HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/28/2004 - Regular MeetingCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
City Council Minutes
Regular Meeting
September 28, 2004 - 7:00 p.m.
- Cancelled.
CLOSED SESSION - Cancelled.
INDEX
A. RECESSED AND RECONVENED AT 7:00 P.M. FOR REGULAR MEETING
B. ROLL CALL
Present: Heffernan, Rosansky, Bromberg, Webb, Daigle, Nichols, Mayor
Ridgeway
Absent: None
C. CLOSED SESSION REPORT - None.
D. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - Council Member Daigle.
E. INVOCATION - Mayor Ridgeway.
F. PRESENTATIONS
Presentation of plaques to outgoing Board and Commission members.
Mayor Ridgeway reported that Walt Howald was on the Board of Library Trustees
from July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2004 and presented Mr. Howald with a plaque. He
added that he was also very instrumental in obtaining the library grant for the
joint use project at Mariners Library. Mr. Howald thanked Council for their
support on the project.
Mayor Ridgeway reported that Lyn Belasco was on the City Arts Commission for
eight years. Ms. Belasco indicated that the Concerts in the Park was her pride
and joy, and that Shakespeare by the Sea extended from that. She stated that she
was one of the founders of the Newport Beach Arts Foundation and will continue
with the Arts Foundation. She added that she will miss working with the City
and her fellow Commissioners.
Friends of the Library Check Presentation. Barbara Day, President of the
Friends of the Library, stated that they have over 800 members, of which, 100
work in the store every month. She added that they are open seven days a week,
run four book sales a year, and process about 250,000 books a year. She reported
that they are giving the library a check for $200,000. She added that they are also
one of the beneficiaries of the Atkin Taylor Trust and have pledged $100,000
towards building the children's room in the Mariner's Library and $100,000 for
construction costs and overruns. She thanked the people who donate books and
the customers. She believed that they are one of the real jewels of the City.
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Harry Hamilton stated that, on behalf of the Board of Library Trustees, they
gratefully accept the money. He stated that they are deeply grateful to the
Friends of the Library for all their hard work and expressed appreciation to those
that buy books.
Corona del Mar Centennial. Peggy Fort, Executive Director of the Corona del
Mar Centennial Foundation, invited the entire City to attend the Centennial
Celebration. She announced that it will be held October 14 to October 17 and
highlighted the events that will take place over the weekend. She stated that
people can get more information by calling the Centennial Foundation at
675 -0501, visiting their website (www.cdm2004,com), or emailing them at
info�cdm2004.com. She reported that they have a volunteer orientation meeting
tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. at Sherman Gardens and a committee meeting on October
6. She displayed the centennial tile and reported that it can be purchased at Color
Me Mine or people can contribute to the donor wall at the Centennial Plaza.
G. NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
H. CITY COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS OR MATTERS WHICH COUNCIL
MEMBERS WOULD LIKE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR
DISCUSSION. ACTION OR REPORT (NON- DISCUSSION ITEM):
• Mayor Ridgeway introduced newly- appointed Council Member Daigle.
• Council Member Heffernan announced that the Friends of the Library
need more books.
• Council Member Heffernan provided information regarding early voting in
the County from October 5 to October 29. He stated that more
information can be obtained by calling the City Clerk at 644 -3007.
• Council Member Rosansky requested an update relative to the Santa Ana
River dredging project. Assistant City Manager Kiff stated that the
proposal would not use any trucks, but would store material at the mouth
of the river and use a dredge to liquefy the material, and then place it in a
pipe to go to the offshore disposal zone.
• Council Member Rosansky stated that trucks that are painted with
billboards are being parked in residential neighborhoods and are not being
moved. He indicated that they are also parked in driveways, specifically
at River and Balboa Boulevard. He requested a report about what the
City can do about this. Acting City Attorney Clauson indicated that they
are working on a way to regulate this through amendments to the sign
code. She added that they are also looking at constitutional issues related
to trucks with signs on them. She noted that the City only has provisions
regarding parking on public streets.
Mayor Pro Tem Bromberg reported that, at the last Council meeting, it
was announced that the City arrived at a settlement with Irvine regarding
the Scholle project in which the City will receive $396,000 for traffic
mitigation measures at Jamboree and MacArthur. He credited staff and
EQAC for their work in coming to this solution. Mayor Ridgeway clarified
that the agreement for the money was with the Scholle proponents, not
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the City of Irvine.
Mayor Pro Tem Bromberg noted that the City adopted the First Battalion
First Marines from Camp Pendleton. He announced that, on October 26,
there will be a "Mess Night" at the Balboa Bay Club for $200 per person.
He stated that they expect to have a surplus of $20,000 to $30,000. He
noted that the Marines will be going back to Iraq in December and that
the surplus will be used to help their families. He stated that the cost of
the tickets also pays for a Marine to attend the event. He indicated that
tickets can be purchased by calling 644 -3202.
Council Member Webb stated that Orange Coast College and the
Sanitation District are looking at constructing a pedestrian bridge over
Coast Highway. He noted that Caltrans has indicated to them that they
would need to have input from the City. He asked that someone from
Public Works work with the Sanitation District and Orange Coast College
on the details.
Council Member Webb stated that Council designated him to attend the
League of California Cities Conference two weeks ago. He announced that
the City was presented with the Helen Putnam Award for the
Administrative Services Department Master Customer Identification
Program. Council Member Webb also reported that the League is
supporting Proposition IA to help protect local funding from the State and
provided each Council Member with a Proposition 1A brochure.
Council Member Nichols stated that Corona del Mar needs more sand, as
does other communities further south.
I. CONSENT CALENDAR
READING OF MINUTESIORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
1. MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR AND REGULAR
MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 14, 2004. Waive reading of subject
minutes, approve as written and order filed (Council Member Daigle
abstained).
2. READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS. Waive reading
in full of all ordinances and resolutions under consideration, and direct
City Clerk to read by title only.
ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION
3. TRAFFIC CONTROL ON VIA FIRENZE. Introduce Ordinance No.
2004 -22 amending Section 12.52.070 of the NBMC to designate Via
Firenze between Via Lido Saud and Piazza Lido as one -way, northeast
bound traffic only.
ORDINANCES FOR ADOPTION
4. REVISION OF PARKING METER ZONE IN MARINERS VILLAGE.
Adopt Ordinance No. 2004 -20 to amend Parking Meter Zone 2 in
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Municipal Code Section 12.44.020 to add the "Northerly side of Avon
Street from Riverside Avenue to 150 feet westerly "; and to amend Section
12.44.040 to establish fees for parking meters on Avon Street.
5. Removed at the request of an audience member.
RESOLUTIONS FOR ADOPTION
6. Removed at the request of Council Member Nichols.
7. Removed at the request of an audience member.
S. Removed at the request of Council Member Webb.
9. Removed at the request of staff.
10. Removed at the request of staff.
CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS
11. IRVINE AVENUE 24 -INCH WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT -
APPROVAL OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH
TETTEMER & ASSOCIATES. Approve a Professional Services
Agreement with Tettemer & Associates of Irvine for engineering services
for the Irvine Avenue 24 -inch Water Main Replacement project at a
contract price of $148,308 and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to
execute the agreement.
12. Removed at the request of Council Member Nichols.
MISCELLANEOUS ACTIONS
13. Removed at the request of Council Member Nichols.
14. Removed at the request of Council Member Nichols.
15. BUDGET AMENDMENT TO ACCEPT A CHECK FROM THE
FRIENDS OF THE NEWPORT BEACH LIBRARY AND
APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO MAINTENANCE & OPERATIONS
BUDGET ACCOUNTS FOR FY 2004/05. Approve a budget amendment
(05BA -014) increasing revenue estimates by $93,000 in 4010 -5901, Private
Donations /Contributions, and increasing maintenance and operations
expenditure estimates by $93,000 in Division 4091, Friends.
16. ACCEPT FEMA SUPPLEMENTAL EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
PLANNING GRANT. 1) Accept the 2002 Federal Emergency
Management Agency Supplemental Emergency Operations Planning
Grant for $11,283 in funding for emergency operations planning; and
2) approve a budget amendment (05BA -015) increasing revenue estimates
by $11,283 in 2355 -4894, and appropriating those funds into Fire
Department account 2355 - 82001.
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17. APPROVE PURCHASE OF PDSI TELESTAFF SOFTWARE.
Approve the purchase of PDSI Telestaff software for a total not to exceed
$93,870 (contract price of $85,338 + 10% contingency).
18. Removed at the request of Council Member Rosansky.
Motion by Mayor Pro Tern Bromberg to approve the Consent Calendar, except
for those items removed (5, 6, 7 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 18), and noting the
abstention on Item 1 by Council Member Daigle and the abstention on Items 9
and 10 by Council Member Rosansky.
The motion carried by the following roll call vote:
Ayes: Heffernan, Rosansky, Bromberg, Webb, Daigle, Nichols, Mayor
Ridgeway
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
J. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Allan Beek apologized if his signs that he will be putting up, which say
"Give Away Public Bayfront - L No ", offends anyone.
Dolores Otting, Council candidate, noted that the pump station that is
operated by the Sanitation District had a spill a few weeks ago and asked
what happened to their backup system. She requested that Mayor
Ridgeway, as a representative on the Sanitation District, find out what
happened. She believed that the City should maintain or test the
Sanitation District's generators. Mayor Ridgeway stated that a public
report will probably be available in the next four weeks and reported that
he will bring it to the meeting when it is available. He added that the
newspapers will also receive the report.
Tom Billings stated that the Irvine Family gifted the land years ago from
the Balboa Bay Club to the Arches for public use, but most of it has been
converted to commercial and private use. He reported that the City will
soon be voting on Measure L to modify the General Plan to change
Marinapark from Recreation and Environmental Open Space to Marine
Commercial. He stated that, once this is done, the land can be developed
and believed that another piece of public land is lost. He indicated that
there is limited harbor front access and scarcity of open space on the bay,
and the City is built out. He stated that no amount of the developer's
money can change the fact that public parkland and open space must be
preserved. He urged every voter to vote "no" on Measure L.
Mark Tabbert stated that Mayor Ridgeway spoke about all the
opportunities the public had to be a part of the GPAC process. He
indicated that he wrote the Daily Pilot about a member of the public being
roughly treated at a GPAC meeting he attended. He stated that he did
not take offense to the Mayor's remarks, but added that he was pleased to
hear his comments at the last meeting. He believed that the letters that
appeared in the Daily Pilot after his letter and the Mayor's comments
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prove that his letter touched a cord that the public's desire for a certain
type of future is at odds with real estate, legal, and business interests as
presented by GPAC. Mr. Tabbert presented and read a statement that he
hoped all the Council Members and those running for Council will sign
regarding the future of Banning Ranch.
Mayor Ridgeway clarified that his comments were directed to another
individual regarding the Local Coastal Plan (LCP) process, not GPAC or
GPUC.
• Pam Murray stated that she is a Marine Mom and suggested that the
surplus money for the Marine families also be used to purchase web cams
for the troops.
Ms. Murray stated that she is a property owner that lives in close
proximity to Marinapark. She indicated that she supports the proposed
hotel and resort, and does not support a plan for an aquatic park, boat
launch, and soccer and t -ball fields. She expressed concern about the
noise, traffic, and parking issues that a park would bring, noting that
traffic for a hotel runs opposite of beach traffic. She believed that a resort
would be an asset to the area and will help propel the revitalization of the
Peninsula.
• Jan Vandersloot indicated that people who don't live on the Peninsula
have trouble finding parking when they want to visit the beach or the bay.
He believed that a park could provide up to 200 parking spaces. He stated
that, if the City is to have public access to the beach and bay, it ought to
maintain its Recreation and Environmental Open Space area. He stated
that, if the voters vote "yes" on Measure L, it will only be available to a
select few. However, a "no" vote will keep the land available to the
citizens, their children, and their grandchildren no matter where they live.
He urged the people of the City to keep the parkland and vote "no" on
Measure L.
• Rollin Sanders stated that he has been watching this issue on cable and
wanted to be on record as being opposed to building a hotel at Marinapark.
He believed that the land should be kept as open space to build a park
because once it is given away, the City cannot get it back.
Ann Watts stated that she is working with www.ocmil.com who is trying
to reopen the base housing at El Toro for military families. She noted that
the rent stipend sometimes does not cover the cost of rent, and when it
does, there is very little for other expenses. She noted that over 1,000
units of base housing sit empty, but taxpayers continue to pay for them.
She reported that Steve Rose of Tustin's Affordable Housing made an offer
to the Department of Navy to buy the units, renovate them at no cost to
the taxpayer, and rent them at below market rates to the troops. She
added that Congressman Cox is also working with them. She suggested
that people call the Congressman's office to let him know they support his
effort to reopen E1 Toro base housing for our troops and encouraged
Council to draft a resolution to send Congressman Cox.
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John Hedlund stated that he is a transplant from Glendale. He reported
that he was active in Glendale city affairs, and was instrumental in
forming the Glendale Partners to help the city look long range and to fund
studies. He believed that, in order to have a vital city that responds to the
needs of the community, it needs managed, intelligent growth. He
indicated that he served on the redevelopment agency in Glendale and
they would consider the Marinapark area a blighted area. He believed
that a hotel would offer community rooms, improve the Girl Scout House,
update the American Legion, and provide more parking.
Tom Birch stated that he is a colleague of Mr. Hedlund's. He indicated
that he saw a presentation by Mr. Sutherland and believed that his project
would be an asset to the community since the hotel was low density and it
provided an improved Girl Scout facility and increased parking. He noted
that he is a member of American Legion Post 291 and stated that it also
would get many benefits. He asked that people consider voting "yes" on
Measure L.
Don Regan stated that he has 16 grandchildren who have all slid down the
slide at the tot lot, believing that they are the only 16 of maybe 30 people
who have used it in the last three years. He believed that the project
would upgrade the facility, add parking, be more usable to the community,
and be good for the tax base. He stated that there is a large sentiment in
the community for this type of use and facility on the property.
John Buttolph, Council candidate, agreed that a park has no economic
return but took issue that this is what it is coming down to. He asked if
the City is about taking open space in order to maximize economic return.
He stated that he realizes that cities need to make revenue, but this does
not mean that government advocates its responsibility as stewards of
public parkland. He urged voters to vote "no" on Measure L. Mayor
Ridgeway pointed out that five acres is currently taken up by a
mobilehome park.
Laura Dietz noted that Council is also stewards of an entire community.
She stated that she was initially hesitant about this project because of
concerns she had for the American Legion, but noted that the Legion will
benefit from this, a community center will be added, the hotel will bring in
revenue, and the contiguous properties will probably spruce up which will
increase property values. She encouraged people to support Measure L.
She added that the City has an abundance of parkland, reporting that the
City has the Back Bay, 32 parks, and two more that are coming onboard.
She stated that the Coastal Commission would also agree with this.
Joe Repus stated that Mr. Sutherland said at a Peninsula Point
Homeowners Association meeting that he will spend up to $1.5 million to
remodel the American Legion Hall and another $1.5 million for a 6,200
square foot combination community center, oasis center, and Girl Scout
House. He indicated that Mr. Sutherland has State tax liens, IRS liens,
and judgments, and asked how the City could give him a $100 million
piece of property. He stated that Mr. Sutherland is not an architect, a
designer, or a developer, and that no one has heard of Steve Sutherland.
He believed that the City has lost close to $3 million to date on
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Marinapark. He stated that the Marinapark tenants would've been
paying $1,529,000 a year and they offered to pay $1.7 million. He believed
that, until the hotel goes through, the City will now be wasting $700,000 a
year.
K. ORAL REPORTS FROM CITY COUNCIL ON COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES
Ad Hoc General Plan Update Committee (GPUC) — None.
Local Coastal Program Certification Committee — None.
Newport Coast Advisory Committee — Assistant City Manager Kiff reported
that they met September 13 and will meet again on October 4 at 5:30 p.m. at the
Newport Coast Elementary School. He stated that they've been working on the
Newport Coast Community Center site design and this will come before Council
for comments and approval. He added that they discussed the landscaping for
Newport Coast Drive and the plan is currently in Public Works. Mr. Kiff stated
that the Newport Coast Elementary School loop road was also discussed. Council
Member Heffernan added that NCAC adopted a resolution to not divert
construction traffic from Ridge Park Road so they could see how the loop road is
working. He stated that they feel that the signalized intersection at the school is a
better turning point for construction traffic. Further, the road is also wider than
other road alternatives.
Mariners Joint Use Library Ad Hoc Steering Committee — Public Works
Director Badum reported that they are awaiting final approval from the State
Library Board, but they are poised to award the contract in October or November.
Aviation Committee — Mayor Pro Tem Bromberg announced that there will be a
meeting on October 4 at 8:30 a.m. in the Friends Room at the Central Library.
Telecommunications Committee — Council Member Heffernan reported that
the committee met last week. He stated that they received an explanation from
their outside counsel as to why the cable franchises are not likely to get extended.
He reported that cell providers attended the meeting but would not provide
examples of rent amounts. He stated that the City established a range and
reported that there are eight pending cell contracts to consider.
L. PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA AND ORAL STATUS REPORT
19. PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA FOR SEPTEMBER 23, 2004.
Planning Director Temple reported that three items were continued. 'She
noted that the Gates residence and St. Andrews Presbyterian Church
items were continued without discussion. Regarding the condominium
conversion and tentative tract map for a seven unit apartment project at
329 Marguerite Avenue, she indicated that the Commission requested new
analysis and continued the item to October 7.
Ms. Temple reported that the use permit for the Balboa Theater was
approved with no testimony or comment.
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Ms. Temple reported that the Commission recommended approval to the
City Council of the general plan amendment, zoning amendment, use
permit, traffic study, and environmental document for St. Mark
Presbyterian Church. She stated that this will be brought before Council
at the October 12 meeting.
In response to Council Member Nichols' question, Ms. Temple confirmed
that there are seven apartments at 329 Marguerite Avenue that will be
converted to condominiums. She clarified that the City allows conversions
for any multi - family project.
M. CURRENT BUSINESS
20. MARINAPARK RESORT & COMMUNITY PLAN — MEMORANDUM
OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) — TERM SHEET.
Contract Attorney Burnham reported that Kim Thompson of Rutan &
Tucker who is the special real estate counsel is in attendance to answer
questions, but Economic Advisor Cal Hollis is not present tonight.
Mr. Burnham stated that Council appointed a subcommittee consisting of
Mayor Ridgeway and Council Member Heffernan to talk with the
Marinapark proponent about possible lease terms and conditions so the
voters could be informed of the terms prior to the election; and to also
determine whether the revenue generated through the lease terms and
conditions would be comparable to the forecast in the fiscal impact report.
He indicated that an MOU and a draft of the term sheet are included that
represent the status of those discussions and a summary of the issues. He
pointed out that there was no conceptual agreement on a number of
issues, including the amount and timing of option considerations, the
method by which the City would insure that it had no obligation to provide
services or amenities to the timeshare owners in the event the property
went into default, and the manner and amount of the percentage of rent
the City would receive from the fractional units. Mr. Burnham reported
that they drafted an MOU but walked the fence between not wanting to
commit the City to a particular term or condition, and giving the voters a
level of comfort or confidence that they could rely on these terms and
conditions if they were to vote on this project. He stated that most of the
discussion relative to the fiscal analysis included the base rent and the in
lieu Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) that the City would receive from the
fractional units and the TOT that the resort would generate.
Mayor Ridgeway noted that the lease does not provide for the standard
return of property taxes and /or TOT. Mr. Burnham confirmed that, except
for the supplemental rent, these terms are above and beyond what would
represent the in lieu hotel tax. Beside the vote on November 2, he stated
that staff and special counsel acknowledge that there are a number of
issues that need to be resolved before any agreement is signed, including
clarification that Mr. Talla has withdrawn, the nature of the entity that
remains, and the identity of the financial partners that need to be brought
on board.
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Mayor Pro Tem Bromberg noted that MOUs usually don't deal with leases.
He asked what the MOU gives Mr. Sutherland if the Mayor signs the
document. He further asked if the City is bound to deal with
Mr. Sutherland if the measure passes. Mr. Burnham indicated that, in his
opinion, the City is not bound to deal with him if the measure passes.
However, the MOU does not clarify that issue, believing that it may be
appropriate for the MOU to acknowledge that currently there is some
question as to what Mr. Sutherland's rights are vis -a -vis the City and the
City's obligations to Mr. Sutherland and STH, the entity the 2000 and
2003 agreements were signed with. He reported that he asked
Mr. Thompson to look into those questions and that they are not
comfortable giving an opinion on any of those issues right now. He
indicated, however, that the MOU would commit the City to use as a basis
for further discussions, the $1.1 million in annual rent. He noted that Mr.
Hollis has indicated that this is fair market rent for this property given
the use and other provisions outlined in the staff report. He. stated that
the items in the term sheet that represent contractual commitments work
to benefit the City.
Mayor Pro Tem Bromberg stated that, if Measure L is approved in
November and the City chooses not to do business with the developer, he
wants to be sure that the City is not locked into something in the event
those contingencies occur. Mr. Burnham noted that Council entered into
an exclusive negotiating agreement in 2000 and 2003 with Sutherland
Talla Hospitality after a lengthy request for proposal (RFP) process.
However, since that time, there have been changes in the nature of the
entity. He reiterated that Mr. Thompson is not comfortable telling
Council what the rights and duties are with respect to the City and Mr.
Sutherland. He stated that, if this is approved by the voters, Council
needs to have a comfort level that the people they are dealing with are of
good moral character, have the financial ability to construct the entire
project including the community center and all the public improvements,
and the ability to operate the resort as a luxury resort. He indicated that
this type of protection comes first from making sure that the people with
whom you are dealing with are capable in all of those respects. Further,
this can be achieved through negotiations of the terms and conditions of
the option. He reported that, the way the term sheet is set up, the option
cannot be exercised until Council has received evidence that there is a
construction loan, a contract with a luxury resort manager or a luxury
resort manager owns the facility, and other levels of protection to ensure
that this resort will be constructed as it has been presented with
appropriate materials and finishes, and it will be operated in a way that is
a credit to the community. Mr.. Burnham stated that those levels of
protection exist in the term sheet and they would be included in the option
agreement that is subject to Council approval. He emphasized that, when
the MOU was drafted, it was an attempt to walk the line between giving
the voters a level of confidence that these were terms and conditions they
could rely on without obligating the Council to sign a particular lease with
a particular entity.
Kim Thompson, Rutan & Tucker, stated that they need to look into the
issue of authority and who signed the document, and the effects of what
has happened since the 2000 and 2003 agreements. Regarding the MOU,
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he believed that there needs to be some tweaking done to the language
before it is adopted. For example, he stated that he would change the
wording in Section 3 (Future Negotiations).
Mayor Pro Tem Bromberg asked if the MOU is premature. Mr. Burnham
indicated that, based on what he has seen over the last couple of days and
the discussions he has had with Mr. Thompson, he believes that there are
changes to the MOU that should be crafted before it is approved by
Council.
Mayor Ridgeway asked if this has to be called an MOU and suggested
calling it a proposed term sheet. Mr. Burnham stated that the idea of
having discussions preceding the election were not to commit Council or
the proponent to a particular lease, but to give the voters a broad brush of
what the business deal might look like if Measure L were approved. He
believed that the MOU probably goes beyond where it needs to go and
should be revised.
In response to Council Member Rosansky's questions, Mr. Burnham
indicated that neither the 2000 nor 2003 agreements required the City to
enter into an MOU prior to the election. He stated that Council could
have a receive and file item that deals with the status of the negotiations
to date. He noted that there was a desire by some individuals to give
greater credence to the status of the negotiations rather than a statement
of terms and conditions so there is no alternation of the terms and
conditions at a future time. Council Member Rosansky stated that he
doesn't want to be bound to anything until an agreement has been
negotiated. Mayor Pro Tern Bromberg pointed out that last year Council
promised the public that a number of things would occur before this went
to a vote, including having proposed lease terms. However, he noted that
they never said there would be an MOU or an agreement regarding the
proposed lease terms.
Mr. Burnham stated that they can simplify the term sheet and focus on
the core issues and terms, and then bring it back as a receive and file item.
Council Member Heffernan stated that he and Mayor Ridgeway are on the
negotiating team and have different opinions about the measure. He
indicated that he thought that, once this was on the ballot, they'd know
the feasible and complete outline of terms, i.e. who the tenant was, their
background, and essentially what the lease might be. He noted that they
last met in early July. He believed that, in order to create a document
that binds the City under an MOU, it is hard to use best efforts,
commercially reasonable efforts, or good faith efforts when you don't have
all the terms. Further, the process should be scrapped since it is too late
to enter into intense negotiations to develop the full points. He noted that
he asked who the tenant was going to be five weeks ago.
Motion by Mayor Pro Tern Brombere to continue the item to the
October 12, 2004 Council meeting and direct staff to bring the item back
as a receive and file item.
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Mr. Burnham confirmed for Council Member Nichols that the contract
states that STH has the sole negotiating right if this is approved by the
voters. He stated that the project would generate about $2.2 million or
$2.3 million when the resort stabilized if you assume a $1.1 million base
rent, look at the percentage rents, and assume the projections from PKF
are correct relative to room rates and occupancy. He noted that a lot of
issues arose during the discussions, some of which involve the fractional
units and how those would be structured to not impact the hotel parcel
and vice versa so the City wouldn't have any additional obligations.
Council Member Nichols noted that timeshares were not in the original
contract. He expressed concern that the developer could pull money out at
an early date and that clear beach access may be inhibited at the center
and at the ends of the hotel. Mr. Burnham stated that this is not the way
he understood the project was going to be designed since it's not supposed
to go beyond the current development line. He agreed that the 2000 or
2003 agreements did not reference fractional units or timeshares, but
reported that the EIR contained an assumption that the project might
include up to 12 fractional units.
Council Member Heffernan stated that Mr. Sutherland has spent a lot of
money and effort on this project. He emphasized that he wants to be fair
and present the terms appropriately, and that it is not his objective to
scuttle the project by presenting harsh terms. He stated that he wants to
present complete terms that are fair and agreed to by both sides.
Joe O'Hora believed that the MOU transcends the debate about parks and
hotels; that the first line can be construed as fiscal malfeasant and failure
to exercise the fiduciary responsibility required of elected officials; and all
citizens agree that the City must stop negotiating with an unqualified
individual and an entity that doesn't exist. He stated that his legal
advisors confirmed that Sutherland Talla Hospitality LLP is a non - entity,
believing that the City Attorney's office knew this. He believed that these
agreements will lead to the transfer of 8.5 acres of designated parkland.
He stated that he read Mr. Sutherland's financial and experience book,
believing that he is not qualified to undertake this project. He took issue
with the MOU and the terms, and believed that the City will be more
deeply involved in questionable actions and relationships with this
document. He stated that he has been advised that such activity, past and
present, could be sufficient grounds for rendering all previous agreements
with this individual and company null and void regardless of the outcome
of the election.
John Buttolph stated that he is running for City Council largely because of
what he sees in this Council's activities with respect to hotels. He
indicated that he reviewed the agreements that the City has with
Sutherland Talla LLP and noted that an LLP can only be formed by
lawyers, accountants, or architects. He stated that Council and the City
Attorney know that there is no LLP, adding that the Acting City Attorney
has never seen evidence of the LLP. He stated that Council can walk
away from this deal at anytime and the other person cannot enforce it. He
believed that now the public is compelled to vote on this because Council
passed on it and entered into an agreement with a non - existent entity.
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Stephen Sutherland reported that Sutherland Talla never was an LLP
and he never presented it as an LLP. He stated that Sutherland Talla has
never been anything more than an agreement between himself and Mr.
Tana to proceed on this project since 1999. He indicated that a little over
two months ago, he discovered that Mr. Talla had a business investment
that he was uncomfortable with, so he asked him to withdraw from the
partnership. He pointed out that the personal attacks he has gone
through for the past five years are without basis. He agreed that this item
needs more study and should come back at a future meeting.
In response to Mayor Ridgeway's question, Acting City Attorney Clauson
reported that Mr. Buttolph came by her office yesterday requesting the
incorporation documents. She stated that she told him that she was not
under the impression that Sutherland Talla Hospitality was a corporation
or an LLP, but a partnership. Further, from her review of the agreement,
the City didn't have an agreement with Sutherland Talla Hospitality LLP.
She stated that the general partnership was not noted.
Mr. Burnham reported that the amended 2003 agreement is with
Sutherland Talla Hospitality, and does not state LLP. He indicated that
he doesn't have a copy of the primary agreement with him at this time.
He stated that Mr. Thompson confirmed that LLP's are for purposes of
architecture or law and that Mr. Sutherland, to his knowledge, has never
represented himself as an LLP. He stated that he cannot explain why the
original agreement had that representation. He indicated that
Mr. Sutherland told him that there was a verbal partnership between
himself and Mr. Talla. He reported that Mr. Thompson is sorting through
the legal significance of all of the things being said this evening.
In response to Council Member Webb's questions, Mr. Sutherland stated
that he was vice president of a local architectural firm in the late 1980s,
he began his own architectural firm in 1990 with a local architect and was
the president of that corporation. He indicated that they designed and
built projects in the United States, Mexico, and Spain. He stated that he
has stacks of letters from clients that he would show Council privately
because he does not want the opponents of the project harassing his
former clients. He noted that he has been published on a number of
occasions, he has had two projects a part of American Institute of
Architects (AIA) awards, and he was a member of AIA. He noted that, as
a president of an architectural firm, he had all legal rights to carry on full
architectural duties except stamp construction documents.
Don Regan stated that he was the city attorney For a number of cities and
was the founder of a company that built assisted living facilities. He
indicated that more than half of their projects were on behalf of an LLP in
formation or a handshake partnership. He stated that the method that
Council is following is the method that they followed. He noted that an
LLP is not formed until a certificate is formed. He stated that he is
surprised at the vitriol that is coming out against this project. Iie
expressed the opinion that the proposed project would be better for the
community.
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Joe Repus believed that Mr. Sutherland states things that are not true
and noted that he has had tax liens since the 1980s. He asked how much
the Balboa Bay Club paid in rent, noting that the facility is bigger than
Marinapark. Council Member Webb stated that they paid roughly
$2.6 million. Mr. Repus indicated that the first four quarterly payments
are about $2 million to $2.1 million, but Mr. Sutherland is claiming that
he will make $2.1 million on a facility that is half the size. He asked when
the last time a 12 boat marina was built in the City. He asked Council
Member Heffernan to follow up on Mr. Sutherland's references.
Allan Beek stated that he is the secretary of Stop Polluting Our
Neighborhood (SPON) who is suing the City and had to serve on the real
party in interest. He indicated that their attorney had a tough time
finding the real party in interest and had to serve it on
Mr. Sutherland because he couldn't find the other entities. He noted that
most contracts state that notices have to be given to someone in case of
default; however, this contract didn't have that information. He indicated
that Mr. Burnham noted that the purpose of the MOU was to give voters a
sense of confidence, but believed that the voters are not confident if they're
watching this meeting.
Geoffrey Davis indicated that he is in favor of the proposed luxury hotel,
believing that it will have a positive affect on property values and improve
quality of life. He asked the City to do something for them instead of the
visitors. He stated that the Girl Scout House will become a clean, safe,
state -of- the -art facility for the children and the public; and the American
Legion will also benefit. He noted that there may be 75 years of
precedence since many private and commercial enterprises have benefited
and existed on publicly -owned land, i.e. the Beacon Bay Development,
marine fueling station, and the Balboa ferry. He believed that the
opponents of Measure L are promoting frivolous, legal maneuvers aimed
at preventing the public from voting on this issue. He stated that we
cannot allow special interest groups to take control of the City's future by
demanding that everyone continue to live in the past.
John Rettberg stated that no one is trying to stop a vote, but are
interested in having the facts to make an informed decision. He believed
that the current information is not adequate for people to make an
informed decision. He indicated that he would've been thrown out if he
went to a board of directors with the information that has been provided.
Craig Morissette stated that there was a gasp by the audience at the July
27 Council meeting when it was revealed that millions of dollars from the
sale of the timeshares was going to go to the developer. He noted that the
MOU doesn't discuss this but believed that it needs to be addressed. He
expressed concern with Mr. Sutherland's credentials attached to the staff
report. He stated that the Secretary of State's Office confirmed that there
is no Sutherland Talla Hospitality LLP or LLC; there is no Stephen
Sutherland licensed in California according to the Architects Board and
the Contractors Licensing Board; and that Mr. Sutherland is no longer a
member of AIA. He provided Council with a list of questions he would like
answered tonight.
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Tom Billings believed that, pursuant to the previous comments and, on
behalf of the voters of Newport Beach, he urged Council to invalidate and
void the MOU.
Laura Dietz stated that Mr. Sutherland has already answered
Mr. Morissette's questions. She took issue with Mr. Billings speaking on
behalf of the voters of the City since he was not elected to City Council.
She agreed with Mayor Pro Tem Bromberg and Council Member Rosansky
that this may not really be an MOU, but there needs to be general terms
for voters to base their vote. She encouraged Council to have staff review
all the critical elements that the public can use to make a determination
whether this project is good for Newport Beach.
Jan Vandersloot noted that the MOU mentions Sutherland Talla
Hospitality LLP and that Mr. Sutherland asked his partner, Mr. Talla, to
leave the partnership after it was brought to light a couple of months ago
that Mr. Talla had an ownership interest in a Las Vegas topless club. He
reported that he found an article on the internet dated June 2003 that
talks about Mr. Talla's ownership of the Sapphire Club. He asked if the
City knew who they were dealing with in 2003 and if it would've made a
difference if we knew. He stated that we don't even know tonight who
we're dealing with. He believed that this property should be a park
available to all the people of Newport Beach and not given away and
leased for 50 years. He stated that Mr. Talla's name is still on the list as
the entity the City is dealing with and believed that the City also needs to
deal with him, as well as Mr. Sutherland. He indicated that Council
should reject the MOU and the public should look at the controversy and
vote "no" on Measure L.
Dolores Otting, Council candidate, stated that fair market rent today is
$1.1 million, but the MOU doesn't have any acceleration to determine
what the rent should be if the project doesn't start until at least 2008. She
noted that the lease negotiating subcommittee hasn't met since early July.
She stated that, when you purchase a home, they don't let you move in
and then 30 days or 60 days later, determine if you can qualify for the
mortgage. She asked if it is legal for the City to enter into an agreement
to give somebody $100 million worth of property for $1 million a year with
someone that isn't a company. She stated that this is how the County got
into bankruptcy. She stated that, on July 27, she brought Council
information about the Sapphire Club, the LLCs, the LLPs, etc., but the
City still doesn't know who it is doing business with. She stated that the
City didn't want the Mermaid, but its okay to be associated with money
from a strip club. Ms. Otting stated that she is starting to feel bad for Mr.
Sutherland because she's starting to think that he's getting set up on this
deal. She indicated that it is not her job and two other women's job to find
out the things they did about Mr. Talla. She stated that it is the City's job,
noting that this is one of the reasons why she is running for City Council.
She believed that the voters have nothing to vote on. She emphasized that
they should've had all of this information in 2003.
Mr. Burnham emphasized that there is nothing that Council is
considering that involves giving Mr. Sutherland $100 million worth of
property. He stated that making comparisons to Mr. Talla and the
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Mermaid ignores what the term sheet states. He reported that the term
sheet talks about an initial five year option in which the proponent has to
satisfy a number of conditions that resolve the issues that the public
mentioned. He agreed that there are problems with regard to the identity
of the entity or individual, but there is nothing being proposed that
represents the "give away" that the public is describing. He stated that
this is an MOU that tries to describe the status of discussions that Council
initiated in good faith to try to give the voters some information. He
emphasized that the testimony tonight is not reasonably related to what
they are presenting to Council. He confirmed that they have not had
discussions with Mr. Sutherland since some time in July.
Mayor Ridgeway noted that no one has addressed the financial terms and
conditions tonight, but have chosen to make public, personal attacks on
Mr. Sutherland and any association that he has.
Phillip Arst believed that the MOU is the clearest example of the
incomplete information that will be given to the voters and the City's
irresponsible giveaway of public facilities and possibly public funds. He
stated that he is in favor of the public voting on major general plan
amendments such as this, but only with complete information. He
expressed concern that some of the provisions in the MOU may result in a
burden on the taxpayers, there is no assurance of the City's ability to
control the property, and the EIR was issued in the name of Marinapark
LLC. Further, the MOU states that the current developer can sell its
property rights without Council approval to anyone with a 20% down
payment and an agreement with an individual with the necessary
experience in hotel management. He believed that the City loses at least
$800,000 during the up to seven year option and construction period, and
up to $1.7 million possible annual rent from the mobilehomes, and is stuck
with the full cost of removing them. He asked what City services will be
cut back while the City covers these losses. He stated that the City might
as well have a park for the people to enjoy. He believed that the City will
get little if any revenue because any sales by the hotel will just take
revenue from the other hotels in the City. He added that the
$1.1 million base rent for the hotel should probably be closer to $3 million,
considering the property value. Further, it is not adjusted for inflation
over a 25 year period.
Mr. Burnham stated that the term sheet does allow assignment without
the City's consent to a recognized luxury hotel operator or an entity with
no less than 20% equity that has a contract with a luxury resort operator
or has the requisite ability. He indicated that he is not sure if Mr. Arst
was referring to that provision or the provision that says that the City
receives 20% of the profits if there is a transfer within the first 54 months.
He clarified that the proponent would basically be allowed to sign the
resort to an entity that was a luxury resort or an entity with substantial
equity in the property and had a contract with a luxury resort operator to
ensure that the operation of the facility was in accordance with the
standards. He emphasized that this was a summary of a term rather than
the precise language of an agreement that would probably cover more
contingencies.
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Council Member Nichols commended Mr. Sutherland for paying all of his
bills to the City and upholding his monetary commitments.
Mayor Pro Tem Bromberg stated that this time of the election year is the
"silly season" because people act in a way that they normally don't act. He
pointed out that there is nothing to make null or void because there is no
legal document. He clarified that his motion was to continue this and
bring it back as a receive and file item which is a non - binding document on
anybody. He believed that this threw off the people who had prepared
statements. He indicated that the people in favor of the project and only
two people opposed spoke to the issue. He stated that the others made
personal attacks. He emphasized that, if Measure L passes and
Mr. Sutherland is not who or what he says he is, the City does not have to
do business with him.
Council Member Daigle stated that she would like to follow the advice of
the legal representatives that an MOU is premature and expressed her
support of the motion. She believed that there is benefit to providing
voters with factual information and stated that she wants to move in that
direction in whatever form that takes. She noted that we live in an age of
consumer empowerment where people have a lot of information about
everything. She stated that the constituents are smart and savvy, and
want information.
Regarding Exhibit A, Council Member Webb asked why the term should
be extended beyond the option date as opposed to adding extra time. He
referenced Section 2.2(b) and requested that the statement clearly indicate
that the site plan that was presented in the environmental document may
not be the plan that's approved because there's a number of items that
need to be resolved. He believed that a clause was supposed to be added to
Section C which asks for the City to be able to determine the character of
the people whom it would be dealing with and allows the City to get out of
the document if it felt that the moral turpitude was not appropriate for it
to enter into a contract. He stated that he does not understand what
"abatement" means in Section 3.1. Regarding reappraisal, he stated that
the City needs to make sure that the statement does not allow for the rent
to go down. Council Member Webb stated that it needs to be determined
whether the City should receive some portion of the sale price of the
fractional units. He believed that the ballot measure stating that the
community center and public recreation facilities shall be on three acres is
a constraint and should be in Section 5.2. He stated that the hotel is on
about five acres and the public, recreational facilities are on at least three
acres. Council Member Webb stated that partialization should discuss the
split between the public recreational facilities and the hotel facilities
related to the five and three acres. Regarding transfers, he believed that
it is reasonable for the City to have some say about who the property gets
transferred to.
Council Member Nichols noted that a vote against the motion really has
no meaning and that a vote in favor of the motion just means that it's
coming back at the next meeting.
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Mayor Pro Tem Bromberg stated that acceleration of rent occurs when the
project is successful. However, if the project is not successful, we need to
be sure that the City is covered.
Council Member Heffernan asked, if this is brought back as a receive and
file item, is that then something that the City is obligated under, even
though the City Council does not vote on it. He stated that Council
Member Webb raised issues that are really deal terms and asked how they
are going to be solved in two weeks. Mr. Burnham stated that Council
would simply be seeing a status report at the next meeting that discusses
the opinions of Council. Further, the report would then respond to the
questions and comments that Council Member Webb and Mayor Pro Tem
Bromberg posed. He believed that there would not be time nor would it be
productive to meet with Mr. Sutherland. He stated that they would bring
back a term sheet that looks somewhat like the one provided, but would
have additional explanations and address issues raised by Mayor Pro Tem
Bromberg and Council Member Webb.
Council Member Heffernan asked why the City can't use Cal Hollis'
proposed term sheet since the City won't be negotiating with anyone.
Mr. Burnham stated that it was his understanding that the request was to
give Council the status of the discussion. Council Member Heffernan
believed that we're trying to get to a point that explains what the trade off
is if the City loses the park site. He noted that the trade off would be the
revenue source for a certain amount of time. He added that it should also
list the risks, rewards, and contingencies. He emphasized that presenting
enough information without handcuffing the City is a difficult thing to do.
Mayor Ridgeway stated that Mr. Burnham can meet with him and Council
Member Heffernan. He reported that this is an unsubordinated ground
lease and the City will not subordinate to any lender. He emphasized
that, if the project is built and there is a default, the City gets the project
and the bank loses.
The motion carried by the following roll call vote
Ayes: Heffernan, Rosansky, Bromberg, Webb, Daigle, Nichols, Mayor
Ridgeway
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
21. UNSCHEDULED VACANCY ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
Motion by Mayor Rid ewav to 1) declare a vacancy on the Planning
Commission due to the appointment of Leslie Daigle to the District 4 City
Council position; 2) confirm the Mayor's appointment of Mayor Ridgeway,
Mayor Pro Tem Bromberg, and Council Member Webb to serve on the Ad-
Hoc Appointments Committee; and 3) direct the City Clerk to post and
publish a Special Vacancy Notice requesting that applications be
submitted by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 14, 2004, and schedule the
submission of the nominations to the Council on October 26, 2004 with the
final appointment to be made on November 9, 2004.
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September 28, 2004
The motion carried by the following roll call vote:
Ayes: Heffernan, Rosansky, Bromberg, Webb, Daigle, Nichols, Mayor
Ridgeway
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
22. APPOINTMENTS TO FILL VACANT POSITIONS ON VARIOUS
COMMITTEES CREATED BY THE RESIGNATION OF MAYOR
PRO TEM ADAMS.
Motion by Mayor Ridgeway to confirm the Mayor's appointment of
Council Member Daigle to fill the following committee vacancies created
as a result of the resignation of Mayor Pro Tern Adams: 1) Web Site
Review Ad Hoc Committee (Chair); 2) SR73 /SR55/I -405 Freeways
Confluence Policy Committee; 3) City Centennial 2006 Committee; and
4) Newport Beach/Irvine Borders Committee.
The motion carried by the following roll call vote:
Ayes: Heffernan, Rosansky, Bromberg, Webb, Daigle, Nichols, Mayor
Ridgeway
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
Mayor Ridgeway recessed the meeting at 10:10 p.m and reconvened the
meeting at 10:20 p.m. (Council Member Heffernan arrived at 10:30 p.m )
N. ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR
5. ZONING AMENDMENT /GROUP LIVING USES.
Mark Bernie believed that part of the City's goal with multi - family
dwellings should be to maintain affordable housing for individuals, like
himself, who opt to live in apartments and are interested in being a part of
the community and not just living here for 30, 60, or 90 days. He
indicated that the building he resides in has changed ownership, the
residents are being displaced, and the property is being converted to a
rehabilitation facility. He asked what efforts are being made to maintain
affordable multi - family dwelling residences.
Mr. Bernie indicated that all the residents were sent termination notices
and the new leasing agent told them that the property will become a
rehabilitation facility. Mayor Ridgeway clarified that, since the property
is not within the City's stock of affordable housing, the City cannot protect
Mr. Bernie and the other tenants in his building. Mr. Bernie indicated
that he meant affordable housing in a more general term, not Section 8,
etc. Mayor Ridgeway reported that 44% of the City's 37,500 units are
multi- family or rental units.
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September 28, 2004
Paul Lopez stated that he owns the property next door to Mr. Bernie and
expressed concern that the 8 -unit complex will be converted to a
rehabilitation facility. He believed that this would completely change the
social environment of the area and increase the density.
Mayor Ridgeway stated that the ordinance will actually protect Mr. Lopez.
He explained that, if there are six or less people in a unit, there is nothing
the City can do. However, if there are seven or more, then the
rehabilitation facility will have to get a Federal Exemption Permit and
will have to comply with certain rules and regulations. Acting City
Attorney Clauson suggested that Mr. Lopez contact the Planning
Department for more clarification.
Gerry Marshall stated that he is representing Narconon. He noted that
there is an email in the staff report from the Planning Director to a
neighbor that indicated that the City has been enforcing the codes and
Narconon has been in compliance with those codes. He stated that he
understands that it is the City's intent to try to make a better situation for
all the residents and to make sure that the centers are in compliance. He
announced that September is National Recovery Month and the last week
in October is Red Ribbon Week.
Motion by Council Member Webb to adopt Ordinance No. 2004 -16
amending the Zoning Code.
Council Member Nichols referenced Mrs. Martin's letter in the staff report
and believed that this was supposed to go to the Planning Commission.
Mayor Ridgeway suggested that he discuss this with Ms. Clauson.
The motion carried by the following roll call vote:
Ayes: Heffernan, Rosansky, Bromberg, Webb, Daigle, Mayor Ridgeway
Noes: Nichols
Abstain: None
Absent: None
6. GRANTS FOR THE BIG CANYON CREEK RESTORATION
PROJECT.
Council Member Nichols asked if this project is second to the Back Bay
project. Assistant City Manager Kiff explained that this project is outside
of the footprint of the Upper Bay project. He stated that the pot of money
that the City received comes from a different source than what is being
sought after for the Upper Bay project. He added that they are not in
direct competition with each other nor do their construction activities
impact each other.
Motion by Council Member Webb to adopt Resolution No. 2004 -83
relating to grants for the Big Canyon Creek Restoration Project.
The motion carried by the following roll call vote:
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City Council Minutes
September 28, 2004
Ayes: Heffernan, Rosansky, Bromberg, Webb, Daigle, Nichols, Mayor
Ridgeway
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO ENTER INTO A
CONSTRUCTION AND LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
CITY AND THE RANCHO SANTIAGO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DISTRICT TO USE DISTRICT FUNDS TO CONSTRUCT A FIRE
TRAINING TOWER ON CITY PROPERTY AND SHARE ITS USE
BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES.
Dolores Otting, Council candidate, asked where the tower will be built and
stated that she believes that the City should be training with Costa Mesa.
She noted that Costa Mesa is also going to be receiving $350,000 and, if
the money was pooled at one location, $700,000 would buy a lot for one
training tower program. She stated that the City is a rich city right now,
but something could happen. She suggested that the City do anything it
can to make sure the firefighters' needs are met without being redundant
with programs.
Fire Chief Riley stated that the tower would be built at the new fire
station. He indicated that the Santa Ana College (SAC) Fire Technology
Program has a regional approach to providing training and utilizes
multiple centers throughout the County. He pointed out that it was their
desire to try to enhance existing training programs instead of consolidate
their funds. He reported that Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Huntington
Beach, and Santa Ana will be getting money as part of the Community
College Bond Fund that was passed three years ago. Regarding training
in other cities, he stated that he believes that the value to the community
of maintaining resources in the local arena as opposed to traveling outside
the jurisdiction is important. He indicated that the continuous downtime
and travel were primary reasons why they got out of the training
agreement with Huntington Beach.
In response to Mayor Ridgeway's questions, Chief Riley reported that the
Fire Department has 120 safety employees. He added that they could also
share the tower with the Police Department to use for their smaller, basic
SWAT operation. He stated that, when the City is not using it, the
agreement allows SAC to use it as long as it doesn't impact their
operation.
Chief Riley indicated that the fire station will cost about $4.1 million.
Council Member Nichols stated that the $350,000 only equates to $12,000
to $15,000 a year for a lease that's over 20 years. Chief Riley clarified that
the agreement provides for a full payment of the $350,000 on completion
of the construction. He noted that the money is only designed to pay for
the construction of the training tower and no other facilities. He added
that this doesn't pay for the use of the fire station or the rest of the
ground. He stated that SAC does have to drive on the grounds to use the
tower, but emphasized that their use of the tower will be on a very limited
basis.
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Chief Riley clarified that the County will provide $2.5 million for the
purchase of the property and some additional money for the construction
of the fire station. He stated that, due to the changes that have occurred
in the construction industry and what is happening with Public Works
projects, they will be going back to the County to request more money for
the construction costs.
Motion by Mayor Pro Tern Brombere to adopt Resolution No. 2004 -84.
The motion carried by the following roll call vote:
Ayes: Heffernan, Rosansky, Bromberg, Webb, Daigle, Mayor Ridgeway
Noes: Nichols
Abstain: None
Absent: None
S. ACCEPTANCE OF IRREVOCABLE OFFER OF DEDICATION:
NEWPORT RIDGE PARK; CONVEYANCE OF OWNERSHIP TO
THE NEWPORT RIDGE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION.
Council Member Webb stated that he has no problem with accepting the
irrevocable offer of dedication. He explained that one of the reasons this
had an irrevocable offer of dedication was because it met the park
dedication requirements for the development of the Newport Coast area.
He noted that the community associations are doing all the work already
and, in effect, leasing the property. However, he believed that the City
should not give up all its park property rights forever. He stated that the
City is short on active parks and noted that there may be a time in the
future that the City may need recreational activity in this area. He
requested that Council consider changing "quitclaim or otherwise
transfer" to "lease" in recommendation 3.
Mayor Ridgeway reported that, at Newport Ridge Park, from the restroom
inward to the Newport Ridge Community Association, the City agreed to
keep that portion private in the Pre - Annexation Agreement (PAA).
Council Member Webb stated that he does not object to that portion, but is
concerned about the athletic fields from the restroom out to San Joaquin.
Assistant City Manager Kiff stated that the fourth line in the resolution
title can be changed to read, "...and directing the lease... ", and "quitclaim
or otherwise transfer or" can be removed in Section 2. He indicated that
this will allow the City to exact the lease and further discuss with the
NCAC whether the City could have some control over the ball fields.
Motion by Council Member Webb to adopt amended Resolution
No. 2004 -85 which: 1) authorizes the acceptance of an Irrevocable Offer of
Dedication for Newport Ridge Park; 2) authorizes the Mayor or City
Manager to accomplish the acceptance in any manner deemed feasible
provided that such acceptance generally follows the terms of 1996 San
Joaquin Hills Local Parks Irrevocable Offer of Dedication; and
3) authorizes the City Manager to lease that portion of Newport Ridge
Park exclusive of the property needed for the proposed Newport Coast
Community Center to the Newport Ridge Community Association or
similar entity.
