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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 02/23/1998Monday, February 23, 1998 Vo131, Page 313 i 1VIII~I~JTES 2 OF A REGUI.Ait ADJOURNED MEETIIVG 3 PETAI.UlVI~ CI~'Y CO~TNCII. a 1VYONDAY, FEBIt~JAR~' 23, 1998 5 IZOLI. CALI, 7:00 p.m. 6 Present: Torliatt, Keller, Hamilton, Read, Stompe, Vice Mayor Maguire, Mayor Hilligoss ~ Absent: None g PU~I.IC COIVIIl~E1vT 9 Bonnie Bard and Trish DeWitt invited the Council and the public to attend the Team Talent io contest night at the Petaluma Teen Center sponsored by Hospice of Petaluma. Tickets are ii $5.00 each. The funds derived from this benefit will go to the Grief Support Program for i2 Teens and Adults. i3 Hank Flum - he lives alongside Corona Creek which has not overflowed. The storm sewers ia work well. When there are heavy drainage flows, the concentrated water flows in enormous is surges. Zero net fill has been advocated for construction. There was water in the Factory i6 Outlets. The river overflows with no more than a drizzle. There has been intensive i~ development in the Corona Reach. I~e wants to create a larger detention pond in Denman is Flat. i9 Diane Reilly, 1657 Rainier Avenue - briefly reviewed an incident relating to domestic ao violence near her home when the Police were called to assist. MM asked Chief Parks to give zi the Council information on the issue. ~z Vince Landof, 12 Cordelia Drive, representing Resort Lakefront Properties Payran Area - 23 this Army Corps flood fix has been going on since 1984 when they were going to do a za cost:benefit project provided there was no impact upstream. So far the people in the Payran 2s area have paid into the Sonoma County Water Agency's Zone 2A to pay into this fund. Lynn z6 Woolsey took vows for getting money for the project. She didn't come through; she has her z~ own political agenda. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers is blamed all the time. Every time zs the city wanted to approve another development it went to the Army Corps to include each z9 into the project. It's greed and avarice at City Hall. You built a new bridge in the Penngrove 3o area. We don't have a flood project. Now we are told with the Lakeville project, the next s~ flood project will be Lakeville to Washington. Our area is on the back burner. Your sz contractor walked off the job. Hire the Willow Brook bridge people. Help the people 33 midstream. Xou have helped them upstream and down stream. Now if you have more than 34 40% damage you cannot rebuild. So we are condemned so you can raise the land and build ~s commercial. We aren't moving - until hell freezes over. We will sue the City and the Army 36 Corps of Engineers. Went to the Corps with David Keller and they told us they have nothing s~ to do about the city. Key to abbreviations: JH-Councilmember Jane Hamilton, NR-Councilmember Nancy Read PH-Mayor M. Patricia Hilligoss, MS-Councilmember Mary Stompe DK- Councilmember David Keller, PT-Councilmember Pamela Torliatt MM-Vice Mayor Matt Maguire Page 314, Vol. 31 Monday, February 23, 1998 i Rainier - you kiss it good bye if you intend to put that in before you do our project. We have s given you time, money and then there were the secret meetings at Lucy Webb's office who 3 set up the projects that caused flooding. Mr. Landof said he ta~ped the meetings. They were a hood-winking citizens to ensure success of their businesses. Th~ state wouldn't put in money s if you wouldn't take it more than a mile from the interchange. He has friends in Washington, 6 and Madam Mayor made a statement that they shouldn't have built the homes there. ~ PH said she did not say that. s John Cheney, 5 Rocca Drive - that Redwood Park is the cart before the horse. You've got to 9 stop prostituting this town. You allowed channelizing up there. io PT - asked for an update from the City Manager on the flooding, a status report on Lakeville ~ i Bridge, a report on the citizens' assistance to the City and Randy Wyatt had related some iz information on that, and an opportunity to thank the people who donated their time. Some is names mentioned were: Brad Swanson - sandbags, Shamrock Materials, kept sand pile full, ia National Guard, Peter Reviled and more. is JH - we need time to air the flood grief and relief. There is a draft ordinance before the i6 County regarding Sonoma Mountain Scenic Landscape. She wants the Council to discuss i~ this before April. Asked that the people who volunteered with the flood come and be ~a thanked publicly. i9 DK - Now, this has been referred to as the wettest month gn lustory. He thanked and Zo expressed appreciation to those who helped doing the things ~hat come up day by day in a z~ flood. We owe it to our residents to have tight controls on planning in the floodway and Zz floodplain. z3 NR - wants to set a date for a flood discussion. Such a meeting should be noticed za extensively. She wants the City Engineer to narrate a 15 rrunute video from the February 3 2s flood. Congratulations to the United Anglers and their work on the fish ladders for Adobe z6 Creek. 2~ MNI - asked that the Council Pay Charter Amendment be placed on the November ballot. zs MS - The City of Santa Rosa has a voluntary trip reduction program which she would like to z9 have the City Council agendize and discuss. Perhaps we could inform SCTA that we are so interested. 3i City Manager Fred Stouder - in his three weeks here, he has already sent a letter to the Army s2 Corps regarding completion of the flood project. The City Council also requested that a 33 letter be sent, which it was. Mr. Stouder talked to the Army Corps today and they have 34 offered March 16 or March 23 to visit with City people. March 16 was the recommended 3s date. The City Council agreed to that. ~ 36 MIN~ITES 3~ The minutes of the February 9, 1998, meeting were approved as submitted Key to abbreviations: JH-Councilmember Jane Hamilton, NR-Councilmember Nancy Read PH-MayorM. PatriciaHilligoss, MS-CouncilmemberMaryStompe DK Councilmember David Keller, PT-Councilmember Pamela Torliatt MM-vice Mayor Matt Maguire Monday, February 23, 1998 Vo1.31, Page 315 1 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE a The item was continued from the January 20 discussion. Police Chief Pat Parks noted the s Police Department will continue to seek grant funding for an additional police officer so they a can develop a two-officer comprehensive follow-up approach to the domestic violence s complaints. The Department will continue to work collaboratively with other service 6 providers to meet the needs of Domestic Violence victims. Several groups have already ~ indicated their interest to proceed. He noted that 30 police hours have been spent on the ~ Diane Reilly situation. He has sent a request to the County about making court proceedings 9 available in Petaluma, once again, and has not received an answer to date. io Dick Sharke, McDowell Drug Task Force - is appalled when he hears of domestic violence ii situations. All across the country both the adults and the kids suffer due to this sort of i2 situation. Drugs and alcohol have a great deal to do with domestic violence. We need to i3 deal with the root causes. Everyone needs to remember that `freedom isn't free' because ra you've got to dig down into your pocket to get more police. We could use 12 more officers. is Diane Reilly, 1657 Rainier Avenue - The YWCA and the Office of Criminal Justice have a i6 program about Domestic Violence. She wants a TRO clinic down here. That is separate ~~ form the Courts. You need to get money for the Police Department. Also, the Lobby at the ia Police Department is a bit too public for a person who has experienced domestic violence. It i9 would be very helpful to victims to be able to have more privacy in their contact with the Zo police. Please take action on this. Zi MS - asked that the Police Chief respond to the comments on the Lobby. 22 Larry Torres, Cotati - the previous speaker is a victim of domestic violence. A man e~rtorted zs money from her with a gun to her head. He was threatened by his son and his wife argued za with him about money. This never ends. Zs Joe Manthey, 22 Laurel Avenue - Mr. Manthey expressed his feelings and suggestions about 26 the fact that nearly half of the domestic violence situations show a male victim and the other z~ victims are female. But, most of the training for police officers and other persons who may Za deal with domestic violence situations reflects that the victims are female. There should be a 29 fair and equitable program and one that is gender neutral. so Linda Purrington, Sonoma County Women Against Rape - read the letter that Marie 3i deSantos had given her which presented similar information to that which was given to the s2 Council at the last meeting about domestic violence victims, the need for the assistance of 33 advocates, and the need for more women police officers. sa There were three persons left to speak on the issue when it was 8:30 and time to begin 3s discussion of Highway 101 issues. Those persons were Daymon Doss of HC2, Mary 36 Steinberg of People Services Center, and Steve St. Clair, 2137 Ames Court. 37 'I'IZANSPORT'AT'IO1~T ISSUES - ~IIG~IWAl' 101 3s Phil Erickson, who was Project Manager for the Sonoma Marin Multi-modal study, now of 39 'Two Co. This group's goal was to look at the effectiveness of transportation, land use and ao traffic congestion improvements in both counties. I-~e recommended that Sonoma County ai should urge the improvement of U. S. Highway 101 with High Occupancy Vehicle a2 improvements. Key to abbreviations: JH-Councilmember Jane Hamilton, NR-Councilmember Nancy Read PH-MayorM. Patricia Hilligoss, MS-CouncilmemberMary Stompe DK- Councilmember David Keller, PT-Councilmember Pamela Torliatt MM-Vice Mayor Matt Magurre Page 316, Vol. 31 Monday, February 23, 1998 i The most effective commute patterns are when people live and work in the same county. 2 They looked at the rail transit system, the northbound climbing lane towards Cotati, HOV s improvements to the highway between Old Redwood Highvvay and the bottom of the 4 Petaluma Bridge, Old Redwood Highway interchange (Petaluma ~lvd. North), Washington s Street interchange, and Rainier interchange. They looked at reconstructing the train station 6 in the core of the city and at Rainier. A later phase of the project would add a train station ~ near the Marina. s The focus to date has been regional. It has broken down into areas. Sales tax is the best way 9 to raise money for the improvements. Thirty-one percent of the anticipated sales tax revenue io would be spent in the Petaluma area. ii There is no agreement about the desirability in making the highway between Petaluma and i2 Novato a freeway with limited ingress and egress. Marin County does not want that is improvement because they think that the money that would be used for the "narrows" is ia money for which they would be in competition to receive to iralprove the highway near San is Rafael. He observed that people are driving at the limit in the area of the `narrows,' even i6 with the heavier traffic that exists there. i~ Supervisor Harberson told the City Council that the Distric~ 4 CALTRANS people are is supportive of improving the `narrows.' Their budget was $120 Million and they received i9 $300 Million in requests. The California Transportation Commission (CTC) said there are zo political fights there, and they will spend money where there are no political fights. He is a zi most fervent supporter of rail. It is tough and the operating cost is light. "We" think we can 22 access Federal Emergency Management Association money to help get the railroad between ~3 here and Eureka operating again. There has been a lot of storm damage to the tracks. ~a ~ie feels the only way the sales tax measure can be passed is to include the rail component Zs and to include the `narrows.' Right now State Highway 116 is getting a lot of traffic. State 26 Assemblywoman Mazzoni is supportive of this issue. The Sonoma County Supervisors will 2~ discuss this tomorrow. ZS The sales tax would widen U. S. High 101, improve the railroad bed, provide immediate 29 improvement to bus and ferry feeder service and add bicycle paths. It will take the money 3o scheduled for State Route 116 and the sales tax measure to improve the railroad bed. si The estimated 40% fare box revenue (Calthorpe Plan) is high, and he doesn't think actual sz fare box revenue will reflect that percentage. ~ 33 JH - suggested the Board of Supervisors think about hiring a lobbyist and have the cities and 34 county go after the $15 Million in concert. 3s Supervisor I3arberson said the Sonoma County Transportation Authority is the appropriate 36 body. If the City can come up with some suggestions for th~ Supervisors to consider on 3~ March 16, that would be fine. In order to commit money to the `narrows' we need to get se CALTRANS to step up to the plate. Also the bridge (over th~; river in Petaluma) has to be 39 done. VVe need frontage roads south of town to collect the vehicles onto on-ramps, to be ao built. He is concerned that so much of the Calthorpe plan is going to interchanges rather than ai freeway improvements. Key to abbreviations: JH-Councilmember Jane Hamilton, NR-Councilmember Nancy Read PH-Mayor M. Patricia Hilligoss, MS Councilmember Mary Stompe " DK Councilmember David Keller, PT-Councilmember Pamela Torliatt MM-Vice Mayor Matt Maguire Monday, February 23, 1998 Vo1.31, Page 317 i Supervisor Harberson has problems with a. 20 year Green Belt. ~Ie thinks having the Open 2 Space District lock land uses is a better and permanent procedure rather than counting on the s Green Belt to protect open land. There is only one piece of land on the east side of the road a that is not locked in in that fashion. He was asked to please publicize their hearing on the s sales t~ measure to the fullest extent. 6 Ann DuBay, 637 First Street - Citizens for Traffic Relief - this is a group of individuals ~ representing organizations or interests including the League of Women Voters, Sonoma s County Transportation Coalition, Greenbelt Alliance, Sonoma County Alliance, Santa Rosa 9 Chamber of Commerce, Sonoma County Manufacturing Group, Sonoma County Bicycle io Advisory Committee, Santa Rosa Police Officers Association and bus advocates. This group ii is working on a'/2 cent sales tax ballot measure to go to the voters of the County in iz November of this year. She said there is strong support for the basic Preferred Alternative i3 (of the Calthorpe Study and Report). There is support for additional projects, but not an ia additional taxing period. There is consensus on a probable solution to the "Petaluma - is Novato" problem. The group is looking at "an improved bridge" and hope to have it done by i6 March 12. And, they are working on a balanced plan to bring to the Sonoma County i~ Transportation Authority on March 12 and to the Board of Supervisors of Sonoma County ia on March 17. She feels the lobbying effort is all important and it must be done in unison. is John Eells, Transportation Consultant, 65 Oak Crest Drive, San Rafael CA 94903 - he was Zo the project manager for the prior study on Highway 101. He has been working with the zi County ofMarin on their sales tax measure. zz The division of responsibility among State Departments has changed dramatically recently. 2s Currently this is the way the Bay Area State Transportation funding is managed: za 75% LTRBAN AREA HIGHWAY funding goes to the Metropolitan Zs Transportation Commission 26 15% INTERREGIONAL ROAD (rural roads only) funding goes to a~ CALTRANS zs 10% DISCRETIONARY funding CALTRANS (urban or rural roads) z9 "Urban Area Highway" represents areas like Santa Rosa, San Rafael et cetera 30 "Inter-regional Road" represents areas like the "Novato Nanows" 3i "Discretionary" represents a multitude of things, such as covering a shortfall s2 of funding in Santa Rosa freeway construction 33 The County of Marin is under the impression the money that could be used for improvements to 34 the "Novato Narrows" is the same pot of money that they want to apply from to do work in the 3s San Rafael highway corridor. 36 CALTRANS did support the $15 Million study for the Novato Narrows. The California 3~ Transportation Commission did not approve that $15 Million expenditure because they felt there sa was controversy in this area. The State Transportation Improvement Projects (STIP) program 39 will be adopted next June. Tlus occurs every other year. The Metropolitan Transportation ao Commission vvill make decisions on the "75% pot of morues" at the Califorrua Transportation ai Commission meeting on March 31. Mr. Eells suggested that a delegation of representatives from az this area go and indicate the jurisdictions are committed; that could have a positive impact at that 43 meeting. Key to abbreviations: JH-Councilmember Jane Hamilton, NR-Councilmember Nancy Read PH-MayorM. PatriciaHilligoss, hIS-CouncilmemberMaryStompe DK Councilmember David Kel/er, PT-Councilmember Pamela Torliatt MM-vice Mayor Matt Maguire Page 318, Vol. 31 Monday, February 23, 1998 i He noted that the California Transportation Commission, CALTRANS, and the MTC are all 2 hearing from Nlarin County regarding their perception. s ~ie emphasized it is important to "Work Together," "It is Not Over," and "GO FOR IT!" a T'he California Transportation Commission may be more open than you think. Bringing the s legislators to the forefront and being unified in Sonoma County could have a major impact. 