Flanders Mansion, a National Register of Historic Places ResourceMission Trail Nature Preserve
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA.
ABSTRACT: On the City Council Special Meeting Agenda for August 5, 2008, there are three Resolutions regarding the Flanders Mansion property, including a Resolution entering into an agreement with Denise Duffy & Associates to prepare an environmental impact report (EIR) in an amount not to exceed $67,000 and a Resolution entering into an agreement with CB Richard Ellis Consulting to prepare an economic analysis for the Flanders Property in an amount not to exceed $40,000. The Consent Calendar for Agenda Items F, G and H is reproduced. Explanatory COMMENTS are made with regard to each Consent Agenda Item.
City of Carmel-by-the-Sea
City Council
Special Meeting
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
VII. Consent Calendar
F. Consideration of a Resolution approving a FY 2008/09 Facilities Maintenance Department budget adjustment of $16,500 for repairs to the exterior storage area retaining wall and enclosure at the Flanders Mansion.
G. Consideration of a Resolution entering into an agreement with Denise Duffy & Associates to prepare an environmental impact report in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act for the Flanders property in an amount not to exceed $67,000.
H. Consider a Resolution entering into an agreement with CB Richard Ellis Consulting to prepare an economic analysis for the Flanders Property in an amount not to exceed $40,000.
COMMENTS:
• Consideration of a Resolution approving a FY 2008/09 Facilities Maintenance Department budget adjustment of $16,500 for repairs to
the exterior storage area retaining wall and enclosure at the Flanders Mansion.
According to Administrative Services Director Joyce Giuffre’s Agenda Item Summary, the City determined the storage room retaining wall and enclosure next to the garage at the Flanders Mansion was in need of renovation. The estimate from McEldowney & Sons to remove the existing storage room and rebuild it with new footings and a new retaining wall was $16,500. Invoice #08030 from McEldowney & Sons, dated 7/24/2008, shows a total due of $16,500.00 The expenditure requires a Transfer from the Capital Project Reserve to the Facilities Maintenance Department’s Outside Labor account 01-70050.
Completed new retaining wall and enclosure; completed July 2008.• Consideration of a Resolution entering into an agreement with Denise Duffy & Associates (DDA) to prepare an environmental impact report in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act for the Flanders property in an amount not to exceed $67,000.
According to City Administrator Rich Guillen’s Agenda Item Summary “Denise Duffy & Associates will prepare an EIR using existing information on the property and from the Flanders Property Final EIR, dated August 2005. The scope of work will include: defining parameters for project description; preparing an administrative draft of the EIR for comment by staff; preparing a draft EIR for public circulation; preparing responses to comments on the draft EIR; and attending public hearings.”
The CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT between the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea and Denise Duffy & Associates (consultant), dated July 25, 2008, was transmitted to the City on July 22, 2008 from Attorney Joel Franklin.
The consultants responsible for completion of the scope of services are Denise Duffy and Elizabeth Guzman. The Recirculated Draft EIR and the Final EIR Response to Comments will constitute the Final EIR.
• Consider a Resolution entering into an agreement with CB Richard Ellis Consulting to prepare an economic analysis for the Flanders Property in an amount not to exceed $40,000.
According to City Administrator Rich Guillen’s Agenda Item Summary, “CB Richard Ellis Consulting (CBRE) is a real estate and urban economics firm. The firm has substantial experience in the real estate market and financial analysis. CBRE will evaluate the property from a sales standpoint as well as being offered for lease.”
The agreement with CB Richard Ellis Consulting involves the evaluation of two sale and two lease options for the Flanders Mansion property. The sale options are sale as is for use as a single family residence or a non-profit organization with limited permitted events. The lease options are the City or the lessee rehabilitating and maintaining the Flanders Mansion property. The consultants responsible for completion of the sale versus lease options are Lynn M. Sedway, CRE, Executive Managing Director and Jonathan Kuperman, Director, Project Management, CBRE Consulting, Inc. in San Francisco, CA.
3 comments:
Well, well. Now we know what all those closed sessions were about. It also seems Sue has lobbied the two new members to be in lockstep with her. Both Karen and Ken were mute. Neither one showed any inquisitiveness on the Flanders Mansion or Mission Trail Park. It is disturbing to see the prospect of collusion between Sue and Ken & Karen, et al. raise its ugly head so soon in this rerun process.
I was also disturbed by Paula's slight towards Skip Lloyd. The city has never offered any reasonable plan for the money from the sale of the Flanders Mansion. Sue has only said the city must sell the property. What Sue does not tell the public is Flanders Foundation has been willing and waiting to work with the city on a reasonable use for Flanders Mansion, only to be ignored by Sue at every overture.
Karen and Ken going along with Sue as Paula and Gerard went along before does not speak well of those two. Alas, the a unified team is more important than doing what is in the best interests of the park and residents and visitors and the future.
Here we go again. Sue looked stubborn beyond reasonableness. She did not seem receptive to the pleas of Flanders Foundation President Melanie Billig to work with them on a pubic use for the benefit of the public. She did not seem to understand the Flanders property as an integral part of Mission Trails Park. Beware of Sue fabricating reasons for moving ahead towards selling. She cannot be trusted to act in the public's interest in this manner.
I would like to know if Sue or Ken or Paula or Gerard or Karen know about the Park, use the park or care about the park. And if they do not, they should not make a decision putting the sale of Flanders Mansion on a ballot for a public vote.
Consent calendar items are supposed to be for "non controversial" items. These 3 items should have been on the public hearing section of the meeting agenda. So, what does putting them on the consent calendar tell us? Sue, Paula & Gerard are closed minded and have similarly influenced Ken & Karen. What a team, all working in tandem against the public interests and without regard for the history of Flanders in a park and held in the public trust.
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