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Home My WebLink About09-13-1994 City Council Minutes HINUTES SAI~TO~A CITY COUNCIL TIME: Tuesday, September 13, 1994 - 6:00 p.m. PLACE: City Hall Administration Meeting Room, 13777 Fruitvale Ave. TYPE: Adjourned Regular Meeting 1. Roll Cell Councilmembers Jaoobs, Moran, Tucker and Mayor Burger were present; Councilmember Wolfe was absent at 6:02 p.m. 2. Report of city Clerk on Posting of Agenda The City Clerk reported that pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, the agenda for this meeting was properly posted on September 9. The notice of adjournment from the September 7 Council meeting was properly posted on September 8. The City Clerk stated that there was a need to add an item to the agenda which had arisen after the agenda had been posted under the provisions of Government Code Section 54954.2 (b)(2) and to go into closed session under the provisions of Government Code Section 54954.5. JACOBS/TUCKER MOVED TO ADD THE ITEM TO THE AGENDA AND TO ADJOURN TO A CLOSED SESSION. Passed 4-0. Councilmember Wolfe arrived at the start of the closed session. The Council then adjourned to a closed session for the purpose of a conference with real property negotiator to discuss possible acquisition of property. Property: Nelson Gardens, located at 20851 Saratoga Hills Road in Saratoga Negotiating parties: City of Saratoga, Community Foundation of Santa Clara County Under negotiation: Instruction to negotiator will concern method of acquisition, including price and terms of payment The open meeting was reconvened at 6:42 p.m] Mayor Burger r~ported that no decisions had been made and no actions had been taken during the closed session. 3. Followup on Previous Oral Communication - Halverson request that operation of gas-powered leaf blowers be prohibited in the City The Council discussed current law and the information developed when this issue was the subject of public hearings in 1991. Issue for Mr. Halverson is the pitch,'not just the noise level. Electric and battery powered leaf blowers do not have the same pitch and are not as annoying. City should do what Los Altos does and ban them altogether. Councilmember Moran asked whether the Sunday ban works. Mr. Halverson answered yes. The Council asked staff to have a leaf blower reminder in the next issue of the Saratogan and ask for written comment on whether current law is OK or whether gas powered blowers should be banned. 4. Award of Contract to prepare Environmental Impact Report for Odd Fellows EXpansion Project to MBA in the amount of $64,725 MORAN/JACOBS MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT TO MBA IN THE AMOUNT OF $64,725. Passed 5-0. 5. Discussion of Council Policy Agenda A. Landscaping and Lighting District ISSUES City Council Minutes 2 September 13, 1994 1. What should city policy be toward deannexation of zones or portions of zones? 2. Can the district be made more cost effective? a. evaluate cost components b. choice of landscaping methods and types c. are benefit methods and reasons still valid in zones? 3. Should the city convert to a city wide district? DETERMINATIONS 1. Do not change current policy--council will' review petitions for changes on a case by case basis 2. Public Works Director to work on issues 2A and 2C for report in March 1995 3. Wait and see outcome of the studies before deciding to proceed or not to proceed on a city wide district B. Mountain Winery Planning 'ISSUE 1. Should the city prepare a Specific Plan for the future use of the property? a. Pros--represents proactive planning by the city, would save time in the long run, would clarify expectations for owners, buyers, neighbors b. Cons--would cost time and money DETERMINATION 1. Ask staff to prepare a proposed program to accomplish arK] = then decide where to work into the overall Planning work plan C. General Plan Review ISSUE 1. Should the city begin to review the land use element? DETERMINATION 1. The current list of planning projects represents a full plate. Staff to bring this issue back to council in March 1995 D. Design Review Process and Development Standards ISSUE 1. The Process and Standards are; a. expensive b. complicated c. are not clear, concise, or simple d. lacking in a clarity of purpose e. counterproductive to the city's objectives f. difficult for the staff to administer g. too restrictive in terms of commercial zoning and appropriate uses of oommercial property (note: this is a zoning issue more than a design review issue) DETERMINATIONS 1. Staff to chart and prepare an explanation, in straight- forward terms both the process and