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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/30/1964ADJOURNED MEETING OIL' CITY COUNCIL April 30, 1464 - 7:30 P. M. CITY HALL Invocation was given by Mayor Clay P. Davidson. Roll Call Present: Miss Margaret McNeil, R. L. Graves, Jr., Donald Q. Miller, CZell W. Z,Thelchel, flay P. Davidson Park & Recreation Commission: Chairman Howie O'Daniels, Wink Hollister, Robert Janssen Planning Commission: Chairman Kenneth Schwartz, .Joyce Abkin, Emmons Blake, John Brown, (portion of meeting), J. A. Feliciano, George Johnson City Staff: Planning Director Peter Chapman, Parks and Recreation Superintendent William Flory, City Attorney William Houser, Administrative Officer Richard Miller, City Engineer David Romero, Police Chief William Schofield. Others present: Developer ?fay C. Skinner. 1. Administrative Officer Ifiiller discussed the fu:aishings at the City's Water Filtration Plant and indicated that, although General Fireproofing initially had been some $100.00 or 7% high on approximately $1,400.00 of furniture, they had agreed to meet the low bid for Steelcase furniture which had been specified in the contract. The company had advl'sed SteelcEse all along that the City Council wished to give some preference to General Fireproofing if they were close, and it was felt that there would be no problem and there would be no additional cost to the City if the General Fireproofing equipment were accepted. The General Fireproofing Company also agreed to provide higher priced aluminum chairs instead of the steel chairs specified if the City would consent to steel cabinets with swinging doors instead cf d'.sappearin;; doors. The Administrative Officer !: .,as authorized to write to Paul Adamson, consulting and resident engineer on Che project, authorizing the purchase of General Fireproofing equipment on motion of Councilman Graves, seconded by Councilman Miller and carried. 2. To start the discussion on the development of the City's Laguna Lake property, Mayor Davidson asked Administrative Officer Muller, City Clerk Pro -Tem, to read two communications from Ray C. Skinner in which he outlined his tentative think- ing in regard to the development. Mr. Romero, City Engineer, had also prepared a list of basic decisions to be made concerning the Laguna Lake property as follows: "1. Should all remaining Laguna land be held for recreation purposes? A. Possible lease of some portions of the property. B. Possible sale of some portions with restriction to usage. 1 2. Should the City attempt to acquire the 23 acres now held by the school? A. If the property is to be acquired, how shall this be financed and over what period of time? 3. Should the City follow the Hector Plan or should some other plat be considered? A. If the Hector Plan is followed, should it be considered more as a guide or more as a precise development plan? City Council Minutes April 30, 1964 Page -2- 4. If some plan other than the Hector Plan is followed, what facilities should be provided? A. Shall emphasis be on golfing, or water sports, or picnicking, or should we attempt to develop a balance providing all these facilities? B. Should sites be considered for a Civic Auditorium or Pine Arts Center? 5. Should a major or collector road be extended through the development? A. If the road is to be provided, should its alignment and standards of improvement be primary or secondary to the recreational development? 6. Should the City attempt to develrp the park by its own means or should the park be developed by private parties? A. If the City develops the park itself, how will the improvements be financed and over what period of time shall the improvements take place? B. If private parties develop the park, shall this be on a basis of lease, rental of property, exchange for services, or on some other basis ?" In regard to the first question of sale or lease of properties, there were several comments by Councilmen and Commission members to the effect that no land should be sold, but some property might be leased for recreational purposes. However, Councilman Graves suggested some possibility of exchanging land on Madonna Road so that the City might chtain additional land near the Lake or the 23 acres which had been traded to the school district. ' C. A. Maino said he felt that the frontage on Madonna Road should be kept for park purposes. He said he had tried to lcoep the City from selling any property to Madonna and felt that the City should buy other property and trade this property for the 23 acres deeded to the school so that all of the Lake property would be kept in City ownership. Mr. Skinner objected to the tone of Mr. Maino's remarks and reviewed the manner in which his presentation had come about. He said that he had originally presented plans for development of his oi•m prc- tarty, at which time the City had suggested that he nigh*_ develop a golf course on City property on a lease basis. He felt that if he were to be subjected to unjust criticism, he would withdraw any application before the City for lease of City land. Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman O'Daniels zaid that he ::•ould be somewhat reluctant to sell or lease any land. However, if land were leased for a golf course, he felt that iron -clad conditions should be included and that the land should eventually revert to the City. Councilman Miller indicated that something might be worked out with Mr. Skinner so that the City might regain the 23 ac ;-es from the school district. Administrative Officer Miller reported that the 'Park and Recreation Commission had originally been quite enthusiastic about the school development and that it was felt that the development of the schoo'. and related recreational facilities would spur the development of the rest of the City owned property. The difficulty came about when plans for the development of the school were deferred. Harry ^ryer. Sr. suggested the sale of some of his property at the corner of Los Osos Road and Foothill BouI.evard to the school for a joint iun3or - senior high school, with the trade of property so that the City would regain the 23 acres at Laguna Lake Park and his group would gain title to the Mitchell Park property in douratoira San Luis Obispo. Planning Commission Chairman Schwartz said that the General Plan contemplated reservation of the mountains in San Luis Obispo for open area and said the Commission had consistently urged the acquisition of more property along the easterly side of Laguna Lake. City Council Minutes April 30, 1964 Page -3- In the current review of the General Plan, the Commission also felt that some industrial acreage in the Tank Farm Road area should to reduced and that a zone should be established along the west side of the freeway below the Madonna Inn for research type manufacturing. This might have some bearing on the development of the Laguna Lake Park. He said the Commission was also concerned about the preservation of the downtown business district in which effort they were not getting much cooperation from the County. There was also some discussion about the healthy expansion cf the business district in the area *.nest of the Pia_sh Street inurzhange and that this might involve some roads connecting with the Park property. He felt that the Commission feeling was not to sell any of the property at Laguna Lake and that all efforts should be made to get the school property back. Commissioner Johnson said the Commission originally had urged the acquisition of a perimeter road around the lake aad had lost out on this because of the lack of City funds. He was concerned about losin, the east side of the Lake to private development. However, he saw nothing wrong with the lease of certain properties for recreational purposes, but rot for more than 20 years. Mayor Davidson stated he was compelled to speak in defense of Mr.. Skinner, who had been asked to consider leasing the City owned property for the development of a golf course. Mr. Skinner, in all o...; our talks, has said he wished to so plan the recreation, that the lake and perimeter road would-be included and that all of this property adjoining the lake should be held and developed for recreation and that the 23 acres should be reacquired by the City for recreational development. Commissioner Blake said he wanted to keep the lake and surrounding areas open to public use and wanted to go on public record as being opposed to the sale of public property. Mayor Davidson said he felt that we could lease for a little longer than 20 ' years and that it was important to try to work out some lease arrangement with private developers since he felt it would be difficult for the City to finance improvements otherwise, particularly by bond issue. Administrative Officer Miller suggested that a 20 year lease with an option to renew for 10 years might be considered with the City starting to receive revenue from the end of the 20 year period, or e*, increasing amount at the end of the initial lease period. City Engineer Romero raised the question of whether there should be any commercial leases. City Attorney Houser said that the City might consider leasing some property along Madonna Road and use the income in developing the recreational program. Mayor Davidson suggested that some of this property might be scld in exchange for the 23 acres. C. A. Maino spoke again, urging that the City buy back the 23 acres outright. At this point, Councilman Miller asked Mr.