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Home My WebLink AboutCVRC Min 2011/08/04 Wkshp CCMINUTES OF A REGULAR WORKSHOP OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CHULA VISTA REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA August 4, 2011 Police Department 4:00 p.m. Community Room 315 Fourth Avenue A Workshop of the City Council and a Special Meeting of the Chula Vista Redevelopment Corporation of the City of Chula Vista were called to order at 4:07 p.m. in the Police Department Community Room, 315 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista, California. ROLL CALL: PRESENT: Councilmembers Aguilar (arrived at 4:08 p.m.), Bensoussan, Castaneda (arrived at 4:35 p.m.), Ramirez, and Mayor Cox Chula Vista Redevelopment Corporation Directors: Desrochers, Flores, Paul, Watson, and Chair Munoz ABSENT: Chula Vista Redevelopment Corporation Directors: Salas and Cannon ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Sandoval, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Halbert, City Attorney Googins, City Clerk Norris, and Sr. Deputy City Clerk Bennett PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG AND MOMENT OF SILENCE Director Munoz led the Pledge of Allegiance. PUBLIC COMMENTS There were none. WORKSHOP 1. THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHULA VISTA REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Halbert presented information about the history of the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) and Chula Vista Redevelopment Corporation (CVRC). He then presented three potential alternative organizational structures for the CVRC: non-profit corporation, commission/boazd, or an advisory committee. Senior Project Coordinator Do presented a brief history of the Urban Development Corporation and the idea of forming a SOI (C)(3). Page 1 -Council/CVRC Minutes August 4, 2011 WORKSHOP (Continued) Gerald Trimble, San Diego resident, representing Keyser Marston Associates, spoke about cities with sepazate public redevelopment agencies; and suggested forming a group of business partners to provide advice regarding development. Gary Nordstrom, San Diego resident, provided his background with the Urban Development Corporation, and provided his perspective on the purpose of the CVRC formation. Chris Lewis, Bonita resident, former member of the Urban Development Corporation and CVRC, commented that this was the wrong time to consider disbanding the CVRC. He commented on the synergy of experts between CVRC Directors and City staff, and their ability to work with the private sector to market and attract business to the City. Councilmember Bensoussan stated that she was not in favor of disbanding the CVRC, and she suggested that the CVRC look at ways to re-define the scope and structure of the organization in away that would maximize the City's ability to be proactive. City Manager Sandoval commented on the value of the CVRC to provide knowledge of what it takes to finance a project, types of construction costs, and creating a strong business network. Director Watson gave examples of the relationship between the City of San Diego and the Center City Development Corporation (CCDC). He commented that the current structure of the CVRC was being under-utilized by the City. Deputy Mayor Ramirez suggested looking at a new direction for the CVRC. Councilmember Bensoussan urged staff to come up with a plan to restructure the scope of the CVRC. Director Flores commented that the CVRC was not utilizing its status as a 501(c)3 to the City's advantage, and he spoke in support of a public/private partnership. Councilmember Aguilar stated that the City should be focused on finding other ways of revitalizing the City. She questioned what value the CVRC had added, and stated that there was no reason for the CVRC to exist as a corporation. Mayor Cox asked staff about the estimated costs to the City of coordinating a group of volunteers, and whether associated costs to the City would differ from that of the City's Planning Commission. She suggested expanding the temtory under the CVRC's scope to include the bayfront. Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Halbert responded that regardless of the option the Council chooses to take, the cost of doing business as it's done today is the cost of the resulting redevelopment, and the added costs of a 501(c)3 was nominal. Councilmember Castaneda commented on the need for refinement in the development review process and suggested looking at economics rather than fiscal development. He suggested that the CVRC provide guidance to the Council on a focused direction for the corporation. Page 2 -Council/CVRC Minutes August 4, 2011 WORKSHOP (Continued) ACTION: Councilmember Aguilar moved to: 1. Take action immediately to dissolve the CVRC as a corporation. 