HomeMy WebLinkAboutFred Waring Dr Improvements - Demolition Vacated Dwellings •
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j'_ INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
CITY OF PALM DESERT
DATE: 25 MAY 2000
TO: ACTING CITY MANAGER, HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY
COUNCIL
FROM: LAURI AYLAIAN,PROJECT ADMINISTRATOR
SUBJECT: FRED WARING DRIVE IMPROVEMENTS
DEMOLITION OF VACATED DWELLINGS
Recommendation:
Regarding the dwellings on the north side of Fred Waring Drive between San Pascual Avenue and Deep
Canyon Road, Staff recommends that the Council,by minute motion:
1. Approve the demolition of vacated dwellings after acquisition by the City, and appropriate a
budget of$297,000 for such demolition from unobligated capital projects reserve(Fund 400).
2. Appropriate a budget of$45,000 from unobligated capital projects reserve(Fund 400)to maintain
and make code-required improvements to acquired dwellings after acquisition by the City, and
while still inhabited by renters.
Background:
As part of the plan to widen Fred Waring Drive from four traffic lanes to six, additional right-of-way is
needed between San Pascual Avenue and Deep Canyon Road. This additional right-of-way will result in
leaving uneconomic remnant parcels on the north side of the road. As such, the City Council authorized
the acquisition of the single- and multi-family dwellings on the north side of the road. Demolition of
those dwellings will be necessary prior to the commencement of construction, which is planned for
Summer,2001.
The purchase of the single-family homes is progressing relatively quickly; seventeen properties are in
escrow. The City will soon own a large number of vacant homes, and has two choices: demolish them
now or maintain and protect them for up to a year, then demolish them. A good case can be made for
either approach, but neither will satisfy all concerned parties. The pros and cons for demolishing the
homes as they become available are as follows:
Pro: Demolition will eliminate the potential for security and liability concerns associated with
owning unoccupied buildings. Vacant buildings could serve as attractive nuisances that invite
transients or vandals into the area. The City would incur costs for maintaining the properties,
including landscaping and security services. Liability concerning empty swimming pools is
particularly concerning. Several neighboring residents do not want to be surrounded by vacant
residences,and have expressed strongly their concerns on this issue.
Con: Demolition of vacant buildings may disrupt the residents in the neighboring properties
that are still occupied. There is the potential for dust and debris migrating onto the adjacent
properties during the demolition process. Some residents have expressed concern about being
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1_ exposed to spores, mites, and dust during the demolition process, and have suggested that the
buildings be left in place until all Fred Waring residents are relocated to eliminate this exposure.
After reviewing carefully both sides of the issue, Staff believes that the arguments against prompt
demolition can be mitigated to a reasonable level,and recommends that the homes be demolished as they
are acquired by the City and vacated. Work will be performed during business hours so that the noise
will not disrupt residents during the evenings or on weekends. The contractors will be directed to keep
the properties and the rubble well sprinkled as they work to minimize dust and airborne spores and mites.
Work on windy days will be prohibited. Similar demolition work was successfully accomplished without
disruption to residents last year.
Staff proposes that a budget in the amount of$297,000 be established for demolition of the 33 residences
that are the subject of acquisition efforts for the Fred Waring Drive Widening Project. Individual
contracts for demolition will be awarded based on competitive bids for each dwelling after it is vacated.
(Individual contracts to various demolition contractors are expected to be valued between $5,000 and
$10,000 each, so award of such contracts will be by the City Manager rather than the City Council.)
Staff also recommends that a budget in the amount of$45,000 be established to maintain the properties
between the time that they are purchased by the City and the time that they are actually vacated. This
money will be used to make needed health, safety, and code upgrades to properties that are sold by
landlords who own them as investment properties,but who haven't maintained them to the level that the
City considers acceptable. Such modifications will be necessary in instances wherein the landlord sells
the property,and the tenants have not yet found replacement housing. The City may serve as the landlord
on these properties for as long as six months while the tenants are assisted with relocation. Rental income
from the properties will be put into a special revenue account.
REVIEWED AND CONCUR:
/116
Lauri Aylaian
Project Administrator Acting City Manager
CITY COUNCIL�ACTION:
APPROVED, ✓ DENIED
RECEIVED OTHER
IIEETING DATE
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NOES: A �J
ABSENT: 9 �a•k
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:i CITY OF hill DESERT
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N�� 73-510 FRED WARING DRIVE
PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA 92260-2578
TEL: 760 346-061 I
( FAX: 760 340-0574
97 ; info@ palm-desert.org
NOTICE OF
PALM DESERT CITY COUNCIL MEETING
AGENDA ITEMS
1. REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF RELOCATION PLAN RELATIVE TO THE
FRED WARING DRIVE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
Rec: By Minute Motion, approve the subject relocation plan prepared for the
Fred Waring Drive Improvements project.
2. REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO DEMOLISH VACATED DWELLINGS
RELATIVE TO THE FRED WARING DRIVE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
Rec: By Minute Motion: 1)Approve the demolition of vacated dwellings after acquisition
by the City and appropriate a budget of$297,000 for same from Unobligated Capital
Projects Reserves(Fund 400); 2) appropriate a budget of$45,000 from Unobligated
Capital Projects Reserves (Fund 400) to maintain and make Code-required
improvements to dwellings after acquisition by the City and while still inhabited by
renters.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Palm Desert City Council will consider the subject
items of business at its Regular Meeting of Thursday, May 25, 2000, at 4:00 p.m. in the
Civic Center Council Chamber of the Palm Desert Civic Center, 73-510 Fred Waring Drive,
Palm Desert, California.
A copy of the meeting agenda is enclosed for your reference with the subject items
highlighted. You may obtain a copy of the complete staff report by telephoning the Office of the City
Clerk, (760)346-0611, extension 304.
RACHELLE D. KLASSEN
ACTING CITY CLERK
CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA
MAY 19, 2000
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