6 Xou need to resolve the fears about bemg deeply divided. Here are important dates: ~ March 2 CAI,T'RANS hearing g March 31 STIP Public hearing for North~ern California in 9 San Francisco (CTC) io In answer to the questions, how do you suggest the competition question be resolved? Mr. ii Eells responded that meeting between Marin and Sonoma representatives at CALTRANS to iz have the funding explained. A true issue is land use growth. Maybe the counties need to is discuss land use. Talk to the same people at the same time. The Independent Journal has ia bought into that misunderstanding about the funding. is '~here is a lot of support for the "Novato Narrows" improvements with CALTRANS staff. i6 This is a top priority with them. They don't look at rt as ~$15 Nlillion study, they are i~ looking at it as a whole project. Convince the California Transportation Commission that we is are willing to do our own share with the sales tax ballot measur~. i9 75% or the urban congestion is due to commuters. They come from other cities north of Zo PetaYuma. Zi In response to a Council question, would he be willing to du some strategic planning and 2z lobbying for the City, he responded that he would be interested. 23 Dusty Resneck, 110 Purrington Road - is on the Bicycle Advisory Committee. The za Calthorpe proposal is an integrated approach to forward thinking. It dwells on what two Zs counties can do together. If we get $18 Million for bicycle projects, these projects are cost 26 eflFective. The rail line path to Novato will be great with no rnajor hills to climb. Create new 2~ bicycle paths so we will have a safe way to get around town. Keep the Calthorpe Plan the zs way it is. Marin County doesn't support concrete. 29 Mike Kerns, 9 Dupree Court - he would like to remind the Council of the majority to so support Calthorpe. It's a good plan; it's incomplete, though. It doesn't solve the problem 3i here for t~payers in 5outh County. You need to re-evaluate your position. The Council 32 should continue to lobby the State, "Feds," and Marin County. We need to improve the 33 Novato Narrows area for traffic congestion relief and for traffic safety. He urged the Council 34 to take a leadership role in the measure to widening from the bridge to the County line. 3s Voters deserve to be able to make that decision. Key to abbreviations: JH-Councilmember Jane Hamilton, NR-Councilmember Nancy Read PH-MayorM. PatriciaHilligoss, MS-CouncilmemberMaryStompe DK- Councilmember David Keller, PT-Councilmember Pamela Torliatt MM-vice Mayor Matt Maguire Monday, Febniary 23, 1998 Vo1.31, Page 319 i Jerry Price, 775 Baywood Drive (office) - hears a cry to widen Highway 101. T}iere has been 2 a lot of politics here. There has been an attempt to discredit this Council. This is a public 3 advocacy and public education process. The Calthorpe Plan gives a lot to a lot of people. a He has a serious question about attempting to fund this whole project with sales tax money. s He doesn't support entitlement programs but Gas Tax dollars should be used for projects like s this. Stay your course; get funding by lobbying. ~ John Mills, 1315 D Street - The people play a game wluch route to take in and out of town in a order to get away from Highway 101 bottlenecks here. He supports the Calthorpe proposal. 9 The single biggest issue is `traffic south of Petaluma.' Citizens won't pass a tax measure io unless it includes south of Petaluma. ii Duane Bellinger, Petaluma - can't understand why anyone would support a subsidy for iz automobiles. Why isn't the Federal Government givmg some of the $40 Billion it has stashed i3 away? It is wrong to tax sales to build freeways. ia Patricia Tuttle Brown, 513 Petaluma Blvd. South - opposes widening of Highway 101. Give is the Council courage to support the position of others and myself. The people who wrote the ~6 poll want the road widened. How much do you value the 20 minutes you will save with the i~ improvements? is Steve Geney, 22 Benjamin Lane - the Calthorpe project needs to be expanded. It needs the i9 support of constituents in Petaluma to get it passed. Talk about growth impact, we have ~o measures in effect