Planning for New Neighborhoods linked to Transit: Santa Monica’s Bergamot Area Plan

1. Planning for New Neighborhoods linked to Transit: Santa Monica’s Bergamot Area Plan M APTA Sustainability & Public Transportation Workshop August 2, 2011 Francie Stefan Strategic & Transportation Planning City of Santa Monica

2. BERGAMOT AREA PLAN RECEIVED HUD COMMUNITY CHALLENGE GRANT • Addresses Priorities of 3 Primary Agencies: HUD, DOT, NEA • Replicablemodel for sustainable, integrated planning, growth of creative economy • Collaborative Effort: Among City of Santa Monica Departments (Planning & Transportation, Big Blue Bus, Cultural Services), Metro, Expo Construction Authority, private property owners HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan at Bergamot Station 6.2.11

3. CONTEXT: WHY THE TIMING IS CRITICAL • EXPO LIGHT RAIL ARRIVING IN 2015 • 62,000 daily ridership system-wide • 3,500 daily ridership @ Bergamot Station

4. CONTEXT: COMPLETED CITYWIDE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN • Award-winning Land Use & Circulation Element • Framework for Citywide planning and projects • Consensus built from 6 years of active public participation. • Calls for more detailed planning for districts • Guides public/private projects in coordinated long-range planning. • No Net New PM Peak Trips • Community Benefits • New complete neighborhoods • Per capita GHG reduction AB 32 Target Sustainable City Target

5. WHY PLAN THE BERGAMOT AREA? • Transitioning industrial area • Lack of a street grid. Large super blocks inhibit circulation and access • Lack of neighborhood environment – no community amenities • Piecemeal development eroding character of area • Large scale proposals – not transit oriented, and include no open space or retail • Bergamot Arts Center disconnected from area Expo Light Rail Station M 5

6. LUCE VISION FOR BERGAMOT AREA VISION: A new vibrant, transit oriented neighborhood that preserves and builds on the existing Bergamot Station character • Focus on jobs/housing balance – 60/40 & 50/50 targets • Creative arts, biotech • Create a new parking district • Reconnect street grid • Local serving retail locations • Enhance Arts Center • Integrate Light Rail Station

7. 7 TRANSFORMING BERGAMOT STATION

8. AREA PLAN NEEDED TO ADDRESS: • The Creation of an Urban Transit Village and the Mixed-Use Creative District • Land Uses – achieve 50/50 and 60/40 use targets, location & mix of residential, commercial, daily-needs retail, open space • Transit Connections – identify priority connections and roadways for maximum integration of Light Rail & Bus • Circulation –create walkable blocks for pedestrians, bicycles, vehicles and transit • Urban Form and Scale – Open Space, Streetwalls/Facades, Building Articulation, Skyline Variety, Ground Floor Quality New Roads and Pedestrian/Bike Pathways P Mix of Land Uses and Community Benefits

9. AREA PLAN NEEDED TO ADDRESS: Open Spaces for Gathering • Area wide parking district – consolidated and shared parking facilities to encourage “park once” environment • Integrated Transportation Demand Management – establish aggressive trip reduction targets, creation of a TMA/O • Community Benefits – priorities for new neighborhoods and the transit village • Area wide infrastructure planning – location of roads, cost sharing, maintenance • Coordinated Implementation - Sequencing for balanced public/private creation of housing, amenities, infrastructure Design Guidelines and Standards

10. PLANNING STRATEGIES • CONSOLIDATE SURFACE PARKING TO CREATE NEW ROADS and PATHWAYS • 50% of Transit Village Land Area is Surface Parking • Approximately 1200 surface parking spaces cover about 8 acres • Moving parking into centralized facility permits for new streets – with or without redevelopment P M 10

11. PLANNING STRATEGIES • NEW ROADS PROVIDE ACCESS, CREATE VALUE & MITIGATE TRAFFIC • Access - direct pedestrian and bicycle connections to Expo • Walkable Blocks - reduces large industrial superblocks • Value Creation – New frontage creates visibility and access which enhances the value • Disperses Traffic Nebraska Extension Pennsylvania Extension M Central retail street in Transit Village

12. PLANNING STRATEGIES • PREFERRED LOCATIONS OF NEW INTERSECTIONS CONVERTING OLYMPIC TO URBAN BOULEVARD • Critical new intersection locations for pedestrians and bikes • Address increase in pedestrians and bicyclists using new streets • Provide “front door” to Bergamot Art Center and new Expo station • Walkable urban block size and vehicle flows to/from Olympic PEDS PEDS M

13. THE STRATEGY • OPEN SPACE PROVIDES FRAMEWORK FOR BUILDINGS & STREETS • Green Streets – living rooms of the City. Safe, walkable and bikeable • Flexible Public Spaces – adaptable to special events like festivals and farmers markets • Community Places – design buildings and streets around open space M

14. WORKING WITH PROPERY OWNERS • Initial meetings with Area property owners to: • Share LUCE vision • Generate interest • Evaluate potential for shared parking, open space new roads, and other community benefits • Results: • Very positive reaction • Interest in centralized shared parking facilities • Willingness to move forward with City & the community to shape area development Proposed Development (green)

15. WORKING WITH CITY STAKEHOLDERS: • BERGAMOT ART CENTER • Land purchased in 1980s by Big Blue Bus • Houses over 30 art galleries, creative offices, gathering space • Beloved community asset, nationally recognized arts destination • Visioning underway for sustainable self-financing art center model – endowment from adjacent uses (hotel, restaurant), new development, others • Embracing and integrating light rail station Agensys Ped. Path City Owned 5.6 Acres M Privately Owned 1.3 Acres

16. WORKING WITH TRANSIT: EXPO STATION: BEFORE Ramp Center Platform Fencing Bergamot Station Expo FEIR Drawing

17. WORKING WITH TRANSIT: EXPO STATION: AFTER Side Platforms Stairs & Ramp Stairs & Ramp Ramp New Crossing (subject to PUC) Bergamot Station with City Betterments

18. WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY • February 2011- Bergamot Transit Village Principles • July 2011 – Creating a Sustainable Arts Center • Winter 2011 – Mixed-Use Creative integration • Additional workshops, meetings, surveys, project website, etc.

19. 19 MONITORING TO ACHIEVE THE VISION VISION: A new vibrant, transit oriented neighborhood that preserves and builds on the existing Bergamot Station character • LUCE performance monitoring – land use mix, complete neighborhoods, open space • Jobs/housing balance: 60/40 & 50/50 • Travel Demand Model – mode split, citywide PM peak trips, GHG emissions • Meeting and exceeding Expo & BBB ridership targets

20. NEXT STEPS • Complete Draft Area Plan • Implementation strategies, market demand analysis, shared parking management options, community benefit priorities • Principles and standards integrated into Development Agreements & project review • Establish Zoning Ordinance standards for district development • Potential RFP for Arts Center • Establish Transportation Management Association/Organization • Establish fair-share infrastructure fees – transportation, utilities • On-going LRT Connectivity Coordination

21. Planning for New Neighborhoods linked to Transit: Santa Monica’s Bergamot Area Plan M For More Information Please Contact: Francie Stefan Strategic & Transportation Planning Manager City of Santa Monica (310) 458-8341 francie.stefan@smgov.net