CLAREMONT CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 —6:30 p.m.
Meeting Conducted In Person and Via Zoom. Video Recording is Archived on the City Website https://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/government/city-council/watch-city-cou ncil-meetings
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Pro Tem Medina called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
MOMENT OF SILENCE
ROLL CALL
PRESENT COUNCILMEMBER: CALAYCAY, LEANO, MEDINA, STARK ABSENT COUNCILMEMBER: REECE
ALSO PRESENT Jamie Earl, Assistant City Manager; Alisha Patterson, City Attorney; Aaron Fate, Police Chief; Jeremy Swan, Director of Community Services; Brad Johnson, Director of Community Development; Melissa Vollaro, Director of Human Services; Nishil Bali, Finance Director
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
Mayor Pro Tem Medina stated there was no reportable action from the 5:15 p.m. closed session meeting.
CEREMONIAL MATTERS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
The City Council received a presentation from Priscilla Espinoza on upcoming events taking place at the Claremont Helen Renwick Library.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL HOLIDAYS/OBSERVANCES
Memorial Day, May 29, 2023
MAYOR AND COUNCIL
Council Items - None
Council Assignment Reports
This item starts at 1:20:50 in the archived video.
Councilmember Stark reported that she attended the Southern California Association of Governments annual conference and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments Environmental and Natural Resources Committee where they received a presentation on Tesla superchargers. Lastly, she reported on the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments Water Policy Committee and reminded everyone to continue conserving water. She asked City staff to invite the LA County Flood Control District to present an update at a future City Council meeting.
City Council Minutes
May 9, 2023
Councilmember Leano reported that he attended the Southern California Association of Government General Assembly meeting where they elected new officers.
CITY MANAGER REPORT
This item starts at 1:25:38 in the archived video.
Assistant City Manager Earl reported that on June 7 the City will facilitate a neighborhood meeting to discuss the Stone Canyon water seepage issue, the City's collection of the SoCal Gas utility user tax will pause starting July 1, 2023 and will last for a period of 5 months, invited all to the May 11 Committee on Human Relations workshop on civility, and invited all to the City's Memorial Day ceremony. Lastly, she announced the honorees for this years'4th of July celebration: John Neiuber, Grand Marshal; Raul Rodriguez, Honored Citizen; and Carmen Flores and Tatiana Guerrero, Honored Community Group.
PUBLIC COMMENT
This item starts at 1:28:55 in the archived video.
Mayor Pro Tem Medina invited public comment.
Ross Pringle, Claremont Streets for People, spoke in support of the Heart of the Foothills event and shared participant suggestions that included pedestrian and bicycle safety in the City.
There were no other requests to speak.
CONSENT CALENDAR
This item starts at 1:36:01 in the archived video.
Mayor Pro Tem Medina invited public comment on the Consent Calendar.
Buff Brown, Claremont Streets for People, spoke in support of Consent Calendar Item No. 5 and shared information regarding road safety.
Unidentified speaker spoke about speeding on College Avenue and asked the City Council to add speed bumps or cameras to help deter speeding.
Ross Pringle, Claremont Streets for People, spoke in support of Consent Calendar Item No. 5 and urged the City Council to instruct KOA Corporation to create a plan that protects the most vulnerable road users like pedestrians and bicyclists.
There were no other requests to speak.
1. Resignation of Planning Commissioner Tom Andersen
Accepted with regret the resignation of Tom Andersen from the Planning Commission effective May 17, 2023.
2. Adoption of a Resolution Approving the City Warrant Register Adopted Resolution No. 2023-28, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, ALLOWING CERTAIN CLAIMS AND DEMANDS AND
City Council Minutes
May 9, 2023
SPECIFYING THE FUNDS OUT OF WHICH THE SAME ARE TO BE PAID, dated April 27, 2023.
3. City Council Minutes of April 25, 2023 (Regular)
Approved and filed the regular City Council meeting minutes of April 25, 2023.
