Avila Valley Advisory Council

Minutes of February 13, 2006  Meeting 

Call to Order  

K. Bittner called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.                                                     

Members Present: B. Pusanik, K. Argano, A. Brown, J. Taylor, J. Scott,  K. Bittner, S. Gooding, D. Palaia, T. Ivarie, J. Schug,  L. Newton, B.Horne, J. Salisbury

Members Absent Marylou Gooden (excused), Ted Ivarie (excused)

Approval of minutes: Dec 12 and Jan 9th meetings:  Dec 12th meeting minutes approved, jan 9th meeting approved with changes.   Motion to approve minutes of both the 10-10-05 meeting and the special meeting of 11-03-05, motion seconded and passed unanimously. 

 

                                    1.0   TREASURER’S REPORT                                                                    J. Salisbury

                                    No activity in the last few months.  $814.67.  Report accepted

2.0  COUNTY REPORTS

2.1Sheriff’s Department                                                                              Sgt. Rasmussen

Been very quiet in Avila.  Only issues have been an increase in transient activity, working with County Mental Health and the homeless shelter to get assistance.  Few petty thefts from open vehicles. 

2.2 County Supervisor, District 3                                                               Jerry Lenthall

SLOCOG meeting, 1 million dollars approved for Bob Jones Bike Trail.  Last couple weeks, had an inmate crew out at the Lighthouse, chipped a lot of brush, used some community development money and used the county chipper to chip all the brush and do a firebreak around the two towers. Looking for volunteers, the third Saturday of every month to do some work out at the Lighthouse.  Economic outlook is not looking as good as he thought at the beginning of the year, some big public works projects coming down the pipe. 

2.3County Planning Staff                                                                             Ryan Hostetter

No new info from James Caruso.  Land Use Committee meeting:  Discussed parking, exterior lighting on the Lighthouse Suites, they are still working with James Caruso on this project. Curb gutters with the Civic Association. Schoolhouse:  waiting for final report from Mr. Merriam, discussed options for possible relocation, exploring those options.  No new projects for Avila Beach.  Public works will give a recommendation on the curb, gutter issue on the Civic Association Building.

3.0 OLD BUSINESS

3.1  Vacation Rental Ordinance-                                                                   Jerry Lenthall

Asking for top 10 concerns/priorities for Avila so that we put together an ordinance that suits the needs of the Avila community.  Karla asked for volunteers from the community.  Will defer this back to the Avila Beach Committee.  Lisa will present it to the Avila Beach Civic Association to see if anyone is interesting in chairing this committee. 

3.2 DCPP Steam Generator Replacement-Mitigation

Karla went to the hearing last month.  Impacts to AVAC, we had requested Emergency Access egress and it is actually now in discussion with Emergency Services and CDF, goes to the Board Of Supervisors on March 7, 2006. Jerry addressed some of the Mitigation issues, traffic and safety are foremost to Jerry, and requested traffic feedback radar signs to check speeds, by the school and by the port, nice thing to add to traffic mitigation. Per Rosemary, if there is a declared emergency and it was necessary to move people out, the county can commandeer any road, including the Diablo road.  Many options are available in an actual emergency and  she included options like calling for evacuation of Avila a bit earlier, going through San Luis Bay Estates, Diablo and San Luis Bay Drive.  Depends on what the emergency is which direction we need to go, might be to the ocean if the hills are on fire for example.  Jerry mentioned that he is going to be meeting with CDF to check on the management of the brush/growth/fuel storage in our area, possibly controlled burns, setback of brush in anticipation of a bad fire season this summer. 

3.3 SLB Bridge Construction Impacts/Update  Rosemary Gaglione

June 1st is the goal for starting the project.  Traffic circulation study, 5th year is coming up to do a new model, when new person is appointed, have them meet with circulation committee and run a new model to be sure that everyone is in on the same page.  John suggested lights on both ends of Ontario Road, especially since during the bridge project there will be a lot of traffic on Ontario Road.  Extensive signage plan to alert public that all business will still be open when the bridge is down and to direct traffic.  Public Service Announcements, KSBY, get community involved to alert as many people as possible before the construction begins. Bridge will be closed for one year. 

3.4 Signs for Agriculture Businesses-John Salisbury

Try to consolidate and use clean metal signs, consistent with county ordinances to point out nwineries and other agribusinesses.  There is a new director of the Vintners association, and he is going to work to keep the signage similar to North County.  Trying to keep signs out of right of way areas. Uniform and compliant, generic signs for Wineries, fruit stands and other agribusiness.  Jack Biesak offered his expertise to help design the signs.

3.5 Public Facilities Fee Increases

Pat Beck will be here next month.

