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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/09/1975MINUTES ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1975 - 7:30 p.m. CITY HALL Pledge Roll Call ' PRESENT: T. Keith Gurnee, Jesse Norris, Steven Petterson and Mayor Kenneth E. Schwartz City Staff ABSENT: Myron Graham PRESENT: J.H. Fitzpatrick, City Clerk; R.D. Miller, Administrative Officer; A.J. Shaw, City Attorney; Robert Strong, Director of Community Development ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. The City Council representatives on standing Council committees reported as follows: A. Area Planning Council - Councilman Gurnee B. Solid Waste - Mayor Schwartz . C. Traffic Committee - Councilman Norris D. Tree Committee - Councilman Graham E. Waterways Planning Board - Councilman Petterson ' F. Whale Rock Commission - Mayor Schwartz G. Zone 9 Advisory Committee - Councilman Graham H. Council on Criminal Justice - Councilman Norris I. County Water Committee - Mayor Schwartz The City Council asked that the Waterways Planning Board look into the reasons why the Department of Transportation was not moving ahead with the improvements of the Marsh - Higuera bridge, San Luis Creek and the Stenner and Prefumo crossings at Highway 101. 2. Council discussion on programs and priorities for 1975/76 was con- tinued to a future meeting. 3. Continued discussion by the City Council on the memorandum from Wayne Peterson, City Engineer, regarding a request for proposals for a con- sultant study of water.treatment and distribution system (continued from the meeting of 6/2/75 and 6/3/75) Robert Mote, Utility Engineer, again reviewed with the City Council the request of the City Engineer for.a water treatment and distribution system ' plan for consultants' consideration divided into four phases. Phase I would be a review and recommendation on the City water system design criteria. Phase II would be a review of existing treatment facilities and sources of supply, and develop a plan for the orderly expansion of the City's treatment capabilities. Phase III would be a preparation of a water storage and distribution master plan. Phase IV would be an analysis of the assets, fiscal operation and the develop ment of new customer service rates. The estimated cost of the consultant services would be approximately $50,000. City Council Minutes June 9, 1975 Page 2 Robert Mote continued that while waiting for the results of the four -phase study including the rate study in Phase IV, the City Council consider a temporary increase in the water rates by 20 percent in order to put the system closer to a paying basis. Robert Strong stated that Phases I, II, and III of the proposed water study was needed in order to complete and tie -in with the proposed General Plan now under development. Councilman -Petterson stated that he was.in support of.Phases I and II and , an increase in the water rates in order to make the water - system pay its own way. Councilman Gurnee stated that he would support Phase I, with the consultant to act in a review capacity rather than make the initial study. He did not support Phases II, III and IV until the Council had established broad guide- lines and goals for the General Plan, but he would support Phase II reluctantly. Councilman Norris stated he was in support.of any program to see where the City was with their water system. He would support Phases I $ II, done in -house with a co a consultant to review whatever staff input was made, although he would support any additional water supply to the City of San Luis Obispo. Mayor Schwartz stated he was in support of Phase I, but he felt that until the Council and the Planning Commission had determined goals and aims of the General Plan now in process, Phases II $ III should not be undertaken because these studies would take precedence over the General Plan determinations and should follow the General Plan considerations. Councilman Petterson recommended that the City Council increase the water rates by 20 percent at this time and proceed with Phases I $ II as recom- mended, but he felt it must be completed within six months. On motion of Councilman Gurnee, seconded by Councilman Norris that the City Council authorize a proposal be sent out for engineering consultants for Phases I & II alone, and a proposal on all four phases of the project as a separate request. Motion carried, Councilman Graham absent. 4. The City Council again reviewed the responsibilities and scheduling of Council subcommittees for appointment of advisory body members. Mayor Schwartz again reviewed the procedures adopted by the City Council and listed the subcommittees of the City Council and urged that they proceed with their interviews so that the various boards and commissions would have their new appointees or reappointments made prior to July 1, 1975. A. Robert Strong, Community Development Director, requested that the City Council consider this item (even though it was not on the agenda) due to the impact or possible impact on the City of San Luis Obispo. It dealt with the County Capital Improvement Program proposals being discussed at this time regarding County facilities. Robert Strong submitted a lengthy report summarizing the 250 -page Capital Improvement Program Citizens' Advisory Committee report of the County of San Luis Obispo dealing with the program of acquisition and dispersal of County facilities throughout the County of San Luis Obispo.. He reviewed the summary of.the Citizens' Advisory Committee's general proposal for . capital improvement of the County's - various facilities. Mr. Strong reported that the committee's specific recommendations for the San Luis Obispo region were that the past problems of short -range, isolated, capital improvement programming and insufficient funding were evident when it was recognized that neither the courthouse or the annex were adequate for today's needs regardless of anticipated future growth. Both facilities. critically lacked parking (110 onsite spaces vs. 700 spaces needed for employee and county vehicles) exclusive of customer cars, and both building and parking space requirements were expected to at least double in the future. The necessity for long -range design was important at.this time to avoid recurrence of current parking and office space problems. City Council Minutes June 9, 1975 Page 3 Robert Strong stated that the alternatives considered by the Committee were: 1) Incremental increase of facilities around the current courthouse, requiring at least one additional block in downtown to accommodate a courthouse complex and a human services building could be incorporated with the City's downtown development plans and provide a unified govern- ment center concept. Parking could be corrected through cooperative action with the City and Downtown Association. The drawbacks included dependence on the City and Downtown Association to act within reasonable time, the relatively expensive land and building costs, and a lack of room for unanticipated expansion. 