Meeting Body
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
DECEMBER 4, 2025
Subject
SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTIONS OF NECESSITY FOR Doran Street CROSSING GRADE SEPARATION Project
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
ADOPT the proposed Resolutions of Necessity authorizing the commencement of eminent domain actions to acquire a Fee Simple Interest (“Fee”), Permanent Easement (“PE”) and two 44 month Temporary Construction Easements (“TCE”) for the properties identified in Attachment A and described as follows:
1. 5487 San Fernando Road West, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California 90039 (APN 5593-005-001, -002, -015, and -036)
2. 5471 San Fernando Road West, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California 90039 (APN 5593-005-027)
The interests being acquired in the above listed properties are referred to herein as the “Property Interests.”
(REQUIRES TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THE FULL BOARD)
Issue
ISSUE
Acquisition of the Property Interests is required for the construction and operation of the Doran Street Crossing Grade Separation Project (“Project”). After testimony and evidence has been received from all interested parties at the hearings, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“LACMTA”), by a vote of two-thirds of its Board of Directors (“Board”), must make a determination as to whether to adopt the proposed Resolutions of Necessity (Attachments B) to acquire the Property Interests by eminent domain. Attached is evidence submitted by staff that supports the adoption of the resolutions, and which sets forth the required findings (Attachment A).
Background
BACKGROUND
The Project extends San Fernando Road West to the north under the SR-134 and connects to the Fairmont Avenue bridge over the Verdugo Wash. Once the new access road is operational, this will enable the closure of the Doran Street at-grade railroad crossing, which currently crosses the railroad that is used by Metrolink, Amtrak, and other rail operators. A Notice of Exemption under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) was approved on March 14, 2019 followed by an approved Caltrans CEQA exemption on October 14, 2024 to environmentally clear the project.
The Project will improve safety and mobility in the area by:
• Eliminating one of the most hazardous at-grade rail crossings in Los Angeles County mandated by California Public Utilities Commission for closure since 2012.44% reduction in adjacent intersection vehicle collisions.
• Reduction in 9.7 million passenger rail hours of delay avoided over 30 years.
• Significant noise reduction for local businesses and residents
• 700,000 vehicle hours of emergency operations response saved by eliminating train-crossing delays over 30 years.
Acquisition of the Property Interests is required for the Project.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
As required by California Government Code Section 7267.2, written offer of Just Compensation to purchase the Property Interests was delivered to the Owners of Record (“Owners”) on February 12, 2025. The Owners have not accepted the offers of Just Compensation made by the LACMTA, and the parties have not at this time reached negotiated settlements for the acquisition of the Property Interests. Because the Property Interests are necessary for the construction and operation of the Project, staff recommends the acquisition of the Property Interests through eminent domain to obtain possession in order to maintain the Project’s schedule and to construct the grade separation and close the Doran Street at-grade crossing.
In accordance with provisions of the California Eminent Domain Law and Sections 30503, 30600, 130051.13, 130220.5 and 132610 of the California Public Utilities Code, (which authorizes the public acquisition of private property by eminent domain/n), LACMTA has prepared and mailed notice of this hearing to the owners, informing them of their right to appear at this hearing and be heard on the following issues: (1) whether the public interest and necessity require the Project; (2) whether the Project is planned or located in the manner that will be most compatible with the greatest public good and the least private injury; (3) whether the Property Interests are necessary for the Project; (4) whether either the offers required by Section 7267.2 of the Government Code has been made to the owner(s) of the Property Interests, or the offers have not been made because the owner(s) cannot be located with reasonable diligence; (5) whether any environmental review of the Project, as may be necessary, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), has occurred and (6) whether LACMTA has given the notice(s) and followed the procedures that are a prerequisite to the exercise of the power of eminent domain. In order to adopt the Resolutions, LACMTA must, based on the evidence before it, and by a vote of two-thirds of its Board, find and determine that the conditions stated in items 1 - 6 above exist.
Acquisition of these Property Interests will not require relocation of residential or non-residential occupants.
Attached is the Staff Report prepared by staff and legal counsel setting forth the required findings for acquiring the Property Interests through the use of eminent domain (Attachment A). Staff recommends the acquisition of the Property Interests through eminent domain in order to maintain the Project’s schedule.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The Board action will not have an impact on LACMTA’s safety standards.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The funds required to support the acquisition, relocation activities, and the recommended right of way action for the Property Interests are included in the adopted Project’s budget under Cost Center 2415, Project number 460091, Doran Street and Broadway/Brazil Grade Separation Project.
