VISTA CITY COUNCIL (CC) BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT (BSD) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (CDC)
SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE VISTA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (SA)
CITY OF VISTA
CONSOLIDATED MEETING MINUTES
JANUARY 9, 2024
The January 9, 2024, 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 5:30 pm in the City Council Chambers, 200 Civic Center Drive, Vista, California.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT
Mayor John Franklin, Deputy Mayor Katie Melendez
Joe Green, Corinna Contreras, Dan O’Donnell
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
Joe Vacca Community Development Director
Greg Mayer Engineering 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 Melendez led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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 Presentation Item P1, Proclamation declaring January 10, 2024, as “Firefighter of the Year Josh Spann Day in the City of Vista, will be deferred to January 23, 2024.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Joe Houde spoke regarding establishing a water conservation plan and food plan for food insecure residents in the community.
Hunter Plescia spoke regarding unlicensed business activity resulting in lost revenue for the City of Vista.
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
JANUARY 9, 2024
2 CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION BY MELENDEZ, SECOND BY CONTRERAS, TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CONSENT CALENDAR.
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
C1. Received the November 2023 check register. (CC)
C2. Approved the following minutes: December 12, 2023 Consolidated Meeting (CC/CDC/BSD/SA); December 7, 2023 Workshop Meeting (CC)
C3. Received and filed the Treasurer’s Cash Report for the month ending October 31, 2023. (CC)
C4. Adopted City Council Resolution No. 2024-1, entitled “A Resolution of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, California, Approving a Letter of Agreement Between the City of Vista and the Vista City Employees’ Association and Repealing the Provisions of Any Resolutions in Conflict Herewith,” adopted City Council Resolution No. 2024-2, entitled “A Resolution of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, California, Approving a Letter of Agreement Between the City of Vista And the Vista City Firefighters’ Association and Repealing the Provisions of Any Resolutions in Conflict Herewith,” and adopted City Council Resolution No. 2024-3, entitled “A Resolution of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, California, Approving a Letter of Agreement Between the City of Vista And the Vista City Maintenance Association and Repealing the Provisions of Any Resolutions in Conflict Herewith.” (CC)
C5. Adopted City Council Resolution No. 2024-4, entitled “A Resolution of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, California, Approving the Fiscal Year 2024-25 CalTrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Application and Authorizing the City Manager or Designee to Sign Related Documents.” (CC)
C6. Adopted City Council Resolution No. 2024-5, entitled “A Resolution of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, California, Moonlight Amphitheatre Seating Project,” and Adopted City Council Resolution No. 2024-6, entitled “A Resolution of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, California, Amending the Operating Budget for Fiscal Years 2023/24 and 2024/25.”.
PUBLIC HEARING
PH1. AMENDING CHAPTER 10.68 OF THE VISTA MUNICIPAL CODE TO INCLUDE E-
BIKES AND TRAFFIC SAFETY LAWS (CC)
Assistant City Manager Imelda Huerta introduced the item and provided the staff report with CAP Program Administrator Cassidy McCarthy.
Joe Houde voiced support on behalf of the North County Climate Change Alliance and Sierra Club of the Vista Municipal Code amendment to include e-bikes and traffic safety laws.
City Council Members and staff discussed the following:
• Vista Unified School District to offer bicycle safety course. • Improvements to Class II bicycle paths throughout the City have not yet been made. Areas to upgrade will be discussed in the Bicycle Master Plan Update. • Helmet requirements are not noted in the Vista Municipal Code but California Vehicle Code requires everyone under the age of 18 to wear a helmet. • The City Council earmarked funds for helmets and an e-bike rebate program; plans for distribution/implementation are under development.
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
JANUARY 9, 2024
3 • Helmet law enforcement should be conducted throughout the City. The objective is not to give kids tickets but to protect them. The parents/guardians will be responsible for paying for any tickets that are issued.
• The City Council would like to see a large publicity effort in both English and Spanish on bicycle safety laws.
MOTION BY GREEN, SECOND BY CONTRERAS, TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPT CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE NO. 2024-1,
ENTITLED, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF VISTA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 10.68 OF THE VISTA MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING BICYCLES.”
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
DISCUSSION
D1. TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT N. MELROSE DRIVE AND ASCOT DRIVE (CC) Deputy Mayor Melendez introduced the item.
Traffic Engineer Husam Hasenin answered questions from the City Council.
City Council Members and staff discussed the following:
• Direct staff to move forward with design and bid process using funds from RTCIP. • Request to make design cyclist and pedestrian friendly. • It will take an estimated 9-months to complete traffic signal project, in the interim, install a temporary left turn lane.
• During busy traffic times of the day (i.e. morning and evening rush hours), the N. Melrose Drive and Ascot Drive traffic signal will be synchronized with the N. Melrose Drive and Copper Drive traffic signal. On off-peak traffic times, the traffic signal will be demand driven. • Traffic data will be collected again once the temporary left turn lane is installed.
MOTION BY MELENDEZ, SECOND BY CONTRERAS TO DIRECT STAFF TO
MOVE FORWARD WITH DESIGN AND BID PROCESS USING FUNDS FROM RTCIP AND TO CREATE A TEMPORARY LEFT TURN LANE IN THE INTERIM.
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
D2. AGREEMENT WITH RETREAD, INC. FOR BUENA CREEK NAVIGATION CENTER
OPERATION SERVICES (CC)
Homeless Services Program Manager Jonathan Lung introduced the item and provided the staff report with Management Analyst Daniel Sturman.
Hannah Gailey, representative from Retread, Inc., was available to answer questions from the City Council.
City Council Members and staff discussed the following:
• Staff will need to determine at a closer date if the BCNC’s target opening date of March 4, 2024 will allow for clients to live at the center or the first day for referral intake. • No onsite medical staff to test for tuberculosis or other communicable diseases. If a client has any visible symptoms, they will be quarantined and staff will make the City Council aware of any events or concerns.
• BCNC will provide for 250 clients per year with 190 of those clients Vista residents. BCNC will
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
JANUARY 9, 2024
4 house 48 clients at a time for a maximum stay of 120 days. • Retread’s staffing plan provides for multiple staff on site at all times and flexible schedules to enable staff to meet the needs of residents.
• Retread has committed to using the data program Clarity for reporting of data and will work closely with the City to capture requested data.
• Clients who have sex offender convictions (Penal Code § 290) will be closely looked at by a case manager and admitted on a case-by-case basis. The City Council conditioned any sexually violent offenders to not be admitted to the BCNC.
MOTION BY O’DONNELL, SECOND BY CONTRERAS, TO ADOPT CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2024-7, ENTITLED “A RESOLUTION OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF VISTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING AN AGREEMENT WITH RETREAD, INC. TO PROVIDE BUENA CREEK NAVIGATION CENTER OPERATION SERVICE” WITH THE ADDED CONDITION TO PROHIBIT SEXUALLY VIOLENT OFFENDERS.
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
D3. AGREEMENT WITH MAAC FOR ADMINISTRATION OF VISTA EMERGENCY HOUSING
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CC)
Assistant City Manager Imelda Huerta introduced the item and provided the staff report with Homeless Services Program Manager Jonathan Lung.
Victoria Vazquez, representative from MAAC, was available to answer questions from the City Council.
City Council Members and staff discussed the following:
• The AMI eligibility level is determined by the American Rescue Plan Act. • Deputy Mayor Melendez requested the added condition for an additional data collection requirement regarding beneficiaries’ use of other public assistance programs. • The City Council expressed excitement for this program as it will help a lot of families in Vista.
MOTION BY MELENDEZ, SECOND BY CONTRERAS, TO ADOPT CITY
COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2024-8, ENTITLED “A RESOLUTION OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF VISTA, CALIFORNIA,
APPROVING AN AGREEMENT WITH MAAC FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE VISTA EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM” WITH AN
ADDITIONAL DATA COLLECTION REQUIREMENT REGARDING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
REMARKS
City Manager Conley invited residents to participate in several upcoming community meetings and reminded everyone that City offices are closed on January 15 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Day.
Councilmember O’Donnell announced a District 4 Townhall meeting on February 11 at 1:00 p.m. at Thibodo Park; District 4 Traffic Safety Community Meeting on February 1 at 6:00 p.m. in the Morris B.
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
JANUARY 9, 2024
5 Vance Community Room; and support of CalCities’ opposition to the CBRT Measure which he will report more on at a later date.
Deputy Mayor Melendez announced the Emerald Drive Complete Streets Community Meeting on February 22 at 6:00 at Bella Mente Montessori Academy, 155 N. Emerald Drive.
Councilmember Contreras announced North County Transit District Board of Directors has approved Shawn M. Donaghy as the agency’s new chief executive officer.
Councilmember Green urged all park-goers visiting Pala Vista Park to park their vehicles in the Sprinter station lot located at 810 Phillips Street. Vehicles parked in the Mama ‘n Papa’s Pizza parking lot risk getting towed.
Mayor Franklin encouraged residents to apply to upcoming openings on various commissions, committees, and boards. The 2024 State of the Community Luncheon will be held on January 22 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Morris B. Vance Community Room.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Franklin adjourned the meeting at 7:39 p.m.
____________________________________
Kathy Valdez, City Clerk