REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CONCORD CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
1950 PARKSIDE DRIVE
CONCORD, CALIFORNIA AND VARIOUS
TELEPHONIC/ELECTRONIC LOCATIONS
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2024
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, September 10, 2024, with Mayor Birsan presiding. The pledge of allegiance was led by Councilmember Nakamura.
Minutes follow in abbreviated form per Resolution 3361 and Council Minutes of September 26, 1966.
ROLL CALL
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Dominic Aliano, Laura Hoffmeister, Laura Nakamura, Carlyn Obringer, Edi Birsan
STAFF PRESENT: Valerie Barone, City Manager; Justin Ezell, Assistant City Manager; Susanne Brown, City Attorney; Joelle Fockler, City Clerk; Stefanie Ananthan, Deputy City ClerkJames Nakayama, Police Captain; Kevin Marstall, Director of Community
Development; Joan Ryan, Principal Planner; Frank Abejo, Principal Planner; Michael Hart, Assistant Planner
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WHO ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL: Peter Bennett, Concord; Claude-Alix Bertrand, Boxes for Moving and Storage/U-Haul; Tim McGallian, Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
Peter Bennett, Concord, spoke of the losses he has endured over the years.
PRESENTATION
PROCLAMATION – Service Dog Awareness Month
Mayor Birsan presented Victoria Briskin, Early Alert Canines, a proclamation declaring September 2024 as “Service Dog Awareness Month” in the City of Concord.
Mayor Birsan opened a public comment period, and upon receiving no comment, closed the public comment period.
CITY COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Birsan opened a public comment period, and upon receiving no public comment, closed the public comment period.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – June 25, 2024
A motion was made by Hoffmeister and seconded by Nakamura to approve the minutes from the June 25, 2024, regular meeting. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 24-5 – Amendments to Concord Municipal Code Title 18, Develolpment Code
City Council Minutes September 10, 2024
2 A motion was made by Hoffmeister and seconded by Nakamura to adopt Ordinance No. 24-5 entitled, “An Ordinance Amending Concord Municipal Code, Title 18 (Development Code), Chapter 18.20 (General Terms), Chapter 18.30 (Residential Districts), Chapter 18.35 (North Todos Santos DIstrict), Chpater 18.40 (Office and Commercia DIstricts), Chapter 18.45 (Downtown Districts), Chapter 18.50 (Business Park and Industrial Districts), Chapter 18.55 (Public/Quasi-Public District), Chapter 18.60 (Community Land Districts), and Chapter 118.200 (Standards for Specific Uses)." Ordinance No. 24-5 was introduced on August 13, 2024, by reading of the title only and waiving further reading. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
DESIGNATION OF VOTING DELEGATE FOR THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND EXPO – October 16-18, 2024
A motion was made by Hoffmeister and seconded by Nakamura for the designation of Mayor Birsan as the Voting Delegate for the League of California Cities Annual Conference and Expo on October 16-18, 2024. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 24-49 – Accepting and Appropriating Grant Funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS)
A motion was made by Hoffmeister and seconded by Nakamura to adopt Resolution No. 24-49 entitled, “A Resolution Accepting and Appropriating Grant Funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) in the Amount of $275,000 for Select Traffic Enforcement and Appropriation of Funds and Approval for Use for the City’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program.” The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ITEMS
ONE-YEAR UPDATE ON IMPLEMENTATION OF OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS AND MAYOR TO
CONSIDER AND/OR ANNOUNCE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COUNCIL AD HOC COMMITTEE Principal Planner Joan Ryan presented the staff reportand explained that Council was being requested to: 1) receive the one-year update on the implementation of Concord Municipal Code, Title 18 (Development Code), Chapter 18.152 (Objective Design Standards), and 2) Mayor to consider and/or announce the establishment of a Council ad-hoc committee to advise the City Manager and staff on the next phase of objective design standards for small lot development, until they have been adopted by Council.
