Belmont City Council Regular Meeting - October 22, 2024
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Belmont City Council Regular Meeting - October 22, 2024
The Belmont City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, beginning at 6:00 PM with a closed session (no reportable action), followed by the public portion at 7:06 PM. The council approved the consent calendar, discussed the disposition of three city-owned residential properties, and heard public comments on non-agenda items and on the property disposition.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes of September 10, September 24, and October 8, 2024.
- Authorized the City Manager to execute a task order with Parametrix for design, bid, and construction support services for the Belmont Village Bicycle Improvement Project Phase 2, not to exceed $53,480, and a budget appropriation of $530,000 ($330,000 from TDA grant and $200,000 from the Street Improvement Fund).
- Authorized an amendment to the service agreement with Eaton & Associates for managed IT services for a 24-month term with no fee increases and an option to extend for 12 months.
- Authorized an amended agreement with Granicus LLC for website redesign and software solutions (including GovDelivery, GovMeetings, etc.) for $384,897 over five years.
The consent calendar was approved unanimously (5-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Steve Peckler (resident) commented on non-agenda items: reported streetlights out at 112 Clipper Street and the west end of Concourse, dangerous drivers running stop signs, a broken sidewalk on Concourse near Island Parkway, foul odor from the lagoon due to goose droppings, and unsafe sidewalk conditions from droppings. Requested city action.
- Laura Bliss (mother of a resident at 503 Crest View Drive) spoke in support of retaining the group home for developmentally disabled adults, noting her son has lived there since age 15 (now 46) and the home was developed by families to keep their children in the community. Expressed gratitude for the city's support.
- Andrew Frisch (representing Kinos, operator of 730 El Camino Real) expressed gratitude for the 25-year partnership, support for preserving housing for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities, and interest in working with the city on all three properties, including Emmett House.
Discussion Items
City-Owned Property Status and Disposition Options Staff presented three properties owned since redevelopment dissolution in 2012:
- 730 El Camino Real: Group home for developmentally disabled adults, leased by Kinos since 1999. Deferred maintenance noted.
- 503 Crest View Drive: Intermediate care nursing home for severely disabled adults, leased by Family Homes Inc. since 1999. Recent $15,000 AC replacement.
- 1000 O'Neill Avenue (Emmett House): Historic duplex, restricted to households at or below 120% of area median income. Deferred maintenance estimated at $160,000.
Staff recommended:
- For 503 Crest View and 730 El Camino: Transfer ownership to current operators or a nonprofit, with deed restrictions to maintain use and avoid displacement of medically fragile residents.
- For Emmett House: Option A – transfer to nonprofit via RFP with deed restriction for social service use; Option B – sell at market rate with proceeds to the city's Affordable Housing Fund.
Council discussion:
- All councilmembers supported divesting all three properties, prioritizing continuity of use for the group homes and avoiding displacement.
- For 730 El Camino and 503 Crest View: agreement to transfer with deed restrictions ensuring continued use for the current populations. Councilmember Hurt noted the location of 730 El Camino on El Camino Real and potential future land use changes; staff noted deed restrictions could be tailored (e.g., 20-year term) to allow future flexibility.
- For Emmett House: majority leaned toward selling at market rate (Option B) to maximize funds for affordable housing, but several councilmembers wanted to explore Option A first to see if nonprofits have interest in operating it as a group home. Council directed staff to bring back more information on nonprofit interest before final decision.
Key Outcomes
- Council gave direction to proceed with divestment of all three properties.
- For 730 El Camino Real and 503 Crest View Drive: staff to pursue transfer to current operators (Kinos and Family Homes) or a nonprofit, with deed restrictions to preserve the residential care use and avoid displacement.
- For Emmett House: staff to provide additional analysis on both options (transfer to nonprofit or market sale) and report back to council with potential nonprofit interest and financial implications.
- All proceeds from any sale will be directed to the city's Affordable Housing Fund, per funding source restrictions.
- No formal vote was taken; direction was given for staff to return with proposals.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. Welcome to the City of Belmont City Council regular meeting. It is Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024, 6 p.m. We're in the council chambers. It's actually six thirty. We're in the council chambers, and uh, we will be moving shortly to our closed session. And our when we come back to our regular meeting. Okay, we are back from our closed session. It is seven oh six. Sorry, we're a little late. Um we just had a closed session, which is item four. Um, again, if you're just joining us now, it's the City of Belmont City Council meeting. Uh, Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024. And uh, the ways to make public comment is on our published agenda, both uh online and posted outside of City Hall. Uh, we did not do the Pledge of Allegiance. Uh, so let's go ahead and do the Pledge of Allegiance now. If you're able to raise all these of America, and to the Republic for the nation. Okay, we did not have a study session. Uh, item six, Mr. City Attorney, report for closed session. Good evening, Mm. We did have closed session tonight, but we have no reportable action. Okay, thank you. Item number seven, special presentations, and tonight we do not have any. This portion is if of the meeting is reserved for people wishing to address the body on any city matter that is not currently on the agenda. The period for public comment is limited to 15 minutes, three minutes per speaker. If you do have public comments and items not on the agenda, if you could raise your virtual hand or please fill out a comment card here in the chamber, and our clerk will call your name. Madam Clerk, let's go ahead and take the chamber comments first. Do we have any commenters for item number eight? I'm sorry, Miss Laura Bliss. Are you speaking on an item in your okay? Got that one. And then uh Steve. Steve, in your speaking on the the last item. Um nothing on the agenda. Then please step up. So this is Steve Peckler. Hi. Good evening. I've lived in Delmont off and on since 1952. But um none of that stuff was on the other side of the freeway back then. Um right now I'm living over at the end of Island Parkway. I am I'm a long-term resident at the Hyatt House Hotel. There's about probably about 30, 40 of us. Um I do a lot of walking in the area for exercise, and um it's getting kind of dangerous to do so for a number of reasons. One, there are street lights that are out. I've called the city about them. I've talked to maintenance people who have been doing other things. They said we'll report it. Um, it would be nice to get us at 112 across from 112 um Clipper Street, but then there's also three lights out at the west end of Concourse, and that's an intersection over there.
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