City Council Meeting - November 27, 2012

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Kelly at 7:00 PM. The City Clerk conducted a roll call of council members, confirming their presence ▶ 📄. Mayor Kelly then invited a council member to lead the Pledge of Allegiance, which was recited ▶ 📄. Mayor Kelly announced there were no closed session meetings and moved to approval of the agenda ▶ 📄.

Parks and Recreation Director Mike Langford presented a comprehensive overview of numerous events organized by the department over a busy two-month period, highlighting the Halloween event as a major production. He detailed the logistical challenges of moving activities indoors due to rain and praised staff adaptability ▶ 📄. Jeff then discussed the haunted house coordination, noting volunteer dedication and extensive planning, including 700-1,000 hours spent by John Walbridge on props ▶ 📄. A video showcased the 'Pirates of Sausalito' haunted house theme. Volunteers A.T. Lin, Art Griggs, Ann Walbridge, and John Walbridge were recognized and presented. Councilmembers expressed appreciation, with Councilmember Fyfer noting the event was a 'big hit' ▶ 📄.

Two public comments were received during the Communications item. Richard Morkin, a furniture finisher at the Martin Luther King building (formerly Bus Barn), requested that his rent not be raised back to its previous level, citing financial hardship ▶ 📄. Mayor Kelly acknowledged the comment but noted it could not be formally addressed as it was not on the agenda ▶ 📄. Craig Severance, a Sausalito resident, introduced a community bulletin board website called TakeBackSausalito.com to facilitate two-way conversations among residents and city officials, encouraging councilmembers to participate ▶ 📄. No council discussion occurred on either comment.

Councilmember Pfeiffer moved to approve the minutes of the previous meeting ▶ 📄. Mayor Kelly called for a vote with no opposition noted ▶ 📄. The item was quickly approved without discussion.

The Consent Calendar contained four routine items expected to have unanimous support. Councilmember Pfeiffer raised questions about item 4B, the ferry landing grant, clarifying that accepting the grant does not endorse any specific design plans ▶ 📄. City Manager Adam Politzer explained that the referenced 2009 plan was conceptual and helped secure $4.2 million in funding, but any project will undergo the standard Planning Commission review process ▶ 📄. Councilmember Leon commended city staff, particularly Herb, for rebuilding the relationship with the Golden Gate Ferry transit district, enabling this funding opportunity ▶ 📄.

Staff presented an ordinance amendment to shift design review for vehicular traffic safety guardrails deemed necessary by the city engineer from Planning Commission review to administrative design review by the Community Development Department. ▶ 📄 The change aims to expedite installation of safety-critical guardrails using standardized Caltrans designs (reinforced concrete or metal beam) while maintaining public noticing and neighbor outreach. ▶ 📄 Council discussion revealed concerns: Councilmember Pfeiffer opposed transferring design review from the Planning Commission, emphasizing aesthetics and public transparency. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Leon and Vice Mayor Leone stressed safety as paramount, supporting streamlined approval with appeal options. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Fyfer expressed concern about 'one-size-fits-all' standardization. ▶ 📄 Mayor Kelly supported streamlining, noting the appeal process protects citizen input. ▶ 📄 Public Works staff explained guardrails are often initiated in response to accidents or deteriorating conditions, and the administrative process includes 300-foot noticing and landscaping collaboration. ▶ 📄

Administrative Services Director Charlie Melton presented the item, explaining that $20,000 was budgeted for economic development projects identified by the Business Advisory Committee (BAC). The BAC, through Chair Adam Cravazzi, proposed a $5,000 contract with the Marin Economic Forum to provide professional guidance to identify complementary business clusters within existing zoning, building on a prior economic study. ▶ 📄 Cravazzi emphasized the goal is to start a dialogue and identify businesses that could mutually thrive, focusing on non-tourism sectors to enhance the city's economic base, particularly in the Marinship area which employs over 3,000 people. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Leon sought clarification on the end product, which Cravazzi described as a list of mutually supportive businesses. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Pfeiffer expressed concern that the proposal's wording about 'broadening' businesses in the Marinship might go beyond the Marinship Specific Plan. ▶ 📄 Planning Director Heidi Burns clarified her prior analysis matched recommended businesses from the earlier study with permitted uses in the Marinship plan, such as research and development. ▶ 📄 Mayor Kelly and others reiterated the study would not address zoning changes. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Pfeiffer questioned city funding alone and the phrasing 'accepted' in the report, which Melton corrected to 'received and filed.' ▶ 📄 Councilmember Leon asked about financial benefits; Melton cited expanding the tax base, better utilizing permitted spaces, and starting a business dialogue, using hospitality supply chains as an example. ▶ 📄 Public comments from BAC members Peter Van Meter and Michael Rack supported the proposal as a valuable step within existing zoning to enhance economic vitality. ▶ 📄 Council discussion revealed philosophical divides: Leon and Mayor Kelly supported data gathering to inform financial sustainability, while Pfeiffer and Fyfer emphasized preserving quality of life and adhering strictly to the Marinship Specific Plan. ▶ 📄 The council debated amending the proposal's language to remove the word 'broadened' and clarify it focuses on 'permitted' businesses to alleviate concerns about overreach. ▶ 📄 A motion was made with this amended language.

