Cerritos City Council Meeting Minutes
MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CERRITOS
HELD JANUARY 13, 2011
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Cerritos City Hall, 18125 Bloomfield Avenue, Cerritos, California.
INVOCATION
Councilman Jim Edwards offered the invocation.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Boy Scout Troop 394 led the assembly in the salute to the flag.
ROLL CALL
The following Members of the City Council were in attendance:
Councilman Bruce Barrows
Councilwoman Carol Chen
Councilman Jim Edwards
Mayor Pro Tem Laura Lee
Mayor Joseph Cho, Ph.D.
PRESENTATIONS
Proclamations were presented as follows:
In honor of their selection as part of the City’s Business Recognition Program: Millenium Dental Technologies, Inc.
In honor of Korean American Day: Korean American Foundation, Los Angeles.
In honor of achieving the rank of Eagle Scout: Rohan Raghavan and Venkates Raghvan.
In honor of their participation in Cerritos Student Government Day: Donna Saadati Soto, Rachel Contia, Asad Niazi, Tyler Barnett, Tiffany Ho, Evan Machado, Simone Evangelista, Benson Ku, Monica Awada, Lu Xuan Guo, Jenine Ly Garcia, Amanda Manalo, Angelica Raney, Nancy Elbassir, Tsipporah Christopher, Napolean Dela Cruz, Jess Daniel E. Gascon, Kevin Hsu, Samuel Y. Kim, Shivani Chokshi, Samuel Choo, Chris Im, Austin Khym, Yen-Hsun Lee, Celine Linarte, Abigail Manares, Michelle Teng, Neehar Thakor, Tsai-Huei Sophia Tsai, Curtis Yu, Jacqueline Alas, Sathya Alekhya Bukkuri, Kevin Kang, and Dhruv Shah.
PUBLIC COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS
There were no public comments.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Approval of Register of Demands
MOTION: It was moved by Councilwoman Chen and seconded by Councilman Edwards to approve the Register of Demands dated January 13, 2011, Checks 121345 through 122179, in the total amount of $12,230,395.72. The motion carried unanimously.
Approval of Treasurer’s Reports
MOTION: It was moved by Councilwoman Chen and seconded by Councilman Edwards to approve the Treasurer’s Report for the period ending November 30, 2010. The motion carried unanimously.
Approval of Minutes
MOTION: It was moved by Councilwoman Chen and seconded by Councilmember Edwards to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 9, 2010. The motion carried unanimously.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
A request by applicant James Palmer, 16622 Greenbrook Circle, Cerritos, CA, 90703, for approval of a Conditional Use Permit to operate a music school. The subject property is located at 19448 Norwalk Boulevard, Cerritos, California, 90703, is zoned Commercial Office Professional (COP), and is located in the Los Coyotes Redevelopment Project Area (APN 7054-011-035).
Conditional Use Permit 2010-7*
Cerritos Redevelopment Agency Conformity Report 2011-2
*Pursuant to Section 15301 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this project is categorically exempt.
Mayor Cho recused himself from this item by noting that he is a tenant of the subject property building. He subsequently left the Council Chamber for the duration of the item. Mayor Pro Tem Lee presided over the public hearing.
A staff report was presented by Robert A. Lopez, Current Planning Manager. A PowerPoint Presentation was displayed.
Mayor Pro Tem Lee opened the public hearing and public testimony.
The applicant, James Palmer, spoke in support of the music school.
There were no further speakers and Mayor Pro Tem Lee closed the public testimony and the public hearing.
MOTION: It was moved by Councilman Barrows and seconded by Councilman Edwards that the City Council:
A. Receive and file Cerritos Redevelopment Agency Conformity Report 2011-2, and
B. Approve Conditional Use Permit 2010-7, making the findings set forth in Cerritos Planning Commission Resolution No. PC 2010-44,
as recommended in the staff report dated January 13, 2011. The motion carried by the following vote:
AYES: Barrows, Chen, Edwards, Lee
NOES: None
ABSENT: Cho (recused)
Mayor Cho returned to the Council Chamber after the close of the item.
A request by applicant Cerritos Best Plaza, LLC, 1545 North Verdugo Road, Suite 115, Glendale, California, 91208, for approval of a tree removal and replacement plan for the Best Plaza Shopping Center located at 11101 through 11263 183rd Street and 17970 Studebaker Road, Cerritos, California, 90703. The subject property is zoned Regional Commercial (CR) and is located in the Los Cerritos Redevelopment Project Area (APNS 7034-015-014, 7034-015-015, 7034-015-022, 7034-015-026, 7034-015-029, 7034-015-033, 7034-015-035, 7034-015-037).
