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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986 05-21 CC MINBook 67/Page 58 5/21 /86 MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, CALIFORNIA HARBISON SCHOOL May 21, 1986 The adjourned (neighborhood) meeting of the City Council of the City of National City was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Morgan. ROLL CALL Council members present: Dalla, VanDeventer, Waters, Morgan. Absent: Cooper. Administrative officials present: Bolint, Campbell, Eiser, McCabe, Post, Stafford. SALUTE TO THE FLAG AND INVOCATION The meeting was opened with salute to the flag led by City Manager McCabe. WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS The Mayor welcomed those present (52 citizens, 2 newspaper reporters, and 20 representatives of the City, including members of the Council, department managers, etc.) and stated the purpose of the meeting. Mayor Morgan said he had a conflict; there was another meeting he had to attend; he would remain at this meeting as long as possible, but he might have to leave before it ended. PRESENTATIONS BY CITY STAFF The following members of City Staff gave a short presentation of the City operations in which he/she played a part: City Manager McCabe, Building and Safety Director Reid, City Engineer Stafford, Fire Chief Kimble, City Librarian Monroe, Parks and Recreation Director Ruiz, Planning Director Post, Police Chief Hart and Public Works Director Williams. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD LARRY BURKE, East 11th Street, inquired about the vacant lot behind Alpha Beta; and said he has a petition signed by 138 people in the immediate area protesting the units that are presently proposed to be constructed, only two people on Olive Street received notice of the hearing on these units, the signers of the petition will only stand for a maximum of 53 units on that property. Dir. Plan. Post advised that the public hearing on the proposal would be coming up in early June; the first notices were sent out today; the El R was prepared several months ago; there is no state law requiring mailed notification. Mr. Burke gave a copy of the petition to the City Clerk. NELLIE MANDAHL, 2606 East 8th Street, complained of cars parking on 8th Street in front of the Chateau and Granger Apartments. SAM KING, 826 Olive Avenue, complained of trash and old cars in the vacant lot in back of Alpha Beta. JAMES ALBERTSON, 813 Pleasant Lane, spoke of the parking problems created by high density in his area and complained that the trash is picked up on Wednesday and the street sweeper comes by on Monday; also in the 900 block of Pleasant Lane there is a vacant lot overgrown with weeds. Mr. Albertson spoke of the signs prohibiting parking during the hours when the street sweeper comes and said the problems created in parking during that time far exceed the problems of the dirt on the street. BEN WIJEK, 308 Harbison, spoke of the City's new program of installing sidewalks and asked if the area between 6th and 8th Streets on Harbison would be improved. Mr. Wijek was advised that it would be. Mr. Wijen also inquired about the sales of pumpkins and Christmas trees at 727 Harbison. Plan. Dir. Post replied the strip at 727 Harbison is zoned Com mercial and the sales are legal; however, the Planning Commission has initiated a zone change to change it to Residential Zoning. JOSIE SHEPHERD, 803 Mary Court, said that during the peak hours getting off the Manchester hill onto Plaza Boulevard was almost impossible; before Council spent millions of dollars on a police station or civic center, it should be put to the vote of the people; National City needs a better image in the newspapers, stories of squabbles with employees and directors are not good; the chairman of the Civil Book 67/Page 59 5/21/86 Service Commission got a "bum rap;" she (Mrs. Shepherd) had a lot of respect for Mayor Morgan and the way Council treats him is very demeaning. Mayor Morgan said in three weeks Larry Himmel of Channel 8 will have a program on the City that should show the City in a better Tight. Mayor Morgan asked the City Attorney if it was possible to close some of the streets onto Manchester. The City Attorney replied the closing would be subject to the same legal requirements of any street vacation; the City does not own the street but holds and maintains it; there would have to be a public hearing and findings made; it would have to be in conformity with the General Plan and one of the findings would have to be that the street was no longer necessary. HENRY PROVOST, 2638 East 8th Street, inquired why the bus service stops at 6:00 p.m. and does not connect with the trolley that arrives in National City at 6:20 p.m. City Manager McCabe said the NCT is somewhat limited by dollars; they try to give the best service within certain hours. AIDA RODRIGUEZ, 1440 I Ave., said she was always hearing the schools are overcrowded and asked what was being done to eliminate that. Dir. Plan. Post replied there has been a slight increase in household size, both the National School District and Sweetwater Union High School Districtr came before Council seeking increased developer fees; there will be a hearing on these fees at the June 10 City Council meeting. Mrs. Rodriguez asked why the citizens are asked to pay for their alleys when the City pays for curbs, gutters, and sidewalks. Mayor Morgan, City Engineer Stafford and Vice Mayor VanDeventer replied. PAT LARGE, 820 Mary Court, asked how many City employees live in the City. Mrs. Large complained about the excessive gravel used in the streeet overlay, and said the City gets everything bad from San Diego: their traffic and sewage and cars parking in lawn areas. Mrs. Large continued, the apartments in the City are not kept up; something should be done about the managers or the owners. Mayor Morgan, Police Chief Hart and City Attorney Eiser responded. TONI RAMOS, 2110 East 8th Street, congratulated and thanked Council for sidewalks, saying her neighborhood does look better; her son goes to Palmer Way School and walks on Earle Drive where there are no sidewalks. Mrs. Ramos said she wanted National City to be a better place and requested there be no more apartments. Plan. Dir. Post said it had been quite a while since an apartm ent was built in the City, the revision of the General Plan four years ago encouraged lower density. Mrs. Ramos addressed the Chief of Police asking for the scheduled use of the 72 officers, how many patrol cars he had and how long it would take to respond to a call. Chief Hart answered in some detail. Mrs. Ramos stated she boards mentally ill persons and when she calls the police she has to wait anywhere from a half to two hours and by that time it is too late. Mr. Hart asked her to give him her address after the meeting and he would have someone go out and look over her situation. TONY AVILA, 3421 East 7th Street, asked for a show of hands of City staff members who lived in National City (one hand raised) and said she thought the reason the citizens' problems were not being answered was because only one staff member lived in the City. The Dir. Public Works and Personnel responded, saying the fact that they did not live in the City in no way affected the way they did their jobs. Ms. Avila asked if anything could be done about the excessive traffic on Plaza and 8th. Police Chief Hart replied it is a result of the population growth of the County. MITCH GUARANO, 410 Harbison Avenue, asked if there were plans to install sidewalks on 4th Street east of Harbison. DAVID WIGNALL, 2819 East 11th Street, spoke of cars parked on lawns and driveways on his street and the parking problems and the cars racing down his street caused by residents of the apartments to the west and inquired if speed bumps could be installed to protect the children and the elderly. Mayor Morgan asked the City Engineer to check it out. Mr. Wignall inquired about the westbound traffic lane on Plaza Boulevard east of Harbison which is blocked off. Dir. Public Works Williams explained that the lane was a temporary measure to widen Plaza when 8th Street was closed; the area is in process of developm ent and the permanent improvements will be installed by the developer. Mr. Wignall said he uses the bus and complained about the short hours of operation and the problems with transfers; the needs of the community should be considered. The City Manager responded. Book 67/Page 60 5/21/86 BETTY MINAS, 3417 East 7th Street, complained of the impossibility of seeing the "Don't Turn Right" sign she passes when going to work in Spring Valley. The Dir. Public Works said he would look into it. Ms. Minas complained about graffiti. Councilman Dalla explained the way removal is handled through the Chamber of Commerce and told of the cost to the City. AL RAMOS, 2110 East 8th Street, said he is a locksmith and works for the federal government, he works out of a van, but takes his calls at home; he applied for a business license to do mobile service from his van and at the time nothing was said about his needing permission from the owner of his house; then Mr. Post told him he needed permission from the owner; he is not operating out of the house but out of his van; that should be changed. Dir. Plan. Post replied Mr. Ramos applied for a home occupant license; some of these businesses do not impact the neighborhood and some do; when a renter applies, we require permission of the owner. Mr. Ramos said but that's not in writing; no one could show him the rules. Mayor Morgan asked for a report, he needed something to look at. Mr. Ramos continued he would like to see a junior high school and was advised there are two in the City. Mr. Ramos said we needed a police workshop for the community; kids from Plaza Manor come over and deal drugs; his "crazy kids" get even crazier. (Mayor Morgan left to attend the other meeting.) NETTIE CUICHTA, 3405 East 7th Street, spoke of Shell Street and said the traffic coming down there is something else. Dir. Plan. Post said a project is currently proposed for the area and they would be required to make street improvements; the excessive traffic condition should be referred to the Traffic Safety Committee. Mrs. Cuichta said the speed limits are too high on Plaza and 8th. A. T. OSUNA, 31 North U Avenue, said there are no curbs at El Toyon from the City —owned property to Palm. Mr. Osuna also spoke of street sweeping and complained of abandoned cars in his neighborhood. Captain Fowler, NCPD, and Dir. Public Works Williams responded. JAMES ALBERTSON, 813 Pleasant Lane, returned to the microphone and said he wanted to make it clear that in his area parking is the problem, not the street sweeper. Vice Mayor VanDeventer said there would be one more speaker, then the meeting would be adjourned and suggested that anyone with questions see the various members of staff in the front of the room. LUCY PEREZ, 4114 Plaza Boulevard, requested the citizens be informed of various City laws so they will not inadvertently break them. ADJOURNMENT Vice Mayor VanDeventer again asked those who had questions to come forward to speak to staff and declared the meeting adjourned. The meeting ended at 9:05 p.m. • CITY CLERII The foregoing minutes were approved at the regular meeting of June 10, 1986. Corrections No corrections MAYOR COF NATIONAL CITY, CALIFORNIA