Following questions from the Council, Mayor Birsan opened a public comment period, and upon receiving no public comment, closed the public comment period.
Following discussion by the Council, a motion was made by Obringer and seconded by Nakamura to accept the one-year update on the implementation of Concord Municipal Code, Title 18 (Development Code), Chapter 18.152 (Objective Design Standards). The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
Mayor Birsan appointed Vice Mayor Obringer and Councilmember Hoffmeister to serve on a Council Ad Hoc Committee to advise the City Manager and staff on the next phase of the objective design standards for small lot development, until they have been adopted by Council.
RECOMMENDATION FROM THE HOUSING & ECOMONIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL COMMITTEE – City-initiated Concord Municipal Code Amendment to Allow Vehicle and Equipment Rental Facilities with Outdoor Storage in the Industrial Mixed Use (IMX) Zoning District Mayor Birsan recused himself from the item due to an economic interest in real property and left the dais.
City Council Minutes September 10, 2024
3 Principal Planner Frank Abejo presented the staff reportand explained the Housing and Economic Development (HED) Council Committee’s recommended two options: 1) a City-initiated Concord Municipal Code amendment that would allow for vehicle and equipment rental facilities with outdoor storage in the IMX zoning district, with costs carried by the City as a general-fund-paid project (HED Committee selected option), and 2) a private-business-initiated amendment with business owner carrying cost of processing the application and other additional considerations. Mr. Abejo then explained that Council was being requested to direct staff on how to proceed with the amendment based upon the two options.
Following questions from the Council, Vice Mayor Obringer opened a public comment period.
Claude-Alix Bertrand, Boxes for Moving and Storage/U-Haul, thanked Council and staff for considering alternatives and the resulting impact on small businesses.
Tim McGallian, Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, thanked Council and staff for being business friendly and for trying to find solutions to aid businesses whose use might not conform to an existing Zoning District location.
Vice Mayor Obringer closed the public comment period.
Following discussion by the Council, a motion was made by Hoffmeister and seconded by Nakamura to recommend aCity-initiated Concord Municipal Code amendment that would allow for vehicle and equipment rental facilities with outdoor storage in the IMX zoning district, with costs carried by the City as a general-fund-paid project, as recommended by the HED Committee. The motion failed by the following vote:
AYES: Nakamura, Obringer NOES: Aliano, Hoffmeister ABSENT: Birsan Vice Mayor Obringer recessed the meeting at 8:30 p.m. The meeting resumed at 8:39 p.m.
Mayor Birsan returned to the dais.
REVISE CITY POLICY AND PROCEDURE NO. 2 – Mayoral Rotation City Clerk Joelle Fockler presented the staff report, provided background, and explained that Council was being requested to approve revisions to Policy and Procedure No. 2 to define the mayoral rotation, as recommended by the Policy Development and Internal Operations (PDIO) Council Committee.
Following questions from the Council, Mayor Birsan opened a public comment period, and upon receiving no public comment, closed the public comment period.
Following discussion by the Council, a motion was made by Obringer and seconded by Birsan to direct staff to bring the item back before the PDIO Committee for further discussion and textual changes.
The motion passed by the following vote:
AYES: Nakamura, Obringer, Birsan NOES: Aliano, Hoffmeister
CORRESPONDENCE
a. Agenda Item No. 4.c – Voting Delegate for the League of California Cities Annual Conference and Expo – Benched Staff Report
b. Agenda Item No. 5.a – Objective Design Standards – PowerPoint Presentation c. Agenda Item No. 5.b – Industrial Mixed Use Zoning District – PowerPoint Presentation d. Agenda Item No. 5.c – Mayoral Rotation – PowerPoint Presentation City Council Minutes September 10, 2024
4 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 September 10, 2024, at 9:20 p.m., in memory of Rose Marie Hansen.
/s/
EDI E. BIRSAN
MAYOR
/s/
JOELLE FOCKLER, MMC
CITY CLERK