CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING
JANUARY 31, 2023
OPEN SESSION - 10:00 AM
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Mayor Potter called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.
Roll Call: Councilmembers Jeff Baron, Alissandra Dramov, Karen Ferlito, Mayor Pro Tem Bobby Richards and Mayor Potter were present.
PUBLIC APPEARANCES
Nancy Twomey, Tasha Witt, Christy Hollenbeck, Amy Herzog, Jeff Burghardt, Cindy Lloyd, Neil, and Lynette Zimmerman addressed the Council.
ORDERS OF BUSINESS
Item 1 - City Council Workshop - Strategic Planning Meeting to discuss the City Council's Strategic Projects and gather input from the public, and provide directions to staff during strategic planning, however, any actions to implement such directions will be considered at a future scheduled Council meetings
City Administrator Chip Reig gave a brief presentation on the current status of the Council's priority projects #1-24, and the 6 priority items that have been completed. Council opened public comment on each individual priority, discussed, and provided direction to staff.
1. Explore Parking and Traffic Management program (35% complete) - top 16 priority Public Comment: None
Discussion: Council requested addressing the construction parking problems as part of the parking and traffic discussion. Councilmember Dramov suggested looking into employee/visitor parking lot with shuttles to decrease the need for paid parking. Councilmember Baron suggested the Planning commission take on the issues of construction management plans and construction parking issues. Councilmember Ferlito suggested adding a pedestrian component to parking/traffic program, as well as a safety analysis regarding the intersections without stop signs.
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. Add a bullet item to this priority to address construction parking, construction site impacts, and safety concerns.
2. Update purchasing ordinance (10%) - top 16 priority
Public comment: Dale Byrne addressed the Council.
CC Minutes - January 31, 2023
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. City Administrator Reig to work with the City Attorney on updating the City's purchasing policy and using other cities as reference point to make it more contemporary.
3. Plan for natural areas, reduce fire risk (55%) - top 16 priority Public comment: Ken White, Tasha Witt, Dale Byrne, and Christy Hollenbeck addressed the Council.
Discussion: Councilmember Dramov said she has heard public concerns about trees falling especially after the recent storms. Councilmember Ferlito suggested an educational presentation on how to evacuate Carmel if there is a wildfire so we are prepared and know where the emergency routes are. City Administrator Rerig spoke about the need to hire a Natural Resources Manager to work on preserving and protecting natural spaces.
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. Fire Department to continue to conduct risk assessments on private property, highlight evacuation routes, make sure Nixle and other social alerts are used during emergencies.
4. Review opportunities for enhanced fire/ambulance service (50% complete) - top 16 priority
Public Comment: Shirley Moon addressed the Council.
Discussion: Fire Chief Panholzer gave an update that the City of Monterey is nearing completion of their contract audit and will hopefully be able to move forward with the contract with Carmel very soon.
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. Wait for the City of Monterey to complete their contract audit.
5. Develop forest management plan and update tree ordinance (35%) - top 16 priority Public comment: Janie Marshman, Shirley Moon, Cindy Lloyd, and Karyl Hall addressed the Council.
Discussion: Councilmember Ferlito said that our replacement tree policy has not been enforced and suggested reinstating tree grid pruning. She also suggested a separate Forestry department and education to the public about keeping trees healthy and maintaining new trees.
Councilmember Dramov said we should prioritizing removing dead or dying trees, as well as watering trees. Chip said part of the tree management plan is to plan for the best urban trees to plant.
CC Minutes - January 31, 2023
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. Continue to implement "right tree, right place" for urban tree planting, tree watering, planning for tree squares, and reinstate tree grid pruning.
6. Update zoning code & design guidelines (65% complete) - top 16 priority Public comment: Ken White, and Shirley Moon addressed the Council.
Discussion: Community Planning and Building (CPB) Director Swanson said that the Steering Committee is working on reviewing the RFPs for a Landscape Architect, and after the contract for a landscape architect is awarded the landscape ordinance can be developed. Mayor Potter requested that the Design Steering Committee address the dangers of garages being placed right next to the street and suggested the setback requirements for garages should be increased to prevent this. Councilmember Baron said that at last year's Priorities Workshop, he stated he would the Design Review Board to be in place by the time the design guidelines are ready to take over the design review responsibilities.
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. Council would like to have a future agenda item to discuss the structure and role of a Design Review Board before adopting the design guidelines. Staff to work on a whitepaper to outline what it will take to get a Design Review Board in place.
Council took a recess at 12:12 p.m. Council reconvened at 12:48 p.m.
7. ADU ordinance (65% complete) - top 16 priority
Public comment: Nancy Twomey, a resident, and Karyl Hall addressed the Council.
Discussion: Councilmember Baron asked if accessory dwelling units ("ADU") must be occupied, rather than the ADU being used just to make an existing house bigger. CPB Director Swanson clarified that an ADU that is attached cannot have a door into the main house, and State law dictates other requirements. He also said that ADU guidelines would be included in the general plan, and that the ADUs may help meet the quota of Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) housing for affordable housing (moderate), even if they are not "deed restricted" ADUs.
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. Staff to continue ADU verification process, annual compliance checks, explore incentives for affordability, and the need to address lot coverage to save room for trees.
8. Wireless ordinance (75% complete) - top 16 priority
Public comment: Tasha Witt, and Michael McWalters addressed the Council.
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. Staff will ensure the public has adequate time to spend with the draft ordinance before it goes to Council.
