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02-15-1965 - Regular Meeting - MinutesMINW-_=OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA February 15, 1965 The adjourned regular meeting of the City Council was called to order by Mayor Snyder at 7 A0 P.M. in the West Covina City Hall. Council- man Heath led the Pledge of Allegiance. The invocation was given by Councilman Jett. ROLL CALL Present. Mayor Snyder, Councilmen Jett, Krieger, Nichols, Heath Others Present, Mr. George Aiassa, City Manager Mr. John Q. Adams, Public Services Director Mr, Ray Windsor, Administrative Analyst Absent. Mr. Robert Flotten, City Clerk & Admin. Assistant Mr. Harry Co Williams, City Attorney Mr. Harold Joseph, Planning Director CITY MANAGER REPORTS GASLTER PARK ADDITIONS • C,ity Manager, Mr, Aiassa. You have a memorandum directed to the City Manager and the City Coun- cil, dated February 11, 1965 from the Director of Recreation and Parks re Supplemental Report - Site Addition to Galster Wilderness Park. I would like this spread in full in the Minutes. "During the Recreation and Park Commission's review of the additional land for Galster Wilder- ness Park, the area to the west was selected as number one pref- erence. Items taken into consideration in their deliberations included. to Accessability 20 Overall shape of park 3. Topography and terrain 4. General land costs 5. Deed restrictions on present park 6. Potential for future development It was felt that the land to the south would present an access problem and would create a very irregular 'IT" shaped park area. Land to the east is very rugged and has very poor development potential. It is the feeling ..of the Com- mission that the pre site has adequate ""rugged'" features and that any additional land should have a potential for grading into functional use areas, Facilities that are general considered for park areas of this size include the following. -1- C, Co 2/15/65 C,ALSTER ,PARK ADDITIONS-- Continued "l, Outdoor theatre • 2, Junior museums 3, Art center Water area (man made pond) 5, Large picnic and Bar-B-Q area 6, Children's Zoo (Domestic type animals) 7. Space for carnivals, circus, etc, 3, Athletic fields and sports areas 9. Rifle and/or pistol range 10, Parking areas 11. Children's amusement rides 12, Service yard 13. Riding and hiking trails 14, Concession areas 15. Frequent green belts 16, Botanical areas Page Two "The above is not a complete list of facilities that can be considered for an area of this type, nor would all of the items mentioned be necessarily included, Ultimate facilities to be developed would be determined by needs and desires expressed by the community, The concern at this point is to add land that has the potential for develop- ment of facilities that will be required in the future," City Manager, Mr, Aiassae The Council has received another memorandum from the Director of Recreation and Parks dated February 3, 1965, re Addition to Galster Wilderness Park, I would like this spread in full in the Minutes also - "As requested by City Council the Recreation and Park Commission has studied the areas adjacent to Galster Wilderness Park for the purpose of making a recom-, mendation on preference of land if the bond issue is successful.. The attached is a map of the area showing the Wilderness Park and the approximate areas selected by the Commission and listed in preferential order, "At the time of the Commission's study there were indications that a small piece of land would also be available at the northeast corner of the existing park, Further checking has brought out the fact that this land is now zoned R-3 and would not be practical to add to the park from a cost standpoint, Following is the action taken by the Recreation and Park Commission at the January 26th meeting, The attached map does not include the small section referred to in the Commission action at the north end of the park, "RECOMMENDATION: vMotion was made by Commissioner Veronda, secon ec y o missioner Busching, that the Galster Park map be forwarded to City Council showing the land to the west of the existing Galster Park as number one preference of the Recreation and Park Commission for an addition, and indicating the land to the south as number two priority and the easterly land as number three priority, In all priorities the small section on the north end of the park is to be included. Carried unanimouslyo", S C, Co 2/15/65 Page Three GALSTER PARK ADDITIONS - Continued Mayor Snyder: Is there any reason that that can't be shifted, Site No, 2, east or west? I notice you have a "T" on the end of the park, Mr, Gingrich: As you get into the contours of the property it makes it difficult, (Presented map and explained same,) Mayor Snyder: This Galster Park addition is not planned as a wilderness park; it is planned as a multiple use park, isn't it? Mr, Gingrich: Yes, The additional acreage would have other facilities more usable than just the rugged terrain features and overnight facilities, Councilman Heath: I agree some of these uses would not necessarily be used in'a park, I would hate to see the service yard put in the park, Mr, Gingrich: That is for the park itself, the maintenance and operation equipment for the park, Mayor Snyder: It was my understanding we settled on an addition to Galster Park and gave up any other park site acquisitions in order to have a spot to put a central main park, to put some of these things listed here, Councilman Nichols: I don't dispute the need or the lack of need for them but I don't recall we had any specific understanding as to the use of the addition to Galster Park,, Councilman Jett: There is something I am still in the dark about and that is recently it just dawned on me that we are going to do something with this park other than a wilderness park,, Mayor Snyder: We are not going to do anything else with Galster Park, just the addition, Galster Park is to remain a wilderness park,, That is part of the agreement, It was my understanding that obviously we needed to acquire more land to put some of these other needs for a park and it seemed to me the discussion narrowed down to not acquiring more neighborhood park sites but one large central park where you could put some of these things,, Councilman Jett: Thirty acres was given to us by Mr, Galster, Now we are coming along and talking about expanding that park and talking about taking some land he has kept for development himself in the future. Apparently we are not considering Mr, Galster and I think we should give some serious consideration to what his thinking is or what his wishes are, In my opinion we could buy land and use it for cut and fill and we could level this area out and have what you are talking about and still not cut into this ground that is left and there is some very valuable land still left in there, Mr. Galster is in the audience tonight and I would like to hear from him, ®3- C, C::, 2/15/65 Page Four 'GALS'TER PARK ADDI'TI'O'NS 'Continued Mr, Galster: I think what we are all interested in 0 is a park that would cover the needs You have in mind, I would like to ask Mr. Gingrich what those needs are and where they would fit in to the area he is speaking of on our property, Mr, Walsh and I have spent a great deal of time in planning that and I don't see where that additional area fits into the kind of a picture I think he has in mind. It just is not adaptable for much of anything but a wilderness park in there. The grade through there is very steep, n L� Mr, Gingrich: We don't have a precise plan. We haven't put these needs down to a definite area, When the Commission was asked to give their recom- mendation as to which of the areas they felt would fit the needs of what they visualized in a large City park area without regard to land, whose it was, et cetera, the type of thing they considered as having a need within the community for future location was outdoor theaters, water areas, larger picnic grounds, children's zoo, et cetera, Mr, Galster: You have listed three or four items that might fit in there and that is about all, (Presented map and explained same,) Councilman Jett: Could we do some cut and fill in that area? Mr, Galster: It would cost you a lot of money and then it is s.loning. It just is not feasible .for what you are talking -about,, Mayor Snyder: With the uses listed here since this addition doesn't necessarily plan to be used as a wilderness park, is there any particular advantage of having it located next to Galster Park at all or can it be located somewhere else in the City? Mr, Gingrich: These areas will not all have to be in level land; it would be terraced, Mr, Galster: There are 18 acres back here in the old Hardy tract that are fine for a wilderness park. Then take your grade out and fill this up and then you have that area that you really can use for what you have in mind, Councilman Jett: Engineeringwise, wouldn't it cost us a lot less money to move the dirt to level off some of those areas and cut and fill than what it would to buy some of that acreage today? Mr, Ted Walsh: For the use you want to put it to it seems to me there is 325 or 350 feet difference in elevation across this piece of property, This would be difficult to move around, To terrace this out would cost a lot of money, You might have to move up to a half million yards'of dirt, Councilman Jett: Wouldn't it be more economical to move this amount of dirt for this kind of a purpose than m® almost any land you buy is going to cost you quite a bit, -4- Ca Cc 2/15/65 CALSTER PARK ADDITIONS - Continued Page Five Mr. Zed Walsh: You will be paying a good deal for .this property by the time you get it leveled off, If you are going to put in an ourdoor theater you need quite a. bit of area for parking, City Manager, Mr. Aiassa; I think the Council has thought about having a meeting with Mr. Galster on the remaining property on what it could be best used for and I would like to refer this to the Park and Recreation and the Planning Commissions and see if they can work out some kind of a plan agreeable to both parties, Mayor Snyder: I would also like to see them study another 30-acre site possibility since this doesn't have to be contingent to Galster Park, Mr, Galster: I think that might be a good suggestion, Councilman Nichols: Move that the Council refer this matter back to the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Planning Commission and direct them to attempt to work out a program for property acquisition in this area with Mr. Galster on a cooperative and mutually agreeable basis, Councilman Krieger: Who are the owners of the property to the south? 0 Mr, Galster: Home Savings and Loan, Councilman Krieger: Who are the property owners to the east? City Manager, Mr, Aiassa: Southern California Savings,and Loan, Councilman Krieger: I would like to amend the motion that the consultation include Home Savings and Loan and Southern California Savings and Loan, Councilman Nichols: I will accept the amendment, Councilman Heath: I will second the motion as amended, Action on Councilman Nichols' motion as amended: Carried, LIONS' CLUB INVITATION Mr, Ken Shappell: I represent the West Covina Lions' Club, Each year the West Covina Lions' Club puts on a student speaker contest and have a speaking contest where we pick the winner and they represent the West Covina Club in our zone finals and hopefully they move up to receive some •of the scholarships available. It will be next Tuesday at the Caravan Motel -Restaurant and we are extending an invitation to you, I would like to know if you can make it because we have to make reservations ,for the food. My phone number is EDgewood 2-6673, Councilman Nichols: Councilman Krieger: I can be there, I will be there. Mayor Snyder: I will let you know, -5- • Co C, 2/15/65 Page Six CITY MANAGER REPORTS - Continued AGE LIMIT OF BILLIARD PLAYERS Mr, Max Marion: I am one of the owners of the Golden Cue here in West Covina, We have had a problem since we have taken over. The age limit has been set at 18 and therefore many parents that would like to have their children come under the age of 18, the kids aren't allowed to, Many communities have such regulations whereby with the written consent of their parents on file they can come in unsupervised or without a parent or a guardian, As far as I am concernedg my place is a lot better supervised than many of the dances and movies they go to, Mayor Snyder: Is the 18 age limit by ordinance? City Manager, Mr, Aiassa: Yes, Mr, Max Marion: It is 16 years old and 18 years old after 10:00 P.M. City,Manager, Mr, Aiassa: I would suggest you make a written request and put it in writing so we an evaluate it, This would be the best procedure: Councilman Heath: Also in this communication I would like to have the applicants state the policy •of some of the other surrounding businesses similar to this in other cities, Mr, Max Marion: Fine, BOND CONSULTANT CONTRACTS City Manager, Mr, Aiassa: I need authorization for the Mayor and the City Clerk to sign the contract authorizing the contract to be awarded to Stone and Youngberg, I believe the Council has received copies of this, The only change we made is on Page 3, Item 11, We put in a provision that we will go one extra year if it is agreeable to both parties. Motion by Councilman Heath, seconded by Councilman Nichols, and carried, that the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized to sign the agreement between the City and Stone and Youngberg for the bond consultant contract with the amendments proposed by the City Manager, (Councilman Krieger voted "No",) VICTOR GRUEN REPORT City Manager, Mr, Aiassa: This is the second stage of the contract 0 with Victor Gruen, After the oral presentation they will come back with a full written report with diagrams and exhibits and also their findings and tonight they would like to review this generally with the Council and they will finalize it with the written report, If you,have any comments they would be appreciated so when they make their final report it will be complete, C, C, 2/15/65 Page Seven 'VICTOR GrRUEN REPORT Continued Mr,, Haroll Marks- (Presented chart and explained same.) •The objective of the study is to find out what thi existing traffic conditions are, what they will be in the future dnd to determine the adequacy or inadequacy of whatever circuld..ti�,n facilities we find existing or to be proposed and then determine what can be done if' we find deficiencies to upgrade the level, of service provided by both the arterial routes and most especially the freeway interchanges that give you your major access to this