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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 2014-05-21@5:30 SPECIAL MEETING ootx S '_ MINUTES : JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND 9LIFORe SUCCESSOR AGENCY OF THE CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO P.O. Box 711 (City Hall, 400 Grand Avenue) South San Francisco, California 94083 Meeting to be held at: CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM 400 GRAND AVENUE SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2014 5:30 P.M. Purpose of the meeting: 1. Call to Order. Time: 5:34 p.m. 2. Roll Call. Present: Councilmembers Addiego, Gupta and Normandy, Vice Mayor Garbarino and Mayor Matsumoto , Absent: None. 3. Public Comments—comments are limited to items on the Special Meeting Agenda. Drew Hudacek with Sares Regis Group spoke about the proposal and the project's benefits for the City. He also spoke on the history the firm has had in San Mateo County and with the Building Trades Council. With the given assumptions, terms for land price could be matched while still working with the Building Trades Council. Drew Hudacek: We have a great history of working with the Building Trades Council and we intend to work with them on this project. And in fact we've . . . been talking to them leading up to tonight and we understand that we can match the same land price given the same assumptions while working with the Building Trades Council on this project. And that is a differentiation . . . that I think we have . . . from the others that are looking at this project. So I'd ask you to consider that in your deliberations and we're happy to answer any questions about that. Thank you. Councilmember Gupta: I repeat, did you say"we can match?" Hudacek: Yes. Mayor Matsumoto: Is that opposed to "we will match?" Councilmember Garbarino: Good Point. Hudacek: . . .[W]e will. And quite frankly. . .just as the staff report says these are preliminary numbers, this is subject to a due diligence, this is subject to a lot of assumptions. ... [W]e've looked at some of our assumptions, some of the other assumptions, and we know that based on equal footing ... we're in the same place from a land price perspective. Bruce Fairty and Bruce Dorfman of Thompson Dorfman Partners spoke on the history of their firm and what made them distinguishable. The terms agree to by the previous speaker were also ready to be agreed to by his firm. Mr. Dorfman noted that Thompson Dorfman also had considerable experience in the County and a history with the Building trades as well. He specifically noted the firm being retained by the San Mateo Community College District for teacher housing projects. John Penna, local broker in South San Francisco, spoke on behalf of his client BPR Properties. His client's interest in the site and the development of a business traveler's hotel was still strong. Interest in site 2.4 was also reported. In summary, Mr. Penna felt the City had not given the same opportunity to his client as was given to the other developers. He stated the City should have a good working knowledge of all interested bidders and thought a lot of money may be getting left on the table. He also questioned the process the City followed in reaching the final two proposals and asked that Council reconsider a hotel use. William Knack,representing the Building and Construction Trades Council of San Mateo County, spoke in support of Sares-Regis, applauding them for their commitment to the quality life issues that are important to their local members and families. While he was aware of Thompson Dorfman working on the project at Canada College,he was short on the details as he was not contacted and did not work with them. 4. Agenda Review. No changes. 5. Closed Session: Conference with Real Property Negotiators: (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8) Properties: 315, 401, 411 and 421 Airport Boulevard, 405 Cypress Avenue and APN 012-314-220 (Miller Avenue) Agency Negotiators: Patrick O'Keefe and Steve Mattas Negotiating Parties: South San Francisco Successor Agency, Sares-Regis and Thompson Dorfman Partners, LLC Under Negotiations: Price and Terms for Property Disposition Enter Closed Session 5:38 p.m. Return to Open Session: 6:21 p.m. Report out of Closed Session: No reportable action. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 21,2014 MINUTES PAGE 2 6. Study Session: Economic Development Strategy(4th Session) Discussion regarding and selection of residential developer for potential Exclusive Negotiating Rights Agreement for the former Ford property parcels on Airport Boulevard, Cypress Avenue and Miller Avenue. (Armando Sanchez, Housing Consultant) Council discussion was held and comments included: Councilmember Addiego voiced his previous support for hotel at the site due to the potential Transient Occupancy Tax ("TOT") dollars. He also noted that the previous idea of adding some of the lanes to increase the lot size still needed to be explored and wanted to know the level of interest there might be with hotel operators if the existing acre or the other parcel could be enhanced. It was his opinion that they possibility of having the best of both worlds was there and he did not want to walk away from the scenario. He also questioned if the property taxes being paid by the developer would be enough to support all of the additional services needed for new residents. TOT and sales tax are the enhancements that provide the estimated $1000 spent per resident to maintain