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Home My WebLink AboutApprove Memorial Plaque Recognition for Rick "Rockin' Fig" F 2000 Main Street. Huntington Beach,CA City of Huntington Beach 92648 �JPPRDVE7J �-v File #: 21-936 MEETING DATE: 12/21/2021 REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members SUBMITTED BY: Oliver Chi, City Manager PREPARED BY: Chris Slama, Director of Community & Library Services Subject: Approve Memorial Plaque Recognition for Rick "Rockin' Fig" Fignetti Statement of Issue: At the September 7, 2021 City Council meeting, City Council directed staff to work with the Community & Library Services Commission to make a recommendation for the concept and placement of a public memorial honoring Rick "Rockin' Fig" Fignetti. Financial Impact: Not applicable. Design and purchase of the plaque will be funded by the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council. Recommended Action: Approve recommendation by the Community & Library Services Commission to approve the design concept of a memorial plaque honoring Rick "Rockin' Fig" Fignetti to be placed at Tower Zero on the Huntington Beach Municipal Pier; and, authorize staff to work with the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council to have the plaque manufactured and installed as proposed. Alternative Action(s): Do not approve the recommended action, and direct staff accordingly. Analysis: Fignetti was a beloved member of the City and the surfing community. Due to the recent passing of this prominent resident, surfer, business owner, and celebrity, Mayor Kim Carr and Mayor Pro Tern Barbara Delgleize introduced Item 21-664 (Attachment 1) in response to community recommendations to honor Fignetti's contributions to the City. The request was approved by City Council on September 7, 2021, which directed the Community & Library Services staff and Community & Library Services Commission (Commission) to work with the surfing community, the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council, and to keep the Fignetti family informed regarding the proposed public memorial to honor Fignetti. The City Council item also asked for the inclusion of the Historic Resources Board (HRB) in the City of Huntington Beach Page 1 of 3 Printed on 12/15/2021 sr-M Le9 1•.31 File #: 21-936 MEETING DATE: 12/21/2021 proposal process. Staff reached out to Kathie Schey, Chair of the HRB, who indicated that since this item was not of historical significance, formal review by the HRB was not necessary. The Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council has also come forward in support of a memorial honoring Fignetti. They have committed funds to purchase a memorial plaque to include information and an image of Rick "Rockin' Fig" Fignetti. Fignetti had been referred to as the "Voice of Surfing" for over 25 years. Calling in the day's surf conditions to local FM radio station, KROQ from 1984-2010, surfers all over Southern California knew his voice. In addition to his love for surf, Fignetti became a celebrated announcer for local and legendary surf events, including the US Pro Tour (1987-2002), OP Pro, The US Open of Surfing (16 years) and the NSSA Nationals (20 years) to name a few. According to Fignetti's friend and long-time Huntington Beach resident, Don Ramsey, "Figgy also announced the Jacks Pro, and the Surf City Splash. [He] was also the announcer for the Intl Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame since it moved to HB, and was the main speaker at all of the Memorial Paddle Outs for the last 10 to 15 years." Fignetti was a surf journalist as well with over 20 years of writing columns such as Wet n Wild for the HB Independent, and O.C. Live for the Los Angeles Times. Before announcing, Fignetti's love for surfing competitively began in 1978, when he entered his first contest, and it continued for 40 years. Fignetti was a ten-time West Coast Surfing Champion, two- time National Surf Champion, and inducted into the Surfers' Hall of Fame in 2010. Additionally, Fignetti was a well-known business owner of Rockin' Fig Surf Shop Headquarters on Main Street for many years. Over the years. Fignetti employed hundreds of youth to work in his shop to learn the art and discipline of shaping boards. As part of City Council's action item discussion, Tower Zero was mentioned as a location for the memorial plaque. There are two existing plaques located in the proposed location on Tower Zero. One plaque honors former Marine Safety Chief and