RANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL
TACTICAL GOALS
2007

WATER QUALITY AND FLOOD PROTECTION PROGRAM

GOAL: Continue the Water Quality and Flood Protection Program

MILESTONES:

1. On July 1, 2007, transfer $3 million of General Fund reserves to the Water Quality and Flood Protection fund to finance the McCarrell Canyon project and other high-priority projects that shall be included in the FY07-08 budget.

2. Immediately begin to develop a modification of the Ordinance that established an annual User Fee to require a 10-year sunset and a voter-enacted oversight committee for consideration by the voters on November 6, 2007.

3. By June 1, 2007, develop a methodology to update the public in a summary fashion on the status of the Water Quality and Flood Protection projects, including total costs, estimated future costs and the proposed frequency for updating the information and begin disseminating a comprehensive public information plan about the Program.

4. By January 31, 2008, prepare and issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to seek a qualified firm capable of studying and recommending a comprehensive, cost-effective plan for of funding, repair and maintenance of the City’s storm drain system.

STATUS:

The combined budget for the City’s storm drain projects is about $7.2 million for FY05-06 and FY06-07, requiring the transfer of about $6.1 million of General Fund reserves since the inception of the Program. Approximately 40 storm drain lining and construction projects have been completed since the inception of the Program with a total cost of $2 million. About $2.8 million of construction projects, including Sunnyside Ridge, Roan and Via Colinita are currently in design. The status of each project and spending to date can be found on the City’s website @:
http://www.palosverdes.com/rpv/water_quality_flood_protection/Draft-Storm-Drain-Update/storm-drain-status-schedule.cfm.

On January 30, the City Council decided to establish an Oversight Committee for the Program. Staff expects to set-up interviews of candidates by the City Council on April 17, 2007. On February 20, 2007, the City Council received an update and a proposed revision of the WQFP program, with the primary goal to accelerate improvements to the McCarrell Canyon storm drain system. Staff has already begun to develop a comprehensive public information plan about the Program. On March 20, 2007, the City Council unanimously agreed to place on the November 6th municipal ballot a modification of the Ordinance that established an annual User Fee. The modification requires a 10-year sunset of the User Fee and a voter-enacted oversight committee.

PORTUGUESE BEND NATURE PRESERVE GOAL

GOAL: Complete the Natural Communities Conservation Plan and Acquiring Additional Acreage for the Nature Preserve from Willing Sellers

MILESTONES:

1. By June 30, 2008, present the Resource Agencies’ finalized version of the NCCP Subarea Plan, NCCP Implementing Agreement, and City/PVPLC Management Agreement to the City Council for review and approval. In addition, approve an Urgency Ordinance establishing the protections contained in the NCCP Subarea Plan on an interim basis until the NCCP Permit is issued by the Resource Agencies.

2. By September 30, 2008, sign the NCCP Implementing Agreement.

3. By September 30, 2008, the City will formally dedicate its open space identified in the NCCP to the Preserve, and will place conservation easements on said lands. In addition, the City will initiate amendments to the General Plan and Development Code to ensure that all future projects are consistent with the approved NCCP. In return, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will issue a “take” permit to the City allowing the City to issue take permits for projects consistent with the approved NCCP.

4. By September 30, 2008, the Public Use Master Plan (PUMP) for the entire NCCP Preserve will be completed, approved by the City Council and submitted to the resource agencies for approval.

STATUS:

City staff is currently working with the State and Federal Resource Agencies to finalize the NCCP documents. In addition, the City has begun preparation of the Public Use Master Plan (PUMP) for the Preserve, which must be prepared and submitted to the Resource Agencies within two years of the NCCP Implementing Agreement being signed by all parties. To assist with development of the PUMP, a 16-member PUMP steering committee was appointed by the City Council on June 6, 2006 and has been meeting on a regular basis since that time.

CITYWIDE TRAFFIC AND ROADWAY SAFETY GOAL

GOAL: Reduce Speeding and Control Parking in Residential Neighborhoods

MILESTONES:

1. This calendar year, the Traffic Safety Commission will prepare a proposal to address traffic issues on Palos Verdes Drive East, to be completed before the Commission addressed the technology item included in Milestone #4.

2. By July 31, 2007, the Traffic Safety Commission will report to the City Council on plans to address traffic calming and to control parking in residential neighborhoods.

3. By November 31, 2007, complete a management audit of the Public Works Traffic Engineering program to prioritize and streamline the processes used to address traffic safety issues in the City.

4. By December 31, 2007, staff and the Traffic Safety Commission will prepare a proposal for the use of traffic calming technology to be submitted to the state legislature and the League of California Cities, including an offer for the City of Rancho Palos Verdes to be used as a pilot project area.

STATUS:

Traffic Enforcement

In the 2006 Tactical Plan, the City Council adopted the goal of considering a plan for increased deputies dedicated to traffic enforcement. In the adopted FY 06-07 Budget, the City Council included funding to continue the one dedicated City traffic deputy and to add one additional regional traffic deputy (bringing the total number of regional traffic deputies to three). The third regional traffic deputy began work on September 1, 2006. The Draft FY 07-08 Budget will continue funding these two positions during the next fiscal year, although the “growth rate” for the dedicated City traffic deputy will end on June 30, 2007 and the City will be required to pay the standard rate with the start of the new fiscal year. The “growth rate” for the third regional deputy will continue until June 30, 2008.

Reduce Speeding and Control Parking in Residential Neighborhoods

Since the 2006 Tactical Plan was prepared, the Traffic Safety Commission has been working on the issue of oversized vehicle parking in residential areas and reviewing the City’s Traffic Calming Program. These efforts are still on-going and staff has adjusted the dates associated with this milestone accordingly. In addition, the Director of Public Works has suggested taking a comprehensive look at the City’s traffic engineering program in order to prioritize and streamline the program. This effort fits in well with the proposed management audit to be discussed as part of the Budget Policy Issues Workshop.

CIVIC CENTER MASTER PLAN AND ACTIVE RECREATION GOALS

GOAL: Prepare a Civic Center Master Plan and Facilitate Active Recreation at Upper Hesse Park

MILESTONES:

1. By April 30, 2007, establish a Civic Center Master Plan Council subcommittee to meet and confer with other parties that may have interest in making donations or pursuing joint ventures with the City to develop the Upper Point Vicente/Civic Center property.

2. By January 31, 2008, complete the Baseline Utilities Study for the Upper Point Vicente/Civic Center site.

3. By May 29, 2007, work with the Palos Verdes Peninsula Girls’ Softball League to update the budget for two softball fields at Upper Hesse Park and determine what level of funding the City is willing to contribute to the completion of the fields. If it is determined that the Palos Verdes Peninsula Girls’ Softball League is unable to fund the construction of the two girls’ softball fields, the City Council will consider alternative designs to maximize active recreational use of Upper Hesse Park.

4. By May 29, 2007, include funding in the FY 07-08 Budget to complete a Utilities Study of the Upper Point Vicente/Civic Center property to determine the location of utility connections and key underground infrastructure.

STATUS:

Civic Center Master Plan

In May 2002, the City Council established the Open Space, Planning and Recreation and Parks Task Force to study a wide range of recreation and open space issues facing the City of Rancho Palos Verdes. The Task Force conducted an extensive public outreach effort to better assess and identify the community’s goals, ideas, and opinions. This effort included a professional telephone survey, stakeholder meetings, and two facilitated public workshops. From its inception, a significant portion of the Task Force’s resources was focused on developing a plan for Upper Point Vicente Park. A number of groups, including the San Pedro YMCA, Zenith Aquatic Program (ZAP) and the Palos Verdes Art Center were interested participants in the Upper Point Vicente planning process. The Task Force Report was presented to the City Council on June 29, 2004.
Approximately nine months later, at their meeting of March 29, 2005, the City Council heard a number of options for developing Upper Point Vicente ranging from the Task Force’s recommended approach to plans that emphasized civic and cultural aspects, civic and recreation components, and civic and open space access. The City Council also heard a proposal that evening from Art Center representatives describing a concept under which the Art Center would construct a $15 million facility on City land, deed it to the City and lease it back through a long term lease arrangement. The City Council approved the plan in concept and encouraged the Art Center to continue its study of the site. The Council also agreed on other potential uses for the Civic Center site. The following is an excerpt from the minutes of the March 29, 2005 City Council meeting:
“Mayor Clark noted that Council had reached a consensus on the major components to be considered for the Upper Point Vicente site, including a remodeled City Hall with new Council Chambers, a new facility for the Palos Verdes Art Center, an outdoor pool, a gymnasium, a village green, an amphitheater, a band shell and trail heads; and asked staff to look at the site map and determine how it might all fit together and report back to Council. Without objection, Mayor Clark so ordered. He asked that staff work with the representatives from the Palos Verdes Art Center to bring in an architect to help out in this initial planning phase, and noted that this was not intended to be a full scale development project at this time.”
At their meeting of April 18, 2006 the City Council received a staff report with the following recommendations:
1. Approve a “staff” conceptual site plan for Upper Point Vicente;

2. Authorize staff to work with the Palos Verdes Art Center to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to enable the Art Center to move ahead with design of a facility on the Civic Center property.

The City Council approved the second recommendation only and authorized the City Manager and City Attorney to work with the Palos Verdes Art Center to prepare a draft lease agreement. The City received notice on March 5, 2007 that the Art Center has temporarily suspended negotiations with the City to lease the property from the City. Meanwhile, over the last year, a number of new uses have located to the Upper Point Vicente property:

 In February 2006, the City Council adopted a Peddling Ordinance that regulated, in part, mobile food vendors parking on public streets for extended periods of time. As a result, the City Manager authorized one mobile food vendor, Sonja Catering, to locate to City Hall from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Monday through Saturday.

 On June 20, 2006, the City Council agreed to lease the Channel 33 studio building to the Southern California Regional Occupational Center (SCROC) to conduct video production classes at the facility and allowed Palos Verdes on the Net to install a new modular building behind the studio building to house its Geographic Information System (GIS) internship program and computer training center.

 In December 2006, through a Special Use Permit approved by the Director of Planning, the Peninsula Seniors established two modular buildings at City Hall as temporary quarters after losing their lease at a commercial office space in the Peninsula Center.

 On January 30, 2007, City Council approved a 112.67-Foot-Tall Amateur Radio Antenna Tower and 280-Square-Foot Emergency Communications Center adjacent to the Palos Verdes on the Net modular building. The facility will be used by the Sheriff’s Disaster Communication Service (DCS) and the Peninsula Volunteer Alert Network to provide ham radio communications during major disasters and emergencies.

Although the City has allowed a number of new uses to be established on the Upper Point Vicente/Civic Center site over the last year, there is no master plan for the overall development of the property at this time.

Currently, the Annenberg Foundation is funding the preparation of a Vision Plan for the open space and parks along the City’s coastline. The Vision Plan will include conceptual alternatives for development, enhancement and linking of City properties. The next public workshop is scheduled to take place in September 2007. Included in the planning effort is the preparation of a conceptual site plans for the Upper Point Vicente/Civic Center site based on the City Council’s previously articulated desires for the property, as well as a proposed alternative to the Palos Verdes Art Center locating on the site.

Active Recreation Plan

On March 29, 2005, Council agreed to allow two girls softball fields to be developed at Upper Hesse Park and directed staff to negotiate financing arrangements with the Palos Verdes Girls’ Softball League. At the time, staff estimated that it would cost $486,200 to build the two fields. The amount of funding the City would contribute to the project was not specified at the time, based on the Palos Verdes Peninsula Girls’ Softball League’s (PVPGSL) representation that if the City provided the site, the League could raise the majority of the funds needed for the project though private cash donations or in-kind services. On November 7, 2006, staff provided Council with a status report regarding the construction of two girls’ softball fields at Upper Hesse Park. Council directed staff to work with the Palos Verdes Peninsula Girls’ Softball League to update the budget for the project and determine the amount of a City contribution, if any within four months. Staff has stayed in contact with the League’s representative and has provided him with requested information, however, to date the PVPLGL has not produced a revised budget for the project nor has it begun any private fundraising for the construction of the new facility.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GOAL

GOAL: Improve Emergency Services and Preparedness

MILESTONES:

1. By July 30, 2007, complete the installation of the radio tower and begin full operation of the Emergency Communications Center on the Civic Center site.

2. By August 30, 2007, present a management plan to City Council for the pre-positioned emergency supply and equipment caches.

3. By December 31, 2007, complete the update of the City’s NIMS plan.

4. By December 31, 2007, complete NIMS executive training for the City Council.

5. By December 31, 2007, improve communication with the public regarding the City’s emergency preparedness programs

STATUS:

At their April 29, 2006 Budget Policy Workshop the City Council received recommendations from the Emergency Preparedness Committee regarding staffing, planning and capital purchases for the emergency preparedness program. The Council agreed to provide an additional $100,000 in the FY06-07 Program Budget for the purchase and storage of pre-positioned emergency supplies and directed the Emergency Preparedness Committee to study and report back to Council with a detailed plan describing how the $100,000 will be utilized. To date, staff has developed a list of critical items that would aid City emergency response and recovery operations within the first 72 hours of an incident. In addition, staff has gathered initial cost estimates, identified potential storage locations and discussed potential shared-use opportunities with PVP CERT and the City of Rolling Hills Estates. Remaining work includes finalizing the administrative details and developing the management plan.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department presented a report on fire services at the June 6, 2006 City Council meeting, which included an announcement from Chief Freeman regarding the purchase of a new fire engine and the addition of paramedic service at Fire Station No. 83 in Miraleste Plaza.

2006 Emergency Preparedness Activity Highlights

On August 29, 2006 the City Council held a successful special joint meeting with the Emergency Preparedness Committee to receive a briefing from several agencies, including Fire, Sheriff, utility companies, school and library districts, Red Cross, County Public Health Department, neighborhood watch, PVAN, DCS and Salvation Army on emergency preparedness activities.

On November 9, 2006, over 40 staff members and representatives of the Sheriff and Fire Department participated in the Countywide exercise that demonstrated staff's increased understanding and application of emergency management concepts. The City conducted the following: 1) Communication drills to activate ‘off-duty’ staff to report for EOC duty, 2) Training on disaster reporting procedures, 3) Discussions of how each EOC section would respond to emergency scenarios, 4) Hands-on demonstration of Satellite phone use, and 5) submitted online City status reports in real-time through the County’s Emergency Management Information System.

All full time personnel completed the federal required instruction course in NIMS (National Incident Management System) and Incident Command last year. Staff will arrange for executive NIMS training for City Council and select executive personnel in the future.

Three Public Service Announcements: Family Disaster Planning at Home part II, Communication Contact Cards and a general “be prepared” message were developed and released.

The Emergency Preparedness Committee hosted a Peninsula-wide meeting last spring with presentations on area hospital disaster plans for mass care/casualties and FEMA’s disaster medical assistance team program.

New Emergency Communications Center installed on the Civic Center site. Antenna tower installation is pending; the new center is anticipated to be fully operational by summer 2007.

EASTVIEW SCHOOL BOUNDARY GOAL

GOAL: Bring Eastview into the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District

MILESTONES:

1. By May 30, 2007, arrange a meeting between the City Council Ad Hoc Committee and LAUSD Superintendent Brewer to inform him about the Eastview school district boundary issue.

2. By June 30, 2007, assist Assembly Member Karnette in hosting a meeting between the City and the PVPUSD Board to dialog on the issue of the Eastview boundary adjustment.

3. By December 31, 2007, draft legislation for Council’s consideration for Assemblywoman Karnette to carry to the state legislature to enfranchise Eastview residents in the Palos Verdes Unified School District or to pursue adjusting the district boundary using the process allowed through the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

STATUS:

The Council Ad Hoc Committee of Mayor Wolowicz and Councilman Gardiner met with LAUSD Board Member Mike Lansing to discuss the Eastview matter. As a result of that meeting a letter from the Mayor to the LAUSD Superintendent was sent on April 29, 2006 outlining the City’s proposal for the adjustment of school district boundaries. On July 26, 2006 Superintendent Romer responded that there was no indication that PVPUSD was willing to negotiate a territory transfer. The Romer letter was provided to the PVPUSD on August 21, 2006 with a request to meet with City officials; however, no formal response to the Mayor’s letter has been received.

On December 16, 2006, Councilman Gardiner attended a meeting hosted by the new LAUSD Superintendent Brewer, who pledged to meet one-on-one with the various cities to address their specific concerns. On January 8, 2007, Mayor Long, Mayor Pro Tem Stern and Councilmen Clark and Wolowicz met with Assembly Member Betty Karnette in Sacramento and discussed the possibility of the Assembly Member acting as a catalyst to bring the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District Board together for a meeting to dialog on the issue of the Eastview boundary adjustment.