Sausalito City Council

City Council Meeting - January 06, 2021

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Meeting Summary

None
None ▶ 📄
Director Whelan confirmed that they are ready to go and received confirmation that the other party is ready. ▶ 📄
1
CALL TO ORDER ▶ 📄
Chair Kristina Feller called the meeting to order at ▶ 📄, welcoming everyone and noting the date. Director Whelan explained the teleconference procedures per executive order ▶ 📄 and conducted the roll call. Commissioner Luxenberg and Commissioner Pierce responded 'here' ▶ 📄, and Chair Feller confirmed her presence ▶ 📄. All commissioners were present.
2
APPROVAL OF AGENDA ▶ 📄
Morgan Pierce moved to approve the agenda ▶ 📄. A roll call vote was held, with all commissioners voting in favor ▶ 📄. The agenda was approved.
Motion
Motion to approve the agenda by Morgan Pierce, approved unanimously ▶ 📄.
3
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THIS AGENDA ▶ 📄
At ▶ 📄, Director Whelan opened the public comment period for items not on the agenda, explaining that the Commission could hear from citizens but not take action. He noted that no one had raised a hand in the Zoom application. At ▶ 📄, Kristina Feller confirmed that no members of the public were raising hands, and the public comment period was closed.
4
APPROVAL OF PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES ▶ 📄
Kristina Feller introduced the item for approval of the planning commission minutes from December 16th. She asked commissioners for any comments or edits ▶ 📄. Commissioner Jeffery Luxenberg indicated he had none ▶ 📄, and Feller confirmed no other comments ▶ 📄. A motion was then made to approve the minutes.
Motion
Jeffery Luxenberg moved to approve the minutes, and it was seconded ▶ 📄. Director Whelan called the roll: Commissioner Luxenberg voted yes ▶ 📄, Commissioner Pierce voted yes ▶ 📄. The motion carried 5-0 ▶ 📄.
5
PUBLIC HEARING ▶ 📄
The commission opened public comment for the public hearing item. No members of the public raised their hand to provide comment, so public comment was closed ▶ 📄. A motion was then made to continue the item to January 20th, which carried 5-0 ▶ 📄.
Motion
Motion to continue the item to January 20th ▶ 📄.
6
COMMUNICATIONS ▶ 📄
Director Whalen proposed two methods for updating commissioners on a public works project: a one-way written communication or an oral report during the communications item. Commissioner Pierce suggested additionally sharing the update via 'Currents' to inform the public, and Chair Feller recommended pursuing all three approaches ▶ 📄. Pierce then requested a formal report at the next meeting for the public record, which was agreed upon ▶ 📄. Later, Pierce asked about protocol for commissioners reporting non-emergency zoning violations. Director Whalen advised either contacting him directly or submitting an online code violation form, which can be submitted anonymously ▶ 📄. No public comments were made.
7
ADJOURNMENT - Not later than 10:00 P.M. ▶ 📄
The meeting was adjourned with closing remarks from the commissioners. There was no presentation or discussion specific to this item; it marked the end of the meeting with informal farewells and well-wishes ▶ 📄.

Meeting Transcript

Time Speaker Text
00:00:05.03 Director Whelan I think we are ready to go. They're ready. We just got the confirmation that they're ready.

Go.
00:00:13.73 Kristina Feller Good evening, everybody, and happy 2021. Happy New Year. I hope you had a good holiday.

This is the regularly scheduled planning commission hearing for Wednesday, January 6th.

Director Whelan, could you please call the roll?
00:00:30.22 Director Whelan I'd like to happy new year, Chair Feller and all planning commissioners. Pursuant to section three of executive order N-2920 issued by Governor Newsom on March 17th, meeting of the planning commission for tonight will be conducted telephonically through Zoom, and broadcast live on the city's website.

And if you'd like to speak on an agenda item, you raise your hand in the Zoom application and you'll be called upon when it's your time to speak. And so now I will call the roll.

Commissioner, Thank you.

Sorry.

Commissioner Sab.

Got to get my new rules here.

Commissioner Luxembourg.
00:01:12.51 Jeffery Luxenberg Yeah.
00:01:13.34 Director Whelan Turner Pierce.
00:01:14.15 Jeffery Luxenberg here.
00:01:15.31 Director Whelan of a share graph.
00:01:16.61 Jeffery Luxenberg Yeah.
00:01:16.86 Kristina Feller Thank you.
00:01:17.32 Director Whelan And Chair Felder.
00:01:18.62 Kristina Feller here.
00:01:19.65 Director Whelan We're all here.

We can...

Do you wanna move on to agenda item two?
00:01:26.25 Kristina Feller Thank you.
00:01:27.14 Director Whelan Great.

So the second item on the agenda is the approval of the agenda.

Is there anyone who's willing to make that motion?
00:01:33.37 Morgan Pierce motion that we approve the agenda?

Sakın.
00:01:37.82 Director Whelan And Commissioner Saad.
00:01:40.47 Jeffery Luxenberg Yes.
00:01:41.33 Director Whelan Luxembourg?
00:01:42.80 Jeffery Luxenberg Yes.
00:01:43.56 Director Whelan Michelle Pierce?
00:01:44.40 Jeffery Luxenberg Yes.
00:01:45.43 Director Whelan by share a graph.
00:01:46.65 Jeffery Luxenberg Yeah.
00:01:46.85 Director Whelan Thank you.

And to her father.

Thank you.
00:01:48.49 Kristina Feller Yes.

Great.

So this is the time on our agenda that we hear from the public on items that are not on the agenda.

And Director Whelan, if you have any instruction to the public on how to go about raising their hand for their comment time.
00:02:07.23 Director Whelan Thank you, Chair. This is the time for the Planning Commission to hear from citizens regarding matters that are not on the agenda, except in brief or in limited circumstances, straight law precludes the Planning Commission from taking action on or engaging in discussions concerning items of business that are not on this agenda. However, the planning commission may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed by a member of the public.

ask clarifying questions, make a brief announcement, or make a brief report on his or her own activities.

The commission may also refer matters not on the agenda to city staff or direct that the subject the agenda is for a future meeting.

And if you'd like to make a comment now, please raise your hand in the Zoom application and we will call upon you. And I don't think anyone has called in here. So if you're calling in, you would press star nine to raise your hand.
00:03:00.68 Director Whelan I'm not seeing we have one member of the public here tonight. So I'm not and I'm not seeing a hand Raised.

I think we can move on.
00:03:12.20 Kristina Feller Yes, Director Whalen, I do not see anyone from the public raising their hands. So at this time, let's close public comment. And if you could read the next item on the agenda.
00:03:21.13 Kristina Feller Great, so this is item number four. This is approval of the planning commission made it minutes from December 16th.

and you have to.
00:03:29.33 Kristina Feller you have to.
00:03:29.55 Unknown Thank you.
00:03:29.57 Kristina Feller Thank you.

Yeah, so at this time, commissioners, do you have any comments or edits on the meeting minutes?

Thank you.
00:03:38.58 Jeffery Luxenberg I have none.
00:03:39.03 Kristina Feller Thank you.

None.

Thank you.
00:03:40.59 Jeffery Luxenberg No.
00:03:41.75 Kristina Feller to give a motion to approve the meeting by the service.
00:03:43.69 Jeffery Luxenberg group.

I don't move.

I'll second that.
00:03:48.91 Director Whelan and, Commissioner Luxembourg.
00:03:51.59 Jeffery Luxenberg Yes.
00:03:52.48 Director Whelan Commissioner Pierce.
00:03:53.45 Kristina Feller Thank you.
00:03:53.62 Jeffery Luxenberg Yes.
00:03:54.53 Director Whelan Thank you.
00:03:54.56 Kristina Feller said.
00:03:55.76 Jeffery Luxenberg Thank you.
00:03:55.78 Kristina Feller Yes.

Nice chair grab.

Yeah.

color.

Yes.

That carries five zero.

And that moves on to our only other item besides communications on this agenda, which is our public hearing items.
00:04:10.96 Director Whelan And then it's item 5A, which is a zoning ordinance amendment continued from the December 2nd meeting regarding development agreements and our recommendation this evening is to take public comment on this item and continue the hearing without a staff report or presentation to the Commission's hearing on January 20th
00:04:32.76 Kristina Feller Excellent, so at this time, members of the public, if you would like to make comment on this agenda item, please raise your hand in the Zoom application.
00:04:43.63 Director Whelan It looks like we have lost our one member of the public.
00:04:47.11 Kristina Feller Thank you.

We won't take it personally, but I do not, Director Whalen, see any member of the public raising their hand for comment on this agenda item. So I suggest we close public comment on this item.
00:05:02.21 Kristina Feller Thank you.
00:05:02.23 Director Whelan Excellent.
00:05:03.78 Kristina Feller .
00:05:04.03 Director Whelan Is there a motion from the commission to
00:05:06.68 Jeffery Luxenberg Move.

Thank you.
00:05:08.68 Director Whelan And that's to continue this item to January 20th.

and I'll see you next week.
00:05:13.67 Jeffery Luxenberg and really suck it.

So,
00:05:15.81 Director Whelan Commissioner Assaf?
00:05:18.55 Jeffery Luxenberg Yes.
00:05:19.56 Director Whelan Near Luxembourg?
00:05:21.08 Jeffery Luxenberg Yes.
00:05:21.77 Director Whelan practitioner pierced.
00:05:22.61 Jeffery Luxenberg Yes.
00:05:23.34 Director Whelan Nice chair grot.
00:05:24.42 Jeffery Luxenberg Yeah.
00:05:25.21 Director Whelan color.

Yes. Thank you. That carries 5-0.

our next item is a communication item so this is where we have any communications from city staff or from planning commissioners. It's a new year and we have a lot of work that we're going to be doing this year. So Buckle up your seatbelts.
00:05:46.15 Kristina Feller There's a lot.
00:05:47.77 Director Whelan coming up, not on the agenda tonight, but we do have a number of items coming up.

from the housing element update to the objective design and development standards and a bunch of development projects that are going through the pipeline that the planning commission will see this year.

setting new.
00:06:04.38 Director Whalen I mean,
00:06:06.69 Director Whelan hear you rest.

um, That's my that's my communication update and just I'm so excited to work with all five of you this year on the planning commission to be a good year.
00:06:17.86 Morgan Pierce And we are excited to work with you and your team.

I second that.
00:06:22.98 Kristina Feller Do any of the commissioners have any items? We cannot discuss it, of course, at this time.

that they would like to raise for a future agenda item yes commissioner luxembourg
00:06:35.55 Jeffery Luxenberg Several people have asked me, and maybe this isn't the appropriate department, it might be Public Works, the North Street steps that were damaged in a mudslide, landslide, a while ago, and were going to be repaired and finished last summer, are still not done, and the COVID's going on, and so I'm sure there's logical reasons. But is it possible either for the meeting on the 20th or the one after that just to get an update of what the status of that is and when that's going to be repaired? Now dirt has fallen onto the steps and grass is now growing on the steps. So it doesn't look like a good situation at the moment.
00:07:22.75 Director Whelan Thank you, Commissioner Luxenberg. If it's okay with the commission, I think there's two different options here. So one is working with the public works director We can prepare a one way communication to the commissioners and give you an update of the status.

or I can provide an oral update during our communications item on the
00:07:41.04 Unknown or both?
00:07:43.89 Morgan Pierce And in addition to that, is there a way to get it on Currents just to make sure that the public is aware of whatever the status update is? Because I know they really appreciate any updated information regarding public improvement projects.
00:07:56.19 Director Whalen Yeah, I'll work with Kevin on that as well and see when he was planning on.
00:07:59.97 Director Whelan providing an update.
00:08:02.22 Kristina Feller Director Whalen, if I can suggest that we engage both options that you mentioned and the third that Commissioner Pierce has asked regarding currents.

I think this body wants to communicate as best we can with the public. And I think using those three, or at least two of those three, to communicate with the public would be best.
00:08:18.33 Director Whalen Thank you.
00:08:18.38 Morgan Pierce I think.
00:08:18.69 Director Whalen Thank you.
00:08:27.04 Morgan Pierce And from that perspective, Commissioner Feller, I wonder if it might be best for, in addition to the currents, that it'd be a formal report by the Community Development Director at our next meeting, so that it's on the public record and it's on a recording, and so people can see that if they, So choose to see it that way as opposed to which is a private communication to us.
00:08:46.23 Kristina Feller So we're gonna do the private communication, one-way communication to the commission here.

Thank you.
00:08:51.29 Director Whalen Okay.
00:08:51.46 Kristina Feller The second is report out at our next commission hearing.

if you can prepare that report by that time, if not, perhaps the following. And then the third is to coordinate with current to ensure that this information is disseminated to the public that are not attending these hearings.
00:09:11.20 Jeffery Luxenberg Thank you.
00:09:11.22 Morgan Pierce That's great. So that sounds
00:09:11.98 Jeffery Luxenberg Right.

Yeah, I think that'd be great. I appreciate it. I hope it's not too much work, but I think that there are a number of people that keep asking about it, so that would be really helpful, really.
00:09:23.86 Kristina Feller Thank you, commissioner.

Any other comments, Commissioner Pierce?
00:09:28.85 Morgan Pierce I have a question for the community development director and it's more of a clarification for me because this is something I've been involved with over the years on my in my presence on this board but hopefully it will help enlighten things for others. Should a member of this commission witness what they interpret to be a zoning violation, what is the best way for them to share that information with the community development department?
00:09:58.25 Director Whalen So I'm assuming we're talking about a non-emergency type of
00:10:01.78 Morgan Pierce Yes.

Not a emergency event.
00:10:03.46 Director Whalen Obviously emergencies, you'd call the police. Right.
00:10:03.50 Morgan Pierce Bye.
00:10:06.82 Director Whalen So non-emergency, I mean, I think you could, you could loop me into it and then I can assign that out appropriately. I think that's probably the best way to go about it.
00:10:15.70 Morgan Pierce I mean, because historically I just sent you an email which has been perfect, I just want to make sure.

And we were all following the same protocols to make sure that you were getting what you needed when you needed it.
00:10:25.94 Director Whalen That works. And then, you know, as you're also members of the community too, and so if you wanted Um, go, you know, submit a code violation form, which we have on the online, you could do that as well.

I've, if some folks are hesitant to do that because there's a line for name and contact information, I've advised folks, you know, you can set up a Gmail account
00:10:48.98 Unknown that is private and doesn't indicate your name, just so we have a communication line to reach out to people to ask questions or to provide them a status update. But you can also, anyone can provide an anonymous form as well. You don't have to put your name on it.

That's another way to do it.
00:11:07.44 Morgan Pierce Thank you.
00:11:09.68 Kristina Feller Good question.

Any other comments or questions of staff?

or inquiries from any other commissioner at this time?
00:11:21.26 Kristina Feller Okay, Director Whalen, I see none.

So I suppose if there are no other items for the agenda or the hearing this evening, then I'd like a motion to adjourn.
00:11:37.10 Jeffery Luxenberg So moved.
00:11:39.62 Kristina Feller Thank you.
00:11:39.97 Jeffery Luxenberg Thank you.
00:11:40.01 Kristina Feller Thank you.

you Second. Thank you.
00:11:43.96 Director Whalen All in favor, I think we can do that.

Thank you.
00:11:45.56 Jeffery Luxenberg Thank you.
00:11:45.61 Director Whalen Thank you.
00:11:45.66 Jeffery Luxenberg Bye. Bye.

Okay.
00:11:48.87 Director Whalen Thank you all for your time. I think this is the record.
00:11:50.98 Director Whelan or shortest planning commission.
00:11:53.05 Jeffery Luxenberg Thank you.
00:11:54.49 Morgan Pierce Thank you.
00:11:55.53 Jeffery Luxenberg Thank you.
00:11:55.55 Director Whelan Enjoy.
00:11:55.57 Morgan Pierce Enjoy it while it lasts. It won't last much longer.
00:11:55.97 Kristina Feller I'm not sure.
00:11:56.14 Director Whelan THE END OF THE END OF THE
00:11:56.22 Kristina Feller I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO
00:11:58.06 Kristina Feller Exactly. Happy New Year, everybody.
00:12:01.01 Morgan Pierce Happy New Year. Nice to see you guys. Thank you all. We'll see you all soon. Take care.
00:12:01.57 Kristina Feller Yeah.
00:12:01.79 Kristina Feller NEW.
00:12:01.98 Kristina Feller Nice to see you guys.

.
00:12:04.90 Kristina Feller I'm going to go.
00:12:04.91 Kristina Feller See you all soon.

Take care.
00:12:06.63 Morgan Pierce Bye.
00:12:06.65 Kristina Feller Bye.
00:12:06.94 Kristina Feller Thank you.
00:12:06.97 Kristina Feller Thank you.

All right.
00:12:07.58 Kristina Feller Thank you.

Thank you.
00:12:07.87 Morgan Pierce All right.
00:12:07.95 Kristina Feller Bye.