CITY OF PACIFICA
COUNCIL AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
9/12/2022
1 SUBJECT:
Grant to Pacifica Community Television for Facility Purchase RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt the Resolution Granting $50,000 to Pacifica Community Television to be Applied to Purchase of 580 Crespi Drive, Unit E, and appropriate $50,000 from the General Fund Unallocated Balance for this grant.
STAFF CONTACT:
Kevin Woodhouse, City Manager
650-738-7409
[email protected]
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
Pacifica Community Television (PCT) serves as the City’s local cable access provider, broadcasting City public meetings for residents to be able to be engaged with City business and airing public service announcements, commercials, economic development/business promotion, and other educational programming that supports and promotes City services, economic development, and public information. During the pandemic, PCT assisted the City in providing essential health and safety information to the community. PCT facility/studio is located at 580 Crespi Drive, Unit E. PCT also provides services to Half Moon Bay, unincorporated areas of coastal San Mateo County, and numerous special districts in the region.
Over the past couple years, the 580 Crespi Drive complex of business units was purchased by a new owner who obtained City approval of a subdivision to create commercial condominiums.
As a result of this conversion, business tenants at 580 Crespi Drive are being asked to purchase their units for ownership, or to move out upon expiration of their lease. Over the past year, PCT has pursued the viability of purchasing their unit. If successful in their purchase, they would be able to seamlessly continue to provide community television services without disruption that would be caused by trying to secure and set up a different facility/studio.
As summarized in the attached letter from PCT, they have negotiated a below-market purchase deal for their unit at $775,000, and are requesting a $50,000 grant from the City, to be combined with a $50,000 grant from Half Moon Bay, and a to-be-determined grant (but likely at least $100,000) from the County, to assist with their down payment. This collaborative assistance from PCT’s major clients will enable them to financially plan for and meet their on-going facility mortgage payments and continue uninterrupted and secure community cable services into the future.
PCT’s services are critical to broadcasting City public meetings in order for community members to engage in City business. If PCT had to relocate their facility/studio, their services could be significantly disrupted, impacting community members’ ability to engage remotely in public meetings. In order to continue this uninterrupted community benefit, the City Manager recommends granting PCT their $50,000 request in this unique circumstance.
Pacifica City Council 2
September 12, 2022
Additionally, the City’s agreement with PCT dates back to July 2007 and is now expired. The City Manager recommends that the agreement be updated this fiscal year and that the City’s handling of Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) fees of approximately $135,000 per year to PCT in addition to $49,550 annual contract fees for public broadcast, be reviewed during agreement negotiations to ensure mutual benefit and legal compliance in the use of PEG fees.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
The City Council could choose to not provide this grant or provide a lower amount than requested by PCT.
RELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND WORK PLAN:
The continued viability of local cable access television relates to the City Council’s Goal of An Engaged Community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this grant will decrease the General Fund Unallocated Balance by $50,000.
ORIGINATED BY:
City Manager's Office
ATTACHMENT LIST:
Pacifica City Council 3
September 12, 2022
RESOLUTION NO. ________
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA APPROVING A ONE-TIME GRANT OF $50,000 TO PACIFICA COMMUNITY TELEVISION TO BE APPLIED TO PURCHASE OF A BUSINESS CONDO AT 580 CRESPI DRIVE, UNIT E WHEREAS, Pacifica Community Television (PCT) serves as the City’s local cable access provider, broadcasting City public meetings and airing public service announcements and public information; and
WHEREAS, the 580 Crespi Drive complex of business units was purchased by a new owner and legally converted to business condominiums forcing tenants to purchase their units; and
WHEREAS, PCT have negotiated a low-market purchase deal for their unit at $775,000 and are requesting a $50,000 grant from the City, to be combined with a $50,000 grant from Half Moon Bay and a to-be-determined grant from the County to assist with their down payment; and
WHEREAS, PCT’s uninterrupted services are critical to broadcast City public meetings to engage community members in City business.
RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Pacifica, California, that the City Council hereby:
• approves the one-time $50,000 grant to PCT to be used towards the down payment for the purchase of 580 Crespi Drive, Unit E, and authorizes the City Manager to execute the required contract documents
• amends the FY 2022-23 Budget to appropriate the same amount from the General Fund Unallocated Fund Balance
• authorize the City Manager to renegotiate the City agreement with PCT to review the City’s remittance of Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) fees in addition to the annual public broadcast contract fees to PCT to ensure mutual benefit and legal compliance in the use of PEG fees
• • • •
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Pacifica, California, held on the 12th day of September 2022, by the following vote:
AYES, Councilmembers:
NOES, Councilmembers:
ABSENT, Councilmembers:
ABSTAIN, Councilmembers:
_________________________
Mary Bier, Mayor
Pacifica City Council 4
September 12, 2022
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________ _________________________
Sarah Coffey, City Clerk Michelle Kenyon, City Attorney