CITY OF ARCATA
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
COUNCIL CHAMBER AUGUST 21, 2024
1 SPECIAL MEETING
A special meeting of the City Council of the City of Arcata was held on the above date at 5:30 p.m. in person with Vice Mayor Stillman presiding. Notice of this meeting was posted on August 16, 2024. PRESENT: Stillman, Atkins-Salazar, Schaefer, White. ABSENT: Matthews. STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Diemer, City Manager Perry, City Engineer Khatri.
PUBLIC COMMENT
No public comment was received.
CLOSED SESSION
A. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL––ANTICIPATED LITIGATION, Significant Exposure to Litigation, Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(2): One potential case.
The City Council met in closed session in the City Manager's Conference Room.
The Council returned to the Council Chamber at 5:48 p.m.
CLOSED SESSION REPORTS
A. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL––ANTICIPATED LITIGATION, Significant Exposure to Litigation, Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(2): One potential case.
Vice Mayor Stillman stated that there was nothing to report out from this closed session.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:01 p.m.
REGULAR MEETING
A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Arcata was held on the above date at 6:01 p.m. as a hybrid meeting, via teleconference utilizing Zoom Video Communications and in person, with Vice Mayor Stillman presiding. Notice of this meeting was posted on August 16, 2024. PRESENT: Stillman, Atkins-Salazar, Schaefer, White. ABSENT: Matthews. STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Perry, City Engineer Khatri, Director of Community Development Loya, Director of Environmental Services Sinkhorn, Human Resources/Administrative Services Director Vink, Building Official Bishop, Deputy Director of Information Technology Savage, IT and Digital Media Specialist Carrillo, City Clerk Varley.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Vice Mayor Stillman read a statement acknowledging that Arcata sat on ancestral Wiyot land.
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FLAG SALUTE
Vice Mayor Stillman led the Pledge of Allegiance.
CEREMONIAL MATTERS
A. Proclamation Recognizing September 8–14, 2024, as Suicide Prevention Week.
Vice Mayor Stillman read the proclamation and presented it to Heather Freitas, Chair for the 2024 Out of the Darkness Community Walk, who invited everyone to walk on September 8, 2024, beginning and ending on the Plaza.
REPORT BY COMMISSION/COMMITTEE
A. Annual Report from the Transportation Safety Committee.
Genevieve Serna, Chairperson of the Transportation Safety Committee, presented an oral version of the Committee's annual report.
COUNCIL AND STAFF REPORTS
A. Receive an Introduction and Overview of the OpenGov Financial Transparency Portal from Tabatha Miller, Finance Director.
Vice Mayor Stillman announced that this item would be continued to a future meeting.
B. Other Council and Staff Reports.
City Manager Perry shared that it was his first City Council meeting with the City of Arcata, that it had already been a busy week, and that he was grateful to have City Manager Diemer showing him the ropes and making introductions. He said he was looking forward to serving the community.
Councilmember Schaefer reported that equity arcata would be hosting Arcata Reflections on Friday, August 23, 2024, and that she had been invited to sit on the panel for this event. She shared that equity arcata would have its first Home Away from Home potluck on September 8, 2024, and that they were looking for volunteers. She reported that Redwood Coast Energy Authority had helped write a Department of Energy Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) grant to build microgrids out on tribal lands, she explained that it would be a large project with many partners.
Councilmember Atkins-Salazar reported on her attendance at the third annual Humboldt Obon Festival at the Creamery District. She reported on her attendance at a meeting of the Board of Directors of Humboldt County Association of Governments. She shared that the construction work on Highway 101 at the Indianola cutoff would continue to change as the project developed with an additional lane shift happening soon. She shared that Debra Garnes, City of Rio Dell Mayor, had been nominated to the Board of Directors of the Great Redwood Trail Agency.
Councilmember White shared that the Carlson Park project was near completion with a ribbon cutting scheduled for September 13, 2024. She reported that Food Truck Fridays would be happening at Carlson Park, with the first being on the date of the ribbon cutting. She reported on August 21, 2024
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her attendance at a meeting with residents from the Lazy J Ranch mobile home park and shared that she was continuing her education through the Arcata Community Emergency Response Team. She reported on her attendance at a meeting of Arcata's Homelessness and Housing Working Group on August 21, 2024, and a Redwood Region Economic Development Commission Loan Committee meeting. She announced that Valley West would have a community cleanup on Labor Day weekend and that Wiyot Day would take place on Saturday, August 24, 2024.
Vice Mayor Stillman reported that she would be a volunteer for the upcoming I Block Party. She thanked Councilmember Atkins-Salazar for her idea to implement a Community Ambassador brochure using American Rescue Plan Act funds. She reported that she was continuing to work on the development of the Earth Center in her position as a board member for the Humboldt Transit Authority.
EARLY ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Vice Mayor Stillman invited public comment.
Kevin Johnson shared that he was a 43-year resident of Arcata and spoke about an incident he had as a bicyclist while crossing over Crescent Way in the Sunnybrae area. He explained that a car had come through the merge lane and that he had been injured in the process of getting out of the driver's way. He suggested the installment of a stop sign in that area.
Vice Mayor Stillman closed the public comment period.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Councilmember Schaefer pulled Item A.
Vice Mayor Stillman invited public comment.
Joanne McGarry requested a limit to the amount of money being approved for items on the Consent Calendar.
Vice Mayor Stillman closed the public comment period.
ON MOTION BY SCHAEFER, SECONDED BY WHITE, AND WITH A FOUR-TOZERO VOICE VOTE WITH ONE ABSENCE, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR AUGUST 21, 2024, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM A.
APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 7, 2024.
AYES: STILLMAN, ATKINS-SALAZAR, SCHAEFER, WHITE. NOES: NONE.
ABSENT: MATTHEWS. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
A. Item IX-A was moved to Items Removed from Consent Calendar.
B. Bi-Weekly Report on Disbursements.
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C. Award a Contract to Housing Tools in an Amount Not to Exceed $232,500 for the Valley West Community Center Assessment Project; and Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Applicable Documents.
D. Approve Contract with Invoice Cloud for Web-Based Invoice Presentment and Processing; and Authorize the City Manager to Execute all Applicable Documents.
E. Approve the Project Plans for the Arcata Ball Park Improvement Project.
ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
A. Approve the Minutes of the City Council Meeting of August 7, 2024.
SCHAEFER MOTIONED, AND ATKINS-SALAZAR SECONDED, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF AUGUST 7, 2024, CORRECTED AS FOLLOWS: IN ITEM D—
UNDER COUNCIL AND STAFF REPORTS, CHANGE THE SPELLING OF "CHIEF EVANS" TO "CHIEF EMMONS."
Vice Mayor Stillman invited public comment.
No public comment was received.
THE MOTION PASSED WITH A FOUR-TO-ZERO VOICE VOTE WITH ONE ABSENCE. AYES: STILLMAN, ATKINS-SALAZAR, SCHAEFER, WHITE. NOES:
NONE. ABSENT: MATTHEWS. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
OLD BUSINESS
A. Introduce Ordinance No. 1571, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Arcata, Amending Chapter 5, Residential Rental Inspection Program, of Title VIII, Building Regulations, of the Arcata Municipal Code; Waive Reading of the Text and Consent to Read by Title Only.
Building Official Bishop spoke about the Residential Rental Inspection Program (RRIP) and shared proposed amendments to the chapter for the RRIP in the Arcata Municipal Code included definitions for Occupant, Owner-Occupied, Tenant, Vacant, and Vacation. He said that the only scope that would be added would be a special exemption which was a properties granted special exemption waiver by the City Manager or their designee. He shared that the appeals process had been modified to have "City Council" replace "City Manager", and that two affidavits and a special exemption form were included in the agenda packet.
Councilmember Schaefer said that the changes encapsulated the Council's direction well, that she would be interested in a report back every year or so, and that she would be curious to see how many exemptions there would be. She requested that the data be tracked.
On inquiry by Councilmember Atkins-Salazar, Building Official Bishop said that there were about 20 properties that were out of compliance.
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On inquiry by Councilmember White, Building Official Bishop clarified that compliance meant getting folks registered and explained that mobile homes were not within the program since the State had jurisdiction.
On inquiry by Councilmember Stillman, Building Official Bishop confirmed that he would assume that realtors were alerting their clients of the need for buyers to enroll in the RRIP. He said this could potentially be a scenario where the annual registration fee could be waived if the previous owner had already paid the annual registration fee.
Vice Mayor Stillman invited public comment.
No public comment was received.
ON MOTION BY ATKINS-SALAZAR, SECONDED BY SCHAEFER, AND WITH A
FOUR-TO-ZERO VOICE VOTE WITH ONE ABSENCE, THE CITY COUNCIL INTRODUCED ORDINANCE NO. 1571, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCATA, AMENDING CHAPTER 5, RESIDENTIAL RENTAL
INSPECTION PROGRAM, OF TITLE VIII, BUILDING REGULATIONS, OF THE ARCATA MUNICIPAL CODE; WAIVED READING OF THE TEXT AND
CONSENTED TO READ BY TITLE ONLY. AYES: STILLMAN, ATKINS-SALAZAR, SCHAEFER, WHITE. NOES: NONE. ABSENT: MATTHEWS. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
B. Approve The City of Arcata's Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP); Direct Staff to Seek Funding for the Projects Listed in the LRSP; and Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Applicable Documents.
City Engineer Khatri gave a presentation on the City's Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP). He shared that the plan was driven by data and public feedback, that it would help with the implementation of projects, and was a required document to have in place in order to get funding. He said that the plan was created with the help of a group of stakeholders, with data obtained from multiple sources. He explained that next steps would entail application for funding, including a grant application for the Highway Safety Improvement Program. He emphasized that it would take time to implement solutions and determine if changes would be needed. He noted that the LRSP had been presented to the Transportation Safety Committee, and that the committee approved of the plan.
Vice Mayor Stillman invited public comment.
No public comment was received.
On inquiry by Councilmember White, City Engineer Khatri confirmed that the Bike Rodeo would continue to be held in the future.
City Engineer Khatri noted that the LRSP was a living document that would be updated every two to five years.
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Councilmember Schaefer said that she was glad to see hot spots such as 11th Street and Giuntoli Lane from Boyd Road to Valley West Boulevard on the potential projects list.
Councilmember Atkins-Salazar emphasized that Street Stories would continue to be an opportunity for the community to share their neighborhoods if they did not feel that they were being represented the way that they saw them.
Vice Mayor Stillman said she felt the program would allow for a lot of corrections to be made, and shared concerns that Colin Fiske had regarding West End Road and 11th Street, west of K Street.
City Manager Perry announced that there had been someone waiting to make public comment by Zoom.
Vice Mayor Stillman reopened the public comment period.
An unidentified speaker requested to have dedicated bike/hike bridges constructed in the Valley West area over Highways 299 and 101.
Councilmember Stillman said that this might be an idea for Reconnecting Arcata.
Councilmember White shared that she had met with Caltrans staff where they spoke about the breaches in fencing being organic but dangerous. She shared that Reconnecting Arcata was looking for stakeholders. She went on to request that the data be looked at for Crescent Way with consideration for putting in a stop sign.
Vice Mayor Stillman explained that such an item would go to the Transportation Safety Committee.
Member of the public, Joanne McGarry, approached the Council and asserted that Mr. Johnson had attempted to attend the Transportation Safety Committee, but the doors were locked.
Vice Mayor Stillman closed the public comment period.
ON MOTION BY SCHAEFER, SECONDED BY WHITE, AND WITH A FOUR-TOZERO VOICE VOTE WITH ONE ABSENCE, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE LOCAL ROAD SAFETY PLAN; DIRECTED STAFF TO SEEK FUNDING FOR THE PROJECTS LISTED IN THE LOCAL ROAD SAFETY PLAN; AND AUTHORIZED THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS. AYES:
STILLMAN, ATKINS-SALAZAR, SCHAEFER, WHITE. NOES: NONE. ABSENT:
MATTHEWS. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
Vice Mayor Stillman invited public comment.
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Joanne McGarry spoke in favor of the Earth flag being placed next to the podium in the Chamber for public comment. She shared her concern regarding a gate appearing to have been left open at Carlson Park, and spoke in favor of a resolution opposing the United States providing funding to Israel.
Vice Mayor Stillman closed the public comment period.
DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS
A. Confirm a Study Session with the Planning Commission on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at 5:30 p.m., in the Council Chamber.
BY GENERAL CONSENSUS, THE CITY COUNCIL CONFIRMED A STUDY SESSION WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2024, AT 5:30 P.M., IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:02 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Rhea Varley
City Clerk