HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-13-2000 CITY COUNCIL RETREAT EASEL NOTESCouncil Retreat Easel Notes
May 13, 2000
1) Streamlining of Council meetings and re- definition of Council/Commission relationships.
a. Discussed report by Commission Chair by City Council
b. Discussed making meetings with the Commission members to the City
Council more informal
C. Considered eliminating liaison from Council to Commission
d. Consensus that we have once per year joint meeting with City Council as
opposed to eliminating them or twice per year.
e. Suggestion to televise live or tape commission meetings
f. Suggestion to review Commission minutes during Council meetings
g. Discussion re: role of Council Members, Commission Members, Liaison to
Commissions. Council should deliberate, not advocate.
h. Belief that City Council needs to keep some sort of connection with
Commissions.
i. Rotate liaisons — discussion re: how often. Varies from quarterly to annually.
j. Suggestion that Chair report to Council, and not Liaison reports from
Commissions.
k. Consensus is to:
• Have annual joint meetings (rather than 2x per year)
• Commission Chair to report to Council regularly on critical issues
• Keep liaison between Council/Commission, but liaison not to advocate
on behalf of Council at Commission meetings
• Rotate liaison assignments no more frequently than annually
2) Placement of hearing items on agenda.
a. Should we do a policy re: placement of public hearing on agenda?
b. Discussion re: canceling a regular meeting of Council. Agreement not to
cancel regular meetings.
C. Concern about making staff wait until end of public hearings to have their
short consent item heard, but also concern about making public wait until all
consent items are done.
d. Consensus to try to allow flexibility to get short staff reports completed before
lengthy public hearings, if possible.
3) Newsletter publication process; use of Newsletter for surveys, such as Heritage Orchard
status, acquisition and construction of playfields and a gymnasium.
a. Should we use newsletter to take polls?
b. If we are going to take formal polls, we better "do it right." We should use
informal polls (like newsletter polls) to suggest general policy direction.
C. Concern that we need professional pollsters to develop questions & process.
d. Concern that if we hire professional pollster, that they not advocate for a
particular position driven by a citizen group, Commission, etc.
e. Using the newsletter for polls is simple
Council Retreat Easel Notes
of May 13, 2000
f. If using the newsletter, use pre- addressed, postage paid, tear -offs. Also
concern that we use some mechanism to avoid ballot stuffing.
g. Perhaps use the newsletter poll, but just accept it for what it is worth (simple,
non - professional).
h. Suggest we let the paper know in advance that the City does not have a plan
for the orchard, and that we are truly trying to get an opinion
i. Concern about "bulldozing" the orchard.
j. Discussion re: use of the orchard — educational, links to facilities, use of some
of it for library or fields, etc.
k. Question: What percent of the current 14 acres needed for library expansion?
1. Direction to:
1. Broaden questionnaire in newsletter to include using orchard as
educational park. Ann W. & Nick S. to develop questions.
2. Add questions for:
• percent of cut acceptable?
• use of orchard for educational park?
3. Use different color for questionnaire, and perforate.
4. Change the newsletters distributed at City Hall so one person cannot
fill out more than 1 (one) questionnaire. Perhaps draw a slash
through the questionnaire.
4) Commercial economic incentives and redevelopment for the Village and Gateway areas.
a. Suggestion that we need to act this year on the economic development in the
Gateway and in the Village.
b. Ask the merchants to do their part.
C. The Gateway Specific Plan done in 1996 is still valid.
d. $100,000 in FY 00 /01 for economic development.
e. Concern that economic development contractor may have their own plan that
doesn't work for the City.
f. Focus on business attraction & economic development, rather than rebuilding.
g. Feeling that we need to do something now, such as flags or a "Shop Saratoga"
campaign.
h. Discussion re: a median w /trees as soon as you enter Saratoga on S /SV Rd.
from Cupertino. Gives a positive impact and does it now.
i. John asked for $50,000 to do master plan for S /SV Rd.
j. Strong sense that we need to show some action now.
k. Suggestion to place signs along the S /SV Rd. about future improvements &
public meetings. -
1. Don't forget the Village economic development
m. Eagle Wing Theater still in progress
n. Staff to generate a list of things we can do now. There is a list in the '96
report.
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Council Retreat Easel Notes
of May 13, 2000
5) Discussion on moratorium on construction of housing in commercial zones.
a. Richard reported on the process.
b. Concern that the language of the measure be clean & unequivocal.
C. Suggestion that Council draft the language. Needs to be drafted by Council in
public, or assigned to 1 or 2 Council members and then discussed in public.
d. Due by end of July.
e. Richard will do staff report to set stage for Council decision - making.
6) Community Center /Senior Center Master Plan progress.
a. Joan P. reported to Bill that contractors are busy and bids may be high. May
want to consider sole source.
b. Master Plan for Community Center /Civic Center for $35,000 - $55,000.
Reduced scope to be more concise on 1St phase only, for $20,000.
C. Consensus to get proposals from another architect, and to stay within the
$30,000 conceptual proposal.
7) Status of the Mountain Winery Conditional Use Permit (CUP) appeal and negotiations.
(Confidential Item. Separately delineated.)
