STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date:
July 7, 2026
CONSENT
13 SUBJECT: ACCEPT A DONATION TO FUND THE RESURFACING OF THE BLUEBIRD
CANYON TENNIS COURT
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Accept a donation of $13,000 from the Ashvin and Poonam Dhingra Foundation to fund the resurfacing of the Bluebird Canyon tennis court;
2. Authorize the City Manager to sign a letter of appreciation to the donor foundation;
3. Appropriate $13,000 in the FY 2026/27 budget for the resurfacing of the Bluebird Canyon tennis court and increase donation revenue in the General Fund by the same amount; and
4. Find the recommended action categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Class 1 – Existing Facilities)
SUMMARY OF THE MATTER
This report recommends that the City Council accept a $13,000 donation from the Ashvin and Poonam Dhingra Foundation to fund the resurfacing of the Bluebird Canyon Tennis Court, authorize the City Manager to sign a letter of appreciation, and appropriate the donated funds for the project. The donation will allow the resurfacing to proceed without additional General Fund resources after the City's annual tennis court resurfacing budget was fully expended on the Alta Laguna Park courts. Acceptance of donations exceeding $5,000 requires City Council approval under the City’s donation policy.
DISCUSSION
The Bluebird Canyon tennis court will benefit from resurfacing. When the donation was presented to the City, the City’s tennis court resurfacing budget for fiscal year 2025-26 was fully expended on the resurfacing of the four courts at Alta Laguna Park.
Ashvin and Poonam Dhingra, Laguna Beach residents, approached the City with an offer to fund the resurfacing of the Bluebird Canyon court so that the work can be completed as soon as possible. Staff obtained three quotes from qualified resurfacing vendors, consistent with the City’s procurement requirements, and the lowest quote was $12,880. The Foundation has designated a donation of $13,000 for this specific purpose, as documented in the Donation Designation Form included in Attachment 1. Pursuant to the City’s Donation Policy, donations of this kind (in excess of $5,000) must be accepted by the City Council.
Upon City Council acceptance and appropriation of the donated funds, staff will proceed with the resurfacing work through the lowest-quoting vendor and authorize a letter of appreciation to the donors.
Consistent with the City’s Donation Policy, the City will also provide appropriate public recognition of the donor’s contribution.
ACCEPT A DONATION TO FUND THE RESURFACING OF THE BLUEBIRD CANYON
TENNIS COURT
July 7, 2026
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
The recommended actions have no net impact on the General Fund. If approved, the $13,000 donation will be deposited as donation revenue in account 1100000-48010-D2603, and $13,000 will be appropriated in the FY 2026/27 budget for the resurfacing expenditure in account 1103602-55030-D2603 (Repairs & Maintenance – Other). The resurfacing work is estimated at $12,880 based on the lowest of three vendor quotes; the donation fully offsets this cost, and no General Fund contribution is required.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed action is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities), Class 1, which exempts the repairs, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing public facilities involving negligible or no expansion of existing use. The resurfacing of an existing tennis court constitutes maintenance of an existing facility with no expansion of use and therefore is exempt from CEQA.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Donation Designation Form - Ashvin and Poonam Dhingra Foundation (Pg. 3) Submitted By: Alexis Braun Approved: .David A Kiff
Alexis Braun, Acting Director of
Transit and Community Services
Dave Kiff, City Manager
Report Prepared By:
Coordinated With:
Garrett Rauch, Recreation Coordinator
Armand Pigeon, Administrative Analyst