Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-09-1996 City Council Minutes MINUTES SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL TIME: Tuesday, April 9, 1996 - 7:00 p.m. PLACE: City Hall Administration Meeting Room, 13777 Fruitvale Ave. TYPE: Adjourned Regular Meeting/Jt. Meeting with Chamber of Commerce Vice Mayor Moran Called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM. 1. Roll Call Councilmembers Present: Councilmembers Burger, Tucker and Wolfe and Vice Mayor Moran Staff Present: City Manager Peacock, Community Development Director Curtis 2. Report of City Clerk on Posting of Agenda Mr. Peacock reported that pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, the agenda for this meeting was properly posted on April 5. The notice of adjournment from the April 3 Council meeting was properly posted on April 4. 3. Interview Heritage COmmission Applicants The City Council conducted interviews with the following persons: Carolyn King, Willys Peck, and Norman Koepernik. Joint Meetinq with Chamber of Commerce 4. Signs in store Windows Mr. Curtis reviews the recent history of review of this subject by the Planning Commission and the City Council. He noted that at present the City has no regulation which would limit signs of any kind in store windows, including neon signs. Mrs. Burger states that in her mind the issue is two fold: neon signs and window sign clutter in general, with more concern being expressed to her by members of the community concerning the latter. A discussion between Mr. Curtis and the Council ensues discussing options as to how to deal with allowing some windows signs but keeping them tasteful in the eyes of the community. Chamber members present indicate that they feel there needs to be a more restive standard when it comes to the Village, both in terms of neon .and window signs in general. What people see when they come to the Village is their impression of what Saratoga is. Some Chamber members present believe that even two different standards may not be enough as each shopping area has Unique needs based on layout and circulation. In terms of enforcement the Chamber members suggest that the City put together a book of rules for new businesses. Mr. Curtis responds by indicating that such a book is in the works in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce staff. There is also discussion about the need for businesses to apply peer pressure in getting other businesses to keep signing within the limits of the regulations rather than relying on the City to be everywhere at once to enforce the rules, which is not possible. Self policing by the business community is the best approach to avoid sign clutter and a San Jose type look for Saratoga. At the conclusion of the discussion the City Council directs Mr. Curtis to have the Planning Commission hold hearings to amend the sign ordinance as it relates to window signs along the lines previously discussed by the staff. 5. Contract with Chamber of Commerce Mr. Peacock reviews the status of the proposed contract, that it has been several months since the last draft was sent to the Chamber for comment, comment only having been received in the past week. He indicates that because there is no contract the City has not paid the Chamber any of the money budgeted this year. Chamber President, Dr. Jeff Evans suggests that a subcommittee of the Chamber Board and a subcommittee of the City Council agree to have a meeting to go over the contract and to reconcile any concerns which either the City or Chamber may have over the current draft prepared by Mr. Peacock. The City City Council Minutes 2 April 9, 1996 Council agrees to this suggestion and Mrs.~Tucker suggests that the two members of the City Council be Mayor Jacobs and Mr. Wolfe. Vice Mayor Moran suggests Mr. Wolfe and Mr. Peacock, since the Mayor is not here to comment on his latest appointment. Council agrees that the City group is to be composed of three members, Mayor Jacobs, Mr. Wolfe and Mr. Peacock. Mr. Peacock indicates he will arrange for a meeting time and place with Dr. Evans upon the Mayor's return to the City next week. 6. Celebrate saratoga Dr. Evans reports that the Chamber is organizing for Celebrate Saratoga for 1996 and the date for the Street Dance has been selected as September 28th, from 6 to 10 PM. 7. Report from Councilmember Wolfe on Request by Saratoga Business Development Councll for Marketing Funding Mr. Wolfe reviews the extensive work which has been going on to plan and provide for Saturdays in Saratoga, from May 4th through October 26th, to be Saratoga Market Days with special events and sales g6ing on in various shopping areas around the City in conjunction with the Farmers Market, which will return to Blaney Plaza in the Village on May 4th. He indicates there is a need for seed money to help the SBDC and the merchants promote and advertise these events to keep shoppers in Saratoga. He recommends that the City provide $2,000 in funds to assist in the promotional and marketing effort, $1,000 to be taken from the funds previously set aside under the Chamber contract, since this is a "chamber like" activity and that an additional $1,000 be advanced from the budgeted appropriation for next year's SBDC activities. He also notes that in order to get the Farmers Market off the ground last year the City agreed to waive business license fees for participating vendors and that this year those fees would be collected from both the vendors and the organizers. This