HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust 10, 1993A G E N D A
ARCADIA CITY COUNCIL %- F�= t.*f3MMTegT6ff== = ==
AUGUST 10, 1993
5:30 P.M.
ROLL CALL: Council Members Fasching, Harbicht, Lojeski,
Margett and Ciraulo
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
1. Presentation by Newco Waste Systems
2. Update on Wilderness Park - Jerry Collins
3. Update on Library Expansion - Kent Ross
4. Discussion regarding Southwest Museum - Don Duckworth
5. Closed Session pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8
6. Items from Council Members
ADJOURN to 7:00 p.m., August 17, 1993
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August 10, 1993
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Cindy Rowe, Administrative Assistant
SUBJECT: Southwest Museum
BACKGROUND
The Southwest Museum has been a southland attraction in the
Highland Park area of Los Angeles since 1914 . The current facility
houses an internationally recognized collection of American Indian
materials, however the museum has outgrown its current location and
is seeking land or an existing building to move the museum to
another location.
The Southwest Museum is interested in a location with good public
access, approximately 7 acres or 100, 000 square feet, expansive
parking areas, and nearby leisure destinations . The Museum enjoys
an annual attendance of 300, 000 people and brings to an area a
valuable cultural, artistic and educational resource.
ANALYSIS
A Request For Proposal was mailed to the City of Arcadia recently
and requires the receipt of a Letter of Intent by August 16, 1993 .
A full proposal for this project would be due on or before November
1, 1993 . Newspaper reports indicate 140 Southern California cities
have already responded to the RFP, including the cities of .San
Dimas and Duarte.
In reviewing possible sites Arcadia might have to offer, the staff
discussed the possibility of the Arcadia County Park as a location.
If the County wants to be rid of the park maintenance costs, and if
the County would deed the land to us, the Southwest Museum could
provide a viable solution to concerns regarding the park' s future.
A cultural use such as this would also be in keeping with deed
restrictions which limit land use to recreational or cultural
activities . Additionally, the museum could absorb the bulk of the
park maintenance costs which relieves the County of that expense
and greatly reduces the expense to the City.
LASER IMAGED
The most important consideration, however, is the major anchor this
project would provide for our revitalized downtown. Having a
regional cultural center such as the Southwest Museum in Arcadia
could result in the following benefits both to the Museum and to
the City:
1 . Arcadia can offer a park setting in an established
community which borders Pasadena and is close to
downtown Los Angeles .
2 . The site has desirable public access with close
proximity to the 210 Freeway, Huntington Drive and
Foothill Boulevard.
3 . The site offers close proximity to other tourist
attractions such as Santa Anita Race Track, the
L.A. County Arboretum, the Huntington Library and
the Norton Simon Museum.
4 . Visitors to the museum and employees of the museum
will shop in our stores and eat in our restaurants .
5 . Arcadia has the expertise to handle high volume
traffic which may be created by increased tourism.
6 . The Museum may encourage the establishment of a Blue
Line station as exists near the Museum' s current
location.
7 . The Museum would compliment the Arcadia Library, the
Historical Museum and the Arcadia schools .
. t
8 . The addition of the Southwest Museum would accentuate
the historical significance of the Arcadia community
to Southern California.
Challenges surrounding the project are:
1 . Successfully negotiating with Los Angeles County
for title of the property.
2 . Dealing with potential environmental issues which may
exist with regard to underground hazardous materials .
3 . Exploring design considerations which would keep tree
removal to a minimum.
LASER IMAGED
RECOMMENDATION
The Southwest Museum is an attraction which could have positive
cultural and economic affects on our community. Although there are
some difficulties associated with land acquisition, staff is
confident that with City Council support, negotiations could
prove favorable . It is therefore recommended that the Council
authorize the staff to pursue the proposed project by sending the
requested letter of intent .
•
1
LASER IMAGED
JI
PASADENA STAR NEWS
July 29, 1993
Museum-
looks to :I..
relocate
Southwest receives
bid from San Dimas
By Ruby G«nads• j
It's a long shot but San Dimas..
hopes the arrow will find its mark' The museum has discussed
in Horsethief Canyon San Dimas' proposal with city
" leaders. But it is waiting for the
The city is one of 140 hopeftils best offer it can get, Wilson said
angling to be the new home for If the Southwest Museum relo-
the Southwest Museum in Los.;
Angeles. If chosen, San Dimas.• ��to San Dimas,it would fit in
A o
A build the museum in the nicely.The 32-year old community.
plans es
• canyon,a largely undeveloped rec prides itself on its western rey-
reation area north of Foothill Bou--° • The Old West theme is prev-
-levard. • -alert in everything from City Hall •
stationery to downtown wooden
The private museum is ink, board*alks and storefronts.
search of larger quarters and re= Yet the museum might not be
cently sent out notices to cities in the only new tenant in Horsethief
Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside, Canyon. A San Rafael-based com-
Orange and San Bernardino
Counties. Cities have until Aug!. -pant, No. 1 Golf Inc has ap-
Counties.
16 to let the museum know they're p the city with a a new pro.
interested. The proposals are not pal to build a golf driving range
in the canyon.
due until November.
Tom Wilson,museum director,.. But golf balls, horses and hilt,,,
said a study conducted a year ago ' -against don't mix was the rallying to
_.recommended the museum relo- - � the proposal when 150 to
200 residents discussed options for •
sate or renovate. canyon development at a town
The bottom line is,there is it • hall meeting Tuesday night
enough room in its historic hill-- Residents objected to added
side building. Although 35,000 - noise, traffic and glaring night-
children visit yearly on class time lights for the driving range.
trips, Wilson said the staff has to - The reaction to the Southwest
turn down 40. to 60 requests a; Museum was more ambivalent. .
year. The museum specializes in- Some said it would be a consider-
American Indian materials from.. able coup if the city landed the
the western part of the country. museum, while others said the
Its collection, which numbers in traffic would not be worth it
the hundreds of thousands, is
-growing and less than 5.percent of• --
the artifacts are on display.
LASER IMAGED
LOS ANG. ,S TIMES – 7/8/93
i
Cities V.To • , •
In Ventura County, .with its :
strong ties to the Chumash Indians, ;1
Southwest officials othe Southwest especially Mus excited
about the Southwest Museum.
• "The museum would have a nice '
draw here,because we do have an
Museum Indian culture here,we have burial
grounds here,and the Chumash are
very prominent in our communi- 1
Thousand ty," Thousand Oaks Councilman
• Culture: ; Frank Schillo said.
. Oaks says it's a na . • Officials in Oxnard and Camarillo •
•
t spo for the a. . . i ed I said their cities would be interested
in having the museum, but they
A' y I I eCtiOn now - had not chosen possible sites.
la ed in LA.Bids have I In Thousand Oaks, however,
' leaders had identified two locations ,
.been solicited from 140 for the museum even before they If
Southland cities. _ received an official request for
!
proposals. The museum will be.
invited to inspect 11.5 acres of
By STEPHANIE SIMON city-owned land next to the Civicl
TIMES STAFF WRITER Arts Plaza fora new facility,Or the
THOUSAND OAKS—Eager to •former City Hall, which would be:
establish their city as the cultural i renovated. .
center of Ventura County,officals ( With its collection of crafts,man .
here are trying to woo the South- uscripts and photographs, the
• Southwest Museum attracts 300,000
west Museum away from Los An- � �geles by offering a chore of two visitors a year and has earned a !
prominent sites for its world-class
i . reputation as one of the nation s
collection of Indian artifacts. • foremost repositories of American
Museum officials indicated- i Indian art and archeology.
Wednesday that Thouand"DaTta Both local leaders and S
b outh i
would be in the running if the . west officials see the museum as a i
institution decides to rel®cate from ` possible match for Thousand Oaks'
its cramped HighlantiPtirk.heady performing arts complex, now un-
t next der construction at the former
tO the rsty especially Pb Jungleland wild animal park.
to the city's new i6�'=udiIIioa Chic i Together with a museum, the
Arts Plana would ct available..cet''' performance hall could transform
"My initial reaction is certainly Thousand Oaks from a bedroom
to encourage a site such as that," ► community into a regional cultural
said Michael muse m'-vice pr+ of center, city and museum officials
dent of the sus !s i board of
. trustees.."It has a•<-couple Of thifige said. re is a synergistic effect 1•
that fing,Puri- l�nt'a. ajo between group!_of•attractions le-
Including visibility from.a major .
• Other. cated near each other,even though I
isee 3t*Uand proximity, A they may be. very different !in;.
• Loutist�etidiUi�lc:�:�,t1 .�,.�i ,. ,
The museum•hMIA.solicit dsands nature,"Heumann'said."People get
. from 130:citiesin-SoutheinCalifor- used to thinking of those phones
nia, including.. Thousand Oakts, destinations, and they may.go One
Camarillo, Oxnard,.and; Ventura, time to a museum,another to a zoo,,
chosen_because of their!aco —to and another to an.entertainment I'
the Ventura Freeway,;Heni'nann .,
said. . - . . . Ejt� . • ::-.-.,-;g:. 3
He unann said-he espectaseoreo
of responses by the JiilB► 16 deed- •
line. The museum has already:re-
ceived unsolicited invitations hien
half a dozen cities eager to play host,
including some municipalities will- s
ing to donate land and infrastruc-
ture,he said.
LASER IMAG D