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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - June 22, 1988 - RA0 0 CITY OF AZUSA MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL VV1 1 AGENCY ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING JUNE 22, 1988 - 6:00 P.M. The City Council and the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Azusa met in adjourned regular session at the above date and time in the Senior Citizen Center. Mayor/Chairman Moses called the meeting to order and led in the salute to the Flag. ROLL CALL PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBERS/DIRECTORS: AVILA, NARANJO, STENRICH, MOSES ABSENT COUNCILMEMBERS/DIRECTORS: LATTA ALSO PRESENT City Attorney/General Counsel Thorson, City Administrator/Executive Director Fuentes, Chief of Police/Assistant City Administrator Wood, Community Development Director Bruckner, Director of Finance Craig, Utilities Director Hsu, City Librarian Alaniz, City Treasurer Talley, Redevelopment Manager Steel, Code Enforcement Officer Rudisel, Business License Officer Allen, City Clerk Solis. Call to order Roll Call Also Present Moved by Mayor/Chairman Moses, seconded by Latta excused Councilmember/Director Naranjo and unanimously carried by roll call* to excuse Councilman/Director Latta from the meeting. Moved by Mayor/Chairman Moses, seconded by Councilmember/Director Naranjo and unanimously carried by roll call* to continue Agenda Items D-1, D-2, D-3, D-4, D-51 D-6 and D-7, dealing with memoranda of understanding for various employee groups and salary resolutions, to the meeting of July 5, 1988. City Administrator presented proposed new revenues for consideration by the Council, which included the following: Admissions Tax Transient Occupancy Tax Sanitary Landfill Tax Square Foot Assessment Tax Multi -User Hazardous Waste Facility Tax Landscape Assessment District Commercial Waste Water Discharge Fee Discussion was held regarding proposed Admissions Tax, which would be a 10% charge on all events where a fee is charged for admittance, and also for parking when a separate or additional fee is charged. The tax would be imposed on such events as motion picture performances, exhibits, fairs, etc. Agenda items re: MOU's & salaries cont to 7/5 mtg Proposed new revenues Admissions Tax 0 0 It was consensus of Council that the admissions tax be Adm.Tax to included on the November ballot. be on ballot Transient Occupancy Tax was then discussed which is a tax TO Tax that we currently have, commonly called the "bed tax" utilized by all hotels and motels. Presently there is a 7.5% tax and it was recommended that this be increased to 10%. COUNCILMAN/DIRECTOR LATTA ENTERED THE MEETING AT 6:15 P.M. Latta entrd mtg Discussion was held regarding taxing agencies, such as the Red Cross, who very often house needed people in motels. It General was ascertained that only governmental employees on discussion government business are exempt from paying the transient TO tax occupancy tax; however, some motels give lower rates to certain agencies, thus making the tax paid less. Further discussion was held regarding the lot figure on the tax and if the rate was comparable with surrounding cities. Mr. Art Morales addressed this item stating that possibly Comments other cities were in the process of increasing revenues just A. Morales like the City of Azusa and especially with the Raiders move to Irwindale being imminent the City of Irwindale is probably going to do the same thing. He was in favor of the increase. It was consensus of Council that the 10% increase in TO tax on transient occupany tax be placed on the November ballot. ballot Sanitary Landfill Tax was then discussed with an increase Sanitary recommended of 10$ of gross receipts, which would bring this Landfill tax in line with the only other landfill, BKK. This Tax proposed tax will not affect the residents of Azusa. It was consensus of Council that the proposed increase in San.Landfill the Landfill tax also be placed on the November ballot. on ballot Mr. Art Morales addressed the landfill issue and wondered Comments how we could restrict people other than Azusans from using A. Morales it, in order to increase the life of the landfill. It was suggested that perhaps if the rates are higher that might discourage some people from dumping there. The square foot assessment tax was then discussed. This tax Sq. Ft. is based on .03 cents a square foot on all commercial and assessment industrial businesses in the City as a supplement to the low business license fee structure. The fees are quite nominal and should not be a burden. Lengthy discussion ensued regarding this type of tax being a General burden to those businesses that are now paying rather high discussion business license fees, such as Aerojet. The warehouses, Sq.Ft. tax that pay a flat $50.00 business license fee should have to pay the square foot assessment. It was felt that there should be more equity in the assessments. It was the consensus of the Council to approve the concept Concept appvd of the square footage tax, but to direct staff to work out rpt on poss. the possible inequities as discussed before approving this inequities tax for the November ballot. Mr. Art Morales addressed the Council regarding the business Comments license fees. He requested clarification on the fees and A. Morales wondered if business license fees could be adjusted so that amount of fee would be based on monies earned by businesses, rather than a flat fee based on number of employees. 