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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - June 10, 1998 - CCCITY OF AZUSA MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL, AND THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1998 -6:30 P.M. The City Council/Board members of the City of Azusa and the Redevelopment Agency met ' in adjourned regular session at the above date and time in the Civic Auditorium. Mayor/Chairman Madrid called the meeting to order. ROLL CALL PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: HARDISON, ROCHA, BEEBE, MADRID ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: STANFORD ALSO PRESENT: Interim City Administrator/Executive Director Hsu, Chief of Police Broderick, Captain Garcia, Community Development Director Bruckner, City Librarian Maghsoudi, Finance Director Craig, Accounting Services Supervisor Brisco, Headstart Coordinator Coppola, Recreation Supervisor Noriega, Recreation Supervisor Jacobs, Senior Programs Coordinator Crawford, Transportation Manager MacKay, City Treasurer Talley, Deputy City Clerk/Secretary Toscano, and many other city employees. Interim City Administrator/Executive Director Hsu addressed Council and staff introducing the proposed budget for fiscal year 1998-99, thanking all staff members for cooperation in providing 16% in proposed cut figures and he explained the process for bumping rights. Call to Order Roll Call Also Present City Admin intro Finance Director Craig addressed Council and audience presenting an overview figures of Fin Dir the budget figures for 1998-99, stating that the estimated revenue budget is for $20,940,928. Budget He also detailed government business cycle, compared last years budget, spoke of growth Overview in the economy, City assets, and detailed the summary of proposed revenues and proposed appropriations. Councilmember Rocha requested additional information on the sheet given to Council dated Questions by June 2,1998, stating miscellaneous cost increases and growth of $900,000 and 1997-98 cuts, Councilmembers that were one time, totaling $250,000. Mayor Madrid questioned the cost of thawed positions with the amount of three quarters of a million dollars. Finance Director is to bring back an answer to questions at a later date. Community Development Director Bruckner addressed Council stating that the general fund budget for his department is approximately 3.5 million dollars and the 16% reduction would amount to approximately $565,000. He presented option one of the proposed cuts as follows: elimination of the General Plan Program (one time funding), two Inspector positions and one part time inspector, vacant street maintenance position and the part time position handling graffiti, totaling $572,092. He explained the effects that these cuts will have on the department. The second option proposed a delay of the General plan, eliminate a vacant planning tech position, a part time planning intern and two full time, one part time inspector 'positions, engineering associate, parttime graffiti position and two vacant street maintenance positions. He then answered questions posed by Council regarding contracting out programs, sub -missions totaling his budget, revenue generation, budget request justifications meetings and conferences, custodial services, facilities maintenance budget and lengthy discussion regarding proposed car wash. Com Dev Dir presentation of budget and 16% cuts PUBLIC HEARING - on extension of moratorium prohibiting land use entitlements or Pub Hrg building permits issuance for new residential units adjacent to the Azusa Greens Golf Course. Moratorium The Mayor declared the Hearing open.. Deputy City Clerk read the proof of publication of Hrg open notice of said hearing, published in the San Gabriel Tribune on June 1, 1998. City Attorney Carvalho addressed the issue stating that an ordinance has been in effect for City Attorney 45 days and staff prepared a report explaining what has been done during that period to comments alleiviate the problems and that in order to extend the ordinance Council will have to make findings, by unanimous vote, to see if the same facts exist causing the need for additional extending a moratorium. Mr. Glen Watson, Attorney representing Mr. Johnson, of Azusa Greens Golf Course, addressed Council stating that the City has failed to show that there is a threat to the public health, safety and welfare due to the Golf Course and building of five more homes adjacent to it, further, that no report was filed 10 days prior to the hearing as required by law and that this has caused a freezing of application for development of the proposed property. He then detailed the action that was taken in 1996 regarding the general plan amendments, conditional use permit, precise plan of design and zone change for said property; sees no change in the situation to cause a threat to public health, safety and welfare. He then spoke of investment made to the property since the project was first proposed and advised that if the project is not allowed to continue the property owner will seek legal redirection to invalidate the action by Council. Mr. Tony Naranjo, President of General Development Corporation, addressed the Hearing stating that they were the development group that put together land assembly for the proposed site and expressed his oppositionto the moratorium, spoke of several meetings with the public surrounding the property and stated that he too agreed that there has been no change since the project began in 1996. He detailed his view on the project since its inception and expressed several reasons for his opposition to the moratorium. G. Watson Attorney for J. Johnson comments T. Naranjo comments Mr. Ralph Meraz addressed the Hearing stating that there are differences now regarding the R. Meraz 'proposed property as homes are there now, golf balls area problem, wind problems will exist comments if the trees are removed from the area, there will be more problems with golf balls if homes are built and presented diagrams into the record. Ms. Diana Offen addressed the Hearing in support of the moratorium. City Attorney Carvalho addressed the Hearing stating that staff prepared a report dated June 1, 1998, that addressed the issue of what they have done since the adoption of the moratorium; they have begun a land use survey of the area and determined what golf ball use and type of development in that area is compatible and continues to research publications of communities and other areas to see how other people have dealt with these issues, they have been in the process of surveying other cities n the area to determine the types of safeguards that have been used elsewhere. She reminded Council that a moratorium is a tool to preserve the status quo while staff does its due diligence and that this report addressed the report that Mr. Watson mentioned at the beginning of the Hearing. Community Development Director Bruckner responded to some of the questions posed by applicant, stating that staff assisted the applicant by recommending changes to the site plan and lay out of the plan, there have been other projects in the area similar to the one proposed by the applicant, that went through General Plan Amendment, zone changes and development approval process for residential development, and at the time staff recognized that there may 1 be an issue with the golf balls and mitigation measures were recommended and staff found that after residents moved in they found that those mitigation measures were not sufficient. In the applicants property, the same process was done and recommended mitigation measures. Staff is still performing studies to look at the issue of the property being in a golf ball area, and allowing a development in that area and proper mitigation measures, which is the purpose of the moratorium. The delay of the conditional use permit, which has now expired because the applicant failed to request an extension and the reason for the delay was because the applicant has not being able to comply with some of the conditions and one of them is that they must be part of the homeowners association of the Van Daele project, and there is no vesting because no final map has been recorded and no permits have been issued. 06/10/98 PAGE TWO D. Offen City Attorney comments Com Dev Dir comments It was consensus of the Councilmembers to close the Hearing. Councilmember Hardison stated that residents on the properties in the area of the Golf Course are getting pelted with golf balls and expressed the need for a closure to this problem. Councilmember Rocha stated that he is in favor of Staff added time, the moratorium would expire April 26'", and after the study is done it can be lifted at any time that their concerns are satisfied. Councilmember Beebe stated that to make those facts, testimony has been heard from 'property owners, now and in the past and that there are concerns and issues as far as health, safety and welfare, and the situation has changed in the last two years Mayor Madrid stated that there is an immediate danger due to broken bones, ruined parties, injuries to cars, windows that are knocked out, the inability to recover from the golf course owner, from the golf course operators, and golf course users. She stated that Council has heard from people in the Van Daele property, and residents on other streets surrounding the golf course and that Council has worked at great length and have brought in the service of a mediator due to the non -response from the golf course operators that have satisfied the needs of the residents. She stated that numerous tours have been done by Councilmembers Stanford, Rocha, and Hardison that have indicated the ongoing presence of golf balls and the difficulty they create, not only to the residents, but to guests who visit residents, and there are things that the residents cannot do, because of the golf balls, but mostly, the inability to recover, to have broken windows replaced, to have car dents taken care of, and she