The Weekly Newspaper of El Segundo
Herald Publications - El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 108, No. 29 - July 18, 2019
Inside
This Issue
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.....................14
Classifieds............................6
Crossword/Sudoku.............6
Entertainment....................14
Legals............................ 12,13
Obituaries.............................2
Pets......................................15
Police Reports...................13
Real Estate.....................7-10
Sports.............................. 4,11
Weekend
Forecast
14U Softball All-Stars Head to
Western Nationals Tournament
El Segundo’s 14u All-Star softball team qualified for the USA Girls Fast Pitch Western Nationals, after placing 11th in the California B State Championship tournament. The team will head to Redding, CA
July 23-28 to represent El Segundo and compete for the Western National title. Pictured: Leyla Raman, Lizzie Dennis, Emma Cobb, Annie Heinemann, Ella Luthro, Abby Ouaknine, Leyla Harvey, Maleah
McCarther, Peyton Ernest, Roxanne Fusco. Manager: Scott Fusco. Coaches: Linda Luthro, Elizabeth Lewis, Hannah Lewis. Photo: Gregg McMullin
Council Is Iffy on Percent for Arts
Proposal; Receives ESPD Updates
By Brian Simon
Plans to establish a percent for arts fee on
future commercial/industrial construction and
repair/renovation projects of a certain size
or larger hit a temporary snag on Tuesday
night as members of the El Segundo City
Council were not satisfied with the initial
numbers recommended. A presentation helmed
by Library Director Melissa McCollum
(with help from Arts and Culture Advisory
Committee Chair Jeff Cason, Planning and
Building Safety Director Sam Lee, and Arts
Committee member Eva Sweeney) laid out
parameters for a proposed ordinance to assess
a 1 percent cultural development fee on
projects with building valuations of $500,000
or higher – and to allocate those monies
into an ongoing fund to develop civic arts
programs and improve local quality of life
and aesthetics.
The presenters noted that at least 36 LA
County municipalities (with Culver City,
Manhattan Beach and West Hollywood offered
as examples) have implemented percent for
arts ordinances as a way to enhance public
access to the arts, drive local tourism and
attract new businesses. Cason spoke of El
Segundo’s creative economy that generated
$3.5 billion of output, with the thought that
the city can grow as a major arts destination
in the region.
In addition to proposing the $500,000
threshold, the presenters also suggested a
$100,000 fee/art project cap as well as a
stipulation that the 1 percent fee will go towards
providing public art onsite on projects
with building valuations over $7.5 million.
Exemptions from the potential fee include
residential projects, non-profit buildings,
performing arts/museum spaces, renovations/
repairs for seismic safety or ADA compliance,
and repairs/rehabilitation of existing
buildings damaged or destroyed by fire or
natural disaster.
The presenters also recommended a $1
million cultural development fund budget,
with a sample breakdown covering developer
projects ($200,000), capital enhancements
($300,000), permanent art ($200,000), community
experiences such as performance art/
music ($200,000) and grants to promote artists
($100,000). The City Council would have to
approve any contracts exceeding $50,000.
To further bolster the rationale to assess
the fee, Lee provided data showing that El
Segundo’s plan check and permit fees run
anywhere from 49 to 66 percent lower than
the compared cities of Los Angeles, Manhattan
Beach, Glendale, Culver City and Torrance.
Of note, his department revised its own fee
structure in 2018 and lowered the charges
by 34-43 percent.
For her portion, Sweeney mentioned examples
of various notable public art projects in
the Southland (e.g. the urban lights at LACMA
and camouflage electrical box in Culer City)
as well as outside the state. Cason concluded
by summarizing measures of success such as
community and partner satisfaction, expansion
of the creative economy, and enhancement
of El Segundo’s image/reputation – all while
also promoting prudent fiscal management.
In the public hearing portion, Planning
Commission Chair Ryan Baldino opined
that $1 million is a “substantial amount to
be raised to go to a subcommittee of the
City Council” and felt the monies would be
much better served to help pay down pension
liabilities. Queried by Mayor Drew Boyles
on the matter, City Attorney Mark Hensley
confirmed that developer impact fees can’t
be used for pensions. Boyles also disagreed
with the idea of requiring onsite public art
on projects over $7.5 million, feeling that
developers should be allowed to decide what
will work best on their properties and that
the process should “happen organically.”
Mayor Pro Tem Carol Pirsztuk felt the
$100,000 cap was “inequitable across the
board” (a $10 million project would pay the
same as a $50 million project under this arrangement)
and that a different cap ought to be
placed on remodels versus new developments.
Councilmember Don Brann agreed with her
on the cap issue, while Councilmember Chris
Pimentel thought smaller projects ($500,000
to $750,000) were “not the ideal group to
target” for such a fee. Councilmember Scot
Nicol took it further, calling the $500,000
too low and suggesting to “go after bigger
fish.” He preferred a much larger threshold
of $2.5 to $3 million with a $250,000 cap,
given the high costs of construction in town.
In the end, the Council directed staff to
go back to the drawing board and return in
60 days with revised numbers. In general,
the members supported the concept of the
See City Council, page 10
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