CC MINS 20080115 ADJ MINUTES
RANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL
ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
MEETING WITH LOBBYIST AND STATE LEGISLATOR
JANUARY 15, 2008
The meeting was called to order at 9:18 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: Mayor Stern, Mayor Pro Tern Clark, Councilman Long and
Councilman Wolowicz
Not Present: Councilman Gardiner
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) Acting Executive Director Andrea Vona and
Conservation Strategy lobbyist Joe Caves.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Mayor Stern moved, seconded by Mayor Pro Tern Clark, to approve the Agenda.
Hearing no objection, Mayor Stern so ordered.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
None.
REGULAR BUSINESS:
Director Rojas provided an overview of the status of the negotiations to purchase the
Filiorum property, the last major parcel needed to complete the Portuguese Bend
Nature Preserve. He explained that the City was currently looking to purchase the 191
acre Upper Filiorum property, with the option to purchase the 27 acre Plumtree parcel
within one year's time. In answer to a question from Mr. Caves, Mayor Stern reported
that Ron Buss, representing the property owner, would be taking responsibility of
updating the appraisal of the property that had been prepared two years earlier.
PVPLC Acting Executive Director Vona explained the various sources of funding to
complete the purchase, including an expected $4.8 million from the California Coastal
Conservancy.
Mayor Pro Tern Clark and Councilman Wolowicz departed the meeting at 9:49 A.M. for
another appointment.
Mr. Caves recommended that staff meet with Mary Smalls of the Coastal Conservancy
to review the status of the appraisal, since this required document can hold up the
funding approval process if it is not current. He also indicated that timing is critical at
this point and the City and the PVPLC should strive to have a viable purchase
agreement in place within in the next two to three months before the state funding
becomes committed to other projects.
No action was taken.
Recess and Reconvene: Mayor Stern called a recess at 9:52 P.M. The meeting was
reconvened at 2:30 P.M. at the Offices of State Assembly Member Ted Lieu at the
State Capitol (Room 4016), Sacramento.
Present: Mayor Long, Mayor Pro Tem Stern, Councilman Clark and
Councilman Wolowicz
Not Present: Councilmen Gardiner
Also present were State Assembly Member Ted Lieu, his Chief of Staff David Ford, City
Manager Carolyn Lehr and Deputy City Manager Carolynn Petru.
Mayor Stern briefed the Assemblymember and his staff 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 to allow cities to recoup the cost of staff time spent responding to large
and/or unfocused records requests.
Mayor Stern apprised the Assemblymember of the City's continuing efforts to adjust the
district boundary between the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Palos Verdes
Peninsula Unified School District so that to address the Eastview School District
boundary adjustment. Mayor Pro Tem Clark indicated that the City was also interested
in re-energizing the issue related to allowing students at Fort McArthur in San Pedro the
option of attending school in the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District as a
mechanism to attract qualified personnel to serve at the Los Angeles Air Force Base
and to keep this important facility in the South Bay.
Mayor Stern briefed the Assemblymember and his staff on the limitation of the current
California Vehicle Code regarding the use of technology, such as cameras, to reduce
speeding and promote traffic safety in residential areas. The Council members
indicated that Rancho Palos Verdes would be interested in being a pilot test area for
such new technology.
Additional discussion focused on:
• Funds for the purchase of open space
• Redistricting and Term Limits
• State Budget & projected shortfall
Councilman Wolowicz stressed the importance of the state legislators adhering to the
provision of Proposition 1A to protect cities' financial interests.
City Council Minutes
January 15, 2008
Page 2
No action was taken.
ADJOURNMENT:
Mayor Stern declared the meeting adjourned at 3:14 P.M.
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Mayor
Attest:
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City Clerk
W:\City Council Minutes•2008\20080115 CC MINS SACTO SPEC MTG.doc
City Council Minutes
January 15, 2008
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