via teleconference pursuant to - smgov.net

City of Santa Monica October 29, 2020 Recreation & Parks Commission Meeting Agenda

CITY OF SANTA MONICA SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA OF THE RECREATION & PARKS COMMISSION

VIA TELECONFERENCE

PURSUANT TO

EXECUTIVE ORDER N-29-20 ISSUED BY GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2020

MEETING STARTING TIME 5:30pm

LIVE STREAM

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MOBILE APP Open this link: https://primetime.bluejeans.com/a2m/live-event/zqudzjau

Download the app if you don’t have it already. Event ID for mobile device: zqudzjau

AND DIAL-IN NUMBER

(415) 466-7000, PIN 7548671 #

THOSE WISHING TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT MAY DO SO VIA EMAIL TO [email protected]. PLEASE NOTE THE AGENDA ITEM IN YOUR COMMENTS. ALL COMMENTS RECEIVED BY NOON ON THE MEETING DAY WILL BE POSTED ONLINE. COMMENTS RECEIVED AFTER WILL BE READ OUT LOUD AT THE MEETING. THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE RECREATION & PARKS COMMISSION. PUBLIC COMMENT IS RESTRICTED ONLY TO ITEMS LISTED ON THE AGENDA. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION IS CALLED FOR OCTOBER 29, 2020 AT 5:30 P.M. IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THE RISK OF SPREADING CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19), THE MEMBERS OF THE RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION AND CITY STAFF WILL PARTICIPATE VIA TELECONFERENCE. PARTICIPANTS MAY JOIN VIA THE TELECONFERENCE LINK ABOVE OR DAIL-IN NUMBER. Call to Order Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call

(Please note that Agenda Items may be reordered during the meeting at the discretion of the body.)



mailto:[email protected]


1. Swearing-In of New and Reappointed Commissioners

2. Director’s Report – Andy Agle, Director, Community Services

3. New Business -

A. ACTION ITEMS: a. Approval of minutes of June 18, 2020 meeting

b. Staff presentation on a potential groundwater injection well within Ishihara

Park, a component of the Olympic Wellfield Restoration and Arcadia Plant Expansion Project for Commission discussion and possible action – Curtis Castle, Principal Civil Engineer, Public Works

c. Staff presentation on opportunities related to the City-owned property at 2018

19th Street for Commission discussion and possible action – Andy Agle, Director, Community Services

d. Staff presentation on revisions to the Santa Monica Aquatics Advisory

Committee guidelines for Commission discussion and possible action – Jeanette Gant, Community Recreation Manager, Community Services

e. Staff presentation on conditions and activities in the parks, including safety

and status of parks and recreational programs, for Commission discussion and possible action – Danielle Noble, Assistant Director, Community Services

B. DISCUSSION ITEMS a. Monthly reports from Commission liaisons:

1. Community Gardens Advisory Committee – Commissioner Gomez, alternate Chair Brown

2. Field Sports Advisory Committee (FSAC) – Vice Chair LaGuardia, Commissioner Gomez

3. Planning Commission – Commissioner Smith 4. Reports from Commissioners on park visits

4. Written Communication – Review of any written communications received from

the public

5. Future Convenings of the Recreation and Parks Commission – Discussion of future meetings and agenda items.

Adjournment


This agenda is available in alternate format upon request. If you require any special disability related accommodations (i.e. sign language interpreting, access to an amplified sound system, are not able to provide public comment via email, etc.), please contact the Community Services office at (310) 458 8310 or Email: [email protected] at least 2 days prior to the scheduled meeting.

Community Services, 1685 Main Street, Room 210, Santa Monica, CA 90401 Phone: (310) 458 8310 Email: [email protected] Website: www.smgovnet/ccs PUBLIC INPUT GUIDELINES: Public attendance and comment at Commission meetings are welcomed and encouraged. THOSE WISHING TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT MAY DO SO VIA EMAIL TO [email protected]. PLEASE NOTE THE AGENDA ITEM IN YOUR COMMENTS. ALL COMMENTS RECEIVED BY NOON ON THE MEETING DAY WILL BE POSTED ONLINE. COMMENTS RECEIVED AFTER WILL BE READ OUT LOUD AT THE MEETING (3-minute limit per comment.) THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE RECREATION & PARKS COMMISSION AND PUBLIC COMMENT IS RESTRICTED TO ONLY ITEMS LISTED ON THE AGENDA.

STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR THAT PROMOTE CIVILITY AT ALL PUBLIC MEETINGS:

• Treat everyone courteously • Give open-minded consideration to all viewpoints

• Listen to others respectfully • Focus on the issues and avoid personalizing debate

• Exercise self-control

• Embrace respectful disagreement and dissent as democratic rights, inherent components of an inclusive public process, and tools for forging sound decisions



City of Santa Monica June 18, 2020 Recreation & Parks Commission Meeting Minutes Page 1

MINUTES RECREATION & PARKS COMMISSION

SPECIAL MEETING THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2020, 5:30 PM

VIA TELECONFERENCE PURSUANT TO EXECUTIVE ORDER N-29-20

ISSUED BY GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM LIVE STREAM https://primetime.bluejeans.com/a2m/live-event/thdxuuzt

Event ID for mobile device: thdxuuzt AND DIAL-IN NUMBER 1 (415) 466-7000 (US), PIN 3373504 #

Call to Order: Chair Brown called the meeting to order at 5:42pm. Commissioner Gielicz led the Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call: The following persons were recorded in attendance by the Recording Secretary:

Present: Chair Brown Vice Chair LaGuardia Commissioner Cohen Commissioner Gielicz Commissioner Gomez Commissioner Kaplan Commissioner Smith Absent: None

Also present: Karen Ginsberg, Director, Community & Cultural Services (CCS) Danielle Noble, Assistant Director, CCS

Agnieszka Bierce, Administrative Staff Assistant, CCS 1. Director’s Report – Karen Ginsberg, Director, CCS

• City’s Response to COVID-19 The impact of COVID-19 on the city revenue streams resulted in major reductions in expenditures, staffing, programming and project funding, and led to restructuring of some city departments, including CCS and Housing and Economic Development Department. Recovery, health and safety have become the focus. At the 6/23/2020 meeting, City Council will consider the adoption of the FY20-21 Exception Based Budget. The Staff Report will be available online before the meeting.

