HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 11f - City Bench Donation Policy
DATE: July 19, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Darlene Bradley, Library & Museum Services Director
SUBJECT: City Bench Donation Policy
Recommendation: Adopt
SUMMARY
The City of Arcadia (“City”) has occasionally been asked by the public to purchase a
bench or similar item in memory or in honor of a loved one. These benches have
traditionally been purchased and placed on City-owned property, providing a welcome
place for patrons to remember or honor a loved one, while also providing a nice aesthetic.
It is recommended to have a policy in place that would formalize and streamline this
process. Approval of the policy would allow City staff to accept all donations of benches
that meet the policy guidelines without obtaining City Council approval each time.
DISCUSSION
Over the years, memorial and honor benches, with an attached plaque in the name of a
loved one, have been purchased and placed on City-owned property such as the Library,
City parks, or other City facilities. This has been done on a case-by-case basis, as it
started out as one or two requests over a large span of time. However, over the past five
years, there have been more frequent requests and a formalized administrative policy
would provide guidelines for both staff and the public and simplify the process. Currently,
because benches cost in excess of $1,000, per the City Charter, each donation must be
approved by the City Council.
The proposed Bench Donation Policy would formalize this donation process and not
require City Council approval for every bench donation in the future, provided that the
donation adhered to the adopted Policy. To keep with the aesthetics of the parklike
settings on City property, going forward, this Policy will also help standardize and outline
the set criteria that has been established in style, design, length of time a bench will be
on display, maintenance responsibilities, as well as the costs associated with the bench,
plaque, and installation. The proposed Policy is attached for consideration along with a
sample application, which can be used by any City Department.
City Bench Policy
July 19, 2022
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Overall, the City Bench Donation Policy will allow for the City to advertise this opportunity
with established guidelines and provide the community with a nice way to remember or
honor a loved one within the community.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental
Quality Act (“CEQA”), based on Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, as it can
be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment. Thus, this matter is
exempt under CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
Costs associated with each bench, plaque, and installation are covered through the
minimum donation amount requested for the bench.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council determine that this action does not constitute a
project and is therefore, exempt under, the California Environmental Quality Act
(“CEQA”); and adopt the City Bench Donation Policy.
Attachments: City Bench Donation Policy
Bench Donation Application
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY
Policy No.:
SUBJECT: BENCH DONATION POLICY
Amended:
CITY MANAGER
6-2022
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to establish a formal process for the acceptance,
documentation, and guidance when individuals, community groups, or businesses wish
to make donations for park benches and similar items to the City of Arcadia. It provides
an established procedure to ensure that appropriate oversight is provided in preserving
the City’s aesthetics and fully respects the priorities, purpose, and integrity of the City.
Bench donations shall contribute to and enhance the community experience and preserve
the visual character of the City.
DEFINITIONS
“Bench” means park bench or similar minor appurtenances (e.g., picnic table, single tree,
paving stone, etc.) that may be placed in a public space for honorary, fundraising, and/or
memorial purposes.
“Monetary” means of or relating to money.
“Tangible Asset” means an asset such as a building or piece of equipment or furniture
that has physical properties.
POLICY
Criteria
The City may accept donations for dedicated benches to honor or memorialize individuals,
families, or groups with a connection to the local community, providing that all provisions
of this Policy are met. The City Manager, or their designee, has the authority to approve
or deny any bench donation for reasons which include the appropriateness of the
donation to the City and the relationship between the City and person or group to be
honored or memorialized, or for any other reason.
Only one bench shall be dedicated to any single person, family, or group within the City
and in the form of “in memory” or “in honor of” unless there is a compelling reason for
additional dedications as shall be determined by the City Manager or their designee.
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY
Policy No.:
SUBJECT: BENCH DONATION POLICY
Amended:
CITY MANAGER
6-2022
Bench requests commemorating commercial products, political parties, activist groups, or
non-profit corporations involved in lobbying at any level of government, for-profit
corporations, or memorials containing endorsements of products or services, or that
otherwise may be construed to be advertising or commercial promotion are prohibited.
Donation Amount
The cost to furnish and install a bench and related appurtenances shall be determined by
the City and will be paid for by donation from the applicant. Depending upon the location
and type of bench, costs can range from $3,000 to $10,000, or more. The donation shall
cover the cost of the bench, shipping, the plaque, installation, site preparation, and
related materials.
PROCEDURE
Bench donation requests shall be made by application on a first come, first served basis
and may be submitted to the proper City department or the City Manager’s Office. The
application shall be reviewed by the appropriate Department Head, or their designee,
responsible for the location where the bench is being proposed. If a bench request waiting
list becomes necessary, it shall be maintained by the appropriate City department.
Bench locations will be evaluated based on the following considerations:
1. The requested site does not obstruct any walkway or activity.
2. The requested location would not interfere with normal activities that take place at
that location.
