ON THE AGENDA Here are a few...

ON THE AGENDA

Here are a few of the issues the council will consider today.

ST. MARK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The council is set to approve the second reading of a slew of

approvals for the church, including a general plan amendment to allow

it to build a new facility at San Joaquin Hills Road and MacArthur

Boulevard. The project, in the works for more than a year, entails a

34,000-square-foot facility to replace the church’s current site next

to Our Lady Queen of Angels Roman Catholic Church in the Eastbluff

neighborhood.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Since this item is on the consent calendar -- which is voted on

without public discussion -- it is expected to pass. The main

controversy surrounding the council’s first consideration of this

project on Oct. 12 was some residents’ concerns about the loss of

open space since the project site is currently zoned for recreational

and open space.

HOUSING REPORT

The council will consider approving an annual performance report

for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The report

shows what the city accomplished with the funds it received from HUD,

which are provided to help cities meet affordable housing and

community development needs of their residents, especially those

considered to have low or moderate levels of income.

The report summarizes the 2003-04 fiscal year, when the city

received $426,000 from HUD. It spent about $408,000 of that amount

during that time period on items like code enforcement on the Balboa

Peninsula and donations to mobile meal programs and homeless

prevention programs that serve the county as well as the city.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The council is expected to approve the report.

BRIDGE SEISMIC RETROFIT

The council will consider approving a contract with an engineering

firm for the design and construction support of seismically

retrofitting three city-owned bridges -- the northbound and

southbound Jamboree Road bridges over San Diego Creek and the

Goldenrod Avenue pedestrian bridge over Bayside Drive. The contract

would be for about $279,000.

The council must also decide whether the Little Island Bridge over

Grand Canal should be retrofitted or replaced.

WHAT TO EXPECT

There is currently about $109,000 budgeted for the project. To

approve it, the council will have to transfer about $191,000 from

other funds like the gas tax fund balance. Staff members recommend

the city retrofit the three bridges while it resolves the Little

Island Bridge decision.

PLANNING COMMISSION HOPEFULS

The council will consider nominating two applicants whom an ad hoc

committee has selected to fill the vacancy on the Planning Commission

left when Leslie Daigle was appointed to the City Council.

Twenty-five hopefuls applied for the spot. The two finalists will be

announced at the meeting.

The committee -- Mayor Tod Ridgeway and councilmen Steve Bromberg

and Don Webb -- reviewed the applications and conducted applicant

interviews.

The council is set to make its final decision on Nov. 9.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The council will consider the two applicants selected by the

committee.