8) Progress on City Manager recruitment.
a. Belief that salary range OK.
b. Concern about timing of final interviews as late as July 6th
C. Bill N. may take time off in late August & return in Sept.
d. Concern about late timing.
e. Stan to call Rich Perry to stress importance of our timeframe.
9) Current fiscal condition of the City and five -year projections.
a. Assumptions changed for 5 -year plan:
1. Sales tax revenues increased by 2% per year
2. Contingencies limited to $100,000 per year
3. Facilities reduced to $300,000 in 2 of 5 years only
4. Development Fees increased to maintain fund balance
5. Pavement Management Expenditures reduced to level decided after
loss of UUT.
b. Caltrans — Discussed how to use funds remaining after Saratoga - Sunnyvale
Road repairs completed. Five -year plan shows remaining funds used on City-
wide repairs.
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Council Retreat Easel Notes
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10) Status of the circulation element.
a. James Walgren gave an update on the progress of the Circulation Element.
Plan is to go to City Council in June.
b. Discussion re: interaction between circulation element and Prides Crossing
Study.
C. Council would like to see preliminary draft of the Circulation Element.
d. Evan Baker and John Mehaffey agreed to be subcommittee to review
preliminary draft and report to Council.
11) Status of the housing element consultant selection.
a. Sent out RFP for Housing Element update with only one (1) response. James
Walgren expects to receive one (1) or two (2) more yet.
b. Options were discussed, assuming worst case scenario:
1. Odd Fellows: Maybe 15 units (max) would qualify as low /mod
housing.
2. Use of 2nd units: Possibly streamline process to bring in (illegal)
unapproved units as below market unit using an Amnesty Program.
Also newer legal units which are called "guest cottage ", but could
possibly be reclassified as a below market unit.
3. Possibly use incentive program.
C. 590 is required number of units. About 300 are market rate, and 300 are
below market rate.
d. ABAG is currently studying the methodology. Best case scenario would
result in Saratoga being required just 170 units, '/z at below market rate. This
is unlikely, because other city's rates would go up.
e. Discussion re: achievability of goals.
f. Formula is based on number of building permits, many of Saratoga's are tear
down/rebuild permits, netting zero population gain.
12) Discussion of deer problems and hillside fencing.
a. Deer population has increased.
b. Discussion re: fencing, birth control, culling
C. Perhaps address as regional issue.
d. Direction to staff to develop work plan, timeline, cost, etc. within 2 months.
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Council Retreat Easel Notes
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13) Discussion of off -road trail maintenance.
a. $30,000 in 00 /01 budget for trail maintenance.
b. Discussion re: bicycles on the trail.
C. $100,000 for landslide repair. Discussion on alternatives.
d. Discussion on how to deter bikes on trails for pedestrians /equestrians
e. Direction to staff to come up with plan to build barriers, police sit -bys,
citations, etc. within next month.
f. Direction to staff to research whether easement lapses if trail not maintained.
14) Discussion of covered bus stops.
a. Where are bus stops? Staff to take inventory of which ones are heavily used.
b. Approximately 80 bus stops, but need survey for how many bus benches and
covered stops.
C. Cost of current design for covered stops is $5,000 - $10,000 per stop.
d. No advertising in bus stops.
e. City will include covered stops with Saratoga - Sunnyvale Rd. road work.
15) Proper use of the City Attorney's resources.
a. How to make more efficient use of Richard Taylor's time.
b. Discussion re: the need for 2 attorneys (Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger; as well
as Jonathan Wittwer).
C. Include in Saratogan newsletter articles about code compliances.
d. Consider forming Community Reconciliation Councils.
e. Direction to arrange adjourned meetings so Richard will not have to attend
them.
f. Also, have staff do work which we may otherwise ask him to do, if possible.
16) Movement of retail to office space.
a. Concern about retail space going to office space because office is more
valuable.
b. Suggest we have plan in place to prevent this.
C. Cupertino has tax, on an annual basis, to tax office space for new construction.
d. Los Altos allows offices on side streets and retail on main streets, with
exception.
e. Saratoga allows offices in Village on 2 "a floor.
f. Directed staff to draft ordinance to tax office space.
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Council Retreat Easel Notes
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17) Extra Item: Getting Correspondence to Council in Public Record
a. This includes email and letters to 3 or more Council members at home.
b. Suggest if its email, each Council member forward it to Clerk. Clerk will put
in public record if required.
C. If letter to City from citizen and is addressed to Mayor, or Mayor and City
Council, Clerk to read, send to City Manager, and City Manager to decide if
public record. Same true if addressed to any Council member.
d. Even letters sent to Council Members at home are public records if it has
anything to do with City business. Council Members shall keep in their files.
e. If Council Member receives City letter at home and has reason to believe 3 or
more members got it, they need to give to City Clerk.
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Council Retreat Easel Notes
of May 13, 2000
CONFIDENTIAL ITEM:
7) Status of the Mountain Winery Conditional Use Permit (CUP) appeal and negotiations.
a. Trail discussed
b. Number of lots
C. Residential Open Space (ROS) in place is good and doesn't need to change.
d. Traffic study.
e. Traffic concerns.
f. Parking fees.
g. Shuttle buses.
h. Noise is an issue.
i. Number of events.
j. Development agreement.
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