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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcc min 1972/09/20 3:30 PM MINUTES OF A REGULAR ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA Held Wednesday September 20, 1972 An adjourned regular meeting of the City Council was held on the above date beginning at 3:30 p.m. in the C~uncil Conference Room, Civic Center, 276 Fourth Avenue, with the following Councilmen present: Councilmen Scott, Hobel, Hamilton, Hyde, Egdahl Absent: None Also present: City Manager Thomson, City Attorney Lindberg, Director of Finance Grant, Director of Planning Warren AMBULANCE SERVICE Mr. Steve Ballard, owner of Bay Cities Ambulance Service, discussed the services his company provides, noting especially the areas where indigent patients are picked up, transported to the hospitals, and no renumeration is received. He referred to the report submitted by the City Manager in which the City Manager recommended that the City reimburse the ambulance service for 50% of a receivable after it has remained uncollected for over ninety days. This reimbursement is to be for emergency cases involving "no pays" originating in the City. Costs due to transport between hospitals are not applicable. Mr. Ballard ques- tioned the term "emergency." He agreed that it would apply to someone who needs transportation out in the field, and not the inter-transportation between hospitals. Council discussion Council discussion ensued on the advantages and disadvantages of having the City bear this cost. Councilman Hyde felt it should be the responsibility of the County to assume the financial responsibility for medical care for indigents that just happen to be picked up in hospitals in this community. Uncollectible calls Mr. Ballard remarked that 80% of his un- collectible calls come fr~m private individuals and 20% come from the hos- pitals. The hospitals call him to transport the indigent patients to University Hospital. These patients are brought to the hospitals, usually from the Border, by the San Diego Police Department, and the Imperial Beach Fire Department. Mr. Ballard requested that the City Conncil allow him to charge the hospitals for that transpor- tation. City Attorney's opinion City Attorney Lindberg stated there is no legal responsibility for Bay Cities Ambulance to make these inter-hospital runs. The question then, would be: What pressure would the City get from the hospitals to provide that service? Rate increase In answer to Council's query, Mr. Ballard stated he has not received a rate increase Since 1966. At the present time, the charge is $30.00 a call, plus $1.50 a mile; other cities are charging $35.00 a call, with some cities charging as much as $40.00. City's proposed share of cost The Council questioned what the 50% figure, as recommended by the City Manager, would amount to in dollars and cents. Mr. Ballard indicated he would have to look over his books and compile the exact estimates. Motion to hold over It was moved by Councilman Egdahl and seconded by Councilman Scott that this matter be held over until statistics and figures are presented by Mr. Ballard. Alternative~- discussed Councilman Scott felt that alternatives should be investigated: (1) whether another ambulance service would be willing to come in, under the present basis; and (2) whether the City should provide an ambulance service. Motion for alternatives It was moved by Councilman Scott, seconded by Councilman Hyde and unanimously carried that the staff look into these alterna- tives and report back to Council. Original motion carries The original motion for Mr. Ballard to submit figures to the staff carried unanimously. PARKING PLACE COMMISSION Mr. Tom Huntington, Chairman, referred REQUEST - ACQUISITION OF to the report submitted by the Parking ADDITIONAL PARKING LOTS Place Commission in which they requested permission to acquire the following additional parking lots: (1) 281 and 287 Church Avenue, 282 Del Mar -three parcels at a cost of $59,000, (2) 230 and 232 Church Avenue ~two parcels at a cost of $31,000 and (3) 356 and 360 Third Avenue (Railroad property) at a cost of $52,379. Acting City Manager's comments Mr. Bourcier declared that the City has no money to advance the District for acquisition of the additional lots. Two things should be considered: (1) If the Council desires to purchase these lots and have the City advance the money later in the year from the Special Capital Outlay fund against the revenues of the Parking Place Commission, they should be aware 0f the fact that the Planning Department has requested that a Master Plan of the Downtown area be made before any additional parking lots are purchased. (2) A report submitted by the Traffic Engineer indicates that the usage on the present parking lots is so poor that he could not justify acquisition of additional parking lots. (3) The management staff would like to see this large outlay stand on its own feet in the total capital outlay pro- gram of the City. Other sources of revenue The Council discussed funds that the City would receive from revenue sharing and SB 325. Councilman Egdahl asked whether the Parking Place Commission could get a commercial loan and have it secured by possible assessments in the District. Mr. Grant stated that the District now owes the City $30,972.00 -- balance of the loan. In discussing this with Stone - 2 - and Youngberg and the firm of O'Melveny and Myers, they stated that the District could not go to a private bank and obtain a loan. The District could, however, first sign a waiver for the entire balance of the loan, and issue 1951 Parking District Act Bonds as they did originally. This would require a new hearing under the regular procedures of the Act. TOPICS Program The TOPICS Program was discussed as was its effect on a Master Plan for the Downtown area. Mayor Hamilton stated that this study is based on traffic flow and safety, and it is the desire of the Council to have all of the merchants apprised of this study. Bond repayment City Attorney Lindberg commented that it should be noted that if the District had gone to Bonds, the amount of money that would have been available would have been very adequate to service those bonds -- the District is paying more money, pursuant to the resolution on the loan payoff, than they Would have for the bonds. Offstreet parking requirements In answer to Councilman Scott's question, City Attorney Lindberg explained that, in the past, a policy was established waiving or reducing the parking require- ments imposed by the Zoning Ordinance, since new developments had the prospect of an assessment for the Parking District, and because there were available