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Home My WebLink About30 El Paseo Dining DecksCt1'Y CotnvCII.�oR APPROVED 1fF.NTP%D ItECEIVF� � OTHER STAFF RE GD TE CITY OF PALM � � DEVELOPMENT SERVIC ,�� i'Elv i�� ABSTAINt ��'%� � MEETING DATE: June 24, 2021 VERIFIED BYs �� OriginAl oa File with City Cierk•s Office PREPARED BY: Eric Ceja, Interim Director of Development Services Randy Bowman, Deputy Director of Public Works REQUEST: Request for direction on EI Paseo related items; Dining Decks, Raised Mid-Block Crosswalks, and existing Painted Crosswalks Recommendation *By Minute Motion, approve staff's recommendations with the modification that the Economic Development subcommittee By Minute Motion: revisit this issue in one year. 5-0 vote Dining Decks: 1. Direct staff to extend Temporary Use Permits for outdoor dining decks for an additional one year; and 2. Direct staff to work with the City's Architectural Review Commission to adopt outdoor dining deck design guidelines and work with restaurant owners to modify the dining decks to comply with the guidelines; and 3. Staff recommends that the City Council authorize staff to utilize the remaining unspent Unite Palm Desert Outdoor Dining Grant funds, up to $5,000/restaurant to provide for safety and aesthetic upgrades to outdoor dining decks located within public right-of-way; and Raised Mid-Block Crosswalks: 4. Postpone installation of any new mid-block crosswalks; maintain existing crosswalks and direct staff to bring back this item for further consideration in 2024: and Enhanced Painted Crosswalks: 5. Postpone any new painted crosswalks; maintain existing crosswalks and direct staff to bring back this item for further consideration in 2024. Appropriation Request: 6. Appropriate $50,000 from either the unobligated Economic Development Reserve Fund or unobligated General Fund reserves for the development of outdoor dining deck design and safety guidelines. Strateaic Plan The EI Paseo Pedestrian Improvements project fulfills priorities identified in the City's Strategic Plan, including the following: June 24, 2021 - Staff Report El Paseo (Dining Decks, Raised Mid-Block Crosswalks, and Painted Crosswalks) Page 2 of 5 • Tourism and Marketing – Priority 1: “Improve access to Palm Desert and its attractions to enhance the ease of lifestyle.” • Transportation – Priority 1: “Create walkable neighborhoods and areas within Palm Desert that would include residential, retail, services and employment centers, and parks, recreation and open space to reduce the use of low occupancy vehicles.” • Transportation – Priority 3: “De-emphasize single/low-occupancy vehicles and optimize modes of travel (bus, carpool, golf-cart, bicycle, and pedestrian).” • Land Use - Priority 4: “Create a mixed-use city core integrating shopping, dining, lodging, and housing.” In addition, the El Paseo Pedestrian Improvements Project addresses the following initiatives listed in the Economic Development Strategic Plan approved by the City Council in 2018: • Revitalization of the El Paseo Key Commercial Corridor. • Facilitate long-term market strengthening of the El Paseo District. • Align City “placemaking” and other development plans and strategies with key City-designated infrastructure elements. • Targeted development projects and special events to benefits they offer to the concept of “placemaking.” Background Staff prepared an extensive report related to improvements for the El Paseo corridor for the City Council meeting on May 27, 2021. Prior to that meeting a City Council Study Session was held to discuss the various proposals outlined in that report. Based on the direction provided to staff at the Study Session, the regularly scheduled agenda item was continued with direction given to staff to: - Establish a permitting and design review process for outdoor dining decks. - Develop an outdoor dining deck design guideline, while understanding the costs associated with both design and safety improvements. - Show locations of future raised mid-block cross-walks. - Provide information on how the “Gibbs Study” is impacted by mid-term improvements proposed for El Paseo. Based on the direction provided above, staff has prepared a response and recommendation for each item. El Paseo Merchants Association Input Staff presented this recommendation to the El Paseo Merchants Association (EPMA) at their meeting on June 17, 2021. The EPMA did not vote on the item and had a productive dialogue with staff. Generally, the EPMA was comfortable with staff’s recommendation and reasoning June 24, 2021 - Staff Report El Paseo (Dining Decks, Raised Mid-Block Crosswalks, and Painted Crosswalks) Page 3 of 5 for not moving too quickly on additional corridor improvements. Discussion Dining Decks: The dining deck program has proven to be popular with both restaurateurs and patrons. In order for the City to continue supporting this program safety improvements are necessary for dining decks within the public right-of-way. In addition, standardized design guidelines should be developed to maintain a sense of cohesiveness throughout the City. Lastly, dining decks were a temporary use established during the pandemic and City Council will need to take action to extend existing permits. Staff has contracted with Prest, Vuksic, Greenwood Architects (PVG) to draft design and safety guidelines for outdoor dining decks. A draft of these guidelines are attached to this report. Staff recommends the design guidelines be adopted by the City’s Architectural Review Commission (ARC). In doing so, dining decks can be approved by City staff so long as the design and safety measures comply with the design guidelines. These guidelines are intended to be a “living document”, and due to the rapid development of this program, these guidelines will undergo periodic revisions. At the time of preparing this staff report, staff was unable to meet with the ARC for adoption, or a recommendation, on the design guidelines. Staff will provide a verbal report to the City Council regarding any feedback