2/12/2001MINUTES OF
A REGULAR MEETING
OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS, CALIFORNIA
FEBRUARY 12, 2001
CALL TO ORDER
A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Rolling Hills was called to order by Mayor
Pernell at 7:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 2 Portuguese Bend Road,
Rolling Hills, California.
ROLL CALL
Councilmembers Present: Heinsheimer, Hill, Lay, Mayor Pro Tem Murdock and
Mayor Pernell.
Councilmembers Absent: None.
Others Present: Craig R. Nealis, City Manager.
Mike Jenkins, City Attorney.
Nan Huang, Finance Director.
Yolanta Schwartz, Principal Planner.
Marilyn L. Kern, Deputy City Clerk.
Captain Ed Hitchcock, Los Angeles County Sheriff's
Department, Lomita Station
CONSENT CALENDAR
Matters which may be acted upon by the City Council in a single motion. Any
Councilmember may request removal of any item from the Consent Calendar causing
it to be considered under Council Actions.
a. Minutes -Regular Meeting of January 22, 2001.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve as presented.
b. Payment of Bills.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve as presented.
c. General Purpose Financial Statements dated June 30, 2000.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve as presented.
Mayor Pro Tem Murdock moved that the City Council approve the recommendations in the
Consent Calendar. Councilmember Hill seconded. the motion which carried unanimously.
PLANNING COMMISSION ITEMS
None.
TRAFFIC COMMISSION ITEMS
CONSIDERATION OF A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE TRAFFIC COMMISSION
REGARDING A REQUEST FROM THE PALOS VERDES WOMAN'S CLUB TO
CONDUCT THEIR GARDEN TOUR.
City Manager Nealis presented the staff report providing information regarding the request
from the Palos Verdes Woman's Club to conduct a Garden Tour at 1 Crest Road East and 6
Middleridge Lane South and the Traffic Commission's action relative to this request. Hearing
no discussion, Mayor Pernell called for a motion.
Mayor Pro Tem Murdock moved that the City Council approve the recommendation of the
Traffic Commission for the Palos Verdes Woman's Club to conduct a Garden Tour on
Saturday, May 5, 2001. Councilmember Heinsheimer seconded the motion which carried
unanimously.
PUBLIC HEARINGS - CONTINUED
CONSIDERATION OF A PROPOSED ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS
TO ESTABLISH EXTERIOR LIGHTING STANDARDS AND AMEND TITLE 17
(ZONING) OF THE ROLLING HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE.
(FIRST READING AND INTRODUCTION)
City Manager Nealis presented the staff report providing background regarding the proposed
ordinance and an explanation of the amendments requested by the City Council at their last
meeting. Mayor Pernell opened the continued public hearing and called for testimony.
Minutes
City Council Meeting
02/12/01 -1-
Councilmembers discussed the holiday lighting provision in the draft ordinance.
Councilmember Heinsheimer commented on the allowance for holiday lighting to be
permitted for a maximum of 30 days. Councilmembers discussed other holidays and events
for which residents may use this type of lighting. Councilmember Heinsheimer suggested
that the provision for holiday lighting be amended to read "temporary lighting is permitted
for holidays and special events". Councilmembers concurred with this suggestion.
Discussion ensued regarding the entry post lighting being permitted at the foot of a driveway
provided that lighting is cast downward and does not spill onto the roadway.
Councilmembers also discussed the number and types of bulbs that are sometimes contained
in entry post light fixtures. Councilmember Lay expressed concern for the enforcement of
provisions in the draft ordinance. Further discussion ensued regarding entry post lighting and
Councilmembers concurred that entry post lighting should be permitted however, Paragraph
4 should contain that "bulbs used in such lighting shall be non -reflective and shall not exceed
the wattage of a forty (40) watt incandescent light bulb to a maximum of 400 lumens, or their
equivalent if non -incandescent lighting is used".
Discussion then ensued regarding security lighting and provisions in the draft ordinance that
indicate that they are permitted conjunction with a motion detector. Concerns were expressed
about the amount of time that they should be allowed to remain "on" following activation.
Mayor Pro Tem Murdock suggested that Paragraph 2 related to security lighting should be
amended to read that "security lighting is permitted and in no event shall a security light be
set to shine for longer than five minutes following activation".
City Attorney Jenkins queried whether porch lights should be addressed as a security light.
After discussion on types of lighting that could be attached to a house and entry way lighting,
Councilmembers concurred that a provision should be added to the draft ordinance to cover
porch and other entry way lighting. It was suggested that bulbs for these types of lights
should meet the same criteria as the other lighting provisions in the draft ordinance.
In response to Councilmember Heinsheimer, City Attorney Jenkins explained that Section 2,
Paragraph D, was included in the draft ordinance in order to remove that statement from
another section in the Municipal Code.
Discussion ensued regarding enforcement of the provisions in the draft ordinance and
whether existing lighting should be grandfathered. Councilmembers discussed various
methods of educating residents about the provisions of the draft ordinance. Councilmember
Hill expressed concern that if existing lighting were not grandfathered that residents may be
reluctant to change their existing lighting on their properties due to cost and other factors.
Further discussion ensued regarding the grandfathering of existing lighting. It was suggested
that not all lighting would necessarily need to be removed, but that deactivation could
represent compliance.
City Attorney Jenkins suggested that a section could be added to the draft ordinance reflecting
that grandfathering would not be permitted. He said that the section could reflect that rather
than having residents tear down existing lighting fixtures that bulbs could be removed or they
could be deactivated in some way to bring the property into compliance with the ordinance.
Mayor Pernell excused himself from the meeting at 8:10 p.m. and turned the gavel over to
Mayor Pro Tem Murdock.
Further discussion ensued regarding the grandfathering of existing lighting. Councilmembers
concurred that a section should be added to the draft ordinance that requires that all
properties comply with the ordinance within in one year. In response to City Attorney
Jenkins, Councilmembers concurred that the City Manager should determine if a property
owner is in compliance with the ordinance. City Attorney Jenkins indicated that the City
Manager's determination could be appealed to the Planning Commission.
City Manager Nealis requested clarification on the ability for a resident to keep the fixture in a
deactivated state and that this would constitute compliance with the ordinance. He compared
this condition of compliance with tennis court lighting and how compliance would differ in
these cases and that enforcement would be somewhat like enforcing the disturbing the peace
provisions of the Municipal Code.
Mr. Bertram Balch, 6 Hackamore Road, indicated that he feels that the proposed 5 minute time
for security light activation is not long enough. He indicated that he will speak to the City
Council further about the proposed ordinance at the next meeting.
Minutes
City Council Meeting
02/12/01 -2-
Hearing no further discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Murdock continued the public hearing to the
next regular meeting of the City Council to be held on Monday, February 26; 2001. Staff was
directed to amend the draft ordinance for consideration of introduction at the next meeting as
follows: amend the draft ordinance to reflect specifications for the maximum wattage or
lumens permitted for entry post lighting, permitted lighting of porches and entryway with the
same specifications for maximum wattage or lumens, and that there shall no longer be a
specified period of time for illumination of holiday lighting. Staff was also directed to add
language to the draft ordinance relating to required modifications of existing lighting fixtures
to meet the requirements of this ordinance within one year of adoption of the ordinance with
the City Manager to determine if substantial compliance has been met.
CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE NO. 285 OF THE CITY OF ROLLING
HILLS REGARDING RETROACTIVE PERMITS AND AMEND TITLE 17 (ZONING) OF
THE ROLLING HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE.
THE PURPOSE OF THE ORDINANCE IS TO CODIFY AN EXISTING CITY POLICY
REGARDING RETROACTIVE PERMITS FOR WHICH DISCRETIONARY PERMITS
ARE REQUIRED BY THE ZONING ORDINANCE BUT NOT OBTAINED PRIOR TO
COMMENCEMENT OF THE CONSTRUCTION.
(SECOND READING AND ADOPTION)
City Manager Nealis indicated that Ordinance No. 285 was introduced at the City Council
meeting on January 22, 2001 and is presented this evening for second reading and adoption.
Mayor Pro Tem Murdock opened the continued public hearing and called for testimony.
Hearing none, she closed the public hearing and called for a motion. Councilmember
Heinsheimer moved that the City Council waive further reading and adopt Ordinance No.
