City Council Study Session

ALL RIGHT , GREAT. WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION OF THE MARTINEZ CITY COUNCIL WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2 AND IT IS 5:35 P.M., CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. MAYOR ZORN PRESENT >> VICE MAYOR HOWARD, PRESENT >> COUNCILMEMBER YOUNG, PRESENT, ATTENDING VIRTUALLY, COUNCILMEMBER MALHI AND COUNCILMEMBER McKILOP IS ON HER WAY. GREAT, EXCELLENT OKAY. JUST IN CASE THAT WAS NOT THERE, COUNCILMEMBER GREG YOUNG FOR THE AGENDA IS IN D.C. CALLING IT SO WE WILL BE GIVING HIM OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK VIRTUALLY WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT, SO LET'S GET GOING TONIGHT IS A SPECIAL MEETING ITEM AS PER USUAL WITH SPECIAL PUBLIC COMMENT WILL NOT BE AT THE BEGINNING, INSTEAD PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE AT THE END SO YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN IN ON THE STAFF REPORT JUST LIKE THE COUNCIL. BEFORE MIKE STARTS THE PRESENTATION I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND APOLOGIZE FOR THE AGENDA TYPE OF , WE WERE MADE AWARE TODAY THIS HAD BEEN LISTED AS A STUDY SESSION WITH A CLOSED SESSION OPTION WHEN IT WAS, IN FACT, A PUBLIC MEETING THE ENTIRE TIME SO APOLOGIES, WE DID FIX THAT A COUPLE HOURS AGO BUT WE WILL NOT BE ADJOURNING TO CLOSED SESSION WE WILL HAVE ALL THE CONVERSATIONS AS A GROUP FOR THE NEXT HOUR AND A HALF. MIKE, WILL YOU BE LEADING OFF THIS EVENING? BRIEFLY MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE, I KNOW THIS IS A TOPIC OF SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC INTEREST, TALKED ABOUT OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE YEARS IN STUDY SESSIONS, BRINGING IT TO YOU TONIGHT WITH OUR NEW OFFICER SHOULD NOT SAY NO SO MUCH JUST CROSSED ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY SO CONGRATS TO HIM FOR THAT. TRYING TO DEVELOP SOME ACTUAL STANDARDS THAT WE CAN DISCUSS WITH YOU TO GET SOME DIRECTION TO THEN BRING FORTH IN FUTURE DISCUSSIONS WITH COMMUNITY AND THEN ULTIMATELY WITH CITY COUNCIL TO HOPEFULLY MAKE CHANGES TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE AND MAKE MORE TO WHERE EVERYONE WANTS TO BE. WITH THAT I WILL TURN IT OVER TWO AND HE WILL WALK US THIS PRESENTATION. >> THANK YOU, MIKE. JILL, DO WE WANT TO INTRODUCE NOW? OKAY. OKAY I WILL GET STARTED. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS , THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP TO ACTUALLY THE LAST TWO STUDY SESSIONS, ONE FROM NOVEMBER TO ACTUALLY THE LAST TWO STUDY SESSIONS, ONE FROM NOVEMBER 23 AND THE OTHER JULY 2024, FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT UPDATES. LET'S HOPE THAT THIS WORKS. OH, THERE YOU GO. OKAY WE GOT IT. SO, THIS MEETING WE ARE AIMING TO EMPHASIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CODE ENFORCEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY. WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE A RECAP OF PRIOR DISCUSSIONS FROM THE TWO STUDY SESSIONS, SHARE UPDATES ON ACTIONS TAKEN BY CODE ENFORCEMENT SINCE THOSE SESSIONS, PRESENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING MUNICIPAL CODE FOCUSING ON PROPERTY UPKEEP AND VACANT BUILDINGS. AND WE WILL BE REQUESTING GUIDANCE FROM THE COUNCIL ON POTENTIAL UP DATES TO POLICIES AND ORDINANCES. SO, WHY CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTERS. IT IS VITAL TO PROTECT THE VALUE OF PROPERTIES AND ENSURES PUBLIC SAFETY, STIMULATES ECONOMIC GROWTH, IMPROVE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS AND IT FOSTERS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ENSURING EQUITABLE COMPLAINTS WITH THE PRIMARY GOAL FOR OUR TEAM TO ENCOURAGE PROPERTY OWNERS TO VOLUNTARILY ADDRESS AND RESOLVE VIOLATIONS. AND GO TO SPACES? YES. THERE WE GO PAY SOME CONTEXT AND THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED PERSISTENT PUBLIC CONCERNS ABOUT ISSUES SUCH AS VACANT COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND NEGLECTED PROPERTIES INCLUDE THOSE DAMAGED BY FIRE THE CITY HEALTH STUDY SESSIONS AS I MENTIONED IN NOVEMBER 2023 AND JULY 24 TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES, THE SESSIONS COUNCIL BACK EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR MORE ENFORCEMENT TOOLS, PRIORITIZATION OF OWNERS OF CASES ESPECIALLY FIRE DAMAGE PROPERTIES AND UPDATES TO LOCAL ORDINANCES THERE WAS ALSO A DISCUSSION ON SHIFTING NEW NUISANCE ABATEMENT HEARINGS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AWAY FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION ACTIONS TAKEN SO FAR, AFTER THE STUDY SESSION STAFF HAS IMPROVED PROCESSES FOR TRACKING CASES AND ISSUING CITATIONS THROUGH ENHANCED SOFTWARE TOOLS WE HAVE MADE UPDATES TO OUR SOFTWARE TO HELP OUR TEAM WITH TRACKING AND DOCUMENTING. WE HAVE PROVIDED MORE FREQUENT UP DATES TO CITY COUNCIL ON LONG-STANDING CODE VIOLATIONS, WE ARE DOING THIS ON A BIWEEKLY BASIS, WE HAVE INCREASED COMMUNICATION WITH PROPERTY OWNERS AND HAVE INCLUDED POSTING VIOLATION NOTICES ON THEIR BUILDINGS. AND WE HAVE ALSO UPDATED WEBSITE CONTENT INCLUDING THE PHONE NUMBERS OF OUR TWO CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SO THEY CAN BE REACHED DIRECTLY BY OUR CITIZENS. AND, WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS EFFORTS ON ENCOURAGING VOLUNTARY COMPLAINTS THAT IS A BIG FOR OUR TEAM SOME PROACTIVE MEASURES AND CHALLENGES. WE HAVE HAD A SPECIAL INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON TACKLING GRAFFITI AND LIGHT DOWNTOWN AREAS THERE HAS BEEN DIRECT MEETINGS WITH DOWNTOWN PROPERTY IS TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE HAD COMPREHENSIVE INVENTORY OF DOWNTOWN PROPERTIES THAT REQUIRE MAINTENANCE OR REPAIR. THERE WAS A CITYWIDE SURVEY ASSESSING HOUSING REHABILITATION NEEDS WAS A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN CODE ENFORCEMENT PLAN AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IS THE DROP IN COMPLIANCE RATE FROM THE REPORTED 97%, TO APPROXIMATELY 69%. AND THEN ONGOING ISSUES WITH VACANT PROPERTIES THAT REMAIN UNRESOLVED SOME ISSUES WITH PROPERTY MAINTENANCE. THAT FREQUENTLY ARISE INCLUDE ACCUMULATION OF DEBRIS, TRASH AND GRAFFITI. OVERGROWN VEGETATION AND FEELINGS IN DISREPAIR INCLUDING THOSE DAMAGED BY FIRE, COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS LEFT VACANT OR IN POOR CONDITION, STAFF HAS THE THE COUNCIL FEEDBACK AND STUDIED HOW OTHER NEARBY CITIES ADDRESS THESE SAME CHALLENGES TO IMPROVE NUISANCE ABATEMENT , STAFF IS SUGGESTING REVISING MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 1.13 TO ENHANCE ENFORCEMENT CAPABILITY. ALSO RECOMMENDED TO CREATE AN ON-CALL SYSTEM CONTRACTORS TO HANDLE SMALL-SCALE SUCH AS DEBRIS REMOVAL AND/OR AND TO DEVELOP CLEAR STANDARDS WITHIN MUNICIPAL CODE FOR PROPERTY MAINTENANCE. WE CAN ALSO INTRODUCE A VACANT VIBRANT INITIATIVE LETTER COMPLAINTS DOWNTOWN PROPERTY OWNERS SOME CHALLENGES AND , TO CONTRIBUTE TO NEIGHBORHOOD BLIGHT BY DETERIORATION, DECAY OR DISREPAIR, THEIR POTENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS POTENTIALLY INFESTED BY RODENTS, MOLD OR NOXIOUS ODORS, THERE IS INCREASED FIRE HAZARDS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, LOWER PROPERTY VALUES WHICH THE BROADER COMMUNITY ECONOMIC HEALTH AND THERE IS ALSO A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON TOYS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THE OVERALL ECONOMY AN OVERVIEW OF THE VACANT VIBRANT PROGRAM MAY INCLUDE TIME FRAMES FOR VACANCY ENFORCEMENT RANGING FROM 30 DAYS TO SIX MONTHS, THESE WERE FIGURES THAT I FOUND FROM ORDINANCES FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS , STANDARDS FOR PROPERTY UPKEEP , INCLUDING MAINTAINING CLEAN EXTERIORS AND LANDSCAPING, IDEAS FOR ACT EVADING STOREFRONTS SUCH AS TEMPORARY CREATIVE DISPLAYS OR PUBLIC ART PROJECTS. INCENTIVE FOR COMPLAINTS SUCH AS STREAMLINE PERMITS OR WAIVERS FOR MONITORING FEES. AND A REGISTRATION SYSTEM WITH ANNUAL FEES AND PERIODIC CODE ENFORCEMENT INSPECTIONS TO ENSURE PROPERTIES ARE PROPERLY MAINTAINED I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY MY LAST SLIDE AND SO WE ARE ASKING FROM THE COUNCIL TO HELP SIMPLIFY THE NUISANCE ABATEMENT PROCESS AND ESTABLISH PROPERTY MAINTENANCE STANDARDS, IF CHOSEN TO PROCEED WITH A PROGRAM, DECIDE WHICH ASPECTS TO IMPLEMENT , PRIORITIZE WHICH ELEMENTS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED FIRST, DETERMINE THE TIME FRAME FOR TRIGGERING COMPLAINTS BASED ON VACANCY DURATION, DECIDE THE PROGRAM SHALL APPLY TO FOREX OTHER AREAS AND THEN PROVIDE INPUT ON FEES AND COMPLIANCE AND NOW YOUR OPEN QUESTIONS >> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO HAVE TO THE PRESENTATION? >> TO REITERATE WHAT MIKE WAS REFERENCING, SINCE OUR STUDY SESSIONS TOOK TO HEART THE COUNCIL FEEDBACK, WENT AND DID OTHER CODE, THAT'S WHAT WE PRESENTED, OTHER THINGS JURISDICTIONS ARE DOING THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT AND REALLY TALK THROUGH WITH THE