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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-05-05 City Council (18)CityManager’s City of Palo Alto Summary Report TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM: AGENDA DATE: CITY. MANAGER. May 5, 1997 DEPARTMENT: CMR: 211:97 Community Services SUBJECT: Recommendations for Continued Use of the Terman Community Center This report is a follow-up to CMR: 432:96, which informed Council that the two-year pilot program to operate a community center at the Terman site was unsuccessful. This report transmits the recommendations of the Council-appointed Terman Community Center Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee), and gives staff recommendations as to the continued use of the Terman site. ,_,=_,.~. .- _-_ _. _- Given the failure of the pilot program to operate the Terman 30’s wing as a community center, and in response to the Advisory Committee’s recommendations for the future use of the Terman Center (Attachment 1), staff recommends that Council: 1. Authorize staffto initiate the process to amend the Comprehensive Plan and the Terman. Specific Plan to reflect a change of use of the 30’s wing long-term rental space for child care, nonprofit or educational community-based organizations and/or used as space for City programming.. Direct that funds generated by the rental of Terman site rooms be used for the continued maintenance of the site and the enhancement of Terman Library services, if in accordance with the Library Master Plan, and/or the enhancement of Community Services in the Terman area through new events or programs. 3. Confirm continued use of the 20’s wing as a library and the continued use of the library meeting room for City programming and rental activity. These recommendations impact the Terman Specific Plan and require a policy change. CMR:211:97 Page 1 of 8 In June 1994, Council approved the creationofan eight-member Terman Community Center Advisory Committee to make recommendations to Staff and Council regarding Terman Center facilities and programs. In April 1995, Council adopted staff and the Advisory Committee’s recommendations to continue and enhance a pilot program of classes and activities to ascertain whether the Terman site would be viable for a City-run community center. A pilot program, to operate the site as a community, center, was designed with Advisory Committee recommendations, community survey results and staff input. During the two- year pilot program, 72 percent of the classes and programs produced at Terman did not meet the required minimum attendance levels, causing these classes to be canceled. When .compared with a failure rate of 14 percent at Lucie Stem Center, 23 percent at Cubberley Center, and 19 percent at Mitchell Park Center, the 72.percent failure rate is very high. As a result of this low participation, staff, with the concurrence of the Advisory Committee, ceased the pilot program and proceeded to develop recommendations for the future use of the site. Since October, 1996, the Advisory Committee has met three times to develop a set of recommendations for the continued use of the Terman Center. Staff has reviewed these recommendations and concurs with their intent. The Advisory Committee recommendations call for: Continuation of a library facility and community services in the Terman neighborhood; Rooms 31 through 34 at the Terman Center be leased out and the revenues generated by the lease be used for enhanced library service and increased community services in the Terman neighborhood; The Model Railroad Club be allowed to remain in room 35 for one year and a review of its use thereafter should occur annually in accordance with the City’s co-sponsorship policy. At this time there are no plans to changethe operation of the Terrnan Library. If Council should approve staffs recommendations, there could be an enhancement of services provided to this program from increased rental revenues. However, later this year Council will be reviewing the proposed Library Master Plan, which may contain recommendations for operational changes to Library services. CMR:211:97 Page 2 of 8 Staff believes the original intent of the Terman Specific Plan was to give Terman area residents some of the benefits of community services close to their neighborhoods. Since the community center approach may not be achievable, the use of funds derived l~om leasing the Terman site and earmarking these funds for the direct enhancement of local community services, seems appropriate. Staffwill continue to lease.rooms 31 and 32 until the process to amend the Terman Specific ¯ Plan is complete. This will generate the funds for the upkeep of the site and for enhanced community services as requested by the Advisory Committee. The City has co-sponsored the Model Railroad Club since 1967. Over the next year, staffwill be reviewing this co-sponsorship and determining whether it should be renewed. If staff determines that the co-sponsorship should not continue, room 35 will become dedicated to city programming or as rental space. None, until such time when the Terman Specific Plan is amended and additional lease revenue is derived from the rental of rooms 33 - 35. ENVIRON-M~NTAL ASSESSMENT This is not a project as defined by the California Environmental. Quality Act and is not subject to CEQA requirements. Prepared By: Richard James, Administrator, Community Services Department Department Head Review: PAUL THILTGEN Services