FEE WAIVER FOR DOCUMENTARY FILM: LA COUNTY LIFEGUARDS

Recommendation

It is recommended by staff that Council:

1. Reduce City location fees from $770.60 per day to $100.00 per day for Turner Broadcasting who will be filming a documentary about LA County Lifeguards on various locations on the beach and City from April 5 - September 1, 1997; and
2. Waive the permit processing fee of $330.40; and
3. Require that the LA County Lifeguards monitor the filming activity; and
4. Direct staff to process a single permit for the 5-month period which will require the County Lifeguards and/or Turner Broadcasting to notify the Community Resources Department of filming activities by telephone to determine if any conflicts exist.

Background

Lieutenant Mike Cunningham requested that the City consider fee waivers in order to facilitate the production of this documentary which will focus on LA County Lifeguards (see Attachment A). LA County has reduced their daily location fees to $100 per day in order to assist with the production of this documentary.

The City has an ordinance allowing for the approval of filming for up to 15 consecutive days as a nonpermanent activity (while the exact number of filming days requested has not been determined, they anticipate filming in Hermosa Beach for less than ten (10) days total over the 5-month period). The ordinance also allows the Council to set film permit fees by policy (See Attachment B).

Analysis

Leibovitz Productions proposes a low impact approach to filming this documentary. A hand-held camera and sound will be used and no City parking and/or other services will be required.

In addition, LA County Lifeguards will supervise the filming which will be scheduled on a daily basis throughout County beaches in accordance with lifeguard activities and schedules. As such, City of Hermosa Beach staff time dedicated to this activity will be minimal.

Leibovitz Productions has indicated that they will list Hermosa Beach in the credits and will also refer to Hermosa Beach when it is appropriate within the documentary (e.g., the Rookie Graduation in Hermosa Valley Park).

Due to budgetary constraints, absent these waivers, Leibovitz Productions has stated that they will not be able to film in Hermosa Beach. In previous meetings, Council has indicated a strong desire to rebuild and support location filming in our City. With this approval, the City will not only express support for filming but will also ensure that Hermosa Beach is a featured location in the documentary scheduled to be aired by Turner Broadcasting in 1998.

Fiscal Impact: Revenue to the General Fund to be determined.