RA1995/11/07 (2)ANAHEIM CIVIC CENTER, ANAHEIM REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
NOVEMBER 7, 1995, 5:00 P.M.
PRESENT:
ABSENT:
PRESENT:
AGENCY MEMBERS= Tait, Lopez, Zemel, Feldhaus, Daly,
AGENCY MEMBERS= None ,
CITY MANAGER~ James Ruth
CITY ATTORNEY~ Jack White
SECRETARY= Leonora N. Sohl
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT= Lisa Stipkovich
A complete copy of the agenda for the meeting of the Anaheim Redevelopment
Agency was posted at .12=10. p.m. on November 3, 1995 at the Civic Center kiosk,
containing all items as shown herein.
Chairman Daly called the regular meeting of the Anaheim Redevelopment Agency
to order at 5=36 p.m.
FINANCIAL DEMANDS AGAINST THE ANAHEIM REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY in the
amount of $68,127.59 for the period ending october 23, 1995, $143,296.70 for
the period ending October 30, 1995 and $213,900.75 for the period ending
November 6, 1995, in accordance with the 1995-96 Budget, were approved.
ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: There were no additions to agenda items.
ITEMS OF PUBLIC INTEREST: No items of public interest were addressed.
PUBLIC COMMENTS - AGENDA ITEMB~ Public input was received on agenda
Item $2. See discussion under that item.
CONBENT CALENDAN ITEMB 1 - 4~ on'motion by Agency Member Zemel,
seconded by Agency Member Daly, the following actions were authorized in
accordance with the reports and recommendations furnished each Agency Member
and as lasted on the Consent Calendar Agenda. Agency Member Zemel offered
Resolution Nos. ARA95-14 and ARA95-15, both inclusive, for adoption. Refer to
Resolution Book.
RESOLUTION NO. ARA95-14 A RESOLUTION OF THE ANAHEIM REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCY APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO AN ESCROW AGREEMENT AND DIRECTING AN
INVESTMENT OF FUNDS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.
Approving Schematic Designs for Phase I of the Downtown Community
Center.
Mr. George MacLaren, 323 S. Indiana Street, Anaheim - Chairman, Senior
Citizens Commission and Past President of the Senior Citizens Club. He is
present to protest the building, of the proposed community center because he
feels it is inadequate in size and lacks sufficient parking. Even now, the
elevator in the current Center Street parking structure has not been working
for three years forcing seniors to climb stairs or to walk a distance. The
proposed center has six levels and a basement for stage-play storage. The
Anaheim Arts Council could stage full productions in the building. A survey
revealed that seniors rated as $2, a multipurpose room which could accommodate
up to 500 participants. At an April, 1991 meeting, the building had been
scaled down to two floors with a running track on the roof and a multipurpose
room which could seat 620 for dining and able to be sectioned off if needed.
The Head Start and Senior Day Care Center in the original plans are no longer
included. The plan is now for a one-story building with what he considers a
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ANAHEIM CIVIC CENTER, ANAHEIM REDEVELOPmeNT AGENCY
NOVEMBER 7, 1995, 5:00 P.M.
lot of "ginger bread" added to the exterior. The dining hall only seats 200
which is the present seating capacity in the current Senior Center. The
Senior Commission agrees with him that the new center is not planning for the
future. The emphasis is on the gymnasium and boxing club in Phase I. Seniors
are more interested in the Arts Council and their activities. There are now
more than 35,000 seniors in Anaheim with 3,000 club members. He is urging
that they do not hurry to build the Conununity Center but wait and incorporate
planning for the future. Mark Deven, Recreation/Community Services
Superintendent, met with the Senior Citizens Club today and the club members
are unhappy being evicted from a comfortable building into a confining block
structure. He urged waiting until there is sufficient money to build a
reasonable strucutre. He can obtain petitions against the proposal if action
is delayed.
Chairman Daly. He asked for clarification that the concerns relate to the
amount of square footage that is being made available and that the overall
facility may not be large enough.
George MacLaren. He feels staff is looking at the usage of the Senior Center
today and not for the next 5-20 years. Parking is also a concern. He then
read a letter the Senior Citizen Commission is proposing to send to the
Council/Agency when it meets this coming Thursday which basically expressed
the concerns he presented tonight.
Janet Woodward, 810 N. Loara, Anaheim. In 1993 and 1994, she was the
President of the Senior Citizens Club. As such, she has been p~rt of a
coalition group working on the Downtown Community Center. They have spent
many hours devising a plan that would accommodate all of the groups. Critics
say that the Senior Club does not represent all seniors. She questions why
not. The building as envisioned by the architect and following coalition
requirements will be dedicated in great part to the needs of seniors. They
will have 5,000 square feet which is sufficient for their use. It has all
been worked out. Best of all, they will be able to share with the Arts
Council who bas rooms in the center. The youth of the City will have a place
to play with supervised instruction. She hopes the agency approves the plan
as presented tonight so that the coalition's hard work will not have been in
vain. They hope to see a new center £n their lifetime. She also clarified
upon questions by Chairman Daly, that she does not see any detriment to the
seniors moving from the present center to the new center. The old building is
falling apart. Also, they have never sold more than 200 tickets for any of
their events so the space is sufficient. She concedes that there is room for
improvement relative to parking for the new center.
