Administrative Reports and Minutes from the November and December 2021 Recreation & Parks Commission Meetings — Redondo Beach City Council, March 15, 2022

Administrative
Report
J.3., File # RP21-3280 Meeting Date: 11/10/2021
TO: RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION
FROM: Cameron Harding, Community Services Director
TITLE
INFORMATION ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICE DEPARTMENT’S SAILING PROGRAM AND

CLUB ACTIVITIES

RECOMMENDATION
That the Commission receives and files this report on the city’s sailing program including current and previous Sailing Club activities.

BACKGROUND
At the Commission’s October 13 meeting, a request was made for staff to provide an overview to the Commission on the city’s sailing program including Sailing Club activities.

Membership eligibility in the Sailing Club is contingent on successful completion of the ASA courses offered through the Community Services Department’s class offerings and taught by certified city employees. Annual membership into the club is $300 and provides free sailing every Sunday for members and an opportunity to rent city owned boats during select times throughout the week.

Additionally, membership also provides an opportunity for those who aren’t yet Skippers additional sea time to meet the skills necessary to obtain Skipper status. Currently, membership dues are collected and monitored by the Community Services Department and are applied towards boat maintenance and slip fees. The activities of the Sailing Club were closed in March 2020 due to precautionary measures associated with COVID-19 and recently re-opened in May 2021. All members were re-certified prior to returning to the water.

Boats
The city’s boat fleet that are utilized for the sailing program and Sailing Club include the following, which are all docked at the King Harbor Marina:
· (2) 27’ Cal 227 Sloop (one with a diesel motor; one with a 9.9 HP Honda motor) · (1) 25’ Catalina Capri Sloop (outboard 5 HP Honda motor)

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J.3., File # RP21-3280 Meeting Date: 11/10/2021
· (1) 26’ Ericson Sloop (diesel motor, radar, auto pilot, GPS) · (1) 13’ Boston Whaler
Sailing Club members are able to use one of the 27’ Cal 227 Sloops and the 25’ Catalina Sloop. In addition to those listed above, the city also owns two 14’ Catalina Sloops which do not have motors and are no longer used for teaching.

Sailing Program and Club Financials
Ongoing annual expenses totaling approximately $75,644.05 are allocated toward the management of the sailing program as well as the maintenance of equipment. This figure includes an average calculation of expenses between fiscal years 18/19 through 20/21. This calculation was used since the pandemic has altered the program in various ways and the analysis of a single year does not provide a comprehensive picture of the sailing program void of any effects of external factors. These expenses include, but are not limited to, the following:
· Slip fees at King Harbor Marina;
· Membership fees for various sailing organizations, associated supplies, instructor fees and certifications for ASA;
· Upkeep and general boat maintenance including cleaning services for the bottoms of the boats, fuel, and safety equipment;
· Instructor-related expenses such as recertifications and licenses; and · Staff resources including class instructors and program administration.

The city receives annual grant funding from the California Department of Parks and Recreation Division of Boating and Waterways. Current grant funds total $19,993 and are available for use through May 31, 2022. These are applied to help offset sailing program expenses; provide sailing classes at a reduced cost for participants; and supports full and partial scholarships for eligible class participants.

Other revenue for the program comes in the form of class registration. The average revenue between fiscal years 18/19 through 20/21 is $23,043. Revenue has decreased approximately 22% since the start of the pandemic.

Sailing Club
The Sailing Club has provided exclusive membership services for experienced sailors out of King Harbor for at least 20 years. Membership in the club is contingent upon successful completion of the ASA courses offered through the Community Services Department. Club members are able to utilize city owned boats for free every Sunday and an added opportunity to rent city owned boats during select times throughout the week when the boats are not being utilized for city ran lessons. In November, 2020, the city began managing the collection of membership fees for the Sailing Club and providing direct oversight of club activities as the club relied on the use of city owned vessels. Prior to November 2020, all membership dues were collected independently and retained by a local nonprofit organization. No portion of membership fees were shared with the city and no formal agreement was

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J.3., File # RP21-3280 Meeting Date: 11/10/2021
organization. No portion of membership fees were shared with the city and no formal agreement was in place that outlined how the membership fees should be used. As the club relied on the use of city owned vessels, staff determined it would be more appropriate for the city to collect and oversee membership fees. This transition resulted in an increase in revenue to the city totaling $7,200 in fiscal year 2021/2022, which represents membership fees for the club’s 24 current members.

Recently, members of the local non-profit have voiced their concern with the current model of the city overseeing operations of the Sailing Club. Staff will be presenting this informational report to the City Council at its November 16, 2021 meeting and recommending that the Council provide direction to staff on how to proceed with Sailing Club activities related to the local, non-profit club.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Sailing Program Presentation

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BLUE FOLDER ITEM
Btue foldet items ore odditionolbock up mote ol to odministtotive reports ond/or public comments rcceived oftet the printing ond distribution of the ogendo pocket for receive ond file.

RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION
DECEMBER 8, 2021
F.1. APPROVALOFMINUTES:NOVEMBERl0,2021
CONTACT: CAMERON

DIRECTOR

HARDING, COMMUNTTY SERVICES

WORD DOCUMENT

MINUTES OF THE
REDONDO BEACH RECREATION At'lD PARKS COMMISSION MEETING NOVEMBER 10,202.I

A CALLTOORDER
A regular meeting of the Recreation and Parks Commission, conducted as a Zoom meeting, wEtS called to order by Chairwoman Korman-Sooper at 7:00 p.m.

B. ROLLCALL
Commissioners Present
Commissioners Absent:

Officials Present:

Korman-Sooper, Escontrias, IVlcCauley, Rowe, Lang
Almeida, Varvarigos
Kelly Orta, Senior [Vhnagement Analyst
Mchelle Pinedo, Recreation Supervisor
Ted Semaan, Public Works Director
Rob Osborne, Senior lManagement Analyst
C. SALUTETOTHEFLAG
Al the request of Chair Korman-Sooper, Commissioner Lang led the Salute to the Flag D. APPROVAL OF ORDER OF AGENDA
Itlotion by Chair Korman-Sooper, seconded by Commissioner [VbCauley, to approve the Order of Agenda with a change, switching the order of items J1 and J2 on the agenda. lVbtion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Varvarigos and Almeida absent.

E. BLUE FOLDER ITEMS
I\lbtion by Commissioner ltlccauley, seconded by Commissioner Lang, to accept the blue folder item that was sent to the commissioners. lVlotion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Varvarigos and Almeida absent.

F. CONSENT CAENDAR ITEMS

1. Approval of Affidavit of Posting for the Recreation and Parks Commission Regular lvleeting of Novem ber 10 , 2021 .

2. Approval of the minutes of the Recreation and Parks Commission Regular lVleeting of October 1 3, 2021 .

It/btion by Commissioner ft/lccauley, seconded by Commissioner Rowe, to approve the Consent Calendar. l/btion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Varvarigos and Almeida absent.

G. EXCLUDED CONSENT CALENDAR
None.

Barbara Epstein spoke to the Commission, saying shewanted to donate a memorial bench for her friend Lillian Light, a wonderful nature educator who did a lot of work in Wilderness Park.

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H. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ON NON-AGENDAITEMS
lvlark Hansen from King Harbor Yacht CIub invited the Commissioners andthe communityto come and enjoy their 29th annual Holiday Boat Parade com ing up on Saturday, Decem ber 1 1th, He said there is great viewing all along the inner breakwater of the Harbor, and it is a great family event.

South Bay Parkland Conservancy also wants to donate a bench for Bill Petit, who recently passed away. She was thinking they should choose one beautiful rustic design for future donations of benches. Shewanted to askthe Commission for their opinion on that.

Chair Korman-Sooper thanked Barbara and Commissioner Lang said that she would follow up with City staff on this idea.

