09-1104_CC_Minutes_Adjourned Regular MeetingMINUTES
November 4, 2009
Long Term Vision/Strategic Plan
Workshop
SAN ,DUAN CAPISTRANO
CITY COUNCIL
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
Mayor Nielsen called the Adjourned Regular Joint Meeting of the San Juan Capistrano
City Council and Community Redevelopment Agency to order at 3:08 p.m. in the City
Council Chamber.
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COUNCIL MEMBERS & COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY PRESENT:
Sam Allevato, Tom Hribar, Laura Freese, Mayor pro tem Dr. Londres Uso and
Mayor Nielsen
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT/COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY: None
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Council Member Hribar led the Pledge of Allegiance
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS:
• Carolyn Snyder, Friends of the Library, made comments related to the
participation at the Ridge Walk and Summer Night events and concerns with
decrease in donations to the Friends of the Library.
• Jeff Singer, Friends of the Library, provided a handout, gave an explanation to on
how to raise funds.
• Jean Vincenzi, City resident, Friends of the Library, expressed the importance of
the Library for the community.
• Teri Garza, Regional Library Manager, supports efforts made by the Friends of
the Library and need for expansion.
• Paul Fulbright, City Resident, offered his services to the City as an architect.
DISCUSSION ITEM
C1. STRATEGIC ISSUES ACTION PLAN REVIEWED AND MISSION AND
COMMUNITY VALUES STATEMENTS FINALIZED (400.40)
Steve Montano, Assistant Administrative Services Director provided a staff
report. Power point presentation by Shane Kavanagh, Government Finance
Officers Associations.
11-4-2009
Land Use, Economic Development, Open Space, Building Standards
Action Plan
Strategy 1: Enhance the Downtown and New Development within the City.
City Council Comments:
• Encouraged to look at details but to not lose sight of bigger picture.
• The City should seek to have more than 1 hotel in the long-term.
• Change the wording of "hotel" to "hotels" under Tactic 1-3.
• Remove "of' under Tactic 1-3.
• Clustering parking could be a good tactic to add.
• Consider the impact of floor area ratio on properties.
Strategy 2: Identify Open Space Role & Balance Consistency with Equestrian Center.
City Council Comments:
• The Team should think big when coming up with ideas for active use of
open space.
• Tactic 2-3, change "explore" to "pursue" conservation easements. Intent
is to give a more pro -active flavor to it.
• Tactic 2-1, emphasize "agrarian" more.
• Agrarian should be in the strategy title.
• Tactic 2-5, consider licensing and branding opportunities along with other
revenue opportunities.
• The strategy and mission should state that the City will "enhance" its open
space, not just settle for the status quo.
• Reword the strategy — "consistency" is awkward.
• Consider a cemetery strategy for open space.
• Open space master plan should be providing a "big picture" direction.
Strategy 3: Land Use Policies to Enhance Economic Development
City Council Comments:
• Tactic 3-2., revise statement to clarify that the Transient Occupancy Tax
rate is not being increased, rather the City will get more Transient
Occupancy Tax revenue in total.
• Tactics 3-3 and 3-4 raise a red flag for the council.
• Tactic 3-3 should consider all major transportation corridors.
• Suggested signs but done in a way that enhances the City's character
(e.g., Burma share).
• Signage to be used to increase visitors to the City.
• Leverage unique signage opportunities that are consistent with City's
character.
• A need to be careful with any sign program.
• Avoid garish, blight -like advertising.
• Tactics 3-3 and 3-4 are necessary and provide opportunity to increase
revenue.
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• Tactic 3-3 maybe add "commercial enhancement and zoning in a way that
enhances our communities historical character'."
• Re-examine items for advertizing under Tactic 3-4.
Strategy 4: Develop Regulation Strategy and Development
City Council Comment:
• Suggested a 2 -tiered process for building permits to expedite "desirable"
development.
• Developments would have to be consistent with master plan and/or other
official City direction in order to be expedited.
• The City should also examine its permitting processes generally to remove
or streamline non -value-added steps.
• The intent to streamline is not to accelerate undesirable projects, but
rather to ensure that even routine projects are subject to timely process.
• Parking must be considered when it comes to development plans.
• Add "and aesthetic" to Tactic 4-1.
• Be sure that business attraction and retention programs are accounted for
somewhere in the strategic business plan.
• Add the City's master plans (e.g., downtown) as tactics. Be clear that the
plans are important means to achieving the City's desired ends.
• Perception of current process negative.
Public Comment
• Kate Roberts, City Resident, suggested to assign metrics to tactics, be
sure that open space and downtown. development are consistent, examine
"green" tactics for economic development potential and consider reduced
permitting fees for "green" projects
Conclusion and Closing Comments
City Council Comment:
• Concerned with private school impact fees.
• Important to involve the downtown master plan.
• Keep an open mind with marketing opportunities.
• Should have goals and metrics.
• Importance of the need for more than one hotel.
• Strategic plan needs to have action plans and milestones set.
Strengthening the Downtown, Los Rios, Mission Action Team
Strategy 1: Reinforce the vision of the downtown, Los Rios and the Mission as
interconnected historic, residential and commercial components of the City Center
City Council Comment
• Marketing needs to be emphasized.
• Tactic 1-5, is this comprehensive enough, may not be inclusive of all
relevant sites.
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• Offer all shell buildings to developers.
• Provide for a better pedestrian flow between Los Rios and the Downtown
e.g. Open train doors on both sides of the tracks.
• Improve the aesthetics of the train station.
• Address plaza's pedestrian orientation in front of the Mission. Be sure to
discuss the impacts with relevant stakeholders.
• The Action Team should be cognizant of similar work or ideas being
considered by other Teams or committees in the City to avoid double -
work.
• Tactic 1-2a, defined "downtown" more precisely.
• Tactic 1-6, pedestrian friendly dining in front of the mission should be
pursued.
• More flexibility in City code to allow for bed and breakfasts.
Strategy 2: Encourage high quality revitalization, enhance mobility and develop a
connectivity of pedestrian and programmable spaces in the greater downtown area to
sustain it as the primary cultural, civic and retail center of the City.
City Council Comment:
• Tactic 2-2, projects should only be eligible for assistance if they support
the City's physical design f space objectives.
• Tactic 2-2, guidance should be provided so property owners know what
the City is looking for.
• Tactic 2-2b, would like to see tivoli lights and park benches to be added
between the garage and the theatre.
• Tactic 2-14 is really a long-term tactic. 2-11 is a short-term tactic.
• Tactics 2-5, 2-11 and 2-14 should be prioritized.
Strategy 3: Designate, preserve, protect, enhance, and perpetuate the historic
structures of the Mission and cooperatively develop and promote the Mission as a
destination for tourism, culture, and entertainment.
City Council Comment:
• Modify the mission statement section to reflect that the SJC Mission and
City should "partner" to achieve the objectives
Strategy 4: Preserve, maintain and respect the balance of the residential and
commercial activity of the Los Rios District while accommodating mobility, safety, and
access for the widest range of users.
City Council Comment:
• Tactic 4-3, placing restricted access gates for residents.
• Concerns with maintenance and cost of restricted access gates.
• Tactic 4-3 should be prioritized.
• Tactic 4-4 should be prioritized.
• Possibly eliminate Tactics 4-1 and 4-2.
• If 4-2 is kept, encouraged vegetation should be "drought tolerant," not
necessarily just California -native.
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• Tactic 4-4, suggested a one time capital improvement project to improve
the district.
• Favored the idea of removing all vehicular traffic.
Strategy 5: Develop a hierarchy of pedestrian spaces and create a fine grained,
interconnected pedestrian circulation system that is accessible, walkable, and pleasing
to the eye, and uniquely identifiable.
City Council Comment:
• Consolidate the various feasibility studies that staff is proposing.
• Explore options to expand Mission Promenade.
• Possibly expanding sidewalk at the same time as the Mission does their
improvements.
• The goal is to make downtown more pedestrian -friendly.
• Would like to be presented with options for designing parking and angled
parking (or no parking for that matter) for the area across from the
Mission.
• Staff should concentrate on the areas between Camino Capistrano and.
Forster.
• Add bike plans and equestrian access to the various plans/studies that
staff is proposing.
• Would like to see public art worked into the strategy.
Public comment:
• Paul Fulbright, City resident, suggested the City should consider ideas of
shared parking agreements, in -lieu parking fees, streamlined building
permitting and FAR and building height concerns will need to be
addressed
Conclusion and Closing Comments
City Council Comment:
• Importance including "art" within this action plan.
Mission and Values Statement
City Council Comment:
• Keeping the words "and security' within the statement seems redundant.
Council Action: Moved by Mayor Nielsen, seconded by Council Member Freese, and
carried unanimously to approve the Final Mission Statement with the removal of "and
security."
Community Values Statement
City Council Comment;
• Did not favor the use of the word "it" within the Summary Statement.
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Council Action: Moved by Mayor Nielsen, seconded by Council Member Freese, and
carried unanimously to approve the Final Community Value Statement, and to include in
bullet 4 for the detailed statements: "small-town atmosphere while treatinq all citizens,
with an even hand."
Amended Council Action: Moved by Mayor Nielsen, seconded by Council Member
Freese, and carried unanimously to correct bullet 1 of the Detailed Value Statements by
substituting "artistic" with "equestrian."
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Nielsen adjourned the City Council and Community Redevelopment Agency
meeting at 5:57 p.m. to Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. for a Wastewater
Rate Workshop and then to 5:30 p.m. for Closed Session; and then 6:30 p.m. for the
public Business Session, in the City Council Chamber.
Respectfully submitted,
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CHRISTY JAWAID-PANISTIRATIVE SPECIALIST
Approved: Dece
F.11
DR. LONDRES USO, MAYOR
11-4-2009