Loading...
01-28-1974 - Regular Meeting - MinutesMINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA JANUARY 28, 1974. The regular meeting of the City Council called to order at 7:33 P.M. • in the West Covina Council Chambers by Mayor Jim Lloyd. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Cub Scout members of Pack 422, Tony Powers, Phillip Orr, David Hanson and Clyde Farren, Jr. The invocation was given by the Reverend William B. Key of St. Martha's Episcopal Church. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Lloyd; Councilmen: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell Others Present: George ,Aiassa, City Manager Lela Preston, City Clerk George Wakefield, City Attorney George Zimmerman, Public Service Director Michael Miller, Planning Director Leonard Eliot, Controller John Lippitt, City Engineer Wm. Fowler, Bldg. & Safety Director Craig Meacham, Ass't. Police Chief Ora Short, Acting Fire Chief Jeff Butzlaff, Administrative Analyst Janice Williams, Administrative Intern Ross Bonham, Administrative Analyst Mike McDonnell, Staff Reporter - S.G.V.D.T. APPROVAL OF MINUTES • JANUARY 14, 1974. Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried, to approve minutes. CONSENT CALENDAR Mayor Lloyd explained the procedure of the Consent Calendar and asked if there wereccomments on any of the following items: 1. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS a) MRS. HELEN ADAMS Complaint re barking dogs and that 520 S. Avington Avenue some owners do not keep their dogs' West Covina quarters sanitary. (Refer to Staff) b) FIVE LANTERNS RESTAURANT Request permission to use Chinese 2648 E. Workman Avenue Fire Crackers to celebrate the Chinese West Covina 4673 New Year on Friday and Saturday, February 8 & 9, 1974 from 8 P.M. to 9:15 P.M. (Approved in prior years; recommend;, ;approvals subject to staff .review) • c) LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION Notice of Hearing on February 13, 1974, COMMISSION re proposed Southerly Annexation No. 62 to City of Covina. (Staff Report. Receive and file) d) EASTER SEAL SOCIETY FOR Request permission to conduct fund CRIPPLED CHILDREN AND, raising campaign from March 5 to ADULTS OF LOS ANGELES- April 14, 1974. (Approved in prior COUNTY years; recommend approval) CITY COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR - Cont'd. Page Two 1/28/74 e) WEST COVINA UNIFIED SCHOOL Re need for traffic signal at Fernwood DISTRICT Street and Cameron Avenue. (Refer to Traffic Committee Minutes of 1/22/74 - Item #1) • 2. PLANNING COMMISSION SUMMARY OF ACTION 3. RECREATION & PARKS COMM. • a) SUMMARY OF ACTION b) SUMMARY OF ACTION c) 1974 STATE PARK AND RECREATION BOND ACT 4. PERSONNEL BOARD January 17, 1974. (Accept and file) January 22, 1974. (Adj. Mtg. - Study Session - Receive and File) January 22, 1974 (Reg. Mtg. - Accept and file. Action Items: Refer to City Manager's Agenda, Item G-6) Informational Report. REPORT re SPECIAL MEETING January 22, 1974. (Receive and file) 5. HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION SUMMARY OF ACTION January-24, 1974. (Receive and file) 6. ACCEPTANCE OF IMPROVEMENTS AND/OR RELEASE OF BONDS PROJECT NO. SP-73013 LOCATION: Various throughout the City. GRIFFITH COMPANY Accept street maintenance improvements and authorize release of Fireman's Fund American Company Bond No. SCR 707 7913 in,'the amount of $141,542.00. (Staff recommends acceptance and release) 7. TRAFFIC COMMITTEE MINUTES 8. CITY TREASURER'S REPORT January 22, 1974. (Accept and file) December, 1973. (Receive and file) Mrs. Pat Dampier (Re Item 7) I merely wish to thank President - PTA Counsel you gentlemen for the cooperation you have given me; with the help of the Traffic Committee, I joined them in their meetings and I know the traffic light is on the current, --current calendar —and I. do not wish it taken from,zthe Consent Calendar. I merely wish to bring to your attention, which I am sure you all know, that it does take one and a half year's to have a traffic light put in place which I did not know and I see it is on a five year work program and I would hope that it will be put on the top of a priority list so that it will be done as soon as possible knowing that it will take a year and a half if it were started tomorrow. Thank you, very much. • Mayor Lloyd: Thank you, Mrs. Dampier. This item will be discussed. (Tom Gallagher also asked to speak on an item in the Traffic Committee minutes. Mayor Lloyd said it would be withheld from the consent calendar approval and spoken to after approval of the other items of the Consent Calendar) Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor, I would like;+,;t-o hold item Item l(e) for the special period - 2 - • • • CITY COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR - Cont'd. following approval of the Consent Calendar. Motion by Councilman Shearer to approved, the the exception of Items 1(e) and 7. Seconded and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, NOES: None ABSENT: None Page Three 1/ 28/ 74 Consent Calendar with by Councilman Chappell Chappell, Lloyd Councilman Nichols: With regard to Item 1(e), I would like for myself to have from Staff clarification as to why an -,..item such as the consideration of a signal at Fernwood and Cameron Avenue, that is considered a priority item, has as its earliest possible date that of January 1975. I am sure there are very good reasons for this but I would like to have that clarified. Mr. Zimmerman: Mr. Mayor and members of Council, the current shortages are affecting -.the traffic signal situation as well as many other items of our needs. There is a six month or greater delay in the control mechanism gear needed to make the traffic signals work. In addition of that an item of this sort there would be a period needed for approving the budget, for design and awarding of a contract. All of this adds up to at least nine months to a year. Councilman Nichols: Are you saying if the Council tonight gave the directive to proceed immediately to install,the signal at that location that even then it could not occur until January 1975? Mr. Zimmerman: Accordingtto the experiences we have had on the latest TOPICS contract which was awarded last June or July those signals are not in yet on Sunset and West Covina Parkway. The hold up is entirely on the electronic equipment needed to run the signals. There has been a big surge in this equipment and the supply is very limited. Councilman Nichols: If then the Council allows this item as a budgeted item in the 1974-75 fiscal year I assume then the earliest date if authorized or spurred on by Council would be sometime late in the summer for the start of this or are you moving immediately with the specifics, etc., in order that the most minimal possible delay will occur? Mr. Zimmerman: As soon as directed by Council we can commence the design work which in itself is time consuming and then the funding could follow in the next budget.... Councilman Nichols: Would this expedite the installation any so that it would be before January 1975? Mr. Zimmerman: Yes, very much. It would take two or three months to design it. Councilman Nichols: If the Council tonight would take action to request the design process, etc., is it correct then that in all probability there would be no call upon the City funds before the new fiscal year, or no significant funds? Mr. Zimmerman: Yes, we could probably design it before the beginning of the fiscal year and if we advertised we could be ready to award the - 3 - CITY COUNCIL Page Four CONSENT CALENDAR (Item 1(e) 1/28/74 contract by July 1. Councilman Nichols: So if the Council took actionl.tonight to accept the minutes and directed.staff to • begin the procedures necessary to imple- ment that recommendation that would advance the installation date relative to January 1975 and would not incur premature debt obliga- tion to the City? Mr. Zimmerman: It might be more correct to say, so as not to put false hopes in peoples' minds, it would make the date of January 1 possible. Councilman Nichols: In other words if we did nothing now but accept the Traffic Committee recommendations would this go forward and result in the early installation..... Mr. Zimmerman: Yes, we would certainly given the interest we have seen so far by City Council, we would certainly proceed at once. Councilman Nichols: Then there. is no action tonight that Council can take to expedite this matter at all. Mr. Zimmerman: That is correct, Councilman Nichols. Councilman Shearer: Mr. Mayor - perhaps this is a little pre- mature but then on the other hand it may be too late. We recently approved a project for development across from Cameron and Azusa Avenue. I would • suggest that the Planning Staff contact the developer and indicate that a traffic signal is seriously being considered for that location which might have an effect on the layout or design of that piece of property. As I recall the plan shown to us showed a main entrance which did not line up with Fernwood which could present a traffic problem that might be resolved or solved by the developer if he knew in advance and perhaps could make a change if he so chose:: It might solve a later problem with the future Council by having someone coming in.and asking for another signal at that location. Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor - in .response to that - what is the status of that project? I have had many inquiries from the community. It seems to be rather in limbo. Do we have any late word on what the prospects are of the implementation of that proposal? Mr. Miller: Mr. Mayor and members of the Council, the last word we had was they were in the pro- cess of preparing their grading plans for submittal to the City. We are trying to contact them on a more regular basis to keep tab on where they stand. I understand they have two or three other projects going and due to the shortage of materials they are concentrating on those. • Councilman Nichols: You have no knowledge then that the project is being abandoned? Mr. Miller: No, not at this time. Mayor Lloyd: Is there anything else? Mr. Gallagher, would you like to speak to the Council now on Item 7. CITY COUNCIL Page Five CONSENT CALENDAR (Item 7) 1/28/74 Tom Gallagher At the present time there seems to be a West Covina complete breakdown in communcations between the citizenry of the community and the Traffic Committee. We went through this in great detail at a meeting about two months ago and at that time tried to get through • to them that we were opposed to any red lining of the curbs down there. Now the Traffic Committee has come up with a recommendation to reduce the red line zone from 220' to 175' and they are still going through with the same project. The only good thing that has come out of this since the initial meeting is they do have all the 1973 statistics available. Quite interestingly the total vehicle volume for the year is around seven and ahalf million. The total accidents for the year were ten. Now by the standards used by the Traffic Committee you would have to generate almost twelve accidents at that intersection to have it considered a hazardous intersection and we had ten. This is very favorable, even below what we had for several previous years. On page 4 of the minutes of the Traffic Committee they give the rates for 1969 through 1973. The rate for 173 is 1.38, for 171 it was 2, which was high. You are not going to solve any problems down there by red lining 175' instead of 2201. You are still creating the same problem. Two petitions have been submitted to the City Council on this subject and both signed by the people living in the area (approximately 16 families involved). No one is in favor of a left turn lane. I would like to make the recommendation at this time that we :abandon this project and get away from this argument of trying to compare Cameron and Vincent with Cameron and • Lark Ellen. There is absolutely no comparison at all. The volume of traffic is such that you can't begin to compare. The Traffic Committee takes the stand by putting these red line zones in at Lark Ellen they were able to make a 73/ reduction in the amount of left turn accidents. I don't know what the volume of traffic is on Lark Ellen, but we know what it is on Cameron. Councilman Young: That is my corner, I live there aid it is heavy. Mr. Gallagher: Yes and mainly high school traffic - right? Councilman Young: Right. Mr. Gallagher: That was one of the main access roads onto the freeway before this freeway widening job went underway. Also there are only two residents affected there. Down at Cameron and Valinda you have four residents. There is no vacant lot, no park and no commercial property down there. So, gentlemen, I would like to make this recommendation again that we abandon this thing and get on to bigger and more important things for the community. • Councilman Young: What troubles me is we have some residents involved and we have all these accidents and sooner or later somebody gets killed in one of these accidents, not to mention in the interim the people injured, property damage and the traffic problems that occur and human life and safety is very important. In fact I would be glad to give up a parking space or two in front of my house if it will eliminate a hazardous situation or contribute towards saving a life. - 5 - CITY COUNCIL Page Six CONSENT CALENDAR (Item 7) 1/28/74 That is the issue I am interested in. So we need twelve accidents to make it major? How many people do we have to kill? This is the problem to my way of thinking. I can understand the infringe upon convenience on one hand but the general safety of the people is the competing problem in my mind. • Councilman Nichols: I have attempted to read as carefully as I can the materials made available to us over the past couple of months as this matter has come to be more and more of a concern in the area. And although I am very sympathetic to Councilman Young's psychological statement in this regard I would like to take it a step beyond that. We do have a signalized intersection at that particular corner of Cameron and Valinda, yet if you visualize the routing you also can remember that we have also Merced and Valinda a reasonably heavily traffic street and Francisquito and Valinda, which are busy intersections and not signalized at all. What I am pointing to is we have any number of intersections in our City with a similar problem of relatively heavy traffic and an accident history and to signal out this one intersection as the one we are going to make a correction - I think bears some scrutiny in the terms of the overall picture. One of the concerns I have, although I don't have all the facts and figures, but my recollection is that a number of yaars ago,'Valinda Avenue was widened and the frontages available, the lot depths available for the people on that street were diminished by the widening; perhaps Mr. Gallagher can correct me if I am not correct? Mr. Gallagher: Yes, it is true. . Councilman Nichols: But virtually all of the residents on Valinda Avenue in that general area have a lesser frontage from their houses to the street than is available to many many of our citizens in this community, and those who have a 50, 75 or 100' driveway reaching back on their property to their garages are inconvenienced, true, by some move to restrict parking on the street in front of their properties but there are houses that would be -involved in this area that can literally get just about one vehicle off of the public street against their garage door and if the garage door is open then they must. back off ftoin­,it;aand park off the public sidewalk in order to park in front of their garage. The City of West Covina in pro- viding these improvements for that neighborhood did in fact restrict the offsite parking of these particular houses in the area and to come along now and say none of these people with a teenager or two and the kids driving a Volkswagon and Dad has his car and Mom maybe also has one, and say you cannot park on the public street, is indeed more than a normal departure. Where I live if that were said I could get all of my vehicles, and.those of my neighbors, I think, parked in my driveway and I would be inconvenienced but not to the point that I had to hike some 200 or 300' every time I came to my house. Now we are diminishing every time when we do this, where we create this kind of a situation, where we reduce the front yard setback and then restrict • the curb.parking. situation.. There is no question but what we are diminishing the property value of these people. Whether it be 16 people or 1600 people - the government is saying for the public safety you>�.must suffer, and I agree, but I think many times you reach a point where you have to say what is right. Now the thesis I am posing is if in fact it is a definite hazard and if in fact thousands of residents travel these two streets and reach these major intersections and are placed CITY COUNCIL Page Seven CONSENT CALENDAR (Item 7) 1/28/74 in jeopardy because of these conditions and if in fact it is a fact that these other corollary conditions exist then I think the City has a greater than average responsibility to the property owners in the area in rectifying this. I come to my conclusion which is • simply this that the City of West Covina still owns a right-of-way, t.'