TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL

FROM: DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS

DATE: MAY 6, 2003

SUBJECT: REVISIONS TO THE BUILDING PLANS FOR THE POINT VICENTE INTERPRETIVE CENTER

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Authorize staff to revise the improvement plans for the building expansion at the Point Vicente Interpretive Center to include a raised platform, a screen and other audiovisual infrastructure, and additional storage space to accommodate City Council meetings.
2. Authorize the expenditure of up to $ 20,000 for Engineering and Architectural services.
3. Adopt Resolution 2003 - , a resolution of the City Council for the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, amending Resolution 2002 –45, the Budget Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2002 – 2003, for a Budget Adjustment to the City’s Capital Improvement Program.

BACKGROUND

At recent City Council meeting, Council member Clark asked staff to look into the feasibility of modifying the improvements plans for the building expansion at the Point Vicente Interpretive Center so that the City Council could begin meeting at the center.

DISCUSSION

The existing expansion plans include a multipurpose room with dimensions identical to that of the City Council meeting room at Hesse Park. The room was designed as a place for staff and volunteers at the center to make presentations to visitors, and for weddings and other such celebrations on a rental basis. One aspect of the room is that it is surrounded by a patio with a spectacular ocean view.

To accommodate City Council meetings the following items need to be added to the room:

• City Council dais
• City Council seating
• Staff seating
• Audience seating
• Accommodations for visual presentations
• Cameras
• Electronic infrastructure
• Electronic closet for television production
• Additional storage area for furniture

Adding these items to the room to accommodate City Council meeting will impact how the room can be used by other users. Some features will be an asset to other users, while others, if they are permanently constructed will have a negative impact. Staff looked into each needed feature, considered it impact to other users and recommends that the modifications to the plans take place as follows:

Item	Comments	Staff recommendation
Area for City Council dais	A permanent raised platform will work well for City Council meetings, however, because of the room size and configuration it cannot be made large enough to accommodate the Planning Commission. A raised platform would be an asset for some users of the room such as the docents.	A permanent raised platform will be added to the building plans. Staff will investigate possible room set-ups for the Planning Commission that do not utilize the raised platform.
City Council seating	Permanent City Council seating atop the platform would make the room significantly less usable for other uses.	Portable furniture for the City Council will be stored and set up at each meeting.
Staff seating	Permanent staff seating would make the room significantly less usable for other uses.	Portable furniture for staff will be stored and set up at each meeting.
Audience seating	Permanent seating would make the room significantly less usable for other uses.	Portable seating for the audience will be stored and set up at each meeting.
Podium for audience comment, and projector for audio visual presentation	Permanent furniture would make the room significantly less usable for other users.	The audience podium, PowerPoint projector, and table will be portable and set up at each meeting.
Electronic accommodations for visual presentations	A permanent system will be an asset for other users of the room.	Floor outlets with electrical, internet, and audio connections will be built into the building. A screen behind the City Council seating will be permanently constructed. A portable monitor will be placed either at each City Council member’s work area or at a central location for viewing by the Council.
Cameras	Permanent cameras will not impact other users of the room	The City will request that Cox Communication relocate the existing cameras from Hesse Park to the Point Vicente Interpretive Center.
Area for television production and furniture storage.	Closets for TV production and furniture storage were not included in the original plan.	The building plans will be revised to include additional closet space.

A sketch of the City Council set up as proposed by staff is attached as Exhibit A.

CONCLUSIONS

Adopting the staff recommendations will authorize staff to move forward with revisions to the construction plans for the expansion at Point Vicente so that the City Council can begin meeting at the center. The proposed permanent revisions include a platform to be used as a City Council dais, and screen and electronic infrastructure for visual presentations. The plans will also need to be revised to provide additional closet area for television production and to store furniture and equipment. These items will be permanently added to room because they will not have a negative impact for other users of the room. Staff recommends that the remaining elements, such as seating and other furniture, be portable and set up for each meeting in much the same way as they currently are.

It is important to note that given the room size, the placement of windows and doors, the area available for the raised platform is limited. A raised platform can be made large enough to accommodate the five member City Council, but it cannot be made large enough to accommodate larger groups such as the Planning Commission. For a number of reasons staff believes it would be best if the Planning Commission held their meetings at the center, staff will investigate potential room set-ups for the Planning Commission that do not utilize the raised platform. One solution would be to not have a raised platform.

The current schedule calls for advertising the plans on June 1, 2003, and beginning construction August 15, 2003. If revisions are made to the plans the revised schedule will be as follows:

Proposed revisions adopted by the City Council	May 2003
Complete revisions to the plans	August 1, 2003
Advertise plans:	August 15, 2003
Award construction:	October 1, 2003
Begin Construction:	November 1, 2003
Complete Construction:	November 1, 2004

FISCAL IMPACT

The recommended actions will result in the expenditure of to $ 20,000 in general fund monies to revise the plans. Staff estimates construction costs for the revisions at

$100,000. The funding source for the additional engineering services will be the General Fund, while the funding source for the additional items of construction will likely be the Environmental Excise Tax Fund.

Since the expenditure of the general funds monies for the architectural/engineering services was not anticipated in the adopted budget, a budget adjustment is required.

The FY2002-2003 estimated General fund revenues in excess of adopted expenditures are only $827. Therefore, the additional appropriation for this project cannot be funded within this year’s anticipated revenues and will have to be drawn from the General fund reserve. The calculation of the projected General fund reserve available for appropriation, which is below the reserve policy level, is summarized below.

Actual General fund reserve, 6/30/02		7,233,654
Less:
	Policy Reserve Level	(6,451,870)
	Discretionary Budget Items Adopted:
	Master Planning	(200,000)
	Citywide Drainage	(100,000)
	Sewer Maintenance	(350,000)
	Traffic Signal	(135,000)
General fund reserve available, 7/1/02		(3,216)
Less:
7/16/2002	View Restoration Tree Trimming	(35,000)
7/16/2002	Open Space/Recreation Task Force Consultant	(25,000)
8/6/2002	Weed Abatement (Parks Maintenance)	(21,500)
11/19/2002	Additional Student & The Law Classes	(9,118)
11/19/2002	Civic Center Modifications (transfer out)	(5,000)
12/3/2002	Open Space Land Purchase	(18,216)
12/3/2002	Additional PVIC Park Maintenance	(19,000)
12/17/2002	Storm Water Program additional funding	(3,200)
12/17/2002	Temporary Trailers at PVIC	(10,000)
1/7/2003	Traffic Calming on Via Rivera (transfer out)	(6,780)
1/7/2003	Open Space/Recreation Task Force Consultant	(40,000)
2/18/2003	RPV City Talk video-editing	(2,500)
2/18/2003	Reinstall computers for bldg mods and furniture	(8,000)
2/18/2003	Lobbyist for Open Space Acquisition	(25,000)
2/18/2003	Permit Clerk full-time salaries	(14,000)
3/4/2003	San Ramon Drainage (transfer to CIP)	(491,067)
3/18/2003	Educational Access Channel Equipment	(10,000)
4/15/2003	Tarapaca Canyon Landslide Investigation	(5,000)
General fund reserve available, net		(751,597)

Submitted by,
Dean E. Allison
Director of Public Works

Reviewed by,
Les Evans, City Manager

Attachments:
Building Floor Plans
Sketch of City Council Setup
Resolution 2003 -