REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the Preliminary Vision Statement, Success Criteria, and Needs Assessment for the Civic Center Modernization Project
Report
BACKGROUND
At City Council's September 2, 2014 Strategic Planning Workshop, modernization of the Civic Center Campus was one of the prioritized topics selected by Council for further discussion. Council discussed and approved a Civic Center and Main Library decision tree that outlined a two-phase community engagement process leading up to a decision by Council to select a preferred method of financing for a Civic Center Project. Council reinforced its desire to conduct a robust community engagement process and to establish criteria for a successful project prior to making any decisions.
On October 28, 2014, City Council appropriated funds for consulting services needed for the Civic Center Modernization Project (RTC 14-0746). The need for consultant assistance was outlined in three key service areas: 1) develop and implement a community engagement plan that would allow residents and stakeholders to develop a vision of a modernized Civic Center and to provide input on project alternatives and financing methods; 2) prepare a space plan that quantifies the amount of space needed for efficient service delivery and to meet the community's needs for library space, meeting rooms, and open space; and 3) complete a market analysis of the Civic Center property to further explore the concept of a public-private partnership that could help fund future Civic Center improvements.
On February 24, 2015, Council approved a Community Engagement Plan for the Civic Center Project (RTC 15-0111). The Engagement Plan outlines a series of engagement activities including interviews, focus groups, community workshops, online surveys and City Council meetings that will be used to gather input before making decisions on land use alternatives and a financing strategy for the project. The Engagement Plan also identifies specific work products that will be developed during the process including space plans, a market analysis, costs estimates and land use scenarios.
EXISTING POLICY
The Council Fiscal Policy contains several policies related to infrastructure in section 7.1C, Capital Improvement Policies:
C.1.3 High priority should be given to replacing capital improvements prior to the time that they have deteriorated to the point where they are hazardous, incur high maintenance costs, negatively affect property values, or no longer serve their intended purposes.
C.1.5 Priority will be given to the repair and replacement of existing infrastructure as compared to the provision of new or expanded facilities
C. 1.The decision on whether to repair or to replace an existing capital asset will be based on which alternative is most cost-effective or provides the best value to the City.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 exempts projects involving only feasibility or planning studies from environmental review. Appropriate CEQA review will be conducted prior to construction of any facilities under the Civic Center Modernization Project.
DISCUSSION
Engagement activities for the project thus far have included interviews with all Councilmembers, five focus group meetings, a community workshop, and outreach to staff in every City department. In addition two topics have been posted on the City's Open City Hall online forum to get feedback on library facilities and Civic Center Visions and Success criteria. A summary of the feedback received to date from Open City Hall is included as Attachments 1 and 2. A summary of outreach efforts is included with presentation materials for this item and is included as Attachment 3.
All of the input received to date has been considered in developing the draft Vision Statement, Success Criteria, and Needs Assessment. With literally hundreds of comments received to date, the drafts reflect a high-level summary of themes that were heard during the outreach process. For more specific details, meeting minutes and summaries of focus groups and the workshop community are available on the project website at: Civic Center.InSunnyvale.com.
Vision
The Vision Statement for the project is intended to help guide the development of project alternatives as the outreach process continues to unfold. It serves as a statement of the City's intentions as the Civic Center Project is developed further. The draft Vision Statement is organized around three themes that emerged through the outreach process. These themes are that the Civic Center will function to: serve, welcome, and lead the community. The entire draft Vision Statement is provided below:
The Sunnyvale Civic Center will:
Serve the Community by:
Providing efficient, functional, and flexible facilities to support innovative service delivery and sharing resources to support the community's needs.
Welcome the Community by:
Reflecting the identity of Sunnyvale and creating an environment that inspires community pride, promotes civic engagement, and offers a full range of indoor and outdoor services, to accommodate our diverse community.
Lead the Community by:
Supporting participatory governance and being a model of fiscal and environmental sustainability.
