Pico Neighborhood Association 7.24.2014 www.memorialparkplan.net
PURPOSE OF TONIGHT S MEETING 1. Introduction And Overview Of the Memorial Park Neighborhood Plan 2. Review of Outreach 3. Discussion Of The Plan s Central Themes: A Sustainable Townscape A Linked Townscape A Local Townscape A Human-Scale Townscape A Balanced Townscape A Comprehensive View The Plan area s expanded boundaries allows for thorough consideration of all activities affecting this central light rail station. 2
THE LAND USE AND CIRCULATION ELEMENT Approved By The City Council After 6 Years Of Community Input Involving Thousands Of People Sets goals and policy for 20-30 years Emphasizes neighborhood conservation and vehicle trip reduction Guides public/private projects in coordinated long-range planning Detailed planning in districts identified for managed growth; i.e. Activity Centers Adopted July 6, 2010 MPNP Bergamot Memorial Park Neighborhood Area Plan Focused Area Plan that will implement and replace the LUCE for this area. Downtown Preserves 96% of the City Reduces Amount of Land Area Available for Change 3
PLAN AREA MPNP IS NOT DESIGNING THE PARK Pico Neighborhood 4
MEMORIAL PARK THE LOCAL CONTEXT A Light Rail Station Serving Residents And Employees Station Incorporated Into EXPO FEIR Based On Council And Community advocacy. Provides access for Pico and Mid-City neighborhoods. Services 30,000 SMC students, faculty and employees Transit hub for major employers; UCLA Medical Center and St. John s Health Center (over 3,000 employees) Envisioned as a local station for Santa Monica residents Santa Monica College UCLA Medical Center St. John s Health Center 5
HISTORY - MEMORIAL PARK PLAN AREA From the Beginning - A Neighborhood Crossroads Early 1900 s Major railway juncture between Santa Monica and Downtown Los Angeles 1931 Garfield Elementary School is built; Closes in 1958 and is demolished in 1985 to build SMMUSD offices. 1934-1948 - Santa Monica Municipal Stadium is operational. 1950 Memorial Park opens. 1957 Master Plan more industry adjacent to the future I-10 freeway. 1- and 2-story brick warehouses. 1959 Sweet Dave s Surfboard shop. First foam core surfboards, used resin from Douglas Aircraft shop to perfect technique. Home to Tacos Por Favor beginning in 1999. Late 1960 s Memorial Park Gym is envisioned as a quality basketball facility for local teens 1993 PAL Youth Center opens. 2005 Cove Skate Park is built. Garfield Elementary School (now SMMUSD) Photo Credit: QUINN RESEARCH CENTER Thelma Terry Speedway Sweet Daves Surfboards now Tacos Por Favor 2016 Expo Light Rail to begin passenger service 6
MEMORIAL PARK PLAN AREA TODAY Emerging From Industry Older, industrial building stock. One and two-stories. Variety of creative office, light industrial, auto service and limited retail. Lack of neighborhood environment few community amenities like restaurants or shops. Limited urban forest lack of canopy and shade, wildlife habitat, Memorial Park isolated from surrounds with no sense of natural connection. Local Restaurant Adaptive Reuse Creative Office SMMUSD 7
EXPO PHASE 2 IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION Completion in 2015 Operational in 2016 3,093 projected riders a day at Memorial Park Station by 2030! Regional transit service linking Santa Monica to Culver City, Downtown Los Angeles $2.4 million in City funds to build community preferred station configuration at Memorial Park Expo Line Construction 8
OUTREACH Field Sports Advisory Council Landmarks Commission Taskforce on the Environment Recreation and Parks Commission Little League Board of Directors Pico Neighborhood Association (Oscar) Mid City Neighbors Police Activities League Boys and Girls Club Santa Monica Walks Santa Monica Spoke Chamber of Commerce SMMUSD St. John s Health Center Virginia Park Advisory Group VAP Parent Advisory Group City Departments SMC Transportation Task Force Local Business and Property Owners Planning Commission Community Outreach 9
LISTENING Observation & Research Stakeholder Interview Workshop #1 Boards and Commissions ALTERNATIVES DEVELOPMENT Workshop #2 Technical Studies Preferred Alternative DRAFT PLAN REFINEMENT Policies Standards & Guidelines Implementation TODAY Future opportunities for input: Workshop #3, Planning Commission Meeting, City Council Meeting Final Plan, EIR and Adoption Hearings - 2015 EIR Analysis
THE PURPOSE OF THE MPNP Better Neighborhood, Same Neighbors Encourage conservation and housing through incentives Ensure benefits to the surrounding existing neighborhoods - Communicate priorities Introduce broader mix of land uses: compatible commercial, service, residential and light industrial Provide connectivity to Expo station, manage roadways and parking, and support active transportation Emphasize sustainability: social, economic, cultural and infrastructural Identify Infrastructure improvements open space, streets, pathways, improved freeway bridges, bicycle facilities, transit exchange areas An illustrative view envisioning the future Memorial Park neighborhood under proposed MPNP development design standards and objectives Neighborhood Uses During the MPNP Youth Workshop, residents asked for more affordable, healthy restaurants. 11
OUTREACH WHAT WE HEARD A Wide Variety Of Topics Reviewed By The Community Conservation of character and scale Heights and residential protections Lot consolidation, gentrification and speculation Preservation of affordable and workforce housing and encouragement of more Parking Issues Preservation and enhancement of Community Facilities Streets and Roads better connections from Pico and Mid-City (freeway bridges, local streets) Open Space, within buildings and park Community Outreach 12
Central Themes Sustainable Linked Local Human- Scale Balanced
Central Themes 1. Introduction: A SUSTAINABLE TOWNSCAPE A Green, Sustainable Neighborhood Incorporation of adopted City documents providing guidance on open space, jobs, housing, culture, and environmental best practices Skills training, local hiring and housing mix Emphasis on affordable and family housing Pico incomes are lower than in other parts of the City Gentrification and land speculation is an issue Achieving environmental excellence Use of LEED-ND to refine and shape overall planning framework Mark Taskforce on the Environment 14
Central Themes 2. Introduction: A LINKED TOWNSCAPE Multi-Modal Street Network to Improve Access and Health Designed to accommodate all modes and make the MPNP Area more walkable and bikeable. Widened sidewalks, bike facilities, and multi-use paths enhancing active transportation Streets connectors to link the incomplete grid Connectivity to Expo Station to improve transit access & use Cynthia Santa Monica Spoke 64% of the Pico neighborhood is transit dependent. Wilmont Sunset Pico Ocean Northeast NorMont Mid City Downtown 46% 47% 64% 35% 52% 46% 49% 65% 0% 50% 100% MPNP Circulation Network 15
A Linked Townscape ENHANCED CONNECTIONS Physical Street And Bicycle Infrastructure Improvements 17 th Street Bicycle Facility: Cycle track or buffered bike lanes 16 th Street Shared Street: Expo kiss and ride, shuttles, Memorial Park loading and parking New Connector Streets and Pathways to create walkable blocks, Expo access, small public spaces, landscaping, tree canopy and stormwater opportunities Intermodal Infrastructure at station area: mixing zone for transit riders, bikes and pedestrians Bus Routes, Stops and Layovers Pedestrian Connectors Future potential pedestrian connections between Olympic and Colorado could be facilitated through redevelopment. Bus Routes, Stops and Layovers Coordinating potential bus routes, stops and layovers with Big Blue Bus. 16
A Linked Townscape ENHANCED CONNECTIONS 17 th Street Axis 17 th Street Bicycle facility cycle track or buffered bike lanes (ongoing study) Bridge Improvements Landscaping & Stormwater Infiltration Cycletrack in Montreal Existing 17 th St North of Olympic Blvd Key Map of 17 th St Cycletrack 17 th Cycletrack Plan 17
A Linked Townscape ENHANCED CONNECTIONS 16 th Street Shared Street 16 th Street: Expo kiss and ride, shuttles, Memorial Park loading and parking One-way, shared street with 16th/Olympic Access Park patron parking and staging area Improved sidewalks, crossing and lighting Shuttle drop-off and kiss-and-ride Day One Implementation 16 th Street Plan for Shared Street Drop Off, Kiss and Ride, Back in Angled Parking 18