• Capital Improvement Project Updates o The adoption of Parks & Recreation Master Plan is on hold. The report was

scheduled to be released on 3/23/2020, but it is no longer timely and will have to be reworked to be relevant.

o The work on the Memorial Park Master Plan has been delayed due to funding limitations.


o The Airport Interim Open Space is closed to public use and was returned to the Airport Fund for management and operations.

o Current projects which will move forward to completion include the Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field, North Beach Trail Project, and repurposing of the pétanque courts in the Palisades Park.

o More than 60 staff members from CCS, the Library, and the Housing and Economic Development Department were deployed to parks and the beach as Park Ambassadors through 6/20/2020. After 6/20/2020, staff will refocus on re-opening facilities.

In the new environment created by COVID-19, placing the funding burden solely on the government is no longer feasible and more openness to public-private partnerships and other funding mechanisms must be considered. The Commission was urged to read the Interim City Manager budget message in the proposed FY20-21 Budget Book. In closing, Karen Ginsberg thanked Commissioners for their support during her tenure with the City. Commissioners followed up with questions re: the status of the beach volleyball courts, the percentage of the North Beach bike path completion, the projected openings of the Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field and playgrounds.

Commissioners thanked Karen Ginsberg for her service.

2. New Business A. ACTION ITEMS:

a. Approval of Minutes of February 20, 2020 meeting.

Motion by Commissioner Smith, seconded by Vice Chair LaGuardia, to approve the February 20, 2020 meeting minutes. The motion passed unanimously by the following roll call vote: AYES: Commissioners Brown, Cohen, Gielicz, Gomez, Kaplan, LaGuardia, Smith NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None

b. Staff presentation of Belmar History + Art project including naming recommendations for the Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field for Commission discussion and possible action – Shannon Daut, Cultural Affairs Manager Shannon Daut provided the introduction, background and timeline of the Belmar History + Art project:


• The project permit was approved by the Coastal Commission under the condition that the history of the site be acknowledged in the project development.

• The project began in the summer of 2019, with a contract with Dr. Allison Rose Jefferson, a Southern California historian.

• In the fall of 2019, the Arts Commission along with a community advisory panel made up of members of the Black community identified and chose unanimously the artist, April Banks.

• April Banks’ creative process incorporated a community engagement element - the feedback from the community is reflected in the design.

• On 6/15/2020, the design of this public art monument was approved by the Arts Commission.

• Extensive interpretive panels with descriptions and representations of the history of the site, researched by Dr. Allison Rose Jefferson, are part of the design.

• Staff recommends incorporating the word “Belmar” in the name of the site, as suggested by most community members who gave feedback.

Due to technical difficulties with the Power Point presentation, the Commission chose to discuss Item 2Ac while the technical issues were being addressed.

c. Staff presentation on the City’s Proposed FY20-21 Exception Based Budget and FY20-22 Capital Improvement Program Budget for Commission discussion and possible action – Sam Fandrich, Principal Administrative Analyst In his presentation, Sam Fandrich spoke about the city’s fiscal position and

the impact of the Proposed FY20-21 Exception Based Budget on CCS. Due to declining revenues exacerbated by Covid-19, the projected total deficit was $ 224 million.

A $191.7 million reduction to the FY20-21 Proposed Budget was executed

according to the Council guidelines: • Preserve public health and safety functions • Create long term long term and community sustainability • Encourage economic recovery • Promote equity in the community and in among staff

Over 300 full time positions and over 100 as-need positions were eliminated in the city. Impact to CCS: • Initial cuts approved by Council at 5/5/2020 meeting:

o Budget reduction by $11.1 million o 95.3 FTE positions eliminated


• Priority restorations were added back at the 5/26/2020 Council Meeting, and included food security, rent assistance, youth programming and outdoor health.

• Restructuring: o CCS will become Community Services Department (CSD) o The Beach Fund and long-term park planning will move to the

Community Development Department o CSD will retain Community Recreation, Human Services, and Cultural

Affairs Division, and will take over Housing Division. Reed Park Ambassadors program was extended through June 2021.

Capital Improvement Project impacted: • New projects funded to maintain facilities and enhance safety:

Beach access improvements, playground safety surface and equipment improvement at Marine and Douglas Parks, annual pool maintenance

• On hold: Memorial Park expansion and redevelopment, Parks and Recreation Master Plan

• Project Funded in prior years that will be completed: Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field, restroom safety (Reed, Memorial and Gandara Parks), Tongva Park improvements, repurposing of the Palisades Park pétanque courts, North Beach trail

Expect program changes due to budget cuts and proposed fee modifications in the summer of 2020.

Commissioners followed up with questions about the reasons for moving park planning to another department, the percentage of workforce terminated, the amount of one-time funds allocated to the Reed Park Ambassadors program, the reasons for restoring this program as opposed to other funding, and the list of priority restorations, should funds become available. Commissioners also requested an organizational chart of the new department, CSD, which will be shared once it becomes available. Andy Agle, CSD Director, will be the Commission staff liaison. Danielle Noble will continue to be the point of contact as well. Staff will share the Proposed FY20-21 Exception Based Budget info item, which was attached to the 6/9/2020 Council Meeting agenda.

