November 24, 2024 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Santa Monica City Council Members Discuss Transportation Impact Fee:

With so many planned projects to improve transportation infrastructure in Santa Monica, City Hall needs to find new sources of revenue to help pay for those plans that, potentially, would make it easier to navigate in and around town. Thanks to the loss of redevelopment funds, paying for those traffic relief projects has become more difficult.

One potential source for those funds: the Transportation Impact Fee (TIF).

Council members discussed on Tuesday how to use the TIF to indeed cover the extensive costs of developing a new transportation infrastructure “a robust … network” of improvements encouraging increased bicycle, pedestrian, and public transit traffic while managing vehicular congestion.

The fee, which is imposed upon developers and may cost them upwards of $1 million, is intended to be a tool to help the Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) fulfill its ultimate mission of achieving “no net new automobile trips in the PM peak hour with a Santa Monica origin or destination.”

City staff added the TIF could be combined “with other funding sources” to build a comprehensive transportation network that includes alternative transportation options.

Council members approved in March the TIF, which, City staff said would partially fund the costs associated with improvements to the bicycle, walking, transportation demand management, parking, transit, and auto networks necessitated by new development.

“Transportation improvements are consistently identified as a top priority for Santa Monicans and the adopted LUCE outlined a comprehensive approach for providing greater transportation choice for traveling to and within Santa Monica,” City staff said.

On the dais, council members debated just how high the fee should be and if it would be easier to set high fees now and lower them later instead of vice versa.

There was a concern that the fee developers and business pay to City Hall, while noble in purpose, may be too high in its execution and may force new developments to ponder whether they want to go forward in building or operating here in Santa Monica.

City staff estimated the total costs of construction of relevant capital projects to be about $134 million. The TIF aims to cover most, but not all, of those expenses.

Of that amount, nearly $34 million is estimated to be spent on “Bicycle Actions” and more than $25 million on “Pedestrian Actions.”

Another $10.1 million would be allocated to “Transit Actions,” while about $11.6 million could be spent on “Auto Network Actions.”

About $6 million is dedicated to project management and fee administration, while more than $41 million would be split among contingency fees and engineering and design. The remaining balance is allocated to Transportation Demand Management (TDM).

Developers planning retail expansion would have to pay City Hall as much as $30.10 per square foot under the proposed TIF. Comparatively, retails developers would only be subject to $20.28 per square foot.

Proposed medical office development may be subject to a TIF of $29.80 per square foot in Irvine, $8.89 in Pasadena, and $1.85 in West Hollywood.

City staff claimed the proposed TIF would bring in about $60 million by 2030, which would cover almost 45 percent of the $134 million City Hall anticipates paying for the planned infrastructure projects.

The remaining 55-plus percent would “be covered by regional, state and federal grants, City General Fund, and other sources, for which the Fee may provide a local match.”

On the dais and at the speaker’s podium, council members, developers, and members of the public alike discussed the merits of the proposed TIF, particularly where a line, if any, should be drawn as to how much of a fee is too much.

One speaker said it might be more lucrative for developers to build just outside Santa Monica in light of the proposed TIF, potentially costing City Hall millions of dollars in tax revenue.

A representative from the Chamber of Commerce observed the proposed fees are “extremely high” and may be “burdensome” on many of the group’s members.

Yet another speaker pointed out the proposed TIF is a “one-size-fit-all” approach to assessment and would have unintended consequences on the LUCE. Specifically, local neighborhood-serving businesses would be assessed similar to a national chain, which would serve as a disincentive the local business from operating in Santa Monica.

City Manager Rod Gould countered the TIF is necessary to help relieve congestion in Santa Monica over the next two decades.

If ultimately passed, the TIF would be assessed to relevant businesses and developers on July 1, 2013, and recur annually after that. The fees must be paid before a building permit is issued.

“Development agreements would not be subject to the ordinance,” City staff said. “Staff intends to use the fees that the project would be subject to as a guideline for the transportation contribution amount acceptable under the terms of negotiated agreements for future development agreements and development agreements currently being negotiated.”

