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CC SR 20150915 01 - Assessment of Arterial Street Walls and FencesCITY OF IL RANCHO PALOS VERDES TO: HONORABLE MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM:FOJAS, THRONE, PE, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR DATE: SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 SUBJECT: ASSESSMENT OF ARTERIAL STREET WALLS AND FENCES ALONG MAJOR CORRIDORS REVIEWED: DOUG WILLMORE, CITY MANAGER PV"'J Staff Coordinator: Nicole Jules, Deputy Public Works Director -M Ara Mihranian, Deputy Community Development Director RECOMMENDATION 1. Receive a report on an assessment of arterial street walls and fences along major arterial streets; and, 2. Review options to improve the condition of arterial walls and fences and provide with direction EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Roadway corridors play an important role in the look and character of a community. They are important connectors and they serve a vital function to the quality of life of our residents. Over time, the City's corridors have evolved organically, resulting in positive and negative elements along major thoroughfares. The walls and fences, all privately owned along the City's corridors, have not been maintained by the respective property owners and are now unattractive visual and in some cases unsafe elements of the public right-of-way. Staff has conducted an assessment of arterial walls and fences and provides some options for consideration to improve the appearance of the City's corridors. FISCAL IMPACT Consideration of Staff's recommendation and providing direction will not result in a fiscal 1 ARTERIAL WALLS/FENCES SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 CC MEETING PAGE 2 impact to the FY 2015-2016 budget. However, an order of magnitude estimate to remove and replace the existing chain link fencing and cleanup the adjoining area along Hawthorne Boulevard is in the range of $500,000 to $750,000. BACKGROUND In 2012, there was a condition where a privately -owned damaged block wall along Hawthorne Boulevard was repaired by the property owner in a manner that did not match the pre-existing perimeter tract wall that is visible along the public right-of-way. In addition, it came to Staffs attention that certain property owners were planning to replace their existing rear property line fences or walls along arterials. Since the City's current Development Code does not provide any specific regulations or restrictions regarding the repair or replacement of privately -owned uniform perimeter fencing or walls, Staff brought the issue to the City Council's attention that a property owner could use materials that differ from the pre-existing wall or fence, thereby constructing segments of walls or fences that do not match the remainder of the pre-existing original tract wall or fence. On November 7, 2012, the City Council initiated a code amendment to address this issue and adopted Urgency Ordinance No. 541 U, which imposed a moratorium on the replacement or repair of privately owned fences or walls along arterial streets within the City. As the original urgency ordinance was effective for only 45 -days, on December 8, 2012, the City Council adopted Urgency Ordinance No. 543U extending the moratorium for an additional 10 months and 15 days, the maximum extension permitted by State law, expiring on November 6, 2013. On May 14, 2013, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing at which time Staff presented its recommendation for new code language addressing the replacement of walls and fences along the City's arterial streets. The Planning Commission recommended to the City Council the following code amendments to deal with this issue: When desired to be repaired or replaced by the fence or wall owner, a requirement that arterial street walls and fences on private property be repaired or replaced in a manner that matches the pre-existing and adjacent wall/fence in terms of location, height and materials; 2. When desired to be repaired or replaced by the fence or wall owner, a requirement that chain link fences along arterial streets to be replaced with black aluminum fencing; 3. A process that allows Homeowners Associations or existing neighborhood groups to completely change the style of the perimeter fence or wall along their specific tract; and, 4 ARTERIAL WALLS/FENCES SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 CC MEETING PAGE 3 4. The addition of Western Avenue to the current list of major arterial streets listed in Section 17.76.030(F)(5) as letter'k.' The Planning Commission also made a recommendation to the City Council to address the overall patchwork installation of different fencing and barrier wall styles found throughout the City's arterial streets. Specifically, the Commission recommended that the City facilitate the installation of irrigation and landscaping within the City's right-of-way along arterial fences and walls to help screen existing walls or fences with vegetation. The Planning Commission's recommendations were presented to the City Council for consideration on August 6, 2013. After much