HomeMy WebLinkAboutPCDC Minutes 06/04/2001I City of Petaluma, California
2 Minutes of a Regular
3 Joint Petaluma Community Development Commission/
4 City Council Meeting
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9 Monday, June 04, 2001
10 Council Chambers
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12 The Petaluma Community Development Commission and the Petaluma City Council
13 met at 3:00 P.M. on this date.
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15 PCDC/COUNCIL JOINT MEETING
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17 ROLL CALL
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19 PRESENT: Vice Chair/Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson; Commissioners/Council
20 Members Healy, Maguire, Moynihan, O'Brien, Torliatt; Chair/Mayor
21 Thompson
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23 ABSENT: None
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25 Clerk's
26 Note: For the purpose of these minutes, the joint bodies of the City Council and
27 the Community Development Commission shall be referred to as the
28 Council and the members of the joint bodies shall be referred to as elected
29 by the public and/or appointed by the Council, that is, Mayor, Vice Mayor,
30 and Council Members.
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32 PUBLIC COMMENT
33'
34 Geoff Cartwright, 56 Rocca Drive, announced a Friday, June 8, 2001 meeting of the
35 Public Policy Facilitating Committee (PPFC) to be held in the Sonoma County Board of
36 Supervisors Chambers, 575 Administration Drive, Room 102-A, Santa Rosa, regarding
37 implementation of Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act as called for in a
38 Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National
39 Marine Fisheries Service, and the Sonoma County Water Agency. Mr. Cartwright urged
40 all those "interested in good, clean drinking water"to attend this meeting.
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42 COMMISSION/COUNCIL COMMENT
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44 Council Member O'Brien asked that the meeting be adjourned in memory of Robert
45 Kelley, Sonoma County Supervisor Paul Kelley's father, and also in memory of Jim
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 1
1 Ghilotti. Both gentlemen passed away recently.
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3 Mayor Thompson agreed.
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5 Council Member Moynihan noted that he would like to include in the Goal Setting
6 Workshop scheduled for Monday, June 11, reevaluation and possible modification of
7 the 5 -Year Implementation Plan and the PCDC Budget. He asked for a copy of the draft
8 Five -Year Implementation Plan being prepared by Engineering Manager Mike Evert, as
9 well as a copy of the Five -Year Plan that was adopted in 1996.
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11 Council Member Torliatt understood that the June 11th Goal Setting Meeting was not a
12 PCDC Meeting, and therefore an inappropriate meeting at which to discuss the Five -
13 Year Implementation Plan.
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15 City Manager Fred Stouder explained that the meeting could be "anything Council
16 wanted it to be, "but that his understanding was the same as Council Member Torliatt's.
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18 Mayor Thompson, Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson, and Council Member Maguire
19 concurred. Council Member Maguire added that the agenda for that meeting was
20 already quite full.
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22 Council Member Moynihan thought that the goals set at the June 11th meeting should
23 be a part of the PCDC Budget and the Five -Year Implementation Plan. He asked that
24 goals and funding for both areas be added to the agenda for that meeting.
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26 Mayor Thompson preferred to go forward with the June 11 th meeting as it was.
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28 Council Member O'Brien agreed.
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30 Mayor Thompson asked if Council agreed. Council concurred.
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32 APPROVAL OF PCDC MINUTES
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34 May 7, 2001 (Revised)
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36 Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson thought that on page 5, line 32, she had said, `7
37 understand that you're not happy with the answers, but you may never be happy with
38 the answers..."
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40 Claire Cooper, City Clerk's Office, explained that she had been asked to transcribe that
41 portion of the meeting verbatim, and that Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson actually had
42 said, `7 understand that you're not happy with the questions, but you may never be
43 happy with the questions..."
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45 Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson clarified that she meant to use the word "answers."
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 2
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2 MOTION: Council Member Maguire moved, seconded by Vice Mayor Cader-
3 Thompson, to approve the PCDC minutes of May 7, 2001.
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5 MOTION
6 PASSED: 7/0
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8 UNFINISHED BUSINESS
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10 1. Central Business District:
11 Council Members Healy and Torliatt, and Mayor Thompson, announced that they
12 would recuse themselves from the item due to possible conflicts of interest.
13 PCDC:
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15 A. Discussion and Possible Action to Adopt Resolution 2001-07 Delegating
16 the Power of Eminent Domain to the City Council. (Marangella)
17 COUNCIL:
18 B. Discussion and Possible Action to Adopt Resolution 2001-108 N.C.S.,
19 Adopting Findings to Written Objections to the Second Amendment to the
20 Redevelopment Plan for the Central Business District Redevelopment
21 Project.
22 C. Introduction of Ordinance 2116 N.C.S. Adopting the Second Amendment
23 to the Redevelopment Plan for the Central Business District
24 Redevelopment Project.
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26 PUBLIC COMMENT
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28 JoAnn Pozzi, 1310 Sunset Drive, spoke in opposition to Council having power of
29 eminent domain, and presented a petition with 114 signatures from other Petaluma
30 residents who agreed.
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32 COUNCIL/COMMISSION COMMENT
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34 Council Member Maguire noted that he had discussed the issue with Ms. Pozzi on
35 Saturday, June 2, and assured her that there would be no abuse of this power, once it
36 was in place.
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38 Council Member O'Brien agreed.
