Title
a. Receive a status report regarding the Memorandum of Understanding between the County, the City of Salinas, and the Salinas Regional Sports Authority, and a Master Lease between the City of Salinas and the County regarding County’s 42-acre property adjacent to current Constitution Soccer Fields;
b. Provide direction regarding updating/amending the Memorandum of Understanding and the Master Lease with the City of Salinas.
(Board Referral #2017.11)
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive a status report regarding the Memorandum of Understanding between the County, the City of Salinas, and the Salinas Regional Sports Authority, and a Master Lease between the City of Salinas and the County regarding County’s 42-acre property adjacent to current Constitution Soccer Fields;
b. Provide direction regarding updating/amending the Memorandum of Understanding and the Master Lease with the City of Salinas.
SUMMARY:
In 2010, Monterey County, the City of Salinas, and the Salinas Regional Sports Authority entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) whereby the County agreed to lease 42-acres of County land to the City with the intent for the City to lease the land to the Authority that would in turn develop a Salinas Regional Soccer Complex project on Constitution Boulevard (Attachment A). Terms of the MOU requires the City and County to approve 1) the operation plan, and 2) the financial plan. The City approved the plans; however, the Board requested more information that would show long-term financial sustainability and assure adequate access for local kids/clubs.
The MOU was initially subject to litigation from owners of the farmland in Carr Lake. The City, as Lead Agency, subsequently approved the project and adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) in November 2014 (Attachment B), and a Settlement Agreement between City, Property Owners, and Salinas Regional Sports authority was signed July 2015, dismissing the litigation (Attachment C).
Revised Finance and Operation Plans have not been brought forward for Board consideration. As such, deadlines for having the County approve finance and operational plans have long passed, so the Authority is technically in breach. Staff requested information from the Authority and that a representative attend the Board meeting on June 13th. If the Board approves the plans, we can move to the next step, approving a lease. While the MOU sets forth essential lease terms, and a draft lease was previously prepared, the Master Lease needs to be finalized.
DISCUSSION:
Supervisor Alejo submitted a Board Referral to move forward on the lease between the County of Monterey and the City of Salinas so the County can implement a Phase I of the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex that would allow the use of eight soccer fields for use to the public and local soccer leagues. There is currently a shortage of available soccer fields for children, youth, and adult soccer teams in Salinas.
Since 2008, numerous stakeholders, elected officials, foundations, non-profits organizations and community members have been working towards realizing the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex. The project (City) faced a lawsuit that was settled in 2015, so it has now completed its CEQA review. A few mitigation measures were adopted that must be addressed before the project can begin.
The next step of the project is completing the lease agreement between the County of Monterey and the City of Salinas, and eventually a sub-lease between the City and the Authority.
The City and County have been exploring moving forward with Phase I of the Soccer Complex that includes grading, drainage, parking, irrigation, general landscaping and grass seeding for the proposed eight (8) soccer fields. Phase II envisions a 2,000-person open stadium with artificial turf will take longer to raise the needed funding.
Board direction is necessary to seek a Master Lease agreement that includes language to ensure that these proposed soccer fields will be highly accessible and free or very low cost to the public and local soccer leagues (and physically accessible during non-scheduled use hours). The Master Lease agreement should include a provision so that a City and County elected representative have added representation on any future governing board.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Resource Management Agency and the County Counsel’ Office prepared this report. The City of Salinas and the Regional Soccer Authority have been consulted with respect to its discussion.
FINANCING:
County staff resources have been utilized for this agreement and lease. No outside consultants have been retained for these services. Therefore, costs associated with this matter are included within the departments’ adopted budgets.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
Completing this agreement/lease would provide soccer fields accessible and affordable to the public and local soccer leagues. It demonstrates collaborative solutions between the City and County to provide recreational opportunities that provide healthy alternatives for kids, including at-risk youth.
Check the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives:
___ Economic Development
X Administration
X Health & Human Services
X Infrastructure
X Public Safety
Reviewed by: Leslie Girard, Assistant County Counsel
Approved by: Carl P. Holm, AICP, Resource Management Agency Director
Attachments:
Attachment A - Executed MOU, Feb 2010
Attachment B - Salinas City Council Resolution, Nov 2014
Attachment C - Salinas Settlement Agreement, July 2015
Attachment D - Management Plan
cc: City of Salinas (R Corpus, G Petersen, C. Callihan), Regional Soccer Authority (W Wayland)