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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTC Minutes 2012-09-19TOWN COUNCIL MINUTES CALL TO ORDER Mayor Fraser called the regular meeting of the Tiburon Town Council to order at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 19, 2012, in Town Council Chambers, 1505 Tiburon Boulevard, Tiburon. California. ROLL CALL PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Collins, Doyle, Fraser, O'Donnell Fredericks PRESENT: EX OFFICIO: ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None. Town Manager Curran, Town Attorney Danforth, Director of Administrative Services Bigall, Director of Community Development Anderson, Director of Public Works/Town Engineer Nguyen, Police Chief Cronin, Town Clerk Crane Iacopi PRESENTATION AND APPOINTMENT 1. Commendation for Outgoing Artist Laureate- Consider recommendation of Heritage and Arts Commission to honor outgoing Artist Laureate Mary Musalo with commendation for her outstanding service to the community (Heritage and Arts Commission Chair Marlene Rice) 2. Appointment of New Artist Laureate - Consider recommendation of Heritage and Arts Commission to adopt resolution appointing Jaleh Etemad to a four-year term as the Tiburon Artist Laureate and authorize Town Manager to enter into agreement with Ms. Etemad on behalf of the Town (Heritage and Arts Commission Chair Marlene Rice, Town Manager Curran) Heritage & Arts Commission Chair Marlene Rice gave the staff report outlining the achievements of Mary Musalo during her term as Artist Laureate, especially noting the many public workshops she provided to the community to "discover the artist within". Mayor Fraser presented her. Musalo with a commendation on behalf of the Council. Ms. Musalo thanked the Council and the community for the opportunity to serve as Artist Laureate. She said her goal of '-shining the light on the arts in Tiburon" had been realized. She also said the Town would make a wise decision in choosing Ms. Etemad as the next Artist Laureate. Town Council Minutes #18 -2012 September 19, 2012 Page 1 Chair Rice presented the extensive background and qualifications of Ms. Etemad to the Council in her staff report. MOTION: To appoint (adopt resolution) Jaleh Etemad as Tiburon Artist Laureate and authorize the Town Manager to execute the agreement on behalf of the Town. Moved: O'Donnell, seconded by Collins Vote: AYES: Unanimous ABSENT: Fredericks Ms. Musalo placed the laurel wreath on Ms. Etemad's head. Ms. Etemad thanked the Council and told the story of how she came to this country and her evolution and training as an artist. She said she looked forward to working in such a vibrant community and continuing the tradition of the Artist Laureate. Ms. Rice invited everyone to a reception upstairs in the Community Room to celebrate the occasion of Ms. Etemad's appointment. CONSENT CALENDAR 1. Town Council Minutes -Adopt Minutes of August 15, 2012 regular meeting (Town Clerk Crane Iacopi) 2. Lyford Drive Parking Lot - Approve Agreement with City of Belvedere for provision of water, power and landscaping for Lyford Drive Parking Lot (Town Manager Curran, Town Attorney Danforth) 3. FY 2013 Street Paving Project - Approve Award of Contract - Del Mar Underground District Streets (Public Works Director Nguyen) 4. Supplemental Law Enforcement Funds - Approve Resolution approving expenditure plan for COPS funds for FY 2013 (Chief of Police Cronin) 5. 440 Ridge Road - Adopt Resolutions denying appeals of a Design Review Board decision to approve a new single family dwelling; Applicants, Ridge Road, LLC; Appellants, Lynn & Mark Garay; Fam Hansen & Angela Danadjieva; AP No. 059-082-21; (Planning Manager Watrous) 6. Del Mar Undergrounding Project - Approve amendment to Del Mar Undergrounding Project budget (Public Works Director Nguyen) Mayor Fraser asked if anyone on the Council or the public wanted to comment on the Consent Calendar and in response to a request from the public, he removed Item No. 5 from the calendar. Town Council Minutes #18 -2012 September 19, 2012 Page 2 MOTION: To adopt Consent Calendar Items No. I through 4, and No. 6, as written. Moved: Collins, seconded by O'Donnell Vote: AYES: Unanimous ABSENT: Fredericks 5) 440 Ridge Road - Adopt Resolutions denying appeals of a Design Review Board decision to approve a new single family dwelling; Applicants, Ridge Road, LLC; Appellants, Lynn & Mark Garay; Fani Hansen & Angela Danadjieva; AP No. 059-082-21; (Planning Manager Watrous) Councilmember Collins said that he would abstain from voting on Item No. 5 because he was not present for the public hearing. Vice Mayor O'Donnell recused himself and left the dais and the Council Chambers. Town Attorney Danforth noted that Councilmember Collins' presence at the dais allowed for a quorum to be met on the matter at hand, even though he would not vote. Fam Hansen commented on Item No. 5. Ms. Hansen said that the statement on page 2 of the resolution that "there was no evidence presented by appellant" was incorrect. She said that "the entire presentation of the appellants focused on the evidence that contradicted the Design Review Board's findings." Ms. Hansen said that appellant Mark Garay had authorized her to make this notation on his behalf,, as well, in an email to Dan Watrous. Mr. Garay's email stated (in part) that there was "in fact abundant evidence presented. What weight the Council chose to give to it is another matter...," noted Hansen. Town Attorney Danforth said that the types of injury presented by the appellants were not considered injurious under the Town Code and Town's guidelines. However, she agreed that the statement might be reworded and suggested the following language: WHEREAS, the evidence presented by appellants was not sufficient to refute the Design Review Board's findings in support of the variances and exceptions and the Council agreed with said findings. The Council concurred with the substitute language for inclusion in the resolutions. MOTION: To adopt Item No. 5 (resolutions), as amended. Moved: Fraser, seconded by Doyle Vote: AYES: Doyle, Fraser ABSTAIN: Collins RECUSED: O'Donnell ABSENT: Fredericks Town Council Minutes #18 -2012 September 19, 2012 Page 3 Angela Danadjieva asked for the opportunity to comment. Mayor Fraser said the public comment portion was closed but he allowed her to come to the podium and speak. Ms. Danadjieva said that as the designer of 450 Ridge Road, she felt that state law would be breached in the approval of new or existing development [at 440 Ridge Road]. She said that she "cannot buy" the concept of no injury; she said there was an injury of privacy and reduction of view of the Golden Gate Bridge, and sunlight. She asked the Council not to diminish the value of her home because of a laundry and maid's room. She said that through minor adjustments, the impacts could be ameliorated [by the applicant]. She said that she had looked at the [applicant's] plans and it would be easy to do. She said that she had always respected her neighbors and had made considerable concessions to accommodate them. Mayor Fraser thanked Ms. Danadjieva for her comments. ACTION ITEMS Downtown Parking and Circulation Analysis - Hear presentation from Consultants Nelson\Nygaard Inc. regarding the findings and recommendations in their report to the Town dated August 2012 (Community Development Director Anderson, Town Manager Curran) In his staff report, Director Anderson said that in workshops conducted by the Downtown Vibrancy Committee, the issues surrounding parking in the downtown area had been raised again and again. He said that the Town Council had authorized the consulting firm of Nelson/Nygaard to study both circulation and parking and make recommendations. He introduced Brian Canepa of Nelson\Nygaard, who made a power point presentation to the Council. Mr. Canepa said that there were 18 different recommendations in the report; 10 pertaining to circulation and 8 pertaining to parking. He encouraged questions and feedback on the material. Mr. Canepa listed the identified goals and objectives for parking: ■ Parking is a public resource that should be convenient and easily accessible ■ Parking regulations should not prevent customers and residents from coming to (or staying in) Downtown ■ The existing parking supply should be used as efficiently as possible before adding new supply ■ Long-term parkers should not occupy "prime" parking spaces ■ Evaluate pricing as a management tool, but do so judiciously ■ Strike a balance between: - On and off-street parking - Public and private parking He also listed the goals and objectives of the circulation study: Town Council Minutes #18 -2012 September 19, 2012 Page 4 ■ Improve circulation so that Downtown better serves all users, including pedestrians and bicyclists ■ Off-street parking supply should be easily accessible from all parts of Downtown ■ Enhance and simplify connections between Main Street, Ark Row, and the rest of Downtown ■ Maximize the character and value of Main Street and Ark Row ■ Improve visitor information and way-finding signage ■ Establish a "look" or "feel" that distinguishes Downtown ■ Explore implementation of a new design and traffic measures for Tiburon Boulevard In his description of the existing parking conditions, Mr. Canepa said that only 9% (140 spaces) of the available parking in the downtown area was on-street parking. He noted that the rest of the available parking was divided into reserved/tenant only parking spaces, customer parking only spaces, and privately-owned, publicly accessible "paid" spaces. He said the total number of parking spaces in downtown was just over 1,600; nevertheless, during peak usage times, he said that not all of the spaces were taken. He said there were challenges to informing people of where the parking was located (which would warrant better signage, described later in one of the recommendations) but also challenges in managing the existing on-street parking for more