 

4.0  NEW BUSINESS

4.1 Avila Beach Parking 

Bob Martin will be our AVAC representative, T. Eberhardt is going to be the head of the task force for parking in Avila.  Rosemary passed out a temporary parking plan for Downtown Avila.  So much construction going on in Avila right now and some of the prime spots are getting used by people who are parking there all day.  Trying to come up with a Temporary Plan to resolve some of these issues until the parking committee comes up with a permanent plan.  2 hour limit, some input that 3 hour limit will be better.  Already no camping in your car at night in the Avila Beach area, so no overnight parking will be enforced.  Also need to sweep one day a week, so one morning there will be no parking.  Green will be 30 minute parking spaces, sheriff parking and handicapped parking.  Loading zones on the “knuckles” to unload your beach stuff, possibly be used for Sunday “art in the park” for vendors to unload their stuff.  Sheriff Rasmussen commented that loading zones located there stops traffic as the road is not wide enough.  The one on San Juan is a bit bigger and not as much of a problem.  Who is going to enforce the parking timing limits?  One of the biggest issues right now is all the workers, where will we relocate these cars to?  Designate a portion of the Port parking lot for workers?  Parking passes maybe from employers to park in the Port lot?  Limited signage to not put up a bunch of signs and mar the ocean view, minimal signage was agreed upon by Rosemary. John commented on the input from the Avila Beach Committee, wanted to see the 2 hour parking go away, but really felt the need to have some limited parking to be able to run into the market, maybe a couple of 15 minute spaces would do.  We want to encourage the workers to leave the spots for the tourists and one Sheriff’s spot instead of two, but Rosemary commented that there are two spots in the ordinance, not a new addition, could be an ambulance as well as a Sheriff’s vehicle.  Comment from the audience:  Business owner would gladly pay a yearly fee to be able to park in the port parking lot and would validate their clients.  Owner of Avila Market, Lenny Harris, commented that he appreciates what Rosemary has tried to do, we are for some kind of plan.  We have no personal stakes in this issue, all of us need to find a better way to manage this, willing to help.  Likes the idea of 15 minutes spaces in front of the store.  Michael Kidd:  Echoing Lenny’s appreciation of what they are trying to do, focusing on Front Street where the business are, in the business quarter, Front Street & San Miguel.  Concerned about the amount of employees when all the businesses are complete, could be 200-300 employees total.  Rosemary commented that her main concern is limiting contractor parking and overnight parking.  She feels that we should start with these restrictions for the summer and back off them as the permanent parking plan comes into play along with when some of the construction is completed.  John brought a motion, on the yellow, unlimited, no restrictions, red, no overnight parking, loading zone same as on the map, 15 minutes (green) in front of the Avila Grocery, which is on the specific plan, handicapped parking okay, sheriff’s parking only one space. Seconded by Lynn Walter.  Karla asked for vote:  Motion carries…Sherri abstained, Nisan and Lisa voted no.  Motion carries.  Rosemary will take this to the county traffic engineer and will see how it goes. 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE/COMMUNICATIONS

6.0  STANDING & AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORTS

6.1  Land Use Committee (Karla Bittner)  no report

6.2 Avila Valley Committee  (Jan Taylor) 

MUP for house on Avila Valley Drive to build an 8K sq ft house.  Committee approves the project.  Property downslopes  so you actually won’t really see it.  Motion to accept, carried, all voted in favor. 

6.3 Avila Beach Comm:  Lisa  special mtg about historical value of schoolhouse  Lisa was not at the last subcommittee meeting, and was informed about sidewalk improvement at civic association project, neither Lisa nor Teri was present. The civic association bldg project is in two phases, so they wanted to do the sidewalk in front of the remodeled portion, the existing bldg and leave the sidewalk on the addition which is now an empty lot until the time we build that other building, for sidewalk and gutters.  They are willing to comply with this, but just wanted more as a non-profit agency to get a waiver to not have to pay for these improvements on the 2nd street sidewalks.  Everyone is worried about the additional costs in order to complete this part of the project with the budget that they are currently working on.  Is there a possibility of bonding for this Anne asked?  Public safety concerns and issues about the timing of Phase II, split vote, 3-2 to not support the waiver.  There is a tree problem on the 2nd street side.  Are impact fees funds which potentially could pay for this?  John makes a motion that they go to the end of the street and defer the rest of the sidewalk until Phase II is done and ask for $30K from impact fees?  Lynn seconded.  Call for vote, motion passed unanimously.  DeWalt project: For MUP requested, AVAC recommends the planting of 6-48” boxed coastal oak trees in the open space in front of the applicant’s structure.  Require the owner of the open space lot to irrigate and maintain the oak trees.  Motion to send letter, seconded by John Schug.  Call for vote by Karla to send letter to Planning and Bldg Dept, Mike Wulkan, Planner.  Motion carries no opposing votes.

6.4 San Luis Bay Estates     (Sheri Gooding) 

no report

6.5  See Canyon                    (Bill Tickell)

no report

6.6  Squire Canyon               (John Schug/Karin Argano)

no report

6.7  Circulation Committee7(Jan Taylor/Sherri Gooding)

Sent a letter on 11-18th to County Planning, addressed to Pat Beck and there was no response asked Ryan to follow up on this. 

6.8 Community Liaisons     

        Port San Luis   (Karla Bittner) 

        Flood Zone 9 – this month’s meeting was cancelled.

6.9  Diablo Report    (Dusty Palaia)  

 

PUBLIC COMMENT: 

 

8.0 ADJOURNMENT

Meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM.  

 

Respectfully submitted, 

Karin Argano, Secretary