City Council Meeting - September 19, 2023

The meeting opened with technical audio checks and roll call. Mayor Blachstein announced the Pledge of Allegiance would be moved to after closed session. The council then addressed closed session items: conference with labor negotiators (Gov. Code 54957.6) and public employee appointment (Gov. Code 54957). Councilmember Cox recused herself from the public employee appointment item due to a potential conflict of interest ▶ 📄. Public comment was invited but none were received. The council then adjourned to closed session.

Mayor Steven Woodside called the regular city council meeting back into order after closed session with no announcements. He initiated the Pledge of Allegiance, which was recited by council members including Sandra Bushmaker. ▶ 📄 The mayor then moved to approve the agenda, with Councilmember Melissa Blaustein making the motion and the mayor seconding. ▶ 📄 City Clerk Walfred Solorzano conducted a roll call vote, confirming votes from Councilmember Hoffman, Councilmember Kelman, Vice-Mayor Sobieski, and Mary Blasdine.

Mayor Jill Hoffman made two announcements. First, she reminded the community about the upcoming chili cook-off at Dunphy Park on Saturday from 12-4 PM ▶ 📄. Second, she invited Steven Woodside to speak about the visiting sailing canoe 'Okuolea' from the Polynesian Voyaging Society, which is docked at the Bay Model Pier in Sausalito ▶ 📄. Woodside explained the canoe's traditional design and significance, noting its connection to Sausalito resident Barbara Holmes and her late brother Tommy Holmes, a co-founder of the society ▶ 📄. Councilmember Joan Cox added that Tommy Holmes was a rower in the outrigger canoe featured in the original Hawaii Five-0 theme song ▶ 📄. Mayor Hoffman asked about the canoe's location, and Woodside confirmed it is side-tied to the Schooner Seaward at the Bay Model Pier, with community support provided ▶ 📄.

The council moved to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. A public comment period was opened, but the speaker (Tom Riley) attempted to comment on a different agenda item and was redirected to return later. No further public comment was received on the minutes. ▶ 📄 The council then proceeded to a roll call vote for approval.

The consent calendar included multiple items. Councilmember Hoffman clarified that item 3D was removed for further work ▶ 📄. Councilmember Cox announced recusal from item 3B due to a conflict of interest ▶ 📄. Councilmember Kelman requested a more thorough discussion on item 3G (roadway resurfacing process and declining rating), but it was noted a full report is scheduled for the next meeting ▶ 📄. Councilmember Hoffman requested a brief update on the Edwards Avenue project within item 3G; Director McGowan provided an update, explaining it's a complex project separate from the resurfacing program, with bids expected soon but timing may be tight before winter ▶ 📄. Councilmember Kelman asked for future discussion on staffing and funding impacts on the pavement condition index ▶ 📄. Councilmember Kelman also asked about item 3F (CDBG program); Director Phipps clarified Sausalito does not receive funds directly but participates in a county coalition ▶ 📄. Councilmember Hoffman proposed an amendment to item 3B to change the effective date to September 20, 2023 ▶ 📄. After public comment (none received), separate motions were made for the consent calendar items.

Principal Planner Kristen Teichy presented amendments to bring the city's ADU and JADU regulations into compliance with state law (Senate Bill 897), following a review letter from the Department of Housing and Community Development. Key changes include: limiting JADUs to residential districts allowing single-family homes (correcting prior code); reworking ADU/JADU sections for unit size (up to 800 sq ft exempt from certain standards, with proposed limits of 850 sq ft for studio/1-bed, 1000 sq ft for >1-bed), height (attached up to 25 ft, detached starting at 16 ft with potential increases), parking (one space required but many state exemptions), and number of units (clarifying allowances for single-family and multifamily properties). The Planning Commission recommended defining 'public transit' and clarifying height measurement (now measured from roofline/ceiling to grade directly below). Staff recommended introduction and first reading. Councilmember Cox raised issues: suggested changing 'public transit' to 'public transit stop' in definitions ▶ 📄, requested data on amnesty applications before removing amnesty language ▶ 📄, and questioned removal of parking exceptions for narrow streets impacting public safety, suggesting reconsideration for designated areas ▶ 📄. City Attorney Sergio Rudin noted HCD might challenge added parking requirements, suggesting separate parking bans on narrow streets via resolution ▶ 📄. He also clarified the ordinance works with existing SB 9 regulations ▶ 📄.

The provided transcript does not contain any discussion or presentation related to Agenda Item 5.A. The excerpt focuses on a motion and vote regarding a different item, specifically an amendment to public transit language in an ordinance. There is no mention of Dixon Resources Unlimited, a parking study, or any council direction on parking. Therefore, no summary of the item's content can be provided from this data.

Julie Dixon from Dixon Resources Unlimited presented findings from a downtown parking assessment. Key points: Sausalito's on-street parking rates are lower than off-street, contrary to industry best practices which recommend higher on-street rates to encourage turnover and use of off-street lots for longer stays ▶ 📄. Utilization data collected over Labor Day weekend showed on-street peak occupancy at 83% (Saturday dinner hour) and off-street average at 58% (Saturday lunch); however, individual lots hit 85%+ peaks at various times ▶ 📄. Major challenges include poor cellular coverage downtown, hindering technology like mobile payments and license plate recognition (LPR) ▶ 📄. Recommendations include: upgrading aging equipment, expanding paid parking areas (e.g., south Bridgeway, lot five), implementing special event rates, piloting LPR technology, expanding mobile payment, and improving the parking permit system with online management and proof of eligibility ▶ 📄. Council discussion included: questions on city selection for comparisons and Labor Day data timing ▶ 📄; privacy concerns over LPR ▶ 📄; need for more data, especially on employee parking (44 D permits, 42 L permits active) and revenue per lot ▶ 📄; support for virtual permits, tightening permit verification, and exploring service worker discounts ▶ 📄; caution about data representation (slides 7-8) and excluding non-revenue spaces like Yacht Club ▶ 📄; and interest in improving cellular/Wi-Fi downtown to enable technology ▶ 📄.

City Manager Chris Zapata presented the amended lease with Lycee Francais, the city's largest lease, which was professionally negotiated by Cushman Wakefield for a flat fee of $10,000. The new market-based rent increases annual revenue by approximately $208,482, generating an additional $1,042,411 over the initial five-year term and potentially $4 million over the full 20-year option period. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Joan Cox recused herself due to living near the property. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Jill Hoffman clarified that both parties agreed to the negotiated terms. ▶ 📄 Vice Mayor Ian Sobieski confirmed the rent increase from $560,000 to $770,000 annually (roughly 40%) and noted a typo in the lease document (year 2017 instead of 2027), which the City Attorney confirmed would be corrected. ▶ 📄 Sobieski praised the process as 'excellence in government,' highlighting the professional market analysis and consideration of alternatives, setting a benchmark for future lease negotiations. ▶ 📄

Public comment period with three speakers. Alice Merrill expressed concern about preserving the Marinship specific plan in the General Plan to protect the area's character and fishing industry ▶ 📄. Tom Riley, representing EDAC, advocated for renewing the marketing contract with Creative Digital Agency (CDA) before its October 12 expiration, citing a 122% recovery in visitor revenues and $2.7M incremental annual revenue due to CDA's work ▶ 📄. A council discussion ensued about enforcing public comment rules uniformly, with Councilmember Hoffman noting a need for impartiality to avoid Brown Act risks ▶ 📄. City Attorney Rudin suggested agendizing rule enforcement separately ▶ 📄. Sandra Bushmaker pointed out an agenda error regarding the ADU/JADU ordinance hearing item ▶ 📄.

