CC SR 20200304 02 - Tongva Monument
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 03/04/2020
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA DESCRIPTION:
Consideration and possible action regarding a proposed Tongva monument at Abalone
Cove.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Receive a presentation on the Tongva monument at Abalone Cove and provide
direction to Staff.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Daniel Trautner, Deputy Director of Recreation and Parks
REVIEWED BY: Cory Linder, Director of Recreation and Parks
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. August 6, 2019, PowerPoint presentation (page A-1)
B. City Council Policy No. 37 (page B-1)
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
On August 6, 2019, Tom Steers, Chairman of the Gabrieleño/Tongva Monument
Committee, made a presentation during the City Council Study Session regarding a
proposed monument at Abalone Cove (Attachment A) that would honor the Tongva’s
long and storied connection to the history of Southern California. The City Council
directed Staff to agendize this item for a future meeting.
The proposal is for the creation and installation of a stone monument with interpretive
panels and artwork. A large central plaque depicts a traditional Tongva village scene
while two side panels tell the story of the Tongva people and their history in the coastal
region. Mr. Steers’ presentation noted that this proposal was created with the
involvement of registered Tongva descendants and active tribal members who assisted
with the research, design, and vetting of the monument and its wording. The project has
been endorsed by a number of organizations, including the San Gabriel Band of Mission
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Indians, Los Serenos de Point Vicente, and the Rancho de Los Palos Verdes Historical
Society.
Below is a rendering of the proposed monument. The base is 42 inches tall at its
highest point, 39 inches deep and 89 inches wide. The proposed materials are cast or
concrete block, faced with Palos Verdes stone. The plaques are bronze.
Mr. Steers’ presentation noted that all costs would be covered by donor contributions.
The proposed artist is Geri Jimenez Gould, a professional sculptor who is an active
member of the Gabrieliño/Tongva tribe. Her works can be found in the collections of the
Vatican Museum and the Smithsonian Institution.
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Pursuant to City Council Policy No. 37: Naming of Pubic Facilities and Placing of
Monuments and Other Memorials (Attachment B), placing a monument in honor or in
memory of persons may be permitted in City parks. The Policy identifies 5 guidelines for
considering proposed monuments.
1. The person memorialized is closely associated with the area where the
monument will be located. The person memorialized is known to, and revered, by
a significant number of City residents.
2. The monument design is discreet and unobtrusive and designed to blend into the
surrounding area. A small plaque on a large rock (4 cubic feet) would be
appropriate. The location of the monument will be determined by City Staff with
approval of the City Council.
3. Costs of design, installation and maintenance of the monument will be
determined by the City and borne by the requestor at the discretion of the City.
Only City personnel or City contractors may perform work on City property.
4. The monument is only a marker and is not a place of worship, a cemetery or
official gathering place. Flowers, and other memorabilia are not permitted and will
be removed by maintenance personnel.
5. The City is not responsible for damage or deterioration of the monument and
may remove it at any time for any reason with permission of the City Council.
The proposed Tongva monument is generally consistent with City Council Policy No.37
with exception of the guideline regarding design and size of the monument. Although
the proposed monument is larger than recommended, it is similar in design and size to
three other nearby monuments at Abalone Cove Park recognizing Santa Catalina
Island, Portuguese Bend and the Palos Verdes Peninsula habitat (see photo below).
Staff has reviewed the design and location of the proposed monument, and ha s
identified no issues that would conflict with the use, operations and maintenance of
Abalone Cove Park. Staff seeks direction on whether or not to proceed with the
necessary coordination with Mr. Steers to install this monument at Abalone Cove.
