HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023_08_22 - SpecialMINUTES
Special meeting of the City Council of the City of Redlands held in the Council Chambers, Civic Center,
35 Cajon Street, on August 22, 2023 at 4:30 P.M.
Present: Paul Barich, Mayor Pro Tempore
Denise Davis, Council Member
Jenna Guzman -Lowery, Council Member
Mario Saucedo, Council Member
Absent: Eddie Tejeda, Mayor
Staff: Charles M. Duggan, Jr., City Manager; Yvette M. Abich Garcia, City Attorney; Jeanne
Donaldson, City Clerk; Phillip Doolittle, City Treasurer; Chris Boatman, Assistant City
Manager; Carl Baker, Public Information Officer; Danielle Garcia, Management
Services/Finance Director; Brian Desatnik, Development Services Director; John Harris,
Municipal Utilities and Engineering Director; Rich Sessler, Fire Chief; Rachel Tolber,
Police Chief
Mayor Pro Tem Barich called the special meeting to order and explained that comments could
be presented in -person, via Zoom, via cell phone or landline. He offered the public an
opportunity to provide comments on any subject within the jurisdiction of the City Council.
PUBLIC COMMENT
In Memory Of - Six people, including Samantha Trad, Jack MacPhee, Hannah Edmondson,
Michael Paisner, Jonathan Shidler and Daria Cross expressed their sadness at the loss of
Laura Ann "Lauri" Carleton, an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, who was recently shot
during a dispute over a pride flag hanging outside her clothing store in Cedar Glen. They
urged the Council to consider flying the pride flag in her honor.
Inclusionary Housing Program - Bruce Laycook reminded the Council there was still work to
be done on the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance that was approved last month. He requested
the Council consider removing language from the ordinance related to fulfilling the
inclusionary housing requirements with moderate income housing, and he stated that
accessible housing means housing that is affordable.
Redlands Bowl Music Festival & RUSD Superintendent - Dennis Bell said that despite
signage stating there would be "No reserving of seats", "No smoking" and "No dogs"
allowed, he complained there was an abundance of all of them during the Summer Music
Festival. He added the meet and greet hosted by the RUSD to introduce the new district
superintendent was not properly advertised to the general public.
COMMUNICATIONS
League of California Cities Annual Conference Voting Delegate
Special CC_August 22, 2023
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City Manager Duggan opened the discussion to consider designating a voting delegate and an
alternate to the 2023 League of California Cities Annual Conference scheduled to occur
September 20-22, 2023 in Sacramento.
On motion of Mayor Pro Tempore Paul Barich, seconded by Council Member Jenna
Guzman -Lowery, the City Council designated, by roll call vote, Council Member Mario
Saucedo to serve as the voting delegate; and designated Council Member Davis to serve as the
alternate voting delegate for the League of California Cities 2023 Annual Conference.
Vote: 4 - 0 Passed
CITY COUNCIL PROJECTS REVIEW
Study Session
City Manager Duggan provided a review of projects that were currently underway throughout
the City, and he highlighted several more that were planned for this fiscal year. He briefly
introduced nine projects that were previously identified by individual Council Members, and
he explained he was seeking additional direction and possible prioritization of these projects,
in order to best utilize finite staff time on items the full City Council wishes to pursue.
Council Members spoke in support of each of their individual requests. City Manager
Duggan added that Project Nos. 1, 8 and 9 (FRAN/Free Rides Around Neighborhood,
Landscape Plan for Santa Ana River Trail Bluff and Developing options for building a
parking structure at the current City Hall site) could be removed from this list, as staff was
already working on these items. The six remaining projects included: #2-Ordinance to ban
gas leaf blowers; #3-Bicycle sharing program; #4-Creation of a mental health response team;
#5-Northside economic development/opportunity zones; #6-Broadband improvement in
underserved areas of the city; and #7-Cannibis tax.
As a group, the Council discussed the merits of each of the other six projects and it was
agreed there was enough support and interest to direct staff to pursue these projects. This
included doing research associated with each one and preparing a report to present to Council
at a future meeting. As public comment, Andy Hoder voiced concerns about the proposed
project to ban gas leaf blowers, stating that this action would impact dozens and dozens of
landscape companies. He pointed out that leaf blowers were not the only tools using gas and
he asked the Council to consider all sides of the proposal before moving forward. Jennifer
Maravillas supported the creation of a mental health response team and she stated that the
City should consider the program currently in place in San Bernardino County. Michael
Paisner liked the bicycle sharing program, but warned the city had no established
infrastructure separating vehicles and bicycles, which he said would be necessary for a safe
and successful program.
ADJOURNMENT
City Manager Duggan, Mayor Pro Tem Barich and Council Member Saucedo commended
City staff for their tremendous efforts in response to the storm brought on by Hurricane Hillary
last weekend. There being no further action the special meeting adjourned at 5:42 P.M.
Special CC_August 22, 2023
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