Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council
Study Session of October 4, 2017
Title
CIVIC FACILITIES STRATEGIC PLANNING
(City Manager Sergio Gonzalez)
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that City Council:
1. Consider and discuss options and opportunities for upgrading the City’s civic facilities while adding new amenities responsibly; and
2. Consider and discuss possible next steps listed within this report.
Body
Background:
In addition to streets, sewers and stormwater systems, civic facilities are an important component of the City’s infrastructure. Unfortunately, the City’s facilities have been aging and their replacement has been deferred for many years. The current City Council has demonstrated a commitment to addressing these needs by making long-term financial planning and review of City infrastructure and facilities a top priority in its strategic planning efforts.
Toward this end, over the past few years facility studies have been commissioned to both assess the structural/seismic conditions (CivilSource Study, 2015) and space/operational needs of city buildings (Mary McGrath Architects Assessment, 2016). Additionally, in March 2016, the City issued a Request for Proposals to identify a team qualified to perform a community wide library services needs assessment in two phases. The first phase of work included conducting a space needs assessment with supporting community outreach, and the second phase of work will include using the identified space needs to develop conceptual plans and related budgets. Griffin Structures, Inc. was selected to perform the work and began Phase 1 in the fall of 2016. The final Library Needs Assessment (Phase 1) report was submitted to the City earlier this year.
In parallel with these studies, a facilities workgroup was established comprising of representatives from the departments of Police, Fire, Public Works, Finance and the City Manager. The workgroup enlisted the services of Mary McGrath Architects to assist in developing a City Facilities Strategic Plan (Attachment #4). This high-level plan looked at: 1) Space Needs; 2) Facility Improvement/Development Scenarios, and; 3) Preliminary Order of Magnitude Costs (range of costs) for the Police and Fire Stations, City Hall and Public Works Yards facility. The draft plan and development scenarios were then presented to City Council for consideration and discussion at their facilities study session on May 4th, 2016, with the goal of guiding the community toward a long term vision for core facilities and helping the City Council prioritize and inform capital improvement decisions and potential funding alternatives.
Since this time, City Council has made important decisions related to the City’s Fire services, the future of our Fire station and the closure of Bard Street - each of which will have significant impacts on the City’s facility needs and plans for the future. Today’s study session is therefore meant to build off of previous facility discussions and provide the opportunity for Council to revisit and recalibrate the City’s vision for civic facility improvements with these latest developments in mind. As a basis for discussion regarding the potential replacement or renovation of our civic facilities, staff have outlined a very general summary of current building conditions below. For more detailed information on each facility, please refer to Attachment #4.
Facilities Analysis
City Hall
The existing City Hall was built in the 1960’s and then renovated in 2000. Of the existing facilities studied, this building could serve the City for another 50 years if renovated and either reorganized or expanded to meet current staffing and service levels. Parking for staff and the public is one of the biggest challenges in expanding City Hall in its current location.
Public Works Yard
The facilities at the Public Works Yard are obsolete. The oldest building (maintenance shop) was constructed in the 19th century and the second oldest building has been in use for 40 years. Per the CivilSource Condition Assessment Survey completed in June 2015, the site lacks basic storm water management systems and considerable maintenance and repair costs are anticipated in the years ahead. The replacement of this facility is necessary to providing a modern and safer work environment for public works staff.
Police Station
Like City Hall, this facility was built in the 1960’s and then renovated in 2000. However, the facility does not currently support modern policing requirements as its operational needs have outgrown the existing footprint. Furthermore, the existing police station was not built to the heightened structural criteria required for an essential facility. Renovating/relocating the Police Department has been a key element considered in previous facility strategic planning efforts by the City.
Library
The existing Library facility was built in the 1960’s and then refurbished in 2000. In 2015, the library was equipped with a new HVAC system. The facility is overcrowded, does not meet most current codes for accessibility, and its current footprint presents major service limitations for the community’s evolving needs. Although the building is owned and operated by the Los Angeles County Library system, the property is owned by the City of Hermosa Beach. This partnership presents an opportunity for creative funding scenarios with the County and through State grants.
Community Center and Clark Building
Although outdated and in need of major repairs, the Community Center and Clark Building were excluded from the draft City Facilities Strategic Plan scenarios presented to Council in May 2016 because the CivilSource study identified these buildings as being seismically sound (whereas other facilities presented more urgent action in this regard). However, if adequately rehabilitated, these facilities present significant potential for community programs and increase revenue-generating opportunities for the City.
Baseline Options
Three civic facility options are presented for your general consideration this evening (Attachment #1). These options draw from previous facility assessments and incorporate key priorities identified in Council study sessions, and seek to address our ongoing facility needs while adding new amenities responsibly.
• Option #1 considers a complete rebuild and expansion of the Library at its current location, a new corporate yard facility for Public Works, and renovation of the existing City Hall, Police Station and Community Center.
• Option #2 considers a relocation of the Library with a new 10,000 SF facility in the vacant space east of the Community Center. This option includes the repurposing of the existing Library building along Pier Avenue to accommodate key City Hall functions while expanding the Police Department’s operational footprint to the basement level in City Hall. Also included is a new corporate yard facility for Public Works and a renovation of the existing City Hall, Police Station and Community Center.
• Option #3 considers a relocation of the Library with a new 10,000 SF facility and 8,000 SF parking lot at the current Community Services Base 3 parcel on Valley Drive. As listed in Option #2, this scenario would include the repurposing of the existing Library building along Pier Avenue to accommodate key City Hall functions while expanding the Police Department’s operational footprint to the basement level in City Hall. This option would also include a new corporate yard facility for Public Works and a renovation of the existing City Hall, Police Station and Community Center.
Policy Considerations:
1) Is Council comfortable with the idea of relocating the public library?
2) Is Council comfortable with the idea of potentially relocating Public Works, Community Development and Cashier Services?
3) Is Council comfortable with a renovation vs. rebuild for City Hall and the Police Department at this time?
4) Following today’s discussion, City Council may decide to bring this item back as a formal agendized Council matter in order to provide specific direction for staff regarding next steps.
Potential Next Steps:
1) Structural assessment of the Library facility
2) Consider/pursue creative and innovative funding scenarios with County and via State Grants
3) Council direction related to Phase 2 of the Hermosa Beach Library Needs project - using the identified space needs assessed in Phase 1 to develop conceptual plans and related budgets.
Fiscal Implications
Attachment #1 identifies very rough cost estimates for options 1 through 3. Although these numbers draw from previous studies and general industry standards, at this stage they are included as a baseline total for comparison between options only. Pending Council’s broader discussion, staff may be directed to conduct a more in-depth peer review of these very preliminary figures.
Attachments:
1. Conceptual Options for Civic Facilities (Griffin Structures, Inc.)
2. City-owned Facilities Aerial Map
3. City-owned Properties Map
4. City Facilities Strategic Plan Draft Report (Mary McGrath Architects, 6/2016)
Respectfully Submitted by: Nico De Anda-Scaia, Assistant to the City Manager
Approved: Sergio Gonzalez, City Manager