Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council Regular Meeting of February 12, 2019
Title
DOWNTOWN LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS UPDATE
(Acting Public Works Director Lucho Rodriguez)
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Approve the implementation of security lighting recommendations in the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Lighting Assessment Report; and
2. Approve the “Vintage Hermosa” lighting style for Pier Plaza and the downtown; and
3. Select Pier Plaza string lighting layout configuration and catenary lighting.
Body
Executive Summary:
In 2017, the City awarded a contract to Environ Architecture, Inc. (Environ) to conduct a condition assessment of lighting in the downtown area and to provide recommendations to increase safety and security, placemaking, and to decrease maintenance requirements. Staff requests City Council authorize the implementation of security lighting recommendations and approve the “Vintage Hermosa” lighting style for the Pier Plaza and the downtown. Staff also requests City Council preference for the string lighting layout configuration on Pier Plaza.
Background:
As part of the downtown strategic plan, staff identified the need for new lighting in the downtown area to increase safety and security, as well as to enhance the ambiance to stimulate economic growth. Public Works staff collaborated with the Police Department to refine the scope of work to prepare a compressive Request for Proposals (RFP) for the downtown lighting assessment and design.
On August 22, 2017, the City awarded a contract to Environ Architecture, Inc. (Environ) to prepare a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Lighting Assessment Report for the downtown lighting and to provide design recommendations to fulfill the project goals which include enhancing security and safety while providing an inviting lighting scheme that is appealing and corrects the current deficiencies by illuminating dark alleys where people congregate, adding lighting to the parking lots, Pier Plaza, the Municipal Pier and The Strand, as well as installing string lighting across Hermosa Avenue.
Discussion:
Environ conducted site surveys on September 19, 2017 during the hours of 5:30 PM and 8:00 PM and September 28, 2017 during the hours of 1:45 AM and 2:30 AM and presented their observations in the Hermosa Beach Downtown: Lighting Site Conditions report dated October 12, 2017 (Attachment 1). The goal of this report is to identify the locations within the downtown area with lighting deficiencies in order to determine how to provide public safety lighting and unite the various lighting designs and themes throughout the downtown area.
On January 30, 2018, Environ presented the Lighting Design Concepts & Security Solutions recommendations to staff (Attachment 2). The following design considerations were addressed in the recommendations:
• Security - new lighting will illuminate dark areas and create uniform lighting levels.
• Placemaking - express unique identity of Hermosa Beach and distinguish it from neighboring beach cities.
• Maintenance - a combination of long-lasting lamp sources like LEDs, and appropriately located fixtures to lower the long-term maintenance costs.
High security concern areas were identified that should be prioritized as a first step of action, including: 13th Court Alleyway, 13th Street Alleyway, Beach Drive Alleyways, Parking Lot A, Parking Lot B, and the Pier Plaza. City Council’s Downtown Subcommittee, comprised of Mayor Armato and Councilmember Massey, along with City staff reviewed the recommendations to increase light levels and suggested that the Police Department initiate coordinating with building owners to install wall packs and to have all unused fixtures illuminated at night. Public Works Staff and the Police Department have been working with the property owners to obtain written authorization to install lighting on buildings as recommended by Environ.
Environ presented lighting style options to address the placemaking lighting goals of:
• Creating a unique lighting design that expresses the character of Hermosa Beach in a cohesive experience that begins on Pier Avenue near Pacific Coast Highway and continues all the way to the Pier;
• Adding decorative lighting to signal the approach of Hermosa Beach Downtown and make it more pedestrian friendly and inviting;
• Providing consistent lighting standards and light levels to make the parking lots feel safe, secure and comfortable; and
• Providing individual solutions that complement the character of each area.
The Downtown Subcommittee considered the Modern and Vintage Hermosa style options and expressed concern at the approximate $120,000 pole equipment cost of the European-manufactured Modern fixtures presented in Environ’s report. The Downtown Subcommittee preferred the approximate $60,000 cost for the Vintage Hermosa lighting approach, as shown in pages 22 through 27 of Attachment 2 that complements the current aesthetics of the downtown area.
Environ recommended the installation of new light poles to address the lighting deficiencies for Parking Lot B. However, following input from the Downtown Subcommittee and considering potential future construction in that immediate area related to a hotel development, staff will upgrade the existing pole to include a fourth mast arm and light to the north and add new wall packs across 13th Street as shown in Attachment 3. City Public Works staff will install these fixtures.
In addition to replacing the light poles on Pier Plaza, Environ recommended replacing the existing security lights mounted on the top of south Pier Plaza buildings with catenary lighting suspended from string lighting for the purposeful illumination of the center of the plaza while maintaining placemaking standards (Attachment 4). If the existing string lighting between palm trees is replaced, it could be reconfigured from the current crisscross configuration to linear, and ring lighting can be installed on the trunks of the palm trees with up and downlights to illuminate palm fronds and the trunk. Staff is requesting City Council direction regarding the Pier Plaza string lighting layout configuration and catenary lighting.
Should City Council approve the security lighting recommendations, the “Vintage Hermosa” lighting style for Pier Plaza and the downtown, and select the Pier Plaza string lighting layout configuration, the next step would be staff preparing the plans and construction documents for the project.
General Plan Consistency:
The staff recommendations presented in this report are consistent with the following General Plan policies:
1.7 Aesthetic and urban form. Require infrastructure and infrastructure improvements that are aesthetically pleasing and consistent with the scenic character of the surrounding area.
6.2 Streetscaping. Proactively beautify existing streetscapes with street trees, landscaping and pedestrian-scaled lighting.
6.4 Street lighting for safety. Improve street lighting for public safety and prioritize areas near parks and schools for lighting improvements.
7.3 Provide street lighting. Provide pedestrian-oriented specific street lighting for enhanced pedestrian and bicycling safety on all minor and major arterial streets.
Fiscal Impact:
There is $71,922 budgeted in FY18-19 for CIP 16-675 for the replacement of the lamp posts on Pier Plaza. There is $673,000 budgeted in FY 18-19 CIP 12-609 Downtown Strategic Plan to fund the improvements for the downtown area.
Security lighting fixtures have been purchased in the amount of $13,374 to enhance safety in the downtown area on Beach Drive, 13th Court and 13th Street as part of CIP 12-609 Downtown Strategic Plan Implementation. The purchase and installation of these lights is in line with Council’s approved Downtown Enhancement Plan and CPTED strategies.
Attachments:
1. CPTED Lighting Assessment Report
2. Lighting Design Concepts Presentation
3. Parking Lot B Staff Alternative
4. Plaza String Lighting Options
5. Downtown Strategic Plan Implementation Budget Sheet
Respectfully submitted by: Fabio M. Macias, E.I.T, Assistant Engineer
Respectfully submitted by: Kristy Morris, Environmental Analyst
Concur: Lucho Rodriguez, P.E. Acting Director of Public Works
Noted for Fiscal Impact: Viki Copeland, Finance Director
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager