City Council Minutes

September 18, 2000

REDWOOD CITY CITY COUNCIL

MAYOR  IRA RUSKIN
VICE MAYOR  RICHARD S. CLAIRE

 
COUNCILMEMBER JIM HARTNETT
COUNCILMEMBER DIANE HOWARD
COUNCILMEMBER JEFF IRA
COUNCILMEMBER COLLEEN M. JORDAN
COUNCILMEMBER BARBARA PIERCE

REGULAR MEETING
7:30 P.M.
September 18, 2000

1. CALL TO ORDER - 7:30 p.m.

2. ROLL CALL

Council Members Present: Hartnett, Howard, Ira, Pierce, Mayor Ruskin

Staff Present: City Manager Everett, Assistant City Attorney Sorba, City Clerk Howe, Information Technology Manager Gipe, Community Development Services Director Nelson, Planning and Redevelopment Manager Church, Community Development Services Manager Passanisi, Traffic Engineer Haygood, Police Chief Bolanos, Police Sergeant Blanc, Supervising Civil Engineer Lynch Volunteer Balsamo

3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - (by Council Member Barbara Pierce)

4. INVOCATION - Pastor Dennis Logie, Sequoia Christian Church

5. SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY - None

6. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS

Ted Hannig, speaking for Patrick Jacquemet, Jean Jacquemet, Elizabeth Philpott, David Philpott, Guido Zan and Emma Zan, stated he has volunteered all of his time and he is concerned as a parent and as a citizen about the process. He stated the neighbors are in support of Aurora students and have no prejudice against them.

Pete O'Brien, speaking for Viviana Oyola, Rick McConnell, Edith Strain, Lisa Sandrini, Monica Sandrini and Gerard Zelnik, stated he was addressing unacceptable behavior at several levels of City Government. He further stated his concerns center on the inappropriateness of the location of a high school due to the size of the property and the traffic problems it would create. He read an e-mail to the City Council sent by the City Manager. He stated, the activities should be seen not as a civil rights and racism issue, but as a civics lesson where concerned citizens exercise their rights to have input into the City Government decisions which directly affect the quality of life, control of traffic and the safety of children and elderly crossing the street in the area.

Caroline McHenry, representing Redwood City Kiwanis Farmers' Market, stated that recently Manager Norm Shapiro passed away and on Saturday, October 14 in his memory, they will be hosting a celebration of his life at the Farmers' Market in downtown. The event will include face painting, a pumpkin festival, arts and crafts with musical entertainment. Ms. McHenry stated that the money from the Farmers' Market goes back to the children, seniors and less fortunate people in the community. The event will be held from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with festivities for the children at 9:00 a.m.

Heidi Wordhouse, a parent volunteer at Aurora School, representing herself thanked the City for all they have done in collaborating to find mitigation for the St. Pius neighbors perceived difficulties. She stated Aurora High School is Redwood City's premier academic high school and the school is looking to bring the education bar up in Redwood City. She further stated she was sad to say that a group of private school parents and catholic school neighbors were able to intimidate the elderly Messiah congregation into reversing their decision. She stated there are 9,000 students who want to make public school effective and excellent. She stated the school needs active support from the City Council to help find a long-term site.

Jeff Opfer spoke about the interim urgency ordinance and its effect on the development of a project on his property. He read a letter and handed it out to the Council. He stated he is respectfully requesting exemption from the amended interim urgency ordinance regulations concerning new office construction. He stated they feel it appropriate that they be allowed to continue to operate under the regulations, as they were when the project was started prior to their inclusion in the eminent domain process.

7. CONSENT CALENDAR

Items on the Consent Calendar are considered to be routine by the City Council and are enacted by one motion and one vote. There is no separate discussion of these items unless a Council Member or Citizen so requests, in which event the item is removed from the consent calendar and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda.

M/S Ira/Hartnett to waive reading of the Consent Calendar except the ordinances by title, adopt the resolutions and the ordinances, and approve other items. The motion passed by unanimous roll call vote by those present.

7.1   Section - Minutes

A. Approve by Motion the Minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of August 28, 2000;

MINUTE ORDER 00-299

B. Approve by Motion Hiring of Christopher Boyd as an IT Analyst II above the Bottom of Salary Range;

MINUTE ORDER 00-300

C. Approve by Motion Hiring of Assistant Engineer with a Salary Above the Bottom of the Salary Range;

MINUTE ORDER 00-301

D. Approve by Motion an increase of $61,414.10 in the Service Agreement with the JPB for the Rubberized Crossing Project;

MINUTE ORDER 00-302

E. Approve by Motion Execution of Contract Change Order No. 1 to the Agreement with Chrisp Company in an Amount not to Exceed $17,460.60;

MINUTE ORDER 00-303

7.2   Section - Task Orders

A. RESOLUTION 14047 APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING SERVICES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS FOR THE REDWOOD SHORES BAYFRONT SPECIFIC PLAN;

7.3   Section - Ordinances (second reading) - None

7.4   Section - Claims and Warrants

A. Approve warrants dated through September 18TH , 2000 and all usual and necessary
payments through October 9th, 2000;

MINUTE ORDER 00-304

8. PUBLIC HEARINGS

A. Architectural Permit Application for Laurel Way Appeal (to be continued to October 23, 2000);

9. STAFF REPORTS - None

10. BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES REPORTS

A) Process for Future Traffic Issues (continued from 9/11/00);

Council Member Pierce explained that in November 1999 the committee was appointed to oversee the evaluation of speed humps on Edgewood and the stop signs on Blandford to assess the impact on the neighborhood. After the evaluation and permanent status of the humps and signs, the Edgewood Traffic Calming Committee determined that most of the significant traffic mitigation requires full Council approval. The Committee further determined that a more effective way to handle traffic issues would be to develop some understanding among the full Council as to the impact of the mitigation and develop a full understanding about the goals for the City. The Committee also felt it would be easier for staff if they had a clear understanding of what they expected and tried to create.

M/S Hartnett/Howard to disband the Edgewood Traffic Calming Committee and thank the members for their work. The motion passed by a unanimous voice vote by those present.

Consensus by Council was to direct staff to provide reports, and to receive direction on significant traffic calming and safety issues at City Council Sessions on a quarterly basis.

MINUTE ORDER 00-305

11. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS - None

12. MATTERS OF COUNCIL INTEREST

A) Duck Hunting Memo (continued from 9/11/00);

Mayor Ruskin explained the background dating back to the City's municipal code in 1974 regulating the discharge of firearms within the City limits. The ordinance was amended in 1975 allowing the hunting of waterfowl to licensed hunters during waterfowl season in accordance with State and Federal regulations. Mayor Ruskin summarized the ordinance. The topic is brought up for discussion so Council can determine whether it intends any serious changes to the duck hunting regulations prior to the 2000 hunting season.

Police Sergeant Blanc explained his memorandum dated June 27, 2000 that responded to specific questions from the April 24, 2000 Council meeting.

Public Comment:

Dennis Haussler stated that sportsmen realized that there would not be ducks unless commercial hunting was curtailed and the sportsmen initiated the outlawing of commercial hunting. He explained his philosophy of duck hunting and stated the impact on the habitat in the area is minimal due to the need for knowledge and work necessary to hunt in the area. Knowledge of tides, equipment and a boat, a willingness to hunt, knowledge of the habits of the birds as to when they move, where they will move to, weather conditions, time and effort and sweat are all necessary. He stated a mandate of the State Government is to establish and maintain access to the public for both hunting and fishing. The history behind duck hunting is valuable and asked that Council keep it in mind.

Paul Verveniotis explained he works in technology and enjoys a fundamental lifestyle of hunting to provide food for his family. He stated there is a very rich tradition of hunting in the area and that we should not allow a small group of citizens to decide that because they no longer like an aspect of an area's usage, hunting should be banned. He stated he is a member of the California Waterfowl Association and Ducks Unlimited and that the two organizations have restored millions of acres to wildlife habitat both locally and across North America. He further stated that the CWA is willing to send representatives to speak at any future discussions and he asked that any continued discussion respect his comments and the long history of waterfowling in the area.

Consensus of Council was that no change is to be made at this time to the discharge of firearms provisions in connection with waterfowl hunting in the outer waters of the city.

B) Historic Courthouse Restoration Report;

Mayor Ruskin explained that recent Council consensus was to join efforts with other groups to demolish the annexes to the old historic courthouse and restore the original courthouse to its historical glory. This project would include a park area, which would be naturally restored if that annex were removed. Since the park plaza area is central to the downtown the idea of seeking additional community input and might be appropriate for the downtown task force to study. Seeking approval of seed money and ideas about the project and any concerns.

M/S Howard/Hartnett to adopt the recommendations that Council designate seed money of no more than $15,000. To share the cost of professional consultants and to ask the Downtown Task Force and Downtown Business Group to both be participants in communicating how they would want that area to look in the future. The motion passed by a unanimous voice vote by those present.

MINUTE ORDER 00-306

13. ADJOURNMENT - 9:30 p.m.

M/S Hartnett/Ira to adjourn until the meeting of October 16, 2000. The motion passed by a unanimous voice vote by those present.

Respectfully submitted,

Patricia S. Howe, CMC

City Clerk

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