TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Philippe Eskandar, City Manager
BY: Nicole Tibbet, Community Engagement Manager
DATE: October 9, 2024
SUBJECT: APPROVAL FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A
SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT AGREEMENT WITH THE SAN
MARINO MOTOR CLASSIC
STRATEGIC PLAN CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Efficient, Responsive, and Effective City Services
Fiscally Responsible and Transparent City Government
Engaged and Connected Residents
Inviting and Relevant City Facilities
BACKGROUND
The San Marino Motor Classic (Motor Classic) has been held at Lacy Park since 2011. In addition to the extensive permitting process required on an annual basis for the show, the City has historically approved multi-year agreements to accomplish two things, (1) provide the Motor Classic with ability to plan a few years in advance and (2) stipulate specific requirements that the event must follow, above and beyond the regular permit specifications.
The first Motor Classic car show started as a successor to the Los Angeles Concours d’Elegance and was co-sponsored by the Classic Car Club of America and the San Marino Public Library Foundation. Since 2011, the Motor Classic, a 501(c)(3) California public benefit corporation, hosts the event in conjunction with the Rotary Club of San Marino. It typically attracts between 2,000 and 5,000 visitors with about 300 car entries of all makes and models, many being unique and classic.
Steven W. Huang, DDS, Mayor
Gretchen Shepherd Romey, Vice Mayor
Tony Chou, Council Member
Calvin Lo, Council Member
Steve Talt, Council Member
Proceeds raised from the event have been donated to various local community charities including the Pasadena Humane Society, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the Petersen Automotive Museum, and the Rotary Club of San Marino. The Rotary Club of San Marino and/or the Motor Classic have donated toward several City projects such as the construction of Stoneman Field, playground equipment at Lacy Park, the Lacy Park restroom project, the Barth Athletic Center, and the emergency pushgate exits at Lacy Park.
DISCUSSION
The City and the San Marino Motor Classic have been operating on an agreement approved by the City Council since 2021 (Attachment 1). Earlier this year, the operators of the Motor Classic approached City staff and requested that the contract for their continued operation be brought before the City Council to consider an extension and make various timely updates.
This agreement includes outdated insurance language, outdated permitting costs, lacks several provisions critical to the proper permitting of this event, and grammatical errors. Due to these deficiencies, the City and the Motor Classic would like to move forward with an updated agreement that meets current standards.
The Motor Classic will still be required to go through all annual permitting requirements for events in Lacy Park and event organizers will ensure that requirements of those permits are strictly adhered to.
To provide stability for the Motor Classic’s planning and provide staff with updated standards to permit this event through, staff recommends that the new permit agreement (Attachment 2) be approved by the City Council and authority be granted to the City Manager to execute it.
In addition to the various miscellaneous updates made to the agreement, a few key provisions include:
• Extending the term of the agreement from expiring in 2025 to 2029. • Requiring an increased Police Officer presence at the event. • Increasing the required administrative surcharge paid to the City for staffing needs from 20% to 25%.
• Requiring the prior approval of traffic control plans.
Notably, the Motor Classic is generally well received by the community. Staff only receive approximately one or two calls per year with concerns from residents regarding the Motor Classic. Such concerns are then relayed to the Motor Classic staff who are able to rectify the issues or plan to better address them in following years.
FISCAL IMPACT & PROCUREMENT REVIEW
The San Marino Motor Classic will pay fees according to the fee schedule adopted annually by the City Council and in accordance with the permits, staff time, and facility use they incur.
In addition to the various community donations made by the Motor Classic that directly benefit the residents of San Marino, there is an unquantifiable positive economic impact resulting from sales tax revenue generated by the Motor Classic from visitors purchasing items at the Motor Classic or patronizing various San Marino businesses when visiting.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney's office has reviewed and approved as to form.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Council authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with the San Marino Motor Classic through December 31, 2029.
If the City Council deems the agreement satisfactory, an appropriate motion would be:
“I move to authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with the San Marino Motor Classic through December 31, 2029.”
ATTACHMENTS
1. Approved 2021 Motor Classic Agreement
2. DRAFT Motor Classic Permit Agreement through 2029