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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - City Council - Meeting Date: 1/3/2006 *PLEASE NOTE: Since the Glendale City Council does not take formal action at the Workshops, Workshop minutes are not approved by the City Council. MINUTES CITY OF GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP JANUARY 3, 2006 1:30 P.M. PRESENT: Mayor Elaine M. Scruggs, Vice Mayor Thomas R. Eggleston arrived at 3:00, and Councilmembers Joyce V. Clark, Steven E. Frate, David M. Goulet, H. Phillip Lieberman, and Manuel D. Martinez ALSO PRESENT: Ed Beasley, City Manager; Pam Kavanaugh, Assistant City Manager; Craig Tindall, City Attorney; and Pamela Hanna, City Clerk 1. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUP PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: Mr. Horatio Skeete, Deputy City Manager, Mr. Jon Froke, Planning Director, Ms. Deborah Mazoyer, Building Safety Director Staff will present to the City Council an overview of the improvements made to the development process that the Community Development Group worked on in 2005 and implemented on January 1, 2006. The process improvements support the Council goals of coordinating exceptional service delivery for citizens and customers. In the summer of 2005, Community Development, along with all other departments involved in the development process, began identifying areas where customer service could be improved. Four subcommittees were formed and each group focused on specific areas, such as, Accountability, Expedited Plan Review, Front Counter Services, and Technology. The subcommittees recommended over two-dozen improvements and all team members came to a consensus on the changes and the timeline for implementation. Improvements were recommended for improving communication with customers, revising plan review times, increasing accountability for performance by city staff and our development customers, as well as streamlining processes. Some improvements that were developed with the arena and stadium were transferred to improve service to all customers. 1 Improvements will potentially shorten the length of time a project will spend in the development process and will improve communication with our development customers. This is a non-action item to provide information to the City Council. Mr. Froke explained in 1983 the Development Services Center was created as a one- stop customer service center. He said as Glendale grew in population and land mass the customer service program was revised, but it is once again time to look at the process to see if additional revisions are necessary. He stated new development since 1983 has gone through design review, which begins with the developer filing a service request. He said they reduced the service request process from five working days to the next business day. He stated they also wanted to ensure all stakeholders involved in the process are notified of all review comments. He noted a lot more information is now available on the department's website. He said they also focused on ensuring phone calls are responded to promptly. He explained the length of pre-application meetings was increased from 60 minutes to 90 minutes to give the applicant and the city's project team more time to share information and written comments are now provided to the applicant at the conclusion of pre-application meetings. He said the city now provides completion checks for design review applications within two days of filing. Councilmember Lieberman asked if the city now has the resources necessary to accelerate the processes. Ms. Mazoyer explained, once a project goes through design review, it moves into construction plan review. She said stakeholders are informed when plans are submitted or returned for corrections to ensure all parties know the status of the project. Mayor Scruggs asked how city staff will contact the stakeholders. Ms. Mazoyer said staff will ask the stakeholders how they prefer to be contacted. Councilmember Martinez asked if applicants are given information as to how to proceed through the process. Ms. Mazoyer said as of January 1 they will be given a packet depending on the process through which they are proceeding. Councilmember Martinez asked if all stakeholders will be informed of the status of an application, citing situations where plans were returned to the architect and the developer was unaware of the project's status. Ms. Mazoyer agreed it is important to notify all stakeholders of the status of a case, stating keeping them informed will help reduce the number of calls the department receives. Councilmember Clark noted Council members also receive calls from developers looking for plans when the plans have already been returned to the architect or design engineer. She expressed her opinion ensuring all stakeholders are made aware of status of their project is the most important change staff has made to the process. Ms. Mazoyer explained the Development Services Center performs a project manager function taking a project from the submittal of construction documents through the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy. She stated the department has an interactive voice recorder for building safety inspectors. 2 Councilmember Clark asked how long a contractor has to wait between the time they make the call and the time an inspection actually occurs. Ms. Mazoyer stated they will perform inspections within 24 to 48 hours. Ms. Mazoyer said corrections in the field are now documented in writing and DSE Plan Technicians are responsible to coordinate the Certificate of Occupancy process. Councilmember Frate asked how federal projects differ from other development projects. Ms. Mazoyer explained projects done by the federal government or state do not necessarily have to go through the city's processes; however, they do have to have the city's approval for utility connections. Councilmember Frate mentioned a Bureau of Reclamation project that resulted in street closures that were not necessarily approved by the city. Ms. Mazoyer explained the problem in that case lied more with the contractor than in the fact it was a federal project. Councilmember Martinez asked if a customer satisfaction survey has or will be conducted. Mr. Froke said they have done such surveys for a number of years. He explained a Deputy City Manager sends a cover letter and customer service survey to the applicant once the design review is approved, noting they have an 85 percent approval rating. Councilmember Clark asked if they solicited input from their customer base when deciding how the processes should be revised. Mr. Froke responded yes. Councilmember Clark asked what they can expect in terms of a timeline for a typical commercial development project. Mr. Froke stated the timeline depends on the complexity of the project and how willing a developer is to work with the city. He estimated design review for a typical shopping center to take four to six months. Ms. Mazoyer said the expedited plan review process reduced review times by about one- third. She explained they are ensuring plans submitted are complete before they are accepted. Councilmember Goulet asked if applicants will fill out a checklist indicating all necessary information has been provided. Ms. Mazoyer said the plans will be accepted and within 24-hours Development