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 City of Hermosa Beach --- 07-08-97
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL of the City of Hermosa Beach, California, held on Tuesday, July 8, 1997, at the hour of 7:17 P.M.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - James Dewey
ROLL CALL: Present: Benz, Bowler, Edgerton, Oakes, Mayor Reviczky Absent: None
MAYOR'S COMMENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS: Mayor Reviczky reminded the viewing audience of the approaching Sister City Association Gala Celebration in honor of Hermosa Beach's 90th birthday and the 300th anniversary of its Sister City of Loreto, Mexico, to be held on Saturday, July 26, 1997, at 7:00 P.M. on the tennis courts at the Community Center with a ticket cost of $25 per adult, $10 for children.
PRESENTATIONS:
PRESENTATION OF A CHECK TO THE CITY FROM SHIRLEY WHITE FOR VALLEY PARK PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT IN MEMORY OF BETTY BENOIT.
Mayor Reviczky accepted a check for $2,000 from Shirley White for Valley Park Playground equipment in memory of Betty Benoit. Ms. White said that the fund had been established by Betty's friends and was being given to pay for the "bug" and for a bench and a tree later in the park renovation.
Mayor Reviczky announced that tonight's meeting would be adjourned in memory of Betty Benoit.
DONATION FROM HERMOSA BEACH ROTARY CLUB TO HERMOSA BEACH SISTER CITIES ASSOCIATION FOR 90TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Dean Nota, President of the Rotary Club, presented a check for $1,000 to Dick McCurdy and Jean Lombardo representing the Hermosa Beach Sister City Association to be used for the July 26,1997, birthday celebration.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:
(a) ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Coming forward to address the Council at this time were: Pete Tucker - 235-34th Street, said that a lot of the new construction occurring had utility company "dig alerts" spray painted on sidewalks and streets and suggested that the City have a provision to remove these markings when construction was complete as they tended to look like graffiti; and, Charlie Chatem - 538 Second Street, said that in a list of the nation's wealthiest cities published by "Worth" magazine, Hermosa Beach ranked number 211.
(b) COUNCIL COMMENTS: Mayor Reviczky, with the consensus of the Council, directed that staff explore Mr. Tucker's suggestion that contractors be required to clean the sidewalks and streets of utility companies' "dig alert" markings after construction.
(c) WRITTEN COMMUNICATION - None
1. CONSENT CALENDAR:
Action: To approve the consent calendar recommendations (a) through (j), with the exception of the following item which was removed for discussion in item 3, but is shown in order for clarity: (e) Benz. Motion Bowler, second Oakes. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
No one came forward to address the Council on items not removed from the consent calendar.
(a) RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING MINUTES: 1) Minutes of the Regular Meeting held on June 24, 1997.
Action: To approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 24, 1997 as presented.
(b) RECOMMENDATION TO RATIFY THE CHECK REGISTER NOS. 10661 THROUGH 10772 INCLUSIVE, NOTING VOIDED CHECK NO. 10751 AND TO APPROVE CANCELLATION OF CHECK NO. 9941 AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY TREASURER.
Action: To ratify the check register as presented.
(c) RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE TENTATIVE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.
Action: To receive and file the tentative future agenda items as presented.
(d) RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE ACTION MINUTES FROM THE PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING OF JUNE 18, 1997.
Action: To approve the staff recommendation to receive and file the action minutes from the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission meeting of June 18, 1997.
(e) RECOMMENDATION TO DIRECT STAFF TO CLOSE THE MUNICIPAL PIER AT NIGHT UNTIL THE PIER REHABILITATION PROJECT IS COMPLETE. Memorandum from Public Works Director Amy Amirani dated July 1, 1997.
This item was removed from the consent calendar by Councilmember Benz for separate discussion later in the meeting.
Public Works Director Amirani and City Manager Stephen Burrell responded to Council questions.
Action: To approve the staff recommendation to direct staff to close the Municipal Pier at night, one hour after sunset, until the Pier rehabilitation project is completed as the cost of rewiring to meet safety needs would be approximately $15,000 and then the new wiring would have to be removed for the Pier renovation. Motion Mayor Reviczky, second Oakes. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
(f) RECOMMENDATION TO ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM CHEVRON COMPANIES AND BETTY BENOIT MEMORIAL FUND. Memorandum from Finance Director Viki Copeland dated June 30, 1997.
Action: To approve the staff recommendation to accept and to appropriate to the Community Resources Department the donation of $6,000 from Chevron Companies for supplies and payment of instructors for the Summer Surf Camp and the donation of $2,000 from the Betty Benoit Memorial Fund for playground equipment at Valley Park.
(g) RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING FINAL PARCEL MAP #24521 FOR A 4-UNIT CONDOMINIUM PROJECT AT 1069 7TH STREET, 1048 8TH STREET, 1075 7TH STREET AND 1052 8TH STREET. Memorandum from Community Development Director Sol Blumenfeld dated July 1, 1997.
Action: To approve the staff recommendation to adopt Resolution No 97-5871, entitled, "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, GRANTING APPROVAL OF FINAL PARCEL MAP #24521 FOR A FOUR-UNIT CONDOMINIUM PROJECT LOCATED AT 1069 7TH STREET & 1048 8TH STREET, AND 1075 7TH STREET & 1052 8TH STREET, HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA."
(h) RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING FINAL PARCEL MAP #24603 FOR A 2-UNIT CONDOMINIUM PROJECT AT 603 30TH STREET. Memorandum from Community Development Director Sol Blumenfeld dated July 1, 1997.
Action: To approve the staff recommendation to adopt Resolution No 97-5872, entitled, "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, GRANTING APPROVAL OF FINAL PARCEL MAP #24603 FOR A TWO-UNIT CONDOMINIUM PROJECT LOCATED AT 603 THIRTIETH STREET, HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA."
(i) RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING FINAL PARCEL MAP #24632 FOR A 2-UNIT CONDOMINIUM PROJECT AT 928 17TH STREET. Memorandum from Community Development Director Sol Blumenfeld dated July 1, 1997.
Action: To approve the staff recommendation to adopt Resolution No 97-5873, entitled, "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, GRANTING APPROVAL OF FINAL PARCEL MAP #24632 FOR A TWO-UNIT CONDOMINIUM PROJECT LOCATED AT 928 SEVENTEENTH STREET, HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA."
(j) RECOMMENDATION FOR AWARD OF CHANGE TO EXISTING CONTRACT FOR THE SEWER SYSTEM AT THE VICINITY OF 24TH STREET AND MANHATTAN AVENUE. Memorandum from Public Works Director Amy Amirani dated July 1, 1997.
Action: To approve the staff recommendation to:
for a total expenditure not to exceed $102,500 for the
emergency sewer repairs.
Items 1(e) was heard at this time but is shown in order for clarity.
Public comments on items removed from the consent calendar are shown under the appropriate item.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
4. LOWER PIER AVENUE - INVESTIGATION OF STREET CLOSURE. Memorandum from Public Works Director Amy Amirani dated July 2, 1997. Supplemental letter from Leanne and Andrew Clifton, 525 - 24th Street, in support of a pedestrian plaza.
Councilmember Bowler declared a potential conflict of interest due to being in negotiations for business property on lower Pier Avenue and left the dais and the room at 7:30 P.M.
Public Works Director Amirani presented the staff report and responded to Council questions. City Manager Burrell also responded to council questions.
