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Home My WebLink About2015-03-16; Parks & Recreation Commission; 03; PURSUIT OF A LONG TERM MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS AGREEMENT FOR STATE OF CALIFORNIA-OWNED BEACHES IN CARLSBADz 0 j:: u ~ z 0 Cl') Cl') -:E :E 0 u PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION -AGENDA BILL AB# 0315-3 MTG. DATE: 3/16/15 PURSUIT OF A LONG TERM MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS AGREEMENT FOR STATE OF CALIFORNIA-OWNED BEACHES IN CARLSBAD STAFF: LANCASTER RECOMMENDED ACTION: Receive an informational presentation from Kyle Lancaster, Parks Superintendent ITEM EXPLANATION: IB] INFO ACTION The California Department of Parks & Recreation (State) operates under significant budget constraints that have resulted in a corresponding decline in the quantity and quality of services it provides to the public. The State owns approximately 5 miles of beaches within the City of Carlsbad (City). The City has become increasingly concerned about the effects of the State's declining service levels on the general public -including residents, business owners, and tourists. The State's inability to provide improvement and basic maintenance services -especially on high profile properties like beaches -bears a negative reflection on the City's image. For these reasons, several members of the public have recently indicated a desire for the City to assume the maintenance and operations of the State's beaches within the City's bounds. On October 15, 2013, the City Council directed staff to pursue exploration of expanded partnership opportunities with the State, in a goal of enhancing beach facilities and services along the full extent of the City's coastline. In consideration of these concerns and direction, staff initiated discussions with the State on the potential for the City to assume improvement and maintenance services from the State at the Tamarack State Beach Upper Picnic Facilities (Picnic Facilities) and at the Tamarack/Frazee State Beach Coastal Bluff (Coastal Bluff). Right of Entry Permit On May 20, 2014, the City Council executed a Right of Entry Permit (Permit) with the State for the Picnic Facilities and the Coastal Bluff. Per the Terms and Conditions, Section 1 -Project Description, of the Permit, the State granted the City permission to: 1) enter onto the Picnic Facilities solely for the purpose of " ... maintaining landscaping, irrigation systems, hardscapes, and daily facility housekeeping tasks for the comfort station (i.e. blockhouse restroom) ... ", and 2) enter onto the Coastal Bluff solely for the purpose of" ... revegetating native coastal bluff habitat, retrofitting/expanding existing irrigation system, and maintaining said vegetation and irrigation t " sys em .... Per the Terms and Conditions, Section 2 -Term of the Permit, the Permit" ... shall only be for the period beginning on 5/20/2014, and ending on 5/19/2015, or as may be reasonably extended by written mutual agreement of the Parties." The intent of the Permit was to allow the City a short term means of entering the Picnic Facilities and Coastal Bluff to commence improvement and maintenance services. Presuming successful results were achieved within the initial term of the Permit, the goal of the City and the State is to execute a long term maintenance and operations agreement (M&O Agreement) for the continuation of the described services on these areas. The City and the State have one such long term agreement already in place. It is for the Ocean Street Sculpture Park and parking lot (Sculpture Park), located northwest of the intersection of Pine Avenue and Carlsbad Boulevard. The services provided by the City at Sculpture Park are consistent with the services now provided by the City at the Picnic Facilities and Coastal Bluff. In 1990, the City and the State entered into a 20-year agreement for Sculpture Park. In 2011, based on the successful results achieved, the City and the State entered into a successor 20- year agreement. Due to the extensive nature and duration of an M&O Agreement, additional levels of State review and approval are needed. The process of fully executing an agreement with the State typically requires at least 12 months. The following initial improvements were performed on the Picnic Facilities: ✓ Pruned or removed trees/shrubs and renovated turf areas ✓ Retrofitted irrigation systems and re-landscaped planters ✓ Replaced corroded steel handrails with aluminum standard ✓ Replaced dilapidated benches/tables and trash receptacles ✓ Installed drinking fountain and two outside showers ✓ Refurbished restroom building -inside and outside The following improvements were performed on the Coastal Bluff: ✓ Removed invasive and non-native plants ✓ Installed on-grade irrigation system ✓ Planted over 5,000 native plants on bluff ✓ Installed protective cages around selective plants ✓ Installed protective fencing at both ends of bluff ✓ Sprayed south end of bluff with native hydroseed mix Today, less than 10 months after execution of the Permit, the subject areas are dramatically transformed, and are under regularly scheduled maintenance programs. By virtually all accounts, successful results for these areas were in fact achieved within the initial term of the Permit. Maintenance and Operations Agreement On February 24, 2015, the City Council directed staff to pursue an M&O Agreement with the State for the continuation of these services. In addition, the Council concurred that the potential M&O Agreement should be expanded in terms of the scope of services to be provided, and the areas to be serviced. Specifically, the services to be provided would include not only capital improvements and basic maintenance, but also recreation programming and public safety. The areas to be serviced would include all State beaches along the City's coastline -exclusive of the beach area that is part of the South Carlsbad State Beach Campground. The State previously expressed an interest in entertaining discussions on such an M&O Agreement with the City. A prime local example of a like collaboration is the agreement the City of Encinitas executed with the State in 1989. In particular, the City of Encinitas provides all of the aforementioned services on Moonlight Beach -which is an extremely robust and popular destination for residents and tourists alike. Under an M&O Agreement, staff envisions the potential to extend the identity of the City into the State's beaches. At the same time, the amenities within the State's beaches could be upgraded to the City's standards. A partial list of those amenities includes benches, tables, trash receptacles, fire rings, umbrellas/shade structures, playgrounds/exercise stations, interpretive panels, mobile concessions, drinking fountains, showers, and restrooms, and lifeguard towers. Similarly, staff sees an opportunity to incorporate the City's high caliber of recreation programming into the State's beaches. A partial list of those programs includes special events, summer camps, surf camps, fitness classes, sports competitions, and junior lifeguarding. Lastly, staff recognizes the ability to integrate the City's premier public safety forces into such functions as year-round lifeguarding and proactive law enforcement patrols. It is also important to note some of the other benefits that could be derived from the City executing an M&O Agreement on the described State beaches, including: ► The protection and enhancement of our greatest natural/tourism asset ► The sustainability of a key destination for over 3 million visitors each year ► The quality of life enrichment and economic booster of a top notch attraction Lastly, the overarching expected results of a M&O Agreement would be consistent with multiple aspects of the City's Mission, Vision, and Values (Exhibit 1 ). EXHIBITS: 1. City of Carlsbad's Mission, Vision, and Values Mission The City of Carlsbad enhances the lives of all who live, work and play in our city by setting the standard for providing top quality, efficient local government services. Vision A world class city. City of Carlsbad Community Values q City of Carlsbad Organ izationa t-va I ues 3/ City of Carlsbad City Maintenance and Operations of CA State Beaches Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting-March 16, 2015 Kyle Lancaster, Parks Superintendent Our Coastline • s miles of state-owned beach within the City of Carlsbad -Exclusive of the campground at South Carlsbad State Beach Our Coastline • S miles of state-owned beach within the City of Carlsbad -Frazee State Beach 3/16/2015 1