RIDGECREST CITY COUNCIL
SUCCESSOR REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
FINANCING AUTHORITY
HOUSING AUTHORITY
MINUTES
Wednesday, October 4, 2023 Closed Session - 5:30 p.m.
Regular Session - 6:00 p.m.
This meeting was recorded and will be on file in the Office of the City Clerk for a certain period of time rom date of approval by the Ridgecrest City Successor Agency/Financing Authority/Housing Authority Meetings are recorded solely for the purpose of preparation of minutes ROLL CALL - 5:30 p.m.
Council Present: Mayor Eric A. Bruen; Vice Mayor Kyle Blades; Council Member L. Scott Hayman; Council Member Skip Gorman
Absent: Mayor Pro-Tem Solomon P. Rajaratnam
Staff Present: City Attorney M. Koczanowicz; City Manager Strand; City Clerk Charlon; Chief Scott; Parks & Rec Director Wegener; Finance Director Cheri Freese
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion To Approve Agenda - Blades - Gorman 4 Ayes; 1 Absent NOTE: The vote is displayed in bold below each item. For example, Blades-Rajaratnam denote Council Member Blades made the motion and Council Member Rajaratnam seconded the motion. Ayes Noes, Absents, Abstentions follow.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON CLOSED SESSION - None
CLOSED SESSION
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - Potential Litigation
Gov. Code § 54956.9(b)(d)(2) - one case
REGULAR SESSION
ATTORNEY REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION - Claim denied
PRESENTATIONS
1. Constitution Week Proclamation Council
2. Key To The City Presentation - Darrell Eddins Council
3. Employee Service Award Presentations Council
PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Comments heard from Petty Officer Ortiz; T. Wiknich; C. Holloway; T. Frazier
COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS/DIRECTION
CONSENT CALENDAR
4. Proposed Action To Approve Draft Minutes Of The Ridgecrest City Council Special Meeting Dated August 24. 2023 Charlon
5. Proposed Action To Approve Draft Minutes Of The Ridgecrest City Council Special Meeting Dated September 11, 2023 Charlon
6. Proposed Action To Approve Draft Minutes Of The Ridgecrest City Council Special Meeting Dated September 25, 2023 Charlon
Motion To Approve Consent Calendar - Hayman - Blades 4 Ayes; 1 Absent
PUBLIC HEARINGS
7. Second Public Hearing Before The City Council For Potential Protest And Vote On Resolution To Renew The Ridgecrest Tourism Improvement District (RTID) 2023-2033 And Sunset The Existing One, Per Request Of Ridgecrest Area Convention Visitors Bureau (RACVB) Attorney • Open public hearing 6:30 p.m.
• Receive staff report
• Receive public comments - None
• Close public hearing 6:33 p.m.
Motion To Approve - Gorman - Blades 4 Ayes; 1 Absent
8. Public Hearing And Approval Of A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Ridgecrest Authorizing Staff To Submit The 2023-2031 Draft General Plan Housing Element & The Fair Housing Analysis To The California Department Of Housing And Community Development Spurlock
• Open public hearing 6:34 p.m.
• Receive staff report
• Council comments:
• Gorman - Are the checklists in the report applied to all cities? Consultant - yes.
Concerned that the report does not mention water, should it be represented? • Hayman - asked about #8 displacement -Do you take into consideration the 30%(renters) to 80%(homeowners) extra additional costs for landlords? Consultant - The report does not look at the overhead of the landlord, we assume the landlord calculates those in. In the quantified objectives does the new construction category take into consideration the new Mojave View apartments being built? Speaker - We do not take into consideration new apartments for the 6th cycle. They are based on the date permits are pulled and will be added in later at the end of next year's annual housing report review of this report's first year.
Blades - What is the access to service disparity compared to? Heather - The old Wherry housing census track 53, as an example, the entire cut out is the single family.
That is a small portion of our community. CDBG grants are examples of improving services for those community members in that census track.
Strand - Are there any negative findings in the report we should be concerned about.
Heather - no I don't think so, all the programs that are in it we are continuing. We are on top of and ahead of concerns that may be seen. Is it true to state we are on track with our housing element? Consultant - Yes.
MINUTES - CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY / FINANCING AUTHORITY / HOUSING AUTHORITY REGULAR - October 4, 2023
• Mayor - It is important for public to go back to 2019 when Mojave View was presented to council and at that time questions were raised about 'this type of housing'. When we approve a project like this, we are able to exchange land to the developer so that we may access state tax grants or funds. This report guides the city's actions as it relates to acquiring, developing or improving housing within our community. He looked through the 15 goals 1. Why would we continue to have a goal to be established by 2016? Consultant - that is an error. 2. #14 special needs housing and homeless shelter - at this time we are not obligated to have any specific programs as it relates to homelessness? Consultant - State mandates we do some things automatically. There are so many different housing laws that mandate what the city must do. The recent zoning code amendments bring us compliant. • Receive public comments
• T. Wiknich - Are we meeting state requirements when it comes to low income housing? Heather - Yes, we do meet those requirements. Do we still have a pure R1 district? Heather - Yes, we do, however, the state does permit duplexes through SB9 & SB10. Is there anything in this that considers that our houses are too expensive and/or need to lower costs? Attorney - our RHNA numbers are way below our available land. I don't think the concerns that you mention meet our city. The city's obligation under state law is to make sure there is available land zoned correctly, we are looking at codes and updating/meeting these requirements. • Close public hearing - 7:37 p.m.
Motion To Approve Blades - Hayman 4 Ayes; 1 Absent
DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS
9. A Resolution To Amend A Professional Services Agreement With Willdan Engineering Inc. In The Amount Of $32.500.00 For The Affordable Housing Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Improvement Project To Include Addition Design Efforts For The Felspar/Norma Detention Basin Quinn Ortega
Motion To Approve Blades - Hayman 4 Ayes; 1 Absent
COMMITTEE REPORTS
City Organization and Services Committee ('City Org')
Members: Mayor Eric A. Bruen and Skip Gorman
Meeting: 1st Thursday each month at 5:30 p.m.
Location: City Hall Council Chambers
• Report from 9/7/23
Finance Committee
Members: Mayor Eric A. Bruen and Scott Hayman
Meeting: 2nd Tuesday each month at 5:30 p.m.
Location: City Hall Council Chambers
• Report from 9/12/23
Ridgecrest Area Convention and Visitor Bureau (RACVB)
Members: Solomon Rajaratnam and Megan McKenzie (staff)
Meeting: 4* Wednesday each month at 9:00 a.m.
Location: California Welcome Center
• Report from 9/27/23 - Canceled
MINUTES - CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY / FINANCING AUTHORITY / HOUSING AUTHORITY REGULAR - October 4, 2023
Infrastructure Committee
Members: Solomon Rajaratnam and Kyle Blades
Meeting: 4* Thursday each month at 5:00 p.m.
Location: City Hall Council Chambers
• Report from 9/28/23 - Canceled
Economic Development Committee
Members: Kyle Blades and Solomon Rajaratnam
Meeting: 1st Monday of the month @ 5:15 p.m.
Location: City Hall Council Chambers
• Report from 10/2/23
Parks, Recreation, and Quality of Life Committee
Members: Mayor Eric A. Bruen and Skip Gorman
Meeting: 1st Tuesday each month at 5:30 p.m.
Location: Kerr McGee Center Meeting Rooms
• Report from 10/3/23
OTHER COMMITTEES, BOARDS, OR COMMISSIONS
CITY MANAGER REPORT
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMENTS
ADJOURNMENT - 8:15 p.m.
MINUTES - CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY / FINANCING AUTHORITY / HOUSING AUTHORITY REGULAR - October 4, 2023