HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/27/73J..
( climate or environment for greater commercial enterprise.
Re land available between Herondo and First Street or the city line -
eliminting First Street would not touch on residential property there. .
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Felt only way city could approach is through redevelopment
in.
certain areas - not residential property, just commercial - added that
most of the subject property was owned by just a few people rather than
broken up as 'n downtown area.
This city also •eeds the community redevelopment program which all cities
feel should be green highest priority at this point.
City Council/Planning Commission
Re: Circulation on west side of
PCH - possible rezoning and
PCH at south end and around
Mayor Valdes noted that in April
new Mayor take seat, adding that
the past year.
- Joint Study Session, 2/27/73 - 7:30 p.m.
PCH - one-way streets on east side of
commercial revitalization, west side of
the corner on Herondo Street.
this year Council would reorganize and
he was preparing his, Mayor's Report re
/Felt we have lacked coordination between various big business entities
in City. Noted that from 10th Street south to the City border over half
of city's sales tax revenue is derived, and that it was to the City's
definite benefit to provide the possibility of larger facilities in that
areaor this situation might change quickly and drastically, thus
affecting the property tax base. Ha-hopeel—that----h.is—commun,ity —w,ith the
Council -and- the.-PlanniYig'"ComtnisJs on alternate to the
property tax and to -develop -the ~.s<trength-tha :,we"have in this community.
Present to take part: Councilmen Bigo, Doerfling, Post, Mayor Valdes.
Planning Commission - Chairman Noble, Commissioners,Lagan, Mulfinger,
Watters.
Mayor pointed out that Herondo Street tro_ntage-has-,:tremendous potential
for sales tax revenue - General Plan now calls for medium density -
prepared before Herondo improvement.
Build America Better Re ort states that our Commercial depth on PCH
is not sufficient als properties not wide enough for necessary return
on dollar investment.'
/ Felt we need more commercial property on PCH with buffer for Residential
cul de sac streets for off-street parking or may be vacated - create a
City Planner Crawford distiibuted proposed revision to City of Hermosa
Beach Circulation Plan;,- 1985,and displayed map showing proposed revision
of Land Use Element of the General Plan and proposed revision of the
Circulation Element of th General Plan. Proposed Circulation Plan had been
submitted to Planning Commission at meeting of 2/26 previous night . Stated
if freeway built through Torrance it would not lower traffic density on
PCH but might get trucks off \iighway.-.Controlling traffic mornings and
evenings probably still severs' years away.
Pointed outLoni-:land use map when it seemsreasonable to expect city or
private owners with assistance o "city to acquire and convert; -to commercial
uses. City may have to get into the real estate business temporarily in
order to put some of these properti s together, close streets, redirect
traffic, and get properties which ar usable by modern commercial
enterprises. Modern business cannot nd will not go 25' x 100' lots.
Proposed that PCH west side south of Av 'ation have residential development
discouraged and should be set aside for highway commercial use and city
should do everything in its power to enco rage and assist the development
of this area in that fashion. Pointed out,that on PCH north of Aviation
the demand and desire is to build apartment v so perhaps city should take
C Potential off there up to 24th or at least', o'21st Street.
Felt R on Aviation was now in error following widening and improvement
traffic flow going through there is "C traffic” and city should
encourage and assist property owners in capturing bhat traffic. This
proposal has been presented to Planning Commission antd if they can get
rid of their "brush fires" they will make some recommendations to Council.
Council/P.C. Joint Session - 2/20/73 -2-
Crawford continued re traffic circulation west side of PCH - first step
is to decide what kind of traffic city wants flowing into and out of'PCH
and where. Merchants feel there are too many left turns and too little
control of traffic on PCH for the benefit of merchants. We can make
continuous left turn bay down the center of PCH and make the whole thing
a two-way left turn safety island, or eliminate all left turns except at
collector streets in 'ihich case we would have to allow U Turns at
alternate points.
Stated he had suggested that First Street and First Place be connected
through the two lots that city owns and that the streets from that point
to PCH either be opened or turned over to the merchants for parking - would
probably enhance that area by getting the trucks and drag races out of
there. City might loop Second and Third Streets and not have 2nd come out
at PCH - 2nd Street then would no longer be collector street for entire
south end of city - Herondo will take over. Can still provide access to
shops from these loop streets through parking lots at back of stores.
Suggested that we dead-end 6th Street just as we have 7th Street if we
can persuade property owners to get together and put their property in
one piece - then we would have a good substantial area that could be
used as automobile dealer property or a small shopping center oriented,
to traffic on highway with plenty of off-street parking.
Felt city should seriously consider eliminating as many intersections
onto PCH on west side as possible.
City Engineer Taylor stated that one-way streets east of PCH depended
a lot on decision re traffic pattern on west side. Logical one -ways on
east side at present appear to be 2nd and 3rd as a one-way couplet.
Didn't know about another one further to the north but it could
be a combo of 8th Street and 8th Place - they are able to handle more
traffic and hold down interior circulation. They would be a good starting
point to look at - but depends on west side.
Round -Table Discussion: (Answers to questions from participants)
Mayor: I have talked to land owners on PCH and been told that once we
make it_Commercial we can see an influx of investment. Most of the people
who own property there are just holding for action - I don't think the city
can wait.
City -Manager Diller: State Redevelopment Plan allows city to buy large
pieces of property and combine for purchase by big developers. City can
assemble and have merchantable pieces of property. I think that the city
has this area and some other areas where this might be the way to stimulate
some financial investment. Tax Increment Bonds.
City Planner: All properties within the district must be allowed to
participate - no one can be shut out. And there is a time limit during
which it must be completed - I think two years. Property owners do not
participate in design but participate in effectuating. Can relocate
their business within the project.
Mayor: We are speaking in terms of Herondo frontage to Ardmore and
up to 8th Street on PCH frontage about onehalf block in to the depth of
the C Zone or to the break in grade.
City Planner: I think important thing is to have people ready to go when
you start with the State Redevelopment Plan.
Mayor: (In reply to queation re what business do we want to attract)
i am just hoping that we can maintain the auto dealers that we have.
We could lose $100,000 in the next couple of years. Leases will be
running out. Most of them wantito`buy'additional land - there are people
who are willing to put money on the line to improve the situation. We
have to take some giant steps here and not proceed on a piecemeal basis.
We are in pretty good shape this year, but the way the tax structure is
in this community we can't rely on that.
Councilman Bigo: If you accommodate larger businesses what will happen
to a bunch of small businessmen. who will be greatly affected by this?
I agree that C Potential property should be rezoned C and feel that city
should do everything we can to encourage every type of commercial enterprise
to come to this city. We have very expensive land on PCH. I am not trying
to be negative. But when you talk about wanting to get people to invest
Council/P.C. - 2/20/73
(Councilman Bigo, cont'd) in our
the land values. Big business is
level of land - you' can't do this
out of the land. ---
-37 -3-
community you still have to deal with
not going, to deal with a one-story
any more. They want to get more value
Mr, :Vern- Maynard (automobile dealer) : It makes a lot of sense to try to
acquire this land for the auto dealers - they will pay a tremendous
amount in taxes, much more than home owners, but they can still make it
if they have the room and the facilities.
Mayor: I think we can be .justly criticized for provincial thinking.
Mr. Maynard: Ronnie Moran has felt for years that that place where Carwell
is now is going -to make him more money than his own agency - that's how
bullish he is about property in that area.
Councilman Post: (Wanted to be sure there would be adequate buffer
between R property and the C property on PCH)
City Planner: (Pointed out that merely rezoning properties from C
Potential to Commercial would not do the job because it would make
many properties fronting on side streets unusable. To him the best thing
would be to ask the merchants and the property owners on PCH if they were
interested in participating with the city in a redevelopment program.
If they are, then the thing to do is be honest about it and buy these
properties, rather than change the zone and make them unusable.
Noble: I think we are on the right track, but how feasible is it?
Is it in the foreseable future? Would it be of benefit to the
community? I think what we should find out is would it be feasible and
who would we attract if it were developed. Do we want to maintain the
people that we have now or do we want to attract someone else who might
bring, in even more revenue?.
Valdes I think would :attractfnew "people on .the, Herondo frontage
and encourage expansion of what is already on PCH.
Mr. Maynard: What about Aviation and PCH? If you changed the streets
I could put in a great development. (Was told that Bacon property etc. did
not come into this particular discussion.)
t i u t•''. e
mFy flapper pFr. from 't a reetirg woc.:.i
Councilman. B: gol.FiWhatL.about_east of -PCS?- (Was told that physical --
problems on east °side prohibited depth needed for larger developments;;:
Mayor Valdes said that despite this he would like to have Planning
Comrhission consider changes on=both sides of PCH)
Commissioner Mulfinger: If Herondo/PCH area were zoned C maybe the
automobile dealership across the street could move over there. Why
don't we start planning this thing right now and approach someone like
(dealer); and say we're going to rezone across the street from you.
I think that's the best way to go.
Councilman Bigo: There could possibly be a vehicle parking district
for those areas, too, which is what all of the merchants sorely need.
Commissioner Watters: Before we get into discussions with the Chamber
of Commerce and citizens the staff should put together some figures
re costs and financial repercussions. We should be armed with that type
of information. I also think that we should take into consideration adding
to that area the length6fHHerondo right down to Hermosa Avenue to give
area to relocate small businesses now on PCH which might be affected.
There is a parcel of land running from Monterey to Hermosawith several
vacant lots. We -know there will be tremendous traffic generated on
Herondo when it's completed, and I think R zoning there is preempting
valuable land.
Noble: Planning Commission asks the staff to make arrangements through
the Chamber of Commerce to provide a workshop meeting date with interested
property owners in the subject area and to begin some analyses for developing
basic criteria for us for discussion purposes.
Council/P.C. - 2/20/73 -4-
Commissioner Watters: We'd better do some homework re dollars and
cents and come to them with a semi -proposal.
Maggie Ruiz, C of C: I think I our PCH committee and one of your
committees could get together before we have a general meeting.
Commissioner Watters: We don't really have a clear idea re whether it's
feasible from a cost standpoint - these are the questions that will come
up, and if we can't answer them, we can't have a meeting.
Noble: Are we goiig:,to put this in at the committee level?
Watters: I would like to have the staff take a look at what it would
cost to acquire some; property - what we expect as a return for that
property - put the two together and see what we might have to float.
Mayor: It appears that the Council would like to give a directive
to the Planning Commission to study PCH and Herondo - the traffic
circulation, rezoning, parking, and possibly as a tool the redevelopment
in that area. We will leave it up to the Planning Commission to consider
the road that we want to follow - on a committee level, meetings with
the public and the business sector, and public hearings.
Councilman Post: (Wanted it understood that they were talking about
something that xaou'ldnot necessarily bring on the arrival of bulldozers
etc.)
Mayor: Expressed appreclation.to Planning Commission for their
excellent handling of giant workload and for impressive annual report.
Joint study session adjourned.
ADJOURNMENT - 9:10 p.m. - to next regular meeting, March 6, 1972 -
Council Chamber - 7:30 p.m.
2/28/73
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