MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY
COUNCIL
of the City of Hermosa Beach, California, held on Tuesday,
February 5, 2002, at the hour of 7:16 P.M.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
- Commissioner Bill Sigler
CITY COUNCIL ROLL CALL:
Present: Edgerton, Keegan, Reviczky, Yoon, Mayor Dunbabin
Absent: None
JOINT WORKSHOP OF THE HERMOSA BEACH CITY COUNCIL AND THE
PARKS, RECREATION & COMMUNITY RESOURCES ADVISORY
COMMISSION
COMMISSION ROLL CALL:
Present: Bell, Fishman, Hollander, Sigler, Chairman Francis
Absent: None
Also present were: Steve Burrell, City Manager
Mary Rooney, Community Resources Director
Lisa Lynn, Recreation Supervisor
Tom Bohlin, Police Lieutenant
Aaron Marks, Fire Engineer/events coordinator
Michael Flaherty, Public Works Supervisor
Elaine Doerfling, City Clerk
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Mayor Dunbabin thanked the Commission for meeting with the
Council and for volunteering so much of their time to serve the
community.
Coming forward to address the Council at this time was:
- Doris Nickelson
-
- Kenny Nickelson Memorial Foundation for homeless
veterans and children, presented a certificate of
appreciation to the City for the gifts donated through the
Beach Cities Toy Drive, which included toys, educational
aides, bikes and games; submitted several photographs of
the children with their gifts and handmade thank you cards
from some of the children; expressed appreciation on behalf
of the Foundation.
Councilmember Reviczky thanked Nick and Doris Nickelson for
their dedication to homeless veterans and children, noted that
the Foundation was one of the 12 charities that the Beach
Cities Toy Drive donated to this year; and thanked the citizens
of Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach for their generosity.
Mayor Dunbabin announced that the annual Sand and Strand Run
would take place Sunday, February 10, with the first race
beginning at 8 A.M. Community Resources Director Rooney said
walk-up registration would take place the day of the race at 7
A.M. at the Hermosa Beach Pier.
Mayor Dunbabin announced that the dedication ceremony for
the Hermosa Beach highway marker identifying Pacific Coast
Highway as Los Angeles County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
was scheduled for 9 A.M. Saturday, February 23, at Greenwood
Park.
Mayor Dunbabin announced that the Spring Fever recreation
brochure was out, and commended Recreation Supervisor Lisa Lynn
for creating a first-place award-winning brochure, which was
named "Best of the Best" at the recent California Parks and
Recreation convention. She also recognized Recreation
Supervisor Shaunna Donahue for her excellent handling of the
City's special events.
Councilmember Yoon announced that the proposed State budget
showed a potential loss of $70,000 to the Hermosa Beach Valley
Park renovation project. He suggested sending a letter
requesting the money back if funds become available.
Action:
To direct the preparation of a letter for the Mayor's
signature requesting that, if $70,000 for Valley Park's
renovation is rescinded by the State, the funding be restored
if future conditions permit.
Motion Yoon, second Edgerton. With no objections, so
ordered.
Councilmember Reviczky said the chairmen of the Hermosa
Beach and El Segundo Parks and Recreation commissions planned a
golf event that took place last Saturday in El Segundo. He said
it was a great event, that Hermosa defeated El Segundo by one
stroke, and that Chairman Francis got a hole in one.
Chairman Francis said the participants included
Councilmembers Reviczky and Edgerton, Commissioners Bell and
Hollander, Community Resources Director Rooney and Public Works
Supervisor Mike Flaherty.
-
DISCUSSION OF SPECIAL EVENTS ON THE BEACH.
Memorandum from Community Resources Director dated January
24, 2002. Supplemental information submitted by Community
Resources on February 4, 2002.
Chairman Francis said the Council and Commission would
review the events and provide direction to staff, but would
make no binding decisions at this workshop meeting. As
suggested by Chairman Francis, the Councilmembers and
Commissioners then reviewed and discussed the list of events,
holding Mervyn's Beach Bash and Aloha Days over to the end,
as it had been determined that they would involve greater
discussion due to various concerns about the two events.
There was consensus to look at increasing the number of
beach concerts to four a year. Director Rooney said she would
work on obtaining sponsorship for four concerts this
summer.
There was consensus to look at adding a coastal clean up
day in the spring. It was suggested that the matter be placed
on the Parks and Recreation Commission agenda for discussion
and possible dates. Another suggestion included
re-establishing a clean-up day for the Greenbelt.
It was the consensus of the Council and the Commission
that the Sand and Strand Run, California Beach Volleyball
Tournaments, Sunset Concerts on the Beach, AAU Youth National
Volleyball Championships, EVP Pro AM Beach Volleyball
Tournament, International Surf Festival, Coastal Clean-up
Day, Hermosa Beach Triathlon, Sand Snowman Contest, USSF
Amateur Youth Surfing Competition, Over-the-Line Tourneys,
and Flag Football Tourneys were low-impact events and should
continue.
Action:
To receive and file the information discussed above.
Motion Edgerton, second Yoon. The motion carried by a
unanimous vote.
Mervyn's Beach Bash
was discussed at this time. In response to questions,
Community Resources Director Rooney said last year $48,664
was paid to the City in fees (about half covering direct
costs) and another $40,000 was donated ($10,000 each) to the
Hermosa Beach Education Foundation, the Hermosa Beach Skate
Park, the Hermosa Beach Teen Center and the Parks, Recreation
and Community Resources Commission's community picnic.
