April 11, 2022 1
San Carlos City Council/Successor Agency to the
Redevelopment Agency/Housing Authority Regular Meeting
Conducted Remotely in Accordance with Assembly Bill 361 April 11, 2022, 7:00 PM
MINUTES
ROLL CALL
City Council Present: Sara McDowell, Mayor
Ronald Collins, Councilmember
John Dugan, Councilmember
Laura Parmer-Lohan, Councilmember
Adam Rak, Vice Mayor
Staff Present: Nil Blackburn, Assistant City Manager
Rucha Dande, Associate Planner
Steven Machida, Public Works Director
Jeff Maltbie, City Manager
Andrea Mardesich, Principal Planner
Rebecca Mendenhall, Administrative Services Director
Tyler Muela, Recreation Supervisor
Crystal Mui, City Clerk
Lisa Porras, Planning Manager
Gregory Rubens, City Attorney
Al Savay, Community Development Director
1. C ALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Mayor McDowell.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor McDowell.
3. CHANGES TO THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA
None.
4. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor McDowell r eported that she toured the 817 Walnut Affordable Housing Project and informed the public that the City is currently accepting Commission applications.
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
Alpa Snhavi, resident, urged Council to review the Terrace Road street conditions and plan for improvements.
Dimitri Vandellos, resident, spoke on a proposed Pilot Program for partial street closure in Greater East San Carlos and requested it be on an upcoming Council agenda for discussion.
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Karen Whang, resident, urged the Council to add sidewalks on Terrace Road as part of the City’s Pavement Project.
Zinovy Fichtenholz, resident, suggested that certain matters be addressed at in- person meetings to avoid potential technical issues.
Tim Warren, Chair of Fixn San Mateo County, requested Council support to install a civilian oversight board for the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.
At Mayor McDowell's request, Public Works Director Steven Machida responded to the public comments regarding street repairs on Terrace Road and the proposed Pilot Program in the Greater East San Carlos neighborhood.
6. CONSENT CALENDAR
RESULT: Adopted [Unanimous] Consent Calendar items ‘a’ – ‘e’.
MOVER: Laura Parmer-Lohan
SECONDER: Ronald Collins
AYES: Dugan, Collins, Parmer-Lohan, Rak, McDowell
a. Motion to Waive Reading of All Ordinances.
b. Accept the Quarterly Reports from City Commissions and Boards. c. Declare a City Council Summer Recess and Authorize Cancellation of the July 11 and 25, 2022 City Council Meetings.
d. Adopt a Resolution Awarding the 2022 Sewer Lateral Replacement Project C1737-22; Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Public Projects Agreement with Smelly Mel’s Plumbing, Inc. of South San Francisco in the Amount of $160,000; and Authorizing the Expenditure of a Contingency in the Amount of $75,000. Resolution No. 2022-034
e. Adopt a Resolution Approving the Plans and Specifications and Authorizing a Call for Bids for the San Carlos Avenue Eucalyptus Tree Removal Project – Phase III C1722. Resolution No. 2022-035
7. REPORTS TO COUNCIL
a. Receive a Report on the Eucalyptus Ave Holiday Celebrations Measures.
Management Analyst Brian Cary outlined the measures taken by the City for the 2021 Eucalyptus Ave Holiday celebrations. He highlighted the response from the community following those events and reviewed staff's recommendations for 2022. Mr. Cary, City Manager Jeff Maltbie, Public Works Director Steven Machida and City Attorney Greg Rubens responded to Council questions.
Public Comment
Debbie Baldocchi, resident, expressed frus tration in the amount of f unds allocated to the parking measures.
Council provided the following feedback to staff:
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- p rovide a more detailed breakdown of the budget
- conduct more outreach to home owners on Eucalyptus Ave to encourage a permitting process
- continue providing portable restrooms
- continue only with the Arroyo School parking lot
- advertise and display better signage to direct drivers to available parking areas
- assign traffic controllers to certain intersections such as C ordilleras and Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus and Orange, and Cordilleras and Brittan - p rovide workers with protective vests, large lights and walkie talkies - d irect security personnel to patrol the streets on foot
Public Comment
Debbie Baldocchi, resident, spoke on the lack of parking attendants and provided a suggestion on where to place portable restrooms next year.
At Mayor McDowell's request, Mr. Maltbie spoke on next steps of bringing the item back to Council for approval.
8. PUBLIC HEARING
a. Consideration of Introducing an Ordinance Amending San Carlos Municipal Code Chapter 18.18 - Landscaping, Replacing Sections 18.18.070 - Trees, and 18.41 - Terms and Definitions.
Associate Planner Rucha Dande provided background on the City’s Protected Tree Urgency Ordinances and summarized the proposed amendments. She and Arborist Ellyn Shea and Principal Planner Andrea Mardesich responded to Council questions.
Public Comment
Zinovy Fichtenholz, resident, suggested amendments to discourage the public from frivolous removal of healthy trees.
Liz Rennaker, resident, shared the experience her neighbor, Anastasia, had with the City’s tree removal permit process and the issues she encountered.
