HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/19/1975CITY COUNCIL
AW TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS
26379 Fremont Road
Los Altos Hills, California
MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1975
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Mayor Stanley Grabowski called the Regular Meeting of the City Council to order
at 7:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers of Town Hall, 26379 Fremont Road:
A. ROLL CALL:
Present: Councilmen Cheney, Helgesson, Councilwoman Miller, Mayor Grabowski,
Comm. Schick for Planning Commission.
Absent: Councilman McReynolds
Staff: City Manager Robert Crowe, City Attorney Frank Gillio, City
Engineer Alex Russell, Deputy City Clerk Norma Hislop
Press: NOME
The Mayor noted several omissions on the Consent Calendar for the evening's
Agenda, as follows:
3. Actions of Variance & Permit Commission:
c) Approved Variance, Lands of hong, File #7014-74, for tennis court,
subject to conditions imposed.
4. Actions of Planning Commission:
e) Recommended denial of request for exemption from building moratorium,
Land Resources, Inc., File #TM2020-75.
5. Resolutions for Adoption:
b) Reso. #_ urging passage of AB378 (Chappie), Public Paths and Trails
Program.
B. CONSENT CALENDAR:
Mr. Robert Stutz, Chairman, Pathway Committee, requested the removal of Item
3 a) from the Consent Calendar.
Councilman Helgesson asked that Item 5 a) be removed from the Calendar.
Councilman Cheney asked that Items 3b), 4 a), b), c), and e) be removed for
separate consideration.
MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilman Helgesson moved, seconded by Councilman
Cheney and unanimously carried to approve the remaining items on the CONSENT
CALENDAR, namely:
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - February 19, 1975
CMISE7 CALENDAR (cont'd):
1. Approval of Minutes: February 5, 1975 (Regular Meeting)
2. Approval of Warrants: $13,886.48
4. Actions of Planning Commission:
d) Approval of Conditional Use Permit for a second dwelling, Lands of
Overstreet, Fite #CU8005-74) subject to conditions imposed.
5. Resolutions for Adoption:
b) Reso. # urging passage of AB378 (Chapple), Public Paths and
Trails brant Program.
ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION:
3. Actions of Variance & Permit Commission:
a) Building Site Approval, Lands of Guy, File #BSA6031-74, subject to
conditions imposed.
Mr. Robert Stutz, Chairman of the Pathway Committee requested Council to
reinstate the pathway easement recommended by the Committee for these
lands, and that the easement be indicated on the map.
Commissioner Schick commented that at the time this matter was before the
Commission, she had questioned the request for a pathway that would end
at a private road.
Discussion ensued between Council, Staff and Mr. Stutz, regarding the
requested easement, who the adjacent property owners were, and Council
expressed concern over the fact that this lot was only .06 acre.
MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilwoman Miller moved, seconded by Councilman
Cheney and unanimously carried to Agenda this item for the March 5, 1975 meeting
so that more adequate information could be presented to Council.
b) Building Site Approval, Lands of Burke, File #6030-74, subject to
conditions imposed:
Councilman Cheney expressed concern over the placement of the driveway
on this site, and whether the drainage would be affected as a result.
City Engineer Alex Russell responded to these questions.
MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilman Cheney moved, seconded by Councilman
Helgesson to approve the BSA, Lands of Burke, File #6030-74, subject to
conditions imposed. Motion carried unanimously.
c) Request for Variance, Lands of hong, File #7014-74, for tennis court,
subject to conditions imposed:
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CITY COUNCIL MEETING - February 19, 1975
ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR (cont'd):
Lands of Wong (cont'd):
Councilman Cheney asked who the adjacent property owners were on the
sides of the property where the proposed tennis court would be placed.
City Manager Robert Crowe and City Engineer Alex Russell responded that
the tennis court would face toward the Freeway, and that no neighbor
would be affected by the placement of the court.
MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilwoman Miller moved, seconded by Mayor
Grabowski, and unanimously carried to approve the request for Variance, Lands
of Wong, File #7014-75, subject to conditions imposed.
4. Actions of Planning Commission:
a) Recommendation to approve request for exemption from subdivision
moratorium, Lands of Monte Lucero #4, File #TM390-72.
Councilman Cheney inquired about the Planning Commission's actions in
recommending three requests for exemption and denying the fourth.
Commissioner Schick commented that the Commission felt that the three
` requests for exemption which had been approved by Commission at their last
�r meeting did not raise significant questions relating to the concerns listed
in the Moratorium resolution.
Mayor Grabowski requested legal clarification from City Attorney Frank Gillio,
who answered exactly what the Commission had to look for in any requests for
exemption, and these questions should be applied to particular parcels con-
cerned.
Councilwoman Miller stated she felt the property in question did fall within
the scope of the moratorium and moved that the request for exemption be
denied. Mayor Grabowski seconded the motion.
Councilman Helgesson commented that it did not look like there were excessive
grades or cuts, the building sites were level, there was a conservation ease-
ment, and the road grade was not excessive. He therefore could not agree
that this request be denied.
Council discussion ensued regarding similarities to other properties, and
Councilman Cheney did not feel there was enough information presented to
Council regarding the reasons the Commission had made their recommendations,
and that the same information presented to the Commission should be given to
the Council.
Mayor Grabowski addressed Council as to the charges of the Planning Commission
as delegated by Council, and of their duty to study these matters and make
ar their recommendations to Council on that basis. Councilman Helgesson
supported the Mayor's comments, and added that Council should have very good
reasons for overturning the Commission's decisions.
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - February 19, 1975
OAF ACTIONS OF PLANNING COMMISSION (cont'd):
The question was then called, and the motion to deny the requestion for
exemption from the subdivision moratorium, Monte Lucero #4, failed by the
following roll call vote:
AYE: Councilwoman Miller
NOES: Councilmen Cheney, Helgesson, Mayor Grabowski
ABSENT: Councilman McReynolds
ABSTAIN: NONE
Councilman Helgesson moved, seconded by Mayor Grabowski, to grant the request
for exemption, Monte Lucero #4. The roll call vote was tied as follows:
AYE: Councilman Helgesson, Mayor Grabowski
NOES: Councilman Cheney, Councilwoman Miller
ABSENT: Councilman McReynolds
ABSTAIN: NONE
Because of the tied vote, this matter was held over to the meeting of
March 5th for further consideration.
b) Recommendation for approval of request for exemption from subdivision
moratorium, Lands of Brown/Hubb, File #TM2018-75.
�r Councilman Cheney questioned the reasons why the Commission had recommended
granting this request, and Commissioner Schick responded that this item was
more a lot line change, and how the Commission had viewed the matter.
City Engineer Alex Russell explained to Council that this lot line change
was being done to correct a problem which had been created two years
previously.
Councilman Cheney moved, seconded by Councilman Helgesson to grant the request
for exemption, Lands of Brown/Hubb, File #TM2018-75 as recommended by the
Planning Commission. The motion carried by the following roll call vote:
AYE: Councilmen Cheney, Helgesson, Mayor Grabowski
NOES: Councilwoman Miller
ABSENT: Councilman McReynolds
ABSTAIN: NONE
c) Recommendation for approval of request for exemption from subdivision
moratorium, Lands of Mueller, File #1712019-75:
City Engineer Alex Russell addressed Council regarding this property, which
had formerly belonged to the School District, and what the subdivision of
this land would entail that would be of concern to the Town. He discussed
the access to the roads of the lots proposed and the fact that there was no
` need for excessive cuts and fills. After discussion, the following motion
was made:
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - February 19, 1975
ACTIONS OF PLANNING COMMISSION (cont'd):
Councilman Cheney moved, seconded by Councilman Helgesson to approve the
recommended request for exemption from the subdivision moratorium, Lands of
Mueller, File #TM2019-75. Motion carried by the following roll call vote:
AYE: Councilmen Cheney, Helgesson, Councilwoman Fuller, Mayor Grabowski
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Councilman McReynolds
ABSTAIN: NONE
e) Denial of request for exemption from subdivision moratorium, Lands of
Land Resources, File #TM2020-75:
MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilman Cheney moved, seconded by Councilman
Helgesson and unanimously carried to Agenda this matter to the meeting of
March 5th because of the lack of sufficient information.
5. Resolutions for Adoption:
a) Reso. # urging State Assemblymen and Senators in Santa Clara
County to require that the issue of removing statutory limits on
ground -water charges be submitted to the voters of Santa Clara County:
Councilman Helgesson addressed Council regarding two letters received in
their packets - one from Mr. Hayes relative to the actions of the District
Board, and the other from Mr. O'Halloran, General Manager of the Santa Clara
Valley Water District. He explained both arguments for Council, and said
that it was his recommendation that Council reject the proposed Resolution.
Mayor Grabowski seconded this motion, which carried by the following roll
call vote:
AYE: Councilmen Cheney, Helgesson, Mayor Grabowski
NOES: Councilwoman Miller
ABSENT: Councilman McReynolds
ABSTAIN: NONE
Councilwoman Miller wished to comment for the record her reason for voting
no on this issue was because the District had rejected tertiary treatment
and reclamation successfully used in other States, and she supported the
Environmentalists and Conservationists in this case.
C. SPECIAL REPORTS:
1. Presentations fron the Floor:
Mr. L. Dawson, Page Mill Road: Commented on the addition of the Planning
Commission items to the Agenda, this evening, particularly with reference
to the Land Resources request for exemption from the subdivision
moratorium.
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - February 19, 1975
Mayor Grabowski explained that the items added to the Agenda were
inserted only because of clerical omission, and that all actions of
the Planning Commission at their previous meeting automatically
appeared on the Council Agenda for Council approval.
The Mayor also noted that the request from Land Resources had been
deferred until the next meeting of Council for lack of sufficient
information.
D. STAFF REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE & ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1. City Manager:
a) Report on Planning Costs:
Mr. Crowe noted that Council had received a report from him regarding
planning costs, and based on that outline, it was his recommendation
that the Town hire a full time Staff Planner to handle routine planning
matters and smaller studies, as needed, and in cases where special
projects, such as the General Plan, are needed, that a Consultant be
retained.
Councilwoman Miller noted that the report presented did not reflect the
current costs of a Planning Consultant, and Mr. Crowe explained that
the average costs of a Consultant was what the Town was paying now to
the Consultant firm.
In response to a question from the Mayor, City Attorney Frank Gillio
stated that it would be in order for Council to discuss this matter in
Executive Session.
Mayor Grabowski stated that an Executive Session would be called after
the meeting this evening for further discussion on this matter.
b) Report on County -Wide Election Scheduled for May, 1975:
Mr. Crowe had reported to Council that the Registrar of Voter's office
had informed him that the County would not have the election originally
scheduled for May, 1975, on proposed charter revision, in which the Town
had planned to participate. He noted that in order to have a Special
Election, the cost to the Town would be approximately $2,000, and he
requested Council's pleasure as to the proposed ballot measure concerning
the Willard Griffin Home on the Foothill College campus.
Councilwoman Miller opposed a Special Election because of the costs
involved, and in view of the fact that it was possible to receive funds
from the State in the form of a grant to help preserve historical sites.
She also reminded Council that the Foothill College District Board had
offered the Griffin Home to the Town on a rental basis for $1.00 per
year in rent.
L
C Discussion ensued between Council, Staff, and Mrs. Fava, Town Historian,
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - February 19, 1975
`_ STAFF REPORTS (cont'd):
regarding grant funds, requirements of the Field Act pertaining to the
use of the Griffin Home, approaching the Board of the College to
determine whether the Town might, in fact, rent the Home to be used as
a permanent display of historical artifacts, and grants available for
the preservation of historical sites.
Staff was directed to contact the College Board and to report further
on the requirements of the Field Act, and also to investigate the
grant funds available. Council consensus was to defer decision on
the matter of an election until these reports were in, and ordered the
matter scheduled for the Agenda of March 19, 1975.
c) Agreement with County for participation in County -wide Census
MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilman Helgesson moved, seconded by Councilman
Cheney and unanimously carried to adopt Resolution #868 approving and authorizing
execution of Agreement between Town and Santa Clara County for participation in
County -wide census.
d) Meeting with Purissima County Nater District Board:
Mr. Crowe asked Council's suggestion for a date to schedule a further
40 meeting with the Nater District Board.
Mayor Grabowski requested that the City Manager check with Councilman
McReynolds to ascertain his business schedule, and to poll Council
members at that time for a mutually convenient date.
E. SPECIAL ORDERS:
1. Ordinances for Adoption:
a) Urgency Ordinance amending Subdivision Ordinance of Los Altos Hil
Mr. Crowe reported that this matter was being presented as an Urgency
Ordinance because of recent changes made to the State Map Act. He said
in order for the subdivision regulations of the Town to continue valid and
effective, it was necessary to adopt this Ordinance to make the necessary
changes to conform with the revised State law and make the changes effective
on March 1, 1975.
City Attorney Frank Gillio noted that the changes to the Ordinance were
merely procedural changes and did not amend any policy matters presently
included in the subdivision Ordinance. He outlined the proposed changes
for Council.
Mr. Crowe introduced the Ordinance by title, "An Ordinance of the Town of
Los Altos Hills amending Chapter 4 entitled "Subdivisions" of Title 9
entitled "Planning and Zoning."
