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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/08/2007• '~~. B A K E R S F I E L D '~ Sue Benham, Chair Rhon Smiley, Public ormation Officer David Couch For: Alan Tandy, City Manager Jacquie Sullivan MINUTES LEGISLATIVE AND LITIGATION COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, May 8, 2007 - 1:00 p.m. City Manager's Conference Room -Suite 201 City Hall, 1501 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA The meeting was called to order at 1:00:23 PM. ROLL CALL Present: Councilmember Sue Benham; Chair Councilmembers David Couch and Jacquie Sullivan Staff present: Alan Tandy, City Manager Ginny Gennaro, City Attorney Andrew Whang, Associate Attorney John W. Stinson, Assistant City Manager Rick Kirkwood, Management Assistant Roberta Gafford, Assistant City Clerk Rhonda Smiley, Public Information Officer Stanley Grady, Development Services Director Others present: Bob Rutledge, Citizen Gretchen Wenner, Bakersfield Californian Peter Samore, KUZZ News 2. ADOPT APRIL 10, 2007 MINUTES Adopted as submitted. 3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS None AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Page 2 LEGISLATIVE AND LITIGATION COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, May 8, 2007 4. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion regarding marketing annexation benefits City Manager Tandy gave an overview of the research that was conducted with Fontana, San Bernardino, and San Jose who have similar island issues and how they have addressed them. Issues include zoning, taxes, code enforcement, graffiti, police response, street sweeping, and septic/sewer systems. Committee member Couch suggested a study could be conducted by CSUB or some other entity regarding Metro Bakersfield public services, regarding the cost of those services, and how the community would benefit by more orderly development. Committee Chair Benham stated that she would like to tie the City's efforts to market annexation to the Council goals. Committee member Sullivan would like research to continue on the annexation issue. She stated that the public needs to be informed properly, maybe through town hall meetings. Committee Chair Benham proposed that staff come up with other methods to get the citizens informed. Committee member Couch would like the public forms, which contain annexation information, to be distributed to the City Council once again. These forms are available to the public and may be in need of updating. He suggested that the citizens' tax bill show a comparison with the savings due to the annexation, and how it affects them financially. City Manager Tandy explained staff currently provides such information; however, it is unique to each area annexed. Committee member Couch stated that citizens should also be made aware of examples of recent positive experiences. b. Discussion regarding plastic shopping bags Management Assistant Kirkwood gave an overview on the research that was conducted, where other cities are initiating a ban of plastic bags in certain stores. These cities have defined a store as a full-line, self-service supermarket with gross annual sales of $2 million or more. They have also looked at a law that was passed last September, enforcing stores 2,000 sq. ft. or more with a pharmacy to implement a plastic bag "Take Back & Recycling" program. This gives the consumers a place to bring their plastic bags, rather than leaving them stored in their home. Some stores are also charging the consumer per bag. Committee member Couch questioned how much time is needed for a store to phase out the use of plastic bags. Management Assistant Kirkwood explained that once the ordinance was passed, San Francisco stores were given six months and pharmacies were given one year to phase out plastic bags. AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT LEGISLATIVE AND LITIGATION COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, May 8, 2007 Page 3 Committee member Sullivan questioned the impact that plastic bags have on our environment. Committee Chair Benham referred to the staff report that states for the number of bags that were distributed in California last year, it took 450,000 gallons of oil to produce them. This contributes to the high oil dependency and high oil prices. Plastic bags also produce an issue with littering, due to the fact that they are so light and blow around so easily. Committee member Couch would like more information on how far these cities went with this topic. Citizen Bob Rutledge stated he is against plastic and paper bags. He feels that the consumer should be allowed to take its own re-usable container to the store to collect its items. Save You Foods, located on White Lane Avenue & South H Street, charges 10 cents per bag. If you bring your own bag to Trader Joes, your name will be placed in a drawing for a prize. There will be resistance from the public, but something needs to be done about our environment. This is definitely a start. Committee member Sullivan noted that Mr. Rutledge has made many great points about this issue and suggested that he come and make a Public Statement at a City Council Meeting. Committee member Couch stated that the County be contacted about any proposed changes. The City and County should be on the same page regarding this matter. 5. COMMITTEE COMMENTS None. 6. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 1:41:31 PM. cc: Honorable Mayor and City Council S:\Council Committees\2007\07 Legislative&Litigation\May 8\May 8 Minutes.doc APPROVED JUNE 5. 2007