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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-02-22 - AGENDA REPORTS - VETERANS HISTORICAL PLAZA USE (2)CONSENT CALENDAR DATE: SUBJECT: DEPARTMENT Agenda Item: 1-2� CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approval Item to be presented by February 22, 2011 Rick Gould VETERANS HISTORICAL PLAZA SPECIAL USE FACILITY POLICY Parks, Recreation, and Community Services RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council adopt the Veterans Historical Plaza Special Use Facility Policy for the operation and use of Veterans Historical Plaza. BACKGROUND The City Council directed staff to develop a policy for the operation and use of Veterans Historical Plaza at the November 9, 2010, City Council meeting. City Council also asked staff to explore options for a temporary backdrop for use at events and to look into installing a computerized brick finder to assist park users with locating commemorative bricks. At the December 2, 2010, meeting of the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission, staff presented the Commission with a draft special use facility policy for Veterans Historical Plaza. The Commission was not supportive of placing a kiosk with an electronic brick finder on the site and had several concerns with this idea. The Commission expressed concerns that such an amenity would not fit in with what is currently at the site, that it is more appropriate for use at much larger sized memorials, and that it would be subject to vandalism. Commissioners were also concerned about the maintenance of this type of an amenity. Further, the Commission felt strongly that the site lends itself to visitors simply walking around and enjoying the serenity while finding the bricks they are looking for. The Commission asked staff to explore online options where visitors use the City's website as a way to find the general location of bricks at Veterans Historical Plaza. /y � The Commission also advised staff to meet with representatives of the Historic Veterans Memorial Committee and the Santa Clarita Valley Veterans Memorial Committee to ensure they were involved with the formulation of the policy. Staff met with members of the Historical Veterans Memorial Committee and the Santa Clarita Valley Veterans Memorial Committee, the local Veterans groups, to discuss the draft policy. These groups have recently merged into one group, called SCV Veterans Memorial, Inc. Both staff and the Veterans group concluded that the following issues are critical: 1. The intent of the policy is to outline the appropriate uses for Veterans Historical Plaza. 2. A written set of procedures is needed to allow for the consideration of modifications or improvements to the Plaza. 3. The City is well equipped to handle the ordering and installation of Commemorative Bricks in the Plaza over the long term. SCV Veterans Memorial, Inc. is supportive of the draft policy and of the City facilitating the administrative tasks associated with the Commemorative Brick program. At the February 3, 2011, meeting of the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission, staff presented the Commission with the updated special use facility policy for Veterans Historical Plaza. The Commission approved the draft policy pending several technical changes and unanimously voted that City Council approve the policy. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS 1. Other action as determined by the City Council FISCAL IMPACT None by this action. ATTACHMENTS Veterans Historical Plaza Special Use Facility Policy ,yam. A 1 0 '........CITY OF SANTA CLARITA VETERANS HISTORICAL PLAZA SPECIAL USE FACILITY POLICY The City of Santa Clarita (City) encourages and promotes community use of the Veterans Historical Plaza (Plaza) without regard to race, gender, age, national origin, color, creed, disability, sexual orientation, or impairment. PURPOSE This document sets forth the procedure for operation and use of the Veterans Historical Plaza. The Plaza was designed as a respectful and serene place dedicated for the reflection and remembrance by individuals and the community to commemorate the service and sacrifice of United States Veterans. II. POLICY A. Use of Area The Plaza is intended to be used for small events and events of a short duration due to a lack of adequate parking space and a lack of restroom facilities. However, an exception will be considered when the Plaza is used in conjunction with a larger, permitted community event. All events should keep to the overall intention/design of the Plaza. The standard or national recognized military memorial holidays, as identified in the National Recognized Military Holidays section of this policy, will have priority over all other pending or submitted events. Users/Patrons who wish to hold an event should refer to the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department Special Event Policy and request a City Special Event Application. The user is responsible for the costs of any required permits. All Special Event Applications are subject to review by the Director of Parks, Recreation, and Community Services (Director) to ensure that the event is keeping with the intent and size constraints of the Plaza. In order to preserve the ambiance of the Plaza, the use of sound -amplification equipment shall not be permitted/allowed due to size constraints and the location of the Plaza, unless otherwise authorized by the Director. The City reserves the right to include additional conditions to ensure public safety and protection of property. III. SPECIFIC GUIDELINES A. Plants and Decorations Fresh flowers or other tributes may be placed on the Plaza grounds and will be removed either on a weekly basis or as flowers become unsightly. Adornments that are not 2 consistent with the image of the Plaza and/or can cause personal