CITY OF ARCATA
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
COUNCIL CHAMBER JANUARY 05, 2022
1 A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Arcata was held on the above date, via teleconference utilizing Zoom Video Communications, at 6:00 p.m., with Mayor Atkins-Salazar presiding. Notice of this meeting was posted on December 30, 2021. PRESENT: Atkins-Salazar, Goldstein, Matthews, Schaefer, Watson. ABSENT: None. STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Diemer, City Attorney Diamond, Assistant City Manager/Personnel Director Demello, Finance Director Starzhevskiy, Chief of Police Ahearn, Director of Community Development Loya, Director of Environmental Services Sinkhorn, City Engineer Khatri, Community Development Specialist Diehl-McCarthy, Media Production Specialist Carillo, City Clerk Dory.
FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Atkins-Salazar recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
EARLY ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Atkins-Salazar invited public comment.
Jean asked if there was any way to provide housing for homeless persons between then and when the permanent supportive housing in Valley West came online.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar closed the public comment period.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Atkins-Salazar removed item H from the Consent Calendar for further discussion.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar invited public comment.
Jim Becker posed a question about the City's destruction of records in October 2021.
Carol Graham asked that item F be removed from the Consent Calendar for further discussion.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar closed the public comment period.
ON MOTION BY MATTHEWS, SECONDED BY WATSON, AND WITH A UNANIMOUS
ROLL CALL VOTE, THE COUNCIL ADOPTED THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR JANUARY 5, 2022, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: F. ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 212-24 APPROVING AN APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS FROM
THE CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS RURAL RECREATION AND TOURISM GRANT PROGRAM FOR CARLSON PARK IMPROVEMENTS, ASSESSOR'S PARCEL NOS. 507- 531-012 AND 507-141-050; AND H. ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 1554, AN ORDINANCE OF
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCATA AMENDING THE HOUSING FOR
HOMELESS COMBINING ZONE, WAIVE READING OF THE TEXT, AND CONSENT TO READ BY TITLE ONLY. AYES: ATKINS-SALAZAR, GOLDSTEIN, MATTHEWS, SCHAEFER, WATSON. NOES: NONE. ABSENT: NONE. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
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A. Approve the Minutes of the City Council Meeting of October 28, 2021.
B. Approve the Minutes of the City Council Meeting of November 17, 2021.
C. Approve the Minutes of the City Council Meeting of December 1, 2021.
D. Bi-Weekly Report on General Warrants.
E. Declare a Continuation of the Local Emergency Related to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
F. Item VII-F was moved to Items Removed from Consent Calendar.
G. Adopt Resolution No. 212-36, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Arcata Providing for Workers' Compensation Coverage for Certain City Volunteers Pursuant to 3363.5 of the California Labor Code.
H. Item VII-H was moved to Items Removed from Consent Calendar.
ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
F. Adopt Resolution No. 212-24 Approving an Application for Grant Funds from the California State Parks Rural Recreation and Tourism Grant Program for Carlson Park Improvements, Assessor's Parcel Nos. 507-531-012 & 507-141-050.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar invited public comment.
Carol Graham asked why no one had reached out to her regarding this project being that she lived right next to Carlson Park, albeit in the County.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar closed the public comment period.
At the request of Councilmember Watson, Mayor Atkins-Salazar said a discussion on public noticing policies and practices may be put on a future City Council agenda.
ON MOTION BY WATSON, SECONDED BY SCHAEFER, AND WITH A UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL VOTE, THE COUNCIL ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 212-24 APPROVING
AN APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS FROM THE CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
RURAL RECREATION AND TOURISM GRANT PROGRAM FOR CARLSON PARK IMPROVEMENTS, ASSESSOR'S PARCEL NOS. 507-531-012 AND 507-141-050. AYES:
ATKINS-SALAZAR, GOLDSTEIN, MATTHEWS, SCHAEFER, WATSON. NOES: NONE.
ABSENT: NONE. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
H. Adopt Ordinance No. 1554, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Arcata Amending the Housing for Homeless Combining Zone, Waive Reading of the Text, and Consent to Read by Title Only.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar invited public comment.
Jean asked if there was anything set up right now to get people indoors. She said, regarding the proposed housing for the homeless in Valley West, the City should not create a ghetto. She said she most often heard from the homeless persons that what they wanted was land to live on.
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Judith Longshore thanked the Council for its considered support, compassion, and understanding of the houseless disaster. She said she supported the :HH combining zone being applied to the two properties in Valley West.
Sherri Starr said concerns brought up by the Planning Commission should have been given adequate consideration. She said she supported the project.
Jim Becker asked for confirmation that 10 percent of the units would be available for lower-income residents. He also asked if the 55-year requirement for affordable housing would apply to the entire project or just the 10 percent.
Kimberley White said this decision would affect Valley West for 55 years and concentrating this much homeless population in one area was segregation. She said that tiny homes would not affect Valley West so substantially. She asked the Council to allow more time for consideration before approving this project.
Patricia Cambianica said there should be an extra effort put forth to get community involvement in the projects.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar closed the public comment period.
ON MOTION BY SCHAEFER, SECONDED BY GOLDSTEIN, AND WITH A FOUR-TOONE ROLL CALL VOTE, THE COUNCIL ADOPTED ORDINANCE NO. 1554, AN
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCATA AMENDING THE
HOUSING FOR HOMELESS COMBINING ZONE, WAIVED READING OF THE TEXT, AND CONSENTED TO READ BY TITLE ONLY. AYES: ATKINS-SALAZAR, GOLDSTEIN, MATTHEWS, SCHAEFER. NOES: WATSON. ABSENT: NONE.
ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
NEW BUSINESS
A. Presentation by CORE Hub Regarding Its Work Around Decarbonization and Resilience, and How It May Align with City Goals and Priorities.
Jana Ganion, from the Blue Lake Rancheria, and Amy Jester, from the Humboldt Area Foundation and the Wild Rivers Community Foundation, appeared before the Council and gave a presentation on CORE Hub's work on decarbonization and resilience and how it may align with the City's climate goals and priorities.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar invited public comment. There was none given. Mayor Atkins-Salazar closed the public comment period.
B. Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Month-to-Month Industrial Lease for the Purposes of Providing a Safe Parking Program on the Property Located at 1680 Samoa Boulevard.
City Manager Diemer said this agenda item covered one step in the process of creating a safe parking program utilizing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated to the project. She January 5, 2022
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said City-owned and private property sites were considered and the recommendation was to enter into a month-to-month lease for property at 1680 Samoa Boulevard at a cost of $6,500 per month.
She stated that the program would be designed for 30-40 vehicles to be parked inside the structure on the property. Additionally, staff would work to have the mobile showers brought in, as well as the mobile medical facility. She announced there was a Request for Proposals issued for operation of the safe parking area.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar invited public comment.
Kimberley White thanked the Council for this project. She spoke of the problems in Valley West with the 18-20 recreational vehicles parked on the street every day leaving no space for large trucks to park. She asked if those RVs would be accommodated at this property.
Judith Longshore asked if the current residents of the property were living in their vehicles, and if there would be accommodations for people who were not living in their vehicles.
Jean said this site, as well as the Community Center and Clam Beach, would be useful for people living in tents or their cars.
Patricia Cambianica asked if there would be showers available for people to use. She suggested letting people camping in tents be indoor and people camping in vehicles be outdoors.
ON MOTION BY MATTHEWS, SECONDED BY GOLDSTEIN, AND WITH A
UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL VOTE, THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE A MONTH-TO-MONTH INDUSTRIAL LEASE FOR THE
PURPOSES OF PROVIDING A SAFE PARKING PROGRAM ON THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1680 SAMOA BOULEVARD. AYES: ATKINS-SALAZAR, GOLDSTEIN, MATTHEWS, SCHAEFER, WATSON. NOES: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
C. Ordinance No. 1555, for Introduction, Amending the Arcata Municipal Code Title II, Chapter 10, to Make Biennial Consumer Price Index Adjustments to Campaign Contribution Limitations.
City Attorney Diamond said this update to the Municipal Code came every two years when there was an election for City Council. She said that a campaign contribution limitation was established by an initiative measure in the 1990's and the ordinance allowed the limit to be adjusted every two years by the Consumer Price Index. She stated the current limit was $210, and this next increase would bring the limit up to $220.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar invited public comment. There was none. Mayor Atkins-Salazar closed the public comment period.
ON MOTION BY SCHAEFER, SECONDED BY MATTHEWS, AND WITH A UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL VOTE, THE COUNCIL INTRODUCED ORDINANCE NO. 1555 AMENDING THE ARCATA MUNICIPAL CODE, TITLE II, CHAPTER 10, TO January 5, 2022
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MAKE BIENNIAL CONSUMER PRICE INDEX ADJUSTMENTS TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITATIONS; WAIVED READING OF THE TEXT AND CONSENTED TO READ BY TITLE ONLY. AYES: ATKINS-SALAZAR, GOLDSTEIN, MATTHEWS, SCHAEFER, WATSON. NOES: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Atkins-Salazar invited public comment.
Jean asked if there were funds available for immediately helping homeless people until the permanent supportive housing units were available.
Kimberley White reminded the Council that the City of Fortuna had made camping illegal and said it would be sending campers to Arcata and Eureka. She said she was concerned that people would be coming from out of the area to the permanent supportive housing and the safe parking area.
Jim Becker asked about the status of the improvements to the sewage treatment plant and said he hoped the Gateway Project was being considered in those upgrades.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar closed Oral and Written Communications.
COUNCIL AND STAFF REPORTS
A. Receive an Update from Ondrea Starzhevskiy, Finance Director, on the Financial Forecast of the Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2021/22.
Finance Director Starzhevskiy gave the Council an overview of the status of the City's budget to date. In her concerns, she listed the lower levels of water and wastewater consumption which had not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. She also expressed concern about the supply chain disruption, noting that delays for supplies affected the Transactions and Use Tax and Sales Tax revenues. She said the City was continuing to see Transactions and Use Tax, Sales Tax, and Transient Occupancy Taxes come in above projected levels for 2021/2022. She said she suspected the upwardly revised Transactions and Use Tax and Sales Tax receipts were due to increases in restaurant and gasoline sales. Overall, she said the City was on track with its revenue and expenditures.
B. Presentation by Joe Mateer, Senior Planner, Regarding Senate Bill 9, a New State Law that Establishes Housing and Subdivision Regulations within Single-Family Residential Zones.
Senior Planner Mateer gave the Council a presentation on Senate Bill 9 (SB9) which established housing and subdivision regulations within single-family residential zones. He said the new law required jurisdictions to allow no more than two dwelling units on a residential-zoned parcel.
Additionally, the law allowed a parcel map subdivision whereby two residential parcels could be created from one residential parcel.
Director of Community Development Loya gave further information on the regulations created by SB9, as well as showing some examples of how the regulations could affect single-family parcels.
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C. Other Council and Staff Reports.
Councilmember Goldstein announced a Chamber Mixer on January 6, 2021, at Redwood Raks. She also said the Chamber's Awards Dinner would be held February 19, 2022.
Councilmember Watson requested two future agenda items: Public noticing policies and practices, and a discussion of tasking the Economic Development Committee to develop an Economic Development Strategic Plan.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:58 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bridget Dory
City Clerk