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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-09-27 CC Minutes CITY OF UKIAH CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Regular Meeting CIVIC CENTER COUNCIL CHAMBERS 300 Seminary Avenue Ukiah, CA 95482 9/27/2011 1. ROLL CALL Ukiah City Council met at a Special Meeting on September 27, 2011, the notice for which being legally noticed on September 22, 2011. Mayor Rodin called the meeting to order at 6:02 pm. Roll was taken with the following Councilmembers present: Landis, Thomas, and Mayor Rodin. Councilmembers absent: Councilmembers Crane and Baldwin. Staff present: Planning and Community Development Director Stump, Senior Planner Jordan, City Manager Chambers, City Attorney Rapport, and City Clerk Currie. Councilmembers Crane and Baldwin were not present because both have a conflict of interest by owning property within a 300 square feet radius of the DZC boundaries and cannot by law participate in the discussion and/or vote on the matter. Mayor Rodin owns property within a 300 square foot radius of the DZC, but since Council needed to have a quorum, one member of the three with the conflict needed to participate, so there was a selection process between these three Council members and Mayor Rodin was selected to participate. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Minutes of 8/22/11 M/S Landis/Thomas to approve minutes of 8/22/11, as submitted. Motion carried by all AYE voice vote. 5. RIGHT TO APPEAL DECISION 6. AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Alan Nicholson stated today is the national awareness day for the postal service to raise the awareness of the closing of post offices. The post office downtown is going to be closed by Christmas and all appeals have been rejected. Nicholson requested the City Council entertain sending a complaint to the postal service to see where it leads. He provided a schedule of procedures and draft complaint. City Council expressed a desire to add it to an upcoming agenda (maybe October 5, 2011). Don Larson spoke regarding closing of the downtown post office and picking the closure. i Democracy Now had a segment on closing post offices. Page 1 of 5 9/27/2011 7. WORKSHOP DISCUSSION a. Community Workshop For Discussion of the Proposed Downtown Zoning Code (DZC) Director of Planning and Community Development Director Stump and Senior Planner Jordan presented the item. Recommended Action(s): Conduct a City Council workshop on the draft Downtown Zoning Code and take public comment. Attachment 1- Unresolved Issues, pg. 7 "Other" Building Height Staff recommendation is to have the applicant go through the exception process to bulid a one story building. By Consensus City Council supports staff's recommendation. Density Staff recommendation is to leave maximum density at 28 units because it is the same as the General Plan. By Consensus, City Council supports staff's recommendation. Trash Receptacles By Consensus, City Council supports staff's recommendation. Attachment 2, Table Right-of-Way Configuration Existing and Proposed Frontage Requirements Clay Street(Main Street to Railroad ROW) pg.4 Councilmembers Landis, Thomas, and Mayor Rodin support bike lanes. Mayor Rodin supports reducing travel lanes and increasing sidewalk widths. Clay(State Street to Main Street) pg. 4 Council supports removing parking on street, reduce travel lane, adjust sidewalks, and creating bike lanes. Tarney Sheldon suggested using a traffic and bike lane concurrently, a share row, like used in other communities when dealing with small streets. Leslie Street pg. 4 Councilmember Landis and Mayor Rodin support bike lanes (third option). Alan Nicholson supports the plan integrating with the streetscape plan. Councilmember Thomas inquired as to what the impact would be on the mobilehome park in the Leslie street area. Robert Axt is concerned about Leslie Street with the Senior Center and River Oak School. The two concerns were adequate sidewalks and safety control for the children. Hopes all types of types of traffic can be handled on Leslie. Page 2 of 5 9/27/2011 __ Council supports a bike lane if feasible. Councilmember Landis and Mayor Rodin spoke to Stephenson Street (page 5) and support travel lanes, no parking, and sidewalks with tree wells. Councilmember Thomas is concerned about the reduction in parking. Staff stated studies show plenty of parking is available. By Consensus, City Council supports the recommendations in the table. Menu of Alternatives for Limitations on Formula Fast Food Restaurants - Attachment 3 Linda Helland, Planning Commissioner, agrees the definition of Restaurant - Formula Fast Food needs clarification. Robert Axt has issue with the definition of Restaurant- Formula Fast Food. Robert Axt spoke on behalf of the owners of the Pear Tree Center on Formula Fast Food. They are concerned about the definition of Restaurant - Formula Fast Food. They are planning an eat-in restaurant on the vacant corner in the center and feel the DZC puts the center of town at a disadvantage to the Redwood Business Park. They hope Council will not prohibit a use that puts them at a disadvantage. - Dan Thomas supports fast food establishments for college student jobs. Spoke regarding the Perkins Street area and supports taking one section out of