Febuary 27, 2014 City Council Agenda

Find complete agenda here.
Call (559) 621-8000 to speak to your council member on any one of these issues.

Watch the City Council meeting live here every Thursday, usually starting at 8:30am.

Consent Calendar:

1A) City staff recommends awarding a contract in the amount of $108,500.00 to Floyd Johnston Construction Company, Inc. of Clovis, California, for constructing four new manhole access sewer structures within the City of Fresno.

1B) The landowner of property near Barstow & Garfield (map) wishes to be annexed to a Community Facilities District where the City will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of to concrete curbs and gutters, valley gutters, traffic calming curbs and hardscaping, sidewalks, curb ramps, interior street paving, street signage and street lighting. The cost for these services will be covered by a property tax assessed at $554.50/lot annually. This Resolution of Intention begins the process and sets the required public hearing for March 27, 2014 at 10:30am.

1C) Gary Giannetta Engineering on behalf of Gary McDonald Homes is requesting the vacation of the existing ten foot wide public utility easement (PUE) along the north side East Clubhouse Drive, east of North Alicante Drive (map). The purpose of the vacation is to eliminate the unnecessary PUE that is encumbering the affected lots.

1D) City staff has developed a cooperative agreement with the County of Fresno to install bicycle lanes on Cedar Avenue between McKinley Avenue and Clinton Avenue (map). The addition of bicycle lanes will be accomplished by narrowing the existing lanes without removing any travel lanes or parking areas. The estimated total project cost is $254,100 and the City's contribution is not to exceed $106,700, which will be paid by the Measure "C" Bicycle Lane annual allocation. Construction is scheduled to begin in Fiscal Year 2015.

1E) In order to remain compliant with current NFIP and FEMA requirements for flood insurance, staff is introducing the attached revisions to the current Flood Plain Ordinance to be considered for adoption which repeals current sections 11-601 and 11-607 of the Fresno Municipal Code Flood Plain Management Ordinance and adds new sections 11-601 and 11-607, and amends sections 11-625 and 11-632.

General Administration:

2A) A workshop relating to Measure "C" Transit Oriented Development (TOD) funding and downtown projects will be given by the City Manager.

2B) City Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City to apply for $533,457 from the Measure "C" Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) program to fund capital improvement projects related to proposed development in the Cultural Arts District at the "Met block" as well as along Broadway between Calaveras and San Joaquin Streets.

2C) The Department of Transportation/Fresno Area Express (FAX) is looking to award a consulting contract of $303,277 for the development of a Facility Assessment and Capital Master Plan for its facility located at 2223 "G" Street, Fresno California (map) where they park and maintain all of the city buses. FAX's operation and maintenance facilities are more than 30 years old and are in need of repair due to deferred maintenance. An overall facilities assessment will be conducted to determine current and future capital improvements, upgrades to technology and changes to physical layout that could improve the overall operational efficiencies and/or the use of space.

2D) The Department of Transportation/Fresno Area Express (FAX) is looking to award a contract of $148,869 with Siegfried Engineering Inc., for design and engineering services for new transit bus stop shelters to replace prefabricated transit shelter units at key locations in the downtown area. Additional shelters will be constructed outside the Downtown area will be constructed as grant funding becomes available.

2E) The City of Fresno seeks to construct planting and irrigation improvements along various downtown streets. The project will replace existing diseased or missing trees in existing tree wells, install new tree wells and trees and install new irrigation to tree wells. Staff recommends Council approve award of a construction contract for the Base Bid, plus Additive Alternate Numbers 1 and 3, to Naturescapes of San Jose, California in the amount of $549,978.25 as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the Downtown Planting and Irrigation Project.

2F) The City of Fresno has prepared an application to the State of California Strategic Growth Council's Sustainable Communities Planning Grant and Implementation Program (Proposition 84) in the amount of $1,000,000 for two grants: an Environmental Justice grant to support development of a South West Area Specific Plan; and creation of an Infill Development Pattern Book to assist in streamlining new investments in existing neighborhoods.

2G) A new Fresno Municipal Code (FMC) text amendment is being introduced that proposes to allow for the expansion and use of outdoor dining areas, including within street easements and rights-of-way (i.e. sidewalks), without requiring a special permit for certain uses.  Currently, the FMC only allows outdoor dining in conjunction with a restaurant. The approval of the proposed text amendment would allow for outdoor dining at Restaurants, Taverns, Delicatessens, Ice Cream Stores, Cafeterias, Banquet Hails, Bakeries, Micro-breweries, Nightclubs and other similar uses.

