City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: January 10, 2023
Agenda Item: 5.E
1 of 6
To: Mayor and City Council
From: David White, City Manager, City Manager's Office
Subject: Accept Proposal and Enter into Agreement with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation for the AIDS/LifeCycle 2023 Finish Line Festival Recommended Actions
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15323 (Class 23 Normal Operations of Facilities for Public Gatherings) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a license agreement with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation for use of the 4 South Beach Parking Lot from June 9-10, 2023 for the “AIDS/LifeCycle 2023 Finish Line Event”.
Summary
In 2019, the City of Santa Monica partnered with Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM), and the Santa Monica Pier to host the first SaMo Pride Month to celebrate and support the LGBTQ+ community. Since that time, Santa Monica Place and Santa Monica Travel and Tourism have joined as SaMo Pride partners. Staff now requests authorization to bring the Finish Line Festival for AIDS/LifeCycle 2023 to Santa Monica as part of 2023 SaMo Pride programming. AIDS/LifeCycle (The Ride), a 7 day, 545- mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles, co-produced by and benefiting San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center, brings approximately 2,500 cyclists down the California coastline over a 545-mile route from San Francisco to Santa Monica. The Ride is the premier fundraising event for both agencies, and in 2022 raised over $17 million for HIV/AIDS services in the San Francisco and Los Angeles regions. Staff have examined several locations for this event and determined that the City Beach Lot 4 South is the best fit for the needs of The Ride, while preserving beach 2 of 6
access and parking. To host this event, staff now seeks authority to enter into a License Agreement with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation for use of the City Beach Lot 4 South for the Finish Line Festival and closing events for AIDS/LifeCycle 2023.
Discussion
To further embrace the City’s core values of equity and inclusion, SaMo PRIDE was established in 2019 as a city-wide partnership between the City of Santa Monica, Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica Place and Santa Monica Travel and Tourism dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community and providing a platform to champion individuality and acceptance. Since its inaugural year, SaMo PRIDE has evolved into a rich community tradition with family-friendly displays, events and activities that encapsulate the City’s inclusive and diverse spirit. SaMo PRIDE continues to strive to increase visibility and understanding of the broad spectrum of gender identities and experiences within the LGBTQIA+ community. The City’s perfect score on the Human Rights’ Campaign’s 2022 Municipal Equality Index is recognition of the community’s broad commitment to LGBTQIA+ equity inclusion, creation of safe spaces, inclusive policies, and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ protections.
The opportunity to bring The Ride and the Finish Line Festival event to Santa Monica advances the work established in SaMo Pride to support the LGBTQIA+ community and address issues facing this community. Services for those living with HIV/AIDS remains a critical health need. The Center for Disease Control estimates that 62,800 people with HIV/AIDS are living in Los Angeles County. The virus disproportionately affects people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, those who have difficulty accessing traditional healthcare services. Those living with HIV/AIDS are also at greater risk of becoming homeless. The range of services funded by the AIDS/LifeCycle event help support this community to ensure access to treatment, education, and other services.
Overview of the Ride
The Ride is a 7 day, 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles, co-produced by and benefiting San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. The Ride began in 1994 and was called the “California AIDS Ride.” In 2002, it 3 of 6
was rebranded as AIDS/LifeCycle. Since 1994, participants have raised more than $300 million for the HIV and AIDS-related services of the Los Angeles LGBT Center and San Francisco AIDS Foundation. In 2022, the Ride raised $17.8 million, approximately 30% of the budgets for these two agencies.
Overview of the Event
The AIDS/LifeCycle Finish Line Festival incorporates both a finish line experience for 2,500 cyclists and 650 7-day volunteers (called Roadies), as well as a reception point for event vehicles, supplies, and equipment. The event would be held on June 10, 2023, in the 4 South Beach Parking lot. Cyclists will use the City’s existing bike lane network to exit off the Beach Bike Path at Channel Road and navigate up to Ocean Avenue where they will use the bike lanes to ride down to Bicknell and enter the event site.
Cyclists are paced when leaving the campsite in Ventura and ride single file on public streets abiding by all laws, and according to a strict set of safety policies that are enforced by event staff throughout the duration of the Ride. This means that unlike other traditional “race” events, participants steadily enter the event site over the course of 4 hours rather en masse at any one time. This allows all roads to remain open during the event.
Event activities include:
• Barricaded cyclist chute through which participants cross the official end of the route
• Friends and family spectator area where viewers can watch and cheer on the cyclists
• Bike Parking for 1,000 cyclists
• Bike Tech and Bike Shipping
• Participant Gear Pick Up
• Cyclist Lunch
• An event stage
4 of 6
• A “Camp Store” retail space
• An outreach lounge and recruitment area
• Sponsorship activations
The event will involve closure of the 4 South Beach lot from noon on June 9, 2023, through June 10, 2023.
License Agreement
The City’s Community Events Permit process and Site Guidelines do not currently allow for events on the Santa Monica Beach and Beach Lots during the peak summer months, in order to preserve maximum access for beachgoers. Outside of summer, beach events are required to have a “beach-related activity” such as beach sports as a primary component.
In shaping its event proposal, the AIDS/LifeCycle event team has engaged with a number of relevant City departments, including the Santa Monica Police Department, Mobility and Parking staff within the Department of Transportation, Economic Development/Pier Management, the Community Events Team, the City Attorney’s Office, and the City Manager’s Office. City staff have focused on coordination with AIDS/LifeCycle event team to align event plans with key Council and community objectives—including safety and security of the event site and surrounding areas, planning for traffic management and alternative mobility options, and supporting economic development for the City.
Staff supports this event because of the potential economic impact and the opportunity to establish a marquee event for SaMoPride that provides over $17 million in funding to deliver needed HIV/AIDS services in our region and the San Francisco region, including access to healthcare and services as well as services such as housing and support for those living with HIV/AIDS.
5 of 6
Community Engagement
The AIDS/LifeCycle event team is dedicated to a good neighbor policy. Having hosted this event since 1994, they are experienced working with community members and other stakeholders to help address concerns wherever possible. The event is supported by the SaMo Pride partners and the team has met with the Main Street Business District and Ocean Park Association (OPA), both of whom support bringing the event to Santa Monica. OPA has also committed to partner with the City and Ride Team to help engage OPA residents to inform the community of this event, including through their weekly newsletter and community meetings. The team will meet with these groups starting in January 2023 and remain in community up through the event in June 2023.
Coastal Commission Approval
This event will likely require a Coastal Development Permit because it occurs between Memorial Day and Labor Day, pursuant to the Coastal Commission’s adopted Guidelines for the Exclusion of Temporary Events from Coastal Commission Permit Requirements, dated May 12, 1993. The City’s adopted 1992 Coastal Land Use Plan would be the standard of review, in addition to the aforementioned guidelines, however, the 1992 LUP does not contain any policies regarding temporary events.
Environmental Review
The event is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15323 (Class 23 Normal Operations of Facilities for Public Gatherings) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines. Class 23 consists of the normal operations of existing facilities for public gatherings for which the facilities were designed, where there is a past history of the facility being used for the same or similar kind of purpose in where there is a past history of the facility being used for the same or similar kind of purpose. The 4 South Beach Parking lot and City’s bicycle network has been previously used for public events, and therefore, the AIDS/LifeCycle 2023 Finish Line Event is categorically exempt from CEQA.
6 of 6
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
The City will receive $19,200 in revenues for use of the 4 South Beach Lot and parking staff costs. The event will also incur fees for all required permits and licenses required to support the event. Additional ancillary positive impacts would accrue through additional transient occupancy tax, and sales tax, along with benefits related to enhancement of the City’s brand and marketability to visitors.
Prepared By: Christopher Smith, Assistant to the City Manager Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. ALC 2023-FLF-Event Narrative 20221222