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CC - Adoption of the Updated Rental Procedures and Guidelines for Pool Lane Allocation Relating to Municipal Plunge User Groups.
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Meeting Date: May 28, 2019
Contact Person/Dept: Corey Lakin/PRCS
Phone Number: (310) 253-6682
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: (Email) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (05/22/19); (Email) Parks, Recreation & Community Service Department Updates (05/22/19); Culver City Pool (05/22/19)
Department Approval: Corey Lakin, PRCS Director (05/16/19)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt the updated Rental Procedures and Guidelines for Pool Lane Allocation (the Guidelines; Attachment 1) relating to Municipal Plunge user groups (formerly referred to as the Guiding Principles).
BACKGROUND
In May 2011, staff identified areas within the Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS) Department that were in need of established written procedures to fairly and equitably allow for the maximum access and optimal utilization possible for Culver City residents use of the various facilities within the City. Due to the increase in demand for use of the Municipal Plunge (Plunge), staff determined that guidelines for the Plunge should be addressed in a manner that is as objective and transparent as possible, while allowing maximum access to all users.
Over the last several years and with the increased use of the Plunge from all users including the residents, Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD), non-profits, businesses, and non-residents, the need to refine and update the Guidelines has become apparent. Staff diligently follows the current Guidelines for user groups when assigning pool space, but with more than 15 routine user groups renting the pool in addition to the expanding City-operated programs and increased CCUSD usage, revising, modernizing and adopting the Guidelines as policy has become even more important.
Staff sent out an initial online survey to all Plunge renters on December 15, 2018 and encouraged renters to share their thoughts and ideas regarding the current Guidelines. Staff collected similar information, guidelines and policies from over 10 neighboring agencies and consulted with Aquatic Professionals with years of pool management experience in Culver City and other agencies to develop an updated draft Guidelines. These Guidelines were provided to all the current users of the pool on January 25, 2019. Pool users were asked to return the document with their questions, concerns, suggestions, and comments so they could be compiled and adjustments could be made. Of the 17 rental groups that were emailed, only one returned a written response. Once the comments were received staff revised the draft Guidelines and sent them to the Plunge Users a second time to review. All 17 groups were invited to discuss the second version of the Guidelines with staff at an in-person meeting held on Wednesday, February 27, 2019. At this meeting, approximately five organizations were represented and they provided a few additional comments on the Guidelines.
Staff took these comments into consideration and developed a third version of the Guidelines, which was presented to the Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS) Commission at the April 2, 2019 meeting. Prior to that meeting, staff did community outreach on social media to encourage the general public to participate in the discussion on the Guidelines. Additionally, Plunge users were invited to the PRCS Commission meeting to further voice their questions, comments and/or concerns by having their comments heard by staff and the PRCS Commissioners. Three individuals representing two user groups were present for the meeting, each providing their comments.
Commissioners wanted to ensure the user groups were afforded another opportunity to review the Guidelines and speak with the Commission so another review of the Guidelines was scheduled for the May 7, 2019 PRCS Commission meeting. On April 18, 2019, every user group received another copy of the revised Guidelines and was requested to provide comments by April 29, 2019. They were also invited to attend the May 7, 2019 PRCS Commission meeting. No comments were received on the Guidelines. Simultaneously, the Guidelines were sent to the City Attorney’s Office for review.
The updated Guidelines presented to the PRCS Commission at the May 7, 2019 meeting had been reviewed and revised further according to the recommendations from the April 2, 2019 meeting and the City Attorney’s Office. While there were no substantive changes, there were further clarifications and modifications that were incorporated into the Guidelines that staff believes better explain and define aspects of the policies. A copy of the version of the Guidelines discussed at the May 7, 2019 PRCS Commission had been sent to each of the pool user groups on Friday, May 3, 2019.
DISCUSSION
At the May 7, 2019 PRCS Commission meeting, one speaker representing a Municipal Plunge user group came forward to comment on the Guidelines; those remarks favored approval. The Commission unanimously approved the Guidelines, with some slight adjustments which are reflected in Attachment 1. In addition, the Commission made a unanimous recommendation to the City Council to adopt the updated Rental Procedures and Guidelines for Pool Lane Allocation relating to Municipal Plunge user groups.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no fiscal impact associated with the adoption of the updated Rental Procedures and Guidelines for Pool Lane Allocation relating to Municipal Plunge user groups.
ATTACHMENT
1. 2019-05-28 - ATT 1 Rental Procedures and Guidelines for Pool Lane Allocation
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Adopt the updated Rental Procedures and Guidelines for Pool Lane Allocation relating to Municipal Plunge user groups.