Success Criteria
Success criteria for the project will be used to evaluate project alternatives once they are developed. Having success criteria defined before alternatives are developed will help shape future alternatives, but also result in a more objective analysis as alternatives are being weighed and considered. Success criteria have been organized into six categories and have not been prioritized or weighted. Draft success criteria are as follows:
Improve the Quality of Services - Leaders in New Service Innovation
§ Preserve or Enhance Current City Service Levels
§ Create Flexibility for Future City Needs
§ Improve Technology to Expand Service Capabilities and Improve Efficiencies
Fiscally Responsible
§ Consider Lifecycle Costs: Balance Ongoing Operational/Maintenance Costs With Initial Construction Costs
§ Balance Short Term Costs with Long Term Value
§ Strategic Use of Land and Resources
Accessible to All Members of Our Diverse Community
§ Improve Access to City Services
§ Improve Connectivity Between City Services on the Civic Center Campus
§ Create an Attractive, Welcoming, and Well-Used Environment for the Community
Civic and Community Engagement
§ Flexible and Adaptable Spaces for Civic and Community Use - Meeting and Gathering Space
§ Provide Cultural and Community Resources
Increase Usability of Open Space
§ Provide a Walkable, Safe Environment
§ Maintain a Balance between Built Structures and Open Space
§ Make Sure Spaces Can Accommodate Multiple Uses - Indoor and Outdoor
§ Outdoor Space that is Open and Used by the Community
§ Combine Active and Passive Space to Meet a Range of User Needs
Leaders in Sustainability
§ Civic Model of Sustainability
§ Reduce Water and Energy Consumption
Needs Assessment
A Needs Assessment has been developed to help inform the space planning process that is currently in progress. The space plan will define how much building space is needed to continue to deliver high-quality services to the Community as well as to help quantify site needs such as parking, open space and community gathering spaces. The Needs Assessment was developed to not only consider current service delivery methods, but to try and identify opportunities for improved service delivery in the future. The Needs Assessments will help ensure that as a more detailed space program is developed for the project the needs of the community are reflected. The needs assessment is organized around four major components - Site, Library, City Hall, and Public Safety. The City Hall category is intended to capture all of the services provided in the existing City Hall, Annex, South Annex, and Sunnyvale Office Center buildings. The Needs Assessment identified the following:
Site
§ High Percentage of Green Space
§ Safe Pedestrian Pathways
§ Support a Variety of Community Use and Gathering in Outdoor Space
§ Inadequate Parking for Peak Use in Some Lots
Library
§ Additional Meeting Space for Small Groups, Programs, and Events
§ Bigger and More Robustly Shelved Collections and Areas for Teens, Tweens, and Children
§ More Effective Space Layout
§ More Robust and Appropriate Technology
City Hall
§ Innovative 21st Century Services
§ More Effective Space Layout and Allocation
§ More Meeting Space
§ Improved Security
§ More Robust and Appropriate Technology in Council Chambers and Meeting Rooms
Public Safety
§ More Effective Space Layout
§ Dedicated Space for Emergency Operations Center
§ Additional Space for Evidence Storage and Processing
§ Upgrade Crime Lab Facilities
§ Additional Secure Parking
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds are available in Capital Project 831340, Civic Center Modernization, to implement the approved community engagement plan as planned. Future steps towards implementation such as design and environmental review will require additional funding.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website. A notice of this meeting was also e-mailed to the Civic Center interested parties list, posted on Next Door, and sent to the neighborhood association leaders Yahoo group.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Vision Statement, Success Criteria, and Needs Assessment for the Civic Center Modernization Project as is.
2. Approve the Vision Statement, Success Criteria, and Needs Assessment for the Civic Center Modernization Project as modified by Council.
3. Approve the Vision Statement, Success Criteria, and Needs Assessment for the Civic Center Modernization Project as preliminary, or a working draft, and direct staff to return to Council with a final draft after conducting additional outreach.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 3: Approve the Vision Statement, Success Criteria, and Needs Assessment for the Civic Center Modernization Project as preliminary, or a working draft, and direct staff to return to Council with a final draft after conducting additional outreach.
Staff believes the Vision Statement, Success Criteria, and Needs Assessment for the Civic Center Modernization Project reflect the input received to date from a variety of outreach activities. Additional public input on the drafts that have been prepared would help to validate them and could result in improvements based on additional community input.
Prepared by: Kent Steffens, Assistant City Manager
Reviewed by: Robert A. Walker, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Open City Hall Summary: Civic Center Library Facilities
2. Open City Hall Summary: Civic Center Vision and Success Criteria
3. Presentation PowerPoint: Sunnyvale Civic Center Modernization