Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council
Special Meeting of April 18, 2024
Title
FISCAL YEAR 2024-25
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM STUDY SESSION
(Public Works Director Joe SanClemente)
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Staff recommends City Council:
1. Review and provide comment regarding the FY 2024-25 Capital Improvement Program (CIP); and
2. Receive and file the FY 2024-25 Capital Improvement Program Study Session Report.
Body
Executive Summary:
As part of the annual budget process, a study session is held to provide an opportunity for City Council and staff to discuss the status of the current fiscal year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and the proposed CIP budget for next fiscal year. Final approval of the proposed CIP budget and associated funding is handled through the budget adoption process.
Background:
The study session format provides an opportunity for City Council and the community to discuss and provide feedback on the new, deferred, and updated projects proposed for the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Capital Improvement Program. Project discussions assist staff in refining individual project scopes, funding allocations, priorities, and aligning staff capacity with agreed upon priorities.
Discussion:
The Capital Improvement Program Study Session will include a staff presentation outlining the status and next steps for the City of Hermosa Beach Capital Improvement Program.
Proposed FY 2024-25 CIP Budget
Since the last CIP study session, staff made significant progress on many of the 55 CIPs. A total of 15 of the CIP projects are projected for completion by the end of this fiscal year, including 10 projects already complete as of April 10, 2024 and 5 additional projects either in the project close out phase or scheduled for completion prior to end of the fiscal year. Additionally, staff advanced a portion of a future project with the Prospect Avenue repaving and substantially advanced the final design of numerous CIPs. The work completed by staff resulted in approximately $11,700,000 in expenditures representing more than 38 percent of the total CIP budget of $30,749,298, leaving approximately $19,000,000 in remaining prior year funding.
As part of the annual budget cycle, staff conducts a detailed review of each CIP project to refine project scopes and cost estimates. Staff also evaluates the CIP as a whole, including new project requests, grant funding related timelines, and/or regulatory requirements against available funding and staffing levels. The resultant holistic and careful review is necessary to properly sequence and deliver the projects in a timely manner.
As the CIP has grown substantially over the past decade and construction costs continue to increase following several years of significant inflation, staff identified several high priority projects that require funding in the upcoming fiscal year. As a result, staff recommends deferral of four CIP projects that are unlikely to begin in FY 2024-25, or FY 2025-26, to free up approximately $600,000 to fund other critical and high-priority projects. The adjustment to the CIP would allow staff to focus on delivery and necessary funding for numerous high-priority projects.
For FY 2024-25, the CIP Budget includes 38 projects, of which 36 are carried over from FY 2023-24 and 2 are new projects. The new projects, and other recommended project deferrals and budget adjustments, would result in a $9,988,759 increase in the CIP from the current $18,455,936 to $28,444,695 (Attachment 1). A majority of the requested increase is to fund high-priority deferred and preventative maintenance and other critical safety and infrastructure projects including roadway resurfacing, facility maintenance and renovation, sidewalk repair, and sewer improvements. The increase also includes $963,000 in recently awarded grant funds for the Real Time Crime Center project.
The CIP is one of many components of the City’s overall budget and staff is working through department budget requests and will have a full picture of available funding, and whether further adjustments to the CIP are necessary, in advance of the upcoming Budget Study Session. Attachment 2 details the Five-Year CIP for FY 2024-25 through FY 2028-29 and the Deferred and Unfunded Future Projects list.
Engineering Reorganization and Staffing
As part of the FY 2022-23 budget, City Council approved four new positions in the Engineering Division of the Public Works Department, growing the team by three engineers from seven to ten, and approved the creation of the Senior Engineer position. The staffing changes were necessary to align staff capacity and necessary expertise with a growing backlog of CIPs as the addition of new projects continued to outpace staff resources (Attachment 3). While the Public Works Department aggressively worked to fill the positions, recruitment and staff retention remains a time intensive and difficult process, with tremendous support from the City’s recruitment team in the Human Resources Department and the City Manager’s office. The unfortunate reality is that a very competitive job market for Civil Engineers has impacted staffing throughout the public and private sectors. As a result, the Public Works Department has yet to achieve full staffing.
In July 2023, following 12 months of recruitment that failed to bring in any qualified candidates, the City reclassified a vacant Associate Engineer position created in FY 2022-23. The position was reclassified to a Senior Engineer to meet the City’s need for a more experienced and professionally licensed engineer. Following another unsuccessful, 6-month-long recruitment process for Senior Engineer, staff completed a new salary survey, including a comparison of the position and salary range to like classifications in comparable cities to ensure market competitiveness. The new, and more competitive salary range was approved by City Council at its February 27, 2024 meeting as part of the Midyear Budget Review for FY 23-24. Since that time, staff has been actively working on recruitment.
Throughout FY 2023-24 staffing levels have varied between 60 percent and 80 percent directly impacting the ability of the department to deliver projects per the Estimated CIP Project Schedule that was presented at the April 2023 CIP Study Session. As of April 2024, the department has four vacancies, including two Senior Engineers, one Associate Engineer, and one Engineering Technician, bringing engineering staffing levels down to 60 percent. The more experienced Senior and Associate Engineer positions are critical to timely advancement of the City’s ambitious CIP program, while also providing core department functions and services to the community.
In the meantime, staff continues to identify opportunities to supplement staffing with on-call engineering assistance, where possible, to ensure progress of necessary CIPs and other department functions. Current supplemental staffing includes:
• An experienced Senior Civil Engineer in the office two days a week to assist with the design review and coordination of CIPs and mentoring junior staff;
• A Traffic Engineer one day per week to assist with traffic engineering requests and review of traffic engineering elements for CIP projects;
• An ADA Specialist as needed to review Americans with Disabilities Act elements of CIP projects;
• Plan Check Specialists to assist with the review of private development and utility plans to help free up time for staff engineers to focus on CIP projects; and
• Construction Inspection Services to assist staff with the daily oversight of contractors in the field working on the construction of CIPs.
While the additional support is helpful to address urgent needs, their availability is limited and permanent staffing remains necessary. Staff regularly evaluates and seeks opportunities to temporarily fill or supplement staffing needs with outside help to ensure CIP progress.
Non-CIP Core Department Functions
In addition to CIPs, the Engineering Division oversees a wide variety of City programs and services which include, but are not limited to:
• review and issuance of right-of-way and encroachment permits;
• research and response to a high level of resident requests by phone, email, and in-person;
• coordination with utilities (SCE, SoCal Gas, AT&T, etc.) including permit review and issuance, inspection, and oversight of public outreach requirements;
• land development permitting, plan review, and construction inspection;
• facilitation of Public Works Commission meetings, including preparation of staff reports;
• management of the City’s online bid portal PlanetBids;
• support for special events including review of traffic control and perimeter safety plans;
• review and processing of tree removal requests;
• processing ADA parking space requests, the right-of-way banner program, and memorial donation program;
• management of the sewer and landscaping and lighting assessment districts;
• contract administration with agency partners (e.g., LA County Department of Beaches and Harbor, LA County Public Works, LA County Library, Caltrans, etc.);
• management of private utility undergrounding district projects and creation of private utility undergrounding districts; and
• partnerships for community projects (e.g., South Bay Parkland Conservancy, Hermosa Beach Little League, Leadership Hermosa Beach, etc.).
The Public Works Department is projected to issue almost 800 permits in FY 2023-24, and while the total decreased slightly from over 900 in FY 2022-23, the number of utility permits issued remains high and is projected to reach 290, an increase of approximately 5 percent from the prior year. Utility permits are the most complex permit requests that the department oversees; each one requires significant staff time to ensure that work is completed in accordance with City standards and that coordination with and notification of the community is implemented by each permittee.
The Public Works Engineering Division also works closely with the Public Works Maintenance and Operations team to address preventative maintenance needs, including preparing work orders to address community concerns, troubleshooting issues with existing infrastructure, and responding to storm-related events. This past year, Hermosa Beach experienced historic levels of rain and wind, which required substantial involvement and response to storm-related emergency work by our engineers, including coordination with our partners at Los Angeles County Fire Lifeguard Division, Los Angeles County Public Works, and Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors.
