MINUTES
CALISTOGA CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, May 2, 2023 - 6:00 PM
Hybrid
1. Call to Order – Roll Call – Pledge of Allegiance and Optional Patriotic Activity Mayor Williams called the regular session to order at 6:00 p.m.
Present: Mayor Williams, Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega and Councilmembers Eisenberg, Cooper and Gift.
Absent:
2. REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSIONS
There were no closed sessions.
3. ORAL COMMUNICATION ON CONSENT ITEMS OR NON-AGENDA ITEMS There was no oral communication of non-agendized items.
4. ADOPTION OF MEETING AGENDA
A motion was made by Councilmember Cooper to adopt the meeting agenda as presented, seconded by Councilmember Eisenberg.
5. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Snideman acknowledged and gave thanks to City Clerk Marni Rittburg as it is Rittburg's last meeting.
6. PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS/ AWARDS
Mayor Williams recognized a member of the community, Vincent Herndon, for achieving the rank of eagle scout and for leading the pledge of allegiance.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Councilmember Eisenberg is recused from items 7.1 due to intendance and 7.3 due to a property proximity conflict.
A motion was made by Councilmember Cooper to adopt the consent calendar as presented with the exception of items 7.5, 7.6 and 7.7 which was pulled for discussion, seconded by Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega.
City Council Minutes
May 2, 2023
7.1. APPROVED - Approve the Minutes of the October 18, 2022, and the December 6, 2022, City Council Regular Meetings as submitted.
7.2. Adoption of Resolution No. 2023-024 - Temporary increase in the City’s authorized Personnel and Staffing Listing by temporarily increasing the allocated staffing of Fire Chief and of Utilities Systems Superintendent.
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7.3. Adoption of Resolution No. 2023-025 - Directing the City Engineer to prepare and file a report for the Palisades Subdivision Landscape Maintenance District 2023/2024 Assessment in accordance with Article 4 of Chapter 1 of the Streets and Highways Code.
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7.4. Adoption of Resolution No. 2023-026 - Directing the City Engineer to prepare and file a report for the Silverado Place Subdivision Landscape Maintenance District 2023/2024 Assessment in accordance with Article 4 of Chapter 1 of the Streets and Highways Code.
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7.5. Adoption of Resolution No. 2023-027 - Authorizing the City Manager to execute a Consultant Services Agreement with Fehr & Peers to prepare a Fire Evacuation Analysis for the Yellow Rose Ranch project as part of CEQA.
Fehr & Peers gave a virtual analysis regarding fire evacuations possibilities given the existing population and various developments.
Mayor Williams and the Council discussed the analysis with Fehr & Peers and their impact with various projects.
Mayor Williams approved the resolution with a modification to include a weekday and weekend analysis, seconded by Councilmember Gift.
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7.6. Adoption of Resolution No. 2023-028 - Authorizing the City Manager to execute a Consultant Services Agreement with Fehr & Peers to prepare a Fire Evacuation Analysis for the 2565 Grant Street project as part of CEQA.
Mayor Williams approved resolutions 7.6 and 7.7 with a modification to include a weekday and weekend analysis, seconded by Councilmember Cooper. 23-059
City Council Minutes
May 2, 2023
7.7. Adoption of Resolution No. 2023-029 - Authorizing the City Manager to execute a Consultant Services Agreement with Fehr & Peers to prepare a Fire Evacuation Analysis for the Kortum Ranch project as part of CEQA.
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7.8. Adoption of Resolution No. 2023-030 - Authorizing the City Manager to execute an Amendment to Consultant Services Agreement No. 917 with M-Group for the preparation of a Wetland Delineation and Rare Plant Survey in support of the EIR for the Kortum Ranch project as part of the CEQA analysis.
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8. GENERAL GOVERNMENT
8.1. Adoption of Resolution No. 2023-031 - Rescinding Resolution No. 2021-019 approving the Stage II Water Emergency and adopting a resolution requesting voluntary restrictions of water use under Stage I best management practices.
Public Works Director Derek Rayner spoke in regards to the Stage II Water Emergency.
The Council discussed and asked questions in regards to water management practices and conservation.
Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega made a motion to rescind the Stage II Water emergency, seconded by Councilmember Eisenberg.
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8.2. Receive the presentation regarding progress on the Utility Rate Study and provide feedback and consensus on some of the model and key underlying assumptions to develop the base Financial Model.
Kevin Kostiuk and Megan from Raftelis gave a presentation regarding the Water & Wastewater Rate Study and provided overviews about the rate study process, financial planning, rate alternatives and answered Council questions.
Mayor Williams and the Council discussed the various water rates alternatives tiers and uniform rates residential and non-residential. Mayor Williams concurred with Councilmember Eisenberg's notion to encourage conservation and employ tier rates to the extent defensible.
Mayor Williams and the Council agreed to the concept of debt financing.
City Council Minutes
May 2, 2023
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8.3. Appointment to Blue Zones Steering Committee
Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega and Councilmember Eisenberg have volunteered to participate in the Blue Zones Steering Committee.
Mayor Williams made a motion to nominate Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega to be the representative of the Calistoga City Council on the Blue Zones Steering Committee, seconded by Councilmember Eisenberg.
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9. COUNCIL REPORTS
Mayor Williams attended the NVTA meeting with Councilmember Eisenberg and spoke regarding the delay of the Vine Trail and the forthcoming of a signal at Bothe Park and Highway 29. Furthermore, Williams attended NVTC which deals with tourism and highlighted that there is slightly fewer visitors but the revenue per visitor is generally higher. Williams would like to discuss delinquent water rates and percentages at a future meeting. In addition, Williams would like to look at impaired access mitigation fees and consider it for Calistoga.
Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega attended the Flood Control & Water Conservation District meeting. Lopez-Ortega acknowledged Civil Engineer Heidary for presenting and representing Calistoga. Lastly, Lopez-Ortega gave recognition to members of the community.
Councilmember Gift gave updates in regards to the Climate Action Committee and the various presentations that were presented. Gift toured the Napa Recycling and Composting Facility and recognized their achievements in being recognized as the number one compost facility in California and number one in the United States in 2022. Lastly, the Inaugural Napa Climate Summit will take place on May 24th at NVC.
Councilmember Eisenberg spoke about the Napa Valley Transit Association and gave an update about the Calistoga to St. Helena Vine Trail as it should be ready and opened by the Fall. Eisenberg touched upon the notion of electric shuttles and grants.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Williams adjourned the meeting.
Respectfully Submitted
Prepared by: Approved by:
City Council Minutes
May 2, 2023
Yudiana Galvan, City Clerk Donald Williams, Mayor
Prepared by: Approved by:
Marni Rittburg, CMC, City
Clerk Chris Canning, Mayor