turnover and availability. Canepa said that the key circulation issues identified by the study were that the Main Street area was an underutilized asset; and that Ark Row was largely unknown with issues of connectivity to the rest of downtown. He also said that the wide, long boulevard leading to the downtown (Tiburon Boulevard) was a State highway that created issues with the creation of a"Main Street" environment with largely pedestrian usage. Mr. Canepa presented the recommendations of the parking study: P-l: Adjust on-street time restrictions and utilize demand-based pricing Mr. Canepa recommended increasing the on-street parking time limits from two to five hours (with progressively increasing pricing) and manage it through the installation of meters. He said that meters were for managing demand, not for revenue generation. He said that the price structure should be set to achieve a target occupancy rate. He showed prices in "peer cities" in the Bay Area, including Mill Valley and Redwood City. P-2: Implement Resident Permit Program This kind of program would allow special downtown parking rates for residents. Canepa pointed to the successful program, "RSVP Mill Valley''. He said that the price of the program should cover the cost of administration which included issuing the permits, mailing stickers, etc. P-3: Expand on-street supply Mr. Canepa said that there was an overabundance of 20-minute parking downtown. He said that reducing the number of short-term spaces would result in a net gain of 10-12 on-street spaces. Town Council Minutes #18 -2012 September 19, 2012 Page 5 P-4: Evaluate cooperative access agreements For this to work, Canepa said that it would have to be mutually beneficial to the parties and cited examples of private ownership of lots with public management (of meters), or the reverse, also leasing private spaces for public parking, or even the direct purchase of private lots for public use. P-5: Peak period valet (if necessary) Canepa said this solution could be useful during peak summer weekends. P-6: Community outreach and ongoing communication Canepa said that ongoing communication with the public to explain changes and benefits of new programs goes a long way in achieving buy-in. He said that the City of San Francisco used a ``phone app" and Redwood City had distributed a written brochure to explain their parking programs. P-7: Ongoing data collections, monitoring and evaluation This is necessary to keep the Town informed of what is working and not working and to assist the Council in its policy setting. P-8: Evaluate use of parking revenue for Downtown Improvements Canepa recommended revenue collected from meters be used for downtown beautification, street sweeping, or other uses that the downtown community and the Town deem appropriate. Mayor Fraser asked if the Town could simply manage its inventory of two-hour and 20-minute spaces, would that have a material effect, or whether a need for way-finding (signs), cooperative agreements, as well as the other recommendations were also necessary. Mr. Canepa said that a three-pronged approach (meters, signage, and cooperative agreements) works best; he said that the Town would want to have its on-street and off-street parking working hand in hand. Canepa also stated that the only way to fix the congestion of street parking was to install meters. Mr. Canepa then moved on to the recommendations in the circulation portion of the analysis. He said that the Town might consider prioritizing the recommendations into lower-cost, shorter term objectives and higher-cost, long-tenn planning solutions. C-1: Initiate negotiations with Caltrans to take ownership of Tiburon Boulevard in the Downtown Canepa said this would come with a cost-the maintenance of the boulevard; however, he said that it was likely that Caltrans would be interested given that it did not like to have "dead end" highways in its inventory. He said that reclaiming Highway 131 in the downtown area would allow the Town to more easily make decisions about the future of the roadway. Toivn Council Minutes #18 -2012 September 19, 2012 Page 6 C-2: Close targeted number of driveways along Tiburon Boulevard Mr. Canepa said this would allow smoother traffic flow and reduce conflicts between bicyclists, pedestrians and drivers. He said that driveways could be closed off inexpensively through the use of planters, for instance, and showed several examples and potential sites. C-3: Install mid-block crossing on Tiburon Blvd. and add high visibility treatments Canepa said while these were primarily to encourage safe crossing of the boulevard, they had the additional benefit of encouraging the pedestrian character of the town. The location discussed was a crossing opposite the Tiburon Lodge. C-4: Transition Lower Main Street into a formal "shared space" Mr. Canepa gave some examples of how Lower Main Street could become an area where pedestrians have priority over cars at times. He said the street currently "acts" as an informal shared space, with pedestrians crossing at many points; he said that snaking this a more formal arrangement would alert drivers to the fact that the space is used differently than other roadways. Canepa said this could be realized through the use of different street surfaces (an inexpensive solution) or raising the street to the level of the sidewalk. C-5: Design and implement coordinated way-finding system Mr. Canepa said improving signage would help direct motorists to under-utilized off-street parking, free up the most convenient spaces in front of businesses, and reduce traffic caused by cars "cruising" around looking for parking. He said it would also direct bicyclists and pedestrians to their routes and the location of amenities. He said that signage should be located at the entrance to downtown, near major off-street lots, along major arterials, near bike/ped routes, and in retail districts (in partnership with local businesses). C-6: Expand bicycle parking and replace some existing facilities Mr. Canepa said the study had identified some facilities that were in disrepair but he also introduced new concepts, such as bike "corrals" which he said were becoming popular in some areas. The remainder of the recommendations fell into the "higher cost" category, according to Mr. Canepa. C-7: Permanently close targeted driveways on Tiburon Boulevard This recommendation would be in lieu of the use of planters (recommendation No. 2) by expanding the existing curb at three locations: Tiburon Boulevard between Chase Bank and Town Hall; Beach Road/Tiburon Boulevard intersection (site of Shark's Deli); and the south side of Tiburon Boulevard opposite the fire station. Closing off driveways would create more parking. Totivn Council Minutes #18 -2012 September- 19, 2012 Page 7 C-8: Convert eastern section of Tiburon Blvd. into a "Main Street" with generous public space This program was described in three alternatives forms and would incorporate designated bike lanes and angled parking along Tiburon Boulevard. C-9: Consider reallocating right-of-way on Tiburon Blvd from Mar West to Beach Road This recommendation built on the information in the previous slide and would create additional bike lanes and parking near Town Hall. C-10: Replace major four-way intersections with one-lane roundabouts Mr. Canepa said the addition of roundabouts, particularly at Mar West Street, would not only improve traffic flow and provide traffic calming, but also act as a "visual cues" to drivers and others that they are entering the downtown area. He said that roundabouts were less costly than signalized intersections. Mr. Canepa asked if there were any questions from the Council. Vice Mayor O'Donnell said that he didn't understand the proposed parking meter rates. He said that paying $1.50 per hour for five hours didn't make sense when a person could park all day in a lot for $5.00. Mr. Canepa said that parking prices should reflect demand; that the idea was to free up the higher demand spaces. He said that pricing could be a graduated structure (the longer you park the higher the rates). He said that the more desirable spaces could be priced higher. Councilmember Doyle said that he liked some of the ideas, especially those that addressed the circulation issues. lie said there were five different curb cuts at Shark's Deli and that it made sense to close some of them. Doyle also said there were a lot of good ideas presented regarding signage. Councilmember Doyle asked the consultant whether he had evaluated the entrance of the [Main Street] parking lot that served the movie theater. Mr. Canepa said that he had but had not made any recommendations about that location because it was a private lot. Councilmember Collins said it was a very good report and that he viewed it as a guide to short- term, mid-ten-n, and long-tenn planning. He said the information was presented in a logical manner but that the parking meter pricing seemed kind of "touchy feely" and somewhat arbitrary. Collins wondered what effect metered parking would have on private lots. Mr. Canepa said that what someone would pay for parking depended on their individual sensitivities. He said that higher priced street parking might shift people to parking in lots. Town Council Minutes #18 -2012 September 19, 2012 Page 8 Mayor Fraser asked whether CalTrans approval would be needed to fill in the curb cuts. Town Manager Curran said yes, and that their approval was needed for virtually everything having to do with Tiburon Boulevard. The Town Manager elaborated on the recommendation for cooperative agreements. She said that she and the Chief of Police had discussed various public/private scenarios and she said she thought there would be opportunities to work with the private property owners along Tiburon Boulevard that would mutually enhance parking and appropriate turnover in the Downtown. Mr. Canepa said many parking lot owners wanted to "do their own thing" and also wanted to maintain free parking for customers. Nevertheless, he agreed with the Town Manager that opportunities exist for public/private cooperation. Mayor Fraser opened the hearing to public comment. Mike Gornet, former President of the Chamber of Commerce, said it seemed counterintuitive to think that raising the parking times from two to five hours would help reach the 85% target for turnover of parking. Mr. Canepa said that businesses liked to create turnover and that without any inducement it was hard to achieve. Mr. Gornet asked whether residents of Belvedere might be included in the downtown resident parking pass. The consultant said that it was "doable" and noted that Mill Valley sold its permits to residents of other towns, although at a higher price. Patrick Sherwood commented on the effects of installing roundabouts. He wondered whether there was a way to measure them aesthetically to make them more beautiful and engaging. He agreed that what is primarily visible now while driving down Tiburon Boulevard are parking lots. Mr. Canepa said that roundabouts slow traffic down and signify a change ahead, like a transition to Downtown. He said that now, Tiburon Boulevard "feels like" a highway with its broad expanse of asphalt. He said that trees might be planted in the median and the Town could also plan to bring buildings closer to the street for visibility. He said these things enhanced the character of a community. Steve Sears asked how lower Main Street could be primarily pedestrian and still accommodate cars. Mr. Canepa said that there were options, according to cost. He said one way would be to stripe Main Street like a crosswalk to signify pedestrian use; also, the, pavement could be textured. A more expensive way would be to bring the roadway up flush with the curb but that would require some differential or barrier between street and sidewalk to comply with accessibility regulations. Mayor Fraser asked about a continuous, shared roadway between Ark Row and Main Street. Mr. Canepa said that a way to achieve this would be to continue the no parking zone along Main Street and find ways to funnel pedestrians onto Ark Row. Town Council Minutes #18 -2012 September 19, 2012 Page 9 Mayor Fraser closed the public comment portion of the hearing and opened the matter to Council deliberation. Vice Mayor O'Donnell began his remarks by stating that he did not support the installation of parking meters at this time. He stated that the downtown was on the cusp of change and that it would be prudent to hold off and see how development unfolds. With regard to resident parking permits, O'Donnell said was a good idea but that it was more of a "big city"' idea; also, that permit programs do get abused and misused. He also thought the cost of administering such a program was worrisome and that it could lead to the creation of more bureaucracy, for what in his mind was not that big of an issue. The Vice Mayor said the study made clear that there was plenty of parking, albeit not all free, in the downtown area. O'Donnell said that he would like to see more cooperation between the property owners in resolving the parking issues. With regard to the circulation analysis, the Vice Mayor said that he would like to see a roundabout installed at Mar West Street and Tiburon Boulevard; he said he thought it would enhance aesthetics and safety, and would create a new circulation pattern for the Library, as well. O'Donnell said that a roundabout in that location would act as a "bookend" to the one at Paradise Drive but that the Town should wait to undertake such a project to coincide with the building of the new Library. Vice Mayor O'Donnell said that he liked the idea of adding a crosswalk across Tiburon Boulevard in the vicinity of the Lodge; also, that he agreed with the idea of relinquishment and that the Town had already taken steps in the direction. O'Donnell said that he was not in favor of the angled parking as presented by the consultant, but he said he liked the existing angled parking downtown and the angled parking at the new lot on Tiburon Boulevard and Lyford Drive [currently under construction]. O'Donnell said that he liked the recommendation of changing the surface of Main Street (to enhance pedestrian access). He said he liked the Town's practice of closing the street on certain occasions such as Friday Nights on Main, and suggested that it might be closed on more occasions such as Labor Day, Opening Day on the Bay, and the like to create an open air mall. The Vice Mayor said that the pavement should not be raised but that to change the surface and color, similar to what they did at Strawberry Village in the vicinity of Pizza Antica, made sense. Vice Mayor O'Donnell said that he favored bikeway connectivity through the Town and additional bicycle parking. He also said he supported the idea of private property owners, or perhaps the Town, by rezoning of the area, to somehow create a continuous sidewalk connection between Main Street and Ark Row (through relocation of the entrance to the Main Street parking lot). Town Council Minutes #18 -2012 September 19, 2012 Page 10 Councilmember Doyle agreed with many of the recommendations and said that if the Town's relationship with CalTrans changes, it would be possible to do them. Doyle said that he, too, liked the idea of a roundabout at Mar West, and said that there was a very difficult connection to the bike [MUP] path at that intersection. With regard to parking meters, Doyle said that a lot of meters might not be required to have an impact. He posited that five or six versus 20 might help create quick, short-term parking close to businesses. Councilmember Doyle also liked the idea of turning the medians on Tiburon Boulevard into green spaces, and the creation of more crosswalks. He suggested getting rid of the small median at the intersection of Main Street and Paradise Drive, which he called the "bump" median because of all the tire marks on it. Councilmember Collins said the report was well thought out and that he particularly liked the idea of roundabouts. He reiterated that some of the recommendations could be implemented sooner than others and suggested that staff come back with specific recommendations for Council's review and prioritization. He said that the "low-hanging' fruit might include signage, green spaces, closure of curb cuts, improvement of medians, additional crosswalks, bike access, and the double use of Main Street for pedestrians and cars. He said that the connection to the bike path at Mar West should be placed on the short list because of existing safety and visibility issues. With regard to metered parking, Collins said that he would reserve judgment on this recommendation. Mayor Fraser also favored the roundabout at Mar West. Secondly,•he said that parking management was an issue downtown and he had first-hand experience because he works in the downtown area. But he said that he, too, would withhold judgment on the meters but said that some sort of management program was needed. The Mayor said that if parking downtown is too difficult, people "turn right instead of left" and leave town to shop and dine. He said that the Town wanted residents to come downtown and that turnover of spaces was to the benefit of residents. He said that a resident parking program in a couple of participating private lots would be beneficial, if it could be worked out. Mayor Fraser said that he, too, liked the idea of connecting Main Street and Ark Row and making the whole area more pedestrian friendly. He suggested considering closure of Main Street on the weekends. ` Mayor Fraser said he loved the roundabouts but said that Mar West should be the priority intersection for both traffic calming and to mark the beginning of downtown. The Mayor said that a letter had been sent to CalTrans to explore relinquishment and that it made all the sense in the world for the Town to be able to control its destiny in this regard. He said this Town Council Minutes #18 -2012 September 19, 2012 Page 11 would have a long-term effect of improving the downtown and making it a friendlier place for the community. Mayor Fraser suggested that staff return to Council with a list of six, nine and 12-month goals. Town Manager Curran summed up the direction of Council: to bring back to the Council a list of logical priorities, focusing on low-hanging fruit, that is, easily achievable and cost effective measures; to identify costs and a timeframe for implementation and a rational way to proceed. She said the list to be prepared by staff would include the grand and the minute, and everything in between, in a multi-year approach. Mayor Fraser added that bike racks should be called out in this project list-how many we have now, where they are located, and how to improve the program. Town Manager Curran gave kudos to Brian Canepa and Nelson\Nygaard for their efforts in the creation of a very useful document for the Town. Councilmember Collins said that he had done a good job in explaining the ideas in the document, as well. TOWN COUNCIL REPORTS Mayor Fraser reported that a subcommittee of the Jt. Recreation Committee had been formed to undertake the fundraising efforts for the fixtures and furnishings of the new facility at Dairy Knoll. He said the goal was to raise $100,000 by December and that the Belvedere Community Foundation had offered a snatching grant of $50,000. He asked the Town Manager whether the committee might use the Town's mailing list to solicit donors. Town Manager Curran said that while the names on the list were private, the Town could use its newsletter to promote the fundraising efforts. TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT None. WEEKLY DIGESTS ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Town Council adjourned the meeting at 9:45 p.m. JIM FRASEI i if the Town of Tiburon, Mayor Fraser l' ~YOIZ Town Council Minutes #18 -2012 September 19, 2012 Page 12 ATTEST: DIANE CRANE IAC I, TOWN CLERK Town Council Minutes #18 -2012 September 19, 2012 Page 13