believes there is an immediate danger to residents. She clarified that her previous action on the ordinance, a dissension, was only to allow the mediation to proceed, and now, she feels that the mediation be mandatory, but not that there was a lack of facts. Councilmember Hardison offered an Ordinance entitled: AN INTERIM URGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF AZUSA, CALIFORNIA, TEMPORARILY PROHIBITING APPROVAL OF ALL LAND USE ENTITLEMENTS OR 'THE ISSUANCE OF BUILDING PERMITS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ALL NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON REAL PROPERTY ADJACENT TO AZUSA GREENS GOLF COURSE PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 65858. Moved by Councilmember Hardison, seconded by Mayor Madrid to waive further reading and adopt. Ordinance passed and adopted by the following vote of the Council: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: HARDISON, ROCHA, BEEBE, MADRID NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: STANFORD City Attorney Carvalho responded to questions posed by Councilmembers regarding, Best, Best, & Krieger Legal Fees, which are approximately $300,000. She advised that last year her firm reduced fees by $100,000, and reminded that when they first joined with the City, its legal fees were 1.2 million dollars, and they have tried to reduce the fees through sound advice and avoiding litigation, further, reminding them that there has been no litigation during the past couple of years. She also stated she would provide an audit on how the money has been spent that they have received and explained the process. THE CITY COUNCIL RECESSES AT 8:23 P.M. ' THE CITY COUNCIL RECONVENED AT 8:38 P.M. Interim City Administrator Hsu stated that the three sub -missions in the City Administration department are Legislation, $132,144, Administration, 282,616 and Promotion $85,791, total budget is $500,551, the proposed 16% cut is $76,835. He answered questions posed by Councilmembers and Council requested that they take a 15% cut in its salary, in addition to the proposed administrative cuts. Discussion was held regarding Council benefits and they requested that staff come back with a report on them for possible cut to last years amount. 06/10/98 PAGE THREE Hrg closed Hardison comments Rocha comments Beebe comments Madrid comments Ord. No. 98-08 Moratorium Land Use Entil. & issuance bldg permits prop. adjacent to Azusa Greens City Attorney comments Recess Reconvened City Admin budget. Deputy City Clerk Toscano presented the City Clerk budget which totals approximately City Clerk $300,000. The 16% reduction is approximately 50,000. The postage budget was reduced budget by 25%, the accounting services allocation was reduced by 50%, and the City Clerk chose to reduce his salary by 60%, per his memo to Council, he stated that the City Clerk's office would not be able to function efficiently with a reduced staff. There are two full time and two part time persons in the City Clerk office. The reduction reflects 12.3% in cuts. She then answered questions posed by Councilmembers regarding postage account, election budget, . Finance Director Craig answered questions posed by Councilmembers regarding allocations, Dir of Finance stating that each sub -mission that use personnel, finance, building maintenance, auto comments maintenance, insurance, etc., that all departments share in the cost, and those costs are reflected in various departments as well as in the allocations budget. He stated that the City Clerk can cut its allocation budget by 15% and then answered questions posed by Council regarding the election account, past and present and Council requested that he come back with a clear accounting of that budget. The also requested that the Finance Director come back with an actual up-to-date accounting of each department, by department, not sub- missions. Chief of Police Broderick addressed Council voicing his concerns and opposition to the 15% cut approach, stating that the police department is 80% labor and the cut will result in loss of people in many jobs. He provided a brief history of the department, ideas for revenue generation, reminded Council of the memorandum of understanding with labor groups and requested additional time, approximately four weeks to work with City Manager, etc., for a better way to balance the budget. He then answered questions posed by Council regarding overtime, uniform account, number of police officers, special items relating to memoranda of understanding, salary savings, retirement/restructuring, and procedures that were utilized for cutting budget this year. It was consensus of CouncilmembersBoardmembers to adjourn and reconvene on Tuesday, June 16, 1998, at 6:30 in the Civic Auditorium. ITIME OF ADJOURNMENT: 9:38 P.M. uJ DEPUTY CITY CLERKS t CRETARY NEXT RESOLUTION NO. 98-C95. (Council) NEXT ORDINANCE NO. 98-09 (Council) NEXT RESOLUTION NO. 98-R38 (Agency) NEXT ORDINANCE NO. 98 -ROI (Agency) Chief of Police budget Adjourn to 6/16/98