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MINUTES OF OCTOBER 15, 2024
REGULAR MEETING OF THE SAN GABRIEL CITY COUNCIL
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Wu called the regular meeting of the San Gabriel City Council to order at 6:30 P.M. on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, 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:
Council Members Absent:
Staff Members Present:
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
Eric Chan, Tony Ding, John R. Harrington, Vice Mayor
Menchaca, and Mayor John Wu.
None.
City Manager Mark Lazzaretto, City Attorney Keith
Lemieux, Community Services Director Rebecca Perez,
Chief City Clerk Sharon Clark, Public Works Director/City Engineer Greg de Vinck, Human Resources/Risk
Management Director Edward Macias, Finance Director
William Kaholokula, Community Development Director
Aldo Cervantes, Police Chief Edward Elizalde, Fire
Division Chief Newton Ong, and Assistant City Clerk
Marilyn Bonus.
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 Officer's Association, San Gabriel Police Management Group, San Gabriel Firefighter's Association, San Gabriel Fire Management Group and all Unrepresented Employees.
City Attorney Lemieux announced that no reportable action was taken.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Chief City Clerk Clark provided information for the public on how to view the meeting.
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA ORDER
Staff requested that Item 6A, Consideration of an Agreement with Farm Habits, be removed from the agenda to be brought back at a future meeting.
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A motion was made by Council Member Harrington, seconded by Vice Mayor Menchaca, to approve the agenda order as so amended.
/v1otion carried by a vote of 5-0 as follows:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
CHAN, DING, HARRINGTON, MENCHACA, WU
NONE
NONE
NONE
2. PRESENTATIONS - None.
3. PUBLIC COMMENT
Sue Fitzsimmons, resident, provided written comments encouraging all to exercise their right to vote and to make informed decisions.
Roxanne Estrada, resident and owner of Luna's Restaurant, expressed displeasure with interactions with a Code Enforcement officer and asked the City to conduct an investigation.
The following expressed concerns about allegedly misleading campaign material by one of the City Council candidates: Frank Yeh, resident; Mary He, on behalf of ChineseAmerican voters; Jennifer Hong; Zig Jiang, President of Chinese American Equalization Association; and Cheryl Cabot, resident.
Sophia Chan invited all to join the San Marino Rotary Club.
4. CONSENT CALENDAR
A motion was made by Vice Mayor Menchaca, seconded by Council Member Chan, to approve Consent Calendar Items 4A - 41 as presented.
Motion carried by a vote of 5-0 as follows:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
CHAN, DING, HARRINGTON, MENCHACA, WU
NONE
NONE
NONE
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The City Council approved the Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting of October 1, 2024.
B. MATERIAL DEMANDS
The City Council approved September 20 and 27, 2024, Material Demands for the payment of City expenditures.
C. CASH AND INVESTMENT REPORT - SEPTEMBER 2024
The City Council received and filed the Cash and Investment Report for September 2024.
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D. FISCAL VEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET UPDATE AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2024, FOR
THE GENERAL FUND AND MISSION PLAYHOUSE FUND
The City Council received and filed the report.
E. FISCAL VEAR 2023-2024 VEAR-END APPROPRIATION ADJUSTMENTS [RESOLUTION NO. 24-63]
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 24-63 approving proposed amendments to the annual budget for fiscal year 2023-2024.
F. RESOLUTION NO. 24-53 AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 14-39, ARTICLE 8.,
DISPATCHER TRAINING BONUS
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 24-53, amending Resolution No. 14-39, Article 8, to include the job classifications of Dispatcher, Property and Evidence Technician and Records Specialist to change the title for Article 8.
G. PURCHASE OF AIR RESPIRATORS FROM MALLORY SAFETY AND SUPPLY UNDER 2022 STATE HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $51,390.06
The City Council authorized the City Manager to purchase 65 air respirators equipment using the allocated State Homeland Security Program grant funding.
H. ORDINANCE NO. 710: AMENDING THE VALLEY BOULEVARD SPECIFIC PLAN
RELATING TO GROUND FLOOR OFFICE USE AND ESTABLISHING MINIMUM DENSITIES (SPA24-001) - SECOND READING AND ADOPTION
The City Council waived reading and adopted Ordinance No. 710 entitled, "An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of San Gabriel, California, Approving Planning Case No. SPA24-001, Amending the Valley Boulevard Specific Plan Relating to ground floor office use and establish minimum densities intended to implement the goals and programs identified in the 2021-2029 Housing Element." I. RESOLUTION NO. 24-55 APPROVING A REQUEST FOR TEMPORARY STREET CLOSURE ON THE 800 BLOCK OF COMMERCIAL AVENUE
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 24-55 authorizing a temporary street closure on the 800 block of Commercial Avenue from South Gladys Avenue to the end of the cul-de-sac from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 26, 2024.
5. PUBLIC HEARING
A. 405 SOUTH DEL MAR AVENUE
PLANNING CASE NO: GPA24-001, ZC24-002, DENSITY BONUS AND STREET
VACATION (GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, ZONE CHANGE)
APPLICANT: THE RELATED COMPANIES OF CALIFORNIA, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY [ORDINANCE NO. 714]
Mayor Wu opened the public hearing.
Planning Manager Samantha Tewasart made the staff presentation.
Jennifer lng-aram, Senior Project Manager, Development, of Related California, and Henry Tong, Project Architect, of Studio T Square Architecture, made the Applicant's presentation.
