Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council
Regular Meeting of October 25, 2022
Title
APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL 2022 IMPACT LEVEL III
SPECIAL EVENTS: HERMOSA FOR THE HOLIDAYS (11/18-11/21)
AND LA GALAXY-WORLD CUP VIEWING PARTY (11/23-11/26)
(Community Resources Manager Lisa Nichols)
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Staff recommends City Council:
1. Approve the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission’s recommendation to include two additional Impact Level III Special Events on the 2022 Special Events Calendar as proposed in the Staff Report; and
2. Approve staff’s recommendation for the City to serve as co-sponsor for the Hermosa for the Holidays, resulting in a fee-waiver of indirect costs.
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Executive Summary:
The City of Hermosa Beach is a highly sought-after destination for special events. The Community Resources Department is tasked with overseeing these event requests and permits on public property. Impact Level III events, which are events with the largest impact to the City, require approval by City Council. New events to the City, require a Public Hearing by the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission (Commission) and City Council and City Council approval.
At its October 6, 2022 meeting, the Commission recommended City Council:
1. Approve the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission’s recommendation to include the following additional Impact Level III Special Events on the 2022 Special Events Calendar:
• Hermosa for the Holidays on Friday, November 18 through Monday, November 21, at various locations downtown and on the Beach, south of the Pier; and
• LA Galaxy-World Cup Viewing Party on Wednesday, November 23 through Saturday, November 26 on Pier Plaza subject to the conditions imposed by the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission.
2. Approve staff recommendation for the City to serve as co-sponsor for the Hermosa for the Holidays, resulting in a fee-waiver of indirect costs.
Background:
The Special Events Policy Guide (Attachment 1) serves as a comprehensive document for event producers with information on the review and approval process, applicable fees, policies, and Hermosa Beach Municipal Code chapters and sections pertaining to special events. Special events are evaluated based on several factors and categorized as either Impact Level I, II or III using the Impact Characteristics Matrix in the Special Events Policy Guide. The matrix considers event characteristics to determine the Impact Level such as: the total estimated attendance; the event location; the day and season in which the event is proposed to take place; the total number of consecutive event days; and special requests such as reserved parking, amplified sound, etc. The Impact Level of the event is then used to determine the deadline for application submittal, and the level of review and approval required (City staff, Commission, and/or City Council) for the event. Impact Level III events, which are events with the largest impact to the City, require approval by City Council. Impact Level II events require approval by the Commission and Impact Level I events are approved by staff.
Staff began accepting applications from all event producers interested in applying for 2022 event dates regardless of each event’s Impact Level on September 27, 2021. Event producers with Impact Level III event requests were required to submit a special event application by October 24, 2021 to be included within the first round of review and approval of Impact Level III events by the Commission and City Council in December. Staff continued to accept applications from event producers after the initial due dates that meet the processing timeframe and requirements based on the event’s Impact Level as outlined in the Special Events Policy Guide through Monday, October 2, 2022.
At its September 28, 2022 meeting, City Council approved Special Events Policy Guide updates. Attachment 1 includes the approved updates. Two of the approved updates include the elimination of the requirement for returning Impact Level III events to be subject to a public hearing before the Commission and City Council and the addition that any new event will be subject to a public hearing before the Commission and City Council. The Hermosa for the Holidays is a returning Impact Level III event. The LA Galaxy-World Cup Viewing Party is a new event to the City since the event last took place in Hermosa Beach in 2014, prior to the implementation of the Special Events Policy Guide, in 2017. Therefore, it is required to follow the review and approval process of a new event to the City.
Since the recommended Special Event Policy Guide updates were not scheduled for City Council review and approval until September 28, 2022, to meet the public noticing requirements in place at the time of preparation of the Hermosa for the Holidays and LA Galaxy-World Cup Viewing Party, a Public Notice was issued demonstrating that both events would be considered for review and approval through a public hearing by both the Commission and City Council. Therefore, this item remains on this evening’s agenda as a Public Hearing to remain consistent with the Public Notice.
The additional Impact Level IlI event requests recommended for approval are included on the 2022 Special Events Calendar (Attachment 2).
Past Commission and City Council Actions
Discussion:
Staff received a total of two additional Impact Level IlI Special Event Applications. A brief summary of each event request is included below. Event overview sheets containing additional event details and a corresponding site plan for each event are included as attachments.
Hermosa for the Holidays
The Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau (Chamber) requests approval to hold Hermosa for the Holidays from Friday, November 18 through Sunday, November 20 with load-out on Monday, November 21. The event would take place at various locations throughout the Downtown area, including the beach south of the Pier. Event activities would include: a Santa’s Workshop for arts and crafts; a Storytime Tent; vendor booths; carnival rides; live music; and a Tree Lighting Ceremony. Additional event details are included in the Hermosa for the Holidays event overview sheet (Attachment 17).