City Manager Approval: Manager CC: Terman Advisory Committee CMR:211:97 Page 3 of 8 of Palo Alto. City Manager’s Repor Recommendations for Continued Use of the Terman Community Center This report is a follow-up to CMR: 432:96, which informed Council that the two-year pilot program to operate a community center at the Terman site was unsuccessful. This report transmits the recommendations of the Council-appointed Terman Community Center Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee) and gives staff recommendations as to the continued use of the Terman site. RECO~~ATIONS Given the failure of the pilot program to operate the Terman 30’s wing as a community . center, and in response to the Advisory Committee’s recommendations for the future use of the Terman Center, staff recommends that Council: Authorize staffto initiate the process to amend the Comprehensive Plan and the Terman Specific Plan to reflect a change of use of the 30’s wing long-term rental space for child care, nonprofit or educational community-based organizations and/or used as space for City programming. 2.Direct that the funds generated by the rental Terman site rooms be used for the continued maintenance of the site and the enhancement of Terman Library services, if in accordance with the Library Master Plan, and/or the enhancement of Community Services in the Terman area through new events or programs. 3. Confirm continued use of the 20’s wing as a library and the continued use of thelibrary meeting room for City programming and rental aetivity~ The Terman site was used as a middle school until the 1977-78 school year, at which time the City acquired the site. Subsequently, through the efforts of the City of Palo Alto, the Palo Alto Housing Corporation, the Jewish Community Center and citizens of the nearby area, a Specific Plan for the Terman School site was adopted to implement, in part, the City’s Comprehensive .Plan. As a result of the Terman Specific Plan, housing was constructed on part of the site, the Jewish Community Center leased a number of buildings to run a community center, a large, parcel of land was retained and preserved as open space available for the recreational use of the public, CMR:211:97 Page 4 of 8 and the City established the Terman Library. The library occupies one wing on the Terman site. The balance of the site was to be used for City-run programs. Due to lack of funding and the failure of many early programs to -attract enough participants, the 30’s wing of the Center remained mostly vacant until 1992. In 1992, a use permit was given to .the Mid-Peninsula Jewish Community Day School to lease two rooms of the five rooms that make up the 30’s wing. During use permit hearings, Terman area residents voiced their concern over the lack of programs and activities in the 30’s wing, as called out by the Terman Specific Plan. At the August 10, 1992 City Council meeting, Council referred the matter of implementation of the Terman-Specific Plan to the Policy and Services Committee. Council also earmarked rental revenue from the Mid-Peninsula Jewish Community Day School lease to offset Terman Community Center expenditures. In June 1994, Council approved the creation of an eight-member Terrnan Community Center Advisory Committee, to make recommendations to staff and Council regarding Terman Center facilities and programs. In April 1995, Council adopted staff and the Advisory Committee’s recommendations that authorized:. The continuance and enhancement of a pilot program of classes and activities in .rooms 33, 34 and the Library Meeting Room of the Terman Community Center through August 1997. 2. The expansion ofprogramming to make full use ofrooms 31 and 32 beginning September 1997. However, if by October 1, 1996, programming proved unsuccessful during the pilot program, then staff and the community would study alternative uses for the site. Beginning in July 1995, performance of minor facility rehabilitation to help create a visible City presence and a desirable environmental setting. The continuance of using revenue generated by the lease of rooms 31 and32 to offset Community Center expenditures and Council approval to carryover and expend unused funds from the 1994/95 Terman Community Center budget into the 1995/96 budget. The continuance of the Terman Community Center Advisory Committee as a review committee and staffresouree through September 1997. A pilot program, to operate the site as a community center, was designed with Advisory Committee recommendations, community survey results and staff input. Elements of the program included: The exterior of the facility was painted and new signage installed, to help give the facility a visible City presence. CMR:211:97 Page 5 of---~ New equipment, including tables, chairs, dry-erase boards and supplies, was purchased. A wide variety of classes and programs were offered utilizing the library meeting room and rooms 33 and 34. The topics of the classes and programs were developed from the 1993 Terman Area Community Survey, conducted by the Satellite Research Network, and through a"door-to-door" survey conducted by the Advisory.Committee and Terman area neighborhood associations. Classes and programs were offered for preschool-aged children through adults and covered a broad range of subjects. The library meeting room and rooms 33 and 34 have additionally been utilized by community groups, homeowner associations, City functions, and co-sponsored clubs such as the Chess and Go