Services staff will go through the plans to ensure everything has been submitted. Councilmember Goulet asked if the department has the capacity to respond electronically. Ms. Mazoyer said in cases where only minor information is missing, their department will hold the plans and allow the applicant to submit information within 24 hours. She stated, however, they do not have room to store plans waiting for people to submit information that can take weeks to collect. Councilmember Goulet said he has often heard complaints that the city is not doing what it should when, in fact, the problem lies with the architect or other stakeholder. Mayor Scruggs said incomplete plans will be removed from the pipeline, allowing staff to work on those that are complete. She asked where staff will hold the plans until they are picked up by the applicant, pointing out the second floor does not have any extra space. She agreed a tremendous amount of Council and Mayor's Office staff time is spent finding out where the city went wrong only to find out the city did not do anything wrong. She said she strongly supports notifying all of the stakeholders of the status of a project. Mr. Skeete pointed out applicants are given a copy of the checklist staff uses when plans are submitted. 3 Mayor Scruggs expressed her opinion the changes will result in time savings that are equivalent to one full time position. Councilmember Martinez asked about the technology used to track applications through the processes. Ms. Mazoyer said the departments' tracking system allows them to see details about an application, including who has looked at it, when it was last looked at and where it is in the process. Councilmember Clark said applicants, particularly churches, are often naïve about the process. She asked what, if anything, the city does to educate applicants on the process. Ms. Mazoyer explained applicants are given a packet of information at the pre-application meeting. Mr. Froke said the additional time afforded applicants during the pre-application meeting and the packet of information provided by the city are intended to help one-time customers who are likely unfamiliar with the city's process. Councilmember Clark asked if the packet of information includes a glossary of terms or explanations of the technical language used. Ms. Mazoyer stated the packet includes an explanation of each step in the process in layman's terms. She pointed out her department is required to call and meet with the applicant if an application will be turned down at the second construction plan review because the applicant is clearly not understanding some aspect of the process. Mayor Scruggs asked if the information packet will be put on CD, stating she would like to send a copy to the legislature who often receive complaints from applicants. Ms. Mazoyer stated they are in the process of putting the information on CD. Councilmember Goulet said cities across the county have areas designated for redevelopment and many have created subdivisions that help expedite development in those areas. He asked if their subcommittee looked at implementing a similar program. Mr. Froke noted the Van Guard City Homes project went through a compressed zoning process and are now entering the construction plan process. He said several Westgate and Zanjero mixed-use PAD projects also went through an expedited plan review process last year. He stated the department is limited by its size in terms of the number expedited reviews it can do in a given year. Ms. Mazoyer said a new process, known as the PASS Program, has been developed that will allow developers to pay a fee equal to three times the plan review fee to obtain additional service to help move an application through the process as a faster pace. She stated the additional services provided include a pre-submittal meeting and a meeting after plans review to discuss red-line comments. She said the city will also review with the applicant what is needed prior to any inspections and what is required to obtain the Certificate of Occupancy. She stated the program will be launched in the next couple weeks. Ms. Mazoyer stated the front counter will do an initial completeness check within 24 hours and staff from various departments will be accessible at the front counter to answer questions, resulting in a reduced wait time for answers. She said more information from all departments involved in the review process will be provided to customers and departments will cross-train to ensure staff members better understand the impact of what they do on the process further down the line. Councilmember Clark asked if other departments use the Hansen technology as well. Ms. Mazoyer stated they have access to it in their office; although she is not certain all inspectors have laptops at this time. 4 Councilmember Lieberman thanked the Development Services and Planning Departments for quickly correcting any situations he has brought to their attention within the past three years. Councilmember Martinez agreed staff members in those departments have been very helpful. He said he spent two and a half hours at the front counter one day to get a better idea of how the process works, noting he found the process to work well most of the time and that staff was very efficient in dealing with questions that were asked. Councilmember Goulet asked if applicants are able to submit information online. Ms. Mazoyer said they have accepted PDA files that identify small changes, but they do not accept large project submittals. Councilmember Frate commented on the importance of the Development Services counter, stating many applicants often rely on the individuals at that counter to walk them through the process. Ms. Mazoyer said staff will not design for an applicant, but they will help those who find the process too confusing or difficult. Mayor Scruggs thanked Ms. Mazoyer and Mr. Froke for the tremendous effort they and their staff members put into the matter. She suggested they create a Glendale University advanced course about the issue. Mr. Beasley introduced Steven Conrad as the city's new Police Chief. Chief Conrad said he looks forward to working with the Council to address the needs of the community and department. 2. FOLLOW-UP REPORT ON COUNCIL ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: Ms. Meaghan Ellsworth, Special Projects Administrator This is a request for the City Council to review and provide direction related to the following Council Items of Special Interest: o Providing New Language on the City Entry Signs o Creation of a Stop Sign Education Program o Installation of Red Light Photo Enforcement Program o Restriction on Locations of Payday Loan Businesses o Providing Homeowner's Association with Notification of Building Permits o Beautification of Southeast Corner of 59th and Grand Avenues o Provision of a Temporary Public Art Program o Adoption of an Ordinance Controlling Sales of Pseudo-ephedrine Council "Items of Special Interest" are discussed quarterly in workshop according to a Council procedural guideline adopted in the fall of 2002. The memoranda, included with the packet given to the Council, provide brief assessments of topics identified by members of the Council at the October 4, 2005 workshop. 5 At the October 4, 2005 workshop, Mayor Scruggs requested staff to research what can be done at the municipal level to regulate payday loan establishments. This request came in light of Representative Nelson's comments that cities can control payday loan establishment locations and that the cities of Peoria and Avondale have both passed ordinances. Mayor Scruggs also requested that Glendale research the feasibility of establishing a process that notifies homeowners' associations whenever a building permit is requested. Councilmember Lieberman requested that staff add, "Glendale — Home of Luke Air Force Base" on the city's entrance signs. Councilmember Martinez asked staff to investigate the implementation of photo radar. Councilmember Martinez also requested staff to research the development of an ordinance controlling the sale of pseudo-ephedrine. In addition, Councilmember Martinez suggested that staff focus on making improvements to the southeast corner of Grand and 59th Avenues. Councilmember Goulet suggested that staff study the viability of a public art project for the downtown area, as well as at various city facilities and shopping centers. In addition, Councilmember Goulet requested staff to research stronger enforcement of drivers running stop signs and developing a public safety campaign on the need to stop at stop signs. The recommendation was for the Council to review this item and provide staff direction on: Providing New Language on the City Entry Signs CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: Mr. Jamsheed Mehta, Transportation Director, and Mr. Horatio Skeete, Deputy City Manager Mr. Mehta said staff surveyed the city's 19 existing welcome signs, noting 16 of the signs are standard two-by-three feet or three-by-four feet metallic entry signs with the words "Welcome to Glendale — Arizona's Fourth Largest City". He said three monument signs are currently in some state of disrepair or in the process of being relocated. He stated the outdated metallic signs date back to 1991 and could be replaced for a cost of approximately $100 per sign. He said, if directed to do so, staff will return to Council with design options and cost estimates. He pointed out Council gave staff direction to look at new entry monuments and signs as part of the overall beautification projects. He said several subcommittees have been established at the staff level, one of which is entrusted with identifying the kind of sign, the materials to be used and the appropriate location for entry signs. He stated their findings will be presented to Council during the budget process. 6 Councilmember Lieberman explained the three pillars on Glendale Avenue represent the Government, Citizens and Business, stating similar pillars were supposed to be located throughout the city. Mayor Scruggs pointed out the largest pillar represents citizens while the smallest pillar represents the government. Councilmember Lieberman suggested they add the language "Proud Home of Luke Air Force Base" to the signs, pointing out Luke Air Force Base resides wholly within Glendale's city limits. He said he fully supports proceeding with the new entry signs. He commented any population figure they use will be out of date within a year, suggesting they make the number an easily changed bolted-on addition. Councilmember Clark said she is content to wait until the issue is brought forward during the budget process. She expressed concern that only 19 of the city's 54 entry points have signage. She asked staff to bring forward proposals for additional entry signs, particularly in light of the influx of visitors they anticipate coming to Glendale as a result of the projects developing in west Glendale. Councilmember Frate agreed more of Glendale's entry points need to have signs. He said, rather than the city's population, he would prefer the signs include more timeless information about the city. He stated he would also like to see more entry monuments at the prominent entry points into Glendale. He expressed his opinion the size of the signs should standardized. Councilmember Goulet asked Mr. Mehta if he has received any response from Luke Air Force Base. Mr. Mehta said not yet. Councilmember Goulet agreed the signs should be timeless and portray a sense of the city's quality of life. He stated Glendale is the proud home of many things, including the arena, the stadium and Gabella's. He said the difficulty comes in knowing where to draw the line. He suggested using signs that are more inclusive and portray the positive image of the city as a whole. He agreed signs need to be placed at other entry points to the city. He said, while he agrees the signs are in poor condition and need to be replaced, he is inclined to wait until the budget process. Councilmember Martinez asked Mr. Mehta if the subcommittee is also coming up with options for the content of the sign. Mr. Mehta responded yes. Councilmember Martinez expressed his opinion Luke Air Force Base is unique and should be recognized on the signs. Mayor Scruggs said there are two basic issues with the more difficult being the design and content of the signs. She suggested they bring that issue back once the subcommittee completes their work, but prior to the budget meetings. She said staff can then bring back the selected design in the form of a budget supplemental. Vice Mayor Eggleston arrived at 3:00 p.m. 7 Councilmember Lieberman asked if the signs will be done in-house. Mr. Mehta said the city's sign fabrication shop is limited in its abilities and they will need to look at outside production as extra colors or dimensions are added. Councilmember Lieberman noted the beautifully detailed signs in Catlin Court were produced at the city's sign shop. He said if they are unable to find $4,000 to purchase 40 signs he will personally donate the money out of his district account. Councilmember Clark said she agrees with the Mayor's suggestion and is particularly concerned that they will get bogged down on the design. She asked staff to present more than one design option. She stated she would also like to see the design options prior to bringing the issue back to the budget hearings. Councilmember Frate said he also supports bringing the item back before the budget hearings. He emphasized the importance of curb appeal, stating monument signs say a lot about the community. Councilmember Goulet agreed more than one option should be submitted. Mayor Scruggs said the subcommittee should keep in mind the Council's desire for a timeless design. She stated the signs should represent the city's substantial responsibility and solid foundation. She suggested they educate all staff members on the meaning of the pillars, stating they make a very profound statement. Creation of a Stop Sign Education Program CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: Mr. Jamsheed Mehta, Transportation Director and Mr. Horatio Skeete, Deputy City Manager Mr. Mehta explained some travelers fail to stop or even accelerate through stop signs. He suggested they take a three-E approach, engineering, education and enforcement, stating it is only by implementing all three together that they can hope to achieve meaningful results. He said in terms of engineering they have the option of advanced signage, under education they can implement an educational campaign, and with regard to enforcement, they can identify where they need to focus their energies and what kind of additional enforcement is needed. Councilmember Goulet said the cognitive skills of drivers' are a critical aspect of the issue. He agreed the proposed three-pronged approach is appropriate. Councilmember Clark agreed people are cavalier about stop signs. She said people know what stop signs are for and do not need to be educated as to their purpose. She expressed her opinion the primary action should be to identify areas where greater enforcement is needed and to establish a rolling enforcement program. Mayor Scruggs asked if the motor group that enforces speed limits also enforce stop signs. 