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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09 LIBRARY EXPANSION 06-03-02AGENDA REPORT NO. 9 06-03-02 TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER FROM: REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY STAFF SUBJECT: RESOLUTION TO COMMIT LOCAL MATCHING FUNDS - LIBRARY EXPANSION PROJECT SUMMARY Tustin City Council approval is requested to authorize submittal of a grant application under the California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2000 (the State Library Bond Act) consistent with all requirements of the State Library Bond Act. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Tustin City Council approve Resolution 02-58 authorizing submittal of a grant application under the Bond Act including a commitment to provide local matching funds and supplemental funds if necessary to fund the development of the project. FISCAL IMPACT If the City is awarded the grant, 65% of eligible project costs would be funded by the State Library Bond Act. The City of Tustin would be responsible for funding 35% of project costs and any supplemental project costs if necessary. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION ON STATE LIBRARY BOND ACT REQUIREMENTS The Tustin City Council in recent years has identified future expansion of the Tustin Library as a major priority. Accordingly, the City Council previously authorized staff to proceed with preliminary architectural and property appraisal services necessary and related to a future State Library Bond Act application. With the Tustin City Council Library Committee taking the lead on the proposed project, the Committee more recently directed staff to prepare an application for Library Bond Act funds for submittal as part of the first funding cycle. Applications under the first funding cycle must be submitted to the California State Library, Office of Library Construction by June 14, 2002. In order to be considered for funding, the City must submit an authorizing resolution with the application committing to provide local funds to match any funds provided under the Library Bond Act. City Council Report Resolution-Library Expansion Project June 3, 2002 Page 2 A total of $350 million of State Library Bond Act funds are eligible for the construction and renovation of California's public libraries on a highly competitive basis. State Library Bonds will provide up to 65% of eligible project costs (not all project costs are eligible expenses) towards a library construction project with the requirement that 35% of project costs must be local match funds. During the first funding cycle $150 million of State Library Bond Act funds are budgeted for award to applicants. There will be two additional rounds of funding with the State. State funds will be disbursed by the six- member Library Board. The state requires that the authorizing resolution for submittal of the grant application also commit the City to the following: A. A commitment to provide the local matching fund amount identified in the Library Project Budget, as required by Education Code section 19995 (a), including and identifying any amounts to be credited to local matching funds pursuant to section 19995 (c) and (d). B. A commitment to provide supplemental funds necessary to complete the project at the level stated in the project budget [See section 20436 (e)]. C. The availability of the local matching and supplemental funds specified in the project budget when they are needed to meet cash flow requirements for the project. D. A commitment to operate the completed facility and provide public library direct service, unless the public library shall be operated in whole by a jurisdiction other than the applicant. The County of Orange Board of Supervisors has already committed to operate any newly constructed Tustin Branch Library. E. A commitment that the facility shall be dedicated to public library direct service use for a period of 40 years following completion of the project, regardless of any operating agreements the applicant may have with other jurisdictions or parties. A SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED TUSTIN BRANCH LIBRARY EXPANSION PROJECT The current Tustin Branch Library is only 15,000 sq. ft. in size and was meant to originally serve a population of only approximately 30,000 residents. It now is one of the busiest branches in the Orange County Public Library (OCPL) system, and can no longer meet the demands of the ever growing, every changing Tustin community. Use statistics show that it is neady twice as busy as similar sized libraries with as many as 1,000 persons a day currently visiting the Library. The Tustin Branch Library's annual City Council Report Resolution-Library Expansion Project June 3, 2002 Page 3 circulation in Fiscal Year 2001 also ranked the second highest in the entire OCPL system. Redevelopment of the former Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Tustin, final build-out construction of the Tustin Ranch area and in-fill development is expected to boost the library service area's population significantly to over 103,000 residents by the year 2020. The current building is 24-years old and is approaching the end of its usable life, unless significant renovation is undertaken. The 1998 Library Needs Assessment evaluated the community's library needs and developed a facility plan for a library expansion. In summary, the participants found that the Library was limited in its collections, programs and services and constrained by the size and inadequacies of the existing facility. Participants strongly expressed the desire that the Library serve the educational needs of children and provide a meeting place for all Tustin culture's and ethnic groups. The need for an expanded facility to include a physically attractive environment, with easy access to technology and adequate parking was another key theme. Participants also cleady wanted any expanded facility to remain in the Civic Center area. Changes in technology have also contributed to the obsolescence of the existing facility. The existing Library's current design is unable to accommodate recent technological changes that are modifying the way people use information. The Library must support and provide technology services including remote access, automated systems, training and development, telecommunications, and a capability and capacity to expand current services and systems to accommodate new emerging technologies of the future. After analysis of possible expansion alternatives, it was determined that the removal of the existing facility and construction of a new single story facility was the best approach. Therefore, the proposed State Library Bond Act grant application proposes that the Tustin Branch Library Expansion project involve the construction of an approximate 31,800 square foot building. Conceptual plans to be included in the grant application propose that the new facility will be parallel and set back from Main Street to create a strong image and statement for the site and to enhance the appearance of buildings to the public. Book drop-off and patron drop-off areas will be oriented at the front of the building. Site development will include the provision of a minimum of parking for over 150 cars including propedy signed handicapped spaces near the Main Street entrance, bicycle racks for locking bikes appropriately located and a bus pull-off and turnaround area. Ingress and egress to the parking lot areas will be from Main Street. Site development will also include landscaping and irrigation, patios including secured outdoor reading areas and a Library Plaza, walkways, fences and gates, exterior lighting. The perimeter of the building and all parking lots will be illuminated with time clock controlled vandal-proof lights and manual, time over-ride buttons and switches. The overall site plan will be integrated with the activities and design of the adjacent Civic Center area to the north, northeast and east. In addition, landscaping along the Third Street setback for the project will enhance City Council Report Resolution-Library Expansion Project June 3, 2002 Page 4 the image of the project for residential uses to the west. In the event a funding application is approved, property acquisition will be required for the project as well as the street vacation of a portion of Preble Drive. A new Tustin Branch Library will also provide space to accomplish many service enhancements that have been requested for which space is not currently available. These services include: · Homework Center for K-8 grade levels · Private Study rooms for private studying and tutoring · Multi-purpose programming space with teleconferencing capabilities · Internet access adequate to meet the public's huge demand for this service · Enhanced electronic resources thru offerings of licensed databases and additional public workstations · Separate Children's and Young Adult areas with space for technology, media and books · Expanded collections of popular media materials including DVD's., books on CD, recorded music · Expanded Spanish and Asian Language collections · A large Community Room The updated project costs for the Tustin Library were not available at the time this report was completed but will be presented to the City Council at the meeting on June 3rd. With the anticipation that 65% of project costs proposed in the grant application will be eligible costs, the community's matching obligation in the event it is awarded a grant under the State Library Bond Act would be approximately 35% of eligible project costs. ~tine Shin~ll~0n Assistant City Man~~r S~,,~.~or Project Manager RDA\CC Report\format.doc RESOLUTION NO. 02-58 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE SUBMITTAL OF AN APPLICATION UNDER THE CALIFORNIA READING AND LITERACY IMPROVEMENT AND PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION BOND ACT OF 2000 ("STATE LIBRARY BOND ACT") AND COMMITTING THE CITY OF TUSTIN TO MEET ALL OBLIGATIONS FOR THE GRANT SUBMITTAL AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE LIBRARY BOND ACT AND IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS The Tustin City Council does hereby resolve as follows: I. The City Council finds and determines as follows: A. The County of Orange's Orange County Public Library ("OCPL") currently operates the Tustin Branch Library at 345 East Main Street through an agreement with the City of Tustin and provides library services to the Tustin service area and the City of Tustin is a member of the OCPL system; B, The current Tustin Branch Library facility is only 15,000 sq. ft. in size and is one of the busiest branches in the OCPL system. The current building is 24-years old and is no longer adequate to serve the current and projected service area, unless a significant expansion project is undertaken. The current size of the Tustin Branch Library is already a significant constraint to its continued future use by the community; Co An Ad Hoc Library Committee has evaluated the existing library services and the community's library needs and a facility plan was developed for a library expansion. After analysis of three expansion alternatives, it was determined that the removal of the existing facility and construction of a new single story facility was the best approach; D. The City of Tustin wishes to submit a grant application pursuant to the California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Renovation Act of 2000 (the "State Library Bond Act") for acquisition and construction of a new replacement Tustin Branch Library. E. A Final Negative Declaration, attached hereto as Exhibit A, has been completed in compliance with CEQA and State guidelines. The City Council has received and considered the information contained in the Resolution No. 02-58 Page 2 of 3 Negative Declaration prior to approving the proposed Library Expansion project and determined that the proposed project will not have a significant effect on the environment. II. The City Council authorizes submittal of a grant application pursuant to the State Library Bond Act for acquisition and construction of a new replacement Tustin Branch Library and authorizes the City Manager to execute any required implementing agreements and/or documents as may be required by the California State Library in the event of a grant award. III. The City Council hereby attests that in submittal of the grant application pursuant to the State Library Bond Act, the City of Tustin agrees to the following: I . . , . , o , A commitment to provide the local matching fund amount identified in the Library Project Budget, as required by Education Code section 19995 (a), including and identifying any amounts to be credited to local matching funds pursuant to section 19995 (c) and (d). A commitment to provide supplemental funds necessary to complete the project at the level stated in the project budget [See section 20436 (e)]. The availability of the local matching and supplemental funds specified in the project budget when they are needed to meet cash flow requirements for the project. The project budget contained in the Library Project Budget section of the Application Form. The accuracy and truthfulness of all information submitted in the Application Form and the required supporting documents. A commitment to operate the completed facility and provide public library direct service, in the event that the OCPL is unable to operate said library. The County of Orange Board of Supervisors, however, has adopted a resolution agreeing to operate said library in whole. A commitment that the facility shall be dedicated to public library direct service use for a period of 40 years following completion of the project, regardless of any operating agreements the applicant may have with other jurisdictions or parties. IV. The City Council hereby adopts this resolution as part of the application to the California State Library, Office of Library Construction pursuant to the Education Code, Title 1, Division 1, Part 11, Chapter 12, Article 1-3, sections 19985-20011 and Title 5, Division 2, Chapter 3, sections 20430-20444 of the California Code of Regulations. Resolution No. 02-58 Page 3 of 3 PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Tustin City Council held on the 3rd day of June, 2002. JEFFERY M. THOMAS Mayor PAMELA STOKER City Clerk