REPORT TO PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Review and Consider Recommendation to City Council to Approve a Waiver of City Fees Associated with the Special Event Permit for the 2019 Pet Parade
Report
BACKGROUND
In 2008, former Mayor Tony Spitaleri proposed that the City co-sponsor a pet parade (“Howl’oween Pet Parade and Faire”) in collaboration with the Sunnyvale Downtown Association (SDA). (Attachment 2).
As a co-sponsor of the event, the Council authorized staff to waive the associated permit fees. In 2010, the City again served as a co-sponsor; however, the Council chose to limit the waiver of fees in an amount not to exceed $3,306. A separate grant was made to SDA to cover remaining expenses through the City’s Community Event Grant Program.
In 2011, a budget supplement was brought to Council to consider making the Pet Parade an on-going, City-sponsored event at an estimated cost of $30,500. The budget supplement was not approved.
Earlier this year, the Pet Parade Committee (Committee), via Andrea Gung, Executive Director of the Duo Duo Project (nonprofit organization), approached the City with a request to hold a pet parade in downtown Sunnyvale. As part of the request, the Committee is requesting a waiver of City fees associated with the special event permit.
The purpose of this memo is to advance the Committee’s request and to seek the Commission’s recommendation on whether Council should waive all City fees associated with the special event permit. The City Council is scheduled to consider this item on July 30, 2019.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.2.4, Relationships with Outside Groups
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(4) in that is a fiscal activity that does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potential significant impact on the environment.
DISCUSSION
The table below, extracted from the 2011 Budget Supplement No.8 (Attachment 3), outlines the history of the event expenses accrued by the Sunnyvale Downtown Association, as well as the City contributions.
|
|
City Contributions1 |
|
|
|
Grant |
Fee Waive |
Event Expenses2 |
% from City |
|
2008 Pet Parade |
$3,495 |
$6,159 |
$19,576 |
49% |
|
2009 Pet Parade3 |
$2,000 |
$6,159 |
$16,045 |
51% |
|
2010 Pet Parade4 |
$3,025 |
$3,306 |
$13,339 |
47% |
1 As a co-sponsor of the event, the terms “in-kind services” and “fee waiver” are used synonymously to indicate the value of City services not charged to the event organizer.
2 The data listed in the Event Expenses column was generated by SDA, not by City of Sunnyvale.
3 In RTC 09-209, the fee waiver amount for the 2009 event was never actually determined, but given a “not-to-exceed” value of $7,000 and estimated to be the same as the 2008 event.
4 For the 2010 Pet Parade, the fee waiver amount was re-evaluated and reduced significantly, primarily due to the elimination of Public Safety staff overtime in the calculation. Public Safety staff time was handled by on-duty officers and not included in the fee waiver calculation.
The Pet Parade is scheduled to take place on October 27, 2019 in downtown Sunnyvale. The Sunnyvale Pet Parade Committee is taking the lead on the planning and execution of the event. The nonprofit organization, Duo Duo Project, has submitted a special event permit application and has obtained a conditional permit. Once all the pre-event conditions have been met, the City will issue a Special Event Permit.
As noted in the attached letter (Attachment 4) from Andrea Gung, Founder and Executive Director of Duo Duo Project and former Mayor Tony Spitaleri, the proposed community benefit is a positive family venture that will encourage celebration, create a strong positive community identity and recognize cultural diversity.
Should the Commission wish to recommend that Council approve a waiver of the estimated City fees; the estimated City fees associated with the event are as follows:
|
Fee Category |
Estimated Cost |
|
Rental Fees & Permits (processing fee, amplified sound permit, outdoor assembly permit, banner fee, Plaza del Sol rental fee and deposit) |
$1,133.00 |
|
Street Closures (Type 3 Street Closure Fee, Street Closure prep - No Parking Signs) |
$1,245.28 |
|
Department of Public Safety (DPS officers for safety & security) |
$2,445.00 |
|
Total |
$4,823.28 |
Staff will work directly with the Pet Parade Committee regarding the additional requests, which include: marketing support from the City including posting on the City’s website, social media outlets and other appropriate City marketing channels; and participation from the Department of Public Safety in the parade.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total estimated City fees associated with the special event permit is $4,823.28. (Attachment 5)
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the Parks and Recreation Commission agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board, on the City’s website, and the availability of the agenda and report in the Office of the City Clerk.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Recommend that City Council approve a waiver of City fees in the amount of $4,823.28 associated with the special event permit for the 2019 Pet Parade.
2. Other recommendations as determined by the Parks and Recreation Commission.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative: 1. Recommend that City Council approve a waiver of City fees in the amount of $4,823.28 associated with the special event permit for the 2019 Pet Parade.
Staff
Prepared by: Jennifer Acuña, Administrative Analyst
Reviewed by: Damon Sparacino, Superintendent, Community Services
Reviewed by: Cherise Brandell, Interim Director, Library and Community Services
Reviewed by: Tim Kirby, Director, Finance
Reviewed by: Phan Ngo, Chief, Public Safety
Reviewed by: Chip Taylor, Director, Public Works
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Reserved for Report to Council
2. Letter for Consideration of a City Co-sponsorship of a Pet Parade (RTC No. 08-257)
3. 2011 Budget Supplement No.8
4. Letter of Request from the Sunnyvale Pet Parade Committee
5. Estimated Fee Schedule