Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council Regular Meeting of February 26, 2019
Title
REVIEW OF THE PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY
RESOURCES ADVISORY COMMISSION’S MUNICIPAL LEASE
POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDED POLICY GUIDELINES
(Community Resources Manager Kelly Orta)
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council review and provide input to the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission’s Municipal Lease Policy Subcommittee on its proposed leasing guidelines, which will be used to draft a formal Leasing Policy for City facilities.
Body
Executive Summary:
Currently, the City leases a total of 11 facilities, including office space, classrooms, and buildings to eight (8) non-profit or Hermosa Beach-based organizations. These leases have been coordinated independent of each other and without the guidance of a comprehensive municipal lease policy. Since 2016, the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission (Commission) and Community Resources Department staff have been working on the creation of such a policy. On August 1, 2017, a Municipal Lease Policy Subcommittee was created by the Commission and included Commissioners Rosenfeld and Pizer-Mains. Since inception, Subcommittee members have familiarized themselves with current lease agreements and have met with current lease holders to develop the proposed policy guidelines, for which they desire City Council input and affirmation prior to the drafting of the formal leasing policy for City facilities.
Background:
Since 2016, the Commission and Community Resources Department staff have been working on the creation of a municipal lease policy. Initially, the focus was on leases held only at the Community Center facility, although lease agreements with several organizations currently exist at multiple locations throughout the City. Following a series of meetings, the Commission created a Municipal Lease Policy Subcommittee (Subcommittee) at its regular meeting on August 1, 2017. Commissioners Rosenfeld and Pizer-Mains were appointed to serve on the Subcommittee and have provided regular updates to the Commission on their progress and outreach to current lease holders and users of the various facilities.
At the Commission’s regular meeting on November 6, 2018, the Subcommittee presented its proposed leasing guidelines, which are included as Attachment 1. Prior to the formal creation of a draft comprehensive policy, the Subcommittee desires input and direction from the City Council. Staff recommends that the Council review the recommended guidelines as parameters that would inform the forthcoming draft of the leasing policy for City facilities and provide feedback on the alignment of these parameters with Council vision. It is the intent of the City Manager’s Office to work within the parameters of the guidelines to then draft a municipal lease policy for City facilities and ultimately bring back to the Commission for review and City Council for adoption.
Discussion:
Currently, the City leases a total of 11 facilities, including office space, classrooms or buildings, to eight (8) non-profit or Hermosa Beach-based organizations. These leases are detailed in Table 1 below:
Table 1: Current Lease Agreements
At its November 6, 2018 meeting, the Commission formally reviewed the proposed guidelines and unanimously voted in favor of the Subcommittee’s proposal, affirming the Subcommittee’s intended direction to inform the creation of a municipal lease policy. Although the recommended policy guidelines do not include all topics and sections of the forthcoming policy, they highlight the Subcommittee’s intended direction for draft policy creation including:
• Lease rates and allocation of these rates;
• Lease terms of no longer than three years;
• Restrictions on facility sub-leasing;
• Qualifications and requirements for eligibility of leasing City-owned facilities;
• Annual reports from lessees before the Commission; and
• Incentivized self-sufficiency of existing tenants with expanded facility access to newer, less established community groups.
General Plan Consistency:
This report and associated recommendations have been evaluated for their consistency with the City’s General Plan. Relevant policies are listed below:
• Governance Goal 2. The community is active and engaged in decision-making processes.
o 2.9 - Evaluation and feedback. Periodically solicit service evaluations from the community and utilize feedback to improve and develop the City’s policies, ordinances, programs, and funding priorities.
• Governance Goal 5. Small beach town character is reflected throughout Hermosa Beach.
o 5.8 - Public private partnerships. Pursue the use of public-private partnerships to implement projects and efforts that maintain character and benefit the community.
• Parks and Open Space Goal 3. Community parks and facilities encourage social activity and interaction.
o 3.3 - Commercial use of facilities. Regulate and enforce commercial use of City parks and open spaces to ensure activities do not impact general use and enjoyment.
o 3.4 - Balance space needs. Balance the space needs and demand on public resources of formal and informal events.
o 3.6 - Availability of City facilities. Consider the demand and availability of City facilities for general community use in the long-term lease and/or rental of City facilities.
Fiscal Impact:
At this time, there are no fiscal impacts associated with these draft policy guidelines.
Attachments:
1. Subcommittee Recommended Guidelines
2. Written Communication from Rotary Club
Respectfully Submitted by: Kelly Orta, Community Resources Manager
Noted for Fiscal Impact: Viki Copeland, Finance Director
Legal Review: Mike Jenkins, City Attorney
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager