TOWN COUNCIL
Meeting Minutes
6:00 PM – April 11, 2023
1. OPENING
The Regular meeting of the Paradise Town Council was called to order by Mayor Bolin at 6:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chamber located at 5555 Skyway, Paradise, California who led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America. An invocation was offered by Council Member Lassonde.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Steve Crowder, Steve “Woody” Culleton, Ron Lassonde, Rose Tryon and Greg Bolin, Mayor
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Town Manager Kevin Phillips, Town Attorney Scott E. Huber, Town Clerk/Elections Official Dina Volenski, Community Development Director Susan Hartman, Community Development Director Tony Lindsey, Public Works Director/Town Engineer Marc Mattox, Recovery and Economic Development Director Colette Curtis, Business and Housing Manager Kate Anderson, Recovery and Economic Development Project Manager Brian Solecki, Capital Projects Manager David Kehn, Facilities Coordinator Kelly Conner, Police Lieutenant Cameron Kovacs, and Fire Chief Patrick Purvis. 1a. Mayor Bolin presented a proclamation to Kathy Dysert, President of the Paradise Arts Alliance and David Zink, President of PATCH, recognizing April as Arts, Culture and Creativity Month. (180-40-27) 1b. Mickey Rich presented an update from Paradise Irrigation District on the new meter connection.
1c. Camp Fire Recovery Updates - Written reports are included in the agenda packet. (110-60-061)
Colette Curtis, Recovery and Economic Development Director - Recovery Projects, Advocacy, Economic Recovery and Development,
Communications and Emergency Operations.
Marc Mattox, Public Works Director/Town Engineer - Infrastructure and Sewer Update
Tony Lindsey, CDD-Building and Code Enforcement - Code Enforcement Update
Kate Anderson, Business and Housing Manager - Business and Housing Update
2. CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION by Culleton, seconded by Lassonde, approved consent calendar items 2a through 2d. Roll call vote was unanimous.
2a. Approved the Special and Regular minutes of the March 14, 2023, and Special minutes of March 17, 2023 Town Council meetings. 2b. Approved March 2023 Cash Disbursements in the amount of $4,807,499.74. (310-10-034)
2c. 1. Rescinded Resolution No. 2022-67 “A Resolution of The Town Council of The Town of Paradise Adopting the New CalHome Homebuyer Acquisition Only/Acquisition With Rehabilitation Programs Guidelines”; and,
2. Adopted Resolution No. 2023-14 “A Resolution of The Town Council of The Town of Paradise Adopting the New CalHome Homebuyer Acquisition Only/Acquisition With Rehabilitation Programs Guidelines”. (710-10-086) 2d. Reviewed and ratified the submission of the letter of sponsorship for AB 556 (Gallagher) and the letter of support for AB 573 (Garcia). (180-30-100, 550-30-003)
3. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR - None
4. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
1. Mimi Brown asked for an update on a hospital opening on the ridge; the results of the road survey; how the mayor is decided; and how the location of Town Council meetings are advertised.
2. John Gillander asked Council to enforce “dig-once” on his private road.
3. Diana Shuey asked about the status of the Feather River Hospital being rebuilt.
4. Tom Keith asked what the Town is doing for The Plantation.
5. Sharon Hollingsworth spoke on behalf of the residents of The Plantation and the need for assistance in rebuilding.
5. PUBLIC HEARINGS
5a. Business and Housing Manager Kate Anderson provided an overview of the 2023-2024 Draft Annual Action Plan.
Mayor Bolin opened the public hearing at 6:55 p.m.
There were no public comments.
Mayor Bolin closed the public hearing at 6:55 p.m.
MOTION by Culleton, seconded by Tryon, 1. Adopted the Draft 2023- 2024 Annual Action Plan as submitted; and 2. Authorized staff to submit the adopted 2023-2024 Annual Action Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Roll call vote was unanimous. (710-10-103) 5b. Community Development Director Susan Hartman provided an overview of the proposed ordinance regarding short-term rentals and the Planning Commission’s recommendations to not restrict the number of Short-Term Rentals allowed in Town.
Mayor Bolin opened the public hearing at 7:14 p.m.
1. Aubrey Pruis spoke in favor of this item and supported Planning Commission’s recommendation to not limit the number of Short-Term Rentals allowed in Town.
2. Mark Thorp spoke in favor of this item and supported Planning Commission’s recommendation to not limit the number of Short-Term Rentals allowed in Town.
