04-08-1974 - Regular Meeting - Minutesm
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA
.,APRIL "=8, 1974.
The regular meeting of the City Council called to order in the West
• Covina Council Chambers at 7:30 P.M., by Mayor Chester Shearer.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by the Junior Troop ##1891 Girl
Scouts, Tammy McCoskey, Debbie Frisk, Eileen Giles. The invocation
was given by the Reverend Myrus L. Knutson of Christ Lutheran Church.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Shearer; Councilmen: Browne, Lloyd,
Nichols, Chappell
Others Present: George Aiassa, City Manager
George Wakefield, City Attorney
Lela Preston, City Clerk
George Zimmerman, Public Service Dir.,
Leonard Eliot, Controller
Michael Miller, Planning Director
John Lippitt, City Engineer
Gary Duvall, Administrative Ass't.
Jeff Butzlaff, Administrative Analyst
Jan Williams, Administrative Intern
Richard Klemp, Staff Reporter - S.G.V.D.T.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
March 251, 1974. (Councilman Browne called attention to
the incorrect date of the minutes.)
Motion by Councilman Lloyd, seconded by
. Councilman Browne and carried, to approve minutes as corrected.
ADMINISTRATION OF OATH
OF OFFICE Mayor Shearer: With the consent of
the Council, I will
request that Item No. 1-41 the swearing
in of Mr. Albert Jordan as a member of the Planning Commission be
Moved up to this time. (No objections by Council)
(The City Clerk administered the oath
of office to Albert Jordan, new Commissioner to the Planning
Commission; Mayor Shearer welcomed Mr. Jordan to the City,fold;
Mr. Jordan expressed his appreciation to the Mayor and members of
Council, for the honor and privilege of being able to serve on the
Planning Commission.)
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Shearer explained the procedure
of the Consent Calendar and asked if
there were any comments on any of the
following items:
• a) Merced/Orange Letters and Fifteen letters received from pro -
Petition of Protest perty owners protesting portion of
Merced/Orange Avenue Plan, as well
as a Petition bearing 77 Aignatures.
(Receive and refer to Hearing Item
B-1)
CITY COUNCIL
CONSENT CALENDAR - Cont'd.
b) Department of
Transportation
c) California Association
. of Park & Recreation
Commissioners & Board
Members
d) Suburban Water Systems
•
e) Steve Schlingmann, and
John Fowler
f) Susan Wilner
2108 E. Casa Linda Dr.,
West Covina
g) Emogene A. Boyce
h) St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital
Foundation, Inc.
i) City of Pasadena
2. PLANNING COMMISSION
Summary of Action
Page Two
4/ 8/ 74
Re FAU System Funds and Procedures.
(Refer to Staff)
Commending West Covina Recreation
and Parks Commission Joan Wilson.
(Receive and file)
Re proposed rate increase request.
(Refer to Staff)
DBA J & S Enterprises, 1112 W.
Spruce Street, W.C., request a Mail
Order Business License. (Recommend
approval subject to City Attorney
and Staff review)
Re special lane for bicycle riders
in new underpasses, etc. (Refer
to Traffic Committee and Recreation
and Parks Dept.)
Re offer of nine shares of Covina
Irrigating Company stock. (Refer
to Staff)
Request permission to conduct
Annual Drive to solicit funds
between November 8-15, 1974. (Approv-
ed in prior years., Recommend
approval)
Host for the Los Angeles County
Division of League of California
Cities' General Membership Meeting
April 18, 1974. (Informational)
April 3, 1974. (Accept and file)
3. RECREATION & PARKS COMMISSION
Summary of Action
4. PERSONNEL BOARD
Minutes
Action Items
5. HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION
March 26, 1974 (Study Session)
March 26, 1974 (Reg. Mtg.
(Accept and file)
March 4, 1974. (Receive ;arid file)
Refer to City Attorney's Items D-2
and D-3.
• Summary of Action March 28, 1974. (Receive and file)
6. YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION
Summary of Action
March 26, 1974. Joint meeting with
Recreation & Parks Commission -
Item #5.
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CITY COUNCIL
CONSENT CALENDAR
7. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS
a) Progress Report
• b) Report
c) Energy Crisis
d) SCAG dues
e) Guide Signs for YWCA
8. PARADE PERMIT APPLICATION
West Covina Optimist
Club
Page Three
;4%:8/-741
(Receive and file informational
items)
Re Revenue Sharing Projects.
On meeting of Comprehensive Trans-
portation Planning Committee of
SCAG
Gasoline Shortage
1974-75
Traffic Committee Item 9,
March 19, 1974 meeting.
"WALK FOR LAW" on May 11, 1974.
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Blue Birds
and other local youth organizations
participating. Request waiver of
Application Fee and $5,000 bond and
approval. (Recommend approval
subject to staff review)
Councilman Browne: Mr. Mayor, Item 1-a, specifically
relates to the Merced/Orange Plan
wherein we have received letters
and a petition protesting portions of the plan. It is noted on
the agenda to receive and refer to Hearing Item B-1. I would move
• that we incorporate this as a package at the time we open the
hearing.
Mayor Shearer: This, Councilman Browne, automati-
cally goes to the hearing. That
will be included as part of the hear-
ing.
Councilman Browne: Item 7-e, Guide Signs for the YWCA,
you will recall at our last meeting
we referred this to the Traffic
Committee for further study and to come back to Council. If the
lady that spoke to this issue is going to be present I think it
would be justified to withdraw this item at this time for action
later.
Mayor Shearer: We will withdraw Item 7-e. Is
there any further comments?
Councilman Lloyd: Yes, Mr. Mayor. I don't fully
understand Item 1-b - Department of
Transportation re FAU System Funds
and Procedures. If you like I will request it be held out or can
someone give me a brief explanation at this time.
• Mr. Zimmerman: Item 1-b refers to a new program of
federal funds which formerly were
for highway purposes, and they are
now available for capital improvements on :tr:anspor:tatio-nwsystemsE,
such as buses and for other purposes. There are further
administrative details presently being proposed by the County and
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•
CITY COUNCIL
CONSENT CALENDAR
Page. Four
4J.8/ 74
the California League of Cities, Southern California Division,
and by referring it to staff, we haven't had a chance to
completely analyze it and we would like to do that and come
back to you with a report.
Mayor Shearer: Any other items? I will entertain
a motion to approve the Consent
Calendar items with the exception
of Item 7-e.
So moved by Councilman Browne,
seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried on roll call vote as
follows:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ITEM 7-e
GUIDE SIGNS FOR YWCA
Browne, Lloyd, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
None
None
of the Traffic Committee report
request for the guide signs as
Council discussion?
Mayor Shearer: This is a con-
firmation of the
recommendation
at the last meeting to deny a
requested by the YWCA - is there
Councilman Nichols: Yes, Mr. Mayor. I asked for a delay
on the vote because I wanted staff
to have an opportunity to look into
this. The State Traffic Manual does provide for signing as a
service to the motoring public. Everybody motors in West Covina
providing they can get gasoline. I drove around town this last
week and I do see signs identifying such places as churches. One
particular sign in connection with a very long standing church.
Personally I feel the YWCA is providing a service and more import-
ant it serves a wide area of the East San Gabriel Valley. It
covers an area from Hacienda Heights to Glendora and people in
between are coming from all these areas and if that isn't servicing
the motoring public, I don't know what is. I would like to think
where we have a nonprofit public service type agency that it would
be very easy to differentiate in response to these kinds of
request.
For myself, there is no additional
input. There apparently was very little investigation on the
part of the staff in relation to this item. I don't want to
appear overly critical, I know how busy all of our gentlemen are.
I would like to ask a question - did anyone from the city staff
go out and survey the City of West Covina to see whether there
were in fact precedents set for any type directional signing on
the public right of way other than those established by the City
of West Covina? Because, Mr. City Manager, that was my request.
Mr. Aiassa: Mr. Zimmerman.
Mr. Zimmerman: Mr. Mayor and members of Council,
• you have a report on this referring
to some directional signs which
present exist and referring to Glendora Avenue Business District
also the California Avenue Business District, and several other
signs at various locations? including signs for most of our parks,
etc.
Councilman Nichols: Churches?
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CITY COUNCIL Page Five
CONSENT CALENDAR 4,/8/74
Mr. Zimmerman: We are not aware of signs for church-
es on the city right of way,
although there have been requests for
this from Temple Beth Ami and others from time to time.
• Councilman Nichols: The city right of way does extend
10' from the curb line?
Mr. Zimmerman: That is correct, Councilman Nichols.
Councilman Nichols: I favor this item over the concerns
of staff. I would offer a motion
to get this on the floor, that a
directional sign be authorized for the East San Gabriel Valley
YWCA, recently located in West Covina.
Seconded by Councilman Lloyd.
Mayor Shearer: We have a motion and a second for a
sign. I believe the request from
the YWCA was for three signs at
specified locations. Is that correct, Mr. Zimmerman?
Mr. Zimmerman: Yes, Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Shearer: Councilman Nichols motion is for a
sign. Are you specifying inhere that
sign should be?
Councilman Nichols: No sir. I think that is a matter for
the YWCA to decide on in concurrence
• with the City that it is in an
appropriate location.
Mayor Shearer: Is there any.further discussion on
allowing one sign for the YWCA?
I am going to vote in opposition to
this. I, too, have seen a number of signs, including one I
believe directing people to the Chamber of Commerce. I did not
notice the one regarding the church. However, if I am not
mistaken the YWCA is located on Cameron?
Mr. Zimmerman: Yes, just south of the intersection
with Toluca.
Mayor Shearer: I.think if we start putting up
official directional signs to
various worthwhile locations then
I think we run a risk of one of these days -having to say "no"
and finding ourselves in an embarrassing situation. Cameron
Avenue is a very main street in West Covina and anyone going to
a location on that street has the address and can easily find it
without additional signage. I don't look at this like a
hospital or things of this nature that generally would need
signs to supplement because of the service the provide. Any
further discussion?
• Councilman Nichols: I would only comment that I think
perhaps the nonprofit element could
be a delineation, although I
understand your,feelings about it, Mayor, and I accept that, but
I think the Chamber of Commerce, as noble as it is,is no more
noble or public than the YWCA, and there are others. So I think
if we are turning somebody down we ought to do so on the basis of
pretty firm guidelines that will take some down that exist or
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CITY COUNCIL Page Six
CONSENT CALENDAR
allow certain categories to go up. And this matter of a kind of
directional sign never did surface in all of our yearly struggles
over the sign ordinance. So.it is a problem perhaps we should
look'at again, so in the interim I will stand on my motion for a
sign.
• Motion carried; Mayor Shearer voting "no".
GENERAL AGENDA ITEMS
PUBLIC WORKS
SUPPLEMENTAL WEED AND LOCATION: Various throughout the
RUBBISH ABATEMENT City.
PROGRAM - 1973-74 (Council reviewed Engineer's report)
Council to approve Supplemental Weed
and Rubbish Abatement Program - 1973-74 according to list attached
to resolution setting date of April 22, 1974 for protest hearing
on the proposed abatement and rubbish removal.
RESOLUTION NO. 4865 The City Attorney presented:
ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF WEST CO.VINA DECLARING
ALL RUBBISH AND REFUSE UPON, AND ALL
WEEDS GROWING UPON SPECIFIED STREETS AND PRIVATE PROPERTY WITHIN
SAID CITY TO BE A PUBLIC NUISANCE AND DECLARING ITS INTENTION TO
REMOVE AND ABATE THE SAME UNDER AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRO-
VISIONS OF TITLE 41 DIVISION 31 PART 21 CHAPTER 131 ARTICLE 2, OF
THE GOVERNMENT CODE."
Motion by Councilman Browne, seconded by Councilman Chappell and
•
carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution.
Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Lloyd, to
adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Browne, Lloyd, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
PRECISE PLAN OF DESIGN LOCATION: 236 North Citrus Street,
NO. 659 —STREET between Workman Avenue and
DEDICATION San Bernardino Freeway.
HERMES FINANCIAL CORP., (Council reviewed Engineer's Report)
RESOLUTION NO. 4866 The City Attorney presented:
ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF WEST COVINA ACCEPTING A
GRANT OF EASEMENT EXECUTED BY
HERMES FINANCIAL CORPORATION, AND DIRECTING THE RECORDATION THEREOF."
Motion by Councilman Browne, seconded by Councilman Lloyd and
carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution.
Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Browne, to
adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows:
• AYES: Browne, Lloyd, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
CITY OF BALDWIN PARK LOCATION: Ramona Boulevard/San
RAMONA BOULEVARD Bernardino Road.
WIDENING PROJECT (Council reviewed Engineer's
DAVIDSON MANUFACTURING CO. report)
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s
•
CITY COUNCIL Page Seven
Pub. Wks: Ramona Blvd. Widening Project Res. 4/W-741
RESOLUTION NO. 4867 The City Attorney presented:
ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF WEST COVINA ACCEPTING A
GRANT DEED EXECUTED BY DAVIDSON
MANUFACTURING CO., AND DIRECTING THE
RECORDATION THEREOF."
Motion by Councilman Lloyd, seconded by Councilman Browne and
carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution.
Motion by Councilman Lloyd, seconded by Conncilman Browne, to adopt
said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Browne, Lloyd, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
VACATION OF OLD BARRANCA LOCATION: Barranca Street, north of
STREET San Bernardino Freeway.
(Council reviewed Engineer's report)
RESOLUTION NO. 4868 The City Attorney presented:
ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF WEST COVINA VACATING AND
ABANDONING A PORTION OF A STREET
WHICH HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED BY
RELOCATION, PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 1930 to 1934, INCLUSIVE, OF THE
STREETS AND HIGHWAYS CODE. (A portion of Old Barranca Street)
Motion by Councilman Lloyd, seconded by Councilman Browne and
carried; to waive further reading of said Resolution.
Motion by Councilman Lloyd, seconded by Councilman Browne, to adopt
said Resolution.
Councilman Chappell: A question, Mr. Mayor. It seems to
me about five years ago we did this.
I could be wrong but I remember that
particular location as having been abandoned.
(Mr. Aiassa explained that just a portion of it had been abandoned
at that time. Gave details)
Motion carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Browne, Lloyd, Nichols, Chappell, :Shearer
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
TRACT NO. 31849 LOCATION: North of Cortez Street,
MEEKER DEVELOPMENT CO. south of Sunset Hill Drive, east of
Barranca Street, and west of Campana
Flores Drive.
(Council reviewed Engineer's report)
RESOLUTION NO. 4869 The City,Attorney presented:
ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
• THE CITY OF WEST COVINA APPROVING
FINAL MAP OF TRACT NO. 31849 AND
ACCEPTING AN AGREEMENT BY THE SUBDIVIDER AND SUREY BOND TO SECURE
THE SAME.
Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Browne and
carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution.
Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Browne, to
adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows:
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L
CITY COUNCIL
Pub. Wks.: Res. #4869
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Page Eight
4/8/f74°A
Browne, Lloyd, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
None
None
Mayor Shearer• Normally we try and have oral communi-
cations a little later in the program;
however, I have a feeling that our
hearing may go for sometime, so with the consent of Council, I am
going to open oral communications at this time. So if there is
anyone in the audience that wishes to discuss anything with Council
at this time other than the Merced/Orange Plan, you may do so.
Oral communications includes anything you would like to talk about
that affects the City. At this time we will close oral communica-
tions temporarily and reopen it again after the hearing.
CITY ATTORNEY
ORDINANCE NO. 1244 The City Attorney presented:
ADOPTED "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF WEST COVINA AMENDING
SECTION 3191 OF THE WEST COVINA
MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO A
DECREASE IN MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS."
(Temple Street from Amar Road to
South City Limits - 35 M/P/H)
Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Browne and
carried, to waive further reading of said Ordinance.
• Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Browne, to
adopt said Ordinance and carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Browne, Lloyd, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
RESOLUTION NO. 4870 The City Attorney presented:
ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA,
AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE
PERSONNEL.BOARD OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA TO DETERMINE THE DIS-
ABILITY FOR RETIREMENT PURPOSES OF LOCAL SAFETY MEMBERS.
(Section 21023.6 o.f.the Government Code)
Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Browne and
carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution.
Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Browne, to
adopt said Resolution.
Mayor Shearer• I have a question, Mr. Wakefield.
The Council designates by this
Resolution the Personnel Board as
the body that will make this determination. Does the Council
• still retain the right to override the determination? Is there
a right of appeal if the party does not agree with the decision
of the Board?
Mr. Wakefield• Yes, Mr. Mayor. The employee would
have a right to appeal direct to
the City Council for final
determination if he is not willing to accept the decision of the
Personnel Board.
CITY COUNCIL Page Nine
City Attorney: Res. #4870 478/74
Mayor Shearer: That is not covered in the specific
resolution. Is that covered some
place else - that all action of all
bodies is repealable to the Council?
• Mr. Wakefield: No sir, it is covered really in the
statute that adopted the requirement
that the City be responsible for
making the determination as to disability and provides that the
action may be taken by the City Council or the City Council may
designate some agency or officer to have that purpose subject to
a right of review by the City Council.
Motion carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Browne, Lloyd, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
RESOLUTION NO. 4871 The City Attorney presented:
ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA,
APPROVING CLASS SPECIFICATIONS FOR
THE POSITION OF DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF."
Motion by Councilman Browne, seconded by Mayor Shearer, to waive
further reading of said Resolution. .Motion carried.
Motion by Councilman Browne, seconded by Councilman Chappell, to
adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Browne, Lloyd, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
NOES: None
• ABSENT: None
RESOLUTION NO. 4872 The City Attorney presented:
ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA,
AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF
RESOLUTION NO. 1277 RELATING TO A CERTAIN AUTHORIZED POSITION AND
SALARY. (Deputy Fire Chief)
Motion by Councilman Browne, seconded by Councilman Chappell and
carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution.
Motion by Councilman Browne, seconded by Councilman Chappell, to
adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Browne, Lloyd, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
REPORT ON ATTORNEY Mr. Wakefield: Mr. Mayor and
GENERAL EVELLE J. YOUNGER'S members of the
LETTER RE OPEN SPACES Council, this item
is simply informational. The latter
part of March the Attorney General
addressed a letter to the Mayor of the City.calling attention to
• the fact that the City had not filed its Open Space Plan with the
Resources Agency and pointed out the necessity for completing the
plan and filing it at an early date. .
It is true that the City has not yet
adopted as an element of its General Plan an Open Space Element.
The Open Space Element was one of several additional elements
required to be in in a City's General Plan by legislation
originally adopted in February of 1972. The effective date of
that requirement was extended from time to time and the last date
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CITY COUNCIL Page Ten
City Attorney: Report re Open Space Element
fixed by the legislature was December 31, 1973. There is a sub-
stantial amount.of.paperwork involved in the completion of the
required elements including the open space element. The Planning
Staff has reported on a schedule of work for the completion of
that element and it has been given priority so that within the
gonext three or four mofiths.we should have the element adopted by the
Planning Commission and set for hearing before the City Council.
The Attorney General calls attention
to certain penalties provided for which he has concluded are
applicable; however, the City of West Covina does have an Open
Space Element in its General Plan. It does not meet all of the
guidelines that have been finally established for Open Space
Elements but I think we will be in full compliance when the new
Open Space Element is adopted. In the meantime I don't think
there is any risk involved either to the citizens of West Covina
or to others because of our delay in the adoption of the Open Space
Element.
Motion by Councilman Browne, seconded by Councilman Lloyd and
carried, to receive and file the communication.
HF AR TNn S
.AMENDMENT TO MERCED/ORANGE LOCATION: Generally bounded to the
PLAN north by the San Bernardino Freeway,
CITY INITIATED to the southwest by Merced Avenue and
to the southeast by Orange Avenue.
An amendment to the Merced/Orange
Plan to establish a revitalization plan for the area. Recommended
by the Planning Commission Resolution No. 2520. Proof of Publica-
tion on March 281 19741 received. Notices mailed to property
owners on March 251 1974.
Mayor Shearer: The normal procedure in a hearing
.of this type is that first we have a
report from Staff and in addition to
that I can assure you that every member of the Council has had
a considerable amount of input. I am sure we have all visited
the area. I did so again this afternoon to familiarize myself
with some of the street names, etc.
We have a request and a recommenda-
tion from the Planning Staff that this.item be referred back to
them for further study. This.is based on the fact that at the
hearing before the Planning Commission there was considerable
input from people in the area that basically said we are opposed
to the plan - period. Subsequent.to that.a-number. of .these
people have come forth with specific parts of the plan that they
were in objection to, stating if these parts were changed,
modified in certain°w.ays, that perhAp.s the plan would be more
acceptable to them. This.of course in no way says it would be
acceptable to everyone. else.
We are going to go ahead with the
. with the_ hearingY;:this.evening and give everyone an opportunity
to speak who wishes to and if it .is. the consensus of the Council
at the conclusion of the hearing. to, refer it back to the
Planning Staff and..Planning Commission,the plan will be looked
at and perhaps revised to bring it more in lines with the desires
of the people who have testified, have written and who may testify.
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CITY COUNCIL Page Eleven
Hearing: Merced/Orange .Plan Amendment
At that .point addition al.hearings will be heard. First at the
Planning Commission level and then.the Council level. That, of
course, is assuming that action is not taken this evening. I am
speaking only for myself and what has been recommended to the
Council, and.it is not something that has already been decided in
some back room. We will now proceed with the Staff Report.
Mr. Miller: The Mayor has fairly well summed up
Planning Director the situation. The plan behind me
is the plan recommended for adoption
by the Planning Commission at their March 20th meeting. Since that
time we have had several letters and phone calls from people in the
area and staff has met with as many as they possibly can to discuss
the situation. -As the Mayor indicated, the information now at hand
was information not clearly defined or presented to the Planning
Commission and inasmuch as we indicated to the people, and I am sure
the Council would agree, the priorities set for this program are,
people, plan and implementation.
The Planning Staff suggests that the
Specific Plan be returned to the Planning Staff and Planning
Commission for further study and hearing with the property owners
in the area being notified of the hearing and giving them an
opportunity to clarify points with staff.
Mayor Shearer: Mr..Miller, can you briefly for the
benefit of those in the audience
outline some of the major points
raised in your discussions with the people.
Mr. Miller: Yes. The three major points that
• have been raised are the following:
1 - the taking of the rear 30' of
property from the properties on the west side of Van Horn for a
buffer area proposed park, as shown on the plan in green.
2 - the use of that area for a public park. It was proposed inv
the plan to -have this as a park or public open space. Concern
has been expressed as to the security and advisability of having
such an area adjacent to single family homes between the
administrative research park and residential. 3 - the area is
for that area north of Elder on Sunkist and for that area north
of Sherway on Van.Horn.to be excluded from the Administrative
Research Park and included in:the single.famil.y. residential.
I believe there were one or two
letters indicating there were questions on relocation guidelines
which we indicated.would be developed later. Given the time
and the capability of being able to meet with the people we
might be able.to answer most.of those questions. We indicated
to several of theproperty owners at an earlier meeting if we
had an opportunity to evaluate this and get back to them rather
rapidly before this meeting to resolve.the situation we would
have done so; however, given the extent of the situation and
the staff limitations on time it was best, as we indicated to
them, to recommend a continuance or actually a referral back to
• the Commission for the new input. That pretty well summarizes
the major points.
Mayor Shearer: I am not exactly sure how to
proceed because the only way this
matter will be referred back to
the Planning Commission for further study is by a majority vote
of the City Council. And keeping that in mind as a definite
possibility - any other Councilmen wish to say anything at this
time before we proceed with the public hearing?
CITY COUNCIL
Hearing: Merced/Orange Plan Amendment
Councilman Lloyd:
. Mr. Miller:
Councilman Lloyd:
Page Twelve
Do I understand, Mr. Miller, you are
recommending that this be referred
back to the Planning Commission?
Yes sir.
Is it on the basis of some new
material?
Mr. Miller: Yes sir. The 15 letters received
and the petition were not available
to the Planning Commission at the
time they made their recommendation. That would be the new
material.
Councilman Lloyd: It would appear to me that if that
is what is being recommended and
if we do return that to the Planning
Commission am I to understand, Mr. Mayor:; that would be an open
public hearing also?
Mr. Miller:
Councilman Lloyd:
Mayor Shearer:
is a feeling on the Council
the final plan the Council
• may be taking testimony on
here - but I can't say that
Yes sir.
Well have we got the cart before
the horse here?
We may have. What I am trying to
get across is'that before we open
the hearing for testimony if there
that we are sending it back, and that
will be deliberating on and that we
may be different than what we.have
until we hear the testimony.
Councilman Lloyd: Then it would appear to me since
all the testimony is not in that if
we hear it and then it goes back
to the Planning Commission and they hear additional testimony
it might possibly change some of the attitudes of the people and
then it comes back here again, we could have a reversal of atti-
tudes right here on the Council. If the recommendation we have
is to send it back to the Planning Commission, and I personally
have no objection to that, my reaction is why don't we send it
back to the Planning Commission and let these people appear before
.the Planning Commission before we hear it.
Councilman Browne: Mr. Mayor, I attended the Planning
Commission meeting and heard the
testimony of many of these people
in the audience. I felt there were concerns not fully
recognized by.the Commission at that time and relating to the
recent addition of letters coming in from the persons involved
that they should have a direct say in such a plan that is of
such a magnitude. I feel if we do have a public hearing tonight
and allow a repetitionrof testimony, that we are just unduly
• forcing a cross decision to be made in essence. I feel there is
much more input needed in the plan and the study thereof. The
plan as presented on the board behind us tonight was minorly
adjusted and I feel the people in that area have not fully
realized the complexity of it and possibly they should be en-
lightened further by staff individually through additional meet-
ings so the plan may be revised and the people have a good voice
in the outcome of the plan and then bring to a hearing at
City Council level.
- 12 -
CITY COUNCIL Page Thirteen
Hearing: Merced/Orange-Plan Amendment 4/8/74
Councilman Nichols: Mr.. Mayor. I only regret that these
instances develop where we can't
set hearings.in.such.a fashion that
when we draw out a large number of.the voters that we can't go
• ahead with.the hearing. But I am sure that this ver-y last minute
request.to delay the -.hearing was made in good faith.by representa-
tives of.staff. The. -history of these kinds of things, as we all
know, a pl an.is proposed -and few people know about it and then
the first hearing comes to the Planning Commission and some people
express a concern -and those supportive of the plan report back
to the Council .that it seems like the majority is in favor, and
then the word begins filtering and getting out and various kinds
of stories.become.involved, some of which are justifiably
critical and others are errorneous and finally when it reaches
time for the Council hearing everybody.is up in arms, disturbed
or concerned, and we find that the information presented in terms
of the alternatives seems to need to be redone. So in terms of
the alternatives it seems to be terribly redundant for the
Council, not that we are against the work of sitting here tonight
and hearing the concerns relative to the plan as it exists, in
fact I am prepared to do so, but clearly the majority of the
Council is going to refer this back to the Planning Staff and
Planning Commission, directing further study and discussion with
all the property owners involved. When the commitment was made:
people, plan and implementation, that is a sincere statement that
your City Government intends to have people input first before
anything else. So I think it is appropriate that it goes back
and all the people have that time. I think it would be inappro-
priate to testify now and then have all these people go back to
the Planning Commission and testify and then back to the Council
testifying again, when in fact tonight cannot enlighten any of us
• to the point of those final recommendations. So I am supportive
of that action and will support or make a motion to send it back.
Councilman Chappell: I attended -the Planning -Commission
aajn� meeting as liaison to City Council
s and since then I have received
several phone calls and it appears to me this should go back
because the information being rumored around is f ar.different
than what I heard.at the Planning Commission meeting. I think it
is only fair to the. citizens.that:.they be reinformed.or reassessed
as to what we are.actually.doing here... Because there are a
number of.things.relayed to --me by .telephone that were -.not the
decisions made that evening but are now permea.ting.the area as
fact and I .think we . must clear that . up before we . have .the .
cooperation:of the citizens. -in this area. It has to-be.with
their cooperation.to make.the project go in the proper direction
so I would be more than happy to second Councilman Nichols'
motion when he makes it, to have it.go back to the Planning
Commission before we .hear it.
Mayor Shearer: Before we make.a motion,.may I have
the floor? I will vote at the
present time against the motion to
send it back. I do not want people going away this evening.
• saying we reserved.Monday, April 8th, we were going to go here and
go.there, and we took the time to come out.
However, I think it is quite
..obvious .from: the comments made. by my colleagues that when whatever
testimony is -given is completed it is going to be referred back
to the Planning Commission for probably possibly major revisions
and the plan that eventually the five of us will be called upon to
- 13 -
CITY COUNCIL Page Fourteen
Hearing:. Merced/Orange Plan Amendment 4/8/74
deliberate may bear --- some resemblance but have major differences.
Keeping that in mind it is my desire to go ahead.and allow
anyone, in spite of what we have said, the opportunity to testify
for or against because you did take the time to come out tonight
• and you are going to be asked to come out perhaps at least two
more times, if it is your desire to do so. So if there is no
major objection....
Councilman Nichols: Mr. -Mayor, no, there was no major
inference on my part that no one
was to be allowed to have their say.
I had only indicated there will be a large number of people who
felt it was their time to have their say, would have it, and at
the appropriate time that I would be prepared to make a motion to
refer this back. But certainly this is a scheduled hearing and
it should be opened by the Mayor and those who wish to give
testimony tonight should be able to do so.
Mayor Shearer: All right we will open the public
hearing at this time and again I
would say that everyone in the
audience that wishes to testify keep in mind that there will
probably be revisions in the plan and further hearings before
this body as well as the Planning Commission. (Explained the
procedure of the Public Hearing.)
Councilman Lloyd: Mr. Mayor, one thing the people
must understand is that once they
start testimony it is possible then
to vote on this plan. There is no vote at all for returning it
to the Planning Commission. The way you stated it it sounds
• like we are just automatically going to do that and there is no
vote on the floor.
Mayor Shearer: Yes, that is correct. There is
nothing automatic about it, it will
still take three votes.
THIS IS THE TIME AND PLACE FOR THE'PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MERCED/
ORANGE PLAN AMENDMENT. (All those testifying sworn in by City Clerk)
IN FAVOR
Norma Husky We have been working on.this plan for
1112 South Meeker a long time, as you all know. We
West Covina were in on the last program they
had and it seems to me the biggest
opposition is the spacing between the single family homeowners
and the buildings proposed and this was said before that they
didn't want the buildings up against their.property. Now they
don't want the green area between it. This seems to be the big
problem here.
Everyone seems to be in accord
with the rest.of it. I. work at Flair Park and in that area there
is nothing between the buildings there and.the homes, only the
• street, and that is a beautiful area and those are beautiful
homes. I can't see where the objection is - where they think it
will deteriorate their homes or the crime rate will be greater.
This seems to be the biggest thing in the decision of the people
on what they want.
I, as a homeowner, want to see
something done and done fast because those houses are so old
that if we put $51000 in, which we have done, but these houses
- 14 -
CITY COUNCIL Page Fifteen
Pub. Hearing: Merced/Orange Amendment 4/8/74
are so old that when I turn on the.water it is full of rust, and
the electricity is such if I run the air conditioner I can't run
my dryer. It would be impossible to upgrade those homes to the
point where they will.be standard, so I think we should really
• get with it and meet with those people and try and get it
straightened out, meet with the homeowners that are objecting to
the green area. I think.that is where the big problem is.
John Adams Mr. -Mayor and members of the Council,
1600 W. Cameron Ave., I am here tonight as the coordinator
West Covina for the Business Improvement Depart-
ment of the Chamber of Commerce.
This department is comprised of some five committees primarily con-
cerned with land use planning throughout our City, particularly as
it relates to the existing commercial area and the potential for
expanding that area. I appeared before the Planning Commission and
submitted a letter saying that we supported the plan both during
the planning process by participating in the studies and also by
participating in the funding for the consultants retained to do
this work. We, as the Chamber, continue to support the plan and
we addressed such a letter to the Council.
At this time I would state if the
matter is to be referred back to the Committee we certainly would
continue to offer our services and be willing to continue our
support in the work that has to be done. We have been most
appreciative in the spirit of cooperation shown by the people in
the community as well as the consultants and city staff. Again,
we are available to be of any help wherever we could. Thank you.
Katherine Ferra I have lived in this particular
• 1125 South Willow Ave., house for 23 years and I have raised
West Covina five children there. A lot of
people over in the yellow area don't
seem to realize that the houses in our area are none of them
large enough for single family dwellings or almost all of them.
The size of the lots, there is nothing we can do with 2251of deep
lot.
The last time when they had their
meetings there was some question raised about crime rates and if
there had been a study.made. If the lady that brought up that
question lived in my area or on my street I am sure she. would much
prefer your plan next to a industrial or administrative research
park as planned here, than living there with some of the things
going on in that area - that is not at all advisable to bring
little children up there. I am glad my children are no longer
small. My youngest is 17 and I don't have to worry about that.
But this is something that has been
going on for 15 years and there is a small amount of people that
do not want to see anything done. I think leaving the area in
the condition it is in now is nothing but a deterrant to the
City of West Covina and I think it is too nice of a City and
growing too well to be hindered, to be left the way it is now.
• I, for one, as Mrs. Husky said, we have lived in it and we are not
guessing at what is going on, we know.
You said you don't want a lot of
repetition and I know there are a lot of people that won't get
up because of that but there are a lot more people for it than
against it.
- 15 -
CITY COUNCIL Page Sixteen
Pub. Hearing: Merced/Orange Amendment 4/8/74
Mayor Shearer: I would hope if we have another
hearing and I assume we will, that
the same people express the same
views for or against, assuming you haven't changed when the new
• plan is presented.
