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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1985-09-231 MINUTES Council Chamber, Civic Center Huntington Beach, California Monday, September 23, 1985 A tape recording of this meeting is on file in the City Clerk's Office Mayor Bailey called the adjourned regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach to order at 7:30 P.M. ROLL CALL Present: Kelly, MacAllister, Bailey, Green Mandic (arrived at 7:45 P.M.) Absent: Finley, Thomas JOINT MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND PERSONNEL COMMISSION Mayor Bailey announced that a joint meeting of the City Council and the Per- sonnel Commission had been called. PERSONNEL COMMISSION ROLL CALL Present: Calister, Nielsen, Van Cott, Kunnecke, McKeever-Cheroske, Castrey, Bame Absent: Norse STUDY SESSION - PERSONNEL COMMISSION - REPORTS REQUESTED John Nielsen, Chairman of the Personnel Commission, described the role of the Personnel Commission. He informed Council of a possible conflict of interest In hearing an employee grievance when one Deputy from the City Attorney's Office represents the employee and another Deputy from the City Attorney's Office represents the City. He suggested that the City enter into an agree- ment with another .City to share the expense of an independent counsel for such cases. It was estimated that the need for such counsel would be approximately three or four times a year. It was pointed out that an employee dissatisfied with the findings of the Personnel Commission has the option of appealing the decision to Superior Court and this possible conflict might be grounds to overturn the decision. By consensus of Council staff was directed to prepare a report on the matter including a cost estimate. Councilman Kelly requested an opinion from the Page 2 - Council Minutes - 9/23/85 City Attorney's Office regarding the possible conflict of interest as de- scribed by the Personnel Commission Chairman. Councilman Mandic requested information regarding how other cities handle independent counsel for the Per- sonnel Commission. The City Administrator confirmed that there were funds in the Personnel Commission budget for an independent counsel. Discussion was held regarding personnel rules for city departments. The Fire Department was commended as there were no grievances filed from employees.The Mayor requested a report on how many grievances actually go to court, what the eventual outcome was and the costs involved; also, how many cases went before a hearing officer and what was that cost. The Personnel Commission Chairman offered the use of the Commission in lieu of a hearing officer in some cases. Councilman Green stated that a citizen had contacted him charging discri- minatory hiring practice by the City. He inquired whether the Personnel Com- mission was the proper body to which the matter should be referred. The Chairman of the Personnel Commission in response to comments by the Mayor stated the Commission would like to be consulted in any changes to the per- sonnel rules. PERSONNEL COMMISSION ADJOURNMENT The Personnel Commission adjourned. JOINT MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND MEADOWLARK AIRPORT BOARD Mayor Bailey announced that a joint meeting of the City Council and the Meadowlark Airport Board had been called. ROLL CALL MEADOWLARK AIRPORT BOARD Present: Dodge, Keegan, Gudmundson, Juergens, Peel, Ward, Nerio Absent: None STUDY SESSxON - MEADOWLARK AIRPORT - REPORTS REQUESTED The Mayor announced that after Council heard from the Meadowlark Airport Board the meeting would be opened for public comments for a period of fifteen minutes. Don Dodge, Chairman of the Meadowlark Airport Board, described the history and role of the board. He described the circumstances of the Cessna 172 crash into the bank building and the Cessna 150 crash into a hangar at the airport. He distributed an agenda of items which the Board hoped to discuss with Council. Ray Grimmett, flight instructor, owner of the flight school at Meadowlark Air- port and owner of the airplane that crashed into the bank building on take Page 3 - Council Minutes - 9/23/85 off. He stated that the FAA had determined the aircraft did not have a prob- lem with power. Mr. Grimmett surmised that the airplane was overgrossed by approximately 150 lbs. and the cause of the crash was pilot error. He stated that the cause of the other airplane crash was lack of fuel. He informed Council that three city -owned trees at the end of the runway were too high and that a tree at the other end of the runway, not on the air- port property, was also too high. He stated that he believed Roosevelt Road which crosses the end of the runway was a hazard and should be closed. He suggested that safety seminars could be held at the airport. Councilman Mandic recommended that the airport be lighted at night. The Chairman stated that the Chief of Police was forwarding him a report regarding stolen gasoline. He described vandalism at the airport. Discussion was held regarding night flying. Discussion was held regarding the possibility of closing Roosevelt Road. Public Comments - Meadowlark Airport Ellis Udwin, resident, business owner, pilot for thirty-seven years, commended Meadowlark Airport and stated that it was a safe, well -operated airport. Robert Vaughn stated that he lived in Newport Beach and was in the process of buying the building which the airplane crashed into. He stated he did not believe it was the safety of the airport that prevented a disaster, but that it was luck that the building was empty and the airplane didn't start a fire. Don Reeves, principal of a Huntington Beach School, named schools on the approach path into the airport and stated that he believed someday an airplane would crash into a school yard or an apartment building and kill or injure twenty people. He inferred that the airport should be closed. The Mayor stated that the Meadowlark Airport Board did not have the power to close the airport. She further stated that Council did not have the power to close the airport, but they could recommend to the FAA that it be closed. Jack Humbord stated that he was retired with thousands of hours as a pilot and that people knew the airport existed before they moved to the area. The Chairman of the Meadowlark Airport Board informed Council of the make up of the board: three pilots and three residents. Frank Kxompka stated he was a county worker at El Monte Airport. He encour- aged Council to support Meadowlark Airport and develop it. Councilman Mandic reassured members of the audience that Council was not. trying to close the airport at this time. Kathy stated she worked as a waitress at the Meadowlark Airport Cafe and spoke in support of the airport. Page 4 - Council Minutes - 9/23/85 Councilman Kelly stated that the meeting with the Meadowlark Airport Board had been scheduled several weeks before the airplane crashes. He suggested that the public comments portion of the meeting be closed. George Sandy, business flyer and aerial photographer, stated that the reason people were speaking in defense of the airport was the need to protect the airport. He stated that there was an airplane crash at San Juan Capistrano and the next day their City Council met and immediately closed the airport and plowed the runway up without following proper procedures. The Chairman of the Meadowlark Airport Board" proposed that a fund be .estab- lished and managed by the Meadowlark Airport Board to allow contributions by pilots and other interested parties to pay for safety related items at the airport such as runway lighting upkeep and the possible installation of a Visual Approach Lighting system. The matter was discussed by Council, as well as the possibility of securing federal grant money for use at the airport. Gas tax money paid by pilots for aviation gasoline was also discussed as a source of revenue for use at the airport. The Mayor summarized direction to staff to research and prepare reports on the following: the possibility of removing the Roosevelt Road easement, estab- lishment of a safety fund, the palm tree that is not on airport property, the city -owned trees, the various grants, safety seminars at the airport and security at the airport to control vandalism and theft. AFFORDABLE HOUSING POLICIES - RESOLUTION NO 5576 - REPORT REQUESTED The Clerk presented a communication from the Development Services Director entitled, Draft Policies for Affordable Housing" and transmitting Resolution No. 5576 - OLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH APPROVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING POLICIES FOR THE CITY." John Erskine, Executive Director of the Orange County Region of the Building Industry Association, referred to his letter dated September 23, 1985 and stated that they did not believe that the City of Huntington Beach needed a mandatory inclusionary requirement, either in the city's Coastal Zone or in other areas of the city, nor any change in adopted Council policy regarding affordable housing in order to be fully in compliance with regional or state guidelines regarding affordable housing. Tom Livengood, Chairman of the Housing Committee, presented the history of the housing policy and addressed Council on the issue of low income affordable housing. Grace winchell, member of the Housing Committee, described how the Committee arrived at the housing policies. Discussion was held regarding whether decisions should be based on each pro- ject as presented by developers to Council. Councilman MacAllister suggested the matter be held in abeyance until a court decision is reached on a case involving the City of Newport Beach. He stated the need for an inventory of housing rental stock in the city. The Director of Development Services stated such a report was in progress. 1 Page 5 - Council Minutes - 9/23/85 Dick Harlow requested Council consider allowing lead time to allow current projects to be completed under existing plans. He stated that Huntington Beach was already getting voluntary compliance and questioned the need for imposing mandatory affordable housing requirements. He stated his concern that the cost of projects would become prohibitive. Councilman MacAllister stated that if there was intention to use bond financing it should be spelled out. Discussion was held regarding the Mello Bill. Also discussed was the 20% affordable housing requirement under redevelopment law. The City Administrator stated that in some cases it was not an absolute requirement that 20% of the tax increment go into low income housing. The Mayor requested that the matter be clarified for Council. Kent Pierce, President of the Huntington Beach/Fountain Valley Realtors Board, addressed Council regarding the low income housing issue. Considerable discussion was held between members of the Housing Committee, developers, Council and staff regarding the issue of low income housing in the City. John Gibson, representing Druxell Burman, Los Angeles, addressed Council re- garding federal regulations pertaining to low income housing. He pointed out that with rental projects the developer was "on the hook" for ten years to maintain the low rental units. He pointed out that percentage wise these units had to be exactly the same as the other units in the number of bedrooms and amenities; no corners could be cut. He stated that it was becoming increasingly difficult to underwrite these projects. Discussion was held by Council regarding the matter. The Director of Development Services stated he would send a report to everyone present with a target date of the Rental Housing Survey and vacant land in the City that is zoned for rental projects. COASTAL BARRIER - STAFF TO REQUEST EXTENSION Councilman Kelly stated his concern regarding the September 30, 1985 deadline on the Coastal Barrier Act. The Mayor directed staff to request an extension of the deadline. LEAGUE OF CITIES - COUNCIL/CITY MANAGER LEADERSHIP TEAM WORKSHOP - OCTOBER 23-25 - LAKE ARROWHEAD The Mayor informed Council that they had been provided with a memorandum dated September 17, 1985 transmitting an informational brochure of the League of California Cities City Council. -Manager Leadership Team Workshop Conference to be held October 23-25 at Lake Arrowhead. She requested that councilmembers inform her whether they would be attending the workshop. Page 6 - Council Minutes - 9/23/85 STAFF TEAM BUILDING WORKSHOP Discussion was held regarding conducting a city staff Team Building Workshop sometime in November. The End Cafe was suggested as a location for the work shop. • n TMm W7MkM The adjourned regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach was adjourned by the Mayor. ATTEST: Alicia M. Wentworth City Clerk BY ` Deputy City Clerk Alicia M. Wentworth City Clerk and ex-officio Clerk of the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach, California BY Deputy City V