The council moves forward with several projects.
By Olivia Damavandi / Staff Writer
During its quarterly meeting last week, the City Council amended its 2008-2009 annual budget, and moved forward with plans to build a pocket park on the southwest corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Zumirez Road, to build a second floor addition to the Michael Landon Center and prepare an area-wide trails map.
The city ended its fiscal year 2007-08 with $15.9 million in its General Reserve Fund, and expects $11.9 million to remain in the fund as of June 30.
The council voted to adjust budget expenditures for an overall net increase of $151,485. Of the total expenditures increase, $84,200 will be split between the Public Works Engineering Department, aquatics facilities, the city clerk, finance department and other nondepartmental services. A total increase of $67,285 will be applied to other funds, including the Waste Management Fund, the Capital Improvements Fund, the Legacy Park Project Fund and the Internal Service Fund.
The council also passed a motion to move forward with the evaluation of building a “passive” pocket park in the vacant lot on the southwest corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Zumirez Road, a proposal made at a City Council meeting last December by a member of local nonprofit MalibuGreenMachine.
MalibuGreenMachine proposed building a passive, low water-use park with native plants. The site would be graded to retain water on-site and minimize runoff, with the possibility of adding boulders, pavers and benches to the landscape. The design is intended to blend with planned improvements to the adjacent Prudential Realty office.
The proposed pocket park, which the city estimated would cost $150,000 to construct, consists of two separate parcels, one of which is owned by the city and is a remnant parcel from the original Zumirez Road street dedication. The other parcel is owned by a private individual whom the city will contact to discuss the advancement of the project.
Next, the council voted to move forward with the proposed second floor addition to the Michael Landon Center at Bluffs Park, which is estimated to take one and one half to two years to complete. No design plans have been yet formulated.
The second floor would provide increased access to meeting rooms and give staff the ability to expand recreation programs. Mayor Pro Tem Sharon Barovsky suggested the implementation of a teen center for the additional space.
Based on a cursory review of the existing building, project scope, and current development standards, the preliminary estimated cost of the project is $1,200,000. Of the estimated project cost, $140,000 is slated for preconstruction work (design, geotechnical, and engineering services), $840,000 for construction (second floor, ground floor modifications, elevator, access stairs and site work) and $220,000 for contingencies. The estimated cost for construction is calculated at $225 per square foot on a second floor addition of approximately 3,000 square feet. Modifications to the existing structure are calculated at $90 per square foot of approximately 1,500 square feet.
Councilmember Jefferson Wagner supported moving forward with the project, but suggested “looking for funding outside our scope because Bluffs Park is utilized by other parties, like AYSO.”
Lastly, the council agreed to move forward with the preparation of an area-wide trails map, a durable, color, high image quality foldout map that trail users could carry with them as they explore trails within the city and its surrounding areas.
The proposed map would cover an area of approximately 100 square miles and include the entire city up to the highest ridgeline of the Santa Monica Mountains.
The map is proposed to include features such as use designation (hiking, equestrian, and/or mountain biking), trail type (improved, dirt, paved or unpaved), trailhead facilities and amenities (parking, equestrian parking, restrooms, and water), elevations, trail grades, special features and destination points (parks, waterfalls, vista points and peaks) and geological features.
The cost would depend on the type and availability of the information to be included on the map, which could be produced for less than $15,000 (excluding the cost for mass printing).
The regular City Council meeting will take place Monday at City Hall.