PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to give the City Council an update on a community meeting held on May 31, 2003 on the re-use of the old Buena Vista Library site, and to provide a land use recommendation to the City Council, and Redevelopment Agency Board.

BACKGROUND:

Since the approval of the new Buena Vista Library, extensive analysis has been conducted on land use opportunities for the old Buena Vista Library site.  A variety of land uses were identified and analyzed (Exhibit A).  Various factors were considered during the land-use analysis phase including: minimum required building and lot size; cost; and neighborhood compatibility.  Most of the proposed uses were deemed not appropriate for the site considering the size of the site and neighborhood compatibility.  After additional analysis, two land use options were presented to the City Council that were determined to be compatible with the single-family nature of the neighborhood, and that could be accommodated by the site and/or existing building.  These land uses are:  Single-family residential (5 single-family homes or a 9-unit small lot single-family development) (Exhibits B & C); and re-use of the existing building for a childcare facility (Exhibit D).

On February 3, 2003, the City Council directed staff to hold a general community meeting with special notification to the immediate neighborhood to get feedback on these two land use options, and any other thoughts and ideas the community had for the site.  Staff was also asked to re-analyze the site to see if the site could accommodate a mixed-use housing and childcare option. 

The community meeting was held on Saturday, May 31^st from 10 a.m. � 1 p.m. at the new Buena Vista Library Community Room.  Community outreach included an article and advertisement for the Burbank Chamber of Commerce May journal, and advertisements in the Burbank Leader 4 separate times.  In addition, the meeting was advertised on Burbank Channel 6, and a meeting announcement was added to the City and Redevelopment websites.  Flyers were distributed at all pubic counters including City Hall, city offices, libraries, the Joslyn Center, and invitations were sent to members of all Boards and Commissions, and community organizations such as the YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, and the Burbank Unified School District.  Finally, staff sent an invitation to all Burbank businesses that had previously received the City�s Childcare Package (sent to all the Studios and businesses with 50+ employees).  To advertise the meeting to the immediate neighborhood, staff sent written notification (postcard) to property owners and residents within a 2,500 foot radius of the site.

COMMUNITY MEETING

Staff estimates that about 100 people attended the community meeting.  Participants included residents of Burbank, members of the City�s Childcare and Transportation Committees, residents of neighboring communities such as Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita, Glendale, Pasadena, and Altadena, and representatives from local community organizations.  Of the total participants, about 66% lived in Burbank.  Those participants that did not live in Burbank represented or were interested in the private uses suggested, such as the Girls Scouts, Theater West, the Puppet Conservatory, etc.

Organizations in attendance with private interest in the site were:

• Burbank Arts Association

• Conservatory of Puppetry Arts in Pasadena

• Girl Scouts (Submitted a petition with 217 signatures for a regional admin. office and meeting facility)

• Storybook Theatre/Theater West in Hollywood

The community meeting was facilitated by Royleen White and Associates, and held in an education/idea �fair� format.  The theme for the day was F.I.S.H. (Fresh Ideas Start Here).  This type of format allowed participants to be part of smaller discussion groups, and allowed the ability to circulate the room in order to give feedback, thoughts, and ideas on the two re-use options the City Council has been considering for the site:  residential (5 single-family homes or a 9-unit small lot residential development); and the reuse of the existing building for a childcare center.  The 3rd area was the �blank canvas� area where participants added any other land use ideas.  Each area had site plans, elevations, and information helpful for the discussion such as fact sheets on the existing conditions, proposed land use � residential or childcare, community facilities lists (that non-profit organizations can use for meetings) and childcare information.

The following is a matrix with the common themes received at the 3 areas:  Residential - 5 single-family or 9-unit small lot residential development; reuse of the existing building for a childcare center; and the �open canvas� area.  A complete list of comments is attached (Exhibit E).

The intent of the community meeting was not to reach consensus on a land use, however, some key points staff has deduced from the feedback received are: 1) keep the existing building; and 2) use the building for some type of community use based on need; possibly a mix of uses.

ANALYSIS:

As previously mentioned, key considerations when reviewing land use options for the site are:  the size of the site; the size of the existing building; and compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood.  In addition, there are various other on and off-site considerations such as zoning, parking, traffic, circulation, and community need.  Based on those key site considerations, many of the uses suggested at the community meeting had been considered in early analyses, however, were deemed inappropriate for the site.  Other ideas expressed at the community meeting, such as using the existing building for a theater, art gallery, dance studio, office, and retail uses such as a supermarket, are not necessarily compatible with the residential nature of area, and require additional parking or other development requirements/standards that cannot be accommodated by the site.

SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL

The site is zoned R-1 single family residential, with abutting and adjacent properties also zoned single family residential.  The surrounding area is zoned single family and multi-family residential.  Therefore, demolishing the existing building to build additional single family units would be compatible with the existing residential nature of the neighborhood.

Under current code regulations, the site could be subdivided and developed into five (5) single family residential lots without vacating the two (2) existing alleys.  Based on comparable sales of vacant land in the area, the estimated fair market value of the site is approximately $850,000 (This figure does not take into account demolition and subdivision costs estimated to be about $127,000).[1]

A second residential plan suggests that the site could be subdivided and developed with nine (9) small-lot parcels similar to the Cottages project on Ontario Street.  The small-lot option would allow each house to have 30 feet of frontage and 110 feet of depth with detached garages located in the rear.  The units would be two-story with up to 4 bedrooms, about 1,500 square feet in size.  The existing alleys would also stay in place.  Based on this development option, the estimated value of the property is about $500,000 (see footnote).

REHABILITATE EXISTING BUILDING FOR A CHILDCARE CENTER

The Old Buena Vista library site is appropriately located for a childcare center (in close proximity to the Media District and in a residential neighborhood), and has relatively good vehicular access with good on-site circulation.  The building has a scale that is compatible with the residential nature of the neighborhood, and mature landscaping that would benefit and compliment a childcare facility.  Preliminary analysis has determined that the 7,900 square foot building could accommodate approximately 85 children (taking in to consideration site constraints for required play yards and on-site parking).  In order to confirm the use of the building as a childcare facility, a due diligence report has been completed.

Based on a Due Diligence Report dated May 2003, the building has been found to be structurally sound, and has been subjected to moderate use.  The report summarizes that the building is �suitable for adaptive reuse to a childcare center�, and outlines the required and recommended improvements to the building along with an estimate of costs.

The estimated cost for rehabilitating the building, and constructing the improvements for a childcare facility is estimated to be about $1,550,000; includes all interior rehabilitation and tenant improvements, site improvements (parking and alley), and play yard improvements and equipment (not including utility rerouting and under grounding; estimated to be about $250,000).  The cost for tenant improvements for childcare centers is high because of the numerous specialized improvements, such as: separate temperature control zones, tempered glass for any glass below 4�0�, and special restroom fixtures.  In addition to the interior costs are the costs of the play yard and parking areas.  In addition, for optimum use of this site, a portion of the north south alley parallel to Buena Vista would need to be vacated, and utility lines rerouted and under grounded.  No assumptions have been made for possible operating expenses, which are subject to many factors, including the amount of infant care (0-1 year) versus pre-school or after school care and any affordability restrictions. 

MIXED USE � CHILDCARE, COMMUNITY SPACE AND HOUSING ANALYSIS

Another option that was considered for the site was a mixed childcare and residential development.  Ross Andrews & Associates, an architectural consulting firm that specializes in the re-use of sites for childcare facilities, was asked to re-analyze the site for a mixed-use housing and childcare facility similar to the Cottages project.  One conceptual design included a scaled-down, back-up childcare facility for up to 25 children with a small �community center� within the original footprint of the 1946 building footprint (approximately 5,100 square feet).  The remainder of the site could be developed with 4 single-family homes in a Planned Unit Development (PUD) similar to a small lot development (Exhibit F).

A back-up childcare facility is a smaller facility that provides emergency childcare when regular childcare arrangements break down including instances when family childcare providers, nannies, and grandparents get sick or go on vacation, school is unexpectedly closed, or parents are in between childcare arrangements.  This kind of center does not have the same parking and play yard requirements as a full-service childcare facility.  In addition, a back-up facility would allow a portion of the existing building to be used for a community space such as a Family Resource Center.  A partial list of possible uses and programs for a Family Resource Center is attached (Exhibit G).  This option preserves the best portion of the existing building, while intensifying uses on the site.  The approximate cost for this option is about $888,000, and includes demolition, rehabilitation and interior improvements, and site/play yard improvements, but does not include residential development costs.

The following is a summary of costs associated with the three land use options:

*Does not include the cost of the residential development.

COMPARISON OF FULL SCALE AND BACK-UP CHILDCARE FACILITIES

A benefit of a back-up childcare facility would be that utilities could remain in their existing configuration, and the 4 single-family homes would be a buffer to the residential neighborhood.  However, the main drawback to a Back-Up Childcare facility is that they are very expensive to run because an operator can not depend on steady revenue.  On any given day, there could be one child or 25 children in the facility depending on unpredictable need.

Staff contacted large childcare operators such as Bright Horizons and Knowledge Beginnings, to inquire on the operations of Back-Up Childcare facilities.  Both of these larger operators offer back-up programs, but strongly encourage and prefer a hybrid center that offers full-time childcare for majority of the center�s slots, and allocating only a few slots to back-up childcare.  Incorporating back-up slots into a larger, full-service center helps to secure revenue and ongoing operations. However, a hybrid may be very costly as the full-service slots would have to generate enough revenue to subsidize the back-up slots.  The uncertainty of how many of those back-up slots will be utilized daily exists whether incorporated into a full-scale childcare center or as its own center. 

In addition, staff contacted ChildrenFirst (the operator of the back-up facility on Hollywood Way), Glendale Adventist Medical Center (operator of back-up and sick-care facilities out of the hospital), the YMCA, Saint Joseph Medical Center, and the Burbank Unified School District to see if there was any interest from these organizations in operating the proposed back-up childcare facility.

While each of the above-mentioned organizations indicated some interest in the possibility of partnering with the City on some type of back-up childcare facility, none expressed a certain level of commitment.  At this point in time, the list of unknowns include: operational structure, use of facility, and most notably the ongoing funding requirements and sources.  The chart below summarizes the pros and cons of a Full Service Childcare Facility and a Back-Up Childcare Facility; looking at both operations, and the overall project.

CONCLUSION:                                                        

After analyzing several land use options for the site, the two most compatible and feasible land uses have been determined to be: 1) single-family residential homes (5 standard single-family homes or 9 small lot single-family homes); and 2) re-use of the existing building as a full-service childcare facility.  Based on the feedback received at the community meeting, most participants expressed the desire to keep the existing building, and that it be used for a public use.  The Oversight Committee met to discuss the community meeting, and the different land use options; including the 5-9 single-family residential units, using the existing building as a full-service childcare facility, and a mixed-use option that incorporated 4 single family residential units and back-up childcare facility.  The committee felt that utilizing the existing building for a full-service childcare facility would both meet an unmet community childcare need and satisfy the predominate thought expressed at the community meeting (the City to keep the building, and use it for a public use).

A site plan for the full-service childcare facility has not been finalized.  However, the plan continues to be refined to address the primary concerns of the Oversight Committee: no impact to Frederic Street with additional traffic; to provide a buffer along the perimeter of the site; and to secure the playground areas (revised conceptual plan; Exhibit H).  Staff will continue to work with the architectural consultant, potential childcare operators such as Bright Horizons and Knowledge Beginnings, and the project Oversight Committee to finalize plans for the full-service childcare facility and project costs.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The capital and pre-opening expenses of re-using the Old Buena Vista Library site as a full-service childcare center is approximately $1,800,000.  One possible funding source for the improvements are Golden State bond proceeds issued earlier this year.  There is an unrestricted portion of the bond proceeds that may be used for any City capital improvement project.  There are approximately $5,000,000 in unrestricted bond proceeds that have not been appropriated, and could be used for this project.  However, the only fiscal impact at this time relates to consultant fees for design and final cost estimating.

RECOMMENDATION:

Based on input from the community meeting, the project Oversight Committee, and the analysis presented, staff recommends the City Council and Redevelopment Agency Board authorize the re-use and development of the site as a full scale childcare facility, and direct staff to finalize plans for a full scale childcare facility.  Staff will return with final plans for a full scale childcare facility, final capital improvement costs, and a budget appropriation at a later date.

EXHIBITS:

Exhibit A � Re-Use Matrix

Exhibit B � Conceptual Site Plan for 5 Standard, Single Family Units

Exhibit C � Conceptual Site Plan for 9 Small Lot, Single Family Units

Exhibit D � Conceptual Site Plan for a Childcare Facility

Exhibit E � Community Meeting Notes

Exhibit F � Conceptual Site Plan for a Mixed-Use, Residential & Childcare project

Exhibit G � Family Resource Center; Partial List of Info. Topics & Programs

Exhibit H � Revised Conceptual Site Plan for a Full Scale Childcare Facility

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