HomeMy WebLinkAbout00 - Insider's GuideMay 14, 2019
Insider's Guide
From: Biddle, Jennifer
Subject: Insider"s Guide - May 10, 2019
Date: Friday, May 10, 2019 1:30:18 PM
Forwarded on behalf of City Manager Grace Leung...
Happy Friday! Our next City Council meeting is Tuesday, May 14. 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.
A Special Joint Meeting of the City Council and Finance Committee begins at 4 p.m. to
review the Proposed FY 2019-20 Operating Budget. Revenues and operating
expenditures by department will be discussed, including major program enhancements
incorporated into the budget as well as proposed revisions that were not initially
included. This is my first proposed budget to present for City Council consideration and I
am pleased to present a balanced budget that maintains a high level of service to the
community and addresses Council priorities. The Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
Budget will be discussed at the next City Council meeting. The proposed budget is
available online and can be viewed here.
Study Session begins at 5 p.m. and includes an update on the City Emergency Council.
This item was scheduled for the last meeting but we ran out of time. Staff will provide
background on the City's Emergency Council, in effect since 1939, and give an update on
the City's current disaster preparedness activities. Staff will also seek Council input on
proposed recommendations to enhance communications with the City Council and the
community regarding the City's emergency plans and activities.
The Regular Session begins at 7 p.m. and the following are items of note:
• On the consent calendar is confirmation of citizen appointments for the newly
formed Homeless Task Force and an increase in the number of Council Member
representatives on this task force to a total of three councilmembers. Also on
consent is the initiation of code changes to reduce the massing of three-story
residential structures by reducing the impact caused by covered patio roof decks
and to change design standards to preserve residential beach cottages. This
direction was provided by City Council at the last study session. Additionally, the
approval of a contract with Jeff Katz Architecture is on consent to prepare
concept plans, project permitting and construction documents for a new Junior
Lifeguard building. It is estimated this work will take approximately 26 months.
• For public hearing, are proposed revisions to the City Council policy on parks,
facilities and recreation program donations. In July 2018, Council temporarily
suspended this policy and directed staff to work with the Parks, Beaches and
Recreation (PB&R) Commission to address concerns arising from the increasing
number of donation items and the associated time and resources required to
maintain this program. The PB&R Commission has approved proposed revisions,
which include changes to the donation and maintenance period and the types of
benches used throughout the City, and the revisions are now brought forward for
Council consideration.
• Last comprehensively updated in 2008, the 2019 Water Master Plan has been
prepared for Council review and adoption. The plan identifies the necessary
capital improvement projects, and their anticipated cost, over the next 30 years
in order to maintain the desired performance and integrity of the City's water
system. The plan estimates an additional $2 million annually is required ($7
million annually versus the current annual funding level of $5 million) to support
the necessary projects. The Water Master Plan is a major component in
determining City water rates and this 2019 plan will be incorporated into the
water rate study that is currently underway.
• Following extensive input from the community and the PB&R Commission,
conceptual design for the Grant Howald Park Rehabilitation Project is ready for
review and approval by the City Council. The project is a significant rehabilitation
with upgrades to the playground layout and equipment, sports field and to the
Fifth Avenue streetscape, including a recommendation to underground existing
utility lines and pole removal on Fifth Avenue. The total cost of the project,
including the undergrounding, is estimated at $6.85 million with funding for
design in the current CIP budget. Funding is available from park dedication funds
from development projects. If approved, the construction is estimated to start
summer 2020 and run approximately 12 months.
As a reminder, public comment is welcome at the City Council meeting. The public can
comment on any item on the agenda. If you cannot attend the meeting and/or want to
communicate with the City Council directly on an item, the following e-mail address gets
to all of them: City Council.
The Week in Review was provided last week. In case you missed it, we do post them on
the City's website; the latest edition can be found here.
Thank you for reading. Feedback is appreciated so please don't hesitate to ask a
question or offer a comment.
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