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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8.1 Valley Children's Museum Presentation CITY CLERK Fi Ie # D~[z][llJ-[Z][l2] AGENDA STATEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: April 18, 2006 SUBJECT Future Valley Children's Museum m the Camp Parks Project Area Repurt by Kristi Bascom, Seniur Planner ATTACHMENTS: None. RECOMMENDATIO~ J( I RecelVe Staff Report 2, Receive presentation from the Valley Children's Museum 3 Provide feedback to the Valley Children's Museum on the City Council's level of commitment to the orgamzatHln 4 If deSlfed, provide direction to Staff on how to include the needs and desires of the Valley Children's Museum Board of Directors in future negohations with the Anny Reserve and/or future Master Developer of the Camp Parks Project Area FINANCIAL STATEMENT None, PROJECT DESCRIPTION: In 1999, a group of Tn-Valley parents and educators identified an unmet need for a children's museum J1l theIr local area, Shortly thereafter, they introduced the Valley Children's Museum (VCM) concept at a local Children's Fair in Livermore, and the Valley Children's Museum has contmued to receive support for the concept of crealmg a hands"on discovery center for children, families, and schools. hI December 1999, the foundmg Board of Directors adopted hy-Iaws, and in April of 2000, the orgamzahon incorporated. The Valley Children's Museum receIved its 501(e)(3) non-profit status in June 2000 In September of that year, the Valley Children's Museum was ready to find a "home" and began the search by presentmg theIr project to the various City Councils m the Tn-Valley region. The VCM Board made a presentation to the Dublin City Council on March 19, 2002. The Valley Children's Museum aims to be the only nonprofit venue 111 the area where children can explore and learn through hands-on, interactive play The Museum will serve as a unique resource to provide a creative space for children, families, educators, and parent groups to learn about their world and each other in an environment of cultural ennchment. The Musenm will also offer volunteer opportunities for youth and seniors. _~______________________R___~~____________________________~_________~~________________________________~______ COPY TO: VCM Staff and Board File Page 1 of 3 ITEM NO. <6. I G:\P^#\2uOJ\03~OI5 Camp Parks OPA\MIG Park Space P1;mningl<:(' ~taffReporl VCM.duc The City of San Ramon recogmzed the value of this project and in 2001 commissioned a feasitllhty study for locatmg the facility in the Tri-Valley area, The study's conclusIOns confirmed that the concept was fundamentally vlahle and would meet the commumty's needs. Encouraged by this news, the Vallev Children's Museum continued to build its progranls {which include bnngmg mlerachve, educational exhibits to local schools and community events), while searchmg for a long-ternl home. TIle group initially pursued a location at the future San RanIOn CiVIC Center The Civic Center project has not moved forward m the timehne deSlfed by the VCM Board, so the Board has been considering alternate locat1Ons. The VCM Board began diSCUSSions With offiCials at Camp Parks RFT A, and the Army Reserve committed 10 pTOvlding a location for the Museum on Army property As the Army Reserve has continued to move forward with the Real Property Exchange (RPX) for the 187 acres they are conSIdering for private development, the status of the Valley Children's Museum negotIations with officials at Camp Parks has become uncertam. Because the Valley Children's Museum is hoping to open its permanent museum facility in the Tri-Valley 111 the next 3-4 years, lhe VCM Board of Directors has approached the City of Dublin with the request to be considered when the City negotiates with the future Master Developer of the Camp Parks Project Area so that they can secure a loeatl\Jll on that site. ANALYSIS: At its February 7, 2006 meeting, the City Council discussed some different theme oplions for a future public facility in the CanIp Parks Project Area, and directed Staff to inform the Army Reserve of the City Council's deSIre to have a 4n-acre park space developed for the site, This acreage would be used to develop a public facility with a theme that centered on Arts, Culture, Food, and Games; and would provide the unique anIenities the City Council desires for the area. As was mentioned in previous Staff Reporls on lhe tOPIC, II would he possihle to accommodate the Valley Children's Museum within the themed public space, and in fact, the Museum was suggested as an amemty for thIS facihly III the stakeholder interviews for the Public Facility Plarming Study commissIOned by the City in 2005 The VCM Board is looking for approximately 1.5 to 2.5 acres of land on which they can build a 15,000 square foot facility to start, with the possibility of expanding up to 30,000 square feet over time. The VCM Board would consider eIther a long-term lease or a land dedication, but the Board is hoping to secure a piece of property at little or no cost on which to build the building, which would be owned hy the organization. Their optimal location would be next to a puhhe park space, where a synergy of the public and private facility could be created. It is with these requirements in mind that the VCM Board is requesting assistance from the City of Dublin in securing such a site and being included in the City's land use planmng process for the future Camp Parks Project Area. The Valley Children's Museum is looking for a show of support from the Dubhn City Council and a commitment from the Council to help the Museum secure a location on the Camp Parks site, Should the City Council he interested in making this commitment to the VCM Board, Staff requests City Council input on several items, including: I Direction to Staff on whether or not to include the desires of the VCM Board m the City's negotiations with the Anny Reserve and/or the future Master Developer ofthe Camp Parks Project Area (i.e, is the City willing to request from the Army or the future Master Developer the dedlCa110n of land for the purpose of constructmg the Museum). 2, Direchon 10 Staff and the Amly Reserve and/or the future Master Developer whether or not to include the VCM Board's requested 2.5 acres within the 46-acre allocation the City Council has identiIled for the public facility area (Ieavmg 2.5 acres for the VCM and 43.5 acres for a public space) or whelher to add the 2.5 acres to the 46 public acres desired in the future land use plan. 3 DiredlOn to Stafr, Army Reserve, and/or the future Master Developer on whether the lllture land plan should show the VCM's requesled 2,5 acres adjacent to the future public park site or in another locatIOn wlthm lhe Project Area. SUMMARY: The Valley Children's Museum has been actively involved in the Tri-Valley community since 1999, and has been seeking a sIte for a permanent facility for several years_ The VCM Board sees the future Camp Parks PnJ]ect Area and thc future public facility to he located there as a rare opporlumty to partner with the City of Dublin to create a vibrant facility unique in the Tri-Valley area_ The Board is seeking City Council support to locate on the Camp Parks site and is also lookmg for the City to include the needs of the Valley Children's Museum in future negotiations wlth the developer ofthe site. Since the Army Reserve's developer scleetion process and preliminary site plaruIing is still m the early stages, the City Council's direction on this matter can be communicated to the Army and included in the eventual land use plan and m the future Developer/City negol1ations for the site. The most recenl communications from the Army's development team indicate that they expeel to be in contract with a Master Developer by October 2006 and that a formal planning applIcal10n for the Project Area would be submitted to the City after that time. RRCOMMENDA nON: Staff recommends that the City Council (I) Receive the staffreport, (2) Receive the presentatlOn from the Valley Children's Museum, (3) Provide feedback to the Valley Children's Museum on the City Council's level of commitment to the organization, and (4) If desired, proVIde dIrection to Staff on how to include the needs and desires ofthe Valley Children's Museum Board of Directors in future negol1al1ons with the Army Reserve and/or future Master Developer ofthe Camp Parks Project Area.