discussion, the City Council agreed to not adopt the Planning Commission's recommendations and directed Staff to return with additional alternatives for dealing with the arterial wall/fence issue at a future meeting. Due to other higher priorities in both the Public Works and Community Development Departments, this item was not brought back to the City Council for further discussion until the June 17, 2014 meeting. At the June 17, 2014 meeting, after further discussion including information that certain property owners are planning to replace their existing rear property line fences or walls along arterials with materials that differ from the pre-existing wall or fence, the City Council adopted Urgency Ordinance No. 559U and introduced Ordinance No. 560 that established a new review procedure to ensure that privately -owned rear and street side yard walls or fences abutting an arterial street that need to be repaired and/or replaced by the property owner must match the pre-existing and adjoining tract perimeter wall or fence that abuts the adjacent street. Ordinance No. 560 went into effect on August 18, 2014. Notwithstanding the adoption of Ordinance No. 560, the City has been challenged with the deteriorating condition of walls and fences abutting the City's arterial streets particularly along Hawthorne Blvd., Crest Road (between Hawthorne Blvd. and Crenshaw Blvd.), and Palos Verdes Drive West (landward side). Understanding that the majority of these deteriorating walls and fences are on private property (albeit at the toe -of -slopes not visible to these property owners) and are most visible from users along the public right-of-way, Staff seeks Council direction on how to improve the appearance of our arterial corridors. DISCUSSION 1. Arterial Wall Description and Assessment The following is a summary description and assessment of the existing condition of arterials walls and fences along Hawthorne Blvd., Crest Road, and Palos Verdes Drive West. 3 ARTERIAL WALLS/FENCES SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 CC MEETING PAGE 4 Hawthorne Blvd (RHE Boundary to Silver Spur Rd) a. Westbound: Traveling westbound from the RHE boundary line, there is a segment of roadway that has no fencing, followed by chain link fencing that is supported by Palos Verdes stone columns every thirty feet. The chain link fencing is old and rusty, and is leaning over in certain areas as a result of upslope slough material. The chain link fence adjacent to the high school was recently added onto so that the overall height now measures approximately 7 to 8 feet in height. In certain area where fencing does not exist, slough material from the slope along the high school property has slipped onto the sidewalk. It should also be noted that the high school recently installed a new, approximately 42 -inch high, black finish chain link fence with landscaping around the school parking lot that abuts Hawthorne Blvd. and Silver Spur Road. b. Eastbound: The eastbound traveling lane of Hawthorne Blvd. consists of concrete block walls and chain link fencing centered by Palos Verdes stone columns approximately every thirty feet that was installed as part of the residential tract. In certain areas, the block wall is missing blocks or leaning towards the roadway. It is believed that the concrete perimeter wall was not engineered as a retaining wall and is now supporting fill that has sloughed behind it over the years, thus, adversely impacting the integrity of the wall. As for the chain link fencing, it is old and rusty, and is supporting upslope slough material that is causing the fence to buckle and lean towards the roadway. Hawthorne Blvd. (Silver Spur to Granvia Altamira) a. Westbound: Traveling westbound from the Silver Spur Road, there is a segment of roadway that has no fencing, followed by chain link fencing that is centered by Palos Verdes stone columns every twenty feet. The chain link fencing is old and rusty, and is leaning in certain areas that is caused by slough material from the adjacent slope that has also spilled onto the adjacent sidewalk. In some cases, property owners have installed boards or railroad ties behind the chain link fence to help retain the slough material and protect the fence. At Shorewood Drive, the parkway contains dense vegetation as a visual buffer. A segment of the roadway consists of no fencing following by chain link fencing with Palos Verdes stone columns approximately every thirty feet. b. Eastbound: The eastbound lane consists of chain link fencing and wrought iron fencing centered by Palos Verdes stone columns approximately every thirty feet that was installed as part of the different apartment complexes' perimeter fencing. The chain link fence in this area is heavily interwoven with vines that softens its visual appearance. There is a segment of roadway where no fencing exists followed by a concrete wall painted white with brick capping and brick landscape ARTERIAL WALLS/FENCES SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 CC MEETING PAGE 5 planters approximately every eighty feet. Hawthorne Blvd. (Granvia Altamira to Crest Road) a. Westbound: This segment of roadways