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CC - (1) Consideration of a Recommendation from the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission Regarding Three Potential Action Items to Address the Culver City Age-Friendly Survey Findings, as Requested by the City Council on October 14, 2019; and (2) Direction to the City Manager as Deemed Appropriate
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Meeting Date: March 9, 2020
Contact Person/Dept: Corey Lakin/PRCS-Administration
Phone Number: (310) 253-6682
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: []
Public Notification: (Email) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (03/03/20)
Department Approval: Corey Lakin, PRCS Director (03/02/20)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) consider a recommendation from the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission regarding three potential action items to address the Culver City Age-Friendly Survey Findings, as requested by the City Council on October 14, 2019; and (2) provide direction to the City Manager as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND
The AARP Age-Friendly Community Program
On January 22, 2018, the City Council formed the Ad Hoc AARP Age-Friendly Community Program Subcommittee to study the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Community Program, an international effort that was launched in 2006 to help cities prepare for rapid population aging and the parallel trend of urbanization. The current Members of the Ad Hoc Subcommittee are Mayor Sahli-Wells and Council Member Fisch.
The AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities is an affiliate of the ’World Health Organizations Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Program <http://www.who.int/ageing/age_friendly_cities_network/en/> which targets improvements in eight domains:
1) Outdoor Spaces and Buildings
2) Transportation
3) Housing
4) Social Participation
5) Respect and Social Inclusion
6) Civic Participation and Employment
7) Communication and Information
8) Community Support and Health Services
The City Council determined that Culver City should join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities, and, having been accepted as a member the City is now in the process of moving through the following phases:
• Phase 1: Planning (Years 1 - 2)
Putting together an action plan and assessing the community needs by gathering baseline information, establishing indicators and developing a three-year community-wide action plan
• Phase 2: Implementation (Years 3 - 5)
Transitioning from the planning to implementation phase. Beginning to implement the approved action plan.
• Phase 3: Continual Improvements (Year 5 and Beyond)
Evaluating and making continual improvements to the action plan.
The various domains promoted by AARP Network of Age-Friendly Community touch upon a number of different City departments. There are some departments which already have ongoing activities that are aligned with these domains. For example, Public Works engaged a consultant to complete an American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) Self-Evaluation and develop a Transition Plan per Title II of the ADA. The ADA Transition Plan includes an evaluation of the City’s services, practices, and policies; and a review of City facilities, buildings, sidewalks, crosswalks and curb ramps to confirm ADA compliance. The Transition Plan falls within domain 1: Outdoor Spaces and Buildings.
The Culver City Age-Friendly Survey and City Council Direction to the PRCS Commission
As part of its Age-Friendly Communities planning process, the City conducted a community survey of individuals who are over age 50 and/or disabled (at any age). Using a template from AARP, the City revised the survey to focus on its’ interest areas and disseminated it widely for approximately two months. Surveys were completed by 447 individuals. Additionally, the City convened two community “listening sessions” that were facilitated by AARP. Seventeen (17) people attended these sessions and additional information was gained. At the October 14, 2019 City Council meeting, the City’s consultant, Nancy Frank of Nancy Frank & Associates, presented the survey results.
Toward the end of the discussion of the Age-Friendly Survey, Vice Mayor Eriksson suggested that the City Council direct the Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS) Commission to review the Survey results and come back to the City Council with three concrete suggestions, or “action items” that would address some of the issues raised by the findings. At this point in the meeting, consensus was reached by the City Council that this directive should be conveyed by staff to the PRCS Commission and that these potential action items should be presented to the City Council within the next six months.
DISCUSSION
At the January 7, 2020 meeting, the PRCS Commission began initial discussions based on the above direction from the City Council. At the February 4, 2020 meeting, the PRCS Commission discussed the issue further. The following potential action items to address the findings of the Culver City Age-Friendly Survey were finalized for recommendation to the City Council:
1. Develop a communication plan to reach seniors who are not self-engaging.
2. Allocate funds for more benches and shade at our parks.
3. Allocate funds to increase restroom maintenance, make more park restrooms available and upgrade restrooms to comply with ADA requirements.
Staff recommends the City Council provide direction with regard to the Commission’s recommended action items.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The PRCS Commission did not discuss the possible fiscal impact of proposing these action items. Based on recent projects, general cost estimates for these types of amenities and improvements may be:
• Approximately $1,500 for the purchase and installation of one concrete bench;
• Approximately $5,000 to purchase and plant one mature shade tree;
• Approximately $100,000 for the purchase and installation of one permanent shade structure that stands 14’ high with a sun sail that measures 28’ wide by 28’ long;
• Approximately $100,000 to convert one existing non-ADA compliant restroom to a gender-neutral ADA compliant restroom; and,
• Approximately $220,000 to build a small structure that includes a storage area and one gender-neutral ADA-compliant restroom.
Depending upon the City Council’s direction, costs for any amenities and improvements related to the PRCS Commission’s recommended action items could vary widely from those quoted above. Under the current Image Property Services contract, the janitorial services expense for one location that contains a small park building with two restrooms is approximately $15,000 annually (excluding supplies).
ATTACHMENTS
None.
MOTION
Staff recommends the City Council:
1. Consider a recommendation from the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission regarding three potential action items to address the Culver City Age-Friendly Survey Findings, as requested by the City Council on October 14, 2019; and
2. Provide direction to the City Manager as deemed appropriate.