Community Services Director, Max Bowman, and in 2018, a second plaque was added to the Tower in honor of Father Mondor and Pastor Sumo. Resolution 2017-25 states that all recommendations for memorial recognition on public facilities be processed through the Community & Library Services Commission, which shall make recommendation to the City Council for final approval. At their November 10, 2021 meeting, the Commission recommended that the memorial plaque for Rockin' Fig be placed adjacent to the Max Bowman plaque and above the Mondor/Sumo plaque. Environmental Status: Not applicable. Strategic Plan Goal: Community Engagement City of Huntington Beach Page 2 of 3 Printed on 1 211 5/2 02 1 p were7.67;Legistar'� File #: 21-936 MEETING DATE: 12/21/2021 Attachmentls): 1) Councilmember Item 21-664 from September 7, 2021 City Council Meeting 2) Proposed plaque design 3) Proposed plaque location City of Huntington Beach Page 3 of 3 Printed on 1 211 5/2 02 1 powere7.64 Legistaru ..'_ CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH CITY COUNCIL MEETING —COUNCIL MEMBER ITEMS REPORT TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: KIM CARR, MAYOR AND BARBARA DELGLEIZE, MAYOR PRO TEM DATE: SEPTEMBER 7, 2021 SUBJECT: DEVELOP A PROPOSAL FOR A PUBLIC MEMORIAL HONORING RICK "ROCKIN' FIG" FIGNETTI The unexpected loss of Rick "Rockin' Fig" Fignetti on July 16, 2021 has left an indelible mark on Huntington Beach, and particularly among our surfing community. Rockin' Fig was deeply involved in the art, culture, and sport of surfing, from providing the daily surf report on KROQ in the 1980's to live commentary during the U.S. Open of Surfing. His involvement has helped cement Huntington Beach's reputation as Surf City USA, and Rockin' Fig Surf Headquarters in Downtown provided a home base for surfers who returned to our waves, time and time again. Rockin' Fig's love of the ocean was infectious, and the outpouring of community support following his death is a testament to his influence, his character and outsized contributions to Huntington Beach surf culture. As such, we wish to recommend a public memorial to be established to honor Rockin' Fig in Downtown Huntington Beach, where he spent countless hours at his store or on the waves. To decide the exact location and method to memorialize Rockin' Fig, we believe it would be most appropriate to engage the Community Services Commission and our partners at the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council, who have expressed strong interest in supporting this endeavor. Among the possibilities that should be considered is a bronze plaque installed at Tower Zero on the Huntington Beach Pier. Tower Zero is also the site of a memorial plaque for Father Christian Mondor and Pastor Blaine "Sumo" Sato, beloved watermen and respected religious leaders in the community. RECOMMENDED ACTION Direct the Community Services Commission to work with the surfing community and the leadership of the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council to develop a proposal for a public memorial honoring Rick "Rockin' Fig" Fignetti. Return to City Council within 120 days to present the proposal for consideration. Furthermore, staff will inform the Fignetti Family regarding the proposed memorial and seek their input throughout the process. 769 v�F\NG IN HUI�TjN r . r �Pry4nt'n t Ir�etEa\� `o 9 on Beach In Memory of Rick 'Rockin Fig' Fignetti November 1, 1956 - July 16, 2021 7-7- MUMUrr - Fignetti Dedication Plaque Proposed Location Bowman Plaque 14UNTINGTON BEACH r I i ra Mondo /Sato Plaque a,•` ivu. runury riatuun 8102 Ellis Avenue Apartment 121 Huntington Beach CA 92646 November 16, 2021 The Mayoress of Huntington Beach 2000 Main Street Huntington Beach CA 92648 My Dear Madam Mayoress, I am writing in regard to Item XIV, the proposal to create a plaque for Mr. Richard Fignetti. Mr. Fignetti was a Huntingtionian icon.Among other things, Mr. Fignetti was the owner of a surf store on Main Street, the host of a radio show on KROQ and a surfer. I fully support recognizing Mr. Fignetti's contributions. Mr. Fignetti will be remembered as an important individual in Huntingtonian history. Once again, I urge passage of Item XIV. Mr.Amory Hanson CC: The Honorable Michael Posey CC: The Honorable Rhonda Bolton CC: The Honorable Kimberly Buck Carr CC: The Honorable Daniel Kalmick CC: The Honorable Natalie Tomich Moser CC: The Honorable Erik H. Peterson SUPPLEMENTAL COMMUNICATION Ns9@WV Date. 12/.Z/1.Z J Agenda roan, No.: 2