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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/18/2010 • Town of Los Altos Hills City Council Special Meeting Minutes Thursday, February 18, 2010 Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road CALL TO ORDER,ROLL CALL Mayor Warshawsky called the City Council Special Meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Town Hall. Present: Mayor Dean Warshawsky, Mayor Pro Tem Breene Kerr, Councilmember Rich Larsen (joined meeting at 6:45 p.m. participated in consideration of all agenda items), Councilmember Jean Mordo and Councilmember Ginger Summit- Absent: None Staff: City Manager Carl Cahill, Planning Director Debbie Pedro, Assistant Planner Nicole Horvitz, City Engineer/Public Works Director Richard Chiu, Finance Director Nick Pegueros, Parks and Recreation Intern Sarah Gualtieri, City Attorney Steve Mattas, and City Clerk Karen Jost • Council adjourned to Closed Session at 6:33 p.m. CLOSED SESSION CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR(S) (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6) Agency Designated Representative: Mayor/City Attorney Unrepresented Employee: City Manager CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL: ANTICIPATED LITIGATION (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(b) Significant Exposure to Litigation—One Case PUBLIC SESSION Council reconvened to Open Session at 7:05 p.m. There was no reportable action taken in Closed Session. PRESENTATION OF COLORS BY SCOUT TROOP 33, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Members of Boy Scout Troop 33 presented the flag and led the City Council and • audience members in the pledge of allegiance. APPOINTMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS 1. Presentation of Proclamation Recognizing the Boy Scouts of America on their 100th Anniversary Mayor Warshawsky presented a proclamation recognizing the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Boy Scouts of American to members of Scout Troop 33 and Assistant Scout Master Robin Joy. Councilmember Larsen congratulated the scouts on their anniversary and encouraged them to continue with the scouting program noting the many valuable life lessons were realized through scouting. Councilmember Larsen and his sons had achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. 2. Appointments to Standing Committees: Environmental Initiatives Committee MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Kerr, seconded by Mordo and passed unanimously to appoint Andrew Colman to the Standing Environmental Initiatives Committee for a term of four years. Finance and Investment Committee MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Mordo, seconded by Larsen and passed unanimously to appoint Bill Silver to the Standing Finance and Investment Committee for a term of four years. • LA/LAHJoint Community Volunteer Service Awards Committee MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Larsen, seconded by Summit and passed unanimously to appoint Rebecca Hickman to the LA/LAH Joint Community Volunteer Service Awards Committee for a term of one year. Ms. Hickman is completing the term of Councilmember Ginger Summit that will expire in March 2011. Open Space Committee MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Mordo, seconded by Summit and passed unanimously to appoint Sharen Schoendorf to the Standing Open Space Committee for a term of four years. CONSENT CALENDAR Items Removed for Separate Consideration: Agenda Items 11 and 12 (Councilmember Larsen) MOTIONED SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Mordo, seconded by Kerr and passed unanimously to approve the remainder of the consent calendar, specifically: 3. Approval of Meeting Minutes: City Council Regular Meeting—January 14, 2010 4. Review of Disbursements: 1/1/10— 1/31/10 $768,365.02 5. Adoption of Ordinance 517 amending Section 10-1.507 c&d of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code to Prohibit the Use of Points, Spikes, and/or Sharpened Edges on • New Fences, Walls, and/or Gates (Section 10-1.507 c&d of the Zoning Code) 2 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 (SECOND READING) CEQA REVIEW: Categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Staff. D. Pedro) • Motion to Waive Further Reading Motion to Adopt the Ordinance 6. Adoption of Amendment to Title II, Chapter 1 of the Municipal Code to Update the Date of the Regular Meetings of the Council (Section 2-1.101) Ordinance 518 (SECOND READING) (Staff. K. Jost) Motion to Waive Further Reading Motion to Adopt the Ordinance 7. Approval of Final Map; Lands of Homa Natoma, LLC. 27270 Natoma Road, (File#218-08-IS-ND-TM-GD) (Staff: R. Chiu) Resolution No. 4-10 8A. Acceptance of Grant of Pathway Easement; Lands of Sissu, L.P. 11990 Page Mill Road (Staff: R. Chiu) Resolution No. 5-10 8B Acceptance of Grant of Open Space Easement; Lands of Sissu, 11990 Page Mill Road (File#132-06-IS-ND-TM-GD) (Staff: D. Pedro) Resolution No. 6-10 9. Approval of Sponsorship—Foothill College Water Wise Landscaping Conference 10A Acceptance of Grant of Pathway Easement; Lands of Koong, 26390 Ravensbury Avenue (Staff. R. Chiu) Resolution No. 7-10 10B. Acceptance of Dedication of Right-of-Way; Lands of Koong, 26390 Ravensbury Avenue (Staff. R. Chiu)Resolution No. 8-10 • 13. Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Project (SVRIP) and. Letter of Intent to Decline Direct Participation in the SVRIP Joint Powers Authority at This Time (Staff: S. Garcia) 14. Notification of Fast Track Approval: Lands of Pedersen, 25750 Josefa Lane; File # 189-09-ZP-SD-GD; A request for a Site Development Permit for a 1,496 square foot two story addition (Maximum Height 27') CEQA Review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15303 (a) (Staff: D. Pedro) Items Removed: 11. Approval of Summer Riding Camp User Fees (Staff.N. Pegueros) Councilmember Larsen requested clarification on the item. He questioned the proposed reduction in user fees for the Summer Riding Camps and the fee comparison of comparable programs. It was noted that the riding program at Fremont Hills Country Club was open to the public. Finance Director Nick Pegueros explained that the request had been initiated by the Parks and Recreation Committee. The pricing schedule was targeted to break even with 8 students per class. The goal is to potentially fill the class with the maximum number of students (12) and potentially add classes. A profit would be realized with any student • number above 8. 3 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 Council discussion ensued. Mayor Pro Tem Kerr requested that the Committee return in the future with a proposal for membership fees for Westwind Community Barn. There was a concurrence that the market comparison was appropriate and the requested reduction in user fees was minimal and could potentially increase participation in the riding programs. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Mordo, seconded by Summit and passed by the following voice vote to adopt the revised user fees for the Summer Riding Camps. AYES: Mayor Warshawsky,Mayor Pro Tem Kerr, Councilmember Mordo and Councilmember Summit NOES: Councilmember Larsen ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None 12. Approval of Amendment to the Town of Los Altos Hills Personnel Rules and Regulations (Staff.N. Pegueros) Councilmember Larsen requested clarification of the item. Larsen explained that with the current economy, he questioned the need to increase the overtime pay for call-out from one and a half to double the regular hourly rate. He noted that there were very few emergencies that warranted the maintenance crew being called in to work after hours. • City Engineer Richard Chiu explained that in-house labor was less costly than calling in contract labor for after hour emergencies that often included a charge by the contractor for use of their equipment. Chiu added that the Town's crew had a better familiarity with the Town's streets and had ready access to the Town's equipment. MOTION MADE AND WITHDRAWN: Moved by Larsen to maintain the current Call- Out Pay at one and a half regular hourly rate. Motion was withdrawn. City Manager Cahill explained that offering the incentive pay to the employee to respond after hours and on the weekends was far less than private sector costs. He offered to return to the City Council with the costs incurred after a one year trial of the new hourly rate. The City Engineer would be responsible for assessing when the after hours work was needed. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Mordo, seconded by Summit and passed unanimously to adopt the proposed amendment to the Personnel Rules and Regulations. Resolution No. 10-10 PRESENTATIONS FROM THE FLOOR Barbara Mordo, resident, requested Council consideration of scheduling for the next agenda, discussion of Council support for the proposed parcel tax for the local library. The Ballot Measure will be on the June ballot and voted on by Los Altos and Los Altos 4 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 Hills residents. Mordo explained that the proposed parcel tax was an extension of the current tax that supports the Town's local libraries. • Kathy Evans, La Loma Drive, voiced her support for additional funding for Parks and Recreation staffmg and programs. She suggested that the Council express their interest in scheduling a Hoedown or the event might be cancelled for the current year. PUBLIC HEARINGS 15. LANDS OF NASHASHIBI, 28008 Laura Court; Appeal of the Planning Commission's Decision to approve a Site Development Permit for a 6,313 square foot two story new residence with a 3,264 square foot basement(maximum height:30 feet) a 591 square foot bunker and a 648 square foot swimming pool. The proposal also includes the removal of one (1) heritage oak tree and a Grading Policy Exemption of up to 12 feet of cut and 6 feet of fill for the house, fire truck turnaround, driveway and parking area. CEQA Review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15303 (a)& (e) (Staff. D. Pedro) City Council Ex Parte Contacts Policy Disclosure: Mayor Pro Tem Kerr: Visited the site and met with the applicants and architect. Councilmember Larsen: Visited the site and met with the applicants and architect. Larsen noted that he had also reviewed all of the electronic correspondence he had received. • Mayor Warshawsky: Visited the site and met with the applicants and architect. Councilmember Summit: Visited the site and met with the applicants and architect. Councilmember Mordo: Visited the site and met with the applicants and architect. Planning Director Debbie Pedro introduced the item to Council. The subject property, an approximate two acre parcel with an average slope of 25%, is located on the south side of Laura Court. The site is currently vacant. The applicant is proposing to construct a new 6,313 square foot two story new residence with a 3,264 square foot basement, a 591 square foot bunker, a 648 square foot swimming pool, grading policy exceptions and the removal of a heritage oak tree. The Planning Commission, at their January 7, 2010 meeting, had reviewed and approved the site development application by a 3-2 vote with Commissioners Clow, Abraham and Harpootlian casting the yes votes and Commissioners Collins and Partridge casting the dissenting votes. The Commission had approved the project with three (3) additional conditions: 1) Preserve oak tree #6 located near the entrance of the property; 2) Preserve the existing trees along the east property line until construction was complete and the new landscape screening was installed to help mitigate views from neighboring properties; and 3) Exterior materials of the new residence shall comply with the Town's light reflectivity requirement. On January 11, 2010, the Planning Commission's decision had been appealed by Councilmember Mordo. Pedro proceeded with a PowerPoint presentation and reviewed specifics of the project with Council. Additional details of the project included: the increased setbacks for the 5 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 site to allow for an increase in height of the building structure up to thirty (30) feet; the proposed four (4)parking spaces including the two to be located in the bunker garage; the • required pathway.easement for the property that is currently shown on the master pathway map; the applicant's Grading Policy exceptions that would require a total cut for the house of twenty (20) feet at the highest point, including the basement; the proposed elevations of the new residence; and photos of the site with the story poles. Pedro noted that without the Grading Policy exception, portions of the basement would count as approximately 1,000 square feet of floor area and the proposed height of the house would exceed thirty(30) feet. Pedro exhibited several slides that illustrated previously approved projects with grading exceptions. Pedro advised Council that the applicant had submitted a packet of information subsequent to the agenda packet's preparation. The supplemental information had been provided to Council in their agenda packet as an attachment to the staff report. Recently submitted correspondence from neighbors was available to the Council on the dais. Councilmember Mordo outlined his concerns regarding the application and his reasons for appealing the Planning Commission's approval of the project. Mordo commented that he did not have an issue with the removal of the single oak tree or the height of the proposed building. His primary concern with the application was the extensive cut that was proposed for the project that was approximately 2.5 times the Town's Grading Policy. Mordo commented that rules remove subjectivity from the review process and provide direction to applicants. He believed it was important for the process to work, for there to be consistency in the determinations. Mordo added that with certain findings or hardships • to validate an exception to the Grading Policy, it would be appropriate to grant the exception. However, he did not believe that the applicant had provided findings that proved a hardship existed that would warrant granting the policy exception. OPENED PUBLIC HEARING Applicant's Representative: Chip Nilsen, project architect, addressed the City Council. He thanked the Councifinembers for visiting the site, offering that he was hopeful that it would help them understand the building constraints of the property. Nilsen proceeded with a PowerPoint presentation. The original non-conforming residence had been demolished for an earlier project that had been proposed for the site. He offered that the site constraints had guided the design of the new residence with an ultimate goal of providing access to the site structure and to protect the privacy of the inhabitants and neighbors. Nilsen shared several photos of the oak trees on the site and spoke of their efforts to save the trees. Nilsen reviewed the site plan with the new driveway alignment, fire truck turnaround, parking, landscaped areas and the proposed pathway. Additionally, his presentation included an aerial of the site and Quarry Lake; photos of the surrounding properties; and a three dimensional model of the proposed residence, retaining walls and elevations. • 6 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 The proposed project included a 3,800 gallon water retention system that would be installed underground on the north site of the property. Nilsen explained that by developing the site, the applicant was addressing the current drainage issues that had been problematic to the property and would mitigate many of the concerns expressed by the neighbors. The architect noted that the driveway would be constructed of permeable material and would also assist with correcting drainage issues. Nilsen commented that the soils/geotechnical report for the site had identified expansive clays and fill soil that had been deposited on the site. The geotechnical report had recommended removal of the fill approximately 15 feet down to the more stable soil for construction of the residence. The creek zone fill had also been identified as problematic. Additionally, the removal of the fill soil would be beneficial for the health of the oak trees on the site. Mayor Pro Tem Kerr requested clarification from staff on the soils report that the applicant's architect (Nilsen) had commented on during his presentation. City Engineer Richard Chiu noted that the report had been prepared in 1999 for the site. The applicant had submitted an update letter to the report from his soils engineer. However, based on the Town's geotechnical consultant's review of the project, additional borings and geotechnical investigation and further review had been recommended due to the change in the scope of the project from the earlier project for the site. The Nashashibi project included a basement and bunker. Chiu noted that it was too premature at this time with the limited soils review, to identify the architect's proposal of scraping the property as the only solution for the soil conditions. • Councilmember Mordo questioned the need for the 3,900 square feet of underground space. He noted that the majority of the cut was to accommodate this space. Nilsen offered that the space would primarily be used for a garage for the owners' cars and would result in less coverage on the site. In response from a question from Mayor Pro Tem Kerr, Nilsen offered that the applicant was committed to his home being energy efficient. The project had been designed to achieve LEED certification and he was hopeful they could obtain platinum status. Public Comments: John Vidovich, resident, stated that he was very familiar with the site and he supported the project. He had reviewed the plans and walked the site. Vidovich did not believe the house was too tall for the property and noted that the proposed grading would allow the height of the structure to be lower. Vidovich had developed the Quarry Lake properties and explained that the Quarry had been excessively graded and the natural grade was basically non-existent and as a result, the previous City Council had approved exceptions for the area. Vidovich suspected that the site was a fill area and if the basement design was not used, the likely scenario for the narrow constrained site would be to grade the fill out and compact the site. Vidovich offered that he had received approval for similar grading on a property next to the site and he did not believe the exception was a precedent for the particular(Quarry) area. 7 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 Yang Chiang Yuan, Laura Court, spoke to his experiences with the Town during the planning and construction phase of his new residence. His project had taken four years. • He was very impressed with the Town's consistency and rigor in enforcing the zoning requirements and guidelines. He was surprised with the Town's approval of the grading exception for the Nashashibi project. His primary concerns with the proposed project were.the impact on the neighbors' privacy and drainage issues. Devendra Kumar, Laura Court, immediate neighbor to the project, addressed Council. He expressed his concerns with the project. They included: the size of the residence; the appearance of a three story home; the height of the home; the amount of cut required for the project; the impact the home would have on their privacy; and, the alignment of the driveway that would make the headlights of cars very visible. He spoke on behalf of his neighbors (Lytle) that were not able to attend the hearing and hoped the Council would take into account the concerns they had identified in their correspondence. ,4pplicant's Representative: Terry Szewczyk, Applicant's Civil Engineer, addressed the Council. He submitted a set of documents that included photos; cross sections; and building elevations of previously approved projects with Grading Policy exceptions that he believed were comparable to their request. Additionally, Council had before them as an attachment of the staff report an exhibit that had been submitted by the applicant that outlined Findings for approval of the Grading Policy Exceptions. Szewczyk spoke to the concerns that had been expressed by neighbors during the public • comments. He suggested that the project would address the drainage issues and minimize run-off from the site. The drainage issues on the Lytle home would be alleviated by a berm located by their property. Landscaping would be used extensively to mitigate the privacy concerns of Mr. Kumar. Mayor Warshawsky noted that the applicant's presentation had indicated that they were amenable to addressing the drainage concerns that had been voiced by the neighbors. The outstanding issue was the extensive cut and fill required for the project. The area was situated in the Quarry and there was a feasibility of some flexibility, however, he was uncomfortable with setting a precedent for the overall 20' cut. Warshawsky asked if the applicant had considered any other approach to the design that would minimize the need for the Grading Exception that had been requested. Chip Nilsen, project architect, responded that the design had gone through numerous iterations with the client for approximately 6-8 months before submittal to the Town. The staff review and Planning Commission review was an additional 8-9 months. The design had been dictated by the difficult site that included a very steep slope and narrow lot. The driveway design addressed the fire truck turnaround requirement and was a resolution that best addressed neighbors' concerns for minimizing the impact of vehicle traffic and headlights. Additionally, the purpose of the grading was to remove the fill. Devendra Kumar, neighbor, shared several photos of the story poles for the project that illustrated what the views of the proposed home would be from his property. 8 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 John Vidovich, neighbor, commented that he understood the Council's dilemma given the presentation that had been made and the request for massive cutting. He offered that the • lot was exceedingly narrow and steep and cutting was the only solution to make the lot buildable. Cutting would reduce the height of the proposed home and remove the poor, unstable soil. CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING Council Discussion: Councilmember Summit commented on the staff s Findings of Denial for the Grading Policy exceptions for the new residence. She supported their determination and expressed her concern that the home had a three story fagade and was massive in appearance. Summit did not believe that the house design was appropriate for the location/lot. Councilmember Larsen expressed his concern that approval of the application would not be within the Town's standards and requirements. Councilmember Mordo concurred with the applicant's assessment that the lot was challenging. However, he did not agree that the necessity for the cut had been dictated by a plan to save the trees or the fire truck turnaround but was to accommodate the large basement, bunker and courtyard. Mordo suggested that a stepped down approach for the design would be better. He agreed that there should be some flexibility if the request was reasonable but he did not believe it was warranted for this application. • Mayor Pro Tem Kerr expressed his concern that approval of the project and grading exceptions would be facilitating a larger residence with a large carbon footprint than what should be built on the site. Mayor Warshawsky stated he appreciated the applicant's efforts to resolve the neighbor's concerns regarding drainage and screening. The primary concern was with the project's requirements for excessive cuts. He noted he was willing to be flexible and work towards a resolution. Council discussion ensued regarding their options for determination for the project. City Attorney Steve Mattas advised Council that an alternative approach would be for the City Council to offer the applicant the option to continue the project and to return with a project plan that addressed the Council's direction that had been identified during their discussions for the project to substantially conform to the Town's Grading Policy. He suggested that the applicant should acknowledge on the record if they were in agreement to the continuation prior to the Council making its final determination. Council provided some suggestions to the applicant if they were to concur with the continuance. They included the inclusion in the project of energy saving features, a reduction in the three story fagade and a reduction in the cut to substantially meet the Town's Grading Policy. Mordo noted that if the cut was required for a 3,000 basement, he most likely could not support approval of the project. • 9 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 Samer Nashashibi, applicant, speaking on behalf of his family, commented that the project had been his families dream. With respect to the Kumar's concerns regarding their • view of the prospective home, he noted that their residence was below their lot and they would be impacted by any home. Nashashibi added that they have offered to mitigate the view issue with landscaping. He suggested that the City Council consider the comments from Mr. Vidovich who was well versed with the site and conditions of Quarry properties and how difficult the lot was for building. Nasser Kadourhe expressed his concern that each of the Councilmembers had a differing opinion and it would be very difficult to comply with all of the concerns. He stated they had spent a great deal of money with the design and had complied with the Town's ordinances. Kadourhe questioned if everyone liked the design of the home, why were they asking for a redesign. Their main purpose in the cut was to save the trees on the property and reduce the image of a large home. He noted that their home would be a retreat that would host many family members for extended periods of time and the large home was necessitated by this cultural custom. Kadourhe hoped that the project could be completed for his uncle (owner). Councilmember Mordo explained that the key issue was the excessive cut and the fact that the project did not comply with the Town's Grading Policy. Nasser Kadourhe, applicant, agreed on the record to a continuation of the hearing of the application to revisit the plans and return to Council with a project that was substantially compliant with the Town's Grading Policy. • MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Mordo, seconded by Larsen and passed unanimously to continue the item off-calendar with the applicant's consent. COUNCIL RECESSED AT 9:00 PM COUNCIL RECONVENED TO OPEN SESSION AT 9:15 PM 16. LANDS OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Applicant: Verizon Wireless) 2350 Old Page Mill Road; A request for a Conditional Use Permit renewal and modification to an existing/previously approved wireless communications facility. The applicant is also requesting to replace four(4) existing flush mounted antennas with six (6) new pole mounted antennas in the same location. CEQA Review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15301 (a)(Staff. D. Pedro) Planning Director Debbie