City Council - April 11, 2023
1. CALL TO ORDER
Public Comments:
The City Council minutes are prepared and ordered to correspond to the City Council Agenda. Agenda Items can be taken out of order during the meeting.
The Agenda Items were considered in the order presented.
Mayor Arapostathis called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
1.1 INVOCATION - COUNCILMEMBER DILLARD
Public Comments:
1.2 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Public Comments:
2. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS
Public Comments:
City Manager Humora introduced new Assistant City Manager, Amanda Lee.
Assistant City Manager Lee expressed her excitement to join the City of La Mesa.
City Manager Humora stated the City received a letter from the State of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation regarding leasing the property at 8374-8375 Hercules Street for a potential parole office. He stated the City would update the public when there was further information on the matter.
3. COMMUNITY BULLETIN REPORTS
Public Comments:
The Mayor, Council and staff made announcements and reported on various events taking place in the City. No action was taken.
4. ADDITIONS AND/OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA
Public Comments:
There were no additions or deletions to the agenda.
5. PRESENTATIONS
Public Comments:
5.1 PROCLAIMING APRIL 28, 2023, AS ARBOR DAY
Public Comments:
Mayor Arapostathis read the proclamation proclaiming April 28, 2023, as Arbor Day.
5.2 PROCLAIMING APRIL 2023 AS VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION MONTH Public Comments:
Mayor Arapostathis read the proclamation proclaiming April 2023 as Volunteer Appreciation Month.
5.3 2022 PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Attachments
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Public Comments
1. Memo_2022 Performance Measures.pdf
2. Attachment A - 2022 Performance Measures.pdf
Assistant to the City Manager Dedmon summarized the 2022 Performance Measures for the various City departments, highlighting the increased social media engagement, the planning and building applications received by the Community Development Department, the Fire Department's and Police Department's calls for service and response times, the crime rates against persons and property, the number of graffiti incidences, and the Public Works Department's service requests and response times. Assistant to the City Manager Dedmon provided an update on the status of the City's Five-Year Strategic Planning and Implementation document.
Following Council questions and comments, no action was taken.
5.4 2023-2034 GENERAL FUND FINANCIAL FORECAST
Attachments
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Public Comments
1. Memo_2023-2034 General Fund Financial Forecast.pdf
2. Attachment A - 2023-2034 General Fund Financial Forecast.pdf Director of Finance Royales presented the long range projection of the City's General Fund revenues, expenditures, and reserves. Ms. Royales discussed the base forecast for revenue and expenditure assumptions, the national, state and local economies, revenues from cannabis sales, the City's unfunded liability, the status of the Section 115 Retirement Trust Fund, and the General Fund reserves history and forecast.
Following Council questions and comments, no action was taken.
6. PUBLIC COMMENTS – (TOTAL TIME – 15 MINUTES)
Public Comments:
Dianne Osterling spoke regarding the Council taking positions on policies they are not responsible for, the focus of the Councilmembers, creating unity and not division among the community, and government transparency.
Victor Diaz spoke regarding tax fraud in the construction industry.
Jesse Garcia spoke regarding tax fraud in the construction industry.
7. CONFLICT DISCLOSURES
Public Comments:
There were no conflict of interest disclosures.
8. BOARD AND COMMISSION INTERVIEWS
Public Comments:
8.1 INTERVIEW OF APPLICANT FOR A VACANCY ON THE COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD Attachments
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Public Comments
1. Memo_CPOB Interviews 2023-04-11.pdf
2. Attachment A - Applicant List CPOB_April.pdf
City Clerk Wiegelman briefly explained the interview process.
Manuel Gomez spoke regarding their qualifications and interest in being appointed to the Community Police Oversight Board.
City Clerk Wiegelman said the appointment would be made at the April 25th City Council meeting.
Following the interview, no action was taken.
8.2 INTERVIEW OF APPLICANT FOR AN UNSCHEDULED VACANCY ON THE MOBILITY COMMISSION Attachments
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Public Comments
1. Memo_Mobility Commission Interviews 2023-04-11.pdf
2. Attachment A - List of Applicants MC_April.pdf
City Clerk Wiegelman briefly explained the interview process.
Brian Lane spoke regarding their qualifications and interest in being appointed to the Mobility Commission.
City Clerk Wiegelman said the appointment would be made at the April 25th City Council meeting.
Following the interview, no action was taken.
9. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON CONSENT CALENDAR
Public Comments:
There were no public comments on Consent Calendar.
10. CONSENT CALENDAR
Public Comments:
(Items 10.1 through 10.3)
Moved By
Vice Mayor Parent
Seconded By
Mayor Arapostathis
Approve Consent Calendar Items 10.1 through 10.3.
For (5)
Mayor Arapostathis, Councilmember Shu, Vice Mayor Parent, Councilmember Dillard, and Councilmember Lothian Approved (5 to 0)
10.1 APPROVAL OF MOTION TO WAIVE THE READING OF THE TEXT OF ALL ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS AT THIS MEETING Public Comments:
Approve.
