTHILL EXTENSION LIGHT RAIL PROJECT Recommendation: Adopt SUMMARY The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority (Authority) has requested that the City vacate Front Street for the construction of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Light Rail project. In Arcadia, the light rail project includes a parking structure and transit plaza, located on the north side of Santa Clara Street, just west of First Avenue and southwest of the proposed rail station. In order to construct the parking structure and transit plaza, Front Street must be vacated from St. Joseph Street to Santa Clara Street (see attached map). On July 16, 2013, the City Council adopted a resolution of intention to vacate Front Street and set a public hearing for August 20, 2013, to consider the vacation. Prior to that hearing, the Authority requested that the item be continued to the September 17, 2013, City Council meeting. On August 20, the City Council opened the public hearing and continued the item to September 17. Upon the close of the public hearing, it is recommended that the City vacate Front Street with the retention of an easement for the utilities that will remain temporarily in the street alignment. BACKGROUND The Authority is currently responsible for the construction of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension east from Pasadena through Azusa. The project funding was committed in 2008 through the passage of Measure R, a half -cent sales tax for local transportation in Los Angeles County. In 2011, the Authority selected Kiewit Parsons to design and construct the main alignment, and in 2013, the Authority selected WebCor/Watry to design and construct all parking facilities and station area enhancements, which include Resolution No. 6989 — Front Street Vacation August 20, 2013 Page 2 of 3 the Arcadia parking structure and transit plaza. The main alignment is under construction, the Arcadia parking structure and transit plaza are in design. One of the Authority's responsibilities is to obtain all missing portions of right -of -way for the light rail alignment and related elements like the parking structure. The City recently vacated portions of Third Avenue and St. Joseph Street for the main alignment. The Authority is now requesting that the City vacate Front Street so that the Arcadia parking structure and transit plaza can be constructed in its place. Front Street was dedicated to the County in 1887 as part of the Santa Anita Tract. The street has served as a local connection between St. Joseph Street and Santa Clara Street, and many years ago was the access to the old railroad depot. Currently, only one industrial /office complex takes access from Front Street, and that complex has been purchased by the Authority and will be demolished for the construction of the parking structure. The Authority currently owns all but one of the contiguous properties on both sides of Front Street, with Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) owning the other property. Once the vacation process is complete, the Authority intends to purchase the vacated portions of the street that will be under the ownership of REI. The Authority will then own the entire abandoned Front Street right -of -way. The Authority intends to terminate St. Joseph Street at the Front Street intersection with a cul -de -sac bulb, and the bulb will have an access driveway into the north side of the parking structure. On July 9, 2013, the Planning Commission made the finding that the Front Street right - of -way vacation is consist with the General Plan's goals and policies, and recommended the vacation to the City Council. On July 16, the City Council approved Resolution No. 6984, declaring its intention to vacate Front Street and set a public hearing for August 20, 2013. At the request of the Authority, the public hearing was continued until September 17, 2013. DISCUSSION Front Street currently contains above and below - ground utilities for both local service connections and pass- through lines. The Authority has been working with the utility companies to abandon (where possible) or relocate their utilities around the proposed parking structure site. Since the utilities are not abandoned or relocated yet, the vacation is subject to the reservation and exception of a public utility easement over the abandoned street until such time as all utilities are cleared from that area. Resolution No. 6989 — Front Street Vacation August 20, 2013 Page 3 of 3 In accordance with the Streets and Highways Code of the State of California, the City must hold a public hearing before it can vacate the street. All notification and posting requirements as prerequisites for the public hearing have been met. At the close of the public hearing, it is recommended that the City Council adopt the resolution vacating the street. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS On July 16, 2013, the City Council approved the proposed right -of -way vacation as categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15301(c), because the action consists of a legal transfer of ownership, which will result in negligible or no expansion of use beyond the project analyzed in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) adopted in 2007 for the Metro Gold Line Extension. FISCAL IMPACT In accordance with the City's Cooperative Agreement with the Authority, the vacation process has been administered by the City at no cost to the Authority. Once vacated, the City will no longer have any maintenance responsibilities for the street. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 6989 ordering the vacation of Front Street in its entirety for the construction of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Light Rail Project. Approved. Dominic Lazzarehd City Manager Attachment: Location Map Resolution No. 6989 VACATION W !N21 IN] ii M W[ 71611MMA RESOLUTION NO. 6989 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA ORDERING THE VACATION OF FRONT STREET IN ITS ENTIRETY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE METRO GOLD LINE FOOTHILL EXTENSION LIGHT RAIL PROJECT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY FIND, DETERMINE AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of Arcadia ( "City Council "), on July 16, 2013, adopted Resolution No. 6984 declaring the intention of the City Council to vacate and abandon Front Street in its entirety in the City of Arcadia, County of Los Angeles, State of California. The location of the proposed vacation is more particularly described and shown in Exhibit "A° and "B" attached hereto. SECTION 2. Notices of Resolution No. 6984 were duly published and posted in the manner and form and at the time required by the Streets and Highways Code of the State of California, Sections 8322 and 8323. SECTION 3. On August 20, 2013, the City Council opened the public hearing and continued the public hearing to September 17, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber of Arcadia City Hall, 240 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California, at which time the City Council received all comments and evidence offered by persons interested in the proposed vacation of Front Street. SECTION 4. Pursuant to Government Code 65402(x), the Planning Commission of the City of Arcadia, during its regular meeting on July 9, 2013 determined that the proposed vacation is consistent with the General Plan of the City of Arcadia. 1 SECTION 5. The City Council does find that the vacation of Front Street is being made in accordance with Chapters 3 and 5 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Streets and Highways Code of the State of California (Streets and Highways Code Section 8320, et seq.) SECTION 6. Pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Environmenta Quality Act (CEQA), the proposed vacation is covered under the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects that have a potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. This action consists of a legal transfer of ownership which will result in negligible or no expansion of use beyond the project analyzed in the EIR , adopted in 2007 for the Gold Line Extension. Where it can be seen with certainty that the activity will not have a significant effect on the environment, a Notice of Exemption is sufficient. Therefore, a Notice of Exemption has been filed with the County Clerk of the County of Los Angeles. SECTION 7. Pursuant to the Streets and Highways Code Section 8340 and 8341, the City Council of the City of Arcadia finds that the public convenience and necessity require the reservation and exception of a