Anastasia, resident, expressed concerns on the hazardous conditions posed by the tree on her property.
Debbie Baldocchi, resident, requested more consideration be given to the list of approved trees for drought tolerance, flammability and littering.
Tom Feledy, resident, shared his experience with the removal of a tree from his property. He spoke in favor or reducing the permit fees and suggested realtors be given materials on the new ordinance to provide to their clients.
Shahriar Emani, resident, questioned how the proposed amendment would impact developers’ ability to obtain approval for removing a large number of heritage trees in one area.
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At Mayor McDowell's request, City Manager Jeff Maltbie, Community Development Director Al Savay and City Attorney Greg Rubens addressed concerns regarding the proposed amendments' impact on developments.
RESULT: Approved [Unanimous] to Close the Public Hearing.
MOVER: Ronald Collins
SECONDER: Laura Parmer-Lohan
AYES: Rak, Dugan, Collins, Parmer-Lohan, McDowell
Council provided the following feedback to staff:
- consider edits to the fee structure, including reducing fees, exploring a financial assistance program, implementing a low flat fee for pruning permits, and lowering the cost for the removal of dead trees - provide information to realtors to be share with their clients - allow relocation of protected trees
- provide more discretion to the arborist for the size of replacement trees
- follow-up to ensure replacement tree is healthy and thriving - require noticing for pruning
- extend noticing timeline from 10 to 14 days
- on the preferred tree list , consider tree f lammability, littering and nativity
- r eview San Mateo’s administrative guidelines and incorporate some of their features, including adding graphics and categories for foliage type, form, etc.
- consider Redwood City’s process of rubberized surface on sidewalks to allow street trees with root intrusions to remain
Given the number of changes proposed, staff will update the O rdinance and bring it back to Council for introduction at an upcoming meeting.
RESULT: Approved [Unanimous] to Re -Open the Public Hearin g and Continue the Item to the April 25th 7:00 PM Council meeting.
MOVER: Adam Rak
SECONDER: Laura Parmer-Lohan
AYES: Parmer-Lohan, Rak, Dugan, Collins, McDowell
Council recessed at 9:39 PM and reconvened the meeting at 9:50 PM.
9. NEW BUSINESS
a. Consideration of Adopting a Resolution Declaring the Need for City Council and Commissions to Continue Conducting Meetings Remotely, Pursuant to Assembly Bill 361; and Consider Returning to In-Person Meetings Beginning May 9, 2022.
City Manager Jeff Maltbie presented on the item and responded to Council questions.
Public Comment
Debbie Baldocchi, resident, spoke on the benefits of remote meetings and requested the public continue to have access to participate remotely.
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Council agreed that the City Council and Planning Commission should transition to in -person meetings beginning May 9, 2022, but that all other C ommissions would have the discretion to continue their meetings remotely or return to in - person.
Council requested staff provide current OSHA guidelines for staying home.
RESULT: Adopted [Unanimous] Resolution 2022- 036 Renewing its Declaration on the Need for City Council and Commissions to Continue Conducting Meetings Remotely Pursuant to
Assembly Bill 361; and Direct ed Staff to Proceed to In -Person City Council and Planning Commission Meetings Beginning May 9, 2022.
MOTION: Laura Parmer-Lohan
SECONDER: John Dugan
AYES: Collins, Parmer-Lohan, Rak, Dugan, McDowell
b. Receive a Presentation Introducing RRM Design Group, Consultants for the Downtown Specific Plan, and Consider the Composition of the Forthcoming Downtown Advisory Committee and Direct Staff to Proceed with Recruitment.
Advanced Planning Manager Lisa Porras commenced the item and turned the presentation over to Jami Williams and Brian A. Hannegan with RRM Design Group to speak about t heir team and their experience in working on Downtown Specific Plan s. Ms. Porras concluded the presentation with their proposed composition for the Downtown Advisory Committee (DTAC). Ms. Porras responded to Council questions.
RESULT: At 10:16 PM, Approved [Unanimous] to extend the meeting to 11:00 PM MOTION: Adam Rak
SECONDER: Laura Parmer-Lohan
AYES: Dugan, Collins, Parmer-Lohan, Rak, McDowell
Council provided the following feedback:
- i nclude a representative on the DTAC that has housing expertise - consider ways to manage the size of the group to make sure everyone feels heard
- a dd an additional alternate seat to the DTAC composition - i nvite Amy Buckmaster to be the Chamber of Commerce
representative, but allow her to recommend another rep resentative if she sees someone else as a better fit
RESULT: Approved [Unanimous] the Proposed Downtown Advisory Committee Composition and Direct Staff to Proceed with
Recruitment.
MOVER: Adam Rak
SECONDER: Laura Parmer-Lohan
AYES: Rak, Dugan, Collins, Parmer-Lohan, McDowell
10. AGENDA SETTING
a. Consideration of Agendizing an Item to Receive a Presentation on the Existing Trails Master Plan.
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Vice Mayor Rak requested an overview of the existing Trails Master Plan. He received Council support; the presentation will be agendized for a future meeting.
11. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 10:49 PM.
Crystal Mui,
City Clerk