Council Meeting Date: September 15, 2021 Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TownOfAtherton/featured Details of each item can be found via the links to Staff Reports within the narrative. Approximate times are provided in each item so that you can find the item in the Video Presentation.
The City Council met for the September Regular Meeting on Wednesday, September 15 at 6 pm via Zoom Teleconference pursuant to the Governor's Executive Order. Following the Roll Call the Council began moving through the Agenda beginning with Presentations and Public Comments.
Following Public Comment, the Council moved to the City Manager's Report. The City Manager's Report is typically prepared monthly as part of the City Council's Regular Agenda. In addition to current reports from the City Manager, it typically includes departmental updates on the various happenings around Town such as reports from Administration, Community Services, Planning, Police, and Public Works.
Following the City Manager's Report, the Council moved to the Consent Agenda consisting of Items 6 through 12 (~6:04 pm). Items on the Consent Agenda are considered routine in nature and are generally considered in one motion and adopted by a single vote of the Council. Included in this month's Consent Agenda were bills and claims, minutes, approval of voting delegates to the League Conference, 2nd Amendment to the Agreement for Tennis Facility Management Services, Acceptance of Donation Naming Requests, Treasurer's Report and 3rd Amendment to Lease Agreement with CINGULAR WIRELESS PCS. Following a correction to the donation naming requests and comments regarding the Tennis Facility Management Services Agreement, the Council approved the Consent Agenda. The Tennis Facility Management Services item was pulled from the Consent Agenda for comments and was taken up as the last item on the Regular Agenda. The item was ultimately approved as presented.
Next was Public Hearings. (6:08 pm) Public Hearings are typically held for Ordinances, Budget Adoption, Fee Adoption, and Land Use approvals. Item No. 13, Introduction for 1st Reading and Waive Further Reading of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 2.08.010 Regarding Posting Places. Following a brief staff report, the Council conducted the Public Hearing. Following public comment, the Council introduced for 1st Reading and Waived Further Reading an Ordinance amending Chapter 2.08.010, Posting Places. The Council directed that staff connect with the Lindenwood Homeowner's Association regarding the bulletin boards within their area to determine if the Association would like to take ownership of those boards for Association use.
Next up was the Regular Agenda. (~6:20 pm)
Item No. 14 was review and consideration of revisions to the Resolution Governing Town Committees and Commissions to reduce members on the Rail Committee and merging the Bicycle and Pedestrian and Transportation Committees. After a brief staff report and public comment, the Council discussed the items. The Council supported a reduction in size of the Rail Committee from 9 members to 7 members and ultimately adopted a Resolution to do so. However, after discussion, the Council opted not to make any changes to the Bicycle and Pedestrian and Transportation Committees. The Council discussed issues related to issue focus, issue overlap, community engagement, committee membership and participation, and information sharing. The Council directed that staff consider Joint Meetings of the two committees at least twice per year to facilitate improved communication between the two committees on issues of common concern.
Item No. 15, modification of the hours for the right-turn on red restrictions at the Middlefield Road/Oak Grove Avenue Intersection. (6:55 pm) Following a brief staff report and public comment, the Council discussed issues related to school schedule timing, pedestrian and bicycle users of the intersection, signal timing, engineering adjustments to the intersection, hours of restrictions, type of signage, and neighborhood impacts. Following discussion, the Council directed that staff conduct a survey of the users of the intersection for type of user and timing over the period of a week, evaluate the possibility of alternate signage to include an analysis of using "When Pedestrians are Present" versus hourly restrictions, and evaluate the potential engineering changes to the intersection to include signal synchronization improvements along the corridor and the use of red arrows to allow turning movements. Once this has been evaluated, the Council asked the the item return to the Council for reconsideration.
Next up was Item No. 16, discussion and direction regarding median street tree replacement options for Mt. Vernon Lane and Tuscaloosa Avenue. (7:30 pm) Following a staff report and public comment, the Council discussed issues related to size of trees, options for replacement, cost, impacts on roadway safety and design, as well as tree type and condition. Following discussion, the Council directed that the Town replace the Mt. Vernon Lane tree with the tree type selected by the adjacent neighborhood at the 60" box size, purchased pursuant to the Town's purchasing policy requirements. The neighborhood will be provided with the option to increase the size of the tree for the space. The Town Arborist was directed to work with the neighbors to facilitate the purchase, potential upsizing, and installation of the tree. The Council directed that with respect to the replacement options on Tuscaloosa that staff investigate the potential to widen the roadway around the tree by encroaching into the adjacent rights-of-way and engage the neighbors in the discussion. Staff was directed to investigate the widening in order to accommodate more width around the base of the tree with the need for median installation as well as to allow the neighborhood to consider upsizing the tree at their cost. Following this investigation, staff was directed to return to Council for reconsideration of the installation.
Item No. 17 was consideration of a preliminary budget for the Town Center Grand Opening. (8:22 pm). Following a brief staff report and public comment, the Council discussed issues related to project timing, size of event, potential dates, separation of the events into a Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening, and postponing the Grand Opening until the Spring for better weather and project maturity. The Council provided general feedback to the City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee and approved a preliminary budget of $25,000.
The next meeting of the City Council will be a Special Meeting/Study Session on October 6 at 4 pm. The October 6 tentative Agenda includes a final review and approval of the Donor Wall Materials and Design, a Discussion of a Public Safety Ingress/Egress Easement in Lindenwood (via the CalWater easement), a Discussion of a Report from the EPC and City Council Subcommittee on the Leaf Blower Ordinance, a Review of the RFP for Landscape Maintenance Services, and Recommendations from the Transportation Committee on the Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan.