HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 2014-09-24 @7:00 S_,.,x SAN4„ MiNUTES
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__-R__ CITY COUNCIL
U CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
REGULAR MEETING
MUNICIPAL SERVICES BUILDING
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
33 ARROYO DRIVE
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
CALL TO ORDER TIME: 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL PRESENT: Councilmembers Addiego, Gupta
and Normandy, Vice Mayor
Garbarino and Mayor Matsumoto.
ABSENT: None.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Led by Mayor Matsumoto.
AGENDA REVIEW
No changes.
PRESENTATIONS
• Housing Endowment and Regional Trust ("HEART") presentation given by Mark
Moulton.
Mark Moulton, Executive Director of HEART presented a PowerPoint presentation. He thanked
Council for its long time participation in HEART and acknowledged Councilwoman Normandy
as South San Francisco's Representative on the Agency's Board of Directors. Mr. Moulton
explained HEART's mission to meet critical housing needs in San Mateo County by raising
funds from public and private sources with the ultimate goal of increasing the housing
opportunity in San Mateo County. He then briefly reviewed HEART's programs, including
Loans to Housing Developers and the Homebuyer Assistance Program, through which ten (10)
homes in South San Francisco had been helped. Mr. Moulton closed by setting forth next steps
for HEART and the City as follows: 1. continue the partnership with the City of South San
Francisco as a HEART member; 2. find opportunities for partnership in South San Francisco by
becoming involved in the revitalization of Grand Avenue Downtown; 3. continue to work to
create federal or state-wide permanent sources of funding for affordable housing; 4. work to
grow the HEART Fund and to strengthen the organization.
• Urban Shield Report to Council.
Interim Fire Chief Reilly introduced Fire Battalion Chief Magallanes to present a PowerPoint on
the Urban Shield 2014 exercise. Battalion Chief Magallanes explained Urban Shield was a
comprehensive, full-scale regional preparedness exercise aimed at assessing and enhancing
emergency response capability, multi-discipline planning, policies, procedures, organizations,
equipment and training. The overall goals of the exercise were to enhance skills and abilities of
first responders, enhance management and coordination at large scale events, stretch regional
resources and expand regional coordination. The following disciplines were tested: USAR,
Water Rescue, Hazardous Materials, EMS/ MEDICAL, Canine, EOD Teams, SWAT, CERT,
Public Works, OES and various other state, federal and international entities.
In response to a question by Councilman Gupta, Battalion Chief Magallanes advised the
Department believed the drill helped staff to refine skills.
Councilmembers congratulated the Department on its various successes which were highlighted
during the exercise and they welcomed the opportunity to host a future Urban Shield exercise.
• Presentation on the City of South San Francisco's Central Safety Committee. (Ken
Anderson, Disaster Preparedness Manager)
Disaster Preparedness Manager Anderson presented a PowerPoint presentation updating Council
on the City's Central Safety Committee and its role. He stated the employee comprised
Committee's mission as follows: to provide a clean, safe and healthy work environment with the
belief that all workplace incidents are preventable, and that all business operations are managed
in an environmentally responsible way. The Committee's vision was set forth as follows: 1. the
health and safety of residents, visitors, and employees is integrated into every phase of the City's
operations; 2. management has the responsibility to provide a safe workplace and implement and
enforce policies; 3. it is the responsibility of each employee to comply; 4. all employees are
expected to accept responsibility for their safety; 5. all incidents will be investigated to prevent
future occurrences; 6. each employee is expected to correct and encouraged to report hazardous
conditions; 7. the safety and health processes will be reviewed and improved; and 8. the culture
of safety is a mindset. The Committee's values were detailed as follows: 1. be responsible and
concerned; 2. be proactive, not reactive; 3. act with integrity; 4. be risk adverse; 5. strive for
continuous improvement and learning; 6. focus on customer needs; 7. communicate directly and
honestly; 8. make decisions based on facts; 9. provide consistent and reliable services; 10. use
innovation; 11. trust your instinct to know when something is wrong; 12. be accountable for your
actions; 13. acknowledge and learn from mistakes; 14. take pride.
Manager Anderson next showed a series of slides indicating various accident and open claim
statistics that the Committee hoped to improve.
Councilmembers raised concerns over some of the open claim numbers related to the Fire
Department.
