CITY OF SANTA PAULA
City Council Regular Meeting
February 1, 2023,
6:30
PM
MINUTES
REGULAR MATTERS - COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1)
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Sobel called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
2)
INVOCATION
Deacon Al Guilin provided the Invocation.
3)
FLAG SALUTE
Councilmember Juarez led the flag salute.
4)
ROLL CALL
Members Present: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, and Pedro A Chavez Councilmember Chavez was present by zoom.
5)
PRESENTATIONS
5.A)
VENTURA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT
Fire Chief Joe Williams presented the Ventura County Fire Department Report.
5.B)
COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT QUARTERLY REPORT (MAY 2022 – DECEMBER 2022) Community & Economic Development Director James Mason presented the Community & Economic Development Department Report (May 2022 - December 2022)
5.C)
EXPLORER’S COMPETITION PRESENTATION
Interim Police Chief Aguilar, Officer Donovan Varela, and Senior Explorer Brian Martinez provided a presentation on the Explorer's competition in Chandler Arizona in January. Mayor Sobel presented each Explorer a Certificate of Recognition and city pin.
Mayor Sobel moved item 5C before item 5A.
6)
PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
7)
CITY COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmember Juarez:
Attended Ventura Regional Sanitation District; responded on January 20 to view storm damage from Santa Paula Creek; Committee interviews; Cannabis Ad Hoc; Business Roundtable; Homelessness and Housing standing committee; Latino Townhall awards; and Harvest Park tours.
Councilmember Chavez:
Currently attending California League of Cities Conference.
Councilmember Crosswhite:
Elected as District Representative to Southern California Association of Governments; attended All Children Thrive; presentation of the damage from Santa Paula Creek; City Strategic Planning process; announced a new food truck at 8th and Harvard; attended King Tides event; Committee interviews; Business Roundtable; Ventura Council of Governments; Harvest Limoneira Ad Hoc; and Regional Sports Park event.
Vice Mayor Cornejo:
Attended a get together coffee with Councilmember Chavez; Strategic Planning process; had coffee with Caitlin Barringer with food share; Commission interviews; Business Roundtable event; Harvest negotiation Ad Hoc; and Regional Sports Park event.
Mayor Sobel:
Attended Economic Development Collaborative annual meeting; and Santa Paula West Mobile Home Park meeting. 8)
CITY MANAGER REPORTS
City Manager Singer:
Attended Committees for Cannabis; Homeless and Housing; School District 2x2; Harvest Development Agreement; Economic Development Collaborative annual meeting; Business Roundtable; Sports Park event; viewed the erosion of Santa Paula Creek from storms; and reported he authorized emergency tree work due to storms. 9)
CONSENT CALENDAR
9.A)
EXTEND APPROVAL TO HOLD VIRTUAL CITY COUNCIL, COMMISSION, COMMITTEE, BOARD AND OTHER CITY BODY MEETINGS PURSUANT TO AB 361
9.B)
APPROVAL OF SIDE LETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE MID-MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION TO CORRECT 2021-2023 MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
9.C)
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION (CPUC) LOCAL AGENCY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (LATA) GRANT BUDGET APPROPRIATION
9.D)
APPROVAL OF PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE PECK ROAD WATER LINE REPAIR PROJECT
9.E)
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RIGHT OF WAY CERTIFICATIONS
9.F)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM STATUS REPORT
This item was pulled for discussion and separate vote.
Management Analyst Joseph Alvarado provided information on the Energy Efficiency Program.
Motion: Approve Consent Calendar item 9F.
Moved by Carlos Juarez, seconded by Leslie Cornejo
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez
9.G)
ADOPT A RESOLUTION TERMINATING THE LOCAL EMERGENCY DECLARED BY THE CITY AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND REPEALING CITY LEGISLATION RELATED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Mayor Sobel requested item 9F pulled for discussion and separate vote.
Motion: Approve Consent Calendar items 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 9E, 9G.
Moved by Jenny Crosswhite, seconded by Leslie Cornejo
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez 10)
ACTION ITEMS
10.A)
APPOINTMENTS TO COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES
Motion: Approve Appointment to Design Assistances/Historic Preservation Committee - Brittany Botts-Volaski to fill a 4-year term 2/1/2023 - 2/1/2027.
Moved by Leslie Cornejo, seconded by Carlos Juarez
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez Motion: Approve Appointment to Parks & Recreation Commission - Maria Garcia Chavez to fill a 4-year term 2/1/2023 - 2/1/2027.
Moved by Pedro A Chavez, seconded by Jenny Crosswhite
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez Motion: Approve Appointment to Planning Commission - Jason Herber to fill a 4-year term 2/1/2023 - 2/1/2027.
Moved by Pedro A Chavez, seconded by Carlos Juarez
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez Motion: Approve Appointment to Planning Commission - Noel Thomas Kiesewetter to fill a 4-year term 2/1/2023 - 2/1/2027.
Moved by Pedro A Chavez, seconded by Leslie Cornejo
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez Motion: Approve Appointment to the Planning Commission - Austin Auger to fill a partial term 2/1/2023- 9/4/2023.
Moved by Carlos Juarez, seconded by Leslie Cornejo
Vote: Motion carried 4-1
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez No: Pedro A Chavez
Motion: Approve Appointment of returning applicants John Marquez (civic) and Alice Straetz (senior) to fill 4-year terms 2/20/2023 - 2/20/2027.
Moved by Pedro A Chavez, seconded by Jenny Crosswhite
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez Motion: Approve Appointment of returning applicants to the Mobile Home Rent Review - Dr. Maria Munguia and Grace Kelly Michael to fill 2-year terms 2/1/2023 - 2/1/2025.
Moved by Jenny Crosswhite, seconded by Carlos Juarez
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez
10.B)
CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS TO THE CLEAN POWER ALLIANCE (CPA) BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND WAYFINDING COMMITTEE Motion: Approve appointment of Councilmember Crosswhite as the primary member to represent the City on the Clean Power Alliance (CPA) Board.
Moved by Carlos Juarez, seconded by Leslie Cornejo
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez Motion: Approve appointment of Vice Mayor Cornejo as the alternate member to represent the City on the Clean Power Alliance (CPA) Board.
Moved by Leslie Cornejo, seconded by Carlos Juarez
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez Motion: Approve appointment of Vice Mayor Cornejo to the review board assisting staff with the selection of a consultant to perform Wayfinding services for the City.
Moved by Carlos Juarez, seconded by Andy Sobel
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez
10.C)
ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A CANNABIS STANDING COMMITTEE Interim City Attorney Monica Castillo announced a change was made on Section 4 of the Resolution, by striking out the names.
Public Comment:
Mary Bagdazian was called to speak in opposition of cannabis in Santa Paula.
Councilmember Crosswhite announced that several other public emails were received on the issue of cannabis.
Motion: Approve as amended Resolution No.7442 establishing the Cannabis Standing Committee to evaluate and make recommendations regarding City’s cannabis regulations, including amending Section 4 by striking out names.
Moved by Pedro A Chavez, seconded by Leslie Cornejo
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez
10.D)
ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A BROADBAND AND TECHNOLOGY STANDING COMMITTEE Motion: Approve as amended Resolution No. 7443 establishing a Broadband and Technology Standing Committee to address and make recommendations regarding city broadband and infrastructure needs, including amending Section 4 by striking out names.
Moved by Pedro A Chavez, seconded by Carlos Juarez
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez Interim City Attorney Monica Castillo announced a change was made on Section 4 of the Resolution, by striking out names.
10.E)
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN REPONSE TO SEVERE STORMS Motion: Approve Resolution No. 7445 proclaiming a state of emergency as a result of severe storms and direct the City Clerk to bring back to City Council every 60 days, an item on the continuing existence of the local emergency until the resolution is rescinded.
Moved by Pedro A Chavez, seconded by Jenny Crosswhite
Vote: Motion carried 5-0
Yes: Andy Sobel, Leslie Cornejo, Jenny Crosswhite, Carlos Juarez, Pedro A Chavez 11)
ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDAS
11.A)
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Councilmember Crosswhite requested updating the wording on the city website for the Design Assistance/Historic Preservation Committee. City Manager Singer indicated that this is in the process, along with reviewing each committee and ordinance currently on file.
Councilmember Chavez requested League policy and advocacy agenda items added to agenda, figuring how we play a roll at the state level. City Manager Singer explained we are completing a review of our legislative platform that this could be considered.
Councilmember Juarez requested expanding on the travel policy.
Vice Mayor Cornejo requested another meeting, discussion, or presentation on districting. Council was in support of combining a presentation at the same meeting as consideration of the map adoption.
Interim City Attorney Monica Castillo requested to move forward with a transition of the City Facilities and Infrastructure Ad Hoc to a Standing Committee. Council was in agreement. 12)
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Sobel adjourned the meeting at 9:16 p.m.
ATTEST:
Julie Latshaw, City Clerk