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Agenda Item No. 5(A)(1) EL CERRITO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING Saturday, March 28, 2015 – 9:00 a.m. City Council Chambers This meeting was not televised Meeting Location El Cerrito City Hall 10890 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito Mark Friedman – Mayor Councilmember Janet Abelson Mayor Pro Tem Greg Lyman Councilmember Jan Bridges Councilmember Gabriel Quinto ROLL CALL Councilmembers Abelson, Bridges, Lyman, Quinto and Mayor Friedman 9:00 a.m. CONVENE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING Mayor Friedman convened the Special City Council meeting at 9:00 a.m. 1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OR OBSERVATION OF MOMENT OF SILENCE was led by Councilmember Gabriel Quinto. 2. ANNOUNCEMENTS – None 3. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC Tom Panas, El Cerrito, stated that the City had achieved two significant milestones in El Cerrito regarding historic resources since the Strategic Plan was adopted two years ago. The Chung Mei Home Historic District, was found eligible for listing on the National Register and the Eden Senior Housing project is going to have world-class displays interpreting the history of the Japanese community. Mr. Panas urged the City Council to update Strategic Plan Goal C: Deepen a sense of place and community identity to reflect the Community’s desire to leverage these important historic resources by not only promoting strong neighborhoods, celebrating the City’s diversity and re-imaging underdeveloped and underutilized properties but to also use them as a way to bring visitors to the community. Mr. Panas stated that although the City Council approved explicit language regarding adoption of a historic resources ordinance and preparation of a survey to identify historic resources at its January 26, 2013 Strategic Plan meeting, revised language in the Strategic Plan was only marginally useful and did not reflect the Council’s stated intent. Mr. Panas stated that the City and Community need and deserve an historic resources ordinance and survey of the City. ---PAGE BREAK--- Page 2 of 4 Version: 5/14/2015 4. CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION A. INTRODUCTIONS/OVERVIEW OF GROUND RULES, AGENDA AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE DAY Patrick O’Keefe, Facilitator, Management Partners, congratulated the Council, staff and residents on its City Hall, which reflects a sense of place and also congratulated the City Council on its Strategic Plan. B. DISCUSSION OF COMMUNICATIONS STYLES Action: Observations noted and discussion held. C. REVIEW OF 2014 ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND 2015 CHALLENGES Action: Discussion held. D. DISCUSSION OF VISION, MISSION AND VALUES Councilmember Abelson noted that the Strategic Plan provides a framework for discussion and policies. Mayor Friedman reviewed each of the goals and commented on the City’s achievements while noting that long term financial sustainability remains a challenge despite the passage of Measure R. Mayor Pro Tem Lyman and Councilmember Bridges noted how important and helpful it is for staff to state project or program alignment with the strategic plan in agenda reports and financial documents. Councilmember Bridges also noted the many grants received by the City and the success of the City’s sustainability, environmental and housing programs and projects. Councilmember Quinto noted the challenge of updating and maintaining existing city facilities. The City Council also acknowledged the continuing challenge of economic development along San Pablo Avenue. E. DISCUSSION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS AND PRIORITIES Actions: 1) The City Council reviewed the Strategic Plan and modified the vision statement to read as follows (underline indicating new text and text that is eliminated is marked with strike out): OUR VISION The City of El Cerrito is a safe, connected, transit-oriented and environmentally focused Bay Area destination with vibrant welcoming neighborhoods, thriving businesses and vibrant public places spaces, and diverse cultural, educational and recreational opportunities for people of all ages. 2) The City Council reviewed the Strategic Plan and modified the mission statement to read as follows (underline indicating new text and text that is eliminated is marked with strike out): OUR MISSION The City of El Cerrito serves, leads and supports our diverse and transit rich community by providing exemplary and innovative services, public ---PAGE BREAK--- Page 3 of 4 Version: 5/14/2015 places and infrastructure, ensuring public safety, and creating an economically and environmentally sustainable future. 3) The City Council reviewed the Strategic Plan and modified the values stated on page 7 to read as follows (underline indicating new text and text that is eliminated is marked with strike out): OUR VALUES Our values drive behavior and support effective implementation of the mission, vision, and goals. The City’s values include: • Ethics and Integrity • Fiscal Responsibility • Inclusiveness and Respect for Diversity • Innovation and Creativity • Professional Excellence • Responsiveness • Transparency and Open Communication • Sustainability On page 8 of the Strategic Plan, the City Council changed the title of Value: Inclusiveness to Value: Inclusiveness and Respect for Diversity. On page 10 of the Strategic Plan, the City Council modified a bullet under the title Value: Transparency and Open Communication to read: • Facilitates public participation in open meetings; encourages candor and welcomes input; receptive to criticism 4) The City Council reviewed the Strategic Plan and modified the following bullets stated as strategies within Goal B: Achieve long-term financial sustainability (pages 11-12) to read as follows (underline indicating new text and text that is eliminated is marked with strike out): Goal B: Achieve long-term financial sustainability • Attract and Maximize opportunities for new/existing and expanding businesses. • Continue to pursue and support opportunities for new funding, including outside grants and ballot measures. • Develop a plan to ensure that Citywide revenue meets the cost of providing Citywide the services identified in the Strategic Plan, including adequate reserves for unanticipated revenue shortfalls. 5) The City Council reviewed the Strategic Plan and modified the following bullets stated as strategies within Goal C: Deepen a sense of place and ---PAGE BREAK--- Page 4 of 4 Version: 5/14/2015 community identity (page 12) to read as follows (underline indicating new text and text that is eliminated is marked with strike out): Goal C: Deepen a sense of place and community identity • Re-imagine Develop a vision for underdeveloped and underutilized properties through advanced planning efforts that encourage investment and/or new development. • Develop an Economic Development action plan to build on our including our diversity, arts, culture, and environmental sustainability. • Review and update policies on preservation of historic and cultural resources and conduct a survey of historical and cultural assets in the City. 6) The City Council reviewed the Strategic Plan and modified the following bullet stated as a strategy within Goal E: Ensure the public’s health and safety (page 13) to read as follows (underline indicating new text and text that is eliminated is marked with strike out): Goal E: Ensure the public’s health and safety • Explore innovative and best practices for promoting public health smoking ordinances, nutrition, and obesity prevention, living wage, and strategies to promote walking/biking). 7) The City Council reviewed the Strategic Plan and modified the following bullets stated as strategies within Goal F: Foster environmental sustainability citywide (pages 13-14) to read as follows (underline indicating new text and text that is eliminated is marked with strike out): Goal F: Foster environmental sustainability citywide • Implement policies to promote waste diversion ban on single-use bags and Styrofoam food containers mandatory commercial recycling and green waste). • Implement and monitor the City’s Climate Action Plan to: o Facilitate energy and water efficiency and greater adoption use and generation of clean energy. F. NEXT STEPS AND EVALUATION – Discussion held. 5. ADJOURN SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING at 12:02 p.m. SUPPLEMENTAL REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS 1. Written comments regarding historic resources and the Strategic Plan – Submitted by Tom Panas, El Cerrito.