285. Councilmember Lay seconded the motion which carried unanimously.
CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE NO. 286 OF THE CITY OF ROLLING
HILLS REGARDING GRADING AND AMEND TITLE 17 (ZONING) OF THE ROLLING
HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE.
THE PURPOSE OF THE ORDINANCE IS TO CODIFY AN EXISTING CITY POLICY
REGARDING MAJOR MODIFICATION OF PREVIOUSLY APPROVED GRADING FOR
WHICH DISCRETIONARY PERMITS ARE REQUIRED BY THE ZONING
ORDINANCE.
(SECOND READING AND ADOPTION)
City Manager Nealis indicated that Ordinance No. 286 was introduced at the City Council
meeting on January 22, 2001 and is presented this evening for second reading and adoption.
Mayor Pro Tem Murdock opened the continued public hearing and called for testimony.
Hearing none, she closed the public hearing and called for a motion. Councilmember Lay
moved that the City Council waive further reading and adopt Ordinance No. 286.
Councilmember Hill seconded the motion which carried unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS
None.
NEW BUSINESS
CONSIDERATION OF ASSIGNING AVAILABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) FUNDS.
City Manager Nealis presented the staff report providing background regarding the City's
previous allocation of CDBG funds and information regarding the requests from the City of
Lomita and the City of Rancho Palos Verdes that Rolling Hills assign its CDBG funds toward
projects in their cities.
Mayor Pro Tem Murdock suggested that the City assign one half of its available CDBG Funds
for the City of Lomita's .project and one half of its available CDBG Funds for the City of
Rancho Palos Verdes' project. Hearing no further discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Murdock called
for a motion.
Councilmember Lay moved that the City of Rolling Hills assign one half of its available CDBG
Funds to the City of Lomita and one half of its available CDBG Funds to the City of Rancho
Palos Verdes. Councilmember Heinsheimer seconded the motion which carried unanimously.
Staff was directed to return with resolutions memorializing this action.
Minutes
City Council Meeting
02/12/01 -3-
OPEN AGENDA - APPROXIMATELY 8:00 P.M. - PUBLIC COMMENT WELCOME
Mr. Bertram Balch, 6 Hackamore Road, queried as to whom he should address traffic issues.
Mayor Pro Tem Murdock indicated that traffic issues are under the purview of the Traffic
Commission.
MATTERS FROM MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF ONSITE ENERGY GENERATION VIDEO TAPE.
Councilmember Hill thanked City/RHCA Ad Hoc Subcommittee Members Tom Heinsheimer
and Don Crocker for their efforts in obtaining an underground feasibility study for the City.
He commented on the pros and cons and goals of undergrounding utilities. Councilmember
Hill expressed concern regarding liability issues related to an underground project. He
presented a video tape regarding an onsite energy generation technology. The video tape
was viewed by those in attendance.
Councilmember Hill commented on the cost comparison between other the types of energy
generation technology and the costs for undergrounding utilities. He stated that there are a
number of alternatives to energy generation and indicated that a Professor from Cal State LA
would be glad to address the City Council on issues relating to power cells and kilowatt usage.
Mayor Pro Tem Murdock thanked Councilmember Hill for the presentation and information.
Mayor Pro Tem Murdock reported that Mayor Pernell would like to nominate Mr. Don Gales
as an honoree at the Los Angeles County Commission on Aging Older American Recognition
Day Luncheon Awards Ceremony. The City Council unanimously supported this nomination.
MATTERS FROM STAFF
None.
MATTERS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY
City Attorney Mike Jenkins reported that a follow-up item related to the information that he
presented to the City Council at their last meeting will be presented at the next City Council _
meeting.
ADIOURNMENT
Hearing no further business before the City Council, Mayor Pro Tem Murdock adjourned the
meeting at 8:55 p.m. to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council to be held on
Monday, February 26, 2001 in the City Council Chambers, at City Hall, 2 Portuguese Bend
Road, Rolling Hills, California.
Approved,
�i
•.
Mayor
Minutes
City Council Meeting
02/12/01
Respectfully submitted,
Marilyn L. ern
Deputy City Clerk
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