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. 2 BERGAMOT AREA PLAN RECEIVED HUD COMMUNITY CHALLENGE GRANT
Addresses Priorities of 3 Primary Agencies: HUD, DOT, NEA
Replicable model 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 2

3. CONTEXT: WHY THE TIMING IS CRITICAL EXPO LIGHT RAIL ARRIVING IN 2015
62,000 daily ridership system-wide
3,500 daily 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. 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. TRANSFORMING BERGAMOT STATION7
TRANSFORMING BERGAMOT STATION

8. 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
Mix of Land Uses and Community Benefits 8

9. 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 9

10. P M 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 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
Pennsylvania
Extension
Nebraska Extension
Central retail street in Transit Village M 11

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 12

13. M 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 13

14. Proposed Development (green)
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. M 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 M
Agensys
Ped. Path
City Owned
5.6 Acres
Privately
Owned
1.3 Acres 15

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

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

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

19. MONITORING TO ACHIEVE THE VISION19
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)