Meeting Summary
Present: Stix, Francina, Rule, Lang, Whitman
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At a glance
Franchise Agreement and Food Waste Reporting
- Council deferred discussion on the Harrison franchise extension and food waste mandates to the April 25th agenda.
- Staff will coordinate a presentation by Harrison to address diversion rates and fiscal impacts.
- An inter-city Memorandum of Understanding is being developed to share resources for food waste compliance.
Affordable Housing Strategy
- The Council directed staff to schedule a series of community workshops on affordable housing within 60 to 90 days.
- Staff must prepare a written report outlining initial ideas, funding strategies, and goal setting for the workshops.
- The Planning Commission was authorized to form an ad hoc affordable housing committee without using city staff time.
Building Code Fire Hardening Ordinance
- The proposed ordinance requiring 20% of project costs for fire hardening was not adopted for immediate implementation.
- Staff was directed to develop an education campaign and explore volunteer neighborhood captain feasibility.
- The Council requested a review of options to make tree trimming and arborist reports more affordable for residents.
City Commission Structure
- Membership for the Historic Preservation and Parks and Recreation commissions was increased from five to seven members.
- The Planning Commission membership size remains unchanged at five members.
- Staff will return with historical data and draft ordinance language regarding the appointment process for new commissioners.
SCAG General Assembly Delegation
- Mayor Stix was appointed as the official council delegate to the SCAG General Assembly on May 4th and 5th.
Future Agenda Items
- Staff will draft a flag policy or a specific resolution for the Pride flag for consideration in May.
- A motion was made to add a councilmember appointment to the Budget Committee on a future agenda.
- Staff will follow up on the feasibility of a single-use plastics ban and allowing personal water bottles at events.
Other Discussion Items
- Discussions regarding valet parking, a balloon ban, and Grand Avenue speed limits occurred without formal motions.
- The Council agreed to hold a future discussion on a Grand Avenue grant opportunity that may involve parking removal.
Closed Session
- No closed session report was provided in the meeting summary.
Full summary
Call to Order and Administrative Matters
- The meeting was called to order by Mayor Stix following a roll call that established a quorum. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by staff. A motion to approve the agenda was made, seconded, and passed. No presentations or commission reports were submitted at this time.
Public Communications
- Members of the public addressed the council on various topics not on the agenda. Valerie Freeman announced an upcoming light art installation. Ron Solorzano provided updates on library services, including a mobile library, sewing machine kits, and a new youth librarian. Gail Birch and David Wyand raised concerns regarding an encampment at Libbey Park; staff noted that while homelessness is not illegal, criminal activity is addressed by police, and Wyand offered assistance with transitional housing and employment. Wendy Larner and Dale Hanson discussed noise and location concerns regarding pickleball courts; staff indicated the Parks and Recreation Commission has formed an ad hoc committee to study the issue, with recommendations expected in future meetings. Larry Steingold raised concerns regarding the budget, road paving, and rent stabilization; staff responded that road paving is out to bid and a pothole crew is active. Wendy Larner also questioned the City Attorney's involvement in a Brown Act workshop; staff confirmed an outside entity would facilitate the workshop.
Consent Calendar
- A motion was made to approve the consent calendar. Council Member Whitman moved to pull Items D and E for discussion. A subsequent motion to approve the remaining items on the consent calendar was made, seconded, and passed.
Franchise Agreement with Harrison (Item D) and Food Waste Reporting (Item E)
- Council Member Whitman requested discussion on the five-year franchise agreement extension with Harrison (waste management) and the fiscal impact of new state food waste reporting mandates. Questions were raised regarding rate comparisons, franchise fees, and compliance with AB 939. Staff clarified that the extension request did not include a fee increase, though annual increases remain possible under the current agreement. Staff noted that Harrison could not attend but would be invited to a future meeting to address diversion rates and fiscal impacts. Regarding food waste, staff explained that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is being formed among cities and the county to share resources. It was decided to combine the discussion of both items and bring them back to the April 25th agenda for a presentation by Harrison.
Affordable Housing Strategy and Advisory Committee
- Staff presented a report on the potential creation of an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, outlining three common models for composition. Public commenters urged the formation of the committee to address housing for seniors, artists, and families, while others advised against a formal committee, suggesting voluntary workshops or focus groups instead to avoid special interest dominance. Council members discussed the tension between stakeholder groups and the potential for bureaucracy versus the need for dedicated expertise.
- Motion to Schedule Housing Workshops: Council Member Whitman moved to direct staff to schedule a series of workshops (potentially two or three sessions) to bring in experts and the community to discuss affordable housing, funding strategies, and goal setting. The motion included a provision for a written staff report with initial ideas. The motion was seconded. The Council discussed the timeline, agreeing the workshops should occur within 60 to 90 days to align with the General Plan update. The motion passed.
- Motion Regarding Planning Commission Ad Hoc Committee: Council Member Whitman moved to allow the Planning Commission to create an ad hoc affordable housing committee if they choose to do so. Council Member Lang seconded the motion with the qualification that no city staff time be used. Staff confirmed the Planning Commission would need to operate without city staff support if they proceed. The motion passed.
Ordinance Amending Building Code (Item 3)
- Staff presented a proposed ordinance to update the city's building code, incorporating recommendations from the Building Appeals Board (BAB). The primary recommendation requires fire hardening improvements on existing structures when a building permit is issued for alterations, additions, or repairs valued over $25,000. Under the proposal, property owners would be required to spend approximately 20% of the project valuation on fire hardening measures. Staff noted a second recommendation regarding solar tubes and skylights was not included as it was deemed less restrictive than state minimums. Discussion focused on the scope, exemptions, and financial burden on homeowners, particularly regarding climate-forward improvements. Public commenters opposed the ordinance in its current form, suggesting it was not ready for adoption, characterizing it as a tax, or recommending incentives over mandates.
- Motion on Fire Hardening Ordinance: Council Member Lang moved to direct staff to return with recommendations on an education campaign regarding fire hardening and the feasibility of volunteer neighborhood captains. Council Member Whitman seconded the motion, adding a request for staff to review options for making tree trimming and arborist reports more affordable. The motion was adopted unanimously. The proposed ordinance requiring the 20% fire hardening expenditure was not voted on for adoption; instead, the council directed staff to revisit the item with revised recommendations and educational strategies.
Modification of City Commission Structure
- Staff presented a report on the structure of City Commissions, specifically the number of members. Feedback indicated the Planning Commission is satisfied with five members, while the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) and Parks and Recreation Commission preferred increasing from five to seven members. Discussion addressed the history of the reduction to five members, staff workload impacts, and the authority of the Council to set different rules for different commissions.
- Motion on Commission Sizes: A motion was made to allow the HPC and Parks and Recreation commissions to increase their membership to seven, while leaving the Planning Commission at five. The motion included a provision for staff to return with ordinance language clarifying the process for commission-staff interactions. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
- Motion on Commission Appointment Process: Discussion ensued regarding the appointment process for commissioners. A motion was made to table the discussion on the appointment process for all commissions to allow time for further review. A substitute motion was proposed to table the general appointment discussion but require staff to return with information on the historical selection process for the sixth and seventh commissioners for the HPC and Parks and Recreation commissions, along with draft ordinance language. The motion to table the appointment process and request staff to return with historical data and draft language was seconded and passed unanimously.
SCAG General Assembly Delegation
- A motion was made to appoint Mayor Stix as the council's delegate to the SCAG General Assembly scheduled for May 4th and 5th. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Councilmember Reports and Future Agenda Items
- Councilmembers provided updates on community events and city operations, including wildlife coexistence events, Earth Day celebrations, and pothole repairs. Staff noted that state highway issues must be reported to Caltrans and that the paving project is out to bid. Several items were proposed for future agenda consideration:
- Budget Committee: A motion was made to add a councilmember appointment to the Budget Committee to a future agenda. The motion was seconded.
- Flag Policy: Staff explained that flying non-American flags requires a formal policy and offered to draft a flag policy or a specific resolution for the Pride flag for council consideration in May.
- Single-Use Plastics Ban: A proposal was raised to adopt an ordinance banning single-use plastics. Staff agreed to follow up on the feasibility of allowing personal water bottles at events.
Other Discussion Items
- Parking Committee and Valet Parking: Discussion occurred regarding the timeline for the parking committee and valet parking recommendations. No formal motion was made, and no vote was taken.
- Mylar and Helium Balloon Ban: A request was made to see an ordinance banning mylar and helium balloons. The request was seconded and thirded. No formal motion was moved, and no vote was taken.
- Grand Avenue Speed Limit: A proposal was raised to reduce the speed limit on Grand Avenue to 25 mph. Discussion included concerns about liability and the need for a traffic engineer's recommendation. No formal motion was made, and no vote was taken.
- Grand Avenue Grant and Parking Removal: Discussion addressed a grant opportunity for Grand Avenue that may require parking removal. The Council agreed to hold a discussion on the matter. No formal motion was made, and no vote was taken.
Adjournment
- The meeting was adjourned.