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - February 19, 1975
�w SPECIAL ORDERS (cont'd):
MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilman Helgesson moved, seconded by Councilman
Cheney and unanimously carried to waive further reading and introduce the Ordinance
by its title.
NOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilman Helgesson moved, seconded by Councilman
Cheney and unanimously carried to adopt Ordinance #221 amending Chapter 4
entitled "Subdivisions" of Title 9 entitled "Planning and Zoning.
F. GENERAL ORDERS AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
1. Appointment to Public Works Committee, District #2:
Councilman Helgesson recommended the appointment of Mr. J. F. Hasslein,
27835 Black Mountain Road, to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Keith Brown on
the Public Works Committee. He noted that Mr. Hasslein had been a resident
of the Town for the past 13 years, and was now retired from Lockheed. He
noted that Mr. Hasslein had the knowledge of the Town and the time to devote
to the work of the Committee.
MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Councilwoman Miller moved, seconded by Mayor
Grabowski and unanimously carried to approve the appointment of Mr. J. F.
Hasslein to the Public Works Committee for a term expiring 6/30/75.
` 2. Bicentennial Committee Report:
Mrs. Fava reported on the first meeting of the Bicentennial Committee and
noted the newly elected officers for the Committee. She informed Council
that the Committee had discussed several proposed projects for the Bi -
Centennial celehration and enumerated the possibilities. She said that in
order tr;,?c�:��n*. some of the ideas, the cost had been estimated at
approxi72t(t��y $1300.00. She noted that some of the money would be returned
through the propnsei sale of historical postcards, note paper, or whatever
was finell- dacid?d by tIw Committee. However, to implement any Program,
the Coerdttej was asking Co,ricil to approve funds to help get the Committee
started; trxat they could go no further vrih any plans unless some monies
were aoi--ron.lated.
After Council discussion, Councilman Helgesson moved that the City Manager
be directed to transfer $1500 from the Unappropriated Reserve of
€ercral Find to the Cultural Account. Councilman Cheney seconded the motion,
w: ich was unanimously approved by Council.
G. NEW BUSINESS:
1. Councilwoman Miller:
a) Report on Tax Reformation Committee meeting:
As Chairwoman of the Ad Hoc Tax Reformation Committee, Councilwoman
4" Hiller reported on the initial meeting. She said the Committee members
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - February 19, 1975
(hip NEW BUSINESS (cont'd):
had elected not to support ACA 22 as proposed because they did not
feel that particular bill stood a chance of passing.
Councilwoman Miller reported on her recent visit to Sacramento to
speak with legislators pertaining to proposed tax reform bills, and
noted that there were several other bills being proposed which stood
a better chance of passing the legislature. She said that the Committee
had agreed that they wished to continue to work toward tax reform,
either by supporting one of the bills mentioned when they were introduced,
or by forming a sub -committee to draft another proposal.
Discussion then ensued concerning the size of the Committee, and the
Mayor stated that he felt the membership should be kept to a maximum of
17-19; that any more might make the Committee too cumbersome.
b) Deferring Executive Session:
Councilwoman Miller also requested that the Executive Session scheduled
for after this evening's meeting be deferred so that Councilman
McReynolds would be able to attend. Council so agreed.
Speaking from the Floor:
Mr. Donald Spencer, Chairman Planning Commission: Speaking as a citizen,
Mfr. Spencer presented h ewp—fonts concerng the matter of a Con-
sultant versus a Staff Planner.
Commissioner Schick: Wished to add her comment as a private citizen that
she felt—trong that the present Staff could handle the routine matters
before the Planning Commission, but that a Consultant should be retained
for special studies. She wished to go on record as opposing the addition
to Staff of a Planner.
UNSCHEDULED ITEMS:
City Manager Robert Crowe announced that Mr. Donald Spencer, Chairman of the
Planning Commission had submitted his resignation from the Planning Commission
no later than March 31, 1975.
Council directed Staff to announce to the media that a vacancy existed on the
Commission, and that applications for the seat would be accepted from interested
citizens.
Mayor Grabowski directed Council's attention to a proposed Resolution suumittert
this evening which would be on the next Agenda for consideration pertaining to
the reduction of speed on the Foothill Expressway.
H. ADJOURNMENT:
`, Council adjourned at 10:15 PH to their next regular meeting, and Councilman
Helgesson then presented slides of his recent trip to Africa.
Respectfully submitted
-g Norma J. Hislop
Deputy City Clerk