City makes no decision on Athens

The City Council decided Tuesday to wait until after the municipal election to act on a proposal to hire a consultant to the city to manage Athens Group’s anticipated redevelopment proposal for the Aliso Creek Golf Course and Resort.

City Manager Ken Frank proposed hiring former city planner Kathy Lottes on a contract basis to oversee the project, which is expected to be submitted to the city perhaps as soon as December. Lottes currently works as project manager for Hogle-Ireland, a planning firm.

Under the proposal by Frank, Athens Group would be billed directly for Lottes’ services.

Frank said that hiring a contract worker on the project would be better than tying up a current city planner on the huge job.

“We don’t get to outsource very often,” Frank said. “I wouldn’t recommend just going to any firm, but Kathy is familiar with the city zoning and the local coastal plan.

“Usually, we can’t afford to go outside, but [in this case] Athens Group has agreed to pay.”

“What is being proposed is basically a pass-through of development review fees to pay for the consulting services,” a staff report states.

At this time, the city does not know what Athens Group will propose, but it is expected to be a major project.

“They have indicated they are coming in after the first of the year,” Frank told the council. “We have to be prepared.”

The council voted 4-1 to delay a vote on a contract offer to Lottes until the Dec. 5 meeting — when a new council will be seated — on a motion by Mayor Steven Dicterow.

“There is no point for me to vote, because I won’t be on the council next year,” Dicterow said. He has pulled out of the race.

Councilwoman Cheryl Kinsman voted against the delay, which she said risked Lottes’ availability to work on the project.

“We may end up with some ‘green’ planner on this project and you’ll be really sorry,” Kinsman said.

Frank noted that Lottes had worked for the city for 15 years, served as assistant director of development and was charged with getting the city’s local coastal plan approved.

“She is extremely knowledgeable,” Frank said. “No one else is out there with her kind of knowledge. We would be getting the best person we could find.”

Critics of the proposed hiring of the consultant said more public discussion was needed before a contract was offered.

The proposal was pulled from the consent calendar and 10 speakers voiced opposition — including a Congressional candidate.

“I just spent three hours with Athens Group and Aliso Creek stakeholders,” said Steve Young, Democratic candidate for 48th Congregational District, which includes Laguna.

“I would like to see the city maintain control by using an employee. This is a critical issue for the city and the entire watershed.”

Other opponents of the project echoed the theme of city control over the developers, who also built the Montage Resort & Spa and Treasure Island Park.

“Sometimes, I get the feeling that Athens Group, Paul Freeman [Athens consultant] and Martyn Hoffmann [Athens forward planning director] are more important than the rest of us,” Arnold Hano said. “That’s not true.”

Others asked the council to delay the vote on hiring Lottes until after the election.

“We have mixed issues here,” Councilwoman Toni Iseman said.

Few people, Iseman said, are as competent and honorable as Lottes, but she echoed opponents concerns about the salary being paid by Athens Group.

“It is like paying the teacher who gives you the grade,” Iseman said.

Under the proposal by Frank, Lottes would submit a bill to the city. The city then would submit the bill to the developer.

Dicterow directed Frank to contact Lottes to determine if her time could be reserved now for a later commitment, if the new council approved hiring her.

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QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Should Athens Group be billed for the services of a city planner on its project? Write us at P.O. Box 248, Laguna Beach, CA, 92652, e-mail us at coastlinepilot@latimes.com or fax us at (949) 494-8979. Please give your name and tell us your home address and phone number for verification purposes only.