The following is from the July 19...

The following is from the July 19 meeting of the City Council.

TRAFFIC SAFETY

Rik Lawrence asked for council help in getting a stop sign

installed on the corner of Glenneyre and Oak streets.

KINSMAN ON BOMBING

Councilwoman Cheryl Kinsman recently returned from a trip to

England and related what she experienced.

“I was in London when the bombs went off,” Kinsman said. “I

remember how I felt on 9/11 and that’s how it was in London on what

they are calling 7/7.

“It was a reminder of how fragile and precious our freedom is.”

Kinsman said the bombers are dangerous people.

“They want to kill us,” she said. “I want to say how thankful I am

to sit in this room. Even if we don’t agree, Bruce [Hopping] and I

can talk about art.”

MISCELLANEOUS

The council:

* Denied a $420 claim by Rachael Mazzo and referred it to the city

claims adjuster. Mazzo claimed she slipped in oil that was spilled on

the street at the Sorrento Grille. 5-0

* Approved general warrants written June 30 for $1,348,159.80 and the July 8 payroll of $652,881.04. 5-0

* Approved revocable encroachment permits for properties at 803

Gainsborough Dr. and 870 High Dr. 5-0

* Approved a lot line adjust for the properties at 1085 and 1133

Laguna Canyon Rd. 5-0

* Confirmed assessments for sewer service and residential trash

collection and authorized staff to send the assessments to the county

to be included on the 2005-06 tax roll. 5-0

LANDSLIDE

Resolution 05.077, declaring the Flaming landslide an emergency,

was extended. The resolution is valid for only 21 days and extensions

will be included on the consent calendar until slide issues are

resolved. 5-0

WEED ABATEMENT

The council adopted Resolution 05.078, which confirmed assessments

for the 2004-05 weed abatement program, which represents money

expended by the city and charged to particular properties on which

assessments were placed.

August 10 is the deadline for the Orange County auditor to accept

the assessment roll, which totaled $18,085.07 for 39 properties. 5-0

PUBLIC ART

A Julia Klemek sculpture titled “Green Man with Red Birds” was

approved for installation in Green Park in South Laguna.

The Arts Commission unanimously recommended the 7-foot tall

sculpture, although Commissioner Nancy Beverage’s expressed concerns

that the piece might frighten children. South Laguna resident Ann

Christoph supported the choice.

The city will pay $10,000 for the rights to the sculpture and its

installation. 5-0

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE FORMED

Councilwoman Jane Egly and Mayor Pro Tem Steven Dicterow

recommended formation of an Environmental Committee. The council

members originally expected the Open Space Committee to transition

into the proposed committee. However, the Open Space Committee, which

had been down-graded several years ago from a commission, passed a

motion to retain its identity and become a sub-set of the

Environmental Committee.

Committee membership is pending.

WHAT IT MEANS

The seven-member Environmental Committee will act as oversight for

sub-groups that could include Open Space, Water Quality/Marine

Safety, Air/Noise/Light, Public Safety, Public Education Enforcement,

and Citizen’s Oversight.

TRAFFIC SIGNALERS

The council voted unanimously to post police officers at the

intersections of Forest Avenue and Glenneyre Street and at Forest

Avenue and Third Street to direct pedestrians.

City Manager Ken Frank said officer-directed traffic had been

tried before and it was not deemed very effective.

“Bottom line: the police department thinks it just moved

[congestion] to another intersection,” Frank said.

Two officers for fours hours, two days a week will cost about

$1,000 overtime per weekend, Frank estimated.

“I understand that sworn officers think this would take away from

their primary duties,” said Councilwoman Iseman, who proposed the

program. “Maybe we can use other resources.”

WHAT IT MEANS

Uniformed officers will direct pedestrians to cross intersections

in bunches to facilitate the flow of traffic. The program will be in

effect on Saturdays and Sunday through Labor Day.

FENCE APPEAL DENIED

A Three Arch Bay resident challenged a Planning Commission

interpretation of a section of a city ordinance dealing with maximum

fence, wall and hedge heights on steet-to-street lots between Encino

and Callecita.

The ordinance section reads: “The maximum height for fences and

walls shall be six feet, except within the required front yard, where

it shall be kept to a maximum of 42 inches.

On street-to-street lots, the maximum height for a fence or wall

shall be kept to 42 inches within any required yard adjoining a

street. Street-to-street lots between Encino and Callecita are exempt

from this provision.

The property owner contended that the third sentence refers to

both preceding sentences.

The council upheld the Planning Commission interpretation, which

reflected the opinion of the city attorney and city staff that the

third sentence was applicable only to the second sentence.