Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/15/1975CITY COUNCIL TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS 26379 Fremont Road Los Altos Hills, California MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING January 15, 1975 cc: Reel 73, Side 2, Tr. 1 - 1065 -End Side 1, Tr. 2 - 001 - EXECUTIVE SESSION: The Executive Session convened at 6:30 P.M. and adjourned at 7:50 P.M. This meeting was for the purpose of discussing 1) Litigation and 2) Personnel. The session was held in the Committee Room of Town Hall. REGULAR MEETING Mayor Stanley Grabowski called the Regular Meeting of the City Council to order at 8:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of Town Hall, 26379 Fremont Road: A. ROLL CALL: Present: Councilmen Cheney, Helgesson, McReynolds, Councilwoman Miller, Mayor Grabowski; Comm. ' ki - for Planning Commission. 1'O u N!s Frank Staff: City anger EngineeraAlex RRussell, obert o eputytCity tClerk Norma Hislop. Cy Press: Mr. Chuck Anderson, San Jose Mercury -News B. CONSENT CALENDAR: At the request of Staff, Item 3 i) was removed from the Consent Calendar since the agreement was not yet ready for approval. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilwoman Miller moved, seconded by Councilman Cheney and unanimously carried to adopt the remaining items on the Consent Calendar as follows, with Councilman McReynolds abstaining from Item 3 c): 1. Approval of Minutes: December 18, 1974 (Regular Meeting). 2. Approval of Harrants: $46,745.31. 3. Resolutions for Adoption: a) Reso. #850 ordering reduction on Assessment #316, S.A.D.#9. b) Reso. #851 accepting certain improvements, Altamont Heights, Tract #5266. ` CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - January 15, 1975 CONSENT CALENDAR (cont'd): c) Reso. #852 accepting certain Street & Roadways into the Street System of the Town of Los Altos Hills and accepting certain ways or easements shown on "Altamont Heights", Tract #5266. d) Reso. #853 approving & authorizing execution of lease of real property between Town and the Nature Conservancy. e) Reso. #854 authorizing bank deposits and signing of checks. f) Reso. #855 approving & authorizing execution of paying agency Agreement between Town and Bank of America (S.A.D. #10 bonds). D) Reso. #856 rescinding Reso. #873 reducing certain sewer Assessments, S.A.D. #9. h) Reso. #857 rescinding Reso. #831, a Resolution of Joint Agreement between Town and County of Santa Clara regarding Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. j) Reso. #858 approving and authorizing execution of Agreement for performance of services as City Attorney between Town and Frank Gillio. t C. SPECIAL REPORTS: �r 1. Presentations from the Floor: a) fir. Dan Alexander Elena Road: Re letter written by Board of Directors of Purissima Hi is Water District requesting a joint meeting between Council and Board. After discussion, Council set the date of January 29th at 7:00 P.M. to meet with the Board. The City Manager was directed to meet with the Manager of the Water District to prepare a format of areas of discussion to be covered at the Joint Meeting. Council agreed that the meeting would be open to the public. 2. Traffic Survey Report: Officer Gordon Penfold, Mrs. Irma Goldsmith, Chairwoman, Traffic & Public Safety Committee. Mrs. Goldsmith informed Council that the funds to cover the survey were to come through a grant from the State; however, to date the Town had not submitted an application for funds, and the deadline for such applications was January 20th. She also submitted a list of other grant monies available from the State that miqht be allowable to the Town in order to improve traffic safety. Council discussed various recommendations made by the Committee. Mr. Crowe briefed Council on hove the State awarded such grants. After further discussion by Council, Mr. Crowe was directeJ to request an extension of time for the filing of a grant application, and Councilwoman Miller was requested to work with the City Manager on this project. CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - January 15, 1975 SPECIAL REPORTS (cont'd): MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilwoman Miller moved, seconded by Mayor Grabowski and unanimously approved that the City Manager be directed to prepare preliminary applications for funds available in as many categories as possible for traffic and safety purposes to be submitted before January 20th, based on the Traffic and Public Safety Committee recommendations. Office Gordon Penfoid then presented Council with the results of the traffic survey to date, how the survey was accomplished, and his findings to date. He said the study was