No action taken.

b. (Continued) Staff presentation of Belmar History + Art project including naming recommendations for the Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field for Commission discussion and possible action – Shannon Daut, Cultural Affairs Manager


April Banks, Belmar History + Art project artist, spoke about the artwork and the creative process behind the design. The work reacts to issues raised at meetings with the community and represents the idea of “home,” a place of safety and security. The shotgun house design evokes the history of the Black community who settled at Belmar. The artist sought balance between celebrating life and the cultural contribution of the Black community, while acknowledging the destruction and loss. Commissioners praised the artwork and asked questions about the details of the design, and whether the Santa Monica Conservancy was consulted re: the design. Dr. Alison Rose Jefferson, Belmar History + Art Project Historian, spoke about her work reclaiming and reconstructing the erased history of the area where the earliest African Americans lived and contributed to Santa Monica from 1900s to 1950s. Dr. Jefferson’s book, “A Short History: Reclamation and Reconstruction of the Erased African American Experience in Santa Monica’s History,” will serve as a source for the interpretive panels that will be placed around the perimeter of the field, as well as the source of education materials. Dr. Jefferson’s new book, “Living the California Dream – African American Leisure Sites during the Jim Crow Era,” which includes and examines local stories of African Americans fighting for equal access to recreation, also contributed to the project. A curriculum for K-12 social studies is being developed through the UCLA, History-Geography Project to enrich K-12 social studies instruction and will be available on the project webpage for SMMUSD and LAUSD by fall 2020. Dr. Jefferson stressed the importance of honoring the erased history of neighborhoods in Civic Center and Ocean Park neighborhood. Commissioners commended Dr. Jefferson on her work, were appreciative that the K-12 social studies curriculum would be available online and asked whether the history of African American surfers would be featured in the interpretive panels.

Public input: Ann Hoover and Jaleh Mirashemi submitted public comment by email. Staff spoke about the process of soliciting name suggestions for the site through public input. Motion by Vice Chair LaGuardia, seconded by Commissioner Gielicz, to recommend the name “Belmar Park” for the Civic Center Multipurpose Sports Field. The motion passed by the following roll call vote: AYES: Commissioners Cohen, Gielicz, Kaplan, LaGuardia, Smith NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: Commissioners Brown, Gomez


d. Staff presentation on establishing an Aquatics Advisory Committee for Commission discussion and possible action – Jeanette Gant, Aquatics Program Manager Aaron Orozco, Acting Community Recreation Manager, provided an introduction. In 2019, staff convened a group of aquatic stakeholders comprised of Santa Monica based community groups, Sharks Swim Team, Rec & Laps Swim and City staff, to discuss aquatics at the Swim Center. Jeanette Gant, Aquatics Program Manager, provided and overview of draft operational guidelines developed with the group. The purpose of establishing the Aquatics Advisory Committee is to provide aquatic focused input and experience, unified voice for aquatic facilities and activities, and to promote cooperation among user groups. The Committee will serve as advocates for aquatics, will review use guidelines for facilities, and will help with needs assessment. At the November 2019 meeting, the aquatics stakeholders group voted on and passed a motion establishing the following structure of the Aquatics Advisory Committee:

• 11 voting members: Santa Monica based non-profit permittee – 6 members Santa Monica College – 1 member SMMUSD – 1 member Sharks Swim Team – 1 member Lap/Rec swim – 1 member Swim lessons/specialty classes – 1 member

• Non-voting members: A liaison from the Recreation and Parks Commission A staff member from CCS

• Committee officers: Chair and Vice Chair selected by vote count for 1 year, at a July meeting, may be re-elected for up to 3 consecutive years.

• The Committee will meet quarterly, in January, April, July, and October, on 3rd Tuesday of the month, in compliance with the Brown Act.

Staff recommends creation of the Santa Monica Aquatic Advisory Board Committee to the Recreation and Parks Commission, approval of Operational Guidelines, and assignment of a Recreation and Parks Commission Liaison to the Committee. After the presentation, Commissioners asked questions about the purview of the committee (which facilities will be covered), the reasoning behind the number of voting members, and whether emergency meeting will be allowed beyond the regular quarterly meetings. Public input: William Krivan and Karen Melick submitted public comment by email.


Motion by Commissioner Smith, seconded by Commissioner Gomez, to adopt the guidelines governing the Aquatics Advisory Committee as drafted. The motion passed unanimously by the following roll call vote: AYES: Commissioners Brown, Cohen, Gielicz, Gomez, Kaplan, LaGuardia, Smith NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion by Chair Brown, seconded by Commissioner Gomez, to establish the Aquatics Advisory Committee to the Recreation and Parks Commission. The motion passed unanimously by the following roll call vote: AYES: Commissioners Brown, Cohen, Gielicz, Gomez, Kaplan, LaGuardia, Smith NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None The Commission did not assign a liaison to the Committee.

e. Commission discussion and possible action regarding the 4th/5th and Arizona development project. At the 6/23/2020 meeting, City Council will consider whether to continue negotiations with the developer of the 1301 4th Street project. Should negotiations continue, project priorities such as open space, affordable housing, economic return for the project, cultural considerations, and parking, may change. The Commission sent two letters to City Council and one letter to the Planning staff re: this project, advocating for open space and a park. Commissioners discussed how to recommend a creation of public park while acknowledging the need for financing options.

Motion by Commissioner Cohen, seconded by Commissioner Gomez, to recommend that City Council not resume negotiations with the developer of the property at 1301 4th Street, that the area be used for a public park, and that the Council direct staff to explore all financing options that would make this possible. The motion passed unanimously by the following roll call vote: AYES: Commissioners Brown, Cohen, Gielicz, Gomez, Kaplan, LaGuardia, Smith NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None

Staff will draft a letter with the Commission’s recommendation. Chair Brown will review and approve the letter, before staff submit it as public comment for the


6/23/2020 Council meeting. Commissioner Smith will represent the Commission at the 6/23/2020 Council Meeting. No public input on this item. Commissioner Gielicz left the meeting at 8:13PM

B. DISCUSSION ITEMS a. Monthly reports from Commission liaisons:

1. Community Gardens Advisory Committee – Commissioner Gomez, alternate Chair Brown – no report. Community Gardens will move to Public Works, the Office of Sustainability, no need for this liaison going forward. 2. Field Sports Advisory Committee (FSAC) – Vice Chair LaGuardia, Commissioner Gomez – no report 3. Planning Commission – Commissioner Smith – no report 4. Reports from Commissioners on park visits Commissioner Kaplan spoke about her visits to Memorial Park and her experience using tennis courts at the park. The tennis courts reopened with restrictions after the Covid-19 related closures. Accepting permits for instructors will resume in July 2020.

