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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 1993-11-17 Mayor Roberta Cerri Teglia Council: Jack Drago ;-' "'-Joseph A. Fernekes John R. Penna Robert Yee MINUTES City Council Municipal Services Building Community Room November 17, 1993 052 AGENDA ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING CALL TO ORDER: (Cassette No. 1) ROLL CALL: 4. Appointments to the Conference Center Authority. ,, .5'H '7' Consider additional information regarding technical improvements in the police reorganization plan and make final determinations regarding implementation. _6-/2 ACTION TAKEN ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING 7:10 p.m. Mayor Teglia presiding. Council Present: Drago, Fernekes and Teglia. Council Absent: Penna and Yee. Mayor Teglia stated that Item No. 4 would be heard first. M/S Drago/Fernekes - To appoint David Connor and Dwight Reaka to the Conference Center Au- thority as hotel representatives. Carried by unanimous voice vote. City Manager Wohlenberg stated a month ago the Council had made tentative decisions on the element of the plan, and the biggest was to go ahead with the first year to enhance the computerized system. He stated the Council had asked for more informa- tion on what if it stopped and the police furnished a report covering that with a report that speaks to the element of the traffic management program and the request for an additional sergeant for the program. Police Captain Raffaelli stated that Daryl Jones had put the report together covering the program being stopped, and also addressed is the funding for the program which depended on the ballot measure passing. He stated they had allocated half of the ballot measure money and the abandoned vehicle abatement program money, plus the $75,000 already approved would cover the costs. He spoke at length on the annual personnel costs and the dedicated traffic unit. 11/17/93 Page 1 AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 1. Police Reorganization - Continued. Councilman Yee Arrived at 7:20 p.m. . 053 Discussion followed: Council was supportive of the technology upgrade; $53,000 was needed for the second year of the program; City Manager cautioned Council on making decisions without seeing the other potential use for the proceeds of the measure because it had political limitations; he was also concerned over it being a five year plan and not being able to finish it; where does the on-going maintenance come from; the maintenance would run $30,000 a year, but what was not used would build up for subsequent years maintenance or lap top computers; a citizen could ask why this money was not being dedicated to the officers on the street instead of robot cops; the costs were not as great as personnel on the street; how was the 45 min. a day per officer cost going to be monitored so the Coun- cil knows it is not going to be absorbed; that would be hard to document; the police could show more time in patrol because there were many complaints of patrol cars not being around and the same person says you are going to spend $400,000 - then they want to see more patrol cars; number of police calls received a year; Daryl Jones could show a savings of three full time employees but he could not con- firm that until after the program was in place then he could see its productivity; the savings were in terms of productivity rather than dollars; having monthly reports; the community has to see that the police are responding to more calls; whether all of the calls were police related; at one time the police took cats out of trees and checked out false alarms; 33,000 calls come in a year and 28,000 are dis- patched; Councilman Yee felt the report was very good and the people had put a lot of thought into it; whether there was a depreciation or sinking fund to replace equipment when it was no longer workable; in year three, four and five the $30,000 for mainte- nance would be used for replacement of equipment; years six through ten the police would request $20,000 a year to keep the program going for soft- ware; in the event the City could not fund the main- tenance for a year they would use the carry over funds; to replace equipment rather than repair because you would not have a maintenance contract and it would be evaluated to determine whether it would be fixed or replaced; the police wanted a cash resource to spend at their discretion which was the $30,000 yearly figure; City Manager thought that all City computers should be in an equipment replacement fund; usually the police never start something without building in the sinking fund for 11/17/93 Page 2 AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 1. Police Reorganization - Continued. Consideration on options for Downtown parking, including a petition for annexation of a parcel at Grand Ave. and Spruce Ave. to the Parking District, and adoption of resolution. .6' ! c~ A RESOLUTION APPROVING ADDITION OF O54 replacement; the AVA program was brand new and the funding came about on additional dollars on vehicle registration for all vehicles; because the City had an agreement in place last year the revenue is designated for five years at $51,000 per year; Councilman Drago would not mind dedicating this money to the maintenance fund; what is the City's cost in administering the AVA program; some hours to put together the staff report and keep the statements; the police marking the cars should be part of the cost; the police were doing the car mark- ing before the program began; the funds could only be used by the police; in the past the City had not had the money to fund equipment replacement; Councilman Yee felt the City Manager and Finance Director should control the sinking fund and every department should make requests through the City Manager; any purchase would have to go through the Finance Director for the bill to be paid; Councilman Drago felt the City Manager should be involved because he could be held accountable; the $30,000 is a clearing fund and at budget time