07-0724_CC_Minutes_Special Meeting' MINUTES
JULY 24, 2007
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
CLOSED SESSION
Mayor Allevato called the Closed Session of the City Council of the City of San Juan
Capistrano to order at 9:03 a.m. in the City Council Chamber. Council Member Hribar
led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Tom Hribar, Dr. Londres Uso, Mark Nielsen
Mayor pro tem Joe Soto, and Mayor Sam Allevato
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Dave Adams, City Manager; Meg Monahan, City Clerk; Cynthia L.
Russell, Assistant City Manager; Nasser Abbaszadeh, Engineering & Building Director;
Maria Morris, Deputy City Clerk.
' ORAL COMMUNICATIONS (Closed Session Items Only):
Ilse Byrnes, City resident, opposed the widening of Ortega Highway as it would result in
loss of the historic nature to the community.
Bonnie Holt, City resident, opposed the widening of Ortega Highway and supported
finding suitable alternatives to carrying the traffic from outside the community.
Yvonne Tschaikowsky, City resident, read a letter from Mr. Bob King, City resident, that
inquired into why the Council was meeting in Closed Session and another letter
requesting a hard copy of the Caltrans Initial Study.
Shelagh Hegarty, City resident, encouraged the Council to require an Environmental
Impact Report (EIR) from Caltrans concerning the Ortega Widening project. She read a
letter from Lisa Wilhelm, City resident, also encouraging a full EIR from Caltrans.
Lennie DeCaro, City resident, asked Council to pursue an EIR through legal action to
protect the residents or risk being sued by City residents.
Rebecca Bauer, City resident, felt the construction of the high school required widening
of the Ortega Highway. She felt Council should hire a good attorney to pursue an EIR
and pursue the extension of La Pata to relieve traffic.
7-24-2007
Trevor Dale, City resident, requested more leadership from the Council in hiring an _
attorney to pursue an EIR from Caltrans.
CLOSED SESSION (610.85)
A Closed Session was held for the following purposes, as authorized by statute:
1. Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(c), the City Council conferred
with its legal counsel regarding potential litigation concerning environmental
documentation for the Cal -Trans Ortega Widening project.
RECONVENE AT 9:47 A.M.
John Shaw, City Attorney, and all Council Members and Staff Members
previously noted, present.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF CLOSED SESSION ACTIONS
John Shaw, City Attorney, reported that as a result of the Closed Session the City
Council voted unanimously to authorize the City Manager to enter into negotiations with
a law firm in Los Angeles to pursue potential California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) compliance and litigation. The City Manager is also authorized, should
negotiations result in a contract, to execute the agreement. A press release would then
be issued as to that matter.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, Mayor Allevato adjourned the meeting on July 24,
2007, at 9:49 a.m. to Tuesday, August 7, 2007, at 5:30 p.m. for Closed Session and
7:00 p.m. for the Public Business Session in the City Council Chamber.
Respectfully submi ec l /`
Im /L-/
R. MONAHAN, CITY CLERK
21, 2007
ATTEST:
ALLEVATO, MAYOR
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