REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CONCORD CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
1950 PARKSIDE DRIVE
CONCORD, CALIFORNIA AND VARIOUS
TELEPHONIC/ELECTRONIC LOCATIONS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023
The Concord City Council met in a regular meeting in the Council Chamber, located at 1950 Parkside Drive and via various telephonic/electronic locations at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, with Mayor Hoffmeister presiding. The pledge of allegiance was led by Vice Mayor Birsan. 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, Laura Hoffmeister
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: Carlyn Obringer
STAFF PRESENT: Valerie Barone, City Manager; Susanne Brown, City Attorney; Justin Ezell, Assistant City Manager; Joelle Fockler, City Clerk; Greg Taylor, Director of Information Technology; James
Nakayama, Police Captain; Kevin Marstall, Director of
Community Development; Mindy Gentry, Planning Manager;
Michael Hart, Associate Planner; Bruce Davis, Senior Civil Engineer
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WHO ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL: Frank Sterling, Jr., Antioch; Alex Gillen, Concord; Greg Teal, Concord; Sue Dittmann, Concord; Alyse Plumley, Concord; Michael Milani, Milani and Associates; Melanie Griswold; Anonymous; Theresa
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
Frank Sterling, Jr., Antioch, spoke of the death of his cousin, Timothy Lee, in 1985 and requested that the City Council support the reopening of the case about Mr. Lee’s death.
PRESENTATIONS
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT UPDATE
Mayor Hoffmeister introduced Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Aaron McAlister who provided an update on District activities.
Mayor Hoffmeister opened a public comment period, and upon receiving no public comment, closed the public comment period.
PROCLAMATION – Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Mayor Hoffmeister presented Susun Kim, Executive Director for the Family Justice Center, a proclamation declaring October 2023, as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” in the City of Concord and recognizing the Family Justice Center for its work against domestic violence.
City Council Minutes October 24, 2023
2 Mayor Hoffmeister opened a public comment period, and upon receiving no public comment, closed the public comment period.
FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER
Mayor Hoffmeister introduced Susun Kim, Executive Director for the Family Justice Center, who presented an update on the Family Justice Center.
Mayor Hoffmeister opened a public comment period, and upon receiving no public comment, closed the public comment period.
JOHN MUIR COMMUNITY HEALTH FUND
Mayor Hoffmeister introduced Jelissa Parham, Executive Director for John Muir Community Health Fund, who presented information on the John Muir Community Health Fund.
Mayor Hoffmeister opened a public comment period, and upon receiving no public comment, closed the public comment period.
ANNOUNCEMENT
RECRUITMENT FOR ONE (1) OPENING FOR THE CITY OF CONCORD’S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE CONTRA COSTA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY – CITIZEN’S ADVISORY COMMITTEE City Clerk Joelle Fockler announced one (1) opening for the City of Concord’s Representative on the Contra Costa Transportation Authority – Citizen’s Advisory Committee, and setting a deadline of Friday, November 17, 2023, at 5 p.m. as the deadline for receipt of applications by the City Clerk.
CITY COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Hoffmeister opened a public comment period, and upon receiving no public comment, closed the public comment period.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – October 3 and 10, 2023
A motion was made by Birsan and seconded by Aliano to approve the minutes from the October 3 and 10, 2023 regular meetings. The motion passed by the following vote:
AYES: Aliano, Birsan, Nakamura, Hoffmeister NOES: None ABSENT: Obringer ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 23-9 – Floodplain Management
A motion was made by Birsan and seconded by Aliano to adopt Ordinance No. 23-9 entitled, “An Ordinance Amending the Concord Municipal Code Title 15 Building and Building Regulations, Chapter
15.75 (Floodplain Management).” Ordinance No. 23-9 was introduced on October 3, 2023, by reading of the title only and waiving further reading. The motion passed by the following vote:
AYES: Aliano, Birsan, Nakamura, Hoffmeister NOES: None ABSENT: Obringer
CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ITEM
APPOINTING COUNCILMEMBER NAKAMURA OR HOLDING A RECRUITMENT TO APPOINT A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC AS A CITY OF CONCORD REPRESENTATIVE – John Muir Community Health Fund
This item was removed from consideration on the meeting agenda.
City Council Minutes October 24, 2023
3 CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING
ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NO. 23-66 – Buttonwood Village Subdivision Tentative Map Associate Planner Michael Hart presented the staff report and explained that Council was being requested to adopt a Resolution denying the appeal of the Planning Commission's adoption of Resolution No. 23-08 PC and approving the Buttonwood Village Subdivision Tentative Map, Density Bonus with one concession and eight reductions of development standards, Planned Development Use Permit, Design and Site Review, and Tree Removal Permit for a small lot development with 14 single-family detached homes on a 1.67-acre site located at 1836 Clayton Way, APN 114-220-019 (PL23017 – TM, UP, DR, RT), subject to conditions of approval.
The appellant, Ivan Gomez, spoke toward the reason for the appeal, stating that the project is a hazard to the neighborhood and he recently found out that there is an oak tree on the site that is home to a fully protected species, the White-tailed Kite.
The applicant, Robert Nichols, stated that the project had an environmental report completed and that he worked with the Planning Department with regard to using SB 330 regulations for the project.
Following questions from the Council, Mayor Hoffmeister opened a public comment period.
The following people spoke in favor of the City Council granting the appeal:
Alex Gillen, Concord
Greg Teal, Concord
Sue Dittmann, Concord
Alyse Plumley, Concord
Melanie Griswold
Anonymous
Theresa
Michael Milani, Milani and Associates, the project’s civil engineer, stated that the project was approved under the City’s current ordinance for small lots, and SB 330 allowed the applicant to use waivers and concessions and the ability to reduce some of the setbacks.
Mayor Hoffmeister closed the public comment period.
Following discussion by the Council, a motion was made by Birsan and seconded by Aliano to adopt Resolution No. 23-66 entitled, “A Resolution Denying the Appeal of the Planning Commission’s Adoption of Resolution No. 23-08 PC and Approving the Buttonwood Village Subdivision Tentative Map, Density Bonus with One Concession and Eight Reductions of Development Standards, Planned Unit Development Use Permit, Design and Site Review, and Tree Removal Permit for a Small Lot Development with 14 Single-Family Detached Homes on a 1.67-Acre Site located at 1836 Clayton Way, (APN 114-220-019) (PL23017 – TM, UP, DR, RT), subject to Conditions of Approval.” The motion passed by the following vote:
AYES: Aliano, Birsan, Nakamura, Hoffmeister NOES: None ABSENT: Obringer
CORRESPONDENCE
a. Agenda Item No. 2.a – Written Public Comment
b. Agenda Item No. 3.a – Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Update – PowerPoint Presentation
City Council Minutes October 24, 2023
4 c. Agenda Item No. 3.c – Family Justice Center - PowerPoint Presentation d. Agenda Item No. 3.d – John Muir Community Health Fund - PowerPoint Presentation e. Agenda Item No. 7.a – Buttonwood Village Subdivision Tentative Map – Benched Correspondence
f. Agenda Item No. 7.a - Buttonwood Village Subdivision Tentative Map – 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.
ADJOURNMENT
By order of the Mayor, the meeting was adjourned on October 24, 2023, at 9:00 p.m. /s/
LAURA M. HOFFMEISTER
MAYOR
/s/
JOELLE FOCKLER, MMC
CITY CLERK