Laguna Hills Watch Dog
Laguna Hills City Council Meeting - May 22, 2012
Features Directory
** Special Announcements - For Questions, Concerns and the 20 year LAGUNA HILLS GENERAL PLAN for LAND USE, MOBILITY/CIRCULATION, CONSERVATION and OPEN SPACE, COMMUNITY SERVICES and FACILITIES, SAFETY, NOISE, and HOUSING in the City - Click on http://www.ci.lagunahills.ca.us/documents/depts/commdev/Laguna_Hills_General_Plan.pdf
** Candidate Web sites for Laguna Hills City Council in the 2012 November Election -
Dr. Raghu Mathur: www.mathurforlagunahills.com Andrew Blount: www.blountforlagunahills.com
** Citizen Alerts for future City Council Meetings will be listed on the blog site within 4 days prior to a meeting - Consider attending a meeting that interests you.
** Presentations and Proclamations - OC Fire Authority Presents - SIDEWALK CPR training coming to the Laguna Hills Mall on June 7
** Public Comments - Memorial Day Plans with the City's adopted Marines and Team Dark Horse, Thank you to the Council from Team Dark Horse, What's New and Happening with Win Win Wednesday!, Request for curbs for Shenandoah Dr., Traffic Commission's Recommendation for parking for the historical barn on La Paz coming to the Council on June 12.
** LHHS Student Liaison Report Jeena Bonutto - LHHS went up in ranking, getting new programs, honors for drama students, Student beat record fro 2 mile run, Grad Night coming up and Grad Night Preview for open to the entire community on June 13
**Consent Calendar - Warrant Register - $814,421.64.
** Items of Interest from the Warrant Register - None
** Items Pulled from the Warrant Register-None
** Items of interest in the Consent Calendar -
ZONING AMENDMENT TO THE LAGUNA HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH PROCEDURE FOR PROVIDING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT for 2012-13 - The City's reports that the "Equivalent" Total Staff number is reported by the City to be 42.22 Actual total staff number is about 29.3 - What happened to Transparency and to the Annual Year End Police Services Report from 2011?
CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT FOR CATCH BASIN DEBRIS GATE MANUFACTURING AND INSTALLATION SERVICES
REIMBURSEMENT WAIVER ASSOCIATED WITH WIDENING OF AVENIDA DE LA CARLOTA, AND AGREEMENT FOR ACQUISITION OF INTERESTS IN REAL PROPERTY - Grand Total of $2,071,237.00 now paid out by the City.
AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR TURF RENOVATION AT LAGUNA HILLS COMMUNITY CENTER AND SPORTS COMPLEX - $74,200.00
** Items pulled from the Consent Calendar for discussion - LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT for 2012-13 plus discussion of Regulation of Adult Businesses in the City.
** Planning Agency - PRELIMINARY REPORT ON A REQUEST TO REDEVELOP OAKBROOK VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER AT 24231-24391 AVENIDA DE LA CARLOTA asking for agreement to include 464 Residential Units + Commercial Shopping in this area with parking shared between residential and retail uses. LH Residents asks - Are those Residential Units Rentals or Condos?
** Planning Agency Public Hearings - None
** City Council Public Hearings and Public Comments - 2012 WEED ABATEMENT PROGRAM PUBLIC HEARING** Administrative Reports - None
** Matters Agendized and Presented by Council Members - From Council Member Kogerman - Request for REPEAL of Municipal Code Duplication of Language from the City Manager's Employment Agreement - Fireworks before the 4th of July on this issue, but Why?
** City Council Member Comments - Mayor Carruth at Valencia Elem. School International Day
** Closed Session - None Noted We learned that the City Manager's Employment Agreement Negotiations are concluded but what is the bill to the Citizens for 8 months of Closed Sessions with the Labor Negotiator?
** City Council Members Report Card - How did they score?
* Information, Comments, Questions, Concerns from LH Watch Dog Readers from the previous blog post. PLUS Win-Win-Wednesday! - About Citizen Friendliness of City Councils, Transparency and Accountability, How to Find the Laguna Hills General Plan, "The Way We Have Done Everything for the Past 20 Years", New GOP Candidate running for new 45th Congressional district, Erosion in the Aliso Creek Area of Laguna Hills and Sneak Peek at LHHS GRAD NIGHT Preview Nite event: Wednesday, June 13th, with delicious participating restaurant sponsors.
You can leave comments on the web site or send them to BlandMJ@aol.com We do not use your name in the comments section unless you give permission.
* How to support our 3/5 Adopted Marines and Updates - RUN WITH THE LAGUNA HILLS' ADOPTED 3/5 MARINES DARK HORSE BATALLION at the LAGUNA HILLS MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATION dedicated to them on Monday, May 28 OR JUST SHAKE THEIR HANDS AND JOIN THE CELEBRATION - see below for more information.
* News Stories and Blogs about Laguna Hills - find more in the OC Register online under "City-by-City News" - "Laguna Hills" and in the OC Watchdog
* City Council Members Say the Darndest Things in Public
* Crime in your Neighborhood
* Instructions for Writing a letter to the Editor of the OC Register Newspaper
Laguna Hills City Council Meeting - May 22, 2012
All council members were present
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See information for Win-Win-Wednesdays under - INFORMATION, COMMENTS QUESTIONS and CONCERNS from Watch Dog Readers, Contact Laguna Hills City Council Members at - ccouncil@ci.laguna-hills.ca.us
PRESENTATIONS and PROCLAMATIONS -
PRESENTATION BY ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY - "SIDEWALK CPR"Orange County Fire Authority Battalion Chief Art Nevarez provided a verbal presentation of their “Sidewalk CPR” Program. A Sidewalk CPR Training Station will be set up for the Public at the Laguna Hills Mall by the OC Fire Authority with a Nurse Educator and Paramedics on Thursday, June 7, 2012 from 12:00 to 3:00 pm. offering 10 to 15 minute training sessions in collaboration with the American Heart Association. The week of June 4 is designated as National CPR Week. He spoke about Sudden Cardiac Arrest when people need help right away through hands only CPR with no breaths given. He said first call 911 then push hard and fast on the center of the chest and don't stop until help or an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) arrives. He said 92% of people with Sudden Cardiac Arrenst,who don't get help right away, will die so bystanders must take action. The OCFA web page at www.OCFA.org has more information and you can go to their safety and education section and click on the American Heart Association's hands on CPR web page.
PUBLIC COMMENTS -
Mike Bland, Laguna Hills Resident and Chairman of the Team Dark Horse Committee noted that Smart Phones and iPads have 3 Apps you can download for CPR and Choking.
He mentioned that the Aliso Viejo City Council, last week, honored all the people who completed their Emergency Preparedness Classes, gave them plaques and took a photo with the Mayor. He suggested that might be a good idea to work up enthusiasm for the Emergency Preparedness classes in Laguna Hills.
Mike gave an update for Team Dark Horse, the support committee for the City of Laguna Hills adopted 3/5 Marines. He said Memorial Day on Monday will be a great day for the Race Runners, the Public, the Marines and all of us. There will be four 3/5 Marines as Color Guards at the start of the race. One Humvee will lead the race and it will go through Laguna Woods and come down to the Laguna Hills Community Center. There are now 46 Marines and Sailors running in the race including a few wives, and at least 7 or 8 Stroller Warriors (Marine/Sailor Wives pushing their children in strollers). There will also be 15 of the Marines/Sailors at the Community Center with their Static Display, just like last year with the gear, the weapons and the camouflage paint for the public.
Our City's HILLS HOTEL donated 10 Free Rooms again for the Marines/Sailors and JERSEY MIKE's has donated sandwiches for the Marines/Sailors at the Static Display. RENEGADE RACING waived the racing fees for 25 3/5 Marines/Sailors to run in the race. The CITY COUNCIL and the CITY STAFF gave reduced running fees for an additional 25 Marine/Sailor runners and Team Dark Horse is paying the remaining fees for those runners. Special thanks to Dan Meehan, Laguna Hills Community Services Superintendent and David Reynolds, Laguna Hills Community Services Director for allowing us to participate and help plan for this event. He said each of the Color Guard and Static Display Marines/Sailors will receive letters of appreciation from Team Dark Horse, the support committee, and the City of Laguna Hills. So, we've come a long way from last year, and the color alert for next Monday is Red, White and Blue. In response to a question from Mayor Carruth Mike said the 3/5 will deploy again in Sept. to a ship in the middle east and they are currently going through a lot of training.