Pedro introduced the item to Council. The application before Council was for a Conditional Use Permit renewal and modifications for an existing previously approved wireless communications facility. The project applicant was Verizon Wireless. The monopole was constructed in 1998 and currently had antennas for five carriers. At the January 7, 2010 Planning Commission meeting, the Commission had unanimously • voted to recommend extending the CUP and modifications subject to the continued 10 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 compliance with the existing Conditions of Approval that had been included in the Council packet. • Pedro proceeded with a PowerPoint presentation that included: an aerial vicinity map of the property (Lands of Caltrans) located adjacent to Page Mill Road and 280 Freeway; a photo of the monopole and the location of the wireless carriers on the monopole; enlarged site plan; and,photos of the existing and proposed Verizon antennas. OPENED PUBLIC HEARING Verizon Wireless representative thanked the Council for reviewing the project and noted that she was available to answer any questions. CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING Council briefly discussed the project. There was a concurrence that the monopole should be painted green. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Mordo, seconded by Kerr and passed unanimously to approve the request for a Conditional Use Permit renewal and modifications subject to the Conditions of Approval that appeared as Attachment #1,in the staff report. UNFINISHED BUSINESS • 17. Town Goal • Hidden Villa Annexation Update (Verbal Report) (Staff. D. Pedro) Planning Director Debbie Pedro provided an update to the City Council on the annexation of Hidden Villa. She had met with the Hidden Villa task force on February 17, 2010 and was working closely with their Board on the language for the overlay district. The City Council was tentatively scheduled to review the pre-zoning/USA/General Plan amendment at their April 15, 2010 meeting (Public Hearing) with the adoption of the ordinance amendment and Council resolution scheduled for their May 20, 2010 meeting. The project would be reviewed by LAFCO at a hearing in August with a target completion date for the annexation in October. 18. Los Altos Hills Traffic Study — Captain Terrence Calderone, Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department Captain Terry Calderone, Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office addressed Council. In an on-going effort to improve public safety and with a high-level of commitment to serve the citizens of Los Altos Hills through proactive efforts, the Council had asked the Sheriffs Office to review traffic incidents in Town. Council had before them the report that had been prepared by Lt. Skip Shervington, Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office titled "Traffic Collision Data Analysis (Collision Data July 2008-October 2009)". • 11 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 Lt. Shervington thanked the City Council for the opportunity to review the report with them. He provided an overview of the statistical data used for the report and the process • they had used to analyze the data. During the 15 month period that was identified for the study, the deputies initiated 2,740 traffic enforcement contacts. There were 69 reported collisions that had resulted in 35 injuries and 2 deaths with no pedestrian related incidents. The collisions had occurred on 30 different streets with 43% of them occurring on just three roadways: Altamont, El Monte and Page Mill. These streets accounted for 42% of the injuries. The four main causes for the collisions were: speeding, failure to yield, drunk driving and driving left of center. There were eight different types of collisions and two of the eight types accounted for 51% of all collisions. Those two types were Bicycle vs. Object and Auto vs. Object. 61% of the collisions involved only one vehicle and single-vehicle collisions accounted for 65% of all injuries. Shervington noted that the report had been a cursory analysis of the data. The Sheriff's Office used the industry standard referred to the "three E's": Engineering, Enforcement and Education in considering recommendations to reduce the collision rates. Recommendations included: 1) working with the engineering department to review signage, roads, pavement markings; 2) consistency in citations and focused enforcement operations; and 3) educating the public through press releases and campaigns. Council thanked Lt. Shervington and Captain Calderone for the report. • OPENED PUBLIC COMMENT Jitze Couperus, resident, suggested that the report be highlighted in the Town Newsletter and be used as an educational tool. Kathy Evans, resident, spoke on behalf of the Los Altos Hills Horseman's Association (LAHHA). She requested signage "Slow for Horses" and the enforcement of speed limits when horses were present on the road or paths. Peter Evans, resident, suggested that the radar trailer be used more frequently in Town to slow traffic. He suggested that local bicyclist groups/organizations be advised through their networks of the Sheriff s findings and bicycle safety recommendations. CLOSED PUBLIC COMMENT Council discussion ensued. Council expressed their appreciation of the timely and thorough report. Councilmember Summit complimented Lt. Shevrington for the excellent report and added that it had exceeded her