-Skinner to explain his plan where- by he hoped to find property which he could trade with the school district in some type of 3 way exchange wherein the City would be able to reacquire the 23 acres. Mr. Skinner stated that if he acquired another side for the school and the City were to regain the 23 acres, he felt that the City would have to give up 1 something. He felt that front foot values on Madonna Load would be worth more than the square foot cost of the 23 acres owned by the school. The proposal of Mr. Fryer, whereby the private developers would end up with Mitchell Park, was interesting to him. Administrative Officer Miller said he hoped Mitchell Park could be preserved as a green area and not lost to private development. Non active park areas should be considered as well as active recreational areas in the develooment of the City. Councilman Graves agreed and also said he wished to find some way of acquiring the 23 acres from the school district and that he was agreeable to leasing property along Madonna Road. He favored outright purchase of the 23 acres from the school district if it was not to be developed as a school, and he felt that this should receive a top priority in the City's capital outlay program. City Council Minutes April 30, 1964 Page -4- Councilman Miller asked if it would be possibl- for M:-. Skinner to find property acceptable to the school and give the City a deed to the 23 acres in return for the City's leasing property to him. Mr. Skinner pointed out the difficulty of leasing property if he did not have the fee title. In regard to the question of whether or not the Hector Plan should be accepted, Mayor Davidson felt that this plan should he followed unless a private developer proposed satisfactory alternates. Park and Recreation Superintendent Flory felt that the Park and Recreation Commission wished to follow the Hector Plan as a guide. City Engineer Romero pointed out the ::.vantages of having a plan which would allow service clubs to participate with some assurances that projects undertaken would not be wiped out by future changes in plans. Councilman 11heichel felt that the City could prepare precise parrs of the plan as it went along. Mayor Davidson felt that a perimeter road was best avid Councilmen Whelchel and Miller agreed that any road shor..ld be secondary to the recreation use. In other words, the road should not be designed as a short cut to some other loca_ion or designed as a major highway. It was the concensus of the Council that no immediate decision could be made on the road for construction this summer and that Vie road should be worked around the development of any golf course. Mayor Davidson suggested that the City asst for a preliminary plan from the developer which the City could consider. Councilman Whelche; felt that, in general, the Laguna Lake Park should be developed with a balance of various types of recreational use. Mr. Skinner said he would like to have a decision on whether the City would allow power boats on a part of the Lake. Councilman Graves felt that power boats are not suitable in this area. Mr. Skinner suggested that power boats might be tried on a year to year basis, although he conceded that perhaps power boats had no place in the long range development. He felt that a road to the launching area along the Lake would not interfere with any plans he had in mind. Chairman Schwartz said the main access to the Park might eventually be from a saddle road connecting the Marsh Street interchange with Foothill Boulevard west of the present Cicy limits. Mr. Skinner described his very current thinking and said he felt the immediate development of the City property did not seem to be feasible to him at this time. He felt that the eventual access from the saddle road made sense, but that for the time being the logical access was from Madonna Road. He felt that he should start his recreational development with a par -3 golf course on his property, but he wound appreciate a resolution from the Council regarding ' the City's plans for development of Laguna Lake Park, so that he could incorporate. this into his long range plans for an 13 hcle regulation golf course, and so that it could be included in his sales program to attract senior citizens to San Luis Obispo. He felt that if be had a commitment from the City at this time, the City land could be phased in very nicely later on. He felt that his plan should possibly exclude any ho;-.el on City property. John Dreyfuss from the Telegram - Tribune, summarized the discussion as follows with the general concensus being in favor of these conclusions. He stated that consideration could be given to lease of Laguna Lake property but there was considerable feeling against selling any property. The City should attempt to reacquire the 23 acres held by cae school, although methods of financing had not been decided. The Hector Plan should be followed as a guide for the developmen: of the Park. Any roadway within the Park should be designed City Council Minutes April 30, 1964 Page -5- primarily