entire region I think we recognize that the two major highways for the future as far as north/south service is concerned, you have Grand Avenue which will ultimately be the major through route for the entire region and Citrus.Avenue which is proposed to go over the hills and serve the areas to the south,, On the other hand, Barranca although it carries today as much traffic as Citrus is not destined to be one of the major routes because it does not go beyond Cameron and is never intended to,, The San Nose Hills to the south keep you from developing too many major routes except Citrus and Grand,, The next aspect is what is now happening in the way of traffic service and we find that both Citrus and Barranca are carrying relatively high volumes of some 19,000 cars a day at least northerly of the freeway,, Grand Avenue, on the other hand, which has built in very substantial capacity is not receiving heavy •utilization ranging from six to nine thousand,, Until. Grand has connections to the freeway it is destined to remain a very insignificant street and most of your traffic is being used to use streets that cannot carry them properly, meaning Barranca and Citrus,, When you look at the east/west picture the situation is dismal,, You don't have any east/west service to the east of Grand Avenue of any significance,and even between Barranca and Grand,Workman does not take you up to Grand which is a serious deficiency,, We have a political jurisdictional problem as well as a physical problem to overcome. South of the freeway we find a comparable situation existing, one that is very poor from a traffic standpoint. We have the first major facility of any characteristic three-quarters of a mile southerly of the freeway, meaning Cameron. It is a good facility and will ultimately be an important one; however, three-quarters of a mile between it and the freeway is too great to provide adequate east/west service,, The other route would be the freeway frontage road which winds in and outq sometimes giving you a rough time because of its sporatic character,, This freeway frontage road was generally a rural type design when put in,, The State anticipated they were designing for rural conditions,, They never anticipated the kind and intensity of development that came in,, You have a sub- standard design, The State knows; you know it, and everybody else knows it,, The problem is what can be done from here on out to improve what turns out to be a very serious problem not perhaps at the immediate moment but for the future certainly you have a very serious problem to face and if anything is to be done we might as well try to anticipate what will give you the best service for the future,, Ca Cc 2/15/65 VIC'TCrR 'GRUVEN REPORT - Continued Page Eight What we would be looking for is what •kinds of interchange modifications would be desirable under the existing conditions and under future conditions, those that we are aware of and those that we know will happen, no doubt, within the next 10 or 15 years,, The things we find most deficient are the designs of the interchanges meant for rural conditions, not adequate for urban conditions,, We find a lack of a major interchange at Grand Avenue which we consider to be the single greatest deficiency for interchanges in the City,, At Holt you have substandard type interchanges which are all right for now but as we are all aware the number of new developments anticipated in that area will create problems at Holt as well,, We would propose a major east/west facility running generally in the vicinity of the Walnut Creek Parkway extended and connecting up with Holt in the general alignment of Virginia,, It is a matter of connecting up a lot of discontinuous sections,, The idea is to create some facility that is a good facility and will break up this lack of continuity between the freeway and Cameron,, We feel this is the most.important single facility from the surface arterial standpoint,, Looking north of the freeway we find a similar situation with Workman not being continuous and we propose •it be continued to Grand,, We find the northerly frontage road does not have logical extension opportunities. We would hope that the frontage road would connect up with Covina Hills Road,, That would take cooperation from other governments. Nothing you see tonight resembles too much what we showed you the last time because things have changed rather drastically in relation to what we now consider to be the needs of the City,, There have been a number of developments taking place that at the time we first presented our recommendations we were unaware of, There have been so many new things that have come up in the last six months that we have had to reevaluate all the designs that we had formally suggested as possibly tentative recommendations and now we have what we would consider a vastly improved system of interchange and arterial design,, (Presented chart showing Citrus Interchange and Barranca Interchange and explained same,,) (Presented chart showing the Grand Avenue Interchange and the Holt Avenue Interchange and explained same,,) (Presented photographs of critical areas from a physical standpoint and explained same,,) (Presented chart showing Citrus Avenue and Barranca Avenue and explained same,,) (Presented chart showing Virginia Avenue and its possible ultimate development and explained same,,) the status of studies and I questions,, our interchange think perhaps it I think that winds up for the moment studies and of the surface street would be best to open it up for WE C. Ca 2/15/'65 Page Nine VICTOR' 'GR'.JEN REPORT m Continued Councilman Jett: On the north side from the Barranca off -ramp coming over to the new theater, • you are proposing we have a separate frontage road and another road that would serve into the theater? Would that be a part of the theater or a new road? Mr. Harold Marks: The music theater is just to the east of this existing interchange and this frontage road would, in effect, be exactly what is being proposed along the frontage of that theatero It would only change its alignment in reaching Barranca itself. We have been able to get two interchanges to service that theater, There would be continuity between the two streets and the two interchanges. Councilman Krieger.- On westbound traffic at Citrus, I can't reconcile your off -ramp with the statements as to what the State's policy is. Mra Harold Marks: That is an existing off ramp. Councilman Krieger: Everyone of your other suggestions seemed to be compati5le in tying in with arterials ®9 Mr. Harold Marks: There is one problem created by this situation. If they were to come out directly into. Citrus the problem would be to get to the left lane to get to the frontage road. Councilman Krieger: Eastbound on the freeway at Barranca, traffic on the freeway going eastbound that wants to go north and you say that is a free flow completely going in a circle? What is your traffic control situation down at Barranca as it feeds into Barranca? How do you handle that? Mr. Harold Marks: That is a merging movement that might require a localized widening of Barranca. It would be desirable to widen Barranca. Councilman Krieger: Does this require any widening of the bridge facility? Mr. Harold Marks: I can't answer.you directly because I don't remember the volumes we have for that. Mayor Snyder: Is the State required to pay for those frontage roads which their interchanges interrupt? Looking at these different plans what position would you say would be the State's expense and what portion would be the City's expense and I realize that is a general question. Mr. Harold Marks: We had a meeting with the staff this morning where we tried to go through all this so that they are acquainted with what we would be discussing this evening. The same question arose at that time. The answer is probably that in looking at the Citrus Interchange where it would have to be redirected into this portion of the new facility, this new portion would be subject to State expense. In other words, they disrupted from going directly into Citrus so they would have to pay WE Ca C,, 2/15/65 Page Ten 'VICTOR �RUEN REPORT - Continued for the portion which takes it into Citrus by another route,, The • same thing I think would be true with Barranca,, Councilman Jett; How much of a distance would there be in acquisition of new right-of-way across Virginia? Mr,, Harold Marks: Approximately 1500 feet,, Mayor Snyder: It appears that most of this will be State expense,, Mr,, Harold Marks: Yes,, There are two bridges which would not be State expense,, Their only obligation perhaps would terminate in getting Garvey back to Citrus and not continue to the east,, There is a good possibility that at such time as this developed that you require it as part of the precise plan in the same manner you required Virginia on the other side,, Mayor Snyder: If we were to adopt these plans what chance do you think we have with the State in accepting these plans? Mr,, Harold Marks° It is very difficult to second-guess the State's attitude about whatever you propose,, All we can do is tell you that we have attempted to . follow what we believe to be the State"s present design criteria and their present concepts,, We have, to the best of our ability, followed those types of concepts,, When it comes right down to .studying the interchange geometrix, the State undoubtedly will have some suggestions for modification,, We believe that what we have shown here would provide excellent service both from the standpoint of the State and from the City°s standpoint and we hope they will see it the same way. We will hope to give them sufficient data so it will be justified to their satisfaction that all of these are necessary from a traffic standpoint,, Councilman Jett: Have you had a chance to discuss any portion of this with the State? Mr,, Harold Marks: No,, Mayor Snyder: If we were to adopt Virginia or the Walnut Creek Parkway extension it seems to me if this is our plan we should adopt it at this time so people planning buildings in there know what they are getting into. Does it involve any expensive right-of-way if you adopt it at this time? City Manager, Mr,, Aiassa: You would have to go to the Planning Commission and let them set up hearings because you are amending your Streets and Highways,, 0 Mayor Snyder: We should submit the entire report to the Planning Commission,, City Manager, Mr,, Aiassa: Yes,, I think right now Mr,, Marks would like to complete his final report,, When you receive his final report then send it to the Planning Commission for hearings, et cetera, to put this into operation,, -10- C,, Co 2/15/65 VICTOR GRUEN REPORT - Continued Page Fleven We should have immediate jurisdiction •from the Council to meet with the representatives from the Division of Highways and on an informal basis discuss these concepts,, We may run into a lot of problems if the State bucks us on some of these,, We did this on the first stages of the report on Vincent.Avenue because once the final report is in it is only as good as to whether or not the State will accept it,, Mayor Snyder,, We should forward these final plans to the City of Covina and the County with our proposed recommendations,, City Manager, Mr,, Aiassa.- I would like to hold off on that until we have a chance to see what the State does on these others,, Mayor Snyder.- They might start getting developments up in that area and they should know our thinking,, City Manager, Mr,, Aiassa: I would like permission to meet informally with the representatives of the County and Covina and explain to them what we are trying to do,, Councilman Jett.- I think that is a good idea,, Now would be the time to get with the State and • discuss this before they do start designing too much,, Mayor Snyder.- At what stage are we for finalizing changes, Azusa west,, the plans for the different inter - City Manager, Mr,, Aiassa.- Right now the State has reviewed most of these suggested modifications with use The State came luck with .alternate suggestions and we made slight modi- fications to conform to some of their recommendations. We are going to start hearings with the Planning Commission on the 24th of March. Mayor Snyder.- I would also like a report on the present south side of Vincent Avenue and in its finalized stage with the Center•Street extension report9 engineering report particularly, on the traffic movements there and the problems involved and whether there is something that can be done to improve the east/west traffic on the north frontage road excepting the present Vincent Avenue Interchange,, I would like Victor Gruen to come up with recommendations to utilize present streets to improve that frontage road,, City Manager, Mr,, Aiassa.- You could have Mr,, Marks give us an alternate suggestion of a proposal what it would take in man hours and cost to do that,, Mayor Snyder.- I would like to see some motion to authorize Mr,, Aiassa and Victor Gruen and his representatives to meet informally with the State regarding these proposals here and also to meet with neighboring communities and jurisdictions,, Councilman Nichols.- I will so move,, -11- Co Ca 2/15/65 VI'('TOR GR'.1EN REPORT - Continued Page Twelve Councilman Krieger: You want to move concurrently ahead with •the State Department of Highways informally, with the County informally and with Covina informally, and you want to send this to the Planning Commission at the same time? City Manager, Mr, Aiassa: We would like to send it formally to the Planning Commission, The Planning Commission staff has been involved in this completely from the beginning, Mayor Snyder: Before you finalize this they want to meet with the State and feel them out, When it is finalized we will present it to the Planning Commission, Councilman Krieger: Will we get another report? City Manager, Mr, Aiassa: You will have a complete written report from Victor Gruen but that will not be the end result because the end results will be what we can .negotiate and obtain from the State Division of Highways. Councilman Krieger: The informal discussion with the State Division of Highways, Covina and the County but not to the Planning Commission at this time? City Manager, Mr, Aiassa: Yes, • Councilman Krieger: I will second the motion, Action on Councilman Nichols' motion: Motion carried unanimously, Mayor Snyder: I would like to see Victor Gruen come up with a study of improving this east/west flow on the south frontage road, Councilman Krieger: Is your comment directed to the Vincent Avenue Interchange as it pertains to east/west traffic? Mayor Snyder: Yes, Councilman Krieger; So if this group could come up with an opinion and recommendation as to how to accomodate east/west traffic now with the interchange the State is implimenting on the south? Mayor Snyder: Yes, I believe that the full business utilization of these centers on the south depend on this,, This is vital to them,, They will never realize their full potential until this is accomplished, Councilman Heath: I believe the original contract given to Victor Gruen was to channelize and • study and recommend a way that traffic could be better handled in our Plaza, West Covina Center district which included the area from Workman Avenue down to Walnut Creek Parkway, That was in the original study, I don't see why we should have to do it over again, -12- Ca C,, 2/15/65 page Thirteen VICTOR'G7UEN REPORT - Continued Mayor Snyder. They did a very careful chanelization • rerouting of traffic, et ceteraq in this whole business center study, They did a very excellent job in my opinion even with Vincent Avenue but that portion was not acceptable to the State not because the State didn't like it but because they had auvanced so far in their other plans including the lawsuit, We have a complete study on this problem except Vincent Avenue needs modi- fication and I don't personally feel that they should have to do this as part of their original contract or that it should be ar, extension of that contract because it is problems beyond their control anu for which they offered recommendations., Councilman Heath. They were given a contract to handle that area including the Vincent Avenue Interchange, They came up with a plan which could not be used due to the fact that time was against them and this they should have realized before the completion of their contract When„they were given the word they could not use their plan and had to use the State plan it behooved them then to fit their study to the planning that the State had adopted and I think to go back in now and ask them to do them over again is giving money and a contract to redo something they should have done the first time, Councilman Krieger. As I understand these studies it wasn't to write an insurance policy, it was .to present recommendations to this Council and I think that there is a queer interpretation of what constitutes contractural performance if we hold any group to the final implimentation by outside agencies of their recommendations and the adoption of. this Council, From what I know of the situation there was a contractural obligation by these people to perform and when they made their recommendation to this Council and this Council accepted that phase of the report, whether or not it could be implemented is not the responsibility of these people and I feel, they performed on their contract, If we want to add to their responsibilities it seems to me we are talking about an additional contractural obligation,, Councilman Heath. They were given a contract to channelize and make the flow of traffic between our shopping centers better for our shoppers, In the course of their study they proposed an interchange which could not be used due to the State requirement that they had to use the previous interchange. They knew this before the study was over and they should have made their study to agree with the interchange that the State demanded to be put in, The fact about us holding them up or us preventing them from carrying out their recommendations has no bearing on it. They knew what interchange was going to be put in there before they finished their report and it was all part of their work to fit around that interchange, Councilman Krieger: I don't think it is knowledge that is acquired after the contract is entered into, I think it is knowledge as to what was the contractural obligation before they entered into the contract that is the test here,, Mayor Snyder. I think we should have an opinion from the City Attorney on this,, All I am asking is for the City Manager to ask them for a proposal on recom- mendations on this problem regarding the north/south frontage road in the area of the Vincent Avenue Interchange, -13- C, C, 2/'15/65 y''ICTOR 'RUEN REPORT m Continued Page Fourteen Councilman Heath: I would oppose that action because if the contract is read I think you will find out that the State had an interchange on the books at that time and these people knew about it, they came up with a suggested change and the suggested change was not permitted to be used but they did know the enterchange that was to be put in before time and it was part of their previous contract, I will oppose any other contract along this line, Mayor Snyder: When I came on this Councill recognized this particular problem, not just the Vincent Avenue Interchange, but this problem in the central business district and what the poor traffic there does to their potential is one of the biggest problems facing the Councilmen in this area, I would hope to have no prejudice regarding this problem but I want to see this solved while I am on this Council, No matter how we go about this if I want to accomplish anything on this Council in the time I am on here I would like to see this problem solved and we are not solving it by being picayunish about the past, This problem has to be solved or that area will never realize its full potential, Councilman Heath: The original intent of hiring Victor Gruen was to make a study for the channelization of traffic between the shopping centers, This was the primary reason for hiring them and now we are going back and saying do it over again, I strictly oppose it, Councilman Krieger: It seems we are talking about two different items, If we are talking about whether Victor Gruen performed their contract obligations that pertain to one particular phase of this contract we are talking about a legal question that is in the province of our City Attorney„ If we are talking about a solution to the problem I suggest that we get off of the subject matter of Victor Gruen"s performance and get on to the problem at hand because we are arguing -this and could argue this to doomsday and we will. not solve the problem as it pertains to the south side of Vincent Avenue, The real issue has to do with how we solve this traffic problem, I suggest we begin to look for an answer to that particular problem divorced from this question as to performance by an individual study agency or any expert„ We are going to .need assistance unless somebody on this Council is equipped to handle this problem and I confess I am not, Councilman Jett: I think this would be the wrong time to impliment any additional studies in the area because we do not know how it will affect the center until this Valinda Avenues Walnut Creek Wash is completed and Center Street is completed and State Street will be completed around the corner so it will continue into the frontage road, In my opinion: this is going to relieve the traffic a tremendous amount, I think at this time if we even talked about hiring Victor Gruen or anybody else to go in and make a study of it we have no idea of what is going to happen and we are spending thousands of dollars to do a job and I think it is throwing money,down the drain, Mayor Snyder: This I cannot understand, We do know what is going to happen there, Secondly$ what is harmed by