5-0

The following is from the Nov. 1 meeting of the Laguna Beach City Council.

RESTAURANT CLEANING

Eleanor Henry said some restaurants are continuing to send pollutants into the ocean by washing mats in Forest Lane.

During her tenure on the water quality board, Councilwoman Toni Iseman said, she learned of a company that would pick up soiled mats from restaurants and exchange them for clean ones, just like a diaper service.

She also said she would like to see Waste Management exchange clean trash containers for smelly, filled ones, rather than just emptying them.

MARINE PROTECTION

Nancy Bushnell and Louise Thornton deplored the loss of Marine Protection Officer Matt Brown, who recently resigned.

They asked that filling the position be given priority despite the budget crunch.

Councilwoman Toni Iseman said she hoped the replacement would be named soon.

“As soon as we have funding available, we will replace Matt Brown,” Mayor Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider said, if the proposed half-cent sales tax increase is approved by the voters on Dec. 13.

TRAFFIC LIGHT

City Manager Ken Frank said Caltrans declined the city’s request on behalf of some South Laguna residents to relocate a proposed traffic light from 9th Street and Coast Highway to the 10th Street intersection.

According to Caltrans, 9th Street has a higher number of pedestrian crossings and 300 people had signed a petition recommending that location.

Councilwoman Iseman said that it is likely that a number of people signed the petitions hoping to get a signal, regardless of whether it was installed on 9th or 10th.

HOUSING COMMITTEE

Stuart Wilson, Sally Rapuano, Shary Selzer and Michael Gosselin were appointed to the revamped housing and human services committee, joining the Rev. Colin Henderson.

Applicants had to receive three votes to be appointed.

WHAT IT MEANS

The committee will focus on affordable housing.

STORM DRAIN CONTRACT

A $106,000 contingency contract was awarded to Noble Consultants Inc. for the design of a relief storm drain at 31861 Coast Highway with filtration and diversion features installed off-site.

WHAT IT MEANS

The contract is contingent on entering an agreement with the property owner. Staff will return to council in three months with suggestions for improvements in the design.

ADOPT-A-FAMILY

The council added an item to the agenda, because of the need to take immediate action and because that need arose after the agenda was posted.

WHAT IT MEANS

$1,200 was disbursed to the slide-displaced Howard Family for appliances and furniture and $2,720 to the Powers family for the balance of the costs to demolish and remove their home from the slide area.

In other business, the Council approved:

* Settlement of Ray Brown’s claim of damage to his sewer line in the amount of $7,450.

* General warrants of $1,668,676.95 and payrolls of $526,926.75 and $551,090.47.

* Resolution approving the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program for federal fiscal year 2005-06 and authorization for the city manager to execute necessary documents on behalf of the city.

* Hospitality Night festivities on Friday, Dec. 2, including the use of a public address system, closure of parts of Forest Avenue, Beach and Third streets and the Pepper Tree Parking Lot and restricted parking on Forest.

* The Sawdust Festival request to cover parking meters Nov. 25 to 27 on Laguna Canyon Frontage Road and reserve parking for buses on the Laguna Canyon Road as needed for the Winter Fantasy.

* Extension of the Bluebird Canyon Slide declaration of emergency.

* Public Art Tour Day set for Sunday, April 23.

* Acceptance of a $17,400 donation from the Laguna Beach Visitors and Conference Bureau to provide free parking Dec. 10 to 17 downtown, the donation to be deposited in the Parking Authority Fund.

A revised parking plan eliminated bagged meters on Mermaid and Third streets and included bagged meters at the two Ocean Avenue parking lots. The city manager was authorized to have staff install the meter bags and enforce time limits.