2) Dispersal of certain facilities to other parts of the City would allow the County to take advantage of less expensive land prices as well as use existing County -owned land. This alternative would keep the administrative offices downtown, but the courthouse complex and human services building would be elsewhere. Potential disadvantages were similar to Alternate No. 1 (and the obvious, inability to create a consolidated, unified government center, now or in the future). 3) Acquisition of a new, large site and construction of a totally new government center was the only alternative that the committee felt offered the prospects of a long -term solution to the County space needs at a reasonable cost. Its advantages included space for other government offices (state $ federal), space for unanticipated expansion, a unified architectural concept, and inclusion of cultural and performing arts facilities, as well as more economical cost (perhaps one -third less than other alternatives). Further, the new site development could be phased over a period of time, utilizing present facilities until it was feasible to move. Robert Strong continued that it was apparent to the staff that the City must actively engage in redevelopment if it were to retain the post office, County ' government and related state and federal facilities, enable additional depart- ment stores, theaters, shops, restaurants, etc. and provide adequate circulation and parking in the central area. He felt it-was time to cooperate with the County and implement parking and administrative center expansion sites adjacent to the - present courthouse block to consider acquisition of the former French Hospital property for a new courts complex, to develop a north -end anchor to downtown shopping with a new department store near Osos and Higuera Streets and a parking structure along Higuera Street south of Santa Rosa. He felt the City should remove the service stations on the north side of Santa Rosa Street at Monterey Street and reserve the area for future civic center expansion. Mr. Strong continued that it was time to accomplish the remaining widening of Santa Rosa Street from Freeway 101 interchange to Marsh and Pacific Streets, to plan for connecting Santa Rosa Street -Santa Barbara Street and Broad Street, and to consider other circulation-and parking solutions for eliminating down- town congestion. He felt it was not too late to plan extension of Mission Plaza and develop a new library between the creek, Monterey Street, Broad and Nipomo Streets. He also felt the City could not afford to forget the stability and potential of the Johnson Avenue- Bishop Street Health Center complex or Santa Rosa Street medical Sierra Vista Hospital center. He felt it was time for planning the South Street - Bishop Street overpass and connection to improve regional accessibility of the former and to widen Highway One to accommodate circula- tion of the latter. Robert Strong, Community Development Director, felt the City should immediately initiate negotiations with the County to exchange responsibilities regarding recreation and community facility resources and to facilitate county facilities including: 1) The City to accept Cuesta Park and the Veterans building as City facilities. 2) To eliminate the Southwood - Johnson and Leff Street welfare offices, Marsh Street EOC office, Santa Rosa Street Social Security Office, and Palm Street Employment Office. City Council Minutes June 9, 1975 Page 4 3) To provide for an expansion of the Johnson - Bishop Human Services Center including the above relocated facilities as well as county hospital, health department, and county education offices. 4) To encourage County involvement in Laguna Lake Regional Park improvement. 5) To cooperatively explore golf course and performing arts center implementa- tion. 6) To consider City participation or assistance to airport modifications. 7) To develop a new City- County-library and additional parking in the block bounded by the creek, Broad, Monterey, and Nipomo Streets. 8) To assist the County acquisition of the half block facing Palm between Osos and Santa Rosa for administrative'center expansion and state and federal facilities. 9) To help the County acquire the former French Hospital property for a courthouse complex. 10) To acquire and develop major new downtown, civic center, courthouse park- ing on Palm between Osos and Morro Streets and on Higuera Street between Santa Rosa and Osos Street. Robert Strong, Community Development Director, felt the City should immediately form a redevelopment agency and designate a central area "tax increment district" to enable financing of these and related revitalization efforts and to assist with survey and planning, acquisition, relocation and reconstruction efforts. Only with such an aggressive, accelerated, action program aimed at reinforcing the assets of existing developments would the City be able to offer realistic alternatives to the County's suburban relocation proposals. Only by accepting the immediate-initial expenses of extensive redevelopment efforts could the City avoid the even greater future, long -term costs of downtown disintegration. After the presentation by Mr. Strong, it was the consensus of the City Council present that the Council should consider a subcommittee of the Council to meet with the representatives of the Supervisors to review in a cooperative way an overall plan for a community civic center plan and possibly a decentralization of non - public facilities. On motion of Councilman Norris, seconded by Councilman Gurnee that Mayor Schwartz and Councilman Petterson be appointed as a subcommittee to meet with the County representatives on this subject. Motion carried, Councilman Graham absent. B. Robert Strong, Director of Community Development, submitted a report on the possible relocation proposal by the post office for a new post office and distribution center somewhere outside the downtown San Luis Obipso area. The City Council stated that due to the lateness of the hour, this matter should be continued to the next meeting of June 14, 1975. The City Council adjourned to Executive Session. 6. The City Council, on motion of Councilman Gurnee, seconded by Councilman Petterson, adjourned to 12:10 p.m., Tuesday, June 10, 1975. APPROVED: October 6, 1975. / ,.,0PIr zpatrick, City Clerk I 1 1