asking for a proposal? You are not accepting the proposal tonight, -14- C, C, 2/15/65 -VICTOR* GRUEN REPORT - 'Continued Page F°if teen • Councilman Jett- I will remind you of a statement I made three years ago, At that time I was fighting so hard to get Center Street and I talked about getting the Vincent Avenue Interchange, We are getting exactly what the State proposed in the way of an interchange three years ago, Center Street is going exactly where we planned it three years ago and I made the statement then that if you hired Victor Gruen and you started on this study that you would retard this development by at least two years, Mere it is three years later and we are just getting started on it, Mayor Snyder- This study had nothing to do with retarding that, The whole thing was held up by the Center Street lawsuit, Councilman Jett- That is not correct, Had we gone on with the program the State proposed, that they submitted to us this would have been completed by now, I am sure, Mayor Snyder- There is not a bit of truth in what you say, Councilman Jett- It is true, Look at the facts, Councilman Heath- The original intent of hiring Victor Gruen was to study and recommend to us how to alleviate the traffic conditions between our shopping centers, The Victor Gruen Company was hired to make this study and they made a study, In their study they came up with an alternate solution or suggestion of the interchange at Vincent Avenue which we found out we could not use because the State already had a.plan and that plan had to go into effect, The State plan was in effect before Victor Gruen was hired, If these statements that I have made are true and we now go back and ask Victor Gruen to study and recommend facilities to improve the traffic between our shopping centers are we not duplicating exactly what we dial by the original contract? Mayor Snyder- Absolutely not, I don't remember the exact terms of the contract, It was true to improve the traffic between the shopping centers but it was also to make recommendations regarding the freeway interchanges and ingress and egress to these centers, It is also true there was a plan approved by the State and the City on the south side of Vincent Avenue but Victor Gruen's representative at that time stated that they were aware of this but they also felt we might be able to change it, that the State might change their mind and we made approaches along this Line but they wouldn't change their mind, They had no reason to think they wouldn't change their mind, I think what you say is true but not completely true, Councilman Heath- May I have a copy of the motion that was made authorizing the staff to i contact the consultants concerning a traffic study of our business area? City Manager, Mr, Aiassa: I will get you a copy, -15- C11 Co 2/15/65 VICTOR GRUEN REPORT — Continued s4 Page Sixteen Mayor Snyder: I hope when the Plaza finds it difficult to compete because of traffic is problems . in the future they will assess the responsibility in the right location and by responsibility I mean blame, Councilman Heath: Fine, I have been saying for four years that the interchange at Vincent Avenue is a farce, Councilman Towner sat here and saidhe didn't understand what ulterior motive Mr, Heath had in fighting this interchange and now it is finally coming out, Mayor Snyder: You have fought it for three years but not once have ,you made one positive, constructive suggestion, Councilman Krieger: If I understand, and I am not quite sure that I don Councilman death is saying that there are enough facts that we should have had a solution already from these people and Councilman Jett opposes it because he says there aren't enough facts to arrive at a conclusion, Councilman Jett: I did not say that, I am telling you that we are getting from the State, they are developing Valinda Avenue and the extension of Walnut Creek Parkway which was done by experts, We hired Victor Gruen to make a study of the entire traffic pattern and traffic study of the central • business district, The State proposed to make an interchange at Vincent along with the widening of the freeway, The study came along at the time the State was also making their study as to the widening of the freeway and putting in the Vincent Avenue Interchange, There was a lot of argument pro and con, I think Victor Gruen did a good job, I have no question about that part of it, However, the State says this is what they are going to do and this is what they proposed to do and I know they are going to do it, Now I say it would be foolish for us to start a 'study on something we know is going to happen until it is completed and we know what the problems are so we can study them, Councilman Krieger: You're saying it is premature? Councilman Jett° Right, Councilman Krieger: And you are opposing it for that basis? Councilman Jett: Yes, Councilman Krieger: Councilman Heath is saying it is not g that should have already been done,pismthatecorrect?t is too late and it Councilman Heath: Under the previous contractg this is true, Wayor Snyder: I do not foresee any study making any changes in the Vincent Avenue Inter- change or Center Street, I am only saying how more logically to extend Center Street so that it does connect up, We have to do this now before more developments come in, The more developments coming in the more impossible it becomes to do it, -18- CA C, /15/65 VIC'iOR GRUEN REPORT - Continued Page Seventeen Councilman Heath- I would like the date that the Vincent •Avenue Interchange was adopted by the State and the date of the contract with Victor Gruen, • City Manager, Mr, Aiassa- All right, Councilman Krieger- I would like to have a staff recom- mendation on the desirability, necessity, feasibility and timeliness of a supplemental study of the south east and west quadrant of the Vincent Avenue Interchange as it pertains to the flow of east/west traffic, The Interchange is in the hands of the State. I am concerned with the desirability at this time of a study being made'of the flow of east/west traffic on the south side of the Vincent Avenue Interchange, Councilman Jett- A study of this was made, Councilman Krieger- I have asked for a staff report on the timeliness at this time in their opinion as to having such a study made by a professional consultant, This at least will give us something to discuss, I am afraid this discussion tonight has been relegated to a question of personalities and I don't believe it belongs in that arena. I don't particularly care who was on the Council at what time or who was on the Chamber of Commerce at one time or who the study group is at any particular time, I am concerned with what the Mayor is concerned with also and I think the whole Council is concerned with and that is a solution to this problem and we can argue hours as to why the problems exist but it is still not solving this, Councilman Heath- This is true, I do take offense to one statement and this is an agrument of personalities, This is 'furthest from the truth and I feel it should not have been made, In the statements I have made I brought out names to bring out points but this is not a fight of personalities, Councilman Krieger - Mayor Snyder - DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT How do you divorce names from personalities? Thank