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CC:SA - (1) City Council Consideration of the Level of Financial Assistance to Provide to and City Sponsorship of the 2016 “Taste of the Nation” Charitable Fundraising Event Produced by the Non-Profit Organization Share our Strength; and (2) Successor Agency Consideration of a Request for Waiver of the $500 Rental Fee for Use of the 9300 Culver Boulevard Property and the $450 Rental Fee for Use of Old Washington Boulevard as Valet Parking Spaces.
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Contact Person/Dept: Jeremy Green/ City Clerk’s Office
Phone Number: (310) 253-5859
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (10/07/15); Share Our Strength (10/07/15)
Department Approval: Martin R. Cole, Assistant City Manager/City Clerk
(10/05/15)
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends: (1) the City Council consider the level of financial assistance to provide to and the City sponsorship of the 2016 “Taste of the Nation” Charitable Fundraising Event Produced by the Non-Profit Organization Share our Strength; and (2) the Successor Agency consider a request for waiver of the $500 rental fee for use of the 9300 Culver Boulevard property, $200 for the use of Media Park, and the $450 rental fee for use of Old Washington Boulevard as valet parking spaces.
BACKGROUND:
Taste of the Nation (Event) is a one-day fundraising event that has been bringing together gourmet chefs for a food and alcohol tasting and auction at 9070 Venice Boulevard (Media Park) for ten years. The Event’s goal is to raise money to end childhood hunger throughout the United States. The Los Angeles area Event benefits local recipients, including L.A. Campaign, California Food Policy Advocates LA Campaign, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, St. Joseph Center, California Food Policy Advocates, and the California Association of Food Banks.
At last year’s event, approximately 1,700 attendees raised a total of almost $260,000.
As they did last year, the producers ask that the City sponsorship request be considered by the City Council months in advance of the Event to guarantee the space and so that advertising may begin.
To be categorized as a sponsored event by the City, an event must meet the criteria set forth in Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Section 17.330.040.B.7.b.ii., confirming that the City is (a) participating in an official capacity in the planning, preparation or promotion of the event or activity; and (b) contributing 25% of the total estimated costs of the civic event or activity or at least $1,000, whichever is less. This contribution may take the form of funds, labor, staff time, materials, a waiver of fees, or any combination thereof. The CCMC requires both (a) AND (b) conditions be satisfied. Additionally, in order for an event to be considered sponsored, the City Council must determine, by specific action, that the above criteria have been met.
DISCUSSION:
The Event will take place from 1-4 PM on Sunday, June 5, 2016. Up to 2,000 attendees and volunteer staff will convene at Media Park to enjoy tastings from the top chefs in Los Angeles County, usually including several from Culver City, who have contributed product, staff for their tables, and a participation fee as a donation to Share Our Strength. The event is open to the public, and tickets typically range from $110 - $160 per person.
The Event has become almost waste free, using biodegradable plates and utensils and volunteer waste monitors who guide patrons to the correct type of refuse bin for their waste. The cost for refuse disposal is quite high because approximately eight (8) 3-cubic yard bins are filled within the 3 hour event.
Traffic patterns and parking will be similar to last year’s Event, which went quite smoothly due to volunteer carpooling arrangements made by event organizers and permission from Metro to use the Expo line parking lot for volunteers and Parcel B for oversized restaurant vehicles.
This sponsorship request does not include a request to post banners in the public right-of-way but is a request to reduce financial expenses of the Event so that a higher financial contribution may be made to end childhood hunger.
The proposed sponsorship amount is the same as last year and includes a total fee waiver request of $5,150 ($4,000 in City fees, equipment and staff time during regular business hours and $1,150 in Successor Agency fees):
• Successor Agency: Waiver of the $500 rental fee for use of Parcel B, $200 for use of Media Park, and $450 for use of Old Washington Boulevard.*
• City: Waiver of $800 for the parking spaces south of Media Park for two days, potentially $300 for up to 50 parking spaces for volunteers at the Ince Parking Structure, and $500 for use of City Rooms at Veteran’s Memorial Building for pre-event meetings.
• City: Waiver of approximately $1,287 in fees for Finance Department, Fire Prevention Division, Recycle/Waste, Valet Parking, and/or Street Closure permits.
• City: Waiver of costs for in-kind City staff services during regular business hours. ($1,100)
As a condition of the financial sponsorship, the organizers would be required to list the City as a sponsor and include the City’s logo, where applicable, on their website, printed materials, signs, and in emails and press releases.
All other City costs will be paid for by Share Our Strength, inclusive of staff time for work occurring outside of regular business hours, which includes costs for the sanitation team to work during the Sunday event.
* Please note that an alternate location to Parcel B and Old Washington Boulevard will be located in the event that construction has begun on Parcel B and Old Washington Boulevard. Staff is working with the organization to identify alternative parking should Parcel B not be available.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
If sponsorship is approved, City will forego standard fees for space rentals and permits. If the Successor Agency approves the request for waiver, it will forego standard fees for space and parking rentals.
Dedication of in-kind City staff time to the event would mean a reduced availability of staff time for other City efforts but would otherwise not cause an impact to the General Fund.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Share Our Strength Letter Requesting a Financial Assistance Sponsorship
2. City and Agency Costs for the Event
MOTIONS:
That the City Council:
1. Determine to provide in-kind financial assistance to Share our Strength for its Taste of the Nation Event on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at Media Park in an amount of $4,000; and,
2. (In the case such in-kind financial assistance is determined to be at least $1,000), consider designating the Taste of the Nation Event as a City-sponsored event.
That the Successor Agency Board:
Waive $1,150 in fees as follows: $500 rental fee for use of the 9300 Culver Boulevard property for the Taste of the Nation event, the $200 fee for use of Media Park, and the $450 rental fee for use of Old Washington Boulevard property for use as valet parking spaces.