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Written comments in opposition to the project were received from Alfred and Ron Escamilla, residents; and written comments in support of the project were received from Amanda Lee, representing SO Plus Foundation.
The following spoke in opposition to the project: Kishi Chahill, resident; and Debbie Kilgore, resident.
The following spoke in favor of the project: Roy Rosell, resident; Michelle Freridge, Executive Director of Asian Youth Center; and Diana Chung, Asian Youth Center Program Director.
The following expressed various concerns about the project: Manuel Orozco, resident; Dale Hopkins, resident; Carlos Alvarado, resident; Jaime Ramos, resident; and Estela Garcia, resident.
Carlos Flores, resident, member of Western States Regional Council of Carpenters, requested that the project be built with local skilled labor.
Mayor Wu closed the public hearing.
Discussion included how the land was made available; the current owner is the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust; grant requirements; projected timeline for the project; social service amenities to be provided; application process details; qualifying income levels and corresponding monthly rental amounts; compliance audits; minimum age requirements depending on the financing source; noticing for the project; benefits of an on-site property manager; enforcement of age restrictions; change of wording from Director to City Council in Section 9B of Covenant; change of wording in Section 20 to add "gross" negligence; noise and vibration mitigation; perimeter security; when the 99-year covenant is completed, the property may convert to market rate unless there are further restrictions with the property owner; and typically, affordable housing developers request tax credits to refresh after 15 years and re-start the clock on the covenant.
RECESS AND RECONVENE
The meeting was recessed at 8:25 P.M. and reconvened at 8:40 P.M. with all Council Members present.
PUBLIC HEARING (CONTINUED)
Discussion continued on the calculation of the site size; effect of the street reduction on access and traffic; City's waiver of development impact fees; there will be no property tax revenue from this project; environmental analysis of the project site; and community outreach.
A motion was made by Council Member Harrington, seconded by Vice Mayor Menchaca, to:
1. Waive full reading and introduce Ordinance No. 714 by title only: "An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of San Gabriel, California, Approving Planning Case Numbers GPA24-001, ZC24-002, Density Bonus, Street Vacation to Allow for a One Hundred Percent Affordable Senior Housing Development at 405 South Del Mar Avenue, Subject to Conditions of Approval," with the following changes to the Agreement: Section 9B, change of wording from Director to City Council; and Section 20, replace "active/actively" to "gross/grossly" negligent.
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2. Waive future reading of the Ordinance and schedule the second reading and adoption of the Ordinance for the next regular City Council meeting.
Motion carried by a vote of 5-0 as follows:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
CHAN, DING, HARRINGTON, MENCHACA, WU
NONE
NONE
NONE
I 6. CONTINUED BUSINESS
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A. CONSIDERATION OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH FARM
HABITS FOR THE CERTIFIED FARMER'S MARKET AND BUDGET
APPROPRIATION OF AN ADDITIONAL $4,000 FOR MARKETING AND EQUIPMENT [RESOLUTION NO. 24-62]
This item was removed from the agenda; no action was taken.
A written comment in support was received from resident Erlinda Romo, and a written comment in opposition was received from Sonia Lyn.
7. NEW BUSINESS
A. CONSIDERATION AND DISCUSSION ON ESTABLISHING A SISTER CITY
BETWEEN THE CITY OF SAN GABRIEL AND HUALIEN COUNTY, TAIWAN
REPUBLIC OF CHINA
City Manager Lazzaretto and Mayor Wu made the presentation.
There was no public comment.
Discussion included having diversity of countries for sister city relationships; a focus on relationships rather than countries; willingness of both parties to partner; an already established connection with Hualien County; and the potential tourism benefit for San Gabriel.
A motion was made by Council Member Chan, seconded by Council Member Ding, to approve the Sister City agreement with Hualien County, Taiwan Republic of China.
Motion carried by a vote of 5-0 as follows:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
CHAN, DING, HARRINGTON, MENCHACA, WU
NONE
NONE
NONE
B. POLICE DEPARTMENT UPDATE 2024
Police Chief Elizalde made the presentation.
There was no public comment.
Discussion included social media follower statistics; Talk of the Town goals; increasing the number of block captains; recruitment and retention strategies; addressing homelessness; expected Department vacancies; and Flock camera, drone, and K-9 status.
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8. PUBLIC COMMENT
Debbie Kilgore, resident, commented on the 405 S. Del Mar Avenue project.
9. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT - None.
10. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS
Council Member Chan reported on his attendance at the San Gabriel City Council Candidate Forum, San Gabriel Dumpling & Beer Fest, and a dinner and tour of the San Gabriel Mission hosted by Native Sons of the Golden West.
Council Member Ding reported on his attendance at the San Gabriel City Council Candidate Forum, San Gabriel Dumpling & Beer Fest, and California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (CJPIA) Risk Management Forum.
Vice Mayor Menchaca responded to campaign concerns expressed during public comment earlier in the meeting with suggestions for a statement by the City or a special City Council meeting in order to protect Chinese voters from misinformation.
City Attorney Lemieux responded that as the item was not agendized, he would draft a memo for the City Council who can then decide whether to have a special meeting.
11. CLOSED SESSION - None.
12. ADJOURNMENT
I The meeting was adjourned at 10:31 P.M.
Respectfully submitted:
Approved this 19th day of November, 2024:
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