I. ITEMS CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS AGENDAS
None.

J. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION PRIORTO ACTION
J.2. DISCUSSION OF ELEMENTSTO BE INCLUDED IN A TREE ORDINA'.ICE Kelly Orta introduced Rob Osborne of the City's Public Works Department who gave a presentation on this issue. He said that he was there at the City Council's direction, to get the Commission's input on a Tree Ordinance they are developing. He said that a few months ago, the City Council started receiving complaints expressing concern that trees, primarily located in the parloivay strips in front of properties, were being cutdown. A tree ordinance was suggested to govern this issue and to protect trees from being removed. Two City residents, one of whom is Commissioner Lang, developed a proposed tree ordinance. ln August it was brought to City Council. After discussion of the issue, the City Council directed that it be brought before three Commissions:the Recreation and Parks Commission, the Planning Commission, and the Public Works Commission, for specific input on four different areas that could be included in a tree ordinance. The four areas are as follows:.

Proposal to establish Protected Tree Classification based on unique species, age, or historical significance. The City's current practice is to protect all trees, not just those with these specific characteristics. Thesefactors are already included in the process and are taken into consideration in making decisions to protect trees in the City..

Proposal to prohibit removal of trees in parkways ( related to development projects). The current practice aims to avoid tree removal if at all possible, and it requires an appeal to the Planning Commission to obtain permission. Requests are approved on a case-bycase basis. Staff recommends maintaining lhe current practice in order to keep flexibility..

Proposal to prohibit removal of trees on private property. This is not something the City has ever regulated. They have only focused on trees on public property. Staff does not recommend restricting what people can do with trees on their own property. tt could be very controversial if the City began to infringe on property rights..

Proposal to establish two lists, one for approved and one for prohibited trees. We currently have a list of recommended trees (it was included in the agenda packet). lt includes eighteen different species of trees that do very well in the beach climate. Other lrees are considered on a case-by-case basis, if residents want to plant them. The staff recommendation is to maintain the current list, and not to establish a list of prohibited trees, but to evaluate residents' requests on a case-by-case basis.

Rob Osborne asked for the Commissioners' input on the four areas he had spoken of, for City Council's consideration of the tree ordinance issue, and concluded his presentation.

Chair Korman-Sooper asked if the Commissioners had any questions or com ments.

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2 Commissioner Lang said that she had a presentation for the Commission and would like to speak after the discussion of Rob Osborne's presentation.

Commissioner llcCauley asked if the City has an arborist on staff, and whether he agrees with these recommendations.

Rob Osborne replied in the affirmative and said his title is Parks and Urban Forest lt/hnager and that he agrees with the recommendations of the Publtc Works Department.

Public Works DirectorTed Semaan said that he is also available to answer any questions the Commissioners may have regarding this item tonight.

Commissioner Rowe asked roughly how many inquiries the City receives in a year about a tree being taken down-is it once a week or once a month?
Rob Osbornesaid in Public Works, they get very few-once every couple of months on average for the last few years.

Commissioner Rowe asked if they had heard from Mke Garcia on this issue, and Public Works Director Ted Semaan said they had not heard from him on this issue, but they would be happy to have his input.

Commissioner Escontrias asked whether they were looking for the Commissioners to voice their opinion and come up with a consensus on the items enumerated in the presentation.

Rob Osborne replied that the Council has specifically asked for the Commission's input on the four items that he went through.

Commissioner Escontrias asked whether there have been any studies conducted by the State or the County concerning this type of ordinance.

Public Works Director Semaan said this type of ordinance varies from city to city, and he is not aware of anything coming from the State or County on this.

Commissioner Escontrias asked whether the current ordinance has any provision for removing a tree causing damage, for instance to a sidewalk.

Rob Osborne said the arborist would look at several factors, including the age of the tree, as well as whether its roots are causing damage to a sidewalk.

Ted Semaan said they do take into consideration safety issues, such as a limb or a tree that may be in jeopardy of falling, as well as possible trip and fall haz ards from damage caused by the root structure. A multitude of factors contribute to the decision, and Alberto Alejandre is a certified arborist and is using his expertise and years of experience to make these judgments.

Chair Korman-Sooper suggested that they hear Commissioner Lang's presentation before taking further questions.

Commissioner Lang gave a presentation on the tree ordinance proposal she had co-authored with Laura l/laclVbran, sharing her screen to present the slides that had been previously submitted to the Commissioners fortheir review. Shesaidthat in her discussions with the MINUTES _ RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION 3
Wednesday, No\€mber 10, 202'l
Public Works Departmentwhen she raised concerns about trees being removed, shewas told that their removal had been approved by the Planning Department without the City arborist being consulted before removing them. She said tree removal without replacement happens often. The Public Works Department wants to plant a tree in the place of every one that is removed, but unfortunately that is not always done. She proposes having a clear ordinance to help protect trees. She said there are 2,282 empty parloay spaces in Redondo Beach where trees could be planted. Expanding our canopy is going to be one of the primary ways that we can protect ourselves from increased temperatures. ln 2020-21, she said, the City planted 102 new trees, but 43 trees were removed that year. She feels that the City needs a clear process for Planning, Building and Safety, and Public Works to work together toward a shared goal of preserving mature trees. ln regard to the proposed species list, she suggested that some trees provide a more beautiful aesthetic and provide a canopy of shade for the street on which they are planted. Consistency in canopy size creates an aesthetic of cohesiveness and feels intentional and thoughtful. Some cities are designated as Tree Cities USA and in order to achieve this, a city needs to have a tree canopy committee of resrdents or experts in the field who come together to discuss tree issues in the area.

Commissioner Lang concluded her presentation and Laura [\thclibran began her presentation.

She introduced herself by saying that she is a City Planner and she works for the City of Lomita.

She said that in the South Bay, there are only two cities that do not have a tree ordinance, and the two cities are Hawthorne and Redondo Beach. Trees are mentioned in our code but there are no binding official requirements for property owners, and there is nothing to establish a community ethos. She commented on what was said in Rob Osborne's presentation in regard to avoiding infringing on the rights of property owners. She said that in Planning they set limits on what people can build, how big they can build, whal is the land use, any many other factors.

Preserving trees would be similar. From the perspective of Recreation and Parks, our parkways are important to citizens' recreation and their health. Onthe issueof driveway construction, unless you have something in the code that is binding, you will always have pushback and never have the enforcement mechanism. There is a new state law called SB 9, a housing law that allows subdivision. Unless we want to have lots of driveway aprons and no parkways, we need to be able to restrictthe size of the driveway and limit the removal of trees. ln regard to the species list, Redondo has eighteen trees on its list; and Lomita has over thirty-five on its list.

We need to have enough diversity to ward off tree diseases. She then shared her screen and showed examples of streets in District 5, where there are numerous opportunities to add trees to the parkway to provide shade and beautiry the streets.

Chair Korman-Sooper thanked Laura ltlaclt/bran and Commissioner Lang for their presentations and all the hard work in drafting the proposed ordinance. She asked for questions from the Commissioners.

Commissioner l/bCauley thanked them for their presentations, and said we all agree that trees are great, and continuing to add trees in the City is a great idea to pursue. He thinks the canopy is an important factor that should be included in the conversation. He said the parkway is the area to start adding trees, especially with the deficit of trees they have identified throughout the City. He said he is not in favor of opening up a can of worms in regard to the private property rights. He asked whether the City's policy right now would be to preserve and to add trees at any opportunity, and also asked about the policy on installation of artificial turf to conserve water.

Public Works Director Semaan replied that the parkways are completely under the City's control, and, although we do not have a tree ordinance, the City Council has directed us to plant MINUIES - RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION 4
Wednesday, No\ember 10, 2021
at least 100 trees per year. He said that artificial turf is allowed on the parl$,vays, but they have a concern, because if there are newly planted trees, they do need irrigation. The property owner needs to water the newly planted tree to allow it to establish and to flourish. There are regulations about how closethe artificial turf can be to the tree trunk, because it causes artificial heating to the tree roots that becomes problematic. We want the soil to be able to breathe around the tree. We want the water to be able to penetrate into the soil, but also to be able to evaporate out of the soil.
ln regard to the number ( 2,282) of empty parkway spaces in the City, Commissioner ltlcCauley inquired as to the source, and asked if there is a census of trees.

Ted Semaan replied that yes, a census of trees happens on a regular basis. West Coast Arborists has a four-year contract with the City. They do the tree trimming and keep track of the maturity and health of each tree in their system, which the City can access. However, we do not have a tabulation of parkways without trees, and cannot substantiate the figure of2,282 missing trees, referred to in the presentation.