3. Written Communication – Review of any written communications received from the public No written communication. 4. Future Convenings of the Recreation and Parks Commission – Discussion of future meetings and agenda items

Commissioner Smith suggested that the following items be added to the long-term agenda:

• Converting Reed Park to a dog park • Continuing the Commission’s work on the Parks and Recreation Master

Plan. Staff responded that while the Parks and Recreation Master Plan is not an active project at this time, the Commission will be involved once the project resumes.

Due to Covid-19, the date of the next meeting of the Commission is unknown. Per Sixteenth Supplement to the Executive Order, boards and commissions have been limited to remote meetings for the purpose of exercising specified adjudicative and quasi-adjudicative duties assigned to them by the Charter and/or Municipal code. There are no pending adjudicative and quasi-adjudicative duties before the Commission currently.


No public input on this item. No action was taken on this item.

Adjournment – Commissioner Cohen made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:24 pm.

ATTESTED: APPROVED:

__________________________ _______________________

Commission Secretary Chair

Staff Report

1

Date: October 29, 2020

To: Recreation & Parks Commission

From: Susan Cline, Public Works Director

Subject: Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Olympic Wellfield Restoration and Arcadia Plant Expansion Project

Introduction

The Olympic Wellfield Restoration and Arcadia Water Treatment Plant Expansion

Project is a critical component of the City’s Sustainable Water Master Plan. The project

would decrease the City’s reliance on imported water by approximately 40 percent,

leading to long-term cost benefits for ratepayers, establishment of a diverse and

drought-resilient local water supply, and a reduction in the City’s water supply energy

footprint. In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

guidelines, staff conducted an environmental evaluation, and prepared an Initial

Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (Environmental Document). The Environmental

Document determined that this project would not have a significant impact on the

environment with the implementation of certain mitigation measures.

Discussion The Project, as defined in the Environmental Document, includes the Olympic Wellfield

Restoration and Arcadia Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project, a transmission

main, drinking water wells, a reclaimed water line, and an injection well. Due to the

impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the draft Environmental Document was circulated

for a 60-day public review period, double the required 30 days, from July 6, 2020 to

September 4, 2020. Public notification included the following: a printed announcement

in the Santa Monica Daily Press on July 6, 2020; posting of the draft CEQA document to

the City’s website; posting notices at the proposed well sites; mailed notifications to

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relevant agencies; and an outreach presentation at the July 13, 2020 meeting of the

Pico Neighborhood Association (PNA).

The Environmental Document includes a potential groundwater injection well, which

would recharge the City’s groundwater supply and assist the City in achieving water

self-sufficiency. The well would be potentially located in Ishihara Park and would be

instrumental to sustain local groundwater resources within sustainable yield limits. The

City is currently constructing the first injection well along the Olympic Boulevard median

near 26th Street. A second potential injection well may be needed for resiliency. The

project team investigated over 50 injection sites and determined that a potential location

in Ishihara Park would be best, based on hydrogeological computer modeling of the

groundwater aquifer. Of the top potential injection sites analyzed – including Evergreen

School, Schader Park, and Gandara Park – groundwater modeling results showed that

the Ishihara Park location was significantly more conducive to groundwater recharge. A

specific location for the potential well within the park would be determined based on

community input in the future.

The City provided an informative presentation during a PNA monthly meeting about the

overall Environmental Document and the potential well site in Ishihara Park. Members

of the PNA expressed concerns about siting a well in the park and staff responded and

assured the PNA that any future developments with this well would be communicated to

them. The injection well in Ishihara Park is a possibility and not a certainty at this point

in the Project; however, if the well is required, the City would do the following:

• Work with the original designer of Ishihara Park to mitigate any impacts;

• Seek input from the Recreation and Parks Commission during design; and

• Continue to coordinate and communicate with the PNA during design.

The document is available online

(https://www.smgov.net/Departments/PublicWorks/ContentCivEng.aspx?id=9673) and

any comments can be sent to the project manager, Omeed Pour, at

https://www.smgov.net/Departments/PublicWorks/ContentCivEng.aspx?id=9673

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[email protected].

Next Steps

Staff will recommend that the City Council adopt the Environmental Document at its

November 24, 2020 meeting. The project team will continue to analyze whether the

injection well in Ishihara Park would be required.

Prepared By: Curtis Castle, Principal Civil Engineer, Public Works Department


Recreation and Parks Commission Report

1

Commission Meeting: October 29, 2020

Agenda Item: 3.A.c

To: Chair and Commissioners

From: Community Services Department Staff

Subject: City-owned Property at 2018 19th Street Recommended Action Staff recommends that the Recreation and Parks Commission recommend that the City Council authorize issuance of a request for interest to prospective non-profit and community-based partners to create and manage a community-oriented, publicly accessible open space at the City-owned property at 2018 19th Street. Executive Summary

The City-owned property at 2018 19th Street was envisioned as an open space opportunity that would serve the immediate neighborhood. Given the severe cuts to the City’s budget for park development and other capital projects , as well as the elimination

of staffing dedicated to park planning, it could take several years before City funding and staffing resources could be tasked to create an open space opportunity at the site. In light of reduced resources throughout the organization, staff is considering opportunities to leverage partnerships to continue to address community needs. The City-owned

property presents an opportunity consider such a partnership. Staff seeks Commission consideration of a proposal to solicit interest from non-profit or community-based organizations to (1) engage the local community to identify and prioritize preferred uses for the site, , (2) develop the site as needed, 3) implement a community-supported, open-space activation plan; (4) maintain the site for continued open-space purposes.

