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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/03/1976CITY COI!"CIL 4. TORN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS 26379 Fremont Road Los Altos Hills, California MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, March 3, 1976 cc: Reel 85, Side 1, Tr. 1 - 001-752 Hayor Stanley Grabowski called the Regular Meeting of the City Council to order at 7:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers: A. ROLL CALL: Present: Councilmen Cheney, Helgesson, McReynolds, Mayor Grabowski Absent: Councilwoman Miller Staff: EnginManger eeraAlexRRus ell,.oCommissionerAttorney PerkinsFrank forGCity mmission, Deputy City Clerk Norma Hislop Press: Mone iayor Grabowski noted that there would be some Council changes as a result of the General Municipal Election of March 2nd. He stated that Councilman Helgesson t would be leavine his Council seat after many years of service to the Town, and 4r requested that Mayor Pro Tem Helgesson take over the Chair for this meeting. IforohisPro gracm graciouon sness viewoftheoMayor'sthe shortlyisteppingkdon fMayor rom that office. B. CONSENT CALENDAR: At the request of Mrs. Irma Goldsmith, Chairman of the Traffic & Public Safetv Committee, the Minutes of February 4th and February 18th were removed from the Consent Calendar for separate consideration. At the request of Mayor Grabowski, Item 3 was removed from the Consent Calendar. IIDT104 SECONDED AND CARRIED: Mayor Grabowski moved, seconded by Councilman Cheney and unanimously carried to approve the remaining items on the Consent Calendar, specifically: 1. Approval of Minutes: January 26, 1976 (Regular Meeting,as amended). 2. Approval of Harrants: $12,198.11 ITEMIS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION: 1. Anoroval of Minutes: February 4th: Mrs. Coldsmith requested a clarification of the Minutes on page 8, Item 4, under the Award of the Traffic Safety Contract. She asked that the Minutes CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - March 3, 1976 ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR FOR SEPARATE CO"!SIDERATION: reflct that ed by the firmeof TJKM berconsidered for Coittee eits hworth at ebefore work rCouncil made ecently latdecision. Approval of Minutes: February 13, 1976 (Regular Meeting) Deputy City Clerk Norma Hislop requested correction of a clerical error on page 4, Item D, Staff Reports, changing the word "indicting" in the first and last lines to "including." Mrs. Irma Goldsmith, Chairman of the Traffic & Public Safety Committee, re- quested an addition to page 2, Item "C", last sentence in the first paragraph, as follows: "Mrs. Goldsmith also noted that, as a result of the traffic safety grant, the Town had been able to purchase radar equipment which was now being used successfully by the Sheriff's Department in controlling speed within the Town's boundaries, and two computer traffic counters." firs. Goldsmith also called Council's attention to page 7 of the Minutes, Item F 2 referring to a letter from firs. Jean Struthers. Mrs. Goldsmith stated that she had not stayed for this portion of the meeting, and had not been aware of any meeting referred to in the letter to which her Committee had been invited. [LDeputy City Clerk Norma Hislop stated that Councilwoman Miller's remarks had pertained to a letter she had received from Mrs. Struthers personally. Council consensus was to delete the second sentence entirely from the Minutes and so directed the Deputy Clerk. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Mayor Grabowski moved, seconded by Councilman Cheney to approve the Minutes of February 4th and February 13th as corrected above. [lotion carried unanimously with Councilman McReynolds abstaining from the approval of the February 4th Minutes. 3. Resolutions for Adoption: Reso. 0 ormalizing the procedure for re- imbursement of certain expenses to Councilmen. Mayor Grabowski thought that with three new members of Council coming on board, they should be given the opportunity of addressing this issue, and G moved this the xt Regular ting of 17th. Council - C. SPECIAL REPORTS: 1. Reports of Standing Committees: None 2. Reports of Ad Hoc Committees: Pone 3. Report of Transportation & Safety Committee, Los Altos School District - Mrs. 11. Balkenhol: Mrs. Mary Ann Balkenhol, Chairman of the Transportation and Safety Committee of the Los Altos School District, reoorted to Council on the -2- CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - March 3, 197G SPECIAL REPORTS (Cont'd): progress to date of the Committee, stating that it had been formed as a result of parent concern after notification at the beginning of this school year that bus service would no longer be provided for children within the District. Mrs. Balkenhol stated that the Committee would like to find long- term solutions to the problems of safety for the school children. Mrs. Balkenhol noted that the Committee had prepared a questionaire for school children in grades 4-6 which should be completed in April, asking for their comments on problems they were encountering on bikes, or along paths. This would include chuck holes in roads, over -grown paths, dogs, etc., which the Committee could use to pinpoint problem areas and then attempt to solve them. She also noted that the Committee would work toward bicycle safety in the schools, and they were looking at public bus routes with the County in an effort to determine how public busses could be utilized. She stated that her Committee would like to work with the Town, since the Staff might have better ideas of handling some of the problems than the Committee. She requested direction from Council as to how the Committee could best work with the Town. After questions relating to the Committee and their efforts to date by Council Members, Councilman McReynolds thought the charges of the Committee e were parallel to those of the Town's Traffic & Public Safety Committee. v Mayor Grabowski suggested it might be in order for Council to assign three members of the School District's Committee to the Traffic & Public Safety Committee as Advisors who could work together toward the safety of school children. He suggested the possibility of Staff's negotiating with bus companies and charging the parents of children who rode the bus chartered for the purpose of bussing children to school. ,After further discussion, Council concensus was to name three members of the School District's Committee as .Advisors to the Traffic & Public Safety Committee, and Mayor Pro Tem Helgesson requested that City Manager Robert Crowe advise each Committee of the meeting dates, and the names of the Committee Members. Mrs. Balkenhol said she would confirm the names of her Committee's members and inform Mr. Crowe. Mrs. Goldsmith, Chairman, Traffic and Public Safety Committee, stated that she and her Committee would enjoy working with the School District, as they had with others. 4. Presentations from the Floor: a) Dr. Harold Schick, Heston Road: Addressing his comments to Mayor Grabowski, Dr. Schick, cited the efforts of the Mayor on behalf of the Town during his term of office, among which were included the questioning of assessment practices of the County Assessor's office as they related to the Town, and efforts to relieve the burden of financing environmental services to Foothill College through appropriate legislation. Dr. Schick presented the Mayor with a silver tray as a token of esteem from some of his friends. -3- CITY COUNCIL HINUTES - March 3, 197( PRESENTATIONS FROM THE FLOOR (Cont'd): Mayor Grabowski accepted the gift, commenting that, in most cases, a Council- man's job was a thankless one, with the exception of occassions like this. Fie thanked Dr. Schick and everyone concerned for their kindness. b) Mr. Mike Schoendorf, President, Los Altos Hills Homeowner's Association: Also addressing Mayor Grabowski, Mr. Schoendorf said that the Association was serving cake and coffee in the Committee Room in appreciation for the Mayor's efforts. Council declared a short recess at 8:15 and returned to the Chamber at 8:35. Presentations from the Floor (Cont'd): c) Mrs. J. Carico, O'Keefe Lane: Asked whether someone from the Town would be at the Board of Supervisor's meeting concerning the request of Mr. Ray Rossi to have the designation of a historical point of interest removed from his property. Hr. Crowe reported that a letter had been sent from the Mayor to the Board of Supervisor's stating that the site was within theTown's boundaries, and any action on such land was in the purview of the City Council. Mr. Crowe also stated that he planned to attend the meeting when this matter would be discussed. Mrs. Florence Fava, Town Historian, felt this 1339 landmark was a very important one for the Town. and she could not understand how Sacramento or Santa Clara County could act on this matter unless the Town acted first. She said that in the future when a historical site was designated, she, would like to have the designation co-signed by a Staff member. She stressed that this site was not her site, but the Town's, and it was up to Council to take whatever action it wished with regard to the site. D. STAFF REPORTS CORRESPONDENCE & ANNO'JNCU ENTS: 1. City Manager: Report on status of violation of Municipal Code re fence height: Mr. Crowe reported on the status of a violation to the Municipal Code re- garding fence height limitation. He gave the background of the matter, and noted that the City Attorney had also written a letter requesting compliance, no response having been received to date. Mayor Grabowski commented that this matter had been a long -continuing one. fie felt that the law must be enforced when such violations came to the attention of Council. He said if Council did nothing, the laws of the Town would not be enforceable. The Mayor stated that the laws had been drawn to * protect all citizens of the Town, and it was the duty of the Council to en- �r forse them. Because there was no initial step on the part of the party in violation, either to correct the height or to apply for a variance, the Mayor thought steps should be taken to enforce compliance. -4- CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - March 1, 1976 4w STAFF REPORTS (Cont'd): Councilman Cheney stated that when due process had been accorded and a violation to the Code did not cease, he agreed with flayor Grabowski that Council must uphold the Town's ordinances. In response to Councilman McReynolds, Mr. Crowe stated that the fence in question was a chain link fence around a paddle tennis court. Mayor Grabowski also noted that a neighbor in the vicinity had to go through the variance process and pay the necessary fees. To allow a violation to continue to exist, he felt, could be interpreted as an act of discrimination if Council did not enforce the law equitably. Mayor Grabowski moved, seconded by Councilman Cheney to direct the City Attorney to commence litigation proceedings to abate the subject Public nuisance. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote. E. SPECIAL ORDERS: 1. Ordinance for Introduction (First Reading) - Ord. #_ amending LAH Municipal Code to provide for Public Facilities Zone. t Mayor continueGrabowski this�item tothefirst Counciled by �meetingeinaunanimously carried Apriand 2. Renewal of Agreement for Security Patrol Services: Mr. Crowe noted that the renewal of Agreement for Security Patrol Services was for Penfold & Associates services, and through error, had not come before Council in June. Mayor Grabowski moved, seconded by Councilman Cheney and unanimously carried by roll call vote to adopt Resolution #939 approving and authorizing execution of Agreement between Town and Penfold & Associates for security services. 3. Request for relief from certain check list conditions, LANDS OF COOLEY, File #111396-72, J. Riley, Engineer: fir. Crowe directed Council to the Memo from the City Engineer concerning the requests made by the applicant through his Engineer, fir. Riley, suggesting that the question of ingress and egress be referred back to the Planning Commission. The other requests contained in Mr. Riley's letter, were matters which Council must rule on. Flr. John Riley, Engineer for the applicant, addressed Council on the first request, that of determining a fair amount for the improvement of Edgerton Road to he distributed between Lands of Middleton and Lands of Cooley. After discussion between City Engineer, Mr. Riley and Council Members con- cerning benefits to be received by each of the property owners, Councilman seconded Councilman McReynolds LANDS � DLETON Cheney moved, Edg one -eleventh of of imprviingertoto nRoadsaroadin- _:_ CITY COU"ICIL MINUTES - March 3, 1976 LANDS OF COOLEY (Cont'd): lieu fee., and LANDS OF COOLEY ten elevenths (10/11ths)of the costs of im- proving Edgerton Road as a road in -lieu fee. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: AYE: Councilmen Cheney, Helgesson, McReynolds, Mayor Grabowski NO: None ABSENT: Councilwoman Miller ABSTAIN: None The second request of the applicant concerned Item 2 (b) in the approved list of conditions relative to an emergency access easement. Fir. Riley informed Council that an agreement had been reached between the applicant and Mr. Herman Spector on the joint use of Ursula Lane. Councilman McReynolds moved, seconded by Councilman Cheney to alleviate Check List Condition 2 (b) with the provision that a final aareement is executed between applicant and Mr. Spector for emergency access through Ursula Lane. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote. Regar no Ite. of Hr. RiTTT���y's letfac nertaininNto ingr s and a ess o Lots 1, 2 and sway of th$ emergency access easlkment> it as rthe it concensu to refe this matte to the anning Corm sion fo further stu Mr. Crowe noted that the request for modification of the pathway conditions had been forwarded to the Pathway Committee for recommendation, and these were contained in the Committee's Minutes of February 23rd. Councilman Cheney moved, seconded by Councilman McReynolds and unanimously carried by roll call vote to accept the Pathway Committee's recommendations for LANDS OF COOLEY as defined in the Minutes of February 23rd as modifications to the pathway requirements on the approved Checl, List conditions. Discussion ensued between Council Members, Mr. Robert Stutz, vice -Chairman of the Pathway Committee, and Mr. Riley regardinq an easement within the scenic easement. Councilman McReynolds objected to such an easement on the basis of the future property owner's right to privacy. ?iayor Grabowski moved, seconded by Councilman Cheney that the Town reserve an easement within the scenic easement on the western boundary of the LANDS OF COOLEY for possible future pathway. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: AYE: Councilmen Cheney, Helgesson, Mayor Grabowski NO: Councilman McReynolds ABSENT: Councilwoman Miller ABSTAIN: None The final request, referring to Item #0 of the approved check list, was for relief from the parks in -lieu fee on the basis that three to four acres of the subject property had been dedicated as a scenic easement, which the applicant felt satisfied the parks requirement. -6- Deputy Clerk ^loma Hislop requested that Council amend the Minutes on page 6, pertaining to LARDS OF COOLEY with reference to Iters 3 of the applicant's engineer's letter, stating that the paragraph should read that Mr. Riley had withdrawn this request for consideration. IW CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - March 3, 1976 4W LANDS OF COOLEY (Cont'd): Upon questioning by Council, Mr. Alex Russell and Commissioner Perkins both stated that they had never known of a case where a scenic easement had been considered as an exchange for a park in -lieu fee. After discussion, Mayor Grabowski moved, seconded by Councilman Cheney to deny the applicant's request for the deletion of parks in -lieu fee from the approved Check List conditions. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote. 4. Request for extension of time to file Final Map, LANDS OF MORGAN, File #2013-74, J. Riley, Engineer: Mr. Crowe noted a request for a time extension had been received from Mr. Morgan, applicant. The Mem from the Town Planner advised that such a request was permissible under the State Map Act, if Council so agreed. Mayor Grabowski moved, seconded by Councilman McReynolds to grant an extension of one (1) year to file a Final Map, LANDS OF MORGAN, File #2013-74. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: AYE: Councilmen Cheney, Helgesson, McReynolds, Mayor Grabowski NO: None ABSENT: Councilwoman Miller E ABSTAIN: None G. NEN BUSINESS: Mayor Pro Tem Helgesson informed Council that he had voted according to Council's wishes relative to the proposed new water rates of the Santa Clara Valley t1ater District. He stated that twelve (12) members had voted for the new rates; four (4) members abstained; and the Chairman of the Commission (himself) was forced to vote "No." Vi H. ADJOUR@`!ENT: Council adjourned at 10:03 P.M. to an Adjourned Meeting on March 9, 1976 at 7:30 P.M. to canvass the vote of the March 2nd General Municipal Election. Respectfully submitted, Norma J. Hislop Deputy City Clerk -7-