MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
CITY OF MONTEREY
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
4:00 PM
COUNCIL CHAMBER
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA
Councilmembers
Present: Barber, Garcia, Haffa*, Smith, Williamson
Absent: None
* Attended remotely by teleconference pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54953(f)(2)(A)
City Staff
Present:
City Manager, Assistant City Manager, City Attorney, Community Development Director, Parks and Recreation Director, Finance Director, City Clerk, Assistant City Attorney, Recreation Manager, Senior Engineer, Planning Manager
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Williamson called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. He announced that Councilmember Haffa would request to participate in the meeting by teleconference. City Clerk Klein called the roll with the Council present as highlighted above.
EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES REMOTE PARTICIPATION REQUEST
1. Approve Councilmember Haffa's Emergency Circumstances Remote Participation Request (Not a Project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061)
Action: Approved teleconference request (4-0-1, Councilmember Haffa abstaining) Councilmember Haffa confirmed that he could hear the meeting proceedings, gave a brief description of the circumstances relating to his need to appear remotely pursuant to the "Emergency Circumstances” clause (medical), and confirmed that no one over the age of 18 was present in the room with him during the meeting.
Public comment was not received.
On a motion by Councilmember Smith, seconded by Councilmember Barber, and carried by the following vote, which was conducted by roll call, the City Council approved Councilmember Haffa's Emergency Circumstances Remote Participation Request:
AYES: 4 COUNCILMEMBERS: Barber, Garcia, Smith, Williamson NOES: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None)
ABSENT: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None)
ABSTAIN: 1 COUNCILMEMBERS: Haffa
RECUSED: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None)
City Council Minutes August 30, 2023
2 PUBLIC APPEARANCE
2. Provide Direction on Madison Street Affordable Housing Project Site Plan Design and Parking Plan; (Not a Project Under CEQA, per Article 20, Section 15378 and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061)
Action: Provided direction to move forward with Site Plan 4, directed staff to develop a plan to accommodate civic center parking for public access, and directed that the development team be open as they move forward to other possible locations for some of the amenities
Community Development Director Cole gave the City staff presentation and Vanessa Diffenbaugh, of MidPen Housing, gave an additional presentation from the development perspective. They clarified that Plan 4 was the preferred plan and was the current result of progress on the project that had begun with Plan 1 and progressed through Plans 2 and 3 on the way to developing Plan 4. Community Development Director Cole and Ms. Diffenbaugh answered Councilmembers' questions together with City Manager Uslar and project architects Justin Pauly and Paul Davis. During questions Mayor Williamson left the Chamber at 4:50 p.m. and returned at 4:52 p.m.
Mayor Williamson took a count of hands raised by those who wished to speak, and based on the resulting number limited public comments to two minutes per speaker.
Public comment in support of the project was received from: Gary Cursio and Marc Kelley, of the Monterey County Hospitality Association, who called Plan 4 a close-to-perfect project; Luis Osorio, who spoke in favor of Plan 4 and encouraged the City to consider reestablishing the historical layout of the Vasquez Adobe/Colton Hall/Dutra Street area; Nancy Soule, who spoke in support of Plan 4 but asked to move the playground and garden to Friendly Plaza and use the parking design seen in Plan 2; Veronica Miramontes, MPUSD trustee, who cited local families' needs for affordable homes and asked Council not to prioritize parking over housing; Fattima Dias, who spoke in favor of keeping the playground on site, stating that everyone deserves a back yard; Charlotte Arnold, who asked staff to properly manage the seasonal surge of drop-offs for Recreation programs; Jane Parker, who said that Plan 4 was creative and needed; Jackson Everett, senior at Monterey High School, who cited that over 22% of MPUSD students qualified as homeless, and stated that change was needed; Gabriel Sanders, of Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP), who encouraged this and other projects like this elsewhere in the City; Amanda Whitmire, MPUSD trustee, who spoke in favor of Plan 4. citing homeless student counts as well as the annual loss of teachers who can't afford to live locally; Alice Crawford, who spoke in support of Plan 4 and a Spanish architectural theme; Monica Lal, Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, who stated the location was ideal; Kathryn Avila, who spoke in support of Site 4 and echoed that the site was an ideal location; Annie Nothoff, of Landwatch Monterey County; Tim Gadus, who complimented the City and MidPen staff and the project's architectural team; Terri Pipes, who echoed the need for teachers to be able to afford housing; Maria Rendon, who expressed the community's serious need for affordable housing; Phyllis Bussey, who spoke in support of Plan 4 and its green space and play area; Jose Torres, of Landwatch Monterey County, who spoke in favor of the 100% affordability and use of infill development; Esther Malkin, who asked that the "AMI" measurement be quantified with dollars; Jean Rasch, who echoed Ms. Soule's suggestion to move the playground to the front of City Hall, stating that parking is needed for the City's civic center; Ana Luz, of Communities Organized for Relational Power in Action (COPA), who spoke in support of getting rid of all parking and expanding housing, such as by using underground parking; Richard Ruccello, who said that parking is vital for public participation and stressed that the community needed to take care of its teachers; Joan Costello, who spoke about the importance about housing children; and MaryAnn Boylan, of COPA, who spoke in favor of Plan 4 and echoed the need for teacher City Council Minutes August 30, 2023
3 housing. During public comment, Mayor Williamson left the Chamber at 5:36 p.m. and returned at 5:38 p.m., and Councilmember Smith left the Chamber at 5:43 p.m. and returned at 5:45 p.m.
The Council discussed the matter. Support was broadly expressed for Plan 4, with additional comments in favor of elements of Plan 2 (for its playground location) and Plan 3 (for the walking area between City Hall and the housing structure). It was stressed that going forward the City would need to mitigate the impacts to City Hall and keep City staff and the public's access and parking needs in mind. It was noted that not everyone can walk two to three blocks. It was stated that losing 21 parking places was not an easy choice and that the idea of relocating the tot lot should be considered. It was suggested to find ways to incentivize alternative transportation for staff. It was requested to keep remote participation as an attendance option for public meetings. It was stated that the current Council's predecessors had done great work to create density in Monterey. Staff was requested to make it easier for the public to understand how to participate and engage in the process. On question from the Council, City Manager Uslar stated that City staff would bring back the final Disposition and Development Agreement ("DDA") which he said would contain more details about parking and other matters.
On a motion by Councilmember Haffa, seconded by Councilmember Barber, and carried by the following vote, which was conducted by roll call, the City Council provided direction to move forward with Site Plan 4 and directed staff to develop a plan to accommodate civic center parking for public access, and that the development team to be open as they move forward to other possible locations for some of the amenities:
AYES: 5 COUNCILMEMBERS: Barber, Garcia, Haffa, Smith, Williamson NOES: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None)
ABSENT: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None)
ABSTAIN: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None)
RECUSED: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None)
Public Comment on Closed Session Agenda Items
Public comment on the closed session items was not received. ***Adjourn to Closed Session (See additional agenda)*** A motion was introduced by Mayor Williamson, and seconded by Councilmember Smith, to continue the closed session items to September 5, 2023.
Public comment on the motion to continue was not received.
The motion to continue passed by the following roll-call vote:
AYES: 5 COUNCILMEMBERS: Barber, Garcia, Haffa, Smith, Williamson NOES: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None)
ABSENT: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None)
ABSTAIN: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None)
RECUSED: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None)
ADJOURNMENT
The Council adjourned at 6:13 pm
City Council Minutes August 30, 2023
4 Respectfully Submitted, Approved,
Clementine Bonner Klein Tyller Williamson
City Clerk Mayor