2. Reconstitute the CVRC as an advisory body to the Council with responsibility to advise the Council on ways to eliminate blight, and ways to leverage infrastructure improvements and streetscape improvements as catalysts for revitalization, within redevelopment project areas. In addition, charge the newly created body with the job of preparing and submitting to the Council a plan as to how it will carry out is responsibilities, within the limits of redevelopment budgetary resources, within one yeaz from the date of is first meeting. 3. Compose the newly created advisory body of at least 50% Chula Vista residents, with expertise in the areas of economic development/job creation, engineering, redevelopment law and finance, infill development, and urban sociology recommended. All current members of the CVRC are welcomed and encouraged to serve on the new advisory body if they wish. 4. Report back to the Council within 60 days on a detailed recommended set of responsibilities and structure for the newly created advisory body. Councilmember Castaneda seconded the motion. ACTION: Mayor Cox offered a substitute motion to refer Councilmember Aguilaz's suggestions to the CVRC with a request for them to return to the Council in 100 days with a report on the future role of the CVRC. ACTION: CVRC Director Watson moved to request that City staff work with the CVRC at its next regularly scheduled meetings, without cancelling any regular meetings, and to come up with a recommendation based on the Council's comments. The motion was seconded and it carried 5-0. Councilmember Aguilar stated that she would support 100 days to have the CVRC report back to the Council with recommendations to add civic engagement and to remove Item 3 of her motion. She suggested action by the Council to immediately dissolve the CVRC as a corporation, and to have the remainder of the items submitted for review by the CVRC. Mayor Cox clazified the substitute motion to make a referral to the CVRC, including Councilmember Aguilaz's added suggestions. ACTION: Mayor Cox moved to refer Councilmember Aguilaz's suggestions to the CVRC with a request that the CVRC convene to look at options and the opportunity to dissolve the CVRC should the Council so choose. Councilmember Castaneda suggested including in Item 2 of the motion by Councilmember Aguilar, a specific work plan about what the CVRC would undertake. Page 3 -Council/CVRC Minutes August 4, 2011 WORKSHOP (Continued) City Attorney Googins clarified the substitute motion by Mayor Cox as follows: Refer the issue of the appropriate roles, responsibilities and structure of the CVRC to the CVRC for its further analysis and recommendation, including the proposal by Councilmember Aguilar, with the addition of a work plan outline and strategy, and with direction to report back to the Council with a recommendation within 100 days; and 2. Council direction to staff to prepare and present for City Council, concurrent with the CVRC recommendation, the actions necessary to dissolve the CVRC as a corporation in its current form, and perhaps to reconstitute the CVRC as outlined by Councilmember Aguilaz. Discussion ensued, with clazification by City Attorney Googins that in both instances, if the CVRC comes back with a recommendation, staff would provide support to the CVRC to either implement the recommendation or the alternative as described. ACTION: Mayor Cox moved to accept the substitute motion as set forth by City Attorney Googins to refer the issue of the appropriate roles, responsibilities and structure of the CVRC to the CVRC for further analysis and recommendation, including the proposal by Councilmember Aguilaz, with the addition of a work plan outline and strategy, with the direction to report back to the Council with a recommendation within 100 days; and direction to staff to prepare and present for City Council, concurrent with the CVRC recommendation, the actions necessary to dissolve the CVRC as a corporation in its current form, and perhaps to reconstitute the CVRC as outlined by Councilmember Aguilaz. Councilmember Bensoussan seconded the motion. Councilmember Bensoussan called for the question. The motion carried 5-0. ADJOURNMENT At 7:50 p.m., Mayor Cox adjourned the meeting to the next Regular City Council Meeting on August 9, 2011, at 4:00 p.m., in the Council Chambers. Lorraine Bennett, CMC, Sr. Deputy City Clerk Page 4 -Council/CVRC Minutes August 4, 2011