Scheduled Council Hearings and Matters:

10:00AM) Continued to 1:30PM

10:10AM) Continued to 1:40PM

1:30PM) A proposed project, filed by Brent McCaffrey, on behalf of The McCaffrey Group, pertains to approximately 17.56 net acres of property located on the northwest and northeast corners of North Hayes and West Herndon Avenues (map). The applicant proposes to amend the 2025 Fresno General Plan and the Bullard Community Plan from the neighborhood commercial planned land use to the medium density residential planned land use designation for 13.26 net acres and from the office commercial planned land use to the medium-low density residential planned land use designation for 4.30 net acres. The applicant also proposes to reclassify the 13.26 net acres from Neighborhood Shopping Center zone district and the 4.30 net acres from the Administrative and Professional Office zone district to the Single Family Residential zone district. These applications have been filed in order to facilitate approval of two single family residential development subdivisions with modified property development standards, one with 95 lots and the other with 15 lots.

1:40PM) A proposed project on the East side of North Polk Avenue between West Corona and North Dante Avenues (map), filed by Brent McCaffrey, on behalf of the McCaffrey Group, has filed multiple applications to amend the 2025 General Plan and Bullard Community Plan from the Medium High Density Residential planned land use designation to the Medium Density Residential planned land use designation; and to reclassify the subject property from Low Density Multiple Family Residential zone district to Single Family Residential which would allow modified property development standards, private streets, a gated club house with a pool and a series passive pocket parks in order to create a 69-lot single family subdivision on 9.27 net acres.

5:00PM) The Fulton Mall Reconstruction Project proposes the creation of a complete street on 11 city blocks in Downtown Fresno’s central business district by reintroducing vehicle traffic lanes to the existing pedestrian mall. City Council action is requested for several facets of the Fulton Mall Reconstruction Project:

• Certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report 
• Approval of Plan Amendment A-13-008 redesignating the Fulton Mall as a local street and amending the 2025 Fresno General Plan and Central Area Community Plan accordingly
• Amendments to the Fresno Municipal Code for consistency with the plan amendments; 
• Selection of Project Option 1 as the City’s preferred build alternative 
• Authorization for the Public Works Director to take steps necessary to secure construction funding

Febuary 13, 2014 City Council Agenda

Find complete agenda here.
Call (559) 621-8000 to speak to your council member on any one of these issues.

Watch the City Council meeting live here every Thursday, usually starting at 8:30am.

Consent Calendar:

1A) The City Public Works department would like to continue its Bridge Preventive Maintenance Program paid for from federal grant HPB funds of $42,000 and ABX8 6 Gas Tax funds of $28,200. The program evaluates deficiencies of the City's bridges, scope appropriate preventive maintenance projects and prepares a plan for implementation.

1B) The Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services Department operates the Lafayette Neighborhood Center, located at 1516 E. Princeton Avenue (map), providing the neighborhood with recreational programs and community services. They are making an agreement with The Way Ministries that will establish a secondary recreation and services for this site and be responsible for the development and facilitation of programs in the building as well as utilizing the outside park space for one year.

1C) Staff is providing one more option that departments may exercise to meet their technology needs through Dell. Computers leased under this contract must be financed by existing budget money or must have Council approval for more. Departments which choose to use this option will be billed monthly for the lease. The initial cost of the computers will be neutral or slightly lower than the cost for purchasing. Some potential additional costs may include:
• Shipping/handling costs at the end of the lease term when returning computers.
• Continued monthly costs if the leased computer is not returned at the end of the lease.

1D) Lars Andersen and Associates on behalf of Boos Development is requesting the vacation of the 16 foot wide public utility easement (PUE) located west of North Blackstone Avenue and north of East Floradora Avenue (map). The purpose of the vacation is to remove the unused PUE from the parcel to accommodate the development of an O'Reilly's Auto Parts store.

1E) Council will create an article to be added to the City municipal code that will exempt the City from the whole section when signs are on City property.  The addition is as follows:
SECTION 12-1271. This article shall not apply to signs placed by the city on city property or right of way, subject to appropriate environmental review.

General Administration:

2A) A workshop relating to homelessness will be given by the City Manager’s Office.

2B) A workshop relating to Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and downtown projects will be given by the City Manager’s Office.

2C) City staff recommends that the City Council be authorized the City to apply for $1,800,000 from the Measure "C" Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) program to serve as local matching funds for the proposed Fulton Mall Reconstruction Project, subject to future Council consideration of whether to authorize the project and whether to approve a contract for and budget the funds, if awarded.

Scheduled Council Hearings and Matters:

10:30AM)  State legislation, ABXl 26 and AB 1484, created Successor Agencies, which are tasked with the responsibility of winding down former Redevelopment Agencies. As a requirement of the wind-down process, the Successor Agencies are required to provide a Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule every six months identifying overall outstanding debt for all enforceable obligations with the Agency, as well as the estimated amount needed for each of those obligations during the six-month period. This is another schedule.

Febuary 6, 2014 City Council Agenda

Find complete agenda here.
Call (559) 621-8000 to speak to your council member on any one of these issues.

Watch the City Council meeting live here every Thursday, usually starting at 8:30am.

Consent Calendar:

1A) The City of Fresno has added one new position called the Law Office Assistant, they perform administrative and complex accounting work to assist the City Attorney's Office.  It is estimated that the salary and benefit expenses for this position are approximately $60,533 on an annual basis. Funding for this position has been included in the current fiscal year budget.

