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Council approves Clark Building use policy and new rental rates with discounts for local nonprofits and daytime bookings
Summary
After months of planning, Hermosa Beach adopted a new Clark Building use policy and fee schedule that creates a meeting room and updated kitchen access, sets mandatory fees and adds discounted rates for local nonprofits and daytime reservations; council directed staff to finalize details with long‑time users.
Hermosa Beach’s City Council on Feb. 25 adopted a new use policy and fee schedule for the renovated Clark Building, establishing rates, new booking rules and limited storage for two long-standing nonprofit users.
The policy formalizes the layout for the renovated facility — which includes a banquet hall, a new meeting room, restrooms and a kitchen — and sets mandatory charges for the banquet hall reservation, application fee and refundable security deposit. It also creates optional add-on fees for the meeting room, kitchen, projector and audio-visual equipment, table/chair setup and staffing costs for events that require city-operated AV or additional staff.
Council and staff negotiated a set of concessions for long-term civic users. The Hermosa Garden Club and the Woman’s Club, which have used the Clark Building for decades and previously stored materials on site, will be offered negotiated agreements. Staff agreed to supply a single lockable storage cart (dimensions provided at the meeting as 48 x 18 x 69 inches) for each club in a kitchen-area storage room. The council asked staff to finalize those arrangements through an agreement rather than a simple fee waiver.
After extended discussion, members approved several adjustments to the base fee schedule: an across-the-board discount for Hermosa Beach nonprofit organizations (50% off base rates), a 40% reduction for resident bookings, and an additional 10% daytime discount for both categories (for events concluding by 5 p.m.). Council also approved a weekend 5% discount for reservation holders who contract with local caterers for food and beverage services; staff was asked to work with the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce to assemble a list of local vendors to simplify verification.
The council also altered amplified-sound hours to balance neighborhood concerns and event use. Under the adopted policy, amplified sound is permitted 9 a.m.–9 p.m. Sunday–Thursday and 9 a.m.–10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; building hours were extended so reservations can run until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday (10 p.m. other nights) with amplified-sound limits enforced as stated.
Councilmembers said the changes were intended to allow broad community use — including weddings, meetings and small performances — while protecting nearby residents. Staff will implement the policy, negotiate formal storage agreements with the two civic groups, produce the reservation application packet and include the local-vendor list developed with the Chamber.
Outcome: Council approved the Clark Building use policy and fees, with the nonprofit/resident/daytime discounts and local-caterer weekend discount added during debate; the motion passed unanimously. Staff will return with final agreements with long‑time building users and begin reservation processing under the new schedule.