Precise Plan 78-4 (2010) Amendment*
Precise Plan 79-5 (2010) Amendment*
Cerritos Redevelopment Agency Conformity Report 2011-1
*Pursuant to Section 15304 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this project is categorically exempt.
A staff report was presented by Sandy Cisneros, Senior Planner. A PowerPoint Presentation was displayed.
Mayor Cho opened the public hearing and public testimony.
Council and staff discussion ensued on landscaping and lighting issues.
Marina Raines, representing the owner of the Cerritos Best Plaza, responded to the lighting inquiries related to the proposed project.
There were no further speakers and Mayor Cho closed the public testimony and the public hearing.
MOTION: It was moved by Mayor Pro Tem Lee and seconded by Councilman Edwards that the City Council:
A. Receive and file Cerritos Redevelopment Agency Conformity Report 2011-1, and
B. Approve Precise Plan 78-4 (2010) Amendment and Precise Plan 79-5 (2010) Amendment, making the findings set forth in the Cerritos Planning Commission Resolution No. PC 2010-45,
as recommended in the staff report dated January 13, 2011. The motion carried unanimously.
Consideration to waive reading of and introduce an Ordinance of the City of Cerritos Amending Chapter 23.90, Precise Plans – Approval, of the Cerritos Municipal Code to require a Pedestrian Circulation Plan as part of the Precise Plan application for major construction.
1. Development Code Amendment 2010-2
*Pursuant to Section 15061(B)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this project is exempt from CEQA Review.
A staff report was presented by Kristen Huy, Planning Assistant. A PowerPoint Presentation was displayed.
Ms. Huy noted that an email was received from Mr. Carl Simon, who expressed his support for these proposed safety measures.
Mayor Cho opened the public hearing and public testimony.
There were no speakers and Mayor Cho closed public testimony and the public hearing.
MOTION: It was moved by Councilwoman Chen and seconded by Councilman Barrows that the City Council:
A. Approve Development Code Amendment 2010-2, making the findings set forth in the Cerritos Planning Commission Resolution No. PC 2010-47,
B. Waive reading of and introduce AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CERRITOS AMENDING CHAPTER 23.90, PRECISE PLANS – APPROVAL, OF THE CERRITOS MUNICIPAL CODE TO REQUIRE A PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION PLAN AS PART OF THE PRECISE PLAN APPLICATION FOR MAJOR CONSTRUCTION
as recommended in the staff report dated January 13, 2011. The motion carried unanimously.
REPORT ON PENDING LEGISLATION
City Manager Art Gallucci reported on the impact of Governor Brown’s proposed budget which seeks to eliminate redevelopment agencies.
Council and staff discussion ensued on the impacts of elimination of Redevelopment agencies and the required number of housing units each City is required to build.
CONSENSUS: (Cho) To join the League of California Cities in writing a letter to the Governor and members of the State legislature requesting that Redevelopment Agencies not be eliminated from the State’s budget.
CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS/COMMITTEE REPORTS/REPORT ON MEETINGS
Councilman Barrows reported on the following items: Cerritos Student Government Day,
SCAG Economic Conference, support for various regional projects, Neighborhood Watch meeting, Gateway City Council of Governments meeting, and the 10th anniversary of a local business which builds bar-be-ques.
Councilwomen Chen reported on the following items: traffic concerns at Carmenita and Ashworth, congratulated a Cerritos resident who was appointed to the State Pharmacy Board, and invited residents to attend the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day event.
CONSENSUS: (Chen) Direct staff to analyze traffic concerns at Carmenita and Ashworth and return with a report on a future agenda.
Councilman Edwards reported on the following items: Cerritos Student Government Day, State of Transportation presentation by Supervisor Don Knabe, Town Hall meeting, www.saferCerritos.com, and the dedication of the new Paramount Police Station.
Mayor Pro Tem Lee reported on the following items: dedication of the new Paramount Police Station and wished all residents a happy, healthy and prosperous 2011.
Mayor Cho reported on the following items: wished Cerritos residents a Happy New Year, Korean Friendship Bell New Year’s Eve Ceremony, various grand opening ceremonies, Eagle Scout Court of Honor, upcoming Library Artwork exhibitions, Martin Luther King, Jr. ceremony, Governor Brown’s budget proposal and executive orders, and 1st CEB Marine Unit.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 9:04 p.m. in memory of 1st CEB Corporal Eric Torbert, Glenn R. Watson, Alfred Evans, and those who were injured or killed in the recent shootings in Arizona.
/s/Vida Barone_____________
ATTEST: Vida Barone, Interim City Clerk
/s/Joseph Cho____________
Joseph Cho, Ph.D., Mayor
Approved: January 27, 2011