the form based zone and consider it as part of the existing development (Pear Tree Center). Roberta Heath asked what communities were used to see what is and what is not downtown. Does not support Ukiah becoming like Marin and Sausalito because Ukiah is different. Tarney Sheldon, North Coast Opportunities, Nutrition educator, peers and proximity affects kids' and families' choices. If the unhealthy foods are available, people will eat it. Make the healthy food the easy choice. Linda Helland brought up the fact of the proximity and density of fast food has an affect on peoples' health and that non-chain restaurants return approximately 20% more to the local economy than chain establishments do. Encourages City Council uphold the Planning Commission's recommendation of prohibiting formula fast food. Alan Nicholson spoke regarding health care costs and tax dollars by allowing formula fast food into the community. He read a letter, Attachment 1. Mo Moheren Wattenburger spoke to the rights of the business owners to sell what they wish. Does not support a ban. Councilmember Landis provided some recommendation 1. No formula fast food in downtown core - 6 block area - with the exception of donut shops, ice cream, and coffee houses, etc. and keep them at 5% of the total stores downtown. Page 3 of 5 9/27/2011 2. In the urban center less than 15% of any formula fast food. 3. In the general urban fewer than 5% of all fast food. Landis also had the following recommendations: • No fast food on street corners, nor primary locations, less visible, and not a land mark. • Not more than one per block on either side of street. • Abide by the form with appropriate signage. There are good points in the ASR about signage. Landis supports hearing from the Design Review Board regarding signs. • Supports Design Review Board review of exterior plans. • One more than one of any kind or brand in zoning area. • Max of 30 foot street frontage. • No drive thru ever. • Would like to see a trash removal plan - page 2 under additional requirements. Tarney Sheldon thinks the 5% is too much in the core. Mayor Rodin supports a ban on formula fast food in any of the three areas of downtown, suggests limiting to a specific number (like 4) for new (not existing) coffeehouse, ice cream, etc. in the entire DZC, and agrees with staffs points regarding signs. Councilmember Thomas supports Mayor Rodin's position. Rapport explained the motive cannot favor local business, but for health reasons. Rapport talked about this and the findings. Rodin suggested looking at the Findings on page 3 and Purpose Statements page 4. Rapport stated what Councilmember Landis is suggesting is different than a total ban. The range of issues is different. The health justification is not enough. Banning does not promote diversity; a mix of local and non local businesses in needed. City Council requests a better definition of Formula Fast Food. Linda Helland stated many communities have restricted formula fast food and currently many fast food chains are within the City limits. Helland provided a list of findings/preamble for this section of the code, Attachment 2. Mayor Rodin asked Commissioner Helland if she thought City Council could ban formula fast food based on the current imbalance. Helland said yes and the General Plan also offers support to a ban. Rapport stated facts need to be submitted to Council for the record that are unique to Ukiah. Rodin thought Public Health may have some of these counts. Helland said the study looks at fast food and not just formula fast food. Mayor Rodin agrees with Councilmember Landis on signs and store front widths. Director Stump summarized what he heard City Council recommend, to retain and promote one-of-a-kind, unique business and restaurants. Page 4 of 5 9/27/2011 Mayor Rodin and Councilmembers Landis and Thomas like second purpose statement on page 4. Director Stump said using purpose statement two, staff will prepare findings to support the approach recommended by Mayor Rodin and Councilmember Thomas (a ban on formula fast food), and will return to Council. Regarding the definition of formula fast food, modify A, remove inexpensive, remove quickly made, and define low nutritional value. Mayor Rodin does not support banning healthy fast food. Robert Axt suggested removing the commas in the description making it one statement instead of three. Inexpensive should not be a qualification. City Manager asked if staff could proceed to CEQA process. Stump said yes and will work closely with City Attorney Rapport. City Council supports keeping c and b of definision. 8. NEW BUSINESS a. Consideration And Possible Approval Of Letter Addressing Revisions To Participation Agreement With Ukiah Valley Sanitation District Discussed By Ad Hoc Committees Of City And District Adjourn to closed session 8:15 pm 9. CLOSED SESSION-Closed Session may be held at any time during the meeting a. Conference with Legal Counsel -Existing Litigation (Subdivision (a) of Gov't Code Section 54956.9) Name of case: (Ukiah Valley Sanitation District v. City of Ukiah, dispute resolution under Participation Agreement) Reconvened in Open Session with no reportable action 9:15 pm. 10. ADJOURNMENT The e •-.•• no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:15 pm. Jo7'"'"*� . City Clerk Page 5 of 5 9/27/2011