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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - CC - 2001.01.021" REGULAR MEETING CALLED TO ORDER A 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 at7:00 p.m. by Mayor Joe Galligan. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG Led by David Bamrto 3. ROLL CALL. COUNCIL PRESENT: COUNCIL ABSENT: GALLIGAN, JANNEY, O'MAHONY, SPINELLI COFFEY 4. MINUTES Mayor Galligan requested the following be added to item 6c of the December 18ft minutes, regarding the Appeal of the Planning Commission's approval of a conditional use permit for a dry cleaning processing plant at 1360 Broadway: "Councilfourud it was cruciul to sustain the commercial and retail mix in the Broadway commercial ures and to closely examine possible parking conflicts during busy hours on Broadway, which is both shopping and a commuter avenue". Councilwoman Janney made a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting held on December 18, 2000; seconded by Councilwoman O'Mahony, approved by voice vote, 4-0-1, with Councilman Coffey absent. 5. PUBLIC HEARINGS 5a. PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED SAN MATEO COUNTY TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, THE BASIS FOR AND LEYY OF ASSESSMENTS FOR CA Anderson noted this is the first of at least two public hearings Council will have on the formation of the proposed Business Improvement District. The idea presented by the San Mateo County Convention and Visitors Bureau and San Francisco Peninsula Hotel Council is to form a Business Improvement District encompassing a number of cities within the County as well as the unincorporated area. The cities proposed to be included in the district are Belmont, Burlingame, Brisbane, Daly City, Foster City, Flalf Moon Bay, Millbrae, Redwood City, San Carlos, San Bruno, San Mateo, South San Francisco and the unincorporated areas of the County. The district would be divided into two zones and would encompass all hotels. Hotels are defined and include anywhere where people stay on a transient basis" Ond'zone would be on the coast side that would pay adifferent levy of assessment; the second zone would be on the bay side. The purpose of the levy would be to assess each hotel based on the number of rooms they have; that money would then go toward tourism and convention promotion in the County and these funds would provide a sustainable income to the Convention Bureau. Currently, a number of the cities have consented to being included in the district; when each Burlingame City Council t. 27r January 2,2001 BURLINGAME, CALIFORNIA January 212001 THE DISTRICT FOR THE YEAR 2OO1 City has consented, the Burlingame City Council will adopt an Ordinance that would form the district and the City of Burlingame would administer the district. It would be a large assessment district, with a total of assessments of approximately $2 million. The assessments proposed for the coming year are based on the level of service provided by each establishment as well as what the past occupancy rates have been. Certain types of hotels on the coast side have lower occupancy during the week than the hotels on the bayside, which is addressed in the assessment. The base line assessment is $1.00 per room per day. The process from here forward would encompass a public hearing on January 17 and a public hearing on the ordinance itself on February 5, at which time the ordinance could be adopted and the assessments levied. Mayor Galligan verified with Finance Director Becker that all monies collected from the cities will funnel through a trust account and will be immediately sent to the Convention Bureau. Mayor Galligan also noted that if a hotel in another City refused to pay the fee, it would initially be that City's issue; the administering of the district should not require a lot of Burlingame's staff time. Mayor Galligan opened the public hearing. Peter Marshall, General Manager for the Doubletree Hotel, asked if the Resolution gives permission for the hotels to levy a tourism tax on the guests and what would Burlingame's position be if other cities within San Mateo County were to defeat the Resolution. CA Anderson explained that this is not atax; it is an assessment that is placed on the hotel business and not on the hotel guest. Unlike the Transient Occupancy Tax, which is an obligation to be paid by the person who occupies the room, this is an assessment placed on the business. How the business chooses to collect the fee from other parties is up to the hotel. The Bureau has provided recommendations on how to pay the assessment. Consent has already been received from at least five cities in the County so Burlingame will not be alone in the district. Ann LeClaire, President of the San Mateo County Convention and Visitors Bureau, noted that the BID was reviewed by two City Attorneys and there have been many discussions on how the assessment can be collected from the hotel guests. Mr. Marshall stated he understood that several cities have indicated they would be in favor of the BID, but that there was also a requirement that the hotels voice approval. He felt that even though the City may approve the BID, the hotel owners might not agree as a group; it doesn't seem correct to say that the Resolution is guaranteed to pass. CA Anderson explained there are two levels of political governance. One is that there has to be a protest by 50o/o of the assessed valuation; even if the majority of the hotels in a City didn't want to participate and filed written protest with the City of Burlingame, that would not have any effect on the final action of the Burlingame City Council. Burlingame is looking at the entire district and the overall assessment, not city by city. The ke., issue is the Consent Resolution from the City Councils. James Berilla, Villa Hotel, asked how the hotels are being charged for the fees and why the hotels aren't paying the same rate. Ann LeClaire noted that many options were reviewed and the best determined was the hotels with the most meeting space and level of service had the greatest number of options in terms of meetings and groups they could attract. The smaller properties could be assessed at $.15 per night and be listed in literature and receive visitor guides and maps for their guests; the larger properties would want referrals for meetings, etc. CA Anderson stated if a particular hotel feels they were misclassified, they should notify Ann LeClaire or the City. There were no further comments and the hearing was closed. January 2,2001 272 Burlingame City Council Council questions: Councilwoman O'Mahony asked CA Anderson if each General Manager and property owner has received a description of the different zones. He stated that each hotel and each property owner received a complete copy of the previous resolution and a formal notice, a letter from the Convention Bureau that indicated what the proposed classification was and what the calculated number of rooms that they understood existed on the property were. 5b. ADOPT ORDINANCE REDUCING MEMBERSHIP ON TRAFFIC, SAFETY AND PARIilNG COMISSION FROM SEVEN TO FIVE MEMBERS CA Anderson noted that at the last meeting, Council introduced an ordinance that would change the composition of the Traffic, Safety and Parking Commission from seven members to five members. This was an idea that came to council due to the difficulty of reaching a quorum at commission meetings. This was an opportunity to reduce the members due to vacancies on the commission. Mayor Galligan opened the public hearing. There were no comments and the hearing was closed Councilwoman O'Mahony made a motion to approve the ordinance reducing membership on the Traffic, Safety and Parking Commission from seven to five members; seconded by Councilwoman Janney, approved by voice vote, 4-0-1, with Councilman Coffey absent. The Mayor asked the City Clerk to publish a summary of the Ordinance no later than 15 days after adoption. At this time, Mayor Galligan congratulated Dwana Bain for the aw'ard she received for her news coverage of Sunbridge Convalescent Hospital. There were no comments 7. STAFF REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS None" 8. coNSENr CALENDAB a. RE,SOLUTION ACCEPTING IMPROVEMENTS _ BURLINGAME SHORELINE TRAIL _ CP 9643 Director of Public Works Bagdon recommended that Council approve the Resolution accepting the Burlingame Shoreline Trail improvements in the amount of $36,303.26. Burlingame City Council 273 January 2,2001 6. PUBLIC COMMENT b. OUT OF STATE TRAVEL FOR RECREATION TRICIA PINNEY Parks and Recreation Director Williams recommended that the City Council authorize Recreation Supervisor, Tricia Pinney, to attend the upcoming CalFest Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 27-29,2001. - c. REJECT CLAIM OF EVELYN DMITROWICH FOR PERSONAL INJURY CA Anderson recommended Council reject the claim filed by Ms. Dmitrowich for personal injuries suffered on September 13, 2000. d. APPROVAL OF CONTRACT WITH BURLINGAME AOUATIC CLUB Recreation Superintendent Randy Schwartz recommended Council authorize the City Manager to sign the attached contract with the Burlingame Aquatic Club. e. PROPOSED PRICE CHANGE ON RANGE BALLS AT BURLINGAME GOLF CENTER Parks and Recreation Director John Williams recommended that Council approve the proposed change of price charged to range users for the large bucket of range balls at the Burlingame Golf Center from $9.00 per bucket to $10.00 per bucket. Recreation Superintendent Randy Schwartz recommended that Council appoint Earl Walker (Chronicle), Mark Schlemmer (San Mateo Daily Journal) and Michael Billingsley (San Francisco Bay Guardian) to the Newsrack Committee. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT AMENDMENT NO. 1_ ENGINEERING CONSULTING SERVICES, WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT PHASE II _ CP 9953 Assistant Director ofrPublic Works Erbacher recommended that Council approve the Amendment with Roman and Lougee increasing efforts to atotal of $118,175. Vice Mayor Spinelli made a motion to approve the consent calendar; seconded by Councilwoman Janney, approved by voice vote,4-0-1, with Councilman Coffey absent' 9. COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS Councilwoman O'Mbhony attended the Lions Holiday lunch for Council, Commendation presentation to Retired Police Commander Parkin, swearing in of Commander Brad Floyd and Sergeant Jim Ford. Councilwoman Janney attended the opening of the North County Emergency Winter Shelter and a meeting with Larry Teshara, along with Mayor Galligan, regarding potential sites for an ESL program. Mayor Galligan was present at the swearing in of Commander Brad Floyd and Sergeant Jim Ford, the Lions Holiday lunch, and met with the Airport regarding the runway expansion and the effects on the City of Burlingame as well as the shoreline. January 2,2001 274 Burlingame City Council f. APPOINTMENT OF THE NEWSRACK COMMITTEE MEMBERS 10. OLD BUSINESS Councilwoman O'Mahony brought up the letter from the Grand Jury. There was discussion by all Council. Councilwoman Janney made a motion to authorize Mayor Galligan to respond to the Grand Jury's letter; seconded by Councilwoman O'Mahony, approved by voice vote,4-0-1, with Councilman Coffey absent. 11. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business. 12. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Commission Minutes: Traffic, Safety and Parking, December 14,2000; Civil Service, September 25 andNovember 20,2000 Monthly Reports: Police, November 2000; Building, November 2000 Letter from 2000-2001 Grand Jury regarding Report on October 18,2000 d. Letter from Sigrun Franco regarding the proposed hospital parking structure 13. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Galligan adjourned the meeting at7:50 p.m. in memory of Ed Bridgeman and Tommy O'Connor. a. b. c. 0rr* / 9lL,.4t4D Ann T. Musso City Clerk Burlingame City Council 275 January 2,2001