CITY OF DIAMOND BAR
MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT/MAIN AUDITORIUM 21865 COPLEY DRIVE, DIAMOND BAR, CA 91765
OCTOBER 3, 2023
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Chou called the Regular City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the South Coast Air Quality Management District Main Auditorium, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Council Member Teng led the Pledge of Allegiance.
INVOCATION: Deacon Dennis Shin, St. Denis Catholic Church, provided the Invocation.
ROLL CALL: Council Members Chia Yu Teng, Mayor Pro Tem
Stan Liu, and Mayor Andrew Chou
Absent: Council Members Ruth Low and Steve Tye
Staff Present In Person: Dan Fox, City Manager; Ryan McLean, Assistant City Manager; Omar Sandoval, City Attorney; Anthony Santos, Assistant to the City Manager; Jason Jacobsen, Finance Director; Cecilia Arellano, Senior Community Relations Coordinator; Joan Cruz, Administrative Coordinator; Kristina Santana, City Clerk
Staff Present Telephonically: Ryan Wright, Parks and Recreation Director; Amy Haug, Human Resources and Risk Manager; Greg Gubman, Community Development Director; Hal Ghafari, Public Works Manager/Assistant City Engineer; Jason Williams, Maintenance Supervisor; Ken Desforges, Information Systems Director; Marsha Roa, Community Relations Manager
Others Present: Captain Stephen Tousey, Diamond Bar/Walnut Station and Leticia Pacillas, LACFD Community Services Liaison APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Mayor Chou approved the agenda as presented.
1. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATES, PROCLAMATIONS:
1.1 Certificates of Recognition for Diamond Bar Girls Softball 8U All-Stars.
Mayor Chou and City Council Members presented certificates to the players and thanked them and their coaches for representing the City of Diamond Bar.
1.2 2023 San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) Update.
Rene Coronel, Senior Project Manager, San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments provided an update on 2023 SGVCOG projects and project plans for 2024 and responded to Council questions.
OCTOBER 3, 2023 PAGE 2 CITY COUNCIL
2. CITY MANAGER REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: None Offered.
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Mary Gonzalez again asked the City for assistance with her domestic abuse case and Captain Tousey explained his department’s response and his September 19th conversation with her via her interpreter.
Mayor Chou explained to Ms. Gonzalez that her request for the City’s help on this matter is outside the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council and discouraged her from further speaking on the issue during public comments.
Erick Ortiz, Tenant Counselor with the Healing and Justice Center, spoke about the need for community access to Broadband highlighted during COVID and asked for the Council’s support to help close the digital divide by writing a supportive letter to the LA County Board of Supervisors urging them to investigate discriminatory practices of independent service providers.
Cynthia Yu, Diamond Bar Library, reported on October library programs including the Friends of the Library annual essay writing contest and other events.
Additional information can be found online at www.lacountylibrary.org.
4. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE EVENTS: CM/Fox presented the Schedule of Future Events.
5. CONSENT CALENDAR: MPT/Liu moved, C/Teng seconded, to approve the Consent Calendar as presented with the exception of Item 5.4 withdrawn from Consent Calendar by C/Teng. Motion carried 3-0 by the following Roll Call vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Teng, MPT/Liu, M/Chou
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Low, Tye
5.1 APPROVED CITY COUNCIL MINUTES:
5.1.1 SEPTEMBER 19, 2023 REGULAR MEETING.
5.2 RATIFIED CHECK REGISTER DATED SEPTEMBER 13, 2023
THROUGH SEPTEMBER 26, 2023 TOTALING $1,509,781.59.
5.3 APPROVED AND AUTHORIZED THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN THE
ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH JAMES EVENT
PRODUCTIONS TO PROVIDE ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES FOR
CITYWIDE PROGRAMS AND EVENTS THROUGH JUNE 30, 2028.
OCTOBER 3, 2023 PAGE 3 CITY COUNCIL
5.5 ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2023-32 APPROVING FINAL PARCEL MAP NO. 83708 TO SUBDIVIDE AN EXISTING 2.09 ACRE
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2020 SOUTH BREA CANYON
ROAD (PLAZA DIAMOND BAR).
ITEMS WITHDRAWN FROM CONSENT CALENDAR:
5.4 APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN THE
CONSULTING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH BLACK O’DOWD AND
ASSOCIATES, INC. IN A NOT-TO-EXCEED AMOUNT OF $362,300, PLUS A CONTINGENCY AMOUNT OF $72,460, FOR A TOTAL
AUTHORIZATION AMOUNT OF $434,760 FOR THE DESIGN OF
HERITAGE PARK RENOVATION PROJECT PHASES I AND II
(CIP#FP24502), AND DETERMINE THAT APPROVAL OF THE DESIGN
SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS NOT
SUBJECT TO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW UNDER THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) PURSUANT TO CEQA
GUIDELINES ARTICLE 18, SECTION 15262.
C/Teng asked if the City had sufficient funding resources to construct this project and CM/Fox explained that once construction level drawings are available staff will have more accurate costs estimates and the Council will determine whether or not to move forward with the project at that time using General Fund reserve dollars for this one-time significant capital investment.
MPT/Liu moved, M/Chou seconded, to approve Item 5.4. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: MPT/Liu, M/Chou
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Teng
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Low, Tye
6. PUBLIC HEARINGS: NONE
7. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION: NONE
8. COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS AND MEETING ATTENDANCE
REPORTS/COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS:
C/Teng attended the League of California Cities annual meeting in Sacramento and participated in sessions on Affordable Housing where he observed that elected officials from small cities like Diamond Bar oppose the current legislation and policy which they felt did not help relieve the housing issue and created additional burdens for their communities.
OCTOBER 3, 2023 PAGE 4 CITY COUNCIL
MPT/Liu thanked staff for the presentations, thanked drivers and residents for their patience while traversing Golden Springs Drive during roadway improvement construction and looked forward to seeing everyone out during Restaurant Week.
M/Chou invited his colleagues to attend St. Jude’s new location ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, October 5th at 10:00 a.m. and colleagues and residents to attend the local Walmart’s 25th anniversary celebration on Saturday, October 7 th at 11:00 a.m. He attended the League of California Cities meeting and echoed comments regarding affordable housing. The LA Division had a call last Wednesday in response to the zero bail policy that went into effect October 1st and following that call, the Board of LA Division drafted a letter to the presiding judge asking for a postponement/injunction which was followed by the filing of a lawsuit by 12 cities that have their own police departments. M/Chou asked that staff study the issue and consider taking a position based on the City’s legislative platform and bring the matter back to Council for further discussion. There was Council concurrence to schedule the matter for discussion at the next meeting.
ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to conduct, Mayor Chou adjourned the Regular City Council Meeting at 7:18 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted:
________________________________
Kristina Santana, City Clerk
The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this 17th day of October, 2023.
Andrew Chou, Mayor