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HomeMy Public PortalAboutC-20-043 - Plenitude Holdings, LLC Reimbursement Agreement, Victoria Gulf CourseREIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT THIS REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is executed this �P- day of , 2020 ("Effective Date"), by and between the CITY OF CARSON, a California muni ipal corporation ("City"), and PLENITUDE HOLDINGS, LLC, a Wyoming limited C� liability company ("Plenitude"). City and Plenitude may be referred to, individually or collectively, as "Party" or "Parties." RECITALS WHEREAS, in September 2018, Plenitude initiated discussions with the City for a memorandum of agreement ("MOA") with respect to Plenitude's proposed development of a project ("Project") on the property Iocated at 340 East Martin Luther King Jr. Street, in the City of Carson known as the Victoria Golf Course ("Property"), and in order to address certain concerns of the City with respect to the Project as set forth in the City's comment letters to the Initial Study and Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Project; and WHEREAS, the County of Los Angeles is the owner of the Property and is acting as the lead agency, within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act, Public Resources Code § 21000 et seq. ("CEQA"), for purposes of conducting environmental review of the Project, as well as the regulatory approval authority over the Project's entitlements; and WHEREAS, in connection with the MOA, Plenitude has proposed a tax sharing arrangement with the City, wherein the City would agree to refund Plenitude a portion of the sales taxes derived from the Project ("Tax Sharing Arrangement"); and WHEREAS, the City and Plenitude desire to enter into this Agreement to ensure Plenitude will be responsible for all City costs reasonably related to the proposed Tax Sharing Arrangement and the MOA, and for Plenitude to deposit funds with City in advance to cover such costs, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement; and NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows: TERMS 1. Incorporation of Recitals. The Recitals set forth above are incorporated herein by this reference. 2. Plenitude Responsibility for City Costs. Plenitude shall be responsible for, and shall reimburse City for, all costs, fees and expenses of City reasonably related to the processing of the MOA and Tax Sharing Arrangement (the "City Costs"). City Costs include, but are not limited to: (1) City staff, legal, consultant, or other third party costs in reviewing, preparing, negotiating, processing, and obtaining approval for (including noticing and holding public hearings and considering public comments) the MOA, the Tax Sharing Arrangement, and any other agreements or documents necessary to effectuate the Tax Sharing Arrangement (including, without limitation, the Project proforma); and (2) City staff, legal, consultant, or other third party costs 01135.0018.'640028 1 da related to litigation against or challenges to the MOA or Tax Sharing Arrangement, including defense of any legal or administrative action challenging the MOA or Tax Sharing Arrangement. Reimbursable City Attorney rates will not exceed $350 per hour. Other specialty counsel and consultants will bill at their respective hourly rates. Plenitude's obligation to deposit and reimburse City Costs are in addition to Plenitude's duty to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless City, as set forth in Section 7, below. In connection with the foregoing, Plenitude has previously submitted to City a deposit in the amount of Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000) to cover City Costs (the "Deposit"), which shall be replenished in accordance with Section 2.2, below. At no point shall the minimum balance of the Deposit fall below Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000) (a "Deficiency"). 2.1 Reimbursement of City Costs Previously Incurred. Plenitude acknowledges and agrees that the Deposit may be used to reimburse the City for any City Costs incurred prior to the Effective Date, which City Costs have not as of the Effective date exceeded the sum of Three Thousand =Dollars ($3,000). 2.2 Additional Deposits by Plenitude. If a Deficiency occurs, Plenitude shall make an additional monetary deposit to the City within ten (I0) days of City's written request to Plenitude. City's written requests for additional deposits shall state what costs have been incurred to date and provide copies of reasonable back-up documentation of same. If any deposited sums ultimately exceed the costs incurred by City, City shall refund the difference as set forth in Section 2.6. 2.3 City's Right to Cease Work. In the event that Plenitude does not promptly replenish the Deposit as required by Section 2.2, or as required by Section 7.2, City may immediately cease all work related to or concerning the MOA and/or Tax Sharing Arrangement. 2.4 Account Maintenance; Interest on Deposits. Any amounts deposited by Plenitude under this Agreement, may be co -mingled with other City funds or maintained in a segregated interest-bearing account of City's choice. 2.5 Accounting. City shall keep an accounting of the City Costs incurred by City and all deposits made by Plenitude. The City shall provide to Plenitude a summary of expenditures made from the Deposit for City Costs, within thirty (30) days of receipt of a written request therefor from Plenitude; provided that such request shall not be made more than once during any two (2) month period. Failure of City to provide any such accounting shall not excuse Plenitude's duty to perform any act, including the duty to make full and timely deposits required under this Section 2. 2.6 Unexpended Funds; Reservation of City's Discretion. Following the City Council's consideration of the MOA and Tax Sharing Arrangement, upon (1) disapproval of same, or (2) after approval of same, and the expiration of all applicable appeal periods (if any), all unexpended portions of the Deposit shall be refunded to Plenitude, without interest. If a legal or administrative challenge is made to the MOA or Tax Sharing Arrangement, then at any time thereafter, if Plenitude gives written notice of its election to terminate this Agreement, the City shall return any then -unexpended portion of the Deposit to Plenitude, without interest, less an amount equal to any unpaid expenses previously incurred by the City. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the provisions of this Agreement shall in no way obligate the City to approve the MOA or Tax Sharing Arrangement or take any action related thereto. City reserves the right to 2 01135.0018,640028.1 da exercise its discretion as to all governmental matters which City is, by law, entitled or required to exercise, and nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as having the effect of waiving or limiting police powers and exercise of discretion by City. 3. City Release; Termination. This Agreement shall terminate one (1) year after the Effective Date unless Plenitude (1) has earlier terminated this Agreement and withdrawn its request for the Tax Sharing Arrangement, or (2) has outstanding reimbursement obligations to the City at such time and/or City will incur additional reimbursable costs after such date, in which event this Agreement will be automatically extended for an additional one (1) year term until Plenitude has reimbursed all City Costs required under this Agreement, and all third -party challenges contemplated by Section 7 of this Agreement have been fully and finally resolved with no further opportunities for appeal. 4. Remedies. In the event of a breach by Plenitude of its indemnification obligations pursuant to Section 7 of this Agreement, City may, in addition to any other remedies, seek to recover all City Costs incurred by City plus reasonable attorneys' fees in enforcing this Agreement. This provision will not be interpreted to curtail any of City's remedies at law or equity against Plenitude for any violation of any City codes or regulations, nor shall it be interpreted as a waiver of any defense of Plenitude. Conflicts of Interest. 5.1 No Financial Relationship. Plenitude acknowledges the requirements of Government Code Section 1090 et seq. (the "1090 Laws") and represents and warrants that it has not entered into any financial or transactional relationships or arrangements that would violate the 1090 Laws, nor shall Plenitude solicit, participate in, or facilitate a violation of the 1090 Laws. 5.2 Plenitude's Representations and Warranties. Plenitude represents and warrants that it is and will continue to be sufficiently capitalized to perform its obligations under this Agreement and is duly authorized to do business in the State of California. Plenitude further represents and warrants that for the twelve (12) month period preceding the Effective Date, Plenitude has not entered into any arrangement to pay financial consideration to, and has not made any payment to, the City's consultants, except in the ordinary course of such consultant's and Plenitude's work on other, unrelated development efforts, including without limitation, compensation paid to Alan D. Kotkin & Associates for leasing -related matters. Plenitude further represents and warrants that, for the 12 -month period preceding the Effective Date of this Agreement, it has not entered into any arrangement to pay financial consideration to, and has not made any payment to, any City official, agent or employee that would create a legally cognizable conflict of interest as defined in the Political Reform Act (California Government Code sections 87100 et seq.). 6. Plenitude Acknowledgements. Subject to the reimbursement obligations set forth in this Agreement, Plenitude acknowledges and agrees that, with respect to the work concerning the MOA and Tax Sharing Arrangement: 6.1 City has sole discretion to select which of its employees and contractors are assigned to the work. to] IM1141ilVV 111MA[rr 6.2 City has sole discretion to direct the work and evaluate the performance of the employees and contractors assigned to the work, and City retains the right to terminate or replace at any time any such person. 6.3 City has sole discretion to determine the amount of compensation paid to employees or contractors assigned to the work. 6.4 City, not PIenitude, shall pay employees and contractors assigned to the work from a City account. 