MINUTES ARE UNOFFICIAL UNTIL APPROVED BY COUNCIL
City of Santa Cruz
809 Center Street
Santa Cruz, California 95060
MINUTES OF A CITY COUNCIL MEETING
November 14, 2023
12:45 PM
Mayor Keeley opened the City Council Closed Session at 12:47 p.m. in a public meeting via Zoom and in Council Chambers, for the purpose of announcing the agenda, and receiving public testimony.
Roll Call
Present: Councilmembers Newsome, Brown, Watkins, Brunner, KalantariJohnson; Vice Mayor Golder; Mayor Keeley.
Absent: None.
Staff: City Manager M. Huffaker, Assistant City Manager L. Schmidt, City Attorney T. Condotti, Director of Information Technology K. Morgan, Deputy City Clerk Administrator J. Wood, City Clerk Administrator B.
Bush.
Public Comment
Mayor Keeley opened the public comment period at 12:48 p.m. There were no speakers. Mayor Keeley closed the public comment period at 12:49 p.m., at which time the meeting was closed to the public and Council adjourned to the Courtyard Conference Room.
November 14, 2023 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 6619
Closed Session
1. Conference With Legal Counsel – Liability Claims (Government Code §54956.95) 1) Claimant: Barbara Jeanne Lawrence
2) Claimant: Zita Morrow
Claims against the City of Santa Cruz
Council received a status report, took up under agenda item 12, and no reportable action was taken.
2. Conference With Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation (Government Code §54956.9(d)(2))
Significant exposure to litigation (two potential cases to be discussed) Council conferred with legal counsel and took no reportable action.
November 14, 2023 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 6620
City of Santa Cruz
809 Center Street
Santa Cruz, California 95060
MINUTES OF A CITY COUNCIL MEETING
November 14, 2023
1:45 PM
Call to Order – Mayor Keeley called the meeting to order at 1:59 p.m. in Council Chambers.
Roll Call
Present: Councilmembers Newsome, Brown, Watkins, Brunner, KalantariJohnson; Vice Mayor Golder; Mayor Keeley.
Absent: None.
Staff: City Manager M. Huffaker, Assistant City Manager L. Schmidt (via Zoom), City Attorney T. Condotti, Director of Information Technology K.
Morgan, Director of Economic Development and Housing B. Lipscomb, Chief of Police B. Escalante, Interim Library Director E. Howard, Director of Planning and Community Development L. Butler, Chief of Fire R. Oatey, Water Director R. Menard (via Zoom), Director of Public Works N. Nguyen (via Zoom), Sustainability and Climate Action Manager T. Wise-West, Deputy Building Official J. McLucas, Principal Planner M.
VanHua, Principal Management Analyst V. Pearson, Deputy City Clerk Administrator J. Wood, City Clerk Administrator B. Bush.
Oral Communications Announcement - The Mayor provided a brief announcement about Oral Communications.
Oral Communications
At 2:00 p.m. Mayor Keeley opened Oral Communications for members of the public who wished to speak regarding items not listed on the City Council agenda.
Unidentified person spoke regarding the Downtown Plan that was discussed at the previous meeting.
Rhonda Reyna spoke regarding domestic violence, and asked Council to cease the Domestic Violence Awareness program, stating it is a waste of taxpayer money.
November 14, 2023 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 6621
Oral Communications (continued)
Garrett spoke regarding a grant application proposal discussed at the previous meeting for preserving and promoting housing affordability and climate resilience.
Unidentified person spoke regarding the attacks on Palestine being funded by the United States government and asked Council to take a public stance against it.
Brad Snyder spoke regarding the high-density development downtown.
Unidentified person spoke asking Council to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire on the attacks on Palestine.
At 2:14 p.m. Mayor Keeley closed Oral Communications.
Presentations
3. Arts and Economic Prosperity Study Results
Director of Economic Development B. Lipscomb spoke and introduced Jim Brown, Executive Director of the Santa Cruz County Arts Council, who gave a presentation on the Arts and Economic Prosperity Study results.
4. Mayoral Proclamation Declaring November 25, 2023 as Small Business Saturday Councilmember Kalantari-Johnson presented a proclamation to Director of Economic Development B. Lipscomb declaring November 25, 2023 as Small Business Saturday.
5. Friends of the Library to Present a Check for the Branciforte and Garfield Park Library Projects
Janis O’Driscoll, President of Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, spoke and presented a check to the City for the Branciforte and Garfield Park Library Projects.
Presiding Officer's Announcements – Mayor Keeley called on Councilmember Brunner to make an announcement about the United Against Hate Week events taking place across Santa Cruz County November 13—20, 2023.
Statements of Disqualification – None.
November 14, 2023 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 6622
Additions and Deletions – City Clerk Administrator B. Bush announced that item 19 has been continued to the meeting of November 28, 2023.
City Attorney Report on Closed Session – See page 6619 for the report.
Council Meeting Calendar
6. The City Council reviewed and did not revise the meeting calendar attached to the agenda.
Consent Agenda
Vice Mayor Golder made a comment on item 8.
Councilmember Brown made a comment on item 16.
Mayor Keeley opened the public comment period. The following person spoke:
Unidentified person spoke regarding item 13.
Mayor Keeley closed the public comment period.
MOTION: Councilmember Watkins moved, seconded by Councilmember Newsome, to approve the Consent Agenda.
ACTION: The motion carried unanimously with the following vote.
AYES: Councilmembers Newsome, Brown, Watkins, Brunner, KalantariJohnson; Vice Mayor Golder; Mayor Keeley.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
DISQUALIFIED: None.
7. Minutes of the October 24, 2023 City Council Meeting (CC) Motion carried to approve as submitted.
8. Resolution Setting the Regular Meeting Schedule for the Calendar Year 2024 (CC)
Resolution No. NS-30,235 was adopted setting the 2024 City Council meeting calendar.
November 14, 2023 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 6623
Consent Agenda (continued)
9. Cooperative Retail Management Fund Budget Adjustment (ED) Resolution No. NS-30,236 was adopted amending the FY 2024 budget to allocate $190,000 of Cooperative Retail Management assessment funding to the Downtown Management Corporation.
10. Award Contract for Elevator Maintenance Services (FN) Motion carried to:
Award a contract, via a cooperative purchasing agreement, for the citywide purchases for Elevator Maintenance Services to Otis Elevator Company in Monterey, California for a 3-year term; and
Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute the agreement and any amendments within the approved operating budget.
11. Award Contract for Fuel, Oil, and Lubricants (FN)
Motion carried to award a contract for citywide purchases for on-call fuel, oil, and lubricants, to Tom Lopes Distributing, Inc. DBA Western States Oil (Western States Oil), San Jose, California in the amount not to exceed $1.5 million over 5 years and to authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement in a form approved by the City Attorney with Tom Lopes Distributing, Inc. DBA Western States Oil.
12. Liability Claims Filed Against the City of Santa Cruz (FN) Motion carried to reject the liability claims of 1) Barbara Jeanne Lawrence, and 2) Zita Morrow, based on staff recommendation.
November 14, 2023 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 6624
Consent Agenda (continued)
13. Consideration to Add a Single-Family Residence Located at 118 Ortalon Circle in the R-1-10 (Single-Family Residence) Zone District to the City's Historic Building Survey. (Environmental Determination: Not a Project Subject to CEQA (Sec. 15061(b)(3), General Rule/Common Sense Exemption) Owners: Michael and Rachel Lewis, Filed 8/9/2023 (PL)
Resolution No. NS-30,237 was adopted adding the residence located at 118 Ortalon Circle to the City's Historic Building Survey, based on the noted findings.
14. San Lorenzo Park Redesign (c301907) – First Amendment to Agreement for Landscape Architectural Services and Budget Adjustment (PR) Motion carried to:
Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute an amendment to the professional services agreement with Bionic Landscape, Inc. for redesigning San Lorenzo Park, in a form approved by the City Attorney. The Director of Parks and Recreation is authorized to execute contract amendments within the approved project budget; and
Adopt Resolution No. NS-30,238 amending the FY 2024 budget and appropriating $40,000 from the Parks Facilities Tax Fund account and amending the Parks and Recreation Capital Investment Program budget from $100,000 to $140,000 in c301907 (San Lorenzo Park Redesign).
15. Award Contract for Trailer Jet (PW)
Motion carried to award a contract for the purchase of one replacement Trailer Jet from O’Brien Hydro-Jetting and Vacuum Systems, (Marietta, OH) in the amount of $107,856.69.
16. Striping Improvements at San Lorenzo Boulevard (c400809) (PW) Motion carried to approve the design and installation of traffic striping at San Lorenzo Boulevard (between Laurel Street and Jessie Street).
End Consent Agenda
November 14, 2023 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 6625
Public Hearing
17. Amendments to Title 18 of the Municipal Code Creating an Energy Reach Code for Newly Constructed Buildings with the Intent to Provide Developers with a Range of Options that Will Meet Goals to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Fossil Fuel Citywide (PL/CM)
Sustainability and Climate Action Manager T. Wise-West and Deputy Building Official J. McLucas gave a presentation and responded to Council questions.
Farhad Farahmand, Advanced Energy Consultant with TRC Companies, Inc., responded to Council questions.
Director of Planning and Community Development L. Butler responded to Council questions.
Chief of Fire R. Oatey responded to Council questions.
Principal Planner M. VanHua responded to Council questions.
Mayor Keeley opened the public comment period. The following people spoke.
Unidentified person
Garrett
Jacqueline Griffith
Pete Kennedy
Susan Cavalieri
Peter Bagnall
Sophia Schwirzke
James Blomquist
Unidentified person
Mayor Keeley closed the public comment period.
November 14, 2023 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 6626
Public Hearing (continued)
17. Amendments to Title 18 of the Municipal Code Creating an Energy Reach Code for Newly Constructed Buildings with the Intent to Provide Developers with a Range of Options that Will Meet Goals to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Fossil Fuel Citywide (PL/CM) (continued) MOTION: Councilmember Brown moved, seconded by Councilmember Brunner, to introduce for publication Ordinance No. 2023-12 amending Municipal Code Title 18 – Buildings and Construction, amending Section
18.04.030 and adding Chapter 18.15 to adopt local amendments to Title 24, Part 6 of the California Code of Regulations (California Energy Code) implementing an energy reach code with an intent to provide developers with a range of options that will also meet goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with fossil fuel use citywide.
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Councilmember Watkins requested to direct staff to amend the ordinance to clarify that it is not applicable to remodels, expansions, or existing structures of any kind and return to Council for a second reading and final adoption. Councilmembers Brown and Brunner accepted.
ACTION: The motion carried unanimously with the following vote.
AYES: Councilmembers Newsome, Brown, Watkins, Brunner,
Kalantari-Johnson; Vice Mayor Golder; Mayor Keeley.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
DISQUALIFIED: None.
November 14, 2023 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 6627
General Business
18. FY 2023 Development Impact Fee Annual Report for Childcare and Public Safety Impact (Police and Fire) Fees (PL)
Principal Management Analyst V. Pearson gave a presentation and responded to Council questions.
Chief of Fire R. Oatey spoke and responded to Council questions.
Director of Planning and Community Development L. Butler responded to Council questions.
Water Director R. Menard responded to Council questions.
Mayor Keeley opened the public comment period. There were no speakers.
Mayor Keeley closed the public comment period.
MOTION: Councilmember Watkins moved, seconded by Vice Mayor Golder, to:
Accept and approve the attached FY 2023 Impact Fee Report for the Childcare and Public Safety Impact Fees; and
Direct staff to explore the potential applicability of the Childcare and Public Safety Impact Fees to 100 percent affordable housing projects.
ACTION: The motion carried with the following vote.
AYES: Councilmembers Newsome, Brown, Watkins, Brunner,
Kalantari-Johnson; Vice Mayor Golder.
NOES: Mayor Keeley.
ABSENT: None.
DISQUALIFIED: None.
19. An Ordinance Requiring Delivery Companies to Provide a Service Enabling Customers to Tip Delivery Drivers (CN)
This item was continued to the meeting of November 28, 2023 and was not discussed.
Adjournment – Vice Mayor Golder moved, seconded by Councilmember Newsome, to adjourn. By consensus City Council adjourned at 4:48 p.m.
November 14, 2023 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 6628
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: ss/Julia Wood, Deputy City Clerk Administrator, ATTEST: ss/Bonnie Bush, City Clerk Administrator, APPROVED: ss/Fred Keeley, Mayor.