HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-08-05 City Council (33)TO:
City of Palo Alto
C ty Manager’s Report
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: Community Services
AGENDA DATE: August 5, 1996 CMR: 355:96
SUBJECT:Phase II of the Friends of the Children’s Theatre Improvement
Project - Budget Amendment Ordinance
Staff requests that Council release the $100,000 Capital Improvement funds (project #19703)
challenge grant to the Friends of the Children’s Theatre, so that they may commence with Phase
II of the Children’s Theatre building project; waive any normal or use fees under the Municipal
Fee Schedule, as a part of the City’s contribution to this public/private partnership project; and
approve the attached Budget Amendment Ordinance that will accelerate some required ADA
improvements at the Children’s Theatre. The Friends have provided the majority of funding
for the Children’s Theatre project ($400,000).
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that Council:
Release the $100,000 Capital Improvement funds (project # 19703) challenge grant to the
Friends, upon satisfying the City Manager or Deputy City Manager/Administrative
Services that they have raised the $400,000 upon which the challenge grant is predicated,
so that the Friends’of the Children’s Theatre may commence with Phase II of the project;
Suspend any normal or use fees under the Municipal Fee Schedule, as a part of the City’s
contribution to Phase II of the public/private partnership; and
Approve the attached Budget Amendment Ordinance to increase the 1996-97 CIP budget
(project # 19309) by $20,000 and authorize the City Manager to reimburse the Friends
for previously scheduled ADA improvements, to accommodate the Friends of the
Children’s Theatre building construction schedule.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
This public/private partnership request is
Procedures Manual Section 1-25.
consistent with City of Palo Alto Policies and
CMR: 355:96 Page 1 of 4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Council previously authorized the City Manager to negotiate with the Friends of the Children’s
Theatre to develop a preliminary agreement and subsequent leases, which allow the project to
proceed under complete control of the Friends of the Children’s Theatre, a nonprofit 50 lc(3)
organization (CMR:522:0).
The Friends initiated the project in August 1983 to address ventilation and air circulation
deficiencies at the Theatre and to construct 3,700 square feet of new space. In July of 1985,
with the approval of the City Manager, the Friends proceeded with their plans to launch a
$500,000 building fund drive for Phase I, which included installation of air conditioning in the
existing Theatre and construction of a Theatre library and backstage storage area. Local
architectural firms created preliminary plans to reflect the programming needs of the Children’s
Theatre. Birge Clark, the original architect of the Lucie Stem Community Center, reviewed and
endorsed the designs by John Northway. The plan was designed to meet the requirements for
Theatre expansion as proposed by staff and to conform to the architectural style of the
Community Center. In 1991, the Friends contracted with Stoecker .and Northway Architects,
Inc. to prepare final designs for the project. The designs for Phase I and II were reviewed and
approved by the ARB, the HRB, the Planning Commission and Council. Phase I commenced
October 21, 1991 with Council approval of the project and was completed and accepted by the
City on April 16, 1993. The Friends of the Children’s Theatre then initiated a new fund-raising
effort to begin Phase II of the project, which will include construction of an outdoor platform
and production area. With an additional contribution of $100,000 from the City, the Friends
were able to. complete their goal of raising $500,000 for the second phase. Following Council
approval, the Friends intend to exercise their option to lease portions of the property adjacent
to the Children’s Theatre building, located at 1305 Middlefield Road, for the purpose of
constructing an outdoor platform and production area. The lease provides that the Friends shall
use the premises only as necessary to construct the project. The City shall continue to use and
operate the Children’s Theatre to the exrtent such useis feasible. The Friends hope to commence
the project in the Fall of 1996 and complete it within twelve months of ground breaking.
ADA REQUIREMENTS
A consultant survey, Conducted within the last nine months, identified approximately $20,000
of ADA improvements the City needs to perform at the Children’s Theatre. This work does not
result solely from the implementation of the project and had previously been scheduled for
construction for 1998-99. However, initiating Phase II of the Children’s Theatre project triggers
the implementation of the ADA improvements. In order not to hold up the issuance of a
building permit for Phase II of the project, staff recommends that Council augment 1996-97
Capital Improvement Program (CIP) project # 19309, Americans with Disabilities Act
Compliance, budget by $20,000. This will allow the necessary ADA work to proceed on an
accelerated schedule. The Friends have agreed to incorporate the necessary ADA
improvements into their project, provided the City reimburses them for the additional work.
CMR: 355:96 Page 2 of 4
The Building Division will still need to impose additional ADA required improvements, which
result solely from the implementation of Phase II. Such work would include, but not be limited
to, ADA access to the outdoor stage and ADA access from the primary building entrance to the
outdoor stage. The cost of such improvements would be appropriately assigned to the Friends
of the Children’s Theatre since they.are incurred as a result of the new construction.
BUILDING PERMIT
Plans and Drawings for Phase I and Phase II of the Children’s Theatre building project.were
reviewed by the Planning Commission, the Architectural Review Board, the Historic Resources
Board, and approved by Council October 21, 1991. In accordance with Municipal Code Section
16.48.1302, which addresses phased projects, approval was granted for a five-year period
ending October 21, 1996. Before Phase II of the project can commence, the Friends need to
secure a building permit before the October 21, 1996 expiration date of the approvals. Staff
recommends that Council waive the building permit fees. Such a waiver is consistent with
Council’s actions regarding Phase I, and with the Public/Private Partnership concept envisioned
in Policies and Procedures Section 1-25.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Friends will provide the principal funding for Phase II of the Children’s Theatre building
addition project of the Children’s Theatre. Begun in 1985, the Friends have carried out a
successful, fund-raising capital campaign that has gen.erated $910,000 in cash and pledges. To
date, the Friends have a balance of $410,000. Council has approved a challenge grant of
$100,000 in Capital Improvement funds to enable the Friends to commence Phase II, provided
that the Friends have satisfied the City Manager or Deputy City Manager/Administrative
Services that they have raised the $400,000. In addition, staff is requesting a budget amendment
to augment 1996-97 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) project #19309, Americans with
Disabilities Act Compliance, by $20,000 to accelerate the implementation of ADA
improvements.
ENVIRONMENTAl, ASSESSMEN~
The City Council approved a negative declaration for the Children’s Theatre construction on
March 20, 1992.
CMR: 355:96 Page 3 of 4
ATTACHMENTS
Budget Amendment Ordinance
PREPARED BY: Leon Kaplan and Patricia Briggs, Arts and Culture Division
DEPARTMENT HEAD
PAUL THILTGEN
Director, Community Services
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
CC:Friends of the Children’s Theatre
CMR:Page 4 of 4
ORDINANCE NO.
ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO
AMENDING THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1996-97 TO
PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION FOR CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT 19309, AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES
ACT COMPLIANCE
WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of Section 12 of. Article
III of the Charter of the City of Palo Alto, the Council on June
24, 1996 did adopt a budget for fiscal year 1996-97; and
WHEREAS, The Capital Improvement Project, .Americans with
Disabilities Act Compliance (CIP 19309), was created to make City
facilities, programs, services, and activities accessible to people
with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, improvements are needed to make the Children’s Theater
accessible; and
WHEREAS, The Friends of the Children’s Theater has agreed to
do the work required to bring the building into compliance.as part
of other construction work the Friends will be undertaking at the
Theater; and
WHEREAS, the budget needs to be amended to provide an
additional appropriation of $20,000 to Capital Improvement Project
No. 19309, Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance to reimburse
the Friends of Children’s Theater for this work; and
WHEREAS, City Council authorization is needed to amend the
1996-97 budget as hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto does
ORDAIN as follows:
SECTION i. The sum of Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000) is
hereby appropriated to Capital Improvement Project No. 19309, and
the Budget Stabilization Reserve is correspondingly reduced.
SECTION 2. This transaction will reduce the
Stabilization Reserve from $16,013,782 to $15,993,782.
Budget
SECTION 3. As specified in Section 2.28.080(a) of the Palo
Alto Municipal Code, a two-thirds vote of the City Council is
required to adopt this ordinance.
SECTION 4. A negative declaration was approved by the Council
for the Children’s Theater construction project on March 20, 1992.
SECTION ~. As provided in Section 2.04.350 of the Palo Alto
Municipal Code, this ordinance shall become effective upon adoption.
INTRODUCED AND PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
ATTEST:APPROVED:
City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:City Manager
Senior Asst. City Attorney Deputy City
Administrative
Department
Manager,
Services
Director of Community Services
Department