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Home My WebLink About03-03-1995 City Council Minutes MINUTE8 SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL TIME: Friday, March 3, 1995 - 4:00 p.m, to 6230 p.m. Saturday, March 4, 1995 -- 9200 a.m. to 4230 p.m. PLACE: Administrative Meeting Room, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue TYPE: Adjourned Regular Meeting/Policy Development Conference 1. Roll Call Councilmembers Jacobs, Moran, Tucker, Wolfe and Mayor Burger were present at 4:00 p.m. 2. Report of City Clerk on Posting of Agenda Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, the agenda for this meeting was properly posted on February 24. The notice of adjournment from the March I Council meeting was properly posted on March 2. 1. To what extent should the City Council revise its vision statement developed in November 1994 and reviewed with the community in January 19957 No intention of redirecting focus of community Commercial Areas Delete Desianated/Currentlv Desiunated? Yes - "High quality/basic services" Part of "And Proud of This Special City" (last par.)? yes want existing commercial to be vibrant Public comment - intent to maintain single family community 2. Should the City prepare, or have prepared by outside consultants, specific plans provldingguidelines for development, improvement, neighborhood protection and long range planning for the following areas? a. Mountain Winery property For sale' Development potential Help to have plan in advance Specific to site Options: 1) staff - cheaper', longer, $75K, 12-18 mos. 2) outside preparation - more expensive, shorter $100-150K, 9-12 mos. b. North Saratoga Avenue corridor from cox Avenue to city limits Guidelines to protect residential character Identify unique character options: 1) staff $15-25K 2) outside - $50-75K c. Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road "gateway corridor" from the Southern Pacific Railroad R/W to Prospect Road Options: 1) staff - $25-50K, 9-12 mos. 2) outside - $50-100K, 6-9 mos. 3) Development "Charette" Abbreviated process hours/5K(?) Not necessarily local architects Only those in area invited to attend GGG wants plan for Mountain Winery Public involved from beginning City Council Minu~es 2 March 3-4, 1995 SChOOlS impact must be considered Charette in Los Gatos involved vacant land. Jacobs 1) · Mountain Winery informal process preferable 2) N. Saratoga Ave. Specific Plan 3) S/S Gateway - Charette - potential for change -.collaborative process - need innovation - likes planners/arch. Wolfe What we hear in Charette may apply elsewhere (Design Guidelines) S/S looks tacky, bad circulation, people don't believe its Saratoga - not pedestrian friendly Moran Meeting with neighbors/business in area before Charette may help define what we want to accomplish Curtis Professionals in Charette acted as "facilitators of the group" Burqer Likes Charette for S/S Not opposed to N. Sar. Specific Plan but maybe not now (priorities) Jacobs N. area staff plan should be done now - immediate problems S/S has needed work for long time Wolfe Bus. Dev. Council is to enhance existing - not expand N. Saratoga Avenue - staff plan Moran N. Saratoga - informal process first - find out if General Plan still applies, S/S eyesore. Wants goals defined by informal meeting before Charette Mtn. Winery - Guidelines CONSENSUS , Mtn. Winery - Guidelines/Informal , N. Saratoga Avenue - White paper option , s/s Gateway - Charette (lst step in a specific plan process) to identify design changes, land use, circulation, innovation Priorities S/S } may overlap' in time Mtn.' Winery } N. Saratoga ) Mtn. Winery - informal guidelines for prospective development minimum of 1 year for any development to be approved 3. Should the City add a revision of the Land Use Element.of the General Plan to the Community Development Department Work Program and should it take precedence over other projects? Moran Likes staff recommendation Priority ~2. Should take a look at general plan, not necessarily make changes. Curtis Typically land use element and other elements updated every few years. City council Minutes 3 March 3-4, 1995 It's been 10 years since last update. Wants to "look at it" to assure reflects current policy. Wolfe Land use should remain generally the same. Jacobs No sweeping general changes but some specific changes may be appropriate (Oddfellows) 4.'.What additional parks and recreational facilities are needed to satisfy the future needs of Saratogaresldents? Tucker Staff report thorough but something left out (Passive recreation) Check Los Gatos re. their survey. How they did it. Wolfe Is their need for more passive parks? Perlin 1st check active needs - then all else falls in line. Jacobs Parks & Rec falling behind; facilities need replacement - inadequate, parks overburdened in some places, under utilized in others; in long run, need more active facilities. In favor or improving/expanding park system. Citizens want more, but not in their neighborhood. Peacock · Today women are more involved' so greater use, even though youth population is less. Burqer Active vs. passive, not new issue in Saratoga. Everyone wants parks but not in