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In response to Council Member Nichols' questions, Mr. Kiff explained that
the City would own the entire property and would lease back to the
association the portion that is not necessary for the community center and
its parking lot. Further, there could be a control in the lease that would
allow some City use of the two baseball diamonds and soccer overlay. He
stated that the association is okay with the concept of leasing the property
and maintaining it since they do that today. However, he has not talked
with them specifically about some control over the fields. He indicated
that the City would discuss the parking lot and the ball fields with the
association and not be concerned about everything past the two fields and
the parking lot. He noted that the property actually belongs to The Irvine
Company and explained that only a public agency can accept an
irrevocable offer to dedicate. He confirmed that, by the City leasing it
back to the association, the association would retain control and continue
the maintenance as they do now. Council Member Webb indicated that
this would allow the City to change the lease if situations change in the
future. Council Member Heffernan indicated that discussion will ensue at
the NCAC meeting relative to who will have long term control of the ball
fields between the community center and the parking lot adjacent to the
tennis court.
The motion carried by the following roll call vote:
Ayes: Heffernan, Rosansky, Bromberg, Webb, Daigle, Nichols, Mayor
Ridgeway
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
Without objection, Mayor Ridgeway requested that Item Nos. 9 and 10 be
considered together.
9. SALE OF BONDS FOR UNDERGROUND ASSESSMENT DISTRICT
NO. 68 — NEWPORT SHORES.
10. SALE OF BONDS FOR UNDERGROUND ASSESSMENT DISTRICT
NO. 69 — WEST NEWPORT.
Council Member Rosansky recused himself.
Administrative Services Director Danner stated that bond counsel and the
financial advisors are in the audience. He reported that, by adopting the
resolutions, Council is authorizing the bonds to be issued, sold, and
delivered; authorizing the City Manager, the Director of Administrative
Services, or other City official so designated to execute the various
documents and instruments; approving the bond indentures that are on
file with the City Clerk; approving the preliminary official statement that
is on file with the City Clerk; approving the continuing disclosure
agreements that are on file with the City Clerk; authorizing the City to
apply for a bond rating and insurance if advisable by the financial
consultants; and approving the bonds to be sold competitively on October
19.
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Assessment
District No. 68/
Newport Shores
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Assessment
District No. 69/
West Newport
(89/100 -2004)
City of Newport Beach
City Council Minutes
September 28, 2004
Motion by Council Member Webb to adopt Resolution No. 2004 -86
which sets forth the terms and conditions for the sale of bonds and
approves the Purchase Agreement submitted by the designated
underwriter for Assessment District No. 68; and adopt Resolution
No. 2004 -87 which sets forth the terms and conditions for the sale of bonds
and approves the Purchase Agreement submitted by the designated
underwriter for Assessment District No. 69.
The motion carried by the following roll call vote
Ayes: Heffernan, Bromberg, Webb, Daigle, Nichols, Mayor Ridgeway
Noes: None
Abstain: Rosansky
Absent: None
12. APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
(PSA) WITH ORANGE COUNTY COASTKEEPER FOR A
COOPERATIVE PROJECT TO DEVELOP A CONTAMINATED
SEDIMENT REMEDIATION PLAN FOR THE RHINE CHANNEL.
Motion by Council Member Webb to approve the PSA with Orange
County Coastkeeper providing $68,000 in matching funds for SWRCB
Grant Agreement No. 03 -183- 558 -0.
The motion carried by the following roll call vote
Ayes: Heffernan, Rosansky, Bromberg, Webb, Daigle, Nichols, Mayor
Ridgeway
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
13. HUMAN SERVICES GRANTS FOR 2004 -2005.
Council Member Nichols asked where the money comes from, why the City
be giving it to people, and why the City is in the charity business.
Assistant City Manager Kiff reported that Council Policy A -12, while in
effect, is brought before Council every year and is provided for in the
budget. He stated that the $25,000 goes to non - profit groups that provide
human services for residents of Newport Beach. He indicated that the
City sends letters to the organizations they know about, but continue to
build the list. He stated that, of those that respond, they evaluate and
propose this every September. He indicated that, if Council Member
Nichols felt strongly that this policy needed to be revisited, he could call
up this policy for a Council meeting.
Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Brombere to authorize the allocation of
$25,000 in Human Services Grants in the amounts and to the agencies
described in the staff report.
The motion carried by the following roll call vote:
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City Council Minutes
September 28, 2004
Ayes: Heffernan, Rosansky, Bromberg, Webb, Daigle, Mayor Ridgeway
Noes: Nichols
Abstain: None
Absent: None
14. APPOINTMENT OF STAFF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE
ORANGE COUNTY AREA HOUSING AND FINANCING AGENCY.
Council Member Nichols believed that the City should not be in the
housing business of giving loans.
Program Administrator Trimble noted that the issue is not whether the
City participates in the Orange County Area Housing and Finance
Agency. He stated that the City has been a member since 2002 and the
staff report is simply recommending a change in the representative
appointment to the board.
Motion by Council Member Webb to authorize the position of Assistant
City Manager, currently Sharon Wood, to act as a Director on the Board of
the Orange County Area Housing and Finance Agency, and authorize the
position of Program Manager, currently Daniel Trimble, to act as an
Alternate Director.
The motion carried by the following roll call vote:
Ayes: Heffernan, Rosansky, Bromberg, Webb, Daigle, Mayor Ridgeway
Noes: Nichols
Abstain: None
Absent: None
18. SUNSET RIDGE PARK UPDATE (contd. from 9114/04).
Assistant City Manager Kiff reported that the information the City sent to
the State includes the proposed operating lease with State Parks and the
document that would transfer jurisdiction. He explained that the City
sends money to State Parks and enters into a long term agreement with
them, the State Parks buys the property from Caltrans, they take title to
it, and then the City's lease is effective. He reported that they informed
their legislative advocate to dog it for the City and expect to have some
movement to report to Council quickly. He stated that the City is trying to
change the legislation to clearly include the easterly parcel, noting that
Caltrans doesn't believe that the City included it in the legislation.
Council Member Rosansky noted that the staff report talks about a ten
year lease, although a long term lease was discussed. Acting City
Attorney Clauson indicated that there are provisions in State law that
Emit the ability to lease for more than 10 years, but there is a subsection
in that law that allows for authorization through the State legislature to
get an extension on the lease. She added that this can only be applied for
during the budget season. She stated that the draft that was sent to the
State has a subsection that includes the City's intent to go through the
process so that the City has a longer lease. Council Member Rosansky
believed that there was a process that didn't have to wait until the State
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budget discussions. Ms. Clauson stated that the process is through the
Department of Public Works. Mr. Kiff reported that the City will try to do
both to see what can be done faster.
Council Member Rosansky requested that staff forward him a diagram
that specifically outlines where the 15.05 acres is. Mr. Kiff stated that this
will be done as part of developing the property's formal legal description.
O. MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION - None.
P. ADJOURNMENT - 11:12 p.m.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The agenda for the Regular Meeting was posted on September 22, 2004, at
3:00 p.m. on the City Hall Bulletin Board located outside of the City of Newport
Beach Administration Building.
City Clerk
.i
Recording Secretary
Mayor
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