HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025_02_18 - RegularMINUTES
Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Redlands held in the Council Chambers, Civic
Center, 35 Cajon Street, on February 18, 2025 at 5:00 P.M.
Present: Mario Saucedo, Mayor
Marc Shaw, Mayor Pro Tempore
Paul Barich, Council Member
Eddie Tejeda, Council Member
Denise Davis, Council Member
Staff:Charles M. Duggan, Jr., City Manager; Yvette M. Abich Garcia, City Attorney; Jeanne
Donaldson, City Clerk; Phillip Doolittle, City Treasurer; Janice McConnell, Assistant
City Manager; 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; Tabitha Crocker,
Facilities and Community Services Director; Robert Meteau, HR/Risk Management
Director
Mayor Saucedo called the meeting to order and announced there were no closed session
matters scheduled for the City Council to consider. The meeting recessed at 5:00 P.M.
RECONVENE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
The meeting reconvened at 6:00 P.M. with an invocation by Council Member Davis. The
Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag was conducted by Mariposa Elementary School
Friendly Helpers.
PRESENTATIONS
Black History Month Proclamation
Council Member Tejeda presented Proclamations in celebration of Black History Month to
Human Relations Commissioners Ken Ford and Gail Howard.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Oppose Zero-Emissions Appliances - Dr. Dale Broome and Joshua Hall spoke
against proposals by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), Rule
1111 and Rule 1121, that they say will effectively ban natural gas water heaters and home
furnaces in Southern California. Their concerns included the burdensome cost on
homeowners, the veracity of the claims these mandates will reduce air pollution, and the
need to preserve consumer choice. They recommended incentive-based approaches that
allow homeowners to transition at a manageable pace, with rebates and tax credits. They
urged the Council to consider passing a resolution or sending a letter in opposition to the
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SCAQMD proposals.
Support Zero-Emissions Appliances - Michael Paisner stated that carbon dioxide has been
known for decades as a key contributor to climate change, increasing atmospheric levels of
CO2, and he supported the two SCAQMD proposed measures for transitioning to
zero-emissions appliances.
Mayor Pro Tem Shaw requested staff prepare a report regarding the two SCAQMD
proposals, Rule 1111 and Rule 1121, in order to provide relevant details to Council so they
can make an informed decision whether to support the proposals or not. City Manager
Duggan agreed to report back on March 18, 2025.
Blue Zones Health 10-Week Walk Event - Alex Barajas, of Blue Zones Health, invited
everyone to join a kick-off event on February 22 at Brookside Park for a 10-week walking
program to promote physical activity and boost brain power and social connection.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Minutes
On motion of Council Member Paul Barich, seconded by Council Member Denise Davis,
the City Council unanimously approved, by roll call vote, the regular meeting minutes of
February 4, 2025.
Vote: 5 - 0 Passed
Planning Commission Appointments
On motion of Council Member Paul Barich, seconded by Council Member Denise Davis,
the City Council unanimously appointed, by roll call vote, Emily Elliott to serve a four-year
term on the Planning Commission ending January 6, 2029; and appointed Mark Stanson to
serve the remainder of a four-year term ending on January 6, 2027.
Vote: 5 - 0 Passed
Street Tree Committee Appointments
On motion of Council Member Paul Barich, seconded by Council Member Denise Davis,
the City Council unanimously appointed, by roll call vote, Thomas Guarneri and Aaron
Odland to each serve a four-year term on the Street Tree Committee ending February 16,
2029.
Vote: 5 - 0 Passed
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Settlement Agreement Disclosure
On motion of Council Member Paul Barich, seconded by Council Member Denise Davis,
the City Council unanimously approved, by roll call vote, the public disclosure of details of
an Agreement of Settlement and Release of Claims between the City of Redlands and CEM
Construction Corporation (CEM). Under the terms of the agreement, the City agrees to pay
CEM the sum of $475,000, in exchange for a full release and waiver of all claims as to the
City of Redlands to settle a public works contract claim filed by CEM for the 2022 CIP
Sewer Pipeline Replacement Project.
Vote: 5 - 0 Passed
On-Call Affordable Housing Consulting Agreement
On motion of Council Member Paul Barich, seconded by Council Member Denise Davis,
the City Council unanimously approved, by roll call vote, the sole source Professional
Services Agreement with Keyser Marston Associates, Inc., for a total contract amount
not-to-exceed $35,000, to provide on-call affordable housing consulting services.
Vote: 5 - 0 Passed
Traffic Signal Video Detection Units
On motion of Council Member Paul Barich, seconded by Council Member Denise Davis,
the City Council unanimously approved, by roll call vote, the sole source purchase order for
the purchase of five (5) Iteris video detection units for the traffic signals from Iteris, Inc. for
an amount not to exceed $136,280.61.
Vote: 5 - 0 Passed
CalRecycle Grant Award
On motion of Council Member Paul Barich, seconded by Council Member Denise Davis,
the City Council unanimously accepted, by roll call vote, the grant award from the
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) in the amount of $194,451
for projects related to the implementation of the Short-Lived Climate Action (SLCP) SB
1383; and approved an additional appropriation of the same.
Vote: 5 - 0 Passed
Amending Agreement Audit Services Sales, Use and Transaction Tax Revenue
On motion of Council Member Paul Barich, seconded by Council Member Denise Davis,
the City Council unanimously approved, by roll call vote, the First Amendment to the
agreement for audit services for sales, use and transaction tax revenue with Hinderliter de
Llamas & Associates for an amount not-to-exceed $10,000.
Vote: 5 - 0 Passed
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FY2022 Homeland Security Grant Award Acceptance
On motion of Council Member Paul Barich, seconded by Council Member Denise Davis,
the City Council unanimously accepted, by roll call vote, the grant award and grant
modification from the FY2022 Homeland Security Grant Program; and approved an
additional appropriation of $19,065 to the Police Department.
Vote: 5 - 0 Passed
COMMUNICATIONS
Land Use Decision-Making Summarized
At the request of Council Member Tejeda, City Attorney Garcia summarized a joint City
Council and Planning Commission workshop training held on October 8, 2024, related to
roles and responsibilities in land use decision-making.
Topic areas she reviewed included:
A) The responsibilities of the City Council and Planning Commission in land use
decisions. The City Council is the legislative body of the City. The Council adopts the
general plan and makes laws related to land use and zoning. It is also the reviewing body
for appeals of Planning Commission decisions. The Planning Commission is the
“planning agency” for the City. It prepares, reviews and recommends to the City Council
revisions to legislation, such as the general plan and zoning code, and implements the
general plan and zoning code in its review of project applications. It also serves in a
“quasi-adjudicatory” role in reviewing and deciding discretionary land use applications for
Conditional Use Permits (“CUPs”), Variances, Site Plans, and other discretionary actions
as designated by City ordinance.
B) Legislative Decisions: When the Planning Commission acts in a legislative role, it is
recommending changes to land use rules and policies, such as changes to the general plan
and the zoning code, which has impacts city-wide. For legislative decisions, the Planning
Commission's authority is only advisory; meaning, that the Planning Commission makes
recommendations to the City Council regarding changes to land use rules and policies,
with the Council making the final decision.
C) Quasi-Adjudicative Decisions: When the Planning Commission (or the City Council on
appeal) acts in a “quasi-adjudicatory” role, it is acting as “judge” applying the City’s
existing land use standards to a property owner’s request to use their property or business
in a certain way. The task of the Planning Commission is to determine whether the
proposed use complies with the City’s current general plan and zoning laws and
standards. As “judge”, Planning Commissioners must make decisions based on what the
rules are today. Changes to such rules must go through the legislative process.
D) Findings: When acting in a quasi-adjudicatory role, the decision of the Planning
Commission (or the City Council on appeal) on CUPs, Variances and Site Plans must be
based on the established standards or criteria that are set forth in the zoning code. Using
these standards, the Planning Commission must adopt written “findings” to support its
decision. Findings are written explanations of why, legally and factually, the Planning
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Commission made a particular decision. Findings provide the analysis on how the
Planning Commission weighed and applied the evidence presented to reach its final
conclusion.
E) Best Practices for Quasi-Adjudicatory Decision-Making: Avoid bias. Bias of a
decision-maker requires a Commissioner (or Council Member on appeal) to abstain from
the decision. Ms. Garcia provided examples of actual bias that would warrant abstention.
F: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The training addressed when an
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is required for a project. An EIR is a detailed report
written by the lead agency describing and analyzing the significant environmental effects
of a proposed project, identifying alternatives and discussing ways to reduce or avoid the
possible environmental impacts.
As public comment, Michael Paisner said there are ways for consultants to achieve a
desired result when reviewing development projects and conducting initial studies. He
added that little details can make a big difference, and he reminded the Council they have
the power to deny a project, including warehouse projects. Council Member Davis asked
staff for an update on the request to ban warehouses from the City of Redlands.
On motion of Mayor Mario Saucedo, seconded by Council Member Paul Barich, the City
Council unanimously received and filed, by roll call vote, the report of the City Council and
Planning Commission training held on October 8, 2024, related to roles and responsibilities
in land use decision-making.
Vote: 5 - 0 Passed
SCE Wildfire Mitigation Report
City Manager Duggan introduced Southern California Edison's Government Relations
Manager, Mark Cloud, who presented an overview of SCE's wildfire mitigation efforts and
the recent Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). His report included information regarding
the role of SCE, wildfire-related regulations, the state's specific wildfire issues of hotter,
drier conditions, and strong winds. He reviewed SCE's wildfire mitigation efforts,
including grid hardening, advanced technology for fire prevention, public safety power
shutoffs, Emergency Operations Center, Community Resource Centers and the ways in
which SCE is learning and growing to more effectively implement safety protocols. He
concluded by saying that SCE's commitment is wildfire prevention and grid safety, and he
encouraged everyone to be prepared, stay informed and use SCE valuable resources. Visit
SCE wildfire safety website and sign up for alerts to stay informed.
As public comment, Dennis Bell complained that his power had been shutoff, with no
notification, during the Pacific Palisades/Eaton fires, and he thought there was no rhyme or
reason to the implementation and duration of the shutoffs. He added that rate payers
should not have to pay for any SCE equipment damage due to the recent fires. Michael
Paisner urged the City Council to approve projects for undergrounding utility lines.
Council Members thanked Mr. Cloud and expressed their appreciation of SCE's continued
desire to improve their wildfire mitigation efforts to keep everyone safe.
Human Relations Commission by Commission Annual Report
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Human Relations Commission by Commission Annual Report
Commission Chair Ken Ford offered the Annual Report of the Human Relations
Commission, listing activities and accomplishments for 2024 that included, hosting the
Health and Wellness Fair event, providing the community with various resources for their
health and mental wellness and participating in a meeting with City Manager Duggan to
review and clarify projects planned for the upcoming year. Commissioner Roop Goyal
provided a presentation on the genocide of Hindus and other religious minorities in
Bangladesh and prepared a proclamation condemning those actions. The Commission has
several ideas and projects lined up for 2025 including, "Run Around Redlands",
collaborating with other community groups, celebrating various cultural holidays, and
presenting various workshops of interest in the community. Council Members thanked
Chair Ford and all his fellow commissioners for their dedication and service.
NEW BUSINESS
Security Fencing Installation for Water Facilities
Municipal Utilities and Engineering Director Harris described the Non-Professional
Services Agreement with EverFence Corporation for the Water Facilities Security Fencing
Installation Project for an amount not-to-exceed $2,239,918.85. Carollo Engineers, Inc.
recently completed a Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) and prepared an Emergency
Response Plan (ERP) for the City's water utility infrastructure in accordance with
requirements mandated by the America Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA). The
goal of the RRA was to identify potential security threats and opportunities to improve
defense strategies. The RRA recommends the installation of perimeter security fencing at
all water treatment facilities and groundwater well sites to enhance the physical security of
the City's most critical water infrastructure assets.
On motion of Council Member Paul Barich, seconded by Council Member Eddie Tejeda,
the City Council unanimously determined, by roll call vote, that approval of a
Non-Professional Services Agreement with EverFence Corporation is exempt from
environmental review pursuant to Section 15301 of the State's guidelines implementing the
California Environmental Quality Act; approved the Security Fencing Installation Project
plans and specifications; and approved a Non-Professional Services Agreement with
EverFence Corporation.
Vote: 5 - 0 Passed
COUNCIL MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Mayor Saucedo participated in the Memorial Walk for the Cinnamon Creek shooting,
attended the SBCTA meeting, the Chamber's annual Civic Awards and Installation
Dinner, the Human Relations Commission, the California Cities subcommittee meeting,
and the Redlands Disaster Council. He enjoyed the activities in honor of Martin Luther
King Jr. Day, the "Total Wine" grand opening event, the Sacred Heart School Career Day
and a ride-along offered by Fire Station No. 3.
Mayor Pro Tem Shaw participated in the ribbon cutting hosted by the Chamber of
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Mayor Pro Tem Shaw participated in the ribbon cutting hosted by the Chamber of
Commerce congratulating the Redlands Police Officers Association as the newest
Chamber member. He praised Speaker, Chris Singleton, who spoke a message promoting
unity and respect which was hosted by the Kiwanis Club. He attended the 93rd
Watchorn Lincoln Dinner event at the Orton Center, and the Compact Club February
dinner mixer.
Council Member Barich enjoyed the 93rd Watchorn Lincoln Dinner event at the Orton
Center, attended the Compact Club February dinner mixer, and participated in the ribbon
cutting hosted by the Chamber of Commerce congratulating the Redlands Police Officers
Association as the newest Chamber member.
Council Member Tejeda participated in the ribbon cutting hosted by the Chamber of
Commerce congratulating the Redlands Police Officers Association as the newest
Chamber member.
Council Member Davis held the February Youth Council meeting at Fire Station No. 1,
which included a tour hosted by Battalion Chiefs Josh Hannan and Dave Denman.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further action required the meeting adjourned at 7:25 P.M. The next regular
meeting of the City of Redlands City Council will be held on March 4, 2025.
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