COUNCIL ON WHAT TYPE OF INITIATIVES YOU ARE LOOKING. THERE IS A COUPLE OF AREAS IN WHICH YOU KNOW, ONE LOOK AT NUISANCE ABATEMENT CODE ITSELF AND LOOK TO OVERHAUL THAT CODE AND TO HELP SIMPLIFY A LITTLE BIT MORE AND TERRY CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON THAT TONIGHT. AS WELL AS LOOKING AT SOME OF THE GENERAL ENHANCING GENERAL MAINTENANCE STANDARDS WE HAVE IN CODE TO STRENGTHEN THEM MORE TO DEFINE WHAT VACANCY MEANS AND WHAT WE WANT IT TO MEAN AS WELL AS IN TERMS OF WHAT WE SEE AS VACANT IN TERMS OF STOREFRONT. ALL OF THOSE DEFINITIONS ARE KIND OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE FROM THE COUNCIL AS TO WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU SO WHEN WE COME BACK AND HAVE OUR NEXT MEETINGS WE WILL HAVE MORE OF AN IDEA OF WHAT TO PRESENT IN THAT , WITHIN THAT RESPECT MOVING FORWARD WITH CHANGES TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE BASED ON WHAT WOULD BE RECOMMENDED AND THEN THE VACANT VIBRANT PROGRAM THAT IS A NEW PROGRAM, SOME STRUCTURED WITH A LONG PROCESS TO GO THROUGH IT AND WE WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT WITH PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE OUT THERE SO PART OF THIS RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT IS TO TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE COUNCIL FEEDBACK FROM THE STUDY SESSIONS AS WELL AS LISTEN TO MEMBERS OF OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP COMMUNITY AND WE'RE LOOKING TO WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL HAVE THAT AS A STANDALONE MEETING THE COUNCIL IS INVITED OR REDO SOMETHING RELATED TO HAVING A SOLICITATION MEETING TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE PROCEED WITH DRAFTING ANYTHING AND MOVING FORWARD TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE WHICH WOULD BE THE FIRST STEP BEFORE THE COUNCIL SO RIGHT NOW AND MIKE CAN PUT BACK TO THE SIDE YOU HAVE OR EXPAND WE CAN EXPAND UPON YOU HAVE SEEN HERE WITH QUESTIONS >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND THEN I WILL PUNT IT TO MY NEIGHBORS , MY NEIGHBORS MY COLLEAGUES TO ASK THE BULK OF IT. I WANT TO CLARIFY TWO THINGS FIRST OF ALL YOU SHOWED PHOTOS OF HOMES AND BUILDINGS SO THIS APPLIES TO BOTH RESIDENTIAL AS WELL AS COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND THIS APPLIES EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY NOT JUST A OKAY GREAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE, OFTENTIMES WE GET A LITTLE MYOPIC IN THIS DISCUSSION. THE SECOND QUESTION I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT DEFINITIONS AND THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A QUESTION, THE QUESTION IS HOW ARE WE DEFINING VACANCY BUT I CAN TELL YOU NOW IN CHAPTER 8.38 AND 8.40 ON THE MARTINEZ MUNICIPAL CODE WE DEFINED WHAT A VACANT STRUCTURE IS AND IN GENERAL THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ARE MORE DEFINED AS A NUISANCE PROPERTY WITH GARBAGE OR TRASH OR UNOCCUPIED. THE VACANT STRUCTURE IN 8.3 A IS TALKING ABOUT WHEN OCCUPIED BY PERSON BUT HAS A DISCONTINUED SERVICE WITH WINDOWS THAT ARE BROKEN OR MISSING DOORS AND WINDOWS OR OTHER OPENINGS SECURED BY BOARD AND AT THE END MENTIONS IF IT IS A VALID AND ISSUED BY THE CITY AND THE STRUCTURE IS NOT CONSIDERED VACANT MY COMMENT IS MORE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ON THE ABOUT WHAT THE MAIN WORD TONIGHT IS WHICH IS VACANCY I KNOW IN THE PAST WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT VACANCY AND OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT A VACANT BUILDING AND SOMEONE ON STAFF SAYS THEY HAVE A VALID PERMIT FOR EXAMPLE, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTANDING WITH THE PROBLEM STATEMENT IS AND WE ARE NOT SOLVING FOR SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT EXIST >> TONIGHT PART OF THE FEEDBACK WE ENCOURAGE TO RECEIVE IS WHAT DOES THAT LOOK TO YOU? WHAT DO YOU SEE IN TERMS OF THAT VISION SO WE CAN AMEND THOSE THINGS, THE CODE WAS DEVELOPED A LONG TIME AGO AND IT DOES NOT CAPTURE EVERYTHING SO WHAT DO WE WANT TO CAPTURE THAT ONE DEFINITION FOR ALL AREAS OF THE COAST THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVE HELP US EVALUATING CURRENT CODE 2 ANY FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS TO BRING BACK TO YOU >> GREAT, THANK YOU. THE WORD NOT LEAST IS NOT IN THE DEFINITIONS OF THEIR FOLLOWING RULES BUT IT'S NOT LEAST THE SPACE IS NOT ACTIVATED SO THE PUBLIC THINKS IT'S VACANT BUT ACCORDING TO CODE IT IS NOT IF WE CAN KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE ASK QUESTIONS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. >> TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS BEING CITYWIDE WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS CONVERSATION CITYWIDE SHOULD THE COUNCIL CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON A SPECIFIC AREA THAT'S DIFFERENT. AGAIN THIS IS BASED ON DIRECTION , THE INITIAL STAGE OF THE CONVERSATION SO IT'S OPEN FOR DISCUSSION. >> THANK YOU. I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS BUT HOW ABOUT I OPEN UP TO YOU AND EVERYONE CAN ASK THEIR QUESTIONS AND I WILL WRAP IT UP WOULD EITHER OF YOU LIKE TO START? >> SURE. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT CONVERSATION TO HAVE. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING BACK TO THE COUNCIL BECAUSE WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT NOT JUST DOWNTOWN BUT THE ENTIRE CITY OF MARTINEZ VACANT BUILDINGS AND LIGHT DRIVING ME BANANAS AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER AND I REALLY APPRECIATE WE ARE GETTING SOME TEETH. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY PHONE CALLS HAVE RECEIVED ABOUT BURNED OUT HOUSES AND THOSE ARE VERY DANGEROUS FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS OBVIOUSLY. OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED HARD TO KEEP THEIR HOUSES BEAUTIFUL HAVE TO WALK BY THAT EVERY DAY SO I REALLY FEEL FOR THEM. I LIKE ALL OF THIS , I DO NOT SEE ANYTHING ON HERE THAT I DO NOT LIKE. I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT WE DO BRING STAKEHOLDERS AND OPEN IT UP TO SOME PUBLIC WORKSHOPS. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THAT , WE TALKED ABOUT THAT TODAY. THAT IS GOING TO BE OUR PLAN AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AND GETTING EVERYBODY'S INPUT ON THIS. NOT TRYING TO PENALIZE ANYBODY, THEY ARE TRYING TO GET SOMETHING DONE BECAUSE IT SEEMS WE HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE MUD FOR A LONG TIME AND IT IS TIME, MIKE TOLD US A LONG TIME AGO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE STOMACH TO GO AFTER THIS SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS IS. SO, YOU KNOW I LOVE THE SLOGAN VACANT TO VIBRANT THAT FEELS GREAT I THINK YOU'RE PICKING UP FROM OTHER DISABILITIES. YOU ARE JUMPING ON THEIR PLAN THAT IT HAS ALREADY WORKED SO I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT , BUT IF YOU WANT TO STAND UP FOR THE STAKEHOLDERS AND MAKE SURE WE ARE TRANSPARENT AND BRING THEIR OPINIONS AND CONCERNS TO THE FOREFRONT THANK YOU. JAY , I AGREE WITH YOU 100% I WANT TO THANK YOU MAY, FOR BRINGING UP THE DEFINITION OF WHAT VACANT IS BECAUSE IT MEANS SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO MANY PEOPLE AND I THINK THAT IS A MISUNDERSTANDING. IF WE NEED TO DEFINE IN THIS CONTEXT SO PEOPLE ARE NOT MISINFORMED HAVE A DIFFERENT CONNOTATION , I AGREE WITH WHAT THE STAFF REPORT HAS DETAILED. I THINK THIS IS A GOOD STARTING POINT, NOT A STARTING POINT, WE HAVE ADVANCED BEYOND THE STARTING POINT BUT WE ARE DEVELOPING SOMETHING EMBRACED. I, TOO, I FEEL THE STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO HAVE THEIR TIME TO DISCUSS THIS, TO BRING FORWARD THEIR IDEAS, TO BE AWARE COMPLETELY OF WHAT IT IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THEM AND PERHAPS YOU HAVE IDEAS THEY CAN BRING FORWARD ON THINGS THAT THEY NEED, PERHAPS THERE ARE BARRIERS OUT THERE THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT. I KNOW YOU ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO EVALUATE WHERE THEY HAVE BARRIERS, WHERE IT IS THE CITY CAN HELP PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR YOU KNOW, INFORMATION OR OPPORTUNITY FOR US. TO GET PEOPLE TO EMBRACE WHAT WE ARE ASKING THEM TO DO AND IT'S IN THEIR OWN INTERESTS, SOMETIMES THEY CANNOT GET THERE IF IT'S A FINANCIAL BARRIER OR SOME OTHER MATTER SOMETIMES WE HAVE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN NAVIGATE THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, EVERY SITUATION MAY BE DIFFERENT AND NEEDS SOME TIME AND ATTENTION TO KIND OF ROOT OF THE PROBLEMS MOVING FORWARD . IT IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME SITUATION FOR ALL OF THESE BUSINESS OWNERS. THEY ARE ALL DIFFERENT AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND UNDERSTAND THE BARRIERS THEY ARE FACING THAT HAVE RESULTED IN BLIGHT OR HAVE RESULTED IN DISREPAIR SOMETIMES THERE'S CHALLENGES WE NEED TO HELP THEM THROUGH. I LOVE THE VACANT TO VIBRANT SLOGAN. I THINK THAT IS CAPTIVATING , IT SORT OF TELLS YOU WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND I LIKE THAT. SO I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING THIS FORWARD AND LOOKING AT YOUR IDEAS. I HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY MANY BUSINESS OWNERS AND THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE SOME SORT OF STAKE IN THE GAME AND MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING THAT IS YOU KNOW SOMETHING THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF. THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO PUT IN THEIR TWO CENTS AND PROVIDE SUPPORT TO US AS WE NEGOTIATE THIS SITUATION , SO THOSE ARE SOME OF, I HAVE RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO, I, TOO SHARE MANY OF THE SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED BY MY COLLEAGUE UP HERE THIS AFTERNOON ON THE DAIS. I WILL SAY THAT , YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL HERE IS NOT TO BE HEAVY-HANDED . YOU KNOW, WE WANT THIS TO BE A TRANSPARENT AND COLLABORATIVE PROCESS. YOU KNOW, HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT I THINK, WHAT I THINK WE HAVE ALL SAID AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER ON THE DAIS IS WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE DO HAVE SOME, SOME STUBBORN VACANCIES THAT ARE IN THE DOWNTOWN AND THOSE ARE THE ONES I AM REALLY FOCUSED ON. I WANT TO FIGURE OUT LIKE WHAT COUNCILWOMAN McKILOP JUST SAID. WE NEED TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT IS IT PREVENTING THEM FROM MOVING FORWARD AS FAR AS KEEPING THE PROPERTY , RENTING IT OUT, MAKING IT VIABLE , WHAT HAVE YOU TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE ARE BARRIERS THAT FALL WITHIN THE CITY'S PURVIEW. I WOULD WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THAT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT CAN WE DO TOGETHER TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT? YOU KNOW, BUT THE REALITY IS, THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH THAT THE CITY CAN DO WITH OUR LIMITED FINANCIAL RESOURCES. BUT WE WANT TO BE HELPFUL WHERE WE CAN BE. FROM MY VANTAGE POINT I THINK THAT SEEING SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS AND WE KNOW WHICH ONES THEY ARE, GENERALLY. THEY HAVE BEEN THERE, FOR YEARS, IF NOT DECADES. AND, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT REALLY CONCERNS ME. BECAUSE, THEY HAVE PERPETUALLY SAT THERE AND YOU KNOW AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO STEER THE SHIP AND MOVE IT FORWARD TO CONTINUE A LOT OF THE POSITIVE MOMENTUM IN THE DOWNTOWN, THOSE PROPERTIES ARE AN UNNECESSARY WEIGHT STOPPING US FROM MOVING FORWARD IN THE WAY THAT WE ALL WANT TO KIND OF UPLIFT AND MOVE OUR DOWNTOWN IN. AND I THINK THIS IS PARTICULARLY TIMELY , GIVEN A LOT OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAVE BEEN HAVING, COLLEAGUES, ABOUT OUR HOUSING ELEMENT FOR INSTANCE. AND YOU KNOW SOME OF THE PRESSURES THAT ALL OF US AT THE LOCAL LEVEL ARE FACING INCREASINGLY FROM SACRAMENTO . IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF IF WE ARE GOING TO DO IT IS HOW WE ARE GOING TO GROW AT THIS POINT. BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE LONG-STANDING ISSUES IN OUR DOWNTOWN IS A KEY COMPONENT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ULTIMATELY MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS TO THE STATE, FOR INSTANCE AT LEAST FROM MY STANDPOINT. SO YOU KNOW IT IS A PUZZLE HERE AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO RESOLVE THAT. BUT I THINK WHAT I WANT TO BE ABLE TO CONVEY IS HELP US HELP YOU. WE WANT TO BE HELPFUL, BUT THE DAYS OF JUST LETTING PROPERTY SIT INDEFINITELY , NOT DOING ANYTHING TO THEM, FROM MY STANDPOINT , THAT IS NO LONGER SUSTAINABLE. AND WE ARE GOING TO MOVE , I AM PREPARED TO MOVE, BUT I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE A RUSHED PROCESS. I WANT THAT TO BE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE INPUT THAT HOPEFULLY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE 10 I CAN PROVIDE THAT I CERTAINLY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE, IT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE MY COLLEAGUES , MY COLLEAGUES FEEL THE SAME WAY, BUT I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE, WE PROVIDE THE INPUT, IT GOES TO THE SECOND READING AND WHAM BAM IT IS DONE. THIS IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT LIFT AND SOMETHING LIKE THIS I THINK DESERVES TO BE DELIBERATED THOROUGHLY , TRANSPARENTLY, WITH THE COMMUNITY. I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A CONVERSATION AT THE COMMUNITY. IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE WITH THE COMMUNITY. AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE GOTTEN INTO SOME CHALLENGES ON OTHER ISSUES. HOUSING BEING ONE OF THEM, WHY IT HAS BEEN SO CONTENTIOUS BECAUSE IT'S LARGELY BEEN A ONE-SIDED CONVERSATION. I DON'T WANT THAT HERE, THIS NEEDS TO BE A TWO-SIDED POSITION. I DID NOTE THE STAFF REPORT ALTHOUGH THE MEETING WAS NOTICED THERE WAS NO PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE TIME THE STAFF REPORT WAS PUT FORWARD. I BELIEVE WE WILL GET SOME INPUT HERE TONIGHT BUT I WANT TO CREATE SPACE TO SOLICIT THE INPUT AND I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT STAFF, YOU HAVE LOOKED THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO KIND OF SEE WHAT THEY HAVE IN PLACE AND I THINK THAT IS A REALLY GOOD PLACE FOR US TO POTENTIALLY START , TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT HAVE OTHER COMMUNITIES DONE? WHERE ARE THE PLACES THEY HAVE HAD SUCCESS? HOW CAN THOSE BE REPLICATED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT ARE SOME PITFALLS WE MAY LEARN FROM THEIR EXAMPLE IN TERMS OF WHAT NOT TO DO? SO, THOSE ARE SOME INITIAL THOUGHTS. I MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AS WE CONTINUE HERE. I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU, MAYOR >> ALL RIGHT, I HAVE A FEW STUDENTS, FIRST I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK STAFF FOR HAVING SENT TO NOTICES OF THIS MEETING. >> I'M SORRY MAYOR I HAVE SOME COMMENTS >> OH, YES, THANK YOU. >> HE IS REALLY QUIET, GO AHEAD. >> YOU ALL CAN HEAR ME? >> WE CAN, BUT RARELY. CAN YOU WORK ON THAT? GO AHEAD, GREG. THANK YOU. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW, I AM ALL THE WAY UP? MY VOLUME IS ALL THE WAY UP WE CAN HEAR YOU BETTER, WE HAD TO TURN UP THE VOLUME IN CHAMBER. I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT I ECHO MANY OF THE COMMENTS AND SENTIMENT FROM MY FELLOW COUNCILMEMBERS. THANK YOU, STAFF FOR ELEVATING THIS. I THINK IT IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR OUR CITY. AS I WAS GOING THROUGH IT, AND MAYBE IT HAS BEEN DONE, BUT WHAT WAS COMING UP IN MY MIND ARE QUESTIONS LIKE , WHAT TYPE OF ASSESSMENT HAVE WE DONE? MEANING , BASED ON WHAT YOU ALL HAVE LOOKED AT , WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OWNERS ARE LOCAL OR OUT OF THE AREA? WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH PROPERTY OWNERS? BECAUSE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO REALLY GET AN ASSESSMENT AND GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES. IS IT BLIGHT BECAUSE I AM HAVING TROUBLE GETTING FINANCING? IS IT BLIGHT BECAUSE THE PROPERTY OWNER IS DECEASED? SO, BEFORE I CAN REALLY COME IN AND START TO ARTICULATE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS, I REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE LANDSCAPE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT FEELS RHETORICAL AND IT HAS BEEN THE SITUATION WE HAD, IDENTIFIED AND WE HAVE KICKED THE CAN. AND WE REALLY START TO ADDRESS IT? WE HAVE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH AND WE REALLY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES AND BASED ON THAT UNDERSTANDING, BASED ON THIS VIBRANCY PROGRAM MAYBE THIS IS AN OPTION FOR THIS PARTICULAR BUSINESS OR RESIDENT MAYBE THIS IS AN OPTION. BUT IT IS HARD FOR ME TO ADVANCE ON SOLUTIONS WHEN I DON'T REALLY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PERILS AND PITFALLS THAT HAVE US IN THIS SITUATION . SO I THINK WE ARE OFF TO A GOOD START, BUT FOR ME EVERYTHING YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE DATA AND WHAT ARE THOSE ISSUES, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES AND BUILDINGS WHERE TRYING TO ADDRESS. SO I WOULD OFFER THAT AS I NEED A LITTLE MORE DATA AROUND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SPECIFIC PERILS AND PITFALLS WE ARE SEEING AND THEN HEY MAYBE IT IS US LOOKING INTO A IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS IS BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY JUST NEEDS A FRONTAL FACELIFT VERSUS THERE IS A OWNER DECEASED AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THIS PERSON. SO I JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND. >> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION AND I HAD A SIMILAR QUESTION BECAUSE JILL HAS MET WITH SEVERAL PROPERTY OWNERS. CAN I DIRECT THIS TO YOU? DO YOU HAVE GENERAL BARRIERS THAT WERE REPORTED BACK FROM SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS? >> YEAH, WE MYSELF AND ALEX GREENWOOD HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH ABOUT 20 OWNERS THROUGHOUT TOWN UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO WITH PROPERTY. A COUPLE OF THE ONES YOU MENTION WITH LONG-STANDING VACANCY WE DID NOT HAVE , WE WERE NOT ABLE TO REACH AND HAVE CONTACT WITH. BUT YOU ARE RIGHT BECAUSE ALL OF YOU ARE RIGHT AND EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE THE CHALLENGES CAN RANGE FROM ANYTHING LIKE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WE TALKED TO. INHERITANCE WAS PASSED DOWN TO THEM THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WILL DO WITH IT AND THEY'RE TRYING TO EVALUATE THEMSELVES. THESE ARE EVEN OCCUPIED, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE UNDERUTILIZED ONES THAT NEED SOME SPRUCING UP, OTHERS COULD BE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES. THERE WILL BE PROPERTIES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE A LEASE AND WHEN HAVE A LONG-STANDING LEASE THEY CANNOT LEASE IT OUT AGAIN , HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE LEASE ENDS FOR THE NEGOTIATE WITH THE NEXT PERSON THAT'S AN EXAMPLE FOR THE RIGHT A BUILDING WHICH WE KNOW WILL BE ROSS DRESS FOR LESS, THERE WAS STILL A LEASE WHILE DOING NEGOTIATIONS SO IT DID TAKE A LOT OF TIME AND SOME OF THOSE ARE THE OBSTACLES WE ARE GOING TO FACE, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO TAKE A LITTLE STEP BACK BECAUSE WHAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE AS PART OF THIS CONVERSATION IS GOING FORWARD WITH UPDATES TO THE NUISANCE ABATEMENT SECTION OF THE CODE AS WELL AS VACANT TO VIBRANT, THESE ARE FOR THE ANOMALIES. THE ONES WE CANNOT GET COMPLIANCE AND WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. WHAT CAN WE DO GOING FORWARD? IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE FOR EVERYONE OR INTENDED TO BE USED ALL THE TIME WILL NOT ACTIVELY RACE OUT AND TRY TO FIND EVERY VACANT BUILDING, AND FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING. WE WANT TO USE IT ACCORDINGLY AND APPROPRIATELY SO PART OF THE WHOLE CONVERSATION IS WITH THE WHOLE DEFINING OF WHAT VACANT MEANS, DEFINING STANDARDS THAT MIGHT LEAD TO US CALLING IT VACANT. THOSE ARE THINGS WE WILL BE FLUSHING OUT AS PART OF THE DISCUSSION TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO SAY HERE'S WHAT WE FEEL IS APPROPRIATE SO WHEN WE GET TO THIS LEVEL WE WILL HAVE A GOOD TRIGGER. IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE OUT THERE MARKETING IT THAT'S DOING IMPROVEMENT IT IS A ACTIVE PERMIT BUT IT HAS TAKEN TIME TO GET THINGS GOING WE DON'T WANT TO CALL THAT OUT. IT REALLY TRULY IS , FOR THE HANDFUL OF THOSE THAT THE COUNCIL HAS CONCERNS WITH, THE PART OF THE CODE AND US LOOKING AT THE STANDARDS THEMSELVES, THOSE ARE TO HELP US WITH GENERAL, THE GENERAL NOTE , THE NOTICE SECURES CODE ENFORCEMENT DOES EVERY DAY OF STRENGTHENING LANGUAGE TO BE LIKE YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE BUILDING WITH PAINT, IT CANNOT BE PEELING OFF , YOU CANNOT HAVE EXPOSED WOOD. WE WANT TO CALL IT WHAT IS BLIGHT THAT MIGHT TRIGGER A CASE TO BE ABLE TO GET ACTIVATION TO GET COMPLIANCE BECAUSE SOMETIMES STRENGTHENING THAT WILL HELP US IN A LOT OF AREAS. REALLY IT IS OUR NUISANCE ABATEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE MOST DIFFICULT ONES. THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT MODIFYING WITHOUT CONVERSATION. SO I REALLY WANT TO BE , IT'S IMPORTANT, BACK TO THE QUESTION ABOUT NOT BEING HEAVY-HANDED. THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE INTENT, HOW DO WE DO THINGS BETTER, MAKE IT BETTER VACANT TO VIBRANT COME OKAY GREAT WHILE GOING TO CHALLENGES AND THE TRUST AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO SELL THE PROPERTY CAN ACTIVATE THE STOREFRONT OR DO SOMETHING? MAYBE DO A COOL DISPLAY WITH SOMEBODY ELSE PRODUCT TO PROMOTE THE BUSINESS DOWN THE STREET, THINGS LIKE THAT. HOW DO YOU MAKE IT LOOK AND APPEAR WE ARE MOVING FORWARD. SO WE CAN COME BACK WITH THAT INFORMATION. WE DID NOT WANT TO GET TO THAT LEVEL OF CONVERSATIONS BUT THEY REALLY RANGE. IT IS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE. IN TERMS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THAT. I THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. I THINK THAT IS IT. IT WAS MORE ABOUT YES AND THE GOAL ABOUT THE COLLABORATIVE. THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME, THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS, WE WANT TO DO IT THOUGHTFULLY, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS IS WITH THE FINEST CHALLENGES AND RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM HAVE GREAT IDEAS ABOUT HOW THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR NEIGHBORS SPRUCE SOMETHING UP AS WELL. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A RUST PROCESS, IT IS INTENDED TO HAVE THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATIONS AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE THE COUNCIL, WE DON'T WANT TO RUSH TO A STUDY SESSION WHERE YOU HAVE A LIMITED HOUR AND A HALF ONE OF THE THINGS WE GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK ON FROM THE PARKING CONVERSATION WAS THE LISTENING SESSION ABOUT HAVING A LISTENING SESSION AND IF IT GOES TO AND A HALF OR THREE HOURS THEN IT GOES TO A HALF OR THREE HOURS. PULLING IN THE RIGHT INFORMATION SO WE CAN THOUGHTFULLY COME BACK WITH SOMETHING. >> THANK YOU. GREG, DID YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS? >> AGAIN, I FUNDAMENTALLY AGREE WITH WHAT JILL IS SAYING, BUT STILL I NEED TO KNOW, THE DATA SO I CAN MAKE A GOOD INFORMED DECISION. MAYBE IT IS OKAY FIRST TRANCHE IS DUE TO CHRONIC BLIGHT, WE HAVE REACHED OUT AND CONTACTED. WE GET NO RESOLUTION SO THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTION. BUT IT IS HARD FOR ME TO SAY YET WE NEED TO GO DOWN THIS PATH AND I DON'T REALLY FULLY UNDERSTAND THE LANDSCAPE. I DON'T REALLY FULLY UNDERSTAND ALL THE DUE DILIGENCE STAFF HAS GONE THROUGH TO TRY TO REVERSE THIS BLIGHT. I KIND OF WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM WORKING WITH SO I CAN ADD SOME VALUE IN TERMS OF WHAT ENFORCEMENT APPROACH WE NEED TO TAKE. >> THANK YOU. YOU'RE GETTING NODS FROM THE DAIS , SO THANK YOU. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS BEFORE I OPEN THIS UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT. I WAS STARTING TO SAY I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR SENDING NOTICE ABOUT THIS MEETING TO BUSINESS OWNERS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THEY NORMALLY GET NOTIFIED ALL WORKSHOPS AND MEETINGS SO THIS WAS SOMETHING YOU DID OUT OF THE ORDINARY CORRECT? WE NOTIFIED DOWNTOWN PROPERTY OWNERS AND BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVE THE EMAIL LIST FOR, YES. APPRECIATE THAT, BEING TRANSPARENT. QUESTION FOR YOU, MIKE. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION TALKING ABOUT DECREASED COMPLIANCE RATE FROM ONE WAS REPORTED 90s DOWN TO 69% TO ME THAT SEEMS LIKE A LARGE DROP AND DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA AS TO WHY THAT MIGHT BE OR IS IT SIMPLY THE NUMBER OF CASES? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I WAS SCRATCHING MY HEAD ON THAT AS WELL AND I BELIEVE IN THE YEAR I HAVE BEEN HERE, THE CASELOAD HAS JUST SKYROCKETED. WE HAD MADE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO REACH US, WE HAVE UPDATED THE COMPLAINT FORM PER YOUR RECOMMENDATION ON THE WEBSITE. STAFF TURNOVER WAS PART OF THAT AS WELL. WE HAD SOME PEOPLE LEAVE AND FORTUNATELY WE ARE FULLY'S DEATH NOW WITH TWO GREAT PEOPLE TO HELP US OUT. AND I AM NOT SURE HOW THE PREVIOUS TRACKING TO LACE, BUT WITH OUR CURRENT TEAM THEY WILL NOT CLOSE A CASE IF ANOTHER DIVISION HAS SOMETHING PENDING ON IT FOR EXAMPLE PLANNING OR ENGINEERING. IF THERE IS SOMETHING THEY STILL NEED, FOR EXAMPLE A RETAINING WALL WITHOUT PERMIT IS CODE ENFORCEMENT. IF THEY COME AND APPLY PREVIOUS CODE ENFORCEMENT MAY CLOSE THE CASE BECAUSE THEY APPLY FOR THE PERMIT, BUT WE NOT DOING THAT UNTIL PLANNING AND/OR ENGINEERING GETS WHAT THEY NEED. SO THAT COULD BE PART OF IT A FEW PERCENTAGE POINTS. I'M GOING TO PRIMARILY SAY THE CASELOADS HAVE GONE WAY UP. AND YOU KNOW, THOSE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO CLAIM. WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH THESE FOLKS TO GET VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE. WE ARE BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE PATIENT AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE DROP AS WELL. >> 69% OF WHAT TOTAL NUMBER OF OPEN CASES? >> I HAD THAT. 242. YEAH. >> SO, DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW LIKE WHEN YOU STARTED HOW MANY OPEN CASES THERE WERE ? >> I DO NOT KNOW THAT >> I'M ONLY ASKING THE QUESTION, IT FEELS SINCE HE STARTED FROM MY PERSPECTIVE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT MORE ACTION IN THE CODE ENFORCEMENT AREA SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THIS QUESTION YOU CAN READ THIS STAT IN TWO WAYS. YOU CAN SAY WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB INCREASING CASELOAD, WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN ENFORCING THE CODE OR YOU CAN SAY WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT DOING WHAT WE ARE ASKING AND I THINK IT'S THE FIRST ONE OF THE SECOND SO YOU'RE NOT COMING TO US TO HELP FORCE PEOPLE YOU'RE JUST SAYING WE HAVE SO MANY CASES. >> THE NUMBER WILL GO UP WE JUST HAVE A LOT OF CASES. >> I CAN ADD ONTO THAT, EVERYTHING MIKE SAID IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. WHEN I TOOK THE POSITION, DURING COVID THAT A SOFTWARE THEY WERE USING FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT AND IT CRASHED AND LOST ALL THE DATA SO THEY WENT TO EXCEL SPREADSHEETS SO THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE USING. TWO OF THEM DOING CASES AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT THE INITIAL STATS, WHEN WE IMPROVED PROCESS, INCREASED WHAT WE HAVE ON THE WEBSITE, THERE ARE TILES WHERE PEOPLE CAN FIND RESOURCES AND WE DID THE ONLINE FORM SUPER EASY TO SUBMIT AND IT DID INCREASE THE SUBMITTAL RATE A LOT AND THEN WE LOST CODE ENFORCEMENT PORTAL WHICH GIVES US THE ABILITY TO TRACK MORE AND WITH THE INCREASED STAFFING IT HAS BEEN LIKE GOING TO THE PROCESS AND THE OTHER THING MIKE POINTS OUT WE NEVER REALLY HAD AN ABILITY TO TRACK OR SHOP WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS SO THAT ALLOWS FOR THE ABILITY IT'S OUTSTANDING NOW SO WE CAN NOTIFY PLANNING TO LET THEM KNOW SOMETHING IS GOING ON OR CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM HELPS US WITH TRACKING A LITTLE BIT MORE WE'VE GOT BACK TO PROPER TRACKING SYSTEM AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THE NUMBER , THE VOLUME COMING IN, ALSO THE ONGOING. SOME STATS CROSS FISCAL YEARS. THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT COME INTO THE DATA. >> OKAY DURING OUR JOINT MEETING WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION HERE LAST WEEK. I HEARD THE PHRASE FIT TEST FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I APPRECIATED THAT, ONE OF THE DEVELOPERS CAME AND WAS TALKING ABOUT, TALKING ABOUT POTENTIAL RULES AND POLICIES AND WANTING TO LOOK TO MAKE SURE THE PROJECT THAT YOU HAVE AND THE POLICIES YOU ARE PROPOSING WOULD MAKE SOME POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE PROJECT SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE TONIGHT OR AS WE CONTINUE TO THE CONVERSATION, WE ARE DOING FIT TEST ON ALL THE POLICIES WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE WE HAVE TURNED DOWN HOUSES THAT HAVE BEEN AN ITEM OF CONCERN FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. OF THE TWO THINGS WE HAVE PROPOSED, THE VACANT SURVIVOR AND REDUCTION OF I GUESS REMOVING PLANNING COMMISSION FROM THE PROCESS TO MAKE IT MORE STREAMLINED, DO WE THINK THESE TYPES OF ACTIONS WILL MAKE THE BURNED DOWN HOUSES GET IMPROVED FASTER? >> I'M GOING TO SAY THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT TOOLS ARE KIND OF ON A CONTINUUM. KIND OF A LINEAR PATH. AS STAFF HAS SAID, YOU ALWAYS WANT TO ENCOURAGE VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE. IT'S GOING TO BE SO MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER TO DO THIS THEMSELVES. AND IF THEY DON'T DO THIS THEMSELVES, THEN IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE CODE ON THE CONTINUUM OF TOOLS, THE NEXT TOOL AFTER A FINE, ADMINISTRATIVE CITATION WHICH BY THE WAY IS JUST A FINE. IT IS NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PEOPLE CAN PAY THE FINE AND THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS AND MAINTAIN YOUR PUBLIC NUISANCE. SO, IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO FIX IT YOURSELF AND IT RATCHETS UP ON THE CONTINUUM TO THE NEXT TOOL AND THAT IS CALLED NUISANCE ABATEMENT AND THAT IS WHEN THE CITY WITH ITS OWN FORCES OR THROUGH CONTRACTED VENDOR COMES ONTO YOUR PROPERTY AND CLEANS UP THE MESS THAT YOU HAVE REFUSED TO CLEAN UP AND THEN WE CHARGE YOU FOR THE COST OF THAT, THE CHARGER FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST OF ALL THE LETTERS THAT STAFF HAS WRITTEN TO GAIN YOUR VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE, PLUS THE ACTUAL COST OF CLEANUP AND ANY LEGAL COSTS INVOLVED. THAT IS NUISANCE ABATEMENT. FURTHER DOWN THE CONTINUUM OF TOOLS WOULD BE OF COURSE THERE IS CIVIL LITIGATION AND CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT, BUT, FOR A BURNED-OUT HOUSE, FOR A PROPERTY YOU HAVE GOT HALF OF A STRUCTURE, THE THING THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO DO IF THE PROPERTY OWNER IS NOT WILLING TO LIFT A FINGER TO MOVE FORWARD IS A RECEIVERSHIP. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE NUISANCE ABATEMENT, NUISANCE ABATEMENT IS ONLY REALLY USED TODAY THINGS OFF THE PROPERTY. LIKE PEST CONTROL, CLEANUP JUNK, CUT THE WEEDS. ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT INVOLVE MAKING IMPROVEMENT TO PERSONAL PROPERTY , REAL PROPERTY PRIVATE PROPERTY. IN ORDER TO DO THAT TO A COURT DECEIVER AND THEY DO IT FOR YOU. TO CLARIFY ALL THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED ALONG THAT LINE , THAT'S NOT. THAT EXISTS IN THE CODE ALREADY >> I WILL SAY THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS IT HAS BEEN SINCE THE CITY HAS EVER ACTUALLY USED NUISANCE ABATEMENT PROCESS IS. YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. AND THE REASON WHY IT DOES NOT GET USED IS, IT'S JUST NOT EFFICIENT. THE PLANNING COMMISSION ONLY MEETS ONCE A MONTH AND ON TOP OF THAT WE GET THERE, THERE IS THE APPEAL TO CITY COUNCIL SO NO MATTER HOW YOU SLICE IT, THE COUNCIL WILL ALWAYS BE INVOLVED. ON TOP OF THAT YOU HAVE TO COME BACK AFTER THE ABATEMENT IS DONE TO COVER THE COST AND ORDER SPECIAL ASSESSMENT AND THOSE ARE THINGS THE PLANNING COMMISSION ACTUALLY CANNOT LEGALLY DO COME ONLY COUNCIL DO THAT. FOR THIS REASON THERE NUISANCE ABATEMENT PROCESS PROCEDURE JUST HAS NOT BEEN USED. >> TO CLARIFY IN THE STAFF REPORT ONE OPTION FOR NUISANCE ABATEMENT IS TO REMOVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE PROCESS TO STREAMLINE IT BUT IN EFFECT THERE WILL BE THREE MEETINGS WITH CITY COUNCIL. >> THERE WOULD BE TWO ONLY. INITIAL MEETING. >> ONE PUBLIC HEARING, A SECOND. ABATEMENT ACTION COMPLETED CITY COUNCIL CONFIRMATION HEARING REQUIRED? >> THAT'S THE SECOND MEETING. >> OKAY THERE'S ONLY TWO, GREAT. >> THE FIRST MEETING IS KIND OF LIKE A SHOW CAUSE HEARING. THAT'S WHAT YOU DON'T NEED THE APPEAL , IT IS ONE MEETING. THE HEARING BODY SHOULD BE THE COUNCIL BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE AUTHORITY TO ORDER SPECIAL ASSESSMENT LANE. AND ALSO TO CONFIRM THE COST OF ABATEMENT SO IT NEEDS TO STAY WITH THE COUNCIL, BUT AT THE INITIAL SHOW CAUSE MEETING THE COUNCIL COULD EASILY BE PERSUADED BY SOMEONE COMING AND SAYING I REALLY WANT TO DO IT I JUST NEED EXTRA TIME. THE COUNCIL COULD SAY I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXTRA 30 DAYS, EXTRA 60 DAYS BEFORE WE ORDER. SO IT IS NOT BLACK AND WHITE QUITE OKAY IT IS A PUBLIC NUISANCE, WE ARE LOWERING THE BOOM ON YOU NOW. YOU REALLY HAVE A LOT OF LEEWAY, BUT IT IS UP TO THE PROPERTY OWNER TO MAKE THEIR CASE BEFORE COUNCIL COMES TO THEM. >> I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SAY BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE THE FACT THAT NUISANCE ABATEMENT HAS BEEN ON THE BOOKS THE WHOLE TIME AND WE NEVER USE IT EVEN IF WE WERE TO SAY WE WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, STREAMLINE THIS. THE ONUS IS ON STAFF TO COME TO US? BECAUSE WE WILL NOT KNOW ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES OR IS THE EXPECTATION COUNCIL IS NOTIFIED ABOUT THEM BY A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC AND THEN WE ASK FOR IT TO HAPPEN? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. IN THE CITY OF MARTINEZ AND TRUE OF MOST CITIES YOU DON'T HAVE STAFF DRIVING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRYING TO FIND A CODE VIOLATION. CODE VIOLATIONS ARE REPORTED TO THE CITY. >> NUISANCE ABATEMENT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU WOULD CALL . >> NUISANCE ABATEMENT ONLY HAPPENS AFTER THE STAFF HAS TRIED , ATTEMPTED TO WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER AND THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS JUST FAILED TO TAKE ACTION. IT'S GOING TO BE A MINIMUM OF TWO NOTICES WITH DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER OF EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. AND AS LONG AS THE PROPERTY OWNER IS WORKING WITH STAFF, TO WORK TOWARD A VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE, NO ONE IS EVER GOING TO USE THAT NUISANCE ABATEMENT PROCEDURE. ONLY TO CLARIFY, WE DO GET UPDATES FROM THE CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAM AND I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THERE ARE A COUPLE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE HAD TWO NOTICES GIVEN TO THEM SO I GUESS THE QUESTION TO CODE ENFORCEMENT IS WHY HAVING YOU USE THE NUISANCE ABATEMENT PROCESS? >> WELL, AS I SAID, WE'RE STILL PUSHING FOR VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE AND ALONG THAT CONTINUUM THAT TERRY MENTIONED IS THE CITATION PROCESS. THESE PROPERTIES IF THEY ARE STILL VIOLATING MUNICIPAL CODE ARE RECEIVING CITATIONS. THE PARTICULAR ONE THAT KEEPS COMING UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THAT PROPERTY , BOTH HAVE RECEIVED THE BUILDING PERMITS. SO THEY ARE NOT IN VIOLATION OF THE CODE FOR THAT PURPOSE HOWEVER WE ARE MONITORING THEM ON A WEEKLY BASIS FOR WEEDS AND RUBBISH AND TRASH AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE BECAUSE OF HISTORY AND THE YEARS THEY HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED SO HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. >> ON THAT POINT, MIKE I MEAN YOU JUST SAID YEARS. I MEAN , OKAY SO THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE A PERMIT IS PREVENTING US FROM RATCHETING UP THE PENALTIES ARE CONSEQUENCES? >> IF THEY HAVE A BUILDING PERMIT, THEY ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TO REBUILD THEIR FIRE DAMAGED HOME. SO THEY HAVE STATE LAWS THAT ALLOW SIX MONTHS BETWEEN EACH INSPECTION. AS LONG AS THEY COMPLY WITH THE CODE AND MAINTAIN THEIR OPPORTUNITY, KEEP IN MIND, IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR US TO GET THIS PERMIT ISSUED TO THIS PERSON THE HOUSE BURNED IN MAY 2018. TWO HOUSES. AND AGAIN THERE IS SOME EMPATHY THERE. INSURANCE ISSUES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, I UNDERSTAND THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS VERY FRUSTRATED BUT WE HAVE MOVEMENT. WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAD INSPECTION NOT GO ON PART OF HIS PROJECT. SO THERE IS MOVEMENT. IT IS CRAWLING, BUT AS LONG AS THERE ARE NO VIOLATIONS IN THE MUNICIPAL CODE THERE IS NO CONTINUUM FOR CITATIONS AND FINES >> IF THIS INDIVIDUAL SIMPLY MOWS THE LAWN DOES THE CLOCK RESET? >> FOR THE CODE AS LONG AS THEY MAINTAIN VEGETATION AND THE RULES OF THE BUILDING PERMIT, KNOW IF THE PERMIT EXPIRES THAT'S A NEW SET OF ISSUES THAT COMES INTO PLAY BUT AS LONG AS THEY MAINTAIN REGULATIONS WHICH A STATE LAW OF THE BUILDING PERMIT THEY ARE IN EFFECT WORKING TO REBUILD A FIRE DAMAGED HOME. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE THE BUILDING PERMIT TRUMPS EVERYTHING. >> WELL IT DOES NOT TRUMP THE MUNICIPAL CODE. AS LONG AS THEY ARE MAINTAINING THEIR VEGETATION AND OTHER ISSUES, ESPECIALLY THE DEBRIS THAN THERE IS NO VIOLATION. >> SO, FOR SEVEN YEARS HAVE NOT VIOLATED THE CODE? >> NOT NECESSARILY TRUE. THEY HAVE BEEN MAINTAINING THEIR PROPERTY. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET THE MONEY TOGETHER FROM INSURANCE TO OBTAIN A BUILDING PERMIT. THIS IS WHAT I WAS TOLD. >> I'M GOING TO JUMP IN. >> THEY RENEW? THEY RENEW THE BUILDING PERMIT BEFORE THE YEAR IS UP SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO START ALL OVER AND THEN THEY CONTINUE THE CYCLE AND THEY ARE COMPLIANT, BUT NOT DOING ANYTHING. >> THAT IS AT THE BUILDING OFFICIALS DISCRETION , COUNCILMEMBER HOWARD. I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS PERMIT TO BE RENEWED. I ENTERED THAT INTO THE PROGRAM, HE HAD A DEADLINE JANUARY 22 AND HE COMPLIED WITH THE DEADLINE AND CALLED FOR HIS INSPECTION AND NOW WE ARE IN THE PROCESS MOVING FORWARD, ALBEIT SLOWLY. >> LIKE TO INTERJECT OR TURN IT OVER TO TERRY, I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO MUCH ON THE WEEDS ON THIS PARTICULAR CASE. IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE BUILDING PERMIT UNTIL I CAME ON AND MIKE CAME ON, THAT'S WHEN IT STARTED TO SAY THE MAIN REASON WHEN HE WENT OUT WITH THAT CASE TO SAY HEY LET'S MOVE FORWARD AND HE HAS BEEN MOVING FORWARD GRANTED IT HAPPENED LONG AGO BEFORE US WE DID NOT HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THAT SO IT WAS MOVING FORWARD SO WITH THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO TERRY. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT JUST BECAUSE YOU PULL A BUILDING PERMIT IS NOT WAVING A MAGIC WAND ON CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY. IT IS STILL A VIOLATION OF THE MAINTENANCE STANDARDS THAT EXIST UNDER TITLE EIGHT CHAPTER 8.36. I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT CODE. PULLING A BUILDING PERMIT IS JUST THE FIRST STEP TOWARD RESOLVING THE CODE VIOLATION BUT IT IS STILL AN OPEN VIOLATION AS MIKE SAID EARLIER, THESE ARE GOING TO REMAIN VIOLATIONS UNTIL YOU GET TO THE END OF THE PROCESS. CORRECT EVERYTHING ON THE PROPERTY, IT HAS BEEN INSPECTED AND YOUR PERMIT HIS FINAL. UNTIL THAT HAPPENS IT IS STILL AN ACTIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT CASE AND YOU ARE STILL IN VIOLATION. SO I THINK COME I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT'S JUST AND SAID. THERE IS COLLECTIVE FRUSTRATION HERE ON THE DAIS BECAUSE WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT CASES THAT HAVE DRAGGED ON AT NAUSEA FOR YEARS AND IT SEEMS LIKE SOME OF THESE FOLKS MAKE USING TECHNICALITY IN THE COLD WEATHER MUNICIPAL CODE FOR STATE LAW TO DRAG THESE ON UNNECESSARILY AND RESIDENTS ARE FRUSTRATED. IF YOU HAVE A BURN DOWN HOUSE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD FROM 2017-2018, PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES OF COURSE YOU WILL BE FRUSTRATED. IT TO TRY BY THAT THING AND WALK YOUR DOG PAST THE HOUSE EVERY DAY. AT SOME POINT IT'S TIME TO PUT UP OR SHUT UP. I WOULD SAY THE SAME THING FOR SOME OF THE PROPERTIES IN THE DOWNTOWN , THEY HAVE BEEN SITTING FOR YEARS UPON YEARS UPON YEARS. SO THIS PROCESS COME I HOPE, WILL LEND OURSELVES TO PROVIDE THOSE ADDED ENFORCEMENT TOOLS BUT APPRECIATE WITH THE MAYOR SAID. WE HAVE A LOT ALREADY ON THE BOOKS THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE HAS NOT BEEN FULLY UTILIZED SO IF THERE ARE WAYS TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS TO RAMP THAT UP BECAUSE AGAIN I DON'T TO STIGMATIZE ALL PROPERTY OWNERS BECAUSE TO BE FAIR WE HAVE SOME VERY GOOD RESPONSIBLE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE DOING RIGHT BUT WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE NOT HERE IN TOWN, THIS IS ONE PROPERTY AS PART OF A LARGER PORTFOLIO AND THEY'RE LETTING IT SIT . AND SIT AND SIT AND THEY HAVE GOTTEN USED TO THAT. MY MESSAGE TO THEM, THOSE DAYS ARE OVER. WE ARE READY TO ROLL. THIS TOWN IS MOVING AND , WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. YOU HAVE GOTTEN ACCUSTOMED FOR FAR TOO LONG AND YOU ARE DRAGGING THE REST OF THE DOWNTOWN WITH YOU. ENOUGH'S ENOUGH. IT IS A NEW DAY IN MARTINEZ, YOU HAVE A NEW COUNCIL, YOU HAVE A NEW EXECUTIVE TEAM AND RESIDENTS, WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW RESIDENCE. WE DESERVE BETTER, ALL OF US. SO WHATEVER YOU NEED, COME TO US AND TELL US BUT AGAIN I WANT TO DO THIS TRANSPARENT, I WANT TO WORK WITH EVERYBODY HERE. LET'S FIGURE THIS OUT. MY GOAL HERE CERTAINLY IS NOT TO PENALIZE THOSE THAT ARE DOING RIGHT, IT IS THE PERPETUAL CASES THAT ARE SITTING WHETHER RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL. ENOUGH'S ENOUGH. CAN I ASK THE QUESTION, THAT'S A GOOD SEGUE. I WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT IN A SECOND. THE LAST QUESTION I HAD IS REGARDING VACANT STRUCTURES AS DEFINED IN WHAT IS IT 8.40. DO WE HAVE ANY VACANT STRUCTURES DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW THAT MEET THE CODE AND HAVE ISSUED ANY VIOLATIONS? >> WE DO HAVE VACANT STRUCTURES DOWNTOWN AND UP UNTIL NOW TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE ONLY THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SENT TO THEM VIA LETTER IS ANYTHING THEY HAVE REGARDING BLIGHT ON THEIR PROPERTY OR DISREPAIR OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE, GRAFFITI. NOT THE VACANCY ITSELF. >> NOT THE VACANCY ITSELF THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING TO AT THE BEGINNING. I BELIEVE WHERE WE ARE NOW, IF WE DO WANT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THIS TO MAKE SURE IF THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE, IF WE THINK THERE'S A TON OF VACANT STRUCTURES WHEN IN FACT THERE'S ONLY A FEW BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT IS DEFINED AS IS INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE THINK IT SHOULD BE , SO BE MINDFUL OF THAT WHAT WE THINK A VACANT STRUCTURE IS. THANK YOU FOR CONFIRMING, I WAS HONESTLY WORRIED WE WOULD SAY THERE ARE NOT ANY. >> I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE TERM VACANT. IS THAT USED IN THE INDUSTRY TO DEFINE VACANT BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE THINK OF VACANT AS NOT OCCUPIED. NOT RENTED OR LEASED AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT VACANT MEANING DISREPAIR, THEIR PROBLEMS WITH THE BUILDING, FIRE DAMAGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THINGS THAT ARE NOT JUST THE PROPERTY. >> EACH JURISDICTION DEFINES WHAT VACANT MEANS. >> DO WE NEED TO LOOK AND DETERMINE WHAT WE CONSIDER VACANT OR IS THERE ANOTHER TERM WE WANT TO DIFFERENTIATE THESE CONCEPTS SO WE ALL UNDERSTAND BECAUSE 99% OF THE PEOPLE WHO HEAR VACANT THINK OF A UNLEASED PROPERTY BUT IT IS DEEPER THAN THAT AND THERE'S MORE TO THAT BUT THERE IS ALSO VACANT PROPERTIES I WOULD LIKE TO INCENTIVIZE GETTING RENTED OUT AS WELL. THAT'S SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, I WOULD LIKE TO INCENTIVIZE THAT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TRULY VACANT AND UNLEASED PROPERTIES DOWNTOWN. >> THANK YOU THAT IS PART OF THE CONVERSATION. YES WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS OF HOW WE UPDATE IT. GIVEN THE TIME CHECK WE HAVE LESS THAN HALF AN HOUR. >> I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT. I DID NOT GET ANY PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS SO CAN I SEE BY SHOW OF HANDS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THIS EVENING? OKAY MAYBE WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME. OKAY GO AHEAD AND IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK YOU CAN GET IN THE QUEUE. THE CLOSED CAPTION WASN'T WORKING SO WE WERE THINKING IT WAS NOT ON. >> CAN HEAR ME NOW? THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE TRANSPARENCY AND OPENNESS BY VIRTUE OF HAVING THIS AS A PUBLIC MEETING. SECOND OF ALL I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE DIALOGUE THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE BETWEEN YOU AND STAFF MEMBERS. I THINK THERE WERE A LOT OF EXCELLENT COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE. QUITE FRANKLY, I AGREE WITH AND UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION OF THE COUNCIL. I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION OF THE STAFF. HAVING BEEN HERE ALL MY LIFE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN VACANT AND DEPENDING UPON YOUR DEFINITION OF VACANT IS, SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL SAY PROPERTY IS NOT VACANT. I HAVE STORIES THERE. I'M DOING THIS THERE OR THAT THERE. I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO FIND YOURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE WE WOULD ALL AGREE THAT DEPENDING UPON THAT DEFINITION, MAYBE IT'S VACANT, MAYBE IT ISN'T VACANT. I THINK WE WOULD ALL AGREE THAT SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE NOT JUST UNDERUTILIZED, THEY ARE GROSSLY UNDERUTILIZED. GOING BACK TO COUNCILMEMBER YOUNG'S COMMENTS AND COMMENTS FROM OTHERS, THE QUESTION IS , WHY ARE THEY VACANT? WHY ARE THEY UNDERUTILIZED? WHY HAVE WE NOT GONE YEARS, BUT WHY HAVE WE GONE DECADES UNDER THIS SITUATION? NOW I KNOW I WON'T SAY I KNOW EVERY PROPERTY DOWNTOWN PROPERTY OWNER WITH COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, BUT I KNOW A GREAT NUMBER OF THEM. WITHOUT A QUESTION, THE LAWNS, MOST OF THEM, I WOULD SAY 95 % OF THEM ARE VERY DILIGENT. THEY PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO THEIR PROPERTY. THEY DON'T NEED A PHONE CALL FROM THE CITY OR A TEXT MESSAGE, THEY DON'T NEED AN EMAIL ABOUT DOING SOMETHING ON THEIR PROPERTY. THEY ARE VERY RESPONSIVE AND THEY DO AN EXCELLENT JOB. THE FOCUS IS REALLY ON THE OTHERS AND WHAT ARE THE REASONS WHY IT HAS NOT HAPPENED? LOOK AT THE HILSON PROPERTY. THERE'S A NEW OWNER THE HILSON FAMILY HAS BEEN OUT OF THE PROPERTY FOR SOME TIME. THE CURRENT OWNER HAS DONE SOME VERY NICE THINGS ON THE PROPERTY BUT A GOOD PORTION OF THE PROPERTY IS STILL VACANT, UNDERUTILIZED, UNOCCUPIED, WHATEVER DEFINITION YOU WANT TO USE. THE QUESTION IS WHY? THERE ARE OTHER PROPERTIES IN TOWN THAT FALL INTO THE SAME CATEGORY SO THE QUESTION IS WHY? I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A MEETING OF VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS AND SINCE WE TALK ABOUT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES AS WELL AS COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES I WOULD ASK YOU INCLUDE VACANT LOTS INTO THAT CATEGORY BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE MANDATES THAT HAVE COME DOWN FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WITH REGARDS TO HOUSING. WHY IS IT WE HAVE ALL THESE VACANT LOTS FOR NOT YEARS, BUT DECADES? TO ME IT IS UNEXPLAINABLE AND QUITE FRANKLY WE SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATING IT ANY LONGER. SO THE QUESTION IS, WE SHOULD HAVE SOME PUBLIC WORKSHOPS, WE SHOULD OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THERE. RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, VACANT LOT OWNERS, WE SHOULD HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE THERE AND HAVE THEM WEIGH IN ON THIS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THINGS NEED TO IMPROVE AND AS A CITY, WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE. IT'S KIND OF A CARROT AND STICK APPROACH. HOW ARE WE GOING TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO DO IT AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE BY VIRTUE OF SAY IF YOU DON'T DO IT AND YOU DON'T DO IT WITHIN THIS TIMEFRAME AND YOU DON'T HAVE GOOD CAUSE FOR WHY YOU HAVE NOT DONE IT, THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT CONSEQUENCES. BUT I DON'T WANT TO SEE A LOT OF US PUT THROUGH A PROCESS THAT IS QUITE FRANKLY, UNNECESSARY. >> THANK YOU, TIME IS UP. >> I HAVE SOME CONCERN ABOUT THIS PROCESS. >> PLEASE WRAP UP. >> YOUR THREE MINUTES IS UP. WE WILL ABSOLUTELY ENGAGE YOU IN FUTURE CONVERSATIONS. >> I TAKE EXCEPTION TO THE THREE MINUTE RULE. WE HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY INVESTED IN THIS TOWN. I THINK THIS TYPE OF SUBJECT SHOULD NOT PEOPLE TO THREE MINUTES. I HAVE SAT WHERE YOU HAVE HAD SAD COME I'VE HEARD PEOPLE GO ON AND ON AND ON BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PEOPLE GETTING OUT ALL THE POINTS THEY WANT TO GET OUT VERSUS BEING CUT OFF AFTER THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS THIS EVENING? >> HI MY NAME IS MICHAEL RESSLER I HAVE A ANTIQUE STORE ON MAIN STREET. NOT A PROPERTY OWNER BUT I AM DOWNTOWN IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS, FIRST OF ALL I THINK THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT COMPANY SENSIBLY TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER CITY PROCESSES LIKE PERMITTING OR OTHER KINDS OF ISSUES THAT ARE IMPEDING PROPERTY OWNERS. [ INAUDIBLE ] >> YOUR MICROPHONE WENT OFF. YOUR MIC WENT OFF >> CAN I JUST LET HIM SPEAK INTO MY MICROPHONE? THAT WORKS. >> SO THE CITY PROCESSES LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE SOMETHING ELSE IMPEDING THINGS. I GUESS I AM REFLECTING THAT THIS IS 23 STARTED IN 23 NOW IT IS 25 AND ARE WE GOING TO GET IT DONE BEFORE 28? COULD STAFF DO A REWRITE OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE SECTIONS AND BRING THOSE BACK TO WORKSHOP SO WE COULD AT LEAST LOOK TO SEE WHAT THE BLUEPRINT IS AND THEN START ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES AS THEY COME FORWARD. I THINK THE MUNICIPAL CODE IS A TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX AND MAYBE STAFF NEEDS ADDITIONAL TOOLS IN THEIR TOOLBOX AND THEY CAN BRING THOSE FORWARD. I GUESS THAT BRINGS TO MY MIND WHAT IS THE TIMELINE TO REWRITE THE MUNICIPAL CODE BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE STAFF REPORT. AND THEN FINALLY, THE VACANT TO VIBRANT SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY GOOD IDEA. WHAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THAT? WHERE WOULD THE FUNDING COME FROM IF THERE'S MONEY INVOLVED WHERE'S THE FUNDING GOING TO COME FROM , HAS STAFF IDENTIFIED THE SOURCE FOR THE FUNDS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS THIS EVENING? ACTUALLY THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN THE VIRTUAL AUDIENCE. IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT PLEASE FEEL FREE TO RAISE YOUR HAND, USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE. >> I SHOW NO HANDS. >> ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL PROMPT FOLKS IN THE ROOM TONIGHT SINCE NOT EVERYBODY JUMPED UP TO SPEED, I KNOW THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF SUGGESTIONS IN THIS DOCUMENT FOR ACTIONS THAT COULD BE TAKEN AND I AM INTERESTED IN WHAT SOME OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE VACANT TO VIBRANT LIST IF EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO READ THE STAFF REPORT AND IF THERE ARE COMPONENTS OF THIS RECOMMENDATION LIST THAT MIGHT INADVERTENTLY NEGATIVE IMPACT PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE TRYING TO DO GOOD BY THEIR TENANTS, THEIR BUILDINGS AND THE COMMUNITY, IF THERE IS SOMETHING LIKE THAT PLEASE STAND UP AND LET ME KNOW. LIKE EVERYONE HAS SAID WE DON'T WANT TO PENALIZE PEOPLE BY ACCIDENTALLY INCLUDING SOME VERBIAGE THAT NEGATIVELY IMPACTS A PROPERTY OWNER WHO IS ACTIVELY TRYING TO GET A TENANT. DOES ANYONE HAVE STRONG OPINIONS ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU WOULD RECOMMEND WE NOT INCLUDE? GIVE OUT ANOTHER MINUTE. NORMALLY WE DON'T LET PEOPLE SPEAK MORE THAN ONCE , BUT THIS IS A WORKSHOP SO IT'S FINE. >> THANK YOU. I HAVE NOT GONE THROUGH THE ENTIRE LIST OF THE PROVISIONS. I DO THINK THAT WE ONLY HAVE A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE HERE THIS EVENING. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE MANY MORE STAKEHOLDERS BECAUSE THIS INVOLVES RESIDENTIAL AREAS, AS WELL AS COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL INCLUDE VACANT LOTS AS WELL. IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BLIGHT , I'VE GOT TO SAY THAT A VACANT LOT IS NOT TERRIBLY ATTRACTIVE AND BUILDINGS ARE BETTER AND BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO GET USED FOR EITHER BUSINESSES OR RESIDENCES AND THAT IS WHAT OUR GOAL SHOULD BE. THAT HELPS THE COMMUNITY. SO THE QUESTION IS, AND IT GOES BACK TO COUNCILMEMBER YOUNG AND MAYBE OTHERS WHO HAVE VOICED THE SAME THING. THE QUESTION IS, DO PEOPLE HAVE LEGITIMATE REASONS AND I THINK THIS CODE ENFORCEMENT IS FOCUSED ON HOW DO WE STOP THE BEHAVIOR THAT WE FIND UNACCEPTABLE AND GET THINGS DONE. I ALSO THINK THERE'S ANOTHER COMPONENT TO IT AND THAT IS THE STICK , THAT'S THE ENFORCEMENT, BUT AS A COMMUNITY WE SHOULD BE ASKING OURSELVES HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE BUSINESSES? HOW INCENTIVIZE PROPERTY OWNERS? HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE RESIDENTS TO MAKE THINGS BETTER ON THEIR PROPERTY, AT THEIR HOMES, AT THEIR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS SO ON AND SO FORTH. I THINK THAT IS WHAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY MISSING IN THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE THAT WE FOCUS ON. IT IS ALL ABOUT ENFORCEMENT AS OPPOSED TO INCENTIVIZING. IF YOU GET ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS IN A MEETING, THEY CAN EXPRESS CONCERNS TO SAY IF A CITY CAN DO THIS IT WOULD HELP ME OR A CITY COULD DO SOMETHING ELSE THAT WOULD HELP ME. DOWNTOWN MARTINEZ IS IN A FLOOD ZONE. WE HAVE STATE MANDATES , IN TERMS OF THINGS WE NEED TO DO. TRY TO HAVE A PROPERTY OWNER, A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNER THAT IS IN A FLOOD ZONE OR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNER THAT WANTS TO DO SOMETHING TO THE PROPERTY AND MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. AND THEN THEY ARE BEING TOLD HEY, YOU HAVE TO DO ABC BECAUSE YOU ARE IN A FLOOD ZONE AND THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS. SO WE FIND OURSELVES IN A CATCH-22, LIKE MANY COMMUNITIES DO WHERE WE ARE CAUGHT BETWEEN THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND THEIR MANDATES, WHICH THE CITY IS TOLD THEY NEED TO FOLLOW. I THINK THERE IS SOME DISCUSSIONS THAT NEED TO BE HELD BY THE CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF CITIES, WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND FIND OUT WHAT FLEXIBILITY YOU HAVE. WHAT EXCEPTIONS CAN BE MADE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 100 YEARS OR MORE. AND INSTEAD OF HELPING US, IT IS HURTING US AND IMPEDING US. I KNOW THAT IS NOT RESPONSIVE, MAYOR, TO YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION, BUT I DO THINK AGAIN, THIS NEEDS FURTHER DISCUSSION BY ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AND GO THROUGH IT POINT BY POINT. BUT YES, I THINK EVERYBODY WANTS TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE, TOLERATING PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE ON FOR DECADES WITHOUT DOING SOMETHING IS INEXCUSABLE. WE NEED TO DO IT IN A MEASURED MANNER THAT GETS US TO WHERE WE ALL WANT TO BE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. WE HAVE 10 MINUTES LEFT, OF THE MEETING. STAFF REPORT AND PRESENTATION ASKS US TO PROVIDE INPUT AND GUIDANCE FOR NEXT STEPS SO WHY DON'T WE SPEND THE LAST BIT OF THIS MEETING TALKING ABOUT THAT? AS A REMINDER THERE WERE A COUPLE OF. WELL, ACTUALLY JUST THE TWO. FIRST IS DO WE HAVE INTEREST IN CODE MODIFICATIONS? ONE, FOR THE NUISANCE ABATEMENT PROCESS AS WELL AS ESTABLISHING PROPERTY MAINTENANCE STANDARDS REGARDING VACANT TO VIBRANT PROGRAM AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS ARE WE INTERESTED IN REDEFINING VACANT? IF I CAN GET THOUGHTS ON THE NUISANCE ABATEMENT PROCESS AND ARE WE INTERESTED IN HAVING STAFF COME BACK TO US WITH SUGGESTED CODE? >> YES I THINK THE CONSENSUS SEEMS TO BE YES. GREG, YOU CAN JUST NOD. WE ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING THAT ROUTE. ONE OF THE COMPONENTS THAT I KNOW HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP A COUPLE TIMES WITH RESPECT TO STAKEHOLDER LISTENING SESSIONS. AS A REMINDER THIS HAS BEEN A STUDY SESSION, STAKEHOLDER LISTENING WOULD RESEMBLE MORE LIKE THE PARKING LISTENING SESSION WHERE THERE WAS NO FORMAL MEETING WERE NOT CALLING ON PUBLIC COMMENT IT WAS JUST DISCUSSION FOR PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE. WOULD COUNCIL BE INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING SOMETHING LIKE THAT? >> I WOULD SAY YES GIVING PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEYOND THREE MINUTES AND HAVE OPEN AND FREE DIALOGUE WITHOUT A SPECIFIC TIMEFRAME GOING LONGER MORE THAN ONE HOUR ONE HOUR AND A HALF AND IT ALLOWS FOR EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE IN A MORE INFORMAL WAY BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ARE UNCOMFORTABLE IN A FORMAL SETTING AND TO HAVE A MORE INFORMAL SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE MORE COMFORTABLE TO SHARE IDEAS AND FEELINGS AMONGST THEIR PEERS. DITTO WHAT COUNCILWOMAN McKILOP JUST SAID. I WOULD SAY ONE THING WE DID NOT GET INTO MUCH TONIGHT WAS LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICES OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND THAT'S WHERE IN A LISTENING SESSION SUCH AS THE ONE DESCRIBED YOU CAN DO THAT BECAUSE THAT COULD SERVE AS A TEMPLATE. A STARTING POINT AND TAILORING THAT TO SEE WHAT WORKS BEST FOR OUR INDIVIDUAL SITUATION IN MARTINEZ. >> I WOULD AGREE WITH ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES. >> YEAH, I WOULD ECHO ALL OF MY COUNCILMEMBERS COMMENTS AND AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SNAPSHOT OF THE PROPERTIES AND THE STATE OF THE PROPERTIES BECAUSE I THINK IF WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THAT COUPLED WITH WHAT WE ARE HEARING FROM STAKEHOLDERS, WE WILL BE BETTER INFORMED. WE WILL BE BETTER INFORMED TO LOOK AT THE VIBRANT PROGRAM AND PRIORITIZE. WE HAVE X NUMBER OF PROPERTIES THAT FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY SO LET'S FOCUS THERE. I ALSO WANT THE DATA. >> THANK YOU GREG. THAT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE FIT TEST. IF WE TALK IN HYPOTHETICALS ABOUT WHAT WE WANT THE RULES TO BE AND NEVER COMPARE TO THE REAL PROPERTIES WE MAY FIND WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY CHANGE AT ALL TO THE THINGS WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SO I APPRECIATE THAT. THE OTHER COMPONENT ABOUT THE LISTENING SESSION I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ACKNOWLEDGE. I THINK THE LAST ONE WAS PUBLIC SESSION, NOT BROWN ACT NOTICE SO MAKE SURE WE DO THE BROWN ACT SO THE WHOLE COUNCIL CAN BE PRESENT TO PARTICIPATE AND LISTEN. >> THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION IF YOU WANT SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WE MAY LOOK AT A FORMAT WHERE WE HAVE A FACILITATOR TO HELP WITH THE CONVERSATION TO KIND OF PULL OUT THE CONTEXT. >> WE DO NEED TO BE HERE AT THE DAIS TO LISTEN IN ON PEOPLE'S OPINIONS AND THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS. >> VERY QUICKLY ONE OTHER THING I WOULD PUT OUT FOR CONSIDERATION WOULD BE TO POTENTIALLY INCORPORATE SOME TYPE OF WALKING TOUR OF THE DOWNTOWN BECAUSE IT IS ONE THING TO SEE THIS ON PAPER AND IT'S ANOTHER THING TO HELP VISUALIZE. TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT THERE WITH STAFF OR WHOEVER. AND I WILL LET YOU GUYS FIGURE OUT KIND OF HOW TO DO IT BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY FEEL A BENEFIT FROM THAT, TO BE ABLE TO SAY OFTENTIMES WE ARE HERE LOOKING AT THE STAFF REPORT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH IT BUT SOME OF US ARE NEWER THAN OTHERS AND SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS A REFRESHER. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT. WHETHER THAT'S PART OF A LISTENING SESSION, BUT WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. THANK YOU. >> DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? NO? OKAY AND THE LAST ITEM UNDER PROGRAM COMPONENTS, I FEEL LIKE IT'S PREMATURE BUT I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE ON COUNCIL AND IN THE ROOM WHAT STAFF ARE ASK