By Jason Islas
Lookout Staff

November 22, 2011 -- The non-profit agency that for nearly three decades has run the world-famous Santa Monica Pier will assume a more limited role under a reorganization plan that will go before the City Council Tuesday.

Under the plan proposed by City staff, the Pier Restoration Corporation, which currently oversees the century-old pier will be replaced by a smaller, more limited organization that focuses primarily on marketing the regional destination.

“Due to the hard work of the Pier Restoration Corporation, the pier is where it is today,” said Miriam Mack, the City's Economic Development Manager. “We're recommending that the council keep the non-profit in place, because it is a very valuable tool.”

Although the basic structure will stay the same, its goals and general mandate will change, according to staff.

Established 28 years ago after a fierce storm ripped apart the old wooden pier, the PRC focused its initial efforts on rebuilding and revitalizing the structure.

The celebration of the Pier's Centennial in 2009 highlighted the PRC's success in turning the once dilapidated relic from a by-gone era into a bustling destination for tourists and locals alike, City officials said.

Now that the pier has been restored, it is time to consider changing the goals of the PRC to focus primarily on marketing, planning special events and fundraising, pier officials said.

“When your focus is on saving something, your mind frame is very different,” said Joel Brand, a member of PRC board. Now, he said, the question is how to "take this incredible treasure we have and make sure it best serves our community.

“How do we make sure that when we celebrate the Pier's next centennial, we will all be proud of its legacy?” Brand said.

As part of the reorganization, the City should also develop “better management control” over the Pier, Mack said.

To that end, staff is recommending that the City Manager's Office establish an Office of Pier Management that would handle such responsibilities as leasing the City owned structures that line the Pier, which currently falls under the purview of the PRC.

“This centralization should provide improved coordination, communication, efficiency, and accountability needed to improve the delivery of services... and coordination of activities,” staff wrote.

The 11-member PRC board enthusiastically greeted the reorganization when City Manager Rod Gould discussed it at a special meeting on November 10, Mack said.

Tuesday's report to the Council is a study session, which means there is still much work to be done before the plan is fleshed out and ready to move forward.

One key pending issue is a question of money, City officials said.

Currently, the PRC's budget is approximately $1 million, about half of which comes from the City. Reorganizing the Pier will mean having to revisit what the City's contribution will be, said Mack.

Tuesday's discussion is “just one step in a long process,” Brand said.