Ron Moore I am here representing my mother
829 South Orange who owns the house right on the
West Covina corner, the last yellow one on the
right. Being an absentee homeowner,
this is a rental and it is not the most desirable thing in the
area, and I realize that. I have a personal interest in this
of naturally turning it into a park for the increase in land value,
and that may be selfish. There are four lots of 230' x 75' that
have been excluded and the usage of those lots, if this stays the
way it is we are prepared to sell the property, either way, but
the usage .of those lots is very poor as far as residential lots.
I would like to see maybe the green part come straight down behind
those houses on Sherway and put the high rise all the way to Orange
on that one corner. As I say, that may be personally greedy but
that is our feeling. Thank you.
IN OPPOSITION
Vicky Dunning I think the Council has several of
1032 Sunkist my letters in their pile and
West Covina hopefully I am not one of the people
that have been spreading rumors.
have mainly tried to talk to the people on Sunkist and Van Horn
because they seem to be the ones that wanted to remain to the
yellow from the first meeting. I have been to all of the meetings.
• There may be some people -on some of the other streets that don't
want out either but we stuck to Sunkist and Van Horn because these
houses we don't feel are rundown like the houses on Willow and some
of the houses on Meeker. The people on Sunkist do not want to
move, the majority; and the majority on Van Horn, the end of
Van Horn that will be cut off do not want to move. We kind of
felt we just hadri't gotten it across at some of the other meetings.
Mr. Miller. and,all.the staff have been very nice to us.
I started out just against the buffe
strip but then when I got the feeling of the neighborhood we
decided to let Council know how we feel on Sunkist. We realize
something has to be done with the entrance to West Covina and
we don't want to stop that, but we feel we on Sunkist deserve
the extra time since this has been going on for years, for a
little further study so this plan will be acceptable to those that
want to stay and feel their houses are not in such bad shape
and shouldn't be torn down, a plan that will be acceptable to all
and will be implemented fast for the people that want out.
Thank you.
Lindy Ito I was one of them who received
914 South Sunkist nothing and knew nothing about it.
West Covina My father heard a rumor, went down
• and requested information be sent to
US. I read the complete program; the main argument being it is an
eyesore coming into West Covina. Living on Sunkist I don't feel
this applies. I have gone through the other streets and there
are some eyesores, some are very small houses. Our house has
1,720 square feet, that is not a small house. Our lot is 75 x
187'. We bought it that size because we wanted a large lot. We
do some of our raising of fruit, etc. We wanted birds in our
yard which you can't get in the modern home areas. We wanted the
parklike atmosphere and the quiet of a large neighborhood with
- 16 -
CITY COUNCIL Page Seventeen
Pub. Hearing: Merced/Orange Amendment 4/8/74
with large houses. A good portion of the people in the neighbor-
hood have professional gardeners that come in at least once a
week, so I don't see how you can consider our neighborhood with
that kind of upkeep as rundown. A good majority of the people are
in the process of redecorating, remodeling and enlarging their
• homes and I feel this too goes in our favor.
I really feel this should be returned
to the Planning Commission for further consideration.
Raymond Motley If it pleases -the Council I would
2109 W. Merced like to discuss three major issues
West Covina I think relevant to this proposal.
One, I believe the taking of the
land for any use described in the proposal is an unconstitutional
taking and the civil codetof procedure has specific uses set out
by the State Le.gislature.that authorizes the City to take certain
things. Now they suggest that it may be a slum area, but the
conclusion in their preliminary report states that it is only a
potential slum area and therefore it cannot fall under this
category. Secondly, they categorize the land as a research and
administrative park. Now a park deals with open public recreational
facilities and I assume that buffer strip isn't intended as an open
recreational strip for people to look over into the back yards of
all the people that are worried about it.
Due to the fact that we don't have
too much time - I had several cases on point that the California
Supreme Court had ruled that certain takings for public parks,
auditoriums, etc., going for private uses were all constitutional
uses.
• A As for the park, the green buffer
zone, I see a problem as to severance damages. If you take the
land directly behind the properties - right there - you are taking
part of party walls and consequently taking a portion of people's
property. Now if you take, for instance, on Merced, where the
green buffer zone is, and you isolate that and you have industry
behind it, you are damaging people's property behind there and it
is my belief even if you don't take the property you will have to
pay severance damages if you do put that in.
Finally, after doing some research
here on the City Council I found;out.for the purposes of
encouraging redevelopment that.yqu rezone the area for.
commercial -so the real estate people that.were.investing in the
frontage could develop the land; consequently it.is my assertion
that any of the land that was rezoned,if taken is. taken under
commercial value, therefore you will have to pay $60,000 to
$80,000 per lot. Now the people smart enough will hire
attorneys, such as the real estate brokers and other people,
and will fight you and.consequently this could.go on for many
years, so I think it.is_unadvisable.
I would like to address myself to the
many meetings that we have to .go to and that they are always on
• the same night. Therefore, a lot of people are precluded from
attending them. They are becoming fixtious - every two or three
weeks there is a meeting - I feel they are going to have to figure
out a more acceptable way of handling it.
- 17 -
CITY COUNCIL
Pub. Hearing: Merced/Orange Amendment
Page Eighteen
4/8/ 74
Mayor Shearer: Do you have a suggestion, Mr. Motley,
some better night - perhaps?
Mr. Motley: What I am suggesting is that this
• don't always come on a Wednesday
night.
May.or:i.Shearer: Mr. Miller, and I am not saying
that you change the Planning
Commission meeting night, but
perhaps nights you have informational meetings that you stagger
them and don't have all on the same night, in order to allow
greater participation. The meeting nights of the City Council
and Planning Commission are established by Ordinance and with the
exception of .an -adjourned or special meeting they must be held on
Wednesday night for the Planning Commission and Monday night
for the Council, unless the Ordinance is amended. I would
suggest consideration be made to Mr. Motley's request with regard
to some of the other nights for the other meetings.
Councilman Nichols: Personally, Mr. Mayor, I would
suggest exactly the opposite, because
It has been my experience over my
years of attending meetings that when you change the meeting night
that makes somebody else made. The guy tied up that night cannot
come say on a Thursday night but then you foul up somebody else
who has been coming on the other night and can't come on this
night, etc.
Mayor Shearer: You are right, but let's not debate
that.
• Councilman Nichols: Perhaps we can go -.to back to back
features or dual meetings - and I am
not .being fictitious, I mean if it is
necessary to have additional meetings to meet the needs of all the
citizens in the community so that everyone will get the input,
then we should delay until we have done that, but to cancel out
meetings on a particular night and turn to another night of the,
weeks would probably serve no real purpose anyway.
Mayr Merrill I am going to break one small
927.South Sunkist request - I will reiterate one point
West Covina made tonight. I would like to
thank Vicky Dunning for her help
in this area and speak a little bit about the land and the homes
on Sunkist. We have lived in two places in West Covina. When
we moved here five years ago we lived in the Kon Tiki apartments
at the corner of Merced and we have now moved to Sunkist and we
moved to Sunkist for one reason primarily because we were able to
get the land. Our lot is approximately 220' deep. When we
moved there we did have a problem of absentee ownership but we
since have bought the house. We have put in a fair amount of
improvements on our lot and quite a bit improvements in our house,
and while we live in one of the sma-Iler houses on the block it is
• quite adequate for our needs and will remain adequate for our
needs for several years to come. We have enjoyed having the pro-
perty very very much.
I do.feel that in one regard to
the green belt area, having lived in apartments for many years
of my married life, that I do feel the City of West Covina needs
more low density family apartment living rather than a two or
three story apartment. I personally feel that low density
apartment living is much more preferable around the edge of a
CITY COUNCIL
Pub. Hearing: Merced/Orange Amendment
Page Nineteen
4/8/ 74
low industrial area than what was planned originally.
I do feel that some remarks given
to the car and upkeep of homes is not valid when you are
• speaking of Sunkist. Perhaps it is in other areas - for some.
For some people large lots are rather difficult to take care of
but others have enjoyed having the property, not matter what
their age. Thank you, very much.
•
CJ
Charles Rook .
Gentlemen
of the Council, I
like to
1107 South Sunkist
as you a
question to begin
with -
West Covina
how many
of the real estate
owners
that own
these properties -
how many
of their lots is run down?
I know you
would like to make
this a
beautiful city, so would I. Because if the property owners
can't fix up their place like I had to fix mine up - I wasn't
in mine 30 days when the City of West Covina was on my back to
get me to fix up my property and I told them give me time and I
will and I did. Why can't these others do like I did? I
bought out in West Covina because I picked it as a beautiful
little city to retire in and I am retired now and I want to make it
my home the rest of my days, and there are a lot of others like
me that have done the same. Why should you let these real estate
people get away with murder - making a big deal out of it, a
high rise building when there shouldn't be no more than a two
story building in West Covina to keep it a beautiful city.
We are on a fault here. I can show
you damage to my place that was done during the last quake, and
the high rise area behind there by the freeway would be right
in line with my place. Now if you are going to make a concrete
jungle out ofthis city it won't bring you any money. It is
the individuals that live here and make their homes here.
Felicia Atencio
834 Van Horn
West Covina
wrong. Mr. Miller said awhile
were notified. I gave him my
I received no notice and I am
other people that didn't get a
didn't talk to their neighbors
about this until they came to
Mayor Shearer:
have several people who
their notification. Mr.
was done in this regard?
Mr. Miller:
Commission as
staff level.
mid -June, but
them and this
I am against it because we just
bought the house in October. The
real estate guy said nothing
about this, so I think he done us
ago that all the property owners
name and address at the last meeting,
quite upset and there are plenty of
notice. If I were a person that
I wouldn't know anything at all
tear my house down. Thank you.
Before proceeding I would like a
clarification. Once again, every
hearing that is controversial we
fora one reason or another do not receive
Miller, will you outline for us what
Yes, Mr. Mayor. Basically we use the equalization
tax rolls given to us by the County Assessors
Office and we have made attempts to update that
material at prior meetings with the Planning
well as at meetings with the property owners at the
The new assessors rolls will be available to us in
until then we attempt to make corrections as we get
we have tried to do...
Mayor Shearer: I think it is obvious that there
is always going to be a mistake.
Wrong name, wrong address or the
wrong owner. There is no intent by staff to try and avoid notifi-
19 -
CITY COUNCIL Page.Twenty
Pub Hearing: Merced/Orange Amendment 4/8/74
cation of the people who are involved. We will apologize for any
mistakes that were made, that will not correct them, but it was
not an intentional act. We will now proceed with the next person
wishing to testify.
• Lorraine Smith I realize that opinions might not
932 Van Horn be the same. I wrote a letter to
West Covina the City Council, and I would like
to read it into the record, perhaps
not completely. There are three basic reasons that the West CoV.i:na
City Council should not vote to change the Merced/Orange area from
residential to manufacturing.
1 - The basic right of ownership
:should not be taken away for other than purposes of public
ownership, like schools, roads, etc. Why should a private or
secret group who covet this area be able to force the sale of
homes or change the character of a neighborhood against the wishes
of the present owners just for their eventual private ownership
and profit. Let them purchase or lease in areas already zoned now.
There are plenty of vacancies now.
2 - Families who live there and
bought there did so because it was residential. The lots are deep.