consists of a variety of fencing and walls ranging from solid wood fencing, chain link fencing centered by Palos Verdes stone columns every twenty feet, painted stucco walls, concrete walls (in some areas using a light pink block) with an added wood lattice centered by Palos Verdes stone columns every thirty feet, concrete walls, and brick walls. The condition of these walls and fences varies, but in the most part the solid walls appear to be in good condition while the chain link fencing is old and rusty, and is leaning over in certain areas. b. Eastbound: Similar to the westbound side of the roadway, the eastbound lane consists of a variety of fencing ranging from concrete walls painted white with brick capping with brick landscape planters every eighty feet, chain link fencing centered by Palos Verdes stone columns approximately every thirty feet, and Palos Verdes stone walls. The chain link fencing in this area, similar to other areas along Hawthorne Blvd., is old and rusty, and in poor conditions. Slough material from the adjacent upslope properties have settled behind the chain link fencing causing it to buckle and lean, as well as causing slough material to spill onto the adjacent sidewalk. There is a segment of roadway where no fencing exists and a segment where a white spilt rail fence exists near the intersection with Crest Road, but this fence is in the City of Rolling Hills Estates. Hawthorne Blvd. (Crest Road to Palos Verdes Drive West) a. Westbound: This segment of roadways consists of a variety of fencing and walls ranging from green wrought iron fencing supported by white stucco columns approximately every ten feet, solid wood fencing, concrete walls (in some areas using a light pink block), wood fencing with mesh fence inlets along the Ryan Park parking lot, painted stucco walls, block walls topped with chain link fencing, and wrought iron fencing. The condition of these walls and fences varies, but in the most part the solid walls appear to be in good condition (except near Palos Verdes Drive West intersection) while the chain link fencing is old and rusty, and is leaning over in certain areas. There is a segment of roadway where no fencing exists. b. Eastbound: This segment of the eastbound lane consists of a variety of fencing ranging from chain link fencing supported by Palos Verdes stone columns approximately every thirty feet, concrete block walls, black chain link fencing supported by Palos Verdes stone columns, painted stucco walls, and wrought iron fencing supported by stucco columns. The chain link fencing and the block wall adjacent to the Monaco tract has been screened with vegetation to soften the walls 5 ARTERIAL WALLS/FENCES SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 CC MEETING PAGE 6 appearance, however, the visible chain link fencing in this area, similar to other areas along Hawthorne Blvd., is old and rusty, and in poor condition. Palos Verdes Drive West (Hawthorne to PVE Boundary) a. Southbound: The fencing on this side of the roadway is primarily part of certain tract developments that were developed under the City's jurisdiction and consists of a low height (approximately two feet) wrought iron fence supported by stucco or brick columns approximately every thirty feet. Said fencing is setback from the roadway by a landscape buffer and public trail, and are in good condition. b. Northbound: This side of the roadway consists of fencing ranging between chain link and concrete block walls made from various materials and colors. There are segments of roadway where no fencing exists. There are many areas along the roadway where the fences and walls are deteriorating and buckling. In a few cases, property owners have repaired said walls based on Ordinance No. 560 adopted by the Council last year that requires new walls to match the existing tract walls. In other instances, some property owners have entirely removed the perimeter wall exposing the slope. st Road (Hawthorne Blvd to Crenshaw Blvd a. Northbound: This section of roadway has fencing that is split between the City of Rancho Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills Estates. In Rancho Palos Verdes, there are a variety of tract fencing ranging from solid concrete block walls centered by Palos Verdes stone columns and wrought iron fencing with brick columns. The segment of roadway in the City of Rolling Hills Estates consists of a white spilt rail fence. b. Southbound: This section of roadway consists of fencing for three separate tracts consisting of green wrought iron fencing with brick columns, landscaped hedge, stucco wall with brick caps, and chain link fencing with Palos Verdes stone columns. The fencing and walls in this area seem to be in good condition except for the chain link fencing, that similar to other areas of the City, are old and rusty, and leaning towards the roadway. 