8 Councilmember Frate said he supports using the Connection and public service announcements to educate residents about the problem and the fines associated with running stop signs. Councilmember Lieberman suggested they use the city's cable station to show pictures of wrecks that result when someone runs a stop sign to demonstrate that people can get hurt by such actions. Councilmember Martinez agreed they should implement appropriate engineering and education measures. Vice Mayor Eggleston asked if they should concentrate on particularly troublesome intersections. Mr. Mehta said the city has an annual program to paint a stop bar at each intersection and to relocate or repair signs if necessary. He stated advanced signs can be used in situations where a stop sign is out of the line of site of oncoming traffic. Vice Mayor Eggleston said he would prefer to focus on the most dangerous intersections while proceeding with the educational campaign. Councilmember Frate mentioned some communities use larger stop signs. Mr. Mehta said there are two standards associated with the size of stop signs based on the speed and dimensions of the street itself. He said he could explore whether or not they could use larger signs at certain intersections. Councilmember Lieberman suggested they use more flashers like those originally used in the lights at 59th Avenue and Glenn. He said he has also seen flashers installed on stop signs to attract attention. Mayor Scruggs directed staff to use available traffic engineering avenues to rectify specific intersections and to use communication resources that do not involve additional staff resources and dollars to draw attention to the problem. She said the use of advanced signage should be done according to staffs best professional judgment. Installation of Red Light Photo Enforcement Program CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: Mr. Jamsheed Mehta, Transportation Director and Mr. Horatio Skeete, Deputy City Manager Mr. Mehta referenced a memo identifying cities in the valley that use photo enforcement as a means to reduce violations and crashes on locally controlled intersections. He said the cost for such a program needs to be identified and an implementation process needs to be established. He said, furthermore, an awareness campaign would need to be developed to educate citizens and visitors to the city. He said staff proposes two options, 1) review other cities' programs and their results and 2) conduct a pilot study targeting two or three high incident locations. 9 Mayor Scruggs said she and Mr. Skeete have discussed the issue several times and the last time it was dealt with by the Council the direction was to install yellow light interval extensions. She said Mr. Mehta's predecessor did not like the idea, despite national evidence that extending the yellow light interval lessens the number of people running red lights and the number of accidents. She asked if the yellow light interval extension was ever put into place. Mr. Skeete responded yes. Councilmember Frate said the Council also discussed lagging left turns on 67th Avenue, noting he has had numerous people comment on how much safer they feel since the lagging left turns were implemented. He asked if the city has collected any data concerning the impact of the lagging left turns. Mr. Mehta said two studies were conducted, one regarding the extended yellow light interval and a second concerning leading/lagging left turns. He explained the first study looked at the 23-month period prior to the change and then compared that data with the impact of adding one additional second to the existing yellow time. Mayor Scruggs said all of the data she has reviewed indicates three to four seconds need to be added to the length of the yellow light. Mr. Mehta said that would virtually double the length of the yellow light, stating the study they conducted looked at adding one additional second to the already three to 3.9 second length of the city's yellow lights. Mr. Mehta said they collected two to three years of information after they extended the length of the yellow lights and found remarkable results were achieved in the first two months. He stated there was a significant drop in the number of violations and number of crashes within the first two months; however, the number of incidents crept higher by the twelve-month milestone and it was suggested that no advantage was gained by adding one additional second. He explained people eventually used the additional time as an extension of through movement. Mr. Mehta explained the second study compared the affect of lagging left turns on 67'h Avenue from Olive to Greenway. He said the study focused on mobility as opposed to as an effective tool to impede red light running. He stated the findings were not conclusive because the reduction in left turn crashes can be attributed at least in part to the protected movement afforded by the lagging left turn. He explained there are advantages to both leading and lagging left turns, depending on the geometrics and capacity of the intersection. He said staff would prefer to have the flexibility to determine where lagging left turns benefit the public most. Mayor Scruggs asked if any consideration has been given to using signs to advise the traveling public whether to expect a leading or lagging left turn, stating people find the mixture of both confusing. Councilmember Frate said he appreciates staffs recognition that leading or lagging left turns may work better in some instances than in others. 10 Mr. Mehta confirmed for Councilmember Frate that the city's three second yellow interval after a left turn and 3.9 second minimum interval after a thru-movement is consistent with ADOT standards. He noted Glendale also has a one second all-red interval after left turns and 1.6-2.7 second all-red interval after thru-movements which take into account those drivers who are traveling at speeds in excess of the posted speed limit. He stated, however, the effectiveness of the all-red interval diminishes if it is extended too far. Councilmember Frate asked Mr. Mehta if in his opinion the extended yellow light intervals should be implemented. Mr. Mehta compared the extension to an extension of credit to those who have been bad debtors in the past. He said there is a point to which one can add additional safeguard measures, but fewer people make it through the intersection as time is taken away from the green light. He stated the city is meeting minimum standards, but could add additional time if doing so is warranted at selected locations. Councilmember Martinez pointed out the issue before Council is whether or not to direct staff to explore opportunities for photo red light enforcement. He said, while Council's communication lists the disadvantages of photo red light enforcement, it fails to list the advantages. He said photo red light enforcement is a tool that can protect citizens, by reducing the number of red light runners and speeders. He stated he would like to see the program extended to include photo speed enforcement, pointing out the same cameras can do both. He noted photographs have also been used as evidence in situations where crimes were committed. Councilmember Lieberman questioned the effectiveness of extended yellow lights, stating those inclined to run yellow lights will only have a longer time to do so. He stated he would like an addition nine-tenths of a second added to the red light so all four ways are red at the same time. He said every statistic he has read indicate 97 percent of all accidents occur during the three seconds after a light turns green. He noted the City Council has been discussing photo red light enforcement for about nine years. He said Mesa has increased the number of intersections where photo red light enforcement is used from three to 11. He said he would also like to see the advantages and positive statistics for photo red light enforcement. He stated, while the Mayor believes people should have the right to confront the officer issuing the citation, the City Council has the right to do whatever it can to protect its citizens. Councilmember Frate said he supports conducting a limited scope study of the top three accident intersections as long as it is done at a reasonable cost. Councilmember Clark said photo red light enforcement must be effective to some degree for both Mesa and Phoenix to implement programs. She stated she is willing to proceed with research, but she first wants to see current costs, including the cost of additional personnel that will have to be hired to run the program. She expressed concern that photo radar will be so effective that the number of citations will decrease 11 and the revenue generated by those citations will decrease, but the cost of providing the service will remain constant. Councilmember Goulet said the difficulty of a study comes when the location of the cameras are broadcast on the radio and television, explaining the problem shifts accordingly and nothing is resolved. He asked if any cities have removed photo red light cameras because of the costs involved. He said people who run red lights should be responsible for the exorbitant cost of the system. He expressed his opinion people who drive wearing headphones or using their cell phones are of equal if not greater concern. He said he is not ready at this point to say the benefits of photo red light enforcement outweigh the costs involved in implementing such a system. Councilmember Martinez said every Council member has agreed at some point that public safety is one of the Council's primary concerns. He referenced a report from Scottsdale dated September 13, 2004, stating it shows first year revenues of $1,550,626 and expenses of $1,269,991. He said the second year shows a $97,000 revenue surplus, the third year shows a revenue deficit of $104,000 and the fourth year shows a revenue deficit of $36,486. He acknowledged the program has an associated cost, stating public safety always comes at a cost. He stated the City Council likes to think it is at the forefront on many issues, but he feels it falls behind on the issue of photo red light enforcement. He presented statistics from the Police Department, stating 260 collisions and three fatalities involving red lights occurred in 2000, 248 collisions and one fatality occurred in 2001, 287 collisions and six fatalities occurred in 2002, 280 collisions and one fatality occurred in 2003, 294 collisions and three fatalities occurred in 2004, and 262 collisions and three fatalities have occurred as of November 2005. He quoted from a May 1 , 2002 editorial in the Arizona Republic, stating, "Other cities in the valley have gone the next step and installed cameras at dangerous intersections. Regrettably Glendale keeps this proven speed reduction tool out of its toolbox. It won't even launch a test to see how the public responds and whether speeders respond to the citations in the mail. If the idea is to get speeders to slow down, end the tailgating and make the intersection safer, Glendale will do its law abiding drivers a lifesaving favor by installing cameras. They're worth a try." He also quoted from a May 22, 2002 editorial, which said, "Experience in other valley communities is that cameras work. They reduce accidents. And let's be brutally frank, isn't it a city's responsibility to keep the streets as safe as possible. Glendale ought to put its concerns on the sidelines and try a test project. Guess what, they might even like it." He said a January 13, 1999 Steve Wilson column said, "In 1997 more than 40,000 vehicles were damaged in red light or stop sign accidents in Arizona and 16,400 people were killed or injured. The accidents cost all of us millions in higher auto insurance costs and helped keep premiums in this state well above the national average. More needs to be done. Are any public officials out there interested in taking the lead?" Councilmember Martinez said this is the fourth time the issue has come before the Council and he believes a pilot project is long over due. 12 Vice Mayor Eggleston asked if the city tracks the cause of accidents. Mr. Mehta responded yes, stating it is broken down both by type of maneuver and driver violation. He said "disregarded traffic signal" most closely matches a red light violation. He pointed out, however, an incident may involve more than one violation, making it difficult to determine which violation was the primary cause of the incident. He reported over 5,000 accidents occurred in the City of Glendale over the past 11 months, with 214 or 4.5 percent attributed to a disregarded traffic signal. Vice Mayor Eggleston asked Mr. Mehta to identify the three highest accident intersections. Mr. Mehta said they change over time as improvements are made to the intersections. Vice Mayor Eggleston asked if Glendale's cost to implement photo red light cameras would be similar to Scottsdale's. Mr. Mehta explained the cost of setting up a pilot project would be different from the cost of implementing a full program. Mr. Mehta said current accident statistics identify 67th Avenue and Bethany Home, 59th Avenue and Bell Road, and 59th Avenue and Bethany Home as the top three locations; however, those locations could change by the end of the study period. Vice Mayor Eggleston noted the intersection at 67th Avenue and Bethany Home Road is scheduled for improvements. Councilmember Clark clarified the improvements were completed a year ago. She said she also noted the staff report failed to identify any advantages to the program. She stated it bothers her that a report to Council would be anything other than completely non-biased. Councilmember Goulet asked if the only option for locating such cameras would be at intersections where the City of Glendale controls all four corners. Mr. Mehta responded yes. Vice Mayor Eggleston asked if people can disregard citations sent by mail since they are not served by an officer of the court. Mr. Tindall, City Attorney, said they could disregard the citation, however, they would be held responsible for the cost of service if they are later served the citation. Councilmember Clark said she