should bring in as much or more in additional revenue than the $2,000 being spent by the City on promotion. Mr. Peacock notes that since there is no agreement with the Chamber the City is precluded, under law, from paying the Chamber for the first three quarters of this fiscal year which has already passed, so the money would have been rebudgeted for next year anyway. Wolfe/Burger move to appropriate $2,000~in the 1995-96 budget for Saratoga Market Days promotion by transferring $1,000 from the activity which funds the Chamber of Commerce and $1,000 from the City Council contingency budget, and that the funding for SBDC activities for 1996- 97 be reduced from $10,000 to $9,000 in the draft budget. Passes, 3- 0-1, with Mrs. Tucker abstaining. Discussion then occurs as to when the budget amendment resolution should return to the Council for adoption. It is agreed to have this matter placed on the April 23rd agenda. This will give the business community enough time to determine the amount of support it will be getting for various businesses to make this promotion and marketing effort a success. 8. Market Day Permits Exception Resolution Mr. Curtis presents the resolution he has drafted which would allow certain exceptions to the sign ordinance and the zoning ordinance to occur on Saturdays during Saratoga Market Days. Mrs. Burger suggests that a guidelines and standards page be added to the resolution which should be developed in conjunction with the Market Days Committee to specify what will be allowed in terms of additional signs, use of balloons, outdoor displays, etc. Council agrees to continue consideration of the resolution until April 23rd, to allow the Committee and Mr. Curtis to develop such a set of guidelines and standards to be included as part of the resolution. Other Items 9. Agenda Item Submittal Time Members expressed varying degrees of concern over the submittal of last minute communications on agenda items at the time of the meeting, when they do not have the time to thoroughly consider the writer's opinion on the item the City Council is about to consider. Among the things. the members think are worth considering further are; to place a limit on the time that written communications will be received, indicating that after that time only oral communications will be considered and City Councll Minutes 3 April 9, 1996 they will be limited to three minutes, not making written communications received after a certain time a part of the record of the meeting, having the Mayor periodically announce what the policy is on written communication submittals at the start of the agenda and placing the current policy on the notice of the posting of the agendas. Mr. Peacock was asked to discuss these possibilities with the City Attorney for any legal problems which might result from implementing these suggestions. It was agreed to continue discussion on this item to a future adjourned session with an unspecified date. 10. Ordinance relating to Responsibility to Report Defects in Sidewalk (first reading and introduction)(continued from 4/3) Tucker/Burger move to table this matter and take no further action. Passed 4-0. Members of the City Council expressed the opinion that since sidewalks are in the right of way and thus owned by the City that liability for their condition must remain with the City and not be shifted to the homeowners. 11. Self-Evaluation of Previous Meeting The Council discusses the presentation of the memorial resolutions for Mr. O'Rorke and Mr. Strong. Vice Mayor Moran agrees to call the widows and see if they wish to receive these resolutions in a public or a more private ceremony. Vice Mayor Moran indicates that she has talked to Mr. Peacock about having future budget adjustment resolutions which involve restricted funds include the status of the restricted fund balance in question and not to do this just for changes to the General Fund. Mr. Peacock indicates that he has already spoken to the Finance Director about this and that in the future the backup material will be changed accordingly. 12. Agency Assignment Reports Mr. Wolfe reports on his attendance at the Transportation Agency and HCD governing body meetings. Mrs. Tucker notes that the Cities Association will be having a special workshop on leadership on June 24th from 2:30 to 5:30 at the City of Santa Clara Council Chambers and that all members of the City Council are urged to attend this workshop put on by a nationally recognized authority on leadership training. 13. Heritage Preservation Commission Appointments Burger/Tucker moved to appoint Mrs. King, Mr. Peck and Mr. Koepernik to the Commission. Passed 4-0. Vice Mayor Moran expressed her concern that the Council seems to be making an exception to the two term rule for commissioners in the case of the Heritage Preservation Commission. She noted that the particular circumstances concerning appointments to this commission with its requirements for members from certain technical fields does present a problem and suggests that when the Council next meets with the Commission it discuss the role the Commission and the Council needs to play to find qualified replacements when a member's two terms are up. The other members of the Council express agreement over having this matter discussed. 14 · Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 PM to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, to review budget with Finance Advisory Committee. Respectfully submitted, Harry R. P co City Clerk