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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-12-19; City Council; 10433; BLUFFTOP WHALE WALK LAND EXCHANGE AND MAINTENANCE PROPOSALEXCHANGE AND MAINTENANCE If Council concurs, direct staff to enter into a maintenance agreement wit1 the State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation for only thl turf, and hardscape area adjacent to Carlsbad Boulevard from Tamarack Avenul to Cherry Street, commonly referred to as the "blufftop whale watch area" ITEM EXPLANATION Based on Counci 1 discussion regarding the bl uff top 1 andscape appearance the City Council at their April 11, 1989 meeting directed staff to negotiat with the State of California for ownership and maintenance alternatives fc the property known as the "whale watch bluff top area." This parcel consist of approximately 1800 feet of land from the Tamarac parking lot extending to Cherry Street and from Carlsbad Boulevard west t the wooden fence line. The subject area included the Tamarack parking lot the bluff top walk, the grass area, and the rest room. The Mayor wrote a letter to Assemblyman Robert Frazee, and staff wrote letter to the State Parks and Recreation Director requesting that the Stat consider a land exchange and, to negotiate maintenance responsibilities i exchange for the State assuming the cost for extended lifeguard servicE from Oak Avenue to the northernmost city limits. Mr. Henry Agonia, the State Parks and Recreation Director responded on JUI 12, 1989. He indicated that the State lacks adequate funds to develop ai maintain the subject area to a standard compatible with the Ci improvements. However, he welcomes the City's interest to do so. I confirmed the State would be willing to enter into a development ai operating agreement for the City to accomplish the various improvements no cost to the State, if the City is also willing to include the maintenam responsibilities of the slope area from Tamarack to Oak Street, the parkii lot and the rest room in addition to the side walk and grass areas adjace, to Carl sbad Boul evard. In addition, Mr. Agonia also indicated the State has no jurisdiction 1 funds to provide lifeguard services as suggested from Oak Street north the City limit. The State would be willing to consider providing lifegua services through a negotiated contract with the City. Subsequent to the response from the State Parks and Recreation Directo another alternative has been proposed. In this case, the State would assu the maintenance responsibility of the Tamarack parking lot, and the Ci would assume the responsibility of the rest of the areas as outlined in M Agonia's letter. Under this option, the State would still retain the tit to the land, but again would consider a longterm development and operati d g p& b, 2 .. z 2 5 a s z 3 0 0 AB# /<+33 0 e Page 2 Since the State is not interested in transferring the land title to th City, it is staff’s position that it would not be in the City’s bes interest to assume the ongoing maintenance of the parking lot grass/hardscape areas, the rest rooms, and the bluff top slope from Tamarac to Oak. This subject area and related amenities requires a number o improvements, may increase the City’ s 1 i abi 1 i ty exposure, and would have tremendous fiscal impact on our park maintenance program. Staff believe that this is a State responsibility and recommends that we consider only maintenance agreement to augment the State’s existing maintenance progra for only the grass and hardscape area between Tamarack and Cherry Avenue Staff has met with Bill Fait, the State Parks and Recreation Department Are Manager, he stated that his forces have made improvements to the woode fence and have upgraded their maintenance level to the grass area adjacen to Carlsbad Boulevard from Tamarack Avenue to Cherry Street and hav implemented a squirrel eradication program. Mr. Fait indicated that ther was also an interest by a local service club to beautify and upgrade th turf area. Presently, this service club project is in the planning stage: As previously discussed with the City Council, improvement cost to the whal walk area including the parking lot, rest rooms, and slope areas ai approximately $500,000, and annual maintenance costs are estimated to t $30,000. The maintenance cost of the City’s proposal is estimated to t $6,000 to $8,000 annually. Funds are not available for this maintenanc function in the 89-90 budget. If Council directs, staff will incorporal the maintenance cost in the 90-91 budget. RECOMMENDATION If Council concurs, staff recommends that the City enter into a maintenanc agreement with the State to augment the level of maintenance to only tt turf and hardscaped area adjacent to Carlsbad Boulevard from Tamarack 1 Cherry Avenue. Unless directed otherwise, staff does not recommend assumir the maintenance responsibilities for the Tamarack parking lot, the blul area from Tamarack to Oak Street or the rest room. In response to the lifeguard issue, because the land in question is undc the ownership of the State Lands Commission and private property owner‘ staff’s position is that it is not the City’s responsibility to provi lifeguard services from Oak Street to the northern city limits. FISCAL IMPACT Improvements to the whale walk area, including the Tamarack parking lo rest rooms, turf and hardscaped areas, the fence and the slope area a estimated to cost $500,000. The maintenance impact would be approximate $30,000 annually. Funds have not been appropriated for either t improvements or the maintenance. AB#/q#yJ e 0 Page 3 Cost to maintain only the turf and hardscaped areas is estimated to bi $6,000 to $8,000 per year. Presently, there are insufficient funds ani