UPDATE; The San Clemente City Council on Tuesday night, Jan. 17, tabled its discussion over whether to establish the Citizens Committee that would be tasked with analyzing the feasibility of constructing a local amphitheater.
Below is the original version of the story published Tuesday evening.
Last August, the San Clemente City Council voted to establish a Citizens Committee of local stakeholders to discuss the feasibility of constructing an amphitheater in town.
Nearly a month later, the council went further voting to authorize each elected official to appoint one person to the committee and to terminate the group after two years.
Mayor Chris Duncan—the then-mayor pro tem—and former Councilmember Kathy Ward opposed the appointment process, favoring the alternative of a council interviewing candidates.
They both cited concerns over councilmembers appointing people and then leaving council soon thereafter, potentially requiring those members to be replaced by the choice of new councilmembers.
However, there hasn’t been any reportable movement regarding the committee’s formation since the Sept. 6 meeting, causing city staff to recommend that the council again determine whether to go forward with the panel at its meeting on Tuesday night, Jan 17.
“To date, only one councilmember has appointed a citizen to the subcommittee,” the staff report read as part of the explanation behind bringing up the item.
The discussion was carried to the first meeting of January as it was not addressed while listed on the Dec. 20 agenda, the last council meeting of 2022.
The potential committee stems from an idea former Councilmember Laura Ferguson had for a structure that could host plays performed by groups such as the San Clemente High School Drama Department, as well as dance recitals and other community events.
She told San Clemente Times onFriday, Jan. 13, that residents have led previous efforts to see an amphitheater established in San Clemente dating back more than a decade. The target location at that time was a parcel at the intersection of Avenida La Pata and Calle Saluda.
Ferguson said that the proposal first came to her as a way to enrich the community while attending high school plays performed near the school’s former upper campus during the pandemic.
“It was just so much fun to be outdoors, and everyone brought their lawn chairs, food trucks were there,” she said. “It was such a great feel. I thought, ‘Oh, how wonderful would it be to have a permanent spot like that?’”
In addition to providing a space in town to bring people together for social interactions and entertainment, Ferguson added that an amphitheater would provide significant economic development opportunities.
“It brings people from neighboring communities—we’re so close with Dana Point and San Juan (Capistrano) in our tri-cities area,” she said. “I think it gets people here to see a performance, musical or play or hear a lecture, and then go out and shop and dine in town afterwards.”
As current Mayor Pro Tem Steve Knoblock has tapped her to participate in the subcommittee, Ferguson said she was happy and excited to be involved, given her newly added free time after stepping down from council.
She also said she was hopeful others in San Clemente will be interested in giving their time to the citizens committee and enhancing opportunities for fun in town.
During the Sept. 6 meeting that determined the group’s scope of responsibilities, Duncan argued that it would be best for the subcommittee to look for an optimal location, as well as funding. He said that the council’s main role was to provide “leadership and direction” to help get the panel started, as it may not occur otherwise.
“We think this would be a worthwhile endeavor,” he said. “We don’t have the resources to staff it ourselves, so we’re hoping we can get citizens to do that legwork for us, but we want to get the ball rolling here at council.”
Councilmember Gene James, who was mayor at the time, confirmed with former City Manager Erik Sund that the subcommittee would require a quorum of at least three appointed members to meet, given that the council approved the single-appointee-per-councilmember model. They also confirmed that it would be subject to the Brown Act and public noticing requirements.
“As long as we do all those things, I’m good,” James said.
Joanne Baade, then-city clerk, suggested giving two weeks for each councilmember to submit an appointee. However, as of the end of 2022, not all councilmembers did so.
When the council first addressed the committee, city staff recommended adding members who represent local entities such as the Cabrillo Playhouse, although the playhouse’s producing artistic director Michael Lopez told SC Times in December that he hasn’t heard anything about an amphitheater in town or the committee.
Lopez said though he’d love to be a part of the group.
“I brought (the amphitheater) up to one of our board members, and they said, ‘Really? I’ve never heard of any of that,’ ” Lopez said. “And they’re a longtime community member involved in theater.”
Regarding how he could be valuable in future committee discussions, he spoke about the logistics side of the matter and making sure that any performance at an amphitheater would have everything it needed to be successful.
That includes whether there is storage to place sets and costumes, or a nearby area to transfer set pieces, lights, and sound equipment. He added that a solid sound setup and enough covered space for dressing rooms were also necessary.
“An amphitheater is very different than an inside theater because you’re dealing with so much more, with weather and safety,” Lopez said.
Duncan approached Susie Lantz, the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive, about joining, following Ferguson’s suggestion of having councilmembers nominate people in the community who they felt could serve well.
Lantz told SC Times she was aware of the council’s vote at the time and excited about the prospects. She also shared with Duncan her enthusiasm for being on the committee, having experienced first-hand the popularity of theater while volunteering with the SCHS Drama department during the pandemic.
“That’s when it really first hit me (about) how many folks want to enjoy theater,” said Lantz. “Whether it be outdoor theater or indoor theater, just to have a space is important.”
As a parent with passion for the arts, she added that she wanted to support children’s access to art in relation to the amphitheater.
“I’m glad the chamber will have representation, and I’m looking forward to being a part of it,” she said.
Since first being approached, however, Lantz also wasn’t aware of further action concerning the subcommittee.
Regarding how the panel is expected to function, Ferguson said that the essential goal is that San Clemente residents will lead the charge in making the amphitheater a reality.
“The key will really be to find donors who are excited about the concept or even sponsors that would like to maybe have their name on the amphitheater much like the (Ralphs Skate Court in (Richard T. Steed Park) at the end of La Pata,” she said.
Members could also search for fundraising grants, said Ferguson.
She added that she couldn’t remember any committees that operated independently from staff during her time with the city, only her time as a liaison to the Friends of San Clemente organization that raises money for Beaches, Parks, and Recreation-related projects.
The council did at least provide guidance for the committee, Ferguson said, in that it will sunset after two years if the members cannot secure funding or pledges from donors to pay for a project design, landscaping, environmental engineering, or identifying a location.
On Tuesday night, the new council, with newly seated Councilmembers Victor Cabral and Mark Enmeier, will address the subcommittee for the first time. SC Times asked all councilmembers their opinions on the panel’s independence from the city and how long it should last.
Duncan and Enmeier declined to comment on the issue, apart from Duncan affirming that he selected Susie Lantz to be on the subcommittee. Cabral and James did not respond to SC Times’ request.
Knoblock wrote in an email that an amphitheater would provide a “great benefit” to the city and that the committee should have minimal impact on staff resources.
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