10.2 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING HELD TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 2023 Attachments
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Public Comments
1. Post-Meeting Minutes - CCM_Mar28_2023.pdf
Approve.
10.3 RESOLUTION REJECTING BID NO. 23-15, CITYWIDE GUARDRAIL UPGRADES Attachments
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Public Comments
1. Staff Report_Citywide Guardrail Upgrades Project, Rejecting Bid No. 23-15.pdf
2. Attachment A - Resolution Bid 23-15 Rejecting Bids.pdf Resolution No. 2023-031
Adopt Resolution.
11. STAFF REPORTS
Public Comments:
11.1 CONSIDERATION OF THE 2020-2022 NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT AND THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 WORK PLAN Attachments
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Public Comments
1. Staff Report_NTMP Annual Report and Work Plan.pdf
2. Attachment A - 2022 NTMP Matrix Ranking.pdf
Mary Kate Miller
Public Comment for 4/11/2023 meeting. Reference agenda item #11.1 NTMP.
On-going Lemon Ave traffic concerns include safety, vehicle speed, volume, size, potholes; inability to access driveways, and overall increasing misuse of this neighborhood road as a shortcut/thoroughfare.
We are pleased to see that Lemon Avenue (Garfield to Wood) has been identified in Phase 1 of the Traffic Calming Measures. The measures include signs and striping; however, we encourage looking at additional mitigations to supplement these steps. Perhaps a [lighted] crosswalk at Lemon and Wood could facilitate pedestrian crossing as well as alerting drivers to potential hazards.
Regarding AB 43, Speed Limit Reduction, we request the NTMP report specifically state that, Lemon Avenue “Adjacent to Lemon Avenue Elementary” extends to at least Wood Street, and hopefully to Bancroft. ARPA as a funding source is also discussed in the report for traffic calming – but only designates Lemon Ave from Grant to Garfield. This fails to address the ongoing complaints from the residents on the 8900 block of Lemon Ave (Garfield to Wood).
It seems that reducing the speed limit on this specific stretch of Lemon Ave, between Garfield and Wood, meets the intended goal of AB 43.
As stated in the NTMP report, “The new law will allow City Council greater flexibility to lower speed limits on roads, in business and residential areas, and other stretches.” Reducing (and enforcing) the speed limit from 35 MPH to 25 on this residential street is not only common sense but certainly an important goal for safety on the block. Seeing the trend over the past years of increased traffic, accidents, property damage, it is certain we will soon see injuries and possibly fatalities in this corridor.
Thank you for your attention.
Dan and Mary Kate Miller
8988 Lemon Ave.
Director of Public Works/City Engineer Throne provided a PowerPoint presentation on the 2020-2022 Neighborhood Traffic Management Program ("NTMP") Annual Report and Work Plan, highlighting the accomplishments since 2020, the completed Phase 1, 2 and 3 traffic calming projects, the policy changes to the implementation of the NTMP, and the Phase 1, 2, and 3 traffic calming projects that may be implemented based on the current funding level of $175,000. Director of Public Works/City Engineer Throne provided an update on the American Rescue Plan Act ("ARPA") Ad Hoc Subcommittee meeting regarding the use of ARPA funds for traffic calming projects. Director of Public Works/City Engineer Throne stated the Mobility Commission recommended a policy change to the NTMP that would clear the Phase 1 list of old requests that had already received Phase 1 actions.
Council questions and comments ensued.
Mary Kate Miller submitted a comment regarding on-going traffic concerns on Lemon Avenue.
ACTION
: Following discussion, it was the consensus of the Council to accept the 2020-2022 Neighborhood Traffic Management Program annual report including the ranked list of streets requesting traffic calming and the Fiscal Year 2024 Work Plan.
11.2 CONSIDERATION OF THE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT (ADU) DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY REPORT Attachments
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Public Comments
1. Staff Report_Accessory Dwelling Unit Development Activity.pdf
2. Attachment A - City of La Mesa Accessory Dwelling Unit Guidebook.pdf
3. Attachment B - ADU and JADU FAQs and Quick Info Sheets.pdf Director of Community Development Kusiak provided a PowerPoint presentation on the 2021 and 2022 ADU development activity, highlighting the related State laws, La Mesa regulations, the current ADU activity and ADU activity since 1981, ADU review times, application and permit fees, the size and type of permitted ADUs, the City's ADU guidebook, and next steps.
Dianne Osterling spoke on ADU regulations and short-term rentals.
Council questions and comments ensued.
ACTION
: Following discussion, it was the consensus of the Council to accept the report on ADU development activity.
12. COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS (3 MINUTE LIMIT)
Public Comments:
The Mayor and Council reported on various outside boards, commissions and committee meetings they attended. No action was taken.
13. AB 1234 REPORTS (GC 53232.3 (d))
Public Comments:
There were no reports.
14. CITY ATTORNEY REMARKS
Public Comments:
There were no remarks.
15. ADJOURNMENT
Public Comments:
Mayor Arapostathis adjourned the meeting at 7:35 p.m.