Evan Gost, Laguna Hills Residents and Member of the Team Dark Horse Committee Board of Directors thanked the City Council for their efforts to help Team Dark Horse support the 3/5 Marines. He said he could assure them that the families of the Marines and Sailors greatly appreciate this. He continued that he would also like to acknowledge the timeless effort put into this endeavor by Mike Bland. He noted the time Mike had spent planning, organizing and building the Memorial Deck in front of the historical Memorial Chapel in Camp Pendleton. He said the deck is being used by the Marines and Mariner's Church uses it for their hot dog cook outs for the Marines on Sundays. He said he throught the City of Laguna Hills should be very proud to have Mike Bland representing us in this work. Mayor Carruth stated to Mr. Gost, you're a good team, You have contributed a great deal, you donated the bar and outfitted the Rec. Room down there. Evan responded, It's a worthy endeavor and it feels really, really good to help these young deserving men and women of the 3/5 Battalion.
** Editor's Note - Evan Gost donated a beautiful historic Monkey Pod bar and bar stools that he had refinished and that had traveled the world from one Military base to another, since the time of the war in Viet Nam, to the 3/5 Marines to use in their Recreation Facility. Many of us got a chance to see it used last year at Christmas time and it was wonderful to see the Marines/Sailors enjoying it!
Meg Gorham, Laguna Hills Resident and Win-Win-Wednesday Founder said she had a couple of announcements of recognition 1st JERSEY MIKE's Place has been so incredibly generous, they are doing Memorial Day, they've also done Volunteer Connection Day, they've pretty much something anytime anybody needs anything and tomorrow (May 23) is Jersey Mikes who is giving back 25% of the sales. Last week on the 16th W-W-Wed. was at Peppino's and the Nellie Gail Board of Directors ordered dinner before their Board Meeting from Peppino's. served 11 people and generated a bill of $130 so $30 went to the LHHS PTSA just because they paid attention and said, Wow, it's Wednesday and we have to order dinner from some place so they got creative and just wanted to extend our gratitude to the Nellie Gail Board of Directors. If we could get others to get creative like that!!! The 3rd one is that next Wed. is a very special W-W-Wed. at Flamingos, everybody loves Flamingos and we are having a real HAWK Alumni Mixer from 5 to 7 pm for former HAWKS and former HAWK Families. They will also honor the flyer or the Fan and Supporter Cards from everyone all day long as well. Lots of HAWKS and former HAWKS are coming. Meg also noted that there are no curbs on her street, Shenandoah Dr., because long ago the neighbors turned them down in favor of the old asphalt edges but now that asphalt is in terrible condition, all cracked with weeks sticking out, etc. She asked the City to consider new curbs for her street. Ken Rosenfield Director of Public Services responded he thinks Shenandoah may have been the only street that rejected the new curbs 15 years ago but this could be considered in next year's budgeting.
Mr. Clarence Hauschild, Laguna Hills Resident told the Council he was at the March 27, 2012 City Council meeting, and was referred to the Traffic Commission for a parking question. He said he met with them last week on the 22nd (but he meant to say the 16th). He said they ended up solving his problem by the length of school parking so they are sending a resolution to you for your next meeting on June, 12 for approval. He said they are going to have an open house in their barn on the weekend of June 16-17 and last time they did that they had about 300 people stop in.
Background from Traffic Commission Notes - is that Mr. Hauschild on March 27, 2012 requested the City Council consider allowing parking along La Paz Road in the vicinity of the rear of his residence so that he could hold Open House events for his historical barn. The barn is facing La Paz Road and an existing driveway located on the south side of La Paz Road, approximately 300 feet west of Monte Vista, along with a Nellie Gail Ranch Owners Association Trail allows vehicular access to the barn. On May 16, 2012 the City of Laguna Hills Traffic Commission, in order to accommodate Mr. Hauschild’s request, proposed a temporary permit parking be allowed for a specific time frame along the south side of La Paz Road from Monte Vista to Aliso Hills Drive. The permits would be issued occasionally based upon a request from Mr. Hauschild for a certain number of hours during the Open House events. The two existing “No Parking” signs on the south side of La Paz Road between Monte Vista and Aliso Hills Drive will have to be covered or bagged by the permittee during permit parking hours.
LHHS STUDENT LIAISON REPORT by Jeena Bonutto, alternate Adam Wong
Jeena said she just wanted to start off saying she has never been so proud to be a HAWK! Everything from our sports, our drama, our choir, everything at our school has gone above and beyond this year. LHHS is current ranked higher than all 3 other schools in our district, Statewide and Nationally. We are currently getting new education programs. We are getting Mandarin. She added she would have taken that in a heartbeat! Also getting a new Environmental Science Class and Culinary Arts with a State of the Art Cooking Lab. Our Spanish Emersion Program was just rated number one in the entire Country last week. Jeena added that the head of that program does such a phenomenal job. Last April, the juniors and seniors were able to experience the Every 15 Minutes program which is currently up and running on iTunes. It's a pod cast. Jeena noted that it impacted her and her friends tremendously. Grad Night is coming up on June 14, and all of the parents and teachers are putting all of their efforts into Grad Night, she added, especially my Mom! June 13 is the 2nd annual Grad Night Preview at LHHS with 7 different great restaurants, all from Laguna Hills, serving samples. Everyone is welcome and it's from 5 to 7:30 pm and $2 a piece. Also the cast from the Drama Pgrm's "Into the Woods" performance was invited to come to the Macy Awards on Sunday May 27. Danielle Bartello and Jonah Buckels, were nominated for finals for the best performance by a lead in a musical. McKenna Bisaha was one of 4 students who were nominated out of 200 schools for best comedic actress in a musical. She plays Little Red. On Thursday May 31 and Friday June 1st is the Spotlight Fire Concert in the theater at 7:00. On May 29 is our Color Guard Spring Show at the Gym at 7:00. The Talent Show is May 25 - $7 at the door, in the theater. Alana Jones beat the record for running the 2 mile in track in under 10 minutes and has now gone from CIF to State.
CONSENT CALENDAR - Warrant Register = $814,421.64.
Items of interest from the Warrant Register - None
Items pulled from the Warrant Register - None
Items of interest from the Consent Calendar -
ITEM 4.3 - ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT NO. 01-12-2163, AMENDING TITLE 9 "ZONING AND SUBDIVISIONS" OF THE LAGUNA HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH A PROCEDURE FOR PROVIDING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION IN THE CITY'S ZONING AND LAND USE REGULATIONS, POLICIES, AND PRACTICES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Staff Recommendation - That the City Council Adopt the Ordinance
ITEM 4.4 - FY 2012-2013 LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT
See below, this item was pulled from the Consent Calendar for discussion by Council Member Kogerman
ITEM 4.5 - CONTRACTOR SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR CATCH BASIN DEBRIS GATE MANUFACTURING AND INSTALLATION SERVICES WITH G2 CONSTRUCTION, INC.
The OCTA has approved Measure M 2 funds of up to $75,000 for debris gate installations for the environmental mitigation of storm water runoff. A City match of up to $25,000 is provided through in-kind labor services over a 10 year period. The Proposal from G2 is for a total of $61,950.