In response to a question from Commissioner Lang, Ted Semaan said it is not in the WCA contractto come out to water the trees they have planted. The City provides watering at the beginning.

Commissioner Lang commented that with new construction in North Redondo, they are required to plant a new tree in the front yard, in order to receive a certificate of occupancy.

Chair Korman-Sooper said that to her, it seems like there isn't a lot of controversy with items 1.

And 4, defining a heritage tree, and establishing a species list. She said she feels like an ordinance is definitely needed. She disagreed with making determinations on a case-by-case basis, and expressed her agreement with Laura lvhcl/bran on establishing an ordinance that is binding and concrete. She said she is not in favor of adding another arborist position to the City staff or creating an additional commission because of the cost burden to the City.

Commissioner Lang said they put the arborist position into the ordinance just in caseAlberto leaves, so that the City would be required by ordinance to have someone in that role.

In regard to item 3, Chair Korman-Sooper asked if it would cause a property owner to have to wait for a hearing in a casewhere a tree was causing structural or plumbing damage. She also said that supporting item 2 ls actually very strategic and commented on how much North Redondo needs green space as opposed to additional paved areas. We need some rules for construction projects.

Laura [Iaclvloran replied to Chair Korman-Sooper's question about item 3, saying that there could be something written in the ordinance to allow for an expedited administrative process when it comes to safety matters similar to the situation she described. ln response to a question from Chair Korman-Sooper, Commissioner Lang described how the adoption of a tree ordinance has been such a positive experience for the other cities she has researched, and how good it has been for their communities.

IVbtion by Commissioner libCauley, seconded by Chair Korman-Sooper, that the Parks and Recreation Commission strongly encourage the City to maximizethe tree canopy along the parkways as much as possible throughout the city.

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Commissioner Escontrias asked if it was possible to find out what the consensus of the Commission is, before doing a motion for Council. He said that the first question for each commissioner is, "Should there be an ordinance?"
Commissioner Rowe said that the City Council has asked for their opinion on whether there should be guidelines in place for trees. He said he thinks the answer is yes. And they want to make sure that we don't think they are overstepping their bounds. He said hethinks they canall agree that an ordinance is a good thing. Other cities have one, and as long as it's written properly, we should be okay with it.

Commissioner Escontrias said that if they, in principle, agree that there should be an ordinance, that is probably the first step. And we could ask that it come back to the Commission after it has been worked out more specifically with input from the public.

Chair Korman-Sooper said that Council has been really specific aboul the ilems they want to have input on, and that the Commission should give them their input on each of the four items.

Commissioner Escontrias said that, if they have concerns beyond those four items, it is important that they voice them.

Chair Korman-Sooper said she doesn't think anybody is trying to prohibit additional input, but she just wants to make sure that as a Commission, they're addressing what they've asked for.

Public works Director Ted Semaan suggested that they respond to each item, letting the Council know if they support it or not, and stating any parameters they would like to add, specifying as a heritage tree trees of a certain diameter, or some other criteria like that, for example.

Chair Korman-Sooper said she doesn't have enough expertise on trees to come up with her own specifications about what should be considered a heritage tree. She said that seems a little bit beyond her capabilities.

Commissioner Lang said that the Commission could express their support in a more general way for each of the items separately, without being bound to define the specifics of each one.

Kelly Orta reminded the Commission that there was a motion already on the table, and Commissioner Escontrias asked if someone could repeat the motion.

Rob Osborne repeated the motion made earlier by Commissioner lVlcCauley, and seconded by Chair Korman-Sooper, for the Commission to strongly encourage the City to pursue maximizing tree canopies along parkurays, as much as possible. IVbtion carried unanimously, with Commissioners AJmeida and Varvarigos absent.

Ivbtion by Commissioner Lang, seconded by Commissioner Escontrias, forthe City to create criteria for heritage trees. JVbtion canied unanimously, with Commissioners Aimeida and Varvarigos absent.
ttlbtion by Commissioner Lang, seconded by Chair Korman-Sooper, for the City to create regulations to protect parkway trees from driveway expansions. Commissioner lVlccauley voted No," all the other Commissioners voted in favor of the motion, with Commissioners Almeida and Varvarigos absent.

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I\Iotion by Commissioner Lang, seconded by Commissioner lvlcCauley, for the City to establish regulations regarding the removal of trees on private property in certain situations.

Commissioner ltilcCauley voted "No," all the other Commissioners voted in favor of lhe motion, with Commissioners Almeida and Varvarigos absent.
n/btion by Commissioner Lang, seconded by Chair Korma n-Sooper for the City to adopt a tree species list. [/btion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Almeida and Varvarigos absent. ln response to a question from Chair Korman-Sooper, Kelly Orta replied that all of the input from the Commission, including their votes on the motions, would be part of the package for City Council when they consider this item.

Commissioner lVlcCauley added his commentthat he would like the City to focus on expanding the tree canopy in North Redondo as a priority
Commissioner Rowe said that there were twenty-five trees on Rockefeller and the Greenway, and there are now seven, because of the gophers.

Commissioner Escontrias asked about the requirement of adding 100 trees a year, which Ted Semaan had mentioned earlier. He asked when that was enacted and how the City is doing with that.

J.1. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Kelly Orta said this is the annual process of selecting a Chair and Vice-Chair for the Commission, and new this year, according to ordinance, is the requirement for the Commission to also choose someone to act as Secretary.

Chair Korman-Sooper inquired, " What does the Secretary do?" Kelly Orta replied that it is more of a ceremonial position, as staff will continue to draft the staff reports and the agendas and minutes.

Chair Korman-Sooper asked the Commissioners fortheir nominations for Secretary.

Commissioner Lang nominated herself as Secretary, and Commissioner Rowe seconded the motion. lVbtion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Aimeida and Varvarigos absent.

Commissioner Rowe nominated Jacob Varvarigos as Vce-Chair, and Commissioner [t/bCauley seconded the motion. t\Iotion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Almeida and Varvarigos absent.

Chair Korman-Sooper nominated Christopher hlcCauley for the position of Chair.

Commissioner Rowe seconded the motion. l\rotion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Almeida and Varvarigos absent.
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Rob Osborne replied that it was implemented in the last three to four years, and in the most recent fiscalyear we planted 107 trees. He expects we will meet that goal this year, aswell.

J.3. RECEIVE A}ID FILE A REPORT ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S

SAILING PROGRAM AT,ID CLUB ACTIVITIES
ttlotion by Chair Korman-Sooper, seconded by Commissioner lrcCauley, to receive and file a report on the Community Services Department's Sailing Program and Club Activities.

Kelly Orta shared her screen and gave a presentation on the Sarling Program and Club, which included the following:.

The City offers sailing classes throughout the year and sailing camps for youth. o These programs have been going on for over forty years at King Harbor. o The inslructors are certified by the Arnerican Sailing Association..

Participants who complete three specific courses can enroll in the Sailing Club. o A list of the City's vessel inventory was shown on the screen..

Average annual expenses total $75,644; average annual revenue is $43,043..

Revenue comes from classes and camps as well as an annual State of CA grant.

Prior to November, 2020 lhe Sailing Club was managed by a local non-profit group..

Since November, 2020 the City has been managing the Sailing Club. o We currently have twenty-four active memberships.

Kelly concluded her report, and said that they will be presenting the same report to the City Council in the near future.
ln answer to a question from Commissioner l\ilcCauley, Kelly said the annual membership fee is 300
Commissioner Lang asked if there was a reason the City Council requested a report on the Sailing Club.

Kelly said that when the City took over management of the Sailing Club, there was concern expressed by the leadership of the local non-profit that formerly had managed it. City Council wanted to know more about the history of the Sailing Club and how the relationship with the Sailing Club should be modeled.

Commissioner Lang asked if there was another instance where the City supplements a recreational activity.

Kelly Orta replied that it is not uncommon that cities support recreataonal programming to a certain level, because the recreational programs provide a service to the community.

Chair Korman-Sooper remembered that there was some issue with using the Portofino ilhrina and a couple of dinghies that were there. Was there any additional information on the use of those boats?
Kelly Orta said she does not have any specific information on that question.

Michelle Pinedo said that there was a member of the public who wished to comment, and she introduced Mchael ItIartin.

