South Pasadena staff outline $24.5 million FY2025–26 capital plan; streets, water and pocket parks prioritized

At the City of South Pasadena Public Works Infrastructure Commission meeting on June 11, staff presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2025–26 capital improvement program (CIP) and a multiyear needs assessment that together request roughly $24.5 million in carryovers and new appropriations for next year.

The presentation, led by Acting Co-Director of Public Works Michael Bartanyans, outlined funding sources (general fund, enterprise funds, Measure R/M, SB1, Measure W, federal and state grants and CDBG), a multi-year repair backlog in water/storm/sewer and a prioritized list of 12 near-term capital projects the department recommends advancing.

Why it matters: The plan would accelerate a multi-year program of street, waterline and sewer repairs that staff say are necessary to reduce repeated repair costs and to comply with state/federal program requirements (for example, SB1 match rules). Commissioners pressed staff to accelerate high-visibility items such as Mission Street slow-streets improvements and the Mission/Arroyo intersection work, and asked for more detail about grant strategy and how design spending ties to later construction funding.

Key numbers and projects

- Requested FY25-26 CIP (carryover + new proposed): approximately $24.5 million. - Major near-term projects highlighted in staff's 12-project list include: - Street repair package (grind/overlay, select reconstruction, curb ramps, waterline replacement, sewer repairs): roughly $7.4 million planned for FY25-26; about half of that includes waterline improvements and some full-depth reconstruction segments. - Sewer system CCTV/assessment and rehabilitation: staff expect to award a contract in July for approximately $1,000,000 to CCTV and assess lines and then to bid repairs using that information. - Slurry/seal project (preventive maintenance): approximately $600,000 (already awarded in April and starting this week). - Fremont-Huntington corridor (Measure M grant cycle work): $2.3 million proposed for design and staff augmentation in FY25-26. - Fair Oaks north-south ITS corridor (traffic signal/ITS improvements): carryover ~$995,000 for design with potential larger construction appropriation in later years; staff noted the project is on a tight schedule. - Westside Reservoir: $800,000 proposed for preliminary and design work in FY25-26. - Grevillea and Berkshire pocket parks: projects in construction with a combined carryover of about $1.7 million; both include stormwater infiltration elements.

Funding sources and constraints

Bartanyans reviewed key funds used for the CIP, including the general funds (104/105/108), Measure R (233), Measure M (236), SB1 (237) and Measure W (239) (Safe Clean Water). He noted SB1 eligibility requires a local maintenance-of-effort contribution (staff cited $1.4 million in 104 account spending to be eligible for SB1 match). He also explained how enterprise funds (water fund 500) are being used for water-specific projects such as the Westside Reservoir.

Staff emphasized the distinction between carryover funds (appropriations made in 24-25 that will be spent into FY25-26) and new proposed appropriations for next year. Projects with carryover and new-proposed amounts are the highest near-term delivery priorities; fully unfunded projects are shown in later years of the plan.

Procurement and delivery changes

Staff described recent procurement and process changes intended to speed delivery: raising staff authority for maintenance awards (up to $75,000) so routine maintenance and smaller professional services do not always require Council awards; expanding emergency authority for the city manager to address urgent failures; standardizing bid packages and adding CIP program manager positions and contract augmentation to increase delivery capacity.

Commissioner questions and takeaways

Commissioners used the presentation to press for clarity and acceleration: several commissioners said Mission Street slow-streets and associated Mission/Arroyo intersection improvements have community urgency and asked why the timeline now showed those items later (2028–29 in the packet). Council member Ferguson and commissioners urged staff to prioritize both near-term operational fixes (painting/replacing rented K-rail, temporary parklet treatments) and to seek grants to avoid overreliance on general fund dollars.

Commissioners also asked for a clearer city grant-seeking strategy; Commissioner Sharma suggested a staff briefing on grant strategy and grant-hunting priorities so commission recommendations can better align with available outside funding.

Operational funding and quick fixes

Staff said the proposed CIP also includes roughly $794,000 for operations and routine maintenance purchase orders (sidewalk repair, small sewer repairs, street maintenance) so the city can do quick, localized fixes while larger design and reconstruction projects proceed.

Votes at a glance (formal action taken during the meeting)

- Motion: Approve the minutes of the May 20, 2025 special Public Works Infrastructure Commission meeting with a minor spelling correction to Chair Abelson's last name. - Mover: Commissioner Hernandez. - Second: Commissioner Maling. - Vote: Yes — Commissioner Dunlap, Chair Abelson, Commissioner Kerwin, Commissioner Hernandez, Commissioner Sharma (5); Abstain — Commissioner Hammond (1). Outcome: approved.

What staff will do next

Bartanyans said staff will refine the CIP for City Council consideration, reconcile final 24-25 carryover amounts through the end of June and coordinate the FY25-26 budget schedule with Finance. Staff indicated the CIP item could go to Council for consideration in mid-June (staff referenced a June 18 Council CIP item) and that the broader budget process would continue through the summer with an anticipated fuller adoption later in the summer or early fall.

Direct quotes (selected)

"A majority of that $24.8 million is made up with these 12 projects," Michael Bartanyans said, summarizing the near-term funding request.

"If we can get the mission project in before the Olympics, that would be ideal," Commissioner Dunlap said, arguing for an accelerated schedule for Mission Street improvements.

Ending

The commission did not vote on the CIP itself; staff asked for commissioners' feedback on priorities, design timing and grant strategy and said they will bring revisions to City Council along the scheduled budget timeline.