Impact to Budget
The sources of funds for the recommended action are Measure R 3%. These funds are not operations-eligible for bus and rail operations.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The Doran Street Crossing Grade Separation project operates on the Metrolink Antelope Valley and Ventura Lines. The capital project will improve line reliability, network integration, on-time performance and lead to more frequent commuter rail service. This capital project is within and indirectly supports Equity Focus Communities (EFC) by providing more frequent service and better transit options through the Metrolink SCORE program that proposes 30-minute bi-directional service throughout the day and evening along the lines. For the Doran capital project, communities located in the vicinity of the project are comprised of 48.1% to 75.1% low-income households, 4.7% to 14.9% households with no access to a car, and up to 99.9% Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) residents. Implementing the Doran Street Grade Separation Project will significantly improve safety for all transportation modes by enabling closure of the intersection and replacing it with a fully grade separated improvement as the new access point. This grade separation is anticipated to reduce fatalities at this crossing by 73%, or 0.73 fatalities per year.
Offers of Just Compensation were made to the Owner for the Property Interests based on appraisals of fair market value. Fair market value is defined as “the highest price on the date of valuation that would be agreed to by a seller, being willing to sell but under no particular or urgent necessity for so doing, nor obliged to sell, and a buyer, being ready, willing, and able to buy but under no particular necessity for so doing, each dealing with the other with full knowledge of all the uses and purposes for which the property is reasonably adaptable and available.” Metro staff has been negotiating with the Owner, but no agreement has been reached. Approving this action will allow staff to continue negotiations for the remaining acquisitions while maintaining the project schedule.
No displacements of occupants or personal property will occur as a result of this acquisition.
Vehicle_Miles_Traveled_Outcome
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED OUTCOME
VMT and VMT per capita in Los Angeles County are lower than national averages, the lowest in the SCAG region, and on the lower end of VMT per capita statewide, with these declining VMT trends due in part to Metro’s significant investment in rail and bus transit* Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets align with California’s statewide climate goals, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. To ensure continued progress, all Board items are assessed for their potential impact on VMT.
As part of these ongoing efforts, this item is expected to contribute to further reductions in VMT. The Doran Street Crossing Grade Separation Project will improve the volume of passenger and freight rail vehicles using the Antelope Valley and Ventura Line corridors, enhance vehicle level of service and emergency vehicle access, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by closing the Doran Street at-grade Crossing. Approximately 700,000 total vehicle hours of travel time will be saved by eliminating train-crossing delays over the life of this project. The increase in passenger volume along the Antelope Valley and Ventura corridors over the next twenty years will continue to reduce VMT on the adjacent highway corridors, Interstate 5 and State Route 14, as some passengers choose to use passenger rail.
*Based on population estimates from the United States Census and VMT estimates from Caltrans’ Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data between 2001-2019.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The Project is consistent with the following Metro Vision 2028 Strategic Plan Goals:
Goal 1: Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling.
Goal 2: Deliver outstanding trip experiences for all users of the transportation system.
Goal 3: Enhance communities and lives through mobility and access to opportunity.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may choose not to approve the recommendation. This is not recommended as it would result in significant delays and cost increases for the Project. Furthermore, delay to the Project will have a detrimental effect on the available Federal and State Grant funding dollars.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
If this action is approved by the Board, LACMTA’s condemnation counsel will be instructed to take all steps necessary to commence legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to acquire the Property Interests by eminent domain and to conclude those proceedings either by settlement or jury trial. Counsel will also be directed to seek and obtain Orders of Prejudgment Possession in accordance with the provisions of the Eminent Domain Law. Staff will continue to negotiate with the property owners with the goal of reaching voluntary settlements while concurrently pursuing the eminent domain process to preserve the project schedule.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Staff Report
Attachment B-1 - Resolution of Necessity
Attachment B-2 - Resolution of Necessity
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Brian Balderrama, Deputy Executive Officer, Program Management, (213) 418-3177
Craig Justesen, Executive Officer, Real Estate, (213) 922-7051
Holly Rockwell, Senior Executive Officer, Real Estate/TOC, (213) 547-4325
Nicole Ferrara, Deputy Chief Planning Officer, (213) 547-4322
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Ray Sosa, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-2920
