CONTINUED REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CONCORD CITY COUNCIL/CITY COUNCIL
SITTING AS THE LOCAL REUSE
AUTHORITY/CITY COUNCIL SITTING AS THE
CONCORD-PLEASANT HILL HEALTH CARE
DISTRICT
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
1950 PARKSIDE DRIVE
CONCORD, CALIFORNIA AND VARIOUS
TELEPHONIC/ELECTRONIC LOCATIONS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2023 CONTINUED
FROM JANUARY 10, 2023
The Concord City Council met in a continued regular meeting in the Council Chamber, located at 1950 Parkside Drive and via various telephonic/electronic locations at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, with Mayor Hoffmeister presiding. Minutes follow in abbreviated form per Resolution 3361 and Council Minutes of September 26, 1966.
ROLL CALL
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Dominic Aliano, Edi Birsan, Laura Nakamura, Carlyn Obringer, Laura Hoffmeister
STAFF PRESENT: Valerie Barone, City Manager; Susanne Brown, City Attorney; Justin Ezell, Assistant City Manager; Joelle Fockler, City Clerk; Stefanie Ananthan, Deputy City Clerk; Greg Taylor, Director of Information Technology; Kevin Marstall, Director of Community Development; Mark Bustillos, Chief of Police; James Nakayama, Police Captain; Mindy Gentry, Planning Manager; Aaron Sage, Principal Planner
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WHO ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL: Ady Olvera; Natalie
CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ITEMS
COMMENTS FROM CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (HCD) – City’s Draft Housing Element Update (HEU) – continued from January 10, 2023 Principal Planner Aaron Sage provided an updated schedule of next steps and meeting dates towards Council adoption of the Final Draft Housing Element Update (HEU) based upon the continuance of the item from the January 10, 2023 meeting. Mr. Sage then provided a brief overview of the previously presented staff report, the comments and recommended revisions from California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) related to the City’s draft HEU, and next steps and the consequences for non-compliance. Mr. Sage explained that the Council was being requested to provide input to be incorporated into a revised HEU for adoption by the City Council on revisions proposed by staff in the staff report dated January 10, 2023.
Following questions and discussion by the City Council, the Council indicated support for staff recommendations and provided input on the following:
Additional tenant protections
Targeted outreach to inform residents within City’s racially/ethnically diverse areas of poverty regarding available social services, programs, and available funding City Council Minutes January 17, 2023
2 Consult with local businesses in Monument Corridor to spend $150,000 in settlement funds to advance small business development and economic vitality in Monument Corridor Seek project partners
Simplify emergency shelter regulations
Amend Development Code to allow multi-family housing in commercial districts Amend Development Code’s Design and Site Review procedures to require staff-level ministerial review for multi-family housing projects
Amend Development Code to reduce the amount of parking required for group housing uses Amend Development Code to require only objective criteria for Large Residential Care Facilities
Mayor Hoffmeister recessed the meeting at 8:34 p.m. The meeting resumed at 8:42 p.m.
SELECTION OF APPLICANTS TO INTERVIEW FOR HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN WORKING GROUP – continued from January 10, 2023
City Clerk Joelle Fockler presented the staff report, provided background related to the development of the Homeless Strategic Plan Working Group, discussed the composition of the Working Group and the number of applications received for each category, and explained that the Council was being requested to select applicants to interview for the Homeless Strategic Plan Working Group. Based upon the number of applications received in the categories of Mental Health Professional and Substance Abuse Professional, the City Council was provided the following recommendation from staff:
1. Determine process for the Mental Health and Substance Abuse positions; and
2. Select two applicants each from the other five categories to interview, reviewing the list one category at a time
Following questions from the City Council, Mayor Hoffmeister opened a public comment period.
Ady Olvera spoke about the importance in finding solutions for the unhoused in Concord and said if the Council is considering reopening the categories for the Mental Health and Substance Abuse positions, the application deadline should be extended for all categories. She also stated there should be additional members chosen to serve in the Concord resident category.
Mayor Hoffmeister closed the public comment period.
Following comments from the City Council, a motion was made by Obringer and seconded by Aliano to extend the application period for the categories of Mental Health Professional and Substance Abuse Professional, with the deadline for applications due to the City Clerk on February 3, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. The motion passed by the following vote:
AYES: Aliano, Nakamura, Obringer, Hoffmeister NOES: Birsan A motion was made by Aliano and seconded by Birsan to select applicants Leonard Ramirez and John Eckstrom to be interviewed for the category of Veterans Homeless Services Provider. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
A motion was made by Aliano and seconded by Obringer to select applicants Eric Rehn and Mark Unterbach to be interviewed for the category of Business Community Representative. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
City Council Minutes January 17, 2023
3 A motion was made by Birsan and seconded by Obringer to select applicants Desiree McDonagh and Lance Goree to be interviewed for the category of Concord Resident and Property Owner. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
A motion was made by Nakamura and seconded by Obringer to select applicants Kelly McKinley and Bob Pickett to be interviewed for the category of Nonprofit Homeless Services Provider. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
A motion was made by Nakamura and seconded by Birsan to select applicants Kent Davis and Brandi Martinez to be interviewed for the category of Lived Experience Representative. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
City Council directed staff to amend Resolution No. 22-77 to omit reference to Concord resident from the category of Business Community Representative, and to extend the application period for the category of Business Community Representative, with the deadline for applications due to the City Clerk on February 3, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.
APPROVAL OF THE 2023 CITY COUNCIL MEETING CALENDAR – continued from December 13, 2022 and January 10, 2023
City Clerk Joelle Fockler presented the staff report, explaining that the Council was being requested to approve the 2023 City Council Meeting Calendar, per staff’s recommendation, and to discuss whether to change the meeting start time from 6:30 p.m. to an earlier start time.
Mayor Hoffmeister opened a public comment period.
Ady Olvera spoke in favor of staff’s recommendation for a Council break in July, but expressed concern about an earlier meeting start time of 5:30 p.m.
Natalie expressed concern over an earlier meeting start time.
Mayor Hoffmeister closed the public comment period.
Following comments from the City Council, a motion was made by Obringer and seconded by Birsan to approve the proposed 2023 City Council Meeting Calendar. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
It was the consensus of the Council to not change the meeting start time to earlier than 6:30 p.m.
CORRESPONDENCE
a. Agenda Item No. 5.a – Draft Housing Element Update – Benched Correspondence b. Agenda Item No. 5.a – Draft Housing Element Update – PowerPoint Presentation c. Agenda Item No. 5.b – Homeless Strategic Plan Working Group Applications – PowerPoint Presentation
COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmembers shared information on events and activities in which they had participated since the last meeting and commented on items of interest.
City Council Minutes January 17, 2023
4 ADJOURNMENT
By order of the Mayor, the meeting was adjourned on January 17, 2023, at 9:50 p.m. /s/
LAURA M. HOFFMEISTER
MAYOR
/s/
JOELLE FOCKLER, MMC
CITY CLERK