12-0217_CC_Minutes_Special MeetingMINUTES
FEBRUARY 17, 2012
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO CITY COUNCIL
AND CITY MANAGER RETREAT
SPECIAL MEETING
Mayor Kramer called the Special Meeting Retreat of the City Council and the City
Manager of the City of San Juan Capistrano to order at 9:14 a.m. at the San Juan Hills
Golf Club.
ROLL CALL
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Laura Freese, Derek Reeve, Sam Allevato,
Mayor pro tem John Taylor and Mayor Larry Kramer
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.
Dick Lyles, Leadership Legacies L.L.C., facilitated the retreat and provided a
PowerPoint presentation. Mayor Kramer and Karen P. Brust, City Manager, provided
opening comments.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS:
• Matt Gaffney, City resident, suggested the establishment of a Citizen's Ad -Hoc
Committee to make the City more business friendly.
• Kim McCarthy, City resident, expressed support of a Citizen's Ad -Hoc Committee to
make the City more business friendly and offered to be a committee member;
suggested for the City Council to support the clean-up of existing business facilities;
felt there is a need to come together as a community; requested assistance with
overcrowding issues; and, expressed the lack of public safety in the City.
• Ian Smith, City resident, expressed concern that City processes are driving
merchants out of the City; and, felt there is need for the City to reach out to the
business community.
• Clint Worthington, City resident, felt the current sign ordinance is adequate; and, felt
many businesses within the City are in violation of the sign ordinance.
CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER RETREAT:
1. DISCUSSION OF DISC PROFILE ASSESSMENT.
Council and City Manager Comments:
• Council Member Freese — Felt that strong opinions for an item will not change
based on knowing an individuals behavior.
• Council Member Allevato — Felt the assessment is a violation of privacy;
opposed with sharing his personal DISC Profile with the public; and, felt that
using the "golden rule" with colleagues is the best practice.
Council Member Reeve — Felt there is a need to be cautious with applying the
DISC assessment to politics as City Council is not a typical corporate team
atmosphere; felt there will still be 4-1 votes; and, opposed sharing his personal
DISC Profile with the public.
Karen P. Brust, City Manager — Felt the assessment would provide more
understanding of a person's whole being; and suggested to provide a reference
tool with real examples of how to interact with different DISC behaviors.
Council Action: Moved by Council Member Allevato, seconded by
Council Member Freese, and carried unanimously to discontinue discussion of the
DISC profile assessment and to focus on City priorities.
2. UPDATE ON PROGRESS AND RECOGNITION OF SIGNIFICANT
ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2011-2012 URGENT STRATEGIC
PRIORITIES.
Urgent Strategic Priorities Fiscal Year 2011-2012:
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 at the Northwest Open Space.
4. Finish the Historic Town Center Master Plan.
a. Then begin implementation.
5. Entitlement process/business friendly environment.
6. Get our fiscal house in order.
Karen P. Brust, City Manager, provided a status update and responded to
questions.
Public Comments:
• Ian Smith, City resident, asked questions regarding the Blenheim property;
expressed the need to provide better community outreach from the City as many
residents were not aware of the San Diego Gas & Electric Substation Project;
and, suggested a City monument sign at the 1-5/Camino Capistrano entrance to
the City. Council Member Allevato requested for the Homeowners Associations
impacted by the San Diego Gas & Electric Substation Project to be notified.
Council and City Manager Comments:
• Mayor Kramer — Felt that once the Ground Water Recovery Plant (GWRP)
operates at capacity it will erase the deficit; felt that dashboard reports should be
done every two (2) months for accurate reporting; expressed that there are no
intentions to extend San Juan Creek Road to La Pata; and, supports a Citizen's
Ad -Hoc Committee to make the City more business friendly.
• Mayor pro tem Taylor — Expressed the need to complete the Historic Town
Center Master Plan to help keep local businesses and residents shopping in the
City.
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• Council Member Freese — Felt San Juan Creek Road can be addressed in the
future; preferred to have a live person answer the main City Hall phone number;
felt the Historic Town Center Master Plan is a visionary template and details can
be decided later; suggested to include Economic Development in Priority No. 6
Get Our Fiscal House in Order, and, suggested not removing any top priorities,
but to provide more time to complete them.
• Council Member Allevato — Expressed preference in having ingress and egress
for the East Open Space as a long term goal; suggested adding a road from
San Juan Creek onto the East Open Space property as an emergency
alternative for the surrounding neighbors and the high school; felt it has never
been the City Council's intent to extend San Juan Creek Road to La Pata; felt
the City is not responsible to build affordable housing; felt the Housing In -Lieu
fees should be more business friendly; felt the current Housing In -Lieu fees are
expensive and few others cities have a similar fee; suggested performing a
study of all the City's fees and charges; and felt that non-priority tasks assigned
to staff be prioritized better.
• Council Member Reeve — Recommended establishing an economic
development program; expressed disagreement with the GWRP deficit being
erased based on the auditor's presentation of findings; preferred San Juan
Creek Road never connecting through to La Pata; suggested an appraisal of the
Lower Rosan property; felt Lower Rosan is not a priority but should be
addressed within the next year; felt the number of top priorities should be
reduced; suggested to tier priorities to allow staff to prioritize work as other
unexpected projects occur; and, felt that staff should communicate more with
the City Council on projects.
• Karen P. Brust, City Manager — Felt it is important to take the necessary steps to
remove the GWRP deficit; suggested developing a plan to remove the deficit;
felt the Historic Town Center Master Plan will give businesses an idea of what
the City can and cannot do; expressed the need to keep Priority No. 6 - Get Our
Fiscal House in Order as an ongoing priority; and, suggested picking three (3)
top priorities in order to do well.
3. DISCUSSION OF ADDITIONAL STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND EMERGING
ITEMS NOT ON THE LIST OF PRIORITIES.
Karen P. Brust, City Manager, provided information on emerging items not on the
list of priorities and responded to questions.
4. DISCUSSION IDENTIFYING CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES FOR FISCAL YEARS
2012-2013 AND 2013-2014 — CITY MANAGER TO REPORT CITY COUNCIL
PRIORITIES BACK TO THE EXECUTIVE TEAM.
Urgent Strategic Priorities Identified:
1. Economic Development/Business Friendly Environment — Create a new
framework. Map out and streamline process. Review and update all ordinances
and City Council policies. Develop strategies to help existing businesses. Create
outreach programs to help business attraction, retention or relocation.
Restructure commissions and committees to include defining City Council
relationships with same.
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2. Organization Optimization — continue.
3. Open Space — Optimize revenues within bond constraints and create a
maintenance strategy.
4. Continue to build a strong financial foundation in the City. Plan to eliminate
water deficit.
5. Implement Historic Town Center Master Plan. Complete streetscape project
across from the Mission, Camino Capistrano and Verdugo Street improvements.
6. Create plan for and implement infrastructure improvements that benefit the
residents.
Additional Priorities:
1. Plan for selling or leasing city properties:
• Lower Rosan-Vision for Use
• Lot 217
■ Harrison House
• Veteran's Park
2. Sun Ranch Storm Drain Project (Scalzo)
Council and City Manager Comments:
• Mayor Kramer — Expressed interest for the GWRP to be at full operating
capacity as approved; preference in eliminating the water deficit as a priority;
preference in creating a maintenance plan for all the City's open space; felt that
the Desalination Plant is not a priority; felt that funds may be better used
towards other projects rather than spent on downtown projects; and, suggested
to create a maintenance schedule for infrastructure.
• Mayor pro tem Taylor — Preference in developing a deficit pay-off schedule for
the GWRP and set as a priority; suggested for the Chamber of Commerce to
implement an Economic Development Committee with two appointed City
Council members; suggested for Commission/Committee members to have
breaks in-between terms (example, two terms on with required two terms off);
and, felt the Historic Town Center Master Plan is important which can assist
businesses during the recession.
• Council Member Freese — Felt the GWRP is no longer a top priority; felt the City
needs to create a new framework for Economic Development; preference
moving Economic Development to priority one (1); preference in setting as an
urgent strategic priority the implementation of the Historic Town Center Master
plan; felt that the revitalization of the downtown can generate enough tax
revenue to pay for needed infrastructure improvements within the City; and,
preference to move the Sun Ranch Storm Drain Project as a second Additional
Priority.
• Council Member Allevato — Preference for the City's open space to be open for
public access; felt some Commissions/Committees discourage business; felt
that Public Works should have a separate priority list; preference in completing
the Verdugo Street project if funds are available; and, preference in completing
the Streetscape Project across from the Mission on Camino Capistrano.
• Council Member Reeve — Expressed concern with the East Open Space
property generating enough money to support the cost of maintenance for the
property; felt the need to reorganize the Commissions/Committees to expedite
approval processes for businesses; preference in eliminating Organization
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Optimization as it will be complete by the end of Fiscal Year 2011-2012; and, felt
that infrastructure issues need to be addressed.
• Karen P. Brust, City Manager — Suggested reviewing all ordinances to be more
business friendly; suggested developing strategies to promote businesses and
developing outreach programs to help attract new businesses; and, suggested
outsourcing the Economic Development position.
5. IMPLEMENTATION OF "ACTION" MINUTES FOR ALL WEBCASTED PUBLIC
MEETINGS OF THE CITY (CITY COUNCIUCOMMISSIONS/COMMITTEES/
BOARDS), APPROVED.
Council and City Manager Comments:
• Council Member Freese — Preference in having the comments from
Commission/Committee members included in the summary minutes; felt it is
important to know details that occur during meetings; and, felt action minutes
would be fine as long as a video of the meeting is available.
• Karen P. Brust, City Manager — Suggested to step into the change slowly; and,
suggested all webcasted Commissions and Committee meetings use action
minutes and any non-webcasted Commissions and Committees meeting to use
summary minutes.
Council Action: Moved by Council Member Reeve, seconded by
Mayor pro tem Taylor, and carried unanimously to approve the implementation of
"Action" Minutes for all webcasted public meetings of the City (City
Council/Commissions/Committees/Boards).
6. UPDATE OF EXISTING CITY COUNCIL POLICIES ADDED TO URGENT
STRATEGIC PRIORITY LIST.
Council and City Manager Comments:
• Mayor pro tem Taylor — Felt the City Council policies need to be more business
friendly; and, expressed concern with the appearance of City Council members
speaking on projects at Commission/Committee meetings.
• Council Member Allevato — Preference in seeing structural changes to the
Commission/Committees; and, suggested for each City Council member to
appoint a Planning Commission member.
• Council Member Reeve — Expressed concern with the appearance of City
Council members speaking on projects at Commission/Committee meetings.
• Majority concurred to add City Council policies to the language on Urgent
Strategic Priority 1.
Public Comments:
• Roy Byrnes, City resident, felt the Brown Act had been violated several times during
the retreat; felt the Chamber of Commerce would not be a good resource for
economic development; felt the Riding Park will not generate enough money to
cover the cost of maintenance; felt the cost to produce water with the GWRP is too
high; felt the City Council should renegotiate its contract with the San Juan Basin
Authority (SJBA); expressed that prior City Council members selected their own
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Planning Commissioners; and, felt the City Council should be able to speak on
matters at Commission/Committee meetings.
Final Comments:
• Council Member Freese — Preference in removing Grove/Workforce Housing from
the additional priority list; and, felt that renegotiations with SJBA may not be
favorable to the City.
• Council Member Reeve — Preference in removing the word "Strategic" from the
Additional Priorities title; and, preference for "Strategic" to be included in the title for
Urgent Strategic Priorities.
• Council Member Allevato — Felt that the City is doing its best with the GWRP; and,
felt the media has misquoted him on issues surrounding the City's water rates.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business Mayor Kramer adjourned the meeting
at 3:15 p.m. to Tuesday, February 21, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. for Closed Session and
6:00 p.m. for the public Business Session, in the Council Chamber.
Respectfully submitted,
01,0�D
C iSTY JAL DE UTY CITY CLERK
Approved:
2/17/2012