HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3a - Resolution No. 7030 regarding Santa Anita Canyon RoadDevelopment Services Department
DATE: May 6, 2014
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager /Development Services Director
Tom Tait, Public Works Services Director
Philip A. Wray, Deputy Director of Development Services /City Engineer
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 7030 CONSENTING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
THOSE PORTIONS OF SANTA ANITA CANYON ROAD WITHIN SAID
CITY AS PART OF THE COUNTY SYSTEM OF HIGHWAYS
Recommendation: Adopt
SUMMARY
Santa Anita Canyon Road was constructed in the 1930's as an access into the San
Gabriel Mountains. The road passes through five jurisdictions between its beginning
point at the north end of Santa Anita Avenue, and its terminus at Chantry Flats. Over
the years the road has been damaged and /or closed due to rainstorms, mudslides, and
fires. With the responsibility for maintenance and repair divided over the five
jurisdictions, scheduling, coordinating, and performing roadwork for each jurisdiction
have been a challenge and caused extended delays and lengthy road closures.
In the interest of continuity and efficiency, the County of Los Angeles has offered to take
over the maintenance responsibility for the entire road. They are requesting each
jurisdiction adopt a resolution consenting to the transfer of responsibility. Therefore, it is
recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 7030 consenting to the
establishment of that portion of Santa Anita Canyon Road within the Arcadia City limits
as part of the County System of Highways (attached).
BACKGROUND
The responsibility for maintenance and repair for Santa Anita Canyon Road was placed
on each jurisdiction within which the road passes through. Currently, the road traverses
through the Cities of Arcadia, Sierra Madre, and Monrovia, the County of Los Angeles,
and United States Forest Service property. The road provides access into the San
Gabriel Mountains and the Angeles National Forest for public recreation, as well as for
public and private services like the Santa Anita Canyon Dam, various cell towers, and
Chantry Flats.
Over the years the City has expended its local funds on the maintenance of its portion
of Santa Anita Canyon Road. In the early 2000's, the roadway suffered significant
damage as a result of heavy rainstorms and mudslides, resulting in over $1 million in
repair and clean -up efforts in Arcadia alone. With the responsibility for maintenance
Resolution No. 7030 - Santa Anita Canyon Road
May 6, 2014
Page 2 of 2
and repair divided over five jurisdictions, there tends to be problems with work
coordination and scheduling. This has resulted in frequent road closures that have led
to public frustration and public safety access risks.
DISCUSSION
After significant damage occurred to the roadway in 2005, the five jurisdictions began
meeting regularly to coordinate repairs. Despite the coordinated efforts, each
jurisdiction was impacted by its own funding and project administration constraints.
The repair work occurred over several years, and the final repairs were just recently
completed. On several occasions, the five jurisdictions discussed the need for a more
efficient, coordinated, and timely road maintenance program. As a result, the County
offered to take over the maintenance responsibilities from the other four jurisdictions
and is requesting each jurisdiction adopt a resolution consenting to the transfer. The
City will significantly benefit from this action because it will no longer have any
responsibilities for road maintenance. Those responsibilities have included debris
clearing, shoulder grading, drainage channel and culvert clearing, pavement patching,
and striping. In addition, the City will no longer have any liability associated with the
condition of the road, which includes any future lawsuits as a result of mudslides,
accidents, or flooding that may occur on the road.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The transfer of jurisdiction and ownership of a road is not a project pursuant to the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is an activity that is excluded
from the definition of a project by Section 15378(b)(5) of the CEQA Guidelines.
FISCAL IMPACT
This action will be beneficial to the City in the future as maintenance expenditures will
no longer be a factor and any liability costs will be borne by the County.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 7030 consenting to the
establishment of those portions of Santa Anita Canyon Road within said City as part of
the County System of Highways.
Approved,
Dornlr is Lanza
City Manager
Attachment: Resolution No. 7030
RESOLUTION NO. 7030
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, CONSENTING TO THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THOSE PORTIONS OF SANTA
ANITA CANYON ROAD WITHIN SAID CITY AS PART OF
THE COUNTY SYSTEM OF HIGHWAYS
WHEREAS, the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors on April 1, 2014,
duly adopted a resolution declaring those portions of the Santa Anita Canyon Road
within the City of Arcadia to be a part of the County System of Highways for the
purposes of acquisition of rights of way, construction, maintenance, improvement, and
repair, as provided in Sections 1700 -1702 inclusive of the Streets and Highways Code
of the State of California; and
WHEREAS, said Board of Supervisors by said Resolution requested this City
Council to give its consent to allow the County of Los Angeles to acquire rights of way,
construct, maintain, and repair Santa Anita Canyon Road within the City of Arcadia; and
WHEREAS, it is the intent of the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors to
operate and maintain Santa Anita Canyon Road, provided the consent of the governing
body of the City of Arcadia shall first be given under the terms herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, DOES
FIND, DETERMINE AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Consent to Inclusion in County Highway System — This City
Council does hereby consent to include those portions of the Santa Anita Canyon Road
within the City of Arcadia as part of the System of Highways of the County of
Los Angeles as provided in Sections 1700 -1704 inclusive of the Streets and Highways
Code of the State of California for the purposes of acquisition of rights of way,
construction, maintenance, improvement, and repair of the road.
SECTION 2. Relinquishment and Transfer of Title — Consistent with Streets and
Highways Code Section 1723 and applicable law, the City of Arcadia does hereby
relinquish and grant to the County of Los Angeles, a political subdivision of the State of
California, all right, title, and interest of the City of Arcadia in those portions of the
Santa Anita Canyon Road within the City of Arcadia. A certified copy of this Resolution
shall be recorded with the Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder /County Clerk.
SECTION 3. Indemnification — This City Council does hereby agree to
indemnify, defend, and hold County harmless from and against any claims, demands,
liability, damages, costs, and expenses including, without limitation, involving bodily
injury, death, or personal injury of any person or property damage of any nature
whatsoever, arising from or related to all claims and demands arising from or related to
those portions of Santa Anita Canyon Road located within the City, which allege or
assert any damage or injury occurring prior to County accepting jurisdiction of Road.
SECTION 4. Roadway Maintenance — Consent is hereby given for the
acquisition of rights of way, construction, maintenance, improvement, and repair of the
above described road to the County of Los Angeles in conformity with its normal
procedures for the acquisition of rights of way, construction, maintenance, improvement,
or repair of such a canyon road in the same manner as other county canyon roads.
SECTION 5. Environmental Documentation — The transfer of jurisdiction and
ownership of this portion of Santa Anita Canyon Road is not a project pursuant to the
California Environmental Quality Act because it is an activity that is excluded from the
definition of a project by Section 15378(b) of the California Environmental Quality Act
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Guidelines. This proposed action is an administrative activity of government which will
not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment.
SECTION 6. This Resolution shall take effect upon its adoption.
SECTION 7. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution.
Passed, approved and adopted this day of 12014,
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City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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Stephen P. Deitsch
City Attorney
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Mayor of the City of Arcadia