06/22/88 PAGE TWO 0 6 Discussion was held regarding multi-user hazardous waste facility tax. The City's current tax and fee structure has no provision for imposing or collecting a tax or fee on facilities which treat, store, or dispose of hazardous wastes. Recent changes in State Law now require that cities make provisions for the placement of hazardous waste facilities within their respective jurisdictions based on a county wide hazardous waste management plan and citing criteria developed by the State. The tax would be in accordance with that allowed by law, not to exceed 10% of a facility's gross receipts and set by separate resolution by the City Council. The City currently has one multi-user hazardous waste facility and the user is aware of the proposed tax. Multi-user haz. waste tax It was consensus of the Council that proposed multi-user Multi-user hazardous waste facilities tax be placed on the November haz.tax on ballot. ballot Landscape Assessment District was then discussed. The Landscape and Lighting Act of 1972 provides a means by which the City can assess property owners for any costs associated with the maintenance of landscaped areas within a given area. As with any special benefit assessment, the costs are assessed based upon the benefit derived by the work performed which will vary from parcel to parcel. An alternative process would be to establish a City wide benefit assessment rather than a localized assessment. This would be a cost to the residents of approximately $12.00 per year, per parcel. If the industrial/commercial sites only were taxed, it would be approximately $8.00 per year, per parcel. Council discussion in opposition of this proposed assessment district ensued. Mr. Art Morales addressed this item, stating that perhaps the commercial owners could be assessed, but that the residents should be left alone; further that if this item were to pass and also placed on the ballot, it could make the voters vote negatively on the rest of the proposed measures. He felt that it should not be approved. Further discussion regarding the assessment district was held, specifically, the maintenance district that was proposed in 1985, and the opposition of the residents at that time. Councilman Latta asked citizens in attendance what their feelings were on this matter. Mrs. Mary Grosvenor addressed this item, stating that she felt the residents would not mind paying an annual fee for maintenance, if, in fact, the monies raised would be spent for just that and not used for other projects. She also requested clarification on the term "per parcel" and was advised that it meant a single lot. She then questioned whether apartment buildings would be assessed a greater fee than a single family dwelling. She was advised that the proposed assessment could be done on a parcel basis, but could also be done on a unit basis. Landscape Assess.Dist General discussion Comments A. Morales Comments M. Grosvenor Mr. Art Morales addressed this issue, again, stating that in Comments his neighborhood, the City planted eight trees, and only one A. Morales of those trees was alive, because the residents will not water them. He stated that if they won't water a tree, then they certainly will not pay for a maintenance district. It was consensus of the Council that this proposed Lndscp Dist assessment district not be approved at this time. not appvd Discussion was held regarding the rock and gravel on Todd Rock & gravel Street and the problems caused to the streets and passing probs vehicles. 06/22/88 PAGE THREE 0 0 It was consensus of the Council that stronger enforcement on More enfrce- the gravel operations be carried out, and that staff look ment on Rock into either a higher excavation tax, or other types of fees companies & to offset the street sweeping of that location as well as poss added road repair work. fees Discussion was held regarding proposed measure for the Prop meas adjustment of rates for business license fees, sanitary to inc fees landfill and excavation taxes, according to the Consumer by CPI Price Index. Rates could then be adjusted when necessary, thus eliminating costly elections to change fees. It was consensus of Council that this measure be placed on CPI meas the November ballot. on ballot MAYOR MOSES WAS EXCUSED AT 7:30 P.M., IN ORDER TO ATTEND THE Moses PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. excused MAYOR PRO -TEM NARANJO CHAIRED THE BALANCE OF THE MEETING. Naranjo chaired mtg Lengthy discussion ensued regarding the Woman's Club operation and various costs to the City for utilities, Disc re: maintenance, set up and tear down after each function and Woman's the fact that the City is losing money due to constant Club requests for waiving fees being approved by Council. The City Attorney apprised Council that this item was not Not on specifically placed on the Agenda and that discussion could Agenda no be held, however, no action could be taken tonight. action taken Mrs. June Hart, out -going President of the Woman's Club and General Mrs. Roberta Behrens, in -coming President of the Woman's discussion Club addressed this item, and general discussion with the Council & Council progressed. One thought was that the operation of Woman's Clb the rental of the club be given to the Woman's Club and the reps City would pay them a fee for doing so, with the City to support them with maintenance, etc. This idea did not set too well with the Woman's Club, because, as they stated before, that was one of the reasons they gave the club to the City. Further, if the City did not want the club any more the Woman's Club would be glad to take it back and then sell it. Further, the creation of a Screening Committee to review Screening the operations, rental fees and all fee waiver requests was Comm on 7/5 discussed and consensus that this be an Agenda item for the Agenda meeting of July 5, 1988. At that time, the present rental policy would be made available for Council perusal. Mayor Pro-tem/Chairman Pro -tem Naranjo offered a resolution entitled: A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AZUSA AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF AZUSA TO RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION ON JUNE 221 1988, PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957 AND MAKING FINDINGS PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9 (a). Moved by Mayor Pro-tem/Chairman Pro -tem Naranjo, seconded by Councilman/Director Stemrich to waive further reading and adopt. Resolution passed and adopted by the following vote of the Council/Agency: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS/DIRECTORS: AVILA, STEMRICH, NARANJO, LATTA NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS/DIRECTORS: NONE ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS/DIRECTORS: MOSES TIME OF RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION: 5:00 P.M. 06/22/88 PAGE FOUR Res #8449 Closed Sess Recess Closed Sess THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY RECONVENED AT Reconvened 8:30 P.M. Moved by Mayor Pro-tem/Chairman Pro -tem Naranjo, seconded by Adjourn Councilman/Director Stemrich and unanimously carried ** to adjourn. TIME OF ADJOURNMENT: 8:31 P.M. SECRETARY NEXT RESOLUTION NO. 472 * Indicates Director Latta absent. ** Indicates Chairman Moses absent. 06/22/88 PAGE FIVE