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8 Mchael llartin said the report that they got is misleading and inaccurate in several ways. He recommended that they send it back to be fixed before submitting it to the City Council. There were three issues that the Council was concerned with, and they werethe policy shift to manage the Sailing Club, the slips at the Portofino related to compliance with the Coastal Commission regulations, and the program itself being subsidized at a higher level than is appropriate when the instructional activity is in competition with private enterprise. The City Council is interested in all of these issues. The Redondo Beach Sailing Club is a non-profit corporation that was set up in 1973. lt was closely affiliated with the City of Redondo Beach through all of that time. There was an abrupt, unilateral policy shift, and he brought that to the attention of City Council and requested them to look at the policy. The Club is an existing corporation; the City did not take over management of it. The RB Sailing Club collected dues primarily to pay for the City-mandated liability insurance. With the last two boats that the City bought, there were significant contributions from the Sailing Club toward the cost of those boats ln addition, the club members put a lot of sweat equity into maintenance of the dinghies. He recommended that the Commission refer the report back to staff to fix the factual errors, and to address all the policy issues that City Council is interested in.

Chair Korman-Sooper asked if any of the Commissioners had any comments.

Commissioner Lang asked a question, which was clarified by Chair Korman-Sooper, to ask Mchael tvbrtin what was the grievance and what he hoped to get out of protesting the change.

Mchael ltlartin said originally, the Sailing Club was set up to be at an arm's length distance from the City, from a liability standpoint. So, all the members signed liability waivers, and the City mandated that the Club buy liability insurance. That's pretty much all that the dues were used for. There was a little extra money every year, and in one way or the other, it usually went back lo the boats. Why did the City, after 47 years, decide that it was going to walk away from the Redondo Beach Sailing Club and set up its own Sailing Club? He said he is trying to appeal it through you, through the Harbor Commission, and through City Council.

Commissioner Escontrias said lvt. ltlbrtin does bring somevalid concerns, but at the sametime, there are three sides to every story. lt's going to take a lot more investigation of the issueto know how this should proceed.

Mchelle Pinedo said we have one more public commentfrom lvbrk Hansen. llark Hansen commented that you get some good free labor when you have a non-profit club, as opposed to a City club. He also said that two of the boats on the list in the staff report are no longer used for instruction, and he asked what they are used for. Only three of the boats are used by the club, and four are not. He asked how many members they lost in the transition, when the City took over management of the club, and if we should be reaching out to those former members.

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I
ln answer to a question from Commissioner fMcCauley, Kelly said there was only one Redondo Beach Sailing Club, not two separate clubs. Kelly said that the plan was for this report to go to City Council at the November 16th meeting next week.

Chair Korman-Sooper said that she thinks their Commission does not have the answers to the issues raised by the two residents who spoke, and the City Council really needs to address this.

The staff report doesn't encapsulate a lot of the controversies or the key issues that they have rarsed. For Council's sake, at might benefit everybody to have a more robust report, so that they have more clarity on the controversy and what the grievances are.

Commissioner Escontrias said that if the Chair believes the staff report doesn't address all the issues, he thinks they need to bring that out and indicate that they have some concerns.

Kelly Orta said that if the Commission feels strongly that it would like to have a much broader discussion on this topic, and be able to provide a little more information or a recommendation to the City Council, we can have a motion that requests staff to return to an upcoming meeting with more information.
tvlotion by Commissioner Escontrias, seconded by Commissioner [ VbCauley, that the City Council defer any continuing discussion concerning the Sailing Club activities pending a more thorough report to be brought forward to the Recrealion and Parks Commission concerning issues of that program being run by the City. t\Iotion carried unanimously, with Commissioners AJmeida and Varvarigos absent.

J.4. DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Kelly Orta gave the following report to provide an update on current activities:.

A draft of the Pickleball Feasibility Study will be brought to the December meeting.

Staff is working with the South Bay Parkland Conservancy to create a license agreement for a Community Garden at Alta Vista Park..

There will be a kickoff meeting on ltlonday to discuss design of the skateboard parks.

A Veterans Day tribute event will be held at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow at Veterans Park.

The "Let it Snow Redondo" event will be held on Saturday Dec 41h at Seaside Lagoon.

K. COMMISSIONER REFERRALS TO STAFF
Commissioner ltlcCauley asked about the Quimby funds, speciflcally what are they committed to funding this year, and what have we funded in the past year with the Quimbyfunds.

Commissioner ltlcCauley asked about forming a sub-committee of the Commission to reach out to the youth sports organizations and see how the City can be helpful to them. He would be interested in berng on that committee.

Kelly Orta said they need a motion to add this item to the agenda for the next meeting I\/otion by Commissioner lvbCauley, seconded by Commissioner Rowe, to add to the agenda for the next Commission meeting to form a sub-committee to start a dialog with youth sports boards in Redondo Beach. ltlotion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Almeida and Varvarigos absent.

Commissioner Escontrias suggested expanding this to include all 501(c)(3) organizations that are active in the City and fall under the purview of Recreation and Parks, for example, Friends of the Dog Park.

Commissioner Lang asked if they would have a discussion at the next meeting about what type of activities or outreach the committee would undertake.

MINUTES - RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION
Wednesday, No\,embello, 202'1
10 Chair Korman-Sooper said that Commissioner Arata had been the liaison to the Historical Commission, but she is no longer on the Recreation and Parks Commission, and someone needs to take over as the liaison.

Kelly Orta suggested that they could vote on that at the next meeting. llotion by Chair Korman-Sooper, seconded by Commissioner tVlcCauley, to add to the next agenda: to invite Chair ltrhroko of the Historical Commission to come to the next meeting to propose the installation of historical murals at various park locations. lvbtion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Ameida and Varvarigos absent.

Kelly Orta asked if that could be placed on the agenda for the January meeting, because the agenda for the next meeting already includes a discussion of the Pickleball Feasibility Study.

Chair Korman-Sooper agreed to place it on the agenda for the January meeting Chair Korman-Sooper said they're trying to make the seventeen parking spots at the north end of l/bonstone Park, which are currently free, metered parking spots and we might want to weigh in on that discussion.

Ittbtion by Chair Korman-Sooper, seconded by Commissioner l\/cCauley, to get more information on whether or not the remaining free parking spaces at libonstone Park are going to remain free or be metered. lvbtion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Almeida and Varvarigos absent.

L. ADJOURNMENT
Chair Korman-Sooper adjourned the meeting at'10:13 p.m
Respectfully submitted
@
Cameron Harding
Community Servic

MINUTES - RECREATION ANO PARKS COMMISSION
Wednesday, No\,ember 10, 2021
t1
Commissioner fvbCauley made an amended motion, seconded by Chair Korman-Sooper, to put on the agenda for the next meeting a discussion about forming a sub-committeeto address the needs of 501(c)(3) boards relevant to Recreation and Parks in Redondo Beach. Ivbtion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Almeida and Varvarigos absent.

Administrative
Report
J.3., File # RP21-3397 Meeting Date: 12/8/2021
TO: RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION
FROM: Cameron Harding, Community Services Director
TITLE
INFORMATION ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT’S SAILING PROGRAM AND

CLUB ACTIVITIES

RECOMMENDATION

PROVIDE INPUT REGARDING HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE SAILING PROGRAM AND ACTIVITIES.

PROVIDE INPUT REGARDING HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE TWO 14’ CATALINA SLOOPS.

BACKGROUND
At the Commission’s October 13 meeting, a request was made for staff to provide an overview to the Commission on the city’s sailing program. Staff provided this overview at the Commission’s November 10 meeting. The Commission requested to continue the item to a subsequent meeting as a result of additional questions and requests for follow-up information.

The Community Services Department has operated a sailing program out of King Harbor for over 40 years. Currently, the sailing program provides year-round activities and includes adult sailing classes and youth sailing camps. Classes are taught by certified instructors that have a Coast Guard Captain’s License; are certified by the American Sailing Association (“ASA”); and are CPR/AED certified. In addition to sailing camps and classes, membership in the sailing club is available for those students who have completed the city’s ASA 101 course. Following the completion of the sequential ASA 103 class, participants become eligible for Skipper status, which affords them an opportunity to rent city vessels for private use. Currently, annual membership in the club is $300 and provides its members with free sailing opportunities on city owned boats every Sunday in addition to rental of city owned boats during select times throughout the week. City owned boats are solely used by the club.