their backyards, if active. Direction of staff study is on point. Moran " Kevin Moran not good for active facilities. Need full support of city for large active facilities (gym). Public Need more pre-school playgrounds - need collaborative effort with schools. Peacock Need school contribution ($) for playgrounds. Need long term maintenance guarantees. School district is currently understaffed. Jacobs May want to consider "swapping" Kevin Moran land for other property, if neighbors don't want it there. Wolfe Have staff study w/school the possibility of joint use agreements. Tucker Should have long termmaintenance agreements to protect against sale of school facilities. Public Schools need more classroom space. Tucker 1st step is to meet with Kevin Moran neighbors. Burqer Consensus for option #1 and to be aggressive in taking advantage of opportunities. Jacobs City Council Minutes 4 March 3-4, 1995 Need plan for 21st century - too few and too old facilities. Moran Don't want to tax whole city w/o clear direction. Tucker Keep kids busy - out of trouble. AIA has competition program for city designs. CONSENSUS Option #1 Be more aggressive in looking for opportunities. Need architectural services (landscape) No more community surveys. Have staff quantify future needs. Have staff prepare action plan. Emphasis in joint partnership with schools No more land acquisition Purchases - (dedication ok) 5. What is the current status of our relationship with the schools in the community? Moran Could city have assisted schools in Silicon Joint Venture application Should city meet more often w/schools? (currently 1/year) Prefers meeting on regular basis Could discuss our relationship School Board Members - meetings are beneficial Jacobs Could discuss joint efforts w/others as necessary. ,Should set up.additional meetings. Governmental levels Federal/State) on issues. Burger Such as crossing guards/traffic (matching funds) Tucker Support staff recommendation, keep annual Moran Meetings. Look for areas of joint effort. Every agenda should discuss status of joint activities/efforts. Peacock Internet is vehicle for city/school communication. City does not supervise crossing guards - school does. City will designate council liaison to school district. 6. Should the City reconsider funding certain celebration and recognition events which were eliminated in budget cuts in 19937 Carolvn $7,700 cost to fund those previously cut.' Celebrate Saratoga - city contributions are in-kind support = $21K. Benefit to city is indirect and some direct in form of sales tax. Total cost of parade = $10K. Will be higher next year. $3K would be appropriation from 95/96-budget. * If there is $ available in budget, the activities will be restored to extent feasible. Burqer Wants to reinstate because of intangible benefits to City. If $ is not available in budget, there are alternative approaches (donations/potluck) Tucker Concerned about appreciation picnic for only 1 commission, sponsor, by city. City council Minutes 5 March 3-4, 1995 Burqer Actually its recognition for Public Safety Employees Jacobs Direct staff to look for money saving alternatives. * If there is $ available, activities should be restored, but look for innovative cost alternatives. Look for cost sharing. , Recognition events are important in some form. 7. What is the status of pr~vatization of functions and services offered by the City, and what studies are .being conducted for feasibility of further privatizing? Jacobs How cost effective is it? Any studies done? Peacock Phoenix encourages public/private competition. No particular general cost/benefit studies exist. Have reviewed cost/benefits in Saratoga for various services. Tucker , Should keep options open. Wolfe Takes constant study , Continue to study. Jacobs Joint agreement with other cities? Peacock Rubbish, traffic signal maintenance, NPDES. 'Perlin Looking at possible joint street sweeping. Fleet maintenance is currently good. They pick up and return vehicles. Looking at payroll. preparation through contracting. Looking at further landscape maintenance by contract. Perlin "Flip side" to privatization is city may contract out its services. Peacock In-house custodial functions are necessary. Hours are staggered for night meetings. Wolfe' Have LOCC/NLC done studies on privatization? Moran * Have Finance committee review status of privatization and work with staff. Peacock Always need to look at cost of bringing service back in-house. .More contract cities in Southern California so more contract .vendors available there. S. Should the City go forward with a Youth Master Plan? Tucker Need to identify youth needs Work w/school board, Youth Commission to help identify Have school children participate City Cotlncil Minutes 6 March 3-4, 1995 ,Identify and include all stakeholders. Get stakeholders to lead the project. City should be facilitator. Steering Committee How do we identify needs/problems? More crisis preventative. Should celebrate our youth, encourage/support youth. Master plan can incorporate #'s 4 & 5 - collaborate w/schools to achieve goals Include commercial/religious communities Identifyconstraints/opportunities for youth master plan. YMCA/United Way, Sheriff City's role is tobring all stakeholders together/publiCize activities and services currently available. City can endorse stakeholders' program Serve as catalyst , Invite stakeholders to townhall meeting to determine interests/needs. Townhall meeting in-July? Sept? Oct? Have Youth Commission involved in smaller groups at townhall meeting Preliminary meetings before townhall meeting? Joan/Gillian/Karen to coordinate 9. Should the City continue to administer and operate the Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District LLA-1 and if so, under what conditions? 1) Should zone boundaries be modified according to benefit derived? Perlin Zone I Recommend 4 parcels on Gordon Ct be given -0- assessment or removed from zone 1 (no benefit from medians on Manor Dr.) or be placed in separate zone Zone 2 Frontage landscaping on Cox is the benefit.' Seems properly defined. Zone 3 Greenbriar Landscape Dist :seems properly defined. Zone 4 Quito Lighting District - :recommend realignment. Zone 5 Azule Lighting -' Recommend removal of commercial. Zone 6 Sarahill Lighting Dist. -seems properly defined. Zone 7 Village Residential Lighting - most frustrating. Propose disassemble Zone 7 and create 4 separate zones. Zone 9 is properly defined. Zone 10 Tricia Woods - properly defined. Zone 11 Arroyo de Saratoga -entry sign and Landscaping on Via Monte. Zone 12 Leuter Court - properly defined. Zone 13 Cabernet - properly defined. Zone 14 Cunningham - properly defined. Zone 15 Bonnet Way - remove 4 parcels at end of Holiday Ct. (recommended) Zone 16 Beauchamps - properly defined. Zone 17 Sunland Park - properly defined. Zone 18 Glasgow Ct. - properly defined. city council Minutes 7 March 3-4, 1995 Zone 22 Prides Crossing - proposed to adjust to delete Saratoga Woods Park and add part of Glenbrae. Zone 24 Village commercial - no changes recommended. Perlin Zone benefits seem properly defined within each zone. Citywide District What should it include? 10,576 parcels citywide Divide current benefits by 10,576 $12-$15 per parcel per year Divide current benefits +Hakone + park + all medians/parkways by 10,576 = $80-$90 per parcel per year. If zone is abandoned, tax goes to county - but if it is kept in zone, increment remains to city for Zones 1-8. Tucker Would not be in favor of citywide w/o a vote. In favor of resolving inequities identified. Jacobs Citywide should go to vote. Burqer Discreet inequities is separate issue from citywide Should phase out LLA zones over time? Wolfe Question of whether homeowners will take over the work. Moran System is not perfect but should continue Jacobs For vote on citywide or just abandon. Burqer Adjustments would create uproar. Leave Zones the same but deannex. , Zone ~ No change Zone 2 No change Zone 3 Add Yuba Ct. Zone 4 No change Zone 5 Annex Ted Ct. Zone 7 Divide into 4 & zero out the rest Zone 11 'Leave it alone - no change Zone 12-14 No change Zone 15 No change Zone 16-18 No change Zone 22 Deannex Sarawoods & add Glenbrae 10. What sort of capital improvements should be made to the Civic Theatre and how could the City raise additional revenues to pay for them? Perlin Surcharge on tickets Surcharge on rental rates 20,000 tickets sold annually Peacock Surcharge on Montalvo/Mtn. Winery? Revenue could go into enterprise fund/capital improvements fund Tucker/Moran Want to initially use $ for theatre. City Council Minutes 8 March 3-4, 1995 Burqer * Use $ for upgrade/improvement/maintenance of city facilities. No guarantee that improvements will occur. , Identify areas of responsibility of theatre groups. Look into city-wide admissions tax? Montalvo & Mountain winery are drain on services $1.00 surcharge on tickets if legally allowed, will begin July 1, 1995. 11. What steps should the City be taking in the next two years to further its goal of building a collaborative community? * Accept staff recommendations. 12. What ~teps should the City be taking to continue its efforts to promote business and economic developmentin Saratoga2 Wolfe Expand best asset (village) Capitaiize on what we have (culture/restaurants) Create Business Improvement Assessment Jacobs Need to hire economic development person to move forward Would enhance revenues to pay salary and more Wolfe Businesses want lots of things done. We need person, maybe contract or part time. Need to get buy-in from Chamber and need to motivate Chamber and keep them motivated. Need either better mix of businesses or emphasize what is here. Tucker Need to focus on what Saratoga's identity is commercially. * Get core group together, then hire consultant, then move forward with economic plan (strategies/goals) Chamber president as business owner should head core group. Get commercial, property owners, other business person 7-9 persons. 13. TO what extent should the City upgrade its data processing capabilities in order to provide current technology and a more efficient and useful flnanclal accounting system? * Accept manager's recommendation for consideration as part of budget. * Continue researching network upgrade. The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 p.,m. on March 4. y submitted, Harry R. a City Manager