CC DM 20200616 B - 20200519 CC MINS DRAFTDRAFT
MINUTES
RANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
MAY 19, 2020
CALL TO ORDER:
A Regular meeting of the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council for the purpose of a Closed
Session was called to order by Mayor Cruikshank at 6:06 P.M. at McTaggart Hall in
Fred Hesse Community Park, 29301 Hawthorne Boulevard, and via
teleconference/virtual meeting using the Zoom platform notice having been given with
affidavit thereto on file.
City Council roll call was answered as follows:
PRESENT: Bradley, Dyda, Ferraro, Alegria, and Mayor Cruikshank
ABSENT: None
Also present were Ara Mihranian, City Manager; William W. Wynder, City Attorney, and
Teresa Takaoka, Deputy City Clerk.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
None.
CLOSED SESSION ITEMS ANNOUNCED:
City Attorney Wynder announced the items to be discussed in Closed Session.
1. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR
A closed session will be held, pursuant to Government Code § 54957.6, with the City
Manager and the City Attorney regarding labor negotiations with the City’s
unrepresented employees (excluding the position of City Manager), executive
employees, management employees, confidential employees and part-time
employees.
2. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – INITIATION OF LITIGATION
GC 54956.9 (d)(4)
Based on existing facts and circumstances, the legislative body of the local agency
has decided to initiate or is deciding whether to initiate litigation.
3. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION
City Council Minutes
May 19, 2020
Page 2 of 10
A closed session will be held, pursuant to Government Code § 54956.9(d)(2)
or (d)(3) and (e)(1) because there is a significant exposure to litigation in one
case where the facts and circumstances giving rise to an exposure to litigation
are not known to plaintiff(s).
RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION (VIA CONFERENCE BRIDGE):
At 6:08 P.M., the Council recessed to Closed Session.
RECONVENE TO STUDY SESSION:
At 7:24 P.M., the Council reconvened the meeting for a Study Session.
STUDY SESSION
PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS LISTED ON THE AGENDA FOR THE STUDY
SESSION:
None.
DISCUSSION TOPICS:
SS1. Review of tentative agendas
Discussion ensued among Council Members and Staff regarding items on the upcoming
City Council meetings as listed on the tentative agendas.
Without objection, the tentative agendas were approved, by acclamation.
ADJOURN TO REGULAR MEETING:
At 7:29 P.M. the Study Session was adjourned to the Regular meeting.
REGULAR MEETING – OPEN SESSION
CALL TO ORDER:
A Regular meeting of the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council was called to order by
Mayor Cruikshank at 7:30 P.M. Hesse Park, McTaggart Hall, 29301 Hawthorne
Boulevard and via teleconference using the Zoom platform notice having been given
with affidavit thereto on file.
City Council roll call was answered as follows:
PRESENT: Bradley, Dyda, Ferraro, Alegria, and Mayor Cruikshank
ABSENT: None
City Council Minutes
May 19, 2020
Page 3 of 10
Also present were Ara Mihranian, City Manager; William W. Wynder, City Attorney;
Trang Nguyen, Director of Finance; Terry Rodrigue, Interim Director of Community
Development; Elias Sassoon, Director of Public Works; Cory Linder, Director of
Recreation and Parks; Lukasz Buchwald, Information Technology Manager; and Teresa
Takaoka, Deputy City Clerk.
Also present was Captain James Powers, Lomita Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s
Department.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilmember Dyda.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT:
City Attorney Wynder reported that with regards to the first Closed Session item, the
City Manager and City Attorney met to discuss Labor Negotiations with its various
unrepresented employee groups and received an appropriate negotiating authority from
the Council.
The City Council also had a privileged and confidential briefing from the City Attorney’s
office about facts and circumstances which may allow the city to initiate litigation in one
case. The city had a briefing and discussion. The City Council had determined not to
initiate litigation under the facts and circumstances presented to them.
Lastly, a privileged and confidential briefing of facts and circumsta nces which could give
rise to exposure to litigation in one case was presented. There was a privileged and
confidential briefing and the Council directed to proceed with a litigation avoidance
strategy.
MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mayor Cruikshank and the City Council recognized long-time resident Marthe Cohn who
recently celebrated her 100th birthday.