Members of the sailing club are able to utilize two keel boats and one small motor boat. Membership also provides those who aren’t yet Skippers additional sea time to meet the skills necessary to obtain Skipper status. Currently, membership dues are collected and monitored by the Community Services Department and are applied towards boat maintenance and slip fees. All sailing activities including those of the sailing club were suspended in March 2020 due to precautionary measures associated with COVID-19. Sailing classes commenced in July 2020 while sailing club activities began later in May 2021. All sailing club members were re-certified prior to returning to the water.

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J.3., File # RP21-3397 Meeting Date: 12/8/2021
Vessel Inventory
The city’s boat fleet that are utilized for the sailing program and Sailing Club include the following, which are all docked at the King Harbor Marina:
· (2) 27’ Cal 227 Sloop (one with a diesel motor; one with a 9.9 HP Honda motor) · (1) 25’ Catalina Capri Sloop (outboard 5 HP Honda motor) · (1) 26’ Ericson Sloop (diesel motor, radar, auto pilot, GPS) · (1) 13’ Boston Whaler
Sailing Club members are able to use one of the 27’ Cal 227 Sloops and the 25’ Catalina Sloop. The other vessels are dedicated for instructional sailing classes. In addition to those listed above, the city also owns two 14’ Catalina Sloops which do not have motors and are no longer used for teaching.

These are docked at the Portofino Marina through an agreement with the city that requires the two slips to be utilized by a local, non-profit sailing club that promotes public recreational sailing. Through the city’s previous affiliation with the non-profit sailing club and the use of the two 14’ Catalina Sloops for club activities, the use of these slips was consistent with the lease agreement. As a result of these vessels no longer being used for instructional or club purposes, staff is prepared to donate or sell them. This would provide an opportunity for the city to partner with the Redondo Beach Sailing Club or another non-profit sailing club to utilize these slips for sailing purposes and remain consistent with the agreement.

Sailing Program Financials
Ongoing annual expenses totaling approximately $75,644.05 are allocated toward the management of the sailing program as well as the maintenance of equipment. This figure includes an average calculation of expenses between fiscal years 18/19 through 20/21. This calculation was used since the pandemic has altered the program in various ways and the analysis of a single year does not provide a comprehensive picture of the sailing program void of any effects of external factors. These expenses include, but are not limited to, the following:
· Slip fees at King Harbor Marina;
· Membership fees for various sailing organizations, associated supplies, instructor fees and certifications for ASA;
· Upkeep and general boat maintenance including cleaning services for the bottoms of the boats, fuel, and safety equipment;
· Instructor-related expenses such as recertifications and licenses; and · Staff resources including class instructors and program administration.

The city is the recipient of annual grant funding from the California Department of Parks and Recreation Division of Boating and Waterways. Current grant funds total $19,993 and are available for use through May 31, 2022. These are applied to help offset sailing program expenses; provide sailing classes at a reduced cost for participants; and supports full and partial scholarships for eligible class participants.

Other revenue for the program comes in the form of class registration. The average revenue between

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J.3., File # RP21-3397 Meeting Date: 12/8/2021
Other revenue for the program comes in the form of class registration. The average revenue between fiscal years 18/19 through 20/21 is $23,043. Revenue has decreased approximately 22% since the start of the pandemic.

Redondo Beach Sailing Club
Prior to November 2020, the non-profit Redondo Beach Sailing Club had partnered with the city to provide membership services for experienced sailors out of King Harbor since 1973. Throughout this time, members of the club have assisted in various levels of maintenance and upkeep of city-owned vessels in addition to in-kind and monetary donations. Membership is contingent upon successful completion of the city’s ASA 101 course offered through the Community Services Department.

Members are able to utilize city owned boats for free every Sunday and an added opportunity to rent city owned boats during select times throughout the week when the boats are not being utilized for city led lessons. A Skipper-level boater must coordinate the usage of the boat and remain on the vessel at all times. As the club does not own its own vessels, it has solely relied on the use of the city’s fleet for its member activities.

In May 2021, the city began collecting membership fees for the sailing club program when it was deemed safe to resume club activities following strict COVID-19 precautionary measures. Previously, all membership dues were collected independently and retained by the local nonprofit sailing club which relied on the use of city vessels for its club functions. No portion of membership fees were shared with the city at that time and no formal agreement was in place that outlined the relationship between the city and the sailing club. As the club relied on the use of city owned vessels, staff determined it would be more appropriate for the city to collect and oversee membership fees. This transition resulted in an increase in revenue to the city totaling $7,200 in fiscal year 2021-2022, which represents membership fees for 24 current members.

Staff will be presenting this informational report to the City Council at a subsequent meeting and will request that the Council provide direction on future sailing programs and activities including the sailing club. Options for the Council’s consideration will include:
· Continuation of the current practice of having the city manage its sailing club activities including the handling of all registration and fees;
· Enter into negotiations with the local non-profit sailing club for an agreement that would allow them to administer Sailing Club activities in exchange for a percentage of revenue from membership fees. This could be accomplished through the city’s existing Contract Class program that is used for a wide variety of recreational programs and would provide an opportunity for the nonprofit organization to formally partner with the city to administer membership benefits while continuing to collect a portion of membership fees; or · Enter into negotiations to allow the non-profit Sailing Club to utilize city owned boats for free or low cost through a memorandum of understanding (MOU).

Staff is hopeful the Commission will provide its input on how to proceed with the sailing program and activities including how to proceed with the two 14’ Catalina sloops. The Commission’s input will be provided to the Council for inclusion as part of its future deliberation.

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J.3., File # RP21-3397 Meeting Date: 12/8/2021

ATTACHMENTS

1. Sailing Program Presentation

Page 4 of 4 ends

BLUE FOLDER ITEM
Blue folder items are additional back up material to administrative reports and/or public comments received after the printing and distribution of the agenda packet for receive and file.

RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION
DECEMBER 8, 2021
J.3. INFORMATION ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT’S

SAILING
CONTACT: CAMERON HARDING, COMMUNITY SERVICES

DIRECTOR

EMAIL, ADMINSTRATIVE REPORT, POWER POINT
From:

To:

Subject:

Date:

Attachments:

Sent: Wednesday, December 8, 2021 12:02 PM
Subject: Agenda item J.3 comments with attachments
CAUTION: Email is from an external source; Stop, Look, and Think before opening attachments or links.

Attached and below are comments on Recreation & Parks Commission on 2021-12-08 7:00 PM - VIRTUAL MEETING Agenda item J.3. RP21-3397 INFORMATION ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES

DEPARTMENT'S SAILING PROGRAM AND CLUB ACTIVITIES
(for text and verbal)
Recommendation to council should include compliance with Coastal Commission agreement:

Portofino lease enforcement is responsibility of Department of Waterfront and Economic Development
Community Services Department should recuse itself due to conflict of interest, W&ED should hold the department at arms length in this matter for the same reason Coastal Commission approval must be secured before violation is "considered" resolved For reference, the Coastal Commission provision is:
“b) Upon completion of the construction of the marina as part of Renovation 2006, Lessee shall reserve two slips within the marina for exclusive use by a non-profit equal opportunity sailing club, deemed acceptable by the Executive Director of the Coastal Commission in consultation with the City of Redondo Beach, that promotes public recreational sailing. No rent shall be charged for the two slips, … “
The city was never "deemed acceptable" by the Coastal Commission to fulfill this agreement.

The City is an agency, not a non=profit club. The City has not been using the slips, or the boats residing there, at all, much less to promote public recreational sailing, and has no plans to do so. There is no valid reason for the City to retain possession, and no perceptible benefit to city residents. Rec & Parks should stand aside (due to conflict of interest) and let Waterfront and Economic Development comply with the Coastal Commission agreement. (For written comment)
Errors and omissions, and general comments, on the administrative report and presentation Slide 2: Youth sailing camps have not been held for the last two years. They were previously subcontracted to South Bay Sailing. This is clearly being phased out, the call out is misleading at best.

Slide 4: ".. as part of an agreement …" not true. Coastal Commission has no record of approving
Slide 6. Misstates the facts in a misleading fashion.