A Linked Townscape ENHANCED CONNECTIONS Colorado/Olympic Connectors Reknit Grid with New Development New connector streets and pathways at 9 th, 10 th, 12 th and Euclid Streets to link to light rail, create improved circulation for all modes, walkable blocks, small public spaces, landscaping, tree canopy and storm water opportunities Vehicles Vehicles Ped/Bike Only Pedestrian/Bike Connection (50 width, minimum for Fire access & staging) Ped/Bike Only 19
A Linked Townscape STREETS LIVING ROOMS OF THE CITY Public Realm Enhancements To Activate Streets and Make Existing Neighborhood More Walkable Wider sidewalks and possible regional bike path extension on Colorado Avenue Street trees, lighting and other pedestrian amenities on 17 th Street Landscaping requirements, opportunities for storm water capture Pedestrian and bike paseos Plazas and pocket parks intermittently distributed throughout area for rest, respite and greening Placemaking Opportunities 20
FREEWAY CAP FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS 2010 Workshop with PYFC Possible future cross section of 17 th St Bridge Components of Preliminary Study: Potential Funding Sources Design and Construction Issues Possible Phasing Options Engineering and Approval Processes Recommendations Proposed Next Steps
Central Themes 3. Introduction: A HUMAN-SCALE TOWNSCAPE Neighborhood Scale Design and Conservation of Existing Buildings and Uses Lower-scale design of buildings and streets Reduced from LUCE Adaptive reuse, conservation emphasis Slow, incremental and compatible in-fill redevelopment Human-scale design of buildings and streets Pedestrian-oriented land uses Future expansion of Memorial Park to Colorado Avenue Andy Mid-City Neighbor An adaptive reuse of an existing building retains the human scale of the existing industrial neighborhood 22
Central Themes 4. Introduction: A LOCAL TOWNSCAPE Local-Serving Uses and Housing Neighborhood-oriented land uses Neighborhood-serving retail Small restaurants/cafes Neighborhood concession kiosks Places to get a slice Roller coaster Community facilities to serve local populations PAL CREST Boys and Girls Club Housing diversity Neighborhood-oriented Expo Station Local art and local flavor Jullisa VAP Kid Community Facilities Expanding community resources has been identified as an important goal for the MPNP to support local youth, job seekers and seniors. 23
Central Themes 5. Introduction: A BALANCED TOWNSCAPE Transit And Parking Resources Managed For Optimal Utilization Management of finite resources Short- and long-term parking solutions Coordination of Transit Services On-site Transportation Management Organization Context-based requirements Mitch FSAC Chairman Example of screened parking Big Blue Bus on 14 th Street Activity Center Transportation Management 24
A Balanced Townscape INTERIM & NEAR TERM SOLUTIONS Simplest and Most Cost-Effective Improvements First. On-street changes to pricing and hours. Additional spaces through street restriping Off-street changes to Memorial Park meters. Possible private partnerships Day One (and beyond) Roadway Improvements Colorado Avenue Expo Improvements 16th Shared Street (striping and one way) Grants for 17th Street bike and pedestrian facilities Light-Rail Readiness BBB Re-routing Bike Share at Station TMO-related transit programs Temporary Enhancements/Beautification at City-Owned Property Control Park parking to discourage long-term Expo Park and Riders Utilize free spaces on existing lots to serve employees 25
A Balanced Townscape INTER-AGENCY COLLABORATION Long Term Plan Recommendations for Park and Ride Lot Free parking (70) is not compatible with district parking strategy and other parking supply in the area Reimagine as Transit Transfer Plaza Flexible open space for vendors and events Bike racks for transit riders Pedestrian connection to transit Transit Transfer Plaza A gateway for transit users, where bikes, pedestrians and buses converge Replace Park and Ride spaces within larger shared parking structure Flexible Space Could be used for a variety of events and activities 26
Next Steps 27
Next Steps NEXT STEPS Meet with the Neighborhoods and Boards and Commissions Release DRAFT Memorial Park Neighborhood Plan for public review CEQA fall 2014-2015 City Council adoption hearings 2015 This presentation will be available at www.memorialparkplan.net 28 28
Thank You. Pico Neighborhood Association 7.24.2014 www.memorialparkplan.net