Major Non-CIP and Other Unplanned Work Efforts
The department completed numerous major non-CIP efforts and other unplanned work efforts during FY 2023-24 to address City Council and community concerns and to update and modernize our operational processes:
Modernized Procurement Procedures for Small Construction and Maintenance Projects-The Public Works Engineering Division updated the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code (HBMC) to incorporate alternative bidding procedures subject to the Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act (UPCCAA) for all public and maintenance projects as defined in the California Public Contract Code (PCC). The effort resulted in increased bid limits and greatly improved efficiencies for smaller projects. The new procedure was approved by City Council at its September 12, 2023 meeting and adopted September 26, 2023. Following adoption, staff also worked to update the associated contract documents and procedures across departments to ensure compliance with internal procedures, UPCCAA requirements, and compliance with associated Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) monitoring requirements.
The new procedure greatly enhanced the City’s ability to advance small projects in a more efficient manner and was utilized to complete the installation of the new sewer lateral in support of the Clark Building Renovation project (CIP 689). The sewer line replacement would have previously taken months to complete as it would have required formal advertisement, contractor selection, and award at City Council. Staff is also actively utilizing the new contract mechanism for several other projects, including Citywide Roof Repair (CIP 620), fence replacement at Edith Rodaway Park, sidewalk grinding, and laminate flooring installation at South Park Upper Classrooms three and four.
Event Traffic Control and Perimeter Security-The Public Works Engineering Division has taken on an expanded role in close partnership with the Community Resources and Police Departments to review and implement plans for large scale events to ensure enhanced perimeter safety, traffic control, and accessibility. The effort includes detailed reviews with event producers and pre-event inspection by engineering staff to ensure proper installation for major community events such as Locale 90254, Oktoberfest, Fiesta Hermosa, the St. Patrick’s Day parade, and the LA Rams NFL Draft Experience event.
Reduced Speed Limits in our Downtown and near Schools-The Public Works Engineering Division conducted detailed review of Assembly Bill 43 (AB43) and recent updates to the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CAMUTCD) to identify ways to reduce speed limits on Pier Avenue, Hermosa Avenue, and adjacent to schools to enhance public safety. The changes were approved by City Council at its June 25, 2023 meeting and the associated ordinance was adopted on August 3, 2023. Following adoption, the engineering team worked with the City’s traffic engineer to develop a signage plan and with the Maintenance and Operations Division to install 58 new signs throughout the City.
Pavement Moratorium-The Public Works Engineering Division developed and implemented the City’s first pavement moratorium. The moratorium prevents, with exceptions, trenching in roadways that have been maintained, resurfaced, or reconstructed within the previous three, five, or ten years respectively. The purpose of the moratorium is to protect the City’s investment in its infrastructure, preserve the life of streets, and provide a safe driving surface and a pleasing appearance to roadway surfaces that have undergone work. The effort to implement the moratorium included researching other cities’ policies to determine general practice; drafting ordinance and municipal code language in coordination with the City Attorney’s office; and presenting the proposed moratorium to both Public Works Commission and City Council. The moratorium was approved, the associated ordinance adopted at the November 28, 2023 City Council meeting, and it went into effect December 28, 2023.
Development of Outdoor Dining Guidelines-The Public Works Engineering Division led the development of new guidelines and application process for on- and off-street commercial encroachments (dining and retail). The effort required research of best practices for safety and simplicity, meetings with the business owners, updates to the fee schedule, and close coordination with City Manager’s Office, Community Development Department, and Finance Department on the creation of a revised application and review procedure.
Coordination with and Oversight of Utility Providers to Ensure Compliance with City Requirements-The Public Works Engineering Division is projected to oversee the review and approval of 290 utility permits in FY 2023-24, an increase of 5 percent over the previous year, including major efforts that required significant coordination and outreach with the community, including, but not limited to, a major pole replacement project with 17 poles on Aviation Boulevard and a fiberoptic installation project on 25th Street and Ozone Court that required the City to ensure that damage caused to the City’s infrastructure by the contractor was adequately addressed. As a result, the City was able to successfully require expanded pavement restoration as restitution to the neighborhood.
