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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/03/1998 BAKERSFIELD AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT CITY/COUNTY INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE City Host Thursday, September 3, 1998 12:15 p.m. Convention Center- Potato Room 1. ROLL CALL Call to Order at 12:15 p.m. 2. PRESENTATIONS None 3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS Becky Kaiser thanked the Committee for making the effort and taking the time to hold this meeting. 4. DEFERRED BUSINESS A. CSA-71 City Manager Tandy gave an update. This is a 10 year-old agreement between the city and the county for providing sewer service in the northwest area. Currently, the city is in the process of completing the design and bidding out two major interceptors. The immediate issue is that the county's share of the costs isn't fully funded. The city calculated the county's share to be $3.6 million, although there is some disagreement over the calculations used. The County has $2 million and wishes to pay the balance of its obligations through future connection fees. The city's concern is that the mechanisms are not in place either through developer requirements or some other form of financing to install the trunk sewers and so county residents will not connect because costs are prohibitive. The City is proposing that over the next 120 days the agreement be rewritten so the county's costs can be phased in with the $2 million as an up-front charge. The boundaries of the service area could be pared down in phase-one to a boundary eligible for service which is proportionate to the dollar amount being contributed. When future monies from connection fees/developer requirements are realized, the agreement would be written in such a way that the boundaries could be restored to their current size simply by correcting and making up the monetary shortfall. County Resource Management Agency Director Price agreed there is a difference of opinion regarding the agreement and the issue of at what time the hard cash is owed with FILE COPY AGENDA SUMMARY RE:-~RT CITY/COUNTY INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE Thursday, September 3, 1998 Page -2- respect to the trunk sewer lines. The county is pleased with the latest proposal from the City Manager and is reviewing it now. Currently, the county is in the process of evaluating and modifying development requirements for connection to sewers, reviewing ordinances and general plan amendments. Supervisor Parra stated that the board appreciated the city's proposal allowing more time. The county is working towards a position that will be agreeable to both the city and the county. Councilmember McDermott emphasized that this issue has been in discussion for years and besides the city's immediate monetary concerns, the sewer is critical to good urban development and to prevent urban sprawl. He encouraged the county to require sewer connections for all new development. Supervisor Peterson stated he would like to see this resolved in the next three to four months, certainly by the end of the year. There is a lot of water storage in the area and that resource needs to be protected and he would like to see new development hook up to the sewer. City Manager Tandy pointed out that the city cannot be in a position next year of having spent $16 million and the county still be dealing with general plan amendments and environmental issues. City Committee Chair Smith referred the issue to staff to work on and report back at the next committee meeting. B. CIVIC CENTER PARKING County General Services Director Wilbanks told the committee that the county is implementing changes for all parking facilities. Currently parking is on a first-come, first- served basis, but demand has exceeded supply driven by the increase in the courts, need for more jurors, the improved business climate downtown, and increased county business. Parking controls will be put in, to limit parking in the county parking facility during normal working hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to exclude or charge those who are not there on official county business. Additional improvements are planned for lighting, landscaping and video surveillance. For additional juror parking, the county- owned, old Haberfelde facility south of the railroad tracks between Chester and H Street is being considered. Also, the county will be presenting draft language to the city to amend the existing city/county agreement to provide for after-hour operation of county facilities by county staff rather than by Ogden. Continued sharing of available parking between the city and county is anticipated and county staff have met with the city regarding forming a committee. When the crime lab relocates in Spring of 1999 to the new District Attorney's building which includes a parking structure, that will free up spaces in the current facility. The county sees the need in the future for a pull-in, drop-off location near the courts for better traffic flow. AGENDA SUMMARY RE~IIRT CITY/COUNTY INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE Thursday, September 3, 1998 Page -3- The City Manager stated that the current city/county agreement for parking has worked very well, and the county can use the new surface parking south of the tracks that is being put in for the Garden. Councilmember DeMond expressed concerns as to what will happen after the 10-year agreement for parking in the District Attorney's structure ends. Councilmember McDermott suggested we keep considering some type of tram service that circles by parking lots and government buildings, and he would like the city and county to ask staffs to get together and work on it. C. UNIVERSAL COLLECTION The City Manager asked if there has been any county action or progress being made on this issue. The county responded that the issue had been referred to staff who have made eight recommendations to address illegal dumping and bulky items. ' Councilmember McDermott stated that besides roadside dumping, illegal dumping continues in business dumpsters and it is not just bulky items. He expressed concerns about the lack of progress toward universal collection especially in the urbanized areas. Councilmembers Smith and DeMond both spoke about the large amount of illegal dumping and the need to implement universal collection in the urban areas. County Resource Management Agency Director Price stated that the Board of Supervisors approved new ordinances that will be going into effect the 1st of October. The new code compliance program should go a long way in correcting the problems. There is a need to deal with problems on a countywide basis and the county's objective is to develop a program to expedite compliance that would deal with violating parties rather than the property owner. Supervisor Parra in response to a question from Councilmember Smith as to whether the county is implementing universal collection, answered that the county is trying to address the issue at least in his district through code compliance. However, universal collection is still on the table. Supervisor Peterson commented that he believes the urban area should have universal collection. There are two areas in his district where 85 to 90 percent of the residents are paying for collection service. There are tons of trash being brought to the landfill by responsible residents who do not wish to pay for collection. Many of the residents in his district are in favor of paying for collection and he would like to see movement in this direction. A member of the public stated that the city's refuse containers were not sufficient in size for his refuse needs. Public Works Director Rojas stated that an additional green waste toter could be furnished and an additional tan waste toter could be obtained for a small fee. Councilmember McDermott spoke regarding regional recycling drop-off centers needing to be accessible. The Rosedale area does not have one and he suggested Independence Elementary School as a possible site. Also, the question arose as to why the green waste AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT CITY/COUNTY INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE Thursday, September 3, 1998 Page -4- toters are not larger. Public Works Director Rojas responded that wet grass is so heavy that the smaller-sized toter is necessary to keep the weight manageable. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. FIRE DEPARTMENT AD HOC COMMITTEE County Administrative Officer Jones stated that since the item was put on the agenda, progress has been made at the staff level. The Fire Chiefs met last week and reached agreement on a plan as to how the fire dispatch center can operate and they are meeting to work out the details to make a presentation to the Fire Services Ad Hoc Committee. B. DEVELOPMENT FEES FOR PARKS County Planning Director James explained how the county has been working with NOR to develop park standards for new park fees similar to those adopted by the city, and to get clarification on the adequacy of the Nexus Document. NOR has explored alternatives for funding i.e. user fees, maintenance districts, bonds, etc., for park improvements needed in their district and their board of directors decided these alternatives were not feasible. A development fee proposal for park improvements to be used by the district, approximately $640 per dwelling unit, similar to the city's, will be presented to the board of supervisors by the end of October at the earliest. Councilmember McDermott stated that this is a very important issue in the fourth ward. There are a lot of park sites which influence home sales, but the mechanism is not in place to fund building the parks. City Development Services Director Hardisty stated developing fees for unique self- contained projects, like senior centers, etc., should be included in the discussions. C. URBAN SPRAWL/ANNEXATION Councilmember Smith requested that these two issues be co-joined on the agenda as they seem to go together in discussions. City Development Services Director Hardisty spoke about different views on urban sprawl but in general referred to areas of disorganized housing and scattered commercial development resulting in over-taxed and inadequate public services such as sewer and water systems, schools, and roads. He also went over various city planning policies such as the 2010 Plan, requiring developers to put in infrastructure and policy to protect agriculture land. There are concerns from the oil industry and farming businesses that urban sprawl impacts their businesses economically. Approximately 468 acres per year are being converted from open space to residential/commercial. Growth is becoming much more dispersed now toward the southwest, northwest, 'and northeast. Unfocused growth stretches services thin and planned funding sources need to be established so infrastructure funding can be prioritized. AGENDA SUMMARY RE~RT CITY/COUNTY INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE Thursday, September 3, 1998 Page -5- Councilmember Smith emphasized the major downside to urban sprawl is the loss of farmland, and there's a need to look at in-fill for development. Allowing development without sewer systems erodes water quality and everyone should be concerned. In response to a question from Councilmember Smith, Jack Hardisty replied that within the Sphere of Influence there are 18,000 lots available for homes and about 1,100 per year being used. Several members of the public spoke on this issue. Terrie Stoller spoke about the roles of the city and the county. Also, subdivisions requiring sewer and water need to be contiguous to the City and leap-frog development should not be allowed next to farming as farms need a one-half-mile buffer zone to work the land. Tom Fallgatter, Smart Growth Coalition, stated they are not against new development, just for smart growth. There is no need for Coberly Etcheverys because we have ability to triple the size of the city within existing urban boundaries which prevents stretching of infrastructure. We need to put backbone in the 2010 Plan, encourage in-fill, and avoid expanding in 20 different directions. Barbara Fowler spoke in favor of in-fill with compatible developments, but questioned the need for the city to increase its sphere of influence. County Planning Director Ted James pointed out that controlling urban sprawl and preserving ag land are not simple. Property owners do not want increased urban density especially in-fill. There is a need to educate the community and the city and county should work together on this. D. COMANCHE ROAD/ALFRED HARRELL HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS Councilmember Smith stated that this is an important safety issue to the residents in the northeast and Comanche Road and Alfred Harrell Highway need to intersect. City Engineering Services Manager LaRochelle displayed a map of the area and explained the proposed plan to realign Comanche Drive and tie-in to Alfred Harrell Highway and proposed traffic light. CalTrans is interested in investing in this project with the city and county. CalTrans would be responsible for Highway 178 improvements which would include widening the shoulders and providing a left-turn lane. The city has funds budgeted, but we need county participation to move ahead on this project. County Roads Department Director Pope stated that this project has been on the books for 20 years. The county's share would be roughly $200,000 from discretionary funds and funds are not available. This is a good safety project, but the county has a huge backlog of discretionary projects with higher priorities at half-a-dozen worse locations. Councilmember DeMond discussed the importance of getting support for the project from the county supervisor of the district who does not sit on this committee. Councilmember McDermott explained that the new 178 Freeway alignment has now been put on the list for CalTrans, but is at least 20 years in the future. Also, Highway 46 west of I-5 looks to be one of the state's projects in the next couple of years. Probably, put in passing lanes first and then fill in the spaces. AGENDA SUMMARY RE"~RT CITY/COUNTY INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE Thursday, September 3, 1998 Page -6- Supervisor Peterson referred the issue to the county executive officer to find funding for this project to get the realignment done. 6. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 2:10 p.m. ~er,-Assistant City Man-~ger ~ DBT:jp