adequate City services. Though he had these concerns,he was willing to move forward with discussion regarding the two developers. Mayor Matsumoto recalled previous discussions with Mr. Penna about the hotel quality and potential revenue from TOT. She could not support a hotel because of the importance of ridership numbers needed for the Caltrain station relocation. Having a hotel at the site would not generate the numbers needed to support the relocations. Councilmember Gupta recalled the conversation regarding incorporating land from the lanes to increase lot size and also wanted more research on this option. His impression in the last study session was that they did not short shrift the hotel idea,but he was looking at a place where they could attract market rate home owners or renters to come and divide some of the local retail and merchants. Besides the Caltrain station consideration, people who will be hired by the expanding businesses needed options to stay within South San Francisco rather than live elsewhere and commute. This option could be realized by one of these developments. Councilmember Normandy stated that she would like to proceed with the two developers. She thanked Mr. Pena for taking the opportunity to come back to the study session. She knew there were opportunities later on and looked forward to pursuing them in the future. Mayor Matsumoto stated there was a consensus to move forward with discussions on the two housing development proposals from Thompson Dorfman and Sares-Regis. Further discussion was on the individual proposals and comparisons in the designs schematics, pricing, and business models were weighed. During the conversation, communications from staff to the developers was called into question. Mayor Matsumoto apologized for any miscommunication and stated everyone was at the table. Additionally, which ever project was selected, approval from the Oversight Board and State Department of Finance would still be required. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 21,2014 MINUTES PAGE 3 Each Council member then expressed their preferred developer for their given reasons. Sares- Regis was preferred by Council members Gupta and Normandy, Vice Mayor Garbarino and Mayor Matsumoto. Councilmember Addiego selected not to vote for either. City Attorney Mattas framed the motion based on what was heard from the Council. Motion—Councilmember Gupta/Second—Vice Mayor Garbarino: to direct staff to develop an Exclusive negotiating rights agreement with Sares-Regis and to bring that back to the Successor Agency for action. The motion was carried by the following voice vote: AYES: Councilmembers Gupta, and Normandy, Vice Mayor Garbarino, and Mayor Matsumoto. NOES: Councilmember Addiego. ABSTAIN: None. ABSENT: None. Councilmember Addiego left for the remainder of the meeting as he had already reviewed the Operating Budget as a member of the Budget Subcommittee. Meeting Recessed: 7:32 p.m. Meeting Resumed: 7:43 p.m. 7. Study Session: Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Draft Operating Budget and Master Fee Schedule changes. (Jim Steele, Finance Director) Finance Director Steele reviewed the draft operating budget and provided Council with the outlook over the next five years. Department revenues and expenditures were reviewed. While the budget was balanced for the fiscal year("FY") of 2014/2015, rising costs of the Public Employees Retirement System ("PERS") over the next five years would make budget realignment strategies critical. Further discussion of PERS detailed why the rates were increasing, the lowered investments earnings, collection on unfunded liabilities and Other Post-Employment Benefits ("OPEB") funding. Directed Steele reported $27.5 million in general fund reserves in addition to about $3 million in a separate equipment fund and about $300,000 in the IT fund. He noted that the $250,000 OPEB funding was separate, as was worker's compensation. Director Steele shared his view that a percentage of the reserves could be put towards other uses and recommended that $12.5 million be dedicated to future infrastructure spending, deferred maintenance and capital spending. This would still have the reserves as 20 percent of the General Fund. Unlike the OPEB reserves, this would still be within the City's books and still at total Council discretion. With all the obligations the City had, the funds could be better used for paying those down. Council expressed support for the change in the reserves policy, agreeing that the money should not be sitting idle. They understood that Director Steele had researched and based his recommendation on best practices. Further detail was provided about General Fund Operating Budget projections, General Fund Revenues, deferred expenses funding,proposed program expansions, proposed position changes, SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 21,2014 MINUTES PAGE 4 the Stormwater Fund, Sewer Fund, Parking Fund, and updates to the Master Fee Schedule. Each department had a page of revenues, expenses and positions and staff was available to answer any questions. Council was supportive of the budget direction and the revisions to the reserve policy. Vice Mayor Garbarino and Councilmember Addiego were thanked for their work on the budget subcommittee. Mayor Matsumoto noted she had previously gone over the budget with the City Manager and Finance Director to answer the majority of her questions. Councilmember Gupta approved of the budget as presented and thanked staff and the