is treated the same as salaries; there was unfunded liability for the $4.5 million of City equipment that the City Manager would bring forward and may only fund 50% of it; only $15,000 of the $30,000 is for replacement of equipment; Councilman Yee did not want to make a decision on the new sergeant until the new Police Chief is hired; personnel; if the concept is alright staff would work up the documen- tation and formally present it to Council. Further discussion ensued: proceed with both and leave $30,000 in and have the police monitor it; have six month reviews; $75,000 is in the budget and the budget modifications would come forward in January; the sergeant is the second component; sinking fund should be identified as police computer replacement fund etc. M/S Yee/Fernekes - To approve the concept of the plan. Carried by unanimous voice vote. City Manager Wohlenberg stated that the Council needed to make a decision on the petition in the staff report which the Parking Place Commission recom- mended and staff did not have objections. He stated that the Council had long discussed de- 11/17/93 Page 3 ~ENDA Downtown parking - Continued. LAND TO PARKING DISTRICT NUMBER 1 ACTION TAKEN O55 signing economic development objectives and where they wanted parking to augment the Parking Dis- trict. He stated that a parking study had been done in 1985 but perhaps a new one should be done. Mayor Teglia stated that before a new study was done the Council had to meet with the Commission because there were tasks left undone. She stated that parking was needed on the 400 block of Grand Avenue and although parking was put on Walnut - it was minor. She stated that Council had looked at the far ranges including a parking structure and could not retire bonds. She stated they had acquired lots and some of those were controversial. Councilman Drago stated they would deal with this tonight but wanted a full scale meeting with the Parking Place Commission because he did not like the way they are going -- they are doing piecemeal acquisitions on Baden Avenue. He stated that he had asked the City Attorney if Council could abolish the Commission and he said we can't, and he had thought to enlarge it and put two Councilmembers on it and satisfy the City over- all. Mayor Teglia stated that only one Commissioner was still on the Commission since that meeting and there is frustration because Council gave specific direction that was lost in the new Commission. She stated that she wanted to cut to the specific request and deal with that before getting into the other areas. Finance Director Margolis stated she had received a petition, as required, from the owners of the proper- ty at Spruce and Grand Avenue for addition to the District. She stated that the specific development plan for the parcel was really a separate decision, the develop- ment of a two story building which required an exemption from the Zoning Code parking require- ments for the second story use. She stated that the project could meet parking requirements for a first story retail building. 11/17/93 Page 4 AGENDA __2.. Downtown parking - Continued. ACTION TAKEN 05¢ She stated she made a recommendation to the Com- mission against approval after discussion with plan- ning staff and based upon the separation of the parcel from the rest of the District with a number of parcels in between the boundary. She felt that it would be starting something that would occur in a haphazardly manner and create parking problems in an area where there is no parking. She stated there had also been an inquiry from the owners of the building at 306 Spruce Avenue with a similar request. She related that the Commission discussed that and the feeling was that the property owners would have to come back and justify their specific project pro- posal, and that the proposal posed limited parking demands on the area. She stated that the Commis- sion did approve addition of this parcel to the District and felt this parcel would square off the District boundary. Discussion followed: that the recommendation required Council action; it required approval by both Bodies to be added to the boundaries; why didn't the parcel show on the map attached to the staff report; the District's boundary ends on Walnut, and the parcel to be annexed is three or four parcels from Spruce, so why not move the boundary to Spruce rather than jump over other parcels and ignore the other side of the street; were the other people op- posed to annexation; Commission had discussed encouraging the other property owners, however, the way it is written it takes a petition from the property owners; could the Brentwood parking lot be annexed into the District; City Manager Wohlenberg questioned why the Parking Place Com- mission was dealing with land use issues; the bottom line was the issue of a two story building; the build- ing on Spruce with the architectural problems had been required to have parking; the building next to the Women's Club had been required to acquire a lot on Miller to support parking; when D&M reloc- ated it brought more traffic congestion to Spruce; waiving the parking requirements only made the situation worse; Councilman Drago envisioned no meters, free parking lots for the area and assess the merchants for the free parking; use that money to condemn property for parking lots; treat the money like an enterprise fund and get property on Baden or Miller; the main issue was the piecemeal. 