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Home My WebLink AboutPrecise Plan 01-03 NW Cook St and Sheryl Ave 10-11-2001 • CITY OF PALM DESERT PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT REQUEST: Consider City Participation in Construction Costs for Off-Site Improvements for Precise Plan 01-03 - - Northwest Corner of Cook Street and Sheryl Avenue APPLICANT: Cook Street Associates, LLC 42-620 Caroline Court, Suite 102 Palm Desert, CA 92260 DATE: October 11, 2001 Recommendation: That the City of Palm Desert participates in the construction costs for off-site improvements associated with Precise Plan 01-03, Cook Street Plaza. Such participation shall be limited to fifty percent (50%) of the actual construction costs to a maximum value of $50,000.00. Background: The subject project, located at the northwest corner of Cook Street and Sheryl Avenue, received City Council approval on June 14, 2001. Included in the project Conditions of Approval were the following requirements: • Construction of bus facilities on Cook Street, including street modification for pullout. • Widening of Cook Street from its current half- street width of 32 feet to 43 feet. This item includes removal of existing improvements (curb, gutter, sidewalk, storm drain facilities, and AC paving) and reconstruction of those same improvements. Staff Report Consider City Participation in Construction Costs for Off-Site Improvements for Precise Plan 01-03 - - Northwest Corner of Cook Street and Sheryl Avenue October 11, 2001 Page 2 of 4 • Relocation of a minimum of two utility poles to accommodate the street improvements and bus pullout. • Widening Sheryl She l Avenue from its current half-street width of 18 feet to 22 feet. This item includes removal of existing improvements (curb, gutter, and AC paving) and reconstruction of those instruments. In early August staff met with the project developer, Mr. Sabby Jonathan, to discuss the above-referenced requirements. Mr. Jonathan indicated that he did not realize the magnitude of the requirements and was extremely concerned about the costs associated with these improvements. He has requested that consideration be given to the City's financial participation in the cost of these improvements. In justifying this request, Mr. Jonathan has cited the fact that improvements to Cook Street, as a major arterial within the City of Palm Desert, should not be completely burdened upon a single small property. He does acknowledge that the improvements required on Sheryl Avenue are related to his project and the associated impacts. However, he feels a similar nexis does not exist with respect to the significant improvements required on Cook Street. As presented in Mr. Jonathan's letter of September 20, 2001, the project has been subjected to a series of modifications and revisions based upon the various levels of review and approval to which the project has been subjected. The request submitted by Mr. Jonathan is not unlike a number of others that have been before the Council. Those projects include the commercial/retail buildings on the northeast corner of Highway 111 and Portola Avenue, the Chevron service station/convenience store at the southeast corner of Highway 111 and Plaza Way, and the office building at the northwest corner of Monterey Avenue and Fred Waring Drive. Each of the projects involved City participation in the construction of offsite roadway improvements. The first project, Highway 111 and Portola, involved substantial improvements to both Portola Avenue and Highway 111. The level of improvement allowed for the creation of additional through lane capacity and a dedicated right turn lane on Highway 111. In addition, the project eliminated a portion of the frontage road adjacent to Highway 111 with a portion of the road right-of-way being integrated with the actual building G.PubWorks\Staff ReportsWarticipate in Consf Cost for PP 01-03.doc Staff Report Consider City Participation in Construction Costs for Off-Site Improvements for Precise Plan 01-03 - - Northwest Corner of Cook Street and Sheryl Avenue October 11, 2001 Page 3 of 4 site. Improvements to Portola Avenue also provided for additional through lane capacity. Improvements to Plaza Way and Highway 111 involved the widening of Plaza Way by approximately six feet. This widening provided the ability to create a dedicated left turn lane and a combination through/right turn lane. Prior to this work a single, multi-movement lane existed. Although the impetus for this work was the remodel for the Chevron service station at the southeast corner of the intersection, the improvements