TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, Acting City Manager
FROM:
Mark Leyman, Director of Parks and Recreation
Martin Betz, Cultural Arts Manager
Linda Robb, Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Discussion of Strand Alcove Bench & Tree and Bench Donation Programs (Parks and Recreation Director Leyman).
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss and provide direction on the Strand Alcove Bench and Tree and Bench donation programs.
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The fiscal implications will vary based upon City Council direction. Strand alcove benches range in price from $8,500 to $17,000 per bench, depending on which model is selected. Should the City elect to purchase these benches with its own funds in lieu of receiving donations, Public Art Trust Fund dollars are an eligible source of funding.
Currently, the City receives approximately $2,000 annually for Tree and Bench Donation installations. However, if this program was discontinued, the City would likely not install new trees and benches unless there was a specific need or request.
BACKGROUND:
Strand Alcove Bench Program
The Strand Alcove Bench Program was originally proposed as part of the City's 2005 Work Plan and fully implemented in 2007 (Attachment 1). It is a donor-based model designed to create an artistic feel along the Strand and provide bench seating at 46 individual locations that:
* Are of high artistic quality and consistent with the City's cultural identity of surf, sand and sea;
* Provide a comfortable space to rest and enjoy the ocean and surrounding views;
* Are appropriate to the site; and
* Are durable, safe, vandal-resistant, environmentally sound, and require minimum maintenance.
There are four pre-approved bench designs available to choose from: The Wave I and II, The Loop, and The Puddle. In addition to these four designs, artists ...
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