staffing levels to incorporate this additional maintenance in the fisca year 89-90 park maintenance program. If Council directs, it is suggestel that funds be allocated for the bluff top whale walk area in the fiscal yea 90-91 Parks and Recreation budget. EXHIBIT 1. Area Map Carlsbad Seawall and Whale Walk 2. Letter dated 4/17/89 - To Assemblyman Robert Frazee, From Mayor Lewis 3. Letter dated 5/11/89 - To Henry Agonia, From David Bradstreet 4. Letter dated 6/12/89 - To David Bradstreet, From Henry Agonia e 0 ;* ,. \ < \e *-e 4. -L‘ 2nd draft April 17, 1989 Assemblyman Robert Frazee State Capi to1 Room 3141 Sacramento, CA 95814 BLUFFTOP WHALE WALK AREA The City Council, at its meeting of Tuesday, March 11, 1989, has instructed staff to meet with the State Department of Parks and Recreation, concerning the blufftop whale walk area. Our concern for this area is the general lack of adequate maintenance on the area between Cherry Avenue and Tamarack Boulevard on Carlsbad Boulevard. The area is generally in a low level of maintenance, with either dying, or dead grass, infrequent mowing, and the blufftop fence is in need of repair and painting. After discussion, Council instructed staff to do the following: First, initiate negotiations to transfer the title of the area known as Whale Walk, from the State of California to the City of Carlsbad. This would include all the blufftop walkway area, the grass area, benches and the sidewalk. Secondly, City staff was requested to negotiate an Wrn agreement with the .State of California for the maintenance of the blufftop, walkway area, the grass area, the benches, sidewalk, and the blufftop fence. This( agreemefi should include the State‘s money currently allocated for the maintenance of the area under discussion. We would enhance that money with-our own funds to bring the area up to acceptable local standards. This agreement would include the area from the curbface to, and including, the blufftop fence. Third, upon the transferring of title of this area from the State of California to the City of Carlsbad, we would assume the full cost of maintenance for thc blufftop walk area in exchange for the State of California assuming the cost for lifeguard service from Oak Avenue to the northern city limits on Buena Visti Lagoon. If you desire further information, or wish to clarify any points of this letter please give us a call as soon as possible. S i ncerel y , CLAUDE A. “BUD” LEWIS Mayor C+”.,tir< -- . P9k . C: Richard Ledford, Assemblyman Frazee’s office, Carlsbad * .. May 11, 1989 Henry Agonia State Parks and Recreation Director 1416 Ninth Street, #1405 Sacramento, CA 95814 LAND EXCHANGE REQUEST (CARLSBAD STATE BEACH PROPERTY, CARLSBAD CALIFORNIA) The Carlsbad City Council, at their April 11, 1989 meeting, instructed staff to meet with the appropriate state officials to negotiate a land exchange for approximately one thousand eight hundred (1,800) feet of state owned land known as the "Bluff Top Whale Watch" from Tamarack Avenue North to Cherry Street from the curb adjacent to Carlsbad Boulevard and then west to the wooden fence line on the top of the bluff. The City's concern is that because of recent City improvements to the bluff tor to the north and the high visibility and public use of the state property the subject area deserves a higher level of maintenance that is currently bein: managed by the area State Parks and Recreation Department. If the City and State can successfully agree upon the land transfer, the Cit) would then investigate various grants for making improvements and then assumin: the maintenance responsibility excluding the rest rooms, parking lot and the west facing slopes above the sea wall. In exchange for the City assum'lng the whale walk maintenance impact, the Cit: requests that the State consider adding life guard services from Oak Street Nortt to City limits. This subject area is heavily used during the peak seasons an( is under the state lands Commission ownership. It was good seeing you last week, hope everything is going well , if you have an questions please call me at (619) 434-2824. Si ncerel y , David Bradstreet, Parks and Recreation Director c: Frank Mannen, Assistant City Manager John Cahill, Municipal Projects Manager Bill Fait, State Parks and Recreation Assemblyman Robert Frazee EXHIBIl -A- - ' L-4 \lill--a nri\ia o Carisbad. California 92008-1989 * (619) 434-282 __ GEORGE DEUKMEJIAN b ,- *k- =-I'm .Illrq 1 4 puJ lA ,* L.. 5T;TE OF CALIFORNIA-THC RESOURCES AGENCY * DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION P.O. BOX 942896 SCRAMENTO 94296-0001 (916) 445-2358 JUN 121989 Nr. David Bradstseet parks ard Recreation Director City 1200 "'l&a of Carlsbad zr your May 11, 1989 letter rqwstmg ' a lad exchange at Carl- state E!ea&. . Watch1@ axxi runs frm Tamaradk Avenue North to Oak Strpt, lhis , unfortunately, la& adeqate furds to develop acrl -W- to a - cmp*le wim the city's impmvanents but welc~nes the City's interest an3 offer to aaxmplish this task, 'Ifie State would be will- to enter int0 a deJelw ard cpxatb-q agreazY+rrt for the city to acccnnplish these tasks at no cost to the state if the City was willing to include the bluff area, par-, and restnms. ?he State would then aperate the beach with lifeguard senice and the City FnxiLd be responsible for the sea wall, bluff slope, bluff top, the restrocanS, and parkirrg -* mis ~epartmerrt doe^ not have the jurisdiction or funds to provide lifeguard services as swggested fram Oak Street North to the City limits, T?& is the respansibility of the state Iands m ' ion. Acxmtzactto provide these services to the City at cost might be possible. Wlsbad, CA 92008-1 8 0- ' !me lard involved is kncwn as the "Bluff Top whale . EXHIBIT