City Council
MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
6:00 PM
Teleconference via Zoom
A. CONVENE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND ROLL CALL
The City Council meeting was called to order at 6:01 p.m., with Mayor Lucan leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Mayor Eric Lucan, Mayor Pro Tempore Susan Wernick, Councilmember Denise Athas, Councilmember Pat Eklund, and Councilmember Mark Milberg
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Adam McGill, Sustainability Coordinator Gretchen Schubeck, Planning and Environmental Services Manager Steve Marshall, City Attorney Jeff Walter, Assistant City Attorney Holly Whatley, and City Clerk Laura McDowall
B. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA& TELECONFERENCE MEETING AUTHORIZATION B.1. Adopt a resolution authorizing continued remote teleconference meetings of the City Council and the City’s Commissions, Committees and Boards pursuant to government code section 54953(e)
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Athas and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Wernick, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Final Agenda and adopt the resolution authorizing continued remote teleconference meetings of the City Council and the City’s Commissions, Committees and Boards pursuant to government code section 54953(e).
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-019.
C. CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
The City Council met in closed session prior to, and upon adjournment of, the open session.
D. CEREMONIAL MATTERS/PRESENTATIONS
None
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS (this item was taken out of order)
I.1. Hold the fourth redistricting public hearing in accordance with Elections Code section 21607.1(a), review and provide feedback on submitted draft maps and potentially select a final map to post before formal adoption City Clerk Laura McDowall presented the item and responded to Council questions along with Assistant City Attorney Holly Whatley and National Demographic Corporation (NDC) consultants Doug Yoakim and Douglas Johnson.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Zach Griggy
The Council came to consensus to make updates to map Zach 2 to add the Stonetree Golf Course area from District 3 into District 5, as suggested in the maps submitted by Tracey Ruiz, and to move the Sunnyhill Rd census block from District 3 into District 1. It was suggested to name the map incorporating the changes the RuizGriggy map and to identify it as the final map for potential adoption at the next redistricting public hearing scheduled for March 8, 2022.
E. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL & CITY MANAGER
E.1. City Council Subcommittee on Homelessness Report Out There was no report out.
E.2. Reports from the City Council and the City Manager City Manager McGill reported on various City matters and the City Council gave reports on meetings and events they had attended.
F. PUBLIC COMMENT
None
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Lucan and Councilmember Milberg announced that they would be recusing themselves from item G.2 due to the project’s proximity to their workplace and Councilmember Eklund announced she would be recusing herself from the item due to its proximity to real property that she owned. It was determined that item G.2 lacked a quorum of Councilmembers who could vote, and the item was removed from the agenda.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Athas and seconded by Councilmember Milberg, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Consent Calendar with item G.2 removed.
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
G.1. Waive reading and authorize introductions and/or adoption of ordinances by title only This was a standard procedural action so that the City Council would not have to read ordinances in their entirety.
G.2. Adopt a resolution approving the plans and specifications, authorizing advertisement for bids, and finding that the project is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA guidelines Section 15301, Existing Facilities, for the 2022 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Project, CIP No. 22-001
This item was removed from the agenda.
G.3. Approve the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022/23 budget calendar listing public meeting dates for the upcoming budget development process
The City Council approved the FY 2022/23 budget calendar.
G.4. Adopt a resolution approving the construction plans for the Lee Gerner Park Temporary Camp
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-020.
G.5. Adopt a resolution opposing Initiative 21-0042A1 in response to an action alert from the League of California Cities’
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-021.
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There were no items listed for this section.
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS (continued)
I.2. Continued from January 25, 2022: Conduct a public hearing and re-introduce an ordinance amending Chapter XIX (Zoning) of the Novato Municipal Code involving the repeal and replacement of Sections 19.34.030 (Accessory Dwelling Units) and 19.34.031 (Junior Accessory Dwelling Units) and modifying sections of the Zoning Ordinance listed below as required to comply with California Government Code Sections 65852.2 and 65852.22 and finding the amendments to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15282(h). Other Zoning Ordinance sections referenced to accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units recommended to be amended:
19.08.030 (Agricultural and Resource Zoning District Land Uses Permit Requirements)
19.12.030 (Commercial Industrial District Land Uses and Permit Requirements)
19.14.040 (Special Purpose District General Development Standards)
19.16.070 (Affordable Housing Opportunity (AHO) Overlay District)
19.20.100 (Setback Requirements and Exceptions)
19.24.020 (Affordable Units or Fee Required)
19.26.050 (Hillside Project Development Standards)
19.30.040 (Number of Parking Spaces Required)
19.60.020 (Definitions of Specialized Terms and Phrases) Planning and Environmental Services Manager Steve Marshall opened the item and reviewed the six parking options provided in the staff report.
Council discussed and reviewed the options, and it was clarified that Option 6 was originally recommended by Staff and the Planning Commission and was the most liberal in term of application and standards. Staff suggested that if Council did not to go with Option 6, Staff would then recommend Option 4 which requires up to 2 independently accessible or tandem replacement parking stalls, includes the option to locate them in front setbacks, and maintains the limit on paving in front yards.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
It was expressed that Option 6 would more closely align JADU parking requirements with those of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), however it was determined that the ordinance should be reintroduced with the inclusion of the provisions of Option 4.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Wernick, the City Council voted 3-2 via roll call to reintroduce the ordinance with Option 4, with Mayor Lucan and Councilmember Milberg voting No.
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, WERNICK
NOES: MILBERG, LUCAN
Motion carried. The City Council Reintroduced Ordinance 1676.
At 7:42 p.m. the City Council took a brief recess and returned at 7:55 p.m.
J. GENERAL BUSINESS
J.1. Receive the 2019 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and provide feedback on proposed success indicators for the Sustainability Action Dashboard
Sustainability Coordinator Gretchen Schubeck presented the item and Council gave feedback on the key indicators they would like to see on a future sustainability dashboard.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Athas and seconded by Councilmember Eklund the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to receive the 2019 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory report.
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried
J.2. Discuss status of the City Council’s five (5) priority revenue exploration efforts to date and direct staff to research the feasibility of a local sales tax measure.
City Manager Adam McGill presented the item and responded to Council questions. It was clarified that this item was just to get general direction whether to continue to pursue a potential sales tax measure, and that the ultimate decision on whether to place a sales tax measure on the ballot would come back to Council at a later date, with ballot measure language due to the County Elections Office by August 12, 2022.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
The City Council unanimously directed staff to continue to pursue a potential sales tax measure.
J.3. Discuss recruitment and employee retention at the Novato Police Department and consider authorizing a pay increase for Unit A- Novato Police Managers Association, Unit B- Police Officers Association and/or Unit H – Novato Police Civilian Employees Association
City Manager McGill opened the item, and there was consensus from Council to schedule a closed session on Tuesday, February 22nd at 4:30 p.m. to discuss labor negotiations with Units A, the Novato Police Managers Association, Unit B, the Novato Police Officers Association and Unit H, Novato Police Civilian Employees.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Trevor Hall
2. Sean, POA President
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Athas, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to initiate steps to attempt to reopen negotiations with Units A, B and H.
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
K. COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES AND BOARDS (CCB’S) APPOINTMENTS There were no items for this section.
L. WORK STUDY SESSION
There were no items for this section
M. ADJOURNMENT
The City Council adjourned the meeting at 10:07 p.m.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of March 8, 2022. ___________________
Laura McDowall
City Clerk