The City formed its own "sailing club". It is not empowered in any way to represent Redondo Beach Sailing Club (RBSC), inc. which is a nonprofit organization (not a government agency). It is misleading and inappropriate to gloss over the fact that City policy is now to form captive clubs.

In July 2020, the City resumed sailing lessons, with mixed crew -- despite earlier requests to allow RBSC individual and household unit usage, and with continued denial of customary RBSC Sunday sailing
In July 2020 John La Rpck informed RBSC of his unilateral policy decision that the City did not recognize any affiliation, and in any case did not intend to continue the 47+ year relationship In November 2020, the City briefly initiated activities with its own sailing "club", then went dormant until April 2021. The resumption is, if anything, of that. The bullet misleadingly implies RBSC resumption, which is false.

Slide 7: add option to free up Waterfront and Economic Development to enforce Coastal Commission agreement
Overall: The City is clearly not using the Portofino slips and has no plans to do so. There is no benefit to the City retaining possession of the slips in violation of a clear Coastal Commission agreement.

CLUB ACTIVITIES

RECOMMENDATION

PROVIDE INPUT REGARDING HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE SAILING PROGRAM AND ACTIVITIES.

PROVIDE INPUT REGARDING HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE TWO 14’ CATALINA SLOOPS.

Page 1 of 4 ends

Other revenue for the program comes in the form of class registration. The average revenue between

Page 2 of 4 ends

Page 3 of 4 ends

J.3., File # RP21-3397 Meeting Date: 12/8/2021

ATTACHMENTS

1. Sailing Program Presentation

Page 4 of 4 ends

Sailing Program +
Sailing Club Information
Recreation & Parks Commission │ December 8, 2021
Sailing Program
Sailing Classes + Sailing Club
Sailing Classes + Camps
• 40+ years of program in King Harbor.
• Year-round classes and youth sailing camps taught by American Sailing Association (“ASA”) certified instructors (part-time employees).

Redondo Beach Sailing Club
• Local, non-profit organization established in 1973.
• Membership eligibility contingent on completion of American Sailing Association (ASA) 101 course, offered through the Community Services Department.

Sailing Class → Sailing Club Member
*ASA STD #101
Basic Keel Boat
Sailing
*ASA STD #103
Basic Coastal
Cruising
ASA STD #105
Coastal
Navigation
Eligible to become a
member of the
Redondo Beach
Sailing Club (RBSC).

Eligible for Skipper
status with RBSC
membership.

Skippers are able to
rent city vessels for
private use. *ASA 101 & 103 courses can be challenged through coordination with staff.

Vessel Inventory
• (2) 27’ Cal 227 Sloop
• (1) 26’ Ericson Sloop
• (1) 25’ Catalina Capri Sloop
• (1) 13’ Boston Whaler
• (2) 14’ Catalina Sloop (no longer used for teaching)
• Docked at Portofino Marina as part of an agreement
with the city that requires use by non-profit group.

Financials
*Due to the effects of the pandemic on classes and activities, an average calculation of revenue and expenses between fiscal years 18/19 through 20/21 was used.

Average Annual Expenses: $75,644.05
◦ Slip fees at King Harbor Marina;
◦ Membership fees for various sailing organizations, associated supplies, instructor fees and certifications for ASA; ◦ Upkeep and general boat maintenance including cleaning services for the bottoms of the boats, fuel, and safety equipment;
◦ Instructor-related expenses such as recertifications and licenses; and ◦ Staff resources.

Average Annual Revenue: $43,043.33
◦ $23,043 - average annual revenue from classes and camps. ◦ $19,993 – annual grant from California Department of Parks and Recreation Division of Boating and Waterways.

Sailing Club
• Sailing activities were suspended due to the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

November 2020
March 2020
May 2021
• City informed the Redondo Beach Sailing Club that membership fees would be collected by the city due to the club’s sole usage of city vessels. • City resumed sailing club activities including collection of membership fees. • Currently have 24 active memberships.

Looking Ahead…
• Staff will be presenting this informational report to the City Council at a subsequent meeting to determine preferred direction on future sailing programs and activities including the sailing club.
• Options for the Council’s consideration will include:
• Continuation of the current practice of having the city manage its sailing club activities including the handling of all registration and fees;
• Enter into negotiations with the local non-profit sailing club for an agreement that would allow them to administer Sailing Club activities in exchange for a percentage of revenue from membership fees; or
• Enter into negotiations to allow the non-profit Sailing Club to utilize city owned boats for free or low cost through a memorandum of understanding (MOU).

Recommendation
Provide input regarding how to proceed with the sailing program and activities including the sailing club.

Provide input regarding how to proceed with the two 14” Catalina Sloops docked in the Portofino Marina.
i,INUTES OF THE
REDONDO BEACH RECREATION AND PARKS COTITISSION i'EETING OECEilBER 8,2021

A CALL TOORDER
A regular meeting of the Recreation and Parks Commission, conducted as a Zoom meeting, was called to order by Chairman McCauley 7:00 p.m.

B. ROLLCALL
Commissioners Present: McCauley, Korman-Sooper, Light, Lang, Escontrias floined the meeting at approximately 7:30 p.m.) Varvarigos (joined the meeting at approximately 7:55 p.m.) Rowe
Kelly Orta, Senior Management Analyst
Commissioners Absent:

Officials Present:

C SALUTE TO THE FLAG
At the request of Chair Mccauley, Commissioner Lang led the Salute to the Flag

D APPROVAL OF OROEROFAGENDA
Motion by Commissioner Korman-Sooper, seconded by Commissioner Lang, to approve the Order of Agenda. Motion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Escontrias, Rowe, and Varvarigos absent.

E BLUE FOLDER ITEMS
Motion by Commissioner Korman-Sooper, seconded by Commissioner Lang, to receive and file the blue folder items. Motion canied unanimously, with Commissioners Escontrias, Rowe, and Varvarigos absent.

1. CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS
Approval of Affidavit of Posting forthe Recreation and Parks Commission Regular Meeting of December 8, 2021 .

Approval of the minutes of the Recreation and Parks Commission Regular Meeting of November 10,2021.

2. Motion by Commissioner Korman-Sooper, seconded by Commissioner Lang, to approve the Consent Calendar. Motion carried unanimously, with Commissaoners Escontrias, Rowe, and Varvarigos absent.

G EXCLUDED CONSENTCALENDAR
None.

TI PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ON NON.AGENDA ITETIS
None.

I. ITE]UIS CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS AGENDAS
None.

J ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION PRIOR TO ACTION
MINUTES _ RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION
Wednesday, Oecember 8, 2021
J.1. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE CREATION OF A COMMISSION SUB.

COII'MITTEE AND APPOINTMENT OF A HISTORICAL COMMISSION LIAISON Ron Maroko, Chair of the Historical Commission, spoke to the Commission and said that the Historical Commission would like to have a representative of the Recreation and Parks Commassion act as a liaison to the Historical Commission on a sub-committee addressing the proposal to install historical murals in public parks. Commissioner Korman-Sooper volunteered to serve as the liaison for this sub-committee. The Chair asked if there was any public participation on this item, and there were no public comments.

Motion by Commissioner Lang, seconded by Commissioner Light, to approve Commissioner Korman-Sooper as the liaison to work with the Historical Commission onthe mural project.

Motion canied unanimously, with Commissioners Escontrias, Rowe, and Varvarigos absent.

Chairman Maroko of the Historical Commission thanked the Commission and Commissioner Korman-Sooper.

Sr. Management Analyst Orta said there was a proposal at the last Commission meeting to create a sub-committeethat would be a liaison between various non-profit groups and the Recreation and Parks Commission. Chair McCauley volunteered to head that committee and said that CommissionerEscontrias had also expressed interest in serving on this subcommittee. He asked if anyone else was interested in being a part of the sub-committee.

Motion by Chair McCauley, seconded by Commissioner Lang, to form a sub-committee, consisting of himself and Commissioner Escontrias, to reach out to youth sports organizations and other 501(cX3) entities related to Parks & Recreation. Motion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Escontrias, Rowe, and Varvarigos absent.

