CITY COUNCIL WRAP-UP

Here are some of the items the council considered at its meeting Tuesday.

FOURTH OF JULY BOARD

The council voted unanimously to appoint Patricia Stier as chairwoman of the Fourth of July Executive Board and Karen Pederson as its vice chairwoman. Following new information by their staff, they chose not to call for the board to be eight members for 2008 rather than the intended nine to 15.

WHAT IT MEANS

Staff members have been looking for enough applicants for a full-sized board, but staff said many interested in joining didn’t quite fit the bill. There are eight members currently, including Stier and Pederson. As the vote did not cap the board at eight members for this year, it can continue to look for more members.

“The difficulty is finding the right members,” Community Services Director Jim Engle said.

PARKING RESTRICTIONS

The council voted unanimously to approve a permit parking system for the area around Ballantine Lane, Bellinger Drive, Hilton Lane, Jereva Circle and Flint Drive.

WHAT IT MEANS

Residents in that area will be issued permits for street parking. City staff said an apartment complex without enough parking spots led to too many of its residents filling up parking spaces in nearby neighborhoods. Residents benefiting from the new parking district will pay a proportion of the fees to maintain and enforce it.

WATER TIMER REBATES

The council unanimously approved a formal deal with the Municipal Water District of Orange County to help fund rebates for residents and businesses who buy weather-based timers for sprinklers. These controllers link up with satellite weather data in order to avoid over-watering, such as when it rains. Staff reports say the devices help save water significantly.

WHAT IT MEANS

The city has already put in about $5,400 toward rebates since it started partnering with the water district in 2005, according to staff reports. That money also includes inspections to verify installation actually takes place. But now it has a formal deal with the district, promising $30,000 for up to 5,000 timers.