Background The property located at 2018 19th Street is an 8,000-square-foot, vacant parcel located in

the first block north of Pico Boulevard, as shown in Attachment A. The property was

originally acquired by Habitat for Humanity with funds from the City’s Redevelopment

Agency for development of affordable ownership housing. The property was conveyed

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back to the Redevelopment Agency in 2009 because Habitat for Humanity determined

that development of affordable housing on the site would be infeasible. Following the

dissolution of the Santa Monica Redevelopment Agency, the site was deemed a City

Housing Successor Agency asset by the State of California Department of Finance.

Proceeds from any sale of the property were thereby required to be deposited into the

Low- and Moderate-Income Housing Asset Fund (LMIHAF) and spent on affordable

housing. In 2019, $1.4 million of federal CDBG funds and $400,000 of general funds

were deposited into the LMIHAF and the property became a City asset rather than a

Housing Successor Asset. The property was transferred with the expectation that it would

become an open space asset serving the adjacent community. Before the pandemic,

staff had identified funds for planning of the site, though those funds, like most unspent

funds, were used to help close the City’s budget deficit during FY 19/20.

Discussion

As a result of the severe revenue impacts to the City associated with COVID-19, the City

implemented a restructuring of its budget and operations. Among the changes were the

near elimination of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget, which is a primary

funding source for the creation, expansion, and renovation of City parks. In addition, both

park planning positions in the prior Cultural and Community Services Department were

eliminated, with the expectation that when park funding is restored, the City Planning

Division of the new Community Development Department would assume primary

responsibility. Historically, the City would program CIP funding for park projects based

on priorities within the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Council and community

priorities, funding opportunities, and available funds in the General Fund, restricted park

funds, and other sources. Once a CIP budget was adopted by Council, the City’s park

planning staff, in partnership with public works staff, would manage a competitive process

to select a park design team, or park design/build team. Staff and the design team would

then complete a community engagement process regarding potential open-space uses

for a site, including a needs assessment, that would lead to planning priorities, objectives,

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and an eventual design for the open space. The Recreation and Parks Commission and

Council would play critical roles in the development of priorities, objectives, and park

design. Construction of the park project would follow final design approvals by the

Commission and Council.

Given the current lack of resources to undertake open-space development in the City’s

historical fashion, staff recommends consideration of other avenues to increase park

inventory and address the community’s open space needs. Given its small size, the City-

owned property at 2018 19th Street presents an opportunity to pilot potential alternative

approaches.

Some alternative approaches that could be considered include:

1. Immediate opening without improvements or maintenance

Under this scenario, the City would remove the fencing around the site and immediately

make it available for general use. Neighboring community members could self-organize

to take responsibility for maintaining and activating the space. The scenario is similar to

how the site was made available to the community for one day by a neighbor who

received a Wellbeing Microgrant. A primary advantage of the approach is that it would

enable immediate access to the site by the community in an unstructured and low-cost

way. In discussing the opportunity with representatives of the Santa Monica Police

Department, a primary disadvantage of the approach is that the site would not have

specific rules and close, as parks do, and a variety of uses of the site would likely occur,

including misuse. There would also be significant liability issues as discussed below.

Given the potential for the site to become a neighborhood liability rather than an asset,

staff does not recommend the approach.

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2. Designation as City park without improvements or maintenance

One way to address the concerns associated with potential misuse of the site, such as

urban camping or other violations of municipal codes or rules, is for the Council to

designate the site as a City park with park rules, including opening hours. A minimal

amount of City investment would be required to remove the fencing and install

necessary signage indicating park rules. A key advantage of the designation is that the

park would have open and closed hours, as all parks do, and overnight use would not

be permitted. In discussing the matter with the City Attorney’s Office, a primary

disadvantage of the approach is that the park designation would not reduce the

liabilities associated with allowing the public to use a space without significant

improvements or maintenance. Given the risk that a member of the public could hurt

themselves as a result, it is highly unlikely that the City would be willing to assume such

risk. As a result, staff does not recommend this option.

3. Partnership

Under this scenario, the City would seek a partnership with a non-profit or community-

based organization to take responsibility for working with the community to identify

preferred open-space uses of the site, create a financing and implementation plan,

oversee any construction, and ultimately manage the site for community use. While

working with a partner might entail less control on the City’s part, it could enable the site

to become available for community use on a faster timeline, given that the City does not

currently have staffing and financial resources to support park development.. If the

partnership approach were authorized, staff would solicit interest among local non-profit

and community-based organizations, with an attempt to understand how the

organizations would approach the opportunity. If a prospective partner was able to

present a viable and community-oriented approach for moving forward, the City could

enter into a short-term agreement to support initial due diligence and community

engagement. From there, if the prospective partner could develop a viable financing and

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implementation plan, the City could enter into a longer-term agreement for creation and

operation of the open space.

4. Wait until City funding and capacity returns

Under this scenario, planning and design would occur in the City’s traditional fashion,

once the City’s finances have improved to the point that planning and design can be

funded. Given that the Finance Department projects that City revenues will not return to

their pre-COVID levels until 2025, this approach could result in a significant delay

Given the options and opportunities, staff recommends exploring a partnership (Option 3)

with a local non-profit or community-based organization to enable the open space

opportunity at 19th Street to move forward. Staff seeks the Commission’s

recommendation to Council to authorize a solicitation for prospective partners. If the

Commission is supportive of such an approach, staff would forward the Commission’s

recommendation to the Council before the end of the calendar year. With Council

authorization, staff would issue a request for interest early in 2021, with an intention of

returning to the Commission in spring 2021 with a recommendation regarding a potential

partner.

