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CC - Minutes - 05-10-16 Special MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING MAY 10, 2016 The Special meeting of the Rosemead City Council was called to order by Mayor Armenta at 5:33 p.m. in the Rosemead City Council Chamber located at 8838 East Valley Boulevard, Rosemead, California. PRESENT: Mayor Armenta, Mayor Pro Tem Low, Council Members Alarcon, Clark, Ly. Mayor Pro Tern Low was not present during roll call. 1. PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE There were none. 2. MATTERS FROM MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL Mayor Armenta stated for the record that a Council Member needs to have three votes in order to schedule a special meeting. However, since Council Member Ly approached her requesting a special meeting, she felt it's fair that the Council discuss the items being requested. In addition, Ms. Armenta stated she would like to set precedence during her Mayoral tenure by allowing any Council Member to request for a special meeting for items they are passionate about. City Manager Manis clarified that the municipal code states that three Council Members need to agree to a meeting or the Mayor may call for a special meeting. Council Member Ly asked if this action will set precedence for future meetings. Mayor Armenta explained that during her tenure as Mayor, she will allow any Council Member to request a special item to be discussed in a meeting without requiring the three votes. Council Member Clark asked if the municipal code would need to be changed. Mayor Armenta stated that the municipal code does not need to be changed during her tenure, as long as there is a quorum, three votes are not needed. Council Member Ly stated that after reviewing the travel policy it was discovered that the policy needs Councils review and would like to set precedence for future conferences. Mr. Ly explained that in the past the Chair of the Planning Commission was always invited to attend the annual Planning Conference hosted by the League of California Cities. The idea is for the Planning Commission to be knowledgeable about issues. Since the desire as a Council is to stress more economic development, the Planning Commission should understand exactly what type of economic development the Council wishes to see. Mr. Ly explained that he had previously discussed with the prior City Manager on starting to invite the Chair of the Planning Commission to attend the annual ICSC Conference. After, as the Commission rotates, every Chair of the Planning Commission would get the opportunity to attend an ICSC Conference. Rosemead City Council Special Meeting Minutes of May 10, 2016 Page 1 of 7 Mr. Ly continued that when there is an important item the Council supports, and it's presented before the Planning Commission, sometimes they have a lot of push-back on those items, and the ability to consult with the Commissioners is limited due to the Brown Act and other restrictions that are in our Public Meetings Acts. He reiterated that by sending the Chair of the Planning Commission to the ICSC Conference is an opportunity for them to see what items are important to the Council. Council Member Clark expressed concern with Council Member Ly's request. Having served on the Planning Commission, Mrs. Clark stated that there are Planning Conferences to learn about codes and duties as a Planning Commissioner. She explained that it would be too expensive and sets a precedence she did not agree with. The ICSC Conference is where you talk to developers and people who want to do business, and may not be something that a Planning Commissioner's needs. Mrs. Clark explained that there were two Council Members and the City Manager attending the conference to make those contacts with potential developers; and expressed that she did not believe it's a good use of tax payer's money to send a Commissioner to that conference. Council Member Alarcon asked if the conference was mandated and what was the cost if a Planning Commissioner attends the conference. Mayor Armenta clarified that no conference is mandated, they are all optional. Mayor Pro Tem Low arrived to the City Council special meeting at 5:41 pm. ..- City Manager Manis stated that the cost was approximately over $2,600 which includes the conference registration, attendance, three night hotel, air flight, and meals. Council Member Clark reiterated her concerns and opposed Council Member Ly's request to send a Planning Commissioner to the ICSC Conference. She felt that planning conferences are best for Commissioners because they are educational, learn about codes and how things are done. Council Member Ly reiterated that historically there have been situations where the Planning Commission did not necessarily understood the importance of certain projects the Council desired to support. As the Council's philosophy for economic development in the City, Mr. Ly explained that the idea is to invite the Chair of the Planning Commission to the conference and each year after that, a different Chair attends. He added that it's important the Commission sees what projects are important; for example, projects like the Fresh and Easy discussion staff had at an ICSC conference and later came in to the City. Mayor Pro Tem Low stated that Fresh and Easy had already showed an interest and city staff made an appointment with them. Council Member Ly added that when the Fresh and Easy project came before the Planning Commission, they had significant issues with the project. It showed a huge dichotomy between sometimes what the Planning Commission thinks it wants, and what in reality the Council thinks is best for the community. Mr. Ly explained that by allowing a Commissioner to attend the conference is a way of bridging those discussions when --- Council's is pushing for economic development. The ICSC Conference is not just meeting developers but also meeting with retailers, brokers, and analysts, such as the meetings the City Manager has set up to Rosemead City Council Special Meeting Minutes of May 10, 2016 Page 2 of7 discuss potential economic studies for the City. He reiterated that paying one Planning Commissioner to attend the conference is a positive investment to get good quality projects. Mayor Pro Tern Low asked how many staff members were attending the conference, other than the City Manager. Mayor Armenta replied that none, only the City Manager was attending the conference. Mayor Pro Tem Low suggested that if the City has the money, then additional staff should be sent to the conference versus a Planning Commissioner. She added that staff needs to be more aware of what is happening out there when it comes to economic development. Although she agreed with Council Member Ly about broadening the Planning Commissioners horizons, she was not sure the ICSC Conference was suited. Council Member Ly explained that the idea is that all five Planning Commissioners get an opportunity to attend the ICSC Conference as part of the regular planning conferences they each get an opportunity to attend as they hold the Chairmanship. Mayor Pro Tern Low asked what the Commissioners do at the annual planning conference. Council Member Ly stated that Commissioners learn technical aspects of land use, how it's applied, and how to balance issues the developers bring to communities. Mayor Armenta asked when the annual planning conference is. City Manager stated that the planning conference usually takes place around the fall. Council Member Clark asked how much is the cost to send more Planning Commissioners to a planning conference, which would be a better use of tax payer's money. Mayor Armenta asked when the last time a Planning Commissioner attended a planning conference. Council Member Ly replied that usually the Chair is the only Planning Commissioner that attends the annual planning conference. Council Member Clark added that under the prior City Manager, in the last year, workshops have been implemented to look at issues on projects, which have been effective. She stated that she would like to see that continue and resolve the problem of Planning Commissioner being left out of not knowing what's going on. Council Member Ly explained that what Council Member Clark is stating is the workshop for the pre- application process and that only applies to certain projects. Mr. Ly continued by explaining that when TGI Fridays expressed interested to come to the City, a community member was thinking on appealing the project. If TGI Fridays got appealed, Chipotle Restaurant would have walked away. Mr. Ly stated that he understood the issue of cost; however, the opportunity to educate the Planning Commissioners on the goal of the City on quality of economic development, by meeting with retailers and business people at the conference would make them understand the importance of a project. Rosemead City Council Special Meeting Minutes of May 10, 2016 Page 3 of 7 Council Member Clark suggested that those attending the ICSC Conference bring informational resources to ^- share and have a workshop with the Planning Commissioner. Mrs. Clark expressed concerns with setting precedence in sending a Planning Commissioner to the ICSC Conference. Mayor Pro Tern Low stated that she felt it would be more beneficial for the Chair to attend the planning conference than the ICSC Conference. Mayor Armenia stated that she understood Council Member Ly's view. She recalled that in the past, a previous Council Member had appealed the UFC Gym project. Had he attended an ICSC Conference, he would have seen all the opportunities that the UFC Gym has brought and people patronizing the nearby restaurants. There is a component of how all the planning and the demographics come together. Council Member Ly made a motion to authorize city staff to invite the Chairman of the Planning Commission to attend the ICSC Conference moving forward. Mayor Armenta asked if the City sends the Chair of the Planning Commission to the ICSC Conference, will that affect the budget. City Manager Manis replied that there is $10,000 in a City Managers account that could cover the cost, which has not been use for the current fiscal year. Mayor Armenta asked if once the fiscal year starts all over again, more funding would be added to that $10,000. City Manager Manis responded potentially yes and stated that a brand new policy should be created if Council approved Mr. Ly's request. There are three Council Members and the City Manager going and it's good to sometimes bring staff to conferences. Mr. Manis explained there is a western division of ICSC show that's based in San Diego. It's a smaller version of the Las Vegas and could be an option that the City could look at. Staff could look at the budget as far as the San Diego ICSC versus Las Vegas CSC Conference. Mayor Pro Tern Low reiterated that she would like to see additional city staff attend the ICSC Conference and would consider sending a Planning Commissioner to the ICSC San Diego conference. Mayor Armenta stated that the purpose of agreeing to put Mr. Ly's item on the agenda was to set precedence and consistency by the Council. Council Member Ly stated the travel policy would not need to be amended and the precedence would be established by minute action of the Council. City Attorney Richman asked if the Council took action now, should staff create a policy or would this be a once time action and direction would be given to the City Manager on a go forward basis. Council Member Alarcon suggested that the City send a Planning Commissioner to the San Diego ICSC Conference and then determine whether it was worth it. -� Council Member Clark disagreed with Council Member Alarcon because it sets precedence and allowing one Planning Commissioner to attend one conference and not another the following year is not fair. Rosemead City Council Special Meeting Minutes of May 10, 2016 Page 4 of 7 Council Member Ly stated that he understood the City Manager's view on this. It can also be determined the Council could choose to reverse the action at any given time or keep it. That's the prerogative of the Council. Mayor Pro Tern Low asked if the Chair of the Planning Commission is John Tang. Council Member Ly replied yes and next year the Chair should be Daniel Lopez. Mayor Armenta asked Council Member Ly to repeat his motion. Council Member Ly reiterated his motion to authorize the City Manager to start inviting the Chair of the Planning Commission to the Annual ICSC Recon Conference. Mayor Armenta seconded Council Member Lys motion and stated for the record she supported the motion because there was funding available and the Planning Commission should know what direction the City Council wishes for the community. Council Member Clark expressed that she did not agree with the motion and that by going to the conference you would not solve any problem that may come about a project as the UFC Gym did. ACTION: Council Member Ly made a motion, seconded by Mayor Armenta to authorize the City Manager to start inviting the Chair of the Planning Commission to the Annual ICSC Recon Conference in Las Vegas. The motion unanimously carried by the following roll call vote: AYES: Ly and Armenta, NOES: Alarcon, Clark, and Low 4. ADJOURNMENT The special meeting adjourned at 6:02 p.m. The next regular City Council meeting was scheduled to take place on May 10, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. in the Rosemead City Hall Council Chamber. a Ericka Hemandez,Acting City Clerk APPROVED: C�cbti4,�lA `�b7� Sandra Armenta, Mayor Rosemead City Council Special Meeting Minutes of May 10, 2016 Page 5 of 7 p•■■••• or,••t