| Time | Speaker | Text |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00:02.23 | Heidi Scoble | Audio and video is streaming. Good evening, Mayor Hoffman and Councilmembers. This meeting is being held pursuant to section three of Executive Order N-29-20, issued by Governor Newsom on March 17th, 2020. And all members are joining this meeting telephonically through Zoom and is being broadcast live on the city's website and on cable TV channel 27. |
| 00:00:23.81 | Jill Hoffman | Good evening, thank you, Madam Clerk. Welcome to the Tuesday, February 23, 2021 regular City Council meeting. Um, Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll? Councilmember Stovia. |
| 00:00:38.98 | Heidi Scoble | Whiskey? |
| 00:00:40.11 | Ian Sobieski | Here. |
| 00:00:41.27 | Heidi Scoble | Councilmember Blaustein? here. Council member Cleveland Knowles. care. Vice Mayor Kelman. |
| 00:00:48.43 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 00:00:49.26 | Heidi Scoble | Mayor Hoffman. |
| 00:00:50.42 | Janelle Kellman | here. |
| 00:00:51.03 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 00:00:51.04 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 00:00:51.06 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 00:00:51.38 | Heidi Scoble | All members are present and we have a quorum. |
| 00:00:53.61 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Um, At this time, I will announce that item D1 will be discussed in closed session. D1 is conference with legal counsel, existing litigation pursuant to California government code session. 54956.9 D1. name of the case, Sasso, Marin County. Chapter of the Sausalito, sorry, chapter of the California Homeless Union versus City of Sausalito. USDC number Northern district of California case number three. 21-CV-01143-LB. At this time, I will open this item up for public comment. |
| 00:01:43.24 | Jill Hoffman | I see no hands raised. Madam Clerk, do you see any hands raised? Madam Mayor, there are no hands raised at this time. I will then close this item for public comment. in Iowa, um, close this session. We will now adjourn to close session. Sorry. |
| 00:02:09.53 | Deborah Muchmore | We're going to start our video. |
| 00:02:16.28 | Heidi Scoble | And Madam Mayor, we are good to go. We are going to actually admit, we're not good to go. We're admitting our 21 participants. |
| 00:02:27.26 | Jill Hoffman | Very good, thank you. |
| 00:02:28.67 | Heidi Scoble | Okay. Madam Mayor, we are ready to go. |
| 00:02:34.45 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you, Madam Clerk. I will now reopen our session or open our meeting for open session of the city council meeting for February 23rd, 2021. And we've already taken the role and we are all present. Um, I do not have any closed session announcements. Actually, I do have a closed session announcement. It's not really a closed session announcement. It's just an announcement of the hearing, the results of the hearing today that was held in US District Court with regard to the lawsuit, for a temporary restraining order or an action for a temporary restraining order that was filed. in U.S. District Court. And that was Um, In the case of Sausli or Morincity, Marin County chapter of the California Homeless Union versus City of Sausalito. We had a hearing this afternoon and U.S. District Court Judge Edward Chin heard arguments on an application seeking to halt the city of Sausalito from relocating the occupants of the Dumpy Park encampment to nearby Marinship Park. The judge decided to further consider the issue before making a ruling. But in his words, he would make it as soon as possible. So the hearing was held today. The judge took the matters under submission and he will be issuing a ruling, um, as quickly as possible. So we have that announcement. Do I have any other announcements? I do. Another announcement. that I will make is that I'm opening our meeting tonight in honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King and I'm going to use his quote, That is one of my favorites. Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that. And so that's our thought for tonight. in honor |
| 00:04:36.98 | Ian Sobieski | honor of |
| 00:04:37.76 | Jill Hoffman | Black History Month and Dr. Martin Luther King. I'd also like to recognize some of the great programs that our community has brought forward this month in recognition of Black History Month Our schools have been addressing this issue, not just this month, but actually throughout the year. Willow Creek Academy has emphasized Dr. King, six principles of nonviolence each month. The content figures were individuals who exemplified Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding. And in their final week, They're going to have a joint session and assembly between the students of Bayside MLK and Willow Creek Academy this Friday. highlighting contributions from each campus. Our fabulous library program has also had ongoing virtual programs on racial justice topics, including the Marin paradox, liberalism and racial separation. the racial divide. in the 1800s. Joseph James and the Marine ship. presented by Dana Whitson and Tammy Bell, the Associate Historical Society, in February the salt and pepper talks, school desegregation in Sausli in the 1960s, And in March coming up, What a Southerner learned about housing discrimination in the San Francisco Bay Area presented by Andrew Henning, who some of you may know, who comes and talks to us his efforts in Marin County. Also our library is looking at school unification and helping with the unification of the library. These are all exciting things that are going on in Sausalito. Later when we do committee reports Councilmember Blaustein and I will talk about our efforts on the diversity equity inclusion working group as we move forward. on this topic. So those are my announcements. for this evening and I welcome everybody to the City Council meeting. May I have a motion for approval of the agenda? Thank you. |
| 00:06:53.30 | Jill Hoffman | Do I have a second? Did someone second? Second. Thank you. Madam Clerk, can you please take the roll? |
| 00:07:10.09 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 00:07:10.14 | Heidi Scoble | So, yeah. |
| 00:07:10.65 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 00:07:10.80 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. Council member Sobieski. Councilmember Blastine. Yes. Council member Cleveland Knowles. Yes. Vice Mayor Kellman? Yes. Mayor Hoffman? Thank you. Yes. |
| 00:07:23.84 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Okay. |
| 00:07:34.22 | Jill Hoffman | So on the two announcements I made, I think I skipped over public comments. So at this point, I would like to open public comment for the announcements that I made earlier. |
| 00:07:43.93 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Can I just ask Mayor Huffman, are you also having our COVID update under mayor's announcements so we would have public comment on all of that together? |
| 00:07:52.40 | Jill Hoffman | I believe we're having our COVID update later on the agenda. |
| 00:07:57.14 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | No, on my agenda, it's under mayor's announcements, but I'm sorry, I might have printed it out. |
| 00:07:57.22 | Jill Hoffman | All right. |
| 00:08:02.03 | Jill Hoffman | No worries, let me look and see. |
| 00:08:07.94 | Heidi Scoble | Madam Mayor, if I may interject, you have the option of either taking public comment individually or combined. So the agenda item is... does include mayor's announcements and special special presentations so if you would like public comment to be combined after the COVID-19 update you can do that |
| 00:08:25.13 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, very good. Very good. OK, so let's have the COVID update, public comment on both of those. Thank you. |
| 00:08:34.82 | Abbott Chambers | All right, let me share my screen. |
| 00:08:50.58 | Jill Hoffman | And I'm down. Let me introduce Abbott Chambers. |
| 00:08:50.77 | Ian Sobieski | Yeah. |
| 00:08:50.78 | Abbott Chambers | Yeah. |
| 00:08:50.80 | Ian Sobieski | And I- |
| 00:08:51.04 | Abbott Chambers | Thank you, Madam. |
| 00:08:54.01 | Jill Hoffman | or Director of Communications who will provide a COVID update. Thank you, Habit. |
| 00:08:58.24 | Abbott Chambers | Thank you, Madam Mayor. Good evening, members of the council and members of the community. This will be another in my series of brief COVID-19 updates. As far as what I'll be covering, I'll be providing updates on the current status of the outbreak in Marin, on our tier ranking and business reopenings, on process, progress, excuse me, with vaccinations, on activity in our downtown area, and I'll wrap up with some thoughts on our timeline for returning to normal. This is a chart that shows daily new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Marin. Looking over at the far right, you'll see that we are on a nice downward slope after a peak in cases in early January. And all signs are that that trend is going to continue. And we do have the wind at our back right now with increasing immunity from the COVID-19 vaccines. Some other good news today. The state of California, through its blueprint for a safer economy, announced that Marin will be moving into the red tier, tier two, effective tomorrow. And that means that Marin is just one of 11 counties in the entire state that will be elevated above the purple tier one. So we've all been doing a really good job of reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. So what's allowed under the red tier? With the move into that tier, indoor restaurant dining will be allowed again at 25% capacity. Retail goes from 25% to 50% capacity. Movie theaters can reopen at 25%, gyms at 10%. And indoor gatherings at homes are discouraged, but are allowed for a maximum of three households. These restrictions may seem familiar. They should because we were in the red tier for a couple of months in September and October 2020. Looking at vaccinations in Marin, as of today, we are over 50,000 people, Marin residents, who have been vaccinated with at least one dose. That's almost 20% of our population of over 260,000. And we can expect that those numbers should start picking up even more. Last week was a rough week with troubles with vaccine distribution or shipments due to the bad weather in much of the country. But announcements that we're hearing are that supply should be increasing rapidly in the coming weeks. So who is eligible right now? Currently, healthcare personnel of all kinds and people 65 and over. Depending on supplies, we'll move on to the next phase of vaccinations, next populations, and that will include food service workers, education and childcare workers, and agricultural workers. And that will be followed by people ages 50 to 64 and people 16 to 49 with an underlying health condition and then we'll continue on through the remaining age groups until everyone has been vaccinated. Vaccination is free and that includes at the Marin County vaccination sites at the Civic Center and the new drive through. our drive up vaccination site at the Larkspur ferry landing. Important to mention that you do not have to get the vaccine from your primary health care provider. So for example, if you are a Kaiser member, and Kaiser at this point is only vaccinating its members 75 and over, you can go and get your vaccination at one of the county sites or at a pharmacy or another health care. Provider? That said, appointments are incredibly hard to come by. If you go to the vaccination options page on the Marin County Coronavirus Information website, you'll see the address there. And you look to see if there are any appointments available. You're highly unlikely to see any. I've yet to see appointments, any appointments available anywhere. and I'm sure that anyone who is 65 or over in your community who has tried to make an appointment could share some similar stories. any appointments available anywhere. And I'm sure that anyone who is 65 or over in your community who has tried to make an appointment could share some similar stories. But hopefully with the increasing supplies, with these new sites opening up, we should be making a lot more progress in the coming weeks. Turning out to activity in our downtown area, we continue to see a lot of visitors to Sausalito on sunny Saturdays, sunny weekend days. Reports suggest that it's primarily local tourists, people coming to Sausalito to enjoy our beautiful views and walk around town. Limited ferry services have rooms resumed from Blue and Gold Ferry just within the last couple of weeks. They're offering three round trip on trips from San Francisco to Sausalito on Saturdays and Sundays. Our PD reports that mass compliance is at around 90%. with the folks that they're seeing in the downtown area and their focus continues to be on gentle reminders to visitors and to our businesses about adhering to public health orders if you're looking for a true covet 19 downtown sausage to experience you can get a free covet 19 test by oral swab on wednesdays at parking lot 2 which is the parking lot that's right next to the b of a building and to make an appointment you go to the curative.com website and there are plenty of appointments in this case and the marine public health encourages us to keep getting tested it's an important way for them to understand how prevalent the virus is in our community Last but not least, for our locals downtown area of Caledonia Street, the city is working with the restaurants between Pine and Johnson Street on resuming the on-street dining program. So hopefully we'll have some more news about that within the next week or two. I'll conclude with just some observations on a possible timeline for returning to normal. The Atlantic Magazine ran an article online today. where the author talked with a number of experts in the public health community. And the timeline that emerged from those conversations is as follows. Spring 2021, so this coming spring, looking at gradual reopenings with ongoing vaccinations, but that we'll be keeping a watchful eye on these new COVID-19 variants that are emerging. Summer of 2021 should be a lot more like normal. Many fewer restrictions, many more people feeling comfortable traveling. We'll kind of go back into a more hunkered down phase in fall of winter of 2021-22 with the possibility of flare-ups of the virus leading to the return of some precautions and restrictions. But by summer of 2022, we should be looking at our new post-COVID normal. And that includes looking then forward to the winter of 22-23, where COVID becomes more like the seasonal flu or like a bad version of the seasonal flu with the flu season and annual vaccinations. That concludes my presentation and I would be happy to take any questions. I'll stop my screen share. |
| 00:16:25.72 | Jill Hoffman | Thanks Abbott, that was great as always. Do we have any city council members who would like to ask any questions of Abbott? |
| 00:16:34.15 | Melissa Blaustein | I have a question. Okay, go ahead. |
| 00:16:35.71 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 00:16:35.72 | Ian Sobieski | Go ahead. |
| 00:16:36.16 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 00:16:36.87 | Melissa Blaustein | Thank you. Abbott, do you know when, according to what tier we'd have to be in for some city activities to resume, for instance, the summer everyone loves jazz and blues by the bay. Is that something that looks like it might be a possibility? What tier are we hoping to be in for those types of activities? that are outdoors, for instance. |
| 00:16:53.46 | Abbott Chambers | Thank you. |
| 00:16:53.53 | Melissa Blaustein | Thank you. |
| 00:16:54.32 | Abbott Chambers | Yeah, that's a great question. And I'd have to take a closer look at the tiers and get back to you. I asked that very question to Mike Langford, our Parks and Recreation Director, earlier today. And he said, you know, it's totally wait and see and that he's talking with other Parks and Rec folks around the county. There's also the issue of staffing as well. His staff has been repurposed to other departments so there is also just going to be the question of whether we have the |
| 00:17:22.21 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 00:17:24.91 | Abbott Chambers | the manpower, the woman power to actually do something like jazz and blues. But I believe that as we get into the very high upper tiers, Thank you. Those sorts of outdoor gatherings would be allowed, but maybe only up to a certain number of people, and that would be difficult to manage with gas and blues as well. |
| 00:17:46.70 | Melissa Blaustein | Thank you, Eve. |
| 00:17:49.42 | Jill Hoffman | Thanks. Any other questions from city council members? |
| 00:17:53.11 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Yeah, I have one question and I'm sorry if I missed this Abbott. Last year we heavily used our ambassadors as educators for folks downtown. but they have not been working during the winter months. I apologize if I missed and you did update us on that, but do we have a plan to do that again? And if so, how will that work? I've also noticed a return of bike rental, not fully, but definitely that seems to be kind of returning. Is there any plan yet about how we might balance the use of the ambassadors for COVID reasons? and bike return. |
| 00:18:42.79 | Abbott Chambers | Another great question. I don't know the answer to that one. I will talk to the chief and to... Lieutenant Gregory and see what the plan may be there and can either report back by email or in a future presentation. |
| 00:18:59.97 | Jill Hoffman | Good, great, good questions you guys. Any other questions before we move on to public comments? |
| 00:19:05.98 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | I have a procedural question. ask the clerk as well, but on our list of committee appointments, this is a question more for you. There was a COVID-19 pandemic task force which Councilmember Sobieski and I are on. And I didn't know if that was a new committee that you had created for COVID or if that was meant to be the Blue Ribbon Committee that I had started last year on funding. alternative sources of funding to fill our COVID budget gap. |
| 00:19:38.16 | Jill Hoffman | I believe that was a, uh, already on my list. So I did not create that. If you hang on just a second, I'll look at my list here. |
| 00:19:46.12 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | You don't need to answer it. Maybe we can take public comment, but I just, because Councilmember Sobieski and I would be happy to work together if that was something you wanted, but, um, We, Thank you. |
| 00:19:58.49 | Jill Hoffman | Sure, I think that's... |
| 00:19:58.54 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Sure. Yeah. |
| 00:20:00.40 | Jill Hoffman | I think that's fine. Let me hang on a second. Uh, no, that's just. That's the holdover Blue River Committee. But if you guys want to take that on and and scope that out to you know, sort of what we're doing this summer or looking forward or working with Abbott, I think that's great. |
| 00:20:19.01 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Great. Okay. Thank you. We'll take you up on that. Thank you. |
| 00:20:20.18 | Jill Hoffman | Nothing. Thank you. |
| 00:20:22.32 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 00:20:22.34 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 00:20:22.36 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 00:20:22.40 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 00:20:22.47 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 00:20:22.62 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Okay, so we're going to open up public comment on both the announcements, mayor's announcements and this item 1A for the COVID-19 update. And I'll just, I'm going to let the clerk just call people because, um, Due to the Zoom update, the hands bounce around and so it's just easier for the clerk to call so |
| 00:20:47.04 | Heidi Scoble | anyway. |
| 00:20:47.36 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 00:20:47.70 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. |
| 00:20:47.72 | Jill Hoffman | Madame |
| 00:20:48.06 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. |
| 00:20:48.29 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 00:20:48.39 | Heidi Scoble | Before we begin, would you like me to provide a brief announcement on how public comment may be taken. Yes, please. At this time members of the public may address the city council regarding this agenda item video or audio public comment participation will be limited to three minutes per speaker If you'd like to make a comment, please raise your hand in the Zoom application, and you'll be called upon when it's your time to speak. To raise your hand from a phone, press star nine. Each speaker will be notified when the time has elapsed. And it does look like we have three hands that are raised at this time. I will call on the iPhone. There is no number, so... that person that has the iPhone, I'll call on you first, then Trish Holmes, and then Shuras Siva. So I'm calling on the iPhone. You've been unmuted. and ask to share your video. |
| 00:21:40.10 | Derek Morgan | Hi, yes, this is Derek Morgan speaking on behalf of the Marin City Community Services District. And we'd just like to voice our opinion on the proposed cannabis dispensaries at 3000 Broadway. Um, And, We just want to voice RPN saying that We feel as if. It could be detrimental to our community because you It's like a gateway that it's just, well, basically it's just too, I don't know. It's, it's too accessible to the, to the kids. And we just feel like it can be detrimental to them in that essence. |
| 00:22:26.56 | Derek Morgan | And yeah, we just feel like having it locally and accessible to them, puts our youth at risk. So I just wanted to share that with you guys. Again, Marin City CSD, Derek Warner here. |
| 00:22:39.85 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 00:22:40.80 | Derek Morgan | Thank you. |
| 00:22:49.78 | Heidi Scoble | Trish Holmes, you've been unmuted. |
| 00:22:54.82 | Trish Holmes | Yes, thank you for taking the time to deal with all of the issues. I understand that. there are a lot of complex issues facing the city right now and I appreciate the gravity of the situation. With regards to the homeless encampment, I just was wondering, why the city of Sausalito thinks it's compassionate to allow elderly, mentally ill folks to live on a toxic pile of dirt with no access to sanitation. in a public health crisis. No solution is not better. than a proposed solution, which you already rolled on. I am wondering also if there is a cap on the amount of people that are allowed to live in the encampment. and whether the police are monitoring the activities of the encampment to make sure that people are staying healthy, not doing drugs, abiding by all other laws. I also was wondering if the city of Sausalito It's going to do anything about the rising property crime. in Sal Salido. such as, car break-ins, home break-ins, that. I wonder if the Sausalito city council members and mayor and police department care about the tax paying residents that actually live in the city. we would like safety. I moved here from San Francisco because I was physically assaulted in my home by a homeless person. and as a result of the rising crime in the city due to this issue. Thank you. |
| 00:24:50.92 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 00:24:51.36 | Trish Holmes | Thank you. |
| 00:25:02.50 | Emmett Yeazell | Hello? |
| 00:25:04.03 | Jill Hoffman | Yes, go ahead. |
| 00:25:04.78 | Emmett Yeazell | Thank you. Hi, when are we moving the encampment? |
| 00:25:09.70 | Jill Hoffman | Sir, this is a time for public comment on the COVID-19 update. or for announcements earlier in the meeting. and I think perhaps you might want to, you wanted to make your comments for later on communications. So, If you'd like to do that, that's fine. We have your question though, and we will accept that as public comment at this time. Thank you. Okay. Heidi, do we have any other Hands raised. I'm not a mayor there. |
| 00:25:46.17 | Heidi Scoble | no hands raised at this time. |
| 00:25:48.72 | Jill Hoffman | I will close public comment on our unless there's any further comments from city council members on our COVID-19 update. I'll close this issue and we will move on to our next item on our agenda, which is communications. And this is the time on the agenda for members of the public to provide Any public comment for items that are not on the agenda this evening? Um, Except in limited situations state law precludes the Council from taking action on or engaging in discussions concerning items of business that are not on the agenda. However, we may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed by a member of the public We may ask clarifying questions, make a brief announcement, or make a brief report on |
| 00:26:30.99 | Lauren de Ramer | man. |
| 00:26:35.51 | Jill Hoffman | our own activities. The council may also refer matters not on the agenda to the city staff or direct the subject via agendized for a future meeting. And so... I'm now opening public comment for matters not on the agenda. |
| 00:26:51.37 | Heidi Scoble | Madam Mayor, we have two hands that are raised. At this time, I'll call on David Sudo first and then Ginny Irwin. |
| 00:26:59.51 | Ava Cresante | you. |
| 00:26:59.53 | Heidi Scoble | . |
| 00:26:59.69 | Ava Cresante | Thank you. |
| 00:27:03.31 | David Sudo | Good evening, City Council. Um, I thought I'd bring up an issue that hasn't been talked about in city council too much lately. that I know might be on the agenda soon. And that's EV charging in the city. I'm planning on buying electric vehicle soon. And so I was checking out the, the charging situation in the city And as you might know, right now we have no publicly available chargers in the city. and, Being an engineer, I decided to do some back to the envelope. I'm not sure. calculations about what the demand might be and knowing that by 2035, all new vehicles will require some form of charging. in the city. So I went and looked at our general plan VMT data and TAM data about how much driving has done the city and I found, figured that since half of our people in town are renting and many people don't have off street access to parking, that we might need to provide charging facilities for up to 25% of our population. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO doing a little more calculations, that ends up to be about 200 charging stations that we may need. in the next 15 years. I'm not sure. So I think, you know, we're talking about development agreements, downtown development, I think we need to look at how we can we're gonna accommodate future demand for public charging stations, how we can use that to boost local businesses you know, based on the fact that people are going to need to do something for 20 minutes to an hour while their cars are charging. I'm not sure. you know, Can we get someone to Um, create a profit sharing agreement with the city to provide chargers or anything like that because it's, you know, if we're serious about sea level rise and sustainability, we need to address this sooner rather than later. Thanks. |
| 00:29:10.93 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 00:29:11.03 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 00:29:16.25 | Jill Hoffman | Madam Clark, if you'd call the next speaker. |
| 00:29:19.74 | Heidi Scoble | The next speaker is Ginny Irwin. And Ginny has been unmuted. Thank you. |
| 00:29:26.74 | Emmett Yeazell | Thank you. |
| 00:29:26.84 | Heidi Scoble | THE END OF THE END OF THE |
| 00:29:26.93 | Emmett Yeazell | Bye. My name is Emmett Yeazell. Oh. I have a request from the city council. It might be a suggestion, but it's definitely a request. Do not take possession of the machine shop. It can be a money pit. due to the toxic residue. from World War II protocols of substance removal. This may not be an asset to us. And if you have any time, you can refer to our recent project to build a park. Not. We do anything. Just a little park in Sausalito. We discovered, which everybody knew, but nobody asked, was a dump. check out the Marine terminal at San Francisco that was tried to turn into a housing project and it didn't work. Secondly, I think in keeping that we have a lot of You know, things going on. If we got such a good deal on Marin ship, excuse me, on the B of A building that we could, maybe sell it and Declare a profit for a change. Uh... |
| 00:30:58.88 | Unknown | Oh. |
| 00:30:59.98 | Emmett Yeazell | We haven't even gotten into consultant fees on our commercial establishment that we might be pursuing, please. We shouldn't be in the in in the property management business and we definitely shouldn't be in any commercial establishment Thirdly, the pot shop, if you want to put in Sausalito, Marin, the area in Marin City has number of vacancies, adequate parking. And it can be patrolled professionally by both the sheriff and the Sausalito Police Department, rather than putting it in Sausalito. Please, secondly Please. defer. Any plans for our master plan on Marin ships? Uh, until public hearings can be hurt. heard without Zoom comments. This is the largest project in Sausalito's history. |
| 00:31:53.91 | Unknown | This is it. |
| 00:31:58.46 | Emmett Yeazell | And we should not be, it should not be done over the phone or through video. I'm just thinking there, a lot of people are concerned about this. Thank you very much. And I appreciate all you've done. I'm not a naysayer. I'm just saying, I listen to this, I watch you, And I care. This is Emmett Yeazell. Thank you very much. Bye-bye. |
| 00:32:22.56 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. |
| 00:32:22.65 | Jill Hoffman | Bye. |
| 00:32:22.68 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. |
| 00:32:22.70 | Emmett Yeazell | Thank you. |
| 00:32:22.83 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. |
| 00:32:22.85 | Emmett Yeazell | Thank you. |
| 00:32:24.91 | Heidi Scoble | Our next speaker is Charlene Eldon. Charlene, you've been unmuted. |
| 00:32:32.76 | Charlene Eldon | Thank you. |
| 00:32:32.77 | Unknown | you |
| 00:32:33.16 | Charlene Eldon | Thank you. Welcome go ahead. I think you. I'll take a break from my usual diatribe against Susan Cleveland Knowles and how inappropriate it is to have someone who participated in segregation still running the city. And take a moment to talk about homelessness, because I think, given the wealth of Sausalito and Southern Marin, a lot of residents are out of touch. So neighbor to neighbor, I would like to remind everyone that we do not have civil rights protections in this country. We just don't, we have cycles of poverty. and we have capitalism and we have a minimum wage that is way too low for the cost of living. We also have generational wealth disparities, racist laws, et cetera. So you can do everything right in this country and still become homeless, or you can have the bad luck of just being born into a lower economic class and being stuck in cycles of poverty. Or, like me, You can be disabled and unable to work a full-time job, which is the only way to get health care. This is something that COVID has exacerbated, yes, but the solution is not cops. It's not moving people, it's Project Home Key. or just leaving them alone. But the camps will get bigger and crime will rise if we don't address the core issue here, which is that this nation is depraved actually someone in a housing meeting recently or just now. called it juvenile, which I think is really apt. This is still a juvenile country and we still don't have all the protections that we need. We still don't have all the rights we need. As much as you'd like to think that your million dollar view would be uncluttered by poor people and destitute people, it is. So, You can try to police it to death. like you have been for ever. Or you can try something new, try something ingenious, try to have some grace with your wealth instead of this punitive madness. actually get something done. Thank you. Thank you. |
| 00:34:56.18 | Heidi Scoble | Madam Mayor, we have Ava's iPhone, so Ava Cresante. Thank you, welcome. |
| 00:35:01.12 | Ava Cresante | Thank you. |
| 00:35:04.95 | Ava Cresante | Ava, you've been unmuted. Thanks so much. Is it two minutes or three minutes? It's three minutes. Thanks so much. Just a few housekeeping issues at the last city council meeting, I mentioned that I did a 40-minute interview with longtime Marin County Sheriff Robert and that I would make the interview available. um, And that is now available on Spotify. It's under Marin County confidential. And so that's available and a write-up of the interview, has been published in the Anderson Valley Advertiser which was the haunt of the great Irish journalist, Alexander Coburn. And that's also available online. It's a stunning interview with a guy who's been with the Sheriff Department since 1969 and has been sheriff for 25 years. There's a lot of insight, it's an intimate look at Sheriff Doyle. And I think it's important for people in the county to be aware of his ideas because you do have a share of race coming up. I'd also like to point out that it's a far more penetrating both the article and the interview. far more penetrating look at the sheriff than has been provided in the Marine Independent Journal over the last 25 years. And hopefully that's going to change There is at least one. great young reporter at the Marine IJ, and I'm hoping they'll give him some space on this topic. So that's available. I promised it would be available. It has been up for a week. And I also, I also took a look at some of the comments that were posted regarding the encampment, a lot of agitated homeowners. I read Sue Stevenson's comment, and I was really intrigued by it. She broke down types of homeless people into three types. And it was a very common trope. And I have to say, as someone who helped care for unhoused people at UCSF, and who's familiar with the gold standard of research on unhoused populations, and that is done by Dr. Margo Kuschel at UCSF, I can't tell you how incredibly uninformed Sue Stevenson's comment was, but so were most of the comments. regarding this encampment and regarding unhoused populations in general. So I'd like to invite the people who are concerned about this issue to actually look at Dr. Kuschl's research. And there's lots to read about it. You can just type in Margo. It's spelled with a T at the end. and Kushel, K-U-S-H-E-L. And if you want to continue to criticize the encampment, go ahead, but do it from an informed perspective. So that's pretty much it. I would ask Susan Cleveland Knowles and the rest of the Sausalito City Council. So your time has a last. |
| 00:38:12.52 | Jill Hoffman | Your time has a last time. |
| 00:38:15.01 | Ava Cresante | THANK YOU. |
| 00:38:15.30 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 00:38:15.32 | Ava Cresante | Thank you. |
| 00:38:16.21 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Okay. I don't see any other hands. Do you see any other raised hands for public comment? I'm glad. |
| 00:38:24.23 | Heidi Scoble | At a mayor, there are no raised hands. |
| 00:38:24.26 | Jill Hoffman | I'm not sure. |
| 00:38:26.95 | Heidi Scoble | Oh, there. Lauren DeRiemer just raised her hand. |
| 00:38:31.45 | Jill Hoffman | We're good. Go ahead. |
| 00:38:33.54 | Heidi Scoble | Lauren, you've been unmuted. |
| 00:38:40.55 | Lauren de Ramer | Hello? Yes, correct. Hey guys, I just wanted to second the comment earlier about the importance of what happened in last week's meeting. I unfortunately wasn't able to be on that, attend that council meeting in regards to any changes in the Marineship And I really, really want to challenge both Ian and Melissa as new council members to really think about this, all the issues. that are facing us because As somebody who's 36 who grew up in town, I mean, this has been this is a zoning topic. has been a battle for a very long time. And I feel like, I feel like we beat our heads against a wall on what to do. down in the Marin ship, whether it's Arkez or wherever it is. And I think that there's, I think everybody agrees that like something needs to happen with the vision for. Thank you. our town and our waterfront and I don't think it's as easy as saying oh here's the land part and here's the water part because a thriving waterfront is going to take more than just the water sections guys. And if you're ever worked in maritime, you'll understand like what it's going to take. And I know it's a lot of legwork than just selling it off and doing something else with the land, but I guarantee you. It will be worth it. to make our town have character and have, you know, have rich culture. and to have something that's thriving. And so I just wanted to second the fact that like, we need to get the entire community involved on something more than in the middle of a pandemic when people are voting on measures and voting on the general plan changes when it's kind of under a lot of people's noses. They don't know what's happening. I know that it's on the website and I know that you guys send notifications, but it's really hard when people are working multiple jobs just to get by. and wanting to be part of this conversation and just don't have the bandwidth to do it. So I think we need to revisit when shelter in place isn't going on when people can participate in council meetings in person. and actually give tangible ideas on what they want to see in our town and what they want to see come out of it because I think there's a lot of really great ideas worth exploring. Thank you. |
| 00:40:55.80 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Okay, now I don't see any more hands. Do you see any hands tighty? |
| 00:41:05.55 | Heidi Scoble | Madam Mayor, you are correct. There are no hands raised at this time. |
| 00:41:08.86 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, in that case, I will close public comment for communications not on the agenda for items. |
| 00:41:14.07 | Ian Sobieski | Exactly. |
| 00:41:14.97 | Jill Hoffman | right? |
| 00:41:15.71 | Ian Sobieski | It happens. |
| 00:41:16.91 | Jill Hoffman | Yes. |
| 00:41:17.64 | Ian Sobieski | Can I just put my plug in that I make it most meanings? We don't collect contact information for people when they make public comment. I wanted everyone to know that. And, uh, And I would love to hear from Lauren Derimmer. So if she would like to email me, I would appreciate that. And if she would prefer to send her email address to Heidi, then we could all follow up. But that kind of goes for everybody who made public comment on the various subjects. Often I find myself wanting to follow up with a few of the members of the public that make these comments, and I would encourage them to submit their contact information. so that we can reach out to talk to them more. |
| 00:41:58.24 | Jill Hoffman | Very good, thank you. And that's true for all of us. All of our emails are on the city webpage. And of course you can always submit comments for public comment, either written or to the meeting for the agenda. So thank you for that Councilmember Sobieski. Okay, moving on to Item three on our agenda, action minutes of the previous meeting. |
| 00:42:19.79 | Unknown | you |
| 00:42:20.97 | Jill Hoffman | May I have a motion to approve the minutes as submitted or approve has changed. and corrected. There aren't any comments, I'll move in minutes. I'll suck it. Was that a motion to move? Yes. OK, and a second. OK, very good. Okay. |
| 00:42:40.46 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. Sobansky. |
| 00:42:42.53 | Jill Hoffman | Oh, wait, hold on. We haven't. |
| 00:42:44.19 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. |
| 00:42:45.13 | Jill Hoffman | opened up for public comment yet. That says I... |
| 00:42:48.17 | Heidi Scoble | Excuse me. |
| 00:42:48.68 | Jill Hoffman | . That's okay. Um, Okay. So at this time I'll open up for public comment for our action minutes of the previous meeting item three a on our agenda. |
| 00:43:01.06 | Unknown | you |
| 00:43:02.72 | Jill Hoffman | I see no hands. In that case, unless clerk stop me, I'm going to close public comment and I'm going to ask the clerk to call the roll. |
| 00:43:09.95 | Ava Cresante | Bye. |
| 00:43:10.04 | Heidi Scoble | Yeah. Thank you. |
| 00:43:14.33 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 00:43:14.34 | Heidi Scoble | Councilmember Sobieski. |
| 00:43:15.84 | Ian Sobieski | Yes. |
| 00:43:16.23 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. Council Member Blastene. Yes. Council member Cleveland Knowles. Yes. Vice Mayor Kelman? Yes. Mayor Hoffman. Yes. |
| 00:43:26.22 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Okay, moving on to our next item on the agenda. This is council member committee reports. I have some committee reports, but I'll open it up to other people for their community reports. So anybody would like to start off? Go ahead. Thank you. |
| 00:43:48.21 | Melissa Blaustein | this. |
| 00:43:48.40 | Jill Hoffman | I'm happy to start. |
| 00:43:48.46 | Melissa Blaustein | I'm happy to start. |
| 00:43:49.68 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 00:43:50.03 | Melissa Blaustein | I attended the Historic Preservation Commission meeting. And one thing that's really critical to point out is the commission is still operating with four members right now. So there was a big push and a suggestion and request from the commission to please interview and appoint. And I let them know that we have a set day plan just to interview candidates so that we can move forward and have all of our committees and commissions full and please members of the public, if you're interested in serving on any commissions in the community, we would love to have you involved. Um, the historic preservation commission also had a very interesting conversation around historic overlay districts and what that might look like and where they might go in the city. It was a really robust discussion. That's going to be continued. There was particularly conversation about the potential forest or historic overlay in the Marin ship in particular. Lots of updates from the sustainability commission meeting and vice mayor Kellman, I was able to connect her with the EV subcommittee. So thanks David Sudo for your comment earlier. There has been a lot of push from the sustainability commission for getting EV chargers here in our community. There's a special working group that's focused on that from within the sustainability commission and they're really enthusiastic to work with the city to get a plan moving. They've also established subcommittees across almost every topic you can imagine, including energy, transportation, waste, public outreach, social justice, as well as a Marin County liaison so that they can be working with the county on all of the regulations around climate that are moving forward there as well. So we can expect to hear from them soon on many of these topics with really robust plans and ideas. And one thing in particular that they're working on and very excited about is a energy resiliency hub at city hall so for instance if there were for some reason um another rolling power outage the city hall would have consistent access we'd be able to use our solar panels have a um |
| 00:45:25.07 | Unknown | AND I THINK THAT'S AN IDEA. |
| 00:45:43.06 | Melissa Blaustein | emergency space and also there would be EV chargers at City Hall, so sort of just a big hub for all things resiliency and sustainability. So that's something that's really exciting. Also this morning, I attended the Chamber of Commerce Board meeting and just wanted to share that business, local businesses are really excited about the move into the red tier and we can look for more news from them. The Chamber is working very closely with EDAC on several committee, several projects around economic development in the community. There was some discussion about as well dining again on Caledonia Street. So it will be interesting. I noticed that that was in Abbott's presentation on COVID. The city is working on that again. So definitely looking forward to having another discussion about potentially reopening there. And I also wanted to let the community know that the Chamber of Commerce's office has officially moved. And it is now in the what was shoe stories. And they're going to have a visitor center downtown. So, and they've hired someone to work in the visitor center. So we're really excited about what that will be like. And that is it for my committee reports. Thank you. |
| 00:46:22.92 | Unknown | and then, |
| 00:46:32.91 | Unknown | and it is now |
| 00:46:37.89 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 00:46:37.92 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 00:46:37.94 | Unknown | So, |
| 00:46:38.45 | Ian Sobieski | THE FAMILY. |
| 00:46:38.51 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 00:46:48.54 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Vice Mayor Kalman, did you want to go next? |
| 00:46:51.84 | Janelle Kellman | I would love to. Yes, thank you, Councilmember Blaustein for connecting me with the EV charging subgroup. And I'm glad to see David Soto still on. So this has been an extremely hot topic within the city and at the county. So the first meeting I attended was the MCE Board of Directors, Marine Clean Energy. We received a report out from staff on the overview of their programs and a huge, huge focus on EV charging, not just level one, but level two and level three. So level threes could actually charge extremely quickly, 15, 20 minutes would be a full charge. So we talked about how we might be able to utilize those And a more holistic plan to really plan for the entire Marine County area, maybe even instead of going to property owners, maybe have municipalities lead the drive as a potential profit and revenue center. So EV charging really a focus for MCE this year. We also talked about resource adequacy, aggressive renewable energy goals, equity programs, additional funding and resources for folks in need, especially during COVID. And some of you may be interested to know that MCE goals include a long-term objective of 85% renewable by 2029, as well as some shorter term goals to increase local electricity procurement and storage. So those are some really aggressive renewable energy goals, which is pretty exciting. And then I also be serving on the technical subcommittee for MCE as well. And then I joined the MCC MC climate meeting, which is focused primarily on clean transportation, right? So then we got to talk again about how to enhance opportunities to show support and provide more extensive visible charging infrastructure, as well as promote business opportunities in our jurisdictions. So that was really wonderful to hear that not just the MCE, but then also now the additional climate committee. And then lo and behold, I covered for the mayor at the legislative meeting on Monday, and it turns out there's more bills coming down the pipe for energy infrastructure, including EV charging. But I do wanna mention that the majority of the bills covered in legislative are about housing and planning. So some highlights, CEQA streamlining and lot splits. So taking away CEQA review from local agencies based on what's contained in the general plan. |
| 00:48:48.03 | Unknown | THE END OF THE END OF THE |
| 00:48:48.11 | Ian Sobieski | I'm sorry. |
| 00:48:48.16 | Unknown | Oh, my God. |
| 00:49:10.81 | Janelle Kellman | additional materials around planning and housing. A lot of bills around evacuations and wildfire mitigation planning. a really interesting bill that looks at RHNA numbers and forces communities to take into consideration emergency evacuation capacity. and impacts of climate change, in relationship to RHNA numbers. So if you can't get in and out, how can you build the structure? A number of bills on climate change and energy, et cetera. And then I'll just flag SB nine, which some of you may remember as 1120 last year. which increases density in single family zones. And the Legislative Committee is going to be taking an opposition position on that. Councilmember Sobieski and I are on the machine shop subcommittee. Nothing new to report out on that. Abbott did a great job in last week's currents of describing what is happening in that process. We will be meeting this week, I believe. as a subcommittee. And then I'll just cover finance Council members of the S Galley View, EDAC, and city manager, the other things we're working on. But on finance, We looked at five main things, we looked at consultants, We had a huge list of consultants. It looks like last year over $4 million in consultant fees. So the finance committee will be digging into that with us. a keen eye to figure out how to manage some of our expenses. We looked at debt management. Um, Marsha suggested a master calendar for finance and the mayor ask for a review of debt and cash management, We looked at Southern and Fire, We are still waiting. For information from the county for actual payments with dollar amounts. We still don't have that information. We looked at pension and OPEB obligations, I'm not sure. Charlie Francis is joining us here tonight, but he gave us a great report out. He's going to provide further report on the assumptions for his model and a report showing the change in Saucelito's pension surplus or deficit over the last 10 to 20 years. And then finally, we talked a little bit about benchmarking. The mayor asked me to put together an ad hoc committee on benchmarking. to compare ourselves to other communities. And so that is underway as well. Next meeting is March 4th. So I'll pause to breathe and pass it to someone |
| 00:51:22.03 | Jill Hoffman | Well, let me follow up on finance. So one of the things we've been looking at in finance is you know, the, our, um, strategic plan and the retreat that we have scheduled for this Saturday that we scheduled earlier in the year. One of the things that we were tentatively waiting on was, um, our budget, the finish of the CAFR, which is almost done, but not quite done. But even more important, the quarterly budget report so that we know where we are in our budget this year compared to last year. when the draft implementation plan was done and the priorities were set. And so. With that in mind, We didn't feel that the day would be, um, particularly well used with our time because we didn't have those important financial reports done and context for any discussion that we had. And so we decided to pivot and to see if we could move forward more quickly on our city manager search. I'm now going to step back and throw it over to our city manager working group and ask for an update and see where we are on that. And if that's gonna, we're gonna be able to do that this Saturday. So I'll let you guys pick that up. And that's Vice Mayor Kelman and Council Member Sobieski. |
| 00:52:58.34 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 00:52:58.35 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 00:52:58.37 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 00:52:58.39 | Janelle Kellman | Do you want to... |
| 00:52:58.82 | Ian Sobieski | Well, just the facts on |
| 00:52:59.03 | Janelle Kellman | Well, |
| 00:53:01.61 | Ian Sobieski | what we know. according to our recruiter, Paul. there were 52 total applications submitted for the city manager position. His assessment is that you would fairly characterize nine of those as non-traditional. You may remember we are looking, we have a traditional process, looking for traditional candidates, and also opening the possibility considering individuals with nontraditional backgrounds. So 9 of the 52 are non-traditional. by the way, 11 of the 50, I'm sorry, 3 of the 52 were nominated from the community. So we had a community outreach approach, recurrence, and other means, and three individuals were nominated from the community One of those would be considered non-traditional. to be considered traditional. So that's the makeup of the individuals that we have. And Avery's process now is to do all the diligence that we specified in their contract. Um, that includes, um, in-person interviews with, well, firstly, a screen that would reduce the population of candidates to those that seem minimally viable. Then in-person Zoom teleconferences with each of those candidates. um, a reference check on the most viable ones, as well as then a write-up for all the most viable candidates and a recommendation from all camera on a group of between eight and ten of the most viable candidates for us to consider. So that process, according to his timeline, he laid out and and so that he's on track to make that happen. with really the March 16th date as being the soonest, but it can be done to have that pre-work done. um, of. But of course, those candidates are there. So that's the quick nutshell. Of course, the Vice Mayor and I have not seen the candidates we've known, assessment of of their quality or range. So we don't know. who is applying. and just like none of us do. So that's it. |
| 00:55:28.68 | Jill Hoffman | So let me ask you this then, will we be able to do something this Saturday or no? |
| 00:55:36.62 | Ian Sobieski | Well, it's not clear. So no one has been reached out to. No one has been told about a Saturday date. uh, We could instruct Paul to call and arrange some. I'm sure some of the 52 would be available. but doing it this Saturday would mean skipping the steps that I outlined. In addition to that, I should make mention of the fact that There was an element. uh, that I should have added to our report, kind of one of the main takeaways that the Vice Mayor and I worked on is Okay. really what the process is for the interviews that we're actually going to be doing. of, of sharing my own, because I've been hiring in the private industry for a long time and figured every interview was different, but in point of fact, what I've learned in this process through our consultant Deborah Munchmore and Paul is that the EEOC and other requirements mean that there are standards for the process by which we should formulate questions and we should have a standard battery of questions that we ask each of the and this is important to avoid any potential for people who are not selected to have grounds for an appeal that the interview process was biased in some material way. So it's important that we do some homework as a council prior to actually launching into those interviews. That homework would be around coming up with a standard set of questions. Um, we, if we were pushed to, could probably, um, do that asynchronously, meaning none of us all get together to do it. Rather, we do it individually and that gets filtered through the through Deborah. and and maybe that would meet the minimum threshold. but, Thank you. both the Vice Mayor and I, and I'll let her speak for her own perspective, think that to the extent that we're looking for non-traditional candidates and are emphasizing this is perhaps the most important thing we're going to do as a council. it really behooves us to invest in some of the prep work for the interview process. Janelle and I were talking about the kinds of questions we might ask and it soon became clear that the key questions that we may ask would be heavily influenced by the kinds of results that we expect to have from the town and that actually to expand on the point a little bit more. give us the thought that we really might consider having some kind of formal process for coming up with a set of formal questions that really express our view of what we're looking forward. So, Long answer short, anything is possible if we wanted to do something sooner, but I think our recommendation is to do and prep work to get the not just a set of questions that meet the EEOC requirements, but a really good set of questions that get to the heart of the kind of person that we're looking for. And to that end, we actually have a recommendation on a process to consider. I do. So, which I can elaborate on or I could let the vice mayor Labrydome. |
| 00:59:02.28 | Janelle Kellman | Yeah, thank you, Ian. That's very well articulated. Ian and I spent a lot of time on this over the last week and a half and over the weekend as well. And we do have recommendations around a process. And we want to make sure that the entire council is a part of that process and formulating the questions so that we have a consensus around what we feel is important when we ask various candidates. But to the mayor's question, the opportunity for the weekend would be to have a facilitated session around determining some of those questions. And then that could be where we stop or we could bring in some candidates and do some type of threshold screening, depending on how much time remains. And so we have we have options here. We can make interviews happen on Saturday. We can also decide that we want to focus on the process separately. But I would say we could do either. And Councilman Sobieski and I do have a process in mind that we think would work quite well. |
| 01:00:03.30 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So Mayor, can I chime in? |
| 01:00:05.56 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 01:00:05.58 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 01:00:05.59 | Jill Hoffman | Uh, sure. Let me, let me ask vice mayor, come on one thing though. Do you, can you give us a quick synopsis of what you think your process might be? And then we'll go to council member Cleveland Knowles. Sure. |
| 01:00:17.96 | Janelle Kellman | and then um i'm just going to speak and then if someone needs to come out that's that's fine if they're not sure someone else but um so so councilman sobieski and i sat down with a member of the of the community who is very skilled at rapid hiring and getting to the types of questions and core value systems um utilized within a hiring process and um we thought it was extremely informative we spent two hours with this individual over weekend, and she's willing to do a facilitated session with the entire council so that collectively we can reach agreement on the top questions. It was just so informative because it was a huge distinction between the way, you know, results versus outcomes versus personality traits. And really focusing on results, I think, is kind of what we've heard from the community as well. So I think that process, having this individual facilitate that conversation, helping us get to very clear outcomes on those questions, would just be extremely informative and a good team building exercise as well, I think, for the council and put us in a wonderful position to really execute on an efficient hiring process. |
| 01:01:24.62 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thanks. That was kind of a long... It was kind of a long working group update, but necessary. |
| 01:01:30.16 | Ian Sobieski | Sorry about that. Can I just add? |
| 01:01:31.82 | Jill Hoffman | No, it's good. |
| 01:01:32.36 | Ian Sobieski | then just, just make the team a little less mysterious. |
| 01:01:33.97 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, but |
| 01:01:36.50 | Ian Sobieski | I mean, you don't need to necessarily have a facilitator. I just found, I've been hiring for a long time and I found that two hours I spent with this person refreshing reminder that you might be doing something for a long time and still have something to learn. And so it's not the be-all end-all and it's not I think the cornerstone of the requirement is that we be thoughtful in the question formulation. We are constrained. by But to me, it's somewhat unusual that we have to ask the candidates a standard battery of questions and assess the answers. to those questions as a metric of our decision making. And so those questions become very important. and just to the vice versa. point. uh, there was an opportunity if we collaborate on coming up with those questions to use this as a visioning, as both a team building effort and and an opportunity to and articulate a little bit to one another. what we think of as the the most important. what we think of as the vision for our community. So it can serve many masters this process. |
| 01:02:52.93 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thanks. Council member Cleveland Knowles had a question. |
| 01:02:53.80 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Yeah. |
| 01:02:56.34 | Jill Hoffman | or come. |
| 01:02:56.39 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So just on this. So first of all, thank you to the city manager subcommittee for all the work that you've done. I am really concerned about rushing into any interviews on Saturday. I think that would look highly unprofessional and just be more of a deterrent to people who are seriously interested. |
| 01:03:12.42 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 01:03:12.43 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 01:03:12.47 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 01:03:12.49 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 01:03:12.52 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 01:03:17.16 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | to, have two or three days notice of an interview like that. So I'd like to continue down the path THAT PAUL HAD outlined and have him vet the applications and go forward on our regular schedule. In terms of the questions, I would really defer to our HR and our city attorney, but at least in San Francisco, those discussions about what questions that we would ask are closed session confidential so that they don't give any particular candidate on terms of what questions to expect or an advantage over other candidates. and It sounds like you're thinking of it as a team building, which I could see that being great, but it seems like more the discussion that we had about attributes of a city manager when we had that in open session is really the time for that conversation. So I'm just a little concerned about how the transition from confidential closed session. an open session would work. So I hope if you haven't already that you've had a pretty thorough discussion with HR and with our city attorney about um, about that. And while I recognize that that is probably our most important task this year, our second most important task is getting to our budget. And I'm really deeply concerned that we are not ready for our strategic planning session. We do not need numbers for the strategic planning session. We developed our entire strategic plan last year without numbers. We have 13 pages, I asked the city manager to please send that around again to every Council member 13 pages. of highly developed implementation plan items that fit within all of the goals and strategies of the strategic plan. If we don't have this discussion soon with the five of us, We haven't had this discussion. Jill was on active duty last year and three people are new. We need to know how each of us prioritizes the various things there, we're not going to be able to do even probably a third or a fifth of what we wanted to set out to do in our, two-year strategic planning effort a year ago when we were unaware of the devastating impacts of COVID. So I'm really concerned watching the finance committee that we are running in a lot of different directions and not focusing on getting to our budget and our mid-year report, which is on the calendar. for mid-March. And staff is kind of going off on a lot of different things. And I think we just need to bring the discussion back to what we need to do and our strategic plan. I said this last week, two weeks ago, that we needed to get ready for it. The consultant needed to prepare for it. It's been on our calendars. for six weeks. And we haven't gotten there. So I, you know, I don't even know if we can get ready for this Saturday. but I hope we can. If we can't. you know we'll make make the best of it. If there's something that we can do on the questions, That would be, you know, I agree with getting out ahead on that, but I mean, we have to keep our eye on the ball with our budget. So I'm really concerned about that. |
| 01:06:44.38 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, so let me address that because that keeps coming up. And I know council member Cleveland Knowles is concerned about that. but, We, I believe me, I'm on the finance committee and I share your concerns about our inability of our finance staff to get our budget completed. and to get it done and to get us in a position where we can make decisions. I'm telling you, we are not there. And so I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is. |
| 01:07:07.91 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So we don't need that for the strategic planning discussion. |
| 01:07:11.00 | Jill Hoffman | Well, we do because the strategic plan is all about prioritization. You cannot prioritize if you don't know what your budget is. If you don't know what you can pay for, It means nothing. And when you guys spent you know, a tremendous amount of time last year, which, you know, great. That was fantastic that you did that, but almost immediately set that aside. because of the stress that COVID was having on the budget then. If we don't know how COVID is affecting our budget now, And what our projections are because we don't have our quarterly budget's done. then we can't, how can we assess going forward? going to be you know, it's going to be a wasted effort. So not only is it a wasted effort, It's going to be an effort that's based on erroneous information or assumptions that have no basis. So, To me, I don't think it's responsible to go down that road until we have the finances in order. And until we have the financial information that we need to make informed decisions. And so, You know, we're not there yet. There's no, there's no discussion. that where there's no, you know, we're just not there yet with our finance department. You know, if you want to, you know, we could have some time to talk about our finance department, but I don't think that this is the time to do it. At this point what we are talking about is whether or not we want to try to have substantive work on Saturday for a day we've already set aside on one of our top three priorities for the first quarter, which is hiring a city manager. So we are probably in a position to do some substantive work on that on Saturday. We've already set aside the time. It will speed us. moving forward. And so that is where, that's where I looked at, the best use of our time, all of us in our limited bandwidth that we have. I also looked at the draft implementation plan and I looked at All 18 pages of the strategic plan you guys did last year. It's great work and there's really, you know, There's nothing that we would, I don't think, that we would, stand up at this point and reprioritize because we, A, we just don't have the information. And B, it was a great plan and C, Almost immediately after adopting it, you had to set it aside because of COVID. So we don't know where we're at in COVID. We're still working our way through it. It's looking, you know, there's some positive information coming, but we're certainly not at a point where we base any of our assumptions or or decisions on where we're at this now. especially the lack of financial information that we have coming out of our finance department. So I looked, like I said, I looked at the draft implementation plan Great work, but how can you prioritize at this point? You can't. |
| 01:09:56.99 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | But with all respect, Mayor, our strategic planning session has always been ahead of our mid-year budget. report in March, it was on our calendar. So now I feel like we're redoing the entire calendar and we're going to run up with city manager interviews, our full day strategic planning, a full day of interviews apparently for boards and commissions. you know, it's We're getting out of step with our agreed upon calendar that we approve |
| 01:10:27.71 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 01:10:27.73 | Jill Hoffman | Well, we can't be so wet into a calendar that we can't pivot when we need to. I'm telling you, we need to pivot. |
| 01:10:27.74 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Well, we can't. Last year. |
| 01:10:33.40 | Jill Hoffman | And so we're not going to waste a whole day. of something that's going to be based on erroneous information. So anyway. Mayor, Vice Mayor Hillman has her hand up. |
| 01:10:39.94 | Janelle Kellman | Mayor, I'd just like to make a recommendation. So, you know, to Councilmember Cleveland Knowles' point about the closed session, I don't see why we couldn't proceed on Saturday in closed session to work through this first stage of the recruiting process. We could also have interviews in closed session. They would be closed session anyway due to confidentiality provisions. And so we could, of course, move in that direction. And I just want to say, you know, I spent a lot of time looking at our finances is probably the thing I do the most on the council. And when I see that we have spent $4 million last year and outside consulting contracts, I have to take a step back and understand how that plays into the strategic planning session. And we can't do that until we have our updated numbers for all the reason. I think, you know, Mayor Hoffman, that you articulated, um and but the good news is i also read through the strategic plan from last year and that level of detail and hard work i actually attended some of it uh was excellent so i think we don't lose anything by giving ourselves more information but there there are some loose strings that i think we should tie up um and put ourselves in the best most knowledgeable position to make really good forward-looking decisions because the COVID impact is not just going to be six months, a year. We're going to see that over the next three to five years on many of our businesses as we come back up to speed. So I think we can make really good use of Saturday, closed session, great idea. And I think we move the hiring forward. |
| 01:12:08.20 | Jill Hoffman | So I think we're just going to, oh, sorry. |
| 01:12:09.14 | Ian Sobieski | Are we- |
| 01:12:11.22 | Jill Hoffman | I think what we do at this point, because we're in committee reports and we veered way. I mean, we, we veered into a lot of detail on what we're going to do on Saturday, which I think is a good thing. but I think at this point, Um, I think at this point we leave the Saturday plan on the schedule. |
| 01:12:25.11 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 01:12:25.12 | Ian Sobieski | I think at this point, |
| 01:12:29.33 | Jill Hoffman | We leave it to the the city manager. working group to come up with a schedule I am concerned about candidates and interviewing them. You know, but if someone's ready to go, No, I say no. |
| 01:12:48.07 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. Got it. |
| 01:12:48.56 | Jill Hoffman | got the three blocked off. |
| 01:12:50.05 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. Where can we hear from Melissa? |
| 01:12:52.38 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 01:12:52.41 | Melissa Blaustein | Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I just am really concerned about rushing that process just because we have the strategic planning session time set ahead. I mean, I don't know that we need to schedule an 8 to 5, which is generally what's needed for strategic plan. I'm not saying we can't have a discussion, which would be great, about the city management position if we all have set aside some time. But let's be mindful of our time as city council members. And if we are going to push back the strategic planning session, that's another full day. Plus, if we're not going to have I would respect Councilmember Cleveland Knowles' suggestion that we wait on interviews so that folks are you know, so that they're, feeling that we are organized and we have a process. And I think that it's critical as council members, so BSD and vice mayor, Kelman pointed out that we do have a very clear process that we take the time that we're aware of those questions. So I think we should use absolutely use the time. I just don't want to just copy and paste and say, well, we have this eight to five and let's just try really hard to fill it. Let's be really mindful of how we use that time and then how we, how quickly we can schedule a strategic planning session, because I think would be, I agree with council member Cleveland knows we have to move that forward as soon as possible. |
| 01:13:46.38 | Unknown | Okay. |
| 01:14:00.65 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, so what I'm gonna do is, We're going to have an update, I think, and our under city manager reports, on the recruitment. So, well, We'll have a little bit more of an update on what we can expect on Saturday. And I do take your comments about do we need a full day if we're not going to do, I think probably not, frankly. But so let's move on because we still have some committee reports. So we're gonna, we may take this out or we will take this later on city manager report. |
| 01:14:35.38 | Ian Sobieski | So- I did have an idea on how to Thank you. |
| 01:14:38.99 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, can you save it until later, until we get to city manager reports? |
| 01:14:39.03 | Ian Sobieski | Okay, can you save it until we Okay, fair enough. But I'll keep it short. |
| 01:14:43.69 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. Go ahead. |
| 01:14:47.01 | Ian Sobieski | EDAC, I'll keep it really short, is the tireless work of many of the members that are working on permitting is moving forward. I think this is looking at how we can improve the customer satisfaction of the permitting process and There's an engaged session that's going to happen on Thursday with Lily to go over some ideas that have been collaboratively developed. There's also another listening session to one of our neighboring communities that is held up as a model for for efficiency and we're gonna see what we can learn from them. So those are both on the agenda and there's a request for people that are interested in serving on EDAC, numerous vacancies. If you were interested in serving on this, committee please apply and there will soon be when we can interviews to fill those vacancies that's all for now |
| 01:15:45.97 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thanks. I have an update on the homeless working group that I'm sure Councilmember Blousey will also supplement. We, of course, have been working very hard in the last two weeks. looking every type of avenue for shelter because our primary goal is to find shelter for people who are encamped here in Sausalito. And so Two of the things we're looking at is doing grant applications for two different programs. One is called Home Key and the other is Room Key. frustratingly similar names but they mean different things. Home key is for funding for more permanent housing. Room key is for hotel rooms. There are programs in Marin County for both of these, but we fear that that we that we won't be prioritized high enough to have an impact here in Sausalito. And so we're looking at what we can achieve with our own efforts. We also talked to the Marin Housing Authority Um, about the possibility of adding rental units here in Sausalito that may be available for those who are unhoused. We are working with them on what that process would be. at some point in the very near future, We will put out information that if you are interested in that, if you have a unit in your home, if you have perhaps an ADU, Um, and you want to enter it into a program that would be available for people who are unhoused, what the process for that would be and having an informational forum for that with people from the Marin Housing Authority. They have been very helpful, actually, and positive on that idea. We expect that there will be two new outreach workers coming down to Um, Southern Marin and specifically Sausalito starting, uh, the 1st of March. So that's exciting. The Marin County supervisors authorized. additional money for that. Um, And in the coming weeks, we will put out additional information on how, if you how people can help if they, if they wish to or they have ideas about what might be a good source of assistance for this. That's my update on the homeless working group, but also I know council member Blaustein has some information. |
| 01:18:13.02 | Melissa Blaustein | Yeah, absolutely. So we also attended the MCCMC Homelessness Committee yesterday, and I just wanted to update everyone on some of the county's efforts moving forward with Home Key and Room Key. So the county, as part of their approval process previously, every 30 days was required to request new funding for support for Room Key. Under the new FEMA measures and the state regulations, that's not the case anymore. So the county is going to, has joined together. room key again and within the next couple of weeks they should be launching 40 beds new beds through project room key the requirements for access to this housing has changed with the new fema funding so what that means is whereas previously they were very stringent and there still are stringent requirements through a vulnerability index to access these rooms now some of the requirements are a little bit more accessible. For instance, obesity or smoking are now requirements under the FEMA regulations. So the access to room key funding, whether we're able to get folks into those 40 rooms from the county level, or if we pursue our own program here in Sausalito, it should be able to |
| 01:19:01.30 | Unknown | now. |
| 01:19:20.94 | Melissa Blaustein | really get some of those folks access to housing. So we're continuing to work on that. The county also has two home key projects that they're launching. The home key project in Puerto Madera officially opened and has new tenants and the county is working to get folks into that housing as well. There is a very specific coordinated entry program that will assess who gets into housing when. So Mayor Hoffman and I continue to work with county officials on a regular basis to make sure that there are assessments of the folks who are in the encampment and that they are part of that coordinated entry as much as possible. So we are working hard and continuing to meet with county officials and pursuing every possible avenue. And I would love to, we would both love to hear community ideas, community engagement for how |
| 01:19:35.89 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 01:20:06.17 | Melissa Blaustein | what we might continue to do in this process to find housing. So, That's all there is to report. |
| 01:20:12.70 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thanks. Any other committee reports? Seeing none, I'm gonna open up public comment on this item. |
| 01:20:20.43 | Unknown | Mm-hmm. |
| 01:20:24.00 | Jill Hoffman | I'm not seeing any hands. Madam Clerk, do you see any hands? Madam Mayor, there are no hands raised at this time. Thank you. I will now close public comment and close this item and move on to our next item on the agenda. The next item is item five, the consent calendar. Matters under the consent counter considered routine and non-controversy and require no discussion are expected to have unanimous Council support and may be enacted by the Council in one motion. There will be no separate discussion of consent calendar items. Do we have a motion? Let's see, hold on a second. Okay. |
| 01:21:07.54 | Janelle Kellman | Madam Mayor, I think we have a hand up from the public. |
| 01:21:10.41 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, hold on just a second. Um, There are four items on the consent calendar, and at this point, I would open up to public comment. |
| 01:21:24.99 | Heidi Scoble | Madam Mayor, we have one hand that's raised, and it's Sandra Bushmaker. And Sandra, you've been unmuted. |
| 01:21:34.17 | Sandra Bushmaker | She's... Hi, everybody. I don't know what's happened with my light, but it's very bizarre in here tonight. I just wanted to request that the item regarding the mudslide repairs at on Sausalito Boulevard from the February 14th 2019 mudslide be removed from the consent calendar. I have lots of questions. I have lots of concerns about this being completed as a as deemed a complete item. excuse me, a complete job, and I think we should have some discussion on that issue. Thank you. |
| 01:22:09.32 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 01:22:10.23 | Sandra Bushmaker | Thank you. |
| 01:22:10.67 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Okay, I see no other hands up for public comment on the consent calendar, Um, Does anybody have any items they would like to remove from the consent calendar. |
| 01:22:27.06 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Sarah Silver, So I just have a comment so at our last meeting. I noted that on January 12th, we had referred the RDS contract to the Finance Committee. and requested that that come back. to the council. There's been three finance committee meetings |
| 01:22:44.03 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 01:22:44.34 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | at your last meeting. |
| 01:22:44.37 | Unknown | All right. |
| 01:22:46.06 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | The Finance Committee did not agree to approve that. And it was on our agenda. under the consent calendar. and then it was taken off the agenda. So if the finance committee Karen Hollweg, has heard it and had a recommendation our protocols require that you come back to the Council with a recommendation for denial and then we can vote on it all five of us so. I don't know why it's not on here tonight. I asked for it to be back on the calendar. You agreed after you had heard it in finance committee that it would come back. You did, and this is important. work that is if we don't have the consultant then our finance are very very thin finance staff Bye. is understaffed and can't do the important work that they need to do on our budget. So I'm hoping we can get this back. |
| 01:23:41.36 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 01:23:41.37 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Okay, thank you. |
| 01:23:43.63 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 01:23:43.70 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So do I have to, I just want to ask, If if we could take a vote tonight that this item will come back. on our calendar because I I did ask for it last time. It was agreed it would come back. It was put on the agenda and then it was taken off the agenda. So I would like to at least call the roll that we can agree that it will come back. |
| 01:24:04.31 | Jill Hoffman | Well, I'm not sure that's the right process for that, but hold on. Let's just put a pin in that for a second, because we're talking about what's actually on the consent calendar right now. |
| 01:24:04.36 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Well, I'm not sure |
| 01:24:12.44 | Jill Hoffman | So let, I'm going to come back to that. So hang on. Okay. |
| 01:24:15.14 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Okay, we can do it at future agenda items, but maybe the city attorney can. |
| 01:24:18.85 | Jill Hoffman | That's fine. |
| 01:24:19.80 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | And we can do that. |
| 01:24:21.05 | Jill Hoffman | We can do that. We did have a, there is a reason, that we wanted to we needed further information on that, and so, or further consideration. So let's talk about that then on future agenda items. And so, okay, so then did Did anybody have any, Did anybody want to remove anything from the consent calendar |
| 01:24:46.00 | Janelle Kellman | Yeah, Madam Mayor, I know that Senator Bushmaker was on the landside task force and I had some similar concerns. So I would be in favor of removing 5A from consent. I'm not sure if you're And it may just be we need more information from staff, if the other council members are amenable to that it was such an important I think I'd like to have a little conversation about it. |
| 01:25:07.23 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah, I agree with that. I was on the, I was the chair of the mud flow task force. And so I think that's right. I think we do need to remove it and have it go back to staff and maybe have Um, |
| 01:25:22.18 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So could we just hear it tonight then? I mean, we have a full staff report. I don't think we. need any further information, why don't we just hear it as our first item? |
| 01:25:30.74 | Jill Hoffman | We have a full calendar and it is already 825. If Sandra has questions and if I have questions based on her questions, based on what we did with the task force, then I prefer to go back to staff and we have a full calendar If we need to, I don't think we may not even need to have a full presentation, but I know that I'm going to have to address what our what the recommendations were that we made and what the status was and her concerns with this. |
| 01:25:57.20 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | PB Sarah Silver, Can we ask staff to give us a report on what that would mean if we defer the notice of completion. |
| 01:26:06.21 | Jill Hoffman | Sure, let me ask it this way. This is for Kevin, I think. Are there any are there any downside to deferring this for further questions to the staff? Are we are we missing any deadlines? Is there any consequences? |
| 01:26:23.51 | Kevin McGowan | Good evening, Madam Mayor and Council Members. I'm Kevin McGowan with the Department of Public Works. And thank you for asking me a question. At this point in time, the notice of completion has to do with the releasing the retention for the contractor. So we do have a bit of a deadline as far as trying to release that retention for the pipe work that was done on the hillside. Could we postpone that? Yes, we can. We could postpone it for at least one meeting if we have to. I would have to reduce the retention amount a little bit, but we can make that work. |
| 01:26:27.98 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 01:26:55.28 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thank you. All right, so we're going to remove, let's remove it, and then we'll bring it back to the next city council meeting. on the consent calendar assuming that we are able to resolve whatever it is. the concerns are. assuming that |
| 01:27:09.53 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So could we at least express the concerns that people had with the report so that staff can adequately address those? |
| 01:27:15.03 | Janelle Kellman | Yeah, I'd be happy to. I think I can articulate some of those. So I think, uh, Kevin, thank you for being here tonight. And I hope Marcia can give you a heads up. So there's four things. So one is, you know, kind of conceptually, what are the plans to restore a more acceptable barrier on the roadway on the downhill side? You know, I've gotten a lot of reports back from members of the community that there's often trees and debris sitting actually in the roadway that they've they've removed. So that's question one. Question two, continuing concerns about drainage and a greater articulation of what the drainage plan might be. Question three is a more complete plan around what the city has instituted for monitoring and ongoing maintenance. And then question four kind of relates to the adequacy of one through three, which is, is there a contract or warranty And if we were to sort of complete this now and we have concerns about any of the other things. what happens if we no longer have the warranty or with the scope of the warranty. And I know that we need the city attorney weigh in on that. But those are sort of the four main conceptual questions, maintenance and completeness and ongoing monitoring and drainage. |
| 01:28:24.72 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. Very good. Okay. So is that clear? Anybody have any questions about Those. Okay, so does anybody have a motion for the consent calendar? I think it's a good idea. |
| 01:28:37.97 | Janelle Kellman | So I guess I can make the motion that we approve it. with the notation that we've taken 5A, off consent and back to staff and it will come up at the next meeting. |
| 01:28:49.09 | Jill Hoffman | So it'll be a motion to move on items 5B, C and D. just for clarification. Thank you. Do I have a second? Second. Thank you. Madam Clerk, could you please call the roll? Council member Sobieski. Thank you. |
| 01:29:06.08 | Ian Sobieski | Yes. |
| 01:29:07.13 | Heidi Scoble | Council member Blaustein. Yes. Council member Cleveland knows? Vice Mayor Killman. Yes. Mayor Hoffman. |
| 01:29:17.03 | Jill Hoffman | Yes, thank you very much. Moving on to item 6A on our six public hearing items and 6A is introduction of zoning ordinance amendment to add a new chapter |
| 01:29:28.93 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 01:29:29.60 | Jill Hoffman | 10.80 to Title X. It's also a municipal code to establish procedures and requirements for the consideration of development agreements. |
| 01:29:36.85 | Ian Sobieski | MONEY. |
| 01:29:38.24 | Jill Hoffman | I believe our Community Development Director, Lily Whalen, will be doing our presentation tonight. |
| 01:29:44.02 | Lily Whalen | Good evening, Madam Mayor, council members. Good to see you this evening. |
| 01:29:47.12 | Unknown | Nice to see you. Welcome. |
| 01:29:48.51 | Lily Whalen | Welcome. Thank you. Tempt to Okay, great. Dual screens here. I'm just... |
| 01:30:05.41 | Lily Whalen | Thank you. |
| 01:30:05.52 | Unknown | Okay. |
| 01:30:05.78 | Lily Whalen | All right. |
| 01:30:11.39 | Lily Whalen | I think I'm ready to go. So good evening, everyone. I'm Lily Whalen. I'm the Community Development Director. And we have tonight a proposed zoning ordinance amendment. Um, for first read tonight to establish procedures and requirements for the consideration of development agreements. A development agreement is a legally binding agreement between a local government and a developer. Development agreements are a means whereby a city can receive community benefits that cannot be obtained through the normal conditions applicable to a project. in exchange for allowing implementation in phases over a period of time, and then also freezing the development regulations at the time of approval. These community benefits could include infrastructure or park improvements, amenities, hazard mitigation planning or other community benefits. development agreements vary widely and cities often establish their own policies and procedures for considering development agreements. The planning commission reviewed the proposed ordinance amendments to establish procedures and requirements for the consideration of these agreements. in December and then most recently in January of this year and is recommending the council consider the draft ordinance in your packet. |
| 01:31:39.15 | Lily Whalen | As required by state law, the development agreement needs to identify how long the agreement will be in place. the permitted uses and development standards, and then also the public benefits provided. There are other required components, such as an annual review of the agreement, public hearings with both the planning commission and the city council, and the adoption of the agreement as an ordinance subject to referendum. |
| 01:32:08.70 | Lily Whalen | On December 2 of last year, the planning commission held a public hearing, asked questions of staff and continued the item, which is the recommendation from the planning commission on the zoning ordinance amendment. In particular, at that meeting, the Commission requested a better understanding of the process and some examples of development agreement regulations from other communities. |
| 01:32:22.24 | Unknown | THE FAMILY. |
| 01:32:32.02 | Lily Whalen | On January 20th of this year, the planning commission recommended to the council adoption of the proposed ordinance with one major modification. to add a requirement for a study session prior to the submittal of a formal application. The commission thought that mandating study sessions would be beneficial for both the city and the commission as well as the applicant and the public early on in the process to ensure that the public engagement begins prior to a formal application being submitted and developed. The commission is also recommending an optional step in between the required study session and public hearings for a planning commission workshop and or another public vetting opportunity. and changes to the ordinance as recommended by the commission have been incorporated into attachment one. Those are yours. work. In light of council member questions in advance of this meeting, we also wanted to highlight that the draft ordinance was drafted using an example from another jurisdiction with language requiring consistency with the zoning ordinance by both the planning commission and the city council. which would not allow for changes in applicable land use regulations in exchange for community benefits. And the finding, the consistency finding was an important component in the Planning Commission's recommendation to the Council regarding the draft ordinance. Staff has noted in late mail correspondence to the council that we found that other Marin jurisdictions have the planning commission in their development agreement process, make a recommendation to the council on whether or not the development agreement complies with zoning regulations, but don't require that that finding be made by the city council when the agreement is adopted. If desired the council could consider requiring a report on consistency with zoning from the planning commission, similar to San Rafael and Novato, but not require the council to make findings of consistency. |
| 01:34:23.03 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | with |
| 01:34:30.84 | Lily Whalen | which would then allow for changes in applicable land use regulations in exchange for community benefits. And this could be a way to secure the benefits of the of the flexibility that a development agreement can provide, but at the same time being transparent and informing the council of what the changes are. |
| 01:34:51.88 | Lily Whalen | backwards there. So staff has reviewed the the zoning ordinance amendments and the newly adopted general plan and has found that the ordinance is consistent with the general plan with general plan objectives and policies as shown on this screen and then also in the staff report. And with that, we are recommending the council introduce and read by title only the zoning ordinance amendment regarding development agreements, direct staff to return at your next meeting for a second reading on the ordinance And then also authorize a summary of the ordinance to be published five days in advance of that next council hearing and also 15 days after its adoption. And that concludes my presentation, and I'm available for any questions you may have. |
| 01:35:42.24 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thanks very much for that very thorough and succinct presentation. Do we have any council member questions in light of the presentation? |
| 01:35:56.40 | Jill Hoffman | I see no hands raised by our council members. And so in that case, I will move on to public comment. Do we have any public comment on this item on our agenda? |
| 01:36:13.49 | Jill Hoffman | Madam Clerk, I'll just let you call I see one hand raised, but if there's other hands, I'll just let you call the hands. |
| 01:36:20.97 | Heidi Scoble | Madam Mayor, we have Judy Wetterer. Judy, you have been unmuted. |
| 01:36:28.83 | Judy Wetterer | Thank you. Good evening, Mayor and Councilmembers. I was before you a couple of weeks ago with my concerns as a resident. about a recreational cannabis retail store for our city. Tonight, I wish to express concern that the city has been pushed into a development agreement approach that is favored by cannabis companies. I've spent my entire career in the building industry and for the past 23 years, with a commercial real estate development company that makes long-term commitments to the cities in which it develops. So I've sat in many council member or council meetings and zoning board meetings in different Bay Area cities. Development agreements and zoning changes are complicated and serious discussions. While the process sometimes moves more slowly than we wish, We know that it is only with transparency and the input of the entire community that the best ideas, innovation, and solutions are brought to bear for the long-term benefit of all. Please do not hasten decisions in the short term until we can ensure a long-term benefit for all of Sausalito. Thank you. |
| 01:37:44.73 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 01:37:45.04 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. |
| 01:37:48.60 | Heidi Scoble | Our next commenter is Lori Dubin. |
| 01:37:55.94 | Lori Dubin | Thank you. Good evening, everyone. I just want to make a quick comment about development agreements in the context of cannabis, it seems that there's been some uncertainty in the past. the staff and City Council levels, the documents that I received under a records request that I submitted to the city last fall painted a somewhat confusing picture, there was an email on January 7th that was sent from city attorney Mary Wagner to former city manager and interim community development director And it stated that the city attorney did not recommend using a development agreement for cannabis storefront retail She stated, quote, I believe it should go through the full zoning ordinance update process. And I just wanted to ask that the public hear from the city attorney why she recommended against using a development agreement for storefront retail And I'm also curious, and I think that the public should know why the city seems to not be following this legal advice. My concern is that locking down local governments into development agreements before and ordinances passed is a strategy that's been favored by the cannabis industry. it's at least initially a work around the rezoning process, which is typically complicated and burdensome and should involve public input and I'm definitely no expert on zoning. But it seems to me, and I've heard other people say the same thing, that this is a backwards approach. And it sounded to me at one of the meetings that like Mayor Hoffman was also questioning this approach. when cannabis was discussed. So I just hope Sausalito will establish a process that's in the best interests of the residents and not accommodate the cannabis companies desire to speed this through. As I said before, a decision on cannabis storefront affects not only Sausalito residents, but other Marin residents as well, any store in Sausalito would be the only retail storefront in Marin and I get why cannabis companies want to nail this down as quickly as possible through a development agreement, but it doesn't seem to me the right approach for the city. So thank you so much. |
| 01:40:23.31 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Just to be clear, there is no cannabis issue on the agenda tonight. This is just establishing a method by which we can use development agreements for whatever project might be proposed. Part of that process would be do we want to use a development agreement, yes or no. This is just amending our code so that we have that option for in general. Anyway. So just to be clear, and thank you for your comments to both of you who made your comments this evening. I see no other hands raised, and so Unless the city clerk interrupts me that she sees a hand, I'm going to close public comment. At this point, again, to be clear, we're talking about the addition of the zoning ordinance amendments to our municipal code so that we can use them This is just a general adoption. So it's not for any specific project. And so do I have any council discussion on this matter? Yes, Councilmember Cleland-Holves. Thank you. |
| 01:41:32.73 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you, Mayor Hoffman. So I think this is really exciting. We haven't had a development agreement process or statute in Sausalito since I became involved in the planning commission and later on the city council. additional tool in our toolbox as the mayor So, as I just said, especially as we come out of COVID, there may be instances where we need some additional flexibility And I think that the staff report and the draft that they did I would also just note that we did enter into a letter of intent very recently to enter into a development agreement with Bridgeway Marina. So that will probably be our first Thank you. of effort to see how this works here in town. I did have some comments that staff shared with the other Council members, I had three comments. First was just a typo. in section 10.80.060 and There were just a couple missing or additive words. I think everybody received those. Staff also clarified in the email to the council the intent. there was to allow in certain instances that if the planning commission wanted to have an additional workshops. that they could do that. So I would just the reason that they thought maybe, so there's one workshop already and then the additional one, |
| 01:43:11.03 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 01:43:11.32 | Unknown | to get to the next day. |
| 01:43:15.30 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | and the community development director let me know that she thought that an additional workshop would be required for an unusually large or complex project. So she recommended that we could add, depending on the project size and scope, they can do an additional one. So I'd suggest that amendment. that would just clarify that there's one mandatory one and then others. if it's a particularly complex project. The second issue the Community Development Director also noted was state law requires that the Planning Commission and City Council find consistency with the general plan for a development agreement, but not necessarily with current zoning because often development agreements are used to tweak. current zoning. So I would recommend, and right now, this draft that we have in front of us, requires both the Planning Commission and the city council to find the project consistent with our zoning. So I would recommend as a community development director recommended in her presentation. that we have the planning Commission. highlight whether there are any inconsistencies with our existing zoning. And then the council can take that into account that the council would not need to make the finding. that it's consistent. And then lastly, The ordinance requires for some reason that the development agreement have the same effective date Sarah Mastrianni, Or, or operative date as the effective date of the ordinance and I have been involved in working on development agreements in San Francisco and there's often a reason that you might want to delay implementation, so I would just remove that requirement it's in. 10.80, 0.100. um, and just allow flexibility if we wanted to have a development agreement take effect. or be operative at a later date than the effective date of the ordinance for whatever reason. Thank you. maybe another agency needs to approve something or some other reason. Anyway, those are my three small comments. |
| 01:45:31.07 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thank you. Anybody, any other comments from the City Council? Namaste. |
| 01:45:36.63 | Ian Sobieski | I do. |
| 01:45:37.32 | Janelle Kellman | do. Yeah. Okay. Well, thank you very much. And thank you to the members of the public for commenting here. the development agreement is certainly a very interesting tool set to use and as Councilmember Cleveland Knowles mentioned, I spent 10 years on the dig into this and we had not looked at a development agreement, but it's an interesting tool to utilize when you have entitlements due to the city, such as right-of-way or parking, and also have a private property owner going to do something like the Valhalla building in the south part of town. So there are some utilities around this that are quite unique. But I do want to comment on two of the three things that Councilmember Cleveland has mentioned. And I think my comments are around the idea of A comment that came up at our last council meeting around safeguards and guardrails and making sure we have the most thorough process possible to prevent unintended consequences. And so on the first topic, and this is from staff's suggestion to us that if the council desires to provide some guardrails The Council could consider language to add, depending on the project size and scope, we'll have discretion to acquire another public workshop. I have a yes and for that, which is yes, we definitely want the opportunity to have a second workshop. But this is extremely subjective, depending on the project size and scope. I don't know who's making that decision. I don't know when they make that decision. So I think we would need a little bit of clarity around that. Thank you. |
| 01:47:15.50 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 01:47:15.53 | Janelle Kellman | Sorry to interrupt. |
| 01:47:15.55 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Sorry to interrupt, Vice Mayor. It's noted in the language that the discretion is with the community development director with that finding. |
| 01:47:25.28 | Janelle Kellman | Yes, correct. And I think what I'm asking for, thank you for that clarification. What I'm asking for is that we be aware beforehand what that discretion entails. And so to just simply say, depending on the project size and scope, is, entirely subjective without any standards or no standards. And I think for all members of the public and future applicants, I think they would probably want to know as well if they're going to be subject to a second review and include that in their budgeting. So then on the second comment, again, this is in keeping with the theme of safeguards and guardrails, BUT I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT. you know, the, The staff conveyed to us that the draft ordinance was drafted with language requiring consistency with the zoning ordinance by both the Commission and Council, and this was decided through legislative committee and planning Commission meetings. And in fact that the consistency finding was an important component of the planning Commission's recommendation to the Council. regarding the draft ordinance. So our planning commission looked at it, We discussed this issue. They highlighted it. They said, yeah, we actually think both parties need to have consistency. So I do think Council needs to have consistency and I recommend that the ordinance required the development agreement be consistent also with both the general plan and the zoning ordinance. And if there's an inconsistency with the zoning ordinance for a particular development agreement, The approval process could also include the zoning ordinance amendment. So again, safeguards and guardrails. We talked last time about how certain things happen and they're unintended. I think this is probably the most robust process and would address some of the concerns we heard tonight. Thank you. |
| 01:49:04.29 | Jill Hoffman | Any other council comments? I have a follow up question based on these comments for Lily. So just fair warning, Lily, coming back to you. So anyway, other any other questions from city council members? questions or comments. Uh, comments. I suppose. |
| 01:49:20.69 | Melissa Blaustein | I'm also very pleased to see a development agreement coming before the city council. It's really important for us to be proactive about these types of opportunities rather than reactive and making one-off decisions. And this allows us to have robust community conversation. I really appreciated the suggestion from the Planning Commission that we have a community discussion and hearing around the development agreements. I do want to echo Councilmember Cleveland-Knowles' suggestion around the City Council's consistency with zoning, only because development agreements are traditionally used in the event that perhaps there might be a suggested change to a respective zoning which I just think again I'm in all options on the table and consideration type of |
| 01:49:32.30 | Unknown | to Jensen. |
| 01:50:02.73 | Melissa Blaustein | person and so I would like to make sure that any opportunities we're able to assess and with regard to the agreement. So I would agree very much with Vice Mayor's points about making sure there's robust hearings at every level and that we're aware of what they are but I would also support Council Member Cleveland's suggestion that the City Council not have the requirement for the consistency with the zoning because that's the purpose of the discussion so that's brought before the Council so we might have a conversation regarding whether or not an exception makes sense. Thank you. |
| 01:50:33.58 | Jill Hoffman | So Councilmember Sobieski, do you have any comments or follow-up questions? Uh, |
| 01:50:45.20 | Ian Sobieski | I think I've learned by now. No, I mean, I'm interested in, it sounds like there's shaping up to be a discussion around this distinction between what the Vizema articulated and what Council members, Susan, including when Noel's articulated, and I would like to hear a more full-time discussion about that, but I don't have additional questions right at this moment. |
| 01:51:04.12 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. So, Mayor, if I could just add, so I think the compromise that was sort of articulated by staff meets both the guardrails, public transparency, |
| 01:51:04.76 | Ian Sobieski | Oh, |
| 01:51:15.36 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Karen Hollweg, And kind of fulsome debate issues raised by vice mayor common which all of which I completely agree with which is to have the planning Commission do an analysis of whether anything in the development agreement. Sarah Silver, And staff obviously do an analysis and report to the city council on whether there are any inconsistencies with the development agreement. And the zoning. And then, I would just add, that a development agreement is adopted by ordinance. So any the development agreement can also I mean, it's the same thing. It can amend the zoning ordinance or not, depending on if that's necessary. So. I think we will, the council at the time, or we will have to make a determination about whether such amendments are necessary. So I think the staff recommendation you know, is a good one that the Planning Commission do a full report and the public understand exactly, and the city council understand exactly whether there's any inconsistency. |
| 01:52:22.82 | Jill Hoffman | So I have a question for a couple of questions for Lily based on the comments of the city council. I just want to make sure it's clear to me and clear to the, public what the impact of this would be. So let me ask first on the second workshop issue that was not objective but subjective I suppose just to the staff member who wanted to feel the complication of the project warranted a second um, workshop. would we be able to Um, do some sort of criteria or add some sort of criteria, what would you, is there any language that you would recommend? It would make it easier for staff to know what the boundaries were for a second. Not just staff, sorry, not just staff, but also the applicant and the public what's necessary for a second hearing. or workshop, sorry. Go ahead. |
| 01:53:28.13 | Jill Hoffman | You're muted. |
| 01:53:35.52 | Jill Hoffman | There you go. |
| 01:53:35.88 | Lily Whalen | There we go. So sorry about that, Mayor. No worries. So the evolution of the community engagement through the planning commission started with a um, an optional study session that staff was recommending as part of the ordinance and then the planning commission thought it was important to make that optional study session mandatory, which you see in the draft ordinance now. and make the optional study session that we had previously convert that to an in-between the study session and the public hearings for additional public engagement opportunities. the The size and scope, the language that staff is suggesting is similar to other instances in the zoning ordinance that allows some discretion for the community development director. |
| 01:54:26.50 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 01:54:26.92 | Lily Whalen | in order to determine whether or not a project meets a certain threshold. And so that's language that's in the zoning ordinance right now that we use in the zoning ordinance for various projects. |
| 01:54:29.91 | Unknown | I don't know. |
| 01:54:39.26 | Lily Whalen | uh, the I think it's important to note that the study session, which is required, would occur prior to this potential and the planning commission could also make some statements for the record that additional public opportunities are needed due to the size of the project that they are seeing in front of them. And the director could get some information. feedback at that point in the study session. |
| 01:55:15.03 | Jill Hoffman | Is there any language that you can point to in the code that specifically gives parameters? you know, any scope or size or anything, or is that those are just general left to the interpretation of the, |
| 01:55:29.83 | Lily Whalen | It is left to interpretation in terms of other areas of the code that reference size and scope. I think there's some other references to unusual circumstances as well. that. I can if you give me a minute here I can pull it up in the code and some other areas of the code and let you know how it's phrased but there's no specific criteria. if the council would like to share some criteria that's important to you some of that criteria to add into this optional public vetting opportunity. |
| 01:56:03.60 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Why not let Vice Mayor Kelman respond to that? And then you can look through the code, Lily, |
| 01:56:08.81 | Janelle Kellman | Yeah, thank you, Mayor Hoffman. I just think in the interest of Um, for the applicant, they may not know, may not build it into their budget, may they may not understand they have a second go around. I want to give clear direction make it easier for people to understand the permitting process. And then I think also for for members of the public. So yeah, if there's a way to include something that explains depending on size or whatever that might mean to you, that would be very, very helpful. I did have another question on the second point, Mayor Hoffman, if that's okay. |
| 01:56:39.75 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. |
| 01:56:39.76 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 01:56:39.81 | Heidi Scoble | go ahead. |
| 01:56:40.22 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 01:56:40.24 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. |
| 01:56:40.59 | Janelle Kellman | Lily, in your explanation earlier to us today, you said the draft ordinance was drafted with language requiring consistency with the zoning ordinance by both the commission and council. through legislative committee and planning commission meetings. Do I read that to mean that legislative committee last year looked at this and made that recommendation? and that our Planning Commission also made that recommendation. the recommendation being that there should be consistency from the Commission. require the council to make a finding of consistency. |
| 01:57:15.19 | Lily Whalen | Thank you, Vice Mayor Kellen. I don't recall at the legislative committee level, the level of that discussion, the city attorney might I will offer that the draft that the legislative committee looked at It was the same draft that went to the planning commission and that finding of consistency was in the Council section. um, So over time, that has not changed. that section in the draft ordinance that the staff put together, we used a template from another jurisdiction. |
| 01:57:44.51 | Janelle Kellman | Together we use it. Thank you. Got it. OK, thank you. Yeah, I think I'm hard pressed to see why we wouldn't THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE Experts on the Planning Commission are volunteers who worked very hard on this. and It doesn't deny anybody. opportunities. What it does is, really safeguard our development and our process and of her concerns tonight. So I think making the consistency finding with the commission and the council level It's the right thing for the community. |
| 01:58:17.47 | Jill Hoffman | So, I have a follow up on that too. The requirement in the development agreement that it be consistent among between the Planning Commission and the City Council Um, I'm assuming and Lily, you can tell me if I'm wrong, but I'm assuming that that arose because of a concern that you would want that sort of a safeguard, that you want the you would want the consistency between the two the two bodies in Sausalito, specifically from the planning commission who this is sort of their this is their charge from the city council to deal with planning issues and to make recommendations. So it doesn't really make sense to me that you would have a body in Sausalito It's a very important body in Sausalito. In any town actually. The planning commission is very important. that you would Um, lessen their input on something as important as development agreement. I mean the point of the development agreements to me is that You can do big projects that cost a lot of money and investment for the investor that's a benefit to the city, but that you, that you are giving up some public review and public process in order to move these projects forward. And that's why I'm assuming or I would surmise why the original requirement was for consistency between planning commission and city council. So am I on the right track with that, Lilly? I mean, you're our Community Development Director. |
| 01:59:51.52 | Lily Whalen | So the development agreement process is a lot of times used for projects that don't necessarily fit in a neat night's box with the zoning ordinance regulations. And so a lot of communities use this process. um, It's a flexible process to evaluate those types of projects, which might be great for our community, but just need a little bit of a tweak in terms of the zoning and their land use development regulations. There is actually the way that the ordinance is structured right now, I think there are more public engagement opportunities with this process here with the mandatory study session and then the optional public workshop or other public vetting opportunities than there would be with a zoning ordinance amendment Another point that I think is important to understand is that through a zoning ordinance amendment, that affects a large, in some cases, a large number of properties. It would affect all properties covered under that zoning. So if there is a really great project for Sausalito that just needs a little bit of a tweak in terms of the zoning, that The council might not want to make that tweak for all properties in that zoning district. They might want to make that tweak for this particular whatever project it is, whatever project in order to get the community benefits that are desired. |
| 02:01:10.30 | Unknown | It's like, |
| 02:01:15.35 | Lily Whalen | I'm going to watch |
| 02:01:16.01 | Jill Hoffman | here. Nope. Thank you. |
| 02:01:18.10 | Lily Whalen | Thank you. |
| 02:01:20.80 | Jill Hoffman | People talking over each other. So I think the vice mayor, go ahead. |
| 02:01:23.85 | Janelle Kellman | Oh, sorry, I just, that sounded to me like spot zoning. Right on its head. |
| 02:01:28.87 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | what a development agreement is. |
| 02:01:30.50 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 02:01:30.69 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | the class. |
| 02:01:31.03 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. Right, but the way it was just described sounds a little challenging from a legal standpoint. And we have the city attorney who popped up as she said it. Hi, Mary. |
| 02:01:42.64 | Mary Wagner | If I may, Madam Mayor, just a little bit to provide a little bit more |
| 02:01:42.69 | Janelle Kellman | Yeah. |
| 02:01:47.45 | Mary Wagner | information in response to your question. And as it's been framed, you know, The staff believes you could have the planning commission analyze the project, weigh in on the consistency, with the general plan, with any other applicable plans, and then consistency with the zoning ordinance. that then comes up to the council. And right now, if you leave it the way it's drafted, you're required to make a finding that the project is consistent with existing zoning regulations to put the development agreement in place. We believe you'd have a little more flexibility If you didn't have the council's review and approval of a development agreement, with that same requirement. But a development agreement is negotiated agreement. So the council could say that we're not waiving a certain provision. We're not gonna allow any modifications to those, the types of requirements that a development or an applicant may be asking for. But if you include this provision, you're taking away some flexibility. And so I think that you could look at it at the reverse so that you're asking your experts on the planning commission, look at this development agreement, weigh against our current zoning regulations and give us your recommendation. on whether you think this development agreement is a good idea. for this particular project that comes up to the council. And then the council can take that information and determine if there's particular modifications to your zoning regulations that are coming through this agreement that you believe are beneficial or not. So I just wanted to give you that perspective as well. |
| 02:03:25.66 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. So I don't have... That may have raised more questions for me. So as it's written, Mary, I think you need to come back. So as the, thank you. So as the record, as the proposal is written and presented from the staff report. It is that The City Council would be able to approve a project only if it's consistent with zoning following a review by the Planning Commission that said it's consistent with current zoning. |
| 02:03:59.41 | Mary Wagner | I'm going to actually pull up the language, Madam Mayor, while you're while you're. So you're specifically looking at section of the draft ordinance that you have in front of you. There's a section 1080.080 that talks about review by the planning commission. And the Planning Commission's recommendation concludes a determination on whether or not the proposed development agreement is consistent with the general plan, any applicable specific plans, and it's consistent with zoning and other land use regulations that apply to a particular property in question. We go to the next section, which is 1080.090. And this deals with the decision by the city council And the section that you've been talking about is this section B. that the city council may not approve the development agreement unless it finds that the provisions of the agreement are consistent with the general plan Any specific plan? And the zoning regulations. So say for example, there was a modification to a parking requirement, or I'm trying to think of a good example for you to use. or a potential modification to floor area ratio or coverage or something that that was beneficial and didn't cause impacts that were negative. And the council felt that the, the negotiated development agreement was beneficial to the city based upon whatever public benefits were being added And that's a small example of a type of project, but You would have the flexibility then, if you took this language out, to approve those modifications through the development agreement. If you leave that in, there'd have to be another step. to allow for either variances or whatever else that would have to be processed. So you couldn't approve the development agreement in that. |
| 02:05:36.79 | Ian Sobieski | So you cook. |
| 02:05:39.75 | Mary Wagner | that. situation. |
| 02:05:41.45 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 02:05:41.65 | Mary Wagner | Mary, could you elaborate on what those other |
| 02:05:43.48 | Ian Sobieski | are. |
| 02:05:45.89 | Mary Wagner | Variance, a zoning amendment, as Lily alluded to, or specifically stated, didn't allude to. And as she indicated, that type of a zoning amendment could have broader implications than the council may want to consider and impact other properties in the same zoning district. |
| 02:06:04.13 | Ian Sobieski | there'd be no way to change the zoning for that specific part sorry councilmember so there's no way to change the zoning for that specific for the specific development in question |
| 02:06:10.88 | Mary Wagner | I know where you can. |
| 02:06:15.73 | Ian Sobieski | it would apply broadly to the area |
| 02:06:18.34 | Mary Wagner | Potentially, yeah, it could potentially have broader implications. |
| 02:06:22.02 | Melissa Blaustein | So you're saying it's something as simple as a parking requirement could potentially, jeopardize the entire development agreement if we leave in this section. |
| 02:06:32.55 | Mary Wagner | Well, Amy, that wasn't the best example, but I was trying to come up with something that you could use as just a straw dog. Difficult without a specific project in front of you. And that's why we did include the Biomaren and the back center agreements from Novato and San Rafael, which were fairly large projects. You know, as Lily also indicated, these types of |
| 02:06:45.17 | Unknown | and, |
| 02:06:53.42 | Mary Wagner | development agreements are usually utilized with somewhat more complex projects, but I do think you could retain the flexibility at the council level and through the process, determine if you think that any proposed modifications to existing regulations are beneficial. |
| 02:07:11.60 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you, Mary. Yeah, I'm a little uncomfortable with us using this phrase flexibility. So, around safeguards for the community. So anytime we wanna have a variance or we wanna have further review, we suddenly lose our flexibility. It was a reason that there's consistency between zoning and general plan normally. And so I just really wanna make sure this council understands what this does. and this flexibility, so-called flexibility, what it does is it removes the consistency requirement, it removes that additional review. So I don't think flexibility is the very accurate term for this. I think there's a reason consistency is normally required and it's a safeguard and it's a guardrail and it's really, really important. |
| 02:07:55.61 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So just to weigh in, It's not normally required. I mean, that's the whole point of a development agreement and why the state law allows you to act through ordinance to allow the flexibility specifically and most jurisdictions do not have the requirements and rafael for example that was in our packet does not have the requirement that the Council does they do require the planning Commission to report to the City Council. I think the development agreement tool really just loses its punch. without this extra thing. And in my experience, it's usually the smaller things around the edges that the city attorney just described. that allow a project to move forward, a setback, you know, or or things like that that might be kind of complicated and really allow the creativity to get a great project that really fits the character. So I just, I think that tool is really what makes a development agreement um, stand out from the normal planning process. And then the only other comment that I would make is I really strongly agree with the Community Development Director that with development agreement and to some of the public comments, some of the concern the development agreement process is designed to be it's an ordinance and it has all of the public. notice, public hearings, opportunity to comment even more than a normal development because it has to come to the city council. So there's no, you know, you don't even have to appeal the project. So the project gets, um, much more rigorous look than a normal project going through the process would. So I just want to emphasize that it's not a closed door negotiation or an end run around transparency. In fact, it's augments process and transparency. |
| 02:09:53.87 | Janelle Kellman | But what it allows the city council to do is to take every prior decision by the planning commission or otherwise even the community workshop and say, We disagree. And I think that is problematic for some planning decisions. And as I hear the various Um, sort of arguments back and forth. that this should be a continued item, for the reason that staff only gave us two examples of where there was, in fact, not as consistency requirement, But there was no analysis of other communities where there is a consistency requirement. And I just really, really urge this council to understand the impacts of this allowing the council to make a sort of it's one off decision despite prior decisions by other committees or commissions. So that's all I'll say on it. I care, so thank you. |
| 02:10:43.55 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah, thank you. So I am really concerned that, you know, the proposed language that we have in our draft language is that The in 090 is that the city council may not approve a development unless it finds provisions of the agreement consistent with the general plan and any applicable specific plan and are consistent with zoning and other land use regulations applicable to the property. So that's in our packet. That's the draft that we put out. understood that You know, there may, you know, we're considering some tweaking here, but that's a pretty significant tweak. I mean, what you're basically saying is that zoning really doesn't mean anything anymore. that the city council has the authority to |
| 02:11:26.95 | Unknown | Oh, my God. |
| 02:11:28.16 | Jill Hoffman | well, that's exactly what I mean. Any project that comes before with a development agreement that you know, that the city council can just disregard the planning commission, it can disregard what the zoning |
| 02:11:42.31 | Unknown | I'm not moaning. |
| 02:11:43.08 | Jill Hoffman | and approve a plan as they wish. And now that it's part of a development agreement, the city has far more responsibilities and liability if they don't go forward consistent with what they decided. And so I am very uncomfortable with with, deviating from the draft language. Um, I... At the very least, I think we need to continue this and have some further discussion on the impacts, negative impacts of having this type of process where you're taking away one of the one of the basic safeguards in our town and expectations of our citizens about how their property Um, how their neighborhoods are zoned, how their business districts are zoned, and what they can rely upon when they buy their homes and what they can rely upon. as you know as requirements of their you know city council and their planning department. and what they can expect in development. I would suggest that if we want to go forward with Um... I'm happy to not ask for a vote. I'm happy to continue this for some further discussion on that topic alone. and if you guys- |
| 02:13:00.64 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Okay, well, I'm ready to move forward tonight. I asked the questions ahead of time so that everybody would have a heads up. I would be happy to make a motion if it's, Majority of the Council would like to continue it that's fine I just feel like we're continuing a lot of items and. packing up our agendas. And this is a relatively simple ordinance that just provides a process I would, you know, I think this development agreement does not fundamentally change the zoning normally. It's a flexibility. It's a tool that provides creativity and flexibility. And so I don't wanna make a boogeyman out of a development agreement. It's a good tool and I'm in favor of moving this forward. |
| 02:13:40.62 | Jill Hoffman | Well, I, All right. |
| 02:13:42.96 | Melissa Blaustein | I think that we- Can I ask a question? Councilman Arsoviaski is trying to say something. |
| 02:13:44.21 | Ian Sobieski | question Sorry, I muted myself again, I apologize. I just was wondering... |
| 02:13:51.11 | Melissa Blaustein | to the |
| 02:13:51.89 | Ian Sobieski | I have two questions. One is this is a first reading of two, right? So this is gonna, if passed today, it comes back on the agenda for a second reading. that it must again be Noted on Craigs. |
| 02:14:04.58 | Jill Hoffman | typically the second reading those on consent. and that you don't have an additional staff report and that you don't have the type of discussion that we have. Thank you. |
| 02:14:13.78 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 02:14:13.93 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 02:14:14.03 | Ian Sobieski | It would be possible to have it off consent, correct? And it could be a regular agenda item. |
| 02:14:18.74 | Jill Hoffman | You could pull it off. |
| 02:14:19.07 | Ian Sobieski | to be able to get the Pull it off. |
| 02:14:20.36 | Jill Hoffman | But we would really be starting again if we had Mary's nodding her head, that we'd really be starting again. with our discussion and we would have additional information from the staff or from, you know, as we wish or perhaps alternate language proposed to try to come up with some sort of resolution of the. the concerns have been raised about the lack of any control. |
| 02:14:49.70 | Ian Sobieski | just a process question which is that this is the first reading that passed today and it was not on consent next time there would still be an opportunity |
| 02:14:51.51 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah. |
| 02:14:57.58 | Ian Sobieski | to get the information that the Vice Mayor requested um, additional examples, there'd be more opportunity for public input on this point. And it'd be possible, of course, that the item could be continued next time or modified. I just want to make sure I understand the process correctly. |
| 02:15:14.31 | Jill Hoffman | Mary, you want to weigh in? You look like you're wanting to weigh in. |
| 02:15:17.89 | Mary Wagner | Thank you Madam Mayor and Council member Sobieski. If I understood your question correctly, if the council were to adopt and take first reading, give first reading to the ordinance. including any directed changes. We could of course come back to you with more information. at the second reading. My only, the only clarification I wanted to make is that if you make modifications during the second reading, We have to go back and redo first reading. |
| 02:15:43.38 | Ian Sobieski | Yes. |
| 02:15:43.57 | Mary Wagner | That was the only point. Thank you. |
| 02:15:45.29 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. Thank you. And then I just had a question for both you, Mayor, and you, Vice Mayor, because you both made I want to understand the point of view you're trying to articulate. And the thing I'm missing is this idea that you I, if there's a project that is being incompatible with the current zoning, it requires a zoning change. then how can we change the zoning to allow that project without you know, negatively influencing the very things that I'm supposed to protect by having other properties in that zoning also that you then get that very same change. |
| 02:16:24.17 | Jill Hoffman | So that's kind of what we would talk about, right? So that's the question that would be bounced back to the community development director. And of course, Councilmember Sobhyevsky That would be dependent upon the project and how it was not consistent with the zoning. Right? As part of that discussion, I believe, You've got Councilmember Cleveland Knowles and Councilmember Kelman who are on the Planning Commission for periods of time. you would talk to the developer and say, okay, this is inconsistent with zoning. Do you want to try to, amend your project so that it's consistent with zoning. Would you try to change your project so that you can do some sort of variance or you can, I mean, whatever it is, right? You don't, it's hard to do it in a hypothetical. At this point, I think there are some examples that you might be able to use, but if it's a minor thing, I think you could do a variance. But again, it's hard to say it in a hypothetical, right? but that's the point of zoning. That's the point of zoning laws is that you, you, everybody understands and has an understanding about what's allowed and what isn't. So Lily has her. Thank you. her view on it so let's talk to billy Go ahead. |
| 02:17:32.46 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 02:17:32.48 | Lily Whalen | Thank you, Madam Mayor. I was just going to add that to answer or to get at Councilmember Sobia C's question. But what other options a developer would have if there was no flexibility with the zoning. And I think the city attorney covered some of them, including variance, the zoning ordinance amendment, Um, The variance option wouldn't cover any exceptions to uses. So it couldn't cover that if there was a use issue. I couldn't cover that. It would have to be Zoning ordinance amendment. which we've stated would be applicable to all other properties in that zoning district. |
| 02:18:17.38 | Ian Sobieski | you. |
| 02:18:17.43 | Jill Hoffman | You know, |
| 02:18:17.75 | Ian Sobieski | I have one other question. I'm sorry, Mary. Sure. I would love to hear from Vice Mayor Kellman also on the same question I asked from both of you too. |
| 02:18:17.81 | Jill Hoffman | to the next episode. Thank you. it. |
| 02:18:20.39 | Lily Whalen | No, no. |
| 02:18:20.84 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 02:18:26.55 | Ian Sobieski | Um, What about this point that that has been made by, I think, by Council Member Susan Cleveland Knowles, that the process of the development agreement is itself a highly public process, very focused on a particular project uh, that the very protections that we look to from the generalized guardrails of zoning and other such things are provided in that instance. The whole reason we're passing this is not to abandon our processes, but they're provided by actually having public input. that public input, that public engagement is on this particular project, looking at these particular tradeoffs. I'm, Why is that? in your mind, unsatisfactory. in terms of protecting the public. I get the point you made, Vice Mayor, past discussions and workshops and whatnot, but those are abstract ones. Those discussions inform the question which is what should the zoning be? you pick the waterfront, we have an idea of what waterfront should be and that's the zoning we want for 99 out of 100 cases but in the one in 100 case That is the exception to what anyone had imagined we were going to do on the waterfront. Um, Don't you, isn't this kind of approach one that by nature has to be very public and hence that's the guardrail? public nature on it. |
| 02:19:55.11 | Janelle Kellman | So I think Councilmember Sobieski is hoping to engage me on this. Thank you. |
| 02:20:00.39 | Ian Sobieski | Yeah. |
| 02:20:01.15 | Janelle Kellman | So I believe after my tenure on the Planning Commission. that guardrails are more than just public hearings. It is a... A knowledge and an assurance that a public body has to abide by known standards. Right. And, This body could hear 100 people talk. and decide to do something completely different. In fact, we've seen that happen already. So... I don't think it's just about public hearing. And I would put a question back on you, Councilmember Sobieski, which is, How would all the concessions that are already required by density bonus laws. and other laws intended to promote housing that strip some of the city's discretion over development decisions. How do you think that they would play with a process that removes additional guardrails. Because keep in mind, that once a development agreement is approved and the developer breaks ground, The developer has vested rights that make it impossible for the city to reconsider the entitlements that are granted. I sat in on the legislative committee with MCCMC there are 95 plus housing laws and bills being proposed that will strip local authority of discretion. We were already going to be faced with so much of that. So I will ask you, how would all the concessions already required by the density bonus laws and other laws to promote housing interact with yet another proposal that could strip a safeguard. |
| 02:21:43.36 | Ian Sobieski | Yeah, that's a good question. And I think that's an important one. So, I mean, I'd love to hear some answers for some of the other members of the council. But just to clarify that question a little bit, Vice Mayor, So, This is the same question I've had before, which is the right to do an development agreement is not itself a development agreement. there would be nothing for the, you're alluding to my great concern too, we're gonna lose our authority over our ability to control our town. Um, that local authority is gonna be taken away by the state. I saw the same presentation you did that, that items in the general plan, for instance, could become dispositive and overrule zoning ordinances. Right. An abstract ability to make a development agreement is not a development agreement. So what's the actual danger you're talking about? you know, the development agreement that was inconsistent with zoning. wouldn't exist until the city council passed it. it's a past thing, but before that it's not past. How would the state level circumvent city council approval in your example? |
| 02:23:01.39 | Janelle Kellman | So I think the danger is in a council, whether it's us or future councils, right? Is our job to safeguard community interests is that, this body, this council, in every format that it is. can make a decision. that is contrary to multiple other I'm not sure. public engagements. and the problem becomes one of certainty for the community, as well as the developers. And so I will answer your question with this. Which is that I'm not saying don't do. Dominant agreement. I'm only requesting that there be consistency by the council. So we still retain use of a really useful tool in our tool set. And I'm just asking the council to put a check on itself. on behalf of |
| 02:23:49.94 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | I'm half a day. Vice mayor, so a lot of the times, a development agreement- |
| 02:23:54.55 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. I don't know. Thank you. |
| 02:23:56.07 | Jill Hoffman | Hold on. |
| 02:23:56.52 | Janelle Kellman | you |
| 02:23:56.71 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 02:23:56.74 | Janelle Kellman | . |
| 02:23:56.77 | Jill Hoffman | Bye. |
| 02:23:57.08 | Janelle Kellman | Excuse me. |
| 02:23:57.82 | Jill Hoffman | That's quite right. Council member. Council member Cleveland, hold on. Council, Vice Mayor Kellman was speaking. And so we're gonna let Vice Mayor Kellman finish your comment and then we'll go to you. |
| 02:23:59.31 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 02:23:59.49 | Janelle Kellman | Bye. |
| 02:24:07.29 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | I'm sorry. |
| 02:24:07.66 | Jill Hoffman | that student. |
| 02:24:08.11 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 02:24:08.50 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Thank you. Quite quite. |
| 02:24:09.97 | Janelle Kellman | Why don't you go ahead? |
| 02:24:10.97 | Jill Hoffman | I'm eager to hear your thoughts. |
| 02:24:11.79 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 02:24:13.11 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 02:24:13.21 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 02:24:13.70 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. So apologies, I really thought you had come to the end of your sentence. No problem. I think you. You're envisioning sort of a city council that isn't respecting the rest of the process that has come before it. And I think that's, I'm disturbed by that. image, but Imagine that the workshop that was done by the Planning Commission. and the public. and the Planning Commission all want this project. that is just slightly you know, out of conformance in one or two ways. I mean, it doesn't, I think that the assumption that, this mechanism would be used to allow something to happen. that, wasn't necessarily envisioned from the beginning by the project sponsor and then the planning commission. is not, I think, mostly how we would want to use this tool. We want to use this tool to make good things happen. that need a little more flexibility. And so I don't really see the density bonus example to be at all The density bonus statute is something imposed on local jurisdictions by state law. and something that we really have no discretion over. So that is not, the development agreement statute was passed by the state legislature for the very purpose of giving local governments a new tool to work with developers to find projects that both benefit the developer and have extraordinary community benefits. And that's the sweet spot that we're looking for. And that's my objective. in promoting flexibility. that's allowed by state law specifically. We don't have to use it. We can keep something consistent with the zoning if that's the best. outcomes. but we have flexibility like we always do. We can always pass an ordinance. But as the city attorney and community development director pointed out, that could have more far reaching consequences than what we actually want to achieve. Thank you. |
| 02:26:48.02 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. I appreciate that perspective. Thank you. only answer your factual question with some facts. which is two weeks ago. This council voted 3-2. to go in a direction that was different. from a majority vote of a J-PAC. A 3-1 vote of a working group. and a 5-0 vote of a planning commission. I will only say that those illustrate |
| 02:27:11.95 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 02:27:12.34 | Janelle Kellman | how a city council can make decisions |
| 02:27:13.52 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 02:27:13.55 | Ian Sobieski | decisions. |
| 02:27:14.45 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 02:27:14.60 | Janelle Kellman | that are different. IN FACT, THIS DISCUSSION IS OUT. deviates. from a recommendation made to us. by the Planning Commission. So I think this, Factually, that's how that happens. And I'm in favor of a development agreement. I just think a consistency requirement is important to this community. |
| 02:27:38.02 | Jill Hoffman | So if I could weigh in here too, and based on Councilmember Cleveland-Knowles' example You have public... comment, you have public processes. What this agreement does is it allows the city council to disregard all of that. once it gets up to the city council, even Disregard the fact that it's, not consistent with zoning. So the last safeguard that the public might have Uh, of expecting the expectation that they've relied on for what their town is owned for that last safeguard of zoning You've now taking away that last safeguard. regardless of public comment, regardless of what the zoning actually says you're allowing the city council to make a decision inconsistent with that with no other safeguards. So what I'm saying is there may be times that you might want to consider Um, a project if you need to make a small zoning amendment and we've been working on we might want to figure out how to put some kind of safeguard language in here, but to completely take away that safeguard, I think is irresponsible. and not in keeping with what our charges as city council members, and it's not in the draft language. That's why I'm not comfortable with voting on that tonight. I'm what I'd like to do is. try to see if we can come up with some sort of language that would answer that and a method by which we could build that in somehow. Um, But I just, a wholesale. carte blanche blank check to a city council saying, well, You know, you can do, you can do, A development agreement and disregard you know, the zoning. with no other safeguard on that, I think is irresponsible. Yes, Ian, you have your hand up. |
| 02:29:32.87 | Ian Sobieski | Yes. Thanks for that. You know, because of the Brad Act, this is our only chance to talk about this. So... |
| 02:29:39.32 | Jill Hoffman | Oh. or the next hearing. Well, no, it's not. Now, hold on. Now we can talk about it here as we have for the past 45 minutes. We can give, we can ask, uh, |
| 02:29:39.89 | Ian Sobieski | Next hearing. Well, I'm sorry. |
| 02:29:48.92 | Jill Hoffman | We can say here's our concerns. What do you think staff? And then we'll come back. So anyway, I'm sorry I interrupted you. My apologies. |
| 02:29:57.04 | Ian Sobieski | This meant you were alluding to something that's you know, you like to get things done and you are worried about getting things and we're all worried about things going. There's a balance between getting things done and getting things done wrong. in getting things done right. know they're when I look at the law, process here, there's so many tools in the toolbox. I mean, how many times has the city been sued for for all kinds of things. So when you're alluding to there being no controls, I mean, don't really mean there are no controls, because there are a lot of things that people can do. to rein in projects that everything sequa to many other legal avenues for things that are out of bounds. Am I wrong? |
| 02:30:48.52 | Jill Hoffman | Well, here's my point. My point is that the most obvious thing that people can rely on, in town is zoning. I can go down and look it up and I can look it up online. I can see how's that zone. There's a project next to my house. I see the story polls are up or whatever. I've gotten noticed. Sometimes you'll get noticed if you're close enough to a project and you say, well, how that's, that's not consistent with zoning. How is that gonna get approved? And then you go to the public meetings, your voice of concern, And then you get down to the point of, well, How is that approved? So you've given city council the authority to just disregard zoning. in this one sentence, right? One sentence. I think it's very broad, very, very broad and and not in keeping with what what our people here in Sausalito expect from our city council that we would give that much authority to a city council without input from. |
| 02:31:33.23 | Ian Sobieski | Thanks. |
| 02:31:45.38 | Jill Hoffman | or any other safeguards. |
| 02:31:47.84 | Ian Sobieski | Could I just ask my colleague Susan Cleveland to comment on that if you care to? Just because that felt like a perspective around the idea of zoning being sort of established land use, and if you're a neighbor, And you extend the neighboring zone. If you're in such and such a zoning and all of a sudden the project is approved by five people that's contrary to the zoning you thought you were in. and Is that a, you know, unjust injury. |
| 02:32:14.98 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. Well, I mean... I think as we've been talking about tonight, the development agreement process is a special negotiation that allows a community to get benefits that it cannot otherwise get through the normal zoning process. So, you know, we're limited in by state law and constitutional law from requiring things from developers in order to develop in the community. For example, I money for um uh, parks, money for arts, a park space, affordable housing, et cetera. So a lot of these things, there's a nexus requirement that Um, sort of prescribes what we can legally ask through the normal planning commission and zoning process. And So the state legislature, in order to provide kind of more of a negotiation and more flexibility in very limited circumstances, I mean, development agreements are just not a very widely used tool as staff said, they're used in very specific, you know, like the Valhalla would have been a great example for something where we might have had a more creative um, you know, or flexible process. And So, And I don't think that development agreements are widely used to do something radically different either. than what, if it's an industrial use or a shopping center use or whatever. But they do give both the developer and the community extra stuff. And, you know, our incentives to have a frank and open negotiation and it's all in the public. Right. Just like any. other zoning. So I don't, I mean, I understand Mayor Hoffman's concerns about the certainty established in the zoning ordinance and it will continue to be the case that 99.9% of all development approvals carried out through the planning commission and up to the city council will be done through our normal zoning process. But there may be certain things like Bridgeway Marina and others where we want the flexibility to get certain concessions. So for example, in Bridgeway Marina, it was one of the things that we were getting there um, is protection for the tenants. So that's something that we were able to bargain for that normally under state law, we would not have been able to do. So I think that was a really important When? in that case and you know, memorializing that through development agreement will be a good thing for the community. So I just I don't think And anyone at any time in the process can say, They don't. think that that project proposed, just as they can in any other project, is appropriate. and we'll we'll go through the public process. And I do, I just want to say, Vice Mayor Kelman, I really did not take the comments kindly about the result of our General plan vote. There was a lot of public process, a lot of members of our public weighed in on what they wanted to see. And I don't, I think that was a fair decision that went through the the process and we all listened to everyone who spoke and took every committee recommendation into account and weighed all of that. So I would just like to say I didn't think that was an appropriate comment in this context. |
| 02:36:01.50 | Janelle Kellman | Well, thank you for that perspective. And I will only just add to that. It was merely an example of how a council can have full veto power. THEIR HOME. And that was an example for me. Ian, I just wanna issue one more thing that you mentioned about CEQA. THE FAMILY. So many products are actually found exempt from SQL And so I just wanted to caution us from thinking that any one statute, could provide all of the protections for us. So, um, you know, I, I don't know, mayor Hoffman, if there's a way to move this forward. I, really do enjoy that we have a very robust conversation. I think it's the benefit of the community to really dig down into everything. So I just appreciate everybody doing so and participating. I know we've been doing this for about 50 minutes. So |
| 02:36:42.07 | Melissa Blaustein | I just want to make a final point on the topic that you raised, Vice Mayor Kellman, about this number of housing bills that we're likely to see from the state legislature. That's a very serious reality, and so are all of the RENA numbers and requirements we're going to see. And I think that development agreements exist to help us control those rather than to make them worse. And so given what's coming down the pipe from the state, we should be able to have access to every tool in our toolbox to make full control over decisions about where housing is going to go in our community and encouraging more opportunities for workforce housing and inclusionary housing in our community. So that's just the last point I want to make. |
| 02:36:42.33 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 02:36:48.52 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. This is the first time. |
| 02:36:49.51 | Unknown | state legislation. |
| 02:37:09.29 | Ian Sobieski | Yeah. |
| 02:37:19.37 | Janelle Kellman | Well, you're absolutely right, Council Member Boston. And I will just say that I think we all are in favor of a development agreement. Let's make sure we're all in favor of one. I'm only asking that the council have consistency. And somebody mentioned Bridgeway Marina. Remember, we actually were able to negotiate with them because on some main points, because it wasn't consistent with our zoning ordinance. So it ended up being a lever for us as well. So like I said, really good discussion. I appreciate it from everybody. So- |
| 02:37:47.72 | Ian Sobieski | Bye. |
| 02:37:47.73 | Jill Hoffman | Bye. |
| 02:37:47.80 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 02:37:47.97 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 02:37:48.04 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 02:37:48.07 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 02:37:48.14 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 02:37:48.66 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 02:37:48.71 | Ian Sobieski | Right. |
| 02:37:49.99 | Jill Hoffman | Oh, go ahead, Council Member. |
| 02:37:50.91 | Ian Sobieski | America. I love it. Fuck enough, thanks. |
| 02:37:52.96 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Okay. So, um, just based on the last comments then, um, with regard to housing that's coming down the pike and the, the, the way that the state laws are written actually take away a lot of the control that cities have. And so This would be a balance, I suppose, of that instead of it would retain some control in the city. Um, outside of all of the housing bills that are coming down that take away our ability to approved projects or not approved projects based on the zoning because of those housing bills are coming down specifically take away the local right to Um, approve or disapprove based on zoning. Um, this, you know, taking away that aspect of this development agreement Um, I don't think would give us more housing because those bills are coming down specifically that they comply with zoning regardless of what your zoning says. This is one of the last things that we that we can do to maintain control in Sausalito. Um, you know, the people that spoke on this item even though this was in no way related to marijuana, I mean, I think that's what the concern is. that you would have a development agreement for some sort of issue that would be of great concern to people and that you're taking away the last sort of the last control on that with regard to the community. So without further discussion about how we can how we can um, come up with some sort of further control on that. consistent with our conversation. Like, I don't think what we've been saying is necessarily consistent with each other. My position is to just that we want to maintain the control that we can. um, within our code. I don't want to, you know, I don't I don't think it is appropriate for city council to be able to completely disregard zoning when they are looking at a development agreement which is what they could do if you change the language from the draft language to the language that is proposed. So I would like further effort to come up with some compromise language. I, I think vice mayor Kalman's in agreement with that. Is anybody else in agreement with that? If so, then we'll, we'll set this at the next city council meeting in the next two weeks. We'll figure out if there's some language that we can agree on. Is everybody in agreement with that or is anybody? Not agreeing with that. |
| 02:40:37.29 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So Mayor Huffman, I would just suggest that I don't, I mean, if people wanna continue it, that's fine. I think we've had a really robust conversation. I think we understand Thanks to a lot of good questions and good discussion. I think we understand the issue and I think we understand where everyone is coming from. I'm not sure I understand or see I mean the proposal that I had made that the planning commission would do a full analysis. of any if any change to zoning and present that to the city council along with their recommendation of approval or disapproval I think, is a pretty middle ground. So, I mean, if people have a sense of that there could be more middle ground, that's fine. I just think we either have the consistency finding or we don't. It seems binary. So I don't know if we really want to have another hearing, but I'm happy to. I'm not going to force the issue. I'm not sure we'll get further. |
| 02:41:42.97 | Jill Hoffman | Sorry, go ahead. I think we're close enough. I think I understand everybody, what everybody wants. And I think let's take a little bit of extra work to make sure that we can get it right. Cause this is like super important. What I'm gonna do is I'm gonna, |
| 02:41:58.92 | Ian Sobieski | I'm a little concerned. I mean, I just wanted to share uh, to add to your database there, Mayor, just the observation that, we're passing this for a reason, right? It's to actually try to get some things that are good for the community done. and So, I mean, if we're gonna have this, tool, then the tool has to actually work. And. |
| 02:42:23.67 | Jill Hoffman | Right. It's got to actually work and not have negative consequences that we haven't fully considered. So what I would like to do is put this on for the next city council meeting. I'm telling you we're going to do it the next city council meeting. I like to get stuff done, but I think this We are going to put it over to the next one. Let's try to funnel our questions to the community development director and see if we can I mean, I think I've got some language together. but I'm not ready to do it on the fly here at the city council meeting. Okay. Unless we're, I'm gonna move on to the next item on the agenda. |
| 02:42:59.26 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So is there consensus? I wasn't clear on that. |
| 02:43:03.72 | Jill Hoffman | I thought that there was consensus that we can move on and look at this in the next city I believe that most council member Blasin said, uh, Vice Mayor Kelman's okay with that? |
| 02:43:14.97 | Melissa Blaustein | like to see us all come to consensus because it's a critical issue. I think we've all shared what we're clear on, but I like to get things done too, but I'm also a fan of everybody working together and feeling heard. So if the consensus is let's move it forward and get more information, |
| 02:43:15.04 | Jill Hoffman | like, |
| 02:43:31.56 | Melissa Blaustein | then that's the consensus. It may be the exact same result is my only |
| 02:43:35.65 | Jill Hoffman | It might be. |
| 02:43:36.13 | Melissa Blaustein | you know. I'm sorry. |
| 02:43:36.52 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 02:43:36.54 | Melissa Blaustein | Thank you. |
| 02:43:37.32 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah, it might be, but let's give it a shot. I think we can do it. Okay, now then moving on to item 7b. This is... |
| 02:43:47.29 | Mary Wagner | I apologize, Madam Mayor. If we could have the item continue to a date certain, that would be helpful. |
| 02:43:48.96 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah. Oh, sure. That would be. Thank you. |
| 02:43:53.72 | Mary Wagner | I think. |
| 02:43:53.74 | Jill Hoffman | I think. Yeah, that's a great idea. Okay, so I have a mic. |
| 02:43:56.72 | Mary Wagner | and just voted on by the council. That'd be great. |
| 02:43:59.54 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. I have it. I have our next city council meeting. on March 9th? Is that what you guys have? I don't have my calendar in front of me. |
| 02:44:09.99 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | It's March 9. |
| 02:44:10.71 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. All right, everybody agree March 9th? Sounds great. Okay. Very good. Anybody notice that? Thank you. |
| 02:44:18.83 | Mary Wagner | So if you could just have a motion, a second, and have the clerk call the roll, Madam Mayor. That just means we don't have to re-notice this item as it's an ordinance amendment to the zoning ordinance that requires published notice. Thank you. |
| 02:44:26.71 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you, Mary. Thank you. uh, Can I have a motion to move it to the next What is it? March 9th? I'll make a motion that we continue this to a date certain being March 9. |
| 02:44:37.61 | Ian Sobieski | Exactly. |
| 02:44:38.72 | Jill Hoffman | Second. in one second. |
| 02:44:41.24 | Ian Sobieski | Yes, I did. |
| 02:44:42.05 | Jill Hoffman | Oh, thanks. Thanks. Okay. Heidi, call the roll, please. |
| 02:44:45.64 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. |
| 02:44:47.03 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 02:44:47.04 | Heidi Scoble | Councilmember Sobieski? |
| 02:44:48.56 | Ian Sobieski | Yes. |
| 02:44:49.76 | Heidi Scoble | Council member Blaustein. Yes. Councilmember Clevelin knows yes. Vice Mayor Kellman. |
| 02:44:56.69 | Chris Zapata | Yeah. |
| 02:44:56.93 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 02:44:57.54 | Heidi Scoble | Mayor Hoffman. |
| 02:44:59.02 | Jill Hoffman | Yes, thank you. Okay, thanks you guys. Thanks staff. Thanks, everybody. Okay, so moving on to our next... the next item on our agenda, which is 7B Bank of America building. So if we can have Charlie, Francis is gonna give us our, Give us our... It's not a report on this. |
| 02:45:25.79 | Charlie Melton | Thank you. Thank you. Madam Mayor, members of the city council, My name is Charlie Francis. I'm a special assistant, special project assistant for the city. And we're here tonight to present a staff report on the Bank of America building. specifically like seeking direction on what the best path forward is in securing a tenant for the Bank of America building. Let's start with some background. And I'll be brief on July 7, the city council announced that it entered into an agreement with the Bank of America for the acquisition of the property located at 750 bridgeway for $2 million. And then at the request of the city council, city staff, and the economic development advisory committee, engaged with the public, they solicited public input on the use of the property. and there was an online survey, there was three public meetings. There was a unanimous recommendation that the council acquire the Bank of America building. And so that happened on August 18th, where he effectuated the purpose and they approved the acquisition of the property. Uh, Since then, there has been several people in the community, subgroups of citizens that have interacted with interested prospective tenants of the building. And I'm aware of at least two proposals that are being drafted around in the community And, um, We were contacted by one of the groups and says, you know, how do we move this process forward? So, Rather than having the process get ahead of what the City Council's intention was. Uh, We thought that it would be kind of best to bring This to you tonight. seek direction from the city council and the process for leasing the property Now, just, quickly, The results of the city survey and the Economic Development Advisory Committee showed pretty strong interest that these were the you know, proposed uses of the property and what the community was interested in receiving. They got, they got THE FAMILY. 539 responses. 219 of those responses were registered through the town hall. I'm sorry. you know, and everyone agreed that we should go forward with this or the majority did. So, Now tonight we're kind of looking at what's the best way we can move forward and and then the staff report I defined what the difference was between an RFI and RFP and an RFQ. But I was kind of envisioning that it could be one over the other or it could be a path. And so, you know, the first path would say, Let's generate some ideas. Let's look at those ideas and say, This idea is the idea that the city council wants to move forward with. And then you could just simply enter into negotiations from that. Or you can take the compendium of ideas and the city council could say, we'd like to go and find the tenant. and use all these ideas together. Or the second path could be you just designate what the specific use of the property is gonna be. It could be a mixture you know, retail and, Oh, restaurants, it could be, you know, whatever you decide you want it to be. And then you could say to staff, You can choose one of two ways to go do that. You can do an RFP for, in other words, it's not an RFP for procuring a project, a construction project or procuring services. It's an RFP for, What would you want from the city in terms of tenant improvements? And here's what we would be willing to give to the city back on and rents, and this would be the the mixture or the one single use of the property that we're gonna propose. And then the city was just negotiated final lease from the most competitive proposal, would generate the most net present value of income to the city. And then the third path would be just to designate a specific use of the property and then do an RFQ for a commercial real estate broker. And the reason I, I recommend an RFQ is because there are many real estate brokers out there. And why would we choose one or the other? rather than saying, here's some qualifications, let's make this transparent and accountable and choose the commercial real estate broker that we want to use based on not only his or her qualifications, but also on, you know, what the fee would be for those services. So, you know, with that, or kind of just like seeking direction from the council, which way you want to move forward. I'm willing, I'm here tonight to listen to the ideas that you all have as we, you know, discuss this idea. And then we'll take notes and hopefully we can, you know, move forward. We can do that as a discussion tonight, or you could appoint a subgroup, or you could appoint a committee to explore this and move forward with one of these paths or a combination of these paths. So I'll conclude the staff report and I'm ready to stand and answer any questions that you might have. |
| 02:50:45.15 | Jill Hoffman | Thanks very much. |
| 02:50:45.74 | Charlie Melton | And was I sharing my screen through all that? |
| 02:50:49.13 | Jill Hoffman | No, we never saw it. |
| 02:50:49.79 | Charlie Melton | Bye. |
| 02:50:49.97 | Ian Sobieski | Bye. |
| 02:50:50.02 | Melissa Blaustein | Thank you. |
| 02:50:51.16 | Charlie Melton | Oh darn, I had a PowerPoint presentation up. |
| 02:50:54.16 | Jill Hoffman | You were great, Charlie. You were great anyway. |
| 02:50:54.41 | Melissa Blaustein | Great. |
| 02:50:56.69 | Charlie Melton | I'm so sorry. |
| 02:50:56.93 | Melissa Blaustein | Thank you. |
| 02:50:56.96 | Jill Hoffman | I'm so sorry. |
| 02:50:57.64 | Melissa Blaustein | Thank you. you |
| 02:50:58.02 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah. |
| 02:50:58.23 | Melissa Blaustein | Thank you. Thank you. |
| 02:50:58.80 | Jill Hoffman | No presentation needed. That's okay, because I just noticed on our agenda This is item 7B. We haven't done item 7a yet. Oh. Hold on. |
| 02:51:11.10 | Charlie Melton | Yeah, I was a little confused because you said 7B, so I just jumped over to the BOA one. |
| 02:51:15.67 | Jill Hoffman | Right? Okay, so hold on. Let me ask our city attorney Uh, Join. I think we need to go back and do 7a, right? What do you think? |
| 02:51:27.17 | Mary Wagner | I think if the with council consensus that you wanna take 7B and now that you've heard the report, the excellent report from Charlie Francis, you can just make that adjustment, make sure that members of the public know which item they're commenting on and then you can go back to 7a. |
| 02:51:42.44 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. Are you guys, everybody okay with that? Do we need everybody raise your hand? I'm good with that. We got a thumbs up. Very good. Okay, my apologies. |
| 02:51:49.07 | Mary Wagner | They might be a little bit. |
| 02:51:52.23 | Jill Hoffman | My apologies. I had scrolled down to my... |
| 02:51:53.31 | Unknown | down. |
| 02:51:54.49 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. |
| 02:51:55.13 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 02:51:55.16 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 02:51:56.00 | Jill Hoffman | So in light of that, um We're looking at 7B now. We're going to go back to 7A after we're finished with this item. Um, And do we, Do we have any questions about this item from the council members based on the presentation? |
| 02:52:12.26 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 02:52:14.35 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah, I have a question. |
| 02:52:14.97 | Melissa Blaustein | Thank you. I'm admittedly, you know, I'm a new council member, so I'm still learning about RFPs and RFQs. Could you talk about just what the process would look like if we were going to do one for specifically a broker and what the advantages would be to doing it that way as opposed to just picking one? |
| 02:52:33.82 | Charlie Melton | Well, I think I'll start with the latter. I'm not sure. The council as a group could agree to pick one and that is fully transparent and accountable. If you told staff to go pick one and I picked somebody over someone else that the council didn't agree to, Well, then you might say, what's your motivation on doing that? So I think that picking... And then, you know, someone from the public could say, Oh. three of the five city council members wanted to go with commercial real estate broker A, but the other two wanted to go with commercial real estate broker B, why don't they do a competitive proposal and pick the one that would do the best job for the city. So, It's all about transparency and accountability, unfortunately. You know, that's what was built into our democracy. But and it slows things down, even though we all want to get it done now, like Jack Bauer from 24. But I can move pretty quickly on this, no matter what approach you pick. |
| 02:53:29.10 | Unknown | We all want to go. |
| 02:53:38.71 | Charlie Melton | I can put together draft qualifications, run it by the city council for their approval to say, yes, let's go out. And that's the process we want to use. Now, An RFI a request for information or a request for ideas. Again, that could be something that would be drafted very quickly. Of course, the ideas would have to comply with our zoning It's not like, doing a development agreement, you know, we went We want your ideas to come forward Uh, are implementable ideas, you know, and I can write all that into the RFI. And then finally, and well, If you just say, here's the criteria you want to use, we don't want to use a commercial broker, We want people to compete. We want people out there to say, Here's the amount of tenant improvements we want. Here's the amount of rep we want. and here's what we're gonna give you. And then we have a weighted criteria for ranking all those proposals with, The most amount of money for the city being one of those criteria right, but not the sole criteria, because you have specific ideas in your mind on how you want to use that property. So that's kind of like the fine difference between the three. And I could move pretty quick on any one of those approaches or a combination of those approaches. |
| 02:54:57.99 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. Thanks. Do we have any other questions based on Thank you. |
| 02:55:01.93 | Janelle Kellman | Yeah, Mayor Hoffman, I have a question. And like Council Member Blaustein, being a newer member, I was sort of going back to, and I appreciate staff sending us the prior staff reports as well. SO I THINK I JUST HAVE A PROCESS QUESTION. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE ON BANK OF AMERICA. I guess I'm wondering how that subcommittee plays into this and is the, um, direction that Charlie is talking about, is that a done deal, right? Has that decision been made? Or is the committee working on direction? I just, I don't know, if somebody could put me in. Thank you. |
| 02:55:43.99 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 02:55:44.00 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 02:55:44.04 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah. |
| 02:55:44.73 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 02:55:44.75 | Jill Hoffman | So yeah, I should have jumped in. Right off the bat. But there is a subcommittee. It's the ferry landing committee and it was the same. It was, I made the assignment at the same time that I made all the other assignments. Um, It's Council member Sobieski and I and it was I added B of A to the ferry landing because it just made sense to have that that building. of in consideration with the ferry landing as well because they're all part of the same the same sort of land mass down there. So that's how I started. This is in no way the done deal at all. I mean the idea is that Councilmember Sobieski and I talked about was We need direction going forward, obviously, and the concept from the City Council in agreement. I see Marsha is down there. |
| 02:56:49.19 | Chris Zapata | No, you just hit my point. Thank you, Mayor. |
| 02:56:51.42 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. So that's, I mean, that's, you know, that's, we need to have sort of, the public concept of of where to go with this and sort of what's the range. And then I think we'll vet and bring recommendations back to the City Council. I mean, I think that's kind of the way it works. So, anyway, alright. Good questions, all. Yes, Council Members, Claimers, Go ahead. |
| 02:57:18.79 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Yeah, so Thank you. I think it was really great to see the broad community participation and ideas that were outlined in the last staff report. There were 10 kind of items that rose to the top. I was just wondering, back to our discussion about zoning, Sarah Silver, If maybe our Community Development Director or Mr Francis could just. um, describe whether any of the uses that were generated by the public input are incompatible with our current zoning. I mean, as I understand it, we're sort of both potentially weighing in on process. tonight and potentially also weighing in on preferred uses or maybe trying to narrow down I think it's a good thing. |
| 02:58:12.47 | Charlie Melton | Which I... |
| 02:58:12.50 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | potential uses. |
| 02:58:14.48 | Charlie Melton | So these are the 10 possible uses that were and the EDAC. I'm going to go ahead and get If Lily is still on the call, maybe as community development director, she could She could talk about the zoning for the Bank of America building. |
| 02:58:33.21 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | And I apologize, I didn't mean to put the community development director on the spot. alert people ahead of time to questions, but I just realized I didn't quite know if all of these They seem generally like they are uses that we would see downtown. except perhaps the theater. I just don't know. |
| 02:58:58.34 | Chris Zapata | So your director is on the line, give her a moment here. |
| 02:58:58.57 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Council member. |
| 02:58:59.79 | Unknown | I really like that. GIVE HER A MOMENT. Hello, council. Good evening. I am still here and I am looking at this list |
| 02:59:08.97 | Lily Whalen | If you give me a couple of minutes here, I can take a look at the list of uses and compare it to the zoning that's allowed. It's a waterfront zoning. |
| 02:59:18.00 | Ian Sobieski | While Lilly is doing that, Charlie, I had a question for you. |
| 02:59:21.25 | Lily Whalen | Sure. |
| 02:59:22.85 | Ian Sobieski | The EDAC report that recommended the purchase of the Bank of America building talked about leasing the building, to help with Cupid's Cost and and it's carrying costs. but with the ultimate goal of being 100% civic use. um, So how did the staff engage with that mandate in your consideration of the Thank you. |
| 02:59:48.66 | Charlie Melton | Thank you. So, I mean, that's the direction we're seeking from the council tonight, Council Member Sibiasky, is that if you want us to put together a plan that says to get that to be 100% civic use within a certain timeframe. then. Tell us what mixture of tenants that you would like to see there to help. work with the community to see if that's a feasible option. |
| 03:00:19.05 | Charlie Melton | I don't know if this helps you, Lily. I got the zoning up here on the... Sure screen. |
| 03:00:25.04 | Unknown | Yeah, Charlie, do you want to pull up attachment three? If you pull up attachment three, that should show that |
| 03:00:32.23 | Charlie Francis | All right. Attachment three, I don't have on my desktop. |
| 03:00:37.54 | Chris Zapata | Okay, let me see if I can pull that up. |
| 03:00:39.06 | Charlie Francis | Okay. |
| 03:00:39.82 | Chris Zapata | So mayor and council, while the staff is looking at the information with which they will answer your questions, the question on the table. One of the process clothes for tonight could be Um, to take the report presented by Charlie Francis Um, give input and direction as you have tonight. for questions and work that you have to the subcommittee to bring it back. What the staff's attempt here was is you haven't visited this project as a new council and where you left it in the fall, it did need to move forward. So we're looking for what input you do have with which we can move forward. We don't need to resolve all the matters this evening. There's nothing, no action pending. There's a number of interests in the community. And what we're trying to determine is what's the desire of the newly formed council and what can the staff do to be supportive and move it forward. |
| 03:01:47.09 | Heidi Scoble | I think. |
| 03:01:47.59 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Um, You know, I think The RFI process is a good one because it's a little bit more broad and it's for ideas. To Councilmember Sobieski's point of you know, what's within the realm of possible or what's within the realm of what we want to think about for this building. In keeping with the fact of the location of the building that is right a key spot in our waterfront and what we see is a vision for that whole area going forward. And also the responsibility that we need to use it I mean, we bought it for a reason, right? what's the responsible use, but at least that would may start us off with here's some people with some concepts, This is where, you know, where are we thinking as a city council, where do we want to go? And we can pick one of those concepts and say, okay, You know, we like your request for information. Let's, let's explore that and go down that road. I mean, that's one thought. process that I sort of had. you know, The concern I think from Councilmember Sobieski and I is that it's such an important project. And it's such a great building and such a great location. And we want to be sure that we get it right. |
| 03:03:04.49 | Unknown | And it's. |
| 03:03:09.94 | Jill Hoffman | So in long-term effects. So. That's kind of my perspective and why I thought it was important to come back to the council with this. So. |
| 03:03:21.64 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Can I ask a question? Is going from an RFI to an exclusive negotiating agreement, a path. So we do an RFI, we get several proposals. And then direct and exclusive, we could go directly, we wouldn't have to do another open public process. We could just use a broker and, um, Do the deal. |
| 03:03:52.33 | Charlie Melton | Absolutely. And that was one of the items in path one was |
| 03:03:52.42 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 03:03:55.99 | Charlie Melton | through the RFI and the city could then enter into negotiations with you know, any one or a combination of them. as a result of it. |
| 03:04:07.17 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Okay, thank you. |
| 03:04:13.04 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So are we taking public comment or are we still? Okay. |
| 03:04:13.12 | Jill Hoffman | I'm sorry. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah, we were just in question. Any other questions to Charlie while we're here? I see you none. Okay, so now I'm gonna open it up to public comments. On item 7B, Bank of America. Thank you. |
| 03:04:34.11 | Heidi Scoble | Okay, Heidi, I'm just gonna let you call. It's Madam Mayor, we have two hands raised at this time. I will have Joe Burns go first and then Peter Van Meter. No, Burns, you've been unmuted. |
| 03:04:48.53 | Joe Burns | Hey, how are you guys doing? Sorry if I seem a little tired tonight, the last few months I've been getting to bed by 9 o'clock on Tuesdays. This is a little late for me. But, um, I actually have a lot prepared and the discussion throughout the entire night and now on this item as well. It kind of throws me off script a little bit, but I do, I do appreciate, At first I'm excited that we're having this conversation and thank you for bringing this forward. It's been a long time and I think we're now two years since we knew that the bank was coming available and we've been seeking this moment this discussion for that. for that long of time. I think the list that Charlie put up of the process that we went through for community input, that is very close to an RFI. I think it was done with a lot of thought Um, One of the comments made is getting the highest rent and we talked about that. And sometimes the highest rent for us does not mean the highest return for the businesses around us. we can put something there that cannibalizes or hurts or competes with surrounding businesses. And we might get a very nice rent for that. but it's not complimentary. So these types of things I think are really crucial to what you want to do if you start RFing around on different things asking a broader group to put what they expect to be onto this property. like, you know, something that relates to Alcatraz or, or the pure 39 or formula retail or a, um, Again, something that's not complimentary to the locals and the businesses around them. when, as you saw in my letter, when I was come working with, they're not working as a friend, exposed to Randy Raven's plan, He had already had a lot of those things already in this plan that he'd been wanting to do for years. And they're on that list, marketplace, gourmet, a place for bakers to bring their wares, farmers market, and then the other item of an educational facility. And I also want to note that that is part of the CW zone. So a pretty easy transition to go from waterfront to commercial waterfront without having to go to a commercial You can get a CC zone, you can get restaurant and that training center into that building. So I don't want to speak to his plan more than what he's written here. I think he'll maybe do that tonight. But I think it's a really good opportunity to look local, stay local, keep the product there for Sausalito. Visitors can partake, absolutely. But if we start open RF and around to East Bay and San Francisco and you know, we're going to lose that local flavor. They're going to have a ton of ideas from a unicorn petting zoo to you know anything else that's going to make them money and a building money But we want to protect the survivors. |
| 03:07:53.12 | Ava Cresante | Your three minutes has been lost. |
| 03:08:08.36 | Peter Van Meter | A good evening, I have no video tonight so i'll just offer my comment here verbally. I think the first thing you need to do is to rezone this property CC. This waterfront zoning is a very strange gerrymandering process. You go look at your zoning map, I can't understand why that happened in the beginning, but it needs to be rezoned very first so that the, widest variety of potential tenants that meet the city's desires can be solicited to go into that property. The other thing you have to be very careful about is wish thinking. uses that are really not going to be practical. Like I see farmers market near the top of the list. |
| 03:08:44.15 | Unknown | Okay. |
| 03:08:47.19 | Peter Van Meter | Anybody that's ever been to a farmer's market knows that that building will never be suitable for that purpose, for vendors to bring their wares, park their vans, unload their stuff, and you need lots of space that building is only like 4,000 feet on the ground floor. So there's not gonna be an opportunity for that. So the targeted uses have to be something that has some practicality. If you do hire a professional real estate agent with knowledge on soliciting a variety of tenants. They can help you understand. the kind of tenants that can fit and actually utilize a building of that sort of configuration. Thank you. The other part of the equation is the cost to convert that building. to any kind of use that might pretty producing income there's a lot of special purpose pictures and. that are going to cost a tremendous amount of money to take care of. Tenant improvements are going to be huge. I've heard the city does not want to front that kind of money, which makes sense. So if you're going to have a tenant pay that money, they're going to want to have a long-term lease. That's going to be controversial. That's going to be opposing the idea of making this a public lease. community use at some point in the future. So he was a careful balancing of that sort of cost factor versus eventual community use if that's the goal. So. You have to be realistic in terms of the kind of tenant that will go in this space. in my humble opinion, after being in commercial estate business for almost 30 years, it's going to be a very difficult leasing project. there's a lot of as I say, wish thinking about what you might like but it's gonna be a challenge in my opinion. It's gonna be expensive. But the first thing, The first thing. go to CC zoning, get rid of the waterfront zoning. Thank you. |
| 03:10:29.65 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 03:10:33.91 | Heidi Scoble | Hi, Nellie. Commenters, thank you, Madam Mayor. Our next commenters are Jacques Ullman and then RR. So, Jacques, you've been unmuted. |
| 03:10:46.06 | Unknown | Hey, can you hear me okay? |
| 03:10:48.54 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. |
| 03:10:48.55 | Jill Hoffman | Yes. |
| 03:10:48.96 | Heidi Scoble | Thank you. Thank you. |
| 03:10:49.63 | Jill Hoffman | I like that. |
| 03:10:49.65 | Unknown | All right. Well, I think that there is an opportunity there for uses that could be for both residents and visitors. So many of our businesses downtown now are really visitor oriented There's not too much retail downtown that is resident that interest residents, restaurants do, That's about it. So I think that if you do a request for information on it, proposals. that it should be very clear what the survey results were what the community wants so that you don't get whole bunch of fishermen warfare. people. coming. wanting to sell us candy and T-shirts. You know, you're going to have to make it very clear what we want there Otherwise, you'll be overwhelmed with things that we don't want. And in my architectural career, I did have some experience with some commercial spaces at Embarcadero Center. And in that case, the tenant improvements were on the tenant. And I did two actually restaurants, delicatessens in Embarcadero. I forget which one it was, I think it was three. And the tenants spent all the money, the owners of the building didn't. there is that possibility. Thank you. |
| 03:12:26.50 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:12:33.43 | Heidi Scoble | RR, you have been unmuted. |
| 03:12:38.14 | Randy Raven | Hi, I'm Randy Raven and thanks for having me. Nice to see a couple of familiar faces and Joe, thank you for you know, your support. And I think a lot of the comments I hear tonight Um, I have to say. The project... it's a, it's a wonderful project and it is a wonderful opportunity. I think for both Sausalito and the proposed concept that we'd like to put forward. And, um, I think that the project that our conceptual vision touches on many of the things. I when I looked at, you know, the breakdown from the survey I think... you know our proposed marketplace bakery cafe and hospitality training academy touched on the first you know five or six items on that survey There I understand some of the concerns that I hear here tonight and you know I believe there's you know, perhaps 4800 square feet on that on that main floor we have for the last seven or eight months. We have done a tremendous amount of due diligence on this project. We have assessed that building, researched the community, very familiar with the community some of you know me from my involvement in cyo and you know that's a the sports youth program that blended uh you know sausalito marin city and everything else that that It's one of the ideas or experiences we want to have with our hospitality training academy. This is more about community. It is more about the Sausalito residents. This concept is designed and built to appeal to the local residents here in Sausalito and Marin County. Of course. You always have to have in mind travelers, day travelers, and that type of thing. But if COVID, this experience hasn't taught us anything, you have to speak to the local community. What we are planning here with what we want to put forth in this and our vision for that particular building, again, it's multifaceted, but it is a complement. And when I approached, I think, Joe, the first time with this, that's exactly what I said to him. It's not about, you know, coming in here and we really want to complement and not see ourselves or another neighboring business as competition, but rather complement. And we want to bring what we think would be a little bit more diverse experience to the community, not just ethnically, but cuisine wise, and things that would attract a demographic local cure that And not only that, an untapped resource for labor in our community. The Hospitality Training Academy is meant to create a pathway for internships and professional careers in the hospitality industry. I see my time is up. |
| 03:15:43.14 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Thank you very much. Okay. So I don't see any other hands up. Um, And unless Heidi tells me different, I'm going to close public comment for item 7b on our agenda And I'm gonna bring it back up to the council for discussion and direction. |
| 03:16:06.24 | Melissa Blaustein | lauren just learned around just try to raise her hand to make a public comment i saw i saw a video camera on with hand raised for a second i just want to make sure we're not missing anyone |
| 03:16:06.26 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah. |
| 03:16:13.42 | Jill Hoffman | I just want to make sure we're not missing Thank you. |
| 03:16:15.71 | Melissa Blaustein | Thank you. |
| 03:16:15.73 | Jill Hoffman | Amen. |
| 03:16:15.96 | Melissa Blaustein | Bye. |
| 03:16:16.03 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:16:16.06 | Melissa Blaustein | Thank you. |
| 03:16:16.17 | Jill Hoffman | No. |
| 03:16:16.45 | Melissa Blaustein | Madam Clerk, did we miss somebody? |
| 03:16:17.65 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:16:17.67 | Melissa Blaustein | Thank you. |
| 03:16:17.74 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:16:19.32 | Heidi Scoble | Madam Mayor, I did not see Lauren de Ramer's hand raised. Participants do periodically pop up. It's a Zoom glitch, but what we could do is we could try to find Lauren and see if she would like to provide a public comment, or we could ask her to raise her hand in the Zoom functions. |
| 03:16:29.56 | Unknown | OK. |
| 03:16:37.60 | Heidi Scoble | And what would you prefer? |
| 03:16:38.74 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Let's just see if she could somehow Let us know, raise your hand. Some kind of emoji. |
| 03:16:48.25 | Melissa Blaustein | Maybe it was just the glitch. |
| 03:16:48.26 | Jill Hoffman | I don't know. |
| 03:16:50.84 | Melissa Blaustein | Does that mean you want to talk? |
| 03:16:55.82 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:16:55.84 | Heidi Scoble | Um, Thanks. Lauren. We will unmute Lauren. Lauren has been unmuted. Can you guys hear me? |
| 03:17:03.57 | Jill Hoffman | You guys hear me? |
| 03:17:04.02 | Lauren de Ramer | I'm going to go. |
| 03:17:04.04 | Heidi Scoble | THE END OF Thank you. |
| 03:17:04.92 | Jill Hoffman | You better have something really great to say, Lauren. |
| 03:17:08.85 | Lauren de Ramer | I for some reason I don't know why I can't I can't get my camera work either and I had the function to I'm not sure. There you go, you're on. You can see me now. I had the function actually to raise my hand before, but for some reason it wasn't letting me raise my hand. but I did move from my phone to my computer. All I wanted to say is I wanted to echo Jacques' comments. I agree. And one of the frustrations I've always had growing up here is like the locals don't go to that side of town. I mean, you go to the bank. You go to the ferry. And you might go to no name or something every now and then. Like a lot of people don't go there. And so I think. I'm also very excited about this opportunity. I think that it's I think it's a great time to envision how can we get a little bit of our downtown back because I've been in so many city council meetings and the traffic congestion You know, and like I'm personally frustrated. I love riding my bike, but I'm personally frustrated of the thousands that come through our town and crowd up our streets when A lot of those businesses are benefiting San Francisco and not Sausalito. So I'm thinking like, how can we, get the other half of our town back. I do, I also want to call out that I have been told that the, the Wells Fargo building, I think their lease is coming up. And I don't, so I don't think that we need another bank. I'm I think the biggest thing that I want to hit home here is It's so frustrating talking initially about zoning and these questions about zoning when let's figure out what we want there and what the community wants there. I think it would be amazing to have, like the others had said, some sort of like, see the table, farmers market in Sausalito, or some sort of like local artists and artisans, as opposed to like Jacques said, we don't need more fishermen's wharf, stuff that locals want to buy. I think it would be cool to have some sort of maritime museum or some sort of chandlery that's actually up and working that people want to be in. and it's right in the center of town. I just think it's a great opportunity for us to kind of brainstorm on what could be there. So instead of thinking about zoning, let's first think about, What could that space be? and get a lot of ideas from the community. So that's my two cents. |
| 03:19:27.95 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thank you. I'm glad we didn't speak. |
| 03:19:31.80 | Lauren de Ramer | Thanks, Melissa. |
| 03:19:34.28 | Jill Hoffman | Um, okay. Now. I don't see any other hands. Anybody else? Any other hands? Then I'm going to close public comment and bring it back up here for discussion and direction from the council. Okay, so what's everybody thinking? Ian, you wanna, I threw out my idea. Oh, sorry. |
| 03:19:55.96 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Kelsey. No, that's okay. Ian should go first since you guys are the working group. It's fine. |
| 03:20:00.86 | Ian Sobieski | Yeah, so, I mean, what Lauren DeRammer said is, you know, the vision I think that a lot of people are excited about is the idea of, reclaiming downtown for residents and local regional visitors. Make America building can be a big part of that. So is the rest of the built space around that, the ferry landing, other ideas on on how to reimagine downtown with those strategic goals in mind, which when we get to our strategic planning session, that maybe would be one of the strategic goals. And so we do have a working group, you know, the mayor and I have been working Well, in this, you know, We've had some unexpected other issues come up that have gotten a little in the way, but I think we're making progress. My own inclination is the RFI idea is the one that maintains the most flexibility. we can transform it in numerous ways. and And so that's sort of my, that's our sort of inclination to go in that direction. but not to heavily prescribe it. It's different than just the vague notions of a farmer's market, the real RFI that as compelling as one who says, hey, I'm in the farmer's market business and this spot would work for me and this is how I envision it actually working for me. And if we got some of those, then those are credible directions to explore. |
| 03:21:28.56 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thanks. Who wants to go next? Councilmember Cleo Knowles? Yeah, your hand up. |
| 03:21:33.85 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Yeah, sure. So first I'm really glad this item is coming back kind of into this forum, I think it, People were generated a lot of excitement at the time when we made the purchase and I think it's good to keep the transparency going. So thank you for that, for getting this on the agenda. I also want to thank the folks that wrote in with a very specific and really exciting proposal. I think it's got a lot of great energy and a lot of great ideas. So thank you for that. Um, I... you know, I'm not ready to just say, let's go with this proposal. tonight or even in the short term. I do think we have to have public. solicitation process, but I would definitely like to move from RFI to ENA, exclusive negotiating agreement, as soon as we can if we have viable interests at hand. I think. having even if The plan that we get to is going to take a while to get up and running. Just knowing that we have an anchor to the downtown is going to be a huge help. in our economic recovery and the vitality of downtown. So I think if we have potential viable interest, we should move as quickly as we can while respecting a public process. So I am in favor of moving forward with a solicitation for a broker. doing an RFI. and using that RFI to get to a selection um, of a negotiating agreement as soon as we can. I was hoping we could talk tonight a little bit, maybe give direction to the working group on criteria or kind of scoring type of things. And I really want to appreciate Mr. Ullman and Lauren and Joe Burns for all writing with really great criteria. And I think it's interesting that all three of them put local, resident, serving or engagement as the first thing like revitalizing the downtown for Sausalito for Sausalitans and our broader 94965 community. and regionally has got to be the top thing. So I agree with that. I also thought that the list that Joe Burns provided in his letter to us had some really great I criteria on it, and I would agree with almost all of them, you know, complementary, and enhancing the other businesses making a statement of civic pride in its use and design. Honoring our commitment to increase opportunities for BIPOC communities, and providing An experiential link to our lifestyle pillars of arts, culinary and cultural diversity. So I think those are a great start. I would probably add... you know, a sustainability element in various discussions of lot two and that area. The Sustainability Commission has had some really great ideas about for solar or for some EV charging stations we've been trying to move forward with the EV charging there and not to for a long time. But in any case, I think there could be some great energy Um, around a new development there. I would also add And I kind of defer to the working group to come up with a good recommendation, but probably financial viability as opposed to I don't think we need to maximize profit, but we also can't be bleeding cash into that building at this point in our kind of fiscal arc. So I would defer to our experts, maybe Charlie or others, as you work this through. But we need a plan that's financially viable you know, and at least neutral, if not cash positive. So I don't think we need to maximize our revenue, but I do think we can't afford significant losses at this point. So those are the sort of some criteria I would propose for an RFI in terms of the uses, I think I, you know, like the ones that came up from the public. I would kind of let the RFI flesh those out a little bit more. but I don't have, I haven't seen any that are listed or been proposed so far by members of the public that seem contrary to kind of all of our collective goals as they've been expressed so far. Anyway, that's the direction. that I would propose and just wanna thank the working group for taking us on and bringing it. TO THE COUNCIL. |
| 03:26:49.97 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thank you. Um... Vice Mayor Kailman or Council Member Blasting. No, okay. Councilor Vlasic, go ahead. |
| 03:26:56.60 | Melissa Blaustein | Thank you. Thank you. Sure. I'm really excited to see this on the agenda tonight. I think we all agree that this is a really big opportunity for residents to have a chance to define what the downtown space looks like. And so I'm also really excited for public comment and engagement around whatever the uses are. So while I'm really appreciative of the proposals and thrilled to see that there are residents who are already thinking this through, who have a plan. I think that's fantastic, but I think it's really critical that we have a big forum where everyone can engage around what possible |
| 03:27:25.14 | Unknown | Thank you, Ms. |
| 03:27:35.60 | Melissa Blaustein | and feel that we are all having a stake in this conversation just because it is so critical for the future of what our downtown will be. i'm on board with whatever approach the council thinks will move this forward fastest with aggressive public engagement so i trust in the working group it seems like you guys are doing a really fantastic job of making sure that we know what potential uses there are and what options are on the table i would echo the sentiments that it has financial viability given the covid crisis and what we're dealing with and just to add to the sustainability piece It might be interesting to throw this back as well to our boards and commissions, much like we have with the city manager requirement or with the land side improvements, just to get some feedback from each of our boards and commissions as well about what potential uses they think might be viable as part of the process. Because I think that there's definitely an opportunity for feedback there as well. But I definitely and sustainability Commission has suggested quite a bit specifically for the ferry landing, but I'm sure they have a number of ideas for the B of A building. as well. So I'm just really excited to see what the community engagement is and I'm really on board with whatever the council has consensus on our next steps. I trust in the working group's thoughts about how to get public engagement here. So appreciate all the feedback and the good work that's been done so far. |
| 03:28:57.06 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. you I'm not sure. |
| 03:28:58.12 | Janelle Kellman | Um, |
| 03:28:58.34 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:28:58.48 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 03:28:58.81 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:28:58.83 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 03:28:58.85 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:28:58.92 | Janelle Kellman | Vice Mayor Kellman. Great, thank you. Excellent comments. I too am excited. So I don't want to repeat everything, but I want to echo Councilmember Blaustein, I'm looking at my notes, her comments around residents defining the uses. That was something that was sort of unclear for me on the RFI process, which I support. But I want to make sure that we're not just getting ideas from applicants slash developers, we're also getting. ideas from the community. how the working group balances those two things, but I echo what Councilman Blasin just articulated. And then I also just want to add a little bit of a plug on the sustainability side of things. I don't, it seems, it seems, uh, like a lost opportunity for us to not look at the whole area And I don't see how or why we would spend all this time on the ferry land side improvements and not think about that public space interaction with Bank of America. And then with my environmental hat on, I start to think, well, we also own the Spinnaker area and we own Sausalito Yacht Harbor and we're looking for money and there could be coastal resiliency funds. Maybe we do something really cool down there that plays off of one another and helps us find some additional funding. And part of that also will be, you know, can we put EV chargers? Where do they go? Is there a business case around that? So I just want to kind of make a plug for some type of holistic planning effort with an eye to sustainability. So that's... Is there a business case around that? So I just want to kind of make a plug for some type of holistic planning effort with an eye to sustainability. So that's it. I won't recommend everybody else. |
| 03:30:25.84 | Ian Sobieski | I would like to put in a plug for what the vice mayor said too. That is spot on. I hope that will inform both the working group that the Mariner on for this and the landing. but also our discussions around this as it comes back to the council, you know, that you make progress step by step, but you figure out where you're going by trying to orient ourselves towards a an objective. Uh, So we're all ears and so would love some public feedback on it, especially the point the Vice Mayor just made on paths to achieve the goal she outlines. |
| 03:31:07.89 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Okay. I would just note, I just add on, on the public comment, you know, if we look at our staff report from the last hearing, We did do a huge amount of community engagement at that point and got a lot of participation. So I think we have a really good sense you know, it's never perfect, but we know kind of what folks we're looking at. And we definitely need to have more public engagement and we need to do more, but I also don't, want the you know, perfect to be the enemy of the good and to kind of crush sort of momentum that has been built around this excitement and around the conversations at EDAC and the council over the purchase. you know, Anyway, I just wouldn't. kind of put in a plug for balance in terms of taking the good work that's already been done and carrying that forward. And I think the prior public comments at our meetings and through the surveys and at EDAC were very consistent. Like I don't feel like there's a big chasm um, |
| 03:32:19.59 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:32:21.23 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 03:32:21.26 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:32:21.35 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | acceptable. |
| 03:32:22.02 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:32:22.04 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | or desirable. |
| 03:32:23.03 | Jill Hoffman | who says, |
| 03:32:23.84 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 03:32:25.38 | Jill Hoffman | So yeah, I kinda, That's what I recall, even though that was kind of in the, transition time when I was coming back, but I remember that there was a lot of public comment or public sort of you know, engagement on this building. And so, but I want to continue that, right? And I know there's going to be, when we have RFIs come back, people are going to be interested in knowing what those are and commenting on that. That's definitely something I think that Ian and I are going to work on Um, and how to incorporate that in a way, as Council Member Cleveland-Knowell says, that doesn't crush the momentum that we have going. Because I think we wanna keep moving forward. The other thing obviously is that you know, that I do believe that these are linked with the ferry landing and then also to the vice mayor's comments, also that whole Peninsula down there. Um, You know, it's just a great opportunity and a great time to think of it holistically. And I think that's what we're going to do. At least that's our, that was our aim. So I'm glad that the rest of the city council is supporting that. We're going to move forward. So Charlie, do you understand? We don't need to take a vote or anything, right? I think we have consensus that we're going to move forward with an RFI process. Yeah. |
| 03:33:38.13 | Charlie Melton | Yeah. |
| 03:33:39.16 | Jill Hoffman | And then we can go down from there. |
| 03:33:41.45 | Charlie Melton | Absolutely, Madam Mayor. But... I have clear direction and what I think, um, I'll draft a process of how we're going to go about developing issuing soliciting. reviewing, ranking, and deciding on an RFI process. I'll bring that to the working group. The working group can flush it all out and then we can actually start drafting the actual RFI document itself. and then we can move forward like that. |
| 03:34:12.45 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, great. Thanks very much. Okay, I'm going to move on then to our next closest item and move on to item 7A. on our agenda. My apologies again for flipping those. Item 7A is the Dorothy Gibson estate employee assistant policy and again That presentation is going to be made by Charlie Francis. So, Charlie? Whenever you're ready to share your screen. |
