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5/29/2001MINUTES OF AN ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS, CALIFORNIA MAY 29, 2001 CALL TO ORDER A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Rolling Hills was called to order by Mayor Murdock 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, Pernell, Mayor Pro Tem Lay and Mayor Murdock. Councilmembers Absent: None. Others Present: Craig Nealis, City Manager. Nan Huang, Finance Director. Marilyn Kern, Deputy City Clerk. 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 -Meeting of April 23, 2001. RECOMMENDATION: Approve as presented. b. Payment of Bills. RECOMMENDATION: Approve as presented. C. Financial Statement for the month of April, 2001. RECOMMENDATION: Approve as presented. d. Correspondence from California Water Service Company regarding Application No. 01-05-002 filed with the California Public Utilities Commission for an increase in rates for the Palos Verdes District. RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file. e. BFI Recycling Tonnage Report for April, 2001. RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file. f. Correspondence from the California Water Service Company, all Districts, regarding Advice Letter No. 1493 filed with the California Public Utilities Commission. RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file. Councilmember Heinsheimer moved that the City Council approve the recommendations in the Consent Calendar. Councilmember Hill seconded the motion which carried unanimously. SPECIAL PRESENTATION UPDATE FROM PALOS VERDES PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT REGARDING ESTABLISHMENT OF A SECOND HIGH SCHOOL. PVPUSD Board of Education President Gabriella Holt and Superintendent Dr. Ira Toibin presented an overview of the District's plan for a second high school on the Peninsula opening in September, 2002. Discussion ensued regarding the impact of this plan on surrounding communities and the challenges facing the District in implementing the plan. In response to queries from members of the City Council, Mr. Toibin explained that a traffic engineering study will be conducted to gage the traffic impact on the areas that are affected. Ms. Holt explained that in lieu of setting boundaries for attendance at the two high schools, the district feels that the student population is such that an optional program for attendance at either high school may accomplish an even distribution of student population. Following discussion, Councilmembers thanked President Holt and Dr. Toibin for their comments and indicated that they look forward to hearing more about the District's plans in the future. Minutes City Council Meeting 05/29/01 -1- PLANNING COMMISSION ITEMS None. TRAFFIC COMMISSION ITEMS CONSIDERATION OF A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE TRAFFIC COMMISSION RELATIVE TO THE FY 2001-02 BID SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR CITYWIDE STREET STRIPING AND PAVEMENT MARKING PROJECT. Mayor Murdock introduced the item. Councilmember Heinsheimer moved that the City Council approve the recommendation of the Traffic Commission regarding the FY 2001-02 Citywide Street Striping and Pavement Marking of Roadways Project and direct staff to advertise this project. Councilmember Hill seconded the motion which carried unanimously. PUBLIC HEARINGS None. OLD BUSINESS CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS. Mayor Murdock stated that she has prepared the City Council Committee Assignments for FY 2001-2002 and that they will be presented to Councilmembers in their weekly packets. NEW BUSINESS None. 10. OPEN AGENDA - APPROXIMATELY 8:00 P.M. - PUBLIC COMMENT WELCOME Mr. Jay Derman, 88 Saddleback Road, commented on the petition process for determining interest in forming an underground utility assessment district in the City. He reported that he has heard from 61 residents who have expressed that they are not in favor of an assessment district for undergrounding utilities. He asked for a status report regarding the petition process to date. City Manager Nealis explained that the City has received 56 petitions from residents interested in undergrounding utilities and that petitions will be accepted through January, 2002. City Manager Nealis explained that the Improvement Act of 1911 sets forth the process of establishing an underground assessment district and that the Act requires submission of petitions signed by 50% or more of the residents of the area to be assessed for the undergrounding project. He said that the Ad Hoc Subcommittee has recommended, and the City Council approved, that 60% of the residents in the area to be assessed submit petitions in order to consider moving forward. Mr. Derman stated that he feels that there is no interest in the undergrounding of utilities in the City and expressed concern regarding the articles on the subject in the Citywide Newsletter. In response to Mr. Derman, City Manager Nealis explained that the frequently asked questions that have been published in the Citywide Newsletter were questions asked from residents at various meetings on the subject. Councilmember Pennell explained that the petitions being signed by residents are not a yes or no vote but rather an indication that they would like more information on the subject. Mr. Derman was referred to the Community Association regarding his concerns that the re- paving of Eastfield Drive was postponed in anticipation of an underground project sometime in the future. He indicated that flyers were sent to all residents in the City asking if they wished to vote no on underground utilities and that he has only heard from a few. Councilmember Heinsheimer commented that the City is in the same position and that most people are not willing to express their opinion one way or the other. He said that for this reason, the City has elected to accept petitions through January, 2002. Mayor Pro Tem Lay indicated that he received one of the flyers mentioned by Mr. Derman and expressed concern that the flyer intimated that the City Council had already made up its mind and was in favor of undergrounding. He stated that this could not be further from the truth and explained that the City Council has only entertained the gathering of information about undergrounding on behalf of the citizens of Rolling Hills. In response to Mr. Derman, Mayor Pro Tem Lay stated that the City Council appropriated additional funds to the consultant in order to answer further questions that are being raised by residents during the petition phase. Minutes City Council Meeting 05/29/01 -2- Councilmember Heinsheimer explained the requirements that must be followed under the Improvement Act of 1913 that sets forth the process that is currently being used by residents who are circulating and signing petitions indicating their interest in gathering further information on the subject of underground utilities. He indicated that if the City has not gathered petitions from 60% of the City's residents by January, 2002, that this study may be useful for individual homeowners or groups of homeowners who wish to underground their utilities. Councilmember Pernell explained the sewer study that was completed by the City. He indicated that even though the citywide sewer study was not implemented, the information that was gathered was useful in the establishment of sewers in a section of the City. He said that citywide undergrounding of utilities may not be implemented as well however, the information may be useful to individual homeowners or groups of homeowners who wish to underground the utilities on their properties. Councilmembers thanked Mr. Derman for his comments. Brian Breitenstein, 5 Acacia Road, stated that he is attending the meeting as a requirement for a Boy Scout merit badge and commented on peafowl in the City. In response to Mr. Breitenstein, Mayor Murdock explained that peafowl matters are left to individual property owners in the City. MATTERS FROM MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Pernell commented on a recent letter that Councilmembers received from the California Attorney General Bill Lockyear and requested that it be forwarded to the City Attorney for comment. MATTERS FROM STAFF None. MATTERS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY None. ADIOURNMENT Hearing no further business before the City Council, Mayor Murdock adjourned the meeting at 8:05 p.m. to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council to be held on Monday, June 11, 2001 in the City Council Chambers, at City Hall, 2 Portuguese Bend Road, Rolling Hills, California. Respectfully submitted, Marilyn L. Kern Deputy City Clerk Approved, 4, Jod MurUock Mayor Minutes City Council Meeting 05/29/01 -3-