Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council Regular Meeting of October 23, 2018
Title
APPROVAL OF 2019 IMPACT LEVEL III SPECIAL EVENTS:
USAV COLLEGIATE BEACH CHAMPIONSHIPS (5/6 - 5/12);
HERMOSA BEACH TRIATHLON (6/21 - 6/23); AAU JUNIOR
NATIONAL BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS (7/8 - 7/13);
JVA & BVCA NATIONAL BEACH CHAMPIONSHIPS (7/13 - 7/18);
AVP PRO BEACH VOLLEYBALL (7/19 - 7/31); AND
DESIGNATE 6/28 - 6/30 AS THE NOTHING WEEKEND
(Community Resources Manager Kelly Orta)
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council hold a Public Hearing to approve the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission’s recommendation to approve the following 2019 Impact Level III special events:
1. USAV Collegiate Beach Championships on Monday, May 6 - Sunday, May 12 on the beach volleyball courts north of the Pier;
2. Hermosa Beach Triathlon on Friday, June 21 - Sunday, June 23 on Pier Plaza, the beach south of the Pier, and various roads;
3. AAU Junior National Beach Volleyball Championships from Monday, July 8 - Saturday, July 13 on the beach north and south of the Pier (weekdays only);
4. JVA & BVCA National Beach Championships on Saturday, July 13 - Thursday, July 18 (weekdays only);
5. AVP Pro Beach Volleyball on Friday, July 19 - Wednesday, July 31 on the beach north and south of the Pier; and
6. Designate Friday, June 28 - Sunday, June 30 as the “Nothing Weekend”.
Body
Executive Summary:
The City of Hermosa Beach is a highly sought-after destination for special events, especially those taking place on the beach. The Community Resources Department is tasked with overseeing these event and permit requests following an extensive review and approval process that includes both the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission (Commission) as well as City Council, depending on the Impact Level of each event. Impact Level III events, which are the largest in overall impact to the City, require a public hearing by the Commission and City Council for formal approval and are the first events to be considered on the following year’s event calendar.
At the its regular meeting on September 4, 2018, the Commission recommended for approval the USAV Collegiate Beach Championships on May 6 - May 12, Hermosa Beach Triathlon on June 21 - June 23, AAU Junior National Beach Volleyball Championships on July 8 - July 13, JVA & BVCA National Beach Championships on July 13 - July 18, and the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball on July 19 - July 31. Further, the Commission approved for recommendation the designation of the ‘Nothing Weekend’ for June 28 - June 30. Approval of Impact Level I and II events will take place at the Commission’s December 4 meeting.
Background:
In 2017, the revised Special Event Policy Guide was implemented, which outlined an updated approval process for special events consistent with each event’s categorized impact levels. Impact Level III events, which are the events with the largest impact to the City, and new events to Hermosa Beach require review and approval by City Council. Level II events are approved by the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and Level I events are approved by staff. Level III events are given priority review and approval followed by Level II and Level I events at a subsequent Commission meeting. Additionally, the “Nothing Weekend” is required to be designated at the time Impact Level III events are approved to ensure there is at least one weekend in the peak season where no event is taking place, allowing the community to enjoy the city without the added presence of event attendees and participants.
The Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission reviewed and made its recommendation for approval of the above-listed events at its regular meeting on September 4, 2018. In response to past discussions regarding the lack of information on date requests for Impact Level I and II events at the time Impact Level III events are considered, staff requested completed applications from all returning events, regardless of impact level, and included those date requests at the time of the Commission’s review. Attachment 1 includes this tentative calendar, consistent with the Commission’s final recommendation.
Analysis:
As noted above, inclusion of Impact Level I and II dates on the tentative special event calendar is for informational purposes only as staff will return to the Commission in December for formal review and consideration of these requests, consistent with the approval process. For purposes of tonight’s discussion, staff request the City Council consider approval of Impact Level III events only (noted in the green boxes on the calendar).
Staff received a total of six (6) Impact Level III event applications, all returning events from 2018. A brief summary of each event as well as pertinent information from the Commission meeting is detailed below:
USAV Collegiate Beach Championships
This is a returning, multi-day event and includes a collegiate volleyball tournament on the beach north of the Pier on the following days:
• 3 days for set-up (May 6 - 8);
• 3 days for the event (May 9 - 11); and
• 1 day for clean-up (May 12)
This event hosts top college players throughout the country and anticipates a combined total of approximately 1200 spectators and participants across the multi-day event. Estimated event and permit fees payable to the City, modeled from their 2018 event, include:
Approval of this event does not conflict with other Impact Level III event requests or holidays. Further event details are included in their application (Attachment 2).
Hermosa Beach Triathlon
This is a returning event and has been held annually for 29 years. While this is a one-day event scheduled for Sunday, June 23, set-up for the event takes place in various locations starting Friday, June 22. This includes posting no parking signs for road closures and set-up of bike racks and other event equipment on the beach and Pier Plaza. This popular event includes a one-quarter mile swim, 10-mile bike ride and a three-mile run. The swim portion takes place south of the Pier with the bike route utilizing Pier Avenue, Valley Drive, Ardmore and 2nd Street, followed by the run on the Strand north to Manhattan Beach and back. Several parking spaces in downtown lots are utilized for event organizers as well as parking along surface streets to create a safe route for competitors. Estimated event and permit fees payable to the City, modeled from their 2018 event, include:
Approval of this event does not conflict with other Impact Level III event requests or holidays. Further event details are included in Hermosa Beach Triathlon’s application (Attachment 3).