incomplete, pending the Town's application for grant funds to complete the survey. After questions directed to Officer Penfold by Council members concerning possible changes in the speed limit on various roads, the consensus of Council was that further studies should be done because of road conditions in some areas of the Town; the need for a sign inventory, and other related aspects of such a survey before any Council action was taken. D. STAFF REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE AND ANP40UNCEMENTS: None E. SPECIAL ORDERS: 1. Planning Services - Approval of Agreement: Councilwoman Miller moved, seconded by Mayor Grabowski, that the contract for Planning Consultant services between the Town and Villiam Spangle & Associates be approved until April 15, 1975, and that the City Manager be directed to prepare a position specification and recommended salary range for Council consideration at the meeting of January 29, 1975. Councilman Cheney expressed concern over the possibility that increasing the Staff would open the door to "increase the Staff to support the increase in Staff." He said that the Manager should be aware, in his pursuit of investigating a Staff. Planner, that all aspects of what that position would cost the Town should be presented so that Council would have the opportunity to evaluate a Staff Planner versus a Planning Consultant. He said he would like to see both the advantages and the disadvantages of the two conflicting approaches. He thought the matter should be clearly identified if there was to be a change in the present set-up. The Mayor noted for the record that he had talked with Hr. Mader from William Spangle & Associates, and both had agreed that all avenues of dialogue had been exhausted, and there was no need for him to be at the meeting this evening. Councilman McReynolds stated that he did not believe that all avenues of dialogue had been exhausted. fie supported Councilman Cheney's comments and said he would like to see an impartial and professionally prepared analysis presented to Council before action is taken which would bear out -3- CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - January 15, 1975 SPECIAL ORDERS (cont_'d): the true costs and true benefits of both approaches. He thought there was a history of deteriorating communications between Counci and the Planning Commission and between Council and the Planning Consultant and that no effort had been forthcoming at the Council level to improve these communi- cations. Councilman McReynolds felt no sincere attempt had been made to iron out the differences with the City Planner. He said the Town as a whole would not benefit by a short sighted and not well thought out decision. Council agreed with Councilman McReynolds that an in-depth cost analysis should be presented to them prior to April 15th presenting the advantages and disadvantages of a Staff Planner versus a Planning Consultant. The question was then called, and the motion made by Councilwoman Hiller, above, was carried by the following roll tali vote: AYE: Councilmen Cheney, Helgesson, Councilwoman Hiller, Mayor Grabowski. NO: Councilman McReynolds ABSENT: NONE ABSTAIN: NONE 2. Adoption of Resolution supporting ACA 22 (Murphy) limiting tax assessments to real value: Mayor Grabowski commented that a proposed Resolution supporting Assembly Constitutional Amendment 22 which would limit tax assessments made by the Assessor to the real value plus any substantial improvements. He said he had addressed a Memo to the Mayors of 8.11 cities in Santa Clara County urging their support of ACA 22. Mayor Grabowski commented on why he felt such an amendment was needed, and pointed out that families of limited income, or where the income did not keep up with the rate of inflation stood in danger of loosing their home because of the present assessments method, vWch was becoming confiscatory. Speaking from the Floor: Hr. Joe Donahue, Santa Clara Count Taxpayer's Association: Told Council t at the Association ha ong been fighting for more control over assess- ments, and that the Association would approve and endorse ACA 22 at their next Board meeting. Discussion ensued between Council members and Fir. Donahue regarding support for such a tax reform, how such a bill would affect real estate developers, and how they would regard such a proposal. The City Attorney gave a brief summary of another bill, AB337 (Boatwright), relating to property tax rate limitations. 20 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - January 15, 1975 `' Councilwoman Hiller suggested several minor changes in the wording of the proposed Resolution, and that the Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation, and Assemblyman Victor Calvo also receive certified copies of the adopted Resolution. Council agreed to both suggestions. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilman Cheney moved, seconded by Mayor Grabowski, and unanimously carried to adopt Resolution #860 urging approval of Assembly Constitutional Amendment #22 relating to assessment for tax purposes. F. GENERAL ORDERS & UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 1. Town Historian: After discussion between Council and Staff regarding the recommended list of charges prepared by the City Manager for the Town Historian, Council suggested several changes. Mr. Crowe said that no communication, verbal or written, had been received from Mrs. Fava concerning any comments she might have on the proposed charges. MOTIOM SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilman Helgesson moved, seconded by Council- man Cheney and unanimously carried to adopt the list of charges for the Town Historian prepared by the City Manager and as amended by Council. Regarding Item 6 on the recommended list of charges for the Town Historian, Council consensus was that the tem of office should be consistent with other elected and appointed offices within the Tovm. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilman McReynolds moved, seconded by Council- man Cheney and unanimously carried to set the term of office for the Town Historian for a period of four years commencing January 1, 1975. 2 & 3. Proposed Table of Organization and Amendment to Resolution #696 Council set the meeting of February 5th as the date for discussion on the continuation of the Public Morks Committee as a Standing Committee and for consideration of the proposal that the Budget Review Committee's status be changed from an Ad Hoc Committee to a Standing Committee. They also made several changes in the proposed table of organization for Commissions and Standing Committees. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilman McReynolds moved, seconded by Council- man Helgesson and unanimously carried to adopt the Table of Organization as revised 1/15/75, and to adopt Resolution #861 amending Resolution #696 relating to Standing Committees. A. Appointments: a) Planning Commission appointment to fill unexpired term of Arthur H. Lachenbruch to 6/30/77. -5- CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - January 15, 1975 APPOINTMENTS (cont'd): For the meeting this evening, Staff had prepared a list of candidates comprised of those applicants who had submitted recent applications, and those residents who had indicated a desire to serve on the Planning Commission prior to the existing vacancy. Councilwoman Miller suggested that Staff be directed to poll those individuals who had not submitted recent letters to determine whether they were still interested in being considered for an appointment, and when this had been determined by Staff, that interviews be scheduled so that Council could talk with all potential candidates. Council so agreed, and the appointment to the Planning Commission was set for the Council meeting of February 5th. S. Appeal by Mr. L. Dawson re I.latadero Oaks check list items: Council had received a letter from Mr. Laurence Dawson, Page Mill Road, concerning street conditions on that portion of the subdivision street renamed Paseo del Roble, and the removal of the street sign indicating Mir Mirou Drive. After hearing Mr. Dawson's presentation, and Staff's position, Council consensus was that Staff should have the street sign "Mir Mirou Drive" reinstalledlr'and that the contractor responsible for the loose gravel t condition along. Paseo del Roble be directed to correct this matter within a week. G. NEIN BUSINESS: 1. Councilwoman Miller: Regarding a letter from Mrs. Goldsmith, Chairwoman of the Traffic and Public Safety Committee that her term of office had expired. Councilwoman Miller said Mrs. Goldsmith had indicated that she would be willing to serve another term if this was Council's pleasure. Council unanimously agreed to re -appoint Mrs. Goldsmith to the Committee for another term of �-years. Councilwoman Miller also reminded Council that a vacancy still existed on the Pathway Committee. Council -again called for applications "rrm residents interested in serving on the Committee and set the date of appointment for their next meeting on January 29th. H. ADJOURNMENT: Council adjourned at 11:00 P.M. to their next Regular Meeting set for January 29, 1975 at 7:00 P.M., ? joint meeting with the Board of Directors of the Purissima Hills County Hater District being scheduled prior to their meeting. Respectfully submitted, Norma J. Hislop Deputy City Clerk