1 MINUTES OF THE
REGULAR MEETING – CITY COUNCIL
MARCH 22, 2022
6:00 PM
Videoconferencing meeting: Complete proceedings of which are recorded on tape. These are action minutes; a full video is available online at www.ci.benicia.ca.us/agendas.
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) ADVISORY NOTICE
1) CALL REGULAR MEETING TO ORDER (6:00 PM)
The Special Meeting was cancelled.
Mayor Young called the Regular Meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2) CONVENE OPEN SESSION
3) ROLL CALL
Present: Vice Mayor Campbell, Council Member Largaespada, Council Member Macenski, Mayor Young
Absent: Council Member Strawbridge
10) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
11) REFERENCE TO THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF THE PUBLIC
12) ANNOUNCEMENTS
12.A - MAYOR'S OFFICE HOURS
13) ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
On motion of Council Member Largaespada, seconded by Council Member Macenski, Council approved the Adoption of the Agenda, as amended, on a roll call by the following vote:
Ayes: Vice Mayor Campbell, Council Member Largaespada, Council Member Macenski, Mayor Young
Noes: (None)
14) OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS
2 15) WRITTEN COMMENT
16) PUBLIC COMMENT
1. Lindsay Wray, Community Sustainability Commission (CSC) Chair - Ms. Wray reported on the CSC's meeting last night.
17) CONSENT CALENDAR
17.A - APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FROM MARCH 1, 2022 REGULAR MEETING (City Clerk)
March 1 2022 City Council Meeting Minutes
On motion of Council Member Largaespada, seconded by Council Member Macenski, Council approved the adoption of the Consent Calendar, as presented, on a roll call by the following vote:
Ayes: Vice Mayor Campbell, Council Member Largaespada, Council Member Macenski, Mayor Young
Noes: (None)
18) BUSINESS ITEMS
18.A - STUDY SESSION PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE
HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE
Staff Report - Housing Element Study Session.pdf
1. Housing Element Site Inventories - Why Buffers and Excess Capacity Matter
2. January 25, 2022 Joint City Council - Planning Commission Housing Study Session Minutes
3. Community Workshop Presentation
4. Community Workshop Summary
5. Draft Vacant Sites Inventory Map
6. Preliminary Draft Opportunity Sites Map
Amy Sinsheimer, PlaceWorks, reviewed the staff report and a PowerPoint presentation.
Council and Staff discussed the PowerPoint presentation.
Public Commenters:
2. Steven Goetz
3. Marilyn Bardet
4. Karen Massey
Mayor Young stated he would not support removing any properties from the list at this time because it is too early in the process.
3 Vice Mayor Campbell discussed support for an open space analysis and map (as suggested by Council Member Largaespada).
Council Member Largaespada and Staff discussed the need for an open space analysis/map, and support for pulling the Fire Museum, Joe Lopez area, and the East E Street lot from the list.
Staff would prefer to have a buffer, as it would make the Housing Element easier to administer, however, they are at the will of the Council and will do what they want to do.
Council Member Macenski supports Staff's recommendation at this point.
Erik Upson, City Manager, stated that Staff has more information coming on some of the properties. They would do the best they can with the time constraints.
Suzanne Thorsen, Community Development Director, stated that what she heard was that Staff should do the best they can with the information they have, and prepare a document for public review that indicates what information we have on the properties and how certain it is. She clarified that the inventory would not be an exhaustive list of all the open space parcels, but it would be a partial list that has basic information. If there are sites that are not deed restricted, they can work on that with PlaceWorks. She did not think the list would be ready by the 4/7/22 study session but could have it sometime in April.
Mayor Young stated that Council needed better maps that has enough clarity to make out the parcels, have the street names, etc. He asked where the City was on the status of the East E Street Parking lot. Staff confirmed the lot was on the vacant lands inventory. It is listed as lower income and 38 units under the current zoning requirements. He and Staff discussed the issue of prioritizing the sites.
19) ADJOURNMENT OF REGULAR MEETING (8:00 P.M.)
Mayor Young adjourned the meeting at 10:17 p.m.
City Clerk