clubs. To promote the pilot program, a marketing plan was implemented using many of the same methods currently employed for the City’s three other community centers. Additionally, classes and programs were advertised through a special Terman section of the Enjoy! class catalog; through flyers and brochures designed specifically to advertise Terman Center programs, which were delivered to the doorsteps of hundreds of homes in south Palo Alto; through press releases; and through neighborhood association newsletters. During the period October 1994 through October 1996, a total of sixty-six classes and programs have been offered at the Terman Community Center. Sixty-three percent of these programs were canceled due to zero enrollments or enrollments that did not meet the class minimum requirement. When summer and winter camps are excluded from these totals, the success ratio of special interest classes reflects a 72 percent failure rate. Some offerings that were canceled were classes that had been successful at other community centers, yet failed to meet minimum numbers when transferred to the Terman facility. To help stimulate a use pattern, some classes that did take place ran at minimum or below acceptable numbers. " " ~The 72 percent failure rate of Terman Center classes, compared with 14 percent at. Lucie Stem Center, 23 percent at Cubberley Center, and 19 percent at Mitchell Park Center, is very high. Although there is some use of the rooms by public and City functions, the rooms remain empty for large periods of time, and continue to be underutilized. There.is no one clear reason why Terman Center classes and programs h~ve met with minimal success. Participants, instructors and club members have expressed concern over the availability of onsite parking; lack of onsite staffing; facility location; and the proximity of the Jewish Community Center, a full service center that is open to the public as. CMR:211:97 Page 6 of 8 contributing factors to the low participation in Terman Center activities. As a result of this low participation, staff, with the concurrence of the Advisory Committee, ceased the pilot program and proceeded to develop recommendations for the future use of the site. These recommendations impact the Terman Specific Plan and require a policy change. Since October 1996, the Advisory Committee has met three times to develop a set of ¯ recommendations for the continued use of the Terman Center. Staff has reviewed these recommendations and concurs with their intent. The following is discussion regarding each of the three Advisory Committee recommendations: The long-term presence of a Hbrary facility and community services be continued in the Terman neighborhood. At this time there are no plans to change the operation of the Terman Library. If Council should approve staffs recommendations, there could be an enhancement of services provided to this area. However, later this year Council will be reviewing the Library Master Plan, which-may contain recommendations for operational changes to Library services. Rooms 31 through 34 at the Terman Center be leased out and the revenues generated by the lease be used for enhanced library service and increased community services in the Terman neighborhood. Staff believes the original intent of the Terrnan Specific Plan was to give Terman area residents some of the benefits of Community Services dose to their neighborhoods. ~ Since the community center approach may not be achievable, the use of funds derived from leasing the Terman site and earmarking these funds for thedirect enhancement of local community services seems appropriate. Depending on the outcome of the Library Master Plan, these lease-generated funds could be used to enhance the operation of the Terrnan Library by expanding hours or enhancing technology and collections. The funding could also be directed toward new or expanded special events or increased programming in Briones, Bol and Terman parks and facilities. Staffwillcontinue to rent rooms 31 and 32 until the process to amend the.Terman Specific Plan is complete. This will generate the funds for the upkeep of the site and for some enhancement of services, as requested by the Advisory Committee. Once the Terman CMR:211:97 Page 7 of 8 Specific Plan is amended, the balance of the 30’s wing would be available for rental/lease. 11 The Model Railroad Club be allowed to remain in room 35 for one year and a review of their use thereafter annually in accordance with the City’s co-sponsorship policy. The City has co-sponsored the Model Railroad Club since 1967, Based on the revised co- - sponsorship policy, staff will annually review this agreement and determine whether it should be renewed. If the staff determines that the co-sponsorship will not continue, room ¯ 35 will become dedicated to eityprogramming or as rental space. None, until such time when the Terman Specific Plan is amended and additional lease revenue is derived from the rental of rooms 33 - 35. This is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act and is not subject to CEQA requirements. 1.Begin the process to amend the Comprehensive Plan and the Terman Specific Plan which will include requesting, a resolution from the Planning Commission and final approval from Council. 2.Develop a plan .for enhanced community services in the Terman area. 3.Once the Terman Specific Plan is amended, develop and distribute request for proposal to rent additional rooms. CMR:211:97 Page 8 of 8