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M I N U T E S
GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
613 E. Broadway, 2nd Floor Glendale, CA 91206
OCTOBER 25, 2022
ROLL CALL – All Present
1. CLOSED SESSION – 3:24 p.m.
a. Conference with Legal Counsel - Pending Litigation: Dickinson v. Izadi, et al., L.A.S.C. Case No. 21STCV08281
b. Conference with Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation: Significant exposure litigation pursuant to paragraph subdivisions (d)(2) and (e)(2) of Section 54956.9: One (1) potential case
c. Conference with real property negotiators: Property location – Real property generally located at the terminus of New York Avenue near Park Vista Drive, commonly referred to as “Mountain Oaks.” Negotiating parties: F.E. & M. Inc.
Employee’s Defined Contribution Plan Trust dated July 10, 1984. Agency negotiators attending the closed session are: Roubik Golanian, John Takhtalian, Michael J. Garcia, Gillian van Muyden, Bradley Calvert, Jason Bradford and Onnig Bulanikian. Instructions to the negotiator(s) will concern the price and terms for the acquisition of property
d. Conference with Legal Counsel - Pending Litigation: F.E. & M. Inc.
Employee’s Defined Contribution Plan Trust dated July 10, 1984 v. City of Glendale et al., L.A.S.C. Case No. BS16989
e. Conference with Legal Counsel – Pending Litigation - Claim of Berman, Claim No. 22-0178
City Attorney Mike Garcia indicated that action is anticipated on 1E. Council recessed to Closed Session at 3:26 p.m.
2. REGULAR BUSINESS AGENDA – 6:05 PM
Roll Call – All Present
a. Flag Salute: Mayor Kassakhian
b. Invocation: Suzie Abajian, City Clerk
c. Report of City Clerk, re: Posting of Agenda. The Agenda for the October 25, 2022 Regular Meeting of the Glendale City Council was Posted on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, on the Bulletin Board Outside City Hall.
3. PRESENTATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS
a. Agenda Preview for the Meetings of Tuesday, November 1, 2022 Deputy City Manager John Takhtalian provided the preview.
4. CONSENT ITEMS (Including Minutes)
The following are Routine and May be Acted Upon by One Motion. Any Member of Council or the Audience Requesting Separate Consideration May do so by Making Such Request Before Motion is Proposed.
a. City Clerk, re: Minutes of the Regular City Council and Joint City Council and Housing Authority Meetings of October 18, 2022
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Abstain:
Asatryan, Brotman, Devine, Najarian, Kassakhian
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Asatryan, Brotman, Devine, Najarian, Kassakhian
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Moved: Najarian Seconded: Devine
b. Public Works, re: Adopt the Plans and Specification for the Dunsmore Park Improvements Project
1. Resolution 22-155 adopting the Plans and Specification for the Dunsmore Park Improvements Project, Specification No. 3840, Plan Nos. 22-105 and 49-255; and directing the City Clerk to advertise for bids
Moved: Najarian Seconded: Devine
c. Public Works, re: Adopt the Plans and Specification for the Fiscal Year 2023 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Curb Ramp Installation and Sidewalk Repair Program
1. Resolution 22-156 adopting the Plans and Specification for the ADA Curb Ramp Installation and Sidewalk Repair Program, Specification No. 3913, Plan Nos. 1- 3097 and 1-3099; and directing the City Clerk to advertise for bids Moved: Najarian Seconded: Devine
5. CITY COUNCIL/STAFF COMMENTS
Councilmember Asatryan thanked staff for putting together a wonderful Glendale Tech Week. She had the opportunity to attend some of the events and was impressed by their turnout and caliber. Asatryan also attended the Glendale Historical Society's Gala at the Sanford House together with other council members. Also, she attended as a guest speaker, the Northwest Homeowner's Association event together with Mr. Golanian. She was pleasantly surprised to see the Planning Director, the City Attorney and Assistant City Manager who made themselves available to the residents. One of the issues that came up during the meeting was an issue that she had been thinking about for some time which is the need for a dog park in the northwest area of Glendale. Asatryan indicated that while there are a number of potential projects, City Council is waiting for a report back for a dog park in potential locations such as Lot 11, Palmer Park and other sites in South Glendale.