for growth., We need to take care of the businesses. Improvements will 2i be noticed in the flow of traffic. He thinks a bottle-neck that will be caused in Marin with a 3 Zz lane highway to the north and a 3 lane highway Novato south. The people in Windsor are 23 commuting this way. za Bruce Hagen, 145 Grevillia Drive - keep the Calthorpe Plan on track. Don't make a 2s Christmas tree out of this. Lobby CALTRANS. Doesn't want sales t~ funding south of a6 town. We are spending a lot of money to make it comfortable for a few people. Look what's 2~ happening to Iraq. Don't support single occupancy vehicles. We have global warnung. Go za for alternatives to use gas. Don't pay double. ICeep green. a9 Richard Bartlett, 513 Cabrillo Court - He has been driving from Petaluma to Corte Madera 3o for 7 years. We need some relief on the `Narrows." It is a nightmare. Highway 101 is the s~ life line for the North Bay, but not at San Antonio Creek and not at Lucky Drive. We need 3z the freeway to Novato. He would pay a higher sales tax to accomplish the improvements. 33 Dave King, 835 Si~rth Street - this boils down to 2 questions: Do we want to widen the sa narrows and who is going to pay for it? He does not feel comfortable with CALTRANS or ss the State to do the Nanows. 36 The Calthorpe Plan would create a massive problem at the north end of the Petaluma bridge. s~ You are going to create a nightmare in our city. It's unclear what is going to happen. He 3s urged the Council to try to get full funding. This is not just a Petaluma issue. If you cut off 39 the life line, people and businesses will not find this area a good place to settle. He would ao take the interchanges out of the Calthorpe Plan. Put the total dollars in the measure and let ai the voters decide. Key to abbreviations: JH-Councilmember .Iane Hamilton, NR-Councilmember Nancy Read PH-MayorM. PatriciaHilligoss, MS-CouncilmemberMaryStompe DK Councilmember David Keller, PT-Councilmember Pamela Torliatt MM-Vice Mayor Matt Maguire Page 320, Vol. 31 Monday, February 23, 1998 i Bill Kortum, 1800 Ely Road - what we need more than money is to become a self help 2 county. In some way you have to convince the public of that. You could get this done in 10 s years. There is a real danger in adding money to this issue. You can't afford to increase the a tune or money to the ballot issue. Become a self help county and be in a power position to s get what you want. 6 Cliff'Tramel, 412 Countryside Circle - represents E.C.A. - he is executive director of a trade ~ association. ~Ie has sat through 3- 4 focus groups regarding this Highway 101 issue. Look s at the tapes of these focus groups before you give a lot of credence to them. The polls that 9 have been taken can be defended from either argument. When the people understand that~ the io Calthorpe Plan creates bottlenecks at Cotati and at the Petaluma River bridge, you may have ii some concern. When John Q public finds ~out what it is all about, they want it to be fixed ia right. He thinks 3/4 cent over a longer period of time would give enough money to do the fix i3 right. ia The Council noted information on the Calthorpe Plan is be ~vailable to the public at the is Library, the Planning Department or at the Sonoma County Transportation Authority offices. i6 I.IAISON 1tEPOR~'S i~ There will be a meeting of the Central Petaluma Specific Plan - public workshop - on ia Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Old Steamer Gold. i9 AGEIl1IDA IVIANAGEIVIEN'I' Zo The Council agreed that at subsequent meetings the Public Comment time would be limited Zi to the 15 minutes, as listed on the Agenda, and citizen comments on agenda items would be zz limited to the 3 minutes as listed on the Speaker Cards. z3 The Council agreed that they would discuss at the March 2 Cour~cil meeting: 2a Domestic Violence and the Mid-year Budget in the afternoon and Zs Animal Shelter (7-9:00) and Highway 101 (9:00 to 11:00) 26 ADJOU~T 2~ At 11:25 p.m., the Council adjourned to dinne at. . _~ Za /~~2~%C~-' 29 ~ 3o M. Patricia Hilligoss, Mayor si ATTEST: 32 33 34 3s Patricia E. Bernard, City Clerk Key to abbreviations: JH-Councilmember Jane Hamilton, NR-Councilmember Nancy Read PH Mayor M. Patricia Hilligoss, MS-Councilmember Mary Stompe DK- Councilmember David Keller, PT-Councilmember Pamela Torliatt MM-Vice Mayor Matt Maguire