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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20 - Old Balboa Island Fire Station - 323 Marine AvenueOctober 24, 2000 Agenda Item No. 20 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY October 24, 2000 TO: Mayor & Members of the City Council FROM: Homer Bludau Robert H. Burnham RE: 323 Marine Avenue (Old Balboa Island Fire Station) Proposed Community Center City Participation The Balboa Island Museum and Historical Society (Society), a non - profit corporation comprised of Balboa Island residents, has expressed an interest in acquiring the property at 323 Marine Avenue (old Balboa Island Fire Station parcel — "Property") for the purpose of and converting the site to a community center /museum. The Society has a commitment from the owner to sell the Property for $750,000 and the costs of renovating the old fire station is estimated to be in the range of $250,000. The Society has committed to raise $650,000 and would like the City Council to provide the remainder of the funding. According to the Planning Director, the Property is currently zoned Retail Service Commercial and "park and recreational facilities" are permitted uses. Staff believes the proposed community center /museum use is consistent with the General Plan and zoning designations but we need additional information regarding the specific uses proposed by the Society. Staff believes the City has the legal authority to enter into an agreement with the Society subject to certain terms and conditions. The City is prohibited from incurring debt other than in the current fiscal year so we would recommend against an open -ended commitment to contribute to the funding of the community center /museum. The City Council may also want to ensure that funds contributed to the Society are used for the community center and that the property would be used for that purpose unless the City consented to another use. The Society has indicated that their fund - raising would be facilitated by City approval of the concept of the community center /museum and direction to staff to prepare an agreement relative to City participation. Staff is recommending the following: That the City Council approve, in concept, the acquisition of the Property by the Society for purposes of creating a community center /museum; That the City Council direct staff to prepare an agreement that would obligate the City Council to contribute up to $350,000 to the Society subject to certain terms and conditions including: a. The Society has funds and /or binding pledges amounting to $650,000; b. The City Council's allocation of $350,000 in the then current budget for purposes of funding the community center /museum; C. The right of the City to ensure that the property continues to be used as a community center /museum unless the City consents to a different use. 3. That the City Council direct staff to prepare a budget amendment consistent with the funding commitment specified in Section 2. �� H. Burnham 2