expectations. Captain Calderone commented that going forward the department would begin with the "three E's". They planned to revisit the newly collected data after the trial period to assess their progress and to gauge the changes in traffic behavior to determine if additional • traffic calming methods were warranted. He understood the Council's direction that a 12 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 gradual approach be instituted but to address the violators. He added that visibility of his deputies in Town was an important component in the program. • There was a Council concurrence that additional signage, particularly for bicyclists, was needed. A majority of the Council agreed to the Sheriff using motorcycle officers for the initial phase of the program to supplement the deputies. The program would include gradual enforcement to help educate the flagrant violators. It would be closely monitored. The installation of temporary speed "humps/bumps" could be reviewed in the future. It was noted that there were some issues with speed bumps including noise and fire district concerns. Staff was directed to make the report available to Town residents. It would be posted on the Town's website. NEW BUSINESS 19. Consideration of Santa Clara Valley Water District Trail and Open Space Grant Application and Resolution(Staff. R. Chiu) City Engineer Richard Chiu introduced the item to Council. The resolution before Council would approve submittal of applications to the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) for grant funds for the Trails and Open Space Grant Program under the Clean, Safe Creeks and Natural Flood Protection Program of 2000. The Town would be submitting two applications: 1) The Robleda Pathway; and 2) Bridges for the O'Keefe • Open Space. Chiu explained that the O'Keefe bridge construction included the replacement of an existing bridge. The new bridge would allow equipment access to the site for maintenance. Councilmember Summit reported that she had recently attended a SCVWD meeting. The criteria for the grants had been discussed and a high priority would be given to projects that impacted Adobe Creek. City Manager Cahill thanked Summit for bringing the grant program to staff and Council's attention. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Kerr, seconded by Mordo and passed unanimously to adopt Resolution No. 114 0 "Approving the Applicant to Apply for Grant Funds for the Trails and Open Space Grant Program Under the Clean, Safe Creeks and Natural Flood Protection Program of 2000". PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT 20. Notification of Planning Commission Approvals: A. LANDS OF ILNICKI: 27349 Julietta Lane (File #212-09-ZP-SD-GD); A Request for a Site Development Permit for a New Residence with a Basement and Grading.CEQA review-Categorical Exemption 15303(a) (Staff. N. Horvitz) • 13 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 B. LANDS OF GIORI: 26631 Taaffe Road (File#184-09-ZP-SD-GD); A Request for a Site Development Permit for New Residence and setback Variance for two ® uncovered parking spaces and eave encroachment. CEQA review-Categorical Exemption Section 15303(a) (Staff: N. Horvitz) Planning Director Debbie Pedro provided a brief overview of the two projects. Both had been unanimously approved by the Planning Commission. REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES, SUB-COMMITTEES, AND COUNCILMEMBERS ON OUTSIDE AGENCIES 21. Plan to Increase the Attendance of the Los Altos Hills Annual Pathways Run (Staff. E. Christensen) Parks and Recreation Intern Sarah Gualtieri introduced the item to Council. She provided a status report on the 9"' Annual Los Altos Hills Pathways Run scheduled for Saturday, May 8, 2010 at Westwind Community Barn. Last year's event drew 600 participants. After initial discussion of engaging in marketing efforts to increase the registration, it had been determined that this year's event would retain its' local, resident character and registration levels would be revisited after the 2010 Run. 22. Verbal Status Reports: • LAH Water Efficiency Ordinance Update, Request for Funding and Authorization • of Town-Wide Mailing for Public Hearings (Staff. D. Pedro) Planning Director Debbie Pedro distributed a draft public hearing postcard for Council's review. The draft Water Efficiency ordinance was tentatively scheduled for Council review at their May meeting. The town-wide mailing to advise residents of the ordinance review schedule was approved by consensus of the City Council. • Design Guidelines Ad Hoc Committee (Staff. D. Pedro) Planning Director Debbie Pedro introduced the item to Council. The Ad Hoc Design Guidelines Committee had been established by the City Council in May 2009 and had convened 5 meetings. Members included: Councilmembers Summit and Mordo; Planning Commissioners Clow and Harpootlian; and Architect Peter Duxbury and Shawn Owen, Owen Homes from the design community. Pedro proceeded with a PowerPoint presentation that included examples of the formatting of the guide's pages and a sample of the proposed design checklist. The Design Guidelines primary application would be as an educational tool for homeowners, architects and designers. The illustrated guide would reflect the Town's philosophy behind the General Plan and zoning ordinances. The Guideline would include updated regulatory information; provide information that would be consistent with the Town ordinances and policies; and include a Design Checklist to be used during the application review process. • 14 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 Pedro reviewed the draft Design Checklist with Council. The checklist would be used during all stages of the permit process. The 26 new residence projects that have been • approved between January 1, 2009 and February 15, 2010 were tested on the proposed worksheet. The proposal's criteria would direct any project over\a certain number of points (22-64) to the Planning Commission for review. Of the 26 new residence applications, 3 would have been forwarded to the Planning Commission. Pedro requested Council direction on the next steps for the Design Guidelines. Pedro noted that if the Council wished to move forward with the project, staff and the Ad Hoc Design Guidelines Committee was recommending that Guidelines be sent to the Standing Committees for comment and scheduled for review by the Planning Commission and City Council. Council discussed the timeline. There was a concurrence that there should be appropriate ro riate time allowed for Standing Committees to comment on the document but that the project should not be delayed. Following a brief discussion, the Guidelines were tentatively scheduled for a review by the Planning Commission in May and the City Council in June. Staff was authorized to send a town-wide notice of the review schedule to residents. • Senior Citizens Commission—Councilmember Summit Councilmember Summit reported that she and Parks and Recreation Committee Co-Chair Julia Zarcone have been meeting with representatives from the City of Los Altos to discuss the creation of a Senior Citizens Commission. Summit and Zarcone have been • developing a set of goals and a mission statement for the program. The expectation was to have the rationale for formation of the Commission to be considered by the Los Altos City Council on February 23, 2010 and scheduled for the Council's review at their March meeting. Councilmember Reports Councilmember Summit reported that March 20, 2010 had been designated as "Beautify Santa Clara County Day" by Santa Clara County Valley Water District. Cities are being encouraged to participate in a local program to make Santa Clara County beautiful. Summit shared an application for recognition by the Red Cross for emergency preparedness. Councilmember Larsen notified Council of a scheduled CERT Drill that will be held on May 26, 2010 at the Town Hall Emergency Operations Center(EOC). Mayor Pro Tem Kerr reminded the City Council and audience that the Grand Re-Opening of Westwind Barn was scheduled to be held on April 18, 2010 as part of the Town's Earth Day celebration. STAFF REPORTS City Manager City Attorney City Clerk 15 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 No reports were given. COUNCIL INITIATED ITEMS 23. Consideration of Town Participation in the Bay Area Climate Collaborative— Councilmember Larsen Councilmember Larsen introduced Peter Evans, Chair of the Standing Environmental Initiatives Committee. The request before Council was consideration of the Town's membership in the Bay Area Climate Collaborative. The Collaborative was an initiative of the Silicon Leadership Group and had been instituted to address the challenges of climate change with a partnership of both public and private sectors. Council had before them in their packet the Charter and Compact of the Collaborative. Evans advised Council that his Committee (EIC) had reviewed the goals of the Collaborative and supported, the Town's membership. He noted that there were numerous organizations that were focusing on environmental stewardship and it was important to weigh the economies of time in choosing which program was the best fit for the Town. Evans reviewed the 10 action areas that had been identified by the Collaborative. He noted that the Town had already adopted many of the measures and,the organization was a good fit with LAH environmental goals. Additionally, he believed that our residents had a stake in many of the issues and there was a practical application to our participation • in the Collaborative given our residents' history of being early "adopters" of many of the programs. Councilmember Larsen commented that the Town had an opportunity to be a member of the steering committee. He had been engaged to work with the Collaborative on their membership efforts. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Larsen, seconded by Kerr and passed unanimously to authorize the Mayor to sign the Bay Area Climate Collaborative Charter on behalf of the Town to join with other Bay Area Cities and become a member of BACC. 24. Consideration of Approval of Form Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) with the Amateur Radio Group Related to Operation of Town-Owned W6LAH Repeater, and, as Necessary, Appointment of Council Subcommittee and Amendment to the Standing Committee Resolution- Councilmember Larsen With the consensus of the City Council, the Agenda Item was withdrawn by Councilmember Larsen. It would return to Council at a future meeting. 16 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business,the meeting was adjourned by consensus of the City Council at 11:20 PM. Respectfully submitted, Karen Jost City Clerk The minutes of the February 18, 2010 special City Council meeting were approved as presented at the March 18, 2010 regular City Council meeting. • • 17 City Council Special Meeting Minutes February 18,2010