1B) The City's Information Services Department (ISD) wishes to update all of the City's computers for Windows XP to Windows 7 since Microsoft will no longer support this version.  It will take $480,000 to purchase licenses for Windows 7 and future Windows versions to replace Windows XP and computer hardware requirements for Windows 7. Microsoft support for Windows XP will end on April 8, 2014.

1C) The City has a communication tower located at Fire Station 13 and made an agreement in 1993 for 25 years that Contel Cellular of California, Inc. be able to sub-license the towers communication's capabilities for a monthly fee of $1,651.28.  Now Crown Castle GT Company LLC has taken over for Contel Cellular and the City wishes to extend the contract for 5 more years for a one-time fee of $10,000.00 to 2023.

1D) The Fire Department was awarded $95,100 towards equipment needs for the Department and Urban Search and Rescue Team. The equipment includes 3 portable video cameras, 4 global positioning system units, 74 self contained breathing apparatus units, 20 sets of swift water gloves and boots, 20 rescue strobe lights, 20 rescue knives, and 24 intrinsically safe batteries.

1E) City Council will approve the reappointments of Paul Bauer, Fely Guzman, Tommie Nellon and Jose Plascencia to the Fresno Regional Workforce Investment Board from the Mayor’s Office.

1F) Unclassified employees are at-will employees. The one significant exception to the at-will status of unclassified employees is that represented unclassified employees have the same rights as classified employees in the event of layoff or reduction in force, other than reorganization or reduction of individual positions. Council recently approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City the City of Fresno Management Employees Association (CFMEA) which represents employees in Unit 14 employees where those hired by the City on or after December 31, 2013 are exempted from these rights.  The municipal code will be changed to reflect this agreement.

1G) The City will adopt a policy authorizing the City Manager the authority to reduce and/or eliminate selected Citywide impact fees for industrial development projects that create new jobs, increase assessed property valuation, and promote economic development.

General Administration:

2A) Leadership Fresno Class 30 in partnership with the City of Fresno plan to place two "gateway" monuments, one being on North bound highway 99 approximately 1000 feet north of the Cedar/North exit and the other on South bound Highway 41 about 5000 feet north of the Friant exit.  The Leadership Fresno Class must raise all the funds to support these monuments but there is an expected $2,500 annual maintenance cost to the city for the life of the monuments.

2B) The City of Fresno plans to award a construction contract in the amount of $1,125,126 to Maxwell Smart Construction, Inc. of Clovis, California for the acoustic treatment of 70 homes in the vicinity of Fresno Yosemite International Airport.

2C) The City wishes to become a partner with PG&E in their 811 Dig-In Safety Awareness Campaign, where people can dial in 811 before doing any excavation work to ensure no utility lines are compromised. The City will receive $25,000 as charitable contribution from PG&E to purchase materials and be reimbursed for City administration costs incurred as a partner in the program.

2D) In preparation for the California High Speed Rail Project, the City plans to approve a professional services agreement with Cornerstone Structural Engineering in the amount of $1,800,000 for on-call design plan check review services for City infrastructure associated with the construction of the California High-Speed Rail.

City Council:

3A) Councilmember Brand is introducing an article to be added to the City municipal code that will exempt the City from the whole section when signs are on City property.  The addition is as follows:
SECTION 12-1271. This article shall not apply to signs placed by the city on city property or right of way, subject to appropriate environmental review.

Scheduled Council Hearings and Matters:

2:15PM) A workshop relating to Downtown Parking Improvement Proposal will be presented by Ace Parking Management, Inc.

2:30PM) After staff had engaged the community and gathered input on the final City of Fresno Design Guidelines. Staff recommends adoption of the final City of Fresno Design Guidelines for the California High Speed Rail Project, in order for the guidelines to be incorporated into the project to the greatest extent possible.

2:45PM) In accordance with the Political Act of 1974, the City Council and the Redevelopment Agency Board is the code reviewing body for the City of Fresno's Conflict of Interest Code. Part of the City of Fresno's Conflict Code consists of the Exhibits, which list the employee classifications required to file statements of economic interests, together with the types of economic interest those employees filling the classifications must disclose and they will continue to do so.

2:50PM) Rick Morse will appear to discuss the future of marijuana in the City of Fresno.

5:00PM)  The proposed project, filed by Bryan Sassano of S.I.M Architects, on behalf of Spencer Enterprises, Inc., pertains to approximately 9.99 net acres of property located on the northeast corner of East Nees and North Chestnut Avenues (map). The applicant proposes to amend the 2025 Fresno General Plan and the Woodward Park Community Plan from the neighborhood commercial planned land use designated for the site, to the medium-high density residential planned land use designation. The applicant also proposes to reclassify the site from a Neighborhood Shopping Center zone district to a Low Density Multiple Family Residential zone district. These applications have been filed in order to facilitate approval of a proposed 160 unit multiple family residential gated community with community building, swimming pool, detached garages, and carports.