Staff Recommendation - City Council approve the agreement for catch Basin Debris Gate manufacturing and installation services with G2 construction
ITEM 4.6 - REIMBURSEMENT WAIVER ASSOCIATED WITH THE WIDENING OF AVENIDA DE LA CARLOTA, CIP NO. 164, AND THE AGREEMENT FOR ACQUISITION OF INTERESTS IN REAL PROPERTY (G & M OIL COMPANY)The widening of Avenida do la Carlotta required the The widening of Avenida de la Carlota, CIP No. 164, required the acquisition of right-of-way and caused the reconstruction and realignment of the Chevron Gasoline Station (operated by G & M Oil Company) at 23991 El Toro Road, Laguna Hills. The Agreement for Acquisition of Interests in Real Property for this right-of-way acquisition was approved on March 8, 2011, and included a provision for future City Council consideration of a Reimbursement Waiver of City-related construction fees imposed upon the gasoline station reconstruction as a part of the overall purchase price/compensation to be paid as a cost to cure the damages associated with the right-of-way acquisition and resultant road widening project. The gasoline station reconstruction has reached a point at which the City-related construction fees can now be determined. It is recommended that the City Council
adopt a Resolution authorizing the requested Reimbursement Waiver fees which are a maximum of $17,237.80 pursuant to Section 3(A) of the Agreement for Acquisition of Interest in Real Property.
Fiscal Impact to the City - Waiver of a maximum of $17,237.80 City Construction Fees in addition to the $2 Million, 71 Thousand dollars ($2,071,000.00) stated to have been paid in Grant Funds in 2011. ** Editor's Note - At the March 8, 2011 Laguna Hills City Council Meeting the Council Adopted an agreement for acquisition of interests in real property for a right-of-way acquisition for the Avenida de la Carlotta widening project. The Staff Report stated this project will add a traffic lane on the Westerly side of Avenida de la Carlota between Paseo de Valencia and El Toro Rd to create triple left turn movements from existing lanes at the I-5/El Toro south bound off ramp onto Avenida de la Carlota and add a 3rd left turn lane from south bound Avenida de la Carlota on the east bound El Toro Rd. Fiscal Impact to the City - $2,071,000 included in the current fiscal year capital improvement program budget paid in Grant Funds. Staff Recommendation - City Council Adopt Resolution entitled A Resolution of City Council of Laguna Hills approving reimbursement waiver associated with the widening of Avenith de la Carlotta and agreement for acquisition of interests in Real Property (G & M OIL COMPANY)
ITEM 4.7 - AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR TURF RENOVATION AT LAGUNA HILLS COMMUNITY CENTER AND SPORTS COMPLEX, CIP NO. 238A
Staff Recommendation - City Council award contract for Turf Renovation at Laguna Hills Community Center and Sports Complex to the low bidder, CSA Holdings, Inc. DBA Sports Field Services in the amount of $74,200.00 and sign the contract.
VOTE - Consent Calendar Passed 5-0 minus Item 4.4 pulled by Council Member Kogerman.
Items pulled from the Consent Calendar -
Pulled by Council Member Kogerman - Item 4.4 Law Enforcement Services Agreement
Council Member Kogerman said she calculated the total fractions of time the City is allotted from those 14.25 Shared Staff Officers and it added up to the Full Time Equivalent of about 1.06 of a full time Officer. She added that when we talk about having a staff of 42.22 those are not full positions the full positions are really 29.06 full time (** Editor's Note - we got 29.3) and 27 of those are sworn staff (** Editor's Note - the actual number of sworn staff is 26 because the 2 Community Services Officers and the Crime Prevention Specialist are not Sworn Staff) She noted that although the Shared Staff consisted mainly of small fractions of full time positions the City's number for the Sworn Staff per 1000 residents (0.82 per 1000 residents) was correct, so the City must have used the 26 or number in calculating that and she just wanted to clarify asked Laguna Hills Police Chief, Lt. Behrens, if that was correct. Lt. Behrens responded that is correct.
Kogerman asked City Manager Channing how the City's Sheriff's Dept. Contract with the County of Orange is protected against unforeseeable increases due having No Caps on Law Enforcement Salaries and Benefits in our contract. Channing responded that our protection is limited to the extent that the County is successful in it's approach to negotiations. He said these salary and benefits negotiations happen periodically so we have to have a built in mechanism to pick up the additional cost. We budget for them.
Kogerman also asked the City Attorney, Greg Simonian about the number of Adult Businesses listed in the City. The contract calls for the Sheriff's Dept to take care of licensing them. Some descriptions mentioned for the businesses included Escort Services, Introduction Services, Massage Parlors, etc. She asked do we permit these in the City if properly licensed or where does this list come from? City Attorney Simonian responded - This list references the business license section of the City Municipal Code and is reflective of the current businesses that are regulated by the City for regulatory purposes. The origin of this list is the County of Orange's County Code. The City adopted this particular Chapter of the Municipal Code in 1991. He said since he has been serving this City he remembers licensing only Peddlers and Pawn Brokers, Massage Establishments and Technicians, and maybe a couple of others. He said he didn't believe we had ever issued any licenses with respect to the new businesses that she mentioned. He said perhaps the Municipal Code needs some refreshing but if we look at surrounding cities they have the same types of lists. He answered that we are required to provide regulatory control for adult use businesses and we cannot ban them because there is a 1st amendment component that goes along with these types of businesses. We have come up with a legally acceptable manner of regulating these types of businesses through our zoning code, certain zones in the City in which adult businesses are permitted.
Item 4.4 LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT
Lieutenant 1
Administrative Sergeant 1
Patrol Sergeants 1.97
Investigators 2
Patrol Deputies 14
School Resource Officer 1
Motorcycle Deputies 3
Directed Enforcement Deputy 1
Community Service Officers 2 - *Not Sworn Staff
Crime Prevention Specialist 1 - *Not Sworn Staff
Shared Staff 14.25
The City reports that the " Equivalent " Total Staff number = 42.22 ** Editor's Note - That "total" of 42.22 is a significant S -T -R -E -T -C -H considering that 14.25 of the total of 42.22 are "shared staff" meaning that Laguna Hills receives only a small fraction of a full time position for each of those 14.25 Shared Staff Positions. the ACTUAL TOTAL STAFF NUMBER on a regular basis is about 29.3 full positions 3 of which are Not Sworn (Support Personnel) Staff. The total of 14.24 "Shared Staff" = only about 1.3 full time positions. Our corrected numbers are assuming (because the City failed this year to report this information publicly) there has been no increase in numbers of fractional hours of the shared staff. The actual staff numbers are based upon a 40 hour work week, with 3 of those positions being NON-SWORN STAFF (the crime Prevention Specialist, and the 2 Community Service Officers who are support personnel). The 2010 United States Census report that Laguna Hills had a population of 30,344. The City says the Sworn Staff per Capita = 0.82 per 1000 residents. We actually got a little higher number of about 0.87 so although the City's math related to their Total Staff number was questionable, it appears to have magically corrected itself when calculating the Sworn Staff per capita?
The other thing that was missing from this report is the Police Services Year End Report for 2011. In previous years the Police Services Year End Reports were given as follows: The 2008 Annual Police Services Report the report was presented at the March 27, 2009 City Council Meeting; The 2009 report was presented at the April 13, 2010 Council Meeting and the 2010 report was presented at the April 12, 2011 City Council Meeting. This year we have not yet received the Annual Police Services Report for 2011 and the next council meeting will be June 12, 2012. ** It is valuable for residents to be able to hear the Police Report from the past year and have input on any safety issues, before a new Law Enforcement Services Agreement is passed for another year. We spoke with the new Laguna Hills Police Chief, Lt. Behrens, who told us his understanding was that this report is usually sometime around this date. We learned last year that the Police Chief's boss is the City Manager so we realize he may be somewhat constrained related to what he can say and do regarding City Policy Issues.
The Total Cost is stated to be $6,633,168 and represents an increase of $92.783 (1.42%) over the FY 2011-2012 adjusted Law Enforcement Agreement of $6,540,385.
** Editor's Note - An Alternative as often suggested by Professor Fred Smoller,the Brandman University Professor of Public Administration who has been thinking for quite awhile about how to make local governments more efficient and accountable http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2012/05/05/readers-weigh-in-o-c-lacks-will-to-battle-shadow-governments/154356/ could be to share police services with another City such as Aliso Viejo that has a Sheriff's Station in their City. At the April 19, 2011 LAGUNA HILLS CITY COUNCIL BUDGET SESSION Council Member Carruth asked if there has been any consideration given to sharing deputies with other cities to keep the numbers of deputies that are needed up and the costs down. City Manager Channing responded that no other cities have asked about this and we can consider this if they ask. What is preventing our City Manager from asking other cities about this?
Staff Recommendation - Authorize staff to authorize the FY 2012-2013 law enforcement Services Agreement between the County of Orange and the City of Laguna Hills.
VOTE - ITEM 4.4 was passed 5-0
MINUTES - The City Council Approves the Minutes of the previous City Council Meeting for publication on the city web site. The minutes from tonight's meeting will not be approved for publication until the next city council meeting so there is always a significant delay for the public related to timely documentation of information but you can now watch and listen to the City Council Meetings on the City's web site at www.ci.laguna-hills.ca.us
CITY COUNCIL/PLANNING AGENCY
PLANNING AGENCY REPORTS, PUBLIC HEARINGS and Public Comments -
5.5.1 PRELIMINARY REPORT ON A REQUEST BY FRITZ DUDA COMPANY TO REDEVELOP OAKBROOK VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER AT 24231-24391 AVENIDA DE LA CARLOTA
**Go to http://permits.ci.laguna-hills.ca.us/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=104&doctype=AGENDA and scroll down to Administrative Reports 5.5.1 PRELIMINARY REPORT ON A REQUEST BY FRITZ DUDA COMPANY TO REDEVELOP OAKBROOK VILLAGE to see the entire Staff Report on this project as there are a few discrepancies between the presentation of the report at the Council Meeting and the actual report on the City Web Site.
David Chantarangsu, Community Development Director presented the Staff Report which says - Fritz Duda Company has submitted their plans for redevelopment of the Oakbrook Village. Mr Chantarangsu said this development is roughly 19 acres in size and noted that the City's "Urban Village Specific Plan" came about as part of the City's 1st General Plan adopted in the mid 1990's. As a result of policy changes to the City's 1st General Plan the Urban Village Specific Plan was adopted in 2002 and remained as a part of the City's General Plan that was updated in 2009. He went on to say that plan is a base to work from, but the City is not tied to this plan, there is flexibility built into the plan to take advantage of market conditions. He noted the importance in the plan of connections to the Medical Centers along Paseo de Valencia and to the Laguna Hills Mall and substantial expenditures the City has made for Capital Improvement in the Urban Village Specific Plan area. He noted road widening and a plan for street furniture, and pedestrian improvements.
PHASE 1 Renovation - Mr. Chantarangsu said Phase 1 of the Oakbrook Village redevelopment plan would result in the removal of the Southern area of the commercial buildings which would be replaced by 200 residential units.
The Staff report, posted on the City web site, states Phase 1 will result in 264 residential units and the existing commercial building area would be reduced leaving 132,100 sq. ft. The first phase consisting of demolishing approx. 85,000 sq. ft of retail space on the South side of the existing center to provide for 3 new 4 story mixed use buildings and parking. Residential Unit amenities will reportedly include a fitness center, clubhouse, pool and various courtyards and plazas. Staff Report states there will be 2 new pads for a restaurant and retail/bank along the North side between the existing Calico Corners and Lone Star restaurant. All existing buildings that remain will receive an exterior remodel in Santa Barbara inspired architecture and there will be a Village Green with a large fountain. ** Editor's note - From the overhead projection images shown at the meeting the apartment buildings look very similar to the San Sebastian Apartment Buildings in Laguna Woods off of Paseo de Valencia near El Toro Road.
PHASE 2 Renovation - Mr. Chantarangsu said this development could result in 264 additional residential units for a 464 unit total and a reconfiguration of retail space resulting in 125,100 sq. ft of commercial building area.
The Staff Report states Phase 2 would consist of another 200 residential units and reconfiguration of retail space resulting in 125,100 sq. ft of commercial building area. At the end of the project the site would contain 464 residential units. The report does not state if the residential units will be apartments or condos.
Although phase 2 is reported to be conceptual at this stage the developer is requesting a development agreement/contract from the City to secure the development rights for Phase 2 allowing the additional building at a future date. Mr. Chantarangsu noted that staff is continuing to work on this agreement and will bring it to the City as part of the final approvals.
PARKING - Staff Report states the applicant has submitted a parking study that relies on shared parking between residents and retail use methodology in a combination of underground garages, detached garages and surface parking staff notes say the density of the residential units could vary related to the outcome of a fiscal impact study that will analyze financial trade-offs to the City in allowing additional residential while reducing commercial area. Mr. Chantarangsu said there is an overall "Trip Cap" where development cannot exceed an overall level of evening or PM Peak Hour Traffic Trips, which are designated within the Urban Village Specific Plan.
The City cites the Urban Village Specific Plan in the 2009 Updated 20 year LAGUNA HILLS GENERAL PLAN for Land Use, Mobility, Conservation and Open Space, Community Services and Facilities, Safety, Noise and Housing. To see the City's General Plan go to http://www.ci.lagunahills.ca.us/documents/depts/commdev/Laguna_Hills_General_Plan.pdf
Council Member Kogerman asked several questions including if there is a Report of Revenue Impact to the City Report related to having higher residential and lower retail and asked if we would need an Environmental Impact Report related to traffic in the area? She also asked what would happen if residents parked their cars in the mixed use parking area and left them for several days.
Mr. Chantarangsu answered, Not yet and continued that households generally bring more disposable income and the expectation is that income will be spent in Laguna Hills generating more sales tax. Chantarangsu stated a traffic analysis was done in 2009 as part of the update of the General Plan so maybe a limited type of environmental review may be done. He also stated cars left for prolonged periods of time in shared parking areas would be an enforce matter for the property owners.
Mayor Pro Tem Lautenschleger expressed concern about the access, and traffic flow impact. Chantarangsu responded that what's intended is that the residential uses will have their own parking in a secure area. He said a Security Gate is proposed as well as some subterranean parking. He estimated that 75 to 80% or higher of residential parking will be in residential parking areas.
Council Member Bressette also shared concern about parking related to a light parking ratio of 1.9 to 1 in the plan and a possible spill over of parking into the Mall and onto residential streets. He suggested a Complete Traffic Study that includes the possibility of a need for a traffic signal at the entrance. He also asked if the residential units will be apartments or condos. Chantarangsu said a traffic signal is planned and responded that the Developer's intent is to put a condo map over the units.
Mayor Carruth suggested a larger left turn lane into the development, additional parking, suggested a shuttle program to move people around as needed to decrease the need to use cars, possible use of solar and a change of name for Oakbrook Village to include some historical reference in the name. She also asked if the residential development here would eliminate the Laguna Hills Mall from ever moving forward with a plan for mixed use at the Mall. Chantarangsu answered this would Not eliminate the possibility of the Laguna Hills Mall ever moving forward with Mixed Use. He reminded Mayor Carruth that at the time the intensity of uses were evaluated when the Urban Village Plan was adopted a very strong policy statement was included about the intensity of uses being flexible. This would depend on the Market conditions when there is a stronger environment for one type of use vs. another.
Council Member Songstad said he was excited to have a proposal, likes the residential over retail and asked if the connection to the Laguna Hills Mall could be better.
Mr. Duda from the Fritz Duda Company shared some interesting history of the area and said there is no significance to the name "Oakbrook Village" so they may consider Mayor Carruth's suggestion to change that name to something including the word "Ranch" in the name. He added that there was no integration between the area that is now the Laguna Hills Mall and Oakbrook Village originally but prior Orange County Supervisor Tom Riley made the previous owners open access between the properties. In response to Mayor Carruth he noted that they have done everything possible to keep Trader Joe's happy.
John Loper, Consultant for the Fritz Duda Company spoke at great length about the features of the planned center (as noted above under PHASE 1) and said he wanted this development to be the catalyst for more projects like this in the City. He said he wanted the Apartment Rental Complex to look more like an upscale hotel with the Santa Barbara Architectural features they have planned. Mr. Loper added that the clock tower and the another tower will be 75 feet tall. He spoke about the many "paseos" (paths) there were for ease of walking the development to keep people on the sight and the Village Green for concerts, etc. He did say they have done a lot of work to ensure that they retain as many of the tenants in the center as they can including offering relocation to the redeveloped commercial areas on sight and they want to draw people here from all over the City. He confirmed that there will be a traffic signal at the entrance. He said guests of tenants would park in the shopping center area and might park overnight but this will be managed by the center. He confirmed that the residential units it will be a rental complex.
Mr. Duda commented that the failures of many previous mixed use projects (residential and commercial mix) have failed because there were not sufficient retail shops to service the residents. He noted that with phase 2 they want to have better access to the Laguna Hills Mall to further integrate this same kind of retail with their project.
PUBLIC COMMENTS -
Valerie Bromberg, Laguna Hills Citizen - "My concern is whether the phase one of the 264 residential units and phase two of the 200 units are to be apartments or condos, and it's been batted around so much. This development is adjacent to the Prado Apartments that was mentioned with approximately 300 units of apartments. I did ask that the City Community Developer, Development Director, and at that point he could not say whether they were condo or apartment. I was hoping the council would answer that tonight. Will there be, in approximately a year's time, over 500 apartments back to back? And further down the road another 200 placing over 700 apartments in that area. Businesses in Oakbrook have already been notified they will be moved out of the south end of the mall by the end of this year to start the project, so I assume the developer knows what is to be built there. It seems only reasonable that the residents should be able to ask and find out are these apartments or are they condos? And, after sitting through the presentation, Mr John Loper said 4 times, apartments. And it was eluded to before, by the director, that it was a condominium/apartment pad, but I think it's pretty clear now, this is apartments. And I guess that I just feel that the residents that are so close by need to be made aware that many apartments are planned in that area."
John Loper spoke again and made it clear that the residential units will be apartments now and are projected to be apartments for a long period of time. He stated that they will be designed to condo standards with a map on it so that at some point in the future they could be sold but the intent is to run them as an upscale rental complex that is comparable with the Spectrum Village and Spectrum Park Apartments in Irvine. He said they have a partner they are talking to help them manage the apartments.
Editor's Note - At the April 12, 2011 Laguna Hills City Council Meeting, the City Council Updated the City of Laguna Hills' 2009 General Plan as follows: Item 6.1 - Urban Village Specific Plan Amendment - Vern Jones, Community Development Director stated this is a update to the Urban Village Specific Plan that was adopted in 2009 with guesstimates and is now formally adding 117,000 sq. ft of retail space, minimum residential density of 30 - 50 units per acre and a reduction of high density residential open space to 10% to eliminate standards that discourage affordable housing. This area of Laguna Hills consists of 240 acres bounded by Paseo de Valencia on the north and west, Los Alisos on the south and I-5 on the east. Maximum building height for commercial and residential is now 75 ft. used to be 65 feet for residential, and landscape coverage areas are decreased from 25% to 15%. ** This update includes this area of re-development in Oakbrook Village. The Oakbrook Village developer told us that this project is on 20 acres, the City Community Development Director said 19 acres in his presentation and is planned for 464 rental units so the planned density is 24.42 rental units per acre based upon 19 acres.
Vote - A motion to receive and file this report passed 5 - 0
** This project is expected to come before the City Council/Planning Agency for a PUBLIC HEARING on July 10 as ASAP thereafter.
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARINGS and Public Comments
2012 WEED ABATEMENT PROGRAM PUBLIC HEARING
On April 24, 2012, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2012-04-24-1,commencing the Weed Abatement Program for 2012. On April 26, 2012, the City mailed the legally required notice to destroy weeds and remove rubbish, refuse, and/or dirt to all affected property owners identified on the 2012 Weed Abatement List. The notice provided that if the public nuisance is not abated and removed by the owners of the parcels of land, such nuisances will be abated and removed by City authorities in accordance with the abatement procedures set forth in Government Code Section 39560 et seq., in which case the cost of such removal shall be assessed upon the parcel of lands from which or in front of which such weeds, rubbish, refuse and/or dirt, are removed and that upon confirmation such cost will constitute a lien upon such parcel or lands until paid. Affected property owners have been given until June 1, 2012, to abate and remove the weeds, rubbish, refuse and/or dirt on their property at their sole cost and expense. The notice further provided that the City Council will hear and consider all property owner objections and protests to the proposed public nuisance abatement as part of a Public Hearing process conducted on May 22, 2012, at 7:00 p.m.
Staff Recommendation - Conduct Public Hearing, adopt a resolution authorizing the City to issue an abatement order and authorizing the Director of Public Services/City Engineer to commence enforcing weed, refuse and rubbish abatement.
There were no Public Speakers on this issue. Vote - Staff Recommendation Passed 5 - 0
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS - None
MATTERS AGENDIZED and PRESENTED by CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS -
From Council Member Kogerman - REPEAL OF LAGUNA HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 2-08.200 REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
Recommendation - City Council direct the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance to repeal Laguna Hills Municipal Code Section 2-08.200 entitled "Removal from Office" to be presented for introduction at the next regularly scheduled City Council Meeting.
Repeal of this code section will allow provisions of an Employment Agreement between the City and the City Manager to become the governing document on matters regarding removal from office. The Ordinance reads: “Notwithstanding any other provisions to the contrary, the City Manager shall not be removed from office during or within a period of one hundred eighty (180) days next succeeding any general municipal election at which election a member of the City Council is elected. The intent of this provision is to allow any newly elected member of the City Council or a reorganized City Council to observe the actions and ability of the City Manager in the performance of the powers and duties of his or her office. After the expiration of such one hundred eighty (180) day period aforementioned, the provisions of the City Manager employment agreement regarding removal from office shall apply and be effective. (Prior code § 2-08.200)”
** Editor's Note - To see a copy of the City Manager's Employment Agreement go to The City of Laguna Hills' web site face page at http://www.ci.laguna-hills.ca.us/ Under Featured Links click on - Public Official's Compensation Report - scroll down to MANAGEMENT STAFF COMPENSATION - CITY MANGER look for the underlined word " here " in the 1st paragraph and click on that to find a copy of the City Managers Employment Agreement which this 1st paragraph states "was last updated and approved in March 2003". This paragraph goes on to say that "The City Manager may be removed from his position upon a majority vote of the City Council at a lawfully noticed public meeting conducted in accordance with the requirements set forth in the Municipal Code and his Employment Agreement." illustrating the duplication of information that is in the City Manager's Employment Agreement and in the Laguna Hills Municipal Code Section 2-08.200 REMOVAL FROM OFFICE.
Council Member Kogerman requested removal of this code section related to redundancy because the City Manager's Employment Agreement/Contract trumps this City Ordinance. By repealing this code we can say that whatever is negotiated in the employment is the governing language. This Ordinance says that City Manager cannot be removed for 6 months after any General Municipal Election, Even If No One New Is Elected. The intent is so allow any newly elected member of the city council to observe the actions and ability of the City Manager before any discussion of removal from the office. Removal of this ordinance does not change anything that is negotiated. Voting For this Recommendation is voting to allow whatever is negotiated to prevail and Voting Against this Recommendation is saying regardless of what is negotiated we have this. Kogerman made a motion and Council Member Bressette seconded the motion.
Council Member Songstad said this ordinance states the Policy of the Council if anyone new is elected or not and is a chance to get to know the City Manager and evaluate his performance. He said it's a good policy that doesn't need to be changed and if at some point in the future there is a new City Manager it can be reconsidered.
Mayor Pro Tem Lautenschleger basically repeated what Council Member Songstad said and noted that a lot of other cities in the County have something like this because it is good public policy, stating the same purpose of getting to know the City Manager.
Council Member Bressette said his recollection was somewhat different related to why this code was added 180 days (6 months) is more liberal than he would support at this time. This municipal code should be repealed to allow any new council to negotiate this point without the municipal code interfering.
Mayor Carruth said for those of us who were around in the 80s and early 90s this was something that the voters chose to do. She said we chose to be a General Law City with a City Council Manager form of government. This was included in part of a vote that took place in 1991. She added that we need to respect the will of the voters. She then went on to say that Mrs. Kogerman was not necessarily supportive of the City of Laguna Hills maybe having an opportunity to vote and might not have supported the General Law. Kogerman said actually she did support the formation of the City of Laguna Hills. Mayor Carruth argued that during the 5 year struggle she had a few debates with Kogerman on television where Kogerman took the side of the developers and the OC Board of Supervisors and Big Business against the City of Laguna Hills. Carruth said to Kogerman, "You were in favor of big cities so it's understandable you might not support what was voted on in 1991 in terms of the type of City which was a very strong message from the voters, they wanted a Council Manager form of Government". Kogerman responded, this has nothing to do with the City Manager form of government, this says "any election" and doesn't restrict itself to when some one new is elected so every other year there has to be a 6 month wait. That is what needs to be removed and can be clarified in a contract. She said additionally that while Mr. Lautenschleger was correct that every city has some sort of a waiting period she didn't know of any that had a 6 month waiting period, the period is typically 3 months and under our current contract this extends the City Manager's contract by an additional 2 years because 6 months puts is past the March 30 date at which time a notice not to renew would have to be enacted. Therefore every other year we can't remove this City Manager for 2 years perpetuating an evergreen contract. Removing this would not change the City Manager form of Government it simply removes this duplication of an evergreen contract. Carruth than asserted that Kogerman should not be making any reference to the City Manager's Contract. Carruth then made a substitute motion stating, "I move that we keep the current position as stated in the Municipal Code." and asked for a vote.
The VOTE was 3 to 2 to keep the municipal code as it is. Carruth, Songstad and Lautenschleger voted to keep it, Kogerman and Bressette voted to remove it.
** Editor's Note - The following 3 statements below from Council Member Bressette and Council Member Kogerman are placed out of order here because they pertain to this discussion. They were actually stated under CITY COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS and can be heard on the City web site audio feed there.
Council Member Bressette told Mayor Carruth, we need to go back a bit because the way you painted opposition to Kogerman's motion was perhaps not exactly correct. He continued that when we formed Laguna Hills the voters didn't vote on this code section. He said we did vote on a Council-City Manager form of government which he thoroughly supports and voting for Kogerman's motion does not detract from that. He said he wanted to clarify that the only thing he was voting for was a repeal of this particular code section that came years after we incorporated and had nothing at all to do with the original vote to incorporate the City of Laguna Hills.
Council Member Bressette later stated - When we formed Laguna hills we did not vote on this code section. This code section came years after incorporation.
Council Member Kogerman also made a request, in the interest of accountability and transparency, of the council and particularly the Mayor. She continued that the Brown Act says that while it is not required to report the status of negotiations that have been going on for several months, there is nothing to prohibit a report on the status. She asked the question - If there is no report on the status who benefits? She answered her guess is no one. Then she asked if we do report on the status who benefits and the answer would be the citizens/residents. She then requested that the Mayor announce the status of the negotiations related to the City Manager's Employment Contract.
Mayor Carruth responded, "Negotiations have concluded" and asked Mr Simonian, the City Attorney, if he wished to add anything. Mr Simonian stated nothing except to clarify for the record that this is about negotiations regarding the City Manager.
** Editor's note - In December of 2010 Council Member Melody Carruth described the City Manager's contract to us as a golden handcuff agreement, so it was very surprising to us that she disagreed with this change that would remove at least one obstacle to the "handcuff" effect of any contract for any City Manager now and in the future and that the only response she was willing to give about the past 8 months of negotiations re. the City Manager's Contract, was that they have concluded. We sent her a copy of her e-mail to us from Dec. 2010 and offered her the opportunity to give more information or explain, if she wished. We have not yet received a response but will be glad to print any response received. The revelent excerpts from her statements to us were as follows: Amending the city manager contract was an issue raised by me and was supported by the city council, however, Mr. Channing declined unless his salary was increased. The contract is a binding agreement which limits the city council's ability to make changes...hence the name "golden handcuff" agreement is appropriate here. and More information about the city manager contract needs to be released to the public and discussed in an open meeting.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS -
Mayor Carruth spoke about going to Valencia Elem. School for an International Day called Passport to the World that they have had for the past 2 years and that is well attended. She said they had over 50 booths representing cities from all over the world. Local Restaurants such a Villa Roma and Jersey Mikes were there. She said this was a fundraiser and the PTA making a point that sharing a culture is important ion our community.
CLOSED SESSION – None Noted
The Next regular City Council Meeting is Tuesday, June 12, 7 pm, at City Hall. Contact Laguna Hills City Council Members at ccouncil@ci.laguna-hills.ca.us
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CITY COUNCIL and CITY MANAGER REPORT CARD - Categories - (T) Transparency for Citizens, (A) Accountability to Citizens, (CI) Championing Citizen Related Issue, (AG) Achieving Citizen Related Goal Grades - (P) Pass, (A) for Authoring a Citizen Friendly Item, (F) Fail, (A+) Extra Credit. City Manager will be scored related to online and agendized Staff Reports and Requests.
Bressette - P - for voting for the repeal of a Municipal Code stating the City Manager shall not be removed from office during or within a period of 6 months after any general municipal election at which a member of the City Council is elected regardless of whether that member is new or an incumbent. A+ for defending the truth that this Municipal Code re. the City Manager was not voted into the City's code section by voters and had nothing to do with the original vote to incorporate the City of Laguna Hills.
Carruth - F for voting against the repeal of a Municipal Code stating the City Manager shall not be removed from office during or within a period of 6 months after any general municipal election at which a member of the City Council is elected regardless of whether that member is new or an incumbent.
Kogerman - P - for voting for the repeal of a Municipal Code stating the City Manager shall not be removed from office during or within a period of 6 months after any general municipal election at which a member of the City Council is elected regardless of whether that member is new or an incumbent. A for authoring the Citizen Friendly Item of repealing the Municipal Code that fosters the City Manager's binding agreement that limits the City's ability to make changes.
Lautenschleger - F for voting against the repeal of a Municipal Code stating the City Manager shall not be removed from office during or within a period of 6 months after any general municipal election at which a member of the City Council is elected regardless of whether that member is new or an incumbent.
Songstad - F for voting against the repeal of a Municipal Code stating the City Manager shall not be removed from office during or within a period of 6 months after any general municipal election at which a member of the City Council is elected regardless of whether that member is new or an incumbent.
City Manager - Nothing
** INFORMATION, COMMENTS QUESTIONS and CONCERNS from Watch Dog Readers:
About Citizen Friendliness of City Councils
Anonymous said...I like how the AV City Council is more citizen friendly. If I were king for the day I would tear out Laguna Hills elevated dais immediately. I'm surprised the old guard Laguna Hills council members don't wear judicial type robes. So pompous. In the few meetings I've attended I've only seen one council member join us commoners before a meeting and that was Barbara Kogerman. Time for change.
Anonymous said...We went to an Aliso Viejo City Council meeting recently and they conduct Closed Sessions prior to their 7:00 pm City Council Meetings rather than after Council Meetings so that any announcements of any actions can be delivered to residents during regular council meetings hours when residents are actually in attendance as opposed to late at night after council meetings are adjourned and residents have gone home. Their City Council Members also all sit on the same level as the residents, no raised dais above the level of the citizens.
Anonymous said...I attended an Aliso Viejo City Council Meeting last night and they honored and thanked each of their citizens who completed their City's Emergency Preparedness Program. That doesn't happen in Laguna Hills, why not? Aliso Viejo certainly does have a very citizen friendly City Council, one that cares about protecting their citizens and even their citizen's pets. There was no slamming gavel noise all night and no rushing through Public Comments. The Public was actually encouraged to comment!! Very different from Laguna Hills
About Transparency and Accountability
Anonymous said...Do the long term council members think we a city of mushrooms? They seem to do their best to keep us in the dark and feed us manure.
About How to Find the Laguna Hills General Plan
Anonymous said...At the City Council Meeting on April 24, 2012, the Council made it clear to residents that they expect residents to be familiar with the City's updated General Plan that was finalized in 2009. So we looked for it on the City's web site and leaned that if you have psychic powers you'd be better off conjuring than using the City web site.
To find LH's General Plan go to the City Web site, 1 - then to Departments, 2 - then to Community Development, 3 - then to Laguna Hills Planning Documents, 4 - then to Forms, Documents and Maps, 5 - then scroll down to General Plan Land Use Map to find a General Plan Map and continue to scroll down to 6 - finally find the Laguna Hills General Plan under Planning where it is presented in 378 pages of continuous scrolling with no links from the index to any pages in the plan.
To skip some steps a Laguna Hills resident can go to Quick Links on the LH City web site Home Page then to Forms Documents and Maps and scroll down to find the General Plan Map and the General Plan, but there is no initial indication to residents that the General Plan can be found here.
If the "Search" mechanism is used on the City web site's home page and "General Plan" is typed in, the Quick Links Search Results show - No Matches Found. The Dynamic Page Search Results show - only the General Plan Opportunity Areas. A-Z Index Search, InfoGuide Search Results, and News Details Search Results show No Matches found. Finally the Document Search Results show General Plan Program EIR and if you click on that you get a message saying "This page cannot be found," If one is persistent the 2nd selection seen below - GENERAL PLAN (unk) does bring up the entire General Plan.
If you type "Laguna Hills General Plan" in the search mechanism it gets worse - it says 70 Items Found but no items listed are the General Plan??
General Plan Program EIR (unk)
General Plan (unk)
Traffic Control Plan General Notes.pdf (96.7 KB)
Findings for General Plan Zone Change Code Amendment or Specific Plan.pdf
About "The Way We Have Done Everything for the Past 20 Years"
Anonymous said...I just read this and I'm making a list right now - If I hear or read about any of the council members making any reference to "the way we've done it for 20 years" again they will immediately be on my list for NO VOTES for them in any future City Council Elections. They are either delusional or egocentric beyond imagination. How can they be capable of looking to the future if they are so stuck in the past and why should they listen to citizens if they don't believe that they ever make mistakes?
PS I like this new format so much better. Much easier to read.
About New Candidates for Public Office
One of the more interesting races in Orange County is the race for the newly formed 45th Congressional District. The 45th includes the cities of: Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Irvine, Tustin, Villa Park, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, Coto De Coza, and portions of Orange and Anaheim. John Campbell is the current GOP Congressman from the 48th running for re-election in the new 45th.
John Webb is a local businessman, former Marine, and former police detective, who has served his country and his community with honor for many years! John Webb is an honest Christian family man and a solid Tea Partier! He will listen to his constituents, hear their concerns and vote consistent with conservative values! On June 5th, I encourage you to vote for a true conservative, John Webb and with the new top two primary system, John Webb is going to need more than just your vote to win! Consider volunteering for his campaign.
To Volunteer for John Webb’s Campaign Call:
John Bosch (949) 859-3560Web site - http://johnwebb2012.net/
http://totalbuzz.ocregister.com/2012/02/21/congressman-denied-o-c-gop-endorsement/82587/http://totalbuzz.ocregister.com/2012/03/16/webb-challenges-campbell-for-45th-district/82652/
Submitted by John Bosch - Summary of and excerpts from an article written by Kelly Hubbard
About Erosion in the Aliso Creek Area of Laguna Hills
Anonymous said...Tell Mayor Carruth that if she wants residents to take more responsibility for the Aliso Creek area she better be sure that process starts with City Hall. There have been a large number of complaints from Laguna Hills Residents, over the years, related to very real dangers to residents on bike and walking trails from severe erosion where Aliso Creek runs through Laguna Hills that have never been successfully addressed by the City of Laguna Hills with the County of Orange. The council continues to claim that they are trying but nothing ever happens while this area continues to deteriorate.
** WIN WIN Wednesday is an ongoing series of restaurant fundraisers that allow the Laguna Hills High School PTSA to fund many worthwhile programs such as "EVERY 15 MINUTES" (a vividly realistic drunk driving prevention presentation), the Award Winning "I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE" program and the SAFE and SOBER all night "GRAD NIGHT" that keeps our kids not only safe but in Laguna Hills and on campus continuing a 23 year tradition that makes us HAWK Proud!
** For Weekly Flyers & Schedule go to our web site at www.WinWinWednesdays.com and please be sure to "LIKE US" on Facebook! ** Bring the WWW!! flyer to these participating restaurants on these dates and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the LHHS PTSA and you can now get durable and attractive business card size Win-Win-Wednesday Fan and Supporter Cards that contain all the info. for W-W-Wed on one side including how to subscribe to W-W-Wednesday to get your flyers, dates and Restaurant Information sent to you weekly on Wednesdays and the other side of the card will serve as a universal flyer, if you forget to bring a flyer. You can sign up for an e-blast at WinWinWednesdays@gmail.com to have the weekly schedule and flyers for Win-Win-Wednesdays e-mailed to you.
May 30 - Flamingo’s Mexican, (LH), All Day, Hawk Alumni Mixer 5:00-7:00pm
June 6 - Blends Soft-Serve Creations, (in Albertson, MV), All Day
June 13 - Golden Baked Ham and Deli at Alicia/Hon
Kula Revolving Sushi at the Laguna Hills Mall
Mountain Mike's pizza at McIntyre/La Paz
Villa Roma Restaurant off of La Paz in Laguna Hills
Woody's Diner - Oakbrook Village in Laguna Hills
Heidelburg Pastry Shop in Laguna Hills
It's a Grind Coffee House
June 20 - Kula Revolving Sushi, Laguna Hills Mall
June 27 - Lonestar Steakhouse, Oakbrook Village, Laguna Hills.
July 4 - WWW at the COLH July 4th Celebration.
**Don't forget to see our "WWW Everyday" Partners - It's a Grind Coffee House, Alpha Cleaners and Golden Baked Hams on our web site. Bring the flyers for these everyday partners and Support the businesses that support us! Sneak Peek at GRAD NIGHT Preview Nite event: Wednesday, June 13th, with our delicious participating restaurant sponsors.
** HOW TO SUPPORT THE 3rd BATTALION, 5th MARINE DIVISION - Adopted by the City of Laguna Hills
The 14th Annual Laguna Hills Memorial Day Half-Marathon, 10K and 5K are on MONDAY, MAY 28, and are HONORING THE CITY'S ADOPTED U.S. MARINE CORPS DARK HORSE BATTALION. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/laguna-172299-ocprint-hills-race.html YOU CAN RUN WITH THE MARINES AND/OR SHAKE THE HAND OF A HERO, WATCH THE RACE AND JOIN THE CELEBRATION.
You can Register to run at www.lagunahillshalfmarathon.com There will be about 46 Marines Running in the race including a group of Stroller Warriors consisting of Marine wives and children.
Donation checks can be made specifically to "Laguna Hills Team Dark Horse" and mailed to Team Dark Horse, 27251 Lost Colt Dr., Laguna Hills, CA. 92653. The Non-profit Corporation 501 (C) (3) status has been approved so all donations are tax deductible. E-mail Mike Bland at 35bland@gmail.com with questions, suggestions, etc. The city's e-mail for the 3/5 is 3/5-support@ci.laguna-hills.ca.us City Clerk Peggy Johns is the City Liaison to the 3/5 Support Committee. Go to the City web site by clicking on this link - http://www.ci.laguna-hills.ca.us/
**Go to the Team Dark Horse web site at http://teamdarkhorse.org/ to see how your donations are helping, and see the Laguna Hills 3/5 Adopted Marines Facebook page by clicking on this link - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Laguna-Hills-Team-Darkhorse/132765660119128
** NEWS STORIES AND BLOGS ABOUT LAGUNA HILLS: Click on the links below to see the stories.
Reader's weigh in: OC lacks will to battle 'shadow governments' Fred Smoller has been thinking about how to make local governments more efficient and accountable for some time. http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2012/05/05/readers-weigh-in-o-c-lacks-will-to-battle-shadow-governments/154356/
City among worst for alcohol fueled crashes
Fullerton and Laguna Hills had the worst rates of crashes that involved underage drinkers
Read more at: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/cities-348774-crashes-among.html
New Reports with 2011 Statistics for the 70 year old Orange County Animal Shelter that Laguna Hills still uses for it's citizens
Fewer Animals Killed at OC animal shelter in 2011http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fewer-338291-killed-shelter.html?pic=1
Total euthanasia rate of 53%. Fewer were killed in 2011 because fewer were impounded at the County Animal Shelter in 2011. January 31, 2012 Teri Sfzora
Three out of four cats still don't leave shelter alive http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2012/02/16/three-out-of-four-cats-still-dont-leave-shelter-alive/148403/ Teri Sforza OC Watchdog
Kill Rate for Cats at the OC Animal Shelter in 2011 was 74% and only 17% adopted, down from 19% in 2010
Euthanasia Rate Stuck at Nearly 50% at O.C. Animal Care http://ranchosantamargarita.patch.com/articles/shelter-euthanizes-fewer-animals-in-2011 County Shelter finally admits killing animals for space in this story.
Fred Smoller,The Brandman University Professor of Public Administration, "who offended the power elite" when his Master's Degree students won awards assisting Council Member Kogerman to research the total compensation of City Managers in Orange County has just resigned from his post. Why did this happen? - Click on http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/10/12/professor-who-offended-power-elite-resigns-post/109833/
LAGUNA HILLS CITY WORKERS: 12 PERCENT UNDERPAID? http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/09/01/laguna-hills-city-workers-12-percent-underpaid/95765/
Which city council makes the most money? http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/07/11/which-city-council-makes-the-most-money/88311/#comment-169311
LA Times: Laguna Hills City Manager Salary http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-oc-salaries-20110621,0,1126677.story
In O.C., city pay can be steep, but it’s not ‘abusive’ June 20th, 2011 http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/06/20/in-o-c-city-pay-can-be-excessive-but-its-not-abusive/85631/#comment-165059
June 9, 2011 ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT - Compensation Study of Orange County Cities http://www.ocgrandjury.org/pdfs/comp-study-oc-cities/Compensation-Study-of-Orange-County-Cities.pdf
City manager says compensation is fair http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-303264-channing-compensation.html
Political rebel faces an uphill battle http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-303262-kogerman-channing.html
Councilwoman: Public pay report inaccurate, self serving http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-299908-report-council.html
OC Watchdog Lavish health benefits slashed in Laguna Hills, Tustin http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/05/12/lavish-health-benefits-slashed-in-laguna-hills-tustin/82833/
After attacks, city-manager-compensation sleuths win state award March 21st, 2011, posted by Teri Sforza, Register staff writer http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/03/21/after-attacks-city-manager-compensation-sleuths-win-state-award/78545/#comment-139633 Click on http://www.publicceo.com/ for more of this story.
No more $60,000 SUVs for city manager? http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/02/09/no-more-60000-suvs-for-city-manager/75030/
Gold-plated benefits? New councilwoman just says ‘no’ http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/01/18/gold-plated-benefits-new-councilwoman-just-says-no/72532/
OCREGISTER: Laguna Hills councilwoman says no to health benefits http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-282972-benefits-council.html
O.C. cities lavished health benefits on council members http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2010/12/06/oc-cities-lavished-health-benefits-on-council-members/69544/
Who has the best-paid city council in California? (updated) http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2010/12/02/who-has-the-best-paid-city-council-incalifornia/69418/ In Laguna Hills the Taxpayers pay the entire cost of heath care premiums for the elected part time city council members and their families. In addition, the City Manager's contract states "To the extent that payment of all or any portion of the dependent rate of premium, is not approved by the city council for all city employees, Channing shall be entitled to a salary increase or cash payment sufficient to cover the amount of premium or rate for dependent coverage not provided by the City plus applicable income taxes on that amount."
OCREGISTER: Chris Norby: Local officials susceptible to 'Bell syndrome http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/elected-276253-city-syndrome.html "Bell syndrome thrives where elected boards vote in lockstep, where groupthink is elevated, and skeptics are ostracized, and where top staff are seen as irreplaceable experts – with rubber-stamped salaries to prove it. Bell syndrome thrives when self-congratulation trumps self-examination."
** CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY the DARNDEST THINGS IN PUBLIC! - Memorable and surprising Public Quotes from City Council Members
February 14, 2012 - Mayor Pro-Tem Lautenschleger said, about concerns from grandparents regarding exhaust fumes from Alicia Pkwy. blowing onto the sports field at the Community Center - "The prevailing wind is always off the ocean blowing East so it's blowing from the soccer fields onto Alicia and across that way."
Another fact checking problem. The Santa Ana Winds which are most common from
October through March blow from the East to the West - from Alicia Pkwy. and Paseo de Valencia right on to that sports field.
November 27, 2011 - Regarding the ordinance establishing parks as “Child Safety Zones, Council Member Joel Lautenschleger stated, “Let's make one thing perfectly clear, there have been no sex crimes against children in the City since we incorporated."
Should have done some fact checking before speaking so boldly, Mr. Lautenschleger. According to information from the OC Sheriff's Dept. there have been 32 child molests in Laguna Hills in the past 11 years. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but not their own facts.
January 10, 2012 - Council Member Songstad said, "I find it interesting that we are in a discussion where we are being asked to provide less information rather than more information, I thought transparency was all about providing more information."
To clarify for Council Member Songstad "Transparency" is not simply an amount of information - Merriam-Webster Dictionary (Transparency) - free from pretense or deceit, easily detected or seen through, obvious, readily understood, characterized by visibility or accessibility of information. Wikipedia (Transparency Behavior) - Transparency is operating in such a way that it is easy for others to see what actions are performed. All organizations have a transparency culture, but few have a culture of transparency, i.e., a culture of being aware of transparency and incorporating it routinely into how things are done.
October 11, 2011 - Regarding Intent to Vacate Public Service Easements (Tree Pockets) along Paseo de Valencia and between Alicia and La Paz. Mayor Songstad concluded with, "Alright its been moved and seconded. Everybody understand what the action is here? We're setting a public hearing, blah, blah, blah. All in favor"
June 10, 2008- Mayor Allan Songstad said "We have to go through a bidding process and sometimes the low bidder is not always the best contractor, but sometimes that's what we're stuck with."
Thank you Mayor Songstad, that is exactly what we have been trying to tell you about the Laguna Hills City Council "sticking " the residents with the same bad vendor - The Orange County Animal Shelter for the past 20 years.
October 25, 2005 - Mayor Allan Songstad, speaking about the Laguna Hills City Council said, "When you've been doing business in a certain way for 13 years you're not likely to change that."
So true, Allan, so unfortunately true unless you change members of the city council.
August 19, 1994 - LHCC Member Allan Songstad - From the Los Angeles Times Newspaper Article Collections - Orange County Focus - August 19, 1994 LYNN FRANEY - Laguna Hills Councilman Declines to Run for Reelection With Councilman L. Allan Songstad Jr. declining to run for reelection, at least one newcomer will gain a seat on the City Council this fall. Songstad said he never intended to run for a second council term and that he is not a "career politician." That leaves space for at least one of the challengers, Cindy Greengold, Saeid Hariri, Grant R. Marcus or Charmane Riggs.
Now, in 2012 with 19 years on the Laguna Hills City Council we are guessing Council Member Songstad has changed his mind about being not being a "career politician."
**CRIME IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD - For a roundup of Laguna Hills police calls check the Saddleback Valley News every Friday or click on www.ocregister.com/news/saddleback
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