| 03:34:38.56 | Charlie Melton | Have you ever read? This time I have my screen shared, so. Again, we're seeking guidance from the council to, uh, help develop an employee housing assistance policy and an administrative procedures document and again i'll start with some background on August 27th. The city council adopted the resolution accepting the bequest from Dorothy Gibson. It's located at 429 and a half Johnson Street, by the way. And, And it had a deed restriction that deed restriction specifically said to be used to provide moderate to low income housing. for one or more full-time employees of the city of Sausalito including employees of the city's police and fire departments. Um, And it's, one of the other items in the staff report was that it was, The city council was that the rental of the property would be handled similar to the employee housing assistance administration policy document. of the town of Tiburon. Well, of course, you know, I'm sure the council reviewed that at the time I did as well. And And I started drafting a policies and procedure document for the city of Sausalito that was similar. But it struck me that there was something in the Tiburon's document that we might want to go beyond. And what was in the Tiburon document was that the selection of an employee, if there was more than one employee who was interested in the property, was solely up to the city manager's discretion FaceTime. whatever. He or her, him, thought. was the needs of the town at the moment. And it seemed a little bit capricious, you know? It just started my mind moving and saying, What are options for, you know, if we do have more than one employee who's eligible? interested in the property or or maybe we want to use this property to achieve some goals so in the staff report You know, I laid out four kinds of options that we could use. Eligible employees who are interested, have expressed an interest, would be thrown their names in a hat and their names are withdrawn from the hat. Simple lettering. Fair. No caprice at all. and you know, an employee is selected. but there are other ways of, of, of, you know, doing that. And one could be a competition. Maybe we'd say mid managers who are eligible for, uh, this maybe they would And the one that we thought was a good idea of the work that we had to do was to deemed the best would qualify for that housing. you know, at the same time, we get five or six great ideas that we might be able to implement. It's kind of like, a business process improvement program rated in there. I'm going to go ahead and Debra much more and I put our heads together and we thought maybe there's a ranking system that we could use to achieve, uh, gender or racial or other social goals, as well as economic goals, you know, the target employees that, um, are traveling long distances to work at the city of Sausalito. Uh, and, you know, would benefit from some economic needs there. Uh, Or maybe we want to have some weighted criteria system based on having the highest essential workers here but are in a low and moderate income THE END OF THE END OF THE uh, economic group. And so it's very difficult for them to be in the city when there's an emergency. OR WE USE A COMBINATION of the social, economic and utility goals. And finally, THERE IS ALWAYS THE OPTION, JUST LET IT BE THE CITY MANAGER OF DISCRETION, but maybe Determining the tenant using criteria is determined that need at the time or we could have a set of criteria written into the policy that the city manager would follow. So, And I can draft the policy. Based on any one of these approaches, I'm just looking for input on how the city council would like to proceed with this. |
| 03:38:58.06 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thanks, Charlie. This was such a generous, Such a generous gift to the city from Dorothy Gibson, who was a long time resident of Sausalito, and that was her long time home. And it was incredible that she left it to us as a bequest for the purpose of low income employee assistant, sorry, low income housing for our employees here in Sausalito. And so I asked You know, a couple months ago, I think maybe not that long ago, Councilmember Blousey to kind of look into this if she had in her spare time to sort of look into the status of this project and kind of where we were at and how to move forward. And so I'm going to ask her if she wants to weigh in on anything at this point. |
| 03:39:52.47 | Melissa Blaustein | Yeah, I had the opportunity to go visit the house with Mayor Hoffman, and I am delighted to report that there could potentially, if the uses were |
| 03:39:54.09 | Jill Hoffman | go visit |
| 03:40:01.95 | Melissa Blaustein | appropriately established and we could figure out where things could go we could get as many as four units out of the property now in looking at it obviously would require some sort of RFP or some sort of and definitely need some work but it's a really cool property and it has the potential to offer housing to folks who are most vulnerable and really need it or who are working for this. I mean, I think there's a variety of things we could assess in terms of need for the city and what the requirements are and what Dorothy Gibson would have wanted. But I am really excited because I think that there could be at least four units in this potentially. |
| 03:40:38.25 | Unknown | this. |
| 03:40:40.81 | Melissa Blaustein | and I'm I, would really like to continue to work on it, if that was an opportunity that in my copious spare time that the mayor be willing to offer to me, but I think it's a really exciting piece of property for the city to have. |
| 03:40:55.11 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thanks. Does anybody have any questions? of Charlie based on the staff report or what you've heard from Councilmember Blasting. |
| 03:41:05.49 | Ian Sobieski | I have one. |
| 03:41:06.68 | Jill Hoffman | Yes. I saw two hands up. Council Member Sobieski and then Council Member Cleveland Knowles. |
| 03:41:13.16 | Ian Sobieski | Do we have an employee housing assistance program of any kind currently? |
| 03:41:17.43 | Jill Hoffman | I don't believe that we do. Oh, pardon? |
| 03:41:18.73 | Ian Sobieski | Oh, we're not. |
| 03:41:20.66 | Charlie Melton | Thank you. |
| 03:41:20.67 | Jill Hoffman | We do not. Thank you. Okay. And council member Cleggle knows. |
| 03:41:26.55 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Yeah, so I guess my question is, I was able to look at the property when it was being donated to us as well. It is a really great property. My question is, at least when I looked at it was very small. and kind of interesting layout So is the idea that we are developing this policy now for the short term and it looked like one couple or one individual you know, one family, one individual could, live there now without renovations. So that we'd be developing this policy for now and then hopefully over time pursue the policy Okay. Councilmember Blaustein articulated of potentially being able to enhance the number of units on the site. Or are we going directly to that next? level. |
| 03:42:24.95 | Jill Hoffman | I think that at this point, um, we're looking at options, right? And so, you know, based on based on our I did a tour of it recently. Yeah, it looked like, as you said, even with Even in the current condition and we could have you know input from a contractor on that too. I think the city staff has already done sort of an assessment of what would need to be done. Charlie, do we have that in the I don't think I see that in the staff report, Most staff had already done an assessment, kind of what the basic things that need to be done to make it habitable. I mean, it is, it's kind of, anyway, go ahead, Charlie. |
| 03:43:03.75 | Charlie Melton | Oh, I was just going to say, I believe that was in the staff report when you accepted it. I can probably. |
| 03:43:10.21 | Charlie Francis | Thank you. |
| 03:43:10.65 | Charlie Melton | find that real quick. |
| 03:43:11.42 | Jill Hoffman | It was not a lot. If my memory is correct, Dorothy also left us a bequest of cash. I believe, and that we could use that um, we could use that to sort of get it up to where it might be. We might be able to use it right now for, for staff if we wanted to. Yeah. Or we could say, okay, well, we've got as is the skin, the size of the skin right now, the building, we could get to maybe two units out of it. And do we want to, and you know, do we want to do that? So I think that's what the working group would work on and sort of look at options of what's within the realm of possible and how quickly we could get them on on board and then come back to the council for Um, you know, for assessment of that and direction. |
| 03:44:13.52 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Okay, thank you. Sure. |
| 03:44:17.89 | Charlie Melton | Here we go. The building inspector visited the property and did a preliminary assessment. He indicates that there are numerous items that could require repair, upgrading, including the roof electrical system. The cost of such repairs is unknown. |
| 03:44:32.47 | Jill Hoffman | Oh, okay. |
| 03:44:33.49 | Charlie Melton | Yeah. |
| 03:44:33.74 | Jill Hoffman | Thanks. Okay, so I know that When we went and looked at it, the The staff, Public Works, I think goes by there every once in a while and cuts the grass and make sure that it's not falling into disrepair, which is, it looked pretty good actually from the outside when we went over there. So. Um, Okay. I, this is what I'm kind of thinking is that I would appoint, you know, a working group, another working group, that would sort of shepherd this through. And then, you know, in a way that would be as quick as possible and then bring it back to the city council for Um, for input on direction, on further direction, especially if we're talking about how much money it's gonna cost to read whatever it is we need to do on the maintenance side of it. So that's kinda what I'm thinking, but Obviously we want input from the rest of the council. I don't know if you guys have ideas right now or you want me to go ahead and start public comment, that's fine too. |
| 03:45:40.67 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Karen Hollweg, Either way, I have some ideas, but I can wait till after public comment. |
| 03:45:44.51 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, let's go ahead and start public comment. We're almost at 11 o'clock, so. Maybe some people go to bed. Okay. I'm going to open this matter up for public comment. This is item 7A on our agenda. |
| 03:46:00.71 | Heidi Scoble | Madam Mayor, I do not see any hands that are raised at this time. |
| 03:46:04.98 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thanks. Okay. So Okay, so we don't have any hands raised. And so, Councilmember Cleveland-Knowles, you had some comments, so go ahead. |
| 03:46:16.85 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Yeah, thanks. So I don't know if you've decided who you'd like to work on this, but I'd be happy to work on it, I used to do a lot of affordable housing work in San Francisco. as an attorney, so not as, as a developer, but, um, I think I agree. If it's habitable or easily habitable in kind of more quickly, I think that we should get the building in use. Um, you know, with at least one or if we can fit two folks in there. to do that and then develop a longer term strategy for the property. In terms of Mr. Francis's report, I really appreciate all the creativity that that demonstrated. Just looking at the options, I personally preferred just a lottery of eligible. People already have to meet pretty stringent salary and asset requirements to meet the low and moderate income test. So there will be probably a small pool. And just given the size, you know, the number of units, which is small, and the size of our staff. I feel like adding more criteria will just get, um, might become overly personal or just, Anyway, I just favor at least with this number of units. and our sides of our staff, just, Everyone who's eligible goes into a hat or other Neutral. And we already will make sure that they meet the eligibility income requirements. So, you know, I'm happy to do it other ways. I also think there's legal issues with trying to use an equity um, goal or considerations as great as that would be. I think we might have some issues there. That's just my thoughts on the presentation in front of us. Okay? |
| 03:48:21.47 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:48:21.57 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 03:48:21.72 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Um, Yes, Councilmember Kowalski. |
| 03:48:26.70 | Ian Sobieski | I'll just say that When we thought of development agreements or the plans for how we can attend to our RENA number or, um, It had always occurred to me the thought of, a concession from a developer being a, perhaps some units that have become city owned and the potential use for those units could be for our city employees and others in the community who work here. and have trouble affording to live here. And so I don't know if it would be in everyone's interest to actually have this little working group thinking along those lines so that the policies that we either establishing the short term or play with for long term could help inform our thinking around that potential if we are so fortunate to come into if that's the way that things develop. So that's a thought. |
| 03:49:25.93 | Unknown | Okay. |
| 03:49:26.77 | Ian Sobieski | And then totally separately, I'll just say, I'm all about discretion, I guess. contrary to Council Member Knowles' perspective, I'm more apt to just let the city manager and her, his expertise, assess whom this would be most appropriate for, given the idiosyncratic nature of people's circumstances, this could be very helpful and it would be a It'd be nice to have a go to neediest and that's the hard thing to regulate and it's often Not such a hard thing to discern. |
| 03:50:05.91 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. Um, Councilman I have a couple of comments, but anyway council or vice mayor Kelman. Would you like to weigh in? |
| 03:50:10.82 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. Sure, I just think this is amazing that a member of our community was so happy with her life in Sausalito that this happened for us. And it's a great opportunity. So I'm glad we're moving forward and looking at it in this fashion. I'm not sure if I'm not sure if It's an interesting location, it's an R3 zone. So there's some opportunities around that and to play around the density I don't know if we can put an ADU somewhere on there, but you know, interesting opportunity to look at what fits and how it fits. I tend to be more with a, Councilmember Cleveland Knowles on a lottery system. I just think it It just removes any kind of indication that somebody was you should have fairly or unfairly. I like the idea of having certain threshold requirements and moving forward with that. So I think it's a great opportunity. I'm glad we have a working group. focused on making something like this happen. |
| 03:51:04.78 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. Um, I have a couple of comments. Councilmember Blaustein, do you want to weigh in, |
| 03:51:13.32 | Melissa Blaustein | Oh, I'll just weigh in on the aspects of the staff report. I mean, I also think lottery would probably be the most equitable approach given the situation of making sure that everyone has equal opportunity to apply for the housing and then it's assessed based on, obviously, the initial requirements and then the lottery. I have always been an advocate of some form of first right of refusal in affordable housing units for our workforce in Sausalito. So to the extent that we could explore what legal opportunities this might open up for us in terms of having, as we pursue the rental agreement, I would like to look into that as well, just because I know that there are so many really amazing folks who serve our community and they deserve to live in our community too. So I would like to look into that as we pursue options for the property. |
| 03:51:41.77 | Unknown | This might be a good thing. |
| 03:51:58.78 | Melissa Blaustein | And I think that that's all I would add. |
| 03:52:02.89 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. I have two things. One is kind of an easy thing and the other one is more outside the box. So The first one is do we want to think about a limitation in the terms for the person who wins the lottery. I don't know how many units we're going to be able to get out of it, but, I think the idea The idea is that it's a It's a method for somebody who's you know, new to the city perhaps, or as a way to, attract somebody into the city so that they can take a one of our lower paying jobs, but still live in the city. but, But, you know, we to guard against you know, that that unit being taken up over a number of years. where somebody who might have it might win a lottery at a very low, you know, low income or moderate income has now progressed up out of that level. So. I mean, I'm just throwing that out there. Maybe we can figure out, you know, literally you won the lottery. You got a great unit in Sausalito, but it's only for a fixed period of time and whatever that might be. |
| 03:53:10.32 | Charlie Melton | Oh, Mad America. |
| 03:53:10.57 | Jill Hoffman | America. |
| 03:53:11.58 | Charlie Melton | Yeah, go ahead. |
| 03:53:11.60 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah, go ahead, Jen. |
| 03:53:12.36 | Charlie Melton | Yeah, I can address that directly. They, THE COURT OF THE COURT We would always have to annually recertify the income limit. So there, It wouldn't be. |
| 03:53:24.86 | Chris Zapata | Maybe that'll take care of me. |
| 03:53:25.83 | Charlie Melton | So annually they have to recertify if they don't meet the criteria, then the housing unit becomes open again. |
| 03:53:26.06 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:53:32.34 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. Thank you. Thank you for that, Charlie. That may take care of it. I don't know. We'll talk to the amongst ourselves if we think that picks it. Okay. Now this is the next one. |
| 03:53:38.14 | Charlie Melton | No. |
| 03:53:38.30 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 03:53:38.33 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 03:53:41.65 | Jill Hoffman | I'm just throwing this out here. Um, And this is only because Melissa and I have been working so hard on the homelessness issue. So, One. You know, one thing we're working really hard on is looking at units in town that might be utilized for some sort of transitional housing for Someone that's unsheltered. and what you know, Could we maybe even think about that with this property? And would you want to say it's designated for a female unsheltered person in our community that as a transitional place for shelter? I don't know. I mean, I'm just throwing it out there. It just came to mind because we were looking at the Dorothy Gibson house and then we were looking at, some women in the community that that might benefit from that. I don't know if that's allowed under the bequest, if we can do that under the bequest and still maintain that, but I thought it was an interesting thing. Especially if we were looking at it in a context of we're trying to get two or three or maybe even for with an ADU out of the same property. I'm just throwing it out there. for maybe us to discuss now because the Brown Act, we may not be able to discuss it again for a while. Anybody have, yes, Councilman Cleveland also. |
| 03:55:11.90 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So I very strongly support looking for opportunities for supportive housing. um in sausalito and uh former council member cox had done quite a bit of work on that that i was able to join the last four to six months. I defer to the city attorney. My memory was that this bequest was specifically for employees. um, of the city, but if there's flexibility and the council wants to take a look at that, council member, whoever the working group could do that. um, if the city attorney doesn't have a definitive answer tonight. I definitely endorse your Just the general sentiment that we do need to look for opportunities for |
| 03:56:03.27 | Jill Hoffman | Yes, and here's our city attorney now. Yes, Mary. |
| 03:56:07.01 | Mary Wagner | Thank you, Madam Mayor, members of the City Council. So the actual bequest to the city is as stated, to be used for um, housing for one or more full time employees in the city, including employees of the police and fire department for low income housing for all of those categories. And if the city had decided not to accept it and maintain the property for the stated purpose, then the bequest would have lapsed and gone to the Golden Gate Council of American Youth Hostels, Inc. So we would really have to explore whether not using it for the stated purpose would have that same effect and cause the bequest to lapse. You have accepted it. You know, it doesn't necessarily fall within that, but we would have to look at that for you. |
| 03:56:53.49 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. So I think, um, I don't have any other questions. I don't have any questions or comments. So I think I'm gonna appoint a working group of, Councilmember Blaustein and Councilmember Cleveland Knowles. And. We may have to figure out how to if the homeless committee and the this effort overlapped and we'll have to figure out how to work around that, but I think we can probably figure that out. Does anybody have any, are you, Ian and Janelle, are you okay with moving forward in that direction? Okay. Absolutely. Sounds great. Okay, good. Thanks very much, you guys. Okay, I don't think we need any We don't need a motion or anything on this. I think, Steph, Charlie, you have your direction. |
| 03:57:43.61 | Charlie Melton | I do. Thank you, Madam Mayor. |
| 03:57:45.25 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, very good. Okay, good. That's great. Great results. We're clicking right along here. Um, I'm moving on to Um, Item eight on our agenda, which is a city manager report city council appointments and other business. And so, um, Right now we're going to have public comment. on items 8B. through E. And so 8B is City Manager information for the council. including City Manager Recruitment Update, appointments to boards and commissions, and future agenda items. And we don't have an E on the agenda, but if we did, we would be taking public comment on that as well. We have any public comment. on item all the items eight. |
| 03:58:41.98 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 03:58:42.99 | Jill Hoffman | I'm not seeing any hands. Okay, I see no hands. Okay, so our first item on is 8b city manager information for the council and that's going to be the city manager recruitment update and maybe even Deborah. |
| 03:59:02.06 | Chris Zapata | Thank you. |
| 03:59:02.78 | Jill Hoffman | Go ahead. |
| 03:59:03.04 | Chris Zapata | And |
| 03:59:03.70 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 03:59:03.71 | Chris Zapata | Yes, Debra, are you still here? Perfect. |
| 03:59:08.98 | Deborah Muchmore | I am still here. Good evening. Madam Mayor and council members. Um, actually I have to say that council member, so we ask you did an excellent job of updating us on the working group and that results. I did speak with our consultant today and, and he gave me a count of 53 applications, um, you know, this final counts and. how they happen. So both traditional and non-traditional, nine of the 53 were from the non-traditional trap. As council member Sobieski said, three of them came from our community nominations and we did receive 11 community nominations. Um, Our consultant reported that half of the applications, including three who are nominated appear well qualified and warrant some further level of additional consideration. And so that's, I mean, That's basically the update. |
| 04:00:05.31 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. All right. Thanks very much. That's very exciting. Okay. So. Um, with regard to what we're going to do on Saturday, Marcia, do you want to weigh in that? Or Debra, do you want to weigh in on that? Or do the working group want to weigh in on that? |
| 04:00:24.02 | Chris Zapata | Thank you. Well, actually, I think we should start with the working group weighing in on it and then the full council give direction to the staff. We heard your earlier discussion and I'm not sure that we're available for questions, but I'm not sure that we have questions. on moving forward at this point? |
| 04:00:44.52 | Janelle Kellman | Okay? Yeah, I'll jump in mayor Hoffman. And I want to commend council member Sobieski for articulating everything extremely well. I, you know, we've spent a lot of time on this and so I really appreciated that. I think The threshold recommendation is that we all need to get together and figure out the questions and the assessment criteria for the interviewees. And I think the recommendation and councilman Sobieski, please interject if I mischaracterize something is to make sure that that happens. And that this weekend, it doesn't have to be all day, but it would be a good time we have at our disposal an individual who can facilitate that conversation. who Councillor Sibbići and I both met with and thought was extremely insightful and really, really helped gather our thoughts and give us some direction. And we want to offer that recommendation as well. And then I think sort of the third component is knowing that we have 53, people who have applied in some format and that about half of them we just heard now sound like they Could be quite interesting. Um, The question then remains, do we want to utilize the remaining of the day to do some type of screening or review, you know, some segment of the, of the candidates with no, you know, not dividing them into top or bottom, just, you know, going moving forward. Or do we want to just use the time to align ourselves maybe handle a couple other issues we've talked about And, um, prepare ourselves for a future interview session. So, Did I miss anything, Council Member Sobieski? You're on mute. No, don't say all the great things. |
| 04:02:34.47 | Ian Sobieski | Oops, I did it again. I'm so... Yeah, I thought you summarized it fairly. So, yeah. Yes, you did great. |
| 04:02:44.71 | Janelle Kellman | Okay, I'll just have one thing which is So when we talked to Paul Kimora from Avery, He has an, and Ian mentioned this earlier, he has a process. And the process normally involves getting the phone, checking references, maybe doing a video during COVID. and kind of having some background materials. He can provide us with candidates to interview on Saturday. He just won't have done some of the additional work that he normally does. So I just want the rest of the council members to be aware of that sort where we would be in the process, but it does not mean conversations between us wouldn't be helpful. But I just want everyone to be aware of kind of where the consultant is in his process. |
| 04:03:27.42 | Jill Hoffman | Bye. |
| 04:03:27.49 | Unknown | Okay. |
| 04:03:27.57 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:03:28.35 | Janelle Kellman | Thanks. |
| 04:03:28.97 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:03:29.07 | Janelle Kellman | Um, |
| 04:03:29.61 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:03:30.52 | Ian Sobieski | I'll just add We learned from Steph that the issue of this facilitator would actually require city council discussion and decision which can't happen now because it hasn't been agendized so we can't actually talk about that but that person could be available on the morning of Saturday morning And that would be agendized and be on the agenda and we can decide then whether she wants to help us or not. She's offered to do it for no pay. She's a member of the community. And so we could elect not to engage with her and just come up with questions on our own. Or engage with her and cover her participate, but that decision would actually be made on Saturday morning. as the first part of our meeting. |
| 04:04:17.81 | Jill Hoffman | Would that be... Would that discussion be open session or closed session? |
| 04:04:20.31 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:04:20.34 | Ian Sobieski | That's a- |
| 04:04:22.97 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. I believe it could be closed session, but I'll let you weigh in on that. or whoever. |
| 04:04:30.51 | Mary Wagner | Thank you. |
| 04:04:30.53 | Ian Sobieski | I don't remember how you're meeting. |
| 04:04:31.63 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:04:31.71 | Mary Wagner | The attorney's going to weigh in on that. I'm going to back out. |
| 04:04:31.81 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:04:35.39 | Mary Wagner | So the contracting or use of a |
| 04:04:36.42 | Deborah Muchmore | contract. |
| 04:04:39.24 | Mary Wagner | Facilitator would be open session. The generated questions in particular, Candidate discussion would be closed session. |
| 04:04:47.98 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thanks. I think the idea is that the facilitator would take like That would probably take an hour. |
| 04:04:55.79 | Ian Sobieski | Um, Well, Janelle would know better. This is a woman who's makes a career of hiring well. It's what she consults with companies for. She has a process. I sat with her for two hours, so. two hours felt like the minimum to my mind, but maybe it could be rushed. You would probably know better, Ja'Nell, because you've worked with her in the past. |
| 04:05:17.17 | Melissa Blaustein | Can you tell us her name? |
| 04:05:19.11 | Ian Sobieski | I'm not sure we want to do that given the criteria. We need Mary or someone to weigh in whether that starts to get us into trouble. |
| 04:05:28.01 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:05:28.02 | Mary Wagner | You know her, though. |
| 04:05:29.24 | Melissa Blaustein | I know who it is then. I know who it is. |
| 04:05:31.55 | Mary Wagner | Sure. I mean, at this point, I think you can share the name, but you know, the, the, And just to be clear, you interviewed all the recruiting firms in open session too. So this would be very similar. to the process you've already undergone to select a recruiter for this position. |
| 04:05:50.05 | Janelle Kellman | Again, so with Mary's permission, Jake Cargur, member of the Women's Club, She has been doing this for many years and has a program called Rapid Hiring. that takes you through kind of A handful of processes. Again, it's intended to facilitate our dialogue and get us on the same page. |
| 04:06:07.56 | Unknown | you know, |
| 04:06:09.91 | Janelle Kellman | you know, it's nothing new per se, it's just a way for us to convers with one another towards a common goal. And as Ian mentioned, we went through the course this weekend It needs it for two hours. It probably could be a 60 to 90 minute session. My question for the city attorney would be whether If we don't agree to use her until Saturday, assuming we agree, COULD BE ABLE TO BE Could members of the council access for materials to familiarize themselves independently? I don't really know. |
| 04:06:41.75 | Mary Wagner | Yeah, I have to be honest. I'm not entirely sure where we're going with this. But if the council wants to talk about, you know, bringing on a facilitator to work on your session on Saturday. We could certainly pull together materials and send those out to the full council to have an advance and post them, you know, as we would any other staff report. for an agenda. |
| 04:07:04.55 | Janelle Kellman | EXCITED. |
| 04:07:04.79 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:07:04.80 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:07:05.39 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:07:05.41 | Janelle Kellman | That was helpful. |
| 04:07:06.03 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:07:06.08 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:07:06.14 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Sure. Okay, so what I'm hearing is that we could use the time for good time. effort. in keeping with our priority of hiring the best city manager we can possibly get and that being one of our top priorities for the first and second quarter of city council, City Council year. In fact, that's probably the highest. that we have this year is to hire a credible and best possible city manager. So what I'm hearing is that we could have the facilitator come. I like the price, obviously. You know, I know her, so she has a credibility factor, high factor with me. Um, The first 90 minutes would be, of course we would vote first. We all agreed to use her. We could get some materials ahead of time, which would be generic, I would assume, and just be about how we would come to consensus on how we wanted to move forward. Um, then 90 minutes of an hour and a half. And then how long did she think it would take us to come up with questions. Did she give you an estimate on that? Did you talk about that at all? |
| 04:08:27.83 | Ian Sobieski | and then, you know no i mean maybe you can correct me generally has a different perspective but my impression was after two hours with her I was ready to then start to actually like work on the question with five people I just assumed it would It felt like an all-day sort of thing, an all-day-ish, you know, five hours kind of thing. |
| 04:08:47.23 | Ian Sobieski | I'm out. |
| 04:08:49.14 | Ian Sobieski | to get to the set of the battery of questions and never can talk about the relevance of that to the process that we all five would agree are the starting point questions we're going to ask everybody. |
| 04:09:00.89 | Ian Sobieski | Mm-hmm. |
| 04:09:01.46 | Ian Sobieski | There are, of course, other questions, but this part of the process is important, but there has to be a set of similar or identical questions asked. So you can imagine with five of us having, maybe I'll back up to say, the core element of the strategy is to really not. actually start with the person. but rather start with the results that you want the person to achieve. in any particular role and that sort of shifting means that it's incumbent upon us to be clear about what we want the person to achieve in town which of course varies from person to person here on our council and we need to distill the, you know, if we all have 10 different things that we want to achieve, somehow distill that down. So that process actually We'll take some time. and and I think you're going to be awesome. |
| 04:09:58.50 | Jill Hoffman | So, Let me ask this. Councilmember Cleveland Knowles, I know that you've You mentioned that you have done either structured interviews or interviews where you have already criteria and questions that are provided to you by, I assume, your HR. And I've done this as well, where you facilitate structured interviews. of questions that are you know given to you by some other committee and given the you know direction to ask these questions and don't deviate much and to move forward. I'm kind of familiar with that. I'm wondering Um, Based on that, Deborah Who normally drafts the questions for these types of interviews. You know, because I do want to be cognizant of straying into I just want to know, like, you know, normal recruiting process, would the recruiter have drafted these or would the |
| 04:10:52.61 | Unknown | I mean, I don't know. |
| 04:10:52.90 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 04:10:52.92 | Unknown | THE END OF |
| 04:10:59.03 | Jill Hoffman | I mean, surely the company would have input, but anyway, go ahead. |
| 04:11:02.18 | Deborah Muchmore | One of the processes that actually Avery will use is to provide questions that reach to the competencies that you have chosen for the successful candidate and then to say each council member should pick one to three of these questions and return them back. And then from those become the questions for the interview process. So, Another way that it's been done is to say, here's some sample questions. Pick one of these and give us one of your own. But that's with some format and structure which I think you're going to get, which is about What are the competencies you're looking for? What types of questions will reach into their past and actually get a vote? an answer that's going to give you an idea of past behavior. And so that's developing these behavioral questions and developing scenario questions. So they actually are talking about something they did. And then, but do you leave that with, what do we wanna get out of this question? And so when you get the question, Then you ask yourself, does this tell us, will this give us what we actually want to get out of that? And this facilitator sounds like she's going to help walk you through that process, which is an excellent process to walk through because it will also help you come together. I know. what does a successful candidate look like? |
| 04:12:30.71 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, thanks. And we could get the, can we get the questions from Paul though before Saturday, before you know, Uh, How would we do that? Thank you. Thank you. And anyway. |
| 04:12:42.27 | Melissa Blaustein | Anyway. |
| 04:12:43.75 | Jill Hoffman | We'll get a staff report. Well, the staff report with the questions from Paul, though, be Confidential? |
| 04:12:50.18 | Deborah Muchmore | The questions would come in your closed session memo probably. |
| 04:12:55.11 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Okay. |
| 04:12:55.95 | Deborah Muchmore | Thank you. |
| 04:12:55.97 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So, |
| 04:12:56.04 | Deborah Muchmore | Thank you. |
| 04:12:56.46 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 04:12:56.56 | Deborah Muchmore | Thank you. Um, Paul, we have to ask him about his schedule. I don't know the answer to that. at this time, but we can ask him about his schedule. |
| 04:13:07.38 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | It just seems like it would be very helpful for the person who's kind of screening candidates to hear Thank you. at least for part of the time. I mean, I had, I think when we interviewed people that the idea was that the recruiter would guide us in the question would set this up as Deborah just explained and would kind of guide us through this process. we're going to kind of substitute someone else, which is fine. I mean, I don't have any objection to that, but It does seem like it might be helpful to have his perspective as well. |
| 04:13:44.25 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:13:44.91 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | I think it's a good idea. |
| 04:13:45.13 | Janelle Kellman | is. |
| 04:13:46.04 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 04:13:46.06 | Ava Cresante | You too. |
| 04:13:46.56 | Janelle Kellman | Deborah, can we check on Paul's availability? |
| 04:13:46.60 | Unknown | Yeah. |
| 04:13:50.34 | Janelle Kellman | So Mayor Huffman, I think then the remaining question then is that, is that the agenda for Saturday to |
| 04:13:50.44 | Unknown | HONOR. |
| 04:13:50.58 | Ava Cresante | Thank you. |
| 04:13:54.44 | Unknown | THE FAMILY. |
| 04:13:57.89 | Janelle Kellman | to have that session around the questions. Or do we want to try to see anybody the same day? |
| 04:14:04.99 | Jill Hoffman | I think we've all pretty much projected that we don't I mean, the work We're not wanting to interview people starting Saturday. I think we're going to be ready. I think we all have to wrap our heads around First, the facilitation, which is, I think, a really great thing. And thank you to the working group for figuring that out and bringing that forward. And then also wrapping her head around the questions. And then I think we're gonna be tired. Yeah. |
| 04:14:31.06 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Yes. |
| 04:14:31.75 | Jill Hoffman | That's, I think we're going to be good. |
| 04:14:33.12 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | And you were acknowledging that, Mary. Yeah, March is... |
| 04:14:33.61 | Jill Hoffman | All right. |
| 04:14:33.63 | Janelle Kellman | MELT. THE END OF THE END OF THE |
| 04:14:34.56 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah. |
| 04:14:34.98 | Janelle Kellman | Bye. |
| 04:14:35.03 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:14:35.13 | Janelle Kellman | I'm not going to be able to |
| 04:14:35.94 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 04:14:35.97 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:14:36.02 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | I'm really here. |
| 04:14:36.67 | Janelle Kellman | Bye. |
| 04:14:36.70 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | I'm going to go. |
| 04:14:36.88 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:14:36.90 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Bye. |
| 04:14:38.89 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:14:39.03 | Jill Hoffman | Morph is on lunch duty, guys. Okay. So I think, uh, so Timing wise, what time do we want to start? And, and, you know, of course, if we end up, if we get done early, then we're gonna get done early, but. Um, I'm thinking like a nine, 9am start time, maybe one. |
| 04:14:56.69 | Unknown | Mm-hmm. |
| 04:14:57.52 | Jill Hoffman | How do you guys feel about that? And if we need to, we can break for lunch at one and then come back. But if we feel like we're done. |
| 04:15:01.83 | Ian Sobieski | who, I would just encourage not to put the backstop on it since we don't actually know the process and we have kept the day open. If we cut school early, then that's great. We can go to the beach, but... |
| 04:15:08.37 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:15:09.17 | Unknown | Okay. |
| 04:15:14.57 | Ian Sobieski | but just. |
| 04:15:14.80 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Well, I really, |
| 04:15:15.36 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 04:15:16.19 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Yeah. I would like some I mean, one or between nine to one and nine to three or something. I mean, it would be really helpful to have. |
| 04:15:20.22 | Ian Sobieski | Me too. |
| 04:15:27.10 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | And I think we do need some discipline in the process as well. |
| 04:15:27.16 | Ian Sobieski | Right. |
| 04:15:31.42 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | But that's |
| 04:15:32.13 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. I actually don't know since we haven't interacted with Jake. So can we say nine to three for now and we can |
| 04:15:32.59 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 04:15:38.83 | Ian Sobieski | curtail it if we learn more. I mean, we probably can't say in the report. |
| 04:15:44.79 | Melissa Blaustein | Melissa, go ahead. That just seems really, I understand the importance of this issue, but spending six hours just on deciding what our questions are when we're going to have another full eight hour strategic session and we've had a six hour meeting this evening and we have hours. I mean, I'm just being realistic about everyone's perspective time. I think 9 to 1 is a big chunk of time and if we have to extend We can, but. I don't know. preference. |
| 04:16:15.13 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. Can I just ask her I think that's a more For a while, this has been a strategic planning session. Do we have the staff available that we need for this? on Saturday. I mean, it seems like a whole different and maybe the city manager. |
| 04:16:33.90 | Janelle Kellman | Yes, I believe also has been confirming that surge would be available to assist us with a Zoom session. and then Deborah is available and she's gonna Yeah, Marsha. |
| 04:16:44.95 | Chris Zapata | I will commit staff. I don't know that it'll be surge. Yeah, we will have staff available for the Zoom session. other services that you might need, but I'm waiting for you to define what that's going to be. We will support you once you define your meeting time and date and topic. |
| 04:17:08.44 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | I'm just wondering, like, for example, our city attorney, you know, like, I'm a little, I get the question part. but then you've also talked about attributes Like that discussion is like the attribute discussion is a general discussion that the public should hear. And then the, question part, or at least the way that I've handled it. My day job is a discussion kind of for closed session, like they're sort of two different It sounds like this is a blending. And so I'm just wondering if somebody if Deborah can handle those questions about what's open and what's closed, or if that's something that Mary has to be there for, |
| 04:17:48.97 | Deborah Muchmore | To the degree that you're working with the attributes that you've already determined. Um, They came through open session and the letters from the EDAC, the other materials that we've received from the boards and commissions and you discuss them. those are will be used to craft questions the as you're crafting questions, they'll come up. Does this question speak to that? And I think that's what I was meaning by. pointing to those. |
| 04:18:19.87 | Chris Zapata | Mary, do you want to weigh in here on concerns that you might have regarding your attendance on Saturday for the session? |
| 04:18:19.97 | Deborah Muchmore | or anything. |
| 04:18:29.17 | Mary Wagner | Sure. I mean, I'm happy to participate if it's helpful to the council. I do think we need to draw this distinction between open and closed. and get a little bit better understanding of what goes where? |
| 04:18:45.88 | Janelle Kellman | All right, okay, so how about this as a straw man? I'll just throw it out there, nine to one. We will start off with an open session where we decide and vote on utilizing this facilitator |
| 04:18:58.23 | Unknown | Yeah. |
| 04:18:59.97 | Janelle Kellman | We will commence our conversation with the facilitator around her process, which is, I think, five steps. She has videos. Each video is actually 10 minutes long. We won't watch the videos, but I'm just giving you for a time frame. It's less than an hour for her to explain her process. And then we'll do a closed session as we iterate on questions. How's that for Shona? |
| 04:19:22.90 | Chris Zapata | In terms of staffing and support, you'll need someone that can organize the Zoom meetings, including showing videos. You're looking for someone, Deborah Muchmore and or Mary Wagner-ish, to join the meeting for the four hours. |
| 04:19:41.50 | Janelle Kellman | I think, well, I don't know that we need a city attorney, but she certainly, I'm happy to be told differently. I think Deborah and, and, uh, and Paul would be the right team. And I don't think we're going to view videos because we'll have her live on Zoom to present. Thank you. |
| 04:20:00.48 | Chris Zapata | Okay, and so you do want Paul there if available. And Deborah is available. Okay. |
| 04:20:04.17 | Janelle Kellman | Yeah. |
| 04:20:06.88 | Chris Zapata | We understand that and I did not hear any reservations from Mary for not being there. So if we structure it, has opened in closed session with that type of support and anything in that range and we'll communicate with the mayor and the vice mayor if we have difficulty pulling that together but i do think it's doable |
| 04:20:26.35 | Mary Wagner | And just to jump in there, you know, I can work with the working group, too, on the confidential part of the session and setting that up. and even starting and facilitating and then turning it over if need be. But we can work through those details. |
| 04:20:39.83 | Janelle Kellman | All right. Thank you. |
| 04:20:40.57 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:20:40.59 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you, Mary. |
| 04:20:41.60 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, great, terrific. Okay, is that enough direction? |
| 04:20:45.96 | Chris Zapata | Yes, I think you know what you're looking for and we will Again, let you know if we have difficulty, but I think it's very doable. We may substitute here and there, but we get the gist of what you're looking for in the way of support. |
| 04:20:58.44 | Jill Hoffman | And just to be clear, our timing generally is 9 to 1. It's what I understood. That's good. It'll keep us efficient, Ian. |
| 04:21:07.88 | Ian Sobieski | Well, but we did say we would extend it if we were on a crew, right? |
| 04:21:12.75 | Jill Hoffman | if we all agree. |
| 04:21:14.04 | Ian Sobieski | All right. |
| 04:21:15.81 | Jill Hoffman | I have the feeling we're going to move very quickly though and efficiently on Saturday. I have the same feeling. With the idea that we want to be done by one. |
| 04:21:21.23 | Janelle Kellman | with the idea that |
| 04:21:23.33 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah. |
| 04:21:23.40 | Unknown | Yeah. |
| 04:21:25.07 | Jill Hoffman | We may have a timer. Have Serge bring his timer. Or whoever. Okay, so very good. That wraps up that item rocketing along to, Do you have any other city manager I do not. Thank you. Thank you. |
| 04:21:41.81 | Chris Zapata | Thank you. Thank you. |
| 04:21:43.79 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. I don't have any other further appointments of boards and commissions other than what we've already talked about tonight. |
| 04:21:49.48 | Melissa Blaustein | I mean, Mayor Hoffman, could you just quickly on the appointments of board commissions just for the benefit of the public that are still on here share the process for the interview schedule and how we're all doing it in one day because there's been I've gotten a lot of questions from boards and commissions, etc. |
| 04:21:50.33 | Jill Hoffman | Did you just go? |
| 04:22:03.45 | Jill Hoffman | Sure. I think we talked about this before but Generally what I want to do is we spend a lot of time in the past six years that I've been on the council interviewing people, multiple people, you know, for different boards, you know, the same person. repeatedly for a different board And sometimes we interview people the same person for the same board, it's just a new seat comes up and then we have to re-interview them. So I don't know how many hours that we spent. Um, but I mean, many, many hours, um, over the course of a year interviewing. So to me, it seemed really inefficient. So what I wanna do is we're gonna do I don't, whatever the date is, we're going to have to pull and see what day we're going to do this. We're going to look at all the boards and commissions, that are specifically close to going below quorum, right? And then also any other openings that we have. And then if we have a board, if we have boards of commissions that we can plus up by one so that we have an alternate and that alternate will commit to remaining engaged and moving up to the next open seat. It makes it efficient. So, and then that's it. And then we won't do any more unless, unless the board goes below commission. We won't do any more interviews for the rest of the year. when we figure out how many seats we have open and I know she's already sent us that. then we'll figure out what our timing is. We'll open it up for whoever wants to apply. And then we'll figure it out. And that will also give us the ability to make us far more efficient with people who want to serve. And so they'll be able to say, you know, on their sheet. Yeah, I will serve on any open seat. I only want to serve on these seats. And I, you know, I only want to serve capacity or whatever it is so that we can If someone is applying for three different commissions or any open seat, then we can fill all of those and it'll make us much more efficient, I think going forward. That's the idea. We'll see how it goes. I think it'll, I think it'll make for a much better experience for people who are trying to become engaged in the city and and get a spot on one of the boards and commissions I'm just. It feels like if we do it that way, that anybody who wants to be engaged we can accommodate them in some way. So, Anyway, that's the idea. So we're looking at maybe sometime in April, to do that. I don't think we have any boards right now or commissions that are below quorum. Thank you. |
| 04:24:38.65 | Jill Hoffman | We're pretty good. |
| 04:24:38.97 | Melissa Blaustein | close with HBC. I mean, it's pretty critical that we appoint someone to HBC. There was a person present and they were unable to take action on items. |
| 04:24:49.04 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. Well, you got quorums three and you got four right now. Right. So you have to lose two members. So, I think we can wait. If they lose another member and they're close to being below quorum, then I'll consider it. I understand. The idea is to become as free as possible. Okay. Does anybody, so that's the explanation. on that. So. |
| 04:25:12.82 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. Mayor, that sounds fine. One thing I would just add, I think you were here. One of the things we started doing during COVID with the Zoom, which actually ended up being, I thought, much more So I think that's interesting was to do interviews of about four or five people. um, And it just facilitated discussion. We did it first with the interviews for EDAC. And then we just because it just seems awkward to have five people and one |
| 04:25:44.86 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:25:44.88 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | No, that's great. But it sparked some kind of interesting discussion among the candidates. And it was a little less awkward over Zoom. |
| 04:25:44.90 | Jill Hoffman | No, that's great. That's great. |
| 04:25:52.49 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So I would just. recommend we continue it, but it's obviously it's up to you about how you want to do it. |
| 04:25:57.18 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah, that's great. Great idea. I think that's a good, um, a good and Heidi you're still on right you're gonna help me with this so remember that Um, Yes. Okay. So, okay. So anything else on appointments and boards and commissions? Let's move on to 8D, if not. Okay, AD future genitim. So let's go first with, with, RGS contract, right? So future agenda item. This was our discussion at Uh, Um, Finance. And, The discussion was. First of all, we have, we're trying to, we're trying to take a hard look at You know, I hardly get the many many um, consultants that we have, especially in the finance department. do we really need certain It's not specific, right? It's just, And so the consultant for that contract was mainly for EDAC. And so the question becomes, okay, what's the remit to EDAC from the city council? What do we want? This is also a discussion for us too. you know, do we want to give more specific direction to our boards and commissions this year, right? And it may be Maybe we do. Maybe we want to put that on our future agenda. as well, or maybe that day that we're doing interviews with boards and commissions, that we want to add that in but anyway I digress So, So that's, you know, the question was what's going on with the RGS contract. That's what's going on with the RGS contract. And so, I think we wanted to get from our EDAC members um, in the context of future agenda items, you know, kind of their input on how they thought we should move forward on that. |
| 04:27:58.16 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So how can we do that other than having a Council discussion on it since that's three members. |
| 04:28:05.38 | Jill Hoffman | Well, I think it's, I think it goes, I think it goes, I think it goes back to EDAC. And EDAC takes a look at it their next meeting and says, okay, you know, What's our what's our recommendation back to the City Council on how we're moving forward? you know? you know, the different directions that EDAC can go in, right? So you can either go on a track or you need a bunch of staff support Which... We don't think that staff is able to do that right now without a consultant. Is there something substantive that EDAC can do in the next, in 2021, this year, that they wouldn't need a, you know, substantive, substantial staff support from. |
| 04:28:50.74 | Janelle Kellman | Jill, does it make sense? I mean, I'm fully on board in adding it to a future agenda item that we look at boards and commissions and Marsha made a great suggestion that The council give direction to boards and commissions around priorities. My regulation of time RGS was very sort of binary. um, The finance department has nine consulting contracts. Cumulatively or annually, we've spent over $4 million on consultants. We don't yet have our updated budget. We're setting a deficit. Okay, what's mission critical? What's not mission critical? And so we just made an initial vet of It's mission critical to get things out the door Like let's continue to fund that. If it's not mission critical, let's pause. Um, So that was just a little bit more color on And that's for everybody, that's for all departments around You know, we have COVID. COVID cuts and how do we handle that? I'm wondering if we should talk about the remit of the various boards and commissions and look at our consultants in that context and then make sure that we align the consulting dollars with the With a rematch. |
| 04:29:58.92 | Jill Hoffman | So maybe that's what the fuser genetitum is. That kind of makes sense to me. |
| 04:30:04.59 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So, Thank you. There's two different issues going on. I certainly appreciate the effort to look at consultant contracts. but we also have to keep the city running. right now. we have lost a significant number of people in the finance department. So every hour that Yulia or somebody has to spend staffing EDAC, every single one of our boards and commissions has a staff liaison. is an hour that she is not spending on critical budget issues. So, So hold on, just let me finish. So I definitely agree that we can, at the appropriate time, you're already working on it at finance, take a look at all of the consultant contracts, et cetera, and what we need to keep and what we need to not keep. Right now, staff asked us if they needed this consultant to it's not just eat ash, There were important economic development agenda items on there. that could align with our COVID recovery efforts. We gave very specific direction end of last year. EDAC came forward with with recommendations, we aligned them at the council level, we sent them back to EDX, So we did do that, there was a prioritization. |
| 04:31:22.43 | Janelle Kellman | So I'm a little uncomfortable with us diving in this deeply. I'm wondering if Mary has that same discomfort |
| 04:31:29.18 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | I will wrap it up, but on the RST contract, |
| 04:31:29.20 | Janelle Kellman | Okay. |
| 04:31:32.94 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | We agreed it would go to finance and you would bring it back to the council. If we all five of us don't think it's worth approving that contract, even though staff would like us to, that's fine with me. I just, I am the process is that it went to finance didn't hear that you sent it to edac i don't know why we would send it to one of our boards and commissions okay this is really weird |
| 04:31:52.94 | Janelle Kellman | Okay. |
| 04:31:53.90 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 04:31:54.04 | Janelle Kellman | BEYOND THE STOPE OF AGENDA ITEMS. THE BROWN ACT HAS BEEN SHUT OFF OTHER COMMUNICATIONS. I JUST WANT TO BE REALLY, REALLY CAREFUL HERE BECAUSE IF WE DO WANT TO BRING IT BACK, I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE ANYTHING THAT'S |
| 04:31:55.17 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | I was like, |
| 04:32:04.03 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Okay, well, our city attorney is usually pretty good about jumping in. Yeah, I'm surprised. Maybe she can advise us. |
| 04:32:04.05 | Janelle Kellman | you know, Yeah, I'm surprised that |
| 04:32:11.35 | Janelle Kellman | Mary, are you still there? |
| 04:32:12.36 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 04:32:12.68 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:32:12.70 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 04:32:12.72 | Janelle Kellman | I'm here. |
| 04:32:12.75 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | I'm hearing you. |
| 04:32:13.93 | Janelle Kellman | Okay. This is not an agendized item. I'm surprised that we're having- |
| 04:32:14.03 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Okay. |
| 04:32:17.31 | Mary Wagner | So the the |
| 04:32:18.32 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:32:18.35 | Mary Wagner | Thank you. |
| 04:32:18.37 | Janelle Kellman | I |
| 04:32:19.03 | Mary Wagner | I hear is that there's a request to put an item on a future council agenda. About the RGS contract. So the council needs to decide. if that's a future agenda item or not. |
| 04:32:30.67 | Jill Hoffman | That's fine. Let's put it on a future content. Let's just, okay, I'm cool with that. We're going to put it on a future agenda item. |
| 04:32:37.19 | Mary Wagner | And I don't know if there was a previous request. Sorry, Madam Mayor, then I will step out about a date certain, but I will let you guys decide that. |
| 04:32:45.93 | Jill Hoffman | Well, yeah, that's the thing I think we're kind of fumbling around with. is that conceptually, and this is, you know, |
| 04:32:52.48 | Unknown | And this is, |
| 04:32:52.86 | Unknown | Thank you. |
| 04:32:53.74 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. So, If you guys wanna do it, a date certain than a you know. then let's talk about that. If not, if you just want us to go back and |
| 04:33:08.15 | Jill Hoffman | figure out what our recommendation is, but understanding the urgency with this contract, my understanding was that it wasn't, going to impede Um, Anything to wait and to figure out what we wanted to do with this contract |
| 04:33:22.28 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So it would be. weigh in on that then, if you're going to say that? |
| 04:33:27.81 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. Forget I said it. I withdraw my comment. Do you want to put, Do you want to, we got to wrap it up. So we spent like an hour on this. |
| 04:33:36.67 | Ian Sobieski | now we're on. And American. |
| 04:33:37.53 | Jill Hoffman | America Yeah. |
| 04:33:38.22 | Ian Sobieski | Okay. |
| 04:33:38.24 | Jill Hoffman | Interesting. |
| 04:33:38.46 | Ian Sobieski | I know it's late and people are tired. I'm tired for sure. I think the underlying issue that I'm hearing, I don't think |
| 04:33:42.68 | Jill Hoffman | you |
| 04:33:42.73 | Judy Wetterer | Yeah. Thank you. |
| 04:33:47.29 | Ian Sobieski | necessarily even have an opinion on the RGS contract per se, but I do remember that it was on the January 12th agenda, I guess, and got taken off. And then I remember council member Cleveland was asking it to be on the agenda. And I've always wondered how do things get on the agenda and not on the agenda and |
| 04:34:07.06 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. |
| 04:34:07.33 | Ian Sobieski | I thought that we were – |
| 04:34:07.89 | Jill Hoffman | Got it. I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I But we can talk about that and digress into that. that discussion at some point that it's in our protocols, how things get on the agenda. So That would be the place to look at how things get on the agenda. |
| 04:34:25.58 | Ian Sobieski | They thought that the frustration was that Of course, there's a former Robert rules of order thing that you could push to put things on the agenda, but that there working way if you ask for it to be on the agenda. than it will be. and I don't know. you know, think it was asked to be on the agenda and it didn't get on the agenda. I think that's the crux of the issue here. on this particular thing. we can talk about our, protocols, but I'm just trying to say that I think that's more than the merits of RGS or arguing about the merits of RGS issue is this question of ensuring that the that the collegial request for something to be on the agenda uh, with and It was, not then, or if it's at all controversial, then it should be put to a vote, whether it should be on the agenda or not. |
| 04:35:20.08 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, we're all in agreement. this is gonna be on the agenda. The issue was we had another question to be answered about this issue before it came back on the agenda. |
| 04:35:32.54 | Jill Hoffman | It's going to be on the agenda. does Councilmember Cleveland Knowles, do you have a specific date that you would like to request it to be on the agenda? Or would you like for us to Look at it. in the context of is it ready to come back or not. |
| 04:35:47.50 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So I think whatever question you all directed staff to answer can be in our staff report. I didn't hear that at finance committee, um, I would leave it to staff if they think it could come back on March 3rd, then I'd ask for it to come back on March 3rd if they feel like they need more time. answering your question from the Finance Committee, I'm sorry. |
| 04:36:11.01 | Jill Hoffman | Okay, that's how we'll proceed. Anybody have an objection to that? CrossFit. |
| 04:36:15.40 | Chris Zapata | The only comment is there's no March 3rd. It's in March 3rd, just to be clear. |
| 04:36:20.78 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
| 04:36:20.80 | Chris Zapata | Thank you. I mean, there's enough confusion going on. I want to be clear. OK. OK. |
| 04:36:22.13 | Unknown | computer should I wanna be clear, okay. Okay. |
| 04:36:26.28 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:36:26.30 | Chris Zapata | Thank you. Thank you. |
| 04:36:27.65 | Janelle Kellman | Yep. Very good. Can I make one other agenda suggestion? I don't know what other council members think, |
| 04:36:30.74 | Unknown | America. |
| 04:36:37.39 | Janelle Kellman | There's been a lot of talk about Caledonia street closures and that process. I know EDAC is working on that. I would love to hear if other council members think that warrants, you know, do we should put that on the agenda? Or maybe Council Member Sobieski, we can decide after our EDAC meeting next week, because I know when the subcommittees is working on it. I just want to make sure we have that conversation. |
| 04:36:58.62 | Melissa Blaustein | I asked him, I was going to ask to put that on the agenda as well, because many of the merchants I had talked to have been asking about when they can have that back sooner rather than later. |
| 04:37:00.20 | Janelle Kellman | put that on the agenda. |
| 04:37:06.33 | Melissa Blaustein | So as soon as possible. |
| 04:37:07.05 | Chris Zapata | Thank you. clarity over what that is. What is closure of |
| 04:37:10.87 | Melissa Blaustein | Closed. Caledonia Street and a discussion of a permanent closure of Caledonia Street. |
| 04:37:13.33 | Chris Zapata | Thank you. |
| 04:37:13.45 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:37:16.57 | Melissa Blaustein | Okay. |
| 04:37:17.80 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah, or options, right? Or the option of using parking spots instead of complete closure, right? That's it. that'd be part of the discussion too. |
| 04:37:26.31 | Chris Zapata | Thank you. Thank you. And what is the timing on the request? Thank you. |
| 04:37:32.69 | Melissa Blaustein | I would request that it be at the next meeting because as spring approaches and the weather gets better, our merchants have struggled enough. So I would like to see it on the next agenda. But if the agenda is too full, |
| 04:37:32.72 | Chris Zapata | I would. |
| 04:37:39.84 | Ian Sobieski | to just... |
| 04:37:40.03 | Jill Hoffman | I'm not. |
| 04:37:42.78 | Melissa Blaustein | It's, |
| 04:37:43.00 | Jill Hoffman | Yeah, it's so it's going to go. I think it has to go back to EDAC though, right? Bye. Bye. I don't know. It doesn't. Yeah. |
| 04:37:47.97 | Janelle Kellman | Bye. I don't know. Yeah, EDAC could actually, we could have someone from EDAC speak to it based on the work they've done. If everybody thinks we should talk about it, Okay. |
| 04:37:59.16 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. Thank you. Let me, let me, we'll say this at the agenda setting conference, we'll try to get it on there, but we do have full agendas. Right. So, but I understand that, you know, summer's coming in. Yeah. So, okay. |
| 04:38:12.65 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Okay, very thorough staff report on the options and issues. I think it was an early November. So a lot of staff work has been done. |
| 04:38:19.24 | Jill Hoffman | I am. |
| 04:38:23.19 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | THE FAMILY IS |
| 04:38:23.36 | Jill Hoffman | you |
| 04:38:23.85 | Chris Zapata | That's right. That's right. |
| 04:38:25.28 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. But we'll talk about agenda setting then. Okay. Anything else for future agenda items? strategic plans. All right. Oh yeah. Yeah. Well, Hey, I'm not against the street plan. I just don't want to be a waste of time. And, If we don't have the budget, then we don't have budget. We don't have finance, we don't have finance. I got it, strategic plan, it's a high priority. |
| 04:38:48.91 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 04:38:48.93 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:38:48.98 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | So we may need to bring |
| 04:38:49.92 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:38:49.97 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | back our budget calendar. to relook at that. because the strategic plan had gone before mid-year budget, I think. It did. |
| 04:38:59.96 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:39:00.76 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Yeah. |
| 04:39:00.99 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:39:01.55 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Thank you. |
| 04:39:01.57 | Jill Hoffman | It's a problem. |
| 04:39:02.70 | Janelle Kellman | Can I ask Councilmember Clevenal a quick question on the strategic plan? Based on your experience with it, do you think it would be helpful to utilize the materials that we have now? And so we would be starting from those, right? |
| 04:39:15.35 | Joan Cleveland-Knowles | Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. |
| 04:39:18.00 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:39:18.05 | Jill Hoffman | Thank you. |
| 04:39:18.10 | Janelle Kellman | Thank you. |
| 04:39:20.60 | Jill Hoffman | Okay. All right, anything else for future dinner items? Okay, that's it. We're adjourned. Thanks, everybody. Before midnight. |
| 04:39:31.13 | Deborah Muchmore | Before midnight, it's not even midnight yet. Thank you. |
| 04:39:36.36 | Janelle Kellman | Good night all. Thank you. |
| 04:39:37.53 | Deborah Muchmore | Thank you. |
| 04:39:37.54 | Janelle Kellman | Good night. |
| 04:39:37.95 | Ian Sobieski | Thank you. |
Trish Holmes — Against: Questioned the compassion of allowing a homeless encampment on toxic dirt without sanitation during a health crisis, asked about a cap on residents and police monitoring, and expressed concern about rising property crime and safety for taxpayers. ▶ 📄
Emmett Yeazell — Neutral: Asked when the encampment will be moved, but was informed the comment was for the COVID-19 update or announcements. ▶ 📄