Most who have large lots purchased them because of, not in spite
of the lot size. If the lot size is a disadvantage to an individual
owner, he or she can always sell on the open market at a fair price
and move to a home on a smaller lot.
3 - When cities or governments
purchase'or condemn property for purchase, they do not pay more
• than the fair market value of the property, no matter what
Mr. Hanich says about the value tripled by the plan. Some of the
elderly homeowners seem to be under the impression that they
would benefit financially if this plan went through. Just who
sold them this fantastic idea that they would benefit by the sale
of their property to the city More than to a Private Party. (I
served as a juror on a condemnation case.) They have to reloate
and pay a fair market price of a new place and probably at higher
interest rates. So.just what or who will benefit by implementing
this plan?
If that area is rundown and is
near the freeway and nobody wants to live right next to the
freeway and it is zoned for something else like this, let these
people buy it at the rezoned value - the real estate brokers who
bought the land are absentee owners because they are waiting
to sell it at a profit. The private owners who want to could
sell at a profit and let this group who wants it by it privately.
Why should the City be the middleman? Why not let the people
sell it themselves? I don't think it should be condemned by the
City for somebody else to buy it.
(Councilman Lloyd raised a point of privilege, advising the
Mayor he would have to leave, that a problem had come up.
• THE CHAIR DECLARED A SHORT RECESS AT 8:55 P.M. COUNCIL
RECONVENED AT 9:01 P.M. )
Mayor Shearer: I have been advised that some of
the people in the audience are
having a little difficulty in
hearing some of us, so I would like to urge anyone that comes to
the microphone to speak louder and closer to the mike.
- 20 -
CITY COUNCIL
Pub. Hearing: Merced/Orange Amendment
Page Twenty-one
4/8/ 74
Councilman Lloyd had to leave. He
said it was not an emergency in the one sense, but in another it
was. That will explain his absence for the remainder of the
• meeting. We.will continue on with the hearing. People now
speaking are in opposition to the plan.
Robert Stedman About six years ago we moved to
1005 Van Horn West Covina for the purpose of
West Covina living in the single dwelling
homes and I know that the majority
of the people that we have talked to since then, Planning Com-
mission put this plan up are opposed to it. I think the
majority of them are just trying to tell our City officials
that they want the plan abolished. I think that is the one thing
I have against it. I talked to a good many people on Sunkist and
to the elderly people that have their homes, they are nice livable
homes. Some of the other places, a few are rundown against the
freeway but I think the majority of the people are trying to tell
Council they want this plan abolished and come up with some other
plan for the dilapidated homes -in that.area.
.Vernon Cox.Doyle I live in Hacienda Heights now. I
1135 South Meeker Ave., would like to ask, we are beginning
West Covina to hear rumors like the City is not
going to give you a penny for your
house, you are going to get a minimum amount for your lot. The
City is going to sell and they are going to make all the money.
Now that is just rumor, but I would like to ask - how are we
going to be paid if this goes through? You see I need to know
before I can intelligently say "yes" or "no", because I happen
• to know about, for instance Wilshire Boulevard when the
widening went through years ago, the Good.Samaritan.Hospital lost
11' of their property plus.uaefive foot retaining wall. They were
paid for their 11' but they were assessed a greater amount for
having their property improved. How will we be paid if that happens
to us?
Mayor Shearer: Normally in a,hearing we do not
answer questions, but I think.I will
c do the courtesy of_answering.the
best I can. Perhaps it is.a.better question to ask the City
Attorney. Correct me if.I am wrong, Mr..Wakefield. When property
is.purchased, in this case under the possible threat of condemna-
tion (which doesn't necessarily mean that condemnation action is
taken), that fair market value is paid if the property owner agrees
to the price offered by the Agency acquiring the property, then
the settlement is just like if you and I.were negotiating for the
purchase of your property. However, if the property owner refuses
to accept the offer made by the. Agency acquiring the property then
it would go to court, and as one lady testified.she did sit on a
jury for this purpose perhaps if you are interested in how they
determined the value of the property she can advise you, but I
think this is one of the things that councilman Chappell was
talking about in regard to the rumors going around - you just
• mentioned one - to get nothing for your house but only something
for your land. If the house has value then of course there.would
be money paid for it.
Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor, I would like to add a
thought to that, because immediately
the citizens say - oh those crooks
up there are ready to take our land and sell to some real estate
'sharks for a big profit and they are going to give me just
pennies for what I got, kick me out and then buy it with the tax-
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CITY COUNCIL Page Twenty-two
PUB. HEARING: Merced/Orange Amendment 4/8/74
payers money and then sell it to someone and make a million dollars
on it and then the Councilmen and those other guys will get their
kickback under the table. That is the kind of garbage peddled
around. .There is not one bit of evidence that any of you can look
• back on as long as you have lived in this city for the past ten
years there hasn't been a hint of a rumor of any kind of dishonest
practices or unethitical conduct by this City Council sitting up
here. Okay, you might go further than that and make some statements
but not on the ten years I have been on the Council.
Now I have heard a lot about this
plan so far. No money has been mentioned. Nobody as come up at
the staff level or the Chamber of Commerce level, and I have
asked myself a couple of times - where is the money going to come
from? And I would like to go on record now that this Councilman
is not going to vote to buy land in that area at any significant
subsidy to resell to some realtor to make a profit on. If we can
put a package together, if we have to use eminent domain to be
the umbrella agency to collect the parcels, I would support an
acceptable plan only on the basis that it did not involve substan-
tial public participation except in those areas where the improve-
ments would be public improvements. That would be my position and
it always has been.
Let me assure you that there has been
no behind the scenes discussions, no talk.anywhere, no rumors
anywhere about whose getting what or whose getting theirs - all of
us sitting up here know some of those real estate people that own
the lots along the freeway, we can name.the realtors that jumped in
there five years ago and bought up the lots thinking they were
going to make a quick buck. They paid taxes and are stuck with
• them. Nothing has happened yet and nothing will be until there is
a plan that has meaning and is acceptable to the substantial
majority of the people. We will never come up with a plan that is
acceptable to all the people - no way, it can never happen. I
talked to people on the streets, I visited people on Sunkist and
Willow for years. I talked to one man, he said he"wished I would
buy this lot, all these weeds I can't keep up with it anymore."
The guy right next door says "I bought this lot for that land, I
don't want to change." So we are all human beings and we are try-
ing to make a sincere effort to try and get a consensus that will
meet the understanding and agreement of a vast majority of the
people and do it honorably. So if you hear any scuttlebutt
about behind the scenes stuff or under the table stuff, it just is
not true.
Alice Timko Gentlemen, I am speaking only for
1004 South Sunkist the South Sunkist Avenue 900 to
West Covina 1000 block. We have beautiful homes.
,�7-al.1. Well kept up and to think they
should be razed-to.the- ground:is inconceivable.. Thank you.-
, .. -
....Ruby .Hughes Part. of . my. question- was . answered. . ,
...853 South Van Horn. We live on.the dead.end section of.
West Covina Van Horn. -.Van. Horn was a new street,
• all built 22 years ago. I am
wondering if these houses that are so new and well kept are they
intended to be destroyed or will they be moved out?
Mayor Shearer: I couldn't answer that, I don't
think anyone could answer that at
this time.
Mrs. Hughes: They haven't decided yet?
".: *AE
CITY COUNCIL Page Twenty-three
PUB. HEARING: Merced/Orange Plan 4/8/74
Mayor Shearer: To my knowledge no appraisals have
been made on the part of the' City, -
is that correct - Mr. Miller?
Mr. Miller: Yes, that is true.
Mayor Shearer: No appraisals have been made. Any
figure you may have heard.....
Mrs. Hughes: It was printed in one of the papers
that came out.
Mayor Shearer: The City doesn't print any paper.
We have two representatives present
from two fine newspapers, you might
ask them where they got the figure.
Mrs. Hughes: It wasn't in a newspaper, it was
mailed to us in regard to one of
the meetings we had - it was $2.00
to $2.50 a square foot, not mentioning the house or what condi-
tion that would be in.
Mayor Shearer: This publication came from the City?
Mrs. Hughes: Yes.
Mayor Shearer: I am at a loss to explain that.
Mr. Miller: Mr. Mayor, if she has a copy of such
a document I would like to see it.
• -Mrs. Hughes: I don't have it with me.
Mayor Shearer: If you will mail a copy of that to
the Mayor here at City Hall I would
appreciate it.
Mrs. Hughes: All right. Thank you.
Carl Jacobson I have just one question. You were
1012 South Sunkist speaking a minute ago in regards to
West Covina a fair and reasonable price for
us property owners. Right now I am
against it, I have mixed emotions on the whole thing. One question.
Nothing has been said yet when this property is bought is this
going to be rezoned to commercial before being purchased from us?
Mayor Shearer: I don't think that we can answer that
question at the moment. I think
what you are getting at is will you
be paid based on the commercial value or residential value and I
don't know if that question can be answered. Mr. Wakefield,
can you possibly venture a legal opinion on that?
• Mr. Wakefield: Mr. Mayor and members of Council,
normally in a redevelopment project
the property owner is paid for the
value of his property, the fair market value of his property at
the time the project is originally initiated. In other words
the property owner does not receive the benefit of any incremental
value that may be added by virtue of the project itself. So I
think the answer probably is we may assume this area would be
redeveloped and the property assembled and the fair market of the
-23-
CITY COUNCIL Page Twenty-four
PUB. HEARINGS: Merced/Orange Plan 4/8/74
value determined in itspresent existing condition.
Mayor Shearer: Of course in the ultimate, as I
indicated previously, the ultimate
• decision would be made by the courts
of the land and I would not at this point in time be so presumptuous
to try and out guess what any particular court or jury might do in
any particular case.
Mr. Jacobson: What you are saying is that your
plan is that it would remain
as residential during this purchase
and afterwards be rezoned to commercial.
Councilman Nichols: Sir - Mr. Mayor, let me respond to
that. In the first place you are
correct. When your property is
purchased under any type of eminent domain proceedings or
redevelopment or whatever, you get whatever the market value of your
property is at that timeand that use. Let me point out when a
City such as West Covina or any City attempts to acquire your pro-
perty and prepare the land for use the cost per acre of that land
is very high indeed. In fact a lot that is 75' or 60' or 80' x 200'
it would take a minimum of two to three lots to make an acre and
if the value of the house on a lot is $20,000 to $30,000, by the time
you clear the acre of land and remove the houses and prepare the
land you have a huge sum already invested which has already
largely prebuilt in its commercial value just in the cost of getting
the land. Do you understand this?
Mr. Jacobson: Yes.
Councilman Nichols: So the problem is if commercial
prices were paid for the land with
the house on it and then you had to
clear the house and put the package together on top of that then
probably under any plan whatsoever there would be little feasibility
of any developer willing to pay those dollars to build on that area.
Finally, remember we do not have a plan. There is no plan. We
can't say today what portion of'that or if any of it will finally
come out: And so the Council is only hearing your concerns and we
are really unable to be specific to you until a final plan comes up
from the Planning Commission back to the Council - we are sitting
here saying "yes", "no", "maybe", etc.
Mr. Jacobson: Do I understand there is a law out
that when they take the property
through condemnation that they also
pay you escrow fees as well as any other costs that you acquire
during the moving and getting into another home? I am talking
about costs such as taking your phone out and moving it, having
your electricity changed, water, etc.
Mayor Shearer: Mr. Wakefield, can you briefly
(respond to relocation assistance
• that might or might not be available to the people if a plan such
as this were implemented?
Mr..Wakefield: Yes, Mr. Mayor. The relocation
assistance which is provided pursuant
to law varies as between residential
properties and commercial properties. If a homeowner has to re-
locate because his property has been taken for. redevelopment
purposes then he is entitled to financial assistance in acquiring
- 24 -
•
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CITY COUNCIL
PUB. HEARINGS: Merced/Orange Plan
Page Twenty-five
4/ 8/ 74
a new residence. He is.paid for.his moving expenses. He is paid
for the cost of the escrow expenses as has been described. All of
these types of assistance are provided for by statute and would go
to the —property owner as a part of the total compensation paid to
him for the.acquisition of his property and his relocation to a
new residence.
Mr. Jacobson: I have just one other thing for my
own edification and maybe some of
the other people in here are under
the same situation. I am a Cal -Vet and I have a loan with Cal -Vet.
That loan is awful nice. I wrote them a letter and I have a
letter back from them. They will take the remaining amount of
my loan only and apply it to another location. So if I have to
move and the money that I acquire from the home to move into
another home costs me more than what I have to cover then I jump
from a 4-8/4/ loan to a 7% to 8/0. Who pays for this?
Mr. Wakefield: There is no specific provision in
Obviously the
on a mortgage
people, like
neighbor may
of the hidden
sated for.
Mr. Jacobson:
the statute for the payment of so-
called increases in interest cost.
amount that a person may be paying as interest
will vary from individual to individual. Some
yourself, may have a very favorable rate, your
be paying substantially higher rate. So that is one
costs involved in relocation which is not compen-
costs - well this is why I am
go on record that I am against
When they come out with this fair
and equitable treatment and when
you start looking at what it really
against it right now, and I want to
it. Thank you.
Terren`ce,Maloney Gentlemen, I would like to go on
1021 South Sunkist record that I own the. property at
West Covina 1021 South Sunkist for a little
over twelve years and this is the
second time - back in 1968 when you had a plan - I was not inform-
ed at that time that there were zoning considerations taking
place. I went on the record at that time requesting that you
inform me and again I have not been informed. I was kind of
fortunate in that my ex -neighbor's birthday was yesterday and I
happened to phone her to wish her a Happy Birthday and she
informed me of this meeting. So I am rather ignorant of this
plan but I do feel that as a taxpayer in the City I have a right
to know of what is.being considered. I would at this time make
a special request of Mr. Miller, as I did five years ago, to
inform me of actions that the Planning Commission or Council
is contemplating regarding the property I own.
Mayor Shearer: Would you please leave your name
and address with Mr. Miller so
if there is a mistake - although
it would seem unusual there would be if you have owned the
property for twelve years.
Mr. Maloney: Yes, I will. I would also like to
point out that as an absentee
owner I do feel that the area of
Sunkist is a beautiful area. The home I own has been a rental.
It was a rental before I purchased it. It has always been a
rental but it is a well kept nice home and a beautiful street
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CITY COUNCIL Page Twenty-six
PUB. HEARINGS: Merced/Orange Plan 4/8/74
full of a lot of beautiful people. I think the Planning Commission
and Council should make sure that all the property owners know
what is going on before you make a decision - make sure the
property owners are.fully informed and that you.are truly
representing them when you do make your decision, and that you
do send it back to the Planning Commission, I hope, because this
is the second time for me and I heard someone else say they were
not informed.
Mayor Shearer: Be sure you leave your name and
address of not only your property
here but of your residence -
the address of where you are residing.
Glenda Connaster I voted at the last meeting as
1163 South Sunkist being in favor of this with some
West Covina minor changes and I have been
notified for each and every meeting
and I have been present at all. I would like to ask if you,
the Council, can tell us - I am in the yellow zone - what is
going to happen taxwise to us. I brought this up the other time
but I didn't find out too much. I would like to know how this
is going to affect our taxes, the ones that will be left behind,
because they are talking of curbs and gutters, etc.
Approximately what it is going to cost those left behind in the
yellow area?
Mayor Shearer: I can only answer that in general
terms. Mr. Wakefield, again correct
me if I say anything wrong. .The
assessed evaluation is the basis for taxes in West Covina. The
assessed evaluation is placed on every piece of property in the
County of Los Angeles with the exception of a couple of cities
that have their_ own tax collector, but in West Covina we avail
ourselves of the County Tax Collector. He and his staff.place
assessed evluations on every piece of.property. Now what he
will do after a plan, assuming a plan of this type if implemented,
what he might do in the way of reassessment or if improvements
are made to the property in the form of curbs or gutters, or an
additional bedroom, a patio or a swimming pool, this Council
could not tell you what they would be. If in the opinion of the
tax assessor any improvement increases the value of your pro-
perty it would be my guess he would.reassess the property and
that, along with the tax rate set by this Council, would
determine your tax bill. To say it would go up X dollars or
down X dollars at this time I don't think anyone would want to
venture a guess.
Mrs. Connaster: We are thinking of some improve-
ments but at this point we are
waiting, we don't know whether to go up or down. I think
many of the people are in the same position because they don't
want to put in more improvements not knowing whether their
tax evaluations are going to go up or down.
Mayor Shearer:
live in this area
will be next year
venture a guess.
REBUTTAL
Jennie Graves
2141 Larkwood
West Covina
Well I think you are in the same
boat as all of us whether we
or any other area, to say what our tax bill
is anybody's guess. I wouldn't care to
We have a home on Willow Avenue
in the area that is involved.
Many of the things that have been
said tonight are really I feel
- 26 -
CITY COUNCIL Page Twenty-seven
PUB HEARINGS• Merced/Orange Plan 4/8/74
giving the wrong impression. I bought our home at 1108 in 1947.
We still own the.property, we are absentee owners because we
have tried for.many years to try and get something done in that
area to improve it. It is still, I believe, probably the only
street in West Covina that does not have curbs and does not have
• proper sewerage or drainage. We own three pieces of property
there. We did not buy it for speculation. We bought it for
our daughter left with three children. So we have acquired that
property not through speculation.
The house we lived in has only 800
square feet. You can't sell that house, you cannot improve it
because you cannot get a conventional loan on it. We tried to
put a roof on it recently and the only way we can get any money
to improve that property is through our credit union. The area
has so deteriorated that you can't even get a decent renter.
I know this because we have been renting this out for ten years.
There is a creeping deterioration here and it disturbs me when
people accuse you of not caring when we have tried desperately
to keep it up. In 1968 or 69 when this was first discussed
we have been kept hanging. You don't know whether to take a
loan from the credit union and improve or leave it as it is.
I understand that most of these people that live on Sunkist do
have nice homes and they.are concerned and I would be too, but
that area in the wedge there,.something has to be done. So I am
for this plan. I.would like to go on record.that this go back
through the Planning Commission again for.further input and study,
and come up with something more agreeable to all. But I do want
to go on record saying something has to be done in that area.
Much of what they are saying is
• we don't care, we are speculating, and real estate companies
have come in and bought - well I do know of one piece of property
that is owned by real estate but I also know of five people
that have lived there since 1947 that have lost their husbands,
living their alone, in fact one is in probate court right now
because both died. So it is not just a neighborhood where
people have come in and speculated, they have lived there for
years and if they took a poll I am sure you would see that, at
least on Willow. That is all I am speaking of because I know
nothing about Meeker or others. We are not in there to speculate.
We want to know what the City is going to do so we can plan
something but you cannot sell it.as,a home any.longer.
Leone Morris I think I am for the project. I
1816 W. Whitehall St., am 80% for the plan. The reason
West Covina I got up is I want to defend the
buffer zone. At the first two
meetings many of these people did not appear. I live in the
yellow area and the reason we fought for the buffer zone was to
prevent industrial sprawl, to protect our homes so we would not
be invaded and to decrease the dust and noises. We really
fought for this plan and we worked for it and I think people
now are getting up and objecting to it who were not in on the
original planning of it? who don't know why we want it.
• Another lady suggested they put
apartments next to the buffer zone. I imagine she was not
at the first two meetings because that is not the most
economical use for the land, number 1. Number 2, it would
overload our schools and increase the traffic and as a general
rule rentals do not take care of the land as well as resident
property owners.
- 27 -
CITY COUNCIL
PUB. HEARINGS: Merced/Orange Plan
Page Twenty-eight
4/8/ 74
I would like to say I think the
general part of the plan is acceptable. I do feel for the people
on Sunkist and I think that we should consider their feelings
and should move the zone back toward the freeway.
• Ron Mark I realize you don't have to answer
829 South Orange any questions, but this was raised
West Covina as far as your legal right for this
e entire plan. Do you have a legal
right to proceed with this? A gentlemen was up here who said you
do not have a legal right, that it was unconstitutional.. My
question is is it constitutional or is it not?
Mayor Shearer: I will answer the question in one
word - "yes". And I will refer
anyone that cares to challenge that to discuss it with Mr.
Wakefield at some other time. We would not be discussing this if
our legal attorney did not think we had a legal right to do so.
Mr. Mark: The other question I have is in two
parts. First of all is the City
Council considering only the people
that live in this area as far as their decision on this plan or
are they considering the complete City of West Covina? In other
words are you sacrificing the few for the many? Are you going to
consider the whole city as a whole with this plan or give more
consideration to the homeowners living in this area itself?
Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor, can I answer that?
Mayor Shearer: After I answer. I am not going to
• answer that question by saying
that it is an 80/20 or 50/50 or
100/0. I think each councilman will consider all aspects of it
and whichever way the scale tips will be the way he votes. I am
not going to put anyone on the spot and say this will weigh so
much and this will weigh so much. I will not answer the question,
maybe Councilman Nichols will.
Councilman Nichols: In my mind if I were not
primarily considering trying to
achieve a consensus - not
unanimity, because it will never be achieved. If I were not
trying to achieve a consensus of the viewpoints of the citizens
in this audience we would probably have acted in the way you
would have expected the City Council to act. But we are
trying to hear and listen to what the people who live in the area
feel and those who own property in the area feel and balance that
with our concerns for 72,000 people who live in West Covina.
But my approach is not to run rough shod over 200 to please
68,000. My approach is to try to come up with a reasonable
answer that will please 71,800 and reasonably satisfy the
other 200.
Mr. Mark: Okay, thank you., I was only one
• of three last time that was for
this and my question now is if there is that great of a
majority against this why is this even being considered?
Councilman Nichols: That is a good question. I don't
have that answer yet. I don't
think any Councilman nor the Mayor has that answer. This is our
first hearing. The againer's generally show up more than the
for'ers.
CITY COUNCIL Page Twenty-nine
Pub. Hearing: Merced/Orange Plan 4/8/74
THERE BEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC TESTIMONY PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED.
COUNCIL DISCUSSION.'
Motion by Councilman Nichols that this matter be referred back tc
staff and the Planning Commission for further citizen input and
• for such modifications as may be made before being returned up to
the City Council. Seconded by Councilman Chappell, and carried.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS (Reopened. No one wished to speak)
CITY ATTORNEY - Cont'd.
Citizens Water Bond Mr. Wakefield: Mr. Mayor and
Committee - Proposition W members of Council,
June 4th Ballot if the City Council
desires to take action to adopt the
resolution endorsing the proposition
the resolution is ready for your consideration.
Councilman Chappell: Mr. Mayor, I would like to move that
we endorse this and then have dis-
cussion if anyone wishes to discuss.
RESOLUTION NO.4873 The City Attorney presented:
ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA ENDORSING
PROPOSITION W ON THE JUNE PRIMARY
ELECTION BALLOT RELATING TO REVENUE BONDS FOR WATER CONSUMER
STATUS.
Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Browne and
carried, to waive further reading of said resolution.
• .Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Browne, to
adopt said resolution.
Councilman Chappell: Mr. Mayor, I think that this is one
of the most important areas of
water lef t in the State today.
I have attended several seminars that discussed this subject and
pointed out the benefits of it to some 80/ of the citizens of
our State, as well as the farmers and other people around the
Delta area. I think our Council should strongly support this and
do all we can to see that our citizens are properly informed as
to reasons why.they should support it too by their voting and that
is why I made the motion to support prbpositiron W on Jun-8 4th.
Mayor Shearer:
Is there any further discussion? I
have a question.
Perhaps city staff
can answer. The
Metropolitan Water
District
how much does it
affect the City of West
Covina? I know
we have
a Water Company and also a majority of
our City is
serviced
by private water
- in general do you
have some idea of
how much
water initiates
from the Metropolitan
Water District?
Just an
approximation.
• John Lippitt: The amount of water that has been
used within the City of West Covina
has been minimal that being
served by Suburban Water Company in the City of West Covina
The Rowland area, County area and Walnut area are entirely served
by Metropolitan.Water District water.
Mayor Shearer: Is there a potential there for
Suburban and the West Covina Water
Company to avail themselves of water from MWD?
- 29 -
CITY COUNCIL
Page Thirty
Pub. Hearing:
Merced/Orange Plan 4/8/74
Mr. Lippitt:
Yes, Suburban has a hook up with
MWD and the City of West Covina's
Master Plan for water in Woodside
Village anticipates a
sizable
amount of water being used from MWD.
•
Motion
carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES:
Browne,
Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
NOES:
None
ABSENT:
Lloyd
MITCHELL, SILBERBERG Mr..Wakefield: Mr. Mayor and
& KNUPP - CONTRACT members of Council,
Mr. Nicholas Counter III of Mitchell,
Silberberg & Knupp, has proposed a
contract on the same terms and conditions of last year's contract
to again represent the City in its meet and confer obligations
insofar as the Police and Fire Departments are concerned. The
contract is on the same basis as last year and all that is required
is the acceptance of the offer as made by Mitchell, Silberberg &
Knupp.
Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor,,I don't see a staff
recommendation. Mr. Aiassa, are you
recommending Mr. John Nicholas
Counter, III for another round?
Mr. Aiassa: Yes, Mr. Nichols.
Motion by Councilman Nichols, seconded by Conncilman Browne, to
approve said contract. Motionccarried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Browne, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
• NOES: None
ABSENT: Lloyd
THE CHAIR RECESSED THE COUNCIL MEETING AT 10 P.M. FOR THE PURPOSE
OF CONDUCTING THE REDEVELOPMENT MEETING. COUNCIL RECONVENED AT
10:.05 P.M.
CITY MANAGER
ACQUISITION OF Mr. Aiassa: As the staff report
COVINA-VALLEY UNIFIED indicates, the
SCHOOL DISTRICT Engineering, Planning and Recreation and
EXCESS PARCELS Park Departments want to make a feasibility
(Staff Report) study of two possible park sites. I think
this report.should just be received and
on April 23 the Recreation and Parks Commission is scheduled for a
study session on this. Further information will be forthcoming
after that.
Motion by Councilman Nichols, seconded by Councilman Chappell and
carried, to receive and file informational report.
REPLACEMENT OF
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
• EDISON COMPANY FRANCHISE
BOND
Union Insurance Company Bond
a resolution.
RESOLUTION NO. 4874
ADOPTED
Mr. Aiassa: This item covers the
Southern California
Edison Company
Franchise Bond No. 128098 issued by
Pacific Indemnity Company in the
amount of $1000 with Commercial
No. CF 7103701. This action requires
The City Attorney presented:
"A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA
APPROVING A FRANCHISE BOND FILED BY
- 30 -
CITY COUNCIL
City Manager - Cont'd.
Page Thirty-one
4/8/ 74
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY, A
CORPORATION.
Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Browne and
carried, to.waive further reading of said Resolution.
Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Browne to
adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Browne, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Lloyd
UCLA CONFERENCE Mr. Aiassa: This item comes from
May 2-31 1974 FOR the Personnel Board.
PERSONNEL BOARD The Chairman would like to attend a confer -
CHAIRMAN ence at UCLA on May 2/3 and our recommenda-
tion is that a staff member also go with
Mr. Tice. We have the adequate funds in the budget to cover. The
amount requested is $60.00 per person.
Motion by Councilman Nichols, seconded by
Councilman Chappell that the request be granted; expenditures not
to _exceed $60.00. per person. .
Mayor Shearer: I notice the registtation fee of $60.00
includes a luncheon and I would hope that
at anytime we are sending staff out of
town .to a meeting of this type that adequate funds be provided so
they do not have to spend out of their own pocket for meals. We
all recognize that when we go to a convention or a meeting that
generally the cost of lunch is greater than if we had stayed on
• the job. In this case I note that Mr. Aiassa has stated a fee,:°T
of $120.00 and I hope that is a policy written or unwritten.
Motion carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Browne, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Lloyd
Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor, relative to the comment you made
and with no effort to reflect discredit on
the chair at all I am not sure what the
City's policy is with regards to reimbursement for luncheons out of
town, conferences, etc., and whether there is a policy or there is
not a policy ---.there probably should be a policy adopted rather
than just by direction of Council. 'Would you consider it
inappropriate if we informally asked staff to report back to us
in the absence of a policy? (Mayor indicated he agreed.)
Mr. Aiassa: Mayor Shearer and Councilman Nichols,
each Department's budget has an allocation
that covers such things. The only require-
ment I have is that the person wishing to attend notifies me of
when he wants to go and when he will back and our Finance
Department asks them to hand in an itemized list so when we
• are audited we are accounted for.
Councilman Nichols: I would think, Mr. Aiassa, that would be
entirely appropriate if for instance
Mr. Zimmerman directed one of ht staff
members to attend a meeting that included a luncheon; however, in
an instance where a Commission member is going, or a Councilman
is going, and management - meaning the -City Manager's office and
his assitants feel, or the Councilmen feel, or the Planning
Commission, that staff accompaniment would be helpful it seems a
- 31 -
CITY COUNCIL
City Manager - Cont'd.
Page Thirty-two
4/8/ 74
little bit unfair to charge that particular expense back to that
Department. In that sense I concur with Mayor Shearer that we
ought to come up with a.mechanism where in those instances where
the initiative is n6t2with Department that the charge not be
against the Department and that funding be available for such
• things.
Mr. Aiassa: I think in this particular case it is the
one instance in several years in my
experience and is one that has kind of a
dual purpose. One is the Commissioner himself wants to be exposed
and needs it for the Board level and in discussing it with him we
thought my staff people would need the same input, so we are
covered on both sides.
NEW MAYORS AND Mr. Aiassa: This is a special
CITY COUNCILS INSTITUTE institute that is
MAY 15/19, 1974. geared for new Mayors
Lt and new Councilmen.
Mayor Shearer: We have one new City Councilman. I would
ask that Councilman Browne look this
material over and advise, perhaps before
the next meeting, if he would like funds appropriated for this
purpose. Unless you have already decided. The new Mayor will not
be attending.
Councilman Browne: At this time I cannot see any feasibility
for my attending, Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Shearer: If you change your mind between now and the
• next meeting please advise so we can put it
on the agenda and consider it again.
INFORMATION REPORT Mayor Shearer: This is an informational
(Added to Agenda) report - do you have
anything further to offer, Mr. Aiassa?
Mr. Aiassa: Yes. The information is that we are
proceeding on the recruitment program in
regard to this position.
EXCHANGE OF TRAILER Mr..Aiassa: This is not on the agenda,
but I would like to have
your permission to add to the agenda. This
is a carry over from our last meeting in
March - the Rotary Club offer for an exchange of our present
trailer for a pick up truck. I will have a staff report for
Council on April 221 1974.
Mayor Shearer: I believe we should have a motion to
receive and file the report on personnel
recruitment.
So moved by Councilman Browne, seconded by
• Councilman Chappell and carried.
ORA SHORT Mr. Aiassa: Mr. Mayor, I have one
TERMINATION item that should be on
the agenda and that is the termination of
Ora Short, Acting Fire Chief. He officially
resigned March 171, 1974 and he was in service with the City of
West Covina for approximately 22 years and in accepting his
resignation he is eligible for a resolution in plaque form accord-
ing to our standard requirements.
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CITY COUNCIL
City Manager - Cont'd.
Page Thirty-three
4/8/ 74
Motion by Councilman Chappell to direct that a resolution be
prepared to Ora Short for 22 years of outstanding service, and
that this be perma plagued. Seconded by Councilman Nichols.
Motion carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Browne, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
• - NOES: None
.ABSENT.: Lloyd
Mayor Shearer: I would suggest that Mr. Lloyd be contact-
ed so that he would show as favoring the
resolution. Would that be out of order,
Mr..Wakefield? (Answered: No sir.)
Mr. Aiassa: Mr. Mayor the resolution will be prepared and
introduced at your .next meeting.
LE.ONARD ELIOT Mr. Aiassa: I have one more item.
ACTING CITY MANAGER I am supposed to
appoint someone when I am away, so I am
appointing Leonard Eliot as Acting City
Manager to cover the four days I will be
away.
MAYOR'S REPORTS .
SENIOR CITIZEN Mayor Shearer: Do we have any
SELECTION FOR nominations for Senior
"OLDER AMERICANS Citizen selection? The deadline is the
RECOGNITION DAY" 15th, which is next Monday.
Councilman Chappell: Didn't we contact the Senior Citizen
• organization?
Mayor Shearer: Yes. Contact was made and there was no
citizen of West Covina nominated. Should
anyone come across someone between now and
Monday please advise me or Mr. Aiassa and we will see to it that
recognition is given.
JOINT MEETING WITH
CITY OF COVINA Mayor Shearer: I have been in contact
with the Mayor of
Covina - Mr. Brutocoa, rather he has been
in contact with me, and his council has
authorized him to request a meeting between the Mayors of the two
cities and the two City Managers to discuss whether or not we
should proceed with a full meeting of both Councils. The two items
that Mr. Brutocoa indicated to me of interest to the City of
Covina are.the merger of the Fire Departments of the two cities
and the Road Departments of the two cities. This Council will
recall that sometime in the past this Council want on record as
offering to participate in a study to merge the two cities. This
offer was summarily rejected by the City of Covina. Now the
proposal at this time is to talk about the merging of specific
departments. I am perfectly willing, with the concurrence of
• the Council, to sit down and discuss with Mr. Russell, Mr. Brutocoa,
and Mr. Aiassa, this matter and report back to you 'at our next
meeting with the possibility then of scheduling a joint meeting
of both Councils. If it is the desire of Council that we not
participate in this meeting I will be glad not to participate.
Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor, we have had a number of
meetings in the past along these general
lines of cooperation and I think the vast
- 33 -
CITY COUNCIL Page Thirty-four
City Manager - Cont'd. 4/8/74
majority of them have been initiated by West Covina. It is
unique and.a pleasure to even hear from our fellow Councilmen in
Covina and.I think you should meet with them, and I only ask that
during the course of that meeting you try to gain some information
• from Mayor Brutocoa as to whether he is speaking for himself or
as to whether there might be some sentiment on the Covina council
for a merger of any type. That would probably be the overriding
consideration as to whether it would be desirable to meet again
as full Councils.
Mayor Shearer: I will attempt to elicit an opinion from
him on that subject. He has the con-
currence of his full Council to meet with
me and the two City Managers. This does present a minor problem
in that Mr. Aiassa has indicated he is going to be gone and we
don't want Mr. Russell or Mr. Brutocoa stood up again - but we hop
to have that meeting before next Monday. So if we felt a joint
meeting was worthwhile - their Council meets next Monday night
and their Council could act on it then. However, I don't see that
this is such a drastic measure that it couldn't go over to the
first meeting in May. As it now stands we have a motion for me to
meet - do we have a second?
Seconded by Councilman Chappell and
carried.
Mayor Shearer: Mr. Aiassa, will you communicate with
Mr. Russell and advise him of the problem
or have Mr. Eliot communicate and if the City of
Covina is willing to meet with a substitute
City Manager, Mr. Eliot and myself will be more than glad to meet
• between now and Friday. If they wish the first string in all
respects then it will have to be after your vacation. I am not
suggesting that you interfere with your vacation. If you will
have Mr. -Eliot contact Mr. Brutocoa tomorrow and communicate with
me because I indicated to Mr. Brutocoa this would be the case.
PROCLAMATIONS Mayor Shearer: I have been asked to
proclaim the month of
April "Fair Housing Month - April, 1974."
Also to declare April 15th as Circus Day? in West Covina. It is
a joint effort in a minor sense with the Chamber of Commerce in
this activity. I think it is good entertainment. So if there
are no objections I will so proclaim. (No objections)
Also had a request delivered through
former Mayor, Councilman Lloyd, from the Society for the Preven-
tion and Preservation of the Barbershop Singing Group in the
United States to proclaim the week of April 14, 1974, as "Harmony
Week." If there are no objections I will so proclaim. (No
objections)
Mrs. Preston, you can probably get the
details from Councilman Lloyd.
. We have a late communication from
Bat. Chief Schwartz asking for approval to man the fire truck
for a display at an Open House program a week from Sunday at
MSA College. Two men are needed and they estimate the manpower
cost for this event would be $44.20.
Councilman Chappell: Mr. Mayor, I think this is good PR. It
also lets the citizens of our City that
go to MSC, and there are a lot of students
from our District, it lets them see what we do have in the way of
equipment. So I will move that we authorize our Acting Fire Chief
- 34 -
oll
•
CITY COUNCIL
Mayor's Reports
Page Thirty-five
4/8/ 74
to arrange this demonstration and approve the funds as stated
for same.
Seconded
on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Browne,
NOES: None
ABSENT: Lloyd
by Councilman Browne and carried
Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
Mayor Shearer: I received a letter and I think each
Councilman hopefully got a copy in his
packet, from the Board of Supervisors
with regard to a manner of handling certain new federal aid
highway programs. In the letter they are requesting the manner
in which this money is appropriated. I understand, and
Mr. Zimmerman correct me if I am wrong, that this money is
proposed to be appropriated by the County in a similar manner
as a previous urban fund in 1970. The County has 30 days, which
I assume is from the date of the letter which would take us to
April 28th - is there any need that this matter has to be approved
tonight - that it can't be done on the 22nd, our next meeting
night?
Mr. Zimmerman: Mr. Mayor, we recommended that it not be
approved because we would like to make a
report.
Mayor Shearer: I will entertain a moti!ontto rgfer the
letter dated March 28th to staff for a
report at our next meeting.
So moved by Councilman Browne, seconded by
Councilman Chappell and carried.
Mayor Shearer: I have one other item that I would request
staff to look into at its convenience. It
is not an urgency matter, but a number of
people have asked me what could be done either by the City or
the merchants and thismight be a business improvement project,
to install bike racks, in certain shopping areas. I noticed at
Von's and Longs.shopping complex there was a bike rack
installed. With the President's physical fitness program
a great number of people are riding bikes and it does require a
light pole and a long chain to get it around the light pole to
lock one's bike. So I think staff might look into this and work
with the Chamber of Commerce to see what can be done. Maybe the
City can make a bulk purchase and act as a distributor of the racks
for this purpose.
Mr. Aiassa: We might also interest service groups in
this.
Mayor Shearer: I would request that staff look into an
overall study of this subject and see if
something can be done.
COUNCILMEN'S REPORTS/
COMMENTS Councilman Chappell: At the last League
meeting there was a
discussion supposedly pro and con to
Proposition 9 and the Gardener's Organization - "Common Cause" is
an initiative on the ballot, that and proposition 9 as to the
disclosure law I understand is some 15,000 words long, so it is
probably very hard for any one person to break it down. However,
it goes far beyond just disclosure and we probably should have a
synopsis on it because I am to vote on some sort of opinion at our
next League meeting and this Council should give me some direction.
- 35 -
•
•
•
CITY COUNCIL
Councilmen's Reports/Comments
Councilman Nichols:
Mayor Shearer:
Councilman Chappell:
read it and you are in bushess
better do so pretty quick. So
and maybe we can get copies ou
be properly instructed.
Mayor Shearer:
they contact Mr. -Duvall.
Page Thirty-six
4/ 8/ 74
Hasn't the League given us something
on it?
Yes, we have received something - I
read it yesterday.
Well let's all read it and make some
sort of opinion on it before the
League meeting. I think if you
and not incorporated you had
anyway look that information over
t to Council, Mr. Mayor, so I can
If any Councilman desires an
additional copy I think I have a
copy contact. I would suggest
Councilman Nichols: Mr.•Mayor, tonight I do have
something I wish to discuss. The
hour is still reasonable and it is something that has been on
my mind for quite a long time. I would like at the outset to make
a specific request that the minutes involving these comments be
called directly to the attention of Mr. Lloyd, so he will be aware
of the nature of the comments I am going to make.
A community like ours always has
needs and we are always seemingly striving to fill the needs of
the community within the limitations of the budget and some things
suffer more than others and some things get priority. The city
staff has been doing what I feel is an outstanding job of attempting
to maintain the West Covina streets on a supplemental basis, but
it is very apparent that the monies available in each annual budget
are being spread very very thin and residents are beginning to
complain about the deterioration of some of the lesser streets,
let's say the private streets within the community. The
community is now at an age when normal deterioration begins to
accelerate and yet we really can't foresee easily substantial
funds available to us in that area through out own budget, yet as
I envision it the need is great now and is going to become greater
still.
We are all a little gun shy about
passing bond issues because in the past we haven't had such great
luck in attempting to pass bond issues, but on the other hand
sometimes when we reached for the sky we have been turned down
because we reached too high, such as the time we asked the voters
to approve four olympic size swimming pools all in one fell swoop.
So the first comment I want to make involves not reaching for the
sky.
I see a need for substantial
funding for street improvements, not new street projects but
repair and maintenance of the existing streets in our city. I
see another need that year by year relative to our community's
population grows greater and greater but that I think would be
in our reach, budget wise, on a lease purchase basis or through
a bond issue and I would prefer it that way, so I would like to
just throw it out tonight to the Council, the thought that in two
areas I would hope perhaps we might consider going to the voters
in November when we have our major election and asking for funds
for a Senior Citizens Center for West Covina and for funds to
undertake major street repair and resurfacing in the City and
allow the voters the choice for providing improved street services
or telling us they are satisfied with the streets the way they
- 36 -
CITY COUNCIL Page Thirty-seven
Councilmen's Reports/Comments 4/8/74
are and saying in effect that without raising their taxes we
can't accelerate very rapidly repairs in this area.
I am not talking in my own mind at this
• early stage of a Taj Ma -Hal Senior Citizen Center that suddenly ex-
pands into a municipal auditorium and a convention center and all
of that, but some standard meeting place that has been discussed
again and again. It was a priority item in the Recreation and
Parks and if we could come to some consensus on the Council in
coming weeks there is ample time to charge the Road Department
or the Street.Department with a survey and estimate of funding
needs to bring our streets up to standard throughout the City,
and there is still ample time for charging the Recreation and Park
Commission for the responsibility of studying the needs of a
Senior Citizen Center and recommending to Council.
I know we all have our pet projects that
concern us and I am certainly not coming in with a suggestion
that is going to be unilaterally accepted, others of you may have
other ideas, but what I am saying is that I do believe that if a
Council explains legitimate and prudent needs to its people,
needs that are recognized clearly and asks in a modest way for
support through bonding for those needs which will serve citizens
over the next 20 or 30 years, I do believe we would get that
support in our community. I believe we would noteinoz.Lmat�ter ,:what-N,we
asked for if we tried to go top cabin and high rise and a restaurant
for every Senior Citizen. Perhaps other Councilmen will have some
input or thoughts in that area.
All I am saying is if we are going to give
• any consideration to the possibility of bonding for needed
improvements now is the time of the year when Council should
begin thinking and talking about it so the proper input can be
given to it and the proper Departments and Commissions can
look at it so it can be timely scheduled for the November elections.
So I wouldn't have anything more to add
tonight except to ask that perhaps at a meeting not too far in
the distance when you see fit to ask the City Manager to schedule
it that we come back as a full council with any ideas you fellows
might have and if you don't agree then that's fine, but if you do
agree then we should move in these directions or perhaps in
others. Thank you, Mayor.
Mayor Shearer: I would request then, Mr. Aiassa, that you
place this general item on the next short
agenda meeting provided it isn't in
September or October. The next short agenda that we don't have
an Orange/Merced hearing or something of that nature, so we won't
feel pressed in timing. If that is within two to four weeks I
believe that will be adequate timing.
Councilman Nichols: And please again be sure that Councilman
Lloyd's attention is called to this.
Sometimes there is a delay in looking at
• the minutes before the next meeting and he might have thoughts
of his own on this. I think it is timely and orderly that we
give at least consideration to some of these needs and the
possibilties of a bonding approach before it is too late and
another year has passed by.
- 37 -
CITY COUNCIL Page Thirty-eight
Councilmen's Comments/Reports 4/8/74
Mr. Wakefield: Mr. Mayor, in that connection there is only
one time limitation which the Council needs
to keep in mind. Under the existing law
you are required to request consolidation from the special municipal
• election 79 days prior to the general election date, which means
you are talking about a target date of August 1 for a final
determination as to whether you go or not go on a bond issue.
Councilman Nichols: This is early April so we have April, May,
June and July - or four months.
Mayor Shearer: Mr. Aiassa - the item then should be
placed no later than the first meeting in
May. So this gives you a choice of the
last meeting in April or the first meeting in May.
APPROVAL OF DEMANDS Motion by Councilman Nichols to approve
Demands totalling $834,168.10 as listed on
.Demand Sheets C-961-965,.C859 and B618-
620A. Seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried on roll call
vote as follows: AYES: Browne, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Lloyd
ADJOURNMENT
•
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
0
Motion by Councilman Nichols, seconded by
Councilman Chappell and carried, to adjourn
meeting at 10:35 P.M.
APPROVED:
MAYOR