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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/09/1972MINUTES ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA October 9, 1972 - 7:30 P. M. City Hall Pledge Roll Call Present: Emmons Blake, John C. Brown, Myron Graham, T. Keith Gurnee, Kenneth E. Schwartz City Staff,;. Present: D. Englert, Police Captain; J. H. Fitzpatrick, City Clerk; R. D. Miller, Administrative Officer; D. F. Romero, City Engineer; A. J. Shaw, City Attorney; R. D. Young, Planning Director. 1. On motion of Councilman Graham, seconded by Councilman Blake, the claims against the City were approved for pyament subject to authori- zation by the Administrative Officer. Motion carried. 2. Mrs. Joan Buckley, Chairman of.the Citizens' Advisory Committee, reviewed with the City Council, the recommendations that various fees charged by the City be removed from the Municipal Code and be adopted by resolution. It was the Committee's feeling that if this action were taken, it would become possible to change the various rates by resolution and not by the laborious ordinance method. She continued it was the Committee's feeling that the fees charged by the City and the various rates of utilities, etc. were fair and equitable as the Committee had compared the various rates and fees with those in the cities of Salinas, Santa Maria and Santa Barbara. .The Committee felt the San Luis Obispo rates were in line with the other cities except the bicycle license fees. They recommended that bicycle licenses be raised to $2.00 per year and the revenue be used for bike related activities. The Committee also recommended that the various bike stores be authorized to sell licenses.. They also suggested increasi.ng license fees for dogs to $10 per year for reproducing male or female dogs and $3.00 per year for altered male and female dogs. Upon questioning, various members of the Citizens' Advisory Committee stated they felt the City should require the individuals to pay for the services they require such as building permits, zoning applications, etc. and not be subsidized by the general taxpayers. R. D. Miller, Administrative.Officer, explained that the exisitng rates for dog licenses had been determined through cooperation with the other cities in the county in the interest of uniformity and for.ease of administration by Uoods Animal Shelter. Mayor Schwartz thanked the Citizens' Advisory Committee for their recommendation, particularly that of abstracting the fees from the Municipal Code. He also asked the Citizens' Advisory Committee to continue their study of the various fees charged by the City to see if they should be adjusted. He suggested in particular the fees for re- zoning, variances, etc. Joan Buckley then reviewed the other activities of the Committee and areas under study during the 1972/73 fiscal year. The City Attorney was directed to review the list of taxes, charges and fees now contained in ordinances and advise the Council as to which ones could be incorporated into resolutions. City Council Minutes October 9, 1972 Page 2 3. Pat Gerety, Associate Planner, presented sketches of the proposed second phase master plan for Mission Plaza which would extend the plaza to Nipomo Street, close Broad Street from Higuera to Palm Street, and close Monterey Street from Broad to Nipomo, with ultimate acquisition by the City, in approximately twenty (20) years, of private properties from San Luis Creek west to Palm and from Nipomo Street to Broad Street. He reviewed some of the proposed uses that could be placed in this area such as expansion. of the historical museum, development of a civic and , fine arts building, etc. Roger Marshall, Chairman of the Design Review Board, outlined the feeling of his committee in recommending the development of a master plan for the future expansion of Mission Plaza. The City Council discussed the various elements of the proposed master plan, time schedules, etc. Mayor Schwartz thanked the Design Review Board for their work and urged them to continue their studies of the expansion of Mission Plaza. Roger Marshall, then outlined other . activities of the Design Review Board. One of their important efforts was the proposed formation of an architectural review commission which.would have to approve all buildings in the City consisting of four or more units. Another area of their concern was the way to improve the entrances to the City. Mayor Schwartz thanked the Design Review Board for their work. 4. D. F. Romero, City Engineer, reviewed for the City Council his reasons for granting a grading permit to Tract 429, Johnson Highlands, as he.did not feel that there would be any significant affect on the environment. He stated that under direction of the Administrative ' Officer, he had placed a stop order on.this grading and now he asked the City Council for their feelings on whether the permit shoul.d..be continued or the stop order stay.in effect. A. J. Shaw, City Attorney, reviewed.the effect of the recent court decisions dealing with environmental impact statements and stated he felt an environmental impact statement.should be filed for Tract 429 if some of the Planning Commission members felt this tract might have an impact on the environment. He felt the court.decision was such that if more than one member of a Planning Commission or City Council felt that the project might have a significant effect on the environ- ment then an impact statement should.be required, however, this was merely an interim procedure pending the adoption of more formal pro- cedures by the City.. Mayor Schwartz stated he understood that if the Planning Commission felt there would be an impact on the environment:caused by a specific project, that a report.must be prepared in accordance with State law and the court decision. He further understood that after the report was prepared, a public hearing must be held on the report so the public would have an opportunity to make input-if they so desired. If either the public or the developer felt they had a brievance, they could appeal to the City Council who would also hold public hearings and make a determination on the impact statement, with final appeal to ' the.courts. A. J. Shaw again read the decision of the California Supreme Court on the need for environmental impact statements. The City Council then discussed the court decision in light of the project that had been held up, tract 429, until the question of the need for an environmental impact statement had been resolved. City Council Minutes October 9, 1972 Page 3 Leonard Blaser, developer, appealed the stop order on grading and hoped that the City Council would allow him to go ahead. He did not feel that it would affect the environment, and if anything, he was improving not only the environment but the neighborhood. He continued that he had let a contract for the grading and it was costing him money and that this might be a basis for damages in a future law suit against the City. He stated he had received no complaints from his neighbors and he wanted to proceed with the grading. He did not feel the Council had the right to stop his work once the permit had been issued by the City Engineer. R. D. Young, Planning Director, suggested that the City Council continue the consideration of this matter until the Planning Commission had adopted its procedural resolution on environmental impact studies, at which time the Planning Commission should review Tract 429 and make recommendations to the City Council. The City Council accepted this recommendation and referred the matter to the Planning Commission. 5. The approval of the final map and subdivision agreement for Tract 429 was continued. 6. On motion of Councilman Blake, seconded by Councilman Gurnee, the request of Cal Poly Homecoming Committee for permission to hold their annual parade on Saturday, October 21, 1972 in downtown San Luis Obispo was approved. Motion carried. 7. On motion of Councilman Blake, seconded by Councilman Graham, the following resolution was introduced: RESOLUTION NO. 2381, a resolution establishing the Bond, Leff, Ramona Assessment District Construction Fund. Passed and adopted on the following roll call vote: AYES: Emmons Blake, John C. Brown, Myron Graham, T. Keith Gurnee, Kenneth E. Schwartz NOES: None ABSENT: None 8. On motion of Councilman Blake, seconded by Councilman Brown, the meeting was adjourned to Wednesday, October 11, 1972 at 12:10 P. M. Motion carried. APPROVED: 1 F RICK, CITY CLERK