Police Department Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) and Security Camera Installation Projects-The Public Works Engineering Division was heavily involved with two Police Department projects to install license plate readers at entrance points to the City, as well as surveillance cameras throughout the City. Engineering staff oversaw the request for proposal (RFP) process including coordinating publishing of notification of RFP with the City Clerk’s office, posting the RFP on PlanetBids, leading field meetings with prospective vendors, responding to vendor questions, serving on the proposal evaluation and interview panel, and providing input for vendor selection. Engineering staff reviewed drawings and specifications for all cameras installed in coordination with the Maintenance and Operations team, researched and vetted camera locations for safety and applicability, attended pre-installation meetings with vendors and the Police Department, and reviewed and processed permit requests for vendor installation including detailed traffic control plan reviews. Overall, new cameras were installed at over 20 locations throughout the City, enhancing the Police Department’s ability to conduct and assist other agencies’ investigations.
Other-The Engineering Division assisted with a wide range of necessary improvement efforts, including but not limited to, replacement of signage and installation of new meters on 11th Street near the Strand; evaluation of installation of new accessible parking signage at City Hall and the storage parking lot per current standards; evaluation and installation of new parking restriction signage at Valley Park, South Park, and along Ardmore Avenue; installation of warning signage and pedestrian barricades on Cypress Avenue and 6th Street in response to a safety concern in the parkway; coordination of updates to parking restrictions on parking signs along Hermosa Avenue; coordination, layout, purchase and installation of 24 new bike racks (19 on Pier Plaza, 4 near the Community Center, and 1 on Pier Avenue).
FY 2023-24 CIP Progress
Staff is on track to complete 15 CIP projects on the FY 2023-24 CIP including 10 projects already complete as of April 10, 2024 and 5 additional projects either in the project close out phase or scheduled for completion prior to end of the fiscal year. Staff also advanced a portion of a future project with the Prospect Avenue repaving. Additionally, as many as 15 projects are nearing completion of design in preparation for advertisement for construction either this, or next, fiscal year pending unforeseen changes in workload or Council priorities. The CIP status sheet summary is provided in Attachment 4 and illustrated in the estimated schedule (Attachment 5).
Between the April 2023 CIP Study Session and the start of FY 2023-24, several projects were completed but remained part of the FY 2023-24 CIP for project close out. For example, CIP 601 Prospect Ave Curb Ramps, CIP 606 Longfellow Sidewalk Improvements, and CIP 698 ADA Improvements were designed, advertised, and constructed together to take advantage of economies of scale in construction pricing and to utilize Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds efficiently. The project constructed over 4,000 square feet of sidewalk, 120 linear feet of curb and gutter, and 13 curb ramps. The project, despite additional work being added to the scope to complete a fourth project (CIP 549 Temporary Beach Accessible Routes), was successfully completed almost three weeks ahead of schedule and approximately $9,000 under the construction contract amount awarded by City Council.
Also completed during this time were CIP 108 Pay-by-App Parking Signage (Phase 1), CIP 160 PCH Traffic Improvements, and CIP 549 Temporary Beach Accessible Routes.
Projects for which construction was completed in FY 2023-24 include:
CIP 669 City Park Restrooms and Renovations-Completing CIP 669 was one of the department’s highest priorities in FY 2023-24. Following the award of a contract to a qualified contractor, staff worked to complete the work as efficiently as possible. Clark Field Restroom, identified as the highest priority location due to the start of the Little League season, was opened for public use on April 21, 2023, 59 days following Notice to Proceed. South Park Upper Restroom was opened for public use on May 19, 2023. South Park Lower Restroom was opened on June 29, 2023. Fort Lots-of-Fun Park Restroom was opened for public use on August 10, 2023 and Seaview Park Restroom was opened for public use on August 24, 2023.
Overall, despite unforeseen field conditions at several locations, the project was completed only 10 days beyond the 147-day contract length with most locations complete and open well in advance of the original completion date. The contract work was also completed slightly under the construction contract amount awarded by City Council despite scope changes and other issues due to the unforeseen field conditions.
CIP 629 Municipal Pier Structural Assessment and Repairs and CIP 660 Municipal Pier Electrical Repairs-Construction of the projects followed months of staff effort to obtain permits from the Coastal Commission following completion of design. The Hermosa Beach Municipal Pier is a vital landmark both for the City and the region, making its structural integrity and public accessibility crucial. Staff worked hard to schedule and complete the bulk of the project work in advance of the 2023-24 winter season, ensuring that no additional damage would result due to the numerous rain, wind, and storm surge events that Hermosa Beach experienced.