originally opposed the idea of photo radar, but she now supports a pilot study at one intersection to provide evidence as to the expected costs and results. She pointed out Phoenix is only implementing cameras at 10 intersections, stating they are considerably larger than Glendale. Councilmember Martinez expressed his opinion Glendale should implement cameras at at least two intersections in different parts of the city. He stated, however, he would support implementing a pilot program at only one intersection if his only other option is to not implement the program at all. 13 Mayor Scruggs asked how the city would go about implementing a pilot photo red light program. Mr. Mehta said staff will research how other cities have implemented such trial programs, but he anticipates a request for proposal that clearly identifies the intent and duration of the pilot program. He explained the duration of the program would have to be long enough to provide statistical information, stating he would anticipate the study lasting three years. He said Council would have to provide budget authority to proceed with the program so the program could not be implemented before next fiscal year. Mayor Scruggs asked if staff can prepare the budget figures before the Police Department brings their proposed budget before Council. She said if the issue were before her for a vote today she would vote against the pilot program and recommend instead that they earmark the $1 to $2 million needed to implement the program for speed and red light running enforcement. She pointed out police officers often find other serious violations when they pull someone over for speeding or running a red light. She said a police officer also has the discretion not to issue a citation if they feel one is not warranted. She stated cameras only cite for excessive speed and do not take the manner in which someone is driving into consideration. She asked if staff will also be able to speak to the cost of implementing a full program when they bring the pilot program budget information back to Council. She said she would also like to see a breakdown of the contracts in other cities and how police departments in those cities have changed their deployments. She stated she would also like to see statistical information from other cities. Mr. Beasley pointed out the city will not know the number of intersections that will be involved until they issue an RFP. Councilmember Clark said the RFP should at least indicate the city's preference for a pilot study that utilizes one intersection. Mayor Scruggs stated the cameras are manufactured, installed and owned by for-profit companies whereas the Glendale Police Department is not a profit making company. She said she would assume the pilot program will include the hiring of process servers since citations served by mail are not considered valid citations. Mr. Beasley said the pilot program will look at the total impact of the program. Councilmember Frate clarified he supports further research concerning a pilot program, but would want the details of proceeding with a pilot program brought back to Council for approval. Mayor Scruggs asked if the cameras should also monitor speed. Councilmember Lieberman asked if Council is authorizing the City Manager to proceed with an RFP. Councilmember Clark said she thought the cameras pertained solely to red light running. 14 Councilmember Frate agreed the pilot program should be for photo red light enforcement only. Councilmember Goulet pointed out the city will undergo significant changes over the next couple years, stating traffic at the various intersections throughout the city will also change. He suggested they take new intersections near the stadium and the Loop 303 into consideration. Councilmember Martinez said the demonstration Council had indicated 70 percent of the citations issued are not contested. He reiterated his position that the city is making an investment in safety, stating statistics show the cameras reduce the number of accidents and fatalities. He noted Avondale and Surprise are both installing cameras and Scottsdale is installing speed monitoring cameras along the Loop 101. He agreed police officers often find other violations when making what is assumed to be a routine traffic stop; stating, however, that will not stop with the implementation of photo red light cameras. Mayor Scruggs clarified the money they are talking about is in excess of whatever the new Police Chief brings forward as the department's needs for the next year. She stated, while she understands they are moving forward with a pilot program, she wants to understand what those funds could accomplish if given to the Police Department and specifically earmarked for traffic activities. She clarified staff will proceed with an RFP for a one intersection pilot program for a statistically significant period of time, stating the contract should include the use of process servers and should come back to Council for approval. She asked for assurances from the Police Department that live enforcement will not diminish as a result of the implementation of the cameras. Councilmember Lieberman said it is his understanding the cameras are intended to relieve at least a partial officer from monitoring the intersection. He questioned whether one red light camera will be sufficient to prove anything. He said the Council was told it would have 36 additional police officers on line by December 31, but he has not received an update on the status of those officers. He stated the pilot study should focus on whether or not a reduction in accidents and fatalities occurs without the additional coverage of a police officer at the intersection. Mayor Scruggs clarified she does not want there to be a reduction in the total number of officers assigned to traffic detail because cameras are installed. She stated a police officer may need to be at the same intersection as the camera if the intersection is also a high speed location. Mayor Scruggs asked Councilmember Lieberman if he is withdrawing his support to proceed with a single camera pilot program. Councilmember Lieberman responded no; stating, however, he is not sure one camera will be sufficient to provide the information the city seeks. Mr. Beasley reported all 36 police officers were hired and an additional 13 officers were hired through a federal grant. 