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40 Council Member Moynihan referred to a draft resolution submitted by Derek Simmons,
41 139 Alice Street, Santa Rosa, with which the PCDC would delegate to Council its power
42 of eminent domain, to be exercised only by a supermajority (6/7) votes. Council Member
43 Moynihan asked City Attorney Rich Rudnansky if the PCDC could adopt a resolution
44 requiring a 6/7 vote.
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City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 3
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Suzanne Sullivan, representing Meyers, Nave, Rieback, Silver and Wilson, legal
counsel for the City's Redevelopment Agency, replied that state law required a minimum
2/3 -majority vote for condemnation action. The PCDC could require a higher vote, but
this requirement should be included in the Redevelopment Plan and in the ordinance
adopting the Plan. She thought that such a requirement might be a disadvantage in the
future.
Council Member Moynihan restated that the PCDC had before them a resolution
requiring a 6/7 vote, and asked if they could vote on it.
Ms. Sullivan reiterated that the requirement should also be included in the
Redevelopment Plan and the ordinance adopting the Plan.
Council Member Moynihan asked if the Plan could be adjusted without being sent back
through the process of public hearings.
City Attorney Rich Rudnansky explained that at an earlier meeting, the PCDC had
considered requiring a unanimous vote to exercise power of eminent domain. At that
meeting, Elise Traynum, who is also with the law firm of Meyers, Nave, Rieback, Silver
and Wilson, stated that if such a requirement were made, the Redevelopment Plan
should be recirculated. She discouraged the Commission from requiring a unanimous
vote, as there was no legal precedent for such a requirement, and it would place the
City at risk of litigation. She recommended that the Commission stay with the state -
mandated 2/3 -majority vote requirement.
Council Member Moynihan stated that he had been told there were "technical issues"
with requiring anything other than a 2/3 -majority vote. What he was hearing tonight was
not what he heard before.
Mr. Rudnansky replied that his understanding was that the vote requirement could only
be changed by an amendment to the City's Charter, a City ordinance, or a state statute.
Council Member O'Brien expressed concern about the possible legal challenges to such
a resolution, if the vote requirement was changed.
Ms. Sullivan did not think this was a concern; however, she emphasized that such a
voting requirement could jeopardize future situations where eminent domain was
needed, if a 6/7 vote was not obtainable.
Mr. Rudnansky thought that if the requirement was not made via an ordinance, it could
be legally challenged. Preparing such an ordinance would cause a delay.
Council Member O'Brien thought that if at least five of the seven Commission/Council
Members present were in favor of adopting the resolution without increasing the voting
requirement, it should be moved forward.
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 4
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2 Council Member Maguire agreed with Council Member O'Brien.
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4 Council Member Moynihan thought he had been given "mixed messages." It appeared
5 to him now that a 6/7 vote could be required. He was not happy with the information he
6 had been receiving.
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8 Council Member Maguire supported power of eminent domain for PCDC and City
9 Council. He described it as a necessary tool for economic development.
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11 Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson agreed. She thought the matter should move forward, and
12 was confident that PCDC/Council would not take the matter lightly, should it arise.
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14 Council Member O'Brien stated that he did not take the 114 signatures gathered by Ms.
15 Pozzi lightly. He thought that a 2/3 vote had worked statewide and it would work for
16 Petaluma.
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18 MOTION: Council Member Maguire moved, seconded by O'Brien to adopt PCDC
19 Resolution 2001-08 Delegating the Power of Eminent Domain to the City
20 Council.
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22 MOTION
23 PASSED: 3/1/3 (Council Member Moynihan voting "no"; Council Members Healy and
24 Torliatt, and Mayor Thompson recused.)
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26 MOTION: Council Member Maguire moved, seconded by O'Brien to Adopt
27 Resolution 2001-108 N.C.S., Adopting Findings to Written Objections to
28 the Second Amendment to the Redevelopment Plan for the Central
29 Business District Redevelopment Project.
30
31 MOTION
32 PASSED: 3/1/3 (Council Member Moynihan voting "no"; Council Members Healy and
33 Torliatt, and Mayor Thompson recused.)
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35 MOTION: Council Member Maguire moved, seconded by O'Brien to Introduce
36 Ordinance 2116 N.C.S., Adopting the Second Amendment to the
37 Redevelopment Plan for the Central Business District Redevelopment
38 Project.
39
40 MOTION
41 PASSED: 3/1/3 (Council Member Moynihan voting "no"; Council Members Healy and
42 Torliatt, and Mayor Thompson recused.)
43
44 ADJOURN JOINT PCDC/CITY COUNCIL MEETING
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City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 5
1 CONVENE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
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3 APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
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5 May 16 and May 17, 2001
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7 Council Member Moynihan noted that on page 4, line 23, "He asked if a breakdown of
8 revenues and expenditures for PCDC had been completed," should read, "He asked if a
9 comprehensive summary of revenues and expenditures for PCDC had been
10 completed."
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12 MOTION: Council Member Maguire moved, seconded by O'Brien, to approve the
13 minutes of May 16 and 17, 2001, as corrected.
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15 MOTION
16 PASSED: 7/0/0
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18 CONSENT CALENDAR
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20 At the request of various Council Members, Consent Calendar items 3, 4, and 6 were
21 pulled for discussion.
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23 2. Adopt Ordinance 2115 N.C.S. Rezoning a 20.63 Acre Parcel at the Southwest
24 Corner of Casa Grande Road and Lakeville Highway, APN 005-040-049 from
25 Light Industrial (M -L) to Planned Community District (PCD) for Park Central.
26 (Moore)
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28 5. Status Report Regarding Payran Flood Management Project Financing and
29 Budget. (Hargis)
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31 MOTION: Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson moved, seconded by Council Member
32 Torliatt to approve Consent Calendar items 2 and 5.
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34 MOTION
35 PASSED: 7/0
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37 3. Resolution 2001-109 N.C.S. Approving Quarterly Treasurer's Report.
38 (Thomas)
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40 4. Resolution 2001-110 N.C.S. Approving Claims and Bills. (Thomas)
41
42 6. Approval of Proposed Agenda for Council's Regular Meeting of June 18, 2001.
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44 Council Member Moynihan asked for clarification from Finance Director Bill Thomas
45 regarding interfund loan transfers (Treasurer's Quarterly Report).
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 6
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2 Mr. Thomas explained.
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4 Council Member Moynihan asked for clarification from Finance Director Bill Thomas
5 regarding sales tax (Claims and Bills).
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7 Mr. Thomas explained.
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9 Council asked to have the following items added to the agenda for the June 18, 2001
10 meeting:
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12 o Direction on response to questionnaire from the Sonoma Local Agency
13 Formation Commission (LAFCO).
14 o Update on Water Advisory Committee (WAC) and direction to City Management
15 regarding public outreach for the new Master Water Agreement.
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17 MOTION: Council Member Maguire moved, seconded by Healy, to adopt Resolution
18 2001-109 N.C.S. Approving Quarterly Treasurer's Report.
19
20 MOTION
21 PASSED: 7/0
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23 MOTION: Council Member Maguire moved, seconded by Healy, to adopt item
24 10489, page 10, "Design, Community and Environment" from the Claims
25 and Bills document.
26
27 MOTION
28 PASSED: 6/0/1 (Council Member Moynihan recused himself from this line item)
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30 MOTION: Council Member Maguire moved, seconded by Healy, to adopt Resolution
31 2001-110 N.C.S. Approving Claims and Bills.
32
33 MOTION
34 PASSED: 7/0
35
36 MOTION: Council Member Torliatt moved, seconded by Vice Mayor Cader-
37 Thompson, to approve the Proposed Agenda for Council's Regular
38 Meeting of June 18, 2001.
39
40 MOTION
41 PASSED: 7/0
42
43 UNFINISHED BUSINESS
44
45 7. Resolution Adopting Revised Council Rules, Policies & Procedures.
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 7
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Continued to the June 18, 2001 Council Meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
8. Resolution 2001-111 N.C.S., Intention to Levy Reassessments and
Authorizing the Issuance and Sale of Limited Obligation Refunding
Improvement Bonds Relating to Assessment District No. 23 (Redwood
Business Park III) and Approving Related Documents and Authorizing Official
Actions. (Thomas)
Mayor Thompson and Council Member Moynihan recused themselves, due to
possible conflict of interest.
Finance Director Bill Thomas gave a brief summary of the item. He also
announced that sale that morning of PCDC Bonds would save the City $334,000.
Council Member Healy congratulated Mr. Thomas, and asked for clarification that
this cost/savings from the sale of bonds on tonight's agenda would be realized by
the property owners, not by the City.
Mr. Thomas confirmed this.
MOTION: Council Member Maguire moved, seconded by Torliatt, to adopt
Resolution 2001-111 N.C.S., Intention to Levy Reassessments and
Authorizing the Issuance and Sale of Limited Obligation Refunding
Improvement Bonds Relating to Assessment District No. 23 (Redwood
Business Park III) and Approving Related Documents and Authorizing
Official Actions.
MOTION
PASSED: 5/0/2 (Thompson and Moynihan recused)
9. Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding Modified Work Week for City
Offices. (Beatty/Stouder)
Assistant City Manager Gene Beatty presented a proposed change in City office
public hours as a way to minimize the impact of ongoing escalation of utility costs
on the City's budget. He described the possible benefits of limiting the workweek
to four days for most employees from July 1, 2001 through the end of October.
If Council supported the idea, City management would work with labor groups to
identify individual issues that might arise out of this change in hours.
Council Member Maguire asked Mr. Beatty if he anticipated objections from the
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
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labor groups.
Mr. Beatty replied that he did not know; the issue of childcare had been
mentioned. Certainly the City would continue to support flexible working hours for
employees; the more important thing was for City offices to be consistent in the
number of hours open to the public.
City Manager Stouder mentioned that some City Management members were
accustomed to using weekend time to work in their offices without interruption;
they expressed concern that they would become less effective if they were not
able to do this.
Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson wondered how less energy would be used, if the
workday were lengthened.
Council Member Healy thought the potential for energy savings was nebulous.
He agreed that during the summer especially, childcare was an issue for many.
Mr. Stouder stated that a number of City employees work alternative work
schedules. However, there is not a Citywide policy.
Council Member Moynihan asked Mr. Beatty what a 5-10% savings would mean
in dollars.
Mr. Beatty replied that he did not yet know; if a reduced workweek was put in
place, utility costs would have to be tracked to determine how much was being
saved.
Council Member Moynihan asked if employees' accrual of vacation or overtime
would be affected by such a change.
Mr. Beatty replied that it would not.
Council Member Moynihan asked if City Management had explored other ideas
for saving energy at City Hall.
Mayor Thompson replied that Director of Public Facilities and Services Rick
Skladzien was working on that.
Council Member Moynihan was concerned about City offices not being open to
the public on Fridays.
Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson thought employees should be surveyed. Council
needed to know how they felt about the idea of a four-day workweek.
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 9
I Council Member Torliatt wondered if Friday was necessarily the best day. She
2 also mentioned the possibility of some employees "telecommuting." She asked if
3 this proposal included City Hall being open at noon, as that was the only time
4 many citizens could call or come in.
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6 Mr. Beatty confirmed that it did.
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8 Council Member Torliatt thought that San Mateo County had instituted a four-day
9 workweek, with rave reviews from county employees.
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11 Mayor Thompson suggested asking City Management to estimate, as far as
12 possible, the potential savings with a reduced workweek. If those savings were
13 significant, the next step would be the employee survey.
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15 Council Member Maguire agreed. He also wanted City Management to compare
16 those potential savings with savings that could be realized from the installation of
17 photovoltaic panels at City Hall.
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19 Council concurred.
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21 CLOSED SESSION
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23 City Attorney Rich Rudnansky announced that Council would adjourn to Closed Session
24 on the following:
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26 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL — Existing Litigation, Subdivision (a) of Government Code
27 §54956.9, Lionsgate vs. City of Petaluma, Sonoma County Superior Court Case No. 220489.
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29 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL — Existing Litigation, Subdivision (a) of Government Code
30 §54956.9, Holmberg vs. City of Petaluma, Sonoma County Superior Court Case No. 222739.
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32 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - Anticipated Litigation, Significant Exposure to Litigation
33 Pursuant to Subdivision 9(b) of §54956.9: (1 matter)
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35 Council adjourned to Closed Session at 4:30 P.M.
36
37
38 ******
39 RECONVENE
40
41 The Petaluma City Council reconvened its regular meeting at 7:00 P.M. in the Council
42 Chambers.
43
44 ROLL CALL
45
46 PRESENT: Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson; Council Members Healy, Maguire,
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 10
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Moynihan, O'Brien, Torliatt; Mayor Thompson
ABSENT: None
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
At the request of Mayor Thompson, Sue Ellen Thompson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
MOMENT OF SILENCE
At the request of Mayor Thompson, a moment of silence was observed.
REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
Mayor Thompson announced that there was no reportable action taken during Closed
Session.
PUBLIC COMMENT
David Glass, 41 Oxford Court, noted that June 6t" was D -Day, which he thought was an
appropriate date for a City Budget Workshop, as `there is no money." He believed that
developers' impact fees were too low, and the developers were not passing on the
savings to the consumer. He thought the City lacked the amenities that should come
with such expensive housing.
Bill Phillips, 690 Skillman Lane, noted that the County Planning Commission had voted
to allow Shamrock Corporation to continue mining gravel in the Russian River. The final
vote was 3/2. He lamented that the "assault on the river continues from all directions."
He asked that Council Member Healy's resolution opposing such mining be brought
forward as soon as possible.
Terence Garvey, 83 Maria Drive, spoke regarding the Boy Scouts, the Ten
Commandments, and Gay Liberation Month.
Jerry Price, 411 "D" Street, #3, urged Council to consider making the area south of the
Outlet Mall into a park. He described the area as one of the few places of natural beauty
left along Highway 101. He thought a cross-town connector would be more appropriate
north of the outlet mall. He suggested that Council visit Vasona Park in Los Gatos, as
an example of a wonderful park that is just adjacent to the freeway.
John Mills, 1315 "D" Street, thanked Council for inviting him to a joint meeting of the
Planning Commission and the Site and Architectural Review Committee (SPARC)
several weeks ago. He thought that the commissions and developers at that meeting
shared lots of good ideas. He asked Council not to raise developers' fees, as they were
already very high.
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 11
I Geoff Cartwright, 56 Rocca Drive, thought the City might need to raise some fees in
2 order to fund the much needed road repairs.
3
4 COUNCIL COMMENTS, LIAISON REPORTS
5
6 Council Member Torliatt announced that Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson had been
7 chosen as next year's President of the North Bay League of California Cities. She was
8 excited that Old Elm Village, the 88 -unit affordable housing project on Payran Street,
9 was near completion. She noted that Petaluma had a "crying need"for more affordable
10 housing. Regarding the Water Advisory Committee, she asked the Sonoma County
11 Water Agency (SCWA) to include a public input process once the South Transmission
12 Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is complete, in the spring of 2002. They agreed.
13 She added that a public input process would also be important for the new Master
14 Water Agreement.
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16 Council Member Maguire announced that the Sonoma -Marin Area Rapid Transit District
17 (SMART) would make a presentation to Council in August. Their current concern is the
18 "disappearing" surplus in the state budget.
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20 Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson had forgotten to attend a Zone 2-A meeting last week.
21 She asked to agendize in the near future a discussion about the process by which
22 citizens could ask to have bulletin boards installed at parks. She had spoken with
23 several people who expressed frustration at their inability to navigate this process.
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25 Council Member Torliatt added that she would also like to discuss the idea of citizens or
26 groups donating money to dedicate benches in parks and along bike paths.
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28 Mayor Thompson announced that the June 2nd garage sale to benefit the family of
29 Wayne Kipp, the Petaluma Marina Harbor Master who was murdered last December,
30 netted $1,814.00. He thanked the City employees and citizens who made it possible.
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32 PRESENTATION
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34 10. Presentation From Youth Delegates of Petaluma Community Health Foundation
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36 Sue Ellen Thompson, member of the Petaluma Community Health Foundation
37 Board of Trustees and advisor to the Foundation's Youth Delegates, described
38 the Youth Delegate Program, which participates in the planning of fundraising
39 events established by the Foundation's Board. These events include an annual
40 dance, proceeds from which are used to award four $500.00 scholarships to
41 seniors who are continuing their education and have demonstrated a high level of
42 community involvement. Ms. Thompson introduced Casia Freitas, a former
43 member of the Youth Delegates, and Lisa Filippini, who is currently involved with
44 the group. They described their work with the program and the satisfaction they
45 derived from it. Ms. Thompson thanked the Petaluma Police Department for the
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 12
1 officers they provided for the dance, and the Parks and Recreation Department
2 for the use, at cost, of the Community Center.
3
4 AGENDA CHANGES, ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS
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6 Mayor Thompson announced that item 13, Annual Landscape Assessment District
7 Maintenance Fees, would be heard before item 12, New Interchange and Cross -
8 Town Connector Project.
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APPOINTMENTS
11. Appointments
A. Recommendation to the Mayors' & Councilmembers' Association for
Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Executive Board (Two
Appointments — One to the Executive Board and One Alternate).
Mayor Thompson announced that Steve Rabinowitsh, City of Santa Rosa
Council Member, had expressed interest in being reappointed to the
Executive Board, and that Petaluma Council Members Moynihan and
Torliatt would like to be recommended as Alternate.
MOTION: Council Member Healy moved, seconded by Moynihan, to
recommend to the Mayors' & Councilmembers' Association
that Steve Rabinowitsh, City of Santa Rosa Council
Member, be reappointed to the Association of Bay Area
Governments (ABAG) Executive Board.
MOTION
PASSED: 7/0
MOTION: Council Member Maguire moved, seconded by Vice Mayor
Cader-Thompson, to recommend to the Mayors' &
Councilmembers' Association that Council Member Pamela
Torliatt be reappointed as Alternate to the Association of
Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Executive Board.
MOTION
FAILED: 3/4 (Council Members Healy, O'Brien and Moynihan, and
Mayor Thompson voting "no.")
Council Member Torliatt explained that she was applying for
reappointment to the Executive Board, and would be happy to entertain
constructive criticism from Council regarding her performance on the
Board in the past.
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 13
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2 Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson stated that Council Member Torliatt's
3 reappointment as Alternate was important: her position on ABAG's board
4 had made possible her recent appointment to the Metropolitan
5 Transportation Commission (MTC) as the representative for ABAG.
6 Sonoma, Marin, Napa, and Solano counties each have a representative
7 on MTC. Council Member Torliatt's appointment to MTC gives the North
8 Bay counties an advantage of a fifth policymaker who understands
9 transportation needs and issues. If she were not reappointed to ABAG's
10 Executive Board, Sonoma County and the North Bay would likely lose that
11 additional vote.
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13 MOTION: Council Member O'Brien moved, seconded by Healy, to
14 recommend to the Mayors' & Councilmembers' Association
15 that Council Member Bryant Moynihan be appointed as
16 Alternate to the Association of Bay Area Governments
17 (ABAG) Executive Board.
18
19 MOTION
20 PASSED: 4/3 (Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson, and Council Members
21 Maguire and Torliatt voting "no.")
22
23 B. Recommendation to the Mayors' & Councilmembers' Association for
24 Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District Advisory
25 (SCAPOSD) Committee (Two Appointments Open)
26
27 Continued to June 18, 2001 meeting.
28
29 C. Recommendation to the Mayors' & Councilmembers' Association for the
30 Joint Powers Authority Sonoma/Marin Area Rail Transit Commission
31 (SMART) (Two Appointments Open)
32
33 Mayor Thompson announced that Council Member Maguire had
34 expressed interest in serving on this commission.
35
36 MOTION: Council Member O'Brien moved, seconded by Moynihan, to
37 recommend to the Mayors' & Councilmembers' Association
38 that Council Member Matt Maguire be appointed to the Joint
39 Powers Authority Sonoma/Marin Area Rail Transit
40 Commission (SMART).
41
42 MOTION
43 PASSED: 7/0
44
45
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 14
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D. Recommendation to the Mayors' & Councilmembers' Association, Mayors'
City Selection Committee, to the Local Agency Formation Committee
(LAFCO) (One Appointment Open).
Mayor Thompson stated that he would like to be recommended for this
appointment.
MOTION: Council Member Moynihan moved, seconded by O'Brien, to
recommend to the Mayors' & Councilmembers' Association,
Mayors' City Selection Committee, that Mayor Clark
Thompson be appointed to the Local Agency Formation
Committee (LAFCO).
MOTION
PASSED: 7/0
NEW BUSINESS
13. Public Meeting to Hear Testimony Regarding the Annual Landscape
Assessment District Maintenance Fees and Setting of the Public Hearing for
July 23, 2001. (Anchordoguy)
Parks Maintenance Supervisor Ed Anchordoguy explained the process by which
LAD maintenance fees are determined.
