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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - CC - 1994.02.239B BI.]RLINGAME, CALIFORNIA February 23,1994 CALL TO ORDER A duly noticed regular meeting of the Burlingame City Council was held on the above date in the City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order at7:30 p.m.by Mayor O'Mahony PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG lrd by Michael Lrnnon, High School Board Trustee. ROLL CALL COUNCIL PRESENT: COUNCIL ABSENT: HARRISON, KNIGHT, O'MAHONY, PAGLIARO, SPINELLI NONE MINUTES The minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 7, 1994 were unanimously approved after a change by Councilwoman Knight to show she reported on the Council of Cities meeting, not C/CAG. PUBLIC HEARING - APPEAL FOR SIGN EXCEPTION FOR CHURCH AT 2828 TROUSDALE DRIVE - PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION UPHELD City Planner reviewed her memo of February 11 which recommended council hold a public hearing and take action. Laura Bernstein of United Signs is requesting a sign exception for the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses at2828 Trousdale Drive. The request is to add one wall sign4 inches by 14 feet identifying the building in Spanish. The same size letters will be used as the existing sign and both signs would be indirectly lit from lights placed in the shrubbery in front and below the wall. A sign exception is required for size of signage on the primary frontage (23.6 SF requested, 15 SF allowed) and for the number of signs (3 requested, 1 allowed). In March 1977 the church requested a sign exception to place a directory sign and two wall signs on the site. Over the years the directory sign has been replaced with a larger sign. Recently staff approved a permit to reface this directory sign. The new sign face is internally lit of white plexiglass with black lettering and is brighter than the previous black background, white lettering sign it replaced. The Planning Commission voted to deny the directory sign and approve the wall sign, requiring that the directory sign be returned to its original size and low level internal illumination, and that the signs be lit no later than 9:00 p.m. or 10:30 p.m. when evening meetings take place. Mayor O'Mahony opened the public hearing. Laura Bernstein of United Signs said the church has adjusted the timing and brightness of the sign to accommodate neighbors' concerns; they would like to keep the directory sign as it is now; she presented photos of the sign before and after recent brightness adjustments; showed copies of permits for sign changes allowed by city including ones affecting reuse of existing poles; presented charts with comparisons of sign size of other churches in city. She requested council allow the existing sign with diminished lighting and timing to remain on the site. She responded to council questions. 99 Robert Trares, 2841 Trousdale (directly across street), spoke in opposition; has lived there since 1973, this is an R-1 zorue, objected to bright signs on church; previous directory sign was black background with white letters, new sign is white background with black letters and much brighter; would like sign returned to black background; requested deny the Spanish sign, not necessary since church is clearly labeled now. Laura Bernstein rebutted; other churches have illuminated signs; church is sharing quarters with a Spanish congregation which meets on different days, need Spanish sign for those people; during winter hours the sign will be illuminated until 8:30 p.m. but during summer it would not be illuminated because it does not get dark until after 8:30 p.m.; suggested street lights are brighter; requested council allow the signs to remain. The hearing was closed. Council discussed change from dark background to light background; City Planner reviewed the permit procedure, sign was considered non-conforming and they can change face of non-conforming sign if activity is the same. In 1977 they were granted a smaller sign, we don't have record of when it was changed to larger size; most council members did not object to the Spanish addition to wall sign but objected to the brighter white sign; Mayor and Councilwoman Knight did not think the Spanish sign was necessary. After more discussion, Councilman Harrison moved to uphold the Planning Commission action but to allow the present size directory sign with face change to a dark background with white lettering and all other conditions of the Planning Commission action. Seconded by Councilman Pagliaro, carried 4-1 on roll call vote, Councilwoman Knight voting no. PUBLIC HEARING - APPEAL FOR FRONT SETBACK VARIANCE FOR AN ADDITION AT 1480-8 OAI( GROVE AVENUE - PLANNING COMMISSION DENIAL UPHELD City Planner reviewed her memo of February ll, 1994 which recommended council hold a public hearing and take action. Angelo Taverna, property owner and applicant, is requesting a front setback variance in order to make a two story addition (garage with bedroom and bath over it) to the front of the duplex at 1480 Oak Grove. The 756 SF addition would provide a two car attached garage with two rooms above with 16 feet front setback. Because of the deep setbacks along this block, the average of the existing front setbacks is used to calculate required setback, the average is 24 feet. The Ptanning Commission denied this request at its January 24 meeting. Mayor O'Mahony opened the public hearing. The applicant and his builder, Morris Tipper, were present. Mr. Tipper said he had drawn the plans, was willing to make changes, there was a mistake on the elevation drawing of the garage doors, they should be closer together; willing to set back the second story and reduce size of garage, then would only need a six foot variance for the first floor; asked for council guidance. Council discussed with applicants that project they were considering was one submitted to Planning Commission; council thought project was too massive, agreed with Planning Commission there were other alternatives, could use the back yard area, remove the existing one-car garage and replace with larger garage; can't find any unusual conditions to warrant a variance. The hearing was closed. Council was concerned about ability to maneuver into the proposed garage and using the entire front yard as driveway area; neighbors were concerned about mass and bulk. Councilman Harrison moved to uphold the Planning Commission denial. Seconded by Councilman Spinelli and carried unanimously by roll call vote. 100 PUBLIC HEARING - SECOND READING - ORDINANCE 1497 ESTABLISHING STOP SIGN ON FAIRFIELD ROAD AT EDGEHILL DRIVE Director of Public Works reviewed his memo of February 1 which recommended council adopt this ordinance after a public hearing. In January the Planning Commission approved conditions for a fence exception at 841Fairfield; one condition was that the applicants pay for installation of this stop sign. The Traffic Commission subsequently reviewed and approved the request. Councilman Harrison moved adoption of ORDINANCE t496. Seconded by Councilman Spinelli and carried unanimously by roll call vote. PUBLIC COMMENTS Bill Key, cochairman of the Burlingame Train Station Centennial Committee, told council the history of this committee of community volunteers; reviewed plans for the celebration on September 17 in conjunction with the annual community picnic day; the committee is having difficulty in acquiring the necessary $2 million insurance coverage and he asked council support in their application to the Joint Powers Board. Marilyn Short, cochairman, told of committee members work and support; inquiries of insurance company has resulted in finding the cost of insurance would be about $3,800; committee can't come up with that much money. Council discussed at length; would write letter of support to Joint Powers Board (JPB) on behalf of the committee. Councilman Pagliaro said this type of event should be covered under the JPB insurance, they should request that the JPB participate in putting on this event since the JPB owns the building; City Attorney said it appeared the JPB was self-insured. Karen Key said the JPB staff is not aware of how much the train depot means to the citizens of Burlingame. Glenn Mendelson, 475 Cumberland, said his videotaping the meeting would reduce cost that council was concerned with during election, he requested council ask Pacific Cable about cost to televise the tape; regarding the air pollution from airport, he requested council follow up on Councilman Pagliaro's request for installation of an air monitoring station; he would be attending a hospital board meeting and inquiring about earthquake insurance again. Councilman Pagliaro asked about letter he requested; City Manager said Janet Fogarty, representative to Air Board, supported Burlingame's request for an air monitoring station and the City of Millbrae was offering space for it. Pagliaro requested staff specifically inquire about the criteria for locating such a station. RESOLUTION 5-94 AUTHORIZING CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR LANDFILL CLOSURE PLAN - CP 9117 Public Works Director reviewed his memo of February 23 which recommended council approve a contract with Woodward Clyde Consultants, along with 3-E Engineering, for professional services in the amount of $456,300 for Phase I of the design and bidding for the landfill final closure. He told of the hearing recently held by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board which is requiring the city to install a landfill gas collection system this year. Unless the grading needed to develop the landfill is done prior to the installation of the gas collection system, there would be added costs to grade after installing the gas collection system. Staff suggested grading be done as quickly as possible and then a landfill gas collection system be installed to show the board we are attempting to meet requirements. Director responded to council questions; city has been fined for non-compliance; reviewed some ideas brought forth during the recent bayfront Charette; Councilman Mayor opened the public hearing. There were no comments and the hearing was closed. 101 Pagliaro said his firm represents Woodward Clyde and he would abstain from vote. Councilman Harrison moved adoption of RESOLUTION 5-94, seconded and carried 4-0, Councilman Pagliaro abstaining from vote. COMMISSIONER TERM EXPIRATIONS City Manager's memo of February 9 noted there are five term expirations coming up among the Senior Commission, Planning Commission and Library Board. Council concurred with setting March 25 as the deadline for applying for these positions. BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS Councilman Harrison said he and Mayor O'Mahony had interviewed for the three positions on Beautification; he nominated Jeannie Gilmore-Friend and William Ward for reappointment and William McGowan for the vacancy. Councilman Pagliaro asked the nominating committee if they had considered that Gilmore-Friend had already served over three terms; they had. There were no other nominations and they were unanimously affirmed. TRI-CITY WATER PIPELINE Public Works Director reviewed his memo of February 15 which recommended council approve the City Manager beginning discussions with Hillsborough and Millbrae City Managers as to the best type of agreement or agency to proceed with this project. Council directed staff to investigate obtaining a direct connection to San Francisco Water Department's San Andreas Water Treatment Plant in north Millbrae to provide emergency access to local water supplies and increase storage. Millbrae and later Hillsborough were interested in joining this study. The study recommended a combination gravity-pressure pipeline and additional 10 million gallons storage to be shared by the three cities. Storage tanks would be located next to the water treatment plant in Millbrae, along Sebastian and Skyline in Burlingame, and along Skyline in Hillsborough. The benefits of such a plan are 1) a local source of water in the event of a disaster shutting down the Hetch Hetchy pipelines; 2) more local storage for operational savings and fire fighting; and 3) a reduction in operation costs by eliminating pump stations. There are many institutional matters to be settled before this project can proceed - the kind of agency to acquire property, connection to SFWD, and financing the project. Cost estimates are over $8 million. Staff feels the City Managers should meet and bring a recorlmendation to their respective councils as soon as possible. Council discussed various locations for storage; long and short amortization; agreed we should proceed. Councilwoman Knight moved approval of City Manager meeting with other managers. Seconded by Councilman Harrison and carried unanimously. CONSENT CALENDAR WARRANTS AND PAYROLL Finance Director recommended approval of Warrants 30533 - 31010, duly audited, in the amount of $886,220.18 and Payroll Checks 63384 - 64147 for the month of January 1994 in the amount of $1,321 ,137.31. a 102 c b REOUEST FROM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR BURLINGAME AVENUE SIDEWALK SALE. APRIL 22-23 Chamber letter of February 16 requested council approve the annual Burlingame Avenue Sidewalk Sale to be held Friday and Saturday, April 22-23,1994. RESOLUTION 6-94 AUTHORIZING FISCAL SERVICES AGREEMENT AND ESTAB- LISHMENT OF SPECIAL FUND TO REPAY STATE LOAN FOR WASHINGTON PARK WATER WELL - CP 9317 Public Works memo of February 17 recommended council approve this agreement authoriz- ing the City Manager and Finance Director/Treasurer to sign the agreement and establish a special fund to repay the State Loan. The city received a loan under the Water Conservation Bond Law of 1988 in the amount of $447,700. Councilman Harrison moved approval of the Consent Calendar. Seconded by Councilman Pagliaro, carried unanimously. Councilwoman Knight reported on a kgislative Committee meeting at which the "three strikes you're out" legislation was discussed along with new smoking legislation; she had also attended Criminal Justice. Councilman Harrison reported the City Manager had been appointed to the Convention Bureau Board for a one year term. Councilman Pagliaro had recently spent two days in State prisons observing the penal system at work. Mayor O'Mahony said C/CAG would be discussing regional governance. OLD BUSINESS Mayor O'Mahony congratulated the Fire Department on fighting a major fire on Alvarado. She also congratulated the Police Department and SWAT teams. Council asked for letters of commendation to departments, and the San Mateo SWAT team and Belmont Police regarding the Jamil case. Councilman Spinelli asked council to support Mendelson's request regarding televising meetings; Mayor thought this would be better brought up during cable franchise renewal negotiations. Councilwoman Knight said since Mendelson is a television producer, the quality of tapes would not be in question; she had no objection to asking cable manager about expense of running the tapes. Councilman Pagliaro said since cable is required to provide public access he thought Mendelson could just request the cable company to run the tapes. Councilman Harrison was concerned that tapes might be edited after council meetings. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Commission Minutes: Beautification, February 3; Broadway BID Board, January 11; Civil Service, January 11; Traffic, Safety and Parking, February 10; Planning, February 14, 1994 b a. Department Reports: Building, January 1994; Police, January 1994, Treasurer, January 31, t994. COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS 103 c. ktter from Airport Director Lou Turpen regarding Airport MOU. Mayor asked staff respond to Turpen. d. Proclamation: Arbor Day, March 7 , 1994. Councilman Spinelli asked about the Police Report format; Chief responded. ADJOURNMENT Councilwoman Knight moved to adjourn at 9:46 p.m. Seconded by Councilman Harrison and carried unanimously. Judith A. Malfatti City Clerk