15 The meeting recessed for a short break. Restriction on Locations of Payday Loan Businesses CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: Mr. Horatio Skeete, Deputy City Manager and Mr. Jon Froke, Planning Director Mr. Froke said with the advent and proliferation of pay day loan businesses across the state and country, some cities are beginning to look at regulating them from a land use perspective. He referenced a memo given to Council that outlines what has been proposed by other cities both within Maricopa County and throughout the state. He said several options for regulating the use are available, including a minimum separation between facilities or restricting such uses to heavy commercial districts. Councilmember Clark said she supports moving forward with some type of regulation. She stated she also supports the three standards set forth on page 2 of staffs memo as well as the commercial zoning element. Mayor Scruggs asked if there is a lot of C3 zoning around Luke Air Force Base. Mr. Froke said, while Luke is located within the city's limits, much of the surrounding area is in the county and likely zoned C3. Mayor Scruggs said she would not want to drive the payday loan businesses to that location. Mr. Froke noted payday loan institutions gravitate toward military installations. Councilmember Goulet asked if there have been any legal challenges to the restrictions imposed by other cities. Mr. Froke said not that he is aware of. Councilmember Goulet asked if prohibited or conditioned uses are prohibited from renting space under another pretext. Mr. Froke said Glendale has not encountered such situations. Councilmember Lieberman asked if the north side of Glendale between Litchfield and Dysart Roads lies in the City of Glendale. Mr. Froke said the base housing is in Glendale, however, some of the strip commercial in that area lies in the county. Councilmember Frate said he supports moving forward with the spacing limitation. He said people have a perception about payday loan institutions and he has had several constituents ask if there is anything the city can do to prevent them from locating on every corner. Mayor Scruggs said she supports the Conditional Use Permit process with spacing requirements, special business licensing procedures with background checks, and density standards. She stated she would likely also support restricting access to arterial streets. She asked if both streets would have to be arterial streets. Mr. Froke said they are looking at various options at this point. Mayor Scruggs said she truly believes they need to use the Conditional Use Permit process. 16 Vice Mayor Eggleston agreed they should move forward with the Conditional Use Permit process. Councilmember Martinez asked if a payday loan business could locate at the intersection of two arterial streets under staffs proposal. Mr. Froke responded yes. Mayor Scruggs clarified such businesses would have to locate at the intersection of two arterial streets. Councilmember Martinez expressed concern that requiring them to locate at the intersection of two arterials will give the businesses too much prominence. Mr. Froke said they would like to bring the issue to the Planning Commission and start analyzing the pros and cons of the various options. Councilmember Martinez asked how many payday loan institutions already exist in the city. Mr. Froke responded 21, noting six more applications are currently pending. Councilmember Lieberman stated he would rather see a minimum spacing of one-half mile to one mile. He pointed out restricting the businesses to the intersection of two arterials would automatically place them at least one mile apart. He noted the businesses are popular in Arizona because Arizona does not have any usury laws. Mayor Scruggs pointed out 34 mile spacing is the maximum spacing that will withstand legal challenge for group homes. Mr. Tindall said spacing with regard to payday loan institutions has not yet been challenged in court. He stated he and the Planning Commission will discuss the legal issues and risks involved. He said the city will have to be reasonable in its restrictions. Councilmember Lieberman pointed out one per 10,000 would limit the total number of such businesses in Glendale to 23. He suggested that limitation would also be challenged given the number of pending and anticipated applications. Mr. Tindall agreed. Councilmember Clark said C3 zoning has worked well for adult-oriented businesses and might serve just as well with regard to the payday loan businesses. She asked if Luke expects a proliferation of adult-oriented businesses since much of the area is zoned C3. Mayor Scruggs directed staff to take the issue to the Planning Commission. Providing Homeowner's Association with Notification of Building Permits CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: Mr. Horatio Skeete, Deputy City Manager and Ms. Deborah Mazoyer, Building Safety Director Ms. Mazoyer said the city's current computer system can generate a report listing all types of permits, but it cannot list them by geographical area. She stated any HOA can have the report emailed to them or look at it on the city's website. She said HOAs could also request weekly reports listing permits just submitted. She explained, over the longer term, the city could implement a Teleworks program that would allow the city to 17 produce reports divided into geographical areas and automatically email the reports to the various HOAs. Vice Mayor Eggleston asked if they have solicited the opinion of the HOAs on such a service. Ms. Mazoyer said if given direction by Council they will work with Mr. Strunk's office to contact the HOAs. She said those who are interested could sign up for the weekly service. Vice Mayor Eggleston expressed his opinion most HOAs will be interested in the service. Ms. Mazoyer agreed. She pointed out the Teleworks program would reduce the size of the list emailed to the HOAs by limiting each list to only their geographical area. Councilmember Martinez asked at what point is a permit issued. Ms. Mazoyer said after the plans have been approved. Councilmember Martinez asked if there will be time for the system to notify the HOA before the applicant pays any money. Ms. Mazoyer agreed the applicants are taking a risk requesting a permit without first obtaining approval from their HOA. She expressed her opinion the applicants will not be out as much money if the city takes a proactive stance to notify HOAs. She pointed out all but 10 percent of the money on a canceled permit can be refunded. Councilmember Clark agreed notification will benefit the HOAs. She asked if non-HOA neighborhoods will also be notified of pending permits. Ms. Mazoyer said they can use the registered neighborhood list to notify non-HOA neighborhoods. Mayor Scruggs said it is important that notification be done only upon the neighborhood or HOA's request. She pointed out the database will have to be updated periodically. Ms. Mazoyer noted Eric Strunk has offered to include information about the service in the HOA Training Academy program. Mayor Scruggs directed staff to proceed. Beautification of Southeast Corner of 59th and Grand Avenues CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: Mr. Horatio Skeete, Deputy City Manager and Mr. Larry Broyles, City Engineer Mr. Broyles said they have set up a meeting with Arizona Public Service on January 17 to discuss options available for beautification of the substation at 58th Drive and Market Street. He stated he has also been in contact with Burlington Northern regarding the Northern/Santa Fe property on the southeast corner and hope to schedule a meeting by the end of the month. He stated a follow-up memo will be presented to the Mayor and Council after the conclusion of those meetings. 