Attachment A

2018 19th Street

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Santa Monica Aquatics Advisory Committee (SMAAC) Operational Guidelines

I. Name of Committee

The name of this committee will be the Santa Monica Aquatics Advisory Committee (SMAAC).

II. Mission Statement and Responsibilities A) Mission Statement The mission of the Santa Monica Aquatics Advisory Committee (SMAAC or committee) is purely advisory aimed at assisting the Santa Monica Recreation and Parks Commission (RPC) to give a voice to Santa Monica aquatic user groups and promote cooperation among the aquatic user groups.

B) Responsibilities The committee will serve as the advisory body to the RPC regarding use guidelines for aquatics facilities, needs assessments related to current and future aquatics facilities, and other related topics as may be requested by the RPC or deemed appropriate by members of the committee. While the ultimate responsibility for recreation policy is vested in the City Council with the advice of the RPC, the committee will serve as the advisory body to the RPC regarding aquatics facilities, programming, and activities.

III. Committee Membership A) Voting Members The committee will consist of eleven voting members that will be selected as provided in the chart below and confirmed by RPC. The voting members will represent the various groups and Santa Monica schools that have a strong interest in the City aquatic facilities, representatives of City programs that use City swimming pools, and an RPC liaison. None of the committee members will hold any paid office or employment in City government. The voting membership of the committee will consist of the following eleven voting members:

Member Number Appointment/Selection Process Santa Monica-based non-profit permittee 6* President of their organizations

Board Santa Monica College 1 Department Chair/Athletic Director Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District 1 Superintendent Representative from the Sharks Swim Team 1 Selected Pursuant to Section III.B of

these Operational Guidelines Representative from lap swim/drop-in clientele (“Lap/Recreational Swim”)

1 Selected Pursuant to Section III.B of these Operational Guidelines

Representative from swim lesson/specialty class participants (“Swim Lessons”)

1 Selected Pursuant to Section III.B of these Operational Guidelines

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*SM based non-profit permittee may change annually based on resident participation and ability to maintain non-profit status. Voting committee members will serve a term of up to three years and/or serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. A voting committee member who resigns will continue to serve until a replacement is confirmed by the RPC. Voting members are encouraged to attend all scheduled meetings and notify the staff liaison if they or their designated alternate will be unable to do so. A voting member is deemed to have resigned if they miss two consecutive regular meetings during a 12-month period that are unexcused. It is the responsibility of all voting member organizations to find a replacement to fill a committee seat and such replacements will be confirmed by the RPC.

Any member with an attendance record of less than two-thirds of all meetings on a 12-month rolling basis will be contacted by the chairperson to determine their status and desire to continue as a member.

B) Selection of Voting Members. The following three sections may select a voting member for their respective section: (1) the Sharks Swim Team; (2) Swim Lessons; and (3) Lap/Recreational Swim. By October 1st of each year, City staff will notify qualifying section members of the upcoming vacancies for each of these sections and will seek nominations. Specifically, City staff will send a written notice via e-mail communication to all parents of participants that have been active participants for at least one full season during the preceding twelve months. City staff will provide qualifying section members a brief summary of the committee, including the committee’s purpose, and will request nominations for representatives in their respective section.

Individuals can nominate themselves or no more than one person. Each nominee must agree to attend a minimum of two-thirds of all meetings in 12 months and serve a minimum of a 1-year term. City staff will notify any nominee not self nominated to verify their willingness to participate. Any nominee that is a member of more than one group identified in the chart above or that does not intend to be an active participant of the respective section while serving on the committee will not qualify. The City will accept a minimum of one nominee per section and up to 10 nominees, determined on a first come, first served basis. If only one nomination is received for a section, voting will not take place and that individual will automatically be selected for the respective section. Prior to the committee October meeting, City staff will send a ballot listing of all eligible nominees to all section members eligible to vote via e-mail communication. Ballots must be returned to City staff prior to the committee October meeting via mail, e-mail, or in person as specified by City staff. Members eligible to vote will, by majority vote, elect a section representative to fill the vacancy for each respective section. Results of the election will be announced at the October meeting.

Nominations must include a brief biography of the person as it relates to Santa Monica aquatics and their respective section as well as contact information for the person. Additionally, each

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nominee must identify their past and current involvement in the City of Santa Monica Aquatics programming and any relationships/involvement in aquatics programming not provided by the City of Santa Monica.

If no nominations are received for a section, the Aquatics Program Manager, or his or her designee, will recruit and select qualifying section members to serve on the committee by lottery and will contact the selected member to determine if he or she is interested in serving on the committee. If the selected section member is not interested, the City will continue the lottery selection process until the City finds a section member that is interested in serving on the committee.

The Santa Monica-based non-profit permittees will be permit groups who qualified the previous billing cycle for the Santa Monica-based non-profit rate. This requires a minimum of 50% participation in the program be Santa Monica residents and have current non-profit status. The permittee will be emailed notifying them of their eligibility to serve on the committee and ask if they would like to participate. They will then need to provide the name and contact information for their representative along with a brief bio of the representative, specifically referencing their relationship to aquatics in Santa Monica. Each representative must agree to attend a minimum of two-thirds of all meetings in 12 months and serve a minimum of a 1-year term. SMMUSD Representative – City staff will contact the Superintendent to assign a representative. SMC Representative – City staff will contact SMC Athletic Director to ask if he will be the representative or if he would like to assign a representative.

RPC Liaison – Currently unassigned

B) Non-Voting Members The committee’s nonvoting membership will consist of Community Recreation Division, Community Services Department staff and the RPC liaison to the committee or his/her alternate. Changes to this makeup can be made by a majority vote of the committee’s members. C) Changes to Membership The committee may submit recommendations to the RPC to change the makeup of the committee by a majority vote of the membership of the committee.

