Staff Report - April 2, 2002 - Agenda Item

To request City Council approval to apply for the California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2000 Funds and Approve the Agreement for Library Cooperative Joint Use Between the City of Burbank and the Burbank Unified School District (BUSD).

On March 11, 2003, City Council adopted an ordinance approving the Civic Center Master Plan, Planned Development PD 2002-2. Part of this Master Plan, included the development of a new two story Central Library. The City is being presented an excellent opportunity for major funding contribution to complete this project via the California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2000 (�Bond Act�). This Bond Act authorizes library construction grant awards on a competitive basis to communities for new or expanded library facilities.

This Act allocates $350 million to be distributed to public libraries in three rounds over a three-year period. The first round closed in June 2002, the second round closed on March 28, 2003, and the final round is scheduled to close on January 16, 2004. The maximum grant per project is $20 million. The State will fund 65% of the cost to construct new or expanded public library facilities. The grant applicant must identify a local funding match for the remaining 35% at the time of application.

The Bond Act requires each applicant to provide evidence of its ability to provide a 35% local match at the time of application. On November 26, 2002, the Burbank City Council approved a Resolution to place a General Obligation Bond Measure (Measure L) on the February 25, 2003 ballot. From the $14,000,000 in projected proceeds raised through Measure L, $9,500,000 would be used to off-set the City�s 35% local match required for the State Grant to construct its new Central Library. The balance of the Measure L funds would be used to finance construction of a renovated and enlarged Northwest Branch Library. Bonds would be issued contingent upon the City receiving the State Grant.

On February 25, 2003, Measure L was approved by 67.9% of Burbank voters, receiving more than the required two-thirds majority vote. With the passage of Measure L, voters showed their support for the construction of a new Central Library and a renovated Northwest Branch Library. With Measure L approval, the City can guarantee its required 35% local match.

The City applied in the second round for the grant on March 28, 2003. On September 28, 2003, the City learned that Burbank was not among the recipients of the second round award winners. While Burbank�s application was a strong contender, competition was tough. Much has been learned by having already gone through the process. It is the City�s intention to reapply for the third round, submitting an application by January 16, 2004.

Projected costs for the City of Burbank�s proposed new 67,439 square foot Central Library, including the Library�s 57%[1] pro-rata share for a new five-level parking structure to be shared with occupants of the new Development & Community Services Building, is $37,387,547.

Library services have changed � public access computers are a great example of a new library service need that wasn�t envisioned when the present Central Library was constructed in 1964. Other major facility inadequacies that need to be addressed are:

The State Grant represents an excellent opportunity for the State to contribute 65%, or a maximum of $20,000,000, to the cost of constructing a new Central Library for the City of Burbank. The 35% balance shall be funded by City resources. Since Burbank residents are already paying a portion of their property taxes to fund the Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond, applying for and receiving the State Grant allows the community to benefit directly from this tax.

The State Grant Application and various addenda are attached as Exhibit A. The requirements for application submittal to the State are quite detailed and have necessitated extensive inter-departmental assistance. The State requires this information to assess the Grantee�s capability to build and operate the facility for the next 40 years.

With the passage of the Resolution before Council tonight, the Council is agreeing to the following items:

The new Central Library�s anticipated occupancy is September 2008, once the State Grant has been successfully awarded to the City of Burbank. The State is expected to provide grant award decisions by early September 2004.

Under the Bond Act, first priority is given in the award of grant funds to joint use projects in which the public agency that operates the library and one or more school districts have entered into a cooperative agreement. The Resolution before Council also includes an �Agreement for Library Cooperative Joint Use between the City of Burbank and the Burbank Unified School District� per Exhibit B. The Agreement is part of the application packet and is contingent upon the City receiving the State Grant.

Project BLAST (Burbank Library and School Together) focuses on joint activities between the Library and the District at critical times in a student�s school career, to reinforce reading and research skills. The program focuses on children just entering the District-either through kindergarten or because they are new to the District, 4^th grade students as they begin to do research, and the technology needs of all students. In addition, the program provides a Homework Center for students in elementary and middle schools, with homework assistance staff and software. The description of each element follows:

For schools too far away from the library for students to walk, the City will provide bus transportation. The intent of this BLAST element is to strengthen student research skills and their ability to use the library�s resources.

To coordinate with teachers for this element, Library staff will meet with 4^th grade teachers once a year as part of one of the three required in-service training days of the approximately 45 fourth grade teachers that take place before school starts each September.

The Library and District will coordinate in the purchase of software used for technology instruction and specialized educational software so that students can use the same software in either location to practice and develop skills. They will share subscriptions for electronic resources to make more available. The educational software will be available in both the Homework Center and Computer Lab in the Library. The District will create a link between the District�s Home Page and the Library�s Home Page for easy student access. The Library will also reserve at least ten hours per week in the Computer Lab for use by students.

A Homework Center also provides a minimum of 32 seats at tables and 8 technology workstations. A Library Assistant dedicated to the BLAST program will supervise the Center. High school volunteers will be recruited and coordinated by the District from Service Learning students, especially those aiming for a Community Service Medallion (100 hours of service) and from the Key Club. The volunteers will be trained jointly by the District and the Library on a quarterly basis.

The Homework Center will have textbooks used in grades 3-12 supplied by the District, as well as reference books such as dictionaries and general and specialized encyclopedias. The Homework Center computers will have software used by students in their classrooms to build technology skills, homework assistance programs and links to Internet resources, and curriculum based skill-building software selected in concert with the District. The software will include resources for those building English language skills.