Mayor Cruikshank noted that a proclamation was presented to Malaga Bank recently as
it observed its 35th anniversary in the community, social distancing guidelines were
observed when he delivered the plaque.
RECYCLE AND EMERGENCY PERSONAL PREPAREDNESS KIT DRAWING:
Mayor Cruikshank announced the Recycle Winners for the May 5, 2020, City Council
meeting: John Austin and Ken & Jackie de Graaf. He indicated that all winners receive
a check for $250 and urged everyone to participate in the City’s Recycling Program. He
noted that in addition to winning the Recycler Drawing, the two individuals also won a
Personal Emergency Preparedness Kit from the City valued at $60.00.
City Council Minutes
May 19, 2020
Page 4 of 10
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:
Deputy City Clerk Takaoka noted that Item E would be moved to Regular Business as it
had been inadvertently listed as a Consent Calendar item.
Councilmember Dyda moved, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Alegria, to approve the
agenda as amended.
The motion passed on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Bradley, Dyda, Ferraro, Alegria, and Mayor Cruikshank
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Deputy City Clerk Takaoka noted that late correspondence was received for this item
and there was one request to speak (via zoom platform).
The following member of the public addressed the City Council: Larry Maizlish.
CITY MANAGER REPORT:
City Manager Mihranian announced the following: Virtual Meetings; City hall is now
open to the public; Covid-19 Health Rules; #RPVTogether; Thank You Food Deliveries
to First Responders and Frontline Workers; 2020 Census Response Rates as of
5/18/20; Peninsula News Article Regarding Blue Butterfly
CONSENT CALENDAR:
Deputy City Clerk Takaoka reported that late correspondence was distributed prior to
the meeting regarding Items E, I, and K.
Mayor Cruikshank requested that Item K be pulled and considered after Regular
Business, and that Item E be heard as the first Regular Business item.
Mayor Pro Tem Alegria moved, seconded by Councilmember Ferraro, to approve the
Consent Calendar as amended.
The motion passed on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Bradley, Dyda, Ferraro, Alegria, and Mayor Cruikshank
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
A. Motion to Waive Full Reading
City Council Minutes
May 19, 2020
Page 5 of 10
Adopted a motion to waive reading in full of all ordinances presented at this meeting
with consent of the waiver of reading deemed to be given by all Council Members
after the reading of the title.
B. Approval of Minutes (Colborn)
Approved the Minutes of the December 3, 2019, Regular meeting and March 17,
2020, Regular Meeting.
C. Registers of Demands (Nguyen)
Adopted Resolution No. 2020-23, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, ALLOWING CERTAIN CLAIMS AND
DEMANDS AND SPECIFYING FUNDS FROM WHICH THE SAME ARE TO BE
PAID (check run 04/24/20); and, Adopted Resolution No. 2020-24, A RESOLUTION
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES,
ALLOWING CERTAIN CLAIMS AND DEMANDS AND SPECIFYING FUNDS FROM
WHICH THE SAME ARE TO BE PAID (check run 05/01/20).
D. Consideration and possible action to accept the successor Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) between the City and the Rancho Palos Verdes
Employees Association (RPVEA) (DeZiel)
Adopted Resolution No. 2020-25, a Resolution of the City Council of the City of
Rancho Palos Verdes, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
ACCEPTING, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT
DATED MAY 19, 2020, AND THE SUCCESSOR MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES AND
THE RANCHO PALOS VERDES EMPLOYEEs ASSOCIATION FOR THE PERIOD
OF JULY 1, 2020 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2021.
E. Consideration and possible action to award a professional services agreement
to Chambers Group, Inc. for the preparation of environmental documents in
accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act for the Portuguese
Bend Landslide Mitigation Project (Dragoo)
This item was removed for consideration and heard as the first Regular Business
item.
F. Consideration and possible action to award a construction agreement to
Golden Gate Construction, Inc. and a professional services agreement to
Sunbeam Consulting, Inc., respectively, for construction and inspection
services for the Coastal Bluff Replacement Fence Project at Vicente Bluffs
Reserve (O’Neill)
1) Awarded a construction agreement to Golden Gate Construction, Inc., in the not -
to-exceed amount of $269,890, for the construction of replacement bluff top fencing
City Council Minutes
May 19, 2020
Page 6 of 10
at the Vicente Bluffs Reserve; 2) Awarded a professional services agreement to
Sunbeam Consulting, Inc., in the not –to-exceed amount of $21,600, for inspection
services; 3) Authorized the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the agreements in forms
approved by the City Attorney; and, 4) Authorize d the City Manager or Director of
Finance to approve amendments up to an additional 10% ($26,989) as a
construction contingency for unforeseen conditions.
G. Consideration and possible action to adopt Ordinance No. 636 amending
Chapter 12.08 (Trees and Shrubs) of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code
to strengthen the City’s ability to protect unlawful actions to City trees
(Wynder)
Waive further reading and adopted by title only Ordinance No. 636 entitled “AN
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIFORNIA,
AMENDING SECTIONS 12.08.040 & 12.08.050 OF CHAPTER 12.08 (“TREES &
SHRUBS”) TO TITLE 12 (“STREETS, SIDEWALKS & PUBLIC PLACES”) AND
SECTIONS 1.16.010 & 1.16.110 OF CHAPTER 1.16 (“ADMINISTRATIVE FINES”)
OF TITLE 1 (“GENERAL PROVISIONS”) OF THE RANCHO PALOS V ERDES
MUNICIPAL CODE.
H. Consideration and possible action to accept Gifts for Parks donations (Hirsch)
Accepted Gifts for Parks donations and directed Staff to prepare donor letters of
appreciation for the Mayor’s signature.
I. Consideration and possible action to receive a status report on the City’s
acacia eradication efforts (O’Neill)
Received and filed a status report on the City’s efforts to eradicate acacia; and, 2)
Authorized the Mayor to execute a Contract Services Agreement, in a form approved
by the City Attorney, with Travers Tree Service, Inc. in the amount not to exceed
$42,875, for acacia and other non-native tree trimming and removal in designated
areas.
J. Consideration and possible action to approve Amendment No. 1 to the
Professional Service Agreement with Interwest Consulting Group, Inc. to
extend services for the Interim Director of Community Development through
June 30, 2020. (Garrett)
Authorized the Mayor and City Clerk to approve Amendment No. 1 to the existing
Professional Service Agreement with Interwest Consulting Group, Inc., in a form
approved by the City Attorney, thereby extending the services for Interim Director of
Community Development through June 30, 2020 and increasing the total sum of the
Agreement from $66,000 to $84,500.
City Council Minutes
May 19, 2020
Page 7 of 10
K. Consideration and possible action to authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to
Governor Newsom requesting funding to address COVID-19 impacts to cities.
(Barnes)
This item was removed from the Consent Calendar for separate consideration.
CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM(S) PULLED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:
None.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
None.
REGULAR BUSINESS:
E. Consideration and possible action to award a professional services
agreement to Chambers Group, Inc. for the preparation of environmental
documents in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act for
the Portuguese Bend Landslide Mitigation Project (Dragoo)
Deputy City Clerk noted that this item was removed from the Consent Calendar
as it should have been a Regular Business item, late correspondence for this
item was received and distributed prior to the meeting and there were no
requests to speak.
City Manager Mihranian presented a brief staff report.
Discussion ensued among Council Members and Staff.
Councilmember Dyda moved, seconded by Mayor Cruikshank to: 1) Award a
professional services agreement, in an amount not to exceed $292,289.30, to
Chambers Group, Inc. for the preparation of environmental documents in
accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act for the Portuguese
Bend Landslide Mitigation Project; and, 2) Approve an additional appropriation in
the amount of $292,289.30 from Measure R funds to cover costs associated with
the preparation of the environmental documents.
The motion passed on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Bradley, Dyda, Ferraro, Alegria, and Mayor Cruikshank
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
City Council Minutes
May 19, 2020
Page 8 of 10
1. Consideration and possible action to approve the Palos Verdes Drive East
Street Widening and Safety Improvement Project generally between Bronco
Drive and Sunnyside Ridge Road
Deputy City Clerk Takaoka reported that late correspondence was distributed prior to
the meeting; there were three voicemails left as public comments; and, there may be
*one speaker on the item participating via Zoom platform.