18 Councilmember Lieberman asked if the Highway Department was going to develop part of the bridge into a park. Mr. Broyles said the Grand Avenue improvements include beautification of the northwest corner of that intersection. He clarified the southeast corner belongs to the Burlington Northern Railroad. Provision of a Temporary Public Art Program CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: Ms. Gloria Santiago-Espino, Deputy City Manager, and Mr. Rex Gulbranson, Arts and Cultural Administrator Mr. Gulbranson explained one option would utilize mass-produced fiberglass forms painted by artists and a second option would utilize original works of art temporarily loaned to the city. Mayor Scruggs asked what comments have been received that indicate anyone has noticed the guitars placed around the city. Mr. Gulbranson said the response to the guitars has been positive, noting they will move to the Dodge Theater around the first of February where they will be auctioned off. Councilmember Goulet said a number of people over the years have shown him pictures of artwork they have seen in other cities, asking that similar artistic aspects be brought to the downtown area. He stated he finds the second option interesting. He said the idea was that the artwork would act as another point of interest in the downtown area. Mr. Gulbranson said a financial investment is typically needed to recruit artists to participate in this type of project. Councilmember Martinez asked if the guitar exhibit is an example of what is proposed under the second option. Mr. Gulbranson said it would actually fall under Option 1, stating the guitars are mass-produced fiberglass forms painted by artists. He pointed out fiberglass does not work well outdoors and has a limited life. He said, therefore, the objects are typically sold or auctioned off. Councilmember Martinez asked if the money would come from the one percent art fund. Mr. Gulbranson responded yes. Councilmember Martinez said he supports Option 2. Mayor Scruggs said she would oppose the first option because of the vandalism that has been done to the guitars. She asked if the second option is similar to Mesa's bronze sculpture program. Mr. Gulbranson answered yes. Councilmember Lieberman asked what happened to the hanging baskets in the downtown area. He said he is not in favor of the $136,000. Mr. Gulbranson was unable to comment on the hanging baskets. Councilmember Clark expressed her opinion the city is not ready for either option, suggesting they begin with sidewalk or street art. She spoke about a successful program in LA that had local artists replicate the masters. 19 Councilmember Frate thanked the Commission for their effort, stating he would like them to continue their research. Mayor Scruggs asked Mr. Gulbranson to take the Council's comments back to the Arts Commission. Adoption of an Ordinance Controlling Sales of Pseudo-ephedrine CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: Ms. Donna Brown, Executive Legal Assistant Ms. Brown said pseudo-ephedrine is an issue of both statewide and national concern and many feel federal and statewide uniformity is needed to address the problem. She reported SB 1473, which passed last year, increased penalties for making, carrying or distributing methamphetamines and created additional penalties for those caught making meth in the presence of children. She said it also required retailers to store over the counter tablet medicines containing pseudo-ephedrine as a sole active ingredient in a locked case or behind the counter. She stated the bill also significantly lowered the amount of pseudo-ephedrine a person can purchase each month from 24 grams to nine grams. She said the State Legislature begins next Monday and they anticipate several bills on the topic will be introduced. On the federal side, Ms. Brown said several bills have been introduced. She said one decreases the amount of pseudo-ephedrine that can be purchased to about 3.6 grams. She said another bill also addresses the issue of smuggling methamphetamines into the United States from other countries. She stated they will come back to Council on January 17 with both state and federal legislative updates. Councilmember Martinez asked Ms. Brown if she senses support at the State Legislature to pass a tougher law. Ms Brown said there are differing opinions as to what measures need to be implemented. She stated the Attorney General has been very active in the discussion, noting Mr. Beasley received an offer from the Attorney General to brief the Council on his proposals. Mayor Scruggs noted the statement was made at a meeting with leadership that there will be state legislation within the first 60 days. She said the Governor recently agreed state legislation is needed. Councilmember Martinez said his intention in bringing up the issue was for the city to pass an ordinance that is more restrictive than the current state law. He said, however, he is willing to wait to see what the legislature does. Mayor Scruggs suggested they mark the issue for an automatic report in three months. Councilmember Goulet asked if the 2005 law prohibits ordering pseudo-ephedrine through the mail. Mr. Paladini explained the nine gram limitation is set forth in the criminal statutes; therefore it is difficult to determine if it applies to mail orders. He stated the prohibition of sales does not apply to an out of state seller, but the prohibition against the mail order purchase of more than nine grams could apply to an in-state purchaser. He said it is staffs consensus that the issue must be addressed on a statewide basis. Mayor Scruggs directed staff to bring the item back in 90 days. 20 3. COUNCIL ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: This is the quarterly opportunity for City Councilmembers to identify topics of interest they would like the City Manager to research and assess for placement on a future workshop agenda. In the fall of 2002, the Council approved a procedural guideline allowing for topics of special interest to be identified quarterly. The initial assessment of each item requires staff time. The recommendation was for the Council to identify items of special interest that the Council wants the City Manager to assess. Councilmember Clark reported receiving emails about teens shooting plastic bb's at one another and hurting unsuspecting citizens who get caught in the middle. She asked if the prohibition against discharging fire arms within the city limits applies to bb guns as well. She also asked if the city has any prohibition against plastic ammunition. Councilmember Frate said a constituent has asked the Council to change the ordinance on temporary shade structures. He stated citizens have also expressed concern about the city's litter ordinance. He asked staff to review the ordinance and determine whether an awareness campaign is needed and how the ordinance can be enforced. Mayor Scruggs suggested the ordinance on temporary shade structures should go to the Property Maintenance Committee. Councilmember Lieberman suggested officially naming the 4.5 mile stretch around the arena "The Glendale Arena". He noted the stadium will be called the Cardinals Stadium or Arizona Cardinals StIlium. He also passed along a constituent suggestion to name the new bridge over 59 Avenue and Glendale the Marty Robbins Memorial Bridge. Councilmember Martinez asked staff to research what other cities do with regard to keeping sexual offenders away from schools. Councilmember Goulet said several calls from people who want Council to restrict the location of tattoo and piercing parlors. He said several people commented to him about the music and type of activity that took place prior to the Glendale Glitters lighting, stating they felt it was inappropriate for the event. He suggested the Council be more involved when changes are made to special events. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:15 p.m. 21