CC SR 20180605 E - Border IssuesRANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 06/05/2018
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA DESCRIPTION:
Consideration and possible action to review the current status of Border Issues
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Receive and file the first biannual report on the status of Border Issues for 2018.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Kit Fox, AICP, Senior Administrative Analyst
REVIEWED BY: Gabriella Yap, Deputy City Manager
APPROVED BY: Doug Willmore, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This biannual report includes:
• An update on the CalWater pipeline project in Rolling Hills Estates, the
unincorporated Westfield community and Rancho Palos Verdes;
• An update on the City of Los Angeles’ proposed regulation of commercial
marijuana businesses along the Western Avenue corridor; and,
• An update on the proposed 248-unit Butcher Solana apartment project at
Hawthorne Boulevard and Via Valmonte in Torrance.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
The following is the first biannual report to the City Council on various “Border Issues”
potentially affecting the residents of Rancho Palos Verdes for 2018. The complete text
of the current status report is available for review on the City’s website at:
http://www.rpvca.gov/781/Border-Issues-Status-Report
Please note that, with the approval of changes to City Council Policy No. 34, the next
Border Issues Status Report is expected to appear on the City Council agenda of
December 4, 2018.
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Current Border Issues
Palos Verdes Peninsula Water Reliability Project, Rolling Hills Estates/Los Angeles
County/Rancho Palos Verdes
On January 8, 2018, Staff submitted the comments on the proposed Mitigated Negative
Declaration (MND) for the Palos Verdes Peninsula Water Reliability Project (PVPWRP)
to the City of Rolling Hills Estates (RHE). RHE is acting as the lead agency for this
project since most of the proposed pipeline with be located within its jurisdiction.
The PVPWRP was presented to the RHE Planning Commission at its meeting on
February 5, 2018. As proposed, construction of the new pipeline will result in the 1-
month closure of a segment of eastbound Palos Verdes Dr. N. (between the Dapplegray
Elementary School driveway and Dapplegray Ln.) during Summer 2018. Much of the
pipeline construction along Palos Verdes Dr. N. is proposed to occur during overnight
hours, while construction along Crenshaw Blvd. is expected to occur during daylight
hours. The proposed pump station on Crenshaw Blvd. will be located below homes on
Beechgate Dr. in the City’s Peninsula Rim neighborhood. Residents and other
interested parties expressed concern to the Planning Commission about the traffic
impacts of the project during construction. Ultimately, the RHE Planning Commission
adopted a resolution forwarding a recommendation of approval for the project to the
RHE City Council, with direction to explore the feasibility of shifting construction on
Crenshaw Blvd. to overnight hours.
In order to assess the issue of modified construction hours on Crenshaw Blvd., RHE
Planning Staff convened a meeting with our City Staff, CalWater and County Public
Works on February 20, 2018. CalWater stated that it had recently met with Rancho
Palos Verdes residents on Beechgate Dr., who strongly opposed overnight construction
hours. City Staff shared our concern that overnight construction on Crenshaw Blvd.
would expose the Beechgate Dr. residents to nearly round-the-clock construction noise
from the project’s pump station and the installation of the new pipeline in Crenshaw
Blvd. Recognizing the desire to minimize both construction noise impacts on nearby
residents and peak-hour traffic impacts on a large percentage of Peninsula residents, all
parties agreed that the best approach would be to shift the construction hours on
Crenshaw Blvd. to 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. This solution would avoid overnight
construction noise and reduce traffic congestion during the morning commute.
On March 27, 2018, the RHE City Council conducted a public hearing to consider the
PVPWRP. Staff attended the public hearing to express the City Council’s support for
the project itself and its opposition to any proposal for overnight construction along
Crenshaw Blvd. Several nearby residents from Rancho Palos Verdes and the
unincorporated Westfield neighborhood expressed their concerns about the
appearance, noise impacts and geological impacts of the proposed pump station on
Crenshaw Blvd. just north of Silver Spur Rd. CalWater confirmed that there would be
no overnight construction on Crenshaw Blvd. RHE Planning Staff stated that additional
acoustical analysis of the pump station building was being conducted to address
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residents’ concerns, and recommending continuing this matter (after receiving public
testimony) to the April 10, 2018, RHE City Council meeting.
On April 10, 2018, the RHE City Council concluded its deliberations regarding the
PVPWRP. RHE Planning Staff provided additional about the acoustical shielding and
aesthetics of the proposed pump station on Crenshaw Blvd. just north of Silver Spur Rd.