7. Indemnification and Hold Harmless. 7.1 Agreement Not Liability or Debt or Liability of City. This Agreement shall create no liability for the City whatsoever for the inability of Plenitude to obtain approval of the MOA and/or Tax Sharing Arrangement. No official, officer, employee or agent of the City shall be personally liable hereunder to any extent. The Parties further acknowledge and agree that this Agreement is not a debt of the City. The City shall not have any liability hereunder other than to return the unexpended and uncommitted portions of the Deposit as provided in Section 2.6 above, and to provide an accounting under Section 2.5 above. The City shall not be obligated to advance any of its own funds with respect to any City Costs. 7.2 Indemnification. Plenitude agrees to indemnify, protect, defend, and hold harmless the City and its officials, officers, employees, agents, elected boards, commissions, departments, agencies, and instrumentalities thereof (collectively, "City Parties"), from any and all actions, suits, claims, demands, writs of mandamus, liabilities, losses, damages, penalties, obligations, expenses, and any other actions or proceedings (whether legal, equitable, declaratory, administrative, or adjudicatory in nature), and alternative dispute resolution procedures (including, but not limited to, arbitrations, mediations, and other such procedures) asserted by third parties against the City that challenge, or seek to void, set aside, or otherwise modify or annul, the action of, or any approval by, the City for or concerning this Agreement, the MOA, the Project, or the Tax Sharing Arrangement (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys' fees and costs) (herein the "Claims and Liabilities"). In the event any action for any Claims and Liabilities is brought against the City and/or City Parties, upon City's notification to Plenitude of the pendency of a claim or suit, Plenitude shall make a minimum deposit sufficient to pay all of PIenitude's indemnification obligations for the following ninety (90) days, which includes legal costs and fees anticipated to be incurred as reasonably determined by the City; provided, however, Plenitude may notify the City that Plenitude no longer wishes to pursue the Project, MOA or Tax Sharing Agreement and terminates this Agreement, in which event any further deposit shall not be required, except to the extent any Claims or Liabilities remain outstanding in which case, PIenitude shall continue to be required to reimburse the City for any such Claims and Liabilities until finally resolved. Plenitude shall make any deposits required under this Section within five (5) business days of the City's written request. At no point during the pendency of such claim or suit shall the minimum balance of such deposit fall below Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000). If Plenitude fails to timely pay such funds, the City may continue its own defense or abandon the action without Iiability to Plenitude and may recover from Plenitude any attorneys' fees and other costs for which the City may be liable as a result of such continuance or abandonment of the action. It is expressly agreed that the City shall have the right to utilize the 4 01135.0018/640028.1 da City Attorney's office or use other legal counsel of its choosing. Plenitude's obligation to pay the defense costs of the City shall extend until final judgment, including any appeals, unless Plenitude notifies the City that it no longer wishes to pursue the Project, MOA or Tax Sharing Arrangement and terminates this Agreement. City agrees to fully cooperate with Plenitude in the defense of any matter in which PIenitude is defending and/or holding the City harmless. The City may make all reasonable decisions with respect to its representation in any legal proceeding, including its inherent right to abandon its own independent defense of the litigation in its sole and absolute discretion, and City's reasonable decision to abandon its own independent defense of any litigation, including but not limited to following an adverse judgment or failure to appeal, shall not cause a waiver of the City's indemnification rights; provided, however, that any decision by the City to settle litigation shall not, without the written consent of Plenitude, bind or adversely and materially affect Plenitude. City shall discuss litigation strategy with Plenitude in good faith, and the Parties shall act jointly in filing motions, briefs, trial statements, and other appropriate court documents, and in approving settlement of such action. 7.3 Period of Indemnification. Plenitude's indemnification obligations under Section 7.2 shall begin upon the Effective Date and shall survive termination or expiration of this Agreement, until such time as the City has recovered the City Costs incurred up until the termination or expiration. If City and Plenitude enter into a Development Agreement that is approved by the City Council, the indemnity obligations in this Agreement may, pursuant to express the terms of the Development Agreement, be superseded by Plenitude's indemnity obligations under such Development Agreement. S. Assignment. Plenitude may not assign or transfer this Agreement (or its rights or obligations hereunder) to any other unaffiliated entity unless agreed to in writing by City, which may be denied in its sole discretion. 9. Relationship Between the Parties. The Parties agree that this Agreement does not operate to create the relationship of partnership, joint venture, or agency between City and Plenitude. Nothing herein shall be deemed to make Plenitude an agent of City. 10. Notices. All notices, demands, invoices, and communications shall be in writing and delivered to the following addresses or such other addresses as the Parties may designate by written notice: To City: City of Carson 701 East Carson Street Carson, CA 90745 Attn: Saied Naaseh, Community Development Director 5 01135.0018:640028.1 da Copy to: Aleshire & Wynder, LLP 18881 Von Karman Ave. Suite 1700 Irvine, CA 92612 Fax: 949-223-1180 Email: ssoltani@awattomeys.com Attn: Sunny Soltani, City Attorney To Plenitude: Plenitude Holdings, LLC 222 Martin, Suite 160 Irvine, California 92612 Attn: Randall Blanchard Fax: Email: randy@sanddollarpartners.com Copy to: SLF — Victoria, LLC c/o Shopoff Realty Investments, L.P. 2 Park Plaza, Suite 700 Irvine, CA 92614 Fax: 949-417-1397 Attn: William Shopoff Email: bshopoff@shopoff.com Each such notice shall be deemed delivered to the Party to whom it is addressed and shall be deemed given and delivered in the following manner: (i) if personally served or delivered, upon delivery; (ii) if given by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, deposited with the United States mail postage prepaid, seventy-two (72) hours after such notice is deposited with the United States mail; (iii) if given by overnight courier, with courier charges prepaid, twenty-four (24) hours after delivery to said overnight courier; or (iv) if given by any other means, upon delivery at the address specified in this Section. 11. Cooperation; Further Acts. The Parties shall fully cooperate with one another, and shall take any additional acts or sign any additional documents as may be necessary, appropriate, or convenient to attain the purposes of this Agreement. 12. Construction; References; Captions. The Parties agree that they or their agents have participated in the preparation of this Agreement, and therefore, the language of this Agreement shall be construed simply, according to its fair meaning, and not strictly for or against any Party. Unless otherwise specified, any term referencing time, days, or period for performance shall be deemed calendar days and not business days, provided, however that any deadline that falls on a weekend or holiday or other day in which the City is not open for business shall be extended to the next City business day. All references to Plenitude include all personnel, employees, agents, and contractors of PIenitude, except as otherwise specified in this Agreement. All references to City include its elected officials, appointed boards and commissions, officers, employees, agents, and volunteers. The captions of the various paragraphs are for convenience and ease of reference only, and do not define, limit, augment, or describe the scope, content, or intent of this Agreement. 6 01135.00181640038.1 da 13. Amendment; Modification. No supplement, modification, or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing and signed by both Parties. 14. Waiver. No waiver of any default shall constitute a waiver of any other default or breach, whether of the same or other covenant or condition. No waiver, benefit, privilege, or service voluntarily given or performed by a Party shall give the other Party any contractual right by custom, estoppel, or otherwise. 15. Binding Effect. Each and all of the covenants and conditions shall be binding on and shall inure to the benefit of the Parties, and their successors, heirs, personal representatives, or assigns. This Section shall not be construed as an authorization for any Party to assign any right or obligation. 16. No Third -Party Beneficiaries. There are no intended third -party beneficiaries of any right or obligation assumed by the Parties. 17. Invalidity; Severability. If any portion of this Agreement is declared invalid, illegal, or otherwise unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect, and shall be construed so as to effectuate the intent of the Parties. 18. Consent to Jurisdiction and Venue. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of California. Any legal action or proceeding brought to interpret or enforce this Agreement, or which in any way arises out of the Parties' activities undertaken pursuant to this Agreement, shall be filed and prosecuted in the appropriate California State Court in the County of Los Angeles, California. Each Party waives the benefit of any provision of state or federal law providing for a change of venue to any other court or jurisdiction including, without limitation, a change of venue based on the fact that a governmental entity is a party to the action or proceeding, or that a federal right or question is involved or alleged to be involved in the action or proceeding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing waiver, Plenitude expressly waives any right to have venue transferred pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 394. 