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Date: May 27, 2025
To: Chair and Members of the City Council Ad Hoc Naming of Public Facilities Committee
From: Aram Chaparyan, City Manager
By: Carlos Huizar, Management Associate | [email protected] Subject: City Manager - Discuss and Provide Direction on Application for the Re-Naming of Columbia Park in Honor of Ted T. Tanouye. Expenditure: None.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council Ad Hoc Naming of Public Facilities Committee discuss and provide direction on the application for the re-naming of Columbia Park in honor of Ted T. Tanouye.
FUNDING
Not required.
DISCUSSION
On June 17, 2008, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2008-81, which authorized the City Council Ad Hoc Naming of Public Facilities Committee to establish policies and procedures for naming City-owned properties, including land, buildings, and facilities. The resolution aims to guide the City Council in considering the following:
1. Criteria for naming or renaming City-owned land, buildings, and facilities in honor individuals;
2. The circumstances under which such naming may occur; and
3. The duration of naming rights for City properties.
For your reference, Attachment 1 provides the full text of the naming policy and procedures.
On April 7, 2025, City Manager’s Office staff submitted a Naming Facilities Application on behalf of Councilmember Jon Kaji. The application is requesting the Committee’s consideration to rename Columbia Park to Ted T. Tanouye Park, in honor of Torrance’s only Congressional Medal of Honor recipient.
The application is being presented for Committee review and direction pursuant to the City’s established naming procedures.
1 City Council
May 27, 2025
About Columbia Park
Columbia Park is the largest park in the City of Torrance, spanning 52 acres at the northwest corner of 190 th Street and Prairie Avenue. Officially named in 1938 after the Columbia Broadcasting Company—due to the presence of the KNX radio tower on the site—the park was acquired by the City in phases, beginning with 17 acres in 1966 and reaching its full size by 1978.
The park features a thriving community garden program , which began in January 1975 with 52 plots on one acre. Today, the garden has expanded to 125 individual plots, each measuring 20 by 20 feet, allowing residents to cultivate both edible and ornamental plants.
Columbia Park is a hub for youth sports and recreation , offering four lighted soccer fields regularly used by AYSO. A 1.33-mile exercise path winds through the park, providing a scenic route for walkers, runners, and cyclists.
Notably, Columbia Park is the future site of the World War II Camp Wall Monument, a first-of-its- kind national memorial that will honor approximately 160,000 Japanese Americans who were incarcerated in internment camps during World War II. The monument will include engraved granite walls, educational displays, accessible pathways, and support facilities.
Next Steps
The Ad Hoc Naming Committee is tasked with reviewing the application and making a recommendation to the City Council. As part of this process, the Committee has received the following documents:
1. A copy of Resolution No. 2008-81 (Attachment 1)
2. A copy of the Facility Naming Application (Attachment 2)
3. Biography of Ted T. Tanouye (Attachment 3)
Following the Committee’s recommendation, the proposal will be scheduled for consideration at an upcoming regular City Council meeting, at which time the public will have an additional opportunity to provide input prior to a final decision.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution No. 2008-81
2. Application for Facility Naming
3. Biography of Ted T. Tanouye
2 RESOLUTION NO. 2OO8- 81
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THIS
CITY OF TORRANCE ESTABLISHING POL¡ CIES AND
PROCEDURES FOR THE NAMING OF CITY- OWNED
LAND, BUILDINGS, AND FACILITIES
The City Council of the City of Torrance does hereby resolve as follows
PURPOSE
To establish formal policies as a guide to the City Council in considering ( 1) appropriate names for City- owned land, buildings and facilities; ( 2) whether, and under what circumstances, such land, buildings, and facilities should be named or renamed in honor of individuals; and ( 3) the duration of naming rights of City- owned land, buildings and facilities,
ll SCOPE
This regulation is applicable to all City departments and offices responsible directly to the City Manager. lt is also requested that elective offices and other independent offices and departments of the City comply with these procedures in the interest of administrative uniformity.
POLICY
ln determining the names to be given to City- owned land, buildings and facilities, the City Council will give particular consideration to the following policy guidelines:
The City Council will consider candidate names for facilities whether submitted by Council members, City staff, City agencies, civic organizations, and/ or the general public including names incorporating the name of Torrance where it is deemed important for civic or other reasons for a building or facility to be identified with the City, Names that have recognizable geographic, topographic or historical significance associated with Torrance. ln assessing this type of name, the City Council will take into consideration the recommendations from different bodies such as the Planning Commission or Torrance Historical Society.
City, owned land, buildings and facilities may be named in honor of persons who have served the nation, the State of California and/ or the City of Torrance in an exceptional and distinguished manner; and, where such action is warranted by a contribution or service which is deemed to be of major significance.
The naming of City- owned land, buildings and facilities in honor of a deceased person shall generally not take place until after a minimum of one- year waiting period unless the City Council determines that there are overriding considerations deviating from this policy guideline. This particular policy guideline is not intended in any way to reflect on the merits of any deceased individual who may have been a prominent civic leader. However, it is felt appropriate to establish some type of waiting period to ensure that an individual' s accomplishments or contributions will stand the test of time; and that a decision shall not be made on an emotional basis immediately following a person' s death.
ORIGINAL
3 ATTACHMENT 1
City- owned land, buildings and facilities may be named after individuals or families who have donated the land or funds for the capital project, particularly if such naming is set forth as a condition of the donation.
The City Council may approve the naming of City- owned land, buildings, or facilities based on an organization or individual' s monetary contribution to the City for that purpose. The funds from that contribution may be used for any purpose deemed appropriate by the City Council unless there is a specified use as a condition of the contribution. The duration of the name is on a case- by- case basis at the discretion of the City Council unless othenruise set forth as a condition of the contribution approved by the Council.
The names of City- owned land, buildings and facilities shall not normally þe named in honor of individuals when they have previously been named for other individuals.
However, if the Council deems it appropriate, they may vary from this guideline on a case- by- case basis.
IV. PROCEDURES
Requests for naming or renaming of City- owned land, buildings and facilities shall be filed with the City Clerk for transmittal to the Mayor in writing, accompanied by a statement summarizing the justification for the recommended name( s).
The Mayor fonryards the request to the Chair of the Facility Naming Committee. The Chair schedules a meeting of the Committee to consider the request. The meeting is open to the public and gives members of the community an opportunity to give input to the process. The Committee should schedule the meeting within 30 days of receiving the request.
lf the request is denied by the Committee, no further action is taken, lf the request is approved, the Committee Chair directs staff to prepare a report for the full Council where public input is again received.
The City Council will make its determination as to the naming or renaming of City- owned land, þuildings and facilities at regularly scheduled meetings of the City Council at which staff, representatives of advisory bodies and civic organizations and the general public may offer testimony. lf the request is denied by the Council, no further action is taken. lf the City Council approves the request, staff is directed to go fonvard with implementing the naming of the facility. The steps taken to implement the request will be developed as an internal City process. The decision of the City Council will be final. lntroduced, approved and adopted this 17th day of June, 2008
APPROVED AS TO FORM
JOHN OWS City Attorney
Mayor Frank Scotto
ATTEST:
by
Ronald T, Pohl, Assist City Attorney Herbers, City Clerk 4 TORRANCE CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2008. 81
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
CITY OF TORRANCE
AYES COUNCILMEMBERS
SS
l, Sue Herbers, City Clerk of the City of Torrance, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly introduced, approved, and adopted by the City Council of the City of Torrance at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 17"' day of June, 2008 by the following roll call vote:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
Date -
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Barnett, Brewer, Drevno, Nowatka, Sutherland,
Witkowsky, and Mayor Scotto.
None.
None.
None,
Herbers
of the City of Torrance
COUNCILMEMBERS
COUNCILMEMBERS
COUNCILMEMBERS
5 6
ATTACHMENT 2
7 8
ATTACHMENT 3
9 10
11 12
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