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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-22-1996 City Council Minutes MINUTES SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL TIME: Tuesday, October 22, 1996 - 6:30 p.m. PLACE: Senior Day Care Center, 19655 Allendale Ave. TYPE: Adjourned Regular Meeting Mayor Jacobs called the meeting to order at 6:35 PM. A. Roll call Councilmembers Present: Mayor Jacobs, Vice Mayor Moran, Councilmembers Burger, Tucker (arrives at 6:40 PM) and Wolfe. Staff Present: City Manager Peacock, Finance Director Fil, Community Development Director Curtis, Public Works Director Perlin, Parks and Buildings Superintendent Rizzo, Assistant to the City Manager Britton. B. Report of City Clerk on Posting of Agenda The City Clerk reports that pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, the agenda for this meeting was properly posted on October 18. The notice of adjournment from the October 16 Council meeting was properly posted on October 17, 1996. C. Oral Communications from the Public on Non-lgendized Items - None. D. Quarterly Budget and Program Review 1. First Quarter Ended September 30, 1996. Finance Director Fil reports that the audited figures for the Fiscal Year ending July 1, 1996, show that total revenues exceeded the revised revenue projections, that total expenditures were under budget and that the General Fund balance is some $2 million higher than projected. He reports that for the quarter ending September 30, 1996, the General Fund balance is $2.661 million, revenues are $174 thousand under projections and that expenditures are $99 thousand under projections based on unrevised cash flow projections. Basically both revenues and expenditures are on target as of the end of the first quarter. The one soft area in terms of revenue continues to be sales taxes which have been adjusted downward for this year's budget. In response to guestions he notes that the larger than anticipated revenue from property taxes, from the Tax Equity Allocation, was not predicted nor was there any indication from the County that they would exceed estimates by some $191 thousand. Because of this the revenue estimates for Fiscal 1996-97 do not project this kind of revenue from the property tax and therefore can be considered as conservative. Since this money comes to the City at the very end of the fiscal year in late June, this uncertainty may continue. 2. Technology Master Plan Update. Finance Director Fil reports on the process used to consider and then select the proposed vendor to provide the hardware, software, training and support needed to implement the Technology Master Plan. Through this process a dozen potential vendors was reduced to two: HTE, Inc. and Eden. Based upon the analysis of the responses to the RFP and site visits to existing installations in other cities, it is the unanimous recommendation of the management staff that the City select HTE, Inc. This recommendation and the supporting staff report will be presented to the City Council on November 6th for action. 3. Economic Development Plan-Buslness Improvement District. Community Development Director Curtis indicates that the SBDC will be meeting with the City Council to report on their activities and plans in detail on November 12th and that they are working on a presentation to cover all aspects of their work for presentation at that time. 4. Community Development Department Work Plan. Community Development Director Curtis reports on the status of the following work plan items: City Council Xinutes 2 October 22, 1996 a. Gateway Specific Plan-scheduled for hearing by the Commission in January. Once adopted the plan needs to be coordinated with the Capital Improvements Plan for implementation as money becomes available based upon a priority list of improvements. b. Rousing Element-Saratoga, like many other cities is treading water on this work item awaiting revised State legislation which will change the focus from process to actually producing new housing stock. c. Circulation Element-Being recirculated for commen~ and update of policy statements based 'upon recent decisions regarding collector streets but is scheduled for hearing by the Commission in January. d. Joint Long-Term Growth Boundaries & Hillside Preservation Strategy-The basic document has been approved by the City Council and work on integrating the document into the elements of the General Plan should be completed and heard by the Commission in January. e. Sign Ordinance Revisions-Revisions should be scheduled for hearing by the Commission in December. The revisions will address signs in windows and neon. f. DeslgnReviewand Development Standards Task Force-Staff is preparing proposals on miner modifications to standards for review by the Council and the Commission at their next joint session. Staff work will include discussion on how these changes are proposed to be administered. Mr. Curtis reports that the results of the pre- application review sessions continue to be disappointing. At this point the Commission has instructed staff to be selective in the projects that it suggests for this process and to limit them to applicants who truly want input not just an opportunity to try to sell their project to the Commission before making application. g. Community Development Department Brochures-Because Of the staff shortage work on this effort has been delayed until next March or April. 5. Public Relations Efforts in General. Assistant to the City Manager Britton reports on the City's various public relations efforts of the last three months. Council indicates its desire to continue to receive quarterly reports. In response to a question about the effect of the insert in rubbish bills about the rules on setting out trash cans, Ms. Britton indicates that the number of calls has decreased significantly since the insert was mailed after an initial group of calls about the information in the insert. 6. Status of Warner Hutton House and Boneyard Fund Raising. Recreation Director Pisani reports the Youth Commission has now raised almost $6,300 and expects to raise about another $1,000 from the golf tournament this week. Council discussed the status of seeking non- profit status for the Commission so that it can receive corporate funds. Ms. Pisani was instructed to proceed with finalizing this effort. 7. Parks. a. Parks and Recreation Facilities Priority Plan-Council confirmed that staff should be placing its initial efforts at the development of agreements with the Cupertino School District for the development of the Azule Park/Blue Hills School complex and with the Saratoga School District on the Foothill Park/Foothill School Complex. Council instructed the City Manager'to negotiate lease/use agreements which would include the schools paying a pro-rata share of the maintenance of the school park of the projects based upon joint use, rather than the City assuming total maintenance costs of the ground under lease. Council also discussed the need to approach the sports leagues about ~ity Council Minutes 3 October 22, 1996 helping to pay for maintenance of the new fields. It also indicated to members of the public that planning these facilities would involve meetings with surrounding neighborhoods before decisions are made on where facilities would be placed in each park/school complex. Ms. Pisani also indicates that the City will be approached by Saratoga High School in the near future concerning assistance in financing an Olympic sized swimming pool on the high school campus. The Council also agreed, based upon the letter received fromthe Hakone Foundation and the proposal of the Public Works Director, to have the Makone Foundation take the lead in developing plans for and constructing the new restroom facilities at Hakone Gardens. The Public Works Director was instructed to work with the Foundation to provide assistance and technical support as necessary. Council also discussed the letter from the Chairwoman of the Parks a~ Recreation Commission concerning project priorities and timing. This led to a discussion about when to proceed with the hub concept plan. Councilmember Tucker refers to the adjourned meeting following the adoption of the Priorities Plan where Council decided not to have work begin on the hub concept plan until work was well underway on the school sites and associated parks part of the priority list. It is indicated that the Saratoga School District has formed a committee to look at a new master plan for Redwood which could include an indoor sports center and that perhaps the City and the District should consider a joint planning effort to achieve each of their respective objectives. The Council requests that the City Manager write to the Chairwoman to convey the Council's priorities on project development and to suggest that the Commission explore a joint planning effort with the School District if our objectives coincide. b. Permit Issues concerning Alcohol in Parks It was moved by Councilmember Burger, seconded by Councilmember Wolfe to Adopt Resolution 96-37.1, amending the schedule of fees for group park reservations. The resolution was adopted by a vote of 5-0. 8. Capltal Projects 8tatus through September 30th. Public Works Director Perlin reports on the status of the following projects: a. West Valley College Wetlands Project-Approved by the College District Board. Construction planned for next spring. b. Quite Road Bridges-Phase II-Preparing a cooperative agreement with other participating agencies. Expect construction to take place in the spring of 1998. c. ADA Aocess Projeots-Study almost completed to turn over to the City's consultant to complete the Transition Plan. Project for disabled ramps, curb cuts and missing sidewalk segments to be bid before the end of the year. d. Saratoga Avenue Median Landsoaping-Award of contract to take place on November 6th. e. Landscaping of Saratoga/Sunnyvale Road Medians-Plans and specifications 50% complete and have been reviewed by staff. Caltrans requires that all dimensions include metric equivalents on plans which will add $1,600 to the design costs. f. Bike Path Network-Phase I-Most of this work has been completed as a part of the summer pavement management work. Remainder of the work will be completed by the end of this month. g. Scotland Signal/Saratoga Avenue Reconfiguration-Project essentially complete. h. Hillside Road Repairs-All planned work for this year is now completed. Need to watch the condition of Villa Oaks Lane through the winter to see if further corrective work may be called for next year. city council Minutes 4 October 22, 1996 E. Consideration of Use of Study Issues Form for future staff Assignments. Assistant to the City Manager Britton presents the proposed form as a tool to use to consider the impacts of major new projects and programs on staff resources. Council agrees that the form should help to clarify issues and control work load and approve its use on a trial basis. F. Revenue Fund for cell Phone Lease Monies. Council agrees to have this revenue source identified as a lineitem in the General Fund under the Use of Money and Property income account. The sub-account will be titled Cell Phone Site Lease Revenue. G. IsSues relating to Relinqulshment of Saratoga-Sunn~vale Rd. Public Works Director Perlin reviews his report on the process the state uses to relinquish sections of state highways to local agencies. He indicates that in the final analysis the state can relinquish the road even though the City might object to that action. He estimates that the full cost to operate and maintain the roadway to City standards would be about $121,000 a year but that no new money from the state would be forthcoming to offset that cost. He also indicates that in order to bring the road up to a state of good repair as that is defined in the Streets and Highways Code that he has prepared a list of improvements and corrective actions which he believes Caltrans would have to make to comply with the law. He states that on the basis of cost alone he could not recommend the City agree to accepting the road. Council generally agrees with his analysis and authorizes forwarding a letter to Caltrans outlining the improvements which need to be made in the opinion of the City and that if the state does send a cooperative agreement to the City which would begin the process of relinquishment that it will decide, at that time, whether to formally refuse to accept the proposed relinquishment. H. Discuss Underground Utility District Location Options. Public Works Director Perlin indicates that his recent contact with PG&E indicates that the City can do two projects concurrently. He recommends that the project on Saratoga Avenue from Fruitvale to Boroni Court be started first and once the cost of that project is determined to then begin to work on the Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road project from Cox Avenue south to use the rest of the money available. The City Council agrees with this approach and authorizes Mr. Perlin to begin work on the Saratoga Avenue project. I. 8elf-Evaluation of Previous Meeting. Councilmember Wolfe states that he didn't finish his thought on Proposition 218 at the last meeting and that was that it didn't do away with mandates only the means to pay for them. J. Agency Assignment Reports Councilmember Burger reports that she will be preparing a summary of the actions taken on resolutions at the League Annual Meeting General Assembly to bring the Council up do date on what was adopted as League policy for the next year. Councilmember Tucker reports that many Bay Area cities are angry over the earthquake insurance rates which set the rates in the Bay Area at twice what they are in places in Southern California, like the San Fernando Valley which had the last big quake in that part of the state. ABAG is developing a position to seek to have the basis for the rates reanalyzed by the Insurance Commissioner. She also indicates that ABAG is seeking Federal approval to have ADA money be eligible for use in retro-fitting multiple family dwellings which have underneath car ports. Many of these buildings collapsed in the last earthquake and need to be strengthened. She also reports that ABAG has endorsed the passage of Proposition 209 and that she abstained from voting. K. Other. City Councll Minutes 5 October 22, 1996 The Mayor noted the first production of "Inside Saratoga", which is being shown on KSAR. He commented that it is unfortunate that the law does not permit members of the City Council to be included in the show. It was also noted that a segment of the show once again brought up the original Indian meaning of the word, Saratoga. Public Works Director Perlin indicates that he has received a telephone message, which he will leave in each councilmember's voice mail box from a Mohawk woman who indicates that the term in that language was used to describe having to travel a long way from one place to another on foot and how one's feet might feel after such a walk, or words to that effect, i.e. sores on your feet. L. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 9:35 PM. Respectfully submitted, City Clerk