TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
John Jalili, Interim City Manager
FROM:
Mark Leyman, Parks and Recreation Director
Jan Buike, Older Adults Program Supervisor
SUBJECT:Title
Approve a Memorandum of Understanding Between the Manhattan Beach Property Owners Association, Friends of Senior & Scout Community Center and the City of Manhattan Beach Regarding the Scout House Reconstruction Project (Parks and Recreation Director Leyman).
APPROVE
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Manhattan Beach Property Owners Association (MBPOA), Friends of Senior and Scout Community Center and the City of Manhattan Beach regarding the Scout House reconstruction project.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
If the City Council approves the MOU (Attachment 1) as written, fiscal implications for this project would be the waiver of City building permit and plan check fees in an estimated amount of $15,800 and infrastructure improvements not solely related to the building which are not currently contemplated. The Manhattan Beach Property Owners Association (MBPOA) will donate $500,000 towards the project costs and the Friends of Senior and Scout Community Center will undertake a fundraising drive to raise the remainder of the estimated $2.1 million in funds needed.
BACKGROUND:
This item was first presented to the City Council at the January 15, 2013 City Council meeting. City Council directed staff to draft an MOU with the Manhattan Beach Property Owners Association and the local Boy & Girl Scout organizations.
The involved parties met numerous times over the previous twelve months to outline the responsibilities and participation of each group. The outcome of these discussions resulted in the attached MOU. The MOU provides a framework which outlines the use of space, fundraising, and construction elements.
The MBPOA and the Scouting community in Manhattan Beach created a Friends of Senior and Scout Community Center non-profit organization for fundraising and ongoing project support and input.
The relationship of the Manhattan Beach Property Owners Association with Older Adult Program (OAP) started 4 years ago when a MBPOA member questioned what the Association was doing for the older adult residents of Manhattan Beach. MBPOA members met with staff and also participated in OAP activities. Support has included financial help with the older adult holiday lunches, and window coverings for OASIS. Several Scout volunteers and City leaders had already discussed the idea of a joint Scout/older adult facility and MBPOA joined this effort by pledging $500,000 for the seniors to have designated space in the community center if the additional needed funding was raised. Previous projects supported by the MBPOA include the renovation of Mira Costa's auditorium, Manhattan Beach Police Department's Mobile Command Unit, the Roundhouse Mobile Aquarium, and scholarships for Mira Costa graduates.
DISCUSSION:
The MOU between the Manhattan Beach Property Owners Association, Friends of Senior and Scout Community Center, and the City of Manhattan Beach regarding the Scout House reconstruction project provides a framework which outlines the use of space, fundraising, and construction elements.
The MOU states that the Scouts and MBPOA would like to donate funds to build a 6,000 square foot building, to replace the existing 3,000 square foot building, to be used for scouting and City sponsored older adult programming with an estimated cost of $2.1 million dollars. The project would include programmable open space in front of the proposed community center. In exchange for funding the project, the City will grant the Seniors and Scouts priority use of the facility for the lifetime of the building.
The MBPOA will donate $500,000 to the project, and The Friends of Seniors and Scouts will have 42 months to raise the balance of the needed funds. When sufficient funds have been raised to initiate a design consultant, the item will return for City Council's consideration and approval to proceed to the next step.
In approving the MOU, two important items will have been addressed:
1) Section 9A: City waiving of fees associated with the construction of the new building. If the City was to build the structure, the fees would be waived. The estimated fees for this project are $15,800.
2) Section 9B -Infrastructure improvements not solely related to the new building will be the responsibility of the City. This would include new landscaping ir desired and any street improvements such as curb cuts, though none are anticipated at this time.
Aside from the MOU, another item of note is that the land use for the Seniors and Scout Community Center will vary from the adopted Facility Strategic Plan (FSP).
Although this project will represent a departure from the FSP, it does meet the specific intent to consolidate multiple use and users into a common space, also uniting the seniors and youth in our community. In addition, the concept for this area identified in the FSP has changed in that a new Library does not have to be accommodated on this site as there is already a new Library under construction adjacent to City Hall.
Currently, the OAP including OASIS (Older Adult Seniors Interactive Space) is open 7 days a week for just dropping in, reading, computer usage, puzzles and games, and numerous Older Adult Program activities (Attachment 4). Weekly OAP program participation averages 250-290 participants. Special events offered monthly average 180 participants. The partnership with Cal State Dominguez Hills Osher Lifelong Learning Institute lectures has us hosting 10 lectures per year with an average of 100 participants per lecture.
Due to the heavy program use at the Joslyn Center by both the OAP and community groups, the Scout House is used for OAP ping pong and an art class. These classes are scheduled in the morning, not conflicting with Scout usage.
The majority of the weekly OAP programs are "staffed" by volunteers who have an interest or skill they are willing to share. There is no limit to how many programs could be offered should adequate, consistent space be available. The 55+ age group represents 25.5% of the Manhattan Beach population. There are also strong partnerships with Beach Cities Health District, Alzheimer's Association, Braille Institute, Center for Health Care Rights, and these, as well as other collaborative efforts could be expanded with consistent available space to meet the social, recreational and educational needs of this ever growing population.
The existing Scout House facility (Attachment 3) was built by volunteers over 60 years ago and it is at the end of its useful life. There are over 1,500 Boy and Girl Scouts in Manhattan Beach. Only 20% of the scout troops use the Scout House due to facility limitations. All official troops in the City of Manhattan Beach will have the option to use the new Senior and Scout Community Center for their meetings and activities.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve for the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Manhattan Beach Property Owners Association, Friends of Senior and Scout Community Center and the City of Manhattan Beach regarding the Scout House reconstruction project.
Attachments:
1. (MOU) Between Manhattan Beach Property Owners Association, Friends of Senior and Scout Community Center and the City of Manhattan Beach
2. Rendering of Possible Senior and Scout Community Center
3. Facility Strategic Plan Report (April 2008) for Scout House Structure
4. Older Adult Program Monthly Newsletter