By Daniel Larios
Staff Writer

September 12, 2014 – The Santa Monica City Council approved about $166,000 in expenses Tuesday, all of which will go towards park improvements and design.

The biggest expenditure was $116,637 to Marina del Rey-based Katherine Spitz Associates, Inc (KSA) to provide design services for the Reed Park and Ozone Park Improvements Project.

The design services agreement with KSA will address community, aesthetic and functional improvements at two parks, located at 720 Ozone Street and 1133 7th Street.

Improvements would include new playground equipment at Ozone Park and potential uses for open space at Reed Park, according to City staff.

As part of the process, KSA and City staff will gather feedback on the improvements through community workshops coordinated with the Parks and Recreation Commission and review by advisory and regulatory bodies, including the Coastal Commission and City Council.

Part of the plan calls for the inclusion of drought-tolerant landscaping and water-efficient irrigation due to the stage 2 water plan put into effect by the Council during the statewide drought.

KSA were the landscape architects for the Reed Park children’s play area, as well as landscaped areas along the south side of Miles Playground.

“Although KSA was not the lowest proposal from a cost standpoint, the services included in their proposal were more comprehensive,” said City architect Jean Bellman. 

“Additionally, KSA brings specific expertise related to Reed Park due to their drought-tolerant landscape redesign of the park to the south of Miles Playhouse, which they can now complement with work to the north of Miles Playhouse.”

The council also voted to allocate $50,413 to L.A.-based Mia Lehrer and Associates (MLA) to provide additional design services for the Buffer Park Project.

In July 2014, the City was awarded a $2,139,850 grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD) Housing-Related Parks Program to be used for the project.

“As a result, it is possible to include amenities such as additional exercise equipment, larger trees and shrubs, higher quality paving, more durable light fixtures and aesthetically interesting fencing around the children’s play area and the Learning Garden, previously eliminated due to funding constraints,” said Bellman.

Because possible inclusion of these amenities would require revisions to the plans, the City requires additional design services, in this case from MLA.

The proposed 2.3-acre linear park on Exposition Boulevard is designed to shield the adjacent neighborhood from an Expo Light Rail maintenance yard, City officials said.

It also will provide " a new open space resource offering spaces for picnicking, exercising, children’s play, demonstration gardens and gatherings for both large and small groups," according to officials.

Construction is expected to start in summer 2015.

Rounding out the short consent calendar, the Council, in its role as the Santa Monica Redevelopment Successor Agency, also passed the Agency’s Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule and administrative budget of $1,195,738 for fiscal year 2014-2015.