Coming forward to address the Council and Commission on
this issue was:
- James Leitz
-
- IMG, event coordinator, presented a short video on
the Beach Bash, noting that it was a multi-sports and
music event that had become a prototype around the world,
and pointing out that the soul bowl was invented in
Hermosa Beach; said the youth clinics were very
successful; said the Bash was a four-day event requiring
eight days for set-up and four and one-half days to break
down, which rounded up to 17 days total; said in addition
to the City fees and the non-profit donations, the City
and business community also benefited from income through
usage of hotels, restaurants, etc. throughout the event;
said this year's Beach Bash was proposed for the first
weekend in June. In response to Council and Commission
concerns, he proposed (1) reducing the event to three
days and reducing the set-up and tear-down time by about
three days; (2) eliminating the contour park, the huge
semi-truck parked at the pier, the live music, the
concert stage and all activities south of the pier; and
(3) maintaining the youth clinics, the men's and women's
volleyball tournaments, and the soul bowl.
In response to questions: (1) City Manager Burrell said it
was unlikely that the Coastal Commission would allow
resident-only parking in the Coastal Zone and suggested
incentives for shuttle usage, such as providing coupons at
the shuttle location to be redeemed for something of value at
the event; (2) Community Resources Director Rooney said staff
would work on better signage directing drivers to the shuttle
locations, and pointed out that the Beach Bash takes place
while school is still in session and that it actually
absorbed three events into one, resulting in fewer summer
events and fewer set-ups and tear-downs; (3) Lt. Bohlin
estimated a maximum attendance at last year's event of 15,000
people on Sunday, the day that attracted the largest crowd;
and (4) Firefighter Marks said there had been no
alcohol-related problems in the three years that the event
has taken place.
All five Commissioners spoke in support of keeping the
Beach Bash-with the proposed changes that would scale back
the event and with the use of incentives to encourage shuttle
usage-noting it was a fun, family-oriented event that
showcased the City around the world. It was requested that
the proposal submitted by IMG, for Commission review and
recommendation to Council, include all of the changes
proposed this evening.
Coming forward to address the Council and Commission on
this item were:
- James Leitz
-
- agreed to adjust the advertising program, noting
that in any case the event did not need as much
advertising as it did during the first couple years,
agreed with the suggestion to provide incentives for
shuttle usage and said perhaps Mervyn's could offer
T-shirts for that purpose; and
- Kevin (last name indistinct)
-
- proprietor of a lower Pier Avenue business, said he
was in full support of the Beach Bash; called it a great
family-oriented event.
By straw vote, the majority of the City Council (Edgerton,
Reviczky and Yoon) agreed with the scaled-back version of the
Beach Bash, as proposed this evening, which would include
making it a smaller event with fewer set-up and tear-down
days, retaining children's day, and eliminating all
activities south of the pier. Mayor Dunbabin and
Councilmember Keegan dissented, saying the event was too
large and too successful for Hermosa Beach and should be
eliminated.
Aloha Days
was discussed at this time. Although there were no
objections to two days of athletic contests on the beach,
concerns were expressed by Councilmembers Edgerton and Keegan
about the expansion of the event from one day to two days for
the vendors on the Plaza.
Councilmember Yoon concurred but said he would consider
adding a second day for vendors if there was a Navy port call
that weekend.
Councilmember Reviczky said this was an annual community
event that drew little attendance; said he had not heard any
concerns about the event from residents or businesses; said
people come from the Islands for the two-day event and did
not know if they would travel all that distance for a one-day
event; said they should obtain input from the event promoters
and review all information before making a decision to reduce
the size of the event.
Chairman Francis said he was on the Commission when the
group requested expanding the Aloha Days vendors to two days;
said this was a low-impact event attended by beach city
residents that takes place on the Plaza, with no impact to
Hermosa Avenue; said the event is unique and the promoters
have done a good job maintaining a Hawaiian theme throughout;
said his family, friends and neighbors all enjoy the event
and that there have been no complaints from the business
community.
By straw vote, it was the consensus of the majority of the
City Council (Edgerton, Keegan, Yoon, Mayor Dunbabin) to
reduce the vender portion of the Aloha Days festival from two
days to one day. Councilmember Reviczky dissented.
-
DISCUSSION OF COMMUNITY PICNIC.
Chairman Francis said $9,126 of the $10,000 donation was
spent on the September 2001 event, estimated an attendance
of 500 to 600, and provided a breakdown on the costs.
Council and Commission discussion included the possibility
of moving the event from September to August to avoid
conflict with soccer season, or of having the picnic in
conjunction with another event.
Community Resources Director Rooney noted the citizen
suggestion at the January 22 Council meeting to set a day
for honoring emergency employees and suggested that the
picnic be the celebratory day, saying it would be a great
time to display the City's public safety equipment and
personnel.
The City Council and the Commission were receptive to
Director Rooney's suggestion, with the comment that it
might be more appropriate to keep the picnic in September
and the suggestions to condense the booths into a smaller
area and to encourage more non-profit participation with
food booths, etc., as it was a great opportunity for them
to make money.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
- None
ADJOURNMENT
- The Adjourned Regular Meeting of the City Council of the
City of Hermosa Beach adjourned on Tuesday, February 5, 2002,
at the hour of 9:30 P.M. to the Regular Meeting on Tuesday,
February 12, 2002, at the hour of 7:10 P.M.
