MINUTES OF JUNE 20, 2023
REGULAR MEETING OF THE SAN GABRIEL CITY COUNCIL
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Harrington called the regular meeting of the San Gabriel City Council to order at 6:31 P.M. on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 425 South Mission Drive, San Gabriel, California, 91776.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Council Member Chan.
ROLL CALL
Council Members Present: Eric Chan, Tony Ding, Denise Menchaca, Vice Mayor John Wu, and Mayor John R. Harrington.
Council Members Absent:
Staff Members Present: City Manager Mark Lazzaretto, Assistant City Attorney Martin Koczanowicz, Community Services Director
Rebecca Perez, Chief City Clerk Sharon Clark, Public
Works Director/City Engineer Greg de Vinck, Fire Chiet
Steven Wallace, Human Resources/Risk Management
Director Edward Macias, Finance Director William
Kaholokula, Community Development Director Aldo
Cervantes, Police Captain Edwin Brock, and Assistant
City Clerk Marilyn Bonus.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
Special City Council Meeting of June 20, 2023:
A. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR (GOVERNMENT CODE $54957.6) City Negotiators - City Manager Lazzaretto, City Attorney Lemieux, and Human Resources/Risk Management Director Macias
Regarding the following Employee Organizations - San Gabriel Police Officers' Association, San Gabriel Police Management Group, San Gabriel Firefighters' Association, San Gabriel Fire Management Group and all Unrepresented Employees.
Assistant City Attorney Koczanowicz announced that there was no reportable action..
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Chief City Clerk Clark provided information for the public on how to view the meeting and how to request meeting agendas.
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Page 1 of 7 June 20, 2023
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA ORDER
Hearing no objection, Mayor Harrington announced that the Agenda Order was approved.
2. PRESENTATIONS
A. VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION FOR THE GRAB AND GO DISTRIBUTION
PROGRAM AT THE ADULT RECREATION CENTER
Community Services Director Perez made the presentation and presented Certificates of Recognition to volunteers Yolanda Rivas, Claudia Laos, Gilberto Gracia, Jonathan Songco, Allyson Terasawa, Jie Ai Zhao, Michelle Manning, and Nicole Kim.
B. UPDATE ON THE VALLEY FIRE
Fire Chief Wallace made the presentation. Community Development Director Cervantes provided information about related outreach to the business community and Police Captain Brock answered questions regarding use of the Fusus video camera system.
3. PUBLIC COMMENT
Jorge Herrera Avila provided comments requesting reconsideration of the City's membership with the San Gabriel Chamber of Commerce to establish guidelines for the allocation of the funds to be paid to the Chamber.
Wesley Reutimann of Active San Gabriel Valley commented on opportunities for METRO grant funds for the City and requested a letter of support to the Council of Governments (COG) for a Mission to Mission open event in 2024.
Jaime Wong, resident, explained that she has filed an appeal of the Planning Commission's approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and variance for a cell tower in a residential neighborhood and detailed her reasons for doing so, and stated she has a petition signed by over 300 residents opposing the cell tower.
Lynn Snowden, resident, stated her opposition to having a cell tower in the parking lot of Church of Our Savior.
Valerie Munoz, the City's representative to the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority, provided an informational update about the Authority.
Cheryl Cabot, resident, quoted from a ColoradoBoulevard.net article alleging a violation of the Brown Act at the City's June 6, 2023, City Council meeting relative to a San Gabriel Chamber of Commerce Presidential Circle Membership approved during consideration of the City's Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Budget.
4. CONSENT CALENDAR
A motion was made by Council Member Menchaca, seconded by Council Member Ding, to approve Consent Calendar Items 4A - 4J as presented.
Motion carried by a vote of 5-0 as follows:
AYES: CHAN, DING, MENCHACA, WU, HARRINGTON
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Page 2 of 7 June 20, 2023 NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The City Council approved the following:
1. Minutes of the City Council Special Meeting of June 6, 2023.
2. Minutes of the City Council Regular Meeting of June 6, 2023.
B. MATERIAL DEMANDS
The City Council approved May 25, 2023, and June 1, 2023, Registers of Demands and Warrants for the payment of City expenditures.
C. CASH AND INVESTMENT REPORT - MAY 2023
The City Council received and filed the Cash and Investment Report for May 2023.
D. APPROVAL OF A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT FOR THE
ADMINISTRATION AND COST SHARING FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
COORDINATED INTEGRATED MONITORING PROGRAM AND WATERSHED
MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE UPPER LOS ANGELES RIVER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AREA IN THE AMOUNT OF $13,688 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023-24
The City Council authorized the City Manager to execute the Memorandum of Agreement for the Administration and Cost Sharing for the Implementation of the Coordinated Integrated Monitoring Program and Watershed Management Area and approved a purchase order in an amount not to exceed $13,688 from account number 138-800-03-22-000.
E. INTER-CON CONTRACT EXTENSION IN THE AMOUNT OF $137,932 FOR PARKING ENFORCEMENT SERVICES THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2023
The City Council authorized the City Manager to extend the current contract with Inter-Con for an additional six months, ending on December 31, 2023.
F. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH JOHN L. HUNTER AND ASSOCIATES, INCORPORATED IN THE AMOUNT OF $46,900 TO PROVIDE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023-24
The City Council authorized the City Manager to execute a Professional Service Agreement with John L. Hunter and Associates, Inc., and approved purchase orders in the amount not to exceed $46,900 and a contingency amount of $7,035 from the Stormwater (Measure W) account 138-800-03-22-000 for Fiscal Year 2023-24.
G. RESOLUTION NO. 23-41 APPROVING A REQUEST FOR TEMPORARY STREET CLOSURE ON THE 300 BLOCK OF BRIDGE STREET
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 23-41 authorizing closure on Bridge Street between Sycamore Drive to the end of the cul-de-sac from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 2, 2023.
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Page 3 of 7 June 20, 2023 H. RESOLUTION NO. 23-37: COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM PARTICIPATING CITY-
COOPERATION AGREEMENT
The City Council:
1. Adopted Resolution No. 23-37 authorizing the City's participation in the Los Angeles Urban County Community Development Block Grant Program; and
2. Authorized the Mayor or their designee to execute all documents necessary for participation in the Los Angeles Urban County Community Development Block Grant Program on behalf of the City of San Gabriel.
1. ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NO. 23-42, RELATED TO PERMANENT LOCAL HOUSING ALLOCATION (PLHA) YEAR 3 FUNDING AND PROPOSED ELIGIBLE
ACTIVITIES
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 23-42 which approves the following actions:
1. Elects the following eligible activities, subject to the State approval, for Year 3 of the 5-year Permanent Local Housing Allocation grant period:
(1) The predevelopment, development, acquisition, rehabilitation, and preservation of multifamily, residential live-work, rental housing, that is affordable to extremely low-, very low-, low-, or moderate-income households, including necessary operating subsidies.
2. Allocates, upon State approval, $334,526 of the Year 3 Permanent Local Housing Allocation toward eligible activity #1, and
3. Authorizes the City Manager to execute new contracts (and any other required documents) with Los Angeles County Development Authority for the 5-year Permanent Local Housing Allocation Plan grant period and for Year 3 of the allocation and makes adjustments as necessary to reflect the actual allocation of funds to San Gabriel.
J. ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 23-38 APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2023-24 SENATE BILL 1 ROAD REPAIR AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT PROJECT LIST The City Council adopted Resolution No. 23-38 and authorized the Public Works Director to file the necessary documentation to satisfy SB1 funding requirements and act as the authorized signatory for matters related to this year's funding.
5. PUBLIC HEARING
A. ORDINANCE NOS. 689 AND 690 AMENDING CHAPTER 153 OF THE SAN
GABRIEL MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO INCLUSIONARY HOUSING AND DENSITY BONUS (ZTA23-001) - INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING Mayor Harrington opened the continued public hearing from the City Council regular meeting of May 16, 2023. Planning Manager Samantha Tewasart and Consultant David Bergman of Lisa Wise Consulting (LWC) made the staff presentation.
Clarifying discussion included the effect of affordable-housing sales price on property tax; details of state density-bonus provisions; consideration of an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (IHO) pursuant to the City's Housing Element; details related to inclusionary-housing units; amending the City's Zoning Code to conform to state law; planned-development overlays, Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Page 4 of 7 June 20, 2023 General Plan goals in relation to inclusionary housing and density bonus; the Planning Commission's methodology for its recommendations; LWC's methodology for determining developer costs and sizes; effects of the proposed ordinances on current projects; possible property-tax measure to support higher density needs for public safety; seen and unseen effects of attracting housing versus pushing housing away; and ordinance effective dates.
