CITY OF ARCATA
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
COUNCIL CHAMBER JANUARY 18, 2023
736 F Street, Arcata Wednesday, 6:00 PM
AGENDA
1 Special accommodations for the disabled who attend City meetings can be made in advance by contacting the City Clerk at 822-5953. Assistive listening devices are available.
Pursuant to Government Code section 54957.5, all writings or documents relating to any item on this agenda which have been provided to a majority of the City Council, including those received less than 72 hours prior to the City Council meeting, will be made available for public inspection in the agenda binder located on the counter in the lobby at Arcata City Hall, 736 F Street, during normal business hours, and on the City's website at www.cityofarcata.org.
PLEASE NOTE: Speakers wishing to distribute materials to the City Council at the meeting are requested to provide 10 copies to the City Clerk.
Public Advisory: The Council Chamber in City Hall
is now open to the public.
COVID-19 Notice
The City Council has returned to in-person hybrid meetings. The City Council asks that when attending City meetings, persons socially distance as best they can and be courteous to those who continue to choose to wear a mask.
How to Observe and Participate in the Meeting:
Observe:
Members of the public can attend the meeting in person or observe the meeting on Zoom (see below), on Access Humboldt Channel 10, online by visiting www.cityofarcata.org and clicking on the See Live Meetings, Agendas, and Archives button on the home page, or on the City’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/CityofArcataCA Public Comment Participation in Person and on Zoom:
Members of the public may attend the meeting in person and give public comment. Or, they may access the meeting via Zoom to provide public comment.
1. Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device: Please use this URL:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88619920698
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2. If you want to comment during the public comment portion of any item, click on raise your hand on the right-hand side of your screen. When it is time for public comment on the item on which you wish to speak, the Clerk will unmute you. You will have 3 minutes to comment (2 minutes for Early Oral Communications), subject to the Mayor’s discretion.
Or join by phone:
1. *67 1-669-900-6833
2. Enter Meeting ID: 886 1992 0698
3. If you are accessing the meeting via telephone and want to comment during the public comment portion of any item, press star (*) 9 on your phone. This will raise your hand. When it is time for public comment on the item on which you wish to speak, the Clerk will unmute your phone. You will hear a prompt that will indicate your phone is unmuted. You will have 3 minutes to comment (2 minutes for Early Oral Communications), subject to the Mayor’s discretion.
I. LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
II. FLAG SALUTE
III. ROLL CALL
IV. CEREMONIAL MATTERS
A. Statement in Support of Centro del Pueblo Movimiento Indigena Migrante and Sanctuary Garden.
B. Proclamation Recognizing January 2023 as National Mentoring Month.
C. Proclamation Recognizing January 2023 as National Volunteer Blood Donor Month.
V. REPORT BY COMMISSION/COMMITTEE
A. Receive the Planning Commission 2022 Annual Report.
Annually, the Commission provides a report to the Council on its progress over the prior year and its goals for the coming year. The Vice-Chair will present the report to the Council.
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Council receive the 2022 Planning Commission Annual Report from Vice-Chair Scott Davies.
VI. EARLY ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
The City Council values your comments. This 15-minute time period allows people to address the Council on matters not on the agenda. Please know that, pursuant to the Brown Act, the Council cannot discuss or take action on items that are not listed on the posted agenda. At the end of all oral communications the Council may respond to statements. Supported requests that require Council action will be set for a future agenda or referred to staff. Speakers may be limited to two minutes. There will also be time for the public to comment specifically on each agenda item and again at the end of the meeting under item number XII (12).
VII. N/A
VIII. CONSENT CALENDAR
All matters on the Consent Calendar are considered to be routine by the City Council and are enacted in one motion. There is no separate discussion of any of these items.
If discussion is required, that item is removed from the Consent Calendar and considered separately. At the end of the reading of the Consent Calendar, Council members or members of the public can request that an item be removed for separate discussion.
A. Approve the Minutes of the City Council Meeting of January 4, 2023.
B. Bi-Weekly Report on Disbursements.
C. Declare a Continuation of the Local Emergency Related to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
D. Adopt Resolution No. 223-29, a Resolution of City Council of the City of Arcata Ratifying the Arcata Fire Protection District’s Ordinance No. 22- 21 Adopting the 2022 California Fire Code, Title 24, Part 9, Based on the 2021 International Fire Code.
E. Adopt California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Categorical Exemption for the Inflow and Infiltration Reduction Project and Approve the Project.
F. Adopt Resolution No. 223-30, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Arcata Adopting the Section 3 Plan for HUD-Funded Housing Rehabilitation, Housing Construction, and Public Construction Projects.
G. Adopt Resolution No. 223-32 Accepting a Title II Grant from the U.S.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention for the Arcata Juvenile Diversion Program to Support Hosting the Parent Project Program in Partnership with Humboldt Teen Court.
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H. Ratify Employment Agreement with Tabatha Miller for Finance Director.
IX. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
Items removed from the Consent Calendar will be heard under this section.
X. OLD BUSINESS
A. Introduce Ordinance No. 1559 Amending the Short-Stay Vacation Rental Program.
This City Council directed staff to amend the Short-Stay Vacation Rental program on June 22, 2022. Staff held a publicly noticed stakeholder meeting to take input on potential amendments to the program. On October 19, 2022, the Council received a report on the potential amendments and directed staff to make specific changes. This item introduces Ordinance No. 1559, which will make the changes directed by Council.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Council receive a staff report and any public comment, adopt a common sense exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act, then introduce Ordinance No. 1559, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Arcata amending Article 3 in Chapter 2, Title VI of the Arcata Municipal Code to Regulate Short-Stay and Vacation Rentals; waive reading the text, and consent to read by title only.