served to mitigate an existing deficiency in the roadway system, thereby allowing the utilization of City funds along with "developer" funds. As with the Highway 111 and Portola Avenue work, the intersection of Monterey Avenue and Fred Waring Drive, both arterial roadways, involved substantial improvements. Those improvements included the creation of P p dual left turn lanes at all intersection legs, dedicated right turn lane on southbound Monterey Avenue, additional through lane capacity and bus facilities. The construction of the office building on the northwest corner of the intersection was a catalyst for the construction of these improvements, however the magnitude of the improvements and the wide area benefit they provide once again allowed for a cost sharing approach. As stated previously, all required improvements to Sheryl Avenue are the total and complete responsibility of the projected proponent. The improvements to Cook Street will eliminate a section of substandard arterial roadway, construct full bus facilities and provide for the future roadway expansion to a six-lane facility. Staff would recommend that the City Council, by minute motion, agree to participate in the construction costs for off-site improvements associated with Precise Plan 01-03, Cook Street Plaza. Such participation shall be limited to fifty percent (50%) of the actual construction costs to a maximum value of $50,000.00. Funds for said participation are available in unobligated Measure A and Drainage Fund accounts G:IPubWorkslStaff Reports\Participate in Const Cost for PP 01-03.doc Staff Report Consider City Participation in Construction Costs for Off-Site Improvements for Precise Plan 01-03 - - Northwest Corner of Cook Street and Sheryl Avenue October 11, 2001 Page 4 of 4 Submitted By: (b2 oseph S. Gaugush, P.E. Director of Public Works/City Engineer .,,�__..._�.._.. .. ... MEETING DATE J� / I-0) Approval: Ea CONTINUED TO 1( -� O 0 PASSED TO 2140 READING AC for Devel prhent Services MEETING DATE / b o2 OI P/ Ea-CONTINUED TO S`) City Manager [] PASSED TO 2ND READING Finance Director JSG/sd G:IPubWot*stStaff ReportstParticipate in Const Cost for PP 01-03.doc JQF1ftTI1011 FE EISSOCIIITES, INC. 1 �� CERTIFIED PUBLIC FCCOW NTS , Members of the American Institute of CPA's and the Canrornia Society of CPA's September 20, 2001 RECEIVED Mr. Joe Gaugish SEP 2 0 2001 City of Palm Desert 73-510 Fred Waring Drive PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Palm Desert, CA 92260 CITY OF PALM DESERT Re: PP 01-03 and DA 01-01 Dear Joe: The above-referenced project was approved back in June of this year. You might recall this is a 16,000 square foot retail/showroom building on the northwest corner of Cook Street and Sheryl Avenue. The conditions of approval require certain street work on Cook Street and on Sheryl Avenue. While we are not necessarily opposed to the requirements for Sheryl Avenue, we feel that the widening of Cook Street, which is a major arterial for the City of Palm Desert, should not be the total responsibility of one property owner. Unfortunately, in addition to the basic street work, widening Cook Street would also require moving two large utility poles. We are advised by Southern California Edison that the cost of moving the poles would be about $50,000. They further advise us that if the poles have conduit drops on them, then the cost could increase by as much as 50%. The total cost of the street widening, including moving the poles, is projected to be about $131,000. This cost would be overly burdensome for the project. Very frankly, we would need to re-evaluate our ability to move forward. Accordingly. we respectfully request the City's assistance in solving this prob;em. We will be dedicating a portion of our property to the City for the street widening; we agreed to build a bus shelter; we agreed to a variety of esthetic enhancements, and we agreed to provide parking in excess of the code requirement (which reduced the size of our building), all of which were not included in the original project plan but have been added as part of the review process. It is our feeling that further financial burden, in the form of widening Cook Street and moving utility poles, would be excessive and unfair to this one particular property. In this regard, we would ask for the City's financial participation. Thank-you very much for your consideration. Sincerely, .5-04/1 ..---/- Sabby Jon thi3n, CPA Managing Member- Cook Street Associates, LLC 42-620 Caroline Court, Suite 102 • Palm Desert, CA 92211 • Ph: (760) 341-6656 • Fax: (760) 779-8926 www.Jonathanandgssociatas.com