from the ARC. Staff also discussed a potential grant program to assist with the potential modifications and potential regulations from the Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC). Staff has concerns that if the ABC does not allow restaurants to serve alcohol within the dining decks, it could impact whether restaurants will still pursue the option for a dining deck. Staff will continue to monitor the rules and regulations from the ABC. Raised Mid-Block Crosswalks: At the May 27, 2021, City Council meeting, direction was provided to staff to consider additional crosswalks locations and to reach out to surrounding businesses and property owners. The installation of three mid-block raised crosswalks has been effective in slowing vehicular speeds along the corridor and providing a safe and meaningful pedestrian connection along the eastern half of El Paseo. Property owners have requested an additional two mid-block raised crosswalks west of San Pablo Avenue. However, exact locations are unknown at this time. Enhanced Painted Crosswalks: The painted crosswalks at San Pablo Avenue, Larkspur Lane, and Highway 74/El Paseo, were intended to be temporary improvements with the option for removal and June 24, 2021 - Staff Report El Paseo (Dining Decks, Raised Mid-Block Crosswalks, and Painted Crosswalks) Page 4 of 5 replacement with asphalt or with a permanent treatment such as pavers, bricks, colored concrete, or another painted design. At its June 11, 2020, meeting the City Council directed staff to remove the crosswalks at a later date based on the pandemic/budget. Staff has determined that removal of the painted crosswalks will cost between $160,000 and $280,000 and could take up to 18 weeks, including traffic control and contingencies. Gibbs Study: On September 6, 2018, the City Council approved the El Paseo Master Plan Alternatives (EPMPA) and the El Paseo Retail Market Study (as an appendix) prepared by Gibbs Planning Group to guide potential street configurations for El Paseo. Although long-term reconfiguration of the street may still be considered, the City Council has taken some interim steps for implementing the recommendations from that study including: • Improve pedestrian crosswalk markings – This intent is to brighten up the crosswalks, help slow down vehicle traffic, and clearly delineate pedestrian space. Painted crosswalks were installed at Monterey Avenue, San Pablo Avenue, and Larkspur Lane. • Provide mid-block raised crossings – The intent is to break up longer blocks and allow pedestrians to cross mid-block instead of having to walk farther to a stop sign or signal. Mid-block crossings also slow down traffic. Three mid-block crossings were installed: one along Larkspur Lane at Hotel Paseo, and two between San Pablo Avenue and San Luis Rey. • Add parklets/dining decks – This intent is to allow restaurants to construct a temporary dining deck within a parking space that would be used as a dining table. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic dining decks are spread throughout the corridor between Monterey Avenue and San Luis Rey. Recommendation Short-Term Dining Decks: Staff is recommending that the City Council extend the existing Temporary Use Permits for dining decks until June 2022, and direct staff to work with PVG and the City’s ARC for adoption of a design and safety manual. If adopted by the ARC, the dining deck designs could June 24, 2021 - Staff Report El Paseo (Dining Decks, Raised Mid-Block Crosswalks, and Painted Crosswalks) Page 5 of 5 be approved at a staff level and would expedite the approval process for dining deck modifications. Long-Term Given the challenges posed by the pandemic, staff is recommending the City Council revisit other El Paseo improvements in 2024; including consideration of additional raised mid-block crossings and removal or enhancements to the painted crosswalks. The reasoning for this recommendation is to enable the businesses on El Paseo to recover from the pandemic and not interrupt their operations with construction at this time. In addition, staff would like the opportunity to witness how the recent additions to El Paseo, including dining decks, might influence the need for future changes. Staff supports this recommendation knowing that state legislation and rules around permitted alcohol use from Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC), may be changing and their effect on dining decks and future planning efforts may impact long-term design considerations. In addition, several other items, including CV Link Connector (bicycle and pedestrian improvement plan), Lupine Plaza, and improvements to President’s Plaza may have temporary and unknown impacts to the corridor and existing businesses. Staff’s recommendation is to allow existing businesses to recover from the pandemic and limit new immediate impacts to the corridor until there is more certainty for the aforementioned related items. Staff recommendation and existing and future improvements outlined in this report, does not limit the City’s ability for future corridor improvements or options identified in the Gibbs Study. Staff will monitor state legislative changes regarding outdoor dining, monitor the existing improvements in place, and continue to strategize around new urban design trends for the next several years and come back to City Council in 2024 for further consideration of the items identified in this report. Fiscal Analysis Adoption of outdoor dining deck design and safety guidelines is expected to cost approximately $50,000. The funds will need to be appropriated from either the unobligated Economic Development Reserve Fund or unobligated General Fund reserves. LEGAL REVIEW DEPT. REVIEW FINANCIAL REVIEW ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER N/A Robert W. Hargreaves City Attorney Eric Ceja Eric Ceja, Interim Director of Development Services Janet M. Moore Janet Moore Director of Finance Andy Firestine Andy Firestine Assistant City Manager L. Todd Hileman, City Manager: L. Todd Hileman