City Manager's Report November & December 2022

City Clerk's Corner

• The last City Council meeting of the year is scheduled for December 13, 2022. The Council will be dark for the second meeting in December.
• The 2023 schedule of City Council meetings is available here, have a Happy New Year!

COVID-19 Updates

Find a COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Site Near You

• As we all approach cold and flu season, protect yourself and your families by staying up to date with your flu and COVID vaccinations.
• COVID-19 testing sites are also widely available across LA County in the event you are experiencing symptoms or have been exposed to the virus.

Departmental Updates

Office of the City Manager

Holiday Message from the City Manager

The holiday season is a festive time filled with memorable moments with family, friends, and loved ones. It is a season of reflection, gratitude, and anticipation as we look forward to the new year. I want to express my gratitude to our neighbors, stakeholders, first responders, and elected leaders for your continued support and collaboration. Your service and partnership allow us to bring about positive change to our community and contribute to what makes Pico Rivera a great place to live, work and play. I would also like to offer my sincere appreciation to all City of Pico Rivera employees for their commitment, dedication, and exceptional service. The outstanding public service you provide daily is crucial to meeting the needs of our residents, all while improving the quality of life and contributing to the advancement of our City.

Administrative Services

GFOA's Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting

• On November 14, 2022, the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to City of Pico Rivera for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021.
• The report has been judged by an impartial panel based on the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.
• The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.
• The Administrative Services Department team has put in a lot of effort to win this distinguished award with the leadership of the City Council, and the support of the City Manager.
• Together, we had a lot of fun, surprises, difficulties, and late nights. Our goal as a team is to give the citizens of Pico Rivera, who are our ultimate clients, the best services and reports possible

Corrugated Bins for Community Events

• The City is excited to provide new corrugated plastic waste bins for community events. The City was previously using cardboard-based bins that would get damaged easily with use and water, often only being used once.
• The plastic corrugated bins–aside from looking better–are sturdier and allow for multiple uses, can resist water, and the color scheme allows the public to understand better how to separate waste.
• The City placed the new reusable bins on Saturday, December 10, 2022, at the Holiday Drive-thru Food Giveaway event. The new plastic bins were paid for by State grants designated for cities to reduce waste, which is directly correlated to combating climate change.
• The City is committed to furthering sustainability efforts; this change allows the City to reduce waste and continue to meet our State’s Climate Goals.

City Receives Highest Recognition for Sustainability Efforts from Gateway Cities

• The Gateway Cities Council of Governments (GCCOG) has awarded the City of Pico Rivera GOLD in the Energy Action Awards!
• The Energy Action Awards recognize cities for their actions to improve energy efficiency and sustainability efforts, ranking them from no recognition to bronze, silver, and gold.
• Cities are awarded one point for each energy or sustainability project, program, or effort. Out of 27 participating cities, seven were awarded bronze, six silver, and six gold. Pico Rivera was awarded the highest achievement!
• City staff thanks the City Council for their continued support to further sustainability efforts that benefit the community and future generations.

Community and Economic Development

Permanent Local Housing Allocation Grant Award

• The City submitted an application for the Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) grant on November 22, 2022. The PLHA grant, issued by the State Department of Housing and Community Development, will provide the City with over $2 million over the next 5 years to address issues related to workforce housing and homelessness.
• City Council approved the 5-year PLHA plan on November 8, 2022, which outlines how the City will utilize the grant funds. The plan calls for 70% of the funds to be allocated to the development of workforce housing serving households with incomes up to 150% of the area median income, 25% to procure a homeless social service provider, and 5% for grant administration.

New Businesses and Developments

9056 Burma Road Multi-Family Apartment Building

• Construction is underway for a four-unit apartment building located at 9056 Burma Road. The multi-family apartment building includes a Mediterranean design with the average size of each unit at approximately 1,400 square feet.
• Each unit has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a two-car garage. Construction is on schedule to be completed by late winter 2022 or early spring of 2023

8813 Gallatin Road Townhome Development

• Construction of a nine-unit townhome development located at 8813 Gallatin Road is on schedule to be completed by winter 2023. The development consists of two buildings, three stories in height.
• Eight units will have three bedrooms with three bathrooms, and the ninth unit will have four bedrooms with three bathrooms. All the units will have a two-car garage with eight guest parking spaces. Construction is scheduled to be completed in February of 2023.

The Mercury Mixed-Use Development

• On November 21, 2022 the Planning Commission voted 3-2 to recommend approval to the City Council of The Mercury, a 255 unit mixed-use development located on a 2.8 acre site at 8825 Washington Boulevard.
• The project features a three -to-six-story apartment complex in a “wrap” configuration in which the apartments “wrap” around a parking structure. The project includes 4,785 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor facing the Pico Rivera Marketplace.
• The 255 units are comprised of 35 studios, 159-one bedrooms, 57- two bedrooms, four – three bedrooms units. The project will also include 464 parking spaces of which 358 will be designated for residents, 32 for guest spaces and 74 for non-residential uses.
• Amenities will include dog runs, decorative fountains, synthetic lawn games, and a roof deck with pool cabanas, tv, spa, game area and club room.
• Staff anticipates taking this item to the City Council for consideration in the new year.

Upcoming Events & Programs

Winter Camp Registrations Now Open

• Winter Camp registration kicked off on November 7th. Pico Park will host camp for three weeks from December 19th through January 6th for K – 8th grade.
• This camp season’s field trip will be to Orange Coast College to take a tour of their on-campus aquarium as well as to see a show at their on-campus planetarium facility.
• Additionally, they will have an opportunity to enjoy their lunch on their beautiful campus.