HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC AG PKT 2004-09-27 #O AGENDA REPORT
DATE: September 27, 2004
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THRU: John B. Bahorski, City Manager
FROM: Mark K. Vukojevic, P.E. Interim Director of Public Works /City Engineer
SUBJECT: COLLEGE PARK EAST ENTRYWAY SIGN
IMPROVEMENTS - BUDGET AMENDMENT
SUMMARY OF REQUESTS:
The proposed City Council action will adopt Budget Amendment 05 -05 for the College Park
East entryway sign improvements.
BACKGROUND:
The College Park East Neighborhood Association has come forward with a request for repairing
the lighting at the two entryway monument "scroll signs" located on the north and south side of
Lampson Avenue at the City's north eastern City limits. Many years ago, for unknown reasons,
Edison disconnected the meter and conduit and the lighting at the entryway signs have not
functioned since. The City does maintain functional entryway "scroll sign" lighting at several
other locations adjacent to the City's boundaries.
The Public Works Department has researched the cost to re -power the lights at both locations
and determined the electrical improvement cost to be $3,000 and is requesting a budget
amendment for the improvements. Re- lighting both of the entryway signs would be a benefit to
the community as noted in the attached request letter dated August 24, 2004. In addition, the
Public Works Department will install wood chips adjacent to the signs for additional
enhancements similar to the other entryway signs in the City. Pending approval by City Council,
the project would be completed within 3 to 5 weeks.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost is estimated to be $3,000 for the improvements to repair the lighting at the College Park
East entryway signs. Electricity costs are expected to minimal and can be absorbed within the
existing street electrical budget. Budget amendment 05 -05 will increase general fund
expenditure by $3,000. The current estimated fiscal year ending undesignated general fund
balance is $5,427,072. Approval of this budget amendment will decrease the estimated ending
undesignated fund balance by $3,000 to $5,424,072.
Agenda Item 0
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council adopt Budget Amendment 05 -05 for the College Park
East entryway sign improvements.
Prepared by:
M , 1 4
. Vukojevic, P.E.
Interim Director of Public Works /City Engineer
NOTE D A ■ . PPROV i
Alb ' a
John`." / ah. rski, City Manager
Att/ i hments: August 24, 2004 College Park East Neighborhood Association Letter
Budget Amendment Resolution 05 -05
College Park East Neighborhood Association
C.P. E.N.A.
August 24, 2004
Mr. Bob Eagle
Contract Administrator, Public Works Department
City of Seal Beach
211 Eighth Street
Seal Beach, CA 90740
Dear Mr. Eagle,
The C.P.E.N.A. Board has recently discussed the two signs located on Lampson Avenue at the
northeastern boundary of Seal Beach. These signs are a large, metal "scroll type," each having two light
fixtures atop the scroll ends. The signs used to be illuminated, but it is our understanding that Southern
California Edison cut the electrical power to both of these signs, which brings us to the reason for this
letter.
The two signs on Lampson Avenue serve several functions: they offer information to visitors who may
not be familiar with the area, they serve as a display of community pride, and when properly
functioning, they provide illumination to a dangerously dark area.
Social psychologists and police officers tend to agree that if a window in a building is broken and left
unrepaired, the remaining windows will soon be broken. This is as true in nice neighborhoods as it is in
rundown ones, as proven in a 1969 study of the "Broken- Window Theory" by Philip Zimbardo, a
Stanford University psychologist. Additional studies have shown that the "Broken- Window Theory"
applies to a wide variety of environmental conditions, By leaving the signs on Lampson Avenue in a
state of disrepair, we are inviting graffiti, vandalism, loitering, and hiding places for criminal offenders.
A new policing philosophy has emerged over the past few years called Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design (CPTED). One of the key components to this theory is the proper use of lighting,
especially in high risk areas such as adjacent to a drainage ditch.
It is our understanding that much of the major electrical construction has already been performed. The
electrical conduit is in place underneath the street, and both signs are already equipped with light
fixtures. We have also been told that plumbing and a water supply are present for the purpose of
maintaining appropriate ground cover in the area.
We are requesting that the City of Seal Beach repair these signs. By doing so, we will be limiting the
opportunity for bad things to occur, as well as making our community look nicer. In a time when every
municipality is financially burdened, we recognize the tight supply of funding for projects of this nature.
However, we at the C.P.E.N.A. Board feel this would be money well spent. We look forward to
collaborating with the City of Seal Beach in order to achieve what we believe to be a common goal:
making our City beautiful and safe for its citizens and visitors.
Sincerely,
i
Damon Lanier, President
C.P.E.N.A.
dcicop @verizon.net