SAN CLEMENTE : $20,000 Study OKd on City Hall Needs

Even though City Hall won’t be moving anytime soon, the City Council this week approved spending $20,000 to study how much space city officials will need in the future and what type of development fees would be needed to support a new civic center.

In a 4-1 vote, with Mayor Truman Benedict in dissent, the council on Wednesday hired Hughes, Heiss & Associates to conduct the study, which is legally required if the city levies a fee against future development projects to help pay for a civic center.

Such a fee would be needed to ensure that any new development in the city would pay its fair share for the new civic center, City Manager Michael W. Parness said.

Some council members, however, said they have reservations about hitting developers and, in turn, future homeowners and business owners with another fee in such tough economic times.

“I certainly agree we need a new City Hall,” Councilwoman Candace Haggard said. “Although the fee might be appropriate, I’m not sure the (timing) is.”

Resident Karoline Koester told the council she believes the city could save the $20,000 by updating studies already issued on the need for a new civic center. “The staff could develop the fee themselves,” she said.

Assistant City Manager Paul Gudgeirsson, however, said the study will analyze specific issues not covered in previous reports.

The study, which will also include conceptual designs of potential civic centers, will take about three months, he said.

Money for the study will come from a special fund set up years ago for a new civic center.

In recent years, officials said, they have outgrown the 30-year-old City Hall on Avenida Presidio. Already, the Community Development, Parks and Recreation, Water and Marine Safety departments maintain offices in other parts of town. Police and fire officials are especially cramped, officials said.