parking lots. A variance would be granted to exempt them from the zoning requirements for offstreet parking. The Parking Place Commission wants this policy to continue. Mr. Lindberg added it would be his recom- mendation to review the new developments on an individual basis, and handle the offstreet parking by the variance process. Mr. Huntington declared that the City and Parking Place Commission should en- courage each and every new development to supply offstreet parking and not get to the point where it is absolutely necessary and the development would be lost because of the parking requirements, but not to make it a mandatory requirement. Motion to plan and preparation It was moved by Councilman ltyde, seconded to acquire property by Councilman Scott and unanimously carried that approval be given to the request of the Parking Place Commission to start planning and preparation to ac- quire the properties cited in their report, and that staff be directed to get together with the Parking Place Commission and discuss financial arrange- ments which would be necessary to accom- plish such an enterprise and what method of financing the staff recommends. Offstreet parking Mayor Hamilton suggested the motion in- clude continuing with the same type of o£fstreet parking requirements as now exist by the use of the variance process. - 3 - Councilman Hyde included this suggestion in the motion, Councilman Scott agreed to the second, and the motion carried unanimously. PARKING AT NORMAN PARK Mr. Huntington stated the Commission is against providing free parking for the senior citizens, since it would open up a number of problems and would get out of hand. Mr. Stan McMains, member of the Commission suggested the purchase of the lot on Del Mar Avenue and reserve it exclusively for senior citizen parking. Mayor Hamilton indicated this matter would be held in abeyance until the question of the acquisition of these additional parking lots is resolved. POLICY REGARDING SCHOOL FEES City Attorney Lindberg discussed the City's policy for agreement and negotia- tion between the school districts and developers. He stated that while the City Council may earnestly desire to assist the school districts in resolving the educational problems which have come about as a result of the growth, especially in large new subdivisions, at present there is no legal authority granted by State Legislature to deny a subdivision map. This conference was called to substantiate Council's policy in assisting the school districts in obtaining the educational support needed by the new developments in the City. Mrs. Betty Boone, Counsel Mrs. Boone remarked that an in-depth San Diego County study was made by the County of San Diego (Technical Committee for School Financing). Many recommendations were made by this committee to the Board of Supervisors for proposed pieces of legislation and for adopting the San Diego 600-10 Policy. She suggested the Council review this committee report. Amendment to General Plan Councilman Hyde asked if there was any reason not to take the approach of amending the General Plan. City Attorney Lindberg felt it would be advisable and it would assist immeasurably in bringing about a better degree of cooperation between the school districts and the developers. Joseph Rindone, Jr., Mr. Rindone stated his District has a Superintendent policy of charging $300, and the developers Sweetwater Union High School District have been very cooperative in this regard. The only suggestion made was that a single bedroom apartment have a sliding scale. The developers are not against the fee per se, but do object to the amount in some cases. The Council discussed pending subdivisions which may challenge the policy -- Rancho Rios, Larkhaven, and James Miller's three- home subdivision. - 4 - Mrs. Judith Bauer, Board member, co~nented that the District has received corres- pondence from these developers, requesting a reconsideration of the amount. They are willing to go along with the policy. Dr. Burton Tiffany, Dr. Tiffany discussed the present Council Superintendent policy, commenting that it was a good Chula Vista Elementary School District one and urged the Council to maintain it. The School District admits it is not the final answer and will be making a number of suggestions. A few developers will want to make changes, but any dif- ferences between the developer and the school districts in this regard should not be a concern to the Council. Suggested policy Councilman Scott suggested an added policy that somewhere in the Planning process the City Clerk send a notice to the school districts for tentative maps and rezonings. Dr. Tiffany indicated the present noti- fication from the Planning Department was excellent. He felt it was encumbent upon the Council to tell the subdivider when to get his letter in. Councilman Scott remarked the developer should not have to submit the letter -- it should come from the school district. Council's policy Councilman Egdahl expressed the feeling of the Council that there is a possibility of its being "put in the middle" in a achool district-developer controversy. He stated that, so far as legally possible to do so~ the Council will cooperate in every way with needs of providing educa- tional facilities for the students generated by new housing developments; however, where it is not legal to do so, it should be understood that it is because of the law, and not because the Council is unwilling to cooperate. Motion to contact school districts It was moved by Councilman Scott, seconded by Councilman Hobel and unanimously car- ried that whenever a legal advertisement of a public notice is made, a notice be sent to the school districts stating that the Council needs a letter prior to the public hearing. Negative response Councilman Hobel questioned what the procedure would be if a negative response was sent by the school districts. City Attorney Lindberg stated that, in the case of subdivision maps, the Council could defer action and insist that nego- tiations continue. If the Council does not act within the time prescribed according to State law (40 days), the map is deemed approved. Motion for General Plm~ amendment It was moved by Councilman ltyde, seconded by Councilman Egdahl and unanimously carried that the staff be directed to prepare a public facility impact element to the General Plan, and to work in cooperation with the school districts to provide the necessary data to accommodate their needs. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Hamilton adjourned the meeting at 5:50 p.m. to the meeting scheduled for 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 20, 1972. City Clerk