Council Study Session

MINUTES CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION CITY OF MONTEREY Thursday, December 12, 2013 4:00 p.m. COLTON ROOM, MONTEREY CONFERENCE CENTER MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Councilmembers Present: Councilmembers Downey, Haffa, Sollecito, Della Sala Absent: Councilmember Selfridge City Staff City Manager, Assistant City Manager, City Attorney, Deputy City Manager, Present: Plans & Public Works, Chief of Planning, Engineering, and Environmental Compliance, Community Services Director, Senior Assistant City Clerk CALL TO ORDER Mayor Della Sala called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS Mayor Della Sala opened public comment on items not on the agenda and seeing no requests to speak closed public comment. He introduced several German interns working at the City of Monterey and thanked them for their time at the City. STUDY SESSION 1. APPEALS HEARING BOARD REPORTS (AHB) AHB Member Hawkins stated the AHB is a very unique board. He described how the AHB works, likening it to a mediation agency at times. He stressed the AHB listens, learns and tries to do the appropriate thing. He noted AHB met twice in 2013 to hear 1001 Hellam and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Updated Transition Plan. 2. ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE REPORTS (ARC) ARC Chair Sullivan provided the annual report, focusing on their work over the past year. He reviewed with Council changes in Committee membership, stating their vast experiences bring a lively debate to ARC meetings. He stated the number of reviews conducted in 2013 has risen in comparison with 2012. He stressed that something as simple as a tree review is important because Monterey is an urban forest and trees add to the commonwealth of the City. He spoke about sign reviews in general and the Turn 12 at 180 E Franklin in particular. Chair Sullivan listed several things the ARC has reviewed this year that will be heard by Council in 2014. Councilmember Downey thanked the ARC for its work on signs, stating they make a big difference in how the City looks. 3. COLTON HALL MUSEUM & CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION REPORTS (CHMCAC) CHMCAC Chair Wojtkowski presented the agenda report, stressing CHMCAC is the custodian of 3 City museums. He explained that the CHMCAC annually coordinates art openings, candlelight concerts, and other events that are very well received. He stressed that CHMCAC is very different from other boards, committees and commissions in that CHMCAC commissioners actually work events they coordinate. He stated CHMCAC continues it’s fundraising and hopes to increase the number concerts next year from 3 to 4. He thanked Dennis Copeland for  City Council Minutes Thursday, December 12, 2013 his work with the Commission. Chair Wojtkowski described how this year the Commission opened Pacific Biological Laboratory for tours that were well received. He stressed that joint partnership of the Lab ends soon. He shared with Council details on two grants awarded to CHMCAC. Councilmember Downey sent kudos to CHMCAC, stating candlelight services are awesome. Council and staff discussed the purchase of the Pacific Biological Laboratory and how the City needs to move forward with this historic and yet fragile asset. 4. HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION REPORTS (HPC) HPC Chair Palminteri shared the mission of the HPC and stressed that this year as compared to years past HPC has reviewed several commercial properties, citing the Regency Theater, Marsh Building, and Passenger Depot. She spoke about the Historic Context Statement and Surveys. She provided a preview of work done in 2013 by HPC that the Council will hear in 2014. Mayor Della Sala and Councilmember Downey thanked the HPC for its work and Councilmember Downey stated the Wharf Marketplace is wonderful. 5. LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES REPORTS (LB) LB Chair Yamanishi stated the Board has a lot of people to thank for all the great things that happened in the Library in 2013. Specifically, she thanked the Council, Friends of the Library, and the NIP Committee. She stated that thanks to their efforts the Library has reinstated Sunday hours and due to approval of NIP projects there is an alarm system and a new silent study room. She also described how the Community Room is now used as a partnership study room. Chair Yamanishi bid farewell to Assistant Library Director Holtzman, stating he helped the Board of Trustees with so many things. She congratulated Library Director Bui-Burton on her 15 year anniversary with the Library and looks forward to her help with the Library reorganization in the coming months. Councilmember Downey sent kudos to the Library Board. 6. NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM COMMITTEE REPORTS (NIP) NIP Spokesperson Heuer stated NIP is unusual because it was created by the residents of Monterey and is the largest board. He thanked Tom Reeves for his service to the committee and congratulated him on his upcoming retirement. Mr. Heuer provided Council with statistics on the NIP Committee's budget and projects, stating the Committee is not running of out projects any time soon. He stressed that NIP has helped improve all City parks and stated that in example NIP is funding a revitalization study for the Villa Del Monte neighborhood. He expressed concern with the pace and backlog of NIP projects, stating capital improvement projects seem to take priority although NIP projects are fully funded. Councilmember Sollecito stated the NIP Committee is important, but not just because of the projects it completes, but because it makes Monterey a close knit family. Mr. Heuer closed by saying, in example, that the NIP Committee with its projects has changed the face of neighborhoods like Laguna Grande. Mayor Della Sala thanked the NIP Committee for the ways that the Committee has improved all neighborhoods. 7. PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION REPORTS (PRC) PRC Chair McCarthy thanked the NIP Committee helping PRC with some projects this year. He highlighted that the Monterey Sports Center served over a million people in this year. Chair McCarthy described for Council recreation programs and online registration, noting online registration continues to grow. He stated that the Commission has begun an update to the parks and recreation master plan with a draft due later in the coming year. Chair McCarthy noted a renovation of the skate park will happen in early 2014. He happily reported that the City 2  City Council Minutes Thursday, December 12, 2013 had several successful events or installations, citing Cutting Day, landscaping of wharf marketplace site, a sister city park on the recreational trail, North Fremont medians, and 4th of July celebrations that were wonderful. He stated Commissioner Canepa has stepped down from the Commission and closed by sharing Commissioner Canepa's quote for the end of all PRC meetings life is great, visit a park. Councilmember Downey thanked the PRC for such a wonderful tree lighting this year. Councilmember Haffa asked for an update on the Dennis the Menace train. Chair McCarthy noted the Commission would like to make the train more accessible, but that he does not have a detailed update at this time. Mayor Della Sala stated PRC adds a lot of value to the City. 8. PLANNING COMMISSION REPORTS (PC) PC Chair McCrone stated the Commission had an interesting and successful year. He said the Downtown Specific Plan is one of the finest plans he has seen in his 16 years on the PC and hopes it will win an award. He spoke about other plans they have or will review that will come to Council in 2014, noting they have worked on these plans for 3 years. He emphasized that during those years the Commission and staff have developed all sorts of techniques to involve the community in deliberations. Most recently, he said, they used door hangers. He congratulated Principal Planners Cole and Caraker, stating they did excellent work that was above and beyond expectations. He stated the Commission works on the concepts and staff puts it on paper. He thanked downtown property owners for funding the parking study. He stressed he does not want to develop a plan that sits on a shelf and encouraged the Council to go forward and set priorities and a time line to get things done. Chair McCrone recommended Council consider rescinding or modifying Wharf Resolution 9000 to align it with all newly developed plans responding to Council questions on this comment. He closed by asking Council to continue the PC work programs to address other plans and necessary changes to the Zoning Ordinance, stressing they are necessary if we want to realize a pedestrian friendly and mass transit reliant community. Mayor Della Sala thanked PC commissioners for their work and plans they have developed. He stated we are seeing a lot of action in the areas where plans have been developed. He stated that when the City can move forward with a plan it gives residents residents a certainty to move forward with projects. He cited several projects and said the list goes on and on. Mayor Della Sala and Councilmember Downey thanked all boards, committees, commissions, and staff for a job well done and that the City should be proud of those successes. ADJOURNMENT Seeing no more business before the City Council, Mayor Della Sala adjourned the meeting at 4:58 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Catherine A. Raynor Chuck Della Sala Senior Assistant City Clerk Mayor 3