AAU Junior National Beach Volleyball Championships
This returning event has applied to take place Monday, July 8 - Saturday, July 13 on the volleyball courts north and south of Pier. Usage of the north and south side of the Pier is for weekdays only, consistent with the special event policy; AAU would utilize the north side of the Pier only on Saturday, July 13, allowing use of the south side volleyball courts for recreational volleyball play. This is a youth volleyball event that anticipates approximately 800 people in attendance, including 600 participants. Further event details are included in AAU’s application (Attachment 4).
As discussed at the Commission meeting, this event’s final day, Saturday, July 13, conflicts with the requested first day for the JVA & BVCA National Beach Championships. The Commission was comfortable approving both events because AAU would only be on the north side of the Pier on their final day, utilizing only a few courts and decreasing to a single court by noon. Further, JVA & BVCA would begin its set-up on the north side volleyball courts as AAU finishes with them, which would leave the south side volleyball courts available for recreational play. Further, AAU and JVA & BVCA events have coordinated a shared beach volleyball court footprint drastically decreasing the time for installation of additional courts and event set-up. Therefore, the Commission and staff are confident that both events can coexist with respective finals and set-up activities on the north side of the Pier without any issues. Estimated event and permit fees payable to the City, modeled from their 2018 event, include:
Additional event details are included in AAU’s application (Attachment 4).
JVA & BVCA National Beach Championships
This event has taken place in Hermosa Beach for 5 years and event producers have requested Saturday, July 13 - Friday, July 19 for event activities. This is a youth volleyball tournament that expects 600 participants with up to 400 spectators. Usage of the north and south side of the Pier is for weekdays only, consistent with the special event policy; this event would utilize the north side of the Pier only on all weekend dates (7/13-14), allowing use of the south side volleyball courts for recreational volleyball play. While the initial request included Friday, July 19, JVA & BVCA was amenable to finishing its event activities by Thursday, July 18 to allow AVP its requested time for set-up, consistent with the 2018 event calendar. Estimated event and permit fees payable to the City, modeled from their 2018 event, include:
Additional event details are included in JVA & BVCA’s application (Attachment 5).
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball (AVP Hermosa Open & AVPFirst National Championships)
The AVP event is a national professional beach volleyball tour and is returning to Hermosa Beach for a third year with the proposed dates of Friday, July 19 - Wednesday, July 31, which are the same dates as its 2018 event. The AVPFirst National Championships allows youth to compete for the National Championship. AVP expects 500 participants and up to 4,000 spectators, daily. Usage of the north and south side of the Pier is for weekdays only, consistent with the special event policy; AVP would utilize the north side of the Pier only on weekend dates, allowing use of the south side volleyball courts for recreational volleyball play. Estimated event and permit fees payable to the City, modeled from its 2018 event, are approximately $40,000. Further event details are included in AVP’s application (Attachment 6).
Estimated event and permit fees payable to the City, modeled from its 2018 event, include:
Additional event details are included in AVP’s application (Attachment 6).
USAV presented a competing event request to the Commission was for its Junior National Championships on Friday, July 19 - Friday, July 26. This same event was not approved in 2017 and 2018 due to the required set-up needs of AVP, and while staff has tried to find alternate dates on the calendar for this event, the event is limited to taking place in mid to late July due to the nationwide school schedules of its participants. There was concern from the Commission regarding this annual conflict and what was perceived as a lack of flexibility on the part of AVP to adjust its event dates, but due to AVP’s extensive tour schedule and existing agreements with other venues, its 2019 request required the same dates as its 2018 event. While the Commission did recommend approval of the AVP event, they also requested staff to work with AVP on adjusting its 2020 event dates so as not to conflict with other requested events.
Nothing Weekend
Consistent with the special event policy, the “Nothing Weekend” provides residents an opportunity to enjoy the parks and beach without any permitted events. Staff worked with the Special Event Subcommittee (Commissioners Guheen and Lange) to select Friday, June 28 - Sunday, June 30 as the “Nothing Weekend”, as presented to the Commission.
General Plan Consistency:
The relevant policies from the city’s general plan, PLAN Hermosa, include:
• Governance Goal 5. Small beach town character is reflected throughout Hermosa Beach.
o 5.7 - Visitor and resident balance. Recognizing the desire and need to balance visitor-serving and local-serving uses as a key to preserving character and the economic vitality of the community.
• Parks & Open Space Goal 3. Community parks and facilities encourage social activity and interaction.
o 3.1 - Community-friendly events. Encourage, permit, and support community group, nonprofit, or business organized events on City property that support physical activity, beach culture, and family-friendly social interactions.
o 3.2 - Social and cultural events. Design and program parks and open space to accommodate unique social and cultural events to foster connectedness and interaction.
o 3.4 - Balance space needs. Balance the space needs and demand on public resources of formal and informal events.
• Parks & Open Space Goal 7. The beach offers high quality recreational opportunities and amenities desired by the community.
o 7.3 - Recreational asset. Consider and treat the beach as a recreational asset and never as a commercial enterprise.
o 7.5. Designated recreational uses. Continually evaluate and explore devoting certain portions of the beach to different preferred recreational uses while providing access for all users and meeting the recreation needs of visitors and residents.
Fiscal Impact:
If approved, estimated event revenue would be approximately $85,252.59.
Attachments:
1. 2019 Tentative Special Event Calendar
2. USAV Collegiate Beach Championships Special Event Application
3. Hermosa Beach Triathlon Special Event Application
4. AAU Junior National Beach Volleyball Championships Special Event Application
5. JVA & BVCA National Beach Championships Special Event Application
6. AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Special Event Application
Respectfully Submitted by: Kelly Orta, Community Resources Manager
Noted for Fiscal Impact: Viki Copeland, Finance Director
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager