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2020-06-16 CC Agenda - Public Communication - Non-Agenda ItemShilling, Mona From: John Koppelman <johnkoppelman@aol.com> Sent: Monday, June 15, 2020 4:50 PM To: public communications Subject: GREENWAY @ LA/ AVIATION CORRIDOR Dear Mayor Boyles, and Council members, We would like to thank you for your continued support of the Green -way 2 LA bike path project on Aviation. We are asking for your continued commitment in applying for this $10 million grant to fund this important piece of the regional alternative transportation system. The Del Aire Neighborhood Association primarily, and the Hollyglen Homeowners Assoc. have spent the last year preparing the path for a successful funding stream, and we believe that converting this severely blighted BNSF rail way right of way into a beautiful bicycle path /open space is not only going to benefit our community, but will also transform the entire Eastern boundary/entry to the City of EI Segundo from a gritty industrial corridor, into a beautiful inviting front door to your city.. The MTA, (owner of the property) is excited about the proposal, so much so, that they have extended the deadline for EI Segundo to qualify for free Grant writing assistance. (This is a courtesy that is never afforded). Our only hitch is getting BNSF Railroad to sign of to discuss the property, and we need your help to bring them to the table. One can only imagine that there is someone in Chevron that could facilitate contact to further this enormous opportunity for EI Segundo as well as the entire region We need the City of EI Segundo to pull out the stops, identify and draw on whatever resources and/or contacts to make this a reality. There is still time but it is running short. We are all so very close, and appreciate any assistance your council and city hall can muster Thank all of you, Sincerely, John Koppelman, President, Del Aire Neighborhood Assoc. 310-367-5755 Shilling, Mona From: Andrew Garcia <andrew_garcia@student.davincischools.org> Sent: Monday, June 15, 2020 9:08 AM To: public communications Subject: Greenway Biking/Walking Path Request For Public Comment Good evening El Segundo Public Communications, My name is Andrew Anthony Garcia and I am an uprising senior at Da Vinci Science High School in El Segundo. I work alongside a group of 3 other peers and our Civil Engineering and Architecture teacher with the Del Aire Neighborhood board. We have been working diligently as a team for months pushing this project forward to create a biking/walking path along Aviation Blvd but we are hoping for as follows: 1. We have a HUGE opportunity to receive grant money to develop a Greenway biking/walking path along Aviation Blvd but we must act NOW 2. Active Transit Grant deadline is September 2020 3. LA County Metro is holding a spot for the City of El Segundo in their grant assistance program. Acceptance into the grant assistance program is contingent on Metro getting BNSF to sign a Letter of Neutrality saying they are willing to explore selling or ceding their operating rights on the unused 1 -mile long railroad tracks. (if we get the funding, the money can be used to BUY the operating rights from BNSF) 4. If we get the letter signed, Metro will give a free consultant to the City of El Segundo who lNrill write the Active Transit Grant that can bring over $10 million to the City. 5. The Active Transportation Grant funding only comes around every 2 years. 6. Please help us get in touch with BNSF. This is a win-win for everyone but we cannot do this alone and hope you can help us along and be part of making this beautiful community project happen! Thank you for your time, consideration, and help. Hope to have you alongside us pushing for this project to happen. Best regards, Andrew Garcia (Uprising Senior at Da Vinci Science High School) Shilling, Mona From: Wayne Mularz <wmularz@gmail.com> Sent: Saturday, June 13, 2020 8:00 AM To: public communications Subject: Aviation abandoned track area As a resident of the Del Aire area which abuts El Segundo's east end I've always envisioned a much more attractive representation of this side of the city's borders, one which is viewed daily by perhaps thousands of commuters and visitors. I feel a thoughtfully developed "Green Belt" with a pathway for pedestrians /joggers as well as a bike path for individuals using the Green Line and heading in to work or school at the many fine institutions in this immediate area would be appropriate. To this end I have learned there exists a SUBSTANTIAL ACTIVE TRANSIT GRANT (approx $10M) which may be accessed by the City of El Segundo and which may also be facilitated by the assistance of a free consultant to the City! HOWEVER It seems there is a DEADLINE (9-2020) to receive this ACTIVE TRANSIT GRANT which requires the support of LA COUNTY METRO. LA COUNTY METRO requires a "Letter of Neutrality" signed by BNSF Railroad which states that they are agreeing to sell or donate their operating rights to this abandoned 1 mile section of track. I am asking for your support in obtaining this LETTER OF NEUTRALITY from BNSF RAILROAD so that we may all benefit from this ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION GRANT FUNDING which only occurs once every two nears and which will no -longer be available after SEPTEMBER 2020 - please act at your earliest convenience to make this vital beautification project a NO -COST reality for all our enjoyment! Respectfully, Wayne A Mularz (310) 643-9292 Past President - Rotary Club of El Segundo Past Master - El Segundo Masonic Center Member - ES Chamber Shilling, Mona From: Del Aire Neighborhood Association <greenway2la@gmail.com> Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2020 2:15 PM To: public communications Subject: Greenway along Aviation- Public Comment Attachments: 6-2020 Greenway 2 LA -work to date memo.docx 1. We have a HUGE opportunity to get grant money to develop a Greenway biking/walking path along Aviation Blvd but we must act NOW 2. Active Transit Grant deadline is September 2020 3. LA County Metro is holding a spot for the City of EI Segundo in their grant assistance program. Acceptance into the grant assistance program is contingent on Metro getting BNSF to sign a Letter of Neutrality saying they are willing to explore selling or ceding their operating rights on the unused 1 -mile long railroad tracks. (if we get the funding, the money can be used to BUY the operating rights from BNSF) 4. If we get the letter signed, Metro will give a free consultant to the City of EI Segundo who will write the Active Transit Grant that can bring over $10 million to the City. 5. The Active Transportation Grant funding only comes around every 2 years. 6. Please help us get in touch with BNSF. This is a win-win for everyone but we cannot do this alone. Metro is not effective at reaching out to BNSF as they have too many other irons in the fire with BNSF. Sincerely, Del Aire Neighborhood Association. GREENWAY 2 LA- AVIATION CORRIDOR PLANNING Status update for the Del Aire Neighborhood Association's efforts to develop a bike/walking path along Aviation The Stretch of road along Aviation Blvd in El Segundo, CA between Imperial Blvd and E1 Segundo Blvd. is a main transportation corridor that can greatly benefit from greening, beautification, and additional pedestrian and bike accessibility routes. Aviation Blvd in this area is split jurisdictionally between Los Angeles County and City of EI Segundo. The East side of the street is unincorporated LA County -the Community of Del Aire, represented by LA County District 2 Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas. The City of E1 Segundo is represented by LA County District 4 Supervisor Janice Hahn. Corridor being discussed is marked in red in the map. NEED FOR THE PROJECT Dangerous for Cyclists and Pedestrians- The Aviation corridor does not currently have a dedicated bike lane. This stretch of road is in the South Bay Regional Bike Plan and the LA County Regional Bike Plan and is the ONLY North/South section of bike lanes. Unfortunately, there are NOT any bike lanes yet along this corridor and there have been multiple cycling deaths and injuries over the years. I-105 icj10 I a n a < ■ aple Ave ■ ■ =5E! ��G Z O ■ W 121st St � c n a ■ ■ W 123rd PI a 4 " _ a 2 n ed w E EI Sep* Blvd O 1n Strand eb e < v o on ,n S t S e'act0 d�S — A � ACL 0 p° 00 r DEL A < n — ecrans Ave Pa'k PI D W Rosecrans Ave LA County Metro Imperial Station is Underutilized Due to Lack of First/Last Mile Accessibility- Aviation Blvd. and Imperial Hwy are the only routes for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians that want to get from surrounding areas to the Imperial Metro station and neither have bike paths. Traffic will increase along the corridor when the LAX/Crenshaw Line Expansion is completed and more people use the Imperial station as a jumping off point to get to the airport. No Safe Passage for Students- Wiseburn Unified School District students that reside in Del Aire or that commute via Metro do not have a safe path to the Middle School or Da Vinci High School. The middle school is only accessible from the North, West, and South via Aviation Blvd. Da Vinci High School is only accessibly via the North, East, and South via Aviation Blvd. and E1 Segundo Blvd. neither of which have safe passages. Blighted Corridor Lacks Green Space- The West side of the Aviation corridor is bordered by a Section of BNSF Rail lines. Behind the Rail lines there is a large industrial/commercial Northrup Grumman facility and the Los Angeles Airforce Base, both of which have no greenery on their Eastern Perimeters. The Eastern side of the street has a few small trees and minimal greenery. The Aviation Corridor marks the beginning of the City of El Segundo, and is many tourists' introduction to the South Bay as they travel to the beach or travel South from LAX. Economic Development- Development of a green path along this corridor will boost the local economy and increase business attraction in the area. Furthermore, increased active transportation increases property values. Health Hazard- High rates of auto traffic along the corridor and the proximity to the 105 and 405 Freeways contribute to poor air quality in the area. Furthermore, LA County Metro has been using the stretch of BNSF rail land along Aviation Blvd. between El Segundo Blvd. and Imperial Hwy as a construction staging zone and raw material storage for the LAX/Crenshaw Line expansion project. This staging has further decreased air quality and pollution in the region immediately East of the staging zone. WHAT THE GREENWAY2LA COALITION WANTS IN THE SPACE Conversion of the Railroad track land along Aviation Blvd. between Imperial Hwy and El Segundo Blvd. into a trail that has: ✓ Trees and greenery ✓ Walking path ✓ Bike Path. ✓ Exercise Equipment ✓ Dog areas ✓ Kid play structures (perhaps as rocket ships or trains) JOINT PROJECT GOALS OF COALITION MEMBERS • Enhance first/last mile transportation to/from the Imperial Metro Station along Aviation Corridor and Imperial Hwy with the addition of pedestrian and bike path enhancements ■ Beautify the Aviation Corridor with large trees and greenery • Ensure safe passage for students to/from Wiseburn Unified and Da Vinci Schools along Aviation Blvd. and E1 Segundo Blvd. ■ Mitigate negative impact of two years of Metro's Crenshaw/LAX expansion staging (Walsh Shay construction has been leasing the land from Metro to stage the LAX Crenshaw line for the past 3 years. Our neighborhood has been the dumping grounds for huge piles of dirt, metal beams, trucks, and debris yet we have received no construction mitigation, and there are no plans to beautify the area once they are done with it.) ■ Increase accessibility to businesses in the South Bay including the Pointe ■ Reduce carbon emissions by increasing multi -modal transportation options + Increase economic development of the region • Increase green space/park space in a blighted corridor RENDERINGS OF PROPOSED GREENWAY A design firm developed pro bono renderings for the Del Aire Neighborhood Association. Some images are included here. PROPERTY OWNERSHIP/CURRENT LAND USE LA County Metro owns the land along this stretch of land. Metro is actively pursuing First/Last Mile projects and this is one. Metro real estate met with Janice Hahn's office to discuss this project and they are willing to work with the City of El Segundo. BNSF Railroad owns the operating rights to the railroad. The property was purchased from BNSF in the 1960's. The rail line along this corridor is still part of BNSF's active system and is not decommissioned. There is no operational need to operate a railroad in this area as the Crenshaw/LAX Line has now blocked freight service to the north. Thus, the Aviation Corridor can only be used to store rail cars at this point WALSH-Shay Construction is currently using this corridor to stage the Crenshaw -LAX Metro expansion. Since 2017, this area has this been further blighted with huge piles of dirt, heavy machinery, trucks, and a lot of equipment that has minimal beautification mitigations, and minimal air quality mitigations. BNSF has told Metro that they want Metro to return the tracks to their prior operating condition after Metro is done staging the LAX/Crenshaw line in 2020. WEALSH-Shay is currently cleaning the area. WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO DATE • July 16,2019- Neighborhood Charette at Del Aire Neighborhood Association Meeting to discuss what the community wants in the space along the West side of Aviation Blvd. between Imperial Ave. and El Segundo Blvd. • July 20 -Aug 20, 2019—Community Survey is sent out on Next Door and email and answered by over 300 community members. EVERY respondent is supportive of a greenway along the stretch of land and many have additional ideas. • Aug. 2019- Del Aire Neighborhood Association members meet with Northrop Grumman, Aerospace, the LA Airforce Base, The City of El Segundo, LA County Metro, Hackman Capital Partners, many elected officials, and the smaller businesses along the East side of the street to discuss the project. ■ Sept. 2019- Meeting with the City of El Segundo's City Manager, Director of Public Works, and Director of Planning and Building Safety. The City tried to put a bike path along this corridor in the past but did not have the resources to deal with BNSF. El Segundo would like to see a bike path along this route and is interested in the project. ■ Sept. 2019- Engage local school districts and institutions—Wiseburn Unified School District and Da Vinci Schools, to discuss their need for safe routes to school. Both institutions believe this project can increase student safety and write letters of support and involve students in the planning process ■ Oct. 15, 2019- Del Aire Neighborhood Association Meeting to discuss the community's desires and request formal support from our elected representatives and agencies. Da Vinci students, community members, and local businesses present the community's desires and formally deliver letters to elected asking for them to take action to move this project forward. This includes figuring out how to work with BNSF Railroad to cede or sell the operating rights. (Letters are given to representatives from: LA County Metro, City of El Segundo, LA County District 2, LA County District 4, House of Representatives, Maxine Waters -US House of Reps CA -43). • Dec. 17, 2019- Fifteen community members attend the E1 Segundo City Council Meeting to discuss the project, present draft renderings, and formally enlist the City and Partners to take on the project ■ Sept 2019 -Present: Collecting Letters of Support from local businesses and meeting with large companies unable to submit letters (Northrop Grumman, Aerospace Corporation, Hackman Capital Partners, The LA Airforce base) to keep everyone informed. ■ January 2020: Emailed and spoke with Lena Kent, Director of Community Relations for the Western Region at BNSF. We would love to host BNSF representatives in our neighborhood but we have not been able to get through to them in a meaningful way. ■ December 19, 2019- The City of El Segundo applied for Active Transportation Grant Assistance from LA County Metro. If selected, Metro will work with the City to develop the State -level Active Transportation Grant. The request is estimated to be $10,000,000 • February 2020- The City of E1 Segundo's grant assistance program application was accepted but this is contingent upon us being able to obtain a Letter of Neutrality from BNSF railroad saying that they are willing to discuss the project since they still own the Operating Rights on the tracks. 3 March 2020- Metro writes a letter and attempts to get BNSF to sign it since Metro owns the land. June 2020- Metro is still interested in getting the letter signed from BNSF and the ATP grant deadline has been extended to September. Metro is holding a spot for the City of E1 Segundo in the grant assistance program. SOLUTIONS There are 3 very timely and feasible funding streams that can be used to purchase the operating rights from BNSF and develop a Greenway along the corridor. The City of El Segundo, Metro, and Janice Hahn's office are actively pursuing funding options. Funding Opportunities • Federal Active Transportation Grant - state level funding, available every 2 years, preference for City applicants Grants are due in September 2020. (Grant support available from LA County Metro which El Segundo applied for but the application is contingent upon getting a letter of neutrality from BNSF) ■ Metro Active Transportation - Measure M County Dollars ( 2% of Measure M Tax revenue put aside into this pot) • South Bay Council of Governments (COG) - Sub Regional Dollars- available annually NEXT STEPS Del Aire Neighborhood Association is trying to get the municipalities, government agencies, and BNSF to collaborate on this much needed community project. TIMELINE: • Apply for ATP funds by September 2020 • Crenshaw/LAX line opens Fall/Winter 2020 (1 year) • Walsh -Shay Construction cleans up and rehabs staging area (6 months after construction close out) Transfer back to BNSF • Earliest timeline to start OUR project is early 2021 - possibly 2022 STAKEHOLDERS (Who cares about this issue) Many government entities, agencies, community-based organizations, and companies have taken steps to beautify this corridor and increase accessibility. Some of these are listed below. Given the number of municipalities, entities, organizations, and companies that want to see Aviation Corridor improved, a Coalition should be created to collaborate to communicate the need for the project and then to implement the project and braid available funding streams. 4 Stakeholder Relevance The City of EI Segundo LA County Department of Public Works LA County Metro LA County District 2 Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas LA County District 4 Supervisor Janice Hahn Del Aire Neighborhood Association and Residents Wiseburn Unified School District Da Vinci Schools South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) The South Bay Bicycle Coalition and LA County Bicycle Coalition BNSF Railroad Businesses (E.G. Northrop Grumman, Airforce Base, Hackman Capital Partners, Small businesses along Aviation Blvd, ...) Non -Profit Organizations (E.G. Rails to Trails Conservancy, Bike Coalitions, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Wants a bike lane along the corridor. They have tried but their attempts ended with BNSF wanting money to purchase the land or not wanting to cede control. Willing to explore long-term lease of the land. County's General Plan calls for bike lanes along Aviation Blvd in this area. As such, the County would be willing work with the City, Metro, and Railroad company on a corridor improvement project for Aviation Blvd in this area that includes beautification & trail Increase bike lanes in the County, First/Last mile improvements to/from the Imperial station Serve constituents Serve constituents, attract businesses to the South Bay Safe passage for students, community beautification, Accessibility, Safe passage for students Safe passage for students Joint Powers Authority of 16 cities and LA County They support transit initiatives. Aviation corridor is in the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan and LA County Bike Master plan Beautification, increase accessibility to the area, CSR, sitting space for employees, be a good community partner Increase accessibility and mobility Accessibility to new Crenshaw/LAX Extension Line ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL FUNDING THAT CAN BE BRAIDED TO FUND THE PROJECT (Short list) • State of California o Discretionary Funds ■ Active Transportation Program (ATP) ■ Cap and Trade o CalTrans Bicycle transportation Account Federal Programs- for bike improvements o Senate Bill 1 (SB1) active transportation program LA County: o Local return dollars provided to LA County jurisdictions o Measure R o Department of Public Works - Local streets improvements (and Regional Bike Plan) o Measure M- First Last Mile improvements (Board Motion 14.1) o LA County District 2- Mark Ridley Thomas ■ Beautification and Streets Improvements ■ Discretionary Funds o LA County District 4- Janice Hahn o Department of Public Health- RENEW grant ( Paid for the South Bay Bicycle Master plan) • City of El Segundo • South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG)- Transit funds ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS: 1. Enter negotiations with BNSF a. Include the Aviation Corridor in a Package of Right of Ways Metro is Negotiation with BNSF: Work with the LA County Supervisors Mark Ridley Thomas and Janice Hahn to encourage Metro to include this. (They are on Metro's Board) b. Metro compensates BNSF for the operating rights c. Revocable License for E1 Segundo: Let E1 Segundo takes a revocable license for the area between Aviation Blvd. and the track so they can develop it. Not an easement, it is a license. Then, If BNSF decides they need the trackage, El Segundo has to return it back to original structure. 2. Eminent domain 3. Take the property for a public use. 4. BNSF donates the land as part of a Green the USA CSR campaign: C.