However, these locations do not serve the northwest neighborhood of Glendale.
Councilmembers Asatryan and Brotman visited Brand Park and noted that the southwest corner of the park might be a potential site for the dog park. Asatryan asked staff for a quick memo and a report on converting the SW part of the park, south of the Doctor’s house, to a dog park. City Manager Golanian asked for clarification on whether to bring the item back as a report or be included in the RFP for the other dog parks. Councilmember Asatryan noted that both a quick memo and report would work and it would be good to have it done soon 10 25 22
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3 with just fencing and as part of the RFP for long term design. Brotman seconded.
Councilmember Devine congratulated staff for a successful Glendale Tech Week. She announced that it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. She, together with the Mayor attended an award ceremony that Assemblymember Friedman held at Laura’s Corset Shoppe located along Brand Blvd. This shop has existed for 100 years. The shop provides service to patients and survivors of breast cancer. Devine attended the Burbank State of the City Luncheon and had learned about the City of Burbank Police Department’s drivers’ education program. She indicated that once our city has a new police chief, City Manager Roubik Golanian and staff will meet with Burbank PD and City Manager to see how the drivers’ education program works and how it could be implemented in Glendale. Devine indicated that GUSD Superintendent Dr. Ekchian and one of the GUSD Board Members are excited about the possibility of collaborating with the city to bring back a drivers’ education program in the future. Mayor Kassakhian seconded.
Councilmember Brotman re-nominated Sevana Zadorian for the Arts and Culture Commission.
Councilmember Najarian stated he was a speaker for the Valley Industry & Commerce Association Panel on the Future of Transportation and met with one of the principals of BYD, the bus company that will hopefully give the city an electric bus to test out. He spoke about the recent climate news and indicated that the almost 10-years of efforts by the state to reduce automobile and power plant emissions was wiped out in one summer as a result of fires in California. He asked staff to reassess the sustainability plan and bring this issue to the Sustainability Commission. He suggested that the city put more emphasis on wildfire suppression and asked staff for a report on how the city can address this issue. Asatryan seconded.
Mayor Kassakhian attended the Harvest Festival event in Pacific Park, One Glendale Flag Football Championship Game, the tour of Rockhaven Sanitarium with the Friends of Rockhaven, and Glendale Tech Week events. He announced that the movie “Gate to Heaven,” about Artsakh, is being shown at the AMC theatre at the Americana. Kassakhian attended the renaming of the Wilson Middle School gym after former principal Mr. Richard Lucas. He announced that Dia De Los Muertos event is coming up at the Glendale Central Library on November 5th and invited the public to attend. Kassakhian stated that Governor Newsom appointed former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as the infrastructure advisor to lead the group of local leaders to find out how to take advantage of the funds that the federal government is allocating for infrastructure programs. Kassakhian asked staff to see if there is an opportunity for staff to work with neighboring cities on projects of common interests and to have a discussion on prioritizing infrastructure requests to be submitted to Mr. Villaraigosa’s office. Asatryan seconded. Kassakhian commented on the emails council received regarding street vendors and asked staff to provide a report on imposing certain regulations. Asatryan seconded.
Director of Community Development Bradley Calvert provided a brief update on the city’s housing element plan which will be agenized for the Housing Authority meeting in the upcoming weeks.
Mayor Kassakhian asked staff to have the first “Council in your Neighborhood” meeting to be held at the Rancho area to discuss the preservation of the character of the community due to the projects being developed around that area. City Manager Roubik Golanian stated 10 25 22
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that staff will put a schedule together to set-up a meeting for early next year.
6. COMMUNITY EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS (3-Minutes)
Tamara Movsesyan
Ani Vartabedian
Edwin
7. ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES
8. ACTION ITEMS
a. Community Development, re: Review of Recommendations for Streamlining the Historic District Designation Process
Presenting:
Jay Platt, Principal Planner
Staff Comments:
Mike Garcia, City Attorney
Bradley Calvert, Director of Community Development
Public Comments:
John Schuning
Damian Sullivan
Lilya Avagyan
John Schwab-Sims
Joanna Pringle
Annet Arakelian
Cathy Jurca
Patrick Masihi
Ani Vartabedian
Robyn Fai
Taron Lizagub
Carol Attarian
Ani Minatsakhanian
1. Motion to approve recommendations related to streamlining the historic district designation process and initiate amendments to Glendale Municipal Code Section 30.25.030
Moved: Brotman Seconded: Devine
Item 8b pulled off the agenda.
b. Glendale Water and Power, re: Solar Energy on City Owned Properties – Report to File, and to Authorize the General Manager of GWP to Issue an RFP using Engineer- Procure-Construct (EPC) Method for Six Proposed Project Sites 10 25 22
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Devine
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1. Motion to Note and File the GWP Solar PV Development on City Owned Properties and DER Hosting Capacity Analysis and Update
2. Resolution authorizing the General Manager of GWP, or his designee, to prepare a Request for Proposal (RFP) using the Alternative Project Delivery Method for the Engineer-Procure-Construct (EPC) of Solar PV Systems at the following proposed project sites: 1) Glendale Sports Complex Parking Lot, 2) Montrose Parking Lot 3, 3) Utility Operations Parking Lot, 4) Brand Landfill, 5) Fire Station 21, and 6) Glendale Central Library, and authorizing the City Clerk to solicit proposals
c. City Attorney, re: Findings regarding Approval of Design Review Case No. PDR 2101078 for a three-story, 82-room hotel at 1633 Victory Boulevard Staff Comment:
Mike Garcia, City Attorney
1. Resolution 22-157 Adopting a Subsequent Mitigated Negative Declaration and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Moved: Najarian Seconded: Asatryan
2. Motion Sustaining the Design Review Board's Decision to Approve the Design Review Case and Making Findings in Support Thereof
Moved: Najarian Seconded: Asatryan
9. HEARINGS
a. Community Development, re: Public Hearing on an Appeal of Planning Commission's Decision to Sustain the Planning Hearing Officer’s Approval of Setback and Standards Variance Case No. PVAR 1722701 for the Project Site Located at 521 Nolan Avenue
Hearing opened at 8:57 p.m. and closed at 9:26 p.m.
Brotman recused himself at 9:17 p.m. due to a possible conflict of interest.
Presenting:
Vista Ezzati, Planner
Staff Comments:
Mike Garcia, City Attorney
Yazdan Emrani, Director of Public Works
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Public Comments:
Alexander Jackson, appellant
David DiJulio, Counsel
Rodney Khan, applicant
Amy Newborn
Tiffany Borland
Ani Vartabetian
Alen Malekian, architect
Matilda Hartounian
1. Motion to sustain the Planning Commission’s decision of April 3, 2019, to sustain the Planning Hearing Officer’s decision to approve the variance with conditions Moved: Asatryan Seconded: Devine
2. Motion to continue the matter, directing the City Attorney to draft findings, reversing the Planning Commission’s decision and deny the project b. Community Development, re: Extension of Interim Urgency Ordinance No. 5994 Prohibiting Developments with New and Conversion of Existing Drive- through Waiting Lanes Citywide
Najarian recused himself and left the chambers at 10:01 p.m. due to a possible conflict of interest.
Hearing opened and closed at 10:04 p.m.
1. Introduction of Ordinance Extending, for an Additional 10 Months and 15 Days, Interim Urgency Ordinance No. 5994 Prohibiting Developments with New and Conversion of Existing Drive-through Waiting Lanes Citywide Introduced by: Asatryan
Kassakhian asked staff to provide a report to review a town square to be named in memory of Armond Gorgoryan. Asatryan seconded.
Kassakhian asked staff to provide a report to review an intersection of Isabel and Broadway to be name in memory of Sadeo Munemori. Devine seconded.
10. REPORTS – INFORMATION
11. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
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Mayor of the City of Glendale
12. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Discussion is Limited to Items NOT a Part of this Agenda. Council May Question or Respond to The Speaker But There Will be no Debate or Decision. The City Manager May Refer the Matter to the Appropriate Department for Investigation and Report.
13. NEW BUSINESS
a. Motion to approve the Claim for Damages of Rebecca Berman Moved: Brotman Seconded: Asatryan
14. ADJOURNMENT – 10:05 p.m.
Moved: Devine Seconded: Brotman
City Clerk of the City of Glendale