the standards 2. Invite stakeholders to a meeting to discuss 3. Look at the Los Gatos process, is it better? City Council Minutes 3 September 13, 1994 E. Route 85 Freeway Impacts ISSUES 1. How can the city prepare to deal with citizen concerns about the impacts of the-freeway after it opens? DETERMINATIONS 1. Have staff set up a "hotline" telephone number to both explain actions the city is taking and for people to call in with problems 2. Publicize in the Fall Saratogan, the press, on KSAR and.on the Traffic Information System radio 3. Explain what steps the city is taking 4. Have the Public Safety Commission continue to work with the Public Works Director to identify trouble spots on local streets and develop mitigation measures F. Park Planning Priorities ISSUE 1. City needs to begin finalizing a priority list of projects for the 1995-2000 Capital Improvements Plan to implement the Open Space Element of the General Plan and the Master Plan of Parks and Trails DETERMINATION 1. Council schedules meeting with the Ad Hoc committee working on the priority and funding recommendations to review those recommendations on October 25, 1994 G. Town Hall Meeting ISSUE 1. Should the Council hold a Town Hall meeting to supplement its Direct Contact Program efforts and to serve as a possible precursor to the Spring policy development conference? DETERMINATION 1. Hold a meeting on January 7, 1995, from 10 AM to 12 noon at a location to be arranged by staff 2. Publicize upcoming Direct Contact Program times and locations the Town Hall meeting H. Political Campaign Signs ISSUES 1. Should signs in the public right of way be prohibited? 2. What can the city do in this regard legally? DETERMINATIONS 1. City should prohibit if it is determined other cities do so 2. Get ordinances from other cities to compare 3. Have the city attorney review I. Youth Master Plan ISSUE 1. Should the city develop a master plan which defines youth needs, goals, programs, services? DETERMINATIONS 1. Councilmember Tucker is assigned to work further on issue using examples from other cities such as Claremont and Palo Alto City Courtoil Minutes 4 September 13, 1994 2. This issue to be considered further in March 1995 J. Agenda Order ISSUE 1. Should the council agenda order of business be revised to improve efficiency and allow the maximum public participation early in the meetings? DETERMINATIONS 1. Reorder the agenda as follows: a. Roll call b. Closed session if necessary c. Ceremonial Items d. Communications (oral communications limited.to 15 minutes) e. Consent Items f. Public Hearings to start at 8:00 PM g. Old business h. New business j. Continuation of oral communications k. Routine matters 1. Council items m. Adjournment 2. When changing the resolution on order of business use the word "should" rather 'than "shall" K. Public Records Assistance ISSUE 1. What is the city policy on standard of service for providing information to t]he public? DETERMINATIONS 1. Staff members are to be instructed that information provided over the telephone shall be limited to information which can be given without having to research city records, codes, or documents which are subject to disclosure. If the staff knows where the information can be found to furnish that information to the caller 2. The city manager is to articulate this standard to the city staff L. Mission Statement, Customer Service Philosophy, Vision Statement, Employee Relations Philosophy ISSUES 1. Does the city need to have a comprehensive set of statements with cover these areas? 2. When should these statements be developed? DETERMINATIONS 1. The Mission Statement is a good one but it.needs to be expanded upon 2. The Customer Service Philosophy is excellent and a copy should be placed in the lobby of the Council Chambers with a picture of the current mayor 3. The city council is to work on the other components after it has completed its teamwork and facilitation training, perhaps by March 1995 The Council then discussed the closed session at 2:00 p.m. on September 16. Councilmember Moran agreed to take minutes, which will be restricted to the Council and Mr. Carey, the consultant, only. The Council directed staff to get a memorandumto the Finance Advisory Committee on Thursday concerning the! City Manager's meeting with Mr. City Council Minutes 5 September 13, 1994 Carey; review phases of work. The Council set October 5 for public hearing on Nelson Property proposals. 5. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 9:50 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 16, in Administration Meeting Room. 'H~/ir~rR. Peacock City Clerk