Aquatic permit groups will be reviewed annually to ensure the criteria of being a Santa Monica-based non-profit organization with a minimum of 50% of their participants being Santa Monica residents.

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Deleted: ¶Each must agree to attend a minimum of two-thirds of all meetings in 12 months and serve a minimum of a 1-year term. Once all nominations are received an email will be sent back out to the sections asking for them to vote. The City will accept a minimum of 1 nominee per section and up to 10 nominees, determined on a first come, first served basis. If only 1 nomination is givenreceived, voting will not take place and that individual will automatically be selectedbe necessary. If no nominations are received, the Aquatics Program Manager will recruit and select individuals to serve on the committee.




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IV. Committee Officers

A) Positions There will be a chairperson and a vice chairperson who will be chosen from the voting members of the committee. B) Election of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson Nominations for the positions of chairperson and vice chairperson will be made by the voting members during the January meeting. Nominees receiving the highest number of votes of the total number of the committee’s voting members present will be elected. Those nominated need not be present but must notify the staff liaison of their willingness to serve. Chair and vice chairperson will be elected or reelected in January, or as soon as practicable thereafter, by majority vote of the committee’s voting members. C) Terms of office The chairperson and vice chairperson will serve a term of one year and begin their term with the next meeting following the January meeting and end at the following January or until a successor has been elected. The chairperson and vice chairperson may be re-elected for up to three consecutive years. D) Chairperson The chairperson will preside at all committee meetings and assist in the preparation of the agendas and committee official correspondence. The chairperson may participate in debate and move and second matters before the committee, subject only to such limitations of debate as are imposed by these guidelines. The chairperson will preserve order at all meetings of the committee. The chairperson will state each question coming before the committee, announce a decision of the committee on all subjects, and decide all questions of order. The chairperson will sign all documents necessitating a signature unless the chairperson is unavailable, in which case, the vice chairperson will sign documents. E) Vice Chairperson The principal responsibility of the vice-chairperson is to conduct the meetings of the committee in the absence of the chairperson and take responsibility for any projects delegated to him or her by the chairperson or the majority of the voting members. The vice chairperson will succeed to the office of chairperson in the event that the office becomes vacant prior to the expiration of the term. In addition, the vice chairperson will perform other duties as may be requested by the chairperson. In the absence of both the chairperson and vice-chairperson, a presiding officer will be selected by the voting members present.

F) Committee Secretarial Duties The duties of a secretary will be completed by a staff assistant from the Community Services (CSD) Department as directed by the staff liaison. The staff assistant will keep minutes of all regular and special meetings. The staff assistant will forward copies of minutes to all committee members along with the agenda for the next meeting.

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The staff assistant will also keep attendance records for the staff liaison to notify the chairperson and subject member in writing whenever there is a member subject to termination under the provisions of Article V, Section B, of these guidelines for unexcused absences. In addition, the staff assistant will handle the committee’s calendar and perform other clerical duties as may be requested by the staff liaison. G) Ad Hoc Committees Ad hoc committees are temporary advisory committees that may be created as needs arise to address a single particular time-limited project in advance of committee action. The chairperson may appoint an ad hoc committee to meet, discuss, research and prepare recommendations to the committee on various subjects, goals and issues related to aquatics. Ad hoc committees will consist of no more than four voting members of the committee. Ad hoc committees will be dissolved by the chairperson when the ad hoc committee is no longer necessary.

V. Committee Members Terms of Office A) Term of Service Voting committee members will serve a term of up to three years and/or serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. A voting committee member who resigns will continue to serve until a replacement is confirmed by the RPC. Voting members are encouraged to attend all scheduled meetings and notify the staff liaison if they or their designated alternate will be unable to do so. B) Unexcused Absences The failure of a committee member to notify the staff liaison of his/her absence from a scheduled meeting will be deemed an “unexcused absence.” Each committee member’s absence will be recorded in the committee’s meeting minutes. A voting member is deemed to have resigned if he or she misses two consecutive regular meetings during a 12-month period that are unexcused. It is the responsibility of all voting member organizations to find a replacement to fill a committee seat and such replacements will be confirmed by the RPC. Any member with an attendance record of less than two-thirds of all meetings on a 12-month rolling basis will be contacted by the chairperson to determine their status and desire to continue as a member.

C) Resignation A committee member may resign from the committee at any time by notifying the chairperson in writing of his/her intention, and the position will be deemed vacant. Any resignation will take effect at the date of receipt of the written notice or at any later time specified in the written notice. Any resignation will be announced to the committee by the chairperson at the next scheduled meeting.

D) Recommendation to Remove a Committee Member A committee member may be removed for any of the following reasons:

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(1) The member is unable to carry out his/her duties and responsibilities to the committee due to time limitations, illness, and/or other personal obligations.

(2) A change in the status that qualified the member to hold his/her seat will result in automatic removal.

(3) A committee member may be removed from the committee for good cause, including but

not limited to disruptive conduct; interfering with committee business; and violations of these guidelines.

(4) A recommendation by the committee to remove the identified committee member requires

a two-thirds majority vote of the attending voting committee members and any recommendation to remove a committee member must be brought to the RPC for a decision.

VI. Meetings

A) Brown Act Compliance All meetings of the committee will be open to the public and comply with the requirements of California Government Code §§ 54950-54963 (the Ralph M. Brown Act). Ad hoc committees are not subject to the Brown Act. B) Regular Meetings Regular meetings of the committee will be held on a quarterly basis on the third Tuesday of every third month at 6:30 pm in January, April, July and October at the Santa Monica Swim Center. The voting members of the committee may vote to cancel any scheduled meeting. Notice of regular meetings will be posted in accordance with Government Code § 54954.2.

