HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-08-12_BVAC_Minutes_Approved CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
BALBOA VILLAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
Location: City Council Chambers at Former City Hall
3300 Newport Boulevard
Wednesday, August 12, 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 BVAC members were in attendance:
Diane Dixon, Mayor Pro Tem (Chair)
Tony Petros, Council Member
Ralph Rodheim, Balboa Village Merchant Association
Grace Dove, Central Newport Beach Community Association
The following BVAC members were absent:
Gloria Oakes, Balboa Peninsula Point Association
Tom Pollack, ExplorOcean Representative
Jim Stratton, At-Large Representative
Staff Members in attendance:
Kimberly Brandt, Community Development Director
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.
Jim Mosher commented on items requested to be placed on the agenda during the last
BVAC meeting and expressed disappointment that those matters were not on the present
agenda.
Deputy Community Development Director Brenda Wisneski reported that ExplorOcean
submitted an application to the City but it has been on hold for several months. With
respect to the open-air market, staff felt there was not adequate time to consider this
matter on this agenda and therefore, the matter will be presented at the next BVAC
meeting.
III. ITEMS FOR REVIEW
1. MINUTES OF JULY 8, 2015 (ATTACHMENT 1)
Recommended Action: Approve July 8, 2015 Minutes
Council Member Petros opened public comments for this item.
Council Member Petros closed public comments.
Action: Committee Member Dove moved to approve the minutes of the July 8, 2015,
meeting, as presented. Council Member Petros seconded the motion.
Since Mayor Pro Tem Dixon was not present during the last BVAC meeting and
needed to abstain, and there was not a quorum for voting on the minutes, the
matter was continued to the next BVAC meeting.
2. SHUTTLE PROGRAM UPDATE
a. Lessons Learned — Brad Fowler, Public Works Director, City of Dana
Point and
Ben Siegel, Director of Community Services, City of Laguna Beach
b. Update on Shuttle Feasibility Analysis - Dan Boyle, Dan Boyle &
Associates
Recommended Action: Review and provide direction, as appropriate.
Mayor Pro Tem Dixon announced this matter will be heard later on the agenda.
3. RP3 BOUNDARY CLARIFICATION (ATTACHMENT 2)
Recommended Action: Finalize RP3 Boundary to be considered by City
Council.
Principal Planner Jim Campbell provided background, prior consideration by BVAC, and
alternative boundaries.
Discussion followed regarding phases, alternative boundaries and including Bay Avenue
and Balboa Boulevard within the RP3 boundaries, and final voting results.
Mayor Pro Tem Dixon opened public comments.
Marianne Zippy asked regarding when opportunities to vote on the two alternatives were
provided.
Principal Planner Campbell noted there was no separate vote on the two alternatives and
explained that what is being presented is a geographic breakdown of the voting based
upon the blocks selected and the results of the surveys and town hall meetings. He
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added that of the streets that were selected within Phase 1, those are the voting results
for residents and property owners from those streets.
Council Member Petros clarified that it is the same vote, not two different votes.
Marianne Zippy expressed concerns that not all residents voted.
Principal Planner Campbell stated that the results were based on the people who voted in
the survey. He added that Council will consider the alternative that will be recommended
by BVAC.
Deanna Schnabel thanked City staff for their work and efforts to solicit votes from
residents.
Leslie Miller noted that the objective is to get rid of the trash, extra cars and the "junky
look" of the peninsula. She commented on the need to refurbish the Village to make it
attractive to residents and visitors. She opined that this will just be a piecemeal solution.
She commented on the need to notify "all affected people" and stated that she was not
notified. Additionally, she commented on the importance of signage.
Discussion followed regarding the commercial validation program, a resident parking
program, and implementing phased development.
Howard Hall addressed the extended boundaries and suggested eliminating the red area
by Adams. Additionally, he commented on avoiding the Catalina Flyer, fishing boats,
bars, etc. He expressed concerns that people were not asked whether they are affected
by overnight parking and opined that Medina Way would have been a nice, clear-cut
boundary. He believed that the issue is divisive and spoke in opposition to the idea.
Principal Planner Campbell reported that at a previous meeting, staff recommended all
streets east of Medina and not including Medina, and the BVAC, with public input,
decided to extend it. He noted that this item is a clarification of the decision made in June
(Alternative 2) to approve the RP3 and forward to Council. He addressed the process in
terms of Phase 2.
Council Member Petros added that any consideration of anything going to the west of
Medina would be based on a staff analysis of its need and brought back to Council. The
rollout would be Medina and east of Medina.
