COUNCIL WATCH REPORT
MEETING OF MAY 18, 2009

Agenda Item 3D (consent calendar)
Resolution Finding Severe Fiscal Hardship Will Exist If Additional Local Tax Funds are Seized and Additional Mandates are Adopted by the State

What’s At Stake:

State of Calif. wants to solve its financial problems in part by expropriating local tax money traditionally used for local purposes.

Council Comments and Vote:

After acceptance of a Torliatt proposed amendment making it even more emphatic that no means no, the resolution passed unanimously upon motion by Healy, second by Renée.

Agenda Item 4A (New Business)
Resolution Authorizing City Manager to Execute an Agreement with S&S Trucking for the Hauling and Beneficial Reuse or Disposal of City Biosolids

What’s At Stake:

One and a half million dollars over 5 years for disposing of treated wastewater biosolids
(solid or semisolid material) from the new water treatment plant at Ellis Creek. Of interest because of the way the votes broke. City engineer Margaret Orr made an elaborate, detailed PowerPoint and slide presentation, created with the assistance of an independent civil engineering firm, in support of her recommendation that the city accept the 2nd lowest bid, S&S Trucking of Oakland over the low bidder, Norcal Waste Systems of Santa Rosa (and points north, east and south). The dollar difference is 60 – 80,000 dollars over 5 years. In terms of greenhouse gases and the environment this was better because it involved much shorter truck hauling distances.

Council Vote:

The vote was 4 to 3: Torliatt, Barrett, Glass and Renée in favor, Harris, Rabbitt and Healy opposed because they wanted Norcal.

Agenda Item 5B (Public Hearings)
Discussion and Possible Action to Rezone 2.6 acre Vacant Property at 1200 Petaluma Blvd North to a Planned Unit District (from Mixed Use) and to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for (proposed occupant) Logan Place, a 66-Unit Affordable Multi-family Rental Housing Community

What’s At Stake:

Whether this proposed development, approved with conditions by the Planning Commission, should move forward.

The developer, Burbank Housing, is a known and respected developer with several existing affordable housing projects in Petaluma. The proposed building plan is inconsistent with current Mixed Use 1a zoning requirements concerning building heights at or near property lines and number of parking spaces. The applicant believes modifying the project to comport with existing zoning laws will not work financially or aesthetically. It suggests changing the zoning rather than its plans.

Discussion and Council Comments:

No one had a problem with changing the zoning. The questions and discussion concerned issues involved in the Mitigated Negative Declaration (This is a provision of CEQA, the Calif. Environmental Quality Act, that requires a local government entity – here, the City -- to declare that a limited number of significant environmental impacts have been identified and can be readily mitigated [as opposed to an unqualified Negative Declaration which states no significant environmental impacts have been identified]).

Two citizens raised concerns, particularly about parking: the owner of Lakeville Auto Painting, immediately to the south and a resident on Shasta Ave., the first east-west street south of the project.
-- Councilmember Tiffany Renée was concerned about heat and air circulation in the upper stories without air conditioning (the main, or “podium” building is four stories, others are three); she wanted fruit trees, pointing out that she had seven in only 100 square feet,
-- Mayor Pam Torliatt was concerned that the porches (on every unit on three floors) were too small (three feet deep); wants certainty of bike/ped access along north side to east boundary; wanted reassurance on hours of construction.

A number of questions and concerns from all. No deal breakers. Apparent consensus for northern entry as main one for vehicles and that there be some kind of price sharing on southern access using Lakeville Auto driveway. Harris said nearly nothing. PT reporter had trouble following Rabbitt’s comments.

Result:

By unanimous vote the zoning change was accepted. The Mitigated Negative Declaration adopted in principle and the matter continued for its 2nd and final consideration to the next meeting.

"PT reporter had trouble following Rabbitt’s comments." - Was this because you failed to accurately and truthfully state what was said in the last two meetings?

I gave architectural design suggestions and criticisms. I believe the podium building will be very massive and people will be shocked to see it once it is constructed....

PT reporter had trouble translating Intelligent input from English to Propagandist Bolshevism.... Thats too funny.
David is way out of your league "Proletariat Tomorrow". Go back to your book of Socialist smear Tactics. David is an essential True leader in our community. Thank you David!

"Harris said nearly nothing", so what did he say? Rabbitt was hard to follow, so what did he say? Petalumatommorrow is worse than a communist state, just approving censorship and no freedom of speach. I think we should have a accurate literature of every council meeting here, than we can debate.