Mayor Matsumoto recommended a rewards program for departments to incent safety protocols
and procedures.
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MINUTES PAGE 2
City Manager Futrell advised the Committee was aiming to resolve the precise statistics that
Council expressed concern about during the presentation. He further advised Manager Anderson
would be coming to Council once a quarter with updates and reports.
• Presentation of new employees and promotions. (Mich Mercado, Human Resources
Manager)
Human Resources Manager Mercado presented newly hired and promoted employees. The
employees introduced themselves to Council as follows:
New Hires:
Diana Mouasher, Administrative Assistant II, City Manager's Office
Cedric McNicol, Building Inspector
Lawrence Henriquez, Associate Engineer
Eric Evans, Associate Engineer
Anissa Malady, Librarian I
Arran Gordon, Plant Maintenance Supervisor, Water Quality Control Plant
Promotions:
Jesus Govea III, Sr. Building Maintenance Custodian
Anita Palafox, Administrative Assistant II, City Manager's Office
Tony Barrera, Sr. Information Systems Administrator
Greg Mediati, Management Analyst II, Parks and Recreation Department.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None.
COUNCIL COMMENTS/REQUESTS
1. Discussion of a Resolution proposed by the community organization Evolve to close the
Commercial Property Tax Loophole of Proposition 13.
At the request of Mayor Matsumoto, Finance Director Steele summarized the proposal by Evolve
related to a loophole the group perceived in Prop 13.
Council discussed the resolution with the majority concluding that the proposal was more
appropriate for state level legislative action and determined to take no action in support of the
resolution at the present time.
General Comments/Requests
Councilman Addiego commented on the remarkable event at the South San Francisco Scavenger
Company in which the anaerobic digester was unveiled. The company would be using the
digester to compost and create methane gas to run its vehicles. He also congratulated the
HOTHRA group and former Mayor Pedro Gonzalez for reorganizing with over 70 homeowners
to continue its homeowners/neighborhood group. He further commented on the 93+%
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MINUTES PAGE 3
graduation rate in the South San Francisco Unified School District ("SSFUSD") which meant
that less than 7 children out of 100 were not graduating.
Vice Mayor Garbarino clarified previous comments pertinent to fluctuating graduation rates
reflected in SSFUSD statistics in previous years. He also announced the Sunday October 12,
2014 event at the Scavengers in which the 100 year anniversary would be celebrated and tours of
the new anaerobic digester would be available.
Mayor Matsumoto congratulated the Police Department for the recent guilty plea and five
consecutive life term plus 60 year sentence received by one of the gang members accused of
murder and racketeering associated with the December 2010 shootings in the City. She noted
that two additional gang members were currently standing federal trial for the crimes. Mayor
Matsumoto closed by requesting that the meeting be adjourned in honor of Kathryn Caranlik
Simon.
CONSENT CALENDAR
2. Motion approving the minutes from the meetings of March 19, 2014 and September 10,
2014.
3. Motion confirming payment registers for September 24, 2014.
4. Motion to waive reading and adopt an Ordinance No. 1490-2014 amending the Municipal
Code to: (1) increase the contract approval authority for the City Manager; and (2)
Modify the Abbreviated Bid Process for Public Projects to be consistent with the State
Public Contracts Code. (Richard Lee, Financial Services Manager)
5. Resolution No. 107-2014 authorizing the City Manager to enter into an Exclusive
Negotiating Rights Agreement (ENRA) amongst the City of South San Francisco, South
San Francisco Successor Agency and Brookwood Development, LLC for potential
development of the properties at 201, 207, 217-19 and 227 Grand Avenue and 418
Linden Avenue. ECD (Armando Sanchez, Housing Consultant).
Motion—Vice Mayor Garbarino/Second -Councilman Addiego: to approve the Consent Calendar.
Unanimously approved by roll call vote.
ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS
6. Resolution No. 108-2014 authorizing the City Manager to execute a Landscape
Maintenance Services Agreement with Frank and Grossman of San Francisco, CA for
citywide landscape maintenance services in an amount not to exceed $851,960.
(Samantha Haimovitch, Parks Manager)
Director of Parks and Recreation Ranals presented the staff report recommending that Council
adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a Landscape Maintenance Services
Agreement with Frank and Grossman Landscaping Incorporated for citywide landscape
maintenance services with a monthly amount equivalent to $36,100 per month with 18%
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MINUTES PAGE 4
contingency on additional services. She advised that for many years there had been in-house and
contractual services related to landscape maintenance. The current contract with Valley Crest
had been entered in July of 1997. There were amendments in 2008 and 2010. The RFP that is
the subject of the current proposed contract with Frank and Grossman was issued in July of 2014
and seven (7) firms responded. The professional service bids were reviewed by a team of staff
and Frank and Grossman was selected. Medians, streets, green spots, common greens areas, hook
ramps, Centennial Way and the Dog Park were included in the contract. The contract further
included, labor,materials, tools and equipment but did not include tree maintenance. City
landscape maintenance staff and the contractor would work together to provide high quality
services and identify areas to reduce maintenance and achieve energy and water conservation.
Director Ranals advised Council that members of the Frank and Grossman team were present.
In response to a question by Vice Mayor Garbarino, Director Ranals responded that the July
2014 RFP was the first since Valley Crest had been awarded the contract in 1997. During the
economic downturn, Valley Crest had agreed to hold its prices.
Councilwoman Normandy requested that the Valley Crest maintenance signs in the Downtown
Area be removed since the firm would no longer maintain the areas due to its services being
replaced by the Frank and Grossman contract.
Councilman Addiego congratulated Director Ranals on the new contract and noted he approved
of the work Frank and Grossman performs in the town of Colma.
Mayor Matsumoto also expressed appreciation for the landscape maintenance work in Colma
performed by Frank and Grossman. She further advised the contractor to be on the lookout for
and correct City signs covered by shrubbery.
Councilman Gupta commended Director Ranals for the performance of a thorough evaluation of
a number of qualified proposals.
Director Ranals thanked her staff including Parks Supervisors.
Motion— Councilman Addiego/Second—Vice Mayor Garbarino: to approve Resolution No. 108-
2014. Unanimously approved by roll call vote.
7. Discussion regarding potential amendment of zoning ordinance provisions to allow
temporary banners. (Suzy Kalkin, Chief Planner)
Associate Planner Rozzi presented the staff report seeking Council's direction regarding current
temporary signage regulations. He provided a PowerPoint presentation reviewing options for
potential revisions. As background,he advised that a new commercial business at Centennial
Tower had limited road visible signage. The current temporary signage regulations would not
allow large signs or high placement. Slides of the business and signage issues were displayed.
Planner Rozzi then explained current temporary sign regulations as follows: temporary signs are
banners,balloons, pennants, etc. used for limited term events like a grand opening or special
sale. Such signs are limited to 24 square feet in size and placement must be no higher than 10'-
0" above grade. The signs are further limited by a 90 day maximum time limit with special
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MINUTES PAGE 5
approval. Planner Rozzi explained that depending on the type of temporary sign proposed,
further standards within Chapter 20.360 (Signs) regulate the appropriate height, clearance, and
projection. For instance, a wall banner cannot be placed higher than the second story, cover
more than 75% of the building's wall length, or project further than 12" from the face of the
building. Banners are the most common type of temporary sign and are typically utilized by a
business while their permanent sign is under construction or review, or to highlight a special sale
or event. If the City Council believed that the current signage regulations did not reflect the
City's priorities for the particular property, potential revisions to the existing regulations could
help.
Planner Rozzi set forth potential revisions as follows:
1) Amend temporary banner provisions within the Terrabay Specific Plan: Staff could draft
revisions to the Terrabay Specific Plan District (Chapter 20.240) to allow alternative temporary
signage options for new tenants within this zoning district. This could allow additional
flexibility for temporary banners larger than 25 square feet and placed higher than 10`-0" from
grade. Additional time extensions could also be considered beyond the current limit of 90 days.
By amending the Terrabay Specific Plan only, remaining regulations throughout the City would
be unaffected.
2) Amend temporary banner provisions Citywide: This option would expand Option 1 to the
entire City, rather than limit the proposed changes to the Terrabay zoning district.
