“MINUTES”
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Archived Video Streaming
City Hall
East side of Monte Verde Street between Ocean and Seventh Avenues
V. Announcements from Closed Session, from City Council Members and the City Administrator.
C. Announcements from City Administrator.
4. Receive update on the ASBS project.
Bob Jaques, Project Director for the ASBS Grant Project, presented the update. Last year, the City received approval of Proposition 84 grant funds for storm water diversion system design and construction to discontinue city discharges from stormwater outfall to Carmel Bay during the summer months. The grant is $2.5 million with the City’s share $125,000. The project is in three phases, including Planning, Design and Construction, over 2 - 3 years. For the diversion system, the least costly approach is gravity flow or pump diversion of flow into landscape area. Other approaches include mobile pumping and vacuum equipment and most costly alternative of permanent pumping stations. The rest of 2011 will be devoted to Planning (“Phase I”).
ASBS Final Recommended Funding List
AREAS OF SPECIAL BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE (ASBS) GRANT PROGRAM
RECOMMENDED FUNDING LIST
Courtesy of Mark Fong
Division of Financial Assistance
Project Management & Technical Support Unit
ASBS Grants
STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD
RESOLUTION NO. 2009-0007
APPROVING PROJECTS, AND AUTHORIZING ISSUANCE OF GRANTS FOR THE PROPOSITION 84 AREAS OF SPECIAL BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE (ASBS) GRANT PROGRAM
Courtesy of Mark Fong
Division of Financial Assistance
Project Management & Technical Support Unit
asbs_fp_wkshp_presentation
ASBS Grant Program Proposal Guidance Presentation (July 2008)
VIII. Public Hearings
If you challenge the nature of the proposed action in Court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing.
A. Consideration of the following two appeals filed by Old Mill Properties, LLC.:
1) An appeal of the Planning Commission’s decision to deny a two-unit, multi-family residential project for a site located 3 SE of Seventh Avenue on San Carlos Street.
2) An appeal of the Planning Commission’s decision to deny a two-unit, multi-family residential project for a site located 3 SW of Seventh Avenue on Mission Street.
Mayor McCloud announced the agenda item was “pulled” and “continued until the next meeting.”
IX. Ordinances
A. Consideration of an Ordinance amending Municipal Code Section 6.08 to allow for the keeping of chicken hens on properties in the R-1 District in the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea. (First reading) (Video 02:01:55 – 02:33:00)
Sean Conroy, Planning & Building Services Manager, presented the staff overview, including the Planning Commission’s recommended draft Ordinance, which includes a sunset date of June 30, 2013 unless otherwise authorized by the city council, Ordinance requirement limit of two chicken hens per residential property and staff recommendation to adopt Ordinance.
Council Member Sharp recommended changes including "cages not be visibly prominent from the public street" and "slaughtering of chickens shall not be permitted within the city limits."
Council Member Talmage expressed concern about visual impact of cages on neighbors and the City’s need to protect neighbors.
Council Member Hazdovac stated only fifteen permits allowed per two year period according to the Ordinance and case-by-case review and determinations.
Mayor Sue McCloud expressed desire for coops in backyards only, not front yards.
Anna Yateman addressed concerns of council members and advocated for a cage size greater than 30 sq. ft.
Mayor McCloud opened the meeting to public comment.
Resident Barbara Livingston expressed support for Ordinance and advocated for chicken runs.
Resident/property owner Carla Ramsey expressed concern about chickens out of enclosures, enclosures materials, and raccoons destroying enclosures and chickens and personal properties.
Anna Yateman stated that dogs and cats encourage raccoons more than chickens.
Mayor McCloud closed the meeting to public comment.
Council Member SHARP moved adoption of Ordinance amending Municipal Code Section 6.08 to allow for the keeping of chicken hens on properties in the R-1 District in the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea adding “cages will not be visibly prominent from the public street,” “location will not create a public nuisance” and “slaughtering of chicken hens shall not be permitted within the city limits,” seconded by Council Member HAZDOVAC and carried by the following roll call vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: BURNETT; HAZDOVAC; SHARP; TALMAGE
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: McCLOUD
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: NONE
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS: NONE
XI. Orders of Council
A. Approve amendments to City’s revised Harassment Prevention Policy.
Mayor McCloud announced the agenda item was “pulled” and “continued until the next meeting.”
ADDENDUM:
V. Announcements from Closed Session, from City Council Members and the City Administrator.
C. Announcements from City Administrator.
2. Receive SCC report.
SCC Board Chairman Jim Price stated that SCC will present a business plan featuring use of Sunset Center for conferences, seminars, meetings and weddings, focusing on multi-day events. Price introduced SCC Board Members in the audience and the new SCC Managing Director Christine Sandin, a past marketing consultant for SCC for over 1 ½ years. Managing Director Christine Sandin stated her goal of being “very transparent” with regard to operations at Sunset Center and to keep the public better informed. SCC hired Jeff Burghardt, also the City’s marketing consultant, to conduct marketing research for SCC, focusing on the north end of Sunset Center, including meeting rooms, Carpenter Hall.
Sandin highlighted income pie chart showing City subsidy (enabling grant) represents 35% of total income, performance revenue and rental income represents 20%.
Sandin displayed chart: Annual Estimated Hotel Room Usage by Sunset Center
Total Room Nights Booked (January – December 2010): 1160
Estimated $21,414 in TOT revenue in 2010
Consultant Jeff Burghardt focused on group and wedding business plan. Burghardt claimed there was “citywide support for growing group and wedding business at Sunset Center.” He admitted there was “stiff competition” on the Monterey Peninsula, other “incredible group and wedding choices,” and strong “competitive sales and marketing.” He stated the need to market Carmel like “a resort;” “Carmel as a single brand” in order “to maximize sales.” Burghardt claimed Carmel is perfect for “boutiques.”
Business Problems
#1. Hotel group space is deeply discounted, or free, to generate profitable room revenue.
#2. Group business is highly competitive and demands top-of-the-line facilities and equipment.
#3. Multiple hotel contracts, versus a single contract, are less attractive to meeting planners and require an experienced group sales professional to book citywide business.
#4. Profit margins are very narrow on most ancillary services, including food and beverage.
Short-Term Recommendations
• Attract weddings and offsites immediately to utilize the attractive theater, lobby, patio and parking lot.
• Develop a competitive sales website, collateral resources and strategies for following through on all sales leads, including RFPs from the MCCVB.
• Spruce up the existing meeting spaces with paint, carpet, furniture and equipment to attract existing leads.
Long-Term Recommendations
• Modernize the entire meeting and conference facility to compete with top hotels and resorts.
• Refine the groups and wedding sales efforts to compete with top hotels and resorts.
• Develop a single-contract to attract meeting planners who manage citywide meetings and conferences.
Remodel & Furniture Proposal: Budget: $159,350
Essential Marketing: Budget: $30,000
Group Sales Professional (consultant): Budget; $10,000
Total Investment to be Raised (Total Budget): $199,350 (to remodel north end of Sunset Center)
SCC Chair Price stated that SCC is forming a preliminary advisory group to assist in raising funds to remodel north end of Sunset Center.
3 comments:
Of all the cockamamie notions, to market Sunset Center as a “resort” takes the cake. Not only is Carmel-by-the-Sea next to one of the most preeminent resorts in the world, Pebble Beach, but tourists and visitors come to Carmel precisely because it is not a resort. SCC and Sunset Center have turns us into con men and damn fools.
It is time for everyone to honestly admit SCC turning Sunset Center into a world-class performing arts center was a failed experiment. And like failed dictators clinging to power, the powers that be think if they just keep making things up as they go along no one will notice, question or complain. All those precious taxpayer dollars to subsidy SCC and we find ourselves now supporting a pedestrian community and educational center – not exactly what SCC sold us on back in 2004.
You know, Carmel's government has a lot of problems, overt and covert. Rich Guillen is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The mayor's obsession with Sunset Center is a big problem. Her attempt, with her sidekick council, to radically transform Carmel-by-the-Sea from what it has been and is into a commercial resort with the Sunset Center as the main attraction is counter to the letter and spirit of Ordinance 96. Apparently, the Disneyland lights running up and down Ocean Avenue are just the beginning. Wise up Carmelites if you truly care about Carmel.
Let me get this straight. Carmel is to "Spruce up the existing meeting spaces with paint, carpet, furniture and equipment to attract existing leads" for about $200,000 now in order to later sink much more money into Sunset Center to "Modernize the entire meeting and conference facility to compete with top hotels and resorts." Dream on. If this proposed conference, seminar and wedding business is so important to the viability of Sunset Center, then why didn't the $22 million renovation include the north end of Sunset? And why didn't SCC's former executive directors sign on to this proposal? Answer: Because Sunset Center was not deemed a competitive venue by Jack Globenfelt or Peter Lesnik and it will not be a competitive venue after more monies are put into the Center.
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