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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-05-13_BVAC_Minutes_Approved CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH BALBOA VILLAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES Location: ExplorOcean 600 East Bay Avenue Wednesday, May 13, 2015 - 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER Mayor Pro Tem Dixon called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m. The following persons were in attendance: Balboa Village Advisory Committee Members: Diane Dixon, Mayor Pro Tem (Chair) Tony Petros, Council Member Gloria Oakes, Balboa Peninsula Point Association Ralph Rodheim, Balboa Village Merchant Association Grace Dove, Central Newport Beach Community Association Tom Pollack, ExplorOcean Representative (Absent) Jim Stratton, At-Large Representative Staff Members: Brenda Wisneski, Deputy Community Development Director Tony Brine, City Traffic Engineer James Campbell, Principal Planner Fern Nueno, Associate Planner II. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDIZED ITEMS (comments limited to 3 minutes) Interested parties were invited to address the Committee on Non-Agendized Items. There was no response and Mayor Pro Tem Dixon closed public comments. III. ITEMS FOR REVIEW 1. MINUTES OF APRIL 8, 2015 (ATTACHMENT 1) Recommended Action: Approve April 8, 2015 Minutes. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon opened public comments for this item. Jim Mosher noted typographical errors needing correction. Howard Hall corrected his comments on the minutes. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon closed public comments. Action: Committee Member Rodheim moved to approve the minutes of the April 8, 2015 meeting as corrected, and Committee Member Stratton seconded the motion. The motion passed 6-0, with Committee Member Pollack, absent. 2. SHUTTLE PROGRAM UPDATE (ATTACHMENT 2) Recommended Action: Kick-off of Shuttle Feasibility Study. Discuss scope and project goals. Deputy Community Development Director Brenda Wisneski introduced the item and addressed funding for a consultant, the request for proposals (RFP), responses, scope of work, and selection of Dan Boyle and Associates. She deferred to consultant Dan Boyle for a report. Consultant Dan Boyle, Dan Boyle and Associates, provided a report addressing his prior experience and shuttle examples from nearby cities. He requested input from the Committee and offered to respond to questions. Discussion followed regarding the feasibility study, engaging stakeholders and the City, understanding the need and the purpose, identifying a route, potential funding sources, and the scope of work. Committee Member Rodheim noted that he is on the Balboa Village Merchants Association (BVMA) Shuttle sub-committee and suggested setting up a meeting with Mr. Boyle, members of the sub-committee, and possibly Balboa Village Merchants to discuss challenges and opportunities. Council Member Petros added that there are a number of Homeowner Associations on the Peninsula, and suggested notifying them about the meeting in order to obtain their input. He recommended coordinating with staff to determine points of interest and economic drivers on the Peninsula. He noted the importance of focusing on the Peninsula in the first round. Mr. Boyle noted that his current approach would focus on the Peninsula as the first phase and he discussed the benefits to this approach. Discussion followed regarding defining stakeholder groups, needing to consider public parking, benefits of moving people within the Peninsula via a shuttle, the possibility of using medical office parking lots, opportunities for expanding the parking lot on Superior and Coast Highway, and potential routes. Ensuing discussion pertained to other opportunities for parking, focusing on the summer season and the Christmas Boat Parade, potential year-round demand, prior failed shuttle programs, generating public enthusiasm, publicity, shuttle operations in the City of Laguna Beach, and the possibility of having an electric shuttle or other environmentally-friendly vehicle. BVAC Minutes 2015-05-13 Page 2 Mr. Boyle noted that the decision regarding the type of vehicle will be made later in the process. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon opened public comments. Terri Pasqual spoke regarding the Catalina Flyer. Brief discussion followed regarding the Catalina Flyer and fishing boat customers. Marilyn Zippy commented on Sunset Ridge Park having no automobile access. Council Member Petros spoke about the possibility of addressing that matter in the future and noted other parking opportunities including the fairgrounds. Discussion followed regarding the possibility of parking at City Hall, traffic congestion during high surf conditions, and the possibility of pursuing a partnership to obtain an energy-efficient vehicle. Howard Hall spoke regarding primary impacts including weekends and special events. He addressed ways in which people access the area including the Newport Expressway and Pacific Coast Highway, over the Santa Ana River. He suggested advertising in those areas so that people are aware of the availability of alternative parking. Jim Mosher commented on the importance of taking "baby steps" and addressed a similar service (Newport Downtowner) recently considered and approved by the Planning Commission. Deputy Community Development Director Wisneski reported that their service is free and operates from 11:00 a.m. to 11 :00 p.m. It is not on a fixed route but is an "on demand" service. Mr. Mosher reported that the service is supported by selling advertising. Deputy Community Development Director Wisneski noted that the Council approved the shuttle concept as part of the Balboa Village Master Plan and reported that funding was available in the existing budget under Professional Services. Discussion followed regarding the possibility of using Measure M funding. Art White spoke regarding the importance of off-site parking. Janice Dinwiddie reported there is a big lot in Costa Mesa, near 17th Street, down the street from Trader Joe's. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon closed public comments. BVAC Minutes 2015-05-13 Page 3 Council Member Petros requested that staff coordinate with Mr. Boyle regarding notifying Homeowner Associations, merchants, and other interested parties to determine areas of interest and potential destinations. Deputy Community Development Director Wisneski reported she will provide updates to the Committee at subsequent meetings. 3. RP3 SURVEY UPDATE (ATTACHMENT 3) Recommended Action: Review results. Determine next steps. Principal Planner Jim Campbell provided a presentation addressing continuing survey work noting it resulted in 51.8 percent of respondents in support of the program. He reviewed the results in detail and addressed the process, including who was sent the survey. Discussion followed regarding a pattern of renters and other factors involved. Marilyn Zippy noted that the 51.8 percent of supporters is not 50 percent of residents in the area, according to the latest census. She opined that every resident was supposed to get a survey, but did not. Principal Planner Campbell reported that one (1) survey was sent per unit in the area and addressed established criteria. He added there is no protocol indicating that every resident gets a survey. He reiterated that of those who participated, 51.8 percent indicated support for the program. Discussion followed regarding the ballots and the validity of the survey. Principal Planner Campbell addressed next steps and asked for direction from the Committee. Discussion followed regarding areas most impacted, doing a further breakdown of the areas looking to have permit parking, and reestablishing a westerly boundary for the RP3. Ensuing discussion continued regarding summarizing the results with specific boundaries, implementation of the plan, overall goals relative to Balboa Village, and protecting residents so they are not impacted by parking intrusion. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon reported that the results are clear in terms of who is interested in the program and who is not. She suggested rolling the program out by street and monitoring it to determine how it is working. Discussion followed regarding establishing different boundaries and determining support using various boundaries. BVAC Minutes 2015-05-13 Page 4 Mayor Pro Tem Dixon opened public comments. In response to Howard Hall's request, Mr. Campbell provided clarification of the survey results. Discussion followed regarding criteria versus regulations and distribution of the survey to each household versus every resident. Mr. Hall reported reading in the newspaper that the survey was not distributed door-to- door because the subject area is too large. Mr. Campbell reported that the results were taken from the surveys mailed to each household and the prior town hall meeting. Jim Mosher agreed with Ms. Zippy's comments, added that absentee owners are not residents, so their responses should be removed. Additionally, he suggested averaging by the number of residents in each household. Discussion followed regarding the lack of data in terms of how many people are in each household. Mr. Mosher commented on privatizing a street and concerns with how the Coastal Commission would feel about that. Art White spoke regarding areas of high density and apartment buildings that have no available parking. City Traffic Engineer Tony Brine commented on permit zones, Newport Harbor High School, using property addresses, and provisions in the Municipal Code regarding specific matters being "to City Council's satisfaction." Kelly Carlson spoke regarding ballots sent to residents and property owners and opined that responses from property owners should be weighted higher than from residents. Ms. Wisneski added that property owners and residents are both affected. Tom O'Loughlin wondered why the renters were considered rather than only property owners. Committee Member Stratton addressed why renters were involved. Howard Hall addressed findings on the map and questioned why Island Avenue was used as a boundary. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon closed public comments. Deputy Community Development Director Wisneski addressed next steps. BVAC Minutes 2015-05-13 Page 5 It was noted that the plan is not concrete and can be changed if it does not work. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon noted that the boundaries will be redefined and the matter will be discussed again at BVAC's meeting in June. IV. PUBLIC COMMENT Howard Hall reiterated that the east Newport area has its own business district and does not share the problems having to do with Balboa Village revitalization. Principal Planner Campbell commented on reduced winter rates, resident permits, and validations. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon requested placing validations on the agenda for the BVAC meeting in June. Tom O'Loughlin asked about the possibility of placing hoods over parking meters and opening two (2) lanes on Adams going into the structure, as was done in the past. Kelly Carlson commented on a parking lot on Palm Street, noting that the pay station needs to be serviced. She added that when paying, it asks whether or not you have a coupon and that can be confusing. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon suggested getting an update from the vendor at the next meeting. Committee Member Rodheim noted that the Cannery Village area is creating an identity and commented positively on the area. V. ADJOURNMENT (Meeting End Time: 5:30 p.m.) There being no further business to come before the Balboa Village Advisory Committee, Mayor Pro Tem Dixon adjourned the meeting at 5:29 p.m. Next Meeting Date: June 10, 2015, at 4:00 p.m. BVAC Minutes 2015-05-13 Page 6