J.2, CONSIDERATION OF A HISTORICAL MURAL AT TOWNSEND OR BEVERLY

PARKETTES
Sr. Management Analyst Orta introduced this topic by saying that the Historical Commission, working together withthe Public Art Commission and the Recreation and Parks Commission, has identified two possible locations for a historical mural. Those two locations are Townsend and Beverly Parkettes. Tonight, they would like to hear the Commission's input on the two locations.

Ron Maroko, Chair of the Historical Commission, said that they did have someone from the Public Art Commission check out the walls at these two parkettes to determine whether a mural could be placed there. He said that Townsend is an ideal place because it is close to both Washington and Adams Schools and it has nice long walls, with benches facing the wall.

Beverly Parkette also has long walls. He said this is the beginning of the process, to choose a suitable location, and then the Public Art Commission would come up with a concept.

Commissioner Korman-Sooper asked about the size of the proposed artwork and Historical Commission Chair Maroko said that was still to be determined. He doesn't know exactly what Public Art Commission will propose, but the murals could cost anywhere from $10,000 to 40,000.

Commissioner Korman-Sooper expressed her interest in having murals at both parkettes and said she does not think it would be controversial.

MINUTES _ RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION 2
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
Chair Mccauley expressed surprise at the cost mentioned by Chair Maroko, but said he thinks it is a good thing to do. He asked if there is any theme for the artwork or if we know who is going to do lhe artwork.

Chair Maroko said the Historical Commission has come up with several historical themes, and they would have to put out a request for artists and choose someone for the mural project. He said it will be a collaborative effort among the three commissions.

Commissioner Lang said she was also surprised that the murals would be so expensive. She had gotten an estimate for a mural at the proposed community garden, and it was considerably less than that.

Commissioner Escontrias recommended making use of local artists, because it is a community project, and suggested that might help keep the costs down. He said we should keep in mind that this is taxpayer money and we should be fiscally responsible.

Chair McCauley asked if the funds were largely donated or if it was the City's money as well.

Chair Maroko said that there is a John Parson's Fund and the Public Art Commission controls the purse strings. He said it has about $ 600,000 in it and it is Public Art's decision how they want to spend it.

Motion by Commissioner Korman-Sooper, seconded by Commissioner Lang, to approve the Townsend and Beverly Parkettes as initial locations for historical murals. Motion carried unanimously, with Commissioners Rowe and Varvarigos absent.

Commissioner Escontrias asked what if they approve the locations and then the Commission is not very comfortable with the artwork. Would they be able to withdraw their approval? Chair McAuley said that since Commissioner Korman-Sooper would be acting as their liaison, they would be made aware of the decisions as they are being considered.

Historical Commission Chari Maroko said that the Historical Commission identified some of the themes last year, and anyone can refer to the Historical Commission's minutes to learn about some of the themes they are trying to bring out. The idea is basically to bring history into the community.

Chair McCauley thanked Historical Commission Chair Maroko for coming to the meeting tonight.

J.3. INFORMATON ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S SAILING PROGRAi' AND CLUB ACTIVITIES
Sr. Management Analyst Orta reported that at the last Recreation and Parks Commission meeting, an overview of the City's Sailing Program was provided. There was a request by members of the public for more information, so at tonight's meeting, an expandedpresentation will be provided. Sr. Management Analyst Orta shared her screen and gave a presentation, which is included in the agenda packet for tonight's meeting. Key points of her presentation are MINUTES _ RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION 3
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
Chair Maroko said that his estimates were based on information he had received from the city of Lompoc who has done an extensive mural project. He said the Historical Commission is just in the exploratory phase of this project now.
asfollows:.

The City offers sailing classes throughout the year and sailing camps for youth..

These year-round programs have been going on for over forty years out of King Harbor..

The instructors are certified by the American Sailing Association..

Participants who complete the ASA 101 course can enroll in the Sailing Club..

The Redondo Beach Sailing Club is a local non-profit, established in 1973..

After completing the City's ASA 103 course, a person achieves ' Skippe/ status. o A list of the City's vessel inventory was shown on the screen. o The City has two 14' Catalina Sloops docked at slips in the Portofino Marina. o Per agreement, those slips at the Portofino Marina are required for use by non-profit programs..

Recently, the Redondo Beach Sailing Club has not been able to use those boats..

Average annual expenses total $75,644; average annual revenue is $43,043. r Revenue comes from classes and camps as well as an annual grant from the state. o ln March, 2020 all sailing activities were temporarily stopped due to the pandemic.. ln Novembet,2O2O lhe City began collecting membershipfees formerly paid to the nonprofit Sailing Club. o ln May, 2021 lhe City resumed sailing club activities including the collection of fees..

We currently have twenty-four active memberships.

Sr. Management Analyst Orta said that they will be providing this information to the City Council, probably at their January meeting. Any input the Recrealion and Parks Commission has on this subject will beshared with City Council at that meeting. Sr. Management Analyst Orta requested the Commission's input on how to proceed with the sailing program and activities, including the relationship with the non-profit Sailing Club, and how to proceed with the two 14' Catalina Sloops docked in the Portofino Marina.

Commissioner Korman-Sooper asked why there wasn't a formal MOU already in place between the non-profit Sailing Club and the city, and why the city was non-compliant with regard to the two '14' Catalina Sloops currently docked at the Portofino Marina. She said that one of their recommendations to City Council should be that they formalize relationships and have a formula for how we handle relationships with non-profits.

Sr. Management Analyst Orta replied that this has been a very long-standing relationship, since the non-profit Sailang Club was founded in 1973. The pandemic closures put a wrench in a lot of ongoing programs across the city. Although she was not with the city when this situation developed, staff has madeher aware that we do need to decide what to do about the two vessels docked at the Portofino, which are currently not being used for either sailing classes or by the non-profit Sailing Club.

She understands the frustrations that have been voiced and we just want to find the right solutions. That will include formalizing the relationship with this non-profit who has provided a service lo the community and donated a lot of their time.

Commissioner Light asked what was the effect on the club when the city started collecting the membership fees instead of letting the club continue to collect them. He also asked about the reason why the two 14' boats are not being used currently. Are there problems with the boats? Sr. Management Analyst Orta said she has been told that because of where they are located, the slips at the Portofino Marina are incredibly difficult to get out into the open water and to navigate safely, especially forstudents.

MINUTES _ RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
4 ln answer to a question from Chair McCauley about the estimated value of the two boats, Sr.

Management Analyst Ortareplied that they were older boats and she was not sure of the value if they were to be sold.

Commissioner Escontrias asked who is responsible for the aclual cost of maintenance of these two vessels.

Sr. Management Analyst Orta replied that the city has been maintaining all of the city's vessels, but she does not knowwhat the actual cost of maintenance is.

Commissioner Escontrias asked who is responsible for the liability related to the two vessels Sr. Management Analyst Orta said that the non-profit organization has obtained its own liability insurance for all of itsactivities.

Commissioner Escontrias asked whether staff salaries were included in the cost estimates for the sailing program shown previously on the screen, to which Kelly replied that staff and instructors' salaries were included in the average cost reported.

Commissioner Lang had further questions regarding the revenue and expenses for the time period upon which the average was based. Were the membership fees collected by the city included in the revenues reported?
Sr. Management Analyst Orta reported that the city collected only $7,200 in membership fees during that timeframe. Although that is not a substantral amount in the bigger picture, it helps to offset the maintenanceof the vessels. Maintenance costs are higher because the vessels are being used by the club for its aciivities, rather than solely being used for sailing classes and camps run by the city.

Commissioner Lang asked why the City decided to begin collecting the fees as opposed to what had been done in the past.

Sr. Management Analyst Orta replied that prior to the city beginning to collect the membership fees, the city still managedthe rental of the boats and bore the cost of all the maintenance.

Because they were doing all the work on the administration side, and the costs were borne by the city, they began collecting the membership fees to offset some of the costs to the city.

Commissioner Lang said that solving the non-compliance issue related to the slips at the Portofino should be at the forefront of the discussion. Could moving these two vessels to another location be a solution to this problem?
Sr. Management Analyst Orta agreed with Commissioner Lang that this was a paramount issue of the dascussion.

Chair McCauley asked if there had been any misuse of facilities or misuse of funds that had caused the dissolution of the former relationship between the non-profit Sailing Club and the city. Sr. Management Analyst Orta replied that she did not know of anything like that happening and it appears both parties were operating in a responsible manner.