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May-yee-haGreetingsA-1
ProposalSculptural MonumentforAbalone CoveRancho Palos VerdesHonoring theGabrieleño/Tongva Native American Indian“First Peoples of the Los Angeles Basin”A-2
Presented to theRancho Palos Verdes City CouncilPresenterMr. Tom SteersChairman,Gabrieleño/Tongva Monument CommitteeA-3
VISIONARY GOALS:•To honor the First Inhabitants who lived on this land.•To have Tongva descendants do all the design and wording for the monument so that they will be truly honored.•To inform the public of the Tongva history and the important role they have played in the history of Southern California.•To have continuity in theme and design with the other PV Stone‐monuments along RPV’s coastline.A-4
The Tongva have inhabited the L.A. Basin for over 7500 years.They are recognized by the State of California, Los Angeles County, the City of Los Angeles and all cities within the County.They are an active Tribe, and continue to this dayas a vital part of modern society.A-5
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Background:•This proposal is the result of three years of connecting and building trust with registered Tongva decedents and active tribal members.•They have been 100% involved with the history, design and vetting of this monument.•Consultation with the various historical societies, organizations, commissions and individuals has greatly assisted the project.A-7
Endorsed by:San Gabriel Band of Mission IndiansChief Anthony Red Blood MoralesLos Serenos de Point VincenteRancho de los Palos Verdes Historical SocietyA-8
A-9
Site at Abalone CoveArtist’s renderingA-10
Details for the bronze plaques and base•The large central plaque depicts a traditional Tongva village, the Ki, or reed home, a young family, as well as fishermen preparing the daily catch.•The two side panels tell the story of the Tongva, and our history of the coastal region known to us as Shwaanga. •The Donor Plaque lists those who have made this monument possible.•The base highest point is 42”, depth is 39”, width is 89” A-11
Preliminary artworkA-12
APPROVED WORDINGA-13
Plinth is cast or concrete block, faced with Palos Verdes Stone. The design is ADA compliant, but this needs to be verified by the RPV City engineers.Cast bronze plaques are “blind mounted” with stainless steel threaded studs encapsulated in Quickcrete cement.There is an optional “step” so children can easily view the sculpture. This is optional as it might present a liability hazard.A-14
Finances:•All costs will be covered by donor income.•Upon RPV City Council approval, the Long Family Foundation’s Board of Directors has agreed to review and evaluate a grant proposal. If the LFF Board approves the proposal, they anticipate being a major supporter.•The costs for all the plinth foundation, construction, and installation of the plaques will be from donor contributions that will be granted to the Restricted Donor Fund of the City. •Three bids/estimates for the base construction cost have been received.A-15
About the artist:•Geri Jimenez Gould is a professional sculptor, specializing in bas‐relief for medals, coins, awards and public works.•Her work is in the Vatican Museum, the Serra Museum and the Smithsonian Institution, among others. She has exhibited internationally in the British Museum, the National Sculpture Society and the Forest Lawn Museum, among others.•She is a 7thgeneration Californian of Mexican‐American and Gabrieleno/Tongva descent.•Her home and studio is in Santa Fe, New Mexico.•And, she is an enrolled member of and active in the Gabrieleno/Tongva Tribe!A-16
CITY COUNCIL POLICY
NUMBER: 37
DATE ADOPTED/AMENDED: 01/07/03 (Amended 9/15/09 and 12/20/11)
SUBJECT: Naming of Public Facilities and Placing of Monuments and Other
Memorials
________________________________________________________________
POLICY:
It shall be the policy of the City Council to name City facilities in the following
manner:
General
The policy of the City is to name facilities in a manner that will provide an
easy and recognizable reference to the City’s residents and visitors.
Geographic Location
Whenever possible, City facilities will be named for their geographic
location. The geographic location may be based on the identification of
the facility with a specific place, neighborhood, street, topographic or other
natural feature, such as a drainage course, tree or plant species, or
historical precedent.
Individual/Organizational Recognition
The naming of City facilities in honor of individuals or community
organizations will be a rare event, and will be considered under the
following conditions:
1. The individual, a family or a community organization has made
exceptional contributions to the City, including one or more of the
following: a) financial gifts, b) public service as an elected official, c)
public service as a community volunteer, or d) long term
sponsorship agreements.
2. There should be a well-defined connection between the
contributions of the individual or community organization and the
City facility.
3. The significance of the contribution from the individual/organization
needs to be evaluated in relation to the impact of the City facility.
Individuals and organizations that have made contributions of
regional or community-wide significance may be considered for
naming of facilities that serve the entire City. Individuals and
organizations that have made significant contributions to a
particular area or neighborhood may be considered for the naming
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City Council Policy No. 37 for Naming Public Facilities
Last Amendment: December 20, 2011
Page 2 of 4
of facilities that serve these areas or neighborhoods within the City,
including recreational and other amenities within City parks.
4. When considering naming a City facility after an individual, a period
of at least three (3) years shall have passed following the death of
such person to allow perspective and an appropriate period of
reflection.
5. Only a current Mayor or City Councilmember may nominate an
individual to have a City facility named in his or her honor, and the
determination will be made by the City Council.
City policy does not preclude additional opportunities for recognition that
may be created in the future. For instance, the Point Vicente Interpretive
Center is planned to include exhibits that may be funded by individual or
corporate donations. Recognition of such donations may include a donor
wall within the Interpretive Center, or recognition of a contributor’s
sponsorship of a specific exhibit.
