If City Hall is to be Relocated, Public Input Will Be Sought
One of the City Council goals for 2022-23 is to invest $50,000 in a study of City Hall options long-term.
Capitola’s City Hall and Police Department are located at 420 and 421 Capitola Ave., respectively, at the gateway to the Capitola Village.
The site, about 7 acres, includes the Capitola History Museum, Police Annex, and the Lower and Upper Pacific Cove public parking lots.
According to a report by Deputy City Clerk Austin Westly, City Hall and the police station are “older structures that are nearing a stage where they will require significant investment to maintain their functionality.”
Both buildings are smaller than typical given the current staffing and needs., he noted.
Another downside is that the site is in the floodplain.
In 2011, the Police Station and parts of the lower level of City Hall flooded due to an overwhelmed drainpipe in Noble Gulch Creek that ran under Pacific Cove Mobile Home Park to the ocean. The mobile home park was acquired by the city and turned into parking lots for visitors.
In 2010, the city obtained state funds to assess reuse options for the Capitola City Hall site and the parking lots. The study addressed alternatives for redeveloping the site, market analysis at for possible uses, alternative sites for City Hall functions, and future ownership alternatives for the site.
At the time, there was concern the study was developed without a high levels of public input.
The current request for proposals is structured to help the City better understand current circumstances on the site and provide multiple opportunities for public input prior to drafting alternatives.
During a budget workshop March 1, 2022, the City Council prioritized the City Hall needs assessment and allocated $50,000 for it.
The Request for Proposals, which was released May 15, has two phases, the first being the site needs assessment.
Proposals are due July 21.
This will include: A report on existing conditions and projections for future staffing over the next 20 years and facility needs, with a functionality analysis, advantages/disadvantages, and an evaluation of the environmental constraints and hazards.
A second phase — alternatives analysis — can be initiated at the direction of the City Council after reviewing the first report.
Phase two involves identifying goals for the future City Hall by working with the City Council, members of the public, and staff.
This will include a presentation from the consultant at a community meeting and a City Council meeting.
This phase will identify future City Hall options for the City to consider, and an evaluation of how those options meet the identified goals.
The City Council is expected to approve a consultant contract for phase one in August, get the needs assessment report in December, and hear a presentation in January 2024.
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To share your thoughts with the City Council, see www.cityofcapitola.org/citycouncil