public utility easement from the vacation. SECTION 8. Pursuant to the Streets and Highways Code Section 8324, The City Council finds from all evidence submitted that Front Street is unnecessary for present or prospective public use and, therefore, it is ordered that Front Street be vacated. SECTION 9. The City Clerk of the City of Arcadia shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution and shall cause a certified copy thereof to be recorded without acknowledgement, certificate of acknowledgement, or further proof in the Office of the 2 County Recorder of Los Angeles County after the aforementioned conditions have been satisfied. SECTION 10. From and after the date this Resolution No. 6989 is recorded, Front Street in its entirety will no longer constitute a public right -of -way. SECTION 11. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution. Passed, approved, and adopted this day of ATTEST. City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Stephen P. Deitsch City Attorney 3 , 2013. Mayor of the City of Arcadia EXHIBIT "A" LEGAL DESCRIPTION FOR STREET VACATION PURPOSES FRONT STREET FRONT STREET, 80.00 FEET WIDE, AND THAT PORTION OF SAINT JOSEPH STREET, 60.00 FEET WIDE, AS SHOWN ON THE MAP OF A PART OF ARCADIA SANTA ANITA TRACT, IN THE CITY OF ARCADIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, RECORDED IN BOOK. 15, PAGES 89 AND 90 OF MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS, IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY RECORDER OF SAID COUNTY, DESCRIBED AS A WHOLE AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE SOUTHWESTERLY LINE OF SAID FRONT STREET WITH THE SOUTHERLY LINE OF SAID SAINT JOSEPH STREET; THENCE ALONG SAID SOUTHWESTERLY LINE, S52-26' 16"E 546.11 FEET TO THE NORTHERLY LINE OF SANTA CLARA STREET, 60,00 FEET WIDE, AS SHOWN ON SAID MAP; THENCE ALONG THE EASTERLY PROLONGATION OF SAID NORTHERLY LINE, N89-06'1 1 "E 128.63 FEET TO THE NORTHEASTERLY LINE OF SAID FRONT STREET; THENCE ALONG SAID NORTH I'AS"I ERLY LINE AND ITS NORTHWESTERLY PROLONGATION, N52 °26' 16 "W 642.64 FEET TO THE EASTERLY PROLONGATION OF THE NORTHERLY LINE OF SAID SAINT JOSEPH STREET; THENCE LEAVING SAID PROLONGATION, S40 °33'51 "W 80.11 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. CONTAINS: 47,550 SQUARE FEET. NOTE: THIS LEGAL DESCRIPTION WAS NOT PREPARED FOR ANY PURPOSE THAT WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA SUBDIVISION MAP ACT OR LOCAL ORDINANCES OF THE GOVERNING BODY HAVING JURISDICTION. PREPARED BY: C.l, va4� STE HANIE A. WAGNER, P. .S. 5752 OND DAT rss fNo. 5782 CAL EXHIBIT "B" OWNER: ACCEPTED BY: CITY OF ARCADIA A PART OF ARCADIA SANTA ANNTA TRACT A.P.N. NA MR 15 - 89 -90 COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES I DATE: 253.80' - \ NB9'03'fi6I 255.42 — o N89'03'56 "E 253.91' — �— SAINT — 9.� ♦ JOSEPH ST. \♦ q 25' 50' 28'1 POB ♦ 4 41 uj APN: 5773-00 -055 b \ ♦ \♦ S� , LLI � c � H� ld O 0 6;�;p, qA` ti 006 aA a - (A tql -- - - - - -- --- -- - - ------ f' n N �__— APN- 5 73 -00' -058 \ \61F. O i APN: 773 D 053 - \ 6 APN: t773-0(6-911 jj 25'1 50' 125; Pt F . . � APN: 773- ii 630 1 006 912 _ - -SANTA CLARA - -- N89'06'11 "F 75x.80' c°h STREET o ro `cn _ S89'OG' 1 1'1x1 757.27' THE BEARING N89'03'56 "E OF THE CENTERLINE OF SAINT JOSEPH STREET DERIVED FROM THE COORDINATES OF FOUND MONUMENTS AT COORDINATE SYSTEM CCS, ZONE 5, NAD B3, EPOCH 1995, IS THE BASIS OF BEARING OF THIS PLAT. LEGEND: MR- MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS GLFE -GOLD LINE FOOTHILL EXTENSION POB - POINT OF BEGINNING L.A.C.T.C. -LOS ANGELES COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION -- - - - - -- PARCEL LINE PER DEED BOUNDARY LINE --- - - LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) BOUND2,�,300 PROPERTY IN QUESTION ND .SIi., * rcoo�No. Q� O 67� 2 PF c' GOLD LINE FOOTHILL EXTENSION CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY NAGNER ENGINEERING &IGOLD LINE FOOTHILL EXT. 3URVEY, INC. ACCEPTED BY: H- J , /.1 4� sy S7. JOSEPH ' <9 q s� 4' a F_ Td• W a F SANTA CLARA ti x WHEELER AVE VICINITY MAP NOT TO SCALE THIS EXHIBIT IS MADE PART OF THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION. 120 0 120 240 1 " = 120' FRONT STREET VACATION CITY OF ARCADIA, CA UA I L: 08/02/2013 SCALE: it) ` f co, PFOJECT MANAGER DATE SHEET 1 OF i GLFE 1PARCEL Nca FRON T