It shall be the policy of the City Council to allow the placing of monuments and
other memorials on City properties under the following guidelines:
Monuments
Monuments in honor or in memory of persons may be permitted, in
rare cases, on City property with permission of the City Council under
the following conditions:
1. The person memorialized is closely associated with the area where
the monument will be located. The person memorialized is known
to, and revered, by a significant number of City residents.
2. The monument design is discreet and unobtrusive and designed to
blend into the surrounding area. A small plaque on a large rock (4
cubic feet) would be appropriate. The location of the monument
will be determined by City staff with approval of the City Council.
3. Costs of design, installation and maintenance of the monument will
be determined by the City and borne by the requestor at the
discretion of the City. Only City personnel or City contractors may
perform work on City property.
4. The monument is only a marker and is not a place of worship, a
cemetery or official gathering place. Flowers, and other
memorabilia are not permitted and will be removed by
maintenance personnel.
5. The City is not responsible for damage or deterioration of the
monument and may remove it at any time for any reason with
permission of the City Council.
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City Council Policy No. 37 for Naming Public Facilities
Last Amendment: December 20, 2011
Page 3 of 4
Benches or Trees
Benches or trees in honor or in memory of deceased persons may be
placed in City parks, or other City spaces, at the discretion of the City
Manager under the following conditions:
1. The bench design, or tree species, will be determined by the City
and the location of the bench or tree will be selected by the City.
2. A relatively small plaque (5” x 8”), with inscription or other written
memorial information may be placed on the bench or near the tree.
3. Costs of design, installation and maintenance of the bench or tree
will be determined by the City and borne by the requestor at the
discretion of the City. Only City personnel or City contractors may
perform work on City property.
4. The bench, or tree, is only a marker and is not a place of worship, a
cemetery or official gathering place. Flowers, and other
memorabilia are not permitted and will be removed by maintenance
personnel.
5. The City is not responsible for damage or deterioration of the bench
or tree and may remove it at any time for any reason without
replacement.
It shall be the policy of the City Council to establish a “Wall of Honor” under the
following guidelines:
Wall of Honor
The Wall of Honor will memorialize the names of distinguished
community leaders who have made substantial contributions to the
City of Rancho Palos Verdes under the following conditions:
1. Persons nominated for the “Wall of Honor” shall have been
dedicated community leaders who have contributed significantly to
the quality of life offered by the City and realization of the vision
expressed in the original General Plan. The honoree must have
had a significant presence in the community throughout a good
portion of their life and should have made notable impacts on
sustaining the quality of life of the residents of Rancho Palos
Verdes.
2. Persons nominated for inclusion on the “Wall of Honor” will be
deceased and will not have been previously honored by other
actions of the City such as facilities named in their honor or other
memorial.
3. When a person is nominated for inclusion on the “Wall of Honor”
staff should consult with the Palos Verdes Peninsula Library
District, local historical society or other appropriate sources to
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City Council Policy No. 37 for Naming Public Facilities
Last Amendment: December 20, 2011
Page 4 of 4
determine the significance of the individual’s contributions to the
community and report these findings to the City Council.
4. Only a current Mayor or City Councilmember may nominate a
citizen to be included on the “Wall of Honor.” The determination of
the persons who will be included will be made by the City Council.
5. The location of the “Wall” and the format of names and inscriptions
shall be established by the City Council.
BACKGROUND
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes has lacked a uniform policy to assist the City
Council and to guide staff in the naming of City facilities, including parks and
open space areas, buildings, streets and other public amenities. In addition,
there have been no formal policies or guidelines for honoring City leaders, nor for
memorializing persons whose loved ones simply want to provide a remembrance
in the form of a bench or tree.
Although the City has had no formal policy for naming public facilities and sites in
honor of persons, there are precedents. Fred Hesse Park and Community
Center is named for a City founder, Robert Ryan Park is named for a former
Mayor and Councilmember and Vanderlip Park is named for an original
Peninsula landowner. There is a GPS monument at Portuguese Point named in
honor of Dr. Perry Ehlig. There is a trail below Ocean Terrace Drive known as
the McBride Trail in honor of the man who constructed it. There are also three
small memorials, one near Ladera Linda Community Center, one at the Point
Vicente Interpretive Center and the other near Inspiration Point that honor
persons who died prematurely. Finally, there have been numerous requests
from individuals to install park benches or plant trees in memory of deceased
loved ones, many of which have been granted.
The development of a Policy to guide the naming of City facilities, the permitting
of monuments, benches and trees is intended to enable these processes to be
conducted in an equitable, objective and consistent manner. In addition, the
establishment of a “Wall of Honor” will offer a new formal opportunity for honoring
community leaders.
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