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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021_11_16 - RegularMINUTES Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Redlands held in the Council Chambers, Civic Center, 35 Cajon Street, on November 16, 2021 at 5 00 P M Present Staff Paul Banch, Mayor Eddie Tejeda, Mayor Pro Tempore Paul Foster, Council Member Denise Davis, Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, Council Member Charles M Duggan, Jr , City Manager, Dan McHugh, City Attorney, Robert Dawes, City Treasurer, Jeanne Donaldson, City Clerk, Carl Baker, Public Information Officer, Chris Catren, Police Chief, Danielle Garcia, Management Services/Finance Director, Chris Boatman, Facilities and Community Services Director, Brian Desatmk, Development Services Director, Jim Topoleski, Fire Chief, John Harris, Municipal Utilities and Engmeenng Director, Janice McConnell, Assistant City Manager Mayor Banch called the meetmg to order and offered those present the opportunity to provide public comment on any item on the agenda for the closed session PUBLIC COMMENT None forthcoming CLOSED SESSION Conference with legal counsel Existing Litigation - Government Code §54956 9(d)(1) (City Attorney McHugh) Three Cases a Steve Rogers v City of Redlands, San Bernardino Superior Court Case No CIVSB2126031 b Laurel Falcomen and Leslie Martinez v City of Redlands, San Bernardino Superior Court Case No CIVSB2114106 c Sally Mane Young v City of Redlands, et al , San Bernardino Superior Court Case No CIVDS 1910352 d Heidi Kirkendoll v City of Redlands, et al , San Bernardino Superior Court Case No CIVDS 1933311 e Coalition to Save Redlands Orange Groves v City of Redlands Conference with legal counsel Anticipated Litigation - Government Code §54956 9(d)(e)(2) (City Attorney McHugh) One Case a Facts and circumstances A significant exposure to litigation exists based upon the facts and circumstances set forth in a letter for the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the 301 West Palm Avenue Residential Development Project CC_November 16, 2021 Page 1 Conference with real property negotiators - Government Code §54956 8 (Facilities and Community Services Director Boatman) Property APN 0168-031-12-0000 Agency Negotiators Charles M Duggan, Jr and Chris Boatman Negotiating Party Gil Brown, Coyote Aviation Under Negotiation Terms of payment and pnce of possible lease of property by the City Conference with real property negotiators - Government Code §54956 8 Property APN 0292-157-16-0000 Agency Negotiators Charles M Duggan, Jr and Chris Boatman Negotiating Party AFCA Holdings, LLC and Josh Kaplan Under Negotiation Terms of payment and price of possible purchase of property by the City (Facilities and Community Services Director Boatman) RECONVENE CITY COUNCIL MEETING The meeting reconvened at 6 00 P M with an invocation by Council Member Davis, who recognized the City's great loss with the passing of Nancy Ruth White, a long-time Redlands resident, active community member, educator and dedicated volunteer The pledge of allegiance to the Amencan flag followed CLOSED SESSION REPORT City Attorney McHugh announced that no reportable action was taken during the closed session PRESENTATIONS Small Business Saturday Proclamation Mayor Banch presented a Proclamation declanng November 27, 2021, as Small Business Saturday to Redlands Chamber of Commerce Accepting the Proclamation was Redlands Chamber Board President and Storage West Manager, Brma Limon and Chamber Ambassador Committee Chair and Ayres Sales Manager, Laura Fernandez Proclamation November as Veterans, Military & Their Families Month Mayor Banch presented a Proclamation declanng November as Veterans, Military, and Their Families Month to the American Legion Auxiliary Phillip Marmelejo Unit 650, represented by Sylvia Alcantar PUBLIC COMMENT Stop Mandates/Government Overreach - Scott Riley, Jared Gustafson and Greg Bnttam, of the Inland Empire Liberty Coalition, voiced concerns the government was infnnging on citizens' rights and especially the rights of students who have been mandated to wear masks at school They urged the community to stand for liberty and personal freedoms and encouraged people to sign a new petition they were circulating, entitled, Education Freedom Act Initiative Public Good - Kathy Feeley spoke in support of the public good, freedom from ignorance, utilizing CC_November 16, 2021 Page 2 masks and following the science Downtown Parking - David Friedman supported reducing on -site parking requirements in the downtown area because it will force people to use their cars less and seek other modes of transportation CONSENT CALENDAR Minutes On motion of Council Member Paul Foster, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously approved minutes of the regular meeting of November 2, 2021 Vote• 5 - 0 Passed Veterans & Families Proclamation On motion of Council Member Paul Foster, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously approved the issuance of a proclamation declaring November as Veterans, Military, and Their Families Month Vote. 5 - 0 Passed Proclamation Small Business Saturday On motion of Council Member Paul Foster, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously approved issuance of a proclamation declaring November 27, 2021 as Small Business Saturday Vote 5 - 0 Passed Proclamation Transgender Day of Remembrance Council Member Davis was pleased to recognize the Proclamation declaring November 20, 2021, as National Transgender Day of Remembrance in the City of Redlands and honoring the memory of those whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence She encouraged the community to engage in honest conversations and reflect on the importance of each individual in our lives On motion of Council Member Denise Davis, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously approved issuance of a proclamation declaring November 20, 2021, as National Transgender Day of Remembrance in the City of Redlands Vote 5 - 0 Passed Cultural Arts Commission Appointment This item was pulled from the agenda to be presented to the Council at the next regularly scheduled meeting of December 7, 2021 CC_November 16, 2021 Page 3 Data Backups, Archiving & Disaster Recovery On motion of Council Member Paul Foster, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously approved the Intergovernmental purchase of Data Domain Appliances, Software, Support, and Services for Data Backups, Archiving, and Disaster Recovery, from Ahead, Inc , dba Kovarus, in the amount of $169,498 75 Vote. 5 - 0 Passed Highway Safety Improvement Grant Acceptance On motion of Council Member Paul Foster, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously determined that acceptance of the Highway Safety Improvement Program grant is exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the State's Guidelines implementing the California Environmental Quality Act, and accepted the Highway Safety Improvement Program grant in the amount of $250,000 Vote. 5 - 0 Passed Resolution No 8265 No -Parking Zone On motion of Council Member Paul Foster, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously approved Resolution No 8265, establishing a 235 foot "No -Parking" zone on the 9th Street cul-de-sac between Central Avenue and Stuart Avenue, and determined the resolution is exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section 15301(c) of the State's guidelines implementing the California Environmental Quality Act Vote. 5 - 0 Passed Joint Utilities Lab Equipment Purchase On motion of Council Member Paul Foster, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously approved issuance of the Sole Source purchase of specific Joint Utilities Laboratory equipment and associated services directly from Thermo Electron North America LLC in an amount not -to -exceed $72,634 70 Vote 5 - 0 Passed Resolution No 8065 COVID 19 Report On motion of Council Member Paul Foster, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously approved the Report regarding Emergency Resolution No 8065, proclaiming the existence of a local emergency in response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) Vote 5 - 0 Passed CC_November 16, 2021 Page 4 Additional Appropriation Fire Station Needs Assessment On motion of Council Member Paul Foster, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously approved an additional appropriation from the Public Facilities Fund (251) - Fire Facilities Account, which is a Development Impact Fee fund, in the amount of $20,500 to obtain architectural services from PBK-WLC Design Consultant for the Fire Station Needs Assessment Project Vote. 5 - 0 Passed Type III Brush Engine Sale On motion of Council Member Paul Foster, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously approved the sale of a 1995 Type III Brush Engine to the Indian Valley Community Services District Vote 5 - 0 Passed Generator Repair Preventative Maintenance On motion of Council Member Paul Foster, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously approved the First Amendment to the Agreement for Generator Repair and Preventative Maintenance with On Power Industries in the amount of $120,000 Vote• 5 - 0 Passed Kiwanis Christmas Parade In -Kind Support On motion of Council Member Paul Foster, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously approved the request for in -kind support in the amount of $21,340 related to the Kiwams Christmas Parade event hosted by the Noon Kiwanis Club of Redlands to be held on December 4, 2021 Vote: 5 - 0 Passed Rental Agreement Redlands Theatre Festival This item was pulled from the agenda and will be rescheduled for a future agenda COMMUNICATIONS Video Series Working for You Public Information Officer Baker presented a new video from the video series "Working for You Making Redlands a Better Place " This month's video highlighted Pamela Martinez, Youth Services Librarian, of A K Smiley Public Library Filming and production work was performed by Cheryl Williams, Multimedia Production Coordinator Hometown Heroes Recognition CC_November 16, 2021 Page 5 Council Member Foster was proud to commemorate the military service members whose banners have been retired from the Redlands Hometown Heroes Military Banner Program The program recognizes and honors Redlands residents and their immediate family members who are actively serving m or have been honorably discharged from the Unites States Armed Forces He expressed the Council's great appreciation for their sacrifice associated with military service to the country Banners have been retired for the following military services members 1 Jay Cortner, Army - Banner blown over the streets of Redlands from Nov 2014 to March 2021 2 Andrew Hemphill, Coast Guard - Banner blown over the streets of Redlands from Nov 2011 to March 2021 3 Ezra Payton, Navy - Banner blown over the streets of Redlands from Nov 2014 to March 2021 4 Ian Underdown, Navy - Banner blown over the streets of Redlands from Nov 2014 to March 2021 5 Ryan Walker, Army - Banner blown over the streets of Redlands from Nov 2014 to March 2021 PUBLIC HEARINGS Sign Conditional Use Permit No 27 Mayor Banch declared the meeting open as a public hearing and called on Development Services Director Desatnik who provided background of a request by Elite Sign Services, Inc , to construct a 224 5 square -foot non -illuminated wall sign on an existing industrial warehouse/distribution building The project site is located at 1950 Palmetto Avenue Measure U requires any commercial sign over 120 square -feet to obtain a Conditional Use Permit and be approved by a four -fifth vote of the City Council With no further discussion, Mayor Barich closed the hearing On motion of Mayor Pro Tempore Eddie Tejeda, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously approved Resolution No 8272, for Sign Conditional Use Permit No 27, to construct a 224 5 square -foot non -illuminated wall sign on an existing industrial warehouse/distribution building, located at 1950 Palmetto Avenue in the Regional Industrial (EV/IR) District of the East Valley Comdor Specific Plan (APN 0292-044-17-0000) for Applicant Elite Sign Services, Inc , and agreed the proposal is exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section 15311(a) of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines for on -premises signs Vote 5 - 0 Passed Resolution No 8242 Redlands Palm Investments, LLC This item was pulled from the agenda The heanng will be re -noticed for the December 7, 2021 City Council meeting Parking Requirements Downtown Specific Plan Mayor Banch opened the public hearing and called upon Development Services Director Desatmk for details of an amendment to the Municipal Code pertaining to development standards, and an amendment to the Downtown Specific Plan related to on -site parking requirements The proposed amendments will reduce ambiguity concerning density allowed in the C-3, General Commercial zone for the downtown area and modify on -site parking standards for mixed -use projects and residential projects located within one-half mile of a train station to better match the actual parking needs of transit -oriented developments He provided justification of the proposed changes and said the Planning Commission recommended the matter for Council's approval CC_November 16, 2021 Page 6 Mayor Pro Tem Tejeda and City Manager Duggan clarified that approving the amendments would not hamper the City to create more public parking in the future Council Member Foster did not support the changes, was concerned developers were the driving force behind it, and he suggested the City consider establishing a development impact fee (DIF) directly associated to parking Council Member Guzman -Lowery stated this action represented an example of good government, thoughtful planning and would ultimately sustain the City in the future As public comment, Erin Hegstrom thought a no vote on this matter would represent a vote against transit villages She added that her home was near the downtown area, and she purchased it because of its pedestrian friendly environment John Beall said traffic destroys pedestrian vibrancy, and he supported the idea of collecting fees from developers related specifically to parking Andy Hoder agreed with Council Member Foster and reiterated parking was a big concern of many community members and as the density and population increases, so will the need for more spaces Kathy Feeley stated Los Angeles was not a good comparison to Redlands and much of their parking woes were due to poor planning Richard O'Donnell pointed out that the only group benefiting from this would be the developers and the studies referenced in the staff report were completed in other cities Kathleen Beal admitted she did not live in the downtown area and walking or riding a bike to the area was not practical, and she womed that the number of entertainment venues downtown would only continue to grow, increasing the need for more parking Edward Ferrari encouraged the Council to look for smart ways to address parking issues, but he said it was clear the parking problem was not going away and cars were not going away One written comment was received from Fred Dill, who was concerned with losing more free public parking Responding to Council Member questions, Director Desatnik explained that when evaluating a fee, it must be determined the fee was appropriate for the impact the project would create City Manager Duggan mentioned that if the ordinances were not approved, projects that are currently in the pipeline could be significantly delayed, whereas passing ordinances such as these, encouraged development Council agreed it was worth exploring options with establishing fees On motion of Mayor Pro Tempore Eddie Tejeda, seconded by Council Member Paul Foster, the City Council unanimously agreed to table the matter till the meeting of December 21, 2021 Vote 5 - 0 Passed A brief recess was taken at 7 10, with the City Council reconvening at 7 19 P M NEW BUSINESS SB County Agreement for Police 800 MHZ Radio System Police Chief Catren reviewed an agreement with the County of San Bernardino for access and maintenance of the police 800 MHZ radio system The agreement, for continued services, will commence on February 1, 2022, and remain in effect for five years, ending January 31, 2027 Estimated total by fiscal year is determined by the number of months billed per fiscal year from July 1st to June 30th On motion of Mayor Pro Tempore Eddie Tejeda, seconded by Council Member Denise Davis, the City Council unanimously approved the agreement with the County of San Bernardino for access and maintenance of the police 800 MHZ radio system in an amount not to exceed $124,502 15 for FY 2021-2022, $298,805 16 for FY 2022-2023, $298,805 16 for FY 2023-2024, $298,805 16 for FY 2024-2025, $298,805 16 for FY 2025-2026 and $174,303 01 for FY 2026-2027 Vote 5 - 0 Passed CC_November 16, 2021 Page 7 Urgency Ordinance No 2928 Temporary 45-day Moratorium Due to property ownership within 500 feet of the proposed rezoning within the East Valley Corridor Specific Plan (EVCSP), Council Member Davis recused herself from this item Development Services Director Desatnik explained that this was continued from the September 21 and October 5, 2021 Council meetings On October 5, staff was directed to analyze the economic impact to the City of the proposed moratorium and rezoning of 69 acres of land for housing in the EVCSP compared to potentially rezoning the same acreage of land east of the I-210 The results showed that rezoning in the EVCSP to residential provided a greater economic benefit to the City than in the second scenario, to rezone 69 acres of property east of the I-210 Council Member Foster reiterated his concerns with rezoning in the EVCSP, and he thought the property east of the I-210 would be a better fit for additional residential units Mayor Pro Tem Tejeda viewed the proposed rezoning as an opportunity to stop the growth of warehouses and support residential development On motion of Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, seconded by Mayor Pro Tempore Eddie Tejeda, the City Council failed to adopt Urgency Ordinance No 2928, establishing a temporary 45-day moratorium on certain new development projects for properties located within the Commercial Industrial (EV/IC) District of the East Valley Corridor Specific Plan, that are identified on the list of potential housing sites prepared in conjunction with the City's 6th Cycle Housing Element update Vote: 2 - 2 Failed NAY Mayor Paul Barich Council Member Paul Foster Other Council Member Denise Davis (RECUSE) Resolution No 8268 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Fire Chief Topoleski explained local governments, as a condition of receiving federal disaster mitigation funds, are required to have a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan that describes the process for assessing hazards, risks and vulnerabilities, identifying and priorrtizmg mitigation actions, and engaging/soliciting input from the community, key stakeholders and adjacent jurisdictions and agencies Once approved, the Plan will provide a well -organized public education and awareness effort involving preparedness and mitigation On motion of Mayor Pro Tempore Eddie Tejeda, seconded by Council Member Paul Foster, the City Council unanimously approved Resolution No 8268, to adopt the City of Redlands Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Vote. 5 - 0 Passed Ordinance No 2929 Recyclables Facilities and Community Services Director Boatman detailed Ordinance No 2929, to implement mandatory residential and commercial recycling of commingled recyclables and organic waste California has signed into law multiple bills governing the collection and processing of solid waste, specifically, recyclables and food waste and in particular, Senate Bill 1383 regulations require that jurisdictions conduct education and outreach on organics recycling to all residents, businesses, haulers, solid waste facilities, local food banks, and other food recovery organizations The regulations go into effect January 1, 2022, and establish targets to achieve a 50 percent reduction in the statewide CC_November 16, 2021 Page 8 disposal of organic waste from the 2014 benchmark year and a 75 percent reduction by 2025 On motion of Mayor Pro Tempore Eddie Tejeda, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council unanimously introduced Ordinance No 2929, amending Chapter 13 64 of the Redlands Municipal Code to implement mandatory residential and commercial recycling of commingled recyclables and organic waste, and determining that approval of the ordinance is exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section 15061 (b)(3) of the State's guidelines implementing the California Environmental Quality Act Vote 5 - 0 Passed 300 E State Street Additional Appropriation Facilities and Community Services Director Boatman provided background of the recent purchase of 300 E State Street, known as the Citrus Center and detailed the need for an additional appropriation in the amount of $704,128 for expenditures and $1,501,971 for revenues associated with the purchase With the purchase completed, a new budget account within the General Fund is necessary to facilitate processing revenue receipts and expenditures related to the facility's operation On motion of Council Member Paul Foster, seconded by Mayor Pro Tempore Eddie Tejeda, the City Council unanimously approved the additional appropriation in the amount of $704,128 for expenditures and $1,501,971 for revenues associated with 300 E State Street Vote 5 - 0 Passed Redlands Good Nite Inn Motel Conversion Protect Facilities and Community Services Director Boatman presented a Memorandum of Understanding with Shangn-La Industries and Step Up on Second Street for the development and supportive services delivery for the Redlands Good Nite Inn motel conversion project and presented Resolution No 8282, authorizing the joint application to participate in the Homekey Grant Program On motion of Mayor Pro Tempore Eddie Tejeda, seconded by Council Member Denise Davis, the City Council unanimously determined that approval of the MOU with Shangri-La Industries, LLC and Step Up on Second Street, Inc is categoncally exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section 15301 of the State's guidelines implementing the California Environmental Quality Act, directed staff to file a Notice of Exemption in accordance with State Law, approved the Memorandum of Understanding with Shangn-La Industries, LLC and Step Up on Second Street, Inc for the development and supportive services delivery for the Redlands Good Nite Inn motel conversion, and approved Resolution No 8282, authorizing the joint application to and participation in the Homekey Grant Program Vote 5 - 0 Passed Resolution No 8266 Utility Bill Assistance Program Management Services/Finance Director Garcia offered background of the Council's review of a utility bill assistance program during the October 19, 2021 meeting At that time, staff was directed to provide information on possible funding sources Most programs are funded with late fees generated during the fiscal year, but the City is not imposing late fees at this time, due to the State's COVID-19 guidelines With the program's implementation, staff would bnng forward a spending plan during the budget process to include funding for the program and staffing to support it An initial amount of $100,000 CC_November 16, 2021 Page 9 was recommended to fund the first 12 months of the program This would provide a $20 bi-monthly stipend for income -eligible customers for 6 bills for roughly 833 customers Stephanie Miranda, of the Human Relation Commission, bnefly presented data showing the program would address inequities, housing insecurity and assist people of color As public comment, Andy Hoder and Kathy Feeley voiced their support of the program as it would help those in need, and it was the right thing to do Mayor Banch praised the program as worthy Council Members Davis and Guzman -Lowery both agreed that $120 annually could make a big difference in people's lives Council Member Foster backed the program if late fees were designated as the funding source Mayor Pro Tem Tejeda restated his concerns with the timing of the program City Manager Duggan clarified the program would likely not start until the new fiscal year because of the resources required to implement it, including software modifications and additional personnel On motion of Council Member Denise Davis, seconded by Council Member Jenna Guzman -Lowery, the City Council approved Resolution No 8266, establishing a Utility Bill Assistance Program Vote 4 - 1 Passed NAY Council Member Paul Foster January 4, 2022 Regular City Council Meeting City Manager Duggan opened the discussion relating to the cancellation of the January 4, 2022, regular meeting of the City Council Council Member Foster announced he would abstain from voting on this item due to his pending resignation date scheduled for January 3, 2022 On motion of Mayor Pro Tempore Eddie Tejeda, seconded by Council Member Denise Davis, the City Council unanimously approved the cancellation of the January 4, 2022, regular meeting of the City Council in light of the holiday closure The next regular meeting will be held on January 18, 2022 Vote 4 - 0 Passed COUNCIL MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES Mayor Banch invited everyone to attend the City's annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony scheduled for November 19 at 6 00 P M at Ed Hales Park ADJOURNMENT There being no further action required the meeting adjourned at 8 18 P M The next regular meeting of the City of Redlands City Council will be held on December 7, 2021 CC_November 16, 2021 Page 10