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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorona del Mar BID Minutes 03/26/2015 1 Minutes of the Corona del Mar Business Improvement District Board Meeting March 26, 2015 City of Newport Beach City Hall Corona del Mar Conference Room, 1st Floor, Bay E 100 Civic Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA I. Call to Order Chairman Svalstad called the meeting to order at 7:33am. II. Roll Call Chairman Svalstad called the roll, and everyone in the room introduced themselves. Board Members Present: Chairman Svalstad, Vice Chair Laidlaw; Treasurer Palmer; Secretary Prause; Director Dawson; Director Walker; Director Nicholson, Director Kianipur; Director Lim City Representatives: Council Member Scott Peotter BID Consultants: Linda Leonhard, BID Marketing Consultant and Administrative Services (Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce) Guests: Amy Senk (Corona del Mar Today) III. Public Comments on Agenda Items Director Nicholson commented that St. Michaels would be removing 50,000 SF of turf and putting in native vegetation and an orchid on their grounds. IV. Approval of Minutes MOTION: Director Laidlaw made a motion to approve the February 26, 2015 Board Minutes. Director Walker seconded the motion. The motion carried by the following roll call vote: Ayes: Svalstad, Nicholson, Laidlaw, Walker, Lim, Kianipur, Prause Abstained: Dawson, Palmer V. Current Business a. City Council Report (Scott Peotter): Council Member Peotter reported that he asked the City Council for a special meeting to push along the Corona del Mar gateway project. He stated that the City Council is trying to get the budget approved in May 2015. The Balboa sea walls and the West Side facilities center are the two big-ticket items related to the budget. He also reported that the marine park was a huge item that the City just spent significant funds completing. In light of this, Council Member Peotter affirmed that the Corona del Mar Gateway Project and the “Fibrary” are his number one priorities. The “Fibrary” project proposes making the Corona del Mar fire station larger and more functional and using the library space to accommodate children’s books, reading programs and meeting space. The total cost of the Fibrary is around $6,000,000. Council Member Peotter also reported that he believed the BID may have the ability to take control of banner space available in Corona del Mar and make it exclusively the BID/Chamber banner space 2 for Corona del Mar business’ use. Council Member Peotter is to work further with Ms. Leonhard on the banner space as well as discuss grants and special events. Finally, Council Member Peotter reported that he believed the City of Newport Beach could remove agents from the business license tax or delete or reduce the tax to a $50 fee. He asked for feedback from the BID and business community on this issue. b. Financial Report: It was discussed that items still need to be put in the right categories. The chart of accounts needs to be changed to match the budget. At the next BID meeting on April 23, 2015, the BID will be tasked with approving the annual report and budget due to the City for review. It is anticipated that the proposed budget will be similar to this year’s budget. However, Chairman Svalstad proposed that the BID Board consider one change to budget to allocate monies toward some form of a “Summer Walk” or “Oktoberfest”. Director Svalstad suggested putting the $10,000-$12,000 that the BID has previously used on print media campaigns to instead spend on an additional event. The idea is that the event would be a simple smaller version of the Christmas walk around summertime. Director Walker suggested contacting the restaurant association to perhaps create a “Taste of Corona del Mar” event for which booths could be sold. The Balboa Village Merchants’ Association puts on “Taste of Balboa,” and it is well attended. MOTION: Director Palmer made a motion to move to item “d. Gateway Project” before Council Member Peotter needed to leave. Director Kianipur seconded the motion. The motion carried by the following roll call vote: Ayes: Palmer, Dawson, Nicholson, Walker, Kianipur, Laidlaw, Svalstad, Lim, Prause d. Gateway Project (Svalstad) – discussed prior to item c. Chairman Svalstad reported that the City of Newport Beach wanted the BID Board to put in another 50% toward the project’s approximate $400,000 completion cost. Council Member Peotter recommended that the BID Board send a letter explaining how much work has been done and paid for by the BID Board on this project already. The Corona del Mar BID is the only land BID left standing in the City of Newport Beach. Other land BID Boards have been converted to merchants’ associations which do not contribute toward any capital improvements. By contrast, the Corona del Mar BID Board has made significant time and monetary contributions toward this project based on City representations that it would go forward and has gotten to a point where it is ready to proceed. The recommendation by Council Member Peotter is that the BID Board should mail each council member individually and follow up with a phone call. It should also be emphasized that the BID Board was required to do a lot of community outreach in connection with this project. The community strongly supports the project. However, if the project is deferred, the outreach and consulting studies could become dated if the project does not move forward. In essence, the outreach has a “shelf life,” and the City needs to proceed timely in order to preserve the outreach work completed by the BID in this manner. MOTION: Director Nicholson made a motion to transfer $25,000 from the Marguerite project budget to the Gateway project budget. Treasurer Palmer seconded the motion. The motion carried by the following roll call vote: Ayes: Palmer, Dawson, Nicholson, Walker, Kianipur, Laidlaw, Svalstad, Lim, Prause Director Laidlaw brought up that he has reservations about paying money for design fees on a project that may be delayed by the City. If the project is delayed and codes change, the design may be outdated and need significant revisions to be up to date with current codes at the time it is built. Further discussion ensued that since the BID is using fiduciary funds it cannot invest further without approval to proceed from the City. 3 MOTION: Director Nicholson made a motion to table approval of payment of City invoice MP25000102 in the amount of $50,000 as the BID’s portion of the Gateway project’s design services absent City approval to proceed with the Gateway project. Treasurer Palmer seconded the motion. The motion carried by the following roll call vote: Ayes: Palmer, Dawson, Nicholson, Walker, Kianipur, Laidlaw, Svalstad, Lim, Prause c. Administrative & Marketing Report (Leonhard) Ms. Leonhard reported that the BID brochures and the new CdM Business Directories will be distributed at the Annual Town Meeting and a rendering of the Gateway project is being created. Director Dawson and Director Kianipur volunteered to man the BID booth from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the Town Hall Meeting. Ms. Leonhard updated the BID board on the progress of the BID website development and the requirements by the city for contracting and insurance with the website vendor. Ms. Leonhard is awaiting sample contract and insurance requirements from the City and will return to the development project. Finally, the Beautification Award nomination for Valia Properties was discussed and a motion was made to approve. MOTION: Director Nicholson made a motion to give the beautification award to Valia Properties. Treasurer Palmer seconded the motion. The motion carried by the following roll call vote: Ayes: Svalstad, Palmer, Dawson, Nicholson, Walker, Kianipur, Laidlaw, Lim, Prause VI. Project Updates: i. Marguerite & PCH Project (Svalstad) – Discussion of the intersection landscape and hardscape improvement project. ii. Tree Well Maintenance (Laidlaw) – Director Laidlaw reported that Bernie and he walked the Corona del Mar village with Pinnacle Landscape Company (“Pinnacle”), the landscape subcontractor, and identified the tree wells needing additional maintenance. MOTION: Director Laidlaw made a motion to complete the additional maintenance to the tree wells identified as needing it in his latest walk with Pinnacle. Director Nicholson seconded the motion. The motion carried by the following roll call vote: Ayes: Svalstad, Palmer, Dawson, Nicholson, Walker, Kianipur, Laidlaw, Lim, Prause iii. Parking Management Plan (Walker / Svalstad) – Discussion of a parking plan and a study for the business district. 1. Discussion of GoSpot shared parking concept. Chairman Svalstad met with GoSpot parking. GoSpot parking would need to utilize available lots in Corona del Mar. Chairman Svalstad is following up regarding whether there are available lots in the Corona del Mar business district that could be a viable option for this business to use. 2. Discussion of procedure for parking plan approval. Director Svalstad reported that he has been in contact with Ms. Locey at the City of Newport Beach regarding sourcing a new parking consultant, but he has not received any further information regarding new consultants. In order to bring it back to City Council, it is recommended that the BID define a finite area plan with credit for on-street parking, valet parking and shared parking. Director Laidlaw reported that he would commit to studying parking and preparing a parking study for two blocks in the Corona del Mar village. iv. Revitalization/Maintenance Items (Laidlaw / Kianipur): Discussion of the maintenance of existing street furniture and proposed new items. 4 1. Discussion of memorial benches. Director Kianipur reported that the cost for City memorial benches is typically $1,800 plus an additional 10% to provide for maintenance. However, the Corona del Mar village benches are not typical benches with flat faces that allow plaques to be affixed to the back face. As such, mounting hardware for a plaque will have to be custom made for the Corona del Mar benches. It was suggested that a plaque could also be placed in the cement in front of the bench. Director Kianipur is to look into the cost of a plaque both affixed on the bench and placed in the cement in front of the bench at Sherman Gardens. VII. Corona del Mar Chamber Report (Leonhard): Ms. Leonhard reported that the Chamber of Commerce April monthly luncheon would be held at Fig and Olive. There will be a networking luncheon in the Pimco building at Keller Williams real estate. The Corona del Mar Annual Town Meeting will be held on April 22, 2015 at Sherman Gardens. The Newport Beach Film Festival begins April 23, 2015. John Fleischman will be speaking at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club at 7:30 a.m. on the second Thursday of the month. VIII. Corona del Mar BID Announcements or Matters which Members Would Like Placed on a Future Agenda for Discussion or Action or Report (Non-Discussion Items) No Additional Items Discussed. IX. Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items None. X. Next Meeting The next meeting BID meeting is scheduled for April 23, 2015. XI. Adjournment Director Nicholson departed at 9:12 a.m. MOTION: Director Walker made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Treasurer Palmer seconded the Motion. The motion carried by the following roll call vote: Ayes: Svalstad, Dawson, Palmer, Laidlaw, Walker, Kianipur, Lim, Prause