3. Monica Nolan spoke in favor of this item and supported Planning Commission’s recommendation to not limit the number of Short-Term Rentals allowed in Town.
4. Mimi Brown stated that Short-Term housing is needed and Town and supported no cap on the number allowed.
Mayor Bolin closed the public hearing at 7:21 p.m.
MOTION by Culleton, seconded by Crowder, 1. Concurred with the project “CEQA determination” findings embodied within Planning Commission Resolution No. 2023-01; and, 2. Waived the first reading of Town Ordinance No. 625 and read by title only; and, 3. Introduced Town Ordinance No. 625 “An Ordinance Amending Text Regulations within Paradise Municipal Code Title 17 [Zoning] Relative to Short-Term Rentals” with the number of short-term rentals allowed in Town to be revisited annually. Roll call vote was unanimous. (540-16-194)
5c. Police Lieutenant Cameron Kovacs provided an overview of the updated Military Equipment Policy and annual report.
MOTION by Lassonde, seconded by Tryon, approved the updated Military Equipment Policy for Paradise Police Department. Roll call vote was unanimous. (480-05-013)
There will be a public hearing at the May 9, 2023 Town Council meeting to review and confirm the continuation and enforcement of the Ordinance.
At 7:38 p.m. Mayor Bolin recessed the Council meeting for a 5-minute break.
At 7:45 p.m. Mayor Bolin resumed the Council meeting.
6. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
6a. Recovery and Economic Development Director Colette Curtis provided an overview of the proposed Early Warning Siren guidelines and announced that there will be a Town-Wide Emergency drill on June 15th to test the system.
MOTION by Culleton, seconded by Crowder, Approved the proposed Town of Paradise Early Warning Siren Guidelines. Roll call vote was unanimous. (420-30-009)
6b. Council Member Culleton recused himself from the dais at 8:02 p.m. due to a potential conflict of interest with the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) discussion.
Recovery and Economic Development Director Colette Curtis provided an overview of the proposed options for distributing TOT revenues.
1. Monica Nolan spoke in favor of this item and suggested 50% of the allocated funds be distributed to the Chamber of Commerce and the remaining 50% be distributed to the other organizations on the ridge.
2. Aubrey Pruis spoke in favor of the TOT funds being distributed to the Chamber of Commerce, PPAC and The Gold Nugget Museum.
3. Mark Thorp spoke in favor of TOT funds be partially distributed to the Gold Nugget Museum.
4. Kelly Conner spoke in favor of TOT funds being partially distributed to the Paradise Performing Arts Center.
5. Mark Thorp spoke on behalf of Theater on the Ridge (TOTR) and advocated that part of the TOT funds be distributed to TOTR.
6. Kathy Dysert clarified that PAC and PATCH support each other.
Council Member Lassonde proposed the following:
The Town should allocate $100,000 of the Transient Occupancy Tax to the Recovery and Economic Development Director to administer the following effort:
The Director of Economic Development (DED), Colette Curtis should be tasked to develop a program that would solicit proposals from various businesses located in Paradise to develop new efforts to increase the tourism to Paradise with the goal to increase year over year tourism revenue.
The DED will advertise this new program to ensure all interested Paradise businesses have an opportunity to present their proposals in the form that will outline what they plan to accomplish, how they plan to accomplish it, how they plan to demonstrate that they have delivered an increase in tourism and the amount of the available TOT that they are requesting to fund their effort.
The DED, along with two Town Council Members will form a committee to review all proposals and select those proposal(s) that will be presented to the Town Council for approval, to be funded, and to move forward.
The expectation is that the yearly amount awarded to the selected businesses will be for an initial 2-year period with the availability of two 1- year extensions. Those extensions will be predicated on the business accomplishing the goals that they set forth in their proposals and validated by the DED.
The DED will develop metrics that will be presented to the Town Council on a semi-annual basis to demonstrate to the Council the effectiveness of this new program.
All Council concurred, except Council Member Culleton who was not present. (395-70-008)
Council Member Culleton returned to the dais at 8:21 p.m. 6c. Fire Chief Patrick Purvis provided an overview of the proposed second amendment to the Cal Fire services agreement that will increase the contract amount.