Associate Planner Heidi Burns presented the item, seeking City Council direction on two design alternatives for accessibility improvements at Plaza Vina del Mar. The first alternative, preferred by the Planning Commission and Historic Landmarks Board, removes the elevated two-step landing and provides an at-grade 10-foot-wide path from Bridgeway to the fountain, but does not include a 5-foot-wide pathway around the fountain ▶ 📄. The second alternative includes the pathway around the fountain. Staff noted that the city's accessibility expert, Kim Blackseth, confirmed the first alternative complies with ADA and the 2006 settlement agreement, which requires access to the fountain ▶ 📄. However, Public Works recommends the pathway as an enhancement for greater accessibility. If the Council chooses the first alternative, Public Works may later propose the pathway as part of the city's ADA Transition Plan ▶ 📄. Council discussion focused on cost, historic integrity, and accessibility. Councilmember Leon clarified the settlement requires access to, not around, the fountain, and noted budget constraints ▶ 📄. Councilmember Fyfer expressed disappointment about losing the raised platform but preferred minimizing impact to historic palms and the fountain ▶ 📄. Councilmember Pfeiffer supported the first alternative for its clean design and preservation of green space ▶ 📄. Mayor Kelly supported the first alternative due to cost, but acknowledged the pathway might be added later if complaints arise ▶ 📄.

Administrative Services Director/Treasurer Charlie Francis presented the ordinance to amend the CalPERS contract, establishing a second pension tier as part of a three-year labor reform strategy. The new tier lowers employer contribution rates for new hires: from 14.215% to 10.5% for miscellaneous employees and from 36.9% to 20.5% for police safety employees, with employee contributions also adjusted. ▶ 📄. Councilmember Pfeiffer requested reconsideration of the prior resolution of intent, citing the actuarial report showed minimal long-term savings (1.8-2.6% of payroll), which he deemed insufficient. ▶ 📄. Charlie Francis clarified that dollar savings are substantial due to prior side fund paydowns and emphasized that failing to pass the ordinance by January 1 would force the city into a more expensive state-mandated tier. ▶ 📄. A motion to reconsider failed 2-3 (Pfeiffer and Weiner in favor). ▶ 📄. Discussion included debates on pension debt figures, with Pfeiffer questioning the city's total pension liability and Francis explaining that updated actuarial reports are forthcoming. ▶ 📄. Councilmember Leon and Mayor Kelly defended the reform as meaningful and necessary within existing constraints, praising the city's proactive efforts. ▶ 📄.

The City Clerk presented this as a 'cleanup job' of the municipal code, prompted by an anonymous question during a city manager meeting about an outdated 1950s ordinance requiring the city manager to reside in Sausalito. ▶ 📄 Staff recommended repealing two sections: the residency requirement and a surety bond requirement. The City Attorney clarified that the residency mandate is unconstitutional per California Constitution Article 11, Section 10b and Government Code Section 50083, which prohibit requiring employees to live in the city, though reasonable distance requirements are allowed case-by-case. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Pfeiffer inquired about giving hiring preference to local candidates, which the City Attorney said would need further research. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Leon pointed out additional outdated sections in Chapter 2.08 regarding appointments and council protocols. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Fyfer noted a potential conflict with the city manager's removal procedure, but the Mayor limited discussion to the two specific items. ▶ 📄

City Manager Adam Politzer provided updates on several topics: 1) The Chamber of Commerce is temporarily closing the visitor kiosk for ATM installation and to restructure volunteer roles, combining it with an ambassador program to better handle bicycle-related questions ▶ 📄. Councilmember Fyfer commended the volunteers and shared past experience ▶ 📄. 2) The school district is moving forward with consolidating Bayside and Lindsay campuses without a bond, using loans for portable units ▶ 📄. 3) Upcoming December events include the Yacht Parade and Taste of San Francisco ▶ 📄. 4) Free holiday parking was approved ▶ 📄. 5) The December council meeting will include the changing of the guard, election of mayor/vice mayor, and recognition of outgoing/incoming council members ▶ 📄.

Councilmember Fyfer inquired about the status of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, which was previously approved but never populated ▶ 📄. City Manager Adam Politzer explained that the committee was formed with a structure of five voting and two non-voting members, but remains unpopulated due to prioritization by the mayor and council ▶ 📄. Mayor Kelly recommended deferring the item to the new council for prioritization in January, as it cannot be addressed on December 11th ▶ 📄. Councilmember Fyfer emphasized resident interest and noted existing applications ▶ 📄. Councilmember Leon requested future agenda items including parking for 94965, an update on library construction (which has started and is expected to finish in 2015), a report on the post office, and changing the community magazine format from PDF to HTML for better searchability ▶ 📄. Mayor Kelly reported that TAM is allocating $125,000 for a study on the south end of town, thanking various individuals for their lobbying efforts ▶ 📄.