CC Minutes - January 31, 2023
9. Filling vacancies (90% complete) - top 16 priority
Public comment: None
Direction: Council gave consensus to remove this item from the list.
10. Pandemic recovery (90% complete) - top 16 priority
Public comment: None
Direction: Council gave consensus to remove this item from the list.
11. Stormwater ordinance update (85% complete) - top 16 priority Public comment: None
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. Staff waiting for Coastal Commission comments.
12. Volunteer group oversight (70% complete)
Public comment: Dale Byrne, Shirley Moon, and Cindy Lloyd addressed the Council.
Councilmember Ferlito requested to change the name of this priority to "Volunteer Group Facilitation". Mayor Potter asked if Carmel Cares could help with planting trees. City Administrator Rerig said that the City's website has been updated with a page listing all of the local volunteer groups.
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. Staff will make the volunteer page on the website more prominent and intuitive. Carmel Cares offered to help plant trees, and work with the Friends of the Carmel Forest group.
13. Review/reformulate approach to reserves/update financial policies (15% complete) Public comment: None
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. Staff to continue recruiting for the finance department.
14. Explore outdoor dining program (25% complete) (in the public right of way) Public comment: None
CC Minutes - January 31, 2023
Councilmember Dramov asked if this item could be changed or incorporated into a downtown comprehensive plan.
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. Staff to change the name of this item to "Dining in the public right-of-way", and to come up with a broad scope update on what it would take to develop a Downtown Master Plan.
15. Increase beautification efforts (35% complete)
Public comment: Tasha Witt, Nancy Twomey, Cindy Lloyd, Dale Byrne, and Janice Gardner addressed the Council.
Discussion: Councilmember Ferlito said that the City is using Rio Park as storage for wood chips and logs and would like to see the park cleaned up. She added that perhaps the ballfields could be turned into a location for housing, and use Rio Park property for a ball field instead, and suggested that an analysis can be done to find out how many tree squares have been paved over, stumps left behind where a new tree could grow, and utility companies should be forbidden from attaching communication cables to trees.
Council: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. Councilmembers to give ideas for beautification to the City Administrator during weekly meetings and staff will come back with a budget for the requests.
16. Review barriers to affordable housing (45% complete) - top 16 priority Public comment: None
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list. The Housing Committee Ad Hoc is making great progress and will continue working on this.
17. Explore street addresses (30% complete) - top 16 priority Public comment: Janice Bradner, Tasha Witt, and David O'Neil addressed the Council.
Councilmembers Baron and Ferlito said that street addresses are at the top of their priority lists.
Direction: Council consensus for this to remain a high priority. Staff is working with the Carmel Postmaster on a future update to Council and then public outreach.
18. Develop a facilities master plan (45% complete
Public comment: Ken White, Tasha Witt, and Janice Gardner addressed the Council.
CC Minutes - January 31, 2023
Council asked if we could set aside a reserve fund specifically for facilities maintenance, and if a facility master plan could be done to evaluate if the existing buildings are being utilized to meet the needs of the City.
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item on the list, but split it into two items and elevate them: The Police Department Renovation as one item and developing a Facilities Master Plan as another item. The Police Building Renovation Ad Hoc committee is making progress.
Council took a recess at 2:24 pm. And returned at 2:34 pm.
19. Underground utilities rule 20A (10% complete)
Public comment: Tasha Witt, a resident, and Dale Byrne addressed the Council.
Discussion: Mayor Potter suggested putting it to the voters to approve a local tax to pay for undergrounding of utilities. Public Works Director Harary said that by the end of the year we need to have an assessment district established by City Council, then the City can secure the Rule 20A funds allocated for Carmel. He said that generally it is estimated that it costs a million dollars per linear mile to underground. Councilmember Baron suggested starting the process of undergrounding by using Rule 20A Funds to underground the lines at the Mission Trail Nature preserve to see how that goes first.
Direction: Council consensus to elevate this priority.
20. Explore reinstatement of design review board (65% complete) Public comment: None.
Direction: Council consensus to elevate this priority. Staff will bring Council a scope of responsibilities for a Design Review Board
21. Explore redevelopment of Sunset Center north lot (0% complete) Public comment: none.
Direction: Council consensus to keep this item where it is on the list.
22. Opportunity for Flanders Mansion (0% complete)
Public comment: Mike Buffo, Michael Hogan, Thomas Hood, Tony Tollner, Dale Byrne, Cindy Lloyd, a resident, and Dave Hala addressed the Council.
Discussion: City Administrator Rerig said that this item was at 50% a few years back before the conservator walked away from the project and Council took a break from pursuing this project.
CC Minutes - January 31, 2023
Direction: Council consensus to elevate this project as a higher priority. City Administrator Reig will have staff bring back the previous Flanders RFP and ask Council for direction.
23. Opportunities for Scout House (35% complete) - top 16 priority Public comment: None
Direction: Council consensus to keep item on the list. Staff continuing to make progress.
24. Develop and Implement social media plan (10% complete) Public comment: Tasha Witt, and Mike Buffo addressed the Council.
Discussion: Councilmember Baron spoke about using social media as a means for communication, especially during the storms to get information out to the public.
Direction: Council consensus to keep item on the list. Staff will continue to work on launching the website update.
Completed Priority Items
Councilmember Baron would like to add the Climate adaptation plan back to the priority list until the Sea Level Rise is completed.
ADJOURNMENT
Council adjourned at 3:55 pm.
SIGNED: ATTEST:
LEY SALANN
D. Pithe
Dave Potter, Mayor Nova Romero, MME City Clerk