CC MINS 20090113 ADJ MINUTES
RANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL
ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
MEETING WITH LOBBYIST AND STATE LEGISLATOR
JANUARY 13, 2009
The meeting was called to order at 9:38 A.M. at the offices of Conservation Strategy
Group, 1100 11th Street, Suite 200, Sacramento, notice having been given with affidavit
thereto on file.
Present: Councilman Long, Councilman Stern and Mayor Clark
Absent: Mayor Pro Tem Wolowicz (excused) and Councilman Gardiner (excused)
Also present were City Manager Carolyn Lehr, Deputy City Manager Carolynn Petru,
Director of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement Joel Rojas, Palos Verdes
Peninsula Land Conservancy (PVPLC) Executive Director Andrea Vona, Conservation
Strategy Group lobbyist Joe Caves and Conservation Strategy Group staff member
Tasha Newman.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Councilman Stern moved, seconded by Councilman Long, to approve the Agenda.
Hearing no objection, Mayor Clark so ordered.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
None.
REGULAR BUSINESS:
Director Rojas provided an overview of the status of the purchase agreement and the
various funding sources for the Upper Filiorum property, the last major parcel needed to
complete the Portuguese Bend Nature Preserve. He explained that the City's
agreement to purchase the 191 acre Upper Filiorum property and the option to
purchase the 27 acre Plumtree parcel within one year's time was in jeopardy due to the
fact that the February 2009 Department of General Services meeting was cancelled
due to the state budget freeze, which has in turn delayed the completion of the property
appraisal scheduled for approval at the May 2009 Wildlife Conservation Board meeting.
Mr. Caves indicated that work was slowing down at the Wildlife Conservation Board,
Department of General Services and the California Coastal Conservancy due to the
state spending freeze and the Governor's mandatory state employee furlough program.
He felt that the bond monies will not be released until the state budget deal has been
completed. He suggested that the City should confirm when the federal grant funds are
set to expire, which may be as soon as 2010, and indicated that he will check with his
contact at the Department of General Services about the possibility of moving the
appraisal forward and any recommendations about how to react to the February 2009
meeting being cancelled.
No action was taken.
Recess and Reconvene: Mayor Clark called a recess at 10:12 A.M. The meeting was
reconvened at 10:35 A.M. at the Offices of State Senator Alan Lowenthal at the State
Capitol (Room 2032), Sacramento.
Present: Councilman Long, Councilman Stern and Mayor Clark
Absent: Mayor Pro Tem Wolowicz (excused) and Councilman Gardiner (excused)
Also present were City Manager Carolyn Lehr, Deputy City Manager Carolynn Petru,
and Meegen Murray, Legislative Assistant to Senator Lowenthal.
Mayor Clark provided an overview for Senator Lowenthal on the proposed Annenberg
animal education center at Lower Point Vicente Park.
The Council members present briefed Senator Lowenthal on the City's desire to amend
or reform the California Public Records Act to be more in line with the federal Freedom
of Information Act (FIOA) in order to allow cities to recoup the cost of staff time spent
responding to large and/or unfocused records requests.
Senator Lowenthal provided the Council with his perspective on the current state
budget crisis.
Mayor Clark noted that an invitation would be forthcoming to Senator Lowenthal to
attend the grand opening of the Terranea Resort Hotel.
No action was taken.
Recess and Reconvene: Mayor Clark called a recess at 11:00 A.M. The meeting was
reconvened at 11:30 A.M. at the Offices of State Senator Jenny Oropeza at the State
Capitol (Room 5114), Sacramento.
Present: Councilman Long, Councilman Stern, Mayor Pro Tem Wolowicz,
and Mayor Clark
Absent: Councilman Gardiner (excused)
Also present were City Manager Carolyn Lehr, Deputy City Manager Carolynn Petru
and Ray Sotero, Communications Director for Senator Oropeza.
Regarding the state budget, Mayor Clark reported on the suspension of the payment to
the City of$640,000 in Proposition 1B funds that were slated for roadway repairs. He
noted that the payment of$6 million in Proposition 42 funds from the California Coastal
Conservancy has placed in jeopardy the City's ability to complete the last purchase of
City Council Minutes
January 13, 2009
Page 2
open space land needed to complete the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve. The Council
members present requested Senator Oropeza's assistance in seeing that the
Proposition 1B and Proposition 42 funds are released to the City in a timely manner so
that these two important initiatives may proceed for the public benefit.
The Council members present briefed Senator Oropeza on the City's desire to amend
or reform the California Public Records Act to be more in line with the federal Freedom
of Information Act (FIOA) in order to allow cities to recoup the cost of staff time spent
responding to large and/or unfocused records requests.
Additional discussion focused on:
• The lawsuit Donald Trump filed against the City
• The grand opening of the Terranea Resort Hotel
• The proposed Annenberg animal education center at Lower Point Vicente Park
No action was taken.
ADJOURNMENT:
Mayor Clark declared the meeting adjourned at 12:09 P.M. to Thursday, January 15,
2009, at 7:00 P.M. at Hesse Park for a Capital Improvement Plan Workshop.
OTP r
Mayor
Attest:
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City Clerk
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City Council Minutes
January 13, 2009
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