FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 20, 2023
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
Prepared by: Director of Recreation and Parks
SUBJECT: Agreement with the California Conservation Corps for use of the Newlove Neighborhood Center
Description:
The City Council will consider approving an Agreement with the California Conservation Corps (CCC) for use of a portion of the Newlove Neighborhood Center to locate their Santa Maria CCC programs in exchange for 3,000 annual hours of crew work.
Environmental Notice: The activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Qu ality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution approving a n agreement with the California Conservation Corps granting the use of the Newlove Neighborhood Center.
BACKGROUND:
The CCC has been housed at 705 W est Cypress Street since 201 6 and providing the City with support services in lieu of rent, including alley clean up, trail construction, tree planting, and support at special events. The City has a need to utilize the 705 West Cypress Street facility to co-locate the Recreation & Parks Department’s Operations Division.
The Recreation & Parks Department recognizes the important training programs that the CCC provides to local youth and recommends that the CCC programs be moved to the Newlove Neighborhood Center. The Newlove Neighborhood Center, located at 1619 South Thornburg Street, provides the necessary facilities to house the CCC programs and has been inspected by the CCC.
DISCUSSION:
The CCC provides job skills training, educational opportunities, and increased awareness of the State's natural resources to young adults. The CCC is authorized to work on projects in rural and urban areas that provide a benefit to the public by preserving, maintaining, or enhancing the lands and water of the State of California to directly contribute to the conservation of energy or fire prevention.
2 The City owns and manages parks, open space, and natural resource lands that require regular maintenance, upkeep, and focused enhancements. The City has successfully utilized the CCC in the past to perform such maintenance and upkeep, including focused enhancement services on its open space and natural resource lands.
The CCC is interested in leasing a site within the City of Santa Maria for its satellite operations. The City has an underused facility at Newlove Neighborhood Center, 1619 South Thornburg Street. The City will be providing the CCC with the use of an office building and the adjacent parking lot.
The agreement is for an initial three-year term with up to three one-year extensions. In exchange for the use of the facility, the CCC will provide in-kind services in-lieu of rent in the form of 3,000 hours of crew work. In addition, the CCC will provide the necessary grounds maintenance at the Newlove facility to the City's landscape standards in coordination with the Recreation & Parks Department. The Newlove facility is currently under-utilized and the City has an ongoing need for the type of labor assistance provided by the CCC in augmenting public services consisting of improvement and upkeep of parks, open space, natural resources lands, facility maintenance, grounds keeping, and other City priorities.
As compensation for the use of the City's property, CCC will provide as rent 3,000 hours of crew work consisting of improvement and upkeep of parks, open space, natural resources, lands, facility maintenance, grounds keeping, and/or other City priorities each calendar year, January 1 through December 31. These services will be determined on or before January 1 of each year in writing between the Tenant's representative and the City Manager.
The CCC is required to provide emergency services if directed by the Governor of the State of California and other agencies charged with responding to emergencies throughout California arising from fire, flood, wind, and other natural and man -caused disasters. These emergency services may require the CCC to temporarily suspend services.
Alternative
The City Council has the option to not approve this agreement , which would leave the California Conservation Corps without a workspace provided by the City, and the City without the 3,000 of work provided by the California Conservation Corps in lieu of rent.
Fiscal Considerations
The City will be receiving 3,000 hours of labor from the CCC annually in exchange for the use of an underutilized facility.
Impact to the Community
Formalizing the agreement between the City and CCC defines expectations, articulates risk, and defines the roles of each party in the use of City premises and the exchanged services. The exchanged services to be provided by the CCC will enhance the community by providing crew work improvements throughout the City.
3 ATTACHMENT
Attachment A: Agreement with California Conservation Corp and the City of Santa Maria