CITY COUNCIL WRAP-UP

WHAT HAPPENED:

The City Council voted to submit three ballot measures for the city’s

municipal election to be held the same day as the March 5, 2002 statewide

primary election. The three ballot measures deal with rent control by

mobile-home owners, the creation of an infrastructure fund and having a

percentage of utility tax revenues from the AES plant be allotted for the

infrastructure fund.

WHAT IT MEANS:

The first measure is a city charter amendment that prohibits rent

control by mobile-home owners in Huntington Beach.

The second measure establishes a separate fund from the 5% utility tax

residents already pay to fund repairs and maintenance of storm drains,

highways, streets, alleys, landscape medians, street lights and trees,

public buildings, beach facilities, parks and traffic signals. This

measure also requires that the city spends no less than 15% of the

general fund budget on infrastructure repairs.

The third measure recommends that utility tax revenues from AES be

placed into the infrastructure fund to be used solely for any

infrastructure repairs, maintenance and construction.

Vote: 7-0

IN FAVOR / AGAINST

WHAT HAPPENED:

The City Council adopted an emergency ordinance to the city’s

municipal code, which will also be a ballot measure for the municipal

election held the same day as the statewide primary election March 5,

2002. This measure requires the AES Corp. to pay the 5% utility tax each

business and resident pays in Huntington Beach.

WHAT IT MEANS:

The tax is not effective until March 5, 2002, and only if the measure

is approved by the voters. AES is a privately run utility that sells

power on the open market, not directly to Huntington Beach residents.

City officials believe AES should pay the same tax as other residents and

businesses in Huntington Beach. Approximately $2.3 million in revenues

would be generated annually with the tax.

Vote: 7-0

IN FAVOR / AGAINST

WHAT HAPPENED:

City Council went against staff’s recommendation and approved plans to

demolish an existing gas station at the corner of Warner Avenue and

Goldenwest Street and construct a new one at 6972 Warner Ave.

WHAT IT MEANS:

The new Chevron station will sit on the 22,500-square-foot lot and

have a convenience market, a free-standing gas canopy, two gas pump

islands with four dual-sided pumps, two underground storage tanks and

sell alcoholic beverages. The current station is not operating.

The council’s approval comes more than seven months after the planning

commission first approved the project. Mayor Pro Tem Debbie Cook filed an

appeal March 22 asking that the City Council have the opportunity to make

design recommendations. City Council instructed the design review board

to review the plans and provide architectural recommendations for the

station. The board held meetings with Chevron and recommended approval

for the project Sept. 13. Planning Director Howard Zelefsky is a design

board member and was pleased with the proposed architecture, but wishes

the convenience market could have been moved closer to the street and the

gas pumps be more screened from view.

WHAT THEY SAID:

“Site planning is as important as the architecture,� Zelefsky said.

“But I’m pleased with the architecture.�

Vote: 6 / 1 IN FAVOR / AGAINST

WHAT HAPPENED:

At City Administrator Ray Silver’s suggestion the City Council voted

to give select advisory groups time to meet and discuss whether there is

a continued need for infrastructure education in the city and the best

way to pay for it. Silver said he would need at least 60 days to meet

with the advisory groups to determine the level of interest

infrastructure has for citizens of Huntington Beach.

WHAT IT MEANS:

Silver will meet with members of City Council, the Public Works

Department, the city’s Public Information Department, the Citizen

Infrastructure Advisory Committee, the Infrastructure Planning Committee,

and Frank Wilson and Assn. -- a consulting service selected by the city

in 1999 that works with the city to provide public information services.

Silver wants to determine how interested Huntington Beach citizens are

in repairs and maintenance to the city’s streets, sidewalks, storm

drains, curbs and gutters, street trees, landscape medians, parks,

highways and beach facilities. He also wants to determine if citizens

would be willing to come up with a way to pay for the services.

Several council members had questions regarding how the $175,000 set

aside in the city’s general fund for informationservices would be spent,

and also questioned the amount of support the increased services would

receive.

A Speaker’s Bureau has been formed with the goal of giving four

presentations per month to civic and special interest groups about

infrastructure.

Other services considered are direct mail to residents, public

workshops, a quarterly infrastructure newsletter and display booths at

community events.

For Silver, it’s a question of spending the money in the most

effective way possible.

WHAT THEY SAID:

“Education is extremely important,� said Huntington Beach Mayor Pam

Julien Houchen.

Vote: 5 / 2

IN FAVOR / AGAINST

SOUNDING OFF

“If you don’t have strong infrastructure, you don’t have a functioning

city,� -- Councilwoman Shirley Dettloff on the importance of

infrastructure in Huntington Beach.

NEXT MEETING

When: Monday, Nov. 5, 5 p.m.

Where: Room B-8 at the Civic Center, 2000 Main St.