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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN 2001 0517 CC JNTMINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL Moorpark, California May 17, 2001 A Special Meeting of the City Council and the Planning Commission of the City of Moorpark was held on May 17, 2001, in the Council Chambers of said City located at 799 Moorpark Avenue, Moorpark, California. 1. CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Hunter called the City Council to order at 6:41 p.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Hugh Riley, Assistant City Manager, led the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. ROLL CALL: City Council Present: Councilmembers Mikos, Millhouse, Wozniak and Mayor Hunter. Councilmember Harper arrived at 6:52 p.m. Planning Commission Present: Commissioners DiCecco, Haller, Landis, and Chair Parvin Planning Commission Absent: Staff Present: Commissioner Otto Steven Kueny, City Manager; Hugh Riley, Assistant City Manager; Wayne Loftus, Director of Community Development; Walter Brown, City Engineer; Deborah Traffenstedt, ATOM /City Clerk; and Blanca Garza, Deputy City Clerk 4. PUBLIC COMMENT: None. 5. PRESENTATION /ACTION /DISCUSSION: A. Consider Goals and Objectives for Fiscal Year 2001/2002. Staff Recommendation: Consider and discuss Goals and Objectives for FY 2001/2002. Mr. Kueny gave the staff report and discussed the Planning Commission's review of the Goals and Objectives. Minutes of the City Council and Planning Commission Moorpark, California Page 2 May 17, 2001 Mr. Kueny referenced the memorandum dated May 16, 2001, from the Director of Community Development regarding the summary of the May 17, 2001, Planning Commission meeting, and suggested the Planning Commission's items of concern, housing and open space /recreation /land use be addressed. In response to Mayor Hunter, Chair Parvin stated she would like further direction on how the City will achieve affordable housing. Mr. Kueny distributed and summarized a table identifying current projects. Mr. Kueny stated he is confident that the City will achieve the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) numbers by the time the City builds out. Mayor Hunter stated that other cities are dissatisfied with the RHNA numbers and are contemplating initiating litigation. Mayor Hunter also stated that he is confident the City of Moorpark will meet affordable housing mandates when the City is built out. Mr. Kueny discussed percentage of affordable units required for projects located in and out of the Moorpark Redevelopment Agency Project Area. AT THIS POINT in the meeting, Councilmember Harper arrived. The time was 6:52 p.m. Councilmember Millhouse suggested that the Affordable Housing Committee work with Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation to keep their project moving. He also addressed Councilmember Harper's interest to work with Habitat for Humanity, and encouraged the public to provide ideas with regard to affordable housing. Chair Parvin commented that at the last Planning Commission meeting speakers brought up the topic of a potential eight -unit affordable housing project to be provided by the SunCal developer. Chair Parvin stated that she has never formally been made aware of that project and would like clarification. Mr. Kueny explained that the affordable housing requirement for SunCal will be negotiated by the SunCal Development Agreement Ad Hoc Committee and the developer and stated that the Planning Commission should follow the policies of the Council to achieve affordable housing units in development projects. Minutes of the City Council and Planning Commission Moorpark, California Page 3 May 17, 2001 Commissioner Landis stated he would like City Council direction in regard to affordable housing, and stated his preference is to typically intermix affordable housing units into a project. He suggested making a policy so it is not readily apparent to visually distinguish affordable housing units from market -rate units within a project. Commissioner Haller commented that the impression was given that the eight homes discussed were tied to the SunCal project, and that when the City has higher cost housing projects it is difficult to include affordable housing within the project. Mr. Kueny asked the Planning Commission how they thought the West Pointe project's affordable housing obligation would be addressed. Chair Parvin stated that affordable housing provision has not really been addressed for the West Pointe project, and assumed it would be addressed by the City Council. Councilmember Wozniak stated that it is apparent that the Planning Commission should have more authority to make affordable housing recommendations for a development project after getting clear policy direction from the City Council. He also stated that acquiring land and in lieu fees does not give the City the actual units and that the process needs to move faster to get the affordable housing units built. Mayor Hunter stated he concurs with Councilmember Wozniak and stated that the Planning Commission should have greater authority to make an affordable housing recommendation to the City Council. Councilmember Millhouse stated that there is a dilemma of how to put affordable housing in a project of one million - dollar homes, and he commented that he thinks it is best to intermix the affordable housing units within a project and not to segregate them. He asked the Planning Commission to explore different ways the City can accomplish affordable housing, such as a low- income loan program and joint equity ownership with the City and /or other agency. Councilmember Harper stated he agreed that projects must be looked at on a case -by -case basis, and it is best to integrate homes when feasible. He stated that it is not Minutes of the City Council and Planning Commission Moorpark, California Page 4 May 17, 2001 desirable to "sit on" money and it is best to begin projects as the money comes in. He also stated he is in favor of working with Habitat for Humanity for single - family unit projects and commented that they move very quickly. In response to Councilmember Harper, Mr. Kueny stated that the City has Community Development Block Grant funds, approximately $600,000 from past projects, and about $1.2 million in Housing Redevelopment Agency funds. Mr. Kueny gave the example of the Specific Plan 2 multi- family site and suggested the Planning Commission should look at this site for integration of the affordable and market rate units. Councilmember Mikos stated she concurs with ideas stated and suggested that there should be a way for builders to form an alliance to get affordable housing built. She stated she went to a smart growth conference that had a presentation by Fanny Mae where they had many creative options. She suggested having City staff make a presentation to the City Council about creative options to consider based on the smart - growth presentation. Commissioner DiCecco stated that the Planning Commission will diligently pursue affordable housing and concurs with Councilmember Harper in regard to Habitat for Humanity, and he discussed other ideas of increasing density. He stated it would be helpful to have one Planning Commissioner attend project- related Ad Hoc Committee meetings. He also discussed mixed -use housing. Mayor Hunter stated he concurred with the idea of more mixed -use projects in the High Street area. Councilmember Millhouse commented that the term affordable housing has a stigma and should not be misconstrued, and would like to see the Planning Commission explore alternatives including the consideration of the existing supply of housing. Councilmember Mikos suggested the Planning Commission should have a study session regarding what areas they would like to be involved in. Mayor Hunter asked for other Planning Commission comments on the goals and objectives. Minutes of the City Council and Planning Commission Moorpark, California Page 5 May 17, 2001 Commissioner Landis discussed the need for enhanced open space and discussed the beauty of the Arroyo Simi. Commissioner Haller questioned the storage and dumping occurring in the Tierra Rejada Greenbelt near State Route 23 and asked about enforcement. Mayor Hunter stated that Supervisor Mikels informed the City that the County is working on enforcement, and the City will continue to work with Supervisor Mikels Office to get compliance on the property. Councilmember Mikos stated she would like the Arroyo Simi to be a centerpiece of the City, enhancing the natural and recreation components. She stated that grant funds may be available to do a feasibility study, and she would like this placed higher on the priority list. Councilmember Harper stated that there is a need to push opening up the Arroyo Simi for public recreation use, and suggested that the Planning Commission look at recreation in a broader sense. He also stated that the Planning Commission should condition projects to provide necessary infrastructure and gave the example of the trail system in the Carlsberg Specific Plan. He stated that the Planning Commission could take the lead on a citywide integrated trail system. Mayor Hunter stated that the Planning Commission should avoid duplication of the Parks and Recreation Commission's role. Mr. Kueny stated that it is timely to look at the Arroyo Simi, as staff is trying to arrange for a speaker from the Flood Control District to discuss improvement plans for the Arroyo Simi for the scheduled Joint City Council and Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. Councilmember Mikos discussed the Rim of Valley Trail and the potential for collaboration with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. She stated the City should work jointly with resource agencies. Chair Parvin stated she would like to emphasize the Arroyo Simi this year in the objectives. Councilmember Harper stated that one thing to look at is to set up an endowment fund to pay for maintenance of open space and trails. He suggested carefully conditioning projects. Minutes of the City Council and Planning Commission Moorpark, California Page 6 May 17, 2001 Councilmember Mikos discussed potential park and open space grant funds. Mayor Hunter asked if there are any other items the Planning Commission would like the City Council to consider. Commissioner Haller asked if there were any comments from the City Council regarding the Planning Commission. Mayor Hunter stated that the City Council has confidence in the Planning Commission and that the Council and the community would benefit from enhancing Planning Commission responsibilities. Councilmember Mikos discussed the philosophy of the current goals and objectives process. She discussed a League of California Cities conference she attended where they suggested looking at the goals and objectives at the beginning of a new city councilmember's term to look at their individual top priorities. She stated that this process would help work towards the budget priorities and then staff will know what items to budget that relate to the already established goals and objectives. She asked that this change be considered for the future. Commissioner Haller asked that if there are any mechanism to better convey to the Commission the ad hoc committee discussion for a project. Mr. Kueny stated that when information is made public, staff will provide that information to the Planning Commission. He discussed advantages of having the Planning Commission's recommendations on affordable housing before the City Council ad hoc committee meets on a development agreement. He also added that he would commit staff to provide the Planning Commission a more meaningful role regarding affordable housing. He discussed the West Pointe and SunCal projects. Councilmember Harper discussed the need to consider solar opportunities for new housing and a need to look at new construction technologies to provide less expensive homes and greater fire protection. He stated that the Planning Commission should recommend new construction technology to the City Council to achieve better quality projects. In response to Mayor Hunter, Mr. Kueny stated he would research with the City Attorney the legality of having Minutes of the City Council and Planning Commission Moorpark, California Page 7 May 17, 2001 one or more Planning Commissioners attend a Council ad hoc committee meeting. Mayor Hunter stated he has no objection to having Planning Commissioners attend ad hoc committee meetings if their role will help to enhance the community. 6. ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Hunter adjourned the City Council meeting at 7:50 p.m. Chair Parvin adjourned the Planning Commission meeting at 7:50 p.m. ATTEST: Deborah S. Traffenstedt City Clerk atrick Hufter, Mayor Jan ,Ice Parvin, Chair