The public hearing opened at 7:34 P.M. Coming forward to address the Council on this item were: Quentin Thelan - 11 Pier Avenue, said that he has had the property for 44 years and originally there had been three entrances to his parking lot, now there was only one; said this presented a hardship for his long-time customers and asked that Pier Avenue remain open to vehicular traffic; Dallas Yost - 65 Pier Avenue, said that the retail merchants on lower Pier Avenue were dying due to the street closure to traffic and parking; said that people could not get down to the area and asked that the area be left open to vehicular traffic; spoke of the parking revenue being lost to the City; Rick Hankus - 157 Pier Avenue, spoke in support of a pedestrian plaza; said that the area now has a great atmosphere, that people stay in the downtown and seem to enjoy mingling, and that no business has closed; urged the Council not to reopen Pier Avenue to vehicles; Julian Katz - 1125 Ninth Street, spoke in support of a pedestrian plaza; said that without cars the area has the opportunity to be a pleasant focal point for the City; asked the Council to take a long range view of what the area could become; Nancy Holbrook - 936 Hermosa Avenue, #103, spoke in support of a pedestrian plaza; said that she was a downtowner and wanted the street to be closed to traffic; said that Hermosa was coming alive again; said the pedestrian plaza could be a marketing trade mark for the City; Bill Goldblum - Brewski's, spoke in support of a pedestrian plaza; said the downtown plaza has made Hermosa unique; urged the Council to keep it closed to traffic and make it a wonderful place to meet and dine; Abel Ybarra - 709 First Place, spoke in support of a pedestrian plaza; said that the City has come back with the closing of Pier Avenue; suggested that the alley between the Bijou and Pier could be the loading zone for the businesses; Nancy McCutchen - 1309 Loma Drive, spoke in support of a pedestrian plaza; said that closing the street to vehicles would be perfect, very European; Russell Anderson - 1818 The Strand, spoke in support of a pedestrian plaza; said that this was the best thing to happen in Hermosa for a long time; Jim Dewey - 711 Manhattan Avenue, spoke in support of a pedestrian plaza; said that a mix of cars and pedestrians would be a risk to the City; but if it were opened to cars in the winter months it should be free parking for one hour maximum so that parking meters did not have to be installed; questioned allowing bicycles, skateboards and rollerbladers; questioned if it was illegal to deface the street; Pete Tucker - 235 - 34th Street, said that if the area was closed to vehicles then the Council should address the problem of skateboarders and make the area pedestrian only; John Hales - 624 Eighth Place, said that he would like it to be 100 percent pedestrian but if cars were allowed it should be for one hour maximum and only during the week-days; said the City could then consider closing the area to traffic and parking after the parking structure is completed; Carolyn Barbre - 1233 Hermosa Avenue, spoke in support of a pedestrian plaza; said that opening the area to traffic would set a precedent; said that 13th could be turned into a one-way alley; asked where the fountain would be placed; Sam Perrotti - 1506 Golden, spoke in support of a pedestrian plaza; urged the Council to keep the red lights on the Strand; said the stainless steel was already tarnishing and everyone was asking when the benches would be replaced as no one liked them; Harold Shumacher - Hermosa Cyclery, asked that lower Pier Avenue be open for traffic and parking except for special events; asked that skateboards be banned; Jerry Compton - Hermosa Beach, said that the R/UDAT recommendation had been to leave the street open to one-way traffic as traditional access should not be changed unless necessary; said that he liked the flexibility of the design and asked the Council to go with the recommendation of the experts; Missy Sheldon - 1800 The Strand, spoke in support of a pedestrian plaza; said that everyone she talked with loved the idea of a pedestrian plaza but if the Council allowed cars it should be until 5:00 P.M. only and not on week-ends; and, Pat Corwin - spoke in support of a pedestrian plaza; congratulated the Council; said that it looked very nice; said that auto fumes were not conducive to dining; asked that the street remain closed to vehicles.
The public hearing closed at 8:20 P.M.
Proposed Action: To approve alternative 3, for street closure to vehicular traffic at specified times. Motion Mayor Reviczky. The motion died due to the lack of a second.
Action: To maintain the area as a pedestrian plaza on an experimental basis until February, 1998, and then review the issue of vehicle access. Motion Edgerton, second Oakes. The motion carried by a unanimous vote, noting the absence of Bowler.
Councilmember Oakes requested that the stainless parking strips be placed in the street as a design element.
The meeting recessed at the hour of 8:28 P.M. The meeting reconvened at the hour of 8:55 P.M. and Councilmember Bowler returned to the dais.
5. APPEAL SIGN VARIANCE 97-1 FOR VASEK POLAK, INC. - BMW . Memorandum from Community Development Director Sol Blumenfeld. Supplemental letter in opposition from Alana Lagerhausen dated July 8, 1997.
Community Development Director Blumenfeld presented the staff report and responded to Council questions. City Manager Burrell also responded to Council questions.
The public hearing opened at 9:02 P.M. Coming forward to address the Council on this item was: Fritz Hitchcock - Vasek Polak General Manager, spoke to the request for a variance saying that one sign would be only four feet higher (present height is 18', new height to be 22') and the other would be 14' lower (present height is 25', new height to be 11'); said the present signs are both non-conforming.
The public hearing closed at 9:10 P.M.
Action: To overturn the decision of the Planning Commission, grant the sign variance and adopt Resolution No. 97-8574, entitled, "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A SIGN VARIANCE FOR ONE MONUMENT SIGN 22 FEET IN HEIGHT LOCATED IN A PLANTER ADJACENT TO THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY AT 2901 & 3001 PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY, VASEK POLAK BMW." Motion Benz, second Edgerton. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
At the hour of 9:15 P.M. the order of the agenda was returned to item 3 to hear item 1(e).
11. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS AND REPORTS - CITY MANAGER
City Manager Burrell gave two oral reports:
a. VACANCIES - BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. EXPIRATION OF TERMS - PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES ADVISORY COMMISSION. Memorandum from City Clerk Elaine Doerfling dated July 2, 1997. Supplemental memorandum from City Clerk Elaine Doerfling dated July 7, 1997
City Clerk Doerfling presented the staff report and responded to Council questions.
Action: To continue to accept applications until Wednesday, August 6, 1997 and to schedule a meeting prior to the regular meeting of August 12, 1997, at the hour of 6:00 P.M., to interview the four current applicants and any others that might apply for the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission, with the appointments to be made later that evening at the regular meeting. Motion Mayor Reviczky, second Benz. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
13. OTHER MATTERS - CITY COUNCIL
Requests from Councilmembers for possible future agenda items:
a. Request from Councilmember Benz to give police officers the option to wear either blues or shorts.
Councilmember Benz spoke to his request.
Police Chief Val Straser responded to Council questions and said that he would bring the matter up with the Police Officer's Association.
Proposed Action: To approach the Police Association to give them a choice. Motion Benz. The motion was withdrawn by the maker. There was no further action taken on this item.
CITIZEN COMMENTS
No one came forward to address the Council at this time.
ANNOUNCEMENT IN OPEN SESSION OF ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION AS FOLLOWS:
1. Existing Litigation: Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(a):
Name of Case: Stern v. City of Hermosa Beach Case Number: YC028739
2. Initiation of Litigation: Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(c).
Number of Potential Cases: 2
3. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR Government Code Section 54957.6
City Negotiator: Stephen Burrell
Employee Organizations:
ADJOURNMENT - The Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Hermosa Beach adjourned on Tuesday, July 8, 1997, at the hour of 9:30 P.M. to a Closed Session.
CLOSED SESSION - The Closed Session convened at the hour of 9:40 P.M. At the hour of 10:25 P.M. the Closed Session adjourned to the Regular Meeting.
ORAL ANNOUNCEMENTS - There were no decisions made requiring a public announcement.
ADJOURNMENT - The Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Hermosa Beach adjourned in the memory of long-time resident Betty Benoit on Tuesday, July 8, 1997, at the hour of 10:25 P.M. to the Adjourned Regular Meeting of Tuesday, July 22, 1997, at the hour of 7:10 P.M.
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