3. The bench design must align with the aesthetics of the location and will generally
match other benches in the area.
4. The requested site could benefit from additional benches and would not create
visual clutter.
The City Department Head or their designee will work with the applicant to select a
mutually agreed upon bench and site; however, the City shall have the sole and final
discretion to select the placement location.
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY
Policy No.:
SUBJECT: BENCH DONATION POLICY
Amended:
CITY MANAGER
6-2022
The department will place the order for the bench and plaque, and shall coordinate
installation the Public Works Services Department. Benches shall be purchased by the
City from its preferred vendor after payment of the full donation is received.
The City reserves the right to defer any donated bench request or installation to a later
time.
It shall be the responsibility of the receiving department to send a thank you letter to the
donor and to ensure that the donation is used only for its intended use.
Plaque Inscriptions
Inscriptions on bench plaques shall be minimal and the style, size, wording, as well as
the location of the plaque on the bench shall be at the City’s sole discretion; however,
applicants shall be allowed to offer proposed inscription language on the application for
consideration. For purposes of consistency, a sample inscription is provided below:
Dedicated To
The Memory Of
James Jones
1941-2022
Appearance
The Department Head, or their designee, shall select a bench model, which will be of a
style appropriate to the specific site, and which will meet the standards of the City for
design, durability, and construction. The Public Works Services Department shall keep a
catalogue of benches available for City departments to review, which shall be periodically
updated.
Replacement/Renovation/Relocation/Removal/Exceptions
The City shall not be responsible for the replacement or renovation of damaged or stolen
benches. Should the bench be damaged, destroyed, or stolen, the applicant will have first
right of refusal to replace the bench or plaque at their cost.
At any time, a donated bench may be relocated or removed by the City at its sole
discretion. The applicant has no rights to, or ownership of, either the bench, the plaque,
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY
Policy No.:
SUBJECT: BENCH DONATION POLICY
Amended:
CITY MANAGER
6-2022
or the specific location the donated bench is placed at or on. Additionally, the City may,
without notice, replace any bench with alternative street furniture, or indefinitely remove
any bench or furniture at its sole discretion.
Expiration of Terms
The City will endeavor to install the bench as soon as possible after receiving the item,
but the item may be held for a time period of up to one year to align with the installation
of other park improvements, competing events, or other reasons. If the item is not
dedicated within one year, the City will offer to return the full donation amount to the
donor.
Dedicated benches should remain on public display for a minimum 15 years (subject to
the exceptions listed above). At the end of the term, the City will attempt to contact the
donor and offer first right to donate for a replacement bench dedicated to the same
individual(s) or group at the stated cost, conditions, and terms then in effect.
Donors interested in being considered for replacement benches upon completion of the
expiration term must keep current contact information on file with the City. If the donor
cannot be contacted, does not respond within 30 days, or chooses not to participate
further in the program, the bench space will become available to another potential donor.
Any bench currently dedicated at the adoption of this policy that lacks contact information
regarding the original donor and meets the memorial bench criteria will be automatically
renewed for a period of at least one year and the City shall post public notices in an effort
to locate the original bench donors to offer them the opportunity to donate towards a
replacement bench when that bench is slated for replacement.
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BENCH DONATION APPLICATION
Full Name of Applicant: ___________________________________ Date: __________
Address: ______________________________________________________________
City: _______________________ State: ______Zip Code: _______________________
Phone Number: ( )__________________ Email: ____________________________
Bench in Memory/Honor of (Circle one)
Please write your suggested Plaque Inscription:
(Note: Plaque Size 6”x4” has up to 5 lines of text & 20 characters/spaces maximum per line. No
special characters.)
Line 1:_______________________________________________
Line 2: :______________________________________________
Line 3: :______________________________________________
Line 4: :______________________________________________
Line 5: :______________________________________________
Please state the connection between the person in which a bench is being donated and
the Arcadia community (i.e. Long-time resident, business owner, etc.)
Example:
Dedicated To
The Memory Of
Jeanne Lee Kwon
1944-2021
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Please select one of the following location options:
Library
Museum
City Hall
Park (Specify): ___________________________________________________
Other City Facility: ________________________________________________
If you already know the desired specific location, please describe here for consideration
(e.g., along the entrance walkway, next to the fountain, or under a big shade tree):
Please send acknowledgement to:
Name: ________________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip Code :____________________________________________________
I intend to make my donation by:
Credit Card Check Cash
Please read and initial the following terms and conditions before signing your application:
Upon installation, all benches and plaques become the property of the City of
Arcadia.
By completing and submitting this application, the applicant agrees to the terms and
conditions of the City’s Bench Donation Policy.
Name (Printed): ________________________________________________
Signature: ______________________________ Date: _________________