City Manager for listening to him about how the taxpayer's money should work hard and not just sit there. He thought the City was moving in the right direction and that staff should continuously explore opportunities towards greater efficiency. Councilmember Normandy appreciated knowing that the subcommittee was supportive of the budget direction and concurred with items that were worthy of the full Council consideration. She requested staff consider opportunities to reevaluate parking structures and parking meters. Additional items discussed included: an expected dues increase for C/CAG, the omission of Housing Endowment and Regional Trust ("HEART") dues from the draft document, clarification on the difference between a Senior Planner and Principal Planner, explanation for the decrease for Pacifica dispatch services, and the contract status with Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center ("PCRC"). Council felt the contract with PCRC should be discussed further before agreeing to an extension. Regarding the Police Department budget, it was noted that the crossing guard position had been done away with and needed to be reflected in the document. Clarification was sought on the amount allocated for the Police Reserves position. Council requested the Police Reserves budget item be reviewed as they suspected it should be categorized and accounted for in a different manner. Mayor Matsumoto requested clarification of the Police Reserves item be provided to Council in a follow-up memo. Staff understood Council's direction and would make revisions and provide the requested information prior to the adoption of the budget set for June 11. 8. Study Session: Capital Improvement Program for Fiscal Year 2014-2015. (Brian McMinn, Director of Public Works) Public Works Director Brian McMinn reviewed the draft Capital Improvements Program document which provided detailed information on the 43 proposed projects slated for FY 2014- 2015. A general summary was provided for each project and information on funding appropriations and sources was provided as well. Projects were categorized in the following areas: public facilities,parks, storm drains, streets and traffic. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 21,2014 MINUTES PAGE 5 Upon review, Council provided direction and comment on the following items: modernizing and addressing the disrepair of the women's restroom located in the atrium of the Municipal Services Building(MSB),moving up the date of completion for the Oyster Point Marina restroom project, addressing the work space in the Main Library basement,reviewing the security upgrade at Fire Station 61 and rescheduling for the next year, addressing the ongoing issues with the state of the bathrooms at Brentwood Park,revisiting methodology of Park in lieu fees, that priority be given to Aptos Way for street resurfacing, addressing issues of tree rooting, and finding a way to ease the traffic flow at the intersection of Chestnut and Commercial. In relation to the related to the Gateway Monument Sign at US 101, Council commented current signage regarding the South San Francisco Conference Center was hidden and sought reassurance that this would not be the case upon completion of the project. Mayor Matsumoto requested that staff look in to adding a sales tax increase to the ballot for the next election as other cities in San Mateo were getting them passed with language that defined projects and time lines. City Attorney Mattas explained that if precise definition was given, that would make it a special tax and require a 2/3 majority vote. A general tax would only require a simple majority of the electorate. Four votes from Council would be needed to place a general tax on the ballot and three votes would be needed to place a special tax. Additionally, any tax measure would need to appear on the ballot when members of this Council are sitting for reelection. He further specified that a Transient Occupancy Tax ("TOT") could be either a special or general tax,but South San Francisco has treated it as a general tax as do most other cities. Council requested information on polling procedures and costs in regards to placing a tax measure on the next ballot. City Attorney Mattas stated recent polling conducted for consideration of the public safety tax was roughly$20,000 to $25,000,but costs would increase if you hire campaign advisor to help you craft the message and public outreach. Regarding Traffic Impact Fees studies, Mayor Matsumoto asked how it gets determined to go out for bid, and how the companies that conduct the studies are selected. She suggested the City do something similar to the way SamTrans and Caltrain does by looking into creating an approved list of pre-qualified professional service providers. With no further comments, Director McMinn noted the Planning Commission was scheduled to review the draft on June 5 and adoption was scheduled for regular City Council meeting of June 11. Mayor Matsumoto suggested staff make themselves available to assist some Planning Commissioners with any questions they may have about their role in the process. 9. Adjournment. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 21,2014 MINUTES PAGE 6 Being no further business, Mayor Matsumoto adjourned the meeting at 9:53 p.m. Submitte s . : Appr s ved b .I ■ %/A /P A !. ‘Lk Kris ar nell. •ity Clerk Ka A . Moto', Mayor City of South :.. Francisco City of South San Francisco SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 21,2014 MINUTES PAGE 7