Council Member Torliatt stated that she lives within one of the landscape
assessment districts. When this is brought back for vote, she would like Council
to vote on that district separately, and she will recuse herself for that vote.
Council Member Healy was concerned that some landscape assessment districts
still include areas of turf between sidewalks and streets. Watering such areas is
very wasteful.
Mr. Anchordoguy explained that he was working with Lynn Hulme of the Water
Resources and Conservation Department, on ideas for redesign that could be
made available.
MOTION: Council Member Torliatt moved, seconded by Maguire to open the
Public Hearing regarding the Annual Landscape Assessment
District Maintenance Fees and continue it to July 23, 2001.
MOTION
PASSED: 7/0
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 15
1 UNFINISHED BUSINESS
2
3 12. Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding Coordination of New Interchange
4 and Cross-Town Connector Project with Traffic and Circulation Element of the
5 General Plan and Caltrans' Novato Narrows Project. (Continued From May 7,
6 2001 Council Meeting)
7
8 Mayor Thompson asked General Plan Administrator to provide an update on the
9 Traffic and Circulation Element of the General Plan. He thought that Council
10 Comment should follow, so that the public could gain a sense of each Council
11 Member's position on the issues. Public Comment would follow that.
12
13 Ms. Tuft provided the update and described the new traffic model being
14 developed by the firm of Fehr and Peers, using TransCAD software.
15
16 Upon reinstatement of the remainder of the General Plan, related work on the
17 land use element will recommence. Delay in preparation of the traffic model
18 could occur in a month or two if the rest of the General Plan is not reinstated.
19
20 Council Member Maguire asked if the software allowed input of current data to
21 model different scenarios and their effect on traffic.
22
23 Ms. Tuft replied that it did.
24
25 Council Member Healy thought it important to identify the best location for a
26 future cross-town connector, acquire needed right-of-way, and protect the right-
27 of-way from further development. He distributed a list of possible locations. He
28 wanted to assure Council and the community that all possible locations would be
29 given fair consideration.
30
31 He understood that the traffic data collection and modeling would be completed
32 this fall. He thought preliminary design and costing of selected alternatives
33 should be completed concurrently with this. Once the best alternative was
34 determined, Caltrans should be asked to include it (and widening of Old
35 Redwood Highway/101 Interchange) in the EIS/EIR for the Novato Narrows. The
36 design could then be finalized, the project could be prioritized along with other
37 traffic and circulation improvements identified in the General Plan, and funding
38 sources could be identified. He noted a memo from Suzanne Wilford of the
39 Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA) asking the status of Rainier as
40 a City project.
41
42 Council Member Moynihan attended a Marin-Sonoma Narrows Policy Advisory
43 Group (PAG) meeting in May, and saw alternative layouts for interchanges in the
44 Narrows. When Caltrans considers a site, they analyze the possible limitations of
45 the site as part of the Environmental Impact Review (EIR), at their cost.
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 16
I
2 Council Member Torliatt asked for a copy of materials Council Member Moynihan
3 received at that meeting. She asked that Council discuss what tonight's meeting
4 was really about. She thought it was "about Rainier." She noted that no Staff
5 Report had been included in the packet materials. There was nothing to help
6 anyone understand what Council was supposed to discuss.
7
8 She mentioned the memo from SCTA about Rainier. The memo, dated May 29,
9 2001, asks if the City of Petaluma currently has a source of local funds dedicated
10 to the Rainier Avenue Interchange project, and if so, how much and from what
11 source. She wanted Council to discuss a reply to this memo.
12
13 Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson reiterated that there was no money available for
14 this project. She was unhappy that no materials had been included in the packet.
15 The project, she added, had started out as a "development scam," and that had
16 not changed. She did not believe it would provide a way to travel across town
17 more quickly, as the area would soon become massively developed, and traffic
18 would be even worse than before. She thought the estimated cost of building
19 Rainier was far too low. She asked how this project could be considered when
20 the City does not have money to fix the numerous potholes in existing streets.
21 She did support "building new streets for developers." She asked Ms. Tuft if Fehr
22 and Peers were identifying other alternatives for improved traffic circulation.
23
24 Ms. Tuft replied that Fehr and Peers' scope of work included the analysis of a
25 possible cross-town connector.
26
27 Council Member Moynihan stated that the Corona Ely Specific Plan, dated 1989,
28 supported the Rainier Interchange only. Special assessment and benefit
29 assessment districts were formed, and developer in -lieu fees were paid. He
30 thought it possible to find funds to construct Rainier, and that Council should "get
31 off the dime and proceed proactively, " to do what `they were obligated to do for
32 the community."
33
34 Council Member Maguire thought Council Members Healy and Moynihan were
35 assuming that a cross-town connector would ease traffic circulation. He did not
36 think that was a valid assumption, and believed Council should wait for
37 completion of the Traffic Circulation Study, which would determine if a cross-town
38 connector was the best solution. He emphasized that it was not possible to `pave
39 your way out of congestion, " adding that if that were true, "Los Angeles would be
40 heaven on Earth, which it is not." He believed that the project would artificially
41 stimulate development. He did not think the City would ever be able to justify the
42 cost of the project.
43
44 Council Member Healy did not want to wait for completion of the Traffic
45 Circulation Study, because he thought the City would miss the opportunity to
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 17
1 have Caltrans fund a portion of the project.
2
3 Council Member Torliatt reminded Council that just because a transportation
4 project was outside the City limits, that did not mean that it would not affect the
5 City. Information from meetings in other parts of Sonoma County and Marin
6 County needed to be available to Council and to the public. She reminded
7 Council that during their goal setting sessions earlier in the year, City
8 Management had recommended that Council wait until the Traffic Circulation
9 Study was complete before making any decisions. She thought that if Council did
10 not have the information they needed to make decisions, they would be wasting
11 City Management's valuable time.
12
13 City Manager Stouder asked Council to consider the objectives of the Traffic
14 Circulation Study, how they will determine if those objectives have been met, and
15 how much they are willing to spend on the study.
16
17 RECESS: 8:45 P.M.
18
19 RECONVENE: 8:50 P.M.
20
21 PUBLIC COMMENT
22
23 Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson read a letter from Stephen Del -app, who was unable to
24 attend the meeting. Mr. Del -app stated that he was "not willing to trade the current
25 quality of life [in Petaluma] for the questionable benefits of Rainier."
26
27 Paul Johnson, 141 Upham Street, read from an article entitled "American Gridlock" that
28 appeared in the May 28th issue of U.S. News and World Report. The article states that a
29 study issued by the Surface Transportation Policy Project indicates that because of
30 what economists call "induced demand," cities that add new roads actually experience
31 an increase in traffic congestion, because of new development that springs up to take
32 advantage of land that becomes accessible. Proponents of what is known as "smart
33 growth" encourage development that requires less dependence on cars.
34
35 John Cheney, 55 Rocca Drive, spoke in opposition to the Rainier Project. He asked
36 Council to "leave the floodplain alone — please don't flood me out of my house again"
37 because development in the floodplain would inevitably lead to flooding.
38
39 Diane Reilly Torres, Rainier Avenue, thought that Council was breaking the law by not
40 providing materials requested by the public. She asked where the materials distributed
41 for this item were.
42
43 Mayor Thompson replied that there were no materials for the item.
44
45 Ms. Torres thought the City was risking litigation from citizens frustrated with their
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 18
1 inability to obtain information. She wondered if Council Member Moynihan would
2 suddenly `pull out a resolution and vote to build Rainier."
3
4 Pat McShane, 34 Myrtle Court, was flooded out of her house in 1982, and spoke in
5 opposition to the Rainier Project. She asked Council to `Think of your constituents and
6 please don't forget the Payran residents."
7
8 Bill Paxton, 690 Skillman Lane, North West Petaluma Concerned Citizens, stated that
9 he lives outside the City limits and thought it important for the City to work regionally
10 with the county to solve traffic issues.
11
12 Judy Hillery, 1745 East Madison Street, spoke in favor of the Rainier Project. She
13 thought the information Council Member Moynihan presented from the 1989 Corona Ely
14 Specific Plan "may be old information, but it's still good information." She believed that if
15 Council "killed Rainier they would essentially be dividing the town."
16
17 David Glass, 41 Oxford Court, cautioned Council against justifying the Rainier Project
18 with the idea that funding could be obtained from the state. The state, he said, was
19 "sinking in a world of debt." It would not be possible to determine the cost of Rainier
20 until it was one-half built, and at that point,- it would be too late to turn back. He believed
21 the City needed to impose a freeze on development, and to "learn from its mistakes, not
22 repeat its mistakes."
23
24 Mary Gilardi, Rushmore Avenue, stated that the Park Place development is
25 experiencing flooding problems right now, and she wondered how the City could
26 consider building something "right across the street."
27
28 Rick Savel, POB 227, Penngrove, Penngrove Committee, did not think the public had
29 been adequately noticed about the meeting.
30
31 David Keller, 1327 "1" Street, asked what the meeting was about. He thought the
32 interested public had no way of knowing what was to be discussed at the meeting, the
33 item was not properly agendized, and this constituted a Brown Act violation. He stated
34 that the public wanted to preserve the right to provide input on this matter. He
35 admonished Council, saying, "You know better. You know how to involve the public."
36
37 Council Member Healy replied that this was not his job.
38
39 Mr. Keller asked whose job it was.
40
41 Council Member Healy replied that it was "staffs'job."
42
43 Mr. Keller stated that, "Staff didn't have a club. There is no paper. No one had a clue
44 what the agenda really meant." He hoped that Council would direct Ms. Tuft to move
45 forward with the General Plan, as that was the "real work"that needed to be done. He
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 19
1 thanked Ms. Tuft for "hanging in there."
2
3 Geoff Cartwright, 56 Rocca Drive, emphasized that development in the floodplain would
4 lead to flooding in the downtown area, and floodwaters overflowing the Army Corps
5 project walls. He described Rainier as a "development project, not a traffic solution."
6
7 Connie Madden, 215 Water Street, who was also speaking on behalf of Beth and Oz
8 Grimes, who had left the meeting, was opposed to the Rainier Project as commercial
9 development would follow and traffic would worsen. She thought that only the outlet
10 mall and developers would benefit from the project. She also believed that residents
11 would pay for the project through increased property taxes.
12
13 Patricia Tuttle Brown, 513 Petaluma Boulevard South, stated that she was opposed to
14 the Novato Narrows project, as she felt the relative narrowness of that section of
15 Highway 101 was what prevented Petaluma from becoming another sprawling
16 metropolis such as the South Bay Area. However, she said, she had "made peace"with
17 the Narrows Project, but she would never be able to do the same for Rainier. She noted
18 that the Lynch Creek Trail had "changed her commuting life," as she was now able to
19 bike to work. She hoped Council could have the vision to create a park instead of a
20 cross-town connector, and added that if they did, they would be "hailed as visionaries,
21 forever." That, she added, `would be very good for you."
22
23 Beth Meredith, 104 Fifth Street, noted that she saw a consistent pattern emerging of
24 failure on the part of the City to provide the public with requested information, failure to
25 adequately notify the public of meetings, and failure to engage the public constructively.
26 She urged Council to work with the public to develop solutions that are "win/win."She
27 noted that Petaluma had a `proud history"of developing such solutions. She suggested
28 Council create a Citizen General Plan Committee, and change the public scoping
29 sessions from August to September, as many people were vacationing in August.
30
31 John Mills, 1315 "D" Street, spoke in favor of the Rainier project, stating that 2/3 of the
32 City's citizens wanted to see it built.
33
34 Scott Vouri, 1557 Mauro Pietro Drive, urged Council to reinstate the General Plan
35 process, and to focus their energy toward funding street repairs.
36
37 Hank Flum, 1721 Stonehenge Way, explained that all cities have peak time traffic
38 delays, which are a sign of the City's economic health. He thought the City needed
39 more incremental traffic improvements, such as at Washington Street and McDowell
40 Boulevard, to help drivers move around the City more easily. He supported a Caulfield
41 extension, widening Corona Road and adding on -ramps to the freeway. He noted that
42 those two projects together would cost many millions less than the Rainier Project.
43
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45
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 20
1 COUNCIL COMMENT
2
3 Council Member Torliatt reiterated that tonight's meeting had been "about Rainier," and
4 added that she wanted to engage the public in the discussion. She did not think
5 publishing notice of the meeting in the Argus-Courierwas sufficient. She wanted
6 Council to discuss the regional impacts of the City's General Plan. She thought every
7 city and the county needed to use the same baseline assumptions.
8
9 Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson asked General Plan Administration Pam Tuft when the
10 next General Plan meeting was scheduled (after Wednesday, June 6t"'s General Plan
11 Budget meeting).
12
13 Ms. Tuft replied that if Council authorized the General Plan to continue on Wednesday
14 night, she would telephone Dyett & Bhatia on Thursday morning.
15
16 Mayor Thompson asked to have updates on the Traffic Circulation Element within one
17 month. He wanted to be sure that it addressed the possibility of a cross-town connector.
18
19 Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson reiterated that Council needed to discuss an answer to
20 SCTA's memo regarding Rainier.
21
22 Council Member Maguire stated that Rainier was not officially listed as a City project.
23
24 City Manager Stouder elucidated that Council action in 1998 removed Rainier from the
25 list of City projects. There is no identified source of local funds. He thought the various
26 agencies had been notified at that time.
27
28 Council Member Healy wanted City Management to take the outline of possibilities he
29 had distributed, and add more information to it. He stated again that he did not believe
30 Council should wait for the Traffic Circulation Study to be completed, because of the
31 need to coordinate with Caltrans. He added that he was committed to the community,
32 and any cross-town connector he supported would not increase the risk of flooding, and
33 would preserve the integrity of the Corps of Engineers project.
34
35 Council Member Maguire asked Council Member Healy is he was saying that he did not
36 assume that cross-town connector was the best solution.
37
38 Council Member Healy agreed, but wanted to preserve the ability of building one in the
39 future, if needed.
40
41 Vice Mayor Cader-Thompson wanted to move forward with the full General Plan
42 because it will provide the best footprint for the City's future.
43
44 Council Member Moynihan thought City Management and the Marin-Sonoma Narrows
45 Policy Advisory Group (PAG) should meet with Caltrans.
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 21
1
2 Council Member Torliatt disagreed. She thought it a waste of City Management's time,
3 and they should instead wait until the Traffic Circulation Study was complete.
4
5 Council Member O'Brien agreed.
6
7 Council Member Moynihan asked for a resolution stating that a cross-town connector is
8 a City priority.
9
10 City Manager asked if he understood Council's direction: City Management was to
11 advise the appropriate agencies that Rainier is not the list of official City projects. No
12 particular designs for an interchange would be advanced with Caltrans; City
13 Management would instead seek guidance from Caltrans.
14
15 Council Member Healy believed that contact between individual Council Members and
16 Caltrans was counterproductive.
17
18 Mr. Stouder warned that if state and federal agencies sense community conflict and
19 divisiveness, they became unwilling to give financial support on projects.
20
21 Council Member Moynihan thought that the City looked very foolish to SCTA.
22
23 ADJOURN
24
25 The meeting was adjourned at 10:37 P.M.
26
27
28
29 E. Clark Thompson, Mayor
30
31 ATTEST:
32
33
34
35 Claire Cooper, Clerk Pro Tem
36
37
38 ******
City of Petaluma, California
Minutes of a Regular
Joint PCDC/City Council Meeting
Monday, June 4, 2001
Page 22