Due to diligence in the field and close coordination with the contractor, staff also identified additional structural repairs that could be performed within the same contractor mobilization. The repairs were primarily identified through a targeted supplemental inspection, by the City’s on-call structural engineer, that was proactively facilitated as an early phase of CIP 623. During construction, the contractor also identified a damaged deck panel that was not visible until the scaffolding was in place under the pier to facilitate a close visual inspection. Also, through CIP 623, staff was able to quickly dispatch the City’s on-call structural engineer to conduct a closeup inspection utilizing the scaffolding. The effort involved close coordination between the engineering team, the City, and the contractor to evaluate the feasibility and costs of various repair options. Staff ultimately selected panel replacement over repair, which was the most feasible and cost-effective solution. During the supplemental inspection, the team was also able to identify an adjacent panel that required minor repair that was not visible until the damaged panel was removed.
While the additional repairs extended the project schedule beyond the original contract length, and required additional funds, completing the repairs under the current contract was essential to avoid months-long delays for a new Coastal Commission permit and to avoid the potential for further damage to the Pier. Completing the repairs allowed the City to avoid the number of closures to the Pier that were experienced in the previous year due to safety concerns during storm surge events.
CIP 191 Annual Street Improvements-Prioritizing completion of the paving project reflects a major department goal to work toward maintaining the City’s Pavement Condition Index (PCI) and to improve roadway safety on Prospect Avenue, a major north-south corridor in the City. The project paved approximately 1.6 miles of roadway, reconstructed over 30 curb ramps, planted 8 trees, enhanced crosswalk markings, installed new light-emitting diode (LED) stops signs at 9th Street for improved safety, and restriped the roadway including implementing enhanced signing and striping for roadway sharing between bicycles and vehicles and adding an edge line for traffic calming. Despite expanding the project scope, construction was completed only one day after the originally scheduled completion date and under budget, as staff anticipates the total cost of construction to be approximately $120,000 less than the construction contract amount awarded by City Council.
CIP 102 Bus Stop Improvements and CIP 193 Pedestrian Crossing Safety Improvements-Staff worked to expedite Phase 1 of the combined projects, which was separated from the larger project following Council direction in December 2022, by revising the scope of the designer’s work; implementing a pilot project for proof of concept at Hermosa Avenue and 6th Street; monitoring that location for equipment performance, traffic flow, and pedestrian safety; overseeing the design process; purchasing long lead time equipment ahead of completion of design to expedite construction; advertising the project for construction bids; awarding a construction contract; and overseeing construction. Phase I included installing Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at 10 uncontrolled intersections on Hermosa Avenue, Pier Avenue, Valley Drive, and Manhattan Avenue, as well as updating signage and striping to reflect the new intersection conditions. Construction was completed in 40 percent of the scheduled time and for approximately $50,000 under the construction contract amount awarded by City Council.
CIP 195 City Sidewalk Improvements and CIP 760 Tree Well Grates-The projects were constructed together and included construction of approximately 2,500 square feet of sidewalk, planting of over 30 parkway trees, and installation of 60 metal tree grates around trees in the downtown area. The project was completed for less than the construction contract amount awarded by City Council and sidewalk work was completed within the project schedule.
Projects for which design, or planning, have progressed significantly in FY 2023-24 include:
CIP 689 Clark Building Renovations-Staff placed significant focus on the high-profile project throughout the past year by dedicating additional staff including on-call engineering and architecture specialists to obtain approvals from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for the new commercial kitchen design and to advance other elements of the design including electrical upgrades, site accessibility improvements, audio-visual system, air conditioning system, and flooring system.
The project was advertised for construction bids in November 2023 following receipt of approval from the Los Angeles County Public Health Department in the Fall. Staff performed an extensive bid analysis with the City’s architectural design team and the City’s on-call building construction engineers and identified opportunities for small cost savings through value engineering. Following direction provided by Council at its February 27, 2024 meeting, staff rejected all bids and proceeded with limited project document revisions ahead of re-advertisement for construction. Staff is finalizing the revisions to the bid package and anticipates re-advertisement by the end of April 2024, two months from the date of Council direction, and within the two to four-month timeframe estimated by staff. Project completion is anticipated in spring 2025 (Attachment 5).
Staff executed a contract to perform repairs to the building’s sewer lateral simultaneously with the revision of the plans and specifications. Completing the sewer work advances part of the project scope of work and allows the building to be reopened on an interim, limited-use basis until the start of construction. The Engineering Division also worked with the Maintenance and Operations Division to perform heating system maintenance and minor interior touch-ups and painting ahead of the reopening. The work was completed within 41 days of Council direction and the building is now available for use.
CIP 699 Parking Structure (Lot C) Improvements-Staff engaged one of the City’s on-call engineering specialists in 2021 to perform a structural assessment of Lot C. The report detailed repairs required on the structure based on priority and identified a five-year plan for implementation of the repairs. Due to staffing constraints, the design of repairs advanced slowly. Recently, staff proactively performed a subsequent inspection with the structural designer and identified additional structural repairs beyond the initial 2021 report so that they could be incorporated in the current project. Staff expanded the scope of repairs for the project to encompass not only the necessary electrical and elevator repairs, but also a comprehensive assessment of structural issues. Staff is currently evaluating the necessity of conducting destructive testing to identify any additional repairs not initially included in the project scope. Staff anticipates advancing the design of this critical public safety project in the coming months and targets early 2025 for start of construction (Attachment 5).
CIP 502 Greenbelt Pedestrian Trail, CIP 604 City Wide ADA Improvements, and CIP 194 Annual Striping Improvements-Over the past year, the Engineering Division diligently enhanced the design of the project. Enhancements include additional curb ramps, accessible parking spaces, and other features to improve ADA access. Furthermore, the design now incorporates sufficient detail to ensure effective drainage across the path, minimizing erosion of the decomposed granite. Critical features, such as memorial donation items along the path, are also preserved. Following the loss of several trees due to damage and collapse over two winters, the project includes the planting of additional trees. Moreover, enhanced safety measures, including the installation of a new rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) at the existing midblock crossing of Valley Drive at Clark Building, are included, along with improvements to the associated ramp and accessible parking spaces. (Attachment 5).
CIP 164 Hermosa Avenue Green Streets-The Enhanced Watershed Management Program identifies the installation of distributed National Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) as a requirement of the 2012 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit. Implementing the project will advance the City toward compliance with requirements for trash and bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load. The project must advance to meet compliance deadlines.
The project includes installation of approximately 4,500 linear feet of permeable concrete gutter in the southern part of the City and planting of 44 trees on Hermosa Avenue. The project was designed through a contract managed by the City of Torrance for work in Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and Torrance. The Engineering Division worked in coordination with the Public Works Departments in each city involved in the project and internally with the City Manager’s Office and the City Attorney to advance the project. Staff provided design reviews at various stages throughout the process, however the project is largely advancing on a schedule outside of the Engineering Division’s control. The City of Torrance recently conveyed Spring 2024 as the project advertising timeline (Attachment 5).
CIP 421 Annual Sewer Improvements-The project will perform approximately 100 linear feet of spot repairs to sewer pipes, construct approximately 5,000 linear feet of new sewer pipe, install 25 new maintenance access holes, install 50 new maintenance access hole frames and covers, reconstruct approximately 20,000 square feet of pavement, and perform other incidental sewer maintenance work throughout the City. Due to staffing constraints, the design of the project advanced slower than anticipated throughout FY 2023-24. However, staff worked hard to continuously push the project forward. As a direct outcome of their efforts, the design of the large and critical sewer project is complete, and the project is in the final approval stage prior to advertisement for bids. Staff anticipates the project will be advertised in May 2024 (Attachment 5).