11/17/93 Page 5 AGENDA ,-2. Downtown parking - Continued. ACTION TAKEN 05'7 Mr. John Lucchesi stated he was representing the owner who discovered that the Parking District ended mid block, yet the parking meters go to Spruce which seemed an odd boundary line when the property owners don't get the benefit for being part of it. Mayor Teglia stated her understanding was that the District was assessed and had the ability to be as- sessed and the debt was repaid and the bonds re- tired. She stated that the debt was the meters, so the people are getting major benefits. Mr. Lucchesi stated that the people outside of the District have not had the benefit. Discussion followed: the business owners have received a benefit; people that live outside of the District use the lots; the parking stops short on Maple; there was an application from a Deli on Miller and Linden who wanted to put in five little tables and was told it would cost the Deli $5,000 per table and the Council had eliminated the in-lieu fees. Mrs. Jajeh stated that Anchor Drug had been in business since 1979 and had never been asked to pay for any meters, but she would for her new building on Spruce if necessary. She explained that her two sons were going to open the Spruce business with a home health care type of pharmacy that required consulting rooms which necessitated the second story. Discussion followed: on the Downtown Revitaliza- tion assessment; having Mrs. Jajeh build a two story building and leave the top vacant; a permit was issued for the ultimate use; Mr. Lucchesi stated it was unlikely they could meet the parking require- ments even though the development is only encom- passing 60% of the lot; the rear is parking and there is an allocation of 8 to 9 parking spaces in the rear and is still 6 to 7 spaces short; the parking adequacy should dictate the value of the property; Mrs. Jajeh also owns the building across from An- chor Drug - which is in the District, and questioned if she could put a second story on that building; the entire building, plus the addition, would be looked at and then needed parking would be defined; the Parking Place Commission should not issue any more parking exceptions and give that jurisdiction to 11/17/93 Page 6 AGENDA ACTION TAKEN _~ 2. Parking downtown - Continued. the Planning Commission to deal with the whole community. Mr. Dell'Angela stated the property owner had purchased the property last year and should have been advised of the parking. Discussion followed: after going to the Planning Commission it would not come back to the Council unless appealed; the parking spaces have economic value and was not the same as an open air use; Councilman Drago suggested Mrs. Jajeh should add on to the existing building in the District and not put parking in; Town Liquor had built the two story building and not added parking; Town Liquor had received an exemption; the Council could not discuss the merits of cases that might come back as an appeal; the Commission had completed appraisals on Linden and Baden and is pursuing opportunities on the 400 block of Baden without luck; property acquisition was a matter to be discussed in closed session; the District's boundaries do not have to be changed in acquiring property; Commission talked about a bonding issue to acquire property but needed a meeting with Council for direction; the Commis- sion could buy or condemn property out of the District, however, adequate funding was the biggest problem; the City could ask a realtor to go out and contact property owners in the 400 block to sell their properties; Mayor Teglia was ready to do that a year ago and she thought the staff had been so directed at that time. Parking Place Commissioner Ziegler stated that all but one of the Commissioners were brand new and knew little of what was going on. She requested a joint meeting with the Council to be apprised of the direction Council was going in. Mayor Teglia felt that the Commissioners should have had an orientation from staff on the Council's direction a year ago. Mr. Dell'Angela stated the Council should bite the bullet on condemnation proceedings because if the Council waits for the people to come forward to sell their homes it will never happen or it will in an inefficient way. He stated that one of the parcels is an old gas station at Baden and Linden - which he did not believe was good for a parking lot because it was a prime development piece. He felt that this 11/17/93 Page 7 ~ENDA ACTION TAKEN · 059 2. Downtown parking - Continued. Further consideration of various fee increases, in- eluding sidewalk repairs and entertainment tax. ,5-37 7 Closed Session for the purpose of the discussion of personnel matters, labor relations, property negotia- tions and litigation. RECALL TO ORDER: 5a. Request to cancel the regular meeting of 12/22/93. DJOURNMENT: was a land use question that should be handled by the Planning Commission. Mayor Teglia stated the City Manager should get back to the Council in a timely fashion to act on a property on Grand Avenue. Councilman Drago stated he agreed in theory but felt they were bypassing the Authority, and he felt they should meet with the Commission before taking any action. Mayor Teglia stated that the information could be developed and presented jointly and go over the concerns of land use, etc. MIS Drago/Fernekes - To deny the petition for annexation of a parcel at Grand Ave. and Spruce Ave. to the Parking District. Carried by unanimous voice vote. Councilman Yee stated that Mrs. Jajeh, Mr. Lucchesi should talk to the Chief Planner in refer- ence to what Mr. Dell'Angela said about it being a land use issue covered by Municipal Code. Council chose to not discuss this item and continued it to a date uncertain. Council adjourned to a Closed Session at 9:18 p.m. for property acquisition pursuant to GC 54956.8 on surplus school property and property on Baden and Linden. Mayor Teglia recalled the meeting to order at 10:08 p.m. MIS Drago/Fernekes - To cancel the regular meet- ing of 12/22/93. Carried by unanimous voice vote. MIS Drago/Fernekes - To adjourn the meeting. Carried by unanimous voice vote. Time of adjournment was 10:09 p.m. 11/17/93 Page 8 AGENDA _ ~RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Barbara A. Battaya, Cit City of South San Francisco ACTION APPROVED. TAKEN 060 The entries of this Council meeting show the action taken by the City Council to dispose of an item. Oral communica- tions, arguments, and comments are recorded on tape. The tape and documents related to the items 'are on file in the Office of the City Clerk and are available for inspection, review and copying. 11/17/93 Page 9