San Marino’s street network received a grade of 64 on a 100-point scale known as the pavement condition index, or PCI.
According to Margot Yapp, vice president of Nichols Consulting Engineers, that means San Marino’s 60 miles of roads are considered “fair or at risk.”
“It’s not necessarily a good place to be because there are real financial ramifications at where we are,” said Yapp, whose planning firm conducted the study.
At the city’s current street maintenance budget of $1.2 million per year, the study estimated a citywide average PCI of 57 with an unfunded backlog, or deferred maintenance bill, of $32.35 million by 2026.
“What the PCI tells us is just the tip of the iceberg, it’s a fairly insensitive measure,” Yapp noted, indicating a current unfunded backlog of $13.95 million. “But the unfunded backlog is what’s under the water line, that’s the bulk of the iceberg.”
The city has two other options for its roads, which Yapp estimated as an $82 million asset.
San Marino would have to spend $1.93 million per year over the next decade to maintain its PCI at 64. This option would grow the city’s unfunded backlog to $26.44 million.
San Marino could also choose to spend $2.52 million per year over the next decade to increase its PCI to 70. This option would keep the city’s unfunded backlog at $17.65 million, which Yapp called “stable.”
In the latter scenario, residential streets would witness the greatest increase, jumping from a PCI of 58 to a PCI of 68.
“This is a policy decision for you,” Yapp told the San Marino City Council at it’s Sept. 30 council meeting. “What you want to be at is really up to you.”
“The point I want to emphasize is that preservation is very important because it is the most cost-effective strategy,” she advised. “We want to keep the good roads good.”
She noted in her presentation that street preservation strategies, like slurry seals, cost twenty times less than reconstruction strategies and ten times less than rehabilitation and restoration strategies in the long run.
“This is going to be the document I use going forward,” Public Works Director and City Engineer Dan Wall stated.
“We will act on this when we start preparing our budget,” added interim City Manager Cindy Collins.
Yapp informed the council that the study, also known as the pavement management system, serves as “an annual report card” for the city’s streets and can be used “to be proactive and maintain roads in the most cost-effective manner possible.”
“You have to have a pavement management system in order to apply for federal or state grants,” she noted, identifying opportunities through grants funded by the federal and state gas taxes.
“A portion of it goes to local streets, bicycle projects and pedestrians. These are the grant opportunities for San Marino,” Yapp said.
The study found that San Marino’s 18.84 miles of arterial roads have a PCI of 71, 6.47 miles of collector roads have a PCI of 70 and 34.45 miles of residential roads have a PCI of 58.
“For a city like San Marino, it’s a quality of life issue. It affects your property values,” Yapp concluded. “Most people just want a smooth ride and as roads deteriorate, you can’t guarantee that.”
Vacant Properties Ordinance
The city council approved the first draft of a new ordinance that would require owners of uninhabited or vacant properties in the city to register emergency contact information with the San Marino Police Department.
“In San Marino, we feel that foreclosures have a minimal impact on our vacant properties. We feel that this increase is due in large part to investment assets,” said Commander Richard Ward of the San Marino Police Department, noting a nationwide increase in vacant properties.
According to the ordinance, the owner would have to identify three or more “persons and/or agents that the property owner designates in writing as having authority to act on the property owner’s behalf in the event of a public safety issue, and each of whom can promptly respond after being contacted by the City that a public safety issue exists on the uninhabited property.”
By “promptly respond,” the ordinance means arriving within one hour of being contacted by the city.
“The whole idea behind [this ordinance] is just so that we have an emergency contact for any property that anyone foresees being vacant for an extended period of time,” said Commander Ward.
“It’s focused on the health and safety concern side of it,” he added, noting that the police department will keep the information confidential.
The ordinance defines an uninhabited property as “a residential property in which no person has lived on a day-to-day basis for a period of 60 consecutive days or longer. Periodic visits by a third party to the property shall not constitute inhabitation.”
Commander Ward explained that during the prior 59 days, the home will be monitored through the police department’s existing house watch program.
The ordinance explained that “if a City representative responds to a call for service relating to a residence that appears to be uninhabited and which is not registered with the City, a notice regarding the requirements of this [Ordinance] will be left at the residence.”
“Any costs could be recovered by the penalties assessed on those who are not compliant with the ordinance,” Commander Ward noted.
Council Member Steve Talt suggested that a registration fee should also be assessed.
“People are going to be using these houses for investments. That’s certainly their business, but we should not allow them to use city resources to enhance their investments if they’re costing us money,” Talt stated.
The ordinance would also require the owner of a vacant property to not discontinue water service to the property for more than 60 days.
“It has everything to do with the lack of maintaining your landscaping,” explained Planning and Building Director Aldo Cervantes.
Vice Mayor Richard Sun cast the only dissenting vote.
“I can see some enforcement issues here,” he explained, suggesting that if these properties have to register, then every San Marino household ought to register.
The city will hold a first reading for the proposed ordinance at it’s Oct. 12 meeting.