CIP 422 Annual Storm Drain Improvements-The project will construct improvements to the storm drain infrastructure near the intersection of Ardmore Avenue at 5th Street. Currently, there is a drainage inlet on the west side of Ardmore Avenue that leads to a broken pipe with no outlet, which causes flooding on the Greenbelt during heavy rain events. The project will construct a new catch basin on Ardmore Avenue near 5th Street; reconstruct approximately 50 linear feet of curb and gutter for drainage improvement; install approximately 150 linear feet of new storm drainpipe to carry stormwater beneath the Greenbelt; and create a new connection to the Los Angeles County storm drain main line beneath Valley Drive. The design of the project was started by a former staff member, and staffing constraints have slowed its progress. However, the project is now in the final approval stage and the project will likely be ready for advertisement in July 2024 pending issuance of a permit by Los Angeles County (Attachment 5).
CIP 424 Annual Storm Drain Improvements-The project’s design began in July 2023 and has progressed quickly. The project includes installation of a new catch basin, approximately 110 linear feet of new storm drain pipe, installation of two new maintenance access holes, pavement restoration, and other work incidental to improving stormwater capture at the intersection of Bard Street and Oak Street. The project will address stormwater runoff and flooding concerns in the adjacent residential neighborhood. Staff anticipates design to be completed in early Summer 2024 (Attachment 5) with advertisement and construction schedule to be determined based on staff capacity.
CIP 619 Kelly Court Renovations-The project was originally identified and included in the CIP to renovate the pickleball court to current standards and provide resurfacing. During the design development process, staff determined the project scope would need to include modifications and improvements to the adjacent tennis and basketball courts to ensure standard clearance around all facilities. The clearance requires relocation of light poles, fencing, and other equipment, as well as expansion of the concrete slab in a constrained area, to accommodate the relocations. The project will install new sport court equipment (posts, nets, backboards/hoops, etc.) and restripe all courts.
In FY 2023-24, the Engineering Division worked extensively with the designer to identify layout issues with the courts, identify solutions to address space needs without reducing the facility’s capacity, revise the scope of the project and their scope of work, and advance the design. The City received an initial preliminary design package reflecting the new scope of work and anticipates design completion by the end of 2024 with construction beginning in Spring 2025 (Attachment 5).
CIP 620 Citywide Roof Repairs-The Engineering Division, in coordination with the Maintenance and Operations Division, is advancing contracts under the City’s new procurement policies and procedures to complete repair work on roofs at various City buildings. The new procurement rules allow the process to be expedited and simplified. Staff began processing the contract as of March 2024 and anticipates construction beginning in Summer 2024 (Attachment 5).
CIP 624 CDBG Improvements-CIP 624 is a critical project for the department due to the requirements of the CDBG funds as the City’s receipt of future funds is contingent upon timely completion of projects. The Engineering Division began design in November 2023 and has proceeded expeditiously. The design documents are currently under review by Los Angeles County, the funding management agency, with approval anticipated in the coming weeks. The project will construct six ADA-compliant curb ramps, one new cross gutter, and approximately 450 square feet of new sidewalk. Staff anticipates advertising for construction in late May 2024 (Attachment 5).
CIP 538 Citywide Parks Master Plan-the project includes the preparation of an action plan that creates a roadmap for current and future beach, park, facility, and program needs for the next 20 years through community engagement, and an evaluation of the current utilization, maintenance and programming of the City’s recreation facilities and staff resources. The project has included an extensive community outreach process including surveys and three community workshops as well as monthly meetings between staff, the master plan consultant, and the Commission subcommittee members; all of which has involved extensive participation by the Public Works Department Engineering and Operations & Maintenance team members. The City’s Master Plan Consultant is in process of preparing the final draft report that will be presented to the Parks Commission and Public Works Commission through a joint meeting. The report will be presented to City Council for consideration. Meeting dates will be scheduled following review of the final draft.
Looking Ahead to FY 2024-25
Attachment 5 details an estimated schedule, and sequencing, for the delivery of the proposed FY 2024-25 CIP considering projected engineering project management staff capacity in labor hours versus the time commitment required to advance each project through design and construction. Several projects have fixed schedules in order to meet grant-specific and regulatory timelines and other high priority safety needs.
With 38 projects remaining in the CIP, staff workload will remain extremely heavy for the next three fiscal years with little to no capacity to take on new projects. The workload to staff resource capacity gap will likely continue through FY 2027-28 as staff continues to work through a backlog of projects carried over from past years and as other priority maintenance projects are likely to be identified in the future.