C) Special Meetings The staff liaison, in consultation with the chairperson, may call special meetings of the committee. Special meetings may also be called by a majority vote of the voting committee members. The notice of the special meeting will specify time and place of the special meeting and the business transacted. The call and notice for the special meeting will be posted in accordance to Government Code § 54956.

D) Agendas The chairperson, in partnership with the staff liaison, will set the agenda for all committee meetings. Any committee member may request an item be placed on the agenda for the next committee meeting by written notice to the chairperson no less than two weeks before a scheduled meeting date. At the option of the chairperson and staff liaison, a consent agenda may be established of known, non-controversial issues such as approval of prior committee minutes or similar matters. The consent agenda will be approved or rejected by a voice vote called by the chairperson. Any voting member may ask for one or more items to be removed from the consent agenda. Any items removed from the consent agenda will thereafter be considered by the committee in its normal course of business.

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E) Quorum At least 50% of all voting members will constitute a quorum. The committee may take no official action with the quorum previously established shrinks to less than 50 percent of voting committee members. In that instance, the committee meeting may continue but only for informational purposes. For purposes of determining the existence of a quorum, any vacant position of a voting member will not be counted to determine whether a quorum exists. F) Voting Unless stated otherwise in these guidelines, a simple majority of the quorum will prevail on matters brought before the committee that require the vote of the voting committee members. Following deliberations by committee members regarding a motion, every voting committee member is entitled to a vote unless disqualified by reason of a conflict of interest. Roll call votes are recommended as the preferred method of voting. A member of the committee who abstains from voting consents to the decision made by the voting committee members. Whenever members of the committee state that they are abstaining or not voting, or if they remain silent when their name is called, their vote will be recorded as an abstention. The vote of a committee member may be changed only if he or she makes a timely request to do so immediately following the announcement of the vote by the chairperson and prior to the time that the next item in the order of business is taken up. G) Public Comment There are two ways a member of the public may address the committee.

(1) Fill out a speaker card, which is available at the committee meeting, and hand it to the

chairperson prior to the item being brought up for discussion. If an individual would like to speak on a general item not on the agenda but related to the work of the committee, this may be done during the general public comment period after filling out a speaker’s card. Speakers will be given three minutes of speaking time on an agenda item.

The chairperson may limit or extend public input on any item based on the number of people requesting to speak and the business of the committee. The chairperson determines the order in which speakers will be permitted to speak. Members of the public should direct any questions to the chairperson rather than to any particular member of the committee, guest, or other participant. At the discretion of the committee chairperson or upon a vote of the committee, any person who is disruptive may be removed from the meeting room.

H) Rules of Order Meetings of the committee will be governed by Roberts Rules of Order when not superseded by these guidelines.

I) Standards of Behavior

Members of the committee and members of the public will abide by the following standards to promote civility at all meetings:

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(1) treat everyone courteously; (2) listen to others respectfully; (3) exercise self -control; (4) give open minded consideration to all viewpoints; (5) focus on the issues and avoid personalizing debate; and (6) embrace respectful disagreement and dissent as democratic rights, inherent

components of an inclusive public process and tools for forging sounds recommendations.

VII. Adoption and Amendments

A) Adoption These guidelines will become effective upon being adopted by the RPC. B) Amendments These Operational Guidelines may be amended or repealed at any time. The committee membership must be notified of any proposed amendments at a meeting or by written notice. The membership present at the subsequent meeting will be responsible for reviewing the proposed amendments and making a recommendation to the RPC regarding the adoption of proposed amendments.

VIII. Compliance with Laws

These guidelines will govern the conduct of committee meetings, in accordance with and in addition to the Santa Monica Charter and any other governing provisions of State or local law. Should questions arise as to conflict between these Rules and the Charter or governing State or local law, the provisions of the Charter and other governing law will prevail.

_______________________________________ Chairperson, Recreation & Parks Commission Date: __________________________________ _______________________________________ Director, Community Services Department Date: __________________________________

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Project Description Milestones (Projected) Start(Projected)

Completion

Airport Park Field Repairs Replacement of infill material to address safety concerns Project funding was appropriated by City Council on 10/25/20. TBD 2021

Civic Center Sports Field

Design and construction of a 120 x 75 yard multipurpose

field with 5 yard buffer and modular restroom/storage

structure.

Construction is complete. Per Coastal Commission requirements, field cannot open

until Belmar artwork and interpretive signage is installed. Staff currently anticipates

installation will commence in February 2021.

August 2019

Construction is

complete; field

opening in 2021

Memorial Park

Redevelopment and

Expansion

Design and pre-construction services for Phases 1 and 2

of the master plan. Expansion of Memorial Park to

include 2.9 acre former Fisher Lumber site

Project on hold due to lack of funding. January 2018 TBD

Park Landscape

Improvements

Removal of petanque court in Palisades Park and

installation of planted area. Construction of pedestrian

access path to Chez Jay patio in Tongva Park.

SWA Landscape Architects submitted 100% construction drawings for City review on

10/21/20. The project has received Landmarks Commission staff approval.May 2020 June 2021

Parks & Recreation Master

Plan Update

Update of 1997 citywide Parks and Recreation Master

Plan to reflect current and future needs and trends. The

overall goal of the Plan update is to establish a

framework for long-range guidance and planning for

parks, open space, beach, and community recreation for

the next 20 years.

Park planning is now managed by the Community Development Department's

Planning Division. The draft 2020 Parks and Recreation Master Plan was set to be

released March 2020. Release has been put on hold indefinitely.

January 2018 TBD

October 2020

TBD

Community Services Department: Status of Capital Improvement and Planning Projects

12-acre expansion of Airport Park with a focus on new

sports fields, other recreational uses, and community

gardens. Designed to connect with existing park and

future.

Airport Park Expansion

Pending identification

of construction

funding source(s)

Design and construction documents complete. The project is on hold until funding is

identified.

via teleconference pursuant to - smgov.net

Documents