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Minutes October 15, 200

CITY OF LAGUNA WOODS CALIFORNIA

CITY COUNCIL MINUTES

REGULAR MEETING

October 15, 2003

2:00 P.M.

I.    CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Hack called the Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Laguna Woods to order at 2:00 p.m.

II.   FLAG SALUTE

Councilmember Ross led the Flag salute.

III.  ROLL CALL

COUNCILMEMBERS    PRESENT:    Bouer, Ross, McLaughlin, Ring, Hack

                  ABSENT:     None

STAFF PRESENT:    City Manager Keane; City Attorney Biggs; City Clerk Condon; Assistant City Manager Reilly, Community development Director Barr

IV.   PRESENTATIONS

None

V.    CITY PROCLAMATIONS

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Ring, seconded by Councilmember Ross and carried unanimously to adopt Proclamations 5.1 through 5.3.

5.1 Commendation – Geraldine Robbin – 100th Birthday

5.2   Commendation – Diane Stunston – 100th Birthday

5.3   Proclamation – Breast Cancer Awareness Month

VI.   CONSENT CALENDAR

Moved by Councilmember Bouer, seconded by Councilmember Ross, and carried unanimously to approve Consent Calendar items 6.1 through 6.7.

6.1   Approved City Council Minutes from the regular meeting of September 17, 2003.

6.2   Approved the reading by title of all ordinances and resolutions. Said ordinances and resolutions that appear on the public agenda shall be determined to have been read by title only and further reading waived.

6.3   Received and filed September 2003 monthly Treasurer’s Report.

6.4   Approved the October 15, 2003 Warrant Register in the amount of $442,814.82.

6.5   Zoning Ordinance Amendment

Ordinance 03-06 entitled:  AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA WOODS, CALIFORNIA, AMMENDING THE LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CODE (ZONING CODE) BY ADOPTING ADDITIONAL STANDARDS FOR FENCING, BALLOONS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS AND PRIVATE GOLF COURSE PARKING adopted

6.6 California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) Ordinance

Ordinance 03-07 entitled:  AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA WOODS, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA WOODS AND THE BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM adopted.

6.7   Senior Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Grant

Approved an agreement with the Orange County Office on Aging for the provision of Senior Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Services, and authorized the City Manager to execute the agreement subject to review as to form by the City Attorney.

VII.  PUBLIC HEARINGS

7.1 Zoning Ordinance Amendment – Temporary Sign Program for Churches and Not-for-Profit Organizations

Mayor Hack announced the Public Hearing was opened and would be continued until November 19, 2003.  He stated that if anyone would like to speak to the issue at the current meeting to complete a speaker’s request form. 

There were no requests to speak.

The Public Hearing was continued until November 19, 2003

VIII.   COUNCIL BUSINESS

None

IX.   CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

9.1 Pilot Electronic Waste Pick-Up Program

Assistant City Manager Reilly discussed the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection which was started in April 2002.  Over the eighteen months, through September 2003, the contractor collected 15,367 pounds of HHW at a cost of $28,875 and 94 gallons of sharps at a cost of $3,384, from 367 households.

Many residents have called to request expansion of the HHW program to add collection of electronic waste (E-waste), which includes television sets, computers and monitors, and similar equipment. Currently, E-waste can be disposed of for free at the Irvine Regional HHW Collection Center in Irvine. The Irvine Center is open mornings, Tuesdays through Saturdays. However, drop off at this facility requires E-waste to be carried from a residence to a vehicle, and such equipment is often too heavy for residents.

The City’s HHW collection contractor offers an E-waste collection program that provides a convenient way to dispose of this equipment.  As with the regular HHW program, residents would contact City Hall to request a pickup of their E-waste. A container would not be required.  The fee for this service would be on a per item basis plus $35 per stop if not collected with HHW.  Staff estimates that the cost to the City for this program will range from approximately $25 to $85 per stop, in part depending on whether collection will include HHW.

Staff recommends implementing a pilot E-waste pickup program for the remainder of this fiscal year (November 2003 ? June 2004) at a cost of $12,500. This would enable approximately 150 – 500 pickups during this pilot period, or an average of 40 pickups per month.  The Community Services Committee unanimously recommended adoption of this pilot program at its August 2003 meeting.

Councilmember McLaughlin expressed concern regarding the $35 charge per stop.  Mayor Hack proposed a quarterly pickup program with no charge and a $17.50 charge if not done on the quarterly program. 

Council requested staff investigate obtaining a better cost and bring back to Council at the October 31, 2003 meeting.

9.2 City Manager Keane discussed the effect of the state budget and the anticipated effect of the loss of the vehicle license fee.  The bill that passed did not include money for hardship cases, which include new cities such as Laguna Woods.  Money was sent to Orange County for their debt service; however, we have heard they were sent all the money available.  A bill to provide money for hardship cities was not voted on.  Staff has heard that legislators may introduce a bill for hardship funding. 

The City budget was prepared expecting a possible loss of $620,000 in VLF, $26,000 in gas tax and $100,000 in grant funding.  However, the budget assumes a short term loss of only three months.  If the VLF reduction is permanent, the City could lose and additional 2.4 million over the projected loss, and the City would need to look at reducing staffing and programs. There are two initiatives that might quality for the November 2004 election to eliminate the VLF completely. The City has a $4 million General Fund Reserve, but staff would urge not using it unless sure the loss would only be short term. 

X. CITY ATTORNEY’S REPORT

City Attorney Biggs reported she will report at the November 19, 2003 meeting regarding the constitutional issues on charging or waiving fees for non-profits.

XI.   COMMITTEE REPORTS

11.1  Laguna Canyon Foundation (Mayor Pro Tem Ring)

Mayor Pro Tem Ring reported the Foundation met Thursday and discussed participating with other non-profits to form a community foundation.  The Foundation will review the interpretative exhibit program at the November 13 meeting.

11.2 Coastal Greenbelt Authority (Mayor Pro Tem Ring)

Mayor Pro Tem Ring reported they visited several sites, including Woods End, which are being proposed to become part of the Wilderness Park.  They will also look at the interpretative exhibit program.

11.3 El Toro Reuse Planning Authority (Mayor Hack)

Mayor Hack they were settling some lawsuits.  Hopefully LAFCO will approve the base property for early November.  The Navy is requiring the approval from LAFCO before a sale. 

11.3  Orange County Corridor Authorities (Mayor Hack)

Mayor Hack discussed that the merger between the San Joaquin and Foothill Eastern toll roads which will require bonding and a possible vote in November.  The meeting tomorrow will be regarding reports from the appraisal company.

11.4  Vector Control District (Councilmember Bouer)

Councilmember Bouer reported the General Manager resigned, the red ant program was eliminated and the state reduced their budget.

11.5  Library Board (Councilmember McLaughlin)

Councilmember McLaughlin advised the meeting was postponed awaiting the state budget.

11.6  Orange County Fire Authority (Councilmember Ross)

Councilmember Ross reported she attended the opening ceremony of the new fire station at Ladera.

XII. PUBLIC COMMENTS

Mary Stone, resident, discussed the Community Civic Association October 23, 2003 forum on alternative transportation at Clubhouse 5.  She thanked the City for the taxi voucher program.

XIII. CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Councilmember Bouer reported the West Nile Virus has reached the southern California.

XIV.  CLOSED SESSION

None

XV.  ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 2:35 p.m.  An Adjourned Regular Meeting of the City Council will be held at 10:00 a.m. October 31, 2003 at the Laguna Woods City Hall, 24264 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92653.

____________________________________________

SUSAN M. CONDON, City Clerk

Adopted:  November 19, 2003

______________________________________________

ROBERT B. RING, Mayor