injury shall not be allowed. • No pottery, crockery, tin, glass, or ceramic decorations or containers shall be allowed; • No unauthorized private planting of any kind shall be permitted; • No unauthorized permanent structures such as statues, vigil lights, and/or breakable objects are permitted on the Plaza grounds; and • No open flames of any kind will be allowed on the Plaza grounds. Due to maintenance issues, miniature flags are not allowed on the grounds other than on days that recognize national military holidays, which are identified in the National Recognized Military Holidays section of this policy. Unauthorized decorations and/or commemorative items will be removed and disposed of by City Parks Maintenance staff immediately, as the presence of these tributes interferes with ground maintenance operations. The Director must authorize any exception to this section. B. Improvements and Modifications Any request to modify or improve the Plaza shall be submitted for review by the City via an application outlining the requested modifications. Applications shall first be reviewed by SCV Veterans Memorial, Inc. Comments by SCV Veterans Memorial, Inc. will be submitted along with staff recommendations to the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission. The Commission will then consider the request and make a recommendation to City Council for consideration. The type and location of any physical.. improvements shall be in accordance with the Veterans Historical Plaza Master Plan. C. Specific Art Elements Story Stations: The intent of the commemorative Story Stations are for educational purposes relating to significant wars, conflicts, or historical events in the United States. All future and/or current Story Stations are reserved for nationally recognized, United States historic wartime events only, or as authorized by the Director, and must be approved through the same process as outlined in Section III -B of this policy. Commemorative Bricks: To order Commemorative Bricks, a Santa Clarita Veterans Historical Plaza Brick Order Form shall be completed and submitted to the City. Guidelines for approving appropriate inscriptions on bricks have been previously approved and implemented via the Veterans Historical Plaza Brick Installation Procedures. Upon approval of the Commemorative Brick order, installation will proceed, as space allows, during the week before both Memorial Day and Veterans Day, or as otherwise determined by the Director. 3 Donations for Commemorative Bricks shall be made to the City of Santa Clarita. Funds for such bricks will be held in a trust account for future improvements to the Plaza that will be made following the approval process outlined in Section III -B of this policy. D. Special Donation Procedures Commemorative Donation Program: The City will consider Commemorative Donations for the Plaza. Donors shall contact the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department about available alternatives. Monetary: Contributions that are not tied to a physical item or donation are accepted by the City and will be held in a trust account for Veterans Historical Plaza. Fountains: The City's Parks Maintenance staff will occasionally gather coins from the Plaza's fountains. Coins and other monetary donations not tied to a physical item will be deposited into an account that is allocated towards the maintenance and preservation of the Plaza. E. National Recognized Military Holidays The following commemorative dates may be reserved for specific City and/or community sponsored functions pertaining to United States Veterans affairs or National Recognized Military Holidays. The following dates will have priority over all other pending or submitted events at the City of Santa Clarita. Holiday Peace -Officer Memorial Day Armed Forces Day Memorial Day Independence Day Korean War Veterans Day Labor Day V -J Day Patriots Day Air Force Day POW/MIA Recognition Day Navy Day Marine Corps Day Veterans Day National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Date May 15 Third Saturday in May Last Monday in May July 4 July 27 First Monday in September September 2 September 11 September 17 September 21 October 2 November 10 November 11 December 7 F1 IV. DENIAL OF USE Denial of use of the Plaza can be made by the City on the basis of the following reasons: 1. The event is not in keeping with the overall design/intent of the Plaza. 2. The Plaza has been reserved for other use during the day and hour requested in the application. . 3. The Plaza is incapable of accommodating the proposed activity for the number of participants involved given the size constraint of the Plaza. 4. Adequate parking facilities are not available to accommodate the proposed activity or event. 5. Adequate sanitary or restroom facilities do not exist and are not available to accommodate the proposed activity or event. 6. The applicant has failed to comply with all the conditions required for the activity, or with the facility usage policies, procedures, and/or regulations. 7. The nature of the activity may endanger the participants, facility, equipment, or staff. 8. The proposed use or activity is prohibited by law, by this policy or City ordinance, or by any regulations of the City. 9. Or, based on any substantive reason(s), as deemed by the City. V. AMENDMENTS TO THIS POLICY This policy may be amended by the following procedure. Draft amendments shall be submitted in writing for consideration by the City. SCV Veterans Memorial, Inc. shall first review draft amendments. Any comments by SCV Veterans Memorial, Inc., plus any further staff recommendations, will be taken to the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission. The Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission will then consider the policy amendment and make a recommendation to City Council for consideration.