Special City Council Meeting Minutes
April 30, 2024
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VALLEJO
VALLEJO CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
APRIL 30, 2024
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
555 Santa Clara Street, Vallejo, California
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 5:54 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor McConnell, Vice Mayor Loera-Diaz, Councilmembers Arriola, Bregenzer, Matulac, Palmares, and Verder-Aliga
Absent: None
Staff present: Interim City Manager Marshall, City Attorney Marshall and City Clerk Abrahamson
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
4. REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
City Attorney Nebb reported Council provided direction to legal counsel regarding Closed Session Item 3A, nothing to report for Closed Session Item 3B and Council provided direction to its real property negotiators regarding Closed Session Item 3C.
5. ACTION CALENDAR
A. CONSIDER THE WHOLE OF THE RECORD AND POSSIBLE ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION DENYING AN APPEAL (APP24-0001) OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION’S APPROVAL, AND GRANTING WITH CONDITIONS, MAJOR USE PERMIT (UP22-0008) TO ALLOW THE OPERATION OF A NEW PUBLIC CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL WITH AN ENROLLMENT OF UP TO 400
STUDENTS IN AN EXISTING TWO-STORY BUILDING AT 241-255 GEORGIA STREET (APN:0055-170-390) AFTER FINDING THE PROJECT
CATEGORICALLY EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW UNDER
THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15332 (CLASS 32: IN-FILL PROJECTS).
Recommendation: After reviewing staff responses to Council questions, and responses to new issues brought up by the appellants at the meeting of April 23, 2024, consider the whole of the record and adopt a Resolution denying Appeal (APP) #24-0001, and granting approval with conditions Major Use Permit (UP) #22-0008 to allow the operation of a new public charter high school with an enrollment of up to 400 students in an existing two-story building at 241-255 Georgia Street (APN:0055-170-390) after finding the project categorically exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality DocuSign Envelope ID: 4AF12AA4-A5E4-4E14-ABC5-376AA0731948 Special City Council Meeting Minutes
April 30, 2024
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Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15332 (CLASS 32: In-Fill Projects).
Contact: Christina Ratcliffe, AICP, Planning & Development Services Director [email protected]
Planning & Development Services Director Ratcliffe reviewed responses to questions submitted by Councilmembers, which were included in the staff report.
Staff and Bill Burton (Fehr & Peers) provided responses to questions from Councilmembers.
The meeting recessed at 9:18 p.m. and resumed at 9:37 p.m.
Planning & Development Services Director Ratcliffe reviewed responses to the issue brought up by the Appellant at the April 23, 2024 meeting, which were included in the staff report.
Mayor McConnell opened the public hearing.
Speakers: Anne Carr, Tausha Johnson, Gabriel Acebo, Ruby Garcia, Jimmy Genn, Daniel Brown, Jason La Bou, Dan Pelligrini, Tim Heimstra, Gabriella Rodriguez, Jose Carrizales, Sonia Valdez, Sarah G., Shannon M., Anthony Summers, Calvin Harrell, Malia Ashad, Maria, HelenMarie Gordon, Jameelah Hanif, and an unidentified member of the public, Mr. Beeman (Appellant) and Dr. Bishop and Sarah Coleman (representing the Applicant).
Mayor McConnell closed the public hearing.
Another question and answer period followed. Councilmembers provided comment.
Actions:
MOVED by Vice Mayor Loera-Diaz to direct staff to prepare and present a resolution at a later date denying Appeal (APP) #24-0001 and granting approval with conditions Major Use Permit (UP) #22-0008 to allow the operation of a new public charter high school with a reduced enrollment of up to 200 students in an existing two-story building at 241-255 Georgia Street (APN: 0055-170-390) after finding the project categorically exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15332 (CLASS 32: In-Fill Projects) subject to a periodic review of the Use Permit by the City Council every two years and to include further conditions of approval as submitted to staff by Councilmembers.
ALTERNATE MOTION as moved by Councilmember Palmares to direct staff to prepare and present a resolution at a later date to adopt a resolution denying Appeal (APP) #24-0001 and granting approval with conditions Major Use Permit DocuSign Envelope ID: 4AF12AA4-A5E4-4E14-ABC5-376AA0731948 Special City Council Meeting Minutes
April 30, 2024
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(UP) #22-0008 to allow the operation of a new public charter high school with an enrollment of up to 400 students in an existing two-story building at 241-255 Georgia Street (APN: 0055-170-390) after finding the project categorically exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15332 (CLASS 32: In-Fill Projects) subject to conditions to be proffered by staff and provided by Council with the exception of any condition regarding the population size of the school unless the applicant agrees to it.
AYES: Matulac and Palmares
NOES: McConnell, Loera-Diaz, Arriola, Bregenzer, and Verder-Aliga Council returned to the Main Motion as offered by Vice Mayor Loera-Diaz, to direct staff to prepare and present a resolution at a later date denying Appeal (APP) #24-0001 and granting approval with conditions Major Use Permit (UP) #22-0008 to allow the operation of a new public charter high school with a reduced enrollment of up to 200 students in an existing two-story building at 241-255 Georgia Street (APN: 0055-170-390) after finding the project categorically exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15332 (CLASS 32: In-Fill Projects) subject to a periodic review of the Use Permit by the City Council every two years and to include further conditions of approval as submitted to staff by Councilmembers.
AYES: Loera-Diaz, Matulac, and Verder-Aliga
NOES: McConnell, Arriola, Bregenzer, Palmares
Moved by Councilmember Bregenzer to direct staff to prepare and present a resolution at a special meeting to be held at a later date to uphold the appeal and denying Major Use Permit #22-0008.
AYES: McConnell, Arriola, Bregenzer, and Verder-Aliga
NOES: Loera-Diaz, Matulac and Palmares
The meeting recessed at 12:56 a.m. and reconvened at 1:03 a.m.
Moved by Councilmember Matulac and carried unanimously to continue the item to June 4, 2024 at 7 p.m. noting that the public hearing was closed.
6. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 1:05 a.m.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4AF12AA4-A5E4-4E14-ABC5-376AA0731948 Special City Council Meeting Minutes
April 30, 2024
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________________________________
ROBERT H. MCCONNELL, MAYOR
ATTEST:
________________________________
DAWN G. ABRAHAMSON
CITY CLERK
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4AF12AA4-A5E4-4E14-ABC5-376AA0731948