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.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
SEPTEMBER 10, 2024
M.1. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE CITY’S STRATEGIC PLAN, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Attachments: Letter from the Harbor Commission regarding Strategic Plan CONTACT: GREG KAPOVICH, WATERFRONT & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR HARBOR COMMISSION STRATEGIC PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS April 29, 2024 1 To: City Council
From: Harbor Commission
Date: April 29, 2024
Subject: Harbor/Pier related strategic planning priority projects At the April 8, 2024 meeting of the Harbor Commission the Harbor Commission deliberated recommendations for the upcoming update to the city’s Strategic Plan. After much discussion and input from the public, the Harbor Commission unanimously approved the recommendations that follow. We request your consideration of our recommendations, which are not ranked in any order of importance.
1. Recommended Objective: Continue to seek development partnerships to construct a new education facility at the old Joe’s Crab Shack site. Negotiate a lease/license agreement with a non-profit organization to redevelop the site.
Applicable strategic plan goal: Increase environmental sustainability When: By February 2025
Rationale: The city recently completed an analysis of the old Joe’s Crab Shack site, which provided conceptual drawings by Gensler Architects. The study revealed the size and scale of development that could be accommodated based on municipal code regulations. With an understanding of what can be physically constructed on the site, staff should seek a private/public partnership with a non-profit educational organization to redevelop the site into what was envisioned in the Amenities Plan.
2. Recommended Objective: Seaside Lagoon. Apply for and receive additional grant funding for the Seaside Lagoon. Drive entitlement approval within the next year.
Applicable strategic plan goal: Vitalize core commercial areas of the City When: By April 2025
Rationale: The City Council and the Amenities Plan have prioritized Seaside Lagoon as a First Phase of implementation of the Amenities Plan. This objective has two parts. - The first part of this objective is for staff to complete the community outreach portion of the project, present design options to City Council, and finish the City entitlements process over the next year.
- The second objective is for staff to work in parallel with the design process to identify, apply for and receive additional grants from the state or potentially other sources.
3. Recommended Objective: Boat Ramp. Procure a contract with a design firm and prepare the necessary studies (parking, traffic, demand) required to begin conceptual designs of the boat launch. Begin the entitlement process.
Applicable strategic plan goal: Vitalize core commercial areas of the city When: By November 2024
Rationale: The Council and the Amenities Plan define the boat ramp as a Phase 1 priority for implementation. WED staff has socialized grant funding with the appropriate state staff which would cover costs associated with permitting and construction. Said State grant does not cover the necessary studies (parking, traffic, demand) required to conceptually design the boat launch nor the entitlement process. The City’s existing Capital Improvement Program contains HARBOR COMMISSION STRATEGIC PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS April 29, 2024 2 $400,000 for future designs of a new boat launch. This goal of procuring a contract and preparation of the necessary studies will begin the design and entitlement process that must occur before staff applies for grant funding to begin the permitting and construction phases.
4. Recommended Objective: Continue to seek development partnerships to redevelop the old Fun Factory tenant space. Negotiate a master lease with a developer or commercial broker to redevelop the site.
Applicable strategic plan goal: Vitalize core commercial areas of the city.
When: By March 2025
Rationale: The old Fun Factory site, which is located just south of the Pad 10 skatepark and north of the parking structure remains vacant. The space must remain vacant for the next year to accommodate the seismic upgrades of the adjacent parking structure. This goal of negotiating a development partnership will ensure a plan is in place to redevelop the space as soon as the space is no longer needed for the parking structure improvement project.
5. Recommended Objective: Continue to investigate harbor patrol models from surrounding city and county harbors. Direct staff to enter into a contract with a third-party consultant to conduct an analysis of the harbor patrol, similar to what was done with the Fire Department but more specific to the Harbor Patrol. The analysis should look to improve efficiency, compare services offered within our Harbor and nearby harbors, and create one over-arching Harbor Master that coordinates the various city departments that work in/around the harbor, inclusive of WED, PW, PD, and FD.
Applicable strategic plan goal: Increase efficiency of the Harbor Patrol When: By August 2024
Rationale: An analysis was recently performed of the Fire Department by Citygate Consultants.
The Harbor Patrol is one aspect of the Harbor Patrol and was included in this assessment.
However, a Harbor Patrol is unique and a separate study should be conducted to analyze best practices, efficiency, and services rendered in comparison to nearby Harbors.
6. Recommended Objective: Explore the feasibility of increasing staff levels within the Waterfront & Economic Development Department. Approve one additional full-time staff member within WED for the upcoming budget.
Applicable strategic plan goal: Increase efficiency and bandwidth of WED When: By July 2024
Rationale: The Waterfront & Economic Development Department is undertaking key redevelopment projects within the harbor inclusive of a new boat launch, renewed Seaside Lagoon, renovated Fun Factory space, new structure on Pad 2, new slips within Basin III, and an educational facility at the old Joe’s Crab Shack site. Staff is also overseeing various CIP projects, renegotiating four long-term Master Leaseholds while also acting as property management and lead negotiator for International Boardwalk and Pier Plaza Office Complex. WED is also taking the lead for all potential grant applications, projects related to the implementation efforts for the Artesia and Aviation Corridors Area Plan, as well as primary liaison to the Harbor Commission. The current staff level of four people should be increased by at least one full-time staff member to accommodate the various projects competing for attention. The Harbor HARBOR COMMISSION STRATEGIC PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS April 29, 2024 3 Commission also recommends creative solutions to achieve additional staff beyond the requested one full-time position in the form of interns, volunteers, and part-time support.
7. Recommended Objective: Explore the feasibility of extending the south sea wall with the Army Corps of Engineers and others as required
Applicable strategic plan goal: Increase environmental sustainability When: By March 2025
Rationale: Army Corps of Engineers studies show wave and surge action on Moles C and D could be significantly reduced by extending the south sea wall. (See Figure 1). With the investment in Mole C and D infrastructure, extension of the sea wall would reduce the risk of storm activity damaging the new amenities. Also the calming effect of the extension would reduce shut down times of the new boat ramp and make it safer to use.
Figure 1: Drawing from Army Corps of Engineers analysis of King Harbor Breakwater includes 300 foot extension of south breakwater