SAINT PATRICK'S DAY PARADE AND FESTIVAL:

SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1997

Recommendation

It is recommended by the Downtown Enhancement Commission and staff that Council:

1. Approve the street closure request from the South Bay Saint Patrick's Day Committee for the Saint Patrick's Day Parade and Festival.
   
2. Approve the allocation of $5,000 from the DEC Fund.
   
3. Approve a $2,000 allocation from Prop A Transportation Funds to pay for shuttle bus service from Mira Costa High School.
   
4. Approve Fee Waivers: Event, Banner, Amplification Permit, Parking.
   
5. Approve charging actual costs only (hourly rates per employee) for: Police, Fire,

Public Works Personnel.

Background

The event application from the SBSPDC includes a request for $5,000 from the DEC Fund which was approved by Council in the 1996-97 budget. At their December 4, 1996 meeting, the DEC approved the street closure request from the SBSPDC and the allocation of $5,000 from the DEC Fund.

Analysis

The parade staging area will be located on Valley Drive from Pier Avenue to 8th Street using:

• City Hall Parking Lot,
• Valley Drive,
• the Greenbelt, and
• beyond 8th Street on the Greenbelt Parking Lot.

This newly designed staging area will reduce the need for traffic control on the north side of town (previously the parade staging area included Valley Drive on the north side of Pier Avenue) and will enhance residential access on Valley Drive.

The parade route will begin on Pier Avenue at Valley Drive and will proceed west bound to Hermosa Avenue where it will turn south bound (on the east side of Hermosa Avenue) and end at 8th Street.

In order to address downtown construction, vendor booths and the festival area will be located as follows:

• Hermosa Avenue from Pier Avenue to 10th Street (south) and 14th Street (north)
• 13th Street from Hermosa Avenue to Parking Lot C Entrance
• Parking Lot A (if the committee cannot secure Parking Lot A, they will extend the use of Hermosa Avenue south to 8th Street)
• 11th Street west of Hermosa Avenue to Beach Drive
• Public Beach (TBD)

Attached is a recommended event contract and event details as submitted by the SBSPDC. Event organizers and City staff have met to discuss the proposed event and to review safety and operational concerns.

Clearly, the Saint Patrick's Day Parade will be a well timed special event for the downtown area. The event organizers have included provisions for free booth space for lower Pier Avenue merchants this year in order to allow them to have additional exposure at the event, making the Saint Patrick's Day Parade both a fun community event and a potential boost for merchants during downtown construction.

Fiscal Impact: $5,000 expenditure from the DEC Fund $2,000 expenditure from Prop A