Commissioner Korman-Sooper asked if there were liability issues or risk management issues that could have stemmed from the city being in this long-standing relationship without having MINUTES - RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION 5
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
any formal agreement between the city and this non-profit for that length of time, considering that sailing is a fairly risky activity. She said she would like to have the City Attorney's point of view on this question.

Public Comment on this item was opened. Michael Martin, the president of the non-profit Redondo Beach Sailing Club, was invited to speak.

Michael Martin said that his written comments, which are included in the agenda packet, addressed the issue of the importance of the city complying with the Coastal Commission's requirements. The agreement says the assignment needs to be for the exclusive use of a nonprofit sailing club. The city should be compliant with this provision of the agreement. He expressed the opinion that the Waterfront and Economic Development Department of the city, as landlord for the Portofino Marina, should be the ones making decisions about this issue. He also raised the issue of a handshake agreement with the city that the non-profit Sailing Club would maintain the dinghies, saying that they had done extensive work to maintain them. The Sailing Club upgraded the boats and bought equipment for the boats and kept the bottom of the boats clean. He doesn't understand why the city insists on maintaining control over those slips that it doesn't use and doesn't intend to use. He offered to answer any questions the Commissioners have.

Chair McCauley asked several questions related to the agreement and Mr. Martin replied that the agreement is specifically about the use of the slips by a non-profit sailing club, and not about what boats are in those slips.

Commissioner Lang asked Mr. Martin what the non-profit Sailing Club provides to the communitythat the city cannot provide or will struggle to provide.

Mr. Martin replied that the non-profit Sailing Club provides a low-cost access to recreational sailing. He said the courses the city offers do not automatically make someone a good skipper any more than driver's ed makes one a good driver. To gain proficiency, you have to get out there and actually practice. The non-profit Sailing Club promotes recreational sailing, and right now that's not happening.

Commissioner Korman-Sooper asked Mr. Martin what his understanding was of the reason for the city's severing of the relationship between the city and the non-profit Sailing Club, and also asked about the liability issues related to use of the vessels.

Mr. Martin said the city asserted that the reason had to do with the fact that all the boats are the property of the Department of Boating and Wateruvays, based on grant agreements in former years. He said that to use the boats, individuals had to sign a liability waiver, and the non-profit Sailing Club had three insurance policies to cover liability issues, and the city was named as the second insured on all those policies.

Commissioner Korman-Sooper asked why, all of a sudden after so many years, the city's relationship with the non-profit Sailing Club was severed.

Mr. Martin said in his opinion it was a revenue grab initiated by people at a staff level in the city who were always focused on maximizing revenues. There are also costs associated with taking over management of this, so he can't explain rationally why they would want to do this.

MINUTES _ RECREATION ANO PARKS COMMISSION
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
6 Commissioner Escontrias asked Mr. Martin if his organization would want to take over the two slips if they became available and continue lo function in the role they had before the city made a change to the former relationship with the non-profit Sailing Club- Mr. Martin replied that they would be willing to take over the use of the slips and have an agreement to continue in their former role.

Commissioner Light said that he thought the $7,000 fee revenue meant a lot more to the nonprofit Sailing Club than it did to the city and he asked what the non-profit Sailing Club would use the revenue for.

Mr. Martin said the fee revenue went to cover their insurance policies and maintenance of the boats. He said thear organization is basically dormant now, without the fee revenue to operate.

Chair McCauley thanked Mr. Martin for participating in the meeting. Sr Management Analyst Orta said there was another member of the public who wished to speak
Chair McOauley suggested that the Commission recommend to the City Councal that they open negotiations with the non-profit Sailing Club in regard to the issues just discussed.

Commissioner Korman-Sooper said she would like to ask them for an answer to the question of why there was a multFyear relationship between the city and the non-profit Sailing Club without a formal agreement, and why this relationship was dissolved abruptly.

Chair McCauley said the city has long-standing informal agreements with other organizations Sr. Management Analyst Orta summarized the proposed motion to open negotiations with the non-profit Sailing Club to negotiate club and slip access andthe eventual use of the '14' sloops; and to provide additionalinformation as to why there was a yearslong agreement with the Club without a formal agreement in place. The Commission's input would be provided to the Council during their discussion.

Commissioner Varvarigos said that while he is also curious about how this situation came about, investigating that is not going to affect the solution, which is to have an MOU for the future. The solution is to arrive at an agreement to get the non-profit Sailing Club back In operation. He recommended keeping the first half of the motion and dropping the second half Commissioner Escontrias suggested that they divide it into two motions, one having to do with the slips, and the other opening upthe negotiations with a non-profit sailing group in the City. 7MINUTES - RECREATION ANO PARKS COMMISSION
Wednesday, December 8, 202'l
Mark Hansen said he has been boating in King Harbor for sixty-one years. He reiterated that the Coastal Commission requirements were stractly for the slips at the Portofino Marina and had nothing to do with which boats were in those slips. He said he is a huge fan of teaching sailing on the small centerboard boats, rather than the keel boats. He said he agrees with Dr. Martin that those boats are not that hard to get out ofthe harbor. He advocates for reaching out to former members of the non-profit Sailing Club to bring them back in and emphasized the value of having volunteers who are very enthusiastic about the sport of sailing help maintain the boats.

Motion by Chair McCauley, seconded by Commissioner Escontrias, that the City should correct the non-compliance of the slips at the Portofino Marina. Motion carried unanimously, with Commissioner Rowe absent.

Motion by Chair McCauley, seconded by Commissioner Light, to engage non-profit sailing groups to help with the use of the slips at the Portoflno Marjna in order for the caty to comply with the agreement with the Portofino Marina, and to also assistwith the co-programming of the sailing club activities with the city. Motion carried with five "Aye" votes, one "No" vote by Commissioner Korman-Sooper; Commissioner Rowe was absent.

K COMMISSIONER REFERRALS TO STAFF
Commissioner Korman-Sooper said that at Gregg Parkette on Pullman Lane, there is a missing baby swing that has been missing for several months. Several residents have asked when that will be replaced. Also, at La Paz Parkette, there has been yellow caution tape for several weeks now, and residents would like to know when that park will be available again.

Commissioner VaNarigos inquired about the North Redondo Parkettes that had not been completed yet. He would like to have an update on the plans for the North Redondo Bikeway Commissioner Escontrias said he is still a little concerned about why the plans for the dog parks had not been brought to the Commission. He would like staff to revisit that and find out why the Commission was not informed about this before a decision was made.

Chair McCauley said he wanted to bring to staff's attention a situation at Julia Field in Alta Vista Park where the northwest corner near the stairs is being flooded repeatedly. There appears to be a problem with the inigation system.
8 J.4. DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Sr. Management Analyst Orta gave the following Director's Report to the Commission:.

Commissioner Escontrias had asked at the last meeting about the approval process for the installation of dog parks and why the Rec. and Parks Commission was not included regarding the recent approval of the dog parks. Sr. Management Analyst Orta stated that it is unknown why the commissionwas not included but the Community Services team is committed to including the commission on such items in the future..

Commissioner Korman-Sooper had previously asked about the remaining free parking spaces atMoonstone Park. The Harbor Commission has voted to keep those spaces free.
o Chair McCauley had a question at the last meeting about Quimby fees. That is a program established in 2004 by the City. They are fees charged to developers who are building new housing units in the City. They are used to acquire land or develop new parks and recreation facilities orto rehabilitate existing parks in the City..

The Pickleball Feasibility Study will be presented at the next meeting in January..

Some elements ofthe skateboard park design at Perry Park were shown on the screen.

The installation will be early in 2022, and it will be completed first, before Pad 10 begins.

MINUTES _ RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION
Wednesday, December 8, 202'l

L ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Commissioner Escontrias, seconded by Commissioner Varvarigos, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried unanimously, with Commissioner Rowe absent.

Chair McCauley adjourned the meeting at 9:30 p.m
Respectfully
subm0L
Cameron Harding
Community Servi

MINUTES - RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION
Wednesday, Oecember 8, 2021
I

Redondo Beach City CouncilMarch 15, 2022

Redondo Beach City Council
March 15, 2022