you very much for coming tonight, Mr, Marks, City Manager, Mr, Aiassa- We have a letter sent by the Department of Employment and we received it on February 10 in which they have outlined specific requirements as to what they would like to seek'in the method of acquiring a site and place of operation and they have also listed the areas in which these particular plans and specifications can be obtained. I would suggest if anyone interested would contact the Chamber of Commerce manager, Mr. Tambe, who has extra copies of this proposal and extra copies will be made available. They are standard requirements and they also have a typical. plot plan, et cetera. Motion by Councilman Krieger, seconded by Councilman Nicholst and carried, that this letter from the Department of Employment be accepted and placed on file, -17- Co Ca 2/15/65 CITE' MANAGER REPORTS - Continued - POLICE CADET PROGRAM City Manager, Mr. Aiassa: "Recruitment Page Eighteen (Gave brief summary of this matter dated February 10, 1965 as follows: The Personnel Department startdd recruitment for -the Police Cadet during November, 1964.. After,a very short time, we found'- that the requirement of "graduation from a West Covina High School, or a resident of West Covina with a high school diploma'° was too restrictive, We simply were'not getting the applicants we needed. After some delay, the requirements were changed to simply "high school graduation." The age limit was also broadened from 19-1/2 to 20' With these adjustments, the cadet market was very much broadened. The method used to "spread the word" about West Covina°s new Cadet program .is as follows: 1. One article in San Gabriel Valley Tribune 2� One article in the Sentinel (another pendi.ng)n 3o Personal letters to high school counselors in both the Covina and West Covina School Districts. 4. Personal letters to instructors of Police Science 'at Mount San Antonio College, Citrus Junior College, Pasadena City College, and California State College • at Leos Angeles. 5' Classified ads in the San Gabriel Tribune, 6, Job bulletins to 96 cities in Southern California After all the applications were received and screened, written exams were given. Fourteen passed and were scheduled for the oral. Ten passed the oral exam and were certified by the Personnel Board on an eligible list. The eligible list has been reduced as follows: J to Two applicants failed the medical exam because of vision, 2. Three failed the psychiatric evaluation, 3. One preferred to remain a student full-time until graduation. Therefore, we now have only four applicants whose back- ground is now being checked by the Police Dep'artmento The City Council authorized four Police Cadet positions, so we are now recruiting for another eligible list. Naturally, both the Police Chief and Personnel. Department would have pre- ferred to get the four authorized from the first list, but since this is the pilot program and this is the first effort, we are not terribly concerned about the failure rate of 60% of that first eligible list. We feel confident that the full complement of cadets will be filled soon," Councilman Nichols: The information you submitted was very comprehensive and answered my questionso Motion by Councilman Krieger, seconded by Councilman Nichols, and carried, that the report on the police cadet prograN be received and placed on file, -18- • 0 .7 Co C 0 2/15/65 Page Nineteen CITY MANAGER REPORTS - Continued: COYINA IRRIGATING COMPANY PROXY City Managers Mr. Aiassa: We have an election coming up" and we have one vote. Do you want to designate someone to vote for you? (Read report re this matter.) This is on the 20tho I can go, Councilman Krieger: How many notes are there? City Manager, Mr. Aiassao This is a rather small water company and every stockholder has some weight but I don't know how much the one vote has, Motion by Councilman Krieger, seconded by Councilman Heath, and carried, that the City Manager or his authorized delegate attend the meeting of the Covina Irrigating Company and cast the one vote of the City for an appropriate director. ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST TIME ALLOCATION City Manager, Mr. Aiassa- You have the report on this. Motion by Councilman heath, seconded by Councilman Krieger, and carried that the report on the Administrative Analyst time allo- cation be accepted and placed on file. PRE SCHOOL PROGRAM City Manager, Mr. Aiassa Councilman Jetta City Manager, Mr. Aiassa,, We have a request from the Council on this proposed pre school, pro- gram, I have copies for the Coun- cil. (Read report re this matter.) Would that interfere with the private schools that are doing the same thing? I don't believe so. We are gust supplementing wherever there is a gap. Councilman Jettn I would like an answer or report as to whether or not this would interfere with those people doing this as a business rather than the City getting into this kind of a business, Elm C, C, 2/15/65 'PRE"SCHOOL PROGRAM - Continued Page Twenty Mr, Gingrich: The difference here is this is a two- businesses are set up for a hour classroom where the commercial day care nursery sort of thing for working people, City Manager, Mr, Aiassa; In other words you want to know whether �or not this is a baby sitting program? Councilman Jett: Exactly, City Manager, Mr, Aiassa: All right, Mr, Gingrich: This is: 'scheduled to start tomorrow, We have.talked with the parents, There are about 25 ,parents involved, Councilman Krieger: Have these people already paid their ,money? Mr, Gingrich: Yes, Mayor Snyder: How big is the pilot program? Mr, Gingrich: The one class of 25. This will run twice a week for 10 weeks; • Councilman Nichols: I realize this is a very unpopular position to be taking at this time but I would disagree with the Mayor on this matter, I don't think it is a thing that the City staff should start on its own without getting Council approval and policy. It is moving into an age that many cities do not participate. It is going to a pre school program that has implications to some extent to the commercial area, It is going into an educational program, ment of four and five -year -olds a social, mental physical adjust- that has political Implications, .,I think to start it without guidance and permission from the Council is a rather risky operation barrier in the but I for myself will not throw a personal, way and say I will not see a pilot program get started, City Manager, Mr, Aiassa: Why don't we delay this fora few weeks? Councilman Krieger: I think the timing is unfortunate in this situation® Without committing myself in favor or against the program itself which at this point I just don't understand because this is the first information I have had on it, I think for the sake of public relations with these people who have signed up for it that we ought to go forward with the program, I don't see where it commits us beyond this. If we feel after due deliberation we,dW t.want to continue such a program, but if we have had` 25' "enrollees' an'd we- have accepted` their money with the program n_A mind Ibelieve we are duty boiund to �a,orwrd, with 't, ... .. CAurn�ilmen Ni�,hQl �, L. J„ ,. I b,e ' ieve this`' was a matter t ia't should have`been brought to the Council and ds.termined by the Council as a matter of bcisie City policy