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Home My WebLink AboutA- 6 Minutes of January 23, 2003 City CITY OF AZUSA MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR ADJOURNED MEETING THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2003 - 8:00 P.M. The City Council of the City of Azusa met in Adjourned Regular session, at the above date and time in the Azusa Auditorium located at 213 East Foothill Boulevard, Azusa, California. Mayor Madrid called the meeting to order. ROLL CALL PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: HARDISON, STANFORD, ROCHA, CHAGNON, MADRID ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE ALSO PRESENT: City Attorney Martinez, City Manager Cole, Community Development Director Bruckner, Project Manager Jenny Suvari, City Clerk Mendoza, Deputy City Clerk Toscano. Azusa Unified School District Superintendent Gaeta and Azusa School Board Members: Garcia, Torres, Ochoa, Harrington, and Gonzales. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Mr. Phil Doudar addressed Council expressing his support of the Monrovia Nursery Project. He noted his objection to what is being proposed for Sierra Madre Boulevard. Monrovia Nursery School Site and Park Concept. City Manager Cole addressed the issue stating that the reason for the meeting is that the City Council wanted to be assured that the concerns of education and future inclusion of school issues have been discussed with the Azusa School Board. He stated that the K-8th School that is being proposed in the Monrovia Nursery project is on a 14 ½ acre site, it will be a nine acre school site, separate middle school and K-5 component as well as a kindergarten component. He advised that a joint use 5.5 acre park of which 3.5 which will be owned by the School District and 2 acres will be owned by the City will also be included. He noted that the School District have concerns that in the future if it is necessary to put an additional facility in their 3.5 acre park, that they need to reserve the right to do that. He stated that the City had concern regarding that because they need to have the 5.5 acre joint use park, which is critical to the park plan and the promenade district. The applicant offered to work out an arrangement that if the School District needed to expand on the 3.5 acre site, it would be replaced by the adjacent 5 acre Vosburg House site which the Nursery is retaining title to. He noted that the basic elements of the existing former MOU have been retained and that the details of a design build agreement and formal negotiations are still being worked on. Dr. Rod Gaeta addressed the issue expressing his appreciation for the efforts that have made with the ongoing negotiations of the MOU and the communication between the City as well as the School Board. Mr. Cliff Schuster, Attorney for the AUSD, addressed the issue with clarifications regarding a bullet point in the staff report with regard to the “Design/Build Agreement”, stating that it means: the School District Design it and it’s turned over the builder to build it. Further that the discussion of High School mitigation, has not been entered into yet, but will be part of the MOU. He then answered questions posed by Mayor Madrid regarding the old MOU, the school size, who will attend, and formula for density. City Manager Cole responded to question regarding formula. Question/Answer Session Call to Order Roll Call Also Present Pub Part P. Doudar Comments Mon Nur School site R. Cole Comments R. Gaeta Super- intendent C. Schuster Attny AUSD Councilmember Stanford asked that due to the reduction in density, will the value of the land also reduce? City Manager Cole responded, yes. Councilmember Chagnon asked questions regarding the following: Maintenance of school, impacts on Dalton enrollment, number of units needed to supplement the school, how to control use of the field, Dalton School egress and ingress at 10th street, and clarification on the Vosburg House. Councilmember Rocha expressed his concern regarding the use of parks by residents outside the City. He requested options regarding parking, fencing, staff parking structure, and proximity of park to school. Superintendent Gaeta responded stating that he has no answers regarding maintenance at this time. He stated that discussion have been held regarding possible attractive security fence but, the design has not been done yet. He stated that they have a School of Choice Policy based on seat availability and that no school would be impacted due to the seat availability. Lengthy discussion was held between regarding the Dalton School ingress/egress and 10th Street . Concerns were that if 10th street is to become an in and out street there is a concern in the neighborhood regarding traffic; it was noted that there needs to put emphasis on these concerns. Councilmember Rocha stated that the mitigation there is a four way stop at Palm Drive and that he turned in a petition of 52 signatures of residents Old Mill and 10th Street that are against the opening of 10th street. He stated that Dalton school will be the only school impacted by traffic and that he is in agreement not to make that an exit and entrance to the new project. Councilmember Chagnon stated that it’s not going to be a thoroughfare and she wants to see some type of ingress and egress in Dalton school and that if it’s something that the school is planning to improve at that site with the bond money and it’s already in the plans, then she would like to see that happen, if not, if it’s not going to happen, then she would like to ask the land owner for their help in putting in the ingress and egress. She stated that she thinks that by keeping it closed, this creates more of a circulation problem. Additional discussion was held regarding Dalton School and the problems with pick up and drop off of children. And further discussion was held regarding outside groups using the parks and problems that have arisen with regard to trash, human waste, drinking alcoholic beverages, etc. Mr. Schuster responded stating that Dalton School is not the only schools that have problems with pick up and drop off and that their problems are going to be addressed within about 7 years. City Manager Cole advised that the designers of the plan discussed the current issues and came up with many possible solutions. He stated that they would study the solutions and make a recommendation for the best one. Mr. Gaeta advised that the Civic Center Act advises that they do not have the legal right to say “no” to outside groups. Discussion was held regarding the issue. Suggestions were made i.e. additional police presence, or the creation of policies that can address those issues. He answered questions regarding the ROP Program and that there is not policy regarding naming of the school. City Manager Cole noted that there is a need to continue to work on items of concern such as the Dalton Avenue issues, the joint use agreement, the park and school site issues and parking. Members of the School Board and City Council expressed their pleasure of meeting together to discuss items of mutual interest and that they are looking forward to working with staff. Mr. Schuster advised that the schools have specific designs that they are more and more defined and the Azusa Unified School District will be leading the process. Moved by Councilmember Chagnon, seconded by Mayor Madrid and unanimously carried to adjourn to Tuesday, January 28, 2003, at 6:30 at the Azusa Auditorium to conduct an adjourned meeting on the Continued Public Hearing on the Monrovia Nursery Project. TIME OF ADJOURNMENT: 9:33 P.M. ________________________________________ CITY CLERK NEXT RESOLUTION NO. 03-C5. (Council) Q & A Session Stanford Comments Chagnon Comments Rocha Comments Gaeta Comments Lengthy Discussion Schuster Response City Mgr Response Gaeta Response City Mgr Comments AUSD Members Schuster Comment Adjourn to 1/28/03 01/23/03 PAGE TWO