The dates in the schedule are tentative and subject to revision depending on any future unplanned work or as other Council priorities are identified throughout the year. Requests to advance one particular project over another will have a direct impact on the timing of other projects. Staff recommends a continued focus on prioritizing deferred maintenance and safety projects during FY 2024-25, such as building maintenance, sidewalks, sewer, storm drains, and paving over enhancement projects. Continued investment in basic foundational areas will help reduce future maintenance and capital costs. For FY 2024-25, staff proposes only two new projects:
• Pay-by-App Parking Signage Phase 2-the second iteration of deployment for the program to on-street meters will start pending staff availability; and
• Real Time Crime Center-due to receipt of grant funds for much-needed public safety technology, the City will be required to meet certain funding schedule requirements and expenditure deadlines.
Additional funding was allocated in accordance with the priorities described above. Most of the funds were allocated to the following projects:
• CIP 689 Clark Building Renovations;
• CIP 699 Parking Structure (Lot C) Improvements;
• CIP 105 Annual Street Improvements;
• CIP 421 Annual Sewer Improvements;
• CIP 424 Storm Drain Improvements; and
• CIP 604 City Wide ADA Improvements.
In order to free up funding for high priority projects and to avoid tying up money in projects not scheduled to advance in the coming fiscal year, staff moved four projects to the Deferred and Unfunded Future Projects list, awaiting funding in a future budget cycle. Staff also identified several other future projects needs, and subsequent phases of current projects, and added them to the Deferred and Unfunded Future Project list. At the CIP Study Session, Council can take into consideration whether other projects should be delayed until a future fiscal year due to prioritization.
As a reminder to City Council and the community, there are several upcoming meetings in which the Capital Improvement Program and Preliminary 2024-25 Budget will be discussed prior to final adoption. The community is invited and encouraged to provide feedback in advance of each meeting:
• May 15, 2024-Posting of the 2024-25 Preliminary Budget
• May 15, 2024-Public Works Commission Meeting
• June 5, 2024-Workshop: 2024-25 Preliminary Budget
• June 11, 2024-Public Hearing: Adoption of the 2024-25 Budget
General Plan Consistency:
This report and associated recommendation have been evaluated for their consistency with the City’s General Plan. Relevant Policies are listed below:
Governance Element
Goal 1. A high degree of transparency and integrity in the decision-making process:
Policies:
• 1.1 Open Meetings. Maintain the community’s trust by holding meetings in which decisions are being made, that are open and available for all community members to attend, participate, or view remotely.
• 1.2 Strategic Planning. Regularly discuss and set priorities at the City Council and management level to prioritize work programs and staffing needs.
• 1.3 Priority-based budgeting. Utilize priority-based budgeting to ensure funding allocations are consistent with the priorities set by the community and City Council.
• 1.4 Census oriented. Strive to utilize a consensus-oriented decision-making process.
Goal 2. The community is active and engaged in decision-making processes.
Policies:
• 2.1 Multiple outreach methods. Consistently engage in community outreach through neighborhood forums, social media, the latest technologies, personal interaction, and other methods on a regular basis.
• 2.2 Universal outreach. Utilize diverse methods of outreach that promote public participation and ensure Hermosa Beach events are communicated to all segments of the communities.
• 2.4 Public forums. Host periodic public forums on issues important to the community, facilitating these forums with the purpose of guiding City policy.
Fiscal Impact:
The proposed FY 2024-25 Capital Improvement Program identifies an overall budget of $28,444,695 including $9,988,759 in newly requested funds for the 2024-25 Fiscal Year. The funding is allocated in the following project categories:
• Street + Highway Improvements: $6,747,698
• Sewer + Storm drain Improvements: $5,493,636
• Park Improvements: $4,361,997
• Public Building + Ground Improvements: $11,841,364
Attachments:
1. FY 2024-25 CIP Summary Sheet
2. FY 2024-25 5-Year CIP and Unfunded Future Projects
3. FY 2024-25 Public Works Engineering Organizational Chart
4. FY 2023-24 CIP Status as of April 10, 2024
5. FY 2024-25 CIP Tentative Schedules
Respectfully Submitted by: Joe SanClemente, Public Works Director
Noted for Fiscal Impact: Viki Copeland, Finance Director
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager