This facility is disabled accessible.  Auxiliary aids and services are available for individuals with speech, vision or hearing impairments (48-hour notice is required).  Please contact the ADA Coordinator at (818) 238-5021 voice or (818) 238-5035 TDD with questions or concerns.

 

 

6:30 P.M.

 

                                                                             

INVOCATION:                      Reverend Ron White, American Lutheran Church.

                                               The Courts have concluded that sectarian prayer as part of City

                                               Council meetings is not permitted under the Constitution.

 

FLAG SALUTE:

 

ROLL CALL:

 

 

JOINT MEETING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL:

 

1.      LAKE-ALAMEDA FOCUS NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT STRATEGY:

 

The purpose of this report is to: 1) provide the Council and Redevelopment Agency Board (Board) with an overview of the Lake-Alameda Focus Neighborhood Enhancement Strategy; and, 2) consider the necessary budget amendment and design contract for further implementation of the Neighborhood Enhancement Strategy.

 

The Lake-Alameda Focus Neighborhood is located between Alameda Avenue and the eastern City border with Glendale and is bounded by the Interstate 5 Freeway to the north and Victory Boulevard to the south.  The neighborhood is bisected by Lake Street and a dominant feature is the Los Angeles County flood control channel that passes through the neighborhood.  This neighborhood is isolated and accessibility is a challenge for the residents due to the barriers of the flood control channel and the Interstate 5 Freeway.  The neighborhood exhibits a wide variation of housing conditions with deteriorated multi-family and single-family properties interspersed amongst other well-maintained properties.  Similar to other Focus Neighborhoods, Code enforcement issues such as abandoned shopping carts, property maintenance, inoperable vehicles, illegal garage conversions, trash, junk and debris are a persistent problem for this neighborhood.  In addition, overgrown weeds and illegal trash and furniture dumping along the flood control channel right-of-way is a recurring problem.

To further assess issues facing this Focus Neighborhood and assist staff in developing a Neighborhood Enhancement Strategy, in the fall of 2005, staff formed the Lake-Alameda Neighborhood Improvement Team consisting of representatives from various City Departments.  In addition, staff implemented an extensive community outreach process.  With feedback from the community, the Neighborhood Improvement Team identified the following primary areas to be addressed:  infrastructure deficiencies; accessibility/mobility; public maintenance upkeep; Code enforcement issues (including property maintenance); lack of landscaping along Lake Street; and, community education about City services.  The issues were divided into two types of categories; short term and long term neighborhood improvement goals.

 

The short term neighborhood improvement goals consisted of minor infrastructure improvements, general public maintenance, safety concerns, parking issues, property maintenance, providing additional landscaping and public education.  The long term neighborhood improvement goals were more specific and included improvements along the flood control channel right-of-way, sidewalk improvements and creating open space.  With the help and dedication of the Neighborhood Improvement Team, the short term neighborhood improvement goals were immediately addressed.  Improvements included, repairing and adding street lights, and altering the Got Wheels route to name a few.

 

To address the long term goals, sidewalk improvements will occur along Moss Street and the following three streets east of the flood control channel to the Interstate 5 Freeway: Spazier Avenue, Elm Avenue and Linden Avenue.  Public Works Department staff provided a cost estimate of $249,000 for the proposed sidewalk improvement project. Public Works is scheduled to go out to bid this month and it is anticipated that construction will be complete in February 2007.

 

The more complex long term neighborhood improvement goal and also one of the largest challenges facing the Lake-Alameda Focus Neighborhood is improving the Los Angeles County flood control channel right-of-way.  This is an area that is heavily traveled by pedestrians.  The residents of this focus neighborhood have expressed to staff that they are eager to see improvements along this corridor.  The proposed Lake-Alameda Landscaped Access Path (Project) includes roughly, a quarter-mile of the Los Angeles County flood control channel right-of-way from the southeastern City limit at Victory Boulevard to Alameda Avenue.  The proposed Project consists of an eight foot wide meandering concrete pathway along the east side of the flood control channel.  The proposed path will be flanked with landscaping, pedestrian-oriented, non-obtrusive lighting, and additional access points at the intersecting cul-de-sac streets.  In addition, the proposed Project will also incorporate landscaping improvements along the west side of the flood control channel, to complement the improvements on the east side, thereby improving the aesthetics of the area.

 

A Request for Proposals for the design of the Lake-Alameda Landscaped Access Path was released on September 20, 2006.  Staff received three proposals.  Staff reviewed the three proposals and is recommending contracting with David Evans & Associates for the next phases.  David Evans & Associates completed the schematic design of the Project and has extensive experience in working with the City.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds are available for improvements in this neighborhood.  Staff is recommending $1,527,265.27 in CDBG funds be committed for funding public facility improvements in the Lake-Alameda Focus Neighborhood.  In order to do so, staff is requesting the City Council approve a budget amendment to add $1.527 million in uncommitted funds to CDBG Fund 122, for the following improvements: sidewalk construction; Lake-Alameda Landscaped Access Path; and, the design contract with David Evans & Associates.

 

Staff anticipates completion of the design development and construction documentation phases in March 2007, at which time staff will return to the Council with an update including the engineer�s estimate prior to proceeding with the bid process.  It is estimated that the bid process could begin in May 2007, and construction of the Project could begin as early as September 2007 with a tentative completion date of March 2008.

 

Recommendation:

 

Adoption of proposed resolutions entitled:

1.     A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK APPROVING A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BURBANK AND DAVID EVANS AND ASSOCIATES, INC. FOR THE DESIGN OF THE LAKE-ALAMEDA LANDSCAPED ACCESS PATH.

 

2.    (4/5 vote required)

A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2006-07 ANNUAL BUDGET BY APPROPRIATING $1,527,265.27  TO THE LAKE-ALAMEDA FOCUS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR PUBLIC FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS AND AUTHORIZING THE FILING OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE FINAL STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES AND PROJECTED USE OF FUNDS.

 

 

CONSENT CALENDAR:  (Item 2)

 

The following item may be enacted by one motion.  There will be no separate discussion on this item unless a Member so requests, in which event the item will be removed from the consent calendar and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda.  A roll call vote is required for the consent calendar.

 

2.      CONSIDERATION OF LOAN AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AND BURBANK HOUSING CORPORATION FOR ACQUISITION OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 1726-1728 ELLIOT DRIVE AND 1730 ELLIOT DRIVE:

 

The purpose of this report is to:  1) provide information to the Redevelopment Agency (Agency) Board to consider Affordable Housing Loan Agreements to assist the Burbank Housing Corporation (BHC) to acquire residential properties located at 1726-1728 Elliot Drive and 1730 Elliot Drive for the purpose of providing affordable housing; and, 2) recommend Council approval of the 1730 Elliot Relocation Plan.