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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2504-4213 Policy & Services Committee Staff Report From: City Clerk Report Type: ACTION ITEMS Lead Department: City Clerk Meeting Date: May 13, 2025 Report #:2502-4213 TITLE Discussion and Direction on Establishing a Council Chambers Use and Reservation Policy RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Policy & Services Committee review, discuss, and provide feedback to the full City Council on the proposed draft Council Chambers Use and Reservation Policy and potential fees. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The proposed Council Chambers Use Policy establishes a comprehensive set of expectations for the use of City Council Chambers, including the Community Meeting Room, prioritizing government-related meetings and public-benefit events that serve the broader community’s interests and contribute to the general public welfare. Neighboring cities have adopted similar policies with varying conditions and fees. This policy creates a consistent process, minimizes financial risk to the City, and preserves the space for its intended purpose. BACKGROUND The City has received requests from local community-serving groups and government agencies to reserve the City Council Chambers for meetings and events. Currently, the City does not have a policy for the use of the City Council Chambers outside of staff use and meetings for City Council and Council Committees and considers requests on a case-by-case basis. In collaboration with the City Attorney’s Office and City Manager’s Office, staff drafted, for discussion and consideration, a reservation and use policy that provides rules of proper use, reservation requirements, and possible fees associated. ANALYSIS Several neighboring cities have policies that allow the use of their Council Chambers with a variety of conditions, along with fees, that prioritize government-related functions and public focused events and meetings. Adopting a comprehensive use policy for the Council Chambers will ensure the space is utilized in a manner consistent with the City’s public benefit use. The attached draft policy includes eligibility for use, the conditions upon reservation approval, and the procedures for reserving the space. This approach protects the City from liability and creates a consistent process for non-City individuals and groups to use the space. The proposed policy maintains Council Chambers’ primary function as hosting meetings and public-benefit events, instead of private events or gatherings. The policy excludes the renter from use of the kitchen facilities, City Council Conference Room, and Media space. Additionally, the Council Chambers must always remain available for special, or emergency City meetings and the user will acknowledge that their event is subject to last-minute cancellations. Priority will be given to regular and special meetings of the City’s legislative bodies. Staff proposes that Council Chambers be limited to the following uses/user groups: Priority 1: Public meetings of the City Council, Council Committees, Boards and Commissions, and use by City staff. Priority 2: Meetings and Events organized by other government agencies. The Committee can also consider including a Priority 3 category for events organized by 501(c)(3) non-profits where a public benefit is shown, as determined by the City Clerk. Priority 3 events would be required to be free and open to the public. The inclusion of Priority 3 events is a significant policy question on which staff is seeking Committee feedback. There is no requirement to include Priority 3 events and staff suggests considering not allowing this category of prospective users. While there is an interest in making City facilities available to community members, this should be considered understanding the range of organizations that may request to use the Council Chambers. As the seat of government, the Council Chambers could become an attractive venue for groups wishing to elevate their profile. The City Council should be aware that groups cannot be screened based on their views or focus areas. Staff recommends the amount of $250.00 for a refundable deposit to provide adequate coverage of costs for potential additional cleaning and damages. Additional staffing fees of $47 per attendant per hour and a technology assistance fee per hour may apply if required, as determined by the City Clerk. The deposit will be refunded after a post-event inspection confirms compliance with guidelines. Cleaning and Damage Deposit $182 - $2,523 per event1 Attendant Fee $47 per attendant, per hour Technology Assistance $100 per hour when staff assistance is required This deposit would serve a dual purpose: first, to secure the reservation, and second, to cover any penalties related to a violation of the fees policy. The determination of the need for staff will be made by the City Clerk on a case-by-case basis. Should the event exceed the agreed upon end-time, a charge of the attendant fee will be deducted from the deposit. Upon completion of the event, the security deposit will be refunded, provided that the facility passes a post-event inspection, which will promote an incentive for users to follow the established guidelines. The technology assistance fee noted above is an initial estimate of the potential costs involved in cases where staff must be assigned to providing audio/visual or streaming support. This figure will need to be refined in the future based on actual costs. FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT The adoption of the Council Chambers Use Policy will have both fiscal and resource implications with an increase in staff time and administrative costs. Reservations that occur outside of operational hours would require City staff to be present and working overtime to ensure that the facility is in acceptable condition and secured at the end of the event. While the exclusion of kitchen facilities and event equipment limits excessive wear, ongoing maintenance of the space will still be required. The impact on cleaning, utilities, and general janitorial upkeep will depend on the frequency of use. Since this policy does not propose an hourly fee, there will likely be little to no generation of revenue directly from reservations. The administrative workload will be assigned to oversee reservation approvals, scheduling, contract management, policy enforcement, deposit refunds, and staff presence when needed. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT Staff collaborated with multiple City departments to ensure that the policy is comprehensive, operationally feasible, aligned with the City’s purpose of the space, and comparable to the reservation policies of other City facilities. Staff discussed reservation procedures, advised on managing administrative workload, and provided guidance on public meeting requirements. Staff assessed potential liability risks and reviewed the security deposit structure. Additionally, staff was advised on necessary waivers and public forum considerations. 1 Adopted Municipal Fee Schedule FY 2024, https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/administrative- services/city-budgets/fy-2024-city-budget/adopted/fy24-muni-fee-book-final.pdf ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Draft Council Chambers Use Policy Attachment B: Draft Application/Contract Attachment C: Council Chamber Rate Data Comparison APPROVED BY: Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk