Meeting Synopsis for October 9, 2006
Commission Members
| Mark P. Abrahams | Brian F. Holloway | John M. Packowski |
| Holger Fuerst | Bruce R. Starkweather | John Nunan, Chair |
| Michael F. Malinowski, Vice Chair | Roger Valine | Kristina McBurney |
City Staff
- Art Gee, Operations Manager
- Marty Hanneman, Assistant City Manager
- Sabina Gilbert, Senior Deputy City Attorney
- Carolyn Fisher, Staff Aide
Historic City Hall
915 I Street, 2rd Floor Hearing Room
October 9, 2006 – 5:30 P.M.
The Development Oversight Commission (DOC)is a board of the City Council with review and recommendation authority. Its purpose is to provide a forum for the public to introduce and discuss sugestions, comments, and concerns regarding the city's development services function. The DOC will host public meetings to hear public comments before providing its recommendations to City Council.
Notice to the Public
You are welcomed and encouraged to participate in this meeting. Public comment is taken (3 minutes maximum) on items listed on the agenda when they are called. Public comment on items not listed on the agenda will be heard at the end of the meeting as noted on the agenda. Comments on controversial items may be limited and large groups are encouraged to select 3-5 speakers to represent the opinion of the group.
Notice to Lobbyists: When addressing the Commission you must identify yourself as a lobbyist and announce the client/business/organization you are representing (City Code 2.15.160).
Speaker slips are located in the lobby of the hearing room and should be completed and submitted to the Commission Secretary.
Government Code 54950 (The Brown Act) requires that a brief description of each item to be transacted or discussed be posted at least 72 hours prior to a regular meeting. The City posts Agendas at City Hall as well as offsite meeting locations.
The order of agenda items is for reference; agenda items may be taken in any order deemed appropriate by the Commission. The agenda provides a general description and staff recommendations; however, the Commission may take action other than what is recommended. The agenda is available for public review on the Friday prior to the meeting. Hard copies of the agenda, synopsis, and staff reports are available from the Development Services Department at 915 I Street, New City Hall, 3rd Floor (.25 cents per page) , during regular business hours or can be downloaded at www.cityofsacramento.org/dsd.
Meeting facilities are accessible to persons with disabilities. If you require special assistance to participate in the meeting, notify the Development Services Department at (916) 808-1916 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.
Agenda
All items listed are heard and acted upon by the Planning Commission unless otherwise noted.
Call to Order – 5:30 p.m.
Roll Call - All present (except Abrahams, Malinowski, Packowski)
Consent Calendar
All items listed under the Consent Calendar are considered and acted upon by one motion. Anyone may request that an item be removed for separate consideration.
- Approval of Minutes for September 11, 2006.
Location: (Citywide)
Recommendation: Approve Commission minutes for September 11, 2006.
Contact: Carolyn Fisher, Staff Aide, 808-8095Action: Moved, Seconded (Holloway, Starkweather 6:0:0) to approve minutes as submitted.
Staff Reports
Staff reports include oral presentations including those recommending receive and file.
- Assistant City Manger Update (Oral)
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Receive and file.
Contact:Marty Hanneman, Assistant City Manager, 808-7508
Action: No public comment. Marty Hanneman reviewed feedback from the August 31st, 2006 meeting of the Development Services Department (DSD) Customer Focus Group. He stated that DSD will be working on the “Needs/Focus” items brainstormed at the meeting. Commissioner Valine requested that the Focus Group receive periodic progress reports. DSD Director Bill Thomas stated that updates to the Focus Group were already occurring and would continue going forward. Mr. Thomas provided an update on Citywide Design Review. He stated that at the City Council’s September 12th, 2006 meeting the Council asked for a report back early next year to include a checklist and a phased implementation approach. Bill Crouch, Urban Design Manager, discussed specific ideas concerning a proposed 3-step checklist that counter staff would use to evaluate applications for single and multi-family homes as well as well as commercial corridors. The checklist would be broad and flexible enough to use Citywide and simple enough so as not to delay the process. Commissioner McBurney asked if the City was looking at livability issues in the process of redesigning Design Review. Mr. Crouch responded that those issues were being addressed. Commissioner Starkweather stressed that the most critical point of Citywide Design Review is that there needs to be a shift from stylistic Design Review to a system based on form and mass. He further stated that the first task of the new Design Review and Preservation Commissions should be to provide guidance to staff in terms of establishing guidelines and standards for Citywide Design Review. Bill Thomas provided an update on Citywide MATRIX implementation, including staffing issues and space planning
- Small Business Night at the Permit Center
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Receive and file.
Contact: Lucinda Wilcox, Customer Service Division Manager, 808-5052
Action: No public comment. Dan Waters, Development Services Technician, invited Commission members to attend “Small Business Night” at the North Permit Center on October 18th 2006. Commissioner Nunan commended staff for hosting the event. He suggested that staff develop a referral process where small business applicants can be connected with building industry groups, for instance the AIA, who can in turn refer clients to building professionals. He also suggested that DSD provide a wide range of interpreter services to meet the needs of the City’s diverse population. Commissioner Valine asked if staff has explored what other cities are doing in this area so that the City might model its practices. Lucinda Willcox, DSD Customer Services Division Manager, answered that she would follow up on Commissioner Valine’s suggestion. Commissioner Starkweather stated that Dennis Richardson at the City of San Jose would be a good resource in developing the City’s Small Business programs. He added that staff should continue to look at new and creative ways of taking services to customers, either digitally or literally, and encouraged the “packaging” of services, including the Building Permit process. DSD Director Bill Thomas stated that customers would be surveyed after the event to gauge how effective the program was in meeting their needs.
- Procedural improvements to over-the-counter minor excavation encroachment permits.
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Review and provide input.
Contact: Ed Williams, Engineering Manager, 808-5440
Action: No public comment. Ed Williams, Development Engineering Division Manager, presented a proposal for streamlining applications for over-the-counter minor excavation encroachment permits, which allow minor construction in the City’s right-of-way. Commissioner McBurney asked if in addition to the Transportation and Utilities departments, Tree Services had also committed to the 72-hour turnaround and suggested that all involved departments be encouraged into expediting their part of the process. Kevin Love replied that staff has been working with the City Arborist and that Tree Services will likely commit to the 72-hour turnaround. Commissioner Valine suggested that when permit application forms are available online the forms be interactive such that if a customer forgets to enter vital information the website will prompt them to correct the omission, resulting in only complete applications being submitted. Commissioner Holloway suggested shortening the timeline for other types of permits. Commissioner Nunan stated that based on the comments from Commissioners the Commission was unanimously in support of the proposed procedure changes.
Public Comments- Matters Not on the Agenda
- Lucinda Wilcox announced that on October 26th-27th and October 30th, the Permits Plus system will be taken offline in preparation for the migration to Accela software. The Downtown and North Permit Centers will remain open but all work will be done manually. Customers are being notified through fliers and are being encouraged to transact business before or after these dates where possible. Commissioner Fuerst asked if there will be workstations at the permit centers where the public can access Accela. Ms. Willcox stated that because Accela is a web-based system anyone with an Internet connection can access the public Accela site. DSD Director Bill Thomas added that while there are firewall issues that Central IT is still working on, there will be two public terminals at each permit center. Terminals at City community centers are also planned .
Assistant City Manager Updates
- None.
Questions, Ideas, and Announcements of Commission Members
- Commissioner Nunan asked Carolyn Fisher to get more information about Councilmember Tretheway’s Fort Natomas rebuilding effort and share with Commission members