A mid-year budget review showed the city of San Marino is spending and receiving less than budgeted in the current fiscal year.
San Marino Finance Director Lisa Bailey gave a brief presentation to city council on Friday, Jan. 30 reviewing the fiscal year so far and giving a five year projection. Though council approved of what was presented, they did have a few clarifications that will have to be amended at a later point.
The Lacy Park Inner Loop project, for example, went 30 percent over budget, but was not accurately reflected in the report. Additionally, Bailey gave a three percent projection of increased revenue over the next five years. That three percent is questionable to council members.
The number is somewhat arbitrary, averaging out what the city has experienced in the past. Council member Steve Talt asked if the city should be using a more conservative approach, something that is more of a real calculation. He suggested using state data to help compare with San Marino, but Bailey said San Marino is too unique and never lines up with the state.
Even so, Bailey said she’s sure there’s a better way to calculate the potential increase.
AB 1164
Currently, San Marino’s code prohibits synthetic grass and artificial turf in a front yard. A new state law – Assembly Bill 1164 – supersedes the city code.
The purpose of the law is to prohibit cities from saying no to drought tolerant landscaping, synthetic grass or artificial turf on residential properties. It does, however, allow cities to impose reasonable restrictions on the types of drought tolerant landscaping, synthetic grass or artificial turf permitted, provided that the restrictions don’t substantially increase costs or impede the installation in some way.
Talt voiced concerns about allowing the installation of anything that would be sub-quality, especially if they aren’t sure about what this type of turf will do to the environment. He suggested investigating the matter further to see what other cities are doing.
Cervantes said he has seen other cities waiting it out and not doing anything.
Cervantes said that the city doesn’t get many of these requests, and is already acting on a case-by-case standard. The Planning Department may be able to add on some qualifications for this kind of turf, as long as it doesn’t add to the cost.
The issue will come before the city council again after the city attorney and Cervantes look into it more.
Planning Ordinances
Two ordinances regarding submitting projects to the Planning Department came before the city council on Jan. 30. Talt introduced both soon after he was elected to council in November.
The first is to improve the notification process. Currently, neighbors are sent a packet notifying them of the hearing date, time and location of construction projects in their legal neighborhood. Ten days is required for any application that adds square footage as well as a new or replacement residential or commercial structure, while three days is required for all other applicants subject to design review. A sign posted on the front lawn of that proposed site also contains those details.
If an item is continued at a Design Review Committee meeting or Planning Commission meeting, the neighbors are not currently notified of that unless they attended the first meeting. The proposed ordinance will close that gap by sending out a second notice packet with the next hearing date, time and location every time a project is continued.
The second ordinance proposed relates to streetscape.
In an effort to make it easier for neighbors to understand what kind of impact a new house would have in their neighborhood, the applicant would be required to show them the streetscape – the street elevation of residences next door and behind the proposed site, said Talt.
City Attorney Steve Dorsey said as far as people not receiving notice, he has worked in other cities where people receive the notice in a generic envelope they just don’t open. He suggested identifying what’s inside on the outside of the envelope.
El Niño and the Homeless
The city received a report from the Los Angeles County Grand Jury regarding planning for the county’s homeless population during El Nino. The report has seven recommendations that need to be addressed by every city in the Los Angeles County.
Since San Marino has zero homeless people living within the city, according to the last homeless population count, City Manager John Schaefer wrote a draft letter stating it didn’t make sense to make a plan of accommodation.
Dorsey and Schaefer will meet and come up with a final response to the Grand Jury.