3) Take no action at this time: As stated in the City's Sign Chapter of the Zoning Ordinance
(Chapter 20.360), the current regulations "[P]reserve and improve the appearance of South San
Francisco, and protect the City from visual clutter and blight." It could be argued that the current
provisions for temporary signage provide adequate and reasonable exposure for new businesses
or those businesses with a special event but the constraints ensure that permanent, professional
signage is installed in a timely manner without aging temporary sign clutter.
Planner Rozzi closed his report by noting that staff was requesting comments and direction from
Council regarding any potential action related to temporary signage.
Mayor Matsumoto supported Option 1 to amend the temporary banner regulations in the
Terrabay District. She believed this would assist restaurants and businesses on the ground floor
of Centennial Tower.
Vice Mayor Garbarino concurred with the concept of an amendment for the specific Terrabay
District only. He queried where the currently affected business, Focaccia, may place the banner.
Planner Rozzi believed a temporary banner on the freeway southbound facing side of the
building was desired.
Councilman Gupta observed that any sign would first be subject to the building owner's
discretion as limited by the City's regulations.
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Councilwoman Normandy requested clarification as to whether the banners would only be
permitted for new tenants -and if so- the definition of a new tenant.
Planner Rozzi noted the signs would not be limited to new tenants and agreed to clarify this
language in any future proposals.
In closing, Council directed staff to prepare revisions to the temporary signage portion of the
zoning code limited to the Terrabay District. Council wanted to view a copy of the proposed
ordinance revisions in a Friday Memo before presentation to the Planning Commission for
preliminary approval.
PUBLIC HEARING
8. Public hearing on the 2013-2014 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation
Report (CAPER) for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and
authorizing the submittal of the 2013-2014 CAPER to the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development ("HUD"). (Alin Lancaster, Community Development Specialist)
Community Development Specialist Lancaster presented a PowerPoint presentation of the
Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for approval by Council and
submittal to HUD. She summarized the housing programs, including the City-Sponsored
Housing Rehabilitation Program, Minor Home Repair Programs, Rebuilding Together Peninsula
Project and Sundial Apartments Rehabilitation. She next summarized various commercial
rehabilitations, including those to Buon Gusto Ristorante, Pronto Pizza(formerly Cecilia's
Pizza), Dumpling Empire, Grand Avenue Hardware, J & J Check Cashing, J &J Market, Metro
PCS and Mom's Tofu. Public Facility Improvement Projects at City-owned Public Facilities,
including the City Hall Tot Lot ADA Improvements and Magnolia Senior Center Elevator
Refurbishment Project were reviewed as well as projects at nonprofit-owned public facilities,
including the Boys and Girls Club. The various public service projects supported were also
reviewed and Specialist Lancaster indicated these latter programs served 566 individuals.
Public Hearing Opened: 8:54 P.M.
Public Hearing Closed 8:54 P.M.
Motion—Vice Mayor Garbarino/Second— Councilman Gupta: to approve Resolution No. 109-
2014. Unanimously approved by roll call vote.
ITEMS FROM COUNCIL—COMMITTEE REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Councilmembers reported on attendance at community meetings and events, including a Biotech
meeting of the State Assembly, the Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance and a Local
Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) meeting. The Police Department and Sgt. McPhillips
were thanked for a ride along by Councilwoman Normandy. Staff and committees responsible
for assisting with the coastal cleanup effort were thanked for organizing local participation.
Announcements were made regarding upcoming community events, including a Biotech
Workforce and Education Conference on October 10, 2014 from 8:00 A.M. to noon and a Harbor
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MINUTES PAGE 7
District Strategic Oyster Point Planning Session scheduled for September 30, 2014. Specific
items for further action and/or consideration were set forth as follows:
Councilman Gupta requested that staff look into possible regional plans to install a high speed
internet line on the Peninsula.
Councilman Addiego requested that Council be apprised of the current status of the City's Below
Market Rate ("BMR") Housing policies and possibly review such policies at an upcoming
meeting.
Staff agreed to provide a Friday Memo to Council on the BMR policies at which point the item
could be agendized as needed.
Mayor Matsumoto requested that staff follow plans for the new County Animal Shelter,
specifically, the cost per square foot of the proposed facility.
ADJOURNMENT
Being no further business, Mayor Matsumoto adjourned the meeting at 9:07 P.M. in honor of
Kathryn Caranlik Simon.
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MINUTES PAGE 8