As the TIF was discussed as part of a study session, there was no formal vote on the matter.

Council member Terry O’Day was not present at the Aug. 28 meeting.

in News
<>Related Posts

Advance Auto Parts to Shutter 500 Stores, L.A. Might Be Affected

November 21, 2024

November 21, 2024

The Automotive Industry Faces Challenges From Inflation and Increased Competition From Chinese Automakers Advance Auto Parts announced plans to shutter...

TV Review: The Lincoln Lawyer

November 21, 2024

November 21, 2024

TV SERIES REVIEWTHE LINCOLN LAWYERRated TV-MA60 Minute TV SeriesThe first episode was released on May 13, 2022Three complete seasons of...

Santa Monica College Presents “Romeo and Juliet” Through Dec. 8

November 21, 2024

November 21, 2024

Directed by Perviz Sawoski With Music Direction by Gary Gray Santa Monica College’s Theatre Arts Department will stage William Shakespeare’s...

Video Shows Officer-Involved Shooting Outside SMPD Station

November 21, 2024

November 21, 2024

Officials Have Issued a Viewer Advisory, Cautioning That the Material May Be Distressing The Santa Monica Police Department has released...

Everytable’s Holiday Meal Collaboration To Support LA’s Unhoused Youth

November 21, 2024

November 21, 2024

Chef Created Thanksgiving Meal Benefits My Friend’s Place. Everytable, the mission-driven company committed to making scratch-cooked, nutritious meals accessible to...

Last Minute Additions to the Best Thanksgiving 2024 Feasts and Pies To Go

November 21, 2024

November 21, 2024

If Other Faves are Sold Out, Here’s All The Quality Places to Try Now Celebrity chefs Susan Feniger and Mary...

Santa Monica Place’s Value Falls by Nearly 60%: Report

November 20, 2024

November 20, 2024

Retail Vacancies Have Compounded the Mall’s Struggles Santa Monica Place, a high-profile shopping destination in Santa Monica, continues to face...

Bicyclist Killed in Early Morning Collision on Lincoln Blvd

November 20, 2024

November 20, 2024

Victim Struck by Two Vehicles; Drivers Cooperating with Investigation A 41-year-old bicyclist was fatally struck by two vehicles early Sunday,...

Annual Moby-Dick Reading Returning to Venice Beach

November 20, 2024

November 20, 2024

Readers, Ranging From Students to Celebrities, Will Take Turns Performing Excerpts From Herman Melville’s 1851 Classic The Venice Oceanarium will...

Santa Monica Security Guard Charged with Murder Following September Stabbing

November 19, 2024

November 19, 2024

Investigators Gathered Evidence, Interviewed Witnesses, and Reviewed Surveillance A 36-year-old security guard has been charged with murder in connection with...

Santa Monica High School Lockdown Triggered by False Alarm, Police Confirm

November 19, 2024

November 19, 2024

No Threat Found After Active Shooter Report Prompts Quick Response  Santa Monica High School (SaMoHi) went into lockdown Tuesday afternoon...

Film Review: Wicked

November 19, 2024

November 19, 2024

By Dolores Quintana Director John Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In The Heights) has crafted an effervescent take on the blockbuster...

Here’s Who The Lakers Will Honor Next With a Statue Outside Crypto.com Arena: Report

November 18, 2024

November 18, 2024

Before Coaching, He Was an NBA Player for a Decade, Spending Five Seasons With the Lakers and Winning a Championship...

SMPD Investigate Booby Trap Incident on Exposition Boulevard

November 18, 2024

November 18, 2024

The Incident Prompted a Response From the Los Angeles County Bomb Squad and Led to Felony Charges A 61-year-old man...

Traffic Safety Set to be Bolstered in Santa Monica With $300K Grant

November 18, 2024

November 18, 2024

The Grant Will Fund Initiatives to Address Causes of Traffic Collisions, Including DUI Checkpoints and Patrols The Santa Monica Police...