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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/24/2000 - Study SessionCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH City Council Minutes Study Session October 24, 2000 - 5:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Thomson, Glover, Adams, Ridgeway, O'Neil, Mayor Noyes Absent: Debay (excused) Due to mechanical problems with the recording equipment, the following Study Session minutes is a recap of the actions /discussions that took place. 1. CLARIFICATION OF ITEMS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR City Clerk Harkless clarified that the proposed ordinances for Agenda Item No. 4 (Modification to Adult Entertainment Ordinance) and Agenda Item No. 5 (Amendments to NBMC Section 12.56 Regarding Bicycles) would become effective 30 days after adoption. 2. BUILDING AND PLANNING PLAN CHECK ACTIVITY AND STAFFING UPDATE. Council Member O'Neil stated that he was contacted by an architect who was complaining that he had to take a number and wait in line for an extended period of time to pick up plans. Council Member Ridgeway added that people coming in to view microfilm records had the same experience and, since the Building Department greets everyone who comes in, individuals seeking planning information may wait awhile before being served. Building Director Elbettar indicated that they monitor the time customers wait and changed the system from numbers to a written log which enables people to list the purpose of the visit. He stated that any staff looking at the log scans it to see if anyone is waiting for Planning staff and directs them to the Planning counter. He added that a change was implemented a week ago which utilizes two sign in sheets, one for small tasks such as picking up plans and one for permit issuance and plan submittals. Mr. Elbettar reviewed the Building Department's activity history as outlined in the staff report and emphasized that, for the past four years, the plan check workload has been at an all time high due to the higher customer service demand at the permit counter and the departure of one of the engineers. He added that, in conjunction with the reorganization of the Marine Division in July 2000, the Building Department also assumed responsibility for the plan check and record keeping for construction within the Harbor. He stated that, while the Building Department target turnaround time is three weeks, it has fallen to 4.5 weeks which is closer to the Planning Department's turnaround time of 6 to 7 weeks. Volume 53 - Page 643 INDEX Building and Plan Check Activity and Update (26) City of Newport Beach Study Session Minutes October 24, 2000 IIUI)D►1 Mr. b1bettar reviewed the measures that have been taken to keep up with the increased workload. He explained that the department hired four plan check consultants for overflow plan checks, but noted that customers prefer that their drawings be checked in -house and prefer dealing with familiar City staff. He reported that the department has also used the expedited plan check service to check small projects like additions and alternations. However, since this service has been popular with the rise in construction activity, they have not been able to accommodate every request. He stated that the engineers have also been authorized to work overtime on regular plan checks to keep up with the workload. Further, since the Building Department plan check is done about two weeks before the Planning Department plan check, they resorted to releasing their corrections before the Planning Department's so customers can work on resolving these corrections while the planning plan check is in progress. While this measure helped customers, it created additional customer service work at the permit counter. Mr. Elbettar reported that the annexation of Newport Coast, Bay Knolls, and Santa Ana Heights will increase the City's building stock by 15 %. Due to the sustained high construction activity and the discontent of our customers with plan check consultants, the Building Department proposed during the budget process that the previously cancelled grading engineer position be filled by a plan check engineer position. Filling this plan check engineer position and restoring the number of plan check engineers to four is necessary even when the volume of construction neutralizes since the Building Department is also doing the plan checks for fire alarms, fire sprinklers, and harbor construction. Mr. Elbettar stated that, in addition to the customer service enhancements outlined in the staff report, staff also conducts standard plan sheets for window replacements, fences, and drainage work; has an overnight mail back service; conducts one week turnaround plan checks for tenant improvements; provides a counter computer for public access; conducts preliminary code reviews; includes image attachments to complaints in the permit system; has a call back program for inspections; and utilizes cell phone communication between contractors and inspection staff. In response to Council questions regarding the back log and the reasons why it takes so long to process plans, Mr. Elbettar stated that construction activity has increased over the last three years and staff is under pressure to fulfill the commitments they have made. He indicated that adding consultants does not provide a complete relief since staff still has to process plans and answer questions at the counter. Planning Director Temple reviewed the staff report and explained that the public service counter is the citizen's first source of information for zoning regulations and project compliance. She noted that plans are more complex than in prior years; and requirements, conditions of approval, and environmental mitigation measures attached to discretionary permits has increased. This has significantly increased the time it takes to complete plan checks for most projects. Volume 53 - Page 644 L City of Newport Beach Study Session Minutes October 24, 2000 Ms. Temple acknowledged that the plan check turnaround time in the Planning Department has been running about 7 weeks for some time. She stated that this is not acceptable, either to our customers who should be able to expect timely service, or to the staff who is motivated to provide both timely and high quality service. Because of this, the Planning Department is requesting Council consideration to add an additional full-time staff position for the plan check function. Ms. Temple also recommended that consideration be given to adjusting the recovery rate to 100% rather than 50% of the fully loaded hourly rate for providing plan check services. This would offset a significant portion of the cost of the additional plan check position. She added that most planning and community development departments in the region charge an hourly rate for planning services which allows them to recover a higher percentage of the cost. Following discussion, Council directed staff to bring back a report at the next regular meeting that would add Planning Department staff and modifications to the ordinance regarding the percentage of the rate of recovery for plan check services. 3. STUDY SESSION ON CABLE TELEVISION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS. Deputy City Manager Kiff pointed out that staff is recommending that Council form an ad hoc committee on cable television and telecommunications to address the issues and accomplish the tasks outlined in the staff report. Mr. Kiff reported that the municipal code relating to telecommunications is outdated and requires significant amendments before the City can enter into any effective franchise agreement or use permit with providers of cable television or wireless communication. He indicated that both the Comcast and Cox franchise agreements expire on January 27, 2002, and that the existing agreements, from about 1966, contain information and requirements that may have been superceded by Federal action in 1996. He indicated that the ad hoc committee should work with staff to update the City's cable television ordinance and create a separate telecommunications ordinance that addresses wireless services, street encroachment fees, City infrastructure use fees, and sites for antennas. Mr. Kiff reported that the Comcast and Cox franchise agreements will also need renegotiating once the ordinances are adopted. He pointed out that other cities have told them that it is "virtually impossible" to deny a franchise agreement to an existing provider who seeks a renewal unless the provider has seriously compromised service or has demonstrated an inability to provide the level of service expected by the community. He added that the cable lines, amplifiers, node infrastructure, etcetera (also known as the "plant ") that are in streets and on telephone wires are the property of the cable company, not the City. He emphasized that an important part of any franchise renewal is the preparation of a Community Needs Assessment. A Needs Assessment is an analysis, based on extensive public input, of the Volume 53 - Page 645 .IPi�1 . Cable TV and Telecommunications (42) City of Newport Beach Study Session Minutes October 24, 2000 television, high -speed data, service standard, and cable - related telecommunications needs of the community. The City needs to begin planning and convening this Needs Assessment right away so that it is completed in time for franchise renewal talks. Mr. Kiff reported that Comcast will soon be leaving Southern California after swapping its local customer base with Adelphia Communications. Therefore, residents in about 2 /3rds of Newport Beach will have a new cable television provider. He indicated that they plan to inquire with Comcast/Adelphia as to Adelphia's plans to communicate the transfer of service from Comcast. Further, they also plan to direct Comcast/Adelphia to provide critical information about pending transfers to subscribers in a timely manner, including local phone numbers and bill payment/service office information. Mr. Kiff reported that residents have seen a series of significant cable rate increases and that they have been higher in recent years than the rate of inflation. He noted that there has been non - existent or modest price increases on the Limited Basic Tier (LBT) of channels (typically Channels 2 to 13) and indicated that local governments retain the ability to regulate this tier. He reported that, with the Cable Programming Services Tier (CPST) rate deregulation in March 1999, the City has no direct authority to review or regulate CPST rates. Mr. Kiff recommended that the ad hoc committee explain the City's regulatory ability, or lack thereof, to the community through the Community Needs Assessment process. Further, the ad hoc committee should also develop a Council policy relating to the manner in which the City reviews and approves requests for telecommunications infrastructure easements. PUBLIC COMMENTS - None. ADJOURNMENT - 6:00 p.m x��, r, trrr,rxx� * +r�+,r +t +xxx *t,rtxtrr The agenda for the Study Session was posted on October 18, 2000, at 3:20 p.m on the City Hall Bulletin Board located outside of the City of Newport Beach Administration Building. City Clerk Vc a &ml Recording Secretary � I i�ll7bl;