HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/22/15 CC AGENDA HIGHLIGHTSAGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
July 22, 2015 COUNCIL MEETING
SPECIAL MEETING - 4:00 p.m.
NOTE: A separate special meeting will be called to order at 4:00 p.m., followed by Public
Statements that will encourage comments pertaining to Closed Session matters only. The
Council will then recess into Closed Session. Upon conclusion of the Closed Session, any
Closed Session action will be announced prior to adjournment of the meeting. At 5:15 p.m.,
the Regular Meeting will be called to order to address the remainder of the agenda items.
CLOSED SESSION
There will be a conference with legal counsel regarding two matters of existing litigation.
REGULAR MEETING - 5:15 p.m.
APPOINTMENTS
There will be one appointment to Keep Bakersfield Beautiful Committee and one
appointment to the Kern County Workforce Development Collaborative.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Ordinances
Item 8c. Adoption of Ordinance Enacting Chapter 9.20 of the Bakersfield Municipal Code
Relating to Unregulated Chemicals. The Council's Legislative and Litigation Committee
previously recommended to the City Council the adding of a new City ordinance to prohibit
the sale of bath salts and spice. Bath salts refer to a form of synthetic stimulant that has an
effect similar to cocaine or methamphetamine. Spice refers to an herbal mixture that is
typically sold as herbal cigarettes, marketed as a safe legal alternative to marijuana, and has
cannabinoid qualities. This new ordinance defines unregulated chemicals and makes their
possession, sale, or being under the influence of them illegal. The ordinance had first reading
on June 24, 2015. Should the Council pass the ordinance, it would go into effect in 30 days.
Item 8aj. Submittal of Property Tax Exchange Letters to the Kern County Local Agency
Formation Commission (LAFCo) for Annexation Nos. 589, 649 and 652. On March 4, 2015, the
City Council approved resolutions to begin the process of annexing three areas of
unincorporated property to the City. At that time, the Council approved a motion made by
Councilmember Weir that these three annexations be brought back to the City Council to
review the tax exchange information the City receives from the Kern County Auditor -
Controller as part of the annexation process. When the City proposes to annex property, the
City and County must come to an agreement on how property tax revenues will be shared
when the annexation is completed. If the two parties do not agree on a property tax
exchange, the annexations will be terminated by LAFCo. Agreement No. 05 -015 (1) outlines
the calculation for the property tax exchange applicable to these annexations. Staff has
reviewed the calculations provided by the County Auditor - Controller's Office for these
annexations and has found them to be in conformance with Agreement No. 05 -015 (1).
Typically, once the calculations have been reviewed, the City Attorney's Office then submits
a letter confirming the property tax exchange to LAFCo, which satisfies state law for this
purpose. Staff is requesting Council's approval to submit the tax exchange letters to LAFCo
for these three annexations to LAFCo.
HEARINGS
Item 10a. 18th Street Lofts. This item is continued from the June 3, 2015 City Council meeting.
This project consists of the construction of a 4- story, 28 -unit apartment complex at 2125 18th
Street. The Board of Zoning Adjustment approved the project and corresponding
Conditional Use Permit /Zoning Adjustment on April 14, 2015. This item is to hear an appeal of
that decision based on claims of neighborhood incompatibility, insufficient parking, an
insufficient environmental review, and a potential increase in criminal activity. Comments
have been received both in favor of and against the project.
Item 10b. Artisan Square Commercial Development. This project consists of the development
of 125,000 square feet of retail space on 14.65 acres of vacant property at the northwest
corner of Brimhall Road and Allen Road. The Planning Commission approved the Planned
Development Review on May 21, 2015. This item is to hear two appeals of that decision. One
appeal requests modifications to the conditions approved by the Planning Commission
based on claims for the need for light mitigation, traffic signal locations, hours of operation
and noise reduction measures. The second appeal requests denial of the proposal based on
claims of traffic impacts, noise and light pollution, public safety and overall quality of life
concerns. Staff has received comments both in support and in opposition of the proposed
project.
Approved:
Alan Tandy, City Manager CH for
Agenda Highlights - July 22, 2015 Council Meeting
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