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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-06-10_BVAC_Minutes_Approved CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH BALBOA VILLAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES Location: ExplorOcean, 600 East Bay Avenue Wednesday, June 10, 2015 - 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER Mayor Pro Tem Dixon called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. The following persons were in attendance: Balboa Village Advisory Committee Members: Diane Dixon, Mayor Pro Tem (Chair) Tony Petros, Council Member (ABSENT) Gloria Oakes, Balboa Peninsula Point Association Ralph Rodheim, Balboa Village Merchant Association Grace Dove, Central Newport Beach Community Association Tom Pollack, ExplorOcean Representative Jim Stratton, At-Large Representative Staff Members: Kimberly Brandt, Community Development Director Brenda Wisneski, Deputy Community Development Director Tony Brine, City Traffic Engineer James Campbell, Principal Planner Fern Nueno, Associate Planner II. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDIZED ITEMS (comments limited to 3 minutes) Interested parties were invited to address the Committee on Non-Agendized Items. There was no response and Mayor Pro Tem Dixon closed public comments. III. ITEMS FOR REVIEW 1. MINUTES OF MAY 13, 2015 (ATTACHMENT 1) Recommended Action: Approve May 13, 2015 Minutes. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon opened public comments for this item. Marianne Zippi noted the need to correct the spelling of her name. It was noted that Mr. Jim Mosher submitted written corrections to the minutes. BVAC Minutes 06/10/2015 Page 1 Mayor Pro Tem Dixon closed public comments. Action: Committee Member Pollack moved to approve the minutes of the May 13, 2015, meeting, as corrected, and Committee Member Stratton seconded the motion. The motion passed 6-0. 2. RP3 SURVEY RESULTS & PERMIT BOUNDARY (ATTACHMENT 2) Recommended Action: Review results and potential boundaries. Finalize recommendation for Council consideration. Principal Planner Jim Campbell provided a staff report and PowerPoint presentation addressing the results of the RP3 survey and potential boundaries. Discussion followed regarding keeping clear boundaries, boundary options based on the majority of support and proximity to the district. It was noted that the closer you get to the Village, the more support has been expressed. Ensuing discussion pertained to the physical mechanics of the various options, next steps, the rollout period, the possibility of starting out small, and using a phased approach. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon commented on the possibility of approving the larger area but starting small in terms of implementation. Principal Planner Campbell noted challenges of asking for "too much." Discussion followed regarding developing a strategy to deal with the Coastal Commission, the need to get the community involved and the need to ensure that the data and impact supports the request. Committee Member Stratton suggested asking for a larger area but ensuring that the Coastal Commission knows that implementation will be on a smaller scale, initially. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon opened public comments. Wayne Zippi addressed the "spill-over" problem in terms of beach and fishing charter parking. Marianne Zippi opined that the survey numbers are inaccurate as the correct number of residents, as per the last census, are not taken into account. She added that she was able to obtain the numbers by calling the Census Bureau and that the City should do the same. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon commented on the desire to get both the property owners' and renters' points of view in the area. Principal Planner Campbell noted that the census was taken at a particular date and that is also, an estimate. He commented on the process as having been followed in the past BVAC Minutes 06/10/2015 Page 2 and reported that the City is trying to implement a program for people who use the area. He stated that the balloting system is a reflection of those who participated and is consistent with how the City has evaluated other programs in the past. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon added that the objective was to get the opinion of as many people as are connected with area properties; either owning them or living in them, at this time. A member of the public opined that if the City asks for approval of the entire area by the Coastal Commission, the City will go back to "square one" and all of the data collected will be meaningless. She added that people do not park at the west boundary and walk to the Village, except on the weekends. Art White stated there will never be enough parking on the Peninsula and that most people will not park at the west boundary and walk to the Village, but will use public parking. He added that the proposed solution may work. W. R. Dildine stated he was one of the original people involved in this matter and commented on the proposal of parking meters from Edgewater to the sand (8th Street and Coronado). He noted there is a lot of illegal use in the area and the need for overflow parking. Additionally, he commented on the census and the various companies that offer mailing lists using it, adding that the information is readily available. Wayne Zippi reported that no one wants to pay more taxes than they already do. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon stressed that the fee is the cost of administering the program and suggested that, for the first year, the fee might be waived. In response to Committee Member Stratton, Principal Planner Campbell addressed fees in Newport Island and noted this is not a tax, but a fee for services. There is no intention to change the current system and the City would charge the same fees as in other areas of the City. Jim Fournier expressed concerns regarding the four permits per household, adding that it is excessive. Committee Member Stratton commented on households with children and noted they may need more than four permits. Tom O'Loughlin asked regarding renters. Committee Member Stratton stated that the permit is not a parking pass, does not guarantee that parking will be available and will not make a difference in terms of the number of people in the area, as parking will be on a first-come, first-served basis. W. R. Dildine confirmed that each permit will be tied to a license number. BVAC Minutes 06/10/2015 Page 3 Marianne Zippi asked whether the City has conducted a study regarding the impact on property values. Principal Planner Campbell stated that staff has not conducted such an analysis. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon suggested looking at Newport Island, historically, to track property values. Committee Member Stratton added that the whole idea is to redirect people to appropriate parking areas. Theoretically, it will provide more parking by sending employees/visitors to more appropriate parking places. Brief discussion followed regarding the matter making more money for the City. Committee Member Stratton stated that people all along the coast pay for parking and that the City of Newport Beach should not be an exception. A member of the public stated that many residents already pay the median pole permit fee which has increased over the years. Art White reported he pays for a yearly master pass and suggested the City guarantee a fee of $15 which would be adjusted, for inflation in the next ten or fifteen years. Principal Planner Campbell provided recommended actions by the BVAC. Committee Member Pollack noted support for this item and thanked staff for its efforts and meeting the threshold that Council wanted, adding that Council is the ultimate decision-maker. He added that "going small" may result in a two-year delay and commented on "going big" but stressed that Council will decide what to present to the Coastal Commission. Committee Member Stratton commented on Option 2 and on issues on Bay Avenue. He suggesting extending the program to include Bay and Balboa Avenues but not include Island "proper" and implementing further east (of Medina) on Phase 1 and Island on Phase 2. Committee Member Oakes agreed with Committee Member Stratton's suggestions adding that the "bigger" area should be recommended for approval but implementing smaller areas by phases. Community Development Director Kimberly Brandt stated she does not understand why the City would include the "dog leg" at Island. Discussion followed regarding possible exclusions/inclusions of specific areas and blocks. Principal Planner Campbell clarified the areas to include/exclude. BVAC Minutes 06/10/2015 Page 4 Wayne Zippi commented on Island Avenue and Bay Island and noted that many of the residents on Island Avenue want the permit system. Marianne Zippi asked why the staff shows the Library and Fire Station as supporting the program. Principal Planner Campbell reported that the City did not vote on this matter and stated that he should have excluded the Fire Station and Library from the map. City Traffic Engineer Tony Brine reported that spaces shown in green are timed. He added that realistically, there is no parking enforcement after 6:00 p.m. In response to Principal Planner Campbell's question, Committee Members directed him not to include Bay Island. Principal Planner Campbell reported that permit hours are 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. and suggested that the Coastal Commission will not approve them. He suggested setting the hours from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Committee Member Stratton stated that research by Nelson Nygaard shows that people start going home from the beach at 4:00 p.m. and suggested presenting that information to the Coastal Commission. Principal Planner Campbell felt that the negotiation strategy may not be the best one. City Traffic Engineer Brine stated that in his experience, people are leaving the peninsula later and later in the day. Committee Member Stratton added that the challenge with setting a later start time is that people return home from work and do not have a place to park. He suggested starting as early in the day as possible. Marianne Zippi stated it is not fair to residents to have this vote, as they do not know what the hours will be. She opined that people will not support it if they find they will not have a place to park. Community Development Director Brandt reported that the matter has been well-vetted and that the Committee will be voting on a specific time, 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. Committee Member Pollack commented on potential Coastal Commission changes. Community Development Director Brandt added that changing the times may trigger the need to resurvey residents. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon suggested considering the Palm Street lot at a future meeting. BVAC Minutes 06/10/2015 Page 5 Principal Planner Campbell addressed next steps. A Committee Member suggested setting a fee at $15 or $16 and waiving the fee for the first year. Associate Planner Fern Nueno reported that the Committee and Council had already considered and approved the hours and the amount of the fee and that Council's direction was to determine support or opposition by residents. Discussion followed regarding the fee being the same as those paid by other areas in the City for the same service and including in the report to Council; that the Committee prefers to use the same fee for three years. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon suggested the street names on the map need to be more legible in the future. Committee Member Stratton asked that staff provide a revised percentage of approval on a modified map. Action: Committee Member Stratton moved to recommend to City Council approval of the residential parking permit program (RP3) with a modified Option 1, as discussed, with Phase 1 Adams Street to and including Medina Way and Phase 2 Medina Way to Island Avenue. Committee Member Oakes seconded the motion. The motion passed 6-0. Community Development Director Brandt noted that the matter will most likely be presented to Council on July 28th Principal Planner Campbell added that he will create an updated map with Phase 1 and Phase 2, which will be presented to BVAC and Council. 3. SUMMER OUTDOOR DINING REGULATIONS (ATTACHMENT 3) Recommended Action: Discuss and provide direction to staff on a potential Zoning Code Amendment to allow staff level approval for outdoor dining on a limited basis during summer months. Associate Planner Fern Nueno presented on outdoor dining regulations for restaurants in the Village, the community benefits of outdoor dining, and the options to make the process easier and quicker while guarding against any potential negative impacts. Committee Member Pollack commented on the benefit of wider sidewalks and spoke in favor of the item. Committee Member Stratton addressed the pros and cons of the matter and noted the need for careful implementation so there is adequate space for people to move around. BVAC Minutes 06/10/2015 Page 6 Associate Planner Nueno addressed the different processes for public and private properties, sidewalks, and encroachments. Committee Member Stratton referenced Dory Deli as a good example of outdoor dining adding that the fagade improvement program may help. Committee Member Oakes expressed support for the item. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon commented on her desire to help businesses and start-ups be successful and spoke in support of the matter. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon opened public comments. Janis Dinwiddie expressed support. W.R. Dildine voiced support for the item as long as they stay out of the public's way. Kelly Carlson stated support, as long as restaurants stay off sidewalks noting that patrons often move tables into the sidewalk. W. R. Dildine noted that back in the 1960s Code Enforcement used to work on weekends. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon commented on working with the Merchants Association and communicating the rules to operators. Committee Member Pollack commented on implementing a pilot program in Balboa Village. Community Development Director Brandt added that this can be done now, as a pilot program, and see how it works. Discussion followed regarding the A-frame sign ordinance. Action: Committee Member Pollack moved to direct staff to proceed preparing a pilot program for outdoor dining in Balboa Village, as discussed. Committee Member Stratton seconded the motion. The motion passed 6-0. 4. FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE Recommended Action: No action required. Associate Planner Nueno presented a staff report with an update on the Fagade Improvement Program, including the process for submitting a letter of intent and an application, the number of submittals received to date, and scheduled meetings with potential applicants. In reply to Committee Member Stratton's question, Associate Planner Nueno reported BVAC Minutes 06/10/2015 Page 7 that outdoor dining and the Fagade Improvement Program are different, but could be tied together as part of a larger restaurant project. She clarified that the funds cannot be used to purchase outdoor tables or similar expenses. Committee Member Stratton suggested making those who have applied aware of the outside dining issue. Committee Member Pollack noted that ExplorOcean purposely did not apply in order to facilitate the process for other applicants. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon opened public comments. Kelly Carlson commented on improvements she has made and noted that the BVAC and the Merchants Association did a lot to promote the program. She commented on Mr. White's help and added that some people are scared to ask for money. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon noted that there is a fixed amount of money available. Community Development Director Brandt added that Council has the ability to allocate additional funds at a later time. IV. PUBLIC COMMENT Community Development Director Brandt reported that the Balboa Village Master Plan is receiving an award this evening from the American Planning Association Orange Section for the extraordinary efforts made on the Balboa Village Revitalization Program efforts. She addressed the sale of the Balboa Theatre and provided an update of Council's recent action regarding the item. Janis Dinwiddie reported that tonight Speak up Newport will discuss water conservation during its meeting. Art White stated that the Planning Department has been great to work with. Mayor Pro Tem Dixon reported on items to be considered at the next BVAC meeting. Committee Member Pollack announced that World Ocean Day will be on Saturday, June 13th. Additionally, he announced the ExplorOcean will be hosting the Team USA Special Olympics on July 23rd. Kelly Carlson provided pictures of RVs that have been taking four and five parking spaces. V. ADJOURNMENT (Meeting End Time: 5:30 p.m.) Next Meeting Date: July 8, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. BVAC Minutes 06/10/2015 Page 8