HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 110-10CMR:110:10 Page 1 of 3
TO: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY SERVICES
DATE: JANUARY 11, 2010 CMR: 110:10
REPORT TYPE: REFERRAL TO COMMISSION
SUBJECT: Request for Referral of an Application to Rename Lytton Plaza to the Parks
and Recreation Commission Subject to the Provisions of City Policy 1-15 –
Facility Naming and Renaming
RECOMMENDATION
Pursuant to the provisions of City Policy and Procedure 1-15 (Attachment A: Naming City-
Owned Land and Facilities), staff recommends that Council refer the application for the
renaming of Lytton Plaza Park (Attachment B) to the Parks and Recreation Commission for
review and recommendation back to the City Council.
BACKGROUND
On April 12, 2004, Council adopted recommendations of the Policy and Services Committee to
revise and expand the City’s Policy for naming and renaming City-owned land and facilities
(CMR:217:04). The expanded policy included criteria for the naming of new parks and facilities,
separate criteria for the re-naming of parks and city-owned facilities, procedures for the
submission of names for facilities, and an application form whereby submission of names would
formally be presented to the City Council for consideration. The purpose of the naming/renaming
policy is to ensure that City-owned land and facilities, when named for individuals, are persons
who have made significant contributions or performed services deemed to have been of major
importance to the community.
In regards to the renaming of parks or facilities, the policy establishes:
“Existing place names are deemed to have historic recognition. City policy is not to change the
name of any existing facilities or City-owned land, particularly one whose name has City or
regional significance, unless there are compelling reasons to do so. Further, the City will
consider renaming to commemorate a person or persons only when the person or persons have
made major, overriding contributions to the City and whose distinctions are as yet
unrecognized.”
CMR:110:10 Page 2 of 3
Subsection 2(A)3 of the policy (Renaming Suggestions) prescribes that the City Council shall
initiate the renaming process by referral of the public or staff request to rename a park or facility
to the commission or committee whose sphere of influence is most closely associated with the
facility in question. In this case, the request to rename Lytton Plaza Park would be referred to the
Parks and Recreation Commission for consideration.
Once the referral is made by the City Council to a specific commission or committee, the
commission will receive comment and evaluation of the new name that is to come from the Palo
Alto Historical Association.
DISCUSSION
Staff has received the attached renaming application for Lytton Plaza Park from Charles Keenan
as a member of the Friends of Lytton Plaza Park, LLC. Mr. Keenan and the friends have
suggested the name of the Plaza be renamed “Thoits Plaza” in recognition of the outstanding
contributions the three generations of the Thoits family have made to the Palo Alto community
and more specifically, in recognition of the leadership Warren Thoits provided in establishing the
fund raising campaign for the recent renovation of the Plaza.
According to the policy, the criteria for renaming a park or facility are:
“City-owned lands and facilities may be renamed for an individual(s) under the following
conditions. Where the individual:
1. Has made lasting and significant contributions to the protection of natural or
cultural resources of the City of Palo Alto, or
2. Has made substantial contributions to the betterment of a specific facility or park,
consistent with the established standards for the facility, or
3. Has made substantial contributions to the advancement of commensurate types of
recreational opportunities within the City of Palo Alto.”
Staff has reviewed the application from Mr. Keenan and the Friends of Lytton Plaza Park, LLC
and feel that the contributions of Mr. Thoits to the renovation of this specific park, together with
the outstanding contributions of the Thoits family over the years to the enhancement of
recreational opportunities in Palo Alto through their significant community philanthropy, are
compelling enough to merit further consideration of the renaming application by the Parks and
Recreation Commission, together with advice from the Palo Alto Historical Association.
If the Parks and Recreation Commission conclude the application for the renaming of Lytton
Plaza meets the criteria set out in the City’s policy, the Commission will receive comments from
the public and will vote to refer the renaming recommendation back to the City Council for
action.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: City Policy and Procedure 1-15 (Naming City-Owned Land and Facilities)
Attachment B: Application for Renaming City-Owned Lands (Lytton Plaza Park)
CMR:110:10 Page 3 of 3
PREPARED BY: __________________________________________________________
GREG BETTS
Interim Director Community Services
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: ______________________________________________
JAMES KEENE
City Manager
COURTESY COPIES
Friends of Lytton Plaza, LLC
Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce
Downtown Palo Alto Business Improvement District