Report to Mayor and City Council
March 15, 2021
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN PERMANENT ROADWAY EASEMENTS FROM THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT IN EXCHANGE FOR PAYMENT OF $75,000 IN CONNECTION WITH CITY PROJECT NO. 675: SEPULVEDA BRIDGE WIDENING, AND APPROVE RESOLUTION NO. 22-036 “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF CARSON CITY COUNCIL AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021-22 BUDGET IN THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND”
Body
I. SUMMARY
To proceed with the completion of the plans and specifications for Project No. 675: Sepulveda Boulevard Bridge Widening, the City needs to secure certain permanent easements for roadway and highway purposes totaling approximately 19,500 square feet from Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD) for property adjacent to the Dominguez Channel (Exhibit No. 1; the “Easements”).
The City retained the services of Nagasaki and Associates, which appraised the fair market value of the roadway easements and came to a fair market value of $75,000 (Exhibit No. 2). On January 25, 2022, the City received a letter from LA County accepting the City’s tentative offer of payment for the Easements in the amount of $75,000.00, along with the proposed grant of easement documents (Exhibit No. 1) and a corresponding approval letter to be executed by City (Exhibit No. 3).
Staff is requesting the City Council approve the acquisition of the Easements by authorizing the payment of $75,000 to LACFCD in exchange for the grant of the Easements to the City, and by authorizing the execution of the necessary documents to effectuate same.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
1. APPROVE the payment of $75,000.00 from the City to LACFCD for City acquisition of the Easements in exchange for the grant of the Easements from LACFCD to the City as reflected in the Easements document (Exhibit No. 1), in connection with City Project No. 675: Sepulveda Bridge Widening.
2. APPROVE acceptance of the grant of the Easements from LACFCD and AUTHORIZE the City Clerk or other appropriate City official to execute (i) the Certificate of Acceptance in the Easements document (Exhibit No. 1, p. 4), and (ii) the Easements document approval letter (Exhibit No. 2, p. 3), following approval as to form by the City Attorney.
3. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 22-036 “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF CARSON CITY COUNCIL AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021-22 BUDGET IN THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND” (Exhibit No. 4)
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III. ALTERNATIVES
1. DO NOT APPROVE the payment for or acceptance of the permanent easements.
2. TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate and consistent with the requirements of the law.
IV. BACKGROUND
The City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) calls for the design and construction of Project No. 675: Sepulveda Boulevard Widening from Alameda Street to the East City Limits. The design phase of the project is nearing completion. During right-of-way investigations it was determined that portion of the land needed to develop the project is owned and maintained by LACFCD.
City staff and the Design Consultant, working with LACFCD, determined that the City needed a permanent easement on the subject property. Transfer of ownership was not feasible as LACFCD needs access to the property in its operations and maintenance of the Dominguez Channel. The calculated area for the required permanent easement is approximately 19,500 square feet which will be improved during the construction of the Bridge Widening project.
The City retained the services of Nagasaki and Associates to appraise the site. On June 16, 2021, an appraisal report was completed and submitted to the city with a fair market land value of $78,000. Per appraisal report, the appropriate fee for the required permanent easement was assessed at 95% of the land value which equates to $75,000.00.
City staff and City Consultant negotiated with Los Angeles County Public Works Department’s Property Management Division. The appraisal report was forwarded to L.A. County Property Management Division for review and evaluation. On January 25, 2022, the City received a letter from LA County accepting the City’s offer of payment for the permanent easements for road and highway purposes in the amount of $75,000.00 (Exhibit No. 2).
The Easements are necessary to allow the City to make improvements upon the land to complete the bridge and road widening along Sepulveda Boulevard over the Dominguez Channel.
The easement documents have been prepared by LACFCD. Staff requests that the City Council approve the payment for City acquisition of the Easements and City acceptance of the same pursuant to Government Code Section 27281, to allow LACFCD to grant the Easements to the City for Project No. 675: Sepulveda Bridge Widening.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for this item were not included in the FY2021/22 budget; therefore, if the Easements are purchased, the budget will need to be increased by $75,000. Funds are from the Measure R Fund Balance account 254-80-820-904-8001-PW675.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Easements 368GE, 369GE, & 371GE (pgs. 4-12)
2. Sepulveda Easement Appraisal Final (pgs.13-124)
3. LACFCD Acceptance Letter with Proposed Easements Document Approval Letter (pgs. 125-127)
4. Resolution No. 22-036 (pg. 128)
Prepared by: Gilbert Marquez, PE, City Engineer, and Kenneth Young, Sr. Civil Engineer