The RHE City Council then unanimously approved the project. Construction is
expected to begin this summer, and Staff is keeping the City Council and residents
informed about lane closures and other construction impacts as the project moves
forward. Additional information about the project is also available on a dedicated
CalWater webpage at www.pvpwaterproject.com.
CalWater is hosting community open houses for the PVPWRP in order to educate
Peninsula residents about the benefits and construction impacts of this project. The
first open house was held at Dapplegray Elementary School in Rolling Hills Estates on
May 9, 2018, and a second open house will be held at Palos Verdes High School in
Palos Verdes Estates on June 21, 2018 from 10:00 AM to noon. The 1-month closure
of the eastbound lane of Palos Verdes Dr. N. between the Dapplegray Elementary
School driveway and Dapplegray Ln. is scheduled to start on July 9, 2018.
City of Los Angeles’ Commercial Marijuana Regulations (Los Angeles (San Pedro)
On May 23, 2018, the Rules, Elections and Intergovernmental Relations Committee of
the Los Angeles City Council was scheduled to consider the proposed Commercial
Cannabis Signage Ordinance that was introduced in late 2017. The signage ordinance
it is intended “to limit children’s exposure to advertising of cannabis and cannabis
products, to reduce the illegal purchase and consumption of cannabis by children, and
to reduce the likelihood of children suffering potential negative impacts as a result of
consuming cannabis at an early age.” The final vote on adoption of the proposed
ordinance will not take place at this meeting. Several steps remain before the proposed
ordinance becomes adopted, including:
• Consideration of the proposed ordinance by the Rules Committee;
• Consideration of the proposed ordinance by the full Council; and
• Approval of the proposed ordinance by the Mayor.
Staff will continue to monitor this issue in future Border Issues Status Reports.
Butcher Solana Residential Development Project (Torrance)
There has been no change in the status of this proposed 248-unit apartment project at
Hawthorne Blvd. and Via Valmonte reported by the City of Torrance since the project’s
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) scoping period ended on September 18, 2017.
Staff will continue to monitor this issue in future Border Issues Status Reports.
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New Border Issues
There are no new Border Issues on which to report at this time.
Former Border Issues
Defense Fuel Support Point San Pedro (Los Angeles (San Pedro))
On May 16, 2018, Staff attended a joint meeting of the Planning and Land Use
committees of the Northwest, Central and Coastal San Pedro neighborhood councils,
which provided an opportunity for an update on the Defense Fuel Support Point (DFSP)
San Pedro. It was reported that the Navy has completed the filling of all underground
fuel storage tanks with concrete. Bio-remediation of fuel residue in the soil surrounding
the tanks is expected to take ten (10) years to complete. The Little League fields, Los
Angeles Police Department (LAPD) shooting range and Palos Verdes Peninsula Land
Conservancy (PVPLC) plant nursery and blue butterfly breeding program will all
continue to operate on the property. However, the Navy’s long-term plan is to lease a
portion of the property—including the remaining three (3) aboveground fuel storage
tanks and supply pipeline—for twenty-five (25) years. The Navy will issue a request for
proposals (RFP) from potential lessees during the next eighteen (18) months, with the
anticipation that any lease(s) granted would commence in 2020. Staff will monitor the
RFP process for any potential future use(s) of DFSP San Pedro that could adversely
affect the City and its residents, and will place this item back on the Border Issues
Status Report, if needed.
Highpark (formerly Ponte Vista) Project (Los Angeles (San Pedro))
On May 16, 2018, Staff attended a joint meeting of the Planning and Land Use
committees of the Northwest, Central and Coastal San Pedro neighborhood councils,
which provided an opportunity for an update on the Highpark (formerly Ponte Vista)
project. The project’s new owners, Harridge Development Group (Harridge), expect to
continue with the completion of the “horizontal development” of the site (e.g., sewers,
storm drains, streets, rough-graded building pads, etc.) so that subareas of the project
can be sold off to individual homebuilders to begin the “vertical development” (e.g.,
buildings, final grading, etc.). The existing land use entitlements for the project tied the
implementation of various off-site traffic mitigation measures to specific trip-generation
thresholds (e.g., the 1st, 151st and 301st peak-hour trip). However, Harridge would
prefer to accelerate and compress the timing of these mitigation measures so as to get
as many as possible in place prior the occupancy of the first new home. Finally,
Harridge expressed its dislike for the Highpark name, suggesting that they may go back
to Ponte Vista. A straw poll of meeting attendees suggested there may be too much
negative “baggage” tied to Ponte Vista, and that the project needs a completely new
name. Staff will continue to monitor this project, particularly in relation to the
implementation of traffic mitigation measures in Rancho Palos Verdes.
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