Through the agreement between the City of Hermosa Beach and the Chamber to provide the Fiesta Hermosas, the Chamber is to fund and produce an annual holiday celebration and tree lighting event. At its October 12, 2021 meeting, City Council approved the expansion of the 2021 holiday event from a one-day event to a three-day event, titled Hermosa for the Holidays, and for the City to serve as co-sponsor for the event resulting in a waiver of $23,542 for two days of Pier Plaza Use Fees.
The recommendation for the City to co-sponsor the Hermosa for the Holidays event was due to the primary purpose of this contractual, community event being for public involvement, benefit and not for profit. If City Council approves Commission’s recommendation to approve the Hermosa for the Holidays event as proposed, staff recommends City Council approve the City to serve as co-sponsor for the Hermosa for the Holidays event again in 2022 resulting in a waiver of indirect costs. This recommendation is in line with the fee structure for the St. Patrick’s Day, Fiesta Hermosas, and New Year’s Eve Celebration events permitted through the agreement between the City of Hermosa Beach and the Chamber. The proposed fees to be waived, and estimated fees payable to the City for the Hermosa for the Holidays event, would be as listed in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Hermosa for the Holidays Estimated Event Fees
*Additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
LA Galaxy-World Cup Viewing Party
LA Galaxy requests to hold a World Cup Viewing Party on Friday, November 25 and Saturday, November 26 on Pier Plaza. Event load-in would take place Wednesday, November 23 with event equipment to remain in place through Thursday, November 24. The event would include a stage and screen on Pier Plaza to broadcast two World Cup games each event day. The event expects up to 2,000 attendees per day. The City would require the event producer to provide at least two security guards overnight to monitor the event equipment, and at least 10 security guards present during the event times for crowd management. Additionally, the event load-in and load-out would be monitored by City staff. Additional event details are included in the LA Galaxy-World Cup Viewing Party event overview sheet (Attachment 18). Estimated permit fees payable to the City are included in Table 2 below.
Table 2: LA Galaxy-World Cup Viewing Party Estimated Permit Fees
*Additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
At its regular meeting of October 6, 2022, Commission recommended for approval, the LA Galaxy-World Cup Viewing Party under the following conditions:
• LA Galaxy would continue to work with the City to ensure that public safety requirements are met;
• LA Galaxy would continue to work with the City, with the assistance of the Chamber, on a marketing strategy to limit large-scale event noticing;
• LA Galaxy ensure emergency access lanes are defined along Pier Plaza; and
• Staff continue to update the Commission on the marketing strategy and public safety requirements.
This motion passed with a 4-1 vote.
The City’s Special Event Team, which consists of a representative from each City Department, including the Hermosa Beach Police Department, and Los Angeles County Fire Department, would continue to work with LA Galaxy to ensure the Commission’s concerns are addressed.
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 5. Small beach town character is reflected throughout Hermosa Beach.
Policy:
• 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 and Open Space Element
Goal 3. Community parks and facilities encourage social activity and interaction.
Policies:
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
Goal 7. The beach offers high quality recreational opportunities and amenities desired by the community.
Policies:
• 7.3 Recreational asset. Consider and treat the beach as a recreational asset and never as a commercial enterprise.
• 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 $27,082 and the fee waiver total would be approximately $45,793.
Attachments:
1. Special Events Policy Guide
2. 2022 Special Events Calendar
3. Link to September 20, 2021 Commission Staff Report
4. Link to October 12, 2021 City Council Staff Report
5. Link to December 7, 2021 Commission Staff Report
6. Link to December 14, 2021 City Council Staff Report
7. Link to January 4, 2022 Commission Staff Report
8. Link to January 11, 2022 City Council Staff Report
9. Link to March 1, 2022 Commission Staff Report
10. Link to March 22, 2022 City Council Staff Repot
11. Link to May 3, 2022 Commission Staff Report
12. Link to May 10, 2022 City Council Staff Report
13. Link to July 5, 2022 Commission Staff Report
14. Link to September 6, 2022 Commission Staff Report
15. Link to September 28, 2022 City Council Staff Report
16. Link to October 6, 2022 Commission Staff Report
17. Hermosa for the Holidays Event Overview Sheet
18. LA Galaxy - World Cup Viewing Party Event Overview Sheet
Respectfully Submitted by: Lisa Nichols, Community Resources Manager
Noted for Fiscal Impact: Viki Copeland, Finance Director
Legal Review: Mike Jenkins, City Attorney
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager