11-0907_CC_Minutes_Special MeetingMINUTES
SEPTEMBER 7, 2011
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO CITY COUNCIL,
CITY MANAGER AND EXECUTIVE TEAM RETREAT
SPECIAL MEETING
Mayor Allevato called the Special Meeting Retreat of the City Council, City Manager and
Executive Team of the City of San Juan Capistrano to order at 9:38 a.m. at the San
Juan Hills Golf Club.
ROLL CALL
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Laura Freese, Derek Reeve, John Taylor, Mayor pro
tem Larry Kramer and Mayor Allevato
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None
Agenda items are presented in the originally agendized format for the benefit of the
minutes' reader, but were not necessarily heard in that order.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS:
• Roy Byrnes, City resident, felt general law cities are designed to lessen
government; and expressed the need for staff not to disappoint the City Manager.
• Bob Cardoza, City resident and Design Review Committee Member, felt the work
sessions are overdue; felt direction given to the Commissions and Committees is
not always clear; and encouraged the one -stop -shop concept; and felt there is a
need to simplify City processes.
CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER AND EXECUTIVE TEAM RETREAT:
1. DISCUSSION TO CLARIFY CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES FOR CURRENT FISCAL
YEAR 2011-2012; UPDATE ON QUARTERLY ACCOMPLISHMENTS RELATED
TO IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES; AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OPERATIONAL
EFFICIENCIES, IDENTIFIED.
Dick Lyles, Leadership Legacies L.L.C., facilitated the retreat and provided a
PowerPoint presentation. Mayor Allevato and Karen P. Brust, City Manager,
provided opening comments.
Opportunities for Operational Efficiencies for Discussion
Implement Action Minutes for City Council Meetings; and Implement Webstreaming of
Council Meetings.
City Council, City Manager, Executive Team Comments:
• Maria Morris, City Clerk — Felt that a great deal of time is spent on the
preparation of minutes; at one time, after removing the recording secretary
services from the budget, the City Clerk prepared action minutes, but it has
gone back to summary minutes; felt that technology, such as webstreaming
meetings, would allow for action minutes enabling the City Clerk, and staff to
refocus time on other clerk projects; felt that offering webstreaming of City
Council meetings would create transparency and easy access to records for the
public and City staff; and stated that the City Clerk staff has increased office
efficiency by decreasing the number of City Council Agenda packets produced.
• Karen P. Brust, City Manager - Felt webstreaming would be a great tool in
allowing the public to watch City Council meetings live and on demand; it would
place a focus on records management to provide ease of information to the
public; and look into the future to gracefully introduce paperless packets via an
iPad, Kindle, etc.
• Consensus to have action minutes only in conjunction with webstreaming of
public meetings.
Look for Ways to Reduce Meetings, Events, i.e. Conducting Joint Meetings.
City Council, City Manager, Executive Team Comments:
• Karen P. Brust, City Manager — Expressed concern with the number of
Commissions, Committees and Boards established within the City; felt staff
spends a lot of time attending Commission/Committee meetings with
Development Services having five (5) Commissions/Committees and staff
attending a minimum of eight (8) meetings per month; need to look at the staff
time compared to the outcome of meetings; felt there may be an opportunity to
reduce number of commissions and committees; felt there is a need for the
Planning Commission and Transportation Commission to be separate;
suggested merging the Cultural Heritage Commission function with Planning
Commission; and suggested reducing the number of regular
Commission/Committee meetings.
• Grant Taylor, Development Services Director - Has not seen other cities with a
Housing Advisory Committee, Cultural Heritage Commission or Zoning
Administrator, these functions have all been done through the Planning
Commission; suggested dissolving these Commissions/Committees and
appointing functions to the Planning Commission; expressed concern with
complaints from applicants about the length of time to process projects; felt that
a form based code provides more approval power to staff; suggested that the
Development Services Department Director be given more power to help
streamline processes; suggested for the Planning Commission to act as Cultural
Heritage Commissioners, similar as to how the City Council act as Community
Redevelopment Agency Board members.
• Cynthia Alexander, Community Services Manager — Expressed how the Youth
Advisory Board wants to be more involved with City projects, such as input on
the BMX Bike park; suggested having joint meetings between the Youth
Advisory Board and the Parks, Recreation and Senior Services Commission on
projects such as the BMX park; and, felt the Youth Advisory Board is important
as they work on projects to keep youth participation within the City.
• Mayor Allevato - Felt the City has unique needs with active community
members; other cities are master planned communities controlled by
Homeowners Associations; felt that over the years, the City's Commissions and
Committees have evolved based on the needs of the community; felt joint
commission meetings have worked well in the past to assist with process
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efficiency; and, felt the Open Space, Trails and Equestrian Commission is an
important commission based on current events.
• Larry Kramer, Mayor pro tem - Suggested for Transportation Commission
functions to be given to the Planning Commission as the City Engineer/Traffic
Engineer can be given authority to make decisions.
• Laura Freese, Council Member — Requested that the Executive Team prepare a
list of items for approval at staff level (i.e. monument signs); and felt the function
of the Cultural Heritage Commission is important to the community and may not
get a good response from the community if the commission is dissolved.
• Derek Reeve, Council Member - Felt there is a need to combine commissions
and committees in order to streamline processes; and felt the Youth Advisory
Board can reduce meetings to once a month.
Encourage Volunteer Assistance for Fundraising Efforts.
City
Council, City Manager, Executive Team Comments:
•
Karen P. Brust, City Manager — Felt it would be helpful to have volunteers assist
with fund raising efforts; felt it would be uncomfortable for staff to solicit
donations; suggested for City Council to form a subcommittee to focus on one
event at a time and for the subcommittee to select members from the
community who are passionate about the event; and felt proclamations are an
appropriate way to recognize sponsors.
•
Mayor Allevato — Suggested that City Council be more active with fund raising
efforts and present it as an opportunity for local businesses to give back to the
community; and felt that Commission/Committee members may not feel
comfortable asking for donations.
•
Laura Freese, Council Member — Felt it would be uncomfortable for Council
Members to solicit donations; suggested for Commission/Committee members
to be more involved with fund raising efforts.
•
Larry Kramer, Mayor pro tem — Felt that it may not be a conflict for City Council
members to solicit donations from businesses.
•
Maria Morris, City Clerk — Suggested recognizing those who make donations to
City events at City Council meetings.
•
Cynthia Alexander, Community Services Manager — Stated that sponsors for
City events are currently recognized by placing them on banners and at City
Council meetings.
Compliance with City Council Policy 205 (Projects May Only be Continued One Time,
i.e. Two Meetings per Application.)
City Council, City Manager, Executive Team Comments:
• Larry Kramer, Mayor pro tem — Expressed the lack of support for City Council
Policy 205; and felt that projects are frequently denied based on current policies
then appealed to City Council.
• Karen P. Brust, City Manager — Suggested an update to the Policy to allow more
meetings on large projects.
• Grant Taylor, Development Services Director — Felt that in order to ease the
process, staff has public work sessions on projects with Commissions prior to
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hearings; felt that Commission/Committee formed subcommittees are a
problem; City Council Policy 205 works well with small projects; felt having two
(2) Planning Commission representatives on Design Review Committee is
redundant; felt that one (1) Planning Commission representative would be
sufficient; strong public opposition to projects distracts and delays decisions; 7i�
and, suggested implementing a policy for projects to be presented to the
Planning Commission before continuing through the project process.
Nasser Abbaszadeh, Public Works Director — Felt projects get caught up at
Commission/Committee level for months at a time; and suggested for projects to
be presented once and return for follow-up.
Mayor Allevato — Supported City Council Policy 205 but felt there are always
exceptions; and felt that the City Council and City Manager should be notified if
additional Commission/Committee meetings are necessary.
Encourage Boards and Commissions to Conduct Business within their Areas of
Responsibility as Set Forth by the Municipal Code.
City Council, City Manager, Executive Team Comments:
• Mayor Allevato — Suggested having a gatekeeper at Commission/Committee
meetings as the City Council has the City Attorney to keep them on subject.
• Laura Freese, Council Member — Suggested for staff/Commission Secretaries
keeping Commission/Committee members focused.
City Council to Have a Staff Member Attend Meetings with Developers and/or Project
Proponents to Ensure Code Compliance and Summarize the Development Review
Process.
City Council, City Manager, Executive Team Comments:
• Mayor Allevato — Suggested for staff to communicate with City Council on
projects and any issues surrounding projects; and expressed preference for
developers to meet with staff and Council Members at City Hall.
• Karen P. Brust, City Manager — Suggested for Council Members, City Manager
and staff to collectively meet with developers in order to avoid the City being
misrepresented and the developers being misled.
• Derek Reeve, Council Member — Not comfortable meeting with developers
without staff members present.
• Laura Freese, Council Member — Suggested applying the same practice with
conference calls.
• John Taylor, Council Member — Suggested for two (2) staff members to attend
meetings with developers.
• Grant Taylor, Development Services Director — Suggested having a pre -meeting
with Council members to educate them on projects prior to meeting with
developers.
Current Projects Not on Priority List:
1. Multiple Developer Deposit Applications that must be processed including but not
limited to: Tuttle -Click Ford, Continuing Life Communities (CLC), Orchards, 7
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Mission Grille (Pedro's Tacos), Saddleback Valley Christian School, and
Whispering Hills.
2. San Juan Hills Golf Course Lighting.
3. Capistrano Terrace Mobilehome Park Closure.
4. Verizon Sports Park Cellular Facility.
5. Caltrans 1-5/Ortega Highway Aesthetics Team Report.
6. Plaza Banderas Hotel.
7. Los Rios SCAD Compass Blueprint.
8. Open Space Projects Not Specifically Listed under Urgent item No. 3 Including:
Northwest Open Space (NWOS) Phase 1 (Community gardens, picnic area,
Swanner House Education Center); NWOS Staging Area (Modify Signage and
Monitor Use Related Issues); 2C Ranch Improvements (water trough, hitching
post, picnic benches, fencing, signs); Los Rios Park Phase 2 (trails, parking,
plant garden, interpretive displays).
9. Grant Programs including: Trabuco Creek Habitat Restoration (53 acres, $1.5M,
5 years); Blas Aguilar Adobe Restoration ($500k); State Prop. 84 Habitat
Conservation.
10. Funding Program: State Prop 84 Nature Education.
11. Facilities Program: State Prop 84 Skate Park.
12. Caltrans Cooperative Agreement Mitigation Program.
13.Additional Projects Include: On-going Grant Application Writing; and On-going
Open Space Design and Landscaping concepts.
City Council, City Manager, Executive Team Comments:
• Karen P. Brust, City Manager — Suggested placing the NWOS Phase 1 on
important but not urgent priority list; expressed concern with there being no
access to the 2C Ranch property; felt other projects need to be done before the
waterline; recommended an update be sent to the City Council and the public on
the status of the 2C Ranch project; stated that staff is working to encourage new
businesses for the City; and recommended extending lobbyist contract to
December 2011.
• Larry Kramer, Mayor pro tem — Felt the NWOS Phase 1 project has been
lagging; suggested completing the NWOS staging area as he has seen people
use the staging area; would like to see the Community Gardens completed to
alleviate the long waiting list; concerned with water access to current restoration
work being done at the 2C Ranch property; and expressed concern with the
Habitat Restoration project dying without water.
• Mayor Allevato — Felt not many people will use the staging area until the
completion of the dog park and the connection of the trail; felt the Community
Garden would be a better project for the next Fiscal Year; and recommended
involving the Open Space Foundation on the 2C Ranch project.
• Laura Freese, Council Member - Felt the Community Garden would be a better
project for the next Fiscal Year; and suggested informing the Open Space
Foundation of the City Council Priorities.
• Derek Reeve, Council Member — Preference to encourage development of Los
Rios Park Phase 2 and place on the Urgent Priority list.
• West Curry, Assistant Utilities Director — Expressed the need for waterlines tc
the staging area and to the Habitat Restoration project; confirmed the Habitat
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Restoration project would survive without the waterline; and looking into using
one of the three (3) options for connecting the waterline.
• Grant Taylor, Development Services Director — Felt there is a need for the
waterline to support the habitat and plants.
Urgent Strategic Priorities:
1. Staff reorganization/pensions, contract.
a. Address economic development
b. Address Open Space Manager/Community Development
2. Ground Water Recovery Plant at design capacity.
3. East and Northwest Open Space resource into best use.
a. Priority No. 1 is Lemon Grove.
b. Priority No. 2 is Dog Park in the Northwest Open Space.
4. Finish the Historic Town Center Master Plan.
a. Then begin implementation (low hanging fruit Phase 1)
5. Entitlement process/business friendly environment.
6. Get our fiscal house in order.
Additional Strategic Priorities:
1. Aggressively revitalize economic development.
2. Community Redevelopment Agency decision.
3. Plan for selling or leasing City properties such as Lower Rosan.
4. Complete sidewalk widening project across from the Mission.
5. Develop a community -oriented police program for the Villas and Carolinas.
6. Make decision on Desalination Plant.
7. Complete entitlement of the downtown hotel.
8. Groves/work force housing.
City Council, City Manager, Executive Team Comments:
• Mayor Allevato — Felt the adopted Long Term Vision and Strategic Business
Plan is the guiding light and the Urgent Priorities list are additional tasks to
support within a fiscal year; would like to address the problem with thistles on
the east open space property; suggested involving the community in naming the
east open space property by having a contest; expressed concern with mulch
being used at Dog Park; would prefer grass; suggested looking at what other
dog parks use; preference to move forward with the Verdugo Street project now
that the theatre is complete; and concerned with the amount of staff time being
spent on the Continuing Life Communities project and the Utilities Audit.
• Laura Freese, Council Member — Felt fiscal responsibility and public safety is
always a priority; preference to further discuss the proposed use of Valencia
orange trees at the Lemon Grove property; felt the upcoming improvement
project at the Mission may encourage surrounding businesses to make
improvements; suggested for the Downtown Master Plan process to begin with
City Council then go to the Commissions for review; expressed concerns with
customer satisfaction survey results as only one negative comment was
received; would like to see additional feedback from critical comments; and
suggested moving Veterans Park to the Historic Town Center Park.
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• Grant Taylor, Development Services Director — Suggested for the Dog Park to
be closed one day a week for maintenance.
• Derek Reeve, Council Member — Suggested researching sanitary issues with
different surface types at dog parks.
• Karen P. Brust, City Manager — Suggested holding a joint City Council and
Commission meeting to review the Historic Town Center Master Plan;
suggested presenting the Historic Town Center Master Plan to the City Council
prior to Commission review; and preference to include the Utilities Audit under
Priority 6 (Fiscal House in Order).
• Nasser Abbaszadeh, Public Works Director — Provided as a handout a customer
satisfaction survey results of the Public Works and Development Services
departments which has received positive results and is continuing to improve.
• John Taylor, Council Member — Suggested having a customer satisfaction
survey for the building inspection process.
• Steve Montano, Assistant Financial Services Director — requested staff to work
with Finance and Information Technology to develop online programs to help
streamline some processes (i.e., parking permits).
2. WORK PLAN CRITERIA, PARAMETERS AND GUIDELINES IDENTIFIED AS IT
RELATES TO CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER DYNAMICS.
Guidelines for Working Together (City Council/City Manager):
1. Members disseminate meeting reports from subcommittee meetings.
2. Meeting reports from meetings with outside agencies/entities.
3. City Manager updates on major developments in any City Committees or
meetings.
4. Avoid Brown Act violations.
5. Take positive steps to overcome unintended constraints created by the Brown
Act.
6. Council Members have weekly meetings with City Manager.
7. Council/Commissions do not direct City staff, City Manager does.
8. Council appreciates updates, emails, memos from City Manager.
9. Mayor messages should continue.
10. Deal with most issues at Council meetings.
11. Make agenda's for Council meetings available a week in advance.
12. Keep staff reports short and correct.
13. Maintain global context for reporting on issues.
14. Person responsible for Councilmanic item should provide a short write up.
15. Check proximity of residences to issues.
Guidelines for Working Together (Executive Team):
1. Treat each other with respect.
2. Let each other know what's happening in each other's departments.
3. Avoid aggressive or defensive behavior.
4. Be open, transparent and honest with each other.
5. Show consideration for each other's work, roles and responsibilities.
6. Make things easier for each other.
7. Share information with other departments.
8. Support City decisions and decisions of the team.
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9. Sincerely support each other's efforts/leadership/needs.
10. Find the positive in a situation and build upon it.
11. Maintain a commitment to serve.
12. Work to avoid parochialism among departments.
13. Trust each other.
14. Do not procrastinate or avoid dealing with personal issues.
15. Demonstrate a spirit of teamwork.
16. Follow through. Stick to your commitments.
17. Play by the rules.
18. Collaborate when necessary to properly use each other's expertise.
19. Provide good resources to other team members.
20. Maintain a sense of humor.
21. Continuously improve work environment.
22. Confront the "resident cynics" in the organization.
23. Hold your staff accountable.
24. Lead by example.
25. Pay attention to detail.
26. Be available and responsive.
27. Recognize the sensitivity of issues and exercise the appropriate control.
28. Listen.
29. Plan ahead, adhere to deadlines.
30. Everybody lives by and enforces the norms.
City Council, City Manager, Executive Team Comments:
• Mayor Allevato — Felt the guidelines established are a good tool and should
always aim to achieve them; does not have enough time to read late agenda
reports or correspondence before a City Council meeting; and felt the City
Manager's procedural change for handling citizen concerns which are emailed
directly to the City Council has been positive.
• Laura Freese, City Council Member — Likes receiving the City Manager's weekly
update.
• Larry Kramer, Mayor pro tem — Expressed concern with receiving agenda
documents and correspondence right before the beginning of a Council meeting;
and, felt it is not fair for those City Council members who work.
• Maria Morris, City Clerk — need to work with the City Attorney on updating City
Council Policy 120 (Written Communication for City Council Meeting) as
technology has changed the practice.
• Karen P. Brust, City Manager — Felt the procedural change for handling citizen
concerns aids staff members to build relationships with those citizens; requested
for Council Members to work with her on getting information they need; and
expressed preference to copy Cathy Salcedo, Executive Services Manager, on
City Manager emails so she may manage and track responses.
• Cathy Salcedo, Executive Services Manager — Copying her on City Manager
emails acts as a filter to prevent the City Council from getting issues that can be
handled timely by staff; and, suggested notifying her of invitations received by
Council Members so they can be scheduled on their Outlook calendars.
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Final Comments
• West Curry, Assistant Utilities Director — Felt there is good communication
among his colleagues and sees the dynamic of a winning team.
• John Taylor, Council Member — Is proud to be working with the Executive team
members; and appreciates all that staff does, and sees things heading in a good
direction.
• Laura Freese, City Council Member — Felt there are good, independent,
powerful people within the City; felt the retreats are helping staff and the City
Council to work together and lead them in the right direction.
• Larry Kramer, Mayor pro tem — Felt the retreats are working well and leading
them in the right direction.
• Steve Montano, Assistant Financial Services Director — Felt the retreats provide
clear direction to staff with no ambiguities.
• Cindy Russell, Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer — Felt that the City Council and
staff are now all on the same page and looks forward to accomplishing priorities.
• Derek Reeve, City Council Member — Appreciates having goals and a plan in
place to accomplish goals.
• Maria Morris, City Clerk — Looking forward to change and the opportunity to do
well.
• Nasser Abbaszadeh, Public Works Director — Felt the City has a great team in
place with many challenges ahead but together they can be accomplished.
• Cynthia Alexander, Community Services Manager — Expressed her appreciation
to be part of the San Juan Capistrano team and thanked the Executive staff for
helping her grow professionally.
• Grant Taylor, Development Services Director — A proponent of a team concept
and sees it within the City staff.
• Mayor Allevato — Very impressed with the current City Council; felt this current
Council is able to make decisions and move on; prior City Council did not have
trust in staff and analyzed everything; and has share of critics fueled by next
year's election but felt the critics will only make him stronger.
• Karen P. Brust, City Manager — Felt San Juan Capistrano is an amazing City
with equally amazing City staff; felt the City Council and City staff deeply care
and live for the City; expressed the importance to be patient, be honest,
communicate and support each other; and thanked the City Council and staff for
all their hard work.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business Mayor Allevato adjourned the meeting
at 3:13 p.m. to Tuesday, September 20, 2011, at 5:00 p.m. for Closed Session and 6:00
p.m. for the public Business Session, in the Council Chamber.
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Respectfully submitted,
RISTY -JA6L, DEPUTY CITY CLERK
Approved:
ATTEST_ March 712013
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9!7/2011
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