Title
Selection of a Preferred Option for a project at the Old Jail Site to establish a Project Description needed as part of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review process.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
The Capital Improvement Committee recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Select Scheme 9 as the preferred option for a project at the Old Jail Site, including:
1) Demolish the Old Jail
2) Remove the existing Alisal/Capitol Street Parking Lot
3) Create a new urban space for civic engagement while commemorating the historicity of the site; and
4) Relocate and/or Expand parking
b. Direct staff to proceed with environmental review of the Preferred Option.
SUMMARY:
At the direction of the Capital Improvement Committee (CIC), staff has reviewed multiple options with stakeholders regarding how to proceed with the Old Jail. In total, this process has resulted in nine (9) overall schemes to restore, renovate, close, preserve, or demolish the building (Attachment 1):
Scheme 1 Remove Jail/Convert to parking or landscaped area
Scheme 2 Preserve Façade, New building behind
Scheme 3 Retain Admin Wing, New building behind
Scheme 4 Rehab Original 1930 Construction with new First Floor
Scheme 5 Full rehab, Entire Jail
Scheme 6 Preserve Full Jail (Mothball)
Scheme 7 Preserve Façade with park
Scheme 8 1930 Restoration of Original Jail
Scheme 9 Remove Jail, New Commemorative Park
Selecting a Preferred Option for the Old Jail is necessary for planning the completion of the Government Center Campus. On June 20, 2016, the Capital Improvement Committee reviewed all Options and supported Scheme 9 as the Preferred Option. This option includes demolishing the Old Jail and the existing Alisal/Capitol Street Parking Lot for the purpose of creating a new urban space for civic engagement while commemorating the history of the site. Planning would require consideration of parking for the Government Center Campus, including space located along the north side of the Government Center Campus (along Gabilan Street) that is currently identified for open space once the modular buildings are removed.
Following the CIC announcement in support of Scheme 9 as the Preferred Option and direction to prepare an EIR for a County project at the Old Jail Site, the County received a letter dated June 29, 2016 from Mr. Joel R. Panzer requesting the Resource Management Agency (RMA) provide a written confirmation expressing a willingness to explore both adaptive reuse and funding options for the property with a private developer (Attachment 2). On or about August 5, 2016, the RMA respectfully denied that request because the full Board of Supervisors has not considered all of the options (Attachment 3).
An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) would be required for any impact to the Old Jail as a historic structure. Timing for moving forward with environmental review would follow occupancy of the East/West Wing Renovation project in 2018.
DISCUSSION:
On January 21, 2015, the Capital Improvement Committee (CIC) received a presentation on the Old Jail, located at 142 West Alisal Street, Salinas, California, and the Final Report-Adaptive Reuse Feasibility Study (Final Report) completed by the consulting firm of Page & Turnball, Inc. The Final Report was distributed to all members of the Board of Supervisors in January, 2015. An electronic copy of the Final Report is available on the RMA website: (<http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/home/showdocument?id=12387>) or may be purchased on CD for $5. The Final Report incorporated existing studies, input from public entities and private citizens, an engineering analysis, and County evaluation of its present and future space needs for eight (8) Schemes.
On May 11, 2015, the CIC received an expanded report that proposed a ninth option to remove the Old Jail for the purpose of creating a more expansive and purposeful Commemorative Park dedicated to the history at the former building site. This ninth concept also included conversion and incorporation of the current County parking lot located at the corner of Alisal and Capitol streets into the proposed commemorative park. The subsequent displaced parking was proposed for relocation behind the courthouse (North Wing) when the existing modular units are removed following completion of the East/West Wing Renovation Project. The CIC requested that staff investigate the new park option further by pursuing a course of action to first identify key community stakeholders able to garnish support for removal of the Old Jail. Secondly, staff was requested to engage the stakeholders and convey the vision for a commemorative park at the Old Jail site.
During the summer of 2015 a list of Community Stakeholders was developed with Resource Management Agency (RMA) staff (Attachment 4). During the fall of 2015 through the spring of 2016, over 32 different Community Stakeholders were contacted by staff regarding a potential commemorative park project to be located at the Old Jail site at 142 W. Alisal Street, Salinas Stakeholders included local politicians, planners, neighbors, historians and preservationists. Of the 32 separate contacts:
• Six (6) respondents (19%) were opposed to the removal of the Old Jail for a park;
• Fourteen (14) respondents (44%) favored the proposal of a commemorative park following building removal; and
• Twelve (12) stakeholders (37%) failed to respond after repeated efforts to solicit responses.
Preservationists were not in favor of razing the Old Jail to create a new park space. The Cesar Chavez Foundation (Foundation) was contacted and requested a project prospectus for further review. Based upon that initial contact with the Foundation, the County is expecting favorable support for the commemorative park once a project prospectus is generated. California State Senate Majority Leader William Monning, 17th District, acknowledged that some type of commemorative use of the Old Jail is warranted. The Business Development Committee of the Salinas Chamber of Commerce is in support of the park concept that would connect the Government Center to the downtown through a promenade as envisioned in the City’s Vibrancy Plan. The Salinas Historic Resources Board (HRB) and the Monterey County Historic Resources Review Board (HRRB) oppose any option for the Old Jail other than preservation through adaptive reuse of the existing facility. In addition, the County is seeking a consultation with California State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) that will identify a way forward regarding the Old Jail once a specific option has been selected, including full funding for preservation if that is the State’s direction.
After many years (starting in 2000) of study, planning, community involvement, community stakeholder engagement, and visionary thinking, staff recommends the selection of the commemorative park from the nine (9) options included in the Old Jail Adaptive Use Study planning process to repurpose the site. Option 9 is in the best interest of County financial resources and also fulfills the intent of the original Government Center Master Plan. The goal will be to replace the Old Jail with a more active, engaging and appropriate use available to all County residents in a sustainable manner. The commemorative park option will require expansion of the Old Jail site to include the existing Alisal/Capitol Street Visitor Parking Lot by relocation of this area to the north side of the Courthouse North Wing. Future actions, such as conducting an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) must also occur to create this new space for civic engagement while commemorating the history of the site. Finally, the current Five Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) includes an Old Jail - Adaptive Re-use EIR in the Future Need section proposed for Fiscal Year 2017-18. Scheduling an EIR for Fiscal Year 2017-18 following the Board’s selection of an option will allow concerned parties at least a year to formulate and propose a sustainable and viable solution, along with a reasonable range of alternative projects for consideration during the formal environmental impact review process.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
RMA staff has met with representatives from numerous public and private agencies. The commencement of an EIR as part of the CEQA review process is the next planning stage that would include Agency and public involvement.
FINANCING:
County has spent $222,741 in staff time and consultant costs associated with the adaptive reuse study. Project financing for the adaptive reuse study concluded in Fiscal Year 2014-15. There are no funds available in the Fiscal Year 2016-17 Adopted Budget for the Old Jail Adaptive Reuse EIR. This project has been identified in the Five Year 2016-17 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) as a future need unfunded project. Once the Board has selected the Preferred Option, CEQA environmental review would need to be conducted. The Five Year FY 2016-17 CIP includes an estimated cost of $191,000 for conducting this environmental review for FY 2017-18 assuming funding is available.
Prepared by: Donald D. Searle, Acting Chief of Public Works and Facilities-Architecture,
(831) 755-5061
Approved by: Benny J. Young, Interim RMA Deputy Director of Public Works and Facilities
Approved by: Carl P. Holm, AICP, RMA Director
Prepared Date: August 8, 2016
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Summary of Old County Jail Reuse Options 1-9
Attachment 2 - Panzer letter, dated June 29, 2016
Attachment 3 - RMA Letter to Joel R. Panzer dated July 28, 2016
Attachment 4 - List of Stakeholders.
cc: Meg Clovis, Mo. Co. Historian; Paul Farmer CEO & Business Development Committee, Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce; Don Reynolds & Gary Petersen, City of Salinas; Sabino Lopez & Juan Uranga, Center of Community Advocacy; Marc Grossman, Cesar Chavez Foundation; Carlos Ramos, League of United Latin American Citizens; Thomas Worthington; Dr. Ileen Feinman, CSUMB; Linda Barrera, Roosevelt School; Jason Retterer; Joel Panzer, Ken Steen, Jeffrey Gilles, Trish Sullivan, Salinas Old Town Association; Salinas City Councilmember Steve McShane; Senator Bill Monning, State of California; Megan Hunt, Salinas Historic Resources Review Board, John Skourkis & Melissa McDougal, County Historic Resources Review Board; Salvador F. Munoz, Mark Norris; Juan Martinez