to serve the recreational development and not set up as a through highway. Mr. Houser was instructed to draw up a resolution containing the concensus of the Council's thinking. Said resolution to be considered at a future meeting. X. At this time Administrative Officer Miller indicated that the Division of Highways had again changed its ruling on the use of the select_ road monies for blanket coat street purposes unless the structural stability of the roadway required improvements. This involves a change in financing future street priority programs with the necessity of financing projects in Items 1 and 3 on the priority list from Public Improvement and Betterment monies. By common consent of the Council, Mr. Romero was authorized to prepare plans and specifications for approval by the Council Monday evening for street work under Items 1 and 3. He would come back later with a select road project for reconstruction of high Street between Higuera and Santa Barbara Streets. The Council accepted Mayor Davidson's suggestion that agenda Items 4 through 12 be deferred until Monday evening. 3. At this time the Council discussed the proposed sign ordinance. Charles Freeman presented himself as representing the Chamber of Commerce, Retail Merchant's Division, Junion Chamber of Commerce, Sign industry, financial institutions, petroleum industries, motel industries, and so on. Mr. Freeman presented a set of proposed revisions to the ordinance as drafted by the Planning Commission. The Council proceeded to go through these revisions item by item. On the first suggestion involving free- standing signs, suggestions 1 and 2 were accepted on motion of Councilman Miller, seconded by Councilman Graves, with the words "any of which are" being added after the word "members.'' Items 3 and 4 were rejected on motion of Councilman Hiller, seconded by Councilman Graves. Items 5 and 6 were accepted, with Item 5 reading "one side of a double faced sign," and Item 6 deleting certain provisions, on motion of Councilman Miller, seconded by Councilwor:an McNeil and carried. On Item 7, Councilman Miller moved, seconded by Mayor Davidson and carried, that the wording be changed to read "no part of a free- standing sign shall be higher than 70 feet in any zone.' Item 8 deleted the next section, and was approved in this same motion, Council - mea,Graves and Whelchel voting no. On suggestion 9 involving illumination, Mayor Davidson moved, seconded by Councilman Miller, that items 2 and 3 be deleted and the Mayor's suggested clause substituted. Suggested clause as follows: "C. Illumination 2. Signs in other districts may be illuminated. No sign shall be constructed in such a way that any light bulb or filament is visible from the front of the sign or from beyond the property line. Nothing hea:ein shell be construed to prohibit signs of neon tubing or similar self - illuminating material of equivalent or less intensity, excepting those signs indicating time and temperature." This motion was passed after considerable discussion. The Council then moved to a discussion of Section 8600.7(a), involving amortization provisions. Mayor Davidson moved that subsection A be deleted. There was no second. After considerable discussion, Councilman TAelchel moved that the three year provisions be extended to five years, the seven year provision to ten years, and the five year provision extended to seven years. City Council Minutes April 30, 1964 Page -6- Councilman Miller seconded this motion, which passed with Mayor Davidson and Councilwoman McNeil voting no. The Council then discussed suggestion 10, involving over - hanging signs. Councilman Graves moved that signs attached to a building may extend no more than 2/3 of the width over the public right of way and not be in excess of 12 square feet projected over each street frontage of the building. This includes free standing signs. Such signs shall have a clearance of not less than 8 feet above the adjacent ground or right of way. Councilman Miller seconded this motion. At this point, Mayor Davidson made a motion to adjourn. There was no second. Chairman Schwartz said the Planning Commission was opposed to any projecting signs. Councilman Whelchel moved to amend the original motion to allow 18 square feet. There was no second. Councilman Whelchel then seconded the Mayor's motion to adjourn. This motion was defeated with Councilmen Graves and Miller and Councilwoman McNeil voting no. The original motion then passed as suggested by Councilman Graves; Hayor Davidson and Councilman Whelchel voting no. Councilman Miller then moved to adjourn with the understanding that the Council would meet next Wednesday evening it a study meeting to continue discussions on the sign ordinance. Motion to adjourn was seconded by Councilwoman McNeil, and carried. Approved: May 18, 1964 H. FI:.. ATRICK, CITY CLERK 1