Subject
Motion - Legacy Partners Hollywood and Vine, LP, HEI/GC Hollywood and Vine Condominiums, LLC and HEI/GC Hollywood and Vine Hotel, LLC (the "Developers") are currently in the process of constructing a mixed-use development on property located at and adjacent to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority ("MTA") Hollywood/Vine Metro Rail Station at Hollywood Boulevard between Vine Street and Argyle Avenues. The project consists of 375 apartment units, 145 condominium units, a 305-room "W" hotel with ancillary restaurant, retail and spa uses, approximately 61,500 square feet of retail/restaurant space, required parking spaces, transit-related improvements and landscaping (the "Project"). The Project was entitled pursuant to CPC 2005-4358-ZAA and VTTM No. 63297. The Developers have worked closely with the Community Redevelopment Agency and the MTA to jointly develop the proposed Project.
The Project includes two DWP transformer vaults located within the underground parking garage. The developers are required to provide an access hatch (at street level) to each transformer vault, which will provide an access point for DWP to install and maintain their transformer equipment. The DWP access hatches are required to be located within the property however, due to the density of the Project and large size of the hatches required, the developers are currently experiencing difficulties in appropriately placing the hatches within the property. The developers are proposing to place the DWP access hatches within the right of way, within the 10 feet wide sidewalk, adjacent to the property along Argyle Street (see Attachment).
The Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 62.03 reserves a four-foot section of the right of way ("reserved area") for the Department of Public Works (measured from face of existing sidewalk curb towards the property line - see Attachment). This area is primarily reserved for the Bureau of Street Services' street lighting conduit. However, the Board of Public Works may permit other utilities (telephone, cable, electricity, etc.) to cross the "reserved area" at points of connection to private property. The maximum dimension required for the access encroaches into the four-foot section required by Municipal Code Section 62.03. The developers have confirmed with the Bureau of Street Lighting that the available, remaining space to the face of curb will be sufficient for current and future street lighting conduit. The developers have also confirmed that no other utilities have points of connection in the proposed DWP access vault locations. The developers are requesting that the below ground airspace containing the two access hatches be merged with Tract 63297 to allow the hatches to be constructed as designed.
THEREFORE MOVE that the City Council authorize the City Engineer to approve two rectangular tract merge areas containing below ground airspace to an upper limit at approximately 8-inches below the sidewalk along Argyle Avenue, as shown in the Attachment.