4. 2023-24 Landscape and Lighting District Engineer's Report (Funding Source: Landscape and Lighting District Fund)
A. Adopted Resolution No. 2023-29, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE ENGINEER'S REPORT
PREPARED BY WILLDAN FINANCIAL SERVICES AS FILED, DECLARING ITS
INTENTION TO LEVY AND COLLECT ASSESSMENTS WITHIN LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING DISTRICT NO. LL001 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023/24 PURSUANT TO THE LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ACT OF 1972 FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND
SERVICING OF LIGHTING AND LANDSCAPING, AND GIVING NOTICE OF AND
SETTING THE TIME AND PLACE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE LEVY OF THE PROPOSED ASSESSMENTS; and
B. Set a public hearing date of June 13, 2023, for the purpose of hearing any comments on the proposed 2023-24 LLD assessment and for the ordering of the annual levy.
5. Authorization to Enter Into a Professional Services Agreement with KOA Corporation and Appropriate Funds for the Preparation of a Local Road Safety Plan (Funding Source:
Proposition C)
A. Authorized the City Manager to execute a professional services agreement with KOA Corporation for the preparation of a Local Road Safety Plan in the amount of$105,728, and authorize a ten percent contingency in the amount of$10,573, for a not-to-exceed amount of$116,301; and
B. Appropriated $116,301 from the Proposition C Fund to complete this project.
6. Authorization to Amend the Existing Professional Services Agreement with Willdan Engineering to Extend the Term and Increase Compensation for Public Works Inspection Services (Funding Source: General Fund)
Authorized the City Manager to execute an amendment to the existing professional services agreement for public works inspection services with Willdan Engineering, extending the term to December 31, 2023 and increasing compensation by $168,000, for a total not-to-exceed amount of$293,000.
7. Resolution Adopting a List of Projects for Fiscal Year 2023-24 Funded by Senate Bill 1: The Road and Accountability Act of 2017 (Funding Source: Senate Bill 1 — Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account)
Adopted Resolution No. 2023-30, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING A LIST OF PROJECTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023-24 FUNDED BY SB 1: THE ROAD REPAIR AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2017.
8. Approval of the Claremont Library Maintenance Agreement (Funding Source: Landscape and Lighting District Fund)
Authorized the City Manager to execute the Library Grounds Maintenance Agreement for the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2028, in an amount of$20,812 for 2023-24, and allowing for an annual increase to the base amount according to the Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles-Anaheim-Riverside Metropolitan statistical area.
Councilmember Calaycay moved to approve the Consent Calendar.
City Council Minutes
May 9, 2023
Councilmember Calaycay asked that the Police Department provide extra patrol to help address speeding on College Avenue.
Chief Fate responded to a suggestion to use speed cameras and explained that speed cameras are illegal in California and confirmed that extra monitoring will take place on College Avenue.
The motion was seconded by Councilmember Stark, and carried on a roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Councilmember— Calaycay, Leano, Medina, Stark
NOES: Councilmember— None
ABSENT: Councilmember— Reece
PUBLIC HEARINGS — None
Mayor Pro Tem Medina announced that Administrative Item No. 10 would be heard next as there may be a considerable amount of City Council discussion on Item No. 9.
ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM
10. Annual Report for the Military Equipment Use Policy of the Claremont Police Department as Required by Assembly Bill 481 — Military Equipment: Funding, Acquisition, and Use (Funding Source: General Fund)
Karlan Bennet, Police Lieutenant, gave a PowerPoint Presentation, and responded to questions from the City Council regarding which surrounding Cities have armored vehicles, closest City to Claremont who has an armored vehicle, and is the equipment and vehicle maintenance of the proposed armored vehicle in the existing City budget.
Mayor Pro Tern Medina invited public comment.
Unidentified speaker questioned the cost of the armored vehicle and how much is budgeted for these types of military equipment.
There were no other requests to speak.
Lieutenant Bennet responded to a question raised during the public comment period that if approved, the City will be receiving the vehicle at no cost; therefore the cost would be for annual and routine maintenance.
Councilmember Stark spoke in support of highly trained personnel that will use the equipment.
