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HomeMy WebLinkAbout22-City Manager ORIGINAL CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO—REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION From: Charles McNeely, City Manager Subject: San Bernardino Beautification Program Dept: City Manager's Office Date: July 27, 2011 Meeting Date: August 1, 2011 Synopsis of Previous Council Action: March 25-27, 2010 — At the Building a Better Community retreat, the Mayor and Common Council adopted various goals, outlined strategies for implementation, and developed an Action Plan to enhance the safety, economic viability, and livability of the community; ensure effective and responsive government; and promote partnerships and collaboration among government agencies, businesses, non-profit organization and the community. The need for a comprehensive, community-wide beautification effort was a central theme of the retreat. Recommended Motion: That the Mayor and Common Council: 1. Review and discuss the San Bernardino Beautification Program; 2. Authorize the Director of Finance to amend the FY 2011-12 Budget and appropriate $45,000 from 001-090-5186-0000-0052 to the City-Wide Beautification Program; and 3. Direct Staff to move forward with sponsoring the September 10, 2011, City-Wide Clean- Up Day. Charles Mc ly CONTACT PERSON: Andrea Miller, Assistant City Manager Phone: 384-5122 SUPPORTING DATA: Staff Report Ward: All FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount: $45,000 Source: 001-090-5186-0000-0052 Council Notes: Agenda Item No. c� STAFF REPORT Subiect• Review and approval of the San Bernardino Beautification Program, a city-wide effort to enhance the aesthetic quality and attractiveness of the City and transform the City into a quality place to live, work, and invest. Background: At the Building a Better Community retreat held in March 2010, and follow up workshops, the Mayor and Common Council adopted various goals, outlined strategies for implementation, and developed an Action Plan (Attachment A) to enhance the safety, economic viability, and livability of the City; ensure effective and responsive government; and promote partnerships and collaboration among government agencies, businesses, non-profit organization and the community. The need for a comprehensive, city-wide beautification effort was a central theme of the retreat. Over the last several months, a steering committee, which includes representatives of key City Departments, leaders in the various neighborhood associations throughout the City, and representatives of civic organizations, have identified ways to enhance the appearance of the City so that it is a more desirous place to live, work, play, and invest. Efforts identified by the Steering Committee include: • Enhancing the appearance and aesthetics of the major gateways to the community; • Beautifying the on and off-ramps throughout the City; • Improving City medians and rights-of-way along major arterial roads; • Enhancing the aesthetic appearance and safety of the City parks; • Installing signage at City entrance points welcoming visitors to San Bernardino; • Implementing public art and landscaping mural programs; • Implementing Arbor Day, Adopt-A-Tree, Adopt-A-Park, Adopt-A-Road and other adoption opportunities to encourage community and private investment; • Organizing neighborhood and community clean-up days in each of the wards; • Improving lighting in the neighborhoods and the downtown; ■ Encouraging private investment in privately-owned residential and commercial properties; and ■ Recognizing volunteers, organizations, and property owners for their efforts. Attachment B summarizes various initiatives identified by the group to enhance the community's aesthetics. The Steering Committee determined the beautification of the City will require a comprehensive, long-term approach and the active participation of the neighborhood associations including neighborhood watch, religious organizations, services organizations, schools, businesses, and non-profit organizations and associations. Further, private investment and partnerships are especially critical given the City's limited resources. Some of the initiatives will require further research, review and analysis, and will be presented at a later date for Mayor and Common Council consideration. As a kick-off to the program and to encourage further participation, the Steering Committee will hold a Community-Wide Clean-Up Day on September 10, 2011, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., as part of the 9-11 Day of Service. Community volunteers and public officials have identified numerous projects which will improve the cleanliness of the City's residential neighborhoods, parks and gateways. Project sheets that include the project scope, specific tasks to be completed, resources required, and sponsorship opportunities have been developed. Numerous City employees have volunteered to work that day. A project manager will be assigned to each site to facilitate coordination of resources, answer questions about the project, and address any issues that may arise. Based on the number and complexity of projects identified for this initial clean-up effort, numerous community volunteers will be needed. Steering committee members are presently working with local service clubs, religious organizations, schools, and neighborhood groups to recruit volunteers for the event. Individuals who are willing to volunteer that day are also being solicited through SB Direct, the City's website and Facebook. Individual volunteers will be teamed with other volunteers and service groups. All volunteers will sign up with the City, which will facilitate insurance coverage, and will be provided with either a hat or a t-shirt, to ensure they are easily identified as a volunteer and serve as a reminder of their volunteer service. Donations in the form of funding, goods and services are being solicited from local businesses. The Friends of the Parks, a local non-profit organization, that supports the City's parks and recreation program, has agreed to participate by receiving monetary and in-kind donations, which will enable donors to receive a tax deduction. In addition to the projects identified, residents will be encouraged to clean up their own properties on this day. Roll-off dumpsters will be positioned at various sites throughout the City. Residents and businesses will be permitted to dispose of unwanted items at no cost. The September 10, 2011, Community-Wide Clean-Up Day will begin at 8 a.m. at each project site. Each volunteer group will be pre-registered and report to the designated sites. Registration will also be available that morning as needed. Anyone who is interested in volunteering for the Clean-Up may also register by calling SB Direct. Financial Impact: While the Steering Committee is soliciting donations to fund the costs associated with the September 10, 2011, Community-Wide Clean-Up Day, it is anticipated that some funding from the City and start-up funding will be required. Attachment C is a proposed program budget for the September 10 Clean-Up Day. Funding is available in the City's Civic and Promotional Fund, 001-090-5186-0000-0052 to fund this project. The total costs for the September 10, 2011, Community-Wide Clean-Up Day are projected at $45,000. The Steering Committee's goal is to recover the costs. Staff is requesting that the Mayor and Common Council earmark $45,000 from 001-090-5186-0000-0052 as seed money to assist in funding this program. If approved, a status report on the September 10, 2011, City-Wide Clean-Up Day will be presented at the August 15, 2011, Mayor and Common Council meeting. Recommended Actions: It is recommended that the Mayor and Common Council: 1. Review and approve the San Bernardino Beautification program; 2. Authorize the allocation of$45,000 including from 001-090-5186-0000-0052 to be used toward funding of the City-wide Clean-Up day with any remaining funds not used or excess funds generated will be dedicated to City-wide beautification efforts; and 3. Direct staff to move forward with sponsoring the September 10, 2011, City-Wide Clean- Up Day. Beautification Program A Community-Wide Effort to Enhance the Aesthetics of San Bernardino PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Beautify San Bernardino program is a comprehensive and strategic approach to enhancing the cleanliness and aesthetic appeal of the City of San Bernardino through public and private partnerships and collaboration. The goal is to transform and position the City as a place to live, work, play, and invest. STEERING COMMITTEE AND PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION A Beautification Steering Committee consisting of representatives of neighborhood associations, clergy, leaders in civic organizations, and City officials was formed and is working to identify, develop, implement, and administer program components and coordinate the September 10, 2011, City-Wide Clean-Up Day. Subcommittees have been established to focus on specific issues including marketing, sponsorships, volunteers, finances, liability, logistics, and resources. City staff members are also working with neighborhood associations to identify target areas and projects. The intent is to expand the Committee and its various subcommittees to include representatives of local businesses and community-based groups. Membership in the Committee is open to any individual or organization that is interested in beautifying the City and may be expanded and contracted depending on the needs. In addition to providing the leadership for the San Bernardino Beautification program, the Steering Committee will pursue the creation of a Charitable Foundation to facilitate ongoing support for the program and program components. Through the charitable foundation, individuals and businesses will be able to make tax deductible donations of money, goods and services for the purposes of funding the beautification effort. INITIATIVES The San Bernardino Beautification Steering Committee identified four major objectives: improving the first impression of the City, facilitating private investment in the community, enhancing homes and businesses, and celebrating the changes. Specific initiatives within each of the objectives are discussed below. Improving the First Impression Appealing and aesthetically pleasing gateways to the City encourage private investment in the community and foster a sense of civic pride among residents. Through this effort, the Steering Committee envisions partnering with various public organizations, schools, and civic groups to enhance the appearance of the City's gateways and entrance points to the community, improving the City medians and rights-of-way, and enhancing the aesthetics of the City parks and other public buildings and facilities. Expansion of the I-215 and the Downtown Streetscape Planning and Design Project, which was developed by the City's Economic Development Agency to enhance the beauty of the Downtown, provide a starting point. The Community-Wide Clean-Up day will address some of the basic maintenance issues including the removal of weeds and debris. Additionally, the Steering Committee envisions specific projects, which will be presented for Council consideration at a later date, as a long-term solution. These projects include: Adopt-A-Road — Through this program, individuals, businesses and community groups may provide funding for the clean-up, maintenance, and landscaping of various public roads possibly in exchange for advertising or public acknowledgement. Successful programs have been implemented by CalTrans and other public agencies. Information from these sources will be obtained and a program will be developed for implementation in San Bernardino. Gateway Beautification—Beautification of the gateways to the community including the on and off-ramps will be accomplished in the short-term through the Community-Wide Clean-Up day in September. A longer term effort envisioned by the Steering Committee involves the development of a partnership with CalTrans, which is responsible for the maintenance of the freeway on and off ramps. Other public and private partnerships will be pursued for the maintenance and landscaping of the City's entrance points including potential partnerships through the horticulture programs at local colleges. Adopt-A-Park — Similar to the Adopt-A-Road program, this program would afford individuals, businesses and community groups an opportunity to provide funding for the clean-up, maintenance, and landscaping of various public parks and recreation areas. As an alternative to providing funding that would enable City staff or City contractors to perform the work, individuals and groups could also agree to "adopt" the park and provide volunteer services on an ongoing basis to maintain the areas. Arbor Day/Tree Planting Program — Arbor Day is celebrated annually on the last Friday in April, and the Committee envisions partnerships to promote tree planting and maintenance and sponsorships to provide trees and other landscaping materials. Gaining recognition as a Tree City USA Community is also a goal. Programs will be developed and presented for approval. Community Signage — Consistent and uniform signage throughout the City is critical to enhancing the aesthetics of the community and instilling a sense of ownership and pride. The City's Economic Development Agency is in the process of designing a Downtown Signage Program, and City staff and the Committee will explore opportunities to partner with the Agency and other organizations in the community to develop sign standards and pursue the implementation of new Signage throughout San Bernardino. Art in Public Places —Public art enhances the aesthetics and sends a positive message about the community and the willingness to invest here. Use of a recognizable art piece as a representation of the City of San Bernardino, such as the arrowhead, allows instant recognition by the public. A program to encourage private developers and others in the community to donate art for installation in public parks and other areas will be developed for consideration by the Council. Graffiti Removal — The City has implemented a graffiti abatement program. Under this program, City employees attempt to remove all graffiti within 24-hours of notification. A 24- hour hotline is available, and graffiti may be reported anonymously. To ensure the City is made aware of the graffiti as soon as possible, the Committee will work with community groups, churches and schools to ensure residents and businesses are aware of this service and encourage them to report the graffiti. Lighting Enhancements — Lighting at parks, public facilities and in the neighborhoods deters vandalism and crime. While the City provides lighting, additional resources are needed, and the Committee will explore partnerships and sponsorship opportunities to enable the City to repair and maintain the existing lighting and install new, more efficient lighting. Weed Abatement and Code Enforcement—The City has an active code enforcement and weed abatement program. To ensure these services are as effective as possible, the Committee will work with community groups, churches and schools to ensure residents and businesses are aware of this service and encourage them to report properties that are overgrown with weeds or require maintenance. Facilitating Private Investment in the Community Given the City's limited resources, private investment in the community is vital to the transformation process. The Committee identified the need to facilitate private investment in the City. As discussed above, the Committee will pursue Adopt-A-Park, Adopt-A-Road, Arbor Day, and Art in Public Places programs as opportunities to facilitate private investment in San Bernardino. Other opportunities will continue to be explored. Enhancing Homes and Businesses Residential and commercial properties throughout the City are also in need of attention. While the City has implemented a proactive code enforcement program and weed abatement, additional tools and new approaches are needed to address this issue. Bi-Annual Neighborhood and Community Clean-Up Days will serve to encourage residents and business owners to clean their properties and resources in the form of dumpsters. Long-term efforts include improving lighting, which was addressed above, in the neighborhoods and Downtown and other capital improvement projects to address deterioration of the public streets, alleyways and sidewalks. Additionally, the Committee determined there is a need to encourage private investment in privately-owned residential and commercial properties, develop programs to assist property owners who do not have the resources to make the improvements, and develop incentives. The Steering Committee envisions specific projects, which will be presented for Council consideration at a later date, to facilitate improvements to residential and commercial properties. RDA and CDBG funding may be utilized in qualifying areas. Volunteer Services — To assist elderly and handicapped residents, who may be willing but unable, to make the necessary improvements to their residential properties, the Committee will develop a volunteer program, which would consist of volunteers willing to perform routine work such as weeding, mowing lawns, trimming vegetation and making minor home repairs. Eligibility requirements would be developed to ensure that only those residents who are physically incapable of performing the work themselves are eligible. Home and Commercial Rehabilitation Loans, Rebates and Incentives — Research into possible funding sources for residential and commercial rehabilitation loans and rebates will be conducted, and if feasible, a program will be proposed for implementation. Additionally, the Committee will research, review and analyze successful programs implemented in other communities related to loan, rebates, and incentives for home and business improvements. Celebrating the Changes Community participation in beautifying their properties and the support of the private and public organizations and individual volunteers is essential to the program's success and the success of the community. The following recognition programs will be developed and implemented to recognize the efforts being made and encourage further participation: Property Maintenance Awards — Residential and commercial property owners, and leaders of schools, churches, and non-profit and governmental organizations, will be recognized annually for their efforts to beautify and maintain their properties. Civic Service Awards—Volunteers, civic organizations, and private and non-profit partners will be recognized for their work and donations to beautify the community. COMMUNITY-WIDE CLEAN-UP DAY SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011 Proposed Budget Item Budget Volunteer T-Shirts and Name Badges $6,000 Water and Food $18,000 Landscaping Materials, Equipment and Supplies— $11,000 Shovels,rakes,hoes, gloves, hedge trimmers, loppers, mulch, fertilizer,plants, garbage bags,brooms, dustpans, paint,paintbrushes, rollers, drop clothes,paint thinner, sandpaper, screwdrivers, hammers,nails, screws, replacement signa e Marketing and Advertising—Handout distribution $2,000 through Water Department, newspaper advertising, advertising through the City's website and Facebook Insurance $2,000 Disposal Costs $6,000 TOTAL $45,000 Note: The Steering Committee is actively seeking donations and sponsors to fund these costs and minimize the financial impact to the City.