MOTION by Culleton, seconded by Crowder, Adopted Resolution No. 2023-15 “A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise Approving the “Second Amendment” with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) for Services from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2025, Contract Agreement Number 2CA05233” for a maximum amount not to exceed $18,994,417.” Roll call vote was unanimous. (510-20-296)
6d. MOTION by Tryon, seconded by Bolin, Appointed Councilmember Lassonde, to join Council Member Culleton on the Exceptions Committee due to the vacancy created by Council Member Jody Jones. Roll call vote was unanimous. (540-10-021)
6e. Community Development Director Susan Hartman provided an overview of the proposed MOU with the “jurisdictions” regarding SB 1383 regarding organic waste.
1. James Rose shared that he believed Grocery Outlet was giving food directly to the Food Pantry.
MOTION by Culleton, seconded by Lassonde, Authorized the Town Attorney to review and approve the draft MOU agreement to be executed between the Town of Paradise and the “Jurisdictions” regarding SB 1383 which requires the state to reduce organic waste (food waste, green waste, paper products, etc.) disposal by 75% by 2025; and, 2. Authorized the Town Manager, on behalf of the Town of Paradise, to sign the MOU agreement.
Roll call vote was unanimous. (940-10-029)
6f. Public Works Director/Town Engineer Marc Mattox provided an overview of the Project Baseline Agreements with Caltrans binding each to certain responsibilities to process State and Federal funded projects.
MOTION by Lassonde, seconded by Culleton, approved the following:
Project Baseline Agreements for Go Paradise: Pentz Student Pathway and Neal Gateway Project between the Town of Paradise, the California Transportation Commission and California Department of Transportation, binding each to certain responsibilities to process State and federal funded projects; and,
1. Adopted Resolution No. 2023-16 “A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise Authorizing the Town Manager or his Designee to sign the Project Baseline Agreement between the California Transportation Commission, the California Department of Transportation, and the Town of Paradise for the Active Transportation Program Corresponding to Project Go Paradise: Pentz Student Pathway Project”; and,
2. Adopted Resolution No. 2023-17 “A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise Authorizing the Town Manager or his Designee to sign the Project Baseline Agreement between the California Transportation Commission, the California Department of Transportation, and the Town of Paradise for the Active Transportation Program Corresponding to Project Go Paradise: Neal Gateway Project.” Roll call vote was unanimous. (940-80-004, 510-20-378, 510-20-379)
7. COUNCIL INITIATED ITEMS AND REPORTS
7a. Council initiated agenda items - None
7b. Council reports on committee representation:
Council Member Lassonde met with Community Development Directors Susan Hartman and Tony Lindsey to learn about the processes of plan submittals; attended the Boys and Girls Club Cookoff; a focus group on wildfire vulnerability; and ribbon cuttings for Life Resource and Barber Johns.
Council Member Crowder attended interviews for the Finance Director position; ribbon cuttings for Barber John’s and Paintings by Dawn; a followup meeting for the Washington DC advocacy trip; and spoke with Congressman LaMalfa’s Chief of Staff and his office introducing a bill which would expand the disaster tax exemption to multiple man-caused disasters.
Vice Mayor Tryon attended the Solid Waste Committee meeting; announced a hazardous waste removal day on May 6th; attended the Butte County Air Quality Management District (BCAQMD) Finance meeting; attended the Butte County Association of Government and BCAQMD meetings; testified at the State Capital and met with the State Senators and Representatives along with Town Manager Phillips, Recovery and Economic Development Director Colette Curtis and Public Works Director/Town Engineer Marc Mattox.
Council Member Culleton attended the Solid Waste Committee meeting.
Mayor Bolin responded to various interviews from news agencies regarding the fire-retardant lawsuit in Montana; and attended the monthly LAFCo meeting.
7c. Future Agenda Items - None
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION
8a. Town Manager Phillips thanked Council and Town staff for their support during his time of employment at the Town of Paradise.
Community Development Director Susan Hartman reported that the Planning Commission approved the use permit for a convenience store/gas station rebuild; that environmental Health will administer the food facility plan check for Blue Lagoon Chowder House; and that the Pre-Approved Master ADU Plans are in review.
Town Council thanked Kevin Phillips for his service to the Town.
9. CLOSED SESSION - None
10. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Bolin adjourned the meeting at 9:25 p.m.
Date approved: May 9, 2023
By: Attest:
__________/s/____________ _____________/s/______________ Greg Bolin, Mayor Dina Volenski, CMC, Town Clerk