19. Time is of the Essence. Time is of the essence with respect to this Agreement. 20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and which collectively shall constitute one instrument. 21. Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between City and Plenitude and supersedes any prior oral or written statements or agreements between City and Plenitude with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement. 22. Authority. The persons executing this Agreement on behalf of Plenitude hereto warrant that: (i) Plenitude is duly organized and existing; (ii) they are duly authorized to execute and deliver this Agreement on behalf of Plenitude; (iii) by so executing this Agreement, PIenitude is formally bound to the provisions of this Agreement; and (iv) the entering into of this Agreement does not violate any provision of any other agreement to which Plenitude is bound. 7 01135.0018:640028.1 da IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written. ATTE CITY: CITY { corpora APPROVED AS TO FORM: By: Sunny So tans, City Attorney [DJA] A PLENITUDE: PLENITUDE HOLDINGS, LLC, a Wyoming limited liability company Title: By Name: Title: PLENITUDE'S SIGNATURES SHALL BE DULY NOTARIZED, AND APPROPRIATE ATTESTATIONS SHALL BE INCLUDED AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE BYLAWS, ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, OR OTHER RULES OR REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO PLENITUDE'S BUSINESS ENTITY. 011350019!&=23 1 do IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written. ATTEST: Donesia Gause-AIdana, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: 0 Sunny K. Soltani, City Attorney [DJA] CITY: CITY OF CARSON, a California municipal corporation Sharon Landers, City Manager PLENITUDE: PLENITUDE HOLDINGS, LLC, a Wyoming limited Iiability company 0 Name: Title: By: Name: Title: PLENITUDE'S SIGNATURES SHALL BE DULY NOTARIZED, AND APPROPRIATE ATTESTATIONS SHALL BE INCLUDED AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE BYLAWS, ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, OR OTHER RULES OR REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO PLENITUDE'S BUSINESS ENTITY. 8 01135.0018-:640028.1 da CALIFORNIA ALL-PURPOSE ACKNOWLEDGMENT A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual who signed the I document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy or validity of that document. STATE OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES On , 2020 before me, , personally appeared , proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person(s) whose names(s) is/are subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their authorized capacity(ies), and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument the person(s), or the entity upon behalf of which the person(s) acted, executed the instrument. I certify under PENALTY OF PERJURY under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing paragraph is true and correct. WITNESS my hand and official seal. Signature: OPTIONAL Though the data below is not required by law, it may prove valuable to persons relying on the document and could prevent fraudulent reattachment of this form. CAPACITY CLAIMED BY SIGNER DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED DOCUMENT ❑ INDIVIDUAL ❑ CORPORATE OFFICER TITLE OR TYPE OF DOCUMENT TITLE(S) NUMBER OF PAGES ❑ PARTNER(S) ❑ LIMITED ❑ GENERAL DATE OF DOCUMENT ❑ ATTORNEY-IN-FACT SIGNER(S) OTHER THAN NAMED ABOVE ❑ TRUSTEE(S) ❑ GUARDIANICONSERVATOR ❑ OTHER SIGNER IS REPRESENTING: (NAME OF PERSON(S) OR ENTITY(IES)) 01 E35,0019:640028.1 da CALIFORNIA ALL-PURPOSE ACKNOWLEDGMENT A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual who signed the I document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy or validity of that document. STATE OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ' N, �11 b' On , 2020 before me, f� 2 F II_j0_ p rso� l ppeared Iu t proved to me on the bans of satisfactory evidence to be the person(s) whose names(s) is/are subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their authorized capacity(ies), and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument the person(s), or the entity upon behalf of which the person(s) acted, executed the instrument. I certify under PENALTY OF PERJURY under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing paragraph is true and correct. . ,� '{ERRI HOVDESiAD WITNESS my had o Ci a . : ,,,,j�'-y; Notary Public - California € Orange County Sig -' Commission # 2244544 My Comm. Expires Jun 28. 2022 11 OPTIONAL Though the data below is not required by law, it may prove valuable to persons relying on the document and could prevent fraudulent reattachment of this form. CAPACITY CLAIMED BY SIGNER DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED DOCUMENT ❑ INDIVIDUAL ❑ CORPORATE OFFICER TITLE OR TYPE OF DOCUMENT TITLE(S) NUMBER OF PAGES ❑ PARTNER(S) ❑ LIMITED ❑ GENERAL DATE OF DOCUMENT ❑ ATTORNEY-IN-FACT SIGNER(S) OTHER THAN NAMED ABOVE ❑ TRUSTEE(S) ❑ GUARDIANICONSERVATOR ❑ OTHER SIGNER IS REPRESENTING: (NAME OF PERSON(S) OR ENTITY(IES)) 01135 00181640028.1 da ..