.still owns a space from the curb line to the front of the proper- ty line and if this: --:is in truth a hazard and I believe it is because of the unique situation that has been created, then I feel the City should take upon itself the obligation to both solve the problem without inordinately penalizing those people that had good faith in purchasing their homes in that area of the City, because there are some that just can't get all their vehicles off the street when this condition is imposed upon them. I know I am saying then we will be spending more of everybody's money but all I am suggesting is that it is everybodys' problem. Councilman Young: Are you suggesting widening the street by shortening the frontages: Councilman Nichols: We have a number of streets, in fact Merced Avenue, where I live, has a place with a curb along there and then it dips in by 3' or so for several hundred feet; the cost isn't prohibitive and it enables the City to create these proper turns and channelization areas and provide for the safety; and I am saying if the City feels this is hazardous enough to mandate an improvement then because of the particular limitations for off street parking that these citizens have in there this City has a further obligation to attempt to widen that street,minimally if so, put in the parkway area to make these improvements without further penalizing the property owner. I only say that because of the unique circumstances. Councilman Young: I think there is a lot of logic in what you say and I am perfectly willing to see that explored as an alternative. I can see another problem arising, maybe something that Mr. Gallagher and the other people affected should think about. You have the actual lot depth of your property that goes to the property line and then you have the psychological depth which goes clean out to the curb. Some people like that entire depth and others just as soon have less to mow and take care of. I think that should be taken into consideration. I am perfectly willing to see the matter referred back for further study along this line. Councilman Shearer: I agree with Councilman Nichols. I think in this case we have a consideration of the text book traffic answer and I would like to defend the Traffic Committee. I don't think it is a matter of a communication problem, I think it is a matter of the Traffic Committee using their engineering judgment and as I said many times before, this Council has to take their professional recommendation and weigh it against the desires of the people and come up with an answer somewhere in the middle that probably may not satisfy everyone but doesn't cause a rebellion in the community. There is a lot of talk here about widening and I see in the report the figure • of $31,500 is given as the cost to widen the intersection 200' in each direction. Frankly I don't look too favorably on that at this time either. Based on the accident history and the type of inter- section, I am willing at this time to deny the Traffic Committee recommendation and let it just slip dormant for awhile. I don't think it is all that big of a problem. And it maybe that the criteria of the textbook answers but I don't think we have a good answer in this situation so I would like to see us kind of lay it to rest. - 7 - CITY COUNCIL Page Eight CONSENT CALENDAR (Item 7) 1/28/74 Councilman Chappell: I would have to agree with Councilman Shearer. We have signals at this inter- section. We have a lower speed limit than we have along Azusa and some of our other streets, 35 MPH. It just • appears to me, and I ride this street every day and since this appeared last time I have been spending a lot more time at that intersection and it appears to me that I don't think we are going to change anybody from violating the laws by putting in a lefthand turn there. So it appears to me we can live with it as it is, making sure that people adhere to the 35 MPH speed limit, and with the signals there make their lefthand turn when the light allows them to. So I would go along with Councilman Shearer. Let's vote on it and vote it down and move on to the next item. Motion by Councilman Shearer to deny the recommendation of the Traffic Committee. Seconded by Councilman Shearer and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor, one further comment. I think there may be some minor confusion as to what the Council's action was. The Council's action was to turn down the Traffic Committee recommendation and leave the intersection at Cameron and Valinda as of now in its current status. Councilman Young: Mr. Mayor, a point of procedure. I think the motion would be in order to approve the balance of the Traffic Committee report, and • I so move. Seconded by Councilman Nichols and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 4830 The City Attorney presented: ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA APPOINTING 7 COMMISSIONERS TO THE YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION. RESOLUTION NO. 4831 The City Attorney presented: ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA APPOINTING 7 ALTERNATES TO THE YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION." Motion by Councilman Shearer;. seconded .b ..:ounc lman:1Young<.: and _,ar-r1ed , to waive further reading of said Resolutions. • Councilman Shearer: Mr. Mayor, a point of order. If we are wanting to amend the Resolution or include the item on the alternates, that is the order of voting, should that be done now? Mr. "Wakefield: Yes, it should be done now. That would be the proper procedure. Councilman Shearer: I think because the Resolution that sets up this Committee indicates in the absence of - 8 - CITY COUNCIL Page Nine YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION 1/28/74 one of the regular members an alternate will vote we debated awhile whether to have one member with one alternate, andthen the problem arises of what happens if both the member and the alternate are absent at the same meeting. So what we decided to do was to specify in the Resolutions appointing an order for the alternates and they • would in that order vote. If one member was absent the first alternate would vote. If all seven were absent, which I hope does not occur because if it does you are not going to get paid because we are going to amend ,the other Resolution a little later and then all seven alternates would then vote. So the Resolution should be in this order, Mr. Wakefield. The Number l voting alternate would be Mr. William:Pewen; No. 2 - Miss Susan Titus; No. 3 - Miss Karen Hauritz; No. 4 - Mr. Norm Perreau; No. 5 - Miss Renee Parker; No. 6 - Miss Paula Ferguson; and No. 7 - Mr. Jeffrey Moore. That would be the order for voting only. How do we get that into the Resolution, Mr. Wakefield? Mr. Wakefield: We will redraft the Resolution to provide for this order of voting. You can go ahead and adopt the Resolution tonight. Motion to waive further reading of Resolutions carried. Motion.by Councilman Young, seconded by Councilman Shearer, to adopt said Resolutions and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None (Mayor Lloyd asked that the following people step forward and be • sworn in as Youth Advisory Commissioners: Lynn Giles, Brenda Thompson, Madeline Durkee, Renee Futter, Ruth Louis, Rayner Kolrik and Dennis Mansfield; and that the seven alternates step forward and be sworn in: William Pewen, Susan Titus, Karen Hauritz, Norm Perreau Renee Parker, Paula Ferguson and Jeffrey Moore. Renee Parker was absent; City Clerk swore in the Commissioners and the Alternates.) Mayor Lloyd: Are there any comments from Council? Councilman Shearer: Yes, Mr. Mayor. It goes without saying that it was a very difficult decision on our part to pick out of the large number of candidates seven to be the Commissioners and seven to be the Alternates. I am sure we probably could have thrown darts and had seven good qualified candidates. In looking it over we -generally gave preference to the Seniors and if that creates a problem then so be it. You will have your day: In the past complaints were raised that Council doesn't give us anything to do, so I am going to start out with a couple of suggestions, which may be lousy but at least it can't be said that we weren't given ideas to pursue. Number 1, the City of West Covina owns a couple of vacant pieces of ground - I believe, Mr. Aiassa, if I am • not incorrect, generally a couple of fire station sites. So for starters the Youth Commission might look at some way that the youth of the Community might utilize this ground. Probably some sort of gardening projects. I don't know if young people today are interest- ed in things of that nature, if they are - fine. I got the idea that some people are making a business out of this by renting out space to people that do not have ground available and want a garden. Secondly, we had a discussion earlier this evening about traffic safety in and around West Covina High School and - 9 - CITY COUNCIL Page Ten YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION 1/28/74 during the interviews this was mentioned, (I stole this idea from one of the students interviewed that went to West Covina High), saying the way some students leave the parking lots in a rapid manner. Perhaps a Traffic Safety Program in amongst the students by the students might do something to curtail this. I am sure if the Police Chief went to • the school to lecture on this he would not succeed but if the students were to put on a program within the school - if they are allowed to drive to school after the energy crisis - it might have some effect. So here are two ideas that you can bat around. Maybe they are good, maybe they are bad, but at least you have two. Councilman Chappell: I do want to congratulate all these young people in their acceptance of this challenge. I am still the liaison to this group and I would like to know when the first meeting is going to be called. (Advised it was the third Tuesday in February) Councilman Young: I would" just add my congratulations and my high hopes for these young people. Mayor Lloyd: I have a word to say. I am very pleased that we are now underway and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Sarah Weber and Mr. Sid Reiner, and all those people who worked on the Committee to get this Commission going. The other item I would suggest as a thought for things you might do although we do need recommendations from the Commission; however, it was discussed and there was some thought • expressed about putting the Youth Center on Cameron under the general directive of the Youth Advisory Commission. It`is supposed to be a Youth Center and there might be some concept or thought whereby through a policy situation we could work out the direction of it by the Commission. Another item that might be of some value is for you to assign certain people throughout the year to work with each of the Councilmen; particularly in regards to their agendas in a given month for the two Council meetings. So it would not be an inconvenience for you but would give you an opportunity to participate. I would certainly extend the office of the Mayor, as long as I_•.am there, for that kind of involvement. Another thing talked about was the numbering of houses on the street curb. That is another item. I don't know what the problems were before and it may be beyond this Commission. But I think there are plenty of things to be done and I for one am very much pleased to have all of you people back and in gear. I think it is a very meaningful involvement. PUBLIC HEARINGS UNCLASSIFIED USE PERMIT LOCATION: 2210 S. Azusa .Avenue. •NO. 71, REV. 5 (AMENDMENT) REQUEST: Clarification of conditions set B.K.K. COMPANY forth in Planning Commission Resolution No. 2311. Approved with modifications by Planning Commission Resolution No. 2503. Appealed by Applicant on December 7, 1973. Hearing held on January 14, 1974. Held over to this date. - 10 - CITY COUNCIL Page Eleven Pub. Hearings:. UUP #71, Rev. '5. (Amend.) 1/28/74 Mr. Aiassa: Mr. Mayor, we have a letter on file from the applicant. I believe the City Attorney has that. • Mr. Wakefield: Mr. Mayor and members of the Council, as you know the Staff as recommended that Unclassified Use.Permit No. 71, Revision 5 be amended by amending Section 3 thereof to extend the date of the expiration of that element to May 27., 1974; and that the consideration of the items that are proposed as amendments to Unclassified Use Permit No. 711 Revision 5 as amended :and adopted by the Planning Commission Resolution 2503 be continued for further consideration to that same date. It requires a Resolution. The Resolution is entitled: RESOLUTION NO. 4832 "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY ADOPTED OF WEST COVINA AMENDING UNCLASSIFIED USE PERMIT NO. 71, REVISION 5." Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution. Motion by.Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell, to adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None AMENDMENT NO. 117 A proposed amendment to Article IX of the CITY INITIATED West Covina Municipal Code relating to guidelines and development standards for the development of new condominiums and for the • conversions of existing developments to condominiums. Recommended by Planning Commission Resolution No. 2507. (Proof of Publication of Notice of Public Hearing on January 17, 1974 in the West Covina Tribune received. No mailed notices required.) Mr. Wakefield: Mr. Mayor and members of the Council, this is the time and place for the Public Hearing on Amendment No. 117 - City Initiated, proposing to add to the West Covina Municipal Code a new article establishing guidelines and development standards for the development of condominiums and the conversion of existing developments to condominiums. Recommended by Planning Commission Resolution No. 2507. Mr. Mayor, I am sure staff is prepared to make a report in reference to it. .Mr. Miller: Mr. Mayor and members of the Council, pursuant to your direction the Planning Commission reconsidered the proposed Condominium Ordinance. The Staff Report and the other documents pertaining to this subject in your agenda material detail the fine points. The most important thing is it does provide a vehicle whereby the City can control new development.of...c9ncJ9miniums and relates the density an �,,cthe: 'lea District in which it is • located. At the saine time i.t also provides for reasonable controls on the conversion of apartments to .condominiums without regard to the density requirement but requiring an unclassified use permit to assure compatibility. The Planning Commission recommends approval of this code amendment to Resolution 2507. THIS IS THE TIME AND PLACE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON AMENDMENT NO. 117. THERE BEING NO PUBLIC TESTIMONY FOR OR AGAINST PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED. COUNCIL DISCUSSION. CITY COUNCIL Page Twelve Pub. Hearings: Amend.. No. 117 1/28/74 Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor - I believe that I initiated the concerns that were expressed.on the Council at the time this matter was before us earlier. I would like.:to commend Staff for the review of this and also the •Planning Commission. Generally speaking the changes made are wise and make it a little clearer. I would like to clarify one point. Mr. Miller, on the last page of the Staff recommendation I am somewhat confused over the implications made there relative to the conversion aspect of the Ordinance which mentions the density and footage requirements as they pertain to conversions rather than condominium development. Will you clarify for me in laymen's language the differences that may exist between the new condominium and the conversion of an existing facility relative to density and footage requirements. Mr. Miller: The square footage required for the new condominium is again geared to the Area District in which it is located and will range from a low of 800' one bedroom in Area District I to a high of 1850' for a two bedroom in Area Districts IV and V. For conversion the range is from a low of one bedroom.of 500' to a high of 800 square feet for the same three bedroom. This utilizes the MF-25 standards underwhich most of the apartments that would be considered for conver- sion could apply. Densitywise the new condominiums would have a sliding scale depending on the District in which it is located, from a hick of 8 units per acre in Area District I to a low of 4 units per acre in Area District V. Under the conversion process there is no specific requirement for density. It will be taken on its own merits as to whether it will be compatible with the surrounding single family residential and other types of development there. • Councilman Nichols: Thank you. I think this is imminently fair and a workable modification of the original proposal and faces the reality of our community and yet is a force for upgrading future developments. I wholeheartedly subscribe to it now. Councilman Young: Mr. Mayor, a comment. I assume the conver- sion aspect essentially would require an upgrading of an existing apartment. The one thing I want to watch out for is that we don't come in here on a MF-15, put up the apartments and come in the back door getting greater density than a condominium overlay might require. I don't think' -that is a great problem but it should be watched for in future development. Councilman Nichols: That is a good point but I think the Ordinance itself will take care of that and that anything developed in the multiple zones subsequent to the passing of this Ordinance will be grandfathered in to pre-existing developments. It does definitely, as you indicated, require an upgrading upon pre-existing developments for conversion but it doesn't in fact make it impossible for that conversion to occur, which was a point I made last time and that has been corrected. • Motion by Councilman Shearer to instruct the City Attorney to prepare an Ordinance; seconded by Councilman Nichols and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES:_ Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None - 12 - • n CITY COUNCIL Page Thirteen Hearings - Cont'd. 1/28/74 1973-74 SUPPLEMENTAL WEED. LOCATION: Various throughout the City. AND RUBBISH ABATEMENT Review Engineer's report and set for PROGRAM hearing on this date of protests or PROTEST HEARING objections from property owners and other interested parties by Resolution No. 4819 adopted January 14, 1974. Mayor Lloyd: Madam City Clerk, do you have the Affidavit of Mailing? City Clerk: Yes, I do. Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Shearer and carried, to receive and file. Mayor Lloyd: Madam City Clerk, have you received any written protests or objections to the pro- posed work? City Clerk: No, I have not. THIS IS THE TIME AND PLACE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 1973-74 SUPPLEMENTAL WEED AND RUBBISH ABATEMENT PROGRAM. Carl Davis The property I am speaking of is 1329 East 2263 North Forbes Harvest Moon Street, West Covina. Mayor Claremont Lloyd and Councilmen, Mr. Aiassa, it is good to be back in the City of West Covina once again. It is not exactly a protest against the weed abatement. I have talked with Mr. Bonaparte and he has assured me that what this is is a general ruling and not a specific against the property at 1329. I`have been in Washington for the last week and when I got back I was a little aghast at receiving this since I already spent approximately $100. to get the property cleaned up. I had replaced fourteen windows in the house, I called the man who was doing the repair work over the weekend and he assured me that everything was:�done. I could not understand why I received the letter. I did go out there tonight and found out that someone had broken another window. I just finished the work over the weekend and already another window is broken. I don't know what is happening here. I know that when the property became vacant, after the people moved out, one afternoon the police received a phone call saying that someone was stealing my fence and by the time they got there the entire fence had been stolen along with the fence went the AM/FM stereo system throughout the house, the burglar alarm, the fire alarm, doors and several windows were broken. All this happened and I am out about $3,000 and now in the process of repairing the house. It has been put back on the rental market this weekend so it won't be vacant much longer. I was a little bit chagrined after receiving this letter so soon upon returning from Washington and realizing that the money had already been spent to clean up the place and why in the world something like this was being done. r. Bonaparte has assured me it is done on vacant houses and not any one house specifically. I do want to assure the Council and the City that we are taking care of the property, it is not abandoned. We are paying our taxes on it at about $1,000.a year and we intend to keep it up. Councilman Youhg.6 The issue here is just on weed abatement. Do you plan to mow the yard? Mr. Davis: There is no problem there. The yard has been mowed and will be taken care of. - 13 - CITY COUNCIL Hearings: Weed Abatement Page Fourteen 1/28/74 Pete Marino This is a rental property and we didn't 2312 W. Garvey keep up the outside of it. The land - West Covina lord lives in Texas and they are not going to do it either. The yard will •be cleaned up as the City.wishes but I would like to know the reason since it is of no real concern or demage to anyone else. It doesn't obstruct traffic or vision to traffic or anything - so what is the reason? We:. -received no.notice of the work to be done, it was received by the landlord's. lawyer and he called up. • • Mayor Lloyd: too high and constitute Mr. Marino: Mr. Aiassa: Mr. Marino: it belongs to the State? Mayor Lloyd: Mr. Marino: It is a City Ordinance stating that we do this three times a year to insure the fact that weeds do not get fire hazards, etc. clean the lawn, etc.? Or will or what is the situation? Mayor Lloyd: Mr. Marino: Why then is the City property, directly adjacent to where we live, filled with weeds higher, higher? Is it no concern of the City? It will be done also. Also adjacent to the freeway there is a block wall with weeds and debris - maybe We are dealing only with the property at hand at this time and would apparently pertain to you only. Okay. So as to avoid any further .complication with the City do I need a written statement saying - yes, I will you be out with the bull dozer tomorrow If you would like further information, Mr. Bonaparte sitting over there will discuss it with you tonight. Fine. I have let you know now that we will take care of it and you will not proceed with the work. Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor, may I address a remark or two to Mr. Marino so he will go away with perhaps a little better.understand- ing of the procedure. The matter of weed abatement is a charge reverted against the owner of the property that is why you didn't know about it. It is sent only to the person of record on the tax rolls. If you or the owner did not do that work - chop'the weeds - it would be done by crews at City expense and the levy charged for it would be against the owner or the property and not against you. There would be no bull dozers out or anything like that. And the reason for it is very sound, indeed. I used to live on Wood Street in West Covina and unfortunately I allowed weeds to grow up in the back, back yard that I had and some kids got into there messing around in the weeds and set a fire which burned the fence down that divided my property from the other property and at my expense I had to replace the fence. So once weeds get to a certain level they begin to dry out and turn brown which causes a fire hazard situation and when kids get playing around in the weeds it could create a fire that would damage property. However, let me say I think you make a very valid point. I think it is probably not in the best public - 14 - I* • CITY COUNCIL Hearings: Weed Abatement Page Fifteen 1/28/74 relations for the City to send weed abatement notices to the public and time them so that the City's own properties are abated last. It appears to me that it would be good public relations if the City made sure their own weed abatement properties were abated first, so when owners in the community receive notices of these conditions they will not look across the street at City property and say - well what about those weeds? So I think a point has been well taken. Councilman Shearer: I would like to speak a little bit in defense of the City's policy and practice in this matter. I think it is a matter of economics that we go with the contractor and we pay him on a unit cost basis; and to have him come in and disc the few lots the City owns in advance of the hearing procedure before doingpprivate proper- ties, while -it might look good and solve a few questions I think economically it might not be too wise. Councilman Nichols: I think you make a very valid point, I hadn't thought of that, but I still think the problem raised is a valid one. I think something in the abatement notice.to the public should state that the abatement of these provisions will include all property in the City and that includes City owned property also. Simply some little thing would help to avoid a citizen from getting a notice and looking across the street and saying what about the City property. (Council agreed) Mayor Lloyd: Are there any other objections or protests? Hearing closed. Motion by Councilman Young, seconded by Councilman Nichols, and carried, to remove 1329 E. Harvest Moon Street from the vacant list. Motion by Councilman Young, seconded by Councilman Nichols, to remove 2312 W. Garvey Avenue from the list. Councilman Shearer: A question. What happens if the gentleman who spoke leaves the property and moves to another location before the next abatement period? Is it really necessary to remove this from the program? I think it is a matter of policy if the owner comes in and cleans them up then we will not do it. Otherwise we have to go back through this proceeding again, so I don't see the point in removing and at sometime in the future perhaps have to put it back on. Particularly with the owner in Texas and we may have a vacant piece of property there in a short time. Councilman Nichols: I appreciate Councilman Shearer's concern but we don't normally get word from our citizenry in advance of the time the crews come around and have abated the problem, so obviously there are some dozens and dozens of parcels abated by the owner and still on the list and are removed subsequently. But I think in those cases where the owner or occupant takes the time to come before the Council and certify to Council that the problem will be corrected, it is something that would be of no additional burden upon the City to go ahead and remove the property from the abatement rolls as it comes to the attention of the Council. Motion carried. Motion by Councilman Young to authorize the City Engineer to pro- ceed with abatement of weeds and rubbish on those properties described in Resolution of Intention No. 4819. Seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried. - 15 - CITY COUNCIL Page Sixteen 1/28/74 RESOLUTION NO. 4833 The City Attorney presented: ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA AMENDING SECTION 11 OF RESOLUTION NO. 4826 RELATING TO THE COMPENSATION OF THE YOUTH ADVISORY COM- MISSION." Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Shearer and carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution. Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Shearer, to adopt said Resolution. Councilman Shearer: The statement in the Resolutions is that the compensation shall be contigent upon attendance at the regular monthly meeting. If by chance the regular monthly meeting is not held does that automatically preclude payment to any of them? Mr. Wakefield: Yes, I would think so, Councilman Shearer. Councilman Shearer: I would like to see that amended in some- way. I can't envision it happening but let's say the third Tuesday falls on a holiday and they decide to postpone the meeting to the first Tuesday of the following month and,, -fin that month they would have two meetings. If that should occur I would like to see them receive their small pay. Mayor Lloyd: I really hadn't envisioned any great problem. I thought it was based on the regular number of meetings that would automatically occur • each month. Mr. Wakefield: If the regularly scheduled meeting date should fall on a holiday then the regular meeting date would be the following day in the absence of some action by the Youth Commission itself. I would think they could set a meeting date within the month at a convenient time so that they would not be unpaid for that month. I believe they can work it out for themselves. .Motion carried on roll AYES: Young, Nichols, NOES: None ABSENT: None call vote as follows: Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd THE CHAIR CALLED A RECESS AT 8:50 P.M. COUNCIL RECONVENED AT 9 P.M. PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT NO. SP-73006 LOCATION: Citrus Street from Cortez Street CITRUS STREET WIDENING to Walnut Creek Channel. PLANS & SPECIFICATIONS Council reviewed Engineer's report. Mr. Zimmerman: Mr. Mayor and members of the Council, this is a project that has been in the Five Year Program of Public :Works for several years. It is a`.budgeted item. Right-of-way has been largely secured and we expect to have the rest by the time the contract is awarded and work would occur. We would like to have Council approve the design and specifications and direct the City Engineer to call for bids. So moved by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Council- man Shearer and carried. Councilman Shearer: When would this project start? - 16 - CITY COUNCIL Pub. Wks: Project Sp-73006 Page Seventeen 1/28/74 Mr. Zimmerman: Probably in the middle of March and it would take a couple of months to complete. RESOLUTION NO. 4834 The City :Attorney presented:. • ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA DEDICATING CERTAIN CITY OWNED PROPERTY TO PUBLIC STREET PURPOSES TO BE KNOWN AS CITRUS STREET AND ACCEPTING SAME AS A PUBLIC STREET, AND DIRECTING THE RECORDA- TION THEREOF." Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution. Motion by Councilman Young, seconded by Councilman Shearer, to adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None ASHDALE STREET LOCATION: Ashdale Street at South Garvey CUL-DE-SAC Avenue. Council reviewed Engineer's report. Mr. Zimmerman: Mr. Mayor and members of Council, this project is part of the freeway widening project and the State's contractor is working in the area at this time and has agreed to do the work partly at City expense due to the fact it is a:: -..change from the originally approved work. The recommendation of Staff is included in the Staff Report. • Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Shearer, to authorize the transfer of $2,048.14 from Account No. 73004 to Account No. 72003, Freeway Widening. Motion carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None • Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Young, to approve construction of the Ashdale cul-de-sac and authorize issuance of Purchase Order in the amount of $2,413.20 to Kasler-Ball Corporation. Councilman Shearer: Mr. Mayor, a question of Mr.Zimmerman. I noticed in the Staff Report. we received 11 responses - how many were sent out? Mr. Zimmerman: There was one questionable one, there were eleven positive. Twelve were sent out. Councilman Shearer: We had a similar situation with another cul-de-sac where we thought everybody was happy and then they came in and were unhappy - they said "we want a gate" and then "we want it open" and then "we don't want it open, etc." So I assume you covered everyone on the cul-de-sac?, Mr. Zimmerman: Motion AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Yes:,Sir. carried on roll Young, Nichols, None None None. call vote as follows: Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd - 17 - CITY COUNCIL Page Eighteen CITY ATTORNEY 1/28/74 ORDINANCE The City Attorney presented: INTRODUCTION "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA AMENDING THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE SO AS TO REZONE CERTAIN • PREMISES. (Zone change Application No. 487, The May Stores :Shopping Centers, Inc.) Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried, to waive further reading of said Ordinance. Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried, to introduce said Ordinance. ORDINANCE The City Attorney presented: INTRODUCTION "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA RE:.PEALING 'SECTION'S 81'ha= AND 8130 OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE; AMENDING THE CHAPTER HEADINGS OF ARTICLE I AND VIII THEREOF RELATING TO THE .UNIFORM MUNICIPAL CODE; THE UNIFORM BUILDING CODE, 1,973 EDITION; UNIFORM HOUSING CODE, 1973 EDITION; UNIFORM .CODE FOR THE ABATEMENT OF DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, 1973 EDITION; UNIFORM PLUMBING CODE,-1973 EDITION; NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE, 1971 EDITION; AND MAKING CERTAIN CHANGES THEREIN REQUIRED TO MEET LOCAL CONDITIONS." Mayor Lloyd: Mr. Wakefield, do we have to .set date for the public .hearing? • Mr. Wakefield: Yes, Mr. Mayor, the first appropriate date would be February 25, 1974 at 8 P.M. Councilman Shearer: Mr. Mayor, I am a little confused. If the item is for an ordinance introduction and then it says "Set for a Public Hearing" - are we going to introduce the ordinance and then have the hearing or what? Mr. Wakefield: The statute underwhich we adopt Uniform Codes requires that the Ordinance be intro- duced and thata time be set for a public hearing at which anyone interested may come in and protest before the actual adoption of the Ordinance. Motion by Councilman Shearer-., seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried, to waive further reading of said Ordinance. Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell, to introduce said Ordinance. Motion carried. ORDINANCE The City Attorney presented: INTRODUCTION "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA REPEALING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE AND ADDING CERTAIN SECTIONS THERETO RELAT- ING TO THE ADOPTION OF THE UNIFORM FIRE CODE." Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried, to waive further reading of said Ordinance. Mr. Wakefield: Mr. Mayor, the date of the hearing will be the same as the date of the previous Ordinance, February 25, 1974 at 8 P.M. - 18 - CITY COUNCIL Page Nineteen CITY ATTORNEY - Cont'd. 1/28/74 Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried, to introduce said Ordinance. • RESOLUTION NO. 4835 The City Attorney presented: ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA DENYING AN APPLICATION FOR A SLIGHT MODIFICATION. (Slight Modification No. 76 - Steve Novarro) (Location: 1248 S. Montezuma Way)." Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution. Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell, to adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN• Young (Councilman Young stated he "abstains from voting on this issue" because Mrs. Novarro has been a client.) RESOLUTION NO. 4836 The City Attorney presented: ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA APPOINTING ELECTION OFFICERS AND DESIGNATING POLLING PLACES FOR THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON THE 5TH DAY OF MARCH, 1974." isMotion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution. Motion by Councilman Young, seconded by Councilman Chappell, to adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None Mayor Lloyd: Madam City Clerk, are these polling places changed from what they were before? City Clerk: Yes, some will be changed. Mayor Lloyd: Will you please make a special effort to let the newspapers know and everyone else to avoid confusion that occurs every time we change these things. It does cause a great deal of trouble and I for one do not approve of it. I voted for it because it is an economy issue but I think there should be a effort made to alert everyone to the changes thereby assuring the fact that more people will vote. VENDING MACHINES Mr. Wakefield: Mr. Mayor and . BUSINESS LICENSE FEES members of the Council, this item was continued from your last regular meeting. Again I think Staff has no specific recommendation to make with reference to this item. As the letter indicates we really have two choices: to adopt the system that is proposed by the Association of Vending Machine Opera- tors or to leave the Ordinance in the form in which it presently is. - 19 CITY COUNCIL CITY ATTORNEY - Cont'd. Councilman Shearer: Page Twenty 1/28/74 Mr. Mayor, a question of Mr. What sort of a proposal do we they have a specific proposal Number 1 - administrabltei,-,a>. and.'Number 2 - produce the •that we now get from this, which"is roughly $101000, or just, as in the past, said "we don't like your system." Wakefield. have? Do that is: revenues have they Mr. Wakefield: Mr. Mayor and members of the Council, when this matter first became an issue it was back last year about this time, before the City Council adopted the present Ordinance which provides for the existing system of taxation. At that time I asked the representatives of the Association of Vending Machine Operators to give me a specific proposal and a form of Ordinance acceptable to the industry and they declined to do that. The only specific proposal that I have ever seen embodied in any correspondence was from McGee & Son, in which Mr. McGee says "well if the City Council wants the $16.00 as the minimum fee we will be willing to pay that." That is the only proposal that I know of that has come from the Vending Industry. Councilman Shearer: Our present rate does meet the State statutes? Mr. Wakefield: In -my opinion it does. As I tried to point ou,t.in the.letter the Industry representativ- es-;disputbc this. I think they do not have a legal justification for disputing this; there are some practical considerations on their side of.the argument, however. Councilman Shearer: I am satisfied with the Ordinance as it is; mainly because I don't own any vending machines. In the absence of a better propo- sal from the Vending Machine Association we came up with one and they didn't like it, I think it would ill behoove us to go back to the drawing boards and try and come up with another one that they might not like either. So to me -the next move is theirs under the conditions I see. If they can produce an alternate that will give us the income we are now getting plus being administrable by the City Clerk but in the absence of that I would move that we receive and file the report. .Seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried. THE CHAIR RECESSED THE COUNCIL MEETING AT 9:15 P.M. FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING FOLLOWED BY THE PARKING AUTHORITY MEETING. CITY COUNCIL RECONVENED AT 9:20 P.M. CITY MANAGER PARAMEDICS REPORT Mr. Aiassa: We have presented a Staff Report to Council. We are open for questions or comments from Council. . Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor. I am thoroughly in favor of the proposal and find it even less in terms of the cost to the City, than the original • proposal. I read it and I understand all the implications including the staff's statement that it may well be necessary to use revenue sharing funds for the program. With all that in mind I am still strongly in support of it and feel we should go ahead promptly and I so move. Seconded by Councilman Chappell. - 20 - CITY COUNCIL Page Twenty-one CITY MANAGER - Cont'd. 1/28/74 Councilman Shearer: Mr. Mayor, I have a couple of questions. A question with regard to the overtime. Is that extra overtime merely to cover the sick leave and vacation, etc., resulting from the Paramedic Program? Is that for the remainder of this year - $22,822? It seems like a lot of money. I am for the program but I would like to have that • question clarified. Acting Chief Short: Yes, the overtime projected was for the three month period from April 1 to July 1. This is projecting 61 shifts of sick leave and 60 shifts of vacation coverage for this coming year. All directly related to the Paramedic Program. Councilman Shearer: If we did not have the program than theoritically this would not occur? Acting Chief Short: Yes, theoritically we should still be working within our budget. Councilman Shearer: One other question. I noticed an awful lot of equipment on the Paramedic ambulance - does this include all of the equipment like I see on TV where they talk to the Doctor, etc., or will we have to pay more money to buy more equipment at a later date? Acting Chief Short: The $27,000 should do it. This is all the telemetric equipment, the entire list recommended by the University of Southern California Medical Center. Councilman Shearer: All I can say is $27,000 and for that you • had better take care of it, don't let somebody steal it. Acting Chief Short: We will. Councilman Nichols: I have one final comment. I notice that we have in the audience a number of our _firemen, some who have been with us for a number of years. I, as the rest of the Council, are aware of the concerns expressed in the past and perhaps I am a little more knowledgeable in terms of the concerns you expressed because in my work in the public..schools we are presently seeing a similar type of evolutionary situation where teacher's aides are being hired in the classrooms and the certificated teachers are.expressing concerns that this is perhaps some device to openly demean their own status and level of enumeration as professionals. I am sure that all of us on Council would feel the way I feel in expressing to you that we do not have any remote conception that we would or will take any action at all that will result in our own Fire Department's salary being less than absolutely competitive with any Department that have no Apprentice Firemen at all, and we hope that none -of our men who have been so effective for our City. will feel.,in.-.7any sense that this is the case. We are trying in times of great financial expenditure. to expand andimprove the services we can offer the public. In fact • when that unit begins rolling in this City with West Covina Fire Department on its sides all of you fellows will be as proudas we are that we have taken some of these extra steps to improve the services available to our community. I know in speaking for the Council if concern should arise at some future date where you feel a portion of this program is indeed a professional threat to you we would like to be made aware of that. Thank you. Motion carried on roll AYES: Young, Nichols, NOES: None ABSENT: None call vote as follows: Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd 21 - CITY COUNCIL CITY MANAGER - Cont'd. Councilman.Young.: authorizing.. the. use of particular program? . Mr.. Aiassa: .Mayor Lloyd: Mr. Aiassa: Page Twenty-two 1/28/74 _A.question, Mr. Mayor. This appropriation -,of funds, does this mean.revenue sharing funds or do we need a specific motion revenue sharing funds for funding this This was just the recommendation. That will have to be done by Resolution. Are we still in contact with any of the other cities? Yes. Mayor Lloyd: I see that Covina is all uptight because Azusa didn't do something. Are they communicating with us or is it they don't want to communicate with us? Mr. Aiassa: Covina is still communicating with us, Azusa .has made afinal action. Mayor Lloyd: It comes to me and maybe I missed it, but that they were not aware of the fact - I had communication with several of the Covina Councilmen and they seemed to express almost a surprise that we really were going forward with this thing. Mr. Aiassa: Covina was the first one to initia. money for Paramedics and then we came in for the training end of it. • Mayor Lloyd: I would like to see a cooperative effort between the two cities with regard to this program and certainly if there is any training function involved it would seem to me the more involved in it the per unit cost would go down. I, don't know if that is true or not? Mr. Aiassa: That will be a difficult thing and I would almost like to have all these beautiful reports put into the minutes because I lived through the Communications thing at a nice reasonable cost figure and then all of a sudden things began to sky rocket so I worry sometimes .... but I think the main initial program we can cover with Covina which will probably mean shorter runs with maximum coverage going to Inter -Community for one and the other to Queen of the Valley. Mayor Lloyd: Yes, I appreciate that but my point is it is going to cost money to instruct these people and I thought probably one instructor could train six or eight and then the cost of instruction would be less than it would be for say five, therefore there would be a cost reduction in the cost for training. Is that so? Mr. Aiassa: No. The actual cost of the training is • because the men will be away for several months for training. He is not physically working on assignment. Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor - Covina is probably a little reticent to spend this kind of money but when we get all of our men trained we may be able to offer them a special rate. �W= r CITY COUNCIL CITY MANAGER - Cont'd. Mayor Lloyd: delighted to extend that Page Twenty-three 1/28/74 I am all for that. Let them know the door is open and if they need any special rates the City of West Covina would be most type of courtesy. • Councilman Shearer: Mr. Mayor - that is what is defined as about 130% of normal'? Like water rates? .But seriously, is it correct that the actual training cost is not borne by the City, that this is something provided by the County under State program - that our cost of the training is the cost of the salary of the men going to and from train- ing but there is no tuition. Mr. Aiassa: No tuition. Councilman Chappell: I was happy to read that this was going to be conducted at Queen of the Valley instead of Harbor General because I think our men will be much happier to have a much closer classroom arrangement than going down to Harbor General. Also, a question of Chief Short. With Queen of the Valley holding this class is it possible that other cities can add their personnel to this March 29th training program? Acting Chief Short: Queen of the Valley that Valley with the County. Councilman Chappell, my understanding is they will be trained at Harbor General. The article in the paper referred to the they will be working out of the Queen of the . If.Mr. Aiassa I might comment further. I did have a conversation with the Fire Chief.of Covina today in regards to this program. We have still been talking and we are working on mutual • efforts in the Paramedic line. They have reserved 9 training positions at Harbor General with the County but their class will not commence until our class has been completed. Once they get their training out of the way then we will be working together on mutual response. Mayor Lloyd: Thank you, very much. Any other questions? RESOLUTION NO. 4837 The Ci.ty.Attorney.prese:nted: ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA APPROVING CLASS SPECIFI- CATIONS FOR THE CLASS OF APPRENTICE FIREMAN." Motion by Councilman Young, seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution. Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell, to adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None RESOLUTION NO. 4838 The City .Attorney presented: ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE • CITY OF WEST COVINA AMENDING CERTAIN PROVI- SIONS OF RESOLUTION NO. 1277 RELATING TO THE COMPENSATION OF APPRENTICE FIREMAN. Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Shearer and carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution. - 23 - • u 0 CITY COUNCIL CITY MANAGER - Cont'd. Page Twenty-four 1/28/74 Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Young,to adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None CHARLES HAMILTON Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Accidents at West Covina Councilman Chappell and carried, to receive High School Crosswalk and file informational report. (Informational Report) (EXECUTIVE SESSION TO BE HELD AT THE END OF THE MEETING) ANNUAL CALIFORNIA PARK Councilman Shearer: Mr. Mayor, a & RECREATION CONFERENCE question. FEBRUARY 16 THRU 19, 1974 This is a LOS ANGELES budgeted item - Mr. Aiassa? Mr. Aiassa: Yes. Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell, to authorize funds for the attendance of four Recreation and Park Commissioners at $150.00 each, totaling $600.00, to attend the annual California Park and Recreation Conference, February 16 thru 19, 1974, in Los Angeles. Councilman Nichols: I noticed the item of $600. to send four Commissioners to Los Angeles.- that is approximately the same amount of money that has been authorized for other types of conferences attended by Commissioners a distance away. I am wondering if in reality a sum of $150. per Commissioner is either desirable or necessary for a conference that is being held 20 miles down the freeway from West Covina. I know if it was a conference that I was going to attend that was in Los Angeles I would certainly be intending to sleep in my own bed each night. If they were going to San Diego or San Francisco I wouldn't question this, but I think prudence in truth might indicate that the Commissioners can attend this with all the amenities at a cost of less than $150. each. Councilman Young: The legislature is about to pass the Tippler's Tax and that might increase the expense. Mayor Lloyd: Mr. Aiassa, will you comment on that please? Mr. Aiassa: Well I normally don't comment on items like this because I tried it once and got into trouble but I will try again. Normally in our meetings in Los Angeles we usually go at $75. to $100. maximum and pool cars and have one room where a couple can stay if they wish. Councilman Chappell: This is a personal observation and I have attempted to attend League meetings in Los Angeles and staying home at night and I find that I get a call from my office or a client and I end up not going to that meeting. I think by the mere fact that our Commissioners do stay in the area where the meeting is being held they are more apt to get full benefit of the program. I think unless you go with the idea of getting the full benefit of the program you will miss part of it. I would say the $150. normally would include air transportation to San Diego but I have no objection to their wanting to stay there for that particular reason and they may have other reasons, but I remember the last time the League meeting was in Los [yngeles I - 24 - CITY COUNCIL CITY MANAGER - Cont'd.. Page Twenty-five 1/28/74 intended to go regularly and I hardly got there at all. We paid our registration fee and I only attended a couple of meetings because all of a sudden things out here fell apart. Had I stayed there I wouldn't have paid any attention to things going on out here and would have attended meetings as I had planned to do. So I find no is and with them staying there and attending the evening meetings and morning sessions. Councilman Nichols: I think only in the area of where government generally is under great criticism both locally and nationally the citizenry are indeed and rightly so, scrutinizing all our expenditures, where we are asking our own people in our City to forego expenditures that we might make if we had a greater availability of funds. I think under these circumstances it behooves all of us to be rather prudent, maybe ultra -conservative in our use of public funds, and although these are not a lot I would like to think that our Commissioners could commute into Los Angeles, stay in for the evening and in thirty minutes be home and gain virtually as much, ard'�I think.we would be setting a good example which I hope we ourselves would follow in similar circumstances. Although I agree with what you are saying about maximizing a benefit by being there on the scene, wisdom dictates to me that a more prudent position would be to be somewhat more restrictive in the granting of funds for attending a convention so very close to home:,, so I will hold to my position .and vote. Councilman Shearer: Isn't it the policy of the City that in the case of this particular convention or any other for that matter, that we are not paying them $150.00 to attend the conference we expect if they only spend $125. to get $25. back? And if they spend $175.00 that difference is on them. That to me is the answer.' We approve not to •exceed $150.00 with the understanding if that money isn't spent, if someone decides not to go, we expect the whole $150. back. This is just not a payment for being nice people and saying "I will be going." I do agree to get the most out of the conference perhaps they should stay if they so desire and I would like to give them that flexibility with the understanding they return the extra money if not spent. Motion carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: Nichols ABSENT: None MAYOR'S REPORTS SCAG GENERAL ASSEMBLY Mayor Lloyd: This is a request to attend MEETING the SCAG General Assembly meeting in Buena Park on February 71 1974, and you have a report on that. Councilman Shearer: I would be glad to move approval of your attendance and total expense not to exceed $17.00 - is that enough? Mayor Lloyd: Yes, that covers registration and I am chairing a panel. Councilman Chappell: Are you going to ask for the attendance of anyone? Mayor Lloyd: If anyone wishes to go, needless to say just because of my involvement - I think SCAG is - 25 - CITY COUNCIL Page Twenty-six MAYOR'S REPORTS 1/28/74 an important function and I would like to say that we are also privileged to have with us this evening in the audience the Attorney and Counsel who serves SCAG - would you like to speak to that, Mr. Wakefield? Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor - you are only asking for $17.00 in expenditures, don't you plan on staying overnight? Mayor Lloyd: No sir. Who else would like to attend? Motion seconded by Councilman Chappell. Councilman Chappell: Mr. Mayor, registration is $20.00, how are you going to get away with $17.00? Mayor Lloyd: I am on the panel. Motion carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: Lloyd Councilman Young: Mr. Mayor, you have set an excellent example with that modest request. RESOLUTION NO. 4839 The City Attorney presented: ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, SUPPORTING THE REDEVELOPMENT AND CONTINUED OPERATION OF ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT." • Motion by Councilman Young, seconded by Councilman Nichols, to waive further reading of said Resolution. Councilman Chappell: Mr. Mayor, is there some plan to discontinue that operation? Mayor Lloyd: Yes, the problem is simply that the runway is in the process of falling apart and they have to rebuild the runway either building a parallel runway or rebuilding the current one now in use. The current proposal provides for a long wide runway using the current one to accommodate traffic. If this is not done they will arrive at the point of no return in about five years at which point they will have to shut down. Motion carried. Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Chappell, to adopt said Resolution. Councilman Shearer: I would like to comment. I have read some things in the paper that might make this a bit controversial. I think the Ontario • Airport is vital tothis area and I think it does have an effect on the City of West Covina and that is why I am going to vote for it, the economic growth of this area I think the Ontario Airport is very important. Councilman Young: I agree with that comment and I commend the Mayor for his continued active interest to maintain its service. I think that is a great service he is doing. Mayor Lloyd: Thank you, very much. - 26 - CITY COUNCIL MAYOR'S REPORTS - Cont'd. Page Twenty-seven 1/28/74 Motion carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None • COUNCILMEN'S/REPORTS/COMMENTS i) • None. DEMANDS Motion by Councilman Shearer to approve Demands totalling $2,159,112.69 as -listed on Demand Sheets C939 through 942, B610A and TJ 0011. Seconded by Councilman Young and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None EXECUTIVE SESSION Council recessed to the Council Conference RE PERSONNEL AS Room at 9:46 P.M. RECONVENED IN COUNCIL REQUESTED BY CITY CHAMBERS AT 10:24 P.M. MANAGER ADJOURNMENT Motion by.Councilman Young, seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried, to adjourn meeting at 10:24 P.M. ATTEST: CITY CLERK APPROVED: MAYOR