Warren Holly. He has previously served on the Senior Citizens Commission for
four years as Chair and Vice Chair and as a former Board Member of the Senior
Citizens Club. He considers himself an activist and advocate for the benefit
of seniors in Anaheim. After many meetings and being involved in the Downtown
Community Center development, he is concerned that people are coming forward
at this late date to protest the plane that everyone has worked so hard on.
In June, 1993 under his Chairmanship, the Senior Citizens Commission wrote a
letter to the City Manager and City Council on the Downtown Center and by and
large, the Commission unanimously endorsed the concept before the Agency
tonight. Mr. MacLaren was a member of the Commission at the time as were most
of the present commissioners. There was also a letter sent about the same
time in 1993 from the Anaheim Senior Citizens Club also endorsing these same
concepts unanimously. The present facilitles have been totally inadequate for
their needs. He hopes they can move forward and break ground on the new
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lS. NAHETM c'rVTC CENTER. AIqAHETM REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
NOVEMBER 7t 1995, 5:00 P.M.
center by early next June. Every surrounding/adjoining community has built a
new senior or community center. He encouraged the Agency to move forward with
the project.
Lisa Stipkovich, Executive Director of Community Development. She will
comment on the concerns raised but will also ask Chris Jarvi to give more
details. The Redevelopment Commission and the Parks and Recreation Commission
have reviewed the schematic drawings and recommended approval as well as the
coalition made up of the variety of users of the building. Relative to
parking, Burton-Aschman was commissioned to do a study for the Agency and
determined there is sufficient parking in the current City structure as well
as the Center Street structure. They are also reco~ending the use of the
area across the street on Philadelphia for flat parking. That can always be
added even though the study did not indicate the need. She asked Mr. Jarvi to
respond to the programming and the senior issues.
Chairman Daly. He asked if it would be possible to set aside some of the
parking spaces on the first floors of the two structures for users of the
Community Center~ Mrs. Stipkovich. Staff can look at that. The only
restriction they had was fro~Anaheim Memorial Manor who wanted to be close to
the elevators. She does not see that as a problem. At present, no spaces are
reserved.
Chris Jarvi, Director of Parks, Recreation and Communty Serivces. He
explained and briefed the extensive activity that has taken place to bring
about a Downtown Community Center which started in 1990. The goal was to
devise a multipurpose design that would include the needs of' all the various
groups. With that principle in mind, the community coalition formed and all
the affected groups put together the design approved by the Council. He then
elaborated on the specifics of the proposed center with regard to space and
usage. Staff worked with all the user groups and asked for schedules. They
put together a test schedule which they found would accommodate all of their
needs. Relative to future growth, that growth will primarily be seniors on
the west end of the City. Eventually, there will be a system of community
centers throughout the City since all of the demands cannot be met by the
proposed facility.
After Mr. Jarvi's presentation, Agency Member Feldhaus stated he would like to
see a kitchen facility in conjunction with the gymnasium but that is not the
point here. He read the minutes of the October 18, 1995 meeting of the Senior
Citizens Commission stating they are not happy with the design but did not
have a quorum at that special meeting. He would like to see an attempt to get
their approval. Before approving the design, he would like to continue the
matter for a week or two to get input from a quorum of the Senior Citizens
Commission.
Chris Jarvi. The issue will be on the agenda of the Senior Citizens
Commission for their Thursday, November 9, 1995 meeting.
Lisa Stipkovich, Executive Director of Community Development. Assuming this
matter can be set for the Council agenda next week, there will only be a one-
week delay in the construction time table. Additional supplemental
information can also be provided.
MOTION. Council Member Zemel moved to continue this item for one week.
Council Member Feldhaus seconded the motion.
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ANAHEIM CIVIC CENTERt ANAHEIM REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
NOVEMBER ?t 1995t 5:00 P.M.
Before voting, Chairman Daly asked that the'architect and any other design
ex~erts make certain this is the appropriate design, height and scale of the
structure compared to buildings around it. He would like it to fit in
properly and would like the architect to give it a second look before
construction is started.
Lisa Stipkovich. Staff can provide the information from Urban Design in the
form of a supplemental report on the architect's view of how the project will
fit in.
A vote.was then taken on the motion to continue for one week. MOTION CARRIED.
RESOLUTION NO. ARA95-15: A RESOLUTION OF THE ANAHEIM REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCY APPROVING THE FORM OF, AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF ITS
ANAHEIM REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT ALPHA 1995 TAXABLE TAX ALLOCATION BONDS
(HOUSING) AND APPROVING CERTAIN ACTIONS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH. (SOUTH
OF ROMNEYA REVITALIZATION PLAN FINANCING.)
Approving minutes of the Anaheim Redeveloi~nent Agency meetings held
October 3, 1995, October 10, 1995, and October 17, 1995.
End of Consent Cal~der. MOTION CARRIED and Resolutions adopted. Ail Ayes.
ADJOURNMENT: Chairman Daly moved to adjourn, Agency Member Zemel seconded the
motion. MOTION CARRIED. (6:12 P.M. )
LEONORA N. SOHL
SECRETARY
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