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Home My WebLink About21 - Placement of Original Wooden City Seal from the Former City Council ChambersQ SEW Pp�T CITY OF z NEWPORT BEACH c�<,FORN'P City Council Staff Report November 19, 2024 Agenda Item No. 21 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: David A. Webb, Public Works Director - 949-644-3311, dawebb@newportbeachca.gov PREPARED BY: David A. Webb, Public Works Director - 949-644-3311, dawebb@newportbeachca.gov TITLE: Placement of Original Wooden City Seal from the Former City Council Chambers ABSTRACT: When the former City Council Chambers, located at 3300 Newport Boulevard, was decommissioned in 2013, the original wooden City of Newport Beach Seal (Seal) on the exterior wall was moved to the City Corporation Yard for preservation and storage. The City has contemplated moving the seal to a new location over the years and facility maintenance staff would periodically make any needed repairs or apply preventative maintenance measure. Recently, the seal was cleaned, repainted and sealed to further preserve the finish and underlying wood. As such, staff was considering incorporating the seal into the design and construction of the new Balboa Peninsula Library and Fire Station as that would return it to the historic heart of the city. Former Newport Beach Mayor Don Webb, as well as several other former Newport Beach mayors, recently expressed an interest in having the seal mounted and displayed at the current Civic Center. RECOMMENDATIONS: a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and b) Review and provide direction to staff where to place, or continue to store, the original wooden City Seal from the former City Council Chambers. DISCUSSION: On October 22, 2024, Councilmember Erik Weigand requested, pursuant to City Council Policy A-1, that an item be placed on a future agenda to "Consider Relocating the Historic City Seal to City Hall." The City Council voted unanimously, via a straw poll, in favor of staff returning with this item for further discussion. 21-1 Placement of Original Wooden City Seal from the Former City Council Chambers November 19, 2024 Page 2 The design of the current seal dates back to May 1957, when local artist Rexford Brandt was commissioned to design a new seal for the City of Newport Beach. On July 22, 1957, the City Council adopted Ordinance 814, establishing Brandt's design as the official City seal and approving its official colors. The 8.5-foot-diameter wooden seal (along with another that currently resides over the Lifeguard Headquarters building) was made by City tradesman staff and was displayed on the entrance of the former City Council Chambers where it remained until its removal in 2013. Former City Mayor Don Webb, as well as several other former City mayors, recently expressed an interest in having this wooden seal mounted and displayed at the current Civic Center (Attachment A). Several locations on the campus were reviewed, including on the parking structure entrance, on the east exterior wall of the Community Room (near the steps), on the exterior wall of the Central Library on the right side of the Civic Green entrance, as well as on the north wall on the Council Chambers next to the facility lettering adjacent to the Civic Center entrance. Consideration could also be given to locating the seal at another existing City facility such as Marina Park, the new Balboa Peninsula Library and Fire Station when it is built, or a future planned facility. Of all the locations proposed within the Civic Center, staffs' preference, from a maintenance standpoint, is on a north facing wall where it would be best sheltered from the sun and winter rainstorms. Staff is requesting the City Council provide direction on where to place, or to continue to store, this original wooden seal from the former Newport Boulevard City Council Chambers. FISCAL IMPACT: The adopted budget includes sufficient funding and contracting authority to complete this action. Placement of the seal is estimated to cost no more than a few thousand dollars. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly. NOTICING: The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item). ATTACHMENT: Attachment A — Correspondence 21-2 Attachment A Correspondence from Former Mayor Don Webb 21-3 Ail DON WEBB Centennial Mayor 1821 Mariners Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660 1 November 2024 NBI 40 NEWPORT BrEACH. 1906-2006 Subject: November 19, 2024 Agenda — Relocation of the Original Wooden City Seal from the former City Council Chambers to the Civic Center Dear Mayor and City Council Members This letter is in support of the placement of the City Seal, that formerly hung on the old City Council Chambers, on a wall at the Civic Center. For the last 11 years the Seal has been in storage at the City Yard. Six former Mayors would like to recommend that the Seal be installed on the wall to the right of the City Hall entrance drive from Avocado Avenue. Attached is a picture of how that installation would look. From the picture you can see that the existing City Seal facsimile does not show enough detail to be recognizable. Installation of the old seal at this location will clearly mark this as the entrance to the Newport Beach City Hall. The existing facsimile would be removed after the installation of the Seal. Our official City Seal was designed by renowned artist Rex Brandt and adopted by the City in 1957. No where on the exterior of today's Civic Center complex is there displayed a true representation of the City's official Seal. We have considered several locations around the complex and feel that the location next to the entry drive will allow the greatest number of visitors to appreciate our artistic and colorful City Seal. If placed near the Avocado Ave entrance, those driving on this public street can also see the Seal and recognize our Civic Center. The Public Works Department has refurbished the old seal so that it replicates, as close as possible, the seal designed by Rex Brandt. It is ready for installation and the Public Works Director concurs that the installation on the wall adjacent to the entrance drive is feasible. The fact that this is a north facing wall reduces the amount of fading due to exposure to sunlight. Please authorize the installation of our beautiful City Seal at the entrance to the Civic Center complex so that all visitors will be welcomed by the true colorful symbol of our City. Very truly yours, Don Webb Steve Rosansky Ed Selich Centennial Mayor �o,U°-9/ Keith Curry Former Mayor Former Mayor �L-7� Mike Henn Former Mayor Cc: City Manager, City Clerk and Public Works Director Former Mayor 1�z 6- 4n�7* Rush Hill Former Mayor 21-4 ,Iw City Hall Entrance Drive Wall - Seal Facsimily vs Official City Seal 21-5