SR-06-22-2010-1MCity Council Meeting: June 22, 2010
Agenda Item: ~ ._---
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Barbara Stinchfield, Director, Community and Cultural Services
Subject: Proposed Community Engagement Strategy for the Palisades
Garden Walk/Town Square Project
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that City Council approve the proposed community engagement
strategy for the design of the Palisades Garden Walk/Town Square Project and direct
staff to proceed with its implementation according to the timeline set forth in this staff
report.
Executive Summary
On April 13, 2010, the City Council approved the selection of James Corner Field
Operations for the design of the Palisades Garden Walk/Town Square Project as
defined in the Civic Center Specific Plan (CCSP). Palisades Garden Walk, a 6-acre
park to be located on the former Rand site and the 1-acre Town Square located just to
the west of City Hall provide a unique opportunity to create two important site-specific
community open spaces that are highly responsive to the community's desires and
vision.
A multi-pronged community engagement strategy utilizing electronic and social media,
stakeholder group liaisons, multiple community workshops, educational activities for
youth, joint meetings of the Recreation and Parks and Planning Commissions, and visits
to other advisory groups and regulatory commissions at key intervals will precede
review by the City Council. This strategy is proposed to ensure that a broad and diverse
set of community voices participate in shaping the design of these key civic open
spaces.
Background
The Civic Center Specific Plan (CCSP) approved by the City Council in April 23, 2002
identified these two open spaces as key elements in revitalizing the Civic Center. The
CCSP envisions a Town Square that "serves as the focus for community gatherings and
civic events and becomes the 'democratic space' symbolic of Santa Monica city
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government. The square is conceived in the tradition of a forum, providing a space for
people to gather in large groups and in small numbers to express their views and voice
their opinions on matters of public interest."
Palisades Garden Walk is envisioned "as an important gateway into the area, creating a
strong linkage to Palisades Park. It plays an important cultural role within the
community, while at the same time becoming a place for informal play, picnicking,
strolling, jogging, sitting and viewing....Palisades Garden Walk also adds layers of new
meaning and identity to the- area through elements such as integrated public art,
horticultural exhibits, commemorative elements, and a creative contouring of landform."
The CCSP also describes the creation of a series of physical linkages that will unify
open spaces and serve as binding elements. Wide sidewalks and an integrated
network of pathways for bicyclists and pedestrians will enhance the visitor experience.
In order to realize the vision and policies in the CCSP, $25 million in Redevelopment
Agency fiunding was earmarked by the City Council on April 14, 2009 for construction of
Palisades Garden Walk and Town Square. A Request for Proposals for a design team
was issued in October 2009 and on April 13, 2010 the City Council awarded the
contract to a team led by James Corner Field Operations (JCFO). A key factor in the
team's selection was their commitment to engaging the public in the planning and
design of public open spaces and their creative design approach.
Since the Council's action, City staff from the Public Works Department (Architectural
Services Division) and the Department of Community and Cultural Services with input
from JCFO, discussed possible community engagement approaches and activities and
developed an approach that was presented to and approved by the Recreation and
Parks Commission on March 20, 2010 as described below.
Discussion
The following goals are proposed to guide the community engagement process.
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• To engage the broadest possible range of community members in the
design process.
• To ensure participation that reflects the diverse interests and perspectives
of the community.
• To provide a full range of interactive community engagement activities-
both formal and informal.
• To develop "feedback loops" so that participants experience the iterative
design process and know they have been heard.
• To communicate the status of project during all stages of the design
process.
• To engage City Commissions and stakeholder groups at key stages of the
design process.
• To ensure the community's investment in the final design and ownership
of the park.
• To organize community engagement activities that conform to a set
timeframe in order to be responsive to the funding deadline required for
Redevelopment Agency funding.
Because of the high level of community interest in this project and the number of City
Commissions and stakeholder groups to be involved, an inclusive and highly
transparent interactive strategy has been proposed as illustrated in Attachment 1 of this
staff report. Community engagement components include:
• Community Education and Input - A project website with project
background and periodic updates; online and onsite surveys including
opportunities for park naming; e-blasts to announce important milestones
and community engagement activities; a possible project blog; use of
social media, CityTV, Seascape and press releases.
• Stakeholder Group Liaisons -City staff visits to interested stakeholder
groups, presenting opportunities for participation and inviting designation
of liaisons to the project. Liaisons will serve as the communication link
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between the project and their groups ensuring that they are aware of and
involved in community design activities. An initial list of potential
stakeholder groups that may be interested in participating is attached
(Attachment 2).
• Community Workshops -four interactive community workshops at key
stages of the design process including activities to engage youth and an
interactive activity that promotes community ownership of the park.
Workshops include:
- Workshop 1: an open house workshop held on the project site to
orient the public to the project, meet the designers and receive
initial input on the community's vision and program for the park
(July, 2010)
- Workshop 2: a workshop to review initial community input from the
July open house, with the design team presenting various concept
alternatives (September 2010)
- Workshop 3: a community workshop to review a proposed
schematic design (November 2010)
- Workshop 4: a final community workshop to review design
development plans (January 2011)
• Joint Meetings of the Recreation and Parks and Planning Commissions -
At the end of Workshops #2 (concept design) and #3 (schematic design),
a joint meeting of the Commissions to discuss and formulate comments
for transmittal to the City Council.
• Regulatorv Reviews -Landmarks Commission review of the Town Square
concept and schematic designs; Arts Commission and Public Art
Committee review of public art designs; Architectural Review Board review
of design development drawings related to structures; Coastal
Commission review of design development plans.
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City Council review and action would occur at key benchmarks during the design
process including programming and concept design, schematic design, design
development, and final design and award of the construction contract.
Commission Action
On May 20, 2010, James Corner Field Operations made a presentation to the
Recreation and Parks Commission including an overview of the firm's background and
philosophy, its portfolio of sample projects with examples of community engagement
activities they have spearheaded and initial observations about the Palisades Garden
Walk/Town Square project. Members of the public had an opportunity to ask the team
questions about the process. The Commission and public response to the presentation
was extremely positive. The Commission also reviewed the proposed public
engagement strategy and approved a motion supporting the process as proposed by
staff with the addition of the following elements which have been incorporated into the
overall strategy described above. (Attachment 3)
• an educational outreach component specifically targeted to youth
• an interactive activity to promote ownership of the park
• incorporation of social media outreach activities (Facebook, Twitter,
podcasts, You-tube)
• a park naming competition
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Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
No financial or budgetary impacts are associated with this action.
Prepared by: Karen Ginsberg, Assistant Director, Community and Cultural Services
Approved:
Forwarded to Council:
Barbara Stinchfield Rod Gould
Director, Department City Manager
Attachments:
1. Proposed Community Engagement Timeframe
2. Initial List of Potential Stakeholder Groups
3. Letter from the Recreation and Parks Commission
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Attachment 2
Palisades Garden Walk/Town Square
INITIAL LIST OF POTENTIAL STAKEHOLDER GROUPS
Citv Review Commissions
Architectural Review Board
Arts Commission
Landmarks Commission
Planning Commission
Recreation and Parks Commission
Advisory Boards and Commissions
Commission for a Senior Community
Commission on the Status of Women
Disabilities Commission
Housing Commission
Social Services Commission
Environmental Task Force
Urban Forest Task Force
Bayside District Corporation
Convention and Visitors Bureau
Pier Restoration Corporation
Business Organizations
Chamber of Commerce
Main Street Merchants Association
Neighborhood Associations
Friends of Sunset Park
NOMA
OPA
PNA
Wilmont
Other Community Organizations
Opportunities to appoint a stakeholder liaison will be announced broadly to ensure that
all interested groups will have an opportunity to receive an overview of the project by
City staff and appoinYa stakeholder liaison to the project.
Cit/ ofd
June 7, 2010
Recreation & Parks Commission
1685 Main Street
PO Box 220C
Santa Monica, California 90407-220C
Mayor Shriver and Council Members
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica,. CA 90401
RE: James Camer Field Operations Community Design Process
Dear Mayor Shriver and Council Members:
Attachment 3
I am sorry not to be able to join you at your meeting of June 22, 2010 and hope this letter will be
helpful to you as you discuss the Community Design Process for the Palisades Garden Walk and
Town Hall Square Parks.
Yotir Recreation and Parks Commission understood the importance of Santa Monica's first
introduction of James Corner, head of James Corner Field Operations ("JCFO"), the design firm
the City hired to lead the team in the design of the public pazk areas currently called `Palisades
Garden Walk' and `Town Square'.
Accordingly, the agenda for -our May 20, 2010 meeting was planned to allow for a full
presentation by James Corner of the philosophy of the firm, th_ e work of Field Operations, the
role and responsibilities of team members and, a full discussion of the public design process.
Additionally, because of the high community interest in this project, it was well attended by
many Santa Mohicans, including members of the Planning, Landmarks, and Arts Commissions,
SMC; Santa Monica architects and landscape architects, and so on. A full and very usefill public
discussion followed the James Corner presentation.
The Recreation and Parks Commissioners, after having seen the presentation and having heard
and participated in the discussion, underscored-the importance of working in an iterative and
collaborative manner with the Community and expressed their unanimous appreciation for
JCFO.
Our discussion of the design process focused on the different opportunities for involvement and
participation by the community -workshops on the site, interactive. media participation, use of
images and design tools that are appropriate .for park design work. The Commission cited.....
several of the public workshops, held by JCFO on previous projects, as demonstrating the kind
of opportunity for involvement that would be good for our park design process.
tel: 310 458-8310
In particular, it was important to the Commission that JCFO understand and express the unique
history and character of both the Palisades Garden Walk and City Hall Town Square sites; create
parks that transform these important urban spaces into great, central parks .for the city; use
sustainable ecological and environmental principles to guide decision making; and use design to
create; as appropriate, visual, emotional and physical connections to the beach, the Pier,
Palisades Park, Santa Monica Place and the Third Street Promenade, the new Expa Station, City
Hall and the Civic Center buildings and Ocean Park.
Further, the Commission expressed the impe°tance of JCFO working with the teams responsible
for the projects (freeway capping, Colorado Esplanade, Expo terminus station, Samohi Joint-
Use) that surround and impact the Palisades Garden Waiit/Town Square Park sites.
The Recreation and Parks Commission requests that you express your support for the high level
of participatory design with the community, your support for sustainable ecological and
environmental principles in guiding decision malting, and for the vision of these parks as central
to the civic heart of the City.
Most importantly, we wish to express our appreciation for your support for the design and
development of these new parks. We believe they will become parks beloved by generations of
Santa Monicans and part of the park iconography that makes Santa Monica famous.
Respectfully;