Councilmember Stark moved to receive the Annual Military Equipment Use Report and approve the acquisition of the equipment listed under"New Request— Category 2 and Category 12", seconded by Councilmember Calaycay, and carried on a roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Councilmember— Calaycay, Leano, Medina, Stark
NOES: Councilmember— None
ABSENT: Councilmember— Reece
City Council Minutes
May 9, 2023
ORDINANCE
9. Continuation of Item No. 10 from the April 25, 2023 City Council Agenda - Consideration of Tenant Protections — (1) First Reading and Introduction of an Ordinance Imposing Heightened Tenant Protections for Just Cause Evictions for Certain Residential Tenancies in the City of Claremont: and (2) First Reading and Introduction of an Ordinance Imposing Heightened Rent Stabilization Requirements for Certain Residential Tenancies in the City of Claremont (Funding Source: General Fund)
This item starts at 2:01:54 in the archived video.
Katie Wand, Assistant to the City Manager, gave a PowerPoint presentation and shared that no additional public comment will be taken as public comment concluded at the April 25, 2023 City Council meeting.
City Attorney Patterson, Ms. Wand, and Brad Fliehmann, Building Official, responded to questions raised during the public comment period regarding other policies that may include wording that the Building Official has deemed the work necessary, litigated ordinances, AB 1482 definition of"substantially remodel", cost of litigation, examples of code compliance for health and safety reasons, and the ability and timeframe to modify an adopted ordinance.
The City Council originally discussed Key Decision 2.5 at its April 25, 2023, meeting and provided preliminary direction to not narrow AB 1482's definition of"substantially remodel".
After further discussion, a majority of the City Council directed the City Attorney to incorporate the following language in the "Just Cause for Eviction" ordinance: "The owner has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the City's Building Official or his/her/their designee that the work is necessary to bring the rental unit into compliance with applicable codes and laws affecting the health and safety of tenants of the building." The City Council recessed at 8:14 p.m.
The City Council reconvened at 8:20 p.m.
Ms. Wand continued to respond to additional questions from the City Council regarding data collection on rental units, use of American Rescue Plan Act Funds, rental assistance amount, and rental assistance agencies.
The City Council discussed "Key Decisions 4-7" and provided the following direction/guidance as summarized below:
• Key Decision 4 — The City Council imposed relocation assistance to be provided by housing providers' equivalent to three months' rent.
• Key Decision 5 — The City Council requested that the potential inclusion of "anti- harassment language" in the City's "Just Cause for Eviction" ordinance be further considered by housing providers and tenants. As such, the City Council asked staff to conduct stakeholder outreach and to return to City Council at a later date with a recommendation.
• Key Decision 6—The City Council agreed that the ordinance shall not apply to residential tenancies in a building or in a complex of commonly-owned buildings with nine (9) or fewer rental units.
• Key Decision 7 —The City Council will not be pursuing a "Rent Stabilization" ordinance at this time. The City Council requested that staff present cost options and additional information during their City Council Priorities/Budget Discussion for the 2024-26 budget
City Council Minutes
May 9, 2023
cycle pertaining to the feasibility of additional staffing/programming associated with the collection and management of Claremont-specific rental housing data.
The City Council recessed at 9:44 p.m.
The City Council reconvened at 9:53 p.m.
Based on direction provided at the April 25, 2023, City Council meeting and direction provided tonight, the City Attorney incorporated the requested changes to the "Just Cause for Eviction" ordinance.
Councilmember Stark moved to introduce for first reading and that reading be by title only AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA ADDING CHAPTER 8.34 ("JUST CAUSE FOR EVICTION") TO TITLE 8 ("HEALTH AND SAFETY") OF THE CLAREMONT MUNICIPAL CODE, PROHIBITING THE TERMINATION OF CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES WITHOUT "JUST CAUSE" IN THE CITY OF CLAREMONT, seconded by Councilmember Leano, and carried on a roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Councilmember— Leano, Medina, Stark
NOES: Councilmember— Calaycay
ABSENT: Councilmember— Reece
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Pro Tern Medina adjourned the meeting of the Claremont City Council at 9:58 p.m. The next regular meeting of the Claremont City Council will be held on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at 6:30 p.m., in the Claremont Council Chamber.
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Mayor Pro Tem
ATTEST:
1 D puty City Clerk