Director of Public Works Sassoon presented a comprehensive staff report and
PowerPoint presentation.
Discussion ensued among Council Members and Staff.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council via voicemail: Jeff
Felmann, Sheri Felmann, and SUNSHINE.
*Attempts were made to reach the remaining speaker, to no avail.
Discussion ensued among Council Members and Staff.
Councilmember Ferraro moved, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Alegria to approve staff
recommendation.
Councilmember Bradley moved, seconded by Councilman Dyda, offering a substitute
motion to approve all staff recommendations (receive and file the staff report; pay for
the radar units; pay for the engineering costs) but to defer the final recommendation
concerning the construction portion for FY 2021-22 until a date to be determined.
The motion failed on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Bradley and Dyda
NOES: Ferraro, Alegria, and Mayor Cruikshank
ABSENT: None
The initial motion to approve all staff recommendations (for items noted above) as
moved by Ferraro and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Alegria was then voted on.
The motion passed on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Ferraro, Alegria, and Mayor Cruikshank
NOES: Bradley and Dyda
ABSENT: None
Mayor Cruikshank called for a brief recess at 8:51 P.M. The meeting reconvened at
9:04 P.M.
City Council Minutes
May 19, 2020
Page 9 of 10
2. Consideration and possible action to implement a fuel modification
revegetation pilot program (O’Neill)
Deputy City Clerk Takaoka noted that late correspondence was received prior to the
meeting and there were no requests to speak, however the consultants were available
by Zoom if there were questions.
Project Manager O’Neill presented a brief staff report and Powerpoint presentation.
Discussion ensued among Council Members and Staff.
Councilmember Dyda inquired as to whether
Mayor Pro Tem Alegria moved, seconded by Mayor Cruikshank to: 1) Review a
proposed pilot program to revegetate three fuel modification areas within the Palos
Verdes Nature Preserve; and, 2) Execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
with the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy (PVPLC) to conduct the
revegetation work associated with the pilot program, as amended to include a
schedule.
The motion passed on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Bradley, Dyda, Ferraro, Alegria, and Mayor Cruikshank
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
3. Consideration and possible action to review the Fiscal Year 2019-20 budget
adjustments based on the third quarter year-end estimates and the Preliminary
FY 2020-21 Budget and estimated fund balances for all funds. (Nguyen)
Deputy City Clerk Takaoka noted that there were no requests to speak.
Director of Finance Nguyen presented a comprehensive staff report and PowerPoint
presentation.
Discussion ensued among Council Members and Staff.
Mayor Pro Tem Alegria moved, seconded by Councilmember Dyda, to: (1) Review
and accept FY 2019-20 budget adjustments based on the third quarter year-end
estimates; 2) Review and accept the Preliminary FY 2020-21 Budget consisting of the
General Fund, Capital Improvement Program, and Special Revenues but excluding
the Improvement Authorities; and, 3) Accept the Utility Users Tax (UUT) rate of 3% to
be continued as a necessary revenue source for the City’s operations for FY2020-21
The motion passed on the following roll call vote:
City Council Minutes
May 19, 2020
Page 10 of 10
AYES: Bradley, Dyda, Ferraro, Alegria, and Mayor Cruikshank
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM(S) PULLED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER:
K. Consideration and possible action to authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to
Governor Newsom requesting funding to address COVID-19 impacts to cities.
(Barnes)
Mayor Cruikshank noted that he had pulled this item earlier as he was desirous of
amending the letter to ask only for State funding at this time.
Discussion ensued among Council Members and Staff.
Mayor Cruikshank moved, seconded by Councilmember Dyda, to authorize the Mayor
to sign a letter to Governor Newsom requesting funding to address COVID-19 impacts
to cities, as amended.
The motion passed on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Bradley, Dyda, Ferraro, Alegria, and Mayor Cruikshank
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
None.
CITY COUNCIL ORAL REPORTS:
Each Council Member present reported on his/her attendance at various organization
and association meetings.
ADJOURNMENT
At 10:18 P.M., Mayor Cruikshank adjourned this meeting.
/s/ John Cruikshank
Mayor
Attest:
/s/ Emily Colborn
City Clerk