in a recreation program`into, the` ' pre school rang;, ;. I'] think" it is' a mistake to` start it otherwise, I will go along wi'th'Councilman Krieger's statement that I thk; ink -we are also doing harm by going this far and then with- drawing from�it and as it is stipulated as a pilot program I will accept it on that basis myself, MUM C, C, 2/15/65 Page Twenty -One PT.E SCHOOL PROGRAM - Continued Councilman Jett: I don't think I could go along with •accepting this program, I think there are a lot of things here we should find out about or know about before we start something of this nature, Mayor Snyder: We are not accepting it tonight. We are merely deciding whether or not to let them go on this pilot program, Councilman Nichols: Have you met with the school district? Mr, Gingrich: No, Councilman Heath: Is there any liability problem in running this? The parents, no doubt, sign waivers, Mr, Gingrich-, No more liability than we have in any of our other classes conducted through the Department, Councilman Heath: Those are older children, City Manager, Mr, Aiassa: If you wish I will have Mr, Gingrich have a meeting with the school representatives, We will run this thing for a few weeks, • Motion by Councilman Krieger, seconded by Councilman Nichols, and carried, that the proposed pre school program go forward on the basis of the pilot program and the pilot program only, GENERAL TELEPHONE PROPOSAL City Manager, Mr, Aiassa: We now have a proposal from a formal application of the General Telephone Company which was received today, We are making official copies for the Council, They are going along with what they originally proposed, I would like to refer to the City Attorney this matter and see if we can have a report for you on the 23rd, Mayor Snyder: All right, HERALD EXAMINER AWARD City Managers Mr, Aiassa: We received an award addressed to the Mayor as part of the Herald Examiner Get Out The Vote Citizenship Certificate, (Read report re this matter dated February 38 1965 as follows: -21- Go Co 2/15/65 HERALD EXAMINER AWARD — Continued-, Page Twenty -Two "As part of the Herald -Examiner "Get Out the Vote" campaign, • Committee Citizenship Certificates were promised for every City and Community in'the Los Angeles area that had a vote of 90% or better on November 30 Although it has been a'few months since the general election, we feel it is'never too late to extol the virtues of,good citizenship. Congratulations on your community's fine showing." Mayor Snyder: This is for getting out at least 90% of the voters. I think this is a very nice award. ABSENCE OF CITY MANAGER City Manager, Mr, Aiassa: I will be gone for a few days and I would like to have Mr. Adams acting in my capacity. This is as of tomorrow afternoon, Motion by Councilman Jett, seconded by Councilman Krieger, and carried, that the Council accept John Q. Adams as Acting City Manager while the City Manager is out of town. 40 REAPPORTIONMENT RESOLUTION ALHAMBRA Mayor Snyder: We have a resolution from the City of Alhambra regarding reapportionment. After reading Sunday's paper I notice the Mayor of Monterey Park has come out with a proposal and I am wondering if we shouldn°t take a positive step to get some of the cities together in this area and propose a boundary. Councilman Jett: Mayor Snyder That would be a good idea I can bring it up at the Mayors' group on the 25tho Motion by Councilman Heath, seconded by Councilman Jett, and carried, to direct the Mayor to represent than City of West Covina regarding this matter at the Mayors' meeting of the 25th, ' FORTUNE TELLING AND ALLIED PRACTICES Mayor Snyder: We have a report from the City Attorney on fortune telling and allied practices. I would like to see an ordinance introduced out- lawing this practice. (Read report dated February 12, 1965 as follows: -22- Co Co 2/15/65 Page Twenty -Three FORTUNE TELLING - Continued. - "The Council has requested an opinion from this office with respect to whether or not fortune telling and allied prac- tices can be prohibited by municipal, ordinance. There is no State statute regulating such occupations and practices. Numerous cities have ordinances forbidding same and the constitutionality of at least one, that of Los'Angeles, has been upheld (In Re Apgar, 66 Cal.. App, 2d 70 - 1944). Article 11, Section ll,, of the California Constitution allows a city, chartered or general law, to enact such regulations 'as are not in conflict with general laws.° In the last several years, a series of decisions have come down from our Supreme Court invalidating many municipal ordinances on the grounds that they purport to regulate areas of conduct which the State has pre-empted by its own regulatory scheme. This situation was the subject of a memorandum opinion from this office dated November 17, 1964. The essential reasoning of all these decisions has been that the State has evinced an intent to regulate the par- ticular area involved by the enactment of .legislationo Apparently, the State has not chosen to enter the field of fortune telling'and allied practices, since no State statute on the subject exists. In the absence of such State legislation, a municipality may clearly regulate. • Accordingly, it is the opinion of this office that the City may regulate,fortune.tel.ling and allied practices, including prohibition of same, by appropriate ordinance" Councilman Jett° I would go along with that. Motion by Councilman Jett, seconded by Councilman Krieger, and carried, that the City Attorney be requested to draft an ordinance prohibiting the activities of fortune telling, palm reading, and allied practices. (Councilmen Nichols and Heath voted "No".) Councilman Nichols. I am strongly against practices that perpetrate fraud on people. but I think when it gets to a point where you have to smother people in protective legislation from their own ignorances and follies we are probably in bad shape. SENATE RESOLUTION RE REAPPORTIONMENT Mayor Snyder- I have a copy of a telegram that Mr. Bonelli sent to the State Assembly and he has asked we send the same thing. It is the State Senate Resolution on reapportionment. (Read report re this matter.) 0 City Manager, Mr. Aiassa- Councilman Nichols: -23- I have a report for you on the 23rd on all. legislation. I think we can wait on this. They just want us to send a like telegram to the State? C. C. 2/15/65 SENATE RESOLUTION RE REAPPORTIONMENT - Continued: Mayor Snyder: City Manager, Mr. Aiassa: Mayor Snyder: SISTER CITY FOUNDATION Page Twenty Four That is the one he is going to Washington with. I don't think you have enough grounds to make a stand on it yet. We will hold this over. All right. City Manager, Mr. Aiassa: We have a request from the Sister City Foundation to rename Center Street to Toluca. Refer it to the City Engineer. Mayor Snyder: We have to move fast on this. Motion by Councilman Heath, seconded by Councilman Krieger, and carried that this matter be directed to the Traffic Safety Committee and the City Engineer with instructions to act on this with all haste. There being no further business, motion by Councilman Heath, seconded by Councilman Krieger, and carried that this meeting be adjourned to Tuesday night, February 16, 1965 at 7:30 P.M. The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 P.M. • ATTEST: fe CITY CLERK APPROVED -24-