CITY OF LAGUNA WOODS CALIFORNIA
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
January 29, 2003
2:00 P.M.
Mayor Hack called the Adjourned Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Laguna Woods to order at 2:00 p.m.
Mayor Pro tem Ring led the Flag salute.
III. ROLL CALL
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Bouer, McLaughlin, Ross, Ring, Hack
ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Keane; Deputy Attorney Morgan; City Clerk Condon; Assistant City Manager Reilly; Community Director Barr, City Engineer Nelson
None.
None
None.
VII. PUBLIC HEARINGS
None.
VIII. COUNCIL BUSINESS
8.1 Advisory Committee Appointments
City Manager Keane advised there were no nominations.
Councilmember McLaughlin stated there was a need for more applicants and to please call City Hall for an application.
City Manager Keane reported the County review committee has strongly recommended approval of the City’s CDBG grant application for interior unit weatherization. The Board of Supervisors will still need to approve the grant. The elevator grant application has been moved to a waiting list for future consideration. Mayor Hack thanked staff for their time.
9.1 El Toro Road Improvements
City Manager Keane stated that in October, the Council approved, in concept, a plan that would create a 14-foot sidewalk on the south side of El Toro Road to provide safe pedestrian access. Staff was directed to prepare final design plans and to solicit public input through a series of public meetings. Five meetings were held, two at City Hall and three in the Leisure World community (including a televised presentation to the United Laguna Hills Board of Directors). The proposal was also presented at several meetings of the Golden Rain Foundation Government and Public Relations committee and two at Third LHM Board meetings. Comments were received and modifications were incorporated into the final plan. City Manager Keane presented traffic accident statistics on Moulton and El Toro. She advised the Golden Rain Foundation has taken a position against the 14 foot width of the sidewalk requesting the number three lane heading east be 19 feet wide to assist in traffic flow.
Assistant City Manager Reilly informed Council the presentation would highlight the proposed improvements to public right of way, streets, mediums and sidewalks.
Mayor Hack requested the proposed improvements be segmented for discussion and staff concurred.
Discussion was held on lengthening the eastbound El Toro Road left turn lane onto northbound Moulton Parkway and either maintain the east and westbound left turn breaks or eliminate the left turns and permit U-turns eastbound at El Toro and Moulton Parkway and westbound at El Toro and Home Deport Drive.
Dr. Charles Acton, owner of the Laguna Hills Animal Hospital, expressed his concerns to Council on closing the left turn lanes.
Marty Rhodes, resident, requested that consideration be given to installing two left turn lanes from El Toro Road to northbound Moulton.
Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Ring, seconded by Mayor Hack carried unanimously to approve the following:
Assistant City Manager Reilly continued the presentation highlighting the existing street and sidewalk. The proposed 14 foot sidewalk, 5 foot landscape area and the lengthening of the eastbound and westbound El Toro Road left turn lanes onto Avenida Sevilla and the lengthening of the eastbound El Toro Road striped right turn lane onto Avenida Sevilla were also discussed
Assistant City Manager Reilly further discussed providing a second eastbound El Toro Road left turn lane onto Paseo de Valencia and an eastbound El Toro Road striped right turn lane onto Paseo de Valencia. He noted that federal funds have been requested for this portion of the project and this would be done in conjunction with the City of Laguna Hills.
Staff also requested approval to implement the City’s adopted median and right-of-way landscape plans along El Toro Road between Moulton Parkway and Paseo de Valencia.
Kevin Canning, representing GRF, expressed concern about improved traffic flow and pedestrian safety. He advised that GRF felt a 10 foot sidewalk, 5 foot landscape buffer and a 19 foot right hand lane into Gate 1 would be appropriate. GRF felt the left turns into Gates 1 and 5 were fine. Mr. Canning questioned whether the 14 foot sidewalks would be consistent with the General Plan’s 9 foot standard.
City Manager Keane reported the General Plan standards are minimum standards to be used when constructing sidewalks or land is being taken from a private property land owner. All the proposed property is owned by the City.
Milt Robbins, GRF President, requested the process be slowed down to work out a plan that will deal with the safety of residents and surrounding communities. He also stated that verbal assurances had been given that the plans would not affect the traffic allotment, but GRF was still concerned with traffic allotments and the sale of GRF property.
City Manager Keane reported the project had been underway for a year and comments had been received from GRF and Third and have been responded to. She further advised that City staff maintains that traffic trip allotments would not be affected by the sidewalk as proposed.
Virginia Templeton, Community Services Committee, reported the Committee and various subcommittees of the City had expressed concerns on beatification and transportation within the City. She reported that at the January 8, 2003 Community Services Committee meeting the proposed plans were unanimously approved.
Moved by Councilmember Ross and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Ring to approve the following:
The motion was amended by Mayor Pro Tem Ring and seconded by Councilmember Ross to allow staff the authority to make minor technical modifications without the need to return to Council.
Moved by Councilmember Ross, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Ring and carried unanimously to approve the motion as amended.
Moved by Councilmember Bouer, seconded by Councilmember Ross and carried unanimously to approve the following:
Moved by Councilmember McLaughlin, seconded by Councilmember Bouer and carried unanimously to approve implementing the City’s adopted median and right-of-way landscape plans along El Toro Road between Moulton Parkway and Paseo de Valencia:
9.2 Stormwater Program Draft Local Implementation Plan (LIP)
City Manager Keane commended Community Development Director Barr for the work in compiling the City’s Stormwater LIP Program.
Community Development Director Barr advised the City must comply with the NPDES program requirements and in coordination with the County, had developed a Local Implementation Plan. The LIP is the guiding policy for the City’s stormwater program and will evolve to meet the needs of the City. The draft document must be submitted to the San Diego Regional Board for review by February 13, 2003. Once the LIP is approved by the Regional Boards, the document will come back to Council for final adoption. Community Development Director Barr noted that each of the two Regional Boards have some items requiring stricter compliance. Therefore, the City will comply with the stricter compliance to enable consistent enforcement of the Program.
Community Development Director Barr provided a power point presentation and briefly explained the NPDES Program, DAMP, and the Laguna Woods LIP Program.
Mayor Hack thanked Community Development Director Barr for a fantastic job.
Kevin Canning, representing GRF, commended the City and Community Development Director Barr for the job. He advised that both GRF and PCM look forward to working with the City.
Moved by Councilmember Bouer, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Ring and carried unanimously to approve the City’s Draft Stormwater Local Implementation Plan, in concept, and authorize submission to the Regional Boards for comment
Deputy Attorney Morgan reported everything was fine per City Attorney Biggs.
11.1 Laguna Canyon Foundation (Mayor Pro Tem Ring)
Mayor Pro Tem Ring had nothing to report.
11.2 El Toro Reuse Planning Authority (ETRPA) (Mayor Hack)
Mayor Hack reported several suits were settled.
11.3 San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Authority (SJHTCA) (Mayor Hack)
Mayor Hack reported the merger of the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor and Foothill Eastern continues to move forward. There will be a meeting Friday to welcome new members.
11.4 Vector Control District (Councilmember Bouer)
Councilmember Bouer reported that it is expected the fire ant program will be discontinued unless funds can be found.
11.5 Orange County Library Board (Councilmember McLaughlin)
Councilmember McLaughlin reported that thanks to prior boards, no cuts would be required during the current budget period.
11.6 Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) (Councilmember Ross)
Councilmember Ross discussed the vote taken on a resolution. The new training center should be completed about September.
Councilmember Ross reported she attended the Board of Supervisors meeting and they are looking at large cuts in the budget.
XII. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Marty Rhodes, resident, asked Councilmember Bouer if Africanized bees have been eliminated. Councilmember Bouer reported there has been little activity in Orange County.
XIII. CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Councilmember Bouer reported that he attended a meeting in Irvine Tuesday evening where the Secretary of the Navy spoke about Irvine’s Great Park plan for the former El Toro Marine Base.
Mayor Hack reported that he and Irvine Mayor Argon met with several County supervisors relative to the El Toro Marine Base.
City Manager Keane reported that due to the budget issues, there will be several articles in newspapers mentioning Laguna Woods, as we are taking the largest percentage of cuts.
XIV. CLOSED SESSION
None
The meeting was adjourned at 3:50 p.m. A Regular Meeting of the City Council will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 19, 2003 at Laguna Woods Council Chamber, 24264 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92653
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SUSAN M. CONDON, City Clerk
Adopted: February 19, 2003
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BERT HACK, Mayor
