Council Meeting Date: January 18, 2023 (full Agenda link)
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TownOfAtherton/featured
Details of each item can be found via the links to Staff Reports within the narrative.
The City Council met for the January Regular Meeting on Wednesday, January 18 at 6 pm via Hybrid - (Zoom and In-Person) pursuant to the Governor's Executive Order. Following the Roll Call the Council began moving through the Agenda beginning with Public Comments and Presentations.
Next, the Council moved to Departmental Reports (~6:10 pm). The Departmental Reports are prepared monthly as part of the City Council's Regular Agenda. In addition to current reports from the City Manager, it typically includes departmental updates on the various happenings around Town such as reports from Administration, Community Services, Planning, Police, and Public Works.
Following Departmental Reports, the Council moved to the Consent Agenda consisting of Items 1 through 6 (~6:11 pm). Items on the Consent Agenda are considered routine in nature and are generally considered in one motion and adopted by a single vote of the Council. Included in this month's Consent Agenda were bills and claims, minutes, Certification of the Continuing COVID-19 Emergency, Council Committee Assignments, 2nd Reading of the Noise Ordinance, and Approval of a Settlement Agreement with S.J. Amoroso Construction, Inc. The Council approved all items on the Consent Agenda.
Next was Public Hearings.
Public Hearings are typically held for Ordinances, Budget Adoption, Fee Adoption, and Land Use approvals. Item No. 7 was Introduction and 1st Reading of an Ordinance related to Targeted Residential Picketing. (~6:12 pm). Following a brief staff report, the Council opened the Public Hearing and took Public Comment. Following Public Comment, the Council discussed issues related to enforcement, penalty, crowd dispersement, and fines. Following discussion, the Council introduced the Ordinance, with an amendment related to the possibility of misdemeanor penalty, for 1st Reading.
Item No. 8 was Introduction and 1st Reading of an Ordinance related to a limited duration for exceptions for all-electric Accessory Dwelling Units. (~6:42 pm). Following a brief staff report, the Council opened the Public Hearing and took Public Comment. Following Public Comment, the Council discussed issues related to health, cost of utilities, cost of construction, delay of permitting, permitting and review time, and effective date and applicability of the Ordinance. Following discussion, the Council opted not to adopt the proposed amendment.
Next up was the Regular Agenda. The Regular Agenda is reserved for items that require more deliberation and discussion by the City Council and items that are not routine in nature.
Item No. 9 was consideration of an appointment to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. (~7:03 pm) Following a brief staff report and public comment, the Council appointed the applicant to the Committee to the term expiring on June 30, 2023.
Item No. 10 was a proposal from the American Green Zone Alliance for a Workshop for Professionals Transitioning from Battery Electric Land Care Equipment. (~7:10 pm) Following a brief staff report and public comment, the Council discussed issues related to timing, guaranteed attendance, ability to move the date, combining the event with Earth Day, attendee type (professional or property owner), and cost. Following discussion, the Council directed that staff move forward with the Workshop at their discretion, sometime after March 2023 with the hope of combining the event with Earth Day (if possible) and with a guaranteed minimum attendance of 50. If the minimum attendance of 50 cannot be met, the event should be postponed or cancelled.
Item No. 11 was approval of the 2023 Earth Day Work Plan and Budget for a collaborative community event. (~7:28 pm) Following a brief staff report and public comment, the Council discussed issues related to size of the planned event, types of activities, collaboration with other groups, funding by other groups, Town committee funding, and event location. Following discussion, the Council directed that staff move forward with the collaborative event planning effort.
The last item on the Agenda was Item No. 12, Review of Revisions to the Draft Housing Element and Public Comment. (~7:43 pm) The Council heard a brief staff report and took public comment. (The City Council took a 10-minute recess from 8:52 pm until 9 pm.). Following public comment, the Council discussed issues related to selection of property for upzoning, criteria for selection of those properties, other properties considered, penalties and risk exposure to the Town, impact of upzoning on private property, development standards for multi-family zoning, access on El Camino Real, long term vision for the Town, lot consolidation, and corrections to the Housing Element narrative. Upon return from recess, the Council discussed the preceding issues further. Following discussion, the Council closed the item without making substantive changes to the Draft Housing Element, as submitted. The Council noted that there would be a Public Engagement Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, January 19 at 6 pm and the final City Council Meeting on January 31 at 2 pm for adoption and submission to the State.
The last items on the Agenda were Council Reports and final Public Comments.
Having cleared the entire Agenda, at approximately 9:58 pm, that as they say - was a wrap!
The next meeting of the City Council will be a Special Meeting on Tuesday, January 31 at 2 pm to consider adoption and submission of the Draft Housing Element to the State. The Council will meet again on February 1 for its Study Session/Special Meeting. The February 1 Agenda will include the Mid-Year Budget Report and discussion of the League Legislative Platform.
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Thanks for reading!
George Rodericks
City Manager
Town of Atherton
grodericks@ci.atherton.ca.us