HomeMy WebLinkAboutPCDC Minutes 06/17/20024
June 17, 2002
Page 1
0City of Petaluma, California
Petaluma Communitv Development Commission Meetinq
1 Meeting Minutes
2 Monday, June 17, 2002 - 3:00 p.m.
3 Regular Meeting
4
5 PRESENT: Cader-Thompson, Moynihan, O'Brien, Chair Thompson, Torliatt
6 ABSENT: Vice Chair Healy, Maguire
8
9
10 PUBLIC COMMENT
11
12 COMMISSION COMMENT
13 4
14 KELLER STREET GARAGE
15
16 Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Possible Changes to the Final Design and
17 Safety Improvements to the Keller Street Garage,
18
19 PUBLIC COMMENT
20
21 None.
22
23 COMMISSION COMMENT
24
25 None,
26
27 KELLER STREET GARAGE
28
29 Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Possible Changes to the Final Design and
30 Safety Improvements to the Keller Street Garage,
31
32 Director of Economic Development and Redevelopment Paul Marangella purpose to
33 reconsider the final design and safety improvements to the Keller Street Garage,
34
35 Chair Thompson - Since the fire sprinklers in the building are inoperable, if fire starts, the
36 City risks liability,
S
s
June 17, 2002 Page 2
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2 Commissioner Torliatt - Asked if anyone had talked to Tom Gafney at the Phoenix
3 Theater about these issues as incidents often occur during evening hours when the
4 Phoenix is open. Mr. Gafney is always pretty responsive. Maybe someone at the
5 Phoenix could be at the garage when concerts get out or during hours the Phoenix is
6 open in evening.
7
8 Mr. Marangella - Had not spoken with him recently. He suggested that incidents might
9 be the work of disruptive kids who get kicked out of the. Police Chief Pat Parks had
10 suggested the City ask the Phoenix to pay for some security.
11
12 Chief Chris Albertson - Since January 1 there have been 16 sprinkler heads broken. The
13 system is currently down. This morning he counted six sprinkler heads missing, another
14 two bent. There was discussion at a previous Council Meeting about shutting the
15 garage at night and leaving the lower section open for pass-through from Keller to
16 Kentucky.
17
18 Commissioner Torliatt - There are always different solutions to problems - aren't there
19 cages that can be put around sprinkler heads - instead of closing off the entire area?
20
21 Chief Albertson - Will talk to the sprinkler company. His role is to tell the Commission
22 "how things are.' He believes liability is an issue - right now there are no sprinklers.
23
24 Mayor Thompson - Asked Chief Albertson if installing some kind of guard around the
25 sprinklers would restrict the flow.
26
27 Chief Albertson - That depends on the density of what you put around it.
28
29 Chair Thompson - Asked how high the sprinklers are off the ground.
30
31 Chief Albertson - Between 7.5 and 9 feet.
32
33 Commissioner Torliatt - Thought there was direction at the last meeting to look at the
34 potential for solar paneling.
35
36 Mr. Marangella - Has requested information from companies manufacturing/installing
37 solar paneling. It would require a structure on the roof of the garage, or with an
38 easement, on the roof of adjacent buildings.
39
40 Commissioner Torliatt - Would like to follow up on this. She frequently sees outside lights
41 on building burning in the daytime.
42
43 Commissioner Moynihan - The report mentions, "after a thorough scrubbing." Did that
44 mean power wash?
45
46 Mr. Marangella - Yes.
47
48 Commissioner Moynihan - Isn't it currently just concrete?
June 17, 2002 Page 3
1
2 Mr. Marangella - Some areas have been painted because of the graffiti.
3
4 Commissioner Moynihan - Why paint?
5
6 Mr. Marangella - Light-colored paint reflects ambient light.
7
8 Commissioner Moynihan - Suggested paint that matches pigeon droppings.
9
10 Mr. Marangella - Floor will be left natural. To him, this issue was really about whether the
11 Commission wanted to amend the previous design.
12
13 Commissioner Moynihan - There is ivy currently growing on the garage. That ruins a
14 paint job fairly quickly. Why is the ivy being preserved?
15
16 Mr. Marangella - His understanding is that people like the softening effect.
17
18 Commissioner Torliatt - Suggested the Petaluma Downtown Association (PDA) recruit
19 student volunteers to paint murals on the garage. People tend not to graffiti where
20 there are murals.
21
22 Commissioner O'Brien - If the inside is being painted white, don't exhaust fumes, etc.
23 make it expensive to maintain?
24
25 Mr. Marangella - The maintenance budget recommended is $50,000 per year.
26
27 Commissioner O'Brien - Will that be sufficient?
28
29 Mr. Marangella - Additional maintenance may be needed to keep it white.
30
31 Commissioner O'Brien - How much?
32
33 Mr. Marangella - Didn't know.
34
35 Captain Shirley Miller, Petaluma Police Department - Asked Police Sergeants on the
36 swing and graveyard shifts what types of crimes occur after midnight in the garage.
37 These included: vehicle vandalism and burglaries, graffiti, minors with alcohol, drugs,
38 assault and battery, minor traffic problems, littering and throwing items inside the
39 garage.
40
41 Commissioner Moynihan - There is a proposal for locking doors on the facility at night.
42 What if Police/Fire personnel need to get in?
43
44 Captain Miller - The Police Department proposed to Mr. Marangella a system in the
45 gate that will allow Police/Fire to get in.
46
47 Commissioner Moynihan - What if people get locked in? Could you get them out?
48
June 17, 2002
1 Captain Miller - Yes, with that system.
2
3 Commissioner Moynihan - If someone has to get something important out of a car,
4 would the Police be available?
5
6 Captain Miller - Yes.
7
8 Commissioner Cader-Thompson - Was concerned that if the garage is locked down
9 completely, to get from Keller Street to Kentucky Street, one has to walk down a dark
10 pathway between the garage and Tuttle's Drugs and then down the alley. There will
11 more hiding places for vandals, etc. She would prefer to see the doors leading to the
12 two upper floors locked.
13
14 Captain Miller - The Police Department was assured that the area between the garage
15 and Tuttle's would be well lighted. She wondered how many people access the area
16 between midnight and 6:00 a.m.
17
18 Commissioner Cader-Thompson - The garage is not designed to be pedestrian friendly.
19 The Commission needs to look at the larger picture, and look at pedestrian access.
20 Closing the garage down at midnight may not be a good idea. She also noted the
21 need to protect the sprinkler system
22
23 Mr. Marangella - Part of the problem is that the lights that were on the side of the
24 garage by Tuttle's have been broken out.
25
26 Motion that the Commission move forward on the parking garage improvements but
27 keep access to the Golden Concourse open. The sprinkler head problem on the
28 ground floor needs to be dealt with. Would like to involve youth in painting. The towers
29 (stars to upper floors) should be locked at the ground floor at night. M/S Torliatt/Cader-
30 Thompson,
31
32 Commissioner Cader-Thompson - Asked Chief Albertson how many of the sprinklers are
33 in the open area. Would it be possible to protect sprinklers only in the open area?
34
35 Chief Albertson - Maybe. They are all part of the same system.
36
37 Commissioner Torliatt - Would support those changes, but the vote was 4/3 vote last
38 time, and the full Commission is not present this time. Withdraw motion.
39
40 Commissioner Coder -Thompson - Would support that the two doors that cars drive
41 through be closed. She does not want the pedestrian doors shut. Withdraw second.
42
43 Mayor Thompson - Wants to "get going' on the garage.
44
45 Commissioner O'Brien - Would like to see the entire garage closed at night from a
46 public safety standpoint. He is concerned about not knowing the cost of maintenance.
47 White paint may not be good. However, he doesn't want to micromanage. Regarding
48 sprinklers - the Fire Department is the expert on this. He has complete faith that Chief
June 17, 2002
Page 5
1 Albertson and the Fire Department will put in the most effective, cost-effective system
2 available. He will support with a cap on maintenance, but wants to leave the Fire
3 Department alone to do its job.
4
5
6
7
8 ADJOURN
9
10 The meeting was adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
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12
13
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15 E. Clark Thompson, Chair
16
17
18 ATTEST:
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22 Claire Cooper, Recording Secretary
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24 ******