2. Options to Improve Corridor Appearance Beautifying or improving the appearance of the City's major corridors, as it relates to fences and wall, will require collaborated effort between the City and the adjoining property owners since the arterial fences and walls are located on private property. In an effort to begin the process the City Council can consider any of the following options: 0 ARTERIAL WALLS/FENCES SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 CC MEETING PAGE 7 a. Voluntary repair/upgrade — Property owners whose parcels abut major corridors can voluntarily decide to repair and upgrade their walls or fences to a standard that is agreed-upon by City Council. The improvement standard can range from existing conditions to a pre -designed standard similar to a vision plan or corridor improvement plan that establishes standards and/or themes that is unique to that area. This option could require public engagement through the formation of a steering/community advisory committee that could work with staff, the community and possibly a design professional to assist with creating corridor standards/theme by which all improvements could adhere to. b. Development of a Beautification Program — A beautification program can consist of a series of initiatives that could include a robust maintenance program, phased improvements, uniform aesthetics, and/or private property enhancements. The program could serve as a tool to address beautification initiatives over time with collaboration from stakeholders. This program would be administered by the City and funded over several years. c. Improve Public Right of Way - Landscaping improvements could be constructed in the parkway areas to mask private walls and fences. Through the Capital Improvement Plan process, projects can be programmed to include installation of drought -tolerant plant material or trees to mask the walls. This option has very little private property involvement. This option is purely aesthetic and does not address the issues of the failing walls and fences. Proactive Code Enforcement — Code enforcement activities can be increased to proactively notify and require property owners to address and repair failed walls and fences. Since the walls and fences are private, the City has no leverage as to the timing of such improvements. Furthermore, because of number of properties that may be involved, this option would likely necessitate increasing Code Enforcement Staff and may also result in additional legal fees with the City Attorney's office in cases where property owners are nonresponsive to City -issued notices to repair failing fences or walls. Maintain Status Quo — The City Council may choose to do nothing at this time. There are several Hawthorne Blvd improvement projects that are on the horizon that will result in aesthetic improvements to the medians, roadsides, traffic controls and sidewalks. Those projects include: ARTERIAL WALLS/FENCES SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 CC MEETING PAGE 8 Kill&jiecit t - Hawthorne Blvd Beautification Project Beautifying the medians by removing old juniper plants and replacing with trees. Roadsides will be improved by possibly removing damaged private fences and cleaning up debris in the right-of-way. Hawthorne Blvd Traffic Signal Installing conduit and fiber optic cabling Synchronization Project to synchronize traffic signals and improve safety and mobility along Hawthorne Blvd from Highridge Road to Palos Verdes Drive West. Hawthorne Blvd Pedestrian Linkage Constructing sidewalks and drought - (sidewalks) Project tolerant landscaping along both sides of Hawthorne Blvd from Crest Road to Palos Verdes Drive West. Council could consider revisiting this matter until the other programmed improvements are completed. The first phase of the Hawthorne Blvd. beautification project, which will make landscaping improvements to the Hawthorne median, will include as a bid alternate (if funds are available) to remove some chainlink fence and clean-up the sloughed area underneath. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Assessment Districts — An assessment district is a financing mechanism under the California Streets and Highways Code, Division 10 and 12 which enables cities, counties and special districts to designate specific areas as Assessment Districts with the approval of a majority of the landowners based on financial obligations, and allows these Districts to collect special assessments to finance certain improvements. Improvements that can be financed by an Assessment District are improvements that provide a direct and special benefit such as streets, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, water, sewer, gas, electric, lighting, drainage or flood control facilities. Private property and anything that provides general public benefit such as parks, schools libraries, or jails may not be financed by an Assessment District. Creating an assessment district to fund the cost of repairing the failed walls and fences is not an available option for this purpose. Public Notification — Courtesy notification letters were mailed to property owners that reside along Hawthorne Blvd, Crest Road and Palos Verdes Drive West. CONCLUSION Staff has presented an up-to-date assessment of walls and fences along some of the City's major corridors. Based on this assessment and possible options, staff is seeking City Council's direction on how to proceed.