There will also be a minimum of three Group Study Rooms in the Teen and Children�s areas of the Library to provide space and acoustical isolation for up to six students working together on school projects or assignments.

The District runs five CBET (Community Based English Tutoring) classes; four are at elementary schools in the immediate service area of Central Library. These classes are designed to assist parents with limited English proficiency in helping their children be successful in school. The teachers will bring the parents to the library once during the 8-10 week class for a library orientation and tour provided by library staff. Staff will encourage parents to get a library card, introduce them to the Children�s Librarian(s), indicate where language and English language learning collections are located, explain the arrangement of the children�s collections, introduce the Homework Center and homework assistance program, and demonstrate the electronic resources available to support students.

The District and Library will co-sponsor two-part parent workshops three times a year on �Helping Your Children be Successful in School�. The first segment will be presented by a Burbank Adult Education instructor; the second will be an introduction to curriculum support resources in the library by the Children�s Librarian.

Under the terms of the Agreement, an Advisory Committee will be established to implement and evaluate the BLAST program. This Agreement may be modified as long as it meets the spirit and intent of the original cooperative agreement as well as the intent of the Library Bond Act. The City of Burbank and the Burbank Unified School District commit to providing joint use library services consistent with the intent of this agreement and build into the project a mechanism for review and modification of the conditions of the agreement. The commitment to provide services over the 20 year period is contingent upon the award of this grant funding.

The project schedule milestones for the Round 3 application is based on the State�s anticipated bond award decision in early September 2004 and cited below for convenience.

Projected costs for a new 67,439 square foot Central Library, including only the Library�s 57% pro-rata share for a five-level parking structure, is $37,387,547 per Exhibit C. As previously noted, the 57% pro-rata cost share is based on the shared parking utilization between the future Development & Community Services Building (DCSB) and the proposed new Central Library, viz. 197 and 257 parking spaces, respectively.

The Central Library costs for the Round 2 application and the current Round 3 application are being compared below for discussion purposes. These costs are generally comprised of:

In brief, this 12% increase is primarily attributable to the factors listed below. Staff is quick to point out however, that the increase is really only 10% since the Land Value Contribution does not represent an increased project cost, but rather a 2% increase to the project�s �value� based on its land contribution.

Total available funding resources, including the $20,000,000 maximum State Grant is $29,664,000 with $9,500,000 provided by issuance of the General Obligation Bonds approved through Measure L and allocated to the Central Library, and the allowable $164,000 Architect-Engineer (A-E) Application Fee the City already appropriated. In addition to the available funding sources, it�s important to note that the Bond Act also recognizes City-owned land as a viable project funding source. Therefore, the total project cost in real dollars can be reduced by the $4,469,788 in land value contribution, represented by 100% of the appraised value for Parcel 1 (Central Library site) and 57% of the appraised value for Parcel 2 (Parking Structure site).

The total increased recurring operating costs for the new Central Library is estimated at $889,838. There is also a one time only cost of $685,328 comprised of 10 month salaries for 21.24 FTE staff, equipment and supplies, and special processing supplies for the Opening Day Collection. The current plan is to ramp up the additional necessary funding over a three year period, starting in fiscal year 2005/2006. Corporate funding is another possible means of financing portions of the anticipated operating costs.

Based on Staff�s evaluation, we certify that the estimated cost for the new Central Library, including its 57% pro-rata cost of a new five-level shared parking structure consistent with the previously accepted Master Plan, is $37,387,547; that the sum of the City�s local match, excluding land value, is $9,664,000; and that net of the State�s projected $20,000,000 contribution, the City will need to commit $7,723,569 in supplemental funds that is partially off-set by the combined $4,469,788 appraised land values for Parcels 1 and 2.

Please note that an additional $3,425,025 is required above and beyond the estimated Central Library project cost to complete construction of 43% of the shared parking structure per Exhibit C. The ultimate disposition of the existing Central Library, including a potential future sale, represents a viable consideration to off-setting this real project related cost to complete the five-level parking structure.

Resolution of the Council of the City of Burbank Approving Submittal of Application for Funds from the State of California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2000; Certifying Project Budget, Local Funding Commitment, Supplemental Funds and Public Library Operation; Approving a Joint Use Agreement with the Burbank Unified School District.

[1] The 57% pro-rata share is based on the ratio of shared parking utilization between the future Development & Community Services Building (DCSB) and the proposed new Central Library. A new parking structure to accommodate 454 vehicles for these new facilities is required with 197 parking spaces for the DCSB and 257 parking spaces for the Central Library. The parking requirements are 3 spaces per 1,000 n.s.f. for the DCSB and 4 spaces per thousand n.s.f. for the new Central Library

[2] The �Common Plaza Area� is no longer a separate cost component for Round 3. However, there are �courtyard� costs that are integral to the Central Library parcel, Parcel 1 as previously discussed in the design presentation.

[3] A March 2003 certified appraisal for the Library, parking structure, and common plaza area parcels stated the land value at $55.00 per square foot. This represents $4,469,788 in real dollars toward the project cost. Only 57% of Parcel 2�s appraised land value for the parking structure component can be accounted for per State application requirements. This percentage was 55% for the Round 2 application.

[4] Please note that even though the common �plaza� is no longer a distinct and separate element of either Parcel 1 or 2, a courtyard and entry elements remain an integral part of both parcels and their related costs accounted for.

Council Agenda - City of Burbank

Tuesday, January 13, 2004