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DATE: March 22, 2005
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT: City of La Mesa Library

SUMMARY:
The City of La Mesa has requested that the County consider entering into an agreement that would transfer the ownership of the current County Library and Fine Arts building and property to the City in exchange for a commitment by the City to permanently house the library at no expense to the County. The City has proposed to relocate the existing library into an interim facility to be constructed to the west of the La Mesa City Hall until such time that the City builds a new permanent library with funds from a future State Library Bond Act.

Recommendations:
SUPERVISOR DIANNE JACOB

  1. Find that this activity is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under section 15262 of the CEQA Guidelines, as it is part of a study/process for possible future action which the County has not yet approved, adopted, or funded.
  2. Authorize the Director, Department of General Services, to enter into negotiations with the City of La Mesa for the transfer of the property (Assessor Parcel Number 470-250-13) containing the La Mesa Library and Fine Arts Center in exchange for a commitment by the City to temporarily and permanently house the library at no expense to the County, and return to the Board within 60 days with a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of La Mesa.

Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact as a result of this action. It is anticipated that the County will receive value from the City of La Mesa equivalent to the value of the property to be transferred.

Background:
The County Library, located in the City of La Mesa, is currently situated on a 21,334 square foot parcel of property within the City's civic center, to the south of the La Mesa City Hall. The City applied for State Library Bond Act (Proposition 14) financing to build a new 32,000-square-foot County Library on the block to the east of their civic center. The City set aside the necessary local match for the state bond funds. The 2004 round three grant application did not receive favorable consideration by the State Library Bond Act Commission. However, the State Library Bond Act Commission advised the City that their application would be given priority consideration in the future, if the state voters approve new bond financing in 2006.

The La Mesa City voters approved a local bond measure in March 2004 that authorized the replacement of the aging Fire Department Headquarters, and the undersized Police Department Headquarters. The City is in the process of constructing a replacement Fire Department Headquarters on the site of the former building. They plan to replace the Police Department Headquarters on an adjacent site that would place it on the same block as the City Hall and the Fire Department Headquarters. However, to do so would require that the City utilize the land upon which the current La Mesa Library and Fine Arts Center is situated.

The City of La Mesa has requested that the County consider entering into an agreement that would transfer the ownership of the property containing the current County Library and Fine Arts Center to the City in exchange for a commitment by the City to temporarily and permanently house the library at no expense to the County. The City has proposed to relocate the existing library into an interim facility to be constructed to the west of the La Mesa City Hall until the City builds a new permanent library, of at least 32,000 square feet, with funds from a future State Library Bond Act. It will be of mutual benefit to the City of La Mesa and the County to reach an agreement in which the City would:

  1. Receive ownership of the current library site in exchange for their agreement to construct a new library at no expense to the County;
  2. Agree to pay all costs of the new library facility to include construction, furnishings and ongoing utilities;
  3. Relocate the current library into an interim structure at no expense to the County; and
  4. Agree to have the County Library System operate the City's library for a minimum period of 40 years.
    I suggest that if the City does not either begin construction of a new permanent library within five years, or continue to contract with the County for the operation of the library for an extended period, the City would be required to compensate the County for the fair market value of the current library site and buildings.

I urge your support of this win-win for the County Library and the City of La Mesa.


Respectfully Submitted,

DIANNE JACOB
Supervisor, Second District