City Council
	Agenda Request
Agenda Of:	04-20-10	Agenda Request No:		vii-a
Initiated By:	Karen Daly Assistant City Manager	Responsible Department:		Assistant City Manager
Presented By:	Karen Daly Assistant City Manager	Department Head:		Karen Daly
		Additional Department. Head (s):		N/A
Subject / Proceeding:	Naming of City Facilities and Sub-Facilities Policy
Exhibits:	Draft Policy
Clearances			Approval
Legal:	n/a		Executive Director:	n/a
Purchasing:	n/a		Asst. City Manager:	Karen Daly
Budget:	n/a		City Manager:	Allen Bogard
Budget
Expenditure Required: $			n/a
Current Budget: $			n/a
Additional Funding: $
Recommended Action
Review and discuss the policy for naming of City facilities and sub-facilities.
Executive Summary
In 1998, the City Council established criteria for the naming of City Parks and Recreation Areas. The City of Sugar Land has experienced extensive growth in the last 10 years, both within the City and through the annexation of extraterritorial jurisdictions. A consequence of this growth has been the building of additional facilities and parks in order to continue to provide exceptional service to citizens. Given these facility and parks expansions, the City of Sugar Land needs a standardized process, including guidelines, for the naming of City-owned facilities and property. This need also presents the opportunity to update the existing criteria as well as to refine the process to include renaming and the possibility of public-private partnerships. The City staff researched best practice policies from other local governments and has drafted a new policy for consideration. The policy being proposed covers the general naming criteria and guidelines as well as restrictions for naming. The policy then provides for a procedure, which had not previously been incorporated, that calls for the utilization of a Council Facilities Task Force to facilitate the naming process. It provides for a timeframe in which the naming should occur as well as a re-naming process should the facility change in use, be demolished or redeveloped. The attached policy provides a uniform procedure, allows for input from a variety of sources, and seeks to formalize a process that will be needed as the City grows and expands its park and recreation areas as well as other City facilities.
Exhibits

POLICY NUMBER 3000-26

Date Adopted ____________

Date Effective____________

Sunset Date:_____________

RESOLUTION NO. 10-18

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SUGAR LAND, TEXAS, ADOPTING A POLICY ON NAMING OF CITY FACILITIES AND SUB-FACILITIES.

WHEREAS, the City of Sugar Land has experienced extensive growth in the last 20 years both within the City and through the annexation of extraterritorial jurisdictions; and

WHEREAS, the growth has made it necessary to build additional facilities and parks in order to continue to provide exceptional service to citizens; and

WHEREAS, the City desires to establish a standardized process, procedures and criteria for the naming of City-owned facilities and property; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL

OF THE CITY OF SUGAR LAND, TEXAS:

Section l. That the City Council hereby adopts the following policy:

NAMING OF CITY FACILITIES AND SUB-FACILITIES

PURPOSE

To establish uniform procedures and criteria for the naming of City-owned facilities throughout the City of Sugar Land.

DEFINITIONS

Facility: Major City-owned buildings, parks and trails built for permanent use.

Sub-Facility: Minor City-owned structures within a Major Facility, including but not limited to: swimming pools, pavilions, tennis courts, large water features, trail sections or meeting rooms.

POLICY

General Naming Criteria and Guidelines.

In order to be considered a qualifying name, the proposed name must meet one of the following criteria:

A. Be descriptive of geographic location, a significant natural feature in or near the facility, or an adjoining subdivision, street, or school.

B. Commemorate historical events, groups or individuals that are of continued importance to the city, region, state, and/or nation.

C. Individuals with a history of performing exceptional community service or contributions to the facility’s best interest may be recognized with a named facility under the following conditions:

a. Involvement in a leadership role in civic organizations which are devoted to community improvement.

b. Assistance to the underprivileged as well as people with physical or intellectual disabilities.

c. Actively promoted and directed effective programs for youth or senior citizens within the community.

d. Actively promoted and directed community events and activities which have enriched the quality of life within the community.

e. Actively promoted and directed efforts to improve the aesthetic appearance and environmental quality of the community.

f. Led efforts to collect, promote and retain the historical heritage of the community.

D. Recognize individuals who made significant contributions to the acquisition or development of the facility (in accordance with the City’s Capital Donations Policy).

a. If a facility is named to commemorate or honor an individual or group, the scale of the facility to be named should match the stature, characteristics and contributions of the individual. The threshold for considering the naming of a facility after a donor, benefactor or group will include one or more of the following:

i. Land for the majority of the facility was deeded to the City.

ii. Contribution of a minimum of 50% (in accordance with the City’s donation policy) of the capital construction costs associated with developing the facility.

iii. Provision of an endowment (in accordance with the City’s donation policy) for at least 50% of a facility’s estimated useful life for the continued maintenance and/or programming of the facility.

iv. The City Council may alter these guidelines if deemed necessary.

b. The City reserves the right to utilize criminal background checks as part of the vetting process in order to establish an honoree’s good character.

E. Recognize organizations involved in a public-private partnership with the City of Sugar Land that have made significant financial or capital contributions to the acquisition or development of the facility (in accordance with the City’s Capital Donations Policy).

F. Have historical, cultural or social significance for future generations.

G. Research indicates that the area around the facility, or the facility itself, has been commonly named in an unofficial capacity by residents.

Restrictions on the Naming of Public Facilities and Sub-Facilities.

A. As a general practice, the City will not name City facilities after for-profit organizations.

a. Corporate sponsors can receive permanent recognition for their contributions through the installation of commemorative plaques and/or other markers or by following the Capital Donations Policy.

B. Facilities built as part of a public-private partnership may be named after a private sector partner or investor.

C. Duplication of other facility names in the City shall not be considered.

D. To minimize confusion, facilities will not be subdivided beyond the level of sub-facilities for the purpose of naming unless there are readily identifiable physical divisions such as roads or waterways. (This does not apply to different parks within an overall park system, e.g. Sugar Land Memorial Park and the Brazos River Park.)

E. Facility names that might be considered discriminatory or derogatory will not be considered.

F. Facility names will not advocate a current political figure, political affiliation, ideology or religion.

PROCEDURE

Guidelines for Naming Process

Naming of Major Facilities

A. The naming process for a facility will automatically be initiated with the City Council’s approval for the design, construction or acquisition of a facility.

B. The City will utilize a Council Facilities Task Force to facilitate the naming of facilities.

C. A permanent name for the facility should occur no later than the 50% completion mark in the construction or acquisition process.

a. Prior to the permanent naming of a facility, the location shall be referred to by its address or location designation (i.e. Matlage Community Center) until such a time as the facility is given an official name.

D. The Council Facilities Task Force is to conduct the naming of a facility according to the following steps:

a. The facility naming process is initiated with the approval of the design, construction or acquisition of a facility.

b. The City Council shall choose from a variety of sources for name recommendations (i.e. Council member, staff or donor recommendations, historical review of the site, recommendations from the Parks Board, recommendations from previous owners, etc.). Names may be requested or suggested by citizens and/or groups by submission via the Mayor, City Council or City Manager

c. Names may be submitted by the departmental owner of the facility, executive management, the Mayor or members of the City Council.

d. All names for City facilities will be approved by a majority City Council vote regardless of the source of the name’s recommendation.

Naming of Sub-Facilities

A. All requests for the naming or renaming of a sub-facility shall be made in writing to the Director of Parks and Recreation for parks sub-facilities or to the City Manager for all other sub-facilities. Written requests for the changing of a sub-facility’s name should contain the following minimum information:

a. The proposed name.

b. Reasons for the proposed name.

c. Written documentation indicating community support for the proposed name (if applicable).

d. If proposing to name a facility within a park, include a description/map showing the location of the facility.

e. If proposing to name a facility after an individual, group, donor or benefactor, include documentation of that person or group’s significance and good reputation in the City’s, State’s, or Nation’s history.

i. Please refer to the commemorative naming conditions for an individual found in Section 2, 4a of this policy.

B. Upon receipt of a naming request, the Director of Parks and Recreation or City Manager will:

a. Review the proposed request for its adherence to the policies of the City of Sugar Land.

b. Ensure that supporting information has been authenticated, particularly when an individual’s name is proposed.

C. When deemed appropriate, the City Manager will recommend the Facilities Task Force review sub-facility renaming suggestions when deemed appropriate.

D. The Facilities Task Force will review the sub-facility naming request at a Facilities Task Force meeting and make a recommendation to the City Council; in all cases, the City Council will have the prerogative of accepting or rejecting the final proposal.

Guidelines for Re-Naming Process.

A. In the event of the renaming of a facility due to demolition, redevelopment or change in use, the recognized individual or group will have another facility named after them, when feasible.

a. Decisions on the need for a facility name change will be made by the Council Facilities Task Force.

b. Name changes related to functional use or for administrative reasons will be made by the City Manager.

A. The renaming of major or sub-facilities is strongly discouraged. It is recommended that efforts to change a name be subject to the most critical of examinations so as not to diminish the original justification for the name or discount the value of the prior contributors.

a. Parks or other facilities named by deed restriction shall not be considered for renaming.

b. Parks and facilities named after individuals shall never be changed unless it is found that the individual's personal character is or was such that the continued use of the name for a facility would not be in the best interest of the community.

i. Exceptions may be granted for changes in use of facilities or for facility demolitions.

B. If it is decided that it is in the best interest of the City to rename a major or sub-facility, it must be renamed in accordance with the criteria and guidelines outlined in the procedures of this policy.

Plaques, Markers and Memorials.

A. Plaques, markers and memorials may be incorporated into a facility or sub-facility during the design phase of the project. Plaques, markers and memorials that are incorporated into the design of a facility will be subject to the same oversight and controls inherent to the project.

B. Plaques, markers, and memorials added to a facility or sub-facility after its completion and opening will be designed and installed according to the City’s Dedication Plaque Policy.

ACCOUNTABILITY

The City Council shall have the authority to name City-owned major facilities, as well as all City-owned sub-facilities, according to the procedure and criteria established by this policy.

Section 2. That Resolution No. 98-40, Policy No. 7000-03 is repealed.

PASSED AND APPROVED on __________________________.

_______________________

James A. Thompson, Mayor

ATTEST:

_____________________________

Glenda Gundermann, City Secretary

APPROVED:

_____________________________

Joe Morris, City Attorney