HomeMy WebLinkAbout00 - Insider's GuideSeptember 25, 2018
Insider's Guide
From: Obornv, Shirlev
Subject: Newport Beach Insider"s Guide - Council Meeting of Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Date: Friday, September 21, 2018 3:28:50 PM
Sent on behalf of City Manager Grace Leung...
Happy Friday!
Three weeks with the City in a blink of an eye! I am learning so much, but then I
feel there's just so much more to learn. Luckily the staff is great in getting me up to
speed on many issues and community members too — the number of intelligent,
engaged and civic minded people here is impressive. I suspect you will keep me on
my toes!
Our next meeting is on Tuesday, September 25, and the following are items that may
be of interest. As always, this is not a summary of the entire agenda, which can be
viewed here.
No Study Session items this week, so a little more time for dinner before the Regular
Session at 7 p.m.
Regular Session items of note:
• Although the second reading of the updated ordinance on Accessory
Dwelling Units (ADUs) is on the consent calendar, we are requesting the City
Council continue this item to a future meeting to provide an additional
opportunity for City Council discussion on this ordinance. Changes were
proposed to conform with new state requirements; however, following
discussion on this item at the public hearing on September 11th we'd like to
explore additional potential options to restrict ADUs while still conforming with
state law.
• The next step in the Water Wheel project is on the agenda, to approve the
Mitigated Negative Declaration in accordance with CEQA. This project will
build a facility that captures floating trash that passes through San Diego
Creek into the bay. Along with another trash capture facility and storm drain
system trash collection efforts, this will reduce trash loads by 50%-80%, for a
noticeable impact. Construction is estimated to begin in spring 2020 and take
six months.
• As part of our continuing efforts to address traffic, two traffic signal
synchronization projects are on the agenda. One project is to synchronize
traffic signals along MacArthur Boulevard, coordinated with the City of Irvine to
cover 22 signalized intersections (nine within Newport Beach). The agenda
item is to approve the application for grant funds for this project. The second
project is along the Culver Drive -Bonita Canyon Drive corridor, also a joint
project with Irvine. Grant funds have been award for this project and the
agenda item is to approve the cooperative agreement with Irvine.
The Finance Committee recently considered the appropriateness of the
General Fund Contingency Reserve level. A study by the Government
Finance Officers Association (GFOA) was commissioned to assess risks. Based
on the findings identified in the report and other factors, staff and the
Committee recommend maintaining the current Reserve funding level at 25%
of operating expenditures. The Committee also recommends a change in how
the annual contributions to the Reserve is calculated. In the past two years,
the City Manager has recommended, and the City Council has approved, the
exclusion of additional discretionary pension payments to CalPERS from the
annual reserve calculation. Otherwise, the City is required to reserve a higher
amount than intended, as the Contingency Reserve is meant to ensure
services are provided during extraordinary circumstances, which would leave
less available for program funding. The agenda item codifies this exclusion in
F-2.
• There are two items related to the additional crossing guards in the
Newport Heights neighborhood. Two crossing guards were recommended in
the Newport Heights Neighborhood Schools Traffic Study and were approved
by the City Council on August 14. Agenda item 13 allocates the funding for
those two new crossing guards, which were already added in time for the first
day of the school year. Agenda item 14 amends the contract to allocate
funding for a third new crossing guard recommended by the City Traffic
Engineer based on pedestrian counts and field observation. The locations of
the three new crossing guards are: one at Coral Place and Irvine Avenue
adjacent to Ensign Intermediate and two at 15th Street and Santa Ana Avenue
adjacent to Newport Heights Elementary (one for east/west pedestrians and
one for north/south pedestrians).
• For public hearing is the call for review of the Planning Commission's approval
of a variance and coastal development permit to demolish an existing single-
family residence and allow the construction of a new single-family residence at
3200 Ocean Boulevard. Pursuant to our municipal code, the call for review
is conducted as a new hearing. This means the City Council is not bound by
the Planning Commission's prior decisions or limited to the issues raised at the
lower hearing.
Thank you to everyone who reached out after my first "Insider's Guide." I appreciate
the kind words of support! It was also clear that there is considerable interest in
maintaining this communication. As I mentioned last time, while I am looking for
way to improve our outreach, I will continue this guide.
Thank you for reading. Feedback is appreciated so please don't hesitate to ask a
question or offer a comment.
Grace
Grace K. Leung
City Manager
City of Newport Beach
100 Civic Center Drive, Bay 2E
Newport Beach, CA 92660
gIeung@ new port beach ca. gov
P: 949-644-3001 F: 949-644-3020