CITY COUNCIL WRAP-UP

The following is from the Laguna Beach City Council meeting of Feb. 6.

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PUBLIC COMMENT

Members of the public generally are allowed three minutes each to comment on issues not on the meeting agenda. The time may be shortened or lengthened at the discretion of the council.

?Eleanor Henry said the streets in the Olympic Village area of Bluebird Canyon had been swept only twice in the past five weeks and wanted to know why they were not swept weekly. City Manager Ken Frank said sweeping is done weekly.

?Bruce Hopping announced that his Kalos Kagothos Foundation had commissioned a sculpture to be installed in front of the entrance to the swimming pool Park Avenue. Smaller versions will be awarded at annual sports banquet.

?Bari Burns asked the council on behalf of the Blue Lagoon Homeowners Assn. for the correct procedure to get copies of stamped grading plans for a lot that is to be developed at Montage Resort and Spa. She said the plans were needed before the association could respond to the architect’s request for approval of his landscape proposal.

Frank said the documents had been provided to the current and past presidents of the association, but he would make them available to Burns.

?Chandon Petty and Roger Kepler informed the council that the hoops on the Moulton Meadows Park basketball courts were not properly installed and asked the council to rectify the problem. Frank said the city was looking at options and the problem should be corrected soon.

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COUNCIL/STAFF CHAT

?City Clerk Martha Anderson reminded residents that appointments to the Parking, Traffic and Circulation and Recreation committees will be made at Tuesday’s council meeting. Wednesday was the deadline to submit applications.

?Frank announced the $500,000 settlement of a law suit against the city, filed by 1175 Gaviota LLD to determine the ownership of a large storm drain.

An unfavorable preliminary court decision made it advisable for the city to negotiate the settlement to ensure the city would not be responsible for maintenance of the pipe and to avoid paying for the plaintiff’s attorneys fees, Frank said.

The council authorized the settlement about a month ago in a closed session and it was not discussed in the closed session prior to the Feb. 6 meeting. State law requires closed session actions to be made public, but not until the action is completed, in this case acceptance of the city’s offer by the plaintiff.

?Mayor Jane Egly reported that residents could help the water shortage by reducing their water consumption by 20 gallons a day. She also noted that the use of plastic bags in Ireland dropped 94% in a matter of weeks after adoption of a 34-cent-per-bag tax.

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CONSENT CALENDAR

Consent calendar items get approved in one motion unless a member of the council, staff or public “pull” the item, which then requires opening it for public comment and a vote.

Approved without comment:

?Minutes of the Jan. 22 adjourned and regular meeting

?General warrants totaling $362,883.11, issued Jan. 17 and $2,808,096.58, issued Jan. 25; and Payroll No. 15, in the amount of $607,035.0, issued Jan. 17

?Date of March 18 for Heritage and TechComm committee appointments and a deadline of 5 p.m., March 11, to file applications in the City Clerk’s Office

?A revocable encroachment permit for property owner of 1920 Glenneyre St. to build at-grade steps and paving, an on-street parking space and existing fencing with pilasters in the unimproved right-of-way

?Authorization of a $19,000 payment to Edison to replace a power pole and equipment damaged by city crews

?An Environmental Committee awards program, with staff time to assist the implementation

?Purchase of three cars at a cost of $80,006: a Nissan Altima Hybrid, a Honda Accord Hybrid and a 2008 Ford Taurus.

?The Music in the Park 2008 concert schedule to be held July 20-Aug. 31 and the use of amplified sound.

?The 2008 Sunset Serenade concert schedule, to be at 6 p.m., held Friday evenings, May 9-May 30, at the Cobblestones at Main Beach, funded by the 2008-09 Arts Commission

?Special Programs Budget of the Business Improvement District

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Pulled for discussion:

?City Treasurer Laura Paris made an oral report of the agendized December report. She said she wanted to assure residents that the city’s investments were safe in these troubled economic times. Accepted and filed.

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BOO! 5-0

The City Council formally approved the de facto temporary closure of Oak Street on Halloween from Temple Terrace to Catalina Street and the use of city barricades and assistance with traffic control.

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COMMITTEE GUIDELINES 5-0

Committee guidelines were amended to require an annual written report, the date to be selected by the committees. The new guidelines also specify that council committee liaisons preclude committee members from using their city title in any endorsement of any candidate for political office or any ballot measure.

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MARRIAGE ACT

The council voted unanimously to reiterate and file its opposition to Proposition 22, which states that only marriages between a man and a woman be valid or recognized in California.

City Attorney Philip Kohn will file an application with the California Supreme Court for leave to join a brief that has already by filed on behalf of a number of other cities seeking to overturn the measure.

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SPA/ FITNESS PARKING 5-0

The City Council reduced the required parking spaces for the joint Art of Fitness and Spa Josephine at 1080 South Coast Hwy.

A requirement to provide valet parking also was eliminated from the conditional use permit and approved daily operating hours for the spa from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and for the fitness club to 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

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TOO TALL APPEAL DENIED 5-0

A son of the property owner at 1065 Baja St. said the ceilings in the existing home are too low to be comfortable for the taller members of the family and asked the council to overturn a Design Review/Appeal Board denial of lofty alterations.

However, the council upheld the board’s denial of the 627-square-foot proposal, which was reviewed for upper level additions, chimney height, an air conditioning unit and landscaping and a variance to encroach into the rear setbacks and to maintain the existing non-conforming height.