Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council
Regular Meeting of November 29, 2023
Title
FACILITIES STUDY SESSION
(City Manager Suja Lowenthal)
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Staff recommends City Council:
1. Receive and provide comment on a presentation regarding civic facilities; and
2. Provide direction to staff regarding formation of a civic facilities advisory group.
Body
Executive Summary:
To address the need to refurbish or replace the City’s aging civic facilities, this study session is intended as an introductory informational workshop that builds on facilities studies and strategic plans completed from 2013 through 2017, to help develop a financing and development plan for a potential civic center revitalization.
The study session format will allow staff and an industry professional to cover the City’s current land inventory, identify operational and maintenance issues of the current buildings, review a possible plan of finance for a civic facilities project, outline a plan for project procurement, and provide an opportunity for Councilmembers to consider and ask questions regarding the City’s civic facilities.
Background:
In addition to streets, sewers, and stormwater systems, civic facilities are an important component of the City’s infrastructure. The City’s facilities were constructed over 70 years ago and are severely aged; their replacement having been deferred for many years. Current and past City Councils have 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 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and strategic planning efforts.
Past facility studies were commissioned to assess the structural/seismic conditions (CivilSource Study, 2015) and space/operational needs of City buildings (Mary McGrath Architects Assessment, 2016). 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. 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 Yard facility. The draft plan and development scenarios were reviewed and discussed by City Council at its May 4, 2016 facilities study session. The goal of the strategic plan and study session was to guide the community toward a long-term vision for core facilities and help the City Council prioritize and inform capital improvement decisions and potential funding alternatives.
Following Council direction, 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 would 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 report was submitted to the City in July 2017. Following completion of a Phase 1 in 2017, Griffin Structures, Inc. and City staff proceeded with development of conceptual site plan options and related budget estimates, which were presented to City Council at its October 4, 2017 study session. Ultimately, City Council and the City Manager’s Department opted to hold off on further investment of consultant time until funding opportunities were fleshed out, and placed the project on hold.
Since 2017, the City Council made important decisions related to the City’s fire services, the future of the fire station, and the closure of Bard Street, as well as the prioritization of the City’s Corporate Yard Facilities renovation project (CIP 615). Each of these decisions has significant impacts on the City’s budget and strategic planning of future civic facility improvements.
Past Council Actions
|
Meeting Date |
Description |
|
May 4, 2016 |
City Council held a study session to review and discuss a draft City Facilities Strategic Plan and development scenarios. |
|
October 4, 2017 |
City Council received a presentation related to conceptual site plan options and related budget estimates for the library needs assessment. |
|
October 2, 2019 |
City Council held a study session to receive information regarding the structure, principles, and benefits of public-private partnerships. |
Discussion:
The City engaged Fullerton Consulting Partners in April 2023 to synthesize and build on the existing civic facilities work coordinated by the City and to help develop a financing and development plan for a civic center revitalization. The scope of work included:
• Reviewing the City’s land inventory, including zoning and site constraints, to determine possible locations for a potential consolidated civic center.
• Identifying operational concerns and known issues with the current City facilities inventory by interviewing staff and reviewing previous building condition surveys, needs analysis, and other studies.
• Suggesting a financing approach for a potential new civic center project.
• Outlining a plan for project procurement.
Fullerton Consulting Partners completed its review of existing studies performed by experts previously engaged by the City including:
• Downtown Core Revitalization Strategy, ROMA Design Group, 2013
• Facilities Condition Assessment, Civil Source, 2015
• Civic Facilities Strategic Plan, Mary McGrath Architects, 2015
• ADA Evaluation, Civil Source, 2015
• Led and Asbestos Surveys, Patriot Environmental Services, 2015
• Library Needs Assessment, Griffin Structures, 2016
• Downtown Cost Benefit Analysis, Kosmont, 2016
• Corrective Action Plan for City Yard Remediation, Dudek, 2019
• Community Theater Needs Assessment, DLR Group, 2020
In summary, these studies support the need for new civic center facilities. They document operational deficiencies affecting the needs of the Hermosa Beach Police force, Public Works Department, and other City staff, as well as a state of disrepair in the current facilities. The placement of the various civic properties at the entrance to downtown provides a unique opportunity for downtown revitalization with a catalytic project.
The City of Hermosa Beach has an opportunity to recreate a unique civic center asset that will serve critical government needs while providing an iconic sense of place in the City’s downtown core. This project could serve to anchor the City center with a truly meaningful center of government and public service, with a sense of civic place and pride.
General Plan Consistency:
This report and associated recommendation have been evaluated for their consistency with the City’s General Plan. Relevant Policies are listed below:
Governance Element
Goal 1. A high degree of transparency and integrity in the decision-making process.
Policies:
• 1.2 Strategic planning. Regularly discuss and set priorities at the City Council and management level to prioritize work programs and staffing needs.
• 1.6 Long-term considerations. Prioritize decisions that provide long-term community benefit and discourage decisions that provide short-term community benefit but reduce long-term opportunities.
Goal 2. The community is active and engaged in decision-making processes.
Policies:
• 2.4 Public forums. Host periodic public forums on issues important to the community, facilitating these forums with the purpose of guiding City policy.
Goal 5. Small beach town character is reflected throughout Hermosa Beach.
Policies:
• 5.5 Community benefits. Consider incentives for new development that provide a substantial economic benefit to the community such as retail sales taxes, transient occupancy taxes or higher-paying jobs. Prohibit the provision of incentives that outweigh the direct benefits from the use.
• 5.8 Public private partnerships. Pursue the use of public-private partnerships to implement projects and efforts that maintain character and benefit the community.
Goal 6. A broad-based and long-term economic development strategy for Hermosa Beach that supports existing businesses while attracting new business and tourism.
Policies:
• 6.2 Regional presence. Encourage economic development strategies that will make Hermosa Beach a driving force and jobs center behind the regional economy of the South Bay region.
Infrastructure Element
Goal 1. Infrastructure systems are functional, safe, and well maintained.
Policies:
• 1.2 Priority investments. Use City Council established priorities and the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to identify and allocate funding for projects identified in the infrastructure plan.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact related to the recommended action.
Attachments:
1. Link to May 4, 2016 City Council Staff Report
2. Link to October 4, 2017 City Council Staff Report
3. Link to October 2, 2019 City Council Staff Report
4. Power Point Presentation
Respectfully Submitted by: Angela Crespi, Deputy City Manager
Concur: Joe SanClemente, Public Works Director
Concur: Carrie Tai, Community Development Director
Noted for Fiscal Impact: Viki Copeland, Finance Director
Legal Review: Patrick Donegan, City Attorney
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager