VISTA CITY COUNCIL (CC) BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT (BSD) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (CDC)
SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE VISTA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (SA) JOINT POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY (JPFA)
CITY OF VISTA
CONSOLIDATED MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 24, 2023
The October 24, 2023, Regular Meeting of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, the Community Development Commission of the City of Vista, the Buena Sanitation District, and the Successor Agency to the Vista Redevelopment Agency, was called to order by Mayor Franklin at 5:32 pm in the City Council Chambers, 200 Civic Center Drive, Vista, California.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT
Mayor John Franklin, Deputy Mayor Corinna Contreras
Joe Green, Katie Melendez, Dan O’Donnell
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Franklin called the meeting to order in Open Session at 5:32 p.m. with all members present.
DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
John Conley City Manager
Walter Chung City Attorney
Imelda Huerta Assistant City Manager
John Boyce Sheriff’s Captain
Gerard Washington Fire Chief
Kathy Valdez City Clerk
Patsy Chow Acting Community Development Director
Dolores Gascon Human Resources Director
Larry Vaupel Economic Development Director
Mike Pacheco Recreation and Community Services Director Kuna Muthusamy Public Works Director
Mike Sylvia Finance Director
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Deputy Mayor Contreras led the Pledge of Allegiance.
INVOCATION
Pastors Michael Houghton and Gerald “Big G”, ResTore Church, provided the invocation.
BROWN ACT NOTICE
City Clerk Kathy Valdez stated that, due to convening simultaneous meetings, the Buena Sanitation District Board Members will receive compensation of $147.75 for the District meeting.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
City Manager John Conley stated there are no changes to the agenda.
PRESENTATIONS
P1. The Mayor and City Council presented a proclamation to Juliana Rosales and Erika Andres proclaiming the month of October 2023 as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” in the City of Vista.
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
OCTOBER 24, 2023
2 P2. The Mayor and City Council presented a proclamation to Michael Hennessy, Paul Krueger, Garry Garretson, and Armen Kurdian proclaiming November 11, 2023 as “Veterans Day” in the City of Vista.
P3. Brian Wilson and Paul Armstrong, San Diego Rescue Mission, gave a presentation on the organization’s approach to addressing homelessness.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
• Joe Houde requested the City Council explore installing microgrids. • Anthony White spoke on the lack of affordable housing in Vista and possible paths to home ownership.
• Barbara Gordon recognized Red Ribbon Week.
• Becky Rapp spoke on the dangers of cannabis edibles being consumed by children. • Judi Strang spoke on the saturation of tobacco and cannabis storefronts in the City of Vista.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Franklin announced that Item C4, CIP No. 8339 & 8358 Foothill/Oak and Bobier/Calle Jules Roundabouts Project – Design/Build Agreement Award is being removed from the Consent Calendar for discussion.
MOTION BY GREEN, SECOND BY CONTRERAS, TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CONSENT CALENDAR.
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
C1. Received the September 2023 Check Register (CC)
C2. Approved the following minutes: October 5, 2023 Workshop (CC); October 10, 2023 Consolidated Meeting (CC/CDC/BSD/SA)
C3. Adopted City Council Resolution No. 2023-181, entitled “A Resolution of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, California, Playground Resurfacing and Repair Services Contract” (CC)
C4. Mayor Franklin announced that this item was removed from the Consent Calendar for discussion.
ITEM REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR DISCUSSION
C4. CIP NOS. 8339 & 8358 FOOTHILL/OAK AND BOBIER/CALLE JULES ROUNDABOUTS PROJECT – DESIGN/BUILD AGREEMENT AWARD (CC)
Sid Rothenberg stated she is not opposed to the contractor but is opposed to a roundabout at this location; she believes a traffic light would be a better choice and safer for pedestrian crossings.
Councilmember Green and Mayor Franklin stated that although they voted against a roundabout at this location, they will support the award of contract since the roundabout was approved by the majority of the council.
MOTION BY GREEN, SECOND BY CONTRERAS, TO ADOPT CITY
COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2023-182, ENTITLED “A RESOLUTION OF
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF VISTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING AN AGREEMENT WITH DICK MILLER, INC. FOR
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
OCTOBER 24, 2023
3 DESIGN/BUILD SERVICES FOR THE FOOTHILL/OAK AND BOBIER/CALLE JULES ROUNDABOUTS PROJECT (CIP NOS. 8339 & 8358)”
VOTE: 5-0
PUBLIC HEARING
PH1. KENSHO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT (P22-0282) (CC)
Acting Director of Community Development Patsy Chow introduced the item and provided the staff report.
Lev Gershman representing Tideline Partners and Kevin Schiller representing Safdie Rabines Architects provided the Applicant’s presentation.
The following individuals spoke in opposition of the item:
Joseph Robbins Joe Houde Duncan Craig Julia Shriver
Lisa Moak Sid Rothenberg Christine Reese
The following individuals spoke in favor of the item:
Rachel Beld Will More
City Council Members and staff discussed the following:
• The boundaries of Downtown Vista are not currently well defined. • Applicant’s outreach to neighborhood residents over project concerns and how the concerns were addressed.
• The site is sufficiently engineered and landscaped to protect against landslides. • Need to ensure adequate security surrounding site.
• Project provides much needed housing close to downtown and public transit; 13% deed restricted (24 units), includes solar, and has 26 parking spaces plumed for EV chargers. • The project includes sidewalks and road improvements along Lado de Loma and Guajome Street.
• Would like to see more mature trees in landscaping plan. • Driveway access at 446 Lado de Loma requested for potential future development of an accessory dwelling unit; the approved access and landscaping plan would be part of the conditions of approval
• Request for waiver for utility undergrounding requirement because undergrounding would result in the addition of more (tension) poles on neighboring properties and longer construction time impacting residents; the City will be constructing a parking lot across the tracks and can include some of the undergrounding as part of that project, reducing the number of times the roads have to be closed for undergrounding; and the City has more experience in undergrounding projects.
• The applicant will be required to pay an in-lieu fee for the undergrounding; these funds can be used for undergrounding utilities in any area; the fee is based on average cost plus 30% mark- up to help ensure it will cover the cost of undergrounding at the railroad tracks or future increases in cost.
• Implement a Class III bike lanes on Guajome Street between S Santa Fe Ave and Lado De Loma Drive and on Lado de Loma Drive between Guajome Street and Vista Village Drive.
MOTION BY GREEN, SECOND BY O’DONNELL, TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND:
1. ADOPT CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2023-183, ENTITLED, “A
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
OCTOBER 24, 2023
4 VISTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A MITIGATED NEGATIVE
DECLARATION AND MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING
PROGRAM FOR 183 MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON 4.59
ACRES LOCATED SOUTH OF GUAJOME STREET, EAST OF LADO DE
LOMA DRIVE, AND WEST OF THE NORTH COUNTY TRANSIT
DISTRICT (NCTD) RAIL LINE, KNOWN AS THE KENSHO HOUSING
PROJECT”;
2. INTRODUCE AND ADOPT CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE NO. 2023-10, ENTITLED, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CHARTERED CITY OF VISTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A ZONE
CHANGE FROM PHEASANT HILL SPECIFIC PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
ZONE, R-M(15) AND R-1-B TO DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN (DSP) TO ALLOW FOR 183 MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON 4.59
ACRES LOCATED SOUTH OF GUAJOME STREET, EAST OF LADO DE
LOMA DRIVE, AND WEST OF THE NORTH COUNTY TRANSIT
DISTRICT (NCTD) RAIL LINE, KNOWN AS THE KENSHO HOUSING
PROJECT”; AND
3. ADOPT CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2023-184, ENTITLED, “A
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF
VISTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT,
SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENTS, SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, AND
TENTATIVE SUBDIVISION MAP TO DEVELOP 183 MULTI-FAMILY
RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON 4.59 ACRES LOCATED SOUTH OF GUAJOME
STREET, EAST OF LADO DE LOMA DRIVE, AND WEST OF THE NORTH
COUNTY TRANSIT DISTRICT (NCTD) RAIL LINE, KNOWN AS THE
KENSHO HOUSING PROJECT” WITH CONDITIONS AS MODIFIED BY
THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE ADDITION OF A) AN
EXCEPTION TO RELINQUISHING VEHICULAR ACCESS RIGHTS EXCEPT
OF THE WIDTH OF THE DRIVEWAY CURRENTLY SERVING THE
RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE AT 446 LADO DE LOMA DRIVE, B)
GRANTED APPLICANT’S REQUEST FOR A WAIVER FOR OVERHEAD
UTILITY UNDERGROUNDING REQUIREMENT IN EXCHANGE FOR IN-
LIEU FEES FOR THE REASONS NOTED BY THE APPLICANT AND STAFF,
AND C) IMPLEMENTATION OF A CLASS III BIKE ROUTE ON GUAJOME
STREET BETWEEN S SANTA FE AVENUE AND LADO DE LOMA DRIVE
AND ON LADO DE LOMA DRIVE BETWEEN GUAJOME STREET AND
VISTA VILLAGE DRIVE.
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
PH2. TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE CAP (CC)
City Attorney Walter Chung introduced the item and provided the staff report.
The following individuals spoke in favor of the item:
Joe Houde Samantha Mendoza Alex Carrasco
Judi Strang Peggy Walker
City Council Members and staff discussed the following:
• No intention of decreasing the value of businesses by prohibiting sale of tobacco retail license with sale of business.
• Request to bring the item back after current pending tobacco license applications have been processed with the intention to lower the cap through attrition.
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
OCTOBER 24, 2023
5 • Request for reporting to the City Council when a tobacco retail license holder loses “good standing”.
• Revisit penalty schedule and look at reducing the number of infractions before a tobacco retail license is revoked.
MOTION BY O’DONNELL, SECOND BY CONTRERAS, TO CLOSE THE
PUBLIC HEARING, INTRODUCE AND ADOPT CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE NO. 2023-11, ENTITLED, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CHARTERED CITY OF VISTA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CHAPTER
3.56 OF THE VISTA MUNICIPAL CODE CONCERNING THE TOTAL
NUMBER OF AVAILABLE TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSES.”
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
DISCUSSION
D1. TRAFFIC OPERATIONS AT THE INTERSECTION OF N. MELROSE DRIVE AND ASCOT
DRIVE (CC)
Councilmember Melendez introduced the item.
Joe Houde spoke regarding the development of a Sustainable Mobility Plan to address various traffic issues including safety.
City Council Members and staff discussed the following:
• Raised median with a “Left Turn Only” lane into Ascot Drive. • To drive North on N. Melrose, drivers will need to turn right out of Ascot Drive and make a U- Turn at N. Melrose and Copper Drive.
• Whether a “Keep Clear” area can be designated to better enable cars to make turn; not recommended by Traffic Engineer on multiple lane road; request to look at when designation is appropriate.
• Mobility Master Plan will be included in the General Plan Update.
MOTION BY MELENDEZ, SECOND BY GREEN, TO APPROVE THE
CONSTRUCTION OF A RAISED MEDIAN ON N. MELROSE DRIVE AT ASCOT DRIVE.
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
D2. GENERAL FUND BALANCE ACCOUNT REVIEW AND RESERVES POLICY MODIFICATION (CC)
Director of Finance Mike Sylvia introduced the item and provided the staff report.
The following individuals spoke on the item:
Sid Rothenberg requested excess funding to be diverted to the Senior Center.
Joe Houde requested that no City stocks and bonds fund fossil fuel projects.
City Council Members and staff discussed the following:
• This streamlining provides more transparency and better understanding of the amount of funding available.
• Deputy Mayor Contreras advocated for the development of a fire station in District 1. • Support for hosting a 50th Anniversary Party for the Senior Center.
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
OCTOBER 24, 2023
6 MOTION BY CONTRERAS, SECOND BY GREEN, TO ADOPT CITY
COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2023-185, ENTITLED “A RESOLUTION OF
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF VISTA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CITY COUNCIL POLICY 200-19, USE OF YEAR END FUND BALANCE AND CONSOLIDATING GENERAL FUND BALANCE ACCOUNTS.”
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
D3. OPPOSE FIXED ENERGY CHARGES AUTHORIZED IN ASSEMBLY BILL 205 ENERGY (2021-2022) (CC)
Councilmember O’Donnell introduced the item.
Joe Houde spoke in favor of the item.
City Council Members and staff discussed the following:
• Predatory practices by energy companies on middle-income households. • High energy costs are driving families out of California. • Joining Clean Energy Alliance is a start but not enough. • Most residents are not aware of this legislation.
MOTION BY O’DONNELL, SECOND BY MELENDEZ, TO ADOPT CITY
COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2023-186, ENTITLED “A RESOLUTION OF
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF VISTA, CALIFORNIA,
OPPOSING THE FIXED ENERGY CHARGES AUTHORIZED IN ASSEMBLY BILL 205 ENERGY (2021-2022).”
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
REMARKS
City Manager John Conley congratulated Economic Development Director Larry Vaupel for concluding his term as Chair of the California Association for Local Economic Development and announced that Joe Vacca has been selected as the Community Development Director and will start October 30, 2023.
Councilmember O’Donnell is postponing his Townhall meeting until after the New Year; he recognized Breast Cancer Survivors and Veterans.
Councilmember Melendez encouraged residents to come to Fright Night in Downtown Vista on October
27. Deputy Mayor Contreras announced anyone interested in picking up trash on Wednesdays in District 1 is welcome to join Guerreras en Accion and the Executive Director for the North County Transit District is expected to be announced in December or January.
Councilmember Green thanked everyone who came out to the North County Lifeline 50th Anniversary Event and encouraged residents to come out to Fright Night in Downtown Vista where he will be a costume judge.
Mayor Franklin announced a town hall discussion on the fentanyl epidemic on October 26, 2023, at the
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
OCTOBER 24, 2023
7 Morris B. Vance Community Room at the Vista Civic Center and encouraged residents to head to Downtown Vista on October 27 for Fright Night on Main Street.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Franklin adjourned the meeting at 10:08 pm.
____________________________________
Kathy Valdez, City Clerk