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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/04/2014 Minutes - Regular MeetingMINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF DIAMOND BAR FEBRUARY 4, 2014 CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Carol Herrera called the Regular City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the South Coast Air Quality Management District /Government Center Auditorium, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Herrera led the Pledge of Allegiance. INVOCATION: Pastor Paul Knopf, Director of Youth Ministry, Northminster Presbyterian Church provided the invocation. ROLL CALL: Council Members Chang, Lyons, Tanaka, Mayor Pro Tern Tye, and Mayor Herrera. Staff Present: James DeStefano, City Manager; David DeBerry, City Attorney; Ken Desforges, IS Director, David Liu, Public Works Director- Anthony Jordan, Parks and Maintenance Superintendent- Dianna HoneWell, Finance Director; Greg Gubman, Community Development'D i rector-, Ryan McLean, Assistant to the City Manager; Grace Lee, Senior Planner; Christian Malpica, Associate Engineer (traffic); Anthony Santos, Senior Management Analyst, Cecilia Arellano, Public Information Coordinator; and Tommye Cribbins, City Clerk. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: As Presented. 1 . SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATES, PROCLAMATIONS: NEW BUSINESS OF THE MONTH: 1.1 M/Herrera and Council Members presented a Certificate Plaque to Chase Bank, 2717 S. Diamond Bar Boulevard as New Business of the Month for February 2014. Accepting on behalf of the Bank were Branch Manager Minerva Raygoza and other branch representatives. 2. CITY MANAGER REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: None. 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Paula Dryburgh and Debbie and Serena Avila -Mott, representing the Diamond Bar Women's Club, invited the City Council and community to its Roaring 20s Casino Night. This charity fundraiser is set for Friday, February 7 from 6:30 to 11:00 p.m. at the Diamond Bar Golf Course, 22751 Golden Springs Drive. Pui-Ching Ho, Acting Diamond Bar Librarian, announced the following upcoming events: Teens are invited to learn about electronics science projects on Tuesday, February I I at 3:30 p.m.; Wednesday, February 12 FEBRUARY 4, 2014 PAGE 2 CITY COUNCIL at 4:00 p.m., Black History Program for children and families with Brother Yusef presenting a Blues Program; and on Saturday, February 15 at 2-00 p.m., Troy High School Robotics Club will teach elementary school students to build a spoon catapult. Lynette Marantz, a parent from Evergreen Elementary School students felt the change in the school traffic plan that has been implemented is putting the safety of the school children in jeopardy. She understands from PWD/Liu that the City will be working with the School District on these issues and would like the Council's support in continuing to allow the school bus to drop off students in front of the school in lieu of the parking lot area. As well as designating the current red curb as a loading and unloading zone for dropping off students. RESPONSE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS: CIVI/DeStefano stated that with respect to Evergreen Springs Elementary School, it is one of about a dozen schools in the City. Evergreen Springs School is at the intersection of two very narrow streets. The school is very popular and is near Diamond Bar High School and a very congested area. There are a lot of students and a lot of parents who drive their children to school in addition to buses. The City looked at all of the school sites in 1998 with a comprehensive study and working with the both school districts, implemented a variety of recommended on and off-site changes. Some but not all of the City's recommendations were implemented by the school districts. The Evergreen Springs area was recommended for a variety of mitigation measures, some of which were implemented such as striping and maintenance of the existing red curb. Other recommendations that were not implemented included driveway improvements. Over the years it appears that many people have been utilizing the red curbed zone in front of Evergreen Springs as a parking drop-off/pick up area which is illegal. This problem became apparent the middle of last week when deputies from the Diamond BarANalnut Sheriff's Station were visiting the school site. Traffic control deputies visit the hot -spot sites on a very regular basis. Apparently, deputies were at Evergreen last week and noticed two blatant violations within the red zone and wrote two tickets which created a number of concerns because for whatever reason the red zone area had not been properly utilized. The good news is that the City was aware of the issue and had been working with the School District, the Superintendent and Transportation Department employees. The School District is scheduled to approve a traffic consultant to look at this and a couple of other school sites within the next week or two upon School Board action. FEBRUARY 4, 2014 PAGE 3 CITY COUNCIL The City is working with the District to reduce some of the issues and most particularly at the site that has been mentioned this evening. Because a lot of questions were raised last week about why two drivers were cited for improperly parking in a red zone, the School District needed to make a change with respect to the bus which was picking up and dropping off students in the red zone which is technically not permitted unless there is signage in accordance with the Vehicle Code that specifically permits buses to do so. The city cannot simply put the signage in place. A quick study must be done to determine whether such signage is warranted/appropriate so that no risk or liability is created for allowing buses or parents to drop off and pick up in a red zone. City Staff has its traffic consultant looking at the situation and expects to receive a report soon to answer the question as to whether the practice, legal or otherwise, should be continued and permitted with proper signage. CM/DeStefano reiterated that the City is working with the District to look at bigger issues that may involve driveways and other improvements that may help the flow of traffic in and. out of the area both on and off the school district property. 4. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE EVENTS: 5.1 Planning Commission Meeting — February 11, 2014 - 7:00 p.m., Windmill Community Room, 21810 Copley Drive. 5.2 Traffic and Transportation Commission Meeting — February 13, 2014 — 7:00 p.m., Windmill Community Room, 21810 Copley Drive. 5.3 Household Hazardous Waste and e -Waste Roundup, Saturday, February 15, 2014 — 9:00 a.m. to 3-00 p.m., Gateway Corporate Center, 1300 Bridgegate Drive. 5.4 Presidents' Day Holiday — February 17, 2014 — City Offices closed in observance of President's Holiday — City Offices reopen Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at 7:30 a.m. 5.5 City Council Meeting — February 18, 2014 — 6:30 p.m., AQMD/Government Center Auditorium, 21865 Copley Drive 6. CONSENT CALENDAR- MPT/Tye moved, C/Tanaka seconded, to approve the Consent Calendar as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: FEBRUARY 4, 2014 PAGE 4 CITY COUNCIL AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Chang, Lyons, Tanaka, MPT/Tye, M/Herrera NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None 6.1 APPROVED CITY COUNCIL MINUTES — Regular Meeting of January 21, 2014 —As submitted. 6.2 RATIFIED CHECK REGISTER — Dated January 16, 2014 through January 29, 2014 totaling $831,582.63. 6.3 APPROVED TREASURER'S STATEMENT — for the month of December 2013. 6.4 APPROVED FOR SECOND READING AND ADOPTED ORDINANCE NO. 01(2014)-. AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE "C-3"-PD/HOTEL" OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICT AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP TO CHANGE THE ZONING DESIGNATION FROM "C-3: TO "C-3-PD/HOTEL OVERLAY" ON THOSE PARCELS IN THE CITY OF DIAMOND BAR BOUNDED BY GRAND AVENUE, OLD BREA CANYON ROAD AND CALIFORNIA STATE ROUTE 57/60 (APNs 8719-020-001, 8719- 020-006 AND 8719-020-007). 6.5 RECEIVED GENERAL PLAN STATUS REPORT FOR 2013. 6.6 AWARDED DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, AND INSPECTION SERVICES CONTRACT TO ONWARD ENGINEERING, INC. FOR THE MORNING CANYON ROAD REHABILITATION PROJECT FROM DIAMOND BAR BOULEVARD TO STONEPINE DRIVE IN THE AMOUNT OF $70,590 WITH A CONTINGENCY AMOUNT OF $7,000 FOR CHANGE ORDERS TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY MANAGER FOR A TOTAL AUTHORIZATION AMOUNT OF $77,590. 7. PUBLIC HEARING: 7.1 ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2014-05: APPROVING TENTATIVE TRACT MAP NO. 72351 (PLANNING CASE NO PL2013-282) TO SUBDIVIDE AIR SPACE FOR A 19 UNIT OFFICE CONDOMINIUM LOCATED AT 660 N. DIAMOND BAR BOULEVARD, DIAMOND BAR, CA (ASSESSOR'S PARCEL NO 8706-002-025. MPT/Tye and C/Lyons recused themselves and left the dais. FEBRUARY 4, 2014 PAGE 5 CITY COUNCIL SP/Lee presented staff's report stating that this project is a request to convert an existing 26,663 square foot two-story Professional Office Building into Office Condominiums. The applicant requests approval of a Tentative Map to subdivide air space for a 19 -unit office condominium. Each unit will be sold separately as condominiums and governed by an association. Unit sizes range from 371 to 1707 square feet and the project is conditioned to submit CC&R's that govern these units, subject to review and approval by City staff as well as the City Attorney's office prior to Final Map approval. The project site is located on the east side of north Diamond Bar Boulevard between Sunset Crossing and Highland Valley Road: The existing office building was built in 1982 and was leased as professional offices. The existing site is zoned Office Professional (OP) with a Commercial Office General Plan land use designation and the project site is surrounded by an office business park on all three sides. On December 19 the Planning Commission reviewed this project and unanimously recommended City Council approval of the Tentative Map. In addition, the Planning Commission approved a Development Review application to modify the exterior fagade and add an 800 square foot lobby area to the front of the building. Because these two requests are not interdependent and may be acted upon separately, the Commission split the two actions, one to approve the Development Review and the other to recommend City Council approval of the Tentative Map in order to allow the applicant to commence construction prior to the Council's review of the Tentative Map. SP/Lee presented an overview of the plan which included an 800 lobby addition approved by the Planning Commission and located towards the front of the building, retention of the existing driveway that wraps around the building, retention of the e xisting access and an easement agreement for shared driveways and access and easement areas within the surrounding park office sites. Prior to recordation of the Final Map the CC&R's for the office condominiums will be required to include a reference to the existing agreement to ensure that the reciprocal access and easement rights are retained for the newly created condos. The applicant is proposing to designate approximately 3,600 square feet as professional office space-, 7,500 square feet as medical offices with the remaining 5,500 square feet designated as common areas which will include public restrooms on each floor, lobby area, hallway and elevator areas. As a result, the proposed FEBRUARY 4, 2014 PAGE 6 CITY COUNCIL 9 uses require 78 parking spaces and the project complies with the parking code requirement by providing 79 parking spaces onsite. The exterior of the building will be remodeled in a contemporary modern architectural style utilizing very simple contemporary building materials and details. The massing of the street front lobby area is taller to create a more spacious and inviting environment. Metal canopies will be added above the first floor to break up the flat vertical glass panels and the building will be repainted in two tones to create interest at the two levels. The rear elevation has a secondary entrance that features a more defined and welcoming entrance and the existing staircase will be modified with new metal railing to compliment the contemporary style. SP/Lee stated that this project is categorically exempt from CEQA because the project is an existing facility and therefore, no further environmental review is required. Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Tentative Map to subdivide air space for a 19 - unit Office Condominium based on the Findings of the Development Code subject to Conditions of Approval listed in the Resolution. M/Herrera opened the Public Hearing at 7:08 p.m. There being no one present who wished to speak on this matter, M/Herrera closed the Public Hearing at 7-09 p.m. C/Chang moved, C/Tanaka seconded, to Adopt Resolution No. 2014-05: Approving Tentative Tract Map No 72351 (Planning Case No. PL2013-282) to subdivide air space for a 19 -unit office condominium located at 660 N. Diamond Bar Boulevard, Diamond Bar, CA (Assessor's Parcel No. 8706-002-025). Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Chang, Tanaka, M/Herrera NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None ABSTAIN- COUNCIL MEMBERS: Lyons, MPT/Tye ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None COUNCIL CONSIDERATION: None COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS ANDMEETING ATTENDANCE REPORTSICOUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS: C/Tanaka reported that last Wednesday he attended the State of the Chamber luncheon for the San Gabriel Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce. President Michael Gregoryk spoke about the Chamber's FEBRUARY 4, 2014 PAGE 7 CITY COUNCIL office move to Rowland Heights and plans to increase membership. On Saturday, February 1, he attended the Diamond Bar Chinese Association's Year of the Horse New Year's Celebration at Diamond Bar High School and this afternoon he attended the ribbon -cutting ceremony for Fortis Financial in the Corporate Center. He congratulated the Diamond Bar High School Leo Club which was recognized by Lions Club International for Club Excellence Award. C/Chang reminded everyone they could follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. A couple of Saturdays past she attended Congressman David Royce's Paying for College event at the SCAQMD. Approximately 500 students and parents and about 30 colleges were in attendance. The entire City Council attended the Diamond Bar Chinese American Association Lunar New Year event and C/Chang congratulated President Jenny Zeng on an outstanding event. She also attended the Fortis. Financial ribbon -cuffing this afternoon with the San Gabriel Valley Chamber of Commerce. C/Lyons said it was very nice to have all of her colleagues at the Diamond Bar Chinese American New Year's celebration and felt the organization appreciated the Council's presence as well. She appreciated the opportunity to attend the rescheduled Council of Governments as Alternate with M/Herrera and found the meeting to be very interesting and informative. She appreciates CM/DeStefano and PWD/Liu working with the School District and the schools to mitigate the situation at Evergreen. She agrees that the safety of the students is the primary concern and knows the parents are very perplexed about why the current procedure is not working. MPT/Tye wished "Gung Hay Fat Choy" to friends of the Chinese Community in welcoming the Year of the Horse and "saehae bok mani badeuseyo" to friends in the Korean Community as they too celebrate their new year. He attended Assembly Curt Hagman's Small Business Forum held in Brea which addressed issues important to businesses. Those present included insurance brokers, restaurant owners, and a variety of business owners who spoke about how difficult the State makes it to do business in the 55 th Assembly District and throughout the State. As the City's representative and President of Contract Cities he attended the Winter Forum to discuss the synergies that contract cities/independent cities bring together and the difference they can make. The theme of the forum was "Cities Working Together for Cities" and that this is what cities need to do to take their issues to Sacramento. FEBRUARY 4, 2014 PAGE 8 CITY COUNCIL M/Herrera. stated that in addition to meetings and festivities she has attended during the past couple of weeks, she thanked LA County Sheriffs Deputies for their keen observation in detaining criminals. On January 25, Deputies Saucedo and Thorn received a call about a disturbance at a local bank. When they approached the individual's vehicle they observed drug paraphernalia, numerous gift cards, credit cards, a computer and a card reader. Diamond Bar residents greatly appreciate the due diligence. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to conduct, M[Herrera adjourned the Regular City Council Meeting at 716 p.m. TOMMYEItRIBBINS, CITY CLERK The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this 18th day of Februa 2014. CAROL HERRERA, MAYOR