April 24, 2023 1
San Carlos City Council/Successor Agency to the
Redevelopment Agency/Housing Authority Regular Meeting
Council Chambers, City Hall
600 Elm Street, San Carlos, CA 94070
April 24, 2023 7:00 PM
MINUTES
ROLL CALL
City Council Present: Adam Rak, Mayor
Ronald Collins, Councilmember
John Dugan, Vice Mayor
Sara McDowell, Councilmember
Pranita Venkatesh, Councilmember
Staff Present: Kristina Bell, Police Chief
Nil Blackburn, Assistant City Manager
Marco Lao, Senior Accountant
Jeff Maltbie, City Manager
Andrea Mardesich, Assistant Community Development Director Rebecca Mendenhall, Administrative Services Director
Crystal Mui, City Clerk
Jesse Myers, Administrative Sergeant
Amy Newby, Parks and Recreation Director
Dave Pucci, Deputy Fire Chief
Gregory Rubens, City Attorney
Al Savay, Community Development Director
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Rak called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
2. ASSEMBLY BILL 2449 TELECONFERENCE REQUESTS
All Councilmembers participated in this meeting in-person.
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Rak led the pledge of Allegiance.
4. CHANGES TO THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA
Councilmember Collins requested to move the P ublic Comments section up on the agenda before the Presentations section.
7. PUBLIC COMMENT
The Public Comments section was moved up on the agenda following Section 4 – Changes to the Order of the Agenda.
April 24, 2023 2
Gary Waldeck distributed a letter to the Council outlining his concerns and requested a review of the City’s management system.
Gino Guidi, resident and an Industrial Arts Business Association Board Member, thanked Council for their partnership in the Industrial Arts District.
John Lilygren, resident, commented that he temporarily fixed a fence at North Crestview Park that had been damaged from a recent incident. He requested the City inspect the area.
Mayor Rak directed staff to look into Mr. Lilygren’s comments.
John Eakin, resident, expressed concerns regarding a home remodel project on Howard Avenue and requested a response to the questions he emailed to the Planning Division staff.
Mayor Rak directed staff to follow-up with Mr. Eakin’s comment.
Judy Weinbaun, resident, echoed Mr. Eakin’s concern regarding the remodel project on Howard Avenue and added that the City has an Accessory Dwelling Unit problem.
5. PRESENTATIONS
a. Present a City Coin to Community Volunteer Philip Abrams.
Mayor Rak presented a city coin to Phil Abrams for his community volunteers.
Mr. Abrams shared about his work in the community and thanked Council for the recognition and for their service to the City.
b. Present a Proclamation Recognizing April 2023 as Parkinson’s Awareness Month.
Mayor Rak p resented a proclamation to Vikas Chinnan recognizing Parkinson’s Awareness Month.
Mr. Chinnan, Parkinson’s Foundation California Chapter Advisory Board Member, thanked the Council for the recognition. He introduced Dr. Salima Brillman, Founder of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorder Center of Silicon Valley, and shared his personal story with Parkinson’s disease.
Public Comment
Rachel Howsmon with the Parkin son Foundation announced the Moving Day San Francisco Walk on May 6th to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease.
c. Present Proclamations Recognizing Arroyo Upper Elementary, Arundel Elementary, Brittan Acres Elementary, Heather Elementary, Mariposa Upper Elementary, White Oaks Elementary and San Carlos Charter Learning Center for Receiving the 2023 California Distinguished School Designation.
Mayor Rak recognized seven elementary schools in San Carlos for earning the designation of a 2023 California Distinguished School and presented proclamations to Assistant Superintendent Hans Barber, Arundel Principal Jennifer Gaboury, Brittan Acres Princip al Suzanne Fast, Heather Principal Diederich Bonemeyer and Charter Learning Center’s Executive Director, Francis Dickinson.
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Mr. Barber thanked the Council for the recognition.
6. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Councilmember McDowell commended staff on the successful return of the farmers market and for the downtown planters. She also reported on attending the recent Chil dcare Roundtable discussion and ribbon cutting ceremony for the San Mateo County Navigation Center.
Mayor Rak also congratulated staff on the successful Farmers Market launch and commended Public Works on the water barriers and updates made in the downtown.
7. PUBLIC COMMENT
The Public Comments section was moved up on the agenda prior to Section 5 - Presentation.
8. CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION: Approve the City Council Consent Calendar items ‘a’ through ‘f’.
MOVER: John Dugan
SECONDER: Ronald Collins
AYES: Collins, McDowell, Venkatesh, Dugan, Rak
NAYS: None.
RESULT: Motion Passed 5 – 0
a. Motion to Waive Reading of All Ordinances.
b. Approve the March 13, 2023 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes.
c. Approve the March 27, 2023 City Council Special Meeting Minutes.
d. Deny Claim of Gil Lubetzky.
e. Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Amend the Agreement with Hi -Tech Emergency Vehicle Service, Inc. and Appropriating Funds in Fiscal Year 2022 -23 from the Equipment Replacement Fund 0010 for the Change Order and Equip One Hi -Tech/Spartan Gladiator MFD 1500 GPM Type I Fire Pumper (Fire Engine) in an Amount Not to Exceed $50,000. Resolution 2023-046
f. Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Enroll in the State of California’s Purchase Card (CAL-Card) Program. Resolution 2023-047
9. PUBLIC HEARING
a. Consideration of Adopting a Resolution Authorizing Adjustments to the Cost of Services Schedule (User Fees), Park Facility Development, Sewer Capacity Charge and Traffic Impact Fee for Fiscal Year 2023 -24, and Adding a Visa/Police Clearance Request Form an d Beekeeping Fees to the Master Fee Schedule.
Administrative Services Director Rebecca Mendenhall presented on the proposed amendments to the Cost of Services Schedule (User Fees), Park Facility Development, Sewer Capacity Charge and Traffic Impact Fee for Fiscal Year 2023-24.
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Ms. Mendenhall, Amy Newby Parks and Recreation Director, City Attorney Greg Rubens, Assistant Community Development Director Andrea Mardesich, Assistant City Manager Nil Blackburn and City Manager Jeff Maltbie responded to Council questions.
Public Comments
None.
MOTION: Approve to Close the Public Hearing.
MOVER: John Dugan
SECONDER: Ronald Collins
AYES: Dugan, Collins, McDowell, Venkatesh, Rak
NAYS: None.
RESULT: Motion Passed 5 – 0
Council expressed concerns with the proposed fee for the removal of dead trees and discussed options.
MOTION: Adopt Resolution 2023 -048 Authorizing Adjustments to the Cost of Services Schedule (User Fees), Park Facility Development, Sewer Capacity Charge and Traffic Impact Fee for Fiscal Year 2023 -24, and Adding a Visa/Police Clearance Request Form and Beekeeping Fees to the Master Fee Sc hedule with an amendment to lower the dead tree removal fee to $100.
MOVER: Ronald Collins
SECONDER: John Dugan
AYES: Venkatesh, Dugan, Collins, McDowell, Rak
NAYS: None.
RESULT: Motion Passed 5 – 0
10. REPORTS TO COUNCIL
a. Receive the Annual Update on Police Services.
Police Chief Kristina Bell provided Council with an update on police services from 2022 and responded to Council questions.
Council recessed at 8:45 PM and reconvened the meeting at 8:51 PM.
11. STUDY SESSION
a. Receive a Progress Report on the Status of the Downtown Specific Plan Project and Provide Staff Direction on Preliminary Urban Design Concepts.
Planning Manager Lisa Porras provided Council with an overview of the Downtown Specific Plan Project, reviewed the community outreach and engagement and then turned the presentation over to Consultant Jami Williams with RRM Design Group to present the urban design concepts. Ms. Porras spoke on the community’s response to the design concepts and, along with Ms. Williams and City Manager Jeff Maltbie, responded to Council questions.
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Council requested staff to confirm if the alley next to Hallmark is city owned.
Public Comment
- Mark Bauhaus requested the consultants be more aggressive and provide more creative options.
- Heidi spoke on the importance of landscaping in the downtown area and requested smooth pavements for the mobile impaired.
- Sonia Elkes, resident, spoke on micro-mobility and echoed the previous public comment on the importance of accessibility and landscape.
The majority of Council spoke in favor of turning the 700 block into a full plaza and provided the below feedback:
- Consider access for delivery trucks
- At a later stage, consider also widening sidewalks for the 600 and 800 blocks - B etter understand the need for parking
- Incentivize downtown workers to use the employee parking permit at the Wheeler Parking Plaza to make public parking spaces more available - Explore accessibility access closer to the closed area - If placing bollards on the 700 block, consider adding them to the other blocks as well
Council spoke in favor alleyway improvements that are well-lit and have art enhancements and directed staff to be clear on functionality and expectations, b e creative with the alleyways’ surface and explore options that could naturally slow and manage traffic.
Council provided the following feedback in regards to design elements for public spaces:
- D esignate space for music/performances in Harrington Park - B e mindful of Harrington Park’s unique constraints
- I ncorporate greenery in Harrington Park
- T ry to include a small natural play area for children - H ave public restrooms in Harrington Park and Wheeler Plaza - B e creative with ideas to actively use the Wheeler Plaza area that don’t specifically focus on dining, such as pop-up shops and activities , holiday market , art installation, community garden, and activities that are inviting for all ages and open later. - S et aside areas of Wheeler Plaza to be designed into something special at a later phase - Include areas in Wheeler Plaza where the public can bring their own food to dine - Gather input from the Youth Advisory Council
12. AGENDA SETTING
None.
13. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Rak adjourned the meeting at 10:28 PM i n memory of the nine fallen members of the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army.
Crystal Mui,
City Clerk