Mayor Woodside opened the item, noting a request for written reports but none were submitted. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Sobieski reported on the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) meeting, highlighting a presentation by Brandon Phipps on departmental accomplishments, particularly reducing outstanding permits from about 100 to around 30, in response to EDAC's priority for smoother permitting. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Cox suggested attaching such presentations to written reports for broader access. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Blaustein indicated she, Hoffman, and Cox would attend the League of California Cities conference and report back. ▶ 📄 Mayor Woodside shared he was attending the Strong Cities Conference in New York, focusing on hate speech, anti-terrorism, and climate events, with a report planned for next week. ▶ 📄

The chair, Walfred Solorzano, opened the floor for public comment on agenda items 8B through 8E, but no members of the public indicated a desire to speak by using the raise hand function ▶ 📄.

Brandon Phipps, Community Development Director, presented an update on economic activity in Sausalito, covering 13 new retail spaces approved or under construction, six new operational or committed retailers, two properties for sale, ferry landside improvements, a business improvement district investigation, a completed historic facade improvement, and two significant project approvals in the Marinship district. ▶ 📄 Councilmembers expressed appreciation for the detailed update but raised concerns about transparency and process regarding the ferry landside improvements project. Councilmember Cox objected to the lack of council review for the ferry project, noting it was presented late in the evening with limited detail. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Blaustein requested a legal opinion on whether Ordinance 1128 applies and a full council presentation on the ferry project, including budget considerations. ▶ 📄 Councilmember Hoffman noted the project was fully vetted by the Planning Commission and suggested deeper review of available materials. ▶ 📄 Vice Mayor Sobieski inquired about the legal memo on Ordinance 1128. ▶ 📄 City Manager Zapata acknowledged the need for better transparency and committed to bringing the ferry project back for council direction. ▶ 📄

Mayor Woodside initially stated there were no appointments to make, but City Manager Sergio Rudin clarified that the appointment of Mark Moore as alternate to the Sustainability Commission was on the agenda ▶ 📄. Councilmember Sobieski raised concerns about the interview process, feeling it is often perfunctory due to short time slots ▶ 📄. Councilmember Cox emphasized the importance of face-to-face interviews for both the council and applicants ▶ 📄. Councilmember Hoffman noted unfamiliarity with Mark Moore's application and suggested waiting to appoint until all councilmembers could review materials ▶ 📄. Mayor Woodside supported delaying the appointment to allow for proper review ▶ 📄. The discussion then shifted to general process: Sobieski asked about interview timing (typically 5-10 minutes per applicant) ▶ 📄, and Hoffman suggested consolidating all appointments into one annual session to improve efficiency ▶ 📄. Cox recalled past criticism for leaving vacancies open too long ▶ 📄.

Councilmembers discussed potential future agenda items. Vice Mayor Cox suggested an item on the ferry landing ▶ 📄. Mayor Sobieski and Councilmember Hoffman proposed a presentation on handling public comment, including time limits and parameters for items not on the agenda, with an update from the city attorney ▶ 📄. Councilmember Hoffman added a summary of bike parking from the year and future plans ▶ 📄. Councilmember Cox noted that items from previous meetings, like Drake development, should be included if not already on the list ▶ 📄. Councilmember Blaustein inquired about Bridgeway Marina, which was confirmed as on the list ▶ 📄. Mayor Sobieski suggested adding the CDA (Community Development Agency) marketing contract renewal, which expires October 12th, for potential marketing support for events like the boat show ▶ 📄. Councilmember Cox recommended handling all funding requests from boards, commissions, and organizations (e.g., Sausalito Beautiful, Sister Cities) collectively during the budgeting process rather than piecemeal ▶ 📄. She also requested more metrics on the efficacy of marketing efforts due to mixed feedback from merchants ▶ 📄.

The meeting concluded with brief expressions of thanks and farewells from councilmembers and the mayor. ▶ 📄 Ian Sobieski and Steven Woodside exchanged 'Thank you' and 'Good night,' followed by similar acknowledgments from Joan Cox, Brandon Phipps, and Kristen Teichy. ▶ 📄 The recording was stopped, indicating the formal end of the session.