RECESS AND RECONVENE
The meeting was recessed at 9:14 P.M. and reconvened at 9:21 P.M. with all Council Members present.
The following provided comments or spoke in opposition to Ordinance No. 689:
Anonymous, resident; Jason Hsiao, resident; and Michelle Brenhaug, resident.
The following provided comments or spoke in favor of Ordinance No. 689, but recommended changes: Chasity Jennings-Nunez, resident; Jill Shook, Co-Founding Director of Making Housing and Community Happen; Peter Arizmendiz, resident; Allison Henry, Co-Founder San Gabriel Valley Tenants Alliance; Sean McMorris, resident; and Cheryl Cabot, resident.
The following provided comments or spoke in opposition to Ordinance No. 690:
Michelle Brenhaug, resident; and Edmond Wu, Clever Development LLC; Mayor Harrington closed the public hearing.
Council discussion included the need for assistance for residents for a better quality of life; the importance of adopting an ordinance now with the ability to re-evaluate in the future; the City has only one affordable-housing project on the horizon; the status of existing project stock in the City; modifications to existing buildings must meet current codes; ability of Council to decide the effective date of an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (IHO) beyond the 30-day minimum; projects already entitled would not be affected by an IHO ordinance if they build within their entitlement period, but could choose to get re-approved under the new Code; consideration of changing the ordinance effective date to accommodate projects not yet in the application phase; desire to go with the Planning Commission's recommendations; concern that developers forced to comply with an IHO would pass the lost cost on to other units; City Attorney recommendation to proceed with Ordinance No. 690; no mandate to proceed now with Ordinance No. 689; desire for State assistance to help buyers purchase affordable housing; concern about public-safety impact and parking with higher density; staff has tried other methods to attract affordable- housing projects; accountability to the community; L.A. County income limits for affordable housing; desire to focus on rental instead of for-sale property; desire not to adopt any of the options presented for the IHO; land-acquisition cost in San Gabriel; desire to incentivize affordable housing without adding fees; disagreement with the values used for both the consultant's and Planning Commission's recommendations and desire for any reconsideration to include updated numbers; desire to proceed on an IHO now; and desire to consider super-density or local- density bonus instead of an IHO.
A motion was made by Mayor Harrington, seconded by Council Member Chan, to waive full reading and introduce Ordinance No. 690 by title only: An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of San Gabriel, California, Amending Title XV, Chapter 153 (Zoning) Relating to Density Bonus; waive further reading of the Ordinance and schedule the second reading for the next regular City Council meeting.
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Page 5 of 7 June 20, 2023 Motion carried by a vote of 5-0 as follows:
AYES: CHAN, DING, MENCHACA, WU, HARRINGTON
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
A motion was made by Mayor Harrington, seconded by Council Member Chan, to direct staff to come back with a revised Inclusionary Housing Ordinance at a future meeting based upon Council comments during this discussion, with a revised feasibility study using current pro forma numbers, to include any additional feedback to be given to the City Manager by individual Council Members.
Motion carried by a vote of 3-2 as follows:
AYES: CHAN, WU, HARRINGTON
NOES: DING, MENCHACA
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
6. CONTINUED BUSINESS - None.
7. NEW BUSINESS - None
8. PUBLIC COMMENT. - None.
9. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT - None.
10. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS
Council Member Menchaca requested that the San Gabriel Chamber of Commerce membership approved as part of the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Budget be agendized for reconsideration and disbursement of funds held meanwhile. Vice Mayor Wu and Council Member Ding concurred.
Council Ding announced a Thanks USA celebration on Saturday June 24, 2023, from 9:00 A.M. -12:00 P.M. at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse parking lot and provided details.
Council Member Menchaca announced that the annual walk from the San Gabriel Mission to Los Angeles will not take place this year due to City of Los Angeles staffing shortages.
Vice Mayor Wu reported on his attendance at San Gabriel Nursery and Florist's 100th Anniversary celebration and the 20-Year Anniversary Asian Arts Talents Foundation show, and recognized Juneteenth and Dragon Boat Festival observances.
11. CLOSED SESSION - None.
12. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:19 P.M
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Page 6 of 7 June 20, 2023 Respectfully submitted:
Warh
JULIE NGUYEN, City Clerk
Approved this 18th day of July, 2023:
JOHN R. HARRINGTON, Mayo
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Page 7 of 7 June 20, 2023