Principal Planner Campbell noted that Phase 2 involves only two streets.
In response to an inquiry by Marianne Zippy, Principal Planner Campbell addressed
implementation of Phase 2 and Coastal Commission review. Implementation of Phase 2
is to be determined.
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Discussion followed regarding the possibility of changing the hours of operation.
Community Development Director Kimberly Brandt noted that staff did not want to change
the principals set forward in the survey to avoid compromising the results.
Leslie Miller suggested developing an ordinance to require all employees and fishermen
to park off the Peninsula.
Marianne Zippy suggested that, since there is so much opposition to the program, the
City should focus, first, on a shuttle program.
Mayor Pro Tem Dixon recommended moving forward as this matter will take time going
through the Coastal Commission.
Community Development Director Brandt stated she would need to check with the City
Attorney in terms of next steps, if the Coastal Commission changes the hours of
operation.
Jim Hutton reported that he owns cottages on East Bay Avenue and that his tenants did
not receive notice of this matter.
Principal Planner Campbell explained the noticing process for this item.
Mr. Hutton commented on permit parking established in the City of Santa Monica noting
that it changed the area.
Mayor Pro Tem Dixon closed public comments.
Action: Council Member Petros moved to advance Alternative 2 of the RP3
Boundary to be considered by City Council, and Mayor Pro Tem Dixon seconded
the motion. The motion failed (2-1-0), with Council Member Petros and Mayor Pro
Tem Dixon voting in support, Committee Member Rodheim voting in opposition,
and Committee Member Dove abstaining.
Committee Member Rodheim indicated he is opposed the program because of resident
concerns.
Action: Council Member Petro moved to continue this item to the next BVAC
meeting for consideration when additional members of the Committee will be
present. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon seconded the motion. The motion carried,
unanimously.
Discussion followed regarding distribution of the survey and responses received.
Item No. 2 of the agenda was presented and considered at this time.
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2. SHUTTLE PROGRAM UPDATE
a. Lessons Learned — Brad Fowler, Public Works Director, City of Dana
Point and Ben Siegel, Director of Community Services, City of
Laguna Beach
b. Update on Shuttle Feasibility Analysis - Dan Boyle, Dan Boyle &
Associates
Recommended Action: Review and provide direction, as appropriate.
Deputy Community Development Director Wisneski introduced Brad Fowler, Public
Works Director, City of Dana Point and Ben Siegel, Deputy City Manager, City of Laguna
Beach and deferred to them for a presentation.
Ben Siegel, Deputy City Manager, City of Laguna Beach, provided an overview of the
summer trolley program implemented in the City of Laguna Beach.
Discussion followed regarding peripheral parking, total program costs, Federal and State
funding and General Fund subsidies.
Brad Fowler, Public Works Director, City of Dana Point, provided an overview of the Dana
Point trolley program.
Discussion followed regarding grant funding, shuttle hourly rates, program costs, and
differences between trolleys and shuttles.
Dan Boyle provided an update relative to the feasibility of establishing a shuttle program
in the City of Newport Beach.
Discussion followed regarding possible schedules, number of vehicles needed, daily
revenue hours, costs, funding sources and next steps. Discussion continued regarding
the possibility of offering shuttles during special events such as the Boat Parade, beach
users versus other users, and special event users.
Mayor Pro Tem Dixon opened public comments.
Marianne Zippy commented on space for equipment for beach goers and space for
luggage for users of Catalina Flyer.
Discussion followed regarding parking and providing choices for residents and visitors.
Mr. Fowler and Mr. Siegel shared lessons learned from their City programs.
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4. POTENTIAL REBRANDING OF BALBOA VILLAGE
a. Balboa Village Merchants Association (BVMA) is considering
branding area to "Old Town Balboa" and requests the gateway sign
be delayed until research can be completed
Recommended Action: Delay development of gateway sign.
Marcel Ford reported that a market study will be done with respect to the proposed name
change and requests that staff delay the development of a gateway sign until the study is
completed.
No action was taken on this item. Staff will continue to discuss the rebranding with the
BVMA and update the BVAC on the gateway sign.
IV. PUBLIC COMMENT - None
V. ADJOURNMENT (Meeting End Time: 5:30 p.m.)
Next Meeting Date: September 9, 2015 at 4:00 p.m.
The meeting adjourned at 5:27 p.m.
Next Meeting Date: September 9, 2015 at 4:00 p.m.
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