B. Receive an Update and Provide Direction on Potential Off-Leash Dog Park Sites.
In the 2010 Arcata Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan (APRFP), off-leash dog areas were identified as one of the top facility needs. Since then, the Environmental Services Department has looked at opportunities to site and create a dog park/leash-free area within the City with assistance from the Arcata Dog Park Working Group (ADPWG).
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Council receive a brief presentation on potential off-leash dog park locations and provide direction to staff as appropriate.
XI. NEW BUSINESS
A. Approve Conceptual Plans and Adopt the CEQA Categorical Exemption for the 8th & 9th Streets Improvements Project; and Award a Contract in the Amount of $60,092 to CSW/Stuber-Stroeh Engineering Group, Inc., for Phase 2 of the Project, to Provide Plans, Specifications & Estimates; and Authorize the City Manager to Execute all Applicable Documents.
In 2020, the City applied for and was granted $850,000 in funding through the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD) Infill Infrastructure Grant Program of 2019 (IIG) for the design, planning and construction of January 18, 2023 City Council Agenda
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the 8th and 9th Streets Improvements Project. Council awarded the initial phase for preliminary engineering, public engagement and environmental analysis to CSW/Stuber-Stroeh Engineering Group, Inc. (CSW|ST2) at the March 16, 2022, Council meeting. The Phase 1 work has been completed and Council’s approval of the Conceptual Design and Environmental Document will close out this phase of the project. Along with staff’s recommendation to approve the Conceptual Design and Environmental Document, staff is recommending that we move forward by awarding a contract for the next phase of the project. This award is for Phase 2—Plans, Specifications and Estimates (PS&E). Once Phase 2 is complete, the City will have the option to award a subsequent contract to CSW|ST2 at a later time for consulting services for Phase 3—Construction Management of the Project.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Council:
1) Approve conceptual plans and adopt the CEQA Categorical Exemption for the 8th & 9th Streets Improvements Project;
2) Award a contract in the amount of $60,092 to CSW/Stuber-Stroeh Engineering Group, Inc. for Phase 2 of the project, to provide Plans, Specifications & Estimates; and
3) Authorize the City Manager to execute all applicable documents.
B. Authorize a Memorandum of Understanding with the Terner Housing Innovation Labs.
The City’s General Plan is under current review and revision. The City has embraced higher density infill development to meet its housing and economic development needs for then next several decades. The Terner Housing Innovation Labs have developed a housing dashboard that integrates market and policy conditions to predict likelihood of development. The City was approached by the Terner Labs to build a model for Arcata.
The dashboard could help inform policy decisions for adoption in our General Plan and area plan updates. This action would authorize the Community Development Department to work with the Terner Labs to build the model.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding with the Terner Housing Innovation Lab to develop a housing dashboard for the City of Arcata.
C. Introduce Ordinance No. 1563 Amending the Arcata Municipal Code Title VIII—Building Regulations, to Adopt Chapter 5—Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Permit Streamlining; Adopt Residential and NonResidential Checklist for Permitting Electric Vehicles and Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE); Find CEQA Exemption.
An electric vehicle charging station is any level of electric vehicle supply equipment station which delivers electricity from a source outside an electric vehicle into a plug-in electric vehicle. AB 1236 may refer to the recommendations in the most current version of the “Plug-In Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Permitting Checklist” of the “Zero- January 18, 2023 City Council Agenda
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Emission Vehicles in California: Community Readiness Guidebook” published by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.
The purpose of this Ordinance is to promote and encourage the use of electric vehicles by creating an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations while promoting public health and safety and preventing specific adverse impacts in the installation and use of such charging stations. The intent of this ordinance is to encourage the installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations by removing obstacles to permitting for charging stations so long as the action does not supersede the Building Official’s authority to address higher priority life-safety situations.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Council:
1) Introduce Ordinance No. 1563 Amending the Arcata Municipal Code Title VIII—Building Regulations, to Adopt Chapter 5—Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Permit Streamlining; waive reading of the text, and consent to read by title only;
2) Find that adoption of Ordinance No. 1563 is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines for the reasons stated in Ordinance No. 1563; and
3) Adopt the Residential and Non-Residential Checklist for Permitting Electric Vehicles and Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE).
XII. ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
XIII. COUNCIL AND STAFF REPORTS
All reports shall be specifically limited to City business and shall not request or lead to action by the Council at this meeting.
A. Receive a Report from Arcata Police Sergeant Luke Scown on the Community Ambassador Program.
The City Council has requested periodic updates on the Community Ambassador program. This ensures that the Council is kept aware of the progress, staffing, and effectiveness of the program.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Council receive a report from staff regarding the City of Arcata Community Ambassador Program.
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XIV. DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS
XV. CLOSED SESSION
A. Public Employee Performance Evaluation: City Manager B. Public Employee Performance Evaluation: City Attorney XVI. CLOSED SESSION REPORTS
A. Public Employee Performance Evaluation: City Manager B. Public Employee Performance Evaluation: City Attorney XVII. ADJOURNMENT
Other than items continued or tabled to a date certain, the Council may, by majority vote, continue all matters not completed by 10:30 p.m. to the following Thursday at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber. Should the Council vote to continue the meeting past 10:30 p.m., discussion on an item on the agenda that either requires or allows for public input may not begin without a unanimous vote of the City Council members present. (Closed Session items may begin later.) (Reference: Resolution No. 223-07)