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Home My WebLink About04/29/2014 - City Council Special Meeting - City Council Study Session1 MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION MEETING April 29, 2014 CALL TO ORDER (00:00:11) The meeting was called to order by the Mayor at 4:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at Costa Mesa City Hall, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, California. ROLL CALL (00:00:23) Council Members Present: Mayor Righeimer, Mayor Pro Tem Mensinger, and Council Member Leece Council Members Absent: Council Member Genis and Council Member Monahan Officials Present: CEO Thomas Hatch, Assistant CEO Rick Francis, Assistant CEO Tamara Letourneau, City Attorney Thomas Duarte, Economic and Development Services Director Gary Armstrong, Public Services Director Ernesto Munoz, and City Clerk Brenda Green. PUBLIC COMMENTS ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION (00:02:15) 1. AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL PLANNING AND DESIGN OF THE PROPOSED LIBRARY AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY CENTER Tammy Letourneau, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, presented Staff Report. (00:02:20) Helen Freid of County Librarian OC Public Libraries, discussed conversion of the Community Center into a new library; and introduced the architects. (00:07:22) Riata Kalwani of KAL Architects, Inc., provided a presentation; spoke on repurposing both the Neighborhood Community Center (NCC) and the Donald Dungan Library. (00:08:44) Public Comments: Barbara Steck, President of the Costa Mesa Library Foundation, spoke on the library as a good compromise; and that more space is needed. (00:20:39) Minutes — Special Study Session Meeting — April 29, 2014 - Page 1 1 Bob Ooten, President of the Library, spoke on the size of the library is limiting. (00:21:15) Mary Ellen Goddard, Member of Friends of the Library and Costa Mesa Library Foundation, spoke in support of the project; and additional services that will be provided. (00:22:53) Charlene Ashendorf, Costa Mesa, spoke in support of the update of the library. (00:24:24) Robin Leffler, Costa Mesa, spoke on the gain of the Library and the loss of the Existing Community Center. (00:25:43) Bonnie Copeland, Costa Mesa, spoke on justifying spending on the library. (00:27:21) Cindy B, Costa Mesa, spoke in support of a new library and the refurbishing of current buildings. (00:28:22) Beth Rafakes, Costa Mesa, spoke on the issues with the design and usage of the Neighborhood Community Center (NCC); and recommended not spending funds yet. (00:30:15) Teresa Drain, Costa Mesa, spoke on different libraries; not changing the Community Center; and suggested building a new library at a different location. (00:32:15) Anna Vrska, Costa Mesa, agreed with previous speaker; and the need to keep the Community Center. (00:34:23) Council Member Leece spoke about building a new library with the help of the Library Foundation and Friends of the Library; described the Tustin Library layout; and spoke on the Donald Dungan Library accommodating user groups. (00:35:29) CEO Hatch discussed the user groups of the Community Center. (00:38:48) Council Member Leece spoke about the unused facilities around town and underutilized school facilities. (00:41:52) Tammy Letourneau spoke on the length of time before construction; and discussed plans to work with each user group to address their needs. (00:43:05) Helen Freid discussed the computer area and public space in the proposed library. (00:45:16) Minutes — Special Study Session Meeting — April 29, 2014 - Page 2 1 Mary Ellen Goddard, Costa Mesa, discussed fundraising with Costa Mesa Library Foundation; raising monies; and supports the project. (00:47:39) Discussion ensued on the usage of the Newport Beach library. (00:51:26) Mayor Pro Tem Mensinger discussed the correlation in fundraising; transportation; and finding facilities for the user groups. (00:52:41) Mayor Righeimer spoke on the costs for the new library; working with the proposed project to meet the needs of additional meeting space; recommended additional square footage; and supports project going out to bid. (00:54:13) Discussion ensued on funding from donor; and grants. (00:57:45) 2. GENERAL PLAN UPDATE — LAND USE ALTERNATIVES (01:00:53) Gary Armstrong, Director of Development Services, presented the Staff Report. (01:01:04) Council Member Leece spoke on an in depth traffic study. (01:03:08) Discussion ensued on traffic impacts; a traffic study; land use alternatives; and the EIR. (01:04:40) Laura Stetson, of MIG Hogle-Ireland, provided a presentation that included eight areas of the community of Land Use Alternatives that include: Area A — Business Park Overlay, Area B — Segerstrom Home Ranch, Area C — Sakioka Lot 2, Area D — Residential Overlay, Area E — Corridor,Mixed Use, Area F — Westside Overlay, Area G — Newport Boulevard Mixed Use, and Area H — SoBeca. (01:05:14) Discussion ensued on land use; reduction in trips in residential versus commercial; and amortization. (01:19:14) Gary Armstrong spoke on the proposed trips; and Industrial uses. (01:32:05) Discussion ensued on removing or replacing mobile home parks; affordable housing in the City; and the existing overlay. (01:36:55) Gary Armstrong requested preliminary feedback from Council; and noted that the added elements are: Conservation, Safety, Noise, Open Space and Recreation Elements. (01:44:30) Minutes — Special Study Session Meeting — April 29, 2014 - Page 3 Public Comments: John Holly, Costa Mesa, spoke on live/work units; new development; and family businesses. (01:51:16) Beth Rafakes, Costa Mesa, spoke on the issues with density and live -work units; and the loss of Industrial businesses. (01:55:03) Gary Smith, Costa Mesa, Business Owner of GS Manufacturing, spoke on the high density residential impacts to Industrial businesses. (01:57:13) Bonnie Copeland, Costa Mesa, spoke in opposition to multi -family dwellings; new overlay districts, increased density, variances, and traffic and parking problems. (01:58:24) Shelia Pfafflin, Costa Mesa, spoke against the Westside Plan and increased density. (01:59:58) Cynthia McDonald, Costa Mesa, spoke on the Northside of Costa Mesa: and concerns with density. (02:01:21) Julie Ronsworth, Costa Mesa, business owner of Blinn and Young; discussed concerns with having to relocate her business. (02:03:31) Jay Humphrey, Costa Mesa, spoke on the General Plan; expressed concern with the outreach meetings not providing enough feedback; issues with traffic throughout the City; and discussed protecting the mobile home parks. (02:05:33) Rick Putlovitz, Costa Mesa, spoke on the cost of relocating a business to another City; and spoke against high density. (02:08:20) Robin Leffler, Costa Mesa, spoke on the community outreach; and the Westside overlays. (02:09:30) Kim Harding, Costa Mesa, spoke as a business owner; spoke about the City as an optimal place to have a small business. (02:11:56) Roger MacGregor, Costa Mesa, spoke against high density. (02:13:37) Speaker, Costa Mesa, spoke on noise created at his Industrial business; and spoke against changing the General Plan. (02:17:09) Mike Balsalmo, Costa Mesa, spoke on vehicular traffic; and demographic trends. (02:18:20) Minutes — Special Study Session Meeting — April 29, 2014 - Page 4 Council Member Leece expressed disappointment with the outreach meetings; concerned with high density; and residents opposed to live -work units. (02:20:40) Discussion ensued on the estimated traffic study; traffic indexes; added elements; live -work units; and the Quimby Law. (02:22:08) Gary Armstrong stated that there is currenity no fees for apartments but Staff is requesting a study be conducted. (02:25:15) Director of Public Services, Ernesto Munoz, spoke on the update of the Open Space Master Plan. (02:26:20) Mayor Righeimer spoke on the outreach meetings; Westside trips numbers; setbacks from residential to reduce heights and noise; and SoBeca. (02:29:28) Mayor Pro Tem Mensinger spoke on balancing residential and manufacturing; and requested setting up guidelines and criteria to protecting existing uses. (02:43:21) Discussion ensued on community outreach meetings; protecting businesses; and refining and adapting an overlay. (02:54:41) Mayor Righeimer read into the record Council Member Genis's comments pertaining to the General Plan; General Plan updated growing exponentially; concerned with loss of economic base locations; high density uses; review economic implications; and cost revenue study and economic modeling of the City. (03:03:39) Council Member Leece requested an economic report; and more outreach to the community. (03:04:53) ADJOURNMENT The Mayor adjourned the meeting at 7:39 p.m. Minutes on this 21St day of April, 2015. Stephen M. Mensinger, Mayor ATTEST: &WJ& Gok-11- Brenda Green, C-ityUClerk Minutes — Special Study Session Meeting — April 29, 2014 - Page 5