For City Council Meeting December 10, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: G. Michael Milhiser, Interim City Manager
AUTHOR: Cynthia Alvarado, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services
Title
Request City Council Set a Public Hearing for January 14, 2025, To Receive Community Feedback, And To Discuss And Approve The Naming Of the Rialto Habitat Nature Center the, “Dr. June Hayes and Mayor Deborah Robertson Habitat Nature Center.”
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council Set a Public Hearing to receive Community Feedback, and Discuss and approve naming the Rialto Habitat Project, “Dr. June Hayes and Mayor Deborah Robertson Habitat.”
BACKGROUND
On January 24, 2012, the City Council approved the policy for naming parks and other City facilities. The procedure for the naming of city parks and facilities includes the following:
The Recreation and Community Services Department (Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department) will submit a staff report to City Council requesting a public hearing to consider the recommendation. Citizens can comment on the proposal directly to the City Council via the Public Hearing.
The City Council will make the final determination in naming all City parks and facilities.
The naming of City parks and facilities is subject to the following criteria:
• A park can be named after an individual, whether living or deceased.
• A facility can be named after an individual or organization.
• No more than one park or facility can be named after an individual or organization.
• To have a park or facility named after any individual or organization, that individual or organization must have completed a minimum of 20 years of service to the community or have donated a minimum of 50% of the value of the park or facility.
The current naming policy in step seven (7) says, Council Members and City Employees may also recommend the naming of a City Park or Facility. The procedure in these cases would include steps 5 and 6 only.
Step 5 The Recreation and Community Services Department will submit a staff report to City Council requesting it to set a Public Hearing to consider the recommendation. Citizens will have the opportunity to comment on the recommendation directly to the City Council via the Public Hearing.
Step 6 the City Council will make the final determination in the naming of all City Parks and Facilities.
At the November 12, 2024, City Council meeting, Councilmember Scott proposed naming the Rialto Habitat after Dr. June Hayes and Mayor Deborah Robertson in recognition of their significant contributions to the project.
Following the recommendation, Councilmember Baca moved to approve the proposal, and Mayor Pro Tem Carrizales seconded the motion. The motion was carried unanimously.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
The Rialto Habitat Nature Center will be located on City-owned property adjacent to the City of Rialto Water Treatment Plant and the Santa Ana River within San Bernardino County. Lake Rialto will be created using recycled water from the City of Rialto’s adjacent water treatment plant. The RHNC will improve surface water quality for native fish and other aquatic species by reducing warm season water temperature in Rialto Channel, a tributary stream to and the headwaters of the perennial Santa Ana River. The project will also serve to improve the quality of life for residents of Rialto as the lake will be designed to include pedestrian trails, open space, and educational environmental programming.
To date, the project has received more than $5 million in state and federal funds to advance this important project for the community.